https://www.echeat.com/ The Roman god Mars, had many names. The Pater of the Roman people , the protector of legionnaires and farmers, the lord of destruction, and of course, the god of battle. Mars holds many similarities with the Greek god Ares. However, he represents a military power the Romans held for centuries. Ares on the other hand, stood as a sign of destruction and chaos. Mars is usually dressed with either full battle armor, or just a crescent helmet. He is tall, muscular, and is portrayed holding a gladius/spear and a scutum. In some paintings done by Roman artists, he’s dragged by two horses in a war chariot, or he would be found on top of a pile of dead bodies, cheering his victory against his enemies. He is a very complicated god, and his birth is not entirely known. Either he was born normally, with Jupiter and Juno as his parents, or his mother Juno, took help from Flora to use magic to have a baby. Another tale says that he was born in a similar manner that Minerva was, through the brain of Juno. Originally Mars was the protector of farmers, more of an agricultural god. However, when Rome started expanding and becoming more dominant and militarized, Mars became a god of war, and handed Rome staggering victories. Like most major deities (if not all), he held symbols to represent him all over the Roman empire. One of them is the spear of Mars, which looks like and arrow coming from a circle. Another one would be a statue of Mars, which would be me. When we talk about the weapon of Mars, which is also is symbol, it’s the standard Roman equipment. It’s like Zeus, you can identify him with his lightning bolt, or Ra, you can identify him with a crook and flail. His animals were the wolves, who were said to care for Romulus and Remus throughout their childhood. His consort was Nerio, and she represented the majesty, the power, and the strength that Mars had. She was much like a personification of the major deity. Some sources also state Nerio was related to Minerva. The Greek tales say Mars and Venus had a special connection. In Greek mythology, Ares and Aphrodite loved each other even when Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, or Vulcan in Roman. When the Romans thought of Mars, they 2021-12-08T09:29:56.52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Roman-God-Mars-45529.aspx The Humorous Grave Shakespeare, throughout his many works, has often used a fool in his work to give comic relief to an otherwise intense situation; examples of this would include the Porter in Macbeth as well as the Jester in King Lear (Clark). Hamlet is no exception to this unwritten rule, as the first gravedigger is the fools whose scene brings about levity to an otherwise tragic situation (Ramadhana). The gravediggers’ scene, Act V Scene I, plays an instrumental role in Hamlet, as it is a two-fold scene showing not only surface humor but also deep philosophy through the first gravedigger himself whose character is a comedian and a philosopher of future death in the play (Duggan). The gravediggers begin the scene by allowing the audience to see how common death is in the lives of these two characters, and to begin the scene with comedy to lighten a very dark mood as immediately prior to this scene Ophelia drowned herself (Davidson). Suicide would have been a reason for Ophelia to not receive a Christian burial within the church thus separating her from the deaths of other people and from her own family as she could not be buried in the church graveyard if she committed suicide. The thing that separates the occurrence of death from one person to another in this play is not if each person dies but how each person dies as exemplified in the conversation between the two gravediggers here, “Gravedigger: Is she to be buried in Christian burial, when she willfully seeks her own salvation? Other: I tell thee she is. Therefore make her grave straight…Gravedigger: How can that be unless she drowned herself in her own defense? …Give me leave. Here lies the water; good. Here stands the man; good. If the man go to this water and drown himself, is it…he goes…But if the water come to him and drown him, he drowns not himself” (Shakespeare 239). The audience is well aware that water cannot get up and drown a man on its own, but the humor and casualness with which the gravedigger speaks regarding Ophelia’s death shows the reader that death is an everyday occurrence and has become a point of comedy in the lives of the gravediggers (Davidson). This scene serves to show that the first gravedigger serves as comic relief in this heavy tragedy of Ophelia’s death, as the audience imagines the 2021-12-06T09:08:35.62-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-The-Humorous-Grave-45527.aspx 2021-01-14T15:45:40.343-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Christmas-with-a-good-Reflection-45505.aspx In essence, a literature work cannot function without great ideas or subtexts telling the readers all about it. This fusion of thoughts and experiences, of reflection of life meaning and life itself, is what comprises of great literature work (Alighieri 5). Further literature is not always about language but about life. This means that life is a journey, to be in change, in flux, in metamorphosis and all the uncertainties that could accompany every 2019-06-19T07:13:55.533-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dante-Alighieri-and-Shakespeare-––-purgatory-45490.aspx Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been? The short story, Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been? has become a regularly anthologized allegory that was originally authored by Joyce Carol Oates in 1966. The story was dedicated to legendary American singer, Bob Dylan since the author had been inspired by his song titled It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue. The story has attracted critical reviews over time and scholars have been divided on whether it should be perceived as an allegory or taken literally as written. However, it is undeniable that this short story is an impressive piece of literature that should be adopted in the classroom for a variety of reasons. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? is worthy of study because it helps learners understand the vital elements of a narrative including plot, character, and theme developments. A major reason why the story should be adopted as part of the class literature is that it helps the learners to comprehend plot development. The ability to craft an unpredictable and worthy plot is deemed to be daunting but necessary (Starr 1). As a learner, it is essential that one understands how to craft a plot as well as evaluate the possible impacts that it brings on the reader. In the case of the short story, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? the protagonist, Connie, a teenage girl who is self-obsessed, acts secretively towards her parents and spends time picking boys at a restaurant. Furthermore, the author tries to compare the protagonist’s life with that of her sister, June which expands the plot of the story. As one reads through this story, there is the acknowledgement of the author’s skillful approach in developing an unpredictable and worthy plot. Another reason why the short story should be part of the class literature is that it has embodied character development. Characters are the people or personalized objects that are used to bring out the plot of the story. Often, there is one leading character in the story who is referred to as the protagonist while the others are known as secondary characters. In this case, the lead character was Connie and as described by Oates (1), “She was fifteen and she had a quick, nervous giggling habit of craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people's faces to make sure her 2018-11-07T04:40:08.263-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/short-story,-Where-Are-You-Going,-Where-Have-You-Been-45456.aspx English Week 10 Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation English Week 10 Part One The resource given offered a lot of insight on the importance of cover letters. I have learned that they are equally as important as resumes and probably more critical since they are an introduction to the resume. I now understand that they give a personal approach, which allows the recruiter get to know the applicant. They provide an opportunity for the applicant to sell out their skills and experiences to the employer in a unique way. The resource has also enlightened me into understanding that the content of the cover letter is read first before the resume. Some employers will not look at the resume until they are satisfied by the content in the cover letter. If the cover letter is not satisfying, then most employers will not look at the resume thereby failing the candidate. I have also learned that employers look for unique and well-structured cover letters that catch the eye. I have learned that employers may look for the academic qualification such as college degree in the cover letter to qualify an applicant for an interview. I now understand the importance of having the title of the position one is applying for in the first paragraph. It shows the employer that the applicant is not general and can be classified in a particular job group. I have also gained knowledge on the importance of showing understanding of the organization to the employer. It indicates that the recruit has done some research about the company and is probably a good fit for the organization. The inclusion of expertise and information relating to oneself also guides the employer to classify a candidate fit for interview. Part Two Applicant’s Name and Address Date Mr. Marco Lopez, Manager Belmar Integrated Logistics 351 W Jefferson Blvd Dallas, TX 75208 Dear Mr. Lopez: Upon looking at the local dailies, I came across an advert for the position of Warehouse Order Selector. My college degree and emphasis on perfection qualify me for the position. I hereby express my interest in the position as advertised. My interest in customer satisfaction has allowed me to focus on marketing to understand client requirements. I have pursued a degree course in marketing that has enabled me to learn on how to handle customers. I can write and read in English. I am keen on instructions and can follow them precisely. I am self-motivated and enjoy 2018-05-23T13:17:04.107-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/English-Literature_-English-Week-10-45441.aspx Summary The cases of school dropouts are growing at an alarming rate. Many children are leaving high school long before they graduate. The trend is disturbing, and all the necessary measures need to be implemented to curb the problem. The management of the education sector requires a concerted effort that will ensure that the students will appreciate their being at school and the impact of education in their lives. The different factors have been identified to cause the problem of students dropping out of school. High level of poverty among the minority communities has been defined as a significant reason for the children exiting school before they can graduate. The concern has been raised in many quarters. The government has the role of making the situation better for the children to enjoy staying in school. The teachers and the students can also play an essential role towards eliminating the issues that may emerge out of the cases of children dropping out of schools before they can graduate. Policies have been developed with the aim of reducing the cases of students dropping out. The policymakers need to ensure that all the children have equal rights to an education without paying attention to their backgrounds. The concerned parties should ensure that the children are not discriminated against by their peers or teachers based on any given basis. The female children should be handled with care for meeting their unique needs. The teen mothers need support to be able to go back to class after they give birth. Such girls need assistance to be able to overcome the stigma associated with that condition. The parents have the role of offering best parental care with the aim of supporting their children through education. The cooperation between all the stakeholders is therefore essential towards reducing the rate of school dropouts among the high school students. Dropout Rates in High Schools High school dropout rates have been recorded highly in the recent times. The records indicate that the dropout rates are higher in some states as compared to others. The acceptable period of four years is perceived as the required amount of time that a person should spend in high school (Stetser and Robert 2). However, the rates have been dropping in some states faster than in some other states. The problem has been a significant concern to the policymakers of the education sectors. The actions groups have noted 2018-02-12T11:32:46.167-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dropout-Rates-45417.aspx As a reporter I would say the realistic story of a 7th grader Tom and his fellow classmates at St.Catherine catholic school evokes empathy. Tom’s only friend Jeff has issue with his parents and usually appears sad. Jessica on the other hand is a burn survivor and is new girls in Tom’s class. The rest of the student appears to be scared of her because of her condition. However tom the seemingly antisocial boy seems to get along well with Jessica. Tom’s relationship with Courtney his crush takes a positive turn as everyone in class starts to notice him. Tom Bender is a fat smelly boy who has a crush on stunning Courtney Zisky and often fantasizes of how he could save Courtney’s life however Courtney hardly notices him. Tom’s attention is drawn away when Mrs. Tracy announces a new girl will be arriving that day. Mrs. Tracy announces that the new girl Jessica was involved in a fire and will be attending their school will visiting the nearby hospital for treatment. Little is known on the reality of Jessica’s looks to Tom and his classmates even after Mrs. Tracy warns them of Jessica’s looks .Jessica arrives and Tom and his classmates are shocked by Jessica’s appearance. Toms thinks she must be in a lot of pain and even suggests that with that kind of burns may make one scream to death. Tom’s friend Jeff Hicks is disgusted by Jessica’s appearance. Tom slowly learns about Jessica that her parents are from Boston. Jessica has had many skin grafts and that she has been to many schools and that she might not be around for long. Firegirl is a story that tries to bring forward the fact that a person’s appearance does not really reflect who a person is. This is clearly demonstrated by the interaction between Tom and Jessica. Jessica is severely burned and his and this has really altered her appearance making her classmates speculate about her. Toms describes her face appearing like a mask and her lips swollen such that they could fill the space between her nose and her chin. He even looks at her face back and forth wondering if he is looking at a dead person. Later Tom’s perspective on Jessica Feeney changed after learning about burns. He describes how he started staring at her in class especially when he knew she wasn’t looking. He 2017-11-24T03:31:03.63-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Firegirl-by-Tony-Abbott-45400.aspx Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date Montag Key Encounters The title of the book, Fahrenheit 451, is symbolic. It is the temperature at which papers burn into ashes (Sisario, 201). Montag is the main character in the book. He is a fireman who is proud of his work that entails burning books and possessions of those who own them. He thinks he is happy and has a normal life. He is married but has no children. Montag meets with some people that make him change his way of thinking. He realizes that he is not happy and does not love his wife as he thought. The essay aims at looking at situations and events that changed Montag’s way of thinking. One evening when going home, he meets a new neighbor. Clarisse McClellan is a friendly teenage girl and a student (Bradbury, 20). She is a free thinker. She says that no one like her in school because she is less concerned with science. She thinks more about “why” instead of ‘how.' Just as he starts to expect the evening meetings, the girl disappears without a word. After a week, the wife tells him that Clarisse was hit by a speeding car and his family has moved. The news makes him feel ill and sad. The encounter with this girl makes rim realize his happiness is fake. In one occasion, Montag and his colleagues go to burn a store that is full of books and belong to an elderly woman. He steals a book from her collection out of curiosity. The lady refuses to leave her bookstore. She chooses to burn herself by tossing a lighter to her kerosene soaked house while still inside (Bradbury, 32). The woman’s dedication to the books makes Montag to realize they have something special. Perhaps he can find the happiness he lacks through the books. Montag discovers that he might be destroying the society even though he thought he has been serving it for the last ten years. He hides the book he stole underneath his pillow. He falls asleep thinking why books are perceived as bad and wonders if there is something hidden in them that the government doesn’t want people to know (Sisario, 206). The following day, Montag wakes up feeling sick and thus does not report to work. He tells his wife Mildred that he considers quitting work after the incident of the old woman. She instead commends 2017-06-14T01:10:56.483-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451-45344.aspx Students Name: Instructor: Course: Date: An Analysis of the Ambiguous Ending of 'Passing' The author of the Novel Passing did some credible literature. However, the ending of the novel seems equivocal to most of the readers from a global perspective. The reason behind the hypothesis is that most of the readers from a global perspective have a huge number of unanswered questions that arise from the end and final chapter of the novel. The ending might be a unique way that the author aimed at presenting to the literature world. The author might have achieved the perception as many people criticize the novel at the final chapter where the audience and readers have a huge number of unanswered questions. Suspense is an aspect that global authors use to present their literature work. However, most people reprimand ambiguity as it leaves the reader with many unanswered questions after going through the literature piece. The Essay discusses the aspect of ambiguity as presented in the final chapter of the book “Passing” by Nella Larsen; the book deliberately ends without a revelation of who is responsible for the demise of the main character Clare One of the chief questions readers ask after reading the work is the person responsible for Clare’s demise. In the last chapter, it is quite obscure about the major aspects that contributed to and motived the person responsible for Clare’s death had before committing the murder. Scholars argue out that the death of a character is a factor that draws the keen audience of the audience to the Novel, which leads to most many questions if the death issue is not addressed effectively (Mandal 12). In crucial aspects of writing that seem to draw a huge interest of the readers to the narrative, require deeper addressing from the writer. Besides, the author expresses culture and race segregation as huge factors connected to Clare’s death. However, the author does not give the audience detailed information that relates to the death of Clare. On the other hand, some scholars find the color theory in the novel to be a weak theoretical framework that most readers could use to understand and explain the death of Clare (Shoemaker 9). The chief reason behind the argument might be that the author has not invested much time in expounding on the theory and linking it to the narrative. To add 2017-06-14T01:02:34.8-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Analysis-of-the-Ambiguous-Ending-of-Passing-45343.aspx The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak The Armenian Genocide, alias the Armenian Holocaust, is a 1915 massacre that was aimed at getting rid of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. The numbers of the people killed during the event varies between sources; however, most historians agree that approximately two million Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire during the time of the massacre (Anderson 483). Nevertheless, the Turkish government has denied responsibility for the event. In fact, the Turkish Historical Society, in an official government report, referred to the slaughters of Armenians, which occurred between 1914 and 1918 as relocations that were associated with some unforeseen incidents (Tunca 56). Fundamentally, The Bastard of Istanbul is a 2006 novel by Turkish bestselling author Elif Shafak; it is set in the United States and Turkey and although it is fictional, it confronts Turkey’s violent past, particularly at the time the Armenian Holocaust. The book’s main characters include Asya, a nineteen-year-old Turkish woman, and the Kazanci sisters who all cohabitate in an extended household in Istanbul. Zehila, the youngest of the sisters and Asya’s mother, runs a tattoo parlor. The other sisters include Banu, a clairvoyant, Feride, a hypochondriac, and Cevriye, who is a widowed high school teacher. Inherently, the Kazanci’s have an estranged brother who lives in Arizona with his Armenian daughter called Armanoush. One day, Armanoush secretly flies to Istanbul in search of her family roots, meets her relatives, and becomes quick friends with Asya. It is during this time that a secret is uncovered, which ties them to the deportations and massacres that occurred during the 1915 Armenian Holocaust. Intrinsically, most of the details of the killings are revealed through the conversations of Asya and Armanoush, as the two discuss identity, memory, the Turks ignorance of the massacres of Armenians during the 1915 Holocaust, and whether it is possible to shake off the truth (Tunca 55). In essence, The Bastard of Istanbul is aimed at illuminating the true horrors of the Armenian Holocaust, which the Turkish government has turned a blind eye to over the year. Notably, Shafak is focused on exposing the hypocrisy of her people, Turks, towards the Armenian Holocaust. The initial trace of this agenda is depicted through Armanoush. Interestingly, Armanoush is the daughter of an American mother and an Armenian mother, but she was raised by a Turkish stepfather named Mustafa. She feels that Mustafa is 2017-06-06T08:41:01.173-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Bastard-of-Istanbul-by-Elif-Shafak-45339.aspx Sophocles Antigone The interesting, though short story of Antigone is a story of a young maiden, Antigone, and her short, and in the end, fatal quest to restore honor to her dead brother, who died under treasonous circumstances. She finds herself fighting the new king, Her uncle, who started her ill fated adventure by refusing her brother burial, thus stripping him of his honor. Antigone’s story is full of hate, anger and loathing, but also of love which in the end spells death for them all. In the end, due to confusion, Antigone commits suicide, thinking that she would be imprisoned for ever, only to have her lover, Haemon find her dead when he came to rescue her. He hangs himself alongside her, which prompts his father, the king to kill himself as well. There are a few important characters with powerful and unique personalities. Antigone, the smart, strong, beautiful maiden who was so steadfast in her beliefs that she died for them, notwithstanding her upcoming marriage. King Creon, stubborn, self centered glut who has to have his way, even if it means killing his son's bride. Haemon, more a neutral than anything, trying to be the voice of reason to his semi crazy father, and full of love towards Antigone. Ismene, sister of Antigone, weak at first, but would later grow strong to go with Antigone towards a possible death. After Antigone’s traitorous brother is killed in combat, the new king decides to let the body sit there and decompose, letting the dogs and birds eat it. Would this lead to any signs or deductions on how the ancient Greeks thought of dead bodies and their role in eternal life? After Creon imprisons Antigone, Haemon, his son, talks to him about the wisdom of his actions, and all the thought, or lack thereof that went into the decision. Creon: Am I to rule this city by other judgment than mine own? Haemon: That is no city, which belongs to one man. Creon: Is not the city held to be the rulers? Haemon: Thou wouldst make a good monarch of the desert. What this means is that King Creon was only thinking about what he wanted. The government at the time was a monarchy, and he had just barely inherited the throne from his brother, Antigone’s father, so he wasn’t very practiced in the arts of Kingship. His thoughts were that he was the 2017-05-26T13:55:28.427-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-analysis-of-Sophocles-s-Antigone-45334.aspx “To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.” -Elie Wiesel In the memoir Night, Eliezer Wiesel recalls his experiences during the time he was imprisoned in concentration camps. Elie is widely known for his exceptional use of figurative language. Figurative language is a literary device that creates strong imagery through unexpected comparisons and word associations. In Night, one can find examples of metaphors, similes, personification and other devices that can provide powerful feeling to the story. One literary device used in Night is personification. Personification is when an author attributes human characteristics to inanimate objects. An example of this type of figurative language is when Wiesel wrote, “My throat was dry and the words were choking me, paralyzing my lips. There was nothing else to say,” (Wiesel, 15). This quote is important because it effectively explains his despair in that moment. “My father’s voice tore me from my daydreams...” (Wiesel, 32), is yet another reference to personification. This quote creates a distrait atmosphere in that particular section of the book. An additional literary device Eliezer uses is similes. Simile is a comparison between two different things using like or as. A simile occurred when Elie wrote “Physically, he was as awkward as a clown. His waiflike shyness made people smile,” (Wiesel, 3). The use of this simile is meaningful because it expresses the love his people had for Moishe the Beadle. A separate mention to a simile is, “He threw himself on me like a wild beast, beating me in the chest, on my head, throwing me to the ground and picking me up again, crushing me with ever more violent blows, until I was covered in blood, ” (Wiesel, 53). This quote is crucial for illustrating just how vicious the man was towards Elie. The last literary device is a metaphor. A metaphor is a comparison between two or more different items without using like or as. An instance in which a metaphor is used in Night is when Eliezer wrote, “...he was judged too humane. The new one was ferocious and his aides were veritable monsters. The good days were over,” (Wiesel, 44). This quote is important because it correctly specifies the way some people were acting during this time. A further use of this device is when Wiesel wrote “The old men stayed in their corner, silent, motionless, hunted-down creatures,” (Wiesel, 70). This 2017-05-11T05:42:02.14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Devices-in-Night-by-Elie-Wiesel-45326.aspx India’s caste system was divided into five groups or castes. These castes provided a system of hierarchy, often using repression to keep the lower castes down. The Manusmriti, acted as a justification for India’s caste system saying the caste system was derived from the Hindu god Brahma. It was known as “the most important and authoritative book on Hindu law” (What is India’s caste system?, BBC, 2016). This book bestowed privileges on the upper castes and sanctioned the repression of lower castes. The upper castes, or the Brahmins and Kshatriyas, consisted of priests, teachers, warriors, and rulers. The lower caste, or the Vaishyas and Shudras, was made up of farmers, traders, merchants, and labourers. There were also Dalits, or untouchables; they were a people who were regarded as the lowest of the low. Upper and lower castes were separated by segregated colonies; “the water wells were not shared, Brahmins would not accept food or drink from the Shudras, and one could marry only within one's caste” (What is India’s caste system?, BBC, 2016). It was very difficult for someone of the lower caste to progress to a higher one as most important and high paying jobs were only granted to the upper class. The caste system affects the relationship between Mini’s father and the Cabuliwallah because they were separated by the beliefs regarding the upper and lower castes. The Cabuliwallah was identified in the Vaishyas caste (lower) as he was a merchant, and Mini’s father belonged to the Brahmins caste (upper) as he was a teacher. Although there was separation between the two, I feel like Mini’s father didn’t want to prejudge the Cabuliwallah and give him the benefit of the doubt. However, the beginning of Mini's friendship with the Cabuliwallah creates conflict between Mini's mother and father. They disagree on how they view the friendship. Mini's mother believes she should not be hanging out with a grown man and imposes fearful questions on Mini's father, "she was full of doubts about the Cabuliwallah, and used to beg me to keep a watchful eye on him...she would turn round on me seriously, and ask me...Were children never kidnapped? Was it, then, not true that there was slavery in Cabul? Was it so very absurd that this big man should be able to carry off a tiny child?" Even though Mini's father likes to see his little girl happy with the 2017-05-11T05:36:52.007-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Historical-Implication-of-The-Cabulliwallah-45325.aspx In a time where women are considered weak and inferior to men, it’s hard to believe there would be a story with a female protagonist who is now considered a “feminist hero.” In a play by Sophocles called Antigone, that is exactly what went down. Antigone, daughter of Oedipus Rex, is portrayed as an independent, loyal, and courageous woman. With this in mind, we lead into Antigone’s trait of independence. It is showed prominently very early on in the play when she asks her sister Ismene to help her bury her brother Polyneices, as this was an important rite in Greek culture; it was believed the gods wanted a proper burial for the deceased to make sure their souls departed with peace. Ismene declined her sister’s offer arguing that they shouldn’t break the law and go against the ruling of men because as women it was not their place. Antigone promptly responds with “I’ll still bury him. It would be fine to die while doing that. I’ll lie there with him, with a man I love, pure and innocent, for all my crime.” She vows that even without the help or approval of her sister, she will bury Polyneices on her own. She continues showing her independent nature when Ismene pleads further for her not to commit the crime. “So leave me and my foolishness alone - we’ll get through this fearful thing. I won’t suffer anything as bad as a disgraceful death.” In this conversation with her sister, Antigone basically tells Ismene to make tracks and leave her to her duty and fate. Later in the play she has a confrontation with Creon, the king of Thebes. Creon acknowledges that she is the sole citizen in Thebes that rebels against his law by saying “In all of Thebes, you’re the only one who looks at things that way...These views of yours - so different from the rest - don’t they bring you any shame?” She responds to him by recognizing she is the one who speaks out because the people of Thebes are struck by fear. Furthermore, towards the end of the play, when Antigone is sent to die, Ismene tries to take blame for the actions of her sister. Antigone stays strong with her self-reliant spirit when she says “Don’t try to share my death or make claim to action which you did not do. I’ll die - 2017-05-11T05:30:41.2-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Antigone-45324.aspx Name: Instructor: Institution: Date: The Movie: Girlhood Introduction Girlhood, the English translation of French Bande de filles, is not only entertaining but it is also intriguing. The audience watching the movie on the screen as well as its live performance would appreciate how the director Céline Sciamma successfully uses the young girls to tell a story of African French adolescent girls. The drama movie conjures up feelings of sympathy and sadness in viewers because of how the young lady characters struggle to fight the desires that come with adolescence. The characters in the drama are members of a girl gang who are portrayed as being morally decadent- shoplifting beauty accessories and lodging rooms. This is the group that the naïve Marieme hopes that she will find comforting to her. Most of the critics of this movie suggest that Sciamma's story is the actual representation of adolescent forces while others find the movie superficial. Reviews The movie, according to (Scott) is a display of the stereotypes that the society has towards gender. The director has gone out of the ordinary to reveal that when it comes to growing up, the girl child is not always a victim of negativity. It would have been expected that the gang of girls is known for all forms of evils that girls are stereotyped with. As a matter of fact, Scott finds the movie interesting in how it twists the issue of gender and teenage hood. The intent of the movie was to change the attitude that the society has towards a gang of girls. Burr in his review observes that Marieme's struggle with girlhood cravings ranges from the desire for sexuality, and the desire to identify herself as a beautiful young lady. At the age of sixteen, Marieme has a crush on her brother's friend, Ismaël. When she realizes her girlhood, Marieme metamorphoses herself slowly. Mark Kermode compares Marieme's gradual change in lifestyle to that of "the phases of the moon." Her name in the clique changes from Marieme to Vic. This metamorphosis is a representation of the way adolescent girls struggle with tensions are caused by their desire to be recognized sexually. To show the conflict that arises in an adolescent's struggle with tensions created by the transition from childhood to adulthood. Even though we are told of budding relationships between Marieme and Issa, it does not turn out dangerous. In fact, the 2017-05-03T11:44:49.197-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Research-paper-on-movie-45321.aspx Introduction Literature plays a crucial role in today's society. It is a tool that is utilized in exposing different issues that face the community. Today, both men and women have an opportunity to give their contributions to this important field of English literature. However, this was not always the case especially in British literature as the field was dominated by men and supported by a society that believed women could not give any meaningful contribution. Though she wrote only one novel, Emily Bronte redefined the role of women in British literature through her book, Wuthering Heights. The paper evaluates her influence to this important field. It seeks to show that her work not only defied the norm, but it also began a movement that set the stage for other women to give their contribution. Emily Bronte’s contribution to British literature Emily Bronte was born during the Victorian era when male chauvinism made it impossible for women to venture into writing and benefit the society with their thoughts. Though not well educated, the work of Emily Bronte was a reflection of herself which made a lot of people relate to what she had written (Bronte¨, p 62). The possibility of a woman writing a book was so limited that her book had to be published under the name of a male author as a female writer was unheard of in that era. When the novel, Wuthering Heights, was released, it defied all societal norms that had been placed by the society and which every author had to conform to for them to be accepted. These challenges noted, the work presented by Emily Bronte was years ahead of her time given the environment under which the book was published. One of the reasons why her work was so important to British literature is because it revolved around passion, sexual desires, power, and conflict. It was the first time that an author, males included, took a chance and showed the society that women were not lesser beings to their male counterparts. To date, her book is still considered as one of the greatest romantic novel in the English literature. Additionally, her work exuded a degree of rebellion, loneliness and a quest for freedom at a magnitude not witnessed before (Bronte¨, p 125). The ability by Emily Bronte to write a book that did not involve a girl in distress who would be 2017-03-22T05:39:31.28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Emily-Bronte’s-contribution-to-British-literature-45299.aspx Ayala 1 Enrique Ayala Mr. Quintero AP English Lit, Period 5 27 January 2017 Visual Connection Karp, Trokhimenko “ Stakin as an Organizer of The October Revolution” Virtual Museum of Political Art. Web. Ayala 2 Karp Trokhimenko’s fascinating art piece, “Stalin as an Organizer for the October Revolution,” gives a glimpse of history of a government rising to power, led by notorious Russian leader Joseph Stalin. This fades in the topic of the novel 1984 on the rise and danger of totalitarianism. First,it shows a part of history that supports 1984’s theme. Orwell wanted to show readers how dangerous a government like the Soviet Union can be to its people. Although many Americans did not realize what was happening in the east, he wrote a communist society in his book to help keep it on the people’s minds. The painting captures a visionary description of Stalin negotiating with other members of the government to help with a revolution that changed Russia’s government to a totalitarian country. During the time the novel is sold and the painting was made, many Americans began to realize that it is a horror that is a reality, with no freedoms and no capital. They also began to realize that Russia is beginning to become a major power like the United States. This painting shows a power rising up from a strong leader that could make a country run by the government’s power. Having a link to the novel, this painting connects to one of the primary literary theories that can be connected to 1984: historical approach. History is a subject of knowledge that is heavily studied on, to prevent on repeating mistakes people or countries have made in the past . The image of Stalin indicates the image of power that was used to the extent of having total control of the people of Soviet Russia. This painting became historical and a piece of history because it portrayed a leader that soon was given power to dominate a country back to its feet, without making lives in the country better. Ayala 3 Nonfiction Connection enotes.com: Totalitarianism “The final part of Arendt’s text focuses on totalitarian movements and governments, in particular, how various movements became established and retained power and control. The most central ideas are that the success of a totalitarian movement depends on the selflessness of its adherents; its aim in and skill at organizing the masses; its elimination of all anomalies, even those in its own ethnic base; and the presence of the masses for support and continuation. The masses are those who by sheer numbers, neutrality, or indifference cannot 2017-02-15T15:06:07.933-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/1984-by-George-Orwell-Literary-Study-Guide_-Contains-Visual,-nonfiction,-media,-and-literary-connections-to-the-novel_-35285.aspx Ayala 1 Enrique Ayala Mr. Quintero AP English Lit, Period 5 27 January 2017 Visual Connection Karp, Trokhimenko “ Stakin as an Organizer of The October Revolution” Virtual Museum of Political Art. Web. Ayala 2 Karp Trokhimenko’s fascinating art piece, “Stalin as an Organizer for the October Revolution,” gives a glimpse of history of a government rising to power, led by notorious Russian leader Joseph Stalin. This fades in the topic of the novel 1984 on the rise and danger of totalitarianism. First,it shows a part of history that supports 1984’s theme. Orwell wanted to show readers how dangerous a government like the Soviet Union can be to its people. Although many Americans did not realize what was happening in the east, he wrote a communist society in his book to help keep it on the people’s minds. The painting captures a visionary description of Stalin negotiating with other members of the government to help with a revolution that changed Russia’s government to a totalitarian country. During the time the novel is sold and the painting was made, many Americans began to realize that it is a horror that is a reality, with no freedoms and no capital. They also began to realize that Russia is beginning to become a major power like the United States. This painting shows a power rising up from a strong leader that could make a country run by the government’s power. Having a link to the novel, this painting connects to one of the primary literary theories that can be connected to 1984: historical approach. History is a subject of knowledge that is heavily studied on, to prevent on repeating mistakes people or countries have made in the past . The image of Stalin indicates the image of power that was used to the extent of having total control of the people of Soviet Russia. This painting became historical and a piece of history because it portrayed a leader that soon was given power to dominate a country back to its feet, without making lives in the country better. Ayala 3 Nonfiction Connection enotes.com: Totalitarianism “The final part of Arendt’s text focuses on totalitarian movements and governments, in particular, how various movements became established and retained power and control. The most central ideas are that the success of a totalitarian movement depends on the selflessness of its adherents; its aim in and skill at organizing the masses; its elimination of all anomalies, even those in its own ethnic base; and the presence of the masses for support and continuation. The masses are those who by sheer numbers, neutrality, or indifference cannot 2017-02-15T14:59:25.32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Study-Guide-of-1984-by-George-Orwell_-Have-Visual,-nonfiction,-media,-and-literary-connections-to-the-novel_-35284.aspx Arturo Martinez Rivera Mrs. Huntley AP English Literature, Period 6 21 October 2016 The Motives for the Actions: A Literary Analysis of Crime and Punishment Often times, people are judged not for the reasons behind their actions, but rather the actions themselves. The rationale for most actions seen through the eyes of an observer leads to a bias leaning heavily upon only the given information. Only openly expressed words and actions provide the basis for this bias, and consequently will not allow that particular situation to be viewed with perfect clarity. However, the novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, takes a more lucid approach to the psychology behind actions that could be seen as vague or indeterminate. Dostoyevsky delves deep into the minds of his characters and provides a reasoning for their actions, what leads them to act as they do. Those actions can then be analyzed further as the thought processes for each action can also be applied to real-life situations as well. The study of this psychological reasoning allows for the greater part of an understanding of the theme of criminality corrupting both ideals and isolation. Using the psychological perspective provided by the author, analysis of the underlying motives of characters and the portrayal of women in Russia in the mid- to late-nineteenth century can delved into deeper. The specific use of two literary criticisms, Psychoanalytic and Feminist, give more insight into the novel’s theme. The setting of Crime and Punishment takes place in the poor neighborhoods of St. Petersburg, Russia during the Czarist era in the 1860s. The novel primarily follows the mentality and resulting actions of a young man and former student on the edge of poverty, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, as he struggles with his own ideals and application of it to his life. Raskolnikov murders an old pawnbroker woman and her sister, Aliona and Lizaveta Ivanovna, in the belief that intellectually-gifted individuals (including himself) exist and are above the law. However, he quickly realizes that he is not one of those individuals, as he is plagued with the guilt over the murders and the conscious reality of other factors affecting him. He also finds himself being hounded by an unusually persistent investigator, Porfiry Petrovich, who suspects that Raskolnikov is behind the murders, despite the skepticism of others. Porfiry believes that Raskolnikov perhaps had “‘... to transgress an obstacle? Let’s say, for example, to murder or to rob?’ Somehow 2017-02-13T19:16:22.14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Motives-for-the-Actions-A-Literary-Analysis-of-Crime-and-Punishment-35281.aspx Joseph Espinoza Mr. Quintero AP English Lit, Period 5 25 January 2017 Visual Connection https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tigran.ch%2Fpaintings%2Fmillenium15-B.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tigran.ch%2Findex.html&docid=15gsEsZYcdVNBM&tbnid=qXYJMN1MWb4ltM%3A&vet=1&w=720&h=1029&bih=918&biw=1280&q=tigran%20mirror&ved=0ahUKEwiw7q2I-P7RAhVD02MKHemSDjcQMwgdKAIwAg&iact=mrc&uact=8 Tsitoghdzyan, Tigran. “Mirror” Visionary Artistry Magazine. Web. Tigran Tsitoghdzyan’s notable “Mirror” collection is famous for its underlying meaning. The above capture is meant to depict that there is no hiding what reflects in the mirror. This idea of portraying inevitably who you really are is able to successfully connect with the novel Wise Blood. It first connects with O'Connor's theme of finding self-intuition within a person and understanding who they really are. This visual simply does this by Tigran wanting to convey the truth to someone’s character deep within them and show a person’s true colors. This picture captures a woman trying to cover her face but her image beneath is still showing. The novel and the visual both prove examples of the monumental surrealistic movement of the 20th century which was defined as removing the preceding boundaries of reality and limitation. Society in the 20th century was beginning to alter from a set single standard place where men and women had vague and general roles in the community to a more modern and individualistic system. Both the picture and novel depict this by expanding these regards and providing creative works toward a person’s self-worth. Furthermore, this picture also correlates to the critical theory of Formalism that the novel can relate to as well. Formalism is the understanding of what a work is trying to teach or provide. In this case the woman in the visual is an example of not being able to suppress who she really is and it serves as a message to modern society to acknowledge that they can’t hide themselves so just show it. Nonfiction Connection JUNE. 22, 2011. My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas One August morning nearly two decades ago, my mother woke me and put me in a cab. She handed me a jacket. “Baka malamig doon” were among the few words she said. (“It might be cold there.”) When I arrived at the Philippines’ Ninoy Aquino International Airport with her, my aunt and a family friend, I was introduced to a man I’d never seen. They told me he was my uncle. He held my hand as I boarded an airplane for the first time. It was 1993, and I was 12. My mother wanted to give me a better life, so she sent me thousands of miles away to live with 2017-02-07T15:54:12.683-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wise-Blood-by-Flannery-O-Connor-Connection-Study-Guide-35280.aspx Pablo Lopez Mrs. Huntley AP English Literature, Period 6 02 December 2016 Pnin: A Formalistic Approach Towards a Life Lesson “Everyone I know, goes away In the end”, meaningful yet simple lyrics from Johnny Cash’s Hurt. A song written upon a period of his life where he swore the moon didn’t hang as high as it used to. The truth is, everyone will get hurt one day, and all will pass away. The question now is deciding how people wish to go out, either occupying a happy, sad, or regretful life. This recurring theme has been imbued through countless novels and plays, but no work has analyzed the meaning more in depth than the novel Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov. Vladimir being born in 1899 had access to countless inspirations when writing Pnin, but being the Russian literary genius he his, decided to isolate his work within the text and use pure imagination. Many see no problem in his style of writing for the belief that it is not what influences a novel that defines it but what comes out of it. The aim for this piece of writing is to utilize the critical theory titled formalism or otherwise known as new criticism, focusing on the structure of the text and its use of rhetorical devices such as satire, flashback, and point of view, to unravel and expand on the novel’s profound theme: Love between friends and family brings happiness, not the desire to chase after this world’s picture of joy which demands wealth, success, and popularity. Pnin is a novel worth relating to, filled with high hopes and humor, yet embodied in tragedy. The novel goes through the mid 1900s by the life of an average fellow named Pnin, a 52 year old Russian refugee in America teaching literature at Waindell College. He has no proper english articulation nor customs, yet in his mind he is perfect and the rest of the world must conform. As Vladimir mentions “If his Russian was music, his English was murder”. Picture the classical fictional character Mr. Beans, except Pnin enjoys researching, studying, and talking about literature. Ultimately it is all he has left. His ex-wife Liza fooled him into thinking they would live happily in America but it turned out months after arrival she married a man named Eric Wind. She had a son with him which she named Victor. However, it became clear Eric was more interested in 2017-02-06T23:55:56.343-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pnin-A-Formalist-Approach-Towards-a-Life-Lesson-35277.aspx Lopez 1 Pablo Lopez Mrs. Huntley AP English Literature, Period 6 02 December 2016 Pnin: A Formalistic Approach Towards a Life Lesson “Everyone I know, goes away In the end”, meaningful yet simple lyrics from Johnny Cash’s Hurt. A song written upon a period of his life where he swore the moon didn’t hang as high as it used to. The truth is, everyone will get hurt one day, and all will pass away. The question now is deciding how people wish to go out, either occupying a happy, sad, or regretful life. This recurring theme has been imbued through countless novels and plays, but no work has analyzed the meaning more in depth than the novel Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov. Vladimir being born in 1899 had access to countless inspirations when writing Pnin, but being the Russian literary genius he his, decided to isolate his work within the text and use pure imagination. Many see no problem in his style of writing for the belief that it is not what influences a novel that defines it but what comes out of it. The aim for this piece of writing is to utilize the critical theory titled formalism or otherwise known as new criticism, focusing on the structure of the text and its use of rhetorical devices such as satire, flashback, and point of view, to unravel and expand on the novel’s profound theme: Love between friends and family brings happiness, not the desire to chase after this world’s picture of joy which demands wealth, success, and popularity. Pnin is a novel worth relating to, filled with high hopes and humor, yet embodied in tragedy. The novel goes through the mid 1900s by the life of an average fellow named Pnin, a 52 year old Russian refugee in America teaching literature at Waindell College. He has no proper english articulation nor customs, yet in his mind he is perfect and the rest of the world must Lopez 2 conform. As Vladimir mentions “If his Russian was music, his English was murder”. Picture the classical fictional character Mr. Beans, except Pnin enjoys researching, studying, and talking about literature. Ultimately it is all he has left. His ex-wife Liza fooled him into thinking they would live happily in America but it turned out months after arrival she married a man named Eric Wind. She had a son with him which she named Victor. However, it became clear Eric was more interested in being with Liza than with Victor. As a result Liza asks Pnin to support Victor financially despite Pnin being at the edge 2017-02-06T23:31:10.907-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pnin-A-Formalistic-Approach-Towards-a-Life-Lesson-35276.aspx What do Anne Frank’s “The Diary of A Young Girl,” Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre,” and Jane Austen’s  “ Pride and Prejudice” have in common? A feminist main character who bends stereotypical gender roles. “Pride and Prejudice”  is considered a classic piece of literature that is an essential read for all students. Although most readers examine the bare principles, one might not realize the depth of the novel. There are multiple events and aspects that can be analyzed throughout the novel “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen. This piece of literature is viewed through New Historicism and Feminist Critical Theory lenses. This novel was written in 1813, and has many different scenarios and scenes that represent much more than what they seem to be. For example, a major event within the story is when the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, is proposed to and rejects the man. One might think that with Elizabeth saying no to the proposal, it was a simple rejection, when in fact this represents a strong and independent woman through the Feminist critical theory lense. Some major points in this story are when Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley move into town, which sparks the entire relationship between Jane Bennet, Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Eventually these two couples fall in love. At a local ball, where Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy are attending,  Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley dance together, which shows that they are attracted to each other. After the ball, Jane and Bingley start to grow a friendship and Jane Bennet then visits the Bingley household, but catches a cold. With Jane being sick and at Mr. Bingley’s house, Elizabeth goes to check up on her sister. Elizabeth then runs into Mr. Darcy, creating a quick relationship and sparks between them. Jane and Elizabeth then return home to find Mr. Collins, a clergyman who has the potential to inherit all of the Bennet’s owings, paying a visit to the Bennet household. Mr. Collins then proposes to Elizabeth, in hopes that she will accept his proposal. Surprisingly, Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins proposal due to not actually being in love with him, knowing that he was only marrying her to inherit her belongings when Mr. Bennet dies. Some time passes, and Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley move back to london due to Mr. Darcy convincing Bingley that Jame and him are not meant to be. Later in the 2017-02-02T22:18:25.757-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Its-Her-World-Pride-and-Prejudice-35272.aspx Name Tutor Course Date ‘Midnight in Mexico’ by Alfredo Corchado Alfredo Corchado is a leading Mexican-American reporter on issues of immigration, corruption, and matters affecting national security such as drug violence, which threaten the security of communities living along Mexico’s border. Question 1 In Chapter 1, Corchado uses the title ‘Midnight in Mexico as a literal reference to a journalist who explains about dangerous efforts in reporting about Mexico’s drug wars. The chapter pays attention to particular person and his deep love for his homeland. In the end of the book, the author uses the title as a metaphor to represent the volatile relationship between Mexico and United States by using the title to represent general Mexico. He uses the title not to show a life a particular character, but that of the Mexicans who live in a country full of drug wars and violence. Question 2 The book focuses on three major events in Mexico. They include NAFTA, 2000 election, cartelsrealizeand culture. Mexicans hoped that pushing of NAFTA would help the country keep from migrating to U.S. It was aimed at keeping immigrants home and employing them in Mexico. However, NAFTA led to poor competition as it brought subsidized corn from Iowa, making it impossible for Mexico’s corn farmer to compete. During the 2000 election, people were hoping that Mexico will counter the decades of cartel control. It put an opposition party in power for the first time. People hoped to remove a PRI government, which collaborated with drug cartels by sharing profits and allowing them to conduct their drug trade peacefully. The cartels had a great control in Mexico. They had killed many hundreds during their wars. According to Corchado, President Fox fight on cartels created chaos. It led to the continuation of cultural violence in Mexico, which had existed due to weakness and division of PRI party. the due to new PAN government. The cartels took the rule of law and started running wild as they fought amongst each other. Question 3 I think that the writer’s statement that Americans could not give a shit about anything to do with Mexico unless it affects their beach time is not a valid criticism. First, Americans have to care about Mexico since the two countries are neighbors. They have to be concerned about violence in Mexico since the immigrants move to America where they create competition to the Americans. In the book, 2017-01-31T21:45:05.143-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/‘Midnight-in-Mexico’-by-Alfredo-Corchado-35271.aspx Natalie Negrete Mrs. Huntley AP English, Period 2 2 December 2016 A Journey to Insanity: A Critical Theory Analysis of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Chief Bromden is a patient at the Pendleton psychiatry ward run by head Nurse Ratched. From the very beginnings of the novel, Chief seems to be the central character until the arrival of the character Randall McMurphy, an ex-convict who faked insanity to be transferred into a psychiatry ward to escape work at the prison farm he was previously in. One can see through this novel, themes of power, social class structure and psychological factors by examining through Marxist and psychological critical lenses to better understand the power struggle of the antagonist of the book and better understand the psychological issues of the two main protagonists. Critical theories function to allow literary critics to “focus on particular aspects of a work they consider important” (Brizee). The psychoanalysis critical theory utilizes Freudian theories and Jungian theories of psychology. Basically, Freud’s ideas are based upon unconscious desires and the id, ego, and superego. The id is what motivates our unconscious drives, the ego is our personality, and the superego is our conscience.Carl Jung’s theories “attempts to explore the connection between literature and what Carl Jung called the “collective unconscious” of the human race.Jungian criticism, closely related to Freudian theory because of its connection to psychoanalysis, assumes that all stories and symbols are based on mythic models from mankind’s past” (Brizee).The Marxist critical theory is based upon the theories of Karl Marx; the theory concerns itself with social class structure and class differences. This theory “attempts to reveal the ways in which our socioeconomic system is the ultimate source of our experience” (Brizee). Marxism will mainly focus on “how the lower or working classes are oppressed - in everyday life and in literature” (Brizee). Building up on the theme of class structure, the narrator, Chief, explains “One side of the room younger patients, known as acutes because the doctors figure them still sick enough to be fixed...across the room from the acutes are the culls of the combine’s product, the chronics. Not in the hospital, these, to get fixed, but just to keep them from walking around the streets giving the product of a bad name. Chronics are in for good . . . chronics are split into walkers like me . . . and wheelers and vegetables” (Kesey 12). 2017-01-26T12:33:24.027-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Theory-Analysis-of-One-Flew-Over-the-Cuckoo-s-Nest-35269.aspx Name Instructor Course Date Frankenstein Critical Analysis Evaluation Essay Frankenstein is a book of fiction written by English novelist Mary Shelley. It recounts the tale of a youthful scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who created a serpent-like grotesque in a heretical experiment. Shelly wrote the story when she was only 18 years old, which was anonymously, published in 1818 in London when she was barely 20 years old. It began as a short story with its themes focusing on the cultural aspect of the society during Shelly’s time and characters representing struggle against societal control (Scott, 1818). Nevertheless, in the near beginning of the nineteenth century, outlook on human values were extensively allied with natural sciences. On the other hand, detractor implied that anatomy and psychology were connected to literary works. This resulted in the disputation of irregularities in the human standard and thus the differences were rejected through an innate reaction. It is argued that even though the monster developed language skills as well as emotions, it is a grotesque being, thus does not fit any ideal. According to Shelly's stylistic techniques, voyager Walton's Roberts epistolary contact with his sister, as an external outline into Frankenstein's remembrance that guides him even after the monster is created (Scott, 1818). The voice used is the first-person narrative in Walton’s voice and the writer Shelly, in turn, uses dialogue to provide the thoughts the other characters including mysterious and violent events and a decaying society. Most of the critics about the book are based on Shelly’s life. Similarly, they revolve around the narration of authorship and creation. The work lacks leading feminine personality, whereas it has focused its entire interest on the notion of the idealistic artiste. However, the change in attention was contributed by the emergence of the feminist theory in the 1970s and the 1980s that established an intellectual significance and the importance of female novelists. The novel has been assessed right through the lens of masculinity as feminine is not fundamental (Scott, 1818). Furthermore, the relationship between women figures in the story, namely, Elizabeth and Justine faces execution as they establish bond emerging from brief conversations on mutual experiences. Notably, females were tenuous in Shelly's life due to the impulsive loss of her mother as well as the dubious affiliation with her sibling, Jane, who was afterward alleged to bear a child with Shelly's spouse. Also, the nun's name then changes to Claire. On the parent-child tensions, the 2016-11-02T12:10:19.68-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-Critical-Analysis-Evaluation-Essay-35241.aspx Analysis of Revenge as Depicted in S. A Novel about the Balkans S. A Novel about the Balkans, by Slavenka Drakulic, is a story about a Bosnian woman, named S., who suffered at the hands of brutal soldiers during the Bosnia war. The novel mainly centers on a series of S.’s flashbacks as she recounts the horrific ill-treatment she underwent. Through telling her story, the author creates a vivid image of how deep and dark human nature is during wartime. The story is a revelation of the terrifying features of war, which include civilian torture, rape and cruel killings by the occupying forces. Both the author and the main character are rising above the awful events, beyond the war crimes and on top of unfairness to show the meaning of human life. Men and women suffer during war. However, women suffer more through mistreatment, sexual abuse, mishandling and irreversible traumas acted upon by the inhumane soldiers. This paper mainly focuses on discussing S.’s disposition in her encounter with the Serbian soldier’s torture along with the effects of war on people’s normal life. The story begins with a spiteful S. The main character is filled with hate for the just born baby boy she gives birth to in the same afternoon at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm. S.’s hatred manifests through her actions at the hospital. For instance, she turns her head quickly to avoid a glance of her supposed son. In fact, she feels relief and free that this ‘little being’ has finally come out of her body and there is no any connection anymore. It was like a tumor needing removal, a disease and a burden requiring removal from her system. She hated the child more than everything (5). S. even feels like she could get up any moment and move away. She refuses to pick and touch the infant knowing that it would reflect on the responsibility to her side, yet she wants nothing to do with it. She even feels nothing but hostility for this creature. Her hatred has been there from the start where she had condemned the child to death. She had hated her body because of the deformation the pregnancy caused apart from having no option but to abort the pregnancy. As the story develops, and takes the readers back to the background on S.’s childbirth, it reveals her aspect of being open-minded. S. is not an individual 2016-05-22T01:06:24.28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Revenge-as-Depicted-in-S_-A-Novel-about-the-Balkans-35193.aspx Simone de Beauvoir's chef d'oeuvre "The Second Sex", of course, is an exposition of 'the pervasiveness, intensity and mysteriousness of the history of women's oppression'. Its primary thesis is that men fundamentally oppress woman by characterising them, on every level, as the 'Other', defined exclusively in opposition to men. Hester Prynne, the chief character of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter", also does fall victim to such an oppression and becomes a quintessential 'Other' as the novel progresses. The scarlet letter 'A', which Hester is made to wear for self-abasement and public humiliation, shares a close affinity with Simone de Beauvoir's, perhaps, much despised term 'Woman'. Scarlet letter 'A', like that of the term 'woman', is a physical manifestation of weakness, frailty, sin and the list of derogatory adjectives may go on. It, for Hester, also is a reminder of her painful solitude. She contemplates casting it off to obtain her freedom from an oppressive Puritan society but somehow, like De Beauvoir's term 'woman', could not get herself rid of it. Despite it, says Hawthorne "her beauty shone out, and made a halo of misfortune and ignominy in which she was enveloped." Moreover the undertones of De Beauvoir's pithy maxim "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman" could be so poignantly heard from the passage: "Mother", said little Pearl,"the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. . . it will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!" "Nor ever will, my child, I hope", said Hester. "And why not, mother?" asked Pearl, stopping short. . . "Will it not come of its own accord, when I am a woman grown?" Pearl unknowingly becomes a mouthpiece of De Beauvoir while stating those lines. Pearl although unconsciously and De Beauvoir consciously are acutely aware of the hard reality that woman does become, after all, a slave of the established power, "her horizon is limited, her wings are clipped". As De Beauvoir puts it , "woman does not enjoy the dignity of being a person, she herself forms a part of the patrimony of man." Likewise Hester, being very self sacrificing, does fall a victim to such a patriarchal system. There seems to be a pattern in her relationship with men who can't give her as much as she gives them; be that Roger Chillingworth or Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester falls 2015-11-09T08:46:08.197-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Relevance-of-Nathaniel-Hawthorne-s-"The-Scarlet-Letter"-to-Simon-de-Beauvoir-s-"The-Second-Sex"-35148.aspx Best place to buy swtor credits buy with fast delivery and big discount.Certainly, Gov. Paul LePage is right that the state should reconsider its benefits and pension packages, especially in light of depressed state revenues. Raising the retirement cheap tor credits age, especially when young people added to the payroll are expected to live much longer than current retirees, makes sense. Now I have a 6buy swtor gold figure salary, a wife who loves me( and I think is smoking hot) and a couple of wonderful kids, all because I didn't really throw around the football, and didn't care about getting picked on in school. My fellow alums, mainly the athletic kids, most of them are now working for barely above minimum wage, married to someone who probably peaked in high school. But dude, continue throwing around that football, and calling someone who does something they enjoy, that is not the norm, lame, laugh at them, you might be mowing their yard one day. Cook must stand down or be removed from the one day side immediately. Putting his LOI captaincy and batting limitations aside which are immense cheap swtor gold he can't possibly lead the team over the next 18 months in tests LOIs with the most difficult schedule ahead in terms of quantity quality of opposition. If Cooks to stay, he must be saved for test match cricket.. She said everyone with lupus nephritis should be given the drug hydroxycholoquine, and if there's any sign of protein in the urine, they should also be on blood pressure lowering medications called ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). These have a protective effect on the kidneys, independent of their ability to lower swtor cheap credits blood pressure. If cholesterol is high, it's important to get the "bad" (LDL) cholesterol under control, said Hahn.. After I was buy credits swtor interrogated, I was taken back to the underground jail. Later, Americans came and interrogated me. I was told it was Kandahar, but I wasn't sure. Because of a fluke of orbital timing, the full moon of May peaked late Saturday just as the moon was passing its perigee, the closest point to Earth of its orbit. The result was the biggest full moon of the year, which NASA and other scientists nicknamed the supermoon of 2012. Almond said the moon was a captivating sight from her apartment balcony. "This has been a nightmare for my 2015-06-25T01:36:01.123-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Best-place-to-buy-swtor-credits-kaufen-ban-with-fast-delivery-and-big-discount-35117.aspx Geoffrey Chaucer, certainly a man of considerable expertise, is generally regarded as the painter of life who paints life with such a delicacy that nothing is blurred and each colour is clear and true. "He (Chaucer) is a perpetual fountain of good sense", says Dryden, "learned in all the sciences, and therefore speaks on all subjects." Certainly true it is , as we see a multitude of characters in The Prologue To Canterbury Tales, each distinctly described with their typical traits and vivid individual details. He first presents his pilgrims against their rank and profession and then proceeds to give the individual details of them (i.e) their physique, dress code, hobbies, food habits, knowledge etc. Chaucer being acutely aware of the society of his time tried to portray the true image of it. Taking his characters from almost all sections of the society he lived in, he portrayed them as they were, adding always a touch of humour to make them more interesting. Having an intimate knowledge of human nature, he presents his pilgrims so intricately and realistically that it would not be inappropriate to call him a master of human psyche. Describing the pilgrims from various sections of the society, he is acutely aware of their profession and has enough knowledge to cut a real figure of their lives. Chaucer, as described by Dryden, as learned in all sciences, is because of the fact that Chaucer, while describing the character of the pilgrims was entirely aware of their professions they practiced, their appearances, manners and of course the hypocritic natures of many of them. Chaucer infused life in the characters to such an extent that it seems likely that he made them step from the pages so as to speak as individuals. Be it the Knight, the Squire, the Prioress, the Monk, the Friar, the Clerk, the Sergeant of law, the Physician or the others, it seems that Chaucer was very well acquainted with the professions they practiced and portrayed its real picture with a blend of humour which mostly consists of satire and irony. Squire, he describes as, a lover and lusty bachelor who is consistently singing and playing the flute. Prioress, he describes as, a fluent French speaker who takes great care to eat her food daintily, to reach for food on the table delicately, and to wipe her lip clean of grease before drinking from her cup, wearing a brooch 2014-12-25T10:57:32.653-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Chaucer-is-a-perpetual-fountain-of-good-sense,-learned-in-all-sciences-35073.aspx In A Streetcar named Desire, Williams uses theme and motifs to introduce and dive deep into the play’s characters. In the beginning of Streetcar, Williams represents Blanche as a moth. A butterflies and moths seem to be very similar; however, their outward appearance, the way they carry themselves, you could even say their character are very different. A butterfly is very "boastful" almost as if its sole purpose is to show off as it goes through life, whereas a moth is timid, shy, it flies around in a way as to try not to bring any attention to itself. Moths are mostly nocturnal, only coming about freely in the dark, butterflies are seen everywhere throughout the day in their respective season. The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a butterfly as "a person interested principally in frivolous pleasure"; or a self-consumed person absorbed on pleasure (line 2). Although Williams does actually describe Blanch as a moth, his own description and conversation call to attention sexual undertones that represent Blanche to be a butterfly instead of a moth. In Scene I of A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams writes-- Her appearance is incongruous in this setting. She is daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice, necklace, and earrings of pearl, white gloves and hat, looking as if she were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party in the garden district…There is something about her uncertain manner, as well as her clothes, that suggests a moth. (Bloom 51) Williams’s description would have us to perceive Blanche as an insecure, modest person, a typical young woman of the American Deep South upper class-- a moth. Upon originally hearing of Blanche’s clothing we assume it’s a simple fit, however her clothing style does match with the environment surrounding her. Blanche arrives to her sister’s house wearing this outfit. Her sister, Stella, lives in a run-down three-room apartment. The apartment meets the necessities of life and no more; however, it is not the place for Blanche, a social butterfly. The contrast is so big that Blanche sticks out just like a butterfly stands out in its rightful seasons. Williams never really clarifies the motivation behind the way Blanche’s behaves. Many critics read Blanche’s behavior and argue whether it was ignorance or intentional behavior. Allen Lewis suggests that it was intentional. In The Significant Playwrights of Our Time, he states "Blanche attempts to parade her former 2014-11-25T12:58:42.41-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Blanche-the-Monarch-Butterfly-in-a-Streetcar-Named-Desire-35064.aspx Romeo and Juliet: Who is to Blame? Throughout history, there have been many deaths caused by love. In the famous play Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare, the deaths of the star-crossed lovers can be blamed on many people. Romeo starts off madly in love with Rosaline, but becomes depressed because Rosaline did not love him back. Benvolio tries to cheer up the depressed Romeo by bringing him to a Capulet party. Romeo then falls in love with Juliet, daughter of Lord Capulet. With a burst of passion like Mentos falling into a Coke bottle, Romeo’s love for Juliet starts this whole tragedy. The people responsible for killing Romeo and Juliet in William Shakespeare’s play are the parents and friends of Romeo and Juliet, to remind the reader of the importance of making good friends and of having good communication with parents. Romeo and Juliet’s friends are the cause of the two lovers’ death because Benvolio convinces Romeo to attend a party hosted by the Capulets even though they were mortal enemies. This proves to be a bad idea because it causes Romeo to meet Juliet, causing this whole tragedy to unfold. Another person that should take the blame is Friar Lawrence. If Friar Lawrence did not say, “In one respect I’ll thy assist be: For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your household’s rancour to pure love”, and agree to marry Romeo and Juliet, Juliet would marry county Paris and live a long happy life (II, iii, 90-92). The only reason why Friar Lawrence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet is because of the slim chance that the feud might end. As a result, both Romeo and Juliet die along with Mercutio, Tybalt, and County Paris. Lastly, the causes of the deaths are partly Mercutio’s fault because if Mercutio did not start a fight with Tybalt, then Romeo would not have to kill Tybalt to avenge Mercutio’s death. As a result, Romeo will not be banished by the Prince and might be able to stay with Juliet and live a happy life. In conclusion, Romeo’s bad choice of friends ultimately led to the death of both Romeo and Juliet. Another group to blame are the families of Romeo and Juliet, because if the two families did not hate each other, the two lovers will simply date each other like normal people. Secondly, if Lord Capulet heeds Tybalt’s 2014-11-04T19:17:21.473-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Romeo-and-Juliet-Who-is-to-Blame-35061.aspx Ash Thomas 9/20/14 Brit Lit I Pledged A believable character has always been an extremely difficult task for any writer to create. A true needs to make readers want to learn more about him or her, to have the reader cry with the character and laugh with the character. The acts, words, appearance, and especially the very nature of a character have to be vivid and understandable to the audience. The audience needs to be able to connect to the character so that they can sympathize and empathize with him or her. Different Arthurian works that feature Sir Gawain describe him as noble, a chivalrous hero with virtuous attributes. The youngest of the Round Table knights and the nephew of King Arthur, Gawain was also one of the King’s closest friends and an active contributor in various adventures that the group went on. Gawain switches spots in various tales of the Round Table, beginning as a main character, the protagonist, and later appearing mostly as a confidant or secondary supporting character, helping the hero on their quest. Gawain's righteous behavior makes him a noble hero with honorable intentions, based on the author's and other character's opinions of him. But at the same time, this 'righteousness' shows his absence of desire for an occasional revolt and contribution to thought; such 'righteousness' was, perhaps, taught to medieval knights in order to create an army of obedient toy soldiers. Only through the portrayal of a natural fear can we recognize what is left of a human being that still exists, even though it hides, inside of this perfect Christian knight with bold actions and keen words. The poem gives a very detailed description of Gawain’s appearance as he prepares to go on the quest to find the Green Knight so that the yearlong beheading game can be completed. Everything he befits not only himself in, but his horse as well, shows that he is not a poor knight. His helmet is encrusted with gems and embroidered with parrots and turtledoves, his shield has an image of the Virgin Mary on the inside and an endless knot, or the pentangle on the outside of it. The pentangle is a symbol of Gawain’s five virtues, another outward appearance of his character. The near paragraph that the author uses to describe only Gawain’s shield suggests that the knight deserves heavy protection that the shield can provide. The “token of truth,” or 2014-10-30T13:51:02.237-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Character-Analysis-of-Sir-Gawain-from-Sir-Gawain-and-the-Green-Knight-35059.aspx Sonnet 147: Duality of a Lover between Desire and Rational Mind Introduction: Shakespeare’s sonnets are one of the most intriguing works that keeps appealing the modern reader of the day even after five hundred years of its inception. Although, he is being mostly celebrated of his plays, but his sonnets also contain dramatic elements and gives a sense of stories too. The sonnets of Shakespeare remain as a hot area of literary study because of its depth of storytelling capability, imagery, theme of love and desire, and autobiographical elements. The speakers’ in the sonnets of Shakespeare also appear to be one of his dramatic creations like Othello, Macbeth or Anthony that each speaker of the sonnet exemplifies the experience of life and the inner passion for it. The most striking section of ‘Shakespeare’s Sonnets’ is the so called ‘Dark Lady’ sequence. The sonnets in this sequence seem to be addressed to a mysterious woman, whom the poet simultaneously loves, hates, desires and lust for. The sonnets from 127 to 154 are called the ‘dark lady’ sonnets as these sonnets make it clear that the lady in the sonnets has black hair and dusky skin; this sequence also established that she is not only dark in appearance but she also has a dark heart like hell. The shorter grouping of sonnets 127-154 ends with the poet admitting that he is a slave to his passion for the woman and can do nothing to curb his lust. Shakespeare turns the traditional idea of a romantic sonnet on its head in this series, however, as his ‘Dark Lady’ is not an alluring beauty and does not exhibit the perfection that lovers typically ascribe to their beloved. Besides, the woman of Shakespeare’s sonnets is earthy, sexual, and faithless, which directly oppose the contemporary descriptions of lovers in other sonnet sequences of the time. The detailed description of the speaker’s or poet’s description of his mistress is found in the “Sonnet 130”, while the relation between the protagonist and the ‘dark lady’ is well portrayed in the “Sonnet 147”. Though, “Sonnet 147” demonstrates the negative aspects of the speaker’s or poet’s relationship with his mistress but the sonnet also clearly established his mental and physical struggle of loving the ‘dark lady’. Beside, the woman’s color is also mentioned in “Sonnet 147”, where she is pronounced “as black as hell”. The following passages of this paper will 2014-09-09T13:36:08.873-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sonnet-147-Duality-of-a-Lover-between-Desire-and-Rational-Mind-35050.aspx 2014-05-12T00:06:33.517-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Historical-Perspective-of-Additional-Support-Needs-How-things-have-changed-from-segregation,-isolation-to-inclusion,-policies-that-support-these-changes-and-have-been-implemented-35031.aspx 2014-05-04T03:28:33.16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Unimportance-of-Closure-in-The-Lovely-Bones-35028.aspx Kassie Torres Language Arts 3 March 20, 2014 A Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones A Game of Thrones- being the first book in the series titled A Song of Ice and Fire- is truly amazing! 800 pages of action, romance and incredibly deep life lessons are what makes this story so absolutely wonderful. Set in medieval times on land that is entirely drawn up from imagination, A Game of Thrones tells the story of the many people living and fighting the politics of royalty, honor, duty and self-discovery in Westeros. Actually written close to two decades ago, the series made a remarkable comeback after it was picked up by HBO to be a TV series, and the author wrote another book to add to the story. The story is actually pretty impossible to condense into one page. Summary George R. R. Martin adds to the book in the fact that the story itself is split into eight different points of view. They are as follows: Lord Eddard Stark, Lady Catelyn Stark, Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, Sansa Stark, Bran Stark, Jon Snow, and Daenarys Targaryen. The story itself, however, really only has three main stories. The first follows the Stark family and all of the goings on that pertain to them. The next is about Dany, a princess growing up on the other side of the world and everything that leads to her ascent into adulthood. Lastly, the book follows Jon, the love child of Lord Stark and his change into being a man, including his life on the Wall. Eddard Stark is the lord of the north, but he actually isn’t all that powerful. His best friend, King Robert Baratheon is, though. So when Robert asks Eddard to be the Kings Hand, Eddard is obligated to agree with his king. The fear for Eddard is everything that this will mean for him, and the tiny fact that the last hand died in a strange way. So, Eddard decides to go to King's Landing The issue here is, the Stark family doesn't get along so well with the Lannister family (the queen and her siblings and children). Cersei Lannister and her twin brother Jaime, have a dirty secret. The third Lannister sibling is Tyrion, and he is actually pretty cool. He's funny, clever, and a dwarf. The secret (drumroll) is that Cersei and Jaime are incestuous. When the family visits the 2014-04-22T22:04:00.833-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Song-of-Ice-and-Fire-A-Game-of-Thrones-Book-Report-35017.aspx INTRO: Characters in Macbeth and in the poetry of Robert Browning both present disturbed characters. Shakespeare’s play Macbeth was written in 1606, a year after Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up King James I and Parliament. This possibly suggests that Shakespeare was inspired to write Macbeth based on the plot of treason and ambition. Porphyria’s Lover and The Laboratory were written in the nineteenth century by Robert Browning; a century in which women started to gain more social status and a higher class. This links with the theme of power in both Macbeth and the poems. A common theme that will be explored in both texts is obsession which portrays how disturbed the characters really are. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth for King James I, who was very interested in witches and magic and then later wrote a book about witchcraft called Daemonlogie. Most of Shakespeare’s audience believed in magic, witches and witchcraft which is particularly important as it sets the supernatural theme in Macbeth. This gives an insight into the disturbed characters by appearing throughout the play in different forms; for example ghosts appearing, witches chanting and their prophecies. THEME OF SUPERNATURAL: THE very first characters we meet are the three witches who meet in foul weather speaking of thunder, lightning, fog and filthy air. Immediately the witches are symbolised as evil and this is further demonstrated in the spell “Fair is foul, foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air.” The rhyming couplet the witches talk in is almost like a song or a chant which emphasises their power. Therefore, the witches are portrayed to believe in disharmony as the natural order of things are disrupted; this sets the tone for the rest of the play. A character shown to resemble the witches is Lady Macbeth whereby she calls on supernatural spirits “come you spirits”; this illustrates that Lady Macbeth is mentally unstable as she needs help to become evil. Another way in which the witches are conveyed as being disturbed is how they are able to speak Macbeths innermost thoughts; they know what to say and their timing is precise which shows they are unnaturally close and act with one mind. This is shown when the third witch predicts “Macbeth doth come.” Additionally, when the witches prophesised Macbeth will become King, Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth is curious and asks lots of questions. However the witches just 2014-03-19T16:12:19.383-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/How-does-Shakespeare-present-Macbeth-as-a-disturbed-character-and-how-are-the-character-s-in-Robert-Browning-s-poems,-The-Laboratory-and-Porphyria-s-Lover-similar-35010.aspx Mariah Toohey Molan English 1 23 October 2013 Friend or Foe In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein the monster “Duke” is faced with many hardships. I feel as though he should be helped and taught. When Duke was created he didn’t know anything and had to self teach himself the many basics of life as if he were a small child. In chapters 1-12 it tells the story of how Victor Frankenstein, the monsters creator, was afraid of his own creation and abandon Duke to survive on his own. The fact that Victor just left the monster makes me side with the monster, even though he did kill Victor’s brother, but he only did it because he was trying 2014-02-12T14:42:50.963-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Short-Frankenstein-Friend-or-Foe-essay-35001.aspx True heroes Forgotten, ignored, and unnoticed they walk among us. They act as if they’ve done nothing differently than the crowd, but they aren’t like the mindless souls scuffling through the mechanical world. They want to help, just like us. They want to fix what’s wrong, just like us. They want to make the world a better place, just like us. Only they’re not like us, because they actually act out and do it. These are true heroes. True heroes fight for what’s right, not because they have to, but because they want to. In Ernest J. Gaine’s A Lesson Before Dying, Grant fails to portray the characteristics of a true hero. When told to help Jefferson, he selfishly refuses to help by telling his family members that, “Jefferson is dead… [And he] can’t raise the dead. [there is] nothing [he can] do anymore, nothing [anyone can] do anymore” (14). Not only does he rudely disrespect his family’s request, but he also wrongs Jefferson who greatly needs someone to be there for him. Grant simply does not want to help a troubled soul. Grant does not care about anyone but himself at that time. He says “I don’t feel alive here. I’m not living here. I know we can do better someplace else,” but it’s not someplace else that needs him, it is the people there who need him the most (29). He doesn’t care about Jefferson. He doesn’t care about Miss Emma. He doesn’t care about anyone, because they don’t please him in the way he wants. Sure he was not happy, but sometimes one has to put happiness aside to help others. In the end he does that, but does that really make him a hero? He is forced to do the right thing. He never wants to actually help. He just wants everyone to get off his back, so he pretends to care. He puts on a nice little show for them, and he gets want he doesn’t realize he is missing, contentment. He is finally satisfied with his life after painfully helping Jefferson, but he never wants to help Jefferson. The whole time he only helps himself feel noble. While helping himself, he accidently helps Jefferson, never because he desires to. In the end, he cannot be called a true hero simply because he never wanted to help anyone but himself. While Grant was only motivated 2013-11-29T13:28:13.143-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/true-hero-of-a-lesson-before-dying-34989.aspx Time is important. It is valuable and must not be wasted. How was a time piano music video for a quarter of the year. Good job of the year Summit Beach Party is in a time piano. Lizzie and the amazing Randy moss and the amazing race. Right now and make a 2013-08-23T07:43:06.013-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Time-34948.aspx 2013-08-16T00:04:50.51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-MWDS-34946.aspx Introduction Order is not an apriori. It is constructed over a period of time by different thinkers. The growth of civilization continuously tries to homogenize man in to columns so that he will be placed in a structure. This attempt to bring order sometimes privileges some people over the other. Family is one such attempt to harmonize the society and it is very important because this structure is further extended to understand a society. The political system is modelled in this family system. But in a patriarchal society men are privileged and sometimes irresponsible men when they done the office of family they instead of harmonising demolish it. Disfigurement is the state of having one's appearance deeply and persistently harmed medically or mentally, as from a disease, birth defect, or wound. Disfigurement, whether caused by a benign or malignant condition, often leads to severe psychosocial problems such as negative body image; depression; difficulties in one's social, sexual, and professional lives; prejudice; and intolerance. This is partly due to how the individual copes with looking 'visibly different', though the extent of the disfigurement rarely correlates with the degree of distress the sufferer feels. An additional factor which affects sufferers of a disfigurement is the reaction they get from other people. Studies have shown that the general population respond to people with a disfigurement with less trust, less respect and often try to avoid making contact or having to look at the disfigurement. Disfigurements affecting visible areas such as the face, arms and hands are thought to present greater difficulty for sufferers to cope with than do other disfigurements. Disfigurement also takes place mentally due to the lack of mental growth, which affectsthe behaviour of a person in his social and domestic activities. Disfigurement occurs due to the lack of responsibility, care, possessiveness, and attention to the family. To a man there are many types of disfigurement, he disfigures as a father, husband, officer and as a social being. When he lacks such qualities in these criteria, he is called as a disfigured figure in the family, office house or society. Some people gets disfigured in the society, family and office, hence they will be kept separated in respect and quality. It is not good to keep separate a disfigured figure than finding the reasons for their problem. When they were separated, they will kept alone and they will be mentally 2013-06-26T11:33:49.57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ramani-as-a-Disfiguring-Figure-in-R_K-Narayan-s-"The-Dark-Room"-34902.aspx THE UNITED CHURCH OF ZAMBIA CHIPEMBI GIRLS SECONDARY SCHOOL LITERATURE SECTION Book under study: Things Fall Apart – ACHEBE Author’s Background ? Chinua Achebe was born as Albert Chinualumongu on 16th November 1930, to Isaiah and Janet Achebe, who christened their son “Albert” after Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Achebe was born in an Igbo Christian evangelical family in the village of Ogidi, Eastern Nigeria. His father, Isaiah Okafor Achebe, was catechist for the Church Missionary Society. He and his wife, Janet, were evangelists who travelled to Eastern Nigeria in Ogidi, Isaiah’s ancestral Igbo village. Achebe had contact with both Chritian and Igbo religious beliefs and customs. ? However, he denounced an English name when he was at the university and became commonly as Chinua Achebe. Achebe attended his primary education at the church school in Ogidi, and then he was selected to secondary school at a Government College in Umuahia. Upon completion of secondary education, Achebe was offered a scholarship to study medicine at the University of Ibadan but after a year he decided to switch to the study of Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in English-History and Theology. ? After his graduation, Achebe took a position as Talks Producer for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). He was also the director of External Services in charge of the voice Nigeria. He has also taught at the USA and Nigerian universities. He was the professor of English. He lived in the US after he obtained the American citizenship till his death. He was married and had four children. He died at the age of 83 in March 2013. Novel’s Synopsis Things Fall Apart tells the tragic of Okonkwo, who determined to overcome the example of his lazy and imprudent father, elevates himself to a position of respect in the Igbo community of Umuofia through acts of strength, courage, and endurance. Unfortunately, Okonkwo’s obsessive fear of failure makes him a humorless and short-tempered man whose pride and violence undercut from his reputation in the community. Three Parts of the Novel ? African Society Before the Coming of the Whites: – Chptr. 1 to 13 ? Arrival of the Missionaries and Colonialists in the African Community: – Chptr. 14 to 19 ? The Effects/impact of the Whites’ Power on the African Society: 2013-06-14T11:43:24.633-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Things-Fall-Apart-34897.aspx Mary Shelley (1797-1851) Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. Mary Shelley was the daughter of two literary celebrities. Her mother was a feminist and her farther was an anarchist. She eloped with Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1814. She married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in the year 1816. Mary wrote and published several travel books and journals. She worked to promote her husbands work after his death in 1822; despite her marriage problems and life troubles. She wrote Frankenstein in 1818. Belle Assemblee review of Frankenstein in 1818. Blackwood’s Edinburgh magazine review of Frankenstein. Frankenstein took place in the 2013-05-14T11:33:56.4-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Essay-on-"Frankenstein-or-The-Modern-Prometheus"-and-Mary-Shelley-34885.aspx What price would one be willing to pay to achieve all of their wildest dreams? 1,000 pesos? 50,000 pesos? What about the respect of their community? Even worse, the life of their child. While Kino did not intend to lose any of these attributes in his quest for a better life, his stubbornness guided him to murder and ultimate heartbreak. It leaves the reader questioning, what price should be paid to attain the luxuries one wants from life? John Steinbeck’s novella, The Pearl, follows a poor Indian/Mexican pearl diver as the best find of his life slowly morphs into the greatest misfortune he had ever known. Blinded by opportunity, Kino discovers too late that his treasure is a magnet for destruction. Through Kino’s adversity, the reader understands what Chaucer once conveyed, greed is the root of all evil. Moreover, it is made apparent that family is the greatest pearl of all. Set in La Paz, Mexico, Kino is content with his small family and house made of brush. However, when his only son Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, Kino sets out to find a pearl grand enough to pay the doctor who has refused to help. In an ancient clam, Kino stumbles upon the largest pearl anyone in La Paz had ever seen. Dubbed “the Pearl of the World” everyone suddenly became interested in Kino and his family. When his brother, Juan Tomas, asks what the future holds, Kino sees images of Coyotito in school and a real marriage for Juana and himself reflected in the pearl’s surface. Even Coyotito’s wound seemed to be healing. However, joy and opportunity dragged paranoia and thievery along for the journey. Kino began to distrust everyone and everything. His new personality resembled an impenetrable shell through which no one could break, not even Juana. At the pearl market, Kino was told that his prize was a monstrosity only worth 1,000 pesos. Knowing that he could get much more, Kino decided to make the trek to the capital for a fair bid to be made. Throughout the story, at least three attempts to steal the pearl were made. Juana knew the pearl was evil and begged Kino to get rid of it. He refused and assured her that with the pearl sold, the family will flourish. When Kino slashes the throat of a thief the family is forced to leave La Paz instantly. 2013-05-06T17:00:43.107-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Six-Paragraph-Book-Review-of-The-Pearl-by-John-Steinbeck-34878.aspx Creon is the tragic hero in Sophocles’ Antigone. In order to be a tragic hero the character must portray two main actions or traits. One is the character must make a decision that they believe is right because of a tragic flaw or tragic flaws and not foresee the consequences. Creon has a tragic flaw and makes the decision to sentence Antigone to death believing he is correct. Creon’s tragic flaws are his stubbornness, the abuse of power and the actions he took to cause the downfall of the Thebes. Creon explains why he makes this decision when he 2013-05-02T09:11:03.48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/antigone-tragic-hero-creon-34877.aspx The 2013-04-27T03:31:51.63-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Characters-of-Dracula-34869.aspx Mariah Toohey Austin CP English 11-5 4 February 2013 The Great Gatsby Essay In F.Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the book’s narrator, Nick is a young man from Minnesota who, after being educated at Yale and fighting in World War I, goes to New York City to learn the bond business. Honest, easygoing, and motivated to reserve judgment, Nick often serves as a close friend for those with troubling secrets. After moving to West Egg, a place home to the newly rich people, Nick quickly becomes friends his next-door neighbor, the mysterious Jay Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is told through Nick's eyes by his thoughts and observations shape and color the story. ?The main character in the book, is Gatsby who is a wealthy young man living in a West Egg mansion. He is famous for the huge parties he throws almost every weekend, but no one knows where he is really from, what he does, or how he got his money. As the book goes on, Nick learns that Gatsby made his fortune through criminal activity, as he was willing to do anything to gain the social position that he thought was needed to win back Daisy. When he met Daisy while training to be an officer in Louisville, he fell in love with her. Nick and Jay Gatsby have many similar qualities such as being similar in their morals, are very intelligent, and wanted the American Dream. Nick and Gatsby to show that they are kind of the same character. They both are almost the same age, both characters were raised in the mid west, both characters fought in the war, both characters were somewhat committed to their respective girlfriends, both characters somehow ended up losing their relationship with their girlfriends, and both characters had a desire to move out East. Also both characters have hardly had any experiences with alcohol, and both men seem to be more intelligent, much more intelligent than any of the other characters that appear in the book. The only thing that seems to be different between Gatsby and Nick is that Nick was willing to leave his days with his nameless fiancé well forgotten, while Gatsby kept chasing the old days with Daisy. Gatsby never stopped trying to have a future with Daisy, while Nick was able to leave the woman that he loved behind. Gatsby was willing to be part of some very 2013-04-18T12:07:41.11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Essay-34862.aspx George Orwell’s 1984 was a satirical description of the society and its related elements in terms of social, economic and political conditions. Oceania is one of the powerful that was formed after the World War as a result of the outcome of the war. Oceania was formed of the United States and United Kingdom. Leaders were controlling in Oceania and they wanted to oppress the people of the nation. The poor are controlled by the upper class by being told that big brother is watching them. The upper class is able to control the poor in the society through making changes in the economy. The individuals that control the poor in the society do so through five ministries. George Orwell’s 1984 portray societal leaders as being selfish and greedy. They are interested in meeting their own needs regardless of the extent to which they exploit the over 80 % other members of the society. Totalitarianism has a negative impact on family and human relationships. People are discouraged from thinking freely which leads to poor reasoning and consideration in their actions which affects relationships among individuals in the society. According to Winston’s dreams, there are tele-screens through which the government uses to spy on its nationals. The government keeps track of people that betray its laws and has them punished. Television screens are developed much later which are similar to the tele- screens that were being described by Winston. Winston works for the government; changing written history and language to suit the oppressing government’s agenda of controlling its nationals. Later on, the true feelings that Winston has towards the current government are revealed. Winston hates the current government because he feels that they infringe on the rights of the people that they should be serving. Stop and frisk was formulated to ensure freedom of individuals and that the government does not misuse its power and mandate over the people. Events in George Orwell’s 1984 suggest that the government in power infringed on the fourth amendment right in the constitution by overstepping their mandate and abusing their power entrusted to them as leaders. Instead of protecting the rights of the people they abuse and exploit their fear through use of newspeak. Most of the people in the society have low levels of education which makes it easy for the government in power to control them through the newspeak and instilling fear in 2013-04-17T03:21:25.69-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Brief-analysis-of-George-Orwell-1984-book-34859.aspx Julia Blattner April 30, 2012 English 110-G Professor James May The Humorous Grave Shakespeare, throughout his many works, has often used a fool in his work to give comic relief to an otherwise intense situation; examples of this would include the Porter in Macbeth as well as the Jester in King Lear (Clark). Hamlet is no exception to this unwritten rule, as the first gravedigger is the fools whose scene brings about levity to an otherwise tragic situation (Ramadhana). The gravediggers’ scene, Act V Scene I, plays an instrumental role in Hamlet, as it is a two-fold scene showing not only surface humor but also deep philosophy through the first gravedigger himself whose character is a comedian and a philosopher of future death in the play (Duggan). The gravediggers begin the scene by allowing the audience to see how common death is in the lives of these two characters, and to begin the scene with comedy to lighten a very dark mood as immediately prior to this scene Ophelia drowned herself (Davidson). Suicide would have been a reason for Ophelia to not receive a Christian burial within the church thus separating her from the deaths of other people and from her own family as she could not be buried in the church graveyard if she committed suicide. The thing that separates the occurrence of death from one person to another in this play is not if each person dies but how each person dies as exemplified in the conversation between the two gravediggers here, “Gravedigger: Is she to be buried in Christian burial, when she willfully seeks her own salvation? Other: I tell thee she is. Therefore make her grave straight…Gravedigger: How can that be unless she drowned herself in her own defense? …Give me leave. Here lies the water; good. Here stands the man; good. If the man go to this water and drown himself, is it…he goes…But if the water come to him and drown him, he drowns not himself” (Shakespeare 239). The audience is well aware that water cannot get up and drown a man on its own, but the humor and casualness with which the gravedigger speaks regarding Ophelia’s death shows the reader that death is an everyday occurrence and has become a point of comedy in the lives of the gravediggers (Davidson). This scene serves to show that the first gravedigger serves as comic relief in this heavy tragedy of Ophelia’s 2013-04-08T12:28:38.887-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hamlet,-The-Gravediggers-Scene-34852.aspx “Because We Are So Poor” Juan Rulfo “Because We Are So Poor” begins with a sentence that sums up the tone of the story quite well: “Everything is going from bad to worse here.” The narrator is speaking about the hardships that his family has recently had to endure, and he subsequently tells us that his Aunt Jacinta died last week, and then during the burial “it began raining like never before.” The rain represents a problem because it has ruined the rye harvest which was stacked outside to dry in the sun, making the narrator's father very angry. In this story we once again perceive Rulfo’s subtle critique of post-revolutionary Mexican society. This time it is the economy that comes under fire, however, as the reader immediately notices the profoundly rudimentary agricultural methods of the narrator’s family. The family has no choice but to set the harvest of rye out in the open to dry under the sun. As a result, when bad weather comes there is no way to shelter it. Additionally, when it needs to be moved, this can only be accomplished by hand. This description emphasizes the extremely underdeveloped nature of Mexican agriculture, especially in comparison with the modern capitalist system that the contemporary government hopes to impose. Given the relatively poor quality of the redistributed land after the Revolution, many of the hopes of the rural poor rested in the possession of capital or consumption goods. As presented in the story, resources are so scarce that all the family’s hopes rest in the cow La Serpentina and her calf. The role of the father is prominent in the story. Throughout the story, the father is the person charged with the responsibility of shepherding his family through the various trials of life, and in this case we see he is the first to recognize the full ramifications of the flood. With the rising of the waters not only has the family lost its collective capital in the ruined rye, but also that of their last daughter. The father’s failed economic attempt to capitalize therefore leads to a moral failure as it means his daughter will become a prostitute. The Rulfian theme of “unbalanced nature” is once again at play in this story. Such emphasis on the natural environment and its effect on the men and women who are subject to its whims might remind us of the “naturalist” quality of much 2013-04-04T11:26:58.28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Analysis-Because-We-Are-So-Poor-34850.aspx EN 202: Interpretive Reading Student : Jan Bjerg What are Black Dogs? Black dogs is a term that is often used as a metaphor for depression. One of the most famous people to use the metaphor black dogs was Sir Winston Churchill. Some believe that Sir Winston Churchill came up with the expression himself, but many people say that the expression is much older than that. The expression black dogs can also be metaphors for fear and death. In Ian McEwen’s book Black Dogs, where some of the characters visit a concentration camp, and see the fall of the Berlin Wall, I would say that the expression covers all three, depression, fear and death. Sir Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of Britain from 1940-1945 and again from1951 to 1955. Churchill suffered from depression for the most of his life, and struggled to hide the extend of his depression from his colleagues. He often talked to his gamily and friends about his black dogs which were a substitute word for depression. Maybe because Churchill was a much respected statesman and inspirational leader the term black dogs is generally associated with him. Although its origin is unknown many people believe that the expression is much older than Winston Churchill, in fact one of the earliest references is from poet Sir Walter Scott in 1826. There is also one from 1882 by Robert Louis Stevenson, but some think the expression is even older than that, but no matter how old it is, Churchill is probably the most famous person to have used the term black dogs for depression. In the book Black Dogs by Ian McEwan two of the characters in the book, the narrator Jeremy and his wife to be Jenny Tremaine visits the Nazi concentration camp Majdanek. Majdanek Concentration camp on the outskirts of the city of Lublin in Poland was established in 1941. The camp began as a prisoner of war camp for Soviet soldiers. The first 2000 Soviet soldiers arrived in October 1941. Most of them were too weak to work, so almost all of them were dead by 1942. After that the SS used Jewish forced laborers. Conditions in the camp during the cold winter months were lethal to the prisoners, and the SS routinely shot prisoners that were to weak to work. Mass murder operations 2013-03-04T23:44:46.51-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Black-Dogs-34825.aspx A persons surroundings can influence him. In "12 Angry Men" by Reginald Rose a young mans life is held by twelve men with contrasing views. Eight a caring man, who wishes to talk about why the other jurors think that the boy is guilty, clashes with Three, a sadistic man who would pull the swith himselfto end the boys life. Accroding to Rose, several elements can infulence a jury's 2013-02-18T14:42:48.447-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/12-Angry-Men-34798.aspx The Two Sides of Man There is always a thin line between good and evil. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louise Stevenson, it clarifies the darkness and evil within the mind of every man and how evil is able to control someone’s goodwill. The book shows the constant struggle between the good and the bad and how at one point either the good or evil will take over. The main dual personalities are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is a nice and well known man who has a high dependability in society. He believes that man is not truly one, but truly two and by that creates a potion to separate each of the sides within himself which leads his evil side, Mr. Hyde to takeover and lose control to his evil mind. The struggle within Jekyll shows that evil is taking over the good in him and therefore, evil is stronger than good. Dr. Jekyll a clever, honorable, and rich man who creates a potion that transforms him into someone entirely different and completely opposite of who he is. Before making his potion, he refers his “two natures contended in the field of my consciousness” (82). After he drinks it, he transforms into Hyde, which is represented as the figure of Satan, the evil representation of Jekyll with a small body and ugly face. He wanted the potion to separate his good and bad qualities that had always existed within him and letting the desire in him out. Drinking the potion for two months eventually makes Jekyll’s evil stronger and him not being able to control it anymore since he didn’t expect it to be a lot stronger. The evil in Jekyll had dominated his true self which leads to his death in the end. There are many elements that contradict Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that show the differences between the good and evil in them. As Enfield tells Utterson a story that connects to a door they pass by, he describes Hyde that “he gives a strong feeling of deformity” (32). The word “deformity” gives an impression that he has a sense of ugliness and that his evil is not only physical but it also attaches to his mind than just his physical form. Jekyll doesn’t always act on his impulses and pushes them unlike Hyde where he welcomes it and accomplishes his 2013-02-16T16:14:34.12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Two-Sides-of-Man-34796.aspx ISLAM MORE THAN A RELIGION Despite its huge following around the world and the growing Muslim communities in the United States, Islam is foreign to most Americans who are familiar with Christianity or Judaism. Because most Americans know little or nothing about Islam, they have many misconceptions about Muslim beliefs and rituals. The negative image many people in the United States and Europe have of Islam and the Muslim world has a long history. Many have judged Islam without making an effort to consider this religious tradition on its own terms, without bothering to become acquainted with its teaching and the ways in which Muslims practice their faith. Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam is a monotheistic religion, based on the belief in one God.. This religion was proclaimed by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia, in the 7th century A.D. The term Islam virtually means "surrender". Within Islam the believer (called a Muslim) use the Arabic word for God, Allah, to refer to the creator of the world and of all life within it. Allah is viewed as the sole God----creator, sustained, and restorer of the world. The will of Allah, to which man must submit, is made known through the sacred scriptures, the Qur'an (Koran). Allah revealed the Qur'an to his messenger, Muhammad. According to Islamic beliefs, Muhammad is the last of a series of prophets (including Adam, Noah, Jesus, and others). Muhammad's message concurrently perfect and do away with the "revelations" attributed to earlier prophets. Islam More Than A Religion From the very beginning of Islam, Muhammad had indoctrinated a sense of brotherhood and a bond of faith among his followers. The Prophet Muhammad fled to Medina in AD 622, it was during this time that his preaching was accepted and the community-state of Islam emerged. During this early period, Islam acquired its characteristics as a religion uniting in itself both the spiritual and temporal aspects of life. Islam also seeks to regulate not only the individual's relationship to God (through his conscience) but human relationship in a social setting as well. Thus, there is not only an Islamic religious institution but also an Islamic law, state, and other institutions governing society. During the earliest decades after the death of the Prophet, certain basic features of the religio-social 2013-02-12T05:40:30.34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Islam-More-Than-A-Religion-34794.aspx A Thousand Splendid Suns Written By: Khaled Hosseini Kelly Luá Franklin AP Literature, Period 1 The setting of the story is in Afghanistan. The time period is spans is from the 1960’s to early 2000. Even by the opening sentences of the story, the reader knows that the novel takes place in a violence-filled country far away from the American home. This is an appropriate place for the story to take place since Khaled Hosseini is trying to enlighten the minds of his audience and alert them to a part of Afghanistan’s history and culture. There are two main characters. These are Mariam and Laila. Mariam is substantially older than Laila and has come from a poor childhood as the illegitimate child of a wealthy cinema owner. Laila has had a good childhood growing up in a good house next to her best friend and eventual lover. Because Mariam is the illegitimate offspring of a wealthy man in town, she and her mother aren’t allowed to live with her father and his nine other children. Despite this, Mariam’s father visits her every Thursday. On her fifteenth birthday, Mariam asks her father to take her to a movie at his theater but he never shows up. She decides to go into town for herself to find him but he is too ashamed to see her. She returns home to find that her mother has hung herself out of anxiety and despair. After it’s decided that Mariam will live with her father he quickly arranges for her to be married to Rasheed, a shoemaker from Kabul who is thirty years her senior. There, Mariam becomes pregnant seven times, but never carries the child to full term and her husband gradually becomes more abusive. Just down the street is a girl named Laila and a boy named Tariq who maintain a close friendship and short-lived romance. When war arrives and Tariq’s family decides to leave the city the two friends end up making love. Laila's family also wants to leave the violent city, but before they leave a rocket destroys everything she 2013-02-08T06:47:46.16-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Thousand-Splendid-Suns-34789.aspx John Donne's The Flea John Donne an English poet and clergyman was one of the greatest metaphysical poets. His poetry was marked by conceits and lush imagery. The Flea is an excellent example of how he was able to establish a parallel between two very different things. In this poem, the speaker tries to seduce a young woman by comparing the consequences of their lovemaking with those of an insignificant fleabite. He uses the flea as an argument to illustrate that the physical relationship he desires is not in itself a significant event, because a similar union has already taken place within the flea. However, if we look beneath the surface level of the poem, Donne uses the presence of the flea as a comparison to the presence of a baby, thus making the sub textual plot about aborting the baby. In the first stanza of the poem, the speaker develops similarities between the fleabite and lovemaking. The first two lines of the poem, “Mark but this flea, and mark in this, How little that, which thou deny’st me, is;” I interpreted to mean that the woman doesn’t deny the flea access to her body, yet she denies the advancements of the speaker. Next the speaker uses conceit to illustrate the similarities between their lovemaking and the mingling of their blood within the flea. “Me is sucked first, and now sucks the, An in this flea our two bloods mingled be.” The speaker uses this argument to show the woman that the same physical exchange, which takes place between her and a flea, is the same type of union that he is proposing. The speaker uses the following lines of the stanza to reassure the woman that their act could not be considered a sin because a fleabite isn’t considered as such. Such a common event cannot be a loss of innocence because if that were true nearly everyone would have lost his or her innocence. Therefore this lady should not worry about giving herself to him before they marry, because their only act is the mixing pf their blood. The final lines of the first stanza are the point in which the poet introduces the sub textual idea of the baby. “And pampered swells with one blood made of two.” On the surface this line describes the physical changes that happen to a flea’s body after it fills with 2012-11-18T17:21:48.737-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Essay-on-John-Donne-s-The-Flea-34745.aspx The aim of this essay is to analyze the novel “Things fall apart” and show the events that lead to Okonkwo’s downfall. The down fall of Okonkwo began when he first beat his wife during the week of peace; Okonkwo accused his younger wife ojiugo of negligence and severely beats her up and therefore breaking the sacred week. This was an event which first contributed to the downfall because Okonkwo knew that this week was not to be broken and if one had to do it, he or she was supposed to be punished. Another event was when he had beaten his second wife during a new yam festival; moreover, he had suppressed anger and was looking for an outlet. This happened when Okonkwo’s second wife merely cut a few leaves off banana tree to wrap some food, Okonkwo came to the site of that and according to page 34 “He gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping.” This was the beginning of Okonkwo’s downfall; he had too much anger in him in that he made mistakes due to his suppressed anger. Okonkwo had fear of failure and being called weak as his father, thus, it caused trouble in his life when ikemefuna the prisoner who stayed at Okonkwo’s house was killed .Okonkwo considered ikemefuna as one of his own sons. However, in chapter 7, the oracle of the hills and the caves pronounces that ikemefuna should be killed, and the oldest member of the clan informs Okonkwo of this. Okonkwo has an obsessive fear of anything that can be associated with the image of his weak, lazy and gentle father whom he always considered a failure .But Okonkwo as an ambitious man who has become a successful, respectable warrior of the clan by his own triumph because of this obsession he wanted to take part in the killing of the boy but this older clan member forbids him to do so. However, he persisted and he himself killed the poor boy. Obierika predicts that such action will lead to Okonkwo’s downfall by saying “what you have done will not please the earth .It is the kind of action for which the Goddess wipes out whole families .There were quite a few effort on Okonkwo from that horrible event at first Okonkwo was not able to sleep for days. He also kept on getting drunk, 2012-11-13T20:39:57.577-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Events-which-leads-to-okonkow-s-downfall_-34742.aspx Aspect of Cultural Materialism (summarizing the section “History versus the human condition”) Jonathan Dollimore and Alan Sinfield, in their essay Shakespeare, Cultural Materialism and the New Historicism, talk about the meaning and understanding of the term Cultural Materialism during the various ages of England, tracing its trajectory from the Renaissance to the nineteenth century. Cultural Materialism, as a critical theory, was first coined by the left-wing literary critic Raymond Williams who viewed culture as a “productive process”, part of the means of production. By this, he implied that our culture comes from our material life and not the social one. Culture is a way of life and belongs to everybody and not just to the elite. This was in stark contrast to the views of Mathew Arnold who propagated the idea of “high” culture i.e. culture is only “high” culture and that forms of art constitute this “high” culture. Literature becomes one of the most significant forms therefore. What can be inferred from the essay is that fact that the new critics introduced rigorous critical analysis of literary texts which became a part of liberal humanism. The subsequent reaction to new criticism brought about new perspective to the text. Literature is not to be privileged but is among many cultural parts. Cultural materialists threw light upon what literature is, how it is to be studied or taught, and why it is studied. This brings us to another concept which is the idealist literary criticism which believes in man’s essential nature which is primarily unchanged. Thus, literature becomes a representation of universal truths and about transcendental human condition. Idealism emphasizes that ideas come not from matter but from some other supreme power which governs us, which is often understood to be God or religion. Opposing this stands the materialist criticism which endorses the belief that matter is basic; ideas come out of matter and not vice-versa. This criticism therefore required that we read social conditions and literature together. The authors then talk about the monological approach to new historical scholarship which might be defined as the belief that at one time in history, a dominant ideology is endorsed by the majority. This was blatantly refuted by Marxism. Dollimore and Sinfield give the example of E.M.W. Tillyard’s The Elizabethan World Picture in explaining the discrepancies which existed in the concept of monological approach. They observe that Tillyard was mistaken in the sense that 2012-10-05T10:53:37.69-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Free-Essay-that-summarizes-the-essay-"Shakespeare,-Cultural-Materialism-and-New-Historicism"-by-Jonathan-Dollimore-and-Alan-Sinfield_-34661.aspx An article/essay featuring the abuse of power in The Crucible (by Arthur Miller) using quote analysis and other literary devices used The use of Power in The Crucible Would you live your life with a tainted name or die protecting it? Article featuring: the destructive and redemptive power of love in The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, and why Arthur Miller is the master of drama in the 20th Century. The Crucible, a modern tragedy, 1953, is a sombre play and an analogy of the McCarthyism era by Arthur Milleras it denotes aconflict of authority, self-interest and most importantly the abuse of power that leads to the killing of nineteen men and women and one man, Giles Corey, who is pressed to death; which is all a mimesis that dates back to 1692, a time of Salem witch-hunt, of Miller’s own writing, where the society is subject to communism, or parallelincidence tothe ‘witch-hunts’. The play, however, is still relevant to this day as the terrorism experienced nowadays can be viewed as the modern equivalent of both communism and ‘witch-hunts’. Miller also constructs an ideal combination of the destructive power, mainly through Abigail’s resentment and scorn, Putnam’s corrupt greed and Danforth’s haughty abuse of power, with the redemptive power of love, by means of John’s will to die to defend his name, Elizabeth’s white lies for her husband and Giles’ willingness to die in contempt of the court. The text ofThe Crucible also indicates why this modern drama is the best our society has ever come across as Miller achieves a flawless integration of tragedy by the use of language techniques, symbolic plot, characterisation and the use oftension and climax, which this play is all about. Miller largely signifies the power of destructive love with the character of Abigail Williams as she is the antagonist of the plot, which is made apparent by the fact that she danced in the forest and how she schemed nineteen people to their deaths bythe false witch craft accusations to safeguard herself from her own punishment, as she states to Betty Parris upon her interrogation, “Shut up! All of you. We danced. That is all, and mark this, let either of you breathe a word or the edge of a word about the other things, I will come to you in the black of some terrible night, and I will bring with me a pointy reckoning that will shudder 2012-09-28T21:57:45.923-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Analysis-of-The-Crucible-Free-Essay-34658.aspx Wuthering Heights Greetings to the contemporary book club! Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte, has long been one of the most highly rewarded and analysed booksin English literatureas it stands as the most original piece of work in the English language. Though the book did not hold much promise on its publication back in 1847 and had mixed reviewssince it did not appear to the society that it had any moral purpose in its context, the refined readers of the contemporary world, however, see Emily Bronte’s visionofthe twin possibility of love, which is the power of destructive love and redemptive love. They also realise that the narrator’s perspective has an effective way in relating the story and at the same time drawing us towards it. In her novel, Bronte largely illustrates the power of destructive love usingthe character ofHeathcliffas the story mostly centers around him and draws on the vengeful and malignant motives he has of not only to take revenge on those who wronged him but also on their heirsto obtainthe ‘satisfaction’ of vengeance.One place that brings about the vengeful taste of Heathcliff is the parting of Hindley with Wuthering Heightsand becoming its next owner, as he declares, “I’m trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back. I don’t care how long I wait, if I can only do it, at last. I hope he will not die before I do… and God won’t have the satisfaction that I shall have…” To ‘pay Hindley back’ Heathcliff not only exploitshisvulnerability to lose all his property in gambling and drinking and later mortgaging it with him, but he alsobrings up his sonas a social outcast, denying himself and Hareton the natural affection which they feel for each other, as he says, “Is Hareton to be a beggar? Oh, damnation! I will have it back; and I’ll have his gold too; and then his blood; and hell shall have his soul! It will be ten times blacker with that guest than ever it was before,”whichindicatesthe same repressive treatmentHeathcliffhad suffered at Hindley’s handsin his childhood.It is not just in relation to Hindley, though, that Heathcliff seeks vengeance. He marries Isabella to avenge himself on Edgar for marrying Catherine and brings up his own son through sadistically inflicting fear and torment,plottinghim to marry young Catherine and being brutal to her as well in order to gain possession of Thrushcross Grange;thisdenotes a continual act of vengeance on the whole 2012-09-28T21:45:22.917-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wuthering-Heights-An-essay-written-describing-the-destructive-and-redemptive-power-of-love-34657.aspx In the novel The Chronicle of a Death Foretold, the novella portrays that the town’s people tend to follow cultural rules rather than follow what they think is right and wrong. The book highlights that because they live in a different society to ours what they believe is very different to what we believe. They believe in the honour code and superstition. Santiago’s death is mingled with illusory images that everything seems mystified: much like death itself. “He died without understanding his own death.” This is the narrator’s opinion of Santiago’s state of mind as he faced his death. Although everyone in the town seems to know about the plot against Santiago, the young man himself remains ignorant about it until only minutes before it takes place. He reacts, according to the narrator, not with the panic of someone whose sin has been discovered, but with the bewilderment of innocence. Santiago is innocent of wrongdoing, and thus cannot understand what is happening to him when he is killed. The fact that the story is about how a death consumes the lives of the entire town as well as the victim, shows that it is concerned with death in life and how we evaluate death, whether we have a belief about death, whether we welcome it or fear it. Not only is the account concerned with death in life on the literary level, but the people of the town feel obliged to honour and offer gifts to a bishop that doesn't even like the town. It is perhaps because they fear if they do not keep their faith, they are putting in jeopardy their fate after death; this is the primary concern of all religions, life after death and fear of the unknown. So far knowing all this and putting it into perspective through a town person’s beliefs and culture I believe that the lack of moral compass is what lets the town’s people down. They believe that because the honour of a person has been taken such as Angela Vicario’s that it is reasonable to kill the person who has made your family break the rules of society and have sex before marriage. This can be seen through the quote “The lawyer stood by the thesis of homicide in legitimate defence of honour, which was upheld by the court of good faith, and the twins declared at 2012-09-28T12:18:48.067-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/“The-limited-moral-compass-that-the-towns’-people-possess-is-what-lets-them-down-”-To-what-extent-do-you-agree-"The-chronicle-of-a-death-foretold_-34655.aspx Powered by automobilic hind legs – Now lifeless, she gives 2012-09-28T09:49:53.413-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Free-Poetry-Essay-The-Cricket-34654.aspx The Butterfly See this beautiful insect And give it your respect If not for its many colours Then for its body contours Because it was once an egg They a pupa without any leg As it waited to become a butterfly A pretty insect that can fly Similarly, you may lack a pen or fees And even study seated under trees But your beauty will surface tomorrow You will fly high when you endure sorrow. The Prefect In the school just across the river Where children learn about the liver And the teachers reward good performance Is a prefect whose name is Lawrence. Lawrence goes to school early enough Even earlier than any member of staff He stands at the gat to arrest Students who come land and the rest. He administers punishment to them Then he excuses others without blame As he chats merrily with the gateman Till break time, like a gentleman. To the Dining Hall he goes very promptly And ensures order quite successfully From there he goes to the gateman Where he chats till four, like a gentleman. Meanwhile, others have studied Maths Known, pluses, minuses, divisions and graphs As the prefect gets his books to leave He has learnt much, I believe. Reflections I remember that brilliant evening Fading into a luster dusk Where moon and sum struck A balance- moon sucked in sun. I remember the first tune of The Nightingale signaling The arrival of the night and The crickets replying in unison. Then it was time for the lonely youth To saunter out of hiding Because the lighting of the House lantern had all but Heralded the prison within, yet Oblivious of the freedom without Eyes glazed with worldly cares All glued to the flicker of the candle. Hers ere not eyes of remorse They were eager to behold, to peer And scan the horizon For the awaited ones shadow Suddenly, there was a brave Daring raid of the confident lad Matching into the forbidden territory Where his heroine, like a shelled chick A heartbeat was missed and Splash! The bath was hurried So that the imprisoned hearts Could find liberation. Liberation? Yes! From the parents Who could not discern the beats Which had discovered the heritage In oneness sheltered by the granary. There was a flurry of emotion Heart to heart; locked in fierce embrace Not caring for what the environs held For this was indeed God-given. Did God not create the surrounding? Until … Stella! The milk will spill over; Where are your? Sam 2012-09-28T09:21:24.473-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Free-Poetry-Essay-on-The-Butterfly-34653.aspx In our world racism and injustice is everywhere, most people try to avoid it and others see no other way but to face it. In “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the author explained how we are surrounded by racism and injustice. Harper Lee also shows relationships struggles between family members, and friendships. In “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest Gaines, he brings the same similarities and a rich sense of place. In the novel he tried to show compassion for the people and their struggles. He tried to show that everyone in the world is important and is telling us that anyone can change. Both books are about racism and injustice in the south and how it can affect the people it concerns. “In A Lesson Before Dying” it starts out with Jefferson being sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. He was at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and because he was black the jury accused him of the crime. Grant Wiggins (a teacher who works at the community church) is told to go up to the jail and convince Jefferson that he is a man not a hog. At first he does not know how to transform Jefferson into a man, but through visiting Jefferson, talking to Vivian, and witnessing things throughout the community, he is able to reach out to Jefferson and convince him that he is a man. Finally at the end of the story there is a sense of victory because Jefferson dies feeling like a man. Throughout the book Grant always doubted and never believed in himself because everyone was putting pressure on him. For Jefferson he never felt that he was a man because he was never treated like one and never had hope for himself. In “To Kill A Mockingbird” the story is narrated by a young girl who goes by the name of Scout Finch. Scout’s real name is Jean-Louise Finch. Scout lives in the small Alabama town of Maycomb in the 1930’s with her brother, Jem and her widowed father, Atticus. The story takes place during the depression, but the Finch family is better off than many in the small town, as Atticus is a successful and respected lawyer. Both books show us that, even in the face of hopelessness there is indeed hope, and that characters who struggle can move forward. There is 2012-09-18T17:01:34.61-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Compare-and-Contrast-To-Kill-A-Mocking-Bird-and-A-Lesson-Before-Dying-34647.aspx We believe in God and worship him in different ways and certainly for different reasons. Our faith in him grows stronger when wishes get fulfilled. But there is a other side of the whole picture, there are people who have faith in almighty but hardly put in any effort to worship god in true sense.Nirmal Baba,who is a great 2012-08-06T06:22:55.023-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nirmal-Baba-Ji-Preaching-34615.aspx Derek Walcott is a Caribbean writer, playwright and Nobel Laureate from Castries, St. Lucia. On both the maternal and paternal sides of his family, he was descended from a white grandfather and black grandmother. As a young man he trained as a painter, mentored by Harold Simmons whose life as a professional artist provided an inspiring example for Walcott. Walcott started his career at the age of nineteen with his self published collection of poems “25 poems” in 1948, but he came into public profile with his collection In a Green Night: Poems 1948-1960 (1962) His initial inspiration for verse came from the sea and everything related to the sea, which began to take on a special significance. Walcott mentions that his knowledge of classical literature and history – Greek, Roman, British – was “vital and inspiring”. That, together with the African slave-tales still current on the island, led him at an early age to admire both sides of his dual heritage. His early poetry reflects the same paradox including personal and regional subject matter in verse forms highly imitative of Andrew Marvell, T. S. Eliot, and Ezra Pound. Rather than denying either the island or his classical sources, he makes the choice of blending them together. The West Indies, which had experienced a history of slavery, colonialism and alienation, was Walcott’s preferred residence and he did not feel the need to migrate to either England or the United States to become a writer, like many of his contemporaries. According to Ajanta Dutt, he was “dedicated enough to realise that he could work from within towards a creation of the Caribbean culture, by tempering the Standard English idiom used predominantly in the major cities for all forms of discourse with a creolised English incorporating various patois languages. Hybridisation, according to Bakhtin, is a mixture of two social languages within the limits of a single utterance, an ‘encounter’, within the arena of an utterance, between two different linguistic consciousnesses, “separated from one another by an epoch, by social differentiation, or by some other factor”. When Robinson Crusoe encounters the criolos whom he names Friday, he teaches him English, the words of God, and above all the basics of humanity. He has “driven him out of utter darkness to overwhelming whitening light”. Doing so he created a ‘mimic man’; for Friday can only ‘mimic’ his white Master’s culture, but never be 2012-05-27T05:08:44.18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hybridity-in-the-poetry-of-Derek-Walcott-34577.aspx She was a young girl who lived with her mom alone in a house on the corner of a isolated street and desired nothing more than to become visibly seen from someone other than just her mom. She was a girl who hides in her room while it rains. She slept. She read. She did anything that didn’t involve social interactmeant. She didn’t like to be alone. Her favorite part of the day was to check the mail. The young girl got up once the rain stopped and slugged her way out of her room and went to the front porch to experience the only breath of cool air she would be getting the entire day. While walking over to the mailbox she began to painfully think of her past times at home. “Are you okay?” Karolyn said that moment she saw her at the mailbox. Karolyn who is the neighbor. “Yes” “I heard screaming. Last night” “Yes. That was I.” “Are you okay” “Mom was winefull. I just wanted to escape” “Again” “This time in my head. Though she wouldn’t let me. I screamed” “What do you mean?” “I am quite and she is complaining that it is humid in the house since the AC is not working and she said she needs cold air and how she wishes to go to the top of the mountain where it is was cold and the air is dry and she is saying this over and over with and I don’t want to hear the complaining over and over again it is like she is drilling it in my head so deep down that I could almost touch the snow with my clammy hands. I began to scream.” “How are you feeling?” “The sun shines in my room all the time and I never get to experience the dark. I am a sleep when the dark arrives in my room. Almost too dehydrated by the sun to keep awake.” She then headed back to the porch where the Breeze hit the most. She stood there like one would stand for limited baseball tickets. She could feel the humidness of the house with the simple touch of the door knob. It was as if she was in the rainforest wet and clammy and humid with rays of sunlight beaming on her. She released her hand. Look at the mailbox. Then dragged herself back inside. Karolyn saw her 2012-05-12T15:56:22.39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Satire-34562.aspx The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd The book is set in the village of King's Abbott in England. It is told by Dr. James Sheppard, who becomes Poirot's assistant. The story begins with the death of Mrs. 2012-05-11T07:25:19.327-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-murder-of-Roger-Ackroyd-34560.aspx The Tragic Hero of Things Fall Apart The Tragic Hero of Things Fall Apart The role of a tragic hero within a story line is essential in a dramatic film or written work. The hero has the standards of becoming a great character that can take charge of the story through courageous action and bold dialogue. However, since the character is deemed a “tragic” hero, his flaws will ultimately be his downfall, usually leading to the characters own demise. Nowhere is this ideal of a tragic hero more relevant that in Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart. The story is set in late nineteenth-century in a small village in Nigeria. The tragic hero in this case is a young man named Okonkwo. He is a dynamic growing character but is doomed from the beginning of the story with two major flaws that in the end will destroy his character. Okonkwo cannot physically display any of his emotions because he thinks it is a sure sign of weakness. His second flaw is that if and when he does show any emotion, it is an uncontrollable rage. Both of these flaws will get Okonkwo into trouble that he cannot handle. Okonkwo has been taught from a very young age that showing his emotions is a feminine characteristic, a sign of weakness within his culture. This is brought about because when Okonkwo was a child his father was not very involved with the community or with the elder counsel. The community is the most important aspect of everyday life for Okonkwo’s people. The village does not have a centralized government, but it is does have democratic ruling through the elder males (Ohadike xxii). Since Okonkwo’s father was lazy and drank too much, he did not receive any respect from the majority of the community. Okonkwo did not want this for himself so he always displayed a tough exterior so that he could have respect. This characteristic is clearly shown throughout the story. One such example is when Okonkwo becomes very fond of a boy that is in his care. Even though he likes the boy, Ikemefuna, he still treated him “as he treated everyone else – with a heavy hand” (Achebe 20). Even to a person who was considered part of his own family, he could not show the emotion of affection or graceful attention. In addition to not being able to show any true emotions, Okonkwo has 2012-03-15T21:34:22.26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/things-fall-apart-34512.aspx Relationship is the key subject throughout the whole play. I agree with statement of ‘Claudio and hero may be the young lovers but Beatrice and Benedick are much more appealing.’ As a comedy it is known in Shakespeare’s time to have misunderstandings, confusion and end in a wedding or in a play. Much ado does the exact of the conventions of a comedy, the play is filled with different variety of events and confused identity. In the play much ado Shakespeare emphasizes two different presentation of love via Claudio and Hero, and Beatrice and Benedick. There is evidently a contrast between the love of Claudio and Hero and Beatrice and Benedick, as in their characteristics and attributes. Claudio and Hero relationship is more serious, whereas Benedick and Beatrice is more about arguing and comedy. Claudio and Hero’s relationship being simply conventional and apparent where as Beatrice and Benedick’s based on their wit and deeper feelings. "Lord! I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face: I hath rather lie in the woollen." This quotation is mostly applied to Benedick as we know he is a person with a beard which is why Beatrice trying to make fun out him but inside she has a different feeling for him. Beatrice is the niece of Leonato, a wealthy governor of Messina. Though she is close friends with her cousin Hero, Leonato’s daughter, the two could not be less alike. Whereas Hero is polite, quiet, respectful, and gentle, Beatrice is feisty, cynical, witty, and sharp. Beatrice keeps up a “merry war” of wits with Benedick, a lord and soldier from Padua. The play suggests that she was once in love with Benedick but that, he led her on and their relationship ended. Now when they meet, the two constantly compete to outdo one another with clever insults. This is why Beatrice and Benedick is much more appealing then Claudio and Hero by arguing with each other makes them more dominant in the play. Benedick is the willful lord, recently returned from fighting in the wars, who vows that he will never marry. He engages with Beatrice in a competition to outwit, outsmart, and out-insult the other, but to his observant friends, he seems to feel some deeper emotion below the surface. Upon hearing Claudio and Don Pedro discussing Beatrice’s desire for him, Benedick vows to be “horribly 2012-03-15T13:48:22.84-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Much-Ado-About-Nothing-34511.aspx How many people do you need for a party? Andy Warhol once said, “One’s company, two’s a crowd, and three’s a party”. According to Warhol’s definition, Jay Gatsby spent most of his life at a party. Therefore it makes sense for F. Scott Fitzgerald to use the extravagant parties Jay Gatsby throws for his friends in The Great Gatsby to showcase the important values during the 1920’s. The get-togethers Jay Gatsby throws for his friends show the important values of the characters during the time period such as money, power and class. Jay Gatsby’s parties show the characters valued money. He often throws lavish parties for his friends where no expense is spared. Jay Gatsby attempts to fulfill the characters love for money by supplying every possible luxury to his guests: There was music from my neighbor’s house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam. On week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city between nine in the morning and long past midnight, while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all trains. And on Mondays eight servants, including an extra gardener, toiled all day with mops and scrubbing-brushes and hammers and garden-shears, repairing the ravages of the night before. (Fitzgerald 39) This quote demonstrates the great lengths Jay Gatsby goes to as a host to provide his guests with everything they could ever want and need while also using the opportunity to show his great wealth. Jay Gatsby’s parties exhibit the society’s value of power. During the events Jay Gatsby throws for his friends, he is always in a powerful position. Most men in the roaring twenties felt in power when they were showing off their strength or dominating conversation. Jay Gatsby is different. He feels in control in when he is hidden among his peers, watching from afar: “[…] and this man Gatsby sent over his chauffeur with an invitation. For a moment he looked at me as if he failed to understand. ‘I’m Gatsby,’ he said suddenly. ‘What!’ 2012-03-01T17:40:03.6-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Occasions-in-The-Great-Gatsby-34499.aspx Many people fail to see the application of censorship and the impact of it in their own lives and in our society. Giving into conformity discourages the type of independence that is valued in a supposedly free thinking world. Censorship is one of the major themes in Fahrenheit 451, and its impact is illustrated through obedience in appearance, behavior, and thought. This shows a clear relationships between Ray Bradbury‘s novel and our current society today. The association between appearance and social acceptance is already apparent in our lives. In order to achieve societal norm we wish to look and act like our peers, and as a result censorship in appearance has become a common example of submission today. In Fahrenheit 451, Montag realizes that a major part of being socially accepted as a fireman is to conform through appearance. Montag observes this fact while there are countless examples of conformity through appearance in our society. The belief that physical beauty is more valuable than intelligence is a very common habit throughout the world, especially in schools. As a result, we often conform to accept standards of appearance rather than focusing on the value of one’s gifts and talents. There is a relationship from our own society, and to the world in Fahrenheit 451, conformity in appearance is common between them. Conformity in behavior is another example of submission found in our culture today. However, in Fahrenheit 451, Beatty describes conformity as a positive aspect of society, he argues that conformity in behavior prevents violence and jealousy by restricting the gifted and talented people from their ability to excel, which is good, because others won‘t feel bad. However, the real problem in the situation, Beatty describes, is not the very smart people, but the group of people of those who submit to it. Unfortunately, this very situation occurs repeatedly in our society today. “We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the constitution says, but everyone made equal... A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon. Breach man’s mind.” Captain Beatty told this to Montag in his home. It shows that Beatty wants people to be all alike. People who choose not to conform may be 2012-02-21T23:31:09.247-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451-34491.aspx This essay on Things Fall Apart is only posted to aid other students. Please do not copy my work. Can such an important character in a story have faults? Many people look at the protagonist as the hero with no faults. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the main character shows this quality. Okonkwo portrays many faults, which leads him to his downfall. One example of Okonkwo’s greatest faults is his pride. His own success as a self-made man makes him impatient of others who are not as successful. For example, at a meeting of the tribe's elders, he calls another man a woman and says, "This meeting is for men." This man who had contradicted him had no titles, and so Okonkwo felt that he was not worthy enough. However, Okonkwo had to apologize to him. This is one example of Okonkwo’s faults. Another fault portrayed by Okonkwo is his temper. Okonkwo is hard and stern with his family, particularly his son, Nwoye, who does not take after him. It is Okonkwo's inner fear that he too would be a failure like his father. This makes him proud and hard. He is strict with his wives too and never shows his inner emotions. It is this that drives him to break the rules of the Week of Peace, by beating his wife when she does not send him his food as required. Breaking the rules of the week of peace is considered a sin against the Goddess of the soil, Ani. So this is both a personal error and an error against the rules of the tribe. This is another example of Okonkwo’s faults. The last example of Okonkwo’s faults is his disrespect for women. This is shown at the New Yam festival when he almost shoots his second wife, Ekwefi. He trys this with a gun as he thinks that she has cut down his banana tree when she has only cut a few leaves. This again shows his impulsive nature and volatile temper, faults which later rebound on him. When the Oracle of the Hills and Caves orders the death of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo, in order to show his fearlessness and impartiality, strikes the final blow with his machete, even as the boy 2012-02-13T13:10:05.573-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Okonkwo-s-Flaws-in-Things-Fall-Apart-34476.aspx Death of a Salesman takes place in New York and Boston. The action begins in the home of Willy Loman, an aging salesman who has just returned from a road trip. Willy is having difficulty remembering events, as well as distinguishing the present from his memories of the past. His wife, Linda, suggests that he request a job in New York rather than travel each week. Linda and Willy argue about their oldest son Biff. Biff and his brother, Happy, overhear Willy talking to himself. Biff learns that Willy is usually talking to him (Biff) during these private reveries. Biff and Happy discuss women and the future. Both are dissatisfied with their jobs: Biff is discontent working for someone else, and Happy cannot be promoted until the merchandise manager dies. They contemplate buying a ranch and working together. At this point, Willy relives several scenes from his past, including the time when, during high school, Biff admits to stealing a football and promises to throw a pass for Willy during the game. Willy also remembers his old dream of the boys visiting him in Boston during a road trip. Finally in his reverie, he relives the time that Bernard, son of the next-door neighbor Charley, informs Willy that Biff is failing math and will not graduate unless his scores improve. In this last scene, Willy listens but dismisses the important news because Biff is "well-liked," and Bernard is not. Willy remembers a conversation with Linda in which he inflates his earnings but is then forced to admit he exaggerated when Linda calculates his commission. Willy recalls complaining about his appearance and remembers Linda assuring him that he is attractive. At this point, Willy's memories begin to blend together. While he is reliving his conversation with Linda, he begins to remember his conversation with the Woman (a woman with whom he had an affair). He is unable to separate memories of Linda from the Woman. The play continues in the present with his neighbor Charley coming over to play cards. However, Uncle Ben appears to Willy while he is playing cards with Charley, and Willy relives an old conversation with Ben while simultaneously talking with Charley. As a result, Willy becomes confused by the two different "discussions" he is having — one in the present, one in the past — and he accuses Charley of cheating. After Charley leaves, Willy relives Ben's visit and asks 2012-02-02T20:42:50.557-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/My-Summary-of-Death-of-a-Salesman-34464.aspx The poem begins with a brief genealogy of the Danes. Scyld Shefing was the first great king of the Danes, known for his ability to conquer enemies. Scyld becomes the great grandfather of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes during the events of Beowulf. Hrothgar, like his ancestors before him, is a good king, and he wishes to celebrate his reign by building a grand hall called Heorot. Once the hall is finished, Hrothgar holds a large feast. The revelry attracts the attentions of the monster Grendel, who decides to attack during the night. In the morning, Hrothgar and his thanes discover the bloodshed and mourn the lost warriors. This begins Grendel's assault upon the Danes. Twelve years pass. Eventually the news of Grendel's aggression on the Danes reaches the Geats, another tribe. A Geat thane, Beowulf, decides to help the Danes; he sails to the land of the Danes with his best warriors. Upon their arrival, Hrothgar's thane Wulfgar judges the Geats worthy enough to speak with Hrothgar. Hrothgar remembers when he helped Beowulf's father Ecgtheow settle a feud; thus, he welcomes Beowulf's help gladly. Heorot is filled once again for a large feast in honor of Beowulf. During the feast, a thane named Unferth tries to get into a boasting match with Beowulf by accusing him of losing a swimming contest. Beowulf tells the story of his heroic victory in the contest, and the company celebrates his courage. During the height of the celebration, the Danish queen Wealhtheow comes forth, bearing the mead-cup. She presents it first to Hrothgar, then to the rest of the hall, and finally to Beowulf. As he receives the cup, Beowulf tells Wealhtheow that he will kill Grendel or be killed in Heorot. This simple declaration moves Wealhtheow and the Danes, and the revelry continues. Finally, everyone retires. Before he leaves, Hrothgar promises to give Beowulf everything if he can defeat Grendel. Beowulf says that he will leave God to judge the outcome. He and his thanes sleep in the hall as they wait for Grendel. Eventually Grendel arrives at Heorot as usual, hungry for flesh. Beowulf watches carefully as Grendel eats one of his men. When Grendel reaches for Beowulf, Beowulf grabs Grendel's arm and doesn't let go. Grendel writhes about in pain as Beowulf grips him. He thrashes about, causing the hall to nearly collapse. Soon Grendel tears away, leaving his arm in Beowulf's 2012-02-02T19:58:47.607-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Summary-of-Beowulf-34460.aspx It was apparent that the life of Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin was going to be out of step with the ordinary from the moment of her birth on August 30, 1797. She had both unorthodox parents and an orthodox family structure: her father, William Godwin, was a celebrated philosopher and historian who had briefly been a Calvinist minister. A cold, remote man who overate grossly and borrowed money from anyone who would give him a loan, he had little time for anything but his philosophical endeavors. This intellectual single-mindedness was somewhat modulated by his passion for Mary Wollstonecraft. With the possible exception of William Blake, Wollstonecraft was the most influential of the Enlightenment radicals. Having declared herself independent at the age of twenty-one, she ran a school with her sisters and was the respected friend of the philosopher Samuel Johnson. While in France, she had an affair with an army captain which ended in the birth of her first daughter, Fanny. After the soldier abandoned her and the child, she returned to England and attempted suicide. Happily or unhappily, she failed, and began writing in a variety of genres. It was her revolutionary feminist writings, however, that won her lasting fame. The first meeting between Godwin and Wollstonecraft took place at a dinner party at Godwin's home. Drawn to each other by virtue of their shared philosophical beliefs, the two began an affair begun in the autumn of 1796. When Mary discovered that she was pregnant, the couple decided to marry in order to legitimate both of Mary's children. The couple, however, in adherence to their enlightened views, continued to live and work independently. The pair remained devoted to each other, and Godwin was devastated when Wollstonecraft died shortly after the birth of their daughter, Mary. Although he was fond of his daughters, the task of raising them alone proved too much for Godwin, and he immediately set about finding a second wife. His proposal to Maria Reveley, who would later become Mary's best friend, was rejected. He later married Mary Jane Clairmont, the first woman to respond to his overtures. This second wife proved to be a cruel, shallow woman who neglected Fanny and Mary in favor of her own children. Mary (who was so lively that her father had nicknamed her Mercury) was frequently whipped for impertinence; rebellion came naturally to the headstrong Mary, and she refused to be subdued. Though 2012-02-02T00:27:05.72-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Biography-of-Mary-Shelley-34457.aspx The first science fiction story ever to be written was the story of Frankenstein. In this story, Mary Shelley, the author attempts to state how fooling around with mother nature can have some very adverse and undesirable effects. Mary was greatly influenced by Paradise Lost and The Metamorphosis and she has incorporated the main themes of these works in this novel mainly: 1. The making of a living being, by a man 2. The growth of anger and need for revenge in the being. 3. The increase in hatred and hostility in the being, when he is further isolated. The story begins with the introduction of the reader to a Robert Wallace, a sea- captain who is on a voyage to the North Pole in order to find a passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic. He writes to his sister Mrs. Saville in England telling her how it has always been his dream to embark on a journey of this kind and how he is very pleased that his dream has finally materialized. In one of his letters to his sister he mentions how a very strange thing happened. In the middle of the ocean he sees a sleigh pulled by dogs with a large figure driving it. All the crew is puzzled as to where the man is bound. Then the next day they see yet another sleigh on the brink of destruction as the sea ice has cracked. Wallace rescues him and asks the stranger what he is doing in so desolate a place. He replies that he is tracking the stranger whom they had seen the day before. When the stranger gets to know that Wallace is playing with his life for the sake of science, he decides to tell him his story so that Wallace may change his mind. He tells Wallace that he hails from a well to do Italian family and his name is Victor. His father had helped an old friend when he was in trouble and falls in love with his daughter Caroline and marries her in spite of the age difference. They have a very happy marriage but Caroline is not in the best of health which is why they travel to many countries and the narrator is born in Italy. For many years he is the only child. Then one day they are in a poor neighborhood and see a beautiful 2012-02-01T08:53:21.183-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-of-Mary-Shelley-s-Frankenstein-34452.aspx Frankenstein, set in Europe in the 1790's, begins with the letters of Captain Robert Walton to his sister. These letters form the framework for the story in which Walton tells his sister the story of Victor Frankenstein and his monster as Frankenstein told it to him. Walton set out to explore the North Pole. The ship got trapped in frozen water and the crew, watching around them, saw a giant man in the distance on a dogsled. Hours later they found Frankenstein and his dogsled near the ship, so they brought the sick man aboard. As he recovered, Frankenstein told Walton his story so that Walton would learn the price of pursuing glory at any cost. Frankenstein grew up in a perfectly loving and gentle Swiss family with an especially close tie to his adopted cousin, Elizabeth, and his dear friend Henry Clerval. As a young boy, Frankenstein became obsessed with studying outdated theories about what gives humans their life spark. In college at Ingolstadt, he created his own "perfect" human from scavenged body parts, but once it lived, the creature was hideous. Frankenstein was disgusted by its ugliness, so he ran away from it. Henry Clerval came to Ingolstadt to study with Frankenstein, but ended up nursing him after his exhausting and secret efforts to create a perfect human life. While Frankenstein recovered from his illness over many months and then studied languages with Clerval at the college, the monster wandered around looking for friendship. After several harsh encounters with humans, the monster became afraid of them and spent a long time living near a cottage and observing the family who lived there. Through these observations he became educated and realized that he was very different from the humans he watched. Out of loneliness, themonster sought the friendship of this family, but they were afraid of him, and this rejection made him seek vengeance against his creator. He went to Geneva and met a little boy in the woods. The monster hoped to kidnap him and keep him as a companion, but the boy was Frankenstein's younger brother, so the monster killed him to get back at his creator. Then the monster planted the necklace he removed from the child's body on a beautiful girl who was later executed for the crime. When Frankenstein learned of his brother's death, he went back to Geneva to be with his family. In the woods 2012-01-30T15:07:10.7-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-of-the-novel-Frankenstein-by-Mary-Shelley-34450.aspx James Gatz who is known as Jay Gatsby lived a poor life with his unwealthy parents who worked as farmers. He started by working with very low salaries, but when he met Dan cody who used to drink heavily he offered him an assistant position. After that Jay Gatsby met Daisy in which he fell with love but her parents didn’t allow her to see him even before going to war because of his unsuitable background in which he lived. Tom married Daisy and Daisy forgot about Jay Gatsby but after five years from war she found Gatsby who changed a lot for her but found her married with a child and this was a fact he couldn’t change. Jay Gatsby became very wealthy through committing crimes with Meyer Wolfshien, He thought being wealthy will 2012-01-28T16:01:58.973-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-short-summary-first-5-chapters-34448.aspx In this essay, I will be describing the similarities of the moods, main characters, and resolutions between two short stories, The Monkey’s Paw, and The Third Wish. The Monkey’s Paw, by W.W. Jacobs, is about a family who obtains a magical monkey’s paw that has been cursed. They use the wishes and each wish comes out with a consequence. In the Third Wish, by Joan Aiken, a man frees a swan in distress and the swan grants him three wishes. Each wish turns out with a consequence starting with his wish for a lovely wife. They both have struggles in each short story and I will be comparing them to each other. The first point that I will be comparing is the mood in each story. In the Monkey’s Paw, the mood is very peculiar. It feels like a very heavy, depressing weight is upon the family. That weight feels like it is lifted at the end of the story when he wishing for his dead son to be back in the grave after wishing him alive again. It also starts to feel peaceful. It also has a magical feeling because of the monkey’s paw and the wishes. These moods also appear in the Third Wish. In the Third Wish, the mood is magical in the beginning because of the magical leaves and the lovely wife that came for him. But as the wife starts to become unhappy and sickly, the mood changes to a peculiar and depressing mood in the story. Towards the end, he lives happily with his wife as a swan and his wife’s sister. It feels peaceful at the very end when he dies with a smile on his face. The next point is comparing the main characters. In the Monkey’s Paw, the main character is Mr. White. He is an old man with a wife and son. He is curious about the monkey’s paw he obtains and wonders if it actually works. He wants something to make his life better even though he feels it is perfect. He wishes for money for his first wish. When he gets the news that his son is dead and he gets the same amount he wished for from the insurance, he realizes that each wish comes with a consequence. In the Third Wish, an old man named Mr. Peter’s wanted a wife and he gets three wishes for rescuing 2012-01-23T21:08:39.83-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Compare-and-Contrast-Essay-on-The-Third-Wish-and-The-Monkey-s-Paw-34444.aspx In the book Animal Farm written by George Orwell the animals felt like they were being treated inhumanly by their farmer Jones. All the animals devised a plan to run Jones off the farm so they could run the farm the way that they wanted to. The leader of this revolt is the farms old boar Major. He saw in a dream a farm that was run by animals and only animals. The animals would eventually set up their own society. However, eventually power and corruption would overtake some of the animals. This story is full of many different unique experiences about corruption and greed. Old Major was the one who founded the idea of animalism. He represents a combination of Karl Marx and Lenin. He delivered an emotionally charged speech, which captures the animals’ emotions. Like Lenin he uses short dramatic sentences “All men are enemies” “All animals are equal”. His idea of rebellion was very popular with the other animals just as Lenin’s idea of a revolution was popular with the Russian people. “This is my message to you comrades; Rebellion!” In the book Napoleon began his leadership role quite well, with his ideas being fair and with a positive meaning. As the story continues he becomes more corrupt, and his ideas turn into a dictatorship. “Napoleon lead the animals back to the store-shed and served out a double portion of corn to everyone, with two biscuits for each dog.” As time went on his true nature, of a power crazy character begins to surface, he becomes more selfish and the principle idea of equality no longer exists. The farm is run on terror, and no animal dare speak out against him, for fear of death. “The news leaked out that every pig was receiving a ration of a pint of bear daily, with half a gallon for Napoleon.”Just as during the revolution, when at first Stalin was fair and just but as he was given power he turns into a corrupt man with dictatorship qualities. He became more selfish and sinister. When securing his power base he engineered the permanent exile of Trotsky. This compares to the book, when Napoleon and his ‘nine sturdy puppies’ chased Snowball out of the farm. Napoleon then proceeds to portray his true nature of an assassin. Snowball is the other main leader in animalism, along side Napoleon. He 2012-01-19T19:37:15.483-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-34441.aspx God created us with different characteristics and our own self-concusses. But people will think about this play with anger and hate. What I am talking about is the wickedness and the cruelty set in this play. If we are to have a happy ending, we are to reflect on one's action and hope that we have the knowledge and the common sense to see and change our wicked ways. In Shakespeare's 5th play, King Lear, there are two rules of man that we are suppose to see. One is " What goes around, comes around". The second is "Evil never wins." So our question is "Did King Lear deserved to be rejected by his daughters?" The answer is no. So I choose to take the side of King Lear, try to be a loyal servant and to see how this question came into this conclusion. The first reason is that King Lear is that he is old and he has been through a lot. Even though he made some wrong decisions, it isn't right to kick out a member of the family and to say that "Your on your own." The evidence is when the first daughter, Goneril, kicked him out only half the time when she was supposed to keep him. His second daughter, Regan, rejects him completely. This is cruel and unusual because he gave his daughters everything they may possibly want: money, wealth and power. After he was stripped of his power, his daughters backstabbed him. They told him that they loved him in order to get his power. After that, he was no use to them. The second reason why King Lear shouldn't be rejected from his family is because in the beginning of Shakespear's play, King Lear starts off as a respected and powerful king. As the story progresses, the king loses his power because of his own stupidity and blindness. Reasons that I think why the king lost power due to his own stupidity and blindness is because he could of had bad advice. Another valid reason is because of his wealth. People are known to be foolish or to listen to the foolish because of their own greed. One more reason why King Lear shouldn't be rejected from his family is because of his power. People with power grow to be corrupt and breaking the bonds of their subject(just like King Solemn who lived in a life of 2012-01-15T21:22:23.117-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Good-Vs-Evil-in-King-Lear-34434.aspx A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens contained many themes that are practiced throughout the book. Two of these themes are altruism and resurrection. The characters Madame Defarge and Sydney Carton are used to exemplify these themes. Sydney Carton demonstrated an altruistic nature while Madame Defarge had a self-seeking disposition. Carton displayed his charitable nature when Lucie was the object of Mr. Stryver’s affection. When Mr. Stryver asked for Sydney’s approval, he said that he supported him in his pursuit even though Carton held a secret passion for Lucie. Before Darnay’s marriage to Lucie, Sydney told Lucie of his hopeless devotion to her and described himself “to be undeserving.” He also volunteered to “embrace any sacrifice” for her and those dear to her. Carton’s altruism culminated when Darnay became incarcerated in La Force. When Mr. Lorry told Sydney of Darnay’s predicament, he traveled to France to offer his help. Carton fulfilled his offer to Lucie when he drugged Darnay and took his place in the impending death sentence. Madame Defarge, “imbued from her childhood with a brooding sense of wrong,” had no traditional morals in her and is the opposite of Carton. In Dickens’ vivid description of her, she is described as a “tigress” and “absolutely without pity.” Her hatred of the Evremondes had grown so profusely that she intended to execute Lucie and her daughter in addition to Darnay who had committed no crime but “was to die for the sins of his forefathers.” In addition, she ignored her husband’s profound pleas to spare Dr. Manette and exclaimed to herself, “No, I cannot spare him!” Resurrection embodies both Sydney Carton and Therese Defarge. Sydney is resurrected from a desolate life of working under Stryver to sacrificing his life for the sake of Darnay. In the beginning of the story, Sydney is described as a lowly “jackal” in service to Stryver. He drinks excessively with Stryver and is careless in regard to clothing and speech. After Darnay’s trial, Carton is described as “so careless as to be almost insolent.” The trial is followed by a drink with Charles. After Carton has traveled to France, Carton has abstained from drinking and has liberated himself from Stryver. Before his death, he says, “I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in 2012-01-14T19:02:43.927-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Overview-of-A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-34430.aspx Toni Morrison’s Recitatif is about Roberta and Twyla, two girls that live and grow up in an orphanage, due ot the fact that their mother’s could not yield proper care and attention for them. The underlying theme in Recitatif deals with racism. An interesting twist is the mystery of the girls’ race. Leaving clues, but never stating whether Twyla or Roberta was black or white, Morrison makes it clear that the girls come from different ethnic backgrounds. At one point in the essay Twyla comments, “that we looked like salt and pepper.” Due to the fact that the story is told in the first person, it seems natural for the reader to associate Twyla with himself/herself. “Recitatif” proves to be a noteworthy experiment, “toying” with the reader’s emotions and effectively noting stereotypical races and their characteristics. Morrison never states the race of the girls for a purpose: to make the reader form his/her own opinion. The story begins with Twyla’s mother dropping her off at the orphanage. There she met Roberta, who became her best friend, bonding because they were not real orphans with “beautiful dead parents in the sky.” Instead of being “real” orphans, they were just abandoned kids whose mother’s did not want them. Although the girls had few friends, their lives did not lack adventure. For example, they enjoyed spying on the big girls who liked to smoke and dance, and sadly got a laugh out of yelling mean things at Maggie, the woman who couldn’t defend herself because she was mute. One of the last times the girls saw each other in the orphanage was the day of the picnic. Shortly after the picnic Roberta’s mother came to take her home, marking the first small fracture in their friendship. The next time they saw each other was years later in the restaurant that Twyla worked. Roberta acts coldly towards Roberta partly because she was high off of drugs, on her way to see a Jimi Hendrix concert. Twyla was deeply offended that her former best friend would treat her so badly. Twelve years later they meet again at a grocery store. Roberta married a rich man and was now called Mrs. Benson; she was dressed in diamonds and talked much nicer to Twyla. By this time, Twyla has one child and Roberta has four. Strangely, Roberta acts extremely friendly, like she has met her long lost 2012-01-14T18:53:33.83-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Overview-of-Toni-Morrison’s-Recitatif-34428.aspx In Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" the mortal teenage characters fall in love foolishly, and the character Bottom states, "O what fools these mortals be". They are foolish because they act like children. Although Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius, and Helena appear grown-up, when they are in love they act foolishly. The four teenage lovers are fools. Demetrius is a fool because he is unaware that his love changes through out the play. At the start of the play Demetrius does not love Helena. (II ii,line 188) Demetrius says, "I love thee not, therefore pursue me not." (II ii,line 194) "Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more." In III ii, Demetrius after being juiced begins to love Helena. (III ii,line 169-173) Demetrius says, "Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none. If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone. My heart to her but as guest- wise sojourned, And now to Helen is it home returned, There to remain." This proves he is a fool, because he is not aware of his changing love for Helena. Helena is a fool because Demetrius does not love her but she still persists in chasing him. Demetrius shows no love for Helena. (II i,line 227-228) Demetrius says, "I'll run from thee, and hide me in the brakes, And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts." (II i,line 199-201) "Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Or rather do I not in plainest truth Tell you I do not, nor I cannot love you?" Demetrius clearly illustrates to Helena that he has no interest, but Helena persists. (II i,line 202-204) Helena says, "And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you." (II i,line 220-222) "Your virtue is my privilege. For that It is not night when I do see your face, Therefore I think I am not in the night;" This proves that Helena is a fool because Demetrius does not love her, but she still persists. Lysander is a fool because he persuades Hermia to avoid death and run away with him. Hermia must marry Demetrius or she will be put to death. (I i,line 83-88) Theseus says, "Take time to pause, and, by the next new moon- The sealing-day betwixt my 2012-01-13T11:56:30.12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Overview-of-Shakespeare-s-A-Midsummer-Night-s-Dream-34424.aspx "I am not what I am." What is Iago? -- as distinct from what he pretends to be -- and what are his motives? In Shakespeare's, Othello, the reader is presented the classic battle between the deceitful forces of evil and the innocence of good. It are these forces of evil that ultimately lead to the breakdown of Othello, a noble venetian moor, well-known by the people of Venice as a honourable soldier and a worthy leader. Othello's breakdown results in the muder of his wife Desdemona. Desdemona is representative of the good in nature. Good can be defined as forgiving, honest, innocent and unsuspecting. The evil contained within Othello is by no means magical or mythical yet is represented by the character Iago. Iago is cunning, untrustworthy, selfish, and plotting. He uses these traits to his advantage by slowly planning his own triumph while watching the demise of others. It is this that is Iago's motivation. The ultimate defeat of good by the wrath of evil. Not only is it in his own nature of evil that he suceeds but also in the weaknesses of the other characters. Iago uses the weaknesses of Othello, specifically jealousy and his devotion to things as they seem, to conquer his opposite in Desdemona. From the start of the play, Iago's scheming ability is shown when he convinces Roderigo to tell about Othello and Desdemonda's elopement to Desdemona's father, Brabantio. Confidentally Iago continues his plot successfully, making fools of others, and himself being rewarded. Except Roderigo, no one is aware of Iago's plans. This is because Iago pretends to be an honest man loyal to his superiors. The fact that Othello himself views Iago as trustworthy and honest gives the evil within Iago a perfect unsuspecting victim for his schemes. The opportunity to get to Desdemona through Othello is one temptation that Iago cannot refuse. He creates the impression that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio in order to stir the jealousy within Othello. It is this jealousy and the ignorance of Othello that lead to the downfall of Desdemona; the one truely good natured character in the play. As the play opens we are 2012-01-13T11:52:33.087-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Battle-of-Good-vs_-Evil-in-Shakespeare-s-Othello-34423.aspx Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear is a detailed description of the consequences of one man's decisions. This fictitious man is Lear, King of England, who's decisions greatly alter his life and the lives of those around him. As Lear bears the status of King he is, as one expects, a man of great power but sinfully he surrenders all of this power to his daughters as a reward for their demonstration of love towards him. This untimely abdication of his throne results in a chain reaction of events that send him through a journey of hell. King Lear is a metaphorical description of one man's journey through hell in order to expiate his sin. As the play opens one can almost immediately see that Lear begins to make mistakes that will eventually result in his downfall. The very first words that he speaks in the play are :- "...Give me the map there. Know that we have divided In three our kingdom, and 'tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age, Conferring them on younger strengths while we Unburdened crawl to death..." (Act I, Sc i, Ln 38-41) This gives the reader the first indication of Lear's intent to abdicate his throne. He goes on further to offer pieces of his kingdom to his daughters as a form of reward to his test of love. "Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn, And here are to be answered. Tell me, my daughters (Since now we will divest us both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state), Which of you shall we say doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge." (Act I, Sc i, Ln 47-53) This is the first and most significant of the many sins that he makes in this play. By abdicating his throne to fuel his ego he is disrupts the great chain of being which states that the King must not challenge the position that God has given him. 2012-01-13T11:33:10.87-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Overview-of-King-Lear-34422.aspx King Lear, by William Shakespeare, is a tragic tale of filial conflict, personal transformation, and loss. The story revolves around the King who foolishly alienates his only truly devoted daughter and realizes too late the true nature of his other two daughters. A major subplot involves the illegitimate son of Gloucester, Edmund, who plans to discredit his brother Edgar and betray his father. With these and other major characters in the play, Shakespeare clearly asserts that human nature is either entirely good, or entirely evil. Some characters experience a transformative phase, where by some trial or ordeal their nature is profoundly changed. We shall examine Shakespeare's stand on human nature in King Lear by looking at specific characters in the play: Cordelia who is wholly good, Edmund who is wholly evil, and Lear whose nature is transformed by the realization of his folly and his descent into madness. The play begins with Lear, an old king ready for retirement, preparing to divide the kingdom among his three daughters. Lear has his daughters compete for their inheritance by judging who can proclaim their love for him in the grandest possible fashion. Cordelia finds that she is unable to show her love with mere words: "Cordelia. [Aside] What shall Cordelia speak? Love, and be silent." Act I, scene i, lines 63-64. Cordelia's nature is such that she is unable to engage in even so forgivable a deception as to satisfy an old king's vanity and pride, as we see again in the following quotation: "Cordelia. [Aside] Then poor cordelia! And not so, since I am sure my love's More ponderous than my tongue. " Act I, Scene i, lines 78-80. Cordelia clearly loves her father, and yet realizes that her honesty will not please him. Her nature is too good to allow even the slightest deviation from her morals. An impressive speech similar to her sisters' would have prevented much tragedy, but Shakespeare has crafted Cordelia such that she could never consider such an act. Later in the play Cordelia, now banished for her honesty, still loves her father and displays great compassion and grief for him as we see in the following: "Cordelia. O my dear father, restoration hang Thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss Repair those violent harms that my two sisters Have in reverence made." Act IV, Scene vii, lines 26-29. Cordelia could be expected to display bitterness or even satisfaction 2012-01-13T11:26:24.49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Analysis-of-King-Lear-34421.aspx In Shakespeare's comedy, "The Taming of the Shrew," one of the main ways that the theme is shown is by mistaken identity. The main theme of this play is that what a person is really like is more important than how they appear to be. This is shown by Petruchio's relationship with Katherine; the changing roles of Tranio, Lucentio, and Hortensio; and the true characters of Bianca and Katherine. All three of these situations help to enrich the theme. The first predicament that supports the theme is Petruchio's relationship with Katherine. When we first meet Petruchio, he is only after the money of Katherine, and accepts her harshness as simply a goal he must overcome. He is mistaken for a person who is only after money, not love at all. Yet when he meets Kate, he begins to fall for her. While he still argues and attempts to train her, it is for his own benefit. He wants her to be less harsh so she can fall in love with him. Petruchio ends up truly caring for and loving Kate, despite the front he puts up having his true identity revealed. As a result of this Katherine, whom we thought would never love anyone, at the end of the story is the only wife who comes when she is beckoned. The other wives only make up excuses. This shows how Kate has a mistaken identity becuase she appears rude and insolent. This situation is one of the ways Shakespeare uses mistaken identity to display theme. Another part of the theme is that when a person changes outfit's and roles, their personalities and attitudes stary the same. The first and most prominent role change is the one between Lucentio and Tranio. Lucentio, in order to marry Bianca, exchanges outfits with his servant Tranio in order to become a tutor for Bianca. Although Tranio appears to be a nobleman, he is really just a simple servant. His identity did not change despite the fact that his outfit did. In the same fashion, Lucentio becomes Cambio, the tutor. His true self is as a nobleman, but due to his love of Bianca, he tries to change himself. Just 2012-01-13T09:03:30.907-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Taming-of-the-Shrew-34420.aspx William Shakespeare was a great English playwright, dramatist and poet who lived during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Shakespeare is considered to be the greatest playwright of all time. No other writer's plays have been produced so many times or read so widely in so many countries as his. Shakespeare was born to middle class parents. His father, John, was a Stratford businessman. He was a glove maker who owned a leather shop. John Shakespeare was a well known and respected man in the town. He held several important local governmental positions. William Shakespeare's mother was Mary Arden. Though she was the daughter of a local farmer, she was related to a family of considerable wealth and social standing. Mary Arden and John Shakespeare were married in 1557. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford in 1564. He was one of eight children. The Shakespeare's were well respected prominent people. When William Shakespeare was about seven years old, he probably began attending the Stratford Grammar School with other boys of his social class. Students went to school year round attending school for nine hours a day. The teachers were strict disciplinarians. Though Shakespeare spent long hours at school, his boyhood was probably fascinating. Stratford was a lively town and during holidays, it was known to put on pageants and many popular shows. It also held several large fairs during the year. Stratford was a exciting place to live. Stratford also had fields and woods surrounding it giving William the opportunity to hunt and trap small game. The River Avon which ran through the town allowed him to fish also. Shakespeare's' poems and plays show his love of nature and rural life which reflects his childhood. On November 28, 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway of the neighboring village of Shottery. She was twenty-six, and he was only eighteen at the time. They had three children. Susana was their first and then they had twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet, Shakespeare's son, died in 1596. In 1607, his daughter Susana got married. Shakespeare's other daughter, Judith, got married in 1616. In London, Shakespeare's career took off. It is 2012-01-13T08:32:01.857-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/William-Shakespeare-the-Greatest-Playwright-34419.aspx Great Expectations, the novel was first published in 1861, this is one of the best work of an English novelist, Charles Dickens (1812-1870), he is well-known and best writers in the era of Victoria. He wrote extensively about smelling things a social life, with poured in his writings, many people who say that Dickens is a realist writer. Once that happens the best novel of this, he raised the bitter life of a person to get a great hope that it may be impossible for him. In the story of Great Expectation, we will find a struggle, ambition, contempt, sadness, power, happiness, fear, and love. Great Expectations is a realist novel that also has a romantic element in the story, although more condensed realist elements in the story, it feels romantic elements that makes sense of his readers to be swept away when felt a scene described by Dickens. The combination of realism and romanticism of the plot turns make it a pleasure to explore. How can the opposite of realism and romance combine in the unity of this story. Synopsis In the story, Dickens gave the name 'Pip' as the main character and also the narrator, he is a poor orphan who lives with his sister, his parents had died when she was a baby, he did not know what they face, "As I never saw my father or my mother, and never saw any likeness of either of Them (Their days were the resource persons for long before the days of photographs )...". Chapter 1. He has an expectation of becoming a gentlemen that 'Estella', beautiful women and wealthy be his woman, he struggled to get all these expectations, although the accompanying failure. In his struggle to get the 'Estella', Pip many getting help from people he had ever known, so he arrived in London to learn and become gentlemen. There he began to feel how to be gentlemen, he began to forget the Joe who used a lot of help, he began to be people who like to squander his money, until one day his sister died. And also Estella, his ideal woman married with another man. It made his heart was break. Pip found out that the person who gave the funds, a convict who ever make he fear, how 2011-12-21T08:44:16.353-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Realism-and-Romanticism-in-Great-Expectations-by-Charles-Dickens-and-A-Structuralist-Analysis-by-Yogi-Emirza-34402.aspx The Great Gatsby Summary While The Great Gatsby is a highly specific portrait of American society during the Roaring Twenties, its story is also one that has been told hundreds of times, and is perhaps as old as America itself: a man claws his way from rags to riches, only to find that his wealth cannot afford him the privileges enjoyed by those born into the upper class. The central character is Jay Gatsby, a wealthy New Yorker of indeterminate occupation. Gatsby is primarily known for the lavish parties he throws each weekend at his ostentatious Gothic mansion in West Egg. He is suspected of being involved in illegal bootlegging and other underworld activities. The narrator, Nick Carraway, is Gatsby's neighbor in West Egg. Nick is a young man from a prominent Midwestern family. Educated at Yale, he has come to New York to enter the bond business. In some sense, the novel is Nick's memoir, his unique view of the events of the summer of 1922; as such, his impressions and observations necessarily color the narrative as a whole. For the most part, he plays only a peripheral role in the events of the novel; he prefers to remain a passive observer. Upon arriving in New York, Nick visits his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, and her husband, Tom. The Buchanans live in the posh Long Island district of East Egg; Nick, like Gatsby, resides in nearby West Egg, a less fashionable area looked down upon by those who live in East Egg. West Egg is home to the nouveau riche, people who lack established social connections, and who tend to vulgarly flaunt their wealth. Like Nick, Tom Buchanan graduated from Yale, and comes from a privileged Midwestern family. Tom is a former football player, a brutal bully obsessed with the preservation of class boundaries. Daisy, by contrast, is an almost ghostlike young woman who affects an air of sophisticated boredom. At the Buchanans's, Nick meets Jordan Baker, a beautiful young woman with a cold, cynical manner. The two later become romantically involved. Jordan tells Nick that Tom has been having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, a woman who lives in the valley of ashes, ­ an industrial wasteland outside of New York City. After visiting Tom and Daisy, Nick goes home to West Egg; there, he sees Gatsby gazing at a mysterious green light across the bay. Gatsby stretches his arms out toward 2011-12-18T10:43:53.477-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-of-The-Great-Gatsby-34396.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated from the viewpoint of Scout, a young girl of about six years old who is the daughter of another central character, Atticus Finch. Atticus is the voice of justice and rationalism speaking out in a town full of highly emotional and ignorantly prejudiced people. A lawyer, the integrity of Atticus never wavers throughout To Kill a Mockingbird as we are shown one of the few figures who truly holds justice and moral beliefs above the prejudices of society. To Kill a Mockingbird Themes - The Mockingbird The main themes of To Kill a Mockingbird are illustrated through two major subplots running parallel throughout the novel. One of the major themes in the novel is the mockingbird motif. Atticus feels that it is wrong to kill a mockingbird because all they do is sing beautiful songs and never harm anyone. This theme is illustrated through the trial of Tom Robinson. A black man, Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. In this subplot, the racially prejudice nature of Maycomb is clearly portrayed through such instances as the fact that Atticus is accused by the town of being a "nigger lover" for defending Tom’s case and also through the lynch mob scene outside the jail. It is in the Tom Robinson trial that the greatest example of injustice because of prejudice is seen. Although Atticus actually manages to prove the innocence of Tom Robinson, the white jury still refuses to declare the innocence of a black man over a white resulting in the most blatant testimony to the fact that the town of Maycomb held racial discrimination above justice. Through its decision the town essentially kills a mockingbird. Tom Robinson was a man who did no harm to others but instead actually helped others out of kindness - a mockingbird who becomes victim to a racist society. To Kill a Mockingbird Themes - Another Man's Shoes The second motif again concerns the nature of prejudice and is illustrated through the subplot of Boo Radley. Atticus tells his children that we never really know a man until we stand in his shoes and walk around in them. This theme is represented through Boo Radley, a man surrounded by mystery and rumors and hence prejudices. It is this prejudice that initially consumes Scout at the beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird as she imagines Boo to be some 2011-12-14T13:10:31.13-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Theme-of-Prejudice-in-To-Kill-A-Mocking-Bird-34390.aspx The Wealth and riches in the Great Gatsby Wealth and greed cause many of the problems in The Great Gatsby.  The book involves relationships that develop because of money and the impact it has on the characters and the way they treat each other. There's big houses, very nice cars and a rich lifestyle. In the beginning money is the key to a fancy life and great wild parties. In the end, it brings everyone down and the money creates more problems than it's really worth.  Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan love each other. But money becomes a problem when Daisy tells Gatsby that he isn't rich enough for her.  Gatsby spends years making money by becoming a bootlegger. He believed that he could buy Daisy's love. Daisy had told him that rich girls don't marry poor boys. So Jay Gatsby became a very wealthy man after Daisy's rejection and marriage to Tom Buchanan. Gatsby wants his old life with Daisy back so much that he uses illegal ways to get his money. He chose a life of heartache and illegal behavior to get a woman back, who in the end, he never even got back. He looses everything, not just Daisy but also his life.  Gatsby's parties can also be seen as a symbol of wealth and power. Every weekend, Jay Gatsby, threw lavish parties in an attempt to attract Daisy's attention.  At these parties there were many people, most hadn't been invited and didn't know Gatsby.  These people used Gatsby for his money.  Klipspringer, even stayed permanently at Gatsby's house after a party.  They thought if they were at these parties, they would be happy, more rich and feel perfect.  After Gatsby's death none of these people attended his funeral because he wasn't useful to them any more.  Gatsby wasn't the only character in The Great Gatsby that was effect by wealth. George Wilson, a man who lived in the Valley Of Ashes with his wife, Myrtle, is also the victim of wealth.  This community is full of poverty, its a industrial wasteland. This area is the total opposite of where wealthy Daisy and Gatsby live.  Wilson owns a gas station and his wife is Tom Buchanan's lover.  Myrtle becomes part of Tom's rich lifestyle and is drawn in by the money.  She anticipates to leave Wilson, but instead gets killed.  Myrtle runs into the street and is hit by Gatsby's car. Wilson then kills himself, but 2011-12-06T23:07:21.54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Wealth-and-Riches-The-Great-Gatsby-34376.aspx 2011-11-09T06:20:58.34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/qweqw-34326.aspx In Charles Dickens’ beautiful “A Christmas Carol,” the familiar tale of repentance is told, as Ebenezer Scrooge journeys through the Past, the Present and the Future, learning a valuable lesson about humanity. The last specter to visit him is the ominous “Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.” This haunting figure provides Scrooge with paralyzing fear, but in the end, convinces him of the error of his ways. Though Scrooge was on his way towards self-examination already, the threat of this last ghost provides him with the final motivation to change. “Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?” (Dickens, p. 79) – Scrooge asks the ghost this after witnessing the sadness and loss that will occur in the future, including his own lonesome death. This question reveals Scrooge’s state of mind. Already from the beginning of the tale, he was warned by his former partner, Jacob Marley, about what may await him if he continues to live the way he has – a life of rattling chains, of eternal suffering. This is the fate that has befallen Marley and yet, Scrooge has an opportunity to change his path. But this does not convince him, as it is clear from his question to the “Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.” Though Marley has already told him of the possibility of change, he still needs reassurances from this ghost. This dark figure represents reality to Scrooge, despite its phantom nature. Could Scrooge have righted his ways had it not been for this last ghost? Since Dickens wrote it the way he did, it seems reasonable to answer this in the negative. The specter of the future not only encompasses the climax of the tale, but also represents the unknown, and with that, possibility. Hope. Thackeray once said, “Who can listen to objections regarding such a book as this? It seems to me a national benefit, and to every man or woman who reads it a personal kindness” (Cerrito, p. 222). When he is on the first leg of his journey, Scrooge witnesses his painful youth, complete with a lonely existence and a lost love. He is saddened by what is before him and then later, when he sees his love married with a family 2011-11-03T01:22:08.937-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Summary-on-A-Christmas-Carol-by-Charles-Dickens-34292.aspx This essay examines the film version of The Joy Luck Club with particular attention to the relationship between Rose and her mother, An-Mei. I Introduction The book The Joy Luck Club was the basis for the movie of the same name. It has a dense, literate script that follows the novel very closely. This isn’t particularly surprising, since Amy Tan helped write the screenplay. Although it was a successful film, it drew a lot of criticism from the Asian community, which objected to its stereotypical portrayal of Chinese women as “China dolls” and Chinese men as either gangsters, rapists or dolts. In fact, the men play little real part in the film at all, which is not surprising, since it is really a film about eight women, four mothers and their grown daughters, and their relationships. The men really don’t register as characters at all; at least in this film, they are defined by their relationships with the women. Each of the mothers was raised in China while each of their daughters was born and raised in America, so the movie examines not only the generational gap and the dynamics of the mother-daughter relationship, but also the culture clash between the two nations. II The An-Mei/Rose Relationship All the mother-daughter relationships are at least partially adversarial; some of the pairs are much more embattled than others. An-Mei and Rose seem to be the closest of them, because of An-Mei’s relationship with her mother, Rose’s grandmother. The stories set in China are horrific. An-Mei’s mother was raped, but no one believed her story and her own parents threw her out, forcing her to take shelter with her rapist and become his fourth wife. She was keenly aware of her “shame” and her lowly place in the man’s household. But she was also the only one of her mother’s children to make a blood soup for her mother (Rose’s great-grandmother) when the old woman was dying: only the most “dutiful daughter” performed this ritual. Obviously, then, strong mother-daughter connections run in this family. An-Mei left her grandparent’s house and went back to live with her mother because she loved her. This final action shamed An-Mei’s mother even further because An-Mei clearly saw what her mother had become; she committed suicide, telling An-Mei that she was giving up her “weak spirit” to strengthen An-Mei’s own. 2011-11-03T01:20:49.483-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Joy-Luck-Club-Film-34291.aspx The book I chose to write my critical synopsis on is American Renaissance, by F. O. Matthiessen. I chose the section on Nathaniel Hawthorne. I believe Matthiessen’s purpose in writing on Nathaniel Hawthorne is to show the reader several characteristics of Hawthorne as a writer and compare him with others, and also to let the reader understand more clearly his purposes and thinking processes dealing with his works. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville were very fond of each other. Some say that Melville was a “contributing cause” to Hawthorne’s talent. Melville was so fond of Hawthorne that he dedicated his book “Moby Dick” to him. Melville was “fixed and fascinated by the haunting blackness” in Hawthorne’s tales. Melville admired in Hawthorn his somberness. He believed that it must have been personal suffering that led to this because “this only can enable any man to depict it in others.” Some critics believe that Hawthorne didn’t concentrate on issues of his present time and that his works were mainly of the past, thus failing his obligation to regard his present day. This is not true that Hawthorne didn’t fulfill his obligation to society because what he wrote about could pertain to his present day. Hawthorne’s use of native legends delighted Longfellow. He also found delighting the idea that Hawthorne had of beauty in the common place. Henry James didn’t like in Hawthorne his accounts of nature. Hawthorne wrote many pages of accounts of strolls in the countryside. He also delighted in the people he encountered on his trips. Matthiessen relays to us that Hawthorne might have introduced too much material in his writings for a short story. Hawthorne did imagine a situation in its entirety, which Matthiessen tells us. This might justify the position that he introduced many different things in his works. Many of Hawthorne’s characters were artists in different aspects. In 1836 he wrote “The Prophetic Pictures,” about a painter, and in 1844 “Drownes Wooden Image” about a woodcarver. Owen Warlund, a character in “The Artist of the Beautiful” is also an artist. Hawthorne has other characters that are artistic; Dimmesdale who is 2011-11-03T01:19:42.35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-the-American-Renaissance-34290.aspx Dear Sirs, I write to you in concern of Pearl Prynne. This child of sin must be dealt with. I speak to you, the magistrates, from all of the townspeople. Due to her unfortunate parental situation and her complete lack of respect for authority, Pearl should be raised by the church. After witnessing Pearl dancing in the cemetery it was obvious to all whom I speak for that she must learn some manners. Her mother, Hester Prynne, clearly can’t control her otherwise she would not dare dance in a place that holds such a gloomy aura. She lacks respect for those who have passed onto a new life. A cemetery is not a place to celebrate or hold a moment of dancing. However, if she were to be raised by the church she could be guided in the right direction. The church would be able to teach her manners and respect for authority, ancestors, etc. We, as townspeople, must forbid the upbringing of such a demonic child. Not only it is offensive to witness, but it could potentially be harmful to our children who are still so easily persuaded. Please perform 2011-11-01T00:17:28.133-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Letter-from-a-concerned-Puritan-about-Pearl-s-behavior-CH_-10-34277.aspx The Secret Life of Bees By: Sue Monk Kidd The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is a book about hidden truths, unreasonable wants, and a longing for love by a girl who just can’t quite comprehend everything that is going on in her crazy life. The main character is Lily Melissa Owens, a 14-year old girl who is confused by just about everything in her life. Lily is amazed by bees, treasures the few memories she has of her mother and loves her black housekeeper Rosaleen, and can’t seem to figure out why white people don’t get along with black people. She confuses herself with whether or not she personally has any femininity at all. Throughout the story Lily goes through a lot of changes and realizes a lot of things. Lily has to deal with her abusive father, T. Ray. He is very mean and un-father like, and Lily just can’t seem to call him “Daddy”. Lily gets this box with a few things of her mother. Its contents include a picture of her mother, a wooden picture of a black Mary with the words, “Tibourn S.C.” on the back of it, and a pair of white gloves. She buries it so T. Ray won’t take it away from her and she digs it up whenever she is feeling lonely or sad. One day, when Rosaleen and Lily are going into town so Rosaleen can vote, they run into a group of white guys who end up beating her up. While Rosaleen is at the hospital Lily is at home. T. Ray tells Lily her mom abandoned her and it really hurts Lily. Lily decides she needs to run away. She helps Rosaleen escape from the hospital without being noticed and then they hitch hike a ride from a guy with cantaloupes and he drops them off three miles from Tibourn. Lily chose Tibourn as their destination because it was on the wooden picture of the black Mary. After being dropped off, Lily explains this reasoning to Rosaleen and they argue and split up for a while. Later they find each other again. Once they get to Tibourn, they walk into a store where Lily notices the picture of the black Mary on a honey jar. The store clerk informs Lily about the women who make the honey and where they live. Lily and Rosaleen make this 2011-10-31T23:53:52.44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Overview-of-The-Secret-Life-of-Bees-by-Sue-Monk-Kidd-34275.aspx Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte-1818-1848) Wuthering Heights is the only novel written by Emily Bronte, an English novelist and poet. Wuthering Heights is a tale of a powerful love between two people, which transcends all boundaries, including that between life and death and it is widely known by the readers because of its honest and accurate portrayal of life during an early era and the literary merit it possesses in and of itself which enables the text to rise above entertainment and rank as quality literature. After reading the whole novel in general and chapter nine in particular, I was deeply impressed by the main character- Catherine, especially her personality and her love to Health cliff. Main points A. Summary: Chapter 9 of Wuthering heights is a conversation between Catherine and Nelly, the housekeeper of the Earn Shaw through which we can understand Catherine’s characteristics and feelings. 1. On the one hand, Catherine is perceived as sincere and passionate and determined in love. - She can overcome all boundaries of social class to love Health cliff including that between life and death. Since health cliff was adopted by Mr. Earnshaw, she has never looked down on him or has never considered him a servant. In stead, witnessing him being badly treated by her brother, she becomes closer to him and shows great sympathy and understanding to the boy. - After accepting Linton’s proposal, Catherine thinks of her future life as that in the heaven “I’ve no more business to marry Edgar Linton than I have to do in the heaven” which is associated with happiness, wealth, leisure, comfort, peace and a free-trouble world. However, she is not really happy to be there. Instead, she chooses to stay on earth, even though it is the place of disorder, complicity and great trouble because she knows it is her place where she belongs to and where heathcliff lives. She feels happy to be with him to share his misery. As regards to Edgar’s family, she will be like a stranger who is imprisoned in a beautiful place from which she tries to escape. She goes on saying that Heathcliff is like her soul mate, a person who is very important to her. He is the one who has a lot of things in common with her. - Catherine is worth admiring for her strong love. She can not only overcome the boundaries of social class to approach Heathcliff but also overcome 2011-10-31T22:18:26.267-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wuthering-Heights-by-Emily-Bronte-34266.aspx This essay examines some of Voltaire’s writing techniques. I Introduction While it is a matter of debate whether or not Voltaire was the single most important writer of the French Enlightenment, there is not doubt that he was a vital part of the movement. By virtue of his long life (1694-1778), he was part of most of the important events of his time, and that alone assures him a place in history unique among writers. This paper examines his work to see how and why he made such an impact. II General Comments Voltaire was a gifted writer with a huge number of readers. It is the size of his audience that made his propaganda so effective, because when he wrote, everyone read it. The size of his loyal audience gave him an advantage that his opponents lacked. (Sareil, PG). Or perhaps one should say “opponent” in the singular, since Voltaire’s scorn was directed almost entirely at the Roman Catholic Church. Voltaire was not an unbeliever by any means; in fact, he had a strong faith in God. But he had no use for the Church hierarchy or the excesses of its priests, and it was the human element in the Church that he opposed. The Roman Catholic Church in Voltaire’s time was an immensely powerful organization, and furthermore it was closely allied to the state, which supported its doctrines and laws. Voltaire thus understood that outright attacks upon the Church would have serious consequences for him, so he cloaked his attacks in fiction which, as I’ve said, was extremely popular, gaining him legions of readers who adored him, as well as detractors who despised him. The point of all this is that Voltaire’s writings are more than sheer entertainment. They contain pointed commentary on the times in which he lived and on the excesses of the Church, and because that commentary was often critical, the writing is of necessity somewhat opaque. Despite this, everyone knew exactly what he was doing, but writing as he did, using satire, irony and wit, rather than direct attacks, enabled him to make his points without actually libeling his targets. (Sareil, PG). III The Works Voltaire wrote an enormous number of works including plays, epic poems, letters, essays, articles and novels. He was a true genius, and found success in every genre. The work that 2011-10-31T00:42:52.657-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Voltaire-34239.aspx This paper samples 12 sources that discuss illuminated manuscripts I Introduction The purpose of this literature review is to examine some of the works that have been written about illuminated manuscripts. My observation of the literature thus far would indicate that most books tend to cover the same ground, and many use the same illustrations. Nevertheless, each work brings something new to the debate, in addition to reinforcing previous observations. II Literature I decided to try to use several different types of references, specifically books, articles, and material on the Internet. This I thought would give a wide range from classic publications to the most recent web documents. I was also interested to see if such a narrow subject would have much appeal to “netizens.” Let’s begin with the Internet. A search for the terms “illuminated manuscripts” yielded 44,200 hits! It would appear that a great many people are interested in the subject, even though they are approaching it through the newest of electronic media. However, upon scanning through the websites I discovered that many of them are either museum sites that display their collections of illuminated manuscripts, or art galleries displaying such works for sale. Very few of the sites discussed the manuscripts from a scholarly viewpoint; however, I’ve found four that we can examine. The Catholic Encyclopedia, perhaps not surprisingly, gives a very thorough overview of illuminated manuscripts, touching on the various forms of illustration; the origins of the art form; and the way in which different cultures decorated their books. They put special emphasis on the Middle Ages in Europe. For a relatively short entry, this one is comprehensive. (Bréhier, PG). A gentleman named Phil Barber has a website which he calls “Historic Pages.” He devotes a section to illustrated manuscripts, and gives a very brief description of them. He doesn’t go into much detail; he leaves out all the early development in various countries that the Catholic Encyclopedia delineates, for instance. His emphasis is on the types of paper used, and the pen and inks of the time. He also is the only source I’ve found that discusses preservation. This is very brief, less than two pages, but for anyone who wants a bare-bones explanation in simple terms, this is a good spot to start. (Barber, PG). The University of Rochester has put up a short 2011-10-31T00:23:34.153-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literature-Review-Illuminated-Manuscripts-34227.aspx This essay examines Williams’s life, and discusses whether or not his works are autobiographical; it also discusses his homosexuality briefly. I Introduction Tennessee Williams is one of America’s greatest playwrights. His works and the characters that inhabit them are some of the most robust and vital creations ever to appear on the stage. His people burn with passion and life, and are deeply complex, rarely superficial. This paper looks at some of Williams’s plays and considers the following issues: how much of his art reflects his own family, and in what ways? How did his homosexuality impact his work? Did he struggle with his identity as a gay man? Did society condemn him for his orientation? The paper also provides a brief biography chronicling how “Tennessee” got his name, his record of success, and his family life. II Biography It seems reasonable to start with a look at the man himself before turning to his work. He was born Thomas Lanier Williams in Columbus, Mississippi, on March 26, 1911. He was the second child of Edwina Dakin Williams and Cornelius Coffin Williams; his elder sibling was a sister, Rose. His father apparently swept his mother “off her feet,” but subsequently proved to be poor husband material. He was a salesman, often on the road, with the result that the boy was raised by his mother and her parents in an Episcopal rectory in Clarksdale, Mississippi. (The absentee father and helpless mother, dependent on the good will of the men in her life, are recurring themes in Williams’s works.) As a child, Williams was frequently ill, and after a near-fatal bout with diphtheria, he became convinced that he had suffered heart damage. Convinced of his own physical weakness and sheltered by his over-protective mother, Williams was ridiculed both by other children and by his “boisterous, highly masculine” father, who gave him the nickname “Miss Nancy.” (MacNicholas, PG). Williams was particularly close to his sister Rose, but the girl was schizophrenic, and eventually underwent an unsuccessful lobotomy. Williams was devastated. When he was twelve, the family moved to St. Louis, a city Williams heartily despised. It was here, apparently, that he found himself the object of ridicule and earned his father’s contemptuous nickname. But he found refuge from a world that was cruel and puzzling in his work, and it 2011-10-30T21:14:10.833-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tennessee-Williams-34226.aspx This essay examines Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem about the death of his friend. I Introduction Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote “In Memoriam A.H.H.” upon the death of Arthur Henry Hallam, his dearest friend. The poem is nearly 3,000 lines long, divided into 131 sections, and it is a shattering cry of anguish and pain. The only readers unaffected by it must be young people who have yet to experience the death of someone they love. This paper examines the poem, and the idea of desire as connected with the work. II Discussion The word “desire” evokes a strong response, calling to mind as it does a sexual relationship. In our over-sophisticated 21st Century, we tend to see a homosexual relationship between Tennyson and Hallam as being the only possible reason for this outpouring of grief. But critics say no: it was an intense friendship, but there was no hint, on either side, of such feelings: “This was the beginning of four years of warm friendship between the two men, in some ways the most intense emotional experience of Tennyson's life … it is almost certain that there was nothing homosexual about the friendship: definitely not on a conscious level and probably not on any other. Indeed, it was surely the very absence of such overtones that made the warmth of their feelings acceptable to both men, and allowed them to express those feelings so freely.” (Fredeman, PG). In order to understand the friendship, it’s necessary to understand what Tennyson’s life was like, but this paper is too brief to go into it deeply. That’s too bad, because it’s a melodramatic chronicle of drugs, alcoholism and madness that would make a wonderful film. Briefly, Tennyson was emotionally fragile, morbidly sensitive to criticism, the son of a man who had been virtually disinherited by his father, and who used drugs and alcohol to escape from reality. Tennyson had 11 siblings; one brother spent most of his life in an insane asylum; another had recurring bouts of drug addiction; a third was confined to a mental home because of his alcoholism; a fourth was confined on and off throughout his life and died young. Of the remaining children, all had severe mental breakdowns once in their lives. (Fredeman, PG). This is the miserable home that Tennyson escaped when he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. At school, he was with 2011-10-30T21:11:56.967-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tennyson-In-Memoriam-A_H_H_-34224.aspx Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery", ironically gives the lottery a bad meaning. The lottery in this story is used for a public stoning, contrary to the first thing that comes to a reader's mind when they think of winning the lottery; a big sum of money. The reader sees both literal and metaphorical meaning of this story because for one it shows for face value what the entire story is about, and hidden behind it is the notion of the scapegoat being picked like a lottery number. The setting of the story in respects to the story's environment served to illustrate the mood of that particular time in the story. It serves a small role in words, but adds detail to enhance the feeling the reader gets when reading the story. The setting takes place in the town square, where the story starts out with "the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green." An ambience of cheerfulness and buoyancy fills the air. Also, some foreshadowing is being used because the town square is a clue that the lottery must hold some kind of importance. Another piece of foreshadowing is when "Bobby and Harry Jones and Dickie eventually made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square" which hints at the impending doom of the lottery winner. The only place where setting is a factor is the beginning, because the setting stays the same, and the environment does not change in the two hours that the story took place in. Essentially, this story is told in the limited omniscient point of view. The histories of selected characters were told, but the thoughts of the characters were omitted from any part of the story. The point of view is used to conceal what is going to happen next. By using limited, the thoughts of the characters are left out, and therefore, since they know what the lottery is, they surely think about it. If the author was to put the thoughts of the character in the story, then the ending would have been given away at the start of lottery ritual, because the dreadful consequences of drawing the black dot would be all the people are thinking about. Many Characters are introduced into this story. Flat characters are introduced in the beginning of the story, either setting up stones or adding 2011-10-30T09:10:11.667-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analytical-essay-on-The-Lottery-34210.aspx A Literary Analysis of "The Lottery" Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery", ironically gives the lottery a bad meaning. The lottery in this story is used for a public stoning, contrary to the first thing that comes to a reader's mind when they think of winning the lottery; a big sum of money. The reader sees both literal and metaphorical meaning of this story because for one it shows for face value what the entire story is about, and hidden behind it is the notion of the scapegoat being picked like a lottery number. The setting of the story in respects to the story's environment served to illustrate the mood of that particular time in the story. It serves a small role in words, but adds detail to enhance the feeling the reader gets when reading the story. The setting takes place in the town square, where the story starts out with "the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green." An ambience of cheerfulness and buoyancy fills the air. Also, some foreshadowing is being used because the town square is a clue that the lottery must hold some kind of importance. Another piece of foreshadowing is when "Bobby and Harry Jones and Dickie eventually made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square" which hints at the impending doom of the lottery winner. The only place where setting is a factor is the beginning, because the setting stays the same, and the environment does not change in the two hours that the story took place in. Essentially, this story is told in the limited omniscient point of view. The histories of selected characters were told, but the thoughts of the characters were omitted from any part of the story. The point of view is used to conceal what is going to happen next. By using limited, the thoughts of the characters are left out, and therefore, since they know what the lottery is, they surely think about it. If the author was to put the thoughts of the character in the story, then the ending would have been given away at the start of lottery ritual, because the dreadful consequences of drawing the black dot would be all the people are thinking about. Many Characters are introduced into this story. Flat characters are introduced in the beginning of the story, either 2011-10-30T09:03:58.343-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Analysis-of-The-Lottery-34209.aspx This essay examines the three main female characters in Kate Chopin’s famous novel. Women of The Awakening I Introduction The Awakening is the work for which Kate Chopin is best remembered. It is also the one that cost her her career. Although Chopin was a prolific writer and had published many short stories of psychological complexity that explored the status of women in Victorian culture, her frank approach to sexuality and infidelity was so shocking that contemporary critics savaged the novel. It seems to me to be the logical extension of her previous writings; nevertheless, she crossed the “boundaries.” She stopped writing soon after the failure of The Awakening, robbing us of a great literary talent. This paper compares the three main female characters of the novel: Edna Pontellier, Adele Ratignolle, and Mademoiselle Reisz with emphasis on their character, background, and behavior in the Creole culture. II Brief Plot Summary It’s possible to sum up the plot of the novel in one sentence: a young woman trapped in a stifling marriage has an affair with a man she doesn’t love; declares her love to the man she does care for only to have him run from her, and drowns herself. Although this is exactly what happens, this facetious bare-bones outline doesn’t begin to do justice to the book, which is lyrical, beautiful and deeply moving. Chopin has written a novel of great psychological insight, an exploration of the feelings and dreams of women, and how the thwarting of desire leads, in this case, to tragedy. Another woman might have learned to live with the kind of well meant but smothering male domination represented in the book by Mr. Pontellier, but Edna can no longer make the compromise. When she realizes that the man she really loves is also bound by convention, her life ceases to have meaning, and she ends it. I’d also like to mention Chopin’s descriptive power. She paints the vivid life of New Orleans so beautifully that we can easily see it before our eyes. Chopin was “influenced” by Creole culture, and her affinity for it colors the whole book. (Lee, PG). The party before Edna leaves for the “pigeon-house,” and the summer places on Grand Isle stand out in particular. But perhaps the most potent symbol of all is the Gulf: mysterious, beautiful, soothing, empowering, and freeing. When 2011-10-27T14:53:46.613-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-by-Kate-Chopin-34203.aspx This paper analyzes a scene from Candide as an example of Voltaire’s doctrine of the pursuit of happiness. I Introduction Voltaire is generally considered to be the most important thinker of the Enlightenment. He held a basic belief in the power of human reason. This put him in direct conflict with the Roman Catholic Church, the most powerful organization of the day, which, of course, believed that God’s reason was supreme and the Church was the instrument for revealing his will. Voltaire, although he believed in God, despised the corruption that flourished in the Church, as well as the irrational belief in faith, rather than reason, that all religions espouse. I believe we can infer that for Voltaire, the pursuit of happiness meant the freedom to pursue his own thoughts, without the Church telling him what to believe. One of the most prevalent doctrines of the Enlightenment was Optimism: it was a way for the Church to explain the presence of Evil in the world. If God is just and good, and yet Evil exists, it must be because God created it, and if he did, then this is “the best of all possible worlds,” despite the evil it contains. (Sareil, PG). Voltaire took dead aim at this doctrine in Candide, and we’ll turn to the book now to analyze one of the scenes. II Candide Candide is the story of a young man of the same name, who is saddled with a teacher/mentor, Dr. Pangloss, whose motto is indeed “This is the best of all possible worlds.” He clings to it through disaster after disaster that clearly show this is anything but a good world. The book is short enough to examine one chapter in its entirety. Candide was raised in the castle of Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh, with Dr. Pangloss as his tutor. When Candide and the Baron’s daughter, Cunegund, fell in love (or at least in lust), the Baron drove Candide away. He was kidnapped and forced into the Bulgarian army, fought in a terrible battle, and saw the horrors perpetrated by both sides. He deserted, and ran afoul of a man and his wife who demanded to know if Candide believed the Pope was the Antichrist. When he said he didn’t know, all he wanted was something to eat, the man yelled at him and 2011-10-27T14:49:47.09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Scene-Analysis-of-Candide-by-Voltaire-34200.aspx This essay considers Tennyson’s poem In Memoriam A.H.H. and what it says about desire. I Introduction Alfred Lord Tennyson is generally considered the “embodiment” of the Victorian age, both to his contemporaries and to modern readers. Although he lived in a world that was rapidly changing, his sympathies were with the countryside, and it is for his beautiful landscapes that he is most widely remembered. He was an intelligent and passionate man, but he seems to have expressed that passion in poetry more easily than in life: “Hallam's death nearly crushed him, but it also provided the stimulus for a great outburst of some of the finest poems he ever wrote, many of them connected overtly or implicitly with the loss of his friend. "Ulysses," "Morte d'Arthur," "Tithonus," "Tiresias," "Break, break, break," and "Oh! that 'twere possible" all owe their inception to the passion of grief he felt but carefully hid from his intimates.” (“Alfred Tennyson”, PG). Alfred Henry Hallam was Tennyson’s dearest friend, and his death was the sad inspiration for one of Tennyson’s greatest works, “In Memoriam.” We’ll turn to a stanza of that poem to further examine Tennyson’s expression of desire. II Discussion “In Memoriam” is a tremendous work, nearly 3,000 lines long. It is sometimes joyous, sometimes despairing, as are the emotions of people who are coming to terms with the death of a loved one. One stanza in particular (CXXIX) speaks of Tennyson’s desire: “Dear friend, far off, my lost desire, / So far, so near in woe and weal; / O loved the most, when most I feel / There is a lower and a higher; // Known and unknown; human, divine; / Sweet human hand and lips and eye; / Dear heavenly friend that canst not die, / Mine, mine, for ever, ever mine; // Strange friend, past, present, and to be; / Loved deeplier, darklier understood; / Behold, I dream a dream of good, / And mingle all the world with thee.” (Tennyson, PG). (I’m transcribing it in this format to give us some space to talk about it.) The first line talks about Tennyson’s “lost desire.” This of course refers to his friend, but modern readers sometimes interpret it to mean that the two men were lovers. However, scholars and historians say that there was no such relationship; and in fact it was the 2011-10-27T14:44:48.317-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tennyson-Considers-Desire-in-In-Memoriam-A_H_H-34199.aspx This essay analyzes a passage from the novel Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. I Introduction Not many novels published in 1925 make the New York Times bestseller list in 2003, but Mrs. Dalloway has been on it for eight weeks, thanks to “The Hours,” the film suggested by the book. The book itself is richly textured; what’s going on on the surface is not nearly as important as what’s happening underneath. The novel is purportedly a simple story of how Clarissa Dalloway spends her day getting read for the party she’s giving that night; but death is ever-present, and so is the horrible tragedy of World War I, which had only been over for six years when she wrote. She lets us see the inner lives of these characters, their thoughts and feelings, hopes and dreams. All of this is far more important than what they actually do. II Discussion The scene under discussion beings “As, said St. Margaret’s,” (on page 49 of the Harcourt edition) and ends at the bottom of page 50, with the words, “The future lies in the hands of young men like that, he thought.” The passage overall deals with the passage of time; specifically, Peter Walsh, who is in his early 50’s, is trying to convince himself that he still has enough time to make a success of his life. And yet he envisions Clarissa’s death, a stark reminder of his mortality, and the common fate of all men. The passage is told from his point of view. It is structured as an interior monologue in which we hear his thoughts. But this is not the type of “stream of consciousness” writing we’re used to; that is, Woolf doesn’t have write something like, “Peter Walsh thought to himself, Where did it all go?” Instead, she lets us hear his thoughts the way most of us think, first as “I,” then in the third person. This is the way the human brain actually functions, skipping around from topic to topic, making connections between wildly disparate topics, sometimes thinking of “me” sometimes of “him.” Stylistically, Woolf switches from first to third person within Walsh’s viewpoint. Again, this is because we think this way. For example, I might think of myself as either “me” or “her,” depending on the scene I’m envisioning: (“I wonder how I’ll look,” compared to “She swept into the room 2011-10-27T14:37:54.183-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-a-Passage-in-Mrs_-Dalloway-by-Virginia-Woolf-34195.aspx This essay discusses Anthony Giddens book with regard to women in Modern society. I Introduction Anthony Giddens’ book tackles a vast and complex subject: the way in which institutions have influenced day-to-day social life in what he calls the “High Modern” era. “High modernity” is the society in which we live today: fast-paced, highly industrialized, and sometimes dangerous. This paper will explain his theory and how it applies in everyday life, particularly to women. II Discussion Giddens’ provides a very succinct description of his theory for us: “… modern social life is characterized by profound processes of the reorganization of time and space, coupled to the expansion of disembedding mechanisms—mechanisms which prise social relations free from the hold of specific locales, recombining them across wide time-space distances. The reorganization of time and space, plus the disembedding mechanisms ... act to transform the content and nature of day-to-day social life.” Basically what he’s saying is that society is now so fluid, with people moving easily around the globe, working and living in other countries, and raising children in new cultures, that the old paradigms of social life have broken down. We are no longer confined to one time and place, but can go where we wish, whenever we wish to do so. This fluidity has led to some significant problems, as well as great benefits. It’s easy to understand the significance of the new age for women, particularly women with children. Giddens discusses the formation of the child’s identity, and the concept of trust that accompanies it. First, he defines humanity when he says that to be human is to know what one is doing all the time, and why. He also says that self-identity is “… the self as reflexively understood by the person in terms of her or his biography.” Thus in order to form an identity in which self-esteem is healthy, a child has to know what it is to be able to trust someone. (Trust is a very important concept in Giddens’ book, perhaps the most important.) Giddens explains that life – the simple act of living – in inherently risky. In order to be able to function, we all have a sort of personal sense of invulnerability that allows us to accept the risks and keep going. Without it, we’d be paralyzed. This way of living, which 2011-10-27T14:33:38.933-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anthony-Giddens-Modernity-and-Self-Identity-34193.aspx This essay discusses the work of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and what effect her theories have on today’s elderly. I Introduction Death and dying are difficult subjects to even consider, let alone discuss. However, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s breakthrough book On Death and Dying identified specific stages in the death process, which in turn brought comfort to people struggling to understand the end of life. This paper discusses her overall theory of death and dying, and how it relates to today’s elderly population. II The Stages of Dying According to Kubler-Ross, there are five stages in the death process: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. They’re easy to understand: denial is simply the refusal to believe that one is going to die. It’s a sort of temporary shock, often characterized by withdrawal from others, or others’ withdrawal from the dying person. The second stage is anger: “why me! I’m not finished, I’m not ready, this can’t be happening!” The third is bargaining: “Just let me live long enough to get the kids through college.” The fourth is depression, a deep sense of unhappiness at the loss of control and the inevitability of death. The last stage is acceptance, and Kubler-Ross reports that most people find peace at the very end. (“Death and Dying,” PG). Not everyone goes through the stages in this order, and not everyone goes through each stage only once; sometimes a person who’s moved out of anger will suddenly find themselves angry again. Additionally, some people go through some of the stages simultaneously. III Today’s Elderly As a society, we have a great deal of trouble talking about death. Modern medicine has made it possible to “compartmentalize” it, so that dying people are kept in hospitals or long-term care facilities, not at home. They are therefore conveniently out of the way when they die, and those who are left can try to ignore the fact that they too must eventually die. Until the 20th Century, people died at home, surrounded by loved ones, and the idea of death was simply that it was part of life. We have now removed it to an isolated setting, and in so doing, imbued it with a sense of power and fear that it had not had until modern times. What Kubler-Ross’s work did was to bring death out of the back room and make it 2011-10-27T13:36:15.887-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Death-and-Dying-by-Elisabeth-Kubler-Ross-34189.aspx Broderson Walter Benjamin A Biography I Introduction I will admit that the only thing I know about Walter Benjamin is that he wrote one of the most fascinating books I’ve ever seen: The Arcades Project. From the remarks on the dust cover of the Brodersen book, it appears that most biographers have approached him with some sort of almost mystical awe, mostly because his work was so original and startling, and because his philosophical positions often seemed contradictory. This book is much more accessible, providing a great deal of historical material, and actually letting us get to know the man. I am intrigued by The Arcades Project. It seems to me to stand as a unique literary work; if an impressionist painting were written down, it would be The Arcades Project. Benjamin sought to recreate the feeling of Paris in the nineteenth century by collecting contemporary newspaper columns and articles, and grouping them in subject categories. The result is a sort of series of “snapshots” of the Paris streets. I wanted to see if Brodersen’s biography could give me any clues or hints as to how and why Benjamin constructed (one can hardly say “wrote”) the book he did. II Discussion First and foremost, The Arcades Project is a paean to a great city. It’s obvious that Paris fascinated Benjamin. The first point to consider then is what Benjamin’s relationship to his own city of Berlin was, and whether that had any influence on him such that he might want to write about another great metropolis. Benjamin was born in 1892 in Berlin, at a time when the city was being drastically altered. New streets, “tremendously wide,” (Brodersen, p. 1) were built throughout the city, destroying much of old Berlin in the process. There was apparently no planning done before construction began, because all sorts of architectural styles wound up jumbled together in an eclectic mix. In addition, technology was appearing in the city. Horse drawn vehicles became obsolete as people began to use electric trams for transportation. Not long after that, automobiles arrived on the scene. In addition, the population of the city was rising, and would pass two million in 1905. (Brodersen, p. 2). Tenements were traps that housed the city’s poorer workers, who lived in “a world of misery” amidst dazzling modernity. (Brodersen, p. 3). The 2011-10-27T13:31:57.053-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Arcades-Project-34187.aspx This essay discusses the classic novel Madame Bovary. I Introduction Flaubert’s novel Madame Bovary caused a scandal when it was published for its frank portrayal of a woman’s infidelity. Although it’s fairly tame by today’s standards, its portrayal of the clash between fantasy and reality makes it timeless. This paper discusses several questions about the novel. It also examines the way in which money is portrayed in the book. II Discussion Questions The questions for discussion here are: What goes wrong in the novel? What is the downhill slide that occurs in the book? What should life be? And how does that outcome occur? What goes wrong in the novel? The short answer is that Emma marries for all the wrong reasons, and thus cannot possibly be happy, or faithful. One of the most important points of Emma’s character is that she is devoted to romance novels, which she reads constantly. Flaubert devotes almost all of Chapter 6 to a description of Emma’s reading habits while she’s in the convent, and we are told that: “She would have loved to dwell in some old manor, like those chatelaines with the long bodices who, beneath the trefoil window with its Gothic arch, spent their days with their elbow on the parapet and their chin in their hand, gazing far away into the distance for the coming of a cavalier with a white plume in his hat, galloping on a black charger.” (Flaubert, Chapter 6, PG). When she leaves the convent and returns home, she finds herself once again in her father’s farmhouse, where she is bored rigid. Thus, when Charles Bovary comes to set her father’s broken leg, and falls in love with her, she is so starved for any sort of distraction that she mistakes her unrest and the novelty of a masculine presence for love, and agrees to marry him. By the time they have set up house together, she knows she doesn’t love him. But Charles is completely in love with her. The horrible dynamic at work is that the tighter he clings to her, the more she tries to break free. This is what goes wrong, and it sets in motion the entire downhill juggernaut that ends in disaster and death. It’s also important to note that Emma is a sensualist; by that I mean that she 2011-10-27T13:27:36.197-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Madame-Bovary-34184.aspx This essay discusses the ideas of idealism and failure as presented in The Great Gatsby. I Introduction F. Scott Fitzgerald is more strongly associated with the 1920’s than any other writer. He is generally considered the voice of his generation, but his insight into human behavior means that he is never out of print, for his flawed heroes and heroines speak to all of us. Perhaps no one is more fully drawn than Jay Gatsby: a self-made millionaire who retains his idealism, and in so doing, is destroyed by it. II Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby’s Idealism Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby’s best friend, narrates The Great Gatsby to us. Of course there is a literary device known as an “unreliable narrator,” someone who tells us the story but deliberately lies for some purpose of his or her own, but that isn’t the case here. Nick, though obviously biased in Gatsby’s favor as any friend would be, still gives us a straightforward account of the events. He passes harsh judgment on the Buchanans, but there is no reason to believe that his description of what actually happened is faulty. Jay Gatsby is an idealist, someone who believes in his vision of things as they ought to be, not as they really are. It’s important to note that Gatsby is not unblemished: there is a strong indication, though it is never actually proven, that he made his money bootlegging. Still, Gatsby has not been corrupted by his wealth, and in that he differs radically from the Buchanans, arguably the villains of the piece. Gatsby loved Daisy, lost track of her, and found her again, now married to Tom Buchanan. He realizes he has never stopped loving her, and sets out to win her back. In so doing, he acts upon his beliefs, rather than the facts; an example of his idealism. Nick tells us in the first pages of the novel that he doesn’t want to hear any more “revelations” about the human heart; that he is sick of confidences and learning other people’s business. The only person he exempts from this is Gatsby; Gatsby, who “represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn.” (Fitzgerald, p. 2). But Gatsby, despite the money that ordinarily would have driven Carraway away, is precious to him. And this is because of his idealism, which is what 2011-10-27T13:26:42.46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jay-Gatsby-Idealism-and-Failure-34183.aspx This essay examines one chapter of Voltaire’s classic satire. I Introduction Candide is Voltaire’s scathing attack on some of the beliefs current in his day; specifically Optimism. This is the idea that this world, being created by God, who is Good, is thus the best of all possible worlds. Such a philosophy requires its believers to do some fancy footwork to explain away the vast amount of evil that flourishes in the world of men. Optimists got around it by propounding the idea that God created everything for the best, and even if people have personal misfortunate, that misfortune is somehow working for the greater good. (“Attacking Optimism,” PG). Voltaire took dead aim at this philosophy in Candide, in which he subjects Candide and his companions, decent people, to a series of harrowing adventures. (Perhaps it would be better to say that they lurch from catastrophe to catastrophe.) In so doing, he graphically illustrates the fact that this is hardly the “best of all possible worlds,” and that the Optimistic philosophy can often lead its adherents to some of the most idiotic conclusions it’s possible to imagine. II Discussion The story is, as I’ve said, one catastrophe after another, often involving torture, murder, gruesome tales of people hacked, burned, stabbed and raped. But it’s also very funny. I’m going to take a look at Chapter Five, because it’s outrageous and gives the “flavor” of the entire work. Chapter Five is titled “A Tempest, a Shipwreck, an Earthquake, and What Else Befell Dr. Pangloss, Candide, and James, the Anabaptist.” The first thing to notice is that the chapter title provides a list of the sort of misery the characters undergo; the second thing of importance is that these chapters are extremely short. I’m reading the work on-line, but if I had a printed copy, the majority of the 30 chapters would run probably no more than 3-4 pages. Thus, to pack a tempest, shipwreck, earthquake, and the subsequent events that overtook the characters in the space of a few hundred words has the effect of cramming the disasters together with no room for the characters or the reader to take a breath. When people are tossed around in a terrible storm, we share their seasickness, their fear, and their wish that it would all be over soon and they could sail into port. 2011-10-27T13:07:04.277-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Candide-Voltaire’s-Classic-Satire-34177.aspx This essay discusses the flaw in the Chinese character, as seen by Chinese writers Lu Hsun and Lao She I Introduction It’s probably not fair to characterize an entire nation by describing some of the traits noticed in individual members of the population; that way lies stereotyping and bigotry, and gives rise to sayings like “all Irish are drunkards,” “all Asians are smart,” and “all Germans are regimented.” Some are, some are not. However, in the writings of Lu Hsun and Lao She, we can discern that these authors had a definite opinion of the Chinese people, and it’s very unflattering. Both men write about what they see as a fundamental weakness of the Chinese character: the Chinese preoccupation with themselves to the exclusion of all else. This self-centeredness is clearly the main point of Rickshaw and The True Story of Ah Q. The main characters of both these novels are so egocentric that they are almost completely unaware of the events that take place around them, unless and until those events impact them directly. Their self-absorption also makes them ineffective as human beings: they fail in jobs, in relationships, and in life. This paper will look at Rickshaw and True Story of Ah Q, and some lesser works, to analyze the way in which the authors describe this weakness of character. II Rickshaw Rickshaw is one of the most powerful books I’ve read; it’s also strange and in some ways, repellent, because Hsiang Tzu is not a particularly likeable man, and yet he is the protagonist. We spend all of the novel with him, and it’s difficult to watch his life unfold. It’s even more distressing because what we’re seeing is the gradual destruction and complete corruption of a human being, someone who starts out with high hopes and high standards, and becomes utterly degraded by the hardships of his life, and the grinding poverty in which he lives. His life is also a textbook example of how not to set goals. We hear a lot today from various self-help gurus about setting goals, breaking projects into small pieces and tackling them one at a time, etc. Hsiang Tzu sets a goal--to own his own rickshaw—and sticks to it no matter what. He sacrifices everything to this one objective: his health, his family, his self-respect, possibly his life (though we don’t know how 2011-10-27T13:02:55.617-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Chinese-National-Character-34174.aspx This paper examines three poems by the American writer Sylvia Plath. I Introduction Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) is a completely original voice in American poetry. It is impossible to compare her to anyone; she is unique. This paper explores three of her poems and tries to find connections among them, in hopes of beginning to understand Plath herself. I believe a study of her works will lead us to the conclusion that she preferred death to living a life she felt was untrue to her deepest desires and abilities. II General Observations I began by reading the poems, of course, and was immediately struck by the images of the Nazis and the Holocaust that she uses. I thought the rage expressed in the poems might stem from having been a victim of Hitler’s regime, so I read some short biographies. Was she Jewish? A gypsy? Some sort of “undesirable” who ended up in the camps? But no—Plath was not caught up in the destruction. Sylvia Plath was born in Boston, and although her father was German, he had immigrated to the United States in 1900, removing him and the entire family from the turmoil of Europe during the first half of the 20th Century. I haven’t found any mention of religion as playing a large part in her life, so it would seem to be logical to conclude that her use of Holocaust imagery is not because of her own faith. She was not one of those persecuted and thrown into a concentration camp, though she writes as though it had happened to her. This “usurpation” of horrific experiences seems odd—why write as if she herself had been imprisoned? Plath explained by saying "I think that personal experience shouldn't be a kind of shut box and mirror-looking narcissistic experience. I believe it should be generally relevant, to such things as Hiroshima and Dachau, and so on." (“Sylvia Plath,” PG). She used history “to explain herself.” (“Sylvia Plath,” PG). If this is true, and there seems no other logical explanation, why did she choose such violent, cruel and inhuman imagery? The answer comes when we understand that her work is almost always autobiographical. Nearly every source I found (there are too many to list) used the words “autobiographical” and/or “confessional” to refer to her poetry. She is telling us the story of her life, 2011-10-27T13:01:14.647-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anayltical-Essay-on-Three-Poems-by-Sylvia-Plath-34173.aspx This essay describes guns generally; describes the .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and discusses the theme of guns in “Hedda Gabler” and “The Wild Duck.” I Introduction Henrik Ibsen is one of the most gifted playwrights ever to work in theater, and his plays are so strikingly modern in their themes that they resonate even today, though he wrote in the 1800’s. However, he’s not the first person we’d think of in connection with guns. Mysteries like “Sleuth” or other such stories come to mind long before his observations of society. He uses firearms sparingly, but when they are present in a play, we know they’ll be used, to devastating effect. Perhaps that’s why they have so much more impact in his stories of morality and social issues than they do in works where we are expecting violence and mayhem. II Guns Guns, no matter whether they are handguns, rifles, or automatic weapons, on up to the crew-served weapons like howitzers, have several things in common: they have a chamber of some sort to hold the ammunition; they have a barrel to help direct the round; and they have a trigger mechanism. Guns have one basic purpose: they are designed to kill. Whether they are used to kill an animal for its meat or another human (or oneself), they are weapons deliberately designed to destroy. Target shooting is a secondary purpose. Some would argue that they are beautiful, and in a way I suppose they are, because their shape and design so exactly tell us what they do. They are machines of destruction, and they look like it. They are the weapons of cowards (I’ll make allowances for people in combat, but not for the ordinary citizen sneaking around in the dead of night), because it’s possible to take a pot shot at someone from hiding without ever risking oneself in the attack. They are weapons of brute force, giving whoever has the gun with the most firepower a decided advantage. The only truly elegant weapon is a sword, because opponents have to come close enough to one another to actually “cross steel”; thus swordsmen must be both brave and skilled. Shooters need only be faster than the other person, or, as I said, find a safe place from which to ambush others. Let’s look at one gun in particular, since I’m familiar with it: 2011-10-27T12:52:46.75-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Henrik-Ibsen-and-Guns-34172.aspx This essay discusses medieval illustrated manuscripts, tracing the development of the script, and discussing the techniques of manufacturing the parchment that was used for these works. It further discusses the types of letters used, punctuation, and other syntactical issues. It also discusses the purposes for which these books were made, and the religious nature of the times and those who made them I Introduction Illustrated manuscripts are some of the most beautiful artworks ever created by man, and yet they were never designed as such; instead, they grace the pages of books made by hand. In some cases, the illustrators who made these magnificent volumes were commissioned to do other, more traditional works, but in general, these were religious books, handcrafted by monks. This paper examines illustrated manuscripts in detail, and discusses the reasons why they were made. II Books and Writing in the Ancient World We tend to think of books in the form we have them today: pages bound between two covers, run off on a printing press (or more recently, perhaps read on-line). But there were books and libraries in the Roman world as well. Although they had scrolls rather than books in the form we know them (flat pages bound is called “codex”), they did in fact have a systematic way of recording information. There was an organized “book production system” in Rome at the time of Caesar and Cicero. The “book trade used slaves to make multiple copies of books; at that time the first public libraries were established in Rome.” (Bischoff, p. 181). In the Middle Ages, as we know, monks made copies of books but obviously the practice didn’t start with them. Neither did the lettering they used. The earliest example we have of Latin script is a letter written by a slave in approximately the middle of the first century BC. The Latin alphabet, according to Bischoff, is popularly thought to have been adopted from the Greek after mediation by the Etruscans, who modified it considerably. The letters in the Latin alphabet are familiar to us today, but the form (shape) is slightly different. Because lettering originally was incised into wax tablets, the earliest letters tended to be composed of grooves of equal width. As time passed and new writing materials, such as the papyrus of the Egyptians, were developed, the script changed as 2011-10-27T12:51:23.86-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Medieval-Illuminated-Manuscripts-34171.aspx This essays looks briefly at the similarities and differences between the characters of Cunégonde and the old woman in Voltaire’s satire. I Introduction Voltaire’s Candide is a very funny satire that skewers the Optimistic attitude that “this is the best of all possible worlds.” Obviously, considering the horrific events Candide goes through, this isn’t the best of anything. Candide has several companions in his misadventures, notably Dr. Pangloss, his mentor and tutor; and Cacambo, his servant. Of the women in the tale, two are most important: Cunégonde, the woman Candide loves, and the old woman, whom he meets on his travels. This paper will compare and contrast the way the two women are presented in the novel. II Cunégonde Cunégonde is Candide’s true love. She is the daughter of the Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh, who raised Candide in his castle. She is beautiful, desirable, and despite all the horrible things that happen to her, she is fearfully dull. She is raped and cut open by Bulgarian soldiers (she notes it isn’t always necessary to die from such treatment); sold to numerous men as a sexual plaything; reunited with Candide; parted from him; and reunited again at the end of the book. She isn’t very bright, and she’s essentially passive as a doormat. She fights her Bulgarian rapist, but as soon as she’s rescued (by a Bulgarian captain, not Candide) she becomes his willing servant and his lover. When he grows tired of her, he sells her to a Jew named Don Issachar, who adores women. But soon after that she catches the eye of the Grand Inquisitor, who also wants her. The two men work out an arrangement whereby Don Issachar visits her Monday, Wednesday and the Sabbath; the Grand Inquisitor has the other four days of the week, though there have been some arguments, apparently, about when the Sabbath begins and ends. Soon after Cunégonde tells Candide her tale, Don Issachar shows up. He immediately attacks Candide, and Candide kills him. A few moments later, the Grand Inquisitor arrives, and Candide figures that he’ll turn them in, so he kills him, too. Then he, Cunégonde and the old woman escape from the scene. When they arrive at an inn, Cunégonde comment is “Where will I find another Jew and another inquisitor to give me more jewels?” She is for sale 2011-10-26T23:47:12.423-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Women-in-Candide-34163.aspx This literature essays discusses the various ways in which desire manifests itself in Flaubert’s classic novel Desire in Madame Bovary I Introduction It is particularly fitting to discuss desire with regard to Flaubert’s novel, because Madame Bovary is a cautionary tale of what can happen when desire is unchecked. There are many kinds of desire in the story: the desire of women for men and men for women; the desire for position; the desire for a life modeled on fairy tales. This paper examines the ways in which desire is presented in the novel. II Discussion As I said, there are many different kinds of desire portrayed in the novel. There is the desire of Charles Bovary for the beautiful girl who will become his wife; and there is Emma’s initial desire for Charles. There is her desire for Raoul and for Leon, and theirs for her. There is Lheureux’s desire for power, and above all there is Emma’s desire for a romantic existence such as she read about in books. This is perhaps the most important example of all, because it informs the entire novel. Everything that happens can be seen as a direct result of Emma Bovary’s need for fantasy. Early in the novel, we learn that Emma was educated in a convent, and spent hours there reading the great romance novels of the time. She adored Sir Walter Scott, and she “got enthusiastic about historical things, forever dreaming of coffers, guardrooms and minstrels. She would have loved to dwell in some old manor, like those chatelaines with the long bodices who, beneath the trefoil window with its Gothic arch, spent their days with their elbow on the parapet and their chin in their hand, gazing far away into the distance for the coming of a cavalier with a white plume in his hat, galloping on a black charger.” (Flaubert, PG). Indeed, this is how she sees herself, as a woman of leisure waiting for her knight to save her from a life of mediocrity. It’s very important to realize that Emma, to a large extent, lives in a completely unreal world; her fantasies and desires are more important to her than anything else, and when the real world finally does come crashing in on her, she cannot bear it. This element of the fantastic is the keynote of her character: 2011-10-26T23:45:56.693-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Desire-in-Madame-Bovary-34162.aspx This paper examines some of the female characters in the two books Ulysses and Mrs. Dalloway and discusses various aspects of their sexuality. I Introduction Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf and Ulysses by James Joyce are two of the most difficult and densely layered works in the English language. The sexuality of the characters is very subtly drawn; the sensuousness is woven throughout the books and is such an intrinsic part of both that finding specific, individual episodes is not as simple as it might appear. This is not to say that there isn’t a great deal of explicit language in Joyce, particularly Chapter 18, but on the whole much of the sexuality is symbolic. In many cases, we find clues to our understanding of it by observing other characters; situations; even dress. Why is sexuality so important? This may seem like a trivial question, but it’s not. One of the very first questions anyone asks about a new baby is, “Is it a boy or a girl?” Our sex, to a large extent, still determines what our lives will be like. Society expects certain things of boys that it would never think of asking girls to do; and to a great degree, women are still thought of primarily as wives and mothers; men as wage-earners. Despite decades, if not centuries, of struggle turn this perception around, it remains. And since our sexuality is such a vital part of us, we can learn a great deal about someone if we study their sensual nature. Are they warm or cold? Outgoing or reserved? Do they enjoy the touch of another human hand, or do they flinch from such contact? This paper will argue that indirect observation of the sensual nature of the characters in these books will tell us a great deal about them, their place in society, and indeed the way in which they see themselves and their lives. What others say about them, and the way in which they are observed, are as important as self-revelation in understanding these characters. II Mrs. Dalloway Woolf has gone to some lengths to clearly differentiate her female characters from each other. Clarissa Dalloway remembers the time that Peter Walsh described her as “cold, heartless, a prude,” (P. 8); later he says “Clarissa was cold as an icicle”, (P. 80) and we begin to understand 2011-10-26T23:29:39.833-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sexuality-in-Ulysses-and-Mrs_-Dalloway-34157.aspx This paper discusses specific questions about the way in which Shakespeare handles sexuality in this, one of his darkest comedies. (5.5 pages; 1 source; end notes) I Introduction “Measure for Measure” is one of Shakespeare’s “problem” plays. It’s the last of his comedies, and a very dark “comedy” it is too, particularly because of the disturbing last scene. All the loose ends are tied up, but the resolution seems forced and inappropriate, particularly as Angelo, who has behaved abominably, apparently finds happiness. One critic suggests that Shakespeare was tiring of comedies at the time, and that “Measure for Measure” looks forward to the great tragedies rather than back to the fun of the earlier works. In addition, the main characters are not particularly likeable: Angelo is revealed to be a hypocrite and sensualist; and the Duke gives Angelo the dirty work to do in enforcing unpopular laws while he disguises himself as a friar to see how his subjects react to the new regulations. Angelo, in effect, will be the one who takes the blame. The scene is Vienna, and Shakespeare never shifts from that locale. In many of the other comedies, there are two principal locations: the real world and a heightened world in which extraordinary events take place: Athens, and the enchanted wood outside the city in “Midsummer Night’s Dream” for example. But here Shakespeare stays in the city, exploring its corruption and focusing on the sensuality of the Viennese and the problems it causes. It gives the play a more realistic, even claustrophobic, feel than we get in the other comedies, which allow us to escape from reality. Perhaps because it is realistic, sexuality is the keynote of the play; I would argue that most humans think about sex more than anything else, and that preoccupation is certainly present here. Angelo becomes obsessed with Isabella, a young nun; Isabella’s brother Claudio has impregnated his common-law wife Juliet, and her pregnancy has resulted in his death sentence; and the Duke, inexplicably, falls in love with Isabella. There is a character named “Mistress Overdone” who is the madam of a house of pleasure, and who doesn’t disguise her occupation. Shakespeare’s plays are often very bawdy, but they are also frequently full of true love and captivating lovers: Romeo and Juliet; Beatrice and Benedick; Antony and Cleopatra. 2011-10-26T14:02:38.843-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sexuality-in-Measure-for-Measure-34135.aspx This paper discusses the way in which Shakespeare uses nature in the two plays, and argues that the moor and the storm is the place to go to escape back to nature. (5.5.pages; 2 sources; end notes) I Introduction Shakespeare makes greater use of Nature in both “King Lear” and “The Winter’s Tale” than he does in most of his other plays. “Lear” in particular is renowned for it: the “storm on the heath” is one of the most celebrated scenes in all of theater. But the storm is violent, cold, miserable, and frightening: a reminder that Nature can be deadly. In contrast, the natural world that we find in “The Winter’s Tale” is quiet and beautiful, the world of springtime, flowers, rebirth and growth. Nature here is benign and friendly; almost as if it’s celebrating the restoration of Hermione to Leontes and the love of Perdita and Florizel along with the humans in the play. This paper describes the way in which Shakespeare uses nature in these plays, and discusses whether these places are the types of environment where one can get “back to nature,” or if they reflect human intervention. II ”King Lear” “King Lear” has been controversial since it was written. Critics can’t seem to decide if it’s a great play, great Shakespeare, both, or neither. They tend to dislike the basic premise (what king in his right mind would divide his kingdom?), but admit that the gradual disintegration of Lear, the plots of his daughters, and the moment when he appears with Cordelia’s body (“Howl! Howl! Howl!”) are all great theater. And the centerpiece of this intensely theatrical play is the storm on the heath, in which the old king strips himself naked, his mind in turmoil, his emotions as much a whirl as the elements. Most critics tend to equate the storm with Lear’s emotional state; that is, they see the violence of nature as a direct reflection of Lear’s violent feelings about his circumstances. This is certainly a valid interpretation, because we have watched as the king endures shock after shock at the hands of his ungrateful daughters, Regan and Goneril; they have systematically stripped him of his retinue and left him little better than a beggar at the doors of their houses, where he is forced to ask them for shelter. When the two women finally suggest that he 2011-10-26T14:01:23.11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nature-and-Space-in-King-Lear-and-The-Winter’s-Tale-34134.aspx This paper summarizes the book by Lief Carter. In this book, Lief Carter proposes a new way for readers to attempt to understand the Supreme Court and its rulings. He suggests we “abandon the familiar criteria of legal analysis and employ instead aesthetic criteria of good performances.” (P. 1). He bases this idea, at least in part, on the fact that most of us intuitively understand when we’ve seen a good performance. It’s that moment when the curtain falls or the lights go down and the audience sits for a moment in dead silence and then explodes in applause and cheers. When this happens, it’s because we’ve seen and participated in something extraordinary, something moving, something essentially and profoundly “good”. If we accept his suggestion, how do we approach the Court’s rulings from an aesthetic viewpoint? Carter outlines his argument’s main themes thus: 1) He doesn’t “challenge the conclusions of modern linguistics, hermeneutics, and perceptual psychology.” (P. 9). He believes that people make and inhabit their own worlds; 2) he believes it possible to find goodness in public affairs; 3) he believes that it is the “task of a legal opinion to refine and intensify – to dramatize … the nature of our experiences.” (P. 9). He thus further believes that we can view court opinions as artistic works; 4) he argues that when justice is done well, it “creates a persuasive vision of a coherent world that in turn makes the case outcome plausible”; (P. 9) and 5) he believes that if it is possible to trace constitutional history and find patterns within it, those patterns are best understood aesthetically. This is a radical departure from those who insist upon the study of the Constitution and Constitutional law from a strict legal perspective, and as such has left Carter’s work open to a great deal of criticism. But he traces his beliefs with skill and in such a convincing manner that it’s worth hearing what he has to say. Before he begins, he makes a statement that must surely resonate with anyone who has watched as the “Supremes” crank out what often seem to be out-moded and ill-considered decisions. He says, “I believe the modern Supreme Court is woefully out of touch with the nature of its constitutional role and authority.” (P. 13). The Constitution is 2011-10-26T12:47:04.173-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-of-Contemporary-Constitutional-Lawmaking-by-Lief-Carter-34091.aspx This paper examines Castiglione’s observations of Queen Alexandra and a peasant girl from Gazuolo, and relates them to the debate about women in Book III. (4+ pages; 1 source; MLA citation style. I Introduction Castiglione’s The Book of the Courtier is a sort of guide to the qualities expected of ladies and gentlemen of the court. Book III of the work is a long discourse on the proper station of the court ladies. The book is similar to Plato’s Discourses, in that it takes the form of a series of speeches that friends make to one another at a gathering. This paper examines Castiglione’s remarks about Alexandra and the peasant girl of Gazuolo, and relates them to the debate about women that is the subject of the book. II Discussion The conversation begins generally, but then Sir Frederick begins to discuss Persia, and the place of women at the court. Lord Gaspar says that the rules that apply to the courtier should also apply to the woman; Lord Julian disagrees. This leads to the Duchess’s comment that perhaps Lord Julian would like to tell the court about his “ideal woman.” He responds that he will speak his mind, but “with verie great doubt to satisfie.” (PG). He then begins a long discourse about the nature of women as he perceives them—and as he prefers them. He says that he will describe this woman, and then, in the manner of Pygmalion, “take her as mine owne.” (PG). Lord Julian has very definite ideas of what activities and beliefs are “suitable” for women, and finds that these things are very different from those that are “suitable” for men. He believes it is “seemlye” for men to exhibit “manlinesse”, but a woman should show a “tenderness, soft and mild, with a kinde of womanlie sweetnes in everye gesture…” so that there is never any possibility that she will exhibit the slightest manly characteristics. (PG). He continues in this manner, stating that women should be beautiful, circumspect in their actions so that no one will have cause to gossip about them, that they should “order” the houses of their husbands and children, etc. Finally he says that above all other things, women that live at Court should be well-spoken, honest, well-mannered, witty and good. Lord Gaspar goes even further, saying that men are perfect and that when a woman is born, 2011-10-26T12:26:45.843-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Castiglione-The-Book-of-the-Courtier-34080.aspx This paper examines Shakespeare’s use of the word / concept “wholeness” in this play. (4 pages; 1 source; MLA citation style. I Introduction Shakespeare wrote two plays that deal, in essence, with the maturation of a young man from a rogue into a king. The Prince Hal who “hangs out” with Sir John Falstaff, participates in street brawls and robberies, who drinks and gambles and womanizes, becomes in the end one of England’s greatest kings. As we did in Part I, we’ll see if Shakespeare uses the word “wholeness” in this play, or if he uses other words, and if the latter, how he deals with the concept itself. II Discussion As in the first part, I’ve been unable to find the word “wholeness” used in Henry the Fourth, Part II. But the concept of wholeness, coming together, unity, or however we might think of it, is certainly one of the main themes of this play. The first part dealt with disintegration and duality, particularly in the character of Prince Hal, who is the heir to the throne and yet “hangs out” with Sir John Falstaff and other common rogues much to the despair of his father. In this part, we see the resolution of the Prince’s inner conflict, as well as his reconciliation with his father and his assumption of the heavy duties of kingship. It is this fusion that is really the greatest example of “wholeness” in the play. Throughout Henry the Fourth, Part I and most of Part II, we have seen Prince Hal as a scoundrel; a young man who enjoys drinking and women, and delights in keeping company with Falstaff. We also see that his father, King Henry IV, thinks little of his son, and fears that he will be a very poor king indeed. (We also know something the king doesn’t—that Hal has no intention of continuing his questionable behavior when he becomes king.) But of course his father doesn’t know that, and in Act IV, King Henry IV advises one of his other sons, Thomas Duke of Clarence, to remain close to his brother, because Hal loves him: “How chance thou art not with the Prince thy brother? / He loves thee, and thou does neglect him, Thomas. / Thou hast a better place in his affection / Than all thy brothers. Cherish it, my boy;” (Act 2011-10-26T12:00:50.74-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-Henry-the-Fourth,-Part-II-34066.aspx This paper examines Shakespeare’s use of the word/concept “wholeness” in the first act of this play. (4 pages; 1 source; MLA citation style. I Introduction Shakespeare is still read and performed because his insights into human nature were profound and true. His psychological ability is matched by his linguistic talent: he uses language beautifully to convey his meaning. This paper examines Shakespeare’s use of the word “wholeness” in Henry the Fourth, Part I, Act I. II Discussion Despite a careful reading of the act, I didn’t find the word “wholeness”. It may be that I got so wrapped up in following the plot that I simply missed it, but since I read carefully I assume it’s not there. Or perhaps the edition I have has used another word in place of “wholeness.” “Wholeness” is the noun made from the adjective “whole” and that word has several meanings, including both “complete” and “healthy.” However, Shakespeare doesn’t use these words, either; at least not in an obvious way. (I was looking for one word that is conspicuous by appearing repeatedly, as in “To be or not to be” or “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow…”). Since Shakespeare hasn’t used any synonyms for “wholeness” in this way, a linguistic approach fails. We have to look at the circumstances of the play and the characters who appear in it, and see if we can relate wholeness to them. Overall, the play seems to relate less to wholeness than to fragmentation: there is a rebellion brewing in the North; Prince Hal is playing almost a dual role (both heir to the throne and street thug); and Falstaff is at once an engaging character and a despicable man. Within this splintering scenario, we do find examples of cohesion, however. It’s almost as if Shakespeare wants us to find those words that speak of wholeness in the midst of chaos. The first speech in the play contains these lines: “Those opposed eyes … / All of one nature, of one substance bred, / Did lately meet in the intestine shock / And furious close of civil butchery / Shall now … / March all one way and be no more oppos’d…” (I, i, 9-15). What the king is saying is that the rebellion is over; there will be peace again. We can see this as an example of wholeness—rebellious factions will no 2011-10-26T11:59:39.27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-Henry-the-Fourth,-Part-I,-Act-I-34065.aspx This paper examines Shakespeare’s use of the word / concept “wholeness” in the second act of this play. (4 pages; 1 source; MLA citation style. I Introduction Shakespeare wrote two plays that deal, in essence, with the maturation of a young man from a rogue into a king. The Prince Hal who “hangs out” with Sir John Falstaff, participates in street brawls and robberies, who drinks and gambles and womanizes, becomes in the end one of England’s greatest kings. In this paper, we’ll examine the word “wholeness” and the ways in which Shakespeare uses it in Act II of Henry the Fourth, Part I. II Discussion As in the first act, I’ve been unable to find the word “wholeness” used in Henry the Fourth, Part II, Act II. Nor have I found a pattern of usage of any of the word’s common synonyms. Once again, then, we have to explore the text itself and the ideas presented to discover Shakespeare’s meaning with regard to wholeness, rather than taking a linguistic approach. Act I deals not with wholeness, meaning either “complete” or “undiseased”, but with its opposite: divisiveness. There is an armed rebellion in the kingdom, and Prince Hal is playing the part of a young punk; i.e., assuming a dual identity, which we can view as a sort of “split personality”—even though his actions are deliberate and not the result of illness. The act is full of doubles of all kinds. Shakespeare doesn’t use the word “wholeness” in the second act, so as we did with Act I, we have to look at the larger picture to see how the concept might apply. There are three main actions in this act: the robbery; Hotspur’s scene with his wife; and the moment when Falstaff, at the prince’s urging, pretends to be the king. The first shows us Hal, Falstaff and the others playing pranks on each other; the second shows us a different view of Hotspur than we’ve seen previously; and the last also shows us a different view of Prince Hal. When Falstaff says “… banish plump Jack, and banish all the world,” Hal replies, “I do, I will.” (II, ii, 480-481). Falstaff is joking but Hal is deadly serious and it’s a very chilling moment in theater, for we know that Hal will, in the end, turn his back on Falstaff and break the old man’s 2011-10-26T11:57:34.97-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-Henry-the-Fourth,-Part-II,-Act-II-34064.aspx Reality of Dreams Who can say they have never dreamed? Every person has had a dream. Every person has strived to obtain their dream. Every person also has had obstacles in their way that prevented and delayed them from achieving their dreams. Reality is that many “dreams” are defined as dreams because their relative difficulty to come in reality or they are not common in occurrence; for if dreams were to be reached by all of society they would not be called dreams yet only mile stone in your life that is easy to come by. Many different people have many different dreams, each differing in concepts such things as a dream to have world peace or a dream that is widely shared with people like getting into a respected institute after high school. Yet even though these dreams differ in size and complexity each has their own set of hurdles PER SE that you must get over to reach your dream what ever it maybe. Depending on the set of hurdles and the person themselves these dreams they long for may or many not be achieved. Most people's dreams are not just affected by the person's actions yet it is intertwined with other peoples actions; this in turn this may alter the chance your dream may come true in either a positive or negative fashion. The fact is that life has it's challenges that depending on the situation as well as the person it may or may not lead the objective we have in our mind, our dreams. The truth behind dreams are that they have to be difficult to achieve for if they were not then most likely that dream is not worth working or longing for. This is true in human society and even in the fiction novels written; this aspect in life that we must struggle to gain our goals is so fundamentally laid down in our culture as people that we include it as a basic human trait. In the novel The Great Gatsby, written by profound author F. Scott Fitzgerald, he demonstrates the humanly characteristics of his characters by giving them dreams and obstacles they must pass to reach their dreams. This is most true with the character Gatsby. In the story Gatsby has a dream that we are very well affiliated 2009-04-10T06:46:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Reality-of-Dreams--34054.aspx Joseph Heller writes, “He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt” (Heller 38). In The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, Dorian attempts to keep himself eternally youthful and beautiful, but he fails in the end. Even though many people believe that there is a price for immortality, the death of an immortal is not ironic. However, The Picture of Dorian Gray is ironic due to Dorian’s actions, as he tries to keep himself eternally youthful and, in the process, destroys himself. Irony is defined as “a difference between appearance and reality” (Farrell 1313). More specifically Wilde uses irony of situation which is when “an event occurs that violates the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience” (1313). As the book begins, the reader finds that Dorian, treasures beauty more than anything. The quote, "Real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins. Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face" (Wilde 3). The irony in this concept is that it is the beginning of the destruction of Dorian’s beauty and soul. Basil is a painter and he paints a portrait of Dorian. Dorian refuses to show it because he thinks that it has “shown in it the secret of my [Dorian’s] own soul” (6). He unknowingly gives his soul to the portrait while he complains, saying: [quote:61c91b9036]How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day of June. . . . If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that–for that–I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that![/quote:61c91b9036] (29) Little does Dorian know that giving up his soul for beauty and youth will end up being his nemesis. “Irony is created in the incongruity of such gorgeous details and such terrible actions” (Dianec). With the obsession of beauty comes the obsession of popularity. Dorian continues down this path and begins to sin. He looks at his painting and sees that it becomes ugly from age and sins. His obsession overwhelms him because he maintains his beauty but cannot comprehend why the portrait deteriorates. Since 2009-03-30T22:20:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Irony-in-The-Picture-of-Dorian-Gray-34047.aspx A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is an effective book, which is set in a futuristic time. The book has twists and turns, captivating and intriguing the readers, making them want to read more. By taking aspects of real life, Huxley makes it a possibility that a fictional book can become reality. It does not seem futuristic now, but it is still relevant to life now and in the future. More than seventy-five years after it was written, A Brave New World, is still a good read. Captivating with twists and turns is one way Huxley makes his book effective. As the readers begin to delve further into the book they find that there is not only one protagonist but two. The two protagonists are Bernard Max and John. Bernard is the first protagonist until he visits the reservation, then John is introduced into the story. This brings a whole new character and story into the book. When John is introduced into the book, he is not only a new character, but also new to the society. He is an outsider who was raised on Shakespeare. Even though John is brought up well, he follows Shakespeare’s morals; thus, he ends his life due to his inner conflicts. Another twist is when readers discover that in this society, all babies are "test tube" babies. As the readers begin to study the book, they discover that Huxley puts many aspects of ordinary, or real, life into his book. Even though the book is a utopia, the society still judges people by their origins, for example: [quote:0ea0c73040]Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever. I'm awfully glad I'm a Beta, because I don't work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They all wear green, and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able to read or write. Besides they wear black, which is such a beastly colour. I'm so glad I'm a Beta.[/quote:0ea0c73040] (Huxley 27) As you can see in the quote above, people are put into classes like a caste system. Similarly to life, this book has a ying and a yang. Although it is portrayed as a utopia, the society is really considered a 2009-03-30T22:16:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Effectiveness-of-A-Brave-New-World-34046.aspx The Importance of Being Earnest: Satirical Irony The Importance of Being Earnest is a play written by Oscar Wilde and first performed in 1895. Like Most of his plays, it is a satire, set in England in the late Victorian era. Wilde was a well-known European playwright. Robert Ross once said that Wilde, “never regarded his works as an adequate expression of his extraordinary genius and his magnificent intellectual endowment.” (Agate, 1947) However, this intriguing piece of work is an exception. More than any of his other plays, The Importance of Being Earnest embodies Wilde’s decency, warmth, and legendary wit. Critics say it is a whitty outlook on the Victorian upper class, exposing a world of shallow indifference and true love. (Tymes) Not only a satire, it is also full of very obvious irony, both situational and dramatic. Even the title turns out to have a hidden meaning in the end. With a comedic approach, Wilde uses irony to ridicule the absurdities of lovers’ courtship rituals, their false faces, and their secrets. In the Victorian era, courtship rituals were slightly different from more modern times. “Courting the Victorian Women” explains that courtship was advanced by gradations, with couples speaking first, walking out together, and finally keeping company after mutual attraction had been confirmed. (Hoppe) Jack, in all his seriousness, refutes the rituals. Upon Gwendolen’s acceptance of his proposal, the problems with social affairs begin to pour out. Lady Bracknell and Algernon’s objections are a prime example of dating issues in the Victorian era. Some say that Wilde viewed marriage to be full of hypocrisy and used to achieve social status (Cliffs Notes), which is exactly what he shows through Lady Bracknell and Algernon. Lady Bracknell’s harsh criticism and stubborn ways are customary of upper-class mothers in the era. Ironically enough, Algernon later develops a kind of forbidden love. The object of his affection is young and being taught to be unimaginative and serious. As the daughter of Jack’s adopted father, Cecily is under the direction of Jack, which creates turmoil. Cecily’s governess disapproves, showing another example of Wilde’s ridicule of social class. One thing that Jack and Algernon have in common is that they both have false faces. Algernon’s alter ego Bunbury is a version of himself used in the country. 2009-03-09T01:14:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/the-importance-of-being-earnest-33998.aspx In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the effects that society have on Mistress Hester Prynne are shown in different ways. For example, the change from what the reader first learned of her being an adulteress to becoming a humble servant of doing good. The effects of society are shown in her very being. Hester keeping quiet about her lover, taking care of Pearl, wearing the scarlet letter, hiding her beauty, and fighting to keep her daughter. Going from being an adulteress to feeding the poor is a drastic changed that is usually influenced by others. The Puritan society wanted life to be a certain way, a utopia, and if you did something wrong you were punished. The society also believed that everyone is born evil and is a natural born sinner due to the fall of Adam and Eve, and the only way to get into Heaven is if you are lucky enough to be chosen by God. The puritan society was also against individualism, and wanted everyone to be the same. With these beliefs throughout the society, there were very strict rules that were to be followed, and if not, the magistrates gave you a sentence. The sentence that the ‘gossips’ wish Hester had received was that of the actual sentence supposed to be given, which is death, and not the lean sentence that she was actually given. The society and magistrates sentence making Hester wear the scarlet letter “A” shows that they are trying to punish her by embarrassing and belittling her in front of everyone. Hester, with her pride and dignity stood on the scaffold with her infant daughter in her arms, bearing the mark of her sin on her bosom. Shame was a big issue in the puritan society. While waiting for Hester to come out from the prison door, a remark was made, “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die” (Hawthorne, 49). Many puritans in the Boston community did not associate with Hester because of the shame. They used Hester as an example, to their young ones, of what they do not want to become. The punishment that Hester received also made the townspeople believe that they had done some good, humiliating her and making her an outcast had made the society “pure”. While 2009-02-28T17:36:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-on-Society-vs-Hester-Prynee-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-33992.aspx Different kinds of novel and its difference with other genres. Hamed Jamal pour English Literature (M.A) +9809126756043 Jamalpour@gmail.com One of the prominent critics of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and awarded two PhD admissions from Berkeley University of California And Tokyo University of Japan in 2006 and 2008 who has got lots of studies on history and literature Novel :is a fictious prose narative or tale of considerable length. Narativ telling story,but drama : acting Prose : written distinguish novel from poetry. Fictious :distinguish novel for science , reality. Length :distinguish novel for short story Novel :focus on character representive of real life, real life distinguish it from Epic poem. Past , present ,future,Epic is a long past ,but novel is in three times(p,p,f) Plot :how events are related (sequence of events). Complexity and plot :both tale& fable. Novel emerged in England in 18th century , Spain 17thC,by Cervantes:don Quixote,(parody of romance). He imitate Roman but change it to fun. Four great of romance:1-tale2-romance3-epic4-novel. Why novel emerged on 18thC? 1- printing machin invented. 2-the literated people increased. 3-writing become a profession. Novel :small new thing(meaning) new genre. Tale ,focus of tale is upon events. Novel :focus of novel is upon characters . Tale :simple narrative ,more general than short story, short story follow technical pattern ,while tale doesn't Tale is sweet to tell it has variety of fiction,tale set forth strange and wonderful events rather than focusin on character. Epic :a long narrative poem .the world of epic is the national heroic past, but the world of novel,usually is limited to a place and it is about present real life.Epic is about heroic figures but in novel Ch,are reland individual.Epic has a allegorical dimension and cosmic .novel has individualistic historical or realistic tendencies. The setting of Epic is vast,actions usually involves a battle or dangerous jurney and sth divine beings participated in actions,so influence the out come of events. Romance :developed in 12th c in france characters are idealized royalist knights ,superem passion ,time is past,novel is picture of life .in R,characters are super natural.novel is every day life. Romance's behavior is formal and sophisticated,increadible adventures. Epic and Romance :escope of epic is greater than R.epic has more actions.romance's characters are more detailed. Goethic novel :gloomy medieval setting,time is past,places in dark ancient castles with secret room and passages.(sinister noble man who is teaches by a guilty secret). Picaresque novel :is formless novel.it has loose construction,it narrated the adventures of a rouge or ocial out cast who moves from place to place and has a lot of adventures ,although 2009-02-15T15:39:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Different-kinds-of-novel-and-its-difference-with-other-genre-33976.aspx Main issues in life that cause many problems are racism, facing fears, and segregation. Racism is one of the main issues in life that cause people to be put in different social classes. In history, and even today, in some countries people consider the blacks to be slaves, and the whites in the upper class. This method of thinking allows many people to start hating different races, mocking each other, and also disrespecting one another. Facing fears, which is dedicated to all people, is another negative issue in life. Facing fears allows people to take a step back in life, scared to move on. People who normally have fears do not feel confident, which then results in failures. As a result of racism and facing fears, segregation arises. Segregation is the separation of different people or even animals. Racism thus causes segregation in social classes. Also, for example, in a school, students separate from one another having their own “cliques. If someone is scared of football, then they are immediately unwelcomed in the team. Similarly, the two readings “When I lay My Burden Down” and “Sympathy”, include problems about racism, facing fears, and segregation. In the story and in the poem, racism is being mentioned, either directly or indirectly. In the story, momma, the black grandma, is being disrespected by the white kids. As the whites so arrogantly believe that they are dedicated to a higher class thinking that it is alright to mock the blacks. The children are making fun of momma who does not seem to mind, since they know that she is supposed to respect anyone who enters her store, in any situation she is put in. Therefore, we are indirectly told how self-controlled she is. Similarly, in the poem, the caged bird is not being treated equally as the rest of the birds, since it is locked up. The people are restricting the bird’s freedom in order to let the bird act like a pleasure for the other people to look at, which is a symbol of slavery. Since the bird is not going completely insane in order to be released, it also shows how self-controlled it is, just like the grandma. This poem symbolizes somebody being trapped. When a person mentally or physically feels trapped, he or she would feel as though their freedom is restricted. For example, if parents do not allow 2009-01-24T10:15:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-when-I-Lay-My-Burden-Down-And-quot-Sympathy-quot-33946.aspx “How do HG Wells and Charles Dickens intrigue and engage the reader in ‘The Red Room’ and ‘The Signalman’?” ‘The Red Room’ by Wells and ‘The Signalman’ by Dickens are two examples of classic Gothic literature. They use alike and quintessential techniques to build mystery and heighten tension of the immediate questions posed in the opening pages, to engage and intrigue the reader. They start by setting immediate isolated, vague and enigmatic atmospheres which entice the reader and encourage them to read on to and answer the questions raised. The most similar method used is the isolated atmosphere both short stories are set in, alongside the majority of Gothic short stories, for example ‘The Judges House’ by Bram Stoker which is set in an unknown location to the protagonist (therefore the reader). In ‘The Signalman' the ‘black tunnel’ which the main story is set behind. It is described as a ‘great dungeon.' This imagery gives the reader the idea that the signalman is trapped down in his job and absorbed by the apparitions. It is set in a hazy unclear dusty atmosphere in a tunnel Whereas in ‘The Red Room’ the place remains anonymous along with the location and the characters which generates a great sense of mystery. ‘The long, draught subterranean passage was chilly and dusty.’ This description shows how isolated the house is, and that it is untouched an uninhabited. The effect of such is that the reader is intrigues by the isolated atmosphere and wants to find out more details. Foreboding is used in almost all Gothic short stories. The use of foreboding in ‘The Signalman’ and ‘The Red Room’ engages the audience by making them want to find out the ending from the drip fed information revealed throughout the story. Foreboding is the central theme of ‘The Signalman.’ The signalman sees apparitions which are like premonitions which foretell his death. “I was doubtful,’ he returned, ‘whether I had seen you before.’ This exclamation from ‘The Signalman’ is referring to the man the signalman is talking to. He claims to have seen the man he is talking to (the protagonist) in front of a red light covered with smoke. This leads us to believe that the signalman is speculating, but after he tells of other fulfilled premonition, it grabs the readers attention and compels them to believe what the signalman is talking about, and how his premonition 2009-01-15T22:35:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Engaging-the-reader-in-The-Red-Room-amp-The-Signalman-33941.aspx “A handful of dates” is one of the works of the famous director Tayeb Salih. The work is a short story published, originally in Arabic in 1964, in a collection of stories "The Wedding of Zein". The story is told by the young boy who lives in the village of Wad Hamid, which is in Central Sudan. The main idea is about the change in perception of the boy’s life which is expressed most in his cognizance and sentiment towards his grandfather. Through the work, the boy expressed the huge love and admiration for his grandfather. In his mind, he described his grandfather’s appearance as his idol, as the man he wanted to become in the future. He loved his grandfather and he believed he was loved because he was the most intelligent grandchild. “I used to know when my grandfather wanted me to laugh, when to be silent; also I would remember the times for his prayers and would bring him his prayer rug and fill the ewer for his ablutions without his having to ask me.” This quote fully expressed the thorough understanding between him and his grandfather in his acts. In additions, he knew that his grandfather loved him. However, two quotes which were mentioned in the topic expressed the temporary disgust of the boy towards his grandfather. Through the work, the boy temporarily realized the love of Masood for the dates and how gracious and kind – hearted he was. Besides, the boy admitted his grandfather’s trade with Masood was greedy and avaricious, the personalities which he believed his grandfather did not have. Therefore, he temporarily felt disgust towards his grandfather. The boy said: “Quickening my pace, it was as though I carried within me a secret I wanted to rid myself of.” The secret was simply the hatred and disgust he suddenly felt. He believed his grandfather was the good man, maybe the best man he had ever seen. The disgust he suddenly felt was the breaking down in his grandfather’s idolization. Feeling disgust towards the one he loved the most was the terrible thought. Therefore, by the time he felt the disgust, he immediately wanted to id himself of it, to be free from this thought. “Then, without knowing why, I put my finger into my throat and spewed up the dates I'd eaten.” The disgust he felt for his grandfather made him to spew up the 2008-12-20T09:25:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Handful-of-Dates-Director-Tayeb-Salih-33927.aspx “War is like love, easy to begin, hard to end and impossible to forget”, a famous saying about war can express almost of the loss which wars cause for human being. From the very past of history to the present, even though many wars have proven to us the cruel, inhuman and violent they were, more and more wars still happen with more barbarous and fiendish. The higher in techniques we reach, the deeper we sink in wars. In the end, wars do not bring any efforts, benefits or rights and interest for people. To get matters worse, the truth is war only take countries lower, poorer and deeper in the circle of sin. “War” of author Luigi Pirandello is one of many works which is against wars, especially World War I. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). Italy entered the war in 1915. Using indirect description by telling the whole story in the third-person perspective and defining clearly the emotions of characters, Luigi easily helped readers to understand the cruelty and fierceness of the war. At the very beginning of the story, the background itself brings us the sad and gloomy atmosphere of the “night express” which “stopped at the small station of Fabriano and continue their journey by the small-fashioned local joining the main line with Sulmona”. Even when the dawn came, it only made the view more clearly for us to see how tragic the passengers became. By using such words like “mourning, moaning, weakly, death-white, shy, uneasy, hide her face”, the author completely directly defined how disastrous their situations even though we readers have not known yet. By accident, all of the passengers “in this stuffy and smoky second-class carriage” were the parents of soldiers who sent to the front in war. Their sons were died or wounded, which made the parents suffered the sadness, loneliness, bitterness and wretchedness inside each of them. Definitely because of suffering from that hurt, the man in the story muttered “Nasty world!” After all the description, we can assume that this partially reflect the feelings of each passengers, whose emotions were tried to be kept inside although they were so enormous to hide. The woman in the story felt so sorry, exhausted and tired to explain to another passenger her own situation. After her husband’s story, the passengers understood and tried 2008-12-20T09:23:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/War-is-Like-Love-Easy-to-Begin-Hard-to-End-and-Impossible-to-Forget-Luigi-Pirandello-33926.aspx Frankenstein, written by Marry Shelley in 1818, is a well known novel that is truly a classic. It is often believed to have had a large influence on later literature as well. For example, some believe that Frankenstein may have been the first science-fiction novel. Others say it resulted in a large increase in horror stories. However, this essay is written concerning another characteristic of the novel. Gothic literature, originating in England in the mid 1700’s, combines both horror and romance, a rather unusual combination. After reading Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, this essay addresses the question, “Is Frankenstein in fact an example of Gothic literature?”. There are a number of reasons why Frankenstein falls under the category of Gothic literature. The following will discuss those reasons. First and foremost, Gothic novels convey a strong feeling of horror and terror, combined with elements of the supernatural, gloom, fear, depression, and darkness. It doesn’t take more than a quick glance to see that these characteristics all contribute in some way to the novel. Also, the setting of a Gothic novel is very often foreboding and has a large affect on the mood and atmosphere of the novel. And finally, characters are often nameless, and isolated or alienated. With concern to the first characteristic of a Gothic novel, it is very clear that Frankenstein abides by this guideline, in that almost the entire novel is written to fill the reader with horror and terror. There is the exception of the very beginning of Victor’s tale where his life is happy and peaceful. However, you will agree that that only adds to the effect of what is to follow, creating an even greater feeling of sorrow and depression. By the end of the novel, all of Victor’s family and loved ones have been brutally murdered. The descriptions that Shelley gives of the monster are enough to fill her readers with terror. You can also see that in this novel, the elements of gloom, fear, depression, and darkness are very evident throughout the story. Most often, we as readers experience them through Victor, who as a result of creating and abandoning his creature must endure them all. In regards to my second point, and that being that the setting in a Gothic novel sets the mood for the story and creates a very foreboding atmosphere, you 2008-12-16T23:00:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-A-Classic-Novel-33916.aspx Mark Twain: The conscience of a country. When writing, a person’s inner thoughts come to life. It happens whether they mean it to or not. The author might accidentally choose certain words that bring their own feelings to light, or they could come right out and say how they feel. The point is that every author, no matter how good, will project what they believe onto their writing. Mark Twain does this in The adventures of Huckleberry Finn on numerous occasions. In a time of extreme patriotism and narrow-mindedness Twain made the nation rethink their most basic of beliefs. In a bold move, Twain chronicled his beliefs pertaining to religion, slavery, and civilization. Each time his “profanity saving” pen touched paper he acted as the nation’s conscience. Mark Twain, through the use of wit and satire, challenged the most basic of American beliefs for nearly half a century Religion was a common target of Twain. “What put twain off about religion was its bossiness and it’s alignment with corrupt community values…” (Blount 53). In Huckleberry Finn these beliefs are evident in the character of the Widow Douglas. Though she is a professed Christian she takes no stock in the Christian principles of acceptance and focuses instead on the “bossiness” aspect of Religion. The widow was against practices that she took no part in. It could either be that she thought she always did the right thing or possibly that she determined right and wrong. The former of these two options would make her incredibly arrogant, quite possibly a trait twain wanted to pass off as a Christian trait. Huck said it best when he said “of course that was all right, because she done it herself” (Twain 2). One of the most overt examples of religious hypocrisy was presented through the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons. The two feuding families who killed each other went to church together. Next Sunday we all went to church, about three mile, everybody a-horseback. The men took their guns along, so did Buck, and kept them between their knees or stood them handy against the wall. The Shepherdsons done the same. It was pretty ornery preaching – all about brotherly love, and such-like tiresomeness; but everybody said it was a good sermon, and they all talked it over going home, and had such a powerful lot to say about faith and good works and free grace and preforeordestination, 2008-12-16T03:57:57-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/How-Mark-Twain-s-Beliefs-Were-Shown-through-Huck-Finn-33915.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic novel about a young girl, her brother, and a close friend and their adventures in finding Boo Radley, and growing up in a prejudiced society towards African-Americans. The books main character Jeane-Louise Finch, nicknamed Scout, is shown how cruel and unfair the world can be, especially southern Alabama during the Great Depression. The reader is given a very good idea of how hard it was to show courage through its time of need. To Kill a Mockingbird portrays great courage, for example Scout, her father Atticus, or Ms. Dubose in her time of peril. It is all of these stories rolled up in this book that kept me reading this classic novel, although reading is not my favourite pastime, this book was a very satisfying read. I would say that To Kill a Mockingbird is a very good read for anyone who is looking for inspiration, or is looking for a strong story. Lee depicts family values shining through in the darkest of times, and the many intertwined stories create a memorable novel. Atticus Finch is a courageous person because he does what he believes is right, and does not follow Maycombs racist way. Defending Tom Robinson, an African-American man accused of raping a white woman proves Atticus’ integrity. His children Scout and Jem feel the repercussions of their father’s actions in defending Tom Robinson, "But Mrs. Dubose held us: "'Not only a Finch waiting tables, but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers’ ... 'your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for.'" Atticus stays strong and does what is truly right despite the publics’ beliefs. Mrs. Dubose is a good model of courage because she recognizes she has a flaw and that she has to fix. She is addicted to Morphine and makes a goal to die free of her weakness. She goes through a time of withdrawal that is difficult to survive "Her head moved slowly from side to side. From time to time she would open her mouth wide, and I could see her tongue undulate faintly. Cords of saliva would collect on her lips; she would draw them in, than open her mouth again. Her mouth seemed to have a private existence of its own." She finishes her goal before she dies, although she is has taken help from Jem reading to her every Saturday as a way of 2008-12-05T02:31:13-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Courage-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-33898.aspx The story “Paul’s Case” by Willa Cather, and the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller both feature characters discontented with reality. Consequently, these characters, Paul and Willy Loman, respectively, exhibit similar behavioral patterns and elicit comparable reactions from their environment. Paul and Willy strive for an unattainable dream of wealth, power, and elegance, and fill their lives with lies in order to mislead themselves and others into believing they possess these attributes. The main protagonists in these literary pieces battle an ongoing tendency to create delusions within the world in which each reside. Willy Loman constructs an atmosphere where he feels that he is powerful and important. He thinks of his sons as well liked, unique individuals who have the ability to awe others; he sees himself as a successful businessman who never has to wait in line (2. 1237). His false confidence in himself shelters him from realizing the “low man” that he really is. Similarly, Paul surrounds himself with beautiful things and loses himself before symphonies and paintings (198). He has a strong aversion “for the flavorless, colorless mass of everyday existence; a morbid desire for cool things and soft lights and fresh flowers” (200). Both characters share a desire to be amongst the upper class and opulent people. As a result, they continually fuel their delusions by losing themselves in fantasy and misleading perceptions of reality. When Paul steals the money, he goes to an affluent part of New York where he spends recklessly and surrounds himself with lavish items (205). “These were his own people, he told himself” and he muses that he has never known a placed called Cordelia Street where commonplace folk and ugliness exist (208). In moments of desperation, where Willy finds cold hard reality crashing down upon him, he loses himself in flashbacks of a better time and place where his hopes and dreams still held their promise. Biff’s dramatic outpouring to Willy of the years pointlessly wasted in misleading themselves to believe they are above the “dime a dozen” status is met with a deluded “that boy is magnificent” (2. 1309). Willy continues to believe the Loman name carries with it a certain prestige long after Biff has renounced all participation in proving himself to the world. Amidst their delusions, Willy and Paul fail to claim accountability for their actions. When Paul steals the money, he doesn’t fully realize the 2008-12-03T15:21:37-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Compare-and-Contrast-Paul-and-Willy-Loman-33895.aspx Referring to at least two literary works you have studied, show whether they have what you consider to be a good or satisfying ending. Endings are representations of how quickly or slowly the anxiety from the climax is unconfined and smoothed down. A good ending can be; either one that wraps up all the loose ends, or, one that makes you want to find out what happens next, however they must follow a process in order to achieve a good ending. Nevertheless, to be satisfying, the book must finish in a way that it pacifies and releases the tension previously build up. Books must have the ability to smooth down the tension to determine whether a finale is satisfying or not. Edward Albee is keen to portray a good and satisfying ending in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” while “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood; although it has a ideal ending, the author fails to satisfy the reader’s expectations by leaving the readers cliffhanging. Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” manage to attain good endings by following a process of 5 steps. The books start with a good introduction comprised by a good setting of the scene. By having a good introduction, the book has the ability to incorporate the reader quickly to the fictional panorama to make him want to find out what will happen next. Furthermore, events follow a clear fixed internal chronological order of time, which accompanied with a good portrayal of the different characters, are factors to create a good ending. These factors are not only keen for the success of the book but they stimulate the path to the creation of good plots giving rise to powerful most energetic climaxes. The ability from the authors to finish the books in non-predictable endings; either by wrapping up loose ends while at the same time, changing unexpectedly the direction of the events ,or by leaving the reader’s in suspense urging to know what happened to the remaining characters make it possible to achieve good endings. “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” captivates the reader’s from the opening of the scene by its volcanic beginning. George and Martha start the script by talking in a high tensed impacting way which surely causes a reflex in the reader’s expectations. They defy each other by asking about the knowledge of certain pictures and imitations; this is captivating 2008-11-09T23:36:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Referring-to-at-least-two-literary-works-handmaids-tale-33857.aspx John Proctor In The Crucible, Arthur Miller’s utilization of John Proctor’s round character is to persuade the audience that John Proctor represents ethos, metonymy, and allusion. One way Miller persuades the audience through John Proctor’s character is through ethical appeal. Miller uses ethos by relating John Proctor to an innocent, normal person during the McCarthy communism trials. Miller gives John Proctor’s round character values and beliefs that he follows throughout the four acts. Even though John Proctor had a relationship with Abigail Williams, he cares more for his wife and children. The audience can reminisce about how they care for their wife and children too. John Proctor is a Christian, but he does not attend church every Sabbath Day for his own reasons. This belief can relate to the audience who is watching or reading the play. Even though Arthur Miller does not make John Proctor a dynamic character, he does relate the character to the audience by using speaker credibility. John Proctor’s character chooses his words carefully when he is speaking to authority figures, like saying “...I have no witness and cannot prove it, except my word be taken. But I know the children’s sickness had naught to do with witchcraft.” Arthur Miller helps develop the character of John Proctor by using metonymy. Miller directly characterizes John Proctor by expanding his description to include people with similar personalities. When Miller directly characterizes John Proctor, he states, “In Proctor’s presence a fool felt his foolishness instantly—and a Proctor is always marked for calumny therefore.” The dictionary definition for the word ‘proctor’ is ‘an overseer.’ Therefore, Miller refers to all individuals who stand up to the inadequacies of society as ‘Proctors,’ like the audience relating their own life to the play. Lastly, Arthur Miller depicts John Proctor’s character by using allusion. Miller emphasizes his theme or morality versus social pressure with many allusions in the play from historical to social. The allusion pertaining to John Proctor was the post World War II “Red Scare,” an event that caused mass hysteria in the United States. When Abigail Williams pushes John Proctor to the breaking point where he goes to jail, he has a choice whether to admit to witchcraft or not. John Proctor does not admit to witchcraft, causing him to get executed. John Proctor represents 2008-10-27T21:52:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Persuasive-Essay-about-John-Proctor-The-Crucible-33819.aspx The Modern Period of literature was an era of tumultuous change around the world. New writers were coming out with material that had previously been considered explicit. Writing had changed its focus and orientation. It was very much like a revolution in the world of literature. Books were written with a political purpose, and some achieved international notoriety. Of these books, one of the most influential was undoubtedly Animal Farm. It is difficult to decipher the book however, as it was written as a fable. Also, the international media, over the years, have passed down many different interpretations of the book. Animal Farm has little base on any actual fact apart from a few plot developments, which are loosely based on Soviet politics. Animal Farm is a good book, if it is to be interpreted and understood by the reader individually. George Orwell released Animal Farm at end of the Second World War. It was his first real success in writing. Animal Farm wasn’t successful upon its inception. The first release of Animal Farm was written in Ukrainian to the displaced peoples after the war. The Americans who remained in Europe after the war confiscated all these copies of the book. The real political purpose of this book was to disenfranchise the current government of the Soviet Union. It was timely released when the United States and the Soviet Union were doing well in peace talks. Interestingly enough, Stalin’s name does not appear in the book. This was of course intentional, Orwell was under the belief that the world was falling at Stalin’s feet, and decided that he couldn’t directly use this book to convert them. Indirectly he intended the readers to discover the illegitimacy of Stalin on their own. Orwell wanted to show the truth to the world, from this book, people around the world would open their eyes to the realities of the Soviet Union. In generic terms however, the real point of this book was to explain that even the most wholesome ideals could be so easily corrupted by power. It is for exactly this reason that none of the characters could be considered dynamic. The purpose of this was to show the animals as people in society with a broad spectrum of personalities. The animals were not really individual because they experienced change not individually, but as 2008-10-15T00:05:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Interpretive-Logic-of-Animal-Farm-33807.aspx Chapters 1-3 Catcher in The Rye After discussing the book catcher in the rye I have already began to like and I have started reading it and being open to the character. After reading through chapters One and three I have not seen any signs yet of Holden’s mind not being right or something being wrong with his head so far to me he seems ok although I have realized that so far most of the problems in his life are around him his surroundings not him like the people around him and the things he had to deal with although it does seem like sometimes he thinks to much into things well actually u can never think to much into things he just thinks more than you would think that others would the way he tells the story seems like he is smarter than what his grades show and he is failing all his classes but 1 but is now kicked out of his school it doesn’t seem like he likes it that much though anyway because he believes that everyone there is phony well not everyone but just speaking in general like I am pretty sure that he mentioned the principal in there or is it the counselor. And there is something about thins teacher that he likes he is a real old guy and he always calls him boy i am not sure why though but I think it gets on his nerves and he seems really sick because he is on a lot of medicine. And even though he is friends with the teacher he kinda seems to dislike him at the same time. For example he hates when he calls him boy and he notices everything that is wrong with them anything that he does wrong Holden points out to himself and he seems annoyed by him he also lies to him later when he says that he has to go to the gym to pick up the teams things but he was actually just wanting to get out he could have just said he had to go but instead he made up something maybe he did it to try and not be rude. Before all that in the beginning of the book when he is up on that hill he's waiting for some sort of goodbye 2008-09-10T22:34:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Catcher-In-The-Rye-33709.aspx JOURNAL NUMBER ONE RELATE STOPPING BY WOODS ON 2008-09-08T21:40:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/RELATE-STOPPING-BY-WOODS-ON-A-SNOWY-EVENING-TO-YOUR-OWN-LIFE-33701.aspx anime porn movie trailers troma team video home page rumers music video videos fotos xxx gratis nurses stripping video . lesbians sex video high scores video games . remove curse words from video wilkopedia porn . jd yates video video digital camera history . twinks porn movies male ga video clips . naked old women videos ray boltz music video . piercing video clip hilton paris sexy video watch . stage 6 movies porn defult video in ie <a href=http://www.virgin-x.com/Movie/y27681.html><b>video game science fair projects adult code myspace video </b></a> - 20min 47sec, 162,379views, 4.43 / 5.00rating <a href=http://www.virgin-x.com/Movie/c13992.html><img>http://img.xvideos.com/loading/thumbslll/4/6/9/469a38187b9566a07813398060c131d8.1.jpg</img></a> <a href=http://www.virgin-x.com/Movie/y49655.html><img>http://img.xvideos.com/loading/thumbslll/3/2/c/32c9653009eb8c2f8fefb09f4f1b7dd1.1.jpg</img></a> watch video of saddam execution wedding video victoria extreme off road video . black weman porn amateur mixed martial arts tournament . japan amateur radio muppets manah manah video . vista video optimization final fantasy crisis core video police video sporn alpha video and audio ceremony olympic opening video olympic marseille football club game hd video how to capture vhs video mauna loa video mature woman free porn picture <a href=http://www.dragonclawstudio.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=24381#24381>glasgow porn industry clemson brawl video </a> emagin video glasses traffic stops dui video vietnam most beautiful porn star how to draw animated porn video found in desert daddies fucking daughters porn lohan daughter to father video kissing models videos streaming x video angelina jolie and antonio banderes video family porn movies 6 ray stone gay porn natalie grant music video how to paint water video tutorial <a href=http://www.virgin-x.com/Movie/c96038.html><b>debbie ashby porn sex machines and video </b></a> - 3min 5sec, 204,825views, 4.51 / 5.00rating <a href=http://www.virgin-x.com/Movie/z52503.html><img>http://img.xvideos.com/loading/thumbslll/d/5/8/d58db7818286ef5096e0d3ea869e948a.1.jpg</img></a> <a href=http://www.virgin-x.com/Movie/u77722.html><img>http://img.xvideos.com/loading/thumbslll/2/6/a/26ad24da50fc4711a5d5e8d5269f8d58.1.jpg</img></a> private masterbation videos casablanca avio video editing system fre stevie ray vaughan videos . post personal video on web video liquidation . narc video game for x box long labia lip videos . download free arabic music videos music sanghi video . dharma video destination unkown alex gaudino video kennedy assignation video popping zit video video illustrations for sermons fat joe lean back video european central bank video cartoon bank assets liabilities download video alphaworks mpeg video for jmf forum precious videos in fresno ca <a href=http://www.exeafs.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=34876#34876>video porno 30 minute camping in olympics </a> snare solo videos cris daughtry videos snowboard tricks video service luminous film video wurks bikini striptease video free babe masterbation videos how to copy videos to dvd ad car ghostly video sierras amateur sex videos 3ml skate videos olympic paints and stains limp bizkit video <a href=http://www.mypcs7.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=42253#42253>free porn fetish videos seekmo 2008-09-06T04:10:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/gilmore-girls-videos-calebraty-porn-33694.aspx In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, many themes are displayed in each act. The largest and most prominent theme displayed throughout the play is the theme of mass hysteria. Mass hysteria is defined as, “A socially contagious frenzy of irrational behavior in a group of people as a reaction to an event.” (The American Heritage Dictionary/ Dictionary.com). It is very easy to see this displayed in each act and through a variety of different characters- some you really wouldn’t expect…. In Act I, Abigail Williams shows hysteria when she threatens Mary Warren and Mercy Owens saying, “Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sister. And that is all. And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word about the other things and I will come to you in the black of night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you…I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down” (Miller 19). This is a good show of hysteria because we can see that Abigail is beginning to get nervous that someone might realize she is lying. In order to ensure that she won’t be found out, Abigail must make sure those who do know her secret are too scared to do anything about it. Abigail is showing imprudent behavior in response to the event of her lying. Another time this kind of behavior in reaction to Abigail's deceit can be seen is when Mary Warren turns against John Procter while in the midst prosecuting Abigail and the girls in court. Abigail Williams and the girls are pretending that Mary Warren is sending her "evil spirit” down at them in the form of a bird. To save herself, Mary Warren says, “Pointing at Procter: You’re the devil’s man! ...hysterically indicating Procter: He come to me by night and every day to sign, to sign, to-” (Miller 110). Mary Warren realizes that Reverend Parris does not believe that Abigail and the girls are making everything up, so she reacts to Abigail's lies and Parris’s close-mindedness by lying and saying that John was forcing her to go against them. Another example of hysteria is when, in Act II, John begins to become angry towards 2008-09-04T23:43:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Themes--33689.aspx Who is Mary Warren? Is she just a servant in the Procter household….or is she more? I see Mary Warren as a pawn, a child and she is very naïve. Are you looking a little harder? Do you see more aspects or Mary Warren than you did before? Let us now take a closer look at this character…. Mary Warren was hired to the Procter household by Elizabeth Procter after she caught Abigail Williams (their old servant) in the midst of an affair with her husband, John Procter. Abigail Williams still wants to be with John however, and is using everyone around her to get what she wants. An excellent display of Abigail’s selfish use of Mary Warren is when she puts a needle into a doll Mary makes; After Mary Warren makes a doll in court one day, she gives it to Elizabeth Procter, not knowing that Abigail secretly stuck a needle into its belly. Later this end up being ‘proof’ that Elizabeth Procter was practicing witchcraft when Ezekiel Cheever finds the doll in the Procter household in Act II, and exclaims to everyone, “The girl, the Williams girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat down to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without a word nor warnin’ she falls to the floor. Struck like a beast he says, and screamed that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes to save her and stuck in the flesh of her belly, he draws a needle out. And demandin’ of her how she came to be so stabbed, she testify were your wife's familiar spirit pushed it in” (Miller 70) and, “’Tis hard proof! I find here a poppet Goody Procter Goody Procter keeps. I have found it Sir. And in the belly of the poppet a needle’s stuck” (Miller 71). Abigail Williams is trying to make it look like after Mary Warren gave the poppet to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth then used it as a voodoo doll against her (Abigail) - Mary is merely a pawn in Abigail’s quest to rid herself of Elizabeth Procter. Later in Act II, Mary goes to court to testify against Abigail and the girls but the whole time Mary is trying to present her case they make it look like Mary Warren is sending her spirit at them by 2008-09-04T23:43:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Mary-warren-33688.aspx People will do almost anything in desperate times- Break promises, lie, cheat, steal…. But Abigail Williams takes the cake as far as reckless actions in desperate times when she sticks a needle into herself to try and frame Elizabeth Procter as a witch. Abigail Williams needs attention so badly that she will go as far as self mutilation, among many other disturbing acts, against anyone who gets in her way towards that goal of attention and whatever else she has her mind set on. Abigail Williams and John Procter had a secret affair long before the mess of the Witch Trials began. In fact; their affair is what began Abigail’s hunt for revenge on Procter. John and Abigail were caught by Elizabeth Procter in the midst of their affair; now however, Abigail wishes to continue their affair but John refuses, understanding that what he did was wrong. Abigail now wishes to seek revenge and take Elizabeth Procter completely out of the picture- it can be seen that she is willing to do just about anything to achieve this throughout Act II. The amount of risk she takes and the amount of lies she tells to the entire town is extremely disconcerting. While in court one day, Mary Warren is sitting next to Abigail making a rag doll (also called a poppet) and Abigail inserts a needle into the stomach of this doll. Mary warren then proceeds to give the doll to Elizabeth Procter. Some days later, Abigail sits to have dinner with Reverend Parris and a needle is found in her stomach. Immediately Abigail accuses a Elizabeth Procter using the doll that Mary Warren had made and given to Elizabeth as evidence of what we now know as ‘voo-doo’. When Ezekiel Cheever comes to the Procter household to arrest Elizabeth, he finds the doll and the needle and explains to Elizabeth and John that, “The girl, the Williams girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat down to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without a word nor warnin’ she falls to the floor. Struck like a beast he says, and screamed that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes 2008-09-04T23:42:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Disturbing-acts-in-The-Crucible-33687.aspx A wife, a husband and a young servant with a dirty little secret with someone you wouldn’t expect; a secret love affair with the husband- John Procter- all behind the wife's- Elizabeth Procter- back. John Procter and Abigail Williams have been hiding their complex, secretive and dangerous relationship from the whole town since Abigail worked as a servant in the Procter household. John Procter and Abigail Williams relationship is extremely complex first and foremost. The relationship between these two dynamic characters goes much farther than just two people having a simple affair, partially because affairs are never simple. Another reason being that john Procter has a wife- Elizabeth Procter- and Abigail Williams is only an adolescent. Their affair all started when Abigail was working at the Procter household as a servant. John proctors lust for Abigail became too much and so they began their sordid affair. Somehow, Procter’s wife found out about their affair and she fired Abigail Williams. Now, Abigail Williams and john Procter meet again in the bedroom of Betty Parris where she lay in a coma like state since she was found dancing with other girls her age and Tituba, a black servant. Now, Procter is trying to let go of the relationship to save himself, but Abigail refuses to let it go, demanding that he still has feelings for her and he still sill com. Later, Abigail says, “I have a sense for heat, john, and yours has drawn me to my window, and I have seen you looking up, burning in your loneliness. Do you tell me you’ve never looked up at my window?” (Miller 21)!” And thus, he has looked up, which makes him quite unable to defend himself making the situation only more difficult. Procter says at one point, “Abby by I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched Abby” (Miller 22) causing Abigail to later exclaim, “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, 2008-09-04T23:42:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-relationship-between-John-Procter-and-Abigail-33686.aspx Name: Keleigh Thompson Date: November 25, 2007 Period/ Day The Crucible Quotes 101 Crucible Quote sheet 1. “But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it” (10) Speaking To whom Circumstances Significance Parris Abigail The girls have been caught dancing in the woods and now Betty is in a coma-like state. Reverend Parris is trying to figure out why and is asking betty if she trafficked with spirits to find another solution as to why betty is the way she is. Parris is more concerned that his enemies could use this information against him than that his niece is in a coma. 2. “They want slaves, not such as I. Let them send to Barbados for that. I will not black my face for any of them!” (11) Speaking To whom Circumstances Significance Abigail Parris Parris is discussing with Abigail what he saw when he discovered the girls dancing with Tituba. Abigail is angry that Parris wants her to still work as a servant- she thinks that is a job for black slaves, not white girls. 3. “You drank a charm to kill Goody Procter” (18) Speaking To whom Circumstances Significance Betty Parris Abigail Abigail is with Betty Procter as she lies in a coma-like state. All of a sudden betty is talking and Abigail somewhat holds a conversation with her. Abigail never told anyone that she drank a charm to kill Goody Procter and now Betty is exposing the secret that she in fact did. 4. “And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.” (20) Speaking To whom Circumstances Significance Abigail Mary Warren and Mercy Lewis Betty has finally begun speaking, asking for her mother and exposing secrets, then goes back into her coma-like state Abigail is angry that Betty exposed her secret and is telling the other girls in the room that she not only doesn’t plan on validating it, but does not want anyone else saying that they heard betty say it was true. This would prove that Abigail and the other girls really were involved in witchcraft. 5. But I will cut off my hand before I ever reach for you again.” (23) Speaking To whom Circumstances Significance John Procter Abigail They are in betty’s bedroom while betty lay in a coma-like state. Abigail wants the relationship between herself and John Procter to be rekindled, but he doesn’t want that to happen because they were 2008-09-04T23:41:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Quotes-33685.aspx summary The play is set in Salem, Massachusetts, 1692; the government is a theocracy—rule by God through religious officials. Hard work and church consume the majority of a Salem resident’s time. Within the community, there are simmering disputes over land. Matters of boundaries and deeds are a source of constant, bitter disagreements. As the play opens, Reverend Parris kneels in prayer in front of his daughter’s bed. Ten-year-old Betty Parris lies in an unmoving, unresponsive state. Parris is a grim, stern man suffering from paranoia. He believes that the members of his congregation should not lift a finger during religious services without his permission. The rumor that Betty is the victim of witchcraft is running rampant in Salem, and a crowd has gathered in Parris’s parlor. Parris has sent for Reverend John Hale of Beverly, an expert on witchcraft, to determine whether Betty is indeed bewitched. Parris berates his niece, Abigail Williams, because he discovered her, Betty, and several other girls dancing in the forest in the middle of the night with his slave, Tituba. Tituba was intoning unintelligible words and waving her arms over a fire, and Parris thought he spotted someone running naked through the trees. Abigail denies that she and the girls engaged in witchcraft. She states that Betty merely fainted from shock when her father caught them dancing. Parris fears that his enemies will use the scandal to drive him out of his ministerial office. He asks Abigail if her name and reputation are truly unimpeachable. Elizabeth Proctor, a local woman who once employed Abigail at her home but subsequently fired her, has stopped attending church regularly. There are rumors that Elizabeth does not want to sit so close to a soiled woman. Abigail denies any wrongdoing and asserts that Elizabeth hates her because she would not work like a slave. Parris asks why no other family has hired Abigail if Elizabeth is a liar. Abigail insinuates that Parris is only worried about her employment status because he begrudges her upkeep. Thomas Putnam and his wife enter the room. Putnam holds one of the play’s many simmering grudges. His brother-in-law was a candidate for the Salem ministry, but a small faction thwarted his relative’s aspirations. Mrs. Putnam reports that their own daughter, Ruth, is as listless as Betty, and she claims that someone saw Betty flying over a neighbor’s barn. Mrs. Putnam had seven babies that each died within a day 2008-09-04T23:40:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-summary--33684.aspx Gene has many qualities about him that he kept to himself- envy of Finny, a tragedy he tries to deny, mistrust of his friend…and many qualities that were open to the world- he was studious and even pensive; also, gene had an issue figuring out who he was in his heart.. To represent genes envy of Finny, I used the color green- a green lizard, snake, from asparagus, apple, plant and spots. I chose the color green as my theme for envy because green is known to be the color representing the feeling of ‘envy’. To represent the tragedy of Gene pushing Finny off the tree limb I used a few different images. First, to represent the tree itself I used a photograph of a tree trunk with wooden planks nailed to be stairs. Another picture I used was an image of three boys sitting on a tree branch- this represents the boys being all together in the act of jumping off the tree. The third image I used to represent the tragedy is a piece of shattering glass. This is showing how the guilt of pushing Finny is pulling him apart because Finny doesn’t believe him. The last image I used to represent Gene hiding that he pushed Finny is a chain link fence with barbed wire because this is the hypothetical fence that Gene puts around himself to keep the truth from slipping out. Gene was very mistrusting of his friend Finny’s motives when he asked him to go to the beach- Gene believes that Finny wanted to sabotage his grades because he was jealous. To represent Genes mistrust I have a picture of a brick wall- the wall that mistrust becomes between two friends. Gene was also very studious and dedicated to his work and to represent this, I used a stack of classic novels as well as a diploma and a graduation cap. To represent Gene’s thoughtfulness, or pensiveness, I used a watermark image of a child’s face in a thinking position. To symbolize Genes personality concern, I used a boy looking at his shadow- only one of his shadows in shaded in- this represents the real ‘him’. However, all the other shadows are who he could be, who he is wondering about; trying to be like Finny, trying to be the best in his class, trying to be who his friends want him to be. 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Considering some of the symbols above in another respect, we can also see the author’s faith in Catholic. In the conversation between the grandmother and the Misfit, there are things about Jesus and praying. The grandmother even preaches the gospel to the Misfit in the attempt to revive the humanity deep inside him when she knows that he will kill her. In later descriptions in the story, a cloudless sky is mentioned for times. “Ain't a cloud in the sky”, “Don't see no sun but don't see no cloud neither”, “There was not a cloud in the sky nor any 2008-05-06T12:30:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/irony-in-A-good-man-is-hard-to-find-33591.aspx Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is an American Literature classic. It is a dark tale about a woman named Hester Prynne who committed adultery with a well respected minister and had a child. She therefore had a punishment of wearing a scarlet letter A on her bosom for ever as a token of her sin and the shame she must suffer. Her fellow sinner, Arthur Dimmesdale, the father of her child, was, on the other hand, given a different punishment by Hawthorne. While Hester was publicly punished by all the Puritan society, Dimmesdale covered his guilt and let it eat him inside until completely collapsed. Compared to Hester, who openly accepted her guilt and became stronger, Arthur chose a way that not only weaken him physically and mentally, but also leads to the inability of redemption for his sin. Dimmesdale is Hawthorne’s moral lessons about sin, how denial can lead to tragic consequences. As far as we follow the story, we know that it is not his committing adultery with Hester but mostly his hypocrisy makes him the great sinner of all. When seeing his beloved girl on the scaffold, he feels terrified and has his heart rent for her, yet he just stands by in wordless among the crowd. Dimmesdale has encouraged Hester to tell the truth to the people in the town that he is the father of the child but he cannot do it himself for the only one reason, his high position in the society. He is a respectful Reverend in the eyes of all people and no one ever dares to think of any sin he can commit. He, therefore, find it impossible to tell anyone about it though he did try to suggest that he is the sinner. Dimmesdale obviously has no intention of denying his sin but he is not courageous enough to face his people and the society in which he is the representative of all the standard virtues. He has been living under a mask for many years and cannot find a way out. Hence, he is destroyed completely by secrets and guilt, painfully and miserably. Dimmesdale appears at first as a handsome, caring and respectful Reverend but then turns out to be no more than a coward and hypocrite man who cannot protect his love and who dares not give up his position to protect his lover and daughter. Instead, 2008-05-06T12:18:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/DIMMESDALE-in-quot-The-Scarlet-Letter-quot-33590.aspx “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams is a memory play which is believed to be part of his real life. As the image of Williams’s sister Rose, who is interested in glass animals, Laura also has a glass collection. In the play, the glass menagerie itself is pregnant with significance and symbolism. The breaking of the glass unicorn’s horn, Laura’s favorite one, symbolizes the shattering of her illusions in life. Laura’s personality is characterized by her own collection of glass animals, especially the unicorn. Glass animals are fragile and beautiful and so is she: innocent and vulnerable. Laura is remote from real life, she finds it hard to cope with the world outside the Wingfields’ tiny apartment. She is confined in the fantasy world of her glass ornaments: she spends time playing with them and taking care of them. In fact, it is the glass menagerie which she “takes more interest in than anything else”; and Laura’s favorite one – the unicorn, is the best reflection of her. The unicorn is different from other ones because it has a horn, it is beautiful and precious in its own unique way. Laura is also pretty “in a very different way... And all the nicer because of the difference”. This suggests that Laura has unearthly beauty which is hidden by her limp and shyness. However, as Jim points out, unicorns are “extinct in the modern world” and, therefore, “must feel sort of lonesome” just as Laura’s inferiority complex have kept her away from human contacts. Then a big change has happened to Laura and it can be seen through her reaction upon the loss of the unicorn’s horn. When Jim dances with Laura, he hits on the table, dropping the unicorn to the floor and its horn breaks off. Contrary to what might be expected, Laura does not yell or cry out “as if wounded” like she did when Tom unintentionally broke her glass animal before. She calmly picks it up and reassures Jim that it is alright and “maybe it’s a blessing in disguise”. She even makes a joke upon the hornless unicorn, “I’ll just imagine he had an operation. The horn was removed to make him feel less—freakish!”. Now the unicorn is just as normal as the other horses, which symbolizes that Laura becomes more realistic as she begins to accept the truth and learns to face the 2008-05-06T12:08:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/the-significance-of-the-breaking-of-the-unicorn-s-horn-33589.aspx Since its first appearance in the 1886 collection A White Heron and Other Stories, the short story A White Heron has become the most favorite and often anthologized of Sarah Orne Jewett. Like most of this regionalist writer’s works, A White Heron was inspired by the people and landscapes in rural New England, where, as a little girl, she often accompanied her doctor father on his visiting patients. The story is about a nine-year-old girl who falls in love with a bird hunter but does not tell him the white heron’s place because her love of nature is much greater. In this story, the author presents a conflict between femininity and masculinity by juxtaposing Sylvia, who has a peaceful life in country, to a hunter from town, which implies her discontent with the modernization’s threat to the nature. Different from female and male which can describe animals, femininity and masculinity are personal and human. That is femininity refers to qualities and behaviors associated with women and girls and masculinity is manly character, it specifically describes men. Femininity has traditionally included features such as gentleness, patience and kindness. On the contrary, men’s chief qualities are strength, courage and violence. Clearly images for two definitions above in A White Heron are Sylvia and the hunter. The hunter is friendly and easy-going while Sylvia is “afraid of folks”. Sylvia is “a little maid who had tried to grow for eight years in a crowded manufacturing town”, but she is innocent and purity. “The little woods-girl is horror-stricken to hear a clear whistle not very far away.” “Sylvia was more alarmed than before” when the hunter appears and talks to her. She easily agrees to help the hunter with providing food and a place to sleep although she initially stayed alert with the hunter. The next day, “Sylvia kept him company”, even she falls in love with the hunter who is totally a stranger to her. “Sylvia still watched the young man with loving admiration. She had never seen anybody so charming and delightful; the woman’s heart, asleep in the child, was vaguely thrilled by a dream of love.” As the symbol of masculinity, the hunter is an aggressor although he is described to be kind, handsome, friendly and sympathetic. When first met Sylvia in the woods, he “called out in a very cheerful and persuasive tone” and spoke to her in a courteous 2008-05-06T12:06:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/femininity-against-masculinity-in-quot-A-White-Heron-quot-33588.aspx Municipal Gum was written by Kath Walker in 1960. Municipal Gum is about the changes in society and the tendency of people to want to control everything. Kath Walker uses various techniques to convey this idea. At the beginning of the poem Kath Walker is addressing the tree. This immediately creates empathy for both the tree and her people. By the last line she has emphasised this with the pronoun “us” to show that they suffer a similar fate. Juxtaposition and personification are used in the first two lines of the poem. “Gumtree in the city street, Hard Bitumen around your feet”. The use of these techniques immediately gives the impression that the author is disapproving of the concept. The idea that a gumtree is in the city is, although not unheard of, the traditional or immediate image that one sees when talking about a gum tree. The use of juxtaposition highlights the contrast between the two. “Gumtree in the city… wild bird calls” is also an example of juxtaposition, this is used to further emphasise how out of place the gumtree is. Personification is used to create a persona for the audience to have sympathy for and to create vivid imagery. “Whose hung head… its hopelessness” The author uses this as further re-iteration of the immorality of the situation and by the use of analogy comparing the tree to her people to further emphasise the shame and lack control of that the Europeans have inflicted upon her and the environment. Symbolism is used a lot in Municipal Gum. The gumtree itself is actually symbolic of Kath Walker and the Aboriginal community that has been manipulated and controlled by the European invaders. Walker uses vivid language to present these ideas. For example the use of the word castrated is very effective. The connotation of the word is a very demeaning, clinical operation. With castration often comes a sense of a loss of pride and power. The word castration is symbolic of how Kath Walker feels the Europeans have treated Aboriginal people and the environment. Castration also refers to the fact that what is done is done. Nothing can undo the operation, or the damage caused by ignorance. Other symbolism includes the title “Municipal Gum”, municipal meaning community, implies that the gumtree belongs to the community. 2008-05-06T12:04:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Municipal-Gum-Kath-Walker-33587.aspx Change which happens too rapidly can leave people feeling trapped and out of control. In the novel Dear Miffy by John Marsden this idea is clearly represented. Dear Miffy centres around the story of a young man who, after a failed suicide attempt is paralysed and placed in a psychiatric hospital. Tony then begins writing letters to his ex-girlfriend Miffy. However, the novel is about much more. Marsden is exploring many ideas about change. These include change of perspective, change of physical and mental state and changes in relationships. Change of perspective is the most powerful change employed in Dear Miffy. Changes are seen in both the main character Tony and the audience as the novel progresses. The novel is written in the form of conversation like letters. Tony writes letters to Miffy but doesn’t ever send them. This style of writing is very effective as it allows information to be revealed slowly which consequently provokes the readers’ opinion to be ever changing. At the beginning of the novel we are sympathetic towards Tony. We then find out that Tony stalked Miffy. The audience then feels suspicious about Tony and the question arises, why does Miffy never write back? Tony then begins writing about his battered childhood. We immediately feel sympathetic towards him again. Up until this point the audience has had no strong feelings towards Miffy. When Tony reveals that he accidentally killed Miffy’s mother due to a misunderstanding, we are immediately sympathetic to Miffy and extremely disapproving of Tony. In that same letter Tony reveals that he felt so bad about what had happened that he attempted suicide and is now paralysed. The audience is again sympathetic towards him. Tony only directly addresses the audience once in the last paragraph of the novel. This is very powerful as Tony is actually accusing the audience of reading his letters to Miffy, which he obviously intended no-one else to read, “I don’t want them to read this, that’s the main thing”. “Dear F******* bastards who’ve been reading these letters… You c****… F******* MIND YOUR OWN F****** BUSINESS” Tony writes as his concluding paragraph. The audience is made to feel a sense of guilt about reading Tony’s letters which again provides authenticity of character. The language is very 2008-05-06T12:03:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dear-Miffy,-John-Marsden-Change-33586.aspx Becoming an immediate success in the contemporary novel public in early nineteenth century, Pride and Prejudice has proved to be the most popular of Jane Austen’s novels and remains a classic master piece two centuries later. The title itself describes the underlying theme of the book. Pride and prejudice, intimately related in the novel, serve as challenges to the cherished love story of Darcy and Elizabeth. It is interesting to see how these two nice people were blinded before realising that they are an ideal couple. Material for situations, characters and themes in Jane Austen’s novels are founded in her own surroundings – countryside, parishes, neighbourhood. Although written in her early twenties, Pride and Prejudice reflects Austen’s thorough understandings of her society on the matters of money, marriage, behaviours and love. Let us look at the general ideas of what pride is and what prejudice is. Pride is a strong sense of self-respect, rather is to think of oneself higher than anyone and everyone else and prejudice is a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation. The novel was originally entitled First Impressions, which significantly contributes to the love story of Darcy and Elizabeth the way it goes. Pride and prejudice in the novel are all based upon the first impressions the two characters got from each other. Darcy, a quiet and rather cold noble man with large estates, is too proud of his position to pay attention to Elizabeth who is of poor social status while Elizabeth, a lively, pretty and clever girl, has prejudice against Darcy’s proud behaviours. It is in their first meeting pride and prejudice have shaped their relationship as it goes on later. Contrary to his wish, Darcy falls for Elizabeth; and as his love for Elizabeth grows so strong, he decides to propose to her regardless of how improper their marriage would be. Surprised as she is, Elizabeth refuses him and comments on his disagreeable vanity, “had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner” (ch.34), which has a profound effect on him. On the many following events, her opinions about Darcy are gradually changed. Darcy proves to be a really generous man of noble characters and Elizabeth realises the error of her initial prejudice against him. As in any good love story, they finally overcome the obstacles and become an ideal match. 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(where does your book take place? What time period? What details or descriptions help to provide a picture or a backdrop of the setting?) My book takes place in the land of Oz. There are a couple different places they go. In the beginning of the book they are in Nest Hardings. But later, they travel to the University of Shiz. Its very hard to tell the time period of the book but, if I had to guess, I would say around the early 1900s to mid 1900s. Most of the adjectives describing the backdrop are mountains, trees, forest, lake, pathway, and garden. So, it makes me think that they are back in a forest. Until they get to the university. Then, it talks about carriages, many people, and prestigious architecture making me think its more modern. Who/what are the characters in your book (so far)? (describe the main figures in your book. Is there a clear protagonist?Antagonist? what are the relationships between the characters?) So far, there are several characters in my book. They include:Nanny, Frex, Melena, Elphaba, Turtle Heart, Galinda, and Ama Clutch. Keep in mind these are just the main characters so far, but there are a lot of other characters. There is no clear protagonist or antagonist, as the relationships between characters, and their place in the book are still changing, since its early in the book. Melena and Frex are the parents of the odd, out of place, ugly Elphaba. Galinda is the beautiful, rich, persuasive girl who gets stuck with Elphaba, because her Ama was late. Turtle Heart appeared earlier in the book in Elphabas childhood, but I feel he played/plays an important role in the book. What is the plot of your book (so far)? (what events have happened and how have they shaped the story? Is the plot complex or fairly simple to follow? What do you think is going to happen next?) I DEFIDENTLY would not call this plot easy to follow. It is very complicated with fictional language that gets confusing, and it is a very different book than most books I have read. So far, Elphaba, who I know is the wicked witch, has been born. At first, her parents are ashamed and almost disgusted. It seems like later on they warm up to her but, it would be hard to have a green, vicious child, with razor sharp teeth. Her 2008-04-20T22:19:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wicked-the-Book-Q-amp-A--33564.aspx A critical analysis of Christine’s love in "Loneliness in the net” In “Loneliness by the net”, there are many love stories with many characters. However, in this essay, I only want to analyze about Christine – the main female character, who is always just be called “she” – and her “love”. The romance between Christine and Jakub, and the ending of the story makes the readers puzzled a lot. Is it really a love? Does Christian love Jakub truly? If she really loves him, how can she leave him easily like that? But if she doesn’t love him, how we can explain the horror pain she suffered when she mistook that Jakub died? Why, why and why... So many questions.... And we will answer these questions by analyze Christine’s character. At the beginning of the story, chapter 1, the author described a lot about Christian’s feelings and her thought. Somehow, the author gives us the key to understand her. She is lonely. Somehow, she less and less satisfies with her husband day by day, even he is still handsome. Her passion and her emotion (or I should use “their” instead of “her”) is being faded. “Her husband had stopped kissing her hair a long time ago and became so… terribly predictable”. “Not that it all got boring. It was not so bad yet. But the drive was no longer there. It became dissipated in the prose of everyday life. Things had cooled down”. “It was probably because it was available. Everything was to hand. Nothing had to be striven for. They knew every single hair on their bodies, every possible smell of their skin – dry or sweaty. They knew every nook and cranny of their bodies, heard all the sighs, predicted all reactions and believed in all confessions. Some of which were occasionally repeated, but they no longer made any impression. They were part of the script”. She wants to have, to try something new, some “wild-feelings”, some passion which she couldn’t get from her “old” husband. She wants someone bring some new-intense emotion to her. It’s her deep and hidden demand. However, maybe because she hasn’t found the suitable man yet, and she still loves her husband, there was nothing happened, till the day she met Jakub... Jakub is an intelligent, sensitive, kind and romantic man. He is attractive, and he is very suitable for her hidden demand. I think Christian has deep 2008-04-03T06:39:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Loneliness-in-the-Net-33553.aspx I observe the lighting slowly becoming fainter and the air in my lungs slowly becoming cooler as two guards escort me towards an empty cell. The smell of something rotting is getting stronger and it is slowly becoming unbearable. The guards and I stop at what looks like to me, one of the smallest cells in the prison. “Common Nigger” say’s one of the guards, while his eyes pierce into my soul with antagonism. I move into the cell and stand there for a short period, while I look around to see if anyone else is in the cubicle with me. The guards lock my cold and lifeless cell and depart back up the way they came. I turn and look for a seat or a bed to sit down on but all I see is a rusted ledge as long as the cell. As I sit on the ledge, I feel as if I were sitting down on a cold slab of frost. My body temperature starts to decrease, yet my heart beat starts to increase. My head feels like it is about to burst, and my destiny slowly feels like it is coming to an end. As I’m sitting down I picture the town in my mind. I see a small community full of depression which has a restriction between the communication of black folks and the white folks. The Negro society is classed lower than the White populace on the rungs of the town’s social ladder. No matter how rich the Negro race is, in a white man’s eyes, we are below the lowest member of the white society. Realising this, I see that the Negro population in the town is marginalised because the White population in the town, values white supremacy to a great extent and believes that the Negro society should be lower than them because in one point of time the Black folks were slaves for them. I understand now why the verdict of my trial stated was opposite to reality. It was because the jury just could not admit a black man was innocent. They had to say that I was “guilty” because they favoured white people. I am sure if the verdict of the trial stated that I was innocent, it would have caused great catastrophe for the white population, because they would be seen by the Negro society as an untruthful 2008-03-09T03:28:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Reflection-of-Tom-Robbinson-Imaginative-Text-33530.aspx Racism can come in many forms such as active violence or prejudice, and it can result in disruption of social values. Racism is able to corrupt a town, which is evident within the court scene of Tom Robinson. Rumours and gossip were exchanged throughout Maycomb County, and one such comment was: “typical of a nigger’s mentality to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw. [265]” In this quotation, the word “typical” is implying that all black people have a lower intelligence level than white people. Racism can also draw out the worst in many, while it can also bring out the darkness in 2008-02-19T10:56:41-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Concept-of-Racism-in-TKAM-33524.aspx There is a distinct relationship between the lord of the ring's Frodo and Sam and the epic of gilgamesh's Gilgamesh and Enkidu. They both go on a journey Frodo leads the quest Gilgamesh leads the quest Sam keeps Frodo in check Enkidu keeps Gilgamesh in check. They differ however because enkidu dies and sam nor frodo die in the lord of the rings. this is why they are similar. this essay was written out of boredom after reading both stories. i do not care about capitalization or organization of said essay i am just wasting time. this is a poorly written essay but maybe it will someday help out someone writing their own essay. blah blah blah blah blah blah blah 2008-02-17T21:05:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-between-Frodo-Sam-to-Gilgamesh-Enkidu-33523.aspx The quote “war benefits no one” is definitely true. As seen through the experiences of Jim Martin, death, sorrow and pain show that there is no benefit gained from war, especially for those families who are left behind with only thought of the dead to think about. The definition of war is: a state of prolonged violent, large scale conflict involving two or more groups of people. However, this statement does not entirely describe what war is. War is just more than a large scale conflict: it is a massacre where soldiers are sent to die. War is meaningless and doesn’t achieve anything. When Jim Martin, the youngest ANZAC, set out to join the army, he thought that adventure and honour were waiting for him. Little did he know that he, a brave and strong lad - “the fittest specimen,” was going to die in a few months and leave behind only sadness and pain. Although Jim only started to understand the true meaning of war after it was too late, this was also the case for many others. War can mean many things for people. For some, it can mean death and disaster, while for others, like Jim Martin, it can mean something exciting and exhilarating. Propaganda can manipulate many people (especially the latter group), and it takes advantage of the people who don’t understand what war really is. Abundant amounts of people are misled, and where there are those who are ineligible to enter, there are always others to replace them. “Never mind, Dad. I’ll go instead.” War strips the economy of resources and money since everything is diverted towards the war. This affects the people on the Home Front, since all their production efforts are geared towards supporting the war effort. This results in a lack of culture and livelihood as well as everyday items such as metal, stainless steel and iron (which are saved for ammunition and weapons). In “Soldier Boy,” it can be seen that lots of money and supplies were being used in ships and for the men on board, such as the ship Southland with all of the food on board for the army. Also, money would have to be sent to make and run the Australian General Hospital in Heliopolis. Psychological stress on both the soldiers and the families at home is 2008-02-17T10:17:55-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Soldier-Boy-War-benefits-no-one-33522.aspx The Jews were a group of proud people who were unfortunately discriminated against, humiliated and harassed by Christians mainly during the Middle Ages. Hostility or injustice directed at Jews is called anti – Semitism. There were many examples of anti – Semitism, including a famous playwright called William Shakespeare who wrote, embarrassed and made the Jews appear evil in his works. An issue that he brought to life was the fact that Jews are violent and practice usury (which can be observed in the Merchant of Venice when Shylock demands a pound of Antonio’s flesh). Anti – Semitism was widely accepted and practiced by Christians, and this affected almost all of the Jews. They were blamed and criticised for many things such as usury, bringing bad luck, and for most uneventful happenings. Anti – Semitism further went on, and Jews were restricted to having jobs of low profession, and thus, some became considered to be socially inferior. However, there were a few who had successful jobs in being money lenders. Christian law decreed that money lending for interest was a sin, and therefore Christians were unable to take up this career. On the other hand, Jews weren’t bound to this law, and were free to do as they pleased. Another issue was that the Christians were vandalised nearly all of the Jews’ property. The synagogues, schools and houses were burnt as well as the prayer books. Soon after, the Jews were forced to live separate areas, called ghettos. These ghettos have been regarded as prisons, but Jews have also been able to practice their religion safely. In 1290, King Edward banished them from England, and only a few remained behind either because they converted to Christianity or because they received special protection for the services that they had previously provided. The reason for this was because there were many superstitions and stereotypes going around about the Jews, and also because the Christians strongly detested the Jews. The Christians believed that the latter were devils and the anti – Christ, and this was the main reason why the Jews were hated. There were many actions that resulted from this idea: some tried to force the Jews to become Christian, while others tried to banish them from the country. On stage, Jews were portrayed as being clumsy, insolent, greedy, 2008-02-17T10:12:07-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Was-Shakespeare-Himself-Anti-Semitic-33521.aspx The main character, Pip, is portrayed as being a straightforward and shy person who bends under the will of his sister and uncle. The beginning of the movie shows Pip being chased by a convict (who forces Pip to give him food). In the background, birds fly around continuously and seem to follow him, and the scene is filmed in high angle and is a long shot. This use of visual technique reflects upon the audience’s thoughts as to what happens, and allows us to think that Pip may be constantly followed throughout his time. It also shows us that Pip is insignificant to the world around him, and that he may also be powerless against it. Another visual technique can be observed, shown in the scene where Pip’s face is reflected on the water and the blacksmith plunging hot iron into it. This can be interpreted as an omen, and gives us an insight into thinking that Pip will also live a disturbing life. After meeting the convict, Pip is invited by Miss Havisham to visit her and Estella at Satis house. This is a major change in Pip’s life, and when he first meets Estella, they dislike each other. However, after a few years, Pip discovers a love for her that even he did not expect. Pip then becomes an apprentice for the blacksmith Joe. When Pip reaches manhood, his life changes. He meets an attorney from the higher class, and is informed that he will be trained to be a gentleman (sponsored by an anonymous person) and be entitled to property. Another visual image can be observed here, and it is when Pip leaves Satis house in anger. He takes a deck of cards with him, and a Jack of Diamonds is shown. This seems to symbolise that Pip will live a rich life (diamonds depicting riches). When Pip goes to live in London, he is assigned to a house and meets his new roommate, Herbert. Herbert is a related to Miss Havisham, and Pip confessed his love of Estella to Herbert. Herbert warns him of Estella, but Pip ignores Herbert. We can observe here that Pip becomes foolish and thinks that he can get anything he wants because of his new position. Further on in the movie, Estella goes to London and meets with Pip. 2008-02-17T10:08:55-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Expectations-Character-analysis-of-Pip-33520.aspx Psychological Reactions Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a story about courage and survival. A young boy, Pi Patel, and his family decide to move their zoo from India to Canada. On their way to Canada Pi is woken by a loud boom. When he gets up to see what it is he realizes that part of the ship is higher than the other. As he tries to go get his parents he sees that the stairs from which he came are covered with water. Soon he finds some workers on the ship and they throw him overboard onto a lifeboat. Soon after he lands a zebra falls beside him. As he watches the ship sink he spots Richard Parker, a 400-pound Bengal tiger treading water. Without thinking he calls to Richard Parker and gets him into the boat. Soon he finds out this is a problem. Pi is now stuck on a lifeboat with a huge Bengal tiger, a zebra, a hyena and an orangutan. Throughout the novel Pi experiences many reactions to what has happened to him such as fear, anger, frustration, loneliness, and boredom. At first, fear is the only thing Pi feels. The only company he has, after the course of a few weeks, is Richard Parker, whom he is stuck in a tiny lifeboat with. He has lost his whole family and does not know when he will be saved. Fear overpowers Pi for the longest time. He is afraid that Richard Parker might try to kill him. He is afraid of never finding his family again and most of all he is afraid he is going to die. The fact that he is in the middle of the ocean with nothing but a tiger, a lifeboat and a few needed supplies terrifies him. Pi watches the horizon for several weeks hoping he will see a ship but it never comes. By the time he realizes he should do something to try to survive he is near death. Somehow he overcomes his fear and moves on. After awhile Pi’s fear turns into anger and frustration. He becomes angry that he saved Richard Parker. He begins to hate himself for helping him to the boat. Pi also gets extremely 2008-02-04T19:00:10-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Life-of-Pi--33514.aspx To Believe or not to Believe Throughout history, and throughout all the religions that have come and gone, and those that have stuck around, faith in God, or in some cases many gods has been the foundation for comfort, support and love. The Jewish religion and race for centuries endured criticism, and hatred that peaked in the late 1930’s and early to middle 1940’s when Hitler’s final solution was carried out where he wished to exterminate the entire Jewish population. During this time, Jews were forced into horrible living conditions. This started out in ghettos, and ultimately led to extermination in death or concentration camp. While enduring such hardships, many people’s faith in their God, especially a good God, was changed, and often totally stripped away. Elie Wiesel, a first hand witness of the Holocaust and author of the book Night experienced first hand the change in faith in his God, and eventually to loosing all faith. Wiesel’s faith started off strong however, as time passed his faith began to disappear, and finally, he lost all faith he had in his God. In the beginning of the book Night, an autobiography by Elie Wiesel, the reader clearly sees that Elie has a strong faith in God, and a desire to know more. His desire is shown quite vividly when the reader is given a description of a particular evening that Elie was talking to Moche the Beadle and reflects saying, “…I told him how unhappy I was because I could not find a master in Sighet to instruct me in the Zohar, the cabbalistic books, the secrets of Jewish mysticism” (Wiesel 15). As with many other teenagers in this world today, Elie wished to know more about his God and tried to have great faith in him. However, when the order is given for the deportations, the reader quickly discovers that Elie is having trouble seeing is God through all of the mess him and his community is going through. When the orders were given that the Jewish community was going to be deported, the people of Sighet were having trouble seeing God through all of the events that were taking place. The Jewish people, who rely on the Old Testaments of the Bible, are taught of a loving God who will provide for them and keep them safe during hardships. Therefore, 2008-02-04T18:54:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nigh-Eli-Wesel--33513.aspx Verdict: Guilty The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of moral and ethical controversy that reigns throughout the entire novel. The novel starts out with a woman named Hester Prynne standing on a scaffold in the city of Boston so all the town could see her. Her crime was adultery with an un-named man, and her punishment was to wear a letter “A” on her bosom for the rest of her life. Because of the mark of her sin, Hester lived a life of exile, not so much physically, but emotionally. Hester still lived in the town of Boston and was allowed to walk the streets and market place; however, she was not spoken to except to be ridiculed, and the only time people wanted anything to do with her was when they desired her fine skills as a seamstress. Also during this time, a man named Roger Chillingworth appeared in the town and became Arthur Dimmesdale’s physician. The reader knows Dimmesdale to be Hester’s partner in her sin, and Chillingworth is revealed to the reader to be Hester’s husband. Because of Chillingworth’s close proximity with Dimmesdale at all times, Chillingworth discovers Dimmesdale’s secret and torments the man’s soul. Knowing all of this, the reader must ask themselves, “Who is the guiltiest?” The answer is, the Puritan Society as a whole, which includes the entire community, and also Hester Pryne, Arthur Dimmsdale, and Roger Chillingworth as individuals. In order to really determine that the Puritan Society is the guiltiest in this novel, one must first determine what morals and ethics are. In Arthur Holmes book, Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions he explains that, "ethics is about the good (that is, what values and virtues we should cultivate) and about the right (that is, what our moral duties may be)” (Fider 2). With this definition, one can conclude that all of these people “sinned,” but the way in which others responded was not morally right, especially in the Puritan times. In the Gospel of John, Jesus encounters a crowd of people who are about to stone an adulterer and wanting his recognition. However, Jesus looks to them and says, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” (New King James Version, John 8. 7). Therefore, because the Puritan society of 2008-02-04T18:41:32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Morality-and-Ethics-of-The-Scarlet-Letter-33511.aspx The novel The Wars by Timothy Findley is one that expresses the emotional agony that the First World War had brought upon many. Many themes are evident throughout the novel that are able to enhance the significance of emotional pain and suffering felt by the characters. The use of fire imagery, in particular, is utilized as a symbol of emotional distress, and is used very dominantly among all of the images mentioned throughout the novel. This type of imagery is important towards developing the main theme and tone of the novel – the emotional pain that the war had inflicted upon humanity. In The Wars, the way in which fire had been represented had provided a mirror to Robert Ross’s emotional distress, the lack of effect of violence on Robert’s humanity, and the emotional pain felt by Mrs. Ross, Robert’s mother. It is evident that the images of fire clearly represent and symbolize Robert’s own emotional distress, and the ways in which the war had affected him. “Robert looked to one side from under the peak of his cap, hoping that no one had seen him flinch from the steam or stepping back from the fire. He was wishing that they would leave. His shoulders hurt. His arm was sore. There were bruises on his back. He ached. He wanted all the others who had got off the train to depart the station before him." (Findley, 73). This simply conveys the physical and mental pain which Robert experiences. Furthermore, one can see that Robert is affected by the physical destructions caused by the war, to illustrate: “…and he stood and he stared as he passed the fires of his father's factories, every furnace blasting red in the night...What were all these fires - and where did his father and his mother sleep beneath the pall of smoke reflecting orange and yellow flames?" (Findley, 126). It is clear that Robert had felt immense distress as he witnessed the ruthlessness of the enemy to destroy any of its opposition. In particular, “The barns were a heap of burning rubble. So was the Signals Office. In the center of the yard, there was just a smoking hole.” (Findley, 212). The smoking hole may be a symbol of the thousands of people that were killed during the war, and the fact that the enemy had been merciless enough to destroy anything that stood in its 2008-01-09T02:00:39-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/the-wars,-fire-imagery-33492.aspx Blown Out Candles by Tom Kraft The most autobiographical play by Tennessee Williams is The Glass Menagerie which subjectively examines a past life through the character of Tom Wingfield. Falk goes on to describe Tom as “an itinerant dreamer like his creator” (47). Such comparisons instill a likeness in thought between Tom and his creator which enables attitudes and feelings of Williams to be inferred by the characteristics of his fictional self. Furthering his findings, Falk goes on to declare that Williams “has admitted that he has not written anything that he has not known firsthand” (156). Williams wrote from personal tragedies that are lived through the abstract lens of his own vision or more specifically, in the form of a ‘memory play.’ While denouncing Williams as a political writer, R.B. Parker quotes the author as saying “I don’t deal with social problems, because those are not the problems that move me… My politics is that of the heart. I am only interested in human nature” (8). Will a close look at The Glass Menagerie present Williams’ writing to be otherwise? Even though Williams decries being a political writer, he is expressing a pessimistic view of capitalism paired with an adoption of ‘Marxist’ ideology through the character of Tom which may be construed as framing a left-leaning sociopolitical agenda. The play begins with a narration by Tom who goes on to describe the social setting: “To begin with, I turn back time. I reverse it to that quaint period, the thirties, when the huge middle class of America was matriculating in a school for the blind. Their eyes had failed them, or they had failed their eyes, and so they were having their fingers pressed forcibly down on the fiery Braille alphabet of a dissolving economy” (Williams 282). This soliloquy establishes a present Tom reflecting on a past time with a particularly high degree of pessimism. He speaks of the time period being in the 1930s during an unspecified transitional period in American history which may be referring to the “New Deal.” In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented this program of reform legislation to overcome the crisis of the depression by stabilizing the economic system of capitalism and minimizing the growth of rebellion within the United States (Zinn, People’s 392). The “New Deal” was basically an allotment of programs such as the National Recovery Act which “was designed to take control of 2007-12-27T04:20:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Glass-Menagerie-Anti-Capitalism-Tennessee-Williams-33480.aspx This is a comparison between Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front and Timothy Findley's The Wars on the theme of war/realities of war. GR 12 course essay. Hope this helps Thesis: War dehumanizes us, where we become like animals in order to survive, which leads to our destruction. The theme of war is a clear aspect in both The Wars and All Quiet on the Western Front. Significantly, these two novels are based on World War I, however each tells a story from different sides of the battlefield. On one hand, The Wars written by Timothy Findlay, focuses on the protagonist Robert Ross, a Canadian soldier who joins the war for the Allies after his sister’s death as a way of isolating himself, and on the other hand, we have All Quiet on the Western Front, written by Erich Maria Remarque, in which the story is told by Paul Bäumer, a German soldier who has been convinced by his misguided teacher to volunteers for war as a courageous act. War dehumanizes us, where we become like animals in order to survive, which leads to our destruction. What this means is that war takes all our feelings and moral values thus replacing it with just instincts like an animal to survive. But in the end life becomes difficult to cope with therefore leads to our destruction. An aspect that touches both these novels is about a generation of “men who were destroyed by war” (Wagner 12) even though they escaped its shells. Findley and Remarque both imply that they do not want to tell us about the war experiences of young people, at least not solely, but rather the destructive impact it has on a soldier; such as the inability of young people to successfully cope with their life after war. Remarque uses his war experiences to justify his own lack of professional success after the war, his inability to choose a solid career, and particularly his initial lack of success as a writer immediately following the war years (Wagner 12). There is no doubt that an entire generation ruined by war and unable to function contribute to the book’s success. Many readers were readily able to identify with the novel’s heroes and found a readymade justification for their own inability 2007-12-20T07:36:58-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-vs-The-Wars-theme-war-33476.aspx summary The play is set in Salem, Massachusetts, 1692; the government is a theocracy—rule by God through religious officials. Hard work and church consume the majority of a Salem resident’s time. Within the community, there are simmering disputes over land. Matters of boundaries and deeds are a source of constant, bitter disagreements. As the play opens, Reverend Parris kneels in prayer in front of his daughter’s bed. Ten-year-old Betty Parris lies in an unmoving, unresponsive state. Parris is a grim, stern man suffering from paranoia. He believes that the members of his congregation should not lift a finger during religious services without his permission. The rumor that Betty is the victim of witchcraft is running rampant in Salem, and a crowd has gathered in Parris’s parlor. Parris has sent for Reverend John Hale of Beverly, an expert on witchcraft, to determine whether Betty is indeed bewitched. Parris berates his niece, Abigail Williams, because he discovered her, Betty, and several other girls dancing in the forest in the middle of the night with his slave, Tituba. Tituba was intoning unintelligible words and waving her arms over a fire, and Parris thought he spotted someone running naked through the trees. Abigail denies that she and the girls engaged in witchcraft. She states that Betty merely fainted from shock when her father caught them dancing. Parris fears that his enemies will use the scandal to drive him out of his ministerial office. He asks Abigail if her name and reputation are truly unimpeachable. Elizabeth Proctor, a local woman who once employed Abigail at her home but subsequently fired her, has stopped attending church regularly. There are rumors that Elizabeth does not want to sit so close to a soiled woman. Abigail denies any wrongdoing and asserts that Elizabeth hates her because she would not work like a slave. Parris asks why no other family has hired Abigail if Elizabeth is a liar. Abigail insinuates that Parris is only worried about her employment status because he begrudges her upkeep. Thomas Putnam and his wife enter the room. Putnam holds one of the play’s many simmering grudges. His brother-in-law was a candidate for the Salem ministry, but a small faction thwarted his relative’s aspirations. Mrs. Putnam reports that their own daughter, Ruth, is as listless as Betty, and she claims that someone saw Betty flying over a neighbor’s barn. Mrs. Putnam had seven babies that each died within a day 2007-12-09T17:39:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-and-Analysis-of-the-Crucible-33461.aspx Who is Mary Warren? Is she just a servant in the Procter household….or is she more? I see Mary Warren as a pawn, a child and she is very naïve. Are you looking a little harder? Do you see more aspects or Mary Warren than you did before? Let us now take a closer look at this character…. Mary Warren was hired to the Procter household by Elizabeth Procter after she caught Abigail Williams (their old servant) in the midst of an affair with her husband, John Procter. Abigail Williams still wants to be with John however, and is using everyone around her to get what she wants. An excellent display of Abigail’s selfish use of Mary Warren is when she puts a needle into a doll Mary makes; After Mary Warren makes a doll in court one day, she gives it to Elizabeth Procter, not knowing that Abigail secretly stuck a needle into its belly. Later this end up being ‘proof’ that Elizabeth Procter was practicing witchcraft when Ezekiel Cheever finds the doll in the Procter household in Act II, and exclaims to everyone, “The girl, the Williams girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat down to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without a word nor warnin’ she falls to the floor. Struck like a beast he says, and screamed that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes to save her and stuck in the flesh of her belly, he draws a needle out. And demandin’ of her how she came to be so stabbed, she testify were your wife's familiar spirit pushed it in” (Miller 70) and, “’Tis hard proof! I find here a poppet Goody Procter Goody Procter keeps. I have found it Sir. And in the belly of the poppet a needle’s stuck” (Miller 71). Abigail Williams is trying to make it look like after Mary Warren gave the poppet to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth then used it as a voodoo doll against her (Abigail) - Mary is merely a pawn in Abigail’s quest to rid herself of Elizabeth Procter. Later in Act II, Mary goes to court to testify against Abigail and the girls but the whole time Mary is trying to present her case they make it look like Mary Warren is sending her spirit at them by 2007-12-09T17:38:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Who-is-Mary-Warren--33460.aspx People will do almost anything in desperate times- Break promises, lie, cheat, steal…. But Abigail Williams takes the cake as far as reckless actions in desperate times when she sticks a needle into herself to try and frame Elizabeth Procter as a witch. Abigail Williams needs attention so badly that she will go as far as self mutilation, among many other disturbing acts, against anyone who gets in her way towards that goal of attention and whatever else she has her mind set on. Abigail Williams and John Procter had a secret affair long before the mess of the Witch Trials began. In fact; their affair is what began Abigail’s hunt for revenge on Procter. John and Abigail were caught by Elizabeth Procter in the midst of their affair; now however, Abigail wishes to continue their affair but John refuses, understanding that what he did was wrong. Abigail now wishes to seek revenge and take Elizabeth Procter completely out of the picture- it can be seen that she is willing to do just about anything to achieve this throughout Act II. The amount of risk she takes and the amount of lies she tells to the entire town is extremely disconcerting. While in court one day, Mary Warren is sitting next to Abigail making a rag doll (also called a poppet) and Abigail inserts a needle into the stomach of this doll. Mary warren then proceeds to give the doll to Elizabeth Procter. Some days later, Abigail sits to have dinner with Reverend Parris and a needle is found in her stomach. Immediately Abigail accuses a Elizabeth Procter using the doll that Mary Warren had made and given to Elizabeth as evidence of what we now know as ‘voo-doo’. When Ezekiel Cheever comes to the Procter household to arrest Elizabeth, he finds the doll and the needle and explains to Elizabeth and John that, “The girl, the Williams girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat down to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without a word nor warnin’ she falls to the floor. Struck like a beast he says, and screamed that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes 2007-12-09T17:37:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Desperate-Times-The-crucible-33459.aspx A wife, a husband and a young servant with a dirty little secret with someone you wouldn’t expect; a secret love affair with the husband- John Procter- all behind the wife's- Elizabeth Procter- back. John Procter and Abigail Williams have been hiding their complex, secretive and dangerous relationship from the whole town since Abigail worked as a servant in the Procter household. John Procter and Abigail Williams relationship is extremely complex first and foremost. The relationship between these two dynamic characters goes much farther than just two people having a simple affair, partially because affairs are never simple. Another reason being that john Procter has a wife- Elizabeth Procter- and Abigail Williams is only an adolescent. Their affair all started when Abigail was working at the Procter household as a servant. John proctors lust for Abigail became too much and so they began their sordid affair. Somehow, Procter’s wife found out about their affair and she fired Abigail Williams. Now, Abigail Williams and john Procter meet again in the bedroom of Betty Parris where she lay in a coma like state since she was found dancing with other girls her age and Tituba, a black servant. Now, Procter is trying to let go of the relationship to save himself, but Abigail refuses to let it go, demanding that he still has feelings for her and he still sill com. Later, Abigail says, “I have a sense for heat, john, and yours has drawn me to my window, and I have seen you looking up, burning in your loneliness. Do you tell me you’ve never looked up at my window?” (Miller 21)!” And thus, he has looked up, which makes him quite unable to defend himself making the situation only more difficult. Procter says at one point, “Abby by I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched Abby” (Miller 22) causing Abigail to later exclaim, “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, 2007-12-09T17:37:05-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/John-Procter-and-Abigail-Williams-relationship-analysis-33458.aspx The Rocky Road to Happiness Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre captures the reader’s attention from start to finish because it appeals to our need to cheer for the underdog while prolonging the suspense of whether there really will be a happy ending for Jane, the title character. As each page is turned, the reader becomes more sympathetic with Jane’s unfortunate life and reads on, hoping against all hope, that something wonderful will happen that will finally give Jane happiness and security. Unfortunately, as each phase of her life unfolds, the reader fights back a despair that there ever will be a happily ever after for Jane. It is not until the last few chapters that we finally see Jane happy and at peace. “Jane Eyre was, and remains, an extraordinary phenomenon: a totally assured, provocative, and compelling piece of realist fiction” (Sanders 419). A large part of Jane Eyre’s intensity comes from Charlotte Bronte’s use of her past experiences to create a fictional character that has the reader sympathizing with and cheering on throughout the book: It was conceived as a whole and perfectly fused experience and invention: her childhood suffering at Cowan Bridge and the death of her sisters, her ordeals as a governess, and the testing experience of love, all found their place in it. Nothing that had deeply affected Charlotte was absent from the emotional content of Jane Eyre (Gerin 332-333). While it is ultimately a romance novel, requiring an emphasis on love and marriage, it also stresses the importance of independence as one of Jane’s dominating qualities (Sanders 420). “In a sense, Jane Eyre is the first modern novel, the first to envelop the life of a plain, ordinary woman with romance” (Sampson 639). It is also credited as being the first novel that allows the female character freedom to “feel and to speak as she feels” (Sampson 639). Jane’s life is shared with the reader beginning when Jane is a young girl, allowing us to understand how Jane is shaped and develops into the young woman she becomes because of the circumstances she encounters (Clarke 1). It is not hard to immediately feel sympathy for the poor orphan who is frequently maligned and constantly reminded while living at Gateshead Hall that she is dependent upon her aunt, Mrs. Reed. As her cousin, John, tells her “you are a dependent…you have 2007-12-06T04:30:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jane-Eyre-by-Charlotte-Bronte-s-33456.aspx a aaa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 2007-12-02T19:35:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/tkm--33449.aspx The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is a controversial one. There are people who believe the book is racist due to the use of the word nigger, and some of the situations in the book. While others believe that it is the story of a black man, and a white boy coming to friendship, and is not racist at all. But if you take time to read this book through and through, then you will find that the book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is not racist. This novel may have some scenes in it that seem like a racist situation. Such as the use of the word nigger. This word was used to address black people, it was not a derogatory term, but just another way of saying black. Over the years it may have changed and now has a different meaning, but during times of slavery, it did not mean anything but black. This novel was written in a time period where it would be the normal thing to treat blacks badly, and if the white people did not treat them with disrespect then society would look down upon them. Huck, who is a young white boy, who has run away with Jim, can relate to him, and actually helped him out. Which was not a normal characteristic of behavior for whites towards blacks during this time period. At first Huck had his doubts about helping Jim to freedom with him, because he knew he would be in a lot of trouble if anybody caught him with Jim. You could have been punished helping a black man escape from his owner, it was illegal, but Huck still helped Jim knowing the consequences. When Huck and Jim are about to embark on their journey together, Jim tells Huck he has run away. “People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum-but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t a-going to tell.” (50) This was a statement made by Huck, telling Jim that he would not tell on him for running away. If Huck Finn and this novel were truly racist, Jim would have been turned in right there and then. And Huck would have never even thought about helping him. If The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 2007-11-27T20:45:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Adventures-of-Huckleberry-Finn-a-Controversial-Book-33444.aspx Racism is an issue that has been around for a very long time. From way back to the time of the Egyptians and Hebrews, to the Middle Passage, to right up until the American Civil War, slavery has existed, and we still feel the effects of it today. Mark Twain wrote a controversial book about slavery and racism, called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Many believe that it is racist, but, after further examination, the book is the opposite. When the book starts out, the character Jim does seem to be portrayed from a racist vies, but as the story goes on, he is shown to be more complex and round. The King and the Duke, who are the antagonists of the novel and are kind of flat, but they are disliked and racist. A racist author would most likely have made the antagonists anti-racist. Huck, as well, was not really racist and a racist author would have made the protagonist racist. Despite the fact that Mark Twain was alive during a time when racism and slavery were common, events and dialogue in his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn suggest that he was not racist and he disagree with slavery. Jim starts off as the stereotypical, lying superstition, foolish black slave. Twain paints the picture of a superstitious slave when he writes about Tom and Huck tricking Jim into thinking he was “ridden by witches” by moving his hat while he was asleep: “Jim was monstrous proud about it, and he got so he wouldn’t hardly notice the other niggers… Jim always kept that five-center piece round his neck with a string and that it was a charm the devil gave him…” (16). However, as the story progresses, Twain shows the reader that blacks are not inferior. He shows that Jim is kind and caring after losing Huck in the fog: “…is dat you Huck?... It’s too good for true, honey… de same ole Huck, thanks to goodness!” (87). In that same scene, Jim figures out that Huck tricked him and scolds him: “…I’s so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin’ ‘bout wuz how you could make a fool uv old Jim wid a lie. Dat truck duh is trash; en trash is what people is 2007-11-26T20:54:15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-in-The-Adventures-of-Huckleberry-Finn-33443.aspx Throughout Mark Twain’s Novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there have been many examples of Mark Twain being a racist with his constant degrading of Jim’s character and his incessant use of the word “Nigger”. He also illustrates Jim to be very gullible with the way he believes in many superstitions. As the novel progresses however, twain brings the status of Jim’s character higher and closer to the status of whites. In the end of the novel, Twain finally shows that black should be given their freedom thus proving that Twain was not a racist. In Jim’s first appearance in the beginning of the novel, Huck and Tom snuck out at night and are hiding from the “night watchman,” Jim. Jim asks “who goes there” and falls asleep, thus proving that Jim the “typical nigger” is lazy and is an example of how Twain degraded Jim. Another way Jim was degraded in the beginning of the novel was his language use. Jim uses very poor English, so poor that it is quite difficult to read and comprehend. Jim also tells Huck about the time when he was captured and taken to New Orleans by a bunch of witches. These are examples of the degrading of Jim and showing how ignorant and gullible he is. Right when one thinks that Jim is so ignorant and uneducated Twain introduces a worse character by the name of Pap. Pap is portrayed as a sort of useless character, in the sense that he has no life, no education and is more ignorant than Jim. Pap is also the father of Huck which means he is white. When the one reads about the character of Pap, one realizes that that’s how educated people were at the time. As a result, Jim’s status as a character, a black man, is raised higher than Pap, a white man. When Huck and Jim decide they must leave Miss Watson and Pap and runaway, Twain writes about how Jim has a dream on how to save his family. He thinks that if he reaches the free side of the Ohio River, than he will work for enough money to free his wife. After 2007-11-26T20:52:39-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mark-Twain-s-Novel-Racist-33442.aspx The book, Huckleberry Finn, explores the ideas of racism and slavery through the eyes of a young white boy during slave times. Throughout the book, Huck is confronted with people and ideas that force him to question the morals with which he was raised. Twain expresses his anti-slavery views through the use of satire, to show how slavery is wrong, and through Huck’s search for a moral truth to demonstrate the need to question existing societal values. Huck learns to question his values based on events that occur as a result of his friendship with Jim. An example of these conflicts occurs when Huck is confronted by runaway slave catchers. He is forced to decide whether turning Jim in is the right thing to do. The law tells him that he must betray his friend, but his conscience tells him to question this law. He chooses, as he does many other times in the book, to continue helping Jim to obtain his freedom despite the fact that it seems immoral to him. He is driven by his friendship with Jim to challenge the rules of morality in his society. Clearly Twain is using Huck’s choices in these circumstances to express what he thinks about slavery. He shows how societal values are incorrect in this case. If one thinks for themselves they will realize that slavery is wrong and that it is every human’s duty to continue to question the status quo when matters of conscience are involved. Another time Twain demonstrates the immorality of slavery is during Huck’s moral crisis after Jim is recaptured. The friendship between the two proves to be more important to Huck than his moral system. “All right then, I’ll go to hell.” (207) Huck decides that he would prefer to suffer extreme consequences rather than desert his friend. The idea is very clear that, although Huck has no problem with slavery, he considers Jim his equal and a friend. Twain is trying to convey those ideas of equality trough Huck’s actions and thoughts. Huck converses with Jim as if Jim was a parental figure. Jim proves himself to be Huck’s caretaker when he refuses to let 2007-11-26T20:51:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-in-Huckleberry-finn--33441.aspx The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a satirical novel written by Mark Twain that exhibits Twain’s views on racism and slavery. The book is set in the deep South during the pre-Civil War era of slavery, about 1835 to 1845, and it tells the story of Huck, who is running away from his abusive father, and Jim, who is running away from his owner so he wouldn’t be sold, traveling to the free states of the North. As they ventures together through the Mississippi river in their raft, Jim and Huck encounter many people and experience many events, each of them bearing a lesson about the fallacy of racism and slavery. Huck starts the novel as someone who is indifferent to slavery, but as the novel progresses, Huck matures and gains a more moral view towards blacks, who were constantly discriminated against by others during the time. Twain’s opposition of slavery and racism is very evident in Huck’s metamorphosis, and the various events that occur throughout the novel. The novel’s protagonist is Huck, but along with Huck is Jim. Jim is a slave that is owned by Mrs. Watson, and he runs away from Mrs. Watson to prevent being sold and separated from his family. In the beginning of the novel, Jim appears to be a one-toned, stereotypical black male, but as the novel continues, Twain reveals the multi-dimensional characteristics of Jim and uses them to demonstrate the hypocritical view that society has towards blacks. The first impression that one gets of Jim is that he’s an illiterate, stupid, superstitious, poorly-spoken “nigger”. Jim believes in many weird, superstitious things for example, “Jim had a hair-ball as big as your fist, which had been took out of the fourth stomach of an ox, and he used to do magic with it. He said there was a spirit inside of it, and it knowed everything (P. 16).” The events that Huck and Jim go through together contradict many of the impressions that these traits donate to Jim. Huck and Jim meet each other on Jackson’s island, and decide to escape from the town, St. Petersburg, and head to the free states. Huck, in the canoe, gets separated from Jim during a foggy night, but eventually, Huck finds his way back to the raft. Jim wakes up as Huck gets 2007-11-26T20:50:12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Satrical-Huckleberry-Finn-33440.aspx Running head: WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO HELP When People Want to Help Wilson Burgos Aroca Universidad Surcolombiana When People Want to Help There are certain periods of life in which we have to face difficulties and traumas. We experience suffering in such a way that our hopes, life projects and dreams become extinct. Sometimes, life problems are too difficult to be overcome by only ourselves. Thus, we need the external help of others and the values they can project towards us in order to triumph over life obstacles. Through their actions, their words, their advice and their receptivity to our troubles, people play an important role when they want to help us. Push, a novel written by Sapphire in 1996, illustrates the condition of African Americans living in Harlem in the 1980’s and the suffering of a girl, Claireece Precious Jones, who experienced sexual harassment, committed twice by her own father, having as a result two children by him “He has forgot he is the Original Man! So he fuck me, fuck me, beat me, have a chile by me” [34]. Considering the cruelty of the act itself, which is also reflected in the language the novel has, Precious could overcome this trauma and did not end up committing suicide or being a dangerous criminal. The question that arises now is related to how Precious overcame her own difficulty and did not take the wrong way. The answer must be related to what the author of the novel expressed in an interview. Sapphire (1996) mentions that “we [women] are taught to be very laid-back and passive, but if we are to survive, if we are to move forward, we have to have that pushing energy.” As a consquence, the role of people that surrounded Precious and their interest to help her to overcome her trauma, including her own strength to change her negative points of view about life, made Precious become a woman with hopes, dreams and a high self-esteem. In the novel, there are people who are willing to help Precious. The role of professor Rain, the signs of love and motivation towards Precious’s children, the solidarity, receptivity and cooperation of Precious’s classmates, the powerful ideas of Langston Hughes and Alice Walker; and her own strength are the positive influences Precious had to be a living and visible being again. 2007-11-23T19:43:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/PUSH-BY-SAPPHIRE-33434.aspx In the novel "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers, a common theme is the use of God. It appears when Perry becomes scared and turns to him. He asks Brew if he can use his bible to look up the Lords Prayer. When Perry is in the midst of danger, he commonly says phrases such as, "Lord have mercy" or, "Oh God." Other times, he turns away from God, saying that it is not his time to die. The use of God also appears when someone dies, and all of the soldiers recite the prayer of the angels warriors. When praying for Private Jenkins in chapter 4, they pray the prayer that goes like this, "Lord, let us feel pity for Private Jenkins, and sorrow for ourselves, 2007-11-16T20:58:11-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/God-in-Fallen-Angels--33424.aspx How many times have we all thought about getting away from it all? The mounting bills, traffic jams, needy co-workers, it all seems to just mount up and consume our lives. We think that it would be so easy to just get away from all of this and live a simple life far-removed from our modern “conveniences”. Henry David Thoreau put this thought into action. In Walden we are transported to his escape. He removes himself almost totally from society and reflects on what his life is and what it will become. He embraces the challenge of relying on himself for guidance. It is through his account of his time on Walden Pond that we see the work of a great Romantic writer through his self reliance, portrayal of nature as a reflection of human emotions, and discovery of what is important by simplification. Thoreau’s retreat into the solitude is a solitary journey in which he relies totally on himself for all of his basic needs. He does not look to others or an established society to provide him with sustenance. It is through this self-reliance and willingness to live in concert with nature that we see a fundamental theme of the Romantic Movement. He builds his own house and constructs his own lifestyle independent of anyone where he can begin his own spiritual and intellectual journey. Through his self-reliant journey we also see the simplification of Thoreau’s life. He has removed from himself from the society in an effort to “live deliberately” and simplify his journey from the extraneous distractions present times. It is through this separation that he discovers how little “work” is actually needed to sustain life. He is able to totally devote himself to spiritual and emotional growth With his primitive needs met and an abundance of “free” time Thoreau has an opportunity to see nature as a reflection of man’s emotions. The weather is a constant reflection of his emotional state. His self-doubt and melancholy thoughts manifest themselves during the frozen winter months and his joyous points of reflection come with the thawing of the pond. Through this close connection with nature Thoreau embodies the Romantic ideal that man is not separate from nature, but closely connected. Living a self-sustaining, simplified life Thoreau is able to see nature as a reflection of human 2007-11-14T14:11:20-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Walden’s-Challenge-and-Revelations-33422.aspx Throughout history man’s view of the world has constantly evolved. During the formation of America this is made evident when the 17th century Puritan idealism is confronted with 18th century enlightenment thought. This collision of ideas would spark a change and a new age in America as she attempted to come to grips with social and religious change. Puritans had long held to the belief that the world and its creation could be understood through strict interpretation of the Bible. Any outside theory or attempt to expound on what was written was blasphemous. They saw no need for scientific inference into the detail, but called on their faithfully to blindly accept the word as truth. With the enlightenment scientists sought to find reason and explain why things were created and how they worked together. They saw the universe as a neatly ordered system that begged to be discovered and explained. They refused to rely solely on faith as a reason for believing, but sought tangible evidence to justify a belief. The very humanity of man was also called into question during this period. Puritan thinking of the time gave man’s existence no value without the “light of God”. They believed that no good may come from straying away from the strict constraints of Puritanical society. Deists saw man as innately good. Through Benjamin Franklin’s writings we can see the faith in the natural goodness of man. He credited this goodness to natural human behavior as opposed to a required deep spiritual relationship. Deist and Puritans also differed on their approach at proclaiming their ideas and spreading their views. Puritan missionaries forcibly would assault those with differing views. This brow beating caused resentment in those that failed to see the error of their sinful ways. Enlightened thought at the time sought to disperse their message in more passive and informative ways. They would share their knowledge through various publications and let the science and reason of their arguments draw converts to their side of the argument. While these contrasting lines of thought would seem to be evidence of a nation on the brink of deterioration, they helped for a universal acceptance of differing philosophical beliefs. It would seem that in a battle of ideas the spread of knowledge and thought is increased allowing a hungry populace 2007-11-14T14:07:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Puritan-Idealism-vs_-Enlightened-Thinking-33420.aspx A priceless vase or sculpture does not begin as such, but must be formed from a lump of clay. An artist must take great care to shape and mold the characteristics that will define its future beauty and eliminate those blemishes that detract from its value. This is similar to the formation of America. While raw in its beginning it was at the mercy of its first inhabitants to mold it into a useful vessel. Taking great care to hone and shape positive characteristics and removing those that were not for the good of the creation. Through Crevecoeur’s eyes we see a country beginning to take shape embracing religious tolerance, offering opportunities to those citizens forgotten in other cultures, and struggling with its own definition of social classifications. Crevecoeur is taken aback by the relaxed way that Americans deal with religious dogma in a new environment. While many nations were bound to strict state sanctioned religious observances where deviation was not only frowned upon, but legislated against. America was an experiment in tolerance. Cities and dwellings were no longer divided by religious lines. Many religions even shared a common house of worship. Most shocking was the lack of emphasis on same-faith marriage. Crevecoeur believed that this acceptance would eventually lead to the disillusion of religious emphasis all together. This evaporation of religious boundaries, in his mind, would further solidify the nation. The open-door policy that America embraced brought many who had lost hope in the economic and political structure of modern society. Those encumbered by a strict social class were handcuffed to an impoverished living with little chance to achieve more. The promise of America brought hope and opportunity. Unburdened of the social structure that limited financial and social growth new citizens were free to explore economic and social avenues that would not otherwise be available. America offered the promise of a place for men to become men no longer “useless plants” dependant upon the government for sustenance and value. With all of the promises that America brought they still struggled with social class distinctions. The cities and towns in the south were bustling centers of commerce, but the dark cloud of slavery hung over every celebration. The wealth enjoyed by so many was built upon the backs of slaves. 2007-11-14T14:02:23-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Crevecoeur’s-Impressions-of-America-33418.aspx After a long day at work or in the classroom we all seek the comforts of home. It is here that we can finally relax and release all of the days stresses and frustrations. We are no longer forced to conform to society’s expectations of appearance or thought. Clothing no longer becomes a necessity and we may express our views and opinions about events with little regard to censorship regulations. Our home provides us with a place of quiet reflection so that we may reflect on the day’s events and our life in general. Our home parallels the refuge that the raft provides Huck and Jim. On the raft Huck was not a boy in need of “sivilization” and Jim was not the property of another man. They were both free spirits and best friends. It is also through this isolation from outside influences that Huck grows as a person and develops his own interpretation of right and wrong. This freedom from social expectations and reality was interrupted many times on their journey by stops along the shore. These breaks provide Huck with perspective on his life and what moral stances he will allow to govern his existence. One of the early trips to the shore find Huck dressed as a woman in order to sneak into town and see what news he can learn of he and Jim’s disappearance. He discovers that Jim is wanted for his murder and that there is a substantial reward for his capture. Huck makes an instinctual decision to protect Jim by quickly retreating with him to their raft. The raft provides a refuge from their pursuers, but also allows us to see the dichotomy of life on the raft and life in town. Huck does not view Jim as a piece of property to be owned by another man. He has begun to see Jim as an actual human capable of feelings and emotions like himself. On the raft he is able to struggle with his own views of Jim as a person and societies interpretation of his position. After an unfortunate collision with a steamboat Huck and Jim are separated and Huck adopts a new identity of an orphan named George Jackson. He is taken in by the Grangerford family and settles into life on a 2007-11-14T14:00:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Life-on-the-Raft-and-the-Evolution-of-Huck-33417.aspx The small village of people gathers at 10 a.m. on June 27 in the square between the post office and the bank for the annual lottery. A bright sun is shining down on fragrant flowers and green lawns while all the villagers await the arrival of Mr. Summers and the black wooden box from which everyone is to draw a folded slip of paper. The older people chat while children play a game in which they gather stones. Whoever draws the slip of paper with the black dot on it will be the winner so to say of the lottery. .......Over the years, the lottery rules and trappings stayed the same except for some small changes: the wood chips were replaced by the slips of paper, and ritual chants and salutes preceding the drawing were eliminated. No one in the square knows why or how the lottery began. All they know is that it is a tradition and not one that they are not willing to abandon. After Mr. Summers shows up with the black box, he sets it down and prepares for the drawing. A housewife, Tessie Hutchinson, arrives late, telling Mrs. Delacroix that she “Clean forgot what day it was” until she noticed that her children had left her house and remembered it was the day of the lottery. .......Each of the townspeople draws a folded slip of paper but does not open it until everyone has drawn. When the big moment arrives, it is Tessie Hutchinson who has the paper with the black dot. Everyone then closes in on her, picks up rocks-the “proceeds” of the lottery and stones her to death. The short story, “The Lottery” has 11 basic main characters. The Adam’s are both people that like to question the ritual of the lottery. Mrs. Delacroix was the first person Tessie talked to when she arrived late to the lottery. Mrs. Janey Dunbar had to draw the slip of paper for her husband because he was at home with a broken leg. Mr. and Mrs. Graves are two of the most powerful and accepting villagers about the lottery. Bill Hutchinson is an accepting person when it comes to the lottery. He is almost enjoying it, he tells his wife to “shut up” when she questions the ritual of the lottery. Tessie Hutchinson, the most important roll in the story, was the person 2007-11-14T13:46:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Critique-of-the-The-Lottery-s-Cangemi-33416.aspx Themes and Symbols in "The Lottery" By Shirley Jackson The story entitled “The Lottery,” written by Shirley Jackson is an intriguing and shocking parable. “The Lottery” is set in a small village on a clear summer day. Written in objective third person point of view, “The Lottery” keeps the reader in suspense as the story progresses. The story begins June 27th on a “clear and sunny…full-summer day.” From the very beginning, irony occurs in the story. The author describes the day as “clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.” To describe such a beautiful day when the ending is so ill fated, is very ironic. The villagers, all three hundred of them, gather in the square. There is a feeling of excitement and relative normalcy as the people talk of their everyday happenings. The lottery is conducted by Mr. Summers, as he is the one that directs the “civic activities” of the town. The night before the lottery, all of the families have their names placed in a black box. The day of the lottery, Mr. Summers has each head of family draw a slip of paper from the box. When each family has selected a slip, they all open the papers together. The Hutchinson’s are the “winners.” The process then repeats but this time, each family member must put their name in the black box. This is where the climax occurs. Everyone waits expectantly for the final outcome to the lottery. As each slip is opened, the suspense builds and the villagers wait expectantly for the black spot that would signify the “winner.” At the conclusion of the story, Mrs. Hutchinson is the “winner,” and as her prize the citizens of the village stone her to death. The conclusion to “The Lottery” is another irony. Mrs. Hutchinson was the last to arrive at the square because she had forgotten what day it was. It is satirical that she, the “winner,” almost did not make it to the lottery. Another example of irony at this time is when “voices…across the crowd said, ‘Bill she made it after all,” when in the end, she did not “make it.” A bit of foreshadowing also occurs between the climax and ending. When Mrs. Hutchinson arrives late, she makes her way through the crowd and “She tapped Mrs. Delacroix 2007-11-14T13:29:23-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Criticism-of-The-Lottery-by-Shirley-Jackson-33414.aspx Kite Runner and Thousand Splendid Suns, the Reality and the Difference The readers have seen the lives of the characters in the novels, The Kite Runner and Thousand Splendid Suns change in a flash, leaving what once apart of their daily routines just a memory. Violence did play a role in the dramatic changes in the lives of Amir, Hassan, Baba, and Ali from the Kite Runner. In Thousand Splendid Suns violence played a more active role in the events of the story and also to outcome of the book because the fighting determined who was still alive or not. The married couples lived two different life styles, Rasheed and Mariam involved in fighting and turmoil, Amir and Soroya, a loving relationship that was meant forever. The anger towards the Soviets by the Afghan people and the excitement of the Russians leaving Afghanistan is clearly expressed in both novels. In the Kite Runner, Amir is best friends to death with Hassan. They played together and flew kites. Even more important Hassan was a servant who accepted that Amir went to school and he cleaned the house instead of going to school. Amir was such a good friend to Hassan that when he was in need of help, Amir just watched the bullies led by Assef rape Hassan. He felt so bad that one day he asked Baba “can we get rid of Hassan” which was completely out of the realm of the normal topics. Amir had let down his friend, and then to complete his wish Amir framed Hassan by making it look like theft had been committed. Rasheed and Mariam were married by arrangement. They were a very happy couple for a while, and then a ways down the road Rasheed became abusive and angry with his wife because nothing could please him anymore. Mariam had a friend Laila who was in the house quite a bit, knew what was going on and was a friend by allowing the violence to continue. Rasheed continued to pound on Mariam until one day she picked up a shovel, killed her husband and ended being publicly executed. All could have been saved by just making a move to be a true friend. Between the novels, the kind of friends Amir and Laila were. I’m there when were having fun, but when you’re in crisis your alone. Amir’s marriage to Soroya was arranged by 2007-11-11T20:40:17-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Kite-Runner,-Thousand-Splendid-Suns-33412.aspx In the play Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, there are many key and issues. Some of these themes are the power of love, and all of its different forms, the inevitability of fate, and the battle between social constraints and personal desires. Shakespeare shows the power of love, and how love is not always peaceful, but can blind people nearly as much as strong hate. Shakespeare also shows how many people will judge people on their outer identity, such as a name, and not see their inner identity. This essay will now explore these key themes and issues. Romeo and Juliet is considered as one of the most famous love stories ever written. Naturally, love, and all of its different forms, becomes a major theme in the play. They play begins with Romeo being very depressed and despondent. He feels this way because he thinks that he is in love with a girl called Rosaline. Romeo was not experiencing true love, however, as he believed, but in fact was experiencing unrequited love. This love is a love of ideals, rather than a love of something real. Romeo does not love Rosaline for her personality, but for her role in society. Another example of the many different forms of love is the brotherly love that is felt between Romeo and his friends and kinsmen. There are many examples of how this love is powerful enough to make people risk their lives to try and save the life of others. This power of this love is also shown when Mercutio dies and Romeo seeks revenge. Romeo’s love for Mercutio is so strong that when Mercutio is killed, Romeo is willing to condemn himself to death to seek revenge. The extreme power and of love is shown between Romeo and Juliet. The love that these two experience is a violent, ecstatic, overpowering force that supersedes all other values, loyalties, and emotions. Romeo and Juliet feel an intense passion at the first sight of each other, so much so that they kiss before even learning each other’s names. When they do discover that they both belong to two feuding families, they are unable to stop themselves falling evermore deeply in love. This is shown when Juliet says, “My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late!” (Act I, Scene V). The love that they experience 2007-11-11T06:26:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Romeo-and-Juliet-Themes--33406.aspx On 22 September 1979, sometime around 3:00am local time, a US Atomic Energy Detection System satellite recorded a pattern of intense flashes in a remote portion of the Indian Ocean. Moments later an unusual, fast-moving ionospheric disturbance was detected by the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, and at about the same time a distant, muffled thud was overheard by the US Navy's undersea Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS). Evidently something violent and explosive had transpired in the ocean off the southern tip of Africa. Examination of the data gathered by satellite Vela 6911 strongly suggested that the cause of these disturbances was a nuclear device. The pattern of flashes exactly matched that of prior nuclear detections, and no other phenomenon was known to produce the same millisecond-scale signature. Unfortunately, US intelligence agencies were uncertain who was responsible for the detonation, and the US government was conspicuously reluctant to acknowledge it at all.On 22 September 1979, sometime around 3:00am local time, a US Atomic Energy Detection System satellite recorded a pattern of intense flashes in a remote portion of the Indian Ocean. Moments later an unusual, fast-moving ionospheric disturbance was detected by the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, and at about the same time a distant, muffled thud was overheard by the US Navy's undersea Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS). Evidently something violent and explosive had transpired in the ocean off the southern tip of Africa. Examination of the data gathered by satellite Vela 6911 strongly suggested that the cause of these disturbances was a nuclear device. The pattern of flashes exactly matched that of prior nuclear detections, and no other phenomenon was known to produce the same millisecond-scale signature. Unfortunately, US intelligence agencies were uncertain who was responsible for the detonation, and the US government was conspicuously reluctant to acknowledge it at all.On 22 September 1979, sometime around 3:00am local time, a US Atomic Energy Detection System satellite recorded a pattern of intense flashes in a remote portion of the Indian Ocean. Moments later an unusual, fast-moving ionospheric disturbance was detected by the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, and at about the same time a distant, muffled thud was overheard by the US Navy's undersea Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS). Evidently something violent and explosive had transpired in the ocean off the southern tip of Africa. Examination of the data gathered by satellite Vela 6911 strongly suggested that the cause of these disturbances was a nuclear 2007-11-05T16:30:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakspearian-Roman-Literature-Essay-33394.aspx How can we as a society differentiate what is to be deemed morally wrong, biblically sinful, or passionately blissful? No matter what we decide for our own predicaments, it is of no place for our peers or community to make the choice for us. Everyday through radio, magazines, and television, we hear of scandals and celebrity breakups- gossip about other people’s lives, none of which pertains to our own. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne created many characters, all of which went through this very suffering, but carried out their situations in a variety of ways. The characters in the novel, Hester Prynne; the father of her illegitimate child, Reverend Mr. Arthur Dimmesdale; and Mistress Prynne’s estranged husband, Roger Chillingworth, live their Puritan lifestyle while being persecuted tremendously. One of these characters was publicly humiliated to be set an example of and as given punishment. Another spent years with a pain, self-inflicted, from having to bear the guilt and shame of committing a “sinful” act with said mistress. And the third, unknowingly, self-destructed his body inside and out with the lust of getting revenge from the first two. Why must we do these things to not only ourselves, but to our neighbors as well? Does life really get to the point where we feel the need to drag others down with us? As they say, misery does love company. In the beginning of Hawthorne’s novel, he tells us of Hester Prynne, the protagonist of the story, and the life she has been living. Hester had been put in jail for committing adultery and was imprisoned along with her unborn child. She had been previously married to Roger Chillingworth, a man whom had yet to be seen by not only his wife, but also the entire town of Boston, in years. Because of his absence, no one could be sure if Chillingworth was dead or simply yet to return from Europe. To come from being married, to being left with out a companion as such, would be hard on the majority of people- breaking them down, leaving them yearning for even a decent adult conversation to hope for the least. Some would say that she was right in making a relationship to fill her loneliness; while others would argue in that not only her physical acts with 2007-11-01T00:31:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Psychological-and-Social-Consequences-of-Sin-of-Characters-33375.aspx The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was first published in 1818 amidst a world of changing views and religious uncertainty. Since this time, the story of Frankenstein and his monster has been appropriated numerous times by novelists and film-makers alike, each new version reflecting the values of an alternate context, the original text altered by the demands of changed cultural and contextual ideals. An appropriation of Frankenstein, Edward Scissorhands (1990) directed by Tim Burton, is a parody of middle-class America with contextual influences from the 1950s and late 1980s. Edward Scissorhands plays with the same notions of creation and idea of the monster or ‘outsider’ as in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, showing too a Gothic influence, especially through setting. The portrayal and role of women, however, varies significantly within these texts. As a result of the differing audience, context and purpose, the story of Edward Scissorhands shows alternative views of the key issues and concerns raised in the original Frankenstein novel. The notion of creation is something that has preoccupied the minds of humans since the beginning of time and just as the concept permeates the story of Frankenstein, the idea also lays ground to the story of Edward Scissorhands. Victor Frankenstein’s “fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature” and desire to have “A new species … bless me as its creator and source” shows evidence of the instability of the church and religion following the period of Enlightenment, where empirical reasoning was valued over spiritual beliefs. As the wife of a Romantic poet, Mary Shelley asserts a Romantic and hence negative view of Victor’s greedy intentions to usurp the power of God in the divine power of creation and the giving of life. Relevant in the late 1980s and early 1990s, at the time of production of Edward Scissorhands, because of increased interest in the area of cloning, the notion of creation was of greater fascination as a technological advancement as reliance on scientific thought and practice continued to be widespread. In Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, the archetypal mad scientist and inventor, played by Vincent Price, also endeavours to build a man. The story of the inventor who “created a man” is framed as a bedtime fairytale. His ventures to mechanically create life and the product of his experimentation are not seen, as they are in Frankenstein, to be horrifying and monstrous. However, similarly to Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s novel, 2007-10-23T10:17:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gothic-Genre-Edward-Scissorhand-and-Frankenstein-comparison-33361.aspx Manifested in many forms throughout society, alienation is representative of the incongruency of individualism in a society demanding conformity. These societal pressures cause a despairing sense of detachment between people, their world and their sense of self. The plight of man in a modern society as a result of the societal expectations of conformity is the primary concern of T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, while Gwen Harwood’s poem, “In the Park” similarly deals with the loss of human potential in a superficial world bounded by the constraints of society. W.H. Auden’s poem, “Miss Gee” deals too with the alienation of a woman who feels isolated as a result of her lack of meaningful relationships. Alienation as a result of the pressure individuals feel to conform to the ideals of their society leads to an inauthentic life characterised by flawed and superficial relationships. It is the ability of an individual to comprehend their isolation and estrangement that leads to the greatest sense of despair. The tragedy of T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is the persona’s awareness of his own inadequacies as he, alone in a room, reveals the inner thoughts and fears he is too inhibited to otherwise express. Eliot’s intertextual link to Dante’s “Inferno” in the epigraph frames the poem and acts as a parallel to the internal hell Prufrock experiences in his alienation from his superficial society and his own dreams. Prufrock’s insecurities stem from his own fear of rejection and feeling of inferiority, inspired by the “women com[ing] and go[ing], talking of Michelangelo” and other greats, can be recognised through his revelation that “I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be”. As a result of the emphasis on the superficial Prufrock feels judged and inadequate, shown by his paranoia he has of his aging appearance. The metaphorical insect pinned helplessly to a board, “pinned and wriggling on the wall”, is an apt description of Prufrock who feels trapped, tortured and paralysed by his craving for an intimacy he deems impossible with the woman he secretly fancies. The exotic imagery of Prufrock’s dreams only serve to alienate him further as “I have heard the mermaids singing… / but I do not think they will sing to me”. Symbolic of potential romance, unknown in Prufrock’s life because of his insecurities and fear of rejection, the mermaids’ rejection of him is verification 2007-10-23T10:15:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Alienation--33360.aspx Throughout Act III, the character of Othello in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, undergoes a huge transformation as he is manipulated by Iago. From the very beginning of the play, Othello is portrayed as a character of great nobility who, despite his race and comparative unfamiliarity with the language, is able to speak in flowing and eloquent speech using exotic and exulted language. Throughout the play however, Othello’s language deteriorates, along with his psychological state, as Iago exploits his insecurities. Iago’s influence on Othello’s state of being is evident in the change in Othello’s character as well as in his deterioration of language. During Act III, Othello becomes progressively more dependent on Iago and the way in which Iago has manipulated him becomes increasingly evident through Othello’s changing attitude and actions. Othello’s first doubt about his marriage comes as he questions “Why did I marry?” (Act III, Sc iii) and is evidence of his change in beliefs, having earlier being adamant that “Nor for mine own weak merits will I draw / The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt, / For she had eyes and chose me” (Act III Sc iii). The question, posed rhetorically, indicates Othello’s diminishing self-confidence and increasing feeling of regret and doubt. This change and declining confidence Othello has in himself and his marriage is the result of Iago’s constant undermining of Desdemona’s honesty and chastity, evident in his suggestive comments such as “She did deceive her father in marrying you”. This suggestion subtly implies to Othello that Desdemona has no qualms in defying her father and hence too, her husband. Othello’s mind becomes filled with feelings of doubt and jealousy, fuelled by Iago’s ability in exploiting his insecurities of being different and not being accepted because of his race. When Iago tells Othello that “In Venice they do let God see the pranks / They dare no show their husbands…” (Act III, Sc iii), it implies that Othello does not understand Venetian women, alienating him further. Othello’s mistrust of his wife is reflected when he recalls that “Her name, that was as fresh / As Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black / As mine own face” (Act III, Sc iii). The imagery of his speech is dark, the purity of Desdemona, suggested by the mythological allusion to the goddess of chastity, dirtied by the contrasting blackness of her supposed unfaithfulness. Othello is so convinced that later 2007-10-23T10:13:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Change-in-Othello-Act-III-33359.aspx A master of human psychology, the characterisation of Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello shows an intimate understanding of human nature in his deceptive and often villainous behaviour. Often considered as a most sinister and insidious villain, Shakespeare’s characterisation of Iago shows great understanding and insight into the complexities of human nature. This psychological insight into individuals allows for the effective exploration of the key thematic concerns of deception, manipulation and jealousy. The pertinent observations of humanity explored within Othello and the enduring nature of Iago’s characterisation within the exploration of these ideas ensure the play’s continued relevance. A cunning master of deception, Iago’s interactions with other characters highlights his profound understanding of humanity in his ability to perceive other individuals’ weaknesses and motivations. In this way, Iago’s ability to utilise his own strengths and cunning wit he is paradoxically able to exploit the weaknesses of others. Iago’s veracity and integrity of character, as perceived by numerous characters within the play in their repeated use of “honest Iago” to address him, is immediately undermined by his own admissions of dishonesty of character, in a soliloquy declaring that “When devils will the blackest sins put on, They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, As I do now…”. Diabolical imagery and images of darkness and sin are here contrasted with the purity of heaven, in this way exploring the theme of deception in Iago’s explanation of his own behaviour. The theme of deception is also employed in the characterisation of Iago, the duplicity of character built through classical allusion to the god of two faces, Iago swearing “by Janus!”. It is through this deception that Iago is able to inspire trust in other characters, allowing their thoughts to be infiltrated by his suggestions. In manipulating Roderigo to give him control of his finances, Iago appeals to Roderigo’s sense of simple logic. He uses gentle rhetoric, the repetition of “put money in thy purse” enough to convince Roderigo of his integrity. Through the interaction of Iago with other characters, his insight and understanding of others is notable by the way in which he is able to transform his appearance in order to appeal to different characters. Through the use of elaborate rhetoric and a deep understanding of Othello’s character, Iago is able to manipulate Othello and convince him of his wife’s unfaithfulness. Words are Iago’s choice in poison, using subtle suggestion and innuendo to instil jealousy 2007-10-23T10:12:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Characterisation-of-Iago-Shakespeare-s-Othello-33358.aspx A Doll’s House was a play written in 1879 by Henrik Ibsen. This was one of the first plays based on realism. At that time not many plays were written about the common people and realistic issues. A Doll’s House was written in prose. It is widely considered a landmark in the development of what soon became a highly prevalent genre of theatre—realism, which attempts to portray life accurately and avoids idealized visions of it. In A Doll’s House, Ibsen employs the themes and structures of classical tragedy while writing in prose about every day, unexceptional people. A Doll’s House also manifests Ibsen’s concern for women’s rights and for human rights in general. Ibsen was trying to put forward his views about feminism. He was the one who started the modern dramas. Coming back to realistic theatre, He wrote plays about the common people which comprises of the middle class. Earlier there were only two classes in the society- the aristocrats and the peasants but after the industrial revolution the emergence of the middle class took place. The middle class comprised of the working class. The play is based on the middle class in the 19th century. Nora Helmer is the main character of the play. Nora has never lived alone, going immediately from the care of her father to that of her husband. Inexperienced in the ways of the world as a result of this sheltering, Nora is impulsive and materialistic. However, the play questions the extent to which these are simple masks that Nora uses to go through the patriarchal oppression she faces every day. She has a different behaviour with different people. For instance, her behaviour with Krogstag is completely different from her husband, Torvald. At the beginning of A Doll’s House, Nora seems completely happy. She responds affectionately to Torvald’s teasing, speaks with excitement about the extra money his new job will provide, and takes pleasure in the company of her children and friends. She does not seem to mind her doll-like existence, in which she is coddled, pampered, and patronized. Nils Krogstag is the man from whom Nora borrows money to pay for trip to Italy and an employee at the bank with Torvald. Krogstad was involved in a work scandal many years previously; as a result, his name has been sullied and his career stunted. When his job at the bank is jeopardized 2007-09-09T14:05:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Doll-s-House-Act-1-Analysis-33326.aspx “I would have been happy bumming around until September but Dad called in a favor to get me in here. And at least I don't have to wear a uniform like my bud Wayne over at the Dairy Barn.... So I'm here under protest, a political prisoner of the capitalist overlord otherwise known as Dad.” This is 2007-09-08T23:47:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Acceleration-by-Graham-McNamee-33325.aspx Call of the Wild Literary Devices First, I will explain the Symbolism in the novel. The first thing that Jack London symbolizes in this book is Buck, He is betrayed by someone he trusts and enters a hard world, which 2007-09-02T14:17:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Call-of-the-Wild-by,-Jack-London-Literary-Devices-33321.aspx In the 16th century, Jews were discriminated against especially in England and Venice. Christians believed that the Jewish race was inferior to them and that Jews should not be accepted into their society. The following paragraphs will explore the sufferance of and discrimination against the Jews through Shylock’s speech in act one, scene three, lines 102 to 124. Firstly, the Jews are often ‘rated’ by Christians ‘in the Rialto, as seen from the first two lines of Shylock’s speech: “… many a time and oft/ In the Rialto you have rated me”. ‘Rated’, in this context, means to berate, or, in other words, to criticise. Shylock was probably reminded of this issue through the word ‘rate’ in his previous speech: “…… then let me see the rate”. Hence, we can see that the Jews are probably so constantly berated that this issue could create such an impact in Shylock’s mind. Also, Jews of that time were probably accustomed to stoical endurance, wearing it like a ‘badge’, as seen in line 106: “For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.” They are called names such as “misbeliever” and “cut-throat dog”, spit upon (“spit upon my Jewish gabardine”), and kicked (“foot me as you spurn a stranger cur”) by Christians. This shows that they have been suffering because they collect interest for the money they lend out, as seen from line 109: “all for use of that which is mine own.” This shows that Jews in Venice during the 16th century are abused mentally and physically due to the fact that they collect interest for the money which they lend out. Despite this abuse by the Christians, the Jews do not complain about their sufferings. They could only”borne it with a patient shrug”. This shows that they have no human rights and could not stand up to the Christians even though they were being abused. They were probably of lower classes or even outcasts in the Venetian society during the 16th century. In addition, Jews are openly discriminated and they are aware of it. This can be seen in line 119 where Shylock asks if he should “bend low, and in a bondman’s key …” a bondman is probably something like a slave during that time. This shows that he most probably knows that the Jews are considered to be inferior in that society, just like a slave. This shows that Jews 2007-08-10T02:23:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Lives-of-the-Jews-in-Venice-During-the-16th-Century-33311.aspx The Godfather: A Utopia "Don't judge a book by its cover." There are many interesting books with attractive covers, but the quote still rings true for books such as The Godfather by Mario Puzo. One the covers for The Godfather has a black background with large white bold-type. A few of the smaller words are typed in a red font. The only illustration is of a hand controlling the a few letters in the word "Godfather" as the Godfather controls his people through violence. Although the book is riddled with violence and the cover is extremely dull, the novel is so appealing because it uncovers the corrupt government, shows loyalty to family, and represents the American dream. While many people are living in poverty, others are living in mansions; on many occasions, this is due to people who are corrupt. Many people enjoy knowing the truth even though sometimes, the government denies it. In the novel, Puzo confronts how officials are easily influenced, but are ultimately punished. Amerigo Bonasera's daughter was mutilated by two young men and needed to wire her jaw together. Even though the young men had committed a terrible crime, they were allowed to walk free. The reason the men were set free was that "one of them is the son of a powerful politician" (32). The ruling was an unfair one, but the Corleone family works on a code of ethics that is more suitable than society's code. The Corleone family took revenge for Bonasera's daughter and made her attackers "pulps of human beings" (66). Even though the justice system did not give a fair verdict to the Bonasera family, the Corleone family took revenge for them and did to the two men what they did to the young girl. Another example of corruption in the government is the police captain of New York being bribed. "When Sollozzo had approached him with the proposition to leave the old man Corleone uncovered…. He asked the price. When Sollozzo said ten grand…. He did not hesitate" (140). By accepting the bribe to take away the Don's protection, McCluskey knowingly let Don Corleone die. Anybody can be convinced to do anything with the correct bribe. But the Corleone family could not tolerate corruption and betrayal of the government, so McCluskey and Sollozzo were punished with death. Intense loyalty is a trait that is greatly valued, but is not a common trait 2007-07-24T17:13:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Godfather-33301.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel that offers a view of life through a young girl’s eyes. This novel focuses on two main themes being racism and discrimination. Racism is undoubtedly the most prominent theme of the novel. It comes in an open and subtle manner that is displayed through speech and actions. The racism in Maycomb takes mainly the form of having white people against black people. There are many people in Maycomb that are racist because they think of Negroes as an inferior race and are often less reliable and trustworthy. Speech and actions are the most common forms of racism however the layout of the town is of racial discrimination as well. The Negroes are situated in a small camp quite out of the town “past the dump…five hundred yards beyond the Ewells (pg188)” which shows that they are somewhat less valued than the local dump. An example of a character who is severely racist is Mrs Dubose who lives next door to the Finches. Her intolerance of white and black people has become her characteristic. She insults people in many ways but becomes most vicious when it comes to matters of race. She once insulted Jem by saying that his father was “no better than the niggers and trash he works for! (pg113)” causing Jem to explode in a rampage through her garden. Eventually, the reader learns that Mrs Dubose suffers a life-threatening disease that explains some of her rages. This can excuse some of her judgement and intolerance but not all of her racial discrimination against Negroes. Although these issues are serious, the main racial conflict originates from the Tom Robinson court case. Some of the minor discrimination includes the absence of Negroes in the jury and the requirement of Negroes having to sit in the gallery of the court room. The more serious issues involve the injustice that Tom Robinson suffered in the case. Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell with weak evidence from her father but still won the case because the townspeople only believed Ewell’s story and since there were no Negroes in the jury, the case was immediately one-sided. Despite the similarities, racism is slightly different to discrimination which will be the next theme discussed. Discrimination is the main focus of this novel. Racism may seem like the only form of 2007-07-19T10:47:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-and-Discrimination-theme-of-TKAM-33293.aspx The novel To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates many themes but racism is strongest. Racism in the book takes the form of physical, emotional and institutional discrimination. The three main discriminations in the novel include the unfair life of a Negro in Maycomb, Mrs Dubose’s attitude towards the Finch family when the court case started and the Tom Robinson’s case. In the small town of Maycomb, the white people lived in the centre where there was the bank, courthouse, Tribune Office, Hardware store and the post office. There was a dirt road that “ran from the highway past the dump, down to a small Negro settlement some five hundred yards beyond the Ewells (pg188).” The Ewells were known as severely poor and mean people but the Negroes were thought to be even more inferior so they were positioned further away from the town central which is unreasonable and racist. There were many unoccupied spaces in the town yet the Negroes were forced to live on the outskirts of the town. Secondly, Negroes were also expected to exit and enter from backdoors of houses. When Calpurnia was alerting the town about the mad dog by knocking on the front doors, Scout said “She’s supposed to go around in back.” This is quite offensive because the backs of houses are often the filthy side and are usually not accessed from. This also shows that children were wrongly taught about Negroes at an early age. Religion-wise, the Negroes and the whites both worship the same god but they have separate churches. The Negroes worshipped in this “First Purchase” African M.E. Church on Sundays “and white men gambled in it on weekdays (pg130).” Having the white men gambling in the Negroes’ church is very disrespectful to their god and the Negroes that worship in the church because gambling is often thought of as sinful because the gamblers usually smoke and get drunk which is the opposite of god’s teaching is. Apart from the physical discrimination, emotional discrimination was also present in the novel. Jem, Scout and Atticus were often verbally abused by Mrs Dubose causing emotional stress and uncontrollable anger. Mrs Dubose had always insulted Jem and Scout when they walked past her house but her comments got stronger when Atticus started to defend Tom Robinson. Mrs Dubose went as far as saying “Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for! 2007-07-19T10:46:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-Theme-of-TKAM--33292.aspx Private talk to Calpurnia in the kitchen one day Calpurnia, I was just thinking about Mrs Dubose. I know that sounds weird but somehow, I seem to think of that incident differently now. Throughout the past few years, I have encountered numerous problems ranging from retrieving my pants from the Radleys to the court case that dad was involved in. However, my conflicts with Mrs Dubose have been most memorable. I still remember the amount of trouble I caused her that actually lead to the understanding of her values and beliefs. I had always hated and feared her but since she has passed away, I feel the less. It all started on the afternoon after my 12th birthday. Scout and I were heading to V.J. Elmore’s to buy a miniature steam engine for myself and a baton for my sister. Unfortunately, when we passed Mrs Dubose, we were once again engaged in an unwanted conversation. She started by insulting my sister so I thought that we should leave before things got worse but she stopped us. She continued by saying that our father defended for niggers. This caused me to implode with anger. Dad was the person that I respected the most because he taught and cared for me extremely well after my mother’s death. I was not going to let a person like Mrs Dubose get away with this but I remained calm. We continued to walking to the shops and I bought the items we were after. These new toys helped clear some of the anger but I was still eager for revenge against this woman that insulted me helplessly many times. As we returned home passing Mrs Dubose’s house, I noticed that she wasn’t on the porch. Although I knew it was mortally wrong, I still let my impulse take control. I took full advantage of this opportunity completely forgetting what my father taught me about being a gentleman. Without thinking, I snatched by sister’s new baton and ran furiously up Mrs Dubose’s steps into the front yard. I rampaged through her garden slicing all the heads of her camellias. Then I snapped the baton in two and threw it down with an instant sign of sorrow for my sister. Once again, Dad found out about my actions and I was told to talk to Mrs Dubose about what had happened. Mrs Dubose was known for having a concealed 2007-07-19T10:45:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marginalised-Voices-Dramatic-Monologue-Jeremy-Atticus-Finch-33291.aspx Education in To Kill a Mockingbird takes the form of formal and informal education just like in Australia and other countries. The two Finch children Jem (Jeremy Atticus Finch) and Scout (Jean Louise Finch) undergo education in the novel and appear to learn a limited amount. Scout’s first experience of formal education was disastrous. Although Scout was a talented student with exceptional reading ability, the teacher Miss Caroline Fisher did not recognize this as a special ability that should be encouraged and instead, belittled her as if she was a freak and said that Atticus “taught her all wrong, so they can’t ever read any more. (pg33)” In this novel, Harper Lee appears to be satirizing formal education because the Dewey Decimal System that Miss Caroline referred to as the basis for reading and writing is 2007-07-19T10:44:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Education-theme-of-TKAM--33290.aspx Context of To Kill A Mockingbird section Context In this section, Atticus is arguing with Mr Tate about the death of Bob Ewell. In the background of the drama, Scout was listening to what is being said. Atticus claims that Jem was the one that killed Bob Ewell by getting a “hold of Ewell’s knife somehow in the dark” but Mr Tate says that he fell on his own knife killing him. Both men are very stubborn and refuse to be persuaded easily. Sub-context Before the argument started, both Atticus and Mr Tate knew who murdered Bob Ewell. Atticus and Mr Tate are not actually arguing but trying to protect Arthur Radley who they both knew was the killer. They are both trying to confuse Scout who is listening to the conversation in the background. Both Atticus and Mr Tate are worried that Scout might 2007-07-19T10:43:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Atticus-Finch-vs-Mr-Tate-33289.aspx As Romanticism left its mark, realism became the reigning model of American literature after the Civil War. Having the ability to view the world as it is is nevertheless a true and bona fide description. Over generations, it has continued to become a profound aspect in the world of literary consumption. As the many authors of time have come together to create such an intense realistic form, we as the reader have the opportunity to find close relation through word usage, symbolism, expression of theme, etc. The roots of realism lay in the American experience, in ordinary American life, as in the speeches of Cochise and Charlot. Between the idea that reality and naturalism can come together, creates an immense, yet natural reality. In the words of Thomas Hobbes, modern founder of the social contract tradition, life in the state of nature is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”. Through everyday occurrence and life experience we are able to identify with the works of flourishing, yet influential literary figures. Although his story missed the publishing deadline to be included in Artemus Ward’s compilation of American Wild West sketches, first published November18, 1865, was Twain’s “ Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. As Twain is challenged to tell the story of “fat and bald-headed” Mr. Jim Smiley, he unquestionably exaggerates on every aspect of his life happenings. His ability to maintain the use of regional dialect of the west keeps the reader in the mind state of that time, therefore we are able to relate to the characters and have knowledge of actions that they carry out. This is shown as Twain states, “Why I’ve seen him set Dan’l Webster down here on this floor Dan’l Webster was the name of the frog and sing out, “flies, Dan’l flies!” and quicker’n you could wink he’d spring straight up and snake a fly off’n the counter there, and flop down on the floor ag’in as solid as a gob of mud, and fall to scratching the side of his head with his hind foot as indifferent as if he hadn’t no idea he’d been doin’ any ore’n any frog might do.” “The Real Thing” is a short story by Henry James. Told by a painter, we learn that illusions have a tendency to display reality in a surreal form. In order to find the “real thing”, which refers to the family’s inherited power, 2007-06-25T05:50:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Am-Lit--33268.aspx Pip’s view of home changes dramatically throughout the novel, as he grows and changes his general mindset. At the start of the novel, he is content where he is, he is vaguely happy because of Joe's sanctification of home, in spite of his sister’s brutality towards him. He has no experience of any other life, so this good to him. But as soon as he experiences life at Satis House he begins to feel ashamed of home, and as he gets older, he is ashamed of his own shame. He describes this shame as a “black ingratitude”, suggesting that he is not only ashamed of his home, but he is also ungrateful for all that Joe and Mrs Joe have done for him. As he looks back, we are reminded of the naïve innocence through Dickens’ use of hyperbolic similes, “I had believed in the best parlour as a most elegant saloon”. This is a clearly a view of home from a child’s imagination. But as he recollects these memories, he remembers also that he would never allow the likes of Estella and Miss Havisham to see it. This once sanctified home whose kitchen was a chaste apartment was now just coarse and common. He now had the same self loathing for his home that he felt when Estella described his hands as coarse and common. His views of the forge have changed also. At one time he was happy to be Joe’s apprentice, but as he grew older, the forge no longer looked like the glowing road to manhood that it once appeared to be. Now it was like a thick black curtain falling down on him. This simile shows us that he began to feel that the forge was oppressive. It was a barrier blocking him from moving on with his life. But this curtain soon becomes more real. It turns from a simile into a metaphor, making it a lot more real, as if it really is oppressing him. He also says that he would have been Joe’s `prentice – not apprentice. He says it in Joe's dialect, mocking Joe. His resentment for his home appears to have affected the way he sees his family. In the past, he and Joe would have stuck up for each other if someone was to mock one of them, but now Pip is doing the mocking, leaving no one to defend Joe. The 2007-06-09T10:44:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Expectations-Pip-s-view-of-home-33263.aspx CHAPTER 1 Philip Pirip, known as Pip, is a young orphan being brought up by his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, and her husband the blacksmith. One Christmas Eve, Pip visits the graves of his parents and five dead brothers, trying to imagine what they looked like. He has never known them. He is interrupted by a frightening man, large and mud-smeared, with prison irons attached to his leg. The man demands to know Pip's name, then turns him upside down trying to empty his pockets of any money. Young Pip has only a piece of bread, much to the stranger's disappointment. The man finds out that Pip lives with his brother-in-law, the blacksmith, and demands that Pip bring him a file and some food. The man tells the terrified seven-year old that if he fails to bring these things the next day, his heart and liver will be torn out. He also warns Pip not to breathe a word about their encounter to anyone CHAPTER 2 Pip returns to his home and interacts with his sister and her husband. His sister Georgiana, known as Mrs. Joe, is two decades Pip's senior, and a vigorous bully. Joe and Pip are comrades in the household, both victims of Mrs. Joe's bad temper and rough spirit. In her customarily gruff way, Mrs. Joe gives both Pip and Joe bread and butter for their supper. Pip hides his in his trousers, to take to the stranger. That night, Joe tells Pip that two convicts have escaped from the nearby Hulks, which are prison ships. Young Pip is so frightened by his secret acquaintance with one of these convicts that he cannot sleep. Early the next morning, Christmas Day, he collects food from the pantry, including a pork pie specially made for dinner. He also pours out some brandy from the brandy bottle and replaces it with water, so as not to get caught. Having stolen Joe's file from the forge, he runs off in search of the convict CHAPTER 3 On his way to meet the convict, Pip comes across another convict who startles and runs away. When he reaches the gruff man he met the day before, who hungrily devours the food, Pip tells him about the other convict. The stranger becomes very angry and excited, hurriedly trying to file away the chains on his leg. Pip realizes the stranger is too busy to notice, 2007-06-09T10:27:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Expectations-Plot-Summary-33259.aspx The Dark Side of the American Dream John Steinbeck characters are ordinary people in extraordinary positions. Usually poor or working class, they struggle to survive on the fringes of society. John Steinbeck deep feelings for the nature and his sympathy for the plight of human beings is reflected in his novel Cannery Row. Steinbeck works and characters are windows into the essential aspects of humanity: conflict, grief, fear, and most importantly, the struggle humanity has with itself. His novel Cannery Row is a nostalgic portrayal of the lazy, shiftless, good-natured low-lifes of a canning community who prefer drinking, fighting and indolence to work and earning a living. Not even the lower-middle class citizens of the small canning community are able to persevere in their objection to societal values. Mack, the unproclaimed œleader of œthe boys feels it is necessary to dress up their once-abandoned home known as the Palace Flophouse; the Malloys want curtains for their boiler room despite the fact that it has no windows; and a teenaged boy named Frankie feels it is essential that he purchase an expensive gift to impress his love (Meyer 2). In Cannery Row, Steinbeck exposes the dark side of what, in today society, is referred to as the American Dream. He celebrates the hopes symbolized in this dream and demonstrates the greatness of the human heart and mind. Steinbeck depicts a paradise once lost, while maintaining the hope of a paradise to be regained (œJohn 1453). Cannery Row offers a wonderfully warm depiction of the colorful characters who clustered around the small community around the time of the Depression. Each and every character is cut off from society mainstream in some way but retains idealistic visions which give them strength. Though lacking a general sense of purpose or ambition, Steinbeck portrays each of his characters as a good person who clutches to the things they have, rather than striving for more. Dora, the owner of a whorehouse, for example, is successful and well-liked in spite of moral and social woes. Steinbeck sympathetically refers to Mack and they boys as the œangelic bums, the œbeauties, and the œVirtues (Fiorelli 2). Mack is irresponsible and unreliable, yet loyal and generous. He always means well, but his good intentions are often concealed by unexpected mishaps. For every quality considered bad, 2007-06-04T01:05:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Steinbeck-s-Sympathy-for-Humans-in-Cannery-Row-33248.aspx The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is the complex story set to the scandalous background of 1920s New York City. It tells the tale of Jay Gatsby, a young man who bootlegs and gambles to achieve wealth, only to impress his first love, a whimsical spoiled girl named Daisy Buchanan. Daisy, unfortunately, is married to a hulking brute of a man, Tom Buchanan. Gatsby’s one goal—his soul purpose for living—is to have Daisy, despite her marriage; he truly believes that he can erase the last five years and live like he was seventeen with Daisy. Fitzgerald paints the picture of the inevitable demise of Gatsby’s perverted dream with symbolism. By using the colors gold/yellow, silver, white, and green, the reader comprehends the true contrast in characters and the American dream. The first, and most prominent of the colors is yellow or gold which Fitzgerald uses to represent money and wealth—a thing most of his characters have since they are superfluously wealthy. For instance, Gatsby tends to throw wild, extravagant parties, which attract a number of the idle rich. Two such guests remain nameless but are referred to as the “two girls in twin yellow dresses” (42). Like most of his guests, the girls do not know Gatsby, but are at his house dancing, drinking, and flirting, with no intentions to demonstrate any responsibility for any bad action—something rich snobs are raised to do. Another example comes when Fitzgerald uses color to describe Daisy Buchanan’s prodigal childhood. She went to parties and engaged in general spoiled snobbery “while a hundred pairs of golden and silver slippers shuffled the shining dust” (151). Her whole life has been a series of parties, people, and purposelessness—with countless wallowing in their wealth. Another color Fitzgerald uses is silver which also represents money, but heaven as well. An interesting contrast between Gatsby and the other affluent characters is that Gatsby is only rich for an innocent purpose to love a girl, while the others love their money more than any person besides, maybe, themselves. Gatsby is painted to be more pure of heart than the others. When Nick, Daisy’s cousin and Gatsby’s eventual lone friend, first encounters Gatsby, he sees him standing on his lawn under “the silver pepper of the stars” (20)—the beautiful clear night that displays heaven. Later 2007-06-03T18:44:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Colorful-American-Dream-Symbolism-in-The-Great-Gatsby-33247.aspx (I wrote this in 6th grade... bare with me) Reality vs. Memory Are Things What They Really Seemed? In a Separate Peace, many things seem to become something they weren’t before. Some things seem to grow, others to shrink, some to become more important, others to lose their significance. And although they may not physically change, their mental image may warp into something they’re not. As our minds gain wisdom and knowledge, they also grow and change opinions and perspectives. Important events and new found discoveries alter our thought process, and change how we think and feel. Reality is made up of our memories, and in turn our memories are created by a past reality. Both play on each other, and by trying to piece together our memories and our present day self, we try and create an image of the life we live. Many examples of a place or thing becoming less or more important than in the past exist in A Separate Peace. When adult-Gene returns to Devon, he desires to visit two places more than anywhere else; the tree and the First Academy Building’s stair case. Both of these sites are highly significant to Gene’s history at Devon. These are the sites where Finny changed Gene’s life. The tree, where Finny broke his leg the first time, seems to have become “the old giant that tuned into a pigmy while you were looking the other way.” In his memory, the tree was a menacing giant that towered over the river, seemingly waiting for the chance to drop someone from its branches. Now, when Gene comes back to Devon, the tree seems weary from age, enfeebled and dry. His memories contain fear of the tree, because of the events that happened around it, when in reality he has no real reason to fear it. His memory of the tree as being a monster has been changed because he has grown to learn otherwise. Another site of reminiscence is the marble stairs in the First Academy Building. If I asked you to think of stairs, I think some people would say, “what about them?” others would think, “AHHH! Stairs means exercise!” (That would be me…). But to Gene, these particular stairs mark the down fall of Finny. When he re-visits them, he realizes that even through all of the years that students trampled them, they did not have 2007-05-31T02:44:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jessica-Benigno-s-quot-A-Separate-Peace-Reality-vs_-Memor-33240.aspx Some people naturally choose a path in life that is different from that chosen by the majority. Henry David Thoreau famously said, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.” Literature is filled with proof of that. Whether it is as aged as Patrick Henry’s Speech in the Virginia Convention or Jerome Lawrence’s and Robert E. Lee’s The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, as civil as Martin Luther King Jr.’s Stride Towards Freedom or Malcolm X’s interview Necessary to Protect Ourselves, or as modern as Margaret Craven’s I Heard the Owl Call My Name, examples of Thoreau’s powerfully true aphorism have always existed. American literature has always provided a plethora of non-conformists. America has always had writers, thinkers, and dreamers, and Patrick Henry is no exception. His immortal speech at the Second Virginia Provincial Convention proves his independent creativity. Congress needed to decide whether Virginia should take up arms to defend itself against a feared British attack, and many thought not, but Henry believes strongly in arms for protection. He wants freedom, and knows that all Americans deserve it—that there is no greater purpose and gift in life than to be free. It should be won and protected at all costs. “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!” (266). He ends his fiery speech with such a strong statement, and demonstrates that others opinions on this matter are obsolete; arms must be taken up because liberty and freedom must be won. Henry loves this land and though others in Congress do as well, they are not ready, at this point, to make such a swift and bold move to collect arms. Because Henry has such a devotion to liberty and life, and is willing to die for the preservation of it for all posterity, he can form such opinions to collect arms. While others are concerned and make decisions through fear, Henry uses something else. “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience” (264). This truly demonstrates Patrick Henry’s non-conformity, because no one else has the exact same experiences that he has. Another great non-conformist in American literature is, of course, Henry David 2007-05-25T21:27:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Non-Conformism-in-American-Literature-33226.aspx Margaret Craven’s novel, I Heard the Owl Call My Name, presents the story of Mark Brian, who is sent to the secluded Kingcome Village in British Columbia. After being told that Mark has only two years to live, the Bishop sends him to this remote Kwakiutl tribe so he can learn “enough of the meaning of life to be ready to die” (144). Through his discovery of the meaning of existence, the ordinand realizes many eternal truths of dignity, love, courage, and life. One of the major truths Mark learns about is dignity. Before setting foot on the land of Kingcome, Mark learns a big truth about it which is spoken by the Bishop. By relating pride for oneself and pride for one’s land, Mark’s purpose is fully understood. “The Indian knows his village and feels for his village as no white man for his country, his town, or even for his own bit of land” (19). It is clear that one’s feeling towards his or herself is shown through his or her feeling of the land, thus; these people possess a high dignity and pride for themselves. Another aspect of the Kwakiutl dignity demonstrates itself every time the RCMP officer visits. One day, during the óolachon (candlefish) fishing, an officer plans to photograph the event. He knows it is sacred and essential to their culture, but does not care. The Indians, being an upright and dignified people, permit this cultural abomination and say nothing. Eventually, as the RCMP officer plans to leave, they help him in his boat and happen to drop his camera in the river (78-79). They uphold their honor, pride, and dignity, though, by not being callous and wickedly vengeful, no matter what the officer deserves. Mark enjoys this story and recognizes the true definition of dignity: being honorable at all times. Another truth Mark comes to comprehend better is love. There are two loves written about in this novel. The first is love for man, or rather, community. With such a harsh climate and so much work to be accomplished, there stands no fend-for-oneself attitude. All survive or all die. “To keep fed, to keep warm, to keep alive. No woman said, ‘I am sorry. I have only enough fuel for my own family,’ and no man 2007-05-23T03:04:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/I-Heard-the-Owl-Call-My-Name-One-Man’s-Discovery-33221.aspx Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” are two examples of Gothic literature. There are many characteristics of Gothic literature eerie settings, pessimism, and evil prevailment over good. All of these traits exist in both stories. The main characters of both stories, Roderick Usher and Emily Grierson, both feature similar traits since both stories are of similar style. For instance, both deal with a death; however, there is a lot that the two do not have in common. One character, though dealing with death is remorseful and not mad, while the other is not remorseful and quite loony. One major similarity between Roderick Usher and Emily Grierson is death. Usher’s sister, Lady Madeline, dies. He buries her in a tomb in his house and later realizes that she is not dead. He unknowingly buries her alive! Conversely, Emily Grierson, after realizing that her lover is not serious about a relationship knowingly procures arsenic and kills him. Therefore, murder—or the possibility of it—exists in both stories. Despite some similarities, there are many differences between the two characters. One such example is insanity level. It is clear that Emily is insane and, contrastly, Roderick is not. Emily lives in a state of denial about paying taxes. She kills a man, makes love with the cadaver and, above all, sees nothing wrong with this. She is utterly mad. Roderick, however, is merely ill. He grieves over his sister’s death and honestly thinks her dead, but upon realization that she is alive, he is scared. Also, it must be noted that Roderick says, “I have no abhorrence of dangers, except in its absolute effect—in terror.” Basically, Roderick is just a fearful and misunderstood creature, not a raving madman. This proves the next point: remorse. Roderick is, though not guilty of murder, quite remorseful over burying his sister alive. He does not fix the problem due to fear but, nevertheless, feels quite sorry. Emily, on the other hand, shows no remorse and keeps her dead cadaver of a husband (whom she sleeps with) in her attic. That is odd and crazy, as well. In conclusion, though there are many similarities between Roderick and Emily, there are many, if not more differences between the two characters. 2007-05-23T03:02:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Differences-Between-Two-Gothic-Characters-33220.aspx Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn stands as a sempiternal example of satire in which the author expresses his viewpoints through situations and characters of the novel. The book traces the exploits of a young boy, Huckleberry Finn, and his eventual friend, a runaway slave named Jim. They escape their old lives, using the Mississippi River to travel to new ones, and along the way, encounter a crazy cast of characters. They witness people’s stupidity and life’s irony through various occurrences with people like the Grangerfords, the duke and king (and the towns that they scam), and the Phelps’s community. One of the best examples that Twain uses to demonstrate his views about man and society is seen through the clever Colonel Sherburn and a speech he gives to an angry mob. Through examples from Huck Finn’s adventures, it is evident that Twain possesses the belief that man cannot make decisions for himself but relies too much on other’s opinions. A primary example of Twain’s belief is demonstrated through Colonel Sherburn. The colonel shoots a man on the street, and the town, naturally, is distressed. An angry mob that is looking for a lynching grows, and they travel to the colonel’s home to do the dirty deed; however, the colonel meets them on the porch, staring and fearless. He expresses his disapproval in their actions, and claims that not one man there would ever lynch someone unless it was night or were adorned with masks. “The average man’s a coward” (172). He believes, as does Twain, that no real man can do any sort of action without another man supporting him and holding his hand. On the other hand, he also distinguishes that a man will do something (whether he desires to or not) just to belong and to mask his existing and prevalent cowardice. Sherburn accuses the mob of not wanting to be there at all, “You didn’t want to come . . . you’re afraid to back down—afraid you’ll be found out to be what you are—cowards—and so you raise a yell . . . and come raging up here” (173). Twain uses a Southern, angry mob to eloquently describe man’s inherent dislike for being his own man. Another example of man’s inability to make his own decisions is depicted within the Grangerford family. 2007-05-23T03:00:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mark-Twain-s-View-of-Man-33219.aspx Certain uncanny resemblances between Tom Robinson and Boo Radley's lives exist in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. Often large groups of people misunderstand certain unusual individuals. Sometimes they stereotype the person; other times, they simply do not bother to find out the truth. When such circumstances occur, the ostracized person's actions become unfairly misinterpreted or not understood at all. Sometimes rumors circulate about the individuals, that might then be assumed as the truth. In this novel, Tom and Boo are both outsiders to the white, normal society of Maycomb county. Tom and Boo share generous natures that are misunderstood; they hold little social value, and are generally assumed guilty. The first parallel in the lives of Tom and Boo, focuses on their property. Tom lives in the "nigger nest" (pg. 175) near to Mr. Ewell but outside the city limits. While testifying Mr. Ewell says, "I've asked this county for fifteen years to clean out that nest down yonder, they're dangerous to live around 'sides devaluin' my property (pg. 175)". A person's status often relates to his property, and the interpretation of that property's value is often based on the tenants of the land. In Maycomb county, the black community inhabits the least desirable property. In the Jim Crow era, blacks were stereotyped as violent and unclean; therefore, the property they owned was considered unvaluable and was located in the worst part of the county territory. On the other hand, the people in the "best" part of town are always white and upper class members of society. Mr. Ewell lives directly next to the town dump, yet he considers the blacks that he lives near a larger threat to his land's value than the appearance and stench of the city's trash. Most people in the better parts of town might even agree with him because they assume that the black people are a constant menace to white society, and being near them endangers one's life. The Radley property also threatens the lives of people brave enough to venture near it. The children believe that anything that comes from the Radley's soil is poisoned, including the nuts and fruits on the trees. Jem yells at Scout once saying about the Radley property: "Don't you know you're not supposed to even touch the house over there? You'll get killed if you do" (pg. 33). Jem also goes so far as to 2007-05-16T19:10:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Similarities-in-Tom-s-and-Boo-s-live-33214.aspx Old-Age in Literature A lot of works of poetry and or short stories demonstrate the sad but interesting topic of aging or growing old. Four works that illustrate and show the topic of old age are, "Old Age", by Elisha Porat,"The Mirror", by Sylvia Path,"The Follower", by Seamus Heaney, and "When I Am Very Old", by Arthur O. Roberts. These selected works show and present the topic of aging or growing old in many different ways. The first work I chose, "Old Age" by Elisha Porat, shows how it is to age and to go "over the hill " as some call it. The author uses the metaphor of a ram as himself in this work. He describes the ram as being young, powerful, and full of strength. But as he grows older, "I slide clumsy on the slope, rolling down Jerusalem stones, clutching like a desperate survivor the memory of my youth." This quote shows how he feels about growing old. He feels that he already hit the climax or the peak of his life, and is now sliding down the mountain, and withering and sloping closer to his final day in this world. The work, "The Mirror" by Sylvia Plath explains how females judge themselves and other their hole lives, and always strive to be the hottest or the most "beautiful" even as a senior citizen. The author states, "In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish." This quote, she describes how again and again this woman has looked into the mirror, as she grows old. The work also belittles society for putting pressure on ladies to look "beautiful" all of the time. My third work that demonstrates the topic of aging is the poem "The Follower" by Seamus Heaney. This work shows the opposite role in a father and his child. The author begins this work by explaining the father, as a healthy, wise, and intelligent man. He describes the son, who is trying to walk in his pop's steps, as a "problem," who is "yapping always." As the author shows, "But today it is my father who keeps stumbling behind me, and will not go away." The quote shows how the father and the kid have changed places. The past shows it was the son, who 2007-05-04T17:16:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Old-Age-in-Literature-33186.aspx Exploring Evil in "The Lottery" The Lottery, a short story written by Shirley Jackson, is a tale of disturbing evilness. The setting is a small village on a clear summer day. The village consists of about 300 residents. On June 27th of every year, the members of the community hold a village-wide lottery in which everyone is expected to participate. At first, the reader might think that this is a great idea, not knowing what the “prize” at the conclusion of this lottery is. But as the story progressed, the reader begins to get an odd feeling about the residents. Although they are gathering for a lottery drawing, there is an air of nervousness about the event. From start to finish, there is an overwhelming sense that something terrible is about to happen. This is due to the use of foreshadowing the author uses in the story. In the beginning of the story, Jackson describes the lottery event as an expected tradition that occurs every year on the assigned date. After reading only the opening paragraph, the reader can gather that it is not a "normal" lottery taking place. “In some towns there were so many people that the lottery took two days and had to be started on June 26th, but in this village, where there were only about three hundred people, the whole lottery took less than two hours…” This sentence alone should grab the reader’s attention because of the way it is worded. It is not directly saying that something dangerous or evil is going to occur but only hints that this is not the typical, run-of-the mill lottery. If it were a typical lottery, then the joy of winning such a great prize would be celebrated for more than the two hours these villagers were expecting. The actual suspicion begins in the second paragraph of the story. After Jackson describes the summer morning, she alludes to the children gathering in the Village Square, but they are acting quite odd. "Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example…eventually made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square and guarded it against the raids of the other boys”. The first question that pops of in the reader’s mind 2007-05-04T17:14:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Exploring-Evil-in-quot-The-Lottery-quot-33184.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Glass Menagerie" A 26 year-old woman kneels on the floor, childlike, playing with glass figurines upon a living room table. Too plagued by her own humility, Laura contemplates only one future for herself; seclusion from the outside world where bad encounters prevail the desire for good experiences. A lack of positive growth for Laura, along with the rest of her family, is the pitfall for Tennessee Williams where he pressurizes kindred desperation in The Glass Menagerie only to produce hopelessness as the ultimate outcome. Expressing the turmoil in the life he sees before him, Tom curses "How lucky dead people are!" (1.3.34). The Glass Menagerie, written by Tennessee Williams, portrays a dysfunctional family succumbing to the recurring destiny of desperation and remorse. Amanda, the mother of two adult children, desperately tries to prod her children into seeking a better future. She pushes her son Tom to the point that he plans to escape his mother's overbearing presence. His older sister, Laura, is so withdrawn by the embarrassment of a crippling disability that she is not fit to enter society. From this, her mother decides to find a beau for Laura in hopes to marry her. She cajoles Tom into bringing a suitor home for dinner from the factory where he already feels the enslavement of his employment. The result is Jim, charming and ambitious, who sees Laura for who she is: a shy, introverted girl withdrawn in her own adolescent world. He attempts to shock her into glimpsing reality through a kiss that ultimately backfires as Laura, being enamored by her savior, is soon heartbroken to find that Jim is actually engaged to a girl named Betty. The play concludes with all characters reflecting the epitome of desperation: Laura in her mother's clutches and Tom desperately beating a path for his own salvation. The Glass Menagerie is a sneak peek into any life where desperation reigns dominate and offers no room for the light of hope to intrude. In The Glass Menagerie, I felt the ending could have been better crafted. It ends with Tom running from his current destiny stating "I didn't go to the moon, I went much further-for time is the longest distance between two places."(1.7.107) In the story, I was confused as to whether he was dreaming or if the events I was reading were actually occurring. Not until I attended 2007-05-04T17:07:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Glass-Menagerie-quot-33182.aspx Comparing Characters in A Walk to the Jetty and Boys and Girls Many teenagers suffer an identity crisis when they grow and become adult. In both short stories there are young girls who are enduring such an identity crisis. In other words, the two authors are relating experiences about the similar teenage problem of growing up, dealing with parental interference and change. This essay proposes that all young people grow up and go through some kind of identity crisis or another. This it aims to do through a brief comparison between the two stories. Firstly, in the two stories, both of the main characters are young girls and they are in a situation they don’t want to be in. In other words, both of them are force to do something or hopes to do something by their family. In “Boys and Girls,” the main character says, “She (her mother) was plotting now to get me to stay and keep me from working for my father” (pg 50). This partly explains her unhappy situation; she wants to work with her father, but her mother does not want her to. She listens to her mother and father talking about her, and she expresses her thoughts. Also, in “ Walk to the Jetty,” the main character, Annie John says, “I plan not only never to marry an old man but certainly never to marry at all” (88). She does not want to be in the same situation as her mother - married to an older man, married at all. The two women tell their stories from first person point of view to explain their mind directly. They describe their situation almost completely through monologue. Using first person point of view makes it more personal, painful, identifiable, and this helps to reveal the character’s circumstances and their straightforward mind. Secondly, the two stories deal with the issue of human nature. Both of the main characters are in adolescence, and have a similar problem, an identity crisis. The authors describe some conflict with their family, but their mothers in particular, to show how parental expectations and interference can make this crisis of identity deeper. Neither of the main characters has sufficient control or their own lives to solve their problem. This makes them more confused about what they want 2007-05-04T17:02:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Characters-A-Walk-to-the-Jetty-and-Boys-and-Girls-33179.aspx Discovering Transcendentalism as a movement that supports the conviction that divinity can be found in all things, Hawthorne deliberately represents his personal beliefs and observes all the ethics of transcendentalism in The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne who had been brought up in a puritanical society with its rigid laws tried to blend his favor upon transcendentalist ideas with his religious thought together in his masterpiece The Scarlet Letter. At first we have to know some about Transcendentalism and its meaning, also the relation between Hawthorne and it. In philosophy and literature Transcendentalism defines as “a belief in a higher kind of knowledge than achieved by human reason.” It was strongly influenced by Deism which was opposed to Calvinist orthodoxy. Transcendentalism rejects the Puritan religious attitudes and it opposes the strict ritualism and dogmatic theology of all religions. It was also influenced by romanticism for example in the ideas of self-reliance, the respect of individualism and the admiration of the nature and humankind. In this way transcendentalists saw a direct connection between the universe (macrocosm) and the individual soul (microcosm), so according to this concept intuition, rather than reason, is regarded as the highest human faculty. Kant taught the doctrine that instead of looking for evidence of a Supreme Being in the external world, we should seek him in our own hearts; that every man could find a revelation in his own conscience,-- in the consciousness of good and evil, by which man improves his condition on earth; that the ideas of a Supreme Being, or of immortality and freedom of will, are inherent in the human mind, and are not to be acquired from experience; but that, as the finite mind cannot comprehend the infinite, we cannot know God in the same sense that we know our own earthly fathers,…..The new philosophy was named “Transcendentalism” by Kant’s followers, because it included ideas which were beyond the range of experience. In its most specific usage, transcendentalism refers to a literary and philosophical movement that developed in America in the first half of the 19th century. They believed that man has something more valuable than its fleshy body. Man has a spiritual body that has senses to perceive what is true and right and beautiful. What attracted Hawthorne in Transcendentalism was its free inquiry, its radicalism, its contact with actual life. It is remarkable to pay attention that the main aspects of 2007-04-25T22:44:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Transcendentalist-Codes-in-Hawthorne’s-The-Scarlet-Letter-33167.aspx Life and death in Homer's Literature In today’s society life and death coexist together; a life is brought into this world at the same time that one departs. Our views about life and death change according to our religion, which in term connects, to past generations. It is logical to assume that our current believes and views are a reflection of past civilizations and they have been handed down to us through time. The Odyssey portrays a wonderful and unique view to the relation between life and death in the ancient world. Even more interesting are his “life after death” views. Does it relate to our beliefs of the subject, or does it take us into a different set of mind? Book eleven tells us through the blind prophet Teiresias, what will happen throughout the rest of Odysseus “life journey”, making it an important event his stance there. At the entrance to the “Land of Death” we see the landscape of this land and immediately we can relate to the view. The following line explains the atmosphere of the place: “the realm and region of the Men of Winter, hidden in mist and cloud” (11.404.15). This tells us that the land of death is an island in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by darkness, fog, and with an inflicted coldness by the “dead”, which is the Men of Winter that chills our bones. Is a place where the sun does not shine: “Never the flaming eye of Helios lights on those men at morning…”(11.404.16), and the vegetation consists of nothing more than rotten vegetation in a swan. It is incredible how perfect this view has been kept throughout the years. In the movie What Dreams May Come we see the boat that drives you to the land of the dead, the image given by the Odyssey is exactly the same. It is a darkness that surrounds you and sets the tone for what is coming next in the text. He then goes on into the “land of Death” and starts the rituals that Circe commanded. In this ritual we see the first communication with death. Odysseus must sacrifice certain animals and take their blood together with some other condiments so the dead can drink from it and come to talk to him: 2007-04-25T21:21:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Life-and-death-in-Homer-s-Literature-33166.aspx Symbolism in "The Birth-Mark" by Nathaniel Hawthorn In the story, “The Birth-Mark”, written by Nathaniel Hawthorn it was about a man who was a scientist who tried to change his wife appearance. At the end of the story his wife died because, he tried to change the nature of her face by trying to remove the inner beauty of her birth mark on her face. The symbolism of the birth mark represents death, beauty, and nature. My essay will be about how death, beauty, and nature represent the symbolism of the birth mark. First, the symbolism of the birth-mark represents beauty because, the mark on Aylmer wife Georgiana was unique. For example, Hawthorne said, “ Some fastidious person -but they were exclusively of her own sex- affirmed that the bloody Hand, as they chose to call it, quite destroyed the effect of Georgiana’s beauty, and rendered her countenance even hideous. (p. 640) He was saying that he should have left the birth-mark alone because, it repents the inner beauty and outer beauty of her face and that changing it only made her appearance look ugly. I think everybody has there own beauty that is a part of them that can’t be changed. That nobody can change the inner or outer beauty of that person it will always be there no matter what changes they make or try to hide. Beauty is something special and it shouldn’t be changed by no one everybody has something that is beautiful about them even if there outside is not so beautiful. Second, the symbolism of the birth-mark represents death because, Aylmer wife died at the end of the story because, he was trying to change something that was meant to be left alone. Hawthorne said,” As the last crimson tint of the birth-mark that sole token of human imperfection-faded from her cheek, the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere, and her soul, lingering a moment near her husband, took its heavenward flight.” (p.650) If Hawthorne would have accepted his wife as she was she wouldn’t have died of the death of his hands. So it was his fault really because, he made her felt as if her birth-mark was an ugly thing on her face. When it really was not ugly it brought her appearance out it made her even more beautiful and unique 2007-04-25T21:19:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-quot-The-Birth-Mark-quot-by-Nathaniel-Hawthor-33165.aspx The Unfulfilled Fairytale In Dickens’ Great Expectations In some ways, Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations is a disappointing novel because its rags-to-riches story remains unfulfilled. The victory that Dickens secures in the novel however, is more important, as it captures the truth that fairytales are fantasy. Dickens gives Pip a chance to become more than he is, only to have him reverted back to the old Pip in order to covey a moral message about false expectations. Throughout the novel, Dickens makes a direct contrast between appearances and reality, through characterization and imagery, to illustrate the inevitable authority of reality over appearance. Pip’s moral character undergoes many changes as he is given the chance to become what he believes is a gentleman. He picks up false values and goes along a path that appears to be noble but ends up ruining his character. He uses the money from his mysterious benefactor and indeed does make himself a “gentleman,” but is corrupted by it, becoming a snob who is ashamed of those who had taken care of him as a child. Although Pip feels ashamed of his original position as a laborer with course hands, memories and connections to the forge continue to haunt him. These constant reminders illustrate the dominance of Pip’s true identity over his aspirations. For example, Magwitch, the convict he once felt compassion for as a child, causes him to suffer a great shock when he discovers that it is him and not Miss Havisham who has been financing him. Pip’s shame of his past, coupled with his inability to adequately escape it, demonstrates Dickens’ argument against people aspiring to be someone who they are not. Even though he may have been successful in appearing to be a gentleman of high society, ultimately, Pip was really just a doll being molded by Magwitch to be his “gentleman,” and by Miss Havisham, to be heart-broken by Estella. It is only when Pip himself sees that he has been fooled by appearances, that he realizes the truth. He realizes that he has mistreated those who were truly dear to him and finally decides to return to the forge. He also returns to his compassionate self, and understands the true depth of the sacrifice that Magwitch has made for him. Pip is made to unlearn everything that he has learned in order to rediscover the importance of 2007-04-25T20:53:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Unfulfilled-Fairytale-In-Dickens’-Great-Expectations-33155.aspx The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Theme Analysis The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a novel about Huck Finn and a runaway slave named Jim’s adventures as they try to 2007-04-25T19:57:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Adventures-of-Huckleberry-Finn-Theme-Analysis-33138.aspx "The Taming of the Shrew" and Fathers Raising Children The Taming of the Shrew gives us a couple of very distinct variations in ways that fathers raise their daughters and the way fathers raise their sons. One of the earliest examples is with regard to male and female education. Early in the play we are introduced to Lucentio who has arrived in Padua with his servant Tranio to “haply institute a course of learning and ingenious studies . . . .”(act one, scene one, line eight). Lucentio seek to find an education that could not be received in Pisa but only in a delightfully art filled city like Padua. This type of study abroad was encouraged by fathers of this time frame. Women, on the other hand, were only to receive what little education that would be brought forth to them by way of tutors. These tutors were hand picked by the father, “Schoolmasters . . . fit to instruct her youth” (act one, scene one, line eighty), arguably in effort to institute education that would make her dowry more valuable to possible suitors. At no point would it be allowable for any woman to seek education outside the doors of their own home. Another variation that can be seen in the raising of women and men by their fathers is that of respect as it should be shown from a woman to a man. Kate becomes known for her abrasive and perverse nature early in the play as seen in the streets of Padua when Lucentio and Tranio overhear the conversation of Batista and company. In awe Tranio looks to Lucentio and describes Kate as a wench who “is stark mad or wonderful froward” (act one, scene one, line sixty-nine). Sure evidence that a tongue as fierce as Kate’s was rarely, if ever, seen in their time, much less in public for others to encounter passing by. By contrast men were expected to be honored and obeyed by their female counterparts and use of such harsh words would not be accepted. Males of the time would show courtesy towards women when speaking to them, but could take what ever means necessary to curb any and all disrespect shown towards them by any woman. When Petruchio describes Kate as a “wasp”, Kate warns “beware my sting . 2007-04-25T19:41:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-The-Taming-of-the-Shrew-quot-and-Fathers-Raising-Chil-33133.aspx Independent Spirit in Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” In “Two Kinds,” Amy Tan explores a theme of independence. Jing-me is an impressionable nine year old girl living in an apartment with her parents. She struggles with the high expectations of her mother, to become a prodigy. The conflict results in a rebellious independence. Tan develops Jing-me’s character as willful, defiant, and insecure. To begin, Tan demonstrates that Jing-me’s willfulness stands in the way of her success. For example, after failing many of her mothers prodigy tests, she begins to hate them. One night after another failed test, she adopted “new thoughts, willful thoughts, or rather thoughts filled with lots of won’ts” (Tan 596). Jing-me decides that she is not going to let her mother change who she is, so she stops trying to be a prodigy. She demonstrates her willfulness when she “performed listlessly,” and “pretended to be bored,” when presented with further tests (596). Jing-me’s headstrong attitude continues to stand in the way and keeps her from successfully learning to play the piano. She “was determined not to try, not to be anybody different” that she sabotaged her lessons (598). Jing-me’s attitude also accompanies her into her adult years. She fails many more times, asserting her own will, her “right to fall short of expectations” (602). Although Jing-me attempted to become a prodigy, ultimately it is her willfulness that hampers her success. Further, Tan depicts Jing-me as defiant in the face of her mother’s expectations for her. This defiant attitude can be seen when Jing-me finds out that she will be taking piano lessons from Mr. Chong. She throws a fit and asks her mother “Why don’t you like me the way I am?” (597). While at the piano lessons she further shows her defiance of her mother’s expectations when she learns that she can “be lazy and get away with mistakes, lots of mistakes” (598). Jing-me is upset with her mother for forcing her to take lessons, so she gets back at her by making a minimal effort to learn. Also, Jing-me displays her bold attitude a few days after she completely embarrassed her parents with a miserable performance at a talent-show. For example, she thought that after her poor performance at the talent-show, she “never had to play the piano again” (601). She further shows her defiant attitude when her mother reminds her that it is time 2007-04-25T19:34:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Independent-Spirit-in-Amy-Tan’s-“Two-Kinds”-33129.aspx Innocence and Madness in "The Crucible" The Crucible is one of the most bizarre accounts of a historical event to date. The innocence of the townspeople leads them down a road of madness and confusion, led by a shameless Puritan girl. Abigail Williams was a ruthless girl who showed no mercy upon accusing her victims of witchcraft. Knowing the entire town of Salem would believe her and the other girls, she would not hesitate at charging anyone she wished with the crime of the Devil’s work. However, a challenge arose to Abigail when she decided to accuse Elizabeth Proctor, and eventually her husband John, of witchcraft. The Proctor marriage was not just any simple marriage; it had its times of cold shoulders, heartfelt truth, and undying love. Indeed, Abigail had a strong motive for charging Elizabeth with evil divination. Seven months before the play takes place, Abigail and John had an affair while Abigail was working as a servant in their home. Eventually, John confessed and apologized to Elizabeth, pledging his fidelity to her. Nonetheless, at the time the play takes place, Elizabeth still hasn’t fully forgiven him, and gives him a hard time about it. Abigail confessed the pretense of her accusations to him when they were alone, and now he has no way to prove that she’s lying to the court. But because he was alone with her again, Elizabeth becomes angry with him. Elizabeth still doubts her husband because she feels that if it were any other girl that he had to go testify against, he would not hesitate. But, because it’s Abigail, he feels he has to think harder on making a decision. John Proctor feels he is now justified in becoming angry because for the seven months since his confession, he has done nothing but try to please his wife, and she still approaches him with suspicion and accusations. Marriages are sometimes put to the test, and if at that time, things aren’t going well, chances are it will take a lot of faith and love for the marriage to survive. During Act Two, the Proctor marriage is going through one of its toughest times. This may or may not prove to be a downfall when the Proctor marriage is put through such a test. This test surfaces during Act Three when Proctor appears in court to try to uncover Abigail’s falseness. 2007-04-25T19:25:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Innocence-and-Madness-in-quot-The-Crucible-quot-33123.aspx Grant Wiggins and "A Lesson Before Dying" In A Lesson Before Dying, Mr. Grant Wiggins' life crises were the center of the story. Although he was supposed to make Jefferson into a man, he himself became more of one as a result. Not to say that Jefferson was not in any way transformed from the "hog" he was into an actual man, but I believe this story was really written about Mr. Wiggins. Mr. Wiggins improved as a person greatly in this book, and that helped his relationships with other people for the most part. At the start of the book, he more or less hated Jefferson, but after a while he became his friend and probably the only person Jefferson felt he could trust. The turning point in their relationship was the one visit in which Jefferson told Mr. Wiggins that he wanted a gallon of ice cream, and that he never had enough ice cream in his whole life. At that point Jefferson confided something in Mr. Wiggins, something that I didn't see Jefferson doing often at all in this book. "I saw a slight smile come to his face, and it was not a bitter smile. Not bitter at all"; this is the first instance in which Jefferson breaks his somber barrier and shows emotions. At that point he became a man, not a hog. As far as the story tells, he never showed any sort of emotion before the shooting or after up until that point. A hog can't show emotions, but a man can. There is the epiphany of the story, where Mr. Wiggins realizes that the purpose of life is to help make the world a better place, and at that time he no longer minds visiting Jefferson and begins becoming his friend. Mr. Wiggins' relationship with his Aunt declined in this story, although it was never very strong. His Aunt treated him like he should be a hog and always obey, yet she wanted him to make a hog into a man. His Aunt was not a very nice person, she would only show kindness towards people who shared many of her views, and therefore was probably a very hard person to get along with. The way Mr. Wiggins regarded his relationships most likely would have been different were he white. Mr. Wiggins feels, and rightly so, that several white men try to mock 2007-04-23T04:23:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Grant-Wiggins-and-quot-A-Lesson-Before-Dying-quot-33107.aspx Analysis of "Robinson Curusoe" The book Robinson Crusoe is an adventure story about a man who’s bad misfortunes put him alone on a discrete island. This man’s name is Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe has to fight through many tough situations with hard conditions in order to survive along with keeping his sanity. Throughout the book Crusoe questions himself, his relationship with God, and his struggle with survival on the island. Some of the key issues in this book have a joint relation to our studying of nature, religion and reason in our class discussions. Religion is one of the main focuses in this book Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe’s religious feelings contempt back and fourth in his mind. Some areas in the book his thoughts are high on God, others are very low. However its Crusoe’s belief in God, and his belief in the gift of life itself that inspire him in his actions on the island. Crusoe grew up with two brothers one of which was a Lieutenant Colonel to an English Regiment of foot in Flanders, and the second brother not know very well of the mother or father. Crusoe was the third son in the family. His father put great pressure and his concern of is son’s life being successful in what he wanted, and not what Crusoe wanted. Many family arguments took place under the Crusoe roof. Crusoe despite his parents wishes wanted to set out to sea. In his action of doing this, Crusoe was told by many people he was not worthy, however this had little effect on his choice. Crusoe sets out to sea and very soon finds himself in trouble. He had become a slave on a ship. After long hours on the ship Crusoe eventually escapes with ambition, and finds himself starting a sugar plantation in Brazil. After little time on the plantation, Crusoe realizes he needs slaves to help him work the fields. He sets out to sea once again with Africa in his destination for slaves. However, Crusoe did not know this decision would be one of the biggest mistakes of his life. On his sailing to Africa, his ship is wrecked by a dynamic storm that hit’s the sea that night. Crusoe finds himself ship wrecked on a deserted island. 2007-04-23T04:19:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Robinson-Curusoe-quot-33104.aspx Critical Analysis of "Call of the Wild" Throughout the novel The Call of the Wild, Buck experience a transformation in him, as he adapts to the cold, harsh land where he is forced to toil in the snow, just to help men find a gold. Buck seems to almost transform into a different dog by the end of the book. This essay will go over what Buck was like, how and why he was forced to adapt to his new environment, and what he changed into. When Buck was first introduced, he lived in the Santa Clara Valley, on Judge Miller’s property. He was the ruler of his domain, uncontested by any other local dogs. he was a mix between a St. Bernard and a Scotch Shepherd dog. He carried every one with utmost pride. Buck had everything he could want. Little did he know, he would soon have it all taken away from him. One night, while the judge was away at a raisin grower’s committee meeting, the gardener, Manuel, took Buck away from his home. Buck was then sold, and thrown in a baggage car. This would be the beginning of a new, cruel life for Buck. On his ride to wherever he was going, Buck’s pride was severely damaged, if not completely wiped out by men who used tools to restrain him. When Buck arrived at his destination, there was snow everywhere, not to mention the masses of Husky and wolf dogs. Buck was thrown into a pen with a man who had a club. This is where Buck would learn one of the two most important laws that a dog could know in the Klondike. The law of club is quite simple, if there is a man with a club, a dog would be better off not to challenge that man. Buck learned this law after he was beaten half to death by the man who had the club. no matter what he tried, he just couldn't win. Buck was sold off to a man who put him in a harness connected to many other dogs. Buck was bad at first, but eventually, he learned the way of trace and trail. Buck had to learn many things if he was to survive in this frigid land. He had to learn to sleep under the snow, and to eat his food as fast as possible so as 2007-04-23T04:06:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Call-of-the-Wild-quot-33097.aspx Humor in Kurt Vonnegut Literature When Kurt Vonnegut wants to make something funny, he uses his ability to play with words to his advantage. Throughout the book, Welcome to the Monkey House, he is able to make me laugh. The way he structures his words, makes me want to read on. In the story “EPICAC” he is able to tell a story about a love triangle between two people and a computer. One line from that story is “… he was a whole lot less like a machine than plenty of people I know.” He was talking about how the computer was a machine, but there were people he knew that were even more like machines. The way he expresses his thoughts, makes me laugh almost every time. Another good line form that story is “Pat, loosen up and marry me.” There was no formal proposal; it was just a straight out statement. Pat then sarcastically replies by saying that he is so romantic and that she “… could get more warmth out of a sack of frozen CO2.” Things like that make me laugh out loud. In the story “Miss Temptation,” a funny line is when Susanna says that she’s an actress, and Fuller replies, “You can say that again. … Greatest actress in the world, American women.” When Vonnegut gets going, he can’t stop, even if he has to offend people at the same time. Fuller then goes to say that “ you wouldn’t even hold hands with me to keep me from falling off a cliff.” Lines like those are pretty funny because of what’s happening around it. Fuller is exploding at Susanna, and his only intention is to make her cry. He has no remorse for anything he said, and he doesn’t even care. To open the book, he has the story “Where I Live.” It is about a small town in Cape Cod, and it is so old. When an encyclopedia salesman goes into the library and finds the newest reference book to be of 1938, he tells the librarian that many important things have happened like penicillin and Hitler’s invasion of Poland. That blunt humor can be found throughout the story and the book, and it just gets better. This is another one from that story: “… he hit 2007-04-23T04:04:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Humor-in-Kurt-Vonnegut-Literature-33096.aspx "The American Revolution in Indian Country" by Colin Calloway Colin Calloway’s book The American Revolution in Indian Country looks at a wide range of Indians living in North America during the revolutionary war. Calloway covers the Indian experiences of eight Indian communities and how they struggle to keep their heritage amongst the war torn landscape of North America. Calloway further exemplifies how the American Revolution not only pitted Indians against Europeans (and vice versa), but how the Revolution forced Indians to fight amongst themselves. To do so, Calloway sorted through various British, American, Spanish and Canadian records to tell his story. This story, unlike previous writings on the subject, is not centered on how or why Indians participated as allies or enemies to the colonialist. Rather, it focuses on what decisions each of the eight different groups made to try to keep their autonomy. Calloway argues that American Indian culture is a total way of life, not just a shallow set of customs and dress. Yet, the American Indian cultural system is ever changing because of the different Indian groups adaptation to the environment as well as the influence of other cultures. This fortifies why Calloway studied eight individual groups instead of generalizing all Indians as one group. Between the eight American Indian groups, there is too much diversity that it is impossible to generalize. Each group has different ways of thinking, beliefs, values, customs, etc. With these various influences shaping each group, they will go about keeping their independence differently. The eight groups that Calloway focused his attention on varied between one another. The eight Indian communities that Calloway covers are the Odanek, Niagara, Stockbridge, Oquaga, Maquachake, Chota, Tchoukafala and the Cuscowilla. All eight of these groups went about maintaining their identity different than the others during the American Revolution. These differences are summarized by three choices- siding with the British or Colonialist or staying neutral. Whatever side they picked (or did not pick by staying neutral) they all had the same end result. For that each group lost lands to Europeans. What is most overlooked, in Calloway’s opinion, is not the fact of who won or loss. Rather that all eight of these groups were mimicking their colonial counterparts by fighting for their freedom. Yet, this ideal of 2007-04-23T04:02:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-The-American-Revolution-in-Indian-Country-quot-by-Col-33094.aspx Okonkwo's Faults in "Things Fall Apart" Can such an important character in a story have faults? Many people look at the protagonist as the hero with no faults. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the main character shows this quality. Okonkwo portrays many faults, which leads him to his downfall. One example of Okonkwo’s greatest faults is his pride. His own success as a self-made man makes him impatient of others who are not as successful. For example, at a meeting of the tribe's elders, he calls another man a woman and says, "This meeting is for men." This man who had contradicted him had no titles, and so Okonkwo felt that he was not worthy enough. However, Okonkwo had to apologize to him. This is one example of Okonkwo’s faults. Another fault portrayed by Okonkwo is his temper. Okonkwo is hard and stern with his family, particularly his son, Nwoye, who does not take after him. It is Okonkwo's inner fear that he too would be a failure like his father. This makes him proud and hard. He is strict with his wives too and never shows his inner emotions. It is this that drives him to break the rules of the Week of Peace, by beating his wife when she does not send him his food as required. Breaking the rules of the week of peace is considered a sin against the Goddess of the soil, Ani. So this is both a personal error and an error against the rules of the tribe. This is another example of Okonkwo’s faults. The last example of Okonkwo’s faults is his disrespect for women. This is shown at the New Yam festival when he almost shoots his second wife, Ekwefi. He trys this with a gun as he thinks that she has cut down his banana tree when she has only cut a few leaves. This again shows his impulsive nature and volatile temper, faults which later rebound on him. When the Oracle of the Hills and Caves orders the death of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo, in order to show his fearlessness and impartiality, strikes the final blow with his machete, even as the boy is calling him "My father, they have killed me!" Ogbuefi, the oldest man in the village had asked Okonkwo not to participate on the killing of the boy as 2007-04-23T03:52:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Okonkwo-s-Faults-in-Things-Fall-Apart-33093.aspx Comparisson Of "The Plague" And "The Metamorphosis" It has been said that “Man revolts against his condition first by understanding it and then, in the face of his cosmic meaninglessness creating his own human meaning.” To me, this means that a person has no meaning until he understands he has no meaning and only when this understanding occurs is when he creates his own personal meaning. Two books, which support my point of view, are The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and The Plague by Albert Camus. These two stories use setting, plot structure and symbolism to express their author’s ideas. The Metamorphosis is one of the earliest pieces of literature to express an existential point of view. First of all, the room that Gregor Samsa lives in is isolated from the rest of the world. This isolation allows him to understand the meaning of being a bug. This is an example of a story that begins at its end. There is no way out for Gregor Samsa at the beginning, likewise there is no way out for him at the end. He is a bug and has to understand that. Finally, Kafka uses the insect as a symbol for human life. The existential view is that human life is meaningless. In our world the bug is looked upon as meaningless. Once he came to the realization that it would be better if he died, he defined himself. This definition was that of a caring individual who sacrificed his life for the happiness of his family. Albert Camus, uses the same three literary devices, to express his existential opinion in The Plague. Camus, chooses to set the story in Oran, Algeria. The reason for this country and city is because it is obscure and alienated. Again, like in The Metamorphosis, the isolation helps the lead character Dr. Bernard Rieux, understand the meaning of life, especially life surrounded by the plague. Additionally, Camus divides the novel into five parts. The first and final portion show life before and after the plague. Parts two and four display the suffering of the individual characters and the society in Oran as a whole. Part three portrays the plague at its peak. This plot structure illustrates the rise and decline of the plague as well as the gain 2007-04-23T03:45:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparisson-Of-quot-The-Plague-quot-And-quot-The-Metamorp-33089.aspx Comparing Oedipus Rex And Beowulf In both of these stories, “Oedipus Rex” and “Beowulf” there are many various attitudes and representations of fate portrayed. These characters each showed “fate” by their experiences and ways of life throughout the stories. They also showed traits of leadership, dignity, and honor. The characters, “Oedipus” and “ Beowulf”, both show strong leadership qualities but are uniquely different in their ways of life and glory. The Power of Fate in Oedipus Rex, Oedipus, the fated tragic hero of “Oedipus Rex”, is a complex character that, through slow realization, learns that one cannot escape fate. Throughout the tragedy, Oedipus’s attitude evolves from arrogance to humbleness as he learns to seek the truth and finds that fate is impossible to control. In the beginning of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is a strong, noble king in search of justice. Oedipus is both arrogant and ignorant of his future misfortune. “With the help of God, we shall be saved,” Oedipus says. However, Oedipus quickly becomes insulted when Teiresias, the blind prophet, accuses Oedipus of being “the pollution of this country.” Teiresias further questions Oedipus, “Who are your father and your mother? The truth of your parents’ curse will remove you from this land someday.” Oedipus becomes enraged with Teiresias and screams “Damnation take you! Out of this place! Out of my sight!” Oedipus does not want to accept the truth, however this was his fate. Fate cannot be predicted or prevented. This was Oedipus’ fate, and this is the “fate” that had to be accepted in his life. There are also the ideas of fate and courage portrayed throughout the story of Beowulf. The warriors believe that fate controls their lives and their beings. Beowulf, the ultimate hero, shows this trait throughout Grendel's attack and also in his battle with Grendel's mother after her attack on the hall of Heorot. He even tells Unferth, the boastful warrior, of his fate before defeating Grendel, when Beowulf says, "Fate often saves an undoomed man when his courage is good." Characters allow fate to influence them and how they go about doing things. But is it really fate or peoples will to do what they chose too? In this story, this is an idea that we have to think about. Is fate what brought Beowulf to prevail over Grendal? 2007-04-23T03:40:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Oedipus-Rex-And-Beowulf-33085.aspx Symbolism in "The Glass Menagerie" Tennessee Williams is an extraordinary playwright. His excellence lies in the way he writes symbolism through his poetic prose. Tennessee also uses a variety of expressionism. Expressionism is a theatrical style that attempts to reveal the truth beyond superficial facts. It uses symbols, lighting, music, signs, sounds, movements, costumes, and setting to emphasize certain characteristics. In his play The Glass Menagerie, Laura Wingfield exemplifies his use of this technique of expressionism. The physically and emotionally crippled Laura displays a pure compassion that stands in stark contrast to the selfishness and grudging sacrifices that characterize the Wingfield household. Laura also has the fewest lines in the play. Yet she is the axis around which the plot turns, and the most prominent symbols all represent her, in some sense. Laura, though, is trapped in a fantasy world. The symbol that represents this is the glass menagerie itself. . Laura's collection of glass animal figurines represents a number of facets of her personality. Like the figurines, Laura is delicate, fanciful, and somehow old-fashioned. Glass is transparent, but, when light is shone upon it correctly, it refracts an entire rainbow of colors. Similarly, Laura, though quiet and bland around strangers, is a source of strange, multifaceted delight to those who choose to look at her in the right light. The menagerie also represents the imaginative world to which Laura devotes herself. Her world is colorful and enticing but is based on fragile illusions. The unicorn is one figurine in Laura's collection, singled out because it represents well another trait of Laura's: her peculiarity. As Jim points out, unicorns are "extinct" in modern times and are lonesome as a result of being different from other horses. Laura, too, is unusual, lonely, and ill adapted to existence in the world she lives in. The fate of the unicorn is also a smaller- scale version of what happens to Laura in scene seven. When Jim dances with and then kisses Laura, the unicorn's horn breaks off, and it becomes just another horse. Jim's advances endow Laura with a new normalcy, making her seem more like just another girl, but the violence with which that normalcy is thrust upon her means that Laura cannot become normal without somehow shattering. Eventually, Laura gives Jim the unicorn as a "souvenir." Without its horn, the unicorn is more appropriate for him than for her, and the broken 2007-04-23T03:31:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-quot-The-Glass-Menagerie-quot-33081.aspx Satan As A Sympathetic Hero in "Paradise Lost" If one were not imbued with the preconceived separation of Satan and God into evil and virtue, then the reader of John Milton’s Paradise Lost would undoubtedly judge Satan the poem’s hero and God as the ruler of an oppressive hierarchy in heaven. By his use of characterization and tone, Milton’s Satan becomes the sympathetic martyr of Paradise Lost. Christianity paints Satan only in terms of evil: a jealous, “sinuous snake,” that tempts man to disobey God. However, the Bible fails to further analyze Satan’s motives and character, thus he remains a static “villain.” Milton’s portrayals of God and the fallen Archangel are more complex than the Bible assumes. Far from the righteous leader of the civilized world, Milton characterizes God as an all-consuming, unforgiving force that not only expels His rebel angels out of His Kingdom, but also damns them to a miserable existence of torment. As Satan led the insurrection against God’s thrown, he undergoes the most torture. God claimed to have bestowed all His creatures with Free Will, yet he punishes those who exercise that power by denying them the happiness of Heaven. “The Arch-Fiend lay Chained on the burning lake nor ever thence Had risen or heaved his head but that the will and high permission of all-ruling Heaven.” God is a proponent of Free Will; he allows Satan to operate and spread his evil throughout the world even though He could easily crush him. Apparently some crimes outweigh others in God’s eyes; a threat to His crown calls for immediate attention while the havoc wreaked upon the world by Satan is allowed because God has given the gift of Free Will to His creations- sometimes. To God, in accordance with Milton’s analysis, it is His way or no way at all; sure his creatures have a choice-worship Him or go to hell. The reader cannot help but notice that God seems less the kindly Heavenly Father and more the uncaring, hypocritical, and selfish Deity. If one might discard the black and white separation of “good” and “evil” it is easy to sympathize with Satan’s plight; thrown from his home because he disagreed with it’s King, deformed, and facing torture for the rest of eternity, he is justified in his decision to wage war against Heaven’s “Tyrant” for what other choice does he have? “To be weak is to 2007-04-23T03:25:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Satan-As-A-Sympathetic-Hero-in-quot-Paradise-Lost-quot-33079.aspx Synopsis and Summary of the Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the mid 19th century is considered “the first great American novel and Hawthorne’s best work”(Thompson 312) The setting of the novel was in Boston in the 17th century, when Puritanism was in full effect. The author of the novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne, changed his name from Hathorne to Hawthorne because he was ashamed that he was in direct line of decent of Judge Hathorne who had been one of the persecutors in the Salem witch trials. It was said by Keith Nelson, a writing critic, that Hawthorne’s style of writing is contemporary, yet still old fashioned. It is contemporary because Hawthorne was fascinated by the truth, but the truth was not always recognizable. The way in which it is still old fashioned is that he wrote in moral allegory. In this style of writing, the author assigns a value to a particular character. It has a hidden meaning and is used to present a universal lesson. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester, Reverend Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and Pearl all take on specific values which we can learn from. Hester Prynne takes on a role of dignity. She implies restraint in conduct prompted less by obedience to the theocracy she was under, but by a sense of personal integrity. We first find her walking through the townspeople with her baby in her arm up towards the scaffold because her punishment for committing adultery was to wear the “scarlet letter” for life and stand on the scaffold for three hours to make her feel ashamed. Instead of looking down and trying to cover the scarlet letter embroided on her bosom “she took the baby on her arm, and with a burning blush, and a haughty smile, and a glance around ….repaid them all with a bitter and disdainful smile.” She also displays another sense of irony because she decorated her scarlet letter with “fantastic flourishes of gold-thread.” Under normal circumstances, one would have no held their head high and meticulously beautified their mark which reveals that they have sinned. Hester has an inner strength to defy both the townspeople and the local government when she confronts Governor Bellingham on the issue of Pearl’s guardianship. She defiantly pleads, “God gave her into my keeping. I will not give her up … I will die first.” As the novel progresses even the 2007-04-23T03:24:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-and-Summary-of-the-Scarlet-Letter-33078.aspx Man and Faith in "Young Goodman Brown" The story Young Goodman Brown is about a man and his faith in himself, his wife, and the community they reside in. Goodman Brown must venture on a journey into the local forest refuse the temptations of the devil and return to the village before sunrise. The time era is approximately a generation after the time of the witch trials. Goodman Brown's struggle between the evil temptations, the devil, and the proper church abiding life, is a struggle he does not think he can face. He reiterates his false confidence to himself repeatedly. This characteristic of Goodman Brown is similar to the life lead by the author Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of self doubt. Nathaniel Hawthorne was an unhappy person his entire life, never satisfied with his accomplishments. Goodman knowns what he must do but dreads the deed. Apon entering the forest he is suspicious of every rock and tree, thinking something evil will jump out at him. When he finally does meet someone on the trail, who appears to be of evil origin, he feels confident that he can refuse any temptations. This evil person makes several advances and Goodman refuses. This makes Goodman feel strong until they meet his childhood catechism teacher and see her turned. This act deters his confidence to a great degree. He continues down the trail looking for hope in the heavens but hears only howling voices. Goodman eventually reaches his destination and sees the rest of the community there participating in satanic acts. When he sees this it destroys any faith he might of had in the community or himself and he appears to give-up. The following morning he finds himself in the forest and wonders what happened the previous night. Whether the scenes he witnessed were real or his imagination, he believes what he remembers and trusts no-one in the village, not even his wife. Goodman lives the rest of his years a miserable and distrusting man. The lead character is happy with the locals and his faith until his trip, when he is convinced they are all evil. Apon this discovery he, in a sense, becomes evil. Whether he actually meets satin, and the community is evil or he fell asleep and tricked himself, he turns out suspecting everyone. The author tells in the end that Goodman is distrustiing after his journey, so he either did 2007-04-19T21:46:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Man-and-Faith-in-quot-Young-Goodman-Brown-quot-33069.aspx Love and Politics in "Antony And Cleopatra" Love and politics are two themes central to the story of ‘Antony and Cleopatra.’ Antony, the hero of the tragedy, is seen as a man caught between two worlds- the fantasy microcosm of Alexandria, and the titanic responsibilities and honors of the triumvirate, whilst his lover Cleopatra is the ruler of Egypt. Between them, they have political authority over half the known world, so theirs is a relationship embroiled in political significance. The language that Shakespeare uses to portray these two principle dimensions of the play is therefore integral, in order to evoke the tragedy the author intends. For Antony and Cleopatra’s tragedy explores almost a crown on death, a total, unprecedented political collapse. The two extremes, love and death, seem to unite in speech. The culmination of the play sees to die as symbolic of total love. Conversely, to love is also to die. Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Cleopatra and Antony all die at the height of their love or loyalty. Clearly such tragedy of political and romantic importance requires a diverse and complex deployment of language, and it is this technique that I now seek to explore. The language of love in ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ is one of the plays greatest pleasures. The magnificence of the poetic lexis is what elevates the characters in the imagination, and sustains their larger than life status. It is majestically exaggerated- take the picture of Cleopatra on her barge sailing down the river Cydnus to meet Antony, which ends in a praise of her “infinite variety” she herself envisages Antony as “the demi-Atlas of this earth.” Her dream of Antony after he is dead “his legs bestrid the ocean” is similarly grand. Her response to the death of Antony, “the crown o’th’earth doth melt”, and her own words as she is about to commit suicide “give me my robe, put on my crown, I have Immortal longings in me” sustains the portrayal through language of the lovers, and their relationship, reaching beyond mortality. Certainly, this use of hyperbole in the language of love is one that is evident from the very start of the play, as Philo says of Antony “ this dotage of our generals o’erflows the measure” and continues when Cleopatra says to her lover “I’ll set a bourn how far to be belov’d,”he replies “Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new 2007-04-19T21:39:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Love-and-Politics-in-Antony-And-Cleopatra-33065.aspx History and Analysis of "The Plague" by Albert Camus The Plague by Albert Camus proved to be a very interesting and original view as to what could be interpreted as the effects of the occupation and resistance of the Holocaust that he shows resulting from the Nazi Party during World War II. According to one source: “(Camus) soon became involved in the Resistance movement against the occupying German forces”(Encarta). This was a major influence on him when writing this novel. Albert Camus uses events in his novel The Plague to represent events of the Holocaust and World War II. When comparing The Plague to the Holocaust it is easy to find resemblance’s. The first few chapters of The Plague provide evidence to show the similarities of what happened in Germany and the surrounding countries with the extermination of millions of Jews. No one in Oran, upon hearing of the death of hundreds of rats wanted to admit that there might be an epidemic sickness. Once the true severity of the sickness became apparent, denial still prevented people of asserting the public that a plague had infested their society. This is similar to what happened at the Holocaust in that initially no one wanted to admit to the brutality of the Nazis to annihilate the Jews. This idea of what you don’t know can’t hurt you also happened to the French during World War II. They ignored the German arms build-up, and even their annexations of Austria and Poland. France was not very well prepared for the German attack as the people of Oran were for the plague. Just like the plague infected people, the Nazis infected people with their ideology. They had people all over the world that were Nazi supporters. The first thing done after extremely large amounts of people had died, was closing the town. The plague cut off citizens from their loved ones. The Nazis did the same thing to France, whether it was killing French soldiers or separating Jewish families. Oran, just like France, had become separated from the rest of the world. People were quarantined for their sickness, which led to an eventual isolation from the rest of the citizens, which also occurred during the Holocaust with the Jews in the concentration camps. 2007-04-19T21:33:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/History-and-Analysis-of-quot-The-Plague-quot-by-Albert-Cam-33060.aspx Comparing the Aeneid and Dracula The Aeneid by Virgil and Bram Stoker’s Dracula are both works centering around love and tragedy. In both of these misfortunes, love is intertwined with suffering. Why are love and suffering connected as such? In The Aeneid, Aeneas suffered a great deal and then was fated to lead his people to Italy and Rome. Aeneas "marries" the Queen of Carthage, Dido, who eventually kills herself out of despair. In Dracula, Elizabetha takes her life after being informed that her beloved prince was slewed in the battle field. Dracula comes home from a victorious battle to find his only true love to have committed suicide. Dracula then makes a pact with the devils that he will walk the earth forever in search for his true love again On the way to Rome, Aeneas and his men landed at Carthage. Aeneas met the Queen of Carthage, Dido, and during a storm arranged by the gods they consummated their love. When Aeneas had to leave Carthage, he reasoned that he was not married to Dido and that he had no obligation to her. Dido, on the other hand felt that there was a commitment between her and Aeneas and that the experience that they shared meant that they were married. After Aeneas left Carthage, Dido killed herself on Aeneas’’ funeral pyre by throwing herself on to Aeneas’’ sword. When Aeneas saw Dido in Hell, Aeneas begged her to forgive him, but she didn’’t answer him. Since Dido committed suicide and she refused to forgive Aeneas for wronging her, the love between them was tragic. Dido was a very significant character in The Aeneid. Dido represents both love and suffering. Aeneas and Dido shared a common bond. They both loved each other. Dido represents suffering because she died in the name of love, when she committed suicide. Aeneas consummated his marriage with her in the cave, however, knowing that he was fated to lead the Trojans to Italy and Rome, Aeneas was careless in starting a relationship with Dido. He then picked up and left Carthage, acting to the benefit of his countrymen. Dido belongs in The Aeneid as a character of love and suffering. Dido is an important character in The Aeneid because she illustrates how Aeneas behaved heroically. Aeneas has no choice 2007-04-19T21:26:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-the-Aeneid-and-Dracula-33057.aspx Isolation And Loneliness in "Wisenburg, Ohio" Winseburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson is a novel centered on loneliness and isolation. Life in a small town is not always as picturesque, as it may seem. Many of the characters in the novel experience the ramifications of being alone. When one experiences loneliness and isolation they often become brokenhearted and see no good that can come from life. The little town of Winesburg is full of frustration and loneliness, and this is seen through the lives of Alice, David and Louise. Alice fell in love as a young woman. Her love, Ned Currie, went to New York for a job and promised to return one day for her. Alice waited for years for Ned to return but as the years went by her loneliness and isolation grew. She feared that she would live and die alone. “…trying to force herself to face the fact that many people must live and die alone, even in Winesburg” (Anderson 67). Alice was so desperate to be loved that she ran outside into the rain naked and called to the first man she saw. The man she had called to was deaf and old. This was symbolic of herself because she too had become old and lonely and cut off from the world. Alice was affected so much by her loneliness and isolation that it brought her to despair. From the day Louise was born, she felt as if she was not loved. Her father wanted a son and because of this, he did not treat her, as he should have. Her father Jesse wanted a son so that he could be like David in the Bible. Later in life, Louise married John Hardy merely because she needed to be loved and to have someone to love. She did not know how to love because she was never able to experience that as a child and so her relationship with her husband was not healthy and seemed to throw her into a state of madness. The town saw how Louise acted and distanced themselves from her, causing her more pain and separation. Louise had a son and was not able to love her son because she alone had failed to be loved. David Hardy was 2007-04-19T21:05:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Isolation-And-Loneliness-in-quot-Wisenburg,-Ohio-quot-33043.aspx The Transcendentalism Movement The Transcendentalism movement was based on the belief that real truths can be found beyond reason and experience. Henry David Thoreau believed that every individual was capable of discovering these truths on his or her own through personal intuition. Thoreau's essay Walden, a record of his experiences at Walden Pond, is reflective of the Transcendentalism movement through his experiment of essential living by simplifying his life, studying nature, and seeking real truth within himself. Thoreau's experiment in deliberate living began on the fourth of July, 1845. Thoreau chose to live in the woods in a small cabin on the shore of Walden Pond; “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and to see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Thoreau wanted “simplicity” in his life, and to live only with the basic necessities. His main purpose in going to the pond was to allow him time to observe nature and to learn from it. Thoreau “wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” He wanted to discover what the most important things in life were, then remove everything else from it. His desire was to live in an easy, disciplined way, and to gather as much of the essence of life as possible. Thoreau’s time spent in nature at Walden Pond brought him to a different understanding of solitude. Thoreau came to believe that physical distance “which separates a man from his fellows” is insignificant. “This whole earth which we inhabit is but a point in space… Why should I feel lonely?” He says that we are all in the same place. His belief was that because we are all in this life together, the physical space between us is trivial. Despite a distance separating us, we are all in this life together; there is no true solitude. After two years of writing and studying nature, Thoreau left Walden Pond satisfied. He had learned and experienced everything he went there to do, and it was now time to take what he had learned with him and move on. “I left the woods for as good as a reason as 2007-04-19T21:04:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Transcendentalism-Movement-33042.aspx Paul Theroux Analysis: “The Male Myth” Is a Myth Paul Theroux describes manhood: “The whole idea of manhood in America is pitiful, a little like having to wear an ill-fitting coat for ones entire life” (292). Webster’s dictionary defines pitiful as pitiable, piteous, pathetic, sorry, and disgraceful. Therefore, Theroux sees American manhood as being pathetic, sorry, piteous, and disgraceful, but this is not necessarily true. First of all, the time setting of Theroux’s birth plays a small role in why he thinks that way about manhood. He was born in 1941 which means he reached the age of eighteen in 1959. A man had more pressure to keep a family together. Not may women worked so the income of the family was placed on the man’s shoulders. Whereas now the women are more present in the workforce and some of the work load has been lifted off man. The Vietnam War was fought from 1959-1975, and at the time man was pressured into being “manly” and going to war. Men, who rejected the war, were looked on as “hippies” who didn’t quite feel the shoes of manhood. Being a man in that time period was more pressured than an average male today. Theroux writes about how societies expression “Be a man” insults him. He says the expression means “Be stupid, be unfeeling, obedient and soldierly, and stop thinking” (293). By calling man stupid he implies that men are looked upon as slow witted, dull, foolish, and irrational. Theroux believes that society looks at men in this manner. However, they do not look at men as being stupid. Society looks at men as being dominant leaders and the strong hold of the world. As the years have passed by, women have been fighting for better jobs and offices, but yet men still hold the most powerful offices and the better paid jobs. In contrast to what Theroux writes, to “Be a man” doesn’t mean to be stupid. To be soldierly is to have characteristics of a person who works zealously for a specified cause. Theroux contradicts himself by saying that society looks at man as stupid and soldierly. Obviously these two definitions form an oxymoron, and clearly man can not be both at the same time. Men do work zealously to get good jobs, high office positions, and to maintain the dominant leadership status. For man to 2007-04-19T21:03:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Paul-Theroux-Analysis-The-Male-Myth-Is-a-Myth-33041.aspx Individual Beliefs in "Shooting an Elephant" by Orwell It's ironic how some individuals are willing to push aside their moral beliefs in what is right or wrong to gain acceptance. “In Shooting An Elephant” by George Orwell we see how he puts all his true beliefs to the side to gain some sort of closure on the way the people view him. At times people are put in complex situations where they have to decide between what’s right and wrong without knowing the outcome. The building up of the feeling of pressure starts with Orwell feeling humiliated and disrespected from the Burmese and shifts to a feeling of authority and presence as a result of the elephant's closeness. It was a common feeling for the Burmese to be bitter towards Europeans as a result of imperialism. It seemed as though the Burmese had grown a feeling of hatred towards the British Empire. They took their hatred as far as humiliating him by tripping him in a football field in front of a large sneering crowd. "In the end the sneering yellow faces of young men that met me everywhere, the insults hooted after me when I was at a safe distance, got badly on my nerves.” All this was confusing and upsetting for him to the point where it poked at his self-esteem forcing him to dwell upon it constantly making him feel that the Burmese people made his job impossible. The persistent mockery and festering anger of the Burmese people towards Orwell shapes itself differently when "early one morning the sub inspector at a police station or the end of town rang me up on the phone and said that an elephant was ravaging the bazaar would I please come and do something about it"? "As I started forward practically the whole population of the quarter flocked out the houses and followed me.” They had seen the rifle in his hand and were all shouting excitedly that he was going to shoot the elephant. This made him feel important, powerful in control and finally gaining an upper hand as a singled out European in a bitter Burmese society. He did not want to shoot the elephant but realized it was expected of him and he had to do it. He was being pushed and pressured toward it by the 2007-04-18T23:37:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Individual-Beliefs-in-Shooting-an-Elephant-by-George-Orwell-33040.aspx The Early Life of Harry Potter Have you ever dreamed of saving a prince or princess? Dreamed of a land of magic and wonder or ever thought you had magical powers that you are not fully aware of? Well if you have you might want to look in the exciting and magical book Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone. “After reading this entrancing fantasy, readers will be convinced that they, too, could take the train to Hogwarts School, if only they could find Platform Nine and Three Quarters at the King's Cross Station (School Library Journal).” This book will take you through the life a small boy named Harry Potter and his quest to understand himself and his journeys at Hogwarts school of Wizardry. The book will show his battle with the Dursleys and his cousin Dudley, and with an arrogant boy at school named Draco Malfoy. At the end he will untimely have to face the very person that killed his parents and tried to kill him, but you will need to read the book to find this out. This book can be classified as a quest because in this book Harry does not fully understand himself, his past, and what he truly will become. Harry also battles between the forces of good and evil; Harry also has a desired goal for himself that he must reach. The opening of this book is when Harry is just a baby, right after the evil dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, killed his parents. Albus Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Hagrid took the infant Harry to his aunt and uncle, the Dursleys, house where he grew up for 11 years not knowing that his parents were murdered, and that his parents were both a witch and a wizard. Since both of Harry’s parents were magical he also is a wizard but he does not know this un-till his eleventh birthday. Strange things happen to Harry when he was a child that nobody could explain why these strange things would happen. One time when Harry received a hair cut that made him look hideous he was afraid to go to school the next day, but by the time he woke up the next morning his hair was back to its original uncut shape. Another time he was at the zoo with the Dursleys for 2007-04-18T23:28:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Early-Life-of-Harry-Potter-33035.aspx Joseph Conrad: The Unforgettable Journey The journey in Heart of Darkness traverses not only unpredictable waters spanning our physical world, but also the paradoxical ocean which exists in the heart of man and all of mankind. Through Marlow's somewhat fanatical eyes and his inner feelings we view the mystery that is humanity, and the blurred line between light and dark. It is a voyage into the deepest recesses of the human heart and mind, leading to epiphany, enlightenment, and finally spiraling downwards into the crevices of a hell existing within each and every one of us. Ian Watt writes: “What makes reading Heat of Darkness so unforgettable is surely the harrowing power with which Conrad convinces us of the essential reality of everything Marlow sees and feels at each stage of the journey.” Although through Marlow Conrad depicts a journey into the Congo, Watt is right about one thing. Conrad’s use of symbolism and wordplay divulge effects at every stage of the journey which forever captivate his readers. The Heart of Darkness as an entirety is one immense metaphor, whose numerous annexes can be either convoluted or self-evident. Almost every action, object, and character in Conrad's book has a deeper, more relevant meaning behind it, serving as a powerful nudge to bring the reader ever closer to the conclusion that the voyage is indeed an inward one. The first major indication of this is the posture of Marlow as he recounts his journey into the Congo. According to the narrator, "he had the pose of a Buddha preaching in European clothes and without a lotus-flower."(112) This lotus position is one typically used for meditation, which is in fact defined as a spiritual journey promoted by a lucidity of thought. Successful meditation leads to a more discerning understanding of human nature and allows one to contemplate the innermost workings of the mind. Therefore Marlow's stance capitalizes on his true destination, insinuating from the very first pages that his journey is actually within himself. This type of deeper meaning and allusion to such things a meditation is a prime example of Conrad’s ability to evoke power and emotion into ever aspect of the journey. From the start of Marlow's tale there are a myriad of symbols relating to the places of the subconscious, and the journey intended to discover them. This again is a trademark of Conrad’s writing. For instance, Marlow is 2007-04-18T23:24:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Joseph-Conrad-The-Unforgettable-Journey-33032.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Crucible" A farmer in Salem, Proctor serves as the voice of reason and justice in The Crucible. It is he who exposes the girls as frauds who are only pretending that there is witchcraft, and thus becomes the tragic hero of the tale. Proctor is a sharply intelligent man who can easily detect foolishness in others and expose it, but he questions his own moral sense. Because of his affair with Abigail Williams, Proctor questions whether or not he is a moral man, yet this past event is the only major flaw attributed to Proctor, who is in all other respects honorable and ethical. It is a sign of his morality that he does not feel himself adequate to place himself as a martyr for the cause of justice when he is given the choice to save himself at the end of the play. Proctor redeems himself and provides a final denunciation of the witch trials in his final act. Offered the opportunity to make a public confession of his guilt and live, he almost succumbs, even signing a written confession. His immense pride and fear of public opinion compelled him to withhold his adultery from the court, but by the end of the play he is more concerned with his personal integrity than his public reputation. He still wants to save his name, but for personal and religious, rather than public, reasons. Proctor's refusal to provide a false confession is a true religious and personal stand. Such a confession would dishonor his fellow prisoners, who are brave enough to die as testimony to the truth. Perhaps more relevantly, a false admission would also dishonor him, staining not just his public reputation, but also his soul. By refusing to give up his personal integrity Proctor implicitly proclaims his conviction that such integrity will bring him to heaven. He goes to the gallows redeemed for his earlier sins. As Elizabeth says to end the play, responding to 's plea that she convince Proctor to publicly confess: "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!" Reputation is tremendously important in Salem, where public and private moralities are one and the same. In an environment where reputation plays such an important role, the fear of guilt by association becomes particularly pernicious. Focused on maintaining public reputation, the townsfolk of Salem must fear 2007-04-18T23:24:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-The-Crucible-33031.aspx Analysis of Themes of "To Kill a Mockingbird" To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an award-winning novel, published in 1960. Through six-year old Scout, her narrator, Harper Lee drew an affectionate and detailed portrait of Maycomb, Alabama, a small, sleepy, depression-era town. The main plot concerns the trial of an unjustly accused black man who is steadfastly defended by Scout's father, a respected lawyer. Covering a period of one year during Scout's childhood in Alabama, the story reflects the details of small-town life in the South and examines the painfully unjust consequences of ignorance, prejudice, and hate, as well as the values of courage, honor, and decency. Harper Lee shows that what appears may not always be real by presenting life like situations during the story. One of the main themes in To Kill A Mockingbird is “racism”. Maycomb has both a black and white community. Both sides have racial views about each other. When Jem and Scout go to the black church a woman comes out and says, “You Ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here – they got their church, we out ours.” (Pg. 119) Both communities are hostile towards each other. When a black man is accused of a crime he doesn’t commit, he is still found guilty because of his skin color. It is stated in the book, “In our courts, when its white man’s word against a black man’s, the white always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life.” (Pg. 220) However most of the white people agree with this. Most of them think that Tom Robinson is guilty just because of the color of his skin. The Radley property also threatens the lives of people brave enough to venture near it. The children believe that anything that comes from the Radley's soil is poison, including the nuts and fruits on the trees. Jem yells at Scout once saying about the Radley property: “Don't you know you're not supposed to even touch the house over there? You'll get killed if you do” (pg. 33). Jem also goes so far as to say, “if Dill wants to get himself killed, all he had to do was go up and knock on the front door” (pg. 13) No child has ever died from touching something on the Radley property, yet the children continue to believe it to 2007-04-18T22:51:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Themes-of-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-33027.aspx Magical Realism In "The House Of The Spirits" In The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, the story of three generations of a family is told. The story begins with Clara del Valle as a girl who eventually marries Esteban Trueba. They have a daughter, Blanca, who gives birth to her own daughter, Alba. All of the women are found to have unusual abilities and strength. Clara is able to interact with spirits and demonstrates a growing proficiency for telekinesis throughout her life. Blanca inherited some of her mother’s clairvoyant abilities and was able to see the spirits, although she never spoke with them. Alba too was able to call upon the spirits, although she generally did not interact with them. Pedro García, however, also had unusual abilities to set a skeleton of bones while blind and to rid the hacienda of a plague of ants. Throughout the novel, Allende describes both the magical aspects and harsh realities of the lives of the Trueba family as the country shifts from a stable oligarchy ruled by rich conservatives to a chaotic dictatorship ruled by the military. Interweaving of the actual and the supernatural, bizarre and the commonplace, and improbable and exaggerated characterization and psychologically motivated behavior all exemplify how Allende was able to establish magical realism throughout the tale. The actual and the supernatural were very prevalent in the story. One instance of an actual problem the hacienda faced is when ants began to overrun the hacienda. The ants had completely infested the hacienda and were eating everything. To resolve the problem, Esteban Trueba called an agricultural technician to help him exterminate the ants. “… ants… quickly became a dark shadow that glided everywhere, devouring everything in its paththe corn, the wheat, the alfalfa, and the marigolds…Esteban introduced him as… Mr. Brown… an agricultural technician specializing in insecticides…” Unfortunately, the agricultural technician said he would be unable to exterminate the ants in less than a month, at which point Pedro Segundo García suggested they call his father, Pedro García, who might be able to produce a more magical solution in less time. Pedro García picked up some of the ants and began speaking to them. He told them they were a nuisance at the hacienda and had to go. He then showed them the way to the highway. “…he had led the ants to the edge of the highway… the next 2007-04-18T22:45:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Magical-Realism-In-quot-The-House-Of-The-Spirits-quot-33024.aspx Juxtaposition of Rain And Plot in "A Farewell to Arms" In "A Farewell to Arms," Ernest Hemingway juxtaposes strong weather symbolism with the emotions and events of the characters in the story. The book has a theme of constant internal struggle between the protagonist and his perception of his reality world versus his fictitious one. This theme is expanded upon and clarified by the author, by the use of weather, particularly rain. Rain is the bringer of misfortune and destruction. Everyone who dies dies during a rainstorm or in some way the caused by the rain. Whenever something terrible happens to the main characters or the war worsens it is always accompanied by a storm and rain. Weather plays an important role in setting the tone and mood of the story by juxtaposing it with the factual events in the story. At the beginning of the story the destruction the rain brings is literal. The rain brings the cholera which kills thousands of people. This first introduction of rain sets the tone for the weather in the rest of the book. By chapter 19 Catherine even senses the evilness of the rain and even fears it. She tells Fredric “I don’t know, darling. I’ve always been afraid of the rain…I’m afraid of the rain because sometimes I see me dead in it…And sometimes I see you dead in it,” this foreshadows the fate of the characters to come (126). Rain is such an obvious transitional image that, when it is mentioned the reader automatically knows something dreadful soon follows. At the beginning of chapter 22, Fredric observes “it turned cold that night and the next day it was raining…it rained very hard and I was wet when I came in” (142). Fredric is drenched in rainwater; he is soaked in the bringer of destruction, thus the next morning he wakes up and feels “sick (and) nauseated” (142). Fredric finds out he has jaundice. Not only was the rain foretelling the coming of bad news but it almost seems as though it was the cause of it. It is raining outside the night Fredric and Catherine spend the night at the hotel in Milan. It is here where Catherine says she feels “like a whore” (152). The reason she feels so much like a 2007-04-18T20:06:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Juxtaposition-of-Rain-And-Plot-in-A-Farewell-to-Arms-33017.aspx The Purpose of the Bells in "Sure Thing" by David Ives David Ives’ Sure Thing is a play in which comedy and fantasy is combined to entertain the reader in a way never done before. A typical, everyday conversation between two strangers is taken to new possibilities through a neat device that Ives has concocted. It is through this stroke of genius that gives the reader a sense of fantasy and comedy all at once. By use of a bell, Ives reroutes his characters conversations so that they can be played over and necessary changes may be made. It is this thought of a bell, which takes the characters “back in time”, that makes this play what it is. Imagine being able to go back in time whilst in the middle of a conversation in order to make a correction in something that was said. Now think of the power that one could obtain by simply changing their response to a statement posed. The outcome would be that of enjoyment from both sides. There would be no arguments and nobody’s feelings would get hurt. Now lets get back to real life. Ives takes this otherwise common place, and makes it funny and satirical by throwing bells into the mix. These bells, during the occurrence of the characters conversation, represent a wrong answer, if you will. They refer to a statement that was made that might have turned the other person “off”, and, after a bell sounds (Bell.), the characters are back into their conversation as if nothing has happened. So what is being said about the characters by the constant ringing of the bell? If the characters in the play represent your everyday boy and girl, then this play might be warning people to not go out and try to find love any time soon. The constant ringing of the bells is funny in a satirical way. It is pretty much stating, in a sense, that people are too picky. If this play was set in real life, then the two people in that café would have never got past the first five minutes of their conversation. It is pointing out the fact that in this day and age there are so many variables that can be the deciding 2007-04-18T20:03:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Purpose-of-the-Bells-in-quot-Sure-Thing-quot-by-David-33015.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Cask Of Amontillado" Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” presents the compelling drama of two men. Montresor, one of the two men, will stop at nothing to get the revenge that he deems worthy of from Fortunato. The other man, Fortunato, his own pride will ultimately be the catalyst for his death. From a critical perspective, Charles E. May states, “That a reader’s primary concern should not be Montresor’s reason for killing Fortunato, but his reason for telling about it.” I believe that Montresor does enjoy telling the story of the destruction of Fortunato and has never atoned for his sin in any way. The pride of Montresor has been dishonored and he could not bear to allow Fortunato to live. Montresor enjoys telling of Fortunato’s death by foreshadowing the planning of Fortunato’s death, showing the irony of his revenge, and demonstrating the pride and symbolism in his coat of arms. To begin, “The Cask of Amontillado” is full of clues that hint towards the untimely death of Fortunato. For instance, the scene where Montresor was walking Fortunato to his pipe of amontillado in the catacombs contains foreshadowing. This scene displays that death is upon Fortunato. “‘The cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me’” (Poe 189). Montresor knows that Fortunato is going to perish from his vengeful scheme of trapping him and leading him to his own starvation. Fortunato is a proud man and doesn’t believe that his death will be due to something as petty as a cold. In reality, Fortunato believes that his life will end as a result of some courageous act and that he will die a noble death. However, Montresor only laughs and is entertained by Fortunato’s beliefs. Montresor knows Fortunato's death will not be noble and his pride will shatter in the dark depths of the catacombs. In addition, another important clue that foreshadows that death was near for Fortunato is in the symbolism of the trowel. “I looked at him in surprise. He repeated the movement- a grotesque one” (Poe 190). “’You are not of the masons.’” “…Producing from beneath the folds of my roquelaire a trowel” (Poe 190). This quote describes how Fortunato makes a movement that was a secret sign of the Masons, a fraternity-like organization. Montresor does not recognize the hand signal Fortunato produces, but claims that he is indeed 2007-04-18T19:58:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Cask-Of-Amontillado-quot-33012.aspx Conflict Analysis in "The Turn of the Screw" The Major conflict in “The Turn of the Screw” was between the governess and the two ghosts, Peter Quint and Miss Jessel. The governess felt that the two ghosts were trying to sexually corrupt the two children under her care. The two children, however, could not perceive the ghosts and are totally oblivious to their attempts at corruption. Peter Quint was the main demeaning force through out the novel. He, while he was alive, had affairs with the Former Governess, Miss Jessel, and supposedly sexually abused Miles one of the adopted children. The conflict between the ghosts and the governess goes through three stages. The first was at the beginning of the novel, when the governess first finds out about the ghosts and decides to protect the children. The second is when she recognizes that Quints’ ghost represents the headmaster’s jealousy of Miles and the last was when she decides to separate the children from the ghosts. This conflict has many parallels to today’s society, the sexual frustration and the corruption of youth can be represents society’s effect on youth. In the beginning the governess tries to explain to flora that she is being watched. That someone is following her and trying to corrupt her. The thing is that Flora cannot see Miss Jessel because she is a ghost. The governess is sure that Flora has some sort of idea that she is being corrupted. Also, Miles was being corrupted by Peter Quint another, ghost, by sexually molesting him or giving him sexual knowledge. During this phase the governess gets sexually frustrated and tries to use Miles to get rid of her frustration. An example from the book is that, she gets a hint that her desire for the absent master will be focused on Miles, the “little gentleman”. They allude to the fact that she is sexually frustrated. Another conflict within the novel The Turn Of The Screw is between the governess and the headmaster. Earlier in Miles life the headmaster had reprimanded him for committing a malicious act. The governess felt that this judgment was fabricated due to the head masters jealousy of Miles perfection. This creates distrust between the governess and the headmaster; also it binds the governess and children closer. The ghost Quint represents the headmasters desire to 2007-04-18T18:30:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Conflict-Analysis-in-quot-The-Turn-of-the-Screw-quot-33007.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Machine Gunners" Robert Westall’s The Machine Gunners has an exciting storyline but it is the aspects of the novel, such as its characters, themes and language, which captures and maintains the readers attention. Hence, the novel highlights the experiences and their effect upon juveniles in Britain during the Second World War. This is clearly seen through the novel’s protagonist, Chas, who undergoes changes in his personality, thoughts and feelings as the experiences bring maturity. With the backdrop of the Second World War looming over the entire novel, Westall is able to highlight the futility of war and the reality of human nature in war – as violence brings forth more violence. Set in a northeast seaside town (London) in 1940, The Machine Gunners tells the story of a group of teenagers growing up and learning the human cost of war and what it is really all about when they find a machine gun from a crashed German plane. Westall shows how the environment of war has a dramatic impact upon the lives of children, as the violence of war is imitated by the children on other children. There is an escalation of gang groups- each desiring to be the best gang. Consequently, there is violence where bullies dominate and their victims suffer. More importantly, parents are unable to curb the situation because they have lost control of their children. They remain ignorant to what is actually going on with their children. This is seen through Chas and his family’ s relationship, where Chas realizes his parents are helpless in the war and that they could not have done anything to help the war effort, “ He looked at his father, and saw a weary, helpless middle- aged man. Dad wasn’t any kind of God any more.” Consequently, Chas no longer looks up to his parents and does want to listen to them anymore; Hence, it is clear that while the war against the Germans continues, a smaller war is being fought among the children; this clearly shows the wartime surroundings have impacted the lives of teenagers, ‘This war’s doing bad things to kids.’ Chas and his group unearth a German Machine gun along with 200 rounds of live bullets from a crashed Heinkel airplane. Their wartime antipathy towards their enemy is shown by their desire to have a chance to take revenge on 2007-04-18T18:27:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Machine-Gunners-quot-33005.aspx George Orwell and Symbolism in "Animal Farm" George Orwell, born Eric Blair, was a cynical writer who expressed his views on the Russian Revolution through a book called Animal Farm. By the use of animals and farm life, George Orwell portrays people and events from the Russian Revolution in an allegorical form. To understand Animal Farm properly you need to understand Orwell’s life and beliefs. If not, Animal Farm could be interpreted as either a fable about farm animals or an angry citizens stand against the ruling of Stalin and his communist ways. To appreciate the political philosophy evident in Animal Farm you first need to understand the author, George Orwell. Orwell was born in 1903, in India but lived in England for the majority of his life. His parents were considered middle-class so Orwell got the best education at Eton College. After graduating near the bottom of his class, Orwell joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma from 1922 to 1927. This gave Orwell a first hand experience on what it was like to see inequality and oppression from another point of view, from the top. This experience left Orwell confused and bitter about how society was run. When he moved to Paris to become a writer, he was astounded to see how rich the rich were and how poor the poor were. In 1936, Orwell joined the Republican forces in the Spanish Civil War and fought for his idealistic Marxist views, which were shattered by the reality of communism at work. Orwell came home disturbed by totalitarianism and wrote Animal Farm, a book, which comments on the Russian Revolution. George Orwell on why he writes - "Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism...Animal Farm was the first book in which I tried, with full consciousness of what I was doing, to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole." Animal Farm is a satirical book about the Russian Revolution. In the beginning Manor Farm, later changed to Animal Farm, was run by old Mr. Jones, a drunken farmer. The animals worked day by day until Old Major, the wise old pig, gathered the animals together to tell them his dream. He dreamed of a place where animals ruled and united together as one to work in harmony. 2007-04-18T15:12:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/George-Orwell-and-Symbolism-in-quot-Animal-Farm-quot-32992.aspx Human Nature in The Lord of the Flies and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde With reference to the title, this essay will attempt to demonstrate Golding’s philosophy, that evil is a natural part of every human being. The origins of his work will be examined, such as his schoolteacher background, and the influences of his war time service. Similarly, Stevenson’s accusation that society is to blame for man’s evil will be discussed. The influences on this author will be shown to include his own Calvinist upbringing, his own past experiences, such as his observations of Victorian society, and his own fascination with duplicity. Detailed analysis of characters, language, symbolism, location, and the historical and social context in which both stories take place, will be also shown to reflect both authors’ philosophy and point of view. When Golding wrote “Lord of the Flies” the world was in the grip of the “Cold War”. This was a war of words and propaganda, a fear of the spread of communism, and nuclear threat between the two great super powers of the Soviet Union and the United States of America (USA). The fear of a repeat of the atrocities of World War II, and the publication of Hitler’s evilness (“Mein Kampf”), such as his plan to exterminate a whole race, the Jewish people, had been greeted with denial and disbelief. Although he never succeeded in exterminating the whole race, the holocaust had claimed the lives of six million people. This act of barbaric depravity had shocked the world, leaving these supposedly developed countries disgusted at how this act could have happened in a “civilized” world. Hitler, a well educated and therefore, “civilized” man, illustrates Golding’s view that evil is innate, and may be the reason why the children in the text turn from civilized schoolboys to barbaric savages. Golding’s position as Navy commander also allowed him to see at first hand how the war acted as a trigger to unleash soldiers’ darker sides. His service took in the sinking of the “Bismarck” and the D Day Normandy landings, and caused him to say that only “original sin” could be the reason. He was appalled that one race of humans could so easily annihilate another. The war, although a strong aspect, was not the only influence on Golding. His experience 2007-04-18T15:10:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-quot-Lord-of-the-Flies-quot-and-quot-Dr_-Jekyll-and-M-32991.aspx Comparing Holden and Homer In life, we always have dreams that we desire and wish to become reality and we have goals that we plan on accomplishing. However, most of the time succeeding is harder said than done. Holden and Homer represent the people who seem to be categorized under those who have the trouble succeeding. Although they are two different people who live in two different types of society, they both share the same goal. Living in two different types of societies and being so different from each other many would find it hard to believe that Holden an odd young man that doubts himself of a bright future who lives in a modern society, and Homer a young man who seems to have a bright future who lives in a rural town, both set out to conquer the same goal. This goal is to break free from where they are and explore the world seeing what it has to offer and how they can be a part of it while at the same time be successful. Although very different from each other, to achieve their goal they end up doing similar things. Holden only has a few days left at his school because he was expelled due to his grades so he decides to leave early, due to some other problems as well and heads to New York where he is in search of what the world has to offer. Homer on the other hand is a Doctor at the orphanage he was raised up as. Him being an orphan decides to leave by hitching a ride when he got the opportunity, to fill his curiosity of what the outside world is like since he knows nothing of it, also in search of what the outside world has to offer him. Another minor similarity is Holden leaves school to stay in “The Big Apple” and Homer leaves to stay in “The Cider House”. Another similarity Holden and Homer have in common is their beliefs. Whatever they believe in, they seem to feel strongly about, and tends to always have arguments to back it up. As a doctor Homer strongly disagrees against abortions especially since he was an orphan and him knowing that if they had abortions around when his mother was pregnant with him he probally wouldn’t of been born. Although he performs the procedure after 2007-04-18T03:26:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Holden-and-Homer--32987.aspx Compare and Contrast Things Fall Apart with A Tale of Two Cities One of the most valuable aspects of a book, or any literature, is the insight offered about the views of the author and the surrounding society and times. The way in which certain ideas are presented in different stories can be very telling about the attitude of the author, or maybe in describing a message he is trying to convey. This is perhaps the most important thing to walk away with after having experienced a piece of literature. It is sometimes difficult to find the underlying theme of a story, but it is imperative in order to find some common thread among several pieces of literature. The presentations of these common themes are key in making comparisons or discovering contrasts between pieces of literature that at first appear to be dissimilar and unrelated, such as “Things Fall Apart”, “Cry, the Beloved Country”, and “A Tale of Two Cities”. One of the most prevalent themes throughout these three books is change, and how the characters deal with it. The characters in each book were faced with decisions regarding changes that faced them, their family, or the whole of society. The way in which the characters reacted when faced with these changes is very different from one story to the next. In Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” the theme of changing society is obvious in the revolution. The conditions of life grew continually worse for the peasants, who were the majority of the population in France at the time. The aristocrats were taking what little prosperity was left from the common people, turning France into a giant slum, sporadically dotted with grand castles and nobles living overly extravagant lifestyles. While France was taking this prolonged turn for the worse, the people of France were growing intolerant with the conditions forced on them by the aristocrats. The peasants decided they would confront their growing oppression. Led by a few, the people would revolt, and bring about their own change. They stood united and strong, refusing to back down until they had accomplished what they set out to do. Obviously the French Revolution was historically a success, although the book doesn’t reveal the outcome as it expects the reader to already be aware of this fact. 2007-04-18T03:24:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Compare-and-Contrast-Things-Fall-Apart-with-A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-32986.aspx Critical Analysis of "O Pioneers" The book “O Pioneers” marks the character’s relationship with society, history and relationship with the land. The land is their home and their childhood so it kept them from moving to the West. This event was talked about in our class and it helped me to understand the story easier, so the story supported what I have studied in class. This book was written by Willa Cather which is known to express her books to prove that “the history of every country begins in the heart of a man or a woman.” This story overall talks about how people strive for the American Dream. America’s first Puritans were dissenters, forced to reconcile their impulse toward revolution against the society that confined them from the idea of community. Since them, America had been marked between the personal and public, the individual dream (which was Alexandra) and the American Dream (the Western expansion). Beginning with the Louisiana Purchase in 1804, the United States embarked upon a massive westward expansion that more than tripled the country size. But by 1890, as the Census Bureau declared, there was no longer a true frontier in the contiguous United States. The American West Remained large untamed, but the processes of populating had begun. When drought and depression strike, Alexandra’s determination allowed her to reserve. In America, a land had always been believed to bring a better life, bur many families sold their farms and moved away. But Alexandra believed in the promise of the country, she convinced her brothers to buy more land and to learn new innovative farming techniques. Alexandra Bergson’s relationship with the land formed a struggle. She experted her will upon the land even as it changed herself in many ways. Yet her relationship with the land went deeper than more control or influence. She seemed curiously empty of human emotion and personality. Alexandra lacked a personal inner life. Her relationship with Carl Linstrum was not romantic. Her attachment to him was unemotional. She did not feel any attractions toward him. She did what she had to do so she can stay alive and not suffer through the hard times. Alexandra and this story reminded me of the movement when my family moved from Vietnam 2007-04-18T03:17:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-O-Pioneers-quot-32983.aspx Nature and Ignorance in "To Build A Fire" by Jack London “It is human nature to think wisely and act foolishly” Anatole France Nature is full of hidden menaces. It is always dangerous to underestimate the significance of its power. Nature can give people a lot of pleasure, but also many troubles. If people do not respect its laws or do not have special knowledge and experience they can find themselves in a danger. People should know that very often their carelessness and self-assurance could lead to terrible consequences and even to death. A bright example of such carelessness was showed us by Jack London in his great novel “To build a fire”. This story is about a man who tried to survive in the extreme cold of an Alaskan winter, when the temperature was 75 degrees below zero. The man was going to a camp where his friends waited for him. His only companion in this journey was a dog, “a big native husky, the proper wolf dog” (London 378). At the beginning of the story the writer informed us that this man had no personal experience traveling along the Yukon trail. “He was a newcomer in the land and this was his first winter" (London 377). But the man was very stubborn and had a lack of common sense. He didn’t possess a certain understanding of life and nature. “The trouble with him was that he was without imagination. He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things not in the significances“ (London 377). The man didn’t think of the infinite number of possible events that could occur during his journey. The man was aware of the extremely cold day, but due to his ignorance he didn’t realize the danger he faced. First, he smiled at the advice he got from the old-timer that “no one must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below” (London 382). But the arrogant main character thought about the old-timer as being “womanish“. He strongly believed that “any man who was a man could travel alone“ (London 382). He didn’t suspect a big price he would have to pay for his nonchalance and contemptuous attitude toward the forces of nature. At the beginning of the story cold made no impression on the man. He perceived it as something weak that it was 2007-04-18T03:09:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nature-and-Ignorance-in-quot-To-Build-A-Fire-quot-by-Jack-32980.aspx The American 1920s in "To Kill A Mockingbird" The twenties and thirties in America presented many problems for the black community all around the nation. They still were not provided the same rights as the white race - they still had no right to vote and were unable to use the same facilities as whites (transportation, restaurants, restrooms, etc.). They were also subject to racial slurs and were often punished severely for crimes that a white could get away with and receive nothing more than a slap on the wrist. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, illustrates such prejudice in the form a court trial in which a black man is accused of assaulting a young white girl. Needless to say, the all-white jury was one of the many problems that blacks faced during the twenties and thirties. The twenties and thirties was a time of extreme racial tension, and the arrival of the Great Depression in 1929 didn’t make things any better. The blacks were already subject to criticism by the general public, let alone the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan showed absolute brutality towards the black race. Blacks were beaten, burned, lynched, or branded by the KKK - hundreds of blacks fell under the wrath of the KKK. The KKK was so enormous, in fact, that it was the law since many law enforcement officials were pledged into the clan. One situation showed a black man walking on the streets one night when a police officer began to hassle him. The police officer was a member of the clan, and when he called for backup, other clansmen were there within minutes. They then proceeded to beat the black man unconscious and took him to a remote part of the woods. There, they tied him to a tree and whipped him nearly to death. They left him hanging there to die after they had had their fun. The man’s body was discovered a few days later with bite marks from all the forest creatures that had picked up his rotting scent. Conveniently, the police made no attempt to apprehend the suspect. (KKK: Acts of Brutality). Another problem for blacks was that they were unable to enroll in white schools. Blacks had their own school building, which was no doubt dilapidated compared to the white schools. They had to work twice as hard to 2007-04-18T03:06:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-American-1920s-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-32979.aspx Significance of Pearl's Behavior in the "Scarlet Letter" Pearl’s behavior toward her mother and Reverend Dimmesdale is very unique to the storyline. Her behavior could be characterized as a chameleon where she is part of everything around her and the changes that occur externally affect her internally. Ever since Pearl was born she has been regarded as the reincarnation of her mothers sin. The community thinks of her just like they think of the scarlet letter on her mother. Pearls archetype would definitely be one of an outcast and even in her own way a loser of innocence. Growing up Hester thinks that Pearl is a constant reminder of her sin and feels very guilty which reflects on her innocent child. She constantly questions god about Pearls existence. She even goes so far as to asking Pearl, “Child, what art thou?”[Pg 49] By doing this she is separating Pearl from society. Hester’s feelings become even worst when she questions weather Pearls existence is only due to the Demon sending Pearl to make Hester suffer. Hester at one point even denies that Pearl is her daughter by saying, “Thou art not my child! Thou art no Pearl of mine!”[Pg 49] Pearls different behavior towards her mother is very odd. She gives her mother very little respect but only due to Hester fearing Pearl because of her inability to overcome her own guilty conscience. Then again Pearl also sticks up for her mother by throwing mud at the village kids for ridiculing her mother. Pearl keeps her mother in line, because without Pearl her mother would most likely live a life of evil in the forest. Pearls behavior towards Dimmesdale is very straightforward. She knows deep down that he is her father and even shows compassion towards him when he makes it possible for her and her mother to stay together as a family. The night that Dimmesdale was at the scaffold and Hester and Pearl went to go sit by him, Pearl urges him to meet them there at noon the next day. Pearl said this so she could help Dimmesdale with his guilt and to finally let his sin go. Pearls main goal for Dimmesdale is to show him that he has to finally fess up to his sin 2007-04-18T02:55:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Significance-of-Pearl-s-Behavior-in-the-Scarlet-Letter-32975.aspx Analysis of "Briar Rose" by Jane Yolen Briar Rose by Jane Yolen is a heart-wrenching story of Sleeping Beauty intertwined with the horrors of World War II. The novel contains all the elements of the classic Sleeping Beauty: the castle, thorns, princess, and a tale of death and awakening from eternal sleep. Yolen compared a story that fictitiously occurred during World War II with Sleeping Beauty, which allowed one of the main characters, Gitl Mandelstein, to indirectly tell her horrifying experiences during the war. The story beings with Gitl, or Gemma (as she is referred to by her granddaughters), in a nursing home. Her granddaughters Silvia, Shauna, and Becca went to visit her, for she was on her deathbed. She began telling them the story of Sleeping Beauty, a story which she had told them throughout their childhood, although this time was different. She told her grandchildren that she was in fact Briar Rose. Gemma did not go into detail, but made her granddaughter Becca promise to discover everything about her past. This is shown in the following quote: "’Promise me you will find the castle. Promise me you will find the prince. Promise me you will find the maker of the spells‘" (Yolen 20). Soon after, Gitl died. Throughout Briar Rose Yolen depicts Becca’s struggles to uncover the truth about her Gemma’s connection to Sleeping Beauty. She had so many unanswered questions. Was her Gemma a princess? Did she live in a castle? Who was her prince? The only thing Gitl had left behind was a small box of papers with very few answers. Becca did end up finding all her answers from a man named Josef, who had actually known and interacted with Gitl. After a trip to Poland to speak with Josef, Becca figured out that the fairy tale her grandmother told was in fact a tale of horror. The castle Gitl described to her grandchildren was in fact an extermination camp, Chelmno. The thicket of thorns which surrounded the castle in which the princess slept represented the barbed wire that surrounded the camp. Gitl was thought to have been dead, and therefore her body was discarded. Some refugees, which included Josef, had escaped from various extermination 2007-04-18T02:49:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Briar-Rose-quot-by-Jane-Yolen-32973.aspx Synopsis and Analysis of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley His ship surrounded by ice, Robert Walton watched with his crew as a huge, misshapen "traveller" on a dog sled disappeared across the ice. The next morning, as the fog lifted and the ice broke up, they found another man, nearly frozen, on a slab of floating ice. By giving him hot soup and rubbing his body with brandy, the crew restored him to health. A few days later he was able to speak. This stranger, Victor Frankenstein, seemed upset to hear that an earlier sled had been sighted. Then he began to tell his story: Victor had been born the only child of a good Genevese family. During a journey with her husband abroad, his mother found a peasant and his wife with five hungry babies. All were dark-complected, save one, a very fair little girl. His mother decided at that moment to adopt the child. Victor and his adopted sister, Elizabeth came to love one another, though they were very diverse in character. Elizabeth "busied herself with following the aerial creations of poets," while, for Victor, "it was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn ... the physical secrets of the world." After the death of his mother when he was seventeen, Victor departed for the University of Inglostadt. There, young Frankenstein grew intensely interested in the phenomena of the human body: "Whence, I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed?" He investigated the processes of death and decay, and soon became obsessed with the idea of creating life itself. After days and nights of laboring, "I succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life; nay, more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter." Frankenstein set out to create a superior living being, hoping to eventually uncover the formula for eternal life. In his brilliant and terrible research ' Frankenstein doggedly collected body parts from charnel-houses and cemeteries. Finally, "on a dreary night of November ... I beheld the accomplishment of my toils": an eight-foot monster. Applying electricity to the "lifeless matter" before him, Victor saw "the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and convulsive motion agitated its limbs." The scientist was appalled. "Breathless horror and disgust filled my heart." He had created a freak. Exhausted, Frankenstein fell asleep, seeking 2007-04-18T02:32:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-and-Analysis-of-Frankenstein-by-Mary-Shelley-32966.aspx Symbolism in "The Lord of the Flies" Imagine a bunch of young children's lives changed by being trapped on a island with no civilization around. William Golding shows how terrifying it can be in Lord Of The Flies, the novel that brings symbolism above all to the emotions of all that read it. The symbols that bring out the meaning the best are the leadership skills, the fire and the conch. First, are the leadership skills, as are shown in the book, Ralph has. Ralph in the novel has many ideas, leadership skills, and has the force he needs to create a better place and try to get them all home. There are three major quotes that prove that Ralph has what it takes. This first one shows he has good ideas and can enforce what he thinks should happen. "Shut up," said Ralph absently. He lifted the conch. "Seem to me we ought to have a chief to decide things(#22)." He also shows he can be a good chief and make them listen with a wave of a hand. "Ralph smiled and held up the conch for silence(#23)." Lastly, when Ralph blows the conch, as though a force is pulling them nearer, the children go to him. "By the time Ralph had finished blowing the conch the platform was crowded(#32)." Next, one of the bigger symbols is the fire. Enforcing the rules is one thing, but the children would rather play than keep the fire going. Ralph gives the idea for the fire, but can they keep it going? " There's another thing. We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island they might not notice us. We must make a fire(#38)." Jack has a great idea to use Piggy's glasses to light the fire." Jack pointed suddenly. "His specs-use them as burning glasses (#40)!" Jack has a obsession of hunting and it turns to the choir as well. They have the responsibility to keep the fire going, but they get side tracked, go hunting and the fire goes out. "There was a ship. Out there. You said you'd keep the fire going and you let it out!" He took a step towards Jack who turned and faced him. "They might have seen us. We might have gone home(#70)." As you can see a bunch of children are not ready for that 2007-04-18T02:23:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-quot-The-Lord-of-the-Flies-quot-32961.aspx A Critical Analysis of To Kill A Mockingbird The novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" is about a girl named Scout Finch who lives with her brother, Jem, and their widowed father Atticus, in the Alabama town of Maycomb. Maycomb is suffering through the Great Depression, but Atticus is a wealthy lawyer and the Finch family is financially fine in comparison to the rest of society. One summer, Jem and Scout become friends with a boy named Dill, who has come to live in their neighborhood for the summer. Dill becomes fascinated with the spooky house on their street called the Radley Place. The house is owned by Mr. Nathan Radley, whose brother, Arthur (Boo), has lived there for a long time without going outside. Scout goes to school for the first time that fall and hates it. She and Jem find gifts apparently left for them in a knothole of a tree on the Radley property. Dill returns the following summer, and he, Scout, and Jem begin to act out the story of Boo Radley. Atticus puts a stop to their fun, telling them to try to see life from someone else's view before making judgments. But, on the last day of summer, the three sneak onto the Radley property, where Nathan Radley shoots at them. Jem loses his pants in the escape. When he returns for them, he finds them sewn and hung over the fence. The next winter, Jem and Scout find more presents in the tree, left by Boo. Nathan Radley eventually plugs the knothole with cement. Shortly thereafter, a fire breaks out in another neighbor's house, and during the fire someone slips a blanket on Scout's shoulders as she watches the blaze. Convinced that Boo did it, Jem tells Atticus about the mended pants and the presents. To the dislike of Maycomb's racist town, Atticus agrees to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white woman. Because of Atticus's decision, Jem and Scout are subjected to abuse from other children, even when they celebrate Christmas at the family compound on Finch's Landing. Calpurnia, the Finches' black cook, takes them to the local black church, where the warm and close-knit community accepts the children. Atticus's sister, Alexandra, comes to live with them the next summer. Dill, who is supposed to live with his new stepfather in another town, runs away 2007-04-18T02:16:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Critical-Analysis-of-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-32959.aspx Love and the Power of Healing in "A Tale Of Two Cities" A Tale of Two Cities, a novel written by Charles Dickens, illustrates the effect of the French Revolution on the lives of the individuals affected. One of the most evident themes of this novel is that love has the power to heal. Dickens utilizes the character and restoration of Dr. Manette to portray this theme to the reader. Through the contrast of the shadow and the golden thread Dickens is able to make this theme clearly stand out. Dickens also uses the characterization of Sydney Carton, and his need to be loved to present this theme. By combining both characterization and the contrast of the shadow and the golden thread, Charles Dickens clearly presents us with the theme that love has the power to heal. Dickens uses the characterization of the Doctor and Lucie's love for him to portray that love has the power to heal. When we first meet Dr. Manette, Dickens describes him as "a hopeless and lost creature." (Page 47) When Dr. Manette is asked his name, all that he says is "One Hundred and Five, North Tower." (Page 49) This is a result of his eighteen-year imprisonment in the Bastille, which he was doomed to by the Evrémonde brother for telling of their wrongdoings. It is clear that Dr. Manette has lost his sense of life because of his imprisonment. When Dr. Manette sees Lucie, he knows that she is without a doubt his daughter. Through the love of his daughter, Dr. Manette is able to forgive the Evrémonde family. Five years later, when Dr. Manette, Lucie and Mr. Lorry enter the courtroom to testify at a trial for Charles Darnay, the spectators see Dr. Manette as, “a man of a very remarkable appearance.” (Page 72) From the expression on his face, “on his speaking to his daughter—he became a handsome man, not past the prime of his life.” (Page 72) This indicates to us how Lucie’s love has the power to heal and overcome unpleasant memories of the Doctor’s time in the Bastille. Dickens restates the theme that love has the power to heal, thought the contrast of the “shadow” and the “Golden Thread.” We are first introduced to the shadow when Mr. Lorry and M. Defarge are 2007-04-18T02:13:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Love-and-the-Power-of-Healing-in-quot-A-Tale-Of-Two-Cities-32957.aspx Common Themes of the Shakespearean Tragedies William Shakespeare’s tragedies are often gripping plays with bloody endings that leave the audiences and readers breathless. Set in places like Rome, Venice, and even Denmark; these tragedies tend to end with all the cards lying on the table, or in other words, all the main characters are dead. Not all tragedies however, have to necessarily be self-contained tragic plays; in fact, many plays on Romance and Fantasy also have tragic characters, as we shall see in the upcoming examples. William Shakespeare not only creates tragedies within plays, but he creates tragic events within characters’ lives, which inevitably draws the audience in. Shakespeare uses tragedies to reveal the consequences of a leader’s actions and emotions. A.C. Bradley, who wrote Shakespearean Tragedy sums up the plot of a true tragedy in perhaps one of the best ways. First, he suggests that there is a “circle of events”(www.clicknotes.com) to all Shakespearean tragedies that “lead up to, and include, the death of the hero”. Secondly, there has to be a fall of the conspicuous person (such as Iago and Aaron), and third, the tragic character/hero must be a great man. Shakespeare definitely follows these rules, or more importantly, he created them, and in the meantime, set the standard for the modern day tragic hero as well. Perhaps one of the best know Shakespeare plays is Hamlet, where the premise is focused on a young Prince who has lost his father through the devious actions of his Uncle, who has also become his new stepfather. Readers can see many examples of a leader or a character in a leadership role fall from grace because of the way the characters all seem to go through role changes. The critic Michael Mangan has many insights into the character of Hamlet in his book A Preface to Shakespeare’s Tragedies by revealing the “role-playing”(139) aspect of the character. This ties-in nicely to the idea that Shakespeare creates a character that will inevitably fall due to his own actions, as it is the preempted acting that drives Hamlet’s family and friends to change his life for him. The death of King Hamlet left a somber setting to the introduction of Hamlet, and the young Prince is left to his own devices after learning of the true reasons for his father’s death. We 2007-04-18T00:25:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Common-Themes-of-the-Shakespearean-Tragedies-32932.aspx Critical Analysis of Coming Of Age In Mississippi Coming of Age in Mississippi is the amazing story of Anne Moody’s unbreakable spirit and character throughout the first twenty-three years of her life. Time and time again she speaks of unthinkable odds and conditions and how she manages to keep excelling in her aspirations, yet she ends the book with a tone of hesitation, fear, and skepticism. While she continually fought the tide of society and her elders, suddenly in the end she is speaking as if it all may have been for not. It doesn’t take a literary genius nor a psychology major to figure out why. With all that was stacked against her cause, time and time again, it is easy to see why she would doubt the future of the civil rights movement in 1964 as she rode that Greyhound bus to Washington once again. The events that had occurred to her up to the point of the end of the book could clearly have disheartened anyone. Throughout the novel Moody shows displeasure with her family and fellow black citizens for simply accepting the circumstances and the position in which they lived. Multiple times she refers to the elder blacks as brainwashed by Mr. Charlie, referring to the white plantation owners. She condemns how anytime something clearly unacceptable happens, the black community hushes itself and moves along about their business. This is evident even when she is fourteen years old and just entering high school. Upon the murder of Emmett Till, she questions why was he murdered and what was going to be done about it. Her mother responds to her questions with hostility, and this upsets her more. She wonders why she should remain quite about the incident, pretending she doesn’t know. After learning that Emmett was murdered because he got out of line with a white woman, she questions this rationale. Does that make it OK to murder him? How were his actions any different from how young white men treated black women? To ask these questions at this point in time were unthinkable to her mother and most anyone else she associated with. She was just a young black girl and should keep her concerns to herself. Moody clearly portrays herself as someone unwilling to accept society in its condition from a very early age, which obviously foreshadows her involvement in the activist’s community. I 2007-04-18T00:15:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Coming-Of-Age-In-Mississippi-32927.aspx In "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Scout learns some major lessons. Some of these lessons are not worrying about little things, how to be a lady, and appearance and reality. Atticus teaches Scout and also Jem not to worry about little things because there will be bigger things to face. Aunt Alexandra teaches Scout about being a lady when coming to live with the Finch Family. Atticus teaches Scout about the difference of appearance and reality. One major lesson Scout learns about in [i:107f9d47b5]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:107f9d47b5] is not worrying about little things. A good example of this in the book is during the fire. Miss Maudie’s house is burning down and the Finch’s house starting to catch fire. Scout asks Atticus if they should go in and save some of their belongings and furniture but Atticus says it’s not time to worry yet. He knows that the court case about Tom Robinson will bring something bad upon his family. Atticus, being a very calm person, tries to prepare his children to be strong and not to worry ‘til it’s actually time to. A second major lesson Scout learns is how to be a lady. An example of this lesson is when Aunt Alexandra comes to live with Atticus and his children. She thought that Scout was a tomboy because she didn’t have a woman around to influence her and Atticus let her do whatever she pleased. Scout starts to get interested in becoming a lady when Tom Robinson is shot and Aunt Alexandra is in complete shock but goes back to her guests and acts like nothing had happened. Scout admires this of Aunt Alexandra. Another major lesson Scout learns is appearance and reality. An example of this lesson is the day Miss Dubose, Tom Robinson, and Tim Johnson. All three are innocent and good. They are all harmless but had something wrong with them that they couldn’t help. Miss Dubose’s addiction to morphine made her look like a terrible person just like Tom Robinson being black made him look like a criminal to white people and the rabies made Tim Johnson look fearful to the neighborhood. Scout learns that people are different on the inside than they are on the outside. In conclusion, Scout learns many lessons throughout [i:107f9d47b5]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:107f9d47b5]. These lessons are not worrying ‘til you really need to, how to be a lady, and the difference 2007-04-17T00:37:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Major-lessons-Scout-learns-throughout-TKAM-32924.aspx ***1970+ words last time I checked. ***Notes: The topic is how collectivism influenced the meaning of the book. Now this paper has a provable thesis and flows much more logically than before. International Baccalaureate English 11 Period 1 13 April 2007 The Effect the Rise of Collectivism in the Early 1900's Had on Anthem The meaning of Ayn Rand’s literary work Anthem is the how the individual could be lost in a collectivist society and the negative effect it creates (Gladstein.) The negative effect Rand addresses is that without the individual, all progress stops. In the simplest of terms, collectivism is an economy owned and controlled by a centralized government (Rand, xv). Anthem was written in 1937, a time period which saw the rise of collectivism in many Eastern European countries and the short breakdown of American capitalism (Gordon). These historical events influenced the novel by affecting the setting and the language used (Berliner, Gordon). The plot of Anthem is centered around a young man who realizes his society is fatally flawed through the discovery of elements from the old world. Anthem is told in the first person through a journal kept by the young man over the course of several months. Here he, Equality-72521, explains how he has come to distrust his society. For his entire life, he was raised on the belief that anything that is not made or agreed upon by everyone is wrong. One day, he finds an old subway tunnel and finds old documents describing the technologies of the time before the collectivist society came into power. He does several experiments with the items he finds in the tunnel and ultimately discovers electricity and the light bulb. He believes this discovery is important because it will allow his society to work longer hours by replacing the candle, the most advanced technology available. When he presents his discovery to the World Council, a body of elders who make decisions, they disagree with him saying his invention is evil because it was not created by all man and things done by an individual are evil. After seeing this, Equality-7-2521 realizes that his society is fatally flawed in the respect progress cannot be made because a discovery cannot be discovered by a whole. At this point he removes himself from the society completely and runs away into the forest, outside the 2007-04-13T06:03:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ayn-Rand-s-Anthem-REVISED-32913.aspx Critical Analysis of "Coming Of Age In Mississippi" Coming of Age in Mississippi is the amazing story of Anne Moody’s unbreakable spirit and character throughout the first twenty-three years of her life. Time and time again she speaks of unthinkable odds and conditions and how she manages to keep excelling in her aspirations, yet she ends the book with a tone of hesitation, fear, and skepticism. While she continually fought the tide of society and her elders, suddenly in the end she is speaking as if it all may have been for not. It doesn’t take a literary genius nor a psychology major to figure out why. With all that was stacked against her cause, time and time again, it is easy to see why she would doubt the future of the civil rights movement in 1964 as she rode that Greyhound bus to Washington once again. The events that had occurred to her up to the point of the end of the book could clearly have disheartened anyone. Throughout the novel Moody shows displeasure with her family and fellow black citizens for simply accepting the circumstances and the position in which they lived. Multiple times she refers to the elder blacks as brainwashed by Mr. Charlie, referring to the white plantation owners. She condemns how anytime something clearly unacceptable happens, the black community hushes itself and moves along about their business. This is evident even when she is fourteen years old and just entering high school. Upon the murder of Emmett Till, she questions why was he murdered and what was going to be done about it. Her mother responds to her questions with hostility, and this upsets her more. She wonders why she should remain quite about the incident, pretending she doesn’t know. After learning that Emmett was murdered because he got out of line with a white woman, she questions this rationale. Does that make it OK to murder him? How were his actions any different from how young white men treated black women? To ask these questions at this point in time were unthinkable to her mother and most anyone else she associated with. She was just a young black girl and should keep her concerns to herself. Moody clearly portrays herself as someone unwilling to accept society in its condition from a very early age, which obviously foreshadows her involvement in the activist’s community. I 2007-04-08T19:57:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Coming-Of-Age-In-Mississippi-quot-32907.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Prince" by Machiavelli “The Prince” is a direct response to the disunity and decay of the Italian state system caused by foreign domination. Using “The Prince” as a manual, Machiavelli instructed Medici how to acquire and maintain the power necessary to reunite Italy. Machiavelli “depart[ed] from the orders of others”, (61) who relied on intrinsic morality, and suggested that a prince conduct himself in accordance with the “effectual truth of the thing [rather than] the imagination of it” (61). Expressing his wishes of Medici as only a concern that Medici “arrive at the greatness that fortune and …other qualities promise.”(4) Machiavelli began to affirm the numerous ways Medici must seek to arrive at this greatness. Although he suffered a “great and continuous malignity of fortune” (4), Machiavelli claimed that it was his “knowledge of the actions of great men”(3) and his presence amongst the people that allowed him the virtue to establish new orders and modes to which a Prince should adapt. Suggesting that a Prince should look toward history for ways of securing the future, Machiavelli gives Medici numerous examples of men with an underlying message that “a prudent man should always enter upon the paths beaten by great men…”(22). Classifying Borgia as a great man, Machiavelli illustrates the instantiated virtues a Prince should use in his pursuit for and maintenance of power. Showing how fortune denied Borgia the opportunity to unite Italy, Machiavelli still asserted that he should be “imitated by all those who have risen to empire through fortune” (32) because “he made use of every deed and did all those things that should be done by a prudent and virtuous man”(27). In his description of Italy as “without order, beaten despoiled, torn, pillaged, and having endured ruin of every sort”(102) Machiavellie exemplifies Borgia’s actions and failures in an attempt to convey the importance of effectively using fortune and virtue to recognize and cease opportunity. Ensuring success if is advice is heeded, Machiavelli states;” There cannot be great difficulty, provided that your house keeps its aim on the order of those whom I have put forth”(103). Using Borgia’s actions regarding the proper use of arms-ones own and showing Borgia’s prudence in picking the less bad as good-cruelties well used, Machiavelli systematically lays the foundation for Medici to successfully unite Italy. Reinforcing the fact that the continual disarray of Italy is “caused by nothing 2007-04-08T19:52:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-The-Prince-by-Machiavelli-32906.aspx Symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is an astounding portrayal of Southern tradition and human dignity, a novel whose themes and lessons transcend time and place. The book is narrated by a young girl named Scout who matures over the course of the story from an innocent child to a morally conscience young adult. The cover of the novel displays a knot-holed tree containing a pocket watch and a ball of yarn, accompanied by the silhouette of a mockingbird soaring over the trees through a twilight sky. The portrait on the cover is an emblem that signifies the nature of Scout's maturation and the underlying themes presented by Harper Lee. Lee's signified themes, ethically rich and profoundly humane, epitomize traditional Southern mentality. The story commences during the summer in Maycomb County, Alabama, in a children's world. Scout is a young girl around the age of ten and her older brother Jem is about thirteen. Their summer days consist of playing make believe, fictional games from dawn until dusk with their friend, Dill, from Montgomery, Alabama. In the child's world, the twilight sky represents the rising sun, the dawn of a new day, and the commencement of a full day of children's games and activities. The child's world that exists during the daytime is a world flourishing with innocence and simplicity. However, the daytime is the only time when the child's world exists, for when the sun falls, curfews draw Scout, Jem, and Dill back to their homes for the evening. When daylight fades and the moon begins to rise, the games subside and the make believe, fictional world ceases to exist until following morning. The twilight sky portrayed on the cover represents a rising sun, and thus, the inconsequential child's world. The knot-holed tree housing the pocket watch and the ball of yarn portrayed on the cover is another signifier for the child's world. The tree is on the edge of the Radley property and the pocket watch and ball of yarn within it were placed there by Boo Radley. Boo is an instrumental character to the make believe child's world because of the great ambiguity and elusiveness that he represents. Neither Scout, Jem nor Dill has ever seen Boo Radley; all they know about him are the stories they have heard from Miss Stephanie Crawford, their neighbor and potentially reliable source. 2007-04-05T23:30:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-TKAM--32900.aspx Loss of Innocence in To Kill a Mockingbird "Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square."(Lee 9). This environment, as Scout Finch accurately describes, is not conducive to young children, loud noises, and games. But, the Finch children and Dill must occupy themselves in order to avoid boredom. Their surroundings are their boundaries, but in their minds, they have no physical confines. Although the physical "boundaries were Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's house two doors to the north..., and the Radley Place three doors to the south,"(Lee 11) Jem, Scout, and Dill find ways to use the limits, in conjunction with their imaginations, to amuse themselves. The children are the ones who change the old town and make it full of unexpected events. In the same way as the children, the adults of the novel play games that come from their imaginations and, they themselves are the ones who provide the fear for everyone in the county to fear. "Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself"(10). The adults and the children share the fact that they both play games, but a difference also exists between them. The children enact their entertainment, knowing that the games could get violent, but in the end, when the games are over, all the players are able to return home. On the other hand, the adults play their adult games, hurting anyone who does not play by the given rules, and not everyone is fortunate enough to return home. The children pretend to be violent at times but the adults actually are violent. As the children move through the novel, they use these games to develop from their innocence to a level of experience by actualizing the realities of their games through the lives of the adults. Through their own games and through the games of the adults, the children learn values of respect, courage, and understanding. As most children naturally do, Jem, Scout, and their newly-found friend Dill find amusements to make the days pass with excitement. When they first meet Dill, they are beginning the "day's play in the backyard"(11). The implication is that it becomes routine for them to play and that each day 2007-04-05T22:06:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Loss-of-Innocence-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-32899.aspx King Lear is known by some as one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies ever written. King Lear deals with how children and parents treat each other and the question of whether human nature is selfish or generous. Nature played a huge role within this play. You can find many ideas about the relationship between human beings and the natural world in the text such as when King Lear tells his daughter that neither human nature nor royal dignity can tolerate the way she has insulted him. Another way nature is included in the text is when Lear tells the King of France that nature is ashamed to have produced a child like Cordelia. I feel that this play is based hugely on nature. Nature affected how people on each side thought about what was going on. For example King Lear and “good characters” talk about nature as making us care about one another, especially our own families. Edmund, far from being a good character, talks about nature as making us care only about ourselves, and Goneril thinks of nature in terms of “survival of the fittest“. Each character in King Lear was affected by nature in different ways. I expected Cordelia would show a lot of bitterness towards her father or find comfort in his downfall, but she still shows unconditional love towards him, and feels no resentment towards him or his actions. Cordelia was depicted as a character whose nature is beautiful, true, and pleasant throughout the whole play, and this was epitomized by her forgiveness of her father for his treatment of her. But no matter how patient Cordelia’s nature was, the nature of her sisters was always the opposite. Two characters who I felt were the most affected by nature were Gloucester and Edmund. Gloucester, to me, was blinded by the deceitful nature of Edmund before he was ever physically incapable of sight. He was unwilling to see that Edgar was good and Edmund merely wanted the power that was denied him due to his mother. Gloucester was unable to see any of the treachery that was going around him. His blindness began when Edmund convinced him that Edgar was planning to kill him, which resulted in Gloucester trusting Edmund with his deepest secrets. Edmund then betrayed him by telling Cornwall of his fathers attempt to help King Lear, hence Gloucester got his eyes taken from him. 2007-04-03T21:40:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Kig-Lear-Final--32891.aspx King Lear is known by some as one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies ever written. King Lear deals with how children and parents treat each other and the question of whether human nature is selfish or generous. Nature played a huge role within this play. You can find many ideas about the relationship between human beings and the natural world in the text such as when King Lear tells his daughter that neither human nature nor royal dignity can tolerate the way she has insulted him. Another way nature is included in the text is when Lear tells the King of France that nature is ashamed to have produced a child like Cordelia. I feel that this play is based hugely on nature. Nature affected how people on each side thought about what was going on. For example King Lear and “good characters” talk about nature as making us care about one another, especially our own families. Edmund, far from being a good character, talks about nature as making us care only about ourselves, and Goneril thinks of nature in terms of “survival of the fittest“. Each character in King Lear was affected by nature in different ways. I expected Cordelia would show a lot of bitterness towards her father or find comfort in his downfall, but she still shows unconditional love towards him, and feels no resentment towards him or his actions. Cordelia was depicted as a character whose nature is beautiful, true, and pleasant throughout the whole play, and this was epitomized by her forgiveness of her father for his treatment of her. But no matter how patient Cordelia’s nature was, the nature of her sisters was always the opposite. Two characters who I felt were the most affected by nature were Gloucester and Edmund. Gloucester, to me, was blinded by the deceitful nature of Edmund before he was ever physically incapable of sight. He was unwilling to see that Edgar was good and Edmund merely wanted the power that was denied him due to his mother. Gloucester was unable to see any of the treachery that was going around him. His blindness began when Edmund convinced him that Edgar was planning to kill him, which resulted in Gloucester trusting Edmund with his deepest secrets. Edmund then betrayed him by telling Cornwall of his fathers attempt to help King Lear, hence Gloucester got his eyes taken from him. 2007-04-03T21:39:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Kig-Lear-Final--32890.aspx The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a mysterious story and captivates to audiences on drama aspects alone. I think that Stevenson wrote the story to show the dual nature of man and of society in general. Although often Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde seems to be a light-hearted tale of mystery and intrigue, Stevenson makes great steps to show that Mr. Hyde is very deadly. There is certainly 2007-04-03T21:37:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dr_-Jekyll-and-Mr_-Hyde-Analysis-32889.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a very good book which revolves mainly around the development of the main character, Scout, and her family who live in the south during the great depression with is a time frame of the late 30’s. Much of the development of these characters is drawn from the trial of a black man named Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white woman. With their father acting as the defense attorney in this highly popular case, Scout and her brother Jem are faced with many problems. When the story was made in to a movie however, it lost many key characters, and events. It is almost as though the book and the film tell two different stories, as one is about Scout, Jem, and Atticus, and there lives in Macomb County, while the other focuses more on the trial of Tom Robinson. To prove this point, these characters, events, and concepts will be compared between the film and the book. `There are many characters who, in the film, were left out, but whose characters are lula, Alexandra, and Jack. Rlula was placed in the story to show the other forms of racism which also took place in the south, was the only example in the story of black on white racism. Alexandra, was used to show the stereo type on southern woman, the huge importance she placed on family, her affinity for gossip. And lastly, Jack was used to argue that cliché and reflect the more positive southern people, along with Atticus, he showed that not all southerners conformed to the older thought prosses. His patience with Scout, his understanding of Atticus' situation, and support thereof, all were different to the norm of the community in the south, therefore showing that not everyone fit the stereotype. The movie, however, excluded all three of these characters who seem to be somewhat important to the story and development not only of the other characters that they interact, but with the setting and mood of the story. In addition to the many characters which were left out, there were several key events which were left out or changed in the film. In the book, Scout finds the knothole in the Radley's front yard, and keeps it secret from Jem, this being the first time she has ever kept anything secret from her brother it troubles 2007-03-29T05:54:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Book-vs-Movie-32876.aspx ***NOTE*** I'm not really sure what to classify this as: a historical analysis or a literary analysis (or some horrible cross between the two). It has elements of both although I doubt I developed them fully... Anyway, there will be a revision to this. (But seriously, what can you expect for a 1,500 word essay done at three in the morning?) Words: 1,517+ work cited International Baccalaureate English 11 Period 1 26 March 2007 The meaning of Ayn Rand’s literary work Anthem is the importance of the individual, how the individual could be lost, and to serve as a warning to protect the individual from collectivist ideas (Gladstein). Anthem was written in 1937 and the surrounding years saw the rise of collectivism and the short breakdown of American capitalism (Gordon). These historical events influenced the meaning in the novels by affecting the setting and the language used (Berliner, Gordon). The plot of Anthem is centered around a young man, Equality 7-2521, the “exceptionally able and individualistic protagonist [who] battles the forces of collectivism and mediocrity which ... [have] destroyed [his] world (Gladstein).” Through the discovery of elements from the old world, he slowly realizes his society is fatally flawed and disassociates himself from it. Many Americans such as Rand began to fear the spread of collectivism because they saw the weak points in its fundamental ideas. In the simplest of terms collectivism is an economy owned collectively by a centralized government based on the principle, “Production for use and not for profit (Rand, xv).” Rand was able to present collectivism as the worst-possible society through the use of setting. The setting of Anthem is in the future, after the collapse of the social order because of the common acceptance of collectivist values. This affects the meaning because at the time Anthem was written, there was no world or nation where collectivism had been in practice for a substantial amount of time that would create such a scenario. For this reason, the setting cannot be proved or disproved because there was no society to be compared with Rand's. Due to this, Rand was able to present collectivism as “the worst-possible society” by setting it in such a way that made the statement true (Berliner). Much like other books written at this time, the setting of Anthem is some unspecified time in the future 2007-03-27T02:02:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ayn-Rand-s-Anthem--32875.aspx Life is a play. You can choose from right and wrong, but either way the decisions that you make will alter someone else’s future. Macbeth has a great deal of trouble deciding the difference between honest and dishonest decisions during his rise to power. Macbeth’s character reaches many questionable decisions that there for lead to his overthrowing. First Macbeth becomes overwhelmed with greed, and would stop at nothing until what he felt was his own. Next he betrays his loyal friends and superiors while trying to reach his goals. Finally Macbeth shows that he is gullible. These three traits are what I think caused Macbeths downfall, not only as king but to end his life. Macbeth’s first glimpse of greediness flickered after his first conversation with the three witches. The witches spoke about what would happen for him into the near future. This small act awakened Macbeth’s first sighting of greed that he had always possessed whether he knew it or not. Then Macbeth thought he deserved to be crowned king, and nothing would stop him while he tried to reach his goal. That was the first sign of Macbeth losing control of reality. He was a dreamer. Macbeth also showed much greed after honorably accepting the title Thane of Cawdor, but he was still not satisfied. Macbeth then plotted to murder his best friend Banquo and his son Fleance just to secure his position to become king. Macbeth’s greed then fogged his mind even more when he planned to kill Macduff’s innocent wife and children. Macbeth’s hunger began to control his life, and forced him to make executive decisions. This obviously expressed his evil ways and was killed because of it. Disloyalty is Macbeth’s second flaw in his character. Macbeth expresses this when he kills his king and good friend Duncan. Macbeth does not think before he acts anymore. He felt no fear or remorse after murdering Duncan, his only fear was safety and well being. Though Macbeth did not know this at the time, this murder was only a stepping stone for Macbeth’s future plans. Once Macbeth had finished killing Duncan, Macbeth completely switched personalities. From loyal and honest to a fantasy living traitor. This drove a wedge through many people and Macbeth. Macbeth’s second act of disloyalty was when he killed his best friend Banquo. Now if I was Macbeth, I sure would think twice about killing one of my very good friends, even 2007-03-24T07:04:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Who-to-Blame-with-Macbeth-s-Downfall-32871.aspx Leadership in Antigone In the story “Antigone” by Sophocles, Creon’s regard for the laws of the city causes him to abandon all other beliefs. He feels that all should obey the laws set forth by him, even if moral or religious beliefs interfere with his laws and beliefs. Creon’s idea of a good leader of country is one who obtains obedience for his beliefs from all of the people of the land. Creon, being a new king, wants to prove his abilities as king. He is being harsh, so the people of Thebes do not take him for an easy king but rather fear him if they do not obey his laws. Creon states, “As I see it, whoever assumes the task, the awesome task of setting the city’s course, and refuses to adopt the soundest policies but fearing someone, keeps his lips locked tight, and he’s utterly worthless” (lines 198-202). This shows that Creon feels a good leader should be powerful and set laws in order to be respected. Creon feels that if someone dishonors the city in which he rules that they must be punished, and if he does not punish those who dishonor or disobey him people will take him for granted and think he is a weak king. Creon also wants to be respected and feared as a king because this will give him more power. He does not want to be a bad king, using his power for evil things, but instead, he wants to be seen as strong and great king. However, in order to be a strong king, Creon feels he must be strict and firm in his decisions in order to make Thebes a great city. An example of Creon’s idea of a good leader is seen in the conflict he has with Antigone. Creon has a very strong opinion about the laws of the city and the laws passed by him. His method of enforcing them is very strict. One example of his firmness is seen when Creon states, “See that you never side with those who break my orders” (line 245). He orders that Polynices will not be buried because of his dishonor for attacking Thebes and betraying Creon and the people of Thebes. Creon also orderes that anyone caught burying him will be killed for disobeying his order. Anitgone’s beliefs are just the opposite of Creon’s because she believes 2007-03-20T04:09:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Leadership-in-Antigone-32852.aspx Brutus Character Analysis in Julius Caesar In the play Julius Caesar, the tragedy of the play was directed mainly at a one specific character, Marcus Brutus. Brutus was the tragic hero of the play, because of his idealistic and pragmatic qualities. The mindset that Brutus possessed only allowed him to see the world and its people from one point of view. This point of view allowed him to make judgments that assumed only the best of people. This tragic weakness resulted in many errors throughout the play. The major incidences such as decisions made during the orchard soliloquy, the discussion with Cassius and the conspirators regarding decisions about Antony and the oath, his speech to the commoners after Caesar's assassination and finally the outward circumstance regarding Titinius and Cassius in act 5. Brutus was too idealistic and lived in fantasy world in which he made all his decisions simply by expecting that all were as honourable as himself. Brutus' idealism was displayed when he was reviewing his decision to kill Caesar while in his orchard. While evaluating his feelings towards Caesar, he stated, " I know little personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general". Brutus felt that Caesar had not done anything incorrect, but was afraid of what might occur. He compared Caesar to a snake, which has the ability to sting. Just as one might step on the snake and be stung, Caesar might defeat anyone who interfered with his course of action. Brutus thinks about what Caesar could become and do, if he was given the power of the crown. A very descriptive metaphor was used to illustrate Brutus' reasoning for killing: That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks into the clouds, scorning the base degrees By which he did ascend. Ambition was personified, and was granted the qualities of a person that could climb a ladder. Caesar, climbing the ladder of prosperity, would reach the top, and forget about the people of Rome and his fellow Senators. He would "look into the clouds" and indulge in the wealth and good fortune. This possible outcome caused Brutus to remember his love for Rome. A simile also compared Caesar to a snake that was contained 2007-03-20T03:43:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Brutus-Character-Analysis-in-Julius-Caesar-32845.aspx Interesting Points in Chaucers Wifes Wandrng In Her Prologue In The General Prologue To The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer Tells Us That The Wife Of Bath ‘Koulde muchel of wandering by the weye’ What Do You Find Interesting About The Ways He Presents The Wife’s Wandering In Her Prologue. Use Lines 543-599 As A Starting Point. (Summer 2001) In the Wife of Baths prologue we find out about her characteristics. One aspect, which is shown throughout the prologue, is that is that the Wife of Bath likes to wander. Chaucer in three ways presents this to the reader. The first way in which Chaucer does this is by using digressions. The Wife of Bath often appears to lose her thread, returning to a chosen subject with the phrase "I seye" which translates to mean as I was saying and on one occasion she thinks she has lost the thread of her story completely, when, by her own loose standards, she certainly has not done: ‘What I shal seyn? A Ha! By God, I have my tale ageyn.’ The second way in which Chaucer presents us with a wandering character is that the Wife of Bath is unfaithful to her husbands. Her first three husband were very old and at the end of the life possibly. They were less likely to fulfil the wife’s sexual needs and so consequently the wife was unfaithful to them with younger more versatile gentleman. The final way in which Chaucer presents us with a wandering woman is by the way in which the Wife likes to go out about. The Wife of Bath likes to go gossiping between the houses in her area. The Wife also liked to go to church, whether it was for religious reasons or simply to show off in her vibrant scarlet red outfits. Many times in the Wife prologue does she forget where she is with her tale, this is often due to an interesting memory she has from mentioning one thing in the tale. Many times the pilgrims hear the Wife of Bath say ‘what I shal seyn?’ Chaucer presents us with the Wife as a character who is easily distracted and can easily lose the thread of her tale. This could be used to explain her prologue. The length of her prologue shows us that she can wander from the main plot into a 2007-03-20T03:35:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Interesting-Points-in-Chaucers-Wifes-Wandrng-In-Her-Prologue-32843.aspx Critical Analysis of "A Lesson Before Dying" The general purposes of generic novels are to entertain or inform. Reading can be an outlet for a creative mind or an inquisitive one. After the completion of a text, the reader should feel either enlightened or amused. However a good novel can do both. A good book can divert the audience from their own realities and yet can provide them with the opportunity for intellectual growth and mental stimulation. Connections can be made between the reader and the characters in the story and the events that happen to them. Ernest J. Gaines does just this with his novel, A Lesson Before Dying. This inspiring yet heartbreaking story was one that incited deep thought. Deep thought about the world in which the story takes place and deep thought about the world in which we live in currently. From the moment the novel is started to the moment it is finished, one is wrapped up in the world of Grant Wiggins. The novel is also very complex. There is a literal way to view the actions that take place and there is a more figurative way to look at the story as well. A Lesson Before Dying is a complex novel into the mind of Grant and Jefferson as they embark on a mental journey of realizations about justice, faith, humanity and eventually themselves. This story takes place in Louisiana during the 1940’s on an old plantation in a very racist community. Jefferson is a poor uneducated man who gets unjustly accused of murder and sentenced to death. During his trial his white attorney makes a comment that will be the focus for a good part of the novel. His bases his arguments to the white jury and white judge that it would be pointless to execute this man because he is no better than a stupid hog and did not know any better. This deeply affects Jefferson. His godmother, Aunt Emma, is in the audience and, realizing the affect this would certainly have on Jefferson and his morale, asks Grant, the local schoolteacher to help Jefferson die with dignity and pride. Grant is angered at first by Aunt Emma and his aunt, Tante Lou’s, suggestion. He then reluctantly agrees. They make little 2007-03-20T03:24:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-A-Lesson-Before-Dying-quot-32839.aspx Character Analysis of Holden in "Catcher in the Rye" In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, Holden, the main character wants to be a “catcher.” Holden hears a young boy on the street singing “If a body catch a body coming through the rye” and it made Holden feel better (115). He wants to be the only big person around in a rye field, near a cliff, to catch all the kids playing from running off the cliff. It is obvious from this statement that Holden wants to help children, but how can Holden when he cannot even take care of himself? A competent catcher would be somewhat like a counselor or social worker in the sense that they would help children from following a destructive path. A counselor or “catcher” must be honest, mature, responsible, motivated, and caring. Although Holden is caring, which is a quality that makes a good catcher, he still lacks many of the other necessary qualities to be a competent “catcher in the rye.” One quality that Holden lacks to be a competent “catcher” is honesty and Holden even says, “I’m the most terrific liar you ever say in your life” (16). He lies quite often, even when it comes to simple things like going to the store to buy a magazine, but instead says he is going to the opera. To leave an annoying conversation faster, he lies to Mr. Spencer, one of his teachers, and tells him he has to leave for the gym to get the fencing equipment, when in fact Holden left the equipment on the subway (15). Holden also lies when he is on the train and tells Mrs. Marrow nothing but falsehoods about her son, who attends Pencey with Holden, by stating that he “adapts himself very well to things” (55). It would not be right for Holden to be a dishonest catcher. It is important to teach a child to tell the truth, so how could he be a competent catcher when he constantly lies? Another quality that Holden lacks to be a competent “catcher” is maturity. He even justifies his immaturity by stating that he is just going through a phase. A mature person would be able to handle difficult, tough situations reasonably and Holden cannot. Unable to 2007-03-19T14:07:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Holden-in-the-Catcher-in-the-Rye-32830.aspx Symbolism and Metaphor in Orwell's "Animal Farm" Old Major, wants to tell them Animals are enslaved by Man, "the only creature that consumes without producing." There is only one solution: Man must be removed. And animals must be perfectly united for their common goal: Rebellion. Major declares: All animals are friends, Man is the enemy. Animals must avoid Man's habits: no houses, beds, clothes, alcohol, money, trade. Above all, "we are brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals are equal." " But he does teach them an old animal song, "Beasts of England," which came back to him in his dream. The work of teaching and organizing the others falls on the pigs, thought to be the cleverest animals. Snowball and Napoleon are the smartest; and then there is Squealer, good talker. Unexpectedly, the Rebellion has been accomplished and the animals take over the farm; Manor Farm belongs to the animals. They're surprised and happy when the pigs, which have taught themselves to read and write, change the sign MANOR FARM to ANIMAL FARM, and paint the Seven Commandments of Animalism on the barn wall: 1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. 2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. 3. No animal shall wear clothes. 4. No animal shall sleep in a bed. 5. No animal shall drink alcohol. 6. No animal shall kill any other animal. 7. All animals are equal. On Sundays they hold ceremonies to celebrate the Rebellion, and meetings to plan work. The animals are taught to read, but the sheep can't even learn the Seven Commandments, so Snowball comes up with, FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD. Napoleon concerned with the education of the young, and takes two litters of puppies and says he will teach them. It is decided that the milk goes to the pigs, as do the new apples. Squealer explains that this is absolutely necessary because the pigs do all the brainwork. If they don’t have it Jones will come back and no one wants that to happen. Napoleon and Snowball can come to agreement on any subject. Snowball comes up with the idea of building a windmill; Napoleon does believe it will work. Each are allowed to give a speech on why it should be built and why it 2007-03-19T13:44:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-and-Metaphor-in-Orwell-s-quot-Animal-Farm-quot-32819.aspx The Masque of the Red Death: Language and Symbolism Edgar Allen Poe's The Masque of the Red Death is an elaborate allegory that combines objects in the story with visual descriptions to give focus to the reader's imagination. In the story, a prince named Properso tries to dodge the Red Death through isolation and seclusion. He hides behind impenetrable walls of his castellated abbey and lets the world take care of its own. But no walls can stop death because it is unavoidable and inevitable. Visual descriptions in the story are used to symbolize death. Poe's use of language and symbolism is shown in his description of the seventh room in the suite, the ebony clock, and the fire. These objects are used to depict the theme of the story death "held illimitable dominion over all" (363). The first symbolic mean of death is depicted in the seventh room in the suite. Poe says, "The seventh apartment was closely shrouded in black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls, falling in heavy folds upon a carpet of the same material and hue" (359). He uses the seventh room to symbolize the final stage of life, death. He sees the black velvet tapestries as blood flowing from the ceiling and walls to the floor. The relationship between blood and death is important because he wants the reader to have a visual image of the blood pouring down the walls as a form of death. The fire lighting the suite of rooms is another object in the story that represented death. He says, "...There stood, opposite to each window, a heavy tripod, bearing a brazier of fire that projected its rays through the tinted glass... But in the western or black chamber the effect of the firelight that streamed upon the dark hangings through the blood-tinted panes, was ghastly in the extreme, and produced so wild a look upon the countenances of those who entered..." (359). The fire was meant to produce a shadowy atmosphere in the west and a favorable one in the east. This is symbolic to the sunrise in the east and sunset in the west because light means life and darkness means death. Poe uses darkness as another visual representation of death. The gigantic clock 2007-03-19T13:43:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Masque-of-the-Red-Death-Language-and-Symbolism-32818.aspx Aufbaumodul Literature II by Georg M. Winter term Content 1 Introduction………………………………………………………………4 1.2 Importance of women’s war-writing………………………………………..5 2 All Quiet on the Western Front…………………………………….5 2.2 The meaning of language…………………………………………………..6 2.3 Mutation of Baumer due to the War………………………………………..6 3 Comradeship as commonness in the two novels…………15 4 Conclusion……………………………………………………………….17 5 References……………………………………………………………….19 1. Introduction The First World War inspired an outpouring of writing – both from Europe and from across the western world. The conflict has established itself in collective memory: in the eighty-nine years since the armistice the long-term significance of the war has taken shape and the written records of the war have become part of the political and literary histories of the century. For much of this time the tradition of war writing was seen as belonging to men: but for many women also the war was the catalyst for creating a unique perspective and for developing a public voice. This seminar paper bears witness to the Novel “Not So Quiet: Stepdaughters of War“, (1930), written by Helen Zenna Smith and to the Novel “All Quiet On The Western Front“, (1929) written by Erich Maria Remarque. Above all, this seminar paper doesn’t deal with all the well existing varieties of ways in which women on both sides participated in the First World War. Part of the significance of women’s writing on the war lies in charting the new social roles which they found – a topic which has been explored thoroughly and is relatively well known. Certainly, any adaptations of that topic which omitted the literary realisation of the experience of nursing, for example, would be justly criticised as incomplete. Of equal importance, however, are the accounts of women’s struggle on the home front, their experiences of becoming autonomous, running a house or leaving it to do paid work, managing money, driving cars or travelling abroad to visit the front. The seminar paper intends to reveal the ways in which women took up direct positions in relation to the war. It gives an example of women’s writing and to the ways in which the war gave women of diverse conditions an opportunity to develop new means of self-expression. As a consequence, it asks to reconsider what can be understood by “war writing”. Unmediated reportage and narratives of scenes of war, central though they are to this corpus, constitute only one of its aspects. It is through this range of writing that we can begin to recognise the significance of the First World War for the new developments in women’s writing this century. 1.2 Importance 2007-03-19T07:43:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examples-of-First-World-War-War-Literature-32812.aspx Great Gatsby How Money Blurred the Reality of Life for the Rich in the 1920's In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is one who follows his dreams as though they are reality. He strives to construct his own perfect world. He builds his life of wealth and luxury in hopes of attracting an old love interest, Daisy. Gatsby’s power accrues and eventually creates his own destruction. In Gatsby’s world, little is actually reality. Everything about Gatsby is fake: his name, his past, his money, his friends, his ideas and his house. “For a while these reveries provided an outlet for his imagination; they were a satisfactory hint of the unreality of reality, a promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on a fairy’s wing” (105). He can not see the fine line between reality and fantasy. His mansion is the center of all that is fake where there is little that is unaffected. When Nick, Daisy’s cousin, observes Gatsby’s parties, he notices that Gatsby himself has little to do with his guests. Is this because he is a poor host? No. Gatsby’s guests come for the party. Since it is during the period of prohibition, Gatsby’s a bootlegger and his house is one of many places which people can obtain alcohol. He continues to throw elegant, expensive parties, in which he observes the gaiety in hopes that one day Daisy will appear. Week after week he waits for her. He has spent the past five years creating a life to which he thinks Daisy will be attracted. Previously, Gatsby’s mentor, Dan Cody, introduced him to a world of wealth. “The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God- a phrase which, if it means anything, means just- and he must be about His Father’s Business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty” (104).He spied Cody’s yacht out on Lake Superior when he was seventeen. Gatsby rowed out to the massive boat and Cody questioned him. Cody was impressed with Gatsby’s striking personality. Cody then hired Gatsby to work on the ship, which was where they became good friends. “He was employed in a vague personal capacity – while he remained with Cody he was in run steward, mate, skipper, secretary and even jailor” (106). When Cody died, Gatsby was supposed to inherit twenty-five 2007-03-19T06:27:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby-How-Money-Blurred-the-Reality-of-Life-32811.aspx This book, Into Thin Air is an account of a disaster on Mt. Everest where a total of twelve people died on the mountain from a freak storm that diverted almost all rescue attempts. A surviving Seattle journalist, Jon Krakauer, narrates this account of how a supposedly safe situation turned into a desperate struggle for life. Krakauer came to climb Everest when Outside magazine requested he report on the commercialization of the mountain. He had been a mountain climber since he was a teenager, and had dreamed of climbing Everest his whole life. He knew the risks of climbing a mountain that had taken the lives of more than 130 climbers. But, in his own words, “boyhood dreams die hard… and good sense be damned.” He found a way for the magazine to pay for his trek up the mountain and set off for Kathmandu. In the beginning, Everest was the realm of only the most experienced mountain climbers. In the more recent years, companies that guide clients up Everest have sprung up. This makes it possible for almost anyone to climb the mountain. Clients must be in good physical condition and pay as much as $65,000 to be guided up the mountain. Jon joins the guided expedition Adventure Consultants, guided by Rob Hall, Mike Groom, and Andy Harris. The group had a sterling reputation obtained by guiding 39 clients to the summit. They were confident in thinking they could get anyone to the summit. They were experienced and knowledgeable in the ways things are done on Everest. Other groups include Scott Fischer’s Mountain Madness expedition, with whom Adventure Consultants had a friendly rivalry for clients. Sherpas were a necessary force when it comes to mountain climbing. These natives to the Himalaya set guide ropes and carried heavy equipment to spare the unacclimatized clients and guides the trouble. Each expedition employed eight or so Sherpas to lay the road so that the guides might be able to help the clients. Most of the time spent on the mountain for Krakauer was spent on acclimatization runs to get the clients used to the unusually thin air on the mountain. There were five camps: Base Camp, Camp One, Camp Two, Camp Three, and Camp Four. About a month was spent 2007-03-18T21:09:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Summary-of-Into-Thin-Air-by-Jon-Krakauer-32809.aspx To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a masterpiece of American literature. The incredible plot highlights the most important things that we, as humans, need to know. Everything included in the story can be used and interpreted into everyday life. It stars a six-year-old girl named Scout who narrates the whole story as we hear it from her. One of the most important aspects that is kept consistent throughout the story is the kids’ anxiousness to see Boo Radley. Scout, Jem, and Dill make a plethora of attempts to get Boo Radley to come out of his house. The first attempt that is made is an obvious and simple adventure, it features them touching the house. However, as the second try came around, the venture got more complex, the kids kept their distance from the house and gave a letter (on a fishing pole) to Boo. Scout, Jem, and Dill continue to pursue this goal; they then try to look through the windows in the house but are scared away when a gun shot is heard. A very uncomfortable but suspenseful mood is set when the kids try to get Boo Radley out. The unwillingness of his participation creates an awkward but kind of scary mood that does not know what is going to happen next. The questions that Harper Lee forms because of Boo will create a fulfilling ending which might have a surprise. The first attempt is overshadowed a bit. It is not thought of correctly. Oh sure, it was very simple but it has much deeper meaning and sets the stage for the rest of the book. A simple tap can be seen as a tap or seen as something beyond that by reading between the lines. The movement of Jem’s hand is described as a “flick,” it is then followed by the description of the lack of movement on the house that stood still. “The house was the same, droopy and sick, but as we stared down the street we thought we saw an inside shutter move. Flick. A tiny, almost invisible movement, and the house was still.” Just before the flick is encroached, the kids describe that they saw an inside shutter move. We don’t know if that was true or it just caught the kids in the moment, that is not described, but one thing we do know is that Boo Radley did not 2007-03-18T14:55:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-The-Attempts-on-Boo-Radley-32807.aspx The Romantics By: Aleem Yousaf The period of Romantic poets in the history of English literature is full of beauty of human thought. William Wordsworth belongs to this era and is ascribed to as the pioneer of the Romantic Movement in poetry. His poetry is full of exquisite word-pictures of nature and presents it beautifully. Wordsworth felt the being of nature as no one ever has felt it and his poetry transforms the reader to same heights of experience as nature and Wordsworth used to enjoy. In fact, his poetry is about common man and common things, all those things that are in our surrounding. He presents them to us by coloring them with imagination and thus uttering before us in the form his unprecedented nature-poetry. It was Wordsworth that defined poetry in terms the romantics wanted it to bedefined. According to him, “ [i:882d08e8ef]Poetry is an overflow of powerful feelings and emotions recollected in tranquility.”[/i:882d08e8ef] Another big name among the giants of English romantic poets is John Keats. Keats was a poet of beauty and a true admirer of beauty. His poetry is full of sensuous experiences about beauty. He is the master of ode writing. His odes are masterpieces and embody some wonderful work of a poet such a high merit as Keats himself was. They speak about the poet’s personal anguish against the hardship of life as well as cruel treatment of beauty at the hands of its owners. Keats’ sonnets are written in Shakespearean style and are really a treat for the lovers of sonnet. His beautiful sonnet, [i:882d08e8ef]“When I have fears that I may cease to be,”[/i:882d08e8ef] touches the heights of experiences poetic expressions. One big name in the Romantic Movement was that of Percy Bysshe Shelly. Shelley, as compared to his two above-mentioned contemporaries, wrote poetry that was both represented by love for beauty and nature. His treatment of nature is very artistic and the language used is also exquisite. His memorable elegy, Adonais written at the death of John Keats is one of the best-written elegies in English literature. The grief expressed in it is genuine and heartrending. It speaks volumes of how much the Shelley felt loss of a true preacher of truth and beauty. To conclude, English literature has many movements and many great poets but the period of Romantics presents to the reader that experience of poetic joy, which is a characteristic of the 2007-03-17T17:21:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/English-Romantic-Poets-32804.aspx A Seperate Peace 1.) War Can Change A Person’s Personality Over Time: We can see this happen when Gene, in the beginning of the novel, is concerned with his school work and when he sees that something is preventing him from it he takes drastic measures to make sure that doesn’t happen. He’s more concerned with his graduation and being head of the class. He knows there’s a war going on, but it never 2007-03-13T00:47:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Seperate-Peace-Themes-32794.aspx By The Waters of Babylon The story of “By the Waters of Babylon” written by Stephen Vincent Benet is about a son of a priest who goes out on a journey. The story, told in 1st person point of view, takes place in a community of people called “the people of the hills.” The son of a priest has a constant desire to gain more knowledge about the place of the gods (an area east of the river where supposedly the gods live.) His main problem is that during his journey to the place of the gods he doesn’t understand why or how the great burning occurred (an event where fire fell from the sky and resulted in destruction of civilization) and he strives for the truth about what really happened to the place of the gods. The people of hills were told that traveling east to the place of the gods was forbidden. The son of a priest began his journey by fasting and waiting for a sigh of where he should go. After several signs, they all pointed to the east. He knew it was forbidden to go there but he took his journey out east anyways because he believed that he was meant to go there. He crosses the river known as ou-dis-sun on a raft and heads toward the place of the gods. The place of the gods has many towers, buildings and streets called god-roads. He then heads north on a god-road towards a building called a dead house. In the house he notices that in the home there are places to cook, but nowhere to put fire. He also notices that there is a bathing place, but no water. He then believes that maybe the gods bathed in air. As night falls he goes and falls asleep. He dreams he sees the gods, and how the Place of the gods used to be. He then sees in his dream how the great burning had destroyed the world. He then finally realizes that the gods that he and his people had been devoted to were not gods, but men. He returns to his father and tells him what he saw. His father reassures him and tells him that he had to find out the truth little by little so that they don’t again destroy themselves. When he becomes chief priest, the son of the priest 2007-03-13T00:43:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/By-The-Waters-of-Babylon-Summary-32793.aspx Animal Farm In my society, I have begun to realize the problem with going with the flow without questioning. Just like the pigs, I believe most of today’s world leaders have their own agenda and are self absorbed. At the beginning of the novel, after the animals had taken over Manor Farm, the pigs take leadership and begin to make decisions about the future of Animal Farm. As the pigs make the decisions, the animals who do not question the authority of the pigs decisions, fall to the feet of the pigs and become victims. The pigs take advantage of the situation of being superior to the animals and begin to change things without their knowledge such as the seven commandments. The commandment that reads “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” shows that the pigs clearly envision themselves as this privileged “some.” The revision of the original phrase, “All animals are equal,” also points to the specific form of corruption on Animal Farm. The initial, original phrase makes reference to all animals, its message extending to the entire world of animals without distinction. Even though the animals see these changes, they never question it because they think it must have been that way since the beginning. The consequence of not questioning authority results in more changes and a lower level class of animals. The problem with not questioning authority is that leaders in today’s world can take advantage of the lack of involvement of others and use it to make decisions that only benefit themselves. If no one is to get involved, the government could change laws and their ways of governing without their citizens even knowing. In my world today I have observed the consequences of not thinking for oneself. I believe that most of the ideas of people today come from media sources or politicians. Most of them do not think for themselves and rely on other sources for an opinion. Also not many people try to get involved in their community, instead they sit back and have others make their decisions for them. In the novel, Napoleon and Snowball share their ideas and make decisions. They argue about the future of animal farm and begin to struggle with each other for power and influence over the animals. As they debate about whether 2007-03-13T00:08:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm--32792.aspx The Brave New World of Technology When thinking of progress, most people think of advances in the scientific fields, believing that most discoveries and technologies are beneficial to society. Are these advances as beneficial as most people think? Brave New World presents a startling view of the future which on the surface appears almost comical. Yet humor was not the intention of Aldous Huxley when he wrote the book in the early 1930's. Indeed Huxley’s real message is very dark. His idea that in centuries to come, a one-world government will rise to power, stripping people’s freedom, is not new. In fact there are many books dedicated to this topic. What makes Huxley’s interpretation different is the fact that his fictional society not only lives in this oppressive government, but embraces it like mindless robots. Although the book was written long ago, its subject has become more popular since most of the technologies described in the book have, at least, partially, become a reality. The novel takes us to a place called the World State, where using technology, the government eliminates unhappiness to produce contented and effective workers. "Men will come to be valued more and more, not as individuals, but as personified social functions" (85). From birth, people are split into six social classes that determine their futures. The government then conditions them to conform to its needs. Using hypnotism, electric shock treatment and other methods of behavior modification, babies are conditioned to fit the state's ideals. Literature is banned because it may make people think and detract from their work. People are encouraged to be promiscuous and impersonal and families and close relationships are frowned upon because they can cause pain. When individuals are unhappy they take a drug called 'soma' to remove their unhappiness. In Brave New World, Huxley describes to us a world as a futuristic society designed by genetic engineering, and controlled by neural conditioning with mind-altering drugs and a manipulative media system. In Mario Varricchio’s article about Brave New World his main argument is that the visual element is a main factor in the process of social control. In my opinion, the theme of Brave New World has much more to do than the power of images, but rather more to do with the advancement of technology and its influence among societies. In the novel, the Director administrates the Central London Hatchery and 2007-03-13T00:00:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Brave-New-World-Literary-Critique-32791.aspx Jem Finch In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Jem Finch is the son of Atticus Finch, and brother to the narrator and protagonist, Scout. Jem plays a very large role in the story, being the older brother. He is almost always there for Scout when she needs him, and he usually gives her instructions on how to do various things such as, being polite, not making herself look stupid, how to get by in school, and how to keep adults from being mad at her. Although he some times gives her bad advice he is usually a 2007-03-12T23:05:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Jem-Finch-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32790.aspx The Catcher In The Rye Critical Analysis Essay In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger used symbolism throughout the novel. Three major symbols were the ducks, the Museum of Natural History, and Jane Gallagher. They all represent Holden in a way, and Salinger uses these symbols very well. While Holden is wandering around New York City, he asks many people about what happens to the ducks in the pond when it freezes. I think this really symbolizes Holden. He isn’t really wondering about the ducks, he is wondering about himself. He wants to know what will happen to him when the weather gets really cold. He wants to know if he will have to go home, because he is really afraid to. This relates to the theme of going home, which is a recurring theme during the novel. The novel is basically his slow return to his home, and he is wondering whether he should go home or stay outside and freeze. The other two symbols, Jane Gallagher and the Museum of Natural History, both represent the theme of the past. Jane Gallagher was an old friend of Holden’s, and he mentions her many times during the story. He mentions that he will call her, but he never gets the nerve to. She is an important part of his past that he misses a lot, and he wants to go back and be with her again. The Museum of Natural History represents a different aspect of his past. While Jane Gallagher makes Holden want to return to his past, the Museum of Natural History sort of changes his mind. He remembers how he used to go there all the time, and how he was different, but the wax figures were always the same. He realizes that he can’t go back in time, because he is not the same as he used to be. He also realizes that he will never be the same as he used to be. J.D. Salinger’s use of symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye is very helpful in conveying hidden messages. He uses different symbols to use these messages, such as Jane, the Museum and the ducks. They all represent Holden, showing the way he thinks and acts. I chose this piece of writing because I felt that it was well written, and it was about a book that 2007-03-08T01:13:45-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Catcher-In-The-Rye-Critical-Analysis-Essay-32784.aspx The Theme of Power in the Book "The Chocolate War" Power good or bad? The book Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier, had many forms of power. The Vigils possessed power over Jerry, Goober, Brother Leon, the chocolate sale, and the school. This power that they possessed was used to manipulate the people and things for the further meant of the Vigils organization. Is it possible to ruin someone’s freshman year with on small thing, or in Jerry’s case one small assignment? Jerry was told to rebel against the school. He was told to not except the chocolates during the chocolate sale. The chocolate sale is a Trinity tradition that’s been in place for years before. Then later on the Vigils gave Jerry another assignment. His new assignment was to take the chocolates. But Jerry then again rebelled, this time under his own will, against the Vigils. But the Vigils power was so great that they took care of Jerry’s quota. During a conversation between Jerry and Archie, at a Vigil meeting, Archie says, “Tomorrow at role call you will except the chocolates.”(138) This was the assignment Jerry rebelled against. This brought jerry lots of unwanted enemies. These enemies hurt Jerry physically and mentally. Your conscience can determine how you live and feel. This is what happened to Goober. Goober was given an assignment by the Vigils. Goober’s assignment was to destroy room 19. He was to loosen all of the screws in the room. During a Vigil meeting, when Goober got his assignment, the narrator states, “ Goober nodded his head excepting the Vigil assignment like a sentence of doom.”(33) When Goober saw the look on Brother Leon’s face and the destruction that he caused he felt terrible about what he had done. What the Vigils made him do. Can young make old feel powerless? That’s what the Vigils did to Brother Leon. Brother Leon knew that he couldn’t sell the chocolates without the backing of the Vigils. The chocolate sale was very important to Brother Leon because if he didn’t make the quota it would most definitely lead to his termination from Trinity High School. The reason being that he borrowed the money from a saving s that the school needed. During a meeting between Brother Leon and Archie, Archie being a major Vigil member, Archie 2007-03-08T00:28:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Theme-of-Power-in-the-Book-quot-The-Chocolate-War-quot-32776.aspx The Hopeless Plight: Edna's Struggle With Identity and Society The society of Grand Isle places many expectations on its women to belong to men and be subordinate to their children. Edna Pontellier's society, therefore, abounds with "mother-women," who "idolized their children, worshipped their husbands, and esteemed it to a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals"(10). The characters of Adele Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz represent what society views as the suitable and unsuitable women figures. Mademoiselle Ratignolle as the ideal Grand Isle woman, a home-loving mother and a good wife, and Mademoiselle Reisz as the old, unmarried, childless, musician who devoted her life to music, rather than a man. Edna oscillates between the two identities until she awakens to the fact that she needs to be an individual, but encounters the resistance of society's standards to her desire. Kate Chopin carefully, though subtly, establishes that Edna does not neglect her children, but only her mother-woman image. Chopin portrays this idea by telling the reader "...Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman. The mother-woman seemed to prevail that summer at Grand Isle"(10). Edna tries on one occasion to explain to Adele how she feels about her children and how she feels about herself, which greatly differs from the mother-woman image. She says: I would give up the unessential; I would give my money; I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself. I can't make it more clear; it's only something I am beginning to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me.(62) This specifically contrasts the mother-woman idea of self-sacrificing for your husband and children. Also, the "something . . . which is revealing itself" does not become completely clear to Edna herself until just before the end, when she does indeed give her life, but not her self for her children's sake. Although Edna loves her children she does not confuse her own life with theirs. Similarly to Edna's relationship with her children is that with her husband, Leonce. The Grand Isle society defines the role of wife as full devotion towards their husband and to self-sacrifice for your husband. Edna never adhered to the society’s definition, even at the beginning of the novel. For example, the other ladies at Grand Isle "all declared that Mr.'Pontellier was the best husband in the world." And "Mrs. Pontellier was forced to admit she 2007-03-08T00:24:45-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hopeless-Plight-Edna-s-Struggle-With-Identity-and-Society-32774.aspx Critical Analysis of Farhenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 a futuristic novel, taking the reader to a time where books and thinking are outlawed. In a time so dreadful where those who want to better themselves by thinking and by reading are outlaws as well. Books are burned physically, and ideas are burned from the mind. Bradbury uses literary devices, such as symbolism, but it is the idea he wants to convey that makes this novel so devastating. Bradbury warns us of what may happen if we stop expressing our ideas, and we let people take away our books, and thoughts. Bradbury incorporates symbolism into his book. He expresses it through the symbols the hearth and the salamander, the phoenix, and the great fire. Bradbury's use of symbolism throughout the novel makes the book moving and powerful. The Hearth and the Salamander, the title of part one, is the first example of symbolism. The title suggests two things having to do with fire. The hearth is a source of warmth and goodness, showing the positive, non-destructive side of fire. Whereas a salamander, a small lizard-like amphibian, and also in mythology, is known to withstand fire without getting burnt by it. Perhaps the salamander is symbolic of Guy Montag, who is being described as a salamander because he works with fire, and endures it, but believes that he can escape the fire and survive. On the other hand, ironically, the other firemen believed that they were salamanders too because they thought they were immune to the all might flames, when in the end it was the flames that destroyed them. The symbol of a Phoenix is used throughout the novel. This quote accurately describes the Phoenix, "It is known to be a mythical multi-colored bird of Arabia, with a long history of artistic and literary symbolism, the Phoenix is one of a kind. At the end of its five-hundred-year existence, it perches on its nest of spices and sings until sunlight ignites the masses. After the body is consumed in flames, a worm emerges and develops into the next Phoenix." The Phoenix symbolizes the rebirth after destruction by fire, only to get burnt, and be destroyed again. Firemen wear the Phoenix on their uniforms, and Capt. Beatty symbolically drives a Phoenix car. Montag, after reaching the realization that fire and destruction has indeed destroyed him, wishes to be "reborn". As part 2007-03-08T00:21:17-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Farhenheit-451-by-Ray-Bradbury-32772.aspx Plot Summary of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Oliver Twist provides 2007-03-08T00:18:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Summary-of-Oliver-Twist-by-Charles-Dickens-32770.aspx Rhetorical analysis of Beowulf The story of Beowulf is marked by rhetorical markers throughout. These markers are strategically placed by the author in order to give the story teller of old a break from his memorization; most people were illiterate and could not read for themselves. The person telling the story used these rhetorical markers as a break in the story and his thought process, similar to today’s commercials during a TV show. The one main difference, though, is that rhetorical markers gave us insight into the story, instead of the mindlessness of commercials. Today’s rhetorical marker is for written story and still accomplishes what its purpose was- to inform the reader. Another advantage to the rhetorical marker is the fact that it was useful in explaining more about what was really happening in the story and to get a little background. Rhetorical markers are aspects of a story that do not move the story along. They provide more of an insight into the story or are in the story to accomplish some other purpose. An example of a rhetorical marker in Beowulf is the story about Beowulf’s swimming match. He and the Danes were sitting in a dining hall after Beowulf’s arrival talking of his known accomplishments. The story that follows this is not part of the action of the story and could be completely deleted from the story; it is used to illustrate Beowulf’s strength and pride. Beowulf was competing in a swimming match with his friend, Breca, and ended up showing his braveness and strength in succeeding at this match. Beowulf says, “It befell me that I slew with my sword nine sea-monsters. I have not heard tell of a harder fight by night under heaven’s arch, nor of man more hard-pressed in the sea streams.” Beowulf, apparently, was not a modest man. He tells of his accomplishment with pride. And so, this shows the Danes that he will be an honorable foe to help them in their fight against Grendel. Foreshadowing could be considered a form of rhetorical marker. The author is telling us about the story using clues that will happen eventually and not actually telling the story. In the first paragraph of section one of Beowulf the author is describing the hall named Heorot and how it came to 2007-03-06T22:54:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Rhetorical-analysis-of-Beowulf-32763.aspx Role Of Power In "Lord Of The Flies" The role of power in the novel Lord of the Flies is very important to the storyline. In this tale, power takes on two different visages: good and evil. The balance of strength lies between Ralph and Jack, two elementary school-aged British children who battle for the right to rule the island on which they are marooned. They both have the potential to influence the rest of the stranded students with their seniority. Ralph is the well mannered, think-ahead type of boy who is usually right, but not always heard. Jack Merridew is the kind of child who is egotistical and short-tempered: a tyrant in the making. Both boys were born leaders, and at first, both were morally straight. In the development of this book, both children will have their chance to affect the younger children, for better or for worse. At the beginning of the story, Ralph was the first to organize the boys and create a social order. By a democratic vote, he was nominated the island chief over Jack. His first agenda was to start a smoke signal at the highest point of the island for rescue. The irresponsible boys didn’t want to tend the fire because of fear of the beast atop the mountain. And, eventually, the boys did not want to be rescued: they had everything they wanted in this paradise. This was the first sign of mutiny towards Ralph. The symbol of authority on the island during Ralph’s political reign was the conch. If you were in possession of the shell, you could talk and all would listen attentively. The conch system broke down when Piggy began to use the conch regularly and Jack controlled the body of the island. Nobody on the island took Piggy seriously, not really even Ralph, until it was too late. Soon, what was left of order on the island collapsed when Piggy perished. Some of Piggy’s final words were: “I got the conch.” As Piggy is struck by the rock that killed him, the conch was shattered. No more conch, no more rules. All of the children had not yet realized that no authoritative figure other than the older ones was on the island to order them around 2007-03-06T22:53:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Role-Of-Power-In-quot-Lord-Of-The-Flies-quot-32762.aspx The Influence of Mothers in the Novel "The Joy Luck Club" Many, if not all people, at one time or another in their lives resent their mothers. In this novel, The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan portrays four Chinese-American born daughter’s stories. Their trials and tribulations in dealing with their Chinese born mother’s, culture and beliefs in 20th century America are presented. Tan also portrays the flip side of how the mothers feel about their “Americanized” daughters. The Joy Luck Club has been on the New York Times best sellers list for nine months. The novel has also been made into a movie. Tan’s other novels reflect on Chinese culture, history, beliefs and Chinese families living in America, usually set in California. The Kitchen God’s Wife, is a novel about one woman who reflects back on her life in China. The Hundred Secret Senses portrays a woman from China who beholds “Yin eyes” and can see dead people. Both of these novels have also been on the best sellers list. The Kitchen God’s Wife has been the number one best seller, and The Hundred Secret Senses has been the national best seller. Tan’s newest novel is The Bonesetter’s Daughter. It is currently on the New York Times best sellers list. In the novel, members of the Joy Luck Club are four old “aunties” who congregate regularly in San Francisco to play mah-jongg, eat Chinese food and talk about their children. When one of the members dies, her daughter, Jing-mei (June) Woo takes her mothers place in the club. June feels out of place with the “aunties” because of their differences in age and beliefs. She is made uncomfortable by the older generation’s insistence on maintaining old customs and parochial habits, which she views as an impediment to breaking loose from her parents’ cultural gravity. What she yearns for is to lead an independent, modern and American life free of the burden of her parents’ Chineseness and the overweening hopes for their children that they can’t even “begin to express in their fragile English”. (Schell, 2) June is embarrassed by her Chinese heritage and wants to be “American” and not have to deal with her parent’s Chinese culture. She is afraid of becoming her mother: …I saw myself transforming like a werewolf, a mutant tag of 2007-03-06T22:40:05-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Influence-of-Mothers-in-the-Novel-quot-The-Joy-Luck-Clu-32757.aspx Critical Analysis of King Lear by Shakespeare One of 20ths century’s questionably greatest poets and writers Maya Angelou has said, “Blindness is a disease that does not affect the eyes alone.” As some truths of human nature defy time and technology, the reality of this existed even in the Elizabethan era. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Shakespeare’s current status, one thing that cannot be denied was his devotion to targeting the basic flaw in all “good people” that inevitably causes their downfall. Similar to all Shakespearian plays, King Lear is essentially a tale about the human flaw of faulty perception. It is this imperfection that ultimately jeopardizes the lives and sanity of each character. Lear is fundamentally portrayed as a noble man. This assessment is alluded to through various means. His kingdom exists in tranquility. He is surrounded by advisors that prove themselves to be righteous. Yet, as the play opens the audience is exposed to a new light on Lear. By splitting his kingdom, he is sure to create a civil war. By asking his daughters to profess their love for him, he is asking more of them than obvious. It seems as though the responses he receives are measurements of greed not love. He is quick to believe Regan’s and Goneril’s claims of all consuming love for their father, though he has raised these children. Clearly his desire to hear kind words overrides the truth. In Cordelias case, the one daughter that refuses to make a mockery out of herself and her scared bond to her father says “nothing.” Lear mentions, “Nothing can come out of nothing.” Unfortunately he seems to only see this in convinet cases, such as money; he ignores its literal meaning. He hastily exiles Cordelia from his kingdom. Kent tries to knock some sense into Lear and is meet with the same misfortune as Cordelia; “out of my sight!” It seems as though Lear is able to keep anything out of his sight. His blindness is his need to be reassured of his stature as a man through others petty words and mannerisms. Lear went to great lengths in order to maintain a pleasant little fantasy; Cordelia is his polar opposite in this sense. Cordelia revels in the truth, hiding nothing and risking everything. She refuses "to speak and purpose not;" meaning that she will never 2007-03-06T22:35:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-King-Lear-by-Shakespeare-32755.aspx What is love? Is love when someone is obsessed with someone to the point of doing anything for them or idolizing everything they are to a point of extremes? Can someone love someone else when they could actually be in love with the idea this certain someone has of this object of their affection? Gatsby idolizes Daisy as this perfect being rather than a person that Gatsby actually loves. He is tied to her in her past without any of the constraints of the social world as if he loves her back when they first met. Gatsby is in denial that Daisy has moved on with her life and doesn’t even seem to realize most of the time that she is married and has a child or social responsibilities. Gatsby thinks that he can just be with Daisy without any conflicts arising. Not only this but he seems to have to prove himself to her even thought he doesn’t see these conflicts. Gatsby is stuck in a surreal life with Daisy as if he stepped back in time and they first met. Gatsby keeps recollecting to the past and it is so often that he actually thinks Daisy and he are back in the previous times and they are deeply in love with one another without too much care for anything at all. Gatsby feels as if Daisy is in love with him as much as he is with her. It doesn’t make sense that Gatsby doesn’t realize she has changed and he is still stuck in this limbo of a world where he can’t define what is the past and what is the present. Nick observes, “He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity” (97). It seems that Daisy causes Gatsby to go to this dream world that he has made in his mind and it is the past he is dreaming since that is the only thing about him that hasn’t changed over the course of the years after and before the war. Gatsby is so in love that he cannot see other things around the area that are obvious to a slight extreme which is alarming. He is probably stuck 2007-03-06T03:08:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby-s-Love-for-Daisy-32747.aspx Edgar Allan Poe’s Seamless Crafting of “The Raven” Every writer wants to have a writing of his or hers be a best seller from the instant he submits it to the printer. Very few people ever accomplish this feat. Edgar Allan Poe, however, seemed to have a knack for making popular poems and tales. One of his works, “The Raven,” was an instant success with all kinds of people (Mabbott 350). Although a few writers would agree with T. S. Eliot when he said that Poe’s writing has a “pre adolescent mentality” (Kennedy 111), this poem is thought by many more people to be Poe’s magnum opus; a very in depth and provocative poem which delves into the human mind. This poem achieves its prime rank of his works because of the way Poe fashions it to be veritably flawless in writing technique. He creates a lugubrious, yet paranoid, mood which sets the tone for the whole poem. He also uses stark antithetical contrasts to show differences between expectations and reality. Poe then adds the sense of an unstable mind’s paranoia into the mix. These three ingredients: mood, antithesis, and the insanity of a paranoid mind are integrated to form the perfect recipe for a successful and popular work; “The Raven.” Edgar Allan Poe’s use of mood is essential to the quality of “The Raven.” From the start of the poem Poe sets a dank and dreary setting by using key words in his poetry. Phrases such as “midnight dreary” and “bleak December” illustrate this as the narrator relates his actions on a dark winter’s night. As the narrator, a student of an anonymous identity, sits reading old books of knowledge, he hears a tapping sound. He goes to the door of his room and is greeted by darkness. He then ventures to the window and opens the shutters. A clumsy raven suddenly flaps into the room and lands on top of the bust of Athena Pallas, the Greek goddess of knowledge. The student initially acts in a light-hearted manner upon the raven’s entrance and goes about making sport out of the unexpected visitor’s presence (Davidson 87). In jest he asks the raven its name, and the fowl responds with the single word, “Nevermore.” The narrator jokingly finds it queer that 2007-03-05T00:25:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Edgar-Allan-Poe’s-Seamless-Crafting-of-“The-Raven”-32734.aspx Character Analysis of Nora Helmer in "A Doll's House" Nora Helmer in a A Doll’s House is a women ahead of her time. In order to protect her children from a false life, she inflicts tragedy upon herself by leaving every thing she has by walking away. She puts herself in this tragic situation by not being honest. Nora lies to herself and the ones she cares about. Before she leaves her life is not her own person she is carrying on life as a role. Making others happy, instead of herself. A Doll’s House by Henrik Isben is about a young woman and her life. The main characters name is Nora Helmer. She is married to a bank manager named Trovald. In the early years of their marriage just after their first child Trovald becomes ill. Doctors say that he will not live unless he goes abroad immediately. Nora takes it upon herself and borrows two hundred and fifty pounds from a money leader named Krogstad. She was dishonest with Trovald and said her father gave it to her. It was illegal because she forged her dying fathers signature on the document. Nora was unlike most women of her time period. Most women would be afraid to do the things Nora did. In the end of the play A Dolls House after the truth has been discovered about Nora she makes a very courageous decision. It was not heard of for a woman to leave her family , but Nora did. She did this because she knew if she stayed with the children it would not be fair for them. She was not best mother for her children even though she loved them like ant mother loves her children. When we learn that the model for Nora was intelligent and ambitious everything falls in to place. There is no need to wonder about motivation or changes of character sudden revelations (Hardwick). Nora is very wise in many of her ways. She planned to perform a dance at a ball just to dictract Trovald. When all the truth is discovered at the end of the play things become very tense between Nora and Trovald. In the raging depate over the morality of Nora’s behavior , however, it is all too easy to neglect Trovalds dramatic function in the play (Kashdam). After the ball, Trovalts rage 2007-03-05T00:21:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Nora-Helmer-in-quot-A-Doll-s-House-qu-32731.aspx Analysis of the Joad Family in "The Grapes of Wrath" John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath tells the specific story of the Joad family in order to show the hardship and oppression suffered by migrant laborers during the Great Depression. It is an excellent example of how the corporate and banking elites chastised farmers by shortsighted policies meant to maximize profit even while forcing farmers into destitution and even starvation. The novel begins with the description of the conditions in Dust Bowl Oklahoma that ruined the crops and instigated massive foreclosures on farmland. No specific characters emerge initially, I think when Steinbeck made this book he describes events in a larger social context with those more specific to the Joad family. Tom Joad, a man not yet thirty, approaches a diner dressed in spotless, somewhat formal clothing. He hitches a ride with a truck driver at the diner, who presses Tom for information until Tom finally reveals that he was just released from McAlester prison, where he served four years for murdering a man during a fight. Steinbeck follows this with an interlude describing a turtle crossing the road, which he uses as a metaphor for the struggles of the working class. On his travels home, Tom meets his former preacher, Jim Casy, a talkative man gripped by doubts over religious teachings and the presence of sin. He gave up the ministry after realizing that he found little wrong with the sexual reliaisons he had with women in his congregation. Casy espouses the view that what is holy in human nature comes not from a distant god, but from the people themselves. Steinbeck contrasts Tom's return with the arrival of bank representatives to evict the tenant farmers and the tractors to farm the land. He raises the possibility of a working class insurrection, but cannot find an effective target for collective action. . Tom Joad finds the rest of his family staying with Uncle John, a morose man prone to depression after the death of his wife several years before. His mother is a strong, sturdy woman who is the moral center of family life. His brother, Noah, may have been brain damaged during childbirth, while his sister, Rose of Sharon (called Rosasharn by the family) is recently married and pregnant. Her husband, Connie Rivers, has dreams of studying radios. Tom's younger brother, Al, is only sixteen and 2007-03-05T00:15:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-Joad-Family-in-quot-The-Grapes-of-Wrath-quo-32726.aspx Character Analysis of Blanche Du Bois A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams focuses on the fragile Blanche Dubois who is no longer able to bear the hardships of life. As a result, she chooses to live in a dream world filled with fantasies and lies. The adoption of this new world, along with her inability to adapt to her physical surroundings, is what causes her own fateful end. Blanche’s plight can well be understood by a detailed analysis of her character and the symbols used by Williams to describe her nature. By analyzing the symbolism in the first scene, we can understand what prompted Blanche to move to New Orleans with her sister Stella. In the first scene, Blanche describes her voyage: "They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at Elysian Fields" (Williams 15). To understand what this quotation symbolizes, we have to look into Blanche’s past. Blanche left her home to join her sister, because her life was a miserable in her former place of residence. She was mentally tormented with having to witness the death and funeral procedures of her parents. She had also lost their family mansion at Belle Reve due to these funeral expenses and unpaid bills. To top it all off, she tragically lost her young husband Allan. The streetcar named Desire symbolizes Blanche's desire to be loved once again and she does this by living in a world of lies. Blanche’s plan does work out and she wins the love of Mitch, as she desired. Blanche believes that Mitch could be the man to liberate her from all her problems. She deceives Mitch, because she wants to ensure a perfect romance—one free of imperfections as her face. She confesses to Mitch that she lives in a world of romantic fantasy. "I don’t want realism, I want magic! Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people. I misrepresent things to them. I don’t tell the truth, I tell what ought to be the truth. And if that is sinful, then let me be damned for it! --Don’t turn the light on!” (Williams 117). This quote not only shows that Blanche has begun to lose her mind but also her self-consciousness towards her looks. This can be seen as another reason for 2007-03-04T18:27:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Blanche-Du-Bois-32709.aspx Analysis on "Of Mice and Men" George and his ponderous friend Lennie followed a dusty path leading to the banks of the Salinas River, toting their only possessions - bedrolls and a few articles of clothing. Slow-minded Lennie had cost them their previous jobs; his innocent fascination with a young girl's red dress and his awkward attempt to touch it had frightened the girl, forcing them to flee a lynch mob. Now they were heading for a nearby ranch to sign on as barley bucks. George reminded Lennie once again to let him do all the talking when they met with the ranch owner. Lennie promised that he would, and then begged George to tell him again about the farm they hoped to own one day: "Come on, George. Tell me. Please, George. Like you done before, “You get a kick outta that, don't you?" George replied. "Awright, I'll tell you, and then we'll eat our supper ..." The dream farm will include all sorts of animals - and Lennie will be assigned to take care of the rabbits. The two men neared the ranch. Using Lennie's love of animals as a means of control, George once more warned his friend that if he didn't keep quiet, or if he caused any trouble at the ranch, they wouldn't get the job they so badly needed; then they couldn't earn the money for their dream-farm. As hiring negotiations began, the ranch boss questioned George about Lennie's quiet and slow manner. But George was ready with an excuse: "He's my ... cousin. I told his old lady I'd take care of him. He got kicked in the head by a horse when he was a kid. He's alright. just ain't bright." Once they were hired, both George and Lennie went right to work. Later, as they waited for lunch to be served, in sauntered Curley, the ranch owner's son. He was there to look over the new men. After Curley had gone, Candy, the bunkhouse swamper, warned them about the young man. A former prizefighter, Curley took pleasure in boosting his ego by picking on others. He was also an insecure husband - he became insanely jealous of anyone who even got near his wife. Seeming to sense that Curley would bring them trouble, Lennie now became agitated and nervous about the job; but with no money 2007-03-04T17:16:20-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-on-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-32702.aspx Shakespeare The Greatest? Shakespeare, William (1564-1616), an English playwright and poet, was and is recognized as the worlds greatest of all dramatists. Scholars have written thousands of books and articles about his shrewd plots, intriguing characters, astounding themes, and defining language. He is the most widely quoted author in history, and his plays have probably been performed more times than those of any other dramatist. He is literature's omnipresent. Hamlet is perhaps Shakespeare most famous play. It exceeds by far most other tragedies of revenge in the power of its ethical and psychological imagining. The play is based on the story of Amleth, a 9th-century Danish prince. Shakespeare Hamlet tells the story of the prince effort to revenge the murder of his father, who has been poisoned by Hamlet uncle, Claudius, the man who then becomes Hamlet stepfather and the king¦. Results in everyone lying dead and the prince marches in to claim the Danish throne. Hamlet is certainly Shakespeare most intellectually engaging and elusive play. Literary critics and actors turn to it again and again, possibly succeeding only in confirming the play inexhaustible richness and the inadequacy of any single attempt finally or fully to capture it. Romeo and Juliet is famous for its poetic treatment of the ecstasy of youthful love. The play dramatizes the fate of two lovers victimized by the feuds and misunderstandings of their elders and by their own hasty temperaments. Shakespeare borrowed the tragic story of the two young Italian lovers from a long narrative poem, The Tragic all History of Romeus and Juliet by English writer Arthur Brooke. Shakespeare, however, added the character of Mercutio, increased the roles of the friar and the nurse, and reduced the moralizing of Brooke work. The play made a spontaneous hit. King Lear, Conceived on a grander emotional and philosophic scale than Othello, it deals with the consequences of the arrogance and misjudgment of Lear, a ruler of early Britain, and the parallel behavior of his councilor, the Duke of Gloucester. Each of these fathers tragically banishes the child who most has his interests at heart and places himself in the power of the wicked child or children. Each is finally restored to the loving child, but only after a rending journey of suffering, and 2007-02-22T01:24:28-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-The-Greatest-32686.aspx Secrets In The Scarlet Liars, hypocrites, frauds, cheaters, adulterers, imposters, sinners, and gossipers, no one would ever suspect these types of people live in the perfect Puritan town of Boston. At first glance Boston seems as if it’s a city set on a hill because everyone is so righteous and religious. It seems like everyone in the town is perfect besides Hester. She is criticized and looked down on because she has a scarlet letter “A” on her chest. Even though Hester is the only one with a visible scarlet letter, many other hypocritical citizens deserve scarlet letters on their chests for something or another. For example, Roger Chillingworth should have worn a letter “K” on his chest for kleptomaniac because he is constantly trying to steal Reverend Dimmesdale’s life away. He is so obsessed with ruining his life it seems like he has a mental disorder. The first signs of Roger’s kleptomaniac behavior were first recognized when some citizens noticed something ugly and evil taking over his face. Roger is constantly with Reverend Dimmesdale wherever he goes; its like they are attached at the hip. First he tries to become friends with the Reverend and then he begins to pry into him like a bloodthirsty leech. Rogers pesters him all the time with questions about guilt and confession that eat away at Dimmesdale. Hawthorne says, for example, he digs into the poor clergyman’s heart, “like a miner searching for gold; or, rather, like a sexton delving into a grave”(Hawthorne 117). He is constantly trying to convince to Dimmesdale to confess and would dig to a dead man’s grave to find any information about him. Roger’s digging evolves into a “fierce and terrible fascination” as he becomes more and more obsessed with exposing his secret; it eventually takes over his life as well as the Reverend’s(117). The fact that Roger would go to such extremes to destroy Reverend Dimmesdale proves he is a true Kleptomaniac. Roger’s Kleptomaniac tendencies are seen again when he was snooping around Dimmesdale’s reading area. The Reverend had fallen asleep reading when Roger came in and immediately laid his had on his bosom and thrust aside his robe. Roger turned around with a “wild look of wonder, joy, and horror”(Hawthorne 126). He was so overjoyed with what he found he jumped up and down with satanic joy, “throwing his arms toward the ceiling, and stamped his foot upon 2007-02-06T04:07:07-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Roger-Chillingworth-In-The-Scarlet-Letter-32596.aspx Social Aspects of Huckleberry Finn The story of Huckleberry Finn is one of a young man that struggles with life and its decisions. The struggles with his conscience caused Huck to rethink many of his ideas and actions. Many times by his love of his friendship with Jim, Huck would admit what he did to Jim and apologize for the actions. Without Jim as a friend Huck would not have realized that Jim is the same as everyone else even if he was a slave. Jim is one of the main causes of Huck’s inner self battle over society, friendships, and personal morality. In the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, the main character, Huck struggles with his conscience in three ways: social (society) conventions, Jim, and Huck with himself over his own morality. Huck battles with social conventions in two ways. The first way is intellectually, and the second way is morally. By focusing on Huck's education Huck becomes an outcast and distrusts the morals and precepts of the society that labels him a pariah and fails to protect him from abuse, despite Miss Watsons’ and the Widow Douglas’ attempts to educate and civilize Huck. He learns to distrust the morals of society through Miss Watson’s teaching of prayer and God. With his lack of education, Huck ,unlike most children his age does not understand Miss Watson when she says that he is a fool for praying for three fish hooks (12). Because of this Huck realizes that humans are harmful and can do or cause cruel consequences to each other. “ Human beings can be awful cruel to one another.( 222)” This apprehension about society, and his growing relationship with Jim, lead Huck to question many of the teachings that he received on race. Verbal abuse was as common to Huck and the sun rising in the east. Even though he was allowed into town and lived with the widow’s home; Huck felt as though he was an outsider, someone who had moved into the town only to be shunned because of his lineage. Time and time again Huck chooses to “Go to Hell(268)” rather than go along with what he's been taught. This is ironic because his views are actually ahead of his time. His ideas on racism, slavery, and 2007-02-02T18:52:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Aspects-of-Huckleberry-Finn-32575.aspx Developing Leadership in "The Lord of the Flies" “A strong leader is not necessarily a good one.” In a group, there are always people who prove to have better leadership skills then others. The strongest of these people can often influence the weaker people into following them. However, the strongest person is not necessarily the best leader as it is proven in William Golding’s novel, The Lord of the Flies. Although Ralph is the weaker person, he is still able to demonstrate a better understanding of people than Jack who is stronger. Ralph demonstrates his excellent leadership skills throughout the novel by keeping order among the group, treating everyone with respect, and having the sense to keep his focus on getting rescued. While the boys are under Jack’s control, they quickly regress into uncivilized savages. However, Ralph manages to keep the boys under control by holding meetings. At the meetings, a sense of order is instilled because the boys are not allowed to speak unless they have the conch shell. “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking.” (p. 31) By enforcing this sense of order, he gains respect from the boys and becomes for confident as a leader. Ralph uses his power to try and improve the boys’ civilization. He demonstrates his understanding of the boy’s needs by building shelters. “They talk and scream. The littuns. Even some of the others.” (p. 53) Ralph is referring to the fact that the boys need the shelters because they are afraid and the shelters will help the boys feel more secure. This demonstrates his better knowledge of people making him a better leader than Jack who does not understand this. Jack does not realize that the boys need to feel secure and require a sense of order in their society. Ralph shows his understanding of human nature by the way he handles the boys. Jack considers the boys inferior to him, meanwhile, Ralph treats all the boys equally and with respect. Ralph’s leadership qualities are shown when he defends Piggy since he is the weakest of the group and is therefore treated unfairly. When Jack slaps Piggy and purposely breaks his glasses, Ralph calls it “A dirty trick.” (p. 76) This shows Jack’s selfishness and his failure to respect other 2007-02-02T18:49:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Developing-Leadership-in-quot-The-Lord-of-the-Flies-quot-32572.aspx Plot Analysis of "The Bell Jar" The Bell Jar takes place during fifties and begins in New York City, during a summer in which the narrator, Esther Greenwood, is an intern at a fashion magazine after winning a scholarship. She soon becomes friends with Doreen, a fellow scholarship winner who is kind of cynical. Doreen out takes Esther for drinks, where they meet several men, including Lenny Shepherd, a disc jockey. Esther and Doreen go back to Lenny's apartment, where Doreen and Lenny progressively become more intimate and even somewhat violent with each other. Esther flees the apartment to return to her hotel, where she only wishes to forget the experience that night. Later that night, Lenny brings Doreen back to the hotel, where Esther cares for her despite that she will no longer associate with Doreen. The next day, Esther attends a banquet for Ladies Day, the magazine where she works, and afterward her editor, Jay Cee, asks Esther what she plans to do after graduating from college. Esther is unsure, and Jay Cee reprimands her for such an indecisive attitude. Still, Jay Cee reassures Esther and tells her "don't let the wicked city get you down." After going to a movie with the other interns, all of them begin to feel sick and fall ill from food poisoning from the morning banquet. Only Doreen remains healthy, because she did not attend the banquet. Mrs. Willard, the mother of Buddy Willard, a Yale student whom Esther had been seeing, arranges for Esther to meet with Constantin, an interpreter at the United Nations. Esther now hates Buddy for his hypocrisy and condescending attitude, particularly since he expects Esther to be pure despite his affair with a waitress during a previous 2007-02-02T18:48:20-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Analysis-of-quot-The-Bell-Jar-quot-32571.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Iceman Cometh" by Eugene O'Neill It is a basic law of storytelling that in order for an author to capture and maintain the reader’s interest, the author must create “realistic” characters, ones that are relatable, genuine, and plainly likeable. In the works of Eugene O’Neill, he takes that rule of realistic character development and proceeds to warp and twist it into a beautifully mangled paradigm of raw humanity and pessimism. He formulates characters that are utter derelicts to society, each one desperately hanging on to their hopeless dreams, each one hauntingly familiar to us. O’Neill, one of the more well-known twentieth century American playwrights, borrows from the thinking of Nietzsche to strip away the fluff of human personality, exposing the basic, eternally somber inner workings of the human psyche. In his plays, such as The Ice Man Cometh, O’Neill consistently portrays a classic nihilistic theme that there is no God, one of the first in his field to toy with the idea. He preaches that there is no great reward in life, that even after years, perhaps even a lifetime of suffering, there is no pay off – the only thing you get is the relief that is death. O’Neill’s The Ice Man Cometh, a play brought to Broadway which went on to celebrated success, is the story of, more or less, drunken slobs. The play’s epicenter is a bar/boarding house where a group of drunken derelicts seem to live. The hotel being named after the owner, Harry Hope, is laughably ironic, seeing as how most all of the bar flies have little or no hope left in there lives, yet they all dream of their tomorrows – paying their bills tomorrow, getting their job back tomorrow, making a fresh start tomorrow. The plot revolves around the many bar attendees, but sixty year old Larry Slade plays the role of the bitter objective commentator, a person who has decidedly removed himself from the anarchist group called “The Movement” and the responsibilities of mainstream life. He and his companions eagerly await the arrival of their salesman friend Hickey, who comes down twice a year to waste all off his money on buying everyone drinks. However before Hickey arrives, Don Parrit, the son of an ex-lover of Larry’s, a woman who was also in the Movement, comes to 2007-02-02T18:45:58-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Iceman-Cometh-quot-by-Eugene-32570.aspx Critical Analysis of Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five" Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five is essentially an anti-war book. The historical context of this book centers around the bombing of Dresden on the nights of Feb. 13 and 14 in 1944 during World War II. Hundreds and thousands were killed at locations like Dresden, which were non-military in nature but served as methods of weakening Axis morale. Vonnegut himself was present at Dresden when it was bombed. This book is his way of releasing emotional turmoil caused by war. Slaughterhouse-Five, much like other Vonnegut books, shows his strong disgust of war and the ironies of contemporary society in attempting in vain to answer the question “Why war?” Billy Pilgrim, the protagonist of Slaughterhouse-Five, is the mirror image of Vonnegut. Billy is trying to reconcile with the guilt of being the sole survivor of the Dresden bombing. The events that led to his survival are modeled after Vonnegut’s own experiences during the war. After the war, Billy is greatly traumatized. He views his survival as a curse rather than a blessing. Billy is so distraught that he rejects the life that is granted to him. This mirrors Vonnegut’s own rejection of contemporary society (Tanner 13). Vonnegut’s view comes from his belief that society tries to justify war. Billy goes to the point of mental insanity looking for a justification for war. He looks for happiness in searching for a reason that he experienced the terrible atrocities that transpire under the auspices of war. He finds relief through his unusual way in which he views time. Billy is “unstuck in time” which allows him to shift to different times in his life. Vonnegut uses this as a plot device. The book is written in an anecdotal structure, with sections separated with spaces. The sections are not arranged in chronological order, for each separation represent a shift to a different time in Billy’s life. Although confusing at first, this plot device makes complete sense in the novel as a whole. Different times are not arbitrarily strung together either. Transitions to other times in Billy’s life is marked by different sensations or reoccurrences that shown up at separate times. Vonnegut is able to concoct a story out of paragraphs, which are disoriented and disordered; yet the story remains coherent 2007-02-02T18:41:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Kurt-Vonnegut-s-quot-Slaughterhouse-Fi-32568.aspx Character Analyses of Cubism by Tony Kytes Tony Kytes story is a well written story it is told in a very clever type of way. It is told in third person perspective and is also told by a carrier with a horse and carriage telling his passenger the things that Tony got up to. I think that the writer has tried to make the reader think that Tony is quite gullible and uses it to get women where he wants them. The writer is also trying to make you think that Tony is quite clever in his own ways, he can be talking about how much he likes them and then totally change the question ‘And can you say I’m not pretty Tony’ ‘now look at me!’ ‘He let his eyes rest upon her for along while. ‘I really can’t’ then as soon as they had that conversation he sees Milly just past the hedge and says that unity has to get under a tarpaulin in the back, so that there isn’t any unpleasantness. He is quite crafty in a way as he tells a girl that he loves them and trying to not let one of them hear that he loves the other one as well. Tony doesn’t always think with his head but with his libido. Rudy My first impressions of Rudy weren’t that bad I just thought that he was one of them men that are a bit full of them selves. I knew as soon as I started reading the story that he was full of confidence and didn’t embarrass easily. You can tell this by the text as it says ‘naturally the dames were all after me’ and how it says that he would just have to run his eyes up and down the women and one of them would come running over to him and sometimes two. I also thought to myself that he was one of the lads as well as a lady’s man as it says in the text ‘the usual game of banker in the cloakrooms with the lads’. Also in my first impression on Rudy was that he was very suave and glib, I thought this to myself because of how he talks to the beauty queens grandma which ends up getting him chucked out of the house. The way 2007-02-02T18:33:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analyses-of-Cubism-by-Tony-Kytes-32564.aspx Social Statements in "Of Mice and Men" In the novel Mice of Men, John Steinbeck writes about two completely different characters George and Lennie. George is a bright hardworking man. Lennie is a large strong man who has the mind of a child and equally hardworking as George. Because Lennie has a hard time understanding how things work in life, he finds himself in a lot of trouble. George and Lennie travel around the Salinas Valley working on ranches. They are good friends and share the dream of owning a ranch where they will spend the rest of their lives living off the land. As different as they are and through struggles they maintain their friendship and a dream. Many characters in the book say that two men traveling together are not very common. George and Lennie have been traveling together from town to town doing working. They keep each other company where ever they go. Even though Lennie has a mental retardation it gives George someone to talk to. They have known each other for a long time. George had promised an aunty of Lennie’s to take care of him before she died. At any time George could have gotten rid of Lennie, leave him at a town to fend for him self, but their friendship keeps them in bond. In their job near Soledad, when they report to the boss, he arises suspicion of George and Lennie traveling together. The boss asks George if he is taking Lennie’s wages. It is hard for people to see how friendship works, especially with two different people, so George, tired of explaining, lies to the boss that Lennie is his cousin and he was hit on the head by a horse when he was young. He admits to the boss that Lennie is a little slow, but that he’s a hell of a worker. All of this was of good intentions by George to make sure that Lennie was not turned away. George looks out for Lennie, sometimes he might be a bit harsh with him, but it’s for Lennie’s own good. When they were walking to the ranch Lennie was holding a dead mouse in his pocket. Who knows how long it might have been dead, but since Lennie doesn’t know any better he 2007-02-02T18:31:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Statements-in-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-32563.aspx Deceit in Hamlet Deceit is often used in politics and everyday life to acquire power and success. The theme of deceit is often repeated in Hamlet. Hamlet's hesitation in killing Claudius, and Hamlet's eventual death are a direct result of deceit in the court. Hamlet tries to deceive everyone into thinking that he is crazy. He believes that with this "antic disposition" he can kill Claudius without any consequences, and avenge his father's death. When Cladius and Polonius hear of Hamlet's madness, they decide to find out the reason behind it. They spy on Hamlet to figure out why he is acting this way. Through this Cladius learns that Hamlet is dangerous, and a threat to him. Hamlet's trickery also leads to the death of Ophelia and her father Polonius. As well as triggering Laertes to seek revenge on Hamlet for causing the death of his family. After several attempts to kill Hamlet fail, Claudius teams up with Laertes and tries to murder Hamlet once and for all. Each of these plans directly or indirectly causes Hamlet's death. After Hamlet talks to the ghost of his father, he finds out that Claudius killed him to gain the throne of Denmark. Hamlet has to get revenge by killing Claudius. To do this, he must act insane to draw away suspicion from himself. Hamlet says to Hortaio "How strange or odd some'er I bear myself as I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on,"(I;v;170-172), this indicates that from this moment Hamlet will act insane. He believes this way he will be able to kill the king and get away with it. Polonius becomes aware of Hamlet's madness and wants to uncover the reason behind it. He says "Mad let us grant him then, and now remains, that we find out the cause of this defect, for this effect defective comes by cause."(II;ii;100-103). Claudius and Polonius spy on Hamlet and Ophelia as they talk. After hearing their conversation Claudius says "And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose will be some danger; which for to prevent, I have in quick determination thus set it down: he shall with speed to England"(III;i;163-166). This means that Claudius is starting to believe Hamlet is dangerous and wants to send him to England. From this point Claudius is very suspicious of Hamlet, he suspects that Hamlet is plotting against him, he says, "Madness 2007-02-02T18:27:28-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Deceit-in-Hamlet-32561.aspx Characters and Synopsis of Where the Red Fern Grows Billy Colman The protagonist of Where the Red Fern Grows. At the start of the novel he is ten years old. He has three younger sisters. He is filled with "puppy love"--he wants a dog badly. He is a brave boy, full of determination and grit. Papa Billy's papa is a good, honest farmer. He is poor, but is working hard so his family can move to the city. Once Billy buys his hounds, he starts to treat Billy like a man Grandfather Billy's grandfather runs a general store and a small mill. His store is a place where coon hunters gather to talk about hunting. He is full of imagination, and gets Billy into a lot of adventures. Old Dan Old Dan is one of Billy’s red bone coonhounds. He is bigger and stronger than Little Ann, the other hound. He will never leave a raccoon once he is on its trail, although sometimes his impatience gets the best of him, and he loses the trail. Little Ann Little Ann is one of Billy's red bone coonhounds. She is smaller but smarter than Old Dan. She is a beautiful hound, and will not stop hunting until she knows exactly where the coon is hiding. No coon can trick her. For a hound, she is extremely playful. Ruben Pritchard Ruben is the older of the two Pritchard brothers. They come from a strange, disliked family. Ruben is full of insults and ready to fight. While on a hunt with Billy and Rainie, he falls on an axe and dies. Rainie Pritchard Rainie is the younger of the two Pritchard brothers. They come from a strange, disliked family. Rainie is not very bright, but he is full of tricks and is always trying to make bets. Mama Billy’s mama is part Cherokee. She is very religious and always enjoys answering Billy's questions about God. She worries about him when he is hunting, but is also very proud of him. She wants very much to move to town so the children can get a good education. Billy's Sisters Billy has three sisters. All are younger than him. They help with chores, but are often too little to understand what is going on. Billy lives on a farm. He wants two good coonhounds very badly, but his Papa cannot afford any. Billy works hard, selling fruit and bait to fishermen, so eventually 2007-02-02T18:25:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Characters-and-Synopsis-of-Where-the-Red-Fern-Grows-32560.aspx The Literature of George Bernard Shaw Oftentimes in literature an author will use his works as a means for the expression of views. It then becomes the job of the reader to find those views and make an attempt to understand them. George Bernard Shaw is a playwright who layered his plays with opinions and social commentary. It is these views that present themselves after a close reading in which the reader feels he has read more than a play. In his classic work Man and Superman Shaw attempts to further his opinions both sublimely and forthrightly. Though many do not appreciate his attempts and criticize his works, the legacy of Shavian writing lives on. To the everyday reader the play Man and Superman is a dry love story with an interesting third act. To those well versed in Shavian script, it is more than that, much more. The outset of the play contains the most important lines for this is where first impressions are made. Shaw believed that an impression of his characters should hold true throughout the work (Nethercot 96). The play opens with the upper class Englishman, Roebuck Ramsden, ordering his maid around. With this Shaw already begins to show the class dichotomy he hates so much. On the surface the most important character is the one who never speaks, Mr. Whitefield, the deceased father of Ann Whitefield, the woman who must be married. Ann becomes the vessel Shaw uses to demonstrate his views on the struggle between sexes. She teases poor Octavius or Tavy as the others call him. The pen name Tavy stems from Ann’s referring to him as Ricky Ticky Tavy, in a sensually sly, almost devious manner because she knows he loves her. This love Octavius has for Ann becomes a main argument in the play because much of the character interaction branches from this. The real story begins with the death of Ann’s father and the reading of his will where a shocking revelation is learned. Mr. Whitefield has named the regale elderly Ramsden as well as the radical youthful Jack Tanner to be the guardian of his two daughters. It comes as a great surprise to all (except Ann) that Tanner has been named a suitor because he has such radical social views. In fact, the 2007-02-02T18:23:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Literature-of-George-Bernard-Shaw-32559.aspx Critical Analysis of "Loyalists and Other Losers" In the article Loyalists and Other Losers I agree with the author’s opinion of the differing natures of Canadian and American societies. Although we seem to share some similarities we are two different countries striving fourth in an age of individuality and world power. In summary of the story the author talks plenty of the injustices faced by the Loyalists and the ways of the British and the revolutionists. In the article, I learned the hardships facing the loyalists and how hard it was. In the end the Loyalists played a big role in the revolution and the development of this country. The majority of loyalists not extremely against the revolutionists but merely hated the violence, specifically the mob violence. They did not want to revolt but simply to liberate their homeland from the ruthless authority that were supposedly acting on behalf of all Americans. They also wished to retain the civil liberties guaranteed by the British constitution. They did not want to fight for their own world or country but rather for their own conception of freedom with their promised rights. It also gave me a better understanding on the many different nationalities that were a brought here in Canada and who’s voices are being recognized today. In summary to this article, the American revolutionists, the Patriots, created this movement because of their hardships and dreams of a better life. They were angered by British taxes and the limits imposed on the westward expansion (reserved the west for the First-Nations). While there anger built, they collected arms and started resisting British rule and that started the Loyalists who resisted the Patriots. As the civil war progressed the government promised to set free all slaves who fought for Britain. Thousands of ex-slaves then fought in the civil war, fighting against their former owners, which only added hate to the angered the Patriots. The American rebels drove the British out of Boston where they drew up the Declaration of independence and cornered the British in Yorktown were Holland, Spain and France(who sided with the American rebels) helped in the British demise. After the victory, the torturing of the Loyalists only got worse were there would be assassinations, stoning and sometimes triple taxing. The Loyalists rights were striped away, and as the article says: “a grand victory for liberty”, everything that the revolution was fought against they 2007-02-02T18:21:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Loyalists-and-Other-Losers-quot-32558.aspx Nick Carraway of The Great Gatsby Nick Carraway, the narrator, is a young man from the Midwest of the USA who, having graduated from Yale in 1915 and fought in World War I, has returned home to begin a career. Like others in his generation, he is restless and has decided to move East to New York and learn the bond business. The novel opens early in the summer of 1922 in West Egg, Long Island, where Nick has rented a house. Next to his place is a huge mansion complete with Gothic towers and a large swimming pool which belongs to a Mr. Gatsby, whom Nick has not yet met. Directly across the bay from West Egg is the more fashionable community of East Egg where Tom and Daisy Buchanan live. Daisy is Nick´s cousin, and Tom had been in the same senior society as Nick in New Haven. Like Nick they are Midwesterners who have come East to be a part of the glamour of the New York City area. They invite Nick to dinner at their mansion and here he meets a young women golfer named Jordan Baker. During dinner Mrs. Myrtle Wilson rings. She lives in a strange place between West Egg and New York City that the narrator calls the “valley of ashes.” One day Tom takes Nick to meet the Wilsons but the party breaks up as Tom breaks Myrtles nose with a blow of his open hand because she has mentioned the name of his wife in a discussion. Some weeks later Nick finally gets the opportunity to meet his mysterious neighbour Mr. Gatsby. Gatsby gives huge parties and people come from everywhere to attend these parties, but no one seems to know much about the host. Nick becomes fascinated by Gatsby and observes that he does not drink. One day Nick and Gatsby drive to New York together. Gatsby tells Nick that he is from a wealthy family in the Midwest, that he was educated at Oxford, and that he won war medals from many European countries. At tea that afternoon Nick finds out from Jordan Baker why Gatsby has taken such an interest in him: Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan and wants Nick to arrange a meeting between them. Gatsby had fallen in love with Daisy as a young officer in 1917. He had been sent overseas, and she 2007-02-02T18:18:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nick-Carraway-of-The-Great-Gatsby-32556.aspx Prejudice in "To Kill a Mockingbird" Harper Lee deals with prejudice in a large way in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. The main theme of the novel is prejudice. Almost every character is involved in a situation that contains prejudice. The novel is staged in the ‘tired old town’ of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s. Maycomb is a classic southern town full of gossip, tradition and burdened with a legacy of racism. Harper Lee bases her novel on historical events that started only a few years before her novel was published. The civil rights movement had begun and was a very important in America at the time the novel was being written, so there was likely to be a lot of prejudice in Harper Lee’s novel. There are many situations in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ that are very similar to actual historical events, such as the Scottsboro trials which have a lot in common with the fictional trial of Tom Robinson. The narrator in the novel is called Scout Finch, and the story is told through Scout’s perspective. Her fresh outlook on the town of Maycomb provided the reader with a multitude of viewpoints on civil rights. Scout’s innocent perspective compels her to ask questions about why whites treat blacks the way they do. Scout must come to terms with the racism of her town and how it affects the people in her life. A number of people greatly influence Scout. The two major role models in her life, her Aunt Alexandra and her father Atticus, pull her in two opposing directions. Aunt Alexandra is prejudice towards the Finch’s black housekeeper, Calpurnia. Bought into the Finch house to teach and act as a female role model for young Scout, Aunt Alexandra begins by demonstrating to Scout Calpurnia’s inferior position. Aunt Alexandra from the beginning shows Scout who possesses the power. The first time Aunt Alexandra appears in the novel, we instantly see the lack of respect that she has for Calpurnia. Aunt Alexandra does not say “please” or “thank you,” just a simple command forcing Calpurnia into an inferior position. Calpurnia has symbolized strength and authority throughout Scout’s childhood, by acting as a mother figure in the Finch household. Scout has never seen Calpurnia in such a low and submissive position. Calpurnia has established a respected place in the Finch family through the years of dedicated service and through the love she has 2007-02-02T18:17:02-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Prejudice-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32555.aspx Analysis of the Works of Dylan Thomas Dylan Thomas creatively puts together characterization, atmosphere, and narration to both write a fascinating life story. “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog” is a collection memories from Thomas’s childhood and earlier years. They are all set in Wales, which is Thomas’s homeland. The stories have a distinct Welsh feeling to them. Dylan also is very creative with his characters. They are never developed, like in a normal story, but rather just introduced. However, Thomas manages to make sense out of his stories, even though the only character that we grow a clear understanding of is Dylan. Dylan himself is the narrator. The writing style is quite liberal. Thomas freely writes what he remembers and what he observed. His work has a natural feeling to it. The element that is noticed first when reading Thomas’s work is characterization. In “A Visit to Grandpa’s”, the two characters are Grandpa and Dylan. Grandpa introduced in a very unorthodox manner. Thomas doesn’t build up to showing us his true colors, but rather dives in and shows Grandpa’s true character. Dylan is visiting Grandpa in his country home, and is woken from his sleep by Grandpa rocking backwards and forwards in bed yelling at imaginary horses. Grandpa is already established as unusual before he even speaks. Dylan’s mother warned him that Grandpa “lit his pipe under the blankets, and had warned me to run to his help if I smelt smoke in the night”. Grandpa has a wild imagination that gets carried away at times. He is defiantly eccentric. When Dylan confronts him about his dreams, Grandpa tries to cover up for his insane behavior. He says, “Ask no questions…” and reverses the situation to Dylan. Although it is obvious to the reader that Grandpa is crazy, he will not admit it. It is known in the neighborhood that he is an eccentric person. It is almost routine that the townspeople have to go retrieve him when he runs away alone. In “The Fight” the two main characters are Dan and Dylan. Dan is a typical teenage boy. When Dan and Dylan are together they bring out two different sides in each other. Both Dan and Dylan are creative people. Dan’s musical talent compliments Dylan’s growing passion for literature and writing. However, they also encourage a masculine pride in each other too. They admire each other’s wounds after 2007-02-02T18:07:08-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-Works-of-Dylan-Thomas-32548.aspx Lord of the Flies and Freud's Three Part Analysis of the Mind Lord of the Flies, a story that tells the adventure of a group of boys that has been dropped on a tropical island, seems susceptible of various interpretations. It can be read as a moral fable, social fable and religious fable that examines personal integration and explores social regression. When viewed as a moral fable, Lord of the Flies seems capable of endorsing Freud's three part analysis of the mind. It is possible to view the boys as representatives of various instincts or elements of personality. Sigmund Freud, an Australian neurologist who founded modern theory of psychoanalysis, believed that the personality had three basic components: the id, the ego, and the superego. When the child is first born it is a mass of id. The demand "I want" is the sum total of its minds' contents. Jack Merridew, who constantly exerts control over others with his militaristic attitude, fits the perfect description of id, the most primitive or instinctive part of the personality. He hungers for leadership position and is eager to make rules and punish those who break them. His main interest, hunting, develops the savagery that eventually turns into an overwhelming urge to master and kill other living creatures. His action operates according to pleasure principle, that is, seeking pleasure and avoiding pain regardless of social beliefs or restraints. He never hesitates to break rules when he needs to further his own interest. The id desires in here and now and doesn't make plans for the future. On the island, Jack quickly loses interest in the world of civilization as social conditioning fades rapidly from his character. He feels no compunction to keep the fire going or attend to any of the other responsibilities for the survival of the group. Ironically, his animal instincts flourish in the jungle. Although he only cares about himself and is driven to destroy anyone who gets in his way, one can argue that in extreme situation such as this, perhaps it is necessary to use extreme methods. In Freud's approach to personality, the ego is the problem solving part of the personality, which operates according to the reality principle. Piggy, the intellectual, is undoubtedly the one that fits its description. Having poor eyesight, weight problem, and asthma, Piggy is the most physically vulnerable of all boys. The lack of leadership qualities further 2007-02-02T17:58:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-of-the-Flies-and-Freuds-Three-Part-Analysis-of-the-Mind-32544.aspx Symbolism In "The Lord Of The Flies" William Golding’s novel, the Lord of the Flies, is full of things symbolizing and representing our modern day society and its struggle’s to maintain stability. Although it is difficult to pick only three symbols, as the most important ones, I believe one would be Ralph. Jack and the beast would be my other choices. Together, the three basically represent the world in which we live in. Ralph definitely is one of the most important of the symbols in the book. He was the representative of civilization and its want to progress and develop in a positive way. He played this role with his parliamentary meetings, building of the signal fire, and making the huts. Ralph was the “good guy” in the story (the protagonist). I think he also represented the adventurous well-humored side of people. When they first arrived on the island his first thoughts were of how many fun things there will be to do and all the exploring that will be done since there were, “No grownups!” He also symbolized a modern person’s want to be good, but while not always being perfect, because Ralph was not perfect. He took part in a hunt (I believe the hunts partially led to the boys’ savage ways). He often teased Piggy as well. Like when Piggy asked Ralph not to tell the others his name Ralph later cried out, “He’s not Fatty, his real name’s Piggy!” Ralph, sadly, also took part in the accidental killing of Simon. “That was murder” was what he said to Piggy the next day when they realized the horrendous crime that was committed. Although he wasn’t perfect, Ralph tried really, really hard to maintain peace and order on the island. Jack Merridew had to also be one of the most important symbols in the story. To put it bluntly, he was evil. After all, you can’t have good (Ralph) without evil (Jack). In every society that’s how it works. There are always people out to try do good and maintain order, while there is always a bunch that that just want to break the rules and just do what they want. Jack did exactly that by breaking away from Ralph and the main group to create his own tribe of hunters. But he did that only because he couldn’t take control of the main group after 2007-02-02T17:40:48-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-In-quot-The-Lord-Of-The-Flies-quot-32535.aspx Plot Analysis of "A Doll House" Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House was a play that received a great deal of criticism for its central theme on the repression of women. Ibsen uses various techniques and tools in the construction of this play. A Doll House can be best analyzed by describing the techniques of the plot construction, the treatment of time, and the development of characters and by showing how each technique ties into the central theme of the work. To understand Ibsen’s use of plot construction, we must first understand the difference between plot and story. The plot is considered to be the present action of a drama. The story however, is the entire resolution of the play, including anything that may have happened in the past or in another place. When relating these two terms to A Doll House, we must first determine where the story begins as well as where the plot begins. The plot begins in Act I when Krogstad has his first conversations with Nora, in which he proceeds in his threats of blackmail. This story, on the other hand, begins when Torvald becomes sick and Nora must borrow money. The story also includes the background information about the other characters involved in the play. This explanation of plot and story ties into Ibsen’s plot construction. Firstly, Ibsen uses the process of stasis and intrusion throughout the story and the plot itself. According to Ball, stasis is a condition of balance among various forces, whereas intrusion is a pushing or thrusting in of something that would compromise the stasis. Before the story even begins, there is stasis in the life of the Helmers. The intrusion that compromises that stasis is Torvald falling ill, causing Nora to go to Krogstad. Stasis is once again achieved when the play begins, but only lasts until the second intrusion, which is the conversation held between Nora and Krogstad in Act I. Ibsen also uses a climactic plot construction, in which the plot begins close to the climax of the play, and there are subplots involved. In A Doll House, three subplots can be found in relation to the main plot. The subplots, which are described later in the paper, can be found between Nora and Krogstad, Nora and Dr. Rank, and Mrs. Linde and Krogstad. A cause-and-effect structure can 2007-02-02T17:37:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Analysis-of-quot-A-Doll-House-quot-32532.aspx The American South in "Coming of Age in Mississippi" Anne Moody’s book, Coming of Age in Mississippi, not only portrays the life of a young black female struggling to grow up from the 1940s to the 1960s, it takes a look at how racism and movements for racial equality effected the main character, Essie Mae, as well as the whole society. This book recounts the life of Essie Mae, who is actually Anne Moody herself, from the age of four to the age of twenty-four. It depicts a time that some may consider to be one of the hardest times to grow up a poor black in America. Essie May grew up in a time in which, although many things had changes, there was still a great deal of racial inequality and discrimination. Families such as hers lived in poorly built homes on the property of the white families for whom they worked. Essie gave many first hand accounts of watching her parents, mainly her mother, work long, hard hours most of the week, only to bring home a small amount of pay that could barely take care of her family. It was only a matter of time before Essie herself would be working long hours for white families for little pay in order to help support herself and her siblings. As Essie grew older and began to befriend white children, she began to notice how similar she was to the “white folks” physically and yet, how different their lives were. She could not understand how and why people so similar had to live so differently. She questioned the segregation of the schools and churches they attended and the movie theaters they frequented. By the time she reached her teens, Essie Mae, now known as Anne, had grown tired of the beatings and killings of people she knew as well as other African Americans. She had begun to immerse herself in activities such as basketball, band, and church groups in order to keep her mind off what was happening around her. It was after she graduated from Johnson High School, left Natchez Junior College where she attended on a basketball scholarship, and enrolled in Tougaloo College that Anne began to take a full interest in institutions such as the NAACP and the SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee). It is at this point in the book 2007-02-02T17:36:15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-American-South-in-Coming-of-Age-in-Mississippi-32531.aspx Families in "To Kill a Mockingbird" In the widely known novel To Kill A Mockingbird there are two families that are very diverse and are text book examples of complete opposites on the moral ladder of success. The Cunninghams and the Ewells have two very distinct and opposite reputations. The Cunninghams which are very respected while the Ewells very much despised. The Ewells are given the privilege to hunt out of season, so that the residents of the small town of Maycomb would not have to tolerate their continuous begging twenty-four hours a day for seven days a week. These two families show the respectability of hard workers or, in the Ewells case, can fill their peers with sorrow. The Cunninghams have pride, as for the Ewells, they have a natural like anarchist nature that will eventually haunt them and hurt others because of their lurid like attitude. The Cunningham's are very respected by the citizen's of Maycomb county. The Cunninghams took nothing, unless they could pay it back. Walter the youngest in the Cunningham clan was in the same class at school as Scout Finch the daughter of Atticus Finch. While in school, a fresh young new school teacher known as Miss Caroline did not know the reputations of the predecessors of these two children. In what looked like a good day for the rookie teacher quickly turned into complete disarray and a total adversity trip for the teacher. Walter Cunningham being raised in a very hard working environment was taught not to take what he could not pay back. The teacher obviously did not know about his background in the most minute way and embarrassed him extensively by almost demanding him to take some lunch money. Knowing that he could not pay Miss Caroline back in the way that she had in mind he knew that he could take the money which he wanted to take so bad. Walter eventually ended up eating with the Finch's. While eating at the Finch's he did not know what to do with all of the food that they have offered to him. For example he drowned his waffles in a lake of syrup. Bob Ewell's son, Burris was also faced in the same way but in an total opposite direction and purpose. The same day as the Walter Cunningham incident there was another incident concerning the Ewells. Burris had "cooties." A "cootie" 2007-02-02T17:32:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Families-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32529.aspx Symbols in "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams utilized symbols in The Glass Menagerie. Many of the symbols employed relate to the theme of escape or illustrate and contrast reality with illusion. Some of the major symbols were simple to understand, while others implied more complicated details. Each of the major symbols exhibits the nature of the characters in the play. The symbol first mentioned at the near start of the play is the fire escape. This represents the "bridge" between the illusory world of the Wingfields and the world of reality. This "bridge" seems to be a one-way passage. The direction varies for each character. For Tom, the fire escape is the way out of the world of Amanda and Laura and an entrance into the world of reality. For Laura, the fire escape is a way into her world. It is a way to escape from reality. Both examples can readily be seen. Tom will stand outside on the fire escape to smoke, showing that he does not like to be inside, to be a part of the illusionary world. Laura, on the other hand, thinks of the fire escape as a way in and not a way out. This can be seen when Amanda sends Laura to go to the store. Laura trips on the fire escape. This also shows that Laura's fears and emotions greatly affect her physical condition, more so than normal people. She tries several times to participate in the outside world, but she is too fragile. She is only secure in the midst of her glass menagerie. Another symbol presented deals more with Tom than any of the other characters. Tom's habit of going to the movies shows us his longing to leave the apartment and head out into the world of reality. It is a place where one can find adventure. Tom, being a poet, can understand the needs of man to long for adventure and romance. Amanda, who criticizes him as being a ¡§selfish dreamer¡¨, keeps him from entering reality. Amanda wants to deprive Tom of adventure and wants him to take on full responsibility for the future of Laura. Tom has made steps to escape into reality by transferring the payment of a light bill to pay for 2007-02-02T17:11:13-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbols-in-The-Glass-Menagerie-by-Tennessee-Williams-32524.aspx Filipino and American Relations in "The Gangster of Love" Have you ever heard of an Asian American? What about a Filipino American to be more precise? To get a better understanding of the term, you need to hear from an actual Filipino American to get a sense of what a Filipino American feels, says, and acts in everyday life. A great example is a Filipino American author by the name of Jessica Hagedorn. She wrote a book (very similar to Hagedorn’s life) that describes almost to the last detail of how one goes from being a full-blooded Filipino to a Filipino American, just as Hagedorn did. Jessica Hagedorn, a Filipino American author, illustrates the impact that cultural heritage assimilation between the Philippines and America has on a person and what they become as an end result in her novel, The Gangster of Love. To get a better understanding of this thesis statement, you need some background information on her novel, The Gangster of Love. In fact, the main character Raquel’s (a.k.a. Rocky) life is very similar to Jessica Hagedorn’s life. Voices from the Gaps agree very much by stating that, “The Gangster of Love parallels many of the events in Hagedorn’s life” (Miles). The Voices from the Gaps also describe the book by saying, “ The Gangster of Love is more like a tenement lover in that is concentrates on the impact of leaving ones home country and adapting to a new one” (Miles). That’s exactly what becoming a Filipino American is. First and foremost is the big leap that Rocky, a teenager at the time, and her family, her mother Milagros and her brother Voltaire, take from the Philippines to San Francisco. Jessica Hagedorn, as a teenager also, took this big leap from the Philippines to America with her family too. This is a huge transition from one world to another. Here Hagedorn describes her shift from the Philippines to America, “It took a turn for the better when I realized that one of the positive things about is was that as a female person, I suddenly had a sense of freedom that I never had growing up in Manila in that over-protected colonial environment--- the girl with her chaperones and everything that still goes on, that kind of Tradition. And even though 2007-02-02T17:09:38-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Filipino-and-American-Relations-in-The-Gangster-of-Love-32523.aspx Two Dimensions of "Animal Dreams" By Barbara Kingsolver When painful memories surface and reopen healing wounds it seems like running away from the past is the easiest path out of misery’s way. However, it would be disguising the inevitable truth that life cannot continue without people facing what they fear. In the book Animal Dreams, Barbara Kingsolver demonstrates the importance of the past and its necessary presence in lives to create a future. A character in Animal Dreams learns that moving forward in life usually means facing the past or forging head first into the present. Codi is just one of many young women who try to run from the truth in hopes of never again confronting the problem, only to find themselves back where it all began. Codi distances herself from people in an attempt to escape her past, but finds it more difficult than she originally expected. At the Labor Day weekend fiesta people are lively and inviting. However, Codi is unenthusiastic by the thought of conversation, distances herself from the crowd and stands “near the edge of things” (59). She both physically and emotionally distances herself from people. She has the chance to talk to Loyd, her former boyfriend, but carelessly settles that she “would have had to step on a hundred toes to get to him” (61). She does not see Loyd as a significant part of her life any longer and discourages herself from confrontation. Codi tries to forget her secret teen pregnancy and hides the truth from everyone. However, returning to Grace, Arizona where it began brings back memories of that life-altering event she desperately wants to forget. During a casual conversation with Loyd, the father of the baby, Codi is reminded of the “child of Loyd’s that was unknown to him” (92). Saddened by her past, she thinks, “It felt furtive and strange to hold it in mind in his presence, as if I were truly holding it, and he might see it” (92). Codi is discomforted by the thought, and is quick to push it away. However brief it may be, those reminders are enough to bring about old emotions of confusion and helplessness, things many people would much rather avoid. Codi, like many people, allows herself to come out of the isolated skin she has been living beneath in the past and be given opportunities to find her purpose in life for 2007-02-02T16:52:16-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Two-Dimensions-of-quot-Animal-Dreams-quot-By-Barbara-Kings-32515.aspx Freedom of Choice in "Clockwork Orange" The freedom of choice and the rehabilitating form of corrections encase the realm of A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess. It produces the question about man's free will and the ability to choose one's destiny, good or evil. "If he can only perform good or only perform evil, then he is a clockwork orange-meaning that he has the appearance of an organism lovely with color and juice but is in fact only a clockwork toy to be wound up by God or the Devil or State"(Burgess ix). Burgess expresses the idea that man can not be completely good or evil and must have both in order to create a moral choice. The book deals upon reforming a criminal with only good morals and conditioning an automated response to "evil." Burgess enforces the idea of the medical model of corrections, in terms of rehabilitating an offender, which is up to the individual. That one should determine the cause and then find an exclusive treatment to resolve that individual's case, then apply it. This is the case with the character Alex, a juvenile delinquent introduced into prisonization then conditioned by governmental moral standards. This lack of personal moral choice imposed upon Alex creates conflicting situations in which he has no control over. This is apparent when trying to readjust into society. As conflicts arise within the spectrum of criminal justice the main focus is revolved around the corrections aspect of reforming the criminal element. Within the confines of the seventies Londoner. The character, Alex is created as the ultimate juvenile delinquent leading a small gang. Living within his own world the use of old Londoner language and attire reflect the non-conformity with society. Let loose within a large metropolitan, Alex is engulfed in the affairs of several criminal practices, from rape to aggravated assault. As a juvenile delinquent, Alex is finally caught and seen as an adult offender. Like all offenders he promotes his innocence and sets blame upon his companions. "Where are the others? Where are my stinking traitorous droogs? One of my cursed grahzny bratties chained me on the glazzies. Get them before they get away. It was their idea, brothers. They like forced me to do it"(Burgess 74). Betrayed by his cohorts Alex is beaten by local officials and confesses to all the crimes. As a point to retribution a sergeant states, "Violence makes 2007-02-02T16:50:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Freedom-of-Choice-in-quot-Clockwork-Orange-quot-32514.aspx Good and Evil in "The Crucible" In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible John Proctor, the main character, struggles with guilt. Arthur Miller has contributed many scenarios of good versus evil, as well as the characters that generally possess these feelings and intentions (Bigsby 48). Each character has either a good or bad intention in the play often switching from good to evil (Bigsby 48). Mary denying any witchcraft then saying that John Proctor was the devil himself or people seeing Elisabeth Proctor as a good woman, then evil because they think she made a compact with the devil (Alter 60). The town sees the girls (who actually dance, chant and get caught running naked in the woods at the start) as good, not evil for doing so (61). This could because they are deflecting their punishment for dancing by convicting many women and saying they are witches, except they are only convicting the women they do not like (61). John Proctor, his wife and others convicted of witchcraft are seen as the evil people by the public and punished if they do not confess to compacting with the devil (61). So if they confessed to compacting with the devil, they would be lying. Instead they were hung for saying they were innocent to witchcraft charges (62). In the above case the people who are good and people who are evil have switched identities evil is seen as good and good seen as evil. In the play, the center of evil is Abigail Williams the niece of Parris (Budick 89). She has an affair with John Proctor while working for the Proctors, and also she committed many acts against the Puritan religion. She lies many times and seems to like it when people are sent to hang. From lying she is given power and the more power she gets the more confident she becomes. But when her own friend starts to destroy her control she turns against her. She uses evil actions disguised as good to get attention (90). Therefore, the viewers see Abigail as the evil character in the play but what the characters in the play think is different (92). Although John Proctor is convicted of compacting with the devil and became a lecher with Abigail, he is seen as the center of all that is good. An innocent man who is trying to stop a load of nonsense 2007-02-02T16:46:24-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Good-and-Evil-in-quot-The-Crucible-quot-32511.aspx Synopsis and Analysis of Ethan Frome In the introduction of Ethan Frome, the narrator finds himself in Starkfield, Massachusetts for the winter due to a carpenter‘s strike. During this time, he learns the story of Ethan Frome through various people in the town. His first impression of Frome is that he is a quiet and unapproachable man just by encountering him at the post office. When the stable horses fall ill to an epidemic in the town, the narrator is left without a way to the train station each day for his work, a local man, Harmon Gow, to speak to Frome about getting a ride to and from work. For one week Frome takes the narrator back and forth without even speaking. Then one day when his train is delayed Frome decides to take the narrator all the way there, upon passing Frome farm he hesitantly speaks about changed family fortune. Finally, during a real bad snowstorm the horses have a hard time keeping to the road so once they saw Frome’s gate they decide that the narrator should stay the night at his farm. As they enter the house and as Frome speaks you hear a women’s voice. This is all that happens in the introduction. In chapter 1, Ethan Frome finds himself stand in front of a church at midnight. He walks around the church so he can look in the basement window to look at the festivities going on. When he looks in to see the dance seems to be coming to a close. But when the young, handsome, and energetic Denis Eady jumps back onto the dance floor and claps his hands, the musicians take up their instruments and the dance hall again fills with life. Ethan focuses his attention on Mattie Silver, a girl wearing a cherry- colored scarf and dancing with Eady. She is cousin to Ethan's wife, Zeena, and has been living with the Fromes as a housekeeper for over a year. Ethan, who has come to walk Mattie home from the dance, has become quite attached to her in the course of the year, finding kinship with her in their mutual appreciation of nature. As he watches her whirling effortlessly among the pulsating crowd, he wonders why he had ever dreamed that the feelings of attraction might be mutual. It seems to him that her free and easy movement between partners indicates her indifference toward 2007-02-02T16:41:41-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-and-Analysis-of-Ethan-Frome-32510.aspx Isolation in "Old Man and the Sea" Isolation is one of the greatest contributing factors in a person’s defeat. In the book The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, isolation is what brings Santiago down and almost defeats him. This is illustrated though symbolism of actions, events, objects, and characters while Santiago is at sea. Throughout the novella, Santiago has to deal with defeat and isolation. His defeat and isolation become more apparent towards the end of the book. After Santiago had caught the marlin he realizes what it would take to get it back to land safely. Santiago’s struggle with the marlin to get him in symbolizes the first sings of his defeat. In the middle of the book, Santiago is really struggling with the marlin. At one point he begins to see spots and almost dies. "Fish," the old man said. "Fish, you are going to die anyway, do you have to kill me too? (P.92)" This quote represents Santiago’s isolation because he begins talking to the marlin. In this quote, Santiago states that the marlin is killing him; defeat. With every little piece of the marlin that gets eaten by the sharks a little piece of the old man’s life goes with it. While Santiago is trying to bring the marlin in he says, "You are killing me, fish, but you have the right to. Never have I seen a greater, more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills who. (P.92)" Santiago wishes himself death. He expresses his love for the marlin and his sorrow for going out too far. He is asking the marlin to end his life so he can feel the same or equal to him. Santiago’s death would represent his defeat. When dark falls Santiago realizes that he failed when he cannot see the lights of Havana and begins to talk to himself. Santiago speaking to himself symbolizes his loneliness and isolation. "I hope no one has been too worried. There is only the boy to worry, of course. But I am sure he would have confidence. Many of the older fishermen will worry. Many others too he thought. I live in a good town. (P.115)" Santiago saying this symbolizes his hope that someone does care about him. It makes his isolation not quite as harsh because he believes that people do care about 2007-02-02T16:40:24-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Isolation-in-quot-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-quot-32509.aspx Analysis of "The Fourth Demension" By Rudolf Steiner To the average person Rudolf Steiner’s book “The Fourth Dimension” would not be interesting just because of the fact that the concept of the whole idea is just extraordinarily incomprehensible and to most people to be blunt would say it’s all a bunch of crazy ideas. The purpose of this paper isn’t to enlighten your life and have a full understanding of the fourth dimension spiritually nor mathematically, but to give a brief, or as briefly as possible, exposure to it so one may say wow maybe it dose have somewhat of a significance or to get your mind working up a storm of thoughts about such concepts. In order for me to begin explaining the fourth dimension I must first explain the basic fundamentals of the first three dimensions. For anyone to even attempt understanding fourth dimensional space one must be able to imagine it first. You have to become aware of the ideas of the zero, first, second and third dimensions and planes. For one to understand the zero dimensional plane imagine that you are a point. A point has no size, can only be imagined, has zero dimensions and can only fix a location in space. Now this point (you) can only realize yourself because you are the only thing that exist there is nothing around you there is no around you. You can recognize nothing but yourself. The next step is to move this point (yourself) into the first dimension. Your now able to move in one two directions up and down along what the first dimension is which is a line with no thickness and is measured by length. You can only now realize yourself as a series of points up down up down. But now your experiencing something that your mind could once not comprehend you are no longer the point but a unidirectional line (made up by a series of points). We now leave the first dimension into the second dimension were we now have length and width which creates a plane now you are able to travel in a series of points up down left and right. Now once again you find yourself experiencing something that once was not comprehendible length and width. Second dimensional shape or patterns would be basic shapes that you or I would be able to draw on a peace of paper such as 2007-02-02T16:37:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Fourth-Demension-quot-By-Rudolf-Stein-32507.aspx Critical Analysis of "Flowers for Algernon" Flowers for Algernon is a story about a failed scientific experiment. However, the radio play also deals with other issues such as love and friendship, medical ethics, tampering with human intelligence and the consequences, and conflict of interest. On one level Flowers for Algernon is about a scientific experiment that goes wrong. Charlie Gordon is a thirty seven year old man, who has an IQ of sixty-eight. Charlie wants, more than anything, "to be smart." Charlie agrees to take part in an experimental operation, to hopefully triple his intelligence. The operation is successful, but not permanent, and the after effects leave Charlie in a worse state than before the operation. Sadly, the idea of improving intelligence by surgical means, " has no practical application what-so-ever." As well as being a story about a failed scientific experiment, Flowers for Algernon also addresses the issue of love and friendship, especially between ‘slow' and ‘normal' people. A special friendship develops between Charlie and Ms Kinnian, over the course of the radio play. To Charlie, Ms Kinnian is like a mentor. She supports and cares for Charlie throughout his development, and helps him realize things about the world and himself that he never knew before. Ms Kinnian cares deeply for Charlie, in this radio play, she believes Charlie is a " very fine person," but Charlie feels more than respect for Ms Kinnian. As Charlie's emotions develop, he realizes that he is "in love with Ms Kinnian." It is questionable, however, if Charlie really does love Ms Kinnian, or just thinks he does for she is the one person that understands him. In the beginning of the radio play, Charlie believes he has wonderful friends, who he has fun with and who are very nice people. Meanwhile, Joe and Frank, ( his friends), are just continuously making fun of him, by making very bad jokes such as " Getting him up Ellen" and " What'd they do, Charlie, put some brains in?". Charlie later realizes that Joe and Frank were just using him as a butt for all their bad jokes, and this angers him, for all he ever wanted was to be like his friends. Even when Charlie is very intelligent, he is still not accepted, for now Joe and Frank feel threatened by the new Charlie. " Before, when they laughed at me, they despised me for my ignorance; now 2007-01-29T05:32:07-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Flowers-for-Algernon-quot-32488.aspx The Future of Nora in "A Doll's House" It passed five years already when Nora slammed the door behind her. She still can hear that slam. It was the most difficult decision that had to be made so fast. She was not realizing fully the consequences of her action. She could loose her children. Torvald could ban her from visiting them. She had to do it. She did not know any other way of persuasion. It was desperate act of self-defense. Nora had some savings that her father left. She used the money wisely. After a few weeks of getting used to real world she found some office job. The job was simple and gave her a work ethic lesson. Few months later Christine got her job at the same bank but different brunch. Nora was skeptical about that job because she did not want to take a chance to meet Torvald. Although the marriage was over she still had fillings for him. Torvald let see her children but only under Anne supervision. Nora was successfully climbing the ladder of career. It took her three years to become vice director of the brunch. She wanted to be the first director and she had every qualification to become one. However director become a man with no qualifications who did not have good record as businessman. Nora saw that as discrimination and established club for professional businesswoman. She wanted to help women to stop discrimination against them. Years later the club become international organization with Maria Curie as president. As vice director of the brunch she had a few meetings where she had to see and talk with Torvald. The meetings were very painful for her, although now she was independent woman deep inside her she wanted to be Torvald’s little girl. She noticed on the meetings that Torvald was glancing at her. They started to talk not only about business but also about daily things. They started to communicate. One day Nora found out from Christine that Torvald is in deep trouble. He authorizes transaction for his old friend. His friend did not paid back the loan on time. The consequences of his action would be severe for him. Somehow he had to 2007-01-29T05:27:32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Future-of-Nora-in-quot-A-Doll-s-House-quot-32486.aspx Emotional Subjects of "The Lord of the Flies" Freedom. Fear. Confusion. All are elements in the minds of a group of young boys who are stranded on a beautiful tropical island. There are no rules, no parents, and no type of authority. Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a clever representation of the two conflicting social orders, democracy and dictatorship. He displays the conflict through a carefully planned thought-experiment between the relationships of the young boys, especially the conflicting attitudes of Ralph and Jack. Ralph went beyond his fears and took charge almost immediately, providing each child with some sort of comfort and guidance through positive thinking. He has to come up with ways to maximize their chances of being rescued and more importantly, to find ways to survive until then. Think about it. Here on this beautiful island there are young boys who have no adult authority and are unsure about what to do. This is an overwhelming task for Ralph to take on as the 12- year old elected chief. All in all, however, Ralph doesn’t allow his positive mentality to be destroyed by fear. Ralph is more civilized type who looks out for everyone’s better interests. That is what makes Ralph a good leader. There are tow main focuses here on this island. One of the main things emphasizes informing all of the boys that staying alive on this island is a team effort. The notion of “all for one and one for all” became very popular. With this idea, Ralph did the separation of duties. One group builds the shelters. Another finds the food and finally someone must stay on duty to keep the fire going. Rules were set and enforced. All agreed to do their share. Ralph didn’t want the boys to think that he was trying to be someone that told them what to do. He made sure that he let the boys know that being on the island can be a learning experience and not the end of their lives just as long as they did their part. Jack, however, challenges Ralph to his leadership. He represents the more daring and wild child. Jack constantly reminds the boys that they are on an island alone and that they shouldn’t follow Ralph’s rules, but this is just his manipulative way of getting them to follow his. This was their opportunity for freedom or it could be their death. 2007-01-29T05:25:12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Emotional-Subjects-of-quot-The-Lord-of-the-Flies-quot-32484.aspx Key Themes and Ideas in "Eye The Sky" by Tim Winton That Eye The Sky, written by Tim Winton, thoroughly explores the themes of love, family and friendship. The most important thing in Ort’s life is his family, especially after he looses the friendship of fat cherry, who had been his best friend for his entire life. Ort does not always understand his family, but he loves them unconditionally. The Flack family is held together by Sam Flack, Ort’s father. When Sam has the accident and goes into a coma, the Flack family slowly starts to disintegrate. Ort’s sister, Tegwyn, had been having problems with depression for a while before the accident. However, when her father is injured and the one constant thing in her life is disrupted, she falls deeper into her own illness. Henry Warburton enters the Flack household after the accident and offers to help with Sam. In some ways he takes the place of Sam, and this is why Tegwyn starts to like him, eventually running off with him. The themes in That Eye The Sky, are explored using symbolism. By far, the most important symbol in the novel is the sky. Before Henry enters the life of Ort and educates him about God and religion. Ort sees the sky as an eye which looks over the world and sees everything. He used to talk to the sky. After discovering religion, the sky, for Ort, takes the place of God. The sky symbolizes God throughout the book and Ort talks to God through prayer. Another strong symbol in the book is the countryside and trees, Sam and Alice Flack choose to move to the country after getting married so that they can live around trees. The countryside symbolizes the true nature of the Flack family. Tegwyn has always been different form Sam, Alice and Ort. She likes the city and does not understand the other members of her family. Although she has been raised in the same place Ort and is able to walk through the bush without making a sound. She does not have Ort’s appreciation for the bush. Henry on the other hand was raised in the city, when he walks through the bush he makes a crashing noise and does not look out for snakes. Henry is from the city, Ort is from the country and Tegwyn is a bit of both. In the end, Tegwyn 2007-01-29T05:23:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Key-Themes-and-Ideas-in-quot-Eye-The-Sky-quot-by-Tim-Winto-32483.aspx Review Of Cicely Berry's Voice And The Actor The book, Voice and the Actor by Cicely Berry explains the importance of vocal training to a professional actor. The actor relies on his or her voice to bring emotion to a character. It is taken for granted that the speaking voice is important to convey precise thoughts and feelings. Cicely Berry says that there are four factors that condition the voice: environment, ear, physical agility, and personality. Environment plays an important factor to one’s voice. For example, one’s environment can have influence on one’s accent or the way he or she pronounces words. Children learn to first speak unconsciously through sign language and they are influenced by sounds heard around them. However, speaking for a child is an imitative process. So, the way a parent speaks to a child can definitely influence how a child speaks. Cicely Berry defines the use of the ear as the perception of sound. Some people can hear certain sounds easily and pay more attention to the annunciation of words. You can hear different tones of the voice. For example, personally, I can reach a very high pitch when I start whining. Ear can be tied into environment because the child uses the ear to develop the voice. So, when a child listens to how someone speaks, if the parent usually speaks in a rough tone, then the child is will most likely develop those characteristics. Physical agility is defined as varying degrees of muscular awareness and freedom. This is due to the environment as well. This might mean the person’s personality. For example, a person who is an introverted person has trouble speaking and cannot easily convey what he or she wishes to say. The author says that if there is a reluctance in speech, that the muscles will be affected making them less firm. So, it seems like any muscle, muscles in the mouth, and throat need to be exercised vocally as well. The author also provides the example of people who think more quickly than they speak. They trip over words and do not convey their message. So, the author says that the actor must learn how to relate the mental intention to the physical action. In class, this is done through 2007-01-29T05:22:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Review-Of-Cicely-Berry-s-Voice-And-The-Actor-32482.aspx American Life Explored in "The Grapes of Wrath" When first released in 1939, The Grapes of Wrath, written by novelist John Steinbeck, created quite a stir among Americans still coping with the depression. It tells the story of the Joad family from the time of their eviction on their farm in Oklahoma, to their first winter in California. The novel is basically divided into three sections: their time in Oklahoma, their journey to a "better" life in California, and their time while in California. It also contains "inter-chapters" that don't focus mostly on the Joads, and rather the situation at hand for all "Okies" on their way to California. The opening chapter describes the lives of farm owners dealing with the drought in Oklahoma along with a dust storm. "Men stood by their fences and looked at the ruined corn, drying fast now, only a little green showing through the film of dust. The men were silent and they did not move often (3)." In the following chapter, Tom Joad is hitchhiking in a truck, after just being released from McAlester, a state prison, for killing a man while in a drunken brawl. In chapter three, some symbolism is noticed in a turtle that has great difficulty crossing the highway, foreshadowing the journey in the next chapter. After meeting Jim Casy in chapter four, they finally reach the Joad farm that has been deserted and damaged. Next, they learn from Muley Graves, a neighbor, that Tom's family was evicted, so both Tom and Casy travel onwards to family relative, Uncle John's home, in hopes of catching up with Tom's family before their big move to California. Finally, Tom is reunited with his family for the first time in four years. The first person Tom sees is his Pa, who insists on surprising Ma with his arrival. Jim Casy hesitantly says grace during breakfast at the request of Tom's 'Granma'. After the meal with his 'Granpa', Noah (his brother) and his parents, Tom learns that his brother Al is out chasing girls, while his little sister, Rosasharn, is pregnant and ready to settle down with Connie, a neighboring boy)." Granpa also states, "Just let me get out to California where I can pick me an orange when I want it. Or grapes. There's a thing I 2007-01-29T05:16:40-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/American-Life-Explored-in-quot-The-Grapes-of-Wrath-quot-32478.aspx Theme of Life in "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles The ability to handle change is a in important aspect of life. In the book A Separate Peace by John Knowles, change is one of the main themes though out the whole book. Every single character in the book goes through a significant change. Whether it was physical, mental, or both, each character undergoes a change that dramatically differentiates him or her from the beginning. One of the characters in the book, Gene, sets the tone when he says, “So the more things stay the same, the more they change after all.” A very well thought out comment and indeed the main part of the plot. For Phineas, change was an evil that took hold of his life and eventually destroyed it. In the beginning of the book, Phineas, otherwise known a Finny, was much like a god. He was extremely athletic. His muscular build, incredible knack for any type of physical activity, and his pure, innocent soul that he was portrayed to all, pushed him to the top of the Devon School students. He was one of the few people at Devon that really distinguished himself from the people around him. He constantly made records, broke records, and amazed everyone. His charm, humor and great sense of self worth made everyone’s day a little more upbeat. Seeing someone like that made many of the other people idolize him. However, his only flaw was the only thing that he could hold on to by the end of the book. He was not gifted in anyway academically, he constantly flunked causing an almost double personality. One side was constantly winning and the other side of him was constantly losing. By the end of the book, Phineas has broken his leg, eventually losing these amazing triumphs to the hands of fate. The way in which he broke his leg also changed his personality because the person in which he trusted most caused him to become crippled which eventually led to his death. His best friend, Gene, pushed Gene out of a tree, causing the life of this young man to unravel in an extremely different way than expected. However, even after the accident, he did not believe that his friend could do such a thing. After breaking his 2007-01-29T05:12:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-of-Life-in-A-Separate-Peace-by-John-Knowles-32476.aspx Analysis of "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway Known to be one of the greatest writers of our century, Ernest Hemingway has written such literary masterpieces such as, The Sun Also Rises, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and possibly his most famous, A Farewell to Arms. While Hemingway has exemplified his uncanny ability in his novels, he also wrote wonderful short stories such as “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”. This short story takes place in a pleasant café in an urban location. The story circulates around three main characters, the old man, the old waiter, and the young waiter. The characters in all of his writings are multi-dimensional and have distinct personalities. “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” illustrates the devastating effects of loneliness through the character of the old man and the old waiter. The old man who is a regular at the café and drinks until the early morning hours is clearly Hemingway’s symbol for loneliness in this story. His sorrow and solitude are apparent throughout the whole story especially towards the beginning. The two waiters tending to the deaf old man ridicule and explain the pain and sorrow the old man is experiencing, “`Last week he tried to commit suicide…He should have killed himself last week`” (41). These two sentences do all the explaining needed to tell the reader about the old man. The old man is so lonely that he feels that by killing himself he will be escaping his sorrows, but a failed suicide attempt leads him to alcohol for a temporary escape from the pain of his life. The old man’s feeling of loneliness is most likely closely related the when the old waiter says, “`He had a wife once too`” (42). This statement leads the reader to believe that the loss of the old man’s wife is the source of his anguish and thus why he is so unhappy. While Hemingway does a great job having the waiters talk about the old man’s sorrows, he purposely implements lines where the loneliness of the waiters can be seen as well. The younger waiter who seems to be content with his life is annoyed at how long the old man is staying around because he has someone waiting for him, “`He’s lonely, I’m not lonely, I have a wife waiting in bed for me`” (42). While 2007-01-29T05:10:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-The-Sun-Also-Rises-by-Ernest-Hemingway-32475.aspx Jealousy in "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Midsummer's Night Dream" Throughout both “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Midsummer’s Night Dream,” much jealousy is demonstrated. Not only do Claudio, in “Much Ado About Nothing,” and Oberon in “Midsummer’s Night Dream” become jealous with the woman they love, but they actually will succumb to revenge, embarrassment and rage to try to over come their jealously. Even though by the ending of both of the plays both characters get what they want, they have a constant battle with jealously to get there. Claudio, a very highly decorated general, arrives home from battle to Messina to greet Leonato, the governor, who is pleased with his accomplishments. In no time at all, Claudio meets Leonato’s daughter Hero, falls madly in love with her, and confesses his love to his dear friend Benedict. In no time, Don Pedro, leader of the army finds out this news and promises to woo Hero for Claudio. Leonato is also informed of Claudio’s love for his daughter, and is delighted to know that Don Pedro will woo his daughter for Claudio, and sends Don Pedro to tell Claudio that, when asked, Hero will accept his hand in marriage. This is where all the trouble begins. Don John, Don Pedro’s bastard brother, also hears all the news about how his brother will woo Hero for Claudio. Since Don John despises Claudio, he devises a plan to make Claudio think that Don Pedro is wooing Hero for himself. Don John does all of this with the help of Borachio. The two tell Claudio that Don Pedro plans to steal Hero for himself and Claudio becomes crushed and jealous. A good example of how he acts upon rage is when Benedict comes to invite Claudio outside, but Claudio refuses and snaps at Benedict, his good friend. Benedict approaches Don Pedro and tells him that it was not very nice that he wooed Hero for himself, and finds out that Don Pedro never had any intention of doing so. In fact, Don Pedro leaves to tell Claudio that Hero will accept Claudio’s hand in marriage. Claudio is so happy about this that his jealously diminishes momentarily. The second wave of jealously approaches quickly as Don John devises another plan to break Claudio and Hero apart. He makes Claudio think that 2007-01-29T05:09:16-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jealousy-in-Famous-Shakespeare-Works-32474.aspx A Separate Peace: An Internal War “A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything. Jealously is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity.” This quote from Robert A. Heinlein pretty well sums up a basic staple of teenage emotion, insecurity. A Separate Peace by John Knowles is a book that takes place in a prestigious New England boarding school, a place where insecurity and teenage insecurity are as prevalent as in any other place where groups of adolescents live their lives. The main character of this novel, Gene, clearly is an individual who questions his own self worth. Throughout the novel Gene, the narrator, makes a few inward, and to at least this reader, awkward comments concerning the anatomy of his classmates. He appears to be admiring them, and, in fact, it is obvious he is, but I don’t suspect this is because he is aroused. I think rather that this can viewed as evidence of feelings of physical inadequacy. He is sizing himself up to these other boys and subconsciously noting how their features compare to his own. There are other occasions in the book at which Gene voices to himself feelings of inadequacy and this is likely just another that the author decided to be more subtle, although this particular aspect of the story is quite open for interpretation. Another element of the story which illustrates Gene’s low self-esteem is his introversion. People who have high self-esteem, for the most part, are talkative extroverts. Throughout the book Gene doesn’t often outwardly voice his feels and concerns, and frequently allows others to make his decisions for him. Finny, before his fall, easily manipulated Gene and guilted him into doing things which he did not want to do. He didn’t allow Finny to do this necessarily because he was too weak of character for him to act on his own, but because he didn’t have the assertiveness and confidence necessary to allow himself to do so. The final and most evident item in this story that speaks to Gene’s insecurity is the rivalry he created in his head with his friend Finny. Gene stacks his achievements alongside Finny’s and, in his head, creates a complicated rivalry; this is something that only an insecure person would do. He lives his life not for the joy of the action contained therein, but rather in hope of gaining happiness from superiority. Even when he 2007-01-25T06:48:26-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Separate-Peace-an-Examination-of-Gene-s-Insecurity-32442.aspx Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, published in the year of 1960, is the American classic novel awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction as well as the Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The racism which is prevalent in many small American towns in the 1930s is illustrated with profound imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird. Although there are several characters in the book, the true main character is the young narrator's father, Atticus Finch, a man of great integrity and intelligence. He is a very heroic figure in more ways than one. Atticus possesses such traits as being principled, determined, and what's more, he's a teacher to others. By looking at To Kill a Mockingbird, one can see that Lee utilizes physical description, dialogue, and actions to characterize Atticus as a heroic individual; this is important because Atticus is a very serene, but spirited man. The most important legacy Atticus teaches in To Kill a Mockingbird is the message about how best to educate a child. From the beginning of the book, it's obvious that Atticus' life is down in luck. "It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyways and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do"(124). He strives to instill in Scout and Jem three specific values: spirit, bravery and tolerance of others. Atticus tries to clarify the disposition that's shown in the book by saying that it's important to appreciate the good qualities in people and comprehend the bad qualities by treating others with compassion or trying to see life from their standpoints. "If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" (30). He teaches this life lesson to show that it's possible to live with principles without losing sight of hope or acting skeptical. For example, Atticus is able to highly regard Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's courage even though he disapproves of Mrs. Dubose's continuous acts of racism. "She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe...son, I told you that if you hadn't lost your head I'd have made you go read to her. I wanted you to see something 2007-01-24T17:34:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Harper-Lee-s-novel-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32440.aspx The Natural Forces and State Law in Antigone In Antigone, one meaning Sophocles presents is the conflict between the Natural Forces and State Law. These are different ways that order is established in society and Sophocles uses characterization to show the conflict between the two ideas. The Natural Forces, or Natural Law, are characterized through the actions of Antigone and State Law is represented in the actions of Creon. Natural Law is the assertion there is a œnatural order to the human world that is good, should never be violated, and is eternally true (œNatural Law Theory, Passudetti). State Law is defined as a translation of Natural Law into œconcrete norms governing peoples and nations (œNatural Law Theory). The Greek playwright Sophocles was one of the first to write about an œimmutable and eternal law in the tragedy Antigone (œNatural Law Theory). Sophocles portrays the concepts of Natural Law and State Law through characters in the play. The effect this has on the text is to emphasize the conflict that occurs when the Natural Order and State Law disagree. After analysis, the character Creon is characterized most closely with State Law and Antigone is associated with Natural Law (Young 2). There are several occasions where Sophocles hints that Creon represents State Law. The first occurs in Creon's opening dialog, œSirs, for the ship of state- the Gods once more,/After much rocking on a stormy surge, Set her on even keel (Young 7). In this quote, Creon is saying how the State and its laws are the ship and the Gods are the ocean (Passudetti). Creon's mindset is that he is the driver of the ship and even though admits he does not have total control as the Gods do, he believes his œwill overrides the Gods' (Passudetti, Young 8-9). In this quote, it is made known that despite Creon's acknowledgment of the Gods power, he does not take it seriously. In this sense, the ocean which is thousands of times greater than the ship, can be controlled or conquered by the captaian. Sophocles reiterates this ship concept in the chorus on page thirteen and fourteen. This belief is a representation of State Law because State Law is a specific application of œeternal law in the realm of the nature, meaning that it's a human interpretation of the Natural 2007-01-24T17:16:02-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Natural-Law-and-State-Law-in-Sophocles-Antigone-32437.aspx “Fate plays a large part in Romeo and Juliet, discuss” William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a tale of two “star-cross’d” lovers who take their lives. As the prologue at the start of the play indicated, Romeo and Juliet had fate against them. In that epoch, people were very wary of what the stars said. If two people’s stars were crossed in the sky, they would never linger. Throughout Romeo and Juliet there are many contributing factors that are responsible for the outcome of the play. All events surrounding the lovers such as, the premonitions that are had, the incidents that affect the outcome of the play and the way the two are brought together all work in the hands of fate. There are many events that influence the ending of Romeo and Juliet, ultimately ending in their demise. The premonitions had by each Romeo and Juliet were ignored and therefore contributed to the outcome of the play. Romeo and Juliet are both helpless victims of fate; they were also agents of fate. Before the Capulet ball Romeo has a premonition of “Some consequence yet hanging in the stars”, that he thinks will “expire the term”. Romeo suspected that there would be consequences of the party, yet he chose to ignore his feelings. After Romeo kills Tybalt he reacts by saying, “O I am fortunes fool" yet it is due to Romeo's impetuous nature that led to this calamity. When Friar Lawrence performs Romeo and Juliet’s marriage ceremony, though he thinks the marriage will turn the “households rancour to pure love”, he is still reluctant and warns that “these violent delights have violent ends”. Romeo and Juliet are so overcome by their love for one another that they are neglecting the negative aspect of their marriage. After Romeo and Juliet spend their last night together, Juliet has an “ill-divining soul” she thinks she sees Romeo dead in the bottom of a tomb. Juliet’s premonition of her husband’s untimely death is again pushed aside with no further thought. Juliet realizes that heavens are against her when her father forces her to marry Paris she says, “Is there no piety sitting in the clouds that sees into the bottom of my grief”. Romeo and Juliet's intense and endless love was of such a great nature that it could only be preserved by death. The chorus calls Romeo and Juliet "star-crossed lovers" and the recurrent 2007-01-19T04:17:17-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Romeo-and-Juliets-Fate-32420.aspx Jay Gatsby as Representation of Magic in the Great Gatsby Magicians are known for the tricks that they play on the eyes. What often seems like magic, turns out to be just a careful flick of the wrist. In the book The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzerald, the magician is compared to the character of Jay Gatsby. The magician motif is used among other tools to prove that appearance is not always reality. The higher class throws sophisticated and glamorous parties that include many interesting people. They have fun and show off their fortunes with the grand affairs. Jay Gatsby is described as a rich, powerful man, and mysterious man, but all his fortune is made for a simple cause, the love of the beautiful Daisy Fay Buchanan. He is compared to a magician because he gives an appearance of being in a higher class than he really belongs to. Gatsby strives to appear to be high class, but reality ends up hurting him hard in the end. Gatsby's money was not earned legally or inherited as a fortune from his great uncle, but was made through illegal schemes. Gatsby's goal is to try to seem to be in a higher social class than the class where his birthright put him. He creates the illusion of a higher stature. He does not care about the money or any other material wealth. He cares about the love of a woman. Gatsby makes many illusions in hopes of showing his Daisy that he is in a class as high as hers and that they do belong together. What a magician does is deceive his audience. Jay Gatsby has to do that to make his audience believe that he belongs to a higher class than he was really born into. The word "great" is often used to announce a magician. The title of the book is the introduction of the character of Jay Gatsby. He is the great magician that can create magic and fool all the spectators around him. Jay Gatsby throws wonderful parties to give the mirage of great wealth and high class. Only the most interesting people are invited. The thing is that he does not care for the people, but only of what they think of him. He does not show his own face, but gives the impression of someone really lavish by the parties and the guests. At 2007-01-12T04:12:23-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jay-Gatsby-as-Representation-of-Magic-in-the-Great-Gatsby-32408.aspx Controversy in "Catcher in the Rye" In this novel, the author creates Holden Caulfield, a boy that is the world’s ‘punching bag’, and illustrates his difficult life through presenting his failures clearly to the reader. Salinger shows that Holden has had a ‘deprived’ childhood by explaining to the reader that Holden’s beloved brother Allie died at a young age. Holden still has not gotten over this unfathomable loss. Another way the author shows Holden’s depravity is by making the parents look as if they are not part of his life. Holden does not have a good relationship with his parents and this is presented very clearly in the novel. This novel is predominantly about showing Holden’s attempts at achieving his goals in life only to fall flat on his face to fail. A first time reader of The Catcher in the Rye might not know what to think after reading the novel. It is not the typical novel. The Catcher in the Rye, a controversial novel by J.D. Salinger, is a work of fiction that proves itself commendable through its strong use of symbolism, its modernist themes, and significant use of characterization. This novel, considered to be a well-constructed piece of fiction, is known to have a very complex structure; it has three parts of the plot that make up this structure. Showing Holden Caulfield’s life at school makes up the first part of this structure; his escape to New York in search for sexual escapade is the second. The third and final part of the structure is his collapse, backward into childhood, and unknowingly into insanity. Holden’s life at school is shown as him being a ‘loner’. First of all, when everyone from the school is at the football game, Holden is in his room. He says that everyone is supposed to be there, and if they lost you were supposed to commit suicide or something. Holden not taking any part in the ‘important’ things of school shows his rejection of society. He is aggravated by the beliefs of the people who are his leaders. They believe life is a game. Holden can’t understand the concept that life is nothing more than a game. “Game my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hotshots are, then it’s a game, all right – I’ll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there 2007-01-12T03:46:16-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Controversy-in-Catcher-in-the-Rye-32400.aspx Analysis of "The Story Of An Hour" by Kate Chopin I wrote my paper on “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin. On the following pages, you will read about a character by the name of Louise. She was married at a time when marriage was not about mutual love. When she hears of her husbands’ death, she feels sorrow but is overcome with feelings of joy. Louise has found a freedom that she had forgotten she had. Louise is so excited to live her new life until tragedy happens again. I believe that Louise is a likeable character because she brings so much depth into the story. She takes us on a roller coaster of emotions. At first, you cannot help but pity her and then all of a sudden you wish you could feel like she does. I found Louise to be an example of a strong, honest, and open-minded women, I anticipate you will also. The reader’s first impression is that Louise’s heart condition,” Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death”(Chopin 573), makes her a physically weak character. This made me feel sympathy for Louise. In addition, we know she is fragile when we are told, “great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death”(Chopin 573). In my opinion, Louise’s marriage was bringing her down and making her character feel old. Again, I feel sympathy for Louise due to the struggles she had with herself and her marriage. Chopin portrays Louise as a prisoner of her husband. This was not strange at the time Chopin was writing the story. Marriages were not always about being devoted to your spouse. We see this when Louise thinks “There would be no powerful will bending her in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature”(Chopin 574). It was as if neither women, nor men had their own personal freedom. At first Chopin has the readers thinking that Louise is an old character, but when we continue reading, Chopin tells us differently: ”She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines 2007-01-12T03:29:02-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Story-Of-An-Hour-quot-by-Kate-Chopin-32393.aspx Character of Milo in The Giver Milo, a very bored little boy, receives an unusual package one day: a make- believe tollbooth. When he drives through it in his electric toy car, he is suddenly transported to the Lands Beyond, a fantastic world of imagination. On his way to Dictionopolis, one of the country's two capitals, he meets Tock, the watchdog who joins him on his journey. In Dictionopolis, Milo meets King Azaz who presides over the world of letters and words. Azaz sends Milo on a mission to rescue two princesses, Rhyme and Reason, who are imprisoned in the Castle in the Air, which floats hundreds of feet off the ground. Milo and Tock leave Dictionopolis with a new companion, the Humbug, whom Azaz has sent along as a guide. The three head toward Digitopolis where they hope to persuade the Mathemagician to release the princesses. On their way to Digitopolis, Milo, Tock and the Humbug encounter all sorts of unusual people and places. Just outside Dictionopolis they stop at Point of View, where they meet Alec Bings, a little boy who floats above the ground because he has not grown down to it yet. In his family, everyone's head stays at exactly the same height their entire lives and their legs grow down until they touch the earth. The travelers then proceed past the twin cities of Reality and Illusions and come upon Chroma and his symphony of color. Milo watches in wonder as Chroma conducts the orchestra through the colors of the sunset and, once Chroma has gone off to bed, decides to try to conduct the sunrise himself. This proves to be more difficult than Milo thought, and soon he has made a complete mess of the colors, which he manages to fix just moments before anyone notices. The exhausted Milo then leads his friends towards the Valley of Sound, where they meet Dischord, a fake doctor who deals in noises, and his sidekick Dynne, a monster made of smoke. Once the travelers escape the doctor and his horrible racket, they find themselves in the Valley of Sound, which turns out to be completely silent. They meet the Soundkeeper who has withheld all the sounds of the Valley because people have stopped appreciating them and instead gave business to Dischord and Dynne. Milo steals a sound from the Soundkeeper's palace, which the people of the valley use to break 2007-01-12T03:20:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-of-Milo-in-The-Giver-32390.aspx Words: 1246 International Baccalaureate English 11 Period 1 9 January 2006 Natural Law and State Law in Antigone In Antigone, one of the meanings Sophocles presents is State Law versus Natural Law which do not always agree. Sophocles uses characterization to show the conflict between the two ideas. State Law is defined as a translation of Natural Law into “concrete norms governing peoples and nations” (“Natural Law Theory”). Natural Law is the assertion there is a “natural order to the human world” that is good, should never be violated, and is eternally true (“Natural Law Theory”, Passudetti). Ideas relating to 'natural law' predate Christianity. In Greece and Rome, 'natural law' was “invoked” in conflicts when what a ruler or judge decreed and what natural law dictates disagree (“Natural Law”). Sophocles, a Greek playwright, was the first to write about an “immutable and eternal” law in the tragedy Antigone (“Natural Law Theory”). Sophocles portrays the concepts of Natural Law and State Law through characters in the play. The effect this creates is to make the conflict between Natural Law and State Law easier to understand for the audience. After analysis, the character Creon is characterized most closely with State Law and Antigone is associated with Natural Law (Young 2). There are several occasions where Sophocles hints that Creon represents State Law. The first occurs in Creon's first dialog on page seven through page nine, “Sirs, for the ship of state- the Gods once more,/After much rocking on a stormy surge, Set her on even keel (Young 7).” In this quote, Creon is saying how the State and its laws are the ship and the Gods are the ocean (Passudetti). Creon's mindset is that he is the driver of the ship and even though admits he does not have total control as the Gods do, he believes his “will” overrides the Gods' (Passudetti, Young 8-9). Sophocles reiterates this ship concept in the chorus on page thirteen and fourteen. This belief is a representation of State Law because State Law is a specific application of “eternal law in the realm of the nature”, meaning that it's a human interpretation of the Natural Laws which could be interpreted incorrectly (“Natural Law Theory”, Young 18). This incorrect interpretation is characterized through the way Creon deals with the burial of Polynices. It was customary in 2007-01-11T23:43:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Natural-Law-and-State-Law-In-Antigone-32389.aspx Literature of Lord Alfred Tennyson In any genre of expression, he who possesses the ability of variance, will poses the hearts of many. Meaning in any art form, from the majestic impressionist paintings of Degas, to the masterful written works of Lord Alfred Tennyson, one must possess the ability to vary or change their style in order to relate to the masses. This technique in modern times is called crossing over, or attracting “new audiences”. The brightest stars, and most well know artist and poets are those who have mastered this ability. In the world of Victorian poetry, Alfred, Lord Tennyson was the equivalent to the contemporary Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, an artist that has the ability to successfully express himself in multiple facets. Tennyson, one of the most prolific poets of the Victorian age was also known for possessing the poetic talent to cover many diverse subjects. Over his career, he covered such issues as politics, history, classical mythology, and scientific matters. Lord Tennyson was educated enough to compose works based upon such academic topics, yet gifted enough to write about deeply personal thoughts and feelings. (Platizky 146) Tennyson was described by many as, “both a poet of penetrating introspection and a poet of the people; he plunges the depths of his consciousness while also giving voice to the national consciousness of Victorian society.” (Platizky 201) As a reader, to fully understand and appreciate Tennyson’s gifted poetic ability, you must know a little about his past. Born Alfred Tennyson, in Somersby, Licolnshire, he began to write poetry at an early age in the style of Lord Byron. After spending four unhappy years in school, Tennyson decided to return home for home schooling. Because of the mentally unhealthy situation of his family, several members of his family were diagnosed with epilepsy, most noticeably his father; he left the house to study at Trinity College in Cambridge. While there, he was mentored by William Whewell, a famous 19th Century philosopher who helped shape Tennyson’s ideas of the philosophical world. In 1829, while at Cambridge, Tennyson was asked to join an undergraduate society named the Apostles. This undergraduate society met frequently to discuss major philosophical issues, as this would also be the place where Tennyson would meet his best friend and the source for much of his melancholic inspiration, Arthur 2007-01-11T20:19:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literature-of-Lord-Alfred-Tennyson-32386.aspx Jealousy in "Death of a Salesman" People lie out of jealousy, and when they cannot face the truth about their actual life style. In Death Of A Salesman Willy Loman made people believe that he achieved success by lying. Willy is jealous of people who have better things and people who have reached success. Willy’s jealousy and his need to lie cause him to be unsuccessful and become distant from his family. To be jealous is to dislike someone because of everything they have. In the play Willy believes that he has made bad purchases while others have gotten the best; “I told you we should’ve bought a well advertised machine. Charley bought a General Electric and its twenty years old and its still good, that son-of-a-bitch” (Miller 73). Willy thinks that because he didn’t buy a well advertised machine he was cheated out of something good. He feels that everyone gets the good things except him. Willy feels that in life Ben has had a better advantage. For example; “You’re just what I need Ben, because I-I have a fine position here, but I-well, Dad left when I was such a baby and I never had a chance to talk to him and still feel-kind of temporary about my self.” (Miller 51) Willy assumes that Ben was successful because he had his father to guide him through everything and Willy had no one in his life to guide him. Willy feels that people are always thinking they are better than him, for instance; “Who the hell do you think you are, better than everybody else? You don’t know everything you big, ignorant stupid...” (Miller 90) Willy gets offended by the littlest things and thinks that he is being made fun of at all times. Willy’s jealousy leads himself to think that he is not good enough. All of Willy’s jealousy towards his friends has resulted in him lying to his friends and family. When people lie to their family and friends it is because they cannot face the truth about themselves. Willy feels a need to lie to Linda about his work because he does not want her to worry, for instance; “Business is bad, its murderous. But not for me, of course.” (Miller 51) Willy wants Linda to think that no 2007-01-11T20:14:58-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jealousy-in-quot-Death-of-a-Salesman-quot-32384.aspx Leading Female Roles in Ramayana Norton’s version of Valmiki’s Ramayana had several leading female roles which included the following- Sita, Kaikeyi, Kausulya, Supranahka, and a variety of Ravana’s demonesses. Of these, Sita had the prominent role throughout the story. Each of these characters played an important role to the story line. The female characters’ role throughout the story is of love and compassion to their male counterparts. I will concentrate on several of them- the mothers Kaikeyi, Kausulya, Sita, and certain demonesses. Both Kaikeyi and Kausulya are portrayed as loving mothers of their respective sons, Bharata and Rama. Kaikeyi took the opportunity for her own self-interests to get her own son the kingdom. This action protected her from Rama and gave her more power to establish a matriarch. Her role within the story is limited, yet her self-interest gave way for the storyline to develop. Kaikeyi comes across to me as a jealous, power-hungry person because of her actions. Kaikeyi is perceived the same way by other characters within the story with the exception of Rama who though this was “the will of the divine.” On the other hand, Rama’s natural mother Kausulya is portrayed as a loving mother of her only son. She could not let Rama go through the ordeal of living like a hermit. When she tells Rama of the pain and anguish she suffered from the King and other wives, the reader would feel sorry for her. She had the one chance to live a life of comfort and that was abruptly pulled away briskly on the eve of Rama’s coronation to the throne. When she realized Rama could not be convinced to change his mind, Kausulya gave praise to her son for standing up to Kaikeyi’s wishes. Also, she prayed for his safety and success. Another common feature that Kausulya depicts, like the other female characters, is the recurring love and compassion theme. Sita is the central female character of the story. Right from her first words in this version of the Ramayana, I could tell her immense love for Rama. “….without you, even heaven is hell.” (Pg. 901). Throughout their adventures, Sita shows displays her love and faithfulness to Rama. She comes across to the reader as a bit arrogant and demanding, yet still abiding to 2007-01-11T20:10:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Leading-Female-Roles-in-Ramayana-32382.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Waters of Babylon" Stephen Vincent Benét wrote the novel in 1937. The novel is fiction and takes place in and around New York in the future. The world as we know it has been completely destroyed, properly by one or several atom bombs. Many places have been intoxi-cated and only the priests are allowed to go there. Only a few people have survived and they have gathered in tribes, who fight each other. The main character in the novel is a boy, from the Hill people, called John. His father is a priest. They live in a very religious society where the priests are highly respected. John has been destined to be a priest like his father right from his berth. He is now about 14 years old and is ready to begin his vision quest to gain knowledge. Actually John’ s only goal in life is to get knowledge, he knows that knowledge is power. Nine days after the journey’s beginning he reaches a big river once known as The Hudson River. His whole life he has been forbidden to go near it, but even though he fears to cross it, his hunger for knowledge pushes him forward (His father: “It is forbidden to cross the river. It is forbidden to go to the Place of the Gods). At the other side he discovers the ruins of New York, which he thinks is the place where the Gods live. He drafts around the ruins and finds lots of remains from the human civilization. After a while a bunch of wild dogs forces him to seek hide in a big building. In the top of the building he falls in to a trance and has an “out of the body experience” (I could feel the spirits drawing my spirit out of my body as a fish is drawn on a line). His mind travels back in time and he sees the western lifestyle in New York before the nuclear war. He thinks that it is the Gods he is looking at and thinks that they are great and mighty, but slowly he realizes that they were restless, greedy and made mistakes like every-one else. Then he sees how they were destroyed by the atom bomb and feels sorry for them (It was fire falling out of the sky. It was darkness over the broken city and I 2007-01-11T20:06:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Waters-of-Babylon-quot-32380.aspx The Role of Piggy in the Novel "Lord of the Flies" In the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding portrays Piggy as an insightful, perceptive and conversant young boy. The boys on the island ridicule him because of his appearance, calling him "fatty"(23) and constantly referring to him as Piggy. The boys never actually call him by his real name. Piggy's ability to see things clearly emerges and evolves through the novel, until finally at the conclusion we see how he loses this ability to perceive . . . with tragic results. Golding gave Piggy the glasses to represent that he was the one who would see clearly and not filter out reality as most of the children did in the novel. At the beginning of the novel Piggy's glasses were used by others as a tool, when the boys look for a way to start a fire Jack says "His specs— use them as burning glass." (44). Ralph and Jack took the glasses from Piggy's head to start the fire without asking and Piggy just accepts this. Piggy's glasses also represented, the hope the boys had for getting off the island. Piggy starts to show his logical ability by suggesting that they write out a list of the boys on the island so they can keep track of all the "littluns" after one of them goes missing. Piggy was always organized and had a well-thought out plan. After while, as Ralph's vision for survival becomes less focused, Ralph begins to respect and accept Piggy as a friend. Ralph shows us his doubts in his own ability to lead as he thinks, "I can't think. Not like Piggy. Once more that evening Ralph had to adjust his values. Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his . . . Ralph was a specialist in thought now, and could recognize thought in another." (85). When Jack's tribe stages a raid on Ralph's camp for fire, Piggy urgently redirects Ralph's thoughts to the importance of the fire and being rescued. Ralph stumbles in thought, his vision is clouded as symbolized by the "idiot hair" (156) he has to push out of his eyes. Once Jack left to make his own tribe, Piggy 2007-01-11T20:02:57-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Role-of-Piggy-in-the-Novel-quot-Lord-of-the-Flies-quot-32379.aspx Female Characters Overcoming Stereotypes For females to overcome the stereotypes, oversimplified description of a group of people, from their particular society that had cast on them, it’s like having a revolution within them. Stereotypes are created by people that are described with oversimplified descriptions to a group of people. For instance being as Taiwanese, we stereotypes Americans as outgoing or friendly. By looking at the traditions of the stereotypes of different societies from a female side of the world, general stereotypes for a woman would be submissive, passive, self-sacrificing, and lack in self-confidence. After reading all the stories, I chose three stories that contain female characters in which they overcame their stereotypes and traditions from their particular society, the stories are as follow: Leela from “Hindus”, Mrs. Barrows from “The Catbird Seat”, and Miss Emily from “A Rose for Emily”. In the story of “Hindus,” the story begins with the main character, “Leela,” a girl, who does not turn out the way how normal Indians are expected to be. In fact she breaks the caste system of her society by marring a Canadian man named “Derek.” In Indian society, people view the caste and class system very strong and people are suppose to marry within their own caste and class. When Leela decided to marry Derek, it was when she started to break her society’s etiquette, and that she needed to overcome how people look at her because that was what she chose to do. In the middle of the story, we could see that Leela didn’t want to be treated as an aristocrat when she said “I disclaimed all kinship to H.R.H.” and “Before my marriage to Derek no one in my family since our initial eruption from Vishnu’s knee had broken caste etiquette. I disclaimed any recent connection with India.” In the story Leela, she claimed herself as an American citizen. I think the most serious difficulty that she had to overcome was that she had to live by herself after the divorced with Derek. Since she was alone, she had to pay for her own food, shelter and cloth. She found a job as an Administrative Assistant, which she claimed as a menial. From the story there was a part that Pat mentioned, “Leela Lahiri actually going cross-town at night by herself. I remember when your Daddy wouldn’t let you walk the two blocks from school to the 2007-01-11T19:45:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Female-Characters-Overcoming-Stereotypes-32373.aspx The Death of Creative Power in Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 Most of the 127 sonnets Shakespeare wrote to one of his close male friends are united by the theme of the overwhelming, destructive power of time, and the counterbalancing power of love and poetry to create and preserve beauty. Sonnet 73 is no different, but it does present an intriguing twist on this theme. Most of these sonnets address the youth and beauty of his male friend, as well as poetry's power to immortalize them, but number 73 addresses the author's own mortality and the friend's love for him. Also, subtly woven into this turning inward is a lament that the creative vitality represented by the poems themselves is fading away, along with Shakespeare's own life. Shakespeare seems to mourn most not his own mortality, but the fact that the creation of his love poems must itself one day cease, and this is a "death" more keenly felt by Shakespeare than mere mortality. As usual, the sonnet breaks into four convenient sections, the three quatrains and the ending couplet. Each segment presents a new image to drive the point home. The first quatrain begins "thou mayst in me behold," then the second "In me thou seest," and the third also "In me thou seest" again. This repetition lends unity to the theme, and helps convey ideas from one segment to the next. What follows in each stanza is a new image of decay and death. The sequence and relationship of these metaphors shows a conscious effort at continuity, showing the death of the creative power in various guises. The first quatrain uses one of the oldest metaphors for approaching age and imminent death there is, the coming of autumn. A couple of inventive images make the metaphor work in an especially apt way, however. In the first couple of lines, nothing is unusual; Shakespeare laments that when his friend looks at him, he sees "That time of year . . ./ When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang/ Upon those boughs which shake against the cold" (1-3). This is a straightforward complaint that, like autumn, the poet is moving gradually into old age, with the winter of death right around the corner. But Shakespeare's description of the tree limbs in their bare autumn dress is key to the whole poem. He calls them "Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang." 2007-01-11T19:37:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Death-of-Creative-Power-in-Shakespeare-s-Sonnet-73-32370.aspx Historical Fiction in "The Road to Memphis" This historical fiction novel from would never have the amount of schooling that could prepare Cassie for the violent events that took place. As the Logan family living in Mississippi is up for another adventure, Cassie Logan is experiencing new things. This book is not about the problems of the Logan family but the Tanners. Their boy by the name of Moe attacks his tormentors, Troy, Statler, and Leon. Moe gets upset when they make fun of him, by rubbing his head for good luck. Moe hit all three of them with a crowbar and ran. The 17-year-old Cassie is dreaming of going off to school in Jackson, Mississippi, with her older brother Stacey Logan who works up there. As The Logan family of Christopher-John, Little Man, Cassie, and others went on their wagon to go pick up Stacey at the bus station, they saw Harris. He tuned up Stacey’s car because he was a wiz at cars but at nothing else but he was very good friend to have. After that Harris was standing by the local store getting tormented by Troy, Statler, and Leon. Jeremy, a cousin of Statler liked the whole African American community as well as the white community and their people. He usually kept his cousins of the peoples back that they were fooling around with. As they waited for the bus, Harris went inside the store to see why the bus was late and get some shells for the big ‘coon hunt. Stacey did not come on the bus. Instead he, Moe, and Little Willie are good friends of the community drove up in Stacey’s car that he had just bought this morning and gave Cassie, Christopher-John, Little Man, and Harris a ride back to their houses. When they drove Harris back his sister Sissy came out and yelled at Harris for sneaking of the plantation without permission. Stacey said his “hi” to everybody and went on to meet the other people that he knew. Once they got home, their Mama and Big Ma came out to meet Stacey. After the greetings were done everyone but Mama and Big MA washed the car. After a while their father got home and they took the car for a drive around the property. Then Jeremy came over and asked for a ride and Stacey said yes. They went to 2007-01-11T05:54:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Historical-Fiction-in-quot-The-Road-to-Memphis-quot-32366.aspx Counterpoint Within Shakespeare's Twelfth Night Shakespeare uses counterpoint throughout Twelfth Night to create an interesting story that captures the reader's attention. Counterpoint is a technique that incorporates multiple scenes happening simultaneously. These several scenes come together at the end of the work to produce a harmonious finish to an action-packed and appealing plot. In Twelfth Night these concurrent proceedings generate many misconceptions which provide the comical, somewhat ironic part of the play. The "love triangle" effect created by all the mistaken identities accounts for the main comic element in the play. It holds the audience's attention while strengthening the plot at the same time. In the end the "love triangle" gets straightened out and the play concludes with the marriage of Viola and Orsino, and the marriage of Olivia and Sebastian. The play opens up with Viola shipwrecked on the Adriatic seacoast, possibly having lost her brother, Antonio, to the depths of the sea. This is where Sebastian and Viola are separated and go their own way until they meet once again at the end. Since she learns that she would not be admitted to Olivia’s household, she decides to disguise herself as a man, Cesario, and seek refuge in the residence of the Count Orsino. She becomes Orsino's messenger, going to Olivia to communicate Orsino's love. Among one of Viola's many visits to the Lady Olivia, Olivia falls in love with the young boy, Cesario. Olivia is fully unaware that her love only appears to be a man, but is truly a woman underneath her guise. When Cesario (Viola) she has become the lady's fancy, she, herself, confesses her love for the Count Orsino. Meanwhile, Sir Toby Belch, Olivia's kinsman, decides that he will find Olivia a suitor. Sir Andrew Aguecheek now comes into the picture. Toby convinces Andrew to attempt to win Olivia’s heart, even though Sir Andrew himself knows he is incapable of such a task. Andrew efforts are futile because Olivia's heart will have attached itself to a future acquaintance, namely Cesario. Later on, Sir Toby along with Aguecheek and Maria, concoct a plan to fool Olivia's steward, Malvolio, into thinking that Olivia has fallen for him. Maria writes a letter, pretending to be Olivia, saying Malvolio should come to her in yellow, cross-gartered stockings with a smile on his face all the while. He follows the directions stated in the letter, but much to his surprise the sight 2007-01-11T05:43:10-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Counterpoint-Within-Shakespeare-s-Twelfth-Night-32364.aspx Play Analysis of "A Doll's House" by Ibsen Today a reader might find it hard to imagine how daring Nora Helmer was a hundred years ago. The theme of women’s liberation makes this story seem almost contemporary. This was considered a controversial play featuring a woman seeking individuality. “A Doll’s House” was the play that made Ibsen world famous. It was written well ahead of its time. In Ibsen’s time it was considered an outrage for a woman such as Nora to display a mind of her own. It was unthinkable that a woman would leave her husband to obtain freedom. This play presents problems and that still appear in today’s society. This play, one of Ibsen’s most popular works, was a simple classic story of women’s liberation. Animal imagery in the play is a critical part of the character development of Nora. It is used to develop Nora’s character. Throughout the play Torvald calls his wife, “his little lark”, “sulky squirrel”, or other animal names. A lark is a happy, carefree, songbird. It can also be used as a verb meaning to engage in spirited, fun, or merry pranks. Torvald thinks Nora is always happy, never sad, and energetic (all the characteristics of a songbird.) A squirrel is quite the opposite. It is a small fury rodent. Nora “squirreled” away her bag of macaroons, and also scrounges money to pay off her debt. Torvald would ask if, “that is my squirrel rummaging around?” This shows that Nora was burying something, maybe the macaroons or the money she secretly borrowed. Torvald uses names that show how he feels about Nora at the time. The animals chosen Stevens 2 are related to how Nora is acting. In act two, Nora tells Torvald she will be a wood nymph and dance for him. A wood nymph is a hummingbird that is graceful in flight, just like Nora wants to be for Torvald when she dances. When Nora begs Torvald to let Krogstad to keep his job at the bank she gets very worked up. Torvald notices her “frightened dove eyes” and tries to comfort her. A dove is well known as a symbol of peace. Nora only wants Krogstad to keep his job to maintain peace and order in her life. Most of the animal imagery used refers to happy peaceful animals. This is because Torvald sees Nora as a happy, carefree housewife. 2007-01-11T05:35:19-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Play-Analysis-of-quot-A-Doll-s-House-quot-by-Ibsen-32362.aspx Major Ideas of "To His Coy Mistress" Idea, by definition, is an opinion or belief. In literature it is primarily the authors opinion or belief. In Andrew Marvel’s “To His Coy Mistress”, Marvels main idea is to live for today because tomorrow is promised to no one. The idea is broken down into three categories. The piece contains Marvels three ideas of, thesis (idealism), antithesis (realism), and synthesis (therefore), which become apparent as the piece continues. Each category represents something new in the poem. He takes different turns and looks at the same situation differently each time. In the thesis statement “had we but world enough and time” it becomes evident that Marvel is referring to a “what if”. As he begins to tell his mistress, that if they had enough time then he would spend each precious moment with her, but because time is limited they must act on their lust for each other while they are still young and fruitful. Ideally it would be the authors dream to be with his mistress for centuries or even eternities on end. The idea is to show how everything is based on time and without time we would have no boundaries. “Had we but World enough, and Time…. We would sit down, and think which way to walk, and pass our long loves day… An hundred years should grow to praise.” (Lines 1-12, Marvel) The second idea is that of realism in which the reality of his situation kicks in. He realizes and brings to her attention that they don’t have unlimited time and they are not getting any younger. So the virginity that she so willingly holds on to, she might end up taking it with her to her grave. “But at my back I hear times winged chariot hurrying near…then worms shall try that long preserv’d virginity…. The grave's a fine and private place but none I think do there embrace”(lines 13-20, Marvel) The idea remains the same but takes a different turn as it was when referring to idealism. He knows that time is winding down, but instead of living in the “land of make believe” he wants to live for now. He doesn’t want to have any regrets, and not acting oh his instincts would mostly defiantly be a regret. The last idea demonstrated in Marvels work is synthesis, meaning therefore. After the author tells his young mistress of all 2007-01-11T05:30:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Major-Ideas-of-quot-To-His-Coy-Mistress-quot-32361.aspx Critical Analysis of The Red Badge of Courage The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane traces the effects of war on a Union soldier, Henry Fleming, from his dreams of soldiering, to his actual enlistment, and through several battles of the Civil War. Henry Fleming was not happy with his boring life on the farm. He wanted to become a hero in war and have girls loving him for his glorious achievements in battle. He knew his mother would not like to see him go to war, but it was his decision to make. He dreamed of the exiting battles of war and the thrill of fighting glorious battles. He didn’t want to stay on the farm with nothing to do, so he made the final decision to enlist. After enlisting he finds himself just sitting around with nothing to do. He manages to make friends with two other soldiers, John Wilson and Jim Conklin. Wilson was as exited about going to war as Henry, while Jim was confident about the success of the new regiment. Henry started to realize after a few days of marching, that their regiment was just wandering aimlessly, going in circles, like a vast blue demonstration. They kept marching on without purpose, direction, or fighting. Through time Henry started to think about the battles in a different way, a more close and experienced way, he started to become afraid that he might run from battle when duty calls. He felt like a servant doing whatever his superiors told him. When the regiment finally discovers a battle taking place, Jim gives Henry a little packet in a yellow envelope, telling Henry that this will be his first and last battle. The regiment managed to hold off the rebels for the first charge, but then the rebels came back like machines of steel with re-enforcements, driving the regiment back. One man started to flee, then another, and another still. Henry was scared, confused, and in a trance as he saw his forces depleting. He finally got up and started running like a proverbial chicken, which has lost the direction of safety. After running away, Henry started rationalizing his behavior after running from the enemy. At first he feels he was a stupid coward for running, then he feels he was just saving himself for later. He felt nature didn’t want him to die, even though his side 2007-01-11T05:29:10-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-The-Red-Badge-of-Courage-32360.aspx Important Elements of Orwell's 1984 Probably the most important thing to remember while reading 1984 is that Orwell never intended the book to be a prediction of the future. It was more or less a satire of political fiction, however, I believe Orwell was on the right track concerning future possibilities of a New World Order, or total government control. An interesting quotation from the book is from the "thought police" when they say "If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever." I believe Orwell's hope in writing the book was to warn people of political warning signs he saw. Another interesting characteristic I noticed about the book, was the fact that he only revealed to the reader the full names of only three characters in the book. The book features the main character, Winston Smith, who is a man in his late 30's and a member of the 'outer party' - the lower of the two classes. Winston Smith works for the government in one of the four main government buildings called the Ministry of Truth where his job is to rewrite history books in order for people not to learn what the past used to be like (the slogan of 'the party' is "who controls the past, controls the future."). As the book is beginning, Winston begins to contemplate setting himself against Big Brother and the Party, but of course is reluctant, knowing that even thinking about such a thing could easily result in his death. The three sentences sum up what the party stands for, and they are: "War is Peace" "Freedom is Slavery" "Ignorance is Strength" All appear to be oxymoron's, but make some sense once the reader has progressed through the book, for example, the term "War is Peace" has a simple, but somewhat complex explanation. The society in 1984 revolves around 3 'superstates' which are Eurasia, Eastasia, and Oceania. All of these states are in a constant state of war with one another, yet all are self contained, and require no trade with one another, and therefor do not require war as a means of economical necessity. However, it is their feeling that as long as a constant state of war is prevailing, the people will be too preoccupied with the war effort to worry about whether or not the present political system is working. The government constantly reminds the people 2007-01-11T05:15:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Important-Elements-of-Orwell-s-1984-32357.aspx Analysis of Minor Characters in Pride And Prejudice The functions of minor characters in Pride and Prejudice are very important. They add color, tone and interest to the novel, and they also add to our understanding of the main characters, reinforce the theme and advance the plot. Jane Austen develops several minor characters that help perform these functions very well. Collins and Charlotte show contrasts with Elizabeth that plays a key role in our understanding of her. Charlotte believes that “in nine cases out of ten a woman had better show more affection that she feels” and that “it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person…you are to pass the rest with.” This shows her mercenary, unemotional driven motives towards “securing” a husband, so as to secure a comfortable living. Eliz is shown on the other hand as someone who does not disregard emotion and cannot believe that Charlotte ‘sacrificed every better feeling to worldly advantage.’ This contrast helps us understand her reactions to Collin’s and Darcy’s (first) proposals later in the novel. In response to the socially elite, Collins contrasts sharply with Eliz. Collins is a groveller and will anything and everything to please the ‘great’ and ‘condescending’ Lady Catherine. Collins went to Hertfordshire because Lady Catherine told him to go find himself a wife; this shows his absolute ‘devotion’ to her. Elizabeth on the other hand judges on quality and not on ‘money and rank.’ This is shown when at Rosing’s Eliz quickly spots Lady Catherine’s faults, ‘if I had ever learnt I should have been a great proficient.’ She is never directly rude to her; this shows that she is mature and tactful. However when Lady Catherine ask Eliz her age, she doesn’t give a direct answer- ‘I am not more than one and twenty,’- much to the astonishment of Collins. Collins and Charlotte help advance the plot by getting married. Visiting Charlotte is the main purpose of her visit to Rosing’s park, and there she meets Darcy again. They also help reinforce the themes in the novel. The contrast between Eliz’s and Charlotte’s views on marriage reinforces the marriage theme. Collins and Charlottes marriage also reinforces the marriage theme. Collins and Charlotte need to marry, Charlotte because if she doesn’t she’ll become and old maid, and 2007-01-11T04:44:41-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Minor-Characters-in-Pride-And-Prejudice-32348.aspx Analysis of "A Brave New World" by Aldus Huxley The novel Brave New World is like no other in fantasy and satire. It predicts a future overpowered by technology where the people have no religion. Has Huxley written about a degrading way of life or has he discovered the key to a perfect world that should be called Utopia? This essay will show that upon close analysis the way of life in the novel is justifiable and all the precautions that are taken are needed to preserve their lifestyle. This essay will also show that however different and easily looked upon, as horrible as their lives seem to be, in actuality it is better than ours. The first argument that would contradict the fact that Brave New World is a Utopia is the government overpowering the world, causing the loss of freedom and liberty in the people. Before judging their lives the reader must ask himself one simple question: Is it really that bad? Obviously no it's not. In the novel, the people don't have to worry about having a job. One must remember that being born and raised in Utopia, one does not know what freedom is and therefore does not know what is missing. Freedom leads to happiness, and if one already possesses happiness, then there is no need for freedom, especially if your government is making sure that all your needs are satisfied. Religion plays an important role in people's lives. It represents our principles and values. Religion guides us, gives us something to believe in and a set of rules to live by. However, who is to say that one hundred years from now people will still believe and practice religion? Mustapha Mond when referring to the Holy Bible says that "they're old; they're about God hundreds of years ago. Not about God Now" (Huxley, p.237). Mustapha Mond is saying that with the evolution of time the need for religion has disappeared and has been replaced by the worship of another God who is Ford. They basically live a fulfilled life and then they die. Also thanks to their conditioning they do not fear death but accept it as a way of life. That alone is a task that our world still has not been able to accomplish. In our world we must go through the ritual of the funeral. After one has died, his family must go through 2007-01-09T04:20:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-A-Brave-New-World-quot-by-Aldus-Huxley-32326.aspx Atwood’s Personal Narration Effects Her Readers When one reads Margaret Atwood’s poetry, that which stands out most prominently is her intensely personal style of narration. Her style is both inviting and revealing which aides in creating an intimate relationship with the reader. This narration allows Atwood to befriend and beguile readers with her use of easy, everyday speech and soothing story-like themes while also enabling her to tackle larger and more pressing social issues. As an ardent feminist, the technical aspects of Atwood’s poetry reflect her concerns for matters such as equality for women and the need to challenge social norms. Most concretely, these concerns are voiced through her usage of style, tone, punctuation and word choice. The three poems that I will be analyzing, “This Is a Photograph of Me,” “They Eat Out,” and from Circe/Mud Poems “Men With the Heads of Eagles” each focus on this theme of feminism and achieve their goals through the employment of Atwood’s graceful and calming tone. Yet, by guiding the reader gently and not didactically, Atwood subtly introduces her concerns without the noise and clamor oft associated with her cause. Atwood’s easy-going, colloquial tone is perhaps best exemplified by her titles. Her titles, “This Is a Photograph of Me,” “They Eat Out,” and from Circe/Mud Poems “Men With the Heads of Eagles,” all aspire to create a friendly relationship with the reader. In the case of the title of “This is a Photograph of me,” Atwood manages to combine emotions of self-indulgence, pride, and optimism with the naiveté of a young child to create an audience that is spellbound by the precociousness of this child. The very capitalization of the word “is” underscores Atwood’s efforts to create this type of relationship. By capitalizing “is,” Atwood makes what seems to be a grammatical mistake, a mistake one might expect from the writings of a precocious youth. Likewise, the title, “They Eat Out,” seeks to produce the warm and inviting atmosphere of a friendly dinner. While the phrase “eat out” seems harsh and caustic, Atwood uses this terminology because of its colloquial value. By using this phrase, Atwood mimics the language patterns of friends and family seeking a quick meal, and thereby creates a similarly warm and caring environment. With 2007-01-09T04:15:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Atwood’s-Personal-Narration-Effects-Her-Readers-32324.aspx Admiration in "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison Toni Morrison’s novel, The Bluest Eye, illustrates the negative effects of white cultural domination on the African American society post-World War I. The Bluest Eye portrays the life of Pecola Breedlove, a poor black girl with an extremely difficult life. Pecola is constantly picked on by her peers, lives in an abusive home, and is constantly being reminded of her “ugliness.” Pecola lives a life of disappointments and unfulfilled dreams. She eventually loses her sanity and becomes the perfect example, to the reader, of what the entire African American society was put through during her time period. Toni Morrison is able to better exemplify the consequences of white cultural domination through three of her characters, Cholly, Pauline, and Pecola. One day in his teenage years Cholly was having sex with a girl named Darlene in the forest when suddenly two white men appeared and commanded that they continue while they watched. While he was initially angry with Darlene for this innocent because she was the one “who bore witness to his failure and embarrassment” (151) his “in time discover his hatred of the white man”(151). It was at this moment that Cholly’s own self destruction began. It was the incident in forest that destroyed his self-worth because it was in fact when he was “rapped” by white power. Before the white men appeared at the scene he was in complete control of what was going on, everything was under his own power, but when the men appeared he no longer had control, in fact all he had was fear, the domination of that moment was usurped by the white men. At this moment when Cholly realized that there was nothing in the world to have power, until Pecola was born. Throughout Pecola’s life Cholly never paid any attention to her. He dismissed his own daughter, just as the rest of society did, as an ugly black without feelings or even a personality. That is until he realized that Pecola was the only thing that he could actually have control over. He knew that despite everything he did Pecola still loved him. He used this power and dominance in a very negative way, he rapes his daughter, which eventually gets her pregnant. His whole life Cholly knew that he 2007-01-09T04:08:07-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Admiration-in-quot-The-Bluest-Eye-quot-by-Toni-Morrison-32322.aspx Comparing Paul’s Case and A Man who Was Almost a Man Cather and Wright have both written stories about young adults who could not fit or did not want to fit in their environments. Both stories show how the conflict between the young men and their environments develops and what they do deal with it. Their actions may seem similar; they both run off somewhere in hopes of finding a better life. But despite the similarities the two stories use space and time very differently to prove their points. And the points themselves are very different. So A Man Who Was Almost a Man and Paul’s Case are two very different stories that seem similar on the outside because of the way they are written and the way their authors used plots. In Paul’s Case Paul has many spaces. The story starts off with showing his school space. It is oppressing. The teachers hate him and want to get rid of him. He cannot study well because he cannot focus. The school also gets to him by being blank plain and ordinary. The teachers have no real physical reason not to like him. He is not paying any attention, but most of the students are like that. It is just his attitude that puts them off and he cannot change it. His other space is his home. That space is so poor and colorless it is almost intolerable for Paul. He cannot learn to like it, he cannot learn to get along with his father because his goal is money and it comes before his quality of life or his son. So Paul’s home space is also intolerable for him. Paul does have some spaces he likes. The theatre where he works as an usher is not as poor as everything else around him. It has color, it has class and it has magic. The problem with the theatre is that every time Paul visits it he finds it even harder to go back to his usual gray world. Another little space Paul has is with his actor friend. His company gives him a glimpse of the life he longs for. But generally the spaces he has are very far from what he wants them to be. Paul wants color and life but all he can only have it in small doses and at a great price. So he cannot change 2007-01-09T04:05:51-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Paul’s-Case-and-A-Man-who-Was-Almost-a-Man-32321.aspx Comparing Shaekspeare Characters Macbeth and Claudius The conscience is very powerful. It can either lead one in the right direction, or when ignored, can be the very cause of one’s ultimate destruction. When listened to, the conscience gives a clear evaluation of one’s current status. It will then lead one to the correct, moral decision. At this point, and there are many of these points during the course of a lifetime, one’s life can be significantly altered. One could make the conscious decision to not follow one’s conscience and therefore suffer the consequences, or listen to his conscience and reap the benefits. If one has chosen to ignore the numerous warnings by his conscience, thus will begin one’s downfall until the next point. After ignoring the conscience, it does not leave the mind. On the contrary, it stays with that person and proceeds to make the person see the wrong in the injustice he has done. The next decision made is an important one. He could realize his wrongdoing and repent, or he could allow himself to be tormented by his conscience. This torment will cause him to continue making decisions that oppose his conscience. Thus is the eternal decision by both Macbeth and Claudius. Throughout Hamlet and Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth and Claudius experience torment by their conscience for treasonous murders committed in vain, against Duncan and Hamlet Sr., and this torment introduces them to a life of guilt and loneliness. Macbeth visits the three weird sisters, and they predict that he will become King. What should have been a grand prediction, innocently shared with his wife, turned out to be a moment he will live to regret. Macbeth says, “If the assassination/could trammel up the consequence, and catch/with his surcease, success, that but this blow/might be the be-all and end-all here” (I, xi, 2-5). He obviously realizes that this decision, going against his own beliefs, will only bring about ill aftereffects. Macbeth can see that he will never escape this judgment; if the wrong decision is made, it will be with him eternally. More importantly though, he realizes that it is a decision, which means he “still (has) judgment here” (I, xi, 8) and therefore is not being forced to go against his conscience. Macbeth consciously decides, 2007-01-09T02:53:08-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Shaekspeare-Characters-Macbeth-and-Claudius-32317.aspx Analysis of "The Minister’s Black Veil-Character" I chose to write on Hawthorne’s, The Minister’s Black Veil. I considered the character’s in the story intriguing, from the mystery they portrayed. The characters in this story, and any story, consist of a protagonist and an antagonist. Some label the protagonist as the good guy, or “white hat,” and the antagonist the bad guy, or “black hat.” The protagonist in this story was Mr. Hooper. He was the town reverend, and everyone listened to his word on every Sabbath day. The people of the town were frightened and astonished by the black veil he wore, but he was still the same person underneath the veil. He was not intending to harm anyone. So, I felt I could label him the protagonist of the story. I also believed that veil itself was a form of a protagonist. The veil was placed there, not to scare the people, but to block the evil in the world that Mr. Hooper was infected with, or hiding from. The town’s people considered the veil evil instantly. They did not even attempt to ask the reverend why he wore the veil, so they were never informed on the true meaning. Instead of asking why he wore it, they wondered and made assumptions. There was no single antagonist in this story. The whole community, from his fiancee, Elizabeth, to the sexton, down to Reverend Mr. Clark, who wished Mr. Hooper his final blessings before his passing. The whole town deemed Mr. Hooper as this man of evil and dark mystery. They turned Mr. Hooper away, and looked at him as a freak show, not as the melancholy Reverend he once was. The way Hooper was shut out from his community was part of the demise of the Reverend. When he walked out of his church, he saw children playing, and like always he gave kind notice to the children. Instead of acknowledging the Reverend, the children ran in fear. That tore at Mr. Hooper. He was also hurt by the leaving of his love, Elizabeth, who wouldn’t stay with him through such desperate times. If the community had tried to understand why the man decided to wear a piece of crape over his face, instead of tearing him apart, 2007-01-09T02:49:40-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Minister’s-Black-Veil-Character-quot-32316.aspx Casy as a Christ Figure in the Grapes Of Wrath In the novel, The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck brings to the reader a variety of diverse and greatly significant characters. However, the majority of each characters’ individuality happens to lie within what they symbolize in the microcosm of the Joad family and their acquaintances, which itself stands for the entire migrant population of the Great Depression era. One such character is that of Jim Casey, a former preacher and long-time friend of the Joads. In this story, Casey represents a latter-day Christ figure who longs to bring religious stability to the burgeon of migrant families facing West. Steinbeck manages to give Jim Casey the exact initials as the historical savior (J.C.), which allows the reader to latch onto this connection from the beginning. Yet, Casey’s relation to Christ goes beyond such mere coincidences, and plays out rather in their similar plans of action. One of the many similarities between Casey and Christ is that Casey had also drifted out to the forests in order to “soul-search” and discover the answers to sometimes hidden questions. In this particular situation, Casey himself states the comparison of Christ’s and his actions while giving a grace at the Joad’s breakfast table, “...I been in the hills, thinkin’, almost you might say like Jesus went into the wilderness to think His way out of a mess of troubles” (Steinbeck ch.8). Casey further goes on during his rather rambling grace, “I got tired like Him...I got mixed up like Him...I went into the wilderness like Him, without no campin’ stuff” (Steinbeck ch.8). With Casey’s character openly admitting, without seeming conceited, that he and Jesus Christ are in some way similar, it continues to bluntly let the reader come to realize that Casey was indeed meant to be the Christ figure of this book. Yet another similarity between Jim Casey and Jesus Christ can be seen when Casey decides to venture off and join a union group in order to prevent strike wages from falling even farther. This represents the event of Jesus Christ and his faithful disciples, traveling with him in an effort to spread their beliefs throughout the people as a whole. In addition, there were many people who wanted to follow Christ and his quest, yet they declined due to fear of persecution, just as the migrant workers feared an upset of government retaliation 2007-01-09T02:42:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Casy-as-a-Christ-Figure-in-the-Grapes-Of-Wrath-32314.aspx Murder Tragedy of "All My Sons" Throughout literature works of tragedy have been significant, for example, Hamlet or King Lear. Their plots were generally tragic, but the themes introduced such as the tragic hero brought up deep ideas that could be discussed and thought about extensively. One problem with modern literature is that very few tragedies have been written. One of the few authors that did write tragedies was Arthur Miller. He even wrote an essay commenting on the lack of modern tragedies, believing this to be because people thought they were “fit only for the very highly placed, the kings or the kingly” . He believed that the “common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were.” From this belief he wrote several tragedies that won him awards and respect from his peers. One such tragedy was All My Sons, which was about the lies and immorality of a man and the resulting actions and consequences. The themes presented-dishonesty and immorality-intensify the tragic mood of the play. These themes are developed due to the actions of one man, Joe Keller, who could be a considered a tragic man. These negative themes that are brought up by the actions of Joe Keller, the tragic man, prove why this play is a modern tragedy. The themes in All My Sons are mainly derived from the concept of morals, the laws that man follows through our conscience. One of the themes that branches out from this is morality, the principles about human life. This theme is evident when related to the Keller family, where a conflict between morality and the loss of it takes place. Joe Keller, the father of the Keller family, was responsible for sending out faulty cylinder heads during World War 2, which resulted in the deaths of 21 fighter pilots. He believed those deaths were justified, because he kept his business, which in turn kept his family fed and healthy “You lay forty years into a business and they knock you out in five minutes, what could I do…Chris, I did it for you…For you, a business for you!” (All My Sons, pg. 69,70). His wife, Kate Keller, supported him because if he was responsible for those deaths then he could have been responsible for his sons death, Larry 2007-01-09T02:31:41-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Murder-Tragedy-of-quot-All-My-Sons-quot-32310.aspx Comparing the Merchant of Venice and a Mid-Summer Nigth's Dream William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are two comedies. A comedy is a “drama that provokes laughter at human behavior, usually involves romantic love, and usually has a happy ending” (Boyce 119). While both plays have romance and happy endings, they differ in the mood they set throughout the play. William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are different because The Merchant of Venice is a dark comedy because of the anti-semitism, Antonio’s close call with death, and Shylock’s tragic ending whereas A Midsummer Night’s Dream is light-hearted because it involves fairies, has a funny climax, and everyone has a happy ending. The Merchant of Venice has very anti-semetic undertones. Shylock, the moneylender, is Jewish, greedy, and seen as murderous and inhuman. Throughout most of the play, Shylock is referred to as “the Jew” but he is also referred to as an animal. Gratiano refers to Shylock when he says, “O be thou damned, inexecrable dog!” (IV, I, 128) and is also referred to as “currish spirit govern’d a wolf” (IV, I, 133-134) and whose “desires are wolvish, bloody, starved, and ravenous” (IV, I, 137-138). Stirling says, “These labels that are applied to shylock effectively strip him of his humanity, and his religious identity. He becomes reduced to something less than human” (Stirling). Shylock is also portrayed as murderous. People don’t like Shylock because of the way he deals with people. This is shown through his lines against Antonio because he knows Antonio is trapped in a contract with him and Shylock intends to kill him. Shylock’s daughter Jessica tells Antonio that she overheard her father say, “When I was with him I have heard him swear to Tubal and to Chus, his countrymen, That he would rather have Antonio’s flesh than twenty times the value of the sum” (III, ii, 248-2488). He is so intent on Antonio’s ruin that when he hears of Antonio’s financial disappointment, he says, “I’m very glad of it. I’ll plague him, I’ll torture him, I am glad of it” (III, I, 116-117). During his trial, at the end of the play, the Christians finally take half of his money and force him to convert. Boyce comments on Shylocks fate saying, “He 2007-01-09T02:24:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-the-Merchant-of-Venice-and-a-Mid-Summer-Nigth-s-Dr-32308.aspx Character Roles in the Joy Luck Club In the novel, The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, the characters Suyuan and Jing-Mei Woo have a mother-daughter relationship confused with scattered conflict, but ultimately composed of deep love and commitment for one another. Because of drastic differences in the environments in which they were raised and in their life experiences, these two women have some opposing ideas and beliefs. This, and their lack of communication are responsible for many of the problems they face in their relationship. These conflicts are only resolved when June learns about her mother’s past. The way that their relationship develops, and the conflicts June and Suyuan face, reveal some of the themes that Amy Tan intends for the readers to learn. These themes concern such topics as finding our life’s importance, making choices, and understanding ourselves and our families. Most of the conflicts that June and her mother face are based on misunderstandings and negligence concerning each other’s feelings and beliefs. June does not understand or even fully know her mother because she does not know about her tragic past and t he pain she still feels from the memory of it. Because Suyuan lost two daughters in China, and her entire family was killed in the war, she leaves this place behind her and places all of her hopes in America and her family there. She wants the very best f or her daughter June. Even her name, Suyuan, meaning "long-cherished wish," speaks of this hope for Jing-Mei, meaning "the pure, essential, best quality younger sister." Suyuan tells her daughter June that she can be anything she wants to be, and that she has great talent. At first June is excited and dreams about what she will become: "In all my imaginings, I was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect. My mother and father would adore me. I would be beyond reproach. I would never feel the n eed to sulk for anything." (p. 143) Suyuan pushes June to be successful in many different areas such as dance, academics, trivia, and piano. After failing to excel at each task set before her, June begins to feel more and more resentment towards her mother. She sees her mother’s hopes as expectations, and when she does not live up to these, she feels like a failure. The final incident, when June performs a piano piece filled 2007-01-09T02:20:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Roles-in-the-Joy-Luck-Club-32306.aspx Analyzing "Dr. Strangelove" General Jack Ripper introduced the knowledge of a Russian plot to rob American citizens of their precious bodily fluids to us. Believing that he is the only man to stop this conspiracy he takes matters into his own hands and breeches national security through a loophole in the nuclear safety precautions. General Ripper orders all B-52’s under his command to proceed to their Russian targets. Unfortunately the U.S is completely unaware of the ‘Doomsday Devise.’ If an U.S. bomb is to hit a Soviet Union sight then the whole world will reach a state of universal Armageddon. The film cleverly cuts to the bomb-group commanders in a sealed off Air-Force command base. A huge graphic display of the locations of U.S. B-52’s in Russia light with the process they make to their targets. The president and his staff of Advisers try to brake the hold General Ripper has over the planes to stop nuclear world destruction. President Muffley deliberates with the wheel chair bound German nuclear scientist, Dr. Strangelove, a former Nazi who works on weapon strategies. Strangelove is unable to control his arm, which jumps to attention at ‘inopportune’ moments. After the suicide of General Ripper, British exchange officer, Lionel Mandrake, is able to take control of the base and discover the code to recall the B-52 bombers. Yet one bomber had their radio damaged and was unreachable. Resistant to admit defeat the crew of the “Leper Colony” flies under the radar of Soviets and miraculously reaches a target. Yet unluckily, the missile doors are jammed and Major Kong, the head of the bomber crew, must unlock the doors by hot wiring the door controls and finally riding the bomb down to target ground. The movie ends with several shots of mushroom clouds set to the sound of World War II music, “We’ll Meet Again.” General Jack D. Ripper is one of the foremost characters that spring to mind when thinking of complex characters. He is one of the most adamant in voicing his degrading opinions of women. He believes that water fluoridation is a “Communist plot to sap and impurify our precious bodily fluids.” When Ripper is asked by Mandrake as to how he came develop this theory he replies (rather embarrassed) “during the physical act of making 2007-01-09T02:17:10-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analyzing-quot-Dr_-Strangelove-quot-32305.aspx Synopsis and Analysis of the Novel Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein had a wonderful life as a child. He was loving and cared deeply for his family. At the age of thirteen the works of Cornelius Agrippa fascinated him. His father called it ’sad trash’, which only fuelled his curiosity and enthusiasm ‘the fatal impulse that led to my ruin.’ His thirst for knowledge of science continued for two years until he witnessed the total destruction of a tree in a thunderstorm. The explanation of electricity shattered all of his ideas and concepts that he thought he knew and completely turned him against any more science. He decided to stick to maths studies ‘but it was ineffectual. Destiny was too potent and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction.’ The reader is given a sense of doom even at this stage in his life. When his mother died he was devastated, his initial grief and disbelief gave way to a determination and an aim in life, which was to find out a new life form that would be stronger and smarter and would not die from disease. At university his interest in chemistry soon became apparent, almost to obsession. He tirelessly and relentlessly studied ‘ change from life to death, and death to life, until from the midst of this darkness a sudden light broke in upon me’ Frankenstein was staggered that he ‘alone should be reserved to discover so astonishing a secret.’ He genuinely believed that he had the ability and knowledge, fuelled from the fantasies that he had read as a young boy to become the creator of life. Feeling completely rational and justified in his work Frankenstein states “Remember, I am not recording the vision of a madman.” This statement gives the reader the impression that he is trying to justify himself. He worked night and day until ‘I succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life; nay more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter.’ His passion to succeed and feelings that ‘a new species would bless as its creator and source.’ There were moments when his conscience surfaced ‘often did my human nature turn with loathing from my occupation, but his feelings ‘like a hurricane’ to create a ‘being of a gigantic stature.’ Frankenstein worked to the point of exhaustion for the next few years ‘for the sole point of infusing life into 2007-01-08T22:35:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-and-Analysis-of-the-Novel-Frankenstein-32301.aspx The Great Depression in The Grapes of Wrath During the early 1930s, a severe drought destroyed a massive amount of farmer’s agriculture particularly in western Oklahoma. By the mid-1930s, the drought had ruined most family farms, and America had fallen into the Great Depression. The farmers unable to pay banks or keep up with the industry competition forced many Dust Bowl farmers to leave their land. In the novel The Grapes of Wrath written by John Steinbeck , he tells the story of a families struggle to move to the west. This novel explores the Great Depression through social and economic conditions through the eyes of the Joad family. Into the lonely country of Oklahoma Tom Joads walked down a silent road back towards his home. Tom Joads was just released from the McAlester State Penitentiary where he served four years for a manslaughter conviction. He hitches a ride with a trucker. The trucker tells Tom that a lot has changed while he has been gone and is surprised to hear that Tom’s farm hasn’t been “fractured out”. The trucker drops him off and Tom is on his way down his road. He meets Jim Casey, a former preacher who has lost his call on becoming a preacher. Casey talks to Tom and asks Tom if he could come along with him. Tom enjoys his company and they walk to the farm. When they approach the farm no one is to be found. An old neighbor named Muley Graves wanders by and tells them that everyone has been forced off their land. Muley tells them most families including his have left to California to look for work. Muley also tells them that the Joad clan is at Tom’s Uncle John’s house. Tom finds Ma and Pa Joad packing up the families things. His parents were very surprised to see and are happy he is home. He tells them his out on parole and didn’t break out illegally. The family is on their way to California to start a better life. Steinbeck introduces the reader to Joad family at this time. Pa Joad is Tom’s father who has been evicted from his farm. Ma Joad is the mother and acts as healer of the family. Tom’s two youngest siblings Ruthie and Winfield are dependent on each other and don’t really understand everything that is going on. Rose of Sharon, another sister, is married 2007-01-08T22:28:51-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Depression-in-The-Grapes-of-Wrath-32299.aspx Rhetorical Analysis of "Sidewalk Chalk: Kurt Wenner’s New Classicism" “Sidewalk Chalk: Kurt Wenner’s New Classicism” by Jesse Hernandez who writes one article for each issue of Juxtapoz, which is released every six months. In the 2002 January/ February edition of this elaborate art magazine Hernandez stumbled across a remarkable sidewalk artist with the taste for classicism art. Classicism art is created from the ancient mythological period or classical era. It’s the beginning for art itself. In Hernandez’s article he gets to talk face to face with the artist. Hernandez gives a feeling to the readers as if they were interviewing him themselves. In Hernandez’s article he focuses his 32 questions that will bring out Wenner’s thoughts, feelings, and work put into the classicism art that he demonstrates to the public streets today. Hernandez starts off by letting the readers know that, just by being told about Wenner’s work does not compare to actually laying eyes on it for yourself. Hernandez is emotionally moved as he learns of a “new version of street smarts” he realizes that pavement surfaces are not just only to be walked on. This is a reason that prompts Hernandez to inform the general public or art enthusiasts that great talent can lie on streets all over the world. Hernandez writes of Wenner’s work with a desire to know more about Classicism. Hernandez takes a look at the interest of the classicism movement through Wenner’s eyes. After learning classicism structure and traditions he moves on to different ways erosion takes its play at Wenner’s work. Wenner answers by telling Hernandez that wind, dirt, sun, and public traffic do wear away his work. The artist then goes on to explain that it is all a part of performance art. This is where Wenner, makes a comparison by saying, “ It’s very much like attending a symphony. When the music ends, everyone leaves with a memory of the music.” That’s essentially what it’s all about. Looking at the majestic work can only leave an impression in your mind. Hernandez is being beneficial to Wenner by opening the eyes of many people to such a unique art, before it has the chance to fade away. Hernandez is dealing with a man who is bringing back old classical art as the new version “classicism.” Which, is a style that isn’t performed or taught any more, but still carries 2007-01-08T22:26:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Rhetorical-Analysis-of-quot-Sidewalk-Chalk-quot-32298.aspx Examples of Revenge in Hamlet Revenge causes one to act blindly through anger, rather than through reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye, but this principle is not always an intelligent theory to live by. Young Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet were all looking to avenge the deaths of their fathers. They all acted on emotion, and this led to the downfall of two, and the rise to power of one. Since the Heads of the three major families were each murdered, the eldest sons of these families swore vengeance, and two of the three sons died while exacting their acts of vengeance, revenge is a major theme in the Tragedy of Hamlet. There were three major families in the Tragedy of Hamlet. These were the family of King Fortinbras, the family of Polonius, and the family of King Hamlet. The heads of each of these families are all slaughtered within the play. Fortinbras, King of Norway, was killed by King Hamlet; slain by sword during a man to man battle. "…our valiant Hamlet-for so this side of our known world esteem'd him-did slay this Fortinbras." This entitled King Hamlet to the land that was possessed by Fortinbras because it was written in a seal'd compact. Polonius was an advisor to the King, and father to Laertes and Ophelia. He was nosy and arrogant, and he did not trust his children. He was killed by Young Hamlet while he was eves dropping on a conversation between Hamlet and his mother. "How now! A rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead!" King Hamlet was the King of Denmark, and Hamlet's father. He had killed King Fortinbras, only to be killed by his brother, Claudius. "…My offense is rank, it smells to heaven; A brother's murder…" Each of these events effected the sons of the deceased in the same way, it enraged them. Every one of the three eldest sons had one thing in common, they all wanted revenge for a slaughtered father. In the time in which this play is set, avenging the murder of a father was part of one's honor, and had to be done. All of the three sons swore vengeance, and then acted towards getting revenge for the deaths of their fathers. Young Fortinbras was deeply enraged by the death of his father, and he wanted revenge against Denmark because of this occurrence. 2007-01-08T22:24:32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examples-of-Revenge-in-Hamlet-32297.aspx Discrimination in "Of Mice and Men" by Steinbeck Discrimination is not just based on skin color, but also on age and gender. A book that shows this is John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, a story about two friends, that have a dream to live on there own farm, Lenny and George, who go to a farm where they see discrimination first hand. The victims of discrimination in this novel are: Crooks, a black stable buck; Curly’s Wife, the farm owner’s neglected daughter-in-law; and Candy, an old, disabled housekeeper. The most obvious form of discrimination is skin color. Crooks is discriminated because of his skin color. “They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink.”(pg. 34) This quote illustrates how the boys on the farm won’t allow Crooks to play cards because he’s black. They discriminate against him by having him live in a little shack across from the “bunkhouse.” Nobody ever really goes into his shack “…You go on get outa my room. I ain't wanted in the bunkhouse…”(pg. 33). This quote shows how he isn’t allowed to live in the bunkhouse. These incidents clearly prove that Crooks has been discriminated against. Curly’s wife is the only woman on the farm. Everybody makes fun of her. "Know what I think?" George did not answer. "Well, I think Curley's married... a tart." (pg. 14). No one ever wants to talk to her because she’s a woman, “Ain't I got a right to talk to nobody? Whatta they think I am, anyways?” (pg. 43). She’s not aloud to talk to anyone because everybody thinks she’s a tart. They don’t even know what she’s like and they judge her with no evidence. They just think she’s bad because she’s a woman and that’s prejudice. Clearly Curly’s wife is a victim of discrimination. The Man discriminated by his age is Candy; he’s got a smelly, old, weak dog. The boys at the farm don’t like the dog any more because it’s useless. “…Why'n't you get Candy to shoot his old dog…” (pg. 17) This makes Candy think what will happen if I become useless, will they shoot me to? It makes one wonder, who cares if he’s old and useless he’s a human being and no one has the right to kill another no matter how old they are. They always think he’s unable to do things 2007-01-08T22:09:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Discrimination-in-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-by-Steinbeck-32295.aspx Quotation Analysis of Key Lines in King Lear King Lear, by William Shakespeare, is a tragic tale of filial conflict, personal transformation, and loss. The story revolves around the King who foolishly alienates his only truly devoted daughter and realizes too late the true nature of his other two daughters. A major subplot involves the illegitimate son of Gloucester, Edmund, who plans to discredit his brother Edgar and betray his father. With these and other major characters in the play, Shakespeare clearly asserts that human nature is either entirely good, or entirely evil. Some characters experience a transformative phase, where by some trial or ordeal their nature is profoundly changed. We shall examine Shakespeare's stand on human nature in King Lear by looking at specific characters in the play: Cordelia who is wholly good, Edmund who is wholly evil, and Lear whose nature is transformed by the realization of his folly and his descent into madness. The play begins with Lear, an old king ready for retirement, preparing to divide the kingdom among his three daughters. Lear has his daughters compete for their inheritance by judging who can proclaim their love for him in the grandest possible fashion. Cordelia finds that she is unable to show her love with mere words: "Cordelia. [Aside] What shall Cordelia speak? Love, and be silent." Act I, scene i, lines 63-64. Cordelia's nature is such that she is unable to engage in even so forgivable a deception as to satisfy an old king's vanity and pride, as we see again in the following quotation: "Cordelia. [Aside] Then poor cordelia! And not so, since I am sure my love's More ponderous than my tongue. " Act I, Scene i, lines 78-80. Cordelia clearly loves her father, and yet realizes that her honesty will not please him. Her nature is too good to allow even the slightest deviation from her morals. An impressive speech similar to her sisters' would have prevented much tragedy, but Shakespeare has crafted Cordelia such that she could never consider such an act. Later in the play Cordelia, now banished for her honesty, still loves her father and displays great compassion and grief for him as we see in the following: "Cordelia. O my dear father, restoration hang Thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss Repair those violent harms that my two sisters Have in reverence made." Act IV, Scene vii, 2007-01-08T22:02:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Quotation-Analysis-of-Key-Lines-in-King-Lear-32293.aspx The Notion of Beauty in Bronte's Jane Eyre The notion of beauty, what it is and whether it is an inner or outward quality, has been long debated. For centuries people, and particularly women, have struggled with the concept of their own inner beauty as something as important, if not more important than their outward, physical beauty. This is no less true in literature. The idea of female inner beauty has not always been valued. In Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, the protagonist, Jane, rejects her own outer beauty in favour of nurturing her intellect, her humility and those other inner qualities that she herself views as beautiful. She respects her wisdom and philosophy before any of her physical attributes, partly because of her need as a child to read, partly from the lessons she is taught. The ideas she embraces as a child regarding outer beauty are reinforced as they reappear in her adulthood. For the duration of novel, Jane lives in five homes. In each, the suggestion of inner beauty overshadowing exterior appearance becomes a lesson, built upon over time, and in her last home she gains her reward, a man who loves her solely for her mind. Jane Eyre spends the first part of her childhood at her Aunt's house, where she struggles to become more intelligent through reading. Jane always has a burning need to learn, despite her cousin’s insistence, “You have no business to read our books; you are a dependent” (pg. 42). Jane perseveres. Rather than give up, she requests Gulliver’s Travels from the library. Upon its receipt, Jane comments, “This book I had again and again perused with delight” (pg. 53). While her quest for self improvement is met always with criticism and opposition from her cousins, Jane continues to have a thirst for knowledge. She may be treated like an outcast by her family, but she rejects their criticism through self-improvement, reading whenever she possibly can. The next location that Jane calls home is the Lowood Institution. Jane spends the next six years of her life there, learning to be an intelligent and morally stringent person, while remaining outwardly plain. Here, the lessons in outer and inner beauty lie in the hands of Mr. Brocklehurst, who is the institutions main benefactor. When he sees a girl with hair that is 2007-01-08T21:58:40-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Notion-of-Beauty-in-Bronte-s-Jane-Eyre-32292.aspx Character Analysis of Guy Montag in "Fahrenheit 451" Guy Montag is a fireman who burns books in a futuristic American city. In Montag's world, firemen start fires rather than putting them out. The people in this society do not read books, enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations. Instead, they drive very fast, watch excessive amounts of television on wall-size sets, and listen to the radio on "Seashell Radio" sets attached to their ears. Montag encounters a gentle seventeen-year-old girl named Clarisse McClellan, who opens his eyes to the emptiness of his life with her innocently penetrating questions and her unusual love of people and nature. Over the next few days, Montag experiences a series of disturbing events. First, his wife, Mildred, attempts suicide by swallowing a bottle of sleeping pills. Then, when he responds to an alarm that an old woman has a stash of hidden literature, the woman shocks him by choosing to be burned alive along with her books. A few days later, he hears that Clarisse has been killed by a speeding car. Montag's dissatisfaction with his life increases, and he begins to search for a solution in a stash of books that he has stolen from his own fires and hidden inside an air-conditioning vent. When Montag fails to show up for work, his fire chief, Beatty, pays a visit to his house. Beatty explains that it's normal for a fireman to go through a phase of wondering what books have to offer, and he delivers a dizzying monologue explaining how books came to be banned in the first place. According to Beatty, special-interest groups and other "minorities" objected to books that offended them. Soon, books all began to look the same, as writers tried to avoid offending anybody. This was not enough, however, and society as a whole decided to simply burn books rather than permit conflicting opinions. Beatty tells Montag to take twenty-four hours or so to see if his stolen books contain anything worthwhile and then turn them in for incineration. Montag begins a long and frenzied night of reading. Overwhelmed by the task of reading, Montag looks to his wife for help and support, but she prefers television to her husband's company and cannot understand why he would want to take the terrible risk of reading books. He remembers that he once met a retired English professor named Faber sitting 2007-01-08T21:21:55-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Guy-Montag-in-Fahrenheit-451-32287.aspx Analysis of the Literary Classic : The Hobbit “The Hobbit” was originally written in 1937 by the brilliant author J.R.R. Tolkien. He was an Englishmen, scholar, and most importantly a great father. He decided to write a book for his son because he loved to write, and his son loved hearing about adventure, and fantasy. His answer was “The Hobbit”, a charming book which had a little Hobbit named Bilbo for the main character. This novel took Tolkien a very long time to write, and finally paid off when he showed it to his family, and friends who enjoyed it so he decided to have it published. Today The Hobbit is still read widespread around the world, and is becoming the new craze, along with The Lord of the Ring due to the production of the movie “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”. “The Hobbit” is considered a literary classic due to many aspects of the novel, and due to the use of characterization, symbolism, and the chosen settings. There are many characters in “The Hobbit” that are important to the storyline, but none as important as Bilbo Baggins, and Gandalf. Bilbo Baggins is a Hobbit from Hobbiton, a place where the “respectable” Hobbits live. They never go on any adventures, and are happy with eating six meals a day, and tending to their beautiful gardens. One day Gandalf went to Bilbo’s house, and with the help of thirteen dwarves, persuaded him to accompany them on their journey to The Misty Mountains, home of Smaug the dragon. When Bilbo started off on the journey he was afraid, unsure of what would happen, felt insignificant, wanted to go home and be left alone, and was quite a pushover. “I wish I was home in my nice hole by the fire, with the kettle just beginning to sing!” (“The Hobbit” p. 31) Throughout the novel Bilbo’s character changes significantly. He seems to “grow up” emotionally, and physically. Tolkien used Bilbo as the main character because he related to the reader, his son. It makes sense that he would choose a small being that resembles a child to be the main character. The “growing up” of Bilbo relates to his son because he is going through the same thing. He is a child who is afraid, and unsure when something new, 2007-01-08T21:11:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-Literary-Classic-The-Hobbit-32285.aspx Story Development of the Old Man and the Sea The story of the Old Man and the Sea has to do with Santiago against nature and the sea. In this part of the story, he goes out and fights nature in the form of terrible forces and dangerous creatures, among them, a marlin, sharks and hunger. He starts the story in a small skiff and moves out in a journey to capture a fish after a long losing streak of eighty-four days. Unfortunately his friend must desert him due to this problem and a greater force, his parents. Santiago must go out into the danger alone. For three harsh days and nights he fights a fish of enormous power. This is the second form of nature he must conquer. Earlier in the story, the first part of nature is himself, for which he must fight off his hunger. This is a harsh part of the story. He manages though to get a few bites in the form of flying fish and dolphin of which he would like to have salt on. This part of the story tells of a cold and harsh sea, that is, one that has value and mystery as well as death and danger. It has commercial value as well as the population of life in it. It is dark and treacherous though, and every day there is a challenge. A similar story tells about a tidal pool with life called `Cannery Road'. This part of the story has to deal with figures of Christ. It mainly deals with Santiago as being a figure of Christ and other characters as props, that is, characters which carry out the form of biblical themes. On the day before he leaves when he wakes up, Manolin, his helper, comes to his aid with food and drink. Also a point that might be good is that he has had bad luck with his goal for a great period of time and is sure it will work this time. Later, though, when Santiago needs him for the quest he sets out to do, Manolin deserts him, although he may not have wanted to at this time. In the novel Santiago comes upon a force bigger than his skiff, the marlin which misleads him out far past his intended reach. This is where he starts to lose his strength against something which seems a 2007-01-08T20:43:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Story-Development-of-the-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-32277.aspx [size=18:179de83dba][color=blue:179de83dba]Ernest Hemingway: A Studio Photographer in designing the scenes of “The Old Man and the Sea”[/color:179de83dba][/size:179de83dba] [size=14:179de83dba]Instructor: Dr. Anani by: Ali Noorani[/size:179de83dba] [size=9:179de83dba]Fall 2006 English Language and Literature Department Shahid Beheshti University[/size:179de83dba] [size=18:179de83dba]Proposal[/size:179de83dba] Ernest Hemingway: A Studio Photographer in designing the scenes of “The Old Man and the Sea” In this paper I’m going to interpret a novel by Ernest Hemingway, using the major quality of studio photography. As my fellow literature students who are interested in photography and motion pictures know, in studio photography everything except the subject matter is removed from the frame and what you see in the picture is a clear-cut photo without any chaos in the background. Having in mind the fact that Hemingway was a journalist I assume that this quality can best be seen in “The Old Man and the Sea”. [size=18:179de83dba]Introduction[/size:179de83dba] Exploring Hemingway’s “hard-boiled” style and examining his writing of The Old Man and the Sea with the skills used in studio photography is the major subject of this paper. Hemingway through away the grand adjectives and all the sighs, sobs and cries, which were the basic tool of all sentimental writers, like trash. The slang word "hard-boiled", used to describe characters and works of art, was a product of twentieth century warfare. To be "hard-boiled" meant to be unfeeling, callous, coldhearted, cynical, rough, without sentiment. Later to become a literary term, the word originated in American Army World War I training camps, and has been in common, colloquial usage since about 1930. Contemporary literary criticism regarded Ernest Hemingway’s works as marked by his use of this style; however, his style is the only aspect that deserves this epithet, and even that is ambiguous. Now let us get down to basics, concentrate on one main feature in his literary style, and then turn to studio photography, its principles and its application on Hemingway’s Nobel Prize Winner: The Old Man and the Sea. [size=18:179de83dba]An outlook on the two fields[/size:179de83dba] Studio photography Studio photography is easy because you can get exactly what you want. Studio photography is hard because you can get exactly what you want. Everything is under your control. If you are a tremendously creative person who knows how to use studio equipment, you'll get wonderful results. If you are uncreative, you'll have very flat and boring results. If anything is wrong with the lighting balance or exposure, you'll have nobody to blame but yourself. Background [list:179de83dba]Hemingway:[/list:u:179de83dba] Ernest Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1899, the son 2007-01-08T10:57:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ernest-Hemingway-The-Old-man-and-the-Sea-32275.aspx تصويري که يک داستان مي آفريند رابرت فراست انتزاع داستاني قديمي در ميان فلاسفه است اما مانند اسباب بازي جديدي در دستان هنرمندان امروز شده است. چرا نمي توانيم حتي يک کيفيت شعر را بخاطر خودش انتخاب کنيم؟ در ذهن مي توانيم، اما اگر درعمل نتوانيم کار سخت مي شود، زندگيمان براي آن است. فقط يک بشرگرا توجه مي کند که يک شعر چقدر خوب است اگر تنها يک صداست. صدا طلايي در سنگ معدن است. سپس صدا را خواهيم داشت، خارج و پخش با غير ضروريات. ادامه خواهيم داد تا زماني که به اين کشف برسيم که موضوع شعر نوشتن آنست که تمام شعرها تا حد ممکن باز هم متفاوت بنظر بيايند و منابع مصوتها، صامتها، نقطه گذاري، نحو، کلمات، ضرب، و وزن کافي نيستند. ما به کمک موضوع متن –معني نيازمنديم اين بزرگترين کمک بسمت تنوع است. تمام آن چيزهايي که مي شود با کلمات انجام داد بزودي تمام مي شوند. همچنين است درباره وزن- مخصوصا در زباني مثل ما که فقط دو تا وجود دارد، پنج هجايي پيوسته و پنج هجايي گسسته، گذشتگان با تعداد زيادي وزن نيز اگر فقط بر وزن ها براي همه آهنگ ها تکيه مي کردند فقير بودند. تماشاي ريتم گراهاي ما در حالي که يک هجاي کوتاه را از يک پا حذف ميکنند تا شعرشان را از يکنواختي درآورند دردناک است، احتمالات يک تُن از آهنگ هاي دراماتيک struck across the rigidity of a limited mater are endless و ما دوباره بعنوان هنری ديگر در شعر هستيم براي چيزي گفتن، خوب يا غير خوب- شايد بهتر اگر خوب، زيرا عميق تر و از تجربه اي وسيع تر است. سپس اين عصياني است که از آن صحبت مي شود که توقعي مساوي با صدا بعنوان نيمه بهتر شعر دارد. اگر آهنگي وحشي باشد، آن شعر است. سپس مشکل ما، بعنوان انتزاعگرايان مدرن، داشتن عصيان خالص است، وحشي بودن درباره چيزي که هيچ چيز براي وحشي بودن ندارد. ما بعنوان انحراف گرايان راه را به ارتباطات غير مستقيم مي دهيم و به خود فشار مي آوريم تا ازهمه جهات اشاره اي شانسي به چيز ديگر را در بعدازظهري داغ در زندگي فروشنده ای بيابيم. تم بتنهايي مي تواند ما را ثبات بخشد. درست همانطور که راز اول اين بود که يک شعر چطور مي توانست آهنگ را چنين مستقيم بعنوان وزن داشته باشد، راز دوم اين است که شعر مي تواند عصيانگر باشد و در عين حال موضوعي براي ارضا کردن داشته باشد. بايد لذت 2007-01-08T10:40:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-figure-a-poem-makes--32274.aspx [size=18:fc97ccf195]“Design” by Robert Frost[/size:fc97ccf195] [i:fc97ccf195]Written and uploaded by [url=http://alijoker.blogspot.com]Ali Noorani[/url][/i:fc97ccf195]. Robert Frost in the poem “Design” has posed very simple yet deep questions about the nature and existence of God. But before going through those questions, we will have to review what the poem says at the first look. [list:fc97ccf195]I found a dimpled spider, fat and white, On a white heal-all, holding up a moth, Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth-[/list:u:fc97ccf195] At the first few lines of the poem, we see a white scene designed, consisted of a fat dented spider, which is white, sitting on a white heal-all flower, holding a white moth like a rigid cloth. A heal-all flower is a wild flower, usually blue or violet but occasionally white, found blooming along road sides in the summer. It was once supposed to have healing qualities, hence its name. [list:fc97ccf195]Assorted characters of death and blight Mixed ready to begin the morning right Like the ingredients of a witch’s broth- A snow-drop spider, a flower like a froth, And dead wings carried like a paper kite.[/list:u:fc97ccf195] Various characters, resembling death and unhappiness, are mixed up in this scene and they are ready to begin the morning. Such scene is obviously referring to the nature with its paradoxical assortment as well as its unity. This assorted unity is compared to a witch’s broth; a soup with different ingredients: a white spider, like a snow drop, a flower white as animal’s saliva, and dead wings of a moth, like a kite made of white paper. First stanza as you have noticed finishes here, the content of which was description of a scene, a picture and nothing more. The poem zooming of different parts of this picture makes us think of it as a frame of a dynamic situation, but the fact is that the picture is dead. Flower, spider and the dead are all static. [list:fc97ccf195]What had that flower to do with being white, The wayside blue and innocent heal-all?[/list:u:fc97ccf195] Now in the second stanza, Frost begins to express what he meant by capturing that moment. The significance of this picture is that they all are white. This is called camouflage in science, an outward semblance that mispresents the true nature of something. This heal-all flower which was meant to heal, acted as a disguise for the spider to capture the poor moth. [list:fc97ccf195]What brought the kindred spider to that height, Then steered the white moth thither in the night?[/list:u:fc97ccf195] Was it an accident that this 2007-01-08T09:43:20-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Poetry,-Design-by-Rober-Frost-32272.aspx Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms is a story written through the eyes of American Lieutenant Frederick Henry during World War I. Henry tells of his time spent in the Italian army and of his first true love-Catherine Barkley. Frederick provides such detail that a feeling of first-hand experience is left with the reader. It is not obvious whether the character Frederick Henry is directing his story to a certain audience or not, but it is very obvious that he stayed true to himself while telling it. His actions, his conversations, and even his inner-most thoughts are shared in the most unrestricted sense. He hides nothing from the reader, and that makes the story so much more poignant. When he is at the front, his fear strikes the reader in the most authentic meaning. When Henry speaks of his love for Catherine, his passion emanates from the pages and the reader can feel it, alive and real. Finally, when Henry loses Catherine and his first child, it iss as if two of the reader's closest family members have been lost. If Hemingway's novel had been written in any other point of view, much of the value of A Farewell to Arms would be lost. Lieutenant Frederick Henry is a middle-class American who joins the Italian army and speaks Italian fluently. He manages the ambulance vehicles and the ambulance drivers on the front. His dad died before he ever entered the army, and he had been living with his mother who was remarried. Before Henry meets Catherine, he has never loved and is like most of the other soldiers in his platoon- he is a womanizer and spends most of his free time split between brothels and a bottle of liquor. Catherine is an English V.A.D at a local British hospital. She has loved one man before, but he was killed in the military. When Henry falls for Catherine, he is transformed from an immature and uncommitted boy to a responsible and stable young father. A Farewell to Arms is Lieutenant Frederick Henry's personal account of that transformation. It is not obvious by the character Frederick Henry whether he is directing his story to a certain audience or not but it is very obvious that he stayed true to himself while telling it. Within the fist few chapters of A Farewell to Arms, Frederick Henry describes his surroundings with such detail 2007-01-08T03:38:05-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/First-Person-POV-in-Hemingway-s-A-Farewell-To-Arms-32270.aspx In this paper, I will prove that the novel The Great Gatsby shows the American Dream as a corrupt idea. My proof will be based upon the juxtaposition of Jay Gatsby's and Myrtle Wilson's deaths, the wealth of Jay Gatsby and his desire for Daisy, and the immoral actions of the characters in this novel. When writing The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald made a point to reflect his feeling that the American Dream could not be reached because it is an imperfect and corrupt idea. He used his characters to do so. Fitzgerald's characters are divided into three groups, each of which shows a different perspective of Fitzgerald's theme. The wealthy are portrayed in two groups: the East Eggers and the West Eggers. The East Eggers are old money and look down upon the West Eggers because they are new money. This relationship demonstrates the corruption of the American Dream through the discrimination by the East Eggers and through the crooked ways that the West Eggers have found to get rich. The poor in the novel, represented by George and Myrtle Wilson, show the longing for wealth and their dishonest chase of that dream. Because this novel is written mostly around the wealthy of New York, the flaws of the American Dream are easy to recognize. Fitzgerald shows the idea that the American Dream is flawed through the juxtaposed deaths of Jay and Myrtle. The juxtaposition of Jay and Myrtle's deaths is realized through looking at their history. In The Great Gatsby, Jay is a man who comes from no money. In his early twenties, when he meets Daisy who is of an aristocratic family, Jay decides that he will do anything he must to make enough money to marry Daisy. When the action of this novel begins, Jay has already worked his way up to a wealthy lifestyle and is in the process of getting Daisy to fall in love with him again. Immediately in the first chapter, we see that Jay is living the American Dream when Nick describes his mansion as a colossal affair¦spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool and more than forty acres of lawn and garden. Although Jay is living the American Dream in all of his wealth, he is unhappy without the love of Daisy. At the opposite cliche, Myrtle Wilson is very poor. Myrtle lives 2007-01-08T03:35:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Corruption-of-Society-in-Fitzgerald-s-The-Great-Gatsby-32269.aspx Formal Response By: Neyko Dimov The question that we are left to think about after reading the short story, “Gentlemen Your Verdict” by Michael Bruce, is if sometimes in life, it is okay to kill, or let someone die to ensure the survival of others? Also who is more important to be saved when there are only limited numbers of people who can survive? Is it those who are married and possibly have kids, or others who are younger but are not yet married? In this story the captain of a submarine plays the role of “god” which many would consider as wrong and others as right. He is put in a situation where he needs to kill 15 people of his crew to ensure the survival of at least 5. The story is told from the point of view of the 5-crew members who survived the crash. They each tell their own version of what had happened that terrible day one by one. Even thought each story is a little different from the previous, each one covers the main events. The story takes place under sea inside a submarine caring 20 crewmembers. The submarine had just hit a mine, which sent it directly down to the bottom of the sea. As the captain sees there is no way out unless they are pulled out of the water, he realizes that time is crucial. He calls for help but all they tell him is that the only help they can get will come in 7 days. With the air inside running out fast, the captain calculates that all the time they have left is no more than 2 days. Page 23, “ and they had air for less than two days.” After confirming the time of the rescue on the radio, which had luckily survived the impact, he calls everyone to gather around. He then tells the men he has good news and pours liquor into all the men’s mugs, excluding 5 married men. As he tells them they have done a great work at their jobs they each drink from their mugs and are soon laying dead on the floor. He then tells the 5 men what and why he did this, and also tells them what to do and when they will be rescued. After he has finished his report, he also drinks from the poison and dies. 2007-01-07T10:23:55-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/“Gentlemen-Your-Verdict”-by-Michael-Bruce-32266.aspx Neyko Dimov The Leaving By Budge Wilson Face expression can show a lot about a human’s personality, confidence, and thoughts that go through their mind. In the short story, “The Leaving” by Budge Wilson, the main character Elizabeth, goes from a stage where she is afraid with low self-esteem, to another later on, where confidence becomes her main strength. We are able to observe all this and imagine how she feels at different parts of the story by visualizing the description of her face expression by her daughter who is the narrator of the story. We could clearly state that in times when she was afraid or nervous, he eyes became cold and her mouth tight. However, when later on she felt safe and confident about something, her expression changed dramatically, loosening her mouth and eyes becoming warmer. It is interesting how someone can obtain a particular face expression with a feeling for such a long time and then something or someone could affect him or her in such a short time, making them change. This is what happens in the story, however with time and confidence, other people’s comments and presence become less influential to the mother. The time period this story takes place is in the late 60’s. Then, women were expected stay home, look after the kids, cook, clean the house and other household choirs. They were also expected to look after their husbands much more then women do today. It was almost like their obligation to provide them with food, and comfort at home. Because the women were responsible for this part, they were somewhat like servants to their husbands. Therefore, the side that had more control and say was the male. When you are raised in such way, and you have seen nothing more then what people except you to do, you take what is told and do it without questions. In this case, Elizabeth is the one obligated to her husband and does her best to provide him with food and other requests he asks for. Because she, her husband and the rest of the society know it’s her responsibility to do so, she feels in one way or another scared and very unconfident because she knows she has to do her job right and not mess up. Therefore, her overall confidence is very low, and feels afraid from time to time. Her daughter describes how 2007-01-07T10:04:27-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Leaving-by-Budge-Wilson-Face-expressions-32263.aspx Fire Scene Piggy’s Point Of View “Like kids!” I told Ralph. “Acting like a crowd of kids!” He gave me a weird look and placed the down the conch which no longer was in any use to him. “I bet it’s tea-time.” I said. “What do you think they’re going to do on the mountain?” I asked curiously. Right then, as if an idea came into Ralph’s mind, he look up from the ground and hurried up the scar. In front of him were the others, who could be heard from miles and miles away as they laughed and screamed. “Like a crowd of kids!” I once more said as I watched them go on their way. Annoyed from their actions and attitude, I tied up my shoes, gently picked up the conch, and slowly began my way forward. I need to make sure they would not cause any more problems. With the conch in my hands, I hoped that once I get up top, I would have a chance to speak. I made my way through the scar, and then thought the forest. As I came closer and closer to the top, my breath was running lower and lower. Close to the top I could see some kids running back and forth, collecting wood. Interested of what everyone was up to, and what a mess they have probably made, I jogged the last few feet where I came to a halt. Now that I was on the top, I took a few breaths from the cooler air which was no where to be found but up here, and started walking towards what it looked like was a pile of wood and kids enthusiastically surrounding it, and waiting for magic to happen. I had no idea what they were thinking to do with it since there is no source of fire to be used to start one. Just then out of nowhere I heard Ralph yell out “ Piggy! Have you got any matches?” Frustrated from the fact that they never talk to me except of times when they need me, and the stupid questions they ask, I shook my head trying to avoid a conversation. From seeing the actual pile of wasted trees which seemed smaller from further away, I said “My! You’ve made a big heap, haven’t you?” Then all of a sudden Jack pointed towards me, excited 2007-01-07T10:02:51-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-Of-The-Flies-Fire-scene-Piggy-s-point-of-view-32262.aspx A Change Of A Setting A story in most cases can be dramatically affected, simply by just changing the setting. The book “Lord Of The Flies” takes place on a hot tropical deserted island, which includes features like mountains, forests, a lagoon and sand beaches. The story is about a group of boys who crashed with a plane into the island and are now isolated on it without any help. If the setting however was changed to the Arctic instead of a tropical island, the story would totally change by having a new feel to it, new set of conflicts caused by the setting and a change in the theme or what it exactly symbolizes. Every written story has a different feel. One is scary, another is funny and a third is serious. This particular one has a more of adventures one with a lot of energy into it. This is because it is taking place on an isolated island where there are no other humans living at the moment, and there is a lot to be discovered. The main characters have never seen it before, it also has mountains beaches, and mainly forests not yet explored. Nothing surrounds it but miles and miles of water. The weather is also sunny and extremely hot. If the same story however took place in the Arctic, the feel would change right away from adventures and energetic to a more dead and boring one. This would happen because in the Arctic the weather is extremely cold, therefore everything is frozen, the winters are endless and so are the nights. There is barely any motion around and not much is present. Where as on the island you have pigs in the forest, trees, which move from the wind, and waves that crash on the shore. There is more life and motion on the island, where as on the Arctic it seems as if nothing will happen in the next years to come. At different places there are different sets of conflicts. On the island where the story takes place, the only huge problem caused by it is that there is no way to leave it except to get rescued. If the story took place in the Arctic however, there would appear new and different set of conflicts then the once on the island. For example shelters. Because the weather is so much 2007-01-07T09:59:20-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-Of-The-Flies-A-Change-Of-Setting-32261.aspx Exploitation, Power and Truth in "Down the Cross" Exploitation. Power. Truth. These three concepts play a vital role in what we know as life. This was made clear within “Down at the Cross” by James Baldwin. By reading “ The Social Powers of Expert Healers” by Howard Brody and comparing the two essays one can better understand some of the views within their text. By analyzing Baldwin’s essay by using some of the views outlined in Brody’s, essay you can see how exploitation, power and truth play a vital role in his experience. Also you can be helped to see just how his perspective was able to change. Baldwin truly feels that white people gained from the exploitation of black people. Baldwin goes on to state: “ White people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived, and had no moral ground on which to stand. They had the judges, the juries, the shotguns the law-in a word power. But it was a criminal power, to be feared but not respected, and to be outwitted in any ways whatever, and those virtues preached but not practiced by the white world were merely another means of holding Negroes in subjection”(30). White people clearly, in Baldwin’s eyes, were able to gain power through the exploitation of blacks. However it did not merely stop there. The white man could do more than exploit the black man. He could persecute, disrespect, degrade and even kill him. How? Along with abusing their power, the whites could do whatever they wanted with impunity. Black people were blind to this wicked use of power and only feared the consequences. Respect was not deserved, nor was it merited by the black people. The idea of the goodness of white people was rarely seen. It was just a method in which they could make the black man continue to look inferior. However, the key point is that the blacks would by any means necessary seek to outsmart or out wit these oppressors even if it were by playing them at their own game. Brody, like Baldwin brings up the argument that certain members of society have too much power over others. Brody states, “ social power is the primary element of physician 2007-01-06T21:07:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Exploitation,-Power-and-Truth-in-quot-Down-the-Cross-quot-32257.aspx Analysis of Lies in Huckleberry Finn “That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth” (1). Those are among the first lines in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, so it’s obvious from the very beginning that the truth, or lack thereof, is a major theme in the book. Huckleberry Finn is a liar throughout the whole novel but unlike other characters, his lies seem justified and moral to the reader because they are meant to protect himself and Jim and are not meant to hurt anybody. Mark Twain shows four types of lies in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: vicious and self-serving lies, harmless lies, childish lies, and Huck’s noble lies. An example of lying is presented right at the beginning. After Tom and Huck play a joke on him, Jim lies to all the other slaves about how his hat got taken of his head and put on a tree limb above him while he was sleeping. He tells an incredible yarn about some kind of spirits visiting him, gaining him an almost-celebrity status among the slaves. Some may argue that this is a self-serving lie. Although it is harmless to others, it certainly isn’t a noble lie. Another set of harmless, somewhat clever, lies Jim tells are of his famous hairball. He claims it can predict the future and only he can tell what it’s saying. Not only that, but this hairball doesn’t work unless Jim gets paid first. The king of childish lies would definitely be Tom Sawyer. Through Tom’s ridiculous lies, Mark Twain makes the reader begin to hate this impractical, unrealistic, unoriginal adolescent. His immature lies are to gain a sense of adventure like in his books and they occasionally hurt people. Tom tricks Huck into coming with him to see the caravan of “A-rabs and Spaniards.” Huck doesn’t want to go until he learns there will be elephants there too. They go, and of course, nobody is there but young, Sunday-schoolers. Huck is disappointed and says, “So then I judged that all that stuff was only just one of Tom Sawyer’s lies” (14). Tom’s major lying, though, doesn’t start until chapter 33 and doesn’t end until the last part of the book. When 2007-01-06T20:49:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Abalysis-of-Lies-in-Huckleberry-Finn-32250.aspx Critical Analysis of "Ragged Dick" by Horatio Alger Jr. The book Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger, Jr. teaches the modern reader many things about life during the late 19th century. One thing it not only teaches but represents is life in the urban setting. This book is filled with examples and examples of life in the city, telling the reader what he would find and experience in it. Setting is always the first thing a good reader should look for when trying to understand the purpose. It teaches the reader where to begin when researching for the book and also how to place the characters. In Ragged Dick, “our hero” is in New York City during the latter part of the 19th century. “Our Hero” starts out as poor as one could be at the time and ended up educated, and as Dick would say, “‘spectable.” This was a time of progress, change and falsehood in American History. This not only has a vast effect on the plot of the book, but it makes for one heck of a tale. The fact that the book takes place in New York is not enough to understand the full extent of this book. At this time many Americans were going through one of the hardest times in their lives. The only people making big bucks would have been the Robber Barons-- a small group of wealthy business men. So it is important to realize what this book said about urban living, to the readers it was written for. These readers would have been likely children, from all parts of the economic ladder. But most importantly the bottom part of that ladder would get something very interesting out of this book. They would see the main story here; a boy goes from rags to riches but getting lucky. Yes, Dick is an honest fellow who studies hard for his education, but all the times he got money were just by chance and had nothing to do with his education. First meeting Frank, receiving clothes and getting money and later saving a boy’s life and in turn getting a job. This teaches the reader that the city creates opportunity, and these opportunities are available and possible if you are in the right spot at the right time. 2007-01-06T18:18:38-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Ragged-Dick-quot-by-Horatio-Alge-32246.aspx Character Analysis of John Proctor in The Crucible In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the small town of Salem is engaged in hysteria due to the accusations of children that many of the townspeople took part in witchcraft. Among the accused is John Proctor, a strong, faithful farmer. A contemporary writer, W.H. Auden, defines a modern hero, not as “the doer of great deeds, but the man or woman who, in spite of all the pressures of society, manages to keep his own identity.” John Proctor fulfills the requirements of this type of hero by his actions throughout the story. His hero status is shown by his efforts to save his wife from being put to death, his attempt to prove the children are making deceitful claims, his unwillingness to confess to practicing witchcraft when accused by town and lastly his ability to maintain his identity throughout the book. Proctor is a tragic hero in his efforts to save his wife. Proctor’s first display of trying to save his wife is shown when the Court officials come to take Elizabeth away. Proctor is so angered by this attack on his house that he rips the warrant and tells them to leave forcefully saying, “Damn the Deputy Governor! Out of my house!”(77), demonstrating his intense love for his wife. Proctor shows signs of being a hero when he attempts to go into court to save his wife and prove the girls liars. However, he ends up being accused himself. Mary Warren is in court testifying when she suddenly breaks down “ hysterically, pointing at Proctor, fearful of him: My name, he want my name. ‘I’ll murder you,’ he says, ‘if my wife hands! We must go and over throw the court,’ he says”... “ [Proctor] wake me every night, his eyes were like coals and his fingers claw my neck and I sign, I sign…”(119). Thus John Proctor fails in trying to rescue his wife from the false accusers and the Court and instead he becomes accused as a witch. Proctor establishes that the children are lying in court with respect to their accusations of the townspeople. Proctor first learns of this through his household servant, Mary Warren who is one of the accusers. Proctor takes away from the events that Mary Warren and Abigail, the lead schemer, are trying to kill Proctor’s wife by accusing her of witchcraft. They come up with the 2007-01-04T18:34:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-John-Proctor-in-The-Crucible-32227.aspx Analysis of Heroes in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The three heroes discussed here, Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur, are heroes for different reasons. Beowulf, our earliest hero, is brave but his motivation is different than then other two. To Sir Gawain personal honor and valor is what is important. King Arthur, Sir Gawain's uncle, is naturally the quintessential king of the medieval period. Though all men to a certain extent share the same qualities, some are more pronounced than in the others. It is important to see how these qualities are central to their respective stories and how it helps (or hinders) them in their journeys. The greatest value of Beowulf is his bravery, some may say bravado. There is no doubt that he is a great warrior. Beowulf's heroism belongs to a different time than that of King Arthur or Sir Gawain. For that reason his bragging about his prowess might seem decidedly unheroic. When he tells Unferth "I count it true that I had more courage, More strength in swimming than any other man" (514-15 (41) it might be interpreted in a poor way. What he is saying though is true. In addition, in order for him to succeed he must orally deliver his resume. Nevertheless, bragging aside, Beowulf is undoubtedly a brave man. When Beowulf sets out to kill Grendel's mother he simply "donned his armor for battle, Heeded not the danger..." (1328-29 60). When his sword fails him he uses his physical strength: "On the might of his hand, as a man must do Who thinks to win in the welter of battle Enduring glory; he fears not death" (1420-23 62). Certainly he is in search of fame. Though this is true it must not discount his brave actions. He gains his fame truthfully by doing battle with menaces to society. He does not lie or manipulate to achieve fame, he uses what is rightfully his, his bravery. Beowulf's bravery differs from that of King Arthur's for several reasons. King Arthur by being king must be brave, to rule the state people must respect him. Beowulf's bravery carries the story. One because it details his ascension in fame and secondly it also outlines his downfall. The honor of Sir Gawain is his best value, though he suffered a set-back. His honor is the catalyst for what happens through the rest of the poem. First 2007-01-04T18:32:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Heroes-in-Sir-Gawain-and-the-Green-Knight-32226.aspx A Woman Scorned in the Play "Medea" Love can best be described as a dormant volcano. Most of the time it remains silent and life flourishes around it. If a large enough difficulty should occur, it may turn from a peaceful mountain to a malicious inferno that consumes everything nearby, sometimes even itself. The quote from William Congreve’s The Mourning Bride, “Heaven hath no rage like a love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned” portrays this view perfectly. This view is supported even further in the plays Medea and Hedda Gabler. In both of these plays the women turn to violence as a means of escape from society. Their new behaviors bring about the destruction of both them and their surroundings. They are the volcano. In Euripedes’ play, Medea, Jason’s disloyalty causes Medea’s love to become hatred. Medea becomes infuriated by Jason’s lack of devotion to her. She begins focusing on death and devastation. She makes her intentions known by saying “Death. Death is my wish. For myself, my enemies, my children. Destruction.” (Act I, Line 44). She becomes obsessed with vengeance. This transformation from unfailing love to sheer hatred causes Medea to become so enraged that she killed her own sons, just to spite Jason. Medea’s strength is unequalled. She has the courage to kill her own two sons, whom she brought forth into the world. As Congreve says, “Heaven hath no rage like a love to hatred turned”. This is true, because Medea’s rage and power are so great that she kills four people and destroys the life of another. Medea had so much hatred held inside her that when she erupted, much like a volcano, she destroyed everything that was dear and close to her. In Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, Hedda is portrayed as a well-off daughter of a general. She is a member of the upper class, and therefore afraid of scandal. She has only one desire in life, to control a man’s destiny; though she has difficulty in controlling her own. She is too fearful of her society to bring forth her true desires. Due to this, she married a man who was, though controlled by his work, acceptable in her society. She is not like Medea, in that she was neither as 2007-01-04T18:28:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Woman-Scorned-in-the-Play-quot-Medea-quot-32224.aspx Techniques Used by Playwrite Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams, a famous playwright of the twentieth century, is the author of A Streetcar Named Desire. He is known as a great playwright because of his creative use of literary techniques and his unique style. In particular: Tennessee Williams' use of the literary techniques imagery, ambiguousness and foreshadowing, in A Streetcar Named Desire, allow him to be more affective. Tennessee Williams uses the technique Foreshadowing in his writing. Giving the audience a hint of what's to come will attract their attention and get them to keep reading. Stanley and Blanch show signs of attractions throughout the play. These relations foreshadow the incident at the end of act III scene IV. "(A cat screams off R., and BLANCH jumps involuntarily toward STANLEY, who is amused.)" (I.I. Pg19). This scene between blanch and Stanley shows signs of attraction, BLANCHE. Many thanks! Now the buttons! (Turns her back to him, stands D. R. C.) STANLEY. (Coming to behind her, makes clumsy attempt to fasten hooks.) I can't do nothing with them. BLANCH. You men with your big clumsy fingers. (Looks at him.) May I have a drag on your cig? STANLEY. (Giving her cigarette from behind his ear.) Here-have one for yourself. BLANCH. (Crossing below to L. of STANLEY.) Why, thanks! (I.II. Pg25) This flirtatious relationship which hints to the audience what is to come, in turn causes the audience to want to pay more attention. Tennessee uses the technique ambiguity several times within the story. He uses ambiguousness in this scene to leave his readers wondering what going to happen to Stella, "STELLA. (Clutching front door for support says weakly.) Take me to the Hospital… FADE OUT AND CURTAIN" (III.II. Pg80). Leaving the audience hanging in this way will surely heighten their curiosity and gain their attention. Tennessee also leaves this scene ambiguous. BLANCH. So I could twist the broken end in your face! STANLEY. I bet you would do that. BLANCH. I would I will if- STANLEY. Oh, you want some rough-house! All right, let's have some rough-house! (Springs towards her. She cries out. He seizes her hand holding bottle. Twists it behind her.) Tiger-tiger! Drop the bottle-top! Drop it! (She drops bottle-top. He bends her to his will, picks her 2007-01-04T18:13:01-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Techniques-Used-by-Playwrite-Tennessee-Williams-32220.aspx Male Dominance in Victorian and Shakespearean Society Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper illustrates the reality of men’s dominance over women’s lives in Victorian Society. The husband, John, treats his wife, the unnamed narrator, as a petty and trivial person and stresses his superiority over her. John belittles his wife by calling her such names as “little girl” and “blessed little goose”. At first these names for his wife do not seem important, but as the story continues it reveals John’s love for his wife is more paternal love than anything else. Men in Victorian society are represented as the dominant sex, and women portray the weaker sex. The narrator feels helpless as a woman because of her role as an entrapped woman in Victorian Society. She becomes obsessed with the wallpaper in her room and does not want anyone to tamper with the wallpaper; the same way she does not want John to tamper with her inner-self. Doing this she produces a guard to subliminally protect herself from the male superiority presented by John. She slowly develops a sense of independence for herself. The narrator starts to capitalize the word “me” which emphasizes her newfound self-awareness. This society’s expectations finally defeats the narrator by eventually drives her insane. The fact that she goes insane symbolizes the weakening effects on women due to a male dominated society. Like The Yellow Wallpaper, Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House depicts a husband-wife relation during the Victorian Era. The husband, Torvald, controls the marriage with a sense of parental love and treats his wife, Nora, like a child. He does not allow her to eat macaroons because he says they will rot her teeth. Doing this reveals his feelings of dominance in the relationship and his parental love. Similar to The Yellow Wallpaper, Torvald belittles Nora and calls her “girl” and “silly girl” conveying his feelings of superiority toward Nora. Torvald believes his purpose and man’s purpose is to protect and guide his wife. Influenced by Victorian Society, Torvald feels that Nora, as a woman, is weak and helpless by nature and that she should not have an equal role in their marriage. Women of this time are simply transferred from their fathers arms to their husbands, without any change in the affection brought toward them. Torvald forces Nora to dance with him, so his society will hold him in high prestige. Nora is 2007-01-03T21:50:07-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Male-Dominance-in-Victorian-and-Shakespearean-Society-32209.aspx Discrimination in Langston Hughes' "One Friday Morning" Discrimination is all around us; everyone is discriminated one point in his or her life. Langston Hughes, an African-American writer, wrote the short story “One Friday Morning.” The story is about a girl who was discriminated in her school because she was black. Life brings many disappointments, which make a person stronger. People who discriminate usually have never experienced discrimination. Nancy Lee, the main character of the story, fits well with her classmates even though she is colored. She is considered smart and fits well with the life of the school. Nancy Lee participated in a lot of school activities and clubs. Graduation was approaching so Nancy Lee and her classmates began to wonder who had won the Artist Club scholarship. One day in April Miss O’Shay, the Vice-principal, asked Nancy Lee to stop by her office so she could speak with her. Nancy Lee began to worry that maybe she did something wrong. She walked into Miss O’Shay’s office nervously. Miss O’Shay told Nancy Lee that her picture had won the Artist Club scholarship. Miss O’Shay, however, told her not to tell any of her classmates yet. Nancy Lee ran all the way home, anxious to tell her parents. Nancy Lee had to prepare for the special event; she got her dress ready and wrote her acceptance speech. She was all prepared that Friday morning, her mother was going to come and her mother was ready to go too. Nancy Lee got to school that morning and went to Miss O’Shay's office. Miss O’Shay said the Committee was not able to give Nancy Lee her award. The Committee found out that she was black and felt it was against the rules to give her the award since she was black. Nancy Lee was shocked, stunned, and hurt. She never experienced discrimination before, yet in such a harsh way. However, that day she learned something and would not let a stupid art award get her down. She walked out of the office with her nose held high. People experience disappointments that they, in turn, can learn to make a positive out of the situation. Nancy Lee is stunned and saddened from the news; however, she would not let herself cry over it. 2007-01-03T21:13:39-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Discrimination-in-Langston-Hughes-quot-One-Friday-Morning-32198.aspx Views of the Future Portrayed in A Brave New World Brave New World presents a startling view of the future, which on the surface appears almost comical. Yet humor was not the intention of Aldous Huxley, when he wrote the book in the early 1930's. It is written very creatively for our vivid imaginations to foresight the unthinkable. It tells us about a society, which uses new and powerful technologies and medical intervention to control reproduction and cognition of human beings. The government controls the population of Utopia with "Community, Identity, Stability". There are only test tube births and an artificial process for multiplying the embryos. Marriage is forbidden. There are ten World Controllers; these people control the government and all of their plans. It is important to understand that the novel is not simply a warning about what could happen to society if things go wrong but it also an irony of the society in which Huxley, the author existed, and which still exists today. This novel not only talks about the advancement of science nonetheless of how it affects human beings. A story where, the triumphs of physics, chemistry and engineering are taken for granted. The use of technology to control society, the incompatibility of happiness and truth; characters who do everything they can to avoid facing the truth about their own situations all sum up to be the main theme of this novel. The use of the drug “soma” is probably the most pervasive example of such intentional self-denial used as a symbol to represent abstract ideas or concepts. Indeed Huxley’s real message is very dark. The behaviors and attitudes of the World State citizens at first do appear odd, cruel, or shocking. Nevertheless many clues also point to the conclusion of the World State simply being a rare but logically developed interpretation of our society's economic values, where individual happiness is described as the ability to meet our needs, and success as a society is balanced with economic growth and achievement. His idea that in centuries to come, a one-world government will rise to power, stripping people’s freedom, is not new. In fact there are hosts of books dedicated to this topic. Although philosophically the main theme of the novel portraits as the future that can interest us only if its predictions look as though they might possibly come true. Soma clouds the realities of 2007-01-03T21:12:25-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Views-of-the-Future-Portrayed-in-A-Brave-New-World-32197.aspx American Lifestyles in the Great Gatsby In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby is a mysterious man living in the West Egg district of Long Island. Gatsby is extremely wealthy and owns a mansion with a large swimming pool, a fancy car, and dozens of servants. Every Saturday night, he throws extravagant parties which many people, most of whom haven't even been invited, attend. No one really knows anything about Gatsby, except that he is rich and generous. However, many rumors are created about him. Some say that he was a German spy during the war and some say that he killed a man. As the summer progresses, Nick Carraway the narrator who is also Gatsby's neighbor, learns more about who Gatsby really is, or rather who he isn't and reasons why he lives his life as he does. Nick doesn't approve of Gatsby's lifestyle and the way he earns his money, but nevertheless he sees Gatsby as superior to those who surround him. Nick admires the romantic hope that motivates Gatsby to pursue his dreams. Jay Gatsby's greatness is a result of his naive belief that he can make his dreams a reality. In the beginning of the novel, Nick sums up Gatsby's character and the reasons why he respects him. "...Gatsby who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him...This responsiveness had nothing to do with that flabby impressionability which is dignified under the name if the 'creative temperament'--it was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which is not likely I shall ever find again."(6) Nick makes it very clear that he doesn't agree with the way Gatsby makes and uses his money. Although Nick comes from a very wealthy family himself, he was taught to work hard for his money. Nevertheless, he does find himself admiring Gatsby. He values Gatsby's hope, no matter how false it is, that one day he will have a life with the woman whom he loves. Wealthy people often use their money to get everything they have always wanted for themselves, but Gatsby uses his money to get everything that he thinks Daisy has always wanted in hopes of winning her back. Gatsby believes in the possibility of 2007-01-03T21:08:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/American-Lifestyles-in-the-Great-Gatsby-32195.aspx Examining Guilt in the Story of Oedipus Rex First and foremost, one thing must be understood. The matter of Oedipus’s guilt is not whether or not he murdered his father and married his mother. These facts have been previously determined, as there is no evidence proving otherwise, and also as Oedipus himself admits guilt. What we are questioning in this matter is his culpability in his psychological downfall and of the tragic events that follow the initial crimes: Jocasta’s suicide, the Black Death, and Oedipus’s wretchedness. The defense will first look at the contribution of each possible suspect/witness, and then defend Oedipus’s case. Note: for the purposes of this case, we will take the case in the context of ancient Greece, and agree on the existence of many gods that rule the earth, and that prophets and oracles are reliable sources. First to be questioned are Laius and Jocasta. This couple learned from an oracle that their son would murder Laius and marry Jocasta. They attempted to thwart the gods’ plans and take matters into their own hands by giving the child to a shepherd, demanding that he kill the baby. Their fault lies in their arrogance to think that they could avoid their future. They were trying to avoid the truth of their lives. Furthermore, it was Laius’ rash anger that made him hit Oedipus on that fateful day when their paths crossed, resulting in retaliation from Oedipus. Neither party could have known that the other was related to him. Therefore, Oedipus cannot be blamed for intentionally carrying out the prophecy of murdering Laius and causing the unhappiness that followed. Next we look at the shepherd that was given Oedipus by Laius and Jocasta. He knew the reason that they wanted the child dead, but he chose to let him live. Feeling sorry for Oedipus, and not knowing the pain his life would later cause, he, too attempted to avoid fate by, first, hiding the truth of Oedipus’s origin and prophecy from the man he gave the child to, and also by disobeying the king and queen’s orders. He further hid the truth of Oedipus’s life by not letting anyone know that he had let him live. Polybus and Merope never revealed that their son was really not theirs by birth. It must have come as even more of a shock to Oedipus that the people he thought were his parents were not. 2007-01-03T21:07:27-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examining-Guilt-in-the-Story-of-Oedipus-Rex-32194.aspx Critical Anaylsis of A Farewell to Arms A Farewell To Arms, by Ernest Hemingway, is a typical love story. A Romeo and his Juliet placed against the odds. In this novel, Romeo is Frederick Henry and Juliet is Catherine Barkley. Their love affair must survive the obstacles of World War I. The background of war-torn Italy adds to the tragedy of the love story. The war affects the emotions and values of each character. The love between Catherine and Fredrick must outlast long separations, life-threatening war-time situations, and the uncertain whereabouts or condition of each other. This novel is a beautiful love story of two people who need each other in a period of turmoil. Fredrick Henry is an American who serves as a lieutenant in the Italian army to a group of ambulance drivers. Hemingway portrays Fredrick as a lost man searching for order and value in his life. Fredrick disagrees with the war he is fighting. It is too chaotic and immoral for him to rationalize its cause. He fights anyway, because the army puts some form of discipline in his life. At the start of the novel, Fredrick drinks and travels from one house of prostitution to another and yet he is discontent because his life is very unsettled. He befriends a priest because he admires the fact that the priest lives his life by a set of values that give him an orderly lifestyle. Further into the novel, Fredrick becomes involved with Catherine Barkley. He slowly falls in love with her and he finds commitment. Their relationship brings some order and value to his life. Fredrick sees the losing Italian army as total chaos and disorder where he had previously seen discipline and control. He can no longer remain a part of something that is so disorderly and so, he deserts the Italian army. Fredrick’s desertion of the Italian army is the turning point in the novel. This is the significance of the title, A Farewell To Arms. When Fredrick puts aside his involvement in the war, he realizes that Catherine is the order and value in his life. At the conclusion of this novel, Fredrick realizes that he cannot base his life on another person or thing because, ultimately, they will leave or disappoint him. He realizes 2007-01-03T21:05:24-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Anaylsis-of-A-Farewell-to-Arms-32193.aspx Elements of the Hero's Quest in The Epic of Gilgamesh Throughout literature of nearly all times, there has been the tale of a hero and his journey. No matter how different the heroes of these stories are, there are always similarities in the tales. Usually, the hero begins by crossing a threshold from the known to the unknown, then though the actual journey. During the journey the hero goes though a physical and spiritual initiation where they will either continue successfully or stay behind with a feeling of incompleteness or defeat. Unfortunately, if the hero is successful, he will lose something, like a loved one or a prized possession. The hero must also return to a less thrilling life than he lead before. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, three important elements of the hero's quest are shown separation, initiation and the return. Without separation, there is no reason for a journey. In the beginning of the story, the gods are angry with Gilgamesh and send down an equal of him, they send down Enkidu. When Gilgamesh hears of the existence of Enkidu, a wild and uncivilized man, Gilgamesh knows he must tame him. Eventually, Gilgamesh sends a woman to entice Enkidu and lure him into the city where Gilgamesh wrestles the wild man. Gilgamesh "turns to Enkidu who leaned against his shoulder and looked into his eyes and saw himself in the other, just as Enkidu saw himself in Gilgamesh" The two become friends once they discover they are equal. Gilgamesh decides the two should "go to kill the Evil One, Humbaba. They must prove themselves more powerful than he" (27), and they cross the threshold together. In their fight with Humbaba, Enkidu is killed and Gilgamesh is determined, because of the fear of his own death, to go on a quest for everlasting life. Once the hero to be crosses the threshold, he is initiated as a true hero once he passes a series of trials. Gilgamesh is desperate to find the way to eternal life. Utnapishtim "tells him a secret he had never told. Something to take back with him and guard. There is a plant in the river. Its thorns will prick Gilgamesh's hands as a rose thorn pricks but it will give to him new life" (84). Gilgamesh goes by all means to get this flower. Gilgamesh finally finds this flower, and decides to rest by 2007-01-03T21:03:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Elements-of-the-Hero-s-Quest-in-The-Epic-of-Gilgamesh-32192.aspx Romantic Idealism Versus Realism in Shaw's "Arms and the Man" Love and war are two concerns which are often regarded as societal ideals. George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man is a pleasant and humorous attack on both. Shaw uses humor as “a vehicle of thought” thus tending to “obscure his subtle satire on war and the genteel classes and his exploration of the romantic-realist spectrum in human disposition” (Davis 274). These romantic ideals make up the essence of the play’s satirical instances and develop the theme of realism. Shaw satirizes romanticism within Arms and the Man by contrasting romantic idealism and realism. Throughout the play an underlying conflict is seen between romanticism and realism within the characters. The two men that come into Raina’s life are representations of this conflict. Sergius depicts the passionate, impulsive, romantic war hero, while Bluntschli characterizes the practical, strong-minded professional soldier. Shaw’s portrayal of his characters is a very important aspect of his writing. “He is not interested in man’s eternal nature but in his changeability. His characters are full of contradiction imposed on them by the environment” (Davis 459). Change is seen in Arms and the Man with practically every character. The only static character is Bluntschli as he represents what the rest of the characters will attain by the end of the play: realism. Several instances in the play establish the character’s ideals. One example exists in the first act as Raina confesses to her mother. “It came into my head just as he [Sergius] was holding me in his arms and looking into my eyes, that perhaps we only had our heroic ideas because we are so fond of reading Byron and Pushkin, and because we were so delighted with the opera that season at Bucharest” (Shaw 7). This “ironic speech ... prepares the audience for her later self-discoveries in the play” (Gibbs 76-77). Likewise, at the end of the play as Sergius and Raina’s love is faltering we see Sergius’ lack of comprehending a life without romanticism in his confession to Raina (Gibbs 76), “Raina: our romance is shattered. Life’s a farce” (Shaw 67). Sergius represents the romantic ideal that the society of the time agreed with. He is an officer in the Bulgarian army and on the victorious side of the 2007-01-03T16:08:28-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Romantic-Idealism-Versus-Realism-in-Shaw-s-quot-Arms-and-th-32187.aspx Comparing Main Characters from Different Times Things are not always as they seem. For instance, take Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman, Stephen Crane’s Maggie: Girl of the Streets, and Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie. At the surface they appear to be quite different. Tess written in 1871 by a British man by the name of Hardy, Maggie written by an American in 1893, and Carrie being written by an American in 1900. All disparate. Or are they? Hardy, Crane, and Dreiser’s writings share an important relationship, the heroine. The striking Tess, the ragged Maggie, and the naive Carrie are dynamic women crafted by these great men. Although disparate , Tess, Maggie, and Carrie are almost identical in nature. For example, Hardy’s Tess is a quite "fine and handsome girl"(Hardy 12). Tess’ beauty differs from that of the other girls in her town. Her "peony mouth and large innocent eyes add eloquence" to her beauty. Tess is the only young woman in the town who can "boast" such "pronounced adornment" as a red ribbon in her hair. As the novel begins Tess appears as a "vessel of emotion untinctured by experience"(14). She is the mere age of seventeen. Naive to the happenings around her, the reader gains the sense that Tess is simply as Hardy portrays her, innocent with "her twelfth year in her cheeks" her "ninth sparkle(ing) from her eyes" and her fifth year noticeable in her mouth. An image is painted of a young woman, with a young woman’s body, a child’s face, and at times a child’s mind. Tess possesses a flaw, her naivety, and perhaps even her beauty. In addition, Stephen Crane’s heroine Maggie grows in his novella, yet maintains one thing, her gorgeousness. The beginning of the novella portrays Maggie as nothing more than a "small ragged girl"(Crane 6). Later in the novella Crane depicts Maggie as a young woman who has "blossomed in a mud puddle." Maggie, now the age of sixteen, is a "most rare and wonderful production of a tenement district, a pretty girl"(16). Crane’s Maggie has grown out of abuse. To the reader’s surprise she, like Hardy’s Tess, is beautiful. Maggie is a rose blooming in a land of ashes. Attractiveness, however, also proves to be Maggie’s flaw. Maggie’s good looks take her no where in the end of the novella. She becomes a 2007-01-03T15:50:01-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Main-Characters-from-Different-Times-32184.aspx Important Elements in "A Farewell to Arms" The book A Farewell to Arms, written by Ernest Hemingway, is a classic novel about the love story of a nurse and a war-ridden soldier. It captures the inspiring trials and tribulations of the disillusioned soldier caught between love and war. Driving an ambulance on the Italian front in World War One, Frederick Henry discovers his values as he realizes his love for Catherine Barkley, an innocent English nurse. In A Farewell to Arms, various story elements are developed: the conflicts that occur internally and externally within Frederic’s life, the characterization of Frederic Henry, the use of symbolism, and the dominating theme of love during a widespread war. Love and war is an important theme in the book, and the relationship between Frederic and Catherine is explored by Hemingway. Frederic’s ambulance driver, Passini, expresses his thought on the war: “It doesn't finish. There is no finish to war . . . War is not won by victory . . . One side must stop fighting" (50). The love between Catherine and Frederick must outlast long separations, life-threatening war-time situations, and the uncertainty of each other's whereabouts or condition. This love story plays out in war-torn Italy during World War One, where Italy is battling Austria. The novel portrays Henry as a drunk who travels from one house of prostitution to the next. Henry feels detached from life and is on a quest for identification in which he gives a particular insight about how he feels about women: “clear, cold, and dry” (38). Henry loves to play the role of a womanizer and is an American fighting a war in another country. Henry meets Catherine Barkley, near the front between Italy and Austria-Hungary. Catherine suffers during this war before she meets Henry because she loses her fiancé during the war. At first Henry wants to seduce Catherine. He tells her that he loves her but she catches on to his game. The priest offers some advice to Henry about love: "What you tell me about in the nights. That is not love. That is only passion and lust. When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve" (63). Henry is severely wounded on one of his runs and is sent to the American 2006-12-29T19:11:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Important-Elements-in-quot-A-Farewell-to-Arms-quot-32175.aspx Character Analysis of David in The Chrysalids David in the novel The Chrysalids is the main character. He learns at a very young age that he is different from most people his age. He has the ability of though shapes, which allows him to take in shapes and interpret them into words and receive a message. It is like mind reading. The only difference is that he can receive them from the people who have the same ability but he cannot receive them form any random person. This ability causes many problems for David. David is able to overcome isolation form his family, face his enemies courageously and is willing to adapt to a new culture. David, the main character in the novel The Chrysalids, is isolated from his family because he is different from them. He overcomes this isolation by finding others like him. David is able to think in thought shapes and he finds 8 others from the Town of Waknuk who can do the same. This helps him feel that he is not alone and that he is like others. David has an uncle Axel, who knows about Davids thought shapes and about the other 8 people. David can talk to him and it helps him understand his difference and help him overcome it. Petra, David’s sister, can also think in thought shapes. This helps David feel he his closer to someone in his family because she is like him. David feels isolated and threatened from the Waknuk community because of his differences and he must face his enemies courageously. David, overtime, gains many enemies because of his difference. The community was his biggest enemy because he feels isolated from them. The people of Waknuk are all the same and David is different. David faces his enemy by living with then for most of his life and he had a great risk of being caught by town officials. It was hard for David to fit in with the society he lived in. The town could not tell that David was different but he knew his differences and that was hard for him to deal with, but he did. David faced his fears everyday because a new situation would arise and it would remind him and highlight his difference. Even though he was different, it did not stop him from enjoying his life in Waknuk and 2006-12-29T19:05:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-David-in-The-Chrysalids-32174.aspx Leadership Qualities in the Lord of the Flies A leader is needed on the island. The people we have to choose from are Ralph, Piggy, Jack and Simon because of their certain leadership qualities. Ralph is a good leader as he takes care of everyone on the island. Piggy would make a good leader, as he is very practical and scientific. Jack would also make a good leader, as he is popular because of his survival skills. Simon would make a good leader, as he is concerned about the ‘beast’ and knows what is going on, on the island. These are the leadership qualities present in these boys and we have to choose one of them. I will give my opinion on which the best leader could be by analyzing their qualities in more depth. The first and most obvious leader is Ralph. Ralph was picked “Chief” because of his leadership qualities. He is the one in command and is giving all the orders on what to do on the island. One of the examples of him giving orders would be to Piggy. Ralph says in Chapter 1, “Now go back, Piggy, and take names. That’s your job. So long.” Though Ralph likes to give orders and likes to tell people what to do he often takes peoples ideas. One of these ideas is building shelters. This idea is from Piggy as he says it holding the conch. He says that, “The first thing we ought to have made was shelters down there by the beach…” The conch is created because of this. The conch helps Ralph gather people’s ideas and opinions through the form of “an assembly”. The assembly helps to bring unity to the children. During the assembly Ralph asserts his authority and makes rules. In one of the assemblies he says, “Now I say this and make it a rule, because I’m chief.” At this assembly many rules are made and this is one of them. Here you do not see a twelve-year-old boy but a natural grown leader. Ralph is a good leader except for the fact that he still has some childlike qualities. For example he forgets the word “rescue” in one of his speeches and Piggy reminds him of it. A clear reminder 2006-12-29T18:13:45-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Leadership-Qualities-in-the-Lord-of-the-Flies-32169.aspx Characters and Analysis of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, takes place on a ranch in the Salinas Valley of California, against the backdrop of the Great Depression. Steinbeck writes of two ordinary men trying to live the American Dream. Unfortunately they fail to fulfill those dreams. Steinbeck opens the book by vividly painting a picture of the Salinas River Valley. Two traveling laborers, George Milton and Lennie Small, are on their way to a job at a Californian ranch. George decides that they were to stay the night along the Salinas River’s bank before reporting to work the next day. Over dinner George and Lennie discuss their plans. Through this conversation, Steinbeck reveals the contrasts between Lennie and George. Lennie is big and slow witted and George does the thinking for the pair. Lennie obeys George’s every word like a dog to his master’s commands. At this point in the book it becomes apparent that George and Lennie want to pursue the American Dream. Lennie asks George to tell him of their future home. It would be just George and him. They plan to have many orchards, pigs, cows, rabbits. They plan to live off the fat of the land. The next morning the two friends travel to the ranch to obtain their work assignments. As the arrive at the ranch they are greeted by a man name Candy. He tells them of the ranch and its inhabitants. When interviewed by the boss, George answers all the questions. He even answers for Lennie. Due to this, the boss becomes suspicious. While in the bunk the Boss’ son Curly walks in looking for his father. Curly bullies Lennie, even though Curly is much smaller than him. George warns Lennie to stay away from him. At dinner, Slim introduces himself to George and is puzzled why they travel together. Later in the bunk George tells Slim about his life. He explains how Lennie likes to pet soft objects and how Lennie always gets them in trouble. George travels with Lennie because Lennie has nobody to look after him. George asks slim if Lennie could have one of his puppies. Lennie is ecstatic when Slim gives him a puppy. Curly’s wife walks into the bunk looking for her husband. All of the men in the bunk drop their heads, but Lennie stares at her. The men told 2006-12-29T17:07:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Characters-and-Analysis-of-Steinbeck-s-Of-Mice-and-Men-32167.aspx Critical Analysis of "Bless Me, Ultima" Literary elements are a crucial part to effectively writing any piece of literature. In the novel Bless Me, Ultima, the author Rudolfo Anaya incorporates writing essentials such as a unique plot structure, a strong theme, and an intricate characterization technique. The story centers on the main character Tony, as he explicates the narrative of when he was a boy nearly "coming of age". Not only does it focus on Tony progressing to manhood, but also on his loss of faith. The plot structure that was established in AnayaÕs novel, was very rare and fascinating in many ways. Varying incidents distributed within the whole storyline gave the novel different dispositions. One of the most important events was when Ultima showed the power of her natural magic by accomplishing feats that not even the Catholic Church could do. Another was when the golden carp revealed itself to Tony for the first time, and yet another was when close friends such as Narisco and Florence were killed. Different conflicts helped to shape the story, such as Narisco against Tenorio, Tony against the raging snowstorm that tried to impede his process of warning Ultima, and especially TonyÕs inner conflict of deciding what religion to believe. Not only were these episodes consequential, but the literary elements within them were remarkable. Foreshadowing instituted inside TonyÕs dream sequences helped create the sense of mysterious enchantment in his character. In fact, TonyÕs dreams worked in the opposite manner as well, flashing back to when he was just born. These occurrences emerged to be some of the most significant subplots of the book, exposing imperative ideas such as the great healing power of Ultima. They helped to weave the complicated web of mystery within the characters, and forever altered the outcome of the tale. The most eminent theme in the story was TonyÕs loss of faith. His doubt simply started when he witnessed LupidoÕs death, and questioned his ability to become a priest since he could not save LupidoÕs soul. The death polluted the town, just like how itÕs blood tainted the river. Tony bore the sin on his shoulders, and stated "How would I ever wash away the stain of blood". This great burden discouraged him, because he didnÕt see why the innocent would have to suffer. When the golden carp came into his life, Tony further questioned his Catholic religion and the 2006-12-29T17:01:15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Bless-Me,-Ultima-quot-32165.aspx Modern Relevancy of Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 Imagine walking into a room and being surrounded by televisions on all four walls. You look to the left as a train approaches and watches as it passes you from one side of the room to the other. This is the type of entertainment available to the people in Fahrenheit 451. The society in that book is more similar to our society than the time that Bradbury wrote the book. Apparently, the most obvious similarity is the technology. Mildred, Montag’s wife, always had both ears plugged with “electronic bees” that communicated with her constantly (18). This technology is strikingly similar to our common day portable CD players. Everywhere you go, you find people that walk around with Discmans in their ears, oblivious to everything going on around them. Another similar technology is the wall TV’s (19). The way that people mindlessly sit in their parlors watching their wall TV’s, the same way people today will sit in front of their large screen televisions, entertainment centers, satellite systems, DVD’s, and computers. Another way that the society in Fahrenheit 451 is more similar to ours is the way that the books are cut short into a cheaper version. Beatty explains how “classics are cut to fit fifteen minute radio shows” (54). This is similar to us today because most people would rather see the news on television than actually read it. During Bradbury’s time, most people would get up in the morning to read the paper. Also, books are literally cut shorter (54). This applies to us because many students would rather go online and get notes on a certain book than actually read it. Let’s not forget Reader’s Digest, which is basically a cut down version of popular literature. Definitely, the people themselves in the book are more like us today than the people in the fifties. One sad example is the way the children kill each other. Clarisse said how “she was afraid of children her own age. They kill each other” (30). During the past couple of years have children been going into their schools and gunning down their fellow classmates, Columbine being one well-known example. Who would of heard of such a thing during Bradbury’s time? Never would have Bradbury thought that such 2006-12-29T16:04:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Modern-Relevancy-of-Bradbury-s-Fahrenheit-451-32158.aspx Comparing the Colour Purple and King Lear In both The Colour Purple and King Lear, sufferings of different kinds have led each character to become a better person as their journey of life progresses. In each characters journey, each have undergone many different sufferings, some went through physical sufferings of the body, some emotional sufferings of the soul and for some both. Although these sufferings were harsh on the characters, each have their own approach in handling them. As a consequence of the sufferings these characters went through, each individual changed in a unique way and transformed into a better person. Sufferings are not easy for any person to face, but as a result many often transforms into a better person. In The Colour Purple by Alice Walker and in King Lear by William Shakespeare both protagonists have been put under consistent sufferings of the mind and of the soul. Other characters such as Corrine, Henrietta, Mr. _____, Tashi in The Colour Purple and Gloucester, Cordelia, Kent in King Lear have also been put under many sufferings. For Celie from The Colour Purple, sufferings of hers were uncountable, at a young age she was raped by her step-father repeatedly, later she was abuse by her husband which she was forced into marriage into and assaulted by his children. Despite the physical sufferings Celie was put under great amounts of emotional sufferings, such as being separate with her two new born at birth and also being separated with her only love one or over thirty years of not having any news of each other. ¡§Being alive begin to seem like a awful sin.¡¨ (Walker pg. 262) Emotional sufferings of the mind is not losing ones sanity it also includes worries, loving another and the feeling 2006-12-29T16:02:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-the-Colour-Purple-and-King-Lear-32157.aspx Childhood Elements in the Lord of the Flies Picture this… you are flipping through the radio and finally stop the mindless button pushing and stop to hum to that loveable tune you have grown to love. “Girls just wanna have fun..yeah yeah,” but have you ever once stopped to think about it? It seems to me that it must be changed to something more general. When it all comes down to it, we all just “wanna have fun.” Golding demonstrates this in Lord of the Flies when young boys are stranded on an island by themselves and all Hell breaks loose. Time and time again I have looked around me and seen humans wrecking something that once was gorgeous. My point being that we take something that was once a beautiful paradise and transform it into an ugly battlefield of shenanigans. An ugly battlefield of shenanigans you are thinking? Let me prove my point. We have grown up day-to-day in a government that most of us see as ideal. I would certainly think that these ideas would not stick to these young children’s brains, but that is not the case. In fact, these “rules” of society actually stuck to their backs like a back against a leather seat on a muggy summer day. The children end up running amuck on the island getting caught up in the mumbo jumbo of having no rules. However, throughout all the fun they are having they still feel some sort of guilt on their shoulders when they do something “bad.” For example, when Maurice smashes Percival’s sandcastle, sand gets in Percival’s eyes. Maurice feels miserable even when there is not anyone there to give him a stern lecture on how, “You could poke his eye out, kid.” This is all apparent on page 65. It states, “Percival began to whimper with an eyeful of sand and Maurice hurried away. In his other life, Maurice had received chastisement for filling a younger eye with sand. Now, though there was no parent to let fall a heavy hand, Maurice still felt unease of wrong doing.” Now that is a powerful government, don’t you think? Even after a few weeks of being away from home, the children still keep the laws of their old home close by. I know that if I had been without reading of Lord of the Flies I would most 2006-12-29T15:58:07-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Childhood-Elements-in-the-Lord-of-the-Flies-32156.aspx Critical Elements in A Rose For Emily In the short story, “A Rose for Emily,” by William Faulkner, the main character, Emily Grierson, had a death and funeral that drew the attention of the entire town. The story is set during the changing times after the civil war, and there are many symbols in the story that bring out the theme of change. The story opens with Miss Emily Grierson’s death and funeral, which foreshadows the ending. The outcome is further emphasized by the symbolism of the decaying house, which parallels Emily’s physical deterioration and shows her mental decline. Her life, like the decaying house, suffers from the lack of love and care. The characteristics of her house, like her physical appearance, are brought about by years of neglect. For example, the house is located in what was once a prominent neighborhood that has deteriorated, just like Emily has. This is evident when she was first described as a “fallen monument.” This symbolized her former beauty and her later ugliness that was described as obese and bloated. The inside of the house also symbolizes Emily. For instance, at first, all that could be seen in the house was a dim hall where a staircase was mounted with more shadow, and the house smelt of dust and disgust. The darkness and smell of the house symbolically connects with Emily, just like her voice is dry and cold as if it were dark and dusty from disgust like the house. The similarity between Emily and the house extends to the mantle that has a portrait of her and her father. Finally, the townspeople’s description of both Emily and the house reveal an unattractive style. At one point, the house was described as “stubborn,” as if it were ignoring its surrounding decay. Miss Emily also proudly ignored the deterioration of her once grand residence. Inside and out, both the building and Emily’s body are in a state of deterioration, just like tarnished metal. All of these symbols represent the theme of change in the story. The structure and order of the story also is divided in a way that represents the changing of the times. According to critic William Davis, “A Rose for Emily” is divided into five sections that have to do with the past and present. The first and last sections, which deal with the death of Emily, contain information on the 2006-12-29T15:56:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Elements-in-A-Rose-For-Emily-32155.aspx Analysis of Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer In this incredibly detailed account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest, Jon Krakauer describes the entire journey from Dehra Dun, India at 2,234 feet above sea level to Mt. Everest’s deadly peak at 29,028 feet. This deeply moving narrative not only honors the courage of the people on the mountain but also raises the question about leading inexperienced climbers to the highest peak in the world for a large sum of money. On May 10, 1996 disaster struck on the summit of Mt. Everest when a blinding storm caught four groups of climbers leaving eight dead. Krakauer himself narrowly escaped death that claimed the lives of four of his teammates. Outside Magazine sent Krakauer to Nepal to report on the boom in high-priced guide services offering the chance for almost anybody in decent physical condition to attempt the summit. Days of training, practicing, and getting used to the extremely thin atmosphere all lead to one moment of truth, summit day. Krakauer reports in detail his grueling experience prior to and after the storm hit. He describes how small misunderstandings, miscalculations, and wrong judgements all added up to this terrible tragedy. Part of the problem was at such high altitudes with little oxygen it gets “harder and harder to think clearly” (88). After writing an article about a month after the incident for Outside Magazine, Krakauer realized some crucial errors he had made due to his altitude-impaired recollections of the occurrences on the mountain. About a year later, after meticulous research by interviewing survivors and getting a hold on his own account of the story, he was ready to write the book. Many friends and editors urged him to wait two to three years before writing the book in order for him to gain crucial perspective on the situation, but Krakauer wanted to spill his soul in the immediate aftermath in the roil and torment of the moment. Krakauer wrote “The Everest climb had rocked my life to its core, and it became desperately important for me to record the events in complete detail.” Krakauer uses many techniques to describe this event that is deeply imbedded in his soul. Dates are almost always included, along with times. By using times he is able to demonstrate how even 2006-12-29T15:13:37-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Into-Thin-Air-by-Jon-Krakauer-32147.aspx Failed Dreams in the Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is about one man’s pursuit of the American Dream and his downfall as he tries to reach this imaginary goal. Although the dream is different for each person, the principal idea behind the dream is if an individual is determined to reach a goal, he or she has of chance of achieving wealth, and the happiness that accompanies it. In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby believes that one can acquire happiness through the accumulation of wealth and power. Jay Gatsby is a visible example of the success and the failure of the American Dream. Gatsby is living the American Dream. Initially, he appears to be a self-made, wealthy man, and is a remarkable example of how hard work can lead to material prosperity. Gatsby exhibits that it is possible to achieve wealth and success through determination. Although he is the child of “unsuccessful farm people” he manages to cross this social barrier and overcome his modest childhood. He is able to raise himself to his high social stature through hard work and perseverance. The one reason that Gatsby is determined to achieve material wealth is to recapture the love that he once shared with Daisy. Gatsby’s interpretation of the American Dream is where the charming hero-himself, becomes extremely successful and affluent and wins the love back of the “beautiful damsel in distress.” Gatsby throws extravagant parties to try to impress Daisy. He tries to live out his dream of being reunited with her, and reliving the past love that they shared. During one of these parties, Nick and Jordan come across Gatsby’s impressive library that is filled with books. As they came into the library, they came across a man who was astonished at the fact that the books in Gatsby’s library were “absolutely real-have pages and everything” (50), but these books were unread. The pages were not cut, signifying that the books were never opened and were put there for show. This illustrates the somewhat shallow, false side of Gatsby. Although he is personified as a high class, intelligent man, this personification starts to diminish when his superficial side is shown. Gatsby embodies the mores of the American Dream. He comes from a poor childhood in the West, 2006-12-29T15:12:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Failed-Dreams-in-the-Great-Gatsby-32146.aspx Plot Overview PIP, A YOUNG ORPHAN living with his sister and her husband in the marshes of Kent, sits in a cemetery one evening looking at his parents’ tombstones. Suddenly, an escaped convict springs up from behind a tombstone, grabs Pip, and orders him to bring him food and a file for his leg irons. Pip obeys, but the fearsome convict is soon captured anyway. The convict protects Pip by claiming to have stolen the items himself. One day Pip is taken by his Uncle Pumblechook to play at Satis House, the home of the wealthy dowager Miss Havisham, who is extremely eccentric: she wears an old wedding dress everywhere she goes and keeps all the clocks in her house stopped at the same time. During his visit, he meets a beautiful young girl named Estella, who treats him coldly and contemptuously. Nevertheless, he falls in love with her and dreams of becoming a wealthy gentleman so that he might be worthy of her. He even hopes that Miss Havisham intends to make him a gentleman and marry him to Estella, but his hopes are dashed when, after months of regular visits to Satis House, Miss Havisham tells him that she will help him fill out the papers necessary for him to become a common laborer in his family’s business. With Miss Havisham’s guidance, Pip is apprenticed to his brother-in-law, Joe, who is the village blacksmith. Pip works in the forge unhappily, struggling to better his education with the help of the plain, kind Biddy and encountering Joe’s malicious day laborer, Orlick. One night, after an altercation with Orlick, Pip’s sister, known as Mrs. Joe, is viciously attacked and becomes a mute invalid. From her signals, Pip suspects that Orlick was responsible for the attack. One day a lawyer named Jaggers appears with strange news: a secret benefactor has given Pip a large fortune, and Pip must come to London immediately to begin his education as a gentleman. Pip happily assumes that his previous hopes have come true—that Miss Havisham is his secret benefactor and that the old woman intends for him to marry Estella. In London, Pip befriends a young gentleman named Herbert Pocket and Jaggers’s law clerk, Wemmick. He expresses disdain for his former friends and loved ones, especially Joe, but he continues to pine after Estella. He furthers his education by 2006-12-28T18:58:32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Expectations-Plot-overview-32139.aspx Similarity Between the Monster And Victor in Frankenstein People often act similarly to others when put in the same situation. For some, being similar to others is a task, for others it just happens. Either way, everyone is similar to other people, mentally, physically, or otherwise. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Victor and the monster end up to be quite similar. Both characters, Victor Frankenstein and the monster, had similar stages of development, disposition, and feeling. The wonder and awe that filled the young monster was parallel to that of Victor’s. Each of them had a great yearning for knowledge. Victor wished to become fully educated in science, and the monster wished to learn about human life. “[the monster] ardently longed to comprehend [the books]… but how was this possible when [the monster] did not even understand the sounds for which they stood as signs?” (p. 98) The monster wished to learn as much about the human race as he could, whom which he was so fascinated by. He read books, studied the habits of humans, listened to them interact with each other, and tried to copy them in every way possible. From doing this, he learned much about history, social interaction, ethics, and society. Victor felt the same about learning everything possible related to science. “From this day natural philosophy, and particularly chemistry… became nearly [Victor’s] sole occupation.” (p. 35) Victor was also completely enthralled and engrossed in his learning. A vast majority of his time was spent on his studies, “[Victor] proceeded and soon became so ardent and eager that the stars often disappeared in the light of morning whilst [Victor] was yet engaged in [his] laboratory.” (p. 35) While they both walked the earth wide-eyed and curious, they would soon walk with their head down in hatred, isolation, and remorse. Victor Frankenstein’s hatred and isolation from society is much like the monster he created himself. Both of the characters started off the book in love with the world, “I was so guided by a silken cord that all seemed but one train of enjoyment to me.” (p. 19), proclaims Victor shortly after the start of the story. The monster, early in life, also had a love for everything around him. “Soon a gentle light stole over the heavens and gave me a sensation of pleasure.” (p. 88) the monster felt love for everything around him (even 2006-12-20T03:13:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Similarity-Between-the-Monster-And-Victor-in-Frankenstein-32121.aspx Coming Of Age In The Catcher In The Rye Maturation is the journey from childhood to adulthood, where time represents everyone’s unavoidable passageway to adulthood. An awakening in life can help one become aware of the world around him. In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the author J.D. Salinger, traces the process of maturation through the protagonist Holden Caulfield. Firstly, Holden commits many wrong doings and hurts others through his actions. Secondly, he encounters pain and anguish and thirdly, he is healed. The three stages of Holden’s process of maturation are: sin, suffering, and redemption. The first stage of Holden’s process of maturation is sin. This is primarily seen when Holden insults the Bible. Holden gets in bed and feels like praying. Yet, he cannot pray because he is “sort of an atheist” (Salinger 99). Holden admires Jesus, but the Disciples annoy him (Salinger 99). Holden admires Jesus because of his leadership, yet dislikes the Disciples because they were followers. His parents disagree when it comes to religion, therefore none of his siblings attended church. Holden did not have a belief system when he was younger which stems to his cynical view of religion now. Another sin Holden commits is he takes pleasure in the suffering of others. This is evident when Holden imagines taking the life of another human being: As soon as old Maurice opened the doors, he’d see me with the automatic in my hand and he’d start screaming at me, in this very high-pitched, yellow-belly voice, to leave him alone. But I’d plug him anyway. Six shots right through his fair hairy belly. Then I’d throw my automatic down the elevator shaft—after I’d wiped off all the fingerprints and all. (Salinger 104) Holden’s behaviour and actions are self-destructive. He continues to argue with Sunny, the prostitute, and Maurice when they threat him. They quarrel about the five-dollar bill that Holden is supposed to owe; their quarrel leads to Maurice attacking Holden. After, Sunny and Maurice’s depart, Holden imagines himself as a movie gangster and kills Maurice. In short, the first stage of Holden’s process of maturation, sin, is seen through his insulting of the Bible and taking pleasure in the suffering of others. The second stage of Holden’s process of maturation is suffering. 2006-12-20T03:12:11-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Coming-Of-Age-In-The-Catcher-In-The-Rye-32120.aspx Suffering in the Novel "Crime and Punishment" In the novel Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, suffering is an integral part of every character’s role. However, the message that Dostoevsky wants to present with the main character, Raskolnikov, is not one of the Christian idea of salvation through suffering. Rather, it appears to me, as if the author never lets his main character suffer mentally throughout the novel, in relation to the crime, that is. His only pain seems to be physical sickness. Raskolnikov commits a premeditated murder in a state of delirium. He ends up committing a second murder, which he never ever wanted to be responsible for. He kills Lizaveta, an exceedingly innocent person. But does the author ever remind us of the murder at any time in the novel again? Not in the physical sense of the crime itself. The reader doesn’t hear about how heavily the murders are weighing on his heart, or how he is tormented by visions of the crime. He doesn’t feel the least bit guilty about having committed the crime, only his pride’s hurt. He doesn’t mention the idea of the pain that might arise from recurrent visions of the crime. Raskolnikov never again recalls the massive amounts of blood everywhere, the look on Lizaveta’s face when he brings down the axe on her head. These things clearly show that the crime isn’t what might cause him suffering, or pain, it is something else. After Raskolnikov is sent off to Siberia, he doesn’t feel remorseful. His feelings haven’t changed about his crime, he feels bad at not being able to living up to his own ideas of greatness. He grows depressed only when he learns of his mother’s death. Raskolnikov still hasn’t found any reason to feel remorse for his crimes. He takes Siberia as his punishment, because of how annoying it is to go through all these formalities that it entails. Yet, he actually feels more comfortable in Siberia than in his home in St. Petersburg. It’s more comfortable, and has better living conditions than his home. But he isn’t free to do whatever he likes. But this does not contradict what I’ve said before. He doesn’t view Siberia as suffering, but he does view it as punishment, because he would rather not have to go through seven years in his prison cell. His theory of the extraordinary and the ordinary 2006-12-20T03:03:55-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Suffering-in-the-Novel-quot-Crime-and-Punishment-quot-32118.aspx Meaning of the American Dream in the Great Gatsby The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, portrays a story about a man’s attempt to fulfill his American dream. Jimmy Gatz starts off in life poor and eventually finds himself hopelessly in love with a woman he thinks he cannot have because of his low social status and his lack of money. Early on in life, he boldly sets out to achieve a picture-perfect life of wealth and love. Jimmy Gatz transmutes his entire world, erasing his past and much of himself. Remaking himself as Jay Gatsby, he vows to live a wealthy, extravagant life with Daisy Buchanan, the woman of his dreams. Jay Gatsby pursues his dream through money, reinventing his past, and making Daisy part of this new world. The first step toward Gatsby’s wealth comes the day he meets Dan Cody on Dan’s rich, luxurious boat. Nick narrates, “To young Gatsby, resting on his oars and looking up at the railed deck, that yacht represented all the beauty and glamour in the world” (p. 90). Dan Cody takes Gatz under his wing and helps him toward his goal of becoming rich and reaching the acceptance in society that he desires. Gatsby’s wealth eventually leads him to the mansion in West Egg that becomes the center of his dream life. In many respects, this wealthy Long Island community represents, for Gatsby, what the New World did for the original settlers. It stands, in Gatsby’s mind, for a better, more affluent life, a place of refinement and class. It paves the pathway to Daisy, and he must establish himself so firmly in that community, that his right to be there could not be questioned. The American dream is wrapped in the opportunity to improve oneself and ones life. Gatsby feels he must erase his past in order to improve himself and create a seamless picture of a life of elegance. He loses his soul in trying to bury his roots; he tries to forget “Jimmy Gatz.” Gatsby says, “I am the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West-all dead now. I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford, because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years.”(p.60) In doing this, he reaches his destination but he does not reach 2006-12-20T02:24:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Meaning-of-the-American-Dream-in-the-Great-Gatsby-32115.aspx Marcus Brutus In The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar Caesar was the powerful ruler of Rome. One of his dearest friends was a man named Marcus Brutus. Brutus was a loyal friend, and was always true to his country. But when Brutus is facing a dilemma in which case he is torn between the life of his friend and what is better for the city of Rome. With Brutus being a true Roman he chooses the death of his friend. With Brutus joining the conspirators, who are plotting against Caesar, they are now even more powerful and can influence the people easier. While all the conspirators stab Caesar in the back, Brutus is the only one to stab Caesar face to face. Marc Antony, Ocatavius, and Lepidus take over the triumvirate. Brutus and Cuis Cassuis took their troops in against Antony and his troops. This will be where Brutus’ death and tragic flaw take place. While at camp Brutus and Cassius get into an argument leading to Cassuis saying he shall kill himself. After that in solved Brutus heads to bed. In the middle of the night he wakes up to the ghost of Julius. Caesar tells his old friend “Though shalt see me at Philippi.” Brutus is startled by this and isn’t sure what was meant by this. Will Caesar live again or is this some kind of omen. Brutus and his troops March to Philippi. After Cassuis dies, Brutus and his troops are winning, although Brutus don’t realize it. Brutus decides to take the cowards way out of this and kill himself, rather than be drug through the streets of Rome. Strato holds out his sword as Brutus runs about and kills himself. Brutus’ tragic flaw in all of this was he was too loyal to Rome and to his friend Caesar at the same time. After killing Caesar he wasn’t sure if he had done the right thing. And then when after Antony spoke at the funeral and turned all of the people from Rome against Brutus, things started to go downhill for our hero. Then during the battle when he thought he was defeated, and committed suicide, his flaw was complete. 2006-12-20T02:22:24-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marcus-Brutus-In-The-Tragedy-Of-Julius-Caesar-32114.aspx Russian Literature of Anna Akhmatova During Joseph Stalin’s rule in Russia, many voices were silenced. If there was a piece of literature, news, or other such document that Stalin did not view appropriate to publish, it was not published. Stalin ran a totalitarian government in which he oversaw all public affairs. Since he had final say as to what the public was exposed to, nothing negative regarding him was published. Stalin also imprisoned many people for speaking out against him. He also sentenced several millions to death. One of those who Stalin attempted to silence during his reign was Anna Akhmatova. Anna Akhmatova was born Anna Andreevna Gorenko. She married and had a son, Lev Gumilyov. He was one of the men that Stalin imprisoned in an attempt to silence Akhmatova. He was imprisoned for seventeen months as an attempt to force Akhmatova to write only pro-Stalin poetry (Magill 1810). While Anna Akhmatova was waiting to visit her son in prison, she would wait in line for hours with other mothers, wives, and sisters outside the prison walls. She also started to write poems that symbolized the struggle of the Russian people and the injustices they faced. She refused to give into Stalin’s demands, and these poems were a symbol of her determination. The poems are put together in Requiem which is associated with a Catholic funeral service. There are several basic themes and meanings found within Requiem. The first is the idea that Akhmatova was protesting official injustices (Magill 1812). She wanted to be a voice for all the women she waited with who could not speak without her. She never made her contempt for Stalin a secret. “Requiem recounts the suffering of the Russian people under Stalinism- more specifically the women with whom Akhmatova stood in line outside the walls of the prison where her son was” (dybka.home.mindspring.com). Religion is another theme found in the poems, although not as discussed by the critics. Akhmatova related her stories to those of Mary and Jesus. Like Mary, Akhmatova was forced to watch her son suffer for the people. She “uses religious language for different purpose seeing it through Mary’s eyes” (Stine 27). Mary watched her son suffer as he carried the cross. Similarly, Akhmatova suffered by waiting for her son to be brought out of the prison. The poem Requiem is broken down into several parts. Each part represents 2006-12-20T02:02:51-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Russian-Literature-of-Anna-Akhmatova-32107.aspx Qualities of Courage in Beowulf The story of Beowulf is one of courage, nobility, and heroism. Beowulf possesses each of these attributes both as a young prince and an elder king. These qualities allow him to become the honored king that he was, yet they also lead to his death. His actions are to be viewed as a precedent for young princes and future kings. Clearly every young prince inspires to earn enough respect to become king in his latter years. Beowulf first earns this respect when he sails to Herot to kill Grendel, the monster that has been keeping the soldiers out of their home. Upon arrival in Herot, Beowulf brags of his past accomplishments, in order to earn some respect from Hrothgar and his men. In my youth I have set about many brave deeds…I had impelled five, destroyed a family of giants, and at night in the waves slain water-monsters, suffered great pain, avenged an affliction of the Weater-Geats on those who had asked for trouble- ground enemies to bits. And now alone I shall settle affairs with Grendel, the monster, and the demon. (Page 32) While this beast has killed many of Hrothgar’s men, Beowulf vows to destroy him with his bare hands. Even after doing, as he so promised, Beowulf has still not finished his duties. The following day, he is faced with another challenge; killing Grendel’s angry mother. When Beowulf is asked to perform this task, he accepts whole heatedly, as he sees it as another chance to gain fame, "Let him who may get glory before death: that is best for the warrior after he has gone from life."(Page 45) Once again, Beowulf returns successful in his battle with the monster, only to increase his popularity within his people. These courageous and heroic deeds are expected of any young or aging prince. Clearly Beowulf’s brave encounters with these monsters show his king and followers that he is worthy of becoming a fearless leader. However, his ability to rule goes beyond those feats in battle. Beowulf was showered with gifts of gold and riches for his tremendous achievements of killing the monsters. This is where his manner is shown to be one of strong moral. While he could have easily kept them all for himself, Beowulf gives 2006-12-20T01:57:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Qualities-of-Courage-in-Beowulf-32106.aspx Disguised Warning Signs in Animal Farm On roads there are signs for what is coming up ahead. Life, unfortunately, does not give out warning signs as easily. Author, George Orwell, wrote Animal Farm and in his book Orwell discreetly gives out warning signs on life and what to expect of people. Using animals on a farm, Orwell tells about an unstable fight for power. Hidden warnings found in the book depend on the reader. Orwell mainly pushes the points of education is a necessity of life, there is no peace when striving for power, and words have a very large impact on the minds of others. Commercials are always pushing the issue of the need for education. George Orwell uses animals to prove his points on education. In the book being with education helped the animals and being without only hurt them. The smartest animals on the farm were the pigs; they had a great deal of knowledge and maintained the leadership of Animal Farm. Other animals such as sheep, goats, and the workhorse, Boxer, all had little to no education. Napoleon, the head pig, worked these animals for nothing and was able to fool them into doing anything. Whenever there was some form of trouble Boxer was only capable of thinking one thought, “I will work harder.” Being as smart as they were, the pigs convinced the other animals that they deserved more food, better sleeping quarters, and a less amount of work. Napoleon awarded himself with all medals and changed all farm commandments to fit his desires. Squealer, another pig, had the power of words and used this power over all animals. Education still had its way of ruining those who had it, the pigs fought amongst them for leadership of the farm. The desire for power has always had a way of destroying a system. This statement is true in George Orwell’s book. Two of the pigs, Napoleon and Snowball were in competition for the leadership of the farm. The farm was suppose to be a peaceful place for the animals but this was impossible when there was a fight for power. One of the farms seven commandments stated that all animals are equal. Some animals were more equal. Napoleon used vicious dogs to exile Snowball from the farm. Napoleon had never wanted 2006-12-20T01:41:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Disguised-Warning-Signs-in-Animal-Farm-32099.aspx Comparing Winterkill and Their Eyes were Watching God Winterkill is about a man named Danny. He is a failing rodeo cowboy who is also an American Indian. Years before the novel started, his wife and their baby son left him. When she dies later on, he decides to go find his son, Jack, and rescue him from his abusive stepfather. All this is an introduction once they go on the annual winter hunting trip Danny and his father Red Shirt used to go on. Their Eyes Were Watching God showcased a woman named Janie, and her struggle to find her true love. Before her grandma died, she forced her to marry a man who showed love on the outside. He ended up only wanting her to work. Her next chance for love came when she ran off with a man that she met name Joe Starks. He showed much promise in building up a great town for blacks. She ended up not being happy being with him. Her last chance for love came after Joe died. A man named Tea Cake came and slowly found a way to her heart. He let her be who she wanted to be. Then, when he died, she went back to Eatonville, Joe’s old town. Both these novels used unique narrative styles and contained many important themes. But how were these literary devices used to make them strong novels? Narrative technique is the way to author tells the story. For example, if one wanted to write a book describing their life, they might want to start from birth to the present with a few key memories in each stage of their life. This is how Craig Lesley chose to write his novel Winterkill. One might wonder the significance of this median of writing. Most authors write their novels this way. It is when a novel is written with a circular storyline that it captures our attention. Not usually would one come across a novel that ends where it starts. Their Eyes Were Watching God began and ended in at the same scene. It is an interesting way to shape a book. The reader learns of a small amount of the ending. Then when book is finished, the story in the 2006-12-20T01:34:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Winterkill-and-Their-Eyes-were-Watching-God-32096.aspx Characteristics that Make Beowulf a Hero Every generation of people that have existed since the dawn of time have been different. Therefore, it is no surprise that they all hold a different definition for the word ‘Hero’. The poem Beowulf indirectly states many things about the concept of any early Anglo-Saxon hero. The poem showed that any Anglo-Saxon hero would have been incredibly large and strong, had numerous accomplishments, and been very brave in the face of danger. Anyone claiming to be a hero couldn’t expect to be taken seriously in that time unless he was enormous. This is because heroes in that time required much brute strength, for fighting demons, evil people, or anyone else who was it was necessary to fight. Beowulf was described as very tall. He towered over almost any other warrior. The guard on the Danish coast said “I have never laid eyes upon earl on earth more stalwart and sturdy than [Beowulf].” Beowulf was also reputed to be incredibly strong. Hrothgar, King of the Danes, said that “Seafaring men who have voyaged to Geatland... ...say that his hand-grip has thirty men’s strength.” Beowulf demonstrated his incredible strength numerous times. The most prominent display was when he wielded a sword that belonged to a long dead race of giants in order to slay the Troll-Wife. The sword is described as “So heavy no hand but [Beowulf’s] own could hold it,” as evidence to how strong Beowulf was. Upon arriving at Hrothgar’s court, Beowulf promptly began speaking of his past exploits after greeting the King. He spoke of how he “...slew the nicors that swam the sea,” and “Five foes I bound of the Giant kindred, and crushed their clan.” The Nicors were a form of enormous, evil water demons believed to exist in that time. Beowulf was again attacked by Nicors as he swam to fight the Troll-Wife, and was again victorious. Bravery was also an essential quality for an ancient Anglo-Saxon hero. To be stalwart and strong in the face of grave danger was something Beowulf did many times. Facing and defeating Grendel without a weapon was a perfect example of this. Beowulf said that “With hand-grip only I’ll grapple with Grendel,” in a fight to the death. He risked his own life 2006-12-19T17:13:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Characteristics-that-Make-Beowulf-a-Hero-32094.aspx Russian History in One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, is a popular novel of social protest in Russian history. It was a novel that depicted the life in a Russian prison camp in Siberia around the time of World War II. The detail of Solzhenitsyn’s descriptions gives the reader a brilliant picture of camp life. This was a novel that defied Stalin’s rule in Russia. As the title states, we follow a day in the life of Ivan Denisovich, who is in his eighth term of his ten-year sentence. He was arrested while serving the Russian army, and was wrongly accused of betraying his country in order to be a German spy. He confesses the crime for he knows the latter would be death. He is the member of the 104th squad. The other members of squad are examined throughout the book. Solzhenitsyn places these diverse characters to contribute to the story and overall feeling in the prison camp. One character that contributes to the story is Tiurin, who is the squad leader. He was a twenty-two-year old solider in the Red Army. His regimental commander told Tiurin’s father was a kulak, which was a rich peasant. At that point, his commander automatically wrote up an order to discharge him from the army. He was basically arrested since he was a son of a kulak. This shows that during Stalin’s regime, he focussed on classes a major role, since the father was in the upper class, they were stereotyped as corrupt and evil, thus labeling his son the same. Tiurin said his commander had later been shot. The nineteen-year veteran of the Russian prisons, Tiurin is a respected leader of his squad, who can manipulate the prison system. In the story, Tiurin represents the leader and veteran of the prisons. Since he has been there for nineteen years, he can be described as a fatherly figure, which sets an example for the rest of his squad. The opposite of Tiurin is Fetiukov. He is a former office worker, and is considered the lowest rank of the 104th squad. No one in the squad respects him, since he has no respect and dignity for his 2006-12-19T17:08:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Russian-History-in-One-Day-In-The-Life-Of-Ivan-Denisovich-32092.aspx Critical Analysis of "Lady with the Pet Dog" The University of Victoria’s Hypertext Writer’s Guide defines the term point of view as, "the perspective from which a narrative is presented" (Keller 1). Another definition is, "point of view refers to who tells us the story and how it is told" (Meyer174). There are two main perspectives an author can use(TO DO WHAT). The first is called a first person narrative. In this perspective the narrator, or "the character who is telling the story" (Keller 1), uses the word I ( ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO USE ITALICS FOR "I")when narrating the story. The second for of point of view is the third person narrative. The narrator in this type narrative uses the words he, she, and they when reporting the events. In "The Lady With The Pet Dog" the author, Joyce Carol Oates uses different aspects of the third person point of view to tell (TELL THE STORY WITH A FEMALE POINT OF VIEW or FEMALE PERSPECTIVE) the female side of the story. "The Lady With The Pet Dog" is broken down into three distinct sections. In the first section, Joyce Carol Oates uses the third person perspective. The type of narrator used in this section is called a limited omniscient narrator. (Using this style of narration, the author…) This style of narrator is where, "the author very often restricts the narration to the single perspective of either a major or minor character" (Meyer 175). Matthew Brennan, the writer of "Point of View and Plotting In Chekhov’s ( Goofy sentence - too many ands, I’m confused)and Oates’s ‘The Lady With The Pet Dog’", states, "Oates makes Anna S., the female lover, the center of consciousness" (213). The nameless narrator (Brings the reader into) takes us in the thoughts and eyes of the female of the story. In this section, the narrator (describes) tells of the female characters thoughts as she sees her lover in a crowded concert hall: Strangers parted as if to make way for him. There he stood. He was there in the aisle, a few yards away, watching her. She leaned forward at once in her seat, her hand jerked up to her face as if to ward off a blow-- but then the crowd in the aisle hid him. 2006-12-19T16:42:50-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Lady-with-the-Pet-Dog-quot-32084.aspx Racism in Richard Wright's "Native Son" In Native Son, Richard Wright uses a central character, Bigger, to express his opinions on racism in society. In order to truly portray the nature of black society through Bigger, Wright combines the personalities of several actual people that he has come in contact with. Each person possessed a different unique personality trait that Bigger would embody. Wright explains, in the section titled “How Bigger was Born,” which traits he included in Bigger’s complex personality. During the course of the novel, Bigger demonstrates each of the separate personality traits through an action or a thought. Although Bigger’s character exhibits varying personality traits, he displays a plausible quality in that his changes in feeling or situation can give rise to different emotions from bravery to brutality. Wright establishes five influences that he combined to form Bigger. The first “Bigger” was a cruel boy who terrorized Wright as a child; he took toys from others and lived his life as a continuous challenge to all who opposed him. This Bigger is aptly portrayed in the scene in Doc’s poolroom when Bigger brutalizes Gus. Bigger, in fear of robbing Blum’s store, viciously bullies Gus and threatens him with a knife. “You want me to slice you?”(40) These two are prime examples of boys who feel a need to exercise authority in order to subdue their own fears of insignificance. The second Bigger was oblivious to the rules that the white world had set down for him. He would not pay for the supplies he received on credit, yet he lived more luxuriously than the blacks in the slums. The boy’s reasoning is one of complaint: he claims that white folks had everything and that black folks had nothing. This corresponds to Bigger and his friends complaining about the privileges of which they were deprived, such as Bigger’s aspiration to fly that was immediately discarded due to the color of his skin. “They don’t let us do nothing…The white folks.” (22) The third and fourth Biggers were also oblivious to social rules that have been laid down. The third Bigger displays more ignorance and cruelty to authority: “You can’t make me do nothin’ but die!” (312), while the fourth shares specific characteristics with the Bigger in Native Son in that his warped 2006-12-19T16:33:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-in-Richard-Wright-s-quot-Native-Son-quot-32083.aspx Lessons of War in the Novel "Killer Angels" Michael Shaara’s “Killer Angels” is a novel about the Battle of Gettysburg, which took place during the Civil War. In the novel, Shaara divides each chapter by general, in which the reader can see the general’s viewpoints on the war. It also gives the reader an idea of what emotions they are feeling towards their men and other generals and also what are their strategies on succeeding in defeating the enemy. I enjoyed reading “Killer Angels”. Shaara’s format of writing his book was interesting. Reading this novel, I could actually picture what was going on during the battles. The book is an entertaining way of learning about such an important event in American History. One thing that I enjoyed most about the novel was Shaara’s way of using symbolism to describe the different scenes in the novel. I feel that music plays a big role in this book. It gave the army an adventurous feeling such as the song “Bonny Blue Flag”. Other songs played by the bands are reminders of happier times, past friendships, and splits between friends and family during the war. General Armistead of the Confederacy often mentions one lyric that came from the song “Kathleen Mavourneen” which was “It may be for years, and it may be for ever”. The lyric symbolizes his situation. It makes him think about the death of his wife who he will never see again, and about his friend General Hancock, which it may be years before he ever sees him again. Another point of symbolism was the rain at the end of the novel. After Chamberlain finishes talking with his brother Tom, he looks up into the rainy, dark sky. A storm had come flooded with lightning and hard rain. The rain is a symbol of life and rebirth. As the valleys floods, it washed away the blood and the evidence of death during the long battle. It cleansed the earth giving way to a new beginning. “Killer Angels” describes the struggle of Man vs. Man. The Union was fighting for the independence of slavery, while the Confederacy was fighting for the disunity of the north. The Union army was very different than the Confederate army. The Union army had soldiers from different religions, 2006-12-19T16:18:32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lessons-of-War-in-the-Novel-quot-Killer-Angels-quot-32079.aspx "The Giver" and Arguments on its Censorship It is the future. There is no war, no hunger, and no pain. No one in The Community wants for anything. Each Family Unit is entitled to one female and one male. The Community also has a Committee of Elders choose the professions (assignments) of every child when they become 12 years old. If an Elder is not on the committee he/she is well taken care of by the younger children or those people that are given the life assignment of "Caregiver". It seems that this is the ideal Community. To everyone it IS the ideal community until Jonas, a sensitive twelve-year-old boy, is given his life assignment as the "Receiver of Memories." He then begins to learn this way of life is controlling and empty. From the moment Jonas becomes "The Reciever". He begins to discover that The Community is not as perfect as it seems. He learns infants are killed if they fuss too much, individuality has been suppressed and that choice is scorned. Jonas, with the help of his trainer called the Giver, takes it upon himself to change what he is seeing. He begins to try to find all that has been lost or suppressed and return it back to the society. Lois Lowry deals with issues of everyday life that are so often taken for granted. Through Jonas, Lowry tries to present a glimpse of what could be the future if individuality, creativity, and self expression were suppressed. As the novel progresses so do the number of questions that Lowry confronts the reader with. She presents a forceful novel that demands to be heard and philosophically dealt with. This strength and the ideas she presents are what gave rise to the controversy of censorship and her novel. Reasons for Censorship: "There are numerous reasons that a book may be challenged for censorship. According to "Appendix A: Common targets of censorship from The Schoolbook Protest Movement: 40 Questions and answers (Jenkinson, 1986, pp. 70-71), The Giver contains several targets for censorship. Here is a list of reasons it could be censored: Abortion (throughout the book), Atheism (throughout the book), Violence (pp.118-120)Sexual references (pp.34-36; 129), Euthanasia (throughout book), Conflict between Children and parents (throughout book), Conflict between children and authority (throughout book), Science fiction genre, Moral conflicts, Values clarification, Secular humanism, Socialistic 2006-12-19T16:08:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-The-Giver-quot-and-Arguments-on-its-Censorship-32074.aspx The Seduction of Elmire in the Play Tartuffe In Act Three, Scene Three of Tartuffe, Tartuffe makes his first attempt to seduce Elmire. In trying to persuade her to have sex with him, Tartuffe uses several cunning tricks. Tartuffe uses a religious argument as his first trick in his attempt to seduce Elmire. He flatters Elmire by telling her that her beauty is a work of God. He states that it would be a sin not to pine after someone as beautiful as Elmire. Tartuffe continues to flatter Elmire with his passionate religious argument by comparing her beauty to God: How could I look on you, O flawless creature, And not adore the Author of all Nature, Feeling a love both passionate and pure, For you, his triumph of self-portraiture? This argument is a clever trick Tartuffe uses to try and seduce Elmire. Tartuffe tries to convince Elmire that by having sex with her he is praising God for God’s exquisite creation. By comparing her to God, he is also trying to fool Elmire into believing that he is a truly religious person. Tartuffe uses false humility as his second clever trick into convincing Elmire to have sex with him. Tartuffe constantly puts him self down while simultaneously making Elmire appear to be superior to him. He uses this trick to try and arouse sympathy and pity form Elmire. Aside from admitting to his inferiority to Elmire he also displays false humility by giving Elmire total control of the situation: You are my peace, my solace, my salvation; On you depends my bliss---or desolation; I bide your judgement and, as you think best, I shall be either miserable or blest. Tartuffe gives Elmire control of the situation by telling her that she is the key to his happiness. If Elmire refuses to have sex with him, Tartuffe states that his life will be unbearable. His third and final way in which Tartuffe practices false humility is by blaming Elmire’s beauty for his indecent behavior. He wants Elmire to believe that he truly tried to resist his passionate feelings towards her, but her beauty was to strong. Tartuffe used a variety of methods to try and seduce Elmire, but he used false humility for two very important reasons. Tartuffe used false humility to prove his 2006-12-19T03:58:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Seduction-of-Elmire-in-the-Play-Tartuffe-32071.aspx Themes of Hope in "The Joy Luck Club" Many immigrants came to America with the hope and dream of a new life. Most had run from unbearable conditions in their “homeland” to seek the American dream. Continuing the theme of this semester, Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club looks at four Chinese women and their struggle to make it in America. All of the women try to give their daughters a better life than they had in China without losing their heritage and culture. The struggle between the Americanized daughters and their Chinese mothers is one of the main themes in the novel. Suyan and Jing-Mei “June” Woo’s relationship seems confused with conflict but is ultimately composed of deep love and commitment for one another. Because of the major difference in the environment in which they were raised and their life experience miles around the globe, these two women have opposing ideas and beliefs. This, along with their lack of communication, is responsible for many of the problems in their relationship. It is only after Suyan dies, when June learns of her mothers past, that the conflicts are resolved. Then it is too late. Most of the conflicts that June and her mother face are based on misunderstandings concerning each other’s feelings and beliefs. June does not understand or even fully know her mother because she does not know about her tragic past and the pain she still feels from its memory. Because Suyuan lost two daughters in China, and her entire family was killed in the war, she leaves this place behind her and places all of her hopes in America and her family there. She wants the very best for her daughter June. Even her name, Suyuan, meaning "long-cherished wish," speaks of this hope for Jing-Mei, meaning "the pure, essential, best quality younger sister." Suyuan tells her daughter June that she can be anything she wants to be, and that she has great talent. At first June is excited and dreams about what she will become. “In all my imaginings, I was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect. My mother and father would adore me. I would be beyond reproach. I would never feel the need to sulk for anything.” (p. 143) Suyuan pushes June to be successful in many different areas such as dance, academics, trivia, and piano. After failing to excel at each 2006-12-19T03:42:24-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-Hope-in-quot-The-Joy-Luck-Club-quot-32065.aspx Analyzing A Christmas Carol There are many reasons why A Christmas Carol was all a dream by Scrooge, how can a ghost make someone invisible. Scrooge went right through walls and people can’t do that. Scrooge also went flying with one of the ghosts. That had to be a dream. Another example is, that every time that one of the ghosts came to Scrooge after a different ghost showing Scrooge his past, present, and future, he would always wake up in bed. There are many reasons why A Christmas Carol story was all dreamed by scrooge. Ghost can not turn someone invisible, for example when one minute past one o’clock, the ghost the ghost was there while Scrooge was in bed. The ghost of Christmas past took Scrooge, they were both walking in the street and no one saw Scrooge or the ghost walk because they were invisible. Scrooge would try to say “hi” but no one saw him or heard him because he was invisible. Scrooge kept forgetting that the ghost turned him invisible, so he gave up trying to talk to people that were talking to him. There are many reasons why a ghost cannot turn some one invisible. When Scrooge flew with the ghost of Christmas past, present, and future, Scrooge didn’t know he could do that. While he was flying, he hadhis pajamas and slippers on. So he had to be dreaming. Ghosts cannot show a person their past and the Ghost of Christmas Past showed Scrooge his past. Scrooge couldn’t believe his own eyes. His past was about when Scrooge was a poor and lonely boy. There are many reasons why ghosts cannot take people to go fly with them. The phantom changed into a bed post at the end of the novel. Phantoms cannot turn into bed posts because that is all fiction so it had to be Scrooge dreaming. While Scrooge was in bed, the phantom turned into the bed post. Scrooge didn’t say anything so it had to be a dream. If scrooge was not dreaming, and he saw the phantom turn into the bed post, Scrooge would have went ballistic. There are many reasons why the phantom changed into the bed post. Scrooge always ends up on his bed when a ghost of Christmas past, present, or yet to come visits Scrooge . When Scrooge goes with a ghost, he wakes 2006-12-19T03:38:27-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analyzing-quot-A-Christmas-Carol-quot-32064.aspx Comparing All My Sons, Catcher in the Rye and Dead Poets Society The American dream portrays the idea that one may strive to live a perfect life where anyone can become successful or accomplish anything. A world where family life is ideal and the “streets are paved with gold.” The works All My Sons, Catcher in the Rye and Dead Poets Society introduce a view into North American society by presenting a realist attempting to fulfill the dream, and an idealist who disagrees with this view of life. Joe Keller and Larry Keller portray the realism versus idealism theme in the play All My Sons. Joe tries to accomplish the American dream by subscribing to immoral values. During the war, he ships out damaged cylinder heads, indirectly causing the death of his son Larry, and twenty-one other pilots. This action demonstrates how capitalism places money before people. Larry however, was the genuine idealist who chose to end his life rather than bear the reality that his father committed such an appalling crime. Larry did not believe that prospering the family excused his fathers crime. He saw it as inhumane and thus committed suicide. The novel Catcher in the Rye provides further proof to the theory that the American Dream is non-realistic. Holden Caulfield is the idealistic character who resents the American dream and trusts only the innocence of the youth. He despises the phoniness of the realistic world and dreams of an ideal society in which he can prevent the innocent from entering the phony adult world, which he desperately tries to avoid. Furthermore, he rejects the notion of an ideal family life by not communicating with his parents and perceiving them as part of the phony upper class society. The film Dead Poets Society presents Neil as the idealist who believes that it is important to live your life the way you desire rather than live it for somebody else. Since Neil’s father did not have much when he was young, he tries to live his life through Neil. Instead of permitting Neil to continue with his love of acting, he pressures him to study hard so that he can become a successful doctor. Consequently, Neil commits suicide so that he does not have to be apart of life that his father has set up for him. He prefers to work hard for something that 2006-12-19T03:36:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-All-My-Sons,-Catcher-in-the-Rye-and-Dead-Poets-Soc-32063.aspx Themes and Story of the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien The Hobbit written by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a famous tale of fantasy. This book appeals to almost all ages. The Hobbit is full of mystical creatures, daring adventures, and many exciting characters like giant spiders, orcs, shapeshifters, elves, wargs, and a dragon. The Hobbit is about a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. He sets out on a journey with a wizard and thirteen other dwarves. One the way many different and exciting things happen. They all leave their homes to help Thorin retrieve the treasure that was taken over by Smaug, the evil dragon. J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit is so well written that it makes people want to read the entire trilogy (Lord of the Rings). No other fantasy fiction author gives as strong descriptions of environments, characters and story as well as Tolkien. Bilbo Baggins is the one who leads the Dwarves to the Lonely Mountain to find their treasure. In all this confusion, Bilbo discovers within himself a vast amount of strength and courage. The book begins with Bilbo Baggins enjoying a pipe after breakfast. Gandalf, a wizard, stops by to have a chat with Bilbo. He informs Bilbo that he is looking for someone to go on an adventure with him. The next day, Bilbo hears his doorbell and he remembers inviting Gandalf for tea, but instead of the wizard at the door, there is a group of dwarves-thirteen in all. Their names are Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur and Thorin. Thorin, son of the dwarf king, outlines a plan on how to regain the treasure stolen by the dragon Smaug. Bilbo is shocked to find out that these plans involve him! The quest begins when they venture into the Lone-lands. When it starts to pour, they stop to investigate a light. There Bilbo finds three trolls bickering over food. Bilbo decides to live up to his title of “the burglar”, and attempts to pickpocket one of the trolls. However, they quickly capture him. The dwarves see what’s going on and try to save poor Bilbo. All of them except Thorin are caught. Thorin formulates a plan to free them but fails. Gandalf returns and occupies the 2006-12-19T03:25:15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-and-Story-of-the-Hobbit-by-J_R_R_-Tolkien-32058.aspx Character Analysis of Wade Whitehouse of "Affliction" The character Wade Whitehouse from the book Affliction by Russell Banks is very complex. To properly analyze his character one must take into account all aspects of his personality. We must search and break down any information we may find about, the character’s background information, describe his personality, determine if any changes have occurred to his character during the novel, how he has affected fellow characters and finally the thematic significance that the author wishes to bring to the reader’s attention through his character. Firstly we must look at the major factors that influence the character; background information surrounding the environmental factors of the town, the family relations and early life experiences that have dramatically affected the character. The town of Lawford is a rural community in New Hampshire having no natural resources for economic viability. Due to this poor flow of money the town lacks simple services and recreational facilities and therefore does not attract many tourists. Those who do visit the town are either merely city comers using their fathers cottage as a weekend getaway, or deer hunters profiting from the abundant wild life. The only successful local man is Gordon LaRiviere who owns a well drilling company and who employs Wade and many other men of this town. Affliction is set in a winter scenery and throughout the book the weather is gloomy “ the sky clear as black glass”(6), “Winter approaches…arriving with such ferocity and stunning relentlessness of purpose that you could give yourself over to it completely and at once” and is a reflection of the attitudes possessed by the characters. Secondly we must discuss Wade’s family background. His father is a severe alcoholic who regularly abused each family member. Once under the spell of the alcohol he becomes extremely violent and cannot control his anger. His mother although very loving could not protect the children for she herself feared her abusive husband. On many occasion she had also suffered the trauma of abuse and tried to avoid any confrontation at any cost. Wade had four siblings, two older brothers Elbourne and Charlie, who were both killed during the Vietnam War (specifically the Tet offensive). Wade also had one younger brother Rolfe, who left town for collegial studies, and a younger sister, Lena, who departed shortly after she realized she was pregnant. Elbourne and Charlie running to Vietnam, where 2006-12-19T03:15:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Wade-Whitehouse-of-Affliction-32055.aspx Analysis of the Book "Tao Te Ching" Tao Te Ching is a book that was written by a man called Lao Tzu over two thousand years ago. This book teaches us about the way of life; for the word “Tao” means “The Way”, through this book, Lao Tzu taught us how to live a good life and be a person with integrity and righteousness. This book (this version) basically divided into two sections; the first is about integrity and proper way of behavior, while the second half base on more about theory of “The Way.” Lao Tzu is a man of wisdom who was in the ancient China and he wrote some of his theories and opinion on how gentlemen and righteous people should behave themselves. The main theme of Tao Te Ching is to teach us how we can fulfill this purpose. Even thought for a Chinese person, the wording that Lao Tzu used was hard to understand and because the book is translated from Chinese, some of the style and feelings may also get lose through the process. However, because it is a translation, it is easier to understand. In chapter 36, Lao Tzu talked about the importance of realizing our own imperfect. He stated that it is well for a person to know and admit that he does not understand everything. On the other hand, it does no good for a person to refuse his own mistake. He also said that a sage could be such an example is because he admits his wrong doings and corrects it; for this reason, he is improving himself. At the end, he becomes more perfect. This is part of Lao Tzu’s integrity teaching, which gives powerful insight of how a person should act, think, and speak. It helps to build up self-confidence and peace in mind. Besides as a book for us, Tao Te Ching was also written for the country leaders. In chapter 74, Lao Tzu taught the rulers how to gain favor of the people. He stressed the importance of being kind and not to practice anything more than it is needed. He told the rulers that they should not over use force to press the people and that the army to only fight for the right purpose, but not for its own desire. 2006-12-19T02:31:19-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-Book-quot-Tao-Te-Ching-quot-32048.aspx Critical Analysis of "Cyrano de Bergerac" In the play Cyrano de Bergerac, by Edmond Rostand, the conflict is Man vs. himself, Cyrano vs. his internal conflicts. Cyrano de Bergerac, a poet, a swordsman, a philosopher, a musician, and a member of the Cadets of Gascoyne, is deeply in love with his beautiful cousin, Roxane. Despite all of Cyrano’s skills and brilliance, he has an unusually large nose that he finds too grotesque to risk confronting Roxane with his feelings. Cyrano later discovers that Roxane is in love with Christian, a young handsome nobleman who lacks intelligence and poetic skills. Cyrano decides to help Christian write letters in the form of poetry to win Roxane’s love, which also allows himself an opportunity to secretly express his love for Roxane in hopes that Roxane would fall in love with his soul, but Christian was later fatally shot in a war against Spain and this ended his letter writings. Before Christian died, he realized that Cyrano was in love with Roxane and wanted him to confess to Roxane about the letters, which would force her to choose her love, but since Christian died, Cyrano lost the chance to do so. Fifteen years later, Cyrano’s enemies ambushed him during a visit to see Roxane, which caused Cyrano a desire to recite his last letter he wrote as Christian to Roxane. He reads it aloud by heart and Roxane learns that Cyrano was the one who wrote the letters and that it is him that she is in love with, but later Cyrano died due to the fatal blow from his enemies. Cyrano died with the knowledge of Roxane loving him, so this solved his internal conflict. The main theme of Cyrano de Bergerac, by Edmond Rostand is that nothing is really fair when it comes to love and war. In the beginning of this play, Cyrano, a man with many skills and wonders, falls in love with his cousin, Roxane. Cyrano has an unusually large and grotesque nose, which prevents him from revealing his love for Roxane. Later, Cyrano decided to reveal his feelings for Roxane when he thought that Roxane had feelings for him too, but he found out that she had feelings for Christian, a handsome young nobleman. Roxane’s love for Christian was based on his great appearance, the one thing that Cyrano did not possess. This type of love was not fair 2006-12-19T02:29:03-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Cyrano-de-Bergerac-quot-32047.aspx Lonliness in "Of Mice and Men" The novel Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, tells the story of two friends, Lennie and George, who are forced to leave their homes because Lennie was accused of raping a girl from another town. The two of them go off to find work and end up working on a farm where some people suffer from some form of loneliness. Many of the characters are driven towards the curiosity of George and Lennie’s friendship because they do not have that kind of support in their life. The characters on the farm, Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife confide in Lennie and George’s relationship and expose their forms of loneliness to them because of a weakness keeping them from having companionship like Lennie and George. Without friends, people would suffer from loneliness and solitude. Loneliness leads to low self-esteem and deprivation. The old swapper, Candy, has isolated himself on account of two factors. Candy lost his hand after getting it caught in a piece of machinery, and, as a result, he is forced to just sweep and clean the ranch. Also Candy’s age adds even more of a feeling of uselessness. He looks at himself as an old worthless man wasting away his last few years. He is often invited to go out with the other guys, but he always refuses due to his low self-esteem. He confides in George and Lennie and offers his life savings to them to help finance their dream of having their own farm. Crooks is a black man that is lonely on account of racism. He is rejected from every group of people and can’t socially interact with others. He spends most of his days and nights either reading or working in the barn with the horses. The book takes place in the early 20th century and many treat Crooks unfairly because he is black and, eventually, since he can’t vent his frustration, he lashes out at others who treat him badly. He can’t take part in daily events or activities with white people or basically be around them. “Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink, well I tell you, you all stink to me,”(pg.75). He is really fascinated with George and Lennie’s friendship and is striving to get sympathy from them by making them 2006-12-18T22:25:01-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lonliness-in-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-32038.aspx The Moral Progression of Huckleberry Finn The main character of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn undergoes a total moral transformation upon having to make life-defining decisions throughout his journey for a new life. Huck emerges into the novel with an inferiority complex caused by living with a drunken and abusive father, and with the absence of any direction. It is at this point where Huck is first seen without any concept of morality. Fortunately, Huck is later assisted by the guidance of Jim, a runaway slave who joins him on his journey and helps Huck gain his own sense of morality. Throughout Huck’s adventures, he is put into numerous situations where he must look within himself and use his own judgement to make fundamental decisions that will effect the morals of which Huck will carry with him throughout his life. Preceding the start of the novel, Miss Watson and the widow have been granted custody of Huck, an uncivilized boy who possesses no morals. Huck looks up to a boy named Tom Sawyer who has decided he is going to start a gang. In order for one to become a member, they must consent to the murdering of their families if they break the rules of the gang. It was at this time that one of the boys realized that Huck did not have a real family. They talked it over, and they was going to rule me out, because they said every boy must have a family or something to kill, or else it wouldn’t be fair and square for the others. “Well, nobody could think of anything to do– everybody was stumped, and set still. I was most ready to cry; but all at once I thought of a way, and so I offered them Miss Watson–they could kill her (Huck).” At this moment, Huck is at the peak of his immorality. A person with morals would not willingly sacrifice the life of someone else just in order to be part of a gang. It is at this point where Huck can now begin his journey of moral progression. Huck encounters his first major dilemma when he comes across the wrecked steamboat and three criminals. When Jim and Huck take the skiff for themselves, leaving the three robbers stranded, Huck realizes that he has left them 2006-12-18T22:17:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Moral-Progression-of-Huckleberry-Finn-32035.aspx The Maturation of Scout in "To Kill a Mockingbird" As people grow in life, they mature and change. The main character matures as the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, continues. Scout is childish and disrespectful at the beginning of the novel. She is learning from her experiences throughout the novel. By the end of the novel she has come to have a strong concern for the feelings of others, and understanding the world around her. She learns this through her own experiences. Scout matured a lot throughout the novel. Scout shows childish behavior at the beginning of the novel. She is disrespectful towards Calpurnia her maid. Scout suggests to Atticus to have her fired. “ ‘She likes Jem better’n she likes me, anyway,’ I concluded, and suggested that Atticus lose no time in packing her off.”(25). When Scout says this after Calpurnia punished her, it shows how inconsiderate and rude she was being toward Calpurnia. Also early in the novel Scout, Jem and Dill are afraid of Boo Radley, they think he is a monster and try to play tricks on him. They don’t know Boo Radley and have never seen him but still judge him on stories they have heard. They are threatened by him, and are scared to go on his property. This is very childlike. Scout also had the immature habit of getting into fistfights that started by the slightest provocation. When Jem had told Scout to stop beating on Walter Cunningham, he asked why she was fighting him in the first place all Scout had to say in response was “He didn’t have any lunch”(22) this shows she did not have good reason to be fighting him. Scout is very immature in these incidents in the novel Scout is maturing more and learning from her experiences further into the novel. Scout, Jem and Dill are no longer interested in teasing Boo Radley, they have moved on to new interests. This is a sign of growth. Scout views on her father were changing. She used to think her father was different from the other fathers because he was older and couldn’t do anything. Then after Atticus shot the mad dog in one shot and Scout is told that he has the best shot in town, Scout is proud and influenced more by her 2006-12-18T20:10:57-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Maturation-of-Scout-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32027.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Tunnels of Cu Chi" The book that I read for my book report was The Tunnels of Cu Chi by Tom Mangold and John Penycate. The reason that I chose this book was because I am very interested in various aspects of certain wars and I definitely am intrigued by tunnel warfare of the Vietnam Conflict. Imagine being in a war and coming across a tunnel in the middle of the jungle. You have no idea what is in the tunnel but you think it may be the enemy. Your commander asks for volunteers to go in and investigate. Do you volunteer or not? That is the question that some U.S. Servicemen were faced with in the heat of the moment. They had no idea what they were getting into but with the adrenaline pumping many went for it. They are now known as “tunnel rats” and this book is the story of what they went through during their time in Vietnam. This book is one of the best books that I have ever read on Tunnel Warfare ever. Every war has something that was unique to it, WWI it was trench warfare, WWII was the German Blitzkrieg and the atom bomb, and in Vietnam it would have to be the tunnel warfare. The U.S. Special Forces units, trained in above ground combat, had to basically start from scratch when it came to the tunnels, all of their manuals had to basically be rewritten with this new found combat style. “Tunnel Rats” were a breed of their own. These were men who needed a sense of adventure in a land of many unknowns and these men, no matter their rank, were highly regarded among their comrades. The tunnels themselves, even though very simple looking, were quite effective in their construction. The tunnels were designed to withstand direct 500 lb. bomb hits, CS riot gas, water flooding and destruction from above ground vehicles moving overhead and had the ability to detect by sound incoming aircraft from many miles away. The tunnels were cities under the ground; they had everything that you can imagine, makeshift hospitals where doctors did everything from delivering babies to amputating limbs and performing brain surgery with such tools as handsaws and home made drills. They also 2006-12-18T20:06:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Tunnels-of-Cu-Chi-quot-32025.aspx Shame and Society in the Scarlet Letter In "The Scarlet Letter" , Nathaniel Hawthorne presents this novel in a dramatic point of view, starting with the scene of the prison. Hester is displayed as an adulterous woman in a Puritan society, where sin is harshly accounted for. She is forced to wear her badge of shame throughout life along side her daughter Pearl, yet the irony of it all is that she becomes one of the most helpful, phenomenal, virtuous people in her society. Hawthorne uses symbols to convey his theme of the effects of sin. The forest symbolizes a harmonious place, where Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale can share freedom, to talk and reflect on their dramatic life changes. The forest is their gateway or getaway to solitude. It is a carefree place, where they are bohemians, remaining aloof from society and can carouse through the forest and be candid with one another. The forest as a symbol helps to develop the story more accurately. Hawthorne conveys this symbol, in order to pertain to his sense of drama throughout the character’s lives. Symbols are an important literary element, that Hawthorne takes advantage of by showing, depth, depression, freedom to confess sin and other inhibitions. In the forest, a quiet, private and most recluse place, Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale relax near a babbling brook, with the green moss comforting them. Mr. Dimmesdale now finds this is the place to be straightforward with Hester and make their plans for their get away. The forest holds the secrets that Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale share. This place is the only freedom they have to really talk, without having to worry of townspeople associating themselves together. The forest is a place of mystery and mystique. The sister of governor Bellingham, (Mistress Hibbins), is seen as a witch, who often remains aloof from society as Hester has remained. The black man with the writings in his book, holds the names, written in blood, of the people he meets amongst the trees is a mystery himself. Pearl is quite the contrary evil herself. When Hester feels free and takes down her hair and finally discards the letter into the brook, Pearl is frantic at the sight of the missing letter. Hester feels free at times, but Pearl binds her to the letter and she can never escape from it. Only certain times, when Hester 2006-12-18T19:55:55-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shame-and-Society-in-the-Scarlet-Letter-32021.aspx America the Melting Pot in Literature America has been called the melting pot of the world; this mixture of cultures and people has created a unique blend known only to America. The American people have themselves adapted this blend of cultures into something particular to certain areas of the country; two examples of this are the traditions of the slave states along the Mississippi River as are told by Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and the destruction of an old way of life for farmers and their quest for a new life as the result of the Dust Bowl Migration of the 1930’s, which is depicted in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. These two specific subcultures have similarities, which reflect the uniqueness of the area. Sometimes the wisdom and gentleness that are the result of how a person was brought up are found in unlikely places. The slave Jim shows amazing perception and kindness when he prevents Huckleberry Finn from seeing that the dead body they had found was none other than Huck’s pap. While Jim knew that there was no love lost between Huck and his father, Jim knew that seeing your own father dead was something that would affect anyone. Perhaps he felt that Huck would fee guilty, but no matter what the reason, it was a very kind and wise thing to do. In Grapes of Wrath, Ma Joad is a veritable wellspring of wisdom: “Man, he lives in jerks—baby born an’ a man dies, an’ that’s a jerk— gets a farm an’ loses his farm, an’ that’s a jerk. Woman, its all one flow, like a stream, little eddies, little waterfalls, but the river, it goes right on. Woman looks at it like that. We ain’t gonna die out. People is goin’ on— changin’ a little, maybe, but goin’ right on.” (pg 423 Grapes of Wrath) In a single, impressive monologue Ma reassures her family that their world and life won’t end, it will simply change a little, but she also informs her audience of how she knows this, which is more than many people would be able to do. Ma’s conviction that life will go on, and the way she views life seem to stem from the way a farmwife lives: constantly watching over one’s family, everything one does revolving around the needs and wants of the family, watching for signs 2006-12-18T19:54:19-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/America-the-Melting-Pot-in-Literature-32020.aspx Metaphors in "Animal Farm" by George Orwell The book I read was entitled, “Animal Farm”, by George Orwell. It was 136 pages and the copyright was in 1945. The story takes place on a farm like the title tells you. The date and time is unknown. Mr. Jones is the protagonist in Animal Farm. Of course Napoleon is also the major villain, however much more indirectly. Orwell says that at one time Jones was actually a decent master to his animals. In fact, he and his men had taken up the habit of drinking. Old Major reveals his feelings about Jones and his administration when he says, "Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, and he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving and the rest he keeps for himself". So the animals successfully uproot Jones and the old government. Little do they know, history will repeat itself with Napoleon and the pigs. The conflict is man v. man. The pigs came up with the idea to lead a rebellion against the cruel Mr. Jones. The rebellion starts when Mr. Jones comes home drunk one night, and forgets to feed the animals. They break out of the barns and run to the house, where the food is stored. When Mr. Jones recognizes this he takes out his shotgun, but it is to late for him, all the animals fall over him and drive him off the farm. The animals destroy all whips nose rings, reins, and all other instruments that have been used to suppress them. After some time Jones comes back with some other men from the village to recapture the farm. The animals fight brave, and they manage to defend the farm. As you can see, Mr. Jones and the animals were in a constant battle for the farm. The climax occurs when Mr. Jones comes home drunk one night and forgets to feed the animals. The animals end up braking into the house and eating all the food. Then Mr. Jones and his friends come into the house and try to hurt the animals. The animals retaliate by jumping on them 2006-12-18T18:23:57-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Metaphors-in-quot-Animal-Farm-quot-by-George-Orwell-32017.aspx Sexuality in "Catcher in the Rye" J.D. Salinger’s most great masterpiece of his writing career, The Catcher in the Rye, explores the hypocrisy and the ugliness of the adult world. As written in the 1950s, the story relates to the post-World War II time and to Salinger’s mentally complicated life when he was growing up. The main character, Holden Caulfield, also the narrator of the novel, goes through a psychological meltdown as his child-like innocence is shattered by the adult world. Disturbed and trapped by his own conflicting mind, he struggles vainly to escape only to sink deeper and deeper into the evilness of the adult world. In the midst of confusion, desperation, and loneliness, Holden sets out to find the true happiness of life. The damage of Holden’s child-like innocence leaves him in the brink of a nervous breakdown. Brought on by the hypocrisy and the ugliness of the adult world, Holden give in to his increasing feelings of loneliness and desperation. His cynicism is his attempt to protect himself from the pain and the disappointment of the adult world. In failing to find refuge in neither friends nor teachers, Holden sinks deeper in his confused mind. The death of his brother Allie further torments little Holden and leads him to the desire of sexuality. Almost given up to the adult world, he finds the true, inexplicable happiness: his little sister Phoebe. The view of his childish sister riding on the merry-go-round brings him back to life, agreeing to protect her from the adult world. Standing on the threshold between childhood and adulthood, vulnerable little Holden is consistently hurt and humiliated by the hypocrisy and ugliness of the adult world. His admiration of children seems to indicate his longing to go back to his childhood. “Sexuality” is the force that makes the return to his childhood impossible. Many of Holden’s most traumatic encounters with the adult world- the blowup with the prostitute-is cause by his desire of sexuality. Sexual desires consistently forces him, against his will, to move more and more deeply into the adult world. Holden is standing at the edge of a cliff next to a rye field about to jump into adulthood. Repelled by the hypocrisy and the ugliness of the adult world, ironically, Holden is 2006-12-18T17:49:48-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sexuality-in-Catcher-in-the-Rye-32007.aspx The Power of Fear in Literature A whole new environment was thrown at the young boy all of a sudden. He had never seen such different people, or so many people altogether. He had reached high school. Before this, he had gone to a small public school, which only consisted of about the number of people in one class in high school, and some classes even surpassed the amount in the entire school. He wasn’t sure what to do, where to go; his mind was in a state of blankness. His palms were sweating, along with the rest of his body because of all the beautiful girls he had never seen before; in addition, to make all these matters worse, he was a shy guy. This quiet young man decided to face the facts: he was going to be attending this school for four years, so he might as well make the best of the time being. He didn’t know where to start making a good impression, so he started in the classroom. He was intimidated because he had heard the classes were much more arduous compared to the ones in elementary and middle school, but he finally gave it a shot. According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, “fear is the anxiety caused by real or possible danger, pain, etc.; fright.” There is a gargantuan amount of people who would like to avoid fear altogether, but it is a part of life and without it, life would be extremely boring. The fear people endure can be perceived positively because it can help people do things they never thought of doing; on the other hand, it can deter them from achieving the goals they have set for themselves. This notion is shown in the following pieces of work: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, and Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. Since the beginning of time, fear has been accompanying everybody that has walked on this planet and maybe even on other ones. As H.P. Lovecraft puts it, “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear” (www.phobialist.com/fears). This quote reveals how everything people do is based on how strong the fear in somebody actually is, this determines if they are able to go out and achieve their goal, or just pay 2006-12-18T17:35:57-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Power-of-Fear-in-Literature-32001.aspx Analysis of "Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway Pain can be described as anything that causes stress or hurt on one’s body, mind and soul. Emotional, mental and physical pain can all cause a person to lose sight of their ambitions and goals in life. This however is not the case with the old man in Hemingway’s novel, The Old Man and the Sea. The old man, Santiago, makes his way through life with perseverance, or determination to succeed. He never gives up on his dreams, despite pains and consequences he encounters. This characteristic is one that becomes a very important quality in the characterization of Santiago. Hemingway develops one aspect of his characters personality very deeply, and Santiago’s courage, and perseverance is developed thoroughly throughout the novel. The most important aspect of the old man’s characterization is his ability to overcome pain and persevere. The old man shows his strength by overcoming the pain he has from the communities’ negative thoughts about him, the physical pain from the fishing line on his back and hands, and the emotional pain he feels after the sharks have eaten his prize fish. On one hand, the old man has not caught any fish in eighty-four days. He is becoming very discouraged with himself, and wants more than anything to catch a fish, and prove to the other fisherman in the village that he is not too old. His streak of bad luck when it comes to catching any fish, and the hurtful remarks the other fisherman give him, cause the old man to experience great mental pain. Although Santiago doesn’t show the pain he suffers from the other fisherman’s remarks, their comments affect his behavior. He wants to prove to them that he is not too old, and he is still a very capable fisherman. The narrator says, “They sat on the Terrace and many of the fisherman made fun of the old man and he was not angry.” Even though the old man is hurt inside, by the remarks that the other men make, he does not let them see his aggravation, but instead makes a promise to himself that he will catch a large fish, and prove them wrong. This shows Santiago’s perseverance and his strong will to succeed. Similarly, the old man suffers a great deal of physical pain while he is out to 2006-12-18T17:29:37-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-quot-by-Hemingway-32000.aspx Analysis of All Quiet on the Western Front The hardships of the first World War are present in the novel “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque. He demonstrates the struggles and hardships that a typical soldier of that war must endure to stay alive or just keep his sanity. There are many factors that can attribute to the problems the soldiers had to face. First were the raging emotions the soldiers felt during the war. They felt patriotism in the beginning and then slowly it broke down to heartache and despair. Another key factor that made this war particularly stressful for the soldiers was the horrible trenches in which they had to reside in. They were full of germs and feces and also reeked of dead bodies. The third and most tragic factor was the heartache the soldiers had to suffer when they saw their friends being mutilated by heavy artillery used by the opposing forces. The war had raging emotions, terrible trenches, and numerous unbearable deaths. First off the war was filled with numerous emotions which were too much to handle for many soldiers. At the beginning of the war the soldiers felt glorious and proud that they would be defending the honor of their country. After they saw the terrible sights of the war they quickly changed their minds. Their feelings of patriotism and pride quickly turned to fear and despair. Due to all of this chaos soldiers seemed to loose their sense of humanity. “ ...Woe betide anyone who fell into the hands of the enemy alive; all sense of humanity had disappeared. Soldiers, wounded, stretcher-bearers- a distinction was no longer made...” A quote by Louis Barthas a soldier in the war. This quote shows how people had lost their sense of mercy and humanity when faced with a soldier of an opposing side. This is true of many soldiers, but not all. When Paul Baumer was forced to stab and kill a French soldier he felt upset and heart broken after he read through the man’s pocket book. The soldiers also felt afraid of whether they would survive the next attack by the enemy. The chances were so high for death that there were bodies literally floating all around. “...Numerous people still young 2006-12-13T01:12:05-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-31981.aspx Similarities and Differences between Marvell and Herrick Herrick vs. Marvell “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick and Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” have many similarities and differences. The tone of the speakers, the audience each poem is directed to, and the theme make up some of the literary elements that help fit this description. The tone of “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” and “To His Coy Mistress” are different. In Herrick’s poem, his tone is relaxed. For instance when he writes, “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, /Old times is still a-flying,” his word choice has a very relaxed and casual tone. His attitude reflects the relaxed tone in his poem. In Marvell’s poem, his tone is serious. Marvell’s purpose is to persuade his mistress to have sex with him. He tries to lure her in when saying, “Had we but World enough, and Time.” He starts out very seriously, in attempt to convince his mistress. The relaxed tone of “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” and serious tone of “To His Coy Mistress” point out the difference in the way the writers feel about their characters. Both poems are directed to two different audiences. In “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” Herrick is speaking to all virgins. He never addresses anybody personally. In “To His Coy Mistress” Marvell is addressing his mistress personally. He wrote the poem for his mistress to convince her to become intimate with him. The difference makes a change because now Herrick’s poem affects the reader (depending on if she is female) since it refers to all virgins. However, Marvell’s poem does not since he is referring to one particular individual. The them of “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” and “To His Coy Mistress” is carpe diem. The carpe diem them states, “life is brief, so let us seize the day.” In “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” Herrick simply states: Then be not coy, but use your time, And, while ye may, go marry; For, having lost but once your prime, You may forever tarry. Herrick is telling all of the your virgins to go out and have sex in their prime because if they do not, they will regret not having sex when they had the chance to. In “To His Coy Mistress” the theme of 2006-12-13T01:09:13-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Similarities-and-Differences-between-Marvell-and-Herrick-31980.aspx Novel Analysis 2006-12-08T03:21:19-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Novel-Analysis-of-quot-Crooked-quot-31953.aspx Synopsis of Dune the Science Fiction Novel This firsts starts off on the planet Caladin. There a young boy named Paul is half-asleep in his bed. He fully awakens to find his mother and another older woman talking. He over hears that he is on a royal bloodline and he will be trained to become a Mentat. His mother walks and so he lies still with his eyes closed and pretends that he is asleep. The next day he is brought to the old woman’s house. He passes a few tests and begins his training. Many people train him under his mother, Lady Jessica’s commands, such Leto and Hawat. Years pass and he learns that he will become the ruler of a planet called Arakis Dune. He continues to train until he finally sets off for the planet Dune. The planet is mostly all desert and the money there is known as spice. He learns about giant sandworms that can swallow and entire vehicle in one big gulp. One night while he is asleep in his bed a contraption called a hunter seeker is in the room. He grabs it and tells his mother about it. She is angered and tries to find the culprit but never does. A few weeks later he goes of into the sands with his father, the Duke, to see how the spice mining is going. They fly there in a bird like machine with flapping wings. A worm attacks while they are at the site and they are forced to give up the mining equipment to the giant beast. They make it back alive, thanks to the Dukes kindness of the mining workers lives. Later on his kindness isn’t exactly paid off because he is attacked and drugged by a one of his workers named Yueh, who has been brainwashed into Harkonnen service. He planned to have the Duke, paralyzed, spray deadly gas out of his mouth when his body is brought to the Baron. This goes wrong though as the Duke sprays the deadly gas as he is leaving, and only the Baron’s Mentat is killed, but the Baron does not care. After this for some strange reason the man who killed Paul’s father saves him, and Lady Jessica. They are 2006-12-07T19:29:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-of-Dune-the-Science-Fiction-Novel-31933.aspx Wealth and Greed in the Great Gatsby Wealth, greed and the problems that come from money are recurring themes in many stories, including The Great Gatsby. This book revolves around the relationships that develop because of money and the impact that money has on the characters and their behavior towards each other. In The Great Gatsby, people have big houses, nice cars and a privileged lifestyle. At first money is the entry to a lavish life, great parties, and a world of extravagance. Then in the end, it brings everyone down. Money creates more problems than it is worth. Jay Gatsby loves Daisy. She loves Jay Gatsby. Money gets in the way when Daisy tells Jay that he is not rich enough for her. Gatsby spends years making the money by becoming a bootlegger. He believes that this money would buy Daisy’s love, after all Daisy tells him that “rich girls don’t marry poor boys.” Jay Gatsby became a very rich man only after being rejected by Daisy because he does not have enough money. Gatsby wants Daisy so badly that he uses immoral and illegal ways to make his money. The irony is that he chooses a life of immoral and illegal behavior to get a woman, who in the end, he never gets. In fact, he looses everything, including his life. Another person affected by the impact of money and greed is George Wilson, a man who lives in the Valley Of Ashes, an industrial area in New York. This community is poverty stricken, a polluted industrial wasteland very much the opposite of the lavish life of the Eggs, where Daisy and Gatsby live. He owns a gas station and is married to Myrtle, Tom Buchanan’s lover. Myrtle becomes part of Tom’s lavish life and is seduced by the money she sees Tom spending on his beautiful lifestyle. She hopes to leave George but instead has a tragic accident. Myrtle runs into the street and is hit and killed by Daisy who is driving Gatsby’s car. . George becomes enraged and kills Gatsby and then kills himself. Unlike the rest of the characters in the story, George is not wealthy and corrupted by his money and greed. However, unfortunately the wealth and greed of 2006-12-07T15:37:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wealth-and-Greed-in-the-Great-Gatsby-31929.aspx Analysis of Antony in Julius Caesar In the play Julius Caesar there is a group of men who want to overthrow Caesar because they oppose his leadership and they feel that it would benefit Rome to kill him. Included in this group is a man named Brutus. Brutus is a very honorable man, but even so he still takes part in the conspirators’ plan. However, he only seeks to kill Caesar for the good of Rome. After the killing of Caesar takes place, Antony, Caesar’s close advisor, confronts the conspirators. He cordially shakes their hand, which they think is a symbol of agreement between the conspirators and Antony. However Antony shakes their hand as a sign that he will take revenge for what they did. Antony tells Brutus that he wants to speak in Caesar’s funeral, and after Brutus has a discussion with Cassius, he gives permission for Antony to speak during the funeral. Both Brutus and Antony speak in the funeral in hopes of persuading the people to agree with their reasoning on Caesar’s murder. Even though both characters’ speeches have an effect on the citizens, Antony’s speech appeals to the people’s emotions and persuades them against the conspirators. The first person to speak in the funeral is Brutus. He tries to explain to the people that killing Caesar is only going to help the people of Rome. He tries to appeal to the citizens’ reason and national pride. He explains his reasons and is straightforward. For example in his speech he says, “If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer- not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” Brutus clearly states to the citizen’s that he killed Caesar for the good of Rome. Brutus is indeed persuasive, but not as persuasive as Antony. When Antony speaks to the people of Rome, he tries to appeal to their emotions. His speech is more powerful than Brutus’s because he appeals to their emotions and not to their reason. This is seen in his speech when he says, “If you have tears prepare to shed them now.” From his use of words, he is able to alter the citizens’ opinion. Both of the characters had an effect on the people. Antony expresses his personal beliefs while speaking, which greatly influences the citizens. Brutus was able to 2006-12-07T15:36:02-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Antony-in-Julius-Caesar-31928.aspx Character Analysis of Dimmesdale in the Scarlet Letter The character this paper is analyzing is reverend Dimmesdale, because through out the story reverend Dimmesdale made some dramatic changes in his life. In the beginning of the story, Reverend Dimmesdale was a quiet but great man, adored by others and worshiped by many. Toward the middle and the end of the story Reverend Dimmesdale changed as each chapter went on. Reverend Dimmesdale was killing slowly by keeping something within him that make him feel guilt and anguish each and everyday. By Reverend Dimmesdale keeping something within, he felt extremely guilty and not functioning to his full potential, isolating himself did not do any better, as a matter of fact, isolating himself from the rest of the world began to eat away his feelings. Everybody in Salem looked up to and idolized lost his dignity and the trust of the people in the town in due time. Before Reverend Dimmesdale even had problems or stress and anguish, Reverend Dimmesdale preached to the people of Salem with all of his heart and might. Reverend Dimmesdale was a person you could talk to for the first time and you know you just made a new companion. Reverend Dimmesdale was a very honorable man filled with a preacher’s faith. The perspective that I had was he was one of the main characters or an important secondary character. Even though he kept his secret within himself, somebody close to him found out what was wrong with Reverend Dimmesdale and is going to use that to his advantage to torture and torment Reverend Dimmesdale. Mr. Chillingworth, Reverend Dimmesdale’s personal companion within his quarters found out by opening his shirt and finding an “A” carved into Reverend Dimmesdale’s chest, an “A” across the chest in these days usually meant that somebody committed a sin or something that is not acceptable in the town. Without knowledge that Mr. Chillingworth knew his secret. Reverend Dimmesdale gave in to every word and everything that Mr. Chillingworth said. Trusting Mr. Chillingworth was his mistake because trusting him is putting Reverend Dimmesdale into an early grave. Chillingworth is trying to make Reverend Dimmesdale stand in deep depression. Mr. Chillingworth was the upper hand with Reverend Dimmesdale. When Reverend Dimmesdale could not hold the pain within himself, he confessed saying that he had sinned worst than anybody in town. reverend Dimmesdale was saying he 2006-12-07T15:34:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Dimmesdale-in-the-Scarlet-Letter-31927.aspx Analysis of "The Pardoner's Tale" by Chaucer Numerous stories have reminiscent qualities of other stories because basic human qualities do not change, even over a vast period of time. No matter what time they are written, many stories are somehow basically similar to each other. Tolstoy’s “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” has many reminiscent qualities of the Chaucerian genres, especially the ones used in Chaucer’s “The Pardoner’s Tale.” The writing style of Tolstoy is reminiscent of Chaucer’s style. Both Chaucer and Tolstoy use apostrophe, where a belief or idea is portrayed as a character. In “The Pardoner’s Tale” death is a character. “There came a privy thief, they call him Death.” Tolstoy’s “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” has the devil as a character. “But the Devil sitting behind the stove had heard everything.” Chaucer’s “The Pardoner’s Tale” and Tolstoy’s “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” are examples of an Exemplum, a Chaucerian genre, where the story is a sermon that illustrates a known moral. Both have the moral that greed kills and is the root of all evil. In “The Pardoner’s Tale” the men have an honest goal, to find and kill Death. While they search they find a mound of gold, forget their goal, become greedy, and kill themselves. In “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” Pakhom, the main character, also has a humble and honest goal, to get more land to support his family. No matter how much land Pakhom acquires the desire for more is too overwhelming. Finally, he has a chance to get as much land as he can walk around in a day. His greed overwhelms him and he dies from exhaustion. If the main characters in both stories aren’t so greedy, they can become extremely rich—however, due to greed, they lose everything. “’I’ve been too greedy, I’ve ruined the whole thing, I won’t get there by sundown.’” There is a mystical character in both stories that is responsible for guiding the main characters to their “opportunity.” In “The Pardoner’s Tale” an old man, a sort of emissary of Death, tells the three friends where to find Death—which leads them to the gold. The man knows that when the friends find the gold they will kill each other out of greed. 2006-12-07T15:25:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Pardoner-s-Tale-quot-by-Chaucer-31920.aspx "On the Beach" by Nevil Shute: Critical Anaylsis The book "On the beach" by Nevil Shute tells about the time after the third world war, which was mostly fought between Russia, China and America. There were also some smaller countries involved. The first hydrogen bomb was dropped by Albania on Naples and other followed. The Russians sent bombers from Cairo to Washington and London. After that only a few statesmen were still alive. The war increased and a lot of hydrogen bombs were dropped. After some time the whole northern hemisphere was destroyed. No human life could exist there. The book is set in South Australia two years after the war in the year 1963. Peter Holmes is posted as liaison officer in USS Scorpion. He goes to see his captain Dwight Lionel Towers in the submarine. After a little conversation he invites him to stay the weekend at his home. After telling this his wife Mary she calls Moira Davidson to help enjoying the captain. When he arrives they go swimming and he is sailing a race with Moira on the Holmeses boat. For the evening Mary has organized a party. Later Dwight and Moira are staying on the veranda, talking about the actual situation of radioactivity. After some drinks Moira tells Dwight all her sorrows about never having a baby because there are only six months until the radioactivity would have come down to this parts of the world. Then she collapses and Mary takes her to bed. At the next morning Dwight Towers goes to church and thinks about his family in Mystic. Back at Williamstown harbor the scientist John Seymour Osborne joins his crew. The first trip in this submarine under Australian command starts at Melbourne and goes on to Kangaroo Islands, Port Adelaide, King-Island, Port Philip Bay and back to Melbourne. After this little course, where they met another American ship, Dwight invites Moira to come down to the submarine. When Moira changes her clothes so not to make them dirty she recognizes a photo of Sharon, Helen and Junior in Dwight’s cabin. From the First Naval Member Dwight receives the report of USS Swordfish, the other US submarine, and obtains order to look after radioactive conditions in North Australia. At Cairns the radiation level cannot allow to go on deck. In Port Morseby and Port Darwin are the same conditions. Three days after 2006-12-05T16:24:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-On-the-Beach-quot-by-Nevil-Shute-Critical-Anaylsis-31906.aspx Interprative Essay of the Novel “Passing” The novel “Passing” written by Nella Larson was written reflecting the times of racial segregation and affluence of the majority white society. Written in the Harlem Renaissance era, “passing”, which meant an afro-American passing for a white is use to describe the focus of which motivated the author to create such a piece. It is a story of leaving one’s life behind to gain a new with its benefits and privileges. Passing meant discovering the freedom attained, gaining a sense of power, hope, and the American Dream. To be afro-American in those times would mean giving up hope of ever having those dreams in the predominantly white society. However, we also see the perils and dangers that come with this lifestyle. Passing was not just an escape to greener pastures but an avenue that could bring even more trouble and hurt with the discovery of true identity. Irene and Clare were childhood friends separated by the death of Clare’s father. After his death, Clare grew up on the West side of town with her white aunts, Edna and Grace. It was at this time she was kept a secret and was taught how to be white and enjoy the benefits of it. She was always told to avoid speaking about her ethnicity to her neighbors or never mentioning the South side of town (pg 27). Clare concealed her identity and shut out all of her past relationships except for Irene Redfield. Irene, secure for the most part but still apprehensive of beign a woman of color accepted it, and did not see a need to pass and play the role. She said, “I have everything I want except, perhaps, a little more money.” (p. 28) Upon catching up after their twelve year stint away from each other, Irene noticed a peculiar attraction that her and Clare shared for each other. Never the less, this deep attraction was drowned out by Irene’s envious hatred because of the beauty that Clare possessed. They both had this in common; they both felt alienated and far from their husbands. Though little effort came from Irene’s side the perseverance of Clare produced further meetings together. I feel Irene had a major part in the fall of Clare Redfield. Irenes felt that her marriage was 2006-12-05T16:12:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Interprative-Essay-of-the-Novel-“Passing”-31900.aspx Literary Analysis of Great Expectations Great Expectations is just one of the novels that Charles Dickens wrote in his lifetime. Throughout the novel, many of the younger characters have goals that they would like to achieve in life, but they don’t know how to accomplish them. Estella being adopted at a young age by Ms. Havisham is corrupted to such a state that her objective in life is to break the hearts of all the men with whom she comes in contact. This is where we see the emergence of a cold-hearted, but beautiful young lady. Then there is Magwitch, who is a convict that Pip meets out in the marshes. Secretly, he becomes Pip’s benefactor in appreciation for what Pip has done for him. Pip now has a chance to become gentlemen, something that Magwitch could never become. During Pip’s stay in London where he is slowly immersed into a more glamorous lifestyle, he meets Herbert. Secretly, he then becomes Herbert’s benefactor wanting to help his friend out. All three of these characters are supported with great sums of money and as easily as it was given to them, it can be taken away anytime. Their future lies in the hands of their benefactors. They are merely puppets to achieve vicariously what their parents wanted to have achieved. In the first part of the book, Ms. Havisham and Estella are introduced. Estella is first seen as a beautiful young girl, with whom Pip falls madly in love. She is adopted at a young age because Ms. Havisham wanted a child to mould in her image. Estella’s one purpose in life is to break the hearts of all men because Ms. Havisham was stood up on her wedding day and since then has had a grudge against the male sex. Sometimes Ms. Havisham would whisper into Estella’s ear, “Break their hearts, my pride and hope, break their hearts and have no mercy!” (Pg. 88) All of this treatment over the years takes a toll on Estella and becomes more evident when she matures into a lady. Ironically, Estella and Pip meet in London where they acquaint themselves again. The only reason that Pip wanted to become a gentleman was to win Estella’s heart. All throughout the novel Estella gives 2006-12-05T16:05:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Analysis-of-Great-Expectations-31897.aspx Literary Analysis of the Experiences of Sara Smolensky I do believe that Sara Smolensky’s experience does support the stereotype of upward mobility in industrial America. In the beginning of the story the author explains how the family lives as new immigrants in America. The living conditions were awful. They lived in tenement houses with utilities being scarce. This relates to what we discussed in class when we went over the topic of the modern city being built. The majority of immigrants that migrated to America lived in tenement houses under bad conditions. There was no ventilation, little light, overcrowded, and no irrigation. Sara’s status in the beginning of the story was that of an ordinary immigrant. Her family was poor, they had to live from day to day wages, she had no fancy clothes, no friends, and was basically just there to try and better her economic and social status. The jobs that she and her sisters held were that of an ordinary immigrant. An example of the jobs were working at as shop girls in department stores, in the paper box factory, and also at laundry place. These are all examples of the jobs that immigrants held when they migrated to America. Although Sara knew that these jobs held no kind of economic security for her in the future, she had to work because it helped to get her family by. She knew that because of her status as an immigrant, she was not going to get any better jobs unless she pursued an education. She also experienced stereotype when she went to college. Sara felt alone and out of place. She also mentioned that the native born students had that settled look which they belonged in the world that they were born in. At the end of the story, Sara’s status changed completely. She no longer had to work those long hours in the low paying jobs that she held before. Sara went to school and achieved what she has always dreamed of. This was to achieve independence itself by being able to provide for herself, economic independence, and receive a higher education. Sara also obtained an apartment, and she also was able to but herself the finer things in life. An example of this was when she went to the store and bought herself a suit, hat, shoes, gloves, handkerchiefs, stalkings, and 2006-12-05T16:01:24-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Analysis-of-the-Experiences-of-Sara-Smolensky-31895.aspx Social Unrest and Prohibition in "Billy Bathgate" Billy Bathgate, is a book of a young boy’s transition into manhood. It is an amazingly well-written book that intrigued me the entire way through. It starts out in Billy’s hometown, the Bronx of New York in the twenties; a time of social unrest and prohibition. The apartment building Billy lives in is not the epitome of cleanliness. The streets are littered with papers and loud noises of the trains that go by every hour. Rundown little bungalows and an occasional three-story fake brick building separate the boatyards and factories in Billy’s neighborhood. Across the street from Billy’s apartment building is an orphanage which he visits often because of a girl, Rebecca who he screws two times for a dollar. His mother works at a laundromat, washing clothes for a company and has been driven insane by the poverty she lives in. She doesn’t really take care of Billy and in essence he learns how to survive in the Bronx with the street smarts he has taught himself. He knows that he has something special; a desire to work and be prosperous that many of the other younger boys do not. He acts older than his age and maybe that is why he catches the eye of Dutch who also lived in the neighborhood and is now rich. Dutch is the leader of a mob that has one of their main warehouses located in the Bronx. All the boy’s here wish they could become like Dutch; as someone that rose from this dirty place and made a place in the world for themselves. One day, Billy was juggling on the train tracks when he hears someone yell, “Hey, boy!” He is motioned to come over to Dutch who hands him ten dollars and compliments him on his juggling. This is where the fire in Billy is sparked and he becomes determined to join Dutch’s gang. After following and watching around the neighborhood, Billy finds out about another warehouse on Park Avenue and brings a brown paper bag, so he will be allowed to get in. Instead of money in his bag, like all the other callboys, Billy has cupcakes. He is discovered when instead of money, cupcakes come pouring out. Then Dutch suddenly comes in picks up a cupcake and 2006-12-05T15:49:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Unrest-and-Prohibition-in-quot-Billy-Bathgate-quot-31890.aspx Progression of the Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is one the best books to reference the period of the 1920s. The book stood for tainted morals, and corruption between people and people, and business and business, and most of the time involving both. The message sent from the book shows us the success stories, and the all too familiar depression stories of the no job opportunities. You have to understand the mental state of the people of the Twenties. The American people had just gone through World War I. The economy was at the highest it’s ever been, and was constantly going up. Prohibition had come into affect in 1111,but the general response to alcohol was ignorance to any problem that arose from it. Flappers were big because of there seductive independence surrounding them. They were described as young, slim and covered in silk and furs, with vivid red cheeks and lips, plucked eyebrows and close-fitting- helmet of hair. The reality of women in the twenties was a strong push for social reform. More women in office jobs, sales, and service jobs. Women had just received the right to vote. But things wear not all great for the new aged women. Hospitals, law firms, and other organizations still did not want to hire women for work, or they paid considerable fewer amounts for the same line of work. The relevance to this fact is one that molds people into something there not meant to be. The poor where becoming rich and vice versa. Gatsby great life was sole accredited to his fortune made due to prohibition. People would come to these great and luxurious parties to only find no host and plenty of other things going on. They would talk of this Gatsby as if he was a killer or a murder because there was no other explanation to his absence. People took it to them selves to take advantage of the free alcohol and great party atmosphere just waiting at their fingertips. The title is remarkable to the book because if anyone heard of this young man Gatsby they would say that he was fortunate to be successful, but deep, deep inside he was torn up over his love for Daisy. The Great refers to ruler of leader, but the end 2006-12-05T15:39:12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Progression-of-the-Great-Gatsby-31885.aspx Analysis of John Stienbeck’s "The Pearl" The author of The Pearl is John Stienbeck. John Stienbeck was born in California in 1902. He began his career of writing at before he was 32. His first three books were unsuccessful and he had to look for other income. He started picking fruit to survive. That shows that he was not born into a rich family or a plentiful time. He was born during the time of the great depression, which was the time line of his best selling book, The Grapes of Wrath, which he received a Pulitzer Prize for. He wrote The Pearl in 1945. He died in 1968 in New York. The Pearl is a story about a pearl diver and his wife. It takes place in Californian coast. That is something that is related to John Stienbeck because California, where he was born, has a very strong Spanish influence. The book is fiction but has a lot of fact behind it. The book refers to several aspects of Hispanic villages. A good example is the distinction of the rich and poor class. It shows how that rich and poor are brought together for evil though which is the main idea of this book. It shows that evil is overpowering. “…And he looked into the shining surface for his rifle, but only saw a huddled dark body on the ground with shimmering blood dripping from its throat.” (Page 93) This quote shows the main topic of the story. The main character sees evil in the pearl yet he is so captivated by it he can’t throw it away. John Stienbeck message is that evil overpowering. He shows the destruction of nice people by greed and hate. It is a strong message. I think that John Stienbeck accomplishes his purpose of demonstrating that evil is over powering. In the end of the book the main character, Kino, accidentally kills his son. He loves his son but out of hate he shots at a man and misses and hits his son. His hate and greed over rule his sense of right and he makes a bad mistake. His would have normally chose his son over wealth but his judgment is fogged. It is a tragic ending. I believe that this is a powerful. Its theme is reinforced and pounded until the reader realizes the power of the evil. I liked this 2006-12-05T15:31:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-John-Stienbeck’s-quot-The-Pearl-quot-31881.aspx Analysis of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" In the folk tale “The Twelve Dancing Princesses”, the main characters are a poor soldier, twelve princesses, and their father, the King. This is important because in German folklore, there is always a pauperesque character and a powerful, rich man (often the King), thus showing the contrasts between the two feuding social classes of the era in which these stories were told. Also, the women of this story, as in all the folk tales we read, have very few lines, and do as they are told. This shows that men dominated the German cultural society during that time. A motif present in this tale is the presence of silver, diamonds, and especially gold. This symbolizes a greed that comes with every society and a hunger for money that cannot be tamed. Another motif that is brought up and mentioned in many folktales that we read was that an offer is presented to the member of the lowest class which if they succeed gives them the opportunity to rise up in the social caste system. The story begins with a king bemoaning the fact that his daughters keep disappearing at night and ruining their best dancing slippers. He puts forth a proclamation saying that whoever can discover the truth about where the daughters go to will have his choice of the twelve sisters and become King when the present King passes on. However, if the man fails, his punishment is death. Upon arriving to the castle a young poor soldier armed with advice from a fortune teller attempts to discover what the other suitors could not. The truth he uncovers about where the sisters go to at night leads him to an enchanted world full of handsome princes, dancing and jewels. The story ends with the soldier revealing the truth to the father and choosing the sister whom he wishes to marry. The moral of this story that nothing is gained by lies that are unbeknownst by other people. These always end up hurting someone in the long run so it is important to let the truth out before it is too late. King Thrushbeard The characters that are prevalent in this story are much in common with those in “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” in that there is a King, a poor man and a royal daughter. These all mean 2006-12-04T21:15:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Twelve-Dancing-Princesses-quot-31868.aspx Great Gatsby the Book Compared to the Film The fact that I did not enjoy reading The Great Gatsby is irrelevant to the fact that I hated the movie. Though I didn’t enjoy the content of the book, I respect Fitzgerald. I respect the honesty that is reflected in his writing style. I respect the depiction of the era in which The Great Gatsby took place. This movie is an unbelievably terrible attempt at bringing this book on screen. The major insights made in the book don’t even have references made to them in the movie. The viewer never truly gets the feeling that he or she is in Nick’s head nor would the viewer understand the complexity of Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship had the viewer not read the book. The primary flaw with the movie is the unrealistic dialogue. Despite the cast of highly acclaimed actors, each conversation seemed staged and unnatural. Daisy’s frequent expressions were almost comical, as were the scenes that Tom was supposed to be in a rage. It truly was almost painful to watch parts of this movie. The movie also lacked a deeper meaning. The clearest theme that the movie presented was that of how money cannot buy happiness. Other important themes, like the difficulty with confronting the truth, or the disillusion of the times, were poorly represented. I concluded the reason being was because these themes were explored within the mind of Nick. In the book, Nick is a slightly dull bystander, who happens to fall into the world of these crazed lovers. But Nick is the reader’s link to the truth. He is able to see things, and make sense of them for the reader. The movie does not create such a character for Nick. He is much to boring to focus on, considering Robert Redford plays opposite him as Gatsby. Redford’s good looks and far more interesting character are a much more profitable investment. Therefore the viewer is robbed of the many 1920 ideals explored by Fitzgerald. In all honesty, our group could not even bring ourselves to finishing the movie. The movie droned on and on, and we had a lot of other things to do. Even though I said I did not enjoy the content of this book, I value the many lessons it attempted to relay to the reader. Lessons like the ease of 2006-12-04T21:14:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby-the-Book-Compared-to-the-Film-31867.aspx Great Gatsby the Book Compared to the Film The fact that I did not enjoy reading The Great Gatsby is irrelevant to the fact that I hated the movie. Though I didn’t enjoy the content of the book, I respect Fitzgerald. I respect the honesty that is reflected in his writing style. I respect the depiction of the era in which The Great Gatsby took place. This movie is an unbelievably terrible attempt at bringing this book on screen. The major insights made in the book don’t even have references made to them in the movie. The viewer never truly gets the feeling that he or she is in Nick’s head nor would the viewer understand the complexity of Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship had the viewer not read the book. The primary flaw with the movie is the unrealistic dialogue. Despite the cast of highly acclaimed actors, each conversation seemed staged and unnatural. Daisy’s frequent expressions were almost comical, as were the scenes that Tom was supposed to be in a rage. It truly was almost painful to watch parts of this movie. The movie also lacked a deeper meaning. The clearest theme that the movie presented was that of how money cannot buy happiness. Other important themes, like the difficulty with confronting the truth, or the disillusion of the times, were poorly represented. I concluded the reason being was because these themes were explored within the mind of Nick. In the book, Nick is a slightly dull bystander, who happens to fall into the world of these crazed lovers. But Nick is the reader’s link to the truth. He is able to see things, and make sense of them for the reader. The movie does not create such a character for Nick. He is much to boring to focus on, considering Robert Redford plays opposite him as Gatsby. Redford’s good looks and far more interesting character are a much more profitable investment. Therefore the viewer is robbed of the many 1920 ideals explored by Fitzgerald. In all honesty, our group could not even bring ourselves to finishing the movie. The movie droned on and on, and we had a lot of other things to do. Even though I said I did not enjoy the content of this book, I value the many lessons it attempted to relay to the reader. Lessons like the ease of 2006-12-04T21:10:59-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby-the-Book-Compared-to-the-Film-31866.aspx Analysis of the Quest of Gilgamesh In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh fulfills the conditions of a quest story because he searches for immortality, overcomes hurdles, and gets help from others. In order for Gilgamesh to achieve immortality he fights monsters, conquer lands with the help of the gods and his friends. Gilgamesh’s search for immortality begins when he fights Humbaba. After slaying Humbaba he realizes that he will not achieve his goal for immortality, but instead eternal fame. Of course this is no good enough for him so he then proceeds to talk to Utnapishnim. Utnapishnim is a man in the story who is immortal. He tells Gilgamesh his story of how he became immortal. He then tells Gilgamesh of way he to can become immortal. He would have to stay awake for seven days without any sleep. He not only fails this task but also sleeps for six of the seven days. Gilgamesh is then given another chance for his goal; there is a root in the bottom of a sea that will give anybody who possesses it immortality. He finds this root and on his way back to the village he finds a well. He decides to bathe in this well, while in the well a serpent attacks him. The serpent steals his root. So all he has to come home with is a story. His story is then put up on a great wall that will last forever. So he does not achieve physical immortality but his story is still told today. Next on his quest for immortality, he overcomes obstacles. His first obstacle would be his fight with Humbaba. He thought that if he fought and destroyed Humbaba he would have immortality because he was thought to be unbeatable. When that didn’t work he searches for Utnapishnim, the immortal man. After he finds him he is given another obstacle, to stay awake for seven days and nights. When that doesn’t work Utnapishnim gives him another chance. Now he has to go search for a root at the bottom of a sea that will give away immortality. He decides to share the root with all of the elders in his village, which shows how he has matured as a person. His last obstacle 2006-12-04T21:03:39-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-Quest-of-Gilgamesh-31865.aspx Is Huckleberry Finn Racist? Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn – Racist or Not? The book Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn is not a racist book. The main arguments against it are the characters’ personalities and the dialect they used. This novel is criticized by Twain critics and on the top ten ban list for school reading material. If people just concentrated on the main plot of the story, instead of the fine details that makes the novel realistic, they would agree that the accusation of this novel being racist is ridiculous. Huck Finn was abused by his father all throughout his childhood. He lived in constant fear of his surroundings and didn’t lead an exactly normal life. When he finally decides to get out of his predicament and stages his own death, he meets up with Jim on Jackson’s island. As Jim’s quest for freedom and a better life continues he and Huck become closer. Huck’s conscience is leading him to believe different things throughout the novel, like whether him helping Jim to freedom is the right thing to do. But, in the end Huck realizes he could never betray his friend, Jim, who has risked his life for Huck and who has become the closest friend Huck ever had and will ever have. The language is the major argument against this novel. The use of language is not Mark Twain’s view point or the way he speaks, but is the way people actually talked back then in the South. Like when Huck Finn says, “Miss Watson’s big nigger, named Jim.” He is just referring to Jim that way because that’s how he was raised and that is how everyone spoke back then. Even when Huck thought of Jim as a friend he still used the word “nigger,” but he didn’t use it in a harmful way, as of to insult anyone, but just as an every day reference to black people that wasn’t exactly uncommon. Jim is no way portrayed as a bad character in this novel. Huck even believes Jim is a good person. You can see this when Huck states, “I thought he had a good heart in him and was a good man the first time I seen him.” Huck manages to look through Jim’s race and his own racist background and become his friend and helps lead him to freedom. Huck looks at the good qualities of Jim 2006-12-04T20:56:25-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Is-Huckleberry-Finn-Racist--31862.aspx Historic Analysis of Griffin's "Black Like Me" John Howard Griffin’s Black Like Me is one of the most popular books on the topic of segregation in the Deep South during the late 1950’s. It is a place of lynching, white-only restrooms, and denied rights guaranteed in our constitution, that everyone is created equal. Griffin decides to dye his skin black and cross over the color line to see what it is really like to be a Negro in the South. There he discovers racism, a deep hatred that we sometimes see today. This document should disturb anyone who believes in injustice of democracy. This book’s main theme is to show how the blacks are segregated from the whites and how they are treated by racists. The Segregation is defined as the separation of groups by custom or law. This includes using separate restrooms, restaurants, and many other things. John Howard Griffin experiences each of theses while in the Deep South. It is hard to believe that a law can allow this, but it can and did. Jim Crow Laws, first developed in a few Northern states in the early 1800’s, were eventually adopted in the South. These segregation laws actually demanded that blacks and whites be separated. Jim Crow laws went as far as to deny the blacks the right to vote. For more than fifty years, many states used the “separate but equal” law to separate the two races in public schools, transportation, recreation, sleeping, and eating facilities. Segregation is usually the result of a period of long group conflict. In Griffin’s book, it shows the whites considering themselves superior and dominating the black race using force, law, and custom to deny them of their basic rights. Segregation involves favored treatment for the dominant group. This group, the whites, is expected to receive the best education, homes, and public services. The people that do this usually don’t consider it unfair but think of it as proper for society and think nothing wrong of racism. Racism is defined as the belief that human beings can be decided into races and that members of some races are inferior to members of other races. The people who do this are considered racists. Groups, as well as individuals, differ. It is disturbing, however, that people 2006-12-04T20:53:38-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Historic-Analysis-of-Griffin-s-quot-Black-Like-Me-quot-31860.aspx Bullying is a common problem among today’s youth. Different types of bullying effect people in many different ways, but when someone is bullied for so long they must take action. The Body Of Christopher Creed written by Carol Plum-Ucci includes many different characters using many different types of bullying. Leandra, Renée and Bo are examples how mean and evil teenagers can really be. This novel explains how bullying can be. Many people think that bullies like Leandra and Renée who use relational and verbal bullying are not as bad as bullies like Bo, who use physical violence to bully others. In reality they can be just as bad. Leandra make outsiders feel unwanted by excluding them and judging other people who are not in her own social group. These outsiders then feel worthless, and many people cannot detect this type of bullying. Leandra is picking apart and judging Ali because of what she wears and how she is not a good cheerleader. She also compares her to boons, who are considered to be barbarian like. “When she finally [gets] to cheerleading, she had a bunch of leaves in her hair,” Leandra went on. “Maybe she thinks she’s an Indian,” I muttered. “And… you know that little doodad she [is] wearing around her neck? It looks exactly like those things that all the boons wear. So people are saying some boon guy [gives] it to her, so now she’s doing it with a boon.” (Plum-Ucci, 72) This proves that Leandra uses relational bullying by saying that Ali is having sex with a boon and becoming a boon, and not giving her a chance to express herself and tell her the truth about why she has leaves in her hair and the reason for her wearing the suede doodad. Therefore, Leandra uses relational bullying and she judges others before she even has met them in person. Although physical and relational bullying can hurt, verbal bullying can sometimes hurt the most. Renée verbally bullies other kids in school, who are not friends with her. She is perceived as a nice girl who is the daughter of the town police chief, but some people she can be as bad as Bo. When Renee meets Ali at the WaWa, Renee gets up in Ali’s face and verbally bullies her by calling her a slut because of the rumors 2006-11-30T22:02:10-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Body-Of-Christopher-Creed-31845.aspx Through writing, Hermann Hesse was provided with a medium to spread Eastern Philosophy in a way that is more applicable to everyday life. In the passage on page 110 to page 111 in Siddhartha, Hesse writes how the foundation for the Buddhist religion was formed. The passage describes the scene where Siddhartha looks into the Gaya River and reaches enlightenment. In enlightenment, he discovers how life is unified. This description is historically accurate and Hesse develops this concept in a way that is easier to understand (Buddha.) Prior to the passage, Hesse describes a scene where Siddhartha is sitting on the bank of the river, observing how the water flows in unison. He then listens to the river and hears it laughing. The passage describes how Vasudeva helped Siddhartha to hear everything the river has to say. When Siddhartha did so, the river spoke to him, telling him the origin of life and its significance. He saw pictures “of his father, his own picture, the picture of his son. [They] all flowed into each other. [Pictures of] Kamala, Govinda, and others emerged and passed on” (110) and heard “hundreds of voices, thousands of voices” (110.) The souls of individuals are represented by the pictures and voices which collectively merge to form one, unified system. The souls “flow” together towards a common goal (110), just like water in a river flows downstream. Individual voices, “voices of pleasure and sorrow, evil and good, laughing and lamenting” (110) blend together to form “the song of a thousand voices which consisted of one word: Om- perfection” (111). The effect the river has on the text is to metaphorically show how everything is unified in the Buddhist philosophy. On page 111, Siddhartha has gained “the serenity of knowledge” because he has found “salvation and is in harmony with the stream of events, the stream of life.” The word “stream” is repeated in the sentence twice adding to the river metaphor. “The stream of life” becomes an important phrase because it adds greatly to the river metaphor by saying all life is connected in a constant, unified flow. In Siddhartha, Hesse portrayed a historically accurate beginning to Buddhism. He represented the abstract foundation to Buddhism in a clear manner. The river metaphor aided in the understanding of unity in 2006-11-26T01:13:24-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Philosophy-in-Siddhartha-31835.aspx The geography in The Great Gatsby contribute to the setting, character development, and the tone of critical events. The setting is important because Fitzgerald uses setting to reveal character. Where people live determines what they do, telling the reader the kind of person they are. Weather often matches the emotional tone of events. The setting of The Great Gatsby is divided into four major areas: West and East Egg, the valley of ashes, and New York City. West Egg is a representation of people who would not be accepted in East Egg because they are newly rich and are not yet socially adapted to the lifestyle. East Egg is where people who are not strangers to wealth live; therefore, they do not need to be pretentious with there money. Tom and Daisy Buchanan support the East Egg theory because they are accustomed to the lavish lifestyle money offers and are comfortable in their financial situation whereas Gatsby supports the contrasted West Egg where he shows off his money to try and win Daisy’s love. New York City is where affairs, making money through bootlegging, and wild parties thrive. The apartment Tom rents out for his affair with Myrtle is here and is home to characters, such as Owl Eyes, who attend Gatsby’s parties. New York is also where Gatsby made his fortune bootlegging liquor. It is for these reasons that New York symbolizes the decay of the American Dream. The valley of ashes is a grey area between the traditions of the Midwest and the moral decay of the East. George lives in the valley of ashes and works so he and Myrtle can have a better life, but it is in the valley of ashes where Tom and Myrtle have their affair, Daisy kills Myrtle while driving Gatsby’s car, and where George decides to kill Gatsby. Fitzgerald’s idea of using setting to dictate morals is reinforced by the larger contrast between the Midwest and the East coast, the real moral of the novel. Tom, Daisy, Nick, and Gatsby came from the Midwest, and The Great Gatsby was about how they each reacted to life on the East Coast. For Gatsby, the outcome was death, and for Tom and Daisy, there were no consequences because they had money. Nick comes to New York as a bondsman, witnesses all 2006-11-26T01:10:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Geography-and-The-Great-Gatsby-31834.aspx Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut utilize structure and imagery to convey their antiwar viewpoints; however, Heller incorporates irony while Vonnegut adds motif. It is through the stories of Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse-five and Yossarian in Catch-22 that the reader learns how war negatively affects the soldiers involved (Wallin.) Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut use a non-chronological structure in their novels. At first, the novels skip from episode to episode in a nonspecific order that forms an illogical mess. Not only does this accomplish presenting the protagonists as insane, but it causes the reader to experience life as someone who has been traumatized by what they witnessed in war (“Time and Structure” 9-11.) It is for this reason a traditional structure could not be applied to the novels because the illogical order of events that seem to have no relevance forces the reader to experience insanity. Vonnegut goes farther than just using the non-chronological structure of the novel as a whole by writing in short chapters. These chapters contain short paragraphs that are divided into unrelated sections. Vonnegut uses this unique structure because the way events are told to the reader is similar to how undifferentiated schizophrenics think and communicate ideas which supports the idea that Billy Pilgrim is insane. Undifferentiated schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder, usually caused by a traumatic event, with symptoms where the patient speaks in fragments and detachment from reality (Gerrig and Zimbardo 497-503.) The traumatic event that caused Billy to become insane was the firebombing of Dresden in World War II. As Billy tries to justify the pointless destruction of an innocent city and killing of thousands of civilians, he cannot reach a logical solution. Because he cannot justify the firebombing, his brain metaphorically shut down. As Kurt Vonnegut used structure in Slaughterhouse-five to represent the soldiers’ insanity, Joseph Heller incorporates it into Catch-22 in a similar fashion. Unlike Slaughterhouse-five where scene changes have a time period assigned to them, Heller switches from past, present, and future tense without establishing a definite ‘now’ as a reference point. The structure allows Heller to take a scene and “juxtapose it with another to show their relevance to one another” (“Time and Structure” 9-11.) The beginning of Chapter I is “set out of sequence in order to establish the importance of the 2006-11-26T01:02:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Slaughterhouse-five-and-Catch-22-Compare-Contrast-31833.aspx Colors affect the mood and emphasize the importance of events in a novel. The concept of color symbolism is prominent in The Great Gatsby. White, yellow, blue, and green affect the atmosphere of scenes through association with a specific mood. When analyzed, the frequent use of color and its relevance can be identified. The color white and light tones are associated with purity, innocence and benevolence. This idea is holds true in the novel when Nick describes the room in Tom’s house where Daisy and Jordan are introduced. He describes the room as “bright” (12) and the windows as “gleaming white against the grass” (12). The dresses Jordan and Daisy are wearing are also described as “white” (12). On page 24, Daisy and Jordan’s “girlhood” is described as “beautiful [and] white”. Childhood represents innocence and because the color white is associated with it, white becomes a representation of innocence. The affect the color white creates is the impression of a pure, clean environment, and that Jordan and Daisy are the same. In the text, there is no prior discussion of Tom’s house or Daisy and Jordan which causes the reader to believe they are pure and good. Yellow is a representation of falsity and corruption of events or characters in The Great Gatsby. The significance of yellow is to show through imagery that not everything is as it seems. In the beginning of the novel, Daisy and Jordan are wearing white dresses, giving the illusion of purity. With the progression of the storyline, Daisy and Jordan’s clothes slowly change from white to a golden yellow as the characters impurities are revealed. The color yellow is also present in descriptions of Myrtle. Myrtle’s dress in the party scene is described by Nick as “cream colored” (35). “With the influence of the dress, her personality had also undergone a change” (35). When Myrtle wears the yellowish dress, every aspect about her person changes into something fake. In Myrtle, the color yellow is a clear representation of dishonesty because she pretends to be something she is not. The effect the color yellow has on the description of characters is to point out the dishonesty they have. Yellow is also a symbol of corruption. Gatsby’s car is the car that killed Myrtle and is described as “a yellow 2006-11-26T00:58:08-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Color-in-The-Great-Gatsby-31832.aspx Minor characters in literary works can be used for various purposes. Choose two minor characters from Demian and examine the ways in which they contribute to the work. One of the main themes in the novel Demian is the opposing “worlds” in society; the opposition of Good and Evil. This theme is illustrated with in two minor characters, Sinclair’s Parents and Beatrice. This theme is an illustration of struggles we all face in our paths to finding our selves. This explains that there is not just a world of black and white, there is a middle ground, and this is what Sinclair (main character, narrator) tries to do. A large part of Sinclair's maturation is his coming to accept that it is all right to indulge in the pleasures of life whether they are “good or bad.” The “good or bad” that he has learned are based on societal standards, and who are they to tell him or anyone what is right and wrong or good or bad. These opposing worlds, good vs. bad, ultimately lead to a decision of one or another, but Sinclaire searches for a balance between them. He also comes to realize that you can not have the good things in life with out first finding the bad parts. This is quickly illustrated in the first part of the book with the “dark and light” worlds in his own house and with his parents. Later on in the book he discovers the same opposition in his vision of a girl, Beatrice. At the age of ten, Sinclair began to question society and his life in general. This is when he began realizing that there were aspects within him that were accepted by the standards of society and there were aspects that were not. He describes these as “day and night, two different worlds.” At this early time in his life, Sinclair sees the realms as very separate. One realm is illustrated by the world of his father’s house, which was “brilliance, clarity and cleanliness, gentle conversations, washed hands, clean clothes, and good manners.” The other realm, also within his own house, however, was one that “smelled different” and “contained servant girls and workmen, ghost stories, rumors of scandal.” Sinclair’s parents are only present in the first part of the first chapter, but they play a big role in illustrating the opposing worlds. Since Sinclair has 2006-11-23T03:41:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-two-Minor-Characters-in-quot-Demian-quot-31828.aspx Comparing Le Mort Darthur and Excalibur Sir Thomas Mallory wrote the story Le Mort Darthur, which is a story about medieval times and the day of King Arthur. From those times to the present day, a variety of stories have been crafted. Some examples of these stories (which also could be put in movie or television form) would be like A Kid in King Arthur’s Court, Excalibur, Knights of the Round Table, and much more. In this essay, I will be comparing the differences between Le Mort Darthur and the movie Excalibur. One major difference between Excalibur and Le Mort Darthur is that there was only one sword in Excalibur and two swords in Le Mort Darthur. The one sword in the movie, Excalibur, did break, as with the first sword in Le Mort Darthur. But, unlike Le Mort Darthur where Arthur receives his second sword from the lady of the lake, in Excalibur, the lady of the lake fixes Excalibur. Also, with the swords, in the movie Excalibur, Uther Pendragon, the father of Arthur, drove Excalibur into the stone. In Le Mort Darthur, the sword that was in the stone was NOT Excalibur, and also Uther Pendragon did not touch either sword in Le Mort Darthur. Another major difference between Excalibur and Le Mort Darthur is Mordred, Arthur’s son. In Le Mort Darthur, Arthur was more willing to give Mordred land, unlike in the movie Excalibur, where Arthur refuses to give his land to Mordred. In Le Mort Darthur, Arthur was going to give Mordred his land after he had died. But, like I mentioned earlier, in Excalibur, Arthur did not want to give land to Mordred at all, even though Mordred was his son. In both versions, though, Arthur and Mordred do fight. In Excalibur, there was only one battle in which Arthur attacked Mordred. In Le Mort Darthur, there were two battles, one of which was an accident. Also, there are two different deaths in both the movie Excalibur and Le Mort Darthur. In Excalibur, Mordred runs a spear through Arthur, and in return, Arthur hits Mordred with Excalibur. In Le Mort Darthur, the story changes, it sort of flip-flops. In Le Mort Darthur, Arthur runs a spear through Mordred, and Mordred in return, hacks Arthur in the head with a 2006-11-17T02:48:28-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Le-Mort-Darthur-and-Excalibur-31807.aspx Authority in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" Authority has made its place in history as the stereotypical-iron-fisted-tyrant who feels not pity and shows no mercy. Slowly, but consistently, these dictators have managed to become a part of our daily lives. After years of espionage and propaganda, we have grow to be numb to the ways of our despots, and have become so set in repetition, we expect no change. We have adapted to facilitate their expectations and goals unmitigated power over all that is in their tight grip. To visitors in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the ward appears as a peaceful patriarchal home, when in reality, Nurse Ratched had managed to castrate all the inmates without much manipulation and exploitation because of their insecurity as individuals. Her size and knowledge of use of idioms and body language proves her intimidation can whip the unstable patients into her shape. They believe Big Nurse is their only option as a future, until McMurphy proves them wrong with his chaotic, charismatic unique personality, which proves that only disorder is the cure to “insanity” caused by constant authority. In the beginning, life for the mental patients at the Big Nurse’s ward is bleak and cold. Chief Bromden, (more commonly known as Chief Broom), our “deaf and mute” narrator, shows us a less than pleasant view of how we see life for the insane. The head of the ward is Nurse Ratched, who holds authority over not only her African American henchman, but of Doctor Spivey himself. Her powder white skin show purity and wholehearted innocence to onlookers, while the staff and patients know better. They are her rabbits, and she is their wolf. “Oh, don’t misunderstand me, were not in here because we are rabbits, we’d be rabbits wherever we were, we’re all in here because we can’t adjust to our rabbit hood. We need a good strong wolf like the Nurse to teach us our place.” Chief Broom often mentions being engulfed by the concealing fog on behalf of the Big Nurses emotions, or slipping into it by his own fear of the combine itself. This is his escape from what he can’t handle, which may appear to be insanity to onlookers. His image of Blastic being hung and his intestines of ash and rust pouring out before a team of faceless laborers shows that the patients are nothing but 2006-11-17T02:41:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Authority-in-quot-One-Flew-Over-the-Cuckoo-s-Nest-quot-31803.aspx Analysis of Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" The Novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is full of tragic scenes that change the characters thoughts and actions. Most of the tragedies in this novel involve and effect Miss Jane and Mr. Rochester the most. Throughout the novel tragedies are displayed through the fire in Mr. Rochester’s room and the discovery of Bertha, his wife. The fire in Mr. Rochester’s room was an important tragedy; it changed the thoughts and actions of all the characters at Thornfield. For example, Grace Poole thought Mr. Rochester “Fell asleep with his candle lit . . . the curtains caught on fire” (145). Grace Poole knows what happened but she wants to tell lies to all the other employs there. This event caused a lot of confusion and controversy between the people at Thornfield. Grace tried to cover up an attempt of murder with an accident. In Addition, Mr. Rochester gets startled or scared when this happens, “Is there a flood? . . .What have you done with me witch, sorceress?” (139). The act of Jane throwing water on him caused him to yell pointless words at anyone in the room, and be angry towards them. Before he talks to anyone he starts to jump to conclusions and start to ponder in his mind: Who set the fire? Why was it me? What do they want?. Furthermore, Jane was so overwhelmed with all that had happened that “[Jane] never thought of sleep . . . because all the thoughts that I had about what had happened”. Jane is almost traumatized bye what had happened and her perception of the house is changed. In her mind she will create a great mystery of what is hiding in Thornfield. This experience was one that made a person in the house very suspicious and feared. A moment of tragedy for Mr. Rochester and Jane was when Jane discovered Mr. Rochester’s former wife. For example, Jane must turn to the streets and think, “Where was I to go? . . . What was I to do?” (308) and become a beggar. This must be a traumatic moment for Jane because for the first time in her life she isn’t living in a wealthy environment, and she has to fend for herself. She 2006-11-17T02:36:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Charlotte-Bronte-s-quot-Jane-Eyre-quot-31800.aspx Themes of "The Lord of the Flies" In the book, Lord of the Flies, the theme was that people should learn to work together as a team so they don’t turn on each other and kill each other. The author of this book is William Golding and it is an action novel. In the story some of the characters try to preserve peace while others kill each other and get out of control. They end up having different sort of teams and little wars. There were many interesting things in this story. All the characters were kids stranded on an island. The main characters were Ralph, Jack, and Piggy. They are all stranded in a big island in the middle of the ocean where no one will be able to find them. They all turn on each 2006-11-17T02:19:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-quot-The-Lord-of-the-Flies-quot-31793.aspx Francis Macomber Character Analysis Francis Macomber was a very handsome thirty-five year old man. He was well built and very good at court games. In addition Francis held many big game fishing records. Throughout the story Francis goes through many stages and changes very much from the beginning to the end. However, throughout the entire story Francis shows that he has three very important traits, he is adaptable, bold, and is also very direct. First, Francis Macomber was very adaptable throughout the story. As Francis spent more and more time with Wilson he changed from having contempt for Wilson, to enjoying being with him. In the beginning, Wilson attempts to make a joke about Francis’s face being red. At that point, since Francis was not getting along with Wilson, he did not laugh at the joke. Later on however Wilson was talking about how he whipped his workers when they didn’t do what he asked rather than fine them. After this statement by Wilson Francis offered his support by saying, “Yes, we take a beating everyday.” This was just one of the signs that Wilson was coming to enjoy being with Wilson. Francis also adapts to his wife being with Wilson. One night Francis was awake for over two hours while his wife was out of the tent. After she returned Francis found that she had been with Wilson and was immediately angry with both Wilson and his wife. Later in the story Wilson has adapted to the fact that Wilson and his wife will be together and accepts it. At one point Wilson is trying to get Margot to stay in camp and Francis asks, “You’re sure you wouldn’t like to stay in camp with her yourself and let me go hunt the buffalo?” Francis is in this question allowing his wife and Wilson to be together. The greatest adaptation Francis makes through out the story is in his ability to become a successful hunter. In the beginning of the story Francis is afraid of going into the woods after the injured lion. “I don’t want to go in there.” After expressing his fear, Francis continued to take a couple of steps into the woods until he saw the lion and bolted out of the woods scared. The final 2006-11-17T02:16:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Francis-Macomber-Character-Analysis-31791.aspx The stylist language of Margaret Atwood Margaret Atwood in her novels, short stories and even poetry uses a similar style of writing. It is a style that is not only distinctive but also effective. Her sense of description is one of her best talents. It allows her to create pieces of work that constantly reinforce her themes of political chaos and the effect that a patriarchal society has on women. As a feminist writer, much of her work deals with how men not only empower women but how they manage to hurt each other. Using parallelism and symbolism as springboards, Margaret Atwood writes to inform and perhaps warn her reader of the exploitation of women and sometimes even helpless men who exist within a society. In bodily harm, Atwood develops her thematic concerns in even more global dimensions, in both figurative and geographical senses. This piece of work at times tends to be a very political feminist novel, immediately concerned with such issues as body image, female sexuality, male-female relationships, and male brutality in a patriarchal society. Through her writing of this novel, Atwood seems to project her anger towards a patriarchal establishment and value system that continues to enforce it with excessive privileges and powers, both personal and political. The life of the main character, Rennie Wilcox, is illustrated in the book to demonstrate the victimization of woman. One type of victimization that Atwood explores is sexual. Rennie returns one afternoon to her apartment to find a broken door through which an intruder has crashed. As she walks into the bedroom she sees, “there was a length of rope coiled neatly on the quilt”. The rope is also tied in with Rennie’s past as her ex-lover, Jake, preferred sex that includes bondage and sadism. Jake would sometimes arrive at Rennie’s apartment by surprise and enjoy overpowering Rennie sexually with such perceptions as “pretend you’re being raped.” (pg. 117) Atwood takes careful attempts and goes deep into the mind of men who find victimization of women sexually arousing. Two bullying policemen who appear in her apartment following the incident are another evidence of how the society perceives women, especially single women. The breaking in of the apartment is automatically connected inside the policemen’s mind with her being a single woman. He questions her in such a way that is rather offensive, insinuating that 2006-11-17T02:13:57-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-stylist-language-of-Margaret-Atwood-31790.aspx Doing the Right Thing in To Kill a Mockingbird “Stand up for what is right, even if you are standing alone.” This quote means a lot to me. I have always tried to do the right thing in life but have failed many times because of peer pressure In the book To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch, a strong lawyer and a loving father is a very strong example of this quote. Atticus always does the right thing regardless. He has lost respect and friends this way but has also gained respect. Atticus lives by his own rules and mostly by his conscience. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, an innocent black man who is being accused of beating and raping 19-year-old Mayella Ewell. He knows he is innocent and knows that if he does not defend Tom nobody else will because he is black. Atticus proves he is not a follower by defending Tom. Several children and adults torment Atticus and his family because he is doing the right thing for an innocent black man. The rest of the town does not believe defending someone that is black is the proper thing for a white lawyer to do. By Atticus sticking up for his beliefs and his morals he and his children are almost killed. His children get so angry with people tormenting them. They do not understand why their father is doing this. Jem goes over to Mrs. Dubose’s house and chops all of her flowers down because she is talking bad about Atticus. When Atticus hears about this he is very angry. He makes Jem go over to her house to apologize. As punishment, he must read to her until she no longer wants him to read to her. Atticus teaches his children to respect others even if they do not always respect them. Atticus believes when a person hurts you, you do not hurt them in return or get angry, you must kill them through kindness. That really gets to a people and will make them think. Atticus treats everyone fairly and understands the way other people think. Because she wants to, Atticus lets Scout wear pants and does not think she should be treated differently because she is 2006-11-17T02:00:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Doing-the-Right-Thing-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-31785.aspx Comparing the Novel and Film Rendition of 1984 Telescreens, Big brother, a world watched over and perfected. George Orwell created this world in the book 1984, this book was a warning to the future. Later on, Michael Radford made 1984 into a film. Although there are some differences between Orwell’s 1984 and Radfords version of it, but there also are similarities in the physical descriptions, personalities, and in the way the film followed Orwell’s descriptions. The people living during this time were not in the best of shape. Workers were fed unsanitary food, they only exercised in the morning and most people drank gin and smoked cigarettes. Winston was a typical working man. He was skinny with dark hair and eyes, he even had some teeth missing. Julia on the other hand was young and beautiful woman,” She was a bold- looking girl about twenty-seven, with thick dark hair, freckled face, and swift, athletic movements.”(Orwell 27 ). They were two different looking people with different personalities. The personalities of the characters expressed in the film and the book were similar. Orwell had created Winston’s character as an average man, who is quite on the outside, but inside a curious man questioning the party. When Winston went into a room he had to know what life was like before the revolution so he asked an old man, “ What I’m trying to say is this. You have been alive for a very long time; you lived half your life before the revolution. In 1925, for instance you were already grown up. Would you say, from what you can remember, that life in 1925 was better then it is now or worse?”(Orwell 78). Julia was opposite of Winston she was very outgoing, did not care too much about the party just went with the flow. The actress who played Julia’s part did an excellent job on playing the role. Usually when a director is creating a film s/he changes the novel around a little bit, but Radford did a good job of following most of Orwell’s descriptions. A good example of this is the room above the shop; Orwell described it as “An old-fashioned glass clock with a twelve hour face was ticking away on the mantle piece. Under the window was an enormous bed with the mattress still on it.” (Orwell 81). Radford had the room set up pretty 2006-11-17T01:55:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-the-Novel-and-Film-Rendition-of-1984-31783.aspx Analysis of Snow Falling on Cedars There is a small island named San Piedro located in the Peaget Sound, Northwest. San Piedro had a brand of verdant beauty that inclined its residents toward the poetical, and also had enormous hills, soft green with cedars. Most people who worked there were Japanese-American immigrants at strawberry field. Amity Harbor was the only town and also had the only courthouse in this island. This story developed from this courthouse. In winter of 1954, when the snow started, in this courthouse, a trial was held and one Japanese-American was accused of murder. His name was Kabuo Yamamoto, who is also local fisherman. In September 1954, a local fisherman, Carl Heine, was found suspiciously drowned on the foggy sea. A wound, which seems to be hit so hard, was found in the head of a dead body. And, next day, Kabuo got arrested as a murder suspect because, the night before that day, Kabuo undoubtedly went fishing at the same spot where Carl did as well. A battery that Kabuo used in common was found on Carl HeineÕs fishing boat, Susan Marie, and rope for connecting both fishing boat and take to a CarlÕs boat was found as a important evidence on Carl HeineÕs fishing boat, Susan Marie. Also, a bloodstained fishing rod was found on KabuoÕs fishing boat. KabuoÕs lawyer, Nels Gumundsson, claim that Kabuo was innocent since the cause of death was drowned. However, a wound of a dead body remained them of Kendo, Japanese swordsmanship, because Kabou had learned when he was child. Everything was at a disadvantage for Kabuo during this trial. His wife, Hatsue Yamamoto, seated for a public and gaze at Kabuo, but it was all up with her. Also, there was a person who kept a very close watch on this trail. He was a local reporter and his name was Ishamael Chambers. "He had only one arm, the left having been amputated ten inches below the shoulder joint." (page 7) He had came this court for this trail; however, he looked at KabuoÕs wife, Hatsue. When Ishamael and Hatsue were young, they loved each other. When Hatsue was fourteen years old, she was beautiful girl and had long black hair. Some rain day, Ishamael went after Hatsue who ran through a mountain path and tried to hide in grotto of Cedars. Then they talked a lot 2006-11-17T01:40:27-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Snow-Falling-on-Cedars-31776.aspx Exploring Reality in the Great Gatsby In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is one who follows his dreams as though they are reality. He strives to construct his own perfect world. He builds his life of wealth and luxury in hopes of attracting an old love interest, Daisy. Gatsby’s power accrues and eventually creates his own destruction. In Gatsby’s world, little is actually reality. Everything about Gatsby is fake: his name, his past, his money, his friends, his ideas and his house. “For a while these reveries provided an outlet for his imagination; they were a satisfactory hint of the unreality of reality, a promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on a fairy’s wing” (105). He can not see the fine line between reality and fantasy. His mansion is the center of all that is fake where there is little that is unaffected. When Nick, Daisy’s cousin, observes Gatsby’s parties, he notices that Gatsby himself has little to do with his guests. Is this because he is a poor host? No. Gatsby’s guests come for the party. Since it is during the period of prohibition, Gatsby’s a bootlegger and his house is one of many places which people can obtain alcohol. He continues to throw elegant, expensive parties, in which he observes the gayety in hopes that one day Daisy will appear. Week after week he waits for her. He has spent the past five years creating a life to which he thinks Daisy will be attracted. Previously, Gatsby’s mentor, Dan Cody, introduced him to a world of wealth. “The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God- a phrase which, if it means anything, means just- and he must be about His Father’s Business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty” (104).He spied Cody’s yacht out on Lake Superior when he was seventeen. Gatsby rowed out to the massive boat and Cody questioned him. Cody was impressed with Gatsby’s striking personality. Cody then hired Gatsby to work on the ship, which was where they became good friends. “He was employed in a vague personal capacity – while he remained with Cody he was in run steward, 2006-11-17T01:38:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Exploring-Reality-in-the-Great-Gatsby-31775.aspx Character Analyses from the Great Gatsby Many characters were responsible, in part, for the death of Jay Gatsby, the main character of The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but each to his or her own degree. Tom Buchanan, a wealthy member of a socially solid old family, played a minor and relatively indirect role in the death of Gatsby. Daisy Buchanan, a beautiful socialite married to Tom, very selfishly used Gatsby to better herself at all costs, one of those being Gatsby’s death, but, although she was directly responsible, she was not most responsible for the death of Gatsby. Gatsby himself was most responsible for his own death by blindly doing anything he had to win the love of and protect Daisy. Tom Buchanan played a relatively minor role in Gatsby’s death. Tom is a man whom Gatsby views as very insignificant, a minor obstacle in his way to Daisy. When Gatsby was off at war, leaving Daisy alone and vulnerable, Tom “…came down with a hundred people, in four private cars,”(82) and he blinded her with money and social status, something that Gatsby didn’t have at the time. Daisy married Tom soon after and they had a child together. Gatsby does not see Tom as a threat because he does not believe that Daisy had ever loved Tom. But Daisy did love Tom, and she continues to love the money and social status that goes with the marriage. Tom and the child are what keeps Daisy from permanently being with Gatsby. If Tom were not around, Gatsby would have Daisy, and there would be no conflict leading to Gatsby’s death. Tom, just by being married to Daisy, plays a role in the death of Gatsby, but that role is minor and indirect. Daisy plays a more important and direct role in Gatsby’s death than Tom. Daisy is very self-centered and needy. She always wants to feel loved and important, and she will do anything to feel that way, even if it hurts others. Daisy was very much in love with Gatsby prior to his departure for the war, and she continued to love him up to her wedding day, where she was found “…drunk as a monkey…with a letter in the other [hand],”(81). It was a letter from Gatsby. She did 2006-11-17T01:10:02-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analyses-from-the-Great-Gatsby-31764.aspx Comparison of the novel and film "The Color Purple" Have you ever felt like you could not survive without a certain person? Have you ever felt as if you have been taken away from the only person that has ever meant anything to you? If you have ever felt any of this, then you have felt love. The novel The Color Purple, By Alice Walker, and the movie The Color Purple, directed by Steve Spielberg, are stories about love and the survival between two sisters. The obstacles that the sisters have to face are very life risking. Although the novel and the movie have more similarities than differences, they still explain the major theme of womanhood. The novel and the movie have many of the same themes, obstacles, and resolutions. A similarity is Celie’s stepfather raped her. After she was raped she had two children named Adam and Olivia, they were then given to Samual and Corrine who were not able to have children. Another similarity is that Celie is afraid of men. “I don’t even look at men. That’s the truth. I look at woman, tho, cause I’m not scared of them.” Celie said in her letter to god.(Walker, 6). Celie admires strong beautiful woman like Shug Avery because she knows how to stand up for herself and not let men push her around just like it is described in the novel and shown though out the movie. Differences are harder to depict then similar themes and obstacles. Some differences found were the writing of the letters. In the novel Celie writes letters back to Nettie, but in the movies Celie does not write back. One more difference is how in the novel Shug asked, “How your god like?” and in the movie Shug and Celie do not even talk about god.(Walker, 201). God plays a big role in book because all of Celie’s letters are addressed to God, but in the movie Celie just has faith in God that she can survive. The major theme of the novel The Color Purple and the movie The Color Purple is womanhood. Womanhood is expressed in so many ways. It is expressed through self-discovery and growth, and race relations and racial identity that impact womanhood greatly. It was very hard for Celie to grow, learn, love, and identify herself because she was a woman, she was black, she 2006-11-17T01:06:23-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-of-the-novel-and-film-quot-The-Color-Purple-quot-31763.aspx Love and Respect over Money and Status in Pride and Prejudice In Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, Austen’s modern views contradict her time. She believes a healthy marriage and relationship consists of mutual respect and comfortable companionship, instead of status and money. Elizabeth has encounters with Wickham, Collins, and Darcy. Each of them is unique, but when Elizabeth is with Darcy she eventually finds that he fulfills her the most. Elizabeth’s initial interaction with Wickham seemed promising. She felt that she was his equal and that he respected her. She had hopes that their friendship would carry on further. This was hindered when Elizabeth saw him pursue a richer girl. She realized that Wickham was the type to marry for money and not for love. At this point she did not completely disregard him or lose much respect. But upon finding out about this true character Elizabeth no longer respected him or felt comfortable around him. She was upset that he had put up a charming front to hide his deceitful character. This unfavorable opinion only increased after Wickham ran off with Lydia and only married her when pressure from his friends was applied. With Wickham, Elizabeth saw that there was no mutual respect or companionship on which to found a true relationship. Early in Collins visit it is clear that Collins has plans to wed one of the Bennet sisters. He decides to pursue Elizabeth. Elizabeth finds herself not in the slightest attracted to him in appearance or character. Collins marriage proposal is insulting in the fact that his motivations for marriage are to advance himself in the eyes of the community and of Lady Catherine’s. He states this when he says, “Twice has she [Lady Catherine] condescended to give me her opinion…I do not reckon the notice and kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh” (80-801). He does not mention true love for Elizabeth except maybe in the form of flattery. Elizabeth refuses to let herself be as carried away with Collins as he seems to be with her. She wants to marry for her love, not for someone else’s distorted idea of love. Initially, Darcy and Elizabeth get off to an ominous start. Darcy is not attracted by Elizabeth’s physical appearance, and Elizabeth is not attracted to his 2006-11-15T23:05:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Love-over-Money-and-Status-in-Pride-and-Prejudice-31761.aspx Plot Summary and Opinions on Pet Cemetery Pet Cemetery is about Louis Creed and his family. Creed is a doctor who’s just taken a job at a Maine university. On his first day, Victor Pascow is killed in an accident. Before slipping off into the never-never, Pascow gives a cryptic warning to Louis about not going beyond the Pet Cemetery. To emphasize that he means business, Pascow’s ghost comes back one night, takes Creed to the graveyard of pets, points to a deadfall and again warns Creed not to cross the barrier. And Louis Creed never does cross that barrier. Yeah, bull. If he never did, we wouldn’t have a book, would we? Louis’s old neighbor, Jud, takes Louis beyond the barrier the night after the Creed’s cat is killed by a truck on the highway. Louis buries the cat in an ancient Micmac Indian burial ground. And the cat, Church, comes back. But, he’s not the same old cuddly kitty he used to be. Later, Louis goes beyond the barrier again, carrying a more important burden. We’ll get to that. Pet Cemetery is an interesting novel and it’s come to hold a unique place in my estimation of King’s work. I first read the book in about 1984 or ’85 – sometime after the paperback printing but before the movie. Do you remember the hype? Pet Cemetery was billed to be a novel so terrifying King himself was afraid to reread it. “The most frightening book Stephen King has ever written,” was the braying endorsement from Publishers Weekly on the back cover of the original paperback version. Naturally, all that hype was setting the horror connoisseur up for a letdown. What book could live up to that? Pet Cemetery didn’t. Sure, it was an immediate No. 1 bestseller, but all King’s books were shooting to that top spot upon publication. (Did I use past tense? Oops.) Let’s face it, big sales and high ratings does not always denote quality. Have you ever watched Survivor? Why? So, the fact everyone with a few bucks was buying King’s new book didn’t impress me that much. I knew he’d never top The Shining, anyway. Of course, Pet Cemetery had something else working against it. I was a 2006-11-15T23:03:08-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Summary-and-Opinions-on-Pet-Cemetery-31760.aspx Killing Faith in Night by Elie Wiesel Night is a horrible tale of murder and man’s inhumanity to man. Wiesel ( the author ) saw his family, friends and fellow Jews degraded and murdered. Wiesel also states in his book that his God, to whom he was so devoted, to whom he had so much faith, was also “murdered” by the Nazis. In the novel Wiesel changed from a devout Jew to a broken young man who doubted his belief in God. As a young fourteen year old boy, separated from his only home and family and sent to a concentration camp in Birkenau; which his mother and sister were tortured and killed in the fire pits. Wiesel was then filled with innocence and disbelief, “ The night was gone. The morning tar was shinning in the sky I had become a completely different person. The student of the Talmud the child that was, had been consumed in the flames. There remained only a shape that looked like me. A dark flame had entered into my soul and devoured it,” Wiesel couldn’t believe that this is real. He feels that he might be dreaming. However, as Wiesel faces each day and witnesses the starvation, the beatings and murder of innocent people, and the tortures, his faith in God begins to waiver. By the end of the book Wiesel’s faith and belief in God had disintegrated. If there is a God, how could he allow this to happen, he wonders. As the days go by, there are frequent selections. A man with a little stick decides who will live and who will die. This man acts like God. To the right you live, to the left, you die. As Wiesel watches the evil that exists, his belief in the existence of God continues to deteriorate. Wiesel asks, “ Where is my God? Where is He?” Living under conditions of extreme privation, freezing winter nights-and days, and only the little ration of bread and soup; Wiesel continues to witness hangings, bearings, starvation, and torture. One day when Wiesel comes back from a day’s work, he sees three gallows being assembled. The whole camp has to witness the hangings. Among the 3 people who would die that day, was a young child. Wiesel watched the boy struggling between life and death. The death was a slow agony. At this 2006-11-15T22:59:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Killing-Faith-in-Night-by-Elie-Wiesel-31759.aspx Critical Analysis of the Novel Obasan by Joy Kogawa I decided to read the novel by Joy Kogawa entitled Obasan. The novel was written in 1981 and told the details of how the Japanese were discriminated against during World War 2. The author’s main purpose was to educated the reader on how hard life really was for her family and other Japanese Canadians living in British Columbia, and especially in Vancouver. Joy Kogawa tried to show how ignorant British Columbians really were, and that we still do not fully understand what really happened during the war. She also tries to teach Canadians the culture of the Japanese. The novel starts in the seventies with Naomi a teacher in Northern Alberta finding out that her uncle has died. When Naomi returns home to console her Aunt Obasan, she begins to relive the difficulties of her life. She recounts the struggle against the government and themselves while trying to stay in Vancouver. Naomi is very small at the time of the war and did not really fully understand what was happening to her race. The novel recounts the struggle of Naomi’s Aunt Emily to ensure that her family would be together in whatever place they were sent to. Aunt Emily wanted to head east to Toronto, but was unable to get the documentation for the entire family which included her sister children, who she was taking care of. The novel discuses the camps that the Japanese families were sent to in Hastings Park during the war. It described the treatment the families received while there, including the lack of food and the smell of manure. Naomi during this time was being sexually molested by her next door neighbor and did not tell anybody about this. Naomi seems resentful during the novel, as she comes across as a quiet little girl, who does not seem to interact with many people. Aunt Emily finally finds a place in Slocan for the family to go live, but just before they leave finds out her and her immediate family could go to Toronto. This leaves Aunt Emily going to Toronto and everybody else moving to Toronto. In the end almost everybody ends up dying. The novel had many strengths and weaknesses. One strength that really got to me is the great detail in how the Japanese were treated, though they were Canadian citizens. 2006-11-15T22:48:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-the-Novel-Obasan-by-Joy-Kogawa-31753.aspx In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Mr. Dimmesdale’s greatest fear is that the townspeople will find out about his sin of adultery with Hester Prynne. Mr. Dimmesdale fears that his soul could not take the shame of such a disclosure, as he is an important moral figure in society. However, in not confessing his sin to the public, he suffers through the guilt of his sin, a pain which is exacerbated by the tortures of Roger Chillingworth. Though he consistently chooses guilt over shame, Mr. Dimmesdale goes through a much more painful experience than Hester, who endured the public shame of the scarlet letter. Mr. Dimmesdale’s guilt is much more damaging to his soul than any shame that he might have endured. When the reader first meets Roger Chillingworth standing watching Hester on the scaffold, he says that he wishes the father could be on the scaffold with her. “‘It irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not, at least, stand on the scaffold by her side” (46). At this point, Chillingworth wishes that Mr. Dimmesdale was also receiving the sort of shame Hester is being put through. Throughout the first few chapters of the novel, however, Chillingworth’s motives become more and more malicious. By the time Chillingworth meets Hester in her prison cell, he has decided to go after Mr. Dimmesdale’s soul. Chillingworth turns to this goal because Mr. Dimmesdale did not endure Hester’s shame on the scaffold. Had Mr. Dimmesdale chosen to reveal himself at the time of Hester’s shame, he would not have had to endure the pain of Roger Chillingworth’s tortures of his soul. When Mr. Dimmesdale finally confesses to the townspeople in the last hour of his life, he reveals what many saw to be a red A on his chest. Whether the letter was carved by him in an act of self-mutilation, if it was merely a figment of his guilt-ridden imagination, of if it was indeed created by Chillingworth’s torture, it is a symbol of the guilt that Mr. Dimmesdale endured. While it may seem like a poor mockery of Hester’s letter, which was visible to everyone, Mr. Dimmesdale’s caused him much more pain than Hester’s caused her. Over time, Hester’s letter came to be accepted by the townspeople, and once Hester had been accepted there was discussion of allowing her to remove it. In contrast, Mr. Dimmesdale’s letter was not 2006-11-15T06:53:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mr_-Dimmesdale’s-Guilt-His-Internal-Struggle-31742.aspx Small Town Mentality in America in Huckleberry Finn Although Mark Twain was from a small river town, namely Hannibal, Missouri, he doesn’t seem to paint a very flattering picture of them in the book Huckleberry Finn. Throughout the book the two main characters, Huck and Jim, travel down river coming into contact with these types of small river town people. Twain uses this book to satirize the people of these towns. He shows these people to be dumb, gullible, uneducated, gutless, and inhuman. The following will explain the situations where characters were given these personality flaws. Twain showed how inhuman and dumb river people could be through his Shepherdson and Grangerford episode. In this episode the Shepherdsons and Grangerfords were carrying on a feud that had lasted a long time and had taken many lives. The stupidity of this feud is shown when Buck Grangerford had this conversation with Huck: Huck says, “What was the trouble about, Buck?—land?” Buck then responds, “I reckon maybe—I don’t know.” Huck then says, “Well, who done the [first] shooting?—was it a Grangerford or a Shepherdson?” Buck responds, “Laws, how do I know? It was so long ago.”(Twain, 144) Here Twain shows the stupidity of the situation. A person fighting, who ends up getting killed, doesn’t know what he’s fighting about. Twain also shows the gullible and uneducated nature of small town river people. In the novel Huck and Jim meet up with two con men who call themselves the king and the duke. The king and duke swindle many towns people out of their money in certain episodes. In one such episode, the king preached of being a reformed pirate. He preached to the small town crowd about how he needed money to return to the sea and help reform other pirates. The king got the gullible people to give in easy through the flattering words he said he would tell the pirates that reformed. These words were, “Don’t you thank me, don’t you give me no credit, it all belongs to them dear people in Pokeville camp-meeting (the small town they were in at the time), natural brothers and benefactors of the race…”(Twain, 175) Through simple flattery these people were taken advantage of . Twain believes this to be the normal behavior of these small 2006-11-15T03:05:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Small-Town-Mentality-in-America-in-Huckleberry-Finn-31740.aspx Finding Freedom in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Going against society and fleeing his home is just what Huck did in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Tom Sawyer. Huck was a young boy who earlier found $6000 in a cave with his friend Tom. He was living with Widow Douglas, Aunt Sally, and her slave Jim. They were constantly trying to civilize him. Huck’s father, also known as Pap, the town drunk, then kidnaps him and takes him to a cabin in the woods to start a new uncouth life. Huck likes his new uncivilized life, but he knows he must escape from his father, who continuously beats him. He escapes down the Mississippi River, and during his adventure he finds Jim, who ran away to avoid being sold. The two travel the river in search of freedom. Throughout the novel, Huck develops morally as he secures his money, deals with two frauds, and protects Jim. Huck knew that if Pap found out about his inheritance he would try to get it. Huck was suspicious Pap was back in town when, down by the river he saw a boot-print which had a cross in the left heel, he knew it was Pap’s print. Huck gave the money to Judge Thatcher so he could invest it and receive a dollar a day for interest. Huck said to the judge, “Please take it and don’t ask me nothing-then I won’t have to tell no lies (page 16).” Now if his father asked about it, he could honestly say he didn’t have it. He knew Pap just wanted the money to buy alcohol and that if he didn’t have the money, Pap would leave him alone. Giving the judge his money showed his trust in others, maturity, and common sense. Huck also showed maturity, when dealing with two frauds, the duke and the king. Huck saves the two men as they are being pursed by dogs and the people of the town, who had just been cheated out of their money. As Huck is traveling toward a steamboat, they meet a young man who mistakes the king for Mr. Wilks, from England. Mr. Wilks brother Peter just died, leaving his fortune for his two other brothers. The duke and the king go into town pretending to be 2006-11-11T19:03:40-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Finding-Freedom-in-The-Adventures-of-Huckleberry-Finn-31723.aspx Analysis of Themes in All Quiet on the Western Front A Disease or famine can be an awful thing. It can spread throughout towns and cities quickly, leaving thousands dead and the city in catastrophe. This spread of death and decay can be compared to situation Paul and the other soldiers face in All Quiet On The Western Front, written by Erich Maria Remarque. In this book the author shows strong feelings of despair towards war. This is done using the theme of decay, showing how Paul and the men become corrupted forever by the war. It also uses the theme of Death is Useless, by presenting the suffering of the wounded and killed men as meaningless and useless. Lastly, this book displays the theme of Bestiality, by showing how the situation of war brings out the worst and most blood-thirsty side of the soldiers. Decay is probably the biggest theme in the book and is the way the author most displays despair of war. The author shows how the war and the death and destruction around is deteriorating the condition of the soldiers, and how the soldiers become numb to the horrors or war. One example of this is “He does not stir, his lips quiver, his mustache twitches.” (p.131). This shows how the men have decayed past the point of no return. They are totally desensitized to the war, so they simply do not react to it at all. All they hear is “monotonous cry” (p.74) of the wounded. Another example of decay is how Paul reacts to his leave with his mother. “What is leave? A pause that only makes everything after it so much worse.” (p. ). Paul is still in a state of Decay even though he should be happy, on leave with his mother. The war has affected him such that he cannot put it out of his mind, even for a few days. “Monotonously the lorries sway, monotonously come the calls, monotonously falls the rain.” (p.74). This is another example of how Paul feels total apathy for everything around him, because if he did not he would go mad. “They can no longer distinguish whence in this now quiet silvery landscape it comes.” (p. ). The soldiers are decayed to the point where they do not hear the pain and suffering of wounded men, only an anonymous screaming 2006-11-11T18:57:20-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Themes-in-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-31720.aspx Character Analysis of Byron in That was Then, This is Now In That was Then, This Is Now, the character Byron changes a great deal. Earlier, he had been self-centered, not caring what others thought or how his actions affected them. For instance, he and Mark used to hustle people at pool. For example, he and Mark hustled the Texans and almost were killed for winning. Byron and Mark get in dangerous fights and hurt innocent people. Now, Byron says that he is not interested in these things any more. Now he is interested in Cathy. Today, the world is much different than when I went to high school. Back then it seemed that every one had to do all most everything manually. For example, if some one wants to take a bath you go to the computer, type in the temperature and the tub will fill up at the temperature that the computer is told. In 2021, computers do everything. Another big difference is that we can clone mankind. In 2001 Scientists were debating whether or not to clone man. Cloning is now done at birth. Music has changed as well. Back in 2001, it seemed that everyone listening to bands like Offspring and many other new bands. Now this kind of music is considered by my children to be oldies. My children do no like it when I play a radio station with my music. I have changed a lot since my sophomore year. I gave up eating junk food about 10 years ago. I have also changed in terms of how I spend my money-- when I get paid. I used to spend my money foolishly. For example, I would buy things on the spur of the moment without thinking do I really need this. Now I have a budget so I can save my money for when my children go to college. Now, I enjoy teaching 10th grade English class. That is another change. I did not care for 10th grade English class, but now I like knowing that I am educating students who may get through life a little easier. It is almost impossible to predict the future. Almost no one stays the same. I no longer spend my money foolishly or eat junk food. My new lifestyle is much more stable than it was 20 years ago. Whenever I look back I can 2006-11-11T18:51:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Byron-in-That-was-Then,-This-is-Now-31718.aspx Critical Analysis of The Bean Trees by Barabara Kingsolver A women can undertake a journey for many reasons: to escape, to seek a new way of life, to find adventure, to find love, to discover oneself or to simply keep moving. In the novel The Bean Trees by Barabara Kingsolver, Taylor the main character sets off on a journey for all these reasons. On her journey to self discovery Taylor Greer manages to over come her weaknesses The beans that are continually revealed throughout the novel represent Taylor’s life. The earliest mention of the beans took place when Taylor takes a close look at the reality of her life. “I had never done anything more interesting for a living than… picking bugs off somebody’s bean vines for a penny a piece.” (Pg 4) The beans so far are a symbol of Taylor’s weaknesses, as she and the beans are both of poor quality. Subsequently, Taylor and Turtle are in the garden and… “For the next half hour she sat quietly between the squash hills, playing with her own beans. Finally she buried them there on the spot where they were all to be forgotten, until… a ferocious thicket of beans cam plowing up through the squashes.” (Pg. 89) Gradually, the beans are becoming of some significance in the novel, since they are truly beginning to echo Taylor’s life. Just as the beans did, Taylor begun her life without a great deal of impact on anyone, only to come plowing up and impact people where they did not expect it. At the end of the novel, the reader again encounters the beans for the last time. Although this time, the reader captures the complete significance of the beans. “Wisteria vines…thrive in poor soil…Their secret is something called rhizobia. These are microscopic bugs that live underground in little knots in the roots…Wisteria vines on their own would just barely get by, but put them together with rhizobia and they make miracles.” (Pg 229) The beans, symbolism reflects Taylor’s development throughout her life perfectly. Taylor grew in poor soil and without the influence of the people, whom act like rhizobia that she encounters, she would have never been able to fight her weaknesses and realize her strengths. Taylor grows to become more mature and at the end at the 2006-11-11T18:47:10-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-The-Bean-Trees-by-Barabara-Kingsolver-31716.aspx The Holocaust and Night by Elie Wiesel We all must endure hardships in life, some harder than others. In reading Picture Bride, written, by Yoshiko Uchida, the character Hanna goes through one hardship after another. The reader sees the same in the book, Night , written by Elie Wiesel, a survivor of the Holocaust. The reader listens to accounts of terrible experiences from both Hana and Elie’s life, of which one could only fathom. Hanna, a young Japanese women decides to marry a Japanese American, and move away from her family, to America. In Japan, Taro her future husband sends her a picture of himself looking young and healthy, but she soon finds out that the man in the picture is not the way that the man she is about to marry looks like anymore. This is a big disappointment for Hanna, and should foreshadow for the reader what most of her life is going to be like in America. However, what gets Hanna through each disappointment and hardship in Hanna’s life is the important thing. Her loving husband Taro, loves her and treats her very well, and she has a close circle of friends that do the same. From the beginning of Hanna’s life in America to the end, Kiku, one of Hanna’s wonderful friends, sticks by through thick and thin. In the end at one of the internment camps, when Taro gets killed, Kiku comes to comfort her dear friend; it was people like these that got Hanna through hard times. In the book, Night, by Elie Wiesel, Elie is one of the main characters living life in a concentration camp with his father. The things that Elie Experiences at the camps are so unbelievable and terrible. For instance, Elie loses his mother and sister when he first arrives at the camp, just one of the horrifying things that took place here. This was a surprise to Elie since he was not expecting this treatment. Elie was a survivor from this inhuman place, one of the very few however. What left him a survivor today was the hope he had that he would soon be rescued, and the love that he had for his father. He knew that he had to keep on going and not give up. In my life I have experienced very few hardships and/or disappointments. However in seventh grade I had to move 2006-11-11T18:38:26-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Holocaust-and-Night-by-Elie-Wiesel-31713.aspx Gene Forrester's difficult journey towards maturity is a main focus of the novel, A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. Gene's journey begins the moment he first meets Finny until he visits the tree fifteen years later. Throughout this time, Gene must become self-aware, face reality and the future, confront his problems, as well as forgive and accept the person that he is. With the jouncing of the limb, Gene realizes the true person he is on the inside. Fifteen years later, when revisiting the tree, he finally accepts and forgives himself. This journey is a long and painful one. At the end of this long and winding road filled with ditches, difficulties and problems, Gene emerges a mature adult. Gene jounces the limb and causes Finny's fall, and at that moment, becomes aware of his inner-self and learns of his true feelings. This revelation comes to him back in his room before he and Finny leave for the tree. It surrounds him with the shock of his true self until he finally reacts by jouncing the limb. Up in the tree, before the two friends are about to make their "double-jump,” Gene sees Finny in this new light. He realizes that Finny feels no jealousy or hatred towards him and that Finny is indeed perfect in every way. Gene becomes aware that only he is the jealous one. He learns of his animosity and that he really is a "savage.” Over a long period of time, Gene had been denying his feelings of hatred towards Finny, saying that it was normal for him to feel this way. Now all of the feelings come back to him and he sees how terrible he really is. The realization that these feelings are one-sided causes Gene to fall dramatically in comparison to Finny. Gene realizes that Gene is a saint compared to him and concludes that he needs to bring Finny down to his level and destroy his innocence by Gene jouncing the limb. After the realization of the person he truly is, in his room and up in the tree, Gene must now confront his problems, face reality, and deal with the future. He learns that communication is very important in a relationship and that he must express himself instead of keeping his feelings inside, as 2006-11-09T07:03:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Separate-Peace-31709.aspx Anti-Racism Themes in Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain has caused many controversies, especially over the issue of racism. The characters in Huck Finn and the development of these characters clearly take a strong stand against racism. Twain’s character, Jim, is the center of this controversy. Jim’s development, as well as Huck’s, and the growth of their relationship form the structure of the anti-racism message in this novel. Twain’s introduction of Jim shows a slave, a “Big Nigger,” which Huck and Tom easily trick and make a fool of. Jim is shortly portrayed for a fool, and for an uneducated “typical” black man. When Jim meets up with Huck on Jackson Island, and he tells his story we learn that Jim does possess feelings and emotions. Jim has risked his life to be a free man and to work to get his wife and children to freedom. Jim’s development through the book is shown through Huck’s eye, a young white man, who has been taught that blacks are inferior and their purpose is to live as slaves. As the book goes on, Jim grows into a more “human” character, with feelings and a heart. The simple fact that we are seeing this through Huck’s eyes is a strong statement against racism alone. Huck’s development is another statement against racism. He is constantly growing and is forced to fight a battle inside himself. He must determine whether his mind is right and what he’s been taught to be true, or if what he feels in his heart is the real truth. We see Huck heart finally beat his mind and choice to go against what he was taught and do what felt right. “All right, then, I’ll go to hell. I might as well go the whole hog.” Huck decides to h lp Jim in escaping to freedom, even if it was against what he knew to be moral and right. This single act is yet another anti-racism statement Twain has weaved into his novel. Lastly, not only as individual characters do Jim and Huck support anti-racism their relationship does as well. Huck and Jim are brought together by fate, and are drawn to travel down the Mississippi river. This journey brings them closer together, and 2006-11-04T19:11:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anti-Racism-Themes-in-Huckleberry-Finn-31699.aspx Critical Analysis of the Glass Managerie Amanda forces things on her children that neither want. Amanda does this with Tom, the obligation she places on her son, Tom, is inexcusable. A mother is supposed to support her children and not the other way around. Amanda tells Tom while arguing about where he is going, “What right have you got to jeopardize you r job? Jeopardize the security of us all? How do you think we’d manage…(P.23)” Notice the words “we” and “us”, it interesting cause she uses these while speaking of Tom’s life. He is an adult; his life should be his own. Tom shouldn’t be tied down by his mother and sister, blood is thicker that water, however blood only goes so far. She is trying to live vicariously through her children. Amanda feels as if she didn’t do so well in life. So by making her children do certain things she can experience what she missed “second-hand” through her kid’s experiences. The worst of it is she doesn’t even seem appreciative of Tom’s generosity, and sense of obligation. Telling him, “Overcome selfishness! Self, self, self is all that you ever think of! (p. 35)” Selfish, a word that would describe some, but never Tom. He has put his hopes and dreams on hold for his family, he’s trapped in his own personal prison, and Amanda has the nerve to call him selfish. To be unable to give someone just due, is not a saintly quality, but that of an unholy creature. Amanda is a loving mother, however this love is over shadowed by the selfishness of her words and actions. For example when Laura gets a gentleman caller, “Amanda produces two powder puffs which she wraps in handkerchiefs and stuffs in Laura’s bosom. (p. 52)” When Laura objects strongly telling her mother, “I wont wear them !(p. 52)” Her mother firmly tells her, “You will!” She goes on to see to say, “to be perfectly honest, your chest is flat. (p. 52)” It doesn’t take a genius to know that calling your daughter “flat” is not a saintly thing to do. In another conversation with her daughter she asks her, “So what are we going to do the rest of our lives? (p15)” Amanda is selfish she is forcing her daughter to do something that she obviously 2006-11-04T19:08:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-the-Glass-Managerie-31697.aspx Character Analysis of the Short-Story "Fleur" Louise Erdrich is a writer who is of both Native American and French heritage. Story telling is a part of the Native American oral tradition. Edrich furthers this tradition in her novels and short stories. Upon reading her short story, Fleur, in which the central character is Fleur Pillager, Erdrich captures the reader’s attention immediately and forces her character upon the reader with the first line of the story. “The first time she drowned in the cold and glassy water of lake Turcot, Fleur Pillager was only a girl.” Right away the reader knows there is something quite unusual about this dynamic and well-developed character. Erdrich also weaves into her storytelling, tribal mythology. No one courted Fleur even though she was very attractive because it was clear to the people on the reservation that Misshepeshu, the green eyed and copper skinned water monster wanted Fleur for himself. Fleur’s speech in the story is spare, direct, and to the point. What she says is memorable. “You will take my place” (Baym 2571) is what she said to George Many Women the first person who touched her after she drowned the second time. Fleur is developed as a strong, daring character that studies ancient ways and half forgotten medicine. The people of the reservation where she lived felt that she changed into animals and practiced evil ways, so they were just about ready to run her out of town when she left. She migrated to a small town south of the reservation called Argus where she stayed for a summer. At this time she meets a flat character. Pauline, who narrates the story. Even though Pauline tells the story she is an invisible, forgotten character. She comes to Argus when her mother marries “Dutch” James who works at Fritzie and Pete Kozkas’ Butcher Shop. Soon there after Pauline’s mother dies and “Dutch,” her step-father, takes her out of school to clean up at the butcher shop. She hears everything that goes on because the other characters forget that she is there. After living in Argus for approximately one month, Fleur asks to be dealt into the nightly card game with the stock characters. The stock characters of this story are the “good old boys” Pete, “Dutch” and the 2006-11-03T01:13:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-the-Short-Story-quot-Fleur-quot-31687.aspx The Female Role in the Great Gatsby The Pre-Depression 1920’s sets the story for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” New York paints an amazing picture as the backdrop for the story. East and West Egg(two communities outside New York City where our cadre of characters live) play a more specific role in our character’s lives as symbols of wealth. In this novel, Fitzgerald, with a definitive purpose in mind, carefully contrasts three women, Myrtle Wilson, Tom’s lower class mistress; Daisy Buchanan, a wealthy socialite with marital problems; and Jordan Baker, a professional golfer with a shady past. Myrtle Wilson is the wife of a mechanic in the “Valley of Ashes,” and is Tom’s unfaithful mistress. Myrtle is a wannabe socialite who denies her place in society. She sneaks away from her husband to galavant about the city with Tom and waste her money on gossip magazines and dogs and other extravagances. She buys these only for status, and the magazines, to study and sound like she knows what she’s talking about. Myrtle is also very regretful for marrying George because he is a working class schlep. “He borrowed somebody’s best suit to get married in and never even told me about it.”(38) This is a prime example of just how shallow Myrtle can be. Myrtle represents Tom’s mistakes that wind up hurting other people(i.e. Gatsby’s death). Myrtle is no match for pain-causing to Daisy. Daisy is Tom’s socialite antagonist wife. Daisy is a very charming young lady who will do anything or nothing to come across as charming. “Daisy gave an absurd laugh and remained seated as Nick entered.”(13) Daisy, that charming Daisy, is also very provocative. She constantly teases Tom into anger, or leads somebody to an unexpected emotion. Daisy is the only desire of Gatsby in this novel, and winds up costing him his life. The only character not directly responsible for Gatsby’s death is Jordan Baker. Jordan Baker is a professional golfer whom Nick dates throughout the novel. Jordan is a very dishonest character with a shady past. She was involved in a scandal at one of her tournaments that suspected cheating on her part. She is also very foolish, and probably doesn’t think before she speaks. “I hate careless people...”(63) Jordan tells Nick her opinion of careless people, right after admitting her own carelessness. She says, essentially, that she hates herself. Jordan breaks the ice between 2006-11-03T01:04:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Female-Role-in-the-Great-Gatsby-31683.aspx Money in "The Grapes of Wrath" John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, presents the struggles of one family during the “Dust Bowl” of the 1930’s. Steinbeck had many ideas about how land was owned. His point of 2006-11-03T01:02:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Money-in-quot-The-Grapes-of-Wrath-quot-31682.aspx Analysis of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance This book is a rambling dissertation on the introduction of classical versus romantic thesis. A person does not need to know about motorcycles to understand this book, nor do they need to know about Zen (a type of Buddhist religion). They will come back from this mental journey of understanding that a person can figure out how they think a lot similarly to disassembling a motorcycle and putting it back together in the proper order to make it work. as to how and why we think about different subjects, a condition that the author calls "Quality" 2006-11-03T00:58:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Zen-and-the-Art-of-Motorcycle-Maintenance-31680.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Woman Warrior" The Woman Warrior, by Maxine Hong Kingston, illustrates the story of a girl trapped between the culture of her surroundings and the traditions her mother forces upon her. The collection of memoirs is non-linear because Kingston goes back and forth between childhood and adulthood, instead of beginning as a child and proceeding through her adulthood into middle age. Kingston acts as the character-narrator in each section, and all the sections together build the total plot. Kingston writes about her conflicts as she struggles to differentiate herself from her mother and to gain her own sense of voice and identity. This is an autobiography of Kingston’s life, as she presents her journey and makes apparent the conflict with her mother, Brave Orchid. Through her mother’s stories and the strong influence of the American culture, Kingston’s life and imagination spin off in a new direction. She is confronted by many complications that cause problems with her mother and with her attempt to discover her personal self as well. Although Kingston’s adaptation to American culture causes many conflicts with her mother, she is able to overcome misfortune and become a Chinese-American with the help of Brave Orchid’s tales. In Kingston’s first story, “No Name Woman,” the stories of the narrator’s mother are first introduced. Kingston is totally under the control of her mother as she listens against her will to Brave Orchid’s confusing and disturbing stories. The first account of her aunt’s suicide and infanticide teaches her how careful a young woman must be when growing up in the Chinese culture. She learns from her aunt’s failure to be faithful to her husband and never commit adultery. However, Kingston feels an intense connection with the outcast of her family. Kingston senses this bond because she feels completely divided from her family and never will be entirely linked to her Chinese heritage. The reason she senses this is because she already feels separated from her traditional Chinese customs. The plot progresses when Kingston finds ways to challenge her mother’s power. Brave Orchid tells her to participate in the family’s punishment of the no-name aunt by never speaking her name. Nevertheless, Kingston not only speaks it but also writes about her aunt touchingly and compassionately. Kingston writes, “My aunt haunts me- her ghost 2006-11-03T00:56:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Woman-Warrior-quot-31679.aspx Cultural Identity in "The Song of Solomon" Throughout literature, it has become mundane for countless authors to use recurrent 2006-11-02T15:56:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cultural-Identity-in-quot-The-Song-of-Solomon-quot-31676.aspx Emptiness in the Great Gatsby In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald portrays the emptiness of a very meretricious society. Many people in today’s materialistic world are just hollow, but some have a dream, which turns into a goal. In many cases this dream might be pursued, but for some people it becomes a superficial vision. Through the use of symbolism and characterization in the novel and Eliot’s poem the blindness of people in depicted; the only person with any substance is Gatsby, but in the end, his dream becomes artificial as well. Through the use of characterization, Fitzgerald shows how most characters in the novel have no desire; however Gatsby did, he had “an extraordinary gift for hope.” For example, Nick saw Gatsby as the “best of the bunch,” because he had this “grand dream,” but in the end he turned out to be “blind,” just like the rest of the characters. According to T.S Eliot, in The Hollow Men, we are the silent listeners; who are “empty, filled with straw.” For example, the characters in The Great Gatsby, were empty just like the hollow men in the poem. We cannot stand on our own, “we are leaning together,” because we have no substance. Gatsby, unlike the other materialistic characters, captures his dream, but it’s empty. However, most people are so hollow that they don’t even have a dream. Daisy is Gatsby’s past; she is his dream, which he tries to attain. The characters in the book are so meretricious they do not know what to do; they cannot move because of a “paralyzed force.” The characters are restricted to a “spiritually empty world,” because of this force that inhibits them, from acting upon their dreams. Through the use of symbolism, Fitzgerald also portrays the emptiness in the characters. According to T.S Elliot, “those who have crossed/ with direct eyes to deaths other Kingdom/ remember us.” The “direct eyes” refuse to see the world around them, just like the characters. This revelation explains the unsettling eyes of Dr. T.J Eckleburg, peering down from their signboard on the valley of the ashes. The eyes are disturbing because they have no fixed meaning, and they seem to stare down at the surface of the world without asking it to mean anything. George 2006-11-02T15:33:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Emptiness-in-the-Great-Gatsby-31667.aspx Critical Concepts in "Peter Pan" Peter Pan is one of the only novels on the reading list which I was familiar 2006-11-02T15:31:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Concepts-in-quot-Peter-Pan-quot-31666.aspx The Symbolism of Nature in American Literature Throughout American Literature, many authors use the symbol of nature to correspond with the tone of their main characters. Good and attractive nature seems to reflect the good events happening in a characters life. Bad and repulsive nature imitates the bad events happening in a characters life. Going back to the times of transcendentalists and up to the more modern age views, it is common to see the author use nature as a major symbol of their story. Although nature is used frequently as a key symbol, the authors of the 18th and 19th centuries use this imagery differently than that of contemporary authors. In the 1840’s, the transcendentalism movement was created. Transcendentalism is the idea of man relating himself with nature. These people believe that God expresses himself through nature and if these people relate themselves to nature then they are relating themselves to God. This movement was started by a group of intellectuals led by Mr. Ralph Waldo Emerson. He was a preacher who felt strongly about this movement and was very outspoken about it. Emerson believed in freedom from every one else and would often celebrate this. He hated common organized religion and felt that faith should be an individual subject. Transcendentalists believe that all men start out good and that everyone has the ability to work up to a perfect life. Emerson believed that all men have the ability to achieve this perfection if they follow their own path and work up to their own set beliefs. A man that can’t follow his own path has no way to achieve this perfection because if he can’t believe in himself then there is no way for him to continue on his path to perfection. Emerson says, “ As soon as the man is one with God, he will not beg”(Self- Reliance, 33). If a man can follow his path than he will be one with God. Emerson uses nature to help find his God. He does not use it to get away from the world. He believes that if he uses the world he can find his God and he can find his faults. Emerson says: Nature suffers nothing to remain 2006-11-02T15:00:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Symbolism-of-Nature-in-American-Literature-31662.aspx Good Versus Evil in Three Literary Classics Although they are three very different books, Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, and Shelly’s Frankenstein all have themes of the Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Each book has a theme of the confusing of what is good and what is bad, weather speaking of the enemy forces, the evils of corporations and banks, or the evil of a tormented monster and the evil of his maker. In All Quiet on the Western Front, young German soldiers in World War One challenge their ideas, not only of good and bad, but also of right and wrong. The soldiers superiors become the enemies, and the idea that the opposing forces could be evil also is challenged. The main character Paul, commenting on Russian prisoners, brings up a few of these challenging ideas that go through the soldiers heads: “A word of command has made these silent figures our enemies; a word of command might transform them into our friends. At some table a document is signed by some persons whom none of knows, and then for years together that very crime on which formerly the world’s condemnation and severest penalty fall, becomes our highest aim. But who can draw such a distinction when he looks at these quiet men with their childlike faces and apostles’ beards. Any non-commissioned officer is more of an enemy to a recruit, any schoolmaster to a pupil, than they are to us. And yet we would shoot at them again at us as if they were free.” The book defines many evils, one being war in general. The contrast between good and evil is also defined through relationships between teacher and students, officers and privates, and government and people. In Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, evil is seen in the banks, and landlords. This is also a confusing evil because it goes to a Pontius Pilate biblical illusion. The people cannot pinpoint their complaint on a certain person or group, because every group that could be blamed blames another. A small portion of the story shows this: “It’s not me. There’s nothing I can do. I’ll lose my job if I don’t do it. And look-suppose you kill me? They’ll just hang you, but long before you’re hung there’ll 2006-10-31T22:44:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Good-Versus-Evil-in-Three-Literary-Classics-31649.aspx Examining the Themes of "The Hobbit" “The hobbit,” a story of adventure and danger is a prime example of a romantic plot, and fantasy genre. What makes this story such a great example of a romantic plot? One, the unlikely hero, Mr. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit that is dragged on an adventure he doesn’t wish to take. Second, there is a great quest with a reward at its end. Third the great teacher figure, Gandalf is a wizard that helps Bilbo to become the great hero he is destined to be. And lastly the dragon figure, in this story the dragon figure, happened to be a dragon but there are also many miniature dragon figures through out the tale. The story begins with our soon to be hero Bilbo Baggins he’s smoking his pipe and is quite proud of the smoke rings he is managing to make. As Bilbo smokes his pipe, Gandalf stops by to have a talk with Bilbo. He informs Bilbo that he is looking for someone to go on an adventure with him. Although Bilbo is tempted to accept the offer, he declines. Before Gandalf leaves Bilbo decides to invite him for tea the next morning. Dwarves show up at his door instead, one at a time, inviting them selves in until there’s thirteen in all. Bilbo isn’t quite sure of what to make of this, but Gandalf shows up and soon it becomes apparent to Bilbo that he has been chosen by Gandalf to be the thief in an adventure to retrieve some stolen dwarf gold from a dragon named Smaug. He’s kind of a whiny baby to start out with (He forgot a handkerchief and was freaking out) But he decided to prove him self very early in the story, he tried to pick pocket from a Troll. He failed but you get a glimpse of the hero he is to become. The quest begins when the group meets at the Green Dragon Inn. From there they venture into the Lone-lands. As heavy rains begin to fall, Bilbo notices that Gandalf is missing. This is something that is later on considered to be normal because Gandalf comes and goes throughout the duration of the trip. All through the quest Bilbo ends up saving the party from many dangerous situations. This is something that at first Bilbo finds hard to believe 2006-10-31T22:25:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examining-the-Themes-of-quot-The-Hobbit-quot-31643.aspx Critical Analysis of Marc Anthony's Speech in Julis Caesar Marc Anthony’s speech encompasses a multitude of rhetorical devices, and as a result wins the confidence and favor of his rowdy audience. He begins his speech with the ironic phrase I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. (3. 2. 81) Anthony, contrary to what he says, actually means to turn the citizens of Rome against Brutus and the conspirators, revenging Julius Caesar’s death. Anthony continues his speech by using the idea from Brutus’ speech that Caesar was an ambitious man. Brutus used this thought to support his basis for killing Julius Caesar. Anthony does not dispute Brutus’ respectable reputation, instead he says For Brutus is an honorable man (3. 2. 89) However, Anthony does begin to disagree with Brutus’ comment on Caesar’s grievous ambition. He does this be appealing to the audience’s logic, and presents two strong examples of Caesar’s lack of ambition. He says He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill; Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? (3. 2. 95-97) Anthony also involves the crowd in his speech, asking them a question and forcing them to ponder whether the assassination of Caesar was nothing but a disservice to the Roman Empire. Anthony continues to dispute Caesar’s ambitiousness, however still maintaining that the conspirator’s were honorable men. He says Brutus is an honorable man (3. 2. 101) But he continually repeats this line, even after he has just disproved Caesar’s ambition, making the compliment sound sarcastic and mocking. By proving to the audience that Caesar was not full of ambition, he also proves that the conspirators were not honorable men, thus concluding that Caesar’s death was a futile murder, devastating to the welfare of Rome. Anthony also uses parison, repeating the same idea continually, only rephrasing it slightly each time. He explains to the crowd Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And sure he is an honourable man (3. 2. 100-101) By incessantly reiterating this idea, it becomes gradually engraved in the crowd’s mind. Again, Anthony says But Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honourable man (3. 2. 106-107) Only somewhat rearticulated, Anthony again compels the same idea, gradually obtaining reservation from the crowd towards Brutus. To further gain favour from the crowd, Anthony appeals to the emotions of his 2006-10-31T22:18:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Marc-Anthony-s-Speech-in-Julis-Caesar-31638.aspx Themes Behind the Use of War in "Slaughter-House Five" War plays a significant role in shaping human history. The rires of war can temper a man until he is unbreakable, or they can melt him with their heat. For Kurt Vonnegut, the flames of war do something extraordinary. They burn away his ability to accept the atrocities that humans direct toward one another. They galvanize his mind, removing any doubt as to the treacherous legacy that comes with the violence of war. Most importantly, they brand into his mind the images and events that would be the inspiration for a masterpiece. Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughter House Five is a modern parable, written to express the author’s anti-war sentiments and expose the absurdity of violence. Kurt Vonnegut begins his classic novel with a preface that belies the genius of the piece (Smith 83). This preface contains in its mere twenty two pages, all of the values and ideals from which Vonnegut writes his story. By telling the reader of the events that preceded the writing and publication of Slaughter-House Five, Vonnegut illustrates the very morals of his story before the reader even starts into the narrative (Smith 89). Even the title of the novel explains the values which Vonnegut is applying to the bombing. Vonnegut, a captured soldier held hostage in a slaughter-house, is, ironically, among the only survivors of the bombing of a peaceful city (Gianonne 82). When opening his novel, Vonnegut speaks to the reader as one would to an old friend, modestly and sincerely. He tells the reader about the troubles he faced trying to write what should have been such an easy book. The topic of Dresden is so big, yet no words come to him, not enough to fill a book anyway (Vonnegut 2). Vonnegut explains, in his own unique way, that Dresden is a tragedy that is not justifiable; that it is not something that he can file away and forget about; and that it is not something that he can write about in a traditional story (Gianonne 102). It is a cruelty that defies his attempts at rationalization. Even the simple act of outlining the events of the story proves impossible in the normal sense (Vonnegut 5). Instead Vonnegut reduces the lives, deaths, and relationships of dozens of people to colored lines 2006-10-31T22:14:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-Behind-the-Use-of-War-in-quot-Slaughter-House-Five-q-31636.aspx Critical Analysis of "A Seperate Peace" In the book A Separate Peace, John Knowles makes the arguments that all things have a dual nature, all things change, and all things experience conflict. The story follows the different parts of Knowles’ thesis and illustrates each of them. The book A Separate Peace illustrates on each of Knowles’ points using the characters and settings effectively. The people, locations, and even the seasons at Devon School all have a dual nature. For example, Gene and Phineas are two completely different characters. Gene is introverted and studious, while Phineas is the natural leader of any group and is good in every sport that he tries at. Phineas attracts everyone that he meets (p. 32). Also, locations in Devon have a dual nature. For example, the two rivers, the Devon and the Naguamsett are two different things, the Devon being clean and refreshing and the Naguamsett being murky and filthy (p. 78). Also, the outside and inside of the buildings at Devon are very different (p. 102). Furthermore, the seasons at Devon are very different. During the summer, things are carefree and happy, and the rules are less strictly enforced (p. 16). While, during the winter, things are more stressed in the boys’ lives, and everything is a little colder (p. 119). Throughout the book, things are changing and evolving. The seasons change from winter into summer. Things change as a result of this. The teachers treat the boys with more discipline in the winter than in the summer (p. 16). Also, the entire school seems colder in the winter as well (p. 119). The big tree that the boys jump off of changes. Fifteen years later, it seems smaller and less threatening to Gene (p. 6). Furthermore, the entire school seems smaller to him. He is no longer anxious or threatened by the buildings or any of the school, and he says that the buildings look different to him (p. 1). Conflict is constant throughout the book, and is mainly between Gene and himself. In the beginning of the book, Gene thinks that Phineas is against him, however Gene is only jealous of Phineas. Gene creates his own conflict. 2006-10-31T22:11:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-A-Seperate-Peace-quot-31635.aspx The Role of the Mississippi River in Huckleberry Finn Rivers are often associated with freedom and growth as they are vast and constantly moving and progressing. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is no exception as Mark Twain beautifully paints a picture of a boy who grows significantly during his journey down the Mississippi River. In the beginning of the novel, Huckleberry Finn yearns for his freedom from people who hold him down such as the Widow Douglas and Pap. Ironically, he finds freedom in a place nearby: the river. When he first begins to travel down the river, Huck is more or less self-involved with his own personal motives in mind when running away. He complains about boredom and loneliness when what he really wanted in the first place was to be left alone. When he comes upon Jim, he is overjoyed to be with someone finally and being that it is a Negro man running for his freedom, he begins his growth as a character. As he moves down the river, we see his growth in stages and much of it is due to his experiences on the water, which ultimately becomes his moving home. In the beginning of chapter 19, Twain uses narrative devices and literary techniques to exemplify Huck’s relaxed yet lonesome attitude toward the Mississippi River. In the beginning, Huck tells us that “two or three days and nights went by.” Usually, two or three days when running away seems like an eternity but, for Huck, “they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.” He is relaxed on the river and shows this by his ability to lose track of time and watch it slip by. Huck describes his daily routine, which seems more suitable for a vacationer than a runaway, like this: “Soon as night was most gone, we stopped navigating and tied up-nearly always in the dead water under a tow-head; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows and hid the raft with them. Then we set out the lines. Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off.” It would seem as though there would be a little bit more tension in a situation where a runaway is hiding out whole days at a time but this seems to 2006-10-31T22:06:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Role-of-the-Mississippi-River-in-Huckleberry-Finn-31632.aspx The Influence of Friendship in Huckleberry Finn In 1885 Mark Twain wrote a book called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In this book Mark Twain describes the main character as a normal kid from the 1800’s, who lived with a lot 2006-10-31T21:59:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Influence-of-Friendship-in-Huckleberry-Finn-31629.aspx Comparing Modern and Nineteenth Century Female Characters Jill Ker Conway, in her book, When Memory Speaks, describes the romantic heroine, the nineteenth century “archetypal female” (40) literary creation. She is the woman fairytales are made of, the possessor of natural beauty, little known intelligence, and extreme passivity. Her story revolves around her internal desires for romantic love and to become “the complement of the male romantic sensibility”(41). And as in Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, the romantic heroine’s story ends when her one true love sweeps her away into the happily ever after of domesticity (42). In contrast, the modern day plot of Bone, the heroine in Dorothy Allison’s Bastard out of Carolina, does not end so happily. She is a girl confronted with unimaginable external pain and conflict, being abused and raped by her stepfather and, in the end, abandoned by her mother. Yet, Bone’s internal yearnings for beauty and love parallel those of the nineteenth century heroine. The origin of these romantic desires resides with Bone’s mother, Anney. As mother, she is one of her daughter’s prime examples of how a woman should act, think, and feel. Thus, Anney’s romantic yearnings and subsequent actions play a major role in the shaping of her daughter’s personal identity, as well as, her understanding of beauty and love. One of Bone’s internal longings is to have the aesthetic beauty the nineteenth century romantic heroine possesses. She wants “to be more like the girls in storybooks, princesses with pale skin and tender hearts” (Bastard 206) instead of the “[g]awky, strong, ugly” girl she views herself as. She “hate[s] being nothing like the pretty girls with their delicate features, and slender, trembling frames.” She relates herself and her unappealing body to the women she reads about in books, the ones who are “almost never the heroine.” In other words, Bone does not regard herself as being an integral part of life because she is not physically beautiful and, therefore, not the heroine. She is only a minor character with minor contributions to a story’s (or a life’s) plot. In a way, she is also longing to be her mother. Anney is a “pretty little white-headed thing” (11) with a full smile and clear eyes (43). So, with these physical attributes, Anney is likened to the romantic heroine, the one with the happily ever after, and Bone is the one who “was born to 2006-10-29T22:36:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Modern-and-Nineteenth-Century-Female-Characters-31627.aspx Debate Over the Second Ending to Great Expectations Charles Dickens wrote two endings to the book Great Expectations. The original ending was not published in the first edition because Bulwerlytton convinced Dickens to write a nicer, sugary ending to please his audience. Although these critics feel that the revised ending is more suitable, others would agree that the original ending best fits the book. The original ending suits the attitude of the book. It also brings Pip full circle with his attitude change and with his gold and iron chains. The revised, sugary ending lacks many characteristics, which were found in the original ending. Those characteristics helped the original ending complete the story well. Great Expectations’ original ending best follows the tone of the book. Gissing expresses this idea when he writes that it was “...a book which Dickens meant, and rightly meant, to end in the minor key” (26) The original ending adheres best to the theme and flow of the story. “Its beginning is unhappy; its middle is unhappy; and the conventional happy ending is an outrage on it” (Shaw 42). In the original ending, Pip goes full circle by leaving behind his obnoxious side and coming closer to his innocent, pure side. In Penguin Critical Studies: Great Expectations, Brooks writes, “[In the revised ending] He [Pip], like Magwitch, is bound upon the wheel of the ‘eternal shape’ of his past” (122). The revised ending does not allow Pip to undergo his full transformation from an obnoxious boy to a grown man, where he would be leaving his past behind him. Instead, the revised ending has Pip leaving with Estella, which forces Pip to live through the evils of his past forever. Pip undergoes some very significant changes throughout his life. When the story begins, he is a humble boy who loves Joe for who Joe is. Then, Pip is introduced to Estella, and he falls in love with her for her looks. When Pip receives money from a mysterious benefactor and moves to London to become a gentleman, he develops a snobbish attitude towards Joe. Pip is also embarrassed of his connections to Magwitch. When Magwitch gets caught, Pip develops a close bond with him. Once Magwitch dies, Pip falls ill. Pip’s illness, then, enables him to redeem his 2006-10-29T22:29:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Debate-Over-the-Second-Ending-to-Great-Expectations-31624.aspx Character Actions in "Of Mice and Men" I feel that this book does a good job of portraying the fact that there are bullies in this world and that they aren’t always the bigger people. Words can cut deeper then actions, and that in its self made George a bully. Even though George looked after Lennie, he was still very cruel to him. George felt burdened by having to take care of Lennie. Now does this excuse his behavior towards Lennie, no. George would always tell Lennie, that he would of done much better without him and that just broke down Lennie inside. But other then that he tried to use his best judgments on trying to take care of him. He knew that Lennie had no one else, that would take care of him. Now Lennie is an interesting case all in himself. He needs special help and there is no one who cares for him enough to actually take him in and help him. Lennie finds himself trapped in two different worlds. In one world he has to act like he is a deaf mute and doesn’t speak at all. Which of course he finds unbearable. On the other hand he finds himself to be free when he is with George and they are by themselves. He doesn’t understand why people treat him any different from everyone else of course Except that is of course George who actually hates his job of having to take care of him. Now Lennie had an obsession with soft things and that’s what got him in trouble. If he hadn’t wanted to touch her soft hair then nothing would have happened. Now if Lennie were to be growing up in a society like this, then it would be so much different. Because, people wouldn’t tolerate it. Or we might think that they wouldn’t tolerate it, but for all we know things like this So it was a type of hate, love, friendship, and it depends on which angle you look at things, From who’s prospective. Now once you have an idea of who’s side you’re going to be on. You have to look and see if George does things that are in Lennie’s best interest. George was left with the 2006-10-29T22:21:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Actions-in-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-31620.aspx Orwell on Government in Animal Farm Have you ever heard about a society or government that is extremely screwed up? Of course you have, they all are. You could probably sit back and start a list of everything about your society and government that you want to change. George Orwell did just this and organized his concerns into a novel. The book is a satire about the fall of communism. The attitudes and traditions that Orwell wants to modify in his book, Animal Farm, are those that stifle humanity. Things like totalitarian government, social conformity, and the taking for granted of the good guy are some of the examples that Orwell uses to show what disgusts him about his society. First, Orwell shows his dislike for totalitarian government. He uses characters like and Napoleon the pig to illustrate how bad leaders make for a very bad government. When leaders who are running a group of people become corrupt, there are horrible consequences. Napoleon starts out as just another disgruntled pig, but becomes a dictator by the end of the book. He feeds off of the power that he has and precedes to want more and more control over all of Animal Farm. He chooses a scapegoat; another pig named Snowball, and blames all the troubles on him just like Hitler did to the Jews in WWII. The book is written about the Russian Revolution and Orwell clearly presents the fact that governments that suppress the people never work. Second, Orwell wants to get across to his readers the trouble with social conformity. On one level, social conformity occurs within the community of animals. The pigs reign supreme because of their “astounding intelligence” and they make sure that everyone knows how great they are. They give off the message that the only acceptable way of life is theirs’. The pigs want every animal to be as similar to them as possible. They even teach classes on how to read and write so that the other farm animals can be somewhat educated. On another level, the whole body of animals conformed when the revolution of Manor Farm happened. When they fought against the humans they intentionally tried to have the same thoughts and outlooks on farm life. This same way of thinking made them vulnerable to further conformity later on. Napoleon saw that if most of the animals thought one thing was the 2006-10-29T22:19:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Orwell-on-Government-in-Animal-Farm-31619.aspx Analysis of the Tempest by Shakespeare Throughout time various tales have been told in diverse ways to provide us with entertainment. The most popular and interesting ones sometimes make it by as classics. There are many different elements to a classic play or novel, which a number of authors can produce. Shakespeare was perhaps one the best known classic authors to generate such plays. The Tempest is one of William Shakespeare’s plays that undeniably deserves to be considered a classic because of the use language to convey meaning, the moral lessons taught, and the characteristics presented by Prospero. The way Shakespeare uses language in the play is the first reason for the play being considered a classic. One way the language skills are displayed is by putting depth meaning into a word. The word “maze” is one detail that shows depth in meaning by describing how the noblemen have been traveling around the island, which is really created to be a maze for them (Shakespeare 56). Bate, is another detail that means to leave out of account but is sarcastically used to answer a question of accepting a person (29). Other examples are lines, which also contain intensity in meaning. Fernando speaks the phrase “the white cold virgin snow upon my heart abates the ardor of my liver” when he proclaims his love for Miranda (64). Another detail used in the play is when Antonio says “his word is more then the miraculous harp” which refers to widow Dido who’s word is more powerful than Amphion, the bard who raised the walls of Thebes by playing his harp (29). The usage of language assisted the play in becoming a classic. The moral lessons being taught give The Tempest an additional reason for being a classic play. Alonso’s change of character and attitude is one of the moral lessons taught in the play. Alonso apologizes to Prospero for plotting against him many years ago (78-79). Alonso also approves of Ferdinand and Miranda’s marriage (83). Another way morality is displayed is when Antonio learns his lesson. The first action Antonio takes is apologizing to his brother Prospero for betraying him and taking over his dukedom (61). A further act is not refusing to give Prospero his dukedom back when he claims the title (79). Alonso 2006-10-29T21:32:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-Tempest-by-Shakespeare-31612.aspx Complete Analysis of "Snow Falling on Cedars" Japanese Americans The Japanese Americans have maintained loyalty to the United States throughout the history of there immigration beginning in 1843 (Leathers, 6). Over the years, they have persevered through the trials and tribulations of discrimination and prejudice. The white community often discriminated them because of the misunderstanding of their language and culture. They overcame this obstacle, and became productive citizens of the United States of America. The immigration of the Japanese into the United States was first recorded in 1843. Because of the strong currents and winds, sea traders and fishing fleets from many nations learned to exploit these winds and currents to travel from East Asia toward North America. Japanese seafarers were among this group. The first Japanese to come to the United States were accidental visitors- shipwreck survivors who were rescued by U.S. vessels. Over the next few decades, several such incidents occurred, but these incidents only involved a few sailors. Only a few remained to live in the United States permanently. By 1880 fewer than 150 Japanese lived in the U.S. (Leathers, 6-7). This number stayed so low because it was illegal for most Japanese to emigrate from their home country. However, in 1885, the Japanese government eased it’s restrictions on emigration (Leathers, 7). Through this action the number of Japanese in the United States and Hawaii increased rapidly. At this time, Hawaii was not yet part of the United States. During the 1890s, the average number of Japanese entering the United States increased by about 1,000. In 1900, more than 12,000 Japanese entered the U.S. (Leathers, 7-8). In 1924, immigration of Japanese was virtually halted when a new immigration law was passed by the U.S. Congress to prohibit the entry of Asians. Significant immigration of Japanese to American did not resume until the late 1940s (Leathers, 8). According to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, only 450,359 Japanese immigrated to the United States between 1820 and 1988. Japanese immigration to the United States constitute less than 10 percent of the total of Asian immigrants between 1820 and 1988 (Leathers, 8). The Japanese word Issei is used for any person who was born in Japan but later moved to another country- a first generation immigrant. A Nisei is an immigrant’s son or daughter who was born outside of Japan. The third generation, the Sansei, are the daughters and sons of 2006-10-29T21:21:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Complete-Analysis-of-quot-Snow-Falling-on-Cedars-quot-31608.aspx Analysis of Symbolism in "Snow Falling on Cedars" A rainy day represents gloominess in the minds of most people. Sunny days can make people feel refreshed and at ease. Cloudy days have a neutral feel. Snowy days on the other hand can have many different feelings attached. To some, peacefulness and surrealism may come to mind. To others, confusion and bitterness may play a role. In David Gutterson’s novel Snow Falling On Cedars, A Japanese man named Kabuo is on trial for murder. This all takes place with a fierce blizzard going on outside. The novel also takes place at the time of World War II, when the Japanese were sent to internment camps to face the consequences of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Blizzard and World War II both play important roles in having to do with symbolism and mood in the novel Snow Falling On Cedars. A man’s life is on trial for something he did not do. Naturally, anybody in this predicament would be quite frightened. This is all happening in a small courtroom on an island off the western coast of the United States called San Piedro. This is an island of very few residents, and a lot of forest. It is a very low-key place where not much should be happening. It is just a very quiet place filled with hard workers. But something is happening. This very trial is taking place during the World War II period, and at the time if the trial, a severe blizzard is roaring about. Ishmael Chambers, a reporter, a war veteran, and a man who had a past relationship with Kabuo’s wife a long time ago is going through what is much like the blizzard taking place outside at the time. All of these happenings are bringing back all of the harsh realities that have taken place in his life, and they are being whipped around the courtroom. A snowstorm carries a lot of wind and snow, and similar the snowdrifts blowing higher and higher outside, Ishmael must look at Hatsue and remember that he was once in love with her. All of his feelings are being whisked around and piled up and they are truly sending him off his feet into a reminiscent state. If this kind of 2006-10-28T20:37:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Symbolism-in-quot-Snow-Falling-on-Cedars-quot-31607.aspx Finding Purpose in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" The Crucible is a book that conveys a very ugly part of American history. The author, Arthur Miller, uses a play format to educate his audience about a very confusing event that took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. In 1692 a tightly wound New England community broke into a rash of scandals and rumors having to do with witchcraft and devil worship. Miller uses actual occurrences, names, and dates in the story, which makes the book a semi- reliable source of information about the event. Miller’s book’s main purpose is to clear up and portray the actual happenings in Salem and show the foolishness that took place. The story is set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The main characters can be split into three main groups: the accusers( a group of people that accused the townspeople of witchcraft) that included Betty Parris, Ruth Putnam, Mercy Lewis, and Abigail Williams; the accused (people accused of witchcraft) that included Giles Corey, Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor; the court (led the trials and convictions) that included Danforth, Reverend John Hale, Hathorne, and Reverend Parris. These characters intertwine to form a very sophisticated plot. The entire witchcraft craze is sparked when Reverend Parris finds his daughter, Betty, and several other girls dancing around a fire with a slave by the name of Tituba. Eventually Betty, Ruth Putnam, and others begin having demonic fits. The fits include the sudden screaming of demonic phrases, the inability to hear words such as God and Jesus, and coma like states. As their fits escalate the entire town watches. Eventually the girls begin accusing certain townspeople of witchcraft. The accused are forced to take tests to check for witchcraft or die, nearly all tests involved the death of the accused. Lives were destroyed as the accusers took all grudges and hatreds out by accusations of their enemies. Nearly twenty people died and hundreds were accused. Eventually the Governor stepped in and put an end to the madness. The author, Arthur Miller, set out to write a novel/play that cleared up a historical event that seems superficially confusing. In my opinion Miller did just that, he actually wrote a book in play format that was easy to read and understand. This book is a good reference to the witch trails, yet does contain some very minor 2006-10-28T20:30:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Finding-Purpose-in-Arthur-Miller-s-quot-The-Crucible-quot-31604.aspx Themes from "The Grapes of Wrath" Throughout history man has made many journeys, far and wide. Moses’ great march through the Red Sea and Columbus’ traversing the Atlantic are only but a few of man’s great voyages. Even today, great journeys are being made. Terry Fox’s run across Canada while having cancer shows one of such journeys. In every one of these instances people have had to rise above themselves and over come immense odds, similar to a salmon swimming up stream to fulfill it’s life line. Intense drive and extreme fortitude are qualities the Joads had to possess during their travels. In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck shows the Joad’s endurance by his use of extended metaphors in intercalary chapters. Steinbeck uses intercalary chapters to provide background for the various themes in the novel. This effectively foreshadows upcoming events by telling of the general state of the local population in the intercalary chapters and then narrowing it down to how it effects the main characters of the novel, the Joad’s. Setting the tone of the novel in the readers mind pulls out yet another function of Steinbeck’s intercalary chapters. In chapter three, Steinbeck describes the long tedious journey of a land turtle across a desolate highway. From the onset of his journey, the turtle encounters many set backs. All along the way he gets hindered by ants, hills, and oak seeds under his shell. The turtles determination to reach his destination becomes most apparent when a truck driven by a young man swerves to hit the turtle. The turtle’s shell was clipped and he went flying off the highway, but the turtle did not stop. He struggled back to his belly and kept driving toward his goal, just as the Joad’s kept driving toward their goal. Much like the turtle from chapter three, the Joad’s had to face many great hardships in their travels. The planes of Oklahoma, with their harsh summer weather, was the Joad’s desolate highway. The truck driver represented the Californians, who buried food and killed live stock to keep the Joad’s and others like them away from their dream. Sickness was their ants and hills. But even through all of this the Joad’s persevered. They were driven by great motivating powers to endure poverty and hunger. Just as the turtle searched for food, the Joad’s were searching for paradise, "the Garden of Eden." Through 2006-10-28T20:08:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-from-quot-The-Grapes-of-Wrath-quot-31599.aspx "Death of a Salesman" - Critical Analysis Miller’s story ”Death of a Salesman” is more than a mere story of the death of a man. The story delves into the dreams and aspirations of a salesman and follows his decline as they fail to come true. Willy Lowman is a former successful salesman who has seen his life change. Willy remembers the days when he could sell enough to provide for his family, buy luxury items, and even keep a mistress. He dreamed of his sons’ success and particularly his son Biff’s entrance into the University of Virginia. Willy traveled everywhere selling his wares and living life as he viewed it should be. To Willy, the most important thing was to be “well liked” by everyone. Unfortunately Willy lived to see the world around him change and pass him by. As Willy grew older he lost his ability to travel to any place and sell anything. Willy began to see the loss of his beloved lifestyle and the onset of bills and debt just to survive. Slowly this change from the ideal to the real took its toll on Willy. This toll showed itself in Willy’s struggle to remain in his dreams and to maintain hope for things that were never to be. Willy’s increasing difficulty in dealing with machines, his irrational focus on a garden, which will never grow, and his constant Hallucinations all serve to illustrate Willy’s steady desperation to fulfill his dreams and his refusal to deal with reality. One of Willy’s greatest struggles in the play is his struggle with his car. . As a traveling sales man, Willy spends much time driving great distances in his car. After arriving home early from a highly unsuccessful sales trip, Willy berates his car and blames it for his inability to bring home enough money to pay outstanding bills. Willy refuses to pay a mechanic bill for fixing the carburetor on his car going so far as to say “that goddam Chevrolet, they ought to prohibit the manufacture of that car” (Miller 1470). Willy rationalizes to himself that if the car had only been reliable, his trip would have been much more successful and he would have been better liked. This rationale holds no water considering that the few weeks Willy 2006-10-28T19:47:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-Death-of-a-Salesman-quot-Critical-Analysis-31595.aspx The Artistry of James Gatz in the Great Gatsby During The Great Gatsby it is apparent that the author F. Scott Fitzgerald hints countless times of the recurring theme in the novel, “unreal” or “illusory” things. More specifically, he links this concept of unreality to his main character Jay Gatsby. Gatsby has conjured up his opulent lifestyle out of ambition and desire for a woman. This woman is Daisy Buchanan, his long lost love of many years. Gatsby as a young lieutenant tried to woo Daisy but was unsuccessful because of two separate theories. Reality: he wasn’t in the same wealthy social class Daisy was from (she was old money and Gatsby at that point was no money). Or the unreality: he had to go off and fight in the war and lost contact with her, which is the theory Gatsby himself must would like to have believed in. However, to make sure the “reality” theory wasn’t genuine, Gatsby pursued the American dream. The dream many have to make uncountable amounts of money in a short period of time. By pursuing this American dream and also Daisy, he unknowingly created himself as an illusion, something made just for show in order to acquire something. Gatsby’s goals are tainted by unreality, and later is the trigger to his unfortunate decease. Fitzgerald has blatantly hinted to the reader that Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy after the war could be labeled as a structured plan, “but now he found that he had committed to the following of the grail (156).” The author deliberately put that line in the story to show that Gatsby’s mission for Daisy is nothing but a mid-evil crusade. There are many ideas Gatsby attempts to execute to try to harness this “grail”. Gatsby purposely bought a mansion in West Egg right across the bay from Daisy’s house. Also, he gets Jordan Baker to ask Nick (the narrator) to invite Daisy to his house for tea. This is done to make it more convenient for Gatsby to “inadvertently” meet the woman he has loved for so long. Daisy’s meeting of Gatsby is very indistinguishable from the start. They meet and as Nick explains: “For half a minute there wasn’t a sound. Then from the living room I heard sort of a choking murmur and part of a laugh followed by Daisy’s voice on a clear artificial note ‘I certainly am awfully 2006-10-28T19:41:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Artistry-of-James-Gatz-in-the-Great-Gatsby-31592.aspx The Importance of Pearl's Role in the Scarlet Letter One of the most complex and elaborate characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic individual, as well as an extremely important symbol- one who is constantly changing. Pearl is involved in a complex history, and as a result is viewed as different and is shunned because of her mother’s sin. Pearl is a living Scarlet A to Hester, as well as the reader, acting as a constant reminder of Hester’s sin. Hawthorne uses vivid descriptions to characterize Pearl. She is first described as the infant; “…whose innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, a lovely and immortal flower, out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion.” (81). From the beginning of her life she is viewed as the product of a sin, as a punishment. Physically, Pearl has a “beauty that became every day more brilliant, and the intelligence that threw its quivering sunshine over the tiny features of this child.” (81-82). Pearl is ravishing, with “beauty that shone with deep and vivid tints’ a bright complexion, eyes possessing intensity both of depth and glow, and hair already of a deep, glossy brown, and which, in after years, would be nearly akin to black.” Combining with her extreme beauty, are the lavish dresses that she wears. The exquisite dresses and her beauty cause her to be viewed as even stranger from the other typical Puritan children, whom are dressed in traditional clothing. As a result, she is accepted by nature and animals, and ostracized by the other Puritan children. “Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world… the whole peculiarity, in short, of her position in respect to other children.” (86). Pearl was not accepted by the children; her unavoidable seclusion was due to the sin of her mother. On the rare occasion that the children would show interest in Pearl she would “grow positively terrible in her puny wrath, snatching up stones to fling at them…” (87) As a result of Pearl’s seclusion from society nature sympathizes with Pearl, which can be seen with the role of the sunshine in the forest. “The light 2006-10-28T18:56:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Importance-of-Pearl-s-Role-in-the-Scarlet-Letter-31577.aspx Themes and Lessons from "Animal Farm" There is a substantial amount of conflicts that occur in this satirical story. Often these conflicts are between the pigs and the rest of the animals. Only a minute portion of the animals didn’t really have some sort of conflict with Snowball, Napoleon, Squealer, or the rest of the dominating pigs. Overall, Snowball was a better leader than Napoleon, yet the animals reacted differently to Napoleon than to Snowball. Snowball and Napoleon held a great deal of contrast between the way they each ruled over “Animal Farm/Manor Farm.” The only thing he did lack, was the ability of persuasion to the other animals. Snowball had all the right ideas, all to better the whole farm. Napoleon, on the other hand, had a knack for stealing other animals’ ideas, then telling the rest it was his and getting credit for it. His ideas only seemed to benefit the pigs and not the animals. It was this, that led to the crumbling of the farm. Napoleons obsession with becoming the ruler is what got Snowball nearly killed by the dogs...in a plot made by Napoleon. Which then produced a whole new rebellion not of the animals to the humans, but of the animals to the pigs. So for these reasons, Snowball showed better qualities for leadership than Napoleon because he wasn’t selfish and thought about the future of “Animal Farm.” First, the dominated farm animals viewed Napoleon and Snowball differently at different times throughout the book. The way the animals reacted to each leader brought upon new problems of the farm. The animals respected Snowball, and believed that his teachings were all true and had a good cause. Although Snowball and Napoleon had superior qualities leadership, it was clearly Snowball who had the better qualities for running a farm. Under Snowballs’ rule, the animals were generally content with what was going on and were all for it if it was to better the farm. It was obvious that Napoleon had the better half of getting his own way on the farm. However, the animals had some problems with Napoleon but they didn’t know haw to express their feelings and show him that they didn’t like the way he ran things. It was the animals’ ignorance that helped keep Napoleon in rule for as long as it was. The responses were so different between the animals that it 2006-10-28T18:54:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-and-Lessons-from-quot-Animal-Farm-quot-31576.aspx Critical Analysis of "A Separate Peace" In John Knowles' book A Separate Peace he communicates how the war in him was taking its toll on him. He uses the characters in a complicated plot to show the destructive forces of war. The characters, Gene and Finny, are the opposing forces in a struggle between the reality of war (World War II) and a separate peace. A peace away from the real war and the awful things that come from it. Through their relationship, which is a struggle on both sides, Knowles establishes the reality of war through a relationship. Gene Forrestor is established as the force of reality. This idea is established clearly in a speech Gene gives as the narrator of the story. “Everyone has a moment in history which belongs particularly to him. It is the moment when his emotions achieve their most powerful sway over him, and afterward when you say to this person “ the world today” or “life” or “reality” he will assume that you mean this moment, even if it is fifty years past. The world, through his unleashed emotions, imprinted itself upon him and he carries the stamp of that passing moment forever.” (Knowles, 32) This statement explains that Gene must have something that is his “stamp”. This stamp defines an individual standing up for something he believes in. The next paragraph shows that this is true where Gene continues, “For me, this moment-four years is a moment in history-war the war. The war was and is reality for me. I still live and think in its atmosphere.” (Knowles, 32) Later in the same paragraph he goes on to say: “America is not, never has been, and never will be what the songs and poems call it, a land of plenty. Nylon, meat, gasoline, and steel are rare. There are too many jobs and not enough workers. Money is very easy to earn but rather hard to spend, because there isn’t very much to buy. The war will always be fought very far away from America and it will never end. Nothing in America stands still for very long, including the people, who are always either leaving or on leave.” (Knowles, 32) This is what Gene stands for in the book A Separate Peace. Gene appears to understand the reality of war and how it affects people. Throughout the entire story Gene is used 2006-10-27T19:33:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-A-Separate-Peace-quot-31566.aspx Character Analysis of Jay Gatsby Jay Gatsby, the focal point of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, started out as a poor boy helplessly in love with a rich girl. He then left to serve for his country in the war, leaving Daisy his love, behind. After returning from the war, Jay Gatsby, both generous and mysterious devoted his life to winning back his lost love Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby is generous by throwing parties, buying things for others, and offering help for a friend in need. Gatsby’s parties are major gala events open to everyone. A typical Gatsby party usually consists of a few hundred guests, plentiful food and drinks, and live music with a huge tent for everyone to dance under. A good time is had by all at Gatsby’s expense. During one of these parties a woman tore her dress on a chair. Gatsby then proceeded to obtain her name and address. About a week later the woman received a new evening gown valued at $265, complements of Jay Gatsby. The woman was one of the many guests who were welcomed and didn’t need a formal invitation. This shows his generosity because he didn’t even know who she was but still felt compelled to replace her dress. It appeared to Gatsby that Nick was in need of a job and some extra money, so he offered Nick a job working for him in his business. Even though Nick declined the offer this was still a significant act of friendship and trust on Gatsby’s behalf. In offering a friend this job he was risking his own security because his business isn’t completely legal. He is not only generous with his money but also considerate of the needs of his friends. Jay Gatsby is mysterious in all aspects of his life. To maintain his image he has worked so hard to obtain, Gatsby lies to Nick by telling him that he inherited his fortune by being, “the son of some wealthy people in the mid-west,” who are now, “all dead”(69). People know so little about him that he feels it is necessary to lie to gain respect and maintain his classy image. He is so insecure about 2006-10-27T19:30:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Jay-Gatsby-31564.aspx Plot and Character Analysis of "Cannery Row" In the book Cannery Row who is written by John Steinbeck we get a glimpse of a strange idler community by the California-coast and it’s working, shy, but happy inhabitants who we learn to know. In the book there are strange things happening, fighting’s and funny expedition. Everything in Steinbeck’s humanity and humor. John Steinbeck is an American writer who was awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize in literature. His characters are often trapped in an unfair world, they remain sympathetic and heroic if defeated, human beings. He is describing very well and with a lot of humor. We are laughing with Steinbeck in his writing. Steinbeck shows us some problems living in a little gate in a little town around 1940. Cannery Row in Monterey in California is the place where everything in the book is taking place. We are visiting people there in their homes and experience how they live. The place has not been rearmament for some years. There are things there which not are really good-looking like Whore houses, small groceries, honky-tonks, restaurants and tin, iron and rust. Here are all kind of people living, mostly poor ones, but some rich driving through this part of the town, but they are just hurrying into their office and into their cars again. And when they disappear the bums are coming back and Cannery Row is falling down to its normal again. With beer drinking bums who is sitting on the rusty pipes in the vacant lot. The girls from the whore-houses are looking out, and life goes on in Cannery Row. Some characters in the book: Lee Chong: - A round faced and courteous man who spoke a strately English without using the letter R. He is a business man and does transactions that everyone else would believe were doomed. Everybody likes him and he gives credit in his store to everyone, but not if they have a lot. Therefore everybody in Cannery Row owes him money. Horace Abbeville: - Owner of what became the Palace Flophouse. Mack: - Elder, leader, mentor of a group of men who spend most of their time talking and drinking. Have ideas and he and his group protect a building by living in it. Hazel: - He is a strong 26 year old man. Eddie: - An understudy bartender at La Ida. Old Chinaman: - He makes a daily walk to the sea, and have 2006-10-27T19:07:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-and-Character-Analysis-of-quot-Cannery-Row-quot-31559.aspx The Use of Setting and Dialect in Eudora Welty's Works The settings of stories add dimension and meaning on top of the plot. As one of the most meaningful aspects of a story, the setting not only reveals the sight, sounds, colors, time and place, but it also leaves room to create the atmosphere in the reader’s imagination. The setting exposes the location, which often unveils the dialect or vernacular for that region where it takes place. Through dialect readers are able to get a true sense of the characters, which often reveals their educational and social class in turn playing a huge role to make a story accurate. Eudora Welty uses detailed setting and dialect to accurately depict the authenticity through several of her short stories. Setting can easily be argued as the most important of the five elements of writing because through the setting, authors may use the setting as a symbol of the general mood or theme. “In an essay published in the South Atlantic Quarterly in 1956, Eudora Welty declared that place in fiction is just as important as character and plot” (Howell 247). Because the setting can be so symbolic, readers are needed to key into the hidden meanings behind the setting and apply them in order to decipher a deeper significance. Welty uses the dialect in “The Hitch-Hiker” to show mentality of the stereotypical hitch-hiker. When a middle-class man picks up a man to give him a ride, the hitch-hiker says, “I bet you ain’t got no idea where all I’ve slep’” (Welty 124). Through this quote, Welty shows that the average hitch-hiker is not one who is well-educated or wealthy; hitch-hikers are known to be poverty-stricken and illiterate. Welty believes that the setting holds a great deal of importance to the meaning behind a story. Setting does not only refer to the immediate location of the characters, but it also refers to a larger scope such as the state or country’s location. Knowing the location of a story helps the reader label the characters with an opinion, usually of the general stereotype, even if they are not true. She is deliberate in her use of regionally distinct and perhaps lays a greater burden on the reader from the outside; but with her devotion to the small and inconsequential in daily life, she is in some 2006-10-27T19:03:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Use-of-Setting-and-Dialect-in-Eudora-Welty-s-Works-31557.aspx The Little Prince; A Crtitical Analysis The narrator, an airplane pilot, crashes in the Sahara Desert and meets the little prince. The little prince asks the pilot to draw him a sheep, and the two become friends. The pilot soon learns that the little prince comes from a small planet, called Asteroid B-612. The little prince took great care of his planet, preventing any bad seeds from growing. He fell in love with a mysterious rose that appeared one day. Unfortunately, he incorrectly thought that she did not love him back, so he decided to leave. Their last-minute reconciliation is not enough to prevent the little prince from departing at the beginning of the book with a flock of migrating birds. The little prince passes by neighboring asteroids and meets adults for the first time. He first meets a king, a conceited man, a drunk, a businessman, a lamplighter, and then a geographer. The little prince is greatly confused by the adults' strange behavior. He does not understand their need to order people around, to be admired, to own everything. He thinks that ownership implies utility, not necessity. He does learn, however, that nothing lasts forever, and begins to miss his rose. He finally arrives on Earth, but cannot find any humans. He meets a snake, who appreciates the little prince's innocence and is kind to him. He travels around some more, eventually befriending a fox. The fox teaches the little prince that the important things in life are only visible to the heart, and that one must take responsibility for one's actions. The little prince realizes that, even though there are many roses, his love makes his rose unique in the universe, and that he is responsible for her no matter what. Despite his discovery, he still feels very lonely, even after meeting two men, a railway switchman and a merchant. Dying of thirst, the pilot and the little prince look for a well in the desert and actually find one. The two share a moment of bliss, realizing that people no longer see what is truly important in life. But the little prince is too homesick to stay with the pilot even after the plane is repaired. He asks the snake to bite him, so he can return to his small planet. The pilot is comforted by his new ability to look at the stars and hear his friend laughing, but hopes 2006-10-27T19:01:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Little-Prince-A-Crtitical-Analysis-31556.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Old Man and the Sea" The Old Man and the Sea" is a heroic tale of mans strength pitted against forces he cannot control. It is a tale about an old Cuban fisherman and his three-day battle with a giant Marlin. Through the use of three prominent themes; friendship, bravery, and Christianity; the "Old Man and the Sea" strives to teach important life lessons to the reader. The relationship between the old man and the boy is introduced early in the story. They are unlikely companions; one is old and the other young, yet they share an insuperable amount of respect and loyalty for each other. Santiago does not treat Manolin as a young boy but rather as an equal. Age is not a factor in their relationship. Manolin does not even act as a young boy; he is mature and sensitive to Santiago's feelings. He even offers to go against his parent's wishes and accompany Santiago on his fishing trips. Santiago is viewed as an outcast in his village because he has not caught any fish for more than eighty-four days and is therefore "unlucky". Nonetheless Manolin is loyal to Santiago and even when his parents forbid him he wants to help his friend. Their conversations are comfortable, like that of two friends who have known each other for their whole lives. When they speak it is usually about baseball or fishing, the two things they have most in common. Their favorite team is the Yankees and Santiago never loses faith in them even when the star player, Joe DiMaggio is injured with a heel spur. In this way Santiago not only teaches Manolin about fishing but also about important characteristics such as faith. In the story Santiago's bravery is unsurpassed but it is not until he hooks the "great fish" that we truly see his valor and perseverance. Through Santiago's actions Hemingway teaches the reader about bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity. He demonstrates that even when all is lost and seems hopeless a willful heart and faith will overcome anything. Santiago had lost his "luckiness" and therefore the respect of his village. Through the description of his cabin we also suspect that Santiago is a widower. Although Santiago has had many troubles he perseveres. He has faith in Manolin, in the Yankees, in Joe DiMaggio, and most importantly in himself. This is perhaps his 2006-10-27T19:00:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-quot-31555.aspx Analysis of Gulliver's Travels The narrator and protagonist of the story, Lemuel Gulliver is an English ship's surgeon carried by circumstance into a series of adventures in strange parts of the world. He is well-traveled and speaks several languages. He grew up in Nottinghamshire, the third of five sons in a respectable, middle-class family. While in 2006-10-27T18:57:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Gulliver-s-Travels-31554.aspx Reflection on The Horse Dealer’s Daughter A very significant sentence on page 928 reads, “She would follow her own way just the same. She would always hold the keys of her own situation.” I think that 2006-10-27T18:56:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Reflection-on-The-Horse-Dealer’s-Daughter-31553.aspx To understand Shelley’s intention and her presentation of the monster in her novel, we first have to clarify what determines a tale as a “ghost story.” While the word “ghost” indicates some kind of disembodied spirit, or the soul of a deceased person, the novel [i:7cb0c72df0]Frankenstein[/i:7cb0c72df0] however does not have either of these, but rather a physical being, a spectre. Shelley’s [i:7cb0c72df0]Frankenstein[/i:7cb0c72df0] is clearly far more than a mere “ghost story”, with the monster’s role is solely to terrify its readers; it is an in-depth study of the psychology of human nature and also of alienation. The monster in the novel is not portrayed as a mindless wandering soul – he is an intelligent creature gifted with the ability to form coherent thoughts and also deductions. Despite his unfortunate outward appearances, the mislabelled “monster” is capable of feeling very human emotions. His predicament allows him to compare his life to that of the fallen angel, Satan. Reading John Milton’s [i:7cb0c72df0]Paradise Lost[/i:7cb0c72df0] “excited different and far deeper emotions” in him and he “often referred the several situations, as similar as they struck [him],” to himself. It is obvious that the creature that Viktor Frankenstein has created is incredibly intelligent and is capable of analysis at a deep level. It is astounding to note of his ability to understanding so quickly and also with such maturity, having only just learned to read. Shelley presents to her readers the idea of alienation through the character of the monster, and the adverse reactions of other characters in the novel towards him. Although he has no mal-intent, he is judged constantly by his “nightmarish” appearance. It seems that from the moment that Frankenstein “infuse a spark of being” into him, he is doomed to an existence filled with rejection and despondency, being immediately cast away by his creator. His rejection by the De Lacey’s is a large blow to him because he has invested so much emotion and also effort in their one-sided relationship. The monster’s further disaffection is shown, this time by the society in general in [i:7cb0c72df0]Frankenstein[/i:7cb0c72df0] who “spurn and hate” him is also shown in chapter 11 when he innocently wanders into the village. The creature’s discrimination of his physical appearance marginalises him from society. The concept of alienation is also explored by the settings Shelley uses. Time and time again, the monster appears in atmospheres that 2006-10-17T13:47:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-study-of-alienation-in-Mary-Shelley-s-Frankenstein-31533.aspx Achebe's Life and Work Chinua Achebe was born November 16, 1930, in Ogidi, in eastern Nigeria, the son of a mission-school teacher, one of the early converts to Christianity in his community. (Unlike Okonkwo in TFA, Achebe’s great-grandfather, who raised his father, had expressed tolerance towards the Christian missionaries and had no objections to his grandson’s conversion.) He was baptized Albert Chinualumogu, in tribute to Prince Albert, but adopted a purely African name when he went to university. Grandfather was an important man in the traditional Igbo culture, so the story of Things Fall Apart is to some extent based on family history. As one might suspect from his father’s occupation, the family was devoutly Christian, and he was encouraged as a child to feel superior to the “heathen” around him, although as an adult he has questioned whether his neighbors should rather have felt superior to the Christians, as having fallen away from traditional ways. Simon Gikandi points out that Achebe was in fact part of a privileged group within colonial culture, and Achebe too has observed that Christians had access to jobs and education that were denied to others. He was educated at prestigious colonialist schools and graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1953. He then worked in Nigerian radio (he was director of external broadcasting from 1960-67) until the Biafran War, during which he served the Biafran government, primarily as an ambassador to Europe and the United States seeking financial support for the fledgling state. He published his first novel, Things Fall Apart, in 1958, while Nigeria was still under colonial rule, and followed with three more novels in the next eight years: No Longer at Ease in 1960, Arrow of God in 1964, and A Man of the People in 1966. The last named work, which ends with a military coup in an unnamed African country, was published just as a coup took place in Nigeria, generating particular interest in the novel as a kind of prophetic statement. Following the war, he went through a period of relative silence (producing essays and stories, but no new novels) until Anthills of the Savannahs appeared in 1987. Achebe gives the following account of the inspiration for his own writing: When I 2006-10-15T14:07:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-of-Things-Fall-Apart-by-Chinua-Achebe-31527.aspx Jane Austen’s View of Marriage in Pride and Prejudice The novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is set in the 19th century where family respect and social differences were very important to everyone. This novel is a love story with various forms of marriage such as; marriage as and economic contract, marrying outside out side of your social class, marriage to a person whose personality and character are unequal to your own and marriage for love. Jane Austen has different opinions to each one of these, this essay is going to analyse each one to see which she most agrees with. Throughout the book many forms of marriage are seen evident, one of the most obvious being marriage for economic reasons. What this means is that people in the 19th century especially women would get married for economical reasons such as to be able to have a decent house with something to eat. Mrs. Bennett has a strong opinion on this subject due to her situation in life which is that she should be concerned with herself and her daughters because if Mr. Bennett dies they will be left with nothing, because all their property will go to Mr. Collins. Mrs. Bennett ego to get her daughters married because if they don’t then they will have no were to live, her great anxiety to get her daughters married is shown when she says “ A single man of a large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!” (pg. 6). Another exemplar character of the novel who promotes this attitude towards marriage is Mr. Collins, the first example of Mr. Collins act to marry for economical reasons is when he proposes to Elizabeth clearly shown by how he says “I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father, I could not satisfy myself without resolving to chuse a wife among his daughters” (pg. 104). The second example is with he asking Charlotte to marry him, Charlotte very cleverly did this to be economically secured in life which was done very commonly this is shown by when it is described in the book how she started to plan how many years Mr. Bennett would be alive till Mr. Collins could inherit the estate. Jane Austen’s opinion on this topic is that she does not view it as a thing she would want 2006-10-14T11:09:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jane-Austen’s-View-of-Marriage-in-Pride-and-Prejudice-31525.aspx The Cask of Amontillado Written by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” was a short story of lies and deceit. It was also a story full of irony. There are three different kinds of irony. There is verbal irony, dramatic irony, and irony of the situation. Each of these plays a key role in forming the story and it’s characters. With some of these occurrences, one might exclaim aloud at the sight of the irony. Other times, some one could not realize there was irony until after reading it. How often does irony make an appearance in this short story, and what is its importance? Irony is important as it is entertaining. Verbal irony is when you say something while really meaning another. Like sarcasm, it can mean the complete opposite of what it seems when looked at carefully. For example, in “The Cask of Amontillado”, a masked Montresor encounters Fortunato (Italian for “fortunate”), the one man that he loathes and seeks cold, calculated revenge upon for some insult that is unknown to the reader, at the carnival (Poe, 6). Montresor smiles at the thought of Fortunato’s destruction as he tells him that he is looking remarkably well (Poe, 6). One might not realize how ironic this is if they did not know what the carnival season is. Another name for Mardi Gras, the carnival season is filled with costumes, laughter, and wine (Poe, 6). Since Fortunato is one to join in on the carnival festivities, so was he. Dressed in a jester’s outfit, bright bells donned his hat, costume, and feet. Red and gold velvet danced on his outfit as he pranced about in his red leggings. He looked quite the fool, and everybody knew it but him (Poe, 7). “Remarkably well” wasn’t exactly the phrase to describe his outfit. Another kind of irony is dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is when the reader knows something that the character definitely does not. This kind of irony is important because without it, there wouldn’t be as much suspense in the story or screaming “no, don’t do that!” at the characters. Since the story was written in first person, we knew of Montresor’s plans for Fortunato (Poe, 8). Montresor was planning to lead Fortunato into the catacombs, and his planning was good (Poe, 8). Knowing Fortunato’s weakness for wine, he used it to his advantage, telling a falsehood of buying a pipe 2006-10-12T01:56:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/irony-in-quot-The-Cask-of-Amontillado-quot-Poe-31522.aspx Full Syopsis and Overview of "Grendel" It was a dark and dreary night. The sky was full of clouds, and the ground was full of fog. There was no light to be seen for miles; especially, in the dark swampy forest. On that night, something came into the world that would change the way of life forever. On that night, Grendel was born. His mother, a terrible and mean monster, brought Grendel into this world. Since his mother was a monster, so was Grendel; however, that does not mean that Grendel was mean also. As the years progressed, Grendel grew older; and his mother grew meaner. Grendel was tall and scary looking. He had thin, course, brown hair all over his body. His teeth were razor sharp. When he walked, he was hunchbacked. When he talked, it was in sort of a growl tone. He had big dark eyes, almost black. He had big feet and hands with huge claws that could cut someone terribly. To everyone, but his mother, Grendel was a scary monster. As Grendel began to reach the age of schooling, he wanted to start going to school; however, his mother forbade it. She refused to let her son be exposed to those terrible children that went to that school. Every time that Grendel would ask for school, she just laughed at him and told him that it was a stupid idea and that there were better things to do with his life. So he obeyed her and dropped the idea of school. For the next couple of years, Grendel spent his time with his mother getting lessons on the information that she believed he needed to know. This information included hunting, trapping, killing, etc. Nevertheless, Grendel still felt incomplete. Every once in a while, he would walk through the woods where he could see the children playing through the trees. He knew that school was where he belonged, and school was where he was going to be. So Grendel went home and told his mother that he was going to attend school whether she liked it or not. Grendel’s mother was devastated. She was so angry at him that she told him to do whatever he wanted but not to come crying to her when things did not turn out like 2006-10-03T20:35:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Full-Syopsis-and-Overview-of-quot-Grendel-quot-31497.aspx Exploring Human Nature in "Lord of the Flies" The book “Lord of the Flies” has it’s own charm when It comes to attract readers. It’s creator, William Golding describes the title as an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the imperfection of human nature. First up, Jack Merridew, in the beginning of the story, Jack takes place in an election witch includes himself and Ralph for the role of leader, he lost. Soon after this, he was caught trying to kill a pig but purposely missed, at this point he was still related in many ways to his ancient norms, the ones from civilization where it is wrong to kill living animals. There was big talk about this, Jack slowly took this mistake and his rage towards Ralph who was only for the fire and being rescued, Jack didn’t like is ways. That’s when Jack masked himself to hide his past and become a new self, completely uncivilized and willing to kill for survival, with the power of blood, witch seem to agitate Jack, many joined him since he had lost his mind, who knew what he would do to his opponent. From now, all they thought about was killing pigs, eating them, but there was one more problem to this, a mysterious beast that lived on top of the mountain, everyone single one of them was afraid of it. Jack, decided to not bother with it again and just left a pigs head on a stick for him to take has present. Simon was soon killed by the frenzy of Jack’s tribe, but they seemed not to care that much, only Piggy and Ralph released guilt upon this tragedy. At this point everyone except Ralph and Piggy where opposing him and his tribe, they had the best part of the island for defense, they had food, but one thing was missing, Piggy’s glasses, witch made fire and was one of the most important items on the island and was needed to cook the pigs they killed in action. One night they ravaged Ralph’s camp and took Piggy’s glasses and ran off. Upon the arrival of Ralph and Piggy to their camp, they are received with a most regrettable move, Roger, one of Jack’s best “soldier” killed piggy, Ralph went on a rampaged and attacked Jack, both trained in fighting, this ended up doing no good, actually this 2006-10-03T20:25:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Exploring-Human-Nature-in-quot-Lord-of-the-Flies-quot-31491.aspx Analysis of Central Themes in "Young Goodman Brown" Determinism is a philosophical doctrine that holds that all events. In its strictest form determinism denies free will or volition. In fact, the conflict of free will and determinism has often been the subject of philosophical debate and creative fiction. One famous work of creative fiction that deals with the conflict of free will and determinism is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown.” In “Young Goodman Brown” Hawthorne shows that Goodman Brown transformed from someone who believes that he can free himself from a deterministic nature into someone who believes that he and everyone else are controlled by natural compulsion. In the first part of the story, Goodman brown believes that he can free himself from a deterministic nature. The purpose of Brown’s journey into the wilderness is to confront and master his own nature, represented by the evil stranger. Leslie P. Walker points out that “Brown’s journey into the heathen wilderness is in reality a journey into his own body, into his own nature”(74). At the beginning Brown is walking and saying to himself “what if the devil himself should be at my very elbow”(332). As Goodman Brown is saying this he spots a stranger who could be Brown’s father. This stranger is the devil. Brown begins the journey with the excellent resolve to remain true to his faith illustrates his belief that he can free himself from the compulsion of the body. At the beginning Faith, Brown’s wife, tries to stop him from going on the journey. Donnley writes, “Faith… should be understood to represent the human power to resist animal compulsion. This is true when Goodman Brown meets the stranger. The stranger tells Brown that he is late and Brown says, “Faith kept me back a while”(332). Hawthorne is using the word faith as Brown’s struggle to free himself from his strong belief of good and evil. In the second part of the story, Brown’s faith in his ability to resist bodily compulsion is progressively undermined and finally destroyed. The purpose of the series of scenes in the forest in which Brown meets respected members of his community is to show that Brown’s faith in human freedom is being eroded. One of Brown’s first encounters is with Goody Cloyse, Brown’s Catechism teacher. Finelli and Miller say, “Brown’s loss of 2006-10-03T20:13:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Central-Themes-in-quot-Young-Goodman-Brown-quot-31483.aspx Critical Analysis of "On the Beach" Neville Shute’s On the Beach is a dark, apocalyptic tale of what remains of civilization after nuclear war. The story generally centers itself around four major characters and their ability or inability to cope with their impending fate as they wait for deadly radioactive fallout to encompass the southern hemisphere. In this case Melbourne, Australia. Mary and Peter Homes are a young married couple with distinctly different coping mechanisms. Mary lives in a world of denial and refuses to face the reality that she and her family will be dead by September. Conversely, Peter, an Australian Navy man gives the reader the impression that he accepts his fate as he carries on with his day-to-day tasks while simultaneously preparing his family for the end. I would like to see Peter’s resolve and his wife’s obsessive tendencies carry over into the film version. Peter’s strength of character provides a good balance to his wife’s neurotic behavior. While Mary painstakingly tends to her garden and plans for her family’s future, Peter tries to be loving and supportive yet he silently harbors a sexist animosity towards his wife caused by her refusal to learn of the cyanide pills. Moria Davidson and Dwight Towers are also two essential characters in the story. Moria is a young, free spirit who accepts her fate but drowns her sorrows in alcohol. She lives her life in a robust manner as if each day she awakens will be her last. After meeting Dwight Towers, the American submarine captain, she learns to find comfort in his friendship rather than the bottle. Dwight on the other hand is a more complex character. While on the surface he appears to acknowledge his fate, there is an underlying sense of denial. For Dwight believes that he will return to his family in Connecticut knowing first hand that there are no survivors in America. I would like to see Dwight’s character portrayed on the screen exactly as it was portrayed in the book. His convictions ultimately keep him from betraying either of his loves: the sea and his wife. In summary, I would hope that the movie is able to capture the mood of the novel. Knowing that death is inevitable and life will have no meaning, adds to the sense of anxiety that 2006-10-03T20:11:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-On-the-Beach-quot-31481.aspx The Rocking Horse Winner The dramatic short story "The rocking horse winner," is about a young boy who desires to be loved by his mother. The author, D.H. Lawrence develops a theme that states, the desire for money and social status is a destructive force. The story is about a young boy named Paul who tries to win his mothers love by gambling for money. Paul has a supernatural power which he can commute with his rocking horse to find out the winning races. However, in the end Paul tries too hard to win his mothers love and dies. The moral theme is revealed through Paul, who is the protagonist, and his relationships with the characters. The relationships which result in conflict is between Paul's mother and father, between mother and Paul, Oscar and Paul and Paul and himself. The standard of living in their society is very important to Paul's family but it becomes a destructive force. The symbolism unrolls the theme by Paul's wooden rocking horse, his wild eyes and the whispering within the house. Thus, the theme is revealed by the use of relationships, and symbolism which in the end leads Paul to his awful death. D.H. Lawrence accomplishes the theme by using dramatic relationships with the characters. Paul's mother, Hester is determined to fit in with society but she does not notice that her desires are ruining her family. A conversation with Hester and Paul displays how she feels about Paul. Hester believes that being lucky is the key to becoming rich, but her belief has a large impact on Paul. Paul is determined to receive his mothers attention when he says "I'm a lucky person," and then she goes on to say "excellent," but in a sarcastic manner, which makes him more compelled in receiving her attention. Also, when Paul started winning the horse races he decided to give his mother 5000 pounds and when it arrived in the mail Paul asks "didn't you have anything nice in the post for your Birthday, mother?"her reply is "Quite moderately nice." The author displays that even when his mother receives what she desires she is still longing for more wealth which in the end results in Pauls death and her realization of what has become of her family. Paul's mother reveals her feeling towards her husband. In a conversation between the mother and Paul, Paul asks if she feels 2006-09-27T18:42:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Rocking-Horse-Winner-Theme-Analysis-31471.aspx Young Goodman Brown is a character that undergoes many changes throughout the story. He is very much influenced by the events that unfold in the woods that night. He is also changed by the characters around him, or rather his knowledge of their hidden sins. In the beginning of the tale, Goodman Brown seems to be happy with his life. He has a lovely young wife and claims, “I’ll cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven.” “We have been a race of honest men and good Christians,” he says of his fathers before him. He respects his elders and is devoted to his religion, like most Puritans during this time period. When he first ventured into the woods he kept insisting it was time to return home. However, a number of occurrences begin to take a toll on Goodman Brown. He first learns from the old man, that his father had kept company with the devil. Then, one by one, he meets all the townspeople he thought was so very good on their way to a witches meeting. Throughout these revelations, Brown’s faith is wavering; though he insists he is going to turn back, he continues progressing into the heart of the woods. He truly believes that all these people were godly, and on finding out how devilish they are he is questioning God and, “doubting whether there really was a Heaven above him.” Upon hearing his wife taking the devil’s communion he cries, “My Faith is gone! There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name.” When he is on the verge of being converted and sees his wife he then tells her, “Look up to Heaven, and resist the Wicked One!” The next morning Brown awakes not knowing if the meeting was a dream or reality. Regardless, there is a distinct change in him; “A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not desperate man,” replaced the naïve young man of before. He avoids and disapproves of those he once admired. Though he does become a father and grandfather it is assumed he did not take an active role in his family member’s lives. While his faith was at one time established, and at another moment wavering, it now seems to be lost forever. Whether Goodman Brown worships 2006-09-21T19:22:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Young-Goodman-Brown-Character-Sketch-31467.aspx In The Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman serves as a tragic hero and the play itself is a tragedy. It has many of the characteristics of a tragedy such as the idea that Willy thinks he has no flaws with himself. Willy has many characteristics of a tragic hero, in that he is a martyr who is willing to kill himself for personal dignity. A true tragedy does not necessarily have to involve a “great” individual, but rather a “grand” tragedy. The Death of a Salesman is a tragedy because it fits the definition of a tragedy. A tragedy by definition is, “… the consequence of a man’s total compulsion to evaluate himself justly.” (Tragedy and the Common Man, A. Miller) Even though he attains a professional understanding of himself and the fundamental nature of the sales profession he fails to realize his personal failure as a father and a husband. He believes he is a superb father to Biff and Happy but his constant praising of Biff causes him to be overly confident and can not get work under someone because of his inflated self-esteem. Willy freely shows that his favorite son is Biff, which ruins Happy’s psyche. This makes Happy want to get attention from his parents by any means. Willy’s infidelity shows his failure to his wife, adding to this, he denies to Biff and to himself that he was unjust in cheating. Willy’s final failure to understand is himself; his salesmen profession is not his true calling in life. Willy’s life calling is in blue collar work, “You know something, Charley, there’s more of him in that front stoop than in all the sales he ever made.” Willy Loman is tragic hero, in that he serves as a martyr to his family. “I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing—his sense of personal dignity” (Tragedy and the Common Man, A. Miller) At the end of the play, Willy realizes his failures and that they are so plentiful that he cannot deal with them. Instead, he seeks a solution: suicide. Willy reasons he can finally be a success because his life insurance policy will in some way compensate Linda for his affair. Additionally, Biff will consider him a martyr and respect him 2006-09-20T22:52:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Supporting-that-Death-of-a-Salesman-is-a-Tragedy-31462.aspx Catcher in the Rye- Essay Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D Salinger interacts with different kinds of females throughout his travels. He has normal adolescent thoughts of having sexual relations, like calling for a hooker or calling a women who is a stripper. He is also quite shallow which is apparent on his date with Sally or the blonde in the Lavender Room. He also has little respect for some women who have different ideals than him. He has no respect for Sally which is discernible when he ridicules her and makes her cry. Though he disrespects Sally, Holden greatly respects his sister Phoebe and Jane Gallagher. Holden Caulfield’s views and attitudes concerning women differ according to the type of women he is interacting with at that particular time. Holden’s shallowness is evident in a few accounts throughout the novel. When Holden goes to the club in the hotel where he is staying, he starts flirting with three women. They are older than Holden but he dances with all three of them and feels he is “half in love” with the blonde because of her looks and great dancing ability. Another instance that portrays his shallowness is when he makes a date with Sally Hayes. He thinks she is phony and somewhat annoying; the only way he can stand her is because she has great looks. The quote that most greatly emphasizes Holden’s shallowness is when he says he feels sorry for ugly girls they have to be kinder and have a better attitude than pretty girls. Holden is also normal in one sense because he ponders about having sexual relations. He views some girls as objects he can use to have sex with. In New York he calls a women named Faith, who is a hooker. He got her number from a friend who told him to call if he wanted a good time. He thinks he can persuade her into having sex with him. He also talks about almost having sex, but something is always going wrong. He says he wants to know as much as he can because he is always messing up. This is why he gets a prostitute. After leaving Pencey, he goes to New York and gets a hooker at the hotel where he is staying . At first, Holden likes the idea of having sex with a hooker so 2006-09-20T22:38:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Holden-Caufields-Negativity-Towards-Women-31459.aspx Analysis of Adolescence in Famous Literature What is adolescence? The dictionary states that adolescence is the time of life between puberty and maturity. During adolescence a young person goes through a serious of dramatic changes. Adolescents grow and adjust to a new physical, emotional, and social outlook on life. They begin to analyze the world around them and start to question his/her outlook on life. In Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, and The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, the picture of adolescence is portrayed through the characters in each work. His/her social situation, environment, and time period affect each character’s adolescence. In Romeo and Juliet, the portrayal of adolescence is one of the main themes of this work. This novel takes place in Verona during the Middle Ages. This work is about two families, the Montague’s and the Capulet’s, who have been feuding for a very long time. There are two lovers, Romeo and Juliet, who will do anything to be together even if it means death. Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet. They are forbidden to interact with each other. Even though they are told not to talk to each other they go against their parents’ wishes and talk with each other. In a passage from Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence talks to Romeo and says: “Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, so soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.” (Shakespeare 89) Friar Lawrence says that Romeo is fickle and that he loves not by his heart, but by his eyes. This work portrays the adolescent as being rebellious and how the adolescent is very fickle. Romeo and Juliet get married and problems start to occur. They end up killing themselves because of adolescent love. If Romeo and Juliet were to sit down and think of the consequences that were ahead, they would not have acted so boldly. Romeo and Juliet felt that they were capable of accomplishing anything they set their minds to, but that was incorrect. If they were acted more rational then they would not have died. They lacked the maturity and the ability to handle the situation. The portrayal of adolescence in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is one of the main themes in this work. This 2006-09-20T03:50:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Adolescence-in-Famous-Literature-31458.aspx Themes of Prejudice in a Comparison of Literature Many books and plays use as their themes the concept of prejudice and discrimination. Three of these such books are Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw, Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, by Victor Hugo. In Pygmalion, Professor Higgins believes that Eliza has no feelings and does not deserve to live. This is discrimination against Eliza based on her occupation as a flower girl on the streets and on her cockney accent, as written. Mrs. Higgins also implies prejudice, but in a different way; Mrs. Higgins notes that, in order to be classified as a proper lady, Eliza would not be allowed to work. This implies that should Eliza want to work, she would not be considered a lady. Raisin in the Sun also covers discrimination to a high degree. Beneatha Younger has the intention of being a doctor. Her brother, however, constantly attempts to squish her dream by yelling at her whenever she brings it up. It is his belief that women cannot be doctors, as supported by this quote: “Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? If you so crazy ‘bout messing round with sick people, go be a nurse like other women or just get married and be quiet!” Another source of discrimination is that against African-Americans. Toward the end of the play, a representative of the neighborhood into which the Younger family is going to move visits them. Although the family at first believes he is welcoming him into the neighborhood, he soon makes it clear that they will not be welcomed there because of their African-American heritage. Yet another work which addresses discrimination is The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. At one point, Quasimoto is sentenced to a public thrashing and one hour in the pillory simply for walking in the streets in daylight. The crowd cheers as they watch him being sentenced; many people throw various things and one says that it was Quasimoto’s face which, when his wife looked at it, brought her a child with two heads. Most of the crowds consider Quasimoto to be a monster or a demon, as supported by the following quote: “I cannot help thinking,” said Agnes la Herme, “that it is some brute, something between a Jew and a beast - something in short that is not Christian, and ought to 2006-09-20T03:34:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-Prejudice-in-a-Comparison-of-Literature-31450.aspx Plot Summary of "A Farewell to Arms" The novel A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway opens with a portrayal of artillery troops marching through the rains. One of these men is Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver. Henry is currently in the Italian army, at the Italian front during World War I. The response of these first few chapters begins when Henry returns from winter leave in early spring. His roommate, Rinaldi, is infatuated with a British nurse, Catherine Barkley, at a nearby British hospital. Rinaldi convinces Henry to visit the hospital with him and Henry finds himself attracted to Catherine. A few days later, Henry comes back to see Catherine and the two kissed. The relationship between Henry and Catharine becomes more defined as Henry begins to pay her regular visits. However, the relationship is one devoid of love to Henry, it is as if they are playing a game. Catherine recognizes this as well, and finally declares that it is a "rotten game we play," (A Farewell to Arms 31) putting an end to the false lovemaking. Meanwhile, the offensive is about to resume, and Fredrick Henry is dispatched to the front to drive the wounded back to hospitals. At the front, Henry and his fellow ambulance drivers sit in a dugout, eating pasta and waiting for the offensive to commence. As they talk, shells shatter over their heads until a trench mortar shell blasts open the dugout. Passini's leg is blown off and he dies; both of Henry's legs are severely wounded. At a field hospital, Henry is first visited by Rinaldi, then by the priest. Rinaldi tells Henry that he will get a medal of bravery from the Italians, and jokes about developments. The priest, on the other hand, has more serious matters to talk about. The priest tells Henry that love is a willingness to serve someone else, and that true happiness can be achieved through love. After a few days at the field hospital, Henry is moved away from the front to an American hospital in Milan. Because of an excess of nurses at the front, Catherine is also being sent there as. Frederic Henry is the first patient to be sent to the American hospital even the doctor hasn’t arrived yet. After a few days, though, the doctor arrives and immediately begins to remove shards of metal from Henry's legs. One piece 2006-09-20T03:31:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Summary-of-quot-A-Farewell-to-Arms-quot-31448.aspx The Life of William Shakespeare The life of William Shakespeare, unquestionably the world’s most renowned playwright and poet, is based mostly on conjecture and inference, with the exception of documented facts acquired from his works, and surviving church and legal documents. Although the actual date of William Shakespeare’s birth was never recorded, accounts from Holy Trinity Church verify that he was baptized on April 26, 1564. Because infants were traditionally baptized within 3 days of birth, it is generally accepted that he was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. The third of eight children, Shakespeare was the first son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden, who were married in approximately 1557. John Shakespeare, a glover and leather merchant, was well respected in Stratford, where he held many civic offices, including High Bailiff, the equivalent of a city Mayor. Throughout William’s early childhood, John was considered a solid, successful citizen, but for reasons unknown, at some point during the late 1570’s his fortunes began to decline, and he ceased participation in local government affairs. That Shakespeare actually attended grammar school is unknown, but it is likely that he was educated at The King’s New School, given his father’s status as a prominent citizen of Stratford. There, Shakespeare would have studied Latin and possibly Greek, and been exposed to such literary greats as Ovid and Plautus. While we know that Shakespeare did not attend a university, the events of his life between adolescence and early adulthood remain a mystery and have become the topic of much debate. The next documented event in Shakespeare’s life is his marriage to Ann Hathaway on November 28, 1582. At 26, Hathaway was eight years older than Shakespeare, and three months pregnant at the time of their nuptials; it is probable that the two were hastily married in order to prevent disgrace. Whether or not Shakespeare truly loved his wife is a matter of speculation (in his will he bequeaths to her his “second best bed.”), nevertheless, on May 26, 1583, Susanna, the first of three children, was born. Twins Hamnet and Judith arrived two years later in 1585, but sadly Hamnet died in 1596 at age 11. No records survive as to the activities of Shakespeare from the 2006-09-14T00:23:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Life-of-Shakespeare--31442.aspx 1005747 Mrs. Wanlin 9A Honors English, Block 2 3 October, 2005 Antonio’s Transformation How do we make the leap from child to adult? What obstacles must we overcome to finally reach the summit of all that we can be? Who can reform and influence our decisions, the very decisions that will shape who we become? In Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, Antonio Márez must progress towards his own moral independence and choose his destiny. Tony is forced to endure difficult experiences too early in life, causing a premature loss of innocence. He is overwhelmed with a multitude of spiritual questions. To find the answers he seeks, Antonio must undertake a metamorphosis. To reach maturity requires a loss of innocence. For example, when a child finds out there is no Santa Claus, he is caught between a magical belief and a reality that he is unwilling to accept. It’s a coming-of-age experience that changes his outlook on life forever. The child has lost some of his previous innocence and must face life’s harsh realities. This process can be confusing and painful. In some ways, a loss of innocence forces us to become more mature by gathering wisdom and knowledge from a metamorphic experience. Metamorphosis is as much a spiritual change as it is a physical one. It is a natural process that helps a person grow and develop. In Bless Me Ultima, Tony embarks on a rocky journey to discover who he is and what he believes. Tony must make the transition from a naïve six year old boy to a mature man. His experiences continually call his basic beliefs into question, and chip away at his innocence. For example, when he witnesses the brutal death of Lupito, he starts to question many ideas; sin, good and evil, punishment, and his faith. He begins to see the world of man as violent and sometimes ruthless, not the friendly, loving world where he had previously resided. He even becomes concerned about his own father’s salvation because of Gabrielle’s involvement in Lupito’s death and begins to see his father as less than perfect. Death continues to haunt him when Narciso, a good man, is killed defending Ultima, while Tenorio, an apparently evil man, is spared. These outcomes are not what he believes should have occurred and yet again, a piece of his innocence is stripped away as he sees life is not always fair. He is 2006-09-12T01:28:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Bless-Me-Ultima-esssay-31439.aspx Parallels between Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, and “The Bet”, by Anton Chekhov At the start of the short story, “The Bet”, we immediately see a correlation with Tale of Two Cities when discussion starts about life imprisonment at the party hosted by the banker; we think of Doctor Manette who was imprisoned at the Bastille for eighteen harsh years. The banker made a bet with a young lawyer, that he, the 2006-09-10T22:37:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Parallels-between-Tale-of-Two-Cities-and-“The-Bet”-31437.aspx Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens ~ Setting and Atmosphere Tale of Two Cities takes place in France and England during the troubled times of the French Revolution. The main action in the novel is scattered out in many places such as: the Bastille, Tellson's Bank, and largely, the streets of Paris. Although the story takes place during the years 1775 and 1793 it also refers to events that took place in the past which helps define characters. In the first book there are a few comparisons that convey the atmosphere of chaos. Latter on in the second book when we encounter The Marquis we see that the true nature of the atmosphere is in fact evil and tense. Almost all the peasants in the novel are shown as dirt poor, doing this Dickens make the atmosphere very dull and grim because of the very poor conditions France is under. A great description of the peasants is offered when a cask of wine broke; “The wine was red wine, and had stained the ground of the narrow street in the suburb of Saint Antoine, in Paris, where it was spilled. It had stained many hands, too, and many faces, and many naked feet, and many wooden shoes. The hands of the man who sawed the wood, left red marks on the billets; and the forehead of the woman who nursed her baby, was stained with the stain of the old rag she wound about her head again.” not only does this quotation tell us were this is taking place, Saint Antoine, but also how poor the people really are. Since they all scramble to drink the wine because they had never tasted undiluted wine. It is good that Dickens set the novel in France and England for the purpose of contrast. Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens ~ Personal Reflection Throughout the novel A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens creates suspense and mystery keeping his readers interested. This novel has fascinated reader over a span of more than one-hundred years, using an intriguing plot with an unbelievable storyline. Most of his suspense is created through the use of cliffhanger episodes at the end of each chapter. But in my opinion the best part of the book was the twist at the end, when Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton switch places, 2006-09-10T22:35:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tale-of-Two-Cities-by-Charles-Dickens-31436.aspx Gatsby’s Pursuit of Ideals In Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the protagonist, Jay Gatsby, is transformed from a poor working class boy to a wealthy romantic, all due to his pursuit of ideals. The Ideals that Gatsby strives to achieve are: the acquisition of wealth, re-defining his character in pursuit of perfection, and attaining his ideal romantic love. His first Ideal is to escape the working class and attain a position in the upper class. When Gatsby was young he was nothing more than a salmon fisher and a clam digger; just so he could survive. The turning point in his life is when he meets Dan Cody, Who allows Gatsby to work for him. As Gatsby works with Cody he gets accustom to the luxurious life style, and is taught to idealize wealth. The life style is latter ripped from him when Cody dies, even though Dan Cody’s will stated that Gatsby is to receive his fortunes, Gatsby never does because of a law suite against him. After the Great War, Gatsby Goes into illegal business; he works with a man who had fixed the worlds Tennis cup, and they owned a chin of pharmacies that sold grain alcohol over the counter at times when all alcohol was prohibited. Gatsby’s reasons his wealth are not solely due to this life style that he is grown accustom to, he also tries to impress his love Daisy. That is why he has the car he does and the sumptuous mansion that contains a library that is modeled after one in a university with thousands of new books. However, in order to impress his love he needs something more than just lavish items. An other ideal of Gatsby is the pursuit of perfection, because he started to idealize characters who are perfect, in his eyes, and so he began to revolutionize his own character to achieve perfection in himself; in order to have Daisy. Not only is Gatsby trying to reach perfection but he is also trying to attain a place in the upper class. Even though Gatsby only when to Oxford for a mere five month, he picked up the saying: “old sport” when he is referring to someone because he thinks it will help him to get into the upper class that he so desires to be in. It is not just the way the Gatsby speaks the he re-defines but the 2006-09-10T22:24:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gatsby’s-Pursuit-of-Ideals--31435.aspx Question: There are a number of key unforgettable scenes in the novel. Without focusing on description, discuss what is so memorable about any 3 or 4. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood has a number of key unforgettable scenes with memorable language and imagery created through Offred’s opinions and descriptions. The introductory scene, the biblical scene, the first meeting with the Commander, and the Birth Day chapter are all scenes which are not only unforgettable within the context of the novel but contain language which both emphasises the ideas in the novel and is metaphorical and full of symbolism providing the reader with a greater understanding of the novel. The chapter in which Offred is introduced to the reader sets the scene for the novel, in Offred’s bedroom. The room in which she stays is quite empty, the descriptions of the objects in the room are listed, emphasising the lack of character of the room; “A chair, a table, a lamp” (pg 17). This emptiness highlights to the reader immediately that Offred has an ‘empty’ life in Gilead. Offred’s references to herself are also memorable. She compares herself often with a nun, the time “is measured by bells, as once in nunneries. As in a nunnery too, there are few mirrors.” (pg 18). Nuns are associated with chastity and virtue, and are also often connected to the colour white, yet Offred also refers much to the colour “red: the colour of blood, which defines us” (pg 18). Red is a colour associated with fertility, which is contrary to the pureness of the nun references. Her comment that she is a “sister, dipped in blood” (pg 19) combines the two, which are contradictory metaphors, a nun; innocence, dipped in blood; fertility. The two are opposite yet Offred links them. This stands out to the reader because it is such an unusual pairing. In the mirror Offred describes herself as a “fairytale figure in a red cloak” (pg 19) which seems to create a separation between Offred’s story and reality. In the chapter in which the Commander reads the bible, Offred continues to bring about this fairytale quality to which she gives her thoughts. She describes the Commander as “a shoemaker in an old fairytale book.” (pg 98).This gives her story another aspect of a fairytale, that the characters are like fairytale characters. The chapter also emphasises what role men and women play 2006-09-01T00:30:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Handmaid-s-Tale-4-key-scene-analysis-31421.aspx Plot Summary of 1984 by George Orwell Winston Smith, the main character in the novel 1984, rebels, acts stubborn, and shows braveness against the Party in many ways. The Party is a group who controls the people of Oceania. There are many rules that the people must abide by. If they don't and they get caught, they will be punished. Winston was one of those people who rebelled until he got caught. One of the ways he rebelled against the Party was at the beginning of the novel. Thinking negatively against the Party is a crime. You are supposed to believe what the Party wants you to believe and if you don't, then you are causing a crime. Winston never really believed in the Party and by showing that he didn't he didn't participate the correct way in the Two Minutes Hate. In the Two Minutes Hate, you are shown a type of movie for two minutes which is about the enemy to the Party and you are supposed to cheer against it. Winston just watched the people yell and scream for a while and then he started to join in and realized that "The horrible thing about the Two Minutes Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in." Winston also acted very brave toward the party. To show his braveness, he dated Julia and wrote bad things against the Party when he knew it was wrong. Winston knew that if he did get caught, he would get punished but he acted brave and did it any ways. Here is an example of his braveness in the novel: "His pen had slid voluptuously over the smooth paper, printing in large neat capitals- DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER over and over again, filling half a page." Winston did not only rebel against the Party and act brave, but he also acted stubborn. At the end of the novel, Winston ends up getting caught rebelling against the Party. He was then forced to go to the Ministry of Love. There, O'Brien controlled the torture that Winston had to go through to be brain washed into believing in the Party. Although Winston was tortured very severely, he used his stubbornness to last as long as he could before giving in. Here 2006-08-31T19:52:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Summary-of-1984-by-George-Orwell-31419.aspx Faith and Religion in Ellie Wiesel's "Night" Religion is like running a race, one needs strength and endurance, but most of all leadership. This book shows how strength helps one survive through the most horrendous of events. This strength is achieved by the Jews through religion. Religion is based on structure and the Nazis took this structure away from the Jews thus making many of them lose faith in God. In the novel Night, by Elie Wiesel, Eliezer's faith falters by witnessing the painful death of many innocent lives, the harsh conditions of the environment, and the emotional turmoil induced by persecution. Eliezer's faith falters by witnessing the painful death of many innocent lives. Eliezer starts out very religious in the novel, he is eager to learn more about the torah and the many aspects of his religion. However, when he is taken to the death camps he starts questioning his faith. For example, Elie witnesses the hanging of a boy from the gallows in the camp. "For more than half an hour he stayed there, struggling between life and death, dying in slow agony under our eyes" (Wiesel 62). Elie saw this as the death of his God, the boy represented God dying on the gallows. "Where is he? Here he is- He is hanging here on this gallows…." (Wiesel 62). If God could let this happen to a child and all to bear witness to it, then God must not exist. Eliezers faith falters because of the harsh conditions of the environment. The Jews were forced out of their homes marching, not knowing their destination. "The following morning, we marched to the station, where a convoy of cattle wagons was waiting" (Wiesel 20). There were eighty people to a car, and barely enough food or water to survive. This challenges the faith because faith is about not knowing where exactly you will be, but trusting in God that you will be safe. However, the Nazi's had taken away the Jewish church, and they had no leader. Religion is based on structure and leadership, and without a church things start to fall apart, and people lose faith, or denial begins to take over, denial that anything bad will happen to oneself. The Jews begin to turn against each other in fear of seeing the truth of their fate. A lady in Eliezer's car begins screaming and yelling of flames and death. 2006-08-31T19:50:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Faith-and-Religion-in-Ellie-Wiesel-s-quot-Night-quot-31418.aspx Prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird In Harper Lee’s To Kill 2006-08-31T19:48:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Prejudice-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-31417.aspx Social Lessons from "A Lesson Before Dying" Can an ignorant society be a productive society? Is the loss of civil liberties justified by the economic betterment of man? The idea that one race is stronger, faster, smarter, and better than another is an example of racial ignorance which is well documented in the world. As we look at our past, it is easy to pass judgment on our forefathers as they raped the dignity and humanity out of the black men, who they thought were unfit to be equal to them. Was it not up to the black race as a whole to stand up against their white oppressors to shed some light on their ignorant thoughts? It was up to the black people to do this, however those who took a stand were thrust back down, those who spoke up were silenced, and those who stood their ground were persecuted by a justice system in place to guarantee the rights of the white man. This message of white superiority over the blacks, beat down the blacks hope for the future, and made them into mindless drones, without thoughts. Most of the black men had no education and they were forced into the cotton fields, but a few were able to break the rules, while others let the white men get to them and lost all hope. There were many ways to deal with the white man, you could either sit down and let him destroy your spirit, or you could fight a futile battle for civil rights and liberties. In the late 1940’s, at the dawn of the understanding of racial rights, should the black men and women have fought for equality, or run away? Should they have met the battle head on, or given up in futility? Since slaves were captured in Africa and brought on boats to North America, the blacks have been treated like second class citizens, because in many respects they were. The book A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines shows a lot about this time period when the blacks were second class citizens in the late 1940’s. The book is a documentation of racial ignorance, and more so, how people deal with that racial ignorance. On one hand you have those who are willing to fight the oppression, and on the other there are those who wish to run away and escape it all. Miss Emma 2006-08-31T19:39:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Lessons-from-quot-A-Lesson-Before-Dying-quot-31414.aspx Examining the Representation of Satan in Paradise Lost In Book I of Paradise Lost, Milton describes the battle between good and evil, and the portrayal of Satan as a ‘hero’ to try and destroy God’s magnificent plan. The first impression of Satan that Milton tries to get across to the reader is of Satan’s absolute greatness: this particular quote refers to the hugeness of his spear alone, ‘To equal which the tallest pine / Hewn on Norwegian hills’, and he even states that his shield is the size of the moon. Milton uses ‘human’ terms to express the sheer size and power of Satan and his followers, the fallen angels. ‘He above the rest, / In shape and gesture proudly eminent, / Stood like a tower;’ Even though Satan is the leader of the fallen angels and of Hell, he would not be able even to think about fighting God without them, but he is still represented by Milton as a huge figure, even to the most powerful of his followers. The poet builds up Satan’s character by referring to earthly objects (‘the tallest pine’, ‘tower’) as comparisons, and he is able to use more monstrous and horrifying similes to portray this (‘bottomless perdition’, ‘penal fire’). A very important first epic simile describes the utter magnitude of Satan, and represents Satan as the ‘leviathan’: ‘With fixed anchor in his scaly rind, /….. / So stretched out huge in length the Arch-Fiend lay,’ which is then mistaken by the fishermen to be a land mass, ‘Deeming some island,’. Some quotes, while they render Satan still to be huge and overpowering, also give an impression of Satan being graceless and cumbersome. ‘As whom the fables name of monstrous size, / Titanian, or Earth-born, that warred on Jove, / Briareos or Typhon, whom the den / By ancient Tarsus held, or that sea-beast Leviathan, which God of all his works / Created hugest that swim the ocean stream:’ Even though Satan seems to be the ‘fault’ in God’s plan to make a somewhat perfect world, when Milton describes him as the ‘leviathan’, it shows that even Satan, the creator of sin and death, was made by God. To be a real interpreter of Milton’s Paradise Lost, it seems to me, even from the first book, that the reader has to have a basic foreknowledge of the ancient world, 2006-08-31T18:01:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examining-the-Representation-of-Satan-in-Paradise-Lost-31408.aspx Descriptive Analysis of The Hobbit Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit. Now, what is a hobbit, you ask? Well, "Hobbits are little people, smaller than" dwarves. They love peace and quiet and good tilled earth." A respectable race, hobbits lived for serenity. Bilbo himself enjoyed sitting outside, smoking his wooden pipe. Now if a dilemma hadn't reared its ugly hear, Baggins would probably still be at his house, his worst fear only dealing with messy housekeeping. Such, however is not the case. Gandalf, the Great Wizard himself, and thirteen dwarves (their names were Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Thorin, for those of you who are adept in remembering names) burst into his life, pulling the hobbit out of his quiet home, and sending him in an adventure filled with dangers, dragons, gold, and most certainly unpeaceful realms. As hobbits will do, Bilbo found himself on enchanted paths, wishing he had never gone. He hoped to indeed live up to Gandalf's standard of him, since he was the one who chose him to journey into the desolate lands of Smaug, a golden-red dragon who had stolen hoards of gold and silver wrought by the dwarves/ But. what was the use of a Hobbit in the journey Bilb had answered his own question, when he summoned the courage to save the dwarves from perils along the way, such as goblins, giant spiders, and elven dugeons. He did this all with the help of a Ring, enchanted to make the wearer invisible. "Bless my soul, a hobbit CAN be useful!" But usefulness in itself does not a task complete. There was still the fact that the dwarf's gold had not been claimed, and Smaug still lay in the heart of the mountain. The band of travelers had crossed much terrain, hills, mountains, swamps, and gloomy forests, including the dark Mirkwood itself. Within these settings, conflicts with the other races were allowed, and the travels caused hardships of famine, lost direction, and plain uneasiness. Along the way, Bilbo had encountered a magic ring, which he stole from a monster known as "Gullom," who had no better thought than to"eat up poor Baggins. Escaping, however, and catching up with the adventurous party, the dwarves finally made it to the Lonely Mountain. "We shall claim all the wealth for the dwarves!" Thorin stated. When the party, however met up and 2006-08-31T17:53:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Descriptive-Analysis-of-The-Hobbit-31404.aspx Critical Analysis of Spenser's Faerie Queene How is the condemnation of moral duplicity in Book I of the Faerie Queene compatible with the duplicity or multiplicity of meaning that allegory requires? In answering the above question, it is necessary to focus on the function of duplicity/multiplicity in the two contexts presented. In the moral context, duplicity is equivalent with dishonesty, it involves purporting to be one thing whilst being another; it is a necessary deceit. In contrast, multiplicity in allegory involves an affirmation of truth’s power and its ability to penetrate through boundaries of meaning. In other words, the many levels and meanings of allegory reflect the same truth in different ways, while the many differences in character of the morally deceptive reveal an inconstancy as they challenge truth (in the integrity of the character). Thus the relationship to truth in the case of the morally duplicitous is one of negation whilst that of the aesthetically duplicitous (allegory) is one of confirmation. In my essay I intend to explore these processes of negation and confirmation in relation to Spenser’s Faierie Queene Book I as I explain how allegorical ideologies are employed to create a certain kind of knight and a certain kind of reader that can attain the true whilst learning to recognise and avoid the false. First it may be beneficial to examine the nature of truth as presented in the Fairie Queen in its characteristics of worth, vulnerability, power and simplicity. C.S. Lewis has stated that ‘the first thing we notice about the Spenserian images of good is their veiled, mysterious, even hidden character’ and indeed Una, representing Truth, is veiled throughout only relinquishing her coverings on two occasions; that is, when the Red Cross Knight is finally betrothed to her in Canto 12 and when she is by herself ‘farre from all mens sight’ (3:4). Truth must remain veiled at all other times because it is a valuable prize and therefore vulnerable to exploitation. This is epitomised in the image of Una’s virginity, ‘that stubborn forte’ (6:3) which can only be gained access to through commitment on the seekers part, the kind of commitment that Arthur displays in his search for his Queen ‘To seeke her out with labour, and long tyne, / And never vow to rest, till her I find.’ (9:15) Like the House of Holiness, Una’s 2006-08-31T17:49:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Spenser-s-Faerie-Queene-31401.aspx Mother-Daughter Relationships in Short Stories There are three mother-daughter relationships found within the stories “Snapshot: Lost Lives of Women” by Amy Tan, and “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker. In “Everyday Use” there are two. The first relationship is between the timid Maggie and her passive mother. The second mother-daughter relationship is between her pushy sister and their mother. The third relationship is in “Snapshot: Lost Lives of Women,” and is between Amy Tan and her shameful mother. Although these five women all have some type of mother-daughter relationship, the relationships differ greatly in their attitudes and actions. First, Maggie and her mother in “Everyday Use” have similar characteristics. They have neither received a good education, nor been blessed with beauty. They share similar feelings of intimidation towards Dee, Maggie’s sister. Their mother feels sorry for Maggie because she is not as pretty as Dee. Maggie and her mother enjoy doing simple things together. This is shown when their mother recalled the simple act of sitting together and says, “I asked Maggie to bring me a dip of snuff. And the two of us sat there just enjoying, until it was time to go in the house and go to bed” (Walker, 78). Maggie and her mother also share a mutual resentment towards Dee because she sees things they use everyday as outdated and decoration. Dee cannot understand that these objects are not artifacts to her sister and mother. Everyday objects that Maggie and her mother use are the quilts Dee insists upon taking home with her. Their mother has already promised Maggie the quilts as a wedding gift. Dee argues, “ ‘ Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts! …She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.’ ‘I [the mother] reckon she would…God knows I’ve been saving ‘em for long enough with nobody using ‘em. I hope she will!’ ” (77). Maggie and her mother see the quilts as objects meant for everyday use. This displays their mutual difference in character from Dee. Secondly, Dee and her mother share an odd kind of mother-daughter relationship. Dee takes the dominating role in their relationship. Dee intimidates her mother because she is well educated. Her mother also feels intimidated by Dee because she is pretty and stylish. The quote, 2006-08-31T17:25:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mother-Daughter-Relationships-in-Short-Stories-31394.aspx Life Lessons Learned from "Snow White" Many of the stories we read were interesting, but their was one that caught my attention was a old family folktale that my mother use to tell me before I would go to bed. The story of “Snow White,” all though the story is just a folktale it got me ready for a lot of lessons that life had to teach. The story talks of a queen who one day thought of how lovely it would be to give birth to a little daughter. So with that in mind a month later she gave birth to a little girl who was white as snow , red as blood , and with black hair she was so amazed by her features that she named here lovely daughter Snow White. The queen died and in a year her husband married again, a women who was beautiful but proud and haughty. She had a magic mirror which she asked question and always told her the truth, so she would always ask the c and the mirror would reply “you are, my queen.” Snow White grew up and became the beautiful than the queen herself. The mirror even told the queen that Snow White was a thousand times fair then the queen would ever be, and this made her very upset. The queen ordered Snow White to be killed in the forest, but the man had pity on her and just left her in the forest. Snow White ran through the forest for hours trying to find out how to get home, but she never found here way back. She later found her self at a cottage in the forest and went inside. While inside she all she saw was surround by was little beds, chairs, and clothing that looked like they were for little kids. She soon grew tired and then fell asleep in one of the little beds. When she awoke, there were seven dwarfs all around her, she woke up in a panic and tried to head for the door, but before she could make it one of the dwarfs stopped her and told her that they were not out to hurt. Snow White lived with the dwarfs from that day on and she never returned home. When the servant returned, the queen ran up to him and asked if the job was done, and he 2006-08-31T17:24:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Life-Lessons-Learned-from-quot-Snow-White-quot-31393.aspx Psychological Elements of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" Oscar Wilde was an egocentric author with strong morals and values. The picture of Dorian Gray is the only novel he wrote—Wilde is a play writer- and provoked controversy in the Victorian society. The novel critiques many things such as art for art’s sake and modernism issues. Wilde also explores the themes of rebellion against the true nature of things-in this case- aging and conventionalist view of the Victorian society. He combines it with a denouement classified as horror in a subtle and effective manner. The story can be separated in two parts, the psychology of rebellion and horror story. Wilde blends them together to present by proving that sin and rebellion bring horror. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde explores many aspects of rebellion. Dorian refuses to see himself old, commits horrible crimes such as murdering his friend and blackmailing others, and breaks Victorian laws by having homosexual affairs. The first time Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, he admires his hedonistic views. The words of Lord Henry to Dorian during their first meeting changes Dorian’s life. “We degenerate into hideous puppets, haunted by the memory of the passions of which we were too much afraid, and the exquisite temptations that we had not the courage to yield to. Youth! Youth! There is absolutely nothing in the world but youth!”(17) These words are the spark to Dorian’ obsession with aging and staying beautiful, and therefore, allows him to commit sins to pursue a life consisting of pure pleasure. Dorian wants his face and body to stay beautiful throughout his entire lifetime His is rebelling against time and the natural flow of things. He makes a deal with the devil when he pronounces the words. “I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day of June...If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that, I would give everything! (...) I would give my soul for that!”(19) Dorian does give his soul and his portrait grows old and vicious for every year that passes and every sin Dorian commits. Wilde foreshadows Dorian’s death through Sybil Vane, a beautiful and talented actress, for whom Dorian is fond of for a few days. Dorian falls in 2006-08-31T17:18:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Psychological-Elements-of-quot-The-Picture-of-Dorian-Gray-q-31391.aspx Analysis of the Unexpected Vista: A Physicist’s View of Nature The book thoroughly takes the reader into the understandings of one modern physicists’ view of the world he has discovered. Trefil describes self-contained journeys of discovery, each starting with common or familiar and eventually after a step-by-step chain of reasoning, ending in profound metaphysical question or towards the ultimate question of our reality. The Unexpected Vista describes the varying questions from simple to the ever so intricately stated forms, answered by the few laws of nature through the perception or vista of a modern physicist. In this process makes a conclusion that the natural world is an interconnected web of phenomena, thus stating that these phenomena’s have common roots and are governed by a few basic laws of nature. Trefil utilizes carefully selected questions and shows us the way that modern physicist view the world they discovered. The ideas presented are of parallel to the thoughts of mine. The book makes clear that it is a non-universal perception but by my personal conclusion it is those thoroughly trained in the field of physics that are in accordance with my logistics, that make me presently in agreement, although majority of the information was being gathered at the time the book was read. Reading the book through my own vista I am instinctually caused to note one main interpretation regarding my philosophies of human relations. This gather has made not necessarily solidify but help clarify that human perception on social issues although all relative and obviously varying has a truth, in which all knowledge and wisdom in all aspects are seemingly conclusive towards a universal truth. The only thing that separates opinions is its unbalanced distribution of knowledge. Collectively my knowledge is still but the size of a raindrop in comparison the size of our universe. Lucky enough, if u want to call it that, I was able to find a book while being attracted to its title and its regards to anthropology as stated in the introduction. My attraction to physics is existent, but it has been because of my laziness and awareness of large masses of scientists studying physics that has caused me to not take advantage of the necessary knowledge. I have finally found the passion for understanding physics. In relation to science and technology in society this 2006-08-31T17:07:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Unexpected-Vista-A-Physicist’s-View-of-Nature-31386.aspx Capitalist Society in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Shirley Jackson’s, The Lottery, is a shocking story that reveals the social order and ideology of a capitalistic society. By definition, the ideal capitalistic society is an economic system based upon the concentration of wealth, and the competitive distribution of production and business to privately owned powerful representatives. This form of an ideal society is what Shirley Jackson based the small village on in The Lottery. In The Lottery, the lottery itself, serves as a democratic illusion for a capitalistic society. It deceives not only the reader, but the people of the village, into believing it is democratic in nature, because of the fact that everyone participates in the lottery and consciously knows they have an equal chance at being selected; this, however, goes against the function of the lottery to maintain a rigid social order based upon an unjust division of labor. The lottery is set up to appear as a process of random and equal selection, but, because, it is held in the town square between the bank and the post office—the two buildings that symbolize money and government— and it is administered by the village’s most powerful representatives, the lottery becomes more like an election than a process of random selection. The village’s ruling class only participates to convince others that they are equal to everyone else, even though their exclusive control over the lottery suggests they are not. The lottery’s democratic illusion, then, is an ideological effect that prevents the village from criticizing the class structure of their society. Another aspect of The Lottery, that pertains to an ideally capitalistic society, is the order and division of labor in the village. The most powerful man is Mr. Summers. He not only owns the village’s largest and most powerful source of income, the coal company, but he is also its major. Shirley Jackson states that, “The lottery was conducted—as were the square dances, the teen-age club, the Halloween program—by Mr. Summers, who had time and energy to devote to civic activities” (268, parag. 4). Him having so much time to devote to such activities, suggests the extent of his power and labor. It shows how much he actually does in the work force, and how much other people do for him. Next in line, would be Mr. Graves, the villages postmaster, which serves as the second highest government position. Following 2006-08-30T20:39:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Capitalist-Society-in-The-Lottery-by-Shirley-Jackson-31382.aspx Strength And Fallibility Of Lizzy’s in Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen's depiction of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice epitomizes the strength of character in a woman and also the fallibility of being a human, making her the most complex and attractive character in the novel. Austen's portrayal of Elizabeth is realistic and yet masterful; she is rational and intelligent but at the same time she is not infallible, making her character all the more sophisticated and interesting. The depiction of other characters in the novel, lacking many of Elizabeth’s attributes, highlights her virtues and heightens her attractiveness to its readers. The strength of Elizabeth's character is displayed many times throughout the novel. This can be seen in her refusal of Darcy's initial proposal. It would have been very prudent for a woman of her social standing to accept a marriage proposal from a man of such high social and economic standing. But instead she displays a passionate strength in her refusal due to her belief that he willfully prevented Jane and Bingley’s marriage and also wronged Wickham. She explains to him without any hesitation that "you [Darcy] could not have made me the offer of your hand in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it”(Pg 224). Also, Darcy's conception that he is going beneath his standard by offering this proposal to Elizabeth and his absolute confidence that the proposal will not be refused, ironically makes it easier for her to refuse the offer. This shows that she does not compromise her principles even when it means turning down immense wealth and worldly happiness. Her resolute decision in refusing Mr. Collins' proposal even at her mother's stern orders to accept it shows her mental strength and her ability to stand by her decision. Elizabeth is also courageous, she is not afraid to stand up against the insolence of Lady Catherine at Rosings when Sir William and Mr. Collins are more than ready to be submissive to her, with Maria being "frightened almost out of her senses"(Pg 196). Elizabeth does not let Lady Catherine trample over her and she suspects “herself to be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence”(Pg 200). Later on, when Lady Catherine hears a rumor about Elizabeth and Darcy’s prospect of marriage, she is determined to impose her will on Lizzy and make her promise of never marrying 2006-08-30T20:37:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Strength-And-Fallibility-Of-Lizzy’s-in-Pride-and-Prejudice-31381.aspx Tracing Themes of Evil through Othello People are jealous of others’ success, others’ looks, and even others’ race. Tragic playwright William Shakespeare proves, in immense detail, just how far jealousy can drive a human being. His tragic play Othello, encases this statement made by critical essayist D.R. Godfrey, “Jealousy, once awakened, becomes self-perpetuating, self-intensifying, and where no evidence for it exists, the jealous person under the impulse of an extraordinary perversity will continue to manufacture it”(Godfrey 418). Through characters, plot and racism, Shakespeare proves that jealousy is the root and driving force of all evil. Jealousy first shows its ugly face when we meet Iago. He is the voice of jealousy in its entirety, giving way to the evil deeds that drive the play. Initially, Iago is jealous of Cassio’s placement over him in the government, however a sexual jealousy enters the plot when Iago suspects his wife is involved a romantic relationship with Othello or Cassio. Iago succumbs to this newly found jealousy when he proclaims: Divinity of hell! When devils will their blackest sins put on, They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, As I do now. (2.3.345-348) Iago not only allows his jealousy to control him, but he also allows it to change him. Critic D.R. Godfrey opens our eyes to this control when he suggests that, “He [Iago] becomes jealous, embittered, and vengeful, viciously repudiating the honesty and loyalty that have led him nowhere”(Godfrey 421). Othello, as we quickly learn, is like Iago in the sense that he has a great sexual jealousy over his new bride Desdemona. The jealousy, placed in Othello’s thoughts by Iago, is easily seen when Othello states, “If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself,/ I’ll not believe it”(3.3.278-279). Othello not only becomes jealous of Desdemona’s sexual affairs, but of love and all of its manifestations. And at a rather swift pace, Othello allows the jealousy to overtake him, and fill his mind with thoughts of evil. One witnesses this progressive type of jealousy when Othello cries, “Yet she [Desdemona] must die, else she’ll betray more men”(5.2.6). Roderigo presents the theme of jealousy as well, however in a much more minor sense. Roderigo’s jealousy rises from a love never requited. (Godfrey 421) His love for Desdemona is so great, but Roderigo knows that she is a lost cause, and that makes him insanely 2006-08-29T15:46:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tracing-Themes-of-Evil-through-Othello-31378.aspx "The Rocking Horse Winner" by D.H. Lawerence Critical Analysis D. H. Lawrence’s story “The Rocking Horse Winner” is about a young boy who sets out on a journey to save his mother from bad luck. Lawrence’s writing style imparts a mythical tone to captivates his audience. The beginning of the story, the reader can easily see how Lawrence set the story in a fairytale fashion. He utilize a style that pulls off a mythical story by employing fairytale story writing, supernatural forces and symbolic meaning . In the opening of the story, Lawrence describes a beautiful women who had all of life’s advantages except luck. The women had love but it had faded away. She had children but felt them to be intrusive and did not love them. Here the reader can see how Lawrence’s story is turning into a fairytale. The story continues with a description of how the damsel wants more money. She is the damsel in distress waiting for he knight in shining armor (Jenkins 261). The author’s use of simple words and sentences further emphases the fairytale style. Lawrence uses this style of writing throughout the story with the use of linguistic repetition that stresses on certain phrases. These phrases are “there must be more money,” “luck,” and “when I’m sure” (Simone 998). Like the writing of a fairytale story Lawrence keeps his words and sentences short. They are simple and direct. His quotes are direct instead of indirect. For instance when Paul states “Well, I got there” and “Where I wanted to go" is an example of a direct quote. Lawrence not only use fairytale writing techniques but also makes use of the supernatural. There a several events in the story that readers can label as supernatural. One such event is the house whispering “There must be more money” can lead the reader to believe that the house is possibly haunted. Haunted by the mothers need to have more materialistically. Not only is the house haunted but so are the Christmas toys. The toys as well seems to be whispering the same as the house. Another instance of supernatural element is when Paul is riding his rocking-horse into a frenzy in searching for the name of the winning horse. Lawrence heightens the element of supernatural 2006-08-29T15:39:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Rocking-Horse-Winner-by-D_H_-Lawerence-Critical-Analysis-31375.aspx Character Analysis of the Narrator in "Haircut" In Ring Lardner’s classic short story “Haircut,” the narrator is an ingenuous country barber named Whitey. Whitey tells the story of Jim Kendall, whom the reader soon discovers used to be a well-liked regular at the local barbershop, but who is now deceased. Throughout the story Whitey extols Kendall as a “card” and “character,” “kind of rough, but a good fella at heart.” However, the reader quickly realizes that Kendall is not a good person at all. Lardner’s brilliant use of Whitey as naïve narrator is a device for achieving savage irony. Jim Kendall is lauded as a humorous practical joker. For example, Jim plays a joke on Whitey. Jim can change his voice and mimic anybody’s voice. Jim changes his voice to that of Mrs. John Scott, and says her “husband was dead and would I come out and shave him.” So, Whitey goes to Mrs. John Scott’s house and Mr. John Scott opens the door. Whitey figures out it is Jim playing a joke on him. In addition, another joke that Jim Kendall plays is mailing post cards to people he doesn’t know and writing nonsense on them. When he travels, he gets names from store windows and sends them post cards, saying something like “ask your wife about the book agent that spent the afternoon last week,” or “ask your Missus who kept her from gettin' lonesome the last time you was in Carterville.” Then he would sign the card “A Friend.” Jim Kendall is a joker, but some of his jokes can be mean. Kendall’s jokes are often cruel and spiteful. For instance, he tells his wife and two kids “that he was goin’ to take them to the circus.” Instead, Jim just sits around and drinks gin all day at Wright’s Pool Room. Jim never shows up at the circus. This shows that Jim is an unreliable and disrespectful person. He is despicable for doing this to his wife and kids. Furthermore, Jim wants Julie Gregg for himself, so he tricks her by faking his voice and trying to sound like Doc Stair by saying “I must see you this night and can’t wait no longer.” Not knowing it is Jim’s voice, Julie eventually falls for his trick and 2006-08-29T15:35:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-the-Narrator-in-quot-Haircut-quot-31374.aspx Analysis and Review of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte I read the book Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I personally didn’t find this book interesting or appealing in any way. If I read for pleasure, which I don’t, this would not be the type of book that I would choose to read. I prefer murder mysteries and books that I can relate to more. I found this book very depressing, not that murders are happy, and I also thought that this book brought out a lot of bad things that happen to people in this world and the struggles they have to overcome. Another reason I didn’t find this book appealing was the fact that the middle of the book was very slow and it was hard for me to continue. When I do read, I want to be able to look forward to reading more, not having to make myself. The beginning and end were more interesting and suspenseful but the middle was quite boring. Although I didn’t enjoy this book to the fullest, there were some things that I could pick out that the book covered and explained well. For example, the issues that Jane went through in the book were trials and tribulations that do happen in everyday life. They don’t happen to me but I’m sure they relate to other people in some ways. A good example of from the book that some people could relate to is the relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester. Jane takes up a post governess at Thornfield Hall, which is were she meets Mr. Rochester. Mr. Rochester had a wife that no one really knew about because she had some mental problems. “She was kept in very close confinement, ma’am; people even for some years was not absolutely certain of her existence. No one saw her: they only knew by rumor that such a person was at the Hall; and who or what she was it was difficult to conjecture,” said Mr. Edward (page 474, paragraph 3). During the time of Jane’s stay at the Thornfield Hall, the two end up falling in love with each other. Their love is secret throughout the book until the very end. When Jane and Mr. Rochester are around other people, they act no differently than 2006-08-29T15:20:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-and-Review-of-Jane-Eyre-by-Charlotte-Bronte-31366.aspx Coming of Age Themes in "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Burns Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns, is a coming of age novel, seen and narrated through the eyes of a developing young boy named Will Tweedy. It is set in a small humble town known as Cold Sassy. This once peaceful town turns scandalous after the announcement of remarriage from the recently turned widower, Rucker Blakeslee. Burns, in her novel, depicts the diversity of interpretations towards religion; it mainly focuses on Grandpa Blakeslee’s portrayal of religion verses the society of Cold Sassy’s traditional beliefs. Residents of Cold Sassy follow the traditional beliefs towards religion. God to them is no more than a punisher and a spiritual being to be feared. During their sermons, preachers of Cold Sassy would define God as a being who will smite you down if you sin. Cold Sassy’s beliefs were simplistic rituals to follow. The community believed that just by living a life in which they avoided blasphemy, prayed, and attended church every Sunday, would suffice for themselves to be considered good religious people. To them, God is only thought of in Church, in bad times, and when in need of help the community of Cold Sassy only attends Church because it is in their tradition. Miss Love stated that the only time they do mention God out of Church is “when [they’re] sick or scared” God to them is just someone there to turn to when needed. People of Cold Sassy also believe in predestination he defines it as “what is to be is to be and you can’t do anything about it.” Much talk about predestination arises when Will was stuck between the tracks on the trestle, and go run over by the train. Visiting Will after his incident, Cretia and Looly began to express predestination they said that “hit just wadn’ his time to die” and that “hit were the Lords will for the boy to be alive” Rather than to blame themselves and feel guilt for the deaths and disappointment which occurred in Cold Sassy, the townspeople would utilize the Cliché it is “God’s will” thus easing the guilt in their hearts towards the heartaches that took place. Will conversed with Grandpa Blakeslee about God’s will, and asked if “it was God’s will for Bluford Jackson to get 2006-08-29T15:08:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Coming-of-Age-Themes-in-quot-Cold-Sassy-Tree-quot-by-Olive-31361.aspx Comparing Dante's Inferno and Paradise Lost The two stories Inferno by Dante and Paradise Lost by Milton were written about the biblical hell and its keeper; Satan. Both of these authors had different views about hell and Satan. In Paradise Lost, Milton wrote that Satan used to be an angel of God. The devil believed that he was equal to the Lord and he wanted to be greater than him. For this, God banished him to hell. Milton’s physical description of Satan was interesting. Since he used to be an angel he still had wings. His eyes were blazed and he had scaly skin. Satan was also an immense creature; the typical giant. He was 21 feet tall. It is noted that satin had only one head. Milton’s depiction of Satan was this basic structure. The contrasting view of Satan was written in Dante’s Inferno. Satan was a very slimy, puss filled demon. He had three heads, which were attached to his body. Inside each of the three mouths were the souls of people. One of the mouths contained Brutus. He was sent to hell for betraying and killing Caesar. Dante viewed being a traitor as a reason for being sent to hell. This was the Satan that Dante envisioned. There cannot be a devil without hell. Milton’s view of hell entailed many things. Hell was a desolate place in which the banished satin ruled. He chooses to stay because he wanted to be his own sovereign. He notably said, "We can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven Here at least we shall be free here we may reign secure, and, in my choice, to reign is worth ambition, though in Hell: Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven." Hell to Milton was a terrain of burning flames. What he also believed was that it was eternally dark despite the flames. It was the worst place imaginable. This was Milton’s view of hell. Hell in the Inferno was much different. Though Dante also thought that hell was the land where the devil was sent, he believed that it was an endless environment of bitter, frosty cold. Hell in Dante’s eyes was continuous torture and pain inflicted on any soul who entered its gates. This was the contrasting theory that Dante presented. Both Dante and Milton had beautifully detailed views of Satan himself, and the hell in which he lives. 2006-08-27T22:59:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Dante-s-Inferno-and-Paradise-Lost-31335.aspx Analysis of the Two Patriarchs from King Lear In the Shakespearean tragedy “King Lear”, the two patriarchs Lear and Gloucester are different, yet they do have their similarities. Lear is an old King who no longer wants the responsibility of running the kingdom and its land. He therefore decides to divide his land in three, and present a piece to each of his daughters. This already shows a glimpse of Lear’s character; he is not too bright. He is and has been king for some time; he knew the responsibility of being King, yet he now no longer “wants” it. This shows how he is irresponsible and lazy. Also, in dividing up his land, he is being un- wise, a peasant, let alone a King would or should know that one should never divide up a country. Thus comes the saying, “divide and conquer”. Gloucester, however seems to be a rather responsible man. He has helped conceive a bastard son, during that era, a bastard was usually never thought of, let alone educated, cared for and loved. Gloucester cares for, and loves his bastard son Edmund, as much as his legitimate son, Edgar. “ But I have also a son, sir, by order of law, some year elder/ than this, who yet is no dearer to my account:” ( I,i,18-19) Lear and Gloucester also have their similarities that are shown throughout act I, scenes i and ii. They are both rash and jump to conclusions. Lear was rash in his decision to banish, with the threat of killing, his long time friend, Kent. All Kent did was look out for Lear, and try to reason with him. Even after Kent has been banished, he continues to look out for the well being of his friend. “And your large speeches may/ your deeds approve, / That good effects may spring from words of love.” ( I, i, 183-184) Lear also jumps to conclusions when Cordelia tells him of her love for him. He thinks that she does not love him. “ So young, and so untender?” ( I, i, 105) He is also rash when this happens; he disowns Cordelia. He refuses to see the truth, which he knows; that Cordelia loves him the most. He gives her no dowry, and worst of all he disowns her. He says that he never wants to see his once most beloved daughter. “Let it 2006-08-27T22:35:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-Two-Patriarchs-from-King-Lear-31330.aspx Foolishness of Jay Gatsby Narrated by a man’s neighbor, who never judges people, The Great Gatsby, a novel composed by F. Scott Fitzgerald, tells a tale of a man who tries to recreate a relationship with a woman whom he left to fight in World War I. Although separated by an expanse of water and social heritage, this man, James Gatz, or otherwise known as Jay Gatsby, tries to regain his former love, even though she has a husband and a daughter. Gatsby becomes a foolish person because of his blind pursuit of his former love. Although Gatsby’s quest could have developed into something admirable, he should consider himself foolish. Gatsby’s search for his former love, Daisy Buchanan, is a blind and sightless pursuit. Gatsby displays this in many ways. He moves into West Egg so that he can see the light on Daisy’s dock and have an unreal connection with her. He throws fabulous parties every two weeks, hoping that Daisy will come to one and meet him there. Described by Nick as “At least once a fortnight a corps of caterers came down with several hundred feet of canvas and enough colored lights to make a Christmas tree of his [Gatsby’s] enormous garden” (44) these parties were a sight indeed. Gatsby also breaks the law by illegally selling liquor during the prohibition era. He does this to make money and to impress Daisy. Gatsby also thinks that repeating the past is possible. The first time Gatsby sees Daisy after he left for the war he acts as if nothing had happened and that he had stayed home the whole time. Gatsby thinks it possible to repeat the past when he says, “’can’t repeat the past, why of course you can!’” (116). He also invites Daisy over to Nick’s house for tea and picks up the conversation just as if there had been no war. Gatsby also raises money illegally by selling liquor during the prohibition era to show off his wealth and to impress Daisy. Gatsby raises money by starting a chain of ‘drugstores’ (with Meyer Wolfshiem )that sell illegal liquor, a rich gambler and bootlegger. Tom tells it like it is: “He and Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drugstores here...and sold grain alcohol over the counter”(141). Gatsby becomes an extremely foolish man here, because he puts 2006-08-27T21:57:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Foolishness-of-Jay-Gatsby-31324.aspx Adultery and Punishment in The Scarlet Letter Adultery is a sin never taken lightly. It’s a serious crime that hurts not only the person committing it, but also the people around that person. A crime so serious requires a severe punishment, but that would just lead to more sorrow. In The Scarlet Letter, by Nanthaniel Hawthorne, Hester is the main character who is forced to wear the letter ‘A’ on her chest for committing adultery with an unknown person. At times, the punishment should fit the crime, but under certain circumstances, the crime itself holds all the punishment that is needed. During the Puritan time period, crimes for adultery ended in execution. In Hester’s case, she was only required to wear the scarlet letter because of the unknown information of who her husband and her lover were. Execution is too severe for a crime such as this, the taking of a life never compensates for a crime that doesn’t physically take a life of another. Wearing the letter ‘A’ on the other hand seems reasonable at first; It subjects the adulterer to public humiliation and criticism. On the surface, this punishment is perceived tame and doesn’t fully grasp the significance of the crime, but if you consider all the non-implied consequences of this type of punishment, you’ll notice that it is too harsh of a punishment for one to take. Physical pain is nothing compared to how the mind can hurt you. Hester’s mental anguish from being an outcast of her settlement is caused by her punishment. She felt alone and isolated from the world. Is this all this torment worth the price of adultery? It is far too severe for a crime such as adultery. A punishment should only hurt the people that are guilty of the crime, but the punishment also affects Pearl, Hester’s daughter. Pearl was treated like her mother, an outcast from society. Why should an innocent young child have to suffer from her mother’s immoral mistakes? Temptations occur everyday in our lives. They force us to do certain things that we don’t want to do. A temptation always delivers a positive effect towards one, but in exchange it always has a consequence. Adultery is a crime that has temptation as a foundation. In our society, people believe that there is 2006-08-27T21:54:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Adultery-and-Punishment-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-31323.aspx Comparison of "Til We Have Faces" and "The Golden Ass" Recently I have had the pleasure of reading “Till We Have Faces” by C. S. Lewis and “The Golden Ass” by Apuleius. Both are accounts of the myth of the marriage of Cupid and Psyche. Since they are in essence the same story, there are of course many things similar in both stories. However, since both stories were written in such different time periods by such different authors, there are also many differences. In this essay I will present and discuss both these similarities and differences. The stories both begin in the same manner. A king has three daughters of whom the youngest is so beautiful that men worship her as a goddess and neglect the worship of Aphrodite for her sake. This results in consequences that are different in each account. The king consults the oracle of Apollo for guidance and is told that Psyche, as the daughter is called, is destined to be the bride of a God or a beast of the Gods and should be taken to the mountaintop and left there. The king does as he is advised. But Aphrodite is jealous of Psyche’s beauty, and has ordered her son, Cupid, to afflict the girl with love for the vilest and most disgusting of men. Cupid sets off to do so, but upon seeing Psyche falls in love with her himself. He has the West wind carry her to a secret place where he has prepared a beautiful palace. He visits her only at night, and forbids her to see his face. In both versions Psyche is visited by her sisters (one or both, depending on the story). She tells her sister/s about her husband, and how he only visits her at night. They convince Psyche that her husband must be hiding something from her. The sisters tell her that she should take a lamp into the bedroom and night, and bring it out when her lover falls asleep to see what he is hiding. She follows this advice, but when she brings it out a drop of hot oil falls from her lamp and burns her husband on the shoulder, waking him. He wakes, and is so angry with his wife that he decides to banish her from the valley. 2006-08-27T16:27:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-of-quot-Til-We-Have-Faces-quot-and-quot-The-Go-31315.aspx Symbolism and Characters in "The Virgin Suicides" “The Virgin Suicides” by Jeffery Eugenides is coated with symbolism from beginning to end. Eugenides utilizes many metaphors, comparing inadement objects with abstract ideas. The author inputs these abstract ideas, comparing the condition of the house relating to the decay of the Lisbon’s, the behavior of the characters to animals, and the insects to death and despair. “As the snapshot shows, the slate roof had not yet begun to shed its shingles, the porch was still visible above the bushes, and the windows were not yet held together with strips of masking tape.” (5) This photo was snapped before the first suicide attempt, when the soul of the Lisbon’s still contained spirit and hope. However, the narrator’s description of the picture foreshadowed what would occur to both the house, and more importantly, the Lisbon family. As struggles began within the Lisbon family, the house slowly showed the first signs of decay. “The house receded behind its mists of youth being choked off, and even our own parents began to mention how dim and unhealthy the place looked.” (145) Metaphorically what the parents really meant, but didn’t know how to communicate, was that the family’s outlook was becoming dim and unhealthy. From this point on, the condition of the family was spinning in an uncontrollable downward spiral. The girls remained on house arrest, and had no chance to socialize with others. This alone could drive a person crazy, being locked up in a prison type environment. The rate of suicide in prison is extremely high due to the same type of isolation that faced the girls. As the family deteriorated further, with Mr. Lisbon losing his job and Lux screwing around on the roof, Eugenides began to more vividly demonstrate the dimensioning house, “The first slate of tile slid off their roof, missing the porch by an inch and embedding itself in the soft turf, and from a distance we could see the tar underneath, letting in water.” (159) The water leaking into the house is very significant, because this showed the Lisbon’s actions actually beginning to take a hold of their souls and demeanors. Eugenides refers to the dwindling affect of the family as a disease, slowly creeping into the girl's bodies after being released by Cecelia. “In the bathtub, cooking in the broth of her own blood, Cecelia had released an airborne virus 2006-08-27T16:25:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-and-Characters-in-quot-The-Virgin-Suicides-quot-31314.aspx Critical Analysis of "Contact" by Carl Sagan Contact is a science fiction book written at the end of the 20th century. It is a novel that depicts the life of a person from the very birth until her late thirties. Ellie Arroway is a girl that discovers her attraction for science from an early childhood. Her father, who dies when she is only 10, encourages her love for physical astronomy. Many people don’t understand her passion and believe that she will never be successful, but she finishes school, goes to MIT, and then gets a PHD at California Institute of Technology proving to everybody that they were wrong. After finishing her studies, Ellie is assigned to different laboratories around the country, eventually ending up in New Mexico, where she is working on a project called SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence). Many scientists believe that this is a worthless project. Among these scientists is Drumlin, her teacher from CIT. After four years with no results, Ellie depicts a message that is comprised of prime numbers. This is believed to be the biggest discovery of the time, as the message comes from Vega. The problems begin when the message turns out to be a transmission of Hitler’s welcome speech at the 1930s Olympic games. United States is worried about the impact of this discovery in the world’s politics. A second message that is approximately 40,000 pages long follows the original one. Unfortunately nobody is able to translate it. The entire world’s scientific community is involved in the search for the primer, but nobody can find out what the message says. Finally, Ellie is invited by Hadden, a multimillionaire and an extremely intelligent person, for a conversation. While talking, Hadden gives Ellie the hint where to search for the primer. It turns out that the pages of text are instructions for building a machine. Two similar machines are being built, one in the United States, and another one in the Soviet Union. Only five people can go once the Machine is completed. All the nations are trying to compete for a seat in the Machine. In the end, 5 countries are selected: Unites States, Soviet Union, China, India, and Nigeria. Unfortunately, Drumlin is the one who is going to represent the United States. When the American machine is almost ready, a terrorist attack destroys it through a bomb explosion and in the process Drumlin 2006-08-27T15:44:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Contact-quot-by-Carl-Sagan-31308.aspx "Coral Island" as a Reference to "The Lord of the Flies" There seem to be all kinds of desert islands that you could be washed up on. You could be unlucky and find yourself on a barren cay with no fresh water and no vegetation. Or, you could be lucky and find yourself in a glorious kind of playground where all kinds of delicious foods are there for the taking, there are beautiful coral pools to dive in and you have leisure time to explore your own island. Ralph Rover, Jack Martin and Peterkin Gay are lucky. Ship's boys, they are washed up alone on their Coral Island after a storm at sea. What a dream! These boys have a wonderful time discovering all that the island has to offer: The ground at the foot of this tree was thickly strewn with the fallen fruit, in the midst of which lay sleeping, in every possible attitude, at least twenty hogs of all ages and sizes, apparently quite surfeited with a recent banquet. Jack and I could scarce restrain our laughter as we gazed at these coarse, fat, ill-looking animals, while they lay groaning and snoring heavily amid the remains of their supper. 'Now, Ralph,' said Jack, in a low whisper, 'put a stone in your sling - a good big one - and let fly at that fat fellow with his back toward you. I'll try to put an arrow into yon little pig.' 'Don't you think we had better put them up first?' I whispered; it seems cruel to kill them while asleep.' 'If I wanted sport Ralph, I would certainly set them up; but as we only want pork, we'll let them lie. Besides, we're not sure of killing them; so fire away.' Thus admonished, I slung my stone with so good aim that it went bang against the hog's flank as if against the head of a drum; but it had no other effect than that of causing the animal to start to its feet, with a frightful yell of surprise, and scamper away. At the same instant Jack's bow twanged and the arrow pinned the little pig to the ground by the ear. Well, they need a bit of practice, but they do get rather good at arranging pork for supper. There follows a peaceful interval of a few months 2006-08-27T15:33:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-Coral-Island-quot-as-a-Reference-to-quot-The-Lord-of-31304.aspx Analysis of "Heart of Darkness" Conrad's setting of a "night journey" into the Congo becomes an appropriate metaphor. This "Heart of Darkness" that Marlow penetrates of the heart of darkness contained in every man. The insights gained by Marlow into the condition of the human heart are the same insights gained by a careful, thoughtful reader. As Marlow makes his way to Kurtz's camp and his knowledge of this savage land is deepened, so is our understanding of the inherent darkness within every man. The discovery is this: In our deepest nature, all men are savage. The name Kurtz, which is German for short, has symbolic meaning. The physical shortness in Kurtz implies a shortness 2006-08-27T15:26:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Heart-of-Darkness-quot-31302.aspx Use of Imagery in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" The imagery in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find creates an atmosphere that makes the reader feel knee deep in the story. From the first page to the last the writer creates realistic images and visions for the individual reading, making them feel as if they were standing off and watching over the characters in the story. In this short story there is a good amount of description of the surroundings but an even greater amount of detail for the imagery included in the story. This could be for many reasons, for most of the examples shown he uses it to the effect that it gives a physical sense of being in the story. Imagery occurs in all stories, just some have a little bit more than others to make the story have a sense of wholeness. The story starts off in a living room, or common area where members of the family are sitting on the sofa, excluding the children, who are reading parts of the newspaper on the floor. The description here is not very intense, but it eases the reader into the story and prepares for what is to come. Here you get a mild physical description of some of the characters, which aids in forming one of the first images in the story. “ Bailey didn’t look up from his reading so she wheeled around then and faced the children’s mother, a young woman in slacks whose face was as broad and innocent as a cabbage and was tied around with a green handkerchief that had two points on the top like a rabbit’s ears.” (381, 382) It simply says that the mother is seated on the couch feeding the baby, the father seated as well, and the grandmother is seated in her wheelchair. The description of the mother shows her as kind of sloppily dressed. The eight-year-old boy is described as being stocky and is wearing glasses. The young girl is blond headed and at times has her grandmother curl it for her. The next scene, which eventually becomes a very pivotal point in the story, takes place in the car. The grandmother is the first one in the car, along with the cat. “She had her 2006-08-27T15:25:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Use-of-Imagery-in-quot-A-Good-Man-is-Hard-to-Find-quot-31301.aspx Sinful Fate in the Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a novel about adultery committed by young Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale in the Puritan world of seventeenth century Boston. Even though, they share the relationship of extremely opposing each other throughout the book, Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth, an alchemist, antagonist, and Hester’s husband, are different and similar in appearance, respect, and how they change throughout the novel. Chillngworth and Dimmesdale come from very different backgrounds, but both are still respected and educated men. Chillingworth has “learning and intelligence and possess more than a common nature,” because he is “extensively acquainted with the medieval science of the day” (pg.109). The colony believes that “Roger Chillingworth is a brilliant acquisition;” he is “an absolute miracle, Doctor of Physics, from a German University” (pg.111). Not many Puritan citizens in the colony possess a college education. The skills, that Chillingworth possesses makes “this learned stranger exemplary” and he is now “known to be a man of skill” (pg.111). On the other hand, “Reverend Dimmesdale; a young clergyman,” who had come from a “great English University,” and also possessed great skill” (pg.62). Dimmesdale “has eloquence and fervor,” which gives him the “earnest of high eminence in his profession” of ministry (pg.62). Being a priest brings a degree of respect; Dimmesdale is believed to be a “true priest, a true religionist, ’a little less than an ordained apostle” (pg.113). The colony praises Dimmesdale and hopes he would “do as great deed...for the New England Church as early Fathers had achieved for the infancy of the Christian faith” (pg.110). Many changes occur in a person over time. Chillingworth and Dimmesdale both sin and are mentally distraught by their sins. Dimmesdale commits adultery with Chillingworth’s wife; Chillingworth seeks vengeance and indirectly kill Dimmesdale. In the beginning of the novel, Chillingworth's “expression had been calm, meditative, scholar like,” after frequently sinning, “there was something evil in his face” which grows “still the more obvious to sight” (pg.118). Sin controls Chillingworth so much he starts “transforming himself into a devil, in a reasonable space of time, he will undertake the devil’s office” (pg.154). One thing that is a very obvious contrast in the novel is the initial appearance of Chillingworth and Dimmesdale. Chillngworth is deformed because “one of the men’s shoulders rose higher than the other” (pg.109). However, Dimmesdale is “a person of aspect, white, lofty, 2006-08-27T15:19:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sinful-Fate-in-the-Scarlet-Letter-31299.aspx Character Analysis of Hero, Atticus Finch “To kill a Mockingbird”, an acclaimed novel, by Harper Lee is recognized throughout the world. Having read her novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1960 soon after its publication, I was compelled to consider the novel in greater depth but was particularly intrigued to examine the character of Atticus Finch as a hero. Maycomb, a fictional town in the Southern States of America plays host to the novel during the period of 1933-1935. To Kill a Mockingbird” follows a lawyer and his family prior to and during a legal case to defend a black male, Tom Robinson, charged of raping a white female, Mayella Ewell. This occurs in a very white orientated town. Atticus Finch, Attorney and father of two children only plays a brief part in the opening chapter but as this epic novel progresses so does his importance. It becomes apparent that Atticus Finch, arguably the novel’s main character, is extremely well respected in Maycomb by the majority of its residents. If someone expresses a dislike towards him he will still try to do his “best to love everybody”. Atticus is a man of extreme integrity and some say that it is through his mouth that Harper Lee expresses her own morality, an opinion that I share. He represents a true gentleman; his conduct is always courteous despite any provocation whether privately or publicly. This is enhanced by the very carefully selected word choice. Atticus is able to use language stylishly when appropriate but he can also communicate very simplistically such as when in a moment of crisis he can talk straightforwardly, for example to Jem and Scout, to enhance understanding. Atticus is a devoted family man; he manages to care for his children without the help of their mother, who died. Harper Lee gives Atticus a very “modern style” regarding parenting (in comparison to other families in the 1930’s i.e. principally he was a single parent). This could perhaps be a reflection on Atticus’s opinion that everyone has the right to be an individual and because of this we should not be judged. He is one person in a select few who feel that colored people should be able to have the same standard of living as their white counterparts. Atticus is open to all opinions and will accept each individual for their own beliefs regardless of whether or not these 2006-08-27T14:49:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Hero,-Atticus-Finch-31291.aspx The Tragic Hero of Things Fall Apart The role of a tragic hero within a story line is essential in a dramatic film or written work. The hero has the standards of becoming a great character that can take charge of the story through courageous action and bold dialogue. However, since the character is deemed a “tragic” hero, his flaws will ultimately be his downfall, usually leading to the characters own demise. Nowhere is this ideal of a tragic hero more relevant that in Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart. The story is set in late nineteenth-century in a small village in Nigeria. The tragic hero in this case is a young man named Okonkwo. He is a dynamic growing character but is doomed from the beginning of the story with two major flaws that in the end will destroy his character. Okonkwo cannot physically display any of his emotions because he thinks it is a sure sign of weakness. His second flaw is that if and when he does show any emotion, it is an uncontrollable rage. Both of these flaws will get Okonkwo into trouble that he cannot handle. Okonkwo has been taught from a very young age that showing his emotions is a feminine characteristic, a sign of weakness within his culture. This is brought about because when Okonkwo was a child his father was not very involved with the community or with the elder counsel. The community is the most important aspect of everyday life for Okonkwo’s people. The village does not have a centralized government, but it is does have democratic ruling through the elder males (Ohadike xxii). Since Okonkwo’s father was lazy and drank too much, he did not receive any respect from the majority of the community. Okonkwo did not want this for himself so he always displayed a tough exterior so that he could have respect. This characteristic is clearly shown throughout the story. One such example is when Okonkwo becomes very fond of a boy that is in his care. Even though he likes the boy, Ikemefuna, he still treated him “as he treated everyone else – with a heavy hand” (Achebe 20). Even to a person who was considered part of his own family, he could not show the emotion of affection or graceful attention. In 2006-08-27T14:45:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Tragic-Hero-of-Things-Fall-Apart-31289.aspx An Analysis of "Wuthering Heights" by Charlotte Bronte Throughout the novel characters are prejudged by their race, class, or education. When Heathcliff is first introduced he is described as a dark skinned boy with dark hair, and because of this people are prejudiced against him. He is called a ‘gypsy’ numerous times, and the Lintons treat him badly and send him away from their house because of his appearance. Heathcliff also quickly dislikes his son because of his light skin and hair. Class is also an issue. There was a class hierarchy in Bronte's England, and this can be seen in the novel as well. The residents of Wuthering Heights seem to be of a lower class than the Lintons at Thrushcross Grange. Even though she loves him, Catherine will not marry Heathcliff after he has been degraded, and instead marries into the rich Linton family, causing all of the major conflict in the novel. The Lintons are of a higher class both because they have more money and do not seem to have to work, and because they are better educated. Catherine tries to better her station both by marrying Edgar Linton and by her constant reading. She laughs at Hareton because of his lack of education. Heathcliff admits that Hareton is smarter than Linton, yet because of how they are raised and what they will inherit, Linton will be the more upgraded while Hareton will remain a servant. It is only when Catherine and Hareton become friends and she begins to educate him that Hareton turns into a gentleman and loses his crude behavior. Although there are many different important messages in this novel, the main value is the changes that occur in and between the characters. It is a love story that deals with the social classes and the suppression of true feelings. Wuthering Heights is a tragedy because of what happens when the characters finally discover what was truly meant to be. Wuthering Heights bestows a moral value onto the reader of discrimination and true heartbreak. One chief character was Heathcliff. The entire story was written around Heathcliff and yet he was not really the main character. Heathcliff was adopted off of the streets at a very young age. Neither of his foster siblings cared much for him at first. Eventually, his sister grew to like 2006-08-27T14:44:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Analysis-of-quot-Wuthering-Heights-quot-by-Charlotte-Br-31288.aspx Complete Summary and Analysis of "Wuthering Heights" by Bronte Throughout the novel characters are prejudged by their race, class, or education. When Heathcliff is first introduced he is described as a dark skinned boy with dark hair, and because of this people are prejudiced against him. He is called a ‘gypsy’ numerous times, and the Lintons treat him badly and send him away from their house because of his appearance. Heathcliff also quickly dislikes his son because of his light skin and hair. Class is also an issue. There was a class hierarchy in Bronte's England, and this can be seen in the novel as well. The residents of Wuthering Heights seem to be of a lower class than the Lintons at Thrushcross Grange. Even though she loves him, Catherine will not marry Heathcliff after he has been degraded, and instead marries into the rich Linton family, causing all of the major conflict in the novel. The Lintons are of a higher class both because they have more money and do not seem to have to work, and because they are better educated. Catherine tries to better her station both by marrying Edgar Linton and by her constant reading. She laughs at Hareton because of his lack of education. Heathcliff admits that Hareton is smarter than Linton, yet because of how they are raised and what they will inherit, Linton will be the more upgraded while Hareton will remain a servant. It is only when Catherine and Hareton become friends and she begins to educate him that Hareton turns into a gentleman and loses his crude behavior. Although there are many different important messages in this novel, the main value is the changes that occur in and between the characters. It is a love story that deals with the social classes and the suppression of true feelings. Wuthering Heights is a tragedy because of what happens when the characters finally discover what was truly meant to be. Wuthering Heights bestows a moral value onto the reader of discrimination and true heartbreak. One chief character was Heathcliff. The entire story was written around Heathcliff and yet he was not really the main character. Heathcliff was adopted off of the streets at a very young age. Neither of his foster siblings cared much for him at first. Eventually, his sister grew to 2006-08-25T20:56:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Complete-Summary-and-Analysis-of-Wuthering-Heights-by-Bronte-31284.aspx Literary Elements of Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath’s Tale" Fairy tales have been around for centuries. There are many elements of a fairy-tale: characters, setting, plot, problem, events, solution, and tone through illustrations. There are also purposes of fairy tales: pass time and messages and subtle rebellion. Chaucer’s view of the Wife of Bath’s Tale centers on fairy tale and its structure, and ending with the fact that woman should have devoted husbands. A highlight of a fairy tale is the events that lead to the happy ending. The queen sending the knight on an educational quest, his education, in all actuality, comes through woman and the queen’s challenge puts him in situation where what is traditionally thought of as a shortcoming-a woman’s inability to keep a secret-is the only thing that can save him. The happy ending assigned to the knight shows that fairy-tale structure is evident. The fact that the knight is a rapist and freed from punishment and ultimately rewarded with a young, beautiful, and faithful wife shows that the tale has a twisted sense of fairy-tale structure. This tale inhabits many elements of a fairy tale especially the plat. The Wife of Bath’s Tale also offers conflicting elements when it comes to this solution. The fact that gives the old woman the power to decide what’s best for them is conflicting. The plot of a fairy tale is very different from this tale. Fairy tales usually show the man as being the one with power, but in this tale the woman exhibits the power. The old woman shows this power when she is speaking to the knight and says, “My love and lady, my dear wife, In your wise government I put my life, Choose for yourself which course will best agree With Pleasure and honor, both for you and me.” (909) Conceding the point and giving the woman power shows how the knight gains both choices, a ugly and trustworthy or beautiful and lecherous wife, and become happy. This is another example of the element for a happy ending in a fairy tale. Another point of a fairy tale structure is the characters within the tales. In the Wife of Bath’s Tale the character, the knight, is a little ironic, the hero happens to be a rapist. Even after the old woman saves the knight from execution, he behaves coldly and dismissive towards her. Still, this opens up the knight for his 2006-08-25T17:32:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Elements-of-Chaucer-s-quot-The-Wife-of-Bath’s-Tale-31277.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Red Badge of Courage" During the Civil War, a Union regiment is camped at a riverbank. A soldier named Jim Conklin spreads a rumor that the army will soon march. Henry Fleming, a recent recruit worries about his courage. He fears that if he were to see battle, he might run. The regiment is given orders to march, and the soldiers spend several days traveling on foot. Eventually they approach a battlefield. Upon arrival, the enemy charges. Henry, boxed in by his fellow soldiers, realizes that he could not run even if he wanted to. He fires automatically at the opposing soldiers. The Union regiments defeats the Confederate soldiers. Henry wakes from a brief nap to find that the enemy is again charging. Fear overtakes him this time and he leaps up and flees from the line. As he scampers across the landscape, he tells himself that he did the right thing, that his regiment could not have won, and that the men who remained to fight were fools. He passes a general on horseback and overhears the commander saying that the regiment has held back the enemy charge. Ashamed of his cowardice, Henry tries to convince himself that he was right to preserve his own life. He wanders through the forest in which he stumbles upon the decaying corpse of a soldier. Frightened, he runs away. As time passes, Henry finds and joins a column of wounded soldiers marching down the road. He is jealous of these men, thinking that a wound is like "a red badge of courage." He meets a tattered man who has been shot twice and who says he is proud that his regiment did not run. He asks Henry where he is wounded, which makes Henry uncomfortable and forces him to hurry away to a different part of the column. He meets a soldier with a distant look on his face. Henry eventually recognizes the man as a badly wounded Jim Conklin. Henry promises to take care of Jim, but Jim runs from the line into a small grove of bushes where Henry and the tattered man watch him die. Henry and the tattered soldier wander through the woods. Henry hears the rumble of combat in the distance. The tattered soldier continues to ask Henry about his wound, even as his own health visibly worsens. At last, Henry is unable to 2006-08-25T17:19:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Red-Badge-of-Courage-quot-31271.aspx Philosophy in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" The philosopher Thomas Hobbes is quoted as saying that life is “nasty, brutish and short” (Landry). This certainly turns out to be the case for the people and animals who live with the alcoholic, abusive, and murderous man in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat.” One shudders as he describes the horrific thoughts running through his mind. Even more terrible and shocking are the senseless acts of cruelty, and later murder, that he carries out upon his cat and wife. Edgar Allan Poe evokes a sense of terror within the reader by describing the man’s physical actions as well as his thought process, allowing the reader to perceive the overall effect of the grotesque within his short story. The terrible actions that the man performs throughout the story are presented in an unsuspecting manner, which adds to the fright. He mentions that he abuses his wife and animals, with the exception of the black cat, Pluto. His pointing out of the abuse foreshadows what is about to occur in the story. When the man returns home in one of his usual drunken stupors he takes hold of the black cat’s neck “and deliberately cut one of its eyes from the socket” (Poe 97). This senseless act of cruelty makes the reader cringe as one can almost feel the pain the cat experiences as it loses one of its eyes. The eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of the body and the slightest irritation, such as sand getting into them, causes excruciating pain. However, grains of sand rubbing against the surface of an eye must pale in comparison to the pain the cat experiences as its eye is sliced out. A short while after cutting out the cat’s eye, an exact time period is not given, he goes outside and hangs the cat from the tree. One assumes that he is not drunk at the time of the hanging since it occurs in the morning and he would have had time to sleep off the previous night’s intoxication. This shocking turn of events with the hanging of his beloved cat is almost too stupefying to fathom. However, Poe does not stop at creating that astonishing action. The most terrifying of the man’s actions is that of the murder 2006-08-25T17:06:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Philosophy-in-Edgar-Allan-Poe-s-quot-The-Black-Cat-quot-31265.aspx Internal and External Beauty in Ethan Frome In the novel Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton, Mattie Silver and Zeena Frome are extremely different people in physical appearance as well as personality. In the Novel Edith Wharton depicts these contrasts to the reader in many ways. Ethan Frome is married to Zeena and has this undying love for Zeena’s cousin Mattie. Through the course of the story the love plays out and all sorts of things start to happen. Zeena Frome is the sickly, stubborn wife of Ethan. They met when Zeena came to help care for Ethan’s mother. After they were married she became terribly ill and could or would not do most things for her self. She has a very grumpy and stubborn attitude towards everything and is never happy. Zeena is a very cold-hearted and unthouhtful person in everything she does and says. She spends Ethan’s money on expensive remedies to cure her “illness” and does not even think of the effect it will have. “Zeena always came back laden with expensive remedies, and her last visit to Springfield had been commemorated by her paying twenty dollars for an electric battery of which she had never been able to learn to use”(47). Also when she discovers that’s she needs a professional to care for her and help around the house she kicks Mattie out of the house as if it is no big deal. Although Mattie is family and has nowhere to go Zeena is too stubborn to let her stay. “Zeena never changed her mind and in her case a resolve once taken was equivalent to an act performed” (90) Mattie has the complete opposite traits from those of Zeena; she is lively and not sickly and always has a smile. She is very kind hearted and always thinks of other people. She is grateful to everything that Ethan and Zeena have to done for her. For instance when Zeena is sick and wont come down Mattie treats her so well even though she does not get the same in return. “Oh, I’m sorry! Aren’t you well? Sha’n’t I bring you a bite of something?”(86) She also is very kind to Ethan. She always showed compassion towards him because she knew that Zeena never would. He loved to pick her up 2006-08-25T16:58:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Internal-and-External-Beauty-in-Ethan-Frome-31261.aspx Synopsis, History, Production Notes: Much Ado About Nothing Synopsis Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon, pays a visit to Leonata, the governor of Messina, while returning from a victorious campaign against his rebellious brother, Don John. Accompanying him are two of his officers, Benedick and Claudio. While in Messina, Claudio falls for Leonato's daughter, Hero; Benedick verbally spars with Beatrice, the governor's niece. The budding love between Claudio and Hero prompts Don Pedro to arrange with Leonato for the marriage. Meanwhile, the trickery begins as Don Pedro (with the help of Leonato and Claudio) attempts to sport with Benedick and Beatrice in an effort to make the two of them fall in love. Likewise, Hero and her waiting woman help to set up Beatrice. Both Benedick and Beatrice will think that the other has professed a great love for them. The marriage of Claudio to Hero is set to go. Don John—ostensibly reconciled with his brother—despises Claudio, however, and plots against him. First, he tells Claudio that Pedro wants Hero for himself; next, he enlists the aid of his henchman Borachio and one of Hero's gentlewomen disguised as Hero to stage an encounter that will bring Hero's virtue into question. Claudio falls for the ruse and denounces Hero at the altar. Friar Francis helps her, hiding her away and enlisting the aid of Leonata, who announces that his daughter has died of grief from the proceeding. Fortunately for Hero, Borachio is arrested while drunkenly boasting of his part in the plan (and the 1,000 ducats paid him). With Borachio's confession, Hero is to be exonerated. Leonato demands a public apology from Claudio, then tells him that he will allow Claudio to marry one of his nieces in Hero's place—a niece that turns out to be none other than Hero herself. Claudio and Hero are reunited, Benedick and Beatrice will wed alongside them, and they receive the news that the bastard Don John has been apprehended. About Shakespeare For all his fame and celebration, William Shakespeare remains a mysterious figure with regards to personal history. There are just two primary sources for information on the Bard: his works, and various legal and church documents that have survived from Elizabethan times. Naturally, there are many gaps in this body of information, which tells us little about Shakespeare the man. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, allegedly on April 23, 1564. Church records from Holy Trinity Church indicate that he was baptized 2006-08-13T10:17:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-History-Production-Notes-Much-Ado-About-Nothing-31254.aspx Critique of Utopia in "Candide" by Voltaire Voltaire's satire, Candide, is a novel that critiques and creates the perfect world. Two different situations paint inaccessible images of the earth at her finest. The first Utopia visited is El Dorado, a country in the New World where all men are equal and money is worthless. Another incident of a perfect world is the final chapter of satire, where Candide is reunited with his friends. These journeys show Voltaire’s ideas of near Utopias and their characteristics. El Dorado is a magical country that Candide and his valet, Cacambo, miraculously stumble upon while floating down a dangerous river. In this perfect environment “all men are free” (pg. 46), and unlike Europe and the rest of the world, there are no jails or lawsuits, and the government provides guests with wonderful food. Young children play with the plentiful supply of quoits, or precious stones and gold, because they are mere pebbles to the citizens of the country. The two travelers encounter different characters, such as the King of El Dorado, who treats Candide and Cacambo beautifully by providing them with all they need and embracing them when they leave. They also visit the old Master of the Horse to the King who explains the history of El Dorado. The old man says that the citizens are “sheltered from the rapaciousness of the European nations” because many years ago they pledged never to quit the kingdom. This promise, as well as the great physical barriers of the country, allows the people to keep their purity, innocence, and passions for life and learning. Although El Dorado is a home of unlimited happiness, Candide is not content without his love, Cunegonde, or the remaining memories of his lost friends back home. In the final chapter of the novel our traveler finds all of his friends, and that his sins appear forgiven. After Candide and Cacambo leave El Dorado, they bring the quoits along with them in order to have a great supply of money. This section of Utopia guides them to the next, a perfect world made up of their friends and personal enjoyment. On the great voyage from Venice to Constantinople Candide finds the Baron, Cunegonde’s brother who he thought he had killed, and Pangloss, Candide’s philosopher friend who he had seen being hung. This scene displays two different aspects of the perfect world that Candide experiences. First, after 2006-08-13T10:01:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critique-of-Utopia-in-quot-Candide-quot-by-Voltaire-31252.aspx Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling I have chosen to do my novel review on my one of my favourite books to read for fun: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth book in a series of seven. You have advised us to break up the book into four sections according to chapter number, but I thought I would do a slight variation on this. I have decided to break up the novel into four simple parts – Introduction, Orientation, Plot Development and Conclusion. Since this book is written for a lower age category (although the underlying symbolism and sentence structure is more suited for a teen/adult audience), it is relatively easy to distinguish between these four parts, and they are present in all four books in the series. INTRODUCTION This part of the story encompasses the first eight or so chapters. It tells the reader about Harry’s situation – it tells us that Harry is a wizard, living in rural England. This is one of the amazing feats accomplished by the books; Rowling creates for us a universe in which wizards and muggles (non-magical people) are easily rationalized as if one was telling a two-year-old about the simple facts of life. We are told how Harry’s parents were killed by the evil Lord Voldemort when he was an infant, and how he was given to his unfeeling aunt and uncle by the wise wizard Dumbledore to be cared for at a young age. These are all things that are learnt in the first books, and I must recommend reading them before you can even consider reading The Goblet of Fire. Other things you pick up in this first section are about the magical community in which Harry exists; it is a society much like our own, it is governed by the Ministry of Magic and is completely hidden from the muggles. It explains that most English wizards go to a school called Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, and they all form a happy, Utopian society. Well, almost all of them. There is a dark side to the Harry Potter series, one that has had the book banned from some of the more ignorant school boards (in my opinion) in our country. That dark side is controlled by the one they call Lord Voldemort, 2006-08-12T16:51:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Harry-Potter-and-the-Goblet-of-Fire-by-J_-K_-Rowling-31245.aspx The Great Gatsby Plot and Character Summary The Great Gatsby is a story told by Nick Carraway, who was once Gatsby’s neighbor. Nick Carraway grew up in the Midwestern United States and went to school at Yale University. After this, he was stationed in France during World War I. Returning home after traveling a great deal, he is unhappy and decides to move to the East at the beginning of the summer of 1922, renting a broken down house in Long Island's West Egg section. He begins working in nearby New York City as a bondsman and it is here that his story begins. Jay Gatsby is a wealthy neighbor living next door in an extravagant mansion where he holds many excessive weekend parties. His name is mentioned while Nick is visiting a relative, Daisy, living in the East Egg section on the other side of Long Island with her millionaire husband, Tom Buchanan. As it turns out, Jay Gatsby had met Daisy five years before while in the military and was rejected by her due to his lack of wealth and because he had been sent so far away in Europe for the war. Daisy was attracted by Tom's riches and his distinguished family background and married him. Meanwhile Gatsby spent all of his effort after the war to buy his mansion through shady business dealings in order to be nearer to Daisy in the hope that she would leave Tom for him. Nick is chosen to be the "matchmaker" and arranges a reunion for the two at his home. Daisy is impressed by Gatsby's wealth and the two begin spending much time together, raising the suspicions of Tom who had also upset Daisy by carrying on an affair with a gas station owner's wife, Myrtle Wilson. Jay no longer holds his weekend parties since Daisy hadn't liked them and he allows her to control his actions. Nick distances himself from this mess by becoming close to Jordan Baker, a long time friend of Daisy. While in a New York City hotel room one evening in the summer with Jordan, Nick, Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby, there is a massive confrontation during which Tom exposes Gatsby's corrupt business dealings. In addition, Jay demands that Daisy tell Tom that she never loved him. Daisy doesn’t because she said it wasn’t 2006-08-12T15:29:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Plot-and-Character-Summary-31241.aspx Elements of Good and Evil in King Lear King Lear is one of the famous plays of Shakespeare. Its development of the plot, the mood and the character of Lear through the play made the audiences enjoy the play. The play cannot be successful without the contribution of the secondary characters. By looking at the development of the plot, the mood and the changes of character of Lear, it is obvious that Kent, the Fool and Cornwall play the important role in King Lear. First, Kent, the Fool, and Cornwall are important to the development of the plots of King Lear. Kent and the Fool are the great advisers on Lear's side, but Cornwall is the evil throughout the play. Kent is the consistent characters that helps Lear whether Lear is in power or powerless, mad and died, which he shows the persistent loyalty to Lear throughout the play. The fool is playing with his coxcomb and offers it to Lear and Kent. He states Lear as a fool after the love test and division of the Kingdom. When Lear is mad, the Fool is beside Lear and comforts him, and tries to persuade Lear to go indoor, "O nuncle, court holy-water in a dry house is better than this rain-water out o' door." (Acts three, scene two, line ten.) The Fool disappears after Act three because Lear has reached the bottom of his suffering, which the Fool cannot do anything about it. Cornwall is a duke in England and a husband of Regan. He gives himself up completely to corruption and courtly intrigue. He publishes the messenger, Kent, because of a servant conflict when he sees Lear is no longer in power. He insults Kent in the purpose of showing Lear that Lear is no longer in power like the past that people will not respect him like before. When Cornwall knows from Edmund that Gloucester hold a letter and he helps the king, Cornwall is so angry because he feels Gloucester betray him. Cornwall arrests Gloucester and he decides to torture Gloucester instead of hang him. "Plunk out his eyes" (Act three, Scene seven, Line five.) He decides to torture Gloucester to show that this is the result of helping Lear, and he feels Gloucester is the biggest power in England that would help Lear. Next, Kent, the fool and Cornwall are also important to the development of the mood through 2006-08-12T15:26:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Elements-of-Good-and-Evil-in-King-Lear-31239.aspx Speech Analysis of Marc Antony in Julius Caesar In Antony's funeral oration, he abides by his agreement with Brutus not to place blame on the conspirators. However, he manages to turn the mob against the conspirators. How does he do this? Use examples from the speech to support your answers. Antony uses many rhetorical tricks to persuade the people to go against the conspirators and support him and Caeser's goals. Marc Antony is a respectable man and is himself honorable, but most importantly he has mastered the art of rhetoric. Antony states in his speech that "[Brutus] Hath told you Caesar was ambitious", and then Antony retorts with "I thrice presented him [Caesar] a kingly crown which he did thrice refuse." By doing that, Antony carefully rebuts Brutus' statement that Caesar was ambitious and starts turning the crowd against the conspirators. Throughout his speech Antony continues with his pledge to the conspirators by calling them "honorable men", but the crowd feels a sense of sarcasm each time his calls them that. He then says "You [the crowd] all did love him once, not without cause. What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?" This rhetorical question goes against Brutus by questioning his speech in which he so greatly demonized and demeaned Caesar. Now the crowd is starting to turn against the conspirators and follow Antony. Antony then teases the crowd with Caesar's will, which the beg him to read, but he refuses. Antony tells the crowd to "have patience" and expresses his feeling that he will "wrong the honorable men whose daggers have stabbed Caesar" if he is to read the will. The crowd yells out "they were traitors. 'Honorable men" and have at this time completely turned against the conspirators and are inflamed about Caeser's death. To refute Brutus' claim that Caesar was a heartless tyrant Antony recounts "how dearly he [Caesar] loved him [Brutus]. Next, Antony humbles himself as "no orator, as Brutus is" hinting that Brutus used trickery in his speech to deceive the crowd. After that Antony deals his final blow by revealing to the crowd Caeser's will, in which "To every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man seventy-five drachmas" as well as land. He then asks the crowd, "Here was a Caesar, when comes such another?" , which questions the conspirators ability to lead. Finally, Antony releases the crowd and utters, "Now let 2006-08-12T14:46:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Speech-Analysis-of-Marc-Antony-in-Julius-Caesar-31233.aspx Analysis and Review of "Anne of Avonlea" by L.M. Montgomery The narrator of this book is the author. I can tell that the narrator of this book is the author because the book says what Anne is thinking. The narrator is telling the story in third person form. The setting of the story changes in about every chapter. In most of the chapters the main setting is in Carmondy, Avonlea. The setting in the story changes because there is a different conflict in every chapter. The main characters in the story are Anne Shirley, Mr. Harrison, Marilla Cuthbert, Mrs. Lynde, Diana Barry, Gilbert Blythe, Paul Irving, Davey, and Dora. The other characters are Anthony Pye, Morley Andrews, Mrs. Donnell, and Jane Andrews. Anne Shirley is one of the main characters in the story. She is a teacher in Avonlea and lives with Marilla Cuthbert. Anne is also a member of the A.V.I.S., the A.V.I.S. is the Avonlea Village Improvement Society. Mr. Harrison is Anne’s new neighbor. He is the gossip of all the town. Mr. Harrison lives by himself with his parrot named Ginger. Marilla Cuthbert is Anne’s so-called aunt. She owns a store and is very strict on Anne. Mrs. Rachel Lynde is the town gossip carrier. Mrs. Lynde is always the first to hear and to spread the town’s gossip. Diana Barry and Gilbert Blythe are both teachers in White Sand. They are both members if A.V.I.S. and help Anne on her projects. Paul Irving is a new child in Avonlea. He loves Anne like a sister and shares everything with her. Davey and Dora are the twins that Marilla adopted because their mother died. Davey is the mischievous twin that is always getting in trouble and not behaving like a gentleman. Dora is quiet and extremely polite. She is always the victim of Davey’s tricks. The conflict in the story varies on the chapter. The character that is in every conflict is Anne. Anne always seems to find the resolution to every conflict that crosses her. Most of the conflicts are external conflicts that include Anne. I have explained every conflict in my summaries. The story is based on Anne Shirley being grown up. Anne has moved from Green Gables to Avonlea to teach. Marilla said since 2006-08-10T13:04:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-and-Review-of-quot-Anne-of-Avonlea-quot-by-L_M_-M-31207.aspx Discussing Similarities In Four Works by Hawthorne The old Doctor Heidegger invites four of his respected friends, Mr. Medbourne, Colonel Killigrew, Mr. Gascoigne, and the Widow Wycherly, to his study. Each person in attendance has had the misfortune to see his life and wealth wasted and lives past his time. The three men are all former lovers of the Widow Wycherly. Once the five acquaintances are seated in the doctor’s study, Heidegger tells the group why he asked them to meet at his home. Heidegger wants to use the four people in one of his infamous experiments he performs to amuse himself. They watch Heidegger as he crosses the room and returns with a leather-bound folio. Inside the papers is a withered rose, close to becoming dust. Dr. Heidegger points to a portrait of a woman hanging in the room and explains the rose came from the woman on the eve of their wedding day fifty-five years ago. He then asks if it is possible if the rose will ever bloom again. The unanimous answer is no. The doctor places the rose into a vase of fluid. “The crushed and dried petals stirred, and assumed a deepened tinge of crimson, as if the flower were reviving from a death-like slumber” (Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment 3). A faint curiosity is sparked among the guests. Heidegger explains he received a vase containing fluid from the Fountain of Youth and wants only to watch the progress of the experiment. The four elderly individuals agree to drink the bubbly beverage to see if their youth will be restored. After finishing their drinks, the men and Wycherly see an immediate change in the appearance of one another. No longer feeling like old, miserable creatures, they cry out, “give us more of this wondrous water. We are younger, -but we are still too old!” (“Dr.’s Heidegger’s Experiment” 5). The men witness a great transformation of the once tired, decrepit widow into a captivating young woman. She runs to a mirror to stare at her own picture. The three men act as if they are drunk. Again, the party asks for and receives another round of drinks from the observing doctor. Following their third drinks, Medbourne, Killigrew, the Widow Wycherly, and Gascoigne are youngsters filled with cheerfulness as they make fun of the 2006-08-09T15:48:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Discussing-Similarities-In-Four-Works-by-Hawthorne-31206.aspx Critical Analysis of Selige Sehnsucht Although it is virtually impossible to determine the exact intended meaning behind Johann Wolfgang von Goethe words in Selige Sehnsucht, published in 1806, attempting to interpret them provides an avenue for critical thinking as well as opens up a vast number of possibilities for interpretation, a number only as finite as the number of readers and their dispositions as they read this poem. Like many classic poems, Goethe’s Selige Sehnsucht is rich with symbolism and imagery, both of which contribute to the central metaphor and meaning of the poem. The structure of the poem is not drastically different from many others. In terms of mechanics, Selige Sehnsucht is a poem containing five stanzas, each of which has four verses. The syllabification per line is eight syllables and the rhyming scheme is 'ABAB', where the first and third lines as well as the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme. The content of the poem is related in separate phases. The first stanza acts as an introduction. The poem begins: 'Sagt es niemand nur den Weisen/ Weil die Menge gleich verhöhet'. This gives the impression that the following observation is not of conventional thinking, since the masses, especially and most likely the elders and respected members of society of the contemporary time will mock it. He goes on to say that he praises the creature that yearns for fiery death, the moth. In the second, third and fourth stanzas, Goethe describes the moth’s instinctive yearning to procreate, as well as its uncontrollable attraction to light especially to the flame of the candle. Whether the moth knows it or not, it is captivated by light and heat, and has a need to procreate, both of which are out of its control. This captivation, however attractive it may seem will eventually overcome it and will lead it to its death. ‘In der Liebesnächte Kühlung/ Die dich zeugte, wo du zeugtest/ Überfällt dich fremde Fühlung’. These verses can be interpreted as follows: As long as the moth has existed and exists this innate desire for it to 'beget' will exist, along with its attraction to the flame. Not only will that desire exist during this particular moth's life, but also it existed before the moth, namely, its ancestors, and it will exist in its descendants. Finally, the moth 2006-08-09T13:30:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Selige-Sehnsucht-31200.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Ramayana" Ramayana is a story that weaves a web of adventure, mysticism, love, family, and Hindu philosophy. Although written thousands of years ago, much of its teachings are still relevant today, in our ever-changing lives. These moral elements are presented through the many difficult choices that challenge the story’s characters. These choices, or dilemmas if you will, put into question a character’s virtues by, to put it simply, giving that character two options. One option being the correct choice while the other is not. It is the choices made that are fundamental in developing the story as well as its characters. This paper shall analyze the crucial scene of the “Golden Deer”. This scene is the crisis point of the story. It is during this event that several, very influential decisions are made by main characters. It is these judgments that effectively shape the remainder of the myth. In order to better examine this pivotal moment, three characters (Rama, Lakshmana, Sita) and their choices shall be carefully scrutinized. This shall be accomplished through evaluating their actions, decisions, and repercussions in a contextual manner, as well as how it applies to our everyday lives. It shall become quite apparent that if the right actions had been taken at three specific moments, then Sita would never have been captured. The scene begins with Mareecha posing as a Golden Deer in front of Rama’s cottage, in order to draw Sita out. It is said that his brilliance was so marvelous that other deer surrounded him, thus drawing even more attention and concretely grabbing Sita’s gaze. The following excerpt is what she has to say to Rama about the deer: “There is an animal at our gate with a body of shining gold, and its legs are set with precious stones. It’s a dazzling creature. Please catch it for me” (The Ramayana, p96-7). It does not dawn on her, that such a glorious creature should be left in the wild so that other people, even other animals, as it was with the authentic deer, could enjoy its beauty. Instead she chooses a selfish response, and thus begins her demise. Rama makes the next choice. He has the option of either pleasing his wife and capturing the deer or seeing 2006-08-09T13:28:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Ramayana-quot-31198.aspx Critical Analysis of Pride And Prejudice When crafting a piece of art, the creator must go through the long and strenuous process of molding his or her artwork to form a masterpiece; writers struggle with creating the perfect plot for a novel while musical composers tirelessly try to put together a random assortment of notes to concoct one well-balanced sound. Although the most difficult part of creating a masterpiece is the actual process of writing or composing it, one highly overlooked difficulty of the job of the creator is the development of a suitable title. In just a few words, an effective title gives the audience a basic idea of what they are about to get involved with. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is an example of a novel with such a title that is very significant in the development of the story. As the reader proceeds through the book, the significance of the title becomes more obvious. Using only three words, Austen is able to tie together the main components of the novel, such as character descriptions and a basic plot summary. The title Pride and Prejudice is effective in narrowing down all words used to describe any of the characters to two traits. Pride and Prejudice is such an appropriate title because a majority of the characters display pride, prejudice, or both. Early in the novel, the character Mary Bennet gives Jane Austen’s explanation of pride when she says, “Pride…is a very common failing…human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other”(19). What Austen is saying is that pride is a feeling of self-respect, sometimes reasonable or justified; although pride can be justified, she gives it an overall negative connotation when she refers to it is a “failing” or fault. Her definition of pride is displayed constantly throughout the book in the nature of her characters. The most obviously proud character is Mr. Darcy, who, understandably, shows pride in his high status in society. Although it is reasonable that he is proud of his wealth, he verifies the truth in Austen’s negative connotation of pride by looking down upon others. If Mr. Darcy had not used his pride in condescending others, he would have been more 2006-08-09T12:38:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Pride-And-Prejudice-31195.aspx Analysis and Interpretation of "Timeline" I. Crichton, Michael, “Timeline”, New York: Ballantine, 2000. (498 pages). II. The main characters are digging at a historic site. Their professor lives with some people. Later, they find a note written by the professor, but it was written a long time ago. They discover that a research group has invented a time machine. They go back in time to save their professor. They meet up with people from this medieval time. They are forced to fight in a battle to save their professor. One of the characters decides to stay in that time period. Meanwhile, back in the present, the time machine breaks and must be repaired in time for the others to get back. Marek stays behind and the others get back safely. III. The main characters are Marek, Kate, Chris, Johnson, and Stern. Marek is a strong middle-aged man, about 30. He is an archeologist and is deep in his studies of medieval time’s warfare. He is tall with dark brown hair, and he cares about his friends. Kate is also an archeologist. She likes Chris and is very interested in in the structure of the old castles and buildings. Chris is a young man, about 25, who likes Kate and is jealous of Marek. He is a good guy and does not know as much as everybody else. Johnson is an old professor. He is the leader of the archeologist, and knows everything about it all (so he thinks). Stern is also and archeologist. He is kind of a coward but is very smart and can think on his feet. Also, the princess of the castle is a main character. Julie thinks that the way things are going, in the past, is wrong. She is very pretty and falls in love with Marek. All of these characters are revealed directly. Ferdan is a strange fellow. He is a little older than Marek and almost as smart as warfare. He is evil and tries to make the group stay and not rescue their professor. His attitude and background are presented in directly. IV. The most intense part of the story for me was when they were on their way back to the present day, and did 2006-08-09T12:37:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-and-Interpretation-of-quot-Timeline-quot-31194.aspx Review of "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" Recently, we read the book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, by John Gray, Ph.D. This informative book explained how to improve communication and to get what you want in relationships. The book focuses on understanding the differences between men and women, and learning how to use the information to change your relationships permanently. “Once upon a time Martians and Venusians met, fell in love, and had happy relationships together because they respected and accepted their differences. Then they came to Earth and amnesia set in: They forgot they were from different planets.” Dr. Gray uses this metaphor to explain the conflicts that commonly occur between men and women. In his book, he teaches how to avoid the problems caused by the differences that come between the sexes, and shows how we can all achieve fulfilling, loving relationships. Two of the main topics are how men and women deal with stress, and how men and women speak different languages. How men and women deal with stress is a very important factor in relationships. Dr. Gray believes that men become withdrawn and very focused, while women become overwhelmed and very emotionally involved. Men don’t burden others with their problems, instead, they feel that they should solve them alone. They are capable of losing their awareness of everything and everyone around them and become distant, unresponsive, and forgetful. Although women resent this, they must try to have patience. On the other hand, for women, sharing problems with others is a sign of trust. They can openly share their feelings of frustration and hopelessness. Women are not looking for immediate solutions, but want to be understood. When women talk about problems, men feel that they are being held responsible. Instead of trying to offer explanations or solutions, he should listen to understand. Gray says that because men and women can learn to respect and understand each other’s different ways of dealing with stress, there is an opening for a greater understanding in their relationships with each other. Without placing blame on each other, they cope differently with their problems. If done correctly, there will be peace between the sexes. The next important point mentioned is how men and women speak different languages. The languages that men and women use have the same words but different and often confusing meanings. Women speak in metaphors and 2006-08-09T12:24:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Review-of-quot-Men-are-from-Mars,-Women-are-from-Venus-quot-31188.aspx Character Analysis of Brutus in The Tragedy of Julius Ceasar “Et tu Brute?” Caesar’s simple statement sums up Brutus’ round character in the development of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Brutus was thought no threat and an ingenious right-hand man due to his nobility and his loyalty; however, these qualities are precisely why the story is such a catastrophe. What stemmed from these traits is the last expected outcome. Caesar’s surprise was so immense, he could only mutter these last few words. Brutus’ honorable nobility, his loyal patriotism, and his naïve and idealistic manner outline Shakespeare’s tragic hero. Honor is an underlying foundation of Brutus and can be clearly seen during the play’s dramatic speeches. Brutus himself makes his honor apparent in his orations. After the assassination of Caesar and during the funeral speech, Brutus asks the people of Rome, “Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him I have offended” (act III, sc ii, ln 29-32). This in Brutus proves he is noble as he cares and protects the welfare of the people and Rome as a whole. He is torn between his sense of duty with Rome and his friendship with Caesar. In the end; however, he must rationalize his actions to save face and conform to both sides of his conflict. Furthermore, Brutus tries to prove his nobility to virtually everyone. When Brutus utters his last words, he tells Caesar his intentions, “I killed thee with half so good a will” (act V, sc v, ln 50-51). His honor is always persistent and never fails to prevail at even the most taxing and awkward situation. Brutus considers his honor in every aspect and choice in his life and often rules over his own accord. Accordingly, many people, including his enemies, were very much aware of his honor. When he witnesses Brutus’ dead body at the battleground of Philipi, Antony states he is the “noblest Roman of them all” and “all the conspirators save only he, did that they did in envy of great Caesar; he, only in a general honest…” (act V, sc v, ln 68-71). Brutus’ honor is so strong and visible even his enemies witnessed his astonishing nobility. Antony knows Brutus would only do such an act with true vindication, although the other conspirators, while still noble, would not hold true to the high standard Brutus’ created. Brutus’ 2006-08-08T15:05:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Brutus-in-The-Tragedy-of-Julius-Ceasar-31177.aspx Marriage And Romantic Love in "The Princess Of Cleves" There is a popular song that goes something like “love and marriage, love and marriage, goes together like a horse and carriage,...but not in this time period or in this play. In this play, marriages were arranged to protect family titles and wealth, to provide heirs and to forge unions between powerful families. To maintain the proper levels of class, both men and women usually always married amongst their peers, or at least, that is the way it was suppose to be. Mademoiselle de Chartres was no exception within her marriage choices. Or I should say her mother’s choices for a husband to her. The Prince of Cleves was chosen for the Princess by Madame de Chartres on the basis of social standing and political alliances within the court of Henri II of France. The Princess agreed that the Prince was a worthy man, "but that she was not particularly attracted by his person". It was Madame de Chartres, not the Princess, who accepted the marriage proposal from the Prince. "She felt no qualms; it never even occurred to her that she was perhaps giving her daughter to somebody whom she could not love.” Mademoiselle de Chartres did not love her husband. That was okay and acceptable to mom. It was the love of the man that was preached and the propriety of the woman that Mademoiselle was raised with. It seemed to me that “mom” did not truly believe that her daughter was intelligent enough to understand what true romantic love was, that she was to see everything as what was meant to be for her own good in the arrangement of a husband and that if not told, would never know or feel true love. On the other hand, Monsieur Cleves was in a position where love mattered to him, but his love for her, not her love for him. Although he was bothered by the prospect of her not loving him, he married anyway. He knew of and used the importance of propriety. This was maintained throughout their marriage. The dilemma between duty to her husband and love for Nemours is what this story is all about. The love that had never been felt and now was, the duty to a husband that put her in the position of court 2006-08-08T15:03:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marriage-And-Romantic-Love-in-quot-The-Princess-Of-Cleves-q-31176.aspx References of Paganism to Christianity in English Literature Great Britain has thousands of years of history. The first known inhabitants were the ancient Celts. Although they did not have a written language much is known about their culture. Celtic society had several classes which included, aristocrats; common people; and an educated class of lawyers, poets and priests. Most of the Celts lived in small rural settlements, raising crops and livestock. Tradition says that in 449 A.D. the first band of people from the great North German plain crossed the North Sea to Britain. These were the Jutes; the first of many Germanic invaders. After the Jutes came the Anglo-Saxons. Even though the Celts were no match for the invaders, they put up a fight. "The legendary King Authur may have been the leader of the Celtic people who were driven into Wales. The Anglo-Saxons had a written language; the first known manuscript in their language is Beowulf. Beowulf is a good illustration of the mixing of long held Pagan beliefs and traditions with the new Christian faith. The Anglo-Saxons were a more war-like tribe than the Celts, but their society was still well developed, "branching out from family to clan and tribe then to their kingdom." The Anglo-Saxons had great loyalty towards their chosen leaders. "They also liked to hold meetings where people could openly express what they thought and felt." Besides tremendous loyalty to their leaders, the Anglo-Saxons also had an Heroic Idea. They admired, "men of outstanding courage and strength." Beowulf fills this outline of the Heroic Idea quite well because he was extremely strong and courageous. The Anglo-Saxons felt that, "Loyalty to the leaders and the tribe,… as well as fierce personal valor were necessary for the survival of all." "The ruler was to be generous to those who were loyal, therefore the followers in return would remain loyal." An example of this is illustrated in Beowulf when Hrothgar has a mead hall built , called Herot Hall, to reward his people. The Anglo-Saxons also had an acceptance of death. Their attitude towards death was not to fear death but rather that it is going to happen to everyone. This acceptance was because, "Everyone was aware of the shortness of life and the passing away of all 2006-08-08T10:05:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/References-of-Paganism-to-Christianity-in-English-Literature-31172.aspx Symbolism and Allegory in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird by Cleopatra Margaritopoulou "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."(96) The above words are what Atticus Finch tells his children after they are given air-rifles for Christmas. In fact, the title of the classic novel by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, was taken from this passage. At first glance, one may wonder why Harper Lee decided to name her book after what seems to be a rather insignificant excerpt. After careful study, however, one begins to see that this is just another example of symbolism in the novel. Harper Lee uses symbolism extensively throughout this story, and much of it refers to the problems of racism in the South during the early twentieth century. Harper Lee's effective use of racial symbolism and allegory can be seen by studying various examples from the book, namely the actions of the children, of the racist whites, and of Atticus Finch. One of the more effective allegories in the novel is the building of a snowman by Jem and Scout. There was not enough snow to make a snowman entirely out of snow, so Jem made a foundation out of dirt and then covered it with what snow they had. If the snowman was made completely out of snow, Jem's action would not be so significant. Scout is very surprised when she sees the brown snowman and she exclaims: "Jem, I ain't never heard of a nigger snowman." (72), and to this Jem replies: "He won't be black long." (72). Scout's words indicate the strange nature of the snowman which is half-black, half-white. Jem, however did not find it peculiar and he "scooped up some snow and began plastering it on". Gradually Mr. Avery turned white? (73). The symbol of the snowman, like every other symbol in literature, may have various interpretations depending on the reading of the individual. In the specific case the snowman can be seen in two ways. Firstly, this alteration from black to white can be considered as a merging of the two races into one, without any differences between them to separate them, an equality of black and white people. The change of colour (black to white) suggests the 2006-08-07T20:56:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-and-Allegory-in-Harper-Lee-s-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-31147.aspx The Nature of Revenge in the Scarlet Letter Hawthorne’s masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter, has been interpreted and studied since it was first published in 1850. There is much conjecture on Hawthorne’s intended meaning; both literally and allegorically. However, most critics support the theme of adultery in this work. Many critics also agree with the themes of revenge and guilt. Johnston believes the gist of this novel concerns the “consequences of breaking the moral code...and failing to be true to human nature” (Johnston 2). She suggests that revenge and hypocrisy are also significant elements in The Scarlet Letter and that it encompasses “a person’s attempt to see his or her artistic side survive in a community that disapproves of the use of the imagination” (Johnston 2). The word adultery is never spelled out in the novel. Thus, the letter A could represent avenger as well as adulterer (Johnston 17). Gartner believes that Hawthorne has rewritten the Book of Esther and convincingly draws parallels between the two works (Gartner 131). Similar to Johnston’s view, another critic compares Hawthorne to Hester and attributes to Hawthorne the belief “that artists can prevail over the oppression shown them by other people in his book ‘The Scarlet Letter’” (Egan 26). Another critic asks, “Is the main theme the effects of hidden as contrasted with open guilt?” (Waggoner 127). He also ponders: ...Why is this novel which leans so heavily on statement so ambiguous?...He is in fact letting his images do most of the work for him, even while he reserves the right to comment abstractly on them, and in later chapters, on the rare but significant actions (Waggoner 127). Male, another scholar, deduces: The critic faces two major difficulties in discussing the book. Its plot is so lucid that almost every reader thinks he already knows what The Scarlet Letter is about. Thus what see to be the most obvious symbols- Pearl, Roger Chillingworth, the letter itself- are actually the most often misunderstood (Male 93). Male believes the novel is about man’s “search for truth” and “the consequences of sin” (Male 93). Close scrutiny of the action in The Scarlet Letter divulges a theme of revenge with the three main characters acting as avengers. Though Chillingworth is 2006-08-07T17:39:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Nature-of-Revenge-in-the-Scarlet-Letter-31142.aspx Historical Framework of The Story of an Hour Mrs. Mallard’s heart attack was caused for the fear to return to a tormented live so she freed herself in death, although the doctors diagnosed that “she died of a heart disease-of joy that kills. She received an impact after believing her husband dead and later seeing him alive; but the cause of her heart attack was not for the joy to seeing him as it might be interpreted. In order to understand her conflict, the different states of emotions she went through after her husband’s death and the cause of her death; we must take in consideration the times this story was written as the lack of freedom for women in her times and to analyze her marriage with the hints we gathered from her story. The Story of an Hour was written in the early 19th Centuries, when women were denied of equal rights. Women were allowed only limited roles in society. Many people beliefs that women natural roles were as mothers and housewives, as well as they were intellectually inferior to men. Their education was limited to domestic skills, as well as trained to serve, submit and obey their husbands. The lack of education would enable them to challenge this social order, so they would accept their inferior status as their only option. Most marriages were arranged on convenience, and in some cases the age gap between them and their husband was abysmal. People did not marry for love so much as for the convenience of the families concerned; all marriages were in this sense "arranged”. Divorce or annulment, when they rarely occurred, took place at the pleasure of the husband, the wife having no recourse in the face of her husband's indifference, infidelity, or brutality. Mrs. Mallard was a smart and strong lady for her times, although she was considered as fragile for her sickness. She had the strength to deal with her husband’s death alone in her room, “She would not allow no one to follow her” and the “ability to accept its significance”. She “was young, with fair and calm face, whose lines of bespoken repression and even a certain strength”; it shows a woman in her late thirties or mid forties, with repressed intelligent thoughts and resigned to her destiny. She was emotional, as “she wept, sudden and with abandonment” after knowing of her 2006-08-07T16:45:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Historical-Framework-of-The-Story-of-an-Hour-31140.aspx Characterization in John Galsworthy’s “Japanese Quince” John Galsworthy’s “Japanese Quince” (reprinted in Derrine’s Story and Structure, 2nd Ed. [Dallas: Harcourt 1966] p. 80 – 81) focuses on the chance encounter of Mr. Nilson and Mr. Tandram, who are long-time neighbours, but who have not, as yet, met. As the story unfolds, we see that they are portrayed as near “mirror images”. Indeed, it is through their similarities in appearance, situation and actions that much of Mr. Nilson’s character is revealed. Mr. Nilson has “firm, well-coloured cheeks, neat brown moustaches, and well opened clear grey eyes”. One can assume from this that he was a well-groomed man that took grave care in his good health. Maintaining one’s health usually requires dedication to a routine, so Mr. Nilson must have also been a man of routine. His attire would lead one to believe that he was a proper man. Sharply dressed in a “black frock coat”/ carrying “his morning paper clasped behind him”. Residing in Campden Hill, London, one can consider Mr. Nilson to be a wealthy and important man. Supporting evidence of his wealth is that he declined down “the scrolled iron steps”. Mr. Nilson was married therefore his social circle would have consisted of other married couples. An admiration for a tree also gave clues into Mr. Nilson’s character. He seemed to appreciate such beauty, which hints although he was considered wealthy and important he was not a vain man. Walking along in the gardens Mr. Nilson stops to admire a Japanese Quince Tree showing his appreciation for beauty, when to his surprise he noticed his neighbour (a mirror image) Mr. Tandram admiring the same tree. “Rather taken aback, Mr. Nilson ceased to smile”, suggesting he may have felt uncomfortable not knowing “as to his proper conduct”. Mr. Nilson manages to murmur out a good morning accordingly thus showing his well mannerism. A conversation develops between the two men as they share an interest in the tree and nature itself. The conversation reaches an awkward level as it becomes too personal for either man. “Mr. Nilson drop[s] his eyes” as if to say he feels foolish. The conversation abruptly ends, and Mr. Nilson descended on his way home slowly to avoid any further confrontation with Mr. Tandram. As Mr Nilson ascended his steps, he stops to admire the tree one last time. In this stillness Mr. Nilson seems to reflect on the friendship that 2006-08-07T16:41:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Characterization-in-John-Galsworthy’s-“Japanese-Quince”-31138.aspx The Role of Deception in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight People do not like to be deceived. A person does not come home excited because at work today they were lied to, or tricked. Even though people despise being deceived it is something that happens to everyone at some point in their life. The story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight illustrates this point wonderfully. Any person can be deceived. People from all walks of life have fallen in one form or another. Sir Gawain was an honorable man. He was brave, well-known, and highly esteemed among his peers. Sir Gawain was a man’s man, but despite his fine attributes he still fall’s face first into the trap of deception. The primary form of deception for Sir Gawain comes in the form of the Green Knights’ wife. She is a beautiful lady who has a desire for Sir Gawain. The first day of the “game” between Sir Gawain and the lord of the castle is now underway. The lord and his men kill several deer over the course of the day. Sir Gawain on the other hand is busy trying to ward off the sexual advances of the lord’s wife. Sir Gawain is successful warding off the sexual advances, but does not escape without giving the lady a kiss. When Sir Gawain and the lord exchange gifts, Gawain does not tell him from whom the kiss came. Day two ends with the lord bringing back a vicious bear for Gawain. Gawain however gives him two kisses because that is what he had done during the course of the day. The third day the lord leaves to pursue a fox as his wife enters the bedchamber of Sir Gawain for a third time. This time she is adorned in a revealing gown. She offers to give him a ring, but he refuses. He does, however, accept a green girdle from the woman as well as a third kiss. The green girdle is supposed to have magical healing properties that will restore health. He later confesses his sin to the priest and has a hard time sleeping in deep thought of the next day’s events. After traveling to a dark place Sir Gawain is finally reunited with the Green Knight. The Green Knight slightly cuts the 2006-08-07T12:25:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Role-of-Deception-in-Sir-Gawain-and-the-Green-Knight-31125.aspx Female Relationships, Homo-emotional Desire in The Bell Jar In Sylvia Plath’s novel The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood seems incapable of healthy relationships with other women. She is trapped in a patriarchal society with rigid expectations of womanhood. The cost of transgressing social norms is isolation, institutionalization and a loss identity as woman. The struggle for an individual identity under this regime is enough to drive a person to the verge of suicide. Given the oppressive system under which she must operate, Esther Greenwood’s problems with women stem from her conflict between individuality and conformity. In formulating my topic, I have relied on Adrienne Rich’s book Of Woman Born, as well as Cathy Griggers’ essay "Lesbian Bodies in the Age of (Post)mechanical Reproduction." Rich discusses the cultural institutionalization of motherhood, while Griggers brings a Feminist and Marxist perspective to the topic of lesbian body image in a capitalist, market-driven society. Both consider the effects of patriarchy and heterosexism in their treatment of the experience of lesbians in society. I found these texts to be very helpful in offering an explanation of Esther’s harsh negative reaction to Joan, as well as in illustrating the anxieties of women in an androcentric, heterocentric, and conformist society. Esther’s fundamental problem with female relationships is best exemplified in her conflict with mothering and mentoring figures. These women defy her desire to be independent and free. Rich describes the tendency toward matrophobia, the fear of becoming one’s mother. She explains that "the mother stands for the victim in ourselves, the unfree woman" (236). This fear of becoming like the mother/mentor figure at the expense of the self is expressed as Esther agonizes over the women in her life: Why did I attract these weird old women? There was the famous poet, and Philomena Guinea, and Jay Cee, and the Christian Scientist lady and lord knows who, and they all wanted to adopt me in some way, and, for the price of their care and influence, have me resemble them (180). Early in the novel, Esther expresses her dissatisfaction with the nature of mentoring, observing that "all the old ladies I ever knew wanted to teach me something, but I suddenly didn’t think they had anything to teache" (5). Added to the list of problematic mentors and mothers could be Mrs. Willard, with all of her negative associations as potential mother-in-law. She, like those mentioned specifically by Esther, represent conformity to others’ expectations. Esther’s 2006-08-07T12:17:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Female-Relationships,-Homo-emotional-Desire-in-The-Bell-Jar-31122.aspx Analysis of "Friday Nigth Lights" by H.G. Bissinger The book Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissinger, is a great book about high school football in Texas in the 1980’s. The book is based on a true story and it is amazing to see how different life was for many teenagers in Texas. In the town of Odessa, Texas, is Permian High School, one of the best high school football teams in the country. The Permian Panthers are a team that is expected to win just about every time they step on the field. They have great tradition and great fans that support them every Friday night. Sometimes as many as 15,000 fans will come to watch a Permian football game. They will sit outside for days before the game to get tickets. The Permian Panthers make it to the playoffs almost every year and they have won the state championship four times. The team and the town’s goal every year is to win a state championship and if they fall short of that goal, most people feel as if the whole year was wasted. The coach of Permian, Coach Gaines, is put under tremendous pressure to win a championship. He lost a few games during the season and Permian was in danger of not making the playoffs. He came home after one of the losses to find seven “for sale” signs up in his front yard. The town didn’t care about what this did to Coach Gaines or how bad it made his wife feel, all the town of Odessa cared about was winning. When the kids were really young, they were usually taught by their parents how important playing football for Permian is. Many of the parents were players for Permian years before and understood the importance of it. Football games on Friday nights brought the whole town together to root for their team. They all cheered for the boys and they knew most of them personally. Almost every Permian fan had a program book of all the players on the team that was 224 pages long. It was great to see so many people come together to support the kids of their town and to cheer them on, but the fans of Permian football were obsessed with winning. Nothing else really 2006-08-07T08:32:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Friday-Nigth-Lights-quot-by-H_G_-Bissinge-31115.aspx Comparing "A Rose for Emily" and "Frankenstein" Both of the stories that will be compared in this paper, William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, are very demented novels that contain central premises very estranged to most readers. Though Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” is a short story, the depth and description contained inside its brief text give it the ability to be compared to a novel such as Frankenstein; primarily it’s ability to explain the factors relating to Miss Emily’s obsession for keeping her loved ones around after they have deceased. Similarly, in Shelley’s Frankenstein, the evil and murderous nature of the beast created by Victor Frankenstein is well described in many angles and shows the prevalent need for the monster to make Victors life as unbearable and lonely as his has been since his creation and immediate expulsion by Victor. So throughout this paper I plan to show the similarities in description and style of writing of these two pieces of literature, even though they differ in length so greatly. Both plots contain elements that shock and amaze the reader by introducing them to ideas not normally seen in most novels. The dark nature in both stories can be startling, but are the central components and are used to make for a more interesting and intriguing story for the reader. Though a horror story is more common in this day and age, a story to the effect of Frankenstein was unheard of in 1818 when the book was written. Both novels have a powerful effect on the mind and imagination of the reader. In Frankenstein before the creation Shelley says, “Who shall conceive the horrors of my secret toil as I dabbled among the unhallowed damps of the grave or tortured the living animal to animate the lifeless clay?”(p. 53) This line shows great explanation and detail while leaving so much to the readers imagination. Faulkner does much the same thing in “A Rose for Emily”, saying, “What was left of him, rotted beneath what was left of the nightshirt, had become inextricable from the bed in which he lay; and upon him and upon the pillow beside him lay that even coating of the patient and biding dust.”(p. 247) Both of these quotes show the dark nature and description of the cryptic images while leaving much 2006-08-07T08:29:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-quot-A-Rose-for-Emily-quot-and-quot-Frankenstei-31114.aspx Character Analysis of Tom Buchanan from the Great Gatsby Out of the five main characters in the Great Gatsby, I disliked Tom Buchanan the most ( however his wife Daisy was a close second). He just didn't seem like he was a nice person, and he also seemed extremely self-absorbed. I don't believe that he and I would choose the same values that we would consider important in guiding our lives. One of Tom's important values is wealth. He was very rich and thought that it made him superior to other people. He enjoys showing off his possessions, " I've got a nice place here. It belonged to the Demaine oil man" (Great Gatsby, 12). In this case, Tom is showing Nick his house and obviously thinks that because it belonged to the Demaine oil man that it makes it a little more important. Tom thinks that poor people are inferior to him and he is quite the snob. He is from old money and often refers to the newly rich as " bootleggers", people who distributed alcohol during prohibition. Tom doesn't think much of Gatsby , and claims that he pegged him as a bootlegger the moment he saw him. When Daisy tells Tom that she is leaving him for Gatsby he says, " She's not leaving me! Certainly not for a common swindler who'd have to steal the ring to put on her finger!" ( 140). Later, Tom even sends Daisy home with Gatsby , adding that his presumptuous flirtation was over. Power and control over people is something that Tom considers important in guiding his life. Throughout the novel he has shown, time and time again that he is the type of person who likes to control others and what they do. Sometimes he is nothing more than a bully and other times he is just cruel. He often talks to George Wilson, his mistress' husband about selling him his car, which he never actually intends to do. He is simply toying with the man, but becomes angry when Wilson tries to talk to him about it: " Very well then , I won't sell you the car at all... I'm under no obligations to you at all...And as for your bothering me about it at lunch time I won't stand for that at all!" (122). Tom was being extremely cruel at that moment because Wilson needed the 2006-08-07T08:24:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Tom-Buchanan-from-the-Great-Gatsby-31111.aspx Examination of Fantasy in "The Tempest" Throughout Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” fantasy does more than reality in curbing character’s decisions. Nearly all realities change following the story's climax due to fantasy replacing reality. The love between Ferdinand and Miranda is the only relationship in the work not totally reliant upon magic for its existence. Prospero’s fake tempest begins the story not only textually, but also chronologically. The rest of the story flows from this one act of magic. This storm allows for the circumstantial positioning of the characters so that Prospero may have his way with them. While Prospero purposefully separates the stranded men into preconceived groups, reality still has its way through Miranda and Ferdinand’s intense love-at-first-sight. There is no evidence pointing to Prospero’s knowing beforehand that Ferdinand and Miranda would fall in love. The most pressing issue on Prospero’s agenda is his reinstatement as the Duke of Milan. To achieve this end, he takes advantage of perfect circumstances and uses magic to convolute reality beyond his initial fantastic storm. By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune (Now, my dear lady) hath mine enemies Brought to this shore; and by my prescience I find my zenith doth depend upon A most auspicious star, whose influence If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes Will ever after droop. (I.2 178-184) Through an unnatural apparition, he uses his sorcery to drive his foes, (Antonio, Sebastian and Alonso), to madness, as explained by one of King Alonso’s trusted advisors. All three of them are desperate: their great guilt, Like poison given to work a great time after, Now ‘gins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you, That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly And hinder them from what this ecstasy May now provoke them to. (IV.1 105-109) Once Prospero eventually releases them from this horrible trance, they all become repentant for their crimes against him, and he willingly forgives them. King Alonso then reestablishes him as the Duke of Milan. Thy dukedom I resign and do entreat Thou pardon me my wrongs. (V.1 118-119) Sorcery is not the only magic used in the work. A drunken Stephano accidentally stumbles upon his ability to use alcohol as a means to be a god. Stephano and Trinculo use the washed-up barrel of sherry as a means to cast their own type of spell over Caliban. Under a drunken daze, Stephano moves to 2006-08-07T08:08:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examination-of-Fantasy-in-The-Tempest-31102.aspx The Struggle to Survive in "Night" by Elie Wiesel Life is defined as human existence, relationships, or activities in general. When life is taken from a person their outlook on life becomes skewed. Having a positive on life creates joy in many people’s lives. When an outside force comes along and alters someone’s life, his or her attitude is going to change drastically. When someone is forced to go against his or her normal state of life, a negative mind-set is most likely going to be portrayed through that person’s actions. In Elie Wiesel’s novel, Night, a pessimistic disposition is shown towards liberty, life, and faith. One of the most important rights as a human being is the ability to live freely. Liberty gives people the right to go about living their life the way they choose and enjoy. When someone takes another’s freedom, they are taking away all they have worked and strived for. In reality, their lives are being taken away and controlled by another individual. Therefore they will display a pessimistic attitude towards liberty, and such is the case with the Jews were being held captive in the concentration camps. At Gleiwitz, the Jews are held captive for three nights without any food or water, and they are also not allowed to leave the barracks. Consequently, there is a very negative disposition on the reality of freedom. To them, freedom did not exist at the time. Elie recalls this moment, “The front was following us. We could hear new gun shots again, very close. But we had neither the strength nor the courage to believe that the Nazis would not have the time to evacuate us, and that the Russians would soon be here” (Wiesel 91). The Nazis work Elie and his people so hard, that they no longer have any reason to believe that they are going to be liberated. Another example of this negative feedback towards freedom is when the Jews are on the convoy of trains. Everyone is so tightly compacted into the train cars. There are hundreds in each separate car. Many have died on this trip, and Elie could not tell the difference between the living and the non-living. He then had this recollection, “My mind was invaded suddenly by this realization—there was no 2006-08-07T08:00:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Struggle-to-Survive-in-quot-Night-quot-by-Elie-Wiesel-31096.aspx Comprehensice Analysis of "Great Expectations" Pip's childish perceptions are shown by the narrator's description of his fanciful images of objects, such as his parents' tombstones: "The shape of the letters on my father's, gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout, dark man, with curly black hair. From the character and turn of the inscription "Also Georgiana Wife of the Above", I drew a childish conclusion that my mother was freckled and sickly." (p.3). This personal comic reflection made by Pip prevents Pip's story from sounding too self-pitying. By narrating Pip's insights and point of vues on morose subjects, the reader is enlightened by the irony of his remarks. His childish misunderstandings are explained by his naïvete. For example, Mrs. Joe's comment on how people put in Hulks "always begin by asking questions" (p.15) is interpreted so seriously by Pip that he is drawn into dread: " I felt fearfully sensible of the great convenience that the Hulks were handy for me. I was clearly on my way there. I had begun by asking questions..." (p.15). Placing Mrs. Joe with an anecdote is useful for introducing the catchphrase which is: "brought up by hand". The anecdote gives an explanation to the phrase , which is Mrs. Joe's beatings and assailments of the hand that are inflicted upon Pip and Joe. When Mrs. Joe utters the catchphrase, we are aware of her shrewed character explained in the anecdote. Since Pip and Joe are both helpless victims of Mrs. Joe's temper, Joe is seen as a fellow-sufferer: "I supposed that Joe Gargery and I were both brought up by hand." (p.8). An example of Joe's suffering is when Mrs. Joe makes him confess his fear, which is that of Pip having "bolted" his food too fast, to which her response leads her to assault him: "By this time, my sister was quite desperate, so she pounced on Joe, and, taking him by the two whiskers, knocked his head for a little while against the wall behind him..." (p.11-12). Joe is continued to be tormented by Mrs. Joe. in this predicament when he is obligated to take a bitter-tasting dose of Tar-water, along with Pip: "Joe got off with half a pint; but was made to swallow that "because he had had a turn." "(p.12). The way Joe is treated by Mrs. Joe is similar to the way Pip is treated by her, 2006-08-06T21:53:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comprehensice-Analysis-of-quot-Great-Expectations-quot-31085.aspx A Review of Literary Criticism: "Beloved" Erica Baurmeister was the author of the first critical analysis that I read. In her brief review of the book she says that Beloved is no longer the traditional novel. In this book slavery has torn apart one’s own heritage and the death of a baby creates such a rage that it literally rocks the house. Bauermeister describes Beloved as being written in bits and pieces then smashed like a mirror on the floor and left for the reader to put together. The stories circle, swim dreamily to the surface, and the become suddenly clear and horrifying. Bauermiester concludes her article by saying that, “because of the extraordinary, experimental style as well as the intensity of the subject matter, what we lean from them (the characters of the novel) touches at a level deeper than understanding.” The second critical analysis that I read was written by Stephanie A. Demetrakopoulos, a professor from the Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. The focus of her essay was to show the way in which Toni Morrison develops the idea that maternal bonds can stunt or even stop a woman from developing her own sense of self. Toni Morrison’s Beloved is the first piece of literature that is of book length that examines the dangers of mothering to the mother’s own sense of self. The bonds of mothering are what differentiate women’s lives from men’s. Recently many books have been published on the psychological, sociological, and even the clinical aspects of mothering. There is often a dark and painful side of motherhood that many people do not see or recognize. This theme is also present in Morrison’s Bluest Eye. Pecola becomes pregnant in her early teens through incest with her father. Her pregnancy abruptly brings abuse to her from the community, which eventually sends her over the edge into permanent insanity before she can even develop her own sense of self. The teenage mother is often erased from society and can not solidify her own sense of self. Morrison said in a national broadcast shown after she received the Pulitzer Prize that motherhood is not history. “It is a timeless, ahistorical force with all the glories and limitations that pure nature imposes, even when camouflaged by its many cultural versions.” This critic believes that Morrison 2006-08-06T20:55:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Review-of-Literary-Criticism-quot-Beloved-quot-31080.aspx "The Death Of Ivan Ilych" In Leo Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Ilyich," sometimes just being a middle-of-the-road person, taking care of one's business and 2006-08-06T20:53:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Death-Of-Ivan-Ilych--31079.aspx Child to Savage, What Went Wrong in the Lord of the Flies Golding’s book, Lord of The Flies, is a survival journey where numerous kids were accidentally placed on an uninhabited island without any adults. The children tried to construct a democratic form of government but later on, government became absent. This led to the destruction of the children’s morals. One of the author’s main archetypal themes of this book was the “loss of innocence”. The characters of this book went from a civilized Englishmen to savage because of stress and many psychological struggles. Ralph, the main character of this book, realized when he was on the island that freedom was all around him. He became chief of the island by accident. People liked him and he blew the conch shell so they elected him as their leader. Ralph then changed his views about survival. He realized what must be done to become rescued. He took a democratic standpoint and made certain groups to watch over the fire and to build shelters. All was well until the first sign of flaw. The children were acting lazy and careless. It was almost if they knew they weren’t going to be rescued. Jack started to voice his opinions. Jack’s mistake of not watching the fire causes Ralph to go ballistic and to call group meetings. The children could have been rescued if the fire was still going because they saw a ship in the far distance. Ralph, at this point, became clear on his idea of survival; however, Jack didn’t want to follow his instruction. Jack began to take people on a hunt for meat because the children only had eaten fruit while they have been on the island. Ralph was trying to keep governmental control but was failing. Finally, Jack breaks off from the group and causes major conflicts with the two surviving parties. Ralph’s biggest step to loss of innocence was when he was converted to an evil mind. When Simon showed up to tell the news of the beast, Ralph joined in on the stabbing and brutal murder of Simon. Ralph’s mind breaks but he regains it back when he reflect on what he has done in the next chapter. Ralph is then considered to be a traitor and one of the most wanted. Ralph gives up on hope for rescue and hides out hoping not to be seen. Ralph’s views 2006-08-06T20:32:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Child-to-Savage,-What-Went-Wrong-in-the-Lord-of-the-Flies-31074.aspx Comparing Young Goodman Brown And Bartleby The Scrivener In the stories “Young Goodman Brown” and “Bartleby, the Scrivener”, I find myself more sympathetic to the character Bartleby. The stories’ protagonists withdraw themselves from society, but for different reasons. Goodman Brown loses his trust in people, while Bartleby loses hope. “Bartleby, the Scrivener”, by Herman Melville, describes a man who is all alone in the world and has lost all hope. It is a narrative story, told by a lawyer who hires Bartleby. At first, Bartleby is a very good worker. He is efficient and keeps to himself, unlike the lawyer’s other employees. After a while though, when he is asked to do something other than copying, his only response is “I would prefer not to” (Melville, par. 26). He continues to do this, until one day, he completely refuses to work altogether. The only response from the lawyer is that he feels sorry for him. The lawyer even finds out that Bartleby is living in the office. Bartleby has nowhere to go, no known family, and no friends. He just sits at his desk and looks out the window all day. The lawyer tries several times to persuade Bartleby to move out, but nothing works. He “would prefer not to”. (Melville, par. 105) The lawyer eventually moves out and leaves Bartleby behind. Bartleby is arrested by the police and taken away. The lawyer decides to visit Bartleby because he is the only person who cares about Bartleby. He wants to help, but deep down he knows that there is nothing that he can really do. "What I saw that morning persuaded me that the scrivener was the victim of innate and incurable disorder. I might give alms to his body; but his body did not pain him; it was his soul that suffered, and his soul I could not reach." (Melville, par. 95) Bartleby later goes on to kill himself. He gave up on life a long time ago, but now he finally ended it. The only insight as to what was bothering Bartleby is finding that his old job was at the Dead Letter Office. Dead letters never reach their destination and serve no real purpose, much like Bartleby after working there. “Conceive a man 2006-08-06T19:41:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Young-Goodman-Brown-And-Bartleby-The-Scrivener-31071.aspx Analysis of The Member 2006-08-06T19:36:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-The-Member-Of-The-Wedding-And-Catcher-In-The-Rye-31068.aspx Shakespeare's Tragic Hero In Macbeth And Hamlet In Shakespeare’s’ tragedies, one element is consistent- the tragic hero. Each tragic hero shares certain traits that contribute to his tragedy. They possess a fault that will eventually lead to their demise. Shakespeare’s tragic hero is a man of noble birth who falls from a position of honor and respect due to a flaw in his character. Hamlet and Macbeth are portrayed as tragic heroes through their nobility, tragic flaws, and errors in judgment. During the first scenes of Shakespeare’s plays Hamlet and Macbeth, Hamlet and Macbeth’s noble status is immediately established. Before Macbeth is introduced to the audience, Duncan and Ross speak of his greatness. Duncan is thrilled to hear of “noble Macbeth[’s]” victory over Norway, and tells Ross to go greet his “worthiest cousin” with the news that “what [Thane of Cawdor] hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won” (1.2.67). Macbeth begins with the title of Thane of Glamis, but his new name “worthy Cawdor” (1.2.68) adds to his already established nobility. In the opening scenes of Hamlet, Hamlet’s patrimony is revealed to the audience; he is the “most immediate to [Denmark’s] throne” (1.2.109). This title of “Sweet Prince” grants him a “noble mind” (3.1.153). “The great love 2006-08-06T00:06:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-s-Tragic-Hero-In-Macbeth-And-Hamlet-31060.aspx Plot of An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge And The Three Strangers In the stories An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, by Ambrose Bierce, and The Three Strangers, by Thomas Hardy, there are major surprises that conclude the story and provide for an exciting tale of criminal justice. Both of these stories are set in the late 1800's, while An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge takes place in Alabama and The Three Strangers takes place in England. In The Three Strangers, there is no apparent protagonist, no single major character but rather a number of characters, and there is no apparent conflict. At first the major character seems to be Shepherd Fennel, but he stands out only as the host and the opener of doors for the three strangers. The first stranger might then seem the major character, especially when the second stranger arrives and is not given as much attention by the guests or by the author as the first stranger. Here the story establishes the beginning of a conflict, but a confusing one because it seems no more than a contrast of personalities. The third stranger to enter the cottage does not stay long enough to be a protagonist, for he leaves as quickly as he enters. However, it is clear, once all the characters have been involved in the story, that a conflict between aspects of legality and the law. In An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, the conflict is between the planter and the officials or between life and death. There is also a conflict between the reader and the story, who is rather confused in justifying if the planter is in reality alive or deceased. The major character is the planter, who is subjected to be hanged for war conflicts and is trying to think of a way to defeat his given fate. As his time of death approaches, there is a time of mixed feelings and images to whereas it is hard to distinguish between life and death or somewhere in the middle. Then, a sense of reality takes place, where the planter is freeing himself from his ropes, from which he was hanged, and dodging bullets. From there, the planter is finding his way home. He finds his way home, to his wife, when is feels a sharp pain, as in a bullet. The story ends briefly with a message stating that the 2006-08-06T00:03:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-and-Structure-of-Bierce-and-Hardy-Stories-31058.aspx Imagery in “Reinventing America” Over the years poets have emerged with different styles, striking every reader some how. Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1928, Philip Levine has molded his image as a tough working-class poet who writes upon past experiences and the feelings provoked. His own family problems and other problems, such as the war in Vietnam, helped Levine develop his poetry. To say the least he ”took bad luck and made it inspiration”(Gioia, npn). “The crummy jobs that young Levine agonizingly endured would have seemed natural to most working class kids…”(Gioia, npn), but to Levine they created a bad vision of becoming poor, a middle-class persons nightmare. Philip Levine describes immigrant life in a village of his past as a youth and uses a lot of imagery to develop his meaning in “Reinventing America.” Levine’s reflection upon his life as a young man and his uncle’s past experiences are one way that Levine displays his past experiences. “Reinventing America” is filled with imagery that has Levine painting a portrait of village life, his youth, and also the uncles past giving us a sense that things over time stay the same and generations live similar lives. Levine begins the poem drawing a picture of the boys neighborhood. He writes on the size of the city and how you could walk around for sometime and not get anywhere. The speaker tells of the hardships of the neighborhood, and how he stayed in his own part avoiding the “boys…with animal hungers” (Levine, 917), which he means is the local bully’s. He goes on writing how he would bum cigarettes and wish to go home with a beautiful woman. This boy’s life reflects his uncle’s life and the boy knows how time is flying by, and before long he too will be like his half blind uncle. The uncle, who is married to an upset woman, spends a lot of time making calls on his radio. Levine tells of how as a boy he would sneak down to see his uncle and he would teach him things like boxing. Levine then paints a portrait of his uncles past and more imagery comes into play as he gives an image of his uncle while he is downstairs. Levine describes the uncle as “wiry in his boxer’s shorts and high topped boots, chewing on a cigar, the one dead eye 2006-08-05T11:35:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Imagery-in-“Reinventing-America”-31039.aspx The Joy Found from Inner Life and the Life of Nature William Wordsworth’s, “Ode: Intimations of Immortality” is what inspired his friend, Samuel Coleridge, to write “Dejection: An Ode.” The connection the two writers have with nature is their method of nature to express the feelings of their inner soul. Coleridge was in a state of sadness, confusion, and separation from his imaginative soul when he composed “Dejection: An Ode.” The separation from the imaginative soul which Coleridge feels is similar to the separation that Wordsworth observed between mature adults and heaven. Coleridge and Wordsworth both realized that the soul was the guiding light for seeing the beauty in nature, while Wordsworth thought that joy would come from nature and enlighten the soul, Coleridge believed that joy came from within the soul, and the joyful soul is what allowed nature to be so beautiful. Coleridge’s separation from his imaginative soul is the reason for his depression and inability to write. In “Dejection: An Ode,” he wants nothing more than to regain his creativity and understanding of nature and human condition because then his dejection will fade away. In stanza three he says, “My genial spirits fail; and what can these avail to lift the smothering weight from off my breast? It were a vain endeavor, though I should gaze for ever on that green light that lingers in the west: I may not hope from outward forms to win the passion and the life, whose fountains are within” (Abrams, 460). He wants the storm (the green light lingering) to subside because with its passing he hopes his depression will depart, allowing him to find the joy within himself and to once again see the beauty in nature. In “Ode: Intimations of Immortality,” Wordsworth reveals, through creative imagination, how the beauty of nature can stimulate a mature philosophical mind to regain its intimacy with childhood, so that knowledge forgotten through maturity can be salvaged. “What though the radiance which was once so bright be now for ever taken from my sight, though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower; We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind; In the primal sympathy which having been must ever 2006-08-05T11:14:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Joy-Found-from-Inner-Life-and-the-Life-of-Nature-31028.aspx Chaucer's Views of Medieval Society in "Canterbury Tales" Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of the “The Canterbury Tales,” shows his views of medieval society through various characters in “The Canterbury Tales.” Chaucer’s expresses his views of society through characters in “The Canterbury Tales.” 2006-08-05T11:11:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Chaucer-s-Views-of-Medieval-Society-in-quot-Canterbury-Tale-31026.aspx Analysis of "Disease & History" The authors of Disease & History point out that disease has been a crucial determinant that marks history. Frederick F. Cartwright, Department of the History of Medicine, and Dr. Michael Biddiss, Director of Studies in History at Downing College Cambridge, collaborated together to write this book. With Dr. Biddiss’ extensive knowledge of history as a professional historian and with Cartwright’s studies of the history of medicine they have written a book about the effects diseases have on history. Dr. Biddiss was both a writer and editor of the book. Biddiss and Cartwright discussed each chapter with each other. There have been many well-known victims of terminal illnesses. Some of these include Henry VIII, and Ivan the Terrible, who both suffered from syphilis. Many other rulers and famous people of history have suffered from malaria, smallpox, and an assortment of maladies. England was so terribly weakened by the black plague disease that it had to call in Hengist and Horsa in the fifth century because it could not stand against the Scots and Picts. The Black Death alone in the fourteenth century nearly took away one half of the country’s population within thirty years. The population went from 4.5 million in 1347 to only 2.5 million in 1377. The Black Death destabilized the feudal system of England. It also cut the peasantry’s tie to the land, and it weakened the Church and may have led the way to the reformation. Disease can be divided into two basic types: organic disease, or somatic or purely psychiatric which is very rare. The depression, which follows the influenza, is a simple example. Usually a psychiatric disease accompanies a physical disorder. Henry VIII, for example, suffered from syphilis and its effects and history are obvious. His arrogance and the power of his position exaggerated the effects of the disease. Henry’s main trouble was somatic. Napoleon suffered from minor illnesses throughout his lifetime. Napoleon thought that he was meant to be the ruler of the world. In his thinking he was psychiatrically abnormal. Joan of Arc at the age of thirteen heard voices and saw visions of saints. In this Joan was abnormal, because normal people do not see visions of saints or hear supernatural voices. However, Joan of Arc was not mad or crazy as a lot of the people in her time thought she was. In fact 2006-08-05T11:07:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Disease-amp-History-quot-31025.aspx Major Obstacles in Lord of The Flies In my essay I will talk about the three major obstacle that were put out into the island that changed 2006-08-05T10:43:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Major-Obstacles-in-Lord-of-The-Flies-31021.aspx Puritain Society in "Young Goodman Brown" Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in the year 1804 and died in the year 1864. He was an American Novelist and his work dealt with the ethical problems of sin, punishment, and atonement. Many of his stories are Puritan based and originated in New England. He is most famous for writing the novel, The Scarlet Letter. In Michael McCabe’s essay, he explains that Hawthorne could not escape the influence of Puritan society, not only from residing with his father’s devout Puritan family as a child but, also due to Hawthorne’s study of his own family history. (1) Hawthorne’s writings dealt with the religious beliefs he held as well as he questioned. When he wrote “Young Goodman Brown” he was struggling with the religious beliefs of his ancestors. The time that the story took place was in the 1960’s, when his grandfather was presiding over the Salem Witch Trials (Vanspanckeren 2). In “Young Goodman Brown”, both Brown and the reader are given choices as to what is happening, did he fall asleep in the forest and did he dream about the witch or did it really happen, the choice is dream or reality? There are some images and symbols that are used throughout the story. One of them is the pink ribbons that are found in Faith’s Cap. They are a link between two beliefs of Faith, they connect her to the woman who stands at the devil’s baptismal font and the pink suggests that she is this innocent woman. The name “Young Goodman Brown” symbolizes different aspects of the story. “Young” means that the character is naïve and new at life. “Goodman” suggests that he is self-righteous by thinking that he is a good man. “Brown” indicates that he is a commoner. The full name means that he is an average naïve self-righteous Puritan. The story Young Goodman Brown is about a man and his faith in himself, his wife, and the community they live in. He must go on a journey into the local forest, refuse temptations of the devil, and return to the village before sunrise. He struggles between the evil temptations, the devil and the Puritan life he lives. He constantly reiterates his false confidence to himself repeatedly. This is similar to 2006-08-05T10:19:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Puritain-Society-in-quot-Young-Goodman-Brown-quot-31009.aspx Aristotle's View of Tragedy in Medea Aristotle laid the foundations for the critical study of drama in his time. He composed his theory of tragedy, which explained the components of a play that were most vital for it to be classified as a tragedy. Euripides’ Medea was an excellent example of Aristotle’s tragedy. Medea, in the Third Episode especially, contained mostly parts of Aristotle’s theory of tragedy. In the Third Episode, the parts of Aristotle’s theory that were used include mimesis of Jason, plot structure, dialogue, Peripeteia and also a scene of suffering. In the Third Episode of Medea, Mimesis is observed when Medea mimicked the wrongdoings of Jason and wanted to get revenge on Jason by causing him grief and agony. Immediately, Medea composed a plan to wreak havoc on Jason. This is considered mimesis because Medea forces Jason to feel the same pain she felt when Jason broke his vows. Medea used dialogue when she spoke to Aegeus and told him to “Swear by the Earth on which you tread/Swear by the Sun, my father’s father dread/Swear by every god and godhead” to protect her. Since this is spoken in an elevated, highly poetic tone, it is considered dialogue. The plot in this scene of the story is that Medea needed to escape from Corinth after the multiple slayings. She then turned to Aegeus and was willing to give him children if he took her in Athens and protected her. The scene ended in reference to her plans to kill Jason’s new bride and her two sons. Thought, as described by Aristotle is also demonstrated by Medea when she explained to Aegeus her plan to kill Jason’s new bride and her children, and the sheer hatred for Jason by Medea showed that anything is possible for a furious wife. Since thought is the faculty of saying what is possible, and pertinent; Medea’s thought is observed. A complete peripeteia took place when Jason, in hopes of starting a better, aristocratic lifestyle, has everything taken away from him and in turn, Medea gets a new home and palace with Aegeus. A reversal of the situation proved Jason, the tragic hero, to be much worse off than Medea, who is responsible for the multiple murders. Another reversal of the situation takes place when Medea slays her own sons although it is more difficult for her than anyone because she bore them 2006-08-05T10:02:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Aristotle-s-View-of-Tragedy-in-Medea-31002.aspx Dawn by Elie Wiesel: Critical Analysis An execution is tragic for the victim and his family, but did you ever think how hard it is for the executioner? Dawn tells the story of the night that two men wait for the moment that will change their life. An English officer, John Dawson, will be killed as the sun rises over the horizon. The Israeli freedom fight named Elisha waits in horror for the split second action, which will mark him a killer for the rest of his life. These two men are very similar, but also very different at the same time. The events that are to occur affect these two men’s actions and thoughts in very different ways. John Dawson sits in his cell and seems to be very calm and does not show any hatred for Elisha. It would be natural for John to be hostile toward him knowing that Elisha is the one who will execute him. John does not show any anger toward Elisha and even seems to be attempting to become friends with him. On the other hand, Elisha should not be feeling any remorse for executing this man because it is his enemy. He obviously is hesitant about killing this man, because he thinks about if God was there to see how much Dawson inspires him. Both of these men seem to be doing and thinking the opposite of what a person would believe they would in this situation. Dawson and Elisha are also similar in some ways. They both have no control over the future from a certain point onward. Dawson was captured by the Israeli freedom fighters as a hostage. He has no control over if he is killed or released. Elisha has orders to execute Dawson, because David ben Moshe is to be executed. Elisha has to follow his orders or else both Dawson and he will share the same fate. The two are clue-less about the real reason as to why Dawson must be murdered. Dawson had asked Elisha why he was being executed and Elisha tried to figure it out in his head, but all he could come up with for killing Dawson was that he hated Englishmen. Elisha comes to the conclusion that one reason he hates Dawson is 2006-08-05T09:58:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dawn-by-Elie-Wiesel-Critical-Analysis-30999.aspx Analysis of Sophocles' Writing in "Antigone" Antigone, written by Sophocles, is written two dimensionally. The basic plot is about a young woman, Antigone, who is trying to bury her dead brother Creon. Her uncle the king, is preventing her from doing so. On a deeper level, using a familiar story, Sophocles sheds light on physics and nomos: the law of the gods against the law of man. In scene II, Haimon, son of Creon, is trying to reason with his stubborn father. Pleading rhetorically with his father to rethink his stubborn laws and trying to persuade him to use reason in his judgments. Haimon offers metaphors to his father to picture for him what his kingdom is like when viewed from the outside. The passage is very dramatic. Through the use of rhetoric, diction, and repetition in scene III (lines 78-118), Sophocles oversees the battle between physis and nomos. Using these writing devices, Sophocles writes about a clash between a father and a son, most importantly underlying, physis against nomos. The audience, which Sophocles intends to entertain by the drama Antigone, knew the plot before they paid to watch the story unfold. The choice of words creates suspense, but also intensified the emotion of the passage. By the use of rhetoric, a well-known story was made immortal. In line 78, Haimon is doing the unthinkable, offering his father advice. As he tries to ease the fear he possesses, he returns to the innocence of a child by stating “Father” in a way that shows the seriousness and the sincerity of what Haimon is about to reveal. By line 80, Haimon has softened the blow to his father and is about to state his true feelings: “I cannot say-.“ These words are said with such hesitation by Haimon, knowing the defiance in his feelings. Line 82, Haimon finally lifts the weight off his shoulders. He is quick and to the point with his statement, “that you have reasoned badly.” Creon is shocked about Haimon’s findings. He wasn’t aware of the wrong he had placed upon his people. Line 86, “everyone” is powerfully said because it creates an important point that is brought to Creon’s attention. Creon was not aware that Haimon’s feelings were mutual among the town’s people. Haimon doesn’t 2006-08-01T20:32:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Sophocles-Writing-in-quot-Antigone-quot-30994.aspx Analysis of Tolstoy's "Death of Ivan Ilyich" In Leo Tolstoy’s novel, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Ivan’s life is not one of authenticity. Ivan’s “false” life is the product of his desire to collect social accolades. Ivan’s marriage was based on the fact “that he married because the people in his circle approved of the match” (P.56). Of Ivan’s marriage he “demanded only the conveniences it could provide” (P.58). When Ivan superior’s “treated[ed] him with disdain and during the next round of appointments again passed him by” (P.61), he thought it was “the most difficult year in [his]…life” (P.61). Ivan’s objective in his conceded life was to have “all his enemies…disgraced and [fawn]…him now and [envy] his position” (Pgs.63, 64). Ivan derived no genuine pleasure, but “pleasure from giving small dinner parties to which he invited men and women of good social standing” (P.69). Control, Objectification, and lack of empathy are the unauthentic values that Ivan uses to create his life. Throughout Ivan’s entire life he was in control, especially as a judge. As a judge, his enjoyment came through the feeling of knowing that “he [was the one] who had the power to crush them” (P.53) and “the chance to ruin whomever he chose” (P.59). Ivan dreaded marriage because it was “something new, unexpected, and disagreeable…and [he] could do nothing to avoid [it]” (P.56) and that challenged his control over his life. Ivan’s marriage is described as a “difficult business” (P.58), which in term describes how Ivan objectifies his marriage and wife. What displeased Ivan the most was when he was not in control, like when “he could not make ends meet on his salary” (P.61). Along with being a control freak, Ivan is a neat freak and is very petulant about things he has put work into: “Every spot on the tablecloth or the upholstery, even loose cord on the draperies irritated him; he had gone to such pains with decorating that any damage to it upset him” (P.68). Ivan bases his existence around selfishness, insincerity, and nonchalance. During Ivan’s life, there are happy moments like his marriage and the birth of a child, but all it says is “And so Ivan Ilyich got married” (P.56) and “Other children were born” (P.58). There is no emphasis on these “joyous” moments. Ivan is a man who refuses to make the sacrifices required for marriage and continues 2006-08-01T20:29:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Tolstoy-s-quot-Death-of-Ivan-Ilyich-quot-30992.aspx Comparing the Writing of Hawthorne and Melville “But the point which drew all eyes…was that Scarlet Letter, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom.” (Hawthorne, 2000, 12) The author of Moby Dick, Herman Melville, goes to great lengths to show that the color white is everything, including the greatest Evil embodied in Moby Dick. Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlet Letter, emphasizes how Hester is the outcast from society and forced to live on the fringes, on the boundary between the town and the woods – the border of good and evil. Both authors use symbols to develop the effects of evil on society. Melville paints the white of Moby Dick as a symbol of the world’s evils to Ahab. (Roberts, 1966, 43) Moby Dick and Ahab personify each other through vengeance. Moby Dick’s snow-white forehead symbolizes God in that He couldn’t be reached, but he is there. Ahab is not an evil man but only a man trying to dispose of God, the Evil of the Deity. Ahab represents most of mankind, who in trying to conquer God, is destroyed by Him instead. The paint of whiteness also appears on Ahab. When Ishmael first sees Ahab, he notices the huge white scar running down the side of his face. (Roberts, 1966, 35) Ahab’s one leg is also a white peg, made of pure whalebone. The sin of Moby Dick is now embedded into Ahab. Ahab is the negative side of humans because he wants to take revenge on Moby Dick for tearing up his leg. Ishmael also notices a face wreathed in wretched long strands of gray hair. (Roberts, 1966, 35) The color gray symbolizes a mixture of both good and evil. It shows a good person that is guilty of a sin. Gray also reflects the color of hiding something. In Ahab’s case, he is hiding his obsession to the world about his devoted pursuit of the White Whale. Hawthorne shows that sin isolates a person from her community and from God. When he uses the color gray to describe Hester‘s clothes, he is insisting Hester and her lover are hiding their secret of their love affair. Ahab’s obsession for Moby Dick compares to Hester’s obsession with Dimmesdale through the SCARLET LETTER. The theme is 2006-08-01T20:23:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-the-Writing-of-Hawthorne-and-Melville-30989.aspx Disillusion and Alienation in Hemingway’s "The Sun Also Rises" In the novel The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway describes a couple who share a very strange and distant kind of love for each other by possessing the idea of spiritual alienation and the feeling of disillusion. This story takes place immediately after World War I, a time of great hardship. This hardship results in a digression of values both morally and socially. Hemingway shows the aspect of disillusionment and alienation in many different occasions in the novel. One occasion is when Jake starts to pray but he almost falls asleep so he prays for the Bullfighters. He knelt and started to pray and prayed for everybody I thought of, Brett and Mike and Bill and Robert Cohn and myself, and all the bullfighters, separately for the ones I liked, and lumping all the rest, then I prayed for myself again, and while I was praying for myself I found I was getting sleepy, so I prayed that the bull-fights would be good, and that it would be a fine fiesta, and that we would get some fishing. (Hemingway 138-139). This quote shows that Jake has loose morals because he did not pray for anything really important, instead he prays for having fun and a good time in the fiesta. When he is praying for something important it bores him and he almost falls asleep. Furthermore he could not pray as well anymore because he has returned from the war where he has saw many terrible things. He is isolated and chambered in his own soul. Brett is a beautiful woman who has never loved anybody yet her arbitrary love affairs satisfy her. She has also lost self-respect by randomly saying, I’m a goner (Hemingway 183) because she realizes that she does not really love anybody after all she has gone through and all she has done in her life. She shows disillusionment by searching for fulfillment as well as true love. Brett has a lot of trouble deciding on having one man and settling down with him. In an attempt to find a new lover, she engaged herself to Mike Campbell of Britain. Still unsatisfied, she continues on to have affairs with Robert Cohn and then falls in love with Romero the bullfighter. She is a disillusioned woman who cannot find happiness anywhere, no matter which man 2006-08-01T20:21:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Disillusion-and-Alienation-in-Hemingway’s-quot-The-Sun-Also-30988.aspx Transgressions of the Story of Cinderella Virtually everyone has heard one version of a fairy tale at some point in their lives whether they realized it or not. Some fairy tales change from generation to generation while others remain more or less the same for centuries. As children most of our life lessons were acquired through the simplicity of fair tales. Subliminal messages taught us to always believe in true love and that good wins out over evil. Young and naïve, as children, all we desired was a good story and a nap, but the lessons we learned lasted a lifetime. Growing up my beloved fairy tale was Cinderella, not only does true love win but good wins over evil and eventually the world is set right. The story of Cinderella has appealed to a number of audiences since its earliest dated version in A.D. 850. Even with the extensive selection of fairy tales in existence, "Cinderella" is undoubtedly the best known in the world, with over 700 versions of this story. Once upon a time in a kingdom far away, lived a beautiful girl and her frail father. Fearing he would leave his young daughter an orphan he married a young widow, soon after he brought his bride and two daughters to live with him on his manor. Almost exactly a year later he past away in his sleep leaving his entire household behind. His young daughter Cinderella wept for three years without delay and when she wiped her tears away she found her self a sixteen year old servant in her own home. Daily life was much the same she waited on Heather and Kim, her stepsisters, and satisfied her stepmothers every whim. Mundane and downright boring, Cinderella had amazingly evolved into a beautiful and charming young woman. Being as meek as a mouse and having a voice as sweet as honey Cinderella was loved by everyone she encountered except her own family, whose envy leaked from their pores. One dazzling spring morning, Cinderella awoke to a great commotion. The prince is having a ball, the prince is having a ball, Heather screeched and they all squealed with delight. Quietly standing in the shadows Cinderella timidly asked, Stepmother may I go to the ball? Well I suppose, if you get this house immaculately clean and mind your manners 2006-08-01T19:18:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Transgressions-of-the-Story-of-Cinderella-30970.aspx "Glory" Reflection Essay The story was based upon black men from the North, fighting for slavery that was going on in the South. The group of men fighting was called the 54th. Even though the chance of losing the freedom, that each and every black man held, each fought for something that should be changed. With the strength and courage that each man had, they had the heart to go on. When looking at the North, they were portrayed as a group of people that were very wealthy. That the North was going to win the war with every effort possible. But when Robert had to go and ask for shoes and supplies, it was almost as though the generals in the North were treating the blacks as the South. Second to the white man and being last on the list to get supplies (like shoes and socks). The South appeared to be a place that was very hot and unpleasant. When the slaves of plantations saw these black soldiers, they came out and rejoiced because this might be their only way to be free. Slaves that lived down south were beaten and not respected at all. They were just property, and their lives were worthless to the owners. Life for slaves in the South was very terrible and to survive was just a struggle. The most significant part of the movie would have to be the last battle taken place. The men of the 54th were able to give enough courage over all of the other troops and be the first ones to go into the battle. This showed that even though the color of their skin is different than white peoples, the courage and bravery are still strong. When the 54th were walking towards the battle scene, the white men, from the other troop, who were making fun of the 54th were congratulating them and basically saying good luck to them. Times from the beginning of the battle until now have changed from who was fighting to who wasn’t. My favorite character would have to be Colonel Robert Gould Shaw because he had something that most other Colonel’s didn’t poses. He was able to stick up for the black men and treated them as though they were like every 2006-08-01T19:04:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Reflection-Essay-on-Glory-30962.aspx Psychological Causes of Humor in Edgar Allan Poe's Work When picking a topic for my research paper. I thought of many different ideas. I started to think about my interests is reading literature, and I decided to write about my favorite author Edgar Allan Poe. This paper is going to look at Poe from a psychological perspective. There seems to be few attempts to look at the psychological causes of humor in Poe’s work, and how his personal life may have had an impact on his writings. Many of Poe’s tales are distinguished by the author’s unique grotesque ideas in addition to his superb plots. In an article titled “Poe’s humor: A Psychological Analysis,” by Paul Lewis, he states: “Appropriately it seems to me, that to see Poe only as an elitist whose jokes could not be grasped by a general audience is to sell him short. He does not deny this elitist side of Poe; but he holds for a broader, more universal less intellectual humor that screams out from the center of Poe’s work. (532) This article provides important insight to understanding the nature of the humor and its relationship to the overwhelming horror in some of Poe’s work. Lewis’ believes that humor and fear have a special relationship in Poe’s tales. Humor, taken to its limits, leads the reader to fear. He says, “Over and over, when humor fails, we are left with images of fear: the raven’s shadow, the howling cat, the putrescence corpse, or the fallen house. (535) According to Lewis, in The Black Cat and Ligeia, he argues that are first impressions of the narrators are half comic. “We are led gradually away from this humor into an expanding horror of men driven to acts of obscene cruelty. The combination with humor and horror occurs differently in Hop Frog where cruelty and joking co-mingle. (537) To agree with Lewis, I feel what happens in this tale is not just that cruel jokers are destroyed by a cruel joke but that joking itself gives good way to horror, as the cruelty of joke destroys its ability to function as a joke. The appeal of Lewis’ article about psychological insight of Poe rings true. I agree that fear and humor are linked together in Poe’s tales. I have seen it in hospitals, and at funerals, or even when humor helps pass the time during a threat of 2006-08-01T10:03:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Psychological-Causes-of-Humor-in-Edgar-Allan-Poe-s-Work-30927.aspx Teenagers and Adolescence in Catcher in the Rye Teenagers throughout the century have always had trouble going through their adolescent years of their lives. The book Catcher in the Rye, is a realistic fiction and it is by J.D. Salinger. The novel was basically about a teenage male high school student who has been in and out of school for his unacceptable grades. Most of this story takes place around New York. The Catcher in the Rye is set in the 1950s. The setting is important to the book because the only reason he is in New York was because he was expected home in a few days for Christmas break three days prior of getting kicked out of his school. Also, all of his family and friends live in New York. The main character in this novel is Holden Caulfield. Holden is a very depressed teen. He got that way because of the horrible things that have gone on in his life and now he looks at everything negatively. The supporting Characters in this novel are Stradlater (roommate), Ackley (friend), and Phoebe (his sister). The miner characters were Jane Gallagher, Spencer, Luce, and Mr. Antolini. The character of Holden never changed but he ended up in a sanitarium. I feel that no other characters have changed. I liked all the characters cause basically they all had very different personalities. Holden Caulfield narrated a past tense story about the few days between the end of the fall school term and Christmas when he was sixteen years old to a medical doctor. His long story begins on a Saturday when he gets kicked out of Pencey Prep High School in Angerstown, Pennsylvania. He is not scheduled to be home to Manhattan till Wednesday. Holden decides that he has had enough of Pencey after him and his roommate Stradlater gets in a fight. He then decides that he is going to back to Manhattan three days early, stay in a hotel, and not tell him parents that he is back. Holden goes to New York by train and then takes a cab to Edmond Hotel where he checks himself in. He goes to the bar Lavender Room at his hotel. Holden leaves Edmond and takes a cab to Ernie’s Jazz club in Greenwich Village then leaves and walks back to Edmond. He talks to the elevator guy back 2006-08-01T09:41:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Teenagers-and-Adolescence-in-Catcher-in-the-Rye-30920.aspx Plot Summary of "The Count of Monte Cristo" At a dock, a bride to be (Mercedes) waits for her soon to be husband Edmond Dontes to return from his voyage at sea. When the ship docks, Edmond gets off the ship and speaks to another gentleman about his captain who died at sea after his visit to the forbidden island where none other than the great Napoleon himself was banished. On the ship, a man was accused of being a thief and another was mad at Edmond because he took over when the captain died instead of him. Edmond meets Mercedes on the dock after his conversation was over. After a few kisses, they strolled off. Edmond and Mercedes visits his father and tells him about the beautiful home he will get after Edmond becomes captain of another voyage. They talk about how well his father would be taken care of. Edmond looks out the window and spots three men writing a letter. The next day, at his wedding rehearsal, Edmond was arrested. He is sent before deVillefort and demands for an explanation for why he has been arrested. They discussed the captain’s journey on the island and the letter he left in Edmonds possession with some instructions on delivering the letter. When deVillefort asks for the letter and Edmond gives it to him without hesitation, it was obvious that he was innocent. If Edmond had known what the letter was about, he wouldn’t have given it up. Edmond is told that he is going to be put into jail for one night based on the law and is taken away. On the ride to jail Edmond realizes that something is wrong and they are not going to the jail. He tries to speak, but is hit. Edmond wakes up and is inside the Shatou de Clef. He spends 10 years of his life in there alone before the Abba Faria tunnels into his cell trying to escape. When they see each other they are overjoyed about seeing another human being. Abba Faria then shows Edmond his cell and everything he made to help him dig the tunnel. Edmond the makes a deal with Abba Faria. He will help him dig the tunnel if Abba teaches him everything he knows. One day when Edmond is digging Abba Faria tells him that he is ill and is dying. Edmond is devastated, 2006-07-31T18:52:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Summary-of-quot-The-Count-of-Monte-Cristo-quot-30899.aspx Analysis of "Ramona" by Helen Hunt Jackson Everyone needs to feel accepted. In Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson, Ramona was never accepted by her foster mother and it gave her an empty feeling inside. In this novel, Ramona goes through many emotional and physical journeys until she is truly happy in her life. In the novel Ramona, who is half white half Indian, is taken in by her foster mother’s sister, who is Spanish. At this time in life, the white European men were just coming to the Americas and taking it over. The Spanish disliked the white Americans and also the Indians. For this reason Senora Moreno, the woman who took Ramona in, never admitted the fact that Ramona was both white and Indian and never accepted her or loved her as a true mother should. When a group of Indian’s come in to work on the senora’s estate, Ramona finds comfort in the leader of the tribe. Alessandro is the strongest and most beautiful Indian Ramona has ever seen. He is even more handsome than the senora’s son Felipe. When Alessandro and Ramona decide to get married the senora throws a fit and will not accept their marriage. Ramona is forced to leave with Alessandro to go back to his home in Temecula, an Indian village. The new couple is in for a surprise when they realize that the village has been taken over by the white men. The couple must now travel from village to village finding refuge and a place to stay for very short periods of time. They go through cold weather, droughts, the loss of their baby, and eventually all this leads to the insanity of Alessandro. Now Ramona has finally found acceptance in the Indian village, but it shortly fades from her memory as she temporarily loses her feelings, memory and her identity watching her baby die and also watching her husband die. Now Ramona is left with no one except her second child when Felipe comes to her rescue and takes her away from all the suffering and pain. Although this book was interesting it carried out too long. Many parts may have seemed boring because every little detail was described and some of these details weren’t that important to the book. This novel would be 2006-07-31T15:32:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Ramona-quot-by-Helen-Hunt-Jackson-30893.aspx Summary, Characters and Themes of Elie Wiesel's "Night" A. Summary Night tells the story of Jews who were deported to concentration camps during World War II. The Author, Eliezer Wiesel, is among the many young Jewish boys who are deported to Auschwitz, then to Buchenwald in Germany. Throughout the story, Wiesel remains with his father, where they must continuously fight, both emotionally and physically, along with other Jews in order remain alive. Elie witnesses hangings, beatings, starvation, and torture as he endeavors to understand how God could allow such atrocities to be perpetrated on the Jews. Prior to his deportation, Wiesel had been a devout Jew, unwavering in his beliefs and love of God. While at the camps, Wiesel’s faith, both in Judaism and then in God, is greatly shaken to the point of disenchantment and later a feeling of having been abandoned by God. Although his father parishes, Wiesel ultimately survives his harsh imprisonment and has managed to stay alive by the time camp is liberated by American and Russian troops. B. Characters: 1-Eliezer Wiesel is the main character of the story. He is a young Jewish boy who finds the strength to the overcome the great odds of surviving the death camp with an indomitable will to live. Before his family is forced to move to the Ghetto and then to the concentration camps, he is very curious about God and eager to learn about his religion. The first page describes him well: “I was twelve. I believed profoundly. During the day I studied the Talmud, and at night I ran to the synagogue.” His faith in God may be viewed as almost naïve, as he is among those who optimistically do not believe that God would allow anything bad to happen to them. 2-The second character introduces Wiesel’s father. Page 2 describes him: “My father was a cultured, rather unsentimental man. There was never any display of emotion…” Wiesel derived much strength from his father; enough to go on after his father died in the camp and save himself. It is through their shared adversity that Wiesel’s father demonstrates his great love for his son. 3- A third important character is Moche the Beadle. On Page 4 we read: “Moche had changed. There was no longer any joy in his eyes. He no longer sang…” Moche was a very joyful man 2006-07-31T15:29:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary,-Characters-and-Themes-of-Elie-Wiesel-s-quot-Night-30891.aspx Summary of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien, is the first book in the fantasy-based trilogy of the Lord of the Rings. The book begins with Bilbo Baggins celebrating his one hundred and eleventh birthday. After his party, he then decides to leave everything behind and join a Fellowship, which has a task of destroying the Ruling Ring, which will give Supreme Power to whoever has possession of it. Just before he leaves, Gandalf asks Bilbo for this ring. Due to the power in which the ring possesses while the ring is in his possession, he does not want to give it up. The novel ends with the destruction of the Fellowship due to the power in which the ring contains. One of the prime facts of the Middle Earth is power. Power is not neutral, but is always evil. It gives wicked the chance to dominate. The good is corrupting and inescapable. This is shown repeatedly throughout the novel, from when Bilbo gives up the ring, to when Boromir tries to take the ring, and finally, to seeing the control that the ring has over Frodo. One incident in the book, which corresponds with how power is evil, would be when Bilbo had to give up the Ring. The ring is very powerful. The power is so enticing that Bilbo is very weary to give up that ring. When Gandalf asks Bilbo if he wishes to give up the ring, Bilbo seems unsure saying yes and no. When it came to having to give it up he didn't like parting with it at all and didn't see why he should have to. Due to the power in which Bilbo feels that the ring had given him, he doesn't want to part with it. By no means does Bilbo want to use the power in an evil manner to dominate all. It is just the thought of power itself that causes this greed to come over him. Although Bilbo in general is a good character, the power of ring corrupts his ways, showing his thirst for power, which he deserves. Another incident, which portrays this corruption of goodness to evil, is when Boromir approaches Frodo and tries to take the ring from him. Boromir has authority, which is being heir to the throne of Gondor, but not the supreme power that 2006-07-31T12:42:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-of-Lord-of-the-Rings-Fellowship-of-the-Ring-30883.aspx The Call of the Wild in "White Fang" White Fang is another of Jack London’s tales about the far reaches of the Artic. The journey into the lawless, and mysterious mind of a wild animal you will grow to love. The only survivor of the litter, the young pup was tested early. Already demonstrating a tight grip on life, that later would prove to be crucial. This puppy inherited brute strength from his wolf father, and great intelligence from his dog mother. This would eventually mold him into the freak of nature he was. The pup learned fast, and steadily he grew, both mentally and physically. In the Indian camp the little pup honed all his survival skills thanks to the daily persecution by Lip Lip and the puppy pack. In addition he and his mother were soon separated leaving young White Fang emotionally scarred. This caused a premature puppy hood, which would further help shape White Fang into clever ferocious beast that he would soon need to be. After settling with an Indian family, White Fang was soon sold to the biggest coward in the north. In the hands of Beauty Smith, White Fang was stripped of his freedom and dignity. Forced to fight to the death with strange dogs White Fang had never seen before. Battle after battle does White Fang proves his tenacious hold on life. White Fang now daily grew mad by the constant ridicule and torment he endured by the hands of the coward. After his rescue from the strangle hold of the foreign bulldog, and the tyranny of the Beauty Smith, did the half breed finally settle down, through the ever patient love, and compassion of Weedem Scott. The half wolf returned the deed with great loyalty and lasting companionship. This new relationship would further blossom, and land the Artic beast in the cool Northern California sun. Hard to believe but this wild animal found himself in a new world. After settling in with his master’s family White Fang adjusted quickly to the lifestyle of an urban area. The half wolf would also 2006-07-31T12:39:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Call-of-the-Wild-in-quot-White-Fang-quot-30881.aspx Important Quotations and Analysis of "The Sound and the Fury" The Sound and the Fury is the story of disintegration of a Southern family, the Compsons, due to the lost of real love, concerns, and understanding for the others. Compson family had a good start; Quentin Compson II governed the state, and Jason II was a general. But Jason III is drinking his life away and his children are even worse; one commits suicide, another disgraced herself, the third child Jason is a thief, and the fourth is an idiot. In order to present a good overview of the Compson family, Faulkner makes Benjy to start telling the story, succeeded by Quentin, focuses on Jason’s behavior, and finished by Dilsey. The way he uses the strategy of flash back in memory to describe the disintegration of Compson family makes the novel stands out from the others. The title “The Sound and the Fury” is taken from William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth as Macbeth realizes that the witches’ prophecies are coming true and he is about to be defeated. Hearing that his wife is dead, Macbeth responds: Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, … Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And than is heard no more; it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. The story focuses on Caddy’s fall. She is a loving sister to Benjy and Quentin. She is the symbol of the ideal of the family. Her loss of virginity and pregnancy forces her to merry Herbert Head. When her husband found Quentin was not his blood, Caddy was deserted. She chooses to leave, leaving her baby at home. Each family member has their way of facing the problems. Jason is a realistic thinker who thinks money means everything. “There was a man scared the hell out of him so that when he was up again he joined the church and bought himself a Chinese missionary, five thousand dollars a year. I often think how mad he’ll be is he was to die and find out there’s not any heaven, when he thinks about that five thousand a year. Like I say, he’d better go on and die now and save money.” Jason has no respect through out the story. Ever since his early childhood, he doesn’t care 2006-07-31T12:32:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Important-Quotations-and-Analysis-of-quot-The-Sound-and-the-30876.aspx Major Characters of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" There were several characters in the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God that played pivotal roles in Janie’s development. Nanny Crawford, Jody Starks, and Vergible Woods (Tea Cake) are the three main characters that play as major influences in Janie’s life. Nanny Crawford played an important part to Janie. For example, when all the kids annoy Janie about living on white folk’s property, she moves to another house. “Nanny didn’t love tuh see me wid mah head hung down, so she figgered it would be mo’ better fuh me if us had uh house” (10). Nanny cares about Janie and she doesn't want Janie to grow up the way she did and the way her mom did. She wants Janie to live a good life. In addition, Janie learns from Nanny’s hardships when she was growing up. “ She was a slave and raped by her master. She then had Leafy, Janie’s mother. Leafy became an alcoholic after being raped by a schoolteacher and gave birth to Janie. She then ran away and Nanny took care of Janie, hoping she would have a good life. Janie realizes that she needs some sort of security. Lastly, Nanny encourages Janie to get married as soon as possible. Janie should get married before Nanny dies. She wants Janie to marry Logan because he is financially stable and has land with mules. All she wants is to make sure that Janie has protection. Nanny’s care for Janie gave her hope and encouragement. Jody Starks also played a major role in Janie's development. For example, Janie learns from Joe that if you work hard enough then your dreams and goals would come true. Joe’s power over everything lets Janie know that great things can be accomplished. He doesn't realize what he's done to Janie because he never takes the time to listen to her. She is left out and not cared about. In addition, Joe makes her put her hair up. He doesn't want Janie to be attractive. They would have a better relationship if Joe would listen to Janie and treat her as an equal. Lastly Joe physically and mentally abuses Janie. He slaps her after an argument dinner. He just uses her and doesn't really care about Janie at all. He never lets her talk to him when he is with his friends. Joe hurts Janie 2006-07-31T12:29:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Major-Characters-of-quot-Their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God-quot-30874.aspx Huck Finn: Man's Often-concealed Shortcomings Throughout the Mark Twain (a.k.a. Samuel Clemens) novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the author expresses a plain and striking point of view. His point of view is that of a cynic; he looks upon civilized man as a merciless, cowardly, hypocritical savage, without desire for change, nor the ability to effect such change. Thus, one of Mark Twain's main purposes in producing this work seems clear: he wishes to bring to attention some of man's often-concealed shortcomings. While the examples of Mark Twain's cynic are commentaries on human nature can be found in great frequency all through the novel, several examples seem to lend themselves well to a discussion of this sarcastic view. In the beginning of the novel, it would seem that both Huck Finn and Jim are trapped in some way and wishing to escape. For Huck, it is the ideas of Miss Watson and the Widow Douglas and the violence and tyranny of his drunken father. Huck did not care for the ideas of going to school, church, wearing proper clothes, and using manners. Huck was more of a rugged type. With his father he was kept in a veritable prison, and wished to escape because he was locked inside all day. Jim feels the need to escape after hearing that his owner, Miss Watson, wishes to sell him down the river-a change in owners that could only be for the worse. As they escape separately and rejoin by chance at an island along the river, they find themselves drawn to get as far as possible from their home. Their journey down the river sets the stage for most of Mark Twain's comments about man and society. It is when they stop off at various towns along the river that mixtures of human character flaws always seem to emerge. Examples of this would include the happenings after the bringing on of the Duke and King. These two con artists would execute the most preposterous of schemes to relieve unsuspecting townspeople of their cash. The game of the King pretending to be a reformed marauder-turned-missionary at the tent meeting showed that people are gullible and often easily misled, particularly when in groups and subjected to peer pressure. The execution of the Royal Nonesuch showed another instance of people in society being subject to manipulation. The fact that, after being 2006-07-31T08:38:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Huck-Finn-Man-s-Often-Concealed-Shortcomings-30868.aspx Review of "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" by Stephen King “The world had teeth and it could bite you with them anytime it wanted…” So begins a novel that weaves imagery, suspense, and emotions into a rich web of thought and action: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King. This book starts out simple, but as the storyline goes on, increasingly complex issues and conflicts arise. A young girl, Trisha McFarland, tries to find her way out of the woods in the northeastern United States. As she becomes hopelessly lost, she starts imagining that she is with pitcher Tom Gordon, and relies on him to help her survive. At the beginning of the novel, Trisha is recapitulating over how she got lost in the woods. The narrator tells the reader about her parents’ divorce, the move, and about her teenage brother, Pete. She and Pete live with their mother in southern Maine. Pete is very unhappy because he has no friends and wants to go back to Boston and live with his father. Trisha’s mother takes Trisha and Pete to a hike in the northeastern portion of the Appalachian Trial. She and Pete argue the whole way, while Trisha daydreams that she is with Boston Red Sox pitcher Tom Gordon. On the trail, Trisha’s mother and Pete are still arguing. They pay no attention to Trisha, and finally, she gets tired of it. She sees a fork in the trail, and goes down the other way to get away from them. She thinks that it would be easy to get back, but soon, she gets lost. She wanders around some more, and gets farther and farther from the main path. After a while, Trisha finds that she has brought her Walkman. She listens to some stations, but there is nothing interesting on. She remembers that she read about finding one’s way out of the woods by water. She starts searching for a stream, which would eventually lead to the sea. In the middle of the night, Trisha suddenly realizes that there is a thing in the woods. She feels that it is near her, and is extremely scared. She imagines Tom Gordon is guarding her, and soon, she is asleep again. Trisha sees a torn–off deer’s head, and tries to get away. As she does this, she sees huge claw marks on a tree. She goes on, and 2006-07-30T21:35:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Review-of-quot-The-Girl-Who-Loved-Tom-Gordon-quot-by-Steph-30851.aspx A Comparison of the Novel and the Film "Dracula" One of the famous monsters of our time that has terrorized audiences in many movies is Count Dracula. He is a vampire who has been alive for several hundred years, and keeps himself alive by sucking blood from live victims. The character was created by author Bram Stoker in the novel titled Dracula. In the novel, Dracula is of course the antagonist who would stop at nothing to be with Mina, a women, who looks like his dead wife. The protagonist is a young man from England, Jonathan Harker, who is engaged to Mina he is sent to Transylvania to finalize the Real estate deal in England to Count Dracula. Once Jonathan learns about what is going on, he and his five friends try to bring an end to Dracula. The 1992 film “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” is an adaptation of the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. Dracula is not the usual monster movie you would expect at first. Instead, it’s a very romantic story, portraying the vampire count as a tormented being with emotions that, like his body, never die. By comparing Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, to its film version, many differences and similarities can be seen through character development and events. Except for the obvious Hollywood romance between characters Mina and Dracula, Stoker's vision is kept throughout. Mina happens to be the reincarnation of Dracula's lost love she then becomes his motivation for traveling to England. Far from what a romance movie would be, the romance unexpectedly enhances it, providing the actions of Harker and the fearless vampire killers with more urgency. The character of Mina Murray, excellently played by Winona Ryder, is a helpful and wanted person. In this modern version there is a great focus on the sexuality of the female that would have never been acceptable in Victorian England. In the novel Mina's character is much more acceptable. She was truly the picture perfect Victorian lady in keeping her emotions in check, operating from her smart side while offering selfless concern for others. When helping Lucy she stated, “ I must have free hands so that I might help her” (page 102.) Mina seems to want to help her friends and family all the time. Her desire to be a help to her future husband, who is missing in the film due to its 2006-07-30T21:12:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Comparison-of-the-Novel-and-the-Film-quot-Dracula-quot-30843.aspx Mordecai Richler’s The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz Cunning though he is, Duddy Kravitz fails to learn the tricks of his trade and, consequently, fails to become a whole person. In Mordecai Richler’s The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Duddy’s peers succumb to his antics, thereby becoming deficient as Duddy’s teachers. Duddy’s amoral business associates are masters of ruthlessness and deceit, and his family members are enfeebled by the society they live in. Trained at the hands of these cripples, Duddy Kravitz is unable to complete his apprenticeship. Duddy Kravitz’s apprenticeship takes place where "the boys grew up dirty and sad, spiky also, like grass beside the railroad tracks." (The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, 46) At the Fletcher’s Cadets Parade, the boys whom Duddy learns from in his early years tell crude jokes and defect to buy rye. Duddy is also the president of room forty-one at Fletcher’s Field High School. He learns from his peers that the vulnerability of others can be used to his own advantage. From singing songs with lewd lyrics to tormenting his class masters and the rabbinical college students, Duddy elicits positive reaction from his peers. No one dares to accuse Duddy of lying, though his classmates see the outrageousness in his tales of Bradley’s exploits in Arizona. His peers humour him and stroke his ego. They applaud his pranks, but Duddy is a coward – he does not take responsibility for his wrongs. Whether it is writing hurtful comments on the board or phoning MacPherson’s wife Jenny – thus causing her death – Duddy learns that he can use his peers to relieve his conscience, "We’re all in this together, you understand?" (40) As the leader of the "Warriors," Duddy learns that his weak peers will do as he bid: they are enthralled when he teaches them about stealing, smoking, and sex, and they become his shield while Duddy continues to hurt the innocents who come across his path. With strength gained from the weakness of his peers, Duddy learns to cheat stamp companies and sell pornography and stolen hockey sticks. After Duddy graduates from school, he is lead further astray by his peers in his apprenticeship. The McGill boys whom Duddy works with at Rubin’s Hotel teach him to be ruthless by playing pranks on the young boy. Irwin, without much conscience himself, not only makes life miserable for Duddy, but 2006-07-30T21:05:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mordecai-Richler’s-The-Apprenticeship-of-Duddy-Kravitz-30840.aspx Dissecting the Novel "O Pioneers!" After reading the novel, O Pioneers!, it was hard to judge whether it was a tragedy or a triumph. I think the answer you are looking for would be a triumph. The only way I see it as a tragedy is that Emil and Maria died. I knew, since page six of the book, that they were destined to be together. It kind of broke my heart to see later on that she had married someone else. But when her and Emil got shot, I thought it may finish as a tragedy. But overall, I would see it as a triumph in the way that the Bergson’s finally got what they wanted out of their land. It made them rich. Also, Alexandra and Carl finally married. And being that the whole novel was basically based on “the land”, they were triumphant in getting what they risked, what they longed for. In my opinion, I think the land broke the characters rather than the characters breaking the land. Of course the characters had to plant and sew the fields, but they did that every year. It took the forever, it seemed like, for the land to break them. That’s what the Bergson’s had worked for their whole life. The land pulls the family together and makes them work hard to get what they want,...money, happiness. It makes them happy. So yes, the land does break them more than they break the land. In considering Cather’s characters, I don’t think they become fully Americanized within a generation. At the beginning of the novel, it seems like they are more in tuned with the rest of America. They are economically stable. But when Carl comes back on his first visit, Lou and Oscar scorn him about burning Wall Street. Obviously, America is building and becoming more advanced. While still in Nebraska, people are relying on their crops to get them by. They are still dwelling on their traits, beliefs, and actions that past generations had. Romantic love in this particular novel is very hard to judge whether it is necessary for human happiness. I don’t think that it was meant to be the moral of the story, or that love was the basis of this particular novel, but I do think that after reading this that it was necessary in order to be happy. Of course, in one instance, 2006-07-30T20:51:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dissecting-the-Novel-quot-O-Pioneers-quot-30835.aspx Differences between A River Runs Through It; Book and Movie Norman Mclean’s A River Runs Through It explores many feelings and experiences of one “turn of the century” family in Missoula, Montana. In both the movie, directed by Robert Redford, and the original work of fiction we follow the Mcleans through their joys and sorrows. However, the names of the characters and places are not purely coincidental. These are the same people and places known by Norman Mclean as he was growing up. In a sense, A River Runs Through It is Mclean’s autobiography. Although these autobiographical influences are quite evident throughout the course of the story they have deeper roots in the later life of the author as he copes with his life’s hardships. The characters in the movie and book are taken straight from Mclean’s life. From the hard working, soft centered, minister father, to the drunken, “down on his luck”, brother-in-law, Neil. The character of Paul appears the be the most true to life member of Norman’s family. The audience quickly becomes familiar with Paul and his quick-tempered, always ready for anything attitude. This is evident in the beginning of the story with Paul’s frequent phrase “...with a bet on the to make things interesting (Mclean 6).” “It was almost funny and sometimes not so funny to see a boy always wanting to bet on himself and almost sure to win (Mclean 5).” Unlike Norman who was rigorously home schooled every morning, while Paul seemed to escape this torment. The boys would spend their afternoons frolicking in the woods and fishing the Big Blackfoot River. The differences that developed between Paul’s and Norman’s fishing styles become evident in the published versions of Mclean’s life as well as his real life. Norman followed the traditional style taught by their preacher-father, ten and two in a four -count rhythm, like a metronome. The four-count rhythm, of course, is functional. The one count takes the line, leader, and fly off the water; the two count tosses them seemingly straight into the sky; the three count was my father’s way of saying that at the top the leader and fly have to be given a little beat of time to get behind the line as it is starting forward; the four count means put on the power and throw the line into the rod until you reach ten 2006-07-30T20:42:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Differences-between-A-River-Runs-Through-It-Book-and-Movie-30831.aspx Censorship in Huckleberry Finn and Of Mice and Men Censorship has been around since the ancient times, although it became more popular in the Middle Ages when books became more and more common. The church has been censoring books since the time after its persecution. It banned books about superstition and those written by opposing individuals to the church, such as Arius and his book “Thalia.” (New advent) Censorship today is a way for parents and teachers of kids to regulate the reading material of those they are associated with, but is it always right? Those who censor the books obviously think so. They believe they are protecting their children and students from harsh language, crude humor, violence, or for religious reasons. Parents and teachers across the nation have censored The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Of Mice and Men for similar reasons. These people need to see the bigger picture. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Of Mice and Men should not be censored because they teach the history of our nation, valuable outlooks on life, and the value of having a family. It is easy to see why parents may be alarmed at certain material in each book, but in most cases the language is used in good historical context, and is not intended to insult anyone. For example: usage of the word “nigger” has been extremely criticized by many people. In fact it is one of most popular reasons for censorship of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (Online books) The word can be seen numerous times on page five, but it is not trying to make fun of the African American race. It is merely historical dialogue. This is the way that common people spoke in this time. On page three when Jim is referred to as “Miss Watson’s big nigger,” it is only stating exactly what anyone in that time period would have said. This does not make the word acceptable for use today, but it was back then. Along with unsuitable language for kids, Of Mice and Men was challenged for its views on the life of a mentally challenged person, the dialect used to represent a mentally challenged individual, and sexual comments throughout the book. (Online books) On page fifty-six, this phrase was said, “George, how long’s it 2006-07-30T20:40:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Censorship-in-Huckleberry-Finn-and-Of-Mice-and-Men-30830.aspx Mary Shelley's Frankenstein The Basic Role of Family A reckless, opinionated, driven feminist, who changed the face of literature, such is the perception of Mary Shelley. Truth be told, the general population would be correct in their assumptions. However, if they were to delve deeper into the psyche of Mary Shelley, they would be astounded to see the true harsh reality of Mary's existence. The Romantic era which took place between 1770 and 1848 promoted a profound shift in sensibility and a life rooted in the emotions and sentiments. Mary Shelley, rebellious by nature, produced a literary work of art which through gruesome descriptions, bleak dark imagery, and a scary, depressing tone, defied romanticism and its followers. One can assume she wrote her book in this fashion as a rebellion against radicalism as well as romanticism. In her introduction to the novel Shelley writes... "I have no wish to ally myself with Radicals, they are full of repulsion to me, violent without any sense of justice-selfish in the extreme-talking without knowledge" ( ). It is feasible that Mary's opinion is partially derived from her perception of her father, a man who remained indifferent to her nearly all her life. Likewise it is easy to gather that this book is a slap in the face to him as well as other radical thinkers. Ironically, or rather in the Shelley fashion, thoughtfully planned, all the characters who expresses radical ideas or who acted out radically, were murdered or died in the novel, perhaps expressing Mary Shelley's hopes of the end of radicalism, which, similar to the experiences of the characters, brought only heartache and misery. It seemed inevitable through her genetics, that Mary would be a writer. Her parents William Godwin and Mary Wollenstonecraft were both influential writers who made contributions to their respective causes, radicalism and feminism. William wrote Enquiry Concerning Political Justice in 1793 and Mary wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792. Mary Shelley also had a stepsister Fanny Imlay the product of a previous affair of her mother's. Growing up, Mary's life was far from a healthy normal childhood. Mary's mother died 2006-07-30T20:38:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mary-Shelley-s-Frankenstein-The-Basic-Role-of-Family-30829.aspx Mary Shelley's Frankenstein The Basic Role of Family A reckless, opinionated, driven feminist, who changed the face of literature, such is the perception of Mary Shelley. Truth be told, the general population would be correct in their assumptions. However, if they were to delve deeper into the psyche of Mary Shelley, they would be astounded to see the true harsh reality of Mary's existence. The Romantic era which took place between 1770 and 1848 promoted a profound shift in sensibility and a life rooted in the emotions and sentiments. Mary Shelley, rebellious by nature, produced a literary work of art which through gruesome descriptions, bleak dark imagery, and a scary, depressing tone, defied romanticism and its followers. One can assume she wrote her book in this fashion as a rebellion against radicalism as well as romanticism. In her introduction to the novel Shelley writes... "I have no wish to ally myself with Radicals, they are full of repulsion to me, violent without any sense of justice-selfish in the extreme-talking without knowledge" ( ). It is feasible that Mary's opinion is partially derived from her perception of her father, a man who remained indifferent to her nearly all her life. Likewise it is easy to gather that this book is a slap in the face to him as well as other radical thinkers. Ironically, or rather in the Shelley fashion, thoughtfully planned, all the characters who expresses radical ideas or who acted out radically, were murdered or died in the novel, perhaps expressing Mary Shelley's hopes of the end of radicalism, which, similar to the experiences of the characters, brought only heartache and misery. It seemed inevitable through her genetics, that Mary would be a writer. Her parents William Godwin and Mary Wollenstonecraft were both influential writers who made contributions to their respective causes, radicalism and feminism. William wrote Enquiry Concerning Political Justice in 1793 and Mary wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792. Mary Shelley also had a stepsister Fanny Imlay the product of a previous affair of her mother's. Growing up, Mary's life was far from a healthy normal childhood. Mary's mother died 2006-07-30T20:38:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mary-Shelley-s-Frankenstein-The-Basic-Role-of-Family-30828.aspx Innocence in Catcher in the Rye If there were one word to tell what the theme of the book was it would be innocence. How we are all innocent at some point, how to try to keep our innocence, and how no one can keep their innocence forever. We all fall from our innocence. Adam and Eve fell from grace and innocence and set the tone for all of our lives. Throughout the whole book Holden is trying to make people keep their innocence and he wants to hold onto it himself. What he needs to learn and does learn through the course of the book is that no one can keep his or her innocence. We all fall at some point, but what we have control over is how hard we fall. In the book there is a plethora of falling images. The very title is about Holden wanting to “catch” little kids from falling off a cliff. “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff—I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them.” (Pg. 173) Holden wants to save everyone and be a hero, when he needs to focus a lot more attention on his self. To him falling is when you loose your innocence, and when you loose your innocence you are a phony. He sees people that conform as phony, but to stay sane and prosper a person usually has to conform and be “phony.” Mr. Antolini brings to our attentions another image of falling when he talks with Holden about his behavior. He tells Holden that Holden is due to fall. “This fall I think you’re riding for—it’s a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man isn’t permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom.” (Pg. 187) Mr. Antolini brings to our attention the fact that Holden is going to “fall” or loose his innocence soon if he already hasn’t. During the book when Holden is going mad it sure seems like he keeps falling and falling but he can’t feel himself fall or hit bottom. He drinks constantly to escape the problems he has with his life. He tries 2006-07-30T20:35:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Innocence-in-Catcher-in-the-Rye-30827.aspx Christian Symbolism in Beowulf Christian symbolism in Beowulf within the poem Beowulf, the poet utilizes the Christian religion to symbolize the elements of good and evil and Heaven and Hell. Beowulf is the oldest known English epic poem. The manuscripts date back to about 1000 A.D., when two scribes wrote it down for posterity. The poem was handed down from the Anglo-Saxon period, and through the retelling of the poem, it changed a little each time. The poem creates an oral depiction of an epic hero who strived to fight against the forces of evil. There really was a “historical” Beowulf who helped the Geats and Danes fight off pirates, but he was neither King of the Geats nor Danish hero at any time. In fact, he was not considered a man of any extraordinary qualities, much different than the Beowulf in the poem. Christianity influenced much of the literature during this period of time. Although the poem never mentions Christ, the poet did use various characters and references to the Old Testament. The poet uses them sparingly, but the references to biblical events and characters are clearly evident. Protected by God, King Hrothgar became a mighty ruler over the lands surrounding Herot. When Grendel, an epitome of sin, comes into the poem, Hrothgar was probably less worried about himself, and more worried about his people. He was not “an old pathetic king, incapable of protecting his people”(Bloom 47). He was described as being a famous hero because of his goodness and great wisdom. Made of earthen walls covered by gold and ivory, Herot’s beauty and reverence reigned throughout the land. “Herot, the great hall becomes an emblem for God’s word itself ”(Chickering 271). Fire has and probably always will be a representation of evil. It is ironic that the single force that could bring down the glorious Herot, was fire. Throughout Grendel’s barbarous attacks, he never challenges Hrothgar’s throne: “He never dared touch King Hrothgar’s throne, protected by God, God whose love Grendel could never know” (Beowulf 83-86). Unable to contend with God’s love, Grendel forfeits his own life. During the opening of Beowulf, the poet summarizes the beginning chapters of Genesis in the Bible. The poet tells about “ The Almighty making of the earth, shaping beautiful plains, marked off by oceans, then proudly setting the sun and moon to glow across the land and light it”(7-10). In the 2006-07-30T20:22:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Christian-Symbolism-in-Beowulf-30819.aspx World War I History in "All Quiet on the Western Front" Paul Baumer and his classmates had volunteered to enlist in the war or at least that what the story told. But that is not true, they were forced in to volunteer. Their school master Kantorek had filled their heads up with views of nationalism which glorified the war. Some students were even pressured by their parents to enlist. If they did not enlist it would be like turning their back on their country. The teachers and school masters thought going to war was the best thing a man could do for his country. When Baumer and his friends get to boot camp, they found out that it was not so great. In boot camp they were taught to be soldiers. They found out that what they learned in school had no meaning in the war. It was also in the front line where Baumer and his friends saw the contradictions made by people at home. Paul and his comrades all saw the true horror of the war in the front. Each one of them experienced the wounded and death of other soldiers. They also experienced hunger and fear. They saw how destructive the new war technology could be, the use of machine guns, gas, flamethrowers, bombing planes, and the tanks used by the British. Despite all this, they stilled continued to stay loyal to the war. The German soldiers continued to fight because of the training they received. Baumer and his group had one of the strictness drill instructors, Corporal Himmelstoss. It seemed like abuse but his training actually helped the soldiers. His training made the soldiers bitter and made them more aware. They had to be bitter and sharper if they were to survive the war. The will to survive is another reason why the German soldiers kept fighting. Baumer says that they become like wild beasts in a field while under attack. They had to defend themselves against annihilation. The solders also felt angry from within, which allowed them to kill, and to save them selves. Paul says that when they are in this rage, they kill. If the soldiers don't kill, their enemies will kill them. The German soldiers have no choice; you either kill or be killed. Comradeship is another reason the Germans soldiers keep fighting. Baumer's group is made up of a variety of people. 2006-07-30T20:19:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/World-War-I-History-in-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-30818.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells, is a science fiction book about a man who travels into the far future wanting to know what our civilization turns into. He is shocked to see that the people have evolved into two different and completely different races. The Time Traveler, as the book calls him, first thought that the people lived in perfect harmony and peace, but later learns that that is not true. After building a time machine, the Time Traveler takes a journey to the year 802,701. He gets out of the time machine and is greeted by the people. He finds them to be beautiful creatures, but he also notices that they act like five or six year olds. He tries to talk to them but they could only understand very simple sentences. He followed them around and was puzzled by how the only things they did all day were dance, play, eat, and sleep. He wanted to know how they were able to survive without working. A few days past before he decided to go back to the time machine. He went back to the spot where it disappeared and found it gone. After yelling and screaming for his machine, he learns that there is another race of humans and they are the ones that took the machine. The other civilization the Time Traveler found, were very different from the first. These live underground, in the dark, and are very hairy. Soon after watching them, he figured out how everything in this strange world worked. The hairy creatures, known as the Morlocks, were the evil ones who supplied the Eloi (the kind and gentle people) with food, water and clothes. They only did that to fatten them up so they could eat them. So, the Time Traveler had the challenge of getting his machine back from them. After finding weapons, he went down to their cave, fought them, and returned to his time. Upon arriving, he is greeted by four or five guests that he invited over before the travel. He tells the story to them all and they are shocked and left his house in disbelief. One visitor came back wanting to know a little more about his journey. When he got there, the Time Traveler excused himself and travels back into 2006-07-30T20:17:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-The-Time-Machine-by-H_G_-Wells-30817.aspx Compare and Contrast "Dorian Gray" the Book and Movie There are many comparisons from the book Dorian Gray to the playwright. They are very similar in some ways but also dissimilar as well. They share many qualities and are both very intricately thought through. The differences aren’t quite as present as the similarities but there are some hidden throughout the play. A similarity that the book and the play share, and the most obvious one, is that Dorian is the main character, who is troubled throughout his life by a curse that was put on him while he is a young boy. Another similarity that the book and the play had in common is that they both are filled with rambling dialogue and nothing else. They both lacked action and excitement, but were both filled with internal drama and conflicting emotions. A third similarity that is present is that the book and the play portrayed the characters in very similar ways. There isn’t much change in the way that the characters are perceived in the book to the play. The book and the play are also alike in that the dialogue was very extensive and hard to follow. There were a lot of times in the book where you would find yourself reading but having a hard and difficult time trying to figure out what the writer was trying to say. This feeling was also present in the play, where the actor or actress would be talking for three or four minutes straight and you wouldn’t have the slightest clue what they were talking about due to the vocabulary and word usage. Another similarity is that the book and the play both followed the same plot and had the same ending. Dorian ends up going insane and tearing up the portrait that was painted of him, and in turn killing himself because the portrait contained his sole. There aren’t as many differences as there are similarities, but there are a few hidden inconsistently throughout the play. When watching the play I noticed that a lot of the chapters were condensed down into one scene in order to cut time down. Like in the book where Dorian goes insane, it takes up at least four or five chapters and in the play, it was condensed down into one scene. It was kind of confusing, but in a confusing way, it got the 2006-07-30T20:11:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Compare-and-Contrast-Dorian-Gray-the-Book-and-Movie-30814.aspx Tones in "A Small Place" by Jamaica Kincaid The overall feeling the Jamaica Kincaid relays to the reader in A Small Place is very negative. All through out the book she bashes at the way-of-life on her native island Antigua by the politicians and tourists. I think that the two major tones in A Small Place are cynical and livid. Cynical is described in the dictionary as “believing or showing the belief that people are motivated chiefly by base or selfish concerns; skeptical of the motives of others.” Kincaid talks cynically through out the book when speaking of the politicians and the drug lord that lives there. “Now they own a lot of Antigua, they regularly lend money to the government, they build enormous (for Antigua), ugly (for Antigua), concrete buildings in Antigua’s capital, St. John’s , which the government then rents for huge suns of money…” (Kincaid 11). Kincaid says here that the Syrian family controls the government of Antigua and makes money off of the people. Nowhere in the book does she use any facts to back up her assumptions and accusations. “Not far from this mansion is another mansion, the home of a drug smuggler” (Kincaid 11). This is another accusation where the only way she backs it up is with the statement “Everybody knows he’s a drug smuggler” (Kincaid 11). They final line the convinced me of her cynical mind is when she said “It is not a secret that a minister is involved in drug trafficking” (Kincaid 59). Livid is described as being “Extremely angry; furious.” I think that almost any line out of this novel that is said by Kincaid can be described as livid. “You murdered people. You imprisoned people. You robbed people. You opened your own banks and your put our money into them. The accounts were in your name.” (Kincaid 35). This is just part of one of the many ramblings Kincaid does in the book. All she does is complain about the former British Empire and the government established after their independence. Sometimes she uses interesting ways of describing things to really bring home the point of her grievances. “The hospital in Antigua is so dirty, so run-down, that even if the best doctors and nurses in 2006-07-30T19:53:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tones-in-quot-A-Small-Place-quot-by-Jamaica-Kincaid-30812.aspx Teenagers with Eating Disorders in the Novel "Fat Chance" “Once upon a time in the land of perfect dreams, I was a beautiful princess and I lived in a castle and could eat anything I wanted.” Quotes Simply Sarah. Teenagers with eating disorders, specifically Bulimia, often desire one thing, perfect body. They believe that being overweight is the cause of all their misfortunes, and if they could only loose the fat, all of their problems would disappear as well. When in fact most of them aren’t overweight, and are around normal size for their age. When they loose the desired weight, they don’t appreciate it and keep going until it becomes an obsession. “Simply Sarah” and “Fat Chance” are two stories that have many similarities and differences, for example, What motivated them to start purging, what encouraged them to continue, and how they overcame their weight conflict. Their both teenagers fighting to loose weight, when it becomes a battle for perfection, and inevitably the struggle between life and death. In the fictional novel Fat Chance, Judi realizes on the first day of a new year at school that she is the heaviest girl. While analyzing her life, she makes three goals for grade eight: to find out what she wants to be when she’s older, have a boyfriend, and to be the skinniest girl in her grade. In the non-fiction selection SimplySarah, Sarah starts off counting her daily calories and normally just watching what she eats. As the school year proceeds for Judi, one very aggravating boy in her class Tommy Aristo, makes constant fun of her weight and seems to always incorporate it in to every joke. Judi takes charge of her life and starts small diets, which lead to starvation. Though starvation was successful, she couldn’t keep it a secret from her mom, who made sure her growing teenager had three balanced meals a day. The most popular girl Nancy Pratt, Judi’s pencil thin inspiration, teaches her how to make her self throw up. The thought of purging never crossed her mind, but being naive to the consequences, Judi hesitantly follows her idol. Nancy constantly gets the attention of the boys and everything seems to always go her way. Judi believes that if she had “creamy thighs and amazing cheek bones that look like I’m always sipping through a straw” everything would go her way 2006-07-30T19:52:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Teenagers-with-Eating-Disorders-in-the-Novel-Fat-Chance-30811.aspx Examining the Film Rendition of the Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald captivates the reader and creates almost an addiction to the novel. I as the reader found it difficult to put down many times throughout the book. Sadly, I did not have the same feelings for the movie’s portrayal. In fact, the way I reacted to the movie was almost the exact opposite of how I reacted to the book. Obviously the producer of the movie had created different images in his head than I had created when I read the story. First and foremost, the performances were very distracting. I found that many of the people that acted in the movie did not fit the role they were playing. For example, Gatsby seemed to be in love with himself more than he was in love with Daisy. He constantly was flashing what some may call, “dazzling” smiles. In my opinion they were completely unnecessary. Gatsby often had me distracted because I could not tell what emotion he was feeling at any given time. At first I suspected him to be a happy-go-lucky sort of guy, which doesn’t fit the character portrayed in the novel. At other times I could not tell what he was feeling. There were times when I was confused as to whether he was laughing or crying. All in all, I found the actor playing Gatsby to do less than a perfect job. On the other hand, I found that the man playing the role of Nick to do an excellent job. In the film he seemed to remain on neutral ground in times of conflict. In some scenes he didn’t get involved in disputes in any way. Only towards the end of the film did he really stand out on issues and seem to become more independent. This is very accurate to how his character is developed in the novel as well. His standoffish role in the film portrayed his character from the book well because as a narrator it seems that he would only be viewing the scene and not necessarily taking part in it. The costumes in the movie seemed to be fairly accurate. The set design was also very well done. In the novel there are many elegant descriptions and the movie portrayed them close to how I did in my own mind. The vehicles were definitely 2006-07-30T19:50:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examining-the-Film-Rendition-of-the-Great-Gatsby-30810.aspx Alienation in "Richard Cory," "Miracle Boy" and "The Outsiders" Alienation is a feeling of separation which can be felt in many different forms, whether it be socially, culturally, or by self estrangement. In the works of The Outsiders, "Richard Cory," and "Miracle Boy," alienation is the main theme. In each of the works, there was an outsider or a group of outsiders. An outsider is someone living in a way in which society believes is different. In the movie, The Outsiders, there was a strong dislike of the group called the Greasers. They weren't as rich as the other group of the town, the Socs. The Greasers were alienated against because society thought that they were mischievous and disruptive. One of the Socs, Randy, said something that brought out the theme in the story : “You can't win. You know that, don't you? It doesn't matter if you whip us, you'll still be where you were before, at the bottom. And we'll still be the lucky ones at the top with all the breaks. It doesn't matter. Greasers will still be Greasers and Socs will still be Socs. It doesn't matter.” Despite Johnny, Soda Pop, and Dallas’ heroic effort, society still looked down on them. They may have gained some respect from a Soc but that is about it. The Greasers risked their lives to save children in a burning church who were destined to die if it weren’t for the boys help. Some people did realize the bravery of the boys. For example, they received recognition in the local newspaper and such. All in all, the Greasers were alienated against because of their social status, whether they were well-behaved or badly behaved. The poem of “Richard Cory” contained two types of alienation. The alienation displayed was that of self versus self and self versus society. The character of the story was a handsome, wealthy, humble man whom people in the town often looked up to. However, he wanted to be like the normal people of the town. He felt as if he was alienated against because he was different from the townspeople. The end result in the poem was Richard Cory committing suicide because he could not deal with the discrimination, which was self inflicted. There was a conflict 2006-07-30T19:48:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Alienation-in-Richard-Cory-Miracle-Boy-and-The-Outsiders-30809.aspx Baseball, "The Natural" and a Modern Day Arthurian Myth Once upon a time, a hero would be seen courageously riding on his magnificent steed into the cave of a fearsome dragon, clad with his shinning helmet, his enormous gauntlets, his breastplate displaying his coat of arms, and in his hands, a magnificent broad sword, prepared to strike at an instant. Today, that hero is seen confidently walking to home plate, his shinning helmet replaced by a dusty cap, his gauntlets replaced by batting gloves, his breastplate replaced by a simple jersey bearing the name and colors of his team, his broad sword replaced by a Louisville Slugger, primed to pummel any pitch with which the looming hurler might challenge him with. Bernard Malamud’s novel The Natural is the tale of a young man’s quest for love and greatness in early twentieth century baseball. Roy Hobbs is thirty-four years old when he joins the baseball team the New York Knights. When he was nineteen years old and an unknown prospect, he vowed to a woman that he would be the best in the game, and she shot him with a silver bullet. Everyone who watches Roy play is amazed at his intrinsic ability to crush all pitches that are thrown to him. The lovely Memo Paris, niece of the team’s manager Pop Fisher, soon catches Roy’s eye, and he pursues her love vehemently. His desire for her eventually hospitalizes him when he eats until his stomach ruptures. Roy’s downfall comes when the teams owner, The Judge, offers him a bribe which he accepts and forces him to attempt to lose the championship game. After the game, Roy lives the remainder of his life in utter shame. The novel contains many events that actually happened, which enhances the mythic significance of the novel, as baseball is the foundation of contemporary American folklore (Wasserman 45-46). The characters are rich with mythological similarities, another element that enhances its mythical aspect. In addition, many elements of mythology enhance the story. It is the modern-day embodiment of the Arthurian myth (Hershinow 21). Baseball is the basis of contemporary mythology. The entire survival of baseball relies on its mythology, for without it, the game would crumble into a jumble of meaningless facts and statistics (Turner 118). Stories of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, 2006-07-30T11:53:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Baseball-The-Natural-and-a-Modern-Day-Arthurian-Myth-30807.aspx Overview and Analysis of "Rebecca" the Novel Rebecca is a novel about a young girl who doesn’t know who she is. This novel follows the narrator on a psychological quest for selfhood, and her struggle against an invisible enemy. In the beginning of the story, she is a shy, insignificant little girl. She learns and grows to eventually become the confident Mistress of Manderly. Before the narrator goes to Manderly, she is young and timid, “with straight bobbed hair and youthful unpowdered face… trailing in the wake of Mrs. Van Hopper like a shy, uneasy colt.” She is very awkward and still searching for her purpose and identity. Obsequious to Mrs. Van Hopper, the narrator is portrayed as the daughter of this maternal figure. She lacks a strong will or any sense of authority. She fades into the background of the busy social surroundings that Mrs. Van Hopper brings her into. Unable to take action, she is unsure of accepting Mr. De Winter’s proposal and even leaves it to up him to inform Mrs. Van Hopper of her leaving. Once she reaches Manderly, it is apparent that her lack of confidence is a significant problem. She feels adrift in the vast halls of Manderly. She loses her way frequently, constantly asking servants for directions. She constantly feels nervous, worrying that the servants are laughing at her. When she breaks the ornament and is forced to apologize to Mrs. Danvers, she almost appears like a child that has been caught being naughty. She is not only failing to act the part of maxim’s wife, but also as an adult. The narrator’s inability to assert her authority shows her failure to accept who she has become. When Mrs. Danvers calls on the house telephone and asks for Mrs. De Winter, the heroin, without thinking, replies, “I am afraid you have made a mistake… Mrs. De winter has been dead for over a year.” In her mind, the narrator cannot accept that she, and not Rebecca, is the true Mistress of Manderly. The narrator allows herself to trust Mrs. Danvers and follows her suggestion for the dress she wears to the ball. She does this to try to be original, daring and surprising. She is trying to carve an identity out for herself. Ironically, instead of distancing herself 2006-07-29T16:30:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Overview-and-Analysis-of-quot-Rebecca-quot-the-Novel-30797.aspx The Theme of Justice in The Orestian Trilogy Revenge……….a dish served cold. "Revenge is a kind of wild……" Francis Bacon What is justice and how is it related to vengenance? Can justice be reconciled with the violence of human feeling and the forces of fate? These questions provided the theme for "Agamemnon, The Choephori and the Eumenides," the grim tragedies that makes up the Oresteian Trilogy. In these plays, Aeschyus takes on his subject the bloody chain of murder and revenge with the royal family of Atreus, a chain finally broken by the intervention of the goddess Athene. It is appropriate that the plays are a trilogy as they take on three various forms of justice. Democracy, emerging in the city state of Athens, allowed the unprecedented power to her citizens. Among these new powers was the ability to legislate. The Greeks were attempting to establish a governmental system which would span the middle ground between anarchy and despotism. By the crimes played out in the trilogy, Aeschylus demonstrates the contrast between anarchy and despotism and judges them both guilty. He shows, by the end of the play, that the only way man ca be absolved of guilt is by joining leagues with the gods in a united effort to promote justice. The cure of continued injustice can only be ended by the cooperative effort of man and Gods. Retributive justice is an effort established between equals. The history of the house of Atreus has been a history of retributive justice. In a moral sense, it does not re-establish order but instead states violent act upon act, each even serving to disrupt the equilibrium further. The Oresteia represents humanity's emergence from darkness to light, from aristocracy to the democratic state. It is a rite of passage from savagery to civilization. The first book of the trilogy is "Agamemnon." Agamemnon, king of Argos, is the war hero of Troy who retuned home after 10 years. The king had left on a rather sour note, having murdered his daughter Iphigenia to appease the Gods in order for the fleet to sail to Troy. Clytemnestra, the queen of Argos, could not understand the sacrifice. Agamemnon's actions are typical of the classic Greek "male" point of view. He is 2006-07-29T16:26:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Theme-of-Justice-in-The-Orestian-Trilogy-30795.aspx Summary of Catcher in the Rye The story start's at the last night from Holden at Pencey, a Boarding School he is at. He has been kicked out of school because he didn't have good marks. It's almost Christmas and he supposed to go home in the vacation on Wednesday. He decides to go a few days earlier to New York, where his parents live, but he doesn't go home, because he doesn't want his parents to know he has been kicked out of school again. He checks in a hotel and goes to the Ernie's, a night-club. He has been there before with his brother D.B. He dances the whole evening with a blond girl, but she's only interested in celebrities so he goes back to the hotel. At the hotel, the elevator-boy says that he's a pimp and that he can arrange him a five-dollar whore. He takes the deal and a few minutes later the whore, named Sunny, arrives at his room. He was excited because he thought that he could loose his virginity that night, but when she takes her sweater off, he realizes that he doesn't feel sexy or something so he sends her away after he paid her. She wants ten dollar instead of the five dollar he had arranged with the elevator-boy. He doesn't give her the ten-dollar and a few minutes later, she comes back with Maurice. He still doesn't pay and Maurice smacks him to punches in his face. Holden starts to cry. He pays now and they go away. The next morning he gives Sally, his formal girlfriend, a call and they go see a theatre-show at two 'o clock. They spend the whole afternoon together and after that they go ice-skating. Later, in a bar, he tells her he wants to go to the woods with her ant get a job so that they can merry each other. He was really serious. Sally didn't want to go and he called her a 'serious pain in the ass'. She ran away and he felt lonely. He phoned an old friend of him to get a drink together that night. They meet in some bar downtown. It isn't going well between them and after a while, and some drinks, Holden's friend, Carl Luce, leaves. Holden stays and he drinks a lot that night and he gets really drunk. When he's drunk, 2006-07-29T16:16:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-of-Catcher-in-the-Rye-30790.aspx Report and Opinion on "Ten Thousand Sorrows" I have read a book called ”Ten Thousand Sorrows” and it was written by Elisabeth Kim. I can definitely recommend this book which is a true story about the writer, Elisabeth Kim’s destiny. Elisabeth was born in Korea. She lived in a small village with her mother. She doesn’t know anything about her father, except that he was an American soldier. Everyone in the village hated Elisabeth and her mother because of what her mother had done. She had given birth to Elisabeth, a child they would never accept. She was a non-person in their eyes. Even though Elisabeth and her mother had no friends and were very poor, they had a good home with allot of love. They lived together until one day when Elisabeth was around five or six years old, she doesn’t know exactly because nobody knows what year she was born. Anyway that day her grandfather and her uncle came to their little house and killed Elisabeth’s mother, in what they called a murder of honor. Elisabeth was placed in a children’s home where she had a terrible time. Most of the days the children had to spend in their beds which were like cages – they couldn’t move or go anywhere. After a while she got adopted by an American couple. They were Christian missionaries and had very strict rules. Elisabeth tried very hard to learn a good behavior and please her new parents. But everything she did was wrong. She had to learn to speak English right from the moment she came there. She had to smile all the time, otherwise her mother wouldn’t see her. She could never cry in the house, that was a sin. If she did anything they thought was wrong they hit her. Elisabeth had to become the perfect daughter. The story continues with her miserable life in her new home in America. She lives with her parents and by their rules until she’s about seventeen, when she got married to a man that of course her parents had picked out for her. But her husband wasn’t a good man. I think you should read this book because it’s very interesting. You can never imagine the things she has gone through. The book touches your heart and makes you think. The title of the book is true, she has 2006-07-29T15:39:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Report-and-Opinion-on-quot-Ten-Thousand-Sorrows-quot-30779.aspx Analyzing the Concept of Justice in "To Kill a Mockingbird" Through the study this term of the central text, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and related texts, films Rabbit Proof Fence by Phillip Noyce and In the Name of the Father by Jim Sheridan, my understanding of the concept of justice, or what constitutes justice, has altered considerably. We all think we know what justice is, or what it should be. In Australian colloquial terms, it is the principle of a “fair go” for everyone. In a perfect world, everyone is treated fairly. No-one is subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sex or disability. But the reality is that the world we inhabit is far from perfect, human beings are by their very natures incapable of perfection, which is why we have strict laws governing political, social and criminal justice. These laws are to protect us from others who wish to see us disadvantaged and to ensure that justice is done. What I have learnt from the study of this concept however, is that justice (or the carrying out of justice) is entirely relative to time and place; that is, an individual’s perception of this concept will largely be determined by the political and social context in which s/he lives. To Kill a Mockingbird, although fiction, is very much a reflection of the attitudes and values (the social and political context) of southern American life in the 1930’s. Harper Lee writes from her own experiences growing up in a southern American town very similar to the novel’s Maycomb. Embedded deeply within To Kill a Mockingbird are aspects of the political, social and criminal injustices inherent in the American South which she despised. Deeply troubled by the failure of the human race to live together in peace and friendship, Lee wanted to analyse the forces dividing man from man. A key phrase summing up her concern is provided by Mr Dolphus Raymond who, speaking to Dill and Scout outside the court room where Tom Robinson is being tried for rape, speaks of, “the simple hell people give other people – without even thinking.” He tells the children to, “Cry about the hell white people give coloured folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people too.” (p. 205) This is poignant coming from a white man who is himself a pariah in Maycomb. 2006-07-28T18:35:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analyzing-the-Concept-of-Justice-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30772.aspx Analysis of Utopia in "1984" by George Orwell “The dream of a just society seems to haunt the human imagination.” How effectively do the texts you have studied explore the pursuit for a better world? Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is a novel of the Utopia genre yet questions the very idea of the human desire for a utopia, presenting itself as a Distopia and a warning to society of today. The society presented by Orwell is one which haunts the every sleeping and waking moment of the people within it, as well as suppressing the human imagination. The constant presence of the telescreens torments Winston to the point where he realises that “nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters inside your skull” and that even this is controlled by the Thought police. The constant surveillance and crushing of human existence and its fundamental rights of privacy creates a sense of hopelessness in the novel, a dead end that cannot be escaped. It is the Party’s power, based on fear, that induces this inevitability and static nature of the society: “who controls the past controls the future, who controls the present controls the past.” Ironically, the Party does believe that this extreme Communism will result in a better world, in terms of their Ingsoc (English Socialism) doctrine. Their eradication of humanity aims to create a cleansed and pure race which is united in its adoration of the omnipresent “Big Brother”, who professes to be “watching you” on every poster at every street corner and every minute through the telescreens. Orwell questions the distinction between Winston’s rejection of Big Brother and his submission to the conformed society, where during the two minute hate, he finds it “impossible to avoid joining in” as his “secret loathing of Big Brother is changed to adoration.” The diametrically opposed emotions of “loathing” and “adoration” in fact are so extreme that their distinctions become blurred and Winston’s feels both. This is a reflection of the co-existence of Utopia and Anti utopia in Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four: they both present such extremes of ideas that the Party’s pursuit for a better world, although wrought with fear, torture and corruption, appears to co exist and feed off Winston’s own personal battle for justice. This leads to the lack of distinction between fantasy and realism, and ultimately questions the purposes and power 2006-07-28T18:29:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Utopia-in-quot-1984-quot-by-George-Orwell-30770.aspx Concept of Democracy and Equality in Lord of the Flies The Lord of the Flies is not just a nasty story about little boys on an island. In fact it is a parable about real life and human nature. This book is about Golding’s views on human society and having lived through two world wars and many others, Golding has seen how evil we can get and the continual ironic re occurrences of human errors throughout history. At first, Golding is saying that the future is gray, society is disintegrating and anarchy and violence are due to thrive once more, but the arrival of the naval officers symbolizes that there is still hope. He show this all with the continual theme that evil is present as a destructive influence in man, operating against the forces of reason and civilization. When landing on the island, the boys were faced with freedom from rules, or as Piggy saw it, freedom from adults. On the Island, the boys had problems from the beginning. The first thing the boys did was form their own society, establishing rules and electing a chief- these were remnants of their past, and the automatic need for authority was in their blood. Both Ralph and Jack wanted to be chief and when the rest of the biguns and littluns voted for Ralph, it caused the first sign of friction between the two ‘elders’. Ralph tries to deal with the problem by appointing Jack the leader of the hunters, and leader of the keepers of fire. However, even though being a good chief and making everyone happy, this solution ended up doing more harm than good. There are definitely problems with between Ralph’s system of practicality, common sense and civilized life, and Jack’s instinct of hatred and savagery. Although establishing a serious foundation of rules and civilization, Ralph was pulled in another direction as well as all the other boys, he wanted to have fun going hunting, playing and building forts. Everyone deep down inside them wants pleasure. He also realized, though, the need for fire. The fire was one of the only the hopes of returning to civilization again. At first the fire seemed like fun to the boys, but when realization of the hard work for constant upkeep occurred, the boys got bored and wanted to go on and do more exciting activities. The boys lost 2006-07-28T08:43:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Concept-of-Democracy-and-Equality-in-Lord-of-the-Flies-30767.aspx Central Characters and Plot of "To Kill a Mockingbird" The story is narrated by a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, who is almost always called by her nickname, Scout. Scout starts to explain the circumstances that led to the broken arm that her older brother, Jem, sustained many years earlier; she begins by recounting her family history. The first of her ancestors to come to America was a fur-trader and part-time doctor named Simon Finch, who fled England to escape religious persecution and established a large farm on the banks of the Alabama River. The farm, called Finch's Landing, supported the family for more than a hundred years. The first Finches to make a living away from the farm were Scout's father, Atticus Finch, who became a lawyer in the nearby town of Maycomb, and his brother, Jack Finch, who went to medical school in Boston. Their sister, Alexandra Finch, stayed to run the Landing. A successful lawyer, Atticus makes a solid living in Maycomb, a tired, poor, old town in the grips of the Great Depression. He lives with Jem and Scout on Maycomb's main residential street. Their cook, an old black woman named Calpurnia, also lives in the house. Atticus's wife died when Scout was two, so she does not remember her mother well. But Jem, four years older than Scout, has memories of their mother that sometimes make him unhappy. In the summer of 1933, when Jem is nearly ten and Scout almost six, a peculiar boy named Charles Baker Harris moves in next door. The boy, who calls himself Dill, stays for the summer with his aunt, Miss Rachel Haverford, who owns the house next to the Finches'. Dill doesn't like to discuss his father's absence from his life, but he is otherwise a talkative and extremely intelligent boy who quickly becomes the Finch children's chief playmate. All summer, the three act out various stories that they have read. When they grow bored of this activity, Dill suggests that they attempt to lure Boo Radley, a mysterious neighbor, out of his house. Arthur "Boo" Radley lives in the run-down Radley Place, and no one has seen him outside it in years. Scout recounts how, as a boy, Boo got in trouble with the law and his father imprisoned him in the house as punishment. He was not heard from until fifteen years 2006-07-28T08:37:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Central-Characters-and-Plot-of-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30765.aspx Significance of Role Models in "The Contender" Really, what is a role model? According to The Pocket Oxford Dictionary, the definition for role model is “a person on whom others model themselves.” According to me, a role model is someone we look up to and get inspiration from throughout our lives. Most of us have a role model whom we all want to be like. Role models can have a great effect on our lives. Different people have different role models in their life to look up to. For an instance, some kids think their father or mother is really great, so they look up to their parents and consider them as their role models. Others might have great athletes their role models. Role models play a major role in shaping a person’s life. Suppose a person is a basketball enthusiast and has Michael Jordan as his role model; the person’s life would then be greatly influenced by this great athlete. We all learn as we grow from a child to an adult. The presence of a role model makes this growth worth something; we then learn from our role model and try to walk on his or her footsteps. In Robert Lipsyte’s The Contender, Mr. Donatelli, Spoon, and other boxers change Alfred’s life over the course of the novel, and are two great role models to Alfred. Alfred gets inspiration from Mr. Donatelli as he learns about him and tries to follow his sayings. As Alfred starts going to the gym, he learns certain nutritional habits from Donatelli. Henry explains to Alfred how Donatelli made Jelly Belly quit boxing, “Mr. Donatelli says anybody can’t control himself with food can’t go all the way. He said that to Jelly’s face” (113). Mr. Donatelli sets a great example for Alfred to follow in order to get in a good shape. Alfred learns how Mr. Donatelli focuses a lot on the food; accordingly, he learns that the kind of food and exercise can make a boxer really active. After Alfred learns about nutrition and exercise from Donatelli, he starts to follow Donatelli’s guidance and feels a lot energized than before. During the beginning of his training, Alfred describes the changes, “. . . he felt more awake than he usually did on Sunday morning, 2006-07-28T08:33:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Significance-of-Role-Models-in-quot-The-Contender-quot-30762.aspx "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker: Critical Analysis In Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Celie leads a life filled with abuse at the hands of the most important men in her life. As result of the women who surround and help her, Celie becomes stronger and overcomes the abuse she experienced. The three most influential women in Celie’s life are here sister Nettie, her daughter-in-law Sofia and the singer Shug Avery. These are the women who lead Celie out of her shell and help her turn from and shy, withdrawn woman to someone who was free to speak her mind and lead her own independent life. Celie is inspired by her sister’s independence, determination and perseverance in Africa among foreign people whom Nettie cares about deeply. Celie saw the impact that a woman could have on others and felt empowered to overcome the abuse she experiences. Nettie is someone that Celie tries to shelter from the physical and sexual abuse of their father. It is also Nettie who Celie looks to for education when her father pulls her out of school, and for support when she moves in with Mr. ____ where she was abused by him and his children. When Nettie runs away, Mr. ____ hides the letters sent to Celie thereby cutting off the sister’s communication, which left them heartbroken. “I sit here in this big empty house by myself trying to sew, but what good is sewing gon do? What good is anything? Being seem like a awful strain.” [sic] (Walker 262). Upon discovering Nettie’s letters, Celie finds a new desire to live because her sister was alive. Nettie also serves as Celie’s only link to her children. Nettie gives Celie pride in her children who were intelligent and prosperous in Africa, which gives Celie newfound confidence. All her life, Nettie was the one who always supported and loved Celie but when Celie wasn’t receiving her letters, she looked to Sophia for inspiration. Sophia is a strong woman who at first intimidated Celie but after getting to know each other they become friends and are there support each other in the course of the abuse they each suffer through. Sophia’s size and attitude came as a shock to Celie when Mr. ____’s son Harpo brings her to the house for his father to meet. She does not let Harpo’s father talk down to her, and talking 2006-07-27T15:48:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-The-Color-Purple-by-Alice-Walker-30751.aspx The Theme of Friendship in "A Separate Peace" The persistent theme of A Separate Peace is the deterioration of a complex friendship. The bond between two boys (Finny and Gene) becomes tested and attacked, as the reader observes a seemingly utopian relationship fall into decadence. Gene becomes challenged with various inner hostilities, while Finny, his proclivity for athletics revoked, has been forced to find acceptability and provocation elsewhere. Furthermore, the book commences during mid-to-late 1942, during the height of the Axis powers' success. The effect of stress and tension on the camaraderie of the boys becomes elevated. The intensities of war, envy, and intricate personalities synthesize to provide an interesting look into the subconscious mind and sanity of war-time youth. Phineas and Gene form the illusion of great companionship, combining superior athletic ability with a powerful intellect. However, a silent rivalry develops between them. At the beginning of the story Gene seems to accept Finny's premium physical agility, but he resents what he feels is flaunting (of his aptitudes) by Phineas. As the book progresses, Gene continues to look deeper into their fellowship and quickly becomes wildly jealous of Finny. Eventually, Gene impairs Finny by jouncing the limb where Finny stood. Phineas, meanwhile, seems unaware of Gene's evil thoughts. He continues to remain optimistic and promising. Amidst this rivalry, World War II persists and the faculty at Devon School are preparing the students for entrance into the military. Propaganda and the war effort enthrall the youth. From the forming of the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session, to the shoveling of snow at the railroad yard, everyone is absorbed by the aura of warfare. Gene's realization, while shoveling snow, that "we [he and his schoolmates] seemed to be nothing but children playing among heroic men" (89) demonstrated his generation are merely pawns in a global conflict. Gene sustains his inclination towards pessimism and exposes the evil within him. The disharmony betwixt Gene and Finny constitutes a separate, full-scale war when Phineas fractures his leg once again. With Phineas' inner evil now exposed and his superficial personality shattered, Gene quickly becomes the object of his animosity. With the death of Phineas, the relationship has exhaustively deteriorated. When he fails to weep, Gene reveals that it is not just Finny's funeral, but his own. The virtuous bond between the pair tragically annihilated. Gene and Phineas initiate the summer 2006-07-27T15:47:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Theme-of-Friendship-in-quot-A-Separate-Peace-quot-30750.aspx Complete Summary and Character List of "A Tale of Two Cities" It is the year 1775. Dickens begins the novel by describing this year with one of the most famous sentences in literature: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of timesŠ" In short, despite the rapturous joy or painful suffering that everyone seems to feel, the time is really no less different than our own. It is filled with people who think "in the superlative degree of comparison only," and who believe that the world is not going to change. The narrator describes the goings-on in England and France. In England, ghost sightings and prophets holding seances are common. Highwaymen by night live as honest tradesmen by day, and thieves run rampant. In France, people are tortured for not paying homage to monks walking fifty yards away, and already there are rumblings of the terrible time that is to come. In short, the kings and queens of both countries rule, while the world of the commoners continues beneath them. On a misty Friday night in November, a mail-coach lumbers up a hill on the road to Dover. Three passengers trudge in the mud behind it, with one passenger flinching each time the coach rattles. The guard and coachman both complain that it is late, and the coach cannot go any faster. Suddenly they hear a horse coming at full gallop. Everyone is frightened as the guard calls out to the mystery man. In a hoarse voice, the horseman asks for Mr. Jarvis Lorry. Lorry identifies the voice as Jerry. When the guard shows some apprehension, Mr. Lorry states that he is from Tellson's Bank in London, and there is nothing to fear. Jerry gives Lorry the message "Wait at Dover for Mam'selle." Lorry gives the reply, "Recalled to life," and sends Jerry on his way. After a few moments, the guard and coachman wonder what the conversation means. Meanwhile, Jerry rides back, hoping that "recalling to life" doesn't become fashionable. The narrator begins with some musings on how human hearts have secrets buried within, and we can never see anyone else's except our own. From there, he moves to the passengers, who are all suspicious of each other. Next he gives us a description of the shaggy-haired Jerry, who rides into town, murmuring that recalling to life will ruin his profession. Back in 2006-07-27T15:43:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Complete-Summary-and-Character-List-of-A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-30748.aspx Book Review 2006-07-27T15:38:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Book-Review-of-Michael-Crichton-s-quot-The-Andromeda-Strain-30746.aspx Review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone In the British version of--what us American's call-- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling there are many qualities of the book that are good. To name just a few there is her wonderful plot design, and the fact that Rowling makes great use of forming rounded characters. With Rowling, she knew where she wanted to go with the novel and followed through in a way that was ever pleasing and attention grabbing to the plot. It starts off with the reader finding themselves in England with a family of Muggles, or "non-magic people", that are having a quiet moment at home when they are bombarded with a small baby boy who had just "saved the world" from an evil wizard. The people that young Harry is with are his aunt and uncle who absolutely despise any magical doings or people whatsoever. Then on his eleventh birthday something amazing happens; after receiving millions of letters from somewhere Harry has no idea existed he meets a giant of a man named Hagrid who is going to take him to his new school, Hogwarts. It is then that Harry discovers he is no ordinary boy, he is in fact is a wizard. After getting supplies in London and being sent off to the wizarding world on the Hogwarts Express, Harry meets his new friends Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger. Ron is the outgoing one, and Hermione is the brilliant, cautious one. During their first year at Hogwarts they stumble upon a plan that was created by the one who had tried to kill him years before, Voldermont. Through many trials and tribulations Harry, Ron, and Hermione eventually find themselves the only ones who can once more "save the world". With all ending task's behind them Harry is the one who has to jump the last hurtle. "Indeed [it was] as though ice was flooding his body. He put the bottle down and walked forward; he…saw the black flames licking his body but couldn't feel them--for a moment he could see nothing but the dark fire--then he was on the other side, in the last chamber." (pg. 208). Just the way that Rowling puts the climatic ending of a chapter shows how skilled she is in controlling the scheme of things. Another thing that 2006-07-27T15:24:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Review-of-Harry-Potter-and-the-Sorcerer-s-Stone-30738.aspx Social Intolerance in Huckleberry Finn The entire plot of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is rooted on intolerance between different social groups. Without prejudice and intolerance The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn would not have any of the antagonism or intercourse that makes the recital interesting. The prejudice and intolerance found in the book are the characteristics that make The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn great. The author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is Mark Twain. Even in the opening paragraph of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Clemens states, “Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.” There were many groups that were contrasted in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The interaction of these different social groups is what makes up the main plot of the novel. For the objective of discussion they have been broken down into five main sets of antithetic parties: people with high levels of melanin and people with low levels of melanin, rednecks and scholarly, children and adults, men and women, and finally, the Sheperdson’s and the Grangerford’s. Whites and African Americans are the main two groups contrasted in the novel. Throughout the novel Clemens portrays Caucasians as a more educated group that is higher in society compared to the African Americans portrayed in the novel. The cardinal way that Clemens portrays African Americans as obsequious is through the colloquy that he assigns them. Their dialogue is composed of nothing but broken English. One example in the novel is this excerpt from the conversation between Jim the fugitive slave, and Huckleberry about why Jim ran away, where Jim declares, “Well you see, it ‘uz dis way. Ole missus-dat’s Miss Watson-she pecks on me all de time, en treats me pooty rough, but she awluz said she woudn’ sell me down to Orleans.” Although this is the phonetic spelling of how some African Americans from the boondocks used to talk, Clemens only applied the argot to Blacks and not to Whites throughout the novel. There is not one sentence in the treatise spoken by an African American that is not comprised of broken English. The but in spite of that, the broken English does add an entraining piece of culture to the milieu. The second way Clemens 2006-07-27T15:18:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Intolerance-in-Huckleberry-Finn-30735.aspx Great Heroes in Literature: Beowulf and Odysseus “You can do it Superman, you can do it!” Superman is one of America’s most idolized super heroes. Okay, so no regular human could take on what Superman does, but does it mean that we can’t still watch his heroic ways every week at seven o’clock? Superman is our modern day hero, one that everyone wants to be like but realizes that that they will never be able to fly through the air to save a burning building. If we love Superman today then who did people idolize hundreds of years ago? A man named Odysseus entered the reader’s mind in around 700 B.C. Homer, the brilliant mind behind this epic poem wrote about the ancient Grecian super hero through an epic called “The Odyssey.” The reader traveled through Odysseus’s heroic ways and joined him on his ten-year quest home. Now, that was in 700 B.C.. What happened when Odysseus soon became “so five minutes ago?” A hero known as Beowulf came along, is what happened. The reader entered Beowulf’s travels through the Anglo-Saxon epic known as “Beowulf.” “Beowulf” was created around 1000 A.D. Beowulf was a great hero who traveled to Scandinavia to fight a beastly monster. In both classic epics the reader discovers the culture during the time and learns what a “super hero,” was really like back then. Through behaviors and strategy the two heroes are so very different yet so very similar; these ways are presented through the reader’s eyes in the two classic epics. The great Odysseus was recognized throughout many lands and was known for his trickery and brilliance. He stopped at numerous islands on his quest home; each island different and unique. Upon arriving to the land Odysseus had a certain semblance that he carried, and said to allow people to understand who he was. He would land at this new place and soon by his grand entrance he would be known to all. Odysseus had a certain way to introduce himself. This way was through an eloquent speech that he told to the new land. He described himself as, “The Great Odysseus.” Indeed, he was great, but was this necessary? The great hero felt that he must 2006-07-27T12:48:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Heroes-in-Literature-Beowulf-and-Odysseus-30727.aspx Character Analysis of Shylock from "The Merchant of Venice" Shylock is the devil in the Merchant of Venice, and wants revenge on the Christian, Antonio. Shylock attempts to kill Antonio because he is a Christian. Shylock is a murderer and he hated all the Christian people. “Shylock is a villain.” (258;Stoll). Stoll says that Shylock is the villain in The Merchant of Venice because he hates Christians, and he attempts to kill Antonio, by taking his heart. Shylock cares more about money then his daughter, and he attempts to kill Antonio. Shakespeare is writing for an anti-Semitic audience and he wants to make Shylock look like a devil. The audiences that lived in Venice and watched the play, at the time, were mostly Christian and they were very anti-Semitic. The Christian people hated the Jews because they believed that the Jewish people were devils. The Christians thought the Jews were the devils because they killed Jesus Christ. “Shakespeare's age based their anti-Semitism on religious grounds… that the Jews murdered Christ and were therefore in league with the devil.” (1;The Nature of Anti-Semitism). Shakespeare tries to make it an anti-Semitic play to attract more attention and make more money by selling more tickets. Shakespeare himself is not Anti-Semitic he is just trying to make a living by selling his books and performing acting out his plays. Shylock, a Jew, is portrayed as a devil who wants revenge against a Christian. Shylock’s wants revenge due to a forfeited bond. Antonio’s friend, Bassanio, has the money to pay off the debt and even add a lot extra money on top of what is actually owed to Shylock. Shylock refuses to take the money and wants Antonio dead. The death of Antonio by Shylock would happen because of an unpaid debt from Antonio, the Christian merchant, who Shylock dearly hates. Shylock asks Bassanio if he would free his slaves and then Shylock says no one would free their slaves because the slaves are theirs. Shylock says this so he can reaffirm his want for the flesh, he is bound to have pound of flesh and he wants it. “The slaves are ours’. … / The pound of flesh which I demand of him / is dearly bought: ‘tis mine, and I will 2006-07-27T12:47:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Shylock-from-The-Merchant-of-Venice-30726.aspx The Significance of Friendship in "My Antonia" Friendship is a very important subject in the book, My Antonia, by Willa Cather. This is shown continually throughout the book. For example, when Jim and Antonia first meet, when Jim visits her in Black Hawk, and last when Jim talks with Antonia and her children at the end of the novel. When Jim and Antonia first meet, they are almost instantly friends. They do numerous things together. Such as, when Jim is teaching Antonia English, he takes his time to make sure that she understands what he is teaching her. Also, he is teaching her out of his own free will. Not because his grandmother or grandfather are forcing him too. He is tutoring her because he wants too, and he wants to get to know her. Only a true friend could ever do this. So, what are we supposed to get out of this segment of the book? Well, it truly depends on how you see life. In my perspective this section in the book is telling us to get out of our comfort zone, and do things just to be nice, instead of being unwilling, and forced to do it. Jim is an all-around pretty good guy. When Jim would go and visit Antonia while she was working I thought was so nice of him. I hope one day someone does that for me. Yes, he partly went over to the Harling's to visit and play with the children, yet he still deep down was there to help and see Antonia. I feel that this portion of the book is to tell us that Jim really likes being around Antonia, and that when we are in a similar situation we shouldn't hide from our feelings. We shouldn't be afraid of just being really good friends. And that even if the world should come to an end, we could still talk to our friends, we should be there for one another. This last segment in My Antonia really stuck out to me. This just made me realize that no matter what happens between two people, they can still be very good friends, no matter how many years are put between them. This is the part of the book where Jim goes back after 2006-07-27T12:39:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Significance-of-Friendship-in-quot-My-Antonia-quot-30723.aspx Views of Mark Twain as Illustrated in "Huckleberry Finn" The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written by Mark Twain. Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in 1835, led one of the most exciting and adventuresome of literary lives. Raised in the river town of Hannibal, Missouri, Twain had to leave school at age twelve to seek work. He was successively a journeyman printer, a steamboat pilot, a halfhearted Confederate soldier (no more than a few weeks), and a prospector, miner and reporter in the western territories. His experiences furnished him with a wide knowledge of humanity, as well as with the perfect grasp of local customs and speech, which exhibits itself so well in his writing. With the publication in 1865 of The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, Twain gained national attention as a frontier humorist, and the best-selling Innocents Abroad solidified his fame. But it was not until Life on the Mississippi (1883), and finally, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), that the literary establishment recognized him as one of the greatest writers America would ever produce. Toward the end of his life, plagued by personal tragedy and financial failure, Mark Twain grew more and more pessimistic-an outlook not alleviated by his natural skepticism and sarcasm. From this last period, only the stories The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and The Mysterious Stranger match his earlier work in brilliance. Though his fame continued to widen-Yale and Oxford awarded him honorary degrees-Twain spent his last years in gloom and exasperation, writing fables about “the damned human race.” Characters •Tom Sawyer- Tom is a friend of Huckleberry Finn. Tom has an extraordinary imagination. •Huckleberry Finn- Huck is the main character of the story. His mother is dead and father is a drunk and abuses him. •Jim- Jim is the slave of Miss Watson. He is very superstitious and believes in witches. •The King- The King is a bum that, after hearing the other bum say that he was a duke, said that he was the King. Huck and Jim just go along with it so it would not start trouble. •The Duke- The Duke is a bum. He pretends that he is the rightful Duke of Bilgewater. Huckleberry Finn is a child around the age of 14. He lives along the Mississippi River with Miss Watson. She is his guardian, because his mother is dead and his father is a drunk. His father 2006-07-27T08:40:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Views-of-Mark-Twain-as-Illustrated-in-quot-Huckleberry-Finn-30716.aspx Review of "The Lady with the Pet Dog" by Joyce Oates Joyce Oates’ “The Lady with the Pet Dog” has a strange and suspenseful structure. When reading the story, the reader senses confusion, much like the life of Anna. The author reveals Anna’s character through the structure of the story, and through the imagery in the story. Alfred Kazin said that Anna’s life “seems to move through a world wholly physical in it’s detail” (Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol. 11 313). Anna’s life throughout the story is disordered and repetitious. Linda W. Wagner says’ Oates’ “stories are certainly repetitive or trivial” (Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol. 19 349). In “The Lady with the Pet Dog” Anna’s thoughts and feelings about her feelings about her husband are unclear. She is cheating on him with another lover. She will be with her husband, than go to her lover while going back to her husband not knowing what she wants or if she is happy. This is almost a fear for Anna. Carolyn Walker wrote that “many of Oate’s stories explore major fear with emotion damage inflicted by another person” (contemporary Literary Criticism Vol. 3 360). I see this fear in Anna when she is with her lover. The fear is repeated every time she is with her lover. At one-point Anna notices this fear and her life repeating with her stating ‘”Everything is repeating itself. Everything is stuck”’ (Meyer 188). Through out the story, three parts take place with each part going a little further back into Anna’s life explaining it in fuller detail. When the story begins doing this, the repeated part becomes clear and define, much like Anna’s life. Alfred Kazin said “Too much is happening; many will disappear,” much like Anna’s life (Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol.3 363). Several things go on in Anna’s life through out the story. Anna seems confused when something new is being told to the reader, but as the passage is repeated in the next part, she becomes less confused and her feelings start to become clear. At one point Anna’s feelings were becoming clear with her lover, and so she asks him ‘”Do you.. do you love me?’” With him just answering with ‘”You’re so beautiful’” (Meyer 186). Anna’s lover does not help out with 2006-07-27T08:36:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Review-of-The-Lady-with-the-Pet-Dog-by-Joyce-Oates-30714.aspx Forces of a Generation in "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac On the Road, by Jack Kerouac is a book about the need to wander and the rejection of authority and tradition in post World War II American youth. It illustrates the ethos of the American “Beat Generation” of the 1950’s: freedom, mysticism, and individuality. Kerouac most likely wrote this book in order to provide a semi-autobiographical account of his own adventures hitchhiking around the United States as well as to provide an account and a rationalization for his wanderings and attempt to explain the forces that created the beat generation. The plot of the novel mirrors the main conflict of the book. Sal Paradise is torn between his desires to lead the normal, traditional life pushed upon him by his family and the rest of “straight” society and his need to nomadically travel around the country like his hero, Dean Moriarty. The book alternates between episodes of Sal attempting to settle down, start a family, get a job, and his inevitable lust to wander. Sal occasionally finds happiness in stable situations but his attraction to Dean Moriarty is too strong for him to stay in one place for long. This plot is parallel to the theme of the book. The beat generation lifestyle was about a search for meaning by people who rejected most of the values of the time. They are never able to find satisfaction and are forced to continue searching, even at the end of the book. The characters in this novel fall within two broad categories. There are the people in Sal’s life who want him to settle down and live a more standard life in one place, and the people he meets on the road who want to continue to travel with him. The beatniks Sal spends time with are epitomized by Dean Moriarty, which whom Sal worships and attempts to emulate. Dean lives a life free of burden, responsibility, compromise, and stability and for most of the book enjoys himself. Sal is pulled in the direction of Dean and the other beatniks, but is pulled to the side of constancy by those characters at the other end of the spectrum, such as Remi Boncoeur, Lucille, and Sal’s aunt, who want him to start a normal life. Sal’s interactions with these characters 2006-07-27T08:27:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Forces-of-a-Generation-in-On-the-Road-by-Jack-Kerouac-30710.aspx The Degeneration of Order in the Lord of the Flies "...Lord of the Flies is not, to say the least, a simple adventure story of boys on a desert island" (Epstein 204). The elements of Lord of the Flies--a tropical island, a group of schoolboys without adult supervision, a herd of wild pigs--may seem to be the elements of a perfect Utopian fantasy. Instead, they are the elements of a nightmare, a Utopia that quickly disintegrates into, first, chaos and then a dictatorship based on fear and ritualized brutality. However, the novel is also not a horror story written merely to shock and titillate the reader. William Golding says about Lord of the Flies that "[t]he theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature" (Epstein 204). In the novel, Golding suggests that attempts at social order are doomed to fail as greater personal freedom leads to a society which is ruled by the strong and filled with violence. Each of the three main characters--Piggy, Jack, and Ralph--represents an aspect of this degenerative process. One of the first characters to emerge as a distinct personality is Piggy, who represents law and order. One of Piggy's first inspirations is brought about by the sight of a conch in a tidal pool. When another boy, Ralph, retrieves the conch, Piggy realizes, "We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting" (Golding 16). Piggy's first instinct is for organization, and the conch which he spots becomes a symbol of the fragile system of order that the boys create. Piggy is critical of the kind of freedom that leads to disorder and chaos. When the boys agree to build a fire on the mountain to send a smoke signal, the first meeting breaks up as everyone rushes towards the mountain. Like the crowd of boys, the fire quickly gets out of control, and one of the younger boys appears to be missing--probably trapped in the burning jungle. In a temper, Piggy tells the others that they have acted "[l]ike a pack of kids!" and asks, "How can you expect to be rescued if you don't put first things first and act proper?" (Golding 45) The only salvation Piggy can envision comes from behaving in an orderly 2006-07-27T08:23:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Degeneration-of-Order-in-the-Lord-of-the-Flies-30707.aspx Analysis of "The Red Badge of Courage" As The Red Badge of Courage opens, we meet Henry Fleming, who has signed up for the army against his mother's wishes, full of dreams of becoming a hero. But so far he has done nothing but sit around the camp. With all that time on his hands, Henry begins to worry whether he will be able to fight bravely, or whether he'll run away when the shooting starts. He talks to some of the others about it, but because he cannot really explain his fears, he feels more and more alone. Jim Conklin, a friend from home, thinks he'll do whatever the other boys do; a loud soldier named Wilson is full of boasts. The first sight of battle is terrifying, and Henry feels worse and worse. Even the loud soldier, convinced he's about to be killed, gives Henry some letters for his family. During the first skirmish Henry fights well, feeling as much part of the regiment as the fingers of a hand. They hold the enemy back. But while they are relaxing, the enemy strikes again. Now Henry is exhausted and terrified. When two men standing near him turn and run, he throws down his gun and races to the rear. He tells himself that the regiment was about to be wiped out, and that saving himself was a responsible act. But he soon realizes that the line had held. Now he is furious at the other soldiers for making him look like a coward when he's sure that he was right. Feeling awful, Henry walks into the woods, both to hide and to make himself feel better. He throws a pine cone at a squirrel, the animal scampers off, and he thinks to himself, "What I did was only the law of nature; animals protect themselves." But in the heart of the forest, under trees arched like a cathedral, Henry confronts a horrible sight: a dead man terribly decayed, whose face is covered with ants. He stares at the dead soldier, realizing that this is the real law of nature. Leaving the woods, Henry walks along with some wounded men. He envies them and wishes that he too had a wound, a red badge of courage. One of the men, he realizes, is his friend, Jim Conklin, who is dying. Henry and another soldier, a tattered man, 2006-07-27T08:21:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Red-Badge-of-Courage-quot-30706.aspx Critical Analysis of Updike's Story, "Wife Wooing" The story’s framework is simple: the protagonist/narrator has gone to a diner and gotten take-out hamburgers and fries for his wife and children; now they are at home, seated in front of the fire, eating. The narrator looks at his wife and realizes that even after seven years and three small children, he still loves his wife and finds her sexually exciting, despite the fact she has put on a considerable amount of weight and might not even be particularly attractive by contemporary standards of beauty. He observes, also, that there is something different about wooing a woman that one is married to, as opposed to courting a relative stranger, and yet wives still have to be wooed to keep them interested: he notes that “wife” is “a knife of a word that for all its final bite did not end the wooing. To my wonderment.” The story follows our narrator as he goes to bed with his wife; although he does not verbalize this to her, he would be interested in having sex, but she wants to read a book on Richard Nixon. As soon as she settles in, however, she is sound asleep. In the morning her husband looks at her and does not find her sexually attractive at all; he still loves her, but the mood of the previous night is broken. He goes to work and returns, with “a technicality it would take weeks to explain to you snag[ged] in my brain;” engrossed in the nagging problem he brought home from work, he is surprised when his wife comes in to him, obviously with romantic intent -- “with a kiss of toothpaste moist and girlish and quick.” He leaves his rehashing of his work problems to enjoy her love. Despite the fact that this is a story about two people -- five if one includes the children, but they are essentially interlopers in the tale -- Updike vividly creates a setting in which the principal players are completely isolated from one another’s thoughts, dreams, interior lives. The narrator does not pretend to know what his wife is thinking in the opening scene, when they sit in front of the fire eating their take-out dinner. He is indulging tongue-in-cheek male fantasies about bringing home the dinner as men have done for millennia: “We eat meat, meat I wrested warm from 2006-07-27T08:13:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Updike-s-Story,-quot-Wife-Wooing-quot-30700.aspx Critical Analysis of Updike's Story, "Wife Wooing" The story’s framework is simple: the protagonist/narrator has gone to a diner and gotten take-out hamburgers and fries for his wife and children; now they are at home, seated in front of the fire, eating. The narrator looks at his wife and realizes that even after seven years and three small children, he still loves his wife and finds her sexually exciting, despite the fact she has put on a considerable amount of weight and might not even be particularly attractive by contemporary standards of beauty. He observes, also, that there is something different about wooing a woman that one is married to, as opposed to courting a relative stranger, and yet wives still have to be wooed to keep them interested: he notes that “wife” is “a knife of a word that for all its final bite did not end the wooing. To my wonderment.” The story follows our narrator as he goes to bed with his wife; although he does not verbalize this to her, he would be interested in having sex, but she wants to read a book on Richard Nixon. As soon as she settles in, however, she is sound asleep. In the morning her husband looks at her and does not find her sexually attractive at all; he still loves her, but the mood of the previous night is broken. He goes to work and returns, with “a technicality it would take weeks to explain to you snag[ged] in my brain;” engrossed in the nagging problem he brought home from work, he is surprised when his wife comes in to him, obviously with romantic intent -- “with a kiss of toothpaste moist and girlish and quick.” He leaves his rehashing of his work problems to enjoy her love. Despite the fact that this is a story about two people -- five if one includes the children, but they are essentially interlopers in the tale -- Updike vividly creates a setting in which the principal players are completely isolated from one another’s thoughts, dreams, interior lives. The narrator does not pretend to know what his wife is thinking in the opening scene, when they sit in front of the fire eating their take-out dinner. He is indulging tongue-in-cheek male fantasies about bringing home the dinner as men have done for millennia: “We eat meat, meat I wrested warm from 2006-07-27T08:12:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Updike-s-Story,-quot-Wife-Wooing-quot-30699.aspx Beowulf Quotation Analysis Beowulf proves 2006-07-27T07:56:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-Quotation-Analysis--30690.aspx Analysis of Frankenstein in a Modern Sense In the 21st Century, we can view Mary Shelly's Frankenstein as a modern myth. The term 'modern myth' however, when relating to the novel, can be interpreted in two different ways. The first way being ‘How might Frankenstein be viewed as a myth in modern times (being 2002)', and the other interpretation being 'How is Frankenstein viewed by people in the 21st Century, as a modern myth to people existing at the time of Mary Shelly.' This essay will explore the first option after coming to the conclusion that the definition of a 'modern myth' is 'An unsure legend that relates to recent times', Mary Shelly's Frankenstein IS a modern myth, as it explores various scientific developments, that in the 17th Century were thought of as ludicrous, but today, in the 21st Century, is more believable. The reality of Mary Shelly's story is in-fact more realistic today, making it a myth in the sense of ‘unsure’ if it could really happen. Victor Frankenstein’s dream was to "explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation" (pg 47). He wanted to create a being "of a gigantic stature... About eight feet in height, and proportionally large" (pg 52), a being that would be put together with collected body parts from the local graveyard. Frankenstein states, "That I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet." (pg 56)The beauty of this dream however, vanished, and "Breathless horror and disgust filled his heart" (pg 56) when this being was actually came to life. The creation of a monster like this back in the 17th century via such un-natural means would not have so much been a myth, but rather an entertaining, gothic, fictional, totally un-true, and impossible story. It would not have been classified as a 'myth' back then, because a myth is defined as an unsure legend. And this story was not 'unsure' in those times, it was just very un-realistic to even believe that it could actually happen, therefore making it 'sure' that it could not happen. However, this story could in-fact be defined as a 'modern myth', which is an unsure legend that relates to the times of today. The reality is, that today, in the 21st century, the creation of a being via un-natural means is actually very close 2006-07-26T23:18:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Frankenstein-in-a-Modern-Sense-30688.aspx Death in the Great Gatsby The deaths in the story “The Great Gatsby” can be blamed on many people. Myrtle, George, and Gatsby died due to a complex chain of events, but with much investigation it is possible to see the true cause of each death. The death of Myrtle was directly caused by Daisy hitting her with Gatsby’s car, but that was just an accident. The true cause of her demise was her own greed and lust for material things. She had everything she needed in life with George. He loved her and took care of her. If she would have only come to her senses and realized this, she would not have run away from him and get hit by Daisy, whom she most likely thought was Tom. George’s suicide was the result of his own sadness over Myrtle’s death and her want to leave him. He put himself out of his own misery by shooting himself. Myrtle caused his death by her own selfishness. Even if Myrtle would not have been killed, she still would have left George. George would have still been heartbroken and devastated. The only difference there would be if Myrtle still lived would be that George would be angrier with Tom than with Gatsby. The murderer of “The Great Gatsby” was George. He physically shot and killed Gatsby, but his death was not entirely George’s fault. If it weren’t for Tom telling George that it was Gatsby’s car and not making sure of all the details, George would have killed Tom, thinking he was the true cause of Myrtle’s death. Another indirect killer was Daisy. She was driving Gatsby’s car carelessly and was not concentrating very well on what she was doing. She ran over Myrtle, causing George to become upset and shoot Gatsby. Also, Gatsby, through a chain of events, killed himself. He should not have let Daisy drive the car. Gatsby should have just given up his chase for Daisy and left everything the way he found it. If he had stayed away from her, he would still be alive and enjoying life. “The Great Gatsby” is a story that has many twists and turns and is very complex. The deaths can also be attributed to this. No one 2006-07-26T23:12:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Death-in-the-Great-Gatsby-30684.aspx Complete Summary of All Quiet on the Western Front In what ways did Paul Baumer’s participation in the First World War change him as a person? Franz Kemmerich was Paul’s first classmate to die in the war. His death shattered Paul’s belief in authority. He admits to himself that he trusted and listened to them. They were supposed to have greater insight and wisdom yet they were the ones who had encouraged the boys to enlist instead of protecting them from the horrors of war. The 10 weeks of army training before going to the front had more profound influence on Paul than 10 years of school ever did. And after the 10 weeks, Paul could no longer recall his early life as a student-as if it no longer existed-what he once thought was important. His emotions went through stages: first was astonishment, then he became embittered and finally what emerged was indifference. All eagerness and enthusiasm was knocked out of them, the soldiers. “We were trained for heroism’s as though we were circus ponies.” But he points out that without this training, they would have gone insane in the trenches. Paul explains, in chapter 6 how indifferent their attitudes became because the chance of getting hit was just that-a matter of chance, of being alive or dead. Paul eventually gets 6 weeks leave only to come home and find himself a stranger in his own home. Questions from his father, his teachers, make him realize they know nothing of war, which surprises him. They all have an opinion they’d like to share and he has conflicting emotions of envy and despair. He can see that he has changed, his innocence is lost. He sits in his room hoping for familiarity and emotion to return as before but it doesn’t. When he goes to Kemmerich’s mother, he swears to all that is sacred that Franz died instantly, not that it was true but what is sacred changes for Paul. So after saying goodbye to his sick mother, he wished he had never come home because feeling indifference was better than how he felt when he left. What were the horrors of war, which Paul experienced? In chapter1 Paul and his friends had a windfall of double food and cigarette rations due to high casualty of German soldiers. Out 2006-07-26T12:16:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Complete-Summary-of-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-30674.aspx Critical Elements of King Lear Although this play is 600 years old it is as relevant today as it was when it was written maybe not in historical factual terms but in terms of the human qualities which are shown in the characters. Yes, it is very much relevant. Human personality has not changed in essentials from Shakespeare’s time to the present. We recognize in his plays qualities such as avarice, greed, jealousy, deceit, cunning, selfishness, poor judgment as well as truth, honesty and loyalty. The play has already shown its significance as it stood the test of time and shown it's universal appeal as the play has been translated into many different languages. People from different cultures recognized the human qualities portrayed in this drama. The central character King Lear represents the human frailty of old age, Gonorell and Regan show cunning, selfishness and duplicity while Cordelia represents truth and honesty, Kent too after being banished by his king disguises himself and protects his ruler through his changing fortunes. In the opening scene Lear's pride and poor judgment begin this tragedy, we can identify with his role as a father trying give a third of his kingdom to each of his daughters, We see but he doesn’t see the falsity of Gonorell and Regan and we recognize Cordelia to be genuine and true . However her father does not and suffers the consequences of his pride, anger and obstinacy. My collage simplifies the play into the theme of justice or good versus evil, King Lear is the pivotal point about which the factions of good such Egdar, fool, Kent, Glouster and Cordelia are juxtaposed to the agents of personal gain such as Gonorell, Regan, Edmond and Cornwall. The manifestations of evil are depicted in simple terms in star wars but this play develops the themes to a far greater depth and subtlety. We see into human personality to a greater degree and the tragedy of the king himself who goes from overweening pride, security and obstinacy, he moves through rebellious anger, despair and madness, to patience, to humility and to a new recognition of truth and goodness. Justice triumphs over the evil forces as the two sisters and Cornwall die, Edmond is neutralized while Edgar is reunited as champion to his king and his father, Kent reveals himself to his humble king yet tragically Cordelia 2006-07-26T12:13:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Elements-of-King-Lear-30673.aspx Examples of Canadian Thinking in "The Whirlpool" To many people pride in one’s country is an important thing. The characters in the novel The Whirlpool show their pride in and love for Canada in different ways, many of the characters have their own way of seeing Canada. In an article on The Whirlpool and Canada, Dr. Kelly Hewson discusses the ways in which the characters see Canada and each other. The characters in The Whirlpool have different views and ideas about Canada and what it means to be and think Canadian. In order to be a member of a group one must think like the group. Canadians have their own ideas and ways of thinking Canadian. Canadians feel that they have to keep Canada safe; they feel “the need to claim ownership and to protect something” (Hewson 380). Canadians act as if Canada is something that needs to be protected from the Americans that would come in and try to steal it or take over. The novel, written from a Canadian viewpoint, shows Americans in a different light than they would be viewed in an American novel. In David’s point of view all Americans are not only alike but they all want to take want ever they can from the Canadians. “Any American was bred to take over things – your water supply, your mineral deposits, your entire country, your wife” (205). According to David, Americans are savages that need to conquer and destroy. When Patrick can’t find the flower he’s looking for David accuses the Americans of taking all of them. “David said the Americans probably stole every example” (133). Even had the flowers been growing there in the first place it is still likely that some Canadians may have picked some if not all before an American even happened upon them. David feels that Canada needs a common enemy, namely the Americans, to unite Canada. There are many ways of thinking Canadian, the biggest of which see Canada’s history as either an accomplishment or a process. David McDougal looks back on history as the accomplishment of establishing Canada as Canadian. He thinks that Canada needs “thinkers that think Canadian” (62). He wants the Canadian people to focus on Canada’s history, religion, and landscape. David wants to 2006-07-25T20:21:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examples-of-Canadian-Thinking-in-quot-The-Whirlpool-quot-30664.aspx Analytical Literature Comparison The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende and No One Writes To the Colonel by Garcia Marquez are stories of many similarities. One of the most prominent likenesses found in these pieces of literature is the theme of greed and gluttony. Each story has character that represents the burning desire for money, power and self-indulgence. In The House of the Spirits these traits are shown in Esteban Trueba, while in No One Writes To the Colonel they are shown in Sabas. Through out the respective stories, the greed and gluttony expressed by these characters is the cause of their wealth and power, but is also responsible for their inner-turmoil and negative perception by the society in which they live. From a distance it appears that Trueba and Sabas are within reach of all their goals, while a closer look reveals that the personal relationships they most desire are hindered by the very ambition that lifted them to their high places in society. In The House of the Spirits, Esteban Trueba was born into a family of poverty. With his family’s money having been dwindled away by his father, Trueba was left almost penniless, loathing over the wealth he should have had. As a young man Trueba decides to take the money he has made for his mother, and use it to by an expensive drink from a little café. In the book, Allende condemns Trueba for his greed when his desired beverage is spilled before the cup even touched his lips. Allende does well to convince the reader of the bad nature of greed while still allowing them to feel sympathy towards Trueba. On the one hand, one can’t help but feel sorry towards the poor young man wishing only to fulfill a dream. But, as his sister tells him when he arrives home, clothes soaked in Viennese coffee, “That’s what you get for spending mom’s medicine money on your private little whims, God punished you.”(43) The true greed Trueba displayed is described by his sister, leaving the reader with a conflicting attitude towards Trueba’s attempt at self-indulgence. Trueba also expresses covetousness in his relationships with Rosa and Clara. In the beginning of the novel, Trueba tries to possess Rosa. He desires her completely and wants total control over her. After 2006-07-25T20:11:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analytical-Literature-Comparison-30658.aspx Character Themes in Dickens' "Great Expectations" In this book, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, we are exposed to various types of affections. We encounter obsession, love and friendship. These three emotions are explored through the relations that develop between the main characters. The relationship between Pip, Estella, Joe and Mrs. Joe, changes as additional characters are introduced into the story. One love relationship that Dickens tells us about is between Pip and Estella. Pip is obsessed by her and would do anything to please her. For instance Pip strives to become a gentleman when Estella tells him that she finds him to be common and dumb. Also Pip becomes very jealous when another man, especially Drummble, pursues her. Pips obsession is shown again when Estella wants to see him and he drops everything that he is doing to get to her as quickly as possible. He would do anything or go anywhere that Esttela told him too. In Great Expectations Pip has another relationship with another character named Joe. Joe Gargery and Pip have a kinship of love and friendship. Joe is Pips brother-in-law, and is much older than Pip. When Pip was a young boy, he and Joe were the best of friends, and would always back each other up. Latter in the story Pip becomes embarrassed of Joe when he becomes a gentleman and he considers Joe to be a lowly blacksmith. As the story unfolds, Pip feels ashamed of the way he has treated Joe and tries to make up for his bad treatment of him. Joe also has an another relationship with a harsh character named Mrs. Joe, his wife. Joe and Mrs. Joe, Pips sister, are married with no children of their own who took care of Pip when he was young. Mrs. Joe treats Joe badly, but no matter how much abuse he receives from her, he stills thinks of her as a fine figure of a woman. He shows his love for her by fighting any man who offends her. He fights one of his employees, Orlick, when he talks badly of Mrs. Joe. When Mrs. Joe is seriously injured by Oarlock, Joe takes care of her until her death. This demonstrates Joe's love and dedication for his wife. In these three examples, Dickens shows obsession between Pip and Estella, friendship between Joe and Pip, and 2006-07-25T16:20:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Themes-in-Dickens-quot-Great-Expectations-quot-30657.aspx Critical Analysis of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Tom Sawyer Every individual goes through a transition at some time in his or her life. This transition is made from the mischief and pranks of childhood to the more sophisticated nature of adulthood. There are often times people or events that spur this change. Some religions even hold special events to mark this change such as people of the Jewish faith, who have the bar mitzvah to commemorate the transformation of a young boy from his old ways into mature ways. In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom Sawyer, the protagonist, makes this shift from childhood to adulthood. Tom Sawyer starts out as a mischievous and rebellious boy who envies freedom from the responsibilities of everyday life but becomes a responsible young boy at the end of the novel. Many factors contributed to this conversion in Tom. Some of these factors are his pursuit of Becky Thatcher’s heart, the murder of Doc Robinson and the adventure in McDougal’s cave. Tom Sawyer’s pursuit of Becky Thatcher’s heart helped Tom become more mature in his actions. When he first saw her, “The fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot. A certain Amy Lawrence vanished out of his heart, and left not even a memory of herself behind” (24). The fresh-crowned hero, Tom, fell in love with Becky when he first saw her at her house. He liked her so much from that moment that even his current love at that time, Amy Lawrence, disappeared completely from his heart and mind without a trace. This demonstrates that Tom had deep interest in Becky. There is no way that Tom’s former love could vanish from his heart unless he really liked Becky. Tom’s infatuation with Becky induced him to try to win her heart. Since Tom was still a boy, he performed many childish feats to impress her. He carried out dangerous gymnastics, chased and teased other boys, yelled out absurd chants and words, and laughed at everything. These acts show that Tom is still quite infantile at this stage. He showed all the characteristics of someone still in their childhood, someone who acts immaturely. At first, these things did make an impact on Becky and Tom convinced her to be engaged to him. They promised that they would not love anybody, except each other, forever. Becky was excited to be engaged but 2006-07-25T16:17:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Mark-Twain’s-Adventures-of-Tom-Sawyer-30655.aspx Destructive Nature in "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte Destructive nature of relationships occurs not only because of jealous feelings. There are some other factors too, which directly turns good relationships to hurtful relationships, and these relationships never cause a good result. Unfortunately, It makes the situation worst, and uncontrollable. In the novel, Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte also plays with a theme of destructive relationships, and makes reader realize that the malevolence and jealousy take the society to the destruction. In the novel, Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte majestically portrays the destructive nature of relationships through the presentation of jealous feelings, uncaring parents, and heartless mates. In her novel, Emily Bronte establishes the theme of destructive relationship by portraying the concept of jealousy, for example when Mr. Earnshaw starts to favor Heathcliff (the orphan) over his son, Hindley. The recognition that Heathcliff gets instead of Hindley really makes Hindley angry and he starts getting jealous of Heathcliff. Hindley tries to get the father’s attention back by insulting Heathcliff. “…be damned you beggarly interloper! And wheedle my father out of all he has only afterwards show him what you are, imp of Satan” (Bronte 1995, 39). Here Hindley refers to Heathcliff as a beggar, intruder and imp of Satan. Not only that but also Hindley whips Heathcliff a lot of time. Nelly Dean, the second narrator, tells how Heathcliff ‘would stand Hindley’s blows without winking or shedding a tear’ (Bronte 1995, 38). Hindley does all of this to Heathcliff justbecause of the love and affection he receives from Earnshaw. The love from Hindley’s father for Heathcliff literally makes Hindley jealous. In fact, Hindley’s jealousy burst out one day, and Hindley throw him away from Wuthering Heights.It turns Heathcliff’s life into a nightmare and makes Heathcliff to turn back at Hindley for revenge. Hindley is not the only one to be jealous of Heathcliff, Edgar also plays a key role in revealing his inner most jealous feeling towards Heathcliff. Edgar shows his jealousy to Heathcliff, because he thinks Heathcliff may take his love, Catherine Earnshaw, away from him. Emily Bronte shows this predicament, when Heathcliff comes back to visit Catherine after three-year disappearance. Edgar says, “…Catherine, try to be glad, without being absurd! The whole household need not witness the sight of your welcoming a runaway servant as a brother” (Bronte 1995, 95). Firstly, this reveals that Edgar is not happy to see Heathcliff back, 2006-07-25T16:16:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Destructive-Nature-in-quot-Wuthering-Heights-quot-by-Emily-30654.aspx Influence of Death in Edgar Allen Poe's Work Edgar Allan Poe is a most influential romanticism author in the history 2006-07-25T16:10:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Influence-of-Death-in-Edgar-Allen-Poe-s-Work-30652.aspx Analysis of the American Dream in "Death of a Salesman" The American Dream is not the same for everyone, however it is a universal goal that many desire. The American Dream has been a common theme in literature. In Death of a Salesman, written by Arthur Miller, the idea of the American Dream is depicted by the, main character Willy Loman. Willy has a very distorted view of the American Dream. Aiming to achieve fortune and success is what blinded Willy from reality. It sent him on a downward spiral. He became so obsessed with who he wanted to be and with his job that it began to drive him crazy. Willy faces reality when he gets fired from the job he devoted his life to. Trying to attain the American Dream, Willy brought about his own downfall. Willy’s reality was taken over by his distorted dreams of what he really wanted to be. Willy was only a businessman because he thought that this was the ideal job. He worked for the same company his whole life; he worked there for so long that his original boss’ son became his own boss. Willy’s job involved long hours, out of the office, driving to different parts of New England. Willy did not even realize that he didn’t have the business job that he desired. He wanted to be successful so badly, and he thought that making it in the business world was how to do that. He says to Biff, “The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want.” Willy’s view on life was very distorted. He believed that a man’s life had meaning only if he was well respected and known by many. Aside from that, he was not good at his job. It never made him happy and he never did get much respect being the salesman he was. Willy was always good at working with his hands. He enjoyed repairing things around the house and he possessed the skills to perform those tasks. But Willy didn’t think that being a carpenter was a respectable and well paying job, “Even your grandfather was better than a carpenter,” Willy 2006-07-25T16:05:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-American-Dream-in-quot-Death-of-a-Salesman-30649.aspx Summary, Analysis and Reflection of "Number the Stars" Annemarie Johanson and her family lived in Denmark in a chaotic time of World War I. The Germans had been roaming around Europe, searching for Jewish. The Germans even took over Denmark, a country that is so peaceful that the king don’t even need protection when he walk out to the streets everyday. They stand in every corner of the streets of Denmark. Taking away any goods that Danish and Jewish need. Everyone feared them. All they know is that if they do not follow their rules, they would be in trouble. One day, Annemarie, her younger sister Kristi, and her best friend Ellen Rosin were racing home from school. Two soldiers stopped them and asked them why they were running. Annemarie and Ellen were very scared. Ellen was more frighten because she is a Jew and she can get into big trouble if she was doing anything wrong. Luckily, the soldiers were just looking for something to play with. When they were home, Kristi blurted out everything, which made Mama worried. Annemarie and her family use to have such a great time. Not until the Germans came, every thing started to go wrong. Firstly, a car killed her sister, Lise in an accident. Her future husband, Peter, was so sad that his whole attitude started to change. He never fools around or plays jokes on Annemarie anymore. After the death, they lost the permission to read newspaper, eat meat, sugar products, and have new clothes or shoes. They can’t even have electricity after five. Annemarie’s only ten and she had understood so much of what’s happening. Weeks after the last incident, Ellen came over to stay with Annemarie for a while. When Ellen suddenly started to cry, Annemarie understood that Mr. and Mrs. Rosins had hid somewhere for safety. They couldn’t hide the whole family because there is no place to hide in their house so they only took Ellen. Ellen had to pretend to be Lise. That night, the soldiers came banging on the door to get in. They tried to search all over the house to find the Rosins. Ellen tried to take the Star of David necklace of her neck so the soldier wouldn’t know about her real identity. Annemarie kept it and hid it in a safe place. They looked into the room where Ellen 2006-07-25T15:46:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary,-Analysis-and-Reflection-of-quot-Number-the-Stars-q-30645.aspx Overview of "The Stranger" by Albert Camus Throughout the novel The Stranger, by Albert Camus, there were many specific references to the light, heat, and the sun’s glare. This theme continues throughout 2006-07-25T15:42:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Overview-of-quot-The-Stranger-quot-by-Albert-Camus-30643.aspx Review of "Waiting by Ha Jin" In the Novel, Waiting by Ha Jin, the author tells a dramatic love story of a selfish and careless man, who was force into an arranged marriage by his parents to a women whom he do not love. He then fell in love with another girl and promise her that he'll divorce his wife and marry her. Lin waited for 18 years for the divorce, but when he finally got what he thought he wanted, he realize that he is still waiting for something that doesn’t seem to exist. Lin had never thought of marriage or having a family. He work as a doctor in a Chinese military, all he really care about was his job. But up until one day, he was force to marry a girl he never met. Lin was the type of guy who never thought of getting married, he was never really into any girls. When Manna had thought of the idea of Lin divorcing his wife, he was excited and happy because he thought everything in his life would be much better if he gets a divorce and marry Manna. Everyday, he couldn’t stop daydreaming of him and Manna living together and having a family. 18 years had passed, Lin and his wife were finally divorce, Lin didn’t really show any happiness when he got the divorce, probably because he had waited for 18 years and that it doesn’t even matter to him no more. Lin is the type of person who only cares about himself, he's a selfish man. When he finally got the divorce with his wife Shuyu, he got marry with Manna, and then she was pregnant with his baby. While she was pregnant, Lin didn't really show any love or concern for her. Soon Lin had realized that his love for her had grown out and that his feelings for her are no longer the same. In my opinion, I think that Lin just wanted a social life by himself and that Lin never really loved Manna, I think that he is just using her so he can have a reason to divorce his wife. Lin expects too much in his life, and when he thought his life was getting better, it actually get worst. Lin never really care 2006-07-25T15:41:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Review-of-quot-Waiting-by-Ha-Jin-quot-30642.aspx Keeping the American Dream Alive in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, a novel by F.Scott Fitzgerald, is about the American Dream and how it remained as one. The American Dream is to have a lot of money and material objects. To the eyes of the world, the Americans were wealthy and there was no poverty. This however was not true. Many interpreted the American Dream as being a passage to high social status, an opportunity to get what they wanted, and through wealth and power, one could gain happiness. Fitzgerald through his novel shows how aimless the American people were and how downfall fell upon the Americans who tried to reach this illusionary goals of the American Dream. Fitzgerald uses the character Jay Gatsby to show how people in the 1920’s were. Gatsby was born in a low social class. He has dreamt of being rich and famous since he was young. He fell in love with Daisy, a girl from the higher social rank, and tried to match up to her status. Daisy however rejected his marriage proposal because he was not wealthy enough and their difference in social status. He leaves her in order to earn enough money to reach her economic standards. He is said to have joined the army but he earned his money through bootlegging and involvement in criminal activities. ‘ “He’s a bootlegger,” said the young ladies moving somewhere between his cocktails and flowers. ”One time he killed a man who had found out that he was nephew Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil’ “ (Fitzgerald 67). When he finally attains enough wealth, he moves back close to Daisy. “ Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be across the bay (Fitzgerald). He throws extravagant parties hopping by chance Daisy would turn up for any one of it. When this did not happen, then he started to ask around if anyone knew her. This is how he met Nick, his neighbor and Daisy’s second cousin. Nick agrees to set up a meeting between Daisy and Gatsby. He shows of his wealth that he has attained to impress her. He brags about his nice house, big cars and all the nice shirts he has. He uses his appearance to further convince her while greeting her at the door when she came. He chooses to wear his best outfit and later shows her 2006-07-25T13:06:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Keeping-the-American-Dream-Alive-in-The-Great-Gatsby-30637.aspx Character Analysis of Scout and Jem in "To Kill a Mockingbird" It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they do nothing but make music for us to enjoy." This was quoted from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a creative novelist. To Kill a Mockingbird is about a young girl named Jean-Louise Finch, her brother Jeremy Finch and many other characters. Jean- Louise is nick-named Scout and Jeremy is nick-named Jem. Their father Atticus ,who was a lawyer, had been given a case to handle and did not have any choice but to receive it and work his best for his client. The case was about an African man, named Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white woman. Throughout the story the reader sees how Scout and Jem are afraid of Boo because they think he is a monster and try to tease him. They try to play tricks on Boo. Later in the novel they are no longer afraid of him and are no longer interested in teasing him. Another example of their maturity is how they view people. When Scout and Jem see how Tom Robinson is treated just because he is black, they begin to understand the meaning of prejudice. No one comes to help Tom Robinson except their father who defends him when Tom is accused of raping a white woman. Scout watches the trial and believes that he will be found innocent. Instead, Tom Robinson is found guilty. Her disappointment in the verdict makes Scout question the idea of justice. "Who in this town did one thing to help Tom Robinson, just who?" (215) Scout and Jem had believe that their father was not like any other fathers in school. They see him as an old man who can´t do anything. However, when a mad dog appears on the street, Atticus, their farther, kills that dog with one shot. They are surprised to learn that he is the best shot in the town. They´re attitude towards their father has changed. This is a sign of maturity. "The rifle cracked. Tim Johnson leaped, flopped over and crumpled on the sidewalk in a brown-and-white heap. He didn´t know what hit him." (96) "Jem became vaguely articulate, ‘you see him, Scout? You see him just stand there? All of a sudden he just relaxed all over. it looked like that gun was 2006-07-25T12:26:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Scout-and-Jem-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30624.aspx Critical Analysis of "A Time to Kill" by John Grisham “A Time to Kill” by John Grisham is a novel about a street lawyer named Jake Brigance, and Carl Lee Hailey, a father whose daughter was raped by two white men. The story starts out with a Tonya Hailey, a little ten-year-old black girl who was being raped and beaten by Billy Ray Cobb and Willard. After she was raped, she was thrown into the woods. The rapists thought that she was dead. Later in the day, she was found in critical condition by some fisherman. They took her to her house, and her family took her to the hospital. The only thing that the girl remembered about the rape was the shiny yellow truck and Confederate flag in the truck window. From this information, the police knew that Billy Ray Cobb did it. After Willard and Cobb were arrested, they were questioned. Cobb denied it, but Willard confessed. After the court hearing, Carl Lee Hailey shot Cobb and Willard to death. Carl Lee was arrested without a struggle. Jake Brigance is a street lawyer in this story who had proven Carl Lee’s brother innocent when he was guilty of a murder. So naturally, Carl Lee went to Jake Brigance for legal assistance. Jake agreed to it because he was a friend of the Hailey’s, and because it would bring him a lot of publicity. It ended up that he was only able to get $900 from the Hailey family for a capital murder case. Most people thought that he was crazy to do it. Throughout the rest of the story, the KKK harasses Jake, Jake’s family, and his friends with bombs, burning crosses and other horrible things. Several times Jake thought of quitting the case, but he cared to much for Carl Lee, and the publicity. At the time of the trial, the KKK and black demonstration groups rally outside of the courthouse. The trial takes 4 long hard days. Finally, Jake was able to convince the jury that Carl Lee was innocent. Carl Lee got a unanimous not guilty vote from the all white jury. This was quite amazing for this time period. After the trial, Jake left the city to go spend some long forgotten quality time with his family. This book was excellent in my point of view. I couldn’t put it down 2006-07-25T12:23:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-A-Time-to-Kill-quot-by-John-Gris-30622.aspx The World as Portrayed in 1984 by George Orwell “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER”, the omnipresent leader of “Ingsoc”, or English socialism, and the force that has society in a vice of fear and ignorance. It is in George Orwell’s grim dystopia Nineteen Eighty-Four that these circumstances exist. It was written in 1948 as a warning to where society could be headed. Orwell had experienced war, and had seen the world as it existed then, titling on the ledge of despair, ready to drop and shatter into a thousand pieces. This book is a warning to all, that if the world stayed on its current track, the world of Big Brother, would not be as unlikely as it seems. Orwell stresses the similarity of Oceania to our very own world. Which not only offers reader association and verisimilitude, but it also makes Orwell’s political point of how easy it would be for our world to slip into that of Oceania, a lot more prominent in the minds’ of the readers. This point is emphasised in the very first line of the book; “the clocks were striking thirteen.” This immediately startles the reader as it is easily recognisable as something belonging to our own world, but warped and distorted, and very militaristic. This clever use of language associates the reader with the book. Another example of this is the “telescreen”. Which we never receive a definition for, but through reading the book we understand what it is, more importantly, what it does. Orwell’s use of language here again associates us with something common to our world, the television, but then warps the idea and mixes it with a solution of irony. The telescreen, instead of being watched like a television, watches us. The idea is so sinister and intriguing, yet so similar. In our modern world, we have close circuit television cameras, which effectively do the same thing. The telescreen also produces streams of statistics, showing propaganda claiming how successful the world under the party us. This also is similar to Party Political Broadcasts. Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, had a different view of how to keep society in bondage. In his book, he uses drugs and sex to keep the masses in submission as opposed to the repression of sex to keep people in a frenziable rage found in 1984. Yet Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four appears more 2006-07-24T19:53:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-World-as-Portrayed-in-1984-by-George-Orwell-30618.aspx Literary Technique Explored in Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" In order for a story to take shape, one of the main ingredients is the plot. An author must figure out where the story is going to take the reader. In “ A Rose For Emily,” William Faulkner uses in medias res, flashback, and foreshadowing to tell the story of a heartbroken and disenchanted woman. In medias res (or in the midst of things) the author can start the story in any place the he or she wants. In this case, Faulkner starts the story at the death of Ms. Emily. “ When Miss Emily Grierson died, the whole town went to the funeral” (87). Throughout the story Faulkner uses in medias res; for the second example of this the author jumps from the last years of her life to when Ms. Emily was a young lady buying arsenic from the town’s druggist. “Arsenic,” Miss Emily said. “Is that a good one…I want some arsenic”(91). These examples show how Faulkner uses in medias res. Another technique William Faulkner uses was flashbacks. After starting at the end of Miss Emily’s life, Faulkner uses flashbacks throughout the story. He takes the reader back to when Miss Emily was a young beautiful lady with her father. “Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, her father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clothing horsewhip, the two of them framed by the back flung front door”(90). Her father controlled Emily when she was younger and controlled her love life. Her father chased away all suitors who came to ask for her. After her father’s death, Miss Emily finds love at last in a young foreman by the name of Homer Baron. This is when the Faulkner flashes back again in the story to show the courtship of Homer and Emily. “Presently we would begin to see him and Miss Emily on Sunday afternoons driving in the yellow-wheeled buggy and the matched team of bays from the livery stable”(91). To the surprise of the town, Emily and Homer never married but Homer Baron’s spirit and cold lifeless body did end up staying in her bed for his afterlife. William Faulkner sets up the story with not only flashbacks, but also with foreshadowing. 2006-07-24T19:43:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Technique-Explored-in-Faulkner-s-quot-A-Rose-for-E-30615.aspx Analysis of Themes in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson Do you remember when you were younger and would bother one of your siblings or a friend? You know like, saying “shut up” even though your mother told you not to say that word, hitting someone, or even saying something mean to them. Remember how it was okay for you to do all of those things to them but as soon as they retaliated, you ran to go tell? You never cared about what you did; it was only what happened to you that counted. The theme in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is based upon the actions of Mrs. Hutchinson, a normal housewife. When the story begins the mood of the whole town is happy and joyful because of the lottery. Mrs. Hutchinson was eager to find out who had won until she realized that her family had won. You might think, why would she be mad if she’s about to win? Well in the latter parts of the story it is revealed that the lottery isn’t for money or a gift, but it’s for a person to be put to death by stoning. Regardless of the end result, everyone was still anticipating the lottery. Mrs. Hutchinson is the only example of the story’s theme, that being, our senses of justice aren’t activated until we’re the victims of injustice. Mrs. Hutchinson could never fathom the idea that she might be chosen to win the Lottery. She never questioned the lottery until she realized that she could be chosen. The lottery was conducted annually and every year someone was stoned, which means that she helped, but when it was her turn it wasn’t right. On September 11, 2001, the United States had won the lottery, the lottery of life. The U.S. always had a chance to win (be attacked) but never thought that they would. For many years the United States has seen Israel become terrorized by the Palestinians but never thought that the terror they saw could strike here. The United States never claimed how unfair it was for the people of Israel to go through the bombings and the relentless shootings, but on September 11th when the two commercial aircraft hit the World Trade Center buildings it suddenly became unfair. People were crying, 2006-07-24T19:37:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Themes-in-The-Lottery-by-Shirley-Jackson-30612.aspx Analytic Book Report on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley The book Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is the story of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Robert Walton, captain of a ship exploring the “Land of mist and snow”, rescues Dr. Frankenstein. (14) As Frankenstein lies ill aboard the ship he tells his story to the captain, who shares the encounter in letters written to his sister. The story takes place in Europe during the 1800’s. Frankenstein is sent to the University of Ingolstadt, where he studies natural philosophy and chemistry. He becomes obsessed with the idea of “Bestowing animation upon lifeless matter.” (62) When his experiments are successful, rather than feeling proud, as we would expect, he is disgusted by the appearance of the “monster” he has created. The monster flees and Frankenstein believes he is free from his mistake. As the story continues, we find Frankenstein is not free of his creation. Frankenstein is called home to Geneva to find his brother has been murdered. He begins to see glimpses of the “monster“, and suspects him as the murderer. He is unable to tell anyone for fear of disbelief and his own guilt at what he has done. An innocent woman, Justine, is sentenced to death for the murder. Frankenstein believes he is helpless to stop this. The “monster” seeks out Frankenstein, who treats him badly, but is reminded by the “monster” that he “Is thy creation, I ought to be thy Adam.” (127) The “monster” tells him, “I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy and I shall again be virtuous.” (128) Frankenstein agrees to listen to the monster’s story. The monster describes his life, living as an animal in the woods. He found a family, and living hidden outside their cottage, he came to learn customs and speech. As he revealed himself to the family he had come to love, they were terrified by his horrid appearance. The monster found himself alone again and lonely, as he realized he never would be welcomed among men. He says, “All men hate the wretched; how then must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things.” This leads the monster to ask Frankenstein to create a mate for him. Frankenstein, having been persuaded by the monster, agrees to his request. Frankenstein begins the work, then changes his mind and destroys it. This enrages the 2006-07-24T19:35:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analytic-Book-Report-on-Frankenstein-by-Mary-Shelley-30611.aspx Racism in "Black Boy" and "Malcom X" In the book Black Boy and the movie Malcolm X the main characters Richard Wright and 2006-07-24T19:08:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-in-quot-Black-Boy-quot-and-quot-Malcom-X-quot-30597.aspx Mark Twain's Society in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Mark Twain are included in the American Library Association’s list of the ten most frequently challenged books and authors. Why, you might inquire, is this classic often second guessed as a literary masterpiece? Readers in 1885 accused the book of being, “rough, course, and inelegant, and better suited to the slums.” Others felt that Tom and Huck served as poor role models for the youth of the time. Most recently, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been lambasted as a book rampant with racism and political incorrectness. However, upon closer examination, the book and its main character actually offer a realistic role model for young people. Huck is honest and attempts to confront the racism and societal conformity that surrounds him. His moral development progresses throughout the novel with each effort he makes to understand injustices as opposed to swallowing society’s ethics and conforming to the comfortable civil life deemed so admirable. Through his various experiences and interactions with Pap, Miss Watson, Widow Douglas, and Jim, Huck develops a deeper sense of empathy which ultimately shapes his identity and his self image, leading him to understand society’s pitfalls and pursue the life that was truly destined for him. Huck gains the confidence to fight conformity and spurn physical and emotional violence by combining his true understanding of Pap’s good and bad natures. Due to the severe physical and mental abuse Huck suffered from his father throughout his childhood, he grew up to initially resent his worth and potential as a smart human being. Huck laments, “I see it warn’t no use for me to try to learn to do right; a body that don’t get started right when he’s little ain’t got no show-- when the pinch comes there ain’t nothing to back him up and keep him to his work, and so he gets beat.” (pg. 95) Huck’s ability to psycho-analyze himself in these terms speaks multitudes. He recognizes his petty faults and their connection to the unhealthy relationship with Pap, yet fails to see himself realistically, as a remarkably emotionally mature adolescent. Through interactions with Pap, Huck further develops empathy and understanding for the society’s “answer” to drunk white trash. At one point Judge Thatcher attempts to 2006-07-24T14:23:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mark-Twain-s-Society-in-the-Adventures-of-Huckleberry-Finn-30595.aspx Salvation in Crime and Punishment The promise of eternal life has been the driving force behind man’s quest for salvation. Religion and the understanding of God and implicit faith in divine justice are the keys to salvation. This is the message conveyed by Dostoyevsky’s character Sonia, a redemptive figure for Raskolnikov in the novel “Crime and Punishment”. Written in 1865 and set in Russia, this story is about Raskolnikov, an impoverished young man. He kills an old pawnbroker to prove his theory that superior men are above the law and are free to determine their own destiny. However, he realizes that he cannot exist without being a part of the human community. Unable to resolve the conflict between his conscience and theory, Raskolnikov confesses his crime to Sonia and faces his punishment. This begins his journey to redemption. Sonia’s function in the novel “Crime and Punishment”, is to inspire Raskolnikov to the recognition that spiritual rebirth and salvation are possible only by suffering and believing that everything exists through the grace of God. Raskolnikov meets Sonia through her father, Marmeladov, a simple government clerk who lives with his family in the slums. After losing his job because of a drinking problem his family becomes destitute without any means of financial support. Sonia, a gentle girl who is the daughter from his previous marriage, becomes a prostitute to earn money to support the family. She does this because of her compassionate and loving nature. Even though Sonia is intelligent, attractive, caring, and sensitive, society will not permit her a better life because of the circumstances of her birth that place her in the working class. Sonia lives in poverty and misery, and is deeply ashamed of her profession as a prostitute. But, through it all, Sonia remains childlike and innocent. Her faith in God is her strength. She believes because God is the dispenser of divine justice, He will provide for her family. Sonia believes that God will “not allow” her and the family to live in their present circumstances forever, and has hope for a better future through Divine Providence. When Raskolnikov questions her faith and says: “But perhaps there is no God at all,” (pg 299, line 17). She answers, “What should I be without God?” 2006-07-24T08:42:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Salvation-in-Crime-and-Punishment-30584.aspx The Symbolism of Nature in the Tree of Red Stars The book “ The Tree of Red Stars” written by Tessa Bridal, gives historical account of the political turmoil and social conditions that existed in Uruguay in the 1960’s. The story is about love and ideals under siege and begins with an autobiographical landscape and reaches into fiction and history. The author was herself born and raised in Montevideo, Uruguay and as a young girl; she had witnessed the gradual power shift in her country into the hands of the military. Her novel is a tender story of love and friendship and terrifying, personal look at Uruguay and the turmoil that existed there in the 60’s. During the course of the story, Bridal has used the Rio-de La Plata and the old poinsettia tree, estrella federal to depict tone, ideas and events at various points in the story. The story begins with the narrator Magda returning to Uruguay from Europe, where she had spent seven years in exile. As her plane approaches Montevideo’s airport, she sees majestic Rio-de La Plata, which brings back to her happy memories of her childhood: “One hundred twenty miles wide, the river resembled the Atlantic ocean with which it merged at its widest point. I had walked its shores, loved its changing colors, and been buffeted by its waves all my growing-up years. My family’s ties with the river were strong. My grandfather had once owned a hotel on the beaches of Montevideo, and its foundation could still be seen in the sand.(6)” Further ahead, as Magda drives down the coastal road, she feels as if the water of the Rio de la Plata, were welcoming her arrival: “We drove along the coastal road; our view unimpeded… I put my head out of the window of Emilia’s Volkswagen and breathed the cool air, sensing welcome in the Rio de la Plata’s pale blue waters.(7)” Magda had always admired the Rio, in spite of its turbulent nature. The following excerpt best describes this: “I longed for my own river, that changeable, friendly giant. The Rio de la Plata was moody, rough, gentle, and wild, and to me, always beautiful. The river rejected unwanted offerings harbored life, and took it. (4)” The political situation in Uruguay was volatile and was to go out of control in a matter of time. This was much similar to 2006-07-24T08:27:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Symbolism-of-Nature-in-the-Tree-of-Red-Stars-30578.aspx Finding One's Place; "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë Often, people must struggle through negative, unpleasant experiences to mature and find where they belong in the world. In the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Jane struggles from youth to adulthood to escape confinement, mature, and discover her own person. Each of her experiences at different locations changes her until she finally finds her place in the world. Jane acquires ideals at Lowood as a result of the pitiless treatment she experiences while she resides there. As Jane travels to Lowood, the thought of escaping Mrs. Reed’s Wrath at first relieves her. However, Lowood turns out to be a continuation of verbal abuse and other hardships from Mr. Brocklehurst and her teachers. Jane learns to be independent to avoid dealing with the people at the school. With encounters of humiliation and Helen’s help as a role model, Jane comes to understand the importance of keeping her feelings to herself and not letting the rebuking remarks upset or discourage her. Helen displays calm manners, letting things go that Jane would normally fight. She explains to Jane, “It is far better to endure patiently a smart which nobody feels but yourself, than to commit a hasty action whose evil consequences will extend to all connected with you.” (p. 48) Furthermore, Lowood forces Jane to accept her place in society. Mr. Brocklehurst emphasizes the fact that Jane is only a poor orphan, and his school will help her accept that and not expect to become any better, as he assures Mrs. Reed that Lowood offers “plain fare, simple attire, unsophisticated accommodations, hardy and active habits.” (p. 28) When Jane moves to Thornfield, she gains more mature mannerisms and discovers new emotions that shape her personality. She combines the composure and manners she achieves at Lowood and her outspoken nature to remain calm and modestly defend herself when Rochester or anyone else criticizes her. Jane experiences jealousy for the first time when Rochester leads her to believe that he will marry Blanche Ingram. While with Rochester, Jane finds love; another feeling with which she has no past experience, having little exposure to the male sex. Jane also displays the ability to be strong in sticking to her principles. Upon realizing that she would be Rochester’s mistress 2006-07-24T08:20:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Finding-One-s-Place-quot-Jane-Eyre-quot-by-Charlotte-Bron-30573.aspx Symbolism of Salinger's Cover of "Cather in the Rye" I received word that the editors of the Little Brown and Company are considering changing the cover of JD Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye. I strongly recommend that the cover be left alone. The book has been commended on its exemplary literary meaning for the past fifty years; the present cover is a visual representation of this meaning. The blank cover expresses the overriding theme of controlling one’s own fate, similar to John Locke’s idea of the tabula rasa (blank slate). Indirectly, the blank cover also expresses the fundamental conflict in the novel that is Holden Caufield’s inability to “come of age.” Salinger’s development of Holden’s character extensively indicates his childish behavior. Like a little kid, the monologues he gives to his audience are simply rambling thoughts that flow through his mind. In the beginning of the book for example, Holden starts introduces his story and keeps skipping around to numerous topics: If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me… but I don’t want to go into it…I’m not going to tell you the whole autobiography or anything. I’ll just tell you about the madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas…and had to come out here and take it easy. I mean that’s all I told D.B about, and he’s my brother…now he’s out in Hollywood, D.B, being a prostitute. (1-2) Holden starts by touching on his childhood, continues on about his parents, and culminates by calling his brother a Hollywood prostitute. Like a child, Holden’s attention span is minute and he cannot extensively talk about a particular subject. The childish qualities that Holden possesses do not only stop with his rambling but also includes his interesting interpretations. When he’s sitting in Central Park waiting to see his sister Pheobe, he expresses what he feels will happen to him because of sitting out in the cold, “I thought I’d probably get pneumonia and die. I started to picture millions of jerks coming to my funeral and all…I thought about the whole bunch on them sticking me in a goddamn 2006-07-24T08:14:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-of-Salinger-s-Cover-of-Catcher-in-the-Rye-30569.aspx Critical Analysis of A Courtney Love Story A Country Love Story presents the destruction of an earthly heaven by the “word” that created it. The story concentrates upon a couple that moved to the countryside to find their peace, peace recommended by doctor Tellenbach especially for Daniel who was in a sanatorium for a year. It is a kind of withdrawal in a peaceful word in which only good things are expected to happen. But in life nothing happens, as we would expect it. Everything is turned upside down by destiny, fate that is unknown to us. This happens in our story, too. The main ideas of the story are built on a series of contradictions (man ~ female, past ~ present, reality ~ imagination, nature ~ human nature) that occur in the life of Daniel and May at a moment when their marriage suffers a break caused by a limit situation. The main conflict emerges from these contradictions that center on the “word”, that created the world and gathered people, but meanwhile, it is capable to separate them. This statement is valid in our case too. The first strange thing that May noticed is that “they were silent too much of the time” and “their silence was often nettlesome to her”. Silence is an equivalent of the lack of communication that destroys the unity of a couple. Each of them has another aim in life. We are told that the “raison d’ecirctre” for Daniel is to write a book, that is to express his scientific ideas by means of words while May tries to use words to communicate with her husband. But Daniel’s leaving her without words thrown her into a world of silence, guilt, and anxiety, a world of imagination. At the beginning of their journey, we can identify in Daniel and May the primordial couple. When they bought the new house, their marriage flourished; they shared everything: ideas, charming sights, love and even the house. It was for them like a second honeymoon. In fact, they had a common aim: to mend the house. Eventually, winter came and “the major works of the house were to be postponed”. Having no more the mutual aim, Daniel estranged from May. This freeze of their relationship freezes Time for May in a way predicted by Doctor Tellenbach’s words: “a long illness removes a thoughtful man from his fellow beings. 2006-07-23T20:02:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-A-Courtney-Love-Story-30562.aspx Common Elements of Good Literature The way shown how we come by any knowledge, sufficient to prove it not innate. It is an established opinion amongst some men, that there are in the understanding certain innate principles; some primary notions, koinai ennoiai, characters, as it were stamped upon the mind of man; which the soul receives in its very first being, and brings into the world with it. It would be sufficient to convince unprejudiced readers of the falseness of this supposition, if I should only show (as I hope I shall in the following parts of this Discourse) how men, barely by the use of their natural faculties, may attain to all the knowledge they have, without the help of any innate impressions; and may arrive at certainty, without any such original notions or principles. For I imagine any one will easily grant that it would be impertinent to suppose the ideas of colours innate in a creature to whom God hath given sight, and a power to receive them by the eyes from external objects: and no less unreasonable would it be to attribute several truths to the impressions of nature, and innate characters, when we may observe in ourselves faculties fit to attain as easy and certain knowledge of them as if they were originally imprinted on the mind. But because a man is not permitted without censure to follow his own thoughts in the search of truth, when they lead him ever so little out of the common road, I shall set down the reasons that made me doubt of the truth of that opinion, as an excuse for my mistake, if I be in one; which I leave to be considered by those who, with me, dispose themselves to embrace truth wherever they find it. General assent the great argument. There is nothing more commonly taken for granted than that there are certain principles, both speculative and practical, (for they speak of both), universally agreed upon by all mankind: which therefore, they argue, must needs be the constant impressions which the souls of men receive in their first beings, and which they bring into the world with them, as necessarily and really as they do any of their inherent faculties. Universal consent proves nothing innate. This argument, drawn from universal consent, has this misfortune in it, that if it were true in matter 2006-07-23T19:46:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Common-Elements-of-Good-Literature-30555.aspx Symbolism in "A Rose For Emily" by Faulkner William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” is a wonderful short story that begins with the funeral of the main character, Emily Grierson. Faulkner uses an anonymous narrator that is considered to be the voice of “the town” and tells the story out of chronological order. The story basically uses the life of Emily Grierson as an allegory for the changes in the post-bellum South after the Civil War. Through the use of a series of symbols, such as Emily’s house, hair, clothing, and even Emily’s “rose”, Faulkner illustrates the collapse of the post-bellum South. The characteristics of Miss Emily’s house symbolize her appearance as she becomes decrepit with time and neglect. The “… house had once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies, set on what had once been our most select street” (325). Then it became an “eyesore among eyesores” (325). Miss Emily changed the same ways as her house did and she too became an eyesore. She had once been “a slender figure in white” (327) and later she becomes “bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water with eyes lost in the fatty ridges of her face” (326). During Miss Emily’s death she had been referred to as a “fallen monument” (325), which could mean she was once something beautiful and affluent but with time she grew old and impoverished. These same changes from affluence to impoverishment occurred in the South after the Civil War. There are many symbols that direct you to believe Miss Emily is still living in her post bellum era when she was in her prime with her father. She will not allow the town to put a house number on her home for the free postal service. She also tells the tax collectors to talk to Colonel Sartoris (who has been dead for ten years) to resolve her problem that she doesn’t pay taxes. This is also shown with Emily’s very few words she used to persuade the druggist to get the arsenic poison. Another particular symbol that exemplifies Miss Emily’s ignorance and stubbornness towards time is her watch. This example involves Emily as an old woman with her gold watch around her neck. The watch hung so low 2006-07-23T19:40:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-quot-A-Rose-For-Emily-quot-by-Faulkner-30552.aspx Overview of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" Janie’s vision at the beginning of the book is like a pear tree in bloom, however she changed into a pragmatic person who is not so juvenile and immature through the interactions with the people that she meets. Nanny has been a big influence on her because she was her mother for a long time. Joe was a bad influence on her because he 2006-07-23T19:35:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Overview-of-quot-Their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God-quot-30549.aspx Analysis of Eqiano's Narrative by Keith Sandiford Keith Sandiford, author of Measuring the Moment, eloquently made the claim for Equiano’s Interesting Narrative as a reliable documentary source. Sandiford writes, “Throughout the narrative, [Equiano] makes a conscious effort to delineate the principal incidents and experiences of his life as faithful memory would allow and to appraise his conduct with honest judgement and sober reflection” (119). To me this is how Equiano embarks on making his narrative credible: “I believe it is difficult for those who publish their own memoirs to escape the imputation of vanity. . . People generally think those memoirs only worthy to be read or remembered which abound in great striking events, those, in short, which in a high degree excite either admiration or pity; all others they consign to contempt or oblivion. It is therefore, I confess, not a little hazardous in a private and obscure individual, and a stranger too, thus to solicit the indulgent attention of the public, especially when I own I offer here the history of neither a saint, a hero, nor a tyrant. I believe there are few events in my life which have not happened to many; it is true the incidents of it are numerous, and, did I consider myself an European, I might say my sufferings were great; but when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a particular favorite of heaven, and acknowledge the mercies of Providence in every occurrence of my life. If, then, the following narrative does not appear sufficiently interesting to engage general attention, let my motive be some excuse for its publication." The narrative begins in the unassuming, yet ardent voice that carries the reader throughout his life story. He makes his plans entirely clear: he intends his narrative to open the world's eyes to the degradation and inhumanity of slavery. Yet he knows, too, that merely preaching of goodwill towards Africans would not turn any heads. He must show directly the irony that those naming others "barbarians" were the barbaric ones themselves. His intensely personal story, with detailed descriptions of what he saw - cruel or ordinary - and of how one African dealt with forced encounters with different lands and cultures, was what it would take for Englishmen to relate and thus to understand. A number of 2006-07-23T18:08:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Eqiano-s-Narrative-by-Keith-Sandiford-30545.aspx Analysis of Herman Melville's "Billy Budd" In Herman Melville’s Billy Budd, Sailor, readers are introduced to the conflict of good and evil between Billy Budd and Claggart. However, there is another conflict, which, in ways is more significant than the epic clash of good and evil. Vere’s struggle between duty and conscience is more significant because it occurs in the mind. Whereas Billy Budd was clearly the noble sacrificed hero and Claggart was the vindictive villain, duty is just as noble as conscience and conscience is just as noble as duty. Melville sets up this conflict by placing a man with the intuition and innocence of a child, in the hands of a captain amidst war. In a description of Captain Vere it can be anticipated that Vere, who values peace and common good, would be in conflict with his job, which requires him to be a militaristic authoritarian. Captain Vere learns important lessons when innocent hands bring about destruction of life. Vere was moved by his beckoning duty as captain, to convince the drumhead court to convict Billy Budd. However, the paternal emotions towards Billy Budd and his rational thinking did invoke indecision. Captain Vere realizes, when he has to act, he does not have the strength of conviction he had thought. Vere’s character is written to be a medium between Billy Budd and Claggart. Vere, like Claggart, has experience that makes him a salted sailor. However, like Billy Budd, Vere has been able to hold on to his natural intelligence. Along with his intelligence, Vere has an innocent quality to him: he believes when a crisis between duty and conscience calls, he will be able to hold fast to duty as called for on the seas during war. Captain Vere learns that in the face of conflict between duty and conscience, he does not have the strength of conviction he thought he had. Captain Vere learns that to balance conscience and duty is a very hard task even for a man as conscious of his actions as he is. Captain Vere, despite having paternal feelings towards Billy Budd, soon realizes the decision facing him. After Claggart’s last breathe, “ ‘Fated boy,’ breathed Captain Vere in tone so low as to be almost a whisper, ‘what have you done!’ ” (350). Vere’s paternal feelings can be seen when he says “Fated boy”. The fact Captain Vere whispers this 2006-07-23T18:02:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Herman-Melville-s-quot-Billy-Budd-quot-30544.aspx Censorship in Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 In Ray Bradbury's book Fahrenheit 451,showed a dystopian society in which owning books is illegal. The general nature of the society is based on destruction and emotionless, broken families. Bradbury conveys this world in a way that one cannot help but to read it as disturbing fiction. However, upon looking at our own world, we see our limits and standards for acceptable reading material close tighter around the neck of literary freedom. People are advised to not read books that have correct historical language or biography's with intense scenes of passion or rape. The world begs for violence through its media but scorns reading as if the message were there to ridicule and destroy us. Is Mr. Bradbury's fictional world strictly fiction or is it more like our society than we know? We will examine that question now. I started by obtaining a list of banned and challenged books. Upon reading the list I was amazed at some of the books that were on it. Was the list full of horrific books of mass murder and sexual themes? One would think it would be. However, this was not so. Three of the books that shocked me were . . . James and the Giant Peach by Ronald Dahl. Challenged due to scenes that were "anti-family." Anyone who has read this book knows that the "anti-family" themes mentioned are that James is abused so he runs away. Kids are abused in everyday life and James can serve as a hero to them, someone they can relate to, but some stuck up people decided to shelter their children from life's harsh realities. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. This autobiography tells the story of the authors' life. It is purely true, nonfiction. So why is it challenged, because of the description of a rape that occurred to the author. Parents feel that children should not read this explicit material. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. Challenged for offensive language, racism and violence. VIOLENCE can you believe that? Heaven forbid that a novel about war have violence in it! It is time that we let America's children grow up. They already see this stuff in the movies, on TV, in their music, etc. Anyway, to find out other people's opinions, I first turned to Mrs. Andrasik, the main librarian 2006-07-23T17:49:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Censorship-in-Bradbury-s-Fahrenheit-451-30539.aspx Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War Mark Bowden began writing his book Black Hawk Down in 1996; three years after the Battle of the Black Sea took place in the heart of Mogadishu, Somalia. After finishing the book Bowden published it in 1999 and 2000, and it is still in print. It is 346 pages long, including the epilogue. Published by Penguin Books, Black Hawk Down costs fourteen dollars. There are no other books presently available today on this particular topic. Bowden mentions a few books that lightly touch on it, which he used for sources, but his remains the only book solely written on the battle. Bowden has written a book based on a historical event, and his past writings include only journalism. Mark Bowden is not a historian nor does he have any military experience. Mark Bowden wrote this book to, “combine the authority of a historical narrative with the emotion of the memoir, and write a story that read like fiction but was true.”(331-332) The book is set in Mogadishu, Somalia, and is based on events that took place in 1993. Journalist Mark Bowden uses official papers, radio transcripts, and interviews with survivors to tell the detailed story of what happened during that operation, right down to the actual dialogue. He uses many written accounts of Delta Force soldiers and had direct interviews with a couple others. He also interviewed numerous Rangers that were part of the task force. In his book, Bowden cleared up any misunderstandings in the mission that were conveyed through other authors that wrote on the subject. He does this though recorded conversations of the battle, the recorded aerial footage and an oral interview of General William F. Garrison who commanded Task Force Ranger. Bowden says, “None of the men…had a complete vision of the battle. But, their memories, combined with this documentary material, including a precise chronology, and the written accounts of the Delta operators and SEALS, made it possible for me to reconstruct the whole picture.”(344-345) In short, the book serves as a fairly accurate description of the battle. Bowden shows a hint of prejudice when writing the novel. He favors the Delta operator or the so-called “D-Boys” as he called them. He feels that Delta held 2006-07-23T17:35:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Black-Hawk-Down-A-Story-of-Modern-War-30535.aspx Determining Optimism or Pesimism in King Lear Many scholars consider ‘King Lear’ one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. This is because of its power; it tackles all issues and is still relevant today to the extent that it has been called “Shakespeare’s play for the 20th century”. ‘King Lear’ is cathartic and a discouragingly accurate portrayal of human nature. It shows us altruism, selfishness, love, hate, stupidity and understanding. It questions fate, the gods, our purpose and how, why and what human nature is. It is this, the sheer amount, and power of it’s themes which explains why ‘King Lear’ is held by so many scholars, past and present, in such high regard. However, whether the play the play has an optimistic or pessimistic outlook is a question that has been debated over the centuries. Whether the play is optimistic or pessimistic is of great importance to the meaning of the play as a whole, as the message it conveys hinges on whether the play is hopeful or disparagingly tragic. Is Shakespeare trying to say that life is completely pointless? That we are simply “like flies to wanton boys, they kill us for their sport.” Alternatively, is he trying to show us that there is a point to life; that we must learn, love, and try to live honourably and decently? There are two predominant schools of thought in the dispute over whether the play is optimistic or pessimistic. These are represented both in the play and in the opinions of critics. In general, critics of the late 20th century find the play profoundly pessimistic and earlier critics find the play optimistic. The pessimistic opinion on the play argues that, in ‘King Lear’, human nature is portrayed as being essentially bad and that the play is attempting to say that there is no purpose to life. Gonerill, Regan and Edmund represent this immoral, evil, quality to human nature. Edmund refers to nature many times throughout the play: “Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound. Wherefore should I Stand in the way of custom, and permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me…” This shows how Edmund wants to disrupt the order - imposed by man - by which he is made to suffer because of his illegitimacy. This could be considered pessimistic, as regards our nature, in two 2006-07-23T17:31:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Determining-Optimism-or-Pesimism-in-King-Lear-30534.aspx Review of "Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane Commonly considered Stephen Crane's greatest accomplishment, The Red Badge of Courage (1895) ranks among the foremost literary achievements of the modern era. When its publication was announced in Publisher's Weekly on 5 October 1895, Crane was largely unknown. Although his volume of poetry published earlier that year, The Black Riders, had made some waves in literary circles, it struck most readers as quirky and cryptic. The gritty social realism of his first novel, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (1893) had earned praise from literati such as Hamlin Garland and W. D. Howells, but Crane probably gave away more copies than were actually sold. (The story is told that Crane, in a desperate advertising scheme, paid men to ride the Manhattan El train and conspicuously read copies of Maggie.) When Crane signed a contract with D. Appleton and Co. to publish Red Badge, he was not well-known enough to command an advance, and agreed to a flat 10 per cent royalty on the retail price of all copies sold (Weatherford, 5). Published in the autumn of 1895, Red Badge went through two editions before the end of the year. By March of 1896 the novel was in eighth place on the international booksellers' list and had gone through fourteen printings; remarkably enough, Red Badge has never been out of print (6). Unfortunately, unremunerative contracts with publishers and a general lack of good business sense kept Crane insolvent for much of his life. But with the publication of Red Badge, Crane achieved almost overnight celebrity. During Crane's lifetime, public interest often focused on his personal life--his bohemian lifestyle, daring journalistic exploits, and eventual expatriation to Britain-- rather than on his writings. Much of the initial press about Crane's novel was full of speculation about who he was, where he came from, and how he could write so convincingly about a war he had never seen. Nevertheless, early reviewers of Red Badge introduced many of the issues which have remained of interest in subsequent critical investigations of Crane's work. His "war novel" won him widespread international praise, from admiring newspaper notices like those in the New York Times <nytimes.html> and the Philadelphia Press <papress.html> to the more discerning responses of critics such as Englishman George Wyndham <wyndham.html> and the contemporary dean of American letters, William Dean Howells <howells.html>. For a list of several 2006-07-23T17:04:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Review-of-quot-Red-Badge-of-Courage-quot-by-Stephen-Crane-30523.aspx Oppression of Imperialism in Heart of Darkness It was the evident duty of civilized nations to confer the benefits of civilization (Christianity, education, law and order, trade) on those benighted heathen with their barbaric ways” - Lord Salisbury (Heart of Darkness) The oppression of imperialism has reached into personal lives and society for centuries. Two instances of how oppression through imperialism has affected a nation as well as the individuals involved are Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible. These stories both focus on a region of Africa long ruled by foreign oppressors and tyrannies. Both Conrad and Kingsolver examine how oppression, in conquering the local population, also adversely affects the ruling oppressors. The parallels of this effect can be seen by both parties’ adherence to the same rules, even though they were meant only for the oppressed; conversely, the differences are poignant; in the former the conqueror is adored and worshipped and in the latter the conqueror is feared. In Heart of Darkness it is clearly evident that the Congo becomes victim to British and Roman imperialism through being conquered economically, geographically, and spiritually. In Conrad’s novel the British sincerely believe that they are offering a better way to the Congolese. The Congo is also conquered economically in terms of its resources. Marlow on his way to his post and mentions: “It had known the ships and the men…The dreams of men, the seed of commonwealths, the germs of empires.” (Conrad, 67). Marlow refers to the Congo and the many conquerors who have traveled through it in search of gold or fame. Marlow examines the oppression of the Congo spiritually: "The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much." (Conrad, 69). He is talks about his aunt’s beliefs and says, “She talked about 'weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways,'” These examples all show that the Congolese are conquered spiritually because they are taken advantage of due to their physical appearance and are forced to transform from their innately “savage” ways to “civilized” ways. This is spiritually degrading because the transformation forces them to believe that their ways of living are wrong. The geographic conquering of the Congo is probably the most 2006-07-23T16:56:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oppression-of-Imperialism-in-Heart-of-Darkness-30522.aspx Role of Suspense in Animal Farm Suspense is commonly used in many literature works. Such as mystery, adventure, and fable. One of them is Orwell’s fable, Animal Farm. The suspense creates situation irony, reveals characteristic of the antagonist - pigs, and changes the animals from admire “animalism” to suspect “animalism”. First Orwell uses suspense in Animal Farm to create irony. “Some of the animals remembered – or thought they remembered – that the Sixth Commandment decreed:’ No animal shall kill any other animal.’(Animal Farm, 61).” “Muriel read the Commandment for her. It ran:’ No animal shall kill any other animal without cause’ (Animal Farm, 61).” The suspense is when was the commandment changed? Who changed it? Later the ladder incident gives us the answer: there's a crash one night and Squealer is found in the barn sprawled on the ground beside a broken ladder, a brush, and a pot of paint, it is "a strange incident which hardly anyone was able to understand."(Animal Farm, 73) It is ironic that after the ladder incident, the animals still cannot figure out the “clever pigs” trick them. The animals hope to establish the Seven Commandments to operate their own farm and live a better life. However their dreams are ruined by the “superior pigs”. The narrator doesn't seem to make the connection either. But Orwell makes sure we, the readers, don't miss it. The irony—the contrast between what the animals believe, what the narrator actually tells us, and what we know to be the truth--fills us with more anger than an open denunciation could have done. Second the characteristic of the pigs develops as the suspense is cleared one by one. It reveals that the greedy, hypocritical, and cruel pigs step by step. “’Never mind the milk, comrades!’ cried Napoleon…So the animals trooped down to the hay field to begin the harvest, and when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disappeared.”(Animal Farm, 16) Nobody knows who take the milk and where is the milk now. Later “The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up. It was mixed every day into the pigs’ mash.”(Animal Farm, 22) In “The milk incident”, the pigs first trick the animals not to mind the milk. However who do mind the milk most were the pigs. They take the public property as their own. It shows that the pigs 2006-07-23T16:49:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Role-of-Suspense-in-Animal-Farm-30520.aspx Happiness Bounded by Duty in "The Joy Luck Club" Allan K. Chalmers once said that, "The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." For many, life is a journey where one struggles to learn how to compromise or balance their love for themselves and others in order to gain happiness. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan focuses on the basic notion of love and family; it ties together the relationships found within all the lives of the characters. All these relationships are bound by love. Although the plot and connotations behind each story may seem completely different, every person seems to take love for granted in one way or another. Through their ignoring, un-acknowledgement, or rejection of love, the characters don't realize love's importance in their lives and must learn to open their lives to it. A person’s love or at least dedication to a relationship is an important factor in The Joy Luck Club because it provides self-respect. Out of respect for oneself, one also has the capability to grow and love others. Lindo Jong’s story provides readers with this value. To keep everything inside and having one’s emotions bottled up and hidden away deducts from their ability to give and to experience love in its fullest. Lindo hides her true self through her duties and mannerisms required of her as a good wife upheld by tradition. Through this, Lindo suppresses her true identity and her ability to love. Eventually, though, Lindo is able to open herself up to love and be herself through keeping the promise she made to herself. As she leaves her home to live with the family of her future husband, Lindo reveals to readers, “I would always remember my parents’ wishes [to honor my family], but I would never forget myself”(53). It is in this promise that Lindo swears not to let anything change her. Lindo’s story teaches readers that in order to be able to love, one must first be true to themselves. Additionally, Ying-Ying St. Clair stands as another example. In her story, Ying-Ying reveals that, "All these years I kept my true nature hidden, running along like a small shadow so nobody could catch me" (71). Ying-Ying’s efforts to conceal her identity is a parallel example to that of Lindo’s occupying herself with her duties in marriage 2006-07-23T13:47:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Happiness-Bounded-by-Duty-in-quot-The-Joy-Luck-Club-quot-30513.aspx The Meaning of Life in "Slaughtermatic" by Steve Aylett "You think that you’ve got forever to someday make your life mean something, but you don’t…This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time…it’s only after we’ve lost everything that we are free to do anything." (Palahniuk, 76) The meaning of life, a question that has plagued human’s since the beginning of time, no one really knows what the true answer is, however, people try to live their lives to find this "meaning," to live their lives with no regrets. Throughout a person’s quest to self discovery, there are many obstacles and paths that one encounters, and depending on which direction one decides to take, can change one’s life forever. People live their lives trying to find answers, trying to grasp ideas about themselves. Sometimes these questions yield answers, other times, however, the more one learns, the less one seem to know. In Steve Aylett’s novel, Slaughtermatic, the main character, Dante Cubrit, living in a dystopian world, like many, is trying to find his own answers. His battle, however, is not with those around him, it is the battle within himself and like the novel, is represented in three stages. "The Heist," which represents his search for answers, "The Loose End," which is the sorting of these answers, and "The Inferno," which gives him the answers that he was searching for. In a time where all forms of literature have been destroyed, Dante Cubrit, decides to rob the First National Bank, not for money, but in order to retrieve a book, locked away from society, to find answers about himself, and where his present-day humanity went wrong. Dante Cubrit lives in a dismal, bleak, futuristic city called Beerlight, " where to ill a man was less a murder than a mannerism and crime the new and only art form" (Aylett, ix). Dante, along with his sidekick, the Entropy Kid, decide to rob the First National Bank, for a book that will prove to be Dante’s "Bible." Dante lives in a world where all forms of literature have been outlawed and everyone around him are "controlled robots," without freedom of thought, speech and consciousness. Dante knows this, he also knows that this book, written by Eddie Gamete and entitled The Impossible Plot Of Biff Barbanel, would hold some answers. "Under the gloss of violence he had a phobia 2006-07-23T13:44:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Meaning-of-Life-in-quot-Slaughtermatic-quot-by-Steve-A-30511.aspx Critical Analysis of Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" "Young Goodman Brown", by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a story that is thick with allegory. "Young Goodman Brown" is a moral story which is told through the perversion of a religious leader. In "Young Goodman Brown", Goodman Brown is a Puritan minister who lets his excessive pride in himself interfere with his relations with the community after he meets with the devil, and causes him to live the life of an exile in his own community. "Young Goodman Brown" begins when Faith, Brown's wife, asks him not to go on an "errand". Goodman Brown says to his "love and (my) Faith" that "this one night I must tarry away from thee." When he says his "love" and his "Faith", he is talking to his wife, but he is also talking to his "faith" to God. He is venturing into the woods to meet with the Devil, and by doing so, he leaves his unquestionable faith in God with his wife. He resolves that he will "cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven." This is an example of the excessive pride because he feels that he can sin and meet with the Devil because of this promise that he made to himself. There is a tremendous irony to this promise because when Goodman Brown comes back at dawn; he can no longer look at his wife with the same faith he had before. When Goodman Brown finally meets with the Devil, he declares that the reason he was late was because "Faith kept me back awhile." This statement has a double meaning because his wife physically prevented him from being on time for his meeting with the devil, but his faith to God psychologically delayed his meeting with the devil. The Devil had with him a staff that "bore the likeness of a great black snake". The staff which looked like a snake is a reference to the snake in the story of Adam and Eve. The snake led Adam and Eve to their destruction by leading them to the Tree of Knowledge. The Adam and Eve story is similar to Goodman Brown in that they are both seeking unfathomable amounts of knowledge. Once Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge they were expelled from their 2006-07-23T13:32:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Hawthorne-s-quot-Young-Goodman-Brown-q-30507.aspx Themes of Humanity in "The Handmaid's Tale Human beings are emotional creatures. Their feelings steer them in one direction or the next, and greatly determine who they are, and what they do. It is the human environment that triggers these feelings, and these feelings that in turn influence the human environment. They can be either positive or negative in nature, and are central to society and government. Since the government controls a great deal of what we are exposed to, they can control our emotions to some extent. Someone living in a populace that preaches love, friendship, and freedom is more likely to lead a happy life than someone in a populace that enforces fear, ignorance, and abasement. Such is the case in Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Gilead takes environmental control to an extreme, and controls almost all aspects of it’s inhabitant’s lives. The handmaids are controlled within society by means of the self worth lowering ignorance, de-humanizing abasement, and the fear instilled by strict consequences to illegal actions. Gilead’s government has taken away “freedom to” and given “freedom from”(Atwood, 33) to the handmaids. They regulate what they can and cannot know, forcing them into ignorance, and call it freedom. Reading has been forbidden, and “even the names of shops were too much temptation, [and are] known by their signs alone”(33). The only word that Offred is given to look at is “FAITH in square print”(75) on a small pillow in her room. Even looking at this she wonders, “If [she] were caught, would it count?”(75). They are so used to not being able to read, that even at the sight of words and letters, they take precaution, and fear consequence. It was at the red center that the handmaids are first pumped full of the brainwashing propaganda that makes them think in this manner, “Once a week [they] had movies”(151), “old porno films from the seventies and eighties”(152). These movies are used to make them hate the role women had played “in the days of anarchy”(33), and turn them against their past. They are successful in this, and make women believe that “[they] are containers, it is only the inside of [their] bodies that count”(124). Handmaids are “kept on some kind of pill or drug, that [was] put in the food”(91), so that 2006-07-23T13:29:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-Humanity-in-quot-The-Handmaid-s-Tale-30506.aspx Analysis of Gene Forrester's Journey in "A Separate Peace" Gene Forrester's difficult journey towards maturity and the adult world is a main focus of the novel, A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. Gene's journey begins the moment he pushes Phineas from the tree and the process continues until he visits the tree fifteen years later. Throughout this time, Gene must become self-aware, face reality and the future, confront his problems, as well as forgive and accept the person that he is. With the jouncing of the limb, Gene realizes his problems and the true person he is inside. Fifteen years later, when revisiting the tree, he finally accepts and forgives himself. This journey is a long and painful one. At the end of this long and winding road filled with ditches, difficulties and problems, Gene emerges a mature adult. (coming of age) Gene jounces the limb and causes Finny's fall and at that moment becomes aware of his inner-self and learns of his true feelings. This revelation comes to him back in his room before he and Finny leave for the tree. It surrounds him with the shock of his true self until he finally reacts by jouncing the limb. Up in the tree, before the two friends are about to make their "double-jump", Gene sees Finny in this new light. He realizes that Finny feels no jealousy or hatred towards him and that Finny is indeed perfect in every way. Gene becomes aware that only he is the jealous one. He learns of his animosity and that he really is a "savage underneath". Over a long period of time Gene had been denying his feelings of hatred towards Finny, saying that it was normal for him to feel this way. Now all of the feelings come back to him and he sees how terrible he really is. The realization that these feelings are one-sided causes Gene to fall dramatically in comparison to Finny (he paints himself black for these feelings and because Finny doesn't share them, he puts a halo around Finny's head), concludes with the necessity for Finny to be brought down to his level, and results with Gene jouncing the limb. After the realization of the person he truly is, in his room and up in the 2006-07-23T13:27:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Gene-Forrester-s-Journey-in-quot-A-Separate-Pea-30505.aspx Ralph’s Powerful Leadership in Lord of the Flies In the book Lord of the Flies by William Golding, a group of schools boys are traveling on a plane when it is hit and crashes on a small-uncivilized island, they but learn how to survive on the island. Ralph is elected the leader and that he is a very powerful leader because he boosts the boys hope up of being rescued, knows about the wilderness and has the respect of the other boys. In the first chapter of the book Ralph establishes his power by gaining the respect of the boys. He was elected leader because he got all the boys together by using the conch. He treats everyone fair. He boosts everyone’s hope of being rescued by telling them, “We want to be rescued: and of course we shall be rescued” (Golding 37). In the first few chapters Ralph establishes a powerful leadership. Ralph becomes a more powerful leader but Jack and the choir have less respect of him but all other people still have the same amount of respect for him if not more. He has an idea on how to get rescued; he has the group build a fire on the mountain so that when a ship goes by they will see the fire. He puts Jack and the choir in charge of the fire but later in the novel they do not take care of it and it goes out when a ship travels by the island. He tries to have people to start building shelters but no one want to finish them. Also he takes care of the neglected little ones. At meetings he has the conch represent the right to speak so, when someone holds it they have the right to speak in front of the group. After a while, Jack does respect the conch and Ralph blows up at him, “JACK! JACK! You haven’t got the conch! Let him speak!” (91) Ralph becomes very upset at Jack and his choir because he tries to establish himself as a leader using fear and this starts the decline of Ralph’s power. Ralph becomes very upset at Jack for many reasons. The fire goes out when a ship goes by and because the fire was out the ship did not know that anyone was on the 2006-07-23T13:16:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ralph’s-Powerful-Leadership-in-Lord-of-the-Flies-30501.aspx Analysis of Gary Crew's "Angel's Gate" Gary Crew writes the novel Angel’s Gate. It is written in first person and viewed through the eyes of Kimmy. The main character, Kimmy, and his family the Harriots live in a town called Jericho (named after a biblical city). His mother and father run a doctors surgery and help the injured or people in need. They work from their own house. This is called the Laurels. The town of Jericho is quite normal; gossip travels swiftly and not everyone is extra special, but then the mysterious death of Paddy Flanagan sends the small town into suspicion. Lena and Mickey are Paddy Flannagan’s feral children. He keeps them in the back of his ute when he drives around town. After his death Lena then Mickey are caught and taken in to Dr Harriots cellar. This is when Kimmy becomes friends with them both. The story builds up to an interesting climax demonstrating Gary Crew’s excellent style of writing. In the novel Angel’s gate the background and setting contributes often to many different scenes, making the book an enjoyable read. For example: when Kimmy talks about his favourite place, the eyrie. The detailed description creates a picture to fit in with Kimmy is saying and doing. Without a good setting any book would seem dull and unexciting. The setting captures the feel and effect of what the author is trying to get through to the reader. The theme in this novel appears to be that angels do exist. By this I mean; somebody might look normal on the outside but on the inside they are very different. For example Mickey and Lena were scared at first of Kimmy but when they got to know him Kimmy turned out to be very kind. Various other situations point towards Kimmy being an angel as well. The laurel trees are a good example. One of the trees grew up fast and threatened to knock down the wall and was cut down early. But the other laurel tree was in a way smarter. It grew upwards and then branched out. These trees refer back to Kimmy and Julia (his sister). Kimmy being the smart one and learning from the others mistakes. Gary 2006-07-22T18:40:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Gary-Crew-s-quot-Angel-s-Gate-quot-30488.aspx Dysfunctions In King Lear And Long Days Journey Into Night Throughout history novelists and playwrights have to created dysfunctional families. These families lead tragic lives. Within these families, there are both internal and external battles to be dealt. In William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night, the authors reveal truly dysfunctional families. In these plays both authors portray the problems and between each member of the family and the consequences the problems will have. In King Lear there are two families that display dysfunctions, the Lear family and the Gloucester family. Within the two families, there are many dysfunctions. In King Lear there are both major and minor dysfunctions between both the Lear family and the Gloucester family. One of the major dysfunctions in both families is filial ingratitude. Within this dysfunction is a theme of good versus evil. The minor dysfunctions of King Lear are closely related to the major dysfunction of filial ingratitude. The minor dysfunctions of the play are the tragic disrespect of authority and the pain of misjudgment. In the Lear family, the theme of filial ingratitude is shown primarily by the attitudes of Lear’s elder daughters. The play primarily deals with the insanity of King Lear after he divides his kingdom between his elder daughters, Goneril and Regan. This decision was based on how much each one loved him. After he had divided his kingdom, he would spend half of his time with Goneril and the other half with Regan. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, was banished from the kingdom after she told Lear “Happily, when I shall wed, that lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry half my love with him, half my care and duty. Sure I shall never marry like my sisters, to love my father all.” (I, i, 104-110) Unfortunately, his decisions to divide his kingdom and to banish his daughter are the cause of his downfall and the downfall for the rest of all his family. Lear decision created most of the dysfunctions within his family. With his kingdom divided between his two eldest daughters, Lear no longer had power. Both Goneril and Regan realized this and they both took advantage of Lear. When Lear would stay with his daughters, they would disregard 2006-07-22T18:33:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dysfunctions-In-King-Lear-And-Long-Days-Journey-Into-Night-30485.aspx Race and Class to a Child in "To Kill a Mocking Bird" To Kill a Mocking Bird explores the exuberant humour and the irrational attitudes towards race and class, through the young eyes of two Maycomb County children, Jem and Scout Finch. Jem and Scout endure the pressure to comprehend the prejudice, violence and hypocrisy of Maycomb County. The children are influenced by many different characters, their father, the great Atticus Finch being the more prominent. Ironically Boo Radley, a Maycomb county resident who has been burdened by the majority of folks in town also has a great influence on Jem and Scout and the growth of their characters. There is also the woman of the household Calpurnia, an African American nanny who also contributes to the emotional development of both characters. Atticus Finch is not only a role model for Scout and Jem, but also for the entire community of Maycomb. His social status is endorsed by his occupation as a lawyer and his level of education, which promotes him as a leader for his children and for the entire community. Jem and Scout admire Atticus’s intelligence and respect his beliefs. Atticus communicates with his children on a level they feel comfortable with. He teaches his children the acts of decent human principles, without criticism. This greatly affects the way the children approach others and act as individuals. Atticus concentrates on developing Jem and Scout as people, people who acquire morals, principles, ethics and human decency, never criticising the habitual nature of his children. For example, Atticus telling Scout to put on a dress and act like a girl, would in affect abuse her self-confidence. Atticus also passes on wisdom to his children on such issues as prejudice. Jem and Scout are confused by the notion that their father would represent a black man in court, though Atticus teaches Jem and Scout to accept all human beings, for every man is considered equal no matter what his colour or beliefs. “ If I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in the legislate, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again”. This quote refers to his defence of Tom Robinson. In Maycomb the majority of white people consider themselves superior over the Negroes. Atticus teachers his children otherwise, that this statement shouldn’t apply to the human race. 2006-07-22T18:32:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Race-and-Class-to-a-Child-in-To-Kill-a-Mocking-Bird-30484.aspx Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is a narrative that describes a young girls trails and tribulations while being an involuntary member of the institution of slavery. Jacobs, like every other victim of the atrocity we call slavery, wishes those in north would do more to put a stop to this destructive practice. As Jacobs states, slavery is de-constructive to all who surround it. It tears apart families, not just families raised in slavery but the master’s family as well. And why, why would the free men and women of the north remain silent while such a great atrocity is still in practice? Jacobs confronts her reader one on one in order to reemphasize her point. Harriet Jacobs, the author of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, uses the family and sentiment to appeal to and challenge her 19th century white women reader in order to effectively gain their support in the movement for abolition. Support, what is it Jacobs wants when we say support? She is looking for northern women that will recognize that they have a duty to, and an obligation to put a stop to slavery in the south, the trading of slaves in the north, and the recapture of runaway slaves in the north. She not only wants them to recognize this fact but she wants them to act upon this fact. To take into their own hands the duty of putting a stop to the demoralizing, destructive way of life called slavery. This demoralizing, destructive way of life taints all who take part in it with the horrid stench of evil. This evil stench of slavery is found both on the involuntary members of slavery and, most of all, the voluntary proprietors of this barbaric ritual called slavery. “O, what days and nights of fear and sorrow that man caused me! Reader, it is not to awaken sympathy for myself that I am telling you truthfully what I suffered in slavery. I do it to kindle a flame of compassion in your hearts for my sisters who are still in bondage, suffering as I once suffered. (Jacobs, 393)” Jacobs deems it necessary to gain emotional support from her reader. By writing in a 2006-07-22T18:30:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Incidents-in-the-Life-of-a-Slave-Girl-by-Harriet-Jacobs-30483.aspx Analysis of "The Most Dangerous Game" In the story, The Most Dangerous Game, it is evident that there are two main characters. The first is Rainsford and he is, in all extensive purposes, the protagonist. The second, the antagonist, is General Zaroff. There is one other character, Ivan, but he really is simply, just a butler to the antagonist. While, the story does elude that Ivan could be a bigger character if the wrong choice is made. The first character, Rainsford whom is the protagonist, has an interesting background, to say the least. In the story we learn that he is an exceptional hunter. We learn that he is on his way to go hunt jaguars (Connell 583), when late one night he hears three gunshots come from a distant source (Connell 584). While straining to see where the shots came from, he falls off of the yacht that he is on (Connell 584). Eventually he gets to an island, where we find out that the shots came form (Connell 585). We see that he is very adventuresome and even courageous character when he goes looking for the obvious person who lives on the island. We also learn about his moral system, in that, he believes that killing is murder (Connell 590). However, we learn the most of Rainsford once the hunt has started. We find out that he is a very resourceful and intelligent man, in that he knows that he needs to make an extensive trail so as maybe to lose the General (Connell 594). We also learn that he, Rainsford, knows how to make a Malay Man-Catcher (Connell 595), which, cannot be an easy thing to do. Furthermore, he also knows how to make a Burmese tiger pit (Connell 596), which again most have taken some studying. The most startling part of Rainsford’s character comes at the end of the story we find that he has become that which he was completely opposite, the General. This can be seen in the last line, which can be read here, “He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided.” (Connell 598) The other main character in this story is General Zaroff. We soon learn that he is an accomplished hunter and has hunted everything from small game to the most dangerous game (Connell 2006-07-22T18:28:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Most-Dangerous-Game-quot-30482.aspx Fate Explored in Romeo and Juliet “A pair of star-cross’d lovers,” (prologue, line 6). Since the opening of the play, Romeo and Juliet were destined to die. Throughout each act and throughout each scene, from constant foreshadowing and ill omens, even Romeo and Juliet knew their tragic fate. As much as the two lovers wanted to be together, all their efforts and the efforts of others were purely futile, and as much as everyone wanted to blame others, only fate is to blame. It is a common belief that both Romeo and Juliet’s parents are at fault, for keeping the family feud going, or that Romeo and Juliet’s haste is to blame, or that the Friar and the Nurse shouldn’t have concealed Romeo and Juliet’s marriage, and that they affected the unfortunate end of the two lovers. However, during the play, fate and fortune are mentioned numerous times and are obviously the deciding factors in the tragedy. “These violent delights have violent ends,” (Act 2, scene 6, line 9) “I dreamt my love came and found me dead” (Act 5, scene 1, line 6) “…For my mind misgives/Some consequence yet hanging in the stars/” (Act 1 scene 4, lines 106-107) Even the sequence that allows Romeo to meet Juliet in the first place is completely coincidental. Only because Romeo bumped into a servant, who couldn’t read, who happened to have the list of guests, which included Rosaline, and because of Benvolio’s comment, did Romeo end up attending the Capulet ball. This may have been the first step that caused the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, since by attending the ball, Romeo meets Juliet and also is sighted by Tybalt. From there, Tybalt, determined to kill Romeo, forces the brawl in which he and Mercutio are killed, causing Romeo’s banishment. Eventually, each subsequent action leads to the regrettable end. Fate becomes much more prominent in the fifth act. Fate dictated that Friar John would never deliver Friar Laurence’s critical letter, ruining Friar Laurence’s clever and elaborate plan. “A greater power than we can contradict/ Hath thwarted our intents” (Act 5, scene 3, lines 153-154) In turn, Balthasar delivers news that Juliet is dead and in turn Romeo charges back to Verona. It is interesting to note Romeo’s bold quote “I defy you, 2006-07-22T18:21:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fate-Explored-in-Romeo-and-Juliet-30481.aspx The American Dream in "Of Mice and Men" John Stienbeck’s novel “Of Mice and Men” is about the death of the American dream. George, Lennie and Candy’s dream is to own their own piece of land to work and live independently on. This dream is destroyed by Lennies ignorance and Lennies strength, which he cannot control. Curley’s wife’s dream is to be a famous Hollywood actress. Her dream is destroyed by her marriage to Curley and the Hollywood director who promised to contact her about her acting career but never has. Crook’s dream is for equality. Racism and the attitudes of others destroy this dream. Lennie and George’s dream is to own a piece of land to work and live where they can have cows, pigs, chicken a vegetable patch with alfalfa and rabbits. “ O.K Someday – we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs and…” ‘An’ live off the fatta the lan’ “ We’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit-hunch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter we’ll just say the hell with goin’ to work, and we’ll build up the fire in the stove and set around it an’ listen to the rain comin’ down on the roof.” (Stienbeck 1937:18) This quote illustrates the dream have about owning their own land and living independently on it, growing and harvesting their own crops in the vegetable patch, farming cows and goats for milk, pigs for ham and bacon and chickens for eggs. When Candy hears about this dream, he wants to become part of it by offering his saved money to fund the purchase of the piece of land and be able to work and live on the land with George and Lennie. George, Lennie and candy’s dream is destroyed by Lennies ignorance and Lennies ignorance of his own strength. When Lennie is in a stressful situation, like when he wanted to pat the girl’s dress and she screamed, Lennie panics and doesn’t know what to do. Lennies strength and ignorance ruins their dream when Lennie and Curley’s wife are talking in the barn. Curley’s wife invites Lennie to feel how soft her hair is. Lennie patted her hair very hard. Curley’s wife, not wanting her hair to be messed up, jerks her head away. Because Lennie 2006-07-22T18:16:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-American-Dream-in-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-30478.aspx Tom Sawyer's Character Development in Huck Finn Mankind goes through inner changes. Boys change to men as girls change to women. You cannot really notice the changes until you actually look back on yourself. Every few years, you can think about how you acted through the past years and how you’ve changed. In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain shows us the change of mankind through a boy’s eyes. He shows us how a boy slowly turns from boy to man and how he is maturing over a short period of time. In the beginning of the book, Tom Sawyer starts out like an immature boy. At the same time, he is very smart, although, he is not educationally smart. An example of when he was smart is when Aunt Polly made him whitewash the fence. Instead, he tricked some boys in the neighborhood to not only whitewash the fence, but traded goods to whitewash it. (Pgs. 20 - 22) He always gets into trouble. One incident when he got in trouble is in the very beginning of the book. He skipped school and played hooky and then was caught by his Aunt Polly. (Pgs. 12 - 13) Next, his evolution begins. One day, he met Becky Thatcher. At first sight, he knew he was in love. One time in school, he got in trouble by the schoolmaster and was forced to sit with the girls. He chose to sit next to Becky and he gave her a peach. Becky threw it away but Tom kept putting it back. Then he wrote, “I love you” on a slate and showed it to Becky in a unique way. He made Becky become curious to see what it was, then he slowly moved is hand. (Pgs. 51 - 52) That is one sign of maturity. Another time when he acted “grown-up” is when the schoolmaster wanted to know who tore out a page of his book. Becky was the one who did it and Tom is a witness. She knew he was going to tell. Becky was about to be caught but then Tom said that he is the one who tore out the page of the schoolmaster’s book, even though he didn’t do it. After the trouble was done, Becky said, “Tom, how could you be so noble!” (Pgs. 132 - 134) Becky Thatcher is a factor in the process of 2006-07-22T17:54:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tom-Sawyer-s-Character-Development-in-Huck-Finn-30474.aspx Alcoholism in "The Cask of Amontillado" In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “the Cask of Amontillado” the Montresor, a character in the short story, represents Poe’s illness or alcoholism while the Fortunato represents himself, as the self-indulging man which ultimately gets trapped by the illness which consumes him. The reliance on Poe’s personal life to the significance of his short stories is not original to “the cask of amontillado” in fact It seems as though the changes that occur in Edgar Allen Poe's life, coincide with his writing style. . For example in 1827, when he travels to Boston he writes and publishes "Tamerlane", and in that same year when he joins the Army, he published "Al Aaraaf". It was not until 1846, that Edgar Allen Poe published "The Cask of Amontillado". During this time in his life many believe that he was manic-depressive and had a drinking problem. From the very first sentence, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge”, the reader gets the sense of the mood which Poe wanted to convey. But it is very easy to confuse the two characters because they are both manifestations of the inner conflict that lies within Poe’s life. The narrator’s claims and perceptions are at best choppy and at worse incompetent causing me to steer away from the notion that he is the victim of the story. On the other hand Fortunato the one who is kind in the way he wants to help montresor, a little arrogant in his talents and his inevitable weaknesses for wine causes me to believe that Poe most identifies with Fortinato rather than the Montresor. Further more The montresor knew Fortunato’s weakness, passion to taste the amontillado wine. Which further indicates that montresor is the illness and not Poe in the short story metaphor. The montresor deliberately lures Fortunato to his doom while he is drunk and vulnerable. Fortunato passion to taste the wine is what kills him in the end as Poe might feel that he is enclosed inside of a tomb because of his own addiction. Not only does this relate to the facts known in Edgar Allan Poe’s life but it also gives a good insight as to the entrapment he felt 2006-07-22T17:44:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Alcoholism-in-quot-The-Cask-of-Amontillado-quot-30470.aspx The Use of Dragons in Story Telling and Mythology There are about seven or eight basic kinds of dragons. First there is the Western Dragon when most people think of the word “Dragon”, this is it. This dragon has scaly skin that swords cannot break through. A good example of a Western Dragon is the one of “Dragonheart” named Drako. But in myth these dragons are portrayed as mean, blood thirsty, and “evil”. Knights’ eager to prove their faith to their religion, then found that dragon slaying was very profitable soon destroyed these dragons. But these dragons are very smart and an amazing creature. In talking with someone who read a book built around a dragon; learned that this dragon symbolized a young boy. In a world called Avalon, a place called Pendragon, was being taken over by Christianity, and early beliefs, which involved dragons and goddesses, were frowned upon. The dragon in early beliefs symbolizes the son of a priestess and a Roman solder, who was thought to be powerful later in life, after his mother and father were killed. Next there is the Eastern Dragons. There are three types of Eastern Dragons; Japanese, Korean or Indonesian, and Chinese. The Japanese dragons have five toes. Korean or Indonesian have four toes. The Chinese dragons have three toes. These dragons have the body of a snake, scales of a fish, face of a camel, horns of a deer, eyes of a rabbit, ears of a bull, neck like an iguana, belly of a frog, tiger paws, and claws like an eagle. These dragons are portrayed as kind, wise, intelligent and smart. These dragons are usually shown with a pearl either in their claws, mouth or under their chin. This pearl is known to be their source of power. In Japan the Emperor would wear a yellow dragon on their robes would be killed. Because the Dragon was the sign of power and no one has more power in that country than the emperor. Then there is the Wyvern, which came form Europe. It was probably mixed up with the Western Dragons because these dragons have wings with claws on them and two legs. This dragon is also another sign of power. Then there is the Faerie Dragons, these dragons only get 2006-07-22T17:41:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Use-of-Dragons-in-Story-Telling-and-Mythology-30469.aspx Analysis of Octavia Butler's "Kindred" In Octavia Butler's Kindred, Dana unfortunately discovers the significant similarities between her trusted husband, Kevin, and her corrupted ancestor, Rufus. Both Rufus and Kevin have the privilege of being white males, which is to their advantage in slave times. Also, both Kevin and Rufus appear to share a bond with Dana. Both men care for her and want the best for her. Both Rufus and Kevin were white males. This worked to their advantage because white males have the most power in slavery times. This also helps Dana because Kevin acts as her master and she is safe. The downfall of this was that, in acting as her master, Kevin is sometimes forced to treat Dana in ways he would not normally treat her so that the arrangement will be believable. A second negetive thing about Dana's and Kevin's races was that it was illegal for them to be married in the slavery times. They usually have to hide this from most of the whites. Although Rufus and Kevin both loved Dana, they expressed their love in quite opposite ways. "…." Explains rufus's love for Dana after Alice's death. Despite this quote, Rufus's actions do not represent, so to say, actual love. He expresses his "love" by attempting to satisfy his urges by force. In other words, he rapes his objects of affection without guilt. On the other hand, Kevin, Dana's husband, would never attempt to force Dana into anything of this sort. This is shown in the quote,"…" when Dana offers, but Kevin refuses because he is scared Dana will be hurt more than she already is. Because of the times and how he was brought up, Rufus always considers Dana to be lower class than himself. Despite the times, Kevin always considers Dana an equal to himself. Nearing the novel's closing, both Rufus and Kevin appear to be "at home" in slavery times. Both men speak with strong southern accents evident of the times. Rufus, and even Kevin, has become accustomed to seeing the indigence of slavery on a day to day bases. The difference between these two men was that Kevin uses his position of being both white and male to try to better the times. Rufus, on the other hand, has no problem with the times and does nothing to help. Despite the connections between 2006-07-22T13:37:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Octavia-Butler-s-quot-Kindred-quot-30464.aspx Literary Analysis of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream The literary tool known as mirroring helps to emphasize a particular point or idea by repeating it throughout the text. In William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream Shakespeare mirrors the element of foolishness to bring together three very different worlds; the romantic world of the aristocratic lovers, the workday world of the tradesmen, and the fairy world of Titania and Oberon. As result, Shakespeare creates a world of silly people acting in nonsensical fashion and it is this dream like behavior, which serves as the driving force for the play. In the Aristocratic world, it is the young teenage lovers, Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena are who are made to look foolish. Demetrius is a fool because he is unaware that his love changes throughout the course of the play. At the start of the play, Demetrius does not love Helena and states, "I love thee not, therefore pursue me not." (A2, S2, L194) Instead of acting like the courtly lover he should be, he is cruel and mean to Helena. However after Demetrius is “juiced” he begins to love Helena and declares, "Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none. If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone. My heart to her but as guest- wise sojourned, And now to Helen is it home returned, There to remain." This proves he is a fool, because he is unaware of his changing love for Helena. Helena is a fool because although Demetrius does not love her, she persists in chasing him in the hopes he will change his mind. Demetrius shows no love for Helena. Frustrated by Helena constant swooning Demetrius shouts, "Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Or rather do I not in plainest truth Tell you I do not, nor I cannot love you?" (A2, S1,L 199-201) Demetrius clearly illustrates to Helena that he has no interest in her, but Helena persists. "And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you." (A2, S1,L220-222) " This proves that Helena is a fool because she is willing to continuously pursue him even despite his boorish treatment of her. Lysander is a fool because he persuades Hermia 2006-07-22T13:34:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Analysis-of-Shakespeare-s-A-Midsummer-Night-s-Dream-30463.aspx Women in Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart was published in 1958 and is the seminal African novel in English. Although there are others, none are as influential, not only in African literature, but in literature around the world. It’s most amazing feature is that it portrays Africa, but mostly the Ibo society, before white men arrived. Achebe is trying not only to tell the outside world about Ibo cultural traditions, but to remind his own people of their past and it‘s value. In teaching the reader about Ibo society, he also explains the role of women in pre-colonial Africa. Nigeria’s traditional culture, Muslim as well as non-Muslim, had been masculine-based even before white men arrived. This has caused many problems in African literary debates. Many other female writers believe that the image of the helpless, dependent, unproductive African woman was one that was delivered by Europeans whose women lived that way. Colonial rule just aggravated the situation by introducing a lopsided system in which African men received a good education while, like Europeans, African women received only the kinds of skills that could prepare them to be useful helpmates of the educated successful men. In Things Fall Apart, the reader follows the trials of Okonkwo, a hero whose tragic flaw includes the fact that "his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and weakness." For Okonkwo, his father Unoka was engulfed in failure and weakness. Okonkwo was teased as a child by other children when they called Unoka agbala. Agbala could either mean a man who had taken no title or "woman." Okonkwo hated anything weak or frail, and when he would describe his tribe and the members of his family show that in Ibo society anything strong had to do with man and anything weak with woman. Because Nwoye, his son by his first wife, reminds Okonkwo of his father Unoka he describes him as woman-like. After hearing of Nwoye's conversion to the Christianity, Okonkwo questions how he, "a flaming fire could have begotten a son like Nwoye, degenerate and effeminate" On the other hand, his daughter Ezinma "should have been a boy." He loved her the most out of all of his children, but "if Ezinma had been a boy he would have been happier." After killing Ikemefuna, Okonkwo, asks himself, "When did you 2006-07-22T13:30:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Women-in-Achebe-s-quot-Things-Fall-Apart-quot-30461.aspx Fahrenheit 451 Analysis In Ray Bradbury's futuristic set book Fahrenheit 451, there are many conflicts that drive and bring it's central character, Guy Montag, to a halt. This all came about while one night, on his way home, he ran into a precocious young girl who was about to change his life. Clarisse McClellan embodied a calm innocence midst the harsh reality of a world that was corrupt, a cradle of humanity that must be rid of it's flaws. It was because of Clarisse that Montag came to realize what really surrounded him. Clarisse had left quite an impression on Montag from their first encounter. "Montag shook his head. He looked at a blank wall. The girl's face was there, really quite beautiful in memory: astonishing, in fact." (14) It wasn't just her physical appearance that lingered in his mind, it was her words, her ideas, her vision of how she lived her life and how others around her lived their lives. She was observant and carefree. "She didn't want to know how a thing was done, but why (64). "But Clarisse's favorite subject wasn't herself. It was everyone else, and me. She was the first person in a good many years I've really liked. She was the first person I can remember who looked straight at me as if I counted" (74). Now he had somewhat of a newfound self-concept. He reflected on himself and others around him. People that encompassed Montag daily weren't like Clarisse at all. This brought to his attention how people really were. "These men were all mirror images of himself!" (37). It had occurred to him that all firemen had a strong resemblance to himself, or he had a striking resemblance to them. Either way, he noticed it, something he had never noticed before. "Are you happy?" (14) Whatever the circumstance may be, this simple question can surface some complex answers. Up until that night, he had never given his happiness a second thought. She had inquired this question just as she ran off into her house, he had time to think alone about what he really felt. "He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run off across the lawn with the mask and there 2006-07-22T13:29:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451-Analysis--30460.aspx Literary Techniques of William Faulkner The works of William Faulkner have had positive effects on readers throughout his career. Local legends and gossip trigger the main focus of his stories. Considering that Faulkner grew up in Mississippi, he was very familiar with the ways of the South. This award winning author has been praised by many critics for his ability and unique style of writing. One of Faulkner's most popular works, which also was his first short story nationally published in 1930, "A Rose for Emily" is one of the most authentic short stories by Faulkner. By writing about the political and social ways of the South, Faulkner was able to create an illusion of the New South as being what we know today as mainstream America. His use of characterization, narration, foreshadowing, and symbolism are four key factors to why Faulkner's work is idealistic to all readers. Faulkner's use of characterization in "A Rose for Emily" is clearly important to the story. It is obvious to all readers that Miss Emily Grierson is the protagonist, or the principle character. According to a prominent critic, Elizabeth Sabiston, "Emily is a gothic character" (142). Sabiston is referring to Emily that way because of the fact that she slept with skeleton of her lover Homer Barron for forty years. She was awfully stubborn in the opinion of the townspeople. This stubbornness also ties in with Emily's ability to live in reality. After she refused to pay her taxes, directly to the mayor, she tells them to go see Colonel Satoris, who has been dead for ten years. This portrays that Emily's illusion of reality was greatly distorted. Miss Emily was motivated by her lover, Homer, she isolated herself in an old decaying house and she refused to recognize that time had passed. Emily was proud, disdainful and seemingly independent. This shows the importance of characterization. Without these characters, the story would be radically changed. When the reader understands Emily, they can achieve a clearer view of the actions that go on during the story (West 149). Several other characters in "A Rose for Emily" are set in opposition to Emily. Faulkner's use of characterization proves to be a positive way to exemplify the readers' feelings about certain characters and the tribulations they experience. Another prime 2006-07-22T12:58:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Techniques-of-William-Faulkner-30450.aspx Oedipus: Is he a victim of circumstance? Or not? When a friend starts telling you something and then close to the end of her story she realizes that she shouldn’t tell you because it might hurt you. Wouldn’t you nag, bother her until she tells you? When Oedipus finds out from the Oracle that he needs to find the killer of Laius for his kingdom could be in peace. As king tries to investigate who the killer is, so when he finds out that there is a secret that his friends know about, but do not want to tell him he starts getting curious, also his honor that he has within himself pushes him to investigate the terrible truth. Therefore the circumstance that Oedipus was in was what ruined his life because he was king, human and he had a lot of honor within himself. “The riddle: what goes on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon and, three in the evening? ... Oedipus delivers the answer: a man, who crawls when he is a baby, walks when he is a young man, and limps with a cane when he is old. This riddle was the riddle that no one in Thebes could answer, until Oedipus came along and solved the Sphinx riddle. This made the city very happy and because there king was dead they decided to make the person who saved there city king. Oedipus married Jocasta who used to be Laius’s wife and had children with her. He did not know that the woman who he married was actually his mother, so the prediction that the Oracle made after he was born and before he could even be named came true. Oedipus was cursed and that is the reason why he did what did. Now, you might be wondering what do you mean he was cursed? Well, we have to remember his great-great-grandfather Cadmus and his wife Harmonia. They were both turned into snakes by the gods and all their daughters were visited with great misfortune. Semele was killed by Zeus, Ino committed suicide by leaping down from a cliff with her dead son who was killed by her husband, Agave was driven mad into thinking that her son was a lion and she killed him with her own hands, Autone the last daughter had to endure the death of his 2006-07-22T12:56:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-Is-he-a-victim-of-circumstance-Or-not-30449.aspx An Introduction to As you Like It by Shakespeare Traditional classifications of drama normally started with the basic distinction between tragedy and comedy, a separation common in Greek and Roman drama, and clearly established by Shakespeare’s time. Of these two styles, the easiest to define initially was the former. Tragedy was understood as the dramatic portrayal of a great man’s suffering and (almost invariably) his death. The hero might be a great villain or famous for virtue (a historical or Biblical character, for example), but the main purpose of the play was to focus on his career, especially the final chapter: the events leading up to his death, his death, and moral reflections upon the story (tragedy lent itself often to fairly orthodox Christian themes: punishments for arrogance, pride, overreaching, and so on). By common traditions, then, tragedies were serious, involving some ultimate questions about the moral framework of a human life in the face of our common fate, death. Hence, tragedies demanded a formal style in the language (e.g., blank verse), subject matter, and acting: tragedies were, by definition serious and formal—high art, if you will. In addition, the central character had to be, to some extent, larger than life—a suitable focus for our attention on major questions of human existence. Tragic heroes were thus almost invariably people of special social prominence: kings, generals, extraordinarily successful achievers (or over-achievers). About comedy, however, there was no such general agreement, and in Shakespeare’s time there was a fierce competition between rival companies seeking to win over audiences with different brands of comedy. As we shall see, such a competition is still alive in our culture. By way of illustrating this competition, let me list a few of the rival possibilities. One of the oldest styles of comedy, developed by the Greeks and a staple ingredient of Roman drama, was the so-called New Comedy, or comedy of manners. Here the dramatic focus is squarely on the middle-class urban family, its trials and tribulations, and, in the conclusion, a happy resolution of its problems. This is the sort of drama we are very used to seeing on television in programs like Hum Log, Buniyaad, Thoda Hai Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai, and so on, the staple fare of sit-coms [like Kaun Banega Crorepati, The Oprah Vinfrey Show]. New Comedy, in other words, presents to its overwhelmingly middle-class audience a image of itself, focusing on their 2006-07-22T12:45:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Introduction-to-As-you-Like-It-by-Shakespeare-30445.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Outsiders" There were all kind of feelings going trough my mind as read the S.E. Hinton novel “The Ousiders”. Envy, love, roughness, strength, happiness...which leads me to think of this novel as a dramatic humorist nonfiction story that represents the reality that a society in every place in earth has to face with. There are always to sides: the good ones and the bad ones. Obviously it is not possible to define each one because there are different ways of setting a preference for who is the good or the bad. The Socs are the privilege kids from the West that as the word Soc means society, they have nice cars, they are rich and they live for bluffing. The greasers are the unprivileged ones who live in the poor side and have to put up with the Soc’s attacks, in both moral and physical ways. A special detail to look at are the changes the protagonist undergoes during the novel which I think is the one of the main purposes the author wants us to pay special attention at since the whole plot is based on Pony’s feelings and expectation for his life. In every story there are certain events that will always stay nor just in our memory but also in the most deep side of our hearts which will make us remember the story forever. This events happen along the story and besides telling it, they describe the characters letting us know how they react to different situations. This novel has different stages in which we an easily identify each character by the specific details described from each one. The most shocking events in “The Outsiders” are very remarkable. Ponyboy, which is the central character in the plot, gets jumped by the Socs as he’s walking home back from the movie theater. His gang including both of his brothers rescue him and he gets a little beaten up but nothing to worry about. After that incident things cool for awhile. Pony and Johnny (Pony’s best friend) go to the movies and meet some girls. They introduce themselves and immediately notice this girls are Socs. They make friends with them and they walk the girls to their house. Suddenly the girls’ boyfriends caught them and take the girls with them without making any trouble. After a 2006-07-22T12:40:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Outsiders-quot-30444.aspx Sir Gawain and the Green Tree The forbidden fruit, its properties, and its affects, has vast ramifications within the ethics of the women in Holy Feast and Holy Fast. as well as those of the characters portrayed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 2. Perhaps the connection is less obvious with Gawain. It must be realized that this story contains multi-leveled metaphors which approach modern literature in their complexity. Argument will be made that Gawain betrays an isomorphism with Eden's tale. The author's attitude toward the fruit and perhaps toward fasting will become evident. Bynum's incisive argument has been extremely helpful in this analysis of Gawain; but, with respect to medieval women she has surprisingly little to say about Eve and the Tree. Although this neglect is regrettable, it is not fatal. This paper will tend to support the major theses of Holy Fast. The people described by these authors did not dwell inordinately on any essential weakness of women. It is hoped that this refocusing on the forbidden fruit will help us to see more clearly their perspectives. The isomorphism of Gawain with the story of Eden can be demonstrated only after the stage is set. It may be helpful to think of this isomorphism as a kind of image or reflection. This puts it squarely within the realm of neoplatonic forms. Medieval nobility, often well versed in neoplatonic thought, would be quick to point out that Arthur, the king is a lesser image of God and that his court is a reflection of the heavenly host. This assertion is not without textual support. Happiest of mortal kind King noblest famed of will You would now go far to find So hardy a host on a hill. (2) Presently, the Green Knight rides in. He mirrors Lucifer in God's court, and more; He is full of slander (7:315). He is described in titanic imagery (4:140, 9:390), which was commonly attributed to the anti-christ. The Round Table cannot abide this affront to the King so Gawain, with Guenevere's permission, steps in to intercede. Here Gawain is like Christ or Michael, going out to battle the dragon. He severs his head. Gawain is full of reversals and inversions. This is consistent with the neoplatonic model since Arthur's court is a lesser image. Later, we will present Bynum's views on this point. Suffice it to say that 2006-07-22T12:39:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sir-Gawain-and-the-Green-Tree-30443.aspx Review of D.H. Lawrence's Literature In both “Odour of Chrysanthemums” and “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter” by D.H. Lawrence, many similarities are present with regards to the plot of the stories, the characters, and the themes. The plots are similar, because each story is about a family who has to deal with troubles because the man in each family who is supposed to be supporting everyone is not doing his job, instead he is spending his money on alcohol. The main character in both short stories is a woman. The themes are related because each story is about death or coming close to dying. When comparing the plots of these two stories, one must first notice that they are very similar. In “Odour of Chrysanthemums” Elizabeth plays the wife of an alcoholic coal miner. Although her husband supports them financially, his lack of presence as a father to his two children and his nonexistent affection towards his wife causes turmoil within the household. Elizabeth’s father at the start of the story says of her husband, “I hear Walter’s got another bout on… I heerd tell of him in the ‘Lord Nelson’ braggin’ as he was going to spend the b- afore he went: half a sovereign that was” (pg. 2574). In “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter”, Mabel is the only female present in her family. She is forced to take care of her three brothers, even though they are old enough to care for themselves. She is called a “bull-dog” (pg. 2586), and she has nothing to look forward to in her life except another boring day of taking care of her brothers. Once again there is an alcoholic male who is supposed to be the backbone of the family but is not. “Joe, the eldest, was a man of thirty-three, broad and handsome in a hot, flushed way. His face was red… his eyes were shallow and restless… his bearing was stupid. Now he watched the horses with a glazed look of helplessness in his eyes, a certain stupor of downfall” (pg. 2586). Both stories deal with death, but in different ways. In “Odour of Chrysanthemum” the one who is faced with death is Walter, Elizabeth’s husband. He does ultimately die, and it is a terrible death of suffocation. In “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter”, Mabel is the character who is faced with dying. She also has to deal with a 2006-07-22T12:31:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Review-of-D_H_-Lawrence-s-Literature-30439.aspx Analysis of "Marcovaldo" by Italo Calvino In any given situation, the outcome is never the anticipated one. In Marcovaldo, by Italo 2006-07-22T12:29:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Marcovaldo-quot-by-Italo-Calvino-30438.aspx Feminism in Chaucer's "The Knight's Tale" Although Chaucer has sometimes been called a sexist author, one of the ‘dead white males’ whose vision of the world is patriarchal and demeaning to women, such an accusation is far from being valid. In ‘The Knight’s Tale’, for instance, what we are presented with is, in fact, a subversion of other sexist literature. Rather than simply delivering a conventional romance in this work, what Chaucer does is have his Knight tell a tale in which typical male figures from such works are made to look ridiculous. His Arcite and Palamon are revealed as fools, while the object of their affection, Emelye, is shown to be much wiser. We can, therefore, look at this work as a pro-feminist statement made well before its time. The male lovers in the Knight’s story make a number of conventional remarks about their female love interest, Emelye. In typical fashion, she is likened to a heavenly creature: And as an aungel hevenyshhly she song… (197) …. Thow woost nat yet now Wheither she be a woman or goddesse! (298-300) Rather than a mere human – with human interests and desires – the female is made to be unearthly. This may sound like wholly complimentary, but what it does is place an unreasonable amount of expectations on her to act and to be heavenly so that the men may continue to support their fantasy. Furthermore, this fantasizing has its dark side, like any fantasy. While the woman is made to be a goddess, the unreachability of the woman is made into a negative thing: a prison that is tormenting the men. As Arcite remarks to Palamon of his predicament: Thyne is the victorie of this aventure. Ful blissfully in prisoun maistow dure. In prisoun? Certes, nay, but in paradys! Wel hath Fortune y-turned thee the dys, That hast the sight of hire, and I th’absence (377-382). Palamon responds with his own prison metaphors: “Yow loveris, axe I now this questioun, / Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun? / That oon may seen his lady day by day, / But in prisoun moot he dwelle alway” (489-492). What has happened here, therefore, is that the woman has come 2006-07-22T12:27:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Feminism-in-Chaucer-s-quot-The-Knight-s-Tale-quot-30437.aspx Review of Start Something 2006-07-22T12:22:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Review-of-Start-Something-by-Earl-Woods-30434.aspx Analysis of "The Man Who Liked Dickens" “The man was already cleared of the bush when Mr. McMaster reached him…his feet were cut and grossly swollen, every exposed surface of skin was scarred by insect and bat bites.”(581) In the short story, “The Man Who Liked Dickens”, Evelyn Waugh stimulates the reader’s feelings and thoughts, feelings for the characters and thoughts of enslavement and theme. Evelyn Waugh stimulates the reader’ feelings by making the reader feel sorry for the two main characters, Henty and Mr. McMaster. One good example of Evelyn stimulating the reader’s sorrow for Henty is when he describes what Henty’s wife has done to him, “…and it was she who upset the good order of his life by confessing her affection for another man” (581). Stimulating the reader’ s sorrow for Henty in this statement is used to get the reader to show feeling for this particular character. Another good example of Evelyn Waugh stimulating feelings of sorrow, is when the reader learns of Mr. McMaster’s unfortunate disability. “Can you Read? [Henty answers positively] It is not everyone who is so fortunate. I cannot.” (585) This sense of guilt for the character stimulates the reader, for now they have reason to read on. The reader now cares for the main characters and wants to see how each one wants and tries to help the other. Just as Evelyn stimulates the reader’s feelings, he also stimulates their thoughts. One particular example is the idea of enslavement. Enslavement is the central idea of this short story. Mr. McMaster, basically, holds Henty prisoner. He took care of him and brought his health back. What he wanted in return though, was the problem. Mr. McMaster wanted Henty to stay there with him on his farm and read Charles Dickens novels to him because he cannot read them himself. The farmer shows his controlling side after Henty has asked the natives, unsuccessfully, to build him a boat, “It is easier that you say anything you wish through me.”(588) This shows Mr. McMaster as the controller of his little world. He refers to the natives as his “children.” (588) As the story moves on, Henty’s “gloomy foreboding of permanent exile”(588) becomes more and more apparent. He tries to get help through a man passing through the village by scribbling his name on a piece of paper and slyly giving it to him. This brings 2006-07-22T12:18:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Man-Who-Liked-Dickens-quot-30431.aspx Realism and Intertexuality in One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novel One Hundred Years of Solitude has often been alluded to as a work of magical realism with many intertexual references. Magical realism can be defined as literature usually characterized by elements of the fantastic woven into the story with a deadpan sense of presentation. This is evident in many instances throughout the novel. Also, there are many intertexts within the work. Such outside sources that Marquez uses are The Bible and the style of the ancient Greeks, mainly the tragedians. Wendy Faris best describes magical realism in that she believes that if a piece of fiction is truly magical realism it must have five primary characteristics. The first characteristic is that, “The text contains an ‘irreducible element’ of magic, something we cannot explain according to the laws of the universe as we know them” (Faris 167). This is evident throughout the book. Such examples from the text are the scene in which Jose Arcadio Buendia was murdered and blood ran through the streets to Ursula’s house. Garcia Marquez writes, “A trickle of blood came out under the door, crossed the living room, went out into the street, continued on in a straight line across the uneven terraces, went down steps and climbed up curbs…” (Marquez 144). As the reader we know that this is physically impossible for blood to travel and climb up objects. Another example is Remedios’ ascension into heaven. Marquez writes, “Amaranta felt a mysterious trembling in the lace on her petticoats and she tried to grasp the sheet so that she would not fall down at the instant in which Remedios the Beauty began to rise” (Marquez 255). The second characteristic deals with descriptive details that create a realistic world out of the phenomenal (Faris 169). There are also many instances in the novel that this occurs. The reader is able to see this when Marquez writes about Melquiades’ manuscripts. The writings are detailed and there is a sense that these manuscripts actually exist. Another example is the town of Macondo itself. We, as the reader feel as if we could live there. Marquez produces this feeling through the use of descriptive, detailed and long sentences. The third characteristic of magical realism evident in the novel 2006-07-22T11:05:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Realism-and-Intertexuality-in-One-Hundred-Years-of-Solitude-30429.aspx Themes from Pride and Prejudice The title in this novel describes the underlying theme to the book. Pride and Prejudice are both influences on the characters and their relationships. This narrative describes how the prejudices and the prideful first impressions of the main characters throughout the novel. Elizabeth and many of the other characters see Darcy as proud. "The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which tuned the tide of his popularity; for he as discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend" (58). Not only does Elizabeth see Darcy as prideful, but the other characters do as well. Darcy’s pride results in his alienation from the others. “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to temp me.” Darcy, acting on his own pride insults Elizabeth. Darcy has a high opinion of himself that he creates a prejudice reaction from Elizabeth. Darcy’s extreme pride is emphasized by the surrounding characters with similar faults. For Elizabeth, her prejudice against Darcy that came from his snobbery caused her to not see his feelings for her and to believe whatever Wickham said. Elizabeth’s thinks of Darcy as being “the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world.” After being insulted by Darcy, she herself becomes prideful and prejudice against him. Ironically, this attitude changes as Elizabeth makes Darcy realize his faults and vice-versa. “How despicably have I acted!.. I, who have prided myself on my discernment! - I, who have valued myself on my abilities!” (236). Elizabeth realizes after reading Darcy’s letter that she had no reason to despise him as she had. This serves as a turn pointing as Elizabeth becomes aware of her pride and prejudice. Elizabeth realizes her fault in trusting her first impressions and prejudices about men (specially Darcy) and values herself on her abilities. Lady Catherine, in an effort to dissuade Elizabeth from marrying Darcy, is an act of extreme pride and prejudice because according to her standards Elizabeth is to low and unworthy to even correlate with Darcy. 2006-07-22T11:01:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-from-Pride-and-Prejudice-30427.aspx Overview of Harry Potter I. Rowling, J.K., “Harry Potter”, New York: Scholastic Inc., 1999. II. In this story Harry Potter is a young boy that starts out living with his aunt and uncle the Dursley’s. Then one day he gets a letter from a giant named Hagrid telling him of his opportunities to go to a witch and wizard school. While in school he learns of a secret stone called the Sorcerer’s Stone, which he later learns, is very powerful. After learning of this stone he finds out that the great wizard Voldemort that killed his parents, and is now trying to get the Sorcerer’s Stone. So Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione set off to stop Voldemort and succeed. III. The main characters are Harry Potter and his two friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry Potter is a young boy that starts out living with his aunt, uncle, and spoiled cousin. He has a scar on his head that looks like a lightning bolt from when Voldemort tried to kill him. He is also very scrawny and has really shabby black hair that never seems to stay in place. In “Harry Potter” J.K. Rowling describes Harry as mischievous and always seeming to get into trouble. Another main character is Ron. Ron and Harry meet on the train to the witch school. Ron is the brother of an older brother, a set of twins, and a younger sister. He also has red hair and is from a family of many wizards and witches. Rowling describes Ron’s attitude through indirect characterization. The last main character is Hermione. She meets Harry also on the train, where she shows her interest in Harry immediately. She read everything book there is about magic before she went to school. She always disagrees with Ron and Harry before they are about to do something stupid, but somehow always ends up going with them. At first in the story Harry and Ron find Hermione annoying but later become great friends. Rowling reveals most of Hermione’s personality through indirect characterization. IV. The dramatic climax of the story would have to be when Harry is trying to get away from Quirrell but can’t because he keeps grabbing Harry. Whenever Quirrel grabs Harry it would make his lightning scar burn and 2006-07-22T10:59:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Overview-of-Harry-Potter-30425.aspx Themes and Concepts in Dracula I’d like to consider Gothic fictions’ virtuous women: the heroines of sensibility. Born from the eighteenth-century discourse of sensibility[2] (the study of the correlation between emotional stimuli and physical responsiveness), these fictional heroines are fair-haired and virtuous, whose goodness illuminates the “forces of darkness”; they are hostages to villains, often in the guise of malevolent father figures; they rely on protection from ‘paternal’ figures, namely brothers and suitors; and their susceptibility to a dangerous world often leaves them physically incapable of movement or resistance. These heroines are doubly trapped—in castles or dungeons, and in their own bodies. The woman of sensibility featured in hundreds of Gothic novels in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. She is reprised in Dracula as Lucy Westenra (before she becomes a lustful vamp); and is revised as Mina Harker. Like the traditional Gothic heroine, Mina is praised for her beauty, sensitivity, compassion (she even pities Dracula); she is surrounded by men who try to protect her from evil; she is saved in the end. However, Mina differs from these traditional heroines: she has what Van Helsing calls a “man’s brain . . . and woman’s heart” (Dracula 234)—she combines the traditional feminine attributes of emotional responsiveness with masculine logic. She is, within cultural limits imposed on women, active: she subverts, to an extent, ideas about female capability by hiding her typing—the work which leads the men to Dracula—within her embroidery workbasket, concealing her ‘real’ work within the bounds of conventional ‘women’s work.’ Moreover, Stoker emphasizes her importance to the group by showing how, when the men try to ‘protect’ her by leaving her ignorant of their plans, she is attacked by Dracula: they can only follow his movements when Mina is included in the hunt. Like Frankenstein’s Elizabeth, most vulnerable when least informed, Mina’s real status as the key to the men’s success is contingent on her knowledge. Women of sensibility, both Shelley and Stoker tell us, are most useful when most informed: a somewhat radical position in nineteenth-century culture. Buffy would seem to be light years away from the more typical Gothic heroine. However, there are aspects of Buffy which, on closer inspection, don’t seem so different to her hysterical foremother. These similarities seem to congeal around Buffy’s twin status as adolescent and Slayer, and cast shadows over Whedon’s claims that, after watching “a lot of horror movies that starred pretty 2006-07-22T10:57:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-and-Concepts-in-Dracula-30424.aspx Critical Analysis of "Montana 1948" In the Novel "Montana 1948" by Larry Watson, there are many points in the book that we find Wes in a situation that requires a decision. The actions and choices that he makes reflect upon him and the story. Things like what gun he carries, when to look away from a crime, and when to turn in your own brother make the reader learn more about him. In turn we perceive him to be the type of person that cannot turn in his own brother and is not the hero that a stereotypical western town should have. This view is changed when close to the end of the novel he makes a decision that qualifies him as a respectable and noble officer of the law. In the beginning of the book we get a visual picture of Wes from the eyes of his son David. "He wore a shirt and tie, as many of the men in town did, but at least they wore boots and Stetsons; my father brogans and a fedora. He had a gun but he never carried it, on duty or off." This quote shows us what David thinks of his father. The reader gets the impression that Was is not the stereotypical cop, and probably not one who likes to get into conflict, as we can see by his choice not to carry a sidearm. When David talks about his father, the reader gets an image of a son who loves his father but does not respect him as the Sheriff. As the book progresses the way we view Wes gets worse. After al lthe drama surrounding Wes's brother Frank, we learn that Wes is not always the upstanding and noble sheriff. Wes is faced with the decision of charging his brother with sexual assault or turning his head. When Wes chooses to look away at the crimes despite overwhelming evidence and moral values, the view of Wes is smeared into a picture of a coward. He is a coward because he couldn’t say no to his father, his brother and to himself. Wes didn’t have the courage to stand up for what was right and what he believed in. Shortly after Wes's image is shattered, the ending of the novel puts most of the pieces 2006-07-22T10:38:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Montana-1948-quot-30415.aspx Hester Prynne, the Scarlet Letter’s protagonist is a huge sinner and adulteress. Throughout the novel, she must carry the weight of her sin by wearing the letter “A” on her chest. As a result of this letter, the town’s people looked down on her, and think of her as a wretched, and arrogant woman. The people believed that the magistrates were too merciful on her, and thought that, a woman so wicked and scandalous as her should suffer a more severe punishment than the one enforced on her. The women gossiping outside the jailhouse concurred that, Hester, “had brought shame upon [them] all, and ought to die”(Hawthorne 60). When Hester walked out onto the scaffold, she was cast wicked glances from her fellow town members. They glared at the letter on her breast, and stared at the illegitimate child in her arms. This public shame was not severe enough a punishment for this wretched woman, in the eyes of the town folk. Any other form of torture, or penalty would not have been too harsh in the eyes of the community, for this woman was a huge sinner, and deserved the worst sentence possible. After Hester had served her jail time, she was released. After being released, she took her child with her and lived in a cottage on the outskirts of town, becoming isolated from her community. In order to support both herself and her child, she took up the craft of needlework. Her work being beautiful and fit for the governor was required for making christening gowns, and the robes of high officials. Hester Prynne’s needlework was chance for repentance; she made garments for the poor, and reached out to society and contributed however she could. Never the less, the people still shunned her, refused to acknowledge her existence and the wage of her sin. To the people of the town, Hester was “like a ghost that revisits the familiar fireside and can no longer make itself seen or felt”(Hawthorne 98). They ignored her when she passed, because they were disgusted to be around her. In the eyes of the town Hester was invisible. Although the town was cold and alienated her, Hester, as a remorse for her sin remained submissive and selfless to the public. She helped out those who needed her, and became known as a “Sister Of Mercy”(Hawthorne 192). As years progressed, 2006-07-21T14:59:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hester-Prynne-vs_-Scociety--30413.aspx Critical Analysis of "Barn Burning" by Faulkner At first glance, the story “Barn Burning” seems just to be about a tyrannical father and a son who is in the grips of that tyranny. I think Faulkner explores at least one important philosophical question in this story were he asks at what point should a person make a choice between what his parent(s) and / or family believes and his own values? The main character and protagonist in this story is a boy named Colonel Sartoris. In this story, Sarty is faced with the decision of either going along with the views and actions of his morally challenged father or asserting his own morality and individuality by running away and leaving his family and his pain behind. The antagonist in the story is Abner Snobes. Abner is a very angry and inconsiderate man who has hate and detestation for almost anybody who is not “blood-kin”, and he portrays that hatred and contempt throughout the story. This story follows the typical format and is narrated in the third person. In the exposition, Faulkner’s skill as a writer is demonstrated through the way that he uses detail to draw the readers into the story. Also, in the first paragraph we are introduced to the main character and protagonist in the story, Sarty. The setting in which Sarty’s conflict is established is a trial. In the trial, the justice asks Sarty, “ I reckon any boy named for Colonel Sartoris in this country can’t help but tell the truth, can they” (qtd. in Meyer 482)? This is the part of the story in which the readers can first get a sense of the moral dilemma that Faulkner is trying to portray in this story. Next, we are introduced to the antagonist, Abner Snobes, when he talks for the first time since the trial began. He also establishes the fact that he plans to move himself and his family out of town. We are then introduced to the rest of Sarty’s family. The inciting force takes place after Sarty and his family move to a house owned by a man named De Spain, under the assumption that they will cultivate De Spain’s farm and give him a portion of the crop. After the family moves into the house, Abner decides to have a word with De Spain, so he and Sarty make their way 2006-07-19T21:32:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Barn-Burning-quot-by-Faulkner-30408.aspx Changing Dream in The Grapes of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath was written by award winning author John Steinbeck, it won the Pulitzer prize in 1940. Steinbeck was born In Salinas, 2006-07-19T21:30:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Changing-Dream-in-The-Grapes-of-Wrath-30407.aspx Sectional Analysis of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales Knight -vs- Squire: The Comparison of Time Periods in The Canterbury Tales One of the most important pieces of English literature is Geoffrey Chaucer’s, The Canterbury Tales. This piece is highly regarded, because it gives insight into the simplicity of life in England, through it’s extensive cast of characters. One of the most important parts of this piece is the General Prologue. The General Prologue is very important to the piece, because Chaucer uses it to contrast characters with similar backgrounds or jobs. This contrast can be seen vividly in the descriptions of the Knight and the Squire. Both the Knight and the Squire are examples of warriors, but of different ages and social standing; because of this, Chaucer is able to depict the differences between the attitudes of the late Medieval society and blossoming age of Renaissance. By using similar characters and similar characterizations, Chaucer is able to illuminate the vast differences between the Knight and the Squire. Chaucer’s primary description of the Knight and his battles is that of untarnished virtue. Chaucer says, “...he loved chivalrye, Trouthe and honour, freedom and curteisye” (General Prologue, 45-46). Chaucer describes the Knight as the perfect noble knight. The Knight’s true love is of chivalry and honor. He is depicted as a warrior who does his duty, because it is right. He believes in what he does, and isn’t a warrior for any other reason. Chaucer further portrays this quality about the Knight through the battles which he has been involved in. The Knight was never involved in a battle of secular nature. The Knight only fought in religious wars. Chaucer once says, “...And foughten for our faith at Tramissene...” (General Prologue, 62). This line implies that the Knight fought for the religious faith of the land or King. When in battle, the Knight’s intentions were always noble. The Knight never had any hidden agendas, and never fought for the prospect of material or social advancement. The Squire, unlike the Knight, fought for reasons other than honor and duty. The Squire was first characterized as “A lover and a lusty bacheler.” (General Prologue, 80). The Squire is depicted as the type of man who cares more for the women that he can impress than of the honor he will protect and save. Chaucer further classifies the Squire as a typical ladies man when he says, “In hope to 2006-07-19T20:46:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sectional-Analysis-of-Chaucer-s-Canterbury-Tales-30401.aspx Major Theme Analysis of "Harrison Bergeron" The story “Harrison Bergeron” is an in depth story about equality. Being equal to one another is not always the best way to live. Everyone is different for a reason and when you are equal, life is boring and dull. Also when there is a ruler who controls everyone in the world and punishes those who do not listen and do not want to be equal. How the government makes laws and/or amendments for people to follow helps the world stay in order but causes some problems too. The government makes up amendments that the people have to follow, and there is no limit to how many they are aloud to have. The government makes the amendments as they find new ideas and reasons to makes them. In the story there are 213 amendments but today there are only 27. The amendments are made to make the people in the world equal in some kinds of ways. But, the amendments in this story are made so that no one is better or less equal to another in every kind of way such as looks, size, and level of IQ. Next is the handicapper or the one who keeps everyone in the world equal to one another by using masks or weights or even a head set that beeps so people can not even think about things. The handicap leader has to control all the people who try to not be equal to other and try to be greater by not listening to her. There is harsh punishment for everything you do to try to prevent from being equal to others. The general has to control what people need such has how much handicap bags you need or what kind of mask the person should wear. Third is the way of life they have to live in their world with all the laws of equality. The whole purpose of this is so that not one person is better than another and if you do not listen you will suffer harsh punishment for it. The way of life is very strict with all the amendments so it does not allow anyone to have any fun. You always are making sure everything is the way it should be because if you are not equal it could mean death. The whole world is trying to make everyone 2006-07-19T20:43:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Major-Theme-Analysis-of-quot-Harrison-Bergeron-quot-30400.aspx Analysis "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, is a book about friendship between two boys from vastly different religious Jewish backgrounds. Their initial distrust and hatred for each other, because of their different backgrounds, gives way to understanding, and develops into a deep friendship. Each character grew up in a tight community. Their deep study of their traditions has led them to be ignorant of the outside world. Daniel Saunders is the son of Rabbi Reb Saunders and the protagonist of the novel. He is a brilliant boy who is confused by the ideologies of his Hasidic religion. Despite his confusion, he is very open-minded. His ancestors for the past five generations had been very honorable and respected rabbis in their own synagogues. He was expected to grow up and take over his father's position. Despite Danny's interest in reading outside books and his trips to the library, he is also deeply religious and a great Talmud scholar. His friendship with Reuven Malter, who is supposedly less religious than Hasidics are expected to be, drew him into a secular world affecting some of his viewpoints and values of the world. By meeting Reuven Malter, he realized many things that he has been missing, he realizes the differences in the way they are raised, treated and their cultures. Daniel's character in the book has been waiting for a reason to "rebel" against his father's ways. Reb Saunders was very aware of his son's views but tried to avoid it throughout the book by using the method of silence. Reb Saunders has stated in the last chapter(p.267) that he knew about everything all along, " You think I was cruel? Yes, I see from your eyes that you think I was cruel to my Daniel. Perhaps. But he has learned. Let my Daniel become a psychologist. I do not see his books? I did not see the letters from the universities? I do not see his eyes? I do not hear his soul crying? Of course I know." Reb Saunders character in the book was very strict and closed-minded. He believes that orthodox are corrupt in their beliefs, that they should be studying the Torah a lot more, and be much more religious in everything they do, such as praying to God. One event that showed his fixed views of the world was during the issue of the Jewish 2006-07-19T12:55:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-quot-The-Chosen-quot-by-Chaim-Potok-30396.aspx Short Story Examination of "Araby" by James Joyce After a close examination of the short story “Araby” by James Joyce, several instances of religious symbolism seem to be intertwined throughout the story. “Araby”, in its simplest form is the story of a young boy’s first experience concerning infatuation with the opposite sex. In the text there are questions primarily concerned with Joyce’s rearing in Catholicism and the beliefs the church encouraged in opposition to his true feelings. This moral dilemma is expressed through symbolism that occurs in several interactions between the story’s central character and the world around him. In the opening line of the story, Joyce describes the street he lives on as “being blind”. This lack of sight indicates that the street is a dead end. He goes on to describe the houses occupying its sides as “gazing at one another with brown imperturbable faces”. These houses reflect the attitudes of their inhabitants, who seem satisfied and content with their lives. The unchanging people seem as though they are strictly catholic and extremely set in their ways. These people represent everything that the boy questions because, naturally, he is apprehensive in accepting completely the lifestyle that these people exhibit. After all, there must be a world beyond North Richmond Street. The former tenant of the boy’s house was a priest. The boy describes the rooms in the house, as well as the room the priest died in, saying, “Air, musty from having been long enclosed, hung in all the rooms, and the waste room behind the kitchen was littered with old useless papers”. This gloominess represents what Joyce probably would have felt like if he had remained on North Richmond all his life. Joyce describes the boys playing in the street, which is symbolic of the children’s lack to conform to the spiritual confines of the church, unlike the adults who are trapped on North Richmond. This point is conveyed further by the aunt and uncle’s lack of enthusiasm concerning the boys’ trip to Araby. There seems to be an eerie shadow cast on the boy’s trials and tribulations throughout the story by his lack of clarity concerning the grand scheme of life. Joyce often describes many things 2006-07-19T12:51:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Short-Story-Examination-of-quot-Araby-quot-by-James-Joyce-30394.aspx Critical Analysis of "Cry, The Beloved Country" Cry, The Beloved Country was written by Alan Paton in 1948. Like his three other books, Cry, The Beloved Country is set in South Africa and tells of the racial struggles during apartheid. The story begins with Stephen Kumalo, a black Anglican Zulu priest who lives in a small village in the Ndotsheni valley. Stephen Kumalo journeys to Johannesburg, seeking lost members of his family. He is looking for his sister and his brother, but mostly for his son Absalom, who has disappeared into Johannesburg as surely as the original Absalom of the Old Testament, was lost to King David. In Johannesburg, Kumalo is befriended by the Reverend Theophilus Msimangu, who aids him in his search for his relatives. They find his sister, who has become a prostitute, and his brother, a politician fighting apartheid, very quickly. Kumalo and Msimangu are led on a wild goose chase in search of Absalom, only to find that Absalom has killed a prominent white man. Ironically, Arthur Jarvis had dedicated his life to fighting apartheid, and he was the only child of James Jarvis, a wealthy farm owner in the Ndotsheni valley. Absalom is sentenced to death by hanging, and Stephen Kumalo returns to Ndotsheni with Absalom’s girlfriend, who is pregnant. Kumalo befriends the son of Arthur Jarvis, who is now living with his grandfather. Arthur’s son tells James Jarvis about the horrible conditions in the village, and Jarvis hires a man to teach the villagers better farming techniques. Cry, The Beloved Country is a novel of forgiveness and the restoration of faith. Stephen Kumalo shows the worlds and his own faults, but still manages to make the world a better place for himself and those around him. The relationship between James Jarvis and Kumalo is the ultimate example of friendship and mutual respect that can be obtained in a country where race relations are so strained that whites can be killed for assisting blacks. Cry, The Beloved Country shows racial tension, family and community unity, mercy, and justice. Cry, The Beloved Country also shows that every cloud has a silver lining. Arthur Jarvis’s death, although it was horrid and tragic, set about a strange turn of events that led to the restoration of the Ndotsheni valley. 2006-07-19T12:48:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Cry,-The-Beloved-Country-quot-30392.aspx Book Review of Beer For Dummies Beer for Dummies by Marty Nachel with Steve Ettlinger. Let's start with how I came about getting a copy of this book. Back around Christmas time last year I saw a copy of Wine for Dummies. I picked it up and noticed that the "Dummy" had expanded into the non-computer field. I didn't give it much thought until around Dec. 31st, I saw CNN do a piece of what's hot for 1996. Beer was at the top of the list. Not just any beer, but craft beer. I saw a similar 'What's Hot' article in a local newspaper and again Beer was listed. Within a few weeks I saw an article on the Dummy books. After reading that I knew that 'Beer for Dummies' would soon be out. The article did not list Beer for Dummies asa new title, I just put a few pieces together and knew. Next I wrote an article about it. See View From Here 26. In the article I ranted on how the current beer renaissance does not need a dummy book, that it should not be written, and to please drive a stake through the person who is planning to write it. About three weeks later I got a letter from Marty Nachel telling me it was too late, that Beer for Dummies had already been written and if I wanted to receive a free copy of the book to let him know. At the beginning of September a copy of the book arrived at my door. I wanted to hate this book. I was sure that it would be filled with poor attempts at being clever and waste ink about how the major swill makers produce substandard barley beverages. I was going to apply a few Dorothy Parker quotes and rip the book to shreds. I was sure that the covers of this book would be too far apart. Then something happened... I read it. The best way I can describe this book is to compare it with my first grade reader 'Fun with Dick and Jane'. That book was important - it taught me to read, so I could go on to read, All Quite on the Western Front, A Catcher in the Rye, The Sun also Rises, and other great works as I grew older. I cannot go back and read 'Fun 2006-07-19T12:44:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Book-Review-of-Beer-For-Dummies-30390.aspx Short Story Analysis of "Uneasy Homecoming" “Uneasy Homecoming” by Will F Jenkins is a short story that has the effect of a particularly tense atmosphere. The story is about a woman named Connie returning to an empty house after a two-week holiday. When she arrives home she had developed a nervous feeling. While Connie was on holiday some burglaries had taken place. Later Connie finds the loot in her home and uses quick thinking to attract people’s attention from the other side of the bay who then catch the burglar. In this short story the setting is particularly important in creating a tense atmosphere. He shows this by describing many things about how the house was isolated such as “the house lay on the neck of land beyond most houses”. This creates the impression of a tense atmosphere because Connie is alone, far from any other houses, which means that there was not anybody close to her if she needed any help. The time of day is also very important in “Uneasy Homecoming”. The writer deliberately sets the short story at night with a ”red dying sun”, a sign of danger in the air and the perfect setting for a horror book or movie. In the story he writes “The red, dying sun cast long shadows across the road”. This is important because it put a picture in my mind of an evening with a fading sun and unusual shaped shadows that seem to move creating a tense atmosphere. Throughout the “Uneasy Homecoming” the main character played a very important part in creating a tense atmosphere. The main character, Connie, developed a sense of fear about man hunting women. The writer develops this character by writing such things as “the unnerving realisation that the fears she’d had about Them, the men who prey on others”. This phrase in particular shows that Connie is a worried, insecure person who frets about becoming a victim of “Them”. The capital letter is there to show the importance Connie gives these people. I also noticed that throughout “Uneasy Homecoming” Connie does not hold back in expressing her fear. Many times in the short story the writer shows expression such as “Connie found herself weeping”. This made me think that something was about to happen. I also felt sorry for her at times and think that the tension in the story would be totally different 2006-07-19T12:32:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Short-Story-Analysis-of-quot-Uneasy-Homecoming-quot-30386.aspx Moral Significance of Evil in Macbeth Evil plays a predominant part in ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare. Evil is evident throughout the play, albeit more obviously in Macbeth and his wife, in the witches or in other, less blatant, underlying instances. Macbeth, I feel, is relatively unsullied at the start of the play. He seems suited to where he is, as Thane of Glamis, as illustrated by Angus towards the end of the play in Act V.2 ln 20-22 “Now does he feel his title| hang loose about himself like a giant’s robe| Upon a dwarfish thief”, comparing him to a dwarf who has stolen the clothes of a giant i.e. King Duncan. Banquo also comments on his new title in I.3 ln 54, “New honours come upon him| Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould| But with the aid of use.” It is interesting that the two both incorporate a theme of clothing in their speech. However, during his encounter with the witches, he is told of his inheritance: the Thanedom of Cawdor and King of Scotland. His thoughts at this point dismiss the witches as mad old women, but when Angus & Ross enter the stage and inform him of his appointment to Thane of Cawdor, his thoughts turn more sinister, as shown in a short speech aside of stage in I.3, “If chance may have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir”, the key word being ‘stir’ showing that he has intentions of disturbing the course of fate, be he however lays off the idea and decides that he needn’t interrupt it as it is prophesied that he will be King. However, he is not patient enough “ If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well| It were done quickly.” (I.7 ln 1-2) and resorts to murdering Duncan in II.2. From thereon, the evil in Macbeth seems to increase, as it were, scene by scene. Having murdered the king, he slays the two guards barring the threshold to Duncan’s room, Banquo and an attempt on his son, Fleance and Macduff’s family and “all my pretty little chickens and their dam”, “wife, children, servants, all.” (I.3). At first, it is a truly grave and difficult thing for Macbeth to murder Duncan, but after that it just seems to be a ‘slippery slope’, and, as Macbeth finds, “a little water clears us of this 2006-07-19T12:31:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Moral-Significance-of-Evil-in-Macbeth-30385.aspx Animal Farm Character Analysis Benjamin symbolizes the older generation, the critics of any new rebellion. Really this old donkey is the only animal who seems as though he couldn't care less about Napoleon and Animal Farm. It's almost as if he can see into the future, knowing that the revolt is only a temporary change, and will flop in the end. Benjamin is the only animal who doesn't seem to have expected anything good to come from the revolution. He almost seems on a whole different maturity lever compared to the other animals. He is not sucked in by Napoleon's propaganda like the others. Rats + Rabbits Orwell's rats (and the other wild animals, like rabbits, for that matter) represent the opposition to the Bolsheviks. They too, had to be included in the rebellion, although for the longest time they sided with another party. The rats and rabbits symbolize other political parties. Although the communist party took off with Lenin, there were still others around. These are the wild animals. Pigeons: The pigeons symbolize Soviet propaganda, not to Russia, but to other countries, like Germany, England, France, and even the United States. Fredricks (Germanys): The theme of the gun and flag rituals performed by the animals at the urging of Napoleon is strengthened through Orwell's description of Mr. Frederick, the neighbour of Animal Farm. Frederick, through the course of the book, becomes an enemy and then a friend and then an enemy again to Napoleon, who makes many secret deals and treaties with him. Pilkington: Orwell uses Pilkington, another neighbour of Animal Farm, as a metaphor for the Allies of World War II (excluding, of course Russia). Like the Soviet Union before World War II, Animal Farm wasn't sure who their allies would be. But after losing the relationship with Frederick (Germany), Napoleon (Stalin) decides to befriend Pilkington, and ally with him. Napoleon and the other pigs even go as far as to invite him over for dinner at the end of the book. Here Mr. Pilkington and his men congratulate Napoleon on the efficiency of Animal Farm. Farmhouse: Jones' farmhouse represents in many ways the very place where greed and lust dominate. Unlike the barn, which is the fortress of the common man, the genuine concept of socialism, the farmhouse, where Napoleon and the 2006-07-18T19:34:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-Character-Analysis-30382.aspx Passage Analysis from "Things Fall Apart" That year the harvest was sad, like a funeral, and many farmers wept as they dug up the miserable and rotting yams. One man tied his cloth to a tree branch and hanged himself. Okonkwo remembered that tragic year with a cold shiver throughout the rest of his life. It always surprised him when he thought of it later that he did not sink under the load of despair. He knew that he was a fierce fighter, but that year had been enough to break the heart of a lion. "Since I survived that year," he always said, "I shall survive anything." He put it down to his inflexible will. His father, Unoka, who was then an ailing man, had said to him during that terrible harvest month: "Do not despair. I know that you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone." The above passages were taken from the end of chapter three, part one. After finishing reading this book and then going back through it, I found these passages very ironic in regards to how the story eventually ended. Okonkwo believed that because he was such a fierce fighter, he could conquer anything life threw at him. However, it was his fierce, proud, fighting attitude that was his demise in the face of uncontrollable circumstances in the end. Okonkwo believed that war and brute fighting would fix everything. He was a proud and stubborn man constantly struggling to improve his standing in the tribal community. Okonkwo also had intense pride for his tribe and way of life. He believed it was the right way of life and not to be questioned. Everyone was supposed to fear war with Umofia due to their fierce warriors and greatness in battle. When the white men not only did not fear them, but openly threatened the tribal way of life, Okonkwo prepared to handle the situation the only way he knew how. He wanted to got to war against the new white invaders, chasing them 2006-07-18T13:23:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Passage-Analysis-from-quot-Things-Fall-Apart-quot-30365.aspx Guilty Conscience Portrayed in "Beloved" Who or what is Beloved? Many people think that Beloved is the Devil or a savior. Others just take her at face value as Sethe's dead child come back to haunt her. I believe that all of these ideas come close to her identity, but they are still not completely right. This is not a story about good or evil, but rather a story about facing your own past. Beloved (the character) is simply a physical manifestation of Sethe's guilty conscience. Sethe's desire to save her children from slavery was stronger than her humanity, and as a result she brutally murdered her baby, and buried it under the headstone "Beloved." Sethe chose to have this engraved on the tomb, because this was the "word she heard the preacher say at the funeral (all there was to say, surely)...Dearly Beloved" (5). The baby is first christened at death, with a name by which the preacher refers to the spectators at the burial. Sethe thus named the child after herself, insofar as she, Sethe, was whom the preacher was addressing as "dearly beloved." In this way she brands her detached conscience with guilt. I call it her "detached conscience" because in order to go on with life Sethe needed to remove herself from her guilt. She removes herself so completely that her neighbors, already upset at her crime, isolated her because she seemed to feel no remorse for the awful deed. Sethe's stoic resolve continues until Denver loses her hearing, which was caused by Denver not being able to deal with hearing what her mother had done. Only when her mother's conscience manifests itself as the ghost of the baby does Denver's hearing return. Denver, having as a child suckled her sister's blood with her mother's milk, attaches herself to this ghost, the manifestation of her mother's guilt. She makes friends with it, because due to her mother's heinous deed, she will have no other friends in the community. Denver must make peace with what her mother did in order for her to survive, and she accomplishes this by making the ghost her playmate. In their own little world, both Denver and her mother acclimate themselves to the sin that they must live with. The appearance of Paul D throws everything into turmoil. To Sethe, Paul D is a man 2006-07-18T13:07:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Guilty-Conscience-Portrayed-in-quot-Beloved-quot-30356.aspx Analysis of Freedom in A Brave New World ‘A Brave New World’ is a distinct possibility in the near future is a disturbing yet a somewhat interesting idea. There are many elements in today’s society that already reflect what goes in Aldous Huxley’s book ‘A Brave New World.’ There are also many elements in our society that would not allow anything like that exist. In ‘A Brave New World’ it is seen as immoral to want to be by one’s self. I have found that this applies a lot to society today. If someone is found at school not joining in with a group and just being alone they would get harassed by a lot of people who were in groups. If it was found out by teachers that someone was not joining in part of a group they would probably inform the counselor so he could talk over his alleged problems. I think that the classes of people found in ‘A Brave New World’ reflected how students at school could easily be characterized in to the same format. The Alphas and Alpha plusses easily represent the more intelligent students who receive A’s and A+’s. The Betas represent the students who are intelligent but don’t really overachieve. The Pattern follows right down the Epsilon Semi Morons those with little intelligence that don’t really get too far in life. Near the end of “A Brave New World” John Savage, Hemholtz and Bernard are moved to another island for being different to rest. I found this to be very similar to people who fail to conform in today’s society. They are either labeled a ‘freak’ or something along those lines or placed in an institution. The primary reason why I doubt one day people will ‘exist’ in the way that they do in ‘A Brave New World’ is because of the freedom in today’s society. No President or person in high power would allow the research of this to proceed. This would almost guarantee that this person would not be allowed in power again and once the new person of power was elected they would immediately stop the research of the project to keep voters happy. Research for such a project would be very costly and if the people were against it I’m sure they would take no hesitation in having a violent protest on the area where the research 2006-07-18T13:00:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Freedom-in-A-Brave-New-World-30351.aspx Themes of War in All Quiet on the Western Front The destructiveness of war can be understood upon several levels. Primarily, war exposes innocent lives to violence so unforgiving that it leaves physical and mental scarring to the victims for the rest of their existence. War destroys the bonds that soldiers have built with their family, friends and former lives in their pre-enlistment years. War strips all the baggage of life away from the participant, leaving only the raw emotion to be endured by the soldier. Fear, hate, passion, confusion, ecstasy, love, pain, agony, delusion, delirium, aggression and death are the hot and cold impulses felt by the soldiers. This simple and basic makeup of life for the soldiers makes it too hard to adapt to the complex social nature of traditional life and as such the soldiers become alienated. Although the black and white image of the trenches is so simple in nature, it is complex in detail and soldiers find it hard to communicate to society their experiences for lack of words and language to embellish, and are further alienated from society. This alienation of soldiers through the inability of the English language to express their feelings to people other than their beloved comrades is the destruction described in the novel All Quiet On The Western Front..... Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front, set in World War I, centres around the changes wrought by the war on one young German soldier, Paul. During his time in the war, Remarque's protagonist, Paul Baumer, changes from a rather innocent youth to a hardened and somewhat caustic veteran. More importantly, during the course of this change, Paul alienates himself from the very people who encouraged him to enlist originally. Parents, elders, school and religion had been the foundation of Paul’s young days, he rejects these influences as he discoveries that the society he once lived in could not possibly understand the reality of the “Great War”. His new world then, becomes the Company, his fellow trench soldiers, because they are a group which can understand the truth of war without words, simply by experiencing it also. Remarque demonstrates Paul’s alienation from his previous world by emphasising the language barrier between Paul and his non-war relatives. Paul cannot communicate truthfully with his former life and this eventually leads to the loss 2006-07-18T12:57:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-War-in-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-30349.aspx Characters, Summary and Analysis of Catcher in the Rye Holden Caulfield - The protagonist and narrator of the novel. When the novel opens, Holden is a sixteen year-old junior at a school called Pencey Prep; he has just been expelled for academic failure. Holden is intelligent and sensitive, but he narrates his story in a cynical, jaded voice. Though he never says so outright, he longs to live in a beautiful and innocent world, and finds the hypocrisy and ugliness of the world around him almost unbearably painful; his cynicism is his attempt to protect himself from the pain and disappointment of the adult world. As the novel opens, Holden stands poised on the cliff separating childhood from adulthood; his damaged innocence also leaves him poised on the brink of a nervous breakdown. Ackley - Holden's next-door neighbor in the dorm at Pencey Prep, a pimply, insecure boy with terrible dental hygiene. Ackley often barges into Holden's room and acts completely oblivious to Holden's hints that he should leave; he also makes up elaborate lies about his sexual experience. Stradlater - Holden's roommate. Stradlater is handsome, self- satisfied, and popular, but Holden calls him a "secret slob"--his razor, for instance, is disgustingly unclean. Stradlater is sexually mature and experienced for a Pencey boy, and utterly preoccupied with himself; he tends to assume everyone else is preoccupied with him, too. Jane Gallagher - Holden's former girlfriend, now dating Stradlater. Jane's summer house in Maine is next door to the Caulfields'. Jane never actually appears in The Catcher in the Rye, but she is extremely important to Holden--she is one of the few people who seem to understand and care about him, and is the only person with whom Holden feels comfortable discussing Allie's death. Jane's stepfather is an alcoholic, and their relationship is painful and strained. Phoebe - Holden's ten year-old sister. Holden loves Phoebe very dearly; even though she is six years younger, she tends to understand what he means, and he feels comfortable talking to her. Phoebe is intelligent, neat, and a wonderful dancer. Her childish innocence is one of Holden's only consistent sources of happiness throughout the novel. Allie - Holden's younger brother, who died of leukemia three years before the start of the novel. Allie was a brilliant, friendly, redheaded boy; Holden says he was the smartest of the 2006-07-18T12:49:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Characters-Summary-and-Analysis-of-Catcher-in-the-Rye-30345.aspx Analysis of Post Civil War Southern Gothic Literature After the real horrors of the Civil War, the popularity of Gothic writing dramatically decreased in the United States. The Romantic Movement that had spawned the Gothic tradition was replaced by realism. It was until the twentieth century that the Gothic tradition was revitalization. The revitalization of the Gothic spirit was particularly felt in the American South. Modern Southern writers including William Faulkner, Carson McCullers, Truman Capote, and Flannery O'Connor made Southern Gothic unique and attracting to readers. These writers were often grouped together in the Southern Gothic tradition because of the gloom and pessimism of their fiction. Influenced by Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne, Flannery O'Connor wrote stories filled with grotesque characters, violence, and bizarre situations. O'Connor never tells the reader directly whether her characters are good or evil; she wants the reader to make his own judgment based on the characters' thoughts, words, and actions. She successfully uses this technique in The Life You Save May Be Your Own to guide and manipulate the reader's judgment about the characters. The story The Life You Save May Be Your Own is very much a part of Southern Gothic because the writing includes aspects of the Southern Gothic tradition. Southern Gothic writing was populated with misfits, fanatics, and manipulative con artists obsessed with innocence and corruption, salvation and damnation. "When [Southern Gothic] writers looked at the individual, they saw potential evil" (353). Flannery O'Connor expressed this potential evil in the character of Tom T. Shiftlet. He was a manipulative con artist without a conscience who preyed on the innocent and trustworthy. The story had many Gothic aspects in its setting because the "fictional world offered...a way to explore the human [heart] in extreme situations and so arrive at an essential truth" (353). "The crumbling medieval castle...became the decaying plantation, with its fallen aristocratic family isolated in time and place" (354). A decaying house provided "the setting for the weird and terrifying events" (353) in the story. O'Connor used these Gothic elements in her fiction to express what she felt were important truths. The revitalization of the Gothic tradition was essential to the increase in popularity of Flannery O'Connor and many other modern Southern Gothic writers. Their works of writing can be grouped together in 2006-07-18T12:44:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Post-Civil-War-Southern-Gothic-Literature-30343.aspx Analytic Essay of "The Killer Angels" Novel The novel The Killer Angles, by Michael Shaara, gives a story like depiction of the American Civil War at the Battle of Gettysburg. In this novel we see the views of both Confederate and Union armies. The officers for both sides in this novel used to go to war with each other but are now on different sides according to their political views. In the end both armies realized the war had accomplished nothing but all the deaths of soldiers. During the novel, the armies are going to war against their opponents and not necessarily their enemies. Despite the fact that the Confederate and Union armies were entirely concerned with defeating their opponent, many times they were fighting against relatives and friends. For instance, General Armistead says, "...will you tell General Hancock how very sorry I am"(P.350). General Hancock is a Confederate Major General while Armistead is a Union Commander. These two men were at one time friends. Again during the war, officers make a realization about the war. Longstreet realizes that Armistead and Garnett are dead and that Kemper was dying (P.358). Then he sees the true facts that this war had accomplished nothing but the deaths of great men. Shaara's theory was that the war accomplished nothing but deaths. This theory has been considered before by many men, most likely the men of the war. George Pickett knows the war is not just about slavery (P. 71). In the Battle of Gettysburg thousands of men died for almost nothing. Of course the main cause of the war was slavery, but other circumstances contributed to the cause of the civil war, such as the election of Abraham Lincoln. This book contributes a detailed description and story of the Battle of Gettysburg. Many books about Gettysburg give a biography about the battle and the commanders, but this book makes the commanders and soldiers come to life. It shows actual feelings about the war. While most books give a narrative monologue of the battle. This book brings characters to life and gives a detailed description of the battle. This novel has raised questions in my mind because I was unaware of the real battle; but it raises no new questions to society such as Hofstadter's writings. This novel gives a very accurate description of the Battle of Gettysburg. This novel also 2006-07-18T12:38:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analytic-Essay-of-quot-The-Killer-Angels-quot-Novel-30341.aspx Important Notes from The Underground One of the major ideas throughout Notes from the Underground, by Fyodor Dostoevsky is the suffering brought about by isolation from society. Dostoevsky is suggesting that it is nearly impossible to escape the suffering and pain brought on by isolation and it can only be possible if you realize that you must help yourself. Throughout this novel the narrator, also known as “the underground man” experiences many levels of suffering and pain. Dostoevsky is saying that in order to overcome this suffering the narrator will have to take the opportunity to save himself. This is the story of an unnamed man only referred to as “the underground man”. This underground man is the narrator of the story. The story he tells is a first person account of his own past experiences. There are two major parts to this story. This first is a description of the narrator and his warped world view. The second is a story from years past that illustrate his earlier described opinions. We learn in the first part of this story that the narrator does not suffer physically but instead suffers mentally and emotionally. The underground man feels alienated by his peers and isolated from a society that, he feels, can never accept him. Since, in his view, he can never be accepted, he retreats to an “underground” world of self isolation. The narrator believes that neither he nor society has the ability to change. Since he does not accept the possibility that he may change he will remain forever depraved. The narrator has struggled for his entire life with feelings of depravity and shame. This has given him negative feelings toward himself and toward all of mankind. It has gotten to the point where feelings of shame are normal and acceptable to him. The narrator does not realize it but he is only further contributing to his problems. Not only does society alienate him but he alienates himself further by accepting and even inviting society’s torment of him. At this point in the story it seems he will never be able to find salvation. The narrator believes that the feelings he is experiencing are inevitable and because of this grows to enjoy these feelings. He puts himself in degrading situations on purpose. He claims to do this to try and escape the boredom of his life. The actual reason he does 2006-07-18T12:29:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Important-Notes-from-The-Underground-30336.aspx “Convert to Christianity, you filthy little piece of Shit!”, “You don’t deserve your land, so we are taking over and teaching you animals how to be more like human….more like us.” That’s what would a European would say to a native Indian dude. Well….welcome to Imperialism. Imperialism is basically about countries bulling other countries, or taking over other countries. It is the domination of control by one country of the political, economic, and/or social life of another country. So During the late 1800’s British controlled the lands of India. During the time when India was in control by the British there were positive and negative effects that were going on. Well, if you want to look at the positive side then it would be best if I show it from the eyes of a British. I don’t think that many Indians were happy with their country begin taken over. Imperialism helped out India and did a great number of positives things for them. The Europeans gave India modern thoughts, modern science, and modern life. The British build roads, canals, railways, telegraphs, and many other things. Because of the help of British India gained new territories. The British taught them political peace and order. They also introduced education (western education). They treated India as if it was their “little brother”. “Little Brother my Ass!!!” would say a real true Indian to the British for taking over their country. See like I said, if you want to look at the negative sides then it would be wise if I show it from the eyes of real Indians. The British came to India and totally messed up what the Indians had….their own unique kind of culture, ethnicity, custom, and just shoved them in the trash can. They broke many of the India’s finest crafts. They stopped the economic development. The country’s poverty grew, and the standard of living fell. A real Indian like Mohandas Gandhi says that the English committed a great crime. They had given them no responsibility for their own government. And it is true; the English did almost everything for them, as if India wasn’t able to do it by themselves. As overall, I say that Imperialism did not do well for any country. The English gave the countries no responsibility for their own; they destroyed many of their things. They build railroads, yes it was good, but they 2006-07-18T00:05:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Imperialism-in-Things-Fall-Apart-30334.aspx A Midsummer Night's Dream Analysis Comedy or tragedy that is the question, Shakespeare has written more than a hand full of plays. People consider Shakespeare as a sad person that always wrote tragedies, but A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the other hand is not a tragedy. It is with out a shadow of a doubt a comedy; there are many reasons why A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s many comedies. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is about lovers falling in and out of love for each other and in the end the lovers think it is only A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The reasons that convinced MND was a comedy was that it was funny and lighthearted, makes fun of human weakness, and mistaken identities etc. In a comedy the factor of being funny and lighthearted comes often. For example there are characters like Bottom, Snug, Quince, and Snout in the play to make people laugh. “ But I will aggravate my voice…” (I, ii, 78-79) Bottom says. That is an example of lightheartedness because Bottom does not mean what he is saying he really means to soften his voice, Shakespeare meant that to be funny. Another example is when Snout and his crew are rehearsing Bottom gets his head turned into a donkey head and Snout says “ O Bottom, art thou changed! What do I see on thee?” (III, i, 118-119). That is an example of the comedy because Bottom gets changed into an ass-head, if that is not funny what is? A further example of the funny side of Shakespeare is after Titania had fallen for Bottom the ass-head Bottom gets used to the royal treatment and tries to be smart and shows his egregious knowledge by saying “ Nothing, good monsieur, but to help cavalery Cobweb to scratch. I am marvels hairy about the face. And I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch (IV, i , 23-27). Determining the comedy from the tragedy does not just mean recognizing the funny and lighthearted it also includes the fact of mistaken identities. In MND mistaking identities comes easy. For instance Oberon the king of the Magic Forest tells his joyful servant to place magic flower nectar on an Athenian man to fall in love. Off goes Puck Oberons servant to find that 2006-07-17T22:50:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Midsummer-Night-s-Dream-Analysis-30322.aspx Summary and Analysis of Macbeth Act 1: The play takes place in Scotland. Duncan, the king of Scotland, is at war with the king of Norway, and as the play opens, he learns of Macbeth's bravery in battle against a Scot who sided with Norway. At the same time, he hears of the treachery of the Thane of Cawdor, who was arrested. Duncan decides to give the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth. Macbeth and Banquo, traveling home from the battle, meet three witches, who predict that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor and king of Scotland, and that Banquo will be the father of kings. The witches disappear, and Macbeth and Banquo meet up with two nobles who inform them of Macbeth's new title. Hearing this, Macbeth begins to contemplate murdering Duncan in order to realize the witches' second prophecy. Macbeth and Banquo meet up with Duncan, who tells them he is going to pay Macbeth a visit at his home at Inverness. Macbeth rides ahead to prepare his household. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth receives a letter from Macbeth informing her of the witches' prophesy and Macbeth's subsequent new title. A servant appears and tells her of Duncan's approach. Energized, she invokes supernatural powers to strip her of her feminine softness and prepare her to murder Duncan. When Macbeth arrives at Inverness, Lady Macbeth tells him that she will take care of all the details of Duncan's murder. Duncan arrives at Inverness, and Lady Macbeth greets him. Macbeth fails to appear, and Lady Macbeth goes to find him. He is in his room, contemplating the weighty and evil step of killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth taunts him, telling him he will only be a man when he kills Duncan, and that she herself has less softness in her character than he does. She then tells him her plan for the murder, and Macbeth accepts it: they will kill him while his drunken bodyguards sleep, then plant incriminating evidence on the bodyguards. Act 2: Macbeth has a vision of a bloody dagger floating before him and leading him to Duncan's room. When he hears Lady Macbeth ring the bell to signal the completion of her preparations, Macbeth follows through with his part of the plan and leaves for Duncan's room. Lady Macbeth waits for Macbeth to finish killing Duncan. Macbeth enters, still 2006-07-17T22:47:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-and-Analysis-of-Macbeth-30319.aspx Analysis of Points of View in "Miss Brill" The point of view that Katherine Mansfield has chosen to use in “Miss Brill” serves two purposes. First, it illustrates how Miss Brill herself views the world and, second, it helps the reader take the same journey of burgeoning awareness as Miss Brill. The story is written in a third person omniscient (although limited) point of view. Miss Brill also interprets the world around her in a similar fashion. She is her own narrator, watching people around her and filling in their thoughts to create stories to amuse herself. Compared to most people, Miss Brill’s thinking is atypical. Generally, in viewing the world around him, a person will acknowledge his own presence and feelings. For example, if something is funny, a person will fleetingly think “I find that amusing.” While that entire sentence may not consciously cross his mind, the fact that it is humorous is personally related. Miss Brill has no such pattern of thought. She has somehow managed to not include herself in her reactions; she is merely observing actions and words. In this manner, she most resembles the narrator of the story by simply watching and relaying the events around her. This internalized third person point of view is taken even further when Miss Brill decides that the park and everyone in it “[is] like a play. It [is] exactly like a play” (260). This is the epitome of her detached point of view. Not only is she merely watching the people around her, she is so far removed from them that she feels like a separate audience. This theory that she hits upon then changes, and she decides that she does, in fact, have a part in the play as an actress. Even at this point of inclusion, she does not see herself as a leading lady, but as a mere cast member is the drama that unfolds in the park every Sunday. This seems even more detached. It implies that she is putting on a show rather than behaving and reacting honestly toward her own life. As Miss Brill travels from her isolated existence into self-awareness, the reader is also taken on the same trip. The reader’s perceptions of Miss Brill during the story mirror and shift 2006-07-17T22:46:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Points-of-View-in-quot-Miss-Brill-quot-30318.aspx What you don't know can't hurt you, or so they say. Ignorance seems to course its way through the lives of the inhabitants of Maycomb, the fictional town in Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, either directly or indirectly. Racism is a direct result of ignorance, and many of the people in To Kill a Mockingbird were racist, and those that weren't were greatly affected by it. Then there were the Ewells, who were ignorant on many other levels too. Even Scout's schoolteacher, whose job it was to impart knowledge, was hypocritical and racist! Racism in Maycomb was the norm. Any attempt to deviate from that way of thinking was shunned, and you as well as branded on your forehead `nigger-lover'. As Atticus told Scout, ."..nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything - like snot-nose. It's hard to explain - ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves."(p.113) Very few people in Maycomb dared risk the scorn of the town, but those who did were completely admirable. Tom Robinson's trial brought out the true characters of all the townspeople. The Ewells were proved to be ignorant and crass, while others, such as Atticus and Tom Robinson, shone through with their honesty and integrity. The Ewells were on an entire other level of ignorance than the rest of Maycomb. Bob Ewell and his clan were the lowest of the white people in the Maycomb hierarchy, only slightly above the blacks. "All the little man [Bob] on the witness stand had that made him any better than his nearest neighbors was, that if scrubbed with lye soap in very hot water, his skin was white." (p. 175) Bob, as a single parent on welfare, gets food stamps to provide for his seven children. But does he use the stamps to buy them food? No, instead he buys whiskey, and gets drunk. To allow him to provide for his children, the town has granted him amnesty to the hunting regulations. All the Ewell children just attend school for the first day in order to thwart the truancy people, so they are ignorant on an intellectual level too. The Ewells, though above the black society, were so much lower as far as morals and even cleanliness go. They are the most despicable and cowardly characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout's teacher was Miss Caroline 2006-07-17T20:00:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30316.aspx Analysis of " Journey to the Center of the Earth" Have you ever wondered what is inside the Earth? Do you believe all the scientific theories such as Plate Tectonics? This book, Journey to the Center of the Earth by the legendary author Jules Verne, will challenge your general knowledge and make you question what scientists believe fills our Earth. Verne completes a masterpiece with this book, which is a mix of scientific fact as well as remarkable adventure! The story commences in Germany, where Professor Hardwigg discovers a coded message on a piece of parchment. He strives to solve the riddle and is unsuccessful until his helpful nephew Harry figures out the secret to the manuscript. The message tells of a glorious tale of a Mr. Saknussemm who claims to have been to the centre of the Earth! Professor Hardwigg is overjoyed by his discovery, and immediately decides to embark on this dangerous and seemingly impossible journey. Harry is resistant but is somehow convinced to accompany his uncle on the trek. The two men travel by ship to Iceland where they meet up with a quiet, but worthy guide who will accompany them on their excursion. The company hikes to a tall mountain, in a deserted area of Iceland, which is supposedly an extinct volcano. They descend into the mountain, despite Harry’s cries about the expected temperature inside the volcano and, further more, the temperature in the center of the Earth. The three brave men scale the many-mile-deep crater and eventually come to solid ground. They rest and get ready to enter a crevasse which should, by Saknussemm’s instructions, lead them deeper into the Earth. One of the instructions was to enter the crevasse that is covered in the shade of the mountain on one of the last days of July. Unfortunately, the men must wait almost a week before they find which crevasse is the right one to enter. Finally they enter the crevasse, but not without suffering losses in their food count. Inside the mountain they continue downwards, but often stumble upon slopes more horizontal that vertical. This leads Harry to wonder if they are actually descending towards the center of the Earth. With the ingenious tools that the professor had brought they can tell the temperature, barometric pressure, and other important statistics 2006-07-17T13:38:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Journey-to-the-Center-of-the-Earth-quot-30312.aspx The Green Dream in the Great Gatsby When was the last time you looked at something so hard, hoping you would get something out of it? Well, that's what Gatsby does in this novel. In the Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the green light to represent Gatsby’s longing for Daisy and the fact that the American Dream can not be achieved because of the structured class system. In this book, it shows that you can not move up and down in class ranks. Once you are in one rank, then you stay in that one. Gatsby tries to move for Daisy, but really never does accomplish it. Gatsby looks at the green light on Daisy's dock representing his lost love with her. He yearns to see her once again. He tries to get to her through her cousin Nick. But Nick doesn't realize this until later on in the book. His American Dream wont let him in different class ranks. He is in one that at least he's trying to be in is the higher rank. The one that he thinks Daisy wants. He throws a bunch of parties with a nice house to show off to Daisy hoping that should would come. He would never actually come down to the party, he would look around to see if she appeared or not. “Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission.” (pg. 41) Gatsby thought he achieved his American Dream because he met Daisy. Since he finally reunited with her, he thought he achieved it all. He thought that was why the green light went away. That's not actually the reason why. He still hadn't achieved the dream because his money wasn't all real. “Gatsby, his hands still in his pockets, was reclining against the mantelpiece in a strained counterfeit of perfect ease, even of boredom. His head leaned back so fat that it rested against the face of a defunct mantelpiece clock, and from this position his distraught eyes stared down at Daisy, who was sitting, frightened but graceful, on the edge of a stiff chair.” (pg. 87) The Class system in the Great Gatsby doesn't have 2006-07-17T13:36:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Green-Dream-in-the-Great-Gatsby-30310.aspx Memorable Characters of the Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne is a very well recognized character in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. She is a character about whom much gas been written such as, Toward Hester Prynn, by David Reynolds, and The Scarlet A, Aboriginal and Awesome, by Kristin Herzog. Reynold's essay dealt with Hester as a heroine, who is an artistic combination of disparate female types. Herzog's essay dealt with the idea that Hester is both wild and passionate, as well as, caring, conservative, and alien. Towards Hester Prynne, by David Reynolds, expressed Hester as a heroine composed of many different stereotypes of females from the time period Hawthorne was writing. Hawthorne created some of the most skeptical and politically uncommitted characters in pre-civil war history. Reynolds went on to say, His [Hawthorne's] career illustrates the success of an especially responsive author in gathering together disparate female types and recombining them artistically so that they become crucial elements of the rhetorical and artistic construct of his fiction (Reynolds 179). Hawthorne used ironies of fallen women and female criminals to achieve the perfect combination of different types of heroines. His heroines are equipped to expel wrongs against their sex bringing about an awareness of both the rights and wrongs of women. Hester is a compound of many popular stereotypes rich in the thoughts of the time ...portrayed as a fallen woman whose honest sinfulness is found preferable to the future corruption of the reverend (Reynolds 183). Hester was described by Reynolds as a feminist criminal bound in an iron link of mutual crime (Reynolds 183). According to Reynolds, Hawthorne was trying to have his culture's darkest stereotypes absorbed into the character of Hester and rescue them from noisy politics by reinterpreting them in Puritan terms and fusing them with the moral exemplar. Kristin Herzog had a somewhat different view of Hester in The Scarlet A, Aboriginal and Awesome. She described Hester as both wild and passionate, and caring, conservative, and alien. Herzog stated that The Scarlet Letter is a story set at the rough edge of civilization. Hester is as much an outcast as any Quaker in the Puritan colony and she takes the colony's abuse laid upon her with a Quaker's dignity. Herzog described Hester's Aboriginal characteristics as caring and conservative. This aspect of Hester's femininity is not the only trait, however, which separates her from the Puritan women 2006-07-17T13:33:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Memorable-Characters-of-the-Scarlet-Letter-30308.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Lesson" How does one know that they do not live as well as someone else does? How does one know that they live in a slum? How does one know if they are poor? The answers to these questions are through learning and experiences. Learning may come from books, newspapers, magazines, or people. People can teach through their own experiences, from their own lives, through their own words. In “The Lesson”, Miss Moore teaches Sylvia and her friends through her own words and books, much to the kids’ displeasure. Sylvia takes great unhappiness in being forced to sit through one of Miss Moore’s lessons. Why was Sylvia so irritated with Miss Moore? Was there something she did not want to learn? Sylvia was a child who took great pleasure in the simple things that her family could afford for her. She was so happy because she did not know that there was anything better out there. She felt she lived fine. As Miss Moore’s lesson proceeded Sylvia’s attitude went from irritated to angry. She was not delighted at what she had learned. What she had learned was that she did live in a slum, that she was poor, and that there were better things out there than what she has experienced and takes joy in. She learned the harsh reality that is called life. Miss Moore was the new woman on the block, and the children of the neighborhood never gave her a chance. Sylvia hated her “nappy hair and proper speech”. She despised the way she dressed and the way her parents kissed her ass. But most of all she hated the education that Miss Moore brought with her, a college education, something her parents did not have. Miss Moore represented something better than herself and her parents. That “nappy-head bitch” had seen parts of the world that Sylvia had not, she had experienced things in life that Sylvia may never see. This is part of the reason Sylvia hated her so much. Miss Moore represented a better life than Sylvia could achieve, an educated one. But Sylvia also did not like Miss Moore because she opened her eyes to the reality that her life is not as perfect as she 2006-07-17T13:31:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Lesson-quot-30307.aspx Comprehensive Analysis of the Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is an exceptional novel based on sin, forgiveness, and deception. Hester, the main character, has committed the sin of adultery to an unknown man. She lives in Boston and is a puritan, which does not accept sin and lives by the strict, Puritan code. Hester’s sin is unveiled when she bears a child by the name of Pearl and has no husband at that time. Hester punishment is not death because her husband is gone, and temptation over ran her heart. Throughout the novel, the author uses symbols to entertain the reader and help explain the story. Many symbols come from settings such as, the scaffold scenes, the forest, and the light and darkness from the sun. The scaffold scenes contain many symbols that prove to be essential to the novel. The definition of scaffold is a platform used for the execution of a criminal. Ironically, this is a puritan village, which in turn should not need a scaffold because of faith and love. The scaffold, in this novel, is a platform used for redemption and a symbol of the stern Puritan code. “It was, in short, the platform of the pillory; and above it rose the framework of that instrument of discipline, so fashioned as to confine the human head in its tight grasp, and thus hold it up to the public gaze.” (Hawthorne 51) Hester's punishment for her sin of adultery is to wear the letter “A” on her bosom and stand on the scaffold in front of the whole town to see her and her child. By using the scaffold as place where Hester’s forgiven and repented, the author symbolizes how important the scaffold is to the novel. Because Hester had to stand on the scaffold for repentance so must the father of the baby, Dimmesdale, which is unknown to this point. Though many times Dimmesdale asks for forgiveness, he failed because he has not stood on the scaffold in front of the people, with Hester and Pearl. When Dimmesdale is dying, he feels that he is able to stand on the scaffold and ask for forgiveness, along side with Hester and Pearl. Another symbol, at every scaffold scene Dimmesdale, Hester, Pearl, Chillingworth, are all present showing how 2006-07-17T13:29:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comprehensive-Analysis-of-the-Scarlet-Letter-30305.aspx Analysis of Carson McCuller's Story, "A Tree, A Rock, A Cloud" “The man said slowly: ‘I love you.’… ‘I did not mean to tease you, Son,’ he said. “Sit down and have a beer with me. There is something I have to explain’” (126). This is the way in which the old man introduces himself to a young paperboy in Carson McCuller’s short story “A Tree, A Rock, A Cloud.” He later explains what he means by his comments and informs the boy about his science of love. The man’s science of love is the central focus of the story. The story is not expressly opinionated about the stranger’s science of love. However, a close read of the story will yield that the old man’s thoughts on love in “A Tree, A Rock, A Cloud” are chastised by the author and are not meant to be followed. What is clear is that the old man has some very unconventional notions about love. A detailed analysis of the text and of the character of the old man needs to be examined in order to come to the conclusion that his thoughts are not the correct way of thinking about love. The man has done a lot of traveling, but he hasn’t come to the right conclusions about life and love. The stranger begins his traveling after his wife of “one year, nine months, three days, and two nights” (127) leaves him. However, after reaching a certain point the man begins to deny that he was hurt by the divorce. “When I lay myself down on a bed and tried to think about her my mind became a blank. I couldn’t see her” (129). It is at this point that he begins to formulate his science of love. The man stops chasing his estranged wife around the country although, as Leo implies, she still could be found. He learns to love things that cannot reject or hurt him. Loving this way will keep him from being hurt again. He completely denies that a woman hurt him. The man is a weak character for this reason. Now he is no longer chasing her but the figurative opposite is occurring! “Suddenly instead of me combing the countryside to find her she began 2006-07-17T13:27:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Carson-McCullers-Story-quot-A-Tree,-A-Rock,-A-C-30304.aspx Hamlet Character Analysis Paper In the play, "Hamlet", Shakespeare needed to devize an evil character, a villain that is ambitious, and has the ability to scheme to get what he wants. The character would also have to contain some good qualities, such as kindness and contriteness. These good qualities make the character seem more human and thus, more believable. Claudius is this character. Shakespeare uses Claudius in his revenge theme in this play. Without the acts of Claudius, this theme just would not be. The entire play revolves around what Claudius has done, or will do. The evil traits of Claudius by far outweigh the good things he does. He is very ambitious, perhaps too ambitious. Claudius wanted to be king so badly, that he murdered his own brother to achieve his goal. This is how the revenge theme is weaved into the play. Hamlet, the dead king’s son learns of the act from a ghost, "A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abused; but now that noble youth The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown." (Act I, Sc. V, Lines 42-46) Claudius not only wanted to be the king of Denmark, he also wanted the queen that came with it. In Act I Sc. II Lines 8-14, Claudius has just recently been crowned king and is addressing the court. He shows in his words how happy he is to be married to Gertrude, the Queen. "herefore our sometime sister, now our queen, The imperial jointress to this warlike state, Have we, as ‘twere with a defeated joy, With an auspicious, and dropping eye, With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole, Taken to wife; ...." The ambition of Claudius lays the foundation for the theme of revenge. Without his need to be king and his willingness to do anything for it, the play would be completely different. This evil trait is, in part, what in the end kills Claudius. Claudius’ other evil trait, his scheming, also leads to his death. An example of one of Claudius’ many ‘plans’ was when he summoned Rozencrantz and Guildenstern to do some spying on Hamlet to find out what was ailing him. "Moreover that we much did long to see you, The need we have to use 2006-07-17T13:10:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hamlet-Character-Analysis-Paper-30296.aspx A Review of "Desiree's Baby" Desiree’s Baby was perhaps one of the best short stories I have ever read. It started out slow. I wondered where the story line was going. Then it reaches out and catches your attention. The story begins with the narrator speaking of Desiree, and how she was found lying asleep, next to the property entrance. It was apparent she was abandoned, there were assumptions of whom may of possibly left the small infant child. The story line takes place in Louisiana. During the particular time era, and in this region, large plantations were very common; slavery had yet to be abolished. The family who found Desiree where plantation owners and presumed wealthy. The name of the great plantation is Valmonde. Its namesake comes from the name of the owners. One particular point to recognize and remember is the narrator states that the “Madame” believes the child to be essentially a gift. Make note that he says she was without child of the flesh. This is important to remember because there are many assumptions at the end of the story. When Desiree is 18 a man named Armand Aubigny realizes he is perhaps in love with her deeply. I thought it was strange that this happened so suddenly because it is said he knew her since he was eight years old. Something I noticed that it took me a second reading was, that he lived in France and his mother also died there before he came home. A point definitely to be remembered. The story talks that perhaps she never even came to America, because she “loved her own land too well ever to leave it”. The two soon marry and their plantation is said to have once been a beautiful place, however it is not so pretty currently. It also mentions how all the slaves whom worked for Armands father were happy yet under Armands strict rule things were not so pleasant. Another key point is to take note of how he treats his slaves. Desiree has a baby boy, it mentions how her mother comes to visit and she takes notice to 2006-07-17T12:58:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Review-of-quot-Desiree-s-Baby-quot-30287.aspx Freedom of Speech in O'Connor's Short Stories This story was the first I read by O'Connor and probably my favorite to date. Every time I read it I catch myself laughing out loud at the grandmother who exemplifies southern women to a tee. The story begins with the typical nuclear family being challenged by the grandmother who doesn't want to take the vacation to Florida. She has read about a crazed killer by the name of the misfit who is on the run heading for Florida. Unfortunately, she is ignored by ever member of the family except for the little girl June Star who can read the grandmother like a book. The morning of the trip the grandmother is ironically dressed in her Sunday best and the first one in the car ready to travel as June Star predicted she would be. Notice the grandmother's dress is very nice for a trip she was horrified to take only a day earlier. This is the first of O'Connor's attempts to knock the superficial ness of southern culture. The grandmother was decked in white gloves and a navy blue dress with matching hat for the sole purpose of being recognized as a lady in case someone saw her dead on the highway. This logic may seem absurd to anyone who is foreign to southern culture, but I can assure you there are plenty of women who still subscribe to this way of thinking. The reader is now clued into the grandmother's shallow thoughts of death. In the grandmother's mind, her clothing preparations prevent any misgivings about her status as a lady. But as the Misfit later points out,” there never was a body that gave the undertaker a tip." The grandmother's perceived readiness for death is a stark contrast to her behavior when she encounters the Misfit; for she shows herself to be the least prepared for death. As the trip progresses, the children reveal themselves as brats, although funny ones, mainly out of O'Connor's desire to illustrate the lost respect for the family, and elders. The reader should notice when the family passes by a cotton field, five or six graves are revealed, perhaps foreshadowing what is later to come. Some interesting dialogue takes place when John Wesley asks, "Where's the plantation", and the grandmother replies, "Gone With the Wind." This is perhaps another statement by O'Connor at the breakdown of the 2006-07-17T12:57:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Freedom-of-Speech-in-O-Connor-s-Short-Stories-30286.aspx Plot Analysis of "The Story of an Hour" by Chopin Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour”, exemplifies the suppression that women had to endure in the late 19th century. In the short story Kate Chopin presents a woman who is in grief over her husband’s death, yet is filled with joy over the freedom it provided her with. Mrs. Mallard believed that as a result of her husband’s death, she had fewer responsibilities and more freedom to do the things she wanted to. Although the story is an example of a woman filled with joy over her husband’s passing, she dies after realizing he is in fact alive. After learning of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard experienced emotions she knew to be wrong. Although she knew she should be saddened over her husband’s death, she eagerly embraced the freedom it provided her with. With her newly found freedom, Mrs. Mallard begin doing and experiencing things she never imagined doing while her husband was alive such as when she does nothing except rejoice over the freedom she is enjoying. Mrs. Mallard interpreted patches of blue sky, between dark clouds, as a prelude of good things to come. Instead of being overtaken by grief, she was overcome by joy. This joy comes from the feeling of freedom she was experiencing for the first time in her life. Mrs. Mallard is enthusiastic over her husband’s death but doesn’t let anyone realize that, when the most unexpected happens, her husband is actually alive and he enters the room shocking everyone. The reappearance of Mr. Mallard gives Mrs. Mallard such a shock that she dies “of joy that kills”. In a sense, joy did kill her because of her husband’s sudden appearance. The doctor believed that Mrs. Mallard died from the shock of a sudden reappearance of her husband, who was believed to be dead. Mrs. Mallard’s feeling of freedom was far too much for her to return to the controlled life that existed with her husband. The sudden tragic death of Mrs. Mallard shocked everyone for they thought she would be overjoyed upon seeing that her husband was not dead. Apparently, there are some things far worse than death for Mrs. Mallard it was seeing that her husband was back. When Mrs. Mallard heard of her husband dying in a train accident, she could not 2006-07-17T12:53:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Analysis-of-quot-The-Story-of-an-Hour-quot-by-Chopin-30284.aspx Free Write Exercise on "A Small Place" by Kincaid “Let me just show you how you looked to us” (Kincaid 35). That is exactly what Jamaica Kincaid expressed, with malice, in A Small Place. The “you” is identified as being the reader, a tourist, someone who travels in the pursuit of pleasure. Kincaid feels strong resentment towards the tourist who comes to Antigua, a place where Antiguans suffer and want to escape. The natives suffer and slave in order to provide pleasure for the tourist. While the natives are trapped on their tiny island, living in poor conditions, working to make the tourist happy, they wish that they could be “you.” But because they can’t, they feel resentment. “They are too poor to escape the reality of their lives; and they are too poor to live properly in the place where they live, which is the very place you, the tourist, want to go—so when the natives see you, the tourist, they envy you, they envy your ability to leave your own banality and boredom, they envy your ability to turn their own banality and boredom into a source of pleasure for yourself” (Kincaid 19). The “you” created in A Small Place is as the reader. The reader may never have been to Antigua and visited, but Kincaid wants to put the reader in the shoes of a tourist in Antigua. By putting the reader in the shoes of a tourist in Antigua, Kincaid can express how she feels. While discussing in class, many students identified with the “you” only in the sense that they were not native to Antigua and that they are tourists at times. Whether or not they’ve ever been a tourist in Antigua doesn’t matter to Kincaid; she wants to put them in the shoes of someone who is coming to Antigua for pleasure. Using the word “you” to address the reader/ “tourist”, who in the book are both the same person, is more personal. Kincaid gets the reader’s attention and make them understand by using the word “you,” instead of “tourist,” to make it feel more personal. It seems almost as if she is actually speaking to you when she uses the word “you” in the book to address the reader. “By identifying with ‘you’ personally, I feel that 2006-07-17T12:46:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Free-Write-Exercise-on-quot-A-Small-Place-quot-by-Kincaid-30280.aspx Critical Analysis of "A&P" Short Story by John Updike “Looking back in the big windows, over the bags of peat moss and aluminum lawn furniture stacked on the pavement, I could see Lengel in my place in the slot, checking the sheep through. His face was dark and gray and his back stiff, as if he’d just received an injection of iron, and my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter.”(Updike737) An epiphany is an instance of sudden truth brought about by a mundane event. In the John Updike classic “A&P,”the main character, Sammy, experiences just that. First published in the July 22, 1961 issue of The New Yorker, the reader can’t help but wonder if the story was written to reflect the radical changes that were taking place in society during this period. Updike uses a unique setting and a variety of characters to help the reader understand that Sammy’s act was not that of a hormone driven 19 year old, but actually the decision of a man who refuses to become a “sheep.” The title setting was perfect to symbolize the structure that lies within the society that surrounds Sammy. It is designed the guide people in one direction, and it doesn’t require much thought. The “sheep” go up and down the aisles, pushing their carts and checking off their lists. The flourescent lights provide a false sense of sunlight in an otherwise dreary setting. The only disruption in the flow of traffic is the sight of “Queenie” and her two followers. “The sheep pushing their carts down the aisle-the girls were walking against the usual traffic (not that we have one-way signs or anything)-were pretty hilarious. You could see them, when Queenie’s white shoulders dawned on them, kind of jerk, or hop, or hiccup, but their eyes snapped back in their own baskets and on they pushed.”(Updike 734) The first characters to be mentioned in the story are actually the main focus of Sammy’s attention throughout. “In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits.”(Updike 733) Many would simply dismiss this story as nothing but a romantic dream, but actually these girls represent much more than a mere sex symbol. While Sammy does take intrest in the aesthetic qualities they 2006-07-17T12:43:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-A-amp-P-quot-Short-Story-by-John-30278.aspx The Relationship and Characteristics of the Nanny Many times people look at couples and wonder what brought those couples together. There is no simple answer for this because there are many different reasons for relationships. There is a saying that opposites attract. This is definitely the case of Max Sheffield and Nanny Fine, from the television show “ The Nanny.” When Nanny Fine was fired from her job in a bridal shop, she appeared on the doorstep of Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield’s house. She was selling cosmetics, and quickly stumbled upon the offer to become the nanny for his three children. Soon Nanny Fine touched the kids as well as Maxwell. Some say that opposites attract and this is true with Nanny Fine and Mr. Sheffield. She is a beautiful Jewish woman from Flushing, Queens. He is a very prim and proper man from a wealthy British family. The minute Nanny Fine stepped into his house, she felt deeply attracted to Mr. Sheffield. There was a lot of proximity between the two of them. They were forced to see each other because she lived in the house. She would always talk to him about the kids and sit on his desk to talk and give advice. However, he barely seemed to notice her until his brother came to visit and fell deeply for Fran. Mr. Sheffield then got jealous and realized how truly beautiful she was. She has long dark hair, a pretty face, and a nice body, which she tends to show off with her flashy clothes. He is a handsome man who is very concerned with work. The two are very useful to each other. Fran is not doing well financially, while he is rich. She absolutely adores the kids and does whatever she can to nurture them. She is very much available for a relationship as he is a widower. Although, Mr. Sheffield does not always agree with her influence over the children, they continue to grow in a nice and healthy manner. This relationship has Fran’s opportunity to nurture the children as Mr. Sheffield needs her to do. There is a definite reassurance of worth as she once saved him from a great catastrophe by getting a celebrity to show up. The two 2006-07-17T12:39:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Relationship-and-Characteristics-of-the-Nanny-30276.aspx Critical Analysis of "Call of the Wild" Throughout the novel The Call of the Wild, we follow a dog-named Buck through his journey through the Klondike. We experience a change in him, as he adapts to the cold, harsh land where he is forced to work in the snow, just to help men find shiny metal. Buck seems to almost transform into a different dog by the end of the book. In this report, I will go over what Buck was like, how and why he was forced to adjust to his new environment, and what he changed into. When we first met up with Buck, he lived in the Santa Clara Valley, on Judge Miller's property. He was the ruler of his area, recognized by any other local dogs. He was a mix between a St. Bernard and a Scotch Shepherd dog. He weighed one hundred and forty pounds, and he carried every one with great pride. Buck had everything he could want. Little did he know he would soon have it all taken away from him. One night, while the judge was away at a raisin grower's committee meeting, the gardener, Manuel, took Buck away from his home. Buck was then sold, and thrown in a baggage car. This would be the beginning of a new, cruel life for Buck. On his ride to wherever he was going, Buck's pride was severely damaged, if not completely wiped out by men who used tools to control him. No matter how many times Buck tried to lunge, he would just be choked into obedience at the end. When Buck arrived at his destination, there was snow everywhere, not to mention the loads of Huskies and wolf dogs. Buck was thrown into a pen with a man who had a club. This is where Buck would learn one of the two most important laws that a dog could know in the Klondike. The law of club is fairly simple, if there were a man with a club, a dog would be better off not to challenge that man. Buck learned this law after he was beaten half to death by the man who had the club. No matter what he tried, he just couldn't win. Buck was sold off to a man who put him in a harness connected to 2006-07-17T12:36:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Call-of-the-Wild-quot-30274.aspx Characteristics of Success in Jane Eyre Can certain characteristics mold an event to help a character mature and furthermore succeed? In Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, difficult events in Jane Eyre’s life promote, rather than hinder, her success. Through her unique personality traits, which are far more advanced than the typical Marxist view of women in the Victorian era, Jane molds these fateful events to help her achieve success in her oppressive world. Marxism states that all societies contain economic bases and everything else around these bases is the social structure. Thus, the social structure, represented through artwork such as Jane Eyre, is dependent on the economic base and changes along with changes in the base. The hardships of the Victorian era are brought about by the divisions between the extremely poor and the extremely rich aristocracy, who represent the economic base of the society. Along with these economic hardships, the limitations placed upon women of the time create the social structure and furthermore the character Jane Eyre. Jane’s courage, boldness, and curiosity all help her succeed in the Victorian era. First, Jane overcomes her hardship, as a poor orphaned female, through her uncommon courage, which helps her succeed over other women of her time. Jane talks to Georgiana, when Mrs. Reed comes to scold her for talking. “What would uncle Reed say to you, if he were alive?…My uncle Reed is in heaven, and can see all you do and think; and so can papa and mama: they know how you shut me up all day, and how you wish me dead” (27). Jane’s courage finally overcomes her fear of Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed is a god fearing woman, and when Jane informs her that God is watching, Mrs. Reed is fearful of her jealousy taking over, and more of these atrocious activities taking place, such as locking Jane in the Red Room. Mrs. Reed has no other choice than to rid herself of Jane. When Jane chastises Mrs. Reed it seals her fate of going to Lowood. Jane’s stay at Gateshead is imprisoning, and unhealthy. The shock of the red room almost killed Jane. Surely Jane would have never achieved emotional and physical success in such an environment. A women of the Victorian Era would have never disrespected a person of higher class. This went against the Marxist philosophy that the social structure of the time was created 2006-07-17T12:35:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Characteristics-of-Success-in-Jane-Eyre-30273.aspx Critical Review of "April Morning" Adam Cooper started out as a fifteen-year-old boy, but became a fifteen-year-old man. In the beginning, Adam could not get along with his father, Moses Cooper, and truly believed that his father hated him. Moses was always getting on to Adam for everything he did. In Moses’ eyes his boy could do better than he let on if he would only apply himself a little bit more. “There was nothing that a Cooper man couldn’t do.” Moses was a large man who could argue his way out of anything, his reputation for argumentation was known throughout the entire area. He held very strongly to his views and would not budge for anything, except perhaps his mother Goody Cooper. Because of Moses’ gift of gab he was a member of the Lexington Committee. On the night of Moses’ committee meeting Adam asked if he could go with to the meetinghouse with his father. Moses told him that the day he started acting and thinking like a man then Adam could go. So instead of going to the meeting with his father Adam met his cousin Ruth Simmons. Ruth also happened to be Adam’s best friend and love interest, and since they were just “second-cousins, once removed” that made it alright for him to have feeling her. They talked and argued and ended up kissing. It was Adam’s first kiss and the first time he felt like a man. Anyways, when Moses got home he told Sarah, his wife and Adam’s mother, what had happened at the meeting. They had discussed the military, more of a militia actually, Moses did not agree with the whole idea of a militia at all. Sarah told Moses how Adam felt about him hating his son and Moses just couldn’t believe it. He really loved Adam very much and was saddened to hear that Adam had felt that way. So Sarah read to him and they all went to bed. That night Adam’s little brother Levi had a bad dream and came into Adam’s room in the middle of the night. Adam didn’t believe in dreams and tried to console him. While standing at the window Levi heard hoof beats. After a moment there was a man on horseback yelling something that they 2006-07-16T21:54:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Review-of-quot-April-Morning-quot-30265.aspx Family in "A Circle of Children" and "The Joy Luck Club" A family gives the feeling of security and belonging, but a crisis within the family can change it forever. A family always goes through some sort of crisis, and it forces each member to realize the painful truths. Two novels, Mary MacCracken’s A Circle of Children and Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club, deal with families trying to overcome a crisis. Characters in these books experience differences that cause miscommunication, sacrifices for their family, and the transition that unifies and completes their family that was once torn apart. Differences between family members can lead to miscommunication. In Tan’s book, the barriers between Jing-mei and her mother are primarily caused by cultural differences; her mother is Chinese, while Jing-mei is more Americanized. Jing-mei always feels like her mother wants her to be someone she can not be; she feels her mother never becomes satisfied. Jing-mei does not get good grades in school, and she drops out of college. For Jing-mei, unlike her mother, does not believe she can be anything she wants to be. She believes she can only be herself. She fails to understand that her mother only hopes for the best; she never expects anything from her daughter. Additionally, Jing-mei argues with her friend Waverly at the dinner table. Jing-mei feels her mother betrays her by supporting Waverly. She becomes convinced that her mother has no faith in her, but she does not know that her mother thinks differently. “Only you picked that crab. Nobody else take it. I already know this. Everybody want best quality. You think different” (Tan 234). Jing-mei does not understand that her mother knows that she has the best quality heart, even though Jing-mei has not fulfilled all her mother’s hopes. Her mother believes the most important quality one could have is being a good person within. On the other hand, in The Circle of Children, the emotionally disturbed children in Mary’s class are so different from “average” people, that normal people have trouble understanding the children’s private hells of anger, confusion, hurt, and tragic loneliness. Since the children do not know how to act properly in today’s society, the people around them often reject them. This misunderstanding causes the children to become alienated, so 2006-07-16T21:51:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Family-in-quot-A-Circle-of-Children-quot-and-quot-The-Joy-30263.aspx Critical Analysis "Ou Libere" Sophie began her childhood like most of the children within the combines of her village in Haiti. She was young and innocent. Her aspirations were simply to enjoy the pleasantries of being a child. Education, love, and a strong family bond were the essence of her sweet beginnings. All that she had ever known was the unconditional love of her Tante Atie. It was an unsettling, but eager sense of unwavering devotion that forced her to leave her almost perfect world in an effort to regain and rekindle a relationship with a biological mother that she hardly knew, nor initially wanted to know. The circumstances of her maturation, once she arrived to her new world, eventually weaved a tangled web of dark secrets and improprieties that eventually would cost her vast amounts of mental and physical anguish that in turn was reciprocated through those that she eventually came care about. Sophie’s existence was eerily patterned after events that were relayed through three Haitian folktales within the novel; the story of the inseparable “Marassa” told to her by her mother, the story of a woman who visited a deity in an effort to end her uncontrollable hemorrhaging, and the story of a man who consummated his marriage while eventually committing murder. These occurrences initially caused her to keep secrets, yet may have been the eventual causes that led to her freedom. Her mother told the story of the Marassa to Sophie at the time that she was experiencing the beginnings of a new type of love - a love different from that of a mother and daughter. Sophie was engulfed in a quagmire of mixed emotions because of the unyielding and blinding power of this new type of love. It was unfortunate that the new love she was feeling was for a man - an older man. In discovering that Sophie’s love was being compromised, the jealousy that overwhelmed her mother, because she realized that her daughter was deceiving her, forced her to revert to performing an ancient Haitian tradition of what is now considered sexual child abuse by today’s standards. In “testing” Sophie, her mother believed that she was exercising her parental right to protect a daughters’ purity. “The love between a mother and a daughter is deeper than the sea. You would 2006-07-16T20:47:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-quot-Ou-Libere-quot-30259.aspx Synopsis of the book Dracula by Bram Stoker The book, Dracula, by Bram Stoker set in England is a book which through journal entries, newspaper articles and letters tells the story of the Count trying to spread his “vampire ness” through England. Some important things that happen in the book are that Jonathan Harker is invited to the Count’s Castle, and survives his weird stay. The Count then comes to England and kills Lucy Westenra. So Jonathan and his wife with Dr. Seward and Dr. Van Helsing go on a hunt to kill the count. Dr. Van Helsing arrives at the Count’s Castle to find him asleep in his coffin. So he drives a stake trough the Count’s heart, thus, killing the Count and avenging his life long friend Mina, who was also bitten by the Count. The title of the book is very self explanatory. Dracula is the main character of the book and the book is about him, Dracula. My first impression of Jonathan Harker was that he was an intelligent, person. He is intelligent, and remotely fearless, by the fact that he knows many languages, and because he does many things to try to escape the Counts Castle. Such as; trying to scale down the castle walls which are hundreds of feet in the air. Jonathan I think changes in the more of a fearless sense. He is first introduced as being what seems to be a nerdy kind a guy. But as the book continues he grows to be a more fearless man in the pursuit to kill the Count, such as; not fearing the Count as much as he did in the earlier parts of the book. A.) Man vs. Man. The men are Dracula and Jonathan Harker. “There was one great tomb more lordly than all the rest; huge it was, and notably proportioned. On it was but one word, DRACULA.” (407) Dr. Van Helsing At the time this is said it is moments before Helsing kills the Count. It just gives a good since of how great the Count character was both visual and mental. One of the major themes in the book is that of friendship. Dr. Helsing’s good friend, Mina is bitten by the Count but Helsing continues to 2006-07-16T20:40:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-of-the-book-Dracula-by-Bram-Stoker-30255.aspx Analysis of Romance in Snow Falling on Cedars In the novel Snow falling on Cedars, by David Guterson, the theme of the novel is the love conflict between Ishmael and Hatsue. Ishmael is in love with Hatsue from when they are very little to when they are grown up. Ishmael thinks that Hatsue will love him just like he loves her. As children Ishmael and Hatsue play together in a hollow cedar tree. They have many memories in the hollow cedar tree, which turn into many complications about racial issues. Ishmael is in love with Hatsue as soon as he notices her body and her beauty. Hatsue is in love with Ishmael but knows is wrong and deceitful. They have become young lovers and explore their bodies in the hollow cedar trees. Ishmael and Hatsue try to hide their love from everyone by sending each other letters. Ishmael sends Hatsue a letter when Hatsue is in a concentration camp. Her sister finds the letter and shows their mom. The letter reads, My love, I still go to our cedar tree in the afternoons every day. I shut my eyes, waiting. I smell your smell and I dream of you and ache for you to come home. Every moment I think of you and long to hold and feel you. Missing you is killing me. It’s like a part of me has gone away. I’m lonely and miserable and think of you always and hope you will write me right away. Remember to use Kenny Yamashita’s name for a return address on the envelope so my parents won’t get too curious. Everything here is horrible and sad and life is not worth living…without you I have nothing. – All my love forever, Ishmael Hatsue’s mom shows the letters to Hatsue and she has to explain that she knows it is wrong and explains that she is going to stay away from Ishmael. Ishmael is in love with Hatsue and thinks that nothing is going to get in the way. Hatsue knows it wrong. She writes him and tells him, “I knew with certainty that everything was wrong. I knew that we could never be right together and that soon I would have to tell you so.” (Guterson 354). 2006-07-16T20:37:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Romance-in-Snow-Falling-on-Cedars-30253.aspx Major Themes in "The Yellow Wallpaper" The Yellow Wallpaper", written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in the late 1800's, focuses on a distressed woman with no place to turn. The woman narrates the story to give the reader an inside look at what she feels and how she reacts to her surroundings. She initially turns to her husband, John, as a doctor and as her companion and he dismisses the notion of mental illness as a "slightly hysterical tendency". He isolates her by taking her to a secluded house with no human contact outside of his sister and himself who both view her illness in the same way. Gilman makes a convincing statement about gender roles in this time period, the debate of mental illness vs. physical ailment, and the concept of freedom in insanity in her exquisitely written short story. By focusing on the male dominance over the narrator, Gilman shows that a troubled mind, with no outlet, has no defense but to retreat to its inner sanctum. In order to understand the gender roles in Gilman's short story, we must first understand the era in which she was writing. The period of the late 1800's was a time when male dominance was prominent in society and women were meant to be seen, not heard. Women of the time did not defend their own opinions or beliefs by opposing their male counterparts, regardless of the relationship between them. The narrator recognizes this fact in many ways from the beginning of the story. She even says, in the opening lines, "John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage." This shows that she understood her submissive position in life and that, in general, men viewed women as senseless or silly people. By portraying John as the typical man of the era, Gilman shows the underlying effect of gender roles on the narrator's psyche. John tells the narrator that she is creating "silly fancies" in her head and that he doesn't believe she is in any real danger. John tells her what to do and when she tries to disagree, he "sat straight up and looked at [her] with such a stern, reproachful look that [she] could not say another word." It is as if he doesn't care how she feels because he is a man and 2006-07-16T20:27:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Major-Themes-in-quot-The-Yellow-Wallpaper-quot-30248.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Cask of Amontillado" In "The Cask of Amontillado," Edgar Allan Poe uses several different artistic choices in the construction of the story. He manipulates the story to be the way he wants it to be by using the point of view of the narrator, the setting, and a common monotonous sentiment throughout. Poe is successful in maintaining a "spirit of perverseness" that is prevalent in most of his works. The point of view plays a very important role in influencing the reader's perception of the story. The first line of the story is a good example of how the narrator attempts to bring the reader to his side right from the start. "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge" (231). Montresor, the narrator of the story, immediately tries to win the reader to his side by telling him that Fortunato has "ventured upon insult," and apparently crossed over the line. This attempt is clever, but the reader never gets a sense of what Fortunato has actually done to the narrator. This fact alone raises the question in my mind as to whether Fortunato has really insulted Montresor, or whether Montresor is creating it in his own mind. The point of view of the story can also affect the emotional attachment that the reader gets, or fails to get in this case, for a given character. When a reader is involved in a story, the point of view from where the story is being told is crucial to the feelings the reader has. In this story, Montresor dominates the progression of the story in every regard. In other words, the reader only knows what Montresor tells him, or what he can infer from the story. This being the case, it is difficult for the reader to develop any liking for another character unless Montresor describes him or him in a favorable way. Fortunato never stands a chance. Montresor begins putting down Fortunato in the reader's mind with the first line of the story, "when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge" (231). Even his most prized skill, wine tasting, is described as "a weak point." This puts Fortunato at a major disadvantage in the fight for 2006-07-16T20:26:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Cask-of-Amontillado-quot-30247.aspx Main Character Comparison in "Tumbling" Throughout Mckinney-Whetstone’s Tumbling, it is often stated how different two of the main characters, Noon and Ethel, are. In Tumbling, Noon is a housewife coping with her family’s, church’s, and community’s challenges. Ethel also soon becomes an indirect part of Noon’s tumultuous life because of Herbie, Noon’s husband, and his clandestine relationship with Ethel. Not only does Herbie have a secret connection with the mysterious and soulful singer Ethel, but both of Noon’s adopted daughters, Fannie and Liz, are also related to her as well. Ethel has twice placed these two girls on Noon’s doorstep, knowing that they would be bathed in Noon’s maternal instincts and nurturing warmth and not corrupted by her fast and hard entertaining lifestyle. While there are many contrasts between the two women, the differences are found upon the surface in the way that they live their lives. However, the way in which these two women carry on with their own secret burdens and how they thrive on warmth and love can be considered quite similar. Many things about Noon and Ethel’s lives are different. From Ethel’s racy “low ruffle of her red blouse”(Mckinney-Whetstone 67) to Noon’s demure “seersucker button down dress”(Mckinney-Whetstone 98), there is no question their chosen lifestyles vastly counter one another. Noon is a caring mother who keeps her house clean and makes sure there is a warm dinner at the table every night. She chats with the neighbors, goes to church every Sunday, and relies on her community for comfort. Ethel is a singer of the blues who lives her life jumping from city to city and finding solace in consoling the men who come to her in a provocative and promiscuous manner. In this way, Ethel provides for Herbie’s own sexual needs while Noon in the meantime cannot because of her own traumatic past. However, both know how to tend to another love that Herbie cannot resist. A great similarity between Ethel and Noon is that there is no question that they both love Herbie, Liz, and Fannie with great abundance. It is greatly apparent that they each have a romantic love for Herbie. Noon was moved to marry him after a long period of coolness from men during her time as a young woman and Ethel has a special interest towards Herbie out of a flock of pursuers. 2006-07-13T19:05:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Main-Character-Comparison-in-quot-Tumbling-quot-30235.aspx Utopia Explored in "Brave New World" The response one had on this story, Brave New World, was a disappointing one. I was disappointed not because it was a cheap story, but because it showed me that even if we achieve paradise, there will be something bad in that society. One can only guess things have to be equally balanced; therefore, the results of a perfect community can be intentionally bad as well as good. In this story, people are in a paradise , but in order to achieve this paradise, they have to give up their personal emotions, family, and their right to be independent. These examples will show that the costs of achieving paradise in this situation come in many forms. One of the things lost in order to obtain this paradise, is to give up their right to experience personal emotions. Emotion such as to the right to love another, to grieve over someone's death are examples of the feeling, that were sacrificed for this paradise. An example of this is when the khaki twins were laughing at the savage when Linda died, pg. 212 ' They met his eyes and simultaneously grinned. One of them pointed with his ecair butt. "Is she dead?", he asked.'. This example shows that the khaki twins were unable to generate the feeling of grieve in order to obtain utopia. Another that was lost was the sense of family. In the novel, to be consider as all in one family, was considered to easily bring a better community to the city. Pg. 226, ' they've got no wives, or children, or lovers to feel strongly about; they're so conditioned that they practically can't help behaving as they ought to behave.'. Without the differences that a family generates, such as culture and family traditions, the world would seem as the same. This example shows that the novel, Brave New World , the family was purposely lost in order to attain paradise. Since the family is lost and their world seems the same, the citizens of that utopia lost their sense of independence or individuality. An example of this is how the classes of society are divided up. They are divided since birth, the amount of the oxygen they get determines what social class they end up in; and when they are matured , the lower class citizens usually have 2006-07-13T15:25:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Utopia-Explored-in-quot-Brave-New-World-quot-30219.aspx Comparison: "A Rose For Emily" And "The Death Of Ivan Illych” William Faulkner was born in the American South, dropped out of high school in tenth grade and published his more popular works between 1954 and 1962. Interestingly enough, Leo Tolstoy was born into a noble Russian family, his official title being Count, entered the University of Kazan at age sixteen and wrote his most popular works between 1865 and 1876. Indeed, on the surface there seems to be very little in common between these two men and yet there exits such overwhelming similarity between the short stories A Rose For Emily and The Death of Ivan Illych in terms of narration, character and theme that it is almost as if the stories were written to complement each other. Perhaps the most glaring similarity between A Rose For Emily and The Death of Ivan Illych makes its appearance in the first few paragraphs of both stories, namely, the deaths of the title characters. This in itself may hardly be spectacular, but the fact is that in each story the protagonist's death was the climax yet both authors chose to reveal this from the very beginning, effectively giving their stories predetermined ends. It may even have been easier to relate the stories in chronological order of the events, or more artistically appealing to open with the character's early lives, switch to their deaths, and then relate the intermediate events that might have contributed to their tragic ends. However, both stories follow the almost identical format of beginning with the events immediately following the characters' deaths, then giving almost episodic preludes to the deaths (though Faulkner splices his tale a bit more in order to produce his final effect). A more interesting similarity lies in the protagonists themselves. Firstly, although neither work goes into great detail to relate the character's childhoods, Faulkner and Tolstoy make it abundantly clear that while Emily and Ivan may not have experienced perhaps ideal childhoods, they were certainly not unhappy children. Ivan had been "la phenix de la famille" (Section II) and Faulkner states implicitly that Emily was given everything she needed, had been a fine-looking woman and attracted many suitors. Furthermore, both stories explore the theme of a character trying to conform to the norm. Tolstoy goes to great pains to elaborate just how "most ordinary (...and therefore most terrible)" [Section II] Ivan's life had been. 2006-07-13T13:12:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-quot-A-Rose-For-Emily-quot-And-quot-The-Death-30212.aspx Comprehensive Book Review of "Things Fall Apart" In the book Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe, the author is trying to give an explanation of what it is like to live in an African society. The story is about a man named Okonkwo who is a member of the Ibo tribe. Achebe is telling the emotional story of Okonkwo from his childhood till his death. The title Things Fall Apart is symbolic of many events in the book. The main character, Okonkwo, did not like the way his father lived, he thought a man should be strong and do stereotypical male tasks. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father, did not fit mold according to his son’s ideals leaving Okonkwo ashamed of him. Okonkwo promised himself that he would make a better life for himself and his family. He became a revered member of the Ibo tribe and gained recognition from his peers. Unfortunately Okonkwo was accused of killing a boy and was banished from the Ibo tribe for seven years, during which he was forced to live with his mother’s tribe. He lost all of the recognition he had worked so hard to attain in the Ibo tribe. When Okonkwo returned he found that many things had changed, these changes were mostly instituted by Christian missionaries newly situated in Africa. In retaliation of these truths which he could not accept ,Okonkwo killed a clansman, the worst crime a tribal member could commit. After his lashing out, he realized that there was no hope for redeeming himself nor was there a chance he could become an elder (his goal). Giving in to his weakness, he hung himself, for he most likely would have been killed anyway. Basically Okonkwo's life fell apart on him, as the title Things Fall Apart exemplifies. As would be expected after all of the turmoil in his life, Okonkwo was not a very stable personality. Every thing that happened to him sparked emotions that he bottled up and kept in side. These emotions kept on building up and building up until he exploded on his Ibo tribe mate. All his life Okonkwo had been conforming to the tribes ideals and wasn’t allowing himself to truly be the Okonkwo that he was inside. He had a lot of negative feelings to his father whom took different sides than him on almost every issue. As Okonkwo 2006-07-13T13:09:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comprehensive-Book-Review-of-quot-Things-Fall-Apart-quot-30211.aspx Critical Analysis of Leiningen vs. the Ants Ambitions, dreams, conquering obstacles, whatever it is in life, they can all be achievable if one focuses, be determined, and believes positively in him/herself. The steps taken toward this positive attitude is to look at the goal to be achieved, what the fears and obstacles may be, and turn those into positive challenges. Unfortunately, one of the major flaws we (humans) in society face when first encountering a goal is being pessimistic. We seem to think of ourselves incompetent of leaping through obstacles or prevailing over the goal. Michael Jordan once stated, “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it or work around it.” This is a inspirational quote that people can turn to when in despair of not succeeding. In his short story, “Leiningen vs. the Ants”, Carl Stephenson illustrates that in order for one to prevail, they must have a determined, positive attitude (without being too overconfident) and constantly remind themselves of their power and capabilities. Leningen, a plantation owner, is an overconfident man who believes that nothing, not even elements-“act of God” can intimidate or defeat him. He boastfully states, “I’m not going to run from it just because an elemental’s on the way….When I began this model farm plantation three years ago, I took into account all that could conceivably happen to it. And now I’m ready for anything and everything-including your ants” (4). Not even the Brazilian official’s thought-provoking words would make him think twice of his actions. From his experience, Leinigen confidently felt that these ants were probably no different from the other elementals. “During his three years as a planter, Leningen had met and defeated drought, flood, plague, and all other “acts of God” which had come against him-unlike his fellow settlers in the districts, who had made little or no resistance….His brain had triumphed over every difficulty and danger it had so far encountered. And now he was sure he would prove more than a match for the “irresistible” ants” (4). In this quotation we can sense that Leiningen is a pugnacious fighter, assiduous worker, and wise in his decision-making through all his successful victories. In addition, I feel that he is a boastful person and capable in defeating anything and anyone. The ten-mile long, 2006-07-13T13:05:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Leiningen-vs_-the-Ants-30209.aspx Relationships: Benedick and Beatrice vs. Hero and Claudio In the play Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, the characters Benedick, Beatrice, Hero and Claudio all have very different relationships. Beatrice and Benedick have never been civil with each other, and whenever they meet, they often have a skirmish of words between the two. They have known each other “of old” and seem to enjoy fencing insults back and forth between them, using insults to convey their true feelings of affection towards one another. The relationship of Claudio and Hero, however, is much more simple. Claudio and Hero are deeply in love, and they show it, instead of containing it in the way that Beatrice and Benedick do. When contrasting the two relationships, the audience can see the vicissitudes of each relationship clearer. These vicissitudes are able to bring out the themes of love, the contrast of appearance and reality, and deception. The “merry war” that exists between Benedick and Beatrice is contrasted in the play to the “bashful sincerity and comely love” that exists between Hero and Claudio. Benedick and Beatrice have always had a “skirmish of wit.” The “merry war” that exists between them is intensified when the audience contrasts their relationship with the pure and virginal love that exists between Hero and Claudio. Shakespeare also uses these contrasting types of loves to bring about the central theme of the play, love. The two couple show two contrasting types of loves, one of “heart-felt” love between Hero and Claudio, and one of seemingly extreme distaste for the other shown between Benedick and Beatrice, while the two are actually burying their affections for each other. Shakespeare is able to use these two couples’ relationship to extend the theme of love to show that love can be expressed in varying ways. Furthermore, the playwright contrasts the relationships of Benedick and Beatrice to the relationship that Claudio and Hero have to bring out the theme of appearance and reality. Benedick and Beatrice have always claimed that they have no interest in the opposite sex, and when contrasted with the open declarations of love made by Hero and Claudio for each other, and this is further intensified. Benedick makes the claim that he “is loved of all ladies… but truly [he] loves none. Beatrice, on the other hand, claims that she would rather “ hear [her] dog bark at a crow than hear 2006-07-13T13:01:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Relationships-Benedick-and-Beatrice-vs_-Hero-and-Claudio-30206.aspx The Use of Irony and Humor of “The Drunkard” In the story, “The Drunkard” the author Frank O’Connor uses a point of view to primarily reveal humor and irony. In the story, O’Connor uses first person point of view. First person point of view is told through the eyes of the main character in this story. The main character is named Larry. Larry is a young boy who has to go along with his father one day to a funeral. Larry’s father Mick is the person referred to as the “drunkard”. Larry seems to know what will happen when he goes with his father but is hopping that his father might consider his presence and not drink. Since the story is told through little Larry’s eyes and thoughts the reader mainly focuses on how Larry feels about his dad being a drinker. The Irony and humor that is found in human nature is revealed through Larry, first person point of view, and what happens on his outing with his father Mick. Irony, the incongruities between the expected and actual results of events and humor, the quality of being laughably ludicrous are interweaved in this story. In the short story, “The Drunkard” Frank O’Connor uses first person point of view to reveal the humor and irony that is created in this amusing story. Humor is seen many times in the story after Larry and his father Mick reach the bar following the funeral. Larry is thirsty and takes a drink of his father’s beer. Larry finishes his father’s drink and becomes drunk afterwards. While this is occurring his father is talking away with a man named Peter Crowley who is also a drinker. When Mick realizes Larry is drunk he knows he must take him home immediately. This scene is described as, “They all stopped gabbling to gape at the strange spectacle of two sober men, middle aged men bringing home a drunken small boy with a cut over his eye” (301). This could not be better told than through the eyes of Larry who at the time is observing all he sees happening around him. Two usually drunk men carrying home but a young boy who is not sober enough to walk. This humorous scene described by the main character reveals 2006-07-13T12:59:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Use-of-Irony-and-Humor-of-“The-Drunkard”-30205.aspx Quotation Analysis from To Kill a Mockingbird "Courage is......when u know you've been licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through not matter what." Atticus Finch (Harper Lee ) This is a very powerful and almost inspiring quote from the novel To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. It depicts my very idea of the word courage. I also believe that courage is when man learns from his mistake and goes at the problem again, if he has a second chance. Atticus is completely right, in my opinion. Past experiences and examples from literature show how he is right. This quote shows how you don’t have to be strong to still be courageous and how such a powerful thing can come from so little. This quote brings me to a an instance of my past. I am a tennis player and frequently play tournaments. Last year in New York I was ranked in the top 20, but in a tournament in May I had play the #6 ranked player in the east. I knew that I couldn’t win I was “licked”. I sed to myself when you’ve got nothing you’ve got nothing to lose. It gave me a boost of confidence to still try my best. Surprisingly my best was better than his, I took an early 6-0 first set and was up 4-0 40-love in the second. He was licked now. I was four points away from winning but he had the courage to come back. He won the second set 6-4. I still would not give up, I still put up a fight in the third set but ended up losing 7-5. This example shows how I was courageous because I was the underdog and still put up a great fight without giving up. This example also shows how my opponent was courageous because he came back from the shadows of defeat to actually win. Johnny Gunther was one of the most courageous men I have ever read about. In the novel Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther, Johnny suffers from a malignant tumor, which shows to be terminal. Johnny was an excellent student one of the best and he was going to go to Harvard until he is crushed with the fatal 2006-07-13T12:53:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Quotation-Analysis-from-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30203.aspx Analysis of Literary Style of Ethan From by Edith Wharton The novel that I read was Ethan Frome written by Edith Wharton. The main character in the book is Ethan Frome, has many complex problems going on at the same time. His family has died and he has a wife that is always sick, and the only form of happiness he has is from his wife's cousin Mattie. This, however, at times proves to be hard because of Ethan's wifes interference. Nothing seems to be going in Ethan's favor. The main theme of the book is failure. The main school of writing is naturalism. The literary styles that I will go over are flashback, symbolism, situational irony, foil and dialect. The first way failure is shown in the book is through the marriage of Ethan and his wife. He married her because she had tried to help his mother recover from an illness and once his mother died he could not bear the thought of living in the house alone. Mattie always made Ethan happy but he was bound by marriage to his wife He longed to be with Mattie, however he had loyalty to his wife. Being married to the wrong person was Ethan's first failure. Another failure of Ethans was not being able to stand up to his wife, like when Zeena wanted Mattie out and the new maid was to come Ethan didn’t stand up to his wife and tell her that he wanted Mattie to stay. Zeena didn’t even acknowledge what he said. “ If she says it to-night she’ll say it to-morrow” (87) This shows how Zeena is in charge. Naturalism is when the author sets up everything up for failure and everything that can go wrong does. This is shown in Ethan Frome by his failed attempted suicide that makes him crippled. Leaving only Zeena to look after them and take care of them.“ And Zeena’s done for her, and done for Ethan, as good as she could “(129) There was also flashback, which is when the time changes in the story so you know what happened in the past. In the beginning Ethan was an old man who caught the lawyer attention but then in chapter one it tells the story of his life his younger years and in the last chapter it goes back to him being old. The author sets it 2006-07-10T18:19:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Literary-Style-of-Ethan-From-by-Edith-Wharton-30193.aspx Orwell's Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution have many similarities and ideas. The characters, settings, and the plots are the same. In addition Animal Farm is a satire and allegory of the Russian Revolution, George Orwell meant for it to be that way. My essay will cover the comparison between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution. Also it will explain why this novel is a satire and allegory to the Revolution. First of all the characters of the farm have a special role in Russian Revolution. The farm itself represents Russia, with its poor conditions and non-responsible leaders. Napoleon, the evil pig who plays Joseph Stalin in real life. Snowball, the leader who gives aid and information to Napoleon and plays the character Lenin on the Russian revolution who was a hand to Joseph Stalin, Old Major as Karl Marx. And who could forget the others like Boxer, who plays the working class, and Molly as White Russia, and of course Mendez 2 the evil dogs of Napoleon who inspire the role as the secret police of Joseph Stalin. Both the novel and Russian Revolution cover the same ideas because of these reasons. In the Russian Revolution an non-responsible leader name "Nicholas the second" or how people those days refer to him as "the Czar" was overthrown by a new leader with better ideas and ways to keep Russia alive. Stalin ruled for a great period of time, and so he got kicked out too, this time by his own people. In Animal Farm an old pig named "Old Major" has a dream about a world where animals rule, there are no differences, all equality, a dream about communism. This same thought applies with the idea of Stalin and his plan in ruling Russia. So when Snowball hears this he and his comrades get ready to attack the government, Mr. Jones (also known as "the Czar"). When he is overthrown Snowball becomes the leader and is betrayed by Napoleon. This event is when Stalin kicks out Lenin. Mendez 3 Animal Farm is a great example of a "Political Satire". In Chapter one it tells how the author, George Orwell, feels about the novel. Also it gives reference to the farm and how it relates to Russia. But you can see all the irony in chapter two. Human nature can't handle 2006-07-10T18:16:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Orwell-s-Animal-Farm-and-the-Russian-Revolution-30192.aspx The Power of Imagination used in Frankenstein Frankenstein is considered to be the greatest Gothic Romantic Novel. It is also generally thought of as the first science fiction novel. I have always been impressed and amazed by the fact that Mary wrote this novel when she was eighteen years old. What experiences and powers of imagination led to such an innovative and disturbing work? The idea for the novel arose in the summer of 1816 when Mary Shelley was staying at Lord Byron's villa in Geneva Switzerland. Not only did Mary incorporate experiences from that summer into her novel, she also utilized the sources that she had been reading and studying. Two in particular were the Metamorphoses by Ovid and Paradise Lost by Milton. It is believed that Mary studied Ovid in April and May of 1815. The major element that Ovid supplied to the theme of Frankenstein, was his presentation of the Prometheus legend. This is acknowledged in the subtitle: Frankenstein, Or the Modern Prometheus. The creation of the monster is similar to this passage from Ovid: Whether with particles of heav'nly fire, The God of Nature did his soul inspire; Or earth, but new divided from the sky, And, pliant, still retain'd th'ethereal energy; Which wise Prometheus temper'd into paste, And, mix't with living streams, the godlike image cast... From such rude principles our form began; And earth was metamorphos'd into man. Lines from Frankenstein that reflect the above passage are; "I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet." (p.51) "...that I may extinguish the spark which I so negligently bestowed." (Frankenstein p.101) The second important literary influence was Paradise Lost by Milton. ( If you have not read this, it is really worth the time. It is difficult, but is well worth the effort. I find that it is helpful to have a copy of Bullfinch's Mythology when reading it. Almost all of Milton's mythological references are explained in Bullfinch.) The influence of Milton's Paradise Lost can be seen directly from the epigraph of the 1818 edition of Frankenstein. "Did I request thee, Maker from my clay to mould me man? Did I solicit thee, from darkness to promote me?" The spirit of 2006-07-10T18:01:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Power-of-Imagination-used-in-Frankenstein-30184.aspx Critical Themes in To Kill a Mockingbird Have you ever read To Kill A Mockingbird? It is a wonderful book by Harper Lee. This book shows great examples of courage, trust, and blindness. These are all displayed throughout the entire book. In the paragraphs that follow, you will read about courage, trust and blindness, and one way that each one is displayed. Mrs. Dubose shows a great example of courage in this book. Atticus admires her for this. Mrs. Dubose is an elderly woman that lives down the street from the Finch family. She acts highly unsociable, and puts them down whenever they pass by. Scout and Jem don’t like to pass by her house, but because she lives near the Finches, they must pass by regularly. Even though they do their best to be nice to her, she still criticizes the children and Atticus. One day, however, Jem was sick of Mrs. Dubose, because she was saying bad things about Atticus. He broke Scout’s baton, and cut off a bunch of Mrs. Dubose’s camellia bushes. As a punishment, Jem had to go over to Mrs. Dubose’s house every day after school for a month. He then had to read to her 1 hour per day. Scout chose to go with Jem, because they normally hung out together. Later, Jem learned that Mrs. Dubose was fighting a morphine addiction. That is why Atticus admired her for her courage. Trust is another thing that is greatly displayed through the book. A great example has to do with Atticus talking the Tom Robinson case. Atticus is a lawyer, and he is asked by Judge Taylor to take the case. Obviously he knew Atticus well enough that he would truly defend Tom. Judge Taylor trusted Atticus on this case. Atticus also showed that he could be trusted, by the things he did in spite of the case. For example, he protected Tom. One night, Atticus learned that there was going to be a mob of people. This mob of people had plans to lynch Tom Robinson. If Atticus didn’t trust Tom, and thought that he really did rape Mayella Ewell, then he probably wouldn’t have done what he did. Atticus went to the jail where Tom was located, and waited for the mob to come. He protected to from being lynched by these people. That was why Judge Taylor asked Atticus to 2006-07-10T16:16:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Themes-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30179.aspx Literary Review of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens The story of an orphan boy without the “easy life” dares to take on the world in his many journeys, and countless adventures. He goes from the lowest part of London, to a part that he never knew existed. He makes many friends and a few enemies. No one can turn down his sensitive, helpless looks and you end up caring about him whether you want to or not. Mr. Bumble is a rat man, is always picking on people, and is very fond of bullying others. He likes to be in charge. Halfway through the book, Bumble changes. When he marries Mrs.Corney, he loses authority. Then she makes all the decisions. Jack Dawkins, known as the artful dodger, is a charming rogue. Fagin's best pupil. He is a dirty, wild, hyper boy. Dickens makes Dodger look more appealing by describing his outrageous clothes and untamed manners. Fagin is a master criminal, whose specialty is selling stolen property. He employs a gang of thieves and is always looking for new recruits. He is a man of high intelligence, although does not use it enough. Mr. Brownlow is a generous man, concerned for other people. A very respectable looking person with a heart large enough for any six ordinary men. Bill Sikes is a bully, a robber and a murderer. He is an ally of Fagin. Fagin plans the crimes and Sikes carries them out Monks, also known as Edward Leeford, is Oliver's half brother. He wants to destroy Olivers chance of inheriting their fathers estate. Nancy is the pupil of Fagin, and the abused mistress of Sikes. Although she is a prostitute and an accomplice of crooks, she has the instincts of a good person. Rose Maylie is very different from Nancey on the surface. Both were orphans, but Rose grew up with more family values. She is sympathetic to Oliver, but unlike Nancy, Rose is does not know of all the evils of the world. Oliver Twist, a loving, innocent orphan child; the son of Edwin Leeford and Agnes Fleming. He is generally quiet and shy rather than aggressive. Oliver's kind nature earns him the pity and love of the good people he meets. Dicken's choice of Oliver's name tells a lot, because the boy's story is full of "twists" and turns. Dickens uses his skills at creating to make Oliver a 2006-07-10T16:10:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Review-of-Oliver-Twist-by-Charles-Dickens-30176.aspx Synopsis of Chapter Two of 1984 At “the flicks” the movies were all based on the topic of war. There was scene after scene of brutal acts of war and terrorism. Innocent people died one after the other and the crowd would laugh, even at the sight of a baby child being blow to smithereens and have its limbs fly across the screen. What important information that this reveals about the society as a whole is that it is so morally hardened with violence and death that they think that the whole issue is a joke. The crowd enjoys people dying right in front of them. In fact, they encourage it. The society does not condone violence and war, thus they themselves would be readily on call for war themselves. The “Two minute hate” is an exercise performed by all the citizens of the city. Everyone gets seated in small groups, at their place of employment, in front of a mid-sized screen. Images of war, terrorism, and hate towards humans as a whole are flashed upon the screen, over and over again. Also, the face of the people’s “enemy” pops up as well. The people who observe the “Two minute hate” become increasingly angry and hateful towards the enemy as the images continue and they proceed to stand and yell and throw objects at the screen. The exercise is developed to fill people with hate and then, at the end, to show the face of “Big Brother”, their “saviour” and the motto’s of the city. In this manor the people become more and more devoted to “Big Brother” and more dedicated to following the mottos. The positive effects of the “Two minute hate” is that people focus all their anger on a common source, thus providing more unity in society. However, this process is simply brainwashing the people of the city into loving their leader and become his slave in whatever he wants them to do. It doesn’t allow the citizens to think for themselves, their opinions aren’t explored; one common opinion is constantly fed to the people day after day. O’Brien is a co-worker that Winston “caught eyes” with during the “Two minute hate”. Winston is hopeful about O’Brien when he recalls the incident because he believes that O’Brien had a look 2006-07-10T16:06:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-of-Chapter-Two-of-1984-30174.aspx Instances of Parallelism in King Lear Many twists and turns characterize the television soap operas of today. Subplots are a distinctive trait of these daylight dramas, for they keep audience on the edge of their seats. Subplots keep the material fresh and the audience wanting more. Shakespeare uses secondary plots as a literary device to greatly dramatize the action of the play and to spark a contrast to his underlying themes in King Lear. The secondary plots can incalculably improve the effect of dramatic irony and suspense. The effective usage of subplots in King Lear, as a form of parallelism, exhibits analogous traits of prominent characters. Using such literary device permits the audience to understand the emotions of the essential characters in the play. The magnificent similarity of different plots and characters can illustrate Shakespeare's perfect use of parallelism in King Lear. Parallelism is greatly enhanced by the use of subplots, for it creates emphasis and suspense. The parallel between Lear and Gloucester displayed in the play cannot possibly be accidental. The subplot of Gloucester corresponds the major plot of Lear. The two fathers have their own loyal legitimate child, and their own evil and disloyal kin. Gloucester and Lear are both honorable men, who have children that return to them in their time of need, and are sightless to the truth. Like Lear, Gloucester is tormented, and his favored child recovers his life; he is tended and healed by the child whom he has wronged. Their sufferings are traceable to their extreme folly and injustice, and to a selfish pursuit of their pleasure. In the early beginning of King Lear, Cordelia says that her love for her father is the love between father and daughter, no more, no less. "Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty According to my bond; nor more nor less." (Shakespeare.I.i.93-95) In response, Lear flies into a rage, disowns Cordelia, and divides her share of the kingdom between her two unworthy sisters. Such folly and injustice is encountered by Gloucester in the secondary plot. "O villain, villain! His very opinion in the letter. Abhorred villain, unnatural, detested, brut- ish villain; worse than brutish! Go, sirrah, seek him. I'll apprehend him. Abominable villain! Where is he?" (I.ii.80-84) Gloucester fooled by his wick 2006-07-10T16:05:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Instances-of-Parallelism-in-King-Lear-30173.aspx Why Ernest Hemingway is the Greatest American Author Hemingway was the best American writer who ever lived. His style has influenced writers around the world. His writing consists of clarity, power, and vision. Hemingway’s best-known creation was his own life. He was an enviable being who made the entire planet his home, a war hero who lived and prepared to die by his own will. As a writer, Hemingway made pilgrimages to the battlefields of Italy, the bullrings of Spain, the hunting grounds of Africa, and the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream. He explored the lights; he was sometimes able to cast upon his life. Behind the public mask was an artist, a self more sensitive than he wanted anyone to see. It was the part of him that saw life as it is and suffered for it. It is this part of him that remains most alive today. All of Hemingway’s work reveals to us a stripped of illusion. Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois on July 21,1899. He always hated his first name, Ernest. Throughout his life, Hemingway created a stem of nicknames to match his identities: Papa, Stein, and Hem. Hemingway began writing back in high school, and his first published pieces were written for a school newspaper. His stories mostly dramatized the exploits of his friends and himself. What fascinates me is his writing style. He was learning to write. His writing gets the reader to see and feel. Hemingway kept himself really busy each day. He’d write from morning till noon, then he’d take off to a bar to get jug of wine, and talk into the night. The next morning at dawn, he’d waken ready to take on the world. Literature, for Hemingway, was a sensation machine that he hoped would ensure his immortality. But Hemingway was not content to pick away at the reader’s sense of own with shocking details. After Hemingway was forced to leave Cuba because of the Fidel Castro revolution, he finally resided in the State. It was during 1960 when Hemingway received electric shock treatments for his mental illness. His sickness was caused by drinking massive alcohol and involved in terrifying moments. After receiving several electric shocks treatments, he knew what he must do 2006-07-10T13:43:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Why-Ernest-Hemingway-is-the-Greatest-American-Author-30163.aspx Analysis of Tragic Elements in Old Man and the Sea During a hardship of mishap and unlucky surroundings, one man dares to face the battle. This man shows the true meaning of what life is like to be a fisherman. In the tragic vision of Ernest Hemingway’s novel Old Man and the Sea, Santiago struggles to fight a life-long battle that ceases to end. Tragedy encounters this old man through every aspect of his life, leaving him with the realization of what he has become. In Old Man and the Sea, Santiago faces the realization of pain when he comprehends the fact that the fish will never be brought to shore. This hurt and agony that this one man sees and feels is a pain that many do not feel. His life right before his eyes, along with his dreams and desires, were washed away with the sea. Santiago tried so desperately to become one with himself, but the task at hand never seemed to be fulfilled. Santiago’s epic journey is one through individualism and the escape from the world. Tragically, the world found him. Throughout this entire novel, the old man continually compared himself to a great baseball player, Joe DiMaggio. Time and time again, Santiago uses DiMaggio to contrast with his own life. The pain of not catching the fish digs in his side like a spur from a boot when he cannot let go of the fact that he let Joe DiMaggio down. Here in this context, Santiago is no longer himself or an individual. He uses others over and over again to weigh his own life when the result in the end is and always has been is his boundless pain. Once again Santiago continues to entrap himself into the world’s scrutiny when he makes a remark such like this one. “I do not understand these things, he thought. But it is good that we do not have to kill the sun or the moon or the stars. It is enough to live on the sea and kill our true brothers” (Hemingway 75). He clearly states that he does not understand the world yet he continues to try to coincide to what the world wants him to be. This is a clear picture of what a tragic life this old man must face in the days of his reckoning. The pain of apprehension that he has become 2006-07-10T13:40:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Tragic-Elements-in-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-30161.aspx General Plot Summary of Lord of the Flies A plane is flying children away from a nuclear bombed city in England. It crashes in the middle of an island in the Pacific, the pilot dies so there are only children on the island. Two boys, Piggy and Ralph, have found each other. Piggy symbolizes reason, while Ralph symbolizes rational leadership. They spotted a conch shell in the middle of a pond. They fished it out. Piggy told Ralph how to blow the conch and Ralph did. The conch made a loud noise so that everyone on the island could hear it. Many boys come and the more important ones are Simon, Jack, Sam and Eric. A child called Percival complains of having seen a beast somewhere in the shadows of the forest. Jack and Ralph hold a meeting to see who should be voted as leader of the group. Ralph won. From this point on Jack and Ralph felt hatred for each other. Ralph, being a rational person, decides to light a large fire so that if a ship passes by, it will rescue them. They lighted the fire with Piggys goggles, but they made the fire much to big so all the wood around began to burn. Since this moment they never have seen Percival again maybe he has died into the fire. Jack, the chosen to keep the fire going, decides to get meat instead of look after the fire. He was out for killing a pig. While he was out hunting the pig, the fire went out. Since the fire was out, no smoke was coming from it. Just then a ship passes by. When Ralph saw the ship, he turned towards the fire but realized that it wasn't there. Jack starts hating Piggy and Ralph more and more. The first sign of violence in the book is when Jack fights with Piggy and breaks one of Piggy's lenses on his glasses. The people on the island are loosing in morals and letting their true human nature over-take their control. While Samneric were charged to look after the fire at night, they both fell asleep. Two jets made a battle over them. A man parachuted out of his plane and dies before he reaches the island. When he did hit the island, he get caught between a rock and a tree. Every time the wind blew from a 2006-07-10T13:34:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/General-Plot-Summary-of-Lord-of-the-Flies-30159.aspx Dimmesdale: The Bearer of the Scarlet letter Who should bear the stigma of sin? Hawthorne’s novel is a story of adultery, social judgment, and moral redemption. Hester cannot hide the consequences of her mistake, so she is exposed to public judgment and forced to wear the scarlet letter. However, it is Dimmesdale’s guilty conscience and struggle to rise above the sin that makes the essence of the narrative. The argument for Dimmesdale as a protagonist lies in the answers to the following questions. Does Dimmesdale’s character change throughout the story? Does he have an antagonist and a helper? Do his actions bring about the climax of the story? Finally, does he solve the problem? Hawthorne uses character development to show how a person can change. A well-developed character stirs emotions in the reader to make a powerful story. All three main characters, Hester, Chillingworth and Dimmesdale undergo changes that mark the development of events. However, it is Dimmesdale who changes the most. The reason for his change is the sin he commits with Hester. At the beginning of the book, we meet a young and self-confident minister who is trusted by the townspeople, as their moral and religious leader, “So powerful seemed the minister’s appeal…” (74). As the story progresses we see Dimmesdale become weaker physically, due to his moral torment “, who’s health had severly suffered” (119). In Chapter 8, we see him through Hester’s eyes, as a man who “Looked now more careworn and emanciated than as we described him at the scene of Hester’s public ignominy: and wether it were his failing health, or whatever the cause might be, his large dark eyes had a world of pain in their troubled and melancholy depth” (124). For a large part of the novel Dimmesdale becomes both, very sick physically and mentally, as a result of Chillingworth’s “friendly care”. Chillingworth, Hester’s wronged husband pretends to be his friend, but he actually plays an evil game with Dimmesdale throughout the whole story. In Chapter 17 Hester tells Dimmesdale about his so-called friend “Thou hast long had such an enemy, and dwellest with him, under the same roof!”(215).After their conversation, Dimmesdale regains his lost power again and decides to confess. Although Dimmesdale is physically very sick at the end of the book, he seems to be 2006-07-10T13:18:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dimmesdale-The-Bearer-of-The-Scarlet-letter-30153.aspx Literary Masterpiece of the Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is considered a masterpiece full of controversy about the 1920's life style. Fitzgerald uses symbolism to express in a more detailed way this life style of carelessness and corruption. These symbols are shown through out the characters' actions and thoughts as well as in the setting created by the author's imagination to stress a point to be caught by the reader's attention. These symbols are used to elaborate the themes in The Great Gatsby. Social status, one of Fitzgerald's themes is represented by the separate settings of the novel. The new rich or "the less fashionable" people like Gatsby and Nick lived in West Egg. Nick lived in "an eye-sore" of a house between two mansions letting us know that he was between the rich but he wasn't rich. Gatsby had a colossal mansion with a swimming pool and a tower "spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy". They were both outsiders from the world of the rich. On the other hand, the Buchanans lived across the bay in the East Egg where the old rich, the people who had money all their life and had never worked for it, lived. The Buchanans own " a cheerful red and white Georgian Colonial mansion overlooking the bay". The difference between the houses and the place they lived symbolizes their social position. The old wealthy, new wealthy and not even wealthy were part of the theme of social status. The "green light" at the end of Daisy's dock is another symbol used by Fitzgerald to express definite possibilities. The green light has true feeling for Gatsby because it represents his hopes and dreams of Daisy Buchanan. At night, Nick sees Gatsby looking at the sea, stretching his arms towards the light and trembling. But for Nick that light was just a solitary green light, it had no meaning. The moment that Daisy becomes his, that green light cease to exist because she has become his and Gatsby feels that he has accomplished his dream. Gatsby states that the green light gives him a warm feeling inside of himself, therefore we can say that the green light also symbolizes Gatsby's life on "go". In the valley of ashes, where the Wilson's lived, represented death because of the saying "ashes to ashes, dust to dust". Everything was covered in ashes. There we can see 2006-07-09T15:11:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Masterpiece-of-the-Great-Gatsby-30149.aspx Summary and Analysis of All Quiet on the Western Front All Quiet on the Western Front is about the German warfront during World War I. The story of the battle is narrated by Paul Baumer, a young soldier in the German army. He and his school friends have been urged to enlist in the fighting by Kantorek. The story is set on the front lines where Baumer and his friends are fighting for survival. When the book opens, one of their mates, Josef Behm, has already been killed. Another of the group, Kemmerich, has had his leg amputated. He never fully recovers from the amputation and soon dies. His leather boots, which were envied by all, pass on to Muller. As a result of the tragedies and deaths that they see all around them, Baumer and his friends are completely disillusioned by the war, even though they had all eagerly enlisted. Now they believe that war is a big waste and question whether there is a just cause for the fighting. They have also realized that it is the ordinary people, the little guys not the generals or captains, who actually fight the war and suffers the devastation. They fear for their own lives. One night during basic training, they took out their frustrations by beating up Corporal Himmelstoss, their drillmaster and a true bully. Of all his soldier friends, Kat is the most resourceful. He is always trying to locate food, find easy jobs, and gather supplies for the group. Baumer thinks of him as his best friend; but even this closeness does not lessen the horror of the war. Baumer's troop is often bombarded, and Baumer constantly sees death and destruction all around him. He feels relieved in the fall when he and his friends are allowed to leave the front and take a rest in the rear. Baumer is even granted a leave to go home. When Baumer goes home, he realizes he is a changed man. He feels totally lost when he puts on civilian clothes; he finds he has no interest in the things that previously entertained him. He cannot even relate to his family and resents that everybody in his small hometown acts as if the war were a game or a wonderful thing. He wishes that they understood the true horrors of fighting. Baumer meets some 2006-07-09T15:07:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-and-Analysis-of-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-30147.aspx Immortality in Life and Literature Why is it that when ever you go to a park or one of the most oldest public monuments, you'll see something carved in it or around it? Wether it says: "Janet & Mark '87" or "Samuel .L '74". These carvings were found on a huge rock formation in Wildcat Canyon National park. What motivates these people to do this? Do they just like to write thier names in strange places? Maybe for some people it is, but my explanation is that they want to be remembered. They want people to walk around there and read the carvings, and ask questions and think of them to themselves like: "I wonder who they are" or if people know already who they are they'll ask "Wow, I remember them! Gosh, its been so long, I wonder how they are, if they're alive". This act is a need for immortality. They want something they made to be remembered by the public, and possibly influence them to add thier names to the oversized historical autograph pad. The universal definition of immortality is to live forever, although no one can actually achieve it unless your some sort of superior human being, which I doubt anyone is. You may not live forever but other people's memory of you might. Great stories, passed down from generation is a way, making a national monument that represents you is another. Immortality is very hard to obtain, and Willy Loman from the play Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller is proof. A lost man who thought he can leave a mark in the world by being a salesman. He had a dream to become loved, and known, which would be the American Dream, but this dream led to his own death. As Arthur Miller would put it when he was talking about the play, obtaining immortality is like inscribing your name onto a cake of ice, on a hot July day. Like his concurring dreams, its futile. Thats why its a greater need than hunger, sex and thirst. Its something so difficult to accomplish that its almost impossible. Willy Loman has failed, unlike his role model Dave Singlemen, He tried so hard to be remembered and loved like Dave that he practically blinded himself from the truth. If you made a handprint in wet cement, will it stay there forever? It will eventually 2006-07-09T15:03:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Immortality-in-Life-and-Literature-30145.aspx Friendships in "Of Mice and Men" True friends are people who know your faults, and love you in spite of them. They will do anything for you and stick by you through thick and thin. A true friend wants whatever is best for you. In John Steinback’s novel, Of Mice and Men, George was a true friend to Lennie. When all of his options ran out, George did what was best for Lennie, and for this reason should not be prosecuted for Lennie’s death. Lennie was a great danger to himself and others. He was a very large, strong man who did not mean to harm anyone but didn’t realize when his great strength began to harm others. Because of his simple mindedness and sheer strength, Lennie had gotten himself into a lot of trouble several times before. The incidents started out small, and grew in severity each time. The first incident happened before Lennie and George came to the ranch, while they were working in the town of Weed. Lennie grabbed a lady’s dress because it was pretty and soft. When she became frightened, Lennie only held on tighter. Eventually she was able to free herself and run away. When the men in town heard of her encounter with Lennie, they took their dogs out to search for him. Because of that incident, George and Lennie had to leave Weed, and came to the ranch. QUOTE George told Lennie to keep his mouth shut and stay away from the men at the ranch. One day, the boss’s son, Curley, picked a fight with Lennie. He was just letting Curley beat him up until George instructed Lennie to defend himself. When he finally did, he crushed Curley’s hand. The trouble continued to get worse for Lennie. Once while petting his pup, he pet it too hard and killed it. Later when talking to Curley’s wife, she told him to touch her hair. Lennie liked touching soft things, and he couldn’t stop touching her hair. She became scared and screamed. In an effort to keep her quite, he covered her mouth, and tried to prevent her from struggling. In the process, he accidentally broke her neck. QUOTE Although Lennie liked soft, pretty things, he 2006-07-09T14:34:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Friendships-in-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-30131.aspx Character Anaylsis of the Narrator in "Boys and Girls" The story, “Boys and Girls”, by Alice Munro, has the ability to absorb the reader from the very start, not through only its remarkably gruesome yet gripping introduction but also from its enlightenment of how life was during the early 20th century. Ironically, Munro’s narrator and protagonist character is a little girl whom we are not provided the name of. However, this apparent lack of identity does not prevent us from discovering the young girl’s dynamic characteristics such as her endurable strength against the hardships and inequality in her own society. Thus, we are taken on a roller coaster ride of her obstinate views towards life; her rather contrasting views towards her own family members; and finally the significance of her hopes and dreams foreshadowing the melancholy acceptance of her inevitable fate. Unlike other young girls, Munro’s protagonist had rather obstinate views towards life. Having grow up in a harsh environment of a slaughter farm, where the smell of death reeked in her own home; the young girl became accustomed with this atmosphere and even found it to be “ reassuringly seasonal”. She believed that the “work in the house was endless, dreary, and peculiarly depressing”, and on the other hand found the “work done out of doors, and in [her] father’s service was ritualistically important”. The girl in her youth had become familiarized with the dominating male gender surrounding her, thus she adopted “tomboyish” characteristics and beliefs leading to her detesting the female role. However, as the young child grew older and turned eleven she “no longer felt safe”, because “the word girl had formerly seemed to [her] innocent and unburdened, like the word child: now it appeared it was no such thing”. It began to dawn on her that “a girl was not, as [she] had supposed, simply what [she] was; it was what [she] had become…also it was a joke on [her]”. It was becoming clear that even her physical appearance was developing and that not even “all [her] strength” could beat her younger brother Laird in a fight anymore. Her grandmother also made a conscious effort to remind her that she was “a girl” by saying such things as, “ Girls don’t slam doors…. and girls keep their knees together when they sit down” to which she reacted in the complete opposite manner than was intended in 2006-07-09T14:29:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Anaylsis-of-the-Narrator-in-quot-Boys-and-Girls-q-30129.aspx Chaucer's Characters' Retribution in The Miller's Tale In ‘The Miller’s Tale’ Chaucer embraces the medieval genres of fabliaux and of mystery plays. This amusing tale builds to a ridiculous and complicated climax that hinges on an intricate trick within the story leaving the reader in almost fits of laughter at the outcome. However, when the more amusing side of the story is put aside one must ask oneself whether every character has received what he or she deserves or if a terrible miscarriage of justice has taken place. The tale is set around four main characters. The first of whom we are introduced to is John the carpenter. John is portrayed as a very foolish character. He is married to Alisoun who is much younger than him at a mere 18 years of age. His jealous and controlling nature in how he acts towards Alisoun puts him in a very bad light, ‘Jalous he was, and held hire narwe in cage.’ Another factor central to his character is his hypocrisy. This is in the sense that he constantly scolds Nicholas for his interest in God’s ‘pryvetee,’ but as soon as Nicholas offers John the chance to benefit from his knowledge in the matter John immediately accepts. This, coupled with his gullibility eventually leads to his downfall. These vital flaws in his character perhaps suggest that his humiliation is just in the end. However the selfless love he has for his wife, ‘Which that he lovede moore than his lyf;’ in my opinion overshadows his flaws and result in his humiliation being much too harsh. However this is not something that relates to Nicholas, the poor astronomy student. Chaucer tells us of how he preferred to sing his time away and be supported financially by his friends which suggests a very lazy attitude and that he thinks he can survive off the effort of others. He goes on to sleep with John’s(his lanlord’s) wife and the fact that Chaucer tells the reader of how he knows of secret loves suggests that it is not the first time that he has committed this particularly major sin. This deceitful nature that he has been accustomed to serves to justify that he ultimately ends up being branded on his behind with a hot poker. It is Absolon who brands Nicholas in response to his trick in which he is totally and utterly humiliated in 2006-07-09T14:25:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Chaucer-s-Characters-Retribution-in-The-Miller-s-Tale-30127.aspx Racial Attitudes in To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is an ageless classic that takes place during the 1930s. In the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, there was a deadly racial attitude towards the people who were different then the general public. In a town of tunnel vision and hatred, Atticus and Scout stood out with open minds. Atticus was the anchor of reason in Maycomb. He understood many people in town and taught his children how to understand other people's feeling as well. Atticus believed that if you knew what someone had been through, then you would understand them better. Atticus also made Jem and Scout realize that no one is pure evil; meaning that if you look hard enough, you would find that there is good in every person you meet. Mrs. Dubose, who was perceived as an "old witch" by Jem and Scout, showed great bravery in her fight against drug addiction. Atticus believed Jem would change his opinions of Mrs. Dubose if he spends some time with her. Only after Mrs. Dubose's death did Jem begin to perceive Mrs. Dubose the same way his father did. Likewise Atticus defended Tom Robinson when no other lawyer would. He was one of the few respectable people who were not blinded by the racial injustice Tom Robinson faced. Not only did Atticus defend Tom in the courthouse, he defended him at jail on one occasion too. It happened when an angry mob was trying to kill Tom Robinson, but Atticus risked his life to save him from that mob. If only the people of Maycomb were willing to listen to Atticus' wise advice, then the town would be free of racism. Scout, symbolizing the leaders of tomorrow, began to see how other people perceived things. She started to understand the meaning of "to kill a mockingbird." At first Scout couldn't comprehend what Atticus meant when he said, "It was a sin to kill a mockingbird." As the novel progressed, Scout begun to realize how people contributed to the community without harming others. For example when Boo Radley (the shy neighbor who never went outside) killed Bob Ewell to save Jem and Scout, the sheriff of Maycomb County tried to cover it up. Heck Tate, who was the 2006-07-09T14:12:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racial-Attitudes-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30122.aspx Summary, Characters and Analysis of Lord of the Flies Summary The Story ´Lord of the Flies´, written by William Golding deals with a group of boys (no girls) that got evacuated by airplane from nuclear war. The plane crashed on a tropic island and now the boys are on their one – no adults, no civilisation. The main plot of the story is the forming of an society in order to create organised living conditions. In the beginning the boys build a responsible democratic society, formed by elections and a `head of state´. In the end it degenerates into anarchy, terror, murder and violence. This process is based on the evil that lies within each persons nature, it is the potential evil that lies within any society. The main character(s) The importance of each character in this book is hard to define and probably quiet disputable, because the elements that finally led to destruction can be found in each boy. What Golding constructs is a microcosm of the world, and each boy represents a certain group of people. “Which group of people in this world is the `main´?”, is the same question like the one for the main charakter. The deciding characters of the book could be Piggy (the intellectual outsider) the same as Simon (the symbolic of the Christian ideals), as the characters of all the other boys, because their decisions and action take a huge influence on the story as well. But the personalities that embody the most and are the most obvious embodiments are Jack and Ralph. Ralph is the democratic idea of a society, whilst Jack exemplifies fascism. Ralph is a fair, about eleven years old boy. His mind is marked by the idea of justice for everyone, he is fair, calm and intelligent. He thinks, waits and takes as much aspects as he can into his consideration before he decides what to do. A marking action of his, is his first plan about what to do, right at the beginning. He wants to gather the many boys there are and wants to do an assembly in which the community decides what to do. Jack is tall, and must be about the same age. His has a “offhand authority” in his voice that appears as intimidating, he comes into view as a person who goes his one way and does not care a lot about a common 2006-07-09T14:03:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary,-Characters-and-Analysis-of-Lord-of-the-Flies-30119.aspx Analysis of Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston In Woman Warrior, Maxine Hong Kingston tells the story of her aunt’s suicide and how it influenced Kingston’s life. In Woman Warrior Kingston’s mother told her the story of her fathers sister who had a child out of wedlock, when Kingston became sexually “of age” in her mother’s eyes. The story took place in China, presumably in the first half of the Twentieth Century, where women were heavily subjugated due to their sex. From the aunt’s story, Kingston got the idea that women in Chinese society were always watched and when needed, controlled, to keep them in line. How did Kingston’s reaction to this story shape her approach to life growing up in America? Her mother told the story to Kingston, when Kingston started to menstruate in an effort to keep her under control, sexually. In the story, the shame of having the illegitimate child fell upon the woman, which controls women’s actions. The father of the child was never disowned or humiliated, therefore men were not controlled. Furthermore, when the aunt told the father of her child that she thought that she was pregnant, the father organized the raid against her and her family in which the entire village participated. This indicates that the control was societal, not just within the family. The aunt killed herself because the societal control, based on sexism, would never allow her out of her shame. Sexism raged against Kingston’s aunt because she was a woman. During the raid of the house, the villagers singled out the aunt’s belongings and destroyed them. Other family members lost things in the raid but the aunt lost everything. The villagers did this to destroy the aunt’s quality of life. The symbolism of the aunt having her baby in the pigsty really indicated her knowledge of how severe the consequences of her actions would be. The aunt probably felt more hopeless when her child turned out to be a girl. Perhaps if it had been a boy the child’s life could have been spared. As a result of the sexism in her aunt’s life, Kingston has an awareness of sexism in her own life. This led to Kingston’s feeling that people were always watching her. Kingston had a feeling that “women were 2006-07-09T14:01:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Woman-Warrior-by-Maxine-Hong-Kingston-30118.aspx Analysis of Italian Renaissance Literature The Italian Renaissance began around the fifteenth century, affecting all fields of human endeavor-literature; these included the arts, sciences, religion and politics: This time was also known as prosperity and expansion that displayed a new mood of confidence. The Early Renaissance in England: The first Tudor monarch started with Henry VII, during this decade and a half of the fifteenth century was mostly concerned with healing the wound of political dissension and economic depression after the War of the Roses; The next Tudor began with Henry VII, the country did begin to prosper once more and the Protestant Reformation finally appeared emergence of the Anglican church headed by Henry and in the growth of a more radical sect, the Puritans. During his reign, only slight stirrings of Renaissance activities can be seen: Sir Thomas More, a Tudor statesman whom Henry beheaded for his disobedience; emphasized classical learning; Erasmus, a scholar of the new humanism, began to lecture at Cambridge in 1509, he emphasized human reasoning. Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, began writing the first poetry in modern English sometime in the late 1520’s; although their poems did not see print until 1557 when they were published in Tottel’s Miscellany fifteen years after Wyatt’s death, as well as 20 years after Surrey’s beheading. Wyatt wrote the first sonnets in Modern English in a form that he adapted for English from Patriarch, Italy’s great sonneteer during the fourteenth century: Surrey “invented” blank verse for modern English, getting the five beats flowing again in a language that had undergone much change since the time when Chaucer, more then a century before, had solved a similar problem for middle English. Sir Philip Sidney and Edmund Spencer not only took up the example of Wyatt and Surrey, they also went further in typically Renaissance direction then any poets before them had ventured; The famous Faerie Queen of Spencer is the first attempt to write an epic in English that would be modeled along classical lines: Sidney’s sonnet sequence, Astrophel and Stella, though influenced by Patriarch and by Wheat, is one of the few great sonnet sequences in English history. The High Renaissance-Elizabethan Drama In the Drama that English Renaissance attains greatness and finds its own individual voice and vision, it was both iconoclastic and popular; this drama acted out in the open sun 2006-07-09T13:54:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Italian-Renaissance-Literature-30115.aspx Critical Analysis of the Little Prince's Planet Is the Little Prince’s Planet a Utopia or Dystopia? Well the answer is different for everybody because no two minds are alike. We live in a world that is full of beauty and destruction. Many people have a different opinion and take pride in what is important to them. The Little Prince lives on a very small planet that is no bigger then he, and has very few possessions, but these possessions are what’s important to him. The prince has three volcanoes and he has a flower, which he believes is like no other flower in the universe. The Little Prince lives a very simple life on his planet and has very few worries, and that is why classifying his planet as a utopia or dystopia is so difficult. The Little Prince lives on his planet all by himself, has three volcanoes, a flower and says he can watch the sunset forty-four times in a day. So by knowing this it’s obvious that the Little Prince’s planet should be classified as a dystopia, because there’s nothing there. As the Prince goes on his journey throughout the book we come across many things that prove his planet and possessions to be dystopian. The Prince meets a man who says that he owns five hundred and one million, six hundred and twenty-two thousand, seven hundred and thirty-one stars. He meets a king who says that he rules the entire universe. So how important are the Prince’s three volcanoes when there is a man who has five hundred and one million, six hundred and twenty-two thousand, seven hundred and thirty-one stars. How important is it that the Prince has his own planet when there is a king who owns the entire universe. The prince also talks about how special his rose is and that there is no other rose like it. While the Prince was on earth, he comes across a garden where he sees a garden full of roses just like the one on his planet “He was overcome with sadness. His flower had told him that she was the only one of her kind in all the universe. And here were five thousand of them, all alike, in one single garden”(Antoine, 76) So what’s so big about the rose that the Little Prince has in his possession. So how can the Little Prince’s planet be 2006-07-09T13:44:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-the-Little-Prince-s-Planet-30112.aspx Consequences of Human Desire in the Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many of the characters suffer from the tolls of sin, but none as horribly as Hester’s daughter, Pearl. Throughout the novel, Pearl is a symbol of the sin that her mother has committed, and also suffers from this sin. Pearl is portrayed as an offspring of vice, and is even characterized as demonic by her mother. The austere Puritan society isolates Pearl, causing animosity between her and the other Puritan children. Pearl is conceived in sin, is a constant reminder to Hester of the sin she has committed, and suffers along with her mother. Hester impresses her feelings of guilt onto Pearl, the reminder of her sin. Pearl has always had an attachment to the scarlet letter on her mother’s bosom. As an infant, Peal reached up and grabbed the scarlet letter, causing “Hester Prynne to clutch the fatal token…So infinite was the torture inflicted by the intelligent touch of Pearl’s baby-hand” (Hawthorne 88). Every time that Hester sees Pearl, she is reminded of her sin and questions the permanent symbol of her sin in Pearl: “what is this being, which I have brought into this world!” Hester even asks “Child, what art thou?” as Pearl throws flowers at her mother “dancing up and down like a little elf whenever she hit the scarlet letter”(89). This is implying that Hester often saw Pearl as something other than a human child when Pearl constantly reminds her of her sin. Pearl is not only a symbol of the sin Hester committed, but she is often described as a living scarlet letter. The ordinary attire of a Puritan society were plain, gray or black clothes, however Hester dresses Pearl extravagantly, “arraying her in a crimson-velvet tunic abundantly embroidered with fantasies and flourishes of gold thread” (93). These clothes, with abundant embroidery are much like the crimson scarlet letter Hester wears. Pearl becomes no more than a manifestation based entirely on Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin; a living symbol to remind both Hester and Dimmesdale of their sin. Pearl is described as “the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!” (70) Hester often views Pearl’s existence as a demon sent to make her suffer. Hawthorne discusses that at times Hester is “feeling that her penance might best be wrought out by this unutterable pain”(67). She 2006-07-07T13:43:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Consequences-of-Human-Desire-in-the-Scarlet-Letter-30098.aspx Major Similarities of Hamlet and King Lear There are a lot of similarities in the two Shakespeare plays HAMLET and KING LEAR. I guess its because of the style in which Shakespeare wrote. William Shakespeare wrote three kinds of stories: comedy, tragedy and history. Both of these books are tragedies and they are very similar tragedies. In both of these stories there is a feud going on within the family. And in both the feud is between the children and their parents or relatives. Hamlet is looking for the revenge on his uncle for killing Hamlets father and hes upset with his mother marrying the murderer. Here Lears evil daughters try to completely destroy their father. Lear calls his daughters and asks them who loves the most. Regan and Goneril lie just to get Lears land and power. Cordelia honestly answers Lear and for that is given away to France, because Lear has gone out of his mind. After Lear gives out almost all his land he realizes his wrongdoing and tries to restore his power. But now its too late, because his daughters already took away all the land. He sees how evil his daughters really are and they don’t love him at all, so he curses them. Now Lear appears to be crazy from his actions, but in reality he exactly knows what is going on. Hamlet saw the ghost of his father and it told Hamlet that his uncle killed him to become the king. This shows that the person will even commit murder to get control of the country, just like we see in KING LEAR. After the ghost appeared to Hamlet, he started to act like he was crazy. But just like Lear, in reality he wasn’t crazy, he was thinking of how to get back at his uncle. The endings of both stories are very similar. Besides the fact that all the main characters in both stories die, its how they die that's interesting. Because Goneril wants to get Edmund, she poisons her sister Regan. Hamlets uncle wants to poison Hamlet, but by mistake he poisoned his wife, Hamlets mother. Hamlet by mistake kills his uncle servant Polonius. Because of the death of her father Ophelia (Polonius daughter) goes insane and later kills herself. Because Gonerils plan didn't work, she kills herself. At the end there is a duel between Edgar 2006-07-07T13:27:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Major-Similarities-of-Hamlet-and-King-Lear-30092.aspx Main Characters in Cather in the Rye The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is an intriguing story. It contains marvelous character portraits, a psychological analysis of the process of growing up, and many more qualities. This book has many interesting characters and plot lines, which you will discover as you read along. The three main settings are Pencey Prep, D.B’s room, and the zoo. Pencey Prep is the high school that Holden has just been kicked out of. A few of the chapters take place here. D.B’s room is Holdens brother’s room, where after sneaking into his own house, Holden spends the night. At the zoo, Holden takes his sister Phoebe to the carousel and feels the happiest he has felt in a long time. The four main characters are Holden Caulfield, Phoebe Caulfield, Stradlater, and Robert Ackley. Holden Caulfield is a young teenager who is kicked out of Pencey High School because of his lack of motivation and he has failed several times. He avoids telling his parents that he failed and wanders the streets of New York. Phoebe Caulfield is Holden’s younger sister. Holden and her have a good relationship, and she does not want him to leave her. She is a symbol of happiness and joy for Holden. Stradlater is a good-looking athlete and the roommate of Holden at Pencey High School. Holden thinks that he is very annoying. Ackley is annoyed by everything, especially Stradlater, and does not like to be bothered. The plot consists of different settings, unique characters, and interesting ideas. The book starts out with Holden Caulfield just having been kicked out of Pencey Prep School because he fails his classes. To avoid telling his parents, he leaves Pencey without telling them and wanders the streets of New York, encountering new experiences. He meets Stradlater’s mother, a prostitute, and other women. Holden becomes very lonely and wishes to talk with his loving little sister, Phoebe. Holden leaves the streets of New York to sneak into his home and spend the night in his unused brother’s room. After he gives the news to Phoebe that he would like to move to the west, Phoebe is upset and gives Holden the silent treatment. Later, Holden takes Phoebe to visit the zoo. She is 2006-07-07T13:24:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Main-Characters-in-Cather-in-the-Rye-30090.aspx Literary Analysis of Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 is a futuristic novel, telling the story of a time where books and independent thinking are outlawed. In a time so unenlightened, where those who want to better themselves by thinking, are outlawed and killed. Books and ideas are destroyed, books are incinerated, where as ideas thinking becomes a danger to society and is not tolerated. Bradbury uses literary devices, such as symbolism, in which he portrays the thoughts of man. The book recalls the effects of the Nazi's, and their destruction of literature and text, in a new day and age. Symbolism is a key element to understanding the book and its message of anti-censorship and common ignorance. The Hearth and the Salamander, the title of part one. This example of symbolism suggests two things having to do with fire, the hearth, a center of emotion and heat. Whereas a salamander will embrace heat and fire to gain warmth. The salamander represents the main character of Guy Montag. Montag's occupation as a fireman is to burn books and text to erase their existence and impact on thinking. The symbol of a Phoenix is used throughout the novel. The Phoenix was a mythical bird of ancient Arabian legend. The Phoenix symbolizes the rebirth after destruction by fire. Firemen wear a crest of the Phoenix on their uniforms. Montag, after realizing the truth of his job, opens his eyes and sees that fire and destruction has indeed destroyed his newly gained ideals, he wishes to be "reborn". With his new ideas of knowledge, he goes to Faber with ideas to save the books, and he hides books in his house. Montag even goes as far as stealing books from houses that he is supposed to be destroying. Phoenix is "reborn" only to get burnt and destroyed, again. Like the Phoenix, Guy's life is a cycle of getting burnt and rebirth, until one time the away Montag escapes and where Montag kills Capt. Beatty by igniting him with the liquid fire. Fire, another example of symbolism, Fire has a dual image in the book, the obvious one, destruction, and a symbol of warmth. For Montag, fire has been good to serve the purpose of being a fireman. Fire is one of the only things Montag knows, and the only thing he knows as a solution is to burn the problem. Capt. Beatty has taught Guy 2006-07-07T13:23:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Analysis-of-Fahrenheit-451-by-Bradbury-30089.aspx Integrity in both the Scarlet Letter and the Crucible “Integrity, a firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.” Merriam – Webster dictionary. A character with integrity is willing to sacrifice anything of substantial value, even their life or reputation, to uphold the moral code they live by. It takes someone of strong character to possess integrity, for the temptation to give in is every so often astronomically appealing. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is a character of true integrity who upholds her promise with Chillingworth and refuses to flea from the punishment of the “A”. On the contrary, Dimmesdale was a man of low integrity, for he would not confess the truth about his adulteress affair with Hester until seven years after the fact. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor was a man of integrity who refused to sign the confession even though it meant his life. All through The Scarlet Letter novel, there was one theme of Hester’s integrity during her abuse from society. Starting during her walk from the prison, society unceasingly demoralized her spirit by constantly reminding her of the sinful act. Hester however, was accepting of punishment, for she knew she was deserving of it, and would not hide from its coming. By embroidering a “loud” scarlet letter, she wore the symbol of her sin prominently, displaying her integrity in not attempting to lie or hide the truth. Hester had the opportunity to flea the situation, cast away the letter “A” and never return, however she was too strong a character to give in so easily to temptation, another instance of her integrity. Hester’s integrity was again proved by her ability to keep Chillingworth’s identity a secret. Even as she watched Dimmesdale’s health slowly dwindle from Chillingworth’s ill treatment, she would not speak the truth until she received Chillingworth’s approval. This was a prime example of honesty and integrity in Hester’s character. On the Contrary, Dimmesdale was a character of low integrity. Honest with himself, he was however untruthful with the congregation from fear of the punishment. He knew he had done wrong, it was evident in the self- torture he inflicted upon himself, yet he was deceitful with society, showing the lack of integrity his character possessed. It took him seven years and a deathbed to finally come clean with his fellow parishioners. It was too 2006-07-07T13:07:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Integrity-in-both-the-Scarlet-Letter-and-the-Crucible-30083.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Song of Roland" Charles the Great invaded Spain in the year 778. He had been invited in by the governor of the strategic city of Zaragoza, who had promised to turn the city over to him. He entered through a pass in the western Pyrenees Mountains and marched through the lands of the Basques, a people who had managed to maintain their freedom from Muslim domination and who were not too pleased with the Franks entering their land without even asking permission. Charles took care of their objections by seizing hostages and allowing his men to loot and plunder the countryside as the headed east to Zaragoza. When he reached his objective, however, he found that the Muslim governor had changed his mind, and that the gates of the city were closed to him. After lingering a while to no purpose, he and his army began to retrace their steps. The Basques were still angry with his earlier treatment of them and, as his army went through the pass of Roncevalles, attacked his rearguard. As Einhard noted in his Life of Charlemagne, a few nobles were killed, including "Hrudoland, lord of the Marches of Brittany." By the 900's, the shrine of Saint James of Compostela, located in the northeastern corner of Spain, had become one of the most popular pilgrimage sites of western Europe, and the main route from France to Saint James lay through the pass of Roncevalles. Over time, Roland became one of the heroes whose battlefield passing pilgrims were eager to see, and, eventually, he became the protagonist of an epic poem. Although historians have argued about when the written version that has survived was composed, most now agree that it dates from sometime about 1100, and was written somewhere in northern France. It is the most famous of a number of similar tales, more or less based upon the events of the era of the Carolingian monarchs and called chansons de geste. This means "songs of deeds," and these songs were the preferred "literature" of the nobility of the twelfth century. They were sung to their audience, much as Beowulf was composed to be sung to an audience the members of which were most illiterate. The idea that Roland and the other chansons were songs of deeds lead many readers to miss the complexity of these poems. If one views 2006-07-07T12:43:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Song-of-Roland-quot-30074.aspx Comparing Great Expectations and Of Mice and Men The two novels that I have studied, Great Expectations and Of Mice and Men, are very different. Of Mice and Men is set in 1930’s America during the Great Depression. There was a high unemployment rate, which meant that people had to travel along vast amounts of land for a single job. It was a struggle for financial freedom, which is a theme to the novel. Great Expectations is set in England in 1891. During this time, death was a common occurrence and happened often. The main character Pip begins to tell us about death right from the start of the novel and it is a constant theme throughout it. The landscape in Of Mice and Men starts on a very grand scale first describing ‘golden foothill slopes,’ and then describing the ‘rocky Gabilan Mountains.’ This gives the reader the impression of an immense landscape that has had little or no human contact If I was seeing this area for the first time, the first thing I would notice was how massive and peaceful the area was. I would then notice the smaller things that give the area its natural individuality like: ‘leaves lie deep and so crisp that a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs across them.’ The atmosphere of peace and tranquility is achieved by how Steinbeck describes certain areas: ‘the water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands.’ This imagery is very powerful because water makes me feel relaxed and the phrase ‘slipped twinkling,’ helped to emphasize the relaxed slow feel of the area. The ‘yellow sands,’ makes me imagine warmth like a slow afternoon. This leads onto the general fact that Steinbeck has not included any swift motions in his description. Everything is slow, methodical and relaxed. This vivid description helps us appreciate the setting and we it helps to emphasize the entry of the characters shattering the peace later on in the chapter. In Great Expectations, the landscape is introduced to us in a very different way, than in Of Mice and Men. Of Mice and Men was set in 1930’s America, but Great Expectations was set in 1861 England and therefore has a very different landscape. We are addressed directly by Pip, and he describes the landscape from his own point of view. ‘Ours is the 2006-07-07T12:41:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Great-Expectations-and-Of-Mice-and-Men-30073.aspx Analysis of Key Chapters in The Scarlet Letter Several chapters in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne are critical to the shaping of the story. Hester Prynne is an extreme sinner in the eyes of Puritan society in the 1640s; she has gone against the Bible, committing adultery. Hester is forced to live on the dirty outskirts of Boston. For committing the sin of adultery, Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter, “A” for adultery. Hester stood alone in her sin, the father of her child, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale refused to confess. Hester’s husband, Roger Chillingsworth came back to Boston and found Hester with her baby Pearl. Eventually Dimmesdale confessed to his mutual sin and died. Many chapters in the book play essential roles. Three of these chapters in The Crucible shape the book and how the characters interact. These chapters are XV, XVIII, and XXIII, respectively. In a naïve blur, Hester married Chillingsworth, and she resents him for allowing the marriage to happen. In chapter XV, Hester realizes that she hates her husband, Roger Chillingsworth; her only happiness came from earlier delusion. Hester finds Pearl in a tide pool pretending to be a mermaid, but one thing throws Hester off- Pearl has an “A” on her chest made of grass. Pearl wants Hester to ask her what is it, and Hester talks to Pearl about the “A”, but since Pearl is so young, she cannot fully grasp adultery, sex, and shame, but she understands that the “A” is something her mother has always had. Pearl also makes the connection between the “A” on her mother’s chest, and Dimmesdale always grabbing at his heart. For the next few days, Pearl consistently asks her mother about the letter and why Dimmesdale is always clutching his heart. The easiest explanation Hester is able to give Pearl is that she had a meeting with the “black man” and that was her mark. Pearl is able to distinguish a small connection between Dimmesdale and Hester, but it is not until later in the book that Pearl understands fully. After years of scorn, Hester and Dimmesdale met in the woods and decided that they should move to Europe to escape the harsh treatment of the Puritan society. Both Hester and Dimmesdale felt joyous, and Hester smiled and 2006-07-07T12:28:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Key-Chapters-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-30068.aspx Social Life in To Kill a Mockingbird “Social life is mutual negotiation and society, social order relies on mutual negotiation between individuals; this represents both creed and particular reality in American society.” – Richard Friedrich Munch. Someone’s social life can be imperative in deciding how they live their life. This is also true in Harper Lee’s To Kill A mockingbird, a book focused on Jem and Scout Finch, two young children trying to survive through childhood in Maycomb, a 1930’s town that can be everything but sensitive to others. Such as: a young man who was harassed by the neighborhood children, the local Cunningham family who were looked down upon by almost the entire town, and Tom Robinson, a young black man who is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Harper Lee shows that there are two types of outsiders; one type got there by choice because for some reason they don’t agree with society and how things work, while others were pushed away and placed in that position. Dolphus Raymond chooses to be outside of the norm. He’s an old white man who married into a black family and doesn’t care what any one has to say about it, he shows this many times in the novel. In this quote Raymond is talking to Scout and Dill, a friend of the Finch children, in the yard outside the courtroom the afternoon of the trial: ‘“Secretly, Miss. Finch, I’m not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live.”’(pg.200) Mr. Raymond tries to explain to the children that he’s not really an alcoholic. He just wants everyone to think that he is so they can have some excuse as to why he lives his life the way he does. But he really lives like that because he doesn’t want to be part of the town. He only wants to be with the people he loves and relates to, the black people of Maycomb. Dolphus Raymond is an outsider by choice. Boo Radley wants to be alone. He’s a young man who has basically become a legend through children’s’ imaginations and the stories they’ve come up with. This is how he’s lived his entire life. One night Jem and Scout discuss this and why he’s never come out of 2006-07-05T23:50:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Life-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30058.aspx Relationship of Carton and Darnay in A Tale of Two Cities “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” (Dickens 13). Two men, from two different cities, striving to earn the affection of one woman. The characters of Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay in the book A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, are two very different people. They do, however, show many similar characteristics. Carton brought up the idea that he and Darnay had a striking similarity of features during the treason trial in England. “My lord being prayed to bid my learned friend lay aside his wig, and giving no very gracious consent, the likeness became much more remarkable”(82). This similarity helps the accused traitor, Darnay, out of a tough situation. Carton and Dranay have similar physical features, though they do not always look the same. The main difference in the characters’ appearance is that Darnay is well kept, his clothes and hair are always neatly arranged. However, Carton, being drunk half of the time, is not usually quite as presentable. These men share more than appearance, however. The basic beliefs of these men are similar as well. Darnay always is trying to make the most of his life by working for what he wants and keeping his honor white. Carton too, worked for what he wants, but not always in such a noble manor as Darnay. He uses blackmail and trickery to obtain the cooperation he desires. Because these characters are both, in some ways, noble, they could be quite the matches for each other. However, Carton believes that he has wasted a good part of his life because of his lack of ambition. He quotes himself as being, “…self-flung away, wasted, drunken, poor creature of misuse as you know him to be”(154). He believes himself to be a burden to all around him, as well as a disgrace, but that is not to say that his actions are the least bit disgraceful. The two characters, Carton and Darnay, both perform some very heroic actions in the course of this story. The first act of heroism is given to Darnay, who, upon receiving a letter, goes back to France to help his servant and friend, Gabelle. Carton, 2006-07-05T23:45:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Relationship-of-Carton-and-Darnay-in-A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-30055.aspx Family Relations in To Kill a Mockingbird In the widely known novel To Kill A Mockingbird there are two families that are very diverse and are text book examples of complete opposites on the moral ladder of success. The Cunninghams and the Ewells have two very distinct and opposite reputations. The Cunninghams which are very respected while the Ewells very much despised. The Ewells are given the privilege to hunt out of season, so that the residents of the small town of Maycomb would not have to tolerate their continuous begging twenty-four hours a day for seven days a week. These two families show the respectability of hard workers or, in the Ewells case, can fill their peers with sorrow. The Cunninghams have pride, as for the Ewells, they have a natural like anarchist nature that will eventually haunt them and hurt others because of their lurid like attitude. The Cunningham's are very respected by the citizen's of Maycomb county. The Cunninghams took nothing, unless they could pay it back. Walter the youngest in the Cunningham clan was in the same class at school as Scout Finch the daughter of Atticus Finch. While in school, a fresh young new school teacher known as Miss Caroline did not know the reputations of the predecessors of these two children. In what looked like a good day for the rookie teacher quickly turned into complete disarray and a total adversity trip for the teacher. Walter Cunningham being raised in a very hard working environment was taught not to take what he could not pay back. The teacher obviously did not know about his background in the most minute way and embarrassed him extensively by almost demanding him to take some lunch money. Knowing that he could not pay Miss Caroline back in the way that she had in mind he knew that he could take the money which he wanted to take so bad. Walter eventually ended up eating with the Finch's. While eating at the Finch's he did not know what to do with all of the food that they have offered to him. For example he drowned his waffles in a lake of syrup. Bob Ewell's son, Burris was also faced in the same way but in an total opposite direction and purpose. The same day as the Walter Cunningham incident there was another incident concerning the Ewells. Burris had "cooties." A 2006-07-05T23:36:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Family-Relations-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30051.aspx Relating Canterbury Tales to Modern-Day Characters Although we can see some changes in types of characters, people today are relatively the same as they were during the Middle Ages. Some Chaucerian characters, such as the Parson, the Summoner, or even the Doctor, can relate characteristically to modern-day characters. When compared with the Chaucerian Doctor, the stereotypical, modern-day witch doctor relates similarly. With few exceptions, such as types of clothing, the Doctor and witch doctor are different The brightly colored, expensively made clothes (ll. 449-450) would be substituted for dark, black, flowing robes. The Doctor’s eyes full of strength and intellect. The witch, full of power and demon possession. Despite their differences, their likeness of their actions are greatly similar. They both make magic charms and effigies(l. 428) with their demon possessed hands. They create potions and supposed “magical” elixirs, manifested from cited chants passed down from other generations. They are perfect practicing physicians(l. 432), given that they know the cause of every malady and infliction the body can withstand(ll. 429,430). They appear to many as one to provide an extended hand to anyone in need. But there is a price to be paid for their services, and their eyes cannot oversee the wealth that is due to them. The Doctor then is the same as a witch doctor now, with their appearances different, but their intentions and thoughts the same. Stereotypes are seen only in the imagination. And it is in the imagination from which a television evangelist is characteristically similar to Geoffrey Chaucer’s Summoner. The evangelist is a deceiver to many. He quotes scripture of Biblical content, to put forth an act or display that he might appear unto others as a “man of God.” The Summoner is much the same. When he is drunks, he babbles relentlessly of common Latin phrases that he had memorized from the Church services(ll. 655-659). The Summoner has been referred to be “as hot and lecherous as a sparrow(l. 640),” giving new meaning to the purpose of many great evangelists’ falling out from the ministry. Their reasons are those of lust and adultery. Both are deceivers of men in that they appear to be to many as being righteous men. It is only on the inside that reveals the evidence of deception. “Let God be true, and every man a liar.” A tree can be determined by the fruit that it 2006-07-05T23:15:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Relating-Canterbury-Tales-to-Modern-Day-Characters-30043.aspx Themes of Lonliness in "Of Mice and Men" Universally, loneliness is a theme that many authors across the world present in the novels. In John Steinbeck's, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck offers many instances in which characters feel alone. Loneliness is defined as standing apart from others of its kind. Steinbeck gives perfect examples with his characters of loneliness. Many of his characters are considered lonely, but two specifically. Crooks is a hunchbacked black man who’s discriminated against. He is commonly referred to as the stable buck and a nigger. " I ain't been wanted in the bunkhouse... They play cards there; I can't play because I'm black." (68) Because he is the only black man on the ranch, he is forced to live alone in a shed of the barn, and no one will have any interaction with him. The ranch workers seem to discriminate against many different types of people. Blacks are one of the discriminative races of all throughout the novel. They treat Crooks terribly. Crooks seemed depressed because he feels black and white people could never be friends. He fills his time by reading books. The loneliest character in the novel is Crooks. Another very lonely character in Of Mice and Men is Curley's wife. She also voices her loneliness. "I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely." (84) You can easily tell how flustered she is. She would much rather be starring in movies. She is the only woman on the ranch and is discriminated against. They feel she is not important enough to have a name. Curley's wife is very provocative and tries to seduce Lennie. All he sees her as is something soft. Curley's wife was a nice person, meant no evil, although she causes problems. Curley's wife and Crooks are both loners. Although they are both lonely in two different ways. They are similar because they're both discriminated against. Curley's wife is discriminated against because of her gender and Crooks is discriminated against because of the color of his skin. Those are the main contrasts in the loneliness between Curley's wife and Crooks. Crooks liked to keep to himself most of the time, as Curley's wife was dying to socialize with any man on the ranch that she could. 2006-07-05T23:06:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-Lonliness-in-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-30041.aspx Summary Analysis of A Lesson Before Dying A Lesson Before Dying Author: Ernest J. Gaines This book is takes place in a small Cajun community in the late 1940s. One of the main characters is a young black male named Jefferson. The book begins in the scene of a liquor store where two boys named Brother and Bear attempt to rob the liquor store, but the boys are in for a surprise. The liquor store clerk is not a easy one. The calm, quiet liquor store turns into a shooting gallery. With the innocent by stander Jefferson witnessing the showdown. By the time the last bullet was fire the liquor store was a bloody grave in which the two robbers and the clerk lay cover and drench in each others blood. The money in which the robbers were plotting to take was in the cash register under the wire clamps. Jefferson just stood there shaking not actually knowing what just went down here. So many thoughts rapidly running through his head like a herd of wild African horses. Then felt the sudden need for a drink. He reaches for a bottle on the shelf almost cutting his finger on the broken ones. Jefferson began to drink and he realize how he got there, what happened and that all that money was in the open register. He stuffed the money in his pocket as he walked out the door with the bottle in his hand. As two white men walk in. The book then takes the reader to the courtroom in which Jefferson was given the death penalty. Jefferson clearly was innocent and didn't have the brains nor the patients to plan anything like that. But the jury being all white and the accuse black, with three men dead and no alibi he had no hope of survival. Plus the fact that he took the money and didnêt call any authorities or medics. After all the excitement the book calms down and introduces another important character Grant Wiggins who had left for college. And now comes back to teach school, while he juggles with a decision of staying and teaching or fleeing to another state unnoticed. While in the process of his thinking Jefferson's Godmother and his aunt persuade him to take a trip to see Jefferson. And teach him before his death. He does and they become closer and Grant and 2006-07-05T23:04:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-Analysis-of-A-Lesson-Before-Dying-30040.aspx Means by Which Salinger's Characters Pursue Happiness J. D. Salinger in his stories portrayed people who don't fit in with the traditional American culture of the 1950s . The post war society was believed to be happy as standard of living seemed higher, American technology was soaring and, politically, and economically America played a superior position in the world. Though there were some radicals who were not contented with such a situation, they couldn’t accept a conforming way of live but they focused not only on a comfortable but meaningless life. Such radicals can be noticed in Salinger’s works. His main characters are super-intelligent humans who must choose between the phony real world (American culture) and a morally-pure, meaningful world. Salinger's characters unlike the rest of society, are caught in the struggle between a superficial world and a conscious morality. They keep in touch with reality, but rarely accomplish anything extraordinary in the eyes of ordinary men. They attack the rules of society, and become victories only by escaping from its limitations. They do not conform to the material happiness; but search for a spiritual happiness. However, it does not mean that they are anarchists. An anarchist purposely disobeys society at every chance they get, and are generally troublemakers. But in case of Salinger’s characters we have nonconformists. Nonconformists do what they want, when they want. They don't purposely go against society, but if what they feel like doing it, they just go for it as they do not consider themselves as members of it. Salinger presenting nonconformists uses various characters. There is a ten year old Teddy – phenomenal child, far from perfect 16 year old Holden, veteran of war Seymour Glass and a young girl – Franny. All the characters are tragic ones, they are lonely, surrounding world only pretends to listen to them. Teddy lost his childhood, although he corresponds with professors and scientists, they treat him more like a curiosity than a human being. “He is a mystic who receives his inevitable death with a spiritual equanimity that contrasts starkly with the logical and emotional egocentricity of everybody else in the story” Inability to operate in the society also Holden Caulfield experienced; he in spite of being in a crowded city there was hardly anyone who could talk to him. “He wants to be 2006-07-05T22:57:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Means-by-Which-Salinger-s-Characters-Pursue-Happiness-30038.aspx Religious Themes in "Animal Farm" Commandments are rules that one has to live by in order to be accepted in society and to let the society advance. If commandments are not followed, chaos and terror will reign. Since ancient times rules and codes have been enforced by civilizations in order to keep good judgment and peace. Old Major, like the predecessors of leaders before him, has paved the way for the set of commandments on the farm. Together with his wisdom and the animal’s determination to be free, they are eager to accept the challenges and willing to follow the responsibilities of being on Animal Farm. Old Major, a pig of great stature on the farm, has yearned for freedom from Mr. Jones. This has leaded him to gather the other animals on the farm and convince them to band together to overthrow the Jones’ and their employees. The beginning of this novel portrays the animals as calm creatures with desired goals, none concerning power and corruption. Although not set in stone, his “commandments” preach equality for the animals on the farm and to collectively express their dislike of all creatures on two legs. He also makes a major (no pun intended hahah) point that no animal shall ever resemble any human because of the terror and atrocities that they have led him or her through. As Old Major passes there is a great struggle for power between the pigs. The power hungry pigs take control because they are the smartest and the cleverest at luring the animals to their sides. They have also been studying how to read and write and therefore have a substantial advantage of the animals that don’t know how to read. The major struggle is between Napoleon and Snowball, who each have ideas that are on opposite sides of the spectrum. As the book progresses Napoleon realizes that he (pigs) now has a dominating control over the animals and decides to use his power. However, he does not put this power into something good yet something horrible and ostracizes Snowball leaving him as the lone authority over the animals. Treacherously taking his power has led Napoleon into a dictatorship rule. From this point on in the story the philosophy of the farm has been changes to what has once been a community effort to a one-person 2006-07-05T22:50:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Religious-Themes-in-quot-Animal-Farm-quot-30036.aspx Analysis of "The Transall Saga" by Gary Paulsen The setting in this story is out in the desert on an old missile range. This story takes place during the afternoon on a desert-hiking trip. The setting is vital to the story because this is where a major event takes place. The story could not have taken place anywhere else. Because in order for the major event to take place to set the story in motion the main character must be bitten by a snake, and there aren't snakes that bit in a lot of different locations. Here is the plot of the story. A boy is on a hiking trip in the desert all by himself. He is about to go to bed when he is awakened by a bright, iridescent beam of bluish white light that seemed to be projected at the ground from somewhere in the sky. As the boy is examining the beam of light from the top of a large boulder he is bit by a rattlesnake, which throws him off balance and causes him to fall into the beam of light. The beam transports him to another time on what appears to be another planet. As he searches for a pathway back to his own time on Earth, he must make a new life in a new world. His encounters with primitive tribes bring the joy of human bonds, but violence and war as well and, finally, a contest in which he discovers his own startling powers. The main character is a boy named mark. He is a thirteen years old boy with short brown hair. He has a serious personality but is very interesting. A conflict that Mark faces is trying to survive in the wild in what appears to be a new world. He eventually learns to survive and even makes some good friends to. Mark learned many new survival techniques that I could even use in the wild today. During the story Mark changes from a boy to a strong tough man also he grows to know and understand the people and environment around him. Mark is very realistic so realistic that sometimes I even pictured my self as being him in this new place. If I were Mark I think that the only thing I would have done differently is gotten married sooner. The title of the book Transall Saga has a 2006-07-05T16:14:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Transall-Saga-quot-by-Gary-Paulsen-30025.aspx Ophelia Developed by Symbolism, Imagery and Irony Denied the freedom of speech, she cannot survive the contemptuous conversations of the cruel world. Being a female in a kingdom full of chaos and deceitfulness, the harmless Ophelia is forced to keep silent and surrender to the domineering men in her life. Her lover feigns madness in an attempt to avoid prosecution of murder. By hiding behind his mask of insanity after accidentally killing Ophelia’s father, Ophelia’s lover ultimately loses his true-love: Ophelia. Hamlet is the name of Ophelia’s lover and the title of Shakespeare’s most renowned play. Although Ophelia is not the focal character in Hamlet, the audience is moved by the subtleness and complexity of her mind. The audience feels sympathetic towards Ophelia because she is completely undeserving of her emotional and physical suffrages throughout this tragedy. Ophelia’s character can be developed through the use of the literary devices of figurative imagery, symbolism and irony. First, Ophelia’s character is unearthed by the use of figurative imagery. This literary device functions to uncover the messages hidden behind Ophelia’s fractured speech and unpredictable actions. By drawing comparisons between what is unfamiliar to something that is familiar to the reader, figurative imagery can change complex ideas into relatable concepts. Ophelia’s character can be described as loving, gentle and innocent through the use of flower imagery. Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, first introduces this flower imagery associated with Ophelia: A violet in the youth of primy nature, Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, The perfume and suppliance of a minute, No more. (I, iii, ll. 7-10) In this quotation, Laertes is trying to convince Ophelia that Hamlet is not to be trusted, and that his love for her may be deceitful. Laertes compares Hamlet’s love for Ophelia to a violet, which flowers in the early spring and smells very sweet, but does not last long. He believes that, like a violet that withers away shortly after blooming, Hamlet will soon fall out of love with Ophelia and she will be left alone. By warning Ophelia of Hamlet’s possible mistrust and by having concern for her feelings, Laertes shows the audience how deep a bond exists between himself and Ophelia. However, the fact that Laertes and his father both have little faith in Ophelia’s decisions shows that they think of 2006-07-05T15:53:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ophelia-Developed-by-Symbolism-Imagery-and-Irony-30018.aspx Feeling no Sympathy for King Lear We see King Lear’s first foolish mistake in the way he decides to divide his kingdom in three parts. He believes that he can keep his title, and with it all the benefits of being King even after he abdicates. We see even more foolishness in the way he judges his daughters’ characters and misinterprets their words. The way in which he chooses to share his lands is another obvious indication of his lack of common sense. In giving his daughter the “love test” he shows how he is impressed by the big words Reagan and Gonnoreil display and fails to understand Cordelia’s message. Had he never spoken to his daughters before? It is obvious that he had little knowledge concerning his daughters’ true nature. Lear banishes Cordelia because he believed she was disrespecting him, and he also dismisses Kent for defending Cordelia. His poor judgment leads to tragic consequences, by sending those who care for him away he is left at the mercy of his enemies. He thrusts the wrong people and in doing so he condemns those who care about him. Lear is a fool, and his fool is a wise man, this contrast emphasizes on the fact that appearance is deceitful. Lear judges people from the first impression they give him, and ignores those who would help him. The fool represents wisdom and the king is a fool. Lear’s inability to listen to what those around him have to say may well be considered one of his foolish traits. Had he paid any attention to what people really intended with their words and actions. As a result of Lear’s mindless actions many suffer. Lear seems to be cursed by fate and he brings misfortune to those around him. Gloucester, Kent, Cordelia and the fool are all innocent, yet they are forced to suffer for Lear’s mistakes. Lear is a foolish man; he acts unwisely and deserved to be punished for the way in which he acted, and however the consequences for his actions seem to be far too dire. His punishment seems unfair as it is too tragic. However one can feel no sympathy for Lear, he was inconsiderate towards the fate of those who loved him. His stubborn and selfish attitude forces misery onto others. One can only pity Gloucester and Cordelia as they are innocent and 2006-07-05T15:50:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Feeling-No-Sympathy-for-King-Lear-30017.aspx Comparing Stories of Guy de Maupassant and Thomas Hardy Both the stories we were asked to read contain elements of mystery. They both are designed to make the reader think and make their own conclusions about what is going to happen at the end. The stories make you want to read on to find out what is going to happen. The stories are designed to trick you in to believing what you think is going happen but in fact it doesn’t. They do this by placing Red Herrings in to the story to confuse the reader. There is also often a twist at the end of mystery stories. Maupassant’s story mainly surrounds the issues concerning the conditions and psychology surrounding vengeance, this makes the story seem gruesome from the beginning because as she has a murder to gain revenge on you think that she will do something like that back. Hardy is focused on writing a story in which the mystery involves issues surrounding a community. The community ideas in this story make you think about the safety of everybody all together in the small cottage but it fact the mystery makes you wonder how safe it is. When Hardy first starts to introduce the story he is very descriptive when talking about the rural setting. He describes the cottage as ‘lonely’ and the land surrounding it ‘irregular’ the language which he uses to describe the area, the night and the cottage bring on a sense of mystery because it is a very quiet area, which usually has quite bad weather. Which means that there is not many people around to see any crimes take place. ‘The wind up here blew unmistakably when it did blow and the rain hit hard whenever it fell.’ As it was in the middle of nowhere except for the two paths nobody would see anything happen and a lot of strangers would pass along the two paths to the towns. Again this brings on a sense of mystery because you would see strangers passing to and from town but you would not know why they are leaving or entering the town. Hardy makes the environment seem very realistic through the detail; this would make the reader feel as if they were at the scene if they could picture it. Hardy describes the community at 2006-07-05T15:46:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Stories-of-Guy-de-Maupassant-and-Thomas-Hardy-30015.aspx Dickens' Use of Foreshadowing in "A Tale of Two Cities" In Charles Dickens’, Tale of Two Cities, the author repeatedly foreshadows the impending revolution. In Chapter Five of Book One, Dickens includes the breaking of a wine cask to show a large, impoverished crowd gathered in a united cause. Later, we find Madame Defarge symbolically knitting, what we come to find out to be, the death warrants of the St. Evremonde family. Also, after Marquis is murdered for killing the small child with his horses, we come to see the theme of revenge that will become all too common. The author uses vivid foreshadowing to paint a picture of civil unrest among the common people that will come to lead to the French Revolution. In Chapter Five of Book One, Dickens includes the breaking of a wine cask to show a large, impoverished crowd gathered in a united cause. At this point in the novel, Lucie Mannette and Mr. Lorry had just arrived in Paris to find Lucie’s father. The author appears to get off of the subject to describe the breaking of the wine cask. This however, is much more significant than it would first appear. Outside of a wine-shop, a wine cask is broken in the street. Many people rush around the puddle on the ground trying to scoop it up and drink as much as they can. Dickens describes the rush to the spilled wine by saying “The people within reach had suspended their business, or their idleness to run to the spot and drink the wine... some men kneeled down, made scoops with their two hands joined and sipped.”(Dickens 27). This goes to show how desperate the people are. The quote also infers that many people are unemployed. As a joke, a man writes the word “BLOOD” on a wall next to where the cask broke open. This foreshadows the violence of the unruly mobs later in the novel. This scene points out how impoverished the people of Paris are and how rowdy a crowd can become when they are unified under a united cause. Later, we find Madame Defarge symbolically knitting, what we come to find out to be, the death warrant of the St. Evremonde family. Madame Defarge was a very hateful character. She hated the upper-class and was never able to get past this hatred. Thus, she and her husband 2006-07-05T15:37:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dickens-Use-of-Foreshadowing-in-quot-A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-30012.aspx Summary and Analysis of Huck Finn Tom Sawyer is a boy who is full of adventures. In his world there is an adventure around every corner. Some of his adventures have lead him into some bad situations but with his good heart and bright mind he has gotten out of them. Tom lives with his aunt Polly, his cousin Mary and his bother Sid. One of the first things to happen in the book is a memorable one, the painting of the fence. Tom's aunt Polly made Tom paint her fence on a Saturday as a punishment. Tom just hated the idea of having to work on a Saturday while all of the neighborhood could make fun of and harass him. After Tom tried to trade some of his possessions for a few hours of freedom he had a stroke of genius, instead of him paying people to work for him, he made people pay him to paint. Tom managed this by telling people that it isn't every day that you get a chance to paint a fence and he thought it was fun. He had people begging him to paint by the time that he was finished his story. He would have taken every boy in the town's wealth if he had not run out of paint. On June 17th about the hour of midnight, Tom and his best friend Huck were out in the grave yard trying to get rid of warts, when they witnessed a murder by Injun Joe. At the time Muff Potter was drunk and asleep so Injun Joe blamed the murder him (Muff Potter). They knew if crazy Injun Joe found out they knew, he would for sure kill them. Tom wrote on a wooden board "Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer swear to keep mum about this and they wish they may drop down dead in their tracks if they ever tell and rot", then in their own blood they signed their initials TS and HF. A few days after that incident Tom, Huck and Joe decided to go and become pirates because no one cared for their company anymore. They stole some food and supplies and then they stole a raft and paddled to an island in the middle of the Mississippi River. They stayed and pirated for several days, then they all became so home sick that 2006-07-05T15:35:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-and-Analysis-of-Huck-Finn-30011.aspx Character Development in the Grapes of Wrath In Stienbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath, most of the characters went through some type of change. Tom Joad affected many different people throughout the whole trip to California. Not only did he change as a result of the long trip, but also he had a major impact on Jim Casy and on the whole Joad family in general. The significance of these changes helped to determine the whole plot of the unfolding story. Tom’s influences changed the way the characters felt and acted. In the beginning of the novel, Tom Joad has just been released from prison for having killed a man. (Here we find him in a proud, non-regretting state of mind.) As he catches up with his family and travels many miles, his attitude changes drastically. Tom realizes the great value of a close family, so he tries to help his family to stay strong and work together to benefit each other. “You got to think about that day, an’ then the nex’ day, about the ball game Sat’dy.” This quote is taken from a point in the story where Ma is unsure of what will become of their future in California. Tom reminds her that she must take things one day at a time. Their future is indefinite and unclear, but with Tom’s positive attitude, the emotional stress is somewhat alleviated from everyone. When Jim Casy first meets Tom Joad, Tom had just been released from prison. Casy used to be the preacher in the town; therefore he is a longtime friend of the Joad family. Casy has been living his life wondering around aimlessly, obtaining food by killing small animals, and living off the land. Tom asks Casy to join him in looking for his family, and on their search they come to be companions. The two find the Joad family, as they are about to depart, and Casy is invited to join the family on their excursion. At various times in the novel, Casy is asked to say a prayer to which his usual response is, “I’m no longer a preacher.” Which in itself signifies a change in Casy. As the family is packing up to leave, Grampa decides that he is not leaving, he wants to stay on his land and live like Muley Graves does. Grampa says, “I’ll just stay right where I b’long”. 2006-07-04T16:40:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Development-in-the-Grapes-of-Wrath-30006.aspx Analysis of "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath sets itself during a 6 month period in the life of the main character that is Esther Greenwood. The beginning of the novel begins during the summer in which the Rosenbergs were executed in New York, which the year was 1953. Eisenhower was president at the time. The story is first set in New York in a hotel for women with the fictional title of Amazon, and in the offices of a women’s fashion magazine. Later, the main character returns to her home in the suburbs of Boston. She receives outpatient shock treatment in Walton, Massachusetts. Then she spends a short time in a city psychiatric hospital, which was probably in Boston, and then was moved to a private hospital in New England. It had three main houses and it was ranked according to the health of its patients. Esther Greenwood was a talented and sensitive young woman who is living in a world in which talented and sensitive women are urged to be wives, mothers, fashion hounds, and experts at taking short hand. Esther attempts to commit suicide, but is discovered and put in a psychiatric hospital where she must work on resolving her issues in order to heal herself. To overcome suicide, Esther finds a way to exist as a writer in her society. She writes her autobiography. Esther Greenwood is one of twelve young women who have won a prize to live in New York and write for a women’s fashion magazine. Esther does not fit into the world of high fashion. She is from a small town in the suburbs of Boston and her family has been relatively poor. She becomes friends with another outcast sort named Doreen. She and Doreen exist on the fringes of the fashion magazine activities. One night, Esther and Doreen go to a bar with a man who is attracted to Doreen. Esther ends up getting drunk and walking home alone. When Doreen comes home, Esther realizes she does not want to be her friend any more. Esther’s supervisor, who is the fiction editor of the magazine, tries to encourage Esther to apply more energy to her career, but she finds it impossible to do. She begins to feel as if she does not have a direction in her life. What she has always wanted to do was 2006-07-04T16:30:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Bell-Jar-quot-by-Sylvia-Plath-30002.aspx Literary Success of Orwell's 1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four was written between the years of 1945 and 1948. Orwell got the title from switching the last two numbers of the publication date. In Orwell’s criticism of a perfect society, his book became known as one of the greatest anti-utopian novels of all time. The book’s message is so powerful that some say it went so far as to prevent the sinister future from realizing itself. Although the book starts out as the story of a neurotic, paranoid man, it quickly turns into a protest against a quasi-utopian society and a totalitarian government. The book appears to be a satire at the start, similar to books such as “Gulliver’s Travels”, or Huxley’s “Brave New World”, but all too quickly the reader will “discover, quite unpleasantly, that it is not a satire at all.” Nineteen Eighty-four is not simply a criticism of what Orwell saw happening in his national government with the coming of English Socialism, but a warning of the consequences of contemporary governmental practices, and what they where threatening to bring about. Perhaps the book seems so bleak because the events in the book are a somewhat logical projection from current conditions and historical environment that Orwell observed in 1948. Perhaps people would be more comfortable with the book if they could rule out in their minds the possibility of the prophecy becoming a reality. In a critique of his own work, Orwell called Nineteen Eighty-Four “A work of a future terrible [sic] because it rests on a fiction and can not be substantiated by reality or truth. “ But perhaps this future is realizing itself more than Orwell thought it would. Orwell, more than likely, would have made note of, but wouldn’t be astonished by, the fact that in 1983 the average American household spent over 7 hours in front of the television every night. The number is even greater for those households which currently subscribe to a cable service. Those families watch television for more that 58 hours a week. That is more that 2 days straight without sleeping, eating, or going to the bathroom. He also wouldn’t have passed by this magazine advertisement that could be seen in 1984: Is Big Brother watching? If you are tired of Government, tired of big business, tired of everyone telling you who you are and what you should be, then now is the 2006-07-04T16:26:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Success-of-Orwell-s-1984-30000.aspx Establishing the Role of Women in British Literature In both texts, Beowulf and Grendel, the main purposes of the Queen’s are to serve the courts as "weavers of peace". In Grendel however, Queen Wealththeow is described in much greater detail and serves a further purpose. The reader gains insight to a part Grendel that is not present in Beowulf, his desire for a human. It was not unusual for women to be offered as tokens of peace within the noble courts. In the novel Grendel, Wealhtheow's brother, King of the Helmings, Bestowed her to King Hrothgar to promote peace amongst the Helmings and Scyldings. “She had given, her life for those she loved. So would any simpering, eyelash batting female in her court, given the proper setup, the minimal conditions"(Grendel, p.102). It is ironic how she promoted peace from her arrival because she was an essential part in keeping peace, as the "weaver of peace" in the later of both texts. Queen Wealhtheow however is not the only woman in the texts that was forsaken to encourage appeasement amongst feuding courts. Queen Hygd was offered to Hygelac under very similar circumstances as told in Beowulf, and portrayed the same role in Hygelac's kingdom. There is reference in both texts concerning this tradition, and it is evident to the reader that this is not an unusual Anglo-Saxon custom. Queen Wealhtheow and Queen Hygd served as excellent role models for the courts in which they served. They exemplified the mannerisms and etiquette of the noble people. Queen Wealhtheow showed excellent poise from the very beginning of both texts. She was admirable as she passed the mead bowl around Heorot. The offering of the bowl was symbolic, being that the bowl was first given to Hrothgar and then passed to Beowulf, as if she presented him with her trust. Beowulf gave Wealhtheow his guarantee that he would be successful or die In battle. After she presented Hrothgar and Beowulf with the mead bowl she served the Scyldings, and did so as if they were her own people. She was not a Scylding, nor did she desire to be one, but she never made her unhappiness known, as described in Grendel. There is not great detail on Queen Hygd in Grendel, but from what the reader can gather from Beowulf, 2006-07-04T16:15:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Establishing-the-Role-of-Women-in-British-Literature-29996.aspx Hawthorne Depicts Guilt in the Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne paints a picture of two equally guilty sinners, Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale, and shows how both characters deal with their different forms of punishment and feelings of remorse for what they have done. Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale are both guilty of adultery, but have altered ways of performing penance for their actions. While Hester must pay for her sins under the watchful eye of the world around her, Reverend Dimmesdale must endure the heavy weight of his guilt in secret. It may seem easier for Reverend Dimmesdale to live his daily life since he is not surrounded by people who shun him as Hester is shunned, but in the end Reverend Dimmesdale suffers a far worse punishment than his female counterpart. As the story opens, Hester makes her way from the prison door to the market place, revealing for the first time the scarlet letter A fastened to her gown. Hester must wear this letter A as a penance for committing adultery and to set an example for the rest of the community. As Hester stands on the platform, facing her fellow citizens, she feels horrible humiliation on top of all her guilt for the sin she has committed. “The unhappy culprit sustained herself as best a women might, under the heavy weight of a thousand unrelenting eyes, all fastened upon her, and concentrating on her bosom. It was almost intolerable to be borne” (Hawthorne 58). At the same time Reverend Dimmesdale sits above Hester, seeming to judge her just as everyone else does. At the command of his superior, he questions Hester, “…I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer…though he were to step down beside thee, in thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life” (Hawthorne 68). At this point, it is unknown to the reader that the “fellow-sufferer” Reverend Dimmesdale refers to is himself. The Reverend says all this to make sure that no one realizes that he is a sinner as well. The Reverend is also speaking of the pain that he himself feels in his heart. As the story continues, Hester Prynne continues to be plagued by guilt and embarrassment. Every look 2006-07-04T16:08:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hawthorne-Depicts-Guilt-in-the-Scarlet-Letter-29993.aspx Unfavorable Review of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells The Time Machine by Herbert George Wells is his vision, of the future. I believe Wells wrote this book not to be scientifically correct in but as a questionable book you can debate over. Wells was the first person that I know of to propose the idea that a machine could be for time travel. Not only do the The main characters 2006-07-04T15:59:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Unfavorable-Review-of-The-Time-Machine-by-H_G_-Wells-29989.aspx Bronte's Healthcliff Character Analysis Healthcliff's cold-hearted spirit engulfs Wuthering Heights. His cruel actions create misery within everyone. The deep love he feels for Catherine Earnshaw drives him to act in spite of her. When coming back after leaving Wurthering Heights for sometime, Healthcliff uses his acquired wealth to manipulate the people and take over the two estates, Wurthering Heights as well as Thrushcross Grange. Many if not all of the other characters perceive Healthcliff as a devil, or demon. The relationship between Healthcliff and Catherine, in Wuthering Heights, is not your conventional love story. The relationship between the two literally drove them both insane. This love turns Healthcliff into someone who is cruel, greedy, and psychotic. He ends up doing some pretty cruel things, though they are all "in the name of love." Even after Catherine's death Healthcliff believing he has seen the ghost of Catherine shouts, "Cathy, do come. Oh do-once more! Oh, my heart's darling! Hear me this time, Catherine, at last!"(Brontë 25) Healthcliff's jealous and violent nature directs his life toward revenge and frustration over his love for Catherine. Obviously, the only reason Healthcliff married Isabella was to get back at Catherine, for choosing wealth over love. I find it hard to imagine that someone with so much love in their heart can inflict that much pain on themselves and others. Mystery surrounds Healthcliff. No one really knows what goes on in his head or exactly what happened to him when he left Wuthering Heights. One is inclined to believe that there was some event that took place in his life to make him treat people the way he does. Perhaps it was because he was treated like a stable boy rather then a son or brother, when he was brought to Wuthering Heights. He believes that revenge and cruelty remain the only ways to get somewhere in life, and he lets theses beliefs control his life. Emily Brontë is very successful in making Healthcliff's first appearance reveal much about his character. In his first appearance he is surrounded by a pack of snarling dogs. This leads me to think this symbolizes the controlling nature of his personality. Brontë also characterizes him by saying he has "black eyes that withdraw suspiciously under his brows." (Brontë 1) By stating this, Mr. Lockwood can obtain a brief look into his true personality by knowing him for only 2006-07-04T15:57:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Bronte-s-Healthcliff-Character-Analysis-29988.aspx Analysis of Henry James' Novel The Portrait of a Lady What defines us? Is it our character or the objects we own? In Henry James' novel, The Portrait of a Lady, Madame Merle and Isabelle Archer present a different opinion of what creates a person. Is it the shell or the soul? Madame Merle believes that one’s character lies in the materials one possesses; that what one owns gives a visual of what lies beneath. Archer believes that a person’s character lies within their soul. The soul contains a person’s “spirit” giving them a way to live. The soul may contain our “spirit”, but it is the material possessions we own which represent the message to the world of what a person is like. It is Madame Merle’s side of the argument that is presented with stronger conviction. Madame Merle sees the soul as only a small piece of the puzzle, which makes a person. Merle has experienced life and has seen that society judges us by appearance. For instance, when a play is performed the set, lighting, costumes, props, and makeup represent the characters the actors portray. The audience can tell what type of personality an actor is portraying by the costume he is wearing. The clothing or possessions we have portray our “character” within. This adds to Merle’s theory when she says, “ I know a large part of me is in the clothes I wear. I’ve a great respect for things! One’s self- for people- is one’s expression of one’s self; and one’s house, one’s furniture, one’s garments, the books one reads, the company one keeps, these things are all expressive.” Thus, this quote is saying that each of these things are pieces to the puzzle of what makes us who we are and determines how others see us. Isabel Archer demonstrates an argument on the contrary of Madame Merle’s. Archer expresses that it is the soul itself that makes a person what they are. The soul is the flame that lies within a person that burns an undying spirit. It is the flame that burns within us that inspires us to act, think, and create which makes us who we are. Does this flame prompt us in our behavior? The soul is the piece of 2006-07-04T15:52:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Henry-James-Novel-The-Portrait-of-a-Lady-29985.aspx Psychological Analysis of Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment In the novel Crime and Punishment, some of the most significant events are mental or psychological, for example; awakenings, discoveries, changes in consciousness. In this essay, I will describe how the author manages to give these internal events the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax usually associated with external action. In the novel, Raskolnikov conceives of himself as being an “extraordinary man”, and then formulates a theory whereby an extraordinary man has the right to commit any crime. Raskolnikov’s theory goes as follows. All men are divided into two categories. “Ordinary” and “extraordinary.” While the “extraordinary” man has the right to commit any crime and to transgress the law in any way, the “ordinary” man has to live in submission and has no right to transgress the law. The justification for these “extraordinary” men to have the right to transgress the law is because if they are not held to a greater standard, they will cease to be great. To be great means that one is able to break free from common laws. The most obvious example of when Raskolnikov applies his theory to the world is when he commits the two murders. Raskolnikov feels this is an acceptable thing for him to do because he is an “extraordinary” man. Another time in the novel when Raskolnikov’s subconscious event is climactic is in his dreams. In one dream, Raskolnikov is in his childhood and he is walking with his father. He sees a peasant trying to make a horse pull a wagon, but the horse will not move. His father then begins to laugh at the man because he finds the situation of the peasant trying to make a horse move humorous. The peasant then begins to severely beat the horse, so severely that the horse dies. Raskolnikov then, feeling great compassion for the now dead horse, falls to the ground and begins hugging and kissing it. The dreams Raskolnikov has in the novel are usually symbolic in some way. This dream is symbolic because it is disturbing for Raskolnikov to see the horse beaten to death, and then in turn makes him wonder if he can kill the pawnbroker as he has planned. This brings out a much different side of Raskolnikov that is one 2006-07-04T15:50:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Psychological-Analysis-of-Raskolnikov-in-Crime-and-Punishmen-29984.aspx Analysis of Characterization in "The Darkness Out There" ‘The Darkness Out There’ and ‘The Withered Arm’ are both short stories. The characterization techniques they use are contrasting and similar. Each story is from a different time; ‘The Withered Arm’ being 19th century and ‘The Darkness Out There’ being 20th century. Thomas Hardy writes ‘The Withered Arm’ as a 3rd person narrative whereas Penelope Lively uses a mixture between 3rd and 1st person. ‘The Darkness Out There’ combines the author’s narration with the thoughts and feelings of Sandra, a girl belonging to the Good Neighbors club. She goes to help out an old lady, Mrs. Rutter, with the help of a boy called Kerry. Mrs. Rutter lives in the countryside; next to a wood called Packers End, feared by Sandra. Mrs. Rutter has a secret, that when told, horrifies the children. This sub story is of the German she found and left to die back when she was a girl in the war. Penelope Lively develops Mrs. Rutters character in many ways, with clues early on to her true self. Sandra’s views on the characters change by the end, as well as her whole out look of life as a result. One of the ways Mrs. Rutter’s character is portrayed by Penelope Lively is through her environment, both historically and geographically. The house is introduced sending out two different messages. One is that of a quaint homely place. This can be recognized through the descriptions of the china ornaments, “big-eyed flop-eared rabbits and beribboned kittens and flowery milkmaids and a pair of naked chubby children wearing daisy chains”. Firstly, this gives the impression of a cuddly ‘grandmother’ figure, but then the picture is broken with the mention of the “smell of cabbage”. This comment conflicts with the otherwise friendly scene to suggest something is not rite. The house reflects Mrs. Rutter’s character. An example of this is “her eyes investigated, quick as mice”. Later, the house mirrors this comment by the author describing that it “smelt of damp and mouse”. Animals and flowers are frequently mentioned in the description of the ornaments and her love of plants, “You should see the wood in spring, with all the bluebells”. This constant reference to nature implies there is a link with Mrs. Rutter, for nature is changeable and not always as it seems. There is also 2006-07-04T13:38:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Characterization-in-quot-The-Darkness-Out-There-29977.aspx Themes of Scientific Advancement in Brave New World How will scientific advances change our society? In his novel "A Brave New World" Aldous Huxley tries to present his vision of technological advances ruling humanity. The novel takes us to a place called the World State, where using technology, the government eliminates unhappiness to produce contented and effective workers. "Men will come to be valued more and more, not as individuals, but as personified social functions." From birth, people are split into six social classes that determine their futures. The government then conditions them to conform to its needs. Using hypnotism, electric shock treatment and other methods of behavior modification, babies are conditioned to fit the state's ideals. Literature is banned because it may make people think and detract from their work. People are encouraged to be promiscuous and impersonal and families and close relationships are frowned upon because they can cause pain. When individuals are unhappy they take a drug called 'soma' to remove their unhappiness. Happy workers are productive workers. The government's philosophy is brought to near the end of the novel, during a conversation between the Savage and the controller, Mustapha Mond. The Savage is showing the controller his point of view and the controller is defending his society. He does so by explaining that the people's total bliss makes up for their lack of freedom. "The world's stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can't get. They're well off; they're safe; they're never ill; they're not afraid of death; they're blissfully ignorant of passion and old age; they're plagued with no mothers or fathers; they've got no wives or children, or loves to feel strongly about; they're so conditioned that they practically can't help behaving as they ought to behave. And if anything should go wrong there's soma." What the government does not understand is that by eliminating pain you are, in effect, eliminating happiness. How can people be truly happy, if they do not understand pain? This paradox is brought to light with the use of two characters, who do not fit in, Bernard Marx and the Savage. Although Bernard Marx is a member of the highest social class, he is unable to conform to society's social expectations. The root of this problem is his physical appearance. He is short and many associate this with lack 2006-07-03T23:44:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-Scientific-Advancement-in-Brave-New-World-29969.aspx Comprehensive Analysis of Jane Eyre's Classic What makes a piece of literature so remarkable that scores of people for decades continue to read and talk about it? Well, the only way to really find out is to read one for yourself. Jane Eyre , by Charlotte Bronte, is an example of a novel which has lasted the ages. It is a classic. Classics are so extraordinary because of the strong message and cultural significance they possess. They are considered the elite documents of literature, the most profound and meaningful words written. Classics are timeless. When the reader can relate to the uniquely written story and the philosophical message it possesses, regardless of the period in time in which the novel was written it could be considered a classic. Great Expectations, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Odyssey , as well as Jane Eyre are all considered classics. But why? Every year, countless numbers of people flock to libraries, search bookcases, and bring home these books that have been regarded as everlasting and ageless. It does not matter how long ago these pieces of literature were written or what style of language they used, they each played a profound role in the time period in which they were written. But more importantly, they continue to effect people of future generations. People read classics expecting to discover a philosophical message that can be applied to our society, regardless of the time period of the book’s production. The author’s of classics use words to send a message and meaning about a certain problem, obstacle, or predicament in society. What is so special about the subjects written in classics way back in the 1800’s such as Jane Eyre that makes them significant today? The word classic signifies greatness that has enduring cultural relevance and value. It possesses something timeless, eternal and meaningful to society. How a subject of a book written over 150 years ago can still be related to today’s life and society is just a feat in itself. The topics of classic books are so unique that even though hundreds of years or just years pass, and the words and writings can still be applied to present day. Their messages are so powerful, even to this day, and are a symbol to real life situations that people must handle. You may ask, however, what kind of moral or significance Jane Eyre plays 2006-07-03T23:34:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comprehensive-Analysis-of-Jane-Eyre-s-Classic-29963.aspx Influences that Shaped Dr. Manette from A Tale of Two Cities All people are shaped by some past or present influence. In A Tale of Two Cities Dickens uses great detail to show how the past has significantly shaped one central figure, Dr. Manette. The influences on him are related to him being locked up in the Bastille, getting Lucie back in his life, and the friendship of Jarvis Lorry. Dr. Manette was imprisoned in the Bastille for eight-teen years and lost a big chunk of his life. After he is rehabilitated, he seems to be normal and tries to lead a normal life. However, reminders of his past send him into relapses. He hasn’t quite gotten over losing eight-teen years of his life and tends to shield himself from things that could potentially be hurtful. It is most evidently seen when Charles Darnay tries to tell Dr. Manette his real name. Because of being locked up in the Bastille, he shields himself from the pain of Darnay’s news and tries to put it off as long as possible. After Darnay tells Dr. Manette his real name, the Doctor falls into another relapse in the absence of his daughter and new son-in-law. By being locked up in the Bastille, Dr. Manette shields himself from things that may be painful. After being released from the Bastille, Dr. Manette is reunited with his daughter, Lucie. He never knew his daughter, since he was taken away before she was born. He realized how lucky he is to have her in his life. She is totally devoted to him and will do anything to help him with his rehabilitation. When she finds him one night working at his shoe-making bench, she walks the hall with him until he is relatively better. He realizes how devoted she is to him, which makes him more grateful for her. He, in turn, will return the favor of comforting her later in the book. Jarvis’s friendship with Dr. Manette is also another important influence on the Doctor. Lorry is credited with being a man of business, but the reader is also reminded that he took nine days off from work to help his dear friend recover from another relapse. After the relapse, Lorry talks to the Doctor about what to do about a certain friend’s “black-smith tools.” Manette is aware of Lorry’s intensions, 2006-07-03T23:32:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Influences-that-Shaped-Dr_-Manette-from-A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-29962.aspx Character Analysis of Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway A man is tested against nature and then tested again by how well he behaves in relation to other men,” (46) Richard Lehan stated in The Great Gatsby: The Limits of Wonder. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald tested each of his characters by giving him or her a place in society and seeing how each one would react to his or her surroundings. East Egg and West Egg are the areas where the main characters in this novel lived and through stereotypes of Tom, Daisy, Gatsby and Nick, it is clear what East and West Egg represent. Because of East Eggers’ old, exclusive money, they seemed to think that they were superior and if any obstacle appeared in their path, they were secure with their money behind them. In Modern Critical Views: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Harold Bloom states that “In Gatsby we see that the charming irresponsibility of the flapper has developed into the criminal amorality of Daisy Buchanan, and that the smug conceit of the Rich Boy has hardened into Tom Buchanan’s arrogant cruelty,” (74). When Daisy ran over Myrtle Wilson, she and Tom simply disappeared and left Gatsby to deal with the punishment of a crime that he never committed. Tom’s affair also represented their ideas on morality – that as long as he had old money, he could do whatever he wanted. “Surrounded from childhood by the artificial security of wealth, accustomed to owning rather than wanting, they lack anxiety or illusion, frustration or fulfillment,” (75). West Egg represents western values such as romanticism and capitalism. Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby are typical possessors of “new money,” who achieved wealth but still are not accepted into the exclusive society of East Egg. Gatsby was much more of a romantist that Nick was, for he did everything – attain massive amounts of wealth, throw huge parties, involve himself in illegal business affairs, and even embark upon an affair – in order to win back Daisy. “In creating himself, Gatsby had no social or moral context to give his intensity direction,” (Lehan 31). With no other life goal than Daisy, Gatsby ended up engaging in immoral activities. Both East Eggers and West Eggers were wealthy, but because of one major difference in their lives, they would not and 2006-07-03T23:16:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Jay-Gatsby-and-Nick-Carraway-29955.aspx Literary Elements of Golding's Lord of the Flies Most good writers like to include some scene or sentence that just catches peoples eye. And they wonder, why did they have to put that in? or was it even necessary to have that happen. The book Lord of the Flies by William Golding has many scenes that are meant to have the reader wondering but one scene that caught my eye was the fallowing: In Chapter 8 “Gift for the Darkness” after the hunters hunted down a pig and had killed it. Jack the leader of the hunting group orders for a stick to be sharpened at two ends and then sticks the head of the pig on the stick and jams it in the ground. Then he says “This head is for the beast. It’s a gift.”(137). This scene always has me wondering why did they need to put the pigs head on a stick? Do they really think that there is a beast? And does jack believe that this beast is some kind of god and needs a sacrifice? I could come up with a few different reasons why Golding might have wanted the boys to do this to a pigs head. Maybe the boys were trying to scare the beast, sort of saying don’t mess with us, look what we can do. I think the boys know that there probably is no beast and are just doing this as a form of entertainment. And maybe after being on this island so long jacks mind was warped and he had some how came to believe that this beast is the god of the island. But most likely this scene alone makes up for the title of the chapter “Gift for the Darkness” and the title of the book Lord of the Flies because the head is lord of the flies and Jack and the hunters are giving a gift for the darkness, the god that they might believe in now. If I were to title this scene, I would call it “sacrifice for a god” because it seems that the boys believe in this beast as some god and they need to sacrifice something for it. The scene here relates to a theme from the book: Fear causes chaos. The boys were so afraid of the beast before and now because of this fear they go and mutilate a poor 2006-07-03T23:11:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Elements-of-Golding-s-Lord-of-the-Flies-29952.aspx Puritan Values in Dimmesdale from "Scarlet Letter" In the book The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the story of the adultery of Hester Prynne. In developing his story, he uses many images to give his characters depth and to help explain the plot. Many of these images are religious and natural ones that undermine Puritan ideals. Hawthorne uses these images to show his dislike for the austerity of the religion. To undercut the Puritan religion, Hawthorne uses many religious images. Early in the novel, he describes Hester and her baby as "... this beautiful woman, so picturesque in her attire and mien, and with the infant at her bosom, an object to remind him of the image of the Divine Maternity" (pg. 53). The Divine Maternity refers to the birth of Jesus by the Virgin Mary. The Puritans feel that because of her unfaithfulness, Hester is someone to scorn and look down upon. By comparing her to the Virgin Mary, Hawthorne shows that, despite her sin, Hester really is a good and holy person. A little later in the book, Mistress Prynne, concerning Roger Chillingworth, says, " Art thou like the Black Man that haunts the forest round about us" (pg. 71-72). The Black Man is another name for the Devil's messenger or the Devil himself. The Puritans believe that Roger Chillingworth is a good man, there helping the Reverend Dimmesdale restore to his former good health. This image shows instead that Chillingworth has darker and more evil intentions than the facade observed by the village. Roger is there to torment the Reverend for his sin. Also, later in the story, a man observing Roger "... would have no need to ask how Satan comports himself when a precious human soul is lost to heaven, and won to his kingdom" (pg. 127). This passage also shows the wickedness of Chillingworth's character that is not observed by the Puritans. About halfway through the book, Hawthorne says that Dimmesdale's fellow clergymen lacked "... the gift that descended upon the chosen disciples at Pentecost" (pg. 130). The gift refers to the Holy Spirit. The Puritans believed that their clergymen were the most holy, having spent many years acquiring knowledge of their faith and being spoken to by God. Hawthorne undermines them by saying that despite all their knowledge, they lack the most important thing needed by a reverend, the gift of the 2006-07-03T23:02:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Puritan-Values-in-Dimmesdale-from-quot-Scarlet-Letter-quot-29948.aspx Critical Analysis of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" "Psycho" is Alfred Hitchcock's masterful blend of artistic perfection and superb casual viewing. The gift of this brilliant voyeuristic terror tale is that you do not have to be aware of the subtle Hitchcockian touches that make "Psycho" an artistic treasure. The terrifying simplicity of the story and compelling visuals are enough to jolt any viewer unaware of the malicious goings-on beyond the surface of the story. However, for those needing to delve into the underlying themes of "Psycho", it is a grandiose accomplishment to behold. Hitchcock's mischievous camera work places the viewer at the voyeur end of the action from the first shot which enters a lover's mid-afternoon tryst in a hotel room through an open window. The implicating camera later witnesses Janet Leigh's undressing through a peephole (notice that the peephole is covered by a painting of a rape) and the violent and ultra-voyeuristic shower scene which compels viewers to intently watch for any glimpse of nudity that the quick editing might provide. This infamous shower scene rivets the viewer with guilty glimpses (that reveal nothing, though many viewers may recall differently, further exemplifying Hitchcock's brilliance for audience manipulation), but this scene also horrifies with its brutal stabbing which is seemingly viewed from the killer's point-of-view. The vulnerability and nakedness of a common shower as a murder scene is a mischievously calculated event meant to involve and effect the viewer to full capacity. Surprisingly, no matter how many times the scene is parodied or viewed, the scene is still breathtakingly brilliant in its purveyance of fright. Hitchcock goes beyond a common suspense yarn to implicate the viewer in the action by making the audience sympathize with the crimes of the characters. For instance, Janet Leigh's theft and subsequent flee is not met with repulsion by the audience. Instead, it is a realistic crime by a common person easy to relate to. Thus, the audience feels anxiety when the state trooper follows her progression. The same is nearly true of Norman Bates' clean-up of the bathroom-murder scene. While that is not nearly so easy to relate to, the idea of a loving son cleaning up (and hiding) his "mother's" crimes is. Most viewers would almost certainly react the same as Norman Bates if their mother were to commit such a heinous act. And how many viewers are prone to irritation at the fact that 2006-07-03T15:45:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Alfred-Hitchcock-s-quot-Psycho-quot-29943.aspx Letter to Beowulf Addressing Major Themes I am writing to praise you on your courage and self- confidence. However, sometimes this self-confidence and boastfulness went to an unwanted extreme. For example, your encounter with Unferth, Ecglaf’s son was not a successful one. Unferth challenges your heroic deeds by mentioning and questioning your race with Brecca. He is obviously trying to humiliate you and lower your reputation in front of the hall. In this situation, only the clarification of what actually happened was needed. It was not necessary to say, “But the truth is simple: no man swims in the sea as I can, no strength is a match for mine (line 531-534)”These lines are very offensive, not only to Unferth but also to other great warriors. These lines are not warrior-like but when carried to a further extreme, you may be viewed as conceited or obnoxious. Besides these words, you also mentioned,” I’ve heard no tales of you, Unferth, telling of such clashing terror, such contests in the night! (Lines 580-581) Ecglaf’s proud son, if your hands were as hard, your heart as fierce as you think it, no fool would dare to raid your hall, ruin Herot and oppress its prince, as Grendel has done. But he’s learned that terror in his alone, discovered he can come for you people with no fear. (Line593-595).” In these lines you are directly implying that Unferth is a coward. A coward who does not have the courage, strength, or ability to risk his life in battles or in races. In these lines you are clearly mocking Unferth by pointing out his helplessness against Grendel, letting him riot through the city killing the Danes. It is not the cleverest idea to make enemies in a country that you’ve just landed, especially when hospitality is given. From you’re perceptive, it is understandable that you, as a warrior would rather be killed, dying with an heroic deed than to run or hide. However was it necessary to take off your armor? Although it is known that your strengths reach an extreme, it not an excellent idea to fight bare handed, after all Grendel has been undefeatable. I hope you did not take this letter offensively. It is clearly written to remind you of who you are and as a result, how you are supposed to act. Pride, confidence and praise are needed, however, 2006-07-03T13:57:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Letter-to-Beowulf-Addressing-Major-Themes-29934.aspx Greed and Paranoia in "The Heart of Darkness" To me, the Heart of Darkness was all about Humanities’ self interest. There was a lot of greed and plotting going on which lead to paranoia and self-doubt. To me, paranoia, self-doubt, and mental instability are inevitable when greed takes over people’s lives. I think that is what happened in Kurtz’s life. I believe that Marlow went into this adventure looking to make money to survive, but more so he was looking for adventure. When he was little, he dreamed about exploring the world and I believe that was his true intention for going on this exploration. I think Marlow had a feeling that the Company was all about the money, however, Marlow was looking for something more than the money. He wanted adventure and to help civilize foreign lands. In speaking with his aunt, Marlow got the first hint as to what the Company was all about, however he joined the adventure anyway, “She talked about ‘weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways’ till, upon my word, she made me quite uncomfortable. I ventured to hint that the Company was run for profit.” I feel that the Company was lucky to have Marlow in their expedition. Among the greedy, plotting workers, Marlow was pretty much a kind man, taking everything in without any bad intentions. Marlow felt terrible about the way he saw the natives treated. While on board Nellie, he regretted that the boiler operator was stuck on board the ship rather than out dancing with his fellow natives. Throughout the story, Marlow mentioned how bad he felt for the “slaves” also. He even gave one slave something to eat. I think that Marlow always knew this, however after being swept up in Kurtz’s heart of darkness, he realizes even more that there is something greater than ourselves out there. All the petty things we tend to find important in our lives are not so important in the grand scheme of things. I think Marlow realizes this when he returns to the city to find himself laughing at the people’s self-importance. It is also ironic that after seeing the heart of darkness, he can realize that there is more out there than ourselves rather than being swept up in Kurtz’s way of 2006-07-03T13:49:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Greed-and-Paranoia-in-quot-The-Heart-of-Darkness-quot-29930.aspx The Value of Love in "A Yellow Raft in Blue Water" Everyday choices that we make are based on the values that we have learned throughout life. We learn these values from the most influential people in our lives, our parents. Our parents constantly teach us important life lessons, starting from day one. We watch, imitate, and dream to be just like them. We learn what is right and wrong from them, even though we try to cross the line from time to time. This line represents our values. The novel, A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, shows the values of one generation, and how they help create the values of the generations that follow. Rayona, Christine, and Ida, the three main characters, reveal similar values through the decisions they make. Though they all have their own unique values, the one value that they all display is love. This “love” is expressed as a fundamental or sometimes even an essential value. Rayona finds herself yearning for the love of her family; this includes her father, other family that she is not close with, but primarily her mother. Rayona was born into a dysfunctional family. Her mother, Christine, is always in and out of the hospital due to her heavy use of alcohol, “In the last year mom has become a regular at Indian Health Service…she wakes wheezing from too much party or from passing out on top of the covers and the next thing she’s back in the ward for tests” (p 8). This causes Rayona to be the one who takes care of Christine, as if the roles were reversed. As for her father, he too is constantly in and out of her life. “[Rayona] I have tried things on Dad too…tears, good grades, writing letters, getting him presents…one time [Rayona] even hung around on the route he was delivering” (p 9). Her father seems to never put enough effort into trying to be with her. He also does not put out the “good husband” image, he is constantly cheating on her mother, but Christine won’t divorce him. Instead, she stays out late partying and drinking. Rayona has never really felt loved by either one of her parents, and it wasn’t until she ran away and found Sky and Evelyn that she finally did feel 2006-07-03T13:36:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Value-of-Love-in-quot-A-Yellow-Raft-in-Blue-Water-quot-29925.aspx Critical Analysis of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin In the novel Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austin, both Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet have pride and prejudice. These characteristics will keep the two people apart. As the story progresses, they are forced to examine their hearts as well as their preconceptions. We are first introduced to Darcy at a ball at Meryton. He was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust that turned the tide of his popularity. He is discovered to be arrogant and proud. He doesn’t speak or dance with anyone outside his own group. He says within Elizabeth’s hearing that she isn’t pretty enough to tempt him. His character also manifests prejudice towards those who are of lower class than him. Firstly he doesn’t even consider Elizabeth as a possible match for him because of her lower status. When he does fall in love with her and proposes, he asks un-courteously, stressing his superiority to her family. Secondly he intervenes with Bingley and Jane’s marriage only because he wants his friend to marry someone rich; not realizing the love that was there. With Elizabeth, her prejudice is expressed against Darcy when she meets Wickham and hears his tales about Darcy that make Darcy look proud and cruel. She is very eager to believe his story without hearing another side. Darcy's pride has been obvious from his first appearance in the novel, but Elizabeth's decision to trust Wickham shows her prejudice. Elizabeth’s pride is brought forth when Darcy asks her to marry him. Besides being angry at the rude way in which he proposes, Elizabeth is astonished, for she was unaware of his affections towards her because she has been so prejudiced against him. His pride is unbearable to her and very proudly she takes pleasure in refusing him. With the letter that Darcy gives Elizabeth justifying and explaining his actions with Wickham and Jane, Elizabeth comes to the realization that she has been blind and prejudice. Suddenly, she can’t remember anything that Darcy had done that wasn’t honorable. Her prejudice has been shaken and she can now fall in love. As with Darcy, once Elizabeth turns his marriage proposal down with the remark that it was ungentlemanly, Darcy realizes just how arrogant he has been. He becomes more sensitive to how other people feel. 2006-07-03T13:32:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Pride-and-Prejudice-by-Jane-Austin-29924.aspx Moral and Spitituality in Brontee's "Wuthering Height" In Emily Brontee’s “Wuthering Height” the reader is left with an understanding as well as a lasting impression by her way of showing how different characters grew not only mentally but morally as well. In this story she did not leave the reader with a happy ending pertaining only to newfound love but as well to reconciliation within one’s self. This can be found in the character of Heathcliff. Throughout the novel the reader would get the feeling of Heathcliff having an aura of negativity. Now some would say that this was just how he was meant to turn out, others would say that he was geared that way. He became an orphan at a very young age. Being as though he was also a gypsy this made things even worse for him. His stepbrother Hindley mistreated him because of his fathers’ kindness to the orphan. His stepsister Catherine as well at first had no particular fondness of him, but as time went by they grew quite fond of each other. As Heathcliff grew up his one sole companion was Catherine. He loved her as a sister, a friend, and as time passed something even stronger. When he found out that she would marry Edgar, Heathcliff was heart-broken. He knew not what to do with himself. So he decided to run away from Wuthering Heights. Catherine missed him and thought about him always, but she still went on with her life. When Heathcliff finally returned, he was a new man in every sense of the way. His whole appearance as well and mentality had changed. He was no longer the sweet boy Catherine remembered. His mind now was geared to revenge on the people who had hurt him the most. As Heathcliff continued to live his life in the fashion of evilness he became even more of a bitter man. This bitterness forced him to marry a women he did not love, father her child, and then even use his own child in his plot for revenge. As the story progresses Catherine falls ill and eventually dies right after delivering a baby girl. Upon Catherine’s death, Heathcliff vowels to carry out his revenge not only for himself but as well for Catherine. He believed she deserved so much better and that Edgar never gave it to her. When Linton, Heathcliff’s 2006-07-02T22:40:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Moral-and-Spitituality-in-Brontee-s-quot-Wuthering-Height-q-29909.aspx Anaylsis of Relationship between Elie Wiesel and his Father The Book Night begins in a small town, Sighet, in Transylvania. The narrator/author of the book is Elie Wiesel. Elie is a child and a fairly devout Orthodox Jew during the time of World War 2. Night occurs in the 1940s when Hitler has begun to invade Hungry and slowly takes over Sighet and deports Elie and his family. Elie and his father have a very strong relationship in the beginning and throughout the book, although this relationship does transform as the two go through more and more. Towards the end of the book Elie begins to feel that his father is a burden and consequently feel’s guilt because of this. In the beginning of the book Elie looks up to his father because his father is a respected member of the Jewish community in Sighet. His father was not in favor of Elie’s decision to study mysticism and therefore refused to be his mentor. As his father said, “Your to young for that. Maimonides said it was only at thirty that one had the right to venture into the perilous world of mysticism. You must first study the basic subjects within your understanding (1-2).” His father was not sentimental, ever as the book states. This tells us that Elie and his father at this point had a relationship based on respect as so many Orthodox Jewish families had between fathers and sons. When the two arrive at the camp there is a change in the way that Elie and his father relate. His father said that he would have rather Elie to go with his mother rather than have to see what they were going to do to Elie. Then his father began to weep. This was probably one of if not the only time that Elie ever saw his father cry. In this part of the book Elie begins to feel his father’s love for him and his father begins to show emotion toward him. Elie and his father become more like a father and son with more based on love and emotion than respect and obedience. As the book goes on Elie is separated from his father and transferred into Block 17 which was ironically enough the same Block that his father was put into. At this point in the story Elie and his father rely on each 2006-07-02T22:24:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anaylsis-of-Relationship-between-Elie-Wiesel-and-his-Father-29903.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Crying of Lot 49" In the 1960s the American society faced many difficulties and important, sometimes, tragic events, such as Vietnam War, usage of the drugs, especially by youth, problems of communication in the society etc. Exactly these problems are vividly described in the novel “The Crying of Lot 49” written by Thomas Pynchon. Many people consider this book to be the best work from those written by the author. There is also the opposite side of readers who do not think like that. However, no one can argue that the book “The Crying of Lot 49” is very deep in its meaning, has a lot of humor and at the same time instructive moments throughout the whole book that makes a reader look deeper into his or her own inner world. The author depicts the American society with its bad and good sides of reality. The book “The Crying of Lot 49” mainly tells about cultural chaos and communication as it is seen through the eyes of a young woman who is surrounded by mystic events, strange people in a hallucinogenic world (Newman, Robert D., “Understanding Thomas Pynchon”, p.86). Thomas Pynchon shows different levels of society, such as college students, hippies, rich people, medical workers, poor people etc. It is really very difficult to unite all these people and events happening with them into one single novel, however, the author did it very well. Thomas Pynchon did not leave without attention any parts of the society and human inner world. He expressed all hidden parts of the human soul and mind while facing difficult events in life, what people think at that moment, how they react, in which way hidden, still unknown features of their personality are explored. The author treats this world as the chaotic one where there are no stable values, friends or opinions. The main hero of this novel Oedipa Maas faces herself in the network of strange events, which she cannot totally control. Oedipa has a husband, lives in a good house and has a good job. She is a very typical figure of the 20th century, living at the center of chaotic life and trying to put all things "in order" or at least make sense of the world in which she must live (Hite, Molly. “Ideas of Order in the Novels of Thomas Pynchon”, pp.68-70). Her life 2006-07-02T22:14:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Crying-of-Lot-49-quot-29898.aspx Analysis of Crucial Elements in Catcher in the Rye The Catcher in the Rye is an in depth allegory where characters and objects stand for larger and more profound things. In the novel, many human ideals are themed and represented. The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, encounters many different thoughts and principles that vary from person to person. The themes, motifs, and symbols here, play out to be like real life: nothing is perfect, and nothing is what it seems. One of the major themes in The Catcher in the Rye is alienation. Holden is excluded and victimized by the world that he lives in. He says he feels trapped on “the other side” of life. He strives to find means to protect himself. He makes himself unique and distinct from the rest of the world. Holden’s alienation causes most of his pain and problems. He never gets to the “root” of his problems and never addresses his emotions thoroughly. One quote that can be attributed to his feelings of alienation and loneliness is found in Chapter 6: “For Chrissake, Holden. This is about a goddam baseball glove.” (Stradlater) After Stradlater says this, we come to realize that he ridicules more than Holden’s paper, he unknowingly ridicules Holden’s deceased brother, Allie, the owner of the glove. This hurts Holden greatly, and adds the need for Holden to alienate himself from people. Isolation is also played out in The Catcher in the Rye. Holden often finds himself alone and without people to associate with. When he does associate with people, he seems to find that they are “phonies” and tries to find any means of ridding himself of these individuals. His loneliness compels him to go on a date with Salley Hayes, yet, his need to be alone, “to isolate himself,” leads him to be rude to her. Yet again, he gets what he wants: to be alone. “Childhood vs. Adulthood” is another major theme that is played out in The Catcher in the Rye. This novel is a bildungsroman; it is a novel about a young protagonist’s growth into maturity. Holden wants everything to be understandable and to last forever. He is frightened because he commits the same “sins” as others and he cannot get a better grasp of what to do to be different. 2006-07-02T17:33:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Crucial-Elements-in-Catcher-in-the-Rye-29895.aspx Golding's Exploration of Civilization in Lord of the Flies Throughout the boy’s stay on the island, they experience many events, which have a momentous impact on their lives. During this time Ralph becomes a clear leader by nature figure whose actions manifest belief in democracy and civilization. In the beginning Ralph shows authority and concern for their well-being, and he in fact, represents the civilized values that the boys bring with them to the island. Though as their “adventure” progresses Ralph has to combat an-going struggle with Jack for the leader post. However, leadership is not the only thing Ralph is fighting for, but against the gradual degeneration of the boys as a group. Straight away we are introduced to Ralph as an above average boy, tall, fair, agile and a good swimmer. At first Ralph shows signs of optimism and the craving for adventure. “ Ralph danced out into the hot air of the beach and then returned as a fighter-plane, with wings swept back, and machine-gunned Piggy.” It is clear from this quote that Ralph has no sign of fear, reluctance or apprehension of being on the island. He wants to enjoy himself, and make the most of not having the restriction of adult rules. After spending some time conversing with Piggy, getting to know each other’s backgrounds Ralph acquires ‘the conch’ which plays a key role in the boy’s stay. It heralds the birth of civilized order on the island and is highly respected by Ralph, who so to speak, treasures the conch. Having found the conch Ralph repeatedly gives it several full-hearted blows to attract the other kids from around the island. “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us-” From the very commencement of the story, Ralph’s belief in democracy is initiated. When everyone is gathered the first thing he wants to do is have a meeting, giving the reader an idea that his life prior to getting stranded was governed by rules and order, which he brings with him onto the island. This idea of democracy is further manifested when the Ralph decides that the boys need a leader. He lifted the conch, “Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things.” Not only through Ralph’s actions, but also from his manner, a certain self-confidence is evident, nevertheless this confidence must not 2006-07-02T17:29:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Golding-s-Exploration-of-Civilization-in-Lord-of-the-Flies-29894.aspx Character Analysis of the Real Holden Caufield Who is Holden really??? A lousy, uninteresting phony? Or is he the most intelligent and cleverest person you ever met? Well… This question isn’t really easy to answer. Personally I think that he is a very intellectual human who unfortunately doesn’t know how to use his intellect and who is suffering from major mental problems. On the one side, he is this guy who tries to be cool and accepted by other people. However, on the other hand, he is this little lonely child who is seeking for someone who will comfort him and play with him. This essay will try to answer the question of who Holden really is and will try to explain the reasons for his abnormal behavior: Does he reveal his real face? The tough guy who is constantly using vulgar language or is he the weak fragile guy who cares about where the ducks go in winter? You have to try to see the truth behind all of the lies and contradictions to find out who Holden really is and who he wants to be. The next few paragraphs will explain all of this to you and make it clear to you that Holden actually is an intelligent young man who is very vulnerable and constantly on the search for recognition and love. Holden describes himself as a 16 year old boy who is obviously very unhappy and sees himself as the worst and useless member of his family. He talks about himself as having had a lousy childhood; however, he doesn’t want to discuss it because he is bored of everybody asking him such questions. What he actually means is that he is tired of life and practically hates almost everything about it. He doesn’t see much sense in life since everything seems to turn against him. It is quite unusual for a young person of his age to reflect on death so frequently. There are several passages in the book where he ponders about his own death. His only worry is “how he would look” once he was dead or who would come to his funeral. He compares these thoughts with his memories of the cemetery where his favorite brother is berried. One time he keeps discussing a situation of how is would be if somebody had shot him in his 2006-06-27T03:02:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-the-Real-Holden-Caufield-29878.aspx Important Literary Elements of The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne’s revolutionary novel, The Scarlet Letter, was written in the time where there were no exceptions; either one was holy and abided the law, or one was a sinner, condemned by all. In that time, life was centered around an impermeable Puritan society, in which secrets and innermost thoughts were to be kept inside the self. Hester Prynne, the protagonist of the story, tries to cope with the guilt that the town puts her through because of her sin. The other main characters of the story have to deal with their sins as well. Throughout the duration of the novel, the use of literary elements, such as motivation and conflict, form the foundation of the characters, as well as, the book itself, which creates a pillar of magnificence. The motivation of the characters, the things that drive them, plays a key role in the development of the novel. First of all, Hester is motivated to live a life of purity by the love for her daughter. Hester begins to notice that Pearl acts like a little imp, or “a demon offspring,” so she makes sure to acts good and holy around Pearl. Hester Prynne also begins to raise Pearl through Christ, teaching her all she knows about Christianity, and taking her to Mass regularly. Next, Roger Chillingworth is motivated to track down and keep Reverend Dimmesdale in his grasp, by the fact that Dimmesdale seduced Hester to committing adultery. He does not, though, want revenge on Hester because she has already served her time by wearing the scarlet ‘A’ and being imprisoned. His actual sin is putting the matters into his own hands, when God should be the only one to judge people for their actions. In conclusion, the motivation of the characters is important to the novel because it explains their actions and feelings. In addition, there are several main conflicts in the story that are essential to the development of the novel. To begin with, the town battles against Hester Pyrnne as a result of the sin she committed. The Puritan village is extremely against the sin of adultery, and therefore punishes Hester for her wrongdoing. Eventually, the town begins to accept her and she overcomes one of the harshest punishments, the scarlet letter. Also, Roger Chillingworth is in conflict with Reverend Dimmesdale from the first moment he knew 2006-06-27T02:55:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Important-Literary-Elements-of-The-Scarlet-Letter-29876.aspx Legal Themes in To Kill A Mocking Bird This is an essay about To Kill A Mocking Bird. Throughout the course of history there have always been men and women who have preyed on the innocent. They do this not because it is easy, nor because it is hard, but rather because they can. They are the aftermath of poverty and poor upbringings. These universal troublemakers are present in every form of society. They believe that the ends always justify the means as long as the fate of their mischief is bestowed upon someone else. At times like this, those who fall victim to their folly are the innocent. This is the reoccurring theme in the classic American novel written by Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird, published in 1960. In the world there are “mockingbirds” of society. They never cause any harm, and in fact, they usually have good intents. Like the true mockingbirds of the wild, they bless others while they sing their pleasant songs. Yet, even though they only raise their joyous song for pleasure, they are hunted because they can be preyed upon. As a metaphor to true life, people like this, the innocent “mockingbirds”, are constantly being harassed and prosecuted for all the wrong reasons. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in the corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”(90) It is wrong to harm them because they never did anything to deserve their punishment. Yet even though this may be true, there is no such thing as a perfect world, and the unjust treatment will never stop. The innocents at times do pay for the crimes of the guilty. Harper Lee illustrates this in her writings of this novel. I believe that the theme of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was a message to her readers, which was shown through several of the characters as “mockingbird” figures, who were wrongfully destroyed by the ignorance and hatred of those guilty. Tom Robinson was the appointed victim of the novel, and therefore, the most dominant “mockingbird” in the story. Throughout his trial in the later chapters of the 2006-06-27T02:48:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Legal-Themes-in-To-Kill-A-Mocking-Bird-29874.aspx Timeless Themes Used in Jane Eyre's Work What makes a piece of literature so remarkable that scores of people for decades continue to read and talk about it? Well, the only way to really find out is to read one for yourself. Jane Eyre , by Charlotte Bronte, is an example of a novel which has lasted the ages. It is a classic. Classics are so extraordinary because of the strong message and cultural significance they possess. They are considered the elite documents of literature, the most profound and meaningful words written. Classics are timeless. When the reader can relate to the uniquely written story and the philosophical message it possesses, regardless of the period in time in which the novel was written it could be considered a classic. Great Expectations, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Odyssey , as well as Jane Eyre are all considered classics. But why? Every year, countless numbers of people flock to libraries, search bookcases, and bring home these books that have been regarded as everlasting and ageless. It does not matter how long ago these pieces of literature were written or what style of language they used, they each played a profound role in the time period in which they were written. But more importantly, they continue to effect people of future generations. People read classics expecting to discover a philosophical message that can be applied to our society, regardless of the time period of the book’s production. The author’s of classics use words to send a message and meaning about a certain problem, obstacle, or predicament in society. What is so special about the subjects written in classics way back in the 1800’s such as Jane Eyre that makes them significant today? The word classic signifies greatness that has enduring cultural relevance and value. It possesses something timeless, eternal and meaningful to society. How a subject of a book written over 150 years ago can still be related to today’s life and society is just a feat in itself. The topics of classic books are so unique that even though hundreds of years or just years pass, and the words and writings can still be applied to present day. Their messages are so powerful, even to this day, and are a symbol to real life 2006-06-27T02:38:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Timeless-Themes-Used-in-Jane-Eyre-s-Work-29870.aspx Synopsis of "The Grapes of Wrath" by Steinbeck Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, illustrates the hardships of the common man in great detail. The one aspect of this book that displays life as it exists in the hostile real-world is the third chapter, in which the human plight is displayed by a turtle, and his struggle to reach the other side of a road. As the turtle is about to reach his goal, it is returned to its original location, but it does not waver in it's determination, and continues across the road until it reaches the other side. The characters most easily identified with in this book are the Joad family, and Jim Casy. Each character undergoes tremendous heartache and burden, yet they stay true to their plans, and never give up. While the Joad family is moving from Oklahoma to California, Ma Joad holds the family together, because her belief that a broken-family will not be able to accomplish their mammoth task, is true. This is displayed by her not allowing the two cars to split and arrive at California at different times, when one of the cars breaks down, as they are leaving Oklahoma. Pa Joad was a hardworking man, who is uplifted from his normal way of life, and is forced to account for his family not starving. He does not handle this move very well, and throughout the book, he is confused, and not as headstrong as Ma. Tom Joad is a very complicated individual, who is a tremendous asset and at the same time, a tremendous burden. His parole causes his family an unneeded worry, while his ability to get work while very few people do, also benefited the family. He is the main protagonists for his family, with his independent nature, and the main follower of Jim Casy's philosophy on human nature, with Jim being much more of a talker, and an idealist to actually put what he preached into action. Jim Casy has frequently been compared with Jesus Christ, and his lifestyle of preaching and leading people in a revolt, as well as sacrificing himself for Tom and the Joad family demonstrates this common held belief well. He also had a follower, or disciple in Tom, who after Jim's death carries his message, and aids others with it. The Joad family along with Jim Casy show the benefit of people uniting in 2006-06-26T18:20:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-of-quot-The-Grapes-of-Wrath-quot-by-Steinbeck-29862.aspx The Importance of Family in Catcher in the Rye Holden Caulfield, interacts with many people throughout J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, but probably none have as much impact on him as certain members of his immediate family. The ways Holden acts around or reacts to the various members of his family give the reader a direct view of Holden’s philosophy surrounding each member. How do Holden’s different opinions of his family compare and do his views constitute enough merit to be deemed truth? Holden makes reference to the word "phony" forty-four separate times throughout the novel (Corbett 68-73). Each time he seems to be referring to the subject of this metaphor as -- someone who discriminates against others, is a hypocrite about something, or has manifestations of conformity (Corbett 71). Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Holden describes and interacts with various members of his family. The way he talks about or to each gives you some idea of whether he thinks they are "phony" or normal. A few of his accounts make it more obvious than others to discover how he classifies each family member. From the very first page of the novel, Holden begins to refer to his parents as distant and generalizes both his father and mother frequently throughout his chronicle. One example is: "…my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything personal about them. They’re quite touchy about anything like that, especially my father. They’re nice and all – I’m not saying that – but they’re also touchy as hell" (Salinger 1). Holden’s father is a lawyer and therefore he considers him "phony" because he views his father’s occupation unswervingly as a parallel of his father’s personality. For example, when Holden is talking to Phoebe about what he wants to be when he grows up, he cannot answer her question and proceeds to give her his opinion about their father’s occupation.. ‘Lawyers are all right, I guess – but it doesn’t appeal to me,’ I said. ‘I mean they’re all right if they go around saving innocent guys’ lives all the time, and like that, but you don’t do that kind of stuff if you’re a lawyer. All you do is make a lot of dough and play golf and play bridge and buy cars and drink Martinis and look like a hot-shot. How would you know you weren’t being 2006-06-26T18:04:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Importance-of-Family-in-Catcher-in-the-Rye-29859.aspx Analysis 2006-06-26T17:34:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Orwell-s-Animals-in-quot-Animal-Farm-quot-29856.aspx Analysis of Lennie's Role in "Of Mice and Men" Of Mice & Men is a great novella it puts the readers right into the setting, on each and every single page is written in such great detail. George, the wise man, takes care of Lennie since Lennie is not that bright. Lennie has his characteristics though, he is a very strong man who can lift bales of hay by himself with ease where two other men often struggle carrying all that hay. George is the leader in this friendship. Lennie is that type of person who always gets into trouble. Lennie doesn’t get into trouble on purpose. He is not a troublemaker, he is just isn’t bright enough to tell what is right from wrong. He also is even more incapable to make a decision when he panics or when the other person is screaming or making him uneasy. George excessively tells Lennie not to talk to Curley’s wife because all Curley’s wife wants to do is cause trouble in the ranch. Lennie in the most part is true to his word to ignore Curley’s wife. He sometimes even hides from her. This last time Curley’s wife gets Lennie by surprise. Lennie is already nervous and scared because he has just finished killing his new puppy that Slim gave to him. Lennie and the pup were playing, and the puppy bit Lennie. That’s when Lennie hit the puppy with so much force that the puppy died immediately due to Lennie’s hit. “Lennie said, “Oh! That’s nice,” and he stroked harder. “Oh, that’s nice.” “Look out, now, you’ll muss it.” And then she cried angrily, “You stop it now, you’ll mess it all up.” She jerked her head sideways, and Lennie’s fingers closed on her hair and hung on. “Let go,” she cried. “You let go!”(91). This is a great example of one of the many typical, innocent mistakes that Lennie makes. This is where George shows his great amount of patience for Lennie and tries to understand and cooperate with Lennie even though deep down inside George knows he has to run away from something real great (like his ranch job) again because of Lennie keeps on getting into trouble. During this time when everybody is trying to find Lennie George finds the spot where he tells Lennie to be and that is where George shot Lennie in the 2006-06-26T17:30:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Lennie-s-Role-in-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-29854.aspx Analysis of "The Loons" by Margret Laurence In Margret Laurence's The Loons, the stories idea is that sets of lifestyles can be wiped out the same way as 2006-06-26T17:07:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-The-Loons-by-Margret-Laurence-29847.aspx Analysis of Euripides' Medea In Euripides’ Medea, the protagonist abandoned the gender roles of ancient Greek society. Medea defied perceptions of gender by exhibiting both "male" and "female" tendencies. She was able to detach herself from her "womanly" emotions at times and perform acts that society did not see women capable of doing. However, Medea did not fully abandon her role as a woman and did express many female emotions throughout the play. In ancient Greek society, murder was not commonly associated with women. Throughout the play, however, Medea committed several acts of murder. We learn that Medea has killed her brother. Medea does not have any guilt about planning and carrying out the murders of king Creon and his daughter Glauke. As the play develops, the reader realizes that Medea plans to commit infanticide. I shall murder my children, these children of mine…if die they must, I shall slay them, who gave them birth.(Euripides 207-213) This contradicts society’s view that women are the givers of life and that men take it away. It is especially unacceptable because she is the children’s mother. To kill a member of your family was frowned upon in ancient Greece, as it is today. [Chorus] Think. You are stabbing your children. Think…By your knees we entreat you, by all the world holds sacred, do not murder your children. (Euripides 208) Medea displays extreme pride, which is stereotyped as a "male" characteristic. She is willing to sacrifice everything, including her children, to restore her reputation. It is a common belief that a woman’s weakness is her children, but this is not the case with Medea. Her sense of pride prevails over her maternal instincts. Good-bye to my former plans…I cannot do it. And yet what is the matter with me? Do I want to make myself a laughingstock by letting my enemies off scot-free? I must go through with it…I do realize how terrible is the crime I am about , but passion overrules my resolutions …It’s worth the grief…You could not hope, nor your princess either, to scorn my love, make a fool of me and live happily ever after. (Euripides 212-219) Medea seeks vengeance with the same forceful determination to rectify the situation as a man would. A woman seeking revenge challenges society’s view of women as weak and passive. Medea will go to great lengths to hurt Jason for 2006-06-26T17:00:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Euripides-Medea-29844.aspx Comparing Women Characters from Steinbeck and O'Connor Women have been degraded for many years, starting back in the Middle Ages in Europe. Through all these times, women have also tried to break free from this “prison” starting from the suffrages in our own country. Abigail Adams was one of the many who portrayed the suffrage characteristics. But what of the women who stayed as a “house wife” or liked their so-called “prison”. What of the women who thought there was no escaping from their “women serves man” world. In the story “ The Chrysanthemums ” by John Steinbeck and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, the similarities and the differences between the leading women show a glimpse of the past, as well as a life lesson. Both characters had many similarities. Elisa and the Grandmother both were viewed as fragile women who did not associate with manly things as boxing or traveling. Elisa tried at least two times to reach the outside of her world by pointing out her intelligence or her gifts. For example, she told her husband how she can grow anything with her hands and how she read on opponents look in the boxing ring. But each time she’s given a chance, she automatically thinks of her image and status in that time period, almost “conditioned” to react disgusted or not interested in things like boxing. She replies primly when he husband makes a joke, “Oh no, No, I wouldn’t like fights.” (Steinbeck, 79) as if it’s the right thing to say. The Grandmother was also shown as a weak woman and should not be able to ride in the front seat, for she is old. She shows this characteristic in the beginning of the story, telling her son that they should not go to Florida because there is a criminal loose around there and her, and the children should not be anywhere near Florida. She also automatically sits in the back of the car before anyone else gets in, knowing that she cannot sit in the front for she is too old and more fragile compared to the wife of her son. Both characters know their status in their worlds and it shows in each story. Another similarity that was important in both stories was their 2006-06-26T16:31:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Women-Characters-from-Steinbeck-and-O-Connor-29839.aspx Political Themes from Dante's Inferno A middle class poet of noble lineage, Dante Alighieri, lived in a turbulent time of Italy and specifically Florentine history. He wrote his most famous piece, the both politically and spiritually oriented Divine Comedy, while in political exile. It is commented on often that his true inspitation for writing was a girl named Beatrice, that he met at a prominent function before the age of twelve. Dante was very fond of this beautiful girl and her early death caused him to study and contemplate greatly. Could this be the only factor of motivation for such a rich work? What drove him to write such an impassioned masterful piece, considered by many to be a height of medieval literature? One most only look upon his native city’s political history for the answer. Florence’s political climate from 1215 until the 1300’s was unsettled by a raging feud between the Guelfs, mostly comprised of lower class nobility and artisans, and the aristocrat Ghibelline parties. These originally German sects of the quarreling Welfs and Waibiblingens became local Italian parties and fought over control of Florence, the Guelfos claiming allegiance to the papal authority and the Ghibellines to imperial rule (Musa IX). It is not known how these feuds began. An interesting anecdote is given by the 14th century writer Giovanni Fiorentino. He claimed that the origin of this great fued was rooted in an argument between two best friends, Guelfo and Ghibellino. A difference in opinion over the superiority of one of their dogs fueled a heated argument. As the words of Fiorentino explain, escalation continued. “This unlucky division between them still increasing, they on either side collected parties of their followers, in order more effectually to annoy each other. Soon extending its malignant influence over the neighboring lords and barons of Germany, who divided, according to their motives, either with the Guelph or Ghibelline, it not only produced many serious affrays, but several persons fell victims to its rage. Ghibellino, finding himself hard pressed by his enemy, and unable longer to keep the field against him, resolved to apply for assistance to Frederick the First, the reigning Emperor. Upon this, Guelfo, perceiving that his adversary sought the alliance of this monarch, applied on his side to Pope Honorius II., who being at variance with the former, and hearing how 2006-06-26T16:22:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Political-Themes-from-Dante-s-Inferno-29837.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Time Machine" by HG Wells Let me start the essay by saying I believe H.G. Wells is one of the most intelligent writers of his time: a true futurist. I think the theme of this book would be more on the like lines of thinking about something before u do it. The time traveler should have thought things threw and taken precautions for everything that could possibly go wrong, or right for that matter. If he had done this, I am sure he would have had a camera, matches (to fight of the Morlocks), cigars (he constantly wants them through out the story) and of course, his machine wouldn't have been captured by the Morlocks. The main characters in the time machine where the Time Traveler himself, Weena (an Eloi who The Time Traveler rescued) the Eloi was a race and the Morlocks was a race. Weena was by far the most interesting of the characters. She was an Eloi who was drowning while trying to bathe in a river. The Time Traveler quickly jumped into the river and rescued her. She then started following The Time Traveler everywhere on his expeditions. He to gained knowledge from Weena about the Morlocks and the Eloi's. The Time Traveler obviously was an intelligent man, I mean he figured out a way to travel through time! He was also a very rich, charming and friendly man, a little too anxious and curious though. His anxiety made him go to another time unprepared, nothing with him but a package of matches. The Morlocks are a race of our current day primates except ten times more ugly and they live underground. They are very aggressive but have a weakness, light. The Eloi's on the other hand are very nice and gentle, and are scared of the dark (because that's when the Morlocks come out). Did I forget to mention that the Morlocks are carnivorous so they occasionally much on Eloi's! The Morlocks end up stealing the time machine, but only to lure the Time Traveler in so they could make a meal out of him. The Time machine alone is about a man, whose name is not revealed, referred to as The Time Traveler. He builds a time machine and travels forward in time. 2006-06-26T16:17:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Time-Machine-quot-by-HG-Well-29836.aspx Analysis of the Narrative of Fredrick Douglas The book opens describing an almost blurring view of Douglas’ past. It tells of his family’s separation, and how life on the farm was not based on families, but on groups that could come and go with the blink of an eye. This is different than the views that are often given. Life as a slave was different than one may think, slaveholders felt that the slaves needed to be kept in line, and shouldn’t be given even a slight opportunity to have personal feelings or ideas. The slaves were almost considered like machines. Even, perhaps, the entire slave population was considered like one big machine. Separate components may be replaced and may perform different functions, but it didn’t matter exactly who performed a task, just as long as it was finished. The break in this ideology is when Douglas is sent to work for a relative and then yet another relative. However, as soon as his original master dies, Douglas is required back on the ranch for a property tally. Soon, Douglas is required to work in the fields for the first time in his life. This is a shocking difference from what one may expect. The normal thought of somebody who had not studied is that slaves didn’t have special opportunities, and would work in the fields for their entire life. He (Douglas) was sent to somebody to be ‘broken in’, just like a boot. During this processes, a slave would get beat more than they had ever been before, and would have to learn how to do the necessary work. After this, Douglas was shipped from farm to farm, for a year or two at a time. Again, yet another difference in the common conceptions of slavery. The common conception is that slaves tended to either belong to a master, or were sold to a new one, however, slaves were actually rented for a year, and often never, or hardly ever, saw their real masters. The last part of the book was the one that shocked me the most. Douglas actually worked at a professional type job, and even went as far as an independent contractor, supervised by his master. This was completely different than the common conception of slavery, where slaves 2006-06-26T15:43:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-Narrative-of-Fredrick-Douglas-29825.aspx Main Character Analysis of "The Great Gatsby" Nick Carraway The book’s narrator, Nick is a young man from Minnesota who, after being educated at Yale and fighting in World War I, goes to New York City to learn the bond business. Honest, tolerant, and inclined to reserve judgment, Nick often serves as a close friend for those with troubling secrets. After moving to West Egg, a place home to the newly rich, Nick quickly becomes friends his next-door neighbor, the mysterious 2006-06-26T15:41:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Main-Character-Analysis-of-The-Great-Gatsby-29824.aspx Analysis of "My Last Dutchess" by Robert Browning I completely agree with Megan's interpretation of the poem, "My Last Dutchess," by Robert Browning. I think that the Duke was very in love with the Dutchess, but was driven mad by her unfaithfulness. I have considered the possibility that he could be speaking with the future Dutchess. He makes the explanation of the last Dutchess a very secret and intimate moment by saying, "since none puts by The curtain I have drawn for you, but I." He could be trying to give the new wife-to-be fair warning. I believe that the last Dutchess was very promiscuous. The Duke states that "she liked what'er She looked on, and her looks went everywhere." The Duke couldn't understand how he could love her so much, and she could disrespect him and disregard his feelings so carelessly. He questions how she could compare the gift of his good name and fortune with anything that anyone else could possibly have. Somehow-I know not how- as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-yeats-old name With anybody's gift. In lines 43-46, the Duke seems to try and order her to stop her behavior. "Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt, whene'er I passed her; but who passed without Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands, Then all the smiles stopped together. There she stands As if alive." It's obvious that when the Duke attempted to put his foot down, the Dutchess became angry. She lost the little interest that she had had in him and, in turn, lost her life. Now, she could be his forever. He seems proud of himself at the end. He has finally won because he has control of her. "Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me. I took this statement to mean that taming the Dutchess was thought to be as impossible as taming a sea-horse. It was an impossible task, but the Duke had done it. And now, he has her bronzed, just like a trophy. The two questions I still have are: 1. Who is the Duke talking to in the poem? 2. Is the Dutchess alive or dead when the portrait is painted? The second question comes from the quotation "Paint Must never hope to reproduce the faint Half-flush that dies along the throat." By having the words "Half-flush," "dies," and 2006-06-26T15:35:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-My-Last-Dutchess-quot-by-Robert-Browning-29822.aspx Entering Adulthood in "Catcher in the Rye" J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is the story of a sixteen-year-old boy named Holden Caulfield. He comes from quite a wealthy family, has attended several private preparatory schools, but has been expelled from all of them. In the beginning of the book, Christmas is drawing near, and Holden has been kicked out of Pencey Prep because he has failed most of his subjects. He does not want to tell his parents yet, so he decides not to go home until the beginning of the Christmas vacation. Instead, he spends three days in New York at a hotel. The whole story is about Holden's three days in New York where he desperately seeks contact. He wants to talk to someone about how he feels, so he tries to buy drinks for a taxi driver, talks to people on the train, calls his former girlfriend, and even pays for a prostitute, so she will talk to him. Nobody seems to understand him or why he feels the way he does. He has been having mental problems, particularly after his brother's death, and after his three days in New York, he has a nervous breakdown and has to go to a mental hospital. Actually, the whole story is a flashback because Holden is telling his story in the hospital. In The Catcher in the Rye, the writer uses first person narration so that it is Holden himself who is talking. Holden actually addresses the reader by saying things like “If you really want to hear about it...” and “I forgot to tell you about that” (Salinger 1). On his introduction page of The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger writes “To My Mother” as a dedication of the novel to his mother. His novel was first published on July 16, 1951. This novel originally sold for $3.00 a copy and was selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club (Whitfield 567). Two weeks after it was first printed, it had to be reprinted five times. In the next three months, it was reprinted three more times. According to Whitfield, His book stayed on the best-seller list for thirty weeks, though never above fourth place. Costing $0.75, the Bantam paperback edition appeared in 1964. By 1981, when the same 2006-06-26T15:22:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Entering-Adulthood-in-Catcher-in-the-Rye-29821.aspx Definition Reader-response criticism is a group of approaches for understanding literature .It has in common an emphasis on the reader's role in the creation of the meaning of a literary work. Reader-response surfaced as a reaction to the textual emphasis of New Criticism from 1940s to 1960s in the West and its apparent extremes. Whereas the first persist that the authority or the intention of the author, the psychology of the reader as well as his mentality are key factors in creating the meaning of the text, the latter assert that only which is within a text is part of the meaning of a text (Wikipedia, 2006).The term includes theorists which segment very little besides the attention of the reader. Theorists of Reader- response criticism consider the reader very much and they provoke him to be an active participant in literary texts. Thus, readers’ role is much taken into account. Generally speaking, readers’ responses can be categorized into three reactions: reader’s psychology, culture, and linguistic milieu. According to Reader- response criticism, the ultimate meaning of any literary text is embedded in the reader’s mind. In other words, the reader is a ‘producteur’ rather than a ‘consommateur’ (Henderson & Brown, 1997). Some sustain that the psychological upshot of a literary event reveals the environs of a culture's ideology, so that the reactions to a literary work can be an instrument for historical analysis. This last approach, sometimes called "reception aesthetics" rather than "Reader -response," is the approach taken by some followers of Hans-Georg Gadamer, most notably Jauss. In his book, Literature as Exploration, Louise M. Rosenblatt points out:"the student must be free to grapple with his own reaction... to be given the opportunity and the courage to approach literature personally, to let it mean something to him directly" (p. 66). In other words, Reader-response criticism states that literature should be viewed as a performing art in which each reader constructs his or her own, possibly typical, text-driven performance (Rosenblatt, 1995).For my part, I utterly agree with Rosenblatt. Reader should be given the occasion in giving his/her own interpretation, reflect his/her own experience, and loom literary texts by his/her own language, consequently the following paper would exert a grand deal of effort in attempting to construe ‘ the Giant Wisteria’ in the light of this approach, thus attaching Rosenblatt’s words. Assumptions Like many literary theories, Reader- Response theory has a group of assumptions. One 2006-06-25T08:13:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Giant-Wisteria-in-the-light-of-reader-response-theory-29817.aspx Analysis of the Family in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" In this country today, families have its similarities and differences between families in the past. Many family problems and situations are the same, but with a different setting. There are also many things that can be cherished and sacred to almost any family, and one is heritage. Many parents from the past to the future believe that it’s their right, as well as their children, to let them know what kind of family background they come from. The matter of how important heritage is to a family is varied. Some believe their actions are defined by their ancestral traits. For example, some may say they have inherited a trait like being stubborn or witty like a past relative. Though, others have no real interest in their family backgrounds. In Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”, heritage is symbolized differently in both Maggie and Dee’s eyes. Both daughters have contrasting behaviors, as well as their opinions on the quilts. Mama is the connection between Dee and Maggie, but she is closer to Maggie for all her characteristics are similar to herself. Mama and Maggie symbolize the connection between generations and heritage that passed between them. What happen between them are a tradition as well as a heritage they both learn from past ancestors. Walker also symbolizes Maggie as a type of heritage to Mama herself. Passing down her traditions to Maggie was taught through past generations. As Mama explains to Dee, Maggie knows what her heritage is, “She can always make some more; Maggie knows how to quilt.” (Walker, 49), but Dee chooses not to know or even want to know what Maggie is capable of doing. The characteristic that Maggie has is vulnerability and she becomes very self-conscious of her inward, as well as outward appearance. She shows how insecure she is through her actions; “she will stand hopelessly in corners, homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs” (Walker, 43). Maggie kept to herself and did what she is told. Mama and Maggie both live in a run-down home that was out of reach to the present day society. Both were not educated in schools, but were taught by another tradition through their ancestors, which was learning from their surroundings. Mama had 2006-06-22T15:08:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-the-Family-in-Alice-Walker-s-quot-Everyday-Use-29812.aspx Book Analysis of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban The title of my book is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The author of the book is J.K. Rowling. There are 435 pages in Prisoner of Azkaban. In Prisoner of Azkaban, the third book about the young wizard Harry Potter, is about Harry’s third year at the magical school Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry. Harry is the son of his parents who were killed by the dark Lord Voldemort. He lives with his Aunt and Uncle, and incredibly fat nephew, who despise him and magic. In this story, Harry finds himself returning to Hogwarts for his third year. This time a suspected murderer by the name of Sirius Black has escaped from the wizard prison of Azkaban. He is suspected of escaping and heading to Hogwarts to kill Potter. Because of this, the guards of Azkaban come to Hogwarts. They are known as Dementors and when around one, all your happy feelings and thoughts disappear. Also this year there is a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and looks to fit the job unlike all the teachers before. Hagrid, the huge groundskeeper of Hogwarts and good friend of Harry and his friends, is also teacher. So once again Harry Potter and his best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, are in another adventure. Hermione is a very smart girl who spends most of her time studying. Ron is the youngest son of the Weasleys, so everything he owns has been handed down from brothers down to him. His family is poor so nothing he owns is new. At Hogwarts, everyone suspects that Sirius is at the castle and evidence is showing up that begins to prove it. From the slashing of pictures to Ron actually seeing Sirius with a knife. Once again the trio decide to figure out what is going on. This leads to many happenings. In the end the mystery is solved and once again the end is unpredictable. This was overall a great book. It was entertaining and interesting. One thing I liked about this book was that once again, this one was another mystery, which had me trying to figure out the end like the first two. 2006-06-22T14:47:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Book-Analysis-of-Harry-Potter-and-the-Prisoner-of-Azkaban-29807.aspx Thematic Deconstruction of Grendel by John Gardner Talking, spinning a spell, a web of words telling the story of the hero and the damned. It is often said that History is written by the winners. John Gardner takes that view and deconstructs the winning story in Beowulf and transforms it into the story Grendel. This story shows the many questions that lie in the text of Beowulf. By using the answers to these questions, Gardner is able to deconstruct the story of Beowulf. To understand the deconstruction that Gardner performs; the reader would have to know how Grendel was portrayed in Beowulf. In the Old English classic, he is described as a “dread monster.” He is viewed during the whole story as an evil monster that was damned by God because he descended from Cain. He was evil incarnate and had been ruthlessly attacking the mead hall for twelve years. He had enormous strength and could not be harmed by any weapons. John Gardner takes this Grendel and asks the question of what Grendel was really like. He delves into the character and doesn’t take for granted the stories told about this creature. To Gardner, Grendel becomes a misunderstood creature. In the beginning of Grendel, he is depicted to be almost more humane than a human. One example of this is when he won’t kill the dear because cows are easier to catch and he only catches for food. This shows that he kills out of necessity and not sport; an activity than man participates in. This touch of humanity strips away at the view that Beowulf portrays and indirectly strips away from the deed of Beowulf himself. Grendel shows a love for things and a search for a purpose. These characteristics make him a human in character and, if not for his outcast status, normal. As the character of Grendel gains more and more humanity, the deed of Beowulf looks less like a heroic act and more like a misunderstanding. Gardner deconstructs the telling of the tale in Beowulf, by using the “shapers.” These men were able to weave the tale of history into something that was more pleasing to the listeners. That is why it is said that the winners are the ones who write history. 2006-06-22T14:42:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Thematic-Deconstruction-of-Grendel-by-John-Gardner-29806.aspx Critical Analysis of James Joyce's "Eveline" James Joyce’s, “Eveline,” focuses on a character of the same name amidst an emotional turmoil. This story could be deemed a love tale which involves Eveline who struggles to remove herself from the strong ties to her family and follow her love, Frank, to Buenos Aires. Joyce uses literary elements such as setting, symbols, and themes that help convey Eveline’s emotional struggle. This story begins in a town in Ireland with the introduction of family characters. Family seems to be a strong theme in Joyce’s writing. This theme is evident when Eveline stays home and takes over the motherly duties in the household as a teen after a promise was made to her dying mother. Death plays a major role in this story as the author points out that many of Eveline’s friends and family are said to have died at some point. Symbolism such as dust collecting around the house and the aged yellow painting of Mary Margaret Alocoque, a French nun, enable the reader to get a sense of the death and loneliness surrounding Eveline. There are several issues presented by Joyce that give rise to Eveline’s internal conflict of breaking the promise to her mother and leaving with Frank. One major problem is that the family is very poor and money is a very precious resource in their lives. Eveline expresses the importance of money when she is walking to the market with her purse clasped close to her body almost as if to protect it as though it were her very own life. Her family’s poverty is apparent when Frank takes her to the theater and she expresses her delight with the seats Frank has purchased because she has been accustomed to sitting in the back row due to her inability to purchase better seats. To Eveline, Frank represents a new and exciting lifestyle that she has not had the opportunity to experience after taking over the mother role. Her routine, mundane lifestyle that Eveline has led appears to be comforting to her because of its stability, whereas being with Frank is something new and spontaneous. Perhaps Eveline is not so much in love with Frank as she is with the opportunity to embark on a new lifestyle that contradicts everything she has known and become accustomed 2006-06-22T14:22:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-James-Joyce-s-quot-Eveline-quot-29799.aspx Critical Analysis of Hawthorne's "Minister's Black Veil" In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Hawthorne advances the theme of secret sin by using Mr. Hooper, the main character. In the opening scene of this story Mr. Hooper, a thirty year old minister, wore a black veil on his face which hid his facial features and expressions. Although his congregation was alarmed by the veil, they were in some ways drawn closer to Mr. Hooper out of mystery. As Mr. Hooper preached about secret sin, the congregation felt that he was talking about each one of them individually and that he knew the secrets that they were holding from the world. Throughout the story many people tried to convince Mr. Hooper to take the veil off but he simply denied their request and wore it all of his life. While on his deathbed, Mr. Hooper concluded that every human being wore a veil to conceal their secret sins. By wearing the veil it is indicated that Mr. Hooper had committed a crime that he wanted to hide from his congregation, or he wanted his congregation to realize that they were all wearing a veil that hid their secret sins. In today’s society people lie, steel, and cheat every day. When a person does something they are ashamed of they either try to cover it up or keep it to themselves vowing never to tell a soul what they have done. To Mr. Hooper the black veil was his way of keeping something hidden deep inside himself. To the congregation the black veil was a wall between them and their minister whom they loved so much. The veil made the congregation unsure about how to act towards Mr. Hooper. Because of Mr. Hooper’s new appearance some thought he had gone mad, some ended up neglecting him, and some made light of him. In the case of “The Minister’s Black Veil,” it is the veil itself that represents the minister’s knowledge of secret sin, and it is this knowledge that isolates him from everyone around him. It has separated him from his beloved, from his friends and his congregation. It is evident that it is the veil, and his consistent refusal to remove it, which causes him to be avoided by others and left alone, yet the reason why 2006-06-21T16:32:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Hawthorne-s-quot-Minister-s-Black-Veil-29775.aspx Animal Farm by George Orwell Character Analysis In the book Animal Farm by George Orwell the animals have a meeting. The head of the meeting is “the Major” the farmers old prized white boar. The Major tells the animals on the farm that on a day very so the animals will have a revolution from humans. Three days later the Major dies. Then a few weeks later the animals revolt. They scare the farmer and his family away. The pigs take control of the farms because they had thought themselves to write. So the pigs wrote the ten commandants. A week later the farmer comes back and the hoarse clover kills a stable boy and the pig snowball takes a bullet. The pigs have the farms government like communism there is a ruler and every one has a specific job and there is an even amount of work. The pig Napoleon is the leader but the pig Snowball is his adversary. I one point of the story the animals are deciding what to build in their spare time Snowball says a windmill and three day weeks of work while Napoleon says that they work all weeks but trade with the nearby farms. The windmill was decided. Then snowball disappears everyone is upset but Napoleon tells the animals that Snowball was the enemy and through out the book tells false facts about Snowball. Napoleon tells the animals that it was snowball when anything bad happens. After snowball leaves the pigs move into the house then rumor goes around that the pigs are sleeping in beds the animals go to the ten commandants and the commandment that once said “NO animal is to sleep in beds” now says “ No animal is to sleep in beds with sheets”. The pigs often changed the laws for loopholes for themselves. Like the commandment that says “ No animal is to drink alcohol.” The commandment knows says, “No animal is to drink alcohol to the point of excesses”. This was when the pigs found some of the farmer’s alcohol in the wine cellar and were drinking it. The one the animals noticed was the one that read, “No animal is to kill another animal” after a small riot with the chickens it read, “No animal is to kill another animal without cause” the chickens involved with the riot were executed. The pigs were the worse as soon 2006-06-21T16:16:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-by-George-Orwell-Character-Analysis-29772.aspx Analysis of Jing-mei from "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan In the story, “Two Kinds”, Amy Tan writes about a relationship between a mother and a daughter. The mother of Jing-mei wants her daughter to 2006-06-21T15:39:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Jing-mei-from-quot-Two-Kinds-quot-by-Amy-Tan-29770.aspx Synopsis of the Book "The Jungle" The book begins with two people getting married, Ona Lukoszaite and Jurgis Rudkus Two Lithuanian immigrants who have recently arrived in Chicago. They have the wedding in the traditional Lithuanian style. Following the wedding there is a large celebration held near the Chicago stockyards. Food, beer, and music fill the hall. Following Lithuanian tradition, hungry people lingering in the doorway are invited inside to eat their fill. The musicians play badly but, do to the general festivity, no one seems to mind. The highlight of the celebration is the acziavimas, the guests, linking their hands, form a rotating circle while the musicians play; the bride stands in the middle and each guy in the circle takes turns dancing with the bride. Twords the end of the celebration the bride was beginning to become worried that people were not going to pay any money for the vast celebration. Back in those days a the cost would be over 300 dollars much more than most men made in one year. Of you were late for you job by one minute you would be docked for and hours pay, if you were late 20 minutes you would loose your job. This meant standing in line for up to two weeks waiting for another job. The reason that the couple decided to move to America was because of Teta Elzbieta's brother Jonas knew of a man who made a fortune in America, inspiring the family to work to make the trip possible. Jurgis worked for months to save money to help pay for the cost of the voyage. He finally reached his goal of money and they made the journey. Little did they know that they would have to work twice as hard to keep up in America. Upon arriving Jokubas takes the family on a tour of Packingtown. They gaze in awe to see pens packed with tens of thousands of cattle, pigs, and sheep. The suffering of the animals, which will all be killed by the end of the day, upsets even Jurgis. But the flurry of men working fills Jurgis with wonder. Jokubas notes sarcastically the signs regarding the sanitation rules. The government inspector who checks the slaughtered pigs for signs of tuberculosis often lets several carcasses go unchecked. Spoiled meat is specially doctored in secret before it is scattered among the rest of the meat 2006-06-20T18:28:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-of-the-Book-quot-The-Jungle-quot-29749.aspx Uncovered Truths in "Grendel" "[The humans] pushed at the wheels with long oak poles and slashed at the oxen till their backs were crosshatched with bleeding welts and their noses ran pink foam"(p.38). The immediate 2006-06-20T18:27:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Uncovered-Truths-in-quot-Grendel-quot-29748.aspx Symbolism in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury is a futuristic novel, taking the reader to a time where books and thinking are outlawed. In a time so dreadful where those who want to better themselves by thinking, and by reading are outlaws as well. Books and ideas are burned, books are burned physically, where as ideas are burned from the mind. Bradbury uses literary devices, such as symbolism, but it is the idea he wants to convey that makes this novel so devastating. Bradbury warns us of what may happen if we stop expressing our ideas, and we let people take away our books, and thoughts. Bradbury notices what has been going on in the world, with regards to censorship, and book burning in Germany, and McCarthyism in America. That is what he is speaking out against. Bradbury is also a very symbolic writer, he incorporates symbolism into his book. Bradbury's use of symbolism throughout the novel makes the book moving and powerful by using symbolism to reinforce the ideas of anti-censorship. The Hearth and the Salamander, the title of part one, is the first example of symbolism. The title suggests two things having to do with fire, the hearth is a source of warmth and goodness, showing the positive, non-destructive side of fire. Whereas a salamander is a small lizard-like amphibian, and also in mythology, is known to endure fire without getting burnt by it. Perhaps the salamander is symbolic of Guy Montag, who is being described as a salamander because he works with fire, and endures it, but believes that he can escape the fire and survive, much like a salamander does. On the other hand, it is ironic that Guy, and the other firemen believe themselves to be salamanders because both Capt. Beatty's and Montag's destruction comes from the all mighty flame, from which they thought they were invincible. The symbol of a Phoenix is used throughout the novel. This quote accurately describes the Phoenix, "It is known to be a mythical multi-colored bird of Arabia, with a long history of artistic and literary symbolism, the Phoenix is one of a kind. At the end of its five-hundred-year existence, it perches on its nest of spices and sings until sunlight ignites the masses. After the body is consumed in flames, a worm emerges and develops into the next Phoenix."(24, Cliffs' Notes on Bradbury's 2006-06-20T18:23:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-Fahrenheit-451-by-Ray-Bradbury-29746.aspx New Ideas in Contemporary Science Fiction Our June issue features "Sidehunter," a wild and wooly adventure by Rajnar Vajra, set on a colorful and very alien world that allows no dull moments. But no matter how hostile the world, a troubleshooter may find that the problem has at least as much to do with the people who hired her. Wolf Read, of course, is the perfect artist to bring such a place to visual life, and he’s provided a spectacular cover and opening spread. Our fiction line-up also includes a new Brenda Cooper and Larry Niven tale (set in the same future as "Choosing Life" in our January issue), a worthy successor to Jerry Oltion’s "Astral Astronauts" story in the May issue, the first new "Victor" story in way too long from Grey Rollins, and a haunting and thought-provoking short by Amy Bechtel. Dr. Richard A. Lovett, fast becoming one of our best sources of fact articles, offers a new one on "Subsisting on Oxygen Lite"–a look at the adaptations needed to live and function in some of the most alien parts of our own planet, and what our experiences here may suggest about other, really alien worlds. Astounding/Analog (often all-encompassingly just called ASF) is often considered the magazine where science fiction grew up. When editor John W. Campbell took over in 1938, he brought to Astounding an unprecedented insistence on placing equal emphasis on both words of "science fiction." No longer satisfied with gadgetry and action per se, Campbell demanded that his writers try to think out how science and technology might really develop in the future-and, most importantly, how those changes would affect the lives of human beings. The new sophistication soon made Astounding the undisputed leader in the field, and Campbell began to think the old title was too "sensational" to reflect what the magazine was actually doing. He chose "Analog" in part because he thought of each story as an "analog simulation" of a possible future, and in part because of the close analogy he saw between the imagined science in the stories he was publishing and the real science being done in laboratories around the world. Real science and technology have always been important in ASF, not only as the foundation of its fiction, but as the subject of articles about real research with big implications for the future. One story published during World War II described an atomic 2006-06-20T18:14:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/New-Ideas-in-Contemporary-Science-Fiction-29742.aspx Pride can be Fatal in Literature There are many critical mistakes that one can make that have the potential to ruin your life, or possibly take your life. Both William Shakespeare and Sophocles both portray their protagonist’s character flaws through the critical mistakes they make in their plays Othello and Antigone. In Shakespeare’s play, Othello is a noble general who is well-respected by everyone around him. He is happily married to Desdemona. In Sophocles’ play, Creon is also in a position of nobility, being the king of Thebes. Creon is a newly appointed king who is ready to prove himself to his subjects. Both of these noble protagonists do possess leadership roles, however, their character flaws get the best of them. Both of these characters portray their lack of judgment by making critical mistakes, and they feel great remorse after realizing that they make a critical mistake. The people around Othello know his trusting nature very well. Iago is quick to observe Othello’s “free and open nature” (1.3.400), and he is quick to exploit it. Iago informs Othello that his wife Desdemona has been engaging in a secret affair with Michael Cassio, Othello’s lieutenant. Othello, believing that Iago is “full of love and honesty” (3.2.135), makes no effort to investigate this shocking news. He doesn’t question Iago’s word because after fighting along side Iago as soldiers, betrayal isn’t an issue to Othello. Being a person who “thinks men [are] honest that but seem to be so” (1.3.401), Othello asks Iago to “Give [him] a living reason [that] she’s disloyal” (3.3.456). Taking advantage of Othello’s gullibility, Iago says that he has heard Cassio speak of Desdemona in his sleep. Othello is completely blinded by his trust in Iago. Iago could make up anything we wants and Othello will believe every word of it without hesitation. In contrast, Creon doesn’t trust anybody, even his own “son” (3.4) Haimon. He stands up for Antigone and tells Creon that punishing Antigone “is not right” (3.96). Creon’s overwhelming pride prevents him from believing his own son. Instead, he calls Haimon a “fool” (3.114) who “has sold out to a woman” (3.108). Creon’s overwhelming pride doesn’t allow him to confide in his own son. This pride is also seen in Creon’s ruling of Thebes. King Creon’s 2006-06-20T18:09:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pride-can-be-Fatal-in-Literature-29738.aspx Critical Analysis of Amy Lowell's "Patterns" Breaking the "Patterned" Mold When one hears the words, " I sink on a seat in the shade," they will most likely form a visual image in their head, such as a person sitting under a tree. Amy Lowell, an imagist, uses sharp images, precise wording, and figurative speech as a means of poetic expression to arouse the senses of the reader. In "Patterns," Amy Lowell explores the hopeful liberty of women in the early 20th century through a central theme. A woman’s dream of escaping the boundaries that society has placed on her dissipates when she learns of her lover’s untimely death. Of the many images in this poem, the constant motions of the flowers and water drops, the dress the woman is wearing, and her daydreams of her lover are most crucial in developing this theme of freedom. In the beginning of the poem, as well as throughout the work, the speaker describes daffodils and other types of flowers moving freely in the wind. Using imagery to appeal to the reader’s sense of sight, these flowers are given motion, and they are described as, "…blowing," and "Flutter[ing] in the breeze,". This creates a sense of freedom and flexibility. The woman in the poem, presumably Amy, wishes to be like the moving flowers, carefree and jaunty. In the second stanza of the poem, the woman begins to describe the water in the marble fountain. The, "…plashing of water drops," and, "…plopping of the water drops," describe liquid in motion. The fact that she notices such little details in a fountain shows how intent the woman is on being free and able to move about as she pleases. The unconstrained movement of the flowers and the water manifest a way of life that the woman would like to live. What is keeping her from the liberation that she longs for? The images in the poem name the binding dress as the culprit, but upon reading deeper into the signs of the imagery, one will find that there is a more complicated reason for her misery. The "…stiff, brocaded gown" is mentioned many times throughout the poem. Of course, back in that time, the woman was not only in a rigid, uncomfortable dress in the heat of summer, but she was also most likely wearing a corset. The Random House Webster’s College Dictionary gives the definition of brocaded as, 2006-06-20T17:45:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Amy-Lowell-s-quot-Patterns-quot-29728.aspx Themes Examined in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley The lifestyle of the people created by Aldous Huxley in his novel, Brave New World, is , in many ways, a twisted reflection of our own society. As i read the novel, i noted the similarities and differences between our society and the Brave New World. Their use of anonimity, drugs, manufacturing and conditioning of men’s minds, manufacturing of human cells, and entertainment that drowns the viewer in sensation can be compared to many of our own practices. For example, in the Brave New World, the people are all identical except those of the higher class groups. Anonimity is a valued and neccesary part of their society because it helps to keep order and maintain conformity. Although this aspect is not completely the same in our world, we do try to conform to a certain image that is deemed acceptable by our society’s standards. Therefore, we sometimes loose sight of our own individual identities. In Brave New World, the people relied on a drug, Soma, to get them through their daly lives and problems. Unfortunately, in our world, people also rely on the use of drugs to help them deal with their troubles. Like Brave New World, our world practices manipulating and conditioning men’s minds. In Brave New World, the people are conditioned from the time they are in test tubes to think and act in the desired manner. We teach our children from the time of their births to think and act in the manner that we feel is appropriate. Like their society, we even experiment with the cloning and production of the human cell. Of course, our motives are not the same as those of the Brave New World. We use our test tubes to fertilize women, help cure diseases, and possibly regenerate body parts. In Brave New World, the people love to indulge their senses as do we. Many of our forms of entertainment are similar to the “Feelies”. For example, we have virtual reality, arcade and video games that make you feel as though you are actually part of the game, amusement rides that are meant to thrill us, and surround sound stereo systems. All of these cater to our senses. Many of the ideas that Huxley used to create his strange society were modeled after many of the strange practices of our own society. 2006-06-20T17:31:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-Examined-in-Brave-New-World-by-Aldous-Huxley-29723.aspx Illustrating Major Themes in "Night" by Elie Wiesel When being asked to paint a picture of the universe from darkest black to gray, one might think that this would be an easy task. After all, when discussing the events that these authors have endured, it is difficult calling anything gray. Pitch black seems to fit all of the readings equally. Reading the gruesome stories of physical and mental abuse, it is difficult to hear that a human being not only went through what these four did go through, but that a human being could really do this to another person. If I had to sit and decide in which order to place these writers, the criteria I would use would be how they looked at the spirit of man. Eli Wiesel, Primo Levi, Tadeucz Borowski, and Charlotte Delbo: what these four writers have in common is that they all experienced the lowest that life possibly could have offered them. They were all beaten, tortured, and had to live everyday with the realization that that day could be their last on earth. The way that Borowski has titled his chapter, “This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentleman” made me suspicious right away. Living in that environment can turn a normal person into a monster. “Listen, Henri, are we good people?” “That’s stupid. Why do you ask?” “You see, my friend, you see, I don’t know why, but I am furious, simply furious with these people – furious because I must be here because of them. I feel no pity. I am not sorry they’re going to the gas chamber. Damn them all! I could throw myself at them, beat them with my fists. It must be pathological, I just can’t understand… (Borowski 350)” This quote shows how humanity is killed when put into these horrific situations that Borowski has written about. Of course all of these people are in a situation that truly is unimaginable, but the lack of humanity is most prevalent here. One passage in which Borowski comes to the realization of what is going on really hit me as being extremely important. “…The scenes become confused in my mind – I am not sure if all of this is actually happening, or if I am dreaming. There is a humming inside my head; I feel 2006-06-20T17:29:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Illustrating-Major-Themes-in-quot-Night-quot-by-Elie-Wiese-29722.aspx Complete Summary and Analysis of Lord of the Flies Summary In the midst of war, a transport plane carrying a group of English boys is shot down, crashing in a thick jungle on a deserted island. Scattered by the wreck, the surviving boys lose each other. One of the older boys, Ralph, meets Piggy, a chubby, intellectual boy, on the beach. They discover a large white conch shell; Piggy realizes that it could be used as a kind of makeshift trumpet and convinces Ralph to blow it to find the other boys. Summoned by the blast of sound from the shell, boys begin straggling onto the beach. The oldest among them are around twelve; the youngest are only five. Among the group is a boys' choir, dressed in black gowns and led by an older boy named Jack. The boys all taunt Piggy, mocking his appearance and his nickname; Jack snaps at them to stand at attention. The boys decide to elect a leader; Ralph wins the vote, though Jack clearly wants the position. To mitigate Jack's ambition, Ralph asks the choir to serve as the hunters for the band of boys, and asks Jack to lead them. Mindful of the need to explore their new environment, the boys choose Ralph, Jack, and a choir member named Simon to explore the island, ignoring Piggy's whining requests to be picked. The trio of explorers leaves the meeting place and climbs up the side of a large hill; they play together and feel a bond emerging between them. They find a wild pig caught in a tangle of vines; Jack, the newly appointed hunter, attempts to kill it with his knife, but is unable to bring himself to do it. The pig gets away, and Jack vows that next time he will not flinch from the deed. When the explorers return, the boys meet again. Ralph tells the group that there are no adults on the island, but that if they remain calm and orderly, they will eventually be rescued. Ralph declares that, at meetings, the conch shell will be used to determine who has the right to speak; whoever is holding the conch shell will be allowed to speak, and the others must silently listen. Piggy haughtily informs the group that they should focus on increasing their chances of rescue, but he is largely ignored; one of the younger children claims 2006-06-20T17:27:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Complete-Summary-and-Analysis-of-Lord-of-the-Flies-29721.aspx Character Analysis of Women in "A Doll's House" Nora Helmer and Kristine Linde are two totally different women. First of all, Kristine is a widow, but doesn’t suffer of the loss of her husband. ??Not even a broken heart to grief over?p.8 The only thing she suffers from is the fact of being all alone. She’s a very calm and wise woman. Nora on the other side is like a little child in the beginning. She wants to do whatever she wants; for instance she always eats macaroons behind her husband’s back. She’s always very gay and singing. She’s very innocent and never thinks what the consequences could be of her acts. She starts to panic once Krogstad threatens her and wants to leave everything behind, so she wouldn’t have to face the truth. ?But in God’s name, Mr. Krogstad, it’s quite beyond my power to help you ?p.26 In the beginning of Act II, she’s completely out of her mind and loses control over herself. She runs from one side of the house to another, but doesn’t want to leave just in case someone would come to visit her again or maybe even her husband. Luckily she has Mrs. Linde to talk to. Kristine advises her and guides her very well. Thanks to her she finally gets a hold of herself again. Mrs. Linde actually sacrifices herself and convinces Krogstad to leave the Helmers alone and in return she would take care of him, mother his children and finally marry him, like he had asked her many years ago. ‘I need someone to mother, and your children need a mother. We two need each other. Nils, I have faith in what, deep down, you are. With you I can face anything. ?p. 65 I think Kristine is a very strong woman and knows what she wants and how to get it. Here she played with Krogstad’s old feelings for her and still she convinced Nora to talk to her husband and tell him the truth about everything. But even though she sacrifices herself in a way for Nora, she still did what she wanted, because she didn’t want to be alone for the rest of her life, and I think that is also why she agreed to marry Krogstad. Nora changed a lot in the last act. When Mr. Helmer hears the truth, Nora gives up her last hopes. She 2006-06-20T17:21:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Women-in-quot-A-Doll-s-House-quot-29718.aspx Critical Analysis of the Novel "Sorority Sisters" The book that I chose to read was Sorority Sisters by Tajuana "TJ" Butler. Sorority Sisters is an African-American fiction. This fiction novel is about five young ladies all at a college together and they soon plan to join a sorority. The sorority that the ladies want to become a part of is the Pink Plush Rush, an African-American Sorority. The setting of this story is at a college whose location is not stated in the book. Some of the characters of Sorority Sisters are Cajen, Jason, Patricia, Stephanie, Sidney, Howard, Richard, Will, Jeff, Chancey, Malena, and Tammy. Cajen is one of the main characters in this book. She is a freshman who has unprotected sex with a guy on campus by the name of Jason. Jason is known as the "cutest guy" on campus. One day Cajen fell for him and slept with him and he gave her herpes, which she thinks will change her life forever. She tries to keep it to herself that she has gotten a STD from Jason but her line sisters make her tell them "what's up". She tells them and they were all shocked because they never knew that Cajen had a relationship going on with Jason. Cajen tries very hard to get in touch with Jason. One night at a fund-raiser that her sorority is having, she sees him there and they leave and she talks to Jason privately. Jason goes on and on telling Cajen how much he loves her and she falls for it. Then one night she was walking into her dorm and she saw Jason with this other girl. She then realizes Jason was a liar and that she no longer wanted him to be in her life. Cajen moves on with her life and takes things very slow with this guy Eric. Tiara is also a main character in this book. She is the oldest of five children and the first person from her family to go to college and soon graduate from college. Tiara was born and raised in the projects of Gary, Indiana by a single parent. She has a mentor, Rhonda from the Big Sister program, which she entered when she was younger. Tiara also became a member of the 2006-06-20T17:18:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-the-Novel-quot-Sorority-Sisters-quot-29716.aspx Plot Analysis of "Shoeless Joe" The story is set on a farm in Iowa during the mid 1980's. It is about a young 2006-06-20T17:15:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Analysis-of-quot-Shoeless-Joe-quot-29715.aspx Women of "Christabel and 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci'" "Christabel," by Samuel Taylor Coleridge was written in 1798. It is about the invasion of a disguised witch, Geraldine into the lives of a lonely baron, Leoline and his daughter, Christabel. Geraldine soon captures the heart of Leoline, and alienates his daughter. "La Belle Dame Sans Merci, a ballad by John Keats is written some years later in 1820. In a similar concept to "Christabel." A supernatural woman, or a siren if you will, captures the heart of a knight, only to leave him her slave for eternity. Although they take on unique plots, the poem and the ballad draw many parallels. "Christabel" and "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" are two similar romantic works thematically taking on the intrigue of women and the power of seduction. First, romanticism is characterized by several details that are evident in both stories. It usually requires simple language and pertains to a medieval subject matter having to do with fantasy or the supernatural. There is always an emphasis on beauty, emotion, sensuality and nature. Both works embody most, if not all, of these traits. The romanticism of these poems grants the exploration of women as a force that is mysterious, beautiful and captivating. "Christabel" begins with the Baron's daughter, Christabel, roaming the woods late at night waiting for her betrothed lover. In her wanderings, she is startled by the angelic presence of a woman, Geraldine, who claims to be kidnapped. Christabel takes her back to the castle and offers her warmth and hospitality. Coleridge uses foreshadowing, dropping not-so-subtle hints that Geraldine is a witch, such as when Christabel carries her over the blessed threshold or when the ashes flame or the dog barks. These occurrences go unnoticed by Christabel. Geraldine and Christabel then go to bed together in one another's arms. Geraldine is soon introduced to Sir Leoline who is immediately enthralled by her. Christabel becomes suspicious and requests that the guest leave but her father berates her lack of hospitality. Christabel cannot explain her fears because the witch has "stole her tongue." Two forms of seduction are seen in this poem. One is Geraldine seducing Christabel in an attempt to capture her soul. Immediately, Christabel is fascinated by Geraldine's beauty and mystery. It is Geraldine who suggests that Christabel "unrobe" herself and they lay naked together. This creates a sense of closeness and sensuality. Christabel lays awake 2006-06-20T17:13:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Women-of-Christabel-and-La-Belle-Dame-Sans-Merci-29714.aspx Conveying Truth in the book "A Seperate Peace" In the book A Separate Peace, John Knowles makes the arguments that all things have a dual nature, all things change, and all things experience conflict. The story follows the different parts of Knowles’ thesis and illustrates each of them. The book A Separate Peace illustrates on each of Knowles’ points using the characters and settings effectively. The people, locations, and even the seasons at Devon School all have a dual nature. For example, Gene and Phineas are two completely different characters. Gene is introverted and studious, while Phineas is the natural leader of any group and is good in every sport that he tries at. Phineas attracts everyone that he meets (p. 32). Also, locations in Devon have a dual nature. For example, the two rivers, the Devon and the Naguamsett are two different things, the Devon being clean and refreshing and the Naguamsett being murky and filthy (p. 78). Also, the outside and inside of the buildings at Devon are very different (p. 102). Furthermore, the seasons at Devon are very different. During the summer, things are carefree and happy, and the rules are less strictly enforced (p. 16). While, during the winter, things are more stressed in the boys’ lives, and everything is a little colder (p. 119). Throughout the book, things are changing and evolving. The seasons change from winter into summer. Things change as a result of this. The teachers treat the boys with more discipline in the winter than in the summer (p. 16). Also, the entire school seems colder in the winter as well (p. 119). The big tree that the boys jump off of changes. Fifteen years later, it seems smaller and less threatening to Gene (p. 6). Furthermore, the entire school seems smaller to him. He is no longer anxious or threatened by the buildings or any of the school, and he says that the buildings look different to him (p. 1). Conflict is constant throughout the book, and is mainly between Gene and himself. In the beginning of the book, Gene thinks that Phineas is against him, however Gene is only jealous of Phineas. Gene creates his own conflict. 2006-06-20T17:01:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Conveying-Truth-in-the-book-quot-A-Seperate-Peace-quot-29708.aspx Considering Beowulf as a Religious Epic Beowulf displays both pagan/Germanic/Norse and Christian elements, which classifies it as either sort of epic. This is because it was written and translated during an era where society was converting from paganism to Christianity. Different lands, characters, and themes are based on either the pagan folklore or Christianity. This can easily explain how the epic could have at one time been pagan/Germanic/Norse and through the years been converted to being also considered Christian. There are many theories explaining how Beowulf became a Christian epic as well as a pagan one. Beowulf is set in the seventh or eighth century, and Christianity wasn’t introduced to Sweden until four centuries later. One theory is that of Robert P. Creed. He declares that it was a Christian singer who told the story of Beowulf, making it a Christian epic. This proves that the characters and motives could not possibly be Christian based. Beowulf did not truly become a Christian epic until interpreted centuries later by Burton Raffel, whom added the Christianity aspects. This is notably referred to as “Christian coloring.” The main character in this epic is the courageous, superhuman Beowulf. Our hero saves the day repeatedly and practices Christian ethics while speaking of the blessings from God. Beowulf’s reason for coming to the Dane’s rescue fighting Grendel was solely the will of God. He also decides to fight the monster single handedly, exclaiming, “Let God in His wisdom extend His hand where He wills, reward whom He chooses!” (E.10, Pg. 44) Following his battle with Grendel is the underwater encounter with Grendel’s mother, whom seeks revenge. A giant sword appears on the wall of the cave, blessed by God, and Beowulf uses it to kill the evil monster. Even though Beowulf constantly refers to his devotion to God, one must question his faith when he contradicts Christianity with his arrogance and belief in fate. Many characters from the epic still demonstrate pagan characteristics though, including the monsters and Danes. The monsters have snakelike qualities, the absolute symbolism of the devil. Grendel’s mother and wave roamers live in the boiling bloody lake, the setting of hell. The Danes turn to the devil and worship stone idols, when in search of help against Grendel. Other subject matters such as fate, 2006-06-20T16:53:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Considering-Beowulf-as-a-Religious-Epic-29703.aspx Critical Analysis of Stienbeck's Of Mice And Men It was a typical hot summer day and the guys and I just came in from from shoeing horses and bucking barley. I was expecting two new guys to go out with my team because the two punks I do have are worthless. I ran into them later that day in the bunk house though. I walked into the bunk house to see a short guy with a small build standing next to a big burley guy built like a tree. Right from the start I could tell the big guy wasn't very bright. He seemed very timid and avoided eye contact with everybody in the room. I walked up and introduced myself to George Milton and Lennie Small. George told me they were going to buck barley and they looked like good workers so I could use them. It is very rare to ever see anybody traveling together but George explained to me how Lennie got kicked in the head when he was a baby and how George had to look after him to keep him out of trouble. Then Carlson came in asking me about my bitch and if it had it's puppies yet. As soon as the word puppies was mentioned Lennies eyes lit up. Then Carlson went on about how we should have Candy shoot his old mutt and I could give him one of my pups. About that same time the bell rang for dinner. I told the guys we had better get a move on if we wanted to get anything to eat. The following day the two news guy, George and Lennie, went out with my team to buck barley. When we came back to the bunk house George asked me if I could give Lennie one of my pups. As soon as Lennie heard me and George agree to to let Lennie have one of the pups Lennie went out to the barn to pick out the one he wanted. George had to be sure to tell him not to pick any of them up though or they would die. Lennie was like a big kid that George had to baby-sit all the time. About the same time Lennie came back from the barn Curley walked in the bunk house looking for his wife. Carlson cracked a couple of jokes about Curley and he almost hit Carlson. 2006-06-20T16:52:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Stienbeck-s-Of-Mice-And-Men-29702.aspx Analyses of the Ending of The Sun Also Rises Novelist often foreshadow the ending of their novels. In Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises, the ending is satisfying because it is typical. At the end of the novel Jake receives a telegram from Brett saying that she is in the Hotel Montana in Madrid. She states that she is in trouble. Jake telegraphs her saying that he will arrive by express tomorrow. Jake finds her in bed, embraces her, and kisses her. She tells him that she made Romero leave because he wants to get married and have kids. Then she tells Jake that she is going to go back to Mike. When they leave Madrid Brett says, “Oh Jake we could have had such a damned good time together. (247)” Jake replies, “ Yes, isn’t it pretty to think so? (247)” All in all the novel is logical and the ending is foreshadowed. The end of the novel is logical. The writer does foreshadow the outcome of the novel. The ending is logical in a way because it seems like throughout the novel Brett turns to Jake when she gets in some trouble. It also seems as if every time Brett gets in trouble Jake is there to assuage her and bail her out of it. Although that is good because that is what good friends are supposed to do. The themes of this novel are that war destroys more lives than just those on the battlefield and also that love is often painful. The ending of the novel explains these themes: Brett and Jake’s love is painful because they cannot be together because Jake is impotent, and war does not only destroy Jake and Brett’s life but also all of the other guys that Brett has an affair with. Without the war Jake would not have been injured and Brett and Jake would be married. An alternative ending that is not as satisfying is if Brett runs off with Romero and gets married. The emotional response to the ending of the story is that the ending is typical but satisfying. The writer could have gone a lot of different ways with the ending of this novel. Lucky enough for the reader sake, he did not go crazy with 2006-06-20T16:50:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analyses-of-the-Ending-of-The-Sun-Also-Rises-29701.aspx Friendship in A Seperate Peace "He got away with everything because of the extraordinary person he was. It was quite a compliment to me, in fact, to have such a person choose me for his best friend" (21). The friendship of Gene, an intellectual, and Finny, a fearless athlete, is the focus of John Knowles’s A Separate Peace. Narrated by Gene Forrester, this is a story of two youths growing up at a beautiful boys’ boarding school in New England. Set at the headwaters of World War II, the bond between Gene and Phineas grows as the peace in Devon School diminishes. ‘ "It’s you pal," he said, "just you and me." He and I started across the fields, proceeding the others like two seigneurs"’(10). Gene becomes Finny’s best friend the moment he jumps out of the tree and into Devon River as a result of Finny’s goading. Since then, Finny is the dominant factor in all the choices the Gene makes: ‘Why did I let Finny talk me into this? Was he getting some sort of hold over me? "Jump!" With the sensation that I was throwing my life away, I jumped into space’ (9). When Gene jumps, in a way he is throwing his life away to Finny, because from that point forward, Finny will be the overwhelming influence of his life. Gene and Phineas are like two poles of a magnet, opposite yet bound together. Finny excels in athletics and sports while Gene excels in academics. Finny is the extroverted leader and Gene is his follower. Finny shines bright and Gene is his shadow. Their personalities and strengths are different and yet they are inseparable. The real story begins when Gene doubts Finny’s loyalty. As an adolescent, Gene’s insecurity causes him to suddenly believe that such a friend as Phineas is too good to be true. He suspects Phineas is dragging him along in all his venturesome ideas to keep him from being the top student. To confirm his suspicions, Gene asks Finny about his feelings: "You wouldn’t -- mind if I wound up head of the class, would you?" "I’d kill myself with jealous envy"(44). Gene takes this answer literally and believes that their friendship has been a competition all along: Finny had deliberately set out to wreck my studies. That explained blitzball, that explained the nightly meetings of the Super Suicide Society, that explained his insistence that I share all 2006-06-20T16:02:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Friendship-in-A-Seperate-Peace-29700.aspx Critical Analysis of A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway expresses his philosophy that everyone will eventually die an unfair death through the use of his main character, Frederic Henry. Frederic is surrounded by circumstances in which many people would never want to find themselves; the harsh realities of fighting in war, observing cruel circumstances to friends, and losing a loved one. These events happen to him to make him believe that all of life is just an unfair game. This unfairness of life observed by Frederic Henry motivates him and develops him into a better person. Frederic Henry is an ambulance driver for the Italian army during World War II; he sees many things he should not have to see while taking part in the war. For instance, when Frederic and three other men, including his friend Passini, ate dinner one evening, an attack was launched. After a great explosion, Frederic looked toward Passini and saw that “one leg was gone and the other was held by tendons and part of the trousers” (Hemingway, 55). Passini was killed right before Frederic’s own eyes. Incidents like this bore heavy on his soul and caused Frederic to want to leave the war. It was unfair to see the people who he cared for die. This particular event helped to motivate Henry to leave the line of duty. Frederic's true love, Catherine Barkley, informed him that she was nearly three months pregnant at a time when Frederic had been recovering from an injury. He was about to go back on the war front. Aware of the unfairness that Catherine had been through, mainly losing her fiancee in battle, he did not want to see her hurt again. Frederic told Catherine to “take care of [herself] and young Catherine’ (Hemingway, 157). Though Frederic does not care much for having a baby, he loves Catherine deeply and does not want to see her hurt. He insures Catherine throughout the rest of the novel that he loves her deeply and he helps to care for and protect Catherine. While rowing to Switzerland, Frederic constantly looked out for Catherine; he made sure she was comfortable, warm, and did not want her to take the oars to row. Frederic had grown into a caring husband and father looking out for the welfare of his wife and baby to be. The end 2006-06-20T15:47:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-A-Farewell-to-Arms-by-Ernest-Hemingway-29696.aspx Analysis of "The Death of Ivan Ilych" by Tolstoy "The Death of Ivan Ilych," by Leo Tolstoy, is a story about the life and death of a man called Ivan Ilych. The story begins with a couple of Ivan’s friends discussing his death during a recess in a court trial. When Ivan’s friends hear the news of his death all they can think about is who is going to be promoted to Ivan’s position. Even Ivan’s wife does not seem disturbed by her husband’s death. All she is concerned about is how she could obtain a grant of money from the government on the occasion of her husband’s death, and how much money the government will give her out of his pension. After the funeral is discussed in detail, Tolstoy goes on to describe Ivan’s life. Ivan was the middle child of two other siblings. His two brothers were totally opposite of him. The oldest followed in his father’s footsteps and the youngest was a failure. Ivan fit in the middle of his two brothers perfectly. He was not as uptight and pushy as his older brother, nor as unruly as his younger brother. As a young man Ivan decided to become a lawyer. Because he saw how lawyers were twisted and lied to get what they wanted he had doubts about pursuing a career in that field. But, he became agreeable with this profession after seeing it was acceptable in the eyes of society. Later in life Ivan got married, not for love but for personal satisfaction and at the same time it was considered the right thing by the most highly placed of his associates. Soon after his marriage he had children because again it was considered the right thing among society. He continued to live in modest means, but in his own mind, he was in the upper class. While trying to prepare his house for his family Ivan fell and hit his side. Instead of feeling pain, he felt like he was fifteen years younger not knowing that he had just taken a fatal blow. Soon he became irritable, and more withdrawn than before. The doctors and specialists he saw would never give him a straight answer on what the problem was, and he never did know whether or not it was life threatening, until it finally took him 2006-06-20T15:40:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Death-of-Ivan-Ilych-quot-by-Tolstoy-29694.aspx Critical Analysis of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card In Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, determination played a big part in the success of many of the character’s goals. Ender and the students in battle school used determination to help them succeed in graduating and going onto command school. While Valentine and Peter where determined to make their voices heard and earn respect for themselves around the World. Colonel Graff showed his determination in efforts to prepare Ender to defeat the buggers. Ender, and the students in battle school needed and used determination to survive and be successful in battle school. From there they used determination to go onto command school. When Ender and his launch group was first introduced to the battle room, they had a lot of difficulty moving around. Ender was determined to get better and immediately began to experiment and eventually learned how to maneuver effectively. When Ender was transferred to the Salamander Army, he wasn’t given a chance to compete in the battles, but he was determined to get better so he held practice sessions with the launches. At the practice sessions, Ender and the launches developed new maneuvers and techniques that would eventually become the standard for future battles. After a little while of practice and Determination, Ender found himself atop the leader board. When Ender got his own Army, he and the members of his army were put on a grueling schedule of battles and practices. Ender’s Army faced a battle everyday for four straight weeks. They were exhausted but everyday they remained strong and determined to keep up their success, and not to give up a loss. Valentine and Peter also showed signs of determination throughout the book. They were determined to make themselves heard and earn respect from important people on the net. Together they worked together to develop a strategy to conceal their true identities, while still being able to earn respect. The two came up with nicknames and two different writing styles to match the unique names. Their progress started out slowly, but they stayed determined. After a while they both found themselves writing articles for major publications, and earning the respect of individuals all around the world. Colonel Graff shows a lot of determination throughout the book. Graff was determined to give Ender the preparation he needed to defeat the buggers. Graff was always pushing Ender farther than 2006-06-20T15:35:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Ender-s-Game-by-Orson-Scott-Card-29692.aspx A Tale of Unescapable Fate in Oedipus Rex Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is one of the most peculiar and intriguing works in of the ancient Greek era. Undoubtedly, the title character Oedipus is faced with an unbelievably harsh situation. He leaves his kingdom behind in order to avoid the fate that was foretold to him, only to end up enduring it anyway. Oedipus is dealt with a debilitating fate, and the reader of Sophocles’ epic must realize that it is not Oedipus’ own choices or desires that lead to his demise, but rather the cruel fate that is dealt to him by the gods. The initial argument that a reader must consider is that Oedipus had some control over his future, and that his desire for power and kingdom are what essentially lead to his demise. The reader can argue that Oedipus was a selfish ruler who cared merely about his own advance. The reader could interpret his statement, “Yet your grief, / however great, is not so great as mine” (Oedipus the King, 63-4), as being a guise to gain sympathy and popularity to the crowd. At the beginning of the play, the reader is unable to get an accurate reading of the true character of Oedipus. He could be a power hungry ruler, who knew the truth about his fate, and hid the reality from his kingdom. The reader can reject this notion as the chorus reveals in lines 1140-50, that the throne and Jocasta were given to Oedipus as a reward for ending the long terror that the Sphinx had lashed upon the kingdom of Thebes. We can also reaffirm Oedipus’ commitment to the kingdom through his willingness to carry out his decree that Laius’ murder shall be banished from Thebes (Oedipus the King, 216-7), even after he realizes that he is the murderer. Oedipus is certainly not at any fault of character for the fate that he must endure. Perhaps the reader can argue that Jocasta should have been able to control the situation. There are many mistakes that she makes, in avoiding the future that the Oracle foresees. First, Jocasta and Laius could have overseen the execution of the infant Oedipus, and refrained from having any other children. While they do refrain from bearing any more children, the reader must question why they do not kill the infant themselves or at least make sure that the 2006-06-20T15:24:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Tale-of-Unescapable-Fate-in-Oedipus-Rex-29688.aspx Literary Techniques of Flannery O'Connor In writing many authors have different techniques or styles in which they use in order to reveal their themes. These vehicles are what give fiction its ability to relate to people and life in general. By using setting, irony, and characterization in her short fiction Flannery O’Connor reveals a theme of a both cynical and sinister universe in which death is imminent and impartial. She specializes in using artistic representation of human character or motives to accentuate this morbid theme. In her three short stories “Everything That Rises Must Converge” “Good Country People” and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” O’Connor reinforces this predominant theme. In order to display her themes, O’Connor uses setting as one of her main tools. In all of her stories she has particular settings that drastically influence the outcomes of each scenario. In “Good Country People” O’Connor uses a country backdrop in order to accurately depict the attitude derived from an area of this nature. Early in the story, Mrs. Hopewell has a blurred deception of country people, she is unable to filter through her own biases. This is proved when the bible salesman comes to her door, and she welcomes him entirely because he says that he is a country boy. “I’m real simple. I don’t know how to say a thing but to say it. I’m a country boy.” Because of these statements he is able to manipulate his way into Mrs. Hopewell’s family. The setting is crucial in this particular case because if this scene does not occur on countryside the salesman is much less likely to manipulate a family. The setting allows O’Connor to display an “all trusting” country attitude, which in turn results in a death of Mrs. Hopewell’s beliefs. Setting also plays a large role in her other two stories. In “A Good Man is Hard to Find” the setting is crucial because the family would most likely never have been killed if the car accident had occurred in a place similar to a city with lots of people in the area. “The road looked as if no one had traveled on it in months” because of the situation taking place on a back road in a small southern town, the setting enabled the killings to take place. These brutal killings are a distinct 2006-06-20T15:05:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Techniques-of-Flannery-O-Connor-29686.aspx "Tuesdays With Morrie" Book Review Morrie is Morrie Schwartz, Mitch Albom's former university professor. Albom has forgotten his old mentor on the way to a successful career as a sportswriter. But all is not well with Albom's spirit and when he sees an interview with his mentor on Nightline, he takes the initiative to reconnect with his long lost friend. Morrie is dying from Lou Gehrig's disease, a crippling illness that diminished his activities daily. Albom was one of hundreds of former students and acquaintances who traveled great distances to visit Morrie in the final months of his life. Albom, when in college, met with Morrie on Tuesdays. After Mitch saw his friend on Nightline, he once again started meeting with Morrie on Tuesdays. In these visits, Mitch learns a lot about life and what is really important from Morrie. He tells Mitch that in life you have to find out what is important to you, and not let society make those choices for you. Mitch realized that society puts a value on stuff that shimmers and glistens, not on the things that really matter. Mitch had been caught up in all this while trying to become a successful sports writer. Then Mitch asks Morrie what he would do if he had one healthy day. “Let’s see . . . I’d get up in the morning, do my exercises, have a lovely breakfast of sweet rolls and tea, go for a swim, then have my friends come over for a nice lunch. I’d have them come one or two at a time so we could talk about their families, their issues, talk about how much we mean to each other.” “Then I’d like to go for a walk, in a garden with some trees, watch their colors, watch the birds, take in the nature that I haven’t seen in so long now.” “In the evening, we’d all go together to a restaurant with some great pasta, maybe some duck—I love duck—and then we’d dance the rest of the night. I’d dance with all the wonderful dance partners out there, until I was exhausted. And then I’d go home and have a deep, wonderful sleep.” For a man that can’t get out of bed, on the verge of death, this is what he wants to do? This made Mitch see how Morrie was a man of great wisdom and 2006-06-20T14:59:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-Tuesdays-With-Morrie-quot-Book-Review-29684.aspx Character Analysis of Johnny and Dally from "The Outsiders" Why do the Greasers have a great strength in friendship? Why do the Greasers stick together like brothers? Why is Dally feeling hopeless as to die after he knows Johnny was died? The friendship between Dally and Johnny demonstrate the great strength friendship in the Greasers. The people who have the same personality come together because they enjoy the same thing and that is why different people like to join different groups to share their feelings and problems. After I finished reading the novel of ¡°The Outsiders¡±, I realized that although Dally and Johnny have grown up in different cities, they like to join together because they have a lot of the same habits, notions and moral qualities. They are both low educated, brave, and lacking in love, so that they are sticking together like glue. From the novel, we can see Dally needs education, and so does Johnny. First of all, Dally does not go to school in New York City, so his life becomes worse. He has a lot of files at the police station because he used to be arrested. He gets drunk, lies, cheats and steals. He does many bad things. Johnny does not go to school either. His family is poor, and his parents do not allow him to go to school, often beating and kicking him out. No school could accept the Greasers who live out of the cycle of ordinary society. Second, Dally has spent his childhood on the street, and Johnny has too. When the other kids are studying in school, Dally is fighting with his gang. He has spent three years on the wild side of New York and has been arrested at the age of ten. Johnny learns smoking and drinking but not reading and writing in the gang. Just like Ponyboy says, ¡°Sixteen years on the streets you can learn a lot, but all the wrong things, not the things you want to learn. Sixteen years on the streets and you could see a lot, but all the wrong sights, not the sights you want to see.¡± Dally and Johnny have learnt a lot of bad things from the street. That¡¯s why their education is so low. After Johnny hides from the cops with Ponyboy, he sure likes the book of ¡°Gone with the Wind¡±, 2006-06-20T14:55:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Johnny-and-Dally-from-quot-The-Outsid-29682.aspx Theme Analysis of "The Outsider" As we all know, we live in a complex society. The friendship between people is necessary and cannot be avoided, so the result is clear: friendship is very important. Everyone, no matter 2006-06-20T14:47:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-Analysis-of-quot-The-Outsider-quot-29679.aspx George Orwell's Animal Farm symbolizing Totalitarianism Totalitarianism – a type of government that attempts to assert total control over the lives of its citizens. This form of tyranny was a 20th -century development that was instituted to serve the goal of transforming society according to socialist principals. All previous political institutions and constitutions were relinquished and replaced by new ones. This thought of government was meant to make everyone equal and 2006-06-20T14:38:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/George-Orwell-s-Animal-Farm-symbolizing-Totalitarianism-29674.aspx Theme Development in Oedipus Rex The main theme, which develops the central action throughout the play Oedipus Rex, focusses on the term "blindness." The beginning of the play involves Oedipus being intellectually blind of the truth, trying to find out, but not succeeding. During the middle of the play Oedipus recognizes the truth about his past and himself, discovering that he was blind. Then Oedipus punishes himself harshly by making himself physically blind. It is Oedipus's unfortunate blindness, which is his tragic flaw. He is intellectually blind as well as physically blind. He is blind of the truth of himself and his past. In the past, he was taken away from his real parents, so his destined fate would not come true. He was then found by the herdsman, who gave him to King Polybus and Merope' to raise as their child. Oedipus became older, and as he was away he killed King Laois without knowing what he was doing. After solving the riddle of the Sphinx, Oedipus became King of Thebes, and married his real mother Jocasta, not realizing who she was. He can see physically well at the beginning of the play, but he is blind and ignorant of the real truth about himself and his past. He believes Creon is causing him trouble and telling him lies instead of the truth. Tiresias disagrees, “No, your affliction is yourself, not Creon, (384), he says, telling Oedipus that he creates his own ill fortune. Oedipus thinks that Creon is trying to steal his throne and plot to kill him when he tells him the truth about himself. “My loyal Creon, colleage from the start, longs to sneak up in secret and dethrone me, (389). Creon is doing no such thing. Although Oedipus desperately tries to discover the truth, he does not succeed. Jocasta tries to cause Oedipus to stop looking for the truth, feeling that the truth will only cause him more pain. "For the love of the gods, and if you love your life, give up this search! My sickness is enough, (1065). Jocasta already feels pain and knows all about the truth. If Oedipus finds out the truth, then it will cause her more pain. Oedipus also persistently asks the herdsman about the past. The herdsman becomes 2006-06-20T14:13:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-Development-in-Oedipus-Rex-29663.aspx The Supernatural in Macbeth In the play "Macbeth," there were many interesting sections which could be concentrated on due to the suspense and the involvement of the supernatural. The use of the supernatural in the witches, the visions, the ghost, and the apparitions is a key element in making the concept of the play work and in making the play interesting. Looking through each Act and Scene of the play, it is noticed that the supernatural is definitely a major factor on the play's style. The use of the supernatural occurs at the beginning of the play, with three witches predicting the fate of Macbeth. This gives the audience a clue to what the future holds for Macbeth. "When the battles lost and won"(Act I, Scene I, l.4) was said by the second witch. It says that every battle is lost by one side and won by another. Macbeth's fate is that he will win the battle, but will lose his time of victory for the battle of his soul. After the prophecies of the witches' revealed the fate of Macbeth, the plan in which to gain power of the throne is brought up. The only way to gain power of the throne was for Macbeth to work his way to the throne, or to murder King Duncan. Murdering the king was an easier plan since the motivation in his dreams urged him on. Lady Macbeth also relied on the supernatural by her soliloquy of calling upon the evil spirits to give her the power to plot the murder of Duncan without any remorse or conscience(Act I, Scene V, ll.42-57). The three sisters are capable of leading people into danger resulting in death, such as the sailor who never slept(Act I, Scene III, ll.1-37). Lady Macbeth has convinced her husband Macbeth to murder King Duncan. On the night they planned to kill Duncan, Macbeth is waiting for Lady Macbeth to ring the signal bell to go up the stairs to Duncan's chamber. He sees the vision of the floating dagger. The interest of the dagger is that it leads Macbeth towards the chamber by the presence of evil of the dagger being covered with blood. Then the bell rings and Macbeth stealthily proceeds up the staircase to Duncan's chamber. Once the murder has been committed, eventually Banquo has his suspicions about Macbeth killing Duncan to have power of the throne. There 2006-06-16T20:39:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Much-Ado-About-Nothing-The-Supernatural-in-Macbeth-29660.aspx Analysis of Crime and Punishment Whatever happened to the old axiom "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"? The reality, of course, is that it seems to be getting more and more difficult to put criminals behind bars. This leads directly to a growing disregard and disrespect for the law. This should hardly be a surprise. Why think twice about committing a crime if you have little reason to fear the consequences? Today's "prisoner" seems to have little to fear. Many find themselves better off behind bars than they were on the street. Modern prisons seem more like country clubs than the classic notion of "prisons". The average yearly cost of incarcerating a prisoner is greater than the average annual income of a sizable number of American families. While those law-abiding families struggle to get by, many prisoners are getting three square meals a day, free workout and recreational facilities, and don't have to work. A phalanx of liberal attorneys are available to defend the prisoner's "rights" while the victims of that same prisoner's crimes get tossed aside and forgotten. Inmates sentenced to death often spend a decade or more in jail while the appeals process drags on and on and on. There's more than a little wrong here. First and foremost is the notion that a prisoner has any "rights" that could be violated. "Rights" are the benefits afforded to law-abiding citizens. They are not reasons to avoid paying for one's crimes. As far as I'm concerned, if someone is convicted of a crime and sent to jail, they have *no* rights for the period of their sentence. Prisoners are supposedly "repaying their debt to society". How can they be doing that if they contribute nothing to that same society while in prison? They need to be put to work. There's an endless number of jobs that they could be doing to benefit society at large. For example, why let trash accumulate all over the landscape just because people don't want to take paying jobs to clean it up? We have an able-bodied workforce currently sitting in prisons. Bring back chain gangs and use *them* to clean up. We also need to repair our system of "justice". Entirely too many criminals get off for nonsensical reasons such as the infamous "temporary insanity" defense or by 2006-06-16T19:12:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Crime-and-Punishment-29658.aspx Overview of "A Good Man is Hard to Find" The story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is an interesting story about a family traveling 2006-06-16T18:50:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Overview-of-quot-A-Good-Man-is-Hard-to-Find-quot-29647.aspx Critical Analysis of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde, author of The Picture of Dorian Gray, makes Basil's life changed drastically by having him paint a portrait of Dorian Gray and express too much of himself in it, which, in Wilde's mind, is a troublesome obstacle to circumvent. Wilde believes that the artist should not portray any of himself in his work, so when Basil does this, it is he who creates his own downfall, not Dorian. Wilde introduces Basil to Dorian when Basil begins to notice Dorian staring at him at a party. Basil "suddenly became conscious that someone was looking at [him]. [He] turned halfway around and saw Dorian Gray for the first time"(Wilde 24). Basil immediately notices him, however Basil is afraid to talk to him. His reason for this is that he does "not want any external influence in [his] life" (Wilde24). This is almost a paradox in that it is eventually his own internal influence that destroys him. Wilde does this many times throughout the book. He loved using paradoxes and that is why Lord Henry, the character most similar to Wilde, is quoted as being called "Price Paradox." Although Dorian and Basil end up hating each other, they do enjoy meeting each other for the first time. Basil finds something different about Dorian. He sees him in a different way than he sees other men. Dorian is not only beautiful to Basil, but he is also gentle and kind. This is when Basil falls in love with him and begins to paint the picture. Basil begins painting the picture, but does not tell anyone about it, including Dorian, because he knows that there is too much of himself in it. Lord Henry discovers the painting and asks Basil why he will not display it. Lord Henry thinks that it is so beautiful it should be displayed in a museum. Basil argues that the reason he will not display the painting is because he is "afraid that [he] has shown in it the secret of his soul" (Wilde 23). This is another paradox because he has not only shown the secret of his soul, but the painting eventually comes to show the secret of Dorian's soul also. In the preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde explains that "to reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim" (Wilde 17). Basil realizes that 2006-06-16T18:43:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Dorian-Gray-by-Oscar-Wilde-29641.aspx Theme Analysis of Bridge to Teribithia All children can relate in someway to Katherine Paterson’s Newbery Medal-winning children’s novel, Bridge to Terabithia. Jess and Leslie, the main characters in the book undergo many life changing circumstances such as becoming the best of friends and then having to let go of that friendship. Three subjects that mold Jess and Leslie into a more mature person are competition, friendship, and acceptance. Jess Aarons is a ten-years-old and grows up in a house where he is the only boy with four sisters. He lives in a small town and has a hard time finding ways to entertain himself. His greatest hope is to become the fastest runner in the fifth grade. It is very important for Jess to win: “One time last year Jesse had won. Not just the first heat but the whole shebang. Only once. But it had put in his mouth a taste for winning”(Paterson 4). It was so important for Jess to win because he needed the respect from his peers and his family. Jess’s main interest in life was drawing and no one seemed to understand his passion: “Ever since he’d been in first grade he’d been that “crazy little kid that draws all the time” (Paterson 4). Jess needed something in his life that made him feel normal. Being the fastest kid in the fifth grade made him feel like a star. He was sure that this year he would be the fastest. On the first day of school, he gets beat by the new girl, Leslie Burke: “He felt it before he saw it. Someone was moving up. He automatically pumped harder. Then the shape was there in his sideways vision. Then suddenly pulling ahead..... The faded cutoffs crossed the line a full three feet ahead of him”(Paterson 27). Jess was not going to be the fastest runner in fifth grade this year. It shocked all the boys on the playground that Leslie had run the race: ”There was no cheering at either end of the field. The rest of the boys seemed as stunned as he”(Paterson 27) After the race Leslie attempts to befriend Jess. He is still embarrassed that she beat him and was not comfortable being friends with a girl. Jess tries hard to ignore Leslie 2006-06-16T18:41:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-Analysis-of-Bridge-to-Teribithia-29640.aspx Creative Writing Assignment on TS Eliot's "The Wasteland" Emily: Mr. Gordon, it’s really nice to meet you. I'm really excited to talk about T.S. Eliot, his poetry, and his life, because he has always been one of my FAVORITE poets. Mr. Gordon: Emily, the honor is mine. I am a fan of anyone who is a fan of Eliot’s. Now, where would you like to start? First, let me buy you a drink. Emily: I’ll take water with lemon, please. Mr. Gordon, I have heard a lot about Eliot’s thoughts on the idea of head and heart. What exactly does he mean by this? Mr. Gordon: Well, as in the Wasteland and Four Quartets, they enact a classic opposition between the head and heart. It is re-cast in the light of medical science as an opposition between brain and nervous system and heart and blood; between the flickering and circulating; between what the doctors of Eliot’s youth had discovered about the way we work and what King Charles’ doctor had discovered; between a modern age of nerves and an older, nobler age of blood. Emily: Wow, I never knew that Eliot was at all interested in medicine and how the body worked. I thought he only wrote poetry. Mr. Gordon: Yes, Eliot was a very deep man. There is a lot about him that people don’t know or never realized. Emily: In Wasteland, the wife says “My nerves are bad tonight,” and later she seems distracted and says, “I can connect/Nothing with nothing.” Where did Eliot come up with all of this, or what does it mean? Mr. Gordon: This “nerves” passage relates to Eliot’s life at the time with his wife, which he is referring to the state of his and his wife’s nerves which are upsetting, troubled, and worried. In this poem, it is apparent that the woman’s nerves are bad because she is constantly concerned and worried with them. Emily: So where does this whole concept of head and heart come into play, Mr. Gordon? Mr. Gordon: The woman seems as though she hates facing reality. There is a force represented in poem in terms of heart and blood in which the realities are discounted. Wasteland begins with an ironic reminder of that season when sap and blood stir in the veins of 2006-06-16T15:50:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Creative-Writing-Assignment-on-TS-Eliot-s-quot-The-Wastelan-29639.aspx Critical Analysis of "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt is a genuine memoir that vividly tells the story of a young, Irish Catholic boy during the 1930’s and early 1940’s. Frank’s memory of his impoverished childhood is difficult to accept, however, he injects a sense of devilish humor into his biography. He creates a story where the readers watch him grow beyond all odds and live through the pinnacle of the miserable Irish Catholic childhood. “People everywhere brag and whimper about the woes of their early years, but nothing can compare with the Irish version: the poverty, the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests; bullying schoolmasters; the English and the terrible things they did to us for eight hundred long years”(McCourt 11). His interaction with his family proves that despite the hunger and pain, love and strength come out of misery. Although the book tells the experience of an individual, the story itself is universal. Born in Brooklyn in 1930 to recent Irish immigrants Malachy and Angela McCourt, Frank grew up in Limerick after his parents returned to Ireland because of poor prospects in America. Due to the Great Depression, Malachy could not find work in America. However, things did not get any better back in Ireland for Malachy. A chronically unemployed and nearly unemployable alcoholic, he appears to be the model on which many of our more insulting cliches about drunken Irish manhood are based. Week after week, Angela would be home expecting her husband to come home with money to eat, but Malachy always spent his wages on pints at local pubs. Frank’s father would come home late at night and make his sons get out of bed and sing patriotic songs about Ireland by Roddy McCorley and Kevin Barry, who were hung for their country. Frank loved his father and got an empty feeling in his heart when he knew his father was out of work again. Frank described his father as the Holy Trinity because there is three people in him, “The one in the morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and prayers, and then the one who does the bad thing and comes home with the smell of whiskey and wants us to die for Ireland” (McCourt 210). Even when there was a war going on and English agents 2006-06-16T15:48:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-Angela-s-Ashes-quot-by-Frank-McC-29638.aspx Use of Language in George Orwell's 1984 Unlike the assumption, George Orwell’s 1984 was written in 1948. This was right after World War II, and around the time of the Great Depression. Orwell intended 1984 to be a warning against totalitarian tendencies. Around the time he wrote the novel, humanity as a whole was disintegrating. Drunks and low class people ran society. Orwell was showing people what society would soon come to if they continued their behavior. He showed the ignorance of people at the time, and preached the horrid outcome that could result if people did not change their ways. Orwell is giving a slight extreme but is showing how the government has the capability to deceive people and suppress them if necessary. Orwell showed how freedom can be taken away in an instant, and how the government controls people to a degree, and can definitely increase their control and power. George Orwell shows how the world can even be as corrupt as to have people’s children turn them into the government. He is trying to scare the people, and to warn them to change their ways, and fix their lifestyle. Language is a means of expression. It allows people to communicate with one another, and to freely share their thoughts. Freedom is being independent. It allows one to do as they please. People use language as a means to express themselves. They speak, write, and even discuss their ideas to eventually culminate their thoughts and reach a certain epiphany that will hopefully enhance their life. To be able to express themselves, people must communicate. They must be able to say what they feel, and preach what they think. Without language people’s thoughts are not only suppressed, but people themselves are suppressed. They are not allowed to fully express themselves, which is the essence of freedom. In 1984, George Orwell presents the government as language oppressors. The government tries to rid the language of words such as “freedom”, and “independence”. By eliminating the words from the vocabulary, the government eliminates the thoughts. By eliminating people’s thoughts, the government eliminates freedom. The goal of the government is to limit the vocabulary of the people. Vocabulary allows people to create ideas. A larger vocabulary even helps people elaborate on their ideas. A simplistic vocabulary leads to a simplistic mind. If people’s vocabulary is the same, their thoughts will be similar since they 2006-06-16T15:46:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Use-of-Language-in-George-Orwell-s-1984-29637.aspx Picnic At Hanging Rock „The shadow of the Rock has grown darker and longer“. At the beginning of the book, on St. Valentine’s Day, nineteen girls and their two school mistresses from the Appleyard College leave for a picnic to “Hanging Rock”. The girls are all wearing white and clean clothes. That symbolises purity, cleanness, properness and virginity. Thereby author, Joan Lindsay, tries to show, the contrast between these girls and the hard, brutal and ruthless nature. The atmosphere is very positive- everything and everybody seems to be very beautiful and friendly, but after some time, some indicators show, that there will soon be a big turmoil and many troubles. One indicator for some troubles is, when Miranda opens the gate and the horses are spooked and birds fly up. Another example which shows that something terrible is going to happen soon, is when Irma is leaving, wearing a stark, red cloak. Red is often associated with danger, anger, and even evil or death and will perhaps cause also big troubles. After some time, four girls, called Miranda, Marion, Irma and Edith, decide to go to explore the „Hanging Rock”, with the result, that only one of them comes back. The other three seem to be disappeared. In this essay I will describe most of the characters and will briefly explain how the lives of the characters in the book, "Picnic at Hanging Rock" have been affected by the contact with the „Hanging Rock”. The first character which I will write about is Mrs. Appleyard. She is the owner and headmaster of the College and from the beginning on, she is a quite unfriendly, temperamental, impatient and mean character. She is also the one, which unloads/vents her annoyance on Sara and unfortunately, Sara has to suffer quite badly from that. One example were Mrs. Appleyard treats Sarah quite mean, is when Sarah asks, if she could perform her own poem, instead of another. But Mrs. Appleyard rejects. Mrs. Appleyard also drinks alcohol. But the effect of the „Hanging Rock” on Mrs. Appleyard is fairly extensive. First, she just drinks very much alcohol but as she realises that the whole situation starts to get out of control, that she will loose her reputation and her college, she goes to the “Hanging Rock” and commits suicide by falling down the “Hanging Rock”. The next person, called Marion, was also one 2006-06-16T15:33:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Picnic-At-Hanging-Rock-29630.aspx Summary of "The Crimson Spell" by F. Goldsborough Prue, Piper, and Phoebe don’t know that a coven of warlocks is hunting them . They don’t know that one of the warlocks has entered their lives as a friend. And they also don’t know the coven’s mission – to destroy them. When Pipers volunteer to be a mentor at a halfway home for homeless kids, meaning she will be a sort of “big sister“ to a young teenage girl living there, her sisters Prue and Phoebe arent’s so sure that it is a good idea. Prue and Phoebe are afraid that Celeste, the girl Piper has been assigned to, will find out their identity as witches. But Celeste seems to be a nice kid, who just went through a lot of bad in her life. It’s Daria, Celeste’s roommate at the home, that Piper and her sisters are suspicious of. Daria seems to be into black magic. So Piper wonders if Daria maybe is involved with warlocks. When Prue is on her way back home from work she thinks that it would be a good idea to stop at the wicca shop and to visit her friend named Adrienne. Adrienne owns that shop of witchcraft. Phoebe takes karate classes. She learns basics, punches, kicks and blocking there, because she is the one of the sisters, who has a passive power. She meets at her karate class a cute guy named Kenji Yamada, who, what Phoebe doesn’t know, is an undercover reporter. He tries to learn more and more about a demon coven that is after the Charmed Ones. So he pretends to be one of the demons and follows Pheobe around, because she is one of the Charmed Ones. Piper doesn’t know that Celeste is also a part of that coven. It is the total opposite ofwhat she had expected. The same with Prue. Adrienne from the wicca shop had been Prue’s friend for years and now she is also a part of the coven. At the end Celeste decides in favour of the Charmed Ones. And together they have the power to defeat the coven. Characterization Kenji Yamada: Phoebe meets him at her karate class. She likes him very much, because of his gorgeousness. Kenji is an undercover reporter. He tries to learn more and more about a demon coven that is after the Charmed Ones. So he pretends to be one of the demons and follows Phoebe 2006-06-16T15:22:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-of-quot-The-Crimson-Spell-quot-by-F_-Goldsborough-29624.aspx Critical Analysis of T.S. Eliot's "Journey of the Magi" In the book of Ephesians in the Bible, Paul describes the rebirth of the world upon Christ’s death, emphasizing the Ephesians’ new life (2:4-5). This theme of death and rebirth is present in the poem Journey of the Magi, which, I will argue, is structurally and internally divided into three stages; corresponding to the sacrament of penance: contrition (guilt), confession and satisfaction. To understand this poem, one has to understand the impact that Christ had on the world. At the time of his birth, however, the known world was not stable; people worshipped many gods, and we get a full description of the way life was by the Magi who narrates his story of their journey to Bethlehem to witness the end of an era and the birth of a new one. According to the Oxford Bible Dictionary, the word contrition means “penitent’s spiritual sorrow for the sins he has committed” and it necessarily includes hatred for such sins, as well as the determination to avoid them in the future. In the first stanza, this “spiritual sorrow” is apparent by the contrast Eliot uses, of the Magi’s difficult journey. In fact, the central focus of criticism has been on the journey; the “A cold coming…” (Line 1) during “…the worst time of the year…” (Line 2), emphasizing the climatic statement of the stanza: “A hard time we had of it.” (Line 16) The Magi talks of their sorrowful past life of ease, the times they “…regretted…the silken girls bringing sherbet.” (lines 8-10), and in the same way that they are physically moving towards Christ, they feel they are progressing spiritually, putting a personal ban on the sinful lives they have had. This act of contrition seems genuine because they are pressured by the “…the voices singing in our ears, saying /That this was all folly (lines 19-20) These are the voices of the camel men, the hostile cities and the unfriendly towns, voices that tempt the wise men to cease their foolish journey and fall, once again, into spiritual degeneration. In the end, the difficulty of the journey comes to remind the Magi of their previous life and thus urges them forward. The second stanza moves into the third stage in the sacrament: satisfaction, which is the obligatory penance that follows the confession of sins. 2006-06-16T15:21:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-T_S_-Eliot-s-quot-Journey-of-the-Magi-29623.aspx Significance of Social Status in The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby may appear to be a simple tragic romance; however, within the text, Fitzgerald identifies and defines social gaps and importance of wealth. He also presents women within a very separate space as the men. The Great Gatsby allows the reader to enter into the world of wealth and experience the joys and tragedies of being within this certain class. In the novel, Fitzgerald criticizes American society in the 1920's for its emphasis on money, superficial relationships, and obsession over class; as well as allowing the reader to interpret the position of gender inside the class. Society has, indeed, a great part to play in shaping the identities of individuals. "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,' he [my father] told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had" (1). This quote was probably the backbone of the narrator's actions and character. Throughout the novel, the characters that he came into contact with were immediately associated with their money and their association with their given level of wealth. Jay Gatsby is the center character in Fitzgerald's novel. Gatsby tells Nick that from his childhood in the Midwest and his youth, he got to know Cody from whom he learned how to struggle through life and get money. He is totally self-taught and tells Nick that he had been in the drug business and later in the oil business. Throughout the novel there is an overall absence of the lower class; however, ironically, the only character that lower wealth was associated with was Gatsby. He was the most prestigious when compared to all of the other characters, yet was the only to have the absence of money in his past. With this, Fitzgerald proves that the current existence of money justifies the acceptance of character, reiterating the idea of social levels of money. In addition, everything Jay Gatsby has done and does is for Daisy. Also, his identity as a "great" man is shaped because of Daisy. His money, wealth and status was all simply so he could win Daisy back. He believes that if he is able to achieve what society deems to be great, then he will be able to impress Daisy and 2006-06-16T15:08:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Significance-of-Social-Status-in-The-Great-Gatsby-29616.aspx Critical Analysis of "A Rose for Emily" "A Rose for Emily" is a mysterious short story written by William Faulkner. He uses many techniques to enhance the story's mysterious setting, such as foreshadowing and an out-of-order time sequence to alter the mood and perception of the story. The setting of Faulkner's story is very similar to that of his own in his adolescent years. The time is shortly after the Civil War, early 1900's, and the setting is definitely in a Southern atmosphere. Faulkner might have written the story to portray a piece his own life, or simply to provide an audience with a good story of his writing style, mysterious and suspenseful yet yearning for sympathy. Yet another reason could have been to make a point about clinging to the past. He shows in this story that not letting go and moving on after a death, or any traumatic event, will lead to misery and eventually destruction. People should except the changes that they are dealt in their game of life. He might have written the story for a combination of those reasons. Whichever was his sole reason for writing the story, I believe he fully succeeded. He certainly created a mystery. The story is highly debated among many highschool and college students for its depth in meaning. If he had simply stated the story in a logical sequence, and without its complexity, the story would not be nearly as recognized or entertaining. It makes its audience think deeply and draw conclusions. I believe it makes the story seem more like reality also. It does not just sound like a story being told. The story is written in such a way that its readers are involved in the story, like they are also members of the town hearing gossip and trying to figure out the mystery of Miss Emily's life. The readers feel sympathy for Miss Emily as well. Faulkner threw in very subtle hints of foreshadowing that most likely would not be noticed on a first-time-through read, such as the word "bloated" to symbolize death, and "arsenic" to also imply an upcoming death. When first reading the story, one does not know who exactly is going to be killed. Some make the assumption that Emily is planning to kill herself, but they receive the 2006-06-16T14:52:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-A-Rose-for-Emily-quot-29608.aspx Analysis of Lucille Clifton’s “Miss Rosie” Everyone goes through life in phases. We all begin as infants, grow through adolescence, and continue through our adulthood. There comes a time in everyone’s life when they become old and frail. It is at this time in our lives that we become vulnerable to the people and things around us. In “Miss Rosie” by Lucille Clifton, the speaker encounters and insults a homeless woman; however as the poem progresses, she stands up for respect for her because of her experiences. In “Miss Rosie” the speaker appears to be a passer-by observing Miss Rosie. She is a younger woman, and has heard Miss Rosie’s reputation as, “the best looking gal in Georgia used to be called Georgia Rose.” The poem is about the narrator looking at Miss Rosie in the present, and contrasting what she used to be. The poem does end on a higher note though when the narrator says, “I stand up through your destruction I stand up.” The poem opens up with the narrator insulting Miss Rosie right off the bat. She is compared to “garbage sitting surrounded by the smell.” This tone has the ability to anger the ready right away. The poem continues with insults like “too old potato peels,” and “waiting for your mind like next week’s grocery.” The narrator continues to talk about Miss Rosie in the present and all her downfalls. “You wet brown bag of a woman who used to be the best looking gal in Georgia,” is the harshest of all the insults, but also reveals information on her past. The last part of the line reveals that she used to be a beautiful woman, called the “Georgia Rose.” The poem ends with a positive spin by saying “I stand up through your destruction I stand up.” The narrator is saying that no matter how bad she gets, she will still stand up with respect for Miss Rosie, because of her life experiences. The Images in the poem are all focused around trash you might find in the gutter of a street. This is symbolic of the poem. Clifton uses the images of “garbage” and “potato peels” to describe Miss Rosie. This is symbolic in the way that the reader of the poem will get the feeling that Miss Rosie is like trash that the narrator is looking down onto. The tone Clifton expresses in “Miss Rosie” 2006-06-16T14:43:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Lucille-Clifton’s-“Miss-Rosie”-29602.aspx Analysis of Victor and the Monster Frankenstein Victor and the monster in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein have a lot of internal conflict happening inside both of their heads. They both are dealing with this sort of half demon and half human side to them. Victor thinks of science as this wonderful thing and puts all of his heart and soul into, not to mention he self thought all that he knows. This all conflicts when he creates the monster, b/c now this wonderful thing that he did all the time that he once thought was beautiful has now turned into this awful creature. He even foreshadows his own fate by saying “natural philosophy is the genius that regulated my fate” (Shelly, 46). He foreshadows his own death and the death of those around him a number of time just in the first couple of chapters. The reader knows that something immensely catastrophic is going to happen in the next couple of chapters by what is says this first ones. So he talks about he fate and dying and all that but the real conflict is while the monster is alive for Victor. First he has his own brother die and we as the reader might think that that was what we were waiting for but then Victor gets very ill due to the guilt by which comes over him when Justine is killed. Here his is having this inner conflict of this monster that he created. He thought it was something beautiful but it came back to haunt him and now he has no way out. He is thinking of the demon inside of himself because he knows that this creature is not good and how could he create such a horrible thing when all he wanted was to create something beautiful. Victor now sees knowledge as a curse rather than a gift. The monster begins to agree with him because he is beginning to wish he hadn‘t known any of this. He would have been much happier living in stupidity. The monster says, “Of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind, when it has once seized on it, like a lichen to a rock.” (Shelly, 109) So, now all the reader can see is how could, Victor, this perfectly good human make something 2006-06-16T14:42:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Victor-and-the-Monster-Frankenstein-29601.aspx Critical Analysis of Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls This book was written by Wilson Rawls. Mr. Rawls based this story on his life as a boy. Wilson was born on a small farm in the Ozark Mountains, and also owned a blue tick hound. Wilson would love to roam northeaster Oklahoma with his dog. Wilson loved to tell stories to and about his dog. This story was about a little boy named Billy who longed for not one but two hound dogs ever since he had red an article about them in a sports magazine. Billy would beg his mom and dad for them every day for weeks, and even months. Every time he would ask he would get an excuse, either they didn’t have enough money, or he just wasn’t old enough. Billy could get the dogs off his mind he would think about them all the time. One day after talking to his dad, his dad left for the store and came back with a surprise for Billy. Billy expected it to be a bag of candy, instead his dad pulled out three small steal traps. Billy was really excited and that very next morning set them up. Billy would catch little things like squirrels, skunks and rabbits. The only thing Billy was missing was a big coonskin. The one-day that he found the article saying "registered red bone coonhound pups twenty-five dollars each" Billy was determined. He decided he would work day and night to pick berries, sell his skins to his grandfather’s store, and selling crawfish and minnows to the fishers for bait. By the time Billy was 12 he was over his half way mark. He worked another year till that great day came that he had fifty dollars. He could feel the hound pups in his hands. He left early one morning, with the tin of money safely in his overalls, to head for his grandfather’s store. Billy left early one morning to go get the dogs he had wanted for so long. Billy had never been in town he had heard stories, and knew how to get there but never seen any of its wonders. Billy went through the hills twenty miles. His feet became very sore from walking 2006-06-16T14:32:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Where-the-Red-Fern-Grows-Wilson-Rawls-29594.aspx Theme of Love Illustrated in Cather in the Rye The novel The Catcher in the Rye is about a young man named Holden Caulfield who is on a subconscious quest to find love. Holden attends a private school named Pency where he feels he does not fit in once again. Holden Caulfield is reliant on physical love, family love as well as friendship in order for him to feel accepted in society. Holden has a subconscious desire for physical love to make him feel a part of society. Holden hired a prostitute to help him get over his feelings of being alone and secluded from the rest of society. He had just left his school and was all alone so he needed a physical love to make him feel with it. Holden felt he had true love with Jane because they connected on such a compassionate level. When Stradlater took out Jane, Holden got very upset because Stradlater was known for ‘giving girls the time’ and Stradlater does not love Jane as much, if at all, like Holden does. Because Holden did not have a physical relationship with Jane, he feels like he cannot connect with Stradlater on a personal level since Stradlater got something Holden wanted. Jane used to hold Holden’s hand and put her hand on his neck, which made Holden feel very loved by her. So when Stradlater took Jane out Holden felt very secluded because Stradlater was taking Jane away from him. Holden took Sally out for the afternoon to go see a play. When the two of them got into the taxi to go to the theater Holden decided to do what Stradlater does. He decided to seduce sally into messing around with him by giving her no alternative just as Stradlater does. . This made Holden feel equal to Stradlater because he was also doing physical things with girls in the back of a car, just like what Holden presumes Stradlater and Jane did in the back of the coaches’ car. “We horsed around a little bit in the cab on the way over to the theater. At first she didn’t want to, because she had her lipstick on, and all, but I was being seductive as hell and she didn’t have any alternative.” (page 125) Holden shows that on a subconscious level he thinks receiving physical love will make him feel more accepted by 2006-06-16T14:29:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-of-Love-Illustrated-in-Cather-in-the-Rye-29592.aspx Three Reasons Why "Of Mice and Men" Should not be Banned 1. Gives a realistic depiction of the lives of ranch hands during the 1930s Depression. • Living conditions: “The bunk house was a long, rectangular building. Inside, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In three walls there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch. Against the walls were eight bunks, five of them made up with blankets and the other three showing their burlap ticking. Over each bunk there was nailed an apple box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for the personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk” narrator, pg. 19 • Pastimes: “He went back to the table and set out a new solitaire hand.” Narrator pg. 36 “Anybody like to play a little euchre?” George, pg. 53 “I’ll play out a few with you” Whit, pg. 53 2. Provides study for many types of literary techniques. • The four types of sentence structure: “A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green,. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined white trees-willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leave junctures the debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool. On the sandy bank under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp that a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs among them.” Narrator, pg. 1 • Synecdoche: “The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied.” Narrator, pg. 117 3. Teaches valuable lessons of life. • Search for approval can often lead to disappointment: “’Feel right aroun’ there an’ see how soft it is.’ Lennie’s big fingers fell to stroking her hair. ‘Don’t you muss it up,’ she said. …Lennie’s fighers closed on her hair and hung on. ...he shook her;and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her 2006-06-16T14:28:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Three-Reasons-Why-quot-Of-Mice-and-Men-quot-Should-not-be-29591.aspx The Role of Female Characters in "Snow Crash" American culture has the tendency to stereotype. One of the many labels that our society tags onto people is the generalization that most young and attractive females are generally passive, dependent, unintelligent and naïve. Postmodern fiction challenges ideas that most people have held to believe as stable and true. In the Norton Anthology, Simone de Beauvoir “challenged the ‘universality’ of the subject, observing that “woman is defined and differentiated with reference to man and not he with reference to her”…”how to undone distortions (for both women and men) of these oppositional modes of language and thought, and how to move beyond them have been issues for post modernist narratives as well as postmodern theory” (xxvi). Postmodern American fiction author Neal Stephenson uses the themes and devices typical of postmodern writing in his book, Snow Crash. He emphasizes that, contrary to popular belief, many women can, in fact, be assertive, independent, intelligent and street smart. In defiance of society’s generalization, Neal Stephenson creates the character of Y.T. She represents a girl who, in many ways, challenges the false overview that has become, to a certain extent, a societal norm. When the reader first meets Y.T., he or she immediately understands that the firl is extremely skilled at what she does. In addition, she enjoys her career, unlike her mother. She is a Kourier by profession, and when she realizes that she has interfered with a pizza delivery, she immediately takes matters into her own hands, and successfully completes the mission on time. The reader also sees right away that Hiro Protagonist, the “good guy,” is disgusted with himself for being interrupted specifically by a young woman. “A fucking teenaged girl” (16), he says with contempt. It is apparent that Stephenson is relating the pre-conceived notions of even Hiro Protagonjist to the stereotypes of our society in relation to young girls. Contrary to the suggestion that many women are naïve when it comes to handling themselves, especially out on the streets, Y.T. exemplifies that she has more street smarts than probably most of the readers themselves. When confronted with the MetaCops and thrown into the Clink, she displays that she knows how to “shiv open a pair of handcuffs” (71). She is resourceful, having an array of equipment to help prepare her when faced with any 2006-06-16T14:14:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Role-of-Female-Characters-in-quot-Snow-Crash-quot-29584.aspx Post Modern Stereotypes of Americans in Literature American culture has the tendency to stereotype. One of the many labels that our society tags onto people is the generalization that most young and attractive females are generally passive, dependent, unintelligent and naïve. Postmodern fiction challenges ideas that most people have held to believe as stable and true. In the Norton Anthology, Simone de Beauvoir “challenged the ‘universality’ of the subject, observing that “woman is defined and differentiated with reference to man and not he with reference to her”…”how to undone distortions (for both women and men) of these oppositional modes of language and thought, and how to move beyond them have been issues for post modernist narratives as well as postmodern theory” (xxvi). Postmodern American fiction author Neal Stephenson uses the themes and devices typical of postmodern writing in his book, Snow Crash. He emphasizes that, contrary to popular belief, many women can, in fact, be assertive, independent, intelligent and street smart. In defiance of society’s generalization, Neal Stephenson creates the character of Y.T. She represents a girl who, in many ways, challenges the false overview that has become, to a certain extent, a societal norm. When the reader first meets Y.T., he or she immediately understands that the firl is extremely skilled at what she does. In addition, she enjoys her career, unlike her mother. She is a Kourier by profession, and when she realizes that she has interfered with a pizza delivery, she immediately takes matters into her own hands, and successfully completes the mission on time. The reader also sees right away that Hiro Protagonist, the “good guy,” is disgusted with himself for being interrupted specifically by a young woman. “A fucking teenaged girl” (16), he says with contempt. It is apparent that Stephenson is relating the pre-conceived notions of even Hiro Protagonjist to the stereotypes of our society in relation to young girls. Contrary to the suggestion that many women are naïve when it comes to handling themselves, especially out on the streets, Y.T. exemplifies that she has more street smarts than probably most of the readers themselves. When confronted with the MetaCops and thrown into the Clink, she displays that she knows how to “shiv open a pair of handcuffs” (71). She is resourceful, having an array of equipment to help prepare her when faced with any situation. 2006-06-15T22:58:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Post-Modern-Stereotypes-of-Americans-in-Literature-29583.aspx Synopsis of "Night" by Elie Wiesel In the book Night by Elie Wiesel, it talks about the holocaust and what it was like being in it. The Germans were trying to make the German race the supreme race. To do this they were going to kill off everyone that wasn’t a German. If you were Jewish or something other than German, you would have been sent to a concentration camp and segregated by men and women. If you weren’t strong enough you were sent to the crematory to be cremated. If you were strong enough you were sent to work at a labor camp. With all the warnings the Jewish people had numerous chances to run from the Germans, but most ignored the warnings. The numerous chances the people of Sighet had to leave was significant that if they would have just left, none of this would have happened to them. One of the first warnings they had was when Moshe the Beadle came back from escaping the train. He was telling his story to everyone that would listen. The story was about how they made "the Jews get of the train and climb into lorries." (page 4) He also talked about how they murdered people for no reason at all. But most of the people in Sighet just ignored Moshe and thought he was making everything up. The second warning was that the people of Sighet ignored was on the radio. The first radio announcement said "the Fascist party had come into power. Horthy had been forced to ask one of the leaders of the Nyilae party to form a new government." (Page 6) The next day there was another radio announcement that said "German troops had entered Hungarian territory." (Page 7) this made everyone a little bit scared for a few days but not for long. Optimism was soon revived. The people were saying that the Germans wouldn’t get to there city. When the Germans arrived in Sighet the people didn’t realize what was going to happen, they just thought that they were in Sighet for something else. They thought of the Germans as nice people that wouldn’t hurt them. Later after the Germans had been there for a while, the Germans sent all the Jews to ghettos. The ghettos 2006-06-15T22:51:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-of-quot-Night-quot-by-Elie-Wiesel-29579.aspx The Business Operations of Robin Hood and the Merrymen Robin and the Merrymen are in business to steal from the rich and give to the poor. The organization had begun as a personal interest to Robin, and has grown with allies and new recruits to become a very large organization. Robin is the head of all operations with few delegates who have their own specific duties. The Merrymen’s dilemma is that they must overcome their largest competitor, the Sheriff, who is growing stronger and becoming better organized. The Sheriff has gained the money and men and is beginning to cause problems for the Merrymen, looking for their weaknesses. The Merrymen have several strategy options in order to triumph over the Sheriff. There are three approaches we will focus on to find a strategy to overcome the Sheriff and his band. First, Robin and the Merrymen can find ways to improve their internal operations in order to compete. By finding internal strengths and weaknesses the Merrymen can capitalize on their strengths and improve their weaknesses. Second, the Merrymen can focus externally on market opportunities, competitive advantages, consumer expectations, competitor’s actions, and technological advances. Third, Robin could chose to mix internal and external focus and perform a SWOT analysis to find the complete standing of the Merrymen compared with their competitors. Focusing internally, the Merrymen could change their business strategy in order to end competition with the Sheriff before they are completely defeated. Secondly, with an external focus, Robin could kill the Sheriff. But, Robin believes this would not completely solve the problem. Third, they could join an alliance by helping the barons in their goal to free King Richard the Lionheart. This would save the Merrymen from the Sheriff’s increasing power, but is also a risky choice. There are several issues that the Merrymen must consider while striving to compete with the Sheriff. The size of the band of Merrymen is becoming too large for the economic resources available. Robin is feeling like he is not in touch with his employees because of the increasing size of the band. Vigilance is in decline and discipline is becoming hard to enforce. Robin needs to decide whether or not to change the business strategy of the band from confiscation of goods from the rich to 2006-06-15T22:37:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Business-Operations-of-Robin-Hood-and-the-Merrymen-29570.aspx Chapter Analysis from the Great Gatsby This chapter provides the final pieces of Gatsby’s makeup, and this is done by further flashbacks into critical periods of his past. The real history narrated by Nick is, of course, in contrast to the information Gatsby has himself provided. Gatsby was born James Gatz on a North Dakota farm and he briefly attended College in Minnesota, but dropped out after a few weeks. He then worked on Lake Superior, fishing for salmon and clams, and this is where he came across the wealthy businessman Dan Cody. Gatsby had rowed out to warn Cody that there was a storm coming and he should take his yacht to safety. The grateful Cody took the young Gatz on board his yacht as a personal servant. This opened a new life for Gatz where he traveled to exotic locations such as the West Indies and the Barbary Coast. Gatsby fell in love with the opulent lifestyle and, in fact, inherited $25,000 when Cody died, but Cody’s mistress prevented Gatsby from claiming the money. Gatsby was determined to become wealthy himself and was driven to obtain a personal fortune. Several weeks have now passed since Gatsby and Daisy were reunited and Nick has seen little of them since that fateful day. It is not surprising that Tom has become suspicious and takes the opportunity to go to Gatsby’s house while out riding with the Sloane’s. Gatsby invites them to stay for dinner, but they refuse. Etiquette required them to invite Gatsby to dine with them and to Tom’s dismay, he accepts. Gatsby clearly does not realize the insincerity of the invitation. Tom looks down on Gatsby because of his lack of sophistication and is highly critical of Daisy’s habit of visiting Gatsby on her own. Although suspicious, Tom has not yet discovered the secret love between the two. The following Saturday night Tom and Daisy go to the Gatsby party and Tom is merely there to see if there is any infidelity between Gatsby and Daisy. Nick is also there, but is far less impressed by the party this time round. Daisy also becomes upset when she learns from Tom that Gatsby’s fortune comes from criminal activities. When Tom and Daisy leave the party Gatsby looks for Nick to find out why Daisy is unhappy. Gatsby wants things to return to what they 2006-06-15T22:19:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Chapter-Analysis-from-the-Great-Gatsby-29561.aspx Jo March's Pursuit of Liberty in Little Women In the nineteenth century a woman’s identity was that of housewife or caretaker. A woman could not vote or own property. She must marry to be deemed socially acceptable. Her future was set. The general public looked down upon any deviation, by a woman, from these social conventions. With Little Women, Louisa May Alcott challenged the stereotypical lifestyle expected of a woman in the late 1800’s. In particular, Jo March tries to reverse the role of women and stands as a nineteenth century quasi-feminist. The scene in which Laurie proposed to Jo is a perfect example of this reversal. The reader is expecting, and wants, Jo to accept Laurie’s proposal, but she is resistant to the idea of marriage. She rejects the social convention saying 2006-06-15T19:37:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jo-March-s-Pursuit-of-Liberty-in-Little-Women-29559.aspx Critical Analysis: "Captains Courageous" by Rudyard Kipling Captains Courageous was written by Rudyard Kipling near the end of the late 1890s. The story takes place on the Grand Banks off the east coast and stars a spoiled rich boy named Harvey Cheyne. Harvey Cheyne was the son of a millionaire father and an over-caring mother. Harvey’s father was in the railroad business and owned many railroads across the United States; due to this, Harvey and his family owned homes in approximately five states including New York. The story starts off in a big-liner (a large boat), and in that in that boat are a group of men discussing about Harvey and his background. In general, these men do not like Harvey. As the men are talking, Harvey walks into the room. Harvey is on the boat with his mother; they are both traveling to Europe so Harvey can receive an education. Harvey starts bragging to the men that he as only been sick once this whole trip. Once he starts talking his cigarette goes out. He then asks the men if they happen to have any real Turkish cigarettes on them. One German man comes out from the corner and offers a “stogie”; Harvey does not believe that will cure his craving. Harvey takes one puff of the “stogie” and becomes sick. Harvey stumbles out the door onto the main deck. Harvey leans off the railing and accidentally falls off without his mother knowing. Nearby, a Gloucester fishing boat just beginning a three-month trip spots Harvey floating in the water. The We’re Here sends out one of their crew members, named Manuel to rescue Harvey. Harvey wakes from his unconsciousness to find himself in a small room where he is unfamiliar with the surroundings. He looks across the room to see a boy, nearly the same age, named Dan. Dan introduces himself and turns out to be the son of the captain of the We’re Here. Harvey is no longer on the liner; he’s on the We’re Here. Dan exclaims to Harvey that he is wanted on the deck by Dan’s father, Disko. Harvey has never been ordered to do anything in his lifetime and asks that Disko come to him. Dan is surprised and gets Harvey to finally go. On the deck, Disko tells Harvey that they will not go back to shore until the three months of their fishing trip 2006-06-15T19:36:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-quot-Captains-Courageous-quot-by-Rudyar-29558.aspx Modern Figures in Dante’s Inferno Dante’s masterpiece, Inferno, is one of the most influential pieces of literature ever written. While the Inferno has no divine inspiration behind it, it serves as an example for many people to depict the horrendous tortures that await those who disobey God’s rules. Dante had hell divided into nine layers. These layers are limbo, lust, gluttony, avarice, wrath, heretic, violence, fraud, and treachery. There were different, creative punishments awaiting the victims on each layer, and the severity of punishment depended on the severity of one’s infractions in the real world. One of the more interesting parts about reading through the cantos is seeing which famous historical figures have ended up in hell. While the Bible says not to judge one another, it is always interesting to analyze different people in terms of their worst sins. If Dante had been alive in the twentieth century, he most certainly would have put the following people in hell for their sins. Limbo was a place reserved for the virtuous pagans. The people residing in limbo may have led noble lives, but they are doomed for eternity for not being able to pick the “correct” religion. A non-Christian who was a good person at heart was doomed to sit around in limbo, clinging to the hope that they might one day see God. A prime example of such a person is Mohandas Gandhi, the Indian peacemaker. Gandhi is often cited as the “founder” of nonviolent protest. Through years of nonviolent protest, Gandhi managed to free India from the oppressive rule of the British empire. At the time, Britain still had colonies around the world. Like most of these colonies, the native Indians were treated unfairly. Gandhi put his life in serious jeopardy so that he could free his people. However, Ghandi was not a Christian. He was a devout Hindu, so he must reside in Limbo. One of the most often cited of the deadly sins is lust. Lust is a favorite vice for most of America, and likewise, most of the world. Most of the deadly sins can be depicted in a good sense, if a word with a different connotation is used. Lust, in its simplest sense, means sexual desire. However, the word lust conjures up thoughts of a depraved obsession with physical gratification. The word passion describes sexual desire in a much more positive light. Many modern figures are 2006-06-15T16:28:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Modern-Figures-in-Dante’s-Inferno-29553.aspx Themes and Analysis of Dante's Inferno Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alighieri is a classic tale that involves Christian morality, and mythological and classical literature. In this tale we watch Virgil guide Dante through the circles of hell in order to reach heaven where Dante’s beloved Beatrice awaits. Dante created this tale in order to give the world a visual image of afterlife and to explain the Christian belief of sin and punishment. He explicitly takes us through each circle of purgatory describing what it looks like, who gets sent there, and what punishment they receive. Through this story Dante is preaching the perfection of God’s justice. He shows that Hell exists to punish sin and the sinners suffer punishment to a degree befitting the gravity of their sin, as to correspond allegorically to that sin’s nature. Each circle of Hell is described with great detail using gory images and specific examples of people who committed specific sins and what their consequences were. This was done to paint a picture of Hell and to make it a more feasible and realistic place. Through this Dante successfully portrays his theme of sin and purgatory that is the way to heaven is through hell. In Dante’s Inferno, there are 34 Cantos. Each individual canto is filled with numerous connections to other literary pieces and tons of symbols on both an obvious and deeper level. The Inferno is a book that can be read over and over because of how dense and complicated each canto is. Therefore, I will analyze one very specific canto which is widely known and loved and which caught my own attention. My analyses will be on Canto V, which takes place in the second circle of Hell. Starting off with the first three lines in Canto V, Dante creates the image of how hell is shaped. He says, “…It encloses a smaller space, but so much more suffering that it goads the souls to shriek” (pg 87). From this we can conclude that the first enclosure of Hell is Limbo and that each successive enclosure or circle gets smaller and smaller creating a funnel-like shape. Yet, while the circles get smaller in size they become greater in punishments, and the circumstances for these sinners become more and more uncomfortable. In the next line we are introduced to a new character called Minos. Dante draws the character Minos from 2006-06-15T16:18:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-and-Analysis-of-Dante-s-Inferno-29548.aspx Critical Analysis of 1984 by George Orwell Orwell’s primary goal in 1984 is to demonstrate the terrifying possibilities of a totalitarian government. The protagonist, Winston, is the looking glass into Orwell’s horrifying perfect communist society, where all of Winston’s worst paranoids and fears are realities. Winston’s personality is such that he resists the groupthink pressure that is put upon him, he attempts to gain individuality throughout the plot. This resistance allows the reader to gain a thorough understanding of the Party’s harsh oppression. Winston’s reflections in the novel give Orwell the opportunity to discuss the deeper issues at work, issues such as the mind control, through propaganda and technology, and the total manipulation through conditioning and rewriting of history. Winston is made to take part in the evil that he resists, through his occupation. Winston hates the party with a passion, and throughout seeks to test his boundaries and defy its power. He commits many “crimes” such as writing “down with big brother” in his diary, carrying on with Julia, and his attempt to join the anti-Party Brotherhood. However during this he is acutely aware that his attempts to resist are futile, and is confident that his fate is set. It turns out that all his suspicions were justified, and that his rebellions were playing into the Party’s hands. The will of Winston is the will of an individual, and represents Orwell’s own desperate reaction to the totalitarian governments that he saw coming to power at this time. Winston sees an evil as Orwell does, and seeks to resist it in any way that’s possible. The will of the individual, Winston, is going against the will of the majority, the Party. This illustrates how fruitless Orwell saw communist government, where the will of the majority was not the will of the majority, but of the majority leaders. The will of the majority in 1984 is to keep total order through any means necessary, and the majority leaders do not consider the well being of the majority in the majority’s best interest. Orwell illustrates a very “silly” government, and appears to make mockery of the effectiveness of these governments. Winston lives in a world where optimism is impossibility, as demonstrated by Julia’s optimism. Julia, although a member of this society, is not as paranoid as Winston. She is more concerned with enjoying herself, and making more practical plans to avoid Big Brother. Julia has no intention of 2006-06-15T15:47:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-1984-by-George-Orwell-29535.aspx Character Analysis of Slaughter House Five In Slaughter House Five, Billy Pilgrim finds himself unstuck in time jumping between several periods of his life. Travelling between his experience as a prisoner of war in World War II to his suburban family life in the 1950s and 1960s, and his experience as a human specimen in an alien zoo on a distant planet, Billy seemingly has no control over these transitions. REVIEW Vonnegut's writing has always defied traditional classification and Slaughterhouse-Five is a prime example of this as it combines a mix of social satire, science fiction, anti-war sentiment as well as great deal of autobiographical detail. The full title-page of Slaughterhouse Five is perhaps the most revealing and apt description of the book in addition to giving us some insight into the author's mind-set behind its creation. Slaughterhouse-Five or The Children's Crusade - A Duty-Dance with Death By Kurt Vonnegut A fourth-generation German-American now living in easy circumstances on Cape Cod [and smoking too much], who, as an American Infantry Scout Hors De Combat, As a prisoner of war, witnessed the fire-bombing of Dresden, Germany, "The Florence of the Elbe," a long time ago, and survived to tell the tell. This is a novel somewhat in the telegraphic schizophrenic manner of tales of the planet Tralfamadore, where the flying saucers come from. Peace. Billy Pilgrim's "telegraphic schizophrenic" shifts from one period of his life to another is his own defence mechanism in dealing with (or avoiding dealing with) the traumatic experiences in his life. Vonnegut has acknowledged that the only way in which he could tell his story of surviving the fire-bombing of Dresden was in this fragmented manner and that it refused to come out as a linear story when he attempted to tell it as such. What is amazing to me about Slaughterhouse Five is that Vonnegut manages to fit so much into one story. While writing a brilliant satire on the absurdity of war on par with Joseph Heller's Catch-22, Vonnegut also manages to put a human face on the tragedy at Dresden and expose one of World War II's darker moments to the general public in an accessible form. While the fragmented nature of time in the novel is largely a thematic device used by Vonnegut to contrast the different events in Billy Pilgrim's life, Vonnegut also contemplates the nature of time and fate in the 2006-06-15T00:42:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Slaughter-House-Five-29525.aspx Complete Analysis of the Key Elements of Lord of the Flies SETTING The action of the novel has been set sometime in the future. A planeload of boys has been evacuated from England, where a war is being fought against 'the reds'. After their departure, an atom bomb has fallen on England and destroyed their civilization. The plane carrying the boys is attacked by an enemy aircraft. The passenger tube carrying the boys is thrown out and the plane crashes, but the boys land safely on an uninhabited island that at first seems like a paradise to the boys. CHARACTERS Major Characters Ralph - a fair haired boy of about 12 years of age. He is the son of a naval officer and a born leader. As the initial leader of the group of boys, he tries to remain rational and fair. Even after most of the boys have deserted him, he tries to maintain his rationality. Jack - a self-centered twelve-year old boy who is a contrast to Ralph. Both impulsive and aggressive, he is a tall, thin boy with red hair. At the beginning of the book, he is head of the choir boys, but wants to be the chief. When he forms his own group, he turns the boys into hunters and savages. Piggy - a friend of Ralph who supports the leader until the end. He is short, fat, physically unfit, and suffering from asthma. He wears thick spectacles and is almost blind without them. Although he is the most rational and sensible boy in the group, all the others enjoy making fun of him, especially Jack. He is killed at the end of the novel by Roger, who rolls a huge boulder onto him. Simon - a small, skinny boy with straight, coarse hair. He keeps to himself, thinks deeply about things, wanders alone in the jungle, and has trouble communicating. He discovers the dead airman whom the other children call the beast. He is mistaken for the beast and killed when he tries to explain. He is presented as a Christ-like figure. Minor Characters Sam and Eric - identical twins who are always found together. They side with Ralph until Jack forces them to join his tribe. Roger - a sadistic boy who becomes Jack's right hand when he is the savage chief. Cruel and brutal, he pushes a boulder towards Piggy and kills him. 2006-06-15T00:33:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Complete-Analysis-of-the-Key-Elements-of-Lord-of-the-Flies-29521.aspx Theme Analysis of Shelley's Frankenstein One theme discussed by Shelley in the novel is birth and creation. She does this through the main character, Victor Frankenstein, who succeeds in creating a ‘human’ life form. In doing this, Frankenstein has taken over the roles of women and God. Shelley discusses how Frankenstein has used his laboratory or ‘workshop of filthy creation’ (page 53) as a kind of ‘womb’ as he has worked on his creation. He also refers to his task as his labour, suggesting that he has literally given birth to his creation. After so much time spent in painful labour (Page 51) The passing of time from when Victor first began his creation and finished it is also significant. Winter, spring, and summer passed away during my labours (Page 54) The length of the three seasons is nine months, representing the time a natural human baby takes to be formed in its mother’s womb. This once again suggests that Frankenstein has found a way to take over the role of women, and they become powerless, weak and flimsy. They no longer have a purpose in life, as Victor Frankenstein can now create new life forms – a process which women needed to be involved in previously. An example of women’s powerlessness in the novel is the condemnation of Justine for a crime she did not commit. Had she been a man, she would probably have been set free. Frankenstein succeeds in removing the only powers that women had, as well as stripping God from his role. Through the theme of birth and creation, Shelley criticises Victor not only for creating the new being, but also for abandoning it when it comes to life. Victor first wishes to create the being because he thinks: A new species would bless me as its creator and source … No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs. (Page 52-53) He seems to want to create a being which would be his child, as a child loves its parents unconditionally. He likes the idea of this until he realises how ugly his creation is. but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. (Page 56) After Victor realises this, he abandons the monster and becomes ill, leaving it to fend for itself. He does not accept 2006-06-14T23:55:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-Analysis-of-Shelley-s-Frankenstein-29517.aspx Feminist Character in Chaucer's Wife of Bath's Tale The Wife of Bath’s Tale features a character that seemed to resemble a feminist. But in Chaucer’s time, feminism was thought to be abnormal and the pilgrims’ reacted negatively towards her for it, but The Wife of Bath had no qualms about displaying herself as she really was. She was not ashamed of the fact she had been married five times, and was about to marry again. She hid nothing. The prologue of this tale showed that the pilgrim did not revere the Wife of Bath as an upstanding woman, nor did she desire to be seen as one. Almost as soon as she began speaking in the prologue, she explained that she had gone through five husbands, and she was on the look out for a sixth. She also conceded that she married for money: "…I’ll tell the truth. Those husbands I had, three of them were good and two of them bad. The three I call “good” were rich and old. They could indeed with difficulty hold the articles that bound them all to me; (No doubt my smile)…" (Bath 263). She even went to the point of saying that she didn’t value her husbands’ love. Then again, why should she? She received what she wanted…money, control, and anything that she desired, they provided. The Wife of Bath attested that all women needed to be the controlling factors in marriage. That is how she believed she would gain their husbands’ money. She claimed that if women can’t marry for money, they must marry for sex, for those are the only two things that really matter. Women must have control of their husbands, according to the Wife, and she is proud of the fact that she governed her husbands. If she had to put them in their place, she would make her husbands feel guilty, even if they had nothing to feel guilty for. The Wife boasted of her bogus accusations, showing how she got the better of her husbands by taking the offensive. She prided herself on having the skill of vigor and complaining to gain mastery over her husbands. She would even trade sexual favors for gifts from them. She would conclude this by satisfying her husband's desire: love…”Yet he felt flattered in his heart because, he thought it showed how fond of him I was.” 2006-06-14T23:52:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Feminist-Character-in-Chaucer-s-Wife-of-Bath-s-Tale-29515.aspx Analysis of "The Tempest" by Shakespeare Often without realizing it people judge other people by how they look and not who they are. In the play The Tempest by William Shakespeare many of the characters poorly judged one another due to their appearance. Miranda’s first sighting of Ferdinand, Caliban’s mistaken identity as a monster, and Prospero’s pretending Miranda is marrying for love, and pretending he doesn’t want the marriage are all examples of how people are manipulated by their perceptions. Often when people are attracted to the opposite sex a lot of it has to do with first impressions, which ultimately leads their appearance. When Miranda first spies Ferdinand her initial reaction was that he was the love of her life. “ There’s nothing ill can dwell in such a temple: If the ill spirit have so fair a house, Good things will strive to dwell with’t”. (1,ii, 457) Miranda assumes that Ferdinand is the one, love of her life, which she expresses, in the above quote. She believes that there is nothing wrong with him and he is the ideal person for her. Throughout the play Miranda never actually gets the chance to know him, all she was basing it on is his looks, and that is the third person she had actually seen since she had been on the island. Considering Ferdinand is Prince, if Miranda married him they would all be able to go home which resulted as another motive other than his looks for the marriage. Although nothing bad happened between the two of them it was obvious that the relationship was based purely on each other’s appearance of one another. Miranda was manipulated by her own perception of Ferdinand into getting married. Caliban’s appearance is one that most would think is unordinary, which has resulted in his mistaken identity of being a monster. While Caliban was wondering around the island cursing Prospero and blaming him for all the hardship he suffers he sees Trinculo, believing that he is one of Prospero’s spirits, he throws himself to the ground hoping he will be unnoticed. However Trinculo sees him and is unsure of what he sees at first. “What have we here? A man or a fish? Dead or alive? A fish: he smells like a fish; a very ancient and fish-like smell; a kind of, not of the newest, poor-John. A strange fish! Were I 2006-06-14T23:51:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-The-Tempest-by-Shakespeare-29514.aspx Analysis of short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker With her story, "Everyday Use," Alice Walker is saying that art should be a living, breathing part of the culture it arose from, rather than a frozen timepiece to be observed from a distance. To make this point, she uses the quilts in her story to symbolize art; and what happens to these quilts represents her theory of art.(thesis) The quilts themselves, as art, are inseparable from the culture they arose from. (topic sentence) The history of these quilts is a history of the family. The narrator says, "In both of them were scraps of dresses Grandma Dee had worn fifty and more years ago. Bits and pieces of Grandpa Jarrell's Paisley shirts. And one teeny faded blue piece . . . that was from Great Grandpa Ezra's uniform that he wore in the Civil War." So these quilts, which have become an heirloom, not only represent the family, but are an integral part of the family. Walker is saying that true art not only represents its culture, but is an inseparable part of that culture. The manner in which the quilts are treated shows Walker's view of how art should be treated. Dee covets the quilts for their financial and aesthetic value. "But they're priceless!" she exclaims, when she learns that her mother has already promised them to Maggie. Dee argues that Maggie is "backward enough to put them to everyday use." Indeed, this is how Maggie views the quilts. She values them for what them mean to her as an individual. This becomes clear when she says, "I can 'member Grandma Dee without the quilts," implying that her connection with the quilts is personal and emotional rather than financial and aesthetic. She also knows that the quilts are an active process, kept alive through continuous renewal. As the narrator points out, "Maggie knows how to quilt." The two sisters' values concerning the quilt represent the two main approaches to art appreciation in our society. Art can be valued for financial and aesthetic reasons, or it can be valued for personal and emotional reasons. When the narrator snatches the quilts from Dee and gives them to Maggie, Walker is saying that the second set of values is the correct one. Art, in order to be kept alive, must be put to "Everyday Use" -- literally in the case of the quilts, 2006-06-14T23:41:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-short-story-quot-Everyday-Use-quot-by-Alice-Wa-29507.aspx Secrecy Used as Effective Literary Tool David Herbert Lawrence, novelist, short-story writer, poet and essayist, was born in Nottinghamshire, England, in 1885. Though better known as a novelist, Lawrence's first-published works (in 1909) were poems, and his poetry, especially his evocations of the natural world, have since had a significant influence on many poets on both sides of the Atlantic. Susan Glaspell was born in 1882 and raised in Davenport, Iowa. Glaspell began her career as a novelist and author of sentimental short stories for popular magazines. By 1915, she had turned her energies to the theater, becoming one of the founders of the Provincetown Players, a group devoted to experimental drama. In 1916, Glaspell moved with the company, now called the Playwright's Theatre, to Greenwich Village in New York, where for two seasons as writer, director, and actor, she played an important role in a group that came to have a major influence on the development of American drama. Both of these two writers write in secrecy, forcing the reader to decipher the story to find the theme, developing plot. D. H. Lawrence used multiple forms of secrecy to make this story a classic. He did not only write a story that had a good plot line, but a story that had many in depth topics. The plot in The Rocking-Horse Winner by D. H. Lawrence reveals to the reader conflicts between Paul and his mother using different levels or forms of secrecy. There are secrets hidden throughout the house that leads Paul and his mother to an unpleasant life. The first level of secrecy is the actual secrets that Paul and Paul's mother keep from each other. The second form of secrecy is that D. H. Lawrence uses a story telling style of writing. This way of writing in itself holds many secrets. Finally, the third level of secrecy is through the use of symbolism. The theme in this story that was hidden by Lawrence was that “luck is not acquired, but it is found”. The Rocking-Horse Winner' is intended to make us feel emotional as well as intellectual revulsion from the inorganic death-in-life of [a family in] the middle-class" (Steinbeck, 391). The way the conflicts were shown throughout the story between Paul and his mother using secrecy was magnificent. D. H. Lawrence is an excellent writer and The Rocking-Horse Winner is a prime example 2006-06-14T23:39:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Secrecy-Used-as-Effective-Literary-Tool-29505.aspx Character Development of Santiago by Paul Cohello In the opening chapter of the book we are introduced to Santiago, a young shepherd in the regions of Andalucia, Spain. As a boy Santiago was sent to school by his parents as they thought an education would give him a better life, however, against his father’s wishes he decided to become a shepherd. This was because he had a dream to travel and he thought that becoming a shepherd was a perfect opportunity to do this. At this point we see that Santiago has a lot of determination but is also quite immature as he did not take on board his fathers opinion. On his travels Santiago falls in love with a girl whom he met when selling wool to her father. He reads to her and she is impressed but bewildered by a shepherd that can read and write. Throughout the first chapter he continuously talks about the girl and is looking forward to returning to the village to meet her again. This shows a caring side to Santiago and the innocence of first love. One night Santiago has a dream about finding treasure in the pyramids of Egypt, but before he finds out where the treasure is buried he wakes up. Santiago becomes perturbed about this dream as he has had the dream twice before and it always occurred at the same place, in the grounds of an old ruined church. Santiago wonders if the dream is telling him to go and fulfil his destiny. This is probably the most important part of the book, as the rest of the book is based on the happenings on his trip. This part shows Santiago’s vivid imagination and his strong will. As Santiago is on his way to go and see the girl, he goes through the small village of Tarifa and he remembers that there is a women there that can read peoples dreams. Santiago goes to see her but she tricks him in to telling her about the dream, but Santiago doesn’t realise. She takes no payment but insists that when he finds the treasure he must give her one tenth of it. Santiago stupidly agrees. However, he still was not convinced that he should look for the treasure. This shows Santiagos naievety by trusting an old gypsy. Santiago then meets an old man who 2006-06-14T23:36:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Development-of-Santiago-by-Paul-Cohello-29504.aspx Themes and Undertones of Kurt Vonnegut's Works "Fate: 'what has been spoken,' a power beyond men's control that is held to determine what happens" (Webster's Intermediate Dictionary 270). Everywhere in the world, people attribute events to fate because of the belief that one has no control over one's own life. People freely donate their lives to destiny because they believe life will happen according to a master plan, and they cannot help what happens to them. Therefore they do not try to change their life's path. In literature, authors have often discussed this master plan in the medium of fate versus free will. Some authors support a fatalistic perspective, others promote free will. One of the writers who has mulled greatly upon this topic is Kurt Vonnegut. Among the many devices used by Kurt Vonnegut in his novel, Slaughterhouse-Five, to support the side of a world ruled entirely by fate are setting, structure, and allusion. One tool used in Slaughterhouse-Five to promote a fatalistic view is setting. Vonnegut often creates premonitions of fate by making connections between the environments of different time periods during the life of his main character, Billy Pilgrim. The author can create fear or happiness or an impending sense of doom by his description of the scenery and characters, such as the Tralfamadorians. By linking various conflicts and characters with their settings, Vonnegut manages to show that the participants in the story are controlled by their environment, not by their free will, as is the popular American belief. Numerous times in the text, Vonnegut does not express a particular emotion about a terrible event, conveying a feeling of fate to the reader precisely because of this apparent lack of feeling. Vonnegut often uses very descriptive imagery of the milieu to convey a feeling that the characters in the scene are ruled by an outside power that has arranged each creature much in the manner of players upon a chess board. Early in the novel, Billy recalls one of his experiences in the army. Billy has been traveling with two scouts and another teenager behind German lines for a few days. A group of German civilians find the Americans out in a quiet forest. The Germans discover the two scouts lying in a clump of bushes and Roland Weary trying to beat Billy Pilgrim to death. Billy, dumfounded, can think of nothing but the angelic face of the 2006-06-14T23:23:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-and-Undertones-of-Kurt-Vonnegut-s-Works-29496.aspx Enitre Book Summary and Synopsis of Brave New World CHAPTER 1 The novel opens in the "year of stability," A.F. 632. The Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning is taking a group of new students on a tour of the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Center. The world's motto is inscribed at the entrance to the center: Community, Identity, Stability. The motto seems to appropriately state the nature of the hatchery, as well as the nature of the world that Huxley creates. The center strives for community, identity, and stability as it literally creates the people of the world. The first room visited is the Fertilizing Room with its incubators. Here ova are fertilized in test tubes to be grown into human beings. The chapter gives a detailed, scientific description of the fertilization process. Because of scientific advancements, the kind of human being created can be controlled. Depending upon society's needs, either superior humans (Alphas and Betas) or inferior humans (Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons) are created during fertilization. The inferior creations undergo Bokanovsky's Process, whereby one egg will result in a hundred human beings because of a series of "arrested developments." The Director of the Hatchery praises Bokanovsky's Process, because it ensures uniform batches of standard women and men. The group of students is soon joined by young Mr. Foster, who is enthusiastic about giving statistical details concerning the progress and achievement of the Hatchery. He joins them on their tour as they pass through a series of rooms. When the group arrives at the Bottling Room, it is explained that this is where the eggs are removed from the test tubes and placed in bottles in an assembly- line manner. The bottles are labeled and identified, revealing the heredity, date of fertilization, and Bokanovsky information. The next room visited is the Social Predestination Room; here card indexes contain all the relevant information on the quantity and quality of all the individuals created in the hatchery. As a next step on the tour, the students are taken to the Embryo Store, where the controlled hatching of embryos takes place over 267 days. Thirty percent of the female embryos are allowed to develop normally; the remaining 70% of the female embryos are sterilized to control breeding. The sterilized women, known as "freemartins," remain physically normal in every other way. Lenina works in the Embryo Store. While Foster is in the store with the 2006-06-14T23:16:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Enitre-Book-Summary-and-Synopsis-of-Brave-New-World-29492.aspx Critical Analysis of Elaine Morgan's "The Descent of a Woman" Elaine Morgan’s 1972 book The Descent of Woman contains eleven chapters that tell about the role of women in the evolution of humans. She begins the book by telling how humans were referred to as ‘man’ and the pronoun ‘he.’ She states how this can create images in you head of men, thus making women the afterthought and in conclusion n seem inferior. Morgan’s book doesn’t make the woman seem more intelligent or more powerful just equal to him if not a little higher. She gives the impression that woman was the one to get the wheel of human evolution in motion. In chapter one, Morgan asks 5 questions concerning evolution. She answers these questions throughout the book. She firsts asks, “What happened during the Pliocene?” (11) Before the Pliocene there was a time called the Miocene. During this time there were great areas of forests and a lot of rainfall to keep the grounds of Africa moist. There were a great number of apes living during this period because of the ideal living conditions provided by the forests. Then came the Pliocene that lasted for twelve million years and was full of dry weather and decreasing amounts of forests. The ape population suffered greatly because of this, some survived in the small forest areas left. When the Pliocene ended a different type of ape surfaced called the Australopithecines. (12) Morgan’s next question was “Why did they stand upright?” (13) Many theories have been created by this question. Many believed it was for speed, but research and some common sense shows that animal with four legs are able to move a lot faster then animal with only two. Another theory was that this gave the ape the capability to run and hold a weapon at the same time. Morgan shoots this theory down and says there must be a better reason, she continues later in the book with this answer. The rest of the questions that she answers throughout the book are; “How did the ape come to be using these weapons, anyway”(14)“why did the naked ape become naked”(16) and finally “Why has our sex life become so involved and confusing?”(17) Morgan begins her explanation of the evolution process in the Miocene. During this time there was a “vegetarian pre-hominid hairy ape” (21) that lived on the African continent. When the Pliocene 2006-06-14T21:08:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Elaine-Morgan-s-quot-The-Descent-of-a-29488.aspx Analysis of Dryden's Antony and Shakespeare's Cleopatra "Antony and Cleopatra is drama in the shape of chronicle, All For Love is drama in the shape of drama." (Bailey 16) This quote simply sums up the reason why Dryden's play grasps the reader to finish his verse long before Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Obviously unable to take away from Shakespeare and his verse, Dryden makes up for his inferiority in verse in other ways. One example is his use of characters. While the reader is constantly checking back to find who's who in Antony and Cleopatra, Dryden has simplified his cast of characters allowing for smoother reading. While Dryden sticks with tradition and formulates his play within a 24-hour period, Shakespeare goes from place to place forcing the reader to constantly check the status of the situation. Shakespeare has more underlying themes in his verse such as the attack on the triumvirate, whereas Dryden focuses more on the love and drama of Antony and Cleopatra allowing the reader to be more involved in the drama instead of figuring out where the stories going next. While both texts ultimately speak of true love at its finest, the refinery of their characters is quite different. Dryden portrays an, although love stricken, heroic soldier never lacking in pride for his person, and on the other hand a love struck queen who is at the mercy of her brave hero. On the opposite end of the spectrum Shakespeare chooses the opposite route. His feminine lead is selfish and manipulative, although she ultimately loves Marc Antony, she is always thinking of her selfish pride first, while Shakespeare's hopeless hero is at the mercy of the Egyptian queen influencing him to be awkward and clumsy beside a gleaming reputation. While both authors perceive Marc Antony as unfocused, self-destructive, and irresponsible in love it is clear that one develops a more noble vision of the soldier, husband, father, and friend: Marc Antony. Dryden's Antony is more noble than the cross dresser we see in Shakespeare's original. Dryden concurs with the 18th century theme of duty. It is essential and warranted of Marc Antony to take responsibility for his duties as a general, husband, father, and his greater duty to Rome. In All For Love he ultimately does all of the above as a noble man should; yet in the 2006-06-13T19:06:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Dryden-s-Antony-and-Shakespeare-s-Cleopatra-29463.aspx Syopsis of "The Elizabethan World" by Tillyard The book The Elizabethan World Picture by Tillyard is an account of the ideas and beliefs of people during the Elizabethan age. The great writers of the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries included many of the same ideas and viewpoints discussed in The Elizabethan World Picture in their writings. Shakespeare, Donne, and Milton are just some of the many authors that incorporated Elizabethan ideas in their works. The play Richard II written by Shakespeare portrays many Elizabethan ideas. The most characteristic idea of the Elizabethan era was cosmic order. “I also found that the order I was describing was much more than political order, or, if political, was always a part of a larger cosmic order. I found, further, that the Elizabethans saw this single order under three aspects: a chain, a set of correspondences, and a dance” (Tillyard vii). Simply put everything in the heavens and on earth has its own place. In heaven God had created order in the form of a hierarchy which consisted of God at the top followed by archangels and angels. This hierarchy was mirrored on earth where God had appointed kings, princes, and others under them. In Shakespeare’s play Richard II King Richard was atop the hierarchy in England, he was followed by his nobility and peasants. However this hierarchy was not of pure form. Richard had disrupted the array on earth by ordering the killing of his brother Thomas of Woodstock who was the Duke of Gloucester. Richard ordered his killing in order to get control of the English throne. This disrupted the order of things in turn creating chaos on earth and in the heavens as well. “Take away order from all things, what should then remain? Certes nothing finals, except some man would imagine festoons chaos. Also where there is any lack of order needs must be perpetual conflict” (Tillyard 11). King Richard’s blunders did not stop there however. Richard appointed several of his friends in high government places such as his advisors. In Richard II the Gardener presents an excellent speech about King Richard’s careless ways. “Go bind thou up young dangling apricots, which, like unruly children, make their sire/ Stoop with oppressions of their prodigal weight. / Give some supportance to the bending twigs. 2006-06-13T18:52:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Syopsis-of-quot-The-Elizabethan-World-quot-by-Tillyard-29454.aspx Analysis of "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell is about a hunter in search of his prey. However, a twist in the story occurs when this great hunter becomes the prey. The main character of the story is Rainsford. He sets out on a hunt for wild animals, which her refers to as “the best sport in the world”(line 9 page 58) with his partner, Whitney. While enroute to their hunting camp by boat they hear gunshots followed by a screaming sound. Rainsford suddenly drops his pipe into the water and in an attempt to retrieve it he falls in too. He swims in the direction of the screams and finds an island with a large mansion on it. He then encounters General Zaroff, also an avid hunter and owner of the island. However, Zaroff’s game is human. He explains to Raiford that he has hunted animals all over the world. In looking for a challenge he attempted to find an animal with “courage, cunning and reason”(Connell 66). He finally found one and it is human. He then provides Raiford with supplies and instructions on how the “outdoor Chess” (Connell 70) game with humans will be played. It pits Zaroff against Raiford in a game of intelligence, strength and stamina. One aspect of conflict used in this story is "Man vs. Man" conflict involving General Zaroff and Sanger Rainsford. They disagreed on the belief of hunting innocent human beings. Rainsford argued that what Zaroff did was cold-blooded murder and that no one was supposed to do such a horrible thing. But Zaroff insisted that he was no murderer, he simply found a new game. Conflict between these two character didn't end here, Zaroff chasing Rainsford in the woods to kill him was also a physical form of "Man vs. Man" conflict. Another form of conflict found in this story is "Man vs. Nature" when a character has to face some natural force like water or fire. General Zaroff, can best be described as sadistic, arrogant, and manipulative, this keeps him at the focus of this story. The worst trait of Zaroff is his arrogance. He claims that he is superior to people of different races and feels it is his job to abolish the weak.. This idea is expressed when Zaroff says “Life is for the strong, and, if 2006-06-13T18:19:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-The-Most-Dangerous-Game-quot-by-Richard-C-29434.aspx Moral Wisdom of Atticus 1. "First of all," he [Atticus] said, "if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." (Shows morals, wisdom) 2. When he gave us our air rifles Atticus wouldn't teach us to shoot. Uncle Jack instructed us in the rudiments thereof; he said Atticus wasn't interested in guns. Atticus said to Jem, "I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." That was the only time I ever hear Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. "You're father's right," she said. "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mocking bird." (Innocent people destroyed by evil) 3. "When they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things ... Atticus, he was real nice...." His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me. "Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them." He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning. (loving family man) 4. "They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions," said Atticus, "but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." –Atticus 5. "The witnesses for the state…have presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption—the evil assumption—that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber. Which, gentlemen, 2006-06-13T18:17:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Moral-Wisdom-of-Atticus--29432.aspx The Characters of Shakespeare 1.Introduction Characters have always been and still are the focal point of every play. This is not surprising, since it is they who make up the whole story. Judging by the way they talk and gesticulate, they do not only determine their own personality but they also develop the plot, the social context, the atmosphere and the theme of the whole play. Language is the most important factor, when it comes to identifying and analysing a certain character type. The picture that we, as the reader, get of a character is, on the one hand, a reflection of what he says, and, on the other hand, of how he says it. This will become clear if we look at the opening scene of As you like it. Here, Orlando complains in an inexorable stream of words about his upbringing - if he has had one at all -, in which he was treated like the black sheep of the family. He keeps me rustically at home, or, to speak more properly, stays me here at home unkept...His horses are better bred, for, besides that they are fair with their feeding, they are taught their manage. (1.1. 6-11) This extract from Orlando’s first speech is ‘a shout of protest.’ (Doebler, 111) In twenty-three lines Orlando gives vent to his wrath, a wrath he has choked back for much too long. He tries to portray himself as an uneducated and foolish person, a person who has been kept like a menial. Yet, it is made quite clear to the reader that this is not the case at all. Orlando draws a parallel with his brother’s cattle, thus, becoming aware of the fact that even the horses and oxen are superior to him, for ‘they are taught their manage.’ (1.1. 11) Orlando chooses here the word ‘manage’, a technical term that derives from the French word ‘manege’ (Shakespeare, Commentary) referring to the action and paces to which a horse is trained in the riding-school, particularly for military purposes. Orlando expresses himself in such a sophisticated manner, which a person who had not obtained a good education would have never been able to do. But it is not only the choice of words used that suggest that Orlando is actually far from being reduced to the state of an animal, but it is the length of this passage as well. Orlando does not 2006-06-13T18:09:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Characters-of-Shakespeare-29428.aspx Analysis of "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer A few years ago, after reading Jon Krakauer's horrifying account of the 1996 expeditions to Everest (Into Thin Air) in which 11 climbers died (nine on a single night) due to a combination of bad luck, bad weather and inexperience, I got a bit put off by this mountain climbing business. To "prove" themselves, people had begun paying vast sums of money to be literally pushed or carried up the great mountain, at great risk not only to themselves, but to others as well, just so that later, they could boast that they had "conquered Everest". Right at the beginning of this book, Bear Grylls, at 23, the youngest Briton to have made it to the summit and back (which is what this book is about), admits: I didn't conquer Everest - Everest allowed me to crawl up one side and stay on the peak for a few minutes. This humility stays with the book throughout and is all the more refreshing as Grylls is at an age at which most young men swagger around being excessively macho and gung-ho. And Grylls had more reason than most to swagger. Two years before making his attempt, while serving with the British army, he broke his back in a freefall when his parachute failed to open during a jump. You might think that recovering from a broken back is adventure enough for a lifetime - but there is that dreadful demon in the human spirit, which awakens at such times and demands its pound of flesh. You have to do more - much more than merely recover and be normal. And you will find no peace until you do so. For Bear Grylls, always an avid climber, that meant an attempt on Everest - a mountain that has fascinated countless and drawn hundreds to its icy slopes. (The mountain claims one life for every six successful summit attempts.) This book recounts that story: from the run-around for sponsors, the hard training involved, the formation of the team, the wait at base camp and the attempt itself. What comes through clearly is how mountaineering cuts out all the bullshit from life - you are pared to bare essentials, and physically and mentally ravaged on top of it. It is about how the stubborn core in the human spirit refuses to cow down - even when you 2006-06-13T18:00:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Into-Thin-Air-quot-by-Jon-Krakauer-29425.aspx Character Analysis of Maestro Darwin by Peter Goldworthy Darwin is a small, tropical hothouse of a port, half outback and half oriental, lying at the tip of North Australia. In Peter Goldworthy's novel Maestro Darwin is depicted through the eyes of his characters. It is a Place of wide spaces, freedom and possibilities for Paul Crabbe. In Eduard Keller Paul's piano teacher's situation Darwin is a place of refuge where he has fled to, to try and escape his past and life a life of mystery. Whereas Darwin for Paul's parent's is a hot, sun drenched town with little cultural or intellectual life bearing no resemblance to the lifestyle in which they were accustomed to. It is evident from the beginning that Paul loves Darwin. It is a paradise compared to Adelaide where he used to life, which was more confined and protected with its "neat rows of suburbs". (100) The isolation of Darwin seemed to signify youth, space and freedom for Paul. It was an environment to grow in with its lush greenery and possibilities "everything larger than life and the people were no exception". (11) There was a diverse mix of people in Darwin each influenced Paul in on different levels. Darwin is often referred to as a hot, steamy, sensual place and Rosie a girl who moved to Darwin from Melbourne who shared many of the same interests as Paul helped him realise exactly what this meant. Rosie forfils Paul's sexual and intellectual needs. She assists in his journey from youth to adulthood. Although perhaps the most influential person for Paul is his piano teacher Eduard Keller. Keller keeps Paul in check and reminds him that he "should not be too full of self importance". (103) In Darwin fame and success can be achieved easily. However when Paul returns to Adelaide he realises that it is a much bigger scene and does not find the same success. Yet later Paul learns that "nothing worthwhile was ever achieved so easily". (91) Paul returns to Darwin many years later after Cyclone Tracey when he hears news of Keller's health. After Keller's death Paul "walks out into the new, unfamiliar Darwin" (146) all the while regretting the passing of "those beautiful years". (149) Darwin for Paul was a place of freedom and possibilities a place he loved whereas Darwin for Eduard Keller was a place of refuge where he had fled to, to 2006-06-13T17:56:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Maestro-Darwin-by-Peter-Goldworthy-29423.aspx Central Themes in A Doll's House One of A Doll's House's central theme is secession from society. It is demonstrated by several of its characters breaking away from the social standards of their time and acting on their own terms. No one character demonstrates this better than Nora. During the time in which the play took place society frowned upon women asserting themselves. Women were supposed to play a role in which they supported their husbands, took care of their children, and made sure everything was perfect around the house. Work, politics, and decisions were left to the males. Nora's first secession from society was when she broke the law and decided to borrow money to pay for her husbands treatment. By doing this, she not only broke the law but she stepped away from the role society had placed on her of being totally dependent on her husband. She proved herself not to be helpless like Torvald implied: "you poor helpless little creature!" Nora's second secession from society was shown by her decision to leave Torvald and her children. Society demanded that she take a place under her husband. This is shown in the way Torvald spoke down to her saying things like: "worries that you couldn't possibly help me with," and "Nora, Nora, just like a woman." She is almost considered to be property of his: "Mayn't I look at my dearest treasure? At all the beauty that belongs to no one but me -that's all my very own?" By walking out she takes a position equal to her husband and brakes society's expectations. Nora also brakes society's expectations of staying in a marriage since divorce was frowned upon during that era. Her decision was a secession from all expectations put on a woman and a wife by society. Nora secessions are very deliberate and thought out. She knows what society expects of her and continues to do what she feels is right despite them. Her secessions are used by Ibsen to show faults of society. In the first secession Ibsen illustrates that despite Nora doing the right thing it is deemed wrong and not allowed by society because she is a woman. While the forgery can be considered wrong, Ibsen is critical of the fact that Nora is forced to forge. Ibsen is also critical of society's expectations of a marriage. He illustrates this by showing how Nora is forced 2006-06-13T17:53:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Central-Themes-in-A-Doll-s-House-29421.aspx The Value of Perspective in Catcher in the Rye The Catcher in the Rye is a first person narrative told through the eyes of the protagonist, Holden Caulfield. He begins his story in the style of a psychoanalytic project in which Caulfield will tell on his own terms. This limits the scope of the story to only what Holden wants to talk about. This, coupled with his mercurial changes of mood, his stubborn refusal to admit his own sensitive-ness and emotions, his cheerful disregard of what is sometimes known as reality—which is expected of an adolescent—lend him to be a suspect and unreliable. Further more, there is the issue of his mental instability revealed in his experiences. For example, after waking up in Grand Central, Holden wanders around sweaty and delusional. He explains, “Every time I’d get to the end of a block I’d make believe I was talking to my brother Allie. I’d say to him, ‘Allie, don’t let me disappear. Allie, don’t let me disappear. Allie, don’t let me disappear. Please, Allie.’ And then when I’d reach the other side of the street without disappearing, I’d thank him” (p.257). This is a clear example of a psychotic episode because he is compulsively repeated the same phrase to someone who has been dead for four years in the book on a topic that doesn’t make any sense. This is what Holden refers to as “madman stuff,” so even he realizes that. Basically, Holden is a far more unreliable narrator than even Huck Finn, the compulsive liar. At the same time, the novel focuses on the narrator’s inner perceptions, solipsistic attitude, and alienation from the community; therefore, the work offers detailed insight into the protagonists’ deepest characteristics as oppose to reliable events of the plot. The point of view of the work shows the reader that the focal point of the story is Holden himself—a modern style. He engages the reader directly by address him or her. The second word in the novel is “you” for a reason. The structure of the text allows the reader to be intimate with the protagonist as if the two were having a conversation. In turn, the text can be seen as being a creation of the narrator itself. On this topic, critics often argue 2006-06-13T17:51:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Value-of-Perspective-in-Catcher-in-the-Rye-29420.aspx Comparing Differences in Canterbury Tales and Arabian Nights I. From the beginning of her story, the Wife of Bath speaks with such clear understanding of the concepts of marriage, religion, chastity and virginity (or lack, thereof) and the interdependence they have to each other that it is clear she speaks from experience. That she had five husbands and is openly pursuing a sixth, shows that “she knew of the remedies of love…that art’s old dance” (Chaucer 25). The reader learns not only her feelings on these subjects but also her steadfast pursuit to, essentially, take her men for all that they are worth. The first three husbands of the Wife of Bath, the reader learns, “were good, and rich and old.” Clearly, once two people are wed in marriage, sexual relations become a regular part of the equation, but the Wife of Bath is complaining more about their failure as husbands expressly because of their inability to perform up to the wife’s sexual standards. While this may seem like a standard complaint after marriage, the reader soon learns one of the wife’s principle rules: “A wise woman will concentrate on getting That love which she doesn’t possess; But since I had them wholly in my hand, And since they had given me all their land, Why should I take pains to please them, Unless it should be for my own profit and pleasure?” (Chaucer 191-3). Five husbands takes some toll on a woman, it would seem. Yet this does not stop the wife’s further with continuing her autobiography. Her story than takes us from a knight that raped a young maiden, to an old women that becomes his future wife. II. The importance of storytelling is significant as a part of the fisherman’s life in The Arabian Nights, just as much as fishing or his family would be. This clearly shows the power of magic or magical realism in these stories. These stories, it must be remembered, are nothing more than stories. Their existence is in the scope and breadth of the detail with which Shahrazad tells them. The happenings of the story, therefore, no longer need to rely on the modern conventions of logic, but rather on the unwritten rules of life, from the perspective of ancient Arabians. The old fisherman, who remains unnamed throughout the story, is reliant on the verses that he recites to describe his emotions and the path that his life is taking, steadily 2006-06-13T03:29:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Differences-in-Canterbury-Tales-and-Arabian-Nights-29407.aspx Analytic Overview of Pride and Prejudice Study of manners Setting Rural England; early nineteenth century Principal Characters Mr. Bennet, father of five daughters Mrs. Bennet, his opinionated wife Elizabeth, their intelligent middle daughter, and Mr. Bennet's favorite child Jane, Elizabeth's beautiful older sister Lydia, the Bennet's impetuous youngest daughter Mr. Binglcy, Jane's rich and amiable suitor Mr. Darcy, Bingley's arrogant and wealthy friend Reverend Collins, a conceited bore Mr. Wickman,an army officer Story Overveiw Mrs. Bennet felt delighted that Netherfield, a nearby estate, was again rented, and was especially pleased upon hearing that its new occupant, Mr. Bingley, was single and rich. "What a fine thing for our girls!" she beamed. She begged her husband to go make the acquaintance of their new neighbor, and, after some teasing, Mr. Bennet did pay Bing ley a call. Mr. Bingley soon returned the visit but did not manage to meet any of the beautiful young women he had heard so much about. His interest piqued, he soon invited the entire Bennet family to dine. Everyone at the dinner party was impressed with Bingley's fine appearance and gracious manners. However, his close friend, Mr. Darcy, though handsome and well-to-do, was not viewed so favorably. "His manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity." His pride ruled and ruined his conversation - particularly for Elizabeth. When Bingley suggested that Darcy ask Elizabeth to dance, Elizabeth indignantly overheard Mr. Darcy rep ly that she was "tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me." However, Bingley and Jane Bennet were soon drawn to one another, even though Mr. Bingley's two haughty sisters saw Jane as much beneath their brother. They pretended great fondness for Jane, but Elizabeth easily saw their hypocrisy. The following day, as the Bennet women sat and discussed the prior evening's party, all were in agreement as to both Bingley's charm and Darcy's coarseness. "I could easily forgive his pride," Elizabeth huffed, "if he had not mortified mine." In a matter of days, the ladies of Netherfield and those of the Bennet's Longbourne estate had exchanged visits. "By Jane this attention was received with great pleasure; but Elizabeth still saw superciliousness in their treatment of everybody ... and could not like them." Bingley's sisters took an equal dislike to Elizabeth. One morning Jane received an invitation from the Bingley girls to spend the day. Mrs. Bennet viewed this as an opportunity for Jane and Mr. Bingley to get 2006-06-13T03:15:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analytic-Overview-of-Pride-and-Prejudice-29399.aspx Reoccuring Themes in Edgar Allen Poe's Short Stories In one of Edgar Allan Poe’s best-known tales of horror, “The Cask of Amontillado,” he suggests that pride can be a very dangerous thing. The story begins with Montressor’s vow of revenge, foreshadowing the future actions. “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could; but when ventured upon insult vowed revenge…” (Poe 1297). Through the use of foreshadowing, irony, and symbolism, Poe presents the inner motive drama of two men. One who will stop at nothing to get the revenge that he considers himself and his family worthy of, and another who’s pride will ultimately be the fall of his own death. Fortunato falls prey to Montressor’s plans because he is so proud of his connoisseurship of wine, and it is for the sake of his own pride that Montressor takes revenge on Fortunato. In this essay, I will show how Poe uses the theme of pride and many other literary techniques such as foreshadowing, irony, and symbolism, in order to create such a horrific and suspenseful masterpiece. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Poe uses foreshadowing in a most grim and dark way. The motto of the Montressor’s family is, “ Nemo me impune lacessit” (Poe 1299), which means, “No one wounds me with impunity.” This was what Montressor lived by and vowed to avenge his families’ blow by Fortunato, even though the reader never really finds out what the insult was. Then, when Fortunato says, “I shall not die of a cough” (Poe 1298), Montressor replies, “True-true” (Poe 1298). Instead, Montressor knows that Fortunato will disappear from the face of the earth with his vengeful scheme that will swallow Fortunato up, and have him die of starvation and dehydration. Fortunato is a proud man and does not think that his death will be due to something petty and cold. Rather, he believes that his life will end as a result of some courageous act and he will die a noble death. However, Montressor can only laugh at this thought because he knows that Fortunato’s death will be far from noble and his pride will soon be shattered when he is caught in the depths of the catacomb. Poe does not intend for the reader to be sympathetic with Montressor because Fortunato has wronged him, but rather to judge him. Another, instance of foreshadowing comes with the trowel scene. 2006-06-13T03:11:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Reoccuring-Themes-in-Edgar-Allen-Poe-s-Short-Stories-29396.aspx Historic Analysis of All Quiet on the Western Front World War I was the first total war. Once the war began, the countries involved mobilized their entire populations and economic resources to achieve victory on the battlefield. The term home front, which was widely employed for the first time during World War I, perfectly symbolized this new concept of a war in which the civilian population behind the lines was directly and critically involved in the war effort. The war began as a clash between two coalitions of European countries. The first coalition, known as the Allied Powers, included the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Serbia and the Russian Empire. The Central Powers, which opposed them, consisted of the empires of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Although the United States originally was neutral, it joined the Allies in 1917. The immediate cause of the war was the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by a Serbian nationalist. The fundamental causes of the conflict, however, were rooted deeply in the European history of the previous century, By the end of 1914 the war entered a stalemate. Both sides became mired in two main, stationary fronts—the western front, primarily in northeastern France, and the eastern front, mainly in western Russia. At the fronts, the troops fought each other from numerous parallel lines of interconnected trenches. Each side laid siege to the other’s system of trenches and endeavored to break through their lines. When the war finally came to an end on November 11, 1918, and the Central Powers were defeated, the political order of Europe had been transformed beyond recognition. The German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and Ottoman empires had collapsed. The war also helped precipitate the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, which established the ideology of Communism in Russia. The war also had important long-term consequences. The enormous cost of the war undermined the financial stability of all of the countries involved, and they had to bear an onerous burden of debt for many years to come. These financial losses, combined with the battlefield deaths and physical destruction, severely weakened the European powers. .Erich Maria Remarque created with his novel All Quiet on the Western Front an amazingly good picture how World War I was like. He shows the world a life created by the front in a fictive character, that could have existed everywhere on the German-French front. Remarque opens the book with the main 2006-06-13T03:05:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Historic-Analysis-of-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-29393.aspx A Favorable Portrayal of Women in Dickens' Novels In many books and movies, women take a backseat when it comes to being characters of strength or impact. They are most always presented as the weaker of sexes, and can usually be found in a vulnerable position waiting to be rescued by the stronger, more appealing male hero. To find a woman of strength in a book written before the women’s rights movements of the 20th century, it would take a bit of scouring and detective work. Yet Charles Dickens provides multiple unnatural female characters in A Tale of Two Cities that prove this gender stereotype incorrect. He portrays strong, loving, even power-hungry women in order to present his thoughts on his idea of the “perfect woman”. Through the use of Ms. Pross, Madame Defarge, and Lucie Manette, Dickens defies conventional trends, presenting his women as pillars of strength and steadiness to promote his views throughout A Tale of Two Cities. Ms. Pross is a focused woman who lets nothing get in the way of her desired objectives. Being the lifelong servant to Lucie Manette in the absence of her father, Ms. Pross is Lucie’s sole confidant before her father returns from prison. It comes as no surprise that Ms. Pross considers it her life duty to protect Lucie and always look out for her. She presents her strength to the reader in her initial scene after her “ladybird” (100) Lucie has fainted, as “laying a brawny hand upon his chest, [sends] him flying back against the nearest wall” (35). Despite her strong physical and emotional traits, Ms. Pross also holds the most natural female role in the novel. She functions as a servant to the Manette’s; always taking a backseat to less appealing male characters, and always promotes her despicable brother Solomon (a.k.a. John Barsad). Rarely does Ms. Pross call attention to herself, and never does she put her needs above those of the greater good, fitting her perfectly into the role most women played in novels of the time. However, at the end of the story, Ms. Pross becomes a larger contributor to the plot when she takes on the role of defending good versus the evil of Madame Defarge. In their skirmish that may have well determined the fate of the Manette family, Ms. Pross “seized 2006-06-13T03:03:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Favorable-Portrayal-of-Women-in-Dickens-Novels-29392.aspx The Achievements of Beowulf Beowulf could be described as an obedient subject, an adventurous warrior and a good king. Beowulf honoured and respected those who ruled his kingdom. He remained confident and fearless when in battle. As King he was noble to his name, heroic, and devoted to his people. Beowulf accomplished all in which he sought to achieve. Everything he did was done for a reason; everything he achieved was for the people and to honour those who ranked above him in the kingdom. Beowulf could be described as an obedient subject as is evident throughout the poem. Beowulf says “ Anything I can do, here on this earth, To earn your love, oh great king, anything more than I have done, battles I can fight In your honour, summon me, I will come as I came before” (Pg 80, 1822-1826). Beowulf defeated Grendel, the bloodcurdling monster. He accomplished all in which he had come to do in Denmark, and if this were not he enough, he then proceeds to told King Higlac that he may be summoned again at any time, and that he would be willing to fight many more battles in his honour. Beowulf is again shown to be an obedient subject when the poet says “ Higlac’s widow Brought him the crown, offered him the kingdom, Not trusting Herdred, her son and Higlac’s, to beat off foreign invaders. But Beowulf Refused to rule when his lord’s son was alive, and the leaderless Geats could choose a rightful King. (Pg.97, 2369-2374) Beowulf refused to accept the crown and rule the kingdom because he felt that it would be unjust when Prince Herdred still lived. Beowulf honoured and respected King Higlac while he was living and showed the same respect for his family members after he parished. Even though Beowulf deserved to rule the Kingdom, he gave up this opportunity because he knew the King would want his son to take over after his death. Beowulf performed many heroic deeds in his lifetime. He fought in many battles and over time was known for his ability to conquer anything that stood in his path. Beowulf could be considered an adventurous warrior as is apparent throughout the poem. The adventurous warrior in Beowulf is revealed when he says “ A Monster seized me, drew me swiftly toward the bottom, swimming with its claws tight in my flesh. 2006-06-12T21:05:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Achievements-of-Beowulf-29380.aspx Analysis of Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" Throughout most of “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, the grandmother is a discourteous character. She lies, insults, complains, and makes offensive remarks until the story is near over. Towards the end she goes through a dramatic change. The story begins with the grandmother complaining about going to Florida. She wanted to go to Tennessee and she made it clear to her son, Bailey, and his wife and children every chance she got: “’The children have been to Florida before . . . You ought to take them somewhere else for a change so they would see different parts of the world and be broad. They’ve never been to east Tennessee’” (Para 2). She is very stubborn. She would not be happy unless the family vacation was to east Tennessee. The grandmother was not forced to go with the family but she does not stay home. She is the first person in the car dressed as if she were going somewhere important and not just in on a family vacation. We can assume by dressing like this showed that she felt as if she was better then the rest of the family. The grandmother even brought her cat, Pitty Sing, with them. She had to hide it under her seat so Bailey would not see it. She has no reasonable excuse to even bring the cat with them. The only excuse she offers is the cat may miss her and it could get burnt on the gas burners. This is just another reason that shows she was stubborn. The grandmother told false stories to the children to make them infuriate their parents enough to allow them to go to the mansion. The grandmother tells them that the mansion has trap doors and other things that would interest children. She is also extremely ill – mannered. When the family passes the African American child on the porch the grandmother makes a racist remark. The grandmother voiced “Wouldn’t that make a picture, now” (Para 17)? June Star, Bailey’s daughter, said, “He didn’t have any britches on” (Para 18). Then the grandmother answered, “He probably didn’t have any . . . Little niggers in the country don’t have things 2006-06-12T20:50:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Flannery-O-Connor-s-quot-A-Good-Man-is-Hard-to-29371.aspx Issues of Childhood in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley creates many differences between Victor Frankenstein and his creation, but simultaneously creates many parallels between the two. Victor's siblings and parents are perfect in his eyes and never deny him anything, whereas the creature is rejected by everyone who sees him from the moment he begins breathing. Despite these differences, both characters develop problems as adults based on these childhood experiences, which ultimately cause the death of others as well as their own. Although Victor's seemingly idyllic upbringing sharply contrasts with the creature's neglected "childhood," both of these scenarios lead to their mutual destruction. While Victor experiences a seemingly ideal, but in truth, overindulgent childhood, the creature is faced with constant rejection from the moment he is given life despite his inherent warmth and compassion. From the beginning of their existence, the two grow up under completely different influences. Victor's parents respond to his birth as a gift from heaven, whereas from the moment the creature draws breath, Victor, his "father," abhors him. Indicating that as a child he never experienced unhappiness to any degree, Victor explains that his earliest memories are his "mother's tender caresses" and his father's "smile of benevolent pleasure while regarding [him]" (21). When the creature is "born," however, the first thing that happens to him is that his creator irrationally abandons the him in his state of innocence because he is "unable to endure the aspect of the being [he] had created" (49). While Victor's parent's view him as "their plaything and their idol...bestowed on them by Heaven" (21), Victor, denying his creature all of the love that he himself was fortunate enough to have, regards the monster as a "wretch" and a "miserable monster" (49). Shelley even uses parallel scenes where both Victor and the creature reach out for a parent's love and reassurance and meet opposite responses to demonstrate their differing childhood experiences. When the creature comes to life and he stretches out his hand in a natural attempt to receive affection, Victor teaches the monster that he cannot be loved by, instead of reciprocating his creation's innocent gesture, feeling the need to "escape" and taking "refuge" (49) from him. Even though the creature does not remember his creator's flight, his first recollections of being a "poor, helpless, miserable wretch" and "feeling pain invade [him] on all sides" (100) result from this traumatic 2006-06-12T20:47:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Issues-of-Childhood-in-Mary-Shelley-s-quot-Frankenstein-quo-29370.aspx Critical Analysis of Short Stories by James Joyce “Araby” is a short story in a collection of fifteen called Dubliners. It was written by James Joyce between 1904 and 1907 but was not published until 1914. A young boy who describes his life on North Richmond Street narrates it. He and his friends in the Christian Brothers’ School play every evening until their families call them in. Sometimes his friend Mangan’s sister comes out to call Mangan in. He feels very passionately drawn to her in some way. One day she talks to him and asked him if he is going to a bazaar called Araby. A bazaar is a fair or some kind of store where you can buy certain goods. She really wanted to go with him to the bazaar, but she couldn’t because she had a retreat in her convent school that night. A convent school is a religious school. Even though she cannot go he tells her he will bring her something back if he does end up going. That night he gets almost no sleep because he was thinking about Mangan’s sister. He is thinking about the possibilities of bringing something back for her from the Araby bazaar. The next day he asks his aunt and uncle if he can go and they tell him its ok to go. His uncle comes home late that night but still lets him go to the bazaar and gives him some money. He takes a train to the bazaar, but by the time he gets there it is almost closing time, so most of the stalls are empty. He then finds himself in a porcelain stall where there is a young English lady talking to two young men, but he is unable to buy anything. The story ends with the boy being very angry and distressed with not being able to find anything to buy. The atmosphere being set here by Joyce is that of an awakening in a boy’s life. This awakening is the attraction that a boy acquires for a girl, both emotional and physical. His feelings for Mangan’s sister are almost uncontrollable. He can’t do much except feel and follow them. With these feelings he wants to escape his household in search for independence, to follow his 2006-06-12T18:49:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Short-Stories-by-James-Joyce-29348.aspx Analysis of Machiavelli and Othelo in "The Prince" In Machiavelli’s “The Prince” readers are provided with powerful insights to becoming a successful ruler. Niccolo breaks down into steps what a ruler must take into account in order to control the masses. The character of Lago in Shakespeare’s “Othello” seems to have studied and acted through Machiavelli’s teachings. Throughout the entire play his intentions towards empowerment are shown. Lago would have prevailed to be a top student in Machiavelli’s class with all his cunning and deception. For the paper, I will dig into Machiavelli’s teachings a little deeper to the real motives behind the man with power. 0, sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him. We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed (Shakespeare 5). lago is telling it how it is. There are those inclined to be leaders and those destined to be followers. it is lead to an individual’s personal will to decide on what end he or she shall stand. It is such a hypocrisy how Lago is given the name “honest” throughout the play just as many rulers have been given that false name. From the very beginning of “Othello”, readers can see the “fox” in Lago His character is greedy and his will to his goal is strong. He is strictly doing things for himself. lago represents a particular vision of Machiavellian ideology stemming from a self-interested quest for power and gain which directly ignores the limits of social acceptance and traditional bonds. The only time he does honor such bonds in when it is benefiting his tactics for deception. An example of this is how he convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio for the love of Desdemonia Machiavelli gives us the Lion and the fox to relate on the issue of maintaining power. These two animals are the two ways of fighting and combat. A balance must be reached between the two for success. The lion and the fox are related with regards to the attributes a prince must have to remain an effective ruler. The fox has the cunning while the lion maintains the strength. The strength of the lion is there to guard off enemies and the fox is the manipulator. I believe they are both mental aspects of our minds. These two thought processes enable anyone to achieve what it is they want. It all depends on how bad we 2006-06-12T03:08:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Machiavelli-and-Othelo-in-quot-The-Prince-quot-29296.aspx Analysis of Hawthorne's Introduction to The Scarlet Letter In the "Custom House," written as an introduction to The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne gives an autobiographical description of his life and times. The detailed descriptions of the scenes and people not only prepare the reader for the author's style, but also aim at recreating the author's past. The preface concentrates on the author's period of service at the Custom House during which time he came into contact with several people and had the opportunity to study human behavior. The description of his co- employees and others shows the author's deft hand at characterization, which is revealed during the novel. Further, the preface serves the purpose of giving a background to the novel and introduces America's Puritanical ancestors. Through the novel, by taking a favorable view of Hester and Dimmesdale and by drawing Chillingworth in evil proportions, Hawthorne attempts to undo the wrong and injustice done by his ancestors. The reference to the discovery of the scarlet letter and some papers referring to the incident of a woman condemned like Hester is to strengthen the author's claim of the authenticity of the story. Passage I, by Frank Conroy, and passage II, by William Maxwell, are works of literature that deal with the nature of boyhood friendships. Both passages convey to the reader an idea that boyhood friendships are unbiased and are merely based on the fact that young boys appreciate the presence of other boys. The author conveys this idea through the use of figurative language and uses a very simple, innocent tone. Both passages discuss the nature of boyhood friendships and reveal that boyhood friendships occur just because boys are present near each other and are not based on anything else such as class or background. In passage I, the author reveals that one boy named Frank makes a friendship with another boy named Tobey even though Tobey appears to have less money than Frank. Frank is described as having a new house, a new bike, and a bathing suit, while Tobey does not appear to have any of these facilities, which makes him appear to be less wealthy. Even though, one boy appears to either be wealthier or have a dissimilar upbringing than the other, this does not stop them from playing together and go swimming. Furthermore, the author shows that the boys liked to play in the forest, and which is a 2006-06-12T03:02:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Hawthorne-s-Introduction-to-The-Scarlet-Letter-29293.aspx The Hobbit by C.S. Lewis as a Contemporary Fiction Classic The Hobbit, written by C.S. Lewis, has to be considered one of the best literary works of contemporary times. The book gives the reader a wholesome dose of every emotion. You may experience joy, sadness, and laughter all in one chapter. The author’s brilliant diction brings to life the characters and their surroundings as well as any book does. The book’s 310 pages are full of great, imaginative writing that will keep you flipping pages until the end. The story is based on the adventures of the middle-aged hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. Hobbits are creatures with characteristics much like those of people. Most of them enjoy lavish comforts and five meals daily. They rarely leave their hobbit holes for anything other than a free meal and a party. Bilbo was a hobbit in every sense of the word. He minded his own business and other hobbits rarely bothered him. Bilbo liked it this way. He was in no way desiring or searching for the adventures soon coming his way. Bilbo’s secluded, unwavering lifestyle is drastically changed when the powerful wizard, Gandalf chooses him to be included in an expedition to retrieve a long, lost treasure protected by the evil dragon, Smaug. Bilbo declines the invitation, but the next morning he is bombarded by his comrades for the trek and realizes that he is going on an adventure, whether he likes it or not. The wild happenings and excursions of Bilbo’s travels lead him to realize his full potential as a leader and expeditionist. Of all the interesting, inventive parts of the novel, the characters are likely the most original. They all have such dramatic personalities, and they grow as the book progresses the way you would expect any non-fictional character to do. Bilbo’s attitude changes more drastically than any of the others’. He opens the story as a hobbit without a cause, other than his own, and by the end is every bit as capable as any of his partners. The book is a great read for anyone from the ages of 11 to 80. The writer’s storytelling brings to life one of the greatest tales of all time. It is fun to read and to discuss with other readers. If you read The 2006-06-12T02:58:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Hobbit-by-C_S_-Lewis-as-a-Contemporary-Fiction-Classic-29290.aspx The Puritain World as Illustrated by American Literature Puritans led a simple life; they looked for the least complicated approach to living in the world. When we look at their lives through poetry such as “Before the Birth of One of Her Children” or the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” from a 21st century perspective, we see the Puritans as traditional and old fashioned. They believed in predestination and an all powerful, unforgiving God who had everything planned for the future, in terms of who would be part of the elect, and who would move on to an eternal afterlife. Murdock speak about puritan faith, “In the genuine Puritan tradition, character and morality are seen as permanent values achievable only by personal spiritual conquest, life is constantly spiritualized, and the humblest events and acts are related to a divine context.” They also believed that most people were destined for hell, no matter how faithful they were to their people and God. Puritans valued hard work, morality, and found truth through the bible. The works of Anne Bradstreet, Jonathan Edwards, and Edward Taylor, take us into the Puritan world and we can see that they do lead a life that is constantly spiritualized. We will consider Murdock’s quote and see that it is contradictory as we can see that the spirit comes through a physical means. Although they experience the spirituality through physical elements of life, the value of the spirit still exists. These works also stand as important foundations of American Literature. Through Anne Bradstreet’s poetry, we can see aspects of the Puritan ideas and lifestyles. These ideas and lifestyles revolve around spirituality as a central theme in their lives. In her poem “Before the Birth of One of Her Children” a woman speaks about the possibility that she is going to die. She wants to take her spirit and put it on the paper for her husband in her words. She says “And kiss this paper for thy love’s dear sake, / Who with salt tears this last farewell did take”(260). This could be a paradox in the Puritan world. She lets the paper represent herself, kissing the paper is like kissing her. This idea is contradictory to puritan beliefs in that the soul is being placed in the physical form 2006-06-12T02:53:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Puritain-World-as-Illustrated-by-American-Literature-29287.aspx Summary of Chapter One of "The Universe Next Door" In chapter one the author, James W. Sire, describes his purpose for writing the book and makes it clear that many people hold many different worldviews whether they know it or not. He says the struggle to discover our own worldview is one of the greatest tasks we could ever face. Many people have faith but some lose it and it is just a matter of finding it again. Sire hopes this book will help. The four major reasons he wrote this book are 1) to outline the basic worldviews, 2) to trace historically how these views have developed from a breakdown in the theistic worldview, 3) to show how post-modernism puts a twist on them, and 4) to encourage us all to think in terms of worldviews. First of all, however, Sire points out the fact that one must first know what a worldview is. He describes it as follows: a worldview is a set of presuppositions, which we hold about the basic makeup of our world. It is a sort of frame of reference or a pair of glasses through which we view the world. Now to break down that definition Sire describes presuppositions, as assumptions we hold that can be true, partially true, or entirely false. And, we hold them either consciously or unconsciously. We just have to recognize our own assumptions and then we can better understand our personal worldview. One example of a presupposition he gives is the fact that there is something out there, something exists. Now what that something is, is where different worldviews begin to emerge. Is that something only matter? Is it only spirit or soul? Or is it a mixture of both? Whatever our answer is to this it is generally unquestioned in our minds and only thought of if challenged by another. That is a presupposition: the building blocks of a worldview. Another way to get at our worldview as discussed in this chapter is to answer seven basic questions about the world and things in it. Among these seven questions are questions like, ? What is prime reality?? God? gods? Or ?What is a human being?? A complex machine? An ape? The way we answer these basic questions show us our worldview. To some, the answers seem obvious and yet to others the answers seem to be shrouded in mystery. 2006-06-12T02:40:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-of-Chapter-One-of-quot-The-Universe-Next-Door-quot-29280.aspx Love and Death as Viewed by Emily Dickinson Of all the poetry I have read in my entire English career, never have I read a poet who has compared love and death so well. Not only does she grab the reader’s attention using so few words, after her poem is over, the reader is left with many possibilities as to what it is that Emily Dickinson meant. Her ideas about love and death were shared in many of her poems, including The Bustle in the House. At times her poems almost seem to tell the reader that death is acceptable as long as one has love to lean on. The Bustle in a house The Morning after Death Is solemnest of industries Enacted upon Earth - The Sweeping up the heart And putting Love away We shall not want to use again Until Eternity - In the poem The Bustle in the House Dickinson talks about loosing a loved one. Dealing with the loss the morning after always seems to be the hardest of times, the death seems unreal, and the world seems to be crawling by. But regardless of the pain, all one has to due, in order to survive, is pick up their emotions, put the memories and the love that you once had for the deceased in a place that can never be touched and move on, knowing that in eternity you will find each other again. All though the character in the poem has lost someone they truly love, Dickinson seems to make the pain diminish greatly simply by suggesting remembering the love and good things in life instead. This is Dickinson’s strong point, she could have the strongest opinions on multiple topics, how ever controversial the topic maybe and somehow make her point across without offending anyone. With love she never made it over emotional, never to overly dramatic, or sappy. With her descriptions she was straight and to the point, and stated things how she viewed them, rarely letting outside opinions influence her writing. She spoke her mind through her words, and not any different. With death it was never gory, or depressing. Not to overbearing, no matter how serious the topic Dickinson would still stick to her points. Dickinson is a better poet than others I have read for various reasons. For one her vocabulary is much easier to understand, not only that but she can state her point, and move me in 2006-06-12T02:39:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Love-and-Death-as-Viewed-by-Emily-Dickinson-29279.aspx Using Deconstructive Analysis to Examine Literature Within many English departments around the country today, radical claims about the nature of language have entered into discussions about literary texts. Bred out of the modern critical theory of Deconstruction, these discussions question if the true "meaning" of language can ever be determined. As a mode of literary analysis, Deconstruction essentially asserts that meaning within texts is at best indeterminate and arbitrary, as the language in which they are written is said to "fail," to be "self-contradictory." In many corners, this type of thinking has developed into a more general trend which, in light of the theory's conclusions about language, further disclaims that any notion of absolute authority exists or ever did. Thus, in the present post-structuralist, post-modern world of literary criticism, this trend becomes manifest as an attitude--a "mindset," if you will--that maintains that all knowledge, or any sense of "Truth," is relative too. This suggestion stands directly against the heritage of Christianity, as well as other religious traditions that are scripturally inspired. Because the precepts underlying this modern "scholastic" attitude have their "foundations" in Deconstruction, this essay will term the mental posture embracing these larger claims about knowledge and truth as the "deconstructive mindset," for it is important to recognize that such skepticism is willfully adopted and maintained. At least in democratic societies, no one forces an individual to choose how he or she views the world. One danger of Deconstruction, however, or any other highly theoretical system of inquiry that is not self-critical, is that of too quickly accepting the products of its analyses without questioning the assumptions involved. Those espousing the deconstructive mindset are no exception, as the very "center" of deconstructive reasoning operates on the presupposition that there is no "center" or "ultimate signification." Instead, only a fluctuation and suspension of "disseminated" meaning are said to exist in all things, in any discussion of knowledge that we might have. Thus rooted in such "logic," the deconstructive mindset closes off the possibility that anything exists outside of or beyond itself, and this "eclipse" eventually reaches its end in an act of generalization. To put it more concretely, because language is said to "subvert" its own meaning, to be arbitrary, and because humanity records and expresses knowledge via language, "Truth" likewise is said to be subverted, to be arbitrary itself. In response to these assertions, this essay will explore some of 2006-06-12T02:35:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Using-Deconstructive-Analysis-to-Examine-Literature-29277.aspx Science Fiction of Ray Bradbury Teaching us Present Lessons The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury was first published in 1951. It’s a collection 2006-06-12T02:26:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Science-Fiction-of-Ray-Bradbury-Teaching-us-Present-Lessons-29275.aspx Character Sketch of Banquo of the King's Army Banquo is a General of the King’s Army. He has a young son named Fleance, who seems to be an early teenager, evident from his picture on Page 14, where Banquo calls him “boy”, in Act II Scene I, and on the sidebar 2006-06-12T02:22:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Sketch-of-Banquo-of-the-King-s-Army-29273.aspx Classic Character Comparison between Hamlet and Oedipus In the play Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, a young prince is in search of the truth behind his father¡¦s murder. At first, Hamlet sees the ghost of his deceased father and it tells him he was murdered by the now current king, Hamlet¡¦s Uncle Claudius. Hamlet has to think about how he will get revenge for his fathers death, but because his only knowledge came from a ghost that only Hamlet heard speak, he is hesitant to get his revenge quickly. Hamlet does everything he can to show others the truth he knows. It is important to Hamlet that he gets revenge but he also wants to torment the king and show everyone the truth. Hamlet knows his anger toward his Uncle may cause confusion in his judgement of the truth so he is hesitant to kill him right away. Hamlet second-guesses himself throughout the play only to end up dying, but not before he kills Claudius. In Oedipus the king, a child is born to a royal couple, this king and queen want to know how their child will be in the future. So they ask an oracle to tell them the future and it tells them he will kill his father and marry his mother. They have the child taken away to be killed, so they save themselves, but instead the child ends up in a new castle and is raised by another couple as their own child. They never tell Oedipus that he is not their own. When Oedipus hears he is to kill his father and marry his mother, he leaves his parents and searches for a new residence. Except he meets up with a man on the road and kills him. He then finds a castle that is being terrorized by a sphinx and answers the riddle it asks. He then marries the Queen and rules over the kingdom. In the end, the city is threatened by a plague that the oracle said will cease when the city gets rid of the one who murdered the king, Oedipus announces that the murderer will be punished. However, while searching for the truth Oedipus discovers that he is the murderer and the son of his wife. In the end, Oedipus finds his wife/mother hanged herself, so in the midst of all this Oedipus gouges his eyes out and banished himself from 2006-06-12T02:04:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Classic-Character-Comparison-between-Hamlet-and-Oedipus-29265.aspx Historic Analysis of Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" The movie that the class watched dealt with the classic novel Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain. Huckleberry Finn was written in the late 19th century, but it takes place during slavery in the southern United States. The book revolves around the adventures of a white farm boy from Mississippi, Huckleberry, and a run away slave Jim, as they try to reach the North and freedom. Written in the narrated view of the main character Huckleberry Finn, the grammar and language of the day is incorporated into the book, including the word nigger. Nigger is used in the book around 200 times and it is for this reason that some school boards have banned it and furious debates about allowing literature with hateful words in schools have erupted all over school boards in North America. The movie that we watched illustrates these debates and focuses on one high school in Arizona who’s in the midst of debating whether it should be banned or allowed. The arguments put fourth by the people opposed to the book being taught in class are the following. Books can influence the behavior of kids enough so that they begin to use the word Nigger in their vocabulary and towards other classmates. Thus their main argument is that books will be used to incite hatred in the classroom. The second argument is that the word Nigger carries to much emotion for African American students. So when this word is either called out in class or read in the book it becomes to painful and remindful of a darker time and they should not have to be reminded about this painful past in such ways at school. Arguments made by supporters of the book are that the book should be allowed for the greater good despite the fact that it has hateful literature. Supporters argue at the center of the story is a powerful anti slavery and racism novel that teaches students harmony between races can exist. A second argument is that kids would not be as influenced by the word Nigger if taught properly by teachers. They propose that teachers receive special teaching to teach this book and properly deal with the word Nigger when used in class. Finally they believe that is a classic American novel that teaches kids of a time when America was morally bankrupt that kids 2006-06-12T01:56:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Historic-Analysis-of-Twain-s-quot-Huckleberry-Finn-quot-29261.aspx Themes and Characters of "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" With millions of deported Jewish and around sixty million lost souls, World War II was most probably the worst blood bath humanity ever experienced. In addition, its numerous disturbing events, all under the command of one man, influenced people’s daily lives: their habits, their hopes and especially their vision of life. After the war, in order to recuperate the lost time, people, repressed by the tragedies, wanted to live life to its fullest and, by seeking happiness, they found an escape valve for all the pressure caused by the war. Ernest Hemingway, an author touched by the horrific consequences of war, expressed his notion of life and happiness in his short story “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”. In fact, in his short story, Hemingway explores the protagonist’s laziness, emphasizes on the animal symbolism and represents Sisyphus of the ancient Greek mythology by his opposite to suggest that perseverance is the key to happiness. The main character, Harry, demonstrates his laziness which results into his unconscious desire to die by neglecting his own infection, by refusing to express his feelings and by going after easy money women make. The fact that “[Harry forgot] to put iodine on when [he] first abolished [his leg]” (1655) shows negligence towards his own body and especially laziness. Furthermore, since the gangrene on Harry’s right leg causes him to weaken and to die, his own carelessness and sloth lead him to his death and thus symbolize his unconscious desire to kill himself. In addition, as “he had saved to write [his thoughts] until he knew enough to write them well” (1654) Harry stops writing even though it is his career, clearly demonstrating his passivity. He thus ceases to express his feelings and his thoughts through his writings causing an emotional build-up within his unconscious that results into an outburst. In Harry’s case, he “quarrel[s]” (1653) with his wife, Helen. Moreover, his regular alcohol consumption demonstrates his constant desire to repress his feelings creating a more important outburst, calling his wife a “rich bitch” (1657). Also, by accusing his latest wife’s “bloody money” (1655) for his failure, he blames himself for it as he is the one who scavenges for women’s money. By depending on his wife, Helen’s money, Harry is clearly overpowered by his own laziness and Hemingway uses the latter’s characteristic in order to show that, with no motivation, 2006-06-12T01:54:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-and-Characters-of-quot-The-Snows-of-Kilimanjaro-quot-29260.aspx A Formalist Approach to "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” begins appropriately with a literary deception. The title suggests that the poem is about the Duke of Ferrara’s former wife. However, after second and later readings, it becomes apparent that the subtitle “Ferrara” truly depicts what the poem is really about, for we learn more about the Duke of Ferrara than we learn about the Duchess. As the Duke talks about the Duchess, he really reveals his own controlling characteristics. This irony is significant, because it sets up the paradoxical nature of the rest of the poem. “My Last Duchess” is based upon a series of ironic twists and deceptive appearances, which are supported by the poem’s form and literary devices. The general form of “My Last Duchess” betrays the Duke’s true demeanor. The poem is a dramatic monologue, written in heroic couplets. In a dramatic monologue, “the speaker addresses a silent listener, revealing himself in the context of a dramatic situation at hand” (Bedford 97). In the case of “My Last Duchess,” the Duke is speaking to an envoy of a count whose daughter he is trying to wed; with his words, the Duke reveals himself to be a questionable and potentially dangerous match who is very controlling and yet out of control. This obsession is evident in the dramatic monologue’s use of heroic couplets. Heroic couplets should be rhymed and end-stopped. But in “My Last Duchess,” many of the lines feature enjambment, with the Duke’s controlling words pushing over the line as illustrated in lines two, three, five, and six. The enjambment is not pure coincidence; the enjambment exemplifies that the Duke is out of control. The caesuras-breaks in the lines-seem to implicate that the Duke is struggling to make his point as he tells the envoy “She thanked men, --good; but thanked Somehow . . . I know not how . . . as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody’s gift.” (lines 31-34). Here the Duke is frantic about the idea that the Duchess is treating him in the same manner she treats ordinary men. The repetition of certain words, such as Fra Pandolf and smile, suggest that the Duke has some sort of jealous fixation. The Duke does not mention Fra Pandolf to show admiration; he repeats the name 2006-06-12T01:51:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Formalist-Approach-to-quot-My-Last-Duchess-quot-by-Rober-29258.aspx Themes Dickens Explores in Great Expectations Great Expectations by Charles Dickens follows a young boy named Pip, from rags to riches as he grows into a man. Pip is a young orphan who lives with his hot-headed sister and his compassionate brother-in-law Joe. It is set in the mid 1800’s. The book shows the striking difference between the upper and lower classes. Dickens tells of Pip’s humble beginnings, his shot at a fortune, and his dream that was lost to his debtors. The book begins with Pip in a churchyard one evening looking at his parents’ tombstones. Suddenly an escaped convict jumps out behind some bushes, he tells Pip to bring him food and a file. Pip obeys and brings him more than the convict could ask for. Although Pip obeys the convict is soon captured and taken away. One day Uncle Pumblechook, a friend of the family, takes Pip to a wealthy bitter woman named Ms. Havisham. Although Ms. Havisham isn’t a sight for sour eyes, he meets her beautiful daughter Estella. Pip, however, knows he could never have Estella because she is very wealthy and he is only a blacksmiths son. Nevertheless Pip falls in love with her and dreams of being a wealthy gentleman. As Pip grows closer to Ms. Havisham, he wants more to be a gentleman. One day, after being disappointed in Pip, Ms. Havisham releases him to become Joe’s apprentice. One day while Joe and Pip were on break in town, a lawyer named Jaggers appears with strange news that Pip has inherited a fortune from a secret benefactor. Pip must go to London as soon as possible to begin his education as a gentleman. After a week of preparation Pip leaves for London. While there, he meets his roommate Herbert Pocket. Herbert’s father tutors Pip in gentleman-hood. Pip misses friends and family after Wimmick, Jaggers assistant, expresses much dissatisfaction with them. Pip still longs to be with Estella and loves her deeply. After turning twenty-one Pip receives income from his fortune. Pip secretly helps his dear friend Herbert and buys Herbert a way into a business. For now, however, Pip and Herbert live it up and spend their way into debt. Many years go by, and Pip is in debt over his head. One night a familiar shadow person shows up. It is the convict, Magwitch. He tells Pip how he earned a fortune 2006-06-12T01:46:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-Dickens-Explores-in-Great-Expectations-29255.aspx Submarines in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne Jules Verne was born in France in 1828 and always had a love for the sea. He once tried to be a sea captain on a boat but things did not work out. Jules Verne has written many very famous books such as Journey To the Center of the Earth, Five Weeks in a balloon and Around the World in Eighty Days. I have written a review on one of his most famous books 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This book combines adventure, suspense and mystery throwing in a few pieces of information about life under the sea. The book begins with some great suspense, it begins with a boat chasing a giant monster that has destroyed some huge unsinkable ships. Every time they get close to this monster a giant stream of water shoots hundreds of feet into the air, causing the boat to back off. Once in a while the monster will disappear from sight for hours. While reading this part of the book the reader feels like he is on the boat chasing the monster also. A lot of times the boat gets close enough to the monster to catch it and thoughts of what you think the monster could be run through your head like crazy. When they finally make an attempt to capture it, it disappears beneath the depths of the ocean. One of the most suspenseful and mysterious parts of the book was when the characters were thrown into a big room inside the submarine that seemed to have no doors. At this point in the book the characters have no idea what was going on, neither does the reader. The only thing that happens during the time in this room is a man comes in and gives them some food, minutes later they all fell asleep. Why where they put to sleep, where is this room that seems to have no doors? This is just one of the hundreds of questions going through your head during these couple chapters of the book. When they wake up all the lights in the room are off and the 2006-06-12T01:43:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Submarines-in-20,000-Leagues-Under-the-Sea-by-Jules-Verne-29253.aspx Critical Analysis of Virgil's Aeneid In The Aeneid, Virgil uses many prophecies. They begin in the first few lines and last throughout the poem. Many are directed toward Aeneas, but some are to his relatives and friends. The prophecies shown allow the reader to better understand the situation and also provide insight about Rome. Prophecies are an important key to The Aeneid. Prophecies are very important to Virgil’s The Aeneid. Early on, Virgil does not hide what will happen, but instead, he allows the reader insight through many prophecies. In the first few lines, Juno makes the statement “that generations born of Trojan blood would one day overthrow her Tyrian walls.” (32). In predicting this, she allows us, the reader, to understand that all of the characters knows what is happening and it is just a matter of time before the Trojans will take over Carthage. The prophecy Virgil projects through Juno is not only a prophecy seen in the book, but Virgil also wants the reader to acknowledge that this prophecy is a representation of what will happen to Rome in the future. Also in Book I, still very near the beginning, another prophecy is seen. During the storm (128), Aeneas is remembering all of the people he knew that died in the battle. He begins to pray for all of them and he asks why his life was not taken too. Aeneas wonders why all of the strong warriors died and his life was spared. Just as he is questioning this great mystery, another gust of wind takes many of the remaining ships under. Aeneas becomes even more confused because his ship is one of the only ones left on the sea. He is wondering why the gods are protecting him. Then Neptune, god of the sea, appears and questions Aeneas’ thinking asking, “Are you so sure your line is privileged?” in line 181. Neptune warns Aeneas saying, “you’ll pay a stricter penalty for your sins.” (186). This statement made by Neptune provides much insight. Aeneas realizes that there is some reason that he is being protected, but he is still unclear about exactly why his life was spared. Aeneas is also being warned about the future. His first instinct as he realized he was being saved may have been that he is going to do great things in the future, but when Neptune continues with his warning, Aeneas realizes 2006-06-12T01:35:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Virgil-s-Aeneid-29250.aspx Analysis of Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko In the novel, Silko explores the gender roles of four women and the significance to the development and actualization of Tayo’s character. These four women are Tayo’s birth mother, Auntie, old Grandma, and Ts’eh (a Montano). Because Tayo is of mixed ancestry, half white and half Native American, Tayo discovers he has a “natural” cultural flaw imposed upon him at birth, which would linger and expand into adulthood. At four years old, Tayo’s birth mother left him with his Aunt and Grandmother so they could raise him as their own due to her alcohol addiction and vicarious life-style. “He didn’t remember much: only that she (mother) had come after dark and wrapped him in a man’s coat - it smelled like a man - and that there were men in the car with them . . . he clung to her because when she left him, he knew she would be gone for a long time . . . there were tears all over his face and his nose was running (Silko 65-66).” Nonetheless, Tayo’s sense of emptiness and abandonment began. Auntie raised Tayo and was the mother figure he lacked. However, Auntie reluctantly accepted this responsibility because she could not bear to raise a child that brought the reservation shame by his mother’s mistake. On the other hand, Auntie willingly accepted Tayo to “conceal the shame of her younger sister (Ibid 29).” This contradiction, made Auntie hesitant toward Tayo as he was not her real son and was also a “half-breed.” For Tayo, this only added to his feeling of displacement and the feeling of being “invisible (Ibid 14).” Auntie would give her affection and attention to her natural son Rocky, and would intentionally make Tayo feel excluded. “It was a private understanding between the two of them. When Josiah or old Grandma or Robert was there, the agreement was suspended, and she pretended to treat him the same as she treated Rocky, but they both knew it was only temporary (Ibid 66-67).” Moreover, this treatment towards Tayo had only added “salt in the wound.” After the war, Auntie nursed Tayo because “he was all she had left (Ibid 29)” after Rocky was killed in action and Josiah had passed. Tayo would wake up crying after dreaming about how much Josiah had loved him and always hugged him when he was a child 2006-06-11T20:17:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Ceremony-by-Leslie-Marmon-Silko-29242.aspx King Lear Characters Thrust into an Unnatural Way of Life “Every person important to the action is thrust into an unnatural way of life.” In King Lear, written by William Shakespeare, this quote was very accurate. King Lear and Gloucester, both main characters in the play, were thrust into a life that was unfamiliar and caused both to react in different ways. King Lear was the protagonist in the play. The main theme of King Lear was entirely based on the way Lear was forced to endure a horrific life because of his two daughters, Goneril and Regan, who cast their father aside in order to obtain the power they craved. There are two ways in which Lear was forced to live a life to which he was not accustomed. Lear became physically and emotionally distraught, both cases directly linked to Goneril’s and Regan’s selfishness. Goneril and Regan knew that their father was going senile and therefore took this opportunity to worsen his condition. When Lear went to stay with Goneril, she did not speak to him and pretended she was ill. “ I will not speak with him. Say I am sick.” (I/iii/9) She then forced him to go to Regan’s house. However, when he arrived, she too had left, which caused him to feel alone. Lear became his daughters’ toy, as they passed him back and forth as if he was their ball in a game of catch. Not only did Lear’s daughters emotionally hurt him, but they physically harmed him as well. Lear was a king, and therefore had lived his entire life with the finest accommodations. Goneril and Regan had forced Lear in to a life he was not used to. On a night where “bleak winds/ Do scorely ruffle.” (II/iv/337-338), Goneril and Regan “Shut up your [Gloucester’s] doors.” (II/iv/342) and left Lear out in the storm. The King, who was used to elaborate castles and large chambers, was forced to spend a night as a poor citizen, searching for shelter from the cold. Similarly to the way that Goneril and Regan caused Lear to suffer, they also forced Gloucester to live in a way in which he was unaccustomed. Gloucester was very loyal to Lear, therefore he took Lear’s side in the civil battle between Lear and his daughters. For punishment, Lear’s 2006-06-11T20:07:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/King-Lear-Characters-Thrust-into-an-Unnatural-Way-of-Life-29236.aspx Harry Potter as a True Hero of the People Harry Potter is everyone’s hero. His father and mother were killed when he was young and he is forced to live with his aunt and uncle. They treat him like trash while they treat their own child as if he were a sacred idol. What is so appealing about this book is that almost every child can relate to this book in some way or another. Whether it is grave mistreatment by elders or a spoiled sibling, many children find a resemblance of themselves in this fictional character. People, especially children, want to escape from their mundane world of reality where the sun shines on your bare neck, and enter the world of make believe. Best of all, all you have to do is hop onto the bed with Harry Potter in hand. Harry Potter is an entrancing book. It takes you on a trip you will never forget as you follow this fictional character around in battling his problems in a mythical world. Strangely enough, there is stark resemblance between his life and one’s life, for everyone can see a shadow of one’s self constantly battling the evils of society (Or in this case¡ Hogwarts). Unfortunately, like life itself, Harry Potter somehow always winds up in trouble, only to be saved by friends who join forces Harry to save the day. Harry Potter is a cross reflection of our image imposed upon by our imagination, and exposed in a book, whose individuality and self-determination is for all to read and aspire to. Good over Evil. Hero over Anti-Hero. Protagonist over Antagonist. Victory triumphing over defeat. Is that not what we all want to see? Is that not what we all want to experience? Harry Potter brings it to us. We are all unique yet connected in certain ways. Everyday we are faced with difficulty, but it is our uniqueness that helps us prevail. Harry Potter shows that even facing tremendous odds, success can be achieved, and the day can be saved. When the book is read, the feeling of perseverance soars through the veins like a fish in the sea. Harry, in Harry Potter, is the undisputed hero. However, there are many anti-heroes. Malfoy is Harry’s biggest enemy, however, He-who-must-not-be-named, is Harry’s biggest threat. Malfoy is representative of the schoolyard bully. He 2006-06-11T19:49:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Harry-Potter-as-a-True-Hero-of-the-People-29229.aspx Relationship between Niel and Barbara in "Territory" In the short story “Territory” by David Leavitt, the main characters are Neil, Barbara and Wayne. Barbara is Neil’s mother, and throughout the story Neil has always wanted his mother’s acceptance and love. However, his mother was always too busy to spend time with him. There was always a cause which she had to support, that would take her away from spending time with Neil. Therefore, their relationship became very superficial, and they would make their appearance together in town to show that they were a close family. Neil slowly comes to realize that they are actually on two different ends of the spectrum. He begins to realize this when he decides to bring Wayne, his lover, home to meet his mother. From the time Neil came out to his family his mother has been very distant to him. His mother Barbara, tried to show that she supported him by going to a gay parade. Though Neil soon realizes that it is all just for show. When a drag queen comes to say hello to his mother, Barbara gives a look of disgust. Neil notices this and knows that his mother will never accept him for the way he is. When he gets older he decides to get away from the town and from his mother, so he can be himself. He moves to New York where everyone is accepted. With being gone for so long Neil decides to go home to visit his mother to see if she is the same way as when he left. Neil arrives at his mother’s house, still looking for that acceptance and love from his mother that he had always yearned for as a child. Not knowing what to expect from his mother, he brought his boyfriend Wayne of ten months home to meet her. Neil was nervous and also very curious, not knowing how his mother would react with having Wayne by his side. His mother Barbara, put on a superficial smile and welcomed Wayne’s arrival. She never lets anyone know how she really feels about the situation. Neil wants his mother’s acceptance, but she continues to push him away. Until, Neil gets her alone in the garden and she finally begins to open up. She starts 2006-06-11T19:22:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Relationship-between-Niel-and-Barbara-in-Territory-29213.aspx Literary Devices used in "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley In the book Brave New World the author, Aldous Huxley, uses rhetorical strategies and devices to show his readership the consequences that can come from continuing on the destructive path of self-involvement that can lead to the dystopia presented in the book. In the forward of the book, Huxley defines his purpose of Brave New World as “… the advancement of science as it affects human individuals. The triumphs of physics, chemistry and engineering are tacitly taken for granted... It is only by means of the sciences of life that the quality of life can be radically changed.” He explains that his purpose is to show how technology can be turned against the good of humans and forced into the course of mass destruction of what we know now as the world. One of the big themes that comes from the grave advancement of technology is the idea of social predestination. In the book, people are no longer made by a father and a mother but purely by machines. These machines have the ability to make as many twins as in the upward of 16,000 per egg used. This is called the Bokanovsky’s process and it is one of the rhetorical strategies used by Huxley to get his audience to respond quite negatively and hate this process because no one longer has a family which is something very dear to everyone. In this process, those who are chosen to be lower class are the ones who go through the Bokanovsky’s process. They also have alcohol and other harmful substances put into their test tubes at just the right stage in their development so they are biologically inept. Of course there is not just a lower class, there is also many more social classes which are all determined prior to “birth”. This is very disturbing to Huxley’s audience because something they have always been taught (a person can rise up above their status in life and succeed) is no longer true, people are now biologically engineered so they can’t do anything more than they are intended to do in life. Another metaphor that runs continuously throughout the book is the insect metaphor. In this, there are ceaseless references to people being insects. At one point, Huxley even says, “ ‘This hive of industry,’ as the Director was fond of calling it, was in the 2006-06-11T19:20:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Devices-used-in-quot-Brave-New-World-quot-by-Aldo-29212.aspx Character Analysis of Okonkwo in "Things Fall Apart" Okonkwo is portrayed as a tragic hero, in the novel Things Fall Apart. To uncover the source of Okonkwo’s tragic flaw, a glimpse into his past is essential. At first, we see Okonkwo as an arrogant, hardworking, warrior. This is his cultures vision of a great citizen. His father, Unoka was thought of as a failure. He is lazy and does not provide for his family. His culture views him as an unacceptable and an unsuccessful citizen, and Unoka was looked down upon. Okonkwo set a goal to be everything his father wasn’t. Although this could be a good been a good goal, it is the one which Okonkwo’s tragic flaw arises from. Every person has his faults but with Okonkwo, they ultimately lead to his downfall. His tragic flaw comes in two parts. The first of which is his obsession with war, fighting, and power. Okonkwo always needed be involved in an activity, he never wanted to look lazy. He possessed a one-track mind that was focused on nothing but being the best. Another flaw that Okonkwo shows is his pride in his masculinity. This forces him to show no other emotion, except anger and fear of looking weak. This flaw caused Okonkwo to have problems with his family and tribe. This including his violence towards his family, killing Ikemefuna, his seven year banishment, and decapitating the District Commissioner, with leads to his death. To begin with, Okonkwo is hard and stern with his family, mostly his son, Nwoye, who does not take after him. It is Okonkwo's inner fear that Nwoye too would be a failure like his Unoka. He is strict with his wives and never shows his inner emotions. As a man that has provided everything for himself, he is impatient with others who are unsuccessful. During a meeting of the tribe's elders, he calls another man a woman and says, "This meeting is for men." This man who he called a women had no titles, and so Okonkwo felt that he was not worthy enough. However, Okonkwo was forced to apologize to him. Okonkwo beats his wife during the Week of Peace when she does not send him his food as required. Breaking the rules of the Week of Peace is considered a sin. “We live in peace with our fellows to honor our great goddess 2006-06-11T19:10:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Okonkwo-in-quot-Things-Fall-Apart-quo-29207.aspx Character Analysis of Roger from Lord of The Flies On page 22 Golding describes Roger as, “A slight, furtive boy whom no one knew, who kept to himself with an inner intensity of avoidance and secrecy”. Roger is a very withdrawn character who does not appear to be concerned with social interaction, and keeps very much to himself, for when being introduced to the other boys, whom he would live with and be dependent on for company “He muttered that his name was Roger and was silent again.”(p.22) However, he does not seem to have the need to express his feelings to others, although his behavior suggests a hate inside of him, swelling, and overcoming all other emotion, fear, loneliness, reason. “Sixty feet above Roger, several nuts, fibrous lumps as big as rugby balls, were loosed from their stems. They fell about him with a series of hard thumps and he was not touched. Roger did not consider his escape, but looked from the nuts to Henry and back again.” (p.62) Roger is not absent minded, as he is very much aware of what is going on around him. However, there is something mysterious about Roger, for “the shock of black hair down his nape and low on his forehead, seemed to suit his gloomy face and made what had seemed at first an unsociable remoteness into something forbidding.” (p.60) It is hard to classify Roger as either a leader or a follower, as he appears to be neither. “Roger followed him, keeping beneath the palms and drifting casually in the same direction.”(p.61) However, at times, Roger leads, but is not a leader, for he does not think about what is best, but merely expects followers, “Roger and Maurice came out of the forest. They were relieved from duty at the fire and had come down for a swim. Roger led the way straight through the castles, kicking them over, burying the flowers, scattering the chosen stones.” (p.60) Although Roger appears quite primitive for he lacks the ability to communicate and his unsatisfied anger, “He sat there crooning to himself and throwing sand at an imaginary Percival.” (P.61) there is still a barrier of the civilized world intercepting his psyche, and preventing him from becoming more primitive. “Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which 2006-06-11T19:09:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Roger-from-Lord-of-The-Flies-29206.aspx Analysis of Asian American Culture in "The Joy Luck Club" In American literature today, many authors from various cultures are rising above the rest to be recognized. One culture in particular is the Asian culture; whose literature up until the 1970’s was virtually unpublished (Nash 557). Asian people had to overcome many obstacles in order to be accepted as capable of having the skills to write. The Japanese encountered their greatest challenge after the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II. It is said that, “ The U.S. government uprooted over 120, 000 Japanese Americans despite the fact that two thirds of them were citizens by birth” (Nash 558). Families were given little advanced warning before they were torn from their homes and forced into brutal and unsanitary internment camps (Hsu, 2). At these camps, they were called names such as “Fat Japs” or “Ching Chong Chinaman”. Names and experiences that occurred in these camps would follow Japanese people into the future and encourage stereotypes from all people who were not of Japanese origin. Before long, society’s interpretation said that Japanese people weren’t as capable or as smart as others. The Chinese encountered much of the same after their immigration onto U.S. soil. They were repeatedly told by dominant whites that keeping to themselves and keeping their place was their only worth and duty in life. Therefore, the first generation Chinese spent their lives working nineteen to twenty hour days with their highest hope and goal being to escape the torment from whites. The sons and daughters of these were more determined to be worth something and dreamt of equality. They worked towards breaking away from Chinatowns and adapting to the middle class way of life (Hsu 10). With all this taken into account, Japanese and Chinese literature was at a standstill until the third and fourth generation took the reins. When writing began to grow among the Asian people, publishing and proper recognition was ignored due to the white dominated society. As a result, many determined writers began to use a pen name to disguise their ethnicity (Hsu 11). Unfortunately the powerful words of writers lost their meaning in the translation to English. However, through hard work, determined Asians triumphed. In 1854 a Chinese newspaper was published in San Francisco (Hsu 2006-06-11T19:00:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Asian-American-Culture-in-quot-The-Joy-Luck-Clu-29202.aspx Portrayals of The Finch Family in To Kill a Mockingbird The book written by Harper Lee and the movie of To Kill a Mockingbird are different in many ways, but both of them give the same message to across to the viewer or reader. Many people watch the movies thinking that they do not have to read the books because they both say the same thing, but those people are wrong, they say and show different things happening to the events and characters. There are many differences in the book and the movie, most of them dealing with the characters and events. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee gives the details, and shows the events that happen to the Finch family in their hometown of Maycomb, the movie does the same thing, but it shows different aspects from the book, creating a reason to compare and contrast these two great works of art. There were many characters that were just plain left out of the movie. Francis, who is Jem and Scout’s cousin is left out of the movie. Francis is the one that Scout beat up, for calling Atticus a “nigger-lover”(p.84), while visiting Aunt Alexandria. Aunt Alexandria is Jem and Scout’s aunt, or Atticus’s sister, she was also left out of the movie. Another person left out was Miss Rachael, who was Dills aunt who he stayed with over the summer, he stayed with Miss Stephanie in the movie. If one person was the same between the movie and the book, it would have had to of been Calpurnia. Calpurnia acted the same towards the children and toward the rest of the people. As in this quote she scolds Scout for making fun of Walter Cunningham in the same way: “Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em-if you can’t act fit to eat at the table you can just set here and eat in the kitchen!”(p.25) There were some events that were also changed from the book to the movie. In the book, Jem and Scout got air rifles, in the movie they never did. In the movie they never show the snow, where Jem and 2006-06-11T18:50:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Portrayals-of-The-Finch-Family-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-29196.aspx Analysis of Sociopolitical Structure in "Lord of the Flies" During the 1940s, much conflict existed between countries. People were injured, murdered, and it was complete chaos. During the span of World War II, government and societal structures were drastically changed, because of this. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, a group of children stranded on a deserted island have similar issues happening between them. Since they don’t have any adults on the island, they are left to start their own government and society. Because they are used to obeying rules and not having to depend on themselves, many problems start to occur between them, and the way they run their society soon leads to the breakdown of morality in their society. In Lord of the Flies, the main characters and their relationship with each other mirror the relationships and characteristics of the countries in WWII and the perceived breakdown of society in today’s society. Ralph, the leader of the society on the island, mirrors the role of the United States in WWII. Throughout the story, Ralph has very few friends, and those that he does have are only of convenience. He acts as if he knows better than anyone else does and can trust only himself. While on the island, Ralph is in between a dispute between Jack and Piggy, but he doesn’t care enough to become involved in it, until it directly involves him, forcing him to become involved, and repeating the same actions the U.S. did during the war. Meanwhile, Jack, who is selfish and bitter, can compare to Adolf Hitler. He compares with Hitler because they’re both violent, want power, and are tyrants. Jack doesn’t really pick on Piggy because he hates him, it is because he can, like Hitler, he thrived on power and helplessness. Unlike Piggy, Ralph had power, could defend himself, and wasn’t afraid of Jack, so Jack really despised Ralph. Another reason Jack can relate to Hitler is because he only wanted power and didn’t care about anyone else, unlike Ralph, who wanted to help the others get rescued from the island. Since Jack’s views on how society should be run differed from Ralph’s, he went against Ralph, and started to cause chaos between everyone. In the middle of all this controversy, Piggy is a 2006-06-11T02:52:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Sociopolitical-Structure-in-Lord-of-the-Flies-29189.aspx Tansformation of Jimmy Cross in "The Things They Carried" Tim O'Brien's story, "The Things They Carried," is open ending. Thus, the ending becomes a new beginning. Jimmy Cross undergoes a transformation, in which he matures from infantry to a lieutenant. Tim O'Brien provides his audience with a very descriptive image of both the physical and mental "things" the characters in the story carried. He gives the reader insight as to how the characters are physically and mentally dealing with the turmoil of the war. However, in the end of the story - Jimmy Cross - a round character, reacts to the death of Ted Lavender, and decides to grow up. To begin with, Jimmy Cross blames himself for the death of Ted Lavender. He believes that Ted died because of his own irresponsibility. He feels this way, for at the time of Ted's death, Jimmy was being pulled into a fantasy about himself and Martha buried "...under the white sand at the Jersey shore." Jimmy tried to fight off the images, but he was unable to, for "he was just a kid at war, in love." Lieutenant Cross did not tell Ted Lavender to go off by himself, but since Jimmy was responsible for the well being of all the men, he held himself responsible. Critic Tina Chen notes that the "death of Ted Lavender jolts [Cross] into awareness, forcing the realization that the romantic fantasies [of Martha and home] are unable to meet the exigencies of combat experience in Vietnam." Thus, Jimmy comes to the conclusion that if he had not been pre- occupied with thoughts of being with Martha, Ted Lavender wouldn't have been shot. Jimmy's transformation begins when he decides to burn the pictures and letters of his girlfriend, Martha. Cross' subsequent burning of Martha's letters suggests that he's determined to put such romantic ideas behind him. He repeatedly convinces himself that there will be "no more fantasies..."about Martha. Chen seems to assert that "the burning of the letters is a significant turning point in Cross' development..." Cross realizes that Martha's feelings for him were not those of love, for she is an English major, a girl who lives in the world of words. Chen also suggests that " mesmerized by fantasies of Martha while partially cognizant of his self-willed delusions about her requiting his love, Lieutenant Cross 2006-06-11T02:29:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tansformation-of-Jimmy-Cross-in-quot-The-Things-They-Carrie-29178.aspx Theme of Conflict in Shakespeare's King Henry IV Shakespeare’s ‘King Henry IV Part I’ centres on a core theme of the conflict between order and disorder. (Act 5 Scene 1, lines 115-138) Such conflict is brought to light by the use of many vehicles, including Hal’s inner conflict, the country’s political and social conflict, the conflict between the court world and the local world, and the conflicting moral values of characters from each of these worlds. This combination of certain values exists on many levels, and so is both a strikingly present and an underlying theme throughout the play. Through characterization Shakespeare explores moral conflict. In the play Hal has ‘reformed’, moved away from his former mentor Falstaff and become a good and honourable prince. Hal’s remark to his father indicates a now strong, independent mind, predicting that Douglas and Hotspur will not accept Henry’s offer because of their love for fighting. Henry’s reply in turn indicates a change in attitude towards his son, a newfound respect. Acknowledging Hal’s prediction, the king orders preparations to begin, and we see he has his own set of solid moral values: knowing that their ‘cause is just’ helps him to reconcile with his highly honourable conscience that there is indeed cause for war. Still maintained is the conflict between the very format of the text, with Hal and Henry’s conversation held in formal verse typical of the court world, in which Hal is now firmly embedded. Falstaff, however, sustains his equally typical prose speech, which indicates to the audience the enduring division between the court and tavern worlds. As soon as the king leaves, Falstaff immediately proclaims his unashamed cowardice, asking Hal to protect him in battle. The prince retorts with an insult to Falstaff’s enormous size, and abruptly bids him farewell. Gone are the jests that would accompany a conversation between these two at the beginning of the play, and Hal’s reactions to Falstaff now represent his moving away from the tavern world, and that he now belongs to the court world. Falstaff is extremely honest about his feelings towards the whole affair, bluntly stating that he wishes it all were over, exposing his strong reluctance to fight and interest in self-preservation. Again the prince offers only a rude retort before his exit, commenting that it’s a wonder Falstaff isn’t dead yet, as he well should be with all the overeating and overdrinking 2006-06-11T02:22:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-of-Conflict-in-Shakespeare-s-King-Henry-IV-29174.aspx Story and Character Development in "King of the Bingo Game" What does it mean to be the “King of the Bingo Game”? The main character [He] of Ralph Ellison’s story by the same name desperately wanted to find that out. Even though He did win bingo, He was far from winning the jackpot or even becoming “king.” In the surreal flow, the main character experienced several realizations while He held down the button. He became aware of what the bingo wheel meant to Him and through this, the reader understands the symbolism of the bingo wheel. Through this symbolism one then understands the bigger message Ellison is trying to convey to us about segregation between blacks and whites. When He ran up on the stage for bingo He did not have any intentions of holding the button down as long as He did. His original plan was, “He would give the wheel a short quick twirl. Just a touch of the button” (73). Standing in front of the wheel an intense power came over Him and he felt as though this moment was the determining factor and somewhat of a payback for all the suffering He had experienced throughout His life. He felt by controlling the wheel He was controlling His fate and he became crazy with power while holding the button. Even when the police came and fought Him down to the ground he continued to press the button because He felt it was his life. Like a desperate man he screamed ‘“I can’t give it up,”’ and again in a more subdued tone He said, ‘“Boys, I really can’t give it up”’ (76). Not until the police crushed His wrist did He let go of the button and not to His surprise did the wheel gracefully fall upon the double zero. While holding the button He felt like He was for once in control of His fate and He would have money to save Laura. The bingo wheel may have been just a game to other people, but to Him it was salvation. The wheel symbolized hope and He felt that He would have a chance of controlling His fate and he measured His success by that wheel. It was not a game to Him anymore, it was a quest and it quickly took over His 2006-06-11T02:14:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Story-and-Character-Development-in-quot-King-of-the-Bingo-G-29171.aspx Critical Analysis of "The Handmaid's Tale" The Republic Of Gilead is an oppressive regime which relies on fear to control its inhabitants.' With reference to the first twelve chapters, discuss the methods of control used and the ways in which the narrator struggles to survive. 'Oppression' can be defined as 'the exercising of power, arbitrarily and often unjustly.' A regime refers to the 'mode or system of rule or management; character of government, or of the prevailing social pattern.' In 'A Handmaids Tale' by Margaret Atwood, the Republic Of Gilead is an oppressive regime. It is a social system where cruelty and power are used as a means of authority. Gilead is a highly military state in the USA in which social agendas are dictated by the male hierarchy and the residents are permanently threatened by an overshadow of fear which is used as a method of control. The novel is narrated by the female protagonist - a Handmaid known to the reader as 'Offred' whose purpose is to act as a surrogate Mother for her Commander and his wife. It is through her that we are introduced to the strict control methods which inhabitants have to abide by. 'Control' is a major theme throughout the novel - whether it be by the regimentation of life, the strict communication laws or the way in which people are stripped of their individuality. The whole environment in Gilead is carefully monitored and observed to ensure the 'smooth' running of society. Suicides appear to be a major threat to civilization as they serve as an 'escape route' out of the oppressive lifestyle - therefore precautions are taken to ensure that suicide never becomes an option. Offred states that 'they've removed anything you could tie a rope to' to prevent hangings (often by stockings), there is also a mention that there is 'no glass' in picture frames - even glass in the windows is 'shatterproof'. Razors and any other potentially harmful objects (such as ornaments) have been removed to ensure that an urge to 'escape' is never satisfied. These arrangements, although seemingly severe, were seen as necessary after many handmaids took their own lives after poor adaptation to the new regime. Handmaids are not permitted to leave their 'home' except for their daily walks and their shopping visits. During these expeditions the handmaids must walk in 'twos' - with a mirror image of themselves. It 2006-06-11T02:03:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-quot-The-Handmaid-s-Tale-quot-29166.aspx Drama Analysis of "A Raising in the Sun" I will be writing on the five major characters in the story “A Raisin in the Sun.” In the story all of the characters are different in there own ways but are all very much the same. In the story the five main characters are Lena Younger, Walter Younger, Joseph Asagai, Ruth Younger, and Beneatha Younger. First I will start with Lena Younger, who is better known as Mama throughout the story. Mama in the beginning of the story is the head of the Younger household, she later lets her son Walter be the head of the house after she realizes that she is stopping him form being a man. Mama is the one that if anyone has a problem or need advise they go to for help. Mama is a proud, strong, independent black woman. Mama reminds me of the character in the television show “Mama’s House” because nothing happens without her knowing and no big decisions are made without them first being heard and approved by her. Mama is also the main character of the story, the story mainly follows the things that she does and wants to be done. In my family everyone listens to my grandmother and she does not even live in my house. Walter Younger wants to be the man of the house, but he cannot in the beginning because Mama thinks that things should be done her way. All Walter wants to do is be a man, someone who can support his family without needing any help from others and be able to have his dreams come true. Walter in my eyes is someone I would consider a man’s man because all he tries to do is make a better life for his family and have a job he likes that is respectable. By the end of the story Walter dreams come true, he becomes the head of the house and makes things better for his family. Joseph Asagai is actually much more important of a character than what most people think, the reason I say that is because he gives the Younger’s an outside perspective of what is happening to them. Joseph has the ability to just sit back and see everything unfold. Joseph is also important in the story because he makes Beneatha think more about herself, her culture, and her family. Ruth Younger who is Walter’s 2006-06-11T01:56:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Drama-Analysis-of-quot-A-Raising-in-the-Sun-quot-29163.aspx Analysis of Underlying Themes in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, everyone heard what everyone had to say, but did everyone know the real reasons they said it? This can be answered with a simple no. The witch hysteria in Salem was not only a cause of witchcraft itself, but a result of inner interest, greed, jealousy, desire, and guilt. Wild accusations concealed the characters self interest and hatred for each other. It was a way to reveal their true emotions without fear of being viewed as a mischief-maker or an immoral person. Witchcraft was used as a way of vengeance and as a scapegoat for their problems. Whether to save themselves or to relieve their guilt or to get what they wanted, or just extreme egotism, most characters in The Crucible had hidden reason to blame dark forces for the town’s problems; each had a hidden agenda. Abigail was a cynical, sniveling “girl” who used her so called innocence to manipulate people into believing all her mischief and duplicities. She blamed others of witchcraft when in fact she was the one mingling with malevolent forces. All of her lies and accusations were a cover to attain her real purpose, her hidden agenda. She wanted to kill Elizabeth Proctor and have John Proctor to herself. She and Proctor previously had an affair, which lead her to believe he loved her. “You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet.”(24) But in reality, he had no feelings for her; all he felt for her was animal lust. She believed in the “promise” he made her when they had sex, but that promise was the promise that “a stallion gives a mare”(62) in his eyes. However, her human desire to want what she couldn’t have brought her to do anything to acquire Proctor’s love. She went into the forest in the middle of the night accompanied by many other girls and conjured a potion to kill Elizabeth. “You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor.”(19) Parris discovered them and she said they were just dancing. Then she threatened the other girls that if they said a word she would kill them. After they were discovered, Betty went into shock and lost consciousness. Mystical suspicion immediately rose in the town. Paranoia took over the people, and the children 2006-06-11T01:50:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Underlying-Themes-in-Arthur-Miller-s-quot-The-Crucible-quot-29160.aspx Critical Analysis of Themes in George Orwell's "Animal Farm" Animal Farm by George Orwell was written in an “importune time” where communist ideologies were spreading across the globe. As a socialist himself, he despised the idea, as it was not a “pure” socialist form of government, instead it was a deception of leaders in mansions whilst others suffered outside of their “palace walls”. Animal Farm is a struggle between the old regime and an ever-changing world that leads to the beginnings of revolutions. It is a reflection of the communist ideologies that propose an equal life for all by taking advantage of uneducated minds and the manipulation of them to gain leadership. Orwell has cleverly taken the human world and portrayed it through the use of animals in replacement of key individuals that have re-shaped history. It is a witty way of retelling history in a form that is both entertaining yet educational at the same time. It is the tale of how power corrupts, and human nature eventually leads to corruption and bloodshed in the search for greater personal wealth. The leader of these ideologies is shown through the character of Old Major, a pig that is a metaphor for the philosopher Karl Marx. He is only present through the first part of the novel and is used to show how simple ideas can be manipulated after death, to benefit the future leaders of a nation or in this case a farm. The ideal society he proposes is of course only an ideal utopia-- but the animals don't know this and when Napoleon and Snowball step in and in essence reinvents Old Majors ideas it is simple to see that “an equal society for all” is not what their goals are. Napoleon and Snowball are both extremely central characters in the novel. Their feuding ideas, and arguments at all times represent the parallels between Trotsky and Stalin the arch rivals in Russia. Although both believed in Communism, they both thought that they would be able to rule the country better than the other. Napoleon, initially seen as a fair leader, eventually cannot fight human nature or “pig nature” in his case. He is overcome by greed and the need for power, which in turn leads him to eliminate those that opposed or plotted against him, just as 2006-06-11T01:46:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Themes-in-George-Orwell-s-quot-Animal-29158.aspx Critical Analysis of A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf A Room of One’s Own, by Virginia Woolf was written in a pivitol point in women’s history. Shortly after the First World War, the women’s movement saw renued energy. In the US, suffrage began and the right to vote was achieved. This work of Virginia Wolf is a manifesto of the feeling of the time for the women’s movement. The book is an argument as well as an exposition. One point sums up the argument of the book. “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” (P. 18). This comes out of the first chapter of A room of One’s Own. Here the author is making a point about the differences between the men’s colleges and the women’s colleges. She first describes the lavish meal at the men’s college. The partridges, many and various, came with all their retinue of sauce and salads, the sharp and the sweet, each in its order, their potatoes, thin as coins but not so hard; their sprouts, foliated as rosebuds but more succulent. (P 10- 11) She goes on to describe the merriment of the men as they eat end how the food and drink bring on the “rich yellow flame of rational intercourse.” (P. 11). She observes the overall contention of the crowd and how the conversation “went on swimmingly, it went on agreeably, freely, amusingly.” (P.12). She leaves the luncheon light on her feet, reciting poetry to herself. Virginia then describes the meal at the women’s college. The drab meal is a stark contrast to the lavish luncheon at the men’s college. The meal is plain, served in plain dishes. In disdain, she describes the prunes served for desert as “stringy as a miser’s heart and exuding a liquid such that might run in a miser’s veins,” (P. 17- 18). There was no wine served with their dinner, only water to quell the dryness of the biscuits. She leaves this meal in a considerably worse mood than the previous meal. She finds her solace in sharing a drink with a friend and lamenting to her. She comes to the conclusion that “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well,” meaning that the lavish meal of the 2006-06-11T01:34:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-A-Room-of-One-s-Own-by-Virginia-Woolf-29152.aspx The Role of Salarino and Solanio in a Merchant of Venice The merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s many fine works. One of the things that makes Shakespeare’s plays so entertaining are his characters. He often uses certain characters as comic relief, and some strictly for romance. Salrino and Solanio are Friends of main character Antonio. They play a small but important supporting role in Merchant of Venice. The role of Salarino and Solanio is to be bystanders that provide narration and comic relief. I call Salarino and Solanio bystanders because throughout the play they are never directly involved in the action. They are always somewhat removed. They only appear in five scenes. They are not present for the climax of the play; the trial scene (act IV.1). Their interaction with Antonio is limited to act I.1. They are not in any way involved in the fight between Shylock and Antonio. They are however, well versed in the drama. They are constantly discussing the events, but not taking an active role in them. They even satirize the drama. Act II.8 is a perfect example. They first discuss Shylock’s daughter stealing his money and jewels. Solanio describes Shylock’s tirade as: …A passion so confused, so strange, outrageous and so variable as the dog Jew did utter in the streets: (act II.8 L 12-15) They go on to discuss rumors of Antonio’s ship being destroyed, and Antonio and Bassanio parting company. We see Salarino and Solanio are involved in the drama, but not in the action. Another reason Solarino and Solanio can be seen as bystanders is that while they are friends with Antonio, they are aloof and less devoted to Antonio than Bassanio or Grationo. They certainly don’t speak of Antonio with love that Bassanio does. They do not offer to help pay off Shylock. They are not even present for Antonio’s trail. In act II.9 Solanio mocks Bassanio’s love for Antonio in saying “I think he only loves the world for him.”(ActII.9 L 50). Another example of their aloofness is when Salarino excuses himself from Antonio’s company by saying “I would have stayed till I have made you merry,/ If worthier friends had not prevented me.(act I.1, L60)” Obviously Salarino knows his place in the hierarchy of Antonio’s company, and illustrates it with a bit 2006-06-11T01:31:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Role-of-Salarino-and-Solanio-in-a-Merchant-of-Venice-29150.aspx Critical analysis of “Circus Cat Alley Cat” The story “Circus Cat Alley Cat” is a vivid character sketch and description of Anna, the protagonist of the story. Comparisons between the “nanny” and a circus cat or an alley cat are noticeable throughout the story. I think that one of the less obvious themes is imagination. Anna’s fascinating and mysterious personality sparked up the children’s imagination. A plain brooch would transform her white uniform into a bright and colourful stage costume. The fact that the nanny never spoke about her past experiences in the circus, did not stop the children from fantasizing about her death-defying acts; in fact it allowed their imagination to wander as they pictured the nanny standing on the backs of roaring lions with a ferocious tiger draped around her neck. The children’s imagination creates such vivid pictures that the reader is not certain whether they are just imagined or if they are true. I think that the children are also compared to circus cats, trained and ruled by their “master’. At the beginning of the story we read about one of the children’s fear of the nanny. The child looks with terror through the bamboo cage. I think the cage symbolises the nanny’s control over the children and their “imprisonment”, which can be compared to the way the cat -trainer has power over his cats. The fear of the children is comparable to the way animals may be frightened of the cat trainer and his whip. When the nanny came into the children’s room with a skipping rope the children felt the trainer had arrived to practice the circus acts and order them to jump and do other things. They pictured themselves as the Nanny’s circus cats. When she fed them they imagined they were eating hunks of sanguineous meat. Any object in her hand immediately transformed into a lashing whip. Two important themes of the story are imprisonment and hidden identity. Anna, who had been used to a poor, rough life, was taken into a proper home but in a way, imprisoned. She was trapped in the sweet “nanny” role she had been given which did not fit her. She had to be careful with the way she acted and spoke, to reveal nothing of her true personality. Anna was made 2006-06-11T01:22:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-“Circus-Cat-Alley-Cat”-29147.aspx Atticus Finch Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird", published in the year of 1960, is the American classic novel awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction as well as the Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The racism which is prevalent in many small American towns in the 1930s is illustrated with profound imagery in [i:2f409bf18f]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:2f409bf18f]. Although there are several characters in the book, the true main character is the young narrator's father, Atticus Finch, a man of great integrity and intelligence. He is a very heroic figure in more ways than one. Atticus possesses such traits as being principled, determined, and what's more, he's a teacher to others. By looking at [i:2f409bf18f]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:2f409bf18f], one can see that Lee utilizes physical description, dialogue, and actions to characterize Atticus as a heroic individual; this is important because Atticus is a very serene, but spirited man. The most important legacy Atticus teaches in [i:2f409bf18f]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:2f409bf18f] is the message about how best to educate a child. From the beginning of the book, it's obvious that Atticus' life is down in luck. "It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyways and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do"(124). He strives to instill in Scout and Jem three specific values: spirit, bravery and tolerance of others. Atticus tries to clarify the disposition that's shown in the book by saying that it's important to appreciate the good qualities in people and comprehend the bad qualities by treating others with compassion or trying to see life from their standpoints. "If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" (30). He teaches this life lesson to show that it's possible to live with principles without losing sight of hope or acting skeptical. For example, Atticus is able to highly regard Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's courage even though he disapproves of Mrs. Dubose's continuous acts of racism. "She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe...son, I told you that if you hadn't lost your head I'd 2006-06-10T23:59:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Atticus-Finch-Heroism-and-Courage-29142.aspx Book Review of "The Queen's Own Fool" “I think, Majesty, that all uncles have some things in common, whether they are nobles, priests, or showmen.” “And what is that, my Jardinière?” asked the queen. “They do not like girls who talk too much.” “But that is exactly why I want you here,” she said, lifting one finger. “To talk and talk and talk as much as you please.” “Even if it is all nonsense?” “Especially then.” Throw together a fool, a queen, and a lot of sneaky citizens, and what do you end up with? An amazing story that makes a book I just can’t put down! Luckily for me Jane Yolen and Robert Harris decided to write it, and it is called Queen’s Own Fool. Queen’s Own Fool is a wonderful work of historical fiction. Set in the time of Mary, Queen of Scots, the plot tells of a traveling jester girl named Nicola who gets recruited to be the “queen’s fool” to Queen Mary herself. The Queen tells Nicola that her job is to always tell the truth to the Queen. Then the story takes the Queen and Nicola from England to Scotland, where they get into various skirmishes with angry Scots, angry religious fanatics, angry royal advisors, and a few friendly people. Most of the time, Queen Mary respects Nicola and listens to what she has to say, but there are times in the book when I wondered if Nicola was going to be the next one beheaded. And of course, I can’t give away the ending. In just under 400 pages, the authors of this book had plenty of time to develop a plot, add description, and bore me to death. When I originally chose this book off the shelf I was worried that that might happen. But the amazing thing is that this book is interesting the whole way through. The snippets of detail that gave me information without forcing me to skim were just what I love to find in a book. Instead of a single problem and solution, the authors took me on a continuous journey- as soon as I thought I knew the answer, a new antagonist showed up on the scene, trying to turn the world upside down. The characters’ intentions and wishes were shown clearly, not through tedious pages of lengthy description, but through their words and actions. I didn’t notice the authors using many metaphors or other special 2006-06-10T19:32:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Book-Review-of-quot-The-Queen-s-Own-Fool-quot-29137.aspx Aids in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian Fiction Based on reflections made as part of activities of the project developed by me along with Professor Italo Morriconi at Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, entitled Body and History in contemporary literature and culture: the writing of AIDS (critical reading and documentary researches), and having as its start point a comparative study on gay literature - more specifically, the writing of AIDS - I have decided to start a research about what seemed to be an important issue in the understanding of the homosexual literary production in the post-Stonewall era: the reference, in North American LGTB literature, of its most impressive contemporary mark, the AIDS epidemic. This project evolves around the writing of AIDS in homoerotic texts. For “writing of AIDS” it is understood the effects that the emergence of the epidemic had over the homosexual community, as well as the impact of this presence in literature. It is undeniable the fact that the appearance of AIDS is responsible for an alteration in the process through which the homosexual is absorbed by the heterosexual community, and by the homosexual community itself. Such alteration inflicted a new perception of the self, one that transformed the gay and lesbian literature in a irreversible way. The gay universe, then, is forever touched by AIDS, its birth, personification and presence. Since 1980, when AIDS appeared in America, it has changed from an unspeakable secret to an acknowledged and “written” reality. In the Reagan years it caused a change in the direction of gay and lesbian poetry and fiction. An amazing amount of AIDS literature has emerged since, specially considering the short span of the epidemic, and in the United States the majority of this literature has been gay. This reflects the destruction in the gay community caused by the disease, as well as a gap between the sub division of the gay literature: the male and the female writing. Although the lesbian community have not been as struck as their gay brothers by the AIDS pandemic, they have suffered their losses. And although lesbians are involved with AIDS related causes - having also experienced some of the social backlash from the epidemic- they have, strangely, written very little about it. Bonnie Zimmerman suggests that this has much to say about the general mood of the community today; lesbians are more inclined 2006-06-10T19:30:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Aids-in-Contemporary-Gay-and-Lesbian-Fiction-29136.aspx Analysis of Symbolism in the Themes from "Of Mice and Men" Steinbeck uses symbolism as the central element in his novel “Of mice and men”. The symbols are in the form of people, belief, and animals. Steinbeck uses effective themes during the novel. Using these, he illustrates friendships, an image of the depression, and events in which lead to the final decision at the end of the story. Symbolism within characters is widely shown throughout the novel. Candy demonstrates several uses of symbolism, his disability is the symbol of the migrant workers who were literally forgotten about, when they were no use to their owners. Candy’s dog is a symbol of no more use, it dies with a single bullet to the back of it’s head, Lennie parallels this event when he dies the same way, this symbolises tragedy, but also triumph because the last thoughts in Lennie’s mind was his “dream”. Candy’s dog also symbolises companionship, Lennie foreshadows this, as Candy was lonely the only friend he had was his dog, Lennie showed the same companionship to George. Crooks has many symbolical items, his disability symbolises loneliness. He constantly rubs his sore back with special medication to protect himself, this symbolises the pain he experiences. Crooks book of “Californian Rights” symbolises power and knowledge of rights of freedom. The neatness of his stable room is symbolising that he too is trying to show that he is equal to white people. Crooks is represented as a black person in the novel this symbolises loneliness because he was always left out. (“Why aren’t you wanted?” Lennie asked. “Because I’m black, and I stink.” said crooks.) Curley and Curley’s wife both represent evil, they both weigh down and abuse the migrant workers. Curley harasses Lennie because of Lennie’s strength and how big he is. (“Come on ya big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I’ll show you whose yella!”. says Curley) this is a sign of cat and mouse. Lennie symbolises himself in action to be amused by soft things. Like when he strokes that ladies dress and she called out rape, this symbolises the power a white women had then. Another example of this type is when Crooks asked Curley’s wife to leave or he would call the boss, but all she did was black mailed him. (Lisn, Nigger, 2006-06-10T19:16:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Symbolism-in-the-Themes-from-Of-Mice-and-Men-29130.aspx Theme and Character Analysis of Much Ado About Nothing In Much Ado About Nothing, most of the characters had interesting relationships with each other. For example, Hero and Claudio, were deeply in love. Also, Don Juan, and Don John were fighting with each other. Another example was the close friendship between Benedick, Claudio, and Don Juan. But the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice was different than the others. In their relationship, they hated each other, that brought them together. Their personalities were so similar, that it made them sick of each other, but the similarities in their personalities is also what brought them together. Benedick was a smart, good-looking, and funny guy. He was very witty, and always had a response to anyone's comments. For example, when he was talking to Beatrice, he always had a comment to finish of the conversation. He also didn't like the idea of marriage. Benedick thought that marriage led to the trapping of men. When he heard about Claudio getting married, Benedick thought that Claudio was crazy, because Benedick felt that marriage was going to change the way Claudio lived. Benedick was also very stubborn. He never wanted to give into other people's ideas, and that was why he didn't want to give into the idea that marriage could be a good thing in a person's life. Beatrice was a character very similar to Benedick. She was a very independent person, and didn't want to rely on anyone for support. She also was very smart. She enjoyed reading poetry, and thought about things a lot. She also was against marriage. During one conversation, she even said that she would rather die than get married. Another characteristic of Beatrice was that she was very emotional. She often changed her mood all of a sudden for no apparent reason. Also, Beatrice kept many of her feelings inside her. Sometimes she would be angry but wouldn't show it, because she always had to feel strong, and look like she didn't need anyone. The traits and characteristics of Beatrice and Benedick were what brought them together, and also what separated them. Beatrice and Benedick were separated because, they always thought that they had to be independent, and not need each other. Another factor that kept them from 2006-06-07T18:54:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-and-Character-Analysis-of-Much-Ado-About-Nothing-29124.aspx Importance of of Symbolism as a Literary Technique in Short Stories In the story "Sonny’s Blues" by James Baldwin, we see many uses of symbolism. Symbolism is the most critical literary technique that Baldwin uses to achieve the intense connection to the characters that the reader feels in "Sonny’s Blues". "Sonnys Blues" is a story about the relationship of two brothers and how they deal with their two different lives. This story is also about a family member coping with another family member’s addiction. The first metaphor we are exposed to in this story is found in the second paragraph, "A great block of Ice settled in my belly and kept melting there all day long, while I taught my classes algebra. It was a special kind of ice. It kept melting, sending trickles of ice water all up and down my veins, but it never got less. Sometimes it hardened and seemed to expand until I felt my guts were going to come spilling out or that I was going to choke or scream."(47). With this quotation the reader achieves a direct connection with the narrator. The symbolism of ice representing pain is an excellent metaphor because it allows the reader to feel the narrator’s pain. If the reader actually had a brother who was caught doing Heroin in a raid, Baldwin could achieve this emotional response by saying, "I felt just like I did the day I found out my brother was doing Heroin." Most of the general population has not had this experience. Therefore, when Baldwin uses the ice to describe the pain as a feeling that will not go away despite the fact that he must teach his students algebra, the reader feels exactly what Sonny’s brother is feeling at the time. The use of symbolism in "Sonny’s Blues" is very effective in conveying emotion to the reader. One example other than the "ice metaphor" is when Sonny and his brother are riding in a cab and they head uptown in New York City, towards Harlem. The two brothers ride silently in the cab as they were reflecting upon Harlem where they had both grown up. Both Sonny and the Narrator are looking for an "escape" from Harlem. The narrator feels that he has escaped by becoming a school teacher. Sonny had tried to escape from Harlem through drug use and eventually finds his true "escape" through music. While 2006-06-07T18:46:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Importance-of-of-Symbolism-as-a-Literary-Technique-29121.aspx Themes of Puritain Society as Viewed in The Scarlet Letter In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, life is centered around a rigid, Puritanistic-structured society in which one is unable to divulge his or her innermost thoughts and secrets. Every human being needs the opportunity to express how they truly feel, or the emotion is bottled up until it becomes volatile. Unfortunately, Puritan society did not permit this expression, so characters had to seek alternate means in order to relieve themselves. Luckily, at least for the four main characters, Hawthorne provides such a sanctuary in the form of the mysterious forest. Hawthorne uses the forest to provide a shelter for members of society in need of a refuge from daily life. In the deep, dark portions of the forest, many of the crucial characters bring forth hidden thoughts and emotions. The forest track leads away from the settlement out in to the wilderness where all signs of civilization vanish. This is precisely the escape route, from strict mandates of law and religion, to a refuge where men, as well as women, can open up, and be themselves. It is here that Dimmesdale can openly acknowledge Hester and his undying love for her. It is here that Hester can do the same for Dimmesdale. It is here that the two of them can openly engage in conversation, without being preoccupied with the constraints that Puritan society places on them. The forest itself is free. Nobody watches in the woods to report misbehavior, so it is here where people do as they wish. To independent spirits like Hester Prynne's, the wilderness beckons her "Throw off the shackles of law and religion. What good have they done you anyway? Look at you, a young and vibrant woman, grown old before your time. And no wonder, hemmed in, as you are, on every side by prohibitions. Why, you can hardly walk without tripping over one commandment or another. Come to me, and be masterless." Truly, Hester takes advantage of this, when Arthur Dimmesdale appears. She openly talks with Dimmesdale about subjects, which would never be mentioned in any place other than the forest. "What we did…" she reminds him, "had a consecration of its own. We felt it so! We said to each other!"(p. 170) This statement shocks Dimmesdale, and he tells Hester to hush, but he eventually realizes that he is in an environment where he 2006-06-07T18:42:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-Puritain-Society-as-Viewed-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-29120.aspx Analysis of "Hateful Things" by Lady Sei Shonagon Lady Sei Shonagon The rooster's crowing In the middle of the night Deceived the hearers; But at Osaka's gateway The guards are never fooled. Hateful Hate"ful, a. 1. Manifesting hate or hatred; malignant; malevolent. [Archaic or R.] And worse than death, to view with hateful eyes His rival's conquest. --Dryden. 2. Exciting or deserving great dislike, aversion, or disgust; odious. Unhappy, wretched, hateful day! --Shak. The daughter of a poet, Kiyohara no Motosuke, she became Lady-in-waiting to the Empress Sadako, who presided over a frivolous and witty court. Her life and style contrast with the serious tone of her contemporary Shikibu Murasaki. Her chief work is Makura no sashi (C (1000 - 1015)), a 'pillow book' or series of impressions, anecdotes, diary entries and written observations arranged by mood, such as 'annoying', 'amusing'. It is vivid, sarcastic, poetic and frank, and full of outspoken opinions. Another piece of writing by Shonagon, “Hateful Things,” is short and to the point. Every paragraph in this essay is a situation given by Sei and then criticized. She has many things that she dislikes as she points out in this essay. At first when reading the essay you find it funny and just a way for her to get to a point, yet she just continues to bring up another thing that she hates and describes it a way that you too would understand and feel. Honestly, I had to agree with many of the situations that she offered and with that I found it very amusing and funny. Shonagon starts “Hateful Things” with a scenario of one who is in a hurry to leave but one just continues to chat away. And then on top of this you cannot really ask the person to tell you about it some other time because this person deservers your respect and good behavior. Shonagon feels as this situation is very hateful and then is ready to start another situation. I personally liked this beginning. I recently had a similar encounter (as I often do because I have professors that I talk with everyday) so it was easy to find her point understandable and amusing. The next situation given that stood out was “One is just about to be told some interesting piece of news when a baby starts crying” was one that I would think some uptight person would dislike, 2006-06-07T18:31:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-quot-Hateful-Things-quot-by-Lady-Sei-Shonagon-29115.aspx Dante's Position as God in the Count of Monte Cristo In The Count of Monte Cristo, Dantes is in the position to act as God around those whom he is associated with. Dantes always seems to appear just in the nick of time to save people's lives. Like When Monsieur Morrel was about to go on misery , he plans to commit suicide before dishonoring his family.The suddenly Dantes happens to show up and saves the day. Monte Cristo rewards Monsieur Morrel by saving his honor and his company from bankruptcy. He saves him by sending a letter addressed from Sinbad the Sailor Monte Cristo to 2006-06-07T18:26:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dante-s-Position-as-God-in-the-Count-of-Monte-Cristo-29113.aspx Character Analysis from Faulkner's Sound and the Fury Quentin is totally obsessed and consumed by time. From his constant references to shadows, to his grandfather’s watch, to the various clocks and other timepieces denoted in the section, Quentin is completely consumed by his reflections concerning time. It is this infatuation that drives Quentin mad. His madness stems from his personal feelings on time, and his father’s cynical outlook on time and life in general. This section begins with Quentin waking in his dorm room to the sun coming through the shades of the window. He knows immediately, just from gauging the shadow cask from the drapes, that it is between seven and eight o’clock: “When the shadow of the sash appeared on the curtains it was between seven and eight oclock…” (p. 76). The first thing he is aware of is the ticking of his grandfather’s pocket watch, given to him by his father. He then remembers what his father told him upon giving him the watch. The timepiece represents the absurdity of human existence in that it ticks off time that cannot be brought back. It is not possible to do all that a person wants to because the watch is constantly ticking off time, or, as Quentin’s father sarcastically puts it, “slaying” it. Quentin does not agree with his father’s observation. He would rather think of the time he has, rather than dwell on the fact that he is just loosing time and that life is absurd. This is where much of his insanity stems from, the contradictory feelings of his father and himself. Quentin’s father seems to think that it is important to realize that the watch is not there to show the time, but to help one realize that time is passing by. Quentins father says “I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire; it’s rather excruciating-ly apt that you will use it to gain the reducto absurdum of all human experience which can fit you individual needs no better than it fitted his or his father’s…” (p.76). This is why Quentin goes to the clock shop. It is not important for him to know the time. The ticking of the clocks reminds him of his father’s 2006-06-07T16:37:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-from-Faulkner-s-Sound-and-the-Fury-29106.aspx Theme and Plot Development of Ray Bradbury's Farenheit 451 Written By Ray Bradbury "Guy Montag enjoyed his job. He had been a fireman for ten years and he had never questioned the joy of the midnight runs, or the joy of watching pages consumed by flames. Never questioned anything until he met a seventeen-year-old girl who told him of a past when people were not afraid. Then he met a professor who told him of a future in which people could think. Guy Montag suddenly realized what he had to do. Guy Montag was not the same person at both the beginning and end of Fahrenheit 451. The answer to this question is a definite no. Montag transformed dramatically throughout the story. Guy Montag is a fireman in charge of burning books in a grim, futuristic United States. The book opens with a brief description of the pleasure he experiences while on the job one evening. He wears a helmet emblazoned with the numeral 451 (the temperature at which paper burns), a black uniform with a salamander on the arm, and a "phoenix disc" on his chest. On his way home from the fire station, he feels a sense of nervous anticipation. After suspecting a lingering nearby presence, he meets his new neighbor, an inquisitive and unusual seventeen-year-old named Clarisse McClellan. She immediately recognizes him as a fireman and seems fascinated by him and his uniform. She explains that she is "crazy" and proceeds to suggest that the original duty of firemen was to extinguish fires rather than to light them. She asks him about his job and tells him that she comes from a strange family that does such peculiar things as talk to each other and walk places being a pedestrian, like reading, is against the law. Clarisse's strangeness makes Guy nervous, and he laughs repeatedly and involuntarily. She reminds him in different ways of candlelight, a clock, and a mirror. He cannot help feeling somehow attracted to her: she fascinates him with her outrageous questions, unorthodox lifestyle, perceptive observations, and "incredible power of identification." She asks him if he is happy and then disappears into her house. Pondering the absurd question, he enters his house and muses about this enigmatic stranger and her comprehension of his "innermost trembling thought.” Montag is disturbed by his meeting with Clarisse because he is not used to talking with people about personal 2006-06-07T15:59:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-and-Plot-Development-of-Ray-Bradbury-s-Farenheit-451-29090.aspx ________________________________________ Dream Chasers "The deepest American dream is not the hunger for money or fame; it is the dream of settling down, in peace and freedom and cooperation, in the promised land." If only this quote by Scott Russell Sanders was true. However were it true and astute, we would be deprived of F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece, The Great Gatsby. Throughout Gatsby, Fitzgerald provides a clear-cut message and theme, which the story revolves around. His claim is that the American dream is indeed corrupted and irretrievably lost, that no man can any longer take hope and find solace in that dream. In the roaring 20's, the new American dream is deemed lost and adrift. The dream has lost all positive connotation and value, and is no longer a dream of the moral citizen but of the corrupt. Nick encounters this supposed reality when he moves east after having grown in the mid-west. The theme manifests itself in several instances, varying in cause and circumstance. A large part of Fitzgerald's observation he communicates in his use of the class corruption. Highlighted in the novel are two distinct classes - the rich and the newly rich. To represent the rich, Fitzgerald includes in the story one Tom Buchanan. The rich in America are the ones who really run the country, who aren't seen in the spotlight. Tom was born into this class of people. "His family were enormously wealthy...now he'd left Chicago and come east in a fashion that rather took you breath away: for instance, he'd brought down a string of polo ponies form Lake Forest." (p. 10) Daisy married into this class when she and Tom were wed. All throughout the novel, constant reminders are shown of their lack of spirit or care, and blatant disregard for other individuals. After Gatsby absorbs the blame for Myrtle's death, Tom and Daisy do not thank him. Or even acknowledge him. They do not attend pay respects at his funeral, but instead retreat to Europe. Gatsby and the guests at his lavish parties are the example of the newly rich. All those people who attended Gatsby's lavish summer gatherings had no regard for the man, but instead used him and his residence as means to attempt to show off their grandiose wealth and new found pomposity. Again, none of his many guests show up at his funeral, or extend a hand of thanks. Both 2006-06-06T19:03:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Loss-of-the-American-Dream-29089.aspx Cirtical Analysis of the Works of Cezanne After fifty years of the most radical change in art from images to free abstraction, Cézanne's painting, which looks old-fashioned today in its attachment to nature, maintains itself fresh and stimulating to young painters of our time. He has produced no school, but he has given an impulse directly or indirectly to almost every new movement since he died. His power to excite artists of different tendency and temperament is due, I think, to the fact that he realized with equal fullness so many different sides of his art. It has often been true of leading modern painters that they developed a single idea with great force. Some one element or expressive note has been worked out with striking effect. In Cézanne we are struck rather by the comprehensive character of his art, although later artists have built on a particular element of his style. Color, drawing, modelling, structure, touch and expression - if any of these can be isolated from the others - are carried to a new height in his work. He is arresting through his images - more rich in suggestive content than has been supposed - and also through his uninterpreted strokes which make us see that there can be qualities of greatness in little touches of paint. In his pictures single patches of the brush reveal themselves as an uncanny choice, deciding the unity of a whole region of forms. Out of these emerges a moving semblance of a familiar natural world with a deepened harmony that invites meditation. His painting is a balanced art, not in the sense that it is stabilized or moderate in its effects, but that opposed qualities are joined in a scrupulously controlled play. He is inventive and perfect in many different aspects of his art. "In this striving for fullness, Cézanne is an heir of the Renaissance and Baroque masters. Like Delacroix, he retains from Rubens and the Italians a concept of the grand - not in the size of the canvas but in the weight and complexity of variation. His grandeur is without rhetoric and convention, and inheres in the dramatic power of large contrasts and in the frankness of his means. His detached contemplation of his subjects arises from a passionate aspiring nature that seeks to master its own impulses through an objective attitude to things. The mountain peak is a 2006-06-06T15:34:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cirtical-Analysis-of-the-Works-of-Cezanne-29087.aspx Theme of Resurrection in the Plot of A Tale of Two Cites In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses a variety of themes, including, love/hate, revolution, and recalled to life. Though these are very important themes, and were integral elements of this novel, resurrection served as the main theme aside from the obvious one which is revolution. It is also important to note that the theme of revolution is closely tied into resurrection. The phrase "recalled to life" sounds the first note in the theme of resurrection with Dr. Manette's release from the Bastille after 18 years of solitary confinement, and sets Dickens' plot in motion. The secret papers left in Manette's cell lead directly to the novel's climax, Charles Darnay's sentence to die. Cruncher's grave robbing graphically illustrates the theme of resurrection: he literally raises people from the dead. One of the plot's biggest surprises is based on Cruncher's unsuccessful attempt to unearthed the body of Roger Cly, the spy who testified with John Barsad against Charles Darnay. In France, years after his graveyard expedition, Cruncher discloses that Cly's coffin contained only stones and dirt. This information enables Sydney Carton to force John Barsad, Cly's partner, into a plot to save Charles Darnay's life.Another important, but easily overlooked example of resurrection is when Dr. Manette grows confidence in himself and becomes the leader of the group. Dr. Manette triumphs over his past life and has a sort of rebirth. The best example of resurrection in the entire book, is also partly ironic in that Sydney Carton must die for this resurrection to take place, when he is executed on the guillotine in Paris. However, his death is not in the book as Dicken's idea of poetic justice, as in the case of the villains, but rather as a divine reward. This is displayed when Carton decides to sacrifice himself by dying on the guillotine instead of Darnay, with "I am the Resurrection and the life." This theme of resurrection appears earlier on with Carton's prophecy, where he envisions a son to be born to Lucie and Darnay, a son who will bear Carton's name. Thus he will symbolically be reborn through Lucie and Darnay's child. This vision serves another purpose, though. In the early parts of the novel, Lucie and Darnay have a son, who dies 2006-06-06T15:02:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-of-Resurrection-in-the-Plot-of-A-Tale-of-Two-Cites-29075.aspx The American Dream Turned Nightmare in the Great Gatsby There are many characters in The Great Gatsby whose human values have been corrupted due to corrupting influence of money. The attraction of the American dream influenced the pursuit of wealth, which corrupts the character morality. The characters believe the American dream is nothing else than glamorous material wealth, which in essence will set them apart from the rest of lower class society. The pursuit of this American dream produced nothing but problems for the characters. The American dream of happiness and individualism has turned into the mere pursuit of wealth. The Great Gatsby is a perfect example of how the pursuit of wealth corrupts the characters morality. The American dream is so attractive to the characters, that they will do anything in order to achieve this vast wealth. Jay Gatsby believes he must become wealth in order for him to impress his love and ex-fiancé Daisy Buchanan. Since he has been in the lower class when he first met Daisy, Daisy didn't want to commit to a relationship, yet still vowed to wait until Gatsby was discharged from the army before marrying him. After the war Gatsby's moral values had changed and he became involved in the bootlegging of alcohol in order to earn the money needed to impress Daisy. He lied to Daisy about how he earned his wealth and become known as dishonest. Myrtle's values are also corrupted through the pursuit of wealth. She marries George, a poor man in the valley of ashes where the quality of life is substandard. She believes that George "is a gentleman, she thought he knew something about breeding but he wasn't fit to lick her shoe"(39). Myrtle is upset at her husband's "constant infidelity"(17). She believes she can get away from a lower class lifestyle by having a romantic relationship with a citizen of the East Egg. Myrtle begins an affair with Tom in order to feel separated from her lower class affiliates. Myrtle succumbs to disloyalty in order to pursue a wealthy lifestyle. Daisy is dishonest and disloyal in her pursuit of wealth. She promises Gatsby that her love for him is unconditional, and that she will wait for him to come back from the war to marry him. Instead she decides to 2006-06-06T15:00:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-American-Dream-Turned-Nightmare-in-the-Great-Gatsby-29074.aspx Themes of Prejudice and Racism in Huckleberry Finn Have you 2006-06-06T14:27:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-Prejudice-and-Racism-in-Huckleberry-Finn-29061.aspx Themes of Nature in the Poems of Robert Frost “Robert Frost was born in San Francisco in 1874. He moved to New England at the age of eleven and became interested in reading and writing poetry during his high school years in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He was enrolled at Dartmouth College in 1892, and later at Harvard, but never earned a formal degree. In 1895, Frost married Elinor Mirian White, who became a major inspiration in his poetry until her death in 1938. By the nineteen twenties he was the most celebrated poet in America, with each new book his fame and honors increased. Robert Frost lived and taught for many years in Massachusetts and Vermont, and died on January 29, 1963, in Boston,”(American Poets). In his poetry Robert Frost addresses many aspects of life. His poems range from love to humor, and to fear and rage. The themes of the poems are brought about in many ways. Many of his poems are influenced by nature. In the poems “Never again Would Bird’s Song Be the Same,” “Desert Places,” “The Road Not Taken,” and “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening,” Frost uses nature as figures of speech to establish the overall themes of the poems. The use of nature in Frosts poems is used in many ways to express the overall feeling and meaning of the entire poems. 2 In the poem “Desert Places,” Frost uses nature to express the thoughts and feelings of the speaker. The speaker is sitting in his home looking outside into a dark snowy night. There is absolutely nothing living that is visible. It is empty and lonely outside. The speaker refers to animals in their lairs hidden away from the loneliness. It seems the speaker is envious of these animals because they can escape their desert places but he can’t escape his. The entire poem makes it seem that he fears being outside alone or off in space with nothing around. The last two lines of the poem however give the poem a whole new meaning. “The speaker generalizes about the scene: its loneliness will only intensify before it decreases,”(Kemp). All of the places that the speaker speaks of throughout the poem do not bother him. The last two lines formulate the thesis of the 2006-06-02T16:26:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-of-Nature-in-the-Poems-of-Robert-Frost-29046.aspx Depiction of Women in Selected Works of Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway was one of the greatest American writers, but he was also one of the worst in depicting life and women. Carlos Baker believes that the stories of Ernest Hemingway, particularly The Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber and The Snows Of Kilimanjaro, are centered on women, alcohol, money, and ambition. In both of these stories, Hemingway portrays the wife either as a “bitch” in character or was considered to be a bitch by the husband. The woman is also seen as smart and challenged the male's ego. The women in these stories are seen either by a male character or by the husband as controlling and manipulative. In Hemingway’s stories, Hills Like White Elephants, Up in Michigan, and A Canary For One, Hemingway depicts the female characters as weak. He makes them seem stupid and ignorant. In The Snows Of Kilimanjaro, Harry and his wife, Helen are on safari at the bottom of the volcano in Africa. Harry has scratched his leg and not taken care of it, causing gangrene to infect it. He seems to hate his wife, and says that he never loved her. He married her for her money, but does not like her for the power it gave her. Harry is dying and knows that he does not have much time left. While waiting for a plane to take them to civilization he thinks about his past experiences, and wished that he would have written about them, instead of marrying Helen for her money. The women in these two stories are not fully characterized. Helen a simple woman who is a “good” woman while Margot Macomber is presented as “bad”. Both women are seen as smart and able to learn how to shoot and survive like a man. The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber tells the story of a young, rich, beautiful, and unhappily married couple who goes on a safari in hopes of getting rid of their boredom and hopefully make their hometown newspapers. Francis Macomber is a "coward" who can't shoot animals or control his wife. His wife Margot is a "bitch" who can not stay out of other men's beds or control herself. Helen and Margot are both portrayed as the killers of their husbands. Margot is seen as 2006-06-02T16:25:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Depiction-of-Women-in-Selected-Works-of-Ernest-Hemingway-29045.aspx Symbolism of Color Use as a Theme in the Great Gatsby The color green, as it is used in the novel, symbolizes different choices the character, Gatsby, can make during his life. The green element in this novel is taken from the green light at the end of the dock near Daisy’s house. The color itself represents serenity, as in everything is perfect. This warns Gatsby that he should not pursue his dream for getting Daisy back, because his chance has passed and everything is as it should be. This is shown with Nick’s insight, “…His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him… (Pg.189)” Another symbolization of the color green, which contradicts the first, is the meaning “go.” As in a traffic light signal, most people associate green with the word and action “go.” This can be interpreted as meaning Gatsby should go for his dream without hesitation. It implies that Gatsby and Daisy are meant to be together and nothing should stop Gatsby from his destined happiness and love with Daisy. It inspires hope for Gatsby that he is on the right path, heading towards the best years of his life. He believes that things will soon be as they once were, only better. ““I’m going to fix everything just the way they were before,” he said nodding determinedly. “She’ll see.”(Pg. 117.)” The last symbolization the color green has in this novel is an urge to strive ahead in life, to do better in life and succeed. Gatsby changes his entire persona for a better, more sociable, image and status. He is constantly striving to be a more successful figure in society. Ever since he was a boy he put himself on a schedule with hopes for becoming a highly respected, well-known person. “He knew he had a big future in front of him. (Pg. 181),” his dad says about him. “Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this…(Pg. 182).” White is the other color symbolism interlaced into this novel. Where green only influenced one character, white has a wider range of influence on the characters. This color symbolizes one thing, a façade, but it appears in every character. For example, Daisy is always seen wearing white, which gives her and innocent naive appearance. It is as though she uses 2006-06-02T16:19:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-of-Color-Use-as-a-Theme-in-the-Great-Gatsby-29042.aspx Theme of Racial Tension in A Gathering of Old Men A Gathering of Old Men begins with a child narrator who relates the report that there has been a shooting on a Louisiana plantation, and a white, Cajun farmer, Beau Boutan, is dead. He has been killed in the yard of an old, black worker, Mathu. Because of the conflict between Cajuns and blacks in South Louisiana, the tension in the situation and the fear of the black people is immediately felt. The Cajuns were the greatest competitor of the black people in Louisiana, but the Cajuns had the advantage of race in a segregated society. The author, Ernest J. Gaines, uses fifteen narrators (white, black, young, and old) to deal with the changing relations between the Cajuns and the blacks in Louisiana in the late 1970’s. As each narrator picks up the story, we see the tensions between the past and the present, the conflict between the whites and blacks, and most important, the conflict and tension between each old black man and his former, younger self as he tries to deal with why he has waited so long to face the problem. Mapes, the white sheriff who traditionally dealt with the black people by the use of intimidation and force, finds himself in the frustrating situation of having to deal with a group of old black men, each carrying a shotgun and each claiming that he shot Beau Boutan. In addition, Candy Marshall, the young white woman whose family owned the plantation, claims that she did it. There seems to be only one real suspect, Mathu, the old black man whom Candy is determined to protect whether he wants or needs her protection or not. All of the old men have a motive to kill Beau, but only Mathu is perceived as being man enough to have done it; he is the only one who had ever “stood up” to a white man before. As each man tells why he shot Beau, neither the reader nor the sheriff regards him as a real suspect. However, we are given an unforgettable picture of that person in terms of ghosts from his past. The old men try to deal with a past that they have not yet forgotten and try to gain enough courage to deal with it. As each 2006-06-02T16:17:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-of-Racial-Tension-in-A-Gathering-of-Old-Men-29041.aspx Heroic Characters of Literature; Beowulf Every culture has its heroes. These heroes come in many different shapes and forms. Often times a hero is inhuman, or takes on a supernatural power of some kind at one point in time. The changing into these superhuman powers is often caused by the many years of passing down a story by mouth. It usually begins with a problem that can not be solved by anyone. Then along comes someone who can solve this problem. They solve this problem, and become famous. This is where the legend of a hero comes in to play. In many cases a hero will die in a battle. Usually death is the end of ones life. In the heroes sense, it lives on and on. Stories of them are passed on from parents to kids, to their kids, and so on. This is when the hero becomes immortal. The legend of them goes on and on, and they live on through the stories that are told of them. The story of Beowulf is an example of a hero story. The original problem arises when the king needs someone to rid them of the monster Grendel who is killing their men. No one has yet been able to rid them of this monster, and Beouwulf is the only man who is able to do so. After he kills Grendel, he begins to gain fame, but his fame grows even more when he kills the beast Grendel's mother also. After doing this, he becomes a hero in the sense that he is looked up to by many, and he is known by all. When he returned to his homeland with the stories of his travel, he is given the kingdom and becomes a king. After reigning for many good years a problem arises, and he is needed in battle against a dragon. He is doomed to die in this battle, and he does. In reading the epic poem of Beowulf, the main character, Beowulf, has the characteristics of an epic hero by showing skill and courage, enduring fame, and royal responsibility . In the epic poem of Beowulf, Beowulf shows extraordinary and almost superficial skill and courage at the Slaying of Grendel, the Troll-Wife, and the Dragon. Due to the courageous slaying 2006-06-02T16:06:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Heroic-Characters-of-Literature-Beowulf-29036.aspx Critical Analysis of the Themes in "Little Women" Little Women is a book in which the author, Louisa May Alcott, tries to instruct the reader through each of the girls’ mistakes and lessons. The characters try to teach each other helpful lessons about life, virtue, and morality. This in return teaches the reader, which Alcott intended this novel to do. Growing up in Massachusetts in the nineteenth century, the March girls are torn with their father away at war. Each girl strives to better herself by trying to get rid of faults. They strive to be “good,” which is different in each girl’s eyes. Beth believes that being good means to not be as shy. Meg has a weakness for luxury and leisure. Jo vows to become more of a girl while still acting as the “man of the house” while her father is away at war. With a weakness for luxuries to the eye, Amy tries to over come this. In her eyes she will be good if she can do that. Also, the girls are struggling with different types of interactions between girls and boys. When they are smaller and meet Laurie, the girls struggle with the idea of what the interactions mean. As they grow older they recognize different kinds of interactions. Laurie and Jo first meet at the dance as teenagers. The irony in that is that Laurie and Amy grow as adults and marry each other. The theme of poverty is always among the Marches. There is their own and that of the Hummels, as well as the dichotomy between a poverty in money and poverty in love. When they are at the dance, and Jo has to stand in the back of the room by the wall, that in itself is poverty. She can’t be out where everyone else is because they will see the burn in her dress. When Laurie asks her to dance in the next room, the poverty in love is gone and Jo is shown a new kind of love called friendship. The Marches always have poverty in money. At the Christmas in the beginning of the novel, each girl selflessly puts their pennies into fabulous gifts for their mother, whom they realize contributes hard and works for them constantly. The mother gives each of the girls a book. They do not have a lot of money, so they make due with 2006-06-02T15:42:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-the-Themes-in-quot-Little-Women-quot-29029.aspx Strong Analysis of the Elements of Thomas Hardy's Poetry As the title has already mentioned, this assignment will be an analysis on a poem by Thomas Hardy. The poem is called “The Darkling Thrush”, also known by another title, “By the Century’s deathbed”. My analysis will include elements such as the poems’ setting, structure, imagery, diction, rhyme scheme and theme. I will go into one element at the time, and them give examples from one stanza only in that element. I will not come back to the same elements in the other stanzas, even though they are there. Therefore, this will not be a complete analysis of every element in each of the stanzas. I’d rather prefer to give a thorough description of what the different elements are and then give a few examples of each of them. In then end I will try to come up with a conclusion. Setting: The poem takes place on New Years Eve, the last day of the 19th century. It’s also the end of the Victorian Age. Winter is bringing death and desolation with it. A tired old man leans over a coppice gate in a desolate area, seeing ghosts of the past and little hope in the future. Structure: This poem has 4 stanzas, each with 8 lines. This is what we call an octave. The lines changes between having 4 and 3 stressed syllables in them, which is called tetrameter (4) and trimeter (3). Since the lines also follow a form of having one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable etc, we also call it iambic. As an example I use the poems 1st stanza. Line number 1, 3, 5 and 7 each have 4 stressed syllables, therefore called iambic tetrameter ( / - / - / - / - ). Line number 2, 4, 6, and 8 each have 3 stressed syllables, therefore called iambic trimeter ( / - / - / - ) I leant upon a coppice gate 1 Where Frost was spectre-gray, 2 And Winter’s dregs made desolate 3 The weakening eye of day. 4 The tangled bine-stems scored the sky 5 Like strings of broken lyres, 6 And all mankind that haunted nigh 7 Had sought their household fires. 8 Imagery: Through the use of personification, symbols, metaphors, alliteration (this last element may also refer to the poems structure) and a selected sort of words, he 2006-06-02T03:24:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Strong-Analysis-of-the-Elements-of-Thomas-Hardy-s-Poetry-29018.aspx Charater Analysis of Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find In Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is hard To Find,” the character known as the Misfit plays the ever-so-common villain role. In this particular story, the Misfit has a strange twist to his style of being a villain. When defining the word “misfit” one may say, a person poorly adjusted to his or her environment. With this information at hand the reader knows early to expect trouble from this character. The name alone explains the theme and plot of the story. The Misfit says his name comes from the punishments that he received from society, not fitting now remembering the crimes he has committed. In the Misfit eye’s he has done no wrong to be treated the way society has treated him. The Misfit lived up to the name in which he was called. He believed that society made him the way he was, and they where responsible for his actions. When speaking, the Misfit appears as a well-spoken and polite person. Even when Bailey disrespects his mother, “the Misfit reddened. ‘Lady,’ he said, don’t you get upset. Sometimes a man says things he don’t mean. I don’t reckon he meant to talk to you thataway” (O’Connor 359). That statement shows that the misfit indeed had a decent side to him. The misfit goes on about his up bringing from a child to his current status and personal life, which he also believes helped shaped his demeanor. When the Grandmother suggested that he must have come from fine people, he simply replied, “Finest people in the world”(359). In addition, he goes to say, “God never made a finer woman than my mother and my daddy’s heart was pure gold” (359). With a statement like one would think that the Misfit was being a bit sarcastic when it comes to his parents. It’s a true mystery about the way the Misfit actually feels about his parents. Many would say that the misfit didn’t care for his parents at all. One would say the major influence of the Misfit becoming a finish product revealed at the end of the story is the penitentiary. Being in jail for something that he didn’t think he did made him feel as if he was “buried alive” (O’Connor 361). Even when facing the grandmother, he couldn’t recall what he done. All the Misfit knew is 2006-06-02T03:21:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Flannery-O-Connor-s-A-Good-Man-is-Hard-to-Find-29017.aspx Comparison of Book and Movie of To Kill a Mockingbird This essay will be talking about the differences between the book and the movie. There are some significant main ideas missing from the movie. The missing scenes from the book are when Jem and Scout go to church with Calpurnia, the school scene in which you get to know the Ewells and the Cunninghams, and how Aunt Alexandra, who influences the children in the book, never appears in the movie. The scene missing from the movie where Jem and Scout go to church with Calpurnia is one of the most important in the book. You learn of the respect that many of the black people have for the Finches, since their daddy is defending a black man. You also learn that not all black people are nice to Jem and Scout. Calpurnia gets into a fight with another lady at church defending Jem and Scout’s right to come to the black church. This shows you how much Calpurnia loves Jem and Scout. The director left this part out of the movie because in the court case there is another example of how the black people respect Mr. Finch. They all stand up when he walks out of the room. But in the movie, because the church scene is missing, it doesn’t seem that the blacks have as much respect for the Finches. You also don’t see in the movie that some black people of Maycomb County don’t like hanging around Whites as much as the white people don’t like hanging around Blacks. Another scene that the movie left out was a morning in the schoolroom. In the book, you meet the children of the Mr. Ewell and Mr. Cunningham. I think the director left this part out because you get to know Mr. Cunningham in the beginning of the movie when he comes to pay Atticus with some hickory nuts instead of money. Atticus explains to Scout that the Cunninghams is ******an honest, proud*******man who will always pay people back, even if its not with money. You get to meet the Ewells and see how they act in court. You learn they are inconsiderate people. But, by leaving the schoolroom scene out, you don’t get to know the younger boys of each family and how they act. 2006-06-02T03:18:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-of-Book-and-Movie-of-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-29016.aspx Themes about Humanity Exemplified in Great Expectations Great Expectations shows that a person can hide who they are but one way or another they are the same person inside. Throughout Great Expectations Pip meets new people and is unsure how to adapt to his surroundings. He is insecure so he wants to change to fit in. He realizes that change is only a disguise of who he really is. When Pip was a young man, he always wanted to be someone else. Pip met new people and would change his appearance to meet the person’s expectations. He met a girl named Estella who was part of a higher class than Pip. Estella was the girl of Pip’s dreams. Because Pip was of a lower class, he wanted to become smart and rich so he could be with Estella so he decided to learn to read and write. Estella criticized Pip for not being able to do some of the things she could do such as playing cards. This frustrated Pip. He wanted to be everything to Estella, so he learned how to play cards. Pip began to get closer and closer to Estella and further from himself. Pip started to receive money from an unknown benefactor. As Pip received money, he moved to London and didn’t look back on Estella and his family. His brother-in-law, Joe, came to visit Pip. "Let me confess exactly with what feelings I look forward to Joe's coming. Not with pleasure, though I was bound to him by so many ties; no; with considerable disturbance, some mortification, and a keen sense of incongruity. If I could have kept him away by paying him money, I certainly would have paid money" (217). Things didn’t work out anymore between Pip and Joe. Pip grew apart from him. Money made Pip into an evil person. Because of Pip’s entrance into a higher social class, he felt that if he were to continue to communicate with Joe, then people would think of him as a lower class boy, which he was inside. Pip believed that if he weren’t in a higher class Estella wouldn’t love him. He thought that Estella didn’t want just any other boy. Pip didn’t want to relate with any of his old friends. It seemed as though he wanted to change his 2006-06-02T03:13:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-about-Humanity-Exemplified-in-Great-Expectations-29015.aspx Linda Pastan questions ethics in her poem "Ethics" In Linda Pastan's poem "Ethics," the speaker recounts a moral dilemma that her teacher would ask every fall, which has been haunting her for a long time. The question was "if there were a fire in a museum / which would you save, a Rembrandt painting / or an old woman who hadn't many / years left anyhow?" and the speaker tells us through the theme that ethics and moral values can be only learned from the reflection which comes through experience and maturity. In this poem, imagery, diction, and figures of speech contribute to the development of the theme. The speaker in the poem uses images to help to support the theme. For example the statement that "sometimes the woman borrowed my grandmother's face" displays the inability of the children to relate the dilemma to themselves, something that the speaker has learned later on with time and experience. In this poem, the speaker is an old woman, and she places a high emphasis on the burden of years from which she speaks by saying "old woman, / or nearly so, myself." "I know now that woman / and painting and season are almost one / and all beyond saving by children." clearly states that the poem is not written for the amusement of children but somebody that has reached the speaker's age, thus supporting the idea of the theme that children cannot help or understand her or anybody of her age. In addition, when the speakers describes the kids in the classroom as "restless on hard chairs" and "caring little for picture or old age" we can picture them in our minds sitting, ready to leave the class as soon as possible, unwilling and unable to understand the ethics dilemma or what the speaker is feeling. The choice of words of the author also contributes to the development of the theme. For example, the use of words like "drafty," "half-heartedly," and "half-imagined" give the reader the idea of how faintly the dilemma was perceived and understood by the children, thus adding to the idea that the children cannot understand the burden the speaker has upon herself. In addition, referring to a Rembrandt as just a "picture" and to the woman as "old age," we can see that these two symbols, which are very important to the speaker and to the poem, are considered trivial 2006-06-02T02:56:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Linda-Pastan-questions-ethics-in-her-poem-quot-Ethics-quot-29013.aspx Modern Psychological Analysis Applied to Shakespeare's Romeo A healthy individual is one who behaves in ways that promote emotional well-being, resolves conflicts constructively, adapts to different situations and has self-discipline. Romeo lacks these qualities in the beginning. However, as he matures throughout the play, we see how the once irrational and impulsive boy has progressed into a deeper and more thoughtful man. Romeo matures in the play from an irrational boy to a thoughtful and deep man. His love for Juliet has transformed him from a boy who talks in clich¨¦s, to a man with a powerful command of speech. Unfortunately, we never do see him become a truly healthy individual. When the reader meets Romeo, he is presented as an emotionally shattered person. He’s in love with love. He has chosen a girl who'll never return his affection, and he spends much of his days pitying himself. Of Rosaline, he says, "She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair / to merit bliss by making me despair" (I.i.230). He takes his time in being depressed and is almost as if he enjoys his misery. His moaning leaves him unable to act. Instead, he spends time wandering through trees or locked up in his room. This is supposedly unlike himself for he exclaims, ¡°Tut! I have lost myself, I am not here; this is not Romeo, he's some other where¡± (I.i.204). Here we see his irrationality which helps lead to his tragic death. Then he meets Juliet and discovers his true self. Almost immediately, his entire speech and tone changes and he is no longer grieving. Their love is so intense that Romeo's speech is transformed to poetry. The first time they talk together, their conversation effortlessly forms a sonnet. His emotions change quickly and are fickle. Romeo is not one who tries to start fights and will attempt to resolve his few conflicts peacefully. Romeo is shown generally as a well-liked person. Mercutio and Benvolio both want his attention; the Nurse thinks he's honest, courteous, kind, and handsome. His mother loves him so much that she dies of grief when he's banished; and even Lord Capulet calls him "a virtuous and well-governed youth" and refuses to let Tybalt bother him. Friar Lawrence loves Romeo so much that he'll do almost anything to secure his happiness. The exception, of course, is Tybalt. Romeo himself tells Tybalt, "Villain I am none... 2006-06-01T19:54:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Modern-Psychological-Analysis-Applied-to-Shakespeare-s-Romeo-29002.aspx Shakespeare's Use of Delight in his Literature Delight is definitely not the word I would use to describe my attempt to research and complete an essay on this word. In my search for interesting facts, or any facts at all, I could not find anything that was remotely interesting about it. There are many poems, quotes, and articles that include delight, yet none of them are specifically on the topic of delight. There are many things that are joyful, yet this research paper was not. I found that the word delight means “something that gives great pleasure or enjoyment”. Delight comes from the Middle English word “delit”, also Old French “delitier”. Which meant “a pleasure” (Webster). There are many words that mean “to give great pleasure or enjoyment”. Some of them include delectation, enjoyment, joy, pleasure, happy, and like. Those are for the noun delight. Delight can also be used as a verb. Some synonyms of the verb are cheer, enchant, gladden, gratify, overjoy, please, pleasure, tickle, and adore. You can use any of these to replace delight. The bible also uses delight many times. “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself” (KJV Proverbs 18). I have no clue what that means because it doesn’t make any sense to me. If I had to guess as to what it is about then I would think that a fool, or someone that is not too bright, doesn’t enjoy or take pleasure in understanding life and hopefully his heart will help him to understand it. Shakespeare, the king of all literature, or at least that is how I feel about how all through out high school teachers have portrayed him. He used the word delight in many of his plays but I decided to look into King Henry the VI. Cade is speaking to Buckingham and Clifford and says “But you are all recreants and dastards, and delight to live in slavery to the nobility” (Shakespeare 4.8). He is saying that Buckingham and Clifford enjoy taking orders from the king and they are his slaves. I did not read the whole play so I do not know this is exactly what he is saying, but from what I gathered Cade is a rebel and is fighting against King Henry VI and Clifford and Buckingham are 2006-06-01T19:50:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-s-Use-of-Delight-in-his-Literature-29000.aspx Isabel Allende Depicts Cultural Themes of Chilean Lifestyle In The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, old Pedro Garcia plays the part of a strange, wise old man. Throughout the novel he performs and teaches many peculiar works and lessons. His actions, some of which involve magical realism, all relate to important aspects of a Chilean lifestyle. In The House of the Spirits, Allende uses the character of old Pedro Garcia to illustrate the important aspects of Chilean lifestyle through his familiarity with the land, his supernatural healing abilities, and through his artistry and dexterity. Old Pedro Garcia’s knowledge and familiarity with the land parallels with the Chilean people. For example, Esteban Trueba skeptically calls Garcia to Tres Maria to rid the hacienda of the ant problem. After Garcia had “[told] them to go, [because] they’re a nuisance here,” (112) “there were no ants in the kitchen, none in the pantry, the granary, the stable, the chicken coops, the pastures.” (112) Garcia’s mastery of the land and its creatures instantly purged the hacienda of the infestation. In addition, Garcia also “liked to sit in the doorway of his little house and feel the sun go down, [where] he could sense the subtle change in temperature, the sounds in the courtyard…and the silence of the hens,” (188) exemplifying his unity with the land and nature. Old Pedro Garcia also reflects Chilean society in that they both hold medicine with a high regard. For example, after the earthquake at Tres Marias, when not even Dr. Cuevas would have tried to set Esteban Trueba’s bones, Garcia “restored the body so perfectly that the doctors who examined Trueba afterward could not believe such a thing was possible.” (161) Garcia’s knowledge of arts and crafts, another part of Chilean culture, is prevalent as well. This was reflected in his belief that “the hands ought to be used.” (173) For example, one day when Blanca is complaining of a vicious migraine, “he called her and without warning dropped a ball of clay into her lap,” and he began to teach her “how to shape clay into pieces of kitchen crockery.” (173) In a novel that has so many evil and negative motifs, a character like old Pedro Garcia prompts the reader to remember the positive aspects of Chile and its culture. Through his proficient knowledge in 2006-06-01T19:47:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Isabel-Allende-Depicts-Cultural-Themes-of-Chilean-Lifestyle-28999.aspx Critical Analysis of Wright's Historic Work, "Black Boy" Although taking place in differing locations, times, and overall surroundings the young lives of Richard Wright (depicted in his autobiography Black Boy) and Kate (a.k.a. Kaila) Simon (depicted in her memoirs Bronx Primitive) were both severely affected by their guardian’s disciplinary actions. Throughout both of their youthful years Richard and Kate were marred by the always overlooking consequence of what might happen to them if they broke the rules. Because of this installed fear of consequences of their actions the two’s outcomes in life were drastically altered, from what they would have been without the so called necessary discipline needed. However what seems to be the most influential is the reasoning behind the punishment, and the seemingly vital explanation that is needed with the severe disciplinary actions that took place over the durations of both of their lives. Childhood is usually a time of sunny days, soft breezes blowing clouds across the deep blue sky. The days are never-ending joy, a blank canvas to paint with beautiful memories… unless your childhood was Richard Wright’s. His youth was a cold bleak existence. It was carved with hatred, and overlaid with hunger and severe discipline. There seemed to be little hope for one born to such an allotment of terrible misfortunes. For it was not his family that Richard could turn to, instead he was forced to turn away due to the immense fear of “being beat to an inch of his life” (BB p.54). Sadly just as his family dismissed Richard the seemingly unfeeling eyes of the rest of the world were turned away from him as well. Due to life’s cold-shoulder Richard was left him very alone to do as he pleased and knew, as long as he abided by the harsh guidelines that he so commonly crossed. But because he so rarely was taught the consequences of actions before they occurred he had to learn very commonly the hard way, of learning through the horrible consequences that followed. In the end Richard was always left terribly sore, and confused rarely knowing the exact reasons behind his infamous beatings, leaving him to find out life’s misfortunes all on his own. Such as “What in Gods name have you done? She asked. The kitten was making noise and Papa said to kill it….You fool!” 2006-06-01T19:29:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-of-Wright-s-Historic-Work,-quot-Black-Boy-28993.aspx Thematic Analysis of All Quiet on the Western Front Have you ever wondered what the actual horrors of WWI are like? Erich Maria Remarque depicts these horrors through the eyes of a soldier named Paul Bäumer. Paul Bäumer, the narrator and protagonist in All Quiet on the Western Front, is a character who develops extensively within the course of the novel. As a young man, he is persuaded to join the German Army during World War I. Paul quickly learns that it is not as glorious as the military leader say it is. This three-year ordeal is marked by Paul's short, but tragic trek into adulthood as he learns to cope with the trials and tribulations of war. In the wake of a struggle, which claims millions, Paul loses his precious innocence as he is further isolated from society and engulfed by bloodshed. Sadly, the book ends with the death of Paul, but not before he witnesses the painful death of his entire classmates who enlisted with him. Paul's evolution throughout Remarque’s novel is a result of Man’s ability to adapt through the most horrific experiences. Paul's experiences in combat shatter his former misconceptions of war; consequently, he gains the ability to reflect on events with his own accord. His naive ideas are severely challenged when he first witnesses the ugly truth of war. "The first bombardment showed us our mistake, and under it the world as they had taught it to us broke in pieces"(13). Paul's first engagement in combat reveals that everything he was taught as a young recruit were lies; consequently, he can now form his own conclusions. Through the ongoing course of the war, Paul comes to grips with the reality of the situation. "They are strong and our desire is strong-but they are unattainable, and we know it"(121). Paul realizes that the soldiers’ former lives are all but distant memories. His maturing personality gives him the insight to see past the facade of war and expose it for what it truly is. Paul loses his innocence and childhood during the war; as a result, he becomes a man. When Paul and his companions encounter some French women, they exchange food for sexual intercourse. "We unwrap our parcels and hand them over to the women. Their eyes shine, it is obvious they are hungry"(148). Through this transaction, Paul uses the women as an outlet for 2006-06-01T19:10:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Thematic-Analysis-of-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-28987.aspx Examining Themes in "Filling Station" by Elizabeth Bishop Often in life one gravitates towards what one knows, has lived, and has experienced. This is what is comfortable to the general public and most do not try to venture away from the flock. This is the opposite in Elizabeth Bishop’s case. Growing up in a family filled with issues, twists, and turns her life was anything but normal. Bishop uses poetry to create order, beauty, and stability to an otherwise bland world; this can be seen by analyzing her poems. Sometimes it would take Bishop a few years to write a poem, because she would focus on the small things one might overlook and make an effort to bring out the natural beauty of an object. (www.etsu.edu) This is amazing to me because Bishop did not have much to be happy about at an early age. Her Father died before her first birthday in 1911, and her mother was mentally ill. (www.etsu.edu)Later as she became a poet one might think her poems would be dark, and possibly full of hate and death. The opposite is true, and despite all she has been through she often finds beauty in everyday objects “Some comic books provide the only note of color-certain color” where another might fail to look. (21-23) Bishop’s poems touch some aspect of childhood, even though hers was unhappy, and full of pain. It is through her poems that Bishop creates order and a sense of belonging and splendor. Bishops poem is characterizes her ability to describe and add attractiveness to things someone else might dismiss as daily script. A gas station such as the one described in the poem “oil-soaked, oil-permeated” is not really a place you would expect anyone to even attempt to find a glimmer of aesthetics. She not only finds examples of this “lie upon the doily embroidered in daisy stitch with maruerites”. (24-31) Her use of detail and precision analysis allows her reflect on the filling station’s pied luster. Bishops word choice even stirs up a bit of mysticism when she says “the oil-permeated to a disturbing over-all black translucency”. (3-5) Bishop has a very distinct poetic voice, and seems to retell the world through a woman’s eyes. (www.english.uiuc.edu) “Father wears a dirty oil-soaked 2006-06-01T19:02:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examining-Themes-in-quot-Filling-Station-quot-by-Elizabeth-28984.aspx Theme Analysis of "A Doll's House" One of A Doll's House's central theme is secession from society. It is demonstrated by several of its characters breaking away from the social standards of their time and acting on their own terms. No one character demonstrates this better than Nora. During the time in which the play took place society frowned upon women asserting themselves. Women were supposed to play a role in which they supported their husbands, took care of their children, and made sure everything was perfect around the house. Work, politics, and decisions were left to the males. Nora's first secession from society was when she broke the law and decided to borrow money to pay for her husbands treatment. By doing this, she not only broke the law but she stepped away from the role society had placed on her of being totally dependent on her husband. She proved herself not to be helpless like Torvald implied: "you poor helpless little creature!" Nora's second secession from society was shown by her decision to leave Torvald and her children. Society demanded that she take a place under her husband. This is shown in the way Torvald spoke down to her saying things like: "worries that you couldn't possibly help me with," and "Nora, Nora, just like a woman." She is almost considered to be property of his: "Mayn't I look at my dearest treasure? At all the beauty that belongs to no one but me -that's all my very own?" By walking out she takes a position equal to her husband and brakes society's expectations. Nora also brakes society's expectations of staying in a marriage since divorce was frowned upon during that era. Her decision was a secession from all expectations put on a woman and a wife by society. Nora secessions are very deliberate and thought out. She knows what society expects of her and continues to do what she feels is right despite them. Her secessions are used by Ibsen to show faults of society. In the first secession Ibsen illustrates that despite Nora doing the right thing it is deemed wrong and not allowed by society because she is a woman. While the forgery can be considered wrong, Ibsen is critical of the fact that Nora is forced to forge. Ibsen is also critical of society's expectations of a marriage. He illustrates this by showing how Nora is forced 2006-06-01T19:00:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-Analysis-of-quot-A-Doll-s-House-quot-28983.aspx The Use of Imagery in "Those Winter Sundays" Parents often have the desire to give to their children no matter how much pain it brings to themselves. In Robert Hayden’s poem “Those Winter Sundays,” the father does whatever is necessary to make his family comfortable. In the early morning he awakens to a cold house and rises to prepare a fire that will warm the house for the rest of the family. As the son grows older and matures, he realizes that he should have praised his father for the many sacrifices he has made in the past. Hayden uses imagery throughout the poem to enable the reader to sense the devotion of the father and the ungratefulness of the son. In the early stages of the poem, Hayden creates the image of a caring, devoted father. The typical stereotype of a father is that of a man who is willing to work for his family. In the poem Hayden creates the same image by saying, “Sundays too my father got up early / and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold” (ll. 11-12). The father cares so immensely for his family that he sacrifices his own comfort for them. Hayden mentions that he rises in the “blueblack cold” to emphasize that the sun has not even begun to rise. The speaker further characterizes the father by saying that his “cracked hands that ached / from labor in the weekday weather made / banked fires blaze” (ll. 3-5). The father works every day in the harsh weather causing himself physical pain. Sunday mornings, ironically, are no exceptions because the duty of warming the house still remains. The first stanza ends with, “No one ever thanked him” (1. 5). Everything he does for his family is out of love, not desire for gratification. The second stanza includes imagery of the father by mentioning that “[w]hen the rooms were warm, he’d call” (1. 7). Again, the father shows his love for his family. He only calls them when the rooms are warm so that they will not have to brave the cold. Symbolically, this line suggests that the father’s love has warmed the rooms for his family. Images of the father in the third stanza include Hayden’s description of the father “[driving] out the cold 2006-06-01T18:47:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Use-of-Imagery-in-quot-Those-Winter-Sundays-quot-28979.aspx Character Development and Plot Analysis in Coming of Age Coming of age in Mississippi is filled with examples of the hatred that existed between blacks and whites in the 1960's and 70's.The main character experiences racism, but the end is filled with joy and peace. The main character is Essie Mae, who is really Anne Moody herself. She struggles through the difficulties of racism between the blacks and whites in a small town in Mississippi called Centerville. Her personality changes as her life progresses and the killing begins. Anne Moody is a smart, intelligent, black girl who sits proud on top of the world. This work has a setting that is in central Mississippi during the 1940's through 1960's. It begins on Mr. Carter's plantation where Essie Mae and her family live. Essie Mae 's mama and dad work all the time on the farm, so Essie Mae and her little sister stay at home alone or her uncle George Lee stay with them. George used to beat Essie while her mama and dad were gone to work at the farm. After a while Essie's dad and mama separated, and Essie and her mother moved several times into different homes. Essie's mother married a man named Raymond who was a soldier. By this time Essie's mama had six children and another on the way. Anne was working for a white woman to help her family. She says, "Things seemed to get harder. Mama was always having another baby." Essie was making six dollars a week, and she tried to help her mother buy food so they wouldn't have to eat bread and water every day. As Essie and her family struggled, there was so much killing that Essie decided to spend the summer with her uncle in New Orleans, Louisiana. While in Louisiana she got a job at a cafe. She was only fifteen and a worker had to be eighteen. However, she got the job, but she told one of her co-workers her age. The co-worker told the boss, and Essie got fired. Essie finds out that her name is not Essie Mae, but Anne Moody. People at school still called her Moody. After high school Anne attended Natchez college, she didn't like it because it was small--only three brick, one-story buildings. She 2006-06-01T18:43:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Development-and-Plot-Analysis-in-Coming-of-Age-28978.aspx Analysis of Corruption in Nick Carraway of the Great Gatsby Fitzgerald's dominant theme in The Great Gatsby focuses on the corruption of the American Dream. By analyzing high society during the 1920s through the eyes of narrator Nick Carraway, the author reveals that the American Dream has transformed from a pure ideal of security into a convoluted scheme of materialistic power. In support of this message, Fitzgerald highlights the original aspects as well as the new aspects of the American Dream in his tragic story to illustrate that a once impervious dream is now lost forever to the American people. The foundation qualities of the American Dream depicted in The Great Gatsby are perseverance and hope. The most glorified of these characteristics is that of success against all odds. The ethic of hard work can be found in the life of young James Gatz, whose focus on becoming a great man is carefully documented in his "Hopalong Cassidy" journal. When Mr Gatz shows the tattered book to Nick, he declares, "'Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something. Do you notice what he's got about improving his mind? He was always great for that.'" (pg 182) The journal portrays the continual struggle for self-improvement which has defined the image of America as a land of opportunity. By comparing the young James Gatz to the young Benjamin Franklin, Fitzgerald proves that the American Dream is indeed able to survive in the face of modern society. The product of hard work is the wistful Jay Gatsby, who epitomizes the purest characteristic of the American Dream: everlasting hope. His burning desire to win Daisy's love symbolizes the basis of the old dream: an ethereal goal and a never-ending search for the opportunity to reach that goal. Gatsby is first seen late at night, "standing with his hands in his pockets" and supposedly "out to determine what share [is] his of our local heavens" (pg 25). Nick watches Gatsby's movements and comments: "-he [stretches] out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and as far as I [am] from him I [can swear] he [is] trembling. Involuntarily I [glance] seaward-and [distinguish] nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might [be] the end of the dock." (pg 25) Gatsby's goal gives him a purpose in life and sets him apart from the 2006-06-01T18:41:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Corruption-in-Nick-Carraway-of-the-Great-Gatsby-28977.aspx Comparing Poetry of Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell, both modern poets, have many similarities, not only in their writing, but emotionally as well. Bishop dedicates her poem, “The Armadillo,” to Lowell. Remarkably, Lowell’s poem, “Skunk Hour,” is dedicated to Bishop in the same manner. That is not the only similarity. Both Bishop and Lowell use symbols to convey the relationships between humans and nature. Personification is a most useful method to describe the animals as the animals in their poems are said to represent Bishop and Lowell. They admire each other’s writing and writing techniques, and that makes them unique in the literary world. Poems are very delicate and personal works of literature. All poets go to great lengths to achieve the results they desire when writing a poem. A majority of poems are works of literature that are dedicated to someone or something in some way or another. Some might not physically express that a poem is dedicated to someone, but the characters or the plot in the poem could symbolize a person that only the receiver of the dedication would realize. Both Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell dedicated poems to each other. Both poems use animals to represent symbols, or could possibly represent each other; however, no one knows the answer for sure except the poets themselves: Bishop and Lowell. From the meanings and symbols found in their poems, one could find the missing link to understanding how the poems are very much similar. Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell go together like hand and foot, or clown and circus. As the best of friends, Bishop and Lowell’s attractions to each other’s works does not rest there, but their attractions to each other play a major roll in their writing. Aside from their attractions to each other, Bishop and Lowell shared one common personality trait: “Loneliness” (Bowers). Both had been hurt when they were children in a traumatic manner, but they were able to put those feelings of despair aside and concentrate on their works. Bishop’s attractiveness to Lowell rests in the fact that he “was the leading poet of the day, someone to measure her own work against, even if she openly resisted confessional poetry” (Bowers). As for Lowell, Bishop was “a woman…whose poetry was different enough 2006-06-01T02:59:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Poetry-of-Elizabeth-Bishop-and-Robert-Lowell-28973.aspx Irony in "The Jilting of Granny" by Katherine Anne Porter In the short story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” (repr. in Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson, Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, 8th ed. [Fort Worth: Harcourt, 2002] 272), Katherine Anne Porter uses irony in her portrayal of Ellen “Granny” Weatherall. Porter uses both dramatic irony and situational irony in Ellen’s life and in her death. Porter first uses dramatic irony in how Ellen sees herself to be, and how she actually is. Ellen believes herself to be organized, when she is actually a procrastinator. Ellen reflects that, “It was good to have everything clean and folded away…the day started without fuss and the pantry shelves laid out [in] rows…the bronze clock … nicely dusted off.” (274). Yet, for these things, Ellen continuously mentions “tomorrow”. For example, Ellen reflects that, “There was always so much to be done, let me see: tomorrow.” (273), and “The box in the attic with all those letters tied up, well, she’d have to go through that tomorrow.” (274). Now that Ellen’s time of death has arrived, she thinks, “I meant to do something about the Forty Acres … I meant to finish the altar cloth and send six bottles of wine to Sister Borgia …” (280). For her character to believe that she is organized, she has a lot of thoughts concerning “tomorrow”, and concern over the things that are still undone. Another use of dramatic irony is that Ellen spent so much time preparing for death at sixty years old, and the story is taking place twenty years later. “When she was sixty she had felt very old, finished, and went around making farewell trips to see her children and grandchildren, with a secret in her mind: This is the very last of your mother, children!” (274). Ellen had convinced herself that her time was coming soon. She even made her will. Now, here she is, eighty years old, and finally on her deathbed. Yet, so much time has passed that “she found death in her mind and it felt clammy and unfamiliar.” (274). Porter uses situational irony to show how Ellen’s religious expectations differ from the fulfillment of her death. As her thoughts dance around, Ellen mentions her husband, John. “Why he couldn’t 2006-06-01T02:41:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Irony-in-quot-The-Jilting-of-Granny-quot-by-Katherine-Anne-28971.aspx Adolescent Psychology of Holden Caufield from JD Salinger Adolescence is a complicated time in a person's life. Often, an adolescent does not know where they fit in. As an adolescent Holden Caufield is faced with the harshness and pressures of reality in growing up. A feeling of loneliness and alienation is what typical teenager’s face on their passage towards maturity. Holden Caufield’s psychological battle leads to his destruction amongst his relationships with other people but is really just typical teenage behavior which many feel is a “rite of passage” to maturity. Holden begins his struggle when he drops out of school for his low grades. When Holden decides he will move on with life and move out on his own, he encounters many problems with his relationships. When he decides to stay with his teacher, Mr. Spencer, for the night he comes across his unconcern for what he plans to do with his life. Mr. Spencer says to Holden, “Do you feel absolutely no concern for you future, boy?”(Salinger 14). Holden quickly responds with, “Sure I do”(Salinger 14), but when he thinks about it, he realizes he really does not have much concern. Holden seems like he does not care about where he is going or what he is doing. Holden ends up getting himself from Pencey to New York where he and his sister meet. While with his sister, he sees the little girl in her, so innocent to the world around her, that he thinks it is so depressing. Holden shows his love for Phoebe when he says, “You never saw a kid so pretty and smart in your whole life”(Stalinger 67). Holden feels deep compassion for his sister and tells her to do things he can not do, but later turns around and tells her not to do them. He can not keep strait thoughts and has trouble focussing and accepting true reality. Holden’s dirty and bad habits are typical of teenage behavior in that many teens don not care to be neat and clean. Holden drinks, smokes, swears, and has other nasty habits that don not seem to bother him. Holden drinks to escape the pressure he faces as an adolescent. When he try’s to meet new people at clubs, he always fails because of his behavior and rude remarks. Holden says to some blonde he 2006-06-01T02:16:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Adolescent-Psychology-of-Holden-Caufield-from-JD-Salinger-28966.aspx Julius Ceasar Themes and Plot Development Act I: The play opens humorously with a little word play between Flavius, Marullus, and a few workers. The workers are on their way to see Julius Caesar who has recently returned from his victorious battle against Pompey. The reader immediately sees the dislike the tribunes have towards Caesar and on the other hand, the favor of the commoners. The scene moves to a large gathering where Caesar is the focus. As Caesar converses with Mark Antony, we learn that Caesar is superstitious. The belief in the supernatural and the forces of nature are very prevalent in the play and Caesar's comment is but one example. To keep with the idea of the supernatural, a soothsayer speaks, warning Caesar to beware the Ides of March. He acts as though he is not concerned. After the exchange with the soothsayer, Caesar is offered the crown three times and refuses each time, even though the people are cheering for him to accept the empororship. At the same time, Cassius is trying to convince Brutus that Caesar is too ambitious and should be killed before being allowed to rule the Roman Empire. Brutus, always seeking to do what is right, says that he will not betray his honor and loyalty to Rome. That evening, there are strange and unusual natural occurrences--the weather is very strange and violent and fire falls from the sky. Most of the people believe that the weather is a bad omen, but Cassius disagrees. He uses the unusual weather to reason that it is only for evil men (such as Caesar) who need to be afraid. The plotting against Caesar continues. Act II: Brutus is convinced by Cassius that it is for the good of Rome that Caesar be killed. Some of the other conspirators want to kill other people who are friends of Caesar's, but Brutus feels that it is not necessary to kill anyone else. Only the person responsible for the downfall of Rome should perish in the eyes of Brutus. Caesar is contemplating on whether he should remain home during the Ides of March ( which is March 15, the middle of the month). Calphurinia, Caesar's wife, tells Caesar of the horrible dream she had about his death and that the strange occurrences the night before are a prelude to his death. He agrees to stay until Decius, a conspirator, tells him her dreams were not of his death, but of him saving Rome. Thus he leaves for the Senate despite his wife's pleas. Meanwhile, Artemidorus waits in the streets of Rome for Caesar to pass so he can give him a note warning 2006-06-01T00:11:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Ceasar-Themes-and-Plot-Development-28956.aspx Important Lessons of Character from Short Stories “The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don’t know what to do.” The way Shirley Jackson in “The Lottery” and “The One Who Walks Away From Omelas” by Ursula Leguin uses literary techniques in a very unique way. These two short stories apply to the following quote. This quote means that a person might not know what to do in a situation and but people will judge that person by the way they act. This statement is valid because few people are leaders and stand up for what they believe in. They would all rather be like everyone else and follow them. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The One Who Walks Away From Omelas” by Ursula Leguin are pieces of literature that can be applied to this quote through literary techniques and elements. The two literary techniques that connect the quote with this story are characterization and theme. “The Lottery” is about a town coming together for small town lottery. The word lottery usually means something good. In this short story that is not the case. The lottery in this story means something bad. Every man of the family draws a card out of a box and hopefully it is blank. If they end up getting the card that has a big black dot, then their family has to pick cards out of the box. The one person in that family that gets the card with the big black dot on it they get stoned to death by the rest of the town. This applies to the quote because in the town no one knows what to do when that one person has drawn to be stoned to death. When one person acts and throws the first stone at the particular person everyone else has no idea what to do so they follow everyone else. Shirley Jackson describes the little girl as whinny and trying to get out of being picked for the stoning describes the characterization in this short story. She repeated “it wasn’t fair.” The theme applies to the quote because the citizens. They realize, it has been going on for a long time. They know it has no 2006-06-01T00:03:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Important-Lessons-of-Character-from-Short-Stories-28954.aspx Theme and Poetic Analysis of John Keats's Sonnet "Bright Star" A “Bright Star” by Keats, is a sonnet that shows his infatuation to be with his lover for eternity. The poem’s main theme deals with the love and appreciation of things that are unchanging. This theme is brought up many times in the poem. For example, Keats uses a bright star and the earth to describe his innermost desires to be immortal, unchanged, and rejuvenated. He expresses deep feelings toward his lover, and if he had to live without her, he would welcome death. In the first two lines, Keats shows us that he would love to be around forever and full of life. “Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art” (1). A star implies something that is around forever and unchanging because, in spite of occurrences throughout life, the star will reside in the sky each night. Adding bright to the star shows the importance of life to it and that to be unchanging alone is not enough for admiration. “Not alone splendour hung aloft the night” (2). This line states the bright star is not alone in its brilliance, but is accompanied by other stars. With this line, Keats expresses the importance of companionship and the fear of being alone. “And watching, with eternal lids apart, Like nature’s patient, sleepless Ermite” (3-4). Using the term eternal lids apart projects Keats’ immortality and human characteristics because he cannot see everything and grows tired. If he could be a bright star, he would see his love endlessly without losing desire. Line four compares the earth to the bright star. Like the star, the earth is sleepless and, therefore, full of life and lasting forever. Patient implies the earth’s ability to be unaffected by the events that occur around it. The earth continues its course around the solar system un-waverly. Keats then continues his poem, “The moving waters at their priest like task / Of pure abolition round earth’s human shore’s” (5-6). The water acts as a purifier to the earth like a priest blesses his children. Keats desires to have this quality in order to earn the advantage of revitalizing himself. Keats knows that he is subsequent to change and needs something to return to his pure state. In the next two lines, Keats brings about another quality 2006-05-31T23:14:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-and-Poetic-Analysis-John-Keats-s-Sonnet-Bright-Star-28941.aspx D.H Lawrence's Specific Use of Symbolism in The Virgin and The Gipsy In the book The Virgin and the Gipsy, the author D. H. Lawrence uses symbols so often that, it is almost impossible to read even one page without realizing one. Because the nature of the symbols vary from writer to writer, it is important to see how he uses them in order to explain the story more effectively. Their connection and congruity with the central idea which again refers to the inherent character of the symbols and the techniques he uses to express them is unbelievable. As we see the title of the book, it is a usual question to think about: “Why would an author choose the word virgin to use in the title?” This, points out that, symbols and especially their meaning and usage will occupy a big portion of our brain throughout the process of the reading. The uncertainty about if the gipsy and Yvette have been together at the end of the book may lead us to considering the word as an irony, a symbol or a foreshadowing. Lawrence also gives the characteristics and the true impressions of the other people by using some symbols such as an old toad for Granny and the rector as the representation of the corrupted and degenerated authority and the flood as the purification mechanism of the thoughts and feelings of past in addition to the concept of “virginity” The virginity is one of the greatest symbols in the book as it applies both to the characteristics of Yvette and the relationship between the gipsy and her. The word virginity means unimpacted and intact purity. Because of Yvette’s true feelings which result in her naïve characteristics and behavior, she still has the magical protection shield from the harms of the outer world. That is the actual reason why she is called “the virgin”. In addition to this, she likes the situation she is actually in. She is isolated from the difficulties of life; she still does not know what the real life tastes like. As she says “Get engaged, to any man on earth? No, good heavens, nothing more ridiculous could be imagined!” (74), she is trying to express how happily she can live under the circumstances of being a virgin and therefore away from the real dangers of the world. The irony appears when we think about the end 2006-05-31T19:30:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-The-Virgin-and-The-Gipsy-by-D_H-Lawrence-28939.aspx In 1920s, after WW1, USA went under a radical change and social reform took place. The developments in industrialization caused a decay in moral values. This resulted in materialism’s obliteration of the doctrines and rules of moral duties. Thus, the society was torn apart due to the clash between old and new values. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald reflects the American society during this period and clearly portrays the contrast between traditional and corrupted values by manifesting the distinct character traits, attitudes and habits of the characters; their individual patterns of typical lives and thoughts about the others. Old values represent the traditional life style and are based on morality and virtue. The characteristics of these values are portrayed by some characters, events and settings throughout the book. Firstly, old values give one a sense of right or wrong and an obedience to social conventions. For example, Nick, the narrator of the book who lives according to these values says that he is slow thinking and full of interior rules that act as brakes on his desires. Then he observes the people around him and adds that he is one of the few honest people that he has ever known (64). His ideas show that spiritual values such as self-control, honesty and human respect are significant but rare. Secondly, the old life style includes close and warm friendships that depend on respect and love. Gatsby trusts Nick and shares his secrets with him. They establish a genuine friendship. This emphasizes the importance and scarcity of sincere relationships. Furthermore, the old life style is characterized by a certain modesty in which wealth and public show of it are not the only sources of validation. This way of life is illustrated by the settings of the book. For instance, West Egg, where Nick and Gatsby live, corresponds to the traditional life style. Nick describes this place and writes: “I lived at West Egg, the-well, the less fashionable of the two. (...) My own house was an eye-sore but it was a small eye-sore and it had been overlooked”(9).We understand that this place is associated by old-fashioned stability, modesty and frugality; concepts that are meaningful according to the old moral code. On the other hand, after WW1 as people got away from the traditional life style, their moral considerations were suspended. These changes are illustrated by the personalities, behavior and life styles 2006-05-31T19:26:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Contrasting-Values-in-the-Great-Gatsby-28938.aspx Cultural Themes in the Characters of "Things Fall Apart" The book Things Fall Apart is about Okonkwo, a strong man whose life is dominated by anger and fear. It is about the rise and fall of this great man due to unforeseen events that occur. In my paper I will discuss the cultural aspects of the book, the themes of the story, and my personal opinions of the book itself. The story takes place in a village, located in Nigeria, named Umuofia. Umoufia is the most feared village in Nigeria and is know for its strength and for war. The people of Umuofia were of the Ibo religion. They believed in one great god, called Chukwu, lesser gods, and ancestors. They would worship these gods and ancestors for various reasons such as for better harvests, fertility, to get out of debt, and for health. Society in Umuofia was built on status. To obtain high status in this community, one must possess the qualities of strength, wealth, and war. One must also have taken at least one of the four titles. Men who had not taken a title were considered agbala, meaning a man with no title, or a woman. Men were the head of the households and often had more than one wife. The man and his wives would stay on the same compound, but in different huts with their children. The women would clean, cook, and raise the children, while the men worked on the harvest. If women helped with the harvest, they would grow small crops such as rice and beans, while the men grew yams. And this is how it was; this was village life before the European invasion. One of the important themes of this story was that of overcoming adversity within oneself and stepping out of someone else’s shadow. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father, was lazy and incapable of thinking about the future. He was irresponsible with money, often spending it on wine. He was always in debt and owed everyone money. Unoka was a failure. Unoka was poor and his family would sometimes go hungry. He was also a coward and hated war. Okonkwo hated his father and was ashamed of him. He had become the exact opposite of him. Okonkwo was cut out of great things. He thrived on war. He had won fame 2006-05-31T19:01:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cultural-Themes-in-the-Characters-of-quot-Things-Fall-Apart-28937.aspx Charles Dickens' use of Foreshadowing in "Tale of Two Cities" In Charles Dickens’, Tale of Two Cities, the author repeatedly foreshadows the impending revolution. In Chapter Five of Book One, Dickens includes the breaking of a wine cask to show a large, impoverished crowd gathered in a united cause. Later, we find find Madame Defarge symbolically knitting, what we come to find out to be, the death warrants of the St. Evremonde family. Also, after Marquis is murdered for killing the small child with his horses, we come to see the theme of revenge that will become all too common. The author uses vivid foreshadowing to paint a picture of civil unrest among the common people that will come to lead to the French Revolution. In Chapter Five of Book One, Dickens includes the breaking of a wine cask to show a large, impoverished crowd gathered in a united cause. At this point in the novel, Lucie Mannette and Mr. Lorry had just arrived in Paris to find Lucie’s father. The author appears to get off of the subject to describe the breaking of the wine cask. This however, is much more significant than it would first appear. Outside of a wine-shop, a wine cask is broken in the street. Many people rush around the puddle on the ground trying to scoop it up and drink as much as they can. Dickens describes the rush to the spilled wine by saying “The people within reach had suspended their business, or their idleness to run to the spot and drink the wine... some men kneeled down, made scoops with their two hands joined and sipped.”(Dickens 27). This goes to show how desperate the people are. The quote also infers that many people are unemployed. As a joke, a man writes the word “BLOOD” on a wall next to where the cask broke open. This foreshadows the violence of the unruly mobs later in the novel. This scene points out how impoverished the people of Paris are and how rowdy a crowd can become when they are unified under a united cause. Later, we find find Madame Defarge symbolically knitting, what we come to find out to be, the death warrant of the St. Evremonde family. Madame Defarge was a very hateful character. She hated the upper-class and was never able to get past this hatred. Thus, she and her husband become leaders 2006-05-31T18:46:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Charles-Dickens-use-of-Foreshadowing-in-quot-Tale-of-Two-C-28932.aspx The Merchant of Venice and Anti-Sematic Themes It is interesting how social norms change over time. The Merchant of Venice was written in either 1596 or 1597. The audience of that era had 2006-05-31T18:43:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Merchant-of-Venice-and-Anti-Sematic-Themes-28931.aspx Analyis of Language and Symbolism in Mac Laverty's Work Explain carefully the significance of the title, "Lamb." The word “lamb” has a number of meanings and associations; young sheep; its meat; innocent child; helpless person. Excluding meat, Mac Laverty explores all these associations of the word. Many ideas in the novel are related to the title, but the author is a lot more subtle in approach at conveying some of these than others. The first obvious reason is that the two main characters are both called Lamb - Michael Lamb and Owen. We find that Owen means lamb in Gaelic when Brother Sebastian had told him that their stars were crossed. “Star-crossed” means destined by fate to bad luck and misfortune. This proves to be true for Owen. Not only are Michael and Owen both called Lamb, but they can also both be described by the word, having a difference emphasise on it’s meaning in each incident. As you read through the novel, it becomes more and more apparent that Michael is a helpless man. Mac Laverty portrays Michael as a wholly convincing picture of a good man. But Michael is also slightly stupid and very naïve. Whilst he is aware of the randomness by which any of us is given a stable background rather than Owen’s nightmare one, he is totally lost in the world of bureaucracy and is not at all street-wise. This is evident throughout the novel, like when he falls victim to the London card-sharpers, and his slowness to recognise the true character of Haddock. Owen is an innocent child. He is seen as “A loner walking the perimeter wire.” He has been mistreated by family which is probably why he compares the Home to a prison. The novel deals heavily with Christianity, which is expected as Mac Laverty is Irish. This conjures up new ideas of the word “lamb”. In Christianity, the bible talks of Jesus as being “the holy lamb.” Before Jesus came to live on earth, the bible tells us that people had to make sacrifices of animals (like lambs), in order to be cleansed and forgiven of their sins. When Jesus died on the cross, it was seen as him being the ultimate sacrifice, the holy lamb of God. God, the father, was sacrificing 2006-05-31T18:20:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analyis-of-Language-and-Symbolism-in-Mac-Laverty-s-Work-28923.aspx The Popularity of Fiction Through Film and Literature Novels are made for informing or maybe for entertainment. Movies also can be used to inform or entertain. But they both are a way to communicate to people in some way or another. In literature to inform people there are autobiographies written and for film making there are documentaries presented in the theater or at a specific time on television. But the majority of audiences will direct themselves to one genre of literature and one genre of film making and that is fiction. Fiction is a faculty for wonder. Why is fiction a big mediator? In both literature and filmmaking the same elements are used to make the story or novel fiction. There will always be an antagonist (main character) struggling against a protagonist (enemy to the main character). The protagonist can be a physical being to be defeated or the antagonist’s personal inner struggles. A plot is essential to covey thoughts of the reader or audience to discover the idea of the story. These are also other validities to interpret a fictional novel or film they are setting, symbolism, point of view, theme, and irony that make a story fiction. In analyzing fiction in both the literary world and film world examples are essential. For comparison and contrast the movie The Matrix and the novel Gulliver’s Travels will be used. The Matrix is based on a world of technology gone wrong and the absence of reality. Gulliver’s Travels is based on the travel narratives of a lost ship captain. Fiction can be thought of as imagination. It can be a detailed story that was conjured by the creativity of a person. The protagonist found in the Matrix is named Neo. He is thought of as the Messiah. He was searched for because he was thought to be able to free the minds of imprisoned people within the computer-generated reality by artificial intelligence that took over the world. The machine is the antagonist but there can be another antagonist with in the story. Sometimes antagonists are not always physical objects or beings; there could be a self-conflict. Neo has to believe he is this Messiah that everyone thinks he is. But he is confused and he battles with trying to understand the world he has been given so suddenly. In Gulliver’s Travels Swift uses the character Gulliver to be the narrator. Gulliver is 2006-05-31T02:22:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Popularity-of-Fiction-Through-Film-and-Literature-28901.aspx [color=red:1f0ee0cda9][i:1f0ee0cda9]Criticism of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud[/i:1f0ee0cda9][/color:1f0ee0cda9] [color=indigo:1f0ee0cda9]According to Freud, the human psyche may be divided into three components: the id, the unconscious room of desires and impulses; the superego, the moral censor; and the ego, the conscious self that tries to balance between the disagreeing demands of id and superego. Literature, according to Freud, is seen as the wish fulfillment of desires and wishes denied by the reality principle or banned by ethical systems. These unconscious desires find symbolic expression in art exactlyexcatly as in dreams. Art is sublimation, the translation of instinctual desires into higher aims, and the goal of psychoanalytic criticism is to reveal the latent content of the work that underlies and determines its visible content. Freud's impact on the criticism and theory of literature has been and is still considerable. Ernest Jones uses the notion of the Oedipus complex -- the desire of a boy 2006-05-26T16:33:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Criticism-of-Psychoanalysis,-Sigmund-Freud-28890.aspx The Fall of The House of Usher Edgar Allan Poe'd 'The 2006-05-26T16:24:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Fall-of-The-House-of-Usher-Edgar-Alan-Poe-28889.aspx As the title might suggest, ethical criticism is a discipline in artwork that focuses on the ethical and moral effect of any given literary text on the reader. In this sense, ethical critics think that it is literature's job to teach the moral lesson and, in a sequence, they reductively transform every text into a moral fable (story). Those very critics believe that such didactic values would be absorbed by the reader whether consciously or subconsciously. The question that might raise itself here is: How can one read ethically? Well, the answer is easy. If somebody is meant to be reading ethically, he/she should occupy their emotions and imagination with the text they read; they also should develop certain ethical standards by finishing reading the text. Another question might be moved up here is: How can a reader be sure 2006-05-26T16:21:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ethical-Criticism-in-Artwork-28888.aspx [size=18:b738bb1693][color=violet:b738bb1693]Writing as a woman is logically different from writing as a man for a number of reasons. The various biological, cultural, experimental, and physical factors are one reason, so women have a psychology and a biology that is different from men's one. Besides, women who live pariarchal societies do write differently too, and as we all know, such societies neglect women and oppress them. All these circumstances led many women to write within the constrain of patriarchy Therefore, it is not strange when we hear that some female writeres wrote their literary works under fictious names. For instance, Mary Ann Evans, in order to coceal her gender used a name of a man which is George Eliot. Emily Bronty too used the name Ellias Bill for the same purpose. Thus, when we are reading for a female writer we expect her to be 2006-05-26T16:17:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Writing-as-a-woman--28886.aspx Charlotte Perkins Gilman and the Feminization of Education Within the last decade or so, Charlotte Perkins Gilman has been lexperiencing something of a renaissance. While this prominent turn-of-the-century intellectual leader languished in obscurity until Carl Degler resurrected her in the mid-1950's, today there are two biographies, two collections of her writings, numerous literary criticisms; and "The Yellow Wallpaper' proclaims her "feminist manifesto," not only in print but as adapted for Masterpiece Theater, the opera, and the ballet.l Why all the renewed interest in Gilman? According to Mary Hill and Ann Lane, the answers lie in the life experiences of a rather extraordinary woman who waged a lifelong battle against the restrictive patriarchal social codes for women in late nineteenth-century America. From this battle, Gilman developed a controversial conception of womanhood. Born in 1860, Gilman, a self-educated intellectual, dedicated her life to serving humanity. When her lover unexpectedly proposed, she was suddenly torn between work and marriage. After years of debating whether to marry or not to marry, she consented and to the best of her abilities assumed the traditional roles of wife and mother, only to suffer a debilitating nervous breakdown. When her treatment of total rest drove her close to insanity, she was cured by removing herself physically from her home, husband, and finally her child, and by engaging in and writing about the social movements of the day. Using her extraordinary life experiences as a female within a patriarchal system, Gilman redefined womanhood, declaring women the equal of men in all spheres of life. This "new woman" was to be an intelligent, well-informed, and well-educated free thinker, the creator and expresser of her own ideas. She was to be economically self-sufficient, socially independent, and politically active. She would share the opportunities, duties, and responsibilities of the workplace with men, and together they would share the solitude of the hearth. Finally, the new woman was to be as informed, assertive, confident, and influential as she was compassionate, nurturing, loving, sensitive--a woman of the world as well as of the home. Gilman's vision of an autonomous female challenged not only the traditional "cult of true womanhood" but the concepts and values of family, home, religion, community, capitalism, and democracy. Moreover, Gilman's writings about these tensions and struggles between marriage and career, social expectations, and personal goals continue to impact women's decisions to day, while illuminating her arguments for abating them has greatly 2006-05-26T15:46:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Charlotte-Perkins-Gilman-and-the-Feminization-of-Education-28882.aspx [color=violet:4f7de18fd9][i:4f7de18fd9][size=24:4f7de18fd9]A man can be destroyed, but not defeated[/size:4f7de18fd9]"[/i:4f7de18fd9][/color:4f7de18fd9] [size=18:4f7de18fd9][i:4f7de18fd9][color=black:4f7de18fd9]The Old Man and the Sea is a tale about an old Cuban fisherman and his three-day battle with a giant Marlin. Through the use of an outstanding theme: ''A man can be destroyed, but not defeated,'' The Old Man and the Sea" strives to teach important life lessons to the reader. In the story Santiago's bravery is supreme, yet it is not until he hooks the "great fish" that we truly see his courage and persistence. At first, Santiago's dilemma seems quite hopeless. He has gone eighty-four days without catching a fish, and he is the butt of all the jokes of his small village people, who nicknamed him 'salao 'or 'desafortunado' since he did not catch any fish for a long period. Nonetheless, he gave their insulting words a cold shoulder and went on fishing, relying only on God. Moreover, reading Hemingway's words about his hero in which he says: '' every thing about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated'' P.6, highlights the notion that Santiago was triumphant and victorious. Metaphorically speaking, if someone's eyes are glimmering and are bright, this means that he is having a strong well and persistence regardless of how much his body seems pale or tired, which is typical to Santiago's case. Although Santiago has had many troubles he keeps on. He has faith in Manolin, in the Yankees, in Joe DiMaggio, and most importantly in himself. This is perhaps his greatest attribute because without it he would never have had the strength to persevere and defeat the giant sharks. Some might argue and say that he was defeated as he is the one who said: 'they beat me Manolin they truly beat me' P. 112. However, I respond to them by saying: It is the physical defeat that the old man is being ill with and is suffering of, but as far as his faith, spirit, and persistence are concerned he is still well-built and is willing to fight more and more and he is the one who said, I argue, 'fight them' I'll fight them until I die' P. 104. In addition, he is the one who said ' It is silly not to hope, besides I believe it is a sin'' P. 94 De hecho, I see that we 2006-05-26T15:39:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-man-can-be-destroyed-but-not-defeated-28881.aspx [size=18:97082c6a39][i:97082c6a39][color=green:97082c6a39]Throughout history, almost all women have been treated unjustly in terms of their own rights. Even the layman can tell that women have been portrayed as 'week ', 'helpless', and 'un thoughtful'' by reading literature or even observing women's life in previous eras. However, in 1879, Henrik Ibsen took the first step in attempting to change that negative icon about women and alter it into positive one in readers' minds. The role Nora plays in his masterpiece A Doll's House is a perfect example about this revolution against the society that imposes on women substandard roles, ignoring her own character and identity. The following paper will attempt to shed light on this issue: Nora's rebellion against her society with attempting to answer a number of questions such as: What are the various stereotypical images about women that exist in A Doll's House? Why did Nora rebel against her society in the first place? Was her society really unfair towards her? Society norms and standards of Norway at the period of the nineteenth century had its own impact on men's and women's life, particularly on married couple’s lives. Such norms give men the whole right to behave as being the superior and women as being the inferior. In A Doll's House, this was pretty clear through the character of Trovald Helmer, Nora's husband, who used to deal with her as if she is one of his belongings. David Thomas goes so far as to say “Trovald unthinkingly lives out his role as the authoritarian husband, as men were far more likely to be dominated by the social prejudices of their day'' Thus, it is clear that such society set up certain roles for men and women. Ibsen highlights this claim by giving Trovald the dominant role over Nora which is sometimes almost comic in its intensity. For instance, in act I, she eats the Macaroons secretly, simply because Trovald, her husband, forbids her to eat such candy, claiming that it hurts her teeth. What are the various stereotypical images A Doll's House reflect about women? In the nineteenth century, a woman was expected to be a conventional subservient house wife, the play portrays Nora as this right from the very beginning until her awakening. For instance, in the first scene, we see her coming back from shopping and she was eating some candy. However, she was eating it secretly, she was afraid that her husband 2006-05-26T15:33:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nora-s-Rebellion-Against-society-28880.aspx Wordsworth’s After Thought represents a typical application for the deconstruction theory. It includes a number of binaries like: permanence, transience/ form, content/ function, existence, manhood, childhood, etc. Traditionally speaking, content is privileged over form and manhood is privileged over childhood. However, in this poem, the poet priterises form over content. In this sense, Wordsworth espouses the typically Romantic structure of the opposition. Form is basic and everlasting while content is short-lived and momentary. Nevertheless, in terms of human dichotomy, the order is different. What survives is ‘Something from our hand’, something we make and it could be: a poem, a portrait, or a painting. Wordsworth again insists that what ever lasts is not the content. Instead it is the form. By this endorsement, Wordsworth is redrafting what Plato had said about content and form significance. In his 3 last lines, Wordsworth confirms the notion of permanence and this can be touched 2006-05-26T15:24:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/William-Wordsworth-s-After-thought-28879.aspx Modernism Essay Modernism as a theory refers to love to whatever is modern. It has to do with a literary writing. It aims at a deep-seated alteration from outer issues to more philosophical ones. When we have a cocktail of literary genres such as realism, humanism, naturalism, etc, this means that we are working as modernist writers or critics. According to Modernist upholders, God is responsible for nature. They believe also that 2006-05-26T14:33:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/What-is-Modernism--28878.aspx J.D. Salinger was, and still is, one of the most dynamical and effective writers of the 20th century. With his book, The Catcher in the Rye, he practices the essence of freedom of speech, and yet, also creating a lot of controversy in the Literature world. Our reactions to his book with censoring and harsh eschew reaction leads to only one question, why and what? Why did Salinger choose this style of expression and what was he trying to express. Both of these topics will be discussed in depth in this essay. The fact that, through the character Holden Caulfield, Salinger is portraying how people grow from youth to adults will also be discussed. Holden Caulfield, the seventeen-year-old narrator of this novel, addresses the reader directly from a mental hospital in California. He wants to tell the reader about the events that took place over a two-day period in New York. Holden, he first talks about his older brother, D.B., who was once a “terrific” short-story writer but now has sold out and writes scripts in Hollywood. The body of the novel follows. It is a long flashback, constructed through Holden’s memory. The entire story is basicly Holden looking back on his actions and reflecting on them. How he intereacted with everyone on his little rebelious adventure away from structure and adults and showing us how this played out. The Catcher in the Rye expressed through Caulfield, how young people grew to be adults in the author’s oppinion during its time of publication. One of Salinger’s ways of expression through his main character, Holden Caulfiled, is through Holden’s reflections on events. As Holden once said, "Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone. I know that's impossible, but it's too bad anyway" (Salinger 121). His reflections on change are very negative, showing through these, that he is at the state of imaturity in his life. He does not know yet, that change is going to happen, and you need to adapt in order to become an adult. Salinger’s method of using a different style than other popular, and more accepted more books for his time, is another way of expression. A critic, Phillip Roth details how “…the figure of the writer has lately come to be placed directly in the reader’s 2006-05-23T19:11:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Salinger’s-Method-of-Expression-28871.aspx Homer’s: The story of The Iliad and The Odyssey And the Gods The stories told in the Iliad and Odyssey are based on stories handed down over several generations, for they preserve (as we have seen) memories of an already quiet far distant past. The two pomes show clear connection in their language and style, in the manner in which their incidents presented, and in the combination of agreement with level, which distinguish their creation. The work was written by one author but gave two diverse views on the nature of the Olympian Gods, their relationship to humankind, and the general lot of mortals throughout their all too brief lives. For the reason that of these differences, both novels end up sending, different messages about life in general. In the Iliad, the supernatural denizens of Olympus are representing as false, power-hungry, and above all unreliable beings that are always at each other's throats. Factionalism abounds, and neither the bonds of marriage, nor the ties of relationship can contain keep it under control. A great example is when Ares betrays his mother, Hera, and his sister, Athene, by aiding the Trojans instead of the Greeks. When he is revealed, Athena strikes him down in battle through Diomedes. In the Odyssey, however, the Gods of Olympus display far more unity and civility toward each other. They argue and disagree, but their disagreements are never carried out to the extremes found in the Iliad. When Poseidon punishes Odysseys for blinding the Cyclopes, Athena does not take revenge. Even though Odyssey's is her favorite human, she respects Poseidon's right to punish him. In addition, the betrayal among the Gods that is so prevalent in the Iliad, is nowhere to be found in the Odyssey. In Iliad, Hera, enters into a plan with Poseidon, Aphrodite, and Morpheus to aid the Greeks by putting Zeus to sleep thus rendering him unable to help his beloved Trojans. Not anything like this event can be found in the Odyssey. The role of the Gods in the affairs of humanity is much greater in the Iliad then in the Odyssey. In the Iliad, the Olympians are continually interfering in the conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans. At best, they view mortals as hilarious pets to be cared for, played with, and loved. At worst, humans are just trade in to be dragging your feet around, sacrificed, and set against each other 2006-05-17T23:17:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Homer’s-The-story-of-28855.aspx Im the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm the manIm 2006-05-16T22:08:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tale-of-Two-Cities--28854.aspx [color=red:fcaead0a4e]The Yellow Wallpaper is the short story of a harrowing and unpleasant journey thru depression into insanity. It is based on Charlotte Gilman’s own experience depression. The narrator of the story is a potential writer who becomes ill and is forced by her doctor husband to abide to bed and take a rest cure. Completely secluded, her mind creates a world inside the wall paper in her room- a world in which a woman is trapped and unable to escape. By the beginning of the story, the narrator appears to be rational; she appreciates her surrounding and admires the view of the garden. However, by the end of the story she clearly loses her mind and gets insane. For me, her doctor husband’s decision to isolate her and prevent her from participating in many activities that she likes is absolutely a foolish and 2006-05-09T16:50:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Yellow-Wallpaper--28818.aspx From earliest infancy, an individual’s character is molded by experience. In Gustave Flaubert’s novel entitled Madame Bovary, Emma’s unorthodox behavior during her married life can be attriuted to the illusions she maintained about life during her girlhood. These, combined with her father’s disinterest in her mental happiness become the force which eventually leads Emma Bovary to commit suicide. When she was 13 years old, Pere Rouault took his daughter, Emma, to town to put her in a convent where she would receive an education. She received more than her father bargained for. All that Emma later believed love should be, she learned from books there, mostly from romance novels lent to her and the other girls by an old maid who worked for the convent. In the fine pages of those books, Emma read of parted lovers, excitement, romance, knights in armor, and ladies in white satin dresses. These novels painted a world where palm trees and pine trees lived together, where lions and tigers roamed the forest, with Roman Ruins surrounded by virgin forests and lakes full of swans. "And the shaded oil-lamp . . . lit up all these pictures of the world, which flowed by on after another, in the silence of the dormitory, to the distant sound of a late cab somewhere still rolling along the boulevards." (page 30) In short, Emma fell in love with a world that never existed anywhere. She embraced the elegance of the life in the pictures which she had hung in her dormitory, and never did anyone tell her that such realities did not exist outside those pages. Wishing for the impossible she was never satisfied with the here and now. She could not find happiness, and when Charles came along she was already depressed with life, and was looking for anything to take her away in search of the things she was looking for. Even Emma’s father contributed to her future unhappiness. He didn’t particularly like the idea of having Charles as a son-in-law, how could he expect her to love him as a husband? As her father, he should have not let her marry a man she could never be happy with. He thought him "weedy", however, since he was short 2006-05-04T16:53:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Madame-Bovary-Biography-and-Her-Suicide-28794.aspx The novel Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert has many lessons hidden in seemingly ordinary dialogue, or scenes in the text. One of the most memorable and powerful passages contains what is a veritable moral of the novel. In the last third of the book, Emma Bovary’s life goes on a rapid downward spiral, and in one significant scene, she reflects on her life, past, and what she has learned from her affairs. One line strikes the reader: "everything was a lie!" This avowal can be applied to many different situations in the novel, and can be said to be the chief lesson Flaubert wishes to incorporate. In this passage, Emma remembers her past, a time when she was more innocent and perhaps less preoccupied with her troubles. She remembers her time in the convent as a young girl—a time when she was happy and passionate about life, for awhile. Then she grew bored with the ordinary life of a student in a convent, and the stories of love and passion called to her more than ever. She remembers how she had longed for the love affairs that she had read about in her romance novels, and how she had imagined her future. She recalls how her imagination had carried her away into the depths of the story; perhaps it is her imagination that is at fault for implanting these ideas in her head. Life certainly has not turned out the way she dreamed. Next, she remember the few precious moments in her life: the waltzes, lovers, etc. She then decides that she was never happy. Even though Emma has just listed several of the most happy moments in her life, she feels that life is simply not satisfying. The tone throughout this passage conveys what Emma feels—betrayal, sadness, and anger. These three tones are very important throughout the novel. Also, the sentiments she expresses are ironic—she recognizes that her dreams will never come true, and yet she clings to them. In the end though Flaubert expresses his cynical outlook, which Emma shares: "each smile hid a yawn of boredom…" Emma also ponders why she feels that everything she touches turns to dust. Next, she imagines the man of her dreams, and not surprisingly, he 2006-05-04T16:52:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Madame-Bovary-and-Truth--28793.aspx The novel Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert has many lessons hidden in seemingly ordinary dialogue, or scenes in the text. One of the most memorable and powerful passages contains what is a veritable moral of the novel. In the last third of the book, Emma Bovary’s life goes on a rapid downward spiral, and in one significant scene, she reflects on her life, past, and what she has learned from her affairs. One line strikes the reader: "everything was a lie!" This avowal can be applied to many different situations in the novel, and can be said to be the chief lesson Flaubert wishes to incorporate. In this passage, Emma remembers her past, a time when she was more innocent and perhaps less preoccupied with her troubles. She remembers her time in the convent as a young girl—a time when she was happy and passionate about life, for awhile. Then she grew bored with the ordinary life of a student in a convent, and the stories of love and passion called to her more than ever. She remembers how she had longed for the love affairs that she had read about in her romance novels, and how she had imagined her future. She recalls how her imagination had carried her away into the depths of the story; perhaps it is her imagination that is at fault for implanting these ideas in her head. Life certainly has not turned out the way she dreamed. Next, she remember the few precious moments in her life: the waltzes, lovers, etc. She then decides that she was never happy. Even though Emma has just listed several of the most happy moments in her life, she feels that life is simply not satisfying. The tone throughout this passage conveys what Emma feels—betrayal, sadness, and anger. These three tones are very important throughout the novel. Also, the sentiments she expresses are ironic—she recognizes that her dreams will never come true, and yet she clings to them. In the end though Flaubert expresses his cynical outlook, which Emma shares: "each smile hid a yawn of boredom…" Emma also ponders why she feels that everything she touches turns to dust. Next, she imagines the man of her dreams, and not surprisingly, he 2006-05-04T16:51:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Madame-Bovary-and-Truth--28792.aspx Pride And Prejudice: Why I Like This Book Elizabeth is a wonderful heroine. She is witty and observant, which makes her an appropriate focus for a social comedy. From the beginning it is clear that she understands people much better than the rest of the family, except perhaps her father. It is only when she meets Mr. Darcy that she is forced to acknowledge that her judgments of people might not be as clear as she believes. She judges that he is a proud, distasteful man, which is reasonably accurate for the early stages of the novel, but as she makes this judgment before she truly knows him, she is prejudiced in this judgment. Darcy is proud of course, and it is fun to see his presence highlight the vulgarity of country society. Society is described brilliantly, not just the details of the small-mindedness of the people, but also for the reactions of the rich townsfolk, both Mr. Bingley's sisters and lady Catherine de Burgh. Lady Catherine is a brilliant character, personifying the snobberies of old money, and the ever-present rift between the old and the young. Of all the people that she condescends to talk to, Elizabeth is the only one with whom she has met her match. There is also an indication that Darcy does not feel the need to toady up to her, probably because he is her social equal, but also because he is richer than her. There is of course the age-old struggle between men and women. The course of true love running ever roughly onwards. There is the cad Mr Wickham, who is unable to catch a rich wife, and finds himself eloping and forced to marry Lydia Bennet. I find it hard to judge who I feel more sorry for out of the pair, but ultimately I have to conclude that they deserve one another, a fact that Austen makes clear for us. Then there is Mr Bingley and Jane, she too modest to attempt to secure him while she could, and then loosing him for a time to his sister's machinations. This relationship is the most innocent of the book, as both are so accommodating and refuse to see the bad in people. In contrast, Elizabeth and Mr Darcy are both perhaps too quick to see people's faults, which makes their courtship a rocky one. Overall however, the girls end up with the 2006-05-04T16:49:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pride-And-Prejudice-Why-I-Like-This-Book-28791.aspx Prejudice, in its ordinary and literal sense, is prejudging any question without having sufficiently examined it, and adhering to our opinion upon it through ignorance, malice, or perversity, in spite of every evidence to the contrary. The little that we know has a strong alloy of misgivings and uncertainty in it; the mass of things of which we have no means of judging, but of which we form a blind and confident opinion, as if we were thoroughly acquainted with them, is monstrous. Prejudice is the child of ignorance: for as our actual knowledge falls short of our desire to know, or curiosity and interest in the world about us, so must we be tempted to decide upon a greater number of things at a venture; and having no check from reason or inquiry, we shall grow more obstinate and bigoted in our conclusions, according as we have been rash and presumptuous. The absence of proof, instead of suspending our judgment, only gives us an opportunity of making things out according to our wishes and fancies; mere ignorance is a blank canvas, on which we lay what colours we please, and paint objects black or white, as angels or devils, magnify or diminish them at our option; and in the vacuum either of facts or arguments, the weight of prejudice and passion falls with double force, and bears down everything before it. If we enlarge the circle of our previous knowledge ever so little, we may meet with something to create doubt and difficulty; but as long as we remain confined to the cell of our native ignorance, while we know nothing beyond the routine of sense and custom, we shall refer everything to that standard, or make it out as we would have it to be, like spoiled children who have never been from home, and expect to find nothing in the world that does not accord with their wishes and notions. It is evident that the fewer things we know, the more ready we shall be to pronounce upon and condemn, what is new and strange to us; that is, the less capable we shall be of varying our conceptions, and the more prone to mistake a part for the whole. What we do not understand the meaning of, must necessarily appear to us ridiculous and contemptible; and we do not stop to inquire, till we have been 2006-05-04T16:42:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-On-Prejudice-quot--28788.aspx Jane Austen was born in 1775 in Hampshire. Her father was a vicar and she had six brothers and a sister. At the age of sixteen she started writing humorous novels. In 1813 she published ‘Pride and Prejudice’. She never got married and she died in 1817 at the age of forty-two. Jane Austen thought that the situation that should be written about is ‘two or three families living together in a country village’. She never wrote about environments she did not know about and only wrote about gentry like herself. That is why the characters in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ are middle class people, like landowners, vicars, and officers. She does not mention servants much. Marriage in Jane Austen’s society marriage is the status all the women strive to achieve. Money and looks are essential for a good marriage, youthfulness also counts. If a woman never got married, because of lacking money or looks, she would go and live with a married sister or brother. If she did not have any brothers or sisters to live with, she would become a governess. ‘Pride and Prejudice’s’first sentence, ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,’ introduces the theme of marriage, and money, in an ironic way. Jane Austen starts off using intellectual sounding words to introduce the hunt for a rich husband. The sentence contains a mixture of comedy, humour and irony that will continue throughout the novel. In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ we see two established marriages, the Bennets and the Gardiners. Throughout the novel four other marriages take place, Lydia with Wickham, Charlotte with Mr Collins, Elizabeth with Darcy, and Jane with Bingley. Mr and Mrs Bennet have been married for twenty-three years, but they do not really communicate with each other. They have five unmarried daughters. Mr Bennet has a good sense of humour and likes to tease his wife. He pretends not to understand her. He makes outrageous statements that his wife believes. He does not demonstrate any affection towards his wife and is tired of the way she behaves. Mrs Bennet does not get upset when she is the object of her husband’s sarcasm and is not intelligent enough to discriminate between important and trival information. When she is frustrated she complains about her nerves. Mrs Bennet does not understand Mr Bennet, 2006-05-04T16:40:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pride-and-Prejudice-3-essay-28787.aspx Comparison of Parent-Child Relationship in Two Novels: "Where Are You Going, Where Have you Been" and "In the Gloaming" The Parent-Child relationship in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been, written by Joyce Carol Oates and in In the Gloaming, written by Alice Elliott Dark are two different demonstrations of relationships that parents and children have with one another. In Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been the Parent-Child Relationship was strained and distant in In the Gloaming, the Parent-Child Relationship was close and open. In Where Have You Been, Where Are You Going? Connie and her mother were always having conflicts with each other. Connie was a very beautiful girl and Connie thought her mother was jealous of her beauty. Her mother was probably not jealous of Connie but concerned and thought she would attract the wrong attention. Connie’s mom constantly made remarks about Connie’s makeup and how her hairspray smelt. Connie’s mother often ridiculed Connie when Connie looked in the mirror by saying, “Stop gawking at yourself., who do you think you are? You think you are so pretty.” Connie would become so angry with her mother, she even wished her mother dead. Connie never liked to speak to her mother and did not want to be around her mother. In the presence of her mother Connie could not be herself so when she was away from her mother she would act and dress inappropriate for a 15 year old girl. Connie’s motivation for dressing provocatively was to attract attention from boys. Unbeknownst to Connie her mother was right, looking and dressing inappropriate would eventually cause Connie extreme danger. In the story In the Gloaming the Parent-Child Relationship was very different. Instead of being strained and distant the relationship are strong and loving. Laird’s mother was a compassionate mother who was so determined to make her son happy that it became an obsession. The only thing Laird’s mother cared about and thought about was making Laird happy. Laird and his mother often talked at enormous length about life, love and happiness. Laird’s mother was extremely open with Laird about her life. Laird also enjoyed talking to his mother about life, love and dreams. The dialogue between Laird and his mother would often become very personal. Laird was always thinking about his mother. Laird always wanted to know what she cared about and always wanted his mother’s 2006-05-02T13:53:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-of-Parent-Child-Relationship-in-Two-Novels-28777.aspx Just 2006-05-01T19:40:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/5-Hurricanes-in-Their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God-28772.aspx “Sometimes he sat mute and unmoving all morning or crawled about the schoolroom floor oblivious to the other children or to his teacher.” The book Dibs is a testimony of a child who seemed to be mentally retarded because he has created his own world inside of him. In her book, Virginia Axline proves that the therapy by the play is a way of curing people such as Dibs. During her book, she gives lecture to the reader of a recording taken from the sessions with the little child. During this expose, we will develop Dib’s relation with adults in particular his teachers, parents and grand mother. Then we will analyze another relation: the one with his therapist. In the second part the phenomena of rejection will be analyzed in both sides: in the mother and the father side but also with Dibs itself. Later, we will try to understand which role play therapy had occurred on Dibs change. When the books starts, Dibs is in the school since two years. At the beginning he refused to talk. Sometimes he could stay dumb and still during an entire morning. Other times, he could have violent bout of anger when it was time to go back home, which provoked towards teachers and director of the school a big anxiety. Was he mentally retarded? Was he suffering of a mental illness since his birth? Did his brain have received a shock? No one knew, even his parents who always refused to talk about their son’s attitude. But as the author, Virginia Axline, said “there was something about Dibs behavior that defied the teachers to categorize him, glibly and routinely, and send him on his way. His behavior was so uneven. At one time, he seemed to be extremely retarded mentally. Another time he would quickly and quietly do something that indicated he might even have superior intelligence” (Axline, Virginia Dibs in search of Self, 15). The staff meeting of class finally decide to help Dibs and to do something for him. It is at this point that the Doctor Virginia Axline, “specialized in working with children and parents” is called. Dibs relationship with his teachers was non existent. His reaction was the one of an assisted person. When it was going-home time, the child used to stay in the class without a gesture waiting for the teachers to put his coat on 2006-04-30T07:23:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dibs-by-Virginia-Axline--28766.aspx Many Hidden Messages in The Red Convertible The short story by Louise Erdrich “The Red Convertible” contains so many symbols that upon first reading it you might miss them. By studying a little about the beliefs of the Chippewa people though you are able to pull a few of the symbols out of the story. At first glance you see that it is a story about the relationship between the two main characters who are brothers living on a reservation in North Dakota. The brothers’ names are Henry and Lyman. Lyman says something odd in only the first paragraph "I owned that car along with my brother Henry Junior. We owned it together until his boots filled with water on a windy night and he bought out my share”(455). This showed us that there is something we don’t know about which will be explained later. Things start off well for the boys as we hear of Lyman’s good luck and hard work. He is the owner of a restaurant at a very young age and then a disaster happens and it is blown over in a tornado. We are told of the differences in the two brothers “Henry was the stronger (physically) brother, the one built like a brick outhouse was never lucky enough to have anything positive to come from his strengths”(458). Henry embodies the negative color associations from the brick house or red house and in many ways throughout the story he is associated with the color red. From the beginning, we see Lyman as the lucky one, the one who “could always make money. I had a touch for it"(456). He was filled with passion for money and was characteristically strong meaning that he kept going even after something would get in his way like the disaster with his restaurant. The way Lyman speaks of his luck it made me believe that he must have some positive energy flowing through him. Why else would he have been "the only kid they let in the American Legion Hall"(456)? But as Lyman tells us he has good luck because he got insurance money to replace his restaurant we wonder why doesn’t he do that. Instead of using the money to rebuild on an impulse he and his brother purchase a red 2006-04-26T05:02:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Red-Convertible-28750.aspx Children’s Literature and the Holocaust During the 1940’s Jewish Europeans experienced an unthinkable and atrocious collective trauma. In her work “Survivor-Parents and Their Children” taken from the anthology Generations of the Holocaust, Judith S. Kestenberg has argued that regardless of location, the effects of the Holocaust are felt on survivors parenting. The children of survivors receive a secondary traumatic impact by being forced to deal with the impact the Holocaust had directly on their parents. The novel Briar Rose by Jane Yolen is an example of a Holocaust survivor sharing her experiences through a fictionalized tale made for young adults. Some may believe that a traditional, educationally focused history source or a first hand account from a survivor is the best way to inform children about the Holocaust. It has been discovered through research of survivors and their families that first hand accounts passed down from parent to child are traumatizing. However, history books are ineffective because people are turned into statistics, thereby trivializing the terror of the Holocaust. This essay argues that a fictional style of storytelling or literature is the best way to inform children and adolescents about the Holocaust. Witnessing is important, however, there is no educational value in traumatizing children; it is better to use literature that explains the Holocaust at a level children and young adults can handle. Milton Meltzer, author of Never forget: The Jews of the Holocaust discusses the importance of witnessing: “To forget what we know would not be human. To remember (it) is to think of what being human means. . . Indifference is the greatest sin. . . . It can be as powerful as an action. Not to do something against evil is to participate in the evil” (Sherman 173). Meltzer gives the straightforward conclusion that people must be educated about the Holocaust because to remain silent about it is just as bad as playing a role in persecuting Jews. This conclusion also gives the rationale for teaching children about the Holocaust. But more specifically, why else may witnessing be important and what are the drawbacks of witnessing? Despite the logic and seemingly usefulness of witnessing, it can be a traumatic experience for the witness. The trauma experienced through first hand accounts can be further explained through the use of Marianne Hirsch’s article “Projected Memory: Holocaust photographs in Personal and Public Fantasy,” which discusses ways people can perceive traumatic 2006-04-16T03:21:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Children’s-Literature-and-the-Holocaust-28716.aspx Analysis of The Kids Are All Right by Susan Faludi Kids are crawling around in the dirt, screaming, and have not yet had their diapers changed because the day care provider seems to be in a trance watching the latest episode of the Montel Williams show. One of the workers strikes a child because she won’t stop crying about how hungry she is. The other worker just sits in her chair drinking Jack Daniels with a little Coke mixed in. Not all is well at the Wee World Child Center. But is this the impression that the public perceives of our daycare system in America? Well, most people would say that this is how only a few daycares are run. But many people would still state that kids who have not been in daycare have a better chance at a more enjoyable life than those who have. Susan Faludi, who frequently writes about women’s issues and is the author of Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women, promotes daycare as an enhancement in a child’s life. In her essay, The Kids Are All Right, she claims that kids who attend daycare are more social, experimental, self-assured, cooperative and creative. Faludi’s argument is convincing because she provides solid authoritative sources, gives personal experiences of other girls who have been in day care, and refutes other researchers claims. Susan Faludi dives right into her argument and hits us with an informative source. Faludi cites Alison Clarke-Stewart, a professor of social ecology at the University California at Irvine, who found that social and intellectual development of children in day care was six to nine months ahead of children who stayed at home. This source is reliable because the author of the statement is an expert in the field of social ecology. Therefore this is an opinionative informative source because the researcher could be biased toward one side of the argument or the other. This matters to Faludi because audience could question the reliability of the source. Susan Faludi also cites personal experience in the form of interviews done by Delores Gold and David Andres in paragraph number two. The interviews of the girls provide not only data on childcare accountability, but also serve to put a personal and more intimate effect on the argument. The interviews have a great effect on the reader because they are grounded in reality and have been conducted 2006-04-15T04:49:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-The-Kids-Are-All-Right-by-Susan-Faludi-28702.aspx Hodge’s book Crick Crack, Monkey is a story that mirrors the racist and the class divisions in the society. She wrote about women, their lives and the effects of Post Colonial education. Hodge believes that these divisions were fostered and nourished by the British cultural influences. Girls’ education is portrayed mainly through the education of Tee in Crick Crack, Monkey. Tee's education puts her above the 'ordinariness' of Tantie's household, but at the same time, it does not make her belong anywhere. At school, Tee was expected to get the same education as the colonizer, thus "civilizing" her. Children were taught European things, and thereby acquired European culture. Her reading career "began with A for Apple, the exotic fruit that made its brief and stingy appearance at Christmastime," and then she had to learn about Jack and Jill and Little Boy Blue, all the time wondering, "what, in all creation, was a 'haystack'?". She also wondered why Little Miss Muffet "sat eating her curls away." Through all this confusion, if she didn't understand things, or misbehaved, she was beaten; her schoolmaster regularly whipped children's hands when they were out of line. As Sophia Lehmann [7] rightly puts it, 'The paradox of assimilation is that it tends to worsen rather than lessen the sense of marginality for which it was supposed to be the cure'. However, assimilation only became needed as 'cure' once Tee was feeling marginalized, a condition she did not know before her schooling or her stay at Aunt Beatrice's. Thus, the colonized middle class passes on its own sense of marginalization, which results in an endless cycle of attempted assimilation as a supposed resolution to a state brought about by the desire for education - and education then makes the feeling of marginalization more acute. At school, Tee was expected to get the same education as the colonizer, thus "civilizing" her. Children were taught European things, and thereby acquired European culture. Hodge has argued against this form of education that seeks to abrogate the student's experience: "The problem in a country that is colonized...is that the education system takes you away from your own reality...turns you away from the Caribbean...We never saw ourselves in a book, so we didn't exist in a kind of way and our culture and our environment, our climate, the plants around us did not seem real, did not seem to be of any importance--we 2006-04-13T05:48:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Impact-of-colonial-education-in-Hodge-s-Crick-Crack-Monkey-28691.aspx "A man can be destroyed, but not defeated" P.93 The Old Man and the Sea is a tale about an old Cuban fisherman and his three-day battle with a giant Marlin. Through the use of an outstanding theme: ''A man can be destroyed, but not defeated,'' The Old Man and the Sea" strives to teach important life lessons to the reader. In the story Santiago's bravery is supreme, yet it is not until he hooks the "great fish" that we truly see his courage and persistence. At first, Santiago's dilemma seems quite hopeless. He has gone eighty-four days without catching a fish, and he is the butt of all the jokes of his small village people, who nicknamed him 'salao 'since he did not catch any fish for a long period. Nonetheless, he gave their insulting words a cold shoulder and went on fishing, relying only on God. Moreover, reading Hemingway's words about his hero in which he says: '' every thing about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated'' P.6, highlights the notion that Santiago was triumphant and victorious. Metaphorically speaking, if someone's eyes are glimmering and are bright, this means that he is having a strong well and persistence regardless of how much his body seems pale or tired, which is typical to Santiago's case. Although Santiago has had many troubles he keeps on. He has faith in Manolin, in the Yankees, in Joe DiMaggio, and most importantly in himself. This is perhaps his greatest attribute because without it he would never have had the strength to persevere and defeat the giant sharks. Some might argue and say that he was defeated as he is the one who said: 'they beat me Manolin they truly beat me' P. 112. However, I respond to them by saying: It is the physical defeat that the old man is talking about and is suffering of, but as far as his faith, spirit, and persistence are concerned he is still well-built and is willing to fight more and more and he is the one who said, I argue, 'fight them' I'll fight them until I die' P. 104. In addition, he is the one who said ' It is silly not to hope, besides I believe it is a sin'' P. 94 As a matter of 2006-04-09T13:30:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Old-man-and-the-Sea-A-Man-Can-t-be-Defeated-28673.aspx All Quiet on the Western Front All Quiet on the Western Front, an action packed novel that conveys the hardships of war, while demeaning the violence, was written by Erich Maria Remarque. The story recounts first hand the experiences of Paul Bäumer in the First World War. The novel depicts Paul’s progression from a young carefree private to the experienced veteran he becomes by the end. It takes place during World War I and is set for the majority of the novel on the Western Front. Through his experiences in the War, Paul makes new friends with his fellow soldiers and becomes closer to his childhood school chums, who have enlisted along with Paul. Not only does Paul develop his friendships during the wartime, he also develops his thoughts and opinions, mostly those directed towards the War. Near the end of the story, one clearly sees that Paul has taken a negative standpoint on the War. This is not just because of the lack of supplies or rest, but also because he has come to the realization that the men whom he is fighting against are not his enemies, but really his brethren. All Quiet on the Western Front is an extremely accurate account of the First World War and provides a truthful in depth look into the mind and emotions of a soldier. In order to begin the support of the historical accuracy of this book, one must first look at author, Erich Maria Remarque. Born Erich Paul Remark, he grew up in Osnabrück, Germany. At the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the German Army to fight in the First World War. He was quickly sent to the front lines. While serving, he was wounded five times, the last severely, and because of this he was discharged. He wrote the novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, in 1929, at the age of 33. It was entitled “Im Westen nichts Neues” (In the West Nothing New). Later, in 1933, the Nazis banned and burned Remarque's works, including All Quiet on the Western Front, and issued propaganda falsely stating that he was a descendant of French Jews and that his real last name was Kramer, Remark spelled backwards. This is still listed in some biographies, although there is no evidence to confirm it. These actions taken by the Nazis show that the book must contain very true accounts of warfare of 2006-04-03T22:57:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Report-on-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-28657.aspx [size=18:6fee2ed2ba]'How does Hardy portray female characters in his short stories?'[/size:6fee2ed2ba] English Litrature 'Thomas Hardy' During the course of this essay I intend to fully answer this question in depth and sufficient detail. This will be achieved by means of tackling separate sections at a time. I will by using the short novel 'The Withered Arm', I believe this is a good example to use, as the two main roles are played by women. These women go through complex emotions and feelings, and as a result they develop a great deal throughout the story. I will be studying the two women 'Rhoda Brook' and 'Gertrude Lodge'. I hope to produce a comparison between these two women and highlight all the way that they differ from each other, and perhaps some aspects in which they are similar. Also, I intend to pinpoint all the ways in which the women's characters and personas develop with the story. In addition I will be looking at the various techniques that hardy used to produce the oddly dark and compelling writing he is known for. Language used, structure of the text, and his style of writing will be individually analysed. To conclude this essay I will be looking at, and attempting to comprehend the context this story is written in and using it to fully understand the way that women are portrayed in Hardy's stories. Finally I will be giving my own opinion of the way Hardy depicts female characters. The first and most obvious comparison to make, would be of their physical appearance. Hardy's initial depiction of Rhoda as a "thin fading woman of thirty, who milked somewhat apart from the rest", tells us straight away how Hardy wished us to envisage her. As a distanced, perhaps lonely woman, the 'fading' could imply that she "once had been handsome", but her looks were now fading away with seemingly premature ageing. She is a tall woman with dark hair and pale skin. She seems to grieve for her lost beauty and appears jealous of Farmer Lodges new wife's beauty. As the story progresses she becomes thinner, more haggard and visibly sadder looking. Perhaps brought about by the extreme pressures of the ordeal she encounters. In the beginning, Gertrude Lodge could not be more the opposite of Rhoda. She is beautiful, graceful and full of "youthful freshness", in contrast to Rhoda's haggard features, Gertrude's "face was 2006-03-23T21:55:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hardy-s-Portrayal-of-Femal-Characters-in-English-Literature-28617.aspx Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels unleashes the blemishes of mankind. Along with mankind comes an unavoidable imperfection which ultimately lowers one’s perception of man. In the novel, Swift uses a variety of beings in many shapes and sizes to satire European Society. The differences in size, shape, and physical appearance are used to show the differences in governing bodies, religion and daily life of the people of Europe. The satiric story occurs in two imaginative lands called Lilliput, where all of the inhabitants are much smaller than Gulliver, the exhausted ship doctor who managed to swim to shore after a horrendous storm causes a ship wreck, and Brobdingnag, where the people tower over the puny Gulliver. Each land contrasts in its style of government which aids in the discovery of the faults of man. As depicted in Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, mankind possesses foibles and vices which detract from his nobility. Mankind’s faults often take away from how people perceive one another. Initially, the laziness of man allows others to view him as unworthy of nobility. Sleeping “sounder than ever I[Gulliver] remember to have done in my life,”(508) Gulliver unknowingly allows others to perceive him as a lazy bum. Gulliver prefers that the secretary deliver Gulliver’s duty to the emperor because Gulliver does not feel like doing so(512). Impatiently, mankind insists upon receiving the proper respect immediately. Once again, Gulliver illustrates his nonaristocratic traits by not allowing himself to sit still when he remains fully aware that he remains binded by the string (508). Gulliver, when in desperate need of nourishment, “found the demands of nature so strong upon me[him], that I[he] could not forbear showing my[his] impatience,”(509) and immediately signaled for food by repeatedly sticking his finger inside of his mouth further portraying the demise of mankind. Ignorantly, man sets himself up for tragedy which detracts from his dignity. Gulliver stumbles upon a civilization in which vacant positions exist in the government, and people may perform such acts as jumping high on a tight rope in order to obtain the position; however, these acts of stupidity “are often attended with fatal accidents”(511). A war has occurred numerous times between Lilliput and Blefuscu over which end of the egg to slice when breaking eggs, and many people have “suffered death, rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end,”(512) further illustrating the incompetence of man. More serious occurrences take place 2006-03-23T19:45:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gullivers-Travels-Essay--28615.aspx Biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald About F. Scott Fitzgerald Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896, the only son of an aristocratic father and a provincial, working-class mother. He was therefore the product of two divergent traditions: while his father's family included the author of "The Star-Spangled Banner" (after whom Fitzgerald was named), his mother's family was, in Fitzgerald's own words, "straight 1850 potato-famine Irish." As a result of this contrast, he was exceedingly ambivalent about the notion of the American dream: for him, it was at once vulgar and dazzlingly promising. It need scarcely be noted that such fascinated ambivalence is itself typically American. Like the central character of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald had an intensely romantic imagination; he once called it "a heightened sensitivity to the promises of life." The events of Fitzgerald's own life can be seen as a struggle to realize those promises. He attended both St. Paul Academy (1908-10) and Newman School (1911-13), where his intensity and outsize enthusiasms made him extremely unpopular with the other students. Later, at Princeton University, he came close to the brilliant success of which he dreamed. He became part of the influential Triangle Club, a dramatic organization whose members were taken from the cream of high society. He also became a prominent figure in the literary life of the university and made lifelong friendships with Edmund Wilson and John Peale Bishop. Despite these social coups, Fitzgerald struggled academically, and eventually flunked out of Princeton. Though he was able to return to university the following fall, Fitzgerald could not overcome the crushing humiliation he felt at the loss of all of his hard-won positions. In November 1917, he left Princeton in order to join the army. While stationed near Montgomery, Alabama, he met Zelda Sayre, the daughter of an Alabama Supreme Court judge, and the two fell deeply in love. Fitzgerald needed to improve his dismal financial circumstances, however, before he and Zelda could marry. At the first opportunity, he left for New York, determined to make his fortune in the great city. Instead, he was forced to take a menial advertising job at $90 a month. Zelda broke their engagement, and Fitzgerald retreated to St. Paul, Minnesota. There, he rewrote a novel he had begun at Princeton; in the spring of 1920, the novel, entitled This Side of Paradise, was published. Though today's readers will find its ideas 2006-03-19T09:55:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby--28583.aspx On the surface, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver's Travels appears to be a travel journal, made to record the adventures of a man, Lemuel Gulliver, on the four incredible journeys. Primarily, however, Gulliver's Travels is a work of satire. In order to convey this satire, Gulliver is taken on four adventures, driven by fate, a restless spirit, and the pen of Swift. Gulliver's first journey takes him to the Land of Lilliput, where he finds himself a giant among six inch tall beings. While there, the people and customs he encounters act merely as a vehicle for Swift’s satirical ranting of politics, war, and religion. Gulliver’s voyage to Lilliput gives the reader an insight into the politics of the land of little men. Through the course of his stay in Lilliput, Gulliver learns of the land’s political parties; ongoing war, as well as the religious basis of their conflict; and means by which Lillputians are appointed to political positions. During Swift’s era, there was an uprising of two political parties: the Whigs and the Tories. These two factions of political beliefs were noted for their staunch differences, much as the two political factions of Lilliput, the Tramecksan and Slameckstan. These two parties are distinguished “from the high and low heels on their shoes.” Swift uses this satirical representation to characterize the Whigs and the Tories of his own native England. The book, through footnotes, further notes of satirical representations of kings of England. When speaking to Gulliver, Principle Secretary Reldresal notes “that the high heels are most agreeable to our ancient constitution: but however this be, his Majesty hath determined to make use of only low heels in administration of the government,” much as King George I was more sympathetic to the Whigs than the Tories during Swift’s era. Upon the visit of Principle Secretary Reldresal, Gulliver learns that the Lilliputians “labor under two mighty evils; a violent faction at home, and the danger of an invasion from the most potent enemy from abroad.” The enemy abroad he speaks of is Blefuscu, the island located across the water from Lilliput. The two countries have been fighting a war for “six and thirty moons past” over something that must be deemed silly and unimportant: the proper end by which one must crack an egg. Reldresal informs Gulliver that many years ago, “the primitive way of breaking eggs…was upon the larger end: but 2006-03-19T02:41:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gullivers-Travels--28569.aspx Writing as a woman is logically different from writing as a man for a number of reasons. The various biological, cultural, experimental, and physical factors are one reason, so women have a psychology and a biology that is different from men's one. Besides, women who live pariarchal societies do write differently too, and as we all know, such societies neglect women and oppress them. All these circumstances led many women to write within the constrain of patriarchy Therefore, it is not strange when we hear that some female writeres wrote their literary works under fictious names. For instance, Mary Ann Evans, in order to coceal her gender used a name of a man which is George Eliot. Emily Bronty too used the name Ellias Bill for the same purpose. Thus, when we are reading for a female writer we expect her to be 2006-03-18T15:03:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Writing-as-a-woman--28567.aspx [color=red:74bd685a62]After reading act III, I really began to admire Nora's character. In this act, we witness two kinds of discussion taking place. The first one being between Krogastad and Linde in which they end up with the acceptance to return back to each other. The other serious discussion, however, takes place between Mr. Helmer 2006-03-18T15:00:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Doll-s-House--28566.aspx The Optimist's Daughter: Personal Response Reading the optimist's daughter at first under whelmed me. I, at the very beginning, started to complain and say '' What a bore! a Boring story! Boring characters! Utterly devoid of any interesting or meaningful moments''. However, I changed my mind totally by finishing it as a whole. When I knew how Laurel went on her life, I realized how things go a whole lot deeper. I realized that Eudora Welty is really talking about how through one's own strength, he can preserve thru any challenges sent his way. She wants to say that life is much easier if one casts his burden into someone whom he loves or trusts. Relatives and friends, in this regard, are the best to help one get thru his suffering and as they say " a friend indeed, a friend in need''. Actually, this novel assures the fact that life is nothing without the people whom we really love. Laurel's character reflects this pure love towards one's parents. Welty, as a feminist writer, shows Laurel as a sensitive, caring and open-minded daughter. She cannot help losing her father; she falls in a deep grief by the death of him. In the same time, she doesn't pay a great attention to her snobbish and child-like stepmother. However, this very stepmother, Fay, tries her best to tease and irritate Laurel. She does not care about the way how Laurel feels after the loss of her father. Simply because she had never been through a matter like that. Welty, as a feminist too, highlights the image of gossiping that takes place between Laurel's friends, who keep chitchatting about Fay's behavior. Welty again portrays Fay as an ugly person and ill-mannered thru the lies she tells. Besides, Fay is not liked by welty because she is self-centered and egotistic. That was pretty clear when she began to yell at her dying husband, saying to him that she insists to see the carnival he already promised her to see. What is worse than this, is that when she began to scream and shout expressing her madness at her husband who died at her birthday. As a matter of fact, If I wasn't knowing that the writer of this novel is a female writer, I would have been able to tell that the author is a woman rather than a man.To 2006-03-18T14:37:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Optimist-s-Daughter-Initial-Response-28564.aspx In the midst of the industrialization era in Victorian Times, an educational system known as the Utilitarian Model was introduced in order to produce “the greatest good for the greatest number.” Founded by Jeremy Benthan, it consisted of strict discipline, rote education and “facts alone”. Creativity was not encouraged. Social criticism in Dickens’s Hard Times exposes how people were turning into machines. Dickens effectively uses caricature in writing to mock the educational system at that time. There are also elements of exaggeration, repetition and allusions to emphasize the mockery against utilitarianism. Factory imageries and measuring imagery is used to objectify and depersonalizes characters and thus, to create a false logic in the text. “Teach these boys and girls nothing but facts.” From the very beginning, Dickens establishes himself within a contemporary debate on the nature of learning, knowledge and education. Utilitarianism was based mainly upon the learning of facts and only facts. This is acknowledged by the constant repetition of the word fact in the first chapter, especially in the first paragraph. The repetition is used to emphasize the importance of facts and that nothing else will ever be of any service to the students. This emphasis is further on stressed by the description of the body language of the speaker. “The emphasis was helped by the speaker’s square wall of forehead…” At the same time, an anaphora is used at the beginning of each sentence to put an extra emphasis to the emphasis. Clearly, Dickens does this on purpose to exaggerate this ridiculous emphasis on facts, the one thing needful, according to utilitarianism. The actual scene is depicted as plain, bare, monotonous vault of a schoolroom. This contrasts with the idea of sowing and to the biblical allusion of the parable of the Sower . The schoolroom description matches with the wayside, stony places and thorns as metaphorically explained in the parable. Dickens means to say that there is no true sowing taking place in the vault of a schoolroom. The adjectives plain and bare also explain that there is no place for creativity, art or leisure. Another characteristic of utilitarianism. “The speaker’s obstinate carriage, square coat, square legs, square shoulders…” is described against the archetype of youth (spring, sowing, leisure). The older men are "square;" yet are ironically depicted that their head[s] had scarcely warehouse-room for the hard facts stored inside. Dickens' hyperbole makes architecture out of the 2006-03-13T18:40:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Criticism-in-Dickens’s-Hard-Times-28549.aspx Lack of Happiness Approval is something everybody desires. In Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury, approval is a prevailing theme. Several characters are not happy with themselves and find themselves enveloped in the evil of the carnival. These characters need to feel acceptance and without it they feel inadequate and turn to the carnival. One of the characters looking for approval is Will Halloway’s father, Charles Halloway. Mr. Halloway is a caring father but is separated from his son, Will, by his age. “That’s Charles William Halloway, thought Will, not grandfather, not far-wandering, ancient uncle, as some might think, but…my father” (Bradbury 14). Mr. Halloway does not see himself as a good father early in the book partly because of the age difference between him and his son. Charles Halloway was “shocked to see he owned a son who visited this separate 20,000-fathoms-deep world” (Bradbury 14). Then later in the book, just before death, Charles finally accepts himself. “Like a child born of an unsuspecting parent, one single raw laugh broke free” (Bradbury 229). Charles Halloway accepts his life the way it is and is free of the carnival which feeds off of unhappy souls. Another character that deals with acceptance is Jim Nightshade. Jim wants a ride on the carousel more than anything. He wants to become older and sees it as an adventure. Will stops him from getting on the carousel and they get into a quarrel. Will “ knocked, seized , held Jim; they toppled; they fell in a heap” (Bradbury 101). Jim cannot accept that he cannot go on one of his adventures that he loves so much. Later in the book Jim finally gets a ride on the carousel, but is pulled off by Will (Bradbury 270). Jim finally accepts himself after riding on the carousel. He finally acquired what he wanted even though it almost lost his friend and endangered himself. Then there is Miss Foley who is not happy with herself and therefore does not accept herself. After coming out of the Mirror Maze, she is freaked out. She then tries to ride the carousel. “There was a rain of tinkling, rattling glitter on the lawn” (Bradbury 98). This shows Miss Foley dumping her jewelry on the 2006-03-12T22:56:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Something-Wicked-This-Way-Comes-28546.aspx Chapters 19-20 1.How did casey help Tom out of trouble with the deputy sheriff? casey took the blame for knocking the deputy sheriff unconscious, and went to jail in his place. 2.Where and why did Connie go? According to Al, Connie went South, but for no reason he knows. Rose of Sharon said Connie told her that it “would a been a good thing if he stayed home an' studied up tractors.” Chapters 21-22 1.Why did Mr. Thomas lower the wages from thirty cents per hour to twenty-five cents per hour? The Farmers' Association told Mr. Thomas it had to change the wages because if he didn't, “it'll only cause unrest.” The man also threatened Mr. Thomas, asking him “you going to need the usual amount for a crop loan next year?” 2.What tip did Mr. Thomas give Timothy? Mr. Thomas told Timothy “Now if there was a big fight and maybe shooting—a bunch of deputies could go in and clean out the camp.” 3.Compare and contrast “Hoovervilles” and the government camp. The Government camp has flushing toilets, hot water showers, a nice community, clean campgrounds, organization, and no civil unrest. The Hoovervilles are dirty, have no organization, are burned down frequently, and have no facilities at all. Chapters 23-25 1.What does Steinbeck show us in Chapter 23? Chapter 23 is about the way Oakies spend their time getting away from the harshness of real life. Many spend what little money they have on alcohol to get drunk and leave their worries. 2.How did the camp “guards” ruin the Association's plot to invade the government camp? The camp guards closed in on and kicked out the men the Farmers' Association sent to break up the dance. 3.What moral crime was committed in Chapter 25? The farmers, because no one was buying their food, had to let their surplus crops rot and burn instead of feeding it to the hungry people. Chapter 26 1.Why did the Joads leave the government camp? The Joads left because they were running out of money and food, so they had to go elsewhere to seek trabajo. 2.How was the flat tire good for the Joads? A. Ma got to keep the dollar she offered for tire help, and B. They met a man who was looking for workers at a nearby place called Hooper ranch. 3.Where does Tom go after dinner on the first day of peach-picking? Why? To see what all the fuss is about; he's really 2006-03-03T00:21:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Grapes-of-Wrath-Questions-ch_-19-30-28529.aspx In the short story Love, Your Only Mother, by David Michael Kaplan, there is an evident theme of the importance of love between and a child and a parent. This story is representing the necessary relationship between a daughter and her mother, no matter what individual problems they each have encountered throughout their lives. Since the daughter is talking directly to her mother, she is telling her exact emotions and how she has felt throughout her life. The daughter has contradictory emotions throughout the story. “The postcard was Nebraska, and there’s no Ferndale in Nebraska. In the card before that, you said you were making me a birthday cake that you’d send. Even though I vowed I’d never do it again, I try to understand what you are telling me (p 314).” This illustrates that she is angry with her mother for lying to her all the time in the postcards. She doesn’t understand why her mother is telling her things in the postcards, that later she discovers are not true. It seems that she wants to give up but she can’t because of the love for her mother. “Sometimes I decided you were dead, even wished you were dead, but then another postcard would come, with another message to ponder (p 314).” The daughter can not just throw out the postcard without reading it, because no matter what, she is going to be interested in what her mother has to tell her, and she always has a deep inside feeling that maybe her mother will come back. A relationship between a child and a parent will always exist. There is a fight for love among some people because throughout their lives they have struggled to maintain that relationship. Even if a parent has left the child when they were young, the child may want to be angry, but still would give anything for their mother or father, because there is that natural strive for love and support. In the story, the imagery that the daughter describes is very descriptive. “But on summer evenings, when the windows are open to dusk, I sometimes smell cities...wheat fields...oceans-strange smells from far away-all the places you’ve been that I never will (p 315).” The daughter is angry again here, she realizes that the mother has moved on physically without her, and tries to imagine all the time where her mother is. 2006-03-02T04:00:32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Short-Story-Analysis-of-Your-Only-Mother-by-David-Kaplan-28525.aspx Dear readers, I was at the courthouse yesterday to watch the trial in which Tom Robinson ended up being convicted of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. After seeing all of the things Atticus tried to show everyone, I simply couldn’t believe my eyes that the jury could finally find Tom guilty. I have to say that I strongly disagree with the verdict, which should be reconsidered, in my opinion. I have no doubt that everyone could see through the lame an unconvincing story the Ewells made up to fool everyone. Bob Ewell clearly stated that he held with everything Mr. Heck Tate had said. And he agreed with Tate that Mayella’s right eye was blackened, which had to be beaten up by someone who had used his left hand. And when Mayella was testified, she again said that her right eye was beaten up, which is a huge mistake. For when Atticus called Tom to stand up, the whole courtroom was able to see his useless left hand. It was said to be destroyed since he was a boy by a cotton gin. And how in the world could a crippled man like Tom hit Mayella that hard with his right hand on the right side of the face? That seemed ridiculously impossible. I was being very delighted, indeed, at that moment to see the dishonest Ewells being unmasked publicly. No one could possibly say Tom was the one who has beaten Mayella up. Moreover, when Atticus asked Bob to write his name down on a piece of paper, Bob used his left hand instead of the right distinctively and inconsiderably. That’s again evidence against the deceitful Ewells. Bob is the one who is likely to have beaten his daughter up, not the poor Tom. The Ewells’ plan was revealed transparently. In Mayella’s testimony, Atticus asked her a series of questions like why no one came to help her, especially her seven siblings when she had claimed to have hollered, or whether or not Bob had beaten her up. All Mayella did was to remain silent, because their spurious story didn’t add up after all and she didn’t know how to answer those questions. The facts were clearly showed: no one had beaten her up but her own father. So when they announced the verdict, I was so shocked that I was nearly knocked of the chair. How could it 2006-03-02T02:49:26-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Newspaper-Editorial-28523.aspx Bob Ewell stabbed himself to death, trying to kill the Finches children My Tra Dang The Maycomb Journal Staff writer September 16th, 1935. Yesterday evening, at about 10 o’clock, a homicide happened, resulting in the death of a grown man and a serious injury of a child. Bob Ewell tried to kill Jem and Scout Finch in the schoolhouse after the “Maycomb County Ad Astra Per Aspera” performance ended, this year’s Halloween pageant, directed by Mrs. Merriweather, held in the school’s auditorium. Scout was a ham and had to wear a ham costume. Scout and Jem were in the schoolyard when they heard someone following them. According to them, it was so dark that they could scarcely see anything but Scout’s costume fat streaks was painted with shiny stuff that everyone could see her in the darkness. “I heard someone shuffle and drag his feet.” Scout said. She told us that things happened too fast that she didn’t even clearly know what happened. But, still, she recounted that someone grabbed her, mashed her costume and she fell to the ground. She heard fighting, kicking sounds, they sounded like they were bamming against the trunk. Next thing she knew was that Jem was up, found her and started pulling her toward the road. Scout said: “Then someone, I reckon it was Bob, pulled him backwards. There was more fighting and I heard Jem scream.” According to her, she ran into someone, who was probably Bob, who tried to strangle her and squeeze her to death. She couldn’t move but then, suddenly, someone yanked him down. Next thing she knew was that someone was coughing, panting fit to die. “Then I saw someone I don’t know was carrying Jem toward our house.” Scout recalled. Atticus said: “I have never conceived that someone could be cruel enough to do such terrible things.” Mr. Heck Tate, our town’s sheriff, went to the scene and found Bob lying there under tree with a knife under his ribs. He was dead. Jem Finch, who had bravely protected his little sister, was badly injured with a broken arm and a bump in the head. He is now still unconscious. Dr. Reynolds said: “We have to feel relieved that the situation didn’t get worse. Jem could have been killed, but he is alive.” The mysterious man who had carried him to the house had protected the children. His name is Arthur Radley. 2006-03-02T02:48:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-Written-as-a-Newspaper-Article-28522.aspx The Battle Between Hope and Hopelessness While most war novels before All Quiet on the Western Front tended to idealize war, making it seem like an honorable and glorified adventure, All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, discredits these conceptions by bringing the reader through a first person account of what war really is like. The novel is set during World War I, amid the horrific military innovations such as chemical gas, tanks, and machine guns that made killing much easier and remote. Remarque shows how all of these horrors not only have an effect on a soldier’s physical well being, but also take a large toll on a soldier’s psychological state too. Remarque writes that “A hospital alone shows what war is” in order to show how the hospital in chapter ten serves as a microcosm of war (263). Along with the apparent suffering that “shows” what war is really like, there are much more subtle yet distinct symbols in the hospital. These symbols illustrate the dreadful feeling of hopelessness that the soldiers so often feel when fighting on the battlefront as well as the brief, yet beautiful feeling of optimism that the soldiers so rarely feel when fighting such an emotionally devastating war. There is the self-explanatory, “dying room,” which symbolizes death and hopelessness. Then there is the cheerful Sister Libertine that symbolizes the joys of life and optimism. Instead of these symbols portraying the war as solely a physical battle, they represent the psychological battle between despair and hope. The curtaining sense of hopelessness and death that sweeps across all of the soldiers during war is symbolized profoundly by the “dying room.” The “dying room,” whose function is spelled out in the name, is notorious for its hopelessness and definite fatality. Everyone in the hospital knows that if “they have put him in the dying room,” then “[they] shan’t see him again” (256). This shows how for the soldiers in the war, the chance of getting through the war seems nonexistent. Remarque proves this by exterminating every main character by the end of the novel. In the dying room, there are two beds, which represent the Allies and the Germans. For both armies, whether it is the Germans who are fighting for the greed of one man or the allies, who are fighting to protect their countries, war holds no future for the soldiers. Peter, 2006-02-24T01:20:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hospital-as-a-Symbol-of-War-in-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-28518.aspx The Holocaust is the name applied to the systematic state-sponsored persecution and genocide of the Jews of Europe along with other groups during World War II by Nazi Germany and collaborators[1]. Early elements of the Holocaust include the Kristallnacht pogrom and the T-4 Euthanasia Program, progressing to the later use of killing squads and extermination camps in a massive and centrally organized effort to exterminate every possible member of the populations targeted by the Nazis. The Jews of Europe were the main victims of the Holocaust in what the Nazis called the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question". The commonly used figure for the number of Jewish victims is six million, so much so that the phrase "six million" is now almost universally interpreted as referring to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, though estimates by historians using, among other sources, records from the Nazi regime itself, range from five million to seven million. About 220,000 Sinti and Roma were killed in the Holocaust (some estimates are as high as 800,000), between a quarter to a half of the European population. Other groups deemed "racially inferior" or "undesirable", Soviet military prisoners of war including Russians and other Slavs, Poles, the mentally or physically disabled, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Communists and political dissidents and criminals, were also persecuted and killed. Many scholars do not include the Nazi persecution of all of these groups in the definition of the Holocaust, with some scholars limiting the Holocaust to the genocide of the Jews; some to genocide of the Jews, Roma, and disabled; and some to all groups targeted by Nazi racism.[2] Taking all these other groups into account, however, the total death toll rises considerably, estimates generally place the total number of Holocaust victims at 9 to 11 million, though some estimates have been as high as 26 million. The word holocaust originally derived from the Greek word holokauston, meaning "a completely (holos) burnt (kaustos) sacrificial offering" to a god. Since the late 19th century, "holocaust" has primarily been used to refer to disasters or catastrophes. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word was first used to describe Hitler's treatment of the Jews from as early as 1942, though did not become a standard reference until the 1950s. By the late 1970s, however, the conventional meaning of the word became the Nazi genocide. The term is also used by many in a narrower sense, to refer 2006-02-21T00:31:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Holocaust-28511.aspx Raffaello Sanzio 1483-1520 Raphael was born in Urbino, Rome on April the 6, 1483. Interestingly, he was born on a Good Friday at 3:00 am in the morning to his proud parents Giovanni Santi and Mrs. Santi. This may have indicated good luck to him in the beginning. Although being born in Rome, most people associate his works with Italy. His father trained him with his past experience as Raphael assisted him with works for the state of Urbino. Eventually his father felt like he needed more instruction, so he sent him away to Italy to be trained professionally. His mother was highly opposed of the idea and wept many tears as he left. While in Italy, Raphael was instructed by Pietro Pergino to become a very highly respected artist. Raphael picked up Pergino’s ideas so well that most of the artwork where he assisted, you cannot tell the difference in the two’s art strokes. The only way we know how to decifer the two is, Raphael signed all of his works. The High Renaissance between the 14th-16th century is what he encounters and experiences while in Italy. The Renaissance time was a renewed interest in the classical art, architecture, literature, and philosophy. Raphael enjoys the works of Leonardo and Michaelangelo also associated with this time period.. Although in competition, he looked at their art with the utmost respect. The exaggerated mannerism using complex composition and elongated muscular figure in complex poses is what he liked the most. He began to have similar art works, although with his own creativity, he developed a style a little different than the two. At the age of seventeen, Raphael is considered a “master of art “ by most people. Raphael is portrayed to have had an unusual amount of gentle nature, well fellowship, and being gracious to others. By encountering many individuals, Raphael remained sweet, pleasant, with every degree in all circumstances. In my opinion, the Madonna holding the baby in the Sistine Chapel is the most famous artwork of Raphael. When picking this painting, I recognized the cherubs at the bottom. It is rather odd to me that the cherubs have stemmed off and have grown into a work of art just alone. None of the less, Raphael 2006-02-19T23:54:17-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Raffaello-Sanzio-Renassiance-Italian-Artist-28509.aspx Call Of The Wild The main character of this book is a St. Bernard and Scotch Shepherd mix, named Buck. As I read the book, I found out that Buck can be very loyal and trustworthy to his master, if his master is loyal to him. Also, at times I found that Buck could turn into an enraged beast very easily. At home, which was a large house called Judge Miller’s Place, in the sun kissed Santa Clara Valley in California, Buck ruled over all of the dogs that were there. Buck was Judge Miller’s inseparable companion, until a man named Manuel, who was one the gardener’s helpers, committed a treacherous act. In order to cover his Chinese lottery gambling debts, he stole Buck from his sound sleep and brought him to a flag station called College Park. There, the exchanging of money took place. Buck was loaded onto an express car to Seattle. On his way to Seattle, he found that a man in a red sweater repeatedly beat him. From then on, I knew that Buck would never forget that experience. In that part of the book, I found out that Buck was now an enraged animal and could only be tamed by repeatedly being hit with a club or a whip. At this point of the book, I was thinking about Judge Miller. He would’ve sent out a message or an investigation in order to find Buck. Because Judge Miller had a big house to live in, the book implied that he was wealthy. The trip to Seattle must of taken days and by then, Judge Miller would’ve been worried sick about his inseparable companion. As the story goes on, Buck’s first experience of snow left him feeling pretty stupid. When the train got to the station in Seattle, two men named Perrault and Francois bought him. Then, they put him on a ship called the Narwhal. At this point of the book, I was thinking about the cruelty of animals and how the humans treated them. It was cruel, but I guess they didn’t care. The Narwhal took Buck to the Yukon where he was trained to be a sled dog. There were other dogs that Buck had grown to know well during his training. In a matter of time, Buck became a great sled dog. Francois and Perrault took the huskies and mix breeds from Dyea 2006-02-16T03:42:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Call-Of-The-Wild-28503.aspx The Darkness Of Night Night is narrated by Eliezer, a Jewish teenager who lives, at the book's opening, in his hometown of Sighet in Hungarian Transylvania. Elizer studies Torah and the Cabbala, Jewish mysticism. His instruction is cut short, however, when his teacher, Moshe the Beadle, is deported. In a few months, Moshe returns, telling a horrifying tale. The Gestapo (German secret police) took charge of his train, led everybody into the woods, and systematically butchered them. Nobody believes Moshe, who is taken for a lunatic. In the spring of 1944, the Nazis occupy Hungary. Not long afterward, after a series of increasingly repressive measures are passed, the Jews of Eliezer's town are forced into small ghettos within Sighet. Soon after, they are herded onto cattle cars, and a nightmarish journey ensues. After days and nights crammed into the car, exhausted and near starvation, the passengers arrive at Birkenau, the gateway to Auschwitz. On Eliezer's arrival in Birkenau, he and his father are separated from his mother and sisters, whom they never see again. In the first of many "selections" that Eliezer describes in the memoir, the Jews are evaluated to determine whether they should be killed immediately or put to work. Eliezer and his father seem to pass the evaluation, but before they are brought to the prisoners' barracks, they stumble upon the open-pit furnaces where the Nazis are burning babies by the truckload. The Jewish arrivals are stripped, shaved, disinfected, and treated with almost unimaginable cruelty. Eventually, their captors march them from Birkenau to the main camp, Auschwitz. They eventually arrive in Buna, a work camp where Eliezer is put to work in an electrical-fittings factory. Under slave-labor conditions, severely malnourished and decimated by the frequent "selections," the Jews take solace in caring for each other, in religion, and in Zionism. In the camp, they are subject to unimaginable cruelty, including beatings and repeated humiliations. A vicious foreman forces Eliezer to give him his gold tooth, which is pried out of his mouth with a rusty spoon. The prisoners are forced to watch the hanging of fellow prisoners in the camp courtyard. On one occasion, the Gestapo (Nazi secret police) even hang a small child who had been associated with some rebels within Buna. Because of the horrific conditions of the camps, and the ever-present danger of death, many of the prisoners themselves begin to slide into cruelty, concerned 2006-02-16T03:41:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Darkness-Of-Night-28502.aspx Ahab Man Or God? "Call him Ahab, a “grand, ungodly, god-like man” in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (85). He is a man whose enthusiasm is so great, mission so inspirational, and manner so intense that few can resist the urge to follow him in his journey to kill the white whale. Although Ahab is only a man, he controls his ship like he is God fighting evil. Ahab looks “like a man cut away from the stake, when the fire has overrunningly wasted all the limbs without consuming them”(128). On his forehead, is a prominent “lividly whitish” scar that runs down his face, neck and under his clothes (129). The scar looks like the mark of a lightning bolt. His physique is compared to a sculpture of solid bronze or an impressive oak tree. Ahab’s wrinkled brow bears a resemblance to his numerous sea charts. On his face is a grim look, “an infinity of firmest fortitude, a determinate, unsurrendable willfulness in his features” (129). He has an artificial leg, a barbaric, white ivory prosthesis “fashioned from the polished bone of the sperm whale’s jaw”(130). From the start of the novel, Ahab creates an aura of secrecy. With his powerful speech and the incentive of the gold doubloon, Ahab has the crew in his power. What to the crew is a journey to kill Moby Dick is to Ahab a journey of pride and a quest against evil. When Ahab first encountered Moby Dick, he lost more than just his leg. He lost his soul. He has no connection to any other person or thing beyond the leviathan. Therefore he befriends Pip who, like him, is an outcast as well. The crew sees Pip as being crazy, but because of his charisma, he is the only one who can be close to Ahab. When he witnessed the terror and rage of the sea, he was driven mad. “The sea had jeeringly kept his finite body up but drowned the infinite of his soul.” (440) Ahab too had sacrificed the infinite of his soul, but replaced it with his burning desire to destroy the evil white whale. Moby Dick was more than an evil white whale, however, to Ahab he was Lucifer himself. 2006-02-16T03:34:12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ahab-Man-Or-God--28501.aspx “The Necklace” Analysis Guy de Maupassant’s short story “The Necklace” includes three literary elements that are mainly dominant. Although the author uses all of the elements, he focuses on three of them. The one element that is above all important is irony. The author uses many examples of irony in his short story. In the first paragraph he uses irony, “With no dowry, no prospects, no way of any kind of being met, understood, loved, and married by a man both prosperous and famous, she was finally married to a minor clerk in the Ministry of Education.” This quote is situation al irony because when the author uses the words prosperous and famous, the reader would expect the husband to be much more then just a minor clerk. The largest use of irony was used in the last sentence of the story. “Mme. Forestier, quite overcome, clasped her by the hands. ‘Oh, my poor Mathilde. But mine was a fake. Why, at most it was worth only five hundred francs!’” The author surprises the reader very much by having the twist at the end of the story. The reader would expect Mme. Foreister to be angry with Mathilde, for not telling her the truth earlier, but she is surprised to hear that Mathilde and her husband had spent ten years repaying their debts for buying the real, thirty-six thousand francs necklace to replace only a fake. Another main element of the story is character. The author intends Mathilde to be cruel and demanding. When they receive the invitation to the dance, Mathilde wants everything to look wonderful even though they do not have the money. She even uses the money her husband has been saving for a long time to go hunting with his friends. “’I’m not sure exactly, but I think with four hundred Francs I could manage it.’ He turned a bit pale, for he had se aside just that amount to buy a rifle so that the following summer, he could join some friends who were getting up a group to shoot larks on the plain near Nanterre. However, he said, ‘All right. I’ll give you four hundred francs. But try to get a nice dress.’” She always acts innocent and sneaky to get what she wants. “It’s embarrassing 2006-02-16T03:31:32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/“The-Necklace”-Analysis--28499.aspx Phase the First: The Maiden, Chapters I–III Summary: Chapter I “Don’t you really know, Durbeyfield, that you are the lineal representative of the ancient and knightly family of the d’Urbervilles . . . ?” On his way home to the village of Marlott, a middle-aged peddler named John Durbeyfield encounters an old parson who surprises him by addressing him as “Sir John.” The old man, Parson Tringham, claims to be a student of history and says that he recently came across a record indicating that Durbeyfield descends from a noble family, the d’Urbervilles. Tringham says that Durbeyfield’s noble roots come from so far back in history that they are meaningless, but Durbeyfield becomes quite self-important following the discovery and sends for a horse and carriage to carry him home. Summary: Chapter II At the same moment, Durbeyfield’s daughter Tess enjoys the May Day festivities with the other women from her village. Durbeyfield rides by in the carriage, and though Tess is embarrassed at the spectacle, she defends her father from the mockery of the other girls. The group goes to the village green for dancing, where they meet three highborn brothers. Tess notices one of the brothers in particular, a young man named Angel Clare. While his two brothers want to keep traveling, Angel cannot pass up the opportunity to dance with these women. The girls ask him to choose his partner, and he chooses a girl other than Tess. They dance for a short time, and then Angel leaves, realizing he must catch up with his determined brothers. Upon leaving, Angel notices Tess and regrets his decision to dance with someone else. Summary: Chapter III When Tess returns home, she receives a twofold alarm from her mother, Joan, who tells her that her father comes from noble lineage and also that he has been diagnosed with a serious heart condition. Mrs. Durbeyfield has consulted the Compleat Fortune-Teller, a large, old book, for guidance. A believer in such astrology, she keeps the book hidden in the outhouse out of an irrational fear of keeping it indoors. Mr. Durbeyfield is not home, but is instead at Rolliver’s, the local inn and drinking establishment, probably taking the opportunity to celebrate his newly discovered heritage. Tess and the family are not surprised to hear of his whereabouts. Tess’s mother goes to fetch her husband from the inn but does not return. The narrator explains that her failure to return may result 2006-02-15T10:31:19-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Notes-for-quot-Tess-of-D-Urbervilles-quot-28491.aspx Romanticism If the Enlightenment was a movement which started among tiny elite and slowly spread to make its influence felt throughout society, Romanticism was more widespread both in its origins and influence. No other intellectual/artistic movement has had comparable variety, reach, and staying power since the end of the Middle Ages. Beginning in Germany and England in the 1770s, by the 1820s it had swept through Europe, conquering at last even its most stubborn foe, the French. It traveled quickly to the Western Hemisphere, and in its musical form has triumphed around the globe, so that from London to Boston to Mexico City to Tokyo to Vladivostok to Oslo, the most popular orchestral music in the world is that of the romantic era. After almost a century of being attacked by the academic and professional world of Western formal concert music, the style has reasserted itself as neo romanticism in the concert halls. Beginning in the last decades of the 18th century, it transformed poetry, the novel, drama, painting, sculpture, all forms of concert music (especially opera), and ballet. It was deeply connected with the politics of the time, echoing people's fears, hopes, and aspirations. It was the voice of revolution at the beginning of the 19th century and the voice of the Establishment at the end of it. This last shift was the result of the triumph of the class which invented, fostered, and adopted as its own the Romantic Movement: the bourgeoisie. Origins: Folklore and Popular Art Some of the earliest stirrings of the Romantic movement are conventionally traced back to the mid-18th-century interest in folklore which arose in Germany--with Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm collecting popular fairy tales and other scholars like Johann Gottfried von Herder studying folk songs--and in England with Joseph Addison and Richard Steele treating old ballads as if they were high poetry. These activities set the tone for one aspect of Romanticism: the belief that products of the uncultivated popular imagination could equal or even surpass those of the educated court poets and composers who had previously monopolized the attentions of scholars and connoisseurs. Whereas during much of the 17th and 18th centuries learned allusions, complexity and grandiosity were prized, the new romantic taste favored simplicity and naturalness; and these were thought to flow most clearly and abundantly from the "spontaneous" outpourings of the untutored common people. In Germany in particular, the idea of a collective 2006-02-15T10:29:01-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Romanticism--28490.aspx Classicism and Romanticism Toward the end of the eighteenth-century, Romanticism emerged as a response to Classicism. Even though this change was gradual, it transformed everything from art and philosophy to education and science. While the Classicists thought of the world as having a rigid and stern structure, the romanticists thought of the world as a place to express their ideas and believes. The Romanticists and Classicists differed in their views of the relationship between an individual and society, their views of nature and the relationship between reason and imagination. Classicists and Romanticists differed in their views of nature. Classicism was based on the idea that nature and human nature could be understood by reason and thought. Classicist believed that “nature was, a self-contained machine, like a watch, whose laws of operation could be rationally understood.” On the other hand, Romanticists viewed nature as mysterious and ever changing. As William Cullen Bryant states that nature “; speaks a various language.” Romantic writes believed that nature is an ever changing living organism, whose laws we will never fully understand. Classicist and Romanticists also differed on their approaches towards reason and imagination. Classicism attached much more importance to reason than imagination because imagination could not be explained by their laws. To them, “;the imagination, though essential to literature, had to be restrained by reason and common sense.” The Romanticists, however, emphasized that reason was not the only path to truth. “Instead, Romantic writers emphasized intuition, that inner perception of truth which is independent of reason.” To the Romantic writers, imagination was ultimately superior to reason. Yet another area of difference between Classicists and Romanticists whether they placed greater importance on tradition or whether they chose to innovate. Classicists thought that it was literature’s function to show the everyday values of humanity and the laws of human existence. Their idea was that “classicism upheld tradition, often to the point of resisting change, because tradition seemed a reliable testing ground for those laws.” As for the Romantics, they wrote about how man has no boundaries and endless possibilities. “Who,” Emerson asked, “can set bounds to the possibilities of man?” Opposing classicists’ importance being put on human limitation, “the Romantics stressed the human potential for social progress and spiritual growth.” Because the expression Romanticism is a phenomenon of immense scope, embracing as it does, literature, politics, history, philosophy and the arts 2006-02-15T10:27:23-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Classicism-in-literature-28489.aspx “Into the heart of an immense darkness” (72) Light versus darkness is a common archetype that appears as a struggle between good and evil. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a novella that is cloaked in darkness, both literally and figuratively. It is the narrative of the journey of a steamboat captain, Marlow, into Africa as he searches for Kurtz, a famed chief of the Inner Station. Heart of Darkness is a novella that explores the physical and figurative darkness in the world and inside oneself. The “heart of darkness,” the completely ambiguous title of the book, is the reader’s first reference to the darkness of and in the story. At first glance, one might assume the “heart of darkness” is simply the African jungle that Marlow and Kurtz are in-merely the location of the story. Also, it may be the inherent evil within a person and the darkness within one’s heart. A more literal heart could be represented with Kurtz as the heart and the ivory as the driving force that fuels him. However, Conrad allows room for many interpretations of the vague title of this novella and never explains or gives much insight into the true meaning. Conrad forces the reader to wade through the murky imagery that surrounds every aspect of the book. The setting of the book itself is dark. The narrator tells the story in the black of night: “it had become so pitch dark that we listeners could hardly see one another” (24). When the story opens on the Thames River in England, even when the sun is shining brightly, the story takes place in a “mournful gloom” (1). Brussels, a “whited sepulcher,” contains the Company’s offices on “a narrow and deserted street in deep shadow” in which two women knit “black wool” (7). As if the description weren’t enough, the reader notices two women who seem uncannily like the Fates of mythology which weave destiny and lead only to death, or perhaps hell. The main setting of the Congo River is most definitely sinister and Marlow says that river is “fascinating-deadly-like a snake” (7). The African jungle is notoriously dark, from the physical darkness of the natives to the spiritual darkness of these so-called savages. The general darkness of the setting 2006-02-14T02:30:28-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Exploration-of-Darkness-in-Heart-of-Darkness-28488.aspx “I wonder what good Indian ceremonies can do against the sickness which comes from their wars, their bombs, their lies?” (132) Ever since the Europeans landed in the New World in the fifteenth century, there has been a clashing of Native American and white cultures. The whites spread new diseases, were unconscious of the spirit of nature, and brought new modern technology, like swords and guns. The cultures have been at odds since; from this culture clash developed the issue of tradition versus modernity, old versus new culture. This quandary is evident in Ceremony, by Leslie Marmon Silko, a novel about the struggle of the mixed race protagonist, Tayo, to reconcile his opposing Native American and white cultures. Tayo must embrace the Native American traditions of love, community, respect for nature, and non-violence as he is confronted by the white modern ideas of drunkenness, poverty, war, sexism, racism, and greed. He is forced to tackle the conflict between the traditional culture of the Laguna Pueblo tribe and the modern white culture. Silko seems to believe that a fusion of the tradition and modern cultures is necessary, not simply adopting one or the other. Tayo is enveloped in the Indian/white struggle of tradition versus modernity. The story the reader encounters is satiated with this concern to rectify the differences. But the reader can only get so far, for the reader is reminded that the novel is written in English and the story is meant to be in the old dialect, as much of it takes place in the Laguna Pueblo, where English is not always spoken. The old medicine man Ku’oosh explains to Tayo that in the Laguna Pueblo language “no word exists alone, and the reason for choosing each word had to be explained with a story about why it must be said this certain way” (35). The reader is left inaccessible and uncomfortable as to this gap between the traditional Laguna Pueblo language and the modern English. Tayo also feels uncomfortable with his opposing cultures as he tries to choose one over the other. As a child, Tayo was told by his white teachers that his stories from childhood were all nonsense. However, like if one told a Catholic that his religion was all a lie, Tayo still believes in the old stories. The teachers told his cousin Rocky that “‘nothing can stop you now except one thing: don’t let 2006-02-14T02:28:40-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Modernity-vs-Tradition-in-Silko-s-Ceremony-28487.aspx F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Life in His Work The Great Gatsby Thesis Statement: Fitzgeralds life shows through in all aspects of his work, such is the case in The Great Gatsby. He uses his life to create people and places through out the book. I. James Gats- Jay Gatsby A. Fitsgerald B. Edward Fuller C. Robert Kerr 1. Edwin Gilman-Dan Cody 2. Nellie Bly-Ella Kaye D. Max Gerlach E. Herbert Bayard Swope II. Daisy Fay Buchanon A. Ginevre King B. Zelda Sayre III. Meyer Wolfsheim A. Arnold Rothstein IV. Tom Buchanon A. Charles King B. William Mitchell C. Tommy Hitchcock V. Jordan Baker A. Edith Cummings Fitzgerald’s life shows through in all of his work, such is the case in The Great Gatsby. He uses his life to create people and places. Fitzgerald used his own experiences for this novel; he spent time on Great Neck, Long Island in 1923. There he met some of the sketchier people from New York. He met everyone from bootleggers to hit men, he met Arnold Rothstein the man who allegedly fixed the world’s series in 1919. Fitzgerald used many different real life people to build up his characters James Gats and Jay Gatsby for his book. He used his own life as a model for James Gats both of their fathers were failures. They vowed early in life to be successful and prosperous (A+E Biography). Fitzgerald used not only himself but also people he met and some he knew. His Great Neck neighbor and friend Robert Kerri shared stories of his boyhood. Which later became part of Jay GATT’s life story. Bob Kerri when he was 15, he boated out to a Major Edwin Glimmer’s yacht in Shapes Head Bay, He told him that the tides would break up his yacht. Major Gilman then gave Kerr a job for 3 years. These years were the last three of his life. Gilman was then a model for Dan Cody. He had a mistress named Ella Kaye she was modeled after Nellie Bly who were both newspaper reporters, it was whispered that she had “helped” in the death of Major Gilman (Tate 95). Another Great Neck neighbor who became a model was one of New York’s shadier people, Edward Fuller who was a bond bucketer like Jay Gatsby. There was the same friendship between Gatsby and Wolfsheim that existed with Rothstein and Fuller (Lehan Limits 55). Fitzgerald even used real life people’s personalities and speech. In The Great Gatsby he used Max Gerlach as Gatsby, Gerlach was a rich bootlegger from Great Neck. In a letter to Fitzgerald 2006-02-12T21:45:15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/F_-Scott-Fitzgerald’s-Life-in-His-Work-The-Great-Gatsby-28483.aspx Man’s Search for Meaning “A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears towards a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work will never be able to throw away life. He knows the “why” for his existence and will be able to bear almost any “how.” (Frankl,87-88). Man’s Search for Meaning of 2 parts. One: a recall of his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War. Two: his form of therapy called “logotherapy” and all of its general components. Logotherepay is from the Greek work logos, which can mean study, word, spirit, God, or Meaning. Throughout the book Dr. Frankl imposes the word “meaning” and elaborates to support its influence. The start of this novel is the story of Frankl’s experiences in the Nazi concentration camps. It maps out his journey, and all of the horrors and injustices done. What is unique about the prose in this book is that, if one were to picture Dr. Frankl writing his book, it is possible to envision him being quite emotional and striving to bring all of the wrong that was done into the light for all to see. However, the truth is closer to an old man sitting in a rocking chair, with his hands lightly clasped, wise as ever. He tells the events with the horrid details exempt from this. Instead of telling how badly one was beaten, and the gory contents, he focused purposely on the psychological effects. The brutality comes from the sheer simplicity of what he says. The point Dr. Frankl attempts (quite successfully) to convey is that under such harsh circumstances, through the most torturous of scenarios, man is capable of survival. Throughout the novel, Dr. Frankl discusses scenarios in which fellow prisoners were beaten down physically and emotionally to no avail, and subsequently were able to survive through clinging onto one remaining thing: that they had found meaning in their lives. Others, who would give up and die, like a flower withers in the winter, could not find this meaning. The point stressed throughout is that without finding any meaning to their lives, the prisoners would almost inevitably die. Frankl also discusses how to find meaning in ones life. How, in the suffering, the daily torturous conditions, the beatings, the injustice, the humiliation, the carnage, the exhaustion, how could 2006-02-12T21:35:16-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Man’s-Search-for-Meaning-28479.aspx What makes a short story a good piece of literature? A good story should be "descriptive." Description refers to the detail a writer uses to convey vivid mental images in readers' minds about the people, places and things in the story. The short story "The Open Boat" is an interesting story which is very detailed. It shows things such as sensory detail, figurative imagery, metaphors, similes, and personification. A good story has good descriptive detail, although the writer is must be careful to select the right detail that will illuminate the point of the story for the reader, which is exactly what Stephen Crane has done. “The Open Boat” has a sense of naturalism, which makes it a good piece of literature. This story made sense, had a flow, and was easy to read. In addition, a story has to have a sense of irony throughout the story to make it a good piece of literature. Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat” is descriptive, has a sense of cosmic irony, and has a sense of naturalism, which make it a good piece of literature. Stephen Crane uses descriptive adjectives. As the readers approach the opening of the story, the author introduces them to an animated setting by being highly descriptive. The author employs a wide range of personifications, motifs, and a descriptive style of writing to paint vivid imageries within the reader’s mind. The sea that lay ahead of the crew was described as a “broad stretch of lowly coast”. To vivificate the setting even more, the sea was illustrated as “dunes topped with dark vegetation”. Crane also personifies the behaviors of the turbulent sea. Moreover, the surf was “thunderous and mighty”. It’s obviously stated that no mercy will be granted among the passengers. Furthermore, the story also has a sense of cosmic irony. In "The Open Boat," Crane's theme, cosmic irony, is illustrated through the use of symbols for isolation, insignificance, and indifference. Three specific examples of cosmic irony symbolism used by Crane are, the power of the ocean against the insignificance of the boat, the sea against the universe, and the little boat in a vast sea from the people on the shore. The indifference aspect of cosmic irony is where things serve no purpose, and there is truly no care for anyone or anything. In "The Open Boat," the power of the ocean against the insignificance of the 2006-02-07T07:28:01-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/What-makes-Stephen-Crane-s-quot-The-Open-Boat-quot-good-li-28471.aspx Twelfth Night - Character Study: Malvolio The character Malvolio (meaning literally “I mean ill will) is immediately affected by the implications of his name. His personage is implied directly to be one of negative and somewhat disagreeable nature, which is continued and supported throughout the play, leading to his downfall and mockery which both initially seem to be thoroughly deserved, due to his numerous defects of personality. The first evidence of Malvolio’s undesirable disposition comes with his own first appearance in the play during which he makes a point of insulting the wit and intelligence of Feste “I marvel your ladyship takes delight in such a barren rascal”. Through doing this he shows himself to be man who condescends to those that he believes to be lower than him in any way, by acting on his own personal belief of superiority, and this later becomes a major player in his downfall. Initial impressions are supported by further vices in Malvolio’s general character and these lead to further aversion to him. He shows himself to be a strict puritan and this is also suggested by the opinion of Maria “The devil a puritan that he is”. He denies himself indulgences and pleasure whilst at the same time begrudging these things of others. He makes a point of taking the moral high ground over Maria, Feste and more importantly, his social superior Sir Toby, when he scorns them for their revelries and “disorders”. This in turn adds to their desire to avenge him and bring him from his level of false authority, back to his true social class of a mere steward at which he is unable to give out orders, but only to receive them. Although he is a man of supposed purity and self-denial in practise, his aspirations are such that he becomes hypocritical. In turn he makes his character one of further malevolence. He secretly longs for the life of a man higher in social status and fancies that through the love of Olivia, he could become such a person “having come from my day bed, where I have left Olivia sleeping ”. At the same time he has great, worldly ambitions that are strictly against the puritan philosophy. This longing for new superiority and strong belief that he will gain it, causes him to be open for trickery and thus provides the starting point of the punishment and humiliation through which he 2006-01-21T06:55:51-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Twelfth-Night-Character-Study-on-Malvolio-28448.aspx Of Mice and Men Essay - Failure to Achieve Dreams/Goals Many people have dreams in their lives, although in order to follow or meet that dream, one must face reality first. The characters in this novel had dreams that were not real or possible to achieve, but they still strived to accomplish that goal. To achieve one’s dreams or goal it usually means to make sacrifices. In all cases, if a dream is not real, reality cannot face it because of the way reality is. The characters in Mice and Men did not face reality and could not achieve there goals. Many of them had dreams which they either could not meet whether it was because of a mental or physical disability. Usually the dreams were to become a superstar, or own a large farm and start a new life over, but back then, that was usually not possible because of the conditions and the depression. Many characters in Mice and Men did not realize or meet their dreams or goals. Lennie and George had a dream that was not real and could not be met because of the way things were back then, such as the depression. It was hard for people to receive a job because there was bankruptcy, people were poor, and people did not need workers. They wanted to own a farm in which would allow the two to stay alive and have a new future and have a better life than what they had. They could not meet it because George killed Lennie at the end of the novel and George could not afford to buy the land. When George killed Lennie, he became lonely and lost his dream and his best friend. Back then it was hard to have enough money to buy land, you would usually have to already have money, or already have the land. In this case, Lennie had all the money given to him from his aunt and all he needed was George to help and guide him into the correct direction. George was not as fortunate and had to save every single last dime to help pay for the land. Curley's wife and Crooks, two cynics, scoff at the dream of Lennie and George as being unrealistic, but Candy sees its possibility and its beauty. Candy heard about Lennie and George’s dream and thought that he could have a new future 2006-01-15T19:40:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-and-Men-Essay-Failure-to-Achieve-Dreams-Goals-28436.aspx Tommorow When The War Began Chapter 1. 1. The narrator knows what has happened. He or she is not guessing or making it up. The reader feels that this is a true story, a report, not imagination. 2. a) The narrator is a girl, probably a teenager as she is old enough to be interested in boys and allowed to go bush camping with her friends. She was chosen to tell the story because her group thinks she is the best writer. b) Chronological means in the order of time, or in the order that things happen. It is the timeline of the events. 3. 4. "Know" is present tense and "knew" is past tense. Ellie speaks of her parents in the present tense, which means they are still alive, after the events we are going to hear about. Ellie specially draws our attention to her use of the present tense 'know'. This is a hint that some big events will take place in her story but we are to know that she and her parents are OK. Chapters 2-4. 1. The things you would need to take on a five day camping trip are some shirts, pants, jumpers, gloves, socks, undies and a towel. Also, food like cereals, such as Vita Brits, and snacks, like chips. Even though the book does not mention them, I think you would need a tent and a sleeping bag. 2.a) The strange thing about the bridge was that they thought that they were the first people to ever see Hell. But obviously they weren't, because the bridge was built there. Also strange was the type of bridge. It was no rough like a bush bridge. It was well built and detailed. b) The group thought the bridge was the hermit's because no one else would have gone to the trouble of building it. He would be the only one who would benefit from the bridge. 3. Ellie saw on the second night a whole lot of jets flying low overhead. The weird thing was that the jets had no lights on. 4. Ellie was shocked to find out about Homer liking Fi, because Homer always said he is too tough to have emotions and, also, Homer had never been interested in a girl before. 5. a) Ellie meant that the way people present themselves sends a certain message to people looking at them. Those looking automatically see that person in that way always 2006-01-15T19:34:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tommorow-When-The-War-Began-28434.aspx Nature Vs Nurture In Frankenstein Nature and nurture are both major contributors to the development of the monster’s behavior; however Shelley uses Rousseau’s theory on the natural man, who is born free and good but is corrupted by society, to prove that nurture is the leading factor which forms the creature’s behavior. An example of the creature being free is when he explains that before society he ate, slept and acted like an animal; eating berries and nuts, drinking from the brook and sleeping in the woods. Through these actions he is responding to his natural needs for food and shelters. Soon after this the creature watches the DeLacey family, a kind rich family thrown into poverty, from a hovel and learns how to speak, read, write and most importantly have a intelligent thought through the nurture he receives from them. For example, when the creature sees DeLacey, an elderly blind father, comforting his daughter, Agatha, the creature says “a mixture of pain and pleasure such as I never before experienced...”, this shows that he is forming reasonable thought. Now with the family he begins to have a more human train of thought. The family also gives him a self awareness that causes him to acknowledge the fact that he will never be a part of humanity, and also can not go back to his natural state. The nurturing care he receives while watching the family overcomes his animal like character. Shelley explains that only through nurture the creature was able to have this new found knowledge. It is true that the only way the creature would have a self consciousness is through the experience he had felt through the observation of the DeLacey family. Mary Shelley also uses education as a essential tool for nurturing the creature. The creature’s education is based on three books; Paradise Lost, Sorrow of Werter and Lives. The monster read each book as a true history of man. With each book he had felt a range of emotions, for Paradise Lost he says “It (the book) moved every feeling of wonder and awe...similarity struck me, to my own.” He relates to Paradise Lost because he feels like Adam, both formed by a creator; he also connects with Satan at times because he felt envy towards the DeLaceys. When he reads Plutarch’s 2006-01-15T19:30:50-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nature-Vs-Nurture-In-Frankenstein-28432.aspx Wuthering Heights Analysis A novel's strategy reveals itself in structure and process, not in isolated passages or speeches, however striking. Any complex work that aspires to a statement about something larger than the experiences it depicts must be understood as a proposition on two levels: that of the immediate, or present time (the shared fiction of the "immediate" as it is evidently experienced by both participant and reader, simultaneously), and that of the historical (in which the fiction of the simultaneous experience of participant and reader is dissolved, and the reader emerges, ideally, at least, with a god's-eye view of the novelist's design). The playful braiding of narrators and magisterial creator that is so pronounced a characteristic of Nabokov's novels is perhaps more willfully ingenious than the "Chinese box" narration of Emily Bronte (which, one should hasten to say, she chose to employ, as a felicitous convention, and did not invent), but scarcely more effective. As much as any Modernist work, Wuthering Heights demands to be reread: the first three chapters (charting the disingenuous Lockwood's introduction to the surly enigmatic inhabitants of Wuthering Heights, both living and dead) yield the author's intention only upon a second reading. And this has not only to do with the time-honored device of withheld information, but with the reader's literal interpretation of Lockwood's experience: for Lockwood is himself a "reader," albeit a most confused one, in these initial chapters. It is on the level of visceral immediacy, as a fictional "world" is evoked through the employment of language, that a novel lives or dies, or struggles along in a sort of twilit sleep; it is on this higher level, where structure and design are grasped, and all novels make claim to be "histories" (the eager demands of how and why, as well as what, accommodated), that it acquires a more cultural or generalized value. Emily Bronte's sense of the parable residing beneath her melodramatic tale guides us throughout: for we are allowed to know, despite the passionate and painfully convincing nostalgia for the Heights, the moors, and childhood, evinced by Catherine and Heathcliff, that their values, and hence their world (the Heights) are doomed. We acquiesce rather to the lyricism of the text, than to its actual claims: the triumph of the second Catherine and Hareton (the 2006-01-15T19:26:19-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wuthering-Heights-Analysis--28430.aspx Animal Farm - Misuse of Power The pigs had objectives other than the benefits and the good of the other animals. On the contrary, their objectives were to use, conquer, and capitalize on them. One of the conflicts in Animal Farm is the strong against the weak. The strong are the pigs and the weak are all the other animals. There are two main offenders of the weak: Napoleon and the pigs in general. Napoleon was a tyrant. It is very likely Napoleon and the other pigs were conspiring to take over Animal Farm so that they could take advantage of the situation of having many animals at their disposal. Although, Napoleon played a very important role in the assault on the weak. Napoleon most likely was the originator of all the decisions that go against the morals of the animal society. He is the one that initiated the violation of established resolutions, and concealed it by altering the resolutions. What satisfied his pleasure is what took precedence over everything-the animals, honesty, commandments, etc. He gave himself the credit for every good thing, without any recognition to the other animals, such as the building of the windmill, and the victory of the Battle of the Windmill. In addition, he is the one that completely transformed the farm into the same or worse way it was in the hands of Man. He made the pigs mimic Man: adopted all its bad habits which were against the animals, with the exception of the pigs. The other pigs were also involved in taking advantage of the weak. The other aspect that was against the weak is that the pigs in general clearly took advantage of their leadership to exploit the other animals. This could be proven multiple times, starting from nearly the beginning of the story. Even when Snowball, a good guy, was still in the picture, this (exploitation) was happening by the pigs deceiving the other animals to hog all the apple crop. The pigs gave the other animals little food, while they lived a lavish lifestyle. They lied to the animals by telling them lies about their memories, and giving them false information for their own benefits such as, for example, equality in rations would be contrary to the principles of Animalism. They overworked the animals while they did not work laboriously, and used them for money. The farm grew richer without making the 2006-01-15T19:22:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-Misuse-of-Power-28428.aspx Search For Meaning In Viktor Frankl’s book, A Man’s Search for Meaning, his unconditional faith proves him to be a true Jew. Though he grapples thousands of times with the meaning of what has happened to him, in the end his ultimate concern is what gives him the strength to continue. Some of the main questions Frankl is struggling with pertains to the two basic questions, “Where do I live?” and “What’s around the corner?” Through dealing with these concepts his true religious nature shine through. Another contributing factor in answering the question of Frankl true Judaic nature is that of vicarious suffering. For in Judaism they believe that have been chosen to take on the sins of the world. Frankl is likened to Job in the sense that though the suffering seemed unimaginable and they both questioned why, in the end their faith in God was solid. Through basic questions, “Where do I live?” and “What’s around the corner?” and vicarious suffering, Frankl can be proved to be a true Jew. The question of “Where do I live?” is one that Frankl had to faced its harsh reality daily. His surroundings were so full of atrocities that he become almost emotionally numb. At the start of the book when Frankl has just entered the concentration camp, it’s hard to see how he could remain a true Jew, when he is constantly aware of his horrendous atmosphere. Frankl is exposed to so much death and suffering that it seems his faith will totally be lost. However towards the end of his time at the camp, he begins to have major revelations about the effect his environment has on him. Frankl says “… I may give the impression that the human being is completely and unavoidably influenced by his surroundings. But what about human liberty?” (Man’s Search for Meaning p.86) At this point Frankl is starting to realize that it is up to the individual how much they let their atmosphere affect them. He may live in an undeniably awful situation, but Frankl has the free will to decide how much he can let the “where do live?” question impinge on him and his faith. Frankl’s realization that his free will is stronger than his surroundings is part of what makes him a true Jew. Another question that Frankl wrestles with is that of “What’s around the corner?” He sees all 2006-01-15T19:15:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Search-for-Meaning-Frankl-is-a-True-Jew-28425.aspx Roger Chillingworth Roger Chillingworth in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, a revolutionary man. His views on topics such as medicine are influenced by the natives which whom he lived with. These ideas, which are frowned upon by the Puritan society, begin to control his life. Chillingworth slowly progresses from an old, wise, physician, to a malevolent monster. Physically, he becomes more bent over while at the same time he also becomes more conniving in his thoughts. Chillingworth’s entire purpose for staying in town changes as he learns more about the father of Pearl. Chillingworth becomes contagious in a sense because the more time he spends with Arthur Dimmesdale, the more Dimmesdale begins to start to rot as well. The townspeople agree that Roger Chillingworth is no good, and that he is truly from the devil. Roger Chillingworth certainly changes and differs from the rest of society intellectually, mentally, and physically. The reader's first image that they have of Chillingworth is with an Indian. Indians were considered savages and the Christians believed them to be from the devil because they connected themselves with nature. Coincidentally, Chillingworth uses many herbal ingredients in his remedies, including the ones which he gives Hester and Pearl when he goes to visit them in prison when he first arrives in town. "My old studies in alchemy, and my sojourn, for above a year past, among a people well versed in kindly properties of simples, have made a better physician of me than many that claim the medical degree," (67), he told Hester. Chillingworth and his medical ideas are certainly different than the typical thoughts of the townspeople. Not only did Chillingworth exemplify a differentiation in his medical beliefs by collecting herbs and ingredients from the earth, but also in his theory of genetics. When Hester and Pearl were brought to Governor Bellingham's place, Chillingworth suggests the theory of genetics as a way to determine the father. "Would it be beyond a philosopher's research to analyze that the child's nature, and, from its make and mold, to give a shrewd guess at the father?" (106), he asked. But this idea was considered ludicrous. "Nay; it would be sinful, in such a question, to follow the clew of profane philosophy," (106), Mr. Wilson replied to this idea. It is a bit ironic how Hawthorne placed the word ' sinful' in the response because it exemplifies completely different worlds of 2006-01-09T01:40:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis--28417.aspx Great Gatsby, Daisy And Tom Comparison The characters' search of their own identities and the struggle that ensues is the most suffusive theme throughout The Great Gatsby . The fact that we never really know the characters, and the corrupt immoral things they do, directly represent the 20's high society lifestyle. The characters continued to cheat on their spouses, let money become their obsession, and debated the American dream for the hopes of one day obtaining happiness. But the fact remains that they have no true morals or ideals of themselves as individuals. These are a group of people who --no matter how cocky and self- confident they seem-- have absolutely no idea of what they are doing (as many men and women of the 20's do not). Tom and Daisy are two examples. Daisy is a hospitable character who had a love for parties and tended to lose herself in them and the drinking. Daisy once said, "What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon, and the day after that, and the next thirty years?" This quote not only means she lives for one day at a time never thinking of the future, but that she truly has no idea of what to do with herself. She is like loose change floating around wandering from party to party, man to man, friend to friend, in a big house in East Egg with no sense of purpose. She once attempted to plan something when she first reunited with Nick. She said, "What'll we plan? What do people plan?" meaning she has never had to make decisions nor has she had much responsibility. Not only does she have no purpose, she has no morals. She literally killed a woman and went home to eat cold chicken. What more, her lover was killed and she left on a trip missing his funeral. Show me a woman who has no morals or goals and I'll show you a woman who is searching for her own identity. Tom Buchanan is a small man hiding in a big house with an equally large ego. In fact, he once remarked that women run around too much and meet the wrong kind of people. This statement is both arrogant and ironic because he runs around with the wrong people, and women run around with him- he being the wrong people. Also, when stating this he was most likely referring to 2006-01-07T07:37:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby,-Daisy-And-Tom-Comparison-28415.aspx Themes and Symbols in "The Lottery" By Shirley Jackson The story entitled “The Lottery,” written by Shirley Jackson is an intriguing and shocking parable. “The Lottery” is set in a small village on a clear summer day. Written in objective third person point of view, “The Lottery” keeps the reader in suspense as the story progresses. The story begins June 27th on a “clear and sunny…full-summer day.” From the very beginning, irony occurs in the story. The author describes the day as “clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.” To describe such a beautiful day when the ending is so ill fated, is very ironic. The villagers, all three hundred of them, gather in the square. There is a feeling of excitement and relative normalcy as the people talk of their everyday happenings. The lottery is conducted by Mr. Summers, as he is the one that directs the “civic activities” of the town. The night before the lottery, all of the families have their names placed in a black box. The day of the lottery, Mr. Summers has each head of family draw a slip of paper from the box. When each family has selected a slip, they all open the papers together. The Hutchinson’s are the “winners.” The process then repeats but this time, each family member must put their name in the black box. This is where the climax occurs. Everyone waits expectantly for the final outcome to the lottery. As each slip is opened, the suspense builds and the villagers wait expectantly for the black spot that would signify the “winner.” At the conclusion of the story, Mrs. Hutchinson is the “winner,” and as her prize the citizens of the village stone her to death. The conclusion to “The Lottery” is another irony. Mrs. Hutchinson was the last to arrive at the square because she had forgotten what day it was. It is satirical that she, the “winner,” almost did not make it to the lottery. Another example of irony at this time is when “voices…across the crowd said, ‘Bill she made it after all,” when in the end, she did not “make it.” A bit of foreshadowing also occurs between the climax and ending. When Mrs. Hutchinson arrives late, she makes her way through the crowd and “She tapped Mrs. 2006-01-07T07:35:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-and-Symbols-in-quot-The-Lottery-quot-By-Shirley-Jac-28414.aspx The Rocking Horse Winner The dramatic short story "The rocking horse winner," is about a young boy who desires to be loved by his mother. The author, D.H. Lawrence develops a theme that states, the desire for money and social status is a destructive force. The story is about a young boy named Paul who tries to win his mothers love by gambling for money. Paul has a supernatural power which he can commute with his rocking horse to find out the winning races. However, in the end Paul tries too hard to win his mothers love and dies. The moral theme is revealed through Paul, who is the protagonist, and his relationships with the characters. The relationships which result in conflict is between Paul's mother and father, between mother and Paul, Oscar and Paul and Paul and himself. The standard of living in their society is very important to Paul's family but it becomes a destructive force. The symbolism unrolls the theme by Paul's wooden rocking horse, his wild eyes and the whispering within the house. Thus, the theme is revealed by the use of relationships, and symbolism which in the end leads Paul to his awful death. D.H. Lawrence accomplishes the theme by using dramatic relationships with the characters. Paul's mother, Hester is determined to fit in with society but she does not notice that her desires are ruining her family. A conversation with Hester and Paul displays how she feels about Paul. Hester believes that being lucky is the key to becoming rich, but her belief has a large impact on Paul. Paul is determined to receive his mothers attention when he says "I'm a lucky person," and then she goes on to say "excellent," but in a sarcastic manner, which makes him more compelled in receiving her attention. Also, when Paul started winning the horse races he decided to give his mother 5000 pounds and when it arrived in the mail Paul asks "didn't you have anything nice in the post for your Birthday, mother?"her reply is "Quite moderately nice." The author displays that even when his mother receives what she desires she is still longing for more wealth which in the end results in Pauls death and her realization of what has become of her family. Paul's mother reveals 2006-01-07T07:27:38-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Rocking-Horse-Winner-28410.aspx The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar By Roald Dahl I am reading a book called The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and six more. I chose for my book report to write about the story called The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. It is about a man who is very rich and selfish. He paid to much attention to his clothes and what he looked like. But never did a day’s work in his whole life. All his friends were wealthy and they would travel all over the world. He loved to gamble on everything he can get his hands on. The main character in this story was Henry Sugar. The thing I liked least about Henry was he was so into himself and never thought about other people. He only cared about how he looked and were he was seen. And the most thing I liked about Henry was, at the ending of the story, Henry came to his senses and realized how important it was to help other people. The problem Henry had to face was, learning how to care and help other people. And not to become so self-centered. The problem was solved at the ending of the book. It was solved by, winning all this money from gambling he realized that money did not make him feel good, it was how he spent the money. My favorite part of the story was when Henry went out onto his balcony and threw his money to people on the street who needed it more than he did. It showed how kind and generous Henry really could be. And when the cop came into his apartment, it was nice how he told Henry that he could take his money and give it to an orphanage. If I were the main character I would have done one thing different. The thing I would have done was when I finished reading the interview with Imhart Khan; I would have not practiced yoga for selfish reasons. Henry wanted to practice yoga so he could concentrate and learn how to see through objects such as, cards. The cards when he gambled would bring him very large amounts of money. But he was cheating. The thing I remember most about the story was when Imhart Khan walked a few blocks without being able to see anything. He was blindfolded by doctors. The doctors even glued his eyelids 2006-01-07T07:26:20-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Wonderful-Story-of-Henry-Sugar-28409.aspx Of Mice and Men - Unfortunate Visions In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men George and Lennie were two men with a dream of one day living on their own farm and off the fat of the land. George said that Lennie could tend the rabbits on the farm and they would both live easy lives without having to work. Although they have this vision, the men are not able to achieve it. The untimely death of Lennie led George to the realization that their dream was never meant to come true. George and Lennie were doomed to fail from the beginning because of Lennie’s disabilities, their lack of financial ability, and George’s responsibility of Lennie. Lennie’s disabilities are a factor in why the duo is destined to fail from the beginning. Although Lennie is a good and strong worker, he lacks an intellect, which often gets him into trouble. In Of Mice and Men, Lennie has a fascination for soft things such as the mice, the pups, and Curley’s wife’s hair. Because George is Lennie’s care keeper, George gets caught up in Lennie’s problems. Lennie has previously gotten into trouble with this obsession by touching a girl’s dress when they worked in Weed. This forced them to leave the job in Weed and move to get a new job because they needed the money if their dream was to come true. The lack of financial ability on the part of George and Lennie tells of how the men are doomed to fail from the beginning. George and Lennie work all of the time and travel from farm to farm together. George tells Lennie of his dream that they can get a farm and work off the fat of the land to increase Lennie’s working effort. The jobs they take pay very minimally and George spends his money in the whorehouse like the rest of the farmhands. The rest of their money is used on miscellaneous fares such as bus trips and food. This runs the men into problems when they think about buying their dream house. Because they don’t have a lot of money to begin with, the men need to work constantly and put their vision aside for a while. Crooks said: I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hundreds of 2006-01-06T06:43:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-and-Men-Unfortunate-Visions-28403.aspx The Sun Also Rises By: Ernest Hemmingway In the novel The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway describes a couple who share a very strange and distant kind of love for each other. This story takes place immediately after World War I, a time of great hardship. This hardship results in a digression of values both morally and socially. The love that Brett and Jake share is symbolic of the general decline in values in that they tolerate behaviors in one another that would have been previously considered unacceptable. It is clear that Lady Brett Ashley is anything but a lady. She is kind and sweet but extremely vulnerable to the charm that various men in her life seem to smother her with. Brett is not happy with her life or her surroundings and seeks escape and refuge in the arms of these men. But her actions seem always to end up hurting her, and she runs back to Jake. Jake knows that he will never be able to have her for his own, and he accepts this as fact. This is clear when the Count asks them “why don’t you get married, you two?” (68) To this question, they give a lame half hearted answer which implies that it will never happen. He is tolerant of her behavior because he loves her unconditionally and is willing to overlook everything she does. Jake’s willingness to endure and forgive the way Brett is is an indication of the mixed up values of the age. It was an anything goes era right after the first war, and Jake’s message to Brett seems to be the same: anything goes as long as you eventually come back to me. Jake is forced to accept living in this seemingly terrible way for more than one reason. He a weak person socially, but he is also physically disabled because of an injury that he suffered during the war. He suffered an injury that caused him to be castrated. The first hint of this is when he says to Georgeette “I was hurt in the war” (24) in refrence to why they can not have physical realtions. This injury is one that makes him insecure, but worse than that, it allows Brett to have almost complete control 2006-01-06T05:34:50-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Sun-Also-Rises--28402.aspx Beowulf We can overlook the strange nature of the alien creatures who ride horses and terrorize the northern community that stands in for the Danes terrorized by Grendel in the Anglo-Saxon epic. The important issue is that the people over whom Hrothgar (played by Sven Wollter) is king are helpless, their community effectively defenseless. The arrival of Buliwyf (the stand-in for Beowulf) and his crew, twelve in all plus the thirteenth, the Arab Ahmahd ibn Fahdalan (played by Antonio Banderas) is a hope-filled event as the new arrivals go about refortifying Hrothgar's town in anticipation of an attack by the formidable aliens, who wear bear-skin costumes but who are not charmed against weapons and courage (Grendel in the epic is charmed against weapons.). A number of odd changes have occurred in the shifts from poem to novel to movie. Beowulf's eventual comrade in need, Wiglaf, becomes Wigliff in the movie, Hrothgar's son and sarcastic challenger in the hall when Buliwyf and his company enter. He takes over the function played out by Unferth in the poem, a Wendel unrelated by blood to Hrothgar (as far as we know). In the movie, Wigliff's verbal challenge is nicely met but he continues to plot, eventually finding his champion tricked into facing Buliwyf's deceptively able champion, who triumphs. That killing presumably ends the court intrigue, freeing Buliwylf and his crew for their most dire of tasks: raiding the aliens' home base and killing their deep-cave dwelling voodoo earth mother (who is a nice touch, actually--a parallel for Grendel's mother in her underwater cave). The ibn Fadlan character brings a cultural mix to the story, given that he has to learn the Vikings' language and try to understand their barbaric but finally worthy values of courage and stoicism. This too differs from the Anglo-Saxon epic, in which all the central groups involved--the Danes, the Swedes and the Geats--essentially share the same culture of warrior and communal values. One can easily multiply such observations about matters large and small into an impressive list of annoying differences. But given all of that, could this movie still perform a classroom service for those of us trying to expand interest in the early literature, language and culture of northern peoples? If not much is asked of the movie, I think it will serve. In relation to Beowulf, for example, the great hall, Heorot, is impressive; the characterization of the 2006-01-05T06:24:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf--28399.aspx What Was The Best Name For Julius Caesar? The novel Julius Caesar could be more appropriately named Brutus, but it is uncertain weather or not it really should be. This is for many reasons, such as the fact that Caesar didn’t play a very important active role in the play, but most of the things in the play happened as a result of something that he did, started, caused, or said. He died before most of the action of the play took place. There is also another reason the play might have been better named Brutus. The masses play a role in this. When the play begins, it appears as thought the book will be about, you could say, the life and times of Julius Caesar. He has just defeated Pompey, and everyone is cheering for him. Marullus and Flavious are even condemned to death for removing the decorations off of Caesars’ statues. The talk of the crowd is Caesar, and everyone wants him to have the crown, and become the new leader of Rome. As the play continues, however, it becomes obvious that the book is simply about what Caesar started, and than who continues his work, and who changes it. Antony, although he was associated (worked for) Caesar, ended up doing quite a lot (good or bad) for Rome, so why isn’t the play named after him? This proves that the play might not have been given the best name. Or had it? Caesar wanted to become king. That was his goal, and his motives were because he thought he was better than everyone was, and he even wanted “fat men among him”, so that he would look better. He didn’t, however, realize how stupid he really was. Had he listened to his wife, the one person he should trust, he might not have gotten killed. This probably would have allowed him to become king, and change Rome and it’s people to meet his satisfaction. And so, had it not have been for Caesar (or his stupidity), the play might have had an entirely different outcome. This is not necessarily something that can be proved, but it is certainly a reason why the play was possibly given the best name. Another reason for this is because Antony honored him so much, that he decided to start a war to get revenge on the people who 2006-01-03T05:24:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/What-Was-The-Best-Name-For-Julius-Caesar-28387.aspx Inferno : Imagery Imagery is the descriptive language used in literature to recreate sensory experiences. Inferno, by Dante Alighieri, expresses vibrant imagery and uses it effectively to tie into the theme. The usage of imagery in Inferno is critical to the development of this epic poem. Dante finds himself lost in the Dark Woods of Error and encounters three beasts: a spotted leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf. These three animals stand at the fork in the road that leads to the path of righteousness. The leopard is a very elaborate and smooth creature; his muscles complement his body movement in a flowing manner. Yet, it is on the brink of jumping Dante. The lion, raging with fierceness and boasting its big head, is also about to attack. The she-wolf is on the verge of starvation, and its gaunt appearance is evidence. All three of these beasts prove to be a threat to Dante. They represent sins in one’s life that can be corrected, a second chance. They are merely roadblocks, which can be overcome, not by fighting, but by running away. Another illustration of the brilliant imagery that Dante portrays is the confrontation with the devil. Satan is described as having three horrendous faces, a sickly green one, a red one, and a black one. His wings are like a bats in texture, but exponentially larger. In his mouth he eternally chews three sinners while drooling bloody froth and pus. The icy lake Satan is trapped in is polluted with gore and saliva. His size is that of a towering monster; he is big enough for Dante and Virgil to climb his back and escape hell. Both of these examples of imagery have relevance. The beasts exemplify worldly things that can be corrected, while the tour of hell shows the reader if one misses God and cannot conquer these obstacles that he will end up in this repulsive place Dante describes as hell. The colorful imagery used by the author plays a key role in the establishment of this poem as well as its theme. Dante carefully links the images described to the poem’s theme. The theme is the struggle of the soul to reject sin, and approach God. The animals, a representation of human’s sins, must be avoided in order to reach one’s ultimate goal, God. To circumvent torture one must defeat these beasts that 2006-01-03T05:12:45-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Inferno-Imagery--28385.aspx The Lead Of Beowulf Beowulf displays the qualities of a good leader that were mentioned in the speech given by Hrothgar. The speech speaking of the vices and virtues of great political leaders contains many of the same qualities that Beowulf embodies. His boastfulness, generosity and kindness are evidence that he is a good leader and provides for his people. Although the qualities he posses may not be the best-fit qualities of a common man, they are admirable qualities of a strong leader. Beowulf’s high self-regard acts as a promise to his people. It is a promise saying that he will provide for them and he can keep his country in order and away from harm. Because Beowulf speaks very highly of himself he is required to support his claims and give to the people. Hrothgar claims that flaunting is a way to keep the Geats happy because they believe what he says. "I will stand by my word make good my promises. To your Geat-friends now will make you come with counsel courage for their hearts through long comfort years"(1706). The Geats need someone to believe in and who would believe in someone with low self-esteem or someone who didn’t believe in themselves. The people need assurance and they found that assurance in Beowulf. Beowulf reassures his people that the Dragon will be dealt with and gives them courage to withstand this threat. " I lived in my youth through hard war-moments--- now here I am ready battle weary king battered with winters for final glory-time if that grim hall burner will come to meet me from his mound of gold" (pg. 81). Beowulf wants to reassure his people that he can once again succeed in defeating his enemies. The people believe that Beowulf will succeed again. Beowulf’s obligations to the people require him to slay the dragon. Beowulf’s self centeredness is what makes him an ideal leader in the eyes of Hrothgar. Another reason Beowulf is seen as a good leader is because he does not share the characteristics that were spoken of Heremod. Heremod was portrayed as a bad leader due to his murderous attitude and actions. The vices of Heremod characterize a bad leader and Hrothgar points them out like in his treatment of the Danes. Not so kind was Heremod to the kin of Ecwela care heavy Shield Danes—he brought them no joy but baleful murder dark 2006-01-02T04:06:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Lead-Of-Beowulf-28380.aspx Oedipus As A Tragic Hero In the play Oedipus by Sophocles, Oedipus' self-destruction and fall from power leaves him as the villain and not the hero in the play. The very thing he fights so hard to discover is what leads to his self-destruction. herefore, we tend to feel sorrow for Oedipus seeing that it was only the fate of the G-ds and the oracles. Oedipus is a tragic hero who fails to achieve happiness in such a way that it brings upon fear and pity by everyone in the highest degree. “Tell me, and never doubt that I will help you in every way I can….”(line13) Oedipus was a very caring king; he cared for Thebes and his people with unconditional love. When he was exiled from his beloved city he did it by choice, but the fact that he left in order for plague to vanish shows his leadership qualities. This part in the play is very sad and heartbroken, when Oedipus leaves the city in which he ruled, saved from the sphinx and now breaking a plague is not an easy task to comply with. The Chorus and people are deeply sympathetic to Oedipus, and appreciative of his willingness to go voluntarily into exile to save the city. They say, “ You overcame the stranger, the virgin with her hooking lion claws and though death sang, stood like a tower to make pale Thebes take heart, fortress against our sorrow! True king, giver of laws, majestic Oedipus! No prince in Thebes had ever such renown, no prince won such grace of power.” Oedipus was the first and last king who treated Thebes as an equal, he loves the people and the people loved him. Even though many may say that he was the one to cause the plague, and an embarrassment to the city, he was also the one to free the city of the plague; therefore we can conclude that Oedipus once again saved the city of Thebes. He may not be a Hero, and in this play a villain, however he could have ignored the fact that he was the murder of king Lauis and gone on with his life, but he didn’t, Oedipus is in fact a hero! For these reasons we can feel sympathy towards Oedipus and his ill-fated life and density. The dead are more fortunate than the living, because they do not 2006-01-01T21:39:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-As-A-Tragic-Hero-28368.aspx FROM INNOCENCE TO KNOWLEDGE: CHARACTER IN JAMES JOYCE'S "ARABY" In his brief but complex story, "Araby," James Joyce concen-trates on character rather than on plot to reveal the ironies inherentin self-deception. On one level "Araby" is a story of initiation, of aboy's quest for the ideal. The quest ends in failure but results in aninner awareness and a first step into manhood. On another level thestory consists of a grown man's remembered experience, for the storyis told in retrospect by a man who looks back to a particular momentof intense meaning and insight. As such, the boy's experience is notrestricted to youth's encounter with first love. Rather, it is a portrayalof a continuing problem all through life: the incompatibility of theideal, of the dream as one wishes it to be, with the bleakness of real-ity. This double focus-the boy who first experiences, and the manwho has not forgotten-provides for the dramatic rendering of astory of first love told by a narrator who, with his wider, adult vision,can employ the sophisticated use of irony and symbolic imagery nec-essary to reveal the story's meaning. The boy's character is indirectly suggested in the opening scenesof the story. He has grown up in the backwash of a dying city. Sym-bolic images show him to be an individual who is sensitive to the factthat his city's vitality has ebbed and left a residue of empty piety, thefaintest echoes of romance, and only symbolic memories of an activeconcern for God and fellow men. Although the young boy cannot ap-prehend it intellectually, he feels that the street, the town, and Irelanditself have become ingrown, self-satisfied, and unimaginative. It is a world of spiritual stagnation, and as a result, the boy's outlook is se-verely limited. He is ignorant and therefore innocent. Lonely, imagin-ative, and isolated, he lacks the understanding necessary for evalua-tion and perspective. He is at first as blind as his world, but Joyceprepares us for his eventual perceptive awakening by tempering hisblindness with an unconscious rejection of the spiritual stagnation of his world. The boy's manner of thought is also made clear in the openingscenes. Religion controls the lives of the inhabitants of North Richmond Street, but it is a dying religion and receives only lip service.The boy, however, entering the new experience of first love, finds hisvocabulary within the experiences of his religious training and the ro-mantic novels he has read. The result is an idealistic and confused in-terpretation 2006-01-01T21:03:32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/From-Innocence-to-Knowledge-James-Joyce-s-quot-Araby-quot-28362.aspx Hamlet Revenge - Use of Irony in Oedipus Rex Oedipus Rex a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles in the early days of antiquity is based upon an even more ancient story in Greek mythology. Sophocles, however, knowing that his audience is aware of the outcome of the play utilizes that foreknowledge to create various situations in which dramatic and verbal irony play key roles. . Through his use of irony Sophocles manages to avoid simply retelling an old tale, though the audience is cognizant of the story’s end they are intrigued by the irony present in the story. For instance when Oedipus pronounces his curse upon the head of King Laius’s murderer in the opening scenes of the play : So will I fight on the gods’ side, And on the side of the slain man! But my curse be on the one who did this, whether he is alone Or conceals his share in it with others. Let him be free of no misery if he share my house Or sit at my hearth and I have knowledge of it. On myself may it fall, as I have called it down! - Oedipus from Oedipus Rex When Oedipus pronounces this sentence he has already unwittingly judged himself, and to the excitement of the crowd foreshadowed later events to come. This statement, is a classic example of verbal irony. In it Oedipus thinking that he is directing his pronouncement upon some bandit, or conspirator, in all actuality he is truly condemning himself. Further examples of irony include his speech when he first answers the chorus “…Because of all these things I will fight for him as I would my own murdered father.” The irony inherent in this speech that Oedipus makes to the chorus lies for the most part in this single line, since the murdered King Laius is his father. Sophocles does not reserve his use of irony to verbal irony, but he also ranges into areas of irony dramatic in nature. The entire play could be said to be an example 2006-01-01T01:06:10-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hamlet-Revenge-Use-of-Irony-in-Oedipus-Rex-28355.aspx Anne Frank 2006-01-01T01:03:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anne-Frank--28354.aspx Conventions Of Shakespeare Conventions are commonly known as a customary feature of a literary work such as the use of a chorus in Greek tragedy or an explicit moral in a fable. They are found in stories, plays, essays, poetry, and movies. Conventions are found frequently in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Taming of the Shrew, and Othello. They are also detected in D. H. Lawrence’s The Horse Dealer’s Daughter and The Rocking Horse Winner, and lastly in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House. These literary devices all grasp the same conventional concept. The use of a prop in a literary work is a perfect example of a convention—each prop is used to show a significant idea in its respective literary work. William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet. He was recognized in much of the world as the greatest of all dramatists. In Hamlet, Shakespeare provides the first prop as letters. Ophelia proclaims, “My lord, I have remembrances of yours, That I have longed long to redeliver; I pray you, now receive them” (III.I.93-95). In this citation, Ophelia gives Hamlet the letters (“them”) of poetry he has written to her. With this action, she manages to devalue Hamlet, bring forth a feeling of worthlessness and unimportance. Another significant prop in Hamlet is the fencing sword. Fencing was a common, competitive and recreational sport practiced in the Middle Ages. The sword was usually tipped with foil to prevent injury. In act V, Hamlet and Leartes engage in a game of fencing. Leartes deceives Hamlet and “unbates” his sword. The unbated sword is soaked in poison and the opponents bleed on both sides (V.II.271-273). This occurrence signifies the revenge each son is instilled with. Hamlet is mislead by his long-lived acquaintance. Deception and revenge brought him to his final resting place Also in act V, Hamlet and Horatio watch two clowns while they dig a grave. While the clowns dig, they come across a skull. Hamlet pronounces, “This might be the pate of a politician, which this ass now o’er reaches; one that would circumvent God, might it not?” (V.I.66-67). This skull resembled Hamlet’s jester who has passed away over 20 years ago. The skull represented the dead smell in Denmark. 2006-01-01T00:51:45-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Conventions-Of-Shakespeare--28352.aspx Tree of Red Stars - Symbols My assignment was to find symbols in this book and to illustrate what they are doing to illuminate the theme of this book. First of all I think that interpretation of symbols can varies because it depends on the observers’ attitude as well as their cultural acknowledgement that symbols might have through their experiences in their life. In another words Symbols are creation of culture or may also be expressions of nature. Seeing symbolism in English literature is really difficult for me particularly because I am from a different culture and English isn’t my first language. And also, the author has brought in Latin America Literature and culture in the book and her use of mixture of Spanish words and English confused me. Anyhow, here is my view of the theme of this story. Tree of the Stars is a story, which provides a fascination social record and a unique insight into the turbulent times that Uruguay faced leading to its military takeover by a dictatorship. At one level, the story can be seen as a love story between Magdalena and Marco. On the other more grave level is Magdalena’s political awakening to the simmering events around her and her participation in the revolutionary activities of her native country. Some symbolisms that I picked up as a reader from the book: The story recreates imaginatively the chief protagonist Magdalena’s carefree childhood days in Uruguay. The Symbolic use of setting and characters is the clever method of engaging the reader’s mind to the subconscious message of the book. In the beginning of the book, one of the quotes that has symbolic meaning that I found describes, “In summer, the pale green leaves cast refreshing shadows on my skin; in winter, the brilliant red flowers nodded in the wind, like a hundred small fires holding the cold at bay” The tree referred to the title probably looks at the authority – the government. The pale green leaves refer to the dying government and the shadows point to a serious outcome, the revolt. The brilliant red flowers like hundred small fires represent the seeds of revolution that have been spread around the unsatisfied people who have kept their oppressors at bay. Just like the students in this story who set out to redress the wrongs of the government and to overthrow it and replace it with a better system. Magdalena’s childhood memories of her individualist horseback 2006-01-01T00:43:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tree-of-Red-Stars-Symbols-28350.aspx Critical Analysis Of "Soldier's Home": Before, During, And After Many of the titles of Ernest Hemingway's stories are ironic, and can be read on a number of levels; Soldier's Home is no exception. Our first impression, having read the title only, is that this story will be about a old soldier living out the remainder of his life in an institution where veterans go to die. We soon find out that the story has nothing to do with the elderly, or institutions; rather, it tells the story of a young man, Harold Krebs, only recently returned from World War I, who has moved back into his parents' house while he figures out what he wants to do with the rest of his life. And yet our first impression lingers, and with good reason; despite the fact that his parents' comfortable, middle-class lifestyle used to feel like home to Harold Krebs, it no longer does. Harold is not home; he has no home at all. This is actually not an uncommon scenario among young people (such as college students) returning into the womb of their childhood again. But with Harold, the situation is more dramatic because he has not only lived on his own, but has dealt with -- and been traumatized by -- life-and-death situations his parents could not possibly understand. Hemingway does not divulge why Krebs was the last person in his home town to return home from the war; according to the Kansas City Star, Hemingway himself "left Kansas City in the spring of 1918 and did not return for 10 years, [becoming] 'the first of 132 former Star employees to be wounded in World War I,' according to a Star article at the time of his death" (Kansas City Star, hem6.htm). Wherever he was in the intervening time, by the time Harold gets home, the novelty of the returning soldier has long since worn off. All the other former soldiers have found a niche for themselves in the community, but Harold needs a while longer to get his bearings; he plays pool, "practiced on his clarinet, strolled down town, read, and went to bed" (Hemingway, 146). What he is doing, of course, is killing time. The problem, of course, has to do with Harold's definition of who he has become. He recognizes he has changed, and this change is played out dramatically against the backdrop of a 2005-12-31T06:38:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-Of-quot-Soldier-s-Home-quot-Before,-Dur-28342.aspx Illustrate Pope’s Use Of The ‘Heroi-comical’ And Discuss His Purposes In Using It Pope had translated the Iliad recently before writing the Rape of the Lock so it is no wonder that the poem contains many allusions to it and other epics. Pope used the heroic couplet fore mostly because of the awe in which he held the epics and secondly because it provides a superb field in which to satirise whilst maintaining levity. His mocking of the epic begin in the first two lines of the poem: “What dire offence from am’rous causes springs, What mighty contests rise from trivial things,” This is an imitation of the opening of an epic where the subject is stated, in this case a battle which is fought over a trivial thing which is caused by lust. Since Pope launched straight into the style of an epic we are immediately struck by harsh satire. An epic usually dealt with tales which were not ‘trivial things’ and we just have to recall that the Iliad’s subject was war between two great nations and the rape of Helen rather than the rape of a lock of hair and this is what makes the satire so biting. The game of ‘Ombre’ played between Belinda and the Baron is The Rape of the Lock’s substitute for battle. It mocks the heroic by displaying the typical Homeric hero, the display of the hero’s ‘arete’, in Belinda’s case this is her skill in cards, which eventually leads to the death of the hero, the loss of her hair. This makes the loss of Belinda’s hair seem even more trivial when we compare it to death in battle and this is exactly what Pope was trying to achieve. He was trying to reconcile the Baron and Arabella and by trivialising the loss of her hair he may have made it easier for the two to forgive one another. What makes the satire even more blinding is the fact that Belinda’s skill is not complete and she in fact only thinks she has defeated the Baron. Belinda is compared to Eve from Milton’s Paradise Lost but again The Rape of the Lock seems inconsequential when contrasted with the fall of mankind. Belinda possesses some of the faults that seem intrinsic to mankind such as narcissism, she is not only proud of her beauty but she actually goes as far as worshipping her image in the mirror just 2005-12-31T03:27:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Illustrate-Pope’s-Use-Of-The-‘Heroi-comical’-and-Purpose-28334.aspx Huck Finn - Moral Development What are morals and where do they come from? Morals are what someone falls back on when faced with a problem or a difficult decision. Some people think that morals come from childhood and others feel they are similar to born instincts. Most highly believed is the theory that morals are developed through real life situations. In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, three events that display the main character’s development of morals are when Huck lives with Pap, when Huck realizes the corruption of the Duke and the King, and when Huck has a change of heart about Jim. The first big awakening for Huck is when Pap returns to his life. Huck finds out that his father has come around again to seek Huck’s wealth. Pap goes on many drunken sprees, and eventually kidnaps Huck and takes him to the forest where he is locked up in Pap’s cabin. Huck quickly learnes that Pap was not the sort of person to be raised by. “He chased me round and round the place with a clap-knife, calling me the Angel of Death, and saying he would kill me, and then I couldn’t come for him no more”(Twain 29). Pap was a rough abusive alcoholic and Huck decided for himself that it would be best for Pap’s influence not to be present. This is the first big step in the development of Huck’s morals because he deciphers for himself, even though it is plainly obvious, what is wrong and right and that Pap is not the father figure he needs as a young adult. Huck’s morals concerning right vs. wrong unravel more when he becomes acquainted with the Duke and the King. Over the course of the story, it becomes relevant that the King and the Duke are obvious scam artist and put on an excellent display of what is bad and unacceptable. When Huck first meets the King and the Duke, it takes him little time to realize their corruption and lack of morals. This didn’t bother Huck very much because at the time he was such a rebel and lacked respect for authority and rules. By the end of Huck’s so-called companion ship with these two hoodlums, he had a horrible feeling of remorse for even associating himself with the King and the Duke. After the King and the Duke’s 2005-12-30T19:26:12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Huck-Finn-Moral-Development-28330.aspx William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" 1., Novel William Golding "Lord of the Flies" 2., Author William Golding He was born in 1911 in Cornwall, England. He studied literature at Oxford; later earning his money as a schoolmaster; joined the Royal Navy in World War II, saw active duty through out the war and ended as a lieutnant. 1954: Lord of the Flies, his first novel was published, but did not become a bestseller until 1959 when published in paperback. The novel is devided into twelve chapters. 3., summary A plane carrying a group of British schoolboys of between 6 and 12 years old is shot down in a war and crashes on an uninhabited tropical island. One of the oldest, Ralph, the son of a Naval officer, is at first delighted at the freedom and absence of grown-ups. A short sighted, asthmatic fat boy, nicknamed Piggy, is more realistic and intelligent and urges him to find the others and organize something. Ralph finds a couch-shell and Piggy shows him how to blow it. One by one the boys appear. A group of boys in choirboys´uniforms marches up. Their leader is Jack. Ralph is elected chief, Jack is to be in charge of the choir, they are to be the hunters. The shell becomes a sign of one who has to speak something. At the beginning there is civilization, but already the second chapter shows the intention of Jack ( Fire on the mountain) - Ralph jells jack that his hunters must keep up the fire but Jack is only interested in trying to kill a pig and so they let it go out. - At that moment their starts. Ralph has from the mistakes they have made and he calls an assembly - they talk of a beast and they are beginning to believe in the existence of a beast. Jack sneers at Ralph´s rules and runs off with most of the others. Now Ralph and Piggy desperately wish that grown-ups were there. They paint their faces, kill pigs, hunt e.q. Robert; and dancing round wildly they stab Simon to death, who wants to tell them, the truth of the beast. He has found a dead parachutist, whose parachute is movin in the wind. In the night the hunters attack the sleeping Ralph and Piggy who feel terribly ashamed at their part in Simon´s death and Piggy´s glasses are taken away, they are necessary for making a 2005-12-30T19:13:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/William-Golding-s-quot-Lord-of-the-Flies-quot-28323.aspx Irony in Black Boy Five examples of irony in the novel Black Boy are; situational irony, romantic irony, irony of fate, dramatic irony, and verbal irony. Here are some examples from the book that explain each type of irony. Verbal Irony is when you say something and mean something else, here is a quote from the novel Black Boy that represent this “The scrawny kitten lingered, brushing itself against our legs, and meowing plaintively. “Kill that damn thing” my father exploded” “D anything but get it away from here. This is a prime example of situational irony because after that quote was made Richard (Who is the momma’s daddy son) Kills the cat, and when his father made that statement he was not serious (when he said kill the cat) he just wanted the cat to leave. When you say something and mean something else. {Page: 11{1st Paragraph} Situational irony is when you expect one thing and something else happens such as this situation. Richard doesn’t believe in God and his granny is very religious and sense Richard doesn’t believe in God his grandma get real mad and so Richard tells her ”You see Granny, if I ever saw an angel like Jacob did, then I would believe” So in saying that Richard’s grandma gets real happy and tells the whole church that Richard has seen in angel. So Richard expected to get his grandma off his back by telling her that if I seen an angel then I would believe he expected her to be cool about it, but something else happened. 117{2nd Paragraph} Romantic Irony is when you treat something serious and you make light of it such as this quote “but don’t you wanna save your soul” “Have you tried to feel God?”. In this passage Richard is being confronted by one of his friends about his religion in which I feel (is a serious matter) and Richard replies with words such as “I never feel God, I tell you. It’s no use” or “I don’t wont to hurt God’s feelings to” and in saying that he is representing Romantic Irony because he’s taking something serious like religion and he is making light of it by trying to avoid it. {Page: 114{2nd Paragraph} Irony Of Fate is when a person expectation is determined by chance, fate, or the gods. When Richard is employed as a postal clerk, where he 2005-12-30T19:11:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Irony-in-Black-Boy--28322.aspx Hobbes’s Leviathan - Moral Philosophy Hobbes’s Leviathan is one of the many outstanding books on moral philosophy. Hobbes writes in a clear and engaging manner which makes his underlying thesis perfectly clear from the start: Man is a self-interested animal, and that this self-interest is enough to create authoritative and obligatory concepts of justice, citizenship, and morality. He states his thesis right from the start and is the basis for his theory that for all things dealing with ethical intuition the answer is generated from one thought, that is the rational self-interest of all humans. Although his theory sounds like the perfect society in which everyone is looking out for everyone, I believe that his theory attempts to define and in turn reduce our intuitive concept of morality into the simple term of self-interest. No matter how this argument is derived, there is a group of ethical situations in which the antecedent is true but the consequence is false. It is often the case where the self-interest of a person in the society is in direct contradiction of the society. In this paper I will discuss a class of people that I will refer to as “free loaders”. “Free loaders” are people who try to get something for nothing and try to get it by any means possible. I will prove that Hobbes’s theory does not apply to all situations. In this paper I will show how “free loaders” dirupt Hobbes’s theory that self interest is the basis for morality. In order to better validate my thesis there is a brief summary needed to present the basic ideas of the book with emphasis on the points that are relevant to my paper. Hobbes begins with two parts on nature: one is psychological and the other is physiological. The psychological assumption is that all men have desires, and that the goal of all men is to have power in order to get what they desire. “I put fourth as a general inclination of all mankind a perpetual and restless desire of power after power that ceaseth only in death.” (pg. 58) The physiological assumption is that all men are created and remain equal in intelligence, morals, and goals. This equality among men means that every man can be and is a threat to every other man in that there 2005-12-30T18:56:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hobbes’s-Leviathan-Moral-Philosophy-28315.aspx Frankenstein - THE AGE OF REASON AND DECAY Rousseau's ideology of education and nature laid the basic ground work for many of the Gothic novels that saturated the English society from the 1764 to 1830. From The Romance of the Forest by Ann Radcliffe to the book which was able to forge a bridge of thought that was able to span the chasm formed by the age of reason between the supernatural and reason, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. As a predecessor of the romantic movement, the Gothic novel was a direct reaction against the age of reason. The predominate idea of the age being that the world which is governed by nature is rationally ordered and given man's ability to reason, analyze and understand nature, man possesses the innate ability to use nature to create a rational society based on nature's dominate principles. The Gothic novel allowed the reader to pass from reason and order of the day to a region born of the supernatural which inspired dread and abounds in death and decay as nature's only true end. In Frankenstein, Shelley is able to create the antithesis of nature from various aspects of nature itself, creating a monster that is born of death and of decay yet enveloped in Rousseau's ideology. "It was on a dreary night of November, that I beheld the accomplishments of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, . . . I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breath hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs" (page 56). What was created that night was a creature of vast intellect, raised and educated in the harshest of conditions: Nature. Out of the decay that is nature's ambivalent end emerged a creature that was the antithesis of all that is natural. Mary Shelley had carefully chosen her genre, the Gothic novel was the only ground to act out the play between reason and the dark regions of horror. The stage was set for the creature to assume Rousseau's entire educational philosophy that stated: "We are born weak, we need strength; helpless, we need aid; foolish, we need reason. All that we lack at birth, all that we need when we come to man's estate, is the gift of nature. This education comes to us from nature, from men, or from things . . . God makes all things good; man meddles 2005-12-30T05:35:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-THE-AGE-OF-REASON-AND-DECAY-28313.aspx The Crucible-symploic Significance Of Sunlight In literature, sunlight generally functions as a universal symbol for truth and/or innocence and purity. In Act 3 of The Crucible, Arthur Miller directs that sunlight should pour "through two high windows on the back wall," rather than bathe the room, in an effort to symbolize that truth has the potential of being revealed but will ulitmately be surpressed again. In fact, that is exactly what happens when Mary Warren reveals the truth about the girls being frauds but then is coerced by Abigail into once again lying. In addition, John Proctor reveals the truth about his adultery, but the court instead chooses to believe Elizabeth when she lies on his behalf. In both instances, the truth is revealed but then distorted, obscured, or blatantly disregarded, 2005-12-30T05:34:11-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-symploic-Significance-Of-Sunlight-28312.aspx The Lost Boy Bibliography: [i:600436a657]Pelzer, Dave. The Lost Boy. Deerfield Beach, Florida: Health Communications, Inc. 1997.[/i:600436a657] The book that I have chosen covers the topic of child abuse and lives that children of abused families’ lead. This book shows how a child is moved out of the only home that he has ever known to several foster homes. On his journey he learns how to communicate in a society. He learns the dos and they don’ts. He learns what it is like to be part of a family and to have friends. Most of all he learns that he is not the bad child that his mother made him believe that he was. I selected this book because I thought it would be interesting to learn more about this topic. It is not often that ones hear of such extreme abuse. It is almost unimaginable that someone could treat his or her child like this. I also had often heard from many people that this was a really good book to read. It turns out that they were right. Imagine a young boy who has never had a home. His only possessions are the old torn clothes he carries in a paper bag. His only world is isolation and fear. Although this young boy has been rescued from his alcoholic mother, the real hurt is just beginning - he has no place to call home. This is Dave Pelzer's long-awaited sequel to A Child Called "It." Answers will be exposed and new adventures revealed in this compelling story of his life as an adolescent. Now considered an F-child - a foster child - young David experienced the instability of moving in and out of five different homes. Those who feel that all foster kids are trouble - and unworthy of being loved just because they are not part of a real family - resent his presence and force him to suffer shame. Tears and laughter, devastation and hope: all create the journey of this little lost boy who desperately searches for the love of a family. Dave’s mom is a brutal alcoholic mother who has a cold heart and no sense of love or affection anywhere in her being. Her character is despised by the reader because of her unmerciful and heartless nature despises her character. She relentlessly puts Dave through torturous punishments 2005-12-30T05:21:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Lost-Boy--28309.aspx Symbolic drama Setting Southern Alabama; early 1930s Principal Characters Atticus Fitch, an attorney and single parent Scout (Jean Louise Finch), his daughter, a young six-year old tomboy (and the story's narrator) Jem (Jeremy Finch), Scout's older brother Arthur "Boo" Radley, a mysterious, reclusive neighbor Tom Robinson, Atticus' Negro client Story Overview When Jem was nearly 13 years old his arm was badly broken at the elbow. After it healed and Jem was assured that he could still play football, his arm never bothered him - though it always remained shorter than the right, and hung at a funny angle. Years later, Jem and his sister, Scout, still talked about the accident and the events leading up to it. They finally agreed it had all started the summer when they tried to get Arthur "Boo" Radley to come out of his house. Jem and Scout lived in Maycomb, Alabama, a drowsy, isolated town where everyone knew everyone. Their mother had died when Scout was two years old. Calpurnia, a Negro cook, took care of them and taught them tolerance that took them beyond the rigid prejudices of Maycomb society' Their wise father, an attorney, Atticus Finch, played with them and read them stories. In fact, Scout learned to read before going to school which later caused trouble with her teacher, who didn't think early reading fit into proper educational theory. During the summer when Scout was six and Jem was ten, the children became fascinated with the Radley place next door. Most of the community's young people believed the house was haunted. At night children would cross the street rather than walk in front of the Radley house. Nuts that fell from the Radley pecan tree into the school yard were never eaten; surely, Radley nuts would kill you. A baseball hit into the Radley yard was a lost ball. Scout and Jem raced past the property on their way to or from school. The only person seen going in and out of the dwelling was old Nathan Radley, "the meanest man ever God blew breath into," according to Calpurnia. But inside the weathered home also lived "Boo," Nathan's younger brother. No one had seen Boo for the past twenty years. It was said that he had gotten into some "trouble" all those years ago and had been imprisoned in the house ever since first by his now dead father and then by Nathan. All 2005-12-30T05:11:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-Of-To-Kill-A-Mocking-Bird-28308.aspx Gatsby [i:1fd8e51cd1]“The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic--their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existent nose. Evidently some wild wag of an oculist [optometrist] set them there to fatten his practice in the borough of 2005-12-30T04:50:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dr_-Eckleburg-s-Eyes--28305.aspx The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and A Scandal in Bohemia Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, in 1892, about Sherlock Holmes, his famous detective. Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on May 22,1859(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes). He studied medicine there and eventually served as a physician in the Boer War, and many other battles. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published his first Sherlock Holmes tale, A Study in Scarlet, in 1887(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was so successful in his writing that he gave up his career as a physician only five years after the creation of Sherlock Holmes. He wrote a total of fifty-six short stories and four Sherlock Holmes novels over forty years. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson were created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a bar in England when Doyle was having legal problems. Later in his life he became interested in spiritualism and wrote the 1926 book A History of Spiritualism(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes). Doyle was knighted in 1903 for his services to the crown and his writing of the pamphlet The War in South Africa in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes). Conan’s pamphlet was a story about the war and how it was fought. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was very well written book that interested many people for several years. During its time in The Strand people enjoyed every week getting another chapter of the book. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle relates to his character Sherlock Holmes because he was an adventurous and detective as well. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was mystery novel that brings out the greediness that money gives to people. A Scandal in Bohemia was a short story about a woman who has pictures of herself and an English nobleman. She used them to blackmail him. The story took place in March 1888. Sherlock Holmes lived at 221B Baker Street in London, England. In Holmes’ room was all the materials that he would need to use to solve the cases. On March 20, 1888, and night, Sherlock Holmes was coming back from seeing a patient, when he went through Baker Street. The rooms were lit brightly and even as he looked up he saw the tall figure pass twice behind the blind. The second half of the story took place at Briony Lodge. 2005-12-30T04:35:10-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Adventures-of-Sherlock-Holmes-and-A-Scandal-in-Bohemia-28302.aspx In 1692, in Salem Massachusetts, the superstition of witches existed in a society of strong Christian beliefs. Anybody who acted out of the ordinary was accused of being a witch and then the accuse would actually be forgiven if the blamed their accusations on another individual. This was the main idea of a play entitled, The Crucible by Arthur Miller. In this play a group of young girls act up and are then accused of being witches. These girls then blame other people in order to get out of trouble and even pretend to be "bewitched" in front of the court during a trial. This leads into the deaths of some innocent people who were accused and automatically found guilty.I believe, in many ways the people of Salem were responsible for the witch hysteria. The person with the most influence was the character, Abigail. Abigail had an affair with a man by the name of John Proctor. Proctor broke contact with Abigail and spent time and interest in his wife, Elizabeth. Abigail gets jealous because of this and Abigail, a few other girls, and a servant from the Caribbean named Tituba dance around in a order that they believe it will kill Proctor's wife. Rev. Parris, Abigail's uncle, sees this and reports it. When Abigail is questioned about this, she denies everything and doesn't tell the truth about what really happened. The news of her and the other girl's strange actions gets around and the hysteria starts. Without Abigail's superstition, and her fear or telling the truth, I think the events in The Crucible wouldn't have gotten as serious as they did or even started. John Proctor was another catalyst to the witch hysteria in Salem. John Proctor has an affair with Abigail, but he and his wife do make up and get along well. John Proctor adds to the hysteria when he and his wife are talking about Abigail and why she is acting so oddly. Although John Proctor knows she is making up everything and blaming innocent people, he is reluctant to travel to Salem and testify her as a fraud to the court. If he would have done this the witch trials could have stopped there. Another way John Proctor could have contributed to this madness but his moral didn't let him occurs when at the end of Act IV he says he will confess to the law 2005-12-29T07:47:27-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible--28301.aspx A Seperate Peace - Symbolism 1) The term “a separate peace” means that two people have come to an agreement on their own standards. In the novel A Separate Peace, the agreement is made between the characters Gene and Finny. I believe Knowles chose this title, because it is a good way to describe the relationship between the two characters at the end of the story. At the beginning of the story Gene and Finny were good friends. Sometimes Finny did some things that Gene thought were too wild, like wear the school tie as a belt. These things sometimes upset Gene, because Finny could talk his way out of any punishment. Secretly Gene almost wants to see Finny get in trouble, but Gene talks himself out of these feelings. Gene also feels that being friends with Finny is something forced upon him. When the two boys are at the beach, Gene decides not to respond to Finny’s statement that they are good friends. This starts an inner struggle inside Gene. He no longer knows whether or not to admire Finny, or resent him. Gene gets back to Devon from the beach, just in time to take a trigonometry test. Gene fails the test, which has never happened. Finny keeps luring Gene away from work to do fun things. This starts to make Gene feel like Finny is trying to ruin his academic career. Despite Gene’s intuitions, Gene and Finny get along well for the following weeks. Later on, Finny interrupts Gene’s studying to tell him that Leper is going to jump from the tree (which is an initiation into Gene’s Suicide Society). Gene suspects that Finny talked Leper into it, just so Finny could disrupt Gene’s studying. Finny insists that Gene doesn’t have to go if he needs to study, but Gene says he has studied enough and that he’ll go watch Leper jump. On the way to the tree, Gene decides that there never was any intended by Finny. When the two get to the tree, Finny insists they do a double jump. Finny goes out onto the end of the branch, and waits for Gene to get into the tree. When he does get onto the branch, Gene jounces the branch. This causes Finny to lose his balance, and fall out of the tree with a sickening thud. When the dust clears, Finny has a broken leg, and Gene feels insecure 2005-12-29T07:37:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Seperate-Peace-Symbolism-28299.aspx Merchant Of Venice - Love at First Sight In Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare brings two people together in love, Portia and Bassanio. Portia and Bassanio are alike by their love, their own friendship, and the caskets that brought them together. “But when this ring parts from this finger, then parts life from hence : O, then be bold to say Bassanio’s dead!” (II, ii). Bassanio and Portia are madly in love with each other, and you can tell by what they say. William Shakespeare proves this. Comparing Portia and Bassanio as lovers is rather simple. Portia and Bassanio were destined. All of the suitors that tried to marry and court Portia all failed because they were egotistic bastards that only thought of themselves and their rewards. “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire, why, that’s the lady, all the world desires her” (II, vii). The Prince of Morocco totally interpreted that the wrong way. Many men desire wealth, and valuables, and everything. He did not deserve her, and Portia knew that. She is intelligent and set the suitor’s up for a immense disappointment. So she could receive Bassanio, her love. Bassanio and Portia are perfect for one another. In love, because their hearts think alike. “As doubtful whether what I see be true, until I confirmid, sign’d, ratified by you” (III, ii). Bassanio loves Portia so much, that he would give himself to her. The other suitors only thought of themselves and their rewards. Portia may be a bit tricky, when it comes to choosing a husband, but she only knew what she wanted, and worked hard to get it, and got it. Bassanio, her prize. “I remember him well; and I remember him worthy of thy praise” (I, ii). Portia is comparing and contrasting all of the suitors she has to choose from, and she explains them all. Nerissa brings up Bassanio, and right away, Portia knew that he was the one. She says that he worthy enough to have her, to own her. He is the only one that she thinks is worthy of her. So she knows inside that he will pick the lead casket because he loves her and not possessions. He picked right. Now 2005-12-28T06:02:51-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Merchant-Of-Venice-Love-at-First-Sight-28294.aspx The Stranger Albert Camus in his book, The Stranger leaves much to the reader’s imagination in terms of the message that is portrayed by the various elements of the book, especially by the thoughts and words of the mysterious and dismal main character. Moreover, many meanings can be derived according to the feelings that emerge within the reader through his/her experience with the book. Despite the fact that The Stranger left me with depressive feelings of despair and gloom, the message that was conveyed was quite impacting and somewhat challenging to my Christian faith. It was a message concerning the way in which human expectations and standards greatly influence a person’s sense of self and belonging in this world. And even more, this made me question my own courage and honesty with myself regarding my Christianity. In the early parts of the book, I passed judgment on the man as being emotionless and unaffected by others’ feelings, especially in the case of his dead mother. This was because he seemed to treat those around him as meaningless objects, namely those who were grieving. However, as the story progressed, I recognized that this was not really the issue. Conversely, the man appeared to feel trapped within the boundaries of human expectations while merely trying to be honest with himself. After refusing to see the chaplain for the third time, the man revealed his feelings of imprisonment by saying, “All I care about right now is escaping the machinery of justice, seeing if there is any way out of the inevitable” (108). I began to sympathize with him, feeling even a bit of guilt for the way I had so hastily judged him. Moreover, it was as though I found myself in some way identifying with him. To me, this conveys a very powerful message: because of these “ideals” set by humans, anyone who defies these so-called rules is set apart from what is accepted as normal. To the main character, inside the borders of human standards resembled a prison cell – “there’s no way out” (81). Reflecting on my own life, the main character revealed to me that I have often fallen subject to the expectations of “this world,” such as with physical appearance, education, and material success. Is this a result of my deviating from what should 2005-12-28T05:39:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Stranger--28292.aspx April Morning Adam Forced To Adulthood April Morning by Howard Fast takes place in Lexington, Massachusetts, on April 19th, 1775. The novel opens with a glimpse into the daily life of the Cooper family. The members of the Cooper family are Moses, Sarah, Dam, Levi, and Granny. Adams father Moses is always harsh on Adam, and does not believe Adam is a man or has reached adulthood. Adam Cooper in the opening chapters has the desire to obtain adulthood, when it is obtained Adam wants to cling to his childhood. Although going back in time would be helpful, Adam’s day makes the innocence of childhood unobtainable as Adam experiences the horrors of war, declares his love, and witnesses death on April 19, 1775. Adams father had never shown compassion towards Adam till the night before he died. Moses Cooper talked to Adam and put his arm around him that night, uncomfortable for both the father and the son but a loving action and an action of approval. During that battle Adam witnessed the tragic death of his father. From the death of his father Adam learns to be a man and knows he will have to take care of his family. The British unfeelingly gunned down Adam’s father along with most of the defenders in the plain sight. Most of the men still living from this encounter ran away from the British army. Among these men is Adam. Adam run’s to a near by smokehouse, finally escaping from the British and dealing with the loss of his father. Eventually Levi, Adam’s brother, comes looking for him. Adam helped to console Levi in their father’s death. Adam helps Levi just like a mature adult would, not as 15 year old teen. Both soon part, Levi goes home to inform the family, Adam is trying to hide in the woods outside of town where he is shot at. Luckily the gun did not fire, thus Adam jumped over a wall and met Solomon Chandler. Adam and Solomon walked together to a meeting place called Ashley’s Pasture. Over a hundred men gathered their and discussed their plan. They were to lie in wait next to a stone wall lining the road and as the British passed, rise up and fire over the wall. And so on except in the next meeting place they split into groups. At one encounter Adam fires at a redcoat, most likely killing 2005-12-28T05:03:59-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/April-Morning-Adam-Forced-To-Adulthood-28286.aspx Gulliver Travel's - Satire of Society The novel Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift shows the problems of basic human society through the dynamic journey of a shipwrecked doctor. Many of the societies that are encountered have the same views, while each has its own colorful twist. Jonathan Swift satirizes war, the separation of social classes, and the power of perception; all issues remain universal to present society. The societies that Gulliver encounters are extremely diverse. Though each is different, the act of war is a commonly addressed issue. Gulliver encounters the ridiculous nature of war. His first encounter of war is in the form of a dispute over the way to eat an egg. A former king took the right of personal preference away from his people by telling them to eat the egg from the small end instead of the large end. Swift relates this trait to the situations where a dominant ruler oppresses nations. It also shows how a simple, ridiculous act can bring forth war. The fight continues through generations, soon the people continued to fight without really understanding why. This is very common in present day. Generations fight and die for a cause that is never really understood by either side. Later on, Gulliver finds a land oblivious to war that is ruled by giants. He makes an attempt to explain the complex subject of war to the giants. Swift tries to use this oblivious nature to prove that life can exist without conflict. Gulliver spends a lot of his time trying to explain war. It is obvious that Swift is showing how important war is to modern society. Gulliver also finds on the floating island. In this place the war is within the family. It splits the family and places the son in the middle. Here Swift is using the family to explain the extent of war. Not only can war destroy nations but it can also destroy the strong bonds of family. Swift continues his satirization of war when Gulliver visits a man who can bring to life important figures from the past. Almost all of the important figures are those who had done horrible acts, or who were war heroes. This is another example of just how influential war is on society. 2005-12-27T02:35:19-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gulliver-Travel-s-Satire-of-Society-28285.aspx The American Dream Everyone has dreams of being rich and owning a lavish house with maids, butlers, and chauffeurs. This happens to be the American Dream. The dream of making it in society and fitting in with a higher class of people has always been at least some American’s dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, describes the failure of this dream. The antagonist and/or protagonist, Jay Gatsby finds out that social discrimination and the divisions among classes cannot be overcome. Gatsby’s dream is just like every American’s dream only Gatsby turned his dream into reality. Gatsby isn’t the only character that tries to overcome the class division. Myrtle, the weaker version of Gatsby, also tries to overcome the same class division. At the end of the novel, Nick recalls the Dutch sailors and compares their sense of wonder with Gatsby’s hope: “…I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors’ eyes—a fresh, green breast of the new world.” And, “I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock.” Both the sailor and Gatsby’s wonder and hope deal with the color green as a sign of money and prosperity. The failure of the American dream is due partially to the corruption of values and decline of spiritual life. For example, the lives of the Buchanan’s are filled with material luxuries of an empty purpose. Fitzgerald’s lament of Daisy proves the point of the decline of spiritual life when Daisy says, “What’ll we do with ourselves this afternoon?’ cried Daisy, ‘and the day after that and thirty years?” Myrtle’s desire for the dream is from social ambitions. Taking advantage of her lively nature, she seeks to escape from her own class. She enters into an affair with Tom and takes on his way of living. She becomes vulgar and corrupt like the rich, but not rich. She scorns people from her own class and loses all sense of morality. And for all her social ambition, Myrtle never succeeds in her attempt to find a place for herself in Tom's class. When it comes to a crisis, the rich stand together against all outsiders. Gatsby’s struggle is based, unlike Myrtle, on idealism. His desire for achieving the dream is also influenced by social considerations; Daisy, who is wealthy and beautiful, represents a way of life, which is 2005-12-27T02:22:16-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-American-Dream--28281.aspx Great Gatsby Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby opens with Nick Carraway, the novel's narrator, introducing himself as a man who tends to listen and observe without passing judgment. Carraway immediately proceeds to preface the story he recounts over the course of the novel by passing judgment on his former companions. Mysteriously hinting at themes which will pervade the plot of his tale Carraway reflects, "When I came back from the East last autumn I felt that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart. Only Gatsby...was exempt from my reaction -- Gatsby who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn" (6). Thus, providing plenty of room for speculation as to what provoked such a critical response, Nick begins his story. After serving in World War I, Nick moves east from his Midwest roots to learn the bond business, settling on the island of West Egg, New York, "one of the strangest communities in North America" (9). Nick reveals, however, that his story really begins on a June evening in 1922, when he drives over to East Egg (the more fashionable and wealthy of the twin islands) to have dinner with "two old friends whom I scarcely knew at all" (11). Nick meets with an old college associate, Tom Buchanan, and his wife, Daisy, as well as Jordan Baker, an unexpected guest. For more detailed information about these characters, please see the Character Profiles section. When the light-hearted conversation includes a brief reference to a man named Gatsby -- his next-door neighbor -- Nick's curiosity is evident. Tension mounts during dinner, however, when Tom leaves to answer a phone call, and Jordan reveals to Nick that it is Tom's mistress calling. Later, perhaps searching for sympathy in response to Tom's phone call during dinner, Daisy cynically tells Nick that she believes "everything's terrible" (21). Though riveted by Daisy's voice while she speaks, Carraway finds her insincere, and leaves the Buchanan house feeling "confused and disgusted" (24). Upon arriving home Nick sees a silhouette emerge from the mansion next door, and assumes it is Gatsby. When Gatsby suddenly stretches his arms toward the water, Nick turns to see what he reaches for, but "distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock" (26). 2005-12-27T02:05:37-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby-Nick-Carraway-28277.aspx Antigone Vs. Creon “Morality is always the product of terror; its chains and strait-waistcoats are fashioned by those who dare not trust others, because they dare not trust themselves, to walk in liberty,” writes author Aldous Huxley. In “Antigone” the root of Creon’s immoral behavior is not an inability to distinguish between what is wrong and what is right, but, rather, a fear or a terror of what may occur if he were to choose the morally right way to operate. “Very well, I am afraid, then. Does that satisfy you? I am afraid that if you insist upon it, I shall have you killed. And I don’t want to (46).” Antigone acts in the complete opposite manner to Creon. She, as Creon can, is able to differentiate from right and wrong and is not afraid of the consequences of what acting on her morals may bring. These consequences have almost a reverse effect when compared with Creon; when faced with the consequences, she expects them and is almost too willing to deal with them. “You are mistaken. Quite the contrary. I never doubted for an instant you would have me put to death (41).” In “Antigone”, the characters of Creon and Antigone stand for two completely different, completely opposite, feelings and belief systems. Creon stands for numbness; a numbness that encompasses what he does, how he copes with what he does, and his morals. “Kings, my girl, have other things to do than to surrender themselves to their private feelings (42).” Creon does not bother himself with what he personally thinks is right or wrong, he detaches himself from his state of being as a person and creates just the entity “Creon the King”. This way he, Creon, never encounters or solves any moral dilemmas for he has “Creon the King” for that. Antigone on the other hand, represents strong ethics, courage, and righteousness: “alive” to Creon’s numb. “I didn’t say “yes”. I can say no to anything I think vile, and I don’t have to count the cost. But because you said yes, all that you can do, for all your crown and trappings, and your guards- all that you can do is to have me killed (45).” She is alive to what happens in her surroundings; reacting with every move. 2005-12-27T02:02:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Antigone-Vs_-Creon--28275.aspx The Scarlet Letter - John Proctor, An Honorable Character Adultery and shame drove a single man to engage in a quest for truth. Life in Salem, Massachusetts was a constant struggle consisting of false accusations rampant among members of the community. John Proctor was the most dignified, capable, and stubborn in the fact that he would not allow his wife to die as a result of his own previous mistakes. John Proctor was the most honorable man in the play, The Crucible. The most decorous man in the play, Mr. Proctor, persisted to wrangle for truth in the best interest of the people accused of heinous activities under the court of Salem and its witchcraft proceedings. John convinced one of the so-called witness girls, Mary Warren, to turn on her friends and do what she knew was right, no matter how it affects her. In convincing her Proctor said, “Make your peace with it! Now hell and heaven grapple on our backs, and all our old pretense is ripped away—make your peace!” John Proctor devoted himself to making the ethical choice in spite of his past in which he had an affair that directly betrayed his wife, Elizabeth. Mrs. Proctor was being accused of witchcraft by the girl, Abigail Williams, whom of which her husband had an affair with. John Proctor also relinquished his dignity when he refused to perjure himself and proclaim that he was guilty of witchcraft. Reverend Hale commanded him to disclose that he was a witch though he was not, because it would save his life. In response he said to him, “Would you give them such a lie? Say it. Would you ever give them this? You would not; if tongs of fire were singing you would not! It is evil. Good then—it is evil, and I do it!” Proctor desperately tried to replenish his dignity to himself and his wife by never giving up and abiding by his beliefs, values that he was so confident in that he considered them to be truths, neither he, nor his wife were guilty of witchcraft. The shame John felt led him to persist in his goal of avenging Abigail Williams’ lies. Mr. Proctor, ashamed of his previous actions, felt that it was necessary to prove to Elizabeth that he was capable of complete love and faith. In his temptation to cheat again he resisted going to see his partner 2005-12-27T01:57:57-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-John-Proctor-An-Honorable-Character-28272.aspx Nelson Mandela - Voyage To The New Land Enormous waves hurled the boat across the blue ocean while the fierce wind blew across the night sky. The boat would rapidly sway from side to side. This wooden boat was easily damaged by the fierce waters of the Atlantic Ocean. So the captain changed directions frequently. Nobody knew how long the duration of this dangerous voyage would take place. While I stood there looking across the ocean in every direction, no land was visible. All you could see was where the cold and crisp Atlantic Ocean met the night sky. I prayed to God as often as i could that all of us would get to Virginia safely. Many of our crew members had gotten sea sick as soon as we began the voyage. Men often had nothing to do so they would just sit and write to pass the time. Life dragged on extremely slowly. Finally, we were getting closer and closer to the coast. I could see some trees in the distant. It was a completely new and different coastline. The land itself was much different. We came upon a beautiful harbor. The clear blue water sparkled in the bright sun. It was the most pleasing view i had seen in many days. We docked the gigantic boat and all one hundred of us came out. There was nobody in sight. Nobody to greet us. Nobody to shelter us. But most importantly nobody to give us clothing or what we needed most, food. After getting off the boat we were finally glad to stand on solid and reliable ground. It felt strange to walk after spent so much time on a boat. The trip took all of our energy away from us. As I curious walked around i seen that the plants were much different that of those back in Europe. We gathered together in a large circle and prayed to God for the blessings he granted us by having everybody arrive safely. We also prayed for everyones health in the future to come. There were dark skinned people walking around. There clothes seemed very odd. They were much different in color and design. These people observed us very closely for we were new to 2005-12-27T01:51:39-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nelson-Mandela-Voyage-To-The-New-Land-28269.aspx Number The Stars The book I read was Number The Stars. Written by Lois Lowry. The story was based on the life a young Jewish girl named Ellen. Ellen’s family diside’s to send her to stay with there friends the Johansen’s to try to save her life from the nazis. Annmarie Johansen played a big part in saving Ellen’s life.Annmarie also helped her family in a big way. Ann Marie helped save her best friend Ellen’s life when one night as they were tucked into bed a loud banging came knocking on there door. As Ellen and Ann Marie’s hart started beating fast anomalies parent’s got up and ancerd the door. The nazis barged in and began asking questions. As Ann Marie looked at Ellen," she whispered urgently, take off your necklace!" just than the nazis foot steps were coming closer, they had no where to put her necklace which was "the star of David" so Ann Marie took the necklace and griped in her hand as tight as she could. Soon they came and woke them up, they asked a few questions looked at them and left. As they let out the deep breath they had been holding in with fear. Ann Marie also helped her family out in a big way. she helped them out when they sent her out on a big mission. Her mission was to go throw the wood’s to the fishing dock’s to tack her uncle Henrik who was a fisher men a basket. So she did [but momma wouldn’t tell her what was in the basket.] so that morning her mom put a envelope in her basket, and sent her on her way. she went trying to get there before he took off for the day. When more than half way there two germen solders that had been on every street corner had stopped her and started to question her. She just acted like a normal goofy little girl as they asked her what was in her basket. She just said that her uncle Henrik was a fisher men and that he forgot his lunch. They asked her if they could tack a look inside as they took the basket away and began to look inside the dog’s they had were smelling the basket like there was meet inside but all they found was a loaf of breed 2005-12-27T01:50:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Number-The-Stars-28268.aspx The Pearl - Book Review A- The Pearl, John Steinbeck B- Novel C- This story takes place on a coastal community near La Paz, Mexico. The town lays on an estuary, where the sand is yellow, but near the water there is rubble of shells and algae. The book was published in 1947, so the time period is probably early 19th century. D- Kino is the main character, father of Coyotito and husband of Juana. Kino is the one who finds the “Pearl of the World.” He has dark hair, black eyes, and always carries a knife. Juana warns Kino that the pearl is evil, and is beaten by him when she tries to throw it away. She has dark hair and black eyes, she always wore a shawl on her head. Coyotito is a little child, he gets stung by a scorpion in the beginning of the story, which causes his family to have a deep desire for a pearl, to cure him. Juan Thomas is the older brother of Kino, and is the one advising him about things such as the pearl buyers, and where to escape to. Apolonia is the wife of Juan, she is a heavy set woman who is usually jolly. Doctor lives in the plastered houses of the town. When Kino goes to visit him he pretends he is not home but, after hearing about Kino’s pearl he comes to “help.” He poisons Coyotito after he is already recovering, then pretends to cure him. E- The Pearl written by John Steinbeck is a story about a poor family finding a pearl. Early in the morning Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, Juanna sucks out the poison as best she can. However the effects of a scorpion bite are hard to tell, so they decide to take Coyotito to the doctor. Upon arrival his servant answers the door and confers with his master denying service because the poor have no money. That after at fishing Kino finds the “Pearl of the World” however, all is not solved, their problems are just beginning. First, the doctor comes to visit after he hears about their find, making an excuse that he had stepped out when they had came earlier. He poisons Coyotito, then returning later pretending to save his life. Then, at night people attempt to steal his pearl. The next morning, he goes to the pearl buyers 2005-12-27T01:43:50-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Pearl-Book-Review--28266.aspx The Lost Colony Of Roanoke The story of Jamestown was one of America's first documented mysteries. There are clear facts about this voyage that have been documented. In 1587, John White did make a temporary establishment on or near Roanoke Island, and that after leaving for three years did return to the island in 1590. On his return, all traces of the colonist having lived there for those three years had vanished. No Jamestown colonist is known to be seen from again. So what happened to them during those three years? Jamestown, which was led by Governor John White, landed on Roanoke Island between April and late July 1587 and was a royal grantee of Sir Walter Raleigh. Jamestown was a small, self-supporting community that was suppose to be protected by the Chesapeake Indians who were know to help English visitors. The colony was made up mostly of people on the middle to lower social and economic ladder. These people were willing to work for a living, farming or do crafts to form an English society on American soil. Each colonist was in turn given 500 acres for their trouble. 150 persons intended to start the voyage to America in the spring but because of financial troubles only 118 were finally able to set sail. The voyage was an unhappy one because White and his chief pilot, Simon Fernandes, spent a majority of the time quarreling. Fernandes was a suspected of wanting to steal the Spanish ships, but White interfered with his plans and the ship arrived safely at Hatarask Inlet on July 22, 1587. Fernandes was not finished yet, he left the settlers on the island and did not go on the Chesapeake Bay as the arrangements stated. This distraction was only a minor disaster compared to the ones to come. Summer was ending and it was getting late in the year to establish a new settlement. They would have to make the supplies they had last all winter up to the following summer, which meant they would have to depend on the Indians for more surpluses. On top of all that, the Indians had become hostile to the last English settlers that tried to set up a new settlement. Manteo and Towaya were two Indians that accompanied the settlers and gave them advice. Manteo was the colony's most important advisor to the new land. His community was located on 2005-12-26T06:39:50-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Lost-Colony-Of-Roanoke--28262.aspx Pocahontas - A True Peacemaker In 1605 the English were just discovering the new country of America, and the Indians were just discovering the "pale face." The Indians feared the English and the English feared the Indians, so of course a war broke out. Pocahontas single handily forced one of the few eras of peace between the Indians and the hated European colonist. A captain named John Smith and two of his troops were walking through the forest, when all of the sudden arrows shot out of the bushes and killed the two men. John Smith took up his gun and started shooting. He killed three or four of the fifteen Indians, but they backed him up to a river. He fell in, and it was either let go of his gun or drown. So, he let go of the gun and accepted the help of the Indians. He was brought before Powhaton, the chief, and was questioned to no end. Then he was shown to a place setting and was fed like a king. He had no idea of what was about to happen. Powhaton's tribe had a bloody custom, when an enemy was taken captive he was fed then was beaten to death or if the man was lucky, somebody from the tribe would adopt him. John Smith was fed, and then pushed down onto two rocks. The braves slowly raised their hatchets ready and willing to kill the pale faced trespasser. But Pochontas who was watching from the trees; ran down and covered Smiths head with her own. She begged with her father asking if she could adopt him. Pohatown agreed but only if he would keep a close watch on him. John Smith was very grateful to the princess for saving him. She was very curios about his country and life, and he in turn was also curios about the Indians and how they managed things. They took turns asking questions about one another. John liked being there but he also missed his life. So he asked Pocahontas when he might be able to leave, she said never you belong to me. So John bribes her. Finally he gets to go to James town. He gave Pocahontas the gifts he promised here and in turn the Indians taught the English how to hunt, fish, and 2005-12-26T03:25:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pocahontas-A-True-Peacemaker-28259.aspx Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” is a beautiful story narrated by Lilia, an Indian American girl who is born and raised in the United States where people are sheltered from foreign affairs. The story takes place in 1971 in New England where Pakistan is in the process of civil war. Mr. Pirzada is a Pakistani man who visits Lilia’s family every night to have dinner with them and watch the news. Mr. Pirzada and Lilia’s family are from different countries, but they are all the same in nature. Lahiri gives us an elegant story about people of different cultures who are greatly alike in so many ways, but is also very different. She also gives us example to contrast American and Indian/Pakistani culture. Mr. Pirzada came from Pakistan to study leaves in New England. And after Lilia’s parents recognized last names through the university directory that are “familiar to their part of the world,” they invited Mr. Pirzada to come and visit their home. Lahiri enlightens us about the kindness of Lilia’s parents to somebody they do not really know. The act of inviting someone to our home whom we hardly know is so uncommon for us Americans because we are not accustomed into doing something like this. Lilia’s family knew nothing about Mr. Pirzada but they still invited him to come and visit their home after talking to him over the phone. Mr. Pirzada’s visits establishes a bond of affinity with Lilia’s parents. Mr. Pirzada comes from Pakistan; whereas, Lilia’s parents are from India. But both the food that they relish and their actions show that they are similar. As Lilia tells us in the story, They ate pickled mangoes with their meals, ate rice every night for supper with their hands. Like my parents, Mr. Pirzada took off his shoes before entering a room, chewed fennel seeds after meals as a digestive, drank no alcohol, for dessert dipped austere biscuits into successive cups of tea. At first, Lilia thought that Mr. Pirzada was Indian just like them, but his father told her that he is no longer considered Indian. The country was divided in 1947. “For many, the idea of eating in the other’s company was still unthinkable.” This made no sense to Lilia. “Mr. Pirzada and my 2005-12-26T03:23:26-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Short-Story-Essay-When-Mr_-Pirzada-Came-to-Dine-28258.aspx Color of Water James Mcbride grew up in a family with a white mother who married a black man who was James’s father in this time this was not common and was not accepted by most people in this time. This was not the ordinary family in this period. James Mcbride was confused about his identity. James learns to accept himself and others from the inspirations and teachings from his mother. When James Mcbride was a boy he lived in Brooklyn red hook projects. This was a pour part of society. When games was but a boy he noticed that his mother was different from him and some of his other family. He asked his mother about this. She said, “I’m light-skinned”(p.321). In this he realized that some of his family was different but yet did not understand how different and if he was different to. James was curious and wonders where his mother came from and how she got on this earth shed say “god made me”(p.321). She refused to divulge details about herself or her past. Threw out his life he learns more about her. Sometimes she would tell him about herself if he and his brothers and sisters where good. Later he learns that his mother did not look like his brothers and sisters and wondered if they where adopted. They where clearly black. They where various shades of brown, same medium brown some very light-skinned, and all of us had curly hair (p.321). By this time he was noticing differences in people. Threw his childhood he lend many things from his mother and learns that the color of needed not to be different from the color of his skin and that all of her children were mad from the same place. James’s mother taut lessons she always would say, “you’re a human being” (p.22). By this every one was the same. Threw out his life she not only teaches lessons she learns threw her problems, who she married, and where she chose to live. This was in the black community. Most people did not accept this and this brout on tough time for her. Threw this she learns to teach and educate her children and help them in every way she could threw life.Just like the ways she helped Jame Mcbride to know what he is and where he comes from threw this he learns to respect her himself 2005-12-26T03:16:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Color-of-Water--28256.aspx The Fire Dragon - Fantasy Story involving Beowulf I had slept in a vast stone tower, and there was a hidden path beneath it. One day a man came upon this path and found the entrance to my tower. He entered, and discovered my ancient treasure. This was not just an ordinary “treasure”, my father had defeated 12 Viking ships with thousands of men to get to this treasure, in which was passed down to me. Treasures, of Pagan jewels and gold that I have been guarding all my life. They were mine, and no one was to take that from me. Little did the man know that I was aware of when he intruded into my home and stole a shining vibrant gem- studded cup. I was angry, and I wasn’t going to let this Geat get away- and I was to let all of Geatland know… I fled and swept through the darkness, and all of Geatland; I was to leave nothing alive. I burned down all their homes, and I was quite amused to see the horror on the Geats faces as they continuously stared in dismay. I made it known for miles and miles that I was filled with anger and hate. I hurried back to my tower and to my treasures before dawn. The King of the Geats was notified at once. Beowulf, not only a king, but a phenomenal warrior, a great nobleman and completely unstoppable. But this was all when he was a young lad. There WILL be an end to him this time. He is nothing but an old man now. Beowulf hasn’t fought battle in years! His power means nothing to me. I was prepared for him to arrive. A few short sun-hours later Beowulf arrived. I was asleep in my lair guarding my treasures, when I awoke to this repulsive roaring cry. I arose, angry, knowing/feeling the sense that Beowulf was there, and there would be war! I breathed a cloud of steaming smoggy smoke that made the Earth shake. Beowulf stood there with his shield in front of him. My heart was urging for battle. I went closer to him, looked deep into his eyes and saw he was just as ready as I, but he just stood there. I made the first move- quickly, swiftly moving towards him, breathing out fire and smoke. My flames beat at the iron shield. It 2005-12-25T23:54:12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Fire-Dragon-Fantasy-Story-involving-Beowulf-28254.aspx The Time Machine Time travel is a dream of science fiction. Though it has not yet been achieved except through literary composition, H.G. Wells theorized that the future would not portray the human race in a positive aspect. In The Time Machine, the Time Traveler hints that the future for the human race is in jeopardy of extinction. He proposes that life on Earth declines as a reciprocal of Darwin’s evolution. This socially damning prediction of the human race is based on the author’s belief that human intelligence and vigor is an outcome of hardship and the struggle for freedom (Wells 36). And in the absence of hardship and freedom, intelligent life will digress. This theory is an underlying theme of The Time Machine and can be substantiated throughout the epic work. Wells’ character, Time Traveler, is a learned man in an intellect-seeking culture, Victorian England. His weekly meetings imply open discussions between the knowledge seeking community such as the argumentative Filby, the humbugging psychologist, a very young cigar-smoking man, the Provincial mayor, a medical man, an editor, a journalist, a quiet bearded-man, the eminent scientist Time Traveler, and the narrator (Wells 1-6). The narrator says of the time period…”Humanity had been strong, energetic, and intelligent” (Wells 2_). Wells’ work reflects his great admiration of intellect and the progressive search for high levels of understanding. Gratton, in a critique of Wells says that, “[…] he believes is progress, science, education, and the inherent goodness of man (Gratton 501). Rebecca West further concurs that, “[…] He (Wells) broods…the wisdom of the world.”(West 493) The Time Traveler observes and reflects during his journey as he meets and interacts with beings of the future that, “[…] when mind and strength had gone[…]gratitude and mutual tenderness still lived in the heart of man.” (Wells 33) The Traveler is beginning to hint that human intelligence is lagging. The Traveler stated further on, “ I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been.” (Wells 65) He cited the crumbling museums and communal apathy toward conflict as proof that intelligence waned. “Only those animals partake of intelligence that have to meet a huge variety of needs and dangers.” (Wells ) His commentary on the advance of the human race seems to signify that the 2005-12-25T05:17:59-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Time-Machine-28247.aspx Shocking Science Fiction - Aldous Huxley's Brave New World The brilliant social satirist Aldous Huxley shocked the world in 1932 with the publication of his science fiction masterpiece Brave New World. The novel takes place in the cities of London and New Mexico during the year of 632 A.F. (After Ford). It is a future world of absolute stability and total sterility with one concern- happiness for all (Wright 84). In his foreword to the New Harper edition of Brave New World, Huxley states its theme as œthe advancement of science as it affects human individuals. While these advances are universally thought to be tremendous progress in our growth as human beings, Huxley feelings towards this evolution are of danger, caution, and concern ( Monarch 6). The novel starts out in the heart of the new society, the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Center, where babies are chemically and genetically engineered in test-tubes, decanted, and then conditioned by hypnopaedia (teaching societal ethics during sleep) to be unquestionably œhappy (Macdonald 1). To ensure social stability, a five-tiered caste system ruled by Alphas and Betas was created. The lower castes, the Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons, identical in genetic makeup, are responsible for the essential manual labor necessary to maintain the safety of their betters. The drug soma, rationed out to members of all classes, ensures total sexual liberation and no pain or sorrow (Wright 85 ). Bernard Marx, an Alpha believed to have accidentally received a dose of alcohol as a fetus, has a crush on Lenina Crowne and decides to take a trip with her to the Native American Reservations. There they meet Linda, a woman originally from the Utopian world who had been left on the Reservation twenty-five years earlier, and her son John. John father was the prestigious Director of the Hatchery who, in order to avoid the embarrassment and disgust of a conceived child born with a live birth, returned home without Linda. Bernard invites Linda and John to return with him to London ( ClassicNotes 4). Enchanted by the prospect of meeting others like Lenina, John exultantly quotes from Shakespeare The Tempest: œO brave new world that has such people in it ( Wright 85 ). The impact of their arrival was colossal resulting in instant celebrity for Bernard as the keeper of the Savage (John). Reveling in his sudden popularity, Bernard starts to date numerous women 2005-12-25T04:45:01-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shocking-Science-Fiction-Aldous-Huxley-s-Brave-New-World-28243.aspx Moby Dick - Vague Perception of Principle The moral ambiguity of the universe is prevalent throughout Melville’s Moby Dick. None of the characters represent pure evil or pure goodness. Even Melville’s description of Ahab, whom he repeatedly refers to "monomaniacal," suggesting an amorality or psychosis, is given a chance to be seen as a frail, sympathetic character. When Ahab’s "monomaniac" fate is juxtaposed with that of Ishmael, that moral ambiguity deepens, leaving the reader with an ultimate unclarity of principle. The final moments of Moby Dick bring the novel to a terse, abrupt climax. The mutual destruction of the Pequod and the White Whale, followed by Ishmael’s epilogue occupies approximately half a dozen pages. Despite Melville’s previous tendency to methodically detail every aspect of whaling life, he assumes a concise, almost journalistic approach in the climax. Note that in these few pages, he makes little attempt to assign value judgments to the events taking place. Stylistically, his narration is reduced to brusque, factual phrases using a greater number of semicolons. By ending the book so curtly, Melville makes a virtually negligible attempt at denouement, leaving what value judgments exist to the reader. Ultimately, it is the dichotomy between the respective fortunes of Ishmael and Ahab that the reader is left with. Herein lies a greater moral ambiguity than is previously suggested. Although Ishmael is the sole survivor of the Pequod, it is notable that in his own way, Ahab fulfills his desire for revenge by ensuring the destruction of the White Whale alongside his own end. Despite the seeming superiority of Ishmael’s destiny, Melville does not explicitly indicate so. On the contrary, he subtly suggests that Ishmael’s survival is lonely and empty upon being rescued: "It was the devious-cruising Rachel, that in her retracing search after her missing children, only found another orphan." (724) That single instance of the appellation "orphan" as applied to Ishmael speaks volumes when taken in light of the destruction of the Pequod and her crew. Melville’s inclusion of Ishmael’s survival as an epilogue, a suffix attached to the dramatic destruction of the Pequod, suggests that Ishmael’s survival is an afterthought to the fate of Ahab and the rest of his crew. Ishmael’s quiet words at the beginning of the chapter, "Why then here does any one step forth? —Because one did survive the wreck," (723) indicate a deep humility on Ishmael’s part. The question is then 2005-12-25T03:20:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Moby-Dick-Vague-Perception-of-Principle-28242.aspx A Waterborne Solution In his novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Joyce uses water-sea-liquid imagery to show that a person who desires to become an artist must first achieve a complete understanding of himself and personal circumstances before he can reject old conventions of thought and custom and finally realize a unique perception of the world. In the first part of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Joyce portrays the young Stephen Dedalus as an insecure and confused young man. Throughout his early adolescence Stephen suffers through many identity crises. For a time he was a whoremonger, later he wanted to become a priest, finally he thought about becoming a teacher. All the while he seemed to be in a stagnant cycle of routine, indeed his life seemed to have "a smell of stale water"(ch.1) because it was going nowhere in poverty stricken Dublin. The stale water represented Stephen’s static self image. He was perpetually confused and never really knew what direction he wanted to go in life, hence, for a time he went nowhere. As the first part of the story continued and Stephen dabbled in one thing or another, but continued to have trouble figuring out his own goals for life. He experimented a lot, but all of his searching lacked depth, instead it was as if he was a submarine "bobbing on the surface of the water"(ch.2) unable to commit to any real meaningful voyage into the sea; or in Stephen’s case, to look inward and realize his true purpose in life. Bobbing on top of the surface indicates that instead of diving and exploring, Stephen instead drifts aimlessly and without purpose. As the first part of the story winds down, Stephen begins to feel uneasy and apprehensive about his current situation. Here, Stephen begins to cultivate an understanding of himself and what he wants to accomplish in life; like a rising tide in which "the water rises inch by inch"(ch.3) Stephen’s self-awareness was growing and he came to the threshold of comprehending what he had to do in the second part of the story. The rising water correlates to Stephen’s rising confidence and ability to form a positive self-image. As the second part of the story commences, Joyce uses Dublin and a perceived common Irish culture to show that Stephen must 2005-12-25T00:59:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Waterborne-Solution-28239.aspx Analysis Of Mendlessohn's Overture To Midsummer Night's Dream An Analysis of Mendelssohn’s Overture to Shakespeare’s Mid Summer Night’s Dream. Mendelssohn’s Mid Summer Night’s Dream is written in sonata form. It has the attributes of sonata form having an Exposition, Development, Recapitulation, and Coda. Mendelssohn’s piece has 2 subjects and within each subject he has 2 themes. Each of the themes represents a certain area of the play. For example Subject 1 theme 1 represents the fairies Subject1 theme 2 represents the Duke the lovers theme is in the 2nd subject and the 2nd subject theme 2 is Bergomask’s tune. This piece is set in the key of E major which will allow it to modulate to B major the dominant, E minor which is the tonic minor and C# the relative minor however the piece never makes a significant move to this key. Introduction The introduction is very small and sets the theme of the whole piece. Mendelssohn use magic chords ……..which sound very magical and set the scene and mood for the first subject theme 1, the fairy theme. These chords sound magical because some of the chords and diminished and others are inverted to create that magical effect. Exposition The Exposition is in E minor and is known as the fairy theme. This theme has very fast quavers played by the 1st and 2nd violins. The fairy theme is a combination of plucked and bowed strings, with a very close harmonic interval. The speed is very fast and all of the string section is playing quite high. At bar 62 the piece move into the 1st subject 2nd theme in E major is the Dukes theme as and the whole orchestra is playing. This theme of a consists scale based pattern in octaves in the violins and a massive homophonic texture due the orchestral tutti. At bar 90 the fairy theme returns and as the story continues the mortals and fairies are mixing. At this section the lower brass strings sustain a tonic pedal note while the Strings produce a pedal note but in a crochet quaver rhythm. However at bar 130 the music modulates to the key of B major the music is very romantic. This is the second subject theme 1 and it is a very lyrical and increases in texture to represent love as depth and power. This theme has features small fan fare 2005-12-24T23:54:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-Of-Mendlessohn-s-Overture-To-Midsummer-Night-s-Drea-28233.aspx A Rose For Emily: Characterization Characterization refers to the techniques a writer uses to develop characters. In the story A Rose for Emily William Faulkner uses characterization to reveal the character of Miss Emily. He expresses the content of her character through physical description, through her actions, words, and feelings, through a narrator's direct comments about the character's nature, and through the actions, words, and feelings, of other characters. Faulkner best uses characterization to examine the theme of the story, too much pride can end in homicidal madness. Miss Emily, the main character of this story, lives for many years as a recluse, someone who has withdrawn from a community to live in seclusion. "No visitor had passed since she ceased giving china-painting lessons eight or ten years earlier" (394). Faulkner characterizes Miss Emily's attempt to remove herself from society through her actions. "After her father's death she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away, people hardly saw her at all" (395). The death of her father and the shattered relationship with her sweetheart contributed to her seclusion. Though her father was responsible for her becoming a recluse, her pride also contributed to her seclusion. "None of the young men were quite good enough for Miss Emily and such" (395). Faulkner uses the feelings of other characters to show Miss Emily's pride. Her pride has kept her from socializing with other members of the community thus reinforcing her solitary. But Miss Emily's father is still responsible for her being a hermit. "We remembered all the young men her father had driven away..." (396). If he had not refuse the men who wanted to go out with Miss Emily, she may have not gone crazy. Miss Emily may have wanted seclusion, but her heart lingered for companionship. Her desire for love and companionship drove her to murder Homer Baron. She knew her intentions when she bought the arsenic poison. "Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head" (400). Her deepest feelings and hidden longings were lying in the bed. Miss Emily's pride resulted in the shocking murder of Homer Baron. Faulkner's use of characterization to describe Miss Emily and her intentions was triumphant in bring the story to life. Miss Emily's pride was expressed through her actions, words, and 2005-12-24T19:05:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Rose-For-Emily-Characterization-28227.aspx The Stolen Party For some time now I have been attempting to delve into modern literature outside the English tradition. This of course poses several problems. First is the question of translation, as no text can ever be fully appreciated except in its original language. Moreover, it is impossible to fully understand another culture while having lived wholly removed from its tradition. However, there are a certain number of authors (and translators) who manage to write in such a way as to allow the mono-linguist to transcend such limitations. Alberto Manguel's translation of Liliana Heker's short stories is such a book. The book consists of six short stories collected from various publications of Heker spanning ten years from 1972 to 1982, and is collectively titled The Stolen Party, after the short story of the same name. Heker's perspective is universal because she writes from the eyes of a child. Children create worlds of their own out of their familiar surroundings, and despite the fact that Argentina may likely be unfamiliar to the average Canadian reader, one can nonetheless associate with the young protagonists because Heker's style is so personal. Heker relates the injustices of a child's life to us, injustices we are all familiar with--a bully of an older sibling, a snooty friend from school, social anxiety at a party. However, all these conflicts allude to yet another social and political level that is at the same time inherently Argentinean--suffering from intermittent military dictatorships throughout the sixties until the early eighties. Indeed, Heker's stories are not political histories, but rather examinations of simpler injustices seen through the eyes of a child, where "the slightest change might shatter an infinitely delicate balance," and this we can all relate to. What is more fascinating about Heker's writing is how she manages to portray the childrens' imagination. The imagination can at times be as simple as a six year old's assumption that she is "the most extraordinary child in the world", as in The Chosen One. Heker's time moves so swiftly, in this story, the reader must pay close attention. Years will suddenly pass, though it seems as though a given scene or conversation has yet to end. On the other extreme of Heker's imagination is the Magic Realism of Early Beginnings in which a child philosophizes over why lions never leave Africa, "because lions don't have a particular destination in mind." Indeed, these 2005-12-24T18:42:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Stolen-Party-28224.aspx Analytical essay on Beowulf Imagery is language that appeals to the senses. It may be thought of as an illustration in words, which clarifies the meaning of a poem. It is the poet’s intent to make the person or place real to the reader. That is exactly what the author of the epic poem Beowulf does. The character Beowulf goes through many changes and the author shows that with imagery. Some things about the character that change are his strength, his ability not to be hurt, and his style of battle. Throughout the poem Beowulf demonstrates great strength. At the beginning of the poem Beowulf shows super natural strength: “They have seen my strength for themselves, / Have watched me rise from the darkness of war, / Dripping with my enemies' blood. I drove/ Five great giants into chains, chased/ All of that race from the earth. I swam/ In the blackness of night, hunting monsters/ Out of the ocean, and killing them one/ By one; death was my errand and the fate/ They had earned. Now Grendel and I are called/ Together, and I've come." (Lines 417-426) As he becomes older he becomes weaker and his strength is not as great. This is shown with his battle with the dragon: “As Beowulf fell back; its breath flared, And he suffered, wrapped around swirling flames a king before, but now a beaten warrior.” (Lines 743-746) Beowulf in his old age had lost most of his great strength. Beowulf seemed to have super human power. This would be assumed because of his ability to not be hurt. In his youth it seems he could not be hurt. Beowulf’s battle with a sea monster in his youth he says, "my mail shirt, these shining bits of metal/ Woven across my breast, saved me/ from death. A monster seized me, drew me. But fate let me/ Find its heart with my sword, hack myself/ Free" (lines 551-558). In his old age he loses this super human power. “And he suffered, wrapped around swirling flames a king before, but now a beaten warrior” (lines745-746). Without this power he fights the dragon and dies. Beowulf’s style of battle changes drastically. At the beginning of the poem he fights with no sword or any type of weapon: "Grendel is no braver, no stronger/ Than I am! 2005-12-24T07:25:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analytical-essay-on-Beowulf-28223.aspx Beowulf, Hero? The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow men through his amazing physical strength. He is able to use his super-human physical strength and courage to put his people before himself. He encounters hideous monsters and the most ferocious of beasts but he never fears the threat of death. His leadership skills are superb and he is even able to boast about all his achievements. Beowulf is the ultimate epic hero who risks his life countless times for immortal glory and for the good of others. He is a seemingly invincible person with all the extraordinary traits required of a hero. These traits have changed and evolved into what are now the beliefs of heroism today. These beliefs are different in many ways but have a common aim: to strength, the ability to put others before yourself, and everlasting glory. Beowulf fought in numerous battles and returned victorious from all but his last. In his argument with Unferth, Beowulf explains the reason he "lost" a simple swimming match with his youthful opponent Brecca, was because he had not only been swimming for seven nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths of the ocean. Beowulf is also strong enough to kill the monster Grendel, who has been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years, with his bare hands by ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel's mother, who is seeking revenge on her son's death, he is able to slay her by slashing the monster's neck with a Giant's sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When he chops off her head, he carries it from the ocean with ease, but it takes four men to lift and carry it back to Herot mead-hall. This strength is a key trait of Beowulf's heroism. The strength of 'heroes' in today society is based more on power of authority or mass of money. To be powerful you must be in charge of something important, or own it. Not many people are remembered as hero for being able to toss steel kegs over a wall. (The World's Strongest Man Competitions.) On the other hand someone who owns a computer software program (Microsoft) will never be forgotten. Strength is seen as the capability to excel above the 2005-12-24T07:17:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf,-Hero-28221.aspx The Fall Of Civilization "'Hands up," said Jack strongly, "whoever wants Ralph not to be chief.'" In the book, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, there is an extreme change showing the savage instincts we all hold inside. Over the course of the novel, Ralph goes from being the leader of the group to an outcast on the run. Meanwhile, Jack rises to power on the island by being a savage. When the group of boys first met in the beginning of the novel, after the conch was blown, they elected Ralph as the chief. Ralph was a natural leader and was a very logical boy. He was definitely most fitted to be the leader of the group. He knew what things needed to be done, and if he didn't, Piggy was there to let him know and Ralph listened to him. Ralph concentrated on the more important things that made them live like civilized people. He tried to make them do things like keep a signal fire going, go to the bathroom in the designated area, make sure there was drinking water, and build shelters. However, Jack was always hunting which involved taking the hunters with him and devoting all their time to that. Even though they tried to act like friends at first, there was definitely a mounting tension between the two. After a while, Jack was completely obsessed with hunting. They had caught only one pig, however it gave him such a rush that he didn't care about anything else. He was starting to become like an animal, a savage. He began painting his face so he could feel hidden and act out his true savage instincts. Slowly, Jack began to do his own thing regardless of what Ralph said. The littluns also got tired of taking care of chores and doing work, so they began to favor Jack because they could have fun with him. In the end of the novel, Jack left the group completely after the tension had built up too much. Although nobody raised their hand when Jack asked who thought that Ralph should be voted out of being chief, the kids slowly went and joined Jack's tribe. Before he knew it, Ralph had lost almost his whole tribe and could see he was doomed. Jack had complete 2005-12-24T07:06:07-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Fall-Of-Civilization-28219.aspx Of Mice And Men An Author for the Common Man He is the son of what today would be termed middle class parents, yet John Steinbeck does not use that part of society for much of his highly acclaimed works. His treatment of the common man makes him a uniquely American author of the Twentieth Century. John Steinbeck’s life plays a major role in what he writes which reflects a pessimistic view of America and his sympathy for the poor and oppressed. The son of John and Olive Steinbeck, John Steinbeck was born and reared in and around the Salinas Valley in California. His father was a county treasurer, his mother a schoolteacher . Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California and died on December 20, 1968 in New York, New York (“John” Gale Group Online). His ashes were placed in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Salinas, California (“John World” 1). From 1915-1919 Steinbeck attended Salinas High School (“Chronology” 1). Graduating at the top of his class, Steinbeck decided to attend Stanford University as an English major. He pursued a program of independent study where his attendance was sporadic (“John World” 1). While at Stanford, he also studied marine biology, which would have an impact on him later in life (“John World” 1). He left Stanford permanently in 1926 without taking a degree to pursue his writing career. On January 14, 1930 Steinbeck married his first wife, Carol Henning. She became John’s first of three wives (“Chronology” 1). They stayed married for thirteen years until divorcing in early 1943. Gwyn Conger became Steinbeck’s second wife on March 29, 1943. He had two children from this marriage; his first was born on August 2, 1944. The couple named their son Thom. Less than two years later they had their second son, John IV, born on June12, 1946 (“Chronology” 2). Gwyn and John’s romance is short lived as their marriage lasted only five years and they were divorced in 1948. His third and final marriage was on December 29, 1950 to Elaine Scott. Steinbeck remained married to Elaine for the rest of his life (“John” Gale Group Online). Some of the jobs Steinbeck held influenced his works and where he lived at the time. For two years Steinbeck lived and worked with migrants seeking to lend authenticity to his account and to deepen his understanding of their plight (“Overview” 2005-12-24T06:54:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-And-Men-An-Author-for-the-Common-Man-28217.aspx How Beowulf Qualifies As An Epic Hero (unfinished) Beowulf is the 2005-12-24T05:12:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/How-Beowulf-Qualifies-As-An-Epic-Hero-28213.aspx The Darkness Of Night Night is narrated by Eliezer, a Jewish teenager who lives, at the book's opening, in his hometown of Sighet in Hungarian Transylvania. Elizer studies Torah and the Cabbala, Jewish mysticism. His instruction is cut short, however, when his teacher, Moshe the Beadle, is deported. In a few months, Moshe returns, telling a horrifying tale. The Gestapo (German secret police) took charge of his train, led everybody into the woods, and systematically butchered them. Nobody believes Moshe, who is taken for a lunatic. In the spring of 1944, the Nazis occupy Hungary. Not long afterward, after a series of increasingly repressive measures are passed, the Jews of Eliezer's town are forced into small ghettos within Sighet. Soon after, they are herded onto cattle cars, and a nightmarish journey ensues. After days and nights crammed into the car, exhausted and near starvation, the passengers arrive at Birkenau, the gateway to Auschwitz. On Eliezer's arrival in Birkenau, he and his father are separated from his mother and sisters, whom they never see again. In the first of many "selections" that Eliezer describes in the memoir, the Jews are evaluated to determine whether they should be killed immediately or put to work. Eliezer and his father seem to pass the evaluation, but before they are brought to the prisoners' barracks, they stumble upon the open-pit furnaces where the Nazis are burning babies by the truckload. The Jewish arrivals are stripped, shaved, disinfected, and treated with almost unimaginable cruelty. Eventually, their captors march them from Birkenau to the main camp, Auschwitz. They eventually arrive in Buna, a work camp where Eliezer is put to work in an electrical-fittings factory. Under slave-labor conditions, severely malnourished and decimated by the frequent "selections," the Jews take solace in caring for each other, in religion, and in Zionism. In the camp, they are subject to unimaginable cruelty, including beatings and repeated humiliations. A vicious foreman forces Eliezer to give him his gold tooth, which is pried out of his mouth with a rusty spoon. The prisoners are forced to watch the hanging of fellow prisoners in the camp courtyard. On one occasion, the Gestapo (Nazi secret police) even hang a small child who had been associated with some rebels within Buna. Because of the horrific conditions of the camps, and the ever-present danger of death, many of the prisoners themselves begin to slide into cruelty, concerned 2005-12-22T22:04:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Darkness-Of-Night-28210.aspx Literary Analysis of The Horse Dealers Daughter In “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter,” symbols are used to fulfill the quest of happiness and love. This love story, written by D.H. Lawrence, has many symbols, which show hidden meaning. One can fully understand a story, if one can point out certain symbols. Symbols create ideas and images for the reader to better understand the story. Mabel, one of the two main characters in this story, is depressed and suicidal. After her mother died, she feels like there is nothing to live for. Her mother was the love and joy in her life; without her, she is lost. All she has left is her house, which she is extremely proud of, and her brother, which she seems not to care for. She decides to release herself from her troubles by drowning herself in a pond. The other main character, Dr. Fergusson, sees her and tries to save her life. This pond is a strong symbol with many meanings. It is a start of a new experience, and a change of two people’s lives. The pond is described as dead and cold. This symbolizes that Dr. Fergusson had no feelings for Mabel before the incident. The narrator describes the pond as lifeless right before the doctor had entered it. Before going in, the relationship between them was dead and cold, and they had no passionate feelings for one another. Dr. Fergusson tries to rescue Mabel for no other reason but because he was doing his job. The pond also describes Dr. Fergusson’s life as dull and pointless. His life was still and silent before he had met her. He was afraid to go in too deep into the pond, and was afraid of drowning. This represents his fear of falling in love. He was scared of the water because he could not swim, and also because he was scared of love. He never experienced it, so it frightened him. When he finally falls in, he felt Mabel’s clothing and pulled her up. This means that when he fell into the pond, he found love. It was like fate had pushed him into the water to meet the woman he was meant to be with, for the rest of his life. He found love in a dead and cold pond, which means sometimes one has to look at even the unimaginable places to find happiness. In 2005-12-22T11:24:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-The-Horse-Dealer-s-Daughter-28206.aspx The House On Mango Street Essay In The House On Mango Street Esperanza reveals personal experiences through which the reader is able to determine what kind of person she is; her views on life, how she views herself, as well as how her poverty affects her view of life, her view of her future, and how her poverty currently affects her place in the world. The vignettes show different aspects of Esperanza's identity as it evolves and changes progressively throughout The House On Mango Street. Esperanza's identity, as divulged in the vignettes, is multifaceted. Her shyness is evident when she is around people who are unfamiliar to her. This is most likely due to the intimidation these people pose. For example, in the vignettes "The First Job" and "A Rice Sandwich" Esperanza is too shy to eat with her other co-workers and peers, as shown in the following quotation from "The First Job": "When lunch time came I was scared to eat alone in the company lunchroom". Another dominant feature in Esperanza's personality is the trust she has in others. This is one of Esperanza's weaknesses as an individual because it allows her to be gullible and vulnerable. In 'Cathy Queen of Cats' Esperanza's gullibility is obvious when Cathy tells Esperanza that "...[her] father will have to fly to France one day and find her...cousin...and inherit the family house. How do I know this is so? She told me so.". Another error in trusting others is that Esperanza is susceptible to betrayal. In 'Red Clowns' Esperanza is betrayed by Sally because Sally told Esperanza that the circus would be a fun experience, but instead she was raped. Esperanza blames Sally, the magazines, and the movies for lying to her about the circus. Esperanza is a very idealistic person. She assumes everything is pretty and fun, but when she finds out the acrimonious reality of life she becomes disappointed and deems herself stupid for not knowing better. Unbeknownst to Esperanza, her naivet‚ and inexperience is normal. For example, in 'Gil's Furniture Bought & Sold' Esperanza assumes that a music box is "...a pretty box with flowers painted on it, with a ballerina inside..." but when it's revealed to her that a music box is just "...a wood box that's old and got a big brass record in it with holes" she feels ashamed she did not know better. Despite her low self-esteem she 2005-12-22T11:19:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-House-On-Mango-Street,-Esperanza-s-Identity-Analysis-28203.aspx ASSERTION WITH EVIDENCE ESSAY OF JURASSIC PARK Hammond would have succeeded in the planning of his park if he and his team hadn’t been so overwhelmed with greed and power. Since he would be the first to open a park of this type, he would be able to charge what ever he wanted. Was he just out for the money or did he just want people to learn about his discoveries of being able to clone prehistoric dinosaurs? One of errors that caused the park to fail was the fact that Hammond and the other designers of the park didn't think about the unpredictability of nature itself. Jurassic Park was to be like some sort of resort or theme park. The discrepancy was that, Hammond wanted the park to be natural. He wanted everyone to feel like they had stepped back in time. Everywhere, extensive and elaborate planting emphasized the feeling that They were entering a new world, and leaving the normal world behind. (83) The entire island was designed with wildlife. The only problem is that Hammond and the other creators of the island didn't think about the effects of introducing extinct plants and animals into today's world. The designers never considered what they were planting in the park. The tiny aspects that they failed to see contributed to the failure of the park. Ellie Sattler reveals one of the problems at the Park: But whoever had decided to place this particular fern at poolside obviously didn’t know that the spores of veriformans contained a deadly beta-Carboline alkaloid. Even touching the attractive green fronds could make you sick, and if a child were to take a mouthful, he would almost certainly Die—the toxin was fifty times more poisonous than oleander. (85) Just as important as the tiny details of the park that were overlooked, if not more important, was the technical failures associated with human stupidity. When the park was designed, the humans controlling this aspect of the Park obviously didn't consider that there could be problems in the system. Gennaro questions Arnold about the security of the control system, and Arnold insists it is secure. Gennaro is convinced that everything is safe, but Malcolm insists that he knows for certain that animals have escaped. Does the computer ever make a mistake? Only with the babies. It mixes those up sometimes, because they’re 2005-12-17T20:10:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jurassic-Park-Asseration-with-Evidence-Essay-28188.aspx Alexander Miles ENG 1DE 08 December 2005 Mrs. Wahba The Affect of Courage as a Theme in To Kill A Mockingbird Courage is defined as "that quality of mind or spirit enabling one to meet danger or opposition with fearlessness." According to Atticus Finch, one of the main characters in To Kill a Mockingbird, "Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” (124) No matter how one defines it, Harper Lee clearly portrays the theme of courage in her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. It is one of the most predominant themes and is shown in many of the characters because what is a hero if they are not courageous? One likes to think of a hero, as strong, brave, meeting all challenges head on. All of the characters have a different view as to what courage is, and they all show it a different way; however, they do show courage in their everyday lives. Younger characters, like Jem and Scout, see the physical aspect of it, whereas Atticus believes this to be an extremely weak form of courage. He believes in the mental quality of courage; he admires Mrs Dubose for her attempt to rid herself from some of the evil that still grasped at her life as she died. For a younger character, like Scout, courage is most often associated with a physical act that is usually dangerous. It is hard for young children like that to realize that greater courage can be shown in other aspects of life. Scout sees an example of courage in her father when he shoots the mad dog. Although Atticus does not think of it as very courageous, Jem and Scout are proud of their father and the courage he showed in the dangerous situation. Atticus knows that the dog did not stand a chance; it was delirious so therefore could not think straight. In addition, he was holding a gun; the odds were stacked too highly on his side for his liking. He was not trying to prove a point, he was merely fulfilling his civic duty, yet they were still impressed. Later on in the story, Jem and Scout encounter the vindictive Mrs. Dubose who often shouts out racism directed at the passing children because of Atticus’ 2005-12-09T04:28:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Affect-of-Courage-as-a-Theme-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-28171.aspx The Danger of Loneliness In the dictionary loneliness is described as being alone and without companions and that is exactly how it is described in the book. The book is about lonely farm workers. In the novel Of Men and Men, John Steinbeck describes how it feels to be lonely and the negative power it has on people. There are three characters in mind in this story and they all have different reasons for being lonely, like their sex, age, and race. A character in this book that represents loneliness is Crooks. “Guys don’t come into a colored man’s room very much” (71). Crooks is a black man that isn’t treated equally from the other workers because he is black. Because the other workers don’t treat him good it turns crooks into a rude man. “I tell ya, he cried, I tell ya a guy gets lonely, an, he gets sick” (73). Crooks is getting sick (mental) because he is always alone. Medicine for that kind of sick is a friend. Crooks is always alone because he is black. Another character in this book that represents loneliness is Candy. He is an old man who has only one hand and only one true friend…a dog (45). He doesn’t do much anymore, except take care to his dog and do little work around the farm that a little kid could do. He knows that he doesn’t have much time anymore and his future doesn’t look very good. Me an’ Lennie an’ George. We gonna have a place to ourselves…Crooks asked, “You say you got the money?” “Damn Right. We got most of it. Just a little bit more to get. Have it in one month. George got the land all picked out, too.”(76). Since Candy asked George and Lennie to share their dream he will not feel as lonely as he used to be. Now candy doesn’t feel like an old dog that is waiting to be shot. Candy is an old man who is not much good to the farm which makes him one of loneliest people on the farm. The last of the lonely 3 is Curley’s wife. Slim says, “She aint concealin’ nothing. I never seen nobody like her. Shes got the eye goin all the time on everybody. I bet she gives the stable buck the 2005-12-06T17:32:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Loneliness-OF-mice-and-men-A-28168.aspx Women In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Wuthering Heights The Depiction of Women in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights In their classic novels, Emily Brontë and Jane Austen create realistic portrayal of the various roles of women in Victorian society in their depiction of Catherine Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights, Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, and the Dashwood sisters in Sense and Sensibility. In Wuthering Heights, instability is continuously introduced into solid structures in order to disclose their dangerousness and their ability to change. This is a major source of the novels radical force. The characters in Pride and Prejudice reveal their own moral shortcomings; nearly every character mirrors the moral character in the world. The novel Sense and Sensibility displays Austen's contemplation and adjustment of the concept of authority. The novel depicts fathers who control their children but regulate the social identities and inheritances of subsequent generations. The novel represents the possibility of feminine authority. In Wuthering Heights, Brontë's text affirms the instability of the world that it enters by embracing change and disclosing unsteadiness of the structures it mobilizes. Wuthering Heights is a "delirious" text that characterizes delirium. Also, it shows how the text incorporates its own instability. Characters are continuously being reborn into different roles throughout Wuthering Heights, identities are also continuously being displaced and remade. Catherine is changed from a disobedient girl at the Heights to an arrogant lady at the Grange. The heights is split between Catherine's rebellious identification with the alien energies that she represents. Wuthering Heights offers a critical allegory of Catherine's development into a socially authorized feminist. The rebellious side of Catherine is evident when she loses the love of her life. Catherine Earnshaw is a complex character. She is loving and violent, gentle and passionate, and affectionate and willful. She is shown to be a rebellious daughter and delirious wife at the Grange. Catherine has a fatal weakness. She finds herself attracted to the gentility of Thrushcross Grange, to the calm of the lovely old house. The wuthering of Catherine's identity materializes the deliriousness of her illness. Catherine dies before the book is half over, but her spirit continues to rage in the turbulent air of Wuthering Heights. She comes back as a 2005-12-04T02:08:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Women-In-Jane-Austen-s-Pride-and-Prejudice,-Sense-and-___-28165.aspx A Critique of More’s Utopia More’s Utopia is the representation of his humanist, “rational” ideas. He attempted to show us not necessarily the blue print, but rather the basis of an egalitarian society. This, near ideal, equality motivated society that More created was not (as it may be easily misconstrued) a society of perfect people. It was near ideal because; it was prepared with the notion that its population would not consist of infallible, perfect people. It was created with the notion that people would want to succumb to their natural urges, and to allow them to do so within the limits of the law. The Utopia’s laws were set fourth to make morality the only rational way to conduct ones self. Also, to further indoctrinate the populace with this mindset they were taught to think “rationally” through education. With the understanding that people naturally served their own best interest, and by manipulating laws and other institutions (education, and religion) the Utopians (More) created an environment, where to fulfil ones best interest would in turn fulfil the best interest of the community as well. The Island of Utopia was heavily steeped in the ways of an egalitarian society. In order for More to extinguish the injustices that were seen elsewhere in the world (particularly England) Utopia was made to be as equal as possible. Everything was divided equally among the people. The houses, the towns, the food rations, the amount of work during the days, and the choices of clothing were all the same. The physical structure of the island it’s self was almost equally distributed. As Raphael Hythloday explains, “The island if the Utopians is two hundred miles across in the middle, where it is widest, and throughout most of the island it is not much narrower, but toward booth ends it narrows a bit.” (53) While the areas of religion, scholastics, and the issue of slavery are all strong arguments leading to faults within the Utopian system, these minor glitches may have been over looked by More, because they seemed inevitable in any “civilized” society during More’s age. This quality of over all equity, is key in understanding the relationship of a perfect society consisting of imperfect people. People in general were not and are not perfect, and the people of 2005-12-04T02:06:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Critique-of-More’s-Utopia-28163.aspx Hunckleberry Finn THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN Throughout the Mark Twain novel, The Adventures of HuckleBerry Finn, a plain and striking point of view is expressed by the author. His point of view is that everyone is selfish; he looks upon civilized man as a merciless, cowardly, hypocritical savage, without want of change, nor ability to effect such change. Thus, one of Mark Twain's main purposes in producing this work seems clear: he wishes to bring to attention some of man's often concealed shortcomings. While the examples of Mark Twain's cynic commentaries on human nature can be found in great frequency all through the novel, several examples seem to lend themselves well to a discussion of this sarcastic view. In the beginning of the novel, it would seem that both Huck Finn and Jim are trapped in some way and wishing to escape. For Huck, it is the violence and tyranny of his drunken father. Kept in prison, Huck wishes desperately to escape. Jim feels the need to escape after hearing that his owner, Miss Watson, wishes to sell him down the river, a change in owners that could only be for the worse. As they escape separately and rejoin by chance at an island along the river, they find themselves drawn to get as far as possible from their home. Their journey down the river sets the stage for most of Mark Twain's comments about man and society. It is when they stop off at various towns along the river that various human character flaws always seem to come out. Examples of this would include the happenings after the bringing on of the Duke and King. These two con artists would execute the most preposterous of schemes to relieve unsuspecting townspeople of their cash. The game of the King pretending to be a reformed marauder-turned-missionary at the tent meeting showed that people are gullible and often easily led, particularly when in groups and subjected to peer pressure. The execution of the Royal Nonesuch showed another instance of people in society being subject to manipulation. The fact that, after being taken by a poor show they sent rave reviews of it to their friends to avoid admitting they had been conned showed that people in groups are ever afraid of losing status, and will do nearly anything to protect such. Both the King and the Duke, also, showed such a ridiculous degree 2005-12-04T01:34:25-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hunckleberry-Finn-The-Adventures-of-Huckleberry-Finn-28153.aspx In William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, he uses a group of British schoolboys stranded on a tropical island to illustrate the nature of mankind. Lord of the Flies deals with changes that the boys undergo as they gradually adapt to the isolated freedom from society. The four main characters depict different effects under those circumstances. The ordeals of the four boys on the island makes them more aware of the evil inside themselves and, in some cases, makes the false politeness that was in them disappear. However, the changes experienced by one boy differs from those endured by another. The changes to the physical and mental differences between the boys also vary. Therefore, there are four main components to man’s personality. Ralph starts as a self-assured boy whose confidence in himself comes from the acceptance of the boys. He has a fair nature and is willing to listen to Piggy. He is increasingly dependent on Piggy's wisdom and becomes lost in the confusion around him. He possesses the leadership qualities of man, but does not have the initiative that is needed when being a leader. For example, when Jack says “You shut up, you fat slug,” Ralph does nothing to stop Jack from downsizing Piggy or from hitting him, Ralph does not have the initiative to protect his friend or punish Jack’s wrongdoing. Also, later in the book Jack gives everyone except Piggy meat and Ralph does not say anything to Jack. Towards the end of the story his rejection from Jack’s society of savage boys forces him to fend for himself. Ralph is the only person who truly acknowledges the importance of being responsible, and he takes over as a leader even though he is not necessarily good at it. This sets him apart from the other savage boys and makes it difficult for him to realize and accept the changes they are undergoing. Piggy is an educated boy who has grown up as an outcast because of his weight. Due to his academic childhood, he is more mature than the others and retains his civilized behavior. But his experiences on the island give him a more realistic understanding of the cruelty possessed by some people. The wisdom that he possesses is obviously greater than that of most of the other kids at his age. Therefore, he possesses the wisdom and intellectual components of man, but is lacking 2005-11-30T01:29:39-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-of-the-Flies-Character-Analysis-28142.aspx Symbolism is the applied use of any iconic representations, which carry particular conventional meanings. Within The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne incorporates symbolism to expose a deeper meaning in the story. The first and most obvious symbol that Hawthorne displays is the embroidery of the letter “A” given to Hester to wear as a reminder to the town of her adultery. The second symbol is revealed in Chapter XII, when a meteor in the form of a letter “A” lights up the night sky. Finally, Hawthorne reveals symbolism in the scaffold, where many of the important plot points take place. The Letter “A” is a major form of symbolism within The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne establishes that Hester, the main character within the play, receives an embroidery of the letter “A” to mark her as an adulterer. The letter’s meaning shifts as time passes. At first, the “A” is a symbol of shame, but as the story progresses, the shameful “A” becomes her powerful identity. The community started to form a different meaning for the scarlet letter: ability. In the thirteenth chapter, Hawthorne comes out in the third person and states, “The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her, so much power to do, and power to sympathize, that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength. (134)” The letter’s meaning clearly changes when the Native Americans come to watch the Election Day pageant, and think the “A” marks Hester as a person of importance. The scarlet letter, in conclusion, was ineffective and “had not done its office. (137)” While Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl in Chapter XII, a meteor outlines the letter “A” in the night sky. In response to the meteor sighting, “There stands the minister, with his hand over his heart; and Hester Prynne, with the embroidered letter glimmering on her bosom; and little Pearl, herself as a symbol, and the connecting link between those two. (127)” Dimmesdale believes that the “A” in the sky is a message from God telling him to wear a mark of shame just as Hester does. This revelation causes Dimmesdale to place his hand firmly over his heart. The meteor is interpreted differently by the townspeople of the Salem community. The community feels that the “A” 2005-11-28T22:38:51-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-Within-the-Scarlet-Letter-28140.aspx poop poop popp opop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop popp pop pop pop pop popo popo pa pa pa pa pap pa pa pa pa pappy pappy drew it he drew pappy land and you two can do it when your in pappy land. and everyone iis a stupid not really i am just making up stuf as i go anlong here because i am really really really really bored and i am listening to bagpipes around and around and mr cummins is a loser not really yeah really it. schoharie is a loser town filled with hillbillys. but i love it here. not really. yes really. this is a stupid website. it smells like fruit punch. miss balliet is really a man. she is a heteotroph. she should be in that movie transamerica with that felecity huffman. remember her from desperate housewives. i love that show. i can't stand that bree vandeekamp though. she's such a phoney. but she's good at being phoney. because i rememeber when she was on melrose place and played that crazy lady. lol. i went to cassandra's basketball game today. yea, it was pretty boring because the stupid coach would never let her play. there is this one girl that's on the team and she totally sucks. i don't even know why she is on that team in the first place. laugh out loud. that's mean. everyone deserves a chance on a team. i am so bored and tired right now. i have to do my lab. well actually it's already done, i just have to do the graph for it because it is the weekend i can do it tomorrow instead and be totally done with it all and never have biology again. yea! it's my birthday! binghamton is awesome. they gotta awesome college. especially the event center is really cool. i an so bored. i actually get along with all my teachers this year, i gotta really cool english teacher mrs.brooks and a really cool global teacher mr.rivers. they both are the best teachers i have ever had before because now i am actually learning stuff. and mr.mackie is just cool in general. a few days ago at lunch we all had a food fight. we all just started picking up the air and throwing it.it 2005-11-17T01:57:55-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Interlopers-Thematic-Essay-By-Kaitlynn-28112.aspx George Orwell's Animal farm and the Russian Revolution In Animal Farm Orwell uses a farm and the rebellion of its mistreated animals to symbolize a much more serious issue. George Orwell expresses his own political opinions in a clever and interesting way, that allows reader’s of all ages to understand a complicated situation. In surface George Orwell’s Animal Farm seems to be just a funny fable but we can say that this novel successfully combines the characteristics of three literary forms, fable, satire and allegory. Reading the novel we will come to an understanding that the novel is a political one that has been written intentionally to convey a clear message to readers. This paper examines if there is any relationship between the Russian revolution and this novel or not, and how we can call this novel as an allegory. As it is obvious the novel is telling a story about rulers and those that are ruled, oppressors and those that are oppressed. This fable conveys its political meaning through satire and allegory. Easily we can find the animals which are meant to represent certain types of human beings. It is a story about a revolution for an ideal, and about how that ideal is changed until it disappears altogether from the new society after the revolution. In this story Orwell attacks that new society, and despite the negative picture that he paints, he attacks it with humor. In this way we can call Animal Farm a satire. Before anything we have to examine the time when Orwell lived, to find the true reasons to call this novel a political one. Animal Farm was published in August of 1945. In the previous four months, President Roosevelt, Mussolini and Hitler had died and Winston Churchill had been voted out of office. Germany had surrendered, and the U.S. had dropped atomic bombs over Japan. Of the big three Allied leaders, only Stalin survived. In some ways, Animal Farm stands at the very beginning of the Cold War. During World War II, Russia had been an ally of the U.S. and England. After the battle of Normandy in February of 1944--when the Allies first began to beat back the German forces--Western nations felt a strong feeling of solidarity with the Russian people. The Russian army had suffered great 2005-11-09T06:19:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/George-Orwell-s-Animal-farm-and-the-Russian-Revolution-28096.aspx On The Spinoza of market street The story is set in a small community of Eastern European Jews of Warsaw, Poland, when the events leading to the beginning of World War I. It is about Dr. Fischelson, a scholar of philosophy who has devoted his life to the study of Spinoza's masterwork, Ethics. Because of his skeptical ideas about religion ,which have been derived from Spinoza, Dr. Fischelson has been fired from his job at the synagogue library and alienated from the Jewish community due to their perception that he is a "heretic." From the very beginning of the story and also the title itself the name ‘SPINOZA’ attracts the reader’s attention , and it suggests that this name is a key word to understand the story, so before anything, we have to know some about SPINOZA. ( Baruch Spinoza is a Dutch rationalist philosopher and religious thinker, who is accounted the most thoroughgoing modern exponent of pantheism. Spinoza was carefully educated in classical Jewish sources. Later, however, he became alienated from established Judaism as a result of his studies of physical science and the writings of the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes and the French scientist and philosopher René Descartes. He withdrew from the synagogue and in 1656 was excommunicated by the rabbis, who secured his banishment from Amsterdam. For five years he remained on the outskirts of the city, supporting himself as a grinder of optical lenses. During this period he wrote his first philosophical work in which the outlines of his developed philosophical system are foreshadowed. Then he was offered by Charles Louis, elector Palatine, a chair in philosophy at the University of Heidelberg. Spinoza declined the post, however, in order to be free from any restrictions on his intellectual activities that might be made by theologians. Spinoza also rejected a pension offered him by Louis XIV, king of France, on the condition that he dedicate one of his works to the monarch. Spinoza rejected providence and freedom of will, and his concept of an impersonal God was hostilely received by many of his contemporaries. His position in the history of philosophy is in many respects unique. He belonged to no school and founded none. Although to some extent his work was based on that of a few of his predecessors, it is too strikingly individual to be regarded as a mere continuation, even of the thought of Descartes. In 2005-11-09T06:15:48-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/On-the-Spinoza-of-Market-Street-28095.aspx Transcendentalist Codes in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter Discovering Transcendentalism as a movement that supports the conviction that divinity can be found in all things, Hawthorne deliberately represents his personal beliefs and observes all the ethics of transcendentalism in The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne who had been brought up in a puritanical society with its rigid laws tried to blend his favor upon transcendentalist ideas with his religious thought together in his masterpiece The Scarlet Letter. At first we have to know some about Transcendentalism and its meaning, also the relation between Hawthorne and it. In philosophy and literature Transcendentalism defines as “a belief in a higher kind of knowledge than achieved by human reason.” It was strongly influenced by Deism which was opposed to Calvinist orthodoxy. Transcendentalism rejects the Puritan religious attitudes and it opposes the strict ritualism and dogmatic theology of all religions. It was also influenced by romanticism for example in the ideas of self-reliance, the respect of individualism and the admiration of the nature and humankind. In this way transcendentalists saw a direct connection between the universe (macrocosm) and the individual soul (microcosm), so according to this concept intuition, rather than reason, is regarded as the highest human faculty. Kant taught the doctrine that instead of looking for evidence of a Supreme Being in the external world, we should seek him in our own hearts; that every man could find a revelation in his own conscience,-- in the consciousness of good and evil, by which man improves his condition on earth; that the ideas of a Supreme Being, or of immortality and freedom of will, are inherent in the human mind, and are not to be acquired from experience; but that, as the finite mind cannot comprehend the infinite, we cannot know God in the same sense that we know our own earthly fathers,…..The new philosophy was named “Transcendentalism” by Kant’s followers, because it included ideas which were beyond the range of experience. In its most specific usage, transcendentalism refers to a literary and philosophical movement that developed in America in the first half of the 19th century. They believed that man has something more valuable than its fleshy body. Man has a spiritual body that has senses to perceive what is true 2005-11-09T06:13:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Transcendentalist-codes-in-Hawthorne-s-The-Scarlet-Letter-28094.aspx 3. Her husband the relater she preferred Before the Angel, and of him to ask Chose rather; he, she knew, would intermix Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute With conjugal caresses: from his lip Not words alone pleased her. O! when meet now Such pairs, in love and mutual honour joined? (John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book VIII) Throughout literary history, from the biblical to the postmodern there is a recurrent ideology that continually appears, that of marriage. Whether the ideology of marriage is used as a benchmark for “normality”, or as a representation of the self, there is no denying that along with death and religion, marriage remains prevalent as imperative to many texts, both past and present. Some, like John Milton, argue that love and marriage do not go hand in hand, as common human intuition leads us to believe. Milton believed that, “The greatest loneliness is the loneliness of the heart in marriage”, the ideology of marriage is central to Milton’s most famous work “Paradise Lost”, which is in essence, the story of a marriage gone wrong. Therefore, if Milton is to be believed, it can be argued that the ideology of marriage in literature can be traced back (in Christian mythology at least) to the dawning of time. In the past marriage was as important to life as it is today. Religion tried to keep a hold on it, the establishment tried to control it and the consensus proclaimed it to be the most vital key to social order. The continual thread of the importance of marriage through the passage of time is highlighted in the texts that this essay is concerned with. “Mrs Dalloway” by Virginia Woolf, which is set shortly after the first world war and “Open Secrets” by Alice Munro, in which the short stories span across time from the colonial to the modern. In these texts it is evident that marriage shapes the lives of all, whether they entered into it through choice or circumstance, or not at all. In the case of the latter a woman who remains single is seen as a spinster who has “failed” to get married. An unmarried man is often portrayed as untrustworthy or an object of gentle mockery. In less recent times a woman's 2005-11-03T14:20:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/marriage-as-ideology-in-contemporary-and-classic-literature-28081.aspx Trace the Development of Donald in the play. HOW is Donald brought to life by Dennis Potter and what important issues does Potter explore through the character of Donald? The play 'Blue Remembered Hills' is set in an almost idyllic locality with the fields of long luscious grass and the surreal forest of Dean nearby. The backdrop to the action is World War Two and there is an undercurrent of violence, the adults in this rural community are focusing on war, so they don't have complete control of their children. It is almost as if conflict and brutality have become an accepted part of everyday life. Ironically the children are engaged in a war of their own and certainly the afternoon degenerates into violence and cruelty. The children's microcosm is almost a mirror of the adult macrocosm, but in their world their morality is not strong enough to guide them, so they lose their innocence, on this tragic day in 1943. Potter has used adults to enhance the parts of children because his dramatic plot requires intense feeling and he does not believe that such young actors would be able to give enough depth and emotion into the play, under the stress of the cameras. Another reason for the adult actors is so that Potter can exaggerate and magnify the mistakes and to reflect the immature behaviour of children. The actors are not allowed reflection or eloquence on their mistakes, it helps the audience to accept and appreciate the true meanings of the play. This climatic piece of writing clearly shows us that not all children are as sweet and innocent as their biased parents may think. The children find death and destruction intriguing, and Dennis Potter emphasises this. He has encrusted the play with examples such as fires, violence, and the instinct to bully and harm. Potter portrays an image of Donald before we have seen his physical form. In scene 2, Peter and Willie talk of him as if they dislike him, but they also show compassion towards him. Potter creates an image of a small thin, abused boy. ‘I saw her hit’n with a shovel. Right round the yud.’ From this single sentence we discover a lot about Donald’s life. Potter reveals that Donald’s mother not only hits for discipline, but she also abuses him, and she does not care what the rest of the community thinks. Ironically even before 2005-10-31T18:24:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dennis-Potters-Blue-Remembered-Hills-28078.aspx Huck Finn identified his feelings early on in the book, just in the first chapter. His ideas on “sivilization” aren’t very high held. He can’t see the use of wearing the clothes that the Widow and Aunt Polly have him wear. They make him feel all cramped up and make him sweat. He didn’t like having to be called for dinner by a bell, sitting down upright at the table and praying before eating. As for his views on Religion…”After supper she got out her book and learned me about Moses and the Bulrushers, and I was in a sweat to find out all about him; but by and by she lit 2005-10-17T02:52:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Huck-Finn-s-View-on-Sivilization-28064.aspx The Crucible Character Analysis For Abigail Williams The Crucible The most interesting character in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller is Abigail Williams. In the play she is a mysterious girl that believes in witchcraft. She blames others about witchcraft even though she is the 2005-10-16T00:25:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Character-Analysis-For-Abigail-Williams-28060.aspx Odyssey Summary The Odyssey is the story of the homecoming of another of the great Greek heroes at Troy, Odysseus. Unlike Achilles, Odysseus is not famous for his great strength or bravery, but for his ability to deceive and trick (it is Odysseus's idea to take Troy by offering the citizens a large wooden horse filled, unbeknownst to the Trojans, with 2005-10-16T00:23:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Odyssey-Summary--28058.aspx Cinderella An evil stepmother, two wicked stepsisters… a kind girl whisked away by the handsome prince. Once upon a time and happily ever after. Can't be wrapped up neatly into 4 pages. More complex plots, still lead to that same happy ending. Higgins, Mama Elena, and the stepmother all serve as obstacles between their respective lead heroines and happiness. Transform to overcome Each lead heroine battles her tyrant in a different way, but ultimately all three women overcome the obstacle and secure their happiness. Cinderella, Eliza, and Tita all face different dilemmas. Cinderella's problem is her unhappiness under the rule of her strict and demanding stepmother. After reading Shaw's ambiguous ending to Pygmalion, most readers fantasize about the union of Professor Higgins and Eliza. But far from being Eliza's "Prince Charming," Higgins embodies all the characteristics of the evil mother figure in older versions of the Cinderella story and in the more recent novel, Like Water for Chocolate. The way he underestimates Eliza, the way he prevents her from finding happiness, and the way he takes advantage of her status makes him much more comparable to Tita's oppressive Mama Elena and Cinderella's evil stepmother than to Cinderella's charming prince. Higgins' treatment of Eliza keeps her mentally oppressed in a nearly insurmountable inferior status. Eliza will always just "be a flower girl to Professor Higgins. (Shaw, Act V)" He underestimates her strength, and is convinced that, alone, she would "relapse into the gutter.(Shaw, Act V) " He takes Eliza for granted, expecting her to fulfill his goals for her yet never acknowledging her achievements; never stopping "to thank her, or pet her, or admire her, or tell her how splendid she'd been, (Act V)." . What makes Eliza's struggle particularly convoluted is the fact that Higgins also serves as a romantic figure for her. Eliza could potentially live happy with Higgins if he were willing to change, but the obstinate Higgins makes it impossible for Eliza to continue loving him. He refuses to abandon his ways and make Eliza happy, yet tries to stop her from finding happiness elsewhere with Freddy, a suitor who actually loves and adores her. Similarly, Mama Elena refuses to abandon her ways and traditions. After suffering through her own "frustrated love (Esquivel, p.138)" the spiteful Mama Elena will not allow Tita to find happiness with Pedro. Like the prototypical fairy tale evil stepmother, Mama Elena demands complete 2005-10-16T00:05:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cinderella--28052.aspx Matilda Matilda by Roald Dahl was first published in 1938. This story occurs in modern times and is told in third-person omniscient from Matilda's, the main character, point of view. There are five chief characters. They are Matilda, a child prodigy; Matilda's parents, who are selfish couch potatoes; Miss Trunchbull, a mean teacher; Miss Honey, a kind and caring teacher who later becomes Matilda's foster mother; and Miss Phelps, the town librarian. Matilda is an exceptional child. She begins reading newspapers when she is one year old. At three, Matilda reads books like Nicholas Nickleby, Oliver Twist, Pride and Prejudice, Kim, Animal Farm, and Jane Eyre. Matilda's parents do not like her study habits and think that she should be interested in other things. It becomes obvious they do not like her. So, Matilda begins to do some mischievous pranks to get their attention. She, for example, puts super glue in her dad's hat brim which he cannot get off. Another time, Matilda borrows a parrot and stuffs it up the chimney where it sounds like a ghost which makes everyone in the family run out of the house. She learns to pick up things by thinking about them without moving. At one point Matilda picked up a piece of chalk and wrote on the chalkboard at school which frightened Miss Trunchbull, a mean teacher. In time, her father decides that the family had better move to Spain. However, Matilda has her own ideas. She approaches her parents to receive permission to stay with Miss Honey and her parents agree. It would seem that the theme of the book is for parents to appreciate their children and to encourage them. Dahl also presents that children should be grateful for what they have. The book caused a lot of emotions for me. I was glad when Matilda got even with Miss Trunchbull and her parents by pranks. Sometimes, though, these acts were mean. Intellectually, it was easy to tell Matilda's parents were not Christian. They should have helped Matilda when she needed it with school rather than being slothful. Perhaps, if Matilda's parents were Christian, she would have been taught not to seek revenge and she would have received the attention she needed without doing such mean pranks. It would seem that Dahl is subjective. He tries to prove his theories by statements about parents who only guide their children when it is convenient for them. He 2005-10-15T23:58:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Matilda--28050.aspx Autocratic Societies and Their Tyrants In my essay I am going to talk about the autocratic societies in the books Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley, and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. In Findley's twisted version of Noah's ark, Noah is a tyrant running a dictatorship on the ark he built to survive the great flood. The Handmaid's Tale, is a story of a society where women are extremely oppressed and men run everything. Both these examples present us with the subject of autocratic societies. There seems to be a pattern in which tyrants follow in starting and running a community, society or country. First, power is obtained through division. Second, power is secured through the introduction of new policies. Lastly, power is ensured through unusual penalties for crimes against the tyrannies. Not Wanted on the Voyage, is a book about the great flood. When God sees the evil in the world he decides to start it over and tells Noah to build an ark for he is going to flood the world. Noah builds the ark and places two of each kind of animal on the ark, along with enough food for the voyage. To go with him on the ark are his wife, his children and their wives. Once on the ship Noah runs a dictatorship over his wife those who side with her. Margaret Atwood writes about a society controlled by men. Women are extremely oppressed and only used for breeding and for whatever use the men can find for them. They are watched carefully and given only one chance. The Handmaids Tale is about a handmaid named Offred, and her life in Gilead, the name of the place where it all takes place. In order to gain power over a community, a change is made to the society which appeals to the dominant sect or group. This change causes the society to split into two major groups. One of which thrives under the new conditions, and another which is oppressed and treated like they are inhuman. Many times the divisions are made using religion, interpreted to fit the situation, as a shield, or reason for the change. In both my books, the change is brought on by people using Christianity to repress, in the first case, unwanted voyageurs, and in the second, women. When Mrs. Noyes, the wife of Noah, in Not Wanted on the 2005-10-15T23:56:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Autocratic-Societies-In-Handmaids-Tale-28049.aspx Fahrenheit 451 In Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451, the main character, Guy Montag, lives in a futuristic utopian society where books are banned. In this strange chaotic world Bradbury created, Montag is a fireman who, instead of putting out fires, is supposed to create them. This lifeless city in which he lives , has no independent thinking at all because if the people do speak up, they risk a chance of offending someone, so as a solution, thier population burnt the entire city’s books. They all perform their jobs like good little robots; go home, watch TV, and fall asleep. There is no need for worthwhile communication, just as long as they have enough money to keep their ignorance rate up (by paying their TV bills). No one wants to know the truth; they just want to doze off into a retarded coma and make their worries completely disappear. Throughout the story, Montag meets three people; Clarisse, Beatty, and Faber. They completely alter his outlook on life; as it is now, as it was, and as it should be. Bradbury clearly explains how Montag changes after knowing these people and how he experienced that life could be better. Clarisse had an outstanding effect just because she was different, like a diamond among the coal; she showed him what it was like thinking for yourself, and not other people. Montag first meets Clarisse on a corner and they have a quite strange conversation about many random things in which one or two of them make him think. “What incredible power of identification the girl had; she was like the eager watcher of a marionette show, anticipating each flicker of an eyelid, each gesture of his hand, each flick of a finger, the moment before it began. how long had they walked together? Three minutes? Five? Yet how large that time seemed now. How immense a figure she was on the stage before him; what a shadow she threw on the wall with her slender body!” (pg. 11) Bradbury demonstrates how one speck of independent thinking in a “one-way” society can trigger someone's’ complete mental evolution. In addition, change is apparent when he is talking with her for the second time, and she previously talks about the taste of rain, “How did it start? How did you get into it? How did you pick your work and 2005-10-12T04:03:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451--28045.aspx All Quiet on The Western Front, a pacifist view on world War One. Erich Maria Remarque wrote "All Quiet On The western Front". The book focuses on the hardships of soldiers fighting on the Western Front in France in World War One in order to show that war was futile. The book is written in first person and it is written from a German's point of view because the author, Remarque, was a German. It is a story of comradeship, of young soldiers fresh from school enrolling in the German army. I thought the book was excellent as a portrayal of how hard it was to be a soldier in World War One, how Baumer, the narrator of this book, and his friends had to grow up so quickly. It was very sad when his friends died one by one and he finally died as well at the end of the book. In this study I am going to look at the relationships between the characters, the main character him-self, and the themes present in this novel. The main character in this book is the narrator, Paul Baumer. Paul Baumer comes from a small town in Germany. After school his classmates and he signed up for the War. They did not have much choice; they would have been conscripted anyway. Baumer has become resigned to the war. Although at the start he probably thought the war glamorous he soon realises that the only thing keeping him sane was thinking about the end of the war. Paul shows great courage in the face of death; in a very short time he has grown up a lot and does things he would not have done before the war. He is always ready to help new recruits, to give them tips on how to survive on the front. For instance, "Close by us there is a recruit, a blonde lad, and he is terrified. He has pressed his face into his hands. His helmet has rolled off. I reach for it and try to put it on his head. He looks up, pushes the helmet away and huddles in under my arm like a child, his head against my chest. His narrow shoulders are shaking, shoulders just like Kemmerich had. I let him stay there. But to get some use out of his helmet I shove it over his backside, not as some kind of a joke, 2005-10-02T17:37:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-on-Western-Front-A-Pacifist-View-on-World-War-I-28037.aspx Animal Liberation - Do Animals have Rights? In Animal Liberation, Peter Singer argues that animals feel pain even though they do not have language governed by rules of syntax, so animals have rights. In contrast, Carl Cohen, The Case for the Use of Animal in Biomedical Research, asserts that animals lack moral capacity and animals therefore have no rights. Animals have no rights as Cohen¡¯s statement although animals have been helpful to humans for over centuries, supplying labors as well as foods. In my perspective, animals do not have rights as equal as humans do, in considering the quality of their language, the usefulness, and the effectiveness of experiments. Language is one of the most important elements to separate humans from animals. As Cohen¡¯s argument, language enables humans to exercise or respond to moral claims but not animals (p. 251). Therefore, language entitles humans to experiment on animals. Of course, nonhumans such as animals also communicate through sounds or body movements but they do not use developed language to communicate. In other words, animals are able to communicate between same species and sometimes with other species. However, animals are expressing no more than their basic instinct and this is what draws a line between humans and animals. Meanwhile, the language that humans use based on rules of syntax is totally different because it enables humans to express moral capacity and, consequently, claim rights. This is why humans have rights but not animals. As increasing to use animals as experimenting on animals, there also gives rise misunderstanding about using of them. Animals have played significant role as being used in experiments. Enormous advancements made in treating many diseases over the past couple decades are due to experimentation on animals. Cohen also mentions the part how much animals have attributed to benefit humans. The misunderstanding about experimenting on animals is usually distorted by animal rights activists and media. They do not look great benefits achieved through experiments for humans and animals. The effectiveness of using animals for test is much higher than other substitute. Realistically, there is no other good substitution right now instead of experimenting on animals. Animals have very similar organic system as humans do, so it is the primary reason that animals are used as source of research. It is difficult to test any kind of medicine to plants to get accurate feedback that is telling the medicine 2005-09-25T05:02:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Liberation-Do-Animals-have-Rights-28025.aspx Women And Traditional Roles In Girl Interrupted Women and traditional roles in "Girl Interrupted" Films tell us stories and present us with values and messages about our society and what needs to be changed. In the film “Girl, Interrupted,” Susanna’s struggle with self-discovery and her fight to find a place in society illustrates the view that the women who do not fit into traditional roles should be ostracized from mainstream society given that they pose the threat of change. It is clear that women like Susanna, who have little ambition in becoming a carbon copy of their mother, are seen as a threat and therefore classified as crazy. Susanna is clearly misunderstood by her peers as well as the authority figures in her life. She is not a degenerate but a young girl frustrated with her limited options for the future. When Susanna is held after class by her teacher to discuss why she is the only senior not going on to college, she tries to reach out for support from her teacher by explaining that she's not a druggie but she is concerned about ending up like her mother. The teacher does not hear this and claims that there are more options for women today. Susanna is trying to open up and seek some guidance, but the only solution she gets is that she gets is to start acting like everyone else. This scene reveals how secluded and trapped Susanna feels, nobody seems to understand her even her parents don't know what to do with her. The people she is reaching out to, brush off her ambitions of being an artist, as something to do in her spare time, and place social pressure on her to do what is expected. Even her peers expect more from her; at the after-grade party the boy that is trying to pick her up is talking about his scholarship and future, but this does not impress Susanna. He sees this as strange and is willing to believe her when she jokes about joining the Krishna's because she seems to have no plan for the future. This scene demonstrates that Susanna is also faced with peer-pressure. Susanna is not attracted to the status quo; the fact that this guy is basically doing the same thing as everybody else is tiresome and uninviting. Her peers do not accept her because she is unlike them and crazy 2005-09-25T04:39:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Women-And-Traditional-Roles-In-Girl-Interrupted-28022.aspx Symbolism in The Awakening Kate Chopin decides to end The Awakening very tragically and symbolically. The entire novel is about Edna’s “awakening.” Chopin employs the use of imagery to emphasize both her rebellious nature and her innocence and feelings of entrapment. The novel begins by introducing a bird that embodies somewhat annoying characteristics, causing the husband to move to another location. Moreover, the first few chapters delineate Edna’s aspirations and the reality that she feels compelled to face. Edna wants to learn how to swim and to be a woman like no other; she hopes for autonomy and freedom. During Edna’s search, she is constantly lured into life’s taboos of adultery, gambling, and defying rules of society. Thus, one would associate her character with an antagonist. However, Chopin ads much symbolic imagery to give Edna’s character a more ambiguous representation and fitting ending. Edna is continuously compared to a young child, a “new-born creature”(108), and a “bird with a broken wing”(108). She is like a young child who is seduced by the freedom of the ocean and the beauty of nature. The novel ends as Edna swims fiercely with a determined mind and powerful body. She swims consciously and resolves many conflicts introduced in the novel. The ending is “perfect;” it is inevitable that Edna will kill herself because her soul has been dead for so long. Chopin argues that “the voice of the sea speaks to the soul”(14). The only physical way for Edna to be happy is to be with Robert. Since she knows that Robert can not be with her, the only other way for Edna to find pleasure is to reunite with her soul, with her innocence, and with nature—return to the sea. Chopin writes with a religious tone; Edna is reborn several times when she appears wet (Baptism). She returns to conquer the sea with her naked, natural, religious body. She no longer feels trapped in the existing world; her death frees her. I believe that the novel opens and closes on the same note because Edna’s dreams do not change. While she has an “awakening” it is not a climax that changes her outlook on life, but rather a new strategy for living—or for ceasing to live. The way she swims at the end fearlessly and nakedly, while being compared to a creature, illustrates her connection to the ocean. She is innocent 2005-09-25T03:11:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-The-Awakening--28018.aspx Loneliness in The Novel, Of Mice And Men In the Novel of “Of Mice and Men”, by John Steinbeck, we can read the story of people and the loneliness they experience through out the novel. I think that Steinbeck’s inspiration for this book came from his own personal experiences where he grew up, Salinas. The book is about lonely farm workers. They all have different reasons for being lonely, like, their age, race, sex. The central characters are George and Lennie. They are a couple of poor farm workers. Lennie is a gigantic and mentally retarded man, who has possesses extreme strength; he is kind of alone because his mom, Aunt Clair, died. The other character is George. He is a smart talking and witty man. He has to take care of George. He is alone because being with Lennie has isolated him from everyone else around him. The relationship that George and Lennie have is a bit odd. Since George is the smart one, he assumes the dominant role in the pair. He acts like an overtired and overworked parent who can get a break. George thinks of Lennie as burden as well as a friend. Another character, who I think represents loneliness, in the story is Candy. He is an old man who doesn’t have a hand because he had an accident. He doesn’t do much anymore, except tend to his old and disabled dog. His dog is his only true friend and is was attached to it. His future doesn’t look very bright; he is heading toward being an old and lonely man with out anyone to take care of him. He is scared of the fact that they are going to send him away just like they did to his dog. But he is trying to avoid this future by joining George and Lennie in their quest to own their own ranch. By doing such a thing he will no longer have to be alone and will not feel worthless. While Candy is a cast-out because of his age, Crook is a cast-out because of his race. He is an African American who tends the stable. He has become an over protective bitter person. He uses this to keep people from him. He is treated in a bad way, he lives away from everyone else and his accommodations aren’t 2005-09-25T03:11:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Loneliness-in-The-Novel,-Of-Mice-And-Men-28017.aspx The life of Ethan Allen Hawley, which had for so long held to an irrefutable ethical standard, was about to undergo an unexpected and irreversible change. Likewise he was not alone; progress was descending upon all of New Baytown like the jets which swarmed "with increasing regularity" (196) at the nearby Templeton airfield. With them was coming a new breed, more and more focused on material wealth rather than honesty and principle. Ethan’s fourteen-year old son, Allen, was the embodiment of this new morality by which money was God and "morals are paintings on wall and scruples are money in Russia" (from the movie Sabrina, 1995). There was only one goal for this "forward-looking group" (141): money; and as Allen so clearly states, for them "it’s all dough, no matter how you get it" (91). Ethan had always believed there existed certain "unchanging rules" (217) of basic kindness and decency which had always, and should always, govern men. He lived his life simply and honestly, guided by visions of his grandfather and Aunt Deborah who had, from his early youth, instilled in him this strong moral foundation; he was" the kid with the built-in judge" (153). The rules, however, were changing, and changing rapidly. No longer would virtue be the deciding factor when faced with temptation; if one stood to gain from a situation, "who gets hurt? Is it against the law?" (34). Quite the contrary, by the new standards, it would be a crime to act on one’s own behalf. Moral consequences were irrelevant; the only consideration was success, and "success is never bad" (239). Those still clinging to Ethan’s "old-fashioned fancy-pants ideas" (43) would be devoured by progress like the old Bay Hotel, "now being wrecked to make room for the new Woolworth’s (11). Under this new law, business was "a kind of war" (115), and as such, casualties were inevitable. To survive, one had to be ruthless, step on anyone who got in the way; "some men had to get hurt, some even destroyed" (239). Ethan could see this reality, from Baker, who used and manipulated anyone he could if he meant he would profit, to his son, who gladly sacrificed his integrity for a watch an a spot on TV. They were mercenaries, focused only on personal gain, and while Ethan said he"wish[ed he] could admire them, even love them the way . . . Allen 2005-09-21T02:16:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Life-of-Ethan-Allen-Hawley-28012.aspx A Look At The Moral Disintergration Of America In Steinbeck’s The Winter Of Our Discontent "The life of Ethan Allen Hawley, which had for so long held to an irrefutable ethical standard, was about to undergo an unexpected and irreversible change. Likewise he was not alone; progress was descending upon all of New Baytown like the jets which swarmed "with increasing regularity" (196) at the nearby Templeton airfield. With them was coming a new breed, more and more focused on material wealth rather than honesty and principle. Ethan’s fourteen-year old son, Allen, was the embodiment of this new morality by which money was God and "morals are paintings on wall and scruples are money in Russia" (from the movie Sabrina, 1995). There was only one goal for this "forward-looking group" (141): money; and as Allen so clearly states, for them "it’s all dough, no matter how you get it" (91). Ethan had always believed there existed certain "unchanging rules" (217) of basic kindness and decency which had always, and should always, govern men. He lived his life simply and honestly, guided by visions of his grandfather and Aunt Deborah who had, from his early youth, instilled in him this strong moral foundation; he was" the kid with the built-in judge" (153). The rules, however, were changing, and changing rapidly. No longer would virtue be the deciding factor when faced with temptation; if one stood to gain from a situation, "who gets hurt? Is it against the law?" (34). Quite the contrary, by the new standards, it would be a crime to act on one’s own behalf. Moral consequences were irrelevant; the only consideration was success, and "success is never bad" (239). Those still clinging to Ethan’s "old-fashioned fancy-pants ideas" (43) would be devoured by progress like the old Bay Hotel, "now being wrecked to make room for the new Woolworth’s (11). Under this new law, business was "a kind of war" (115), and as such, casualties were inevitable. To survive, one had to be ruthless, step on anyone who got in the way; "some men had to get hurt, some even destroyed" (239). Ethan could see this reality, from Baker, who used and manipulated anyone he could if he meant he would profit, to his son, who gladly sacrificed his integrity for a watch an a spot on TV. They were mercenaries, focused only on personal gain, and while Ethan said 2005-09-18T06:17:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Moral-Disintergration-Of-America-In-Winter-Of-Our-Disconten-27999.aspx The Tender Vronksy In Anna Karenina [i:413256b4c1]Descriptive language that makes Vronsky a tender and affectionate flirt [/i:413256b4c1] Leo Tolstoy uses descriptive language to make Vronsky a charming and handsome man who inspires affection in all, who meet him, which strongly affects Vronsky’s interaction with women. Vronsky’s ability to win over women’s affection is illustrated through the opinions of other characters and Vronsky’s actions. The other character’s give opinions that use descriptive language that shows Vronsky as an affectionate and caring person. Princess Shcherbatsky appreciates Vronsky’s money and social status considerably. She values him so much more than Oblonsky that she prefers her daughter Kitty, to marry Vronsky instead of Oblonsky and describes numerous times how Vronsky is a better guy. “For the other there could be no comparison at all between Vronsky and Levin” (45). Princess Shcherbatsky in her opinion describes Vronsky as “rich, able, distinguished, launched on a brilliant career in the Army and at Court, and an enchanting”(45) character. Princess Shcherbatsky illustrates Vronsky as a great man and she praises him constantly so that her daughter Kitty will expectantly marry Vronsky instead of Oblonsky. Kitty also describes Vronsky as an honorable husband and thinks of her future with him. “The moment she thought of a future with Vronsky a brilliantly happy prospect rose up before her”(49). Her opinion of him is also that he is well off and has a good position socially in society. “He was extremely well bred and calm”(49). Vronsky is at first trying to seek intimacy with Kitty but when his eyes come upon the beautiful Anna, his direction of affection shifts in Anna’s favor. Anna Karenina is another person that is evidently charmed by Vronsky. Her opinion of Vronsky is that he makes her much happier and she glows with his comments. “…said Anna, and once again a smile lit up her face, a caressing smile due to him” (66). Vronsky continually causes Anna to glow and he takes actions as well to enchant her. Vronsky at one time takes action to impress Anna giving 200 rubles to the deceased’s widow in order to impress Anna. Oblonsky points out to Anna and Anna’s mother that Vronsky is a great guy and this helps Vronsky’s intent to charm Anna and make an impression. “…Very kind, really very kind!” (68). Vronsky also try’s changing his lifestyle in order to enchant Anna. Vronsky takes action by moving into 2005-09-18T06:06:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Tender-Vronksy-In-Anna-Karenina-27996.aspx The Scarlet Letter - Symbols Displaying Character Emotions Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter uses many different types of symbols throughout his book to portray the feelings and emotions of the characters. Hester, the main character of the book, is filled with many feelings, including pride and acceptance, surrounding her sin of adultery. Many of the people around Hester also reflect similar emotions and feelings and are reflected by the author through the use of colors. Nathanial Hawthorne employs many symbols throughout his book, as he uses the colors red, black, and white to represent the emotions of Hester and those around her. The most frequently used color symbol in The Scarlet Letter is red. Red most noticeably represents the sin committed by Hester, as shown by the scarlet “A” she is forced to wear on her bosom. The scarlet letter, like her sin, is something that she will never be able to forget and is something she can never escape from. The color red is also used to represent the result of the sin, as Pearl is usually dressed in red clothing. Pearl is called a wide variety of names pertaining to the color red in the book such as “Ruby”, “Coral”, “Red Rose”, and “a little bird of scarlet plumage.” Red is also used by Hawthorne to represent the passion and sensuality of the other characters in the book. Red is used to represent the sin further with the red “A” formed from meteors and the “A” appearing on Dimmesdale’s chest. The wild red rose bush that formed outside of the prison where Hester was being held represented Hester’s place in a Puritan society that would no longer accept her for who she was. Hawthorne states that “This rosebush, by a strange chance, has been kept alive in history…It may serve, let us hope, to symbolize some sweet moral blossom that may be found along the track.” The meaning to this quote shows how powerful colors can be to show the true emotions of the characters and the setting around them. Another frequently used color used by Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter is black. Black is mainly used to represent the darkness and evil that is living throughout this book. Very early in the book, Hawthorne refers to the prison as the “black 2005-09-18T00:22:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Symbols-Displaying-Character-Emotions-27987.aspx Thomas Putnam Background Thomas Putnam was the eldest son of the richest man in the village He is a religious man deeply interested in religious affairs He had endured hardship as he fought the Indians at Narragansett Married to Anne Putnam Seven of his children have died before they were baptized “I have lied seven babies unbaptized in the earth” Mr. Putnam also has a daughter who has taken ill like Betty (Ruth) Physical Appearance Mr. Putnam is nearing fifty Temperament He is a self assured man who has 2005-09-17T10:55:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Crucible-Thomas-Putnam-Character-Background-27986.aspx The play begins with a crowd of city folk and the priest of Zeus approaching Oedipus to inform him about the extend of a plague that is hitting the city. Oedipus aware of the plague informs the crowd that he had already sent his brother in law, Creon to see the Oracle of Athens. Creon returns and informs the crowd that the unsolved murder of the previous King Laius is the reason for the plague and the city has to find the murderer who is in the City. Oedipus afraid that the person might try to kill him vows to find the killer and launches and investigation. First Oedipus calls forth the prophet Teiresias, whose riddles eventually enrage Oedipus. Teiresias refuses at first to reveal who the perpetrator is because it will bring harm to both of them. Oedipus then attacks his person on why he did not solve the riddle of the Sphinx. Teiresias in his blind rage reveals that the murderer of Laius will be the father and brother of his on children. After sending the prophet away, Oedipus accuses Creon of conspiring with the prophet to kill him and offers him the choice of exile or death. Jocasta then steps in and pleads that her brother has been shared power, been a good brother in law and ask that Oedipus exile him. Jocasta steps in and prevents that and tells Oedipus that prophecies do not come true as she was suppose to have children with her son and that son will kill his father. Where as she confess to what she did to prevent this and retold the story about how Laius was killed by a band of thieves at a junction of three roads. Oedipus recalls killing a rude man who assaulted him at the crossroads and this makes him uneasy. Oedipus remembers leaving Corinth for the same reasons. Then a messenger arrives and tells Oedipus that his father is dead and that he has to go back to be crowned king. But Oedipus is afraid that he might sleep with him mother so does not want to go back. The messenger tells Oedipus that they are not his real parents and that the messenger himself handed the baby Oedipus to Polybus. The shepherd that witnessed the death of Laius was the same shepherd that was charged with the task of getting rid of Oedipus. 2005-09-17T10:26:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-Summary--27985.aspx Jerome David Salinger: A Deeper Insight Jerome David (J.D.) Salinger is arguably one of the most talented American authors still living. Salinger has introduced the twentieth century to an entirely unique and individual writing style. He has written many influential novels such as Franny and Zooey, Nine Stories, and The Catcher in the Rye. These texts can be interpreted as sharp social criticisms of the post war society. Salinger has an extensive imagination, which he beautifully turns into literature that any reader can enjoy. He is an artist who turns his personal visions and wishes into realities on paper. Although Salinger in present life is very reclusive and shy his writing demonstrates a side of him many fail to see. Most people are able to identify with his characters, because the emotions and experiences are so universal that we all can grasp the concept he has thrown at us through fictitious characters. Two novels that clearly demonstrate Salinger’s controversial writing style are Franny and Zooey and The Catcher In The Rye. These works are appreciated and misunderstood by many different types of people. For years Salinger’s writing has been praised and criticized because of his unique style and daring vocabulary. As to be expected it has left him open to criticism. This however, did not stop his only novel The Catcher in the Rye from becoming his most famous and successful piece of literature. Catcher in the Rye is Salinger’s most well known work. The story of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen year old who is frequently kicked out of private schools to which his parents send him. Holden isn’t a troublemaker, but has trouble in his classes as far as schoolwork goes. His academic problems and poor work ethic in school hinders his progress and inevitably causes him to flee the school. “Some critics have argued that Holden’s character is erratic and unreliable.” (Lomazoff 88). Critics seem to tear apart his character more than anything, because as strong as Holden seems, the weaker they assume he is. Holden is currently enrolled at Pencey Prep, but shortly into the novel he discovers that he has just been expelled from his third private school. Afraid to tell his parents, Holden leaves Pencey and goes to New York to stay in a hotel with money that his grandmother gave him a week before 2005-09-14T00:45:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jerome-David-Salinger-A-Deeper-Insight-in-his-Novel-27977.aspx Duty in Jane Eyre A theme in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is the conflict between personal desire and duty that is the dilemma each of the main characters has to face in making major decisions. Jane, Mr. Rochester, and Saint John each make a major decision; Jane and Saint John act on their duty while Mr. Rochester acts upon his desire. Thus the author shows that the willingness to do “the right thing” is within all of us, but some choose not even though they know what they are doing is wrong. Jane has a dilemma that is to choose between her duty to herself or to act upon her desire to stay with Edward Rochester. Jane is a morally up right person ever since she was little, she always tires to do the right thing. Jane falls in love with Mr. Rochester, not knowing he has a wife, and tries to marry him. But it is reveal that Mr. Rochester has a wife. Since Jane had morals she didn’t want to say with Edward as his mistress so she left him. So Jane decides to up hold her morals and not to say with Edward and she leaves him. Edward Rochester has the dilemma between duty to stay with Bertha, his wife, or to act on his desire, love for Jane, and deceive her. Edward has tried many times at failed love, including his marriage to Bertha (who ends up becoming insane), and he thinks he has found someone who he can truly love and wants to marry. But he has a problem, he is he is married to someone. Edward chooses to comity bigamy and to deceive Jane, by not telling her he is married to someone; be believes she is protecting her is someway by hiding the truth. “Quote” Edward ends up choosing his desire to marry Jane over his duty to his wife. Finally, Saint John has a dilemma between choosing his desire to marry Roseland or his duty to god. Saint John is a clergyman to the rural parish in Morton. He wants to become a missionary in India. There is a woman who has fallen in love with him, Roseland, and wants to marry him. Saint John wants to marry her to but he is devoted to his 2005-09-14T00:42:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Duty-in-Jane-Eyre--27976.aspx Four Social Classes of Maycomb County In Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird there are four evident social classes in Maycomb County. They are the professional white class citizens, poor honest white citizens, poor dishonest, outcast white citizens and black citizens. The professional white class own property and have jobs that provide income or money that came from their families. Members of this class are Atticus, an attorney, and his contemporaries Miss Maudie, the daughter of Dr. Frank Buford, Miss Stephaine, the town do-gooder and gossip, and the Radleys even though Mr. Radley had spent all of his wife’s money and had no visible means of support. The poor honest white 2005-09-14T00:32:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Four-Social-Classes-of-Maycomb-County-27974.aspx The Adventures of Corrupt Morality One of society’s favorite figures of speech is that it takes an entire town to raise a child. Such is true in Mark Twain’s, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Through Huck’s journey down the Mississippi River, Twain illustrates the influence society has on the undeveloped morals. As Huckleberry travels he becomes “the impassive observer” and aware of the corruption in the values of society (Eliot 330). Encountering these societies gives Huck a selective morality. No particular social class is left out of his observations. From the poor, lower class to the elite, upper class, Huck observes inconsistencies in morality. In the end, Huck realizes that society is imperfect and corrupt, which ultimately causes him to “light out for the Territory” (Twain 229). Huck Finn develops a selective morality from the corrupt social classes he encounters on the Mississippi River. Before Huck sets out on his raft adventure, he is exposed to the values and morals of his poor, drunken father. Pap Finn instills a “Southern race prejudice” and leads Huck to believe “that he detests Abolitionists” (Smith 374). Huck comes into conflict with this philosophy as he journeys on the raft with Jim. He can not decide if he is wrong in helping Jim escape slavery or if the philosophy is wrong. The education of Huck also stirs some values from Pap. When Pap tells him that education is useless, Huck is confused because the Widow Douglas told him that education was important. As a result, Huck’s values towards education are uncertain. Pap Finn, as a figure of the lower class, does his part to confuse the growing morals of his son. Together with Pap, the King and the Duke do their share to put putrid moral ideas into the immature mind of Huck. The King and the Duke earn their living pulling scams on their fellow Americans. For instance, they advertised the “Royal Nonesuch” as a “thrilling tragedy” and charged the farmers in the area fifty cents to come and see it (Twain 121). But, the entire production consisted of the King walking around on all fours naked. They had promised a good show to the crowd, the King and the Duke did not think it was wrong to give the crowd nothing except 2005-09-14T00:31:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Adventures-of-Corrupt-Morality-27973.aspx Fitzgerald's Judgment Of Tom Buchanan In the novel The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan is a very wealthy man, who lives in the east egg of long island, who is described by Fitzgerald as arrogant and overbearing. He is snobbish towards others who either don?t have as much money as him, haven?t had money that long, or got their money unethically. The light that Tom is portrayed in, displays him as someone who will never be hindered by his poor qualities as a person. Tom?s overbearing attitude, and arrogance end up being his downfall, because he cannot see his own mistakes. Arrogance is when someone feels that they must always have a final say, and find it necessary to prove others wrong. Tom?s arrogance comes into full bloom during the meeting between himself, Gatsby, Nick, and Daisy. When Gatsby tells Tom that Daisy no longer loves him, Tom refutes this by claiming that Daisy could never love Gatsby, because he got his money illegally. Tom says that ?I suppose the latest thing is to sit back an let Mr. Nobody form Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that?s the idea you can count me out?Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions and next they?ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white.? He goes on to let Daisy go home with Gatsby, because he is so confidant that she will not desert him. Tom?s presumptuousness, that Daisy will be completely loyal to him because he knows that she will not run off with a nobody criminal, is his arrogance. He doesn?t understand that it?s his fault that Daisy is unhappy and wants to leave. He is blind to the fact that Gatsby has been trying to impress Daisy, and that she loves him too. Tom?s arrogance causes him to be blind to the fact that Daisy is very unhappy, and that she truly loves Gatsby. Fitzgerald describes Tom?s overbearing nature through descriptions and the subtle actions that Tom takes. He is physically described as cruel, and aggressive. When Nick first sees Tom in the book, he describes him. ?His eyes appeared as if they established dominance over his face. There was touch of paternal contempt in his voice, even towards people he liked.? Nick is the 2005-09-14T00:26:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fitzgerald-s-Judgment-Of-Tom-Buchanan-27970.aspx Decisions We Make Written About Frost's "The Road Not Taken" Sometimes the decisions we make now affect the way our lives end up. In a quote by Ralph Emerson, “For everything you have missed, you have gained something else.” This means that no matter what decisions a person makes, if they have any regrets, they shouldn’t because they have already gained something from it. Robert Frost writes about decisions as well. His poem “The Road Not Taken” exemplifies what he believes a person should think when making a decision. The language and tone that he uses make the reader think beyond what is written and sends him/her a message about the decisions s/he makes; Frost also helps the reader understand what he is trying to point out, through these uses. “And sorry I could not travel both,” (Line 2) “Oh, I kept the first for another day!”(Line 13) “I shall be telling this with a sigh,” (Line 16); what do we think when we read these lines? They seem very straight forward, but the author is trying to get a message across. When read carefully, these lines almost have a ‘feel’ to them; as if they are talking to the reader themselves. This feeling is created by the tone at which the poem is read. Tone, when used in poetry, can convey strong meanings and set moods for poems. At first site, these lines are simply words strung together with other words, but as we read with feeling, “And sorry I could not travel both,” we almost feel regret; it is as if the narrator is unsure of the decision he has made. Frost is trying to tell the reader that sometimes s/he will also feel this. He is trying to tell us that we should not have regrets. “I shall be telling this with a sigh/…/Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-/I took the one less traveled by,/And that has made all the difference,”(Lines 16-20) Frost is saying we should not regret all the decisions we make, instead think of what these decisions have done. Upon interpretation of this poem, we can gather information and piece it together. Almost every line has two meanings; the one that is relevant to the narrator, and the one that is relevant to us, the reader. Frost uses 2005-09-14T00:15:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Decisions-We-Make-Written-About-Frost-s-quot-The-Road-Not-T-27967.aspx The Grave Tragedy of Oedipus the King Tragedy is one of the most prevalent forms of drama produced around the world. There are certain criteria that a drama has to follow in order for it to be characterized as a Tragedy. The criteria is established by Aristotle and is still being used today. It includes having a tragic hero, harmartia, peripateia, a plot consisting of a time period of 24 hours, and finally catharsis. Oedipus the King is a great example of a Tragedy written by Sophocles. In the play, Oedipus the King, Oedipus is the tragic hero spoken of in Aristotle’s rules for a tragedy. Oedipus is the tragic hero because he possesses characteristics that would ultimately follow that of a hero. His nobility is the most important when determining his title of tragic hero. Either way he could not escape being king. Born of a noble line of blood made him noble, but even when they tried to kill him, he ends up by fate being raised up by a king and queen of another land. The other act that set Oedipus as the tragic hero is his heroic efforts to free Thebes from the Sphinx; “You saved us from the Sphinx, that flinty singer”. Together with other valiant deeds Oedipus is ultimately the tragic hero. Hamartia is a tragic flaw, which accompanies the tragic hero but does not lead to the hero’s death. Oedipus’ tragic flaw was his temper or his pride. He displays his temper when he kills Laios and all the travelers with him; “Swinging my club with this right hand I knocked him out of his car, and he rolled on the ground. I killed him. I killed them all.” His temper is also displayed when Teiresias reveals his fate and the answer to the question that he has posed to all of Thebes. “…Damnation Take you! Out of this place! Out of my sight!” The third rule from Aristotle is that of Peripateia. Peripateia is the complete reversal of plot in relation to the tragic hero. Oedipus starts out as the king of Thebes. In relation to peripateia, the 2005-09-14T00:08:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Grave-Tragedy-of-Oedipus-the-King-27964.aspx "Rappacinis Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne In �Rappaccini�s Daughter� written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, A young man name Giovanni Guasconti came to Padua to pursue his studies at the University of Pradua, while staying with his father�s bestfriend Pietro Baglioni, professor of medicine in the university, he falls in love with a beautiful young lady named Beatrice. She�s beautiful, but she has poisonous breath, which she is a part of her father�s science experiment. Giacomo Rappaccini, corrupts his daughter Beatrice in order to satisfy his own pride over his unique plants. Rappacini is willing to give up anything, even his own daughter in order to advance his knowledge in science. The choices made in this story led to seraval negative consequences in the book. There were many choices in the story and the choices that had the most impact amongst the characters were Giovanni falling in love with Beatrice, Dr. Rappacini poisoning Beatrice, Giovanni not listening to Baglioni about Beatrice, Lisabetta showing Giovanni the secret door to the garden, Giovanni coming to see Beatrice every day, and Boglioni giving Giovanni vial to cure the poisonous breathe. Most of the choices made in this story led to the death of Beatrice, if her father had not poisoned her she wouldn�t have poisoned Giovanni, and Giovanni wouldn�t have been given a vial to cure the poisonous breathe, which in turn the cure was death. Even though Giovanni was infatuated with Beatrice, it was wrong for Lisabetta to show him the secret door to the garden because it led to Giovanni coming to see Beatrice everyday as seen on page 13 paragraph 3.Giovanni came to see her so much that that he fall even more deeply in love with Beatrice because Hawthorne says on p.13 ,�By all appreciable signs, they loved; they had looked love with eyes that conveyed the holy secret from the depths of one soul into the depths of the other, as if it were too sacred to be whispered 2005-09-14T00:06:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-Rappacini�s-Daughter-quot-by-Nathaniel-Hawthorne-27963.aspx Beowulf - An Elite Warrior Beowulf is an epic poem that is about a town in Demark that has a problem with a monster named Grendal who kills men at night and vanishes in the dark. Beowulf is a man who comes from Sweden to kill the monster Grendal. Grendal has three extraordinary adventures, when he gets to the town that Grendal is staying. The first adventure is with Grendal the monster. Beowulf gathers all his men and stays in the med hall and awaits the monster. When Grendal finds out there are men in the med hall he knows he is in for a good meal so, Grendal hurries to the med hall to eat. When entering the med hall Grendal he demolishes an eats a couple of Beowulf’s men. When this is happening it wakes every one of the warriors and more become victims of the monster Grendal. The monster Grendal makes it to Beowulf and they began to fight, Beowulf tries to use his sword but no ordinary weapon can hurt him. So Beowulf uses his hands and rips one of Grendal's arms off, and he runs off out the door in to the fog mortally wounded. The second adventure is with Grendals mom at the lake of fire. Beowulf goes to the lake of fire to find Grendals mother. She lives under the lake of fire and so Beowulf must go down underneath the water to find her. Beowulf goes and finds her, and they begin to fight he uses his sword but she breaks it, so he finds a sword that is on the wall and uses it to kill her. Beowulf then finds Grendal and kills him, while this is all happening all his men think he is dead until one day he come back with Grendals head wearing it on his shoulders. The third adventure is about Beowulf going after the treasure that a dragon is protecting. Beowulf gets he’s men together to go and fight the dragon but non of them want to die so they wont go, but there is one man who was brave and went, he was Wiglif. They got to the island and Beowulf went in and got wounded by the dragon, so Wiglif went in a killed the dragon. Beowulf is impartially dead and tells 2005-09-11T06:44:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-An-Elite-Warrior--27958.aspx Universal Dissidence in Star Wars novel In George Lucas’s novel Star Wars: A New Hope, A futuristic universe is caught in an intergalactic battle between good and evil. As always, good triumphs over evil with the help of a young boy whose destiny was bigger than he had ever imagined. Luke Skywalker undergoes certain changes as he strengthens the force within himself and fights to restore fertility to the galaxy. In the beginning, Luke is young and naïve looking to find adventure. “I want to transfer my application to enter the academy this year,” Luke tells his uncle at the dinner table. Hardly touching his meal, Luke pleads with his uncle to let him go to the academy where most of his friends have already gone. He feels left out and dreams of excitement. Luke’s Aunt Beru feels the same way Luke does when she says to Uncle Owen, You can’t keep him here forever.” After leaving the room and chasing after the runaway robot, Luke meets new friend and future mentor, Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan tells him that he must learn the ways of the force and about his father. After learning that the Empire has tracked the droids home, Luke races off to see about his aunt and uncle. “Two smoking shapes showed down the tunnel, barely visible through tears and haze, his aunt and uncle were dead.” From this moment Luke feels that there is no reason for him to continue being a farmer. He has no place on this desolate planet, he had to learn the force and avenge his aunt and uncle’s death. After the passing of his guardians, young Luke strengthens himself with the force. “You must trust your feelings,” Obi-Wan tells Luke. Being one for making quick decisions, Luke has trouble letting go of his trust of vision. He has to learn to enhance all of his other senses. “Your eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them,” Obi-Wan reminds him. Along with his new mentor, Luke flies off to the Death Star to rescue Princess Leia. Upon arriving, Luke proves himself to be brave by marching into the heart of the Death Star, into the detention block where the princess herself is being held captive. “With one quick blow from his lightsaber, the eil Darth Vader cuts Obi-Wan cleanly in half.” After witnessing this, Luke is devastated, he feels crushed and angry at the same time. 2005-09-11T06:28:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Universal-Dissidence-in-Star-Wars-novel-27955.aspx A World Without Freedom in Huxley's A Brave New World, Literary Analysis and Discussion Everyday people are given a choice – a choice to reach for their goals or do what makes them happy. In a perfect world, these would be one in the same. Aldous Huxley presents this utopian world in his book Brave New World, where the people are governed and trained in manner. He presents a totalitarian regime that not only ensures that people are happy, but also is able to control the behavior of each individual and keep society stable. Through the use of science, people are not only created, but also conditioned to guarantee they will be happy members of society. Throughout the book, Huxley also introduces many of the main philosophical issues that are social necessities for perfect stability within this society. These include the role of consumption, sexuality and emotions, the role of history, and the redefinition of religion. Conditioning plays a large part in the success of this society. Children are taught throughout their life to be happy with their caste so they have no desire to change. The basic ideas of society are also “wedded indissolubly before the child can speak. But wordless conditioning is crude and wholesale; cannot bring home the finer distinctions, cannot inculcate the more complex courses of behavior. For that there must be words, but words without reason. In brief, hypnopaedia. The greatest moralizing an socializing force of all time” (28). Conditioning is one of the main basis’ for this modern civilization. “The love of servitude cannot be established except as the result of a deep, personal revolution in the human minds and bodies” (xvi). Conditioning allows the government to establish this love of servitude and use it to their advantage in preventing such things as uprising and encouraging other things such as consumption. The society Huxley presents is based on many things, on of which is the desire to consume. The people have been conditioned in this manner. From the economic standpoint of the society, if people consume readily as they do, there will always be a need for jobs thus completing the supply and demand cylce. In one instance, the masses are taught to “hate the county… but simultaneously [conditioned] to love all country sports. At the same time 2005-09-11T00:19:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-World-Without-Freedom-in-Huxley-s-A-Brave-New-World-27951.aspx Wuthering Heights: How Does The Supernatural Theme Contribute To The Atmosphere Of The Novel? The supernatural theme is a recurrent one in gothic novels, dreams, ghosts and gaps between this world and the next. The paranormal touch adds to the eerie feeling and the extreme circumstances that a novel like Wuthering Heights portrays. Waking from a violent dream, Mr. Lockwood, who is sleeping in Cathy’s bed, sees a ghost. It is a young girl called Catherine Linton who had been haunting the house for twenty years. Upon her death, Heathcliff begs her to haunt him. This insane passion is part of the extreme circumstances that must take place to prove how passion rules over all. Nelly dean is the main narrator in Wuthering Heights, she claims that she does not believe in ghosts but she is superstitious. When she refuses to hear Catherine’s dreams we are disturbed, it may have been a bad dream or a prophecy. Cathy dreams about being in heaven but she is flung out by the angels who know she does not belong there, but only with Heathcliff. There is an immense bond between Cathy and Heathcliff that not even death can part. When Heathcliff leaves Wuthering Heights there is a terrible storm that represents nature’s opposition against this act. When the thunderstorm breaks a tree in half, Joseph who represents a conformist and artificial ideal of religion believes it is a sign of the end. After the fight between Heathcliff and Edgar, Cathy fell ill; and her illness seemed to affect her reasoning, as if to be driving her mad. After her illness was cured she appeared to be barely alive, as if a spirit roaming on earth erroneously, however she still appeared to be beautiful, in a ghostly way. The supernatural is the axis of the gothic genre it is the source of the contorted and sinister atmosphere and creates the spine-chilling extreme feeling that gives a gothic novel meaning. After Cathy's death Heathcliff begs her spirit to haunt him, this action is selfish and unnatural and goes against conventional morality, he does not wish for her to rest in peace but to exist only to be with him. Heathcliff is so obsessed with the dead that Isabella calls him “a goblin” she no longer knows whether she has married “a man, a devil or a ghost” Heathcliff, with no respect for the dead, 2005-09-09T09:49:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wuthering-Heights-Supernatural-Theme-and-Atmosphere-27949.aspx Historical Significance of Their Eyes Were Watching God The historical significance of Hurston’s Their Eyes were Watching God is what it teaches the reader about African-American culture (particularly in the south) from the 1890’s to about the 1920’s. The book is a fabulous example of every aspect of African-American life. There are many different characters that show a different type of personality. Nanny represents an older woman who was born into slavery, and feels that Janie must have a man to protect her. Logan plays the role of the old stubborn farmer who is well off because of his land. Joe Starks is very ambitious man who is determined to make sure he sees his goals through. Tea Cake is the laborer in the swamps who has a good time with his friends. Mrs. Turner represents the racism that was still prevalent during this time. Janie is looking for where she fits into this picture. The residents of Eatonville who sit in front of the Starks’ store also represent people who are opposite from Joe in the fact that they are happy with their situation, and if Joe hadn’t come along, who knows how long it would of taken. There are more mundane examples of culture through food—I don’t know how many times something is being cooked or eaten, and music (mainly with Tea Cake and the other laborers). I think there is a fair amount of violence. Janie gets hit by two of the three husbands (the other one threatens her with violence). Janie eventually shoots Tea Cake. Tea Cake gets roughed up after a night of gambling. The book talks about what is done for entertainment; jook joints, talking (lots of talking). It deals with rape; both Janie’s mother and grandmother were raped. It deals with class; Janie was laughed at as school child because her clothes were nicer than other kids, and when Tea Cake and her are married he think she may not accept his friends because they aren’t as classy. Of course there is think the vernacular used in all of the dialogues. Every aspect of African-American life is represented in this book—from shopping to talking to marriage to domestic abuse. The way the book is able to incorporate many characters from different backgrounds, yet it 2005-09-09T09:47:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Historical-Significance-of-Their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God-27948.aspx Gang Warfare and Themes in the Outsiders "The Outsiders" by S. E Hinton is an early novel based on two waring juvenile gangs, divided by economical and social background, the lower East side Greasers and the upper West side Socs. The novel is set in 1966 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is a novel written in first person by a 14 year old Greaser, Ponyboy Curtis who allows us an insight into the lifestyles of these distinct worlds. I chose the novel "The Outsiders" as a text for year 10 for the following reasons: It is a novel which draws the reader in and allows the reader to understand a lifestyle alien to them. Even though the novel is set in 1966, it is a novel that's theme can be found in any society and time period. The student can relate to this novel, because the narrator of the story is their own age and reflects many problems that they themselves may run into someday. The language of the text is easily understood as are the themes in the story. It contains themes that would interest a young mind, showing many students the seedier side of life. What it would be like to live under such circumstances in constant fear of their lives. It deals with gang warfare, alcohol, drugs, child abuse, murder, survival and growing up. These are areas that a pubescent teenager can easily lose themselves in. It forces the reader to realise that in many cases teenagers have no choice in what lifestyles that are born into in this case either becoming the rich kid or the kid from the wrong side of the tracks. The novel has been incorporated into a Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 movie adaptation, starring many popular young actors of our time. The use of both text and movie creates a more vivid understanding and appreciation of the novel for there are no major variations between the two texts. I believe "The Outsiders" is a relevant novel to study as in today's society the concept of violence is an ever present theme. It is a theme that dominates adolescents all over the world. As to survive in today's society many adolescents are faced with the turbulence of growing up in a volatile society and many face 2005-09-09T09:42:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gang-Warfare-and-Themes-in-the-Outsiders-27945.aspx Bluest Eye Plot Summary Claudia and Frieda MacTeer live in Lorain, Ohio with their parents. Their lives are hard, but their parents provide a loving household. To make money, their parents take in a boarder, Henry Washington. Soon after, another young girl, named Pecola, comes to live with the MacTeers after her father, Cholly, burned down her house. The three girls become friends. Pecola loves milk and Shirley Temple; it quickly becomes clear that she believes that all things white are beautiful. It also becomes clear that Pecola considers herself ugly because she has such strong black features. She does not believe she can be loved. Pecola eventually moves back in with her family. Life there is not pleasant. Her father is an alcoholic, her mother is seems not to care for her, and the two of them often fight. Pecola's older brother, Samuel, often runs away from home. Pecola also runs away but into her own fantasies: she dreams of having the bluest eyes in the world. Pecola's life away from her family is no better. She is often picked on and called ugly by those around her. Claudia and Frieda realize that the entire neighborhood agrees with Pecola that white features are beautiful. Pecola's parents have both had difficult lives. Pauline always felt like an outsider in her family and constantly suffers through feelings of loneliness and ugliness. She wants to love her daughter but finds Pecola unattractive. Pauline works for a wealthy white family and finds her comfort in their house. Cholly was abandoned by his parents and brought up by his aunt. He was often humiliated by white people and built up a great rage toward whites and women. When he met and married Pauline, things were good for a time, but he soon felt trapped and unhappy. The marriage is dull, except for those moments when they are fighting. One day, as he returns home and finds Pecola washing dishes, Cholly's life of desire wells up and he rapes his daughter. Pauline blames Pecola for the rape, seeing it as Pecola's fault. Pecola becomes more obsessed with getting blue eyes and visits Soaphead Church, a psychic, who promises to help her. Instead, he uses her to help kill a dog he doesn't like. Pecola discovers she is pregnant. Over the course of her pregnancy, Pecola goes mad. She believes she has been given blue eyes and imagines a 2005-09-09T09:40:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Bluest-Eye-Plot-Summary--27943.aspx Dead Poet's Society - Do The Virgins, Make Much Of Time" In The Dead Poet’s Society the character Neil was most affected by the poem be Robert Herrick “To the Virgins, Make Much of Time” At the beginning of The Dead Poet’s Society Neil is very much a “virgin” he is incapable of making his own decisions. He is the mechanical animal of his father. He has never been allowed to think for himself. He has no perspective because he has never had to think for himself, he always had his father there to make his choices for him. Neil has no real motivation at this point, other than the pressure of his father, the master of his desires. When Neil hears the poem “To the Virgins, Make Much of Time” his mind begins to ponder rather or not what he is doing with his life is really what he wants, or is he just acting out his father’s dreams? The foundation is laid for his rebellion against his father as he realizes that he is wasting his time being the wooden boy who hasn’t come to life yet. In the first stanza of the poem “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, old time is still a-flying, And this same flower that smiles today, To-morrow will be dying.” Neil realizes that he is only losing time to seek out himself he is never gaining any time, and thus he must decide what he really wants, this is a revolutionary thought for someone like Neil who has never needed to think before in his life. (the turning point) The poem also inspired Neil to start the dead poet’s society which is merely symbolic of his love for the arts, and his need to escape the fascist grip of his father, by going into a cave in the woods and ritualizing the reading of poetry he in a sense exorcised his frustration. If Neil would have never heard the “To the Virgins, Make Much of Time”, or had a teacher like Mr. Keating, he would never had realized the lie he had been living and he would have went on living as a robot, mechanically living out his father’s dream. He would have never discovered his true passion of acting, much less decide to act against his father will. He would have never done that if he had not heard 2005-09-07T02:42:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dead-Poet-s-Society-Do-The-Virgins,-Make-Much-Of-Time-quot-27939.aspx The Hobbit MY REVIEW OF The Hobbit Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit, son of Belladonna Took. Hobbits are little people, smaller than dwarves and half our height. They love peace and quiet. They are very respectable people. Hobbits lived for peacefulness. We find that sleep is one of the few cherished joys of the hobbits. Things change as the journey requires Bilbo to mature into a full hero. Bilbo himself enjoyed sitting outside, smoking his wooden pipe and enjoying peace and quiet. Until one morning an unexpected guest visited Bilbo. It was an old man in a blue hat and gray coat, his name was Gandalf. Gandalf told Bilbo that he will be sent on a adventure. Bilbo not wanting any type of an adventure said “Sorry I don’t want any adventures.” Bilbo invited him for tea the next morning. So the next morning, Gandalf, and thirteen dwarves (their names were Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Thorin, for those of you who are adept in remembering names) burst into his life, pulling the hobbit out of his quiet home, and sending him in an adventure filled with dangers, dragons, gold, and unpeaceful things. Bilbo found himself wishing he had never gone on this strange journey. He hoped to live up to Gandalf's standard of him, since he was the one who chose him to journey into the dangerous lands of Smaug, a golden-red dragon who had stolen gold and silver from the dwarves. But what was the use of a Hobbit in the journey Bilbo had been chosen to go on, when he gathered the courage to save the dwarves from dangers along the way, such as goblins, giant spiders, and elves dungeons. There was still the fact that the dwarf's gold had not been claimed, and Smaug still sits in the middle of the mountain. The group had traveled much ground, hills, mountains, swamps, and dark forests, including the dark Mirkwood. With these settings, conflicts grew between the group, and the travels caused lots famine, lost direction, and exhaust. Along the way, Bilbo had encountered a magic ring, which he stole from a monster known as "Gullom," who had no better thing to do than to eat up poor Baggins.This ring was made to make the wearer invisible. But the use of only this ring does 2005-09-07T02:20:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Personal-Review-of-The-Hobbit-27934.aspx The Hobbit, Or There And Back Again The Hobbit or There and Back Again By: J.R.R. Tolkien Part 1 The Hobbit takes place in Middle-Earth. It starts in Bilbo Baggin's Hole in The Hill in the Shire in Hobbiton. Most of the book takes place on the trail from Hobbiton to the Wilderland. This journey is taken during the Third Age of Middle-Earth. Tolkien recounts the journey of Bilbo Baggins and thirteen dwarfs on a quest to reconquer the Lonely Mountain from Smaug the Dragon. Tolkien leads the gang of dwarves, and Bilbo, through perilous mountains, danger-filled forrests, raging rivers, and against all types of adversaries before even entering Smaug's dominion. But, as we read, this adventure brings out in Bilbo Bagins, a Tookish side of him, that he himself never anticipated. Though there are many characters of great importance in The Hobbit, the four most important characters are Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey, Thorin Oakenshield, and Smaug the Dragon. The main character of the story is Bilbo Baggins. For some reason, Gandalf chooses Bilbo to be the fourteenth member of the journey to Lonely Mountain. Early on in the story, Bilbo finds a magic ring that can turn him invisible. This helps Bilbo become braver. It is his bravery and fearlessness that grows in him from having the ring which gives Bilbo the resolution to rescue the dwarves many times. Bilbo is deeply changed by his journey, but when he returns home, he is quite ready to live a simple life again. Gandalf The Grey is a wizard. He is a mysterious figure and the mentor of the whole group, thought through a good part of the end of the journey, leaves to go handle another problem, leaving the band to fend for themselves. Even though Gandalf is powerful wizard, he is not invincible, and his powers can only help the group so much. Thorin is the leader of the dwarves. He is the one who really wants to go re-conquer the Lonely Mountain because he is the heir to the title 'King under the Mountain'. Although the dwarves look to him for command, he really doesn't do too much leading. It is really Bilbo and Gandalf that lead the group. Thorin shows himself to be nothing but stubborn and hardheaded. He refuses to make a treaty with the men and elves, he threatens Bilbo, and causes war because of 2005-09-07T02:13:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Hobbit,-Or-There-And-Back-Again-27932.aspx “The promise of total happiness is a more than adequate compensation for the repression of the New World.” To what extent do you agree with the statement. “In order to have great happiness, you have to have great pain and unhappiness-otherwise how would you know when you're happy?” (Joseph Addison) Aldous Huxley’s satirical novel Brave New World presents a government-controlled society that places restraints upon its citizens, resulting in a loss of social and mental freedom. These methods of limiting human behaviour are accomplished by social conditioning, the categorical division of society, and the censorship of art and religion. This dictatorial government suppresses difference and individuality, breeding a type of conformity, which is death in life rather than living. The inhabitants of this society avoid facing truth at all costs through the use of hallucinogenic drug ‘soma’. The consequence of this is a nation of deliriously happy individuals with no point to living. The authoritarian government referred to as the ‘World State’ use the motto of ‘Community, Identity, Stability’ to create a society able to achieve solidarity and stability in the removal of individuality in citizens. Huxley creates criteria that must be met for the stability of the society to remain constant: the ostracism of art, science and religion. These cultural pursuits lead to emotional, physical and spiritual unrest potentially causing a threat to society. At the time of Huxley’s writing a powerful movement towards a welfare state was feared causing social instability. This fear in the possibility of radical change is mirrored in ‘Brave New World’. As quoted by Oscar Wilde "Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” Individualism is restricted in the Brave New World as ‘everyone works for everyone else’. The elimination of literature and censorship of all cultural pursuits is relied upon to attain stability. Without any pain and suffering in the New World, Art is not an issue, ‘You’ve got to choose between happiness and what people used to call high art. We’ve sacrificed the high art.’ In removing these cultures the possibility of knowledge of history is removed, ‘History is more or less bunk’. Without these ideas, there is no knowledge of an alternative life eliminating an uprising. The removal of religion eradicates the problem with death and an afterlife, God ‘manifests himself as an absence; as though he weren’t there at all’. By not allowing the ability to believe 2005-09-06T11:31:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Brave-New-World-Total-Happiness-Compenstation-for-Repression-27927.aspx Beowulf - An Amazing Transformation The tale of Beowulf is one of constant transformation. Great warriors and leaders are turned into cowering peons. Faithful Christians convert to devil worship. Devout followers flee at the sight of trouble. Many people’s morals change quickly and drastically at the sight of change. Personal turmoil abounds with changing values brought about by changing times. People can remain content as long as nothing challenges them, however at the mere sight of change personal chaos abounds. One case of how change causes people to forsake their values happens when Grendal makes his first appearance at Herot. “Then Hrothgar, taking the throne, led/ The Danes to such glory that comrades and kinsmen/ Swore by his sword, and young men swelled.” (64-67) Hrothgar was a mighty leader of the Danes, but at the sight of a different foe, a change, Hrothgar turned tail and ran. He did not once try to face Grendal (although his attempt would have been insignificant), but would rather let his people live in terror. The Hrothgar describe before the arrival of Grendal was a completely different person, mentally, than the Hrothgar that was terrorized by the monster. He knew only one type of enemy, humans, and once that changed he lost all his leadership power. A true man of values would have kept them no matter what change takes place. Fate does not play a role in Hrothgar’s actions. He is caught up in pride about all his achievements that makes him vulnerable to being caught by change. He becomes too comfortable in his station that he narrows his comfort zone to such a level that any amount of change will throw his off tremendously. Everything that happens is by his own doings. Hrothgar is a perfect example of how people cannot mentally fight evil. Without the constant attack of evil, one will not be able to deal with it when it comes up. Beowulf is constantly battling evil, which makes him more able to battle it when it is encountered. Hrothgar was not exposed to evil, so when it reared its ugly head his only reaction was to flee. If someone lives in a perfect society and leaves, they will not be able to deal with the evil they find because they have never had to deal with it before. Good cannot combat evil if it has never known evil. 2005-09-06T04:29:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-An-Amazing-Transformation-27916.aspx Context Synopsis of World War 2 Nearly six million Jews were killed and murdered in what historians have called "The Holocaust." In the years between 1933 and 1945, the Jews of Europe were marked for total annihilation. Moreover, anti-Semitism was given legal sanction. It was directed by Adolf Hitler and managed by Heinne Himmler, Reinhard Heydrich and Adolf Eichmann. The Germans under Adolf Hitler believed that the Jews were the cause of all the German troubles and were a threat to the German and Christian values. Following the defeat of the Germans in WW1, the Treaty Of Versailles and the UN resolutions against Germany raised many militaristic voices and formed extreme nationalism. Hitler took advantage of the situation and rose to power in 1933 on a promise to destroy the Treaty Of Versailles that stripped Germany off land. Hitler organized the Gestapo as the only executive branch and secret terror organization of the Nazi police system. In 1935, he made the Nuremberg Laws that forbid Germans to marry Jews or commerce with them. Hitler thought that the Jews were a nationless parasite and were directly related to the Treaty Of Versailles. When Hitler began his move to conquer Europe, he promised that no person of Jewish background would survive. Before the start of the second world war, the Jews of Germany were excluded from public life, forbidden to have sexual relations with non-Jews, boycotted, beaten but allowed to emigrate. When the war was officially declared, emigration ended and 'the final solution to the Jewish problem' came. When Germany took over Poland, the Polish and German Jews were forced into overcrowded Ghettos and employed as slave labour. The Jewish property was seized. Disease and starvation filled the Ghettos. Finally, the Jews were taken to concentration camps in Poland and Germany were they were murdered and killed in poisonous gas chambers in Auschwitz and many other camps. Despite the harsh treatment of the Jews, little Germans opposed this. When the news reached the allies, they all refused and put down any rescue plans to aid the Jews. American Jews were warned against seeking any action for the benefit of the European Jews although Zionists managed to save small groups of young Jews and brought them to Palestine. The Vatican condemed racism in general but did hardly anything to stop the German actions. The victories of the Germans in the early years of the war 2005-09-05T23:17:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Context-Summary-of-Anne-Frank-as-a-PLAY-27913.aspx Explore Shelley’s presentation of the interdependence of people and society Shelley presents the dependence of people and society as intertwined and dependent on each other throughout the novel ‘Frankenstein’. From the struggle for survival from the monster who, shunned by society lives alone, the reader has a clear view of the importance of society to being able to survive. From Victor’s struggle to cope with the pressure of conforming to society, the De Lacey’s reaction to society and Justine’s injustice from the laws placed around us this view of society in relation to people is supported. Society is defined as “a social community who interact and survive by depending on one another to provide help and support. The society is restricted and guided by laws and regulations, which support the running of the community”. However, a society creates a hierarchy of people, which in turn produces discrimination and prejudices against each other. This is most clearly shown through the reaction of the society against the monster ‘The whole village was roused, some fled, some attacked me’ because he physically looked different from the rest of the community, ‘Abhorred Monster’. This forces the monster to feel depressed and begin to hate his appearance ‘I was a poor, miserable wretch’. He understands he is not part of the community ‘I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no kind of property’. Shelley has shown how through being part of a community you instantly reject others who do not look or act similarly to the rest. By excluding the monster, he has turned into a recluse, obsessive about becoming part of the society ‘I ardently desired to become acquainted’, this leads to his degradation. Without having any social interaction he becomes lonely and questions the importance of his self within society ‘What was I?’. In the introduction of the novel by Volney ‘Ruins of Empires’, Shelley provides a critique of the society as monstrous and discriminative. People commit unspeakable crimes against each other and exploit those who do not possess the trivial virtues of money and noble birth. The monster’s reaction to people at hearing this ‘at once so powerful, so virtuous and magnificent, yet so vicious and base’ shows Shelley’s reaction and portrayal of society as biased to support those who are of wealth and status. As the creature’s education begins to grow, he begins to understand the superficial qualities of being 2005-09-05T23:02:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-Interdependence-of-People-and-Society-27907.aspx The Monkeys Paw compared with The Third Wish In this essay, I am going to compare and contrast “The Monkey’s Paw” and “The Third Wish.” “The Monkey’s paw” written by W. W. Jacobs is about a family who gets a strange monkey’s paw which grants them three wishes. And in “The Third Wish” a man frees a swan from a tangled bush and in return for saving it, the swan grants him three wishes. The wishes in both stories are almost the same because both the White’s family and Mr. Peters wanted a happy life. In “The Monkey’s Paw” Mr. White wished for five hundred dollars to pay off their house mortgage, this way they didn’t have any thing to worry about. In “The Third wish” Mr. Peter wishes for a “wife as beautiful as the forest,” who can mend his socks and cook him dinner and love him forever. Another point that is the same in both stories is the climaxes. In ‘The Monkey’s Paw” Mr. White after frantically searching for the paw that he dropped a while ago, undoes his second wish because he couldn’t stand seeing his dead son with some of his body parts missing. In “The third wish” Mr. Peters uses his second wish to wish back his wife to being a swan because he had seen how lonely his wife was and he would notice how pale and sick his wife would get. In addition to that another point that is the same is that Mrs. White and Leita are both unhappy after the first wish. Leita is unhappy after the first wish because she wants to be a swan again and she wants to be with her sister but she can’t be because she is married to Mr. Peters and she doesn’t want to make him unhappy. Mrs. White is unhappy after the first wish because when Mr. White made the first wish for five hundred dollars, the very next day, Herbert, their son got killed in a machinery at work. And as gratitude the boss gave them five hundred dollars. A point that is different is this story is the theme. In ‘The third Wish” the theme is “You don’t need to wish to have a happy life. And in “The Monkey’s paw” the theme is “Be careful for what you wish for.” In one story the meaning of the theme 2005-09-05T20:31:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Monkeys-Paw-compared-with-The-Third-Wish-27895.aspx F. Scott Fitzgerald’s - The Great Gatsby In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the subject, Jay Gatsby, eludes extensive description of character. During the extent of the narrative the reader creates his own opinion of the individual. Fitzgerald intended this to create suspicion towards Gatsby. Despite the questionable characteristics, Fitzgerald did have reason for describing Gatsby as “great”. Such a reason is not clearly found on the surface, but more so on his driving spirit and determination. From the introduction of Gatsby’s character he is constantly being driven by his dreams of Daisy. No obstacle was impenetrable. This trait of Gatsby is what makes him “great”. In a lifestyle and society of careless and irresponsible people he seems pure. Unlike others who merely exist to entertain themselves, he did not acquire wealth for his own comfort, but for Daisy. An example of his pursuit for his dream and not for shallow amusement is his parties. Gatsby often holds exciting parties with interesting people, in which no expense is spared, but he himself barely makes an appearance at them. This shows that he does not wish to have a good time he is only after his dream. Myrtle Wilson is not a character which influences the story herself, but more by her actions. Being Tom’s mistress the reader initially assumes she is a “bad” person. After further examination she seems to draw feelings of sympathy and pity. The feelings originate from the fact that she contains some of the same traits as Gatsby. She is not a “bad” person she is just following her dream, as was Gatsby. Not only were they both following a dream, but also, in essence, it was the same dream, to fit in with high-society. Myrtle was not Tom’s mistress because she was unfaithful to her husband; it was a way for her to live her dream of the wealthy life. The reader also has feelings of sympathy for Myrtle because she almost seems pathetic. In her small apartment she has decorated it with lavish objects to imitate the appearance of wealth. Also when Tom and Nick visited the Wilson’s house she made a point to explain that she did not care what she looked like when it was obvious that she did. In 2005-09-04T20:15:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/F_-Scott-Fitzgerald’s-The-Great-Gatsby-27885.aspx The Pigman By Paul Zindel John, in the novel The Pigman by Paul Zindel, was a very dynamic character. Many aspects of his character were displayed throughout the course of the novel. He starts off as this heartless kid who manipulates people and is very self-centered, but by the end of the novel we see that he is also very energetic and craves attention. John had this amazing ability to make people do whatever he wanted them to do. He was a good manipulator and his charm and cleverness were pretty much why he always got his way. Lorraine was someone he was very good at coercing. When John and Lorraine were going over to visit the Pigman for the first time Lorraine hesitated. She decided it was wrong to take money from a helpless old man and she did not want to go, no matter how much the Pigman needed companionship. Lorraine was going to stick with her decision but John convinced her into going. He knew that when he “could see her biting her lip. She does that every once in awhile when she doesn’t know what to say. That’s when I know all I have to do is push her a little further and I’ll get what I want.” (p. 30) John was very good at controlling people. He influenced Lorraine all the time. With a little more convincing, Lorraine agreed to go and they went to visit the Pigman. John was very good at influencing people. One of John’s less appealing qualities was his self-centeredness. He often thought of only himself and not others. When John planned to have the party at Mr .Pignati’s he didn’t consider that Mr. Pignati might not like a bunch of drunken teenagers stumbling around his house and touching his things. John would lie to himself so he wouldn’t feel as guilty. When John said, “I really did think Mr. Pignati would have wanted us to have a few friends over” (p. 118) he was lying. Although he never asked, John should have known that a party would have been out of question. He was very self-centered for having the party and not caring how Mr. Pignati would feel about it. John was someone who really enjoyed attention. Not only did he enjoy it, he also sought it. When John, Lorraine and Mr. Pignati went shopping at Beekman’s department 2005-09-04T20:14:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Pigman-By-Paul-Zindel-27884.aspx The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Throughout the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave Douglass constantly used systax, figurative language, and selection of detail to stregnthen his viewpoint of slavery, particularly in the 3rd paragraph. In addition to the use of these literary techniques throughout the autobiography, Douglass also incorperated the use of parallel structure and repetition heavily in the body of the 3rd paragraph. By doing this Douglass was able to portray his true feelings towards slavery, and later build and elaborate. Therefore Douglass' rhetorical purpose of the passage was greatly reinforced. Douglass' passage begins with carfully depicted details, along with syntax and figurative language. Throughout the first and second paragraphs Douglass dicusses slavery and speaks as if to the reader. The first few lines dicuss the routine of work; how work was to be done in all types of weather on any type of day. This use of detail soon transpires into figurative language as Douglass "was broken in body, soul, and spirit." The use of types of weather as a main cause of being a broken spirit is actually very fitting; much like people feel gloomy and down on a rainy day. The repitition of the word work, and the repitition and constand deed of Douglass' work also plays a huge role in the passage. The constant work seemed to have "transformed {him} into a brute." Douglass also states that "the shortest nights were too long" and later describes slavery as the dark night. This selection not only uses supurb repitition, but it also sets a dark and blackened tone. Douglass, however, then enhanses the gloomy mood of the passage by describing beautiful, white vessels as ghostly and terrifying. Douglass uses the 3rd paragraph to portray the true harships he has been faced with as a slave, and how beaten his soul and his life truely are. The 3rd paragraph of the passage is filled with literary divises and written in a monolouge format inwhich Douglass speaks aloud to water and the passing sail boats. By formatting this paragraph as a monologue Douglass is able to add drama to the passage and stregnthen the true power of his words. The paragraph beings with strong use of parallel structure by using contrasting 'you' and 'I' statments in which Douglass speaks to 2005-09-04T19:18:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Narrative-Of-The-Life-Of-Frederick-Douglass,-American-Slave-27879.aspx Cask Of Amontillado One of the main themes of Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask Of Amontillado is revenge. In this summary theme I intend to demonstrate how dramatic irony is used all along the short story as a way of reminding us the true intentions of the character who vowed revenge. Firstly I will make a brief summary of the short story: the story is supposed to happen more than a hundred years ago ( it was first published in 1846 ) during Italian Carnival festivities. The main character, a man called Montressor, feels terribly ofended, even insulted by a friend named Fortunato, and firmly decides to take this friend's life. In order to achieve his aim, Montressor elaborates a plan which consists basicaly of two steps: first, to take Fortunato to the catacombs of the Montressors, and second, to arrest Fortunato down there forever. Irony first appears in Fortunato's name, once we are made aware, in the second paragraph, that he is going to be killed, but it ( the irony ) continues present during all the short story as something to call our attention to what is really happening. In the second paragraph Montressor states that in spite of his decision of killing Fortunato, he continued smiling in his face ( Fortunato's ), but he adds: "...and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation." So, when they meet each other they behaved as always, but now Montressor's smile had another meaning for himself. Certain evening, " during the supreme madness of carnival season...", Montressor meets his "friend" Fortunato and Montressor is very kind, even affectionate towards him. He greets Fortunato... "My dear Fortunato, you are luckly met..." . The reader that knows Montressor's real intentions notices here that this greeting has another meaning, different from what it would mean if we did not know about Montressor's plan. Once we are aware of Montressor's intentions, we perceive that the real meaning of the sentence could be something like MY ODIOUS ENEMY FORTUNATO, IT IS BAD LUCK FOR YOU HAVING MET ME, for instance. Here, the irony dresses itself with a bitter taste of sadist disguised angry. 2005-09-04T19:12:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cask-Of-Amontillado-27877.aspx William Blake "A Poison Tree" In “A Poison Tree,” by William Blake is a central metaphor explains a truth of human nature. This poem teaches how anger can be dispelled by goodwill or nurtured to become a deadly poison. It is appropriate that poems touching on Biblical themes should be expressed like this in which a spiritual meaning is expressed in a vivid story. The opening stanza sets up everything for the entire poem, from the ending of anger with the “friend,” to the continuing anger with the “foe.” Blake startles the reader with the clarity of the poem, and with metaphors that can apply to many instances of life. Blake also uses several forms of figurative language. He works with a simple AABB rhyme scheme to keep his poem flowing. These ideals allow him to better express himself in terms that a reader can truly understand. These forms of language better help authors to express their feelings and thoughts that would not normally be able to be expressed by words. The personification in “A Poison Tree” exists both as a means by which the poem's metaphors are revealed, supported, and as a way for Blake to forecast the greater illustration of the wrath. The wrath the speaker feels is not directly personified as a tree, but as something that grows slowly and bears fruit. In the opening stanza the speaker states, “My wrath did grow.” The speaker later describes the living nature of the wrath as one which, “grew both day and night,” and, “bore an apple bright.” This comparison by personification of wrath to a tree illustrates the speaker's idea that, like the slow and steady growth of a tree, anger and wrath gradually accumulate and form just as mighty and deadly as a poisoned tree. To understand the metaphorical sense of the poem, one must first examine the title, “A Poison Tree,” which alerts the reader that some type of metaphor will stand to dominate the poem. In the second stanza, Blake employs several metaphors that reflect the growing and nurturing of a tree which compare to the feeding of hate and vanity explored by the speaker. The verses, “And I watered it …with my tears” show how the tears life lead an object of destruction. The speaker goes further to say, “And I sunned it with smiles” describing not only false 2005-09-03T05:58:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/William-Blake-quot-A-Poison-Tree-quot-27874.aspx Literary Analysis: The Piano Lesson Many plays have passed the audience’s eyes with no recognition. There are some plays which most people do not remember. There are plays about cats, dogs and most anything one can think up. There are also plays which try to send a hidden meaning to the audience. There are plays which are covers for a real purpose of wasting an audiences time. More importantly, there are good plays. As the 1990 winner of the Pulitzer Prize, The Piano Lesson, by August Wilson, stands out as one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. August Wilson uses many tricks and techniques in order to keep the audience’s attention and to appeal to the average man. The Piano Lesson contains qualities of mystery plays, thrillers, emotional dramas, and comedies. “WONDERFUL…SEAT-EDGINGLY THEATRICAL, THRILLINGLY DRAMATIC, EXTRAORDINARILY FUNNY….” (Barnes, 5) The Piano Lesson also takes use of the meticulous characterization of roles in the play. It begins in the little how town of Pittsburgh. Immediately, Wilson gets the audiences attention with an unexpected visitor. “Boy Willie: (Off stage, calling.) Hey Doaker…Doaker! (He knocks again and calls.) (Doaker enters from his room. He is a tall, thin man of forty-seven, with severe features, who has for all intents and purposes retired from the world though he works full-time as a railroad cook.) Doaker: Who is it? Boy Willie: Open the door, n*****! It’s me…Boy Willie! Doaker: Who? Boy Willie: Boy Willie! Open the door!” (Wilson, 1) This opening gets the audience into the craze of asking “what’s happening?” This ability to put the viewers at a state of constant mystery is one technique used to keep the audience from getting bored. This play keeps the audience on the edge of their seats with questions. Who killed Sutter? Where is the piano from? Why is the piano so important? Why is Berniece so attached to the piano? This ‘mystery drama’ technique not only serves as an attention grabber, it allows the audience to get hooked on the play. Mystery dramas have learned to use this technique for many years. The mystery drama was around before Sherlock Holmes, all the way to present day. One advantage of the mystery drama is that it applies to everyone: 2005-09-02T21:34:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Analysis-The-Piano-Lesson-27869.aspx Exploration Of Love On the surface Browning’s “Porphyria's Lover” is a sadistic tale of a homicidal man who snuffs out the woman he loves in order to possess her; however, this is a piece ripe for multiple interpretations. Feminist critics may view it as a misogynist piece on the strangling of women from then modern culture, while Psychoanalytic critics would see it as a disturbing echo of Browning’s own morbid desires. However, it can be seen most clearing from those who have significant backgrounds in both Postmodernism and Marxism, for it can be seen as a piece discussing the struggle of power between class (Kavanagh 307). The poem itself centers around a young woman, Porphyria, and the inert man, the narrator, it appears she adores. She has traveled through a blinding storm to the dull chill of his house, presumably outside of the reach of civilization. When she enters, she sets his furnace and likewise the house alight and then proceeds to peel off her damp clothes. Soon her hair is down and she is murmuring her adoration for the narrator while pressing him against her body. During this moment of devotion, however, the narrator realizes she will not leave her social obligations to be with him. Upon this realization he looks into her eyes, understanding, but if for that one moment, she adored him completely, giving nothing to those obligations which otherwise bind her. With this sudden comprehension he takes her golden locks, and with them, strangles her, so that she will remain his for the all of his existence. Feminist critics could view this piece as an allegory for the subversion of their gender with a misogynist twist being that God does nothing to imply that women should be treated otherwise as stated in the closing verse: “And thus [they] sit together now, / and all night long [they] have not stirred / And yet God has not said a word!” (58-60) Porphyria is symbolic of womankind on a whole; when she enters into her lover’s damp house she makes “the cheerless grate / Blaze up, and all the cottage warm,” (8-9) representing the servitude of women to men, showing that their sole job is to keep their families warm and content. However, unlike the Stepford wife, she is portrayed as too proud to leave her world of “gay feasts” (27) and festivity by severing “vainer ties” 2005-09-02T21:25:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Exploration-Of-Love-27865.aspx Analysis Of Gurov And Krebs From The Stories Lady With The Pet Dog And Soilders Home The Greatest Gamble Love is determined by a strong affection, a warm attachment, by complete satisfaction, as well as happiness. Love is a key issue found in society. Everyone seeks love. With true love, comes happiness, pleasure and a feeling of satisfaction in life. It has many obstacles that one will have to hurdle. “It is worth every minute. The happiness and the pain are like exercises for my heart, each time leaving it in better shape than before”(Heart 1). Love is a gamble, that is taken knowing that precious hearts may be broken which leaves many hearts afraid to take the gamble. In the stories, “Soldier’s Home”, and “The Lady with the Pet Dog”, Dmitry Gurov and Krebs are not willing to take that gamble. They find themselves trying to live ordinary lives in the midst of being alienated from society. Love is a gamble, love requires courage, and in love one will find true happiness. “Tis better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all”(Heart 1). Dmitry Gurov from The Lady With the Pet Dog, and Krebs from Soldier’s Home, are both very intrigued by love, but both do not have the same view, as do the eyes of the world. Gurov deals with his discontent amid the company of his current wife through affairs with many other women. Through past experiences with untrue love for his wife he views women as objects, instead of people with emotions. “It seemed to him that he had been sufficiently tutored by bitter experience to call them what he pleased, and yet he could not have lived without the “inferior race” for two days together”(Chekhov 166). He begins to find himself gambling with true love as he seeks through his emotions for Anna, his present lover. On the other hand Krebs does not give love a chance and is not willing to take that gamble. After a late return from the war he begins to close himself off from the rest of the world because he discovers that he has been alienated through his own lies. “That was all a lie. It was all a lie both ways. 2005-08-31T22:06:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-Of-Gurov-And-Krebs-From-The-Stories-Lady-w-Pet-Dog-27853.aspx Is The End Of The Taming Of The Shrew A Happy Ending For Kate? Throughout the play Kate has been known as a 'shrew', and 'curst' but although she puts on strong front she wishes inside that things were different. In Act 2 Scene 1 she has Bianca tied up because she is receiving all the attention from the suitors, 'Of all thy suitors here I charge thee tell Whom thou lov'st best. See thou dissemble not.' From this we know that she wants to be noticed and not put aside and that she does want a husband for herself. So far all of her suitors have been weaker men who were fearful of her but what she really wants is a strong man who stands up to her and is not afraid to speak his mind. In steps Petruchio to fill the gap. When Kate first meets Petruchio she expects him to be the same as all the others so once again she puts up her harsh front to put him off but as we see it doesn't work. Petruchio begins to compliment Kate no matter how negative Kate is, 'But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom, Kate of Kate-Hall, my super-dainty Kate-' This does not impress Kate, but his strong nature does. Petruchio seems to have an answer to every insult Kate gives him. He is not bothered by how bitter she is because he can also ways come back with a clever retaliation which draws Kate further towards him, Petruchio: ' Thou has hit it. Come sit on me. Kate: Asses are made to bear, and so are you. Petruchio: Women are made to bear, and so are you.' Their first conversation intrigues Kate and makes her think that maybe Petruchio is different from all of the other suitors. He does not get angry or upset at the way she treats him but instead just takes it on the chin. After their fight, Petruchio is content with Kate and so discusses marriage with Baptista who is delighted to have finally found a husband for her troublesome daughter. Kate is most displeased at this point and shows it by arguing with her father, 2005-08-31T22:05:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ending-of-The-Taming-Of-The-Shrew-A-Happy-Ending-For-Kate-27852.aspx Animal Farm Animal farm is a farm owned by Mr. Jones. Of course Mr. Jones has animals in this farm, as a person he thinks nothing of the animals. He has no clue that the animals have a plan of there own to take over his farm. Old Major is an old pig that has been around the farm for a while. Old Major had a dream one night and decided to tell the other animas. From his dream, he has an idea that makes him want the animals to have as much freedom as the people do. Since Old Major has been around the farm for a while, he knew he would not be around much longer and about three days after he told the animals about this idea he died. Napoleon and Snowball (two pigs) have decided to become leaders of the animals. There is another pig named Squealer who has kind of helped as leader. One day when Mr. Jones got drunk, which is often, he forgot to feed the animals. They went with out eating for about two days before they did anything. Finally they got mad and when Mr. Jones came outside by them the animals attacked him. All of Mr. Jones workers ran along with him and left the farm. Mrs. Jones had no clue what was going on because she was sleeping but she woke up during the commotion and left along with Mr. Jones. After they left one of the pigs repainted the Manor Farm sign to Animal Farm. The pig leaders had to be organized so they made seven rules. They are; any animal that is on two legs are enemies, the animals on four legs are friends, no animals are allowed to sleep in beds, no animals can wear clothes, no animals can drink alcohol, no animals can kill another animal, and all animals are created equal. The animals have decided to do some of the chores around the house like milk the cows so they can have some milk. Napoleon tells the animals that they have more important things to do. After a while the pigs have not been following the rules and kept changing the rules, like the pigs would sleep in the bed and one of the rules was that you are not allowed to sleep in beds. But they changed it to you cannot 2005-08-31T22:03:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm--27851.aspx The Crucible by Arthur Miller The Crucible by Arthur Miller The True Devils in Salem In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the madness of the Salem witch trials is explored in great detail. There are many theories as to why the witch trials came about, the most popular of which is the girls' suppressed childhoods. However, there were other factors as well, such as Abigail Williams' affair with John Proctor, the secret grudges that neighbors held against each other, and the physical and economic differences between the citizens of Salem Village. From a historical viewpoint, it is known that young girls in colonial Massachusetts were given little or no freedom to act like children. They were expected to walk straight, arms by their sides, eyes slightly downcast, and their mouths were to be shut unless otherwise asked to speak. It is not surprising that the girls would find this type of lifestyle very constricting. To rebel against it, they played pranks, such as dancing in the woods, listening to slaves' magic stories and pretending that other villagers were bewitching them. The Crucible starts after the girls in the village have been caught dancing in the woods. As one of them falls sick, rumors start to fly that there is witchcraft going on in the woods, and that the sick girl is bewitched. Once the girls talk to each other, they become more and more frightened of being accused as witches, so Abigail starts accusing others of practicing witchcraft. The other girls all join in so that the blame will not be placed on them. In The Crucible, Abigail starts the accusations by saying, "I go back to Jesus; I kiss his hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!" Another girl, Betty, continues the cry with, "I saw George Jacobs with the Devil! I saw Goody Howe with the Devil!" >From here on, the accusations grow and grow until the jails overflow with accused witches. It must have given them an incredible sense of power when the whole town of Salem listened to their words and believed each and every accusation. After all, children were to be seen and not heard in Puritan society, and the newfound attention was probably overwhelming. In Act Three of The Crucible, the girls were called before the judges to defend themselves 2005-08-31T21:35:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-by-Arthur-Miller-27844.aspx The Awakening Kate Chopin decides to end The Awakening very tragically and symbolically. The entire novel is about Edna’s “awakening.” Chopin employs the use of imagery to emphasize both her rebellious nature and her innocence and feelings of entrapment. The novel begins by introducing a bird that embodies somewhat annoying characteristics, causing the husband to move to another location. Moreover, the first few chapters delineate Edna’s aspirations and the reality that she feels compelled to face. Edna wants to learn how to swim and to be a woman like no other; she hopes for autonomy and freedom. During Edna’s search, she is constantly lured into life’s taboos of adultery, gambling, and defying rules of society. Thus, one would associate her character with an antagonist. However, Chopin ads much symbolic imagery to give Edna’s character a more ambiguous representation and fitting ending. Edna is continuously compared to a young child, a “new-born creature”(108), and a “bird with a broken wing”(108). She is like a young child who is seduced by the freedom of the ocean and the beauty of nature. The novel ends as Edna swims fiercely with a determined mind and powerful body. She swims consciously and resolves many conflicts introduced in the novel. The ending is “perfect;” it is inevitable that Edna will kill herself because her soul has been dead for so long. Chopin argues that “the voice of the sea speaks to the soul”(14). The only physical way for Edna to be happy is to be with Robert. Since she knows that Robert can not be with her, the only other way for Edna to find pleasure is to reunite with her soul, with her innocence, and with nature—return to the sea. Chopin writes with a religious tone; Edna is reborn several times when she appears wet (Baptism). She returns to conquer the sea with her naked, natural, religious body. She no longer feels trapped in the existing world; her death frees her. I believe that the novel opens and closes on the same note because Edna’s dreams do not change. While she has an “awakening” it is not a climax that changes her outlook on life, but rather a new strategy for living—or for ceasing to live. The way she swims at the end fearlessly and nakedly, while being compared to a creature, illustrates her connection to the ocean. She is innocent and powerful 2005-08-31T07:54:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-27827.aspx Loneliness In The Novel, Of Mice And Men In the Novel of “Of Mice and Men”, by John Steinbeck, we can read the story of people and the loneliness they experience through out the novel. I think that Steinbeck’s inspiration for this book came from his own personal experiences where he grew up, Salinas. The book is about lonely farm workers. They all have different reasons for being lonely, like, their age, race, sex. The central characters are George and Lennie. They are a couple of poor farm workers. Lennie is a gigantic and mentally retarded man, who has possesses extreme strength; he is kind of alone because his mom, Aunt Clair, died. The other character is George. He is a smart talking and witty man. He has to take care of George. He is alone because being with Lennie has isolated him from everyone else around him. The relationship that George and Lennie have is a bit odd. Since George is the smart one, he assumes the dominant role in the pair. He acts like an overtired and overworked parent who can get a break. George thinks of Lennie as burden as well as a friend. Another character, who I think represents loneliness, in the story is Candy. He is an old man who doesn’t have a hand because he had an accident. He doesn’t do much anymore, except tend to his old and disabled dog. His dog is his only true friend and is was attached to it. His future doesn’t look very bright; he is heading toward being an old and lonely man with out anyone to take care of him. He is scared of the fact that they are going to send him away just like they did to his dog. But he is trying to avoid this future by joining George and Lennie in their quest to own their own ranch. By doing such a thing he will no longer have to be alone and will not feel worthless. While Candy is a cast-out because of his age, Crook is a cast-out because of his race. He is an African American who tends the stable. He has become an over protective bitter person. He uses this to keep people from him. He is treated in a bad way, he lives away from everyone else and his accommodations aren’t 2005-08-31T07:52:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Loneliness-In-The-Novel,-Of-Mice-And-Men-27826.aspx Louis Sachar's Holes - As good as I expected Holes was an excellent read. I have been a fan of Louis Sachar since I was little. The Wayside School books made me laugh so hard back then. It is encouraging to know that Sachar's wit and knack for creating unique characters and situations has not declined. I saw the movie before I read the book, which was unfortunate because the whole time I was reading I already had the characters pictured in my head. Luckily, the book differs from the movie in a few ways. Sachar forces his characters to deal with many issues that children face, namely not fitting in, obesity, bullying, and racial issues. This could be a recipe for disaster in the hands of a less-skilled author, but Sachar deals with each item in an effective way without ever becoming overly preachy. In fact, this was a major part of what I liked about this book. Sachar's writing style is unique, and I have difficulty describing it with accuracy. Basically, he presents the facts of a situation and then allows the reader to decide how to interpret them. Occasionally he does follow-up with a "guiding sentence," but this is not often the case. The final outstanding aspects of this book are the humor and the characters. The names are classic. "Mr. Sir," "Stanley Yelnats," "Armpit," are some of the funniest. What's more, the characters are vividly written so that the reader actually feels as though they have met these people. The way in which the Warden commands respect simply by her short "excuse mes" was nice to behold. Every character immediately figured out to address her properly and answer straightly. Also, I don't really remember the lawyer in the movie, but in the novel I thought she was a great addition, with a definite style all her own. The only disappointing thing I found - well, actually didn't find - was my favorite line in the movie. When Mr. Sir tells the story about the land where it never rained, I laughed and laughed. That was brilliant, but I didn't find it in the book. Overall I would recommend this for anyone, adult or child. I've seen some reviews where people are horrified by the violence in this novel, and all I have to say is "overly sensitive parents." Wake up, the world's not a perfect place. Best 2005-08-30T03:31:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Louis-Sachar-s-Holes-As-good-as-I-expected-27823.aspx Oliver Twist - Comparison Between Actual Book and Play Oliver Twist is a classic story written by Charles Dickens. It is about a young boy named Oliver who tries to overcome many different dramatic incidents. Oliver has lived as an orphan all his life for you see when Oliver was born his mom took one look at him and died. Then he is forced to live with wicked Mrs. Bumble the owner of the orphanage. Join me on my journey to find out more. I am going to compare and contracts three scenes from this remarkable play. The similarities in this first scene are mainly the costumes they are very a like and the setting it is an orphanage and it looks alike in both. The differences in this scene are, in the movie Oliver drew the shortest straw and is forced to ask for more. In the play Oliver is just dared to. For this particular scene I enjoyed the movie better I felt it was very dramatic and it captures more of the feeling you can actually feel who Oliver feels in this scene. My second scene I want to compare and contrast is when Oliver tries to steel from Mr. Brownslow does not succeed because Doger stole it before him and Oliver is blamed for steeling the watch. In the movie Oliver is reaching for the watch when Mr. Brownlows grand daughter saw Oliver, so she screamed and Doger acted fast and takes the watch. Everyone thinks that Oliver took it. Oliver starts running but eventually is caught. In the play basically the same thing happened but there was no grand Daughter screaming someone Mr.Brownlow was talking to saw him. The similarities in this second scene are the same idea in both Doger takes the watch and in both Oliver is blamed. The difference in both is there was no grand daughter to scream and there was no trial in the play in was only mentioned. I feel the movie portaged this scene better because the movie was given more space to do this scene in the play Oliver was running on the spot but in the movie he was given space to run. My third and final scene is when Nancy and Bill are killed! In the Movie Bill kills Nancy with his cane, and bill hung himself. In the play Bill strangled Nancy and Bill 2005-08-29T02:21:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oliver-Twist-Comparison-Between-Actual-Book-and-Play-27810.aspx Code Heroes in A Farewell To Arms, by Ernest Hemmingway A “code hero” is someone who acts on his own despite what the people around him say or do. Ernest Hemmingway, the author of the novel A Farewell to Arms, not only sees a code hero as someone who acts on his own, but who also acts in a very masculine manner. Lieutenant Frederic Henry, the main character in the novel, is considered to be a code hero. Through Frederic Henry’s behavior, actions, and traits, he fits the description of a code hero. Through Frederic Henry’s behavior one gets the impression that he is a man’s man. Throughout the novel he eats a lot and is constantly consuming some type of alcohol. Although heavily drinking, Frederic Henry shows no signs of being drunk. When Henry is injured he even chooses the surgeon, Dr. Valentini, who agrees to drink with him over a doctor who will not. Lieutenant Henry also spends a lot of time visiting the brothels. Most of his friends are also very masculine such as Rinaldi who is always drinking and also enjoys making visits to the brothels. Frederic Henry was a man of action. He shows courage by being an American and being in the Italian Army during World War One. He does not show much emotion throughout A Farewell to Arms, doing so would be feminine-like. Henry often acts without thinking and considers the act itself more important than the idea of the act. He shows this when he deserts the Italian Army by diving into the river, he knows that this decision is better than doing nothing. If he were to have waited around and thought about it he might have been killed on the battlefield. Code heroes are often given the title “restless man”. Hemmingway gives this trait to Frederic Henry when he waits up at night for Catherine to come into his room at the hospital. A restless man also usually sleeps during the day. When Henry comes back to Gorizia from his tour of Italy, Rinaldi says he wants to know about everything Henry experienced on his leave. Henry takes a nap during the day rather than staying up and talking to Rinaldi. Code heroes must always have a purpose or duty. 2005-08-28T05:52:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Code-Heroes-in-A-Farewell-To-Arms,-by-Ernest-Hemmingway-27796.aspx The Nature of Evil in Young Goodman Brown In Young Goodman Brown, Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the tale of a man and his discovery of evil. Hawthorne’s primary concern is with evil and how it affects Young Goodman Brown. Through the use of tone and setting, Hawthorne portrays the nature of evil and the psychological effects it can have on man. He shows how discovering the existence of evil brings Brown to view the world in a cynical way. Brown learns the nature of evil and, therefore, feels surrounded by its presence constantly. Hawthorne creates a serious and somber tone throughout much of the story. From the start, the audience gets a sense that Brown will go through relentless agony from the devilish stranger. His diction in the opening paragraphs is a good indicator of this. He uses words such as “melancholy”, “evil”, “dreary”, and “grave” to evoke a certain mood in the reader. There is little relief from this seriousness that would suggest that Hawthorne’s attitude about the story be hopeful. Brown’s attitude and actions portray a negative view of Salem and its people. He ponders the hypocrisy of the town as well as that of the Puritans. He examines the possibility that evil and corruption exist in a town that is supposedly characterized by piety and devout faith. The story is set in seventeenth-century Salem, a time and place where sin and evil were greatly analyzed and feared. The townspeople, in their Puritan beliefs, were obsessed with the nature of sin and with finding ways to be rid of it altogether through purification of the soul. At times, people were thought to be possessed by the devil and to practice witchcraft. As punishment for these crimes, some were subjected to torturous acts or even horrible deaths. Thus, Hawthorne’s choice of setting is instrumental in the development of theme. He uses contrast as a means to portray the village as good and the forest as bad. This adds significance to the fact that Brown begins his journey in the town and proceeds then to the forest. The use of imagery captures the appearance of the forest as well as lending a sense of foreboding towards the impending evil. Hawthorne says of Brown, “He had taken a dreary road, darkened by the gloomiest trees of the forest…It was all as lonely as it could be” (2208). Immediately following this description, Brown 2005-08-27T09:11:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Nature-of-Evil-in-Young-Goodman-Brown-27794.aspx Interpretation of Ibsen's "A Doll's House" "A Doll's House" is classified under the "second phase" of Henrik Ibsen's career. It was during this period which he made the transition from mythical and historical dramas to plays dealing with social problems. It was the first in a series investigating the tensions of family life. Written during the Victorian era, the controversial play featuring a female protagonist seeking individuality stirred up more controversy than any of his other works. In contrast to many dramas of Scandinavia in that time which depicted the role of women as the comforter, helper, and supporter of man, "A Doll's House" introduced woman as having her own purposes and goals. The heroine, Nora Helmer, progresses during the course of the play eventually to realize that she must discontinue the role of a doll and seek out her individuality. David Thomas describes the initial image of Nora as that of a doll wife who revels in the thought of luxuries that can now be afforded, who is become with flirtation, and engages in childlike acts of disobedience (259). This inferior role from which Nora progressed is extremely important. Ibsen in his "A Doll's House" depicts the role of women as subordinate in order to emphasize the need to reform their role in society. Definite characteristics of the women's subordinate role in a relationship are emphasized through Nora's contradicting actions. Her infatuation with luxuries such as expensive Christmas gifts contradicts her resourcefulness in scrounging and buying cheap clothing; her defiance of Torvald by eating forbidden Macaroons contradicts the submission of her opinions, including the decision of which dance outfit to wear, to her husband; and Nora's flirtatious nature contradicts her devotion to her husband. These occurrences emphasize the facets of a relationship in which women play a dependent role: finance, power, and love. Ibsen attracts our attention to these examples to highlight the overall subordinate role that a woman plays compared to that of her husband. The two sides of Nora contrast each other greatly and accentuate the fact that she is lacking in independence of will. The mere fact that Nora's well-intentioned action is considered illegal reflects woman's subordinate position in society; but it is her actions that provide the insight to this position. It can be suggested that women have the power to choose which rules to follow at home, but not in the business world, thus again indicating 2005-08-26T09:44:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Interpretation-of-Ibsen-s-quot-A-Doll-s-House-quot-27786.aspx Poe's Literature Induces Gothic Feelings and Moods When reading a work by Edgar Allan Poe, one is drawn into a strange and disturbing world. Poe was a very talented writer with a vigorous imagination, along with an immense writing talent. The reader can actually visualize step by step everything that is happening, which is a result of Poe’s unique style of writing. Poe mostly wrote poems and tales of dark and terror-inspiring subjects. Edgar Allan Poe’s unique use of setting, atmosphere, and symbolism reflect his gothic sensibilities. In “The Fall of the House Of Usher,” Poe uses the setting to create an eerie, diseased, and bleak tale. As frightening as Poe describes it, the reader is curious to see what happens next. As you vision the narrator riding on horseback through the dreary wasteland, you can only imagine how he feels as he approaches the house. “ His first glimpse of the Usher mansion provokes a sense of insufferable gloom. As he describes it, the house resembles a giant face of skull with eyelike windows and hair like minute fungi that almost seem to hold the decayed building together, as well as a barely perceptible fissure that threatens to rip it apart” (Magill 293). The description of the house alone creates a gothic setting. Inside the house “ An air of stern, deep, and irredeemable gloom hung over and pervaded all.” (Poe 211). The windows were long narrow and pointed, there were dark draperies hanging on the walls, black oaken floors, and the furniture was torn, comfortless, antiques. “The house of Usher is a symbol for that world which crawls and creeps in the depths of being” (Bender 86). Poe uses the setting in “The Fall of the House of Usher” to create an atmosphere of gloom in the reader’s mind. He chooses every word carefully to create a dismal mood. The narrator says that the Usher mansion had “an atmosphere which had no affinity with the air of heaven, but which had reeked up from the decayed trees, and the gray wall, and the silent tarn” (Poe 210). It was nowhere near being beautiful, wholesome, or pleasant but rather dark, gloomy and gothic. Poe’s choice of words creates a very effective atmosphere in the story. Characters also add to the effect of the atmosphere. As the reader 2005-08-25T06:45:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Poe-s-Literature-Induces-Gothic-Feelings-and-Moods-27782.aspx Cruel Tears - Johnny is Most Accountable for Tragedy The cause of the tragedy at the end of Cruel Tears was not Jack's jealousy but Johnny's weakness. Jack played an important role; however, in thinking about, and looking at the events that surround the tragedy, it will be clear that it is ultimately Johnny who is to blame. Jack's jealousy played a large part in the tragic events; however, it was 2005-08-25T06:38:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cruel-Tears-Johnny-is-Most-Accountable-for-Tragedy-27778.aspx Tuesdays With Morrie Author: Mitch Albom Tuesdays with Morrie: Main Characters: Morrie: An old professor who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a brutal, unforgiving disease of the neurological system. Guided and talked to people about his life and death. Mitch would also call Morrie, coach. Mitch: A former student and close friend of Morries’. After college Mitch’s dream to become a well know musician had failed and all was bad. Until he got a job as a sports colonist that gave him a better life. Until he again rejoin his old friend Morrie. And then met him again every when he had the chance. Connie: Was Morrie’s helper/nurse. She helped him with things like going to the restroom, moving him around the house, and feeding him. Plot/Summary: Tuesdays with Morrie is a story that talks about a professor who lives a life full of wisdom and guidance. Even after he is diagnosed with ALS a brutal, unforgiving disease that affects the neurological system. Knowing that death is near he still guided and talked to people about his experience in life and life after death. In the story Mitch share’s many moments with Morrie. They talk about life, death, love, and what the meaning of life is to oneself. After Mitch’s college life, his life had not become much of what he thought would become of it. He became months behind on rent and bills, which made him think here and there about Morrie. Until one day he saw a documentary type report where the title was, ”A professor’s final course: His own death.” That caught his attention. the first thing Tuesdays with Morrie: that came to his mind was Morrie. After the report Mitch visited Morrie many times until his death. Even after Morrie’ s death Mitch grew to think like his deceased friend, and continued Morrie’ s way of being. Opinion: My opinion about this book is that it was a well written book that talks about many problems that people may never face in their lives but, still manage to wonder if they could ever occur to them. It has good advice about how people should try to live their lives and life would be more enjoyed and understood more. Not just that but just generally the book has a good point to what it is about. It makes you think and wonder whether you’re doing something wrong that makes you have such a “lousy” 2005-08-25T06:34:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tuesdays-With-Morrie-Basic-Book-Report-27775.aspx Critical Analysis Of A Passage Of Shakespeare's The Tempest [i:1a1cab556f]Renaissance and Restoration Literature[/i:1a1cab556f] [i:1a1cab556f]A critical analysis of a passage of Shakespeare's The Tempest[/i:1a1cab556f] Act I scene ii lines 320-365 The Tempest can be seen as a colonial text, containing New World ideas. Shakespeare was most probably influenced by recordings of an expedition to Virginia that took place in 1610. One of the ships carrying an admiral and a governor, was separated from the rest of the fleet by a tempest, and ran aground on an island. This island proved to be a haven where they were able to repair the ship, and from there they managed to arrive at Jamestown a year later. The survival of these men was at that time regarded as a miracle. Strachey, who was on this ship, made detailed recordings of the events in letters, in which he also mentions the impossibility of reforming the isle's natives. This was a major issue in the Renaissance debate in Shakespeare's time; The civilized versus the natural man, Art versus Nature. The Tempest deals with these issues, ultimately having art coming to terms with nature in the end. Prospero, a mighty, authoritative man and magician, driven from his dukedom in Milan, has settled on an enchanted island with his daughter Miranda. They share the island with Caliban, a strange monster-like creature who is the island's natural inhabitant. At first they get along well: Prospero enjoys educating Caliban and teaching him to speak, and in turn Caliban shows him the beauties and wonders of the island. However, when Caliban makes an attempt to rape Miranda, the relationship turns hostile; Caliban is to serve Prospero as his slave, and is confined to imprisonment in a rock. Prospero, the civilized man, father, and colonizer, who is ruled by intellect and self discipline, uses his white magic (Art) to control Nature: He creates the tempest and controls the island, it's inhabitants, and visitors, as a natural ruler. He has the ability to control others, and enjoys educating Caliban, but in doing so we may conclude that he is imposing his will on him, as colonizers did on the enslaved natives. Prospero may appear cruel at times, and use his power for more nasty means: After the attack on Miranda he threatens Caliban continuously, tyrannically depriving him of his rights and liberty. However, one can argue whether this treatment is justified, as Caliban "didst seek to violate/ The 2005-08-25T06:21:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-Of-A-Passage-Of-Shakespeare-s-The-Tempest-27770.aspx Machiavelli - Human Nature In The Prince Niccolo Machiavelli presents a view of governing a state that is drastically different from that of humanists of his time. Machiavelli believes the ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every aspect of the state and put in effect a policy which would serve his best interests. These interests were gaining, maintaining, and expanding his political power.1 His understanding of human nature was a complete contradiction of what humanists believed and taught. Machiavelli strongly promoted a secular society and felt morality was not necessary but in fact stood in the way of an effectively governed principality.2 Though in come cases Machiavelli's suggestions seem harsh and immoral one must remember that these views were derived out of concern Italy's unstable political condition.3 Though humanists of Machiavelli's time believed that an individual had much to offer to the well being of the state, Machiavelli was quick to mock human nature. Humanists believed that "An individual only 'grows to maturity- both intellectually and morally- through participation' in the life of the state."4 Machiavelli generally distrusted citizens, stating that "...in time of adversity, when the state is in need of it's citizens there are few to be found."5 Machiavelli further goes on to question the loyalty of the citizens and advises the Prince that "...because men a wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you, you need keep your word to them."6 However, Machiavelli did not feel that a Prince should mistreat the citizens. This suggestion once again to serve the Prince's best interests. If a prince can not be both feared and loved, Machiavelli suggests, it would be better for him to be feared bey the citizens within his own principality. He makes the generalization that men are, "...ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well they are yours."7 He characterizes men as being self centered and not willing to act in the best interest of the state,"[and when the prince] is in danger they turn against [him]."8 Machiavelli reinforces the prince's need to be feared by stating: Men worry less about doing an injury to one who makes himself loved than to one who makes himself feared. The bond of love is one which men, wretched creatures they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; but fear is strengthened 2005-08-23T07:59:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Machiavelli-Human-Nature--27765.aspx Beowulf: An Epic Hero of Epic Proportions Beowulf is “the strongest of the Geats -- greater / and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world” (ll.110-111). Even though he is famous for his massive strength, Beowulf has other attributes that are noticeable other than his strength. These attributes, arrogance, bravery, and a strong love for his people are what make Beowulf become such a powerful, epic hero. Beowulf is arrogant. He constantly brags about his supreme strength. The “strongest man alive” lets people know that he is the most powerful person around by saying, “no strength is a match for mine” (l.267). Beowulf does not think that he could ever be destroyed by anything. He obviously never questiones how his fighting ability would be when he was around seventy. Since Beowulf is convinced that God is watching over him, his ego makes him act as if he is invincible, because of the idea that he has a guardian angel. But, as Beowulf gets older, wiser, and fights in more battles he should realize that there was a possibility that he can die. Beowulf also boasts about his many battles, and is proud of himself for winning all of them. One of these triumphs is the battle in the water when he meets up with nine sea monsters which he killeds, and fights with a monster that is digging its jaws into Beowulf’s flesh. Beowulf proclaims that “ I fought that beast’s last battle, / left it floating in the sea” (ll.290-291). This epic tale reads that while Beowulf is in battle with Grendel’s mother, all he cares was about the fame he would get for defeating her. Unferth thinks that Beowulf was arrogant, by saying, “ You’re Beowulf, are you the same / Boastful fool who fought a swimming / Match with Brecca” (ll.239-241). Yes, Beowulf is a boastful fool that loves the attention that his strength gives him. A strong man and an arrogant one, Beowulf is also brave. Even after all of the horror stories that he hears about Grendel, he still fights the cursed beast without any hesitation. When he battles with Grendel, he does it without the things that everyone else would use--weapons. This shows that Beowulf is not scared of anything in the world. He also must be brave to fight a sea monster after swimming in the ocean for days. He went straight into 2005-08-23T07:58:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-an-Epic-Hero-of-Epic-Proportions-27764.aspx Hal And Hotspur In Richard III [i:f613a557e6]Explore and compare the ways that Shakespeare presents prince Hal and Hotspur in this play?[/i:f613a557e6] In this play Shakespeare goes into particular detail with two of the younger characters, Prince Hal and Hotspur. Throughout the play we hear about Hotspur, his personal qualities, bravery, charm and humour. We learn of his views on honour, but we also learn of his lack of realism, his rashness and lack of political acumen. We see Prince Hal's wit and humour, political acumen and signs of genuine redemption and we realise he is worthy of kingship. Throughout the play we witness Hotspur's fall from grace and how it coincides with Hal's gradual ascendancy. Hotspur's rise and fall is largely linked to the turnout of important events in the play. Hotspur showed personal qualities that were rare in a person. He was generous, energetic and honourable. These qualities gained him respect and admiration from his peers and made him a natural born leader, although he had numerous bad qualities that contributed to his downfall. In the opening section of the play Shakespeare presents Hotspur as being more honourable and more worthy of royalty than Prince Hal. He begins this play at the height of his achievements but his progress gradually declines, until Prince Hal finally kills him in the battle for the throne in Act 5 Scene 4 Lines 76-79, Shakespeare portrays him in a negative way; [i:f613a557e6]"I better brook the loss of brittle life Than those proud titles thou hast won of me 2005-08-23T07:53:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hal-And-Hotspur-In-Richard-III-27762.aspx "A Good Man is Hard to Find" - Decline in Society "A Good Man is Hard 2005-08-21T07:46:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-A-Good-Man-is-Hard-to-Find-quot-Decline-in-Society-27756.aspx Oedipus the King - Summary of the Story In the book Oedipus the King a man is corrupts the town Thebes from his own great misfortunes and self-tortures. The book starts off in the town of Thebes and Oedipus as the king. King Oedipus realizes slowly but surely the town is withering down to nothing. So Oedipus sends Creon to the great god Apollo for advice. When Creon returns Oedipus is in the presence of company. Oedipus who was waiting eagerly for the news told him to tell the news in front of everyone. Creon told Oedipus “the great god Apollo said to either banish or execute the man who killed the former king Laius. For the rest of the book the king Oedipus goes through many trials. In the end it is discovered that Oedipus killed Laius. Once this is found out Oedipus was banished from Thebes. The main problem in the book Oedipus the King is the city of Thebes is falling apart. In order to stop the destruction of Thebes the towns people must find out who killed the former king Laius. The king and his people went out to find the answer all wrong. Instead of bringing all the people out at separate times they should have brought everybody in at the same. Also when your asking people there opinion or their point of view on what happened on a subject you should not get all mad or laugh, you should listen respectfully. When Oedipus heard something he did not like from his guests he sent them away from his sight. Half the time Oedipus did not even listen to their whole opinion. So when you want someone’s opinion listen to his or her entire statement respectfully. A lack of common sense was also a problem in this story. There were just a couple of things that could use some common sense. Such as, the time Oedipus asked Apollo how to find out who killed Laius. Apollo knew whom killed Laius and Oedipus knew who killed him. It is not like you can forget you killed someone. Also when you send for a prophet he predicts the future for you. After you send for this well-known prophet and he tells you the future you tell him he is wrong. These are some examples of many 2005-08-20T05:45:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-the-King-Summary-of-the-Story-27748.aspx “A Raisin in the Sun” - Family Turmoil In “A Raisin in the Sun”, Mother tries to keep control over her family because she believes in their dreams and in their future. However, she insists that they still must learn for themselves. Throughout the entire story, Mother’s main attention is focused on bringing the family closer and keeping each other in mind before making decisions. She is the boss of the family and everything revolves around her. At one point Mother says to Walter, "What you ain't never understood is that I ain't got nothing, don't own nothing, ain't never really wanted nothing that wasn't for you. There ain't nothing as precious to me [...] There ain't nothing worth holding on to, money, dreams, nothing else--if it means--if it means it's going to destroy my boy." Because of Mother’s concern for her family and future well-being, she buys a house and puts in in the name of Walter’s son, Travis. With the leftover money, she hands it to Walter and says to keep his share and the rest is for his sister’s education. However, Walter uses all the money to give to a friend to start a liquor store. However, Walter’s friend runs off with the money. After this, Walter believes that he can sell the new house for more than they bought it for and therefore pay Mother back. As we can see Walter never seems to realize what Mother is trying to do for the family. Walter sees everything as a quick fix. He wants what he wants and fails to see that Mother has given everything she had to give her family what they needed and to bring them closer together. Two other conflicts arise at this point which makes Mother feel like she has done a poor job in raising her family. One is the fact the Walter’s wife is expecting a baby, but she is considering an abortion as to avoid anymore conflict between her and her husband. When Mother tries to talk to Walter about this, but he seems to not care at all. The other conflict which arises in her daughter Beneatha. Beneatha talks about how she doesn’t believe in God and doesn’t believe that he deserves credit for anything. Mother slaps Beneatha and makes her repeat, 2005-08-20T05:40:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/“A-Raisin-in-the-Sun”-Family-Turmoil-27747.aspx In the short story by Frank Stockton, “The Lady or the Tiger,” the author leaves the reader a question. The question is one of the human heart. Would a Semi-barbaric princess send her lover to a death most foul? Or would she send him into the arms of a willing and blushing courtier. By analyzing the story and looking at key ideas you can make an educated assumption about what came out of the right door. The answer is that the lady came out, because of her love for the grand youth was so strong, by her facial and mental expression, and by examining similar characters of semi-barbaric nature. Some people say that when Stockton writes “she sat there, paler and whiter than any one in the vast ocean of anxious faces,” that she was nervous about sending him to his death. This is a very unwise analysis. The reader has to realize that the semi-barbaric princess was in love with the man. Her face was pale and white because she was about to send him into the arms of another woman, and never again would she be in his arms. She was very sad and heartbroken because she was about to witness the tragedy first hand. If she were barbaric enough to send him to his death, she would have had a smile or some sort of expression that proved her to be barbaric. Stockton also writes that the semi-barbaric princess hates the woman behind the questionable door. A lot of people believe that since the princess hates the woman, that she would never let her lover be married to her. Being quick to make decisions will land you with that prospect, but the truth is the opposite. You have to look at why the princess hated the woman. She hates the woman because she was jealous and envious of her. She was jealous of the fact that she was about to send her lover into the arms of the blushing and willing maiden. Another way to prove to the innocence of the princess is to examine similar character qualities in related characters. Sorcia is the beautiful (semi-barbaric) princess in the story “Willow,” written by George Lucas. She falls in love with a swordsman and turns against her mother, Bavmorda in the name 2005-08-19T07:32:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frank-Stockton-s-Short-Story-Lady-And-The-Tiger-27736.aspx Bright Captivity - War is Hell As General William T. Sherman once said, “War is hell” (Brainyquote.com). The aftermaths of war are always costly, and the War of 1812 is no exception. War is destructive in various ways: From the separation of family to the heartache of widows. There are many effects that war brings on American society. In 1807, during the Chesapeake Incident, the British navy tried to steal cargo from American ships. This event caused three Americans to die, and the people demanded for war to be declared. Thomas Jefferson passed the Embargo Act of 1807, which “forbade all international trade to and from American ports” (The Columbia Encyclopedia 1). Jefferson hoped that by stopping trade with foreign countries, America would avoid war. However, his hopes failed, and in June 1, 1812, the war began. (The American Nation 211). The people of the United States knew there would eventually be a war. However, most of the nation was not prepared for war in any way. For more than two years, the war was fought at sea and on land. Unfortunately the entire war could have been avoided if Britain had better communication with the United States. Bright Captivity is the first book of the Georgia Trilogy. The beginning of Bright Captivity takes place during the end of the War of 1812. Throughout the book, Price refers to the war as the cause of failed relationships. Anne is the daughter of a well-known farmer. Anne was very naïve, and had a protected life on St. Simon’s Island in Georgia. One day Anne meets John Fraser, a British Lieutenant. The two fall in love, marry, and travel to London together. Anne and John must deal with the hardships of separation. The novel takes an unexpected turn when Anne’s lover holds her captive at the extravagant estate of Dungeness. The reality of the characters is unclear. It is very possible for Anne and John to be real people in history, but nothing verifies this assumption. However Anne and John may be a general representation for men and women in their position. There have been accounts of women falling in love with soldiers, generals, and other officers. Therefore the reader must believe the relationship to be false. Bright Captivity is purely 2005-08-19T07:09:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Bright-Captivity-War-is-Hell-27734.aspx Doomsday Book Essay “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity” – Albert Einstein In Doomsday Book by Connie Willis, this is certainly evident through various characters and subplots. James Dunworthy, a teacher at Balliol University, shows his indifference towards other people’s needs around him and only thinks of those he cares most about. A student named Kivrin that is sent back through time to the 14th century, disregards her safety and terribly misjudges her greatest ally as her greatest fear. Finally, Mrs. Gaddson, the mother of a student named William, only believes in the best of her son while he seems to be not as innocent as she suspects. All of these characters are either naïve towards other peoples or their own physical and emotional needs. James Dunworthy is a wonderfully talented teacher at Balliol. His favorite pupil, the one he also feels the most empathy for, is Kivrin. This girl has decided to embark on an expedition to the 14th century. After much anticipation and finally, after the transporting had been finished, a technical operator named Badri Chandhuri comes, shivering and wet, into the restaurant where all of the scientists participating on this project are situated. Dunworthy asks if he has received the fix on the situation, whether or not there had been a mistake in where Kivrin has been dropped. Badri responds “Yes” to successfully receiving the fix and a doctor, Mary, goes to get him a Brandy. When she returns, he looks at the drink as if he has never seen one before. He is dazed, confused, shivering violently, and is brought to a hospital when he finally collapses: If I could speak to Badri, ask him what he’d meant when he said, “Something wrong,” make certain the drop had gone properly and that there hadn’t been too much slippage, I might be able to stop worrying. (Willis, 94) Although the man was seriously ill and lying in a hospital bed, all Dunworthy could think of was whether or not Kivrin was okay. Kivrin longs to travel to the 14th century more than anything else. She even takes more heed in this than her own safety. The Middle Ages were filled with thieves, rapists, murderers, and most of all, disease. Instead of paying attention to details, as she should, and playing by the rules, Kivrin accepts the fact that Gilchrist is rushing the starting date of the journey. 2005-08-19T07:03:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Doomsday-Book-Essay-27732.aspx Julius Caesar: Brutus Is A Honorable Man In Shakespeare's play of "Caesar" Brutus is a conspirator who portrays a person who favors a republic for Rome. Brutus is an honorable man. Many characters in the play show there reverence for Brutus. Brutus exemplifies his honor in many ways. Brutus is obsequious when he is needed to abet his fellow Romans. Brutus is an honorable man. "Am I entreated to Speak and Strike? O Rome I make thee promise, If the redress will follow, then receivest thy full petition at the hand of Brutus" (Shakespeare 397). Brutus will obey to whatever the romans convey to him. Consequently, Brutus joins the conspiracy inorder to help the romans rid rome of Caesar. Brutus also understands that he is putting it all on the line for his romans, therefore Brutus is an honorable man. Brutus is a scrupulous man, whose virtues endure. "No not an oath, If not by the face of men, the sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse-If these motives be weak, break off betimes, and every men hence to his idle bed; So let high sighted tyranny rage on, till each man drop by lottery" (Shakespeare 399). Brutus said that if the conspirators do not join for a common cause, then there is no need for an oath because the conspirators are self-righteous, and they are serving the romans. If the conspirators don't bind together, then each man will go his own way, become a weakling, and die when it suits the tyrants caprice. Brutus is advocates peace, freedom and liberty, for all romans, which shows that Brutus is an altruistic as well as an honorable man. Brutus also had a compassion for Caesar when he had killed Caesar. "If then that a friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more(Shakespeare 421). Brutus had honored Caesar but Brutus felt that Caesar was to ambitious. Brutus also felt that Caesar made the romans as slaves. Therefore, Brutus is an honorable man. Brutus is a noble man who was revered by many. Brutus had joined the conspiracy because he had the desire to help the commoners. He was a follower of idealism, where the romans would possess peace, liberty and freedom. 2005-08-19T06:57:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Caesar-Brutus-Is-A-Honorable-Man-27731.aspx A tragic hero often has three important characteristics; his superiority which makes his destruction seem more tragic, his goodness which arouses pity, and his tragic flaws. In the Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus is an excellent example of a hero with tragic flaws. Brutus is superior because of his close friendship with powerful Caesar and because of his popularity with the people. The conspirators need Brutus to join the conspiracy because of his friendship with Caesar and his popularity among the people. Brutus’ idealism and goodness are evident throughout the play; he sees only the goodness in people and naively believes others are as honorable as he. Even his enemy, Mark Antony, comments on these traits at the end of the play: “This was the noblest Roman of them all.” Brutus’ tragic flaws are idealism, honor, and poor judgment which are taken advantage of at first by Cassius and later by Mark Antony. Brutus’ major flaw is his idealism, his belief that people are basically good. His first misjudgment of character is of Casca who he believes should not be taken too seriously. Cassius disagrees and states that Casca just puts on this appearance: “However he puts on this tardy form. This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit, which gives men stomach to disgest his words with better appetite.” Brutus’ next miscalculation of character involves Cassius’ motives. Brutus believes that Cassius wants to assassinate Caesar for the good of Rome, while Cassius truly wants power and a Rome not under Caesar’s control. Cassius manipulates gullible Caesar with flattery of Brutus’ ancestors and of his honor. At the same time, Cassius points out Caesar’s weaknesses: his deafness, his epileptic fits, and lack of swimming ability. Brutus continues his misjudgment when he reads the bogus letters and believes that these express the true feelings of all of Rome. The letter opens with this quote: “Brutus, thou sleep’st; awake, and see thyself.” Had Brutus been a perceptive man, he would have remembered Cassius telling him to allow others to serve as mirrors. Brutus’ idealism continues to surface when he does not deem it necessary to take an oath of unity to the cause. He says, “No, not an oath. If not the face of men, the sufferance of our souls, the time’s abuse if these be motives weak, break off betimes.” Brutus tries to cover the conspiracy with honor and virtue. He 2005-08-19T06:51:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Caesar-Brutus-Tragic-Flaws-27730.aspx The Red Badge Of Courage Summary Young Henry Fleming has always dreamt of performing heroically and courageously in battle. When henry is finally in a war he goes through torment in his head. He does not know if he will run off like a coward or stay and fight like a hero. He goes to his friend whom he has known since childhood for comfort his friend tells him he will flee from battle if the majority does. The whole regiment is waiting for the order to attack. Finally the general appears on a horse back and commands to attack. The regiment starts shooting at the enemy. Henry gets red eyes and feels as if he is suffocating from the gun smoke. After this he gets "red rage " which means he gets frustrated because he can not make heroic posses in battle. At last the fighting ends and henry realize that the regiment held back the attack. Henry looks around and notices how many of his comrades have been killed. After this Henry socializes with his friends and comrades. Suddenly the enemy appears everybody is too weak to fight. The enemy starts firing and that is when Henry runs away into the woods. After sometime he meets a general and the general tells him that the soldiers have defeated and held back the line once again. Henry runs back to the battlefield because he wants to witness a conflict. After some walking henry meets his friend Jim who is dying. Henry leads him to bushes where Jim dies. Henry does not know it but he is heading toward the battlefield where he sees men running away from the battle. Then Henry questions himself if he should look for the regiment and start fighting or stay and rest. He gives up the idea of going to the battle, but he hates himself for that decision. Soon he hears a mans cheery voice. The man takes henry by the arm and guides Henry back to the regiment and disappears. He meets his a friend (a soldier in his regiment) Henry tells him that he has a wound on his head from a bullet, however Henry really didn't get the wound on his head from a bullet. Following this the regiment starts to move and the firing starts again. Henry is tired ,but he fights the best he can. The gun smoke effects 2005-08-18T09:24:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Red-Badge-Of-Courage-Summary-27722.aspx The Red Badge of Courage - Critical Overview Stephen Crane was born in 1871 in Newark, New Jersey. The fourteenth child of highly religious Methodist parents, Crane lapsed into a rebellious childhood during which he spent time preparing for a career as a professional baseball player. After brief flirtations with higher learning at Lafayette College and Syracuse University, Crane turned to writing full-time. Convinced that he must invest his work with the authenticity of experience, he often went to outlandish lengths to live through situations that he intended to work into his novels. For his first book, Maggie, a Girl of the Streets (1893), Crane lived in poverty in the Bowery slum of New York City. Similarly, he based his short story "The Open Boat" on his experience as a castaway from a shipwreck. Crane's most enduring work, the short novel The Red Badge of Courage was published in 1895. Though initially not well received in the United States, The Red Badge of Courage was a massive success in England. The attention of the English critics caused many Americans to view the novel with renewed enthusiasm, catapulting the young Crane into international literary prominence. His realistic depictions of war and battle led to many assignments as a foreign correspondent for newspapers, taking him to such locales as Greece, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. He published volumes of poetry as well as many works of fiction, including the landmark "The Open Boat" (1897). In 1899, Crane moved into a medieval castle in England with his lover, the former madam of a Jacksonville brothel. Here Crane wrote feverishly, hoping to pay off his debts. His health began to fail, however, and he died of tuberculosis in June 1900, at the age of twenty-eight. Ironically, for a writer so committed to the direct portrayal of his own experience, Crane's greatest work is almost entirely a product of his imagination. When he wrote The Red Badge of Courage, Crane had neither fought in war nor witnessed battle, and was forced to rely on his powers of invention to create the extraordinarily realistic combat sequences of the novel. His work proved so accurate that, at the time of the book's publication, most critics assumed that Crane was an experienced soldier. Based loosely on the events of the Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville (May 2–6, 1863)—though neither the battle, the war, nor the armies are named in the 2005-08-18T07:23:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Red-Badge-of-Courage-Critical-Overview-27715.aspx Thorough 'Analysis Of Antigone' Sophocles is very concise in laying out the issues of the play and the values most cherished by his characters. In the argument between Antigone and Ismene, Ismene seems doubly powerless. She provides a contrast to her stronger sister throughout the play. Though she is saddened by the fate of Polyneices' body, she does not believe that there is anything she can do. She reminds Antigone that they are only women and are relatively helpless. Though she is sorry to be unable to help her brother, she will not disobey the state: "Extravagant action is not sensible" (l. 78). Ismene also seems to think that Antigone will not even be able to bury the body, which might be guarded: "But you are in love / with the impossible" (ll. 104-5). She is convinced that burying Polyneices is not only imprudent because of law, but impossible because of logistics. Ismene's powerlessness takes another form: she is completely unable to sway the headstrong Antigone. Antigone's personality and values are sketched concisely in this first dialogue. She says that she will be a criminal, "but a religious one" (l. 85). Antigone reasons that the next world is more important than this one: "The time in which I must please those that are dead / is longer than I must please those of this world. / For there I shall lie forever" (ll. 86-88). Ismene is not even able to convince Antigone to be discrete: Antigone will not attempt to perform the rites in secret, but will "shout it out. I will hate you still worse / for silence" (ll. 99-100). The position of women is an important theme of the play. Sophocles is aware of the impact of gender on Antigone and her choices. In the opening, Ismene reminds her sister that their gender makes them vulnerable, and Ismene's gender seems to have everything to do with her belief in her own powerlessness. Antigone does not stress her own gender explicitly, but the state does‹Creon will later say that he cannot back down because the triumph of a woman is unacceptable. One interpretation of Antigone links the position of women to Antigone's fascination with death. She seems hell-bent on being executed, refusing even Ismene's entreaty to do the rites in secret. Creon later accuses her of being in love with death, and her own words do little to refute him. 2005-08-18T07:13:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Thorough-Analysis-Of-Antigone-27712.aspx Parallel Between 'Hunt For Gawain' and 'Sir Gawain And The Green Knight' Gawain stays in Lord Bercilak’s castle and Bercilak decides to go hunting for three days. Bercilak made a bargain with Gawain and so everything Bercilak kills on the hunt will be given to Gawain. In return, Gawain would give to Lord Bercilak everything that he gets from Lady Bercilak. “‘Whatever I earn in the woods will be yours, whatever you win will be mine in exchange. Shall we swap our day’s work, Gawain?’” They make this bargain for the following three days and what happens on both sides of the bargain affect the outcome of the previous game that Gawain plays with the Green Knight. In the game that Gawain plays with the Green Knight, the Green Knight offered to accept a blow from an ax if he was allowed to do the same to Gawain a year later. This Game is almost a parallel to the bargain between Bercilak and Gawain. Whatever Gawain and Bercilak does during the bargain affects what happens in the game. In the game the Green Knight went first. He took a blow from the ax and had his head chopped off. He did not flinch or hesitate. This reflects on the honesty of Lord Bercilak. In the bargain, Bercilak is true to his word and hands over all of his winnings from the hunt to Gawain. He doesn’t hesitate and he gives over all of his winnings to Gawain each of the three days. The fact that the Green Knight did not flinch when the ax was brought upon him was foreshadowing of how Lord Bercilak would act during the bargain and that he would be true to his word. The Green Knight takes three swings at Gawain to represent the three days of the bargain. What Gawain did in the bargain affected the outcome of the game. Gawain was true to his word two of the days, so two of the swings the Green Knight took deliberately missed Gawain’s neck. The last day Gawain kept the green scarf from Lord Bercilak, and the Green Knight’s ax nipped the side of Gawain’s neck. Gawain could have controlled the outcome of the game by what he did in the bargain. If he had kept more from Bercilak, then the outcome would have been much worse, and if he had handed over the 2005-08-18T07:10:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-Hunt-For-Gawain-and-Sir-Gawain-amp-the-Green-Knight-27711.aspx A Rasin In The Sun - Character Analysis/Summary The opening scene, Hansberry tells us, is a pan shot of Chicago's South Side during the 1950s (although it could as well be the 1990s). Exterior and interior images show that we are in a ghetto, and this is how people live here. More importantly, this is a ghetto of African-Americans who have few choices in a white society. Over the panning shots is superimposed Langston Hughes' poem "Dream Deferred," providing the inspiration for the title: "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" The next series of shots introduces the family whose dreams provide the basis for the play. Lena Younger, the family matriarch, is expecting a $10,000 life insurance check from the estate of her late husband, Walter Lee. With it, she is planning to retire from her maid's job for a white family. Her son, Walter Lee, Junior, wants to use the money to buy a liquor store. His wife, Ruth, also a domestic in a white household, hopes to move to a larger apartment. Beneatha, Lena's daughter, dreams of going to medical school. When the check arrives, the tensions within the family build. Walter Lee feels he is entitled to it as the rightful head of the family. Ruth and Beneatha counter that it is Lena's money, and she should decide how it is to be spent. Because Lena realizes that the family's survival depends on their escape from the apartment, she makes a down payment on a "nice house" in Clybourne Park, an all-white residential neighborhood, without consulting anyone. The family's reactions range from Walter Lee's disbelief and disappointment, to Ruth's joy. The plans for the move exacerbate the tensions. Feeling his manhood threatened by his mother's authority, Walter escapes to bars. When he does not return home for several days, Lena finally acknowledges his desperate need and finds him in his favorite lounge. Opening her purse, she entrusts him with the rest of the money, part of which is to be used for Beneatha's tuition, the rest for his liquor store. The residents of all-white Clybourne Park have learned of their new neighbors and send an emissary to meet with the Youngers to explain the "rules." Mr. Lindner, the representative, carefully disguises his racist attitudes beneath neutral terms ("not rich and fancy people; just hardworking, honest people who don't really have much but 2005-08-18T06:59:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Rasin-In-The-Sun-Character-Analysis-Summary-27708.aspx Biography of Chaim Potok Chaim Potok, born Herman Harold Potok, was the son of Polish immigrants and was reared in an Orthodox Jewish home. He was born in February of 1929 in New York City, where he attended religious schools. However, as a young man he became fascinated by less restrictive Jewish doctrines, particularly the Conservative side of Judaism. He attended Yeshiva University and graduated summa cum laude in English literature in 1950 before moving on to the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where he was ordained a Conservative rabbi. Potok then taught at several Jewish colleges, including the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, before moving on to become the managing editor of Conservative Judaism in 1964. Potok spent a year in Israel completing his doctoral dissertation on philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965 and the following year he became the editor of the Jewish Publication Society of America, which he remained for eight years before becoming a special-projects editor of the publication in 1974. Throughout his career in publishing, Dr. Potok wrote numerous popular articles and reviews. Potok began his career as an author and novelist in 1967 with the publication of The Chosen, which stands as the first book from a major publisher to portray Orthodox Judaism in the United States. With its story about the friendship between the son of a Hasidic rabbi and a more secularly-minded Jewish boy in Brooklyn, The Chosen established Potok¹s reputation. Critics praised the book for its vivid rendering of the closed Hasidic community, while many considered it to be an allegory about the survival of Judaism. Potok followed The Chosen with a sequel two years later called The Promise. Potok returned to the subject of Hasidism for a third time with the 1972 novel My Name is Asher Lev, the story of a young artist and his conflict with the traditions of his family and community. Potok followed this novel with a sequel, as well, publishing The Gift of Asher Lev eighteen years later in 1990. Potok continued to examine the conflict between secular and religious interests in his other novels as well, which include In the Beginning in 1975, The Book of Lights in 1981, and Davita¹s Harp in 1985. His most recent works include I am the Clay, published in 1992, The Tree of Here in 1993, and the 1995 novel The Sky of Now. Potok also 2005-08-16T09:26:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Biography-of-Chaim-Potok-27706.aspx 2005-08-16T09:16:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Kino-in-Steinbeck-s-The-Pearl-27702.aspx Jane Eyre - Depiction of Womanhood in Victorian Era Charlotte Bronte's novel, Jane Eyre, skillfully reveals much of the sanctimony concerning women during the Victorian Era. Jane, the protagonist, has the qualities of endurance, valor, and vitality, yet she is refused self-contentment by the confined society in which she lives. Not only is this work a love story, but it is the tale of a young orphaned girl and her struggle for simpatico, for love and independence. Through the various environments Bronte provides, Jane oscillates between education and containment and also between freedom and servitude. Beginning at Gateshead, Jane has her first experience of containment in dealing with the Reeds. John Reed blatantly smothers Jane's space by treating her like a slave, and Mrs. Reed enslaves her in every way. Mrs. Reed treats Jane as a stepchild instead of a niece and oftentimes sides with her children even if Jane is right. For example, in the incident with John Reed, Jane is reading a book about birds and secretly wants to be able to fly away from all of the bad things at Gateshead. When John condemns Jane for reading "his" books, Mrs. Reed sends Jane to the Red Room even though Jane did not initiate the fight. The torturous experience for Jane becomes a type of containment in which she must obey her aunt and cousins, as a slave would obey his master. Jane feels then that she must resist everyone, Bessie, Miss Abbot, her cousins, and especially her aunt. She is urged by these same people to pray and repent and is locked yet again in an eerie room. Jane encounters another character, Mr. Lloyd, who attempts to degrade her by making fun of her for crying. Her physical containments, along with her mental ones, are coming to her one after another and take her to her limit. Jane deals with many emotions she feels by sorting them within herself but her meeting with Mr. Brocklehurst begins her break from servitude and containment into freedom and education. Mr. Brocklehurst preaches to Jane about sin and the Bible but Jane refuses to say what he wants to hear. Her first taste of rebellion continues in her encounter with Mrs. Reed. Jane says, "I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to see you 2005-08-16T09:11:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jane-Eyre-Depiction-of-Womanhood-in-Victorian-Era-27700.aspx A Look at Stoppard's Influences in 'Rosencrantz and Guilden' Although Tom Stoppard established his reputation with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead when it was first produced in 1966, the playwright often appears reluctant to talk about his second play. Stoppard, who most critics report to be a very private person, repeatedly offers his interviewers only cryptic responses to their questions about the meaning of the piece. When asked whether or not Rosencrantz and Guildenstern embodies any particular philosophy, Stoppard replied that the play does not reveal any profound theories or metaphysical insights "on a conscious level, but one is a victim and beneficiary of one's subconscious all the time and, obviously, one is making choices all the time . It's difficult for me to endorse or discourage particular theories I personally think that anybody's set of ideas which grows out of the play has its own validity." Stoppard, like many renowned playwrights before him, seems almost to delight in adopting such an equivocal stance. As he tells Rodger Hudson, Catherine Itzin, and Simon Trussler--the editors of Theatre Quarterly-- in a frequently cited interview, "insofar as it's possible for me to look at my own work objectively at all, the element which I find most valuable is the one that other people are put off by--that is, that there is very often no single, clear statement in my plays." 1 Similarly, in an interview with Jon Bradshaw, Stoppard explains, "the play had no substance beyond its own terms, beyond its apparent situation. It was about two courtiers in a Danish castle. Two nonentities surrounded by intrigue, given very little information and much of that false. It had nothing to do with the condition of modern man or the decline of metaphysics. One wasn't thinking, 'Life is an anteroom in which one has to kill time.' Or I wasn't, at any rate. God help us, what a play that would have been. But Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wasn't about that at all. It was about two blokes, right?" 2 Despite Stoppard's coy evasions regarding the play's more trenchant themes (according to the playwright, the drama was chiefly "calculated to entertain a roomful of people" 3 ), critics have confidently posited several popular theories regarding the philosophical influences inherent in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and, rather than view the play as a piece written to please more than to instruct, have suggested that the play is 2005-08-16T09:00:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Look-at-Stoppard-s-Influences-in-Rosencrantz-and-Guilden-27696.aspx Morality in Julius Caesar The removal of Caesar from office by assassination in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar attempts to justify an unethical act by focusing on the motivation behind the actor instead of the righteousness of the act itself. Throughout this play, the empirical immorality of murder is ignored. A man’s ethics are surely corrupt when the taking of another’s life for the sake of politics is merited. Therefore, Shakespeare ought not have erroneously depicted the slaying 2005-08-15T09:04:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Morality-in-Julius-Caesar-27692.aspx “The Overcoat”; a Story of Meaningless Misfortune In Nikolai Gogol’s short story “The Overcoat”, one sees that in life, bad things can happen to undeserving people, with no rhyme or reason. Justice is not a prevalent force in the world that Gogol describes. Hard work and diligence count for nothing in the eyes of fate. In this world, misfortune falls upon any victim, with little--if any--positive outcome. The story follows one Akakii Akakievich through his daily life as a government clerk. He performs his duties extraordinarily well, yet never obtains a higher position in life, nor does he desire one. He lives on a meager salary that is so poor, that when his coat starts to fall apart from wear, he must endure months of hardship and deprivations to save up enough money to purchase a new coat. Almost as soon as he obtains the coat it is stolen from him in the streets. Akakii seeks help from the guard, and from government officials, but no help is to be found. With only his old worn out garment, Akakii falls ill and dies. His office finds out that he is dead only because he failed to show up for work. The most blatant sign that life is cruel is the very fact that Akakii has his coat stolen just as soon as he gets it (94). This is a particularly cruel twist for several reasons. Firstly, Gogol makes a point to mention that the new coat had arrived just in time for the bitterest cold of the season (90). Secondly, Akakii was returning from a party that he had been invited to expressly for the purpose of celebrating his new coat (91). Finally, Akakii had endured many months of deprivation to be able to afford the new coat that he barely had any time to enjoy (88). Akakii’s misfortune does not end with the loss of his coat. He seeks redress from the guard that was on duty--only to find that he was not paying attention at the moment of the crime (94). Akakii then attempts to see the Superintendent, but leaves confused and not sure that his case will be given any attention at all (95). Akakii next seeks aid from a man identified by Gogol only as a Prominent Personage: Akakii is now desperate for 2005-08-15T08:43:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/“The-Overcoat”-a-Story-of-Meaningless-Misfortune-27677.aspx Wutherington Heights Book Review-Final Draft Set in England on the Yorkshire Moors in the 19th century, Emily Brontë¹s novel Wuthering Heights is the story of lovers who try to withstand the separation of social classes and keep their love alive. The main characters, Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff grew up on a middle class English countryside cottage called Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff was the servant and Catherine the daughter of the owner of Wuthering Heights. As children, Heathcliff and Catherine were the best of friends, a friendship which turned to love with the coming of age. Catherine married a man of the upper class society and was forced to end her love affair with Heathcliff. Catherine was happy in her marriage at first but later became overwhelmed with her desire to be with Heathcliff. She was forced to distinguish the difference between her love for Heathcliff and her love for her new life with money. In the end, Catherine Earnshaw¹s husband, Edgar Linton, died and Catherine finally realized that money and social class were not as fulfilling as her desire to have passion in her life, a desire which could only be met by Heathcliff. Throughout the book, Catherine tried to discover who she was and what exactly she wanted. In chapters 6 and 7, Catherine thought that she had finally discovered who she was and what she wanted. These chapters are the pinnacle of the story. It was the point in the book where the social classes were determined and Catherine¹s love for Heathcliff was forced to be supressed. Heathcliff and Catherine were still young and playing together innocently one day. This was before Catherine became a member of the upperclass society and realized that she could not love Heathcliff because of his social class. Heathcliff and Catherine wandered beyond the secure gates of Wuthering Heights to a large estate owned by Edgar Linton called Thrushcross Grange. They spyed through one of the windows and were caught by Linton. Heathcliff managed to escape in time but Catherine injured herself and was taken in by Linton¹s servants. Catherine stayed at Thrushcross Grange while Heathcliff return! ed to Wuthering Heights. She stayed at the estate for several weeks being nursed by Linton and his servants. The time she spent with Linton caused her to fall in love with him, causing her to permanently be separated from Heathcliff and the lower class life she 2005-08-15T08:14:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wutherington-Heights-Book-Review-27663.aspx Trifles As A Feminist Essay - Mars vs Venus in Susan Glaspell’s Trifles After reading Trifles, one may think about the book called, Men Are from Mars and Women Are from Venus by Dr. John Gray. Both works tend to illustrate the vast differences between the two sexes. Due to such differences, women are often pitted against men. Mention the word feminist and most people think of the modern women’s movement. Long before the bra burning of the 1960s, however, writers were writing about the lives and concerns of women living in a male dominated society. In Trifles, the women of Venus triumph over the men of Mars to emphasize the author’s feminist theme. The feminist theme in the play can be defined by contrasting the male and female characters and analyzing the symbolism of the canary and the quilt. Susan Glaspell wrote Trifles in 1916, a time when women were beginning to challenge their socially defined roles. Women were realizing that their identities as wives and domestics kept them in a subordinate position in society. Because women were demanding more freedom, traditional institutions such as marriage, which confined women to the home and made them mere extensions of their husbands, were beginning to be reexamined (Allison 1). Glaspell chose as the play’s protagonist a married woman, Minnie Wright, who has challenged society’s expectations by murdering her husband. Minnie’s defiant act has occurred before the action begins and as the play unfolds two women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale piece together the details of the situation surrounding the murder. As the events unfold, however, it becomes clear that the focus of the play is not on who killed John Wright, but rather on the themes of the subordinate role of women. The men in the play, Mr. Hale, Sheriff Peters, and the County Attorney, are at the house to investigate the murder. The women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, are there to gather some things to take to Mrs. Wright in jail. The play carefully distinguishes between the affairs of men and the concerns of women. The men and the women both observe the house is generally a mess, but they see the messiness from different points of view. The men see the mess as negligence on the part of Minnie and her housewife duties. This 2005-08-15T00:40:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Trifles-As-A-Feminist-Essay-Mars-vs-Venus-in-Susan-Glaspel-27643.aspx Beowulf - A Noble King The epic poem Beowulf describes the noblest king of the Anglo-Saxon times, Beowulf. Beowulf is a man who demonstrates all the good qualities of a king, this can be seen by just looking at what he has accomplished. Beowulf is a man who was loyal, powerful, and charitable. Beowulf was loyal to his promises and his country. When he decides to kill Grendel for King Hrothgar he doesn’t back down even after the stories he’s heard. After he has killed him the Danes still need him, so he kills Grendel's mother. He was very dedicated to what he did and he never gave up. "We crossed the sea to come here; it is time to return, to go back to our beloved lord, Higlac." (1818-1820). After he has killed the monsters and earned glory he knows he must go back to his country, because that is where he belongs and who he represents. Towards the end he proves his love for the Geats when he faced the fire-blowing dragon. Deep down he knows this will be his last fight, but he does it for the good of his country, A noble king has also got to be powerful something which he proves by killing numerous times. Beowulf is strong enough to kill Grendel, who has been terrorizing the Danes for a long time, by using only his hands and ripping off Grendels arm. Defeating Grendel, he shows that a man, without armor and weapons, can defeat evil in any form. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel's mother, who is seeking revenge on her son's death, he is able to slay her by slashing her neck with a sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When Beowulf fights the fire- blowing dragon he knows this will most likely be his last battle, nevertheless he doesn’t give up. With a little help from his cousin he kills it. "And Beowulf drew his battle-sharp dagger: the blood-stained old king stll knew what he was doing. Quickly, he cut the beast in half, slit it apart. It fell, their courage had killed it . . ." (2702-2706). Beowulf was a very charitable man. He gave treasure whenever possible. "Beowulf has brought his king horses and treasure-as a man must . . . And Beowulf gave Welthow’s gift, her wonderful necklace, to Higd, Higlac’s queen . 2005-08-15T00:37:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-A-Noble-King-27641.aspx Morality In "Queen Vs. Dudley And Stephens" 1. In the case of Queen vs. Dudley and Stephens, was the killing of the cabin boy, Richard Parker, morally wrong? Relate your answer to one or more of the following ethical theories: Aristotelian ethics, Hobbesian ethics, Utilitarianism, or Kantian ethics. Be sure to give a summary of the main points of the theory, as well as drawing out its implications for the case. In the case of Dudley and Stephens, the murder of Richard Parker cannot be justified as being morally permissible. Our society functions on certain base principles, one of them being that there are some things which are forbidden, that particular actions or measures can never be correct due to their nature. Murder is an action which qualifies as being fundamentally wrong, it can never be said that murder is the right thing to do, because no matter the context, murder is in no way a morally permissible course of action. While it is true that all of the crew members would most certainly have died if Parker had not been slain, that is still not enough reason to have permitted the murder. Even if the boy had been consulted on the matter and he had subsequently granted his consent, the act of murder still cannot be justified. There is no situation so dire (excluding warfare and self-defense) to warrant the voluntary taking of another human being’s life. Although the crew had already gone numerous days without any form of nourishment, murder was still not the proper course of action. The boy was near death, and perhaps if they had waited just another day he would have died naturally, and then they could have used his body. This standpoint of murder never being the right decision is supported by Aristotle’s theory of “virtue ethics”. His theory states that we should live our lives according to principles of virtue and morality, and this will lead to an attainment of happiness. Aristotle says that not all of our actions should be virtuous, as an extreme amount of anything won’t bring happiness, but rather we should live to a mean between evil and morality. He believes that through our ability to reason and choose our actions we will reach that mean position and balance our lives to a point of happiness. While the theory does allow us to choose some actions which are not moral or 2005-08-15T00:36:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Morality-In-quot-Queen-Vs_-Dudley-And-Stephens-quot-27640.aspx The Serpent and the Flower in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 55 Romeo and Juliet, Act III, Scene II, Line 77 JUL: O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face! Macbeth, Act I, Scene V, Line 63 LADYMACB: Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under ’t. Pericles: Son of Tyre, Act I , Scene I, Line 127 PER.: And both like serpents are, who though they feed On sweetest flowers, yet they poison breed. The serpent’s trickery of mortals is a theme which echoes tirelessly in the art, literature, and theology of both the Judaeo-Christian and Eastern philosophies. The instinctive illustration of the image of the serpent as a symbol of deceit for Western interpreters is the biblical (Genesis) creation story--putting forth a falsely kind face in order to urge a hero(ine) toward the loss of innocence--and the message is retained that the serpent will employ sweet-seeming logic that is, in truth, unsound and wield assurances which will ultimately be proven empty. Similarly, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh has returned from a journey to the bottom of a deep well and plucked from there a magic plant of knowledge with which he plans to return to his people. Taking a rest beside this pool, he falls asleep. A serpent slithers out from beneath a flower beside the pool and eats the magic plant, in some translations biting Gilgamesh as well. Here we see that, again, the serpent wishes to rob mortals of the power of knowledge(and the closeness to the Creator(s) in their theology that is implicit in that knowledge), this time by physically hiding itself beneath beauty. A case may be made that the serpent/flower imagery which Shakespeare uses to such extent in his plays comes both from the Christian creation story, in keeping with the faith of the Elizabethan era, but draws also from the Gilgamesh myth. The latter may seem less credible than the former to a modern reader, but Elizabethan scholars had far more extensive familiarity with classics in literature than is called for in present curricula. It is interesting that the Bard “recycled” this imagery with such repetition, when one considers that Shakespeare himself wrote in a flowery style that often packed an unexpected bite. A true master of the double entendre, and highly skilled at creating devilish puns--these facets of his writing are never so blatantly displayed as in 2005-08-15T00:21:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Serpent-and-the-Flower-in-Shakespeare’s-Sonnet-55-27634.aspx Explication Of Gary Soto’s “The Tale Of Sunlight” As the centuries pass, people seem to have more courage to express themselves in unique and innovative ways through their own medium of representation. In modern poetry specifically, we see writers who are bending the rules of traditional form, presentation, and subject matter. A new era in our civilization calls for new poets who are not frightened to be different. Gary Soto, a Mexican-American, has the courage to express the struggle his people have had in the southwest through his mystical writing. His rich culture and literary skills paint a detailed account of his life, hopes, and dreams. In the poem “The Tale of Sunlight,” Soto utilizes dramatic monologue, form, word choice, simile, personification, imagery, magical realism, and theme to bring to life a dramatic situation in this culturally-minded piece. The dramatic situation in this piece is very extraordinary. It is told through the voice of Manuel Zaragoza and is a dramatic monologue addressed to his nephew. Through Manuel’s storytelling we learn that in his cantina he discovered a triangle of light that did not come from any other light source. As it moved around his cantina, whatever he placed in it’s path, the light would disintegrate the object. This unfortunately included his finger, now a “pink stump.” In scanning the form of the poem, we can tell that it is free verse, and it is not separated into stanzas. The lines in the poem are short, the most words in one line being six. These elements add a dream-like feel to the poem. There are many action verbs, especially relative to the size of the poem, that really show us what happened during the situation. Stretched, flared, pulled, glowed, knocked, peeked, poured, watched, sizzled, and stood are just a few. It really helps because we can “see” the action. Soto also uses simile to bring the scene to life. The lines “A triangle of sunlight; Was stretched out; On the floor; Like a rug; Like a tired cat” really let us know how the spot appears, and Soto personifies the light “stretching” as well. The normal sunlight around the one brilliant light is described as appearing soiled “Like the bed sheet; Of a borracho (drunk).” The triangle of light later on is described as hanging on 2005-08-15T00:17:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Explication-Of-Gary-Soto’s-“The-Tale-Of-Sunlight”-27632.aspx Male Female Relationships in Literacy In the readings we have done thus far, the majority of them show women under the control of men. “The Revolt of Mother”(Freeman), for example depicts “mother” taking the control away from man or “Father”, as they are called in the story. She does this by taking all of their things and moving them into the new barn “Father” has built for the animals. I see the same correlation in the story of “Sweat” (Hurston), as Delia decides instead of putting up with Sykes crap she will just go on without paying him any mind. “Delia and Sykes fought all the time now with no peaceful interludes. They slept and ate in silence.” She didn’t care that Sykes was sleeping with Bertha because she didn’t love him anymore. Delia did everything for Sykes; in fact she was their only source of income. I think that “mother” felt the same way. She had been a loyal wife for 40 years and did everything she could to please “father” and all she wanted in return was a house. However it wasn’t that “mother” that didn’t love her husband anymore, she was probably just sick of living the same life for 40 years. Imagine the redundancy, its not like there were a lot of fun things to do in this kind of rural setting. I mean she got up fixed breakfast, did chores, made lunch, did more chores, made dinner and cleaned up. You can not blame her for wanting to get a new house. There is just something that is inspiring about change in life. It can be refreshing. I perceived the relationship between Sykes and Delia was dramatically different from that of “mother” and “father”. Sykes was always looking at the women around town, cheated on Delia on numerous occasions and she was quite aware of it. Needless to say, Delia most likely had very little respect or love for Sykes. “Mother” however was devoted to her husband and respected him greatly. She did his laundry when needed, cooked his favorite meal on Saturday’s and always made him pies. The women in two stories had overcome large obstacles in there quest for “freedom” of control. But in the end their courage proved to be worth the 2005-08-15T00:06:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Male-Female-Relationships-in-Literacy-27627.aspx Ken Kesey's One Flew Over Cuckoo's Nest The Viking Critical Library edition of Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is worth every cent of its price, not that it's a high one anyway. The page count is double that of the novel, and what you get in this excellent edition, is a preface, a short biography, and a plethora of literary criticism, a very exhaustive collection, ranging from forgettable, strained and biased work to brilliant criticism. It's not just a novel, it's a compendium you get for a price of one. I strongly recommend this particular edition of the novel, and would encourage you to keep an eye for other volumes published by the Viking Critical Library. Kesey was not appreciated after his first novel, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". His later novels and stories received abysmal reviews at the time of publication, his life was widely perceived as wasted. In fact, with "The Electric Kool-Aid" Tom Wolfe summarized Kesey as a one-note, one-novel author. Since when quantity is equivalent with quality? The same statement can be made of Joseph Heller and Harper Lee. The latter didn't even try to write more than one novel he published! I claim that that particular novel of Ken Kesey earned him the place in the timeless literary pantheon, that it immortalized the author, and whether or not his fiction of the latter day is redeemable, is a secondary issue, almost irrelevant, I'd say. "One Flew Over Cuckoo's Nest" is indeed a universal novel. Many circles, political movements, ranging anywhere from anarchist and socialist to conservative and libertarian - tried to assimilate Kesey into their ideology, into their vision, whatever that was. A good piece of literature is universal, timeless, with redeeming features that are always true (or untrue, for that matter), whenever they are read, and if they contribute to the reader's development regardless of their generation. "One Flew Over Cuckoo's Nest" was one such book - it dealt with universal truths, with the basic premise of life - that we should be free, no matter what, that if once depraved of dignity, we can't regain it back, and then it's not worth continuing afterwards, that it's a once-only gift from heavens. We can also self-depreciate, too - as an aside note. A very strong moral message the novel conveys is the opposition of the individual and the society. In a way, Kesey's 2005-08-14T01:09:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ken-Kesey-s-One-Flew-Over-Cuckoo-s-Nest-27623.aspx Lord Of The Flies - Theme: Man is a Savage A running theme in Lord of the Flies is that man is savage at heart, always ultimately reverting back to an evil and primitive nature. The cycle of man's rise to power, or righteousness, and his inevitable fall from grace is an important point that book proves again and again, often comparing man with characters from the Bible to give a more vivid picture of his descent. Lord Of The Flies symbolizes this fall in different manners, ranging from the illustration of the mentality of actual primitive man to the reflections of a corrupt seaman in purgatory. The novel is the story of a group of boys of different backgrounds who are marooned on an unknown island when their plane crashes. As the boys try to organize and formulate a plan to get rescued, they begin to separate and as a result of the dissension a band of savage tribal hunters is formed. Eventually the "stranded boys in Lord of the Flies almost entirely shake off civilized behavior:. When the confusion finally leads to a manhunt [for Ralph], the reader realizes that despite the strong sense of British character and civility that has been instilled in the youth throughout their lives, the boys have backpedaled and shown the underlying savage side existent in all humans. "Golding senses that institutions and order imposed from without are temporary, but man's irrationality and urge for destruction are enduring". The novel shows the reader how easy it is to revert back to the evil nature inherent in man. If a group of well-conditioned school boys can ultimately wind up committing various extreme travesties, one can imagine what adults, leaders of society, are capable of doing under the pressures of trying to maintain world relations. Lord of the Flies' apprehension of evil is such that it touches the nerve of contemporary horror as no English novel of its time has done; it takes us, through symbolism, into a world of active, proliferating evil which is seen, one feels, as the natural condition of man and which is bound to remind the reader of the vilest manifestations of Nazi regression (Riley 1: 120). In the novel, Simon is a peaceful lad who tries to show the boys that there is no monster on the island except the fears that the boys have. "Simon tries to state the 2005-08-14T01:04:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-Of-The-Flies-Theme-Man-is-a-Savage-at-Heart-27622.aspx Dante's Inferno On Good Friday 1300 AD, in Dante's thirty-fifth year, he goes astray from the straight road into the Dark Wood of Error. Seeing the Sun (Divine Illumination) lighting the Mount of Joy in the Distance, he attempts to climb up the mountainside but is blocked by three beasts of worldliness: the Leopard of Malice and Fraud, the Lion of Violence and Ambition, and the She-Wolf of Incontinence. When his hope is nearly lost, the shade of the Roman poet Virgil (a symbol of Human Reason) appears to him. Virgil has been sent by Beatrice in Heaven to lead Dante from error; he explains that to defeat the beasts it is necessary to take the harder route through Hell (where sin is recognized), Purgatory (where sin is renounced), then to Heaven to revel in the light of God. Dante accepts and sets off with him. The Poets pass through the Gate of Hell (inscribed with the famous line, Abandon all hope ye who enter here) and step into the Vestibule, where they see the torments inflicted on the opportunists and those who took neither side in the Rebellion of the Angels. They are not officially in Hell nor Heaven because their actions in life were not good enough or bad enough to warrant a place in either. They must forever pursue a banner just out of their reach while being stung by wasps; the blood and pus flowing from their wounds is feasted upon by worms and maggots. (The punishments in Inferno always fit the crime. The wasps signify the sinners guilty consciences and the worms and maggots, their moral filth.) The Poets wish to be ferried across the river Acheron by the boatman Charon, but Charon realizes that Dante is still living and refuses them passage until Virgil makes a good argument for Dante's case. Charon reluctantly agrees, but Dante faints out of pure terror and only awakes when he is on the opposite bank. Upper Hell, for those who committed the least serious sins, is made of five circles, each containing fewer sinners and smaller than the one before it. The first of these is Limbo, where unbaptized children and virtuous pagans are placed. Virgil is one of these souls, who lived decent lives but died before Christ came (in 2005-08-14T00:56:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dante-s-Inferno--27620.aspx Things Fall Apart: Significance of title and the events that led up to Okonkwo falling apart What does the title means? Things Fall Apart is a tragic novel which is set in the Igbo community of Africa. Chinua Achebe, who is the author of this novel, portrays how an ambitious, well known, and respected African, Okonkwo, life falls apart. He was a man with great intensity and personality. He had accomplished his goal to become rich and famous, an advantage that was unseen before in his family. Okonkwo's life first began to fall apart when Ikemefuna, a prisoner who stayed at Okonkwo's home, was killed. Okonkwo considered Ikemefuna as one of his own sons. He was truly saddened when he was killed. There were quite few effects on Okonkwo from that horrible event. At first, Okonkwo was not able to sleep for days. He also kept on getting drunk, and that was a sign that he was miserable. Another thing, his family would look at him as if it were his fault that Ikemefuna is dead. This can be seen as an event where Okonkwo looses belief from his family. This relates to Okonkwo loosing faith in his father. Another significant incidence where Okonkwo's life falls apart was when he was thrown out of the clan for seven years. From this event, one can see that Okonkwo's hopes dreams have begun to fall apart. His hopes of being a rich and popular individual had drifted away with this disturbing incident. Okonkwo had no longer had his farm or animals. Also Okonkwo lost faith with most of his friends. This goes to show that Okonkwo lost faith with his friends, like his father lost faith with his. Another episode that showed the downfall in Okonkwo's life was when Nwoye, his oldest and favorite son, converted to the white mans religion, Christianity. To Okonkwo this was very upsetting because Nwoye was his eldest son, and Okonkwo had the greatest expectations for him. When news came to him that Nwoye was among the white men, one could have foreseen that only no good was coming to Okonkwo after that. Taking a quick look at Okonkwo's life, the title Things Fall Apart goes perfectly with the book. Starting from the event with Ikemefuna, you could see that Okonkwo's life was starting to fall apart. Then, later on, when Okonkwo was kicked out of his clan, his chance of being 2005-08-14T00:51:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Things-Fall-Apart-Events-that-led-up-to-Okonkwo-Falling-27618.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee This essay describes what Atticus meant when he told Scout that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. A mockingbird is a harmless bird that makes the world more pleasant. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the mockingbird symbolizes Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, who were both peaceful people who never did any harm. To kill or harm them would be a sin. Scout's father, Atticus, tells Scout and Jem, "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."(p.69) The mockingbird symbolizes these two characters because it does not have its own song. Whereas, the blue jay is loud and obnoxious, the mockingbird only sings other birds' songs. Therefore, the mockingbird is seen through the other birds. The people of Maycomb only knew Boo Radley and Tom Robinson by what others said about them. Both of these characters do not really have their own "song" in a sense, and therefore, are characterized by other people's viewpoints. Boo Radley went through his life never wanting to hurt a fly. He left gum, pennies, and wax dolls for Scout and Jem. He sewed Jem's pants and left them on the fence so he could get them easily. He also saved Scout's and Jem's lives while risking his own. Boo was a fragile and gentle person. Throughout the novel, Scout, Jem, and Dill are curious about the "mysterious" Boo Radley because he never comes outside from his house or associates with anyone in the neighborhood. The children are afraid of him because of all the stories they hear about him from the people in Maycomb. For example, Miss Stephanie tells the children that while Boo was sitting in the living room cutting a magazine, he "drove the scissors into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities." (p.11) After hearing stories like these, the children consider him to be evil. Gradually they assume more about Boo because he never plays outside or with anyone, and therefore, the children are not convinced otherwise. Boo Radley becomes a game for the children and they act out Boo Radley scenarios that they believed to be true. These stories were based on the gossip that trails 2005-08-14T00:44:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Meaning-of-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Why-it-is-a-Sin-27617.aspx For Whom The Bell Tolls Book Report Bookreport Konstantin Heiller The Sun Also Rises There is no flabbergusting plot in this book as it doesn’t contain twists, intrigues, or goals for any of the characters and the dialogue is the only thing that moves the reader through the book. Hemingway uses so much dialogue that it seems difficult at times to follow who is saying what. The narratordoesn't often enough credit quotations with, ",he said," or, ",said Brett," or, ",Bill replied." His omitting of these credits is heightening to the story. It makes things come even more alive. As a conversation that you're hearing at a nearby table in a restaurant, the exchanges flowes, with the reader as a more passive reader than in a story written to be read instead of lived. and this story is a short glimpse into Jake’s life; his work, his friends, their trip and his love to Brett Ashley. Jake obviously has received a wound from W.W.I that causes him to be sexually intimidated which distinguishes him strongly from anyone else. He seems to be an observer who is watching the lives of his friends unfold and happen around him - completely without his participation. Jake is living a life like many other expatriate Americans in Paris. He is living at the cost of money sent from home, practising his favourite occupations such as writing, fishing and boozing. It actually is quite unbelievable how much that man drinks on a single day.. Someday he happens to meet an old friend of his, Robert Cohn, who had known for years and with who he had lost contact. Together they figure out going away for some time, Jake because he wants to go to Pamplona for the traditional fiesta and Robert because he needed to get away from his fiancee. Several months after this plan has been worked out, they go on their trip, with some friends joining them. The journey and the breaks in the different cities along the french-spanish border aren’t very amazing as the whole plot of the story isn’t. The main aspects of this novel are Jake’s thoughts and his attittude towards his company. The relation between Jake and his, probably former girlfriend, Brett pose another interesting part of the story. He is wildly in love with this arristocratic beauty but in the dazzle of the fiesta and the heady atmosphere of the 2005-08-13T05:32:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/For-Whom-The-Bell-Tolls-Book-Report-27601.aspx Beowolf The Last Battle The dragon is Beowulf's last and greatest 2005-08-12T04:13:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowolf-The-Last-Battle--27596.aspx A White Heron "Half a mile from home, at the farther edge of the woods, where the land was highest, a great pine-tree stood, the last of its generation. Whether it was left for a boundary mark, or for what reason, no one could say; the woodchoppers who had felled its mates were dead and gone long ago, and a whole forest of sturdy trees, pines and oaks and maples, had grown again" (pg 187). This quotation is the first time the readers are introduced to the importance of the large pine tree in the forest. This tree is a place that represents a symbol of life, a concurrence of a child climbing a tree to a person prevailing over obstacles in life. From the beginning of this story, according to Brandi Jones, it becomes apparent that Sylvia is falling in love with a lost hunter that she had met at the beginning of the story. Despite the fact that love is one of the human mind's most passionate emotions, Sylvia chooses to preserve the forest's inhabitants over possibly having her amorous emotions returned. The author writes about how the dangers of climbing a tree present certain objects that hold her back from obtaining her goals. Moonlight and dark branches are the objects used to lose Sylvia while she makes the comparison of the large pine tree to that of a ladder. A ladder, much like life, has many steps that are needed in order to reach the top. Sylvia’s excitement is shown by the narrator’s direct characterization as in, “tingling, eager” and the hyperbole of, “reaching up, up, to the sky itself,” representing the spirit of mankind in his or her willingness to live and accomplish something. Another simile the author included compares Sylvia’s hands pinching like bird’s claws. This shows her determined spirit raising the ladder towards her opponent, the tree, which represents life itself. As the story progresses, the passage suddenly changes into a difficult period, using the repetition of the words taller and taller associated with the tree while “sharp twigs caught and held her,” a personification representing the toughness of the obstacles that are presented to us throughout of life. Joanne Startrance also mentions that there is a simile comparing twigs scratching her like angry talons, presenting the challenge of coming through an obstacle, similar 2005-08-10T04:26:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-White-Heron-According-to-Brandi-Jones-27584.aspx DOPPELGANGER IN WILLIAM WILSON Literature is one of the most beautiful and entertaining forms of art in history. Forms of literature are never ending; poetry, science fiction, historical fiction, non fiction and horror among others. In literature the doppelganger is a character that appears quite unexpectedly and has a special meaning for one character in the novel, who is more than likely the protagonist, because he is a kind of alter ego. The doppelganger represents or embodies a side of the person which is normally suppressed, in many ways he is very opposite of the protagonist; but the protagonist feels a connection with this new comrade. In the books The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad, William Wilson by Edgar Allen Poe, and A separate Peace by John Knowles the authors each use the idea of duality to portray the psychological conflicts and resolutions of the protagonists in their respective books. In the novel The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad, the author uses the idea of duality to portray the psychological conflicts and resolutions of the protagonist. The narrator and Captain is the protagonist in The Secret Sharer. In the beginning of the story the Captain, being a rookie, is very insecure and non-confident. “… and marveling at that something unyielding in his character which was carrying him through so finely. There was no agitation in his whisper. Whoever was being driven distracted, it was not he. He was sane.” In this as in many other instances in the early stages of the novel, the Captain is insecure and indecisive about his decisions, and as in this case always second guessing himself. Upon meeting his “double,” the Captain develops an admiration of the self-confidence of his doppelganger, Leggatt. The Captain realizes that he must be rid of his insecurities and replace them with confidence, and does just so in the resolution of the book. He holds strong in his decision to pull the ship inward and allow an easier escape for his doppelganger, while his crew is cracking. “ ‘She’s ashore already,’ he wailed, trying to tear himself away. ‘Is she?… keep good full there!’” This quote depicts the Captain becoming confident and decisive with his orders, even through the most hectic times. William Wilson by Edgar Allen Poe uses the idea of duality to create a conflict and resolution of the protagonist. In the short story William Wilson, Edgar Allen Poe uses the 2005-08-08T07:37:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Doppleganger-in-Willialm-Wilson-27581.aspx Frankenstein: The Classic Harry Potter Harry Potter was a strange boy. He loved to do homework and could not wait for school. The strangest thing was that he was a wizard. And even for a wizard he was quite strange. At the beginning of Harry Potter’s journey, the young boy entered a strange new world so unlike his reality, he was utterly confused, but still filled with awe. By the end of his crossing, he entered an enlightened stage and as a result, became a hero to us all. Bizarrely, Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein in a way, abides by the same basic pattern. To many, the monster of Frankenstein became an abomination to the world. But for the few with just that correct perspective, he was something much more than a mistake. Soon you will see the lighter side of the monster, shown to you as a young boy entering the world of witchcraft and wizardry. In this essay, you will realize how a disfigured character like the monster of Frankenstein shares the qualities and follows the same pathway to enlightenment just as our hero Harry Potter did once before. The monster of Frankenstein awoke into a strange new world terrified, confused and unknowing of all the wonders around him. Awaking into a mysterious new world, the monster soon understands he is abnormal and unusual compared to the typical man. Even from the eyes of his own creator he was a hideous mess. I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion. Frightful must it be, for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world. (91) Terror was filled in the heart of the creator. Even the inventor who had the power to produce such a man was worried of its presence in this world of his. But still this knowledge did not stop the monster from pursuing a life of his own. He himself knew he is capable of much more than mockery and ridicule. Just as Harry Potter did when he realized he was a 2005-08-08T07:34:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-The-Classic-Harry-Potter-27580.aspx “’Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman,” “’Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman,” by Harlan Ellison illustrates a futuristic society governed by time. In 2389, when the story takes place, man has become so obsessed with punctuality, that if one does not posses this quality, he can be punished by death. Those who become heroes and strive to save the world from destruction by the clock become enemies by the world because they are non-conformists. This is the case for Everett C. Marm, or better known as the Harlequin, who tries in vain to transform the unacceptability of the regulations. Harlan Ellison introduces to us the idea of serving society in various forms. The reader sees that many in society have transformed into that which society believes. There are many ways in which people respond to society, some follow without question and others do what they feel is right, despite the consequences. Ellison uses specific examples of imagery, diction, and characterization to illustrate the importance of reform in society. Ellison used imagery to display the Harlequin’s rebellion as well as the societies actions and thoughts. In illustrating the robot-like lives of his society, Ellison wrote, “He could hear the metronomic, left-right-left of the 2:47 shift, entering the Timkin roller-bearing plant in their sneakers… he heard the right-left-right of the 5:00 AM formation, going home.” This quote shows the punctuality of the people, as well as the organization of the strict society they live. The shift was not 2:45, but rather exactly 2:47, not sooner or later. In addition, the workers that were arriving took steps “left-right-left” whereas the ones going home walked “right-left-right.” This allegorizes exactly how over-organized society was. There was so much control over the people that they no longer did what they wanted to, or what they felt was right. They automatically did what law said to, forgetting their own feelings and opinions on whether or not the laws were morally correct. When Marshall Delahauty had received his “turn-off message,” he tried to escape. As he ran away, “his heart stopped, and the blood dried up on its way to his brain, and he was dead that’s all.” This shows the reader the extreme control of the Ticktockman. He had the power to end the lives of people as he pleased. Not only that, we are shown the insignificance of these people in society, which is seen when the author wrote, 2005-08-07T06:55:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/“’Repent,-Harlequin-’-Said-the-Ticktockman,”-27574.aspx Oedipus Rex Summary Report Laius and Jocasta were King and Queen of the Great City of Thebes. After they bore a child they took him to an oracle to see what was to become of him. But the oracle said, “You will slay your father and marry your mother.” Fearing the oracle, Laius and Jocasta delivered Oedipus, their infant son, to a servant, with orders that he be killed. The servant took the baby into the wilderness, but could not bring himself to carry out the command. Instead, he turned the child over to a Corinthian herdsman, who in turn passed the little boy on to Polybus, King of Corinth, who adopted him as his own son. Oedipus was thus raised to believe that he was the natural son of Polybus. Pride being his downfall and fate nipping at his heel Oedipus was oblivious to the irony that surrounded himself in Sophocles play Oedipus Rex . Oedipus's life began to unravel the day he overheard an oracle repeat to him the unthinkable prophecy that he would someday kill his father and marry his mother. Supposing that Polybus was his real father, Oedipus determined to leave Corinth so as not to remain anywhere near Polybus, left Corinth and traveled to Thebes. In his travels, Oedipus came to a place where three roads meet. There he became caught up in a violent argument with a band of travelers. He managed to kill all but one of his attackers, but remained oblivious to the tragic irony of this triumph. Among the men he had slain was Laius, his true father. Later, the prophecies completed their awful and ironic cycle of fulfillment when Oedipus undertook a mission to save Thebes, [still acknowledged as his native city] from some female monster called the Sphinx. Of all the unlucky heroes to make the attempt, Oedipus alone was able to answer the riddle that was put in front of many mockingly along the Theban roadside by the winged lion-woman. "What goes first on four legs, then on two, and then on three?" The Sphinx had ravenously devoured all those brave and foolhardy souls who gave her wrong answers, but Oedipus, with the simple answer, "Man," gained the power to finally destroy her. The grateful people of the city quickly claimed him as King, and in time, he met, fell in love with, and married his own mother, Jocasta. 2005-08-07T06:47:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-Rex-Summary-Report--27573.aspx Symbolism in Ernest Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea, Thesis Paper In Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway uses symbolism to portray the traits of the main characters in his stories. Hemingway uses symbols to give the reader a better look and an easier understanding of what the book is about. The use of symbolism in his books gives them deeper meaning sort of like a lesson. Hemingway places symbols, leaving the reader to look deeper into the obvious plot of the play. The symbol of courage and determination is used in Old Man and the Sea. Stated above, Hemingway portrays the men in this book with very dominant and strong characteristics. In Old Man and the Sea, the old man, Santiago, is a very old fisherman who doesn't have good luck when it came to fishing. One day, when he is out at sea, he hooked a great marlin and realizes he is unable to quickly kill the fish, and it proceeds to tow him farther out to sea. "Now we are joined together and have been since noon. And no one to help either one of us" (Hemingway 50). The old man and the fish are both mere inhabitants of Gulf Stream, bonded by the fact that they are at the mercy of the sea. Santiago then says," You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother." (Hemingway 92) The way Santiago says the statement sounds like he will do anything to catch the fish and even risk his own life. It takes courage to risk your life In the opening lines of the book Hemingway uses the numbers "eighty-four" which is seven times twelve, the two great "epic numbers" which have been incorporated into many Biblical text. The second line, where Hemingway uses another epic number forty, which was the number of days and nights Jesus spent in the desert. The scars on the old man's hands are introduced in an opening description of Santiago. His hands "had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert" (Hemingway 10). Later, during his encounter with the marlin, the line cuts his right hand when the 2005-08-05T03:25:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-Ernest-Hemingway-s-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-27558.aspx Time in Toni Morrison's "Song of Solomon" The history of Black America is one that has been stolen, lost and largely forgotten over the past two centuries. Through slavery and more recently the Apartheid-like era of Jim Crow laws, black history has been clouded over with oppression and hatred. Toni Morison's Song of Solomon is an attempt to explore the muddled path of history through the confused life of Milkman Dead. Morrison places Milkman in a world full of characters that are looking toward the future and leaves him to ponder his past. Soon, it is apparent that Milkman is flowing against the tide; his future lies not in front of him, but instead in the history of his people. In a world of characters seeking wealth and retribution, Milkman seeks personal fulfillment. His future, his search to understand his heritage is one that will always link him to his past. In Milkman's journey, he himself is the embodiment of the past, and the past lives silently in the present, while at the same time it is in a constant stage of change and decay. Morrison places Milkman in a world that is obsessed with looking to the future. The future is what is at hand, and future is where dreams lie. His father, Macon Dead, is passionate about the future. Macon is constantly searching for more ways to squeeze money out of real estate. He has forgotten his past, his black heritage, and is striving for riches. His goal is to earn as much money as he can, and thus reach the epitome of whiteness - wealth and well-being. Milkman's concentration on things past first conflicts with his fathers search for future wealth during their trip to Honoré. The only place that Milkman could sit was in the front seat between his parents, and "it was only by kneeling on the dove gray seat and looking out the back window that he could see anything other than the laps, feet, and hands of his parents" (32). While Macon is thinking to the future, about "buying and the renting"(32), Milkman is looking out the back window. When everyone around him is looking forward, he is gazing towards the past. He is fixed on the path that Macon has taken. While Milkman's focus towards the past finds its primary conflict with Macon's focus towards the future, it obstructs his other relationships as well. At this 2005-08-05T03:24:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Time-in-Toni-Morrison-s-quot-Song-of-Solomon-quot-27557.aspx " Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe's An analytical look at why the village of Umofia fell apart. Faith has always been a guiding force in man's life. Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart is a story that describes the effects of a new Christian religion in a tribal village of Africa. The tribe has their own language, known as Obi, a dignified culture and a value system that has continued for many years as they trace back into their ancestry. Yet, voids that this culture can no longer fill for modern tribesmen enable white missionaries to intrude upon this system and convert many of the tribe's younger members to the Christian faith. The tribal system falls apart because younger members are unable to remember persons of the past, unable to relate to violence when they have lived in safety and peace and are uninterested in a faith that does not fulfill their needs for music, joy and love, instead of discipline of a higher being. Okonkwo, the protagonist of the story, could remember to "another time" when children, like his own son Nwoye, were not lazy. He could also remember the indolence of his own father, Unoka, and that his father had not received any titles as a clansman. He was determined to be a respected farmer of yams to ward off the shame of his unsuccessful and dishonorable father. Fortunately, among these people a man was judged by his worth and not according to the worth of his father... As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings. Okonkwo had clearly washed his hands and so he ate with kings and elders. (page 8) This was Okonkwo's motive in life and so he remained prosperous throughout his life and worked hard to prove to others that he was not the same man as his father. Unfortunately, this was not the feeling shared by many in the clan and Okonkwo, in trying to make-up for his father's mistakes, took on the responsibilities of an old man as a young boy and had the mind set of an elder in the community because as was stated, those were the people he ate his meals with and held his discussions with. 2005-08-05T03:18:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Why-Umofia-Fell-Apart-in-Things-Fall-Apart-27554.aspx [i:5511a9d18a]"King Oedipus" and "Things Fall Apart": Talk about how these tragedies are similar in structure and how both demonstrate their belief in heroes who posses a tragic flaw.[/i:5511a9d18a] Many ancient societies have a record of tragic tales that observe problems of human life and the nature of the gods. For instance, both Greek and Nigerian tragic tales of King Oedipus and Things Fall Apart prove to be similar in structure. Both civilizations demonstrate their belief in tragic heroes who posses a tragic flaw as well as a belief in the ultimate powers of their gods. In Greek tragedies, the audience was often familiar with the storyline, so the authors had to incorporate tragic traits of heroes and climactic plot structure for the audience to be in suspense. The structure of the prologue, plot, and the characteristic of the protagonist in Things Fall Apart and King Oedipus help the authors arise the emotion of suspense in the reader. The prologue, or the brief introduction, of both stories establishes the background of the story in order to begin in media res. In King Oedipus, Sophocles sets up the background information and gives the reader a sense of the present situation. Quickly, the Priest announces the purpose of the story when he explains that blight has taken over Thebes and has caused famine in the country. Oedipus pledges to find and punish the murderer of King Lais to stop the curse on their land. Sophocles assumes the audience is familiar with this tragic story, so he presents this information to the reader for the effect of dramatic irony to work properly. Similarly, in Things Fall Apart, the first chapter acts as an introduction as it presents details about life and culture in the Nigerian area during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The legends of the fight with a spirit of the wild by the founder of the village and social rituals dealing with kola nuts and alligator pepper help familiarize the reader with the society. Achebe also sets up Okonkwo's character and social standing. Many townspeople respect him for his strength and noble virtues. The tragic heroes are introduced and both stories begin in media res, or in the midst of action. The prologue has the effect of familiarizing the reader with the protagonist so that suspense builds up during dramatic irony when the reader is aware of the hero's downfall before the hero 2005-08-05T03:18:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-of-King-Oedipus-and-Things-Fall-Apart-27553.aspx Things Fall Apart, who is responsible for the division and downfall of Umoufia? In the historical novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe we gain knowledge of the African societies as they once were. Achebe shows us what happened to this particular (fictional) community in the 19th century, as the downfall of their village occurred. The book begins by introducing us to the main character, Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a strong character who is a leader in his town of Umuofia. This man has gone through many challenges in his life. It was hard for him growing up with his father Unoka who was "lazy and improvident and was quite incapable of thinking of tomorrow" (Things Fall Apart, page 4). His father was known in the village as being a failure, but Okonkwo wanted to change his family's status. He worked hard to overcome his past and never followed in his father's footsteps. He rose from great poverty and misfortune to be one of the lords of his clan. Okonkwo's clan is very religious and has very strong beliefs and customs. In this clan the men have power over their women. They have more than one wife, and their wives are bought with a bride price and defined by their husband. Okonkwo had three wives, all of which lived in separate huts with their children. Although the children lived with their mothers, they still belonged to the father. Sometimes Okonkwo was violent towards his family, beating them and even threatening to kill them. This was not prohibited, however he did get in trouble for beating his youngest wife Ojiugo because it was during their "Week of Peace", and he must make sacrifices to repent from his mistakes. The people of the clan have many folk tales and proverb's, such as this one spoken by Okonkwo's uncle Uchendu: "There is no story that is not true. . . . The world has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with others" (Things fall Apart, 130). When this proverb was spoken Uchendu didn't know just how true it would come to be. Okonkwo led a good life, he had plenty of yams planted, which were a sign of good wealth and he went on with his life changing his family's status greatly. However this did not last long, soon things went wrong. At the funeral for Ogbuefi Ezeudu, Okonkwo's gun accidentally goes off, 2005-08-05T03:17:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Who-is-Responsible-for-the-Downfall-of-Umoufia-in-Things-Fall-Apart-27552.aspx Thorough Essay Covering ''A Tale Of Two Cites'' In this book analysis, about the book “The Outsiders” by S. E. Hinton I will discuss character and plot development, as well as the setting, the author’s style and my opinions about the book. In this part of the analysis I will give some information about the subjects of the book, and about the author. The author wrote the story when she was just 16 years old, in the 1950s. The book was successful, and it was sold, and still being sold, in many copies as a young adults novel. There was a movie made about it, and today there are still many schools that use this book in junior high and high schools for English classes. There were plays made about the book too. The Outsiders is about a gang. They live in a city in Oklahoma. Ponyboy Curtis, a 14 year old greaser, tells the story. Other characters include Sodapop and Darry, Ponyboy's brothers, Johnny, Dallas, and Two- Bit, that were also gang members and Ponyboy's friends. This story deals with two forms of social classes: the socs, the rich kids, and the greasers, the poor kids. The socs go around looking for trouble and greasers to beat up, and then the greasers are blamed for it, because they are poor and cannot affect the authorities. I hope you would enjoy and learn something about the book from reading this analysis. Plot Development The plot development in the book, “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, was easy to follow. In this part of the book analysis I will give some more details about the plot development. There were no hooks or hurdles in the beginning of the book, the first sentence starts right away with the plot—without any forewords. This is the beginning of the first sentence: “When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house...” (page 9). As you can see, it goes straight to the point without any prologues or any kind of introduction. The plot development in the middle of the story was sensible and easy to understand. It was clear and simple, and the events have occurred in a reasonable order. The ending of the story was a bit expected. I anticipated the death of Johnny because a broken neck usually means death. The death of Dally was not as predictable as 2005-08-04T07:08:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Thorough-Essay-Covering-A-Tale-Of-Two-Cites-27551.aspx THE LORD OF THE RINGS Bilbo Baggins, the hero of The Hobbit, announces a great celebration in honor of his 111th birthday and the 33rd birthday of his nephew Frodo, whom he had adopted as an heir some years ago and brought to live with him at Bag End. The party is splendid, and a great number of hobbits are invited. after giving an after-dinner speech in front of 144 of his and Frodo's closest friends and relatives he puts on his magic ring and disappears, causing great surprise. He talks with Gandalf once more before leaving, and almost changes his original intention of leaving the ring to Frodo; but Gandalf persuades him to keep to his idea Gandalf warns Frodo not to use the ring. The following day Frodo is busy as Bilbo had left farewell-presents for many hobbits, and there is now a crowd of people at Bag End, many of them digging around and searching for Bilbo's imaginary treasures. Gandalf visits Frodo only a few times in the years that follow. In Frodo's fiftieth year Gandalf visits him again and they have a long talk concerning the ring that Frodo had inherited from Bilbo. Gandalf tells Frodo about the nature and the history of the ring, made long ago by Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor. Sauron is now searching for it, as by finding it his power would grow immensely so the ring should be destroyed lest Sauron should find it, but it could only be destroyed in Orodruin, where Mount Doom is. It seems that Sauron had already heard about Bilbo and the Shire from Gollum. He decides he would leave, accompanied by the young Sam Gamgee. To avoid his leaving the Shire from being widely known, Frodo sells Bag End to the Sackville-Bagginses. On his fiftieth birthday he leaves Bag End and sets out with his friend Pippin (Peregrin Took) and Sam Gamgee. The next day the three hobbits notice that they are being followed by the mysterious Black Riders, yet they do not know exactly who they are, and being careful Frodo decides not to let the Riders see them. They meet a wandering group of High Elves lead by Gildor Inglorion in the evening; and Gildor advises him to try to reach Rivendell, and that the Black Riders are dangerous. The following day Frodo decides to take a short cut to the Brandywine 2005-08-04T06:55:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/THE-LORD-OF-THE-RINGS-27544.aspx The Old Man And The Wormhole: A Review This story represents the basic existential angst that infiltrates the late 20th century American conscience. Note the theme of the threatening stranger who goes unrecognized by the innocent old man, obviously an analogue for Uncle Sam, the perennial archetypal figure so beloved of editorial cartoonists and poster collectors. He invites the "wormhole", which is here strangely personalized, although it is a science fiction concept. A wormhole is a "hole" in the structure of the universe, which the old man invites inside, and then it proceeds to, as the author puts it, "beat him senseless." On one level of course this is an Aesop-type tale, telling us, "Beware of strangers." But on another level, it could well represent a warning to the voters who elected Republicans to the House and Senate, a message of distrust; the Republicans, of course, being the wormhole, and as we pointed out before, the old man representing the United States via the imagery of Uncle Sam. The old man's offer of baking chocolate, which is basically inedible, points up the utter impossibility of communication with Congress. Congress does not want baking chocolate; they want, instead, to beat America senseless. Yes, "The Old Man And The Wormhole" is a tale cruelly told, but someone needed to have told it. It is Kafkaesque in its inimitably challenging angst. By God, when I read something like this, something stirs in my soul and shouts, "LITERATURE IS NOT YET DEAD IN THIS COUNTRY!!"2 The Old Man and the Wormhole is an exemplary surrealist work. As such, it can be examined from multiple angles. One way to look at this is as a surrealist piece which contains its own review. The original story about the old man and the wormhole is full of bizarre events, irrelevant dialogue, and questionable imagery. Why would the old man mistake an eyeball for a hat? Alternately, why would the wormhole claim that his hat was really his left eyeball? How has a wormhole come to be walking in the woods and speaking to an old man? Why the offer of baking chocolate? "Happy Dog Potatohead" supplies a rather astute analysis of these questions, providing several possible answers that shape the allegory from a nonsensical blathering into an understandable tale with a direction and a moral. Of course, as even he himself points out, his is not the only 2005-08-02T05:59:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Old-Man-And-The-Wormhole-A-Review-27518.aspx Critical Analysis Essay on The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee William "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams shows a scene where Amanda (the mother) confronts Tom (her son) who made a grave mistake in match making Laura (his sister) and his best friend, who happens to be engaged. All this events happen within the comfort of the family home, displaying the intense feeling of something ominous just about to happen- the family conflict. This is demonstrated through the failure in the family's ability to communicate and comprehend each other. This creates familiarity within the audience as well as sympathy, as the audience is able to relate to the happenings as depicted. Sympathy wells up within them too as the break up of the family is about to happen, showing how the characters become disappointed and the sense of guilt breaks out within them, in which their only reaction is to flee from it. The extract opens with Amanda facing her son, Tom who appears to be totally nonchalant and self-righteous. The sarcasm in her tone showed the awkwardness and the escalated tension in the whole event. The opening lines "Come in here a minute. I want to tell you something awfully funny" shows how the use of oxymoron emphasize on the distant nature between mother and son, fencing a barrier between them, as a result of their inability to communicate, finally ending in the contrasting interests between them. What more, Tom's lines of "The warehouse is where I work, not where I know things about people!" shows his inability in relating to others, including his family. This stirs up sympathy from the audience towards Tom as his inability to feel belonged to someplace force him to become entrapped in his own world as suggested by the lines "You don't know things anywhere! You live in a dream; you manufacture illusions!" The use of repetition also serves the purpose escalating the building tension between the two whereby Tom turns to leave the house angrily. Amanda's incorporation of the lines "Go to the movies, go!" shows her despondency and disgust towards her son. Tom's gesture of shattering the glass and Laura's act of snuffing out the candles during which the legend on screen shows "And say goodbye" are symbolic of Tom finally snapping the bonds that he once held towards his family. With relationships needing to work both ways, this confirms Tom's freedom as displayed in 2005-08-01T07:40:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-on-an-extract-of-The-Glass-Menagerie-27507.aspx Insecurity from Security - ''Once Upon a Time''Relation If someone is insecure, it means that he or she is not confident, not sure, unprotected, or unsafe. The feeling of insecurity often leads to a heightening of security in order to ease that feeling. This is not always beneficial and can lead to mishaps and misfortune. Security breeds insecurity. A demonstration of this can been found in the stories “The Masque of the Red Death” and “Once Upon a Time”. In each story the heightening of security caused misfortune. Though the characters in the stories were attempting to create a secure environment, they made it hazardous because the security increase was too much too fast. The authority figure in each story took security procedures whenever he or she felt threatened by the outside world. In the story “The Masque of the Red Death”, the prince changed locations because he felt threatened. He took people into his castle in order to attempt to protect them and himself. “They resolved to leave means neither of ingress nor egress to the sudden impulses of despair or of frenzy from within. The abbey was amply provisioned . With such precautions the courtiers might bid defiance to contagion. The external world cold take care itself. In the meantime it was folly to grieve, or to think. The prince had provided all the appliances of pleasure” (Poe 701-702). He was trying to create a secure atmosphere. The prince had the castle secured so that no one could leave or enter into the kingdom by keeping the outside world outside. The security procedures taken by the prince lead to misfortune in the kingdom. He took his relatives and friends into his castle but they were not allowed to leave and no one outside could enter. The people developed a feeling of imprisonment in the castle. The prince was trying to keep the plague from getting into the castle but his precautions failed. The plague was able to find its way into the castle and it led to the death of the prince. In the story “Once Upon a Time,” the boy’s parents installed security devices for protection, because they had fear of their house being invaded by the evils of the big city. 2005-08-01T06:26:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Insecurity-from-Security-Once-Upon-a-Time-Relation-27496.aspx Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts, History And Production Of Beowulf Our group is presenting about the Beowulf manuscript along with the history and production of manuscripts. We each have found information on our specific topic. The history of manuscripts first began with scribes. Scribes were writers who were trained in penmanship. When the need for books grew, manuscripts were being made by students of the Renaissance "writing master" as well. Scribes have created books from within scriptoria. It started in the fourth millennium BC. The first books were made on clay tablets. A scribe would write in the soft clay using a sharp knife. If there were any errors, they would smooth out the clay and rewrite. Once the clay dried, nothing could be fixed. Along with clay, waxed boards were used. They were easier to handle and store. There was a slight advantage with using waxed boards. They could be corrected if any mistakes showed, and they could also be reused. After clay tablets and waxed boards, came papyrus, parchment, and paper books. Papyrus books took the shape of scrolls. Then, there was another advancement which was a loose-leaf manuscript. later on in the seventh and ninth centuries, parchment manuscripts from previous centuries were reused. They were shaved, scrubbed, and scoured for new writing. The reused parchments were called palimpsests. The person in charge of all the scribes was called an armarius. They served as a director, they gave instructions, gave out tasks, issued materials, and arranged all writing and art work. The rubricator’s job was to add rubrics, initials, and elegant decorations. Before a scribe started to write, they needed to follow the client’s directions. They cut the parchment into a size ordered from the client. The size depended on the purpose of the book, and the style of the period and location. Books were all different sizes because they had different purposes. There were pocket-sized prayer books to large choir books used in church. In the late seventeenth century, parchment was being used for religious volumes and collectors’ books. The invention of the printing press was in the fifteenth century. Once printing started, the format of a page changed. For example, the style of script, position of text on the page, 2005-08-01T06:13:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anglo-Saxon-Manuscripts,-History-And-Production-Of-Beowulf-27493.aspx Critical Overview Of The Count Of Monte Cristo 1. Analysis of Protagonist: Edmond Dantès Three characteristics: a. Happy: “Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss. It is necessary to have wished for death, Maximilien, in order to know how good life is to live”(441). b. Religious: “I maintain my pride in the face of men, but I abandon it before God, who drew me out of nothingness to make me what I am”(177). c. Vengeful: “I taught my arm to kill, my eyes to watch suffering and my lips to smile at the most terrible sights; from the kind, trusting and forgiving man I had once been, I made myself vindictive, crafty and cruel, or, rather, impassive like dead and blind Fate itself”(411). 2. Analysis of Antagonist: Society Three characteristics: a. Uncaring: (prison guards)“No, further on, further on! You know the last one got smashed on the rocks and the next day the governor called us a couple of lazy rascals…One! Two! Three!”(66). b. Lying: (Villefort)“If anyone asks you about it, deny it. Deny it firmly and you’ll be saved”(24). c. Greedy: (Bertuccio)“She was found the next morning, half burned but still breathing. The cupboard had been broken open and the money was gone…and Assunta was dead”(165). 3. Plot paradigm: a. Inciting incident: Dantès is jailed against his will for something he did not do. b. Climax: When he kills those responsible for him being put in jail 4. Setting: a. “Preparations for the betrothal feast had been made in a large room on the second floor of La Reserve, with whose arbor we are already acquainted”(14).Betrothal Feast b. “Into a room which seemed to be entirely underground, whose bare, oozing walls seemed to be impregnated with tears.”(27).Jail c. “They could see two things rising above the heads of the people: the obelisk, surmounted by a cross, and the two tall wooden uprights of the guillotine, with the metal blade glistening between them.”(117).Execution d. “Notice how strangely the bed is placed, look at those somber, blood-colored hangings; and those two faded portraits, with their livid lips and their frightened eyes, don’t they seem to be saying, ‘I saw!’”(216).Bedroom e. “Nothing was heard except the rumbling of carriages taking the revelers home; nothing was seen except a few rare lights flickering windows”(123).Via dei Pontefici 5. Theme statement: Only God can be truly just a. Dumas: “Monte Cristo paled at the horrible sight. He realized that he had gone beyond the limits of rightful vengeance and that he could no longer say, ‘God is for me and with me’”(403). b. Dantès: “And now, farewell to 2005-08-01T02:12:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Overview-Of-The-Count-Of-Monte-Cristo-27477.aspx Medea - Short Summary Greek audiences would have known the story of the ill-fated marriage between Jason, hero of the Golden Fleece, and Medea, barbarian witch and princess of Colchis. The modern reader, to fully understand the events of Medea, needs to be familiar with the legends and myths on which the play is based. Medea was of a people at the far edge of the Black Sea; for the Greeks of Euripides' time, this was the edge of the known world. She was a powerful sorceress, princess of Colchis, and a granddaughter of the sun god Helias. Jason, a great Greek hero and captain of the Argonauts, led his crew to Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece. King Aeetes, lord of Colchis and Medea's father, kept the Fleece under guard. A sorcerer himself, he was a formidable opponent. This legend takes place quite early in the chronology of Greek myth. The story is set after the ascent of Zeus, King of the gods, but is still near the beginning of his reign; Helias, the ancient sun god before Apollo's coming, is Medea's grandfather. Jason's voyage with the Argonauts predates the Trojan War, and represents the first naval assault by the Greeks against an Eastern people. The traps set by Aeetes made the Golden Fleece all but impossible to obtain. By Medea's aid, Jason overcame these obstacles, and Medea herself killed the giant serpent that guarded the Fleece. Then, to buy time during their escape, Medea killed her own brother and tossed the pieces of his corpse behind the Argo as they sailed for Greece. Her father, grief-stricken by his son's death and his daughter's treachery, had to slow his pursuit of the Argo so he could collect the pieces of his son's body for burial. Medea and Jason returned to his hereditary kingdom of Iolcus. Jason's father had died, and his uncle Pelias sat, without right, on the throne. Medea, to help Jason, convinced Pelias' daughters that she knew a way to restore the old king's youth. He would have to be killed, cut into pieces, and then put together and restored to youth by Medea's magic. The unwitting daughters did as Medea asked, but the sorceress then explained that she couldn't really bring Pelias back to life. Rather than win Jason his throne, this move forced Jason, Medea, and their children into exile. Finally, they settled in Corinth, where Jason eventually 2005-08-01T02:10:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Medea-Short-Summary-27476.aspx Hills Like White Elephants - Symbolism to Portray Theme In Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants the girl (Jig) and the American man are discussing the possibility of Jig, getting an abortion. Hemingway uses "Hills" as a pregnant woman's stomach and the "White Elephants" as unwanted gifts. The girl decides not to go through with the abortion in this story. This is shown through the choices they have to choose from, their feelings about the abortion, and the reactions of the American man in the end. Jig and the American are at a train station during a short pause in their trip. The trip was not explained in the story, but the stop lasted only a few minutes. The train journey presents them with a decision that must be made. There are two things that they can do: they can continue with their trip or they can choose to go back home. The pregnancy can be looked at in a similar manner, an obstacle in their lives. One set of tracks leads to the abortion and the other set leads to the way things were. The decision has to be made now. There is no turning back once the decision is made. The train is stopping for only two minutes. But like a train ride they can only go in one of these two directions. As seen in the story Jig realizes that if she gets the abortion that she will never be able to get the baby back. Jig decides to go with her own feelings about what to do about the baby and to take the steps to lead the most rewarding life. One side of the station presents a land barren of life, which could represent abortion, while the other side presents a fertile field, an image that can be associated with life. Jig and the American have very different feelings about having an abortion. According to the story, they are separated from the people that are inside the bar by the bamboo bead curtain. The curtain symbolizes the differences in Jig and the American; mainly the girl's desire to have the baby and the American's desire to have an abortion. When the girl reaches out and takes hold of two of 2005-08-01T02:04:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hills-Like-White-Elephants-Symbolism-to-Portray-Theme-27473.aspx The Color Purple Report The Color Purple is a fictional story about black women in abusive relationships that try to gain their independence. This book let’s the reader in on Celie, the main character’s, life. She starts out as a poor, pathetic object and becomes a self-confident loved woman. At the time of publication, The Color Purple was a very controversial novel. Many thought it was a bad portrayal of men and whites. Alice Walker, though, tries to focus on “womanism” which is a main topic in her books. The Color Purple is about a poor black girl, Celie in the early 1900’s. The unique format of all letters from Celie to God give us an insight into her life. The reader is able to follow Celie through years of growth and maturity. The book begins with the reader finding out the protagonist, Celie, was raped by a man known as “Pa” and gets pregnant twice by him . Soon after her mother dies, Celie is left with the role of housekeeper and is soon forced to marry Mr._______, a man with many kids. This man, whom the reader only knows as “Albert ______”, is really in love with Nettie, Celie’s sister and only friend. “Pa” convinces him Celie would be more efficient as far as child-rearing is concerned. Her relationship with Mr._____ is very similar to the one with her “Pa.” Soon, Celie learns about Shug, her husband’s mistress. Shug is everything Celie isn’t and comes to their household sick forcing Celie to be her servant. Shug is an important character in the book. Celie begins to see other woman in her life and is jealous of their independence. They are not in the same kind of relationship she and Mr._____ are in. Shug shows Celie new things and allows he to enjoy life a little more. Celie soon learns her husband had been hiding letters that were from her sister, Nettie, who she assumed was dead. From Nettie, she learns “Pa” was not heir father and that Nettie is with Celie’s two children. Celie begins to write to Nettie instead of God. With the strength of her own and Shug, Celie leaves Albert (her husband) to go to Memphis with Shug. In Memphis, Celie has 2005-08-01T01:58:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Color-Purple-Report--27471.aspx American Dream in Great Gatsby, Grapes of Wrath, & Mice and Men If anyone could portray the perfect idea of the American Dream, what would it be? Many aspects and goals must be considered before someone's life or lifestyle can be deemed a succession or failure of the American Dream. If America is seen as an Eden, or a Utopia in a character's thoughts, then one goal of this dream has been met. Chances of such thoughts are rare due to the fact that not everyone can have what they want and be happy. Individually, however, someone could feel triumph no matter how society feels together as a whole, or their thoughts about the independent character. The final aspect, possibly the most important, is finding a sense of optimism for the future. Even if the goals are not being met, as long as there is will to succeed, there is a way to succeed. There are three specific American literary works that are questionably portraying the American Dream including both Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, his Grapes of Wrath, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby. It may seem as if Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is just a story about two lower class friends roaming the country looking for odd jobs and work for pay. Lennie and George are hoping for the best of this country, yet they don't know what lies ahead, nor do they have much confidence that the system will lead them to success. Crooks says, "I seen hunderds of men come by on the road an' on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an' that same damn thing in their heads. Hunderds of them. They come, an' they quit an' go on; an' every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a God damn one of 'em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Everybody wants a little piece of lan'. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It's just in their head. They're all the time talkin' about it, but it's jus' in their head" (Steinbeck, Mice 81). Lennie and George look as if they are just trying to survive in this society, and definitely do not see America as an Eden, crushing this aspect of the dream. George tries 2005-07-31T06:34:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/American-Dream-in-Great-Gatsby,-Grapes-of-Wrath,-amp-Mice-27465.aspx A Clockwork Orange - Teenagers Have Free Will? The process of growing older is accompanied by many serious moral questions that demand mature decisions. It is free will and the capability to make choices that make us human, and it is the harnessing of these two things that ultimately separate the adults from the children. In Anthony Burgess’ novel, A Clockwork Orange, Alex, the protagonist and narrator, tells the story of how he went from being a violent leader of a gang to a boy without the physical ability to commit an evil action. It is the ironic story of one teenager’s struggle to keep his freedom of choice. Over the course of the story, Alex’s development illustrates how free will is the essence of maturity and humanity. As the novel progresses, Alex’s choice of music type changes, symbolizing an expanded awareness and a different attitude toward his position in society. In Part I, Alex returns home after a night of extreme violence and puts on the classical music. When he listens to the violin concerto by the American Geoffrey Plautus he says, “Then, brothers, it came. Oh, bliss, bliss, and heaven” (38), but he envisions “vecks and ptisas, both young and starry, lying on the ground screaming for mercy, and I was smecking all over my rot and grinding my boot into their listos” (39). A concerto is a classical piece in which a group of instruments interact closely with a solo in a very strong fashion. It is this strength that allows Alex to conjure up thoughts of violence and confirm his societal position as a youthful troublemaker. He is reflecting on the day. However, the real reason that Alex loves music is not the violent images, or the summarizing ability that it has. The reason that Alex has a passion for music is because it connects him to a powerful feeling. Through music he is able to pray and worship a higher power. Later, after he has attempted to kill himself, Alex hears Beethoven’s Ninth for the first time since he has been deprogrammed. He says: Oh, it was gorgeosity and yumyumyum. When it came to the Scherzo I could viddy [see] myself very clear running and running on like very light and mysterious nogas [legs], carving the whole litso [face] of the creeching world with my cut-throat britva [knife]. And there was the slow movement and the 2005-07-31T06:31:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Clockwork-Orange-Teenagers-Have-Free-Will-27464.aspx Uncle Tom's Cabin "So you're the lady whose book started this great war." Abraham Lincoln said this to Harriet Beecher Stowe upon meeting her in 1862. This quote shows the great influence the novel had on the minds of its readers and on a nation in turmoil. At the height of racial tension in nineteenth century America, Stowe revealed the sufferings and hardships the slave was forced to endure. Stowe used passionate and sometimes exaggerated thoughts and stories in the book in an effort to prompt abolitionist action. In the novel, Stowe used strong-minded women that sent a message to female readers that they also can take action against slavery. Although Stowe was on the side of the slave, she sometimes exhibited a paternalistic attitude that made her seem somewhat racist. Uncle Tom's Cabin is "profoundly feminist in its implications" because of the opinionated female characters that voiced their beliefs and showed moral superiority over their male counterparts. Stowe established that both women and slaves were victims of male domination, and she depicted women in the novel that were led to their abolitionist views by their moral and Christian beliefs. Because of the stereotypes and paternalistic attitude she exhibited, Stowe sometimes seemed racist against the class she was fighting for. At times, Stowe took the viewpoint of the white and looked down on her race. By comparing whites to blacks, Stowe contradicted her main theme of the novel, equality. "It was rather natural; and the tears that fell, as he spoke, came as naturally as if he had been a white man (134)." Stowe referred to many stereotypes of blacks during the era through her descriptions of the slaves. Aunt Chloe was portrayed as the stereotypical slave-woman. "Her whole plump countenance beams with satisfaction and contentment from under her well-starched turban (25)." Topsy was portrayed as foolish because of Stowe's description of her song and dance. "…Spinning round, clapping her hands, knocking her knees together, in a wild, fantastic sort of time…and finally, turning a summerset or two, and giving a prolonged closing note, as odd and unearthly as that of a steam-whistle, she came suddenly down on the carpet (260)." Although to a small degree, Stowe appeared to be looking down on her race at times. Because of the strong-minded and opinionated female characters Stowe portrayed, Uncle Tom's Cabin is "profoundly feminist in its implications." Through their devoted Christian 2005-07-31T06:23:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Uncle-Tom-s-Cabin--27462.aspx Ed Anger's "Fry Death Row Creeps in Electric Bleachers" In Ed Anger’s essay,”Fry Death Row Creeps in Electric Bleachers,” he talks about an idea he came up with that would execute killers and rapists quicker and easier. Anger says to have electric bleachers to fry hundreds of killers and rapists at one time. I believe Anger has come up with a winning idea that will clean jails out. The specific points that I agree with are the idea of the electric bleachers, the quantity of prisoners, and the cost of housing these prisoners. The idea of the electric bleachers would be rather effective in my opinion. Anger says,” just file’em into these cheap seats at gun point (422). We could set up the bleachers with high voltage wires and maybe spray the killers and rapists down with water before seating them down. That could also be an idea added to Anger’s. All these inmates would be seated single file, filling up every row of these bleachers to the very top. Setting up these bleachers in an open area could also be added to Anger’s idea.. This would cut down the years and years that these killers and rapists wait on death row for their special day. We could set up one special day to fry all these killers and rapists. In addition to the electric bleachers, the quantity of prisoners would be decreased tremendously. Right now in America there are hundreds of prisoners awaiting the death penalty for various crimes that they have committed. With Ed Anger’s idea of the electric bleachers, we could execute many prisoners at once. Ed says,” We could hotwire portable bleachers like you see at little league baseball games and zap up to 500 sex fiends, murderers, and crooked congressmen at the same time”(422). I do believe that this would really work correctly and the hundreds on death row could be wiped out in one day. As everyone knows, people who work for a living every single day of their lives, all pay taxes. Tax payers pay taxes all many different kinds of things such as insurance, and social security. Taxes payers are also paying taxes which are used to house all these hundreds of killers and rapists in jails. Anger says,” and their room and board is costing hardworking American taxpayers nearly 34.7 million dollars a year”(422). I don’t really believe that taxpayers 2005-07-31T05:52:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ed-Anger-s-quot-Fry-Death-Row-Creeps-in-Electric-Bleachers-27459.aspx Naturalism and Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat" Naturalism is frequently cited as one of the dominant literary movements of 19th century America. Naturalism aimed at a detached, scientific objective portrayal of a natural self controlled by instincts and ruled by passion. Since a self was not perceived to have free will, naturalism debunked moral judgment. Historically, naturalism is perceived to have been more inclusive but also less selective than realism (Hart 525). Naturalism was boxed-in by a determinism established by Darwinian theory and Marxist economics. The compelling writings of Stephen Crane which celebrate a fierce self battling against the harsh elements of its environment offer a striking example of American naturalism. In Crane's often anthologized short story "The Open Boat", the careful reader can detect Crane's careful mixing of naturalist elements which results in one of the most powerful American tales ever told. Beginning with its compelling and often cited opening line, "None of them knew the color of the sky" (Lauter 715), "The Open Boat" functions as a tour de force. None of the four men bobbing helplessly about the ocean know the color of the sky because they are so intent on survival. Crane immediately sets the tone for this harsh tale by suggesting that there can be no room for a tourist's observation or aesthetic appreciation when one is battling for one's life. Crane indicates that he has lifted his tale from actual facts. In attempting to render the struggles of four men set adrift in a small boat bouncing about on rough waters, Crane frame his tale according to the dictums of naturalism. In order to underscore the reality of the dangers which accost them at the toss of every wave, from the beginning the reader senses that not every man will successfully arrive on shore. One of Crane's naturalist techniques is to present inanimate objects as if alive. The boat in which the four men ride is described as if a "bucking bronco" (Lauter 715). Yet set against this animation of the objects and environment in which they find themselves trapped, these men are continually assaulted by an ominous and pervasive "greyness" (Lauter 714-5). The waves are described to be like "slate" in the first paragraph (Lauter 714). Crane coyly adds that although none of these men know the color of 2005-07-31T05:47:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Naturalism-and-Stephen-Crane-s-quot-The-Open-Boat-quot-27458.aspx Reflections On Citizen Acts In ''Soul Of A Citizen'' Citizens everywhere have different opinions and beliefs that can probably change their community, city, or even state. By voicing different opinions and by the actions that we the people do, all this is possible. In chapter 1, Making Our Lives Count, the story about Virginia Ramirez, “I Never Knew I Had It”, and her determination to make something of herself and her community really affected me. She showed everyone, including her husband and most importantly herself, that anything is possible. Even though it all started out with one elderly neighbor dying, a large change doesn’t just come like that. Virginia got her education, brought the problem up to a local volunteer group, COPS, and eventually became the lead speaker for the group. With time, she received an award for all the hard work she had done. To me, Virginia is an excellent role model for anyone. She got her priorities straight, found a task and took it to the end. This story makes me think what would happen if there was something wrong at the WNEC community that I saw wrong and wanted to change. Even if it weren’t as big of a change as Virginia’s, it would still take courage to participate in citizen involvement. The story that I just talked about affected me so much because I went through a similar thing with my hometown of Ludlow, MA. My town was planning on getting a budget cut for all school activities including the ones that I was in. Well, a bunch of other furious teens and I went to the town meeting and protested to the budget cut. I wouldn’t have cared because I was a senior at the time, but those activities I was were on my record and if they were abolished then I would have nothing to back me up in my college career. Virginia Ramirez said on page 19, “I’m preparing my future,” That quote really stuck out at me because my future was all I could think about when they threatened with the budget cut. With time, effort and a lot of town meetings the town overruled the proposal and we kept our sports and activities. It took citizen involvement and effort to change that. It wasn’t adults who made this 2005-07-31T05:38:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Reflections-On-Citizen-Acts-In-Soul-Of-A-Citizen-27457.aspx Jurassic Park Summary Report Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton is a thrilling, science fiction novel. It tells the story about the cloning of dinosaurs, which are to be controlled in a theme park, however one man’s greed, drove the park into devastation and destruction. I consider the plot to be complex. The novel is based upon a theme park featuring dinosaurs, which are created from prehistoric DNA. The novel begins with bizarre attacks from bird like creatures. John Hammond a wealthy, elderly man establishes this park. However, before the park is to be opened, Hammond invites three scientists to come visit the island to approve of it. They are Alan Grant a Paleontologist, Ellie Sattler a Poleobotanist, and Ian Malcolm a Mathematician. Hammond also invites his two eager grandchildren, Tim and Lex, to come explore the park. While they are visiting they separate into groups to take a tour of the park. They depart in electric-run land cruisers. While they are examining the surroundings around them Tim and Lex notice raptors leaving on a boat to go to the mainland. Meanwhile, a rival company is paying a disgruntled employee at the park, Dennis Nedry, a million and half-dollars to steal dinosaur embryos. After Nedry has followed through with the plans the security system is shut down leaving the electricity shut off. Grant and the rest of his company are now stranded in the park. Their land cruisers break down on the perimeter of the tyrannosaurus padlock. The group is terrified to find that the fences are not electrified and that the t-rex has escaped. The t-rex attacks the vehicle with the children in it and the remainder of the people are killed or manage to escape. Grant, Lex, and Tim are unfortunately now trapped in the park together. While they are in the park they have to hide and run from many dangerous predators. Whilst trying to reach safety Grant observes eggshells. This causes him to anticipate that the dinosaurs in the park are breeding. Grant was told that this could not be possible considering the park had only female dinosaurs in it. Grant brings the eggshells with him to provide evidence that they are in fact breeding. Grant believes that when dinosaurs are all of the female gender and therefore don’t have any one to mate with, they are capable of randomly changing their sex. The people who survive 2005-07-31T05:07:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jurassic-Park-Summary-Report-27455.aspx Zora Neale Hurston's short story “Sweat” - Religious Symbols Zora Neale Hurston’s short story “Sweat” is filled with many moral and religious symbols. This story is about a common black, hardworking woman in the South and how she clings to her faith in God to see her through the hardships caused by her unfaithful and abusive husband. Throughout this story there is religious symbolism that illustrates how Delia and Sykes Jones are two people on opposite ends of the moral scale, yet tied to each other by marital vows that no longer depict their love for one another. Delia Jones is a hard workingwoman who uses her faith in God to guide and protect her from her husband's harsh physical and emotional abuse. From the very beginning of the story, Delia shows how she takes pride in her work, her meek personality, and her strong faith in God. Delia is shown as being physically weak from many years of hard work and abuse from Sykes, yet she is spiritually strong. Throughout the story we read about her worn hands and knees, and the physical beauty that she once possessed. Completely opposite of Delia's character is her husband, Sykes. Sykes Jones seems to be against Delia in his every word and action. He is physically abusive toward his wife, non-virtuous in that he is disloyal, and he takes advantage of Delia's hard work by spending the money that she makes on his fat girlfriend Bertha. While Sykes is physically strong and has no faith in God, Delia's strength lies in her religion and modest patience of her husband, which proves, in the end, to win out over his monstrous strength and abusive attitude. Certain objects and situations in the story suggest the influence of religion. The white clothes Delia washes in the story are symbolic of her character. White represents her worth and saintly tendencies as she respectfully tolerates Sykes' torture. The religious connection of snakes and evil is established in two instances in this story. Sykes at one point uses a whip to scare Delia by rubbing it on her and making her think it was a snake. This is when we first learn how deathly afraid of snakes Delia is. She screams, “Sykes, why you throw dat whip on me like dat? You know it would skeer me—looks just like a snake, an’ you knows how skeered Ah is of snakes.” 2005-07-30T09:34:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Zora-Neale-Hurston-s-short-story-“Sweat”-Religious-Symbols-27449.aspx The Impact Of The Phenomena in Shelley's Frankenstein PROMPT:[i:c18d9eb734]Refer to volume one, chapter four, from the third paragraph, “One of the phenomena” to the end of the chapter. What impact does this passage have on you and how is this achieved?[/i:c18d9eb734] This passage is one in which Victor Frankenstein describes the birth of his creature. Frankenstein’s words and memories reflect his feelings towards his newborn child. This essay will examine Victor Frankenstein's words, feelings and attitude towards his new companion and also his creation. Shelley uses this twelve paragraph passage to gain the trust of the reader towards Frankenstein and to also make the reader disapprove of the creature. Shelley tries to make the creature seem inanimate and worthless when Victor Frankenstein tells Robert Walton about his ‘experiment’. Frankenstein refers to the creature as ‘a daemon’, ‘lifeless matter’, ‘a frame for the reception’, ‘the being of gigantic structure’, ‘about eight feet in height’, ‘the lifeless clay’ and ‘the great object which swallowed up every habit of my nature’. Every one of these quotes infers that the creature is a terrifying being who does not resemble a human at all. These descriptions are ones which would describe a hideous fiend. Frankenstein and Shelley use these descriptions to ensure that Robert Walton and also, more importantly, the reader, can gain a prejudice towards the creature on account of Frankenstein’s attitude and the creature’s depressing countenance. Frankenstein knows that Walton is very gullible as he is very lonely and will believe everything that Frankenstein tells him. This is backed up when Walton writes: “I have found a man who, before his spirit had been broken by misery, I should have been happy to have possessed as the brother of my heart” (letter 4) It is obvious that Victor Frankenstein has reconstructed Walton’s views of the creature. Walton describes him as ‘ apparently a gigantic structure’, ‘savage inhabitant’. This shows that Robert Walton has a natural opinion based on appearance. As Walton acts as the narrator, his views influence the reader. However, due to his split personality, we must ask ourselves as to whether or not, we trust him. His loneliness forces him to side with Frankenstein. Walton and Frankenstein both share a determined pursuit of knowledge which incorporates the ideas by which Mary Shelly lived. Her father, William Godwin (1756-1836), a radical philosopher and novelist, strongly objected to the pursuit of her happiness, upon the marriage to a leading 2005-07-29T07:02:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Impact-Of-The-Phenomena-in-Shelley-s-Frankenstein-27443.aspx "Salvation", Langston Hughes Langston Hughes paints a picture of himself as a little boy whose decisions at a church revival directly reflect mans own instinctive behavioral tendencies for obedience. A young Langston whose congregation wants him to go up and get saved, gives into obedience and ventures to the altar as if he has seen the light of the Holy Spirit. Hughes goes on to say: " So I decided that maybe to save further trouble, I'd rather lie, too, and say that Jesus had come ,and get up and be saved ." In saying this, Langston has obviously overlooked his personal belief to meet the level of obedience laid out by the congregation. It leads us to fact that people may believe strongly in an idea or thought but will overlook that belief to be obedient. One can make a justified assumption that everyone in society has at one time or another overlooked his or her personal feelings to conform this occurrence whether it is instinctive or judgmental is one that each individual deals with a personal level. He was a young boy who wanted to see Jesus, who wanted to earn salvation, but when he couldn't see Jesus, when everyone else saw,he found himself in the terrible position of disappointing not only himself but everyone in his community.He finally "saved" himself by pretending to see Jesus . He was saved not by love of Jesus as a congregation or preacher intended but by pretending to be other that who he was. One wanders what would have happened if he didn't stepped forward? Would they have seen a frightened boy? It is hard to say. However, it is kind of evident that he was afraid to be rejected;therefore, he fall into the trap of trying to please everyone. In addition, he met the needs of no one since he deceived everybody in church and himself as well. Faith can not be based upon whether or not we receive what we want. Hughes waited long and hard for Jesus to come,and he believed that He would and should come since he asked him. Hughes wasn't ready to put trust in God since He didn't succumb to his will. Even though his little body was knelling, he didn't humbled himself. The position of earnest subservience does not replace 2005-07-29T06:05:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-Salvation-quot-,-Langston-Hughes-27431.aspx A Doll House Essay A reader’s initial view of A Doll House is extremely conventional. In the nineteenth century, a women was expected to be a stereotypical subservient house wife. The play portrays Nora as this from the beginning until her awakening. Nora’s “unconventional free and wild thinking” allow the reader to value the work for its encouragement for women to be less of the stereotype and break away from the norm. Nora begins the play as Torvald’s “doll” but ends as an individual thinker by leaving her husband and children. Nora’s awakening allows her to be viewed as a free thinking women for her time. Ibsen’s portrayal of Nora by the end of the play expresses his idea of a women thinking on her own. The start of the play portrays Nora as Torvald’s pet. Nora follows his every order, does tricks for him, so to speak, and allows Torvald to appear as a parental figure. Their home portrays a common aspect of society at this time. Women were viewed as possessions for men to take care of, and it was thought that women could not survive without the help of a man. This aspect of society is clearly portrayed at the beginning of the play. This almost too conventional portrayal makes Nora appear to be a weak and naive woman. Torvald calls Nora by pet and animal names. In present times, this is almost obnoxious, making the reader want Nora to not allow this. Instead, Nora willingly plays the role of the typical subservient housewife, allowing her to easily be compared to a child. As Torvald gives money to Nora, it seems like allowance being given to a daughter. Nora has had a sheltered life thus far. She has always been taken care of whether it be by her father or Torvald. The reader can recognize this when Nora speaks to Mrs. Linde. Mrs. Linde is going through a rough time in her life, but Nora believes everything can be fixed so easily. She thinks Mrs. Linde should go to a resort to rest when Mrs. Linde is having difficulty even supporting herself financially. Nora appears thoughtless towards Mrs. Linde but most likely is not thinking realistically. Nora believes there are few worries in her life just as 2005-07-28T07:22:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Doll-House-Essay--27425.aspx What Techniques Are Used By Bradbury And Wells To Create, Develop, and Sustain Tension Within Their Stories? Firstly, dramatic tension is a literary device designed to provoke fear, suspense or excitement in a reader. Both Bradbury and Wells use it in their respective texts – however they do not use it in identical ways. Many similarities can be drawn between the texts but there are crucial differences in the use of this device that are not so evident. Characterisation is used by Bradbury to bring many different profiles to the reader – we have the emotional bordering on hysterical Francine, Helen who appears cautious to the point of paranoia, and Lavinia who appears to be an uncaring free spirit. The fundamental differences in these characters when juxtaposed with each other subtly throw a reader off balance – we start to wonder why Francine is so desperate for Lavinia not to walk home “…I don’t want you dead” (Pg 16) – is she The Lonely One or does she know when he/she will strike next? – which provokes a series of questions which is the actual cause of the unease in this device. Wells however uses characterisation but lets us build our own perspective of his characters through his conveyed images such as “…the man with the withered arm” (Pg 2). From these we gain a sense of foreboding from these characters as Wells plays on the stereotypes of age – decay and death which makes us uneasy in the prescience of such truly disgusting people – “…his lower lip hung half averted, hung pale and pink from his decaying yellow teeth”, and again we have the question that what is an apparently healthy 28 year old man doing there anyway? Bradbury uses empathy particularly with Lavinia by firstly letting a reader get inside her head and experience her thoughts and by doing so experience the actual story by Lavinia speaking aloud, such as “ “Someone’s following me,” she whispered to the ravine”, and since she is eventually terrified we experience this terror through her actions. This is coupled with real time – how we experience it is decided by the use of Lavinia counting such as “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten steps” so we don’t become an impartial observer in her head but become someone with her 2005-07-28T06:57:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Techniques-By-Bradbury-And-Wells-To-Create-Develop-Tension-27422.aspx The Gunslinger by Stephen King The book, “The Gunslinger” by Stephen King is the first book in “The Dark Tower” series. The main character Roland who is the gunslinger is trying to reach The Man in black that is suppose to inform him about the Tower. Roland is chasing The Black in Man across the desert and goes through the Town Tull. He leaves the town and kills everyone because they were going to kill him. They thought he was the Antichrist. Later along in the story he meets a boy named Jake, who is from another world (our world). After crossing through the mountains and defeating the Slow Mutants he meets The Man in Black Roland leaves Jake to die because the Man in black makes him. After Roland finds out all he needs to 2005-07-28T06:17:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Gunslinger-by-Stephen-King-27421.aspx “Africa” Under Study “Her screams loud and vain” (“Africa” 21), “her history slain” (“Africa” 23), “two Niles her tears” these passages are filled with such passion pain and anguish that is no wonder that any person can get completely caught up in them. I, a simple English student with more ambition than skill, have been swept away by the historical reference set to a sweet rhythm. The purpose of this paper is to provide a complete character study over “Africa”, by Maya Angelou. The main character of “Africa” is the author Maya Angelou. She does this by narrating the piece. She expresses that Africa, and alimentally herself, are strong black women. She does this when she writes “…mountains her breast two Niles her tears Thus she has lain Black through the years” (“Africa” 5-8). In this passage she openly expresses that Africa is a black woman that has been repressed throughout history for what she is. Angelou also adds at the end “her history slain now she is striding although she has lain” (“Africa” 23-25). This demonstrates that although Africa has been repressed in the past, now she has stepped forward leaving her past behind her. Because of this Africa is now stronger. It is because of Maya Angelou’s understanding towards the great continent and the way she chooses to decode Africa that implies that in fact the author is also a strong but once repressed black woman. The tone in which Maya Angelou writes during “Africa” is one of pride and remembrance. “Brigands ungentle icicle cold took her young daughters and sold her strong sons” (“Africa” 11-14), implies that Africa still feels the pain of white men English enslaving her black children and “Churched her with Jesus bled her with guns” (“Africa” 15-16). Though Africa “remembers her pain remembers her losses” (“Africa” 19-20) “Now she is rising” (“Africa” 18). This means that Africa has collected her loses and tragedies and placed them close to her heart allowing her to grow stronger rather than laying down and take the misery and torture anymore. This also implies that Maya Angelou has somehow put her past behind her and is now striding forward with her own life shouting it to the world of literature rather than whispering it into private ears. The 2005-07-28T06:15:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/“Africa”-Under-Study--27420.aspx ''A Clockwork Orange'' Comparison Essay Singing in the rain, I'm singing in the rain…." As this vivacious song disappears into the terror of the night, the emergence of one of the greatest novels and movies, A Clockwork Orange, begins to take shape. Anthony Burgess's contemporary novel, A Clockwork Orange, and Stanley Kubrick's outstanding movie, "A Clockwork Orange," (Based upon the novel) have many important similarities and differences, which aid in confirming A Clockwork Orange as one of the most terrifying yet extraordinary pieces ever to be created. A Clockwork Orange is a nightmarish fantasy of a future England, where teen-age hooligans neglect the somewhat standing laws of society, and take control of the streets after dark. The novel's main character, fifteen-year-old Alex, and his three 'droogs,' (friends) Pete, Georgie and Dim, take place in all-night acts of random violence and total destruction. Alex is eventually betrayed by his so-called brethren and is caught by the police for killing an innocent lady. He is taken to prison, where he eventually partakes in the "Ludovico Technique," where Alex is "reconditioned" into a model citizen, by being forced to watch movies of things that at one time he had loved including; beating people, raping young women, and partaking in random acts of violence. However, the technique proves to be extremely harmful to Alex, rendering him incapable of almost everything. He is found and used as a political stunt by a man whose wife Alex and his friends had once raped showing that Alex is just a mindless pawn in the cynical hands of the authorities, the true meaning of a "clockwork orange." One of the important similarities between Anthony Burgess's contemporary novel and Stanley Kubrick's outstanding movie of A Clockwork Orange is the interpretation of what the true meaning of a "clockwork orange" is, which is important because it is the basis for the entire story. In A Clockwork Orange, Alex is only a "clockwork orange," something mechanical that appears organic. By this I mean that although Alex is human, and capable to say and think whatever he chooses, he cannot, for in fact he is being used like a machine by the government, doing whatever they desire with him. From the similarity between the interpretation of what the true meaning of a "clockwork orange" in both Anthony Burgess's contemporary novel and Stanley Kubrick's outstanding movie of A Clockwork Orange comes the difference in how the government 2005-07-28T06:12:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-A-Clockwork-Orange-Comparison-Essay-27418.aspx The Great Gatsby: Daisy And Myrtle After first glancing at The Great Gatsby, it didn't seem as if any similarities between the wealthy, dainty Daisy Buchanan, the object of Gatsby's worship, and Myrtle Wilson, the bawdy, mechanic's wife who was having an affair with Daisy's husband. In fact, it was felt that there was no comparison at all, because I felt that other than sharing an abhorable man, there was nothing else to look at. But after deeper analysis, there was more to their motives and personalities go deeper than that. For the most part, they both seem to have an affinity toward other men other than their husbands. Daisy has a minor fling with Gatsby that developed from past feeling they had for each other. Myrtle has an affair with Tom Buchanan that developed after meeting in a train car. Despite the fact they seem to have an indifference to the general feeling that cheating is wrong, they both have different reasons for doing what they did. Daisy cheated because she's a romantic of the worst kind; a romantic with no moral standing and a somewhat obscure sense of reality. The phrase "hopeless romantic" would be an understatement. This can be best reflected in her statement in chapter six when she claimed that she would be leaving Tom. But after Tom's statement, "She's not leaving me...Certainly not for a common swindler who'd have to steal the ring he'd put on her finger,"(140) the almost resolute feeling of wanting to leave Tom had changed. Tom went on with insulting Gatsby's methods of acquiring money, and Daisy began to go back into Tom's will. To put it bluntly, Daisy's sense of morality depends on the strongest figure in the room, which made her susceptible to Gatsby's charms when she was alone with him. Myrtle on the other hand, was simpler in her choice of cheating on her husband. She was basically going on basic attraction. Her description of her initial attitude toward him was quite significant of this, "All I kept thinking about over and over was, ' You can't live forever. You can't live forever.'"(40) Despite their contribution to marital dysfunction in their lives, Daisy and Myrtle both have husbands that love them. Even though Daisy and Tom both have had extra-marital affairs, Tom has made it clear that Daisy is the one he finds worth coming home to, "... I love 2005-07-28T06:09:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Daisy-And-Myrtle-27417.aspx Holden's Three Defining Characteristics In The Catcher in the Rye, main character Holden Caulfield displays three specific characteristics. In this paper I will be converse about how Holden very compassionate, needy and lonely. Holden shows many times in this book how he is needy, most of the time he tries to hide this trait but with some people Holden bares it all. Holden shows compassions while he watches his younger sister Phoebe go around on the Carousel, and he begins to cry. Lastly he is lonely, he never really seems to make many friends and he stays very attached to his dead brother throughout the whole book. Holden Caulfield try’s to show us during this book that he is very independent and strong, but if you really look at him as a true person you see that he is needy. The main thing that I see Holden as being needy towards is people. He loves to talk with people and is always trying to start up a conversation with some one. Even when the person he is talking to does not seem interested he goes on, and at great length. For example when he meets the three girls at the bar he continues to talk to them even thought they do not even look at him or answer any of the many questions he asks them. Holden being the sarcastic person he says, “You’re a very good conversationalist”(72) to one of the girls after he gets tired of her not answering any of his questions. There is one other thing that makes Holden needy and that is his brother Ally. Ally died when Holden was younger and he has never seemed to get over it. He often refers back to his brother talking about how he had his best times while in the company of Ally. Also when Phoebe asks Holden what he enjoys he replies “I like Ally”(171). This shows that he still relies on his brother even though he is dead. Continuing on to what I was saying in the previous chapter Holden’s attachment to Ally makes him lonely. Holden does not give people a chance. He is very critical and is always looking at the lesser qualities in people. He also loves his younger sister Phoebe and being that he attends boarding school he does not get to see her. An example of Holden being lonely is 2005-07-27T05:32:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Holden-s-Three-Defining-Characteristics-27408.aspx Beowulf's Dark Side In Beowulf, Beowulf, the great warrior, encounters three supernatural creatures that reveal the true dark side of human kind. Beowulf encounters these creatures with the driving force of greed and heroism. All of the monsters go through some events that cause them to change their behavior. Beowulf trying to fix all of those problems falls in the same "dark side" that the monsters did. The motivation of there battles reveals the dark side of man - jealousy, revenge, and greed. At the beginning of the book, Grendel attacks Herot because of jealousy. He is woken by the songs that Herot sings when the town is completed. He then becomes jealous because of the idea that everyone has friends except him. Grendel was believed to be one of the pair of monsters that was a descendent of Cain, banished by God, forever punished for the crime of Abel's death. "…Since Cain had killed his only / Brother, slain his father's son / With an angry sword. God drove him off, / outlawed him…" (Beowulf, 1261 - 1264). Grendel envies the fellowship and happiness he sees in Herot. He hates not having anyone and being excluded from the company of men. He is jealous of the pleasures that men have. That is why Grendel kills the people of Herot for twelve years. Eventually, the news that Grendel is attacking Herot reaches King Hygleac in Geatland. Beowulf tells King Hygleac that he will sail to Hrothgar's kingdom to offer help. Beowulf is received by Herot's coastal guard who then takes him with King Hrothagar. As soon as he gets to the Danish shore, Hrothgar's coastal guard awaits them. Beowulf tells the guard who he is and states his reason for coming. The guard takes the Geats to Herot. Arriving at Herot, King Hrothgar asks Beowulf why he is there and Beowulf answers him that he is there to help him. Hrothgar asks him why he thinks he can do this job. Beowulf tells Hrothgar that he has had experience in combat against water-monsters. [i:e4c75855e6]…They have seen my strength for themselves, Have watched me rise from the darkness of war, Dripping with my enemies' blood. I drove Five great giants into chains, chased All of that race from the earth… (416 - 421).[/i:e4c75855e6] Although Grendel shows his "dark side" by killing everyone because of the jealousy he has of not having any friends, Beowulf also shows 2005-07-27T05:20:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-s-Dark-Side-27406.aspx Holy Sonnet 7 - A Historical/Topical Approach As if Thou hadst sealed my pardon with Thy blood” ends a poem written by a man torn between an obsession with death and a true understanding of the afterlife. Caught up in man’s oldest paradox, John Donne creatively expresses his reverence for God through poetry in his Holy Sonnet 7: At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners (Donne). Being raised a devout Pentecostal, I clearly recognize that by bringing together events predicted in the book of Revelations and the power of prayer, Donne evokes in his reader the need to repent for their soul’s sake. The purpose of this paper is to do a topical/historical analysis of John Donne’s Holy Sonnet 7: At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners. Holy Sonnet 7 was written in London, England sometime in the late 1590’s to early 1600’s, the exact date it was penned remains a mystery. Its publication, dated 1633, reveals it posthumously, so information regarding Donne’s works can only be found in records which vary and even contrast at times. On it’s way to becoming the biggest city in Europe, London’s population was booming. “During this period, the city was the center of a tremendous expansion in trade, colonization, and finance.” “London was also the center of the English cultural Renaissance, particularly in literature, with major figures such as Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, and William Shakespeare” (London, VII, C). With the turmoil that surrounded the secular sect, many artists were continuously changing the very face of civilization. The famous English Renaissance took place between 1580 and 1660 (English Lit., IV, B). As society “increased in size and prosperity, the populations became more diverse with different social classes that varied in background and power” (Renaissance, IV, B). The Roman Catholic Church was rapidly declining spurring the growth of “many humanists” who “hoped to reform Christian society by relying on education rather than on religious faith” (Renaissance, VI, B). Humanism – “the dominant intellectual monument of the Renaissance”, included disciplines such as: “grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, and ethics”. This “conflicted directly” with the “traditional scholasticism”, which “concentrated on the study of logic, natural philosophy (science), and metaphysics, or the nature of reality” (Renaissance, VII). Much of the literature written during this era “was the result of a remarkable outburst of energy” (English Lit., VI, B). Many artistic contributors, including William Shakespeare, continue to affect various aspects of art even 2005-07-27T04:49:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Holy-Sonnet-7-A-Historical-Topical-Approach-27402.aspx RICHARD III: Devil, Beast Or Human? THE ESSAY QUESTION: Anne: No beast so fierce but knows some of pity. Richard: But I know none, and therefore am no beast. Anne: O wonderful, when devils tell the truth! To what extent is the character of Richard in Richard III presented as devil, beast or human?[/i:bb10ef8ea6] MY ESSAY: In Shakespeare’s presentation of the character of Richard III, we can clearly identify “beastly, savage, [and] devilish” qualities and characteristics. Indeed, Richard can be described as an amalgam of both the Vice and the Machiavelli figures, traditional dramatic representations of evil and monstrosity. However, some critics disagree, instead arguing that Shakespeare introduces a psychological dimension to Richard’s character, making him sharply human rather than an allegorical Devil-Vice figure or typical Machiavelli. Upon studying and analyzing Richard’s character qualities, it becomes obvious that he holds many characteristics in common with “the formal Vice, Iniquity”, a character in medieval morality plays. In these morality plays, the Vice functioned primarily as the “hell-govern’d” devil figure, an embodiment of pure evil and the ruthless opponent of God. Clearly, Richard “hath ever been God’s enemy”, in that he directly challenges and murders England’s heirs, the inheritors of the divine right of kings, who held the throne with the permission and support of God. However, although offering constant opposition to God, the Vice character was subject to God’s will, and was always ultimately punished. Similarly, as the “foul defacer of God’s handiwork”, Richard receives his deserved punishment at the hands of Richmond, the conventionally good character who fights and overcomes Richard “in God’s name.” In constructing the character of Richard, Shakespeare also draws upon many theatrically effective elements of the Vice tradition. Firstly, Richard’s grotesque appearance is a quality shared by Vice figures. Indeed, his “deform’d, unfinish’d” body, withered arm, limp and hunched back symbolise the fact that “sin, death and hell have set their marks on him”, and indicate that he is “unfit for any place but hell”. Furthermore, like many Vice characters, Richard establishes an intimacy with the audience through his soliloquies and asides, continually taking the audience into his confidence. He shares his “devilish plots” with us, and invites applause and celebration for his “deeds inhuman and unnatural”. Lastly, Richard possesses the same sardonic sense of humour and skill in wordplay as did Vice characters. Indeed, he jokes with the audience about how 2005-07-27T04:33:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/RICHARD-III-Devil-Beast-Or-Human-27400.aspx Shakespeare - Love's Labour's Lost - The Use Of Thrust Space When you ask a person to describe the layout of a theatre to you, most people show you that the stage goes on one end of the building, and the audience goes on the other, facing the stage. Most theater-goers are probably not aware that the space they watch the majority of plays in is not the only way that an audience can be engaged with the actors on the stage. In Shakespeare’s Love's Labour's Lost directed by Mark Harrison a “thrust” stage is used to being the audience closer to the action of the play. The thrust space has the audience arced around the stage, almost completely covering the front, and two sides of the stage. Only backstage is reserved for the actors, everywhere else the audience is able to peer down on the action unfolding below them. The theatrical space definitely has an impact on how a certain play must be presented to an audience. It is very apparent after watching Love's Labour's Lost that the director had to stage the action of the play to involve everyone in the audience, and not just the people directly in front of the stage. Normal blocks guidelines tell directors, and thus actors, to always keep the back away from the audience. They need to face the audience at all time, but how is this going to happen on a stage where 3 sides of your body are always exposed to the audience? Mark Harrison’s answer comes in the form of movement. In the opening scene of Love’s Labour’s Lost the actors are constantly circling the stage, so everyone gets a good view of very aspect of each character. At fisrt this kind of blocking may seem un-natural, because the characters seem to move for no apparent reason, but after careful examination, the circle-blocking is actually a very effective method of staging. Harrison planned out the first scene’s movements well, always changing the direction a character would face during appropriate beats. The characters would not circle about the stage randomly, but instead that would move opposing each other, as in an argument. The movements actually helped drive the play along and give meaning to an otherwise cluttered script, that without proper blocking nearly impossible to interpret. The first act concludes with all three male characters spying on one another, each realizing that 2005-07-27T04:09:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-Love-s-Labour-s-Lost-The-Use-Of-Thrust-Space-27398.aspx As I Lay Dying "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner consists of strange happenings throughout the story. One of the most awkward settings in the book is the relationship between husband and wife that occurred between Anse and Addie Bundren. What is seen in the beginning is that of a wife on her deathbed and a caring husband who wants to make everything better for his wife by making her wishes come true. I soon realized that this was just a masking technique Faulkner used to give us the wrong impression on how things were run. The novel opens with Addie Bundren who is dying. She tells her husband she wants to be buried in Jefferson, and as a normal loyal husband would do, Anse felt it was his duty to fulfill his wife's request. In reality, Anse is a poor farmer with five children to take care of and a wife who is in charge of the house. Anse is begrudging of everything. Even the cost of a doctor for his dying wife seems like his money would be put to a better use if spent on false teeth. "I never sent for you," Anse says, "I take you to witness I never sent for you," he repeats trying to avoid a doctor's fee. At twenty-two Anse becomes sick from working in the sun after which he refuses to work claiming he will die if he ever breaks a sweat again. Anse becomes lazy, and turns Addie into a baby factory in order to have children to do all the work. There is a need to tend to feel sorry for him because of his laziness and his urge to talk about two measly topics, a farmer's life and complete nonsense. His character seems weak, yet he makes the major decisions around the house. Addie worked as a schoolteacher before getting married to Anse. She hated her pupils and during her teaching career she would sit and contemplate the hate she felt for the children she taught. She simply did not like them and she had wished they would just disappear. The whole marriage with Anse was not a serious situation. An odd courtship happened to occur, as Anse saw her, asked her to marry him, she accepted and they were wed. That just proves why their relationship ended up being the way it was. Anse did not 2005-07-26T06:44:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/As-I-Lay-Dying-Summary-27395.aspx Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton Jurassic Park, a novel by Michael Crichton is an intellectual mind thriller. This science fiction ride is full of tension and intellect. The story is about a man filled with greed and his experimental use of genetics to create extinct life forms namely, dinosaurs. The profound themes and exhilarating plot line give society a new outlook on life and technology. The plot of Jurassic Park is both complex and provocative. Early in the novel we are told about several "reptile" attacks in the country of Costa Rica. John Hammond, an aged, wealthy, eccentric scientist and owner of the bio-genetics company Ingen, attempts to build the extreme of all theme parks. He creates his own island on the top of a volcanic landmass and names it Isla Nublar. It is the extreme of all parks, because it contains dinosaurs, which are meant to be gone of this Earth. However, before the park opens to the public, Hammond’s lawyer, Donald Genarro believes that Hammond must first get the reactions and opinions of an elite group of people. Among this group is Dr. Alan Grant, a palaeontologist, Ellie Sattler, Grant’s student and paleobotonist and Ian Malcolm, a mathematician highly fascinated with the chaos theory. Along with the group are Hammond’s grand children, Tim and Lex Murphy. These people are invited for a tour of the park and its buildings. Meanwhile, the systems designer for the park Dennis Nedry decides to turn his back on the company in his own greed. He meets with Lewis Dodgson, founder of Ingen’s rival company to receive his instructions. He is offered one and a half million dollars if he is successful in stealing embryos from the park labs. While the group of individuals is on their tour of the park, they witness some of the dinosaurs, raptors, on a boat leaving the mainland. They are escaping. Not soon after this encounter, Nedry decides to go through with his plan. In the midst of all his deceptions, he is successful in turning off the security systems to the park, helped along with a power failure. This means the tour group is stranded and the animals can break free. Coincidentally, when this occurs, the group’s means of travel, two 2005-07-26T06:23:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jurassic-Park-by-Michael-Crichton-27391.aspx The story starts off with these boys that were flying in a plane to avoid war. When there plane crashed on a deserted island. The plane makes a big long area with trees down everywhere from where it came down. The boys call this the scar for the rest of the book. The first character we meet is Ralph and immediately after we meet Piggy. Ralph learns that his name is Piggy but is told not to tell anyone else because he hates that name. But Ralph just starts making fun of him about his name right off the bat. Ralph and Piggy go for a like walk and Piggy then finds a conch shell and tells Ralph that if he blows in it that it will make a loud echoing sound. Piggy then tells Ralph to blow in it because he can not because of his asthma. Ralph blows in the conch and blows again and again. They start laughing about the sound that it makes. Then they see that other boys are coming out of the woods to find what was making the noise. They assemble a meeting and they say that only the one with the conch can speak. Then they have a vote of who should be in charge and they all vote for Ralph to be the one in charge. At this point the boys are leaning to government. This is because this is what they are use to. So naturally they do this. They always see the adults go to rules and a kind of government. So they used that as a guideline for how to handle it with no parents. In the story Ralph decides that they should make a signal fire so any plane or anything would spot the smoke and they would then have a better chance at being rescued. So they go up and start a fire but it gets out of hand and burns down some area. Then they go and start to build shelters. Jack and a few guys go off, see a boar, and decided they will kill the next one they see. They find a female pick and kill it. They bring it back and they show Ralph. But while they killed the pig a 2005-07-26T06:20:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-of-the-Flies-Essay--27390.aspx Why Grapes Of Wrath Is Brilliant The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of the Joad family, migrant farmers from Oklahoma traveling to California in search of an illusion of prosperity. The novel's strong attitude stirred up much controversy and was banned from schools and stores due to its vulgar language. This story, winning the Pulitzer Prize, is considered to be John Steinback’s greatest work. What makes this novel such a masterpiece is its use of symbolism, its description about history and its use of intercalary chapters. A first reason why Steinback’s novel is such a work of art is because of his use of symbolism. Steinback fills the novel with incredible symbolism, from Tom Joad crushing the grasshopper, to the famous turtle chapter. Also when Uncle John sends the dead baby down the river it is another use of symbolism. These symbols give a deeper meaning to the novel. When Tom Joad crushes the grasshopper it symbolizes the banks crushing the farms with the bulldozers. The famous turtle chapter symbolizes the Joad family in their struggle to reach California and the car that strikes the turtle and sets it back is symbolized as big business and the growing economy which sets the Joads back. Uncle John sending the dead baby down the river symbolizes Moses being sent down the river as an infant. All these symbols enhance and deepen the novel's meaning and are a strong factor in making this an award-winning novel. Secondly, the novel The Grapes of Wrath was such a success because of the realism of Steinback’s description of history. This novel, written in the 1930’s portrays great truth about what actually took place in the early nineteen hundreds. The dirty thirties were a time of poverty for everyone, not only the farmers. With the crash of the stock exchange and the drought everybody was in trouble. Those who were wealthier than others took land from those of inferior quality, so they could survive through the tough time. Also referred to as the Dust Bowl in the novel, the thirties were a time of hardship on the farmers with the drought alone. No crops would grow with out rain so this hurt farm families a great deal. Not to mention the landowners sending the farmers off their land, which is what 2005-07-26T06:09:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Why-Grapes-Of-Wrath-Is-Brilliant-27389.aspx Harper Lee illustrates the theme of courage in the book To Kill A Mockingbird. The book takes place in a southern town in Alabama. Most of the townspeople are racist in their views against black people. The story is narrated in first person by a young girl nick-named Scout. Her father, Atticus Finch, plays an important part in the story by defending a black person in court. This novel presents two children growing up in a biased community, often discriminated themselves, because of their father's views. Lee portrays courage in the characters of Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley. It takes courage for Atticus Finch to go against people's beliefs in order to do what he believes was morally right. The racist views of the town are against Atticus defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, and Atticus is often discriminated against for not agreeing with them. His children, Scout and Jem, also feel the hatred of others against them because of what their father's beliefs are. "But Mrs. Dubose held us: "'Not only a Finch waiting tables, but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers' ... 'Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for.'" Although Atticus is criticized for what he decides is right, he bravely ignores the disapprobation. Mrs. Dubose is courageous because she recognizes she has a flaw and that she has to help fix it to make it go away. She is addicted to Morphine and makes a goal to die free from her weakness. She goes through a withdrawal period that is difficult to survive. "Her head moved slowly from side to side. From time to time she would open her mouth wide, and I could see her tongue undulate faintly. Cords of saliva would collect on her lips; she would draw them in, than open her mouth again. Her mouth seemed to have a private existence of its own." She finishes her goal before she dies, although she dies almost right after she becomes free. It takes a great amount of self-confidence to be able to recognize that one has a flaw and even more to do something about it. Boo Radley is a reclusive person, due to being shunned the society and it takes courage for him to come out of his house, even to save Scout's life. Even after he saves her 2005-07-26T05:18:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Courage-Theme-In-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-27385.aspx Dante's Inferno (Make Your Own Hell) My hell would include those whom think without logic. If you’ve ever come across someone who thought that they could come up with a solution to anything, but what they came up with doesn’t even have anything to do with the problem you know what I’m talking about. For those of you who haven’t, which from how many of these people I’ve seen everyone should have. An example of this would be if you were to ask someone to find a way to get some sold out concert tickets, and they ask you why don’t you just buy some. This can be greatly annoying at times as I’m sure you may all know. There are three bolgias to this hell, they get worse as you find yourself moving lower and lower into the circle. Bolgia one is where you will find the slow-minded. Bolgia two is where you will find the not quite logical. Bolgia three is where you will find the deadheads. Each bolgia also has an overseer. In the first bolgia there are the slow-minded. These people suffer a lesser fate than those found in the lower bolgias for their crime was a lesser one. The slow-minded do not think completely without logic, but with a delayed logic that doesn’t kick in until about half way through the conversation. There punishment is that they are given a problem upon arrival that has only one solution and are also told who can give them that solution. However, when they ask this person for the solution they will be given a false one. They will usually run off and try this right away before listening to the other half of the conversation that explains the real solution and how to carry it out. They will be able to escape this hell only if they stay for the real solution. This bolgia’s overseer, il più falso, is to make sure that the answerer does not give them the real solution until he is supposed to. In the second bolgia there are the not so logical. These are the people that will do as I stated in the introduction, they are the ones whom give the answers that make no sense. There punishment is slightly harder than those of the above bolgia. 2005-07-26T05:04:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dante-s-Inferno-Make-Your-Own-Hell-27383.aspx The bad pig who dirtied his pen on the animal farm Bad governments lurk around every corner of the world. The revolutions that occurred in China and Russia illustrate an inevitable quality to such revolts. While most of the time revolts start out well intended, revolutions often wind up sprawling out of control. George Orwell brilliantly spells out this above view in Animal Farm, a satire portraying an oppressed group of farm animals struggling for freedom and the eventual corruption of their social order. After the pigs win their rebellion and proclaim freedom, life for the other animals is anything but what they expected; the oppressed working animals essentially trade one totalitarian regime, headed by the farmers, for another, ruled by the pigs. Animal Farm provides the reader with an insightful perspective into the danger of communism while sharpening the reader's imagination throughout. By supplying the reader with a perfect mix of action, comedy, and political satire, Orwell maintains one's interest and provokes one’s intellect. For instance, towards the end of the story Orwell describes a scene in which the pigs meet with the humans to discuss various trade agreements. The pigs, like the humans, stand on two legs and smoke cigars – activities that are completely in contradiction to the animals' original intentions with regard to their revolution. In addition, Orwell provides characters with which the reader can relate. For example, one might identify himself with Boxer, the strong and loyal horse, as a representation of the working class. Boxer acts with complete selflessness, working, fighting, and dying for the farm, the revolution. Orwell even ends with Boxer's dead body being sent to a dog food refinery. Indeed, it may even be possible that Orwell has served Boxer with poetic justice, shielding him from realizing the demise of his dreams. To maintain the parallel of war, Orwell recounts several gruesome scenes, including the dogs ripping apart other animals when they do not follow orders. Such actions allow the reader to realize that Animal Farm is not merely a children's tale about talking farm animals. Rather, it is a depiction of absolute power's tendency to corrupt absolutely and, more importantly, how such tendencies do indeed unfold in real life. And through such action the reader may discover many lessons. Orwell stresses that any major concentration of power into the hands of the few drifts towards corruption and tyranny. 2005-07-26T00:56:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-farm-book-review--27380.aspx Beowulf: Questioning the Accuracy Of Oral Tradition Throughout history, storytellers, or bards, have used the oral method of passing legends from generation to generation. This procedure is called oral tradition and is a practice that is very subjective. Beowulf is a prime example of the conflict that occurs when stories are passed orally and the origin of this first piece of English literature is still being debated. The literature text refers to the Anglo-Saxons, as well as the Jutes, as being the first to tell the story of Beowulf, but there is evidence that supports otherwise. The time period in which Beowulf was recorded (700-750 AD) is referred to as the dark-ages and the writing style is considered Old English. Given credit for make a recording of the piece is a Northumbrian monk. This may explain the source of many contradictory details that this essay points out. In the article provided, there is concrete evidence that supports the theory that Beowulf originated in England. Beowulf refers to the marshes and swamps that Grendel, his mother, and many other monsters claim to be their home. The time period, during which this legend was developed, coincides with the landscape of England at the time. Descriptions are similar to that of the area during medieval times. Not only is the land similar, but also the name of Hrothgar’s bride is one that has Roman-English origin, and the floor on which the warriors slept in Herot Hall was fagne, or a floor similar to Roman design. These details, however minor and hard to find, do provide insight into the origination of this epic poem. The initial story had to have been developed in Britain because the facts support this theory. This article only furthers the belief that oral tradition is completely subjective. The Anglo-Saxons, upon taking control of England, learned of the legend of Beowulf and chose to adapt it to include their culture and ideas. When finally written down, the poem included aspects from all different walks of life; each person who told the story put his or her own particulars into the text. The human memory cannot be relied upon to tell an exact reproduction of what it had been previously told. Human errors, as well as intentional change, always play a part in the reiteration of a story or event. The controversy behind Beowulf just supports that theory and strengthens the 2005-07-25T06:26:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-Questioning-the-Accuracy-Of-Oral-Tradition-27368.aspx Contrasting Roles Of Men And Women In Shiloh In “Shiloh” by Bobbie Ann Mason, the central characters, Leroy Moffit and his wife, Norma Jean, display markedly different personality traits that ultimately result in the demise of their relationship. Leroy is a classic static character who does not grow or change throughout the story. On the other hand, Norma Jean represents the very definition of a dynamic character as she evolves into her own woman. One of the main complications leading to the demise of their relationship is the reversal of traditional gender roles. Norma Jean spends her days supporting them both by working at the local drugstore while Leroy stays at home complaining about dirty dishes and watching Donahue. Leroy dreams and plans out ways to make their house a home by decorating it with the models that he makes. Even the emotions typically associated as male and female are switched with Norma Jean being the stolid, unresponsive half of the duo. Leroy continues to become even more emasculated by learning to sew pillows and confiding in his mother in law. Norma Jean’s transition takes on physical aspects as her exercise regimen leaves her muscular and strong as men are typically depicted in society. Another factor leading to the deterioration of Leroy and Norma’s marriage is the constant struggle between clinging to the past versus clawing toward the future. One example of Leroy’s reluctance to give up the past manifests itself in his lust to build a log cabin rather than a contemporary house. Norma Jean, with her eyes on the future, absolutely loathes this idea. She takes night classes at the local community college and exercises continuously which also exemplifies her need to better herself for the future. Leroy laments the days when the farmers used to hang around the courthouse yard and looks with disdain at the new houses in the subdivision in town. Unchanged very little since they were first married, Leroy is essentially the same person he was when he was as an eighteen-year-old groom. Stemming from this struggle of past versus future is Leroy’s resistance to growing up and Norma Jean’s fight to finally become an adult. Leroy plays with Lincoln Logs, makes models and smokes marijuana all day while Norma manages to fit in a job, exercise and night school. 2005-07-25T06:21:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Contrasting-Roles-Of-Men-And-Women-In-Shiloh-27367.aspx Comparison: Gulliver’s Travels & Animal Farm Comparing these two novels is far from hard. There is one main similarity between the two, which any sharp person can pick out after reading the two books, between the lines. I will follow on later explaining this parallelism, but before that I will list down a few facts about the two books. Animal Farm is my post-nineteen hundreds book written by George Orwell. The book is about, in a brief description, a group of animals, from Manor Farm, take on a dream unfulfilled by a pig who was looked on as being the ‘wise pig’ in their own society. This dream is to revolt against the human’s rule over all animals. They are successful in doing this and create their own ideal society. Run by the pigs, they choose that everything and everyone should be equal and should never follow out actions that humans would do in their everyday lives. The people of the society (all animals apart from pigs) start to notice that even their leaders cannot abide by all the rules they write, and from then on the story kicks off. In between the lines, there is a subject of communism, which is not the subject we are looking to match with Gulliver’s Travels, but it is what this subject belongs to on a macro scale…politics. I can say that the basis of Animal Farm’s satirising is communism, because each animal represents a individual in the communist party. For example, the pigs are the actual party, the dogs that protect them are the KGB or secret police in other words, and the rest of the animals are obviously the people. Gulliver’s Travels is my preceding 1900’s book written by Jonathan Swift. It is a satire on the pride and folly of the human race. Lemuel Gulliver, a ship's surgeon, is stranded on the island of Liliput, where is taken prisoner by six-inch tall inhabitants. Then he goes to Brobdingag, a kingdom of giants. In each land that Gulliver visits, there is a different ironic comparison to English or European politics and philosophy. Lilliput, book 1, is a rich satire of the English politics of Swift’s time. The small, but extremely immoral, Lilliputians represent the Whig party of England, whose vicious foreign policy and accusations of treason against members of the Tory party Swift despised. The small size of the Lilliputians is in inverse proportion 2005-07-24T04:56:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-Gulliver’s-Travels-amp-Animal-Farm-27359.aspx BRAVE NEW WORLD - Erasing Individuality Ruins Happiness The Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is set in the future, where government controls the people. The world in which they live is called the world state. The government control and program how the people think and act. In this society, problems are avoided by taking a drug called soma. Soma is used universally around the world state and is used to promote stability and happiness in the world state. Huxley shows how the government creates a so-called happiness but in reality takes away the individuality of the people in the world state in order to prioritize happiness. In the world state there are caste systems of community members. Each class keeps to themselves. They work and think conformly to how they are conditioned. Each of them is put into a profession according to their caste system. “Everyone belongs to everyone else” (Huxley 127) is the psychological state of the society. This quote tells how the government in the brave new world tries to create a perfect world. No one perform excessive manual labor. Everyone is the same. Throughout the story, the book shows how whenever a person of the world state had problem, they take a drug called Soma, which clouds the real world and replaces them with happy hallucination. Soma also helps promote social stability, because it controls the caste system. If one has a problem and decides to move to another class, this will make a society of chaos. Another problem with the society is that the people of the world state lack individuality. They are all conditioned by messages and artificial stimuli to respond the same way. Although all people are the same, some are made imperfectly and do have differences. These people are sent away so they don’t affect other minds. In this quote it tells how they are conditioned to be the same “On Rack 10 rows of next generation's chemical workers were being trained in the toleration of lead, caustic soda, tar, chlorine. The first of a batch of two hundred and fifty embryonic rocket-plane engineers was just passing the eleven hundred metre mark on Rack 3. A special mechanism kept their containers in constant rotation. "To improve their sense of balance," Mr. Foster explained. "Doing repairs on the 2005-07-24T03:50:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/BRAVE-NEW-WORLD-Erasing-Individuality-Ruins-Happiness-27353.aspx Women representation in Beowulf Beowulf is a story that leaves the reader no pause between climaxes. Beowulf is a non-stop barrage of action. However, as any epic tale, Beowulf provides important insight into the early Anglo-Saxon culture. Just as the great Greek tragedies provide Greek beliefs of Godlike traits and Godlike behaviors, Beowulf provides an insight into the role of women in society. In Beowulf, good Anglo-Saxon women are viewed as the ultimate homemaker. They are unassertive in their demeanor, ask very little and have the job of serving guests and warriors in the mead hall. There are two female figures we see in this story, Hrothgars wife, Queen Wealhtheow and Grendel’s mother. Queen Wealhtheow is viewed as the atypical Danish woman. She is subservient and sticks fairly close to the guidelines of a “good” Danish woman. Her foil Grendel’s Mother (we’ll call her Mary for convenience) is a monster and is strong, assertive and to top the list, a murderer. The author/composers view on the subject is fairly obvious. He (I am assuming it was a he) praises Wealhtheow, but condemns Mary. By doing so, the author is showing the need to suppress feminine forces. He does, however, offer some criticism of these views by creating sympathy for Mary, allowing Wealhtheow to assert herself in the interest of her husband and children, and revealing masculine fear of feminine power. Wealhtheow is a stabilizing factor in an otherwise tumultuous world. The term “peace-keeper” has been extended to mean “stabilizer”. The author creates Wealhtheow to embody the role of a traditional Anglo-Saxon woman, and he presents this role as the only appropriate one for Wealhtheow to fulfill. When the author first introduces Wealhtheow to his audience, she immediately falls into her role as the model woman. The author writes: "Then the lady of Helminngs walked about in the hall, offering the precious ornamented cup to old and young alike, until at last the queen, excellent in mind, adorned with rings moved the mead cup towards Beowulf.” (612-6). The author then reinforces that she is a member of the weaker gender by directing Wealhtheow to her proper position beside the king, her lord. When the queen is not serving drinks or greeting the hall guests, she may usually be found obediently following Hrothgar throughout the meadhall and "waiting for hope-news". However, as queen, Wealhtheow shows her intelligence and ability to control men. Following Beowulf\'s fearless 2005-07-24T01:34:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Representation-of-Women-in-Beowulf-27348.aspx 1984 - George Orwell's Distressing Novel on the Soviet Union Eric Arthur Blair was an important English writer that you probably already know by the pseudonym of George Orwell. He wrote quite a few books, but many believe that his more influential ones were "Animal farm" (1944) and "1984" (1948).In those two books he conveyed, metaphorically and not always obviously, what Soviet Russia meant to him. I would like to make some comments about the second book, "1984". That book was written near his death, when he was suffering from tuberculosis, what might have had a lot to do with the gloominess that is one of the essential characteristics of "1984". The story is set in London, in a nightmarish 1984 that for Orwell might well have been a possibility, writting as he was many years before that date. Or maybe, he was just trying to warn his contemporaries of the dangers of not opposing the Soviet threat, a threat that involved a new way of life that was in conflict with all that the English held dear. Orwell tried to depict a totalitarian state, where the truth didn't exist as such, but was merely what the "Big Brother" said it was. Freedom was only total obedience to the Party, and love an alien concept, unless it was love for the Party. The story is told from the point of view of Winston Smith, a functionary of the Ministry of Truth whose work involved the "correction" of all records each time the "Big Brother" decided that the truth had changed. The Party slogan said that "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past", and they applied it constantly by "bringing up to date" the past so as to make it coincide with whatever the Party wanted. From Winston Smith's point of view, many things that scare us are normal. For example, the omnipresence of the "Big Brother", always watching you, and the "Thought Police" that punishes treacherous thoughts against the Party. The reader feels the inevitability of doom that pervades the book many times, in phrases like "Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later they were bound to get you". Little by little, Winston begins to realize that things are not right, and that they should change. We 2005-07-23T07:40:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/1984-George-Orwell-s-Distressing-Novel-on-the-Soviet-Union-27347.aspx Joy Luck Club - Generational Dichotomy of Culture In a mixed race society, misunderstanding amongst different ethnicities occurs frequently. In her novel The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan asks what happens when different generations of the same heritage misunderstand each other. Tan focuses on the stifling relationships between mothers and daughters from seemingly separate centuries. The driving wedge proves to be cultural. Tan questions the role of culture in individuality and whether one can choose to ignore her history. After reading this novel, one gains a new respect for history and ancestry. Using academic literary techniques such as symbolism and characterization, Tan presents a complimentary view on heavily culture-based societies. Tan presents the generations as squaring off across polar universities. The mother generation came from a society of political and societal upheaval. The dictatorial Chinese power is turned upside down by Japanese insurgents. The mothers live solely for surviving with a modicum of dignity. They escape from a dangerous political regime-"America was where all my mother's hopes lay...after losing everything in China" (141), only to lose a definitive piece of their culture. The country is a melting pot of heritages, diluting each society to a dull broth. The daughters are of the selfish generation today. They view their Chinese history as a barrier, a road block to their dreams. All they see is the disappointment of their mothers. As Rose Hsu Jordan says, "After seeing my mother's disappointed face once again, something inside me began to die" (144). The daughters find solace from this disappointment in the secular culture. From the mothers' perspective, the daughters' behavior is cutting. Lindo Jong says, "I am ashamed. Because she is my daughter and I am proud of her, and I am her mother but she is not proud of me" (291). Both of these opinions push the generations to act. The mothers cling to their culture, the daughters shove it away. Tan portrays the mothers as embroiled to combat the secularized mellowness of American culture and the daughters as cult believers in American vanity. The purpose of the novel is to define how much culture can direct the actions of an individual. Tan analyzes character and personality in culture. The determination given derives from both political and geographical roots. For the Chinese culture in the novel, "Once you are born Chinese, you cannot help but feel and think Chinese" (306). Tan distinguishes between a 2005-07-23T07:38:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Joy-Luck-Club-Generational-Dichotomy-of-Culture-27346.aspx The story of a woman's life in China THE KITCHEN GOD'S WIFE, Amy Tan's second novel, is another story that deals with family history and relationships between mothers and daughters. Unlike her first novel, THE JOY LUCK CLUB, THE KITCHEN GOD'S WIFE takes place mostly in the past. Pearl and her mother Winnie have never had a very good relationship. Winnie criticizes Pearl often, and makes it unpleasant for Pearl whenever they come to visit. The book opens with Pearl, her non-Asian husband Phil, and their two young children making the drive to San Francisco to attend a family wedding. Everyone in the family is there at the wedding, including close family friends and relatives that have been a part of Winnie's life since her days back in China in the early `20's and `30's. An argument breaks out between Pearl and Winnie at the wedding, but before Pearl and her family return home, she and her mother talk. The story that Pearl hears from her mother is a story she has never heard before. It is a secret that Winnie has kept from her daughter for decades, for fear of hurting Pearl. Pearl herself has a secret, but it becomes secondary as Winnie's story unfolds. Winnie's modern day world was a lifetime away from her early beginnings in China. She was born to a woman that was one of many wives belonging to a man Winnie knew as her father. He was a stranger to her, never giving her the time of day. Winnie's mother was beautiful and educated, and together they lived the life of the pampered rich because of her mother's station in life. Winnie's life turns for the worse when her mother disappears for reasons unknown to the young girl. Winnie finds herself losing the protective life she had with her mother, the home she grew up in, and placed in the home of a distant relative, to be treated like a second class citizen. Her life is never the same again. Because of her new station in life, Winnie is destined to never marry, but through a fluke of fate, she ends up marrying a man that should have been destined for her cousin Peanut. However, after they are married, Winnie finds out that this husband is not the romantic wonderful man he appeared to be during the beginning of their courtship. From this point in her life, 2005-07-23T07:36:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Kitchen-God-s-Wife-A-story-of-a-woman-s-life-in-China-27345.aspx Fall From Innocence in The Catcher in the Rye In J.D. Salinger's , Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield goes through a fall from his innocence throughout his journey to his safe haven, home. One example of when Holden fell from his own innocence is when he is in the room with Phoebe and he can't name anything he likes. Holden reacts to this question by saying, "Boy, she was depressing me"(Salinger 169). The only three things he can name that he liked were Allie, James Castle, and sitting there chewing the fat with Phoebe. The reason this is a time when Holden falls is because he gets really depressed when he can barely think of anything he liked. The reason I think Holden gets so depressed is because two of the people he names are dead. That's why he is so lonely all the time. Holden finds things in common with Allie and James Castle and since they're both dead he feels, in the back of his mind, that he should also be dead which makes him depressed. Another example of a fall for Holden is when he realizes he can't erase even half the "fuck you's" in the world. This doesn't sound very important, but it is symbolic because he realizes that he can not be the catcher in the rye. His dream of shielding all the innocent children from society's harsh elements has been ruined by this one statement. Now because of this realization he comes to the conclusion that he can not shield everybody, not even half of everybody. An example of Holden trying to be the catcher in the rye is when Holden first sees the "fuck you" on the wall. Holden said, It drove me damn near crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other kids would see it, and how they'd wonder what the hell it meant, and then finally some dirty kid would tell them- all cockeyed, naturally what it meant, and how they'd think about it even worry about it for a couple of days. I kept wanting to kill whoever'd written it.(Salinger 201) Holden's final fall comes when he is in the Egyptian Tomb in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When Holden is deep within the Egyptian Tomb he feels he is in a 2005-07-19T05:51:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fall-From-Innocence-in-The-Catcher-in-the-Rye-27340.aspx Holden Critiques the Weaknesses of Society Holden attackes various weaknesses in our society. Many incidents in the novel portrayed Holden as a person with full of hate in society. He critiques everything that had happened to him, many of the situations that he has experienced come across in today’s society. His point of view on phonies; loosing a loved one; not remembering the true meaning of Christmas, are all the weaknesses in society. As we read further, we start to understand Holden’s reason for hating phoneys. The many people that Holden mentioned were phonies, one being Ackley. In chapter 3, Ackley told Holden, differently every time that he was suppose to have sex one summer. This is an example of the many people in society, lying and bragging about all kinds of things. More phonies were mentioned in this novel than pure and sincere people. Ones classified by Holden as pure and sincere are Jane, Phoebe, Mrs. Morrow and the nuns. Holden thinks that there are more phonies in society than people who are pure. This opinion is true to some and not to others and will remain controversial. Many people have lost a loved one, the way Holden is reacted is understandable. Loosing a loved one is the hardest to face for many families and friends. Leaving sadness and regret. Families, like Holden’s go through great changes, in which they must adapt to. It is hard to understand the meaning of life and death, this to Holden is impossible to accept. Keeping Allie’s baseball glove, mades him feel that Allie was still there with him, like many families who keep the belongings of their loved ones. The death of Allie resulted in Holden’s change, so to many others. People may feel bad for a long time but they have to except the fact and try to move on. Christmas is the favourite time of year. However, Christmas to Holden it’s nothing but depression because he knows what others think, people have forgot the real meaning of Christmas. Holden’s point of view is agreeable, people worry more about what to give to others and what to receive from others, that they tend to forget the real meaning of Christmas. Even though Holden critiques everything in life, however, he is still partially right about society. He revealed all the weaknesses in society. As a 16-year-old boy, he seems to understand the 2005-07-19T05:51:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critique-of-Society-in-the-Catcher-in-the-Rye,-by-Holden-27339.aspx Moral Beliefs in the Catcher in the Rye Moral Beliefs are lessons about the right or wrong behaviour that is shown in a fable or event. Everyone has moral beliefs; it is hard to name them all or to even name any at all. However, situations in society help reveal and confront ones’ moral beliefs. Like Holden Caufield, in The Catcher in the Rye, conflicts and situations in society, forced him to confront his moral beliefs. The fight with Stratlater and Maurice, the confrontation of Mr. Antonlini and the many visits to the museum all were associated with Holden’s moral beliefs. Holden is a critic in society; he believes that the major weakness in society is the phoniness. He thinks everyone he knows or meets are phonies with the exception of Jane, Allie and Phoebe. When Holden heard that his phoney roommate, Stratlater was dating Jane, he thought of her all the time. She was one or the few people Holden thought was pure and innocent. Stratlater disliked the composition Holden wrote for him about his dead brother, Allie. Holden loved his brother he believed that he was pure, innocent and lucky that he would always be carefree and in his childhood state. Holden became furious when Stratlater disrespected what he thought were valuable and innocent. When the boys fought, Holden was fighting for his morals. Holden fears change in maturity. He believed that being an adult is hard, however he tries to be an adult by going to the lavender room and wanting to loose his virginity. However, he doesn’t succeed and doesn’t fit in. When Holden and Maurice fought, Holden just broke down and cried. He couldn’t handle the situation. That meant he wasn’t ready for adulthood after all. After the fight, Holden felt lonely and depressed, he started talking to Allie believing that he was near. At that point he wanted to escape adulthood by committing suicide. He thought that once one dies, they would never have to grow up, they’ll be carefree and maintain in their own state. Mr. Antonlini confronted Holden’s belief in death when he said that, “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is he wants to live humbly for one.” It wasn’t proven that Mr. Antonlini was a homosexual. However, Mr. Antonlini also revealed that Holden don’t 2005-07-19T05:50:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Moral-Beliefs-in-the-Catcher-in-the-Rye-27338.aspx Huckleberry Finn: Conscience and Motives Would taking the organs of a critically ill child amount to a gift of life for another, causing good to come out of a tragic situation? Or would it be murderous “baby harvesting,” a grisly example of the end justifying the means? This ethical controversy over the practice of fetal-tissue in medicine, has raised heated debates, such as these, concerning the issue. The dilemma however results in a self-contradicting solution; were the outcome always ends in the death of an innocent life. Huck too was also faced with a similar paradox; where the decision to either obey society or his own conscience seemed to have no good answer. Through his judgment though, we see the growth of his character as well as his friendship between Jim. One way we can see Huck’s growth is through his response towards Jim’s running away. At the time society viewed slaves as property; making them nothing more than a possession to those who owned them. Huck however, saw Jim as a person and not as a belonging. He also clearly knew the consequences he could face for not turning a runaway slave in. “People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum - but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t a-going to tell.” (Huck, 50) Huck’s choice not to turn Jim in shows his willingness to take a chance for Jim’s freedom, and that unlike society, he saw Jim as a person. A second change that is seen in Huck is after he played the snake trick on Jim. When the innocent prank, Huck intended for it to be, backfired and hurt Jim, he felt guilty for doing it. “Then I slid out quiet and throwed the snakes clear away amongst the bushes; for I warn’t going to let Jim find out is was all my fault, not if I could help it.” (Huck, 59) Even though Huck was too proud to admit his wrong to Jim, he began to see him not just as a person, but someone who had feelings physically and emotionally. Third and for most Huck’s growth and visible friendship to Jim is seen through his apology for yet another trick he played on him. “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to 2005-07-19T05:25:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Huck-Finn-Conscience-and-Motives-27336.aspx Moby-Dick - An Adult Book of a Different Kind Moby Dick is strictly for adults, which is not to say it's salacious or titillating (which, after all, is really just an appeal to that which is most adolescent in us). No, Moby Dick is a book for people who have experienced something of life, felt the painful disappointment of easy answers, smelled the fear of their own mortality and searched frantically for a solution to the puzzle of being alive. The fact that this book is often assigned to adolescents to read is a crime. It's like assigning Einstein's theory of relativity to a class of basketweavers. A little more respect, please. A person ought to be fairly well convinced they're going to die some day before reading Moby Dick - which is not to say he or she ought to be glum or fatalistic. Moby Dick is neither. It's surprisingly witty and ironic, sometimes even charming, but underneath runs a somber current that carries along with it formidable questions about what it means to be human, how we all suffer, even when we do the right things, and how a providential God can be easily confused with uncaring fate. Melville is a master of ambiguity and nuance. His characters, who seem caricatures at first, gradually reveal a depth of complexity that has had scholars hard at work for years. From Queequeeg, the agreeable savage, to Starbuck (yes, folks, the coffee shop is named after someone), whose stalwart Protestantism is put to the test, and on to Ahab, the mad, raving, conflicted Captain, and Ishmael, the clever, pliable narrator, each character reveals a depth of personality that makes you feel you know them and wins your empathy, even as their ship, the Pequod, plunges on in pursuit its unlikely objective, the destruction of a singularly vindictive whale, Moby Dick. Is Moby Dick some mad brute, an animal driven to distraction by the harassment of its predators? Or is it, as Ahab believes, an agent of the living God, bent on punishing the sinful pride of man, or worse - a mere mask behind which hides indifferent nature, spawned by the earth to reek mayhem and destruction to no apparent end? Ahab aims to find out and hijacks the loyalties of his crew in pursuit of his answer, distracting them from the official reason for their voyage, the acquisition of whale oil, 2005-07-19T01:19:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Moby-Dick-An-Adult-Book-of-a-Different-Kind-27334.aspx Moby-Dick - This book is gonna make it! (review) Finishing "Moby Dick" goes up there with my greatest (and few) academic achievements. It was a gruelling read, but---in the end---completely worthwhile. I've been reading it for 6 months. I started over the summer, during an abroad program in Oxford, and I remember sitting outside reading when one of the professors came over, saw what I was reading, and said: "It's a very strange book, isn't it?" Looking back, that might be the best way to describe it. The blurb from D.H. Lawrence on the back cover agrees: Moby Dick "commands a stillness in the soul, an awe...[it is] one of the strangest and most wonderful books in the world." Now there are those who will say that the book's middle is unbearable---with its maddeningly detailed accounts of whaling. Part of me agrees. That was the hardest to get through. But, still, even the most dull subject offers Melville an opportunity to show off his writing chops. He's a fantastic writer---his text most resembles that of Shakespeare. And, like one Shakespeare's characters, Melville sees all the world as a stage. Consider this beautiful passage from the first chapter: "Though I cannot tell why it was exactly that those stage managers, the Fates, put me down for this shabby part of a whaling voyage, when others were set down for magnifient parts in high tragedies, and short and easy parts in genteel comedies, and jolly parts in farces--though I cannot tell why this was exactly; yet, now that I recall all the circumstances, I think I can see a little into the springs and motives which being cunningly presented to me under various disguises, induced me to set about performing the part I did, besides cajoling me into the delusion that it was a choice resulting from my own unbiased freewill and discriminating judgment." The end of "Moby Dick" informs the rest of the book, and in doing so makes rereading it inevitable. It is telling that Moby Dick doesn't appear until page 494. It is telling, because, the majority of the book is spent in anticipation---in fact, the whole book is anticipation. It's not unlike sex, actually---delaying gratification to a point of almost sublime anguish. What comes at the book's end, then, is mental, physical, and spiritual release (as well as fufillment). The book leaves you with questions both large and small. I was actually most troubled 2005-07-19T01:15:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Moby-Dick-This-book-is-gonna-make-it-review-27333.aspx Ray Bradbury is the living master of the science fiction genre. This stuff is good, written in 1953, even if you are like me and don't like science fiction. Pass on those Bush-bashing movies by disingenuous poorly dressed film-makers and go to the real thing. This Fahrenheit is called 451 because that is the temperature at which books burn, more or less, and that is what this is about. Reminiscent of Hitlerian Germany, book burning is back in vogue in the eastern US in the late 20th century. The first ironic twist is that the firemen start the fires to burn the books, generally engulfing the book owner's home, and sometimes the book owner as well. Guy Montag is a third generation fireman who starts to question the purpose and meaning in burning books. All homes have been somehow fireproofed, so no real fires occur, only those started by the fire department. Montag's wife sits home all day, watching mindless broadcasts on large screens, and complaining that Guy needs to earn more money in order to purchase even larger screens. Her ultimate objective is to cover all four walls of the living room with monitors. Guy starts to sneak home some of the books and of course, he ultimately becomes the target of his own department. He learns that he should not trust his wife or his colleagues, all of whom long ago drank the kool-aid. He does make the acquaintance of an elderly professor, an intellectual and scholar from the old days, who ultimately puts him in touch with others of a similar ilk. Perhaps most interesting is the reason givien for burning the books. Non-fiction is bad, since it is all contradictory and impossible to prove, and fiction is even worse since it is not even true, just made-up people, places, and dialogue. And dont get me started on poetry or philosophy, that will only cause confusion, sorrow, and feelings of being lost. Society has made a clear selection in its entertainment, with an absolute preference for high speed sports, action, and adventure. More irony follows as Montag on several occasions becomes both the observer and the target as he is pursued by the authorities. Then we learn from reading a book that books are not a suitable way for humanity to store knowledge, that requires dedicated but powerless and marginalized scholars involved in constant peer review and 2005-07-19T01:00:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451-9-11-7-11-1984-1999-1776-1066-27332.aspx Fahrenheit 451 - Reading is Flammable! [i:11ab1a6110]- "Fahrenheit 451" is the most terrifying book I have ever read. [/i:11ab1a6110] Ray Bradbury's 1953 phantasmagoric blockbuster "Fahrenheit 451", written at the height of the fabulist's authorial powers, is a tale of a world gone mad, a topsy-turvy America in which black leather-clad firemen race laughing on their steely Salamanders on midnight alarms, not to quench fires but to start them. The firemen of the nightmare world of "Fahrenheit 451", of which the novel's hero Guy Montag is a dedicated one, comprise an army turned against an enemy far more insidious than Flame: they mobilize against ideas, and turn their napalm hoses on the feeble paper on which those subversive ideas are printed, and on the vulnerable binding in which the paper is housed. When I first read "Fahrenheit 451" nearly two decades ago, I felt beaten down, nauseated and fatigued. I believed then, and believe now, that it was the most scarily bleak and mercilessly depressing book I had ever read. Even then, I felt the cushion between Bradbury's 24th century nightmare and what we call modern reality was thin and worn. Bradbury gave us until the 24th century to submerge ourselves in the dark, sedated, media-slaked night of "Fahrenheit 451." Looking around me, I have come to the conclusion that Bradbury was a pretty optimstic guy. Like Orwell's "1984" and Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World", Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" is a dystopian vision, a glimpse into a future America that is frighteningly familiar and yet horribly wrong. It is a technologically advanced, subtle, sophisticated world, full of high-definition television screens that take up an entire wall and beam 24 hour programming to a vacant and eager television audience, 24-hour Reality programming that serves up a TV "Family" more engaging, more lifelike, more agreeable, than their own. This is a world where bored, vacuous housewives exchange barbs on the latest presidential contenders laced with observations on which candidate is the most handsome, and which has the most noticeable (to the Television Audience, naturally) facial bunion or boil. It is a world of 'seashells', tiny earphones designed to nest in the inner ear and breathe a sussurus of music into the mind of a medicated listener. Like his English counterparts Huxley and Orwell, Bradbury has served up a soft tyrannical state manned, not by the zealous, but by zombies. It is a world ruled by the 2005-07-19T00:52:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451-Reading-is-Flammable-27331.aspx Fahrenheit 451 - Fiction is now fact... Imagine this: The world no longer reads. Instead, they sit around for hours and watch giant screens at home, viewing mind-numbing programming with no real intellectual value. Then, they get in the car and drive 90+ mph, not even for a second thinking about the danger that they put themselves in. People no longer care about anything really. They no longer think for themselves. They have no ideas that make them unique individuals. Sound familiar? It can be honestly said that today, the TV has replaced reading as the number one mode of aquiring information for the majority of people in our nation. They have their minds filled overflowing with ideas that the program presents. And this is how people shape their worldview today. After all, all "normal" women look like Cindy Crawford or Halle Berry, right? All kids have sex before marriage, right? Everyone has to look like they do on TV, and be like the "normal" families portrayed on TV...right? In the year 2004, the vast majority of what is seen on TV is absolute garbage. No? Well, OK. To each his own. If you think that watching a fashion model having needles pierced up and down her arm in order to win a challenge is perfectly fine to watch, then OK. If you think gay men running around an island butt naked is considered normal during the "family" hour, or having kids in a game show soaked with green slime, or someone having plastic surgery and cosmetic dentistry in order to win a beauty contest, or... Thankfully, we don't have to worry about losing our First Amendment rights; there are enough watchdog groups around to ensure that our rights don't disappear. May God help us all if we ever did. The Bill of Rights ensures that in the corner of the world in which we live, we have the freedom to ignore the "idiot box" and read a good book, or newspaper, or magazine, or whatever we want to read without fear of arrest or intimidation. In the "Fahrenheit 451" world, books are illegal. Since everyone got their dose of enlightenment from the big screen and didn't care about reading anymore, the government said, "Since no one reads anymore, why do we need books?" and promptly banned all of them. Those fortunate ones who manage to hang on to a few 2005-07-19T00:50:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451-Fiction-is-now-fact___-27330.aspx Fahrenheit 451 - Bradbury's classic parable on the evils of censorship I am teaching "Fahrenheit 451" as the example of a dsytopian novel in my Science Fiction class, although it is certainly one of the most atypical of that particular type of narrative discourse. Compared to such heavy weight examples as George Orwell's "1984," Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," Yevgeny Zamiatin's "We," Ray Bradbury's imaginative meditation on censorship seems like light reading. But the delicious irony of a world in which firemen start fires remains postent and the idea of people memorizing books so they will be preserved for future generations is compelling. Of course, there have been more documented cases of "book burning," albeit in less literal forms, since "Fahrenheit 451" was first published in 1953, so an argument can be made that while all the public debate was over how close we were the Orwellian future envisioned in "1984," it is Bradbury's little parable that may well be more realistic (especially in terms of the effects of television). The novel is based on a short story, "The Fireman," that Bradbury published in "Galaxy Science Fiction" in 1951 and then expanded into "Fahrenheit 451" two years later. However, those who have studied Bradbury's writings caw trace key elements back to a 1948 story "Pillar of Fire" and the "Usher II" story from his 1950 work "The Martian Chronicles." Beyond that, there is the historical record of the Nazis burning books in 1933. The story is of a future world in which everyone understands that books are for burning, along with the houses in which they were hidden. Guy Montage is a fireman who has been happy in his work for ten years, but suddenly finds himself asking questions when he meets a teenage girl and an old professor. "Fahrenheit 451" is not only about censorship, but also about the inherent tension in advanced societies between knowledge and ignorance. Reading this novel again I am reminded about Pat Paulsen's editorial on the old "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" (a series well acquainted with the perils of censorship) about how we might enjoy freedom of speech in this country but we do not enjoy freedom of hearing because "there is always the danger of something being said." Censorship, in practical terms, is the effort of those who do not want others to hear what they find offensive, for whatever reasons, basically because it leads 2005-07-19T00:48:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451-Parable-on-the-evils-of-censorship-27329.aspx Far from the Madding Crowd - A Maddening Classic This is the only work by Hardy I have read, so maybe I picked the one which didn't happen to suit my own tastes in novels. Although I sound critical, this book is still worthwhile reading and I recommend it for the enjoyment it brings in depicting rural English life and society in the mid 1800s. Based on overwhelming positive reviews of this classic work I had high expectations and hoped to get more in terms of plot, characterization, and writing style. In spite of my disappointment, I did find enough intrigue to satisfy my curiosity and encourage me to read the book to its end. I enjoyed the country folk and the descriptions of their bucolic and simple lives in the English countryside in the 1800s. The peasants obediently accepted their places in society and performed their duties by plowing fields, sheering sheep, and picking apples, while eking out the tiniest morsels of fun and enjoyment they could under their circumstances. Their honest excitement in the simple pleasures of ale and cider, meals and markets, and gossip and rumors were the essence of the story to me, offering a fascinating glimpse of pre-industrial-revolution English country-life and society. As to the criticisms I have, I felt Hardy took longer than necessary to express what he was doing with this story. It's not that I don't like long books. I have read some over 1,000 pages and never wanted them to end. With this novel, however, I just didn't get that "reading high" to where I couldn't let the book get out of my hands. The self-sacrificing Gabriel Oak, as his namesake says, portrayed a man as strong as an oak, with a rock-solid and virtuous character. He was so dependable and upright that he came across as self-righteous, in my opinion. On the other hand, he was so love-struck by Bathsheba that he often turned into mush, mirroring the love-sick, whining, pining John Ridd who exasperated me in Blackmore's Lorna Doone. Bathsheba was as tough as nails with the men who loved her most, but turned into jelly when dealing with the one man whom she adored but who did not requite her love in kind. Farmer Boldwood was a very mild-mannered, stoic, and proper layman farmer, exhibiting a latent, mentally disturbed personality. I am not sure if I was supposed to 2005-07-19T00:43:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Far-from-the-Madding-Crowd-A-Maddening-Classic-review-27328.aspx Stephen Crane's views on human experiences in BLUE HOTEL In Stephen Crane's Blue Hotel, Crane attempts to illustrate his idea of the true human experience by critiquing and attacking the social conventions and cultural forms, which are responsible for society's distorted view and understanding of civilization and responsibility. Crane attacks the validity of society's reliance on cultural forms through the Swede's experiences at the Palace Hotel. During the Swede's stay at the hotel, he continually bursts forth with accusations that there is a conspiracy between Johnny, the cowboy, and the Easterner to kill him. The guest of the Palace Hotel continually try to assure him that he is in a civilized environment and that nobody will harm him. Through his story, Crane is able to show that society's cultural forms were useless in protecting the life of the Swede. The guests of the Palace Hotel and the saloon represent society, and Crane is able to attack the core of society by the ironic death of the Swede, despite the assurances that were made for of his personal safety through various cultural forms. Crane believes that the idea of responsibility should not be based on society's reliance on cultural forms and compliance to them, but that humans should be empowered to take responsibility for their own actions because they recognize that it is their own personal responsibility to do so and not because the law (fear of punishment) or society expects them to. Crane was able to show that by the story's failing reliance on society's sense of responsibility, the Swede died. Crane believes that individuals can and should be responsible for their actions and inactions. Crane waits until the end of the story to make this responsibility clear when he uses the conversations of the cowboy and Easterner. Through the Easterner, Crane show's that if the guest of the Palace Hotel had shown individual responsibility, that the Swede could have been saved. Crane shows that the idea of civilization and responsibility is only a misconception that humans have fabricated to hide the truth of the real relationship between nature and human nature. Crane would argue that there is no difference between humans and nature because they are the same. Humans are in no way above or different than nature, but apart of it. Crane's idea of human experience is that everyone is "hot-wired" in nature and that everyone has his or her place in 2005-07-18T05:58:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Stephen-Crane-s-views-on-human-experiences-in-BLUE-HOTEL-27319.aspx Out of this Furnace, by Thomas Bell, is a rich portrait of five generations of a family of Hungarian immigrants who came to America during the late nineteenth century. George Kracha settled in Pennsylvania in 1881 as a worker in a steel mill - at ten cents an hour. George truly was full of the hope and promise that America's freedom and riches represented to immigrants from around the world. Less than fifty years later, John Dobrejcak, his grandson, is the main force behind uniting his co-workers into a group of organized laborers. Along the way, the meaning of being "American" changes significantly for John, who realizes he is more a product of the steel furnaces of Pennsylvania than of anything American. The family of immigrants that Out of this Furnace explores had a similar viewpoint regarding America as did many of their co-immigrants - they were leaving a bad town in search of a better one. As Kracha thinks at the novel's outset "he hoped he was likewise leaving behind the endless poverty and oppression which were the birthright of a Slovak peasant in Franz Josef's empire." Kracha finds out during his voyage for America that poverty may not be something he is leaving behind. He wastes his money on the birthday party of a pretty, young, married girl he meets aboard ship. Nonetheless, Kracha retains high hopes regarding his future in America, mainly because he is so poor that he has nowhere to go but up. Yet, his high hopes are those of someone who is completely unaware of what is awaiting him. Thus, his wishes are larger than life without much substance to support them. Still, Kracha's ideas of what it means to be American are realistic. As he arrives on U.S. soil he is not impressed because he realizes the country is not what he has come for - he came for what it has to offer, "what he saw [Castle Garden] was not overwhelmingly impressive. It was America, of course, but he would not feel himself really in America until he was in White Haven, secure in a job and a place to live". This is in opposite of the feelings of Kracha's grandson, who found it nothing more than a melting pot of economic hardship and racial oppression. Kracha's children and grandchildren were born outside of the same social and racial walls that had contained him. 2005-07-18T05:49:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Out-of-this-Furnace-Immigrant-life-27317.aspx Innocent Or Not in novella, 'The Turn of the Screw' In Henry James' novella The Turn of the Screw we are presented with an unreliable governess that tells a story about a haunted mansion. The novella is so ambiguous that at the end the question still remains: do the ghosts exist or is the governess going wildly insane? The film version, directed by Jack Clayton is much less ambiguous, but with evidence of both sides. The Innocents leans more toward the fact that the ghosts do exist and the children are possessed, although they might not realize it. This is a scary approach because the children seem so helpless at the hands of these apparitions. The governess is no saint though, as she has her bizarre hallucinations. The combination of the ghosts truly existing with the fact that the governess is becoming terribly eccentric really raises the suspense factor. This film succeeds because it makes the viewer think about what is going on and then come up with his or her own conclusion. There are some scenes that support the side that the governess is completely out of control and it's all in her head. There is a scene in the beginning of the film that gets the viewer's attention right away. Miss Giddens is coming to the mansion for the first time and she sees Flora and they become acquainted. While they are speaking the governess hears a voice calling "Flora, Flora." Flora actually hears nothing at all and she smiles as if nothing has happened. This is strange and the viewer immediately knows that something is wrong with the governess because she hears voices in her head. Monica Sullivan agrees with the fact that the governess is crazy and unreliable: "Miss Giddens gets more and more paranoid about the ghosts and although we SEE ghosts, we see them through the increasingly unreliable eyes of the governess. And as for the precocious behavior of the children, isn't it a childhood obligation to drive ANY new authority figure out of her mind?"(1) "Sullivan is correct in her reasoning but the children aren't just being children. There is something else definitely going on with these strange kids other than tormenting their governess. Brian Koller describes it as "sinister aspects to their personalities."(1) There is another scene in the film that points out the lack of sanity on Miss Giddens part. When she is 2005-07-18T05:46:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Innocent-Or-Not-in-novella,-The-Turn-of-the-Screw-27316.aspx 'A Lesson Before Dying' - Quotes Analysis Ernest Gaines' A Lesson Before Dying is a novel of self-discovery and confronting responsibility in the face of injustice. Various lines in the novel characterize these themes with a general clarity not found elsewhere. Four specific quotes which seem to project from the page make Gaines' message clear. "What justice would there be to take this life? Justice, gentlemen? Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this." Jefferson's defense attorney defines the course of the novel with these words from Chapter 1. He reduces Jefferson to the level of an animal, stripping him of every shred of human dignity he may have had. Jefferson then internalizes his words and begins to act out in a way that ultimately leads to his confrontations and connection with Grant. Miss Emma listens to the lawyer's words and realizes that Jefferson will probably take the words seriously and she makes it her last mission in life to make sure he does not die like a hog. This animalistic characterization reflects the attitude held by white society toward blacks, and thus it positions Jefferson as a symbol for his entire people. When he later discovers his own value and defies the implications behind these words, he does so in the name of an entire oppressed community. "It doesn't matter anymore. Just do the best you can. But it won't matter." Matthew Antoine, Grant's primary school teacher, was a defeated, bitter, mulatto man, whose attitude affected Grant's perception of Southern society. Antoine's last words to Grant in Chapter 8 respond to Grant's belief that Grant could affect positive change by teaching in the South. Though Grant resisted Antoine's words at first, he later grew to believe in them and to adopt their cynical attitude that blacks in the South must necessarily fail. Ironically, Antoine's defeatist outlook stemmed in part from the reality of the situation but in part because as a man of mixed race he felt himself superior to blacks. Antoine believed that running away represented the only sure-fire way to avoid failure, but to him the inevitability of failure related to something inherent in blacks themselves, not just the system. Grant, a dark-skinned black man, follows this tainted view of black abilities and displays his burning desire to leave the quarter. "I want you to show them the difference between what they think you are and 2005-07-17T20:30:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-A-Lesson-Before-Dying-Quotes-Analysis-27315.aspx In the classic E.L. Doctorow novel, Ragtime, we see the juxtaposition of many motifs to represent Doctorow's view of the early century. By combining history and fiction Doctorow allows himself to write a semi-accurate interpretation of the early 1900's while also being able to strongly express his own biases and opinions of the era. The biggest, and perhaps most important theme Doctorow applies in the novel is social tension, or the battle of the rich versus the poor. Other important themes include rebirth, racial tension, and high randomness of events. By using these themes and others, movie makers created a film, which they believe best represents Doctorow's views. It is apparent that Doctorow clearly favors the poor, lower class, in their struggle for economic and social mobility against the few, rich, upper class citizens. Doctorow's thoughts are best depicted through the novel's characters. Tateh, Coalhouse Walker and Sarah are all characters who are portrayed as 'good'. These characters, while representing a wide range of economic success, all symbolize socially challenged individuals. Throughout the novel, Doctorow always chooses these or similar types of characters to be the protagonists. Doctorow wants the reader to feel for Coalhouse's situation. He wants the reader to hope that Willie Conklin is harmed and the Model T Ford is repaired. On the other hand, Doctorow tells a different tale for the economic elite, upper echelon of society, represented by J.P. Morgan and Henry Ford. Morgan is presented as a snobbish old man, who always gets his way, and we are supposed to feel no remorse for him when his museum is broken int! We, the readers, are inclined to agree with Doctorow's opinion only because that is the way he planned it. Doctorow did not touch on any negative aspects of Coalhouse Walker's actions, such as innocent firemen that he killed, and their families, perhaps, because this might sway the reader's belief as to Coalhouse's innocence. The film, Ragtime, does support Doctorow's social tension beliefs, however it leaves more things open for the reader to decide. For example the book gives the impression that Coalhouse is killing the racist bad firemen. The movie shows him shooting and blowing up firemen, who perhaps could be 'good' people. The concept of rebirth is used liberally by Doctorow. Doctorow commonly has a character go through a major transmogrification, or rebirth. This rebirth ordinarily happens when moving from one social class to 2005-07-17T20:15:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Views-of-Doctorow-in-RAGTIME-27312.aspx The Piano Lesson: union of slave legacy with black American self identity In The Piano Lesson1, August Wilson has captured the black experience comprehensively. The main question he has asked is about the past of the Afro-Americans. This past includes years of slavery and degradation. According to Wilson , the main concern, which black Americans have to address is, what they should do with their past legacy, firstly of African civilization and secondly of slavery in the American continent. In their search for self-identity, this conflict of consciousness between past slave-selves and present independent selves has to be resolved. In The Piano Lesson, Wilson has offered a resolution. He invokes the past that is connected with the civilization of Africa in order to save the present and the future of the black Americans. This African legacy is also a balm to the sores of slavery. Wilson has presented the past, present and future of Afro-Americans as reconciled with the pagan African religion. In this way he has created a relationship in which African identity of the blacks helps the black Americans in their search for identity. The identity of self is shaped by the past heritage of a people. This heritage includes myths, folklore, religion and rituals practiced by them. The black American community has a heritage of Africa as well as of slavery. According to Wilson: they are African people. . . There’s something that’s part of the blood’s memory. There’s a sensibility that’s still African, despite the fact that we’ve been on the North American continent for three hundred and seventy years. We walk down the street differently. There’s a certain style. We decorate our houses differently, our ideas about the world are very different, and those things have survived for hundreds of years2. Wilson seems to suggest that it is not possible to americanize the blacks in a way that makes no allowance for their cultural diversity. It is important to see what role the past has to play in establishing and promoting an essentially Afro-American identity. No community can retain a wholeness of self if it has to severe its connection with the past. Even if the past is traumatic the connection has to be established. The community has to come to terms with the trauma. It has to utilize it in such a way that it contributes to its sense of self 2005-07-17T09:47:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Piano-Lesson-Slave-legacy-amp-black-American-self-iden-27311.aspx The Old Man and the Sea The role of Manolin and his relationship with Santiago The central event of The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago’s three days sailing on the gulf stream, has an independent meaning as the old fisherman struggles with the forces of nature. The struggle acquires significant social meaning when Santiago’s conversation with Manolin are added to the beginning and the end of the fishing tale. Without the framing conversations Santiago’s returning to the shore with the mutilated carcass to the Marlin seems to be as act expected of a fisherman, the conversational frame, however, establishes a relationship between Manolin and Santiago that makes Santiago’s act of returning with marlin carcass explored with significance. Santiago wishes to establish himself as a fisherman to be respected by his fellow fishermen. The narrative frame pointedly tells that many younger fishermen have made fun of Santiago when Manolin treats him to a beer at the Terrace. By returning with the carcass, Santiago exhibits his skill and power to the disparaging young fishermen. In the other ways too the young man called mandolin plays a central role in the novel, so central that Hemingway could easily have called his novel The old Man And The Boy. Santiago wants to reestablish himself as Manolin’s tutor. As the opening chapter of the frame makes clear after forty fishless days Manolin’s parents conclude that Santiago is unlucky and order Manolin to fish with another fisherman. In as much as Manolin came to fish with Santiago he was only five years old, without drawing him as Santiago’s apprentice or pupil is no in consequential, especially considering Santiago’s lack of family and intimate friends. By returning to shore with marlin’s carcass, therefore Santiago establishes his credentials as fisher men parexelence, under whose tutelage Manolin should fish. Santiago’s status is doubly confirmed by the information he extracts from Manolin is the novel’s end frame: when he asked Manolin how fisher man caught, Manolin confeses that they caught a mere four fishes, “One the first day, one the second day and two the third.” Manolin adds no qualifier, indicating that the four he and his fishermen caught were but small fry when compared to Santiago’s giant. Another motive behind Santiago’s return to shore with the 2005-07-16T11:46:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-old-man-and-the-sea-Manolin-and-Santiago-27308.aspx Ghosts are real. The following is condensed from my second book, Voyage Beyond Doubt "Several times a year I get calls from someone concerned about a ghostly presence they're aware of, usually in their home. Some callers are frantic, worried the ghost might do them harm. Others are more concerned for the welfare of a ghost. There are some simple things anyone can do to permanently move a ghost out of their house. Before getting to them, let's cover some basics and hopefully clear up a few misconceptions. First, the most important thing to know is that ghosts are just human beings not living in physical bodies. These are people just like you and me. Like people everywhere, ghosts can be friendly, scary, smart, stupid and everything in between, but they're just people. Second, at its most basic, the reason you can be aware of a ghost is because its attention is focused at the level of physical world reality. <physical.html>There can be many reasons why ghosts do this. They may be unaware they're dead and staying close to familiar surroundings or people. They may be aware of their death, but confused about what they're supposed to do. Some ghosts may have a message they want to give someone still living in the physical world. There are lots of reasons why a ghost's attention may be focused at the level of physical world reality, but that focus of attention is what brings them to your awareness and keeps them here. Third, you have nothing to fear from a ghost. Despite what Hollywood horror films would have us believe, such a person is not a threat to you. Projecting your own fear onto a ghost can certainly appear to give evidence to the contrary. Too many people I work with bought into Hollywood's fear-inducing images, and are scared out of their wits, thus adding to their problem. Fourth, there are Helpers living in the nonphysical world who will gladly assist you in your attempt to move a ghost along. All you have to do is ask. Often the Helper is someone actively trying to assist the ghost, but unable to reach him. Sometimes there's a Helper waiting to move a specific ghost. The Afterlife abounds with Helpers willing to volunteer their assistance wherever such an opportunity presents itself." So again, yes, ghosts are real. They're just human beings stuck in Focus 23 <22-23.html> close enough to 2005-07-14T19:11:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Voyage-Beyond-Doubt-Ghosts-are-real-27305.aspx People can die from mere imagination. "Imagination is not something apart and hermetic, not a way of leaving reality behind; it is a way of engaging in reality"-(Irving Howe). The Fall of the House enables him to create his own reality of imagination. He makes an attempt to kill off the only reality in his life, his twin sister, Madeline Usher, whom he buries alive. In this short story, romantic elements and characteristics are expressed through Roderick's imagination that progressively infects the narrator; the intuition and inner feelings felt between Roderick and Madeline, as well as by the narrator; and the reverence for nature which reflects the events that occurs in the House of Usher. Imagination is a romantic element, especially evident in Roderick Usher. His illness begins to infect the narrator when he arrives at the "mansion of gloom." The narrator takes the first step into Usher's realm of imagination and feels "an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart-an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime." During the narrator's visit to the House of Usher he starts to become contaminated by Roderick's strange reality and experiences rapid increase in his superstitions and in his mind grew "a strange fancy-a fancy so ridiculous…the sensations which oppressed" him. This shows the contagiousness of Usher's "mental disorder" which is the result of his seclusion from the world and his refusal to agree to ordinary societal values. Roderick's isolation allows him to create his own reality filled with imagination and irrational beliefs. Another characteristic of romanticism is displayed through the intuition and inner feelings felt between Roderick and Madeline Usher and can also be observed in the narrator. In the story, Roderick takes the narrator to the donjon and shows him where Madeline had been encoffined. Since the lid of the coffin was unscrewed the narrator "looked upon the face of the tenant" and notices "that the deceased and himself had been twins and…a scarcely intelligible nature had always existed between them." The narrator also sees "a faint blush upon the bosom and face" of Madeline but thinks it is just a trait for those who die of catalepsy. Although he believes Madeline was dead, deep down he had an immediate perception of the truth without reasoning and "experienced the full power of such feelings…and struggled to reason off the nervousness." Seven 2005-07-14T18:45:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/House-of-Usher-Losing-Reality-27303.aspx Tom Clancy Rainbow Six This book was published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in New York, USA. Copyright date is 1998. There are 740 pages in this book. Thomas L. Clancy, Jr. was born on the 12th of April 1947, he is married and lives in Maryland, USA. Clancy's novels can be classified as Military-Techno-Thrillers. He has written fiction and non-fiction books, Rainbow Six is a fiction book. As for other titles, well there are just to many to list, in total 23. Some books that he has written are The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, to list a few. According to Clancy "Rainbow Six, is one of my all time favourites." The book starts with a prologue that introduces us to the one main character, John Clark, an ex-Navy SEAL, and two other characters, Alistair Stanley the executive commander of Rainbow Six, and Domingo (Ding) Chavez, the Captain of Team 2. There are two other insignificant character introduced, Clark's wife Sandy and his daughter Patsy, who is married to Ding. Patsy is pregnant. The other main character is Dmitriy Arkadeyevich Popov, he is an ex-KGB agent who is now working as a 'special consultant'. He will become very important later on in the book. Clark is the commander and in charge of starting a new European anti-terrorist group called Rainbow Six. Rainbow Six is split into two teams; Team 1 and Team 2. These teams are the best there is. They are based in Hereford, England, but any European country can call on them at any time. They run 3 miles in 20 minutes every morning at 6:00 am. Only one team will be on-call at a time. The team that is not on-call will be doing live fire practices. In the first 6 months of being in operation they are called on three times which is a lot for this type of thing. The first incident happens in a Swiss bank where terrorists have taken control. They also have hostages. Team 2 successfully takes them out, with only one hostage killed, but he is killed before they had gotten there. The first mission helps them organize themselves and fix a few holes in their planning. The second mission is in Germany. An international trader is taken hostage in his mansion/castle. This mission goes well too, thanks to the snipers. No hostage deaths, but all 2005-07-14T18:40:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tom-Clancy-Rainbow-Six-27302.aspx Freedom And Possession - BELOVED and THE AWAKENING In the past, women have put up a huge fight for their rights. They have had a long and difficult struggle to gain the freedom and possessions that they have today. Whether black or white, the women still faced similar struggles. They both had a dream to be free. They both had to fight to have a mind of their own. They both had to run from their 'owners'. The fictions Beloved by Toni Morrison and The Awakening by Kate Chopin tell of these struggles. Even though Sethe is black and Edna is white, they have a similar fight for freedom and possession. Both Sethe and Edna decide that they are going to begin the struggle to freedom when they realize that they were considered possessions. Sethe, working as a slave, had seen her mother hanged, has had her milk stolen from her breasts, and has had a list of her so-called animal characteristics made. She comes to realize that she is being treated as if she were a possession. She is simply a working tool to the plantation owners. They think of her as an animal. Just like any other object among someone's possessions, she has a value in dollars. Edna, being a mother and a wife, has also been treated as a possession. In comparison, Edna also has a "value". Her "'value' is a sign of Lèonces's wealth" (Stange 278). As his wife, she is to look pretty, look wealthy, have children, and make Lèonce look good. Both women know at some point that they cannot continue to live as another's possession; they must break free. Break free is exactly what they do. Sethe runs from slavery through the woods, pregnant. She does what ever it takes to have control over her own life. She is willing to flee without anything except the clothes on her scarred back. She is willing to face the chances that she might be caught or killed. "Pregnant and thinking she is going to die because of her swollen feet cannot take another step, she wants to stop walking; every time she does so, the movement of her unborn child causes her such pain that it feels she is being rammed by an antelope" (Horvitz 96). Edna also runs. She leaves her husband and her children to live the life she dreams of. She does not care what society thinks 2005-07-14T05:10:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Freedom-And-Possession-BELOVED-and-THE-AWAKENING-27299.aspx Killing the Dream and Murder In Memphis Review Essay Conspiracy theories have always been part of the history of the United States. No event can simply have one correct reason for its happening; there is always someone who believes something else. Every couple years something big happens that shocks the nation. As recently as the bombing of the World Trade Center Buildings and the Columbine High School shootings and back to the assassinations of John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. The assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. holds a shady past of cover-ups and scandalous activities. Gerald Posner, author of Killing the Dream, and Mark Lane and Dick Gregory, authors of Murder in Memphis, both take a look at the assassination of King in their own separate way. Gerald Posner does not try to prove whether there was one single situation that leads to the death of King, he gives facts to try to show how one situation is more probable than the others. His thesis is that if a conspiracy was taking place, it involved the Ray brothers rather than the FBI or another government agency. There are questionable circumstances in every possibility in the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Theorists have many different theories ranging from government involvement to the mysterious "Raul." Posner looks mainly at the theory of James Earl Ray and how it is most plausible and almost definite that he was the assassin but not that he necessarily worked alone. The theories of possibility were all faulty in one way or another. To prove his thesis Posner simply needed to discard most of the main theories as well as investigate deep into the James Earl Ray theory. Through the use of witnesses, evidence, and his own personal investigation Gerald Posner put together an un-biases view of how each of the theories are wrong in their idea. The theory of Raul" is one of an unintelligent man and how he was apparently framed by a mysterious man. The two worked together in a smuggling business. Raul told Ray to buy a gun and check into a certain room in a Memphis boarding house where he either: a. gave him the gun never to see him again or b. he gave him the gun and waited in the car only to rush away with Raul after hearing a shot had been fired. Using evidence from the trial 2005-07-11T15:32:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Martin-Luther-King-Killing-the-Dream-and-Murder-In-Memphis-27297.aspx Katharines Transformation From Shrew To Contented Housewife - Taming Of The Shrew Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy, which traces the transformation of Katharina, an ill-tempered shrew to a contented housewife. Katharina has long been overshadowed in beauty by her younger sister Bianca, and has developed a deep resentment for her and for society as a whole. Petruchio, by no means a normal suitor is able to transform her by persisting, as no man has yet to do for her. Finally Katharina is realizes that she would be happiest being subservient to her husband. Petruchio is able to transform Katharina from an irritable shrew, to a satisfied housewife. Katharina develops into a shrew because of her deep resentment for her sister. Bianca is well known across Padua for her beauty, while Katharina is famous for her bad-temper, Hortensio: Her name is Katharina Minola, Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue (P.22) This resentment grows deeper, as evident in the play that Bianca has three suitors, all of whom are very rich; while Katharina has only one suitor (who is paid to court her). Katharina feels as though she will never marry, and must therefore be strong and self-reliant. In addition to her resentment for her sister, comes her resentment for her father. Baptista seems to be very partial towards Bianca; Baptista treats her like a prize while he treats Katharina like a burden. Katharina becomes a shrew due to her jealousy of her sister, and the neglect of her father. Petruchio reforms Katharina by using self-assured persistence. Gremio and Hortensio promise to pay the cost of Petruchio's wooing and Petruchio promises that he will wed Katharina. When Katharina first meets Petruchio, she yells and curses him. However Petruchio persists, and eventually wins her over by demonstrating his carefree nature. He shows up to his own wedding in rags, Biondello: Why, Petruchio is coming in a new hat and an old jerkin, a pair of breeches thrice turned, one buckled, another laced, an old rusty sword ta'en out of the town-armoury, with a broken hilt, and chapless . . . . . . (P.46) His technique has to be different from other suitors, most suitors woo by demonstrating courage, or by compassion. If Petruchio had shown these qualities to Katharina, they would have been thrown into a marriage where Petruchio would have to constantly endue Katharina's tongue-lashings. Therefore Petruchio shows her that he loves her by 2005-07-11T15:29:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Katharines-Transformation-in-Taming-of-the-Shrew-27296.aspx Throughout Hemingway's life, he was accused of many ethnic prejudices. Even in death, these allegations still plague his novels. Hemingway is seen by many to be the epitome of white male oppression. His novel, The Sun Also Rises, is argued to be filled with many anti-Semitic qualities. However, when analyzed more closely, many can argue that Hemingway's usage of racial terms allows us to more effectively understand a character and his actions. Robert Cohn is a perfect example of Hemingway's usage of this technique. Robert Cohn is thought to be a "foolish" Jew. The fact that Cohn is Jewish, does not make him foolish; instead, it provides an understanding of Cohn and allows us to relate to his character. During this time, a young Jewish male had to deal with many insecurities. Hemingway mentions that Cohn was a boxer, but cared nothing for the sport: "He cared nothing for boxing, in fact he disliked it, but he learned it painfully and thoroughly to counteract the feeling of inferiority and shyness felt on being treated as a Jew at Princeton" (Hemingway 11). Hemingway is not completely an anti-Semitic author, but he used societies convictions and interpreted them into his character's actions. All of Hemingway's characters are anti-Semitics in one aspect or another. They all condemn Robert Cohn at some point in the novel; Bill even refers to the catholic religion as a cult. Many critics feel that all these characters are just mere reflections into the mind of Hemingway. Was Hemingway himself anti-Semitic, racist or homophobic? Living during these times, I believe that everyone was. Society was not very accepting of many diversities; Hemingway wrote what people thought, that is why he became such a popular author so fast. When viewed through the eyes of critics today, The Sun Also Rises brings about a myriad of controversies. The novel fit the mood and the attitude of the 1920's. If this novel were to be published in the politically correct society of today, the novel surely would have faced many controversies and probably would have been banned for bigotry. However, it is a perfect learning tool in the aide of understanding life during this time frame. This book should not ever be banned, because it is perfectly constructed novel that shows the essence of Hemingway's writing. There should however be age restrictions on when this book is introduced into the learning environment. 2005-07-11T15:22:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Is-Hemingway-a-Racist-Analysis-of-THE-SUN-ALSO-RISES-27295.aspx The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers is a story of love illustrated through the romantic longings and attractions of the three eccentric characters; Miss Amelia, Cousin Lymon, and Marvin Macy. McCullers depicts love as a force, often strong enough to change people's attitudes and behaviors. Yet, the author seems to say, if the love is unrequited, individuals, having lost their motivation to change, will revert back to their true selves. The allure of the different characters, which is never revealed by the author, seems to indicate that feelings of love and attraction are not necessarily reasonable or understandable to others. Everyone is shocked when the handsome outlaw, Marvin Macy, falls in love with Miss Amelia.In an effort to court Miss Amelia, he learns proper etiquette, such as "rising and giving his chair to a lady, and abstaining from swearing and fighting". Two years after Marvin's reformation, he asks Miss Amelia to marry him. Miss Amelia does not love him but agrees to the marriage in order to satisfy her great-aunt. Once married, Miss Amelia is very aloof towards her husband and refuses to engage in marital relations with him. After ten days, Miss Amelia ends the marriage because she finds that she is unable to generate any positive feelings for Marvin. Several months after the divorce, Marvin reverts back to his initial corrupt ways and is "sent to a state penitentiary for robbing filling stations and holding up A & P stores". Just as love had changed Marvin, so too did it change Miss Amelia. In the mid 1930's, several years after Miss Amelia's divorce, Lymon, a hunchback, comes to Miss Amelia claiming to be a distant cousin. She readily provides Cousin Lymon with food and board, and eventually any material object that he desires. The people of the town grow very curious of her new guest and of Miss Amelia's hospitality towards Lymon which is contrary to her characteristic untrusting and remote ways. The townspeople gather in her store one evening to meet Cousin Lymon. Unlike Miss Amelia, Cousin Lymon is very sociable and enjoys entertaining the townsfolk with his patently tall tales. In a short period of time, Miss Amelia's store is converted into a cafe where people gather for food, drink, and gossip. They would discuss Miss Amelia's love for Cousin Lymon, indicating that they thought love between cousins is forbidden and incestuous. Her changed behavior, 2005-07-11T06:19:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Ballad-of-the-Sad-Cafe-by-Carson-McCullers-27291.aspx The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne Between Hawthorne's earlier and his later productions there is no solution of literary continuity, but only increased growth and grasp. Rappaccini's Daughter, Young Goodman Brown, Peter Goldthwaite's Treasure, and The Artist of the Beautiful, on the one side, are the promise which is fulfilled in The Scarlet Letter and the House of The Seven Gables, on the other; though we should hardly have understood the promise had not the fulfillment explained it. The shorter pieces have a lyrical quality, but the longer romances express more than a mere combination of lyrics; they have a rich, multifarious life of their own. The material is so wrought as to become incidental to something loftier and greater, for which our previous analysis of the contents of the egg had not prepared us. The Scarlet Letter was the first, and the tendency of criticism is to pronounce it the most impressive, also, of these ampler productions. It has the charm of unconsciousness; the author did not realize while he worked, that this "most prolix among tales" was alive with the miraculous vitality of genius. It combines the strength and substance of an oak with the subtle organization of a rose, and is great, not of malice aforethought, but inevitably. It goes to the root of the matter, and reaches some unconventional conclusions, which, however, would scarce be apprehended by one reader in twenty. For the external or literal significance of the story, though in strict correspondence with the spirit, conceals that spirit from the literal eye. The reader may choose his depth according to his inches but only a tall man will touch the bottom. The punishment of the scarlet letter is a historical fact; and, apart from the symbol thus ready provided to the author's hand, such a book as The Scarlet Letter would doubtless never have existed. But the symbol gave the touch whereby Hawthorne's disconnected thoughts on the subject were united and crystallized in organic form. Evidently, likewise, it was a source of inspiration, suggesting new aspects and features of the truth, -- a sort of witch-hazel to detect spiritual gold. Some such figurative emblem, introduced in a matter-of-fact way, but gradually invested with supernatural attributes, was one of Hawthorne's favorite devices in his stories. We may realize its value, in the present case, by imagining the book with the scarlet letter omitted. It is not 2005-07-11T06:03:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-by-Nathaniel-Hawthorne-27289.aspx Blindness In Oedipus Rex - The Blind Leading the Blind Some say that ignorance is bliss. Perhaps this is true. If one is unaware of his or her wrongs, then no guilt will be felt. Perhaps those who can't see the forest for the trees do so because they fear the truth. We all as human beings try to escape the bad and ugly things in our lives, especially that which is bad or ugly about ourselves. Sometimes we all blind ourselves to the truth. Oedipus Rex clearly illustrates this theme of blindness, both literally and symbolically. Teireisias is a "seer: student of mysteries"(1263) who is called upon by Oedipus to reveal Laios's murderer. Although physically blind, Teireisias is not blind to the truth; it is Oedipus that is ignorant of his actions. Teireisias attempts to avoid revealing the identity of King Laios's murder. However, in anger brought about by Oedipus's badgering, he names the king as the murderer. Teireisias then tries to open Oedipus's eyes to the truth as he declares "You yourself are the pollution of this country." (1263). Later he tells Oedipus "…you, with both your eyes, are blind…" (1266). Oedipus, although physically sighted, is blind to his own wrongs. He is ignorant of his dual relationship to the former king and his present wife. Teireisias tells Oedipus "You cannot see the wretchedness of your own life,…You do not even know the blind wrongs that you have done to them [Laios and Iocaste], on earth and the world below," (1266). Even after Teireisias warns him, he refuses to acknowledge the truth. He only turns a deaf ear, or more appropriately, a blind eye, to the truth. After a shepherd and a messenger confirm Teirisias's accusation, Oedipus gains full awareness of what he has done. A second messenger relates the ensuing events. Iocaste takes her own life. Oedipus upon sight of this "ripped from her gown the golden brooches…and plunged them down straight into his own eyeballs…"(1288). The king says to his own eyes, "No more shall you look on the misery about me,…too long have you known the faces of those whom I should never have seen, too long been blind to those for whom I was searching!"(1291). What can make a man go blind, can also help him see? The answer is sand. Sand can scar the cornea, causing blindness or can be melted down to make glasses. It is ironic 2005-07-11T05:44:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-Rex-The-Blind-Leading-the-Blind-27285.aspx In Angela's Ashes, the author Frank McCourt gives his whole self in the telling of this story. It is his life's journey- the hardship, horrors, pain and suffering that he endures. Set in 1936, Angela's Ashes follows the difficult lives of Angela McCourt, her husband, Malachy and their children. The oldest child of the family Frank McCourt was born into the worst kind of poverty in Brooklyn, New York. Frank and his family wore nothing more than rags and the little food they had came from the charity of kind people. His mother, Angela didn't work and his father always drank his paycheck away. Even with out steady income to support one child, the McCourt family kept on growing extending to Malachy, Margaret, the twins- Eugene and Oliver, and eventually Michael and Alphonsus. Thus, beginning at a young age, Frank had the responsibility of tending to his brothers and sisters while his mother was desperately trying to find food to feed the family, and his father was getting drunk in the bars. Although Frank's father was not around for most of Frank's life, Malachy did nurture in Frank an appetite for the one thing he could provide: a story. Throughout Angela's Ashes Frank lives for his father's tales of Cuchulain and The Angel on the Seventh Step, Frank's very own angel who also brings his mother babies. "Would the Angel on the Seventh Step tell you what to do, if you didn't know what to do?" "He would son, he would. That's the job of an angel. Even the one of the Seventh Step." I know he's there because the seventh step feels warmer Than the other steps… (Pg.125) After the death of Margaret, the McCourts move to Ireland where the situation only worsened. Frank's father continued to drink the money away and most nights the family was left to starve. "I want ye to stand in the middle of the pub and tell every man your father is drinking away the money for the baby. Ye are to tell the world there isn't a scrap of food in this house, not a lump of coal to start the fire, not a drop of milk for the baby's bottle." (Pg.183-184) Life for the McCourts was testing and difficult. The children wore rags for diapers, Malachy and Frank wore torn shoes in the winter, and Angela was forced to gather scraps 2005-07-10T22:45:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Book-Review-Report-on-Angela-s-Ashes-by-Frank-McCourt-27280.aspx Internal Conflict of Victor Frankenstein Mary Shelley uses Victor Frankenstein's production of a monster to convey the main character's internal conflict concerning the corruption of his creature. Victor feels intense responsible for the deaths that have occurred, and fear of his monster's constant pursuit of revenge. Eventually this emotional state of distress leads him to a state of delirium and, later, to a status of obsession concerning the death of this evil being he has created. Against his initial feelings of doubt, Victor creates his monster only to find that his experiment is hideous and destructive. Frankenstein finds himself "…capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter" (Shelley 51) and yearns to create a living being, thus becoming equal with God. To Victor's dismay, the creature he produces for the betterment of society reveals an evil demeanor and continues this malevolence by murdering members of his family and friends. "…I thought that if I could bestow animation upon lifeless matter, I might in process of time (although I now found it impossible) renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption." (53) Shelley allows Victor to state the previous line to show that he knows his creature will be full of wickedness merely because he states that death has "devoted the body to corruption", yet he fears his creation for this very reason. An additional example of Mr. Frankenstein's confusion towards the monster is the scene involving the creature's desire for of a female companion similar to his own image. Frankenstein fears for his loved ones and for his own existence and wishes to create a partner for his creation, yet does not wish to repeat his previous mistake by generating another individual of iniquity or spurring the monster towards accomplishing additional homicide. "Three years before…I had created a fiend whose unparalleled barbarity had desolated my heart and filled it forever with the bitterest remorse." (158) "…but now, for the first time, the wickedness of my promise burst upon me." (159) His state of bewilderment concludes, for the time being, in the destruction of the monster's female counterpart. Shelley uses Victor's state of delirium to portray his deep sense of shame and responsibility for the deaths of those around him. His remorse increases because most people believe him to be insane or extremely ill when he proclaims his guilt and count his words as part of his delusions. Because he has produced 2005-07-10T04:27:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Internal-Conflict-of-Victor-Frankenstein-27277.aspx Romantic Philosophy in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell The Romantic period produced more poets who, at one time or another, aspired to become philosophers than in any other period in English literature. The Romantic poets felt a need for a metaphysical structure that would, conceptually, make explicit the mind set that had emerged from am era of revolutionary change in art, politics, and society. William Blake is one the philosophical poets of the era whose works attempt to get at philosophical truth through imaginative means. In The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, Blake attempts reconciliation between good and evil through his awareness that the moral codes of society limit creative freedom. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell opens with an "Argument", which describes how the "just man" has been driven from his original state in Eden to become an outcast wandering in the wilderness. The "just man" represents the meek peasant coming out from under the feudal shadow into the "wilderness", the first stage of the Revolution. In the first lines of the reader is told that "Rintrah roars and shakes his fires in the burdened air; Hungry clouds swag on the deep", thus introducing an abstract personification. Rintrah may be understood to be a voice of the poet chastising society and welcoming the era of revolutionary change occurring in Europe, or as Hal Saunders-White writes,"Rintrah may be taken as the spokesperson for Blake's honest indignation"(18). Blake's apparent enemy in "The Argument" is any confining state upon society and the individual. Blake recognizes that the tensions involved in the formation of culture are abstracted by society into morality: Without contraries there is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate are necessary to human existence. From these contraries spring what the religious call good and evil. Good is the passive that obeys reason. Evil is the active springing from energy. Good is heaven; Evil is hell. Freud supports this as, for him, id impulses are designated as evil by society because their indulgence would retard the "process of sublimination by which culture achieves its end"(Rickman 215). "Energy" is the id and "the passive that obeys reason" is the conservative trend in culture. In Blake's view, these trends work as obstacles to the creative flow he believes to be within every man. In "The Voice of the Devil", Blake analyzes the religious mind's attitude towards the contraries of "attraction and repulsion, 2005-07-10T00:53:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Romantic-Philosophy-in-The-Marriage-of-Heaven-and-Hell-27270.aspx Santiago is an old man. He was once a great fisherman, but no longer. The other fishermen ridicule him, or ignore him. Eighty days without a fish, and the parents of the small boy who helps him, Manolin, have forbidden him to work with Santiago any more. He is unlucky, they say, and the word is echoed around town. But the old fisherman does not mind. He knows that life is difficult, that not everything goes the way you wish it would. On the eighty-fifth day, he sets out into the water, alone, and hooks a great fish. 'Never have I had such a strong fish nor one who acted so strangely', he muses to himself, early on in the battle. For it is a battle. The fish he has caught is strong, has great endurance, and a cunning that Santiago admires. As time passes, he starts to talk to himself more and more. He muses on the strength of the fish, and how they are brothers. He desperately wants to catch it, so that he can return to Havana with some glory and enough money to sit and listen to the 'great DiMaggio' on the radio, in peace. But he also admires the fish, and gradually, he becomes unsure as to whether he has made the right decision in trying so hard to kill it. 'Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills who.' Santiago is an old man, a man who has accepted his weaknesses and failures, but who also knows his strengths. He has a great confidence in his own abilities, but it is a weary, hesitant confidence that is difficult to explain. On the one hand, he knows that he has the capability to capture the fish. He has caught large fish before, and, thanks to the raw fish he has been eating, considers that he has the strength to keep going, for ever if necessary. But he protests and cajoles and pleads at his individual body parts to work, for them not to fail. 'Hold up, legs. Last for me, head. Last for me. You never went.' He knows he can do it, but, because of his age and the majesty of his 'brother', he is worried that maybe this time, this fish 2005-07-08T15:04:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Old-Man-in-the-Sea-Failure-in-Success-a-hard-life-less-27262.aspx John Steinbeck's EAST OF EDEN was not well received by critics when it debuted in the 1950s, and although passing years have seen several re-evaluations it is still reguarded as secondary to the likes of GRAPES OF WRATH and OF MICE AND MEN. It is true that the novel is flawed: it is a great big rambling thing crammed with obvious allegory, metaphor, and allusion, loosely structured to say the least. And yet, in a odd sort of way, the very rambling, the looseness, the obviousness of the work gives it a tremendous grandeur that Steinbeck's more tightly structured work lacks. The novel is as broad and vulgar and lively and provocative as the America it describes--and it is my favorite of Steinbeck's fiction. Any one who comes to the novel from the famous film adaptation starring James Dean will be surprized, for the roots of the novel run much deeper than the film, which is based only on perhaps a third of the novel. This is not so much the story of brothers Aaron and Caleb Trask as it is the story of their parents, Adam Trask and Catherine Ames. And in "Cathy" Ames, Steinbeck creates one of the darkest characters in all of 20th Century American Literature, a creature devoid of virtually anything recognizable as human emotion. Fleeing from a past that includes murder, perversion, blackmail, and prostitution, Cathy assumes an angelic demeanor and lures the emotionally needy Adam Trask into love and marriage. And when she no longer requires his protection... she destroys him. It is the stuff of classic melodrama, but in Steinbeck's hands it becomes more than melodrama; it becomes a novel that alternately reads at leisurely pace and then suddenly reads with the speed of a whirlwind, a tale that forces us to consider the nature of good and evil and the legacies we may leave for later generations. For Adam and Cathy have two sons, and in the wake of their tragedy they will be left to fight out issues of moral choices, right and wrong, and love and hate in the sun-drenched Salinas Valley of California, the "golden west" of the "new world" as it rushes headlong into the modern age. It is a novel epic in history, geography, and morality. Some will find the novel's constant reference to the story of Cain and Able more than a little obvious; others will find it too 2005-07-08T14:59:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/East-of-Eden-The-Eternal-Struggle-27261.aspx The Grapes of Wrath, written in 1939 by John Steinbeck (1902-1968), is considered by many literary critics to be the greatest of all American novels. This is a book about the Great Depression, and one poor sharecropper family's struggle to survive the worst deprivations that American society in the 1930's had to offer. Indeed, in my view, perhaps no American work of fiction fits the label of "The Great American Novel" better than Steinbeck's wonderfully written and still highly controversial masterpiece of fiction. The story is both gripping and well told. Set in the 1930's, in America's "Dust Bowl," it is the tale of the Joad family, a large clan of poor Oklahoma sharecroppers, and how they are forced into a decision to migrate to California. It's also the story of the many trials and sufferings that they endure during their long and harrowing journey. Lured by the promise of high paying jobs in California, the Joads, after much deliberation, decide to uproot themselves and make the journey westward. It's not an easy decision for them; it's almost an act of sheer desperation for this close-knit, extended family. They have been farming this same piece of Oklahoma sod for generations. Now, both the forces of nature and the forces of economics have conspired against them. A combination of severe drought and poor farming practices have turned this once fertile area into a barren wasteland covered with several inches of dust. Large conglomerates have taken over all the land in the area, and have forcibly kicked all the sharecroppers out of their houses and off their farms. Family homesteads have been systematically destroyed by these greedy new landowners. So, the Joads, this proud, hard-working family, must go. They sell most of their worldly possessions in order to buy a run-down old jalopy. The whole family - Ma and Pa; Granma and Granpa; Tom (the oldest son, and an ex-convict recently paroled from prison); Al (Tom's younger brother); Uncle John (Pa's brother); Ruthie and Winfield (Ma and Pa's youngest children); the heavily pregnant Rose of Sharon (Tom's younger sister) and her husband Connie; and the Reverend Jim Casy (a family "friend") - pack themselves, along with their essential goods, aboard their decrepit old vehicle, and depart for the "promised land" on America's west coast. The vast majority of this compelling novel tells the story of the Joads' plight while on the road. They are almost immediately 2005-07-08T14:55:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Grapes-of-Wrath-Truly-a-Masterpiece-27260.aspx Tortilla Flat - Paisanos, Camaraderie, Unemployment, and a Bottle of Wine John Steinbeck is the ultimate storyteller. In fact, his writing was so excellent that he was awarded the Nobel Prize of Literature in 1962. Steinbeck is from Salinas, California, which is where Tortilla Flat is set. Steinbeck is probably best known for his novels The Grapes of Wrath, and East of Eden, as well as the novella, Of Mice and Men. However, Tortilla Flat was actually Steinbeck's first well-received novel, and it is worthy of that honor. Tortilla Flat was written in 1935 when Steinbeck was only 33 years old. Steinbeck's writing is frank, clear, and simple; but at the same time he weaves intricate and remarkable stories that are complete with emotion and complex characters. Tortilla Flat is no exception. Tortilla Flat reads much like the other John Steinbeck books I have read, The Pearl and Of Mice and Men. It is an emotional story of disadvantaged, impoverished, and frequently unemployed characters making their way and finding satisfaction in the world. Danny is a paisano. "What is a paisano? He is a mixture of Spanish, Indian, Mexican and assorted Caucasian bloods. His ancestors have lived in California for a hundred or two years. He speaks English with a paisano accent and Spanish with a paisano accent. When questioned concerning his race, he indignantly claims pure Spanish blood and rolls up his sleeve to show that the soft inside of his arm is nearly white. His color, like that of a well-browned meerschaum pipe, he ascribes to sunburn." Tortilla Flat is essentially Danny's story. His story, when you are first introduced to him, mainly consists of waking up, getting drunk nightly off copious amounts of wine, and falling back to sleep. All events in between are usually geared towards somehow obtaining the money for the bottles of wine. We meet Danny as he is returning from war. He delightfully discovers that his grandfather has left him two houses in Monterey's Tortilla Flat. For a man who has no job, no money, and is accustomed to sleeping under whatever makeshift shelter he could find, two houses are a huge blessing. Somewhere along the way he manages to get down to one house (which is an entertaining story in itself!). His remaining house becomes a sort of beacon to fellow down-and-out paisanos. The camaraderie and relationships that develop between the characters managed 2005-07-08T14:51:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tortilla-Flat-Paisanos,-Camaraderie,-Unemployment,-amp-W-27259.aspx OF MICE AND MEN (1937) is a simplistic and straight forward novella written by John Steinbeck, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1939), TORTILLA FLAT (1935), EAST OF EDEN (1952), CANNERY ROW (1945), and a number of other popular novels. His worth as a writer comes from his compassion for society's stepping stool, the economically deprived, as well as his simple prose style that manages to convey human emotion and heavy symbolism despite its brevity. His novels were usually written with vivid descriptions of wildlife and nature, a primitive country vernacular spoken among America's Third estate, and a deep sympathy for his characters inherent in every word he ever wrote. OF MICE AND MEN was the work that would be Steinbeck's biggest commercial success until the publication of THE GRAPES OF WRATH three years later. To this day, it is his most well-known and beloved work. The story concerns a lovable oaf named Lenny Small, and his short friend, George Milton. George serves as a gauge for Lenny's temper because if the imbecilic giant were to ever become angry, he would be out of control. George also makes sure that Lenny stays out of harm's way, a job he wishes upon someone else than himself many times within the novella's 107 pages. Because of Lenny's intense curiosity of the world around him, his fetish for petting "soft things," and his immense strength, it is apparent from the very beginning that this story will end in tragedy. Another clue can be spotted in the origin of the story's title. It is derived from a Robert Burns poem that states, "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry." So saying that the plot is linear and obvious is simply an exercise in futility. Of course, the story's plot never once takes unexpected leaps and bounds from the Burns stanza that it derives its title from. This is to be expected and, if one wishes to enjoy the work, accepted. Characters fade in and out of sight in the novella, including an ill-tempered runt named Curley, a senile old chap who goes by the name of Candy, and Slim, a smooth-talking farmhand. Another character is the alienated Negro named Crooks who is forced to sleep far away from the other men. In his character, we see the essential isolation from society present in the relationship between George 2005-07-08T14:47:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-and-Men-Reflection-27258.aspx The story starts with George and Lennie running away from their previous town of occupation, where Lennie, in his childlike manner, wants to touch a girl's red dress but doesn't let go, resulting in shouts of rape, mass chaos, and the pair of them getting chased out of town (you don't learn all this immediately, though.) They find work at a nearby ranch, which is where most of the story takes place. One of the things that immediately stuck out to me about this book is Steinbeck's writing style. Heavily focused on dialogue, the overall terseness and efficient use of words is only interrupted occasionally when Steinbeck describes a new scene, where he goes into great detail. Otherwise, all you see on paper is exactly what you need to understand the story; this prevents it from dragging too much, and it allows the story to progress more quickly without spending forever on the same topic. This results in a natural flow of events that won't leave you reading the same thing re-stated 10 times; as a result, you'll want to read more because you know good things are always around the turn of the page. To almost put it in a blatantly simple manner, this reads like a very complex bedtime story. Probably the thing that sticks out most to me is the incredibly well portrayed characters. Steinbeck takes a very Hemingway-like approach in both quantity and quality of characters; he keeps the book very condensed in terms of plots, sub-plots, complex characters, etc ...(it's barely 100 pages), which means you won't be scratching your head after every chapter going, "What on earth just happened?" It's a testament to his writing style that each character is so individually portrayed in a span of barely 100 pages, yet I didn't feel like anything was missing; I could visualize every one of the characters in real life. He does an excellent job of fleshing out the characters simply through what they say, not having to rely on superfluous dialogue or extraneous details to get their personalities across. Finally, the ending of Of Mice and Men is very powerful. It illustrates a theme that must have been particularly prevalent in them minds of most people during the Great Depression: "When do we draw the line on tolerance and do what has to be done?" Although the entire book is impressive in its lucidity, 2005-07-08T14:45:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-and-Men-A-Short-But-Great-American-Masterpiece-27257.aspx A Review Of Lady With A Pet Dog By Anton Chekhov "The Lady with a Pet Dog" was written by Anton Chekhov during the time period of 1860-1904. Anton Chekhov was a born in a small town in Russia and is greatly appreciated for his works. He gave up his career in medicine in order to completely devote himself to writing. It is said that, in the history of short story writing, no other short story writer except Anton Chekhov has better expressed its often invisible complexities. His realistic style of writing has acted as an important influence on fiction writing. In the story "The Lady with a Pet Dog", Gurov and Anna fall in love and want to be with each other for their remaining lives. According to me it was no point for them to carry on a relationship. Gurov should have treated Anna as another woman in his life and should have just let her go. When Gurov gets back to Moscow he gets on with his life and has a family to be with, but Anna has no one to be with and she really hates her husband. Gurov used to refer to women as the inferior race and should have let her go too as he let all the other woman in his life. Their love, rather than giving them happiness, makes both of them more miserable. It does not make Gurov all that miserable since he's got his children to be with but Anna's life becomes miserable since she has no one to be with. Dimitry Dimitrich Gurov a native of Moscow meets the young charming lady, Anna Sergeyenva in Yalta, a famous tourist attraction in Russia. Gurov is trapped in a married life and always seems to run away from it. He is unfaithful to his wife and hates being at home with his family and considers his wife to be of limited intelligence. Anna is also trapped in married life and runs away from it as much as she can. She calls her husband a 'flunkey' and does not even know what he does. She tells Gurov that she was twenty when she married him and after marriage she realizes that she wants something better. She tells him that she wanted to live, and to runaway from him she makes up an excuse of being ill and comes to Yalta. Anna Sergeyenva is a lady with 2005-07-04T19:38:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Review-Of-Lady-With-A-Pet-Dog-By-Anton-Chekhov-27250.aspx An Explication of John Milton's "When I Consider How My Light is Spent" [i:b181731969]When I consider how my light is spent Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and the present My true account, lest he returning chide; "Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?" I fondly ask; but Patience to prevent That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need Either man's work or his own gifts; who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed And post o'er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait."[/i:b181731969] In "When I Consider How My Light is Spent", John Milton employs a rhyme pattern, rhythm, meter, Biblical references, and the diction of archaic language to successfully complete this Petrarchan sonnet. The speaker and audience are obvious, and unique from other poems. All of these elements work together as the speaker reflects in the octet how the one who took away his light now expects labor from him; the sestet is the Lord's kind answer to his servant. The structure of Milton's poem is an octet followed by a sestet. Because of this structure, the number of lines in the poem, and the content of those lines, it is a sonnet and more specifically a Petrarchan sonnet. The one structural difference lies in the division of the octet from the sestet, for the speaker changes here as well. This poem is unique in its speaker-audience relationship. The first eight lines are spoken by the one who raises the issue of the doubts that cloud his faith. Following these lines, the audience from the octet becomes the speaker of the sestet, who attempts to kindly give the doubting man peace. Because of the contents of the octet, many are led to believe that the speaker was Milton himself, for just as he lost his eyesight shortly before this poem was penned, so too did the speaker wonder about his "spent light". Therefore, the relationship between the speaker and the audience is quite personal because of the role that each has, and eventually trades, and this element makes the poem especially meaningful to the reader. The elements of meter, rhythm, and rhyme go hand in hand with the element of structure. As a Petrarchan sonnet, the meter is iambic pentameter, which lends itself 2005-07-04T06:19:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/John-Milton-s-quot-When-I-Consider-How-My-Light-is-Spent-qu-27248.aspx My Antonia: The Role of Women My Antonia, by Willa Cather provides a strong feminist statement in the way women are portrayed throughout the novel. Cather takes a bold step in literature, reversing the limited stereotype of women, by giving them strong and independent roles in the story. Lena is able to start her own business, which is rare at that time. Several other women show their acumen in business, like Tiny Soderball, Frances Hurling, and Mrs. Gardener. This novel questions society's norms for women and their place in the society, and, in doing so, opens up many possibilities for women to find happiness and fulfillment in life independent of men. Cather does a very good job of representing women from every aspect. The women's role as the traditional housewife, the independent girl, the self-dependent worker, and the family's foundation. First we start with Grandmother Burden. She whole-heartedly welcomes Jim into her home, being his grandma and the only mother figure of his life, now that his mother has passed away. She bustles and hustles around the home preparing meals and doing what a grandmother does best, taking care of everyone. Now Mr. and Mrs. Shimerda were having a hard time finding food for their family and when Grandmother found out about this, she went over to their house with food. Grandmother Burden and Mrs. Shimerda played the traditional role of married women in the story, cooking and cleaning. Things haven't changed too much in women's roles, it's more so that people are more acceptant of women and their many roles in the society. Married women are still seen as needing to be home to take care of the children, prepare the meals, keep care of the house and so on. That is why many women now do not feel the need to get married. As in My Antonia, the women who got married couldn't be successful businesswomen, except Mrs. Gardener. Mrs. Gardener wore the pants of the relationship. "It was Mrs. Gardener who ran the business and looked after everything. Her husband stood at the desk and welcomed incoming travelers. He was a popular fellow, but no manager" (117). Her and her husband had switched the role of the male and the female in the marriage. Mrs. Gardener seemed like the typical business man, the way her mannerisms were cold, socialized little, kept rules and was constantly making sure that everything was 2005-07-03T07:38:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/My-Antonia-The-Role-of-Women-27224.aspx Emily Dickinson's Views On Mortality Emily Dickinson's poems "Because I Could Not Stop for Death", "I Heard A Fly Buzz-When I Died", and "I Felt A Funeral In My Brain" all deal with one of life's few certainties, death. Dickinson's intense curiosity towards mortality was present in much of her work, and is her legacy as a poet. "Because I could Not Stop for Death" is one of Emily Dickinson's most discussed and famous poems due to its ambiguous, and unique view on the popular subject of death. Death in this poem is told as a woman's last trip, which is headed toward eternity. This poem helps to characterize and bring death down to a more personal level. Different from the more popular views of death being brutal and cruel, Dickinson makes death seem passive and easy. The theme of the poem being that death is natural and unstoppable for everybody, but at the same time giving comfort that it is not the end of a soul's journey. The reader can recognize the poem's theme by analysing its voice, imagery, figures of speech, form, diction and especially symbolism; all of which help the reader to understand the poem's meaning. The precise form that Dickinson uses throughout the poem helps convey her message to the reader. The poem is written in five quatrains. The way in which each stanza is written in a quatrain gives the poem unity and makes it easy to read. "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" starts to gives the reader a feeling of forward movement throughout the second and third quatrain. For example, in line 5, Dickinson begins death's journey with a slow, forward movement, which can be seen as she writes, "We slowly drove-He knew no haste." The third quatrain seems to speed up as the trinity of death, immortality, and the speaker pass the children playing, the fields of grain, and the setting sun one after another. The poem seems to get faster as life goes through its course. In lines 17 and 18, however, the poem seems to slow down as Dickinson writes, "We paused before a House that seemed / A Swelling of the Ground-." The reader is given a feeling of life slowly ending. Another way in which Dickinson uses the form of the poem to convey a message to the reader occurs on line four as she writes, "And Immortality." 2005-07-03T07:26:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Emily-Dickinson-s-Views-On-Mortality-27223.aspx Death Of A Salesman Summary As the play opens, Willy Loman, who has been a traveling salesman for 35 years, returns home after having just left for a sales trip to New England. He tells his wife Linda that he can no longer go on the road because he cannot keep his mind on driving. At the same time, his elder son Biff is visiting the Brooklyn home after being away for many years. Willy reminisces about Biff's potential, 14 years earlier, when he was playing high school football and being offered athletic scholarships by numerous university teams. When we meet Biff, he is discussing future job prospects with his younger brother Happy. Biff considers going to see Bill Oliver, a man for whom he had worked many years earlier, and asking him for a loan to get started in a sporting goods business. Biff and Happy tell Willy of this plan, and he gets very excited with the idea. He emphasizes that Oliver really liked Biff and we begin to see Willy's fixation with the idea that one only needs personal attractiveness to be successful in the business world. In fact, Willy decides that he too will see his boss the following day and ask for a New York position rather than a traveling job. The first day ends with the bright hope that Willy, Biff and Happy will achieve their goals for the following day. The three of them plan to meet for dinner after they have been to their respective meetings. Unfortunately, Willy is not successful in his meeting with Howard Wagner, his current boss and son of the deceased owner. In fact, Howard fires Willy because he believes the elder salesman is doing the firm harm. Willy is crestfallen and goes to see his old friend and neighbor, Charley. Charley loans Willy enough money to pay his life insurance premium. Charley offers Willy a job, but Willy cannot bring himself to accept it. While at Charley's office, Willy meets Bernard, Charley's son, who has become a very successful lawyer. Bernard wonder's why Biff lost his initiative 14 years ago. This angers Willy and causes him to reflect on the past. Biff and Happy meet in the restaurant for dinner. Biff explains that he has had some important realizations about himself. Apparently, Oliver kept him waiting all 2005-07-03T07:15:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Death-Of-A-Salesman-Summary-27222.aspx Hypertext And Derrida - I Link, Therefore I am Discovering hypertext radically altered my perspective and perception of Jacques Derrida’s work. Derrida’s writing was not unfamiliar to me before this event but the texts were often difficult to read or ungraspable. I had read about resistance to Derrida’s honorary doctorate from Cambridge University in 1992, which provoked a strong response in me. I really wanted this man (whom I knew hardly anything about) to get his honorary doctorate and shove it right up the establishment’s derrière. I duly aligned myself (in a rather distorted form of identification) with the apparently disenfranchised and I have wanted to love this man’s work ever since. Deconstruction as a concept was formally introduced to me at undergraduate level, along with logocentrism, différance and sous rature. I am going to discuss these Derridean terms in relation to hypertext and their meaning in relation to me – the beginning of my universe, as I know it. I will argue that the convergence of hypertext and Derrida in contemporary critical theory offers interesting possibilities for the reconstruction of sexual difference in this feminist project. I will outline hypertext as a concept before I advance a number of connections between Derrida, hypertext and feminism. The Derridean text that provides the main focus for this paper, which I will link to my analysis of hypertext, is Circumfession in Derridabase by Geoffrey Bennington (1993). There are several texts by Derrida, which arguably link more obviously to the concept of hypertext and its ability to demonstrate critical theory. I will elucidate this point about critical theory as I work through the analysis of hypertext. Choosing Circumfession as the primary text for this paper is connected partly to the desire I expressed earlier to “love this man’s work”. The expression of love in Circumfession was a theme that I found compelling and compulsive, to the exclusion of other Derridean texts. Circumfession invited my engagement and attention rather than a detached and clinical investigation of the material. This was a roller coaster ride of an experience that moved, and moved me, in different ways and at varying intervals between the words, but always in a circular motion. It is the circular theme(s) and movement in Derrida’s narrative that I want to explore. Hypertext and Derrida do not seem out of place in the same sentence; let me explain this statement. George Landow (1993) 2005-07-03T04:42:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hypertext-And-Derrida-I-Link,-Therefore-I-am-27215.aspx TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD - Life's a Cruel Cruel World Schools tend to have cliques, small groups of narrow-minded people who criticize others. These teens in cliques parallel adults in today's society. They prey on those who believe in different things, come from different backgrounds, and have different morals and values. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, three characters, Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Atticus Finch, all resemble mockingbirds, in that people persecute them for no reason. The people of Maycomb County victimize the innocent Boo Radley. His mysterious life interests the Finch children, Jem and Scout, and their friend Dill. They imagine Boo as a drooling, savage, six-and-a-half foot beast with a long jagged scar on his face, yellow teeth, and bulging eyes. They suspect that he peers into people's windows at night to stalk them and he may try to kill them. The real Boo, however, possesses a kind soul and a gentle heart. He manages to find ways to communicate in a positive and playful way with Jem, Scout, and Dill, but everyone suspects Boo of enigmatic crimes when "once the town was terrorized and…people still looked to the Radley Place, unwilling to discard their initial suspicions" (9). The townspeople do not give Boo a chance; they rather make rash conclusions. His seclusion from the town instantly opens him up to ridicule and gossip. Scout learns to judge him and others by their actions, not by the town gossip. Tom Robinson, a Negro, represents another mockingbird. He lives a life of simplicity beyond the town dump, and attends the same church as the Finch family cook, Calpurnia. Tom regularly assists people in need, especially Mayella Ewell, but he finds himself punished for it. Mayella, a white woman, accuses Tom of rape and abuse, and her father Bob takes this matter to court and uses subterfuge in his testimony. During the trial Link Deas, Tom's former employer, announces, "That boy worked for me eight years an' I aint had a speck o' trouble outta him" (195). Link tries to stand up for Tom because he instinctively knows Tom would never rape anyone, especially a white woman. Because of Link's experience with Tom, he steadfastly believes in Tom's innocence. However the prejudice that exists in Maycomb influences the jury to convict Tom of rape, leaving him and his attorney Atticus Finch disappointed but not surprised. Atticus, a very respected lawyer, defends 2005-07-03T01:42:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/TO-KILL-A-MOCKINGBIRD-Life-s-a-Cruel-Cruel-World-27210.aspx Rivalry In A Separate Peace Every person feels rivalry or competition towards others at some point in their lives. This rivalry greatly affects our ability to understand others, and this eventually results in paranoia and hostility. It is a part of human nature, that people coldly drive ahead for their gain alone. Man's inhumanity towards man is a way for people to protect themselves from having pain inflicted on them by others, and achieving their goals and desires without the interference of others. This concept of man's inhumanity to man is developed in A Separate Peace as the primary conflict in the novel centres on the main character, Gene, and his inner-battles with feelings of jealousy, paranoia, and inability to understand his relationship with his best friend Phineas. Competition is further demonstrated by the occurrence of World War II. It is shown that, "There were few relationships among us (the students) at Devon not based on rivalry." (p. 37) It is this rivalry and competition between the boys at Devon that ripped their friendships apart. In the early pages of the novel, Finny confesses that Gene is his best friend. This is considered a courageous act as the students at Devon rarely show any emotion. And rather than coming back with similar affection, Gene holds back and says nothing. Gene simply cannot handle the fact that Finny is so compassionate, so athletic, so ingenuitive, so perfect. As he put it, "Phineas could get away with anything." (p. 18) In order to protect himself from accepting Finny's compassion and risking emotional suffering, Gene creates a silent rivalry with Finny, and convinced himself that Finny is deliberately attempting to ruin his schoolwork. Gene decides he and Finny are jealous of each other, and reduces their friendship to cold trickery and hostility. Gene becomes disgusted with himself after weeks of the silent rivalry. He finally discovers the truth, that Finny only wants the best for Gene, and had no hidden evil intentions. This creates a conflict for Gene as he is not able to deal with Finny's purity and his own dark emotions. On this very day Finny wants to jump off of the tree branch into the Devon river at the same time as Gene, a "double jump" (p. 51), he says, as a way of bonding. It was this decision, caused by Finny's affection for Gene and outgoing ways that resulted in 2005-07-03T01:40:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Rivalry-In-A-Separate-Peace-27209.aspx Book eight of the Aeneid starts with Aeneas in an anxious and nervous mood. With Turnus rallying his troops, and the uncertainty of aid from other territories, Aeneas' mind is in turmoil. His thoughts are further confused when he sleeps that night and has a prophetic dream. He dreams he is lying on the bank of a river when the God of the Tiber river appears. He eases Aeneas' troubled mind by saying that he has made it to the new Trojan home. He goes on to say that if he doubts this vision, he will find a white sow on a riverbank the following day, with thirty young pigs around it. He further explains that Aeneas must head for Pallanteum and seek an alliance with the ruler of this land, Evander. The dream ends as the Tiber river tells Aeneas that he will aid him with fair currents. Aeneas sets sail the next day on a calm river, on his way to visit Evander. He finds the king in the middle of a celebration honoring Hercules. Aeneas and Evander talk and discover that they are actually distant relatives, and Evander agrees to help Aeneas in the coming war. Evander then goes on to invite the Trojans to the feast. At the feast, Evander relates the story of how his people came to celebrate Hercules on a special day. The story goes that there was a half-man half-monster named Cacus who would terrorize and kill the people of this town. One day, Hercules was traveling through this land with his cattle. Cacus then stole some of the cattle and Hercules chased him to his mountain hideaway. Hercules lifted the entire mountain up, found Cacus, and killed him. As the night comes, Aeneas and Evander sleep as Venus and Vulcan stay up. Venus uses her powers to seduce Vulcan and convince him to do her a favor. Vulcan went to the Cyclops' forge on his island to do work for his wife. He employed all the Cyclops to help him in his task of making new armor for Aeneas. In the meantime, Aeneas and Evander are preparing for war. They wake early to have a meeting and decide leadership. Evander chooses to put Aeneas in control in accordance with a prophet he received saying: "No Italian, by right, may rule your assembly. Choose a foreign leader." Then minutes before the battle, Venus appears and 2005-06-30T05:05:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Aeneid-Book-8-27204.aspx Major Themes In "A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O'Connor The story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" is a grotesque yet intriguing story trademarked by a strong religious theme and Flannery O'Connor's use of vision and foreshadowing. The author's foreshadowing techniques and literary devices keep the reader immersed in the text, while the extremely different views of the grandmother and the Misfit on Christianity add a thought provoking, religious flair to the story. These two components make up a disturbing anecdote about an ordinary southern family's extraordinary struggle for their lives. The vision of Flannery O'Connor is one that is unmatched in the literary world. Her creative foresight and Southern background allow her to create an interesting setting appealing to the reader. A prime example of her literary technique is when she has the grandmother reading the article about an escaped convict running away to Florida. "Here this fellow that calls himself The Misfit is a loose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here what it says he did to these people" (O'Connor 1). The grandmother goes on to insist the family should go on vacation to east Tennessee instead of Florida, and will not have it any other way. "The children have been to Florida before," the old lady said. "You all ought to take them somewhere else for a change so they would see different parts of the world and be broad. They never've been to east Tennessee" (2). This shows the grandmother's officious and manipulative character traits to the reader. This selection is also here to introduce the Misfit and keep the reader wondering about why this article was read, and if it means or foreshadows anything. Another point that exemplifies O'Connor's foreshadowing technique is when she expands on the grandmother's self-interest in her appearance, and ends with the quote, "In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady" (O'Connor 2). This presages that the grandmother's selfishness and imperfect character traits will come into play later in the story, and eventually bring her to her demise, foreshadowed by the mention of death in the quote. A third instance of foreshadowing is when Bailey, the father, turns the car around to go back to a 2005-06-30T04:59:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Major-Themes-In-quot-A-Good-Man-Is-Hard-To-Find-27201.aspx Tess of the d’Urbervilles vs. The Mayor of Casterbrige The two novels, The Mayor of Casterbrige and Tess of the d’Urbervilles have many similarities. Thomas Hardy wrote both of the novels in the late 1800’s, placing the story lines in similar settings, his imaginary land of Wessex. The two main characters in these books, Tess, in Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Michael, in The Mayor of Casterbridge, also share something else in common, that also contrasts at the same time. Tess and Michael both live a poor life at the beginning of the novel and experience a fall and then encounter a rise during the middle chapters; then they fall again towards the end, but Michael’s rise and falls are because of his own actions, where as Tess’ are because of the actions of other people around her. Both Tess Durbeyfield and Michael Henchard, the two main characters of these novels, are introduced as regular poor folk, living in Wessex. As both novels progress, important events occur to make these characters fall even lower than they already are. The difference is who is actually responsible for the character changes. In Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Tess’ rise and falls are caused by the actions of others around her. At the beginning of the novel, Tess lives with her father, John, her mother, Joan, and her younger brothers and sisters in a small shack like cottage. Tess’ family is not very wealthy, but in the first chapter, John finds out from Parson Trigham of their unsuspected noble ancestry, the d’Urbervilles. This is the spark that lights the flame to Tess’ first fall. Upon hearing this great news John goes to Rolliver’s Inn to celebrate and prepare for his journey the next morning. This does not affect Tess yet, until John is unable to wake up the next morning, so she takes responsibility for his journey to the market. On her way her carriage crashes with another and their horse, Prince, dies. Tess feels accountable for Prince’s death although it was actually her father’s irresponsibility for drinking too much the night before. “It was a relief to her tongue to find from the faces of her parents that they already knew of their loss, though this did not lessen the self-reproach which she continued to heap upon herself for her negligence…Nobody blamed Tess as she blamed herself.” Tess (page 28) 2005-06-30T04:57:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tess-of-the-d’Urbervilles-vs_-The-Mayor-of-Casterbrige-27200.aspx The Assassination of Julius Caesar: Controversial retelling of the fall of the Roman Republic Nominated for the 2003 Pulitzer Prize, there is a lot to dissuade the serious reader of Roman history in Michael Parenti's "The Assassination of Julius Caesar". A radical commentator on contemporary society and historical memory, Parenti applies a "Marxian-lite" analysis of the late Republic. In hearing a talk he once gave, one comment he made stands out; "One of the great pleasures of learning history is not the learning it but the unlearning of preconceived notions". To that end he has an axe to grind with historians of the era and, in the first chapter, he names names and takes few prisoners. The effect of all this is to put the reader off a bit. I was taken aback as Parenti railed against the "gentlemen historians" and the class based prism that they have used to interpret the assassination of Caesar. The question Parenti sets out to answer is not who killed Caesar, that is well established, but why. His answer is that the conspirators were representative of the most reactionary elements of a conservative Senate and the wealthy class interests they defended. To Parenti the domestic policies of the late republic were the politics of class warfare. Landed interests expropriated land from citizen-soldiers away on war, voted themselves subsidies and lowered their own tax burden. Lower class citizens were denied a majority of the wealth flowing into the Republic (the result of new conquests) and deprived of their small farms with little but the tribunes to protect their interests. Attempts by reformers such as the Gracchi were seen as a usurping of the republic's institutions, most importantly the Senate. To Parenti the senatorial exhortations to uphold the "rule of law" were natural; the Senate passed the laws, the laws benefited their class. The elimination of the threat of reformers became a quest for many of the ruling class and these self-styled "optimates" resorted to inciting the populace and "death squads" to eliminate those seen as radicals. The book reserves a special chapter for Cicero, and it isn't pretty. An excerpt reveals the extent of Parenti's view of the Roman Senator; "A self-enriching slaveholder, slumlord and senator Cicero deplored even the palest move towards democracy". A hypocrite when it was warranted, Cicero was a staunch opponent of the Roman "masses" and of Caesar. The author paints Cicero 2005-06-29T05:27:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Assassination-of-Julius-Caesar-27197.aspx The Assassination of Julius Caesar: Sincere and Heartbreaking Historical Document Critics who fail to see through the very blindness's Parenti challenges throughout this book are just proving his point. It is not, as "L.C" Robinson asserts above, that Parenti thinks everybody is wrong. Parenti's interest is not in some puerile (and typically American) debate over who is right and who is wrong, but rather a very fair and disinterested discussion about the consequences of crippling class stratification in ancient Rome and, as it turns out, throughout much of the history that followed. People like Mr. Robinson speak from precisely the privileged perspective Parenti works so tirelessly to challenge here. It is unfathomable to people such as himself that there are those for whom education is a pipe dream, an unattainable aspiration prohibited by the financial situations into which they were born. From the days of Sallust, Seutonius and Polybius on down to Edward Gibbon, education was a privilege reserved for the wealthy. Literacy rates in ancient Rome were horrific; the vast majority of the population could neither read nor write. This insurmountable disadvantage persisted over thousands of years and continues even today, when there are only two ways by which an American kid gets a good education: rich parents, or a willingness to plunge oneself into tens of thousands of dollars into debt (I myself owe $57,000 in student loans, which will not be paid off for 30 years). In less developed nations, literacy rates remain as bad as they were in Caligula's day. Still, though, America's own literacy rate ranks just 48th in the world (see Morris Berman's "Twilight of American Culture"). Of course, some of us are lucky enough to land a scholarship or grant, but that is too often like winning the lottery. People like Seutonius and Edward Gibbon were able to write history because they could afford to; they grew up in the upper classes where education was not only affordable but often taken for granted. Parenti's thesis is absolutely correct: history is written by the winners, the privileged and the fortunate. Thus, the condemnation of the ancient Roman populace as an unwashed and filthy rabble persists not because it is fact, but because it is the only history that circumstances have allowed. It is one of history's most glaring ironies that the privileged classes of ancient Rome considered themselves morally superior to plebs and slaves, when 2005-06-29T05:25:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Assassination-of-Julius-Caesar-Historical-Document-27196.aspx The Assassination of Julius Caesar: Pulitzer Prize Nominated Masterpiece The Assassination of Julius Caesar blows away the so called truth proffered to us by the gentlemen historians who peddle a genre biased towards an upper-class ideological perspective. Parenti is an eloquent Caesarian historian who displays an astonishing amount of research finely organized and presented in this Pulitzer Prize nominated work; which will no doubt have the Ciceronians scrambling to put together a rebuttal. The Assassination of Julius Caesar points out how numerous popularis fell victim to the optimates death squads, Tiberius Gracchus, Gaius Gracchus, Drusus, Clodius and Rufus all sealed their fates by taking up the populist cause. Along with Caesar each of them lobbied and passed such policies as land reform, debt forgiveness, expansion of the franchise, giving the craft guilds more power, and greater food allotments. Parenti makes for especially fascinating reading when he documents the reign of Sulla; the fascist autocrat whose policies weren't rolled back until Caesar's First Triumvirate was able to abolish some his more regressive laws. Also Dr. Parenti's sections on Cicero, the Machiavellian statesman who served autocratic interests, are sensational. He exposes Cicero's fomenting of the witch-hunt like Cataline Conspiracy. Egalitarian reforms and attempts to democratize decision making were treated as outright subversion by the optimates. Cicero upheld these values by constantly propagandizing against Cataline and his tepid reforms. We discover that Cicero was an odious creature who sold-out to power at every opportunity by often being quite an effective mouthpiece for the priveleged of ancient Rome. The Assassination of Julius Caesar shows how Caesar was not a revolutionary but rather a reformer who worked to break the stranglehold of the senatorial autocrats. While not being perfect, Caesar dedicated himself to the popular cause and was well liked by the masses. Unlike Cicero, Sulla, Brutus, Cassius and Cato of whom none have flowers left at their graves like Caesar's tomb does to the present day. Parenti documents how Caesar was committed to rolling back the worst class abuses perpetrated by the wealthy and was fondly remembered for it. One prevarication Parenti studiously attacks is Caesar's supposed burning of the Serapeum library in Alexandria. It was the Christ worshippers in the fourth century who carried out the deed, Caesar and his forces burned not a single page. The assassination itself is portrayed in vivid detail, including a surprising and accurate quote from Major General Fuller's 2005-06-29T05:23:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Assassination-of-Julius-Caesar-Pulitzer-Prize-Nominated-27195.aspx Julius Caesar - Roman political intrigue meets Elizabethan Drama Not much is more sensational than the assassination of a major public figure; reading Act 3, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar," in which the title character is stabbed and hacked to death by half a dozen conspirators, I feel like I'm depriving myself of a thrilling theatrical spectacle that must be seen to be appreciated. It is not necessary to know much about Caesar to sense the power of the drama; the play provides just enough background and information about Caesar's personality to suggest the reason for his murder and its consequences. In historical actuality, Caesar's murder was in some ways the pivot around which Rome transformed from a republic into an empire, and the play, which Shakespeare bases faithfully on Plutarch's histories, is ultimately about the political struggle that drives this transformation. The main conspirator against Caesar, and the one to deal him the final blow, is Brutus, who foresees nothing but tyranny if Caesar is made a king. There is something atavistic about his attitude, for he is descended from the family that was instrumental in turning the kingdom of Rome into a republic five centuries earlier. The scenes leading up to Caesar's murder build with forceful tension. We see Brutus discussing with his co-conspirator Cassius the dangers of Caesar's ascension and Cassius's sympathetic response, the conspirators meeting at night to plan their attack on Caesar in the Capitol, Caesar's disregard of a soothsayer's prophecies of doom, and then the bloody climax, even after which the drama loses not a bit of momentum: Brutus appeals to the people (the Plebeians) that the assassination of Caesar, whom they loved and did not at all consider a potential tyrant, was only for their own good; while Mark Antony, one of Caesar's triumvirate and an eloquent orator, cajoles the people with demagogic irony into suspecting the murder happened for no reason other than malice. Shakespeare fashions Caesar and Brutus more or less as two sides of the same denarius. Caesar is physically frail and deaf in one ear, but that doesn't preclude his triumphant success as a general and a military strategist. He is also pompous and fatuously vain -- there is nothing he fears more than to appear cowardly to his peers. Brutus is cut out of the same stock of hubris, but his motivations are purely altruistic. He loves Rome -- as 2005-06-29T05:21:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Caesar-Roman-political-intrigue-meets-Elizabethan-27194.aspx William Shakespeare, renowned worldwide as one of the greatest playwrights of all time, was a man who was captivated by history. He wrote a number of histories for previous kings of England, including Richard the Lionheart, Henry VIII, and King John, but it is for his tragedies, which he is best known. Shakespearean tragedies manage to convey more than they intend to in their study of life and its essential futility, and are by far Shakespeare's most acclaimed works. From HAMLET to ROMEO AND JULIET, Shakespeare's classic plays concerning the great inevitable are arguably his best. JULIUS CAESAR is no exception. The real Julius Caesar was a man of great compassion who desired power, but above all, wanted to see the citizens of Rome prosper. After defeating the armies of Pompey and gaining control of all of Rome, Caesar began to institute changes intended for the betterment of the Roman society, and quickly became beloved by his citizens. Unfortunately, his forgiving nature misled him into pardoning and later befriending a former ally of Pompey's named Marcus Brutus. Caesar placed Brutus in several positions of power within the Republic, and trusted the young man above all his allies. Brutus soon began planning the assassination of Caesar with another holder of high office named Cassius. He felt that the power Caesar held would go to the dictator's head, and in the case of a weaker man, this would have been true, but certainly not Caesar. Why would a man who twice refused a crown upon its offering in rapid succession begin to misuse his power and let it get the better of him? The conspirators, however, let this not get in the way of their hunger for power, merely disguised as concern for the welfare of all of Rome. Despite some misgivings, Brutus aided in the assassination of Caesar, and was soon an enemy of the Roman Republic under the adopted son of Caesar, Octavius. Before he and Cassius could be hunted down by the new leader of Rome, however, they committed suicide. Octavius Caesar later took the name of Augustus and ushered in a golden age for Rome. Shakespeare's play, however, only covers events up to Caesar's death. Despite some historical inaccuracies, Shakespeare managed to remain, for the most part, accurate in his depiction of the assassination. A few things that Shakespeare changed were the character of Brutus, whom he changed 2005-06-29T05:19:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Caesar-Reflection-27193.aspx Dracula - It's the Best Way to Absorb the Dracula Myth Bram Stoker had absolutely no idea just what sort of monster he was creating. I refer not to his title character, but to the book itself. It is highbrow enough that scholars and literary types feel the need to include it (if, perhaps, toward the bottom) on their lists of exemplary 19th-century popular literature, yet lowbrow enough to interest the common reader. This is not a slight to the "common reader"; I'm one, too, and I tire of dense, obnoxiously self-important prose. Stoker's goal was not to write "important" books. He knew exactly who his readers were - real people, not literary critics. That he managed to rise somewhat above even his own expectations with Dracula is a testament to his often latent skill. Stephen King has benefited from the seriousness with which some critics have taken Dracula, by often being taken more seriously than he perhaps deserves. King knows this, too; he has often described himself, tongue in cheek, as the McDonald's or General Motors of horror fiction. Stoker, while never as consistently successful as King, might have applied a similar description to himself. Dracula, though written at the end of the 19th century, seems a fairly modern book, at it moves swiftly and employs suspense techniques often associated with more recent books and films (i.e., the shifting point-of-view, "cross-cutting", if you will, between different first-person narratives to build tension). It works exceedingly well, providing a model and formula followed by many successors - though often with less impressive results. The central villain - Count Dracula himself - is quite rightly absent from the stage a good deal of the time, so that he may grow in the imagination of the reader as his invisible presence permeates nearly every page. He is always just on the other of the window, door, or wall, or just across the street - his nefarious intentions influencing events as the book draws inexorably toward confrontation with the monster. Dracula's flaw is also, in a way, its virtue: there are no evil human characters. Almost everyone is quite heroic and selfless in a sort of two-dimensional way. It is not that the characters are underdeveloped (as many complain), but that they tend to be representative of human beings' more enviable qualities, and therefor seem less realistic to the modern reader. But, then, one has to realize that 2005-06-29T05:06:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dracula-It-s-the-Best-Way-to-Absorb-the-Dracula-Myth-27192.aspx Dracula - Most Influential Vampire Still Entertaining In 1897, Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was published in Great Britain. It was one of many Gothic horror novels of the day and, although popular, wasn't considered to be meaningful or timeless in any way. Yet, over a century later, the book has never gone out of print. Its title character, Count Dracula, is the quintessential vampire of Western literature and has inspired more movies than any novel. "Dracula" is sufficiently multi-faceted that writers and directors of film have been able to adapt it for their constantly changing times and purposes. In 1922, F.W. Murnau found in "Dracula" his Freudian-expressionist masterpiece "Nosferatu". Nearly a decade later, Dracula was transformed into Bela Lugosi's suave predatory aristocrat in Tod Browning's 1931 film. In John Badham's 1979 film "Dracula", the predator is a liberator of sexually oppressed women. In Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film, "Bram Stoker's Dracula", he is a romantic hero. There have been at least 10 major films based directly on Bram Stoker's novel, and about the same number of plays. "Dracula" is a literary masterpiece by virtue of its influence and perhaps its ideas, many of which are only half-formed in the novel itself. The prose is not masterful. Bram Stoker wrote "Dracula" as a series of diaries and correspondence which, taken together, tell a remarkable tale of an evil that invades the characters' lives and threatens to prey upon the citizenry of London. Jonathan Harker is a solicitor from Exeter who travels to Transylvania, in Romania, to present a mysterious Count named Dracula with the paperwork involved in his purchase of a home in London. While visiting the Count, Jonathan learns that his host is not quite human and very dangerous, but is left in such an agitated state that he is unsure what was real and what was a nightmare. Hoping to put the ordeal behind him, Jonathan marries his devoted fiancée, Mina, as soon as possible and returns to England and normalcy. Meanwhile, a former pupil of Mina's in London, Lucy Westenra, has just accepted a marriage proposal herself. But a strange illness has overtaken Lucy. She inexplicably loses large amounts of blood, her countenance is gradually changing. It will take her aristocratic fiancée Arthur, her former suitors, psychiatrist Dr. Seward and wealthy Texan Quincey Morris, as well as an esteemed scientist from Amsterdam, Dr. Van Helsing, to save her from 2005-06-29T05:01:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dracula-Most-Influential-Vampire-Still-Entertaining-27191.aspx Ah, "Dracula". Is there a single book in the English language the more people know better? Well, actually, yes, because the truth of the matter is people who think they KNOW everything there is to know about the story probably have never read the book cover to cover. I realized this about half way in. So much our culture "knows" about vampires and Dracula having nothing to with the text of the book, but originate from Hollywood. There's not a whole lot of reason to go into the plot too heavily. The basics have been done more or less in the movies: English real estate agent goes to Transylvania to sell a house in England to a mysterious count, Dracula. Dracula is a vampire, intent on finding new blood abroad. What follows is a mostly terrifying (but occasionally slow and dull) battle between good and evil, modernity and superstition, and faith vs. magic. However, "Dracula" is nowhere near a perfect novel. Bram Stoker, much like his contemporaries, tended to overwrite. In some instances, this approach works, particularly in Jonathan Harker's experiences in Castle Dracula. Here, Stoker is able to convey to the reader (even those familiar with the story from the films) Harker's genuine confusion and horror as Dracula's behavior quickly shifts between cordial and terrifyingly violent. The encounter over the mirror which doesn't reflect Dracula's reflection, Harker's near attack by the count's bride (and the surprising erotic overtones), the feeding on infants, and Harker's discovery of Dracula in his coffin, blood on his lips, as he lays "like some filthy leech" are vividly drawn and thoroughly frightening. Other excellent moments include the log of the ship Dracula arrives on (pasted, inexplicably into Mina Harker's journal). The desperation of the captain as his crew is picked off by some monster is truly haunting. Also memorable is the character of Renfield, the lunatic who somehow Dracula reaches out to. His need to eat his way up the food chain is darkly humourous and grotesque. Sadly, not everything about the novel is this well done. Abraham Van Helsing is a Dutch character. Stoker wildly overwrote his speech patterns and accent. Consequently, he often seems to be more comedy relief than the wise leader of the band of hunters (definitely an improvement in the films). Likewise, Quincey Morris, a Texan, often flirts with stereotype, but Stoker is able to keep the character serious, 2005-06-29T04:59:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dracula-So-you-think-you-know-this-book-27190.aspx Everybody knows the usual tales of vampires and the supernatural. Or, at least, they thought they did. Dracula, by Bram Stoker, is a collection of many accounts of the presence of vampires, and specifically, the infamous Count Dracula. The story starts out with Jonathan Harker, a solicitor journeying to sell Dracula a bit of property. An innocent representative of all that is good in the world, Jonathan soon finds out that he is in great danger. He says, "The castle is a veritable prison, and I am a veritable prisoner! (37). The Count Dracula, who seemed so polite, is truly quite frightening and is planning out Harker's death as he stays in the castle. Jonathan realizes he must escape or die trying. The story switches from Harker's diary to the journal of Dr. Steward, who works at an asylum near Carfax, the estate that Dracula bought. He tells of his patient Renfield, who is almost certainly insane. Steward also becomes involved with the illness of his former love, Lucy, who is a good friend of Mina Murray (Harker's fiancée). Steward calls upon Van Helsing, his former teacher to assist in the healing of Lucy. After leaving Lucy unattended for a night, she is found to have a turn for the worse, and was thought by Van Helsing to have lost immense quantities of blood via two red marks on the throat. With Lucy's health quickly waning, Mina's fears about her husband's queer manner increasing, and the constant escape of Renfield to Carfax, there is no doubt that all these paradoxes can be related to the one and only Count Dracula. The strength in personality of every one of the characters is what makes this book a vital read. From Dracula to Mina, each character has a unique personality that shows itself thought their writings and actions. Dracula, who is described by Harker as being unusually and reassuringly polite, is doing so to hide his evil. Mina is an independent woman who is intelligent and can think for herself. Another strong character is Van Helsing. He is a very stern and mysterious man, though he will at times show his emotions. Dr. Seward notes, "Then when his face grew grave and stern, again I asked him why his mirth, and why at such a time. His reply was in a way characteristic of him, for it was logical and forceful and 2005-06-29T04:57:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dracula-A-Classic-for-a-Reason-27189.aspx Dracula - Easily the best horror novel ever written Bram Stoker's Dracula is, hands down, the greatest horror novel ever written. In addition, it is also an enduring classic of literature. You may have seen every Dracula movie ever made, but you do not know the real Count Dracula until such time as you have read Stoker's book. Of course, unless you have been living under a rock, you will know the general plot line, but I assure you there is a wealth of rich material buried throughout the text that is sure to excite, intrigue, and surprise you. Perhaps the ending is a slight anticlimactic, yet I, having read this novel before and being quite familiar with the Count, read the final pages with bated breath, an anxious mind, and the sense of exhilaration that only the most talented of writers can induce. The most striking characteristic of Stoker's masterpiece is its solid grounding in late 19th-century Victorianism. This may prove frustrating to some readers. It is far from uncommon for the men in the tale to weep and bemoan the dangers threatening the virtuous ladies Lucy and Mina; virtue and innocence of women are hailed rather religiously. Mina, for her part, assumes the role then deemed proper for women, accepting and praising the men for their protection of her, worrying constantly about her husband rather than herself, shedding tears she must not let her husband see, etc. Yet, it is most interesting to see Mina rise above the circle of a woman's proscribed duties; she in fact becomes a true partner in the effort against Dracula, expressing ideas and conclusions that the men, with all of their wisdom, could not come up with themselves. Another thing I find interesting is the lack of a clear protagonist in Dracula. Technically, I suppose, Jonathon Harker is the protagonist, but Mina, Dr. Van Helsing, Dr. Seward, and the Count himself basically operate on an equal plane with him. It is Van Helsing who can be described as the anti-Dracula; he plans the moves by which he and his friends seek to thwart the Count's plans and destroy him; the second half of the novel can be compared to a chess match between two equally strong competitors. Minor characters such as the lunatic Renfield are also drawn clearly in our mind's eye by Stoker's incredible gift of characterization. While the format is unusual--the novel 2005-06-29T04:54:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dracula-Easily-the-best-horror-novel-ever-written-27188.aspx House Of Spirits Essay On Uncle Marcos veryone has someone that they remember from the past. Whether that person is a family member, friend, or a famous celebrity, they are remembered. The people who will not be forgotten often have done something special in order to receive this remembrance. Most people that are remembered are not forgotten because of gifts they gave to others, their adventurous life stories, or their actions that bring negative attention towards them. Uncle Marcos is one of the many characters in the novel that are brought up multiple times throughout the story. All through The House of the Spirits, Isabel Allende has the characters uncover Uncle Marcos' books and souvenirs in order to keep his spirit steadfast in them. Uncle Marcos is the one that had brought Barrabas into the del Velle's family. While on one of his many ventures out to the far off countries of the world, Uncle Marcos had found a dog-like creature. Among all his personal belongings, given to the del Valles because of his death, was this dog-like animal, which was accepted into the del Velle family and thus lived with them, "The dog remained in the house" (19). Clara had claimed him as her own and therefore accepted full responsibility of the puppy, "The animal became her responsibility . . . He's mine Papa. If you take him away, I'll stop breathing and I promise you I'll die." (18). Uncle Marcos was forever remembered for his adventurous actions and his obvious presence. Marcos was an inventor and explorer of many things, one of which was the contraption he had built to fly. When Uncle Marcos decided to fly his blimp, it was definitely one of those events that would be remembered, "But when Marcos announced his plane trip, no one believed that his contraption could be put to any practical use . . . Clara would remember this holiday as long as she lived," (13). When Uncle Marcos would come to stay with his sister's family between his excavations, he brought along his souvenirs, books, and notes, "The house became a clutter of trunks, of animals in jars of formaldehyde, of Indian lances and sailor's bundles" (10). These obstructions were left around the house in many places and were always in the way. Uncle Marcos and his stories are still fresh in Clara's mind, and are told to others by Alba. Clara 2005-06-29T04:34:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/House-Of-Spirits-Essay-On-Uncle-Marcos-27184.aspx 'The Magic Flute' by Alan Spence "The Magic Flute" by Alan Spence is set during the 1960's and 70's in Glasgow. The novel follows the lives of four boys Eddie, Brian, George and Tam. Each character has a different personality, which the author brings to life throughout the novel. The plot chronicles the various ups and downs of the boys from their early teens into adulthood. The novel is written in the third person narrative with the author adopting an omniscient role. Spence adopts this narrative voice to enable him to be an all seeing, all knowing outsider looking in. This helps add to the realism of his main characters and how they cope with the main themes of sectarianism, bigotry, violence, friendship and poverty. I intend to examine the similarities and differences between the main characters and the techniques used by Spence to create them, which helps make the story so believable. I will focus on how the author cleverly employs dialect, imagery and characterization. Alan Spence's ability to give his characters a unique identity is clearly evident in the novel. The contrast between classes of people begins to become obvious as you work your way through the novel. Tam meets new people, from more affluent areas of Glasgow and sees a very different view of life: "Tam had never been in a house with a phone" This is just one measure of poverty Spence uses to emphasise this feature. None of the boys had experienced the trappings of material wealth. But for George this created a desire to escape from poverty and encouraged him to look at life with a different perspective and go on and find a respectable, well paid job. Not just to dream about it, but to consider life in detail and to discover its potential for him. George works hard towards an apprenticeship, with more than a little help from his father. This part shows that George is motivated by a desire to improve his financial situation and social status: "It's amazing what a wee handshake can do" There are many incidents where George's father uses a handshake to gain something for him or his family, which shows how important this secret society was to people in Glasgow at this time and how it was discriminatory. An example of this being when George obtained an apprenticeship for which he had little potential, even though there were qualified Catholic boys looking for 2005-06-29T04:32:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-The-Magic-Flute-by-Alan-Spence-27183.aspx If You Had To Kill Your Own Hog Vegetarianism is often a topic that society dwells upon. However, In Dick Gregory's "If You Had to Kill Your Own Hog," the author is explicit to use vegetarianism as an analogy to society's ways. Gregory analyzes his mother's biblical virtues and ideals and uses them to pinpoint man's flaws in racial segregation. Such flaws aren't always visible to our minds such as the inhumane ways of killing animals that we feed upon or whether it is the living conditions that society puts the less fortunate in. What hurts society the most, is that the people use their own rules and morals to justify these flaws. Society often takes for granted the true meaning of life by letting these flaws happen every single day. With his use of symbolic analogies, Gregory vividly displays his own moral views of vegetarianism as well as intertwining his opinion on African American civil rights to criticize society's hypocritical flaws. Gregory emphasizes society's tendency for viewing only what they want to see whether it is the slaughtering of animals or the horrible conditions in the ghettos that the poor are forced to live in. Society filters what is harmful to their minds blocking out whatever stops us from getting to their dream world. "The wealthy profit from the daily murders of ghetto life but they do not see them." Gregory criticizes social hierarchy by stating that if the aristocracy were to see reality instead of the dream they live in, the fatalities of living in the ghetto will decrease. Society only sees the "steak on the platter" when it comes to African Americans. The important black men such as Ralph Bunche and Thurgood Marshall who both have high status in society. Society does not see the oppression it brings to the Negro's life in the ghetto. As well as filtering reality from society's minds, Gregory points out how society often takes for granted the meaning of life by ignoring the fact that we kill an innocent life every time we feed upon meat. One of the Ten Commandments states that "Thou shalt not kill," Gregory interprets this strictly limiting it to all of nature's creatures. Whether it is human or animals, life is sacred to Gregory and society does not have God's power to take life away. Every single day animals are slaughtered for their meat, so that people may have 2005-06-29T04:29:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/If-You-Had-To-Kill-Your-Own-Hog-27182.aspx Dante's Inferno Vs Bosch's Garden Of Earthly Delights The concept of Hell is a powerful one to all who give pause to question an act of morality or sin. We are warned that choosing a path of debauchery may cause us to fall out of the holy grace of our omniscient God, leaving our afterlife to be one of pain, misery and suffering. These teachings are, though terrifying to some, generally vague- the specifics incomprehensible and distant. Hell is well known as simply unpleasant and hot, but could there be more to the legend than that? Both Dante Alighieri and Hieronymus Bosch felt that a belief of such relevance and widespread power warranted a clearer, more detailed and concise understanding. As a result, both of these artists defining works are dedicated to intricate and vivid depictions of Hell, one a poem, the other, a painting respectively. Their similar views on the evil within mankind, and their depictions through two very different art forms are essential in the understanding of the pervasive beliefs of their eras and in gaining a more literal image of the biblical realm known as Hell The right wing of Bosch's triptych, "The Garden of Earthly Delights", clearly represents the first piece ("Inferno") of the three poems known as Dante's "The Divine Comedy". Within this section of the threesome, elements from virtually all of Dante's ten circles of Hell are portrayed through graphic and chilling artistry. The majority of the place shown here is illuminated with an eerie reddish glow, obviously illustrating fire and heat, which has been used to symbolize the death, pain and suffering that runs rampant inside Lucifer's domain. Fire can also be created by man, so it could be reasoned that it represents our own mortality and self-destructive tendencies. Virgil, the stalwart guide to our protagonist, Dante, warns of these devastating flames in Canto III: line 87, "I come to lead you to the other shore, into eternal darkness, ice, and fire." The crimson tones that overlay much of the painting were foreshadowed in Dante's work when Virgil states, "Eternal fire burns within, giving off the reddish glow you see diffused throughout this lower Hell." (VII: 73-75). Another striking image that appears in Bosch's painting is situated towards the bottom center of this masterpiece. A huge golden instrument stands, surrounded by lamenting figures, some of whom appear to be Nuns and a single man dressed as 2005-06-29T04:12:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dante-s-Inferno-Vs-Bosch-s-Garden-Of-Earthly-Delights-27180.aspx The religious and spiritual symbolism in Anaya's book, Bless Me, Ultima blend beautifully with the powerfully described New Mexican setting and culture that surround the novel's main charatcer, Antonio, and place him at the center of a series of thematic struggles including the classic struggle of good vs. evil, the difficult decision of choosing between one's apparent destiny and giving in to one's choices, and the intense discovery and formation of alternate beliefs in a higher being. Anaya places Antonio in a Catholic household of Mexican descent in the rural setting of Las Pastures, New Mexico; illustrating the natural beauty and land-based lifestyle that Antonio grows up knowing. Tony's mother is a faithful and passionate Catholic, believing in the imporatance of direct prayer to God and the adoration of the Virgin Mary. She sees and feels the holyness that surrounds Tony's being from his birth, and raises him in hopes that he will some day become a priest. The characterization of Tony's father provides a nice contrast that lends an insight into the formation of Tony. His father is a man of the land, using it respectfully and living in symbiance with it to ensure the heathly lifespans of both his family, and his family's land or llano. The contrast in Tony's parental upbringing sets the stage for his future conflicts concerning the true existance of a God, and the reasons for the existance of good and evil that he witnesses in life. Symbolism is a cetral tool that Anaya uses to artistically convey Tony's journey and his discoveries, amazments, and disappointments along the way. Perhaps most finely crafted is Anaya's creation of the golden carp, used to represent the startling effect of peace and joy that Tony feels after discovering its existance. The golden carp itself is a symbol of an alternate idol of worship besides the Christian God that Tony had grown to believe in through the teachings he recives at home, school, and at church. The fact that Tony is willing to belive in the golden carp's existance, as he is both amazed and mystified by its beauty, is made to appear especially surprising through the description is the things that Tony is denying in order give into the peace and happines he feels in the golden carp. At one point, Tony is at sunday school at church, and the priest is describing to the students the concept of 2005-06-26T21:37:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anaya-s-Bless-Me,-Ultima-is-an-Emotional-Symbolic-Work-27176.aspx From the moment I picked up Bless Me, Ultima (BMU), I had a strong sense that this was going to be a story of coming of age. BMU is a Bildungsroman. However, this definition does not limit the range of BMU but rather provides Rudolfo Anaya the framework within which to pen his masterpiece. At the website The Victorian Web, a Bildungsroman is defined: A Bildungsroman is, most generally, the story of a single individual's growth and development within the context of a defined social order. The growth process, at its roots a quest story, has been described as both "an apprenticeship to life" and a "search for meaningful existence within society." Having cited this source, the rest of the review is an explanation of how BMU fits into this genre. BMU does not neatly fit into the Bildungsroman genre which leaves room for other interpretations like the "Hero's Journey." Moreover, there are problems with the Hero's Journey model as well, as it does not necessarily fit 100% with that angle either - but this is an issue for other reviewers to ponder. BMU is an examination of religion, of life, of Antonio's heritage. Life is the classroom while the culture clash is the curriculum. BMU is the tale of a young Antonio Marez. Antonio's "apprenticeship to life" (which fits nicely with point number one) starts at six years of age. At the start of the book, the curandera (In this case the curandera almost mimics a shaman - she uses herbs and magic to heal, defend and teach.) Ultima is asked to live with his family. One of the main themes of BMU deals with Antonio's coming of age. In this journey Antonia has Ultima as his guide through this most turbulent of times. Ultima gives Antonio the valor to cope with his own trials and tribulations. Antonio has to deal with the duality of maturing under the pressure of his mother, a Luna, and his father, a Marez. Witness this from Anaya: "Ultima," I asked, "why are they so strange and quiet? And why are my father's people so loud and wild?" She answered. "It is the blood of the Lunas to be quiet, for only a quiet man can learn the secrets of the earth that are necessary for planting - They are quiet like the moon - And it is he blood of the Marez to be wild, like 2005-06-26T21:20:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/From-the-moment-I-picked-up-Bless-Me,-Ultima-BMU-,-I-had-a-27175.aspx Until They Bring The Streetcars Back" by Author Stanley Gordon West In the book "Until They Bring The Streetcars Back" author Stanley Gordon West writes of a young man, Cal, who goes through more troubling events in one year than most people do in their whole lives. One of these events includes a girl who Cal has liked his whole life, Lola Muldoon. But between Cal, Lola, and his friend Tom, there is a rollercoaster of friendship, love, and heartbreak. Cal has been in love with Lola since the day he laid eyes on her but no one ever knew. Unfortunately for Cal, Lola was going steady with one of his good friends Tom. No one knew it but it really hurt Cal inside seeing Lola and Tom together, but he would never tell Tom that. Cal was soon overwhelmed with joy when he found out the news that Tom and Lola broke up. Tom had to break up with Lola because his father didn't want him to be distracted when he went to college to become a doctor. The two of them still wanted to go out so they came up with a plan. They would create a secret dating service so they could still see each other. This would involve Cal pretending to go out with Lola so that she could go to the dance and still be with Tom while they were there. Cal pretended to be going out with Lola for a long time. Their friendship had really grown as they got to know one another. He was happy with the secret dating service even though he knew it was a fake relationship. Cal was happy just being around Lola. Soon however that was not the case. Cal was getting tired of being around Lola and knowing that she didn't like him in the same way he liked her. It was driving Cal crazy knowing it wasn't for real. When Lola and Cal were at a club dance he finally told her how he really felt. When they talked Cal told Lola that he didn't want to be a part of her game just to be with Tom. Much to Cal's surprise Lola felt the same way Cal did. She wanted to be with Cal as well. Once the secret dating was over Cal and Lola were going out for real this time. Now that Cal's friendship with Lola went 2005-06-26T20:01:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Until-They-Bring-The-Streetcars-Back-27142.aspx The Crucible: The Book vs. the Screenplay The Crucible is a story of witchcraft set in a time when vain enjoyment is forbidden and the length people will go to clear their name. This essay will compare the play to the screenplay, it will find how the screenplay has interpreted the original play and whether it was successful in doing so. The first act of the play, 'The Crucible', takes part in Reverend Parris' house where we are immediately presented with the beginnings of fears surrounding witchcraft. Parris, who leads his parishioners in a rigid lifestyle, is fearful that the actions of his daughter Betty and niece Abigail will have repercussions on him. During this act we are introduced to the disputes over land and dissatisfaction with Reverend Parris by his community. "Now look you, child, your punishment will come in its time. But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it." The dancing that took place prior to the scene is used throughout the act as a main focus. The play uses the dance to uncover revenge and petty quarrel amongst the characters. The opening scene of the screenplay begins with a group of girls dancing naked in the woods, they are chanting and asking for their 'crushes' to love them. The original play beginning after this event only refers to it in the dialogue. This scene in the woods proves to have serious repercussions. This is because their behaviour is not what would be expected. What makes it even more serious is that they are seen Reverend Parris "And what shall I say to them? That my daughter and my niece I discovered dancing like heathen in the forest?" The dance in the play is described in two totally different ways, as sport by Abigail "It were sport, uncle!" and heathen dancing by Reverend Parris. Abigail is then questioned by Parris in a way that makes Abigail's story match with his idea of how it happened. When the Putnam's arrive at Parris' house and find his daughter ill, they jump at the reason behind this as witchcraft because they want revenge and soon try to fabricate the truth "How high did she fly" "Why, it's sure she did. Mr. Collins saw her goin' over Ingersoll's barn, and come down light as bird, he says!" However the 2005-06-26T19:59:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-The-Book-vs_-the-Screenplay-27141.aspx Michael Moore's "Stupid White Men" Stupid White Men by Michael Moore I read the book 'Stupid White Men' by the American writer and filmmaker Michael Moore right after I had seen his documentary film 'Bowling for Columbine'. Its intelligent mixture of facts and the writer's unique humour turns this book into a stinging satire on American politics. Its dense sequence of information and its balance between in-depth explanations and overviews make this book hard to put down. With the following few extracts from the book I am going to show you why 'Stupid White Men' is one of the most courageous and eye-opening, yet entertaining books I have read lately. Although I like the book very much, there is a certain aspect I find problematic or I do not like at all, which I am also going to mention. First of all, however, I will give you a brief overview of the book. The book is subdivided into twelve chapters of which five deal with the government of the United States and its President George W. Bush. Chapter one 'A Very American Coup', for example, presents all of the members of Bush's administration, as well as their attitudes, election campaign budgets and interconnections with commerce. Chapter four and seven, 'Kill Whitey' and 'The End of Men', deal with social differences between black and white, men and women. In the remaining six chapters Moore discusses issues of the American society as well as global problems. As mentioned before I think 'Stupid White Men' is a very courageous book, not just because of its provocative title. Michael Moore dares to speak openly of things that today, in a wave of patriotism that gained even more strength after September eleventh, are not popular being thought or spoken of in the United States. In chapter one 'A Very American Coup' for example, he shows, based on proven facts, that George W. Bush is today President of the United States of America not because he had been elected by the majority of the people but simply because of plain fraud or vote rigging. In 1999 Katherine Harris, who was both Bush's presidential campaign chairwoman and the Florida secretary of state in charge of elections paid, with the blessing of the governor of Florida, George's Brother Jeb Bush, four million dollars to Database Technologies to go trough Florida's voter rolls and remove anyone suspected of being a former felon. 2005-06-26T19:56:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Michael-Moore-s-quot-Stupid-White-Men-quot-27140.aspx Is the Power Absolute? Compare the power in Handmaid's tale and the Matrix. Is the Power absolute? When people talk about the presidents of the United States, or presidents of the city bank, what do they usually come to mind? Definitely it's the power. But what does power mean? Now we are not talking about the energy. Here the power means the ability or right to control people or events. Do those people have power? Of course they do. They have great power over the people and the events. However, are they really as strong as we thought, or can they control everything they want? Here I'm going to talk about it both in the fiction---Handmaid's tale and movie---Matrix. Power is very strongly represented in Handmaid's tale and Matrix. Handmaid's tale describes a dystopian world called Gilead, where all the women are controlled by the commanders. They are ranked in different classes. Handmaids are one of the classes belonging to the commanders like slaves, and their only duty is to have sex with commanders and give birth to the babies. In this society, commanders have the great power. While in Matrix, there is another dystopian world, where human beings are under the control of computers. They not only live in a cyber world, but also they themselves are cyber as well. Unfortunately nobody knows about this truth except a few freedom fighters---who can live in the real world. Agent, which is a computer program called sentient program, have the great power over human beings. But no matter how strong the power is, we will see through the fiction and the movie that it's not necessary that power belongs to one person and he can have everything under his control. Powerful people have weakness that we hardly notice. Like the commander in the fiction, he himself is confined too. He himself is being cheated too. And in Matrix, the computer program is also restricted and the real power is not belonging to the computer, but to the one, Neo, or we can say is belonging to the real humans. So in my opinion, power is not absolute. People might wonder why commander is confined. Gilead is a world of Commanders. They are the leaders, how could they be confined. But the fact is, they are. As there are so many absurd rules in Gilead, the commanders have to obey them too. They cannot do 2005-06-26T19:55:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Is-the-Power-Absolute-Power-in-Handmaid-s-tale-and-Matrix-27139.aspx Frederick Douglass' Dream for Freedom The Civil War was really a war between European-Americans Frederick Douglass' Dream for Equality Abolition stopped Frederick Douglass dead in his tracks and forced him to reinvent himself. He learned the hard central truth about abolition. Once he learned what that truth was, he was compelled to tell it in his speeches and writings even if it meant giving away the most secret truth about himself. From then on, he accepted abolition for what it was and rode the fates. The truth he learned about abolition was that it was a white enterprise. It was a fight between whites. Blacks joined abolition only on sufferance. They also joined at their own risks. For a long time, Douglass, a man of pride and artfulness, denied this fact. For years there had been disagreements among many abolitionists. Everyone had their own beliefs towards abolition. There was especially great bitterness between Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison, dating from the early 1850's when Douglass had repudiated Garrisonian Disunionism. Garrisonians supported the idea of disunion. Disunion would have relieved the North of responsibility for the sin of slavery. It would have also ended the North's obligation to enforce the fugitive slave law, and encourage a greater exodus of fugitive slaves from the South. (161,162 Perry) Douglass did not support this idea because it would not result in the complete abolition of slavery. Blacks deserved just as much freedom as whites. He believed that the South had committed treason, and the Union must rebel by force if necessary. Astonished by Garrison's thoughts, Douglass realized that abolition was truly a war between whites. Garrison, and many others, had failed to see the slaves as human beings. Were blacks then supposed to be irretrievably black in a white world ? Where is the freedom and hope if all great things are privilege only to the whites? Douglass resolved never again to risk himself to betrayal. Troubled, Douglass did not lose faith in his beliefs of abolishing slavery. However, he did reinvent his thinking. Douglass eventually made his way with what amounted to the applied ideas of Alexis de Tocqueville and Fancis Grund, both of which were writing 2005-06-26T19:54:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frederick-Douglass-Dream-for-Freedom-27138.aspx Themes in Frankenstein Seen in Contemporary Society In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, many themes that are present are also present in contemporary society. Many of these themes are universal. The term universal pertains to the "relating to, extending to, or affecting the entire world or all within the world; worldwide; all time periods" (American Heritage Dictionary pg. 1401). These universal themes are seen everyday in life; the theme of playing God, the theme of having control, parenting, and the theme of seeing the perpetrator as the victim or visa versa. These themes reflect the way in which people live today. In Frankenstein, both Victor and the monster are seen as playing God. The monster is a victim, who is seen as a perpetrator, and Victor is seen here as a parent, a neglectful parent. To start off, the first theme that is present in Frankenstein that is also seen in modern everyday life is the theme of playing God. Victor here plays the role of God. He has stolen the power to create life from God, just as Prometheus had stolen the power to create fire from the Gods. Although Victor possesses the knowledge to put life into an inanimate creature, he doesn't possess the wisdom to use it wisely. The scene where he creates the monster is a biblical allusion to creation. "It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs" (Pg. 56). At this moment in time the monster is playing Adam, and Victor, his creator, God. Victor creates the monster as an innocent being without sin. The monster is not born evil, nor is his corruption his fault. The monster becomes a violent creature after he learns of humanity, and what a cold, cruel thing it can be. The monster was shunned, beaten, chased, and persecuted. His reward for saving a girl was being shot. He was like Adam, in that Adam was also born innocent by God, until "he tasted of the Tree of Knowledge and opened his eyes to his world, and was then cast from the blissful paradise of innocence" (The Forbidden Fruit). This relationship between Adam and the monster is very important because from this another 2005-06-26T19:53:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-in-Frankenstein-Seen-in-Contemporary-Society-27137.aspx 1984 - The Reflection of George Orwell "On each landing, opposite the lift shaft, the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran." (Orwell 4 "Nineteen"). George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four presents a negative utopian picture, a society ruled by rigid totalitarianism. The government which Orwell creates in his novel is ruled by an entity known as Big Brother and consists of three branches. The Ministry of Truth, overseeing the distribution of propaganda and other printed materials, the Ministry of War, the millitary unit, and the Ministry of Love, the law enforcement division, make up the government. The main character, Winston Smith, does not completely accept the ideology that is fed to him by the government, through the concept of Big Brother. When one examines George Orwell's life, it can be clearly seen that he personifies his political perceptions, social and aesthetic characteristics, and self-examination of his own writing, through Winston Smith, in Nineteen Eighty-Four. Orwell's political perceptions, especially his skepticism of mass media, are given life through Winston Smith. Spending time working for the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), Orwell experienced many distorted truths and propaganda (Woodcock 9). This led to an intense distrust of those in power and their influence on the information distributed to and recieved by the general public. Orwell explains how history is altered by whomever is in power. In Orwell's essay "Revising History" he examines the credibility of history and finds that it is based on the person or group in control. Orwell hated totalitarianism, primarily because of its attacks on unbiased truth and so saw it as the enemy. If a person or organization in power finds a fact damaging or out of sync with his cause, he can simply change it by the manner in which it is reported. Orwell states, "A certain degree of truthfulness was possible so long as it was admitted that a fact may be true even if you don't like it." ("Revising" 1). He is supporting his ideas with an obvious example familiar to most. World War II, Orwell points out, had two very distinct slants depending on whether you subscribe to the Nazi account or that of their enemies. Another telling example he spoke of was the broadcasted outcome of the 2005-06-26T19:52:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/1984-The-Reflection-of-George-Orwell-27136.aspx Nathaniel Hawthorne's symbols in "The house of seven gables" American Literature reflects life, and the struggles that we face during our existence. The great authors of our time incorporate life's problems into their literature directly and indirectly. The stories themselves bluntly tell us a story, however, an author also uses symbols to relay to us his message in a more subtle manner. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's book The House of Seven Gable's symbolism is eloquently used to enhance the story being told, by giving us a deeper insight into the author's intentions in writing the story. The book begins by describing the most obvious symbol of the house itself. The house itself takes on human like characteristics as it is being described by Hawthorne in the opening chapters. The house is described as 'breathing through the spiracles of one great chimney'(Hawthorne 7). Hawthorne uses descriptive lines like this to turn the house into a symbol of the lives that have passed through its halls. The house takes on a persona of a living creature that exists and influences the lives of everybody who enters through its doors. (Colacurcio 113) 'So much of mankind's varied experience had passed there - so much had been suffered, and something, too, enjoyed - that the very timbers were oozy, as with the moisture of a heart.' (Hawthorne 27). Hawthorne turns the house into a symbol of the collection of all the hearts that were darkened by the house. 'It was itself like a great human heart, with a life of its own, and full of rich and somber reminiscences' (Hawthorne 27). Evert Augustus Duyckinck agrees that 'The chief perhaps, of the dramatis personae, is the house itself. From its turrets to its kitchen, in every nook and recess without and within, it is alive and vital.' (Hawthorne 352) Duyckinck feels that the house is meant to be used as a symbol of an actual character, 'Truly it is an actor in the scene'(Hawthorne 352). This turns the house into an interesting, but still depressing place that darkens the book in many ways. Hawthorne means for the house's gloomy atmosphere to symbolize many things in his book. The house also is used to symbolize a prison that has darkened the lives of its inmates forever. The house is a prison because it prevents its inhabitants form truly enjoying any freedom. The inhabitants try to escape from their incarceration twice. Initially, 2005-06-26T19:50:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nathaniel-Hawthorne-s-symbols-in-quot-The-house-of-seven-ga-27135.aspx A review of William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" In "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner, we see how past events effect the main character Miss Emily, especially her mental state. She seems to live in a sort of fantasy world where death has no real meaning. Miss Emily refuses to accept or even recognize, the death of her father or that of Colonel Satoris. She does not want to acknowledge the fact that the world around her was changing therefore Miss Emily surrounds herself with death. What Faulkner tries to state in this story is that you should not let death overpower your life. A person should try and let go of their beloved ones after they have passed away. He also tries to state is to always expect the unexpected, like when Miss Emily killed Homer. Faulkner chooses to use third person narration in this particular story for a couple of reasons. He tries to show Emily's world to us as seen through the eyes of a respectable resident, so we can understand the town life as if we lived there. This way we were able to understand how the people of Jefferson thought of her. If the story would have been told in first person we would not have been able to relate to Miss Emily. The reason for that would be, if she would have been the narrator we would have understood the story in a hole different manner. Faulkner used third person narration and from that we were able to find out many things about Miss Emily's past. For instance the death of her father, the love she had for Homer, and how she felt the need for affection. Those ideas she would have kept to herself, if she were to have told the story. The language and dialogue that Faulkner provides Miss Emily with enables the readers to understand how she feels about the town. She is not very pleased with the changes that have occurred therefore she lets everyone that she comes in contact with know how she views those specific changes. For example when the new Mayor tells her that she owes taxes in Jefferson, she just keeps on insisting that she does not owe any money. She also keeps repeating that if they had any to just 2005-06-26T19:48:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-review-of-William-Faulkner-s-quot-A-Rose-for-Emily-quot-27134.aspx A Literary Analysis of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery", ironically gives the lottery a bad meaning. The lottery in this story is used for a public stoning, contrary to the first thing that comes to a reader's mind when they think of winning the lottery; a big sum of money. The reader sees both literal and metaphorical meaning of this story because for one it shows for face value what the entire story is about, and hidden behind it is the notion of the scapegoat being picked like a lottery number. The setting of the story in respects to the story's environment served to illustrate the mood of that particular time in the story. It serves a small role in words, but adds detail to enhance the feeling the reader gets when reading the story. The setting takes place in the town square, where the story starts out with "the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green." An ambience of cheerfulness and buoyancy fills the air. Also, some foreshadowing is being used because the town square is a clue that the lottery must hold some kind of importance. Another piece of foreshadowing is when "Bobby and Harry Jones and Dickie... eventually made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square...," which hints at the impending doom of the lottery winner. The only place where setting is a factor is the beginning, because the setting stays the same, and the environment does not change in the two hours that the story took place in. Essentially, this story is told in the limited omniscient point of view. The histories of selected characters were told, but the thoughts of the characters were omitted from any part of the story. The point of view is used to conceal what is going to happen next. By using limited, the thoughts of the characters are left out, and therefore, since they know what the lottery is, they surely think about it. If the author was to put the thoughts of the character in the story, then the ending would have been given away at the start of lottery ritual, because the dreadful consequences of drawing the black dot would be all the people are thinking about. Many Characters are introduced into this story. Flat characters are introduced in the beginning of 2005-06-26T19:48:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Literary-Analysis-of-The-Lottery-by-Shirley-Jackson-27133.aspx "From Egoism to Humility” in Shakespeare's King Lear In Shakespeare's King Lear, Shakespeare paints Lear's egotistic attitude, both of which made his life tormented and full of misery. Because of his poor judgement and excessive pride, he loses not only the kingdom that he takes pride in but most importantly, the daughter that loves him the most. However, as the play progresses, Lear journeys from egoism to humility and death. Lear is a very egotistic man. In the beginning, the foolish king (who out of whim) issues a challenge to his children to which they must respond by trying to outdo each other in praising their father. The daughter who displays the most affection takes the largest part of the kingdom. He says, ...Tell me my daughters Which of you shall we say doth love us most That we our largest bounty may extend Where nature doth with merit challenge. (I.i.38-39, 49,52-54) To this, his elder daughters (Goneril and Regan) both express their love claiming that despite being married, they love their father with their "all." On the other hand, the youngest daughter Cordelia feels that her "love's/More ponderous than my tongue" and says "nothing" when the king asks her to "draw/A third more opulent than your sisters." (I.i.lines 88, 86-87) By refusing to offer praises to her father, Lear who is "injured" by the daughter "he loved...most" (I.i.line 291), disowns and disinherits Cordelia. The first scene of Act I gives the readers a clear view on Lear's egoism. He sees himself as righteous, and his decisions just. When the Earl of Kent tells him to reconsider his decision, he refuses to do so and goes as far as accusing Kent to being a "recreant" and banishes him from the kingdom, saying that "on the tenth day the following,/Thy banished trunk be found in our dominions,/Thy moment is thy death." (I.i.lines 177-179) Even the King of France finds Lear's "love test" absurd and Lear "unkind" and says that, "love's not love/When it is mingled with regards that stands/Aloof from th'entire point." (I.i.lines 239-241) Lear's egoism is further highlighted when the Fool comments on Lear's mistakes. The Fool castigates Lear for giving away his kingly authority and for disinheriting Cordelia. (I.iv.lines 101-108) However, instead of listening to the Fool, Lear reminds the Fool of "the whip" (I.iv.line113), a punishment for bringing a "pestilent gall to me." (I.iv.line117) Lear's egoism eventually causes his doom. Goneril and 2005-06-26T19:46:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/From-Egoism-to-Humility-in-Shakespeare-s-King-Lear-27132.aspx The Tragic Great Gatsby The Tragic Great Gatsby The American dream, many writers have written about it. Many politicians have made promises regarding it. But how important is money and success? Does it bring happiness or fulfillment? F. Scot Fitzgerald is one of many who attempted to put this ideal in its proper perspective. His novel, The Great Gatsby, explores his interpretation of the dream. "The Great Gatsby is an exploration of the American dream as it exists in a corrupt period, and it is an attempt to determine the concealed boundary that divides the reality from the illusions" (Bewley 38). Jay Gatsby, born as James Gatz to a poor family of farmers out west, achieves the American dream to its fullest. Still, Gatsby ultimately dies a tragic figure because he wastes his life chasing an unattainable dream by the name of Daisy Buchanan. First, James Gatz, later known as Jay Gatsby, grows up an ordinary average American boy. Like many Americans he has a dream of fame and fortune but not a lot of money to go along with it. He wants to become somebody. Even as a young boy, he reveals his great determination to his father. He makes a schedule of daily activities to keep himself on the right track to success. As his father states at the ending, he was always trying to improve his mind. "Jimmy [Gatsby] was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolve like this or something. Do you notice what he's got about improving his mind? He was always great about that" (Fitzgerald 175). Yet, somewhere along the way, Gatsby loses sight of this dream for another. Her name is Daisy. From this point on, all his achievements, self-worth, and his identity only meant something if she approved. "He hadn't once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes" (Fitzgerald 92). From the moment he sets eyes on Daisy, she becomes all of what he is devoted to. She is beautiful, wealthy, and adored by many. He loves everything about her. She is his "grail". In other words, she is what he is searching for to bring salvation to his soul. Ironically, it becomes as futile a search as the grail was to the men of the round table. However, he doesn't deem himself worthy 2005-06-21T23:28:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Tragic-Great-Gatsby--27130.aspx In the Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, does Pearl have preternatural knowledge of the symbolism of the letter and what the characters truly represent? Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is a novel about the guilt of sin in a Puritanical society and how sometimes it is better to face your mistakes and admit them than to hide them and suffer inside. The result of sin can often produce something beautiful. Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale are the sinners in this book. They commit adultery and bring a child into the world. That child is Pearl. Pearl is a beautiful and stunning girl. Everywhere she goes the attention is on her. There is nothing sinful about her except that she was bred from sin. Puritan society considers adultery a serious charge. It was easy for Hester to be labeled as an adulterer because she was pregnant without a husband to be the father. However, Hester refused to reveal who the father was, so Dimmesdale dealt with his sin personally instead of publicly. What everyone does not know is that Hester's husband, who was long forgotten and thought to be dead, is in Boston is manipulating Dimmesdale with evil and black magic. Pearl is the bright star in this miserable life that Hester has to deal with. Pearl encompasses the beauty and free-spirit that Hester once had. She is a wild, uncontained child who does not feel any of the pressures of Puritan society. There is something special about her, particularly in her behavior. Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Pearl displays preternatural knowledge of subjects that she has never been informed about, like whom Dimmesdale and Chillingworth really are, and why Hester wears the scarlet letter. Reverend Dimmesdale keeps as much distance as possible from Hester and Pearl throughout most of the book. He is not with them alone until close to the end. Pearl does not really have any relationship with him, which is why her comments and actions towards him are uncanny and show that she knows more than she is given credit for. She shows affection toward him during their interactions that are more than they should be. She treats him like someone who should be in her life and means a lot to her. She has never been told who her father is, but it is evident that she has some knowledge that Dimmesdale is him. When Hester and Pearl go 2005-06-21T23:25:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Does-Pearl-have-Preternatural-Knowldege-27129.aspx "October Sky" by Homer Hickam October Sky was written by Homer Hickam. Describes Homer growing up in the small mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. He became fascinated with rockets and began the BCMA (Big Creek Missile Agency), to make rockets and discover what made them fly. Written as an autobiography about his life. The story takes place in a small coal mining town in West Virginia from 1957 on. The main form of conflicts in October Sky are man vs. man. Homer Hickam wants to fallow his dreams and be successful in his dad's eyes, through the flying of rockets. Homer Hickam Jr. is the main character in the book October Sky. He grows up in a small coal mining town in West Virginia. He is not good at football like his brother Jim, but he wants to find a way to go to collage and not have to work in the coal mine. "When I wasn't outside playing , I spent hours happily reading." (12) When he gets older he realizes that he does not want to live in the mining town for the rest of his life. I like Homer(Sonny) because we are both interested in rockets and have a lot of similarities. Quintin is the genius in the of the BCMA. He always uses big words and read all the books he could find on everything from math to science. He helps the others in the group research and find out scientific ways to make black powder and eventually rockets. "So what do you know about rockets?" I asked him. "Anything". "I know everything."(72) He does not change much threw the book, he in just the eccentric science member of the BCMA. I feel that without him the BCMA would never have made their rockets as precise. Homer Hickam is the father of Homer Jr. the main character of the book. Homer Sr. was the superintendent of the coal mine in Coalwood. His opinion about the rockets are contradicting to those of Homer Jr's. Later in the book he discovers that he will not be able to stop Homer Jr. from making rockets, so he gives up trying to stop him. I felt that he put his work at the mine before everything else, which I did not like. Through out most of the book, Homer and his dad do not agree on rockets. Sonny wants to fly rockets and learn 2005-06-21T23:23:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-October-Sky-quot-by-Homer-Hickam-27128.aspx Nature vs Nurture in Call of the Wild by Jack London Nature and Nurture "Call of the wild", written by Jack London, is one of his famous short novels that is known for all. It is a story about a dog, Buck. Buck is a domestic dog living in the sun-kissed Santa Clara valley. He is living a good life and taken care of by his master. But life is not always a picnic. When it is the end of 19th century, there comes the gold rush. Big dogs are tremendously wanted for exploring in the North. For Buck, his cozy and happy life comes to an end as he is secretly sold to Alaska by one of gardeners without anybody's notice. There, he undergoes a series of the most tough things he has ever experienced. In order to survive, Buck forces himself to learn quickly and tries to adapt with the environment as fast as he could. Therefore, the original wild dormant in his body is called out little by little. At last, when his beloved master is killed by Indians, Buck's wildness explodes. He kills all the Indians for revenge and becomes the leader of a wolf pack. He goes totally wild. In fact, Buck's wildness is born naturally, which means, his ancestors and parents give him the nature to be wild. His father is a huge St. Bernard, and his mother is a Scotch shepherd. He always has had his wildness in his body. Only because at the beginning he is kept and loved by Judge, his first master, Buck's behavior appears to be tame and loyal. He can go hunting with Judge's son; escort Judge's daughters; carry Judge's grandson on his back and lie at Judge's feet. Buck leads such a comfortable life that he himself cannot realize his natural character---wild. When he arrives the northern continent, he suffers from a wretched situation. He has to learn from the beginning because he knows nothing. But everything seems so difficult to him so he has to adjust his adaptation all the time. Though he is tortured in this new world, his wildness begins to emerge. As time passes by, he can hear the call of the wild when he is alone. Later the calling becomes stronger and stronger. In the end, he discovers his wildness that exists in his body since a long time ago. However, if we think conversely 2005-06-21T23:22:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nature-vs-Nurture-in-Call-of-the-Wild-27127.aspx Nathaniel Hawthorne's character Hester Pyrnne in "The Scarlet Letter" In the novel The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne undergoes both physical and emotional revelations. Hester is directly affected by the consequences of breaking moral and social codes of behavior. The novel is a story of a young woman who commits adultery, and stays strong when the community harasses her. She will not reveal the identity of her daughter Pearl's father. In the end of the novel, Arthur Dimmesdale, Pearl's father, reveals to the townspeople that he is an unworthy minister for committing such a sin. In the beginning of the novel, Hester is portrayed as a young and elegantly beautiful mother who is being punished for a horrid sin. The townspeople think of her as a haughty and wretched woman, and her punishment should be much harsher. "The magistrates are God-fearing gentlemen, but merciful overmuch-that is a truth" (Hawthorne, 38). When she comes out of the jailhouse, a beautifully sewn letter "A" is embroidered onto her breast. The townspeople see this as her taking light of her punishment. In the middle of the novel, Hester has become a more mature woman. Her passion, embroidery, and her compassion towards others become apparent. Also, she shows responsibility and courage by going to the governor's house and asking to have custody of her daughter, Pearl. She defends her argument by stating " I can teach my Pearl what I have learned from this!" (Hawthorne, 84). She now lives in a thatched cottage on the outskirts of town, and has become ignored somewhat by the townspeople. At the end of The Scarlet Letter, Hester is now a woman who is looked up to. The townspeople's view on the meaning of the scarlet "A" has changed from "adultery" to "able", because she is able to care for herself, others, and Pearl. This quote shows her ability to care for both Pearl and the community. "It was perceived, too, that while Hester never put forward even the humblest title to share in the world's privileges-further than to breathe the common air, and earn daily bread for little Pearl and herself by the faithful labor of her hands..." (Hawthorne, 123). Her love for Dimmesdale also becomes very apparent towards the end of the novel because she and Dimmesdale plan on going to the Old World and live together happily. Hester has changed from a beautiful and naïve young 2005-06-21T23:20:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hester-Pyrnne-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-27126.aspx Book Review of "The Color Purple" The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, is a very intense book to read. By intense, I mean it is a book touching very difficult and hard aspects of life of a poor, black oppressed woman in the early twentieth century. Walker does social criticism in her novel, mostly criticizing the way black women were treated in the early twentieth century. Walker uses the life experiences of Celie to illustrate her social criticism. The Color Purple is not written in the style of most novels. The author does not tell us everything about the characters, the setting, and why the characters behave the way they do. The novel is written in a series of letters, not dated. There are large gaps between some letters, but this is not revealed by the author; we have to figure it out ourselves. The letters are written in what Walker calls black folk language, which also reduces the easiness of the reading. When the novel opens, Celie is a young black girl living in Georgia in the early years of the twentieth century. She in an uneducated girl, and writes her letters in common language. Celie is entering her adolescence believing she was raped by her father and that he killed both of their children. She writes to God, because she has no one else to write to. She feels that what happened to her is so terrible that she can only talk about it to someone she feels loves her. She knows her sister Nettie loves her, but she is too young to understand. Celie believe only to God may she talk honestly and openly about her suffering. Celie is not, however, at this point, complaining to God, she is simply confiding in him. Celie was born into a poor family; her mother was sick most of the time, mentally and physically; there were too many children in the family; and Celie was abused by the man she believed was her father. Celie feels used and abused, but does not understand why. So many bad things have happened to Celie that she lacks self esteem and confidence. Celie does not even feel she is worth enough to sign her name at the end of the letters. 2005-06-21T23:18:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Book-Review-of-quot-The-Color-Purple-quot-27125.aspx The Tell Tale Heart and Edgar Allan Poe’s Schizophrenia Edgar Allan Poe is acknowledged today as one of the most brilliant and original writers in American literature. His skillfully wrought tales and poems convey with passionate intensity the mysterious, dreamlike, and often macabre forces that pervaded his sensibility. He is also considered the father of the modern detective story. The Tell Tale Heart is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator remains nameless and sexless in the story. H/she takes care of an old man with whom the relationship is unclear. At the beginning of the story, the narrator says that he loved the old man but he hates his eye and h/she believes that the eye is evil. H/she confesses that the one and only reason for killing the old man is his eye: "Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees - I made up my mind to take the life of the old man". The narrator begins the story by trying to convince the reader that h/she is not insane. The fact that the old man's eye is the only motivation to murder proves the narrator is mentally unstable. For seven nights precisely at midnight, the narrator enters the old man's room to observe the eye. On the eighth night the narrator enters the room and the old man sat suddenly in his bed, crying out "who's there?" the narrator stood still for over an hour, as did the old man who did not lie back down. Then h/she opened the lantern slightly and the ray was on the eye only. This made the narrator go furious and he moved to the old man who shrieked once, he/she dragged him off his bed and killed him. The old man's body was chopped and buried under the planks of the floor. The police came because of a shriek reported by a neighbor. H/she invited them and they sat chatting, after a while the narrator started hearing the old man's heart beating from under the flooring. The heart beat grew louder and louder, finally h/she confesses of killing the old man. At the beginning of the story the narrator asks the reader if they think of him mad: "I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad?" the more h/she keeps asking the more the reader is convinced that h/she is mentally unstable. The 2005-06-21T23:15:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Tell-Tale-Heart-and-Edgar-Allan-Poe’s-Schizophrenia-27124.aspx Of Mice And Men: Loneliness Loneliness is a basic part of human life. Every one becomes lonely once in a while but in Steinbeck's novella "Of Mice and Men", he illustrates the loneliness of ranch life in the early 1930's and shows how people are driven to try and find friendship in order to escape from loneliness. Steinbeck creates a lonely and blue atmosphere at many times in the book. He uses names and words such as the town near the ranch called "Soledad", which means loneliness and the card game "Solitaire" Which means by ones self. He makes it clear that all the men on the ranch are lonely, with particular people lonelier than others. In the opening chapter, Steinbeck introduces the idea of loneliness and men who work on ranches living temporary lives, with no aim in life. Steinbeck uses the setting to convey these ideas. As they were walking along the path, it is described as " a path beaten by hard boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway in the evening to jungle-up near water" (p.18) This creates a setting and shows how men who work on the ranch have had temporary, isolated and lonely lives. He also writes "an ash-pile made by many fires" (p.18) This shows that many men must have walked through this road to enter a lonely and miserable life, moving from ranch to ranch finding useless work. I think all the people living in the ranch are lonely. This proves this where Steinbeck describes the bunk house where all the workers sleep. "Over each bunk there was nailed an apple box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk." (p38) The way Steinbeck describes the bunkhouse indicates their lonely lives. Also by only having two shelves for their personal belongings shows their lonely insecure lives. However, there are particular people in the ranch who have lonelier lives than others. The loneliest person on the ranch has to be Crooks, who suffers from extreme loneliness because he is black and he is living in a ranch and the surrounding area which is very racist. He lives by himself, because the other men do not like him. He does not take part in any of the social activities in the 2005-06-21T23:14:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-And-Men-Loneliness-27123.aspx In Greek literature, a tragic hero is based upon an individual having several of the following qualities: having a high social position in society; not being overly good or bad; being persistant or stubborn in their actions; having a single flaw that brings about their own death and the death of others; and obtaining pity from the audience. Antigone was a prime example of a Greek tragic hero. Antigone, being the daughter of Oedipus, obtained a high social standing in Thebes. Prior to his self-exile from Thebes, Oedipus was the city's king. Because of her high standing in society, Antigone was capable of great suffering, in that she had a reputation and a vast amount of respect to lose. Antigone's good side is demonstrated by her insistance on respecting her brother Polyneices' right to be buried in the religious tradition of Greece. The Greeks believed that it was of most importance to bury a person who died in battle so that their soul may continue on in the after life. Antigone is willing to risk her own life so that Polyneices can have to proper burial that she so strongly feels he deserved; "but I will bury him: and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be dear to him as he to me." (Prologue, line 57-59) Having a fatal flaw is one of the characteristics of a Greek tragic hero. Antigone's fatal flaw is her rash and headstrong behavior. "Like father, like daughter: both headstrong, deaf to reason!" (Ode I, Scene II, line 85) Her headstrong behaviour is displayed twice in the play. The first such display is her decision to take matters into her own hands and bury her brother Polyneices. Creon finds out about the burial and in order to have credibilty with the citizens of Thebes he must follow through with the punishment as set forth in his proclamation. Antigone and her sister Ismene are placed in a cave and heavily guarded. They faced "stoning to death in the public square." (Prologue, line 25). Antigone's second display of headstrong behavior is when she decides to kill herself in the cave, therefore robbing Creon of the satisfaction of completing this deed. All of Thebes sympathizes with Antigone because not only has she lost her mother, father, and two brothers, but also her one act, has 2005-06-21T23:07:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Antigone___hero-Or-Fool--27120.aspx "The Chrysanthemums" John Steinbeck, in his short story "The Chrysanthemums" depicts the trials of a woman attempting to gain power in a man's world. Elisa Allen tries to define the boundaries of her role as a woman in such a closed society. While her environment is portrayed as a tool for social repression, it is through nature in her garden where Elisa gains and shows off her power. As the story progresses, Elisa has trouble extending this power outside of the fence that surrounds her garden. Elisa learns but does not readily accept, that she possesses a feminine power weak for the time, not the masculine one she had tried so hard to achieve through its imitation. The action of the story opens with Elisa Allen working in her garden. She is surrounded by a wire fence, which physically is there to protect her flowers from the farm animals. This barrier symbolizes her life. She is fenced in from the real world, from a man's world. It is a smaller, on-earth version of the environment in which they live. As Elisa works on her garden, she looks through the fence out to where her husband, Henry, is talking with two men in business suits. They look at a tractor and smoke, manly things, as they conclude their man's work. As she looks out to these men, we look at Elisa. Although she is doing the "feminine" work of gardening, she is dressed like a man. She wore a black hat low on her forehead to cover her hair, thick leather gloves covered her hands, and clodhopper shoes covering her small woman's feet. A "big corduroy apron" covered the dress making "her figure look blocked and heavy". Unconsciously, as she looks through her fence at the men talking business, she is trying to cover up her feminine qualities. She longs to be in their position and possess their characteristics. As she does her gardening, something she enjoys and excels in, "Her face was lean and strong... eager and mature and handsome". Her use of the scissors is described as "over-eager" and "over-powerful". All of these characteristics are usually masculine adjectives. But in this case they describe a woman attempting or at least imagining living as a part of such a man's world. Yet Elisa's power is not used for "masculine" activities; in fact, her power is derived from a feminine 2005-06-21T22:13:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Chrysanthemums--27103.aspx Something Strange Happens Every Day A man, Bob Johnson, leans on a cold, concrete pillar, silently waiting for the train to take him to work. He waits as he has waited for the past seven years of his monotonous, somewhat mechanical existence. He glances calmly at his wristwatch; thirty-seven minutes past eight o' clock in the morning. "Damn," he thinks to himself. "Oh well, they'll have to let me off," he mumbles to himself, "it's the first time I've been late in the seven years I've worked there." So, Bob slowly makes his way to the edge of the platform so as to get a good seat on the train. Around him, people mill around waiting for the same train Bob waits for. Directly behind him, a fat woman sits on a wooden bench holding her designer label bag in her lap, close to her chest. She is obviously very self-conscious and she glances around nervously. Nearby the fat lady, three African-American guys, aged around 20, dressed in ridiculously oversized clothing, listen to a rap song on a portable stereo. To his left, a businessman and his associate stand underneath a train schedule board discussing some important topic. Near him stands a group of Japanese tourists, looking at a half-folded map, trying to figure out the best route to arrive at their destination. Two of them are in a heated argument, speaking very quickly in Japanese. Bob then catches a glimpse of a crowd of school kids heading towards the platform with their chaperones; they are going on a day-trip to the Natural History Museum. While Bob is lost in his silent study of the Human-Being, the advance warning lights lined along the edge of the platform where there is a six foot drop to the train tracks, warning people that the train will arrive in just a few moments. Everybody hears the high-pitched squeal of metal wheels on metal rails, and a sudden rush of air against his face from the fast moving train brings Bob back to his senses. At this moment everyone waiting for the train; the fat lady, the "homeboys," the business associates, the tourists and the school group, in amongst a slew of other interesting people; begin crowding the platform where Bob calmly waits to go to work. In all the rushing, panic, and pushing of people, Bob Johnson, who was waiting calmly to get onto the train, somehow 2005-06-21T22:10:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Something-Strange-Happens-Every-Day-27100.aspx Justice In Book I Of The Republic The Republic of Plato begins in a similar fashion that many other Platonic dialogues begin, with that of a question. The conversation between Socrates and the aged Cephalus becomes a philosophical discussion of what advantages money has brought to Cephalus' life. Cephalus replies that money has allowed him "to tell the truth and pay one's debts" (331 b). Nevertheless, Socrates believes this does not portray an accurate description of what justice is. The rest of the first book is a discussion of the definition of justice, mainly that of Thrasymachus' definition. Socrates takes his normal role as an interrogator of peoples' views. The conversation focuses on justice but actually must be viewed in the context of how each individual can lead the best life possible. Thrasymachus states that "justice is simply the interest of the stronger" (338 c). In order to support this notion, he states that people who are in power in government make laws, and since these people design these laws, they will serve the interests of themselves. The laws will then be the justice of the subjects, and since the ruling class could be restated as the stronger class, then justice could be stated as being in the interests of the stronger class. He goes on further to say that the unjust man is stronger than the just man is, and because of that, justice is a vice while injustice is a virtue. Thrasymachus uses the example of private business to show how an unjust man would gain more than a just man would because the just man would pay his taxes fully and would not try to take advantage of others. Therefore, Thrasymachus' viewpoint in Book I of the Republic is that one's life can be better if he is unjust because he will have the ability to take advantage of the just man. In fact, he states "that injustice, when practiced on a large enough scale, is stronger and freer and more successful than justice" (344 c) and is "good policy" (348 d). By the end of Book I, Socrates has Thrasymachus agreeing with his view that "the just man is happy and the unjust man miserable" (353 e), indicating that Thrasymachus has taken back many of his previous statements. This simple statement verifies the fact 2005-06-21T22:09:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Justice-In-Book-I-Of-The-Republic-27099.aspx This is one of the more famous of Dostoyevsky's novels, and quite rightly so as it has his very-unique blend of psychology, philosophy and an unrelenting view of the bleakest recesses of the soul. I read the novel in the original Russian, so this isn't a review of any particular translation but the work itself. In brief, the book centres around a Prince who has returned to Russia after being treated for mental illness in Switzerland since his childhood (hence the idiot). He quickly becomes involved within the upper-middle eschellons of St Petersburgian society, as people become fascinated by his direct honesty, simplicity and compassion. He becomes emotionally involved with a Fallen Woman, and this develops into a love triangle with another woman, ultimately ending in --- you guessed it! - tragedy. The Idiot is portrayed as the symbol of a child-like innocence: he genuinely wants everyone to live in harmony and love. However, the falseness, politics and backstabbing of the world of Russian middle-nobility will have none of that. The plot is quite complicated - but not in terms of twists. The story is quite simple in terms of what happened, however much of it is told inside-out, focusing on the internal world of the characters. So, if you feel like you've missed something - a reason for a character's comment, an event etc, chances are, this will be revealed later on. Dostoyevsky dwells on the extreme minute aspects of the emotional lives of his charactes. This is the richest aspect of the novel - and these emotions possess all the contradiction and chaos that real people have. There are no total heroes in the book - but I found a part of myself identifying with the Prince, as the grown child who just doesn't want to accept the "adult" behaviour of interpersonal relationships. I think it's expected in reading the book that some characters will be loathed, some found amusing and admired, some arousing interest - but not loved. This is because the world portrayed within the book is very inaccessible. It's hard to identify with anyone in terms of more than the generality of emotion - not just because the setting is remote, but because the characters experience thoughts and ideas that are so different to what most people would. I think this inaccessability was deliberate - as we feel not-quite-at-home in the world of the book, 2005-06-21T07:12:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Idiot-Sublimely-Inaccessible-27080.aspx The Idiot is one of the finest novels in history, perhaps the finest. In this novel, the enigma that is often referred to as "THE RUSSIAN SOUL" is variously dissected through the different characters and more so by the hero of the story Prince Myshkin. In its simplest explanation, it is a soul with good intentions but faulty in executing the intentions. It is a soul in conflict, driven by the zest for life and a search of its meaning. Certainly the most Christian of Dostoyevsky's novels, THE IDIOT portrays how disastrous a good life can be. Rich in characters, this classic centers mostly on the good Prince Myshkin, a recovering epileptic with a rich soul who is easily perceived as an 'idiot' by the casual observer who focuses on his childlike manners especially in expressing himself and his naivety in dealing with people. But then a closer look reveals that his manners are the reflections of his honest soul, the wealth of his big heart and the broadness of his mind. And only in deeper engagements does it become evident that Myshkin however has superior understanding and expression, which makes him modest and intelligent rather than stupid. His simple, honest and decent life is succinctly conveyed in his interactions, generating both love and resentment. The saintly Myshkin however struggles to deal with a materialistic world which has no place for the virtuous, and to reconcile his passionate and compassionate love for two women. But the love of the women corrupt and drives men out of their minds. Nastasia Filipovna whom Myshkin has compassionate love for is a tormented soul that can only love Christ and in Myshkin she found that Christ-like figure. Her rival Aglia has Myshkin's heart but failed to understand Myshkin's serene love for her and abandons him to the destructive love of Nastasia. This is great intellectual work that we should to take seriously in general, a book to read with a serious mindset. Then you will understand the unique nature of Russia which our western minds have difficulties to comprehend. This strange land called Russia that has a bigger soul than any other is explored here in this story in a way that only Dostoyevsky unveils. Read it and you will finish it enriched. The Idiot is a thoroughly enjoyable novel of ideas that explores the nature of man and society and gives you a 2005-06-21T07:10:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Idiot-A-Revealing-Classic-27079.aspx Dostoyevsky renders a brilliant portrait of the hypersensitive Prince Myshkin, the "idiot" referred to in the title. It's impossible not to pity the poor guy. The Prince is intelligent, well-meaning, and honest; certainly not an idiot and in fact seemingly normal much of the time. But he doesn't fit in with any of the several social circles he encounters because he's overly naive, sensitive, excitable, and serious. In addition, the Prince has passionate views on religion and politics and espouses them at the most inopportune moments. What happens is that virtually everyone who meets the prince considers him to be very socially inept and makes fun of him behind his back or sometimes to his face. What's worse is that the Prince to a large degree understands his own faults but doesn't try to improve himself. Dostoyevsky does such a marvelous job of characterizing the prince that I found myself thinking of other people I know that are similarly inept when dealing with others. I also thought about myself and times that I'd said the wrong things in front of others. Let's face it, conversing with one or two people is completely different from saying something in front of an audience or in a group / party discussion, even if its a group you know very well. The whole atmosphere changes and you have to be a bit more careful in your choice of words so that everyone understands what you're saying and also so that their attention doesn't wander. Many of us know someone who never fails to make a fool of himself / herself in these kinds of social situations, from being perhaps too talkative, too nervous, taking friendly jibes seriously, drinking too much, or what have you. The Prince is one of those people that can be completely likable as a friend, but a total embarrassment at a party or in a group discussion. I read somewhere that Dostoyevsky was describing himself in many ways while writing about the Prince. No wonder the Prince is so astonishingly rendered; the author already knew him intimately. Dostoyevsky does an excellent job with the other characters too, though none are masterpieces like Myshkin. I particularly enjoyed reading about the hilariously different personalities within the Yepanchin family, level-headed Mr. Radomsky, pathetic Lebedev, the sinister Rogozhin, and others. The story is great, a real page turner. A few other reviews state that 2005-06-21T07:08:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Idiot-Poor-Prince--27078.aspx The Idiot is Dostoevsky's second novel. The book is a hybrid of biographical sketches and anecdotes of the writer. The protagonist, Prince Myshkin, bears traces of his creator in his suffering of epilepsy. Dostoevsky often deviates from the main plot and voices his perspectives on pain, suffering, capital punishment, and moral goodness. The notion of suffering incessantly sifts through the novel as if true suffering plays a key role in purifying the protagonist and granting him the overriding power to the [evil] society in which he seeks to gain acceptance. However excruciating and painful it might be, physical suffering and bodily agony would distract the mind from spiritual suffering. That is, the physical aching deprives functioning of mental thinking. The worst suffering, as Prince Myshkin contemplates, are the knowledge and the inevitable truth of one's imminent death, the invincible parting of soul with the body. Being mindful of one's death would only perpetuate suffering. Readers should grip this idea and bear in mind. Morally upright, magnanimous, forgiving, humble, loving, honest, virtuous and mindful of others needs, Prince Myshkin embodies all human virtue and goodness. He is almost like God, or perfecting to be like God. He is a man capable of an ideal. He is stuck and torn between the love of Aglaia and Natasya upon his return to Russia from medical treatment in Switzerland. Myshkin's self-stigmatizing, humble, and diffident element often agitated Aglaia whose love for him manifests to the full in her passionate recital of a poor knight poem. She shows desire to marry him despite the wonted taunting. She assures that Myshkin is more honorable than anybody is and nobody is worth his little finger let alone his heart and soul. Out of volition and obligation, Myshkin believes he is responsible to rescue the vile, [evil] Natasya from her deranged mental state. The cause of his love for her was more than just the bewitching, demonical beauty: it is rather eagerness on Myshkin's part to be of service to his country after being abroad. He has long set an ideal and having faith in such ideal empowers him to give up his life blindly to it. Though Natasya is surprised at Myshkin's discerning words that she ought to be ashamed and that she is not what she pretends to be, she tortures herself by not falling in love with him lest to disgrace and ruin his life. In her importunate 2005-06-21T07:06:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Idiot-Moral-Goodness--27077.aspx Starting with Oliver's premature birth to a dying mother looked on by a gin-swilling nurse in a parish workhouse, Dickens tone is extremely satirical. Though his meanings are clear, his craftsmanship with the English language is in rare form in the beginning of Oliver Twist. The "distinguished and enlightened gentlemen" who's reform policies for the workhouse are raked over the coals in glowing language represent an unusual type of Dickens character for me. Usually even Dicken's villains are multi-faceted characters whose motives we understand though disapprove of. Here, the Directors of the parish who eventually pay to get rid of Oliver, are difficult to conceive of. The hardships of the workhouse inmates, more especially what seems like intentional starvation, seem hard to believe though as I read this book, the death of a foster child in New Jersey from starvation brought to light many things going on in twenty-first century reality which had seemed implausible in this nineteenth century novel. The satirical language is often humorous though the subject matter is not and makes the account more palatable. The first of the book is spent in this way which seems really to be more of Dicken's social commentary than pure story line. In true Dickens style, each of the characters Oliver meets throughout the story are part of a larger, more elaborate plot line that the story is ever trying to unfold. After being apprenticed to the coffinmaker Mr. Sowerberry, he is taunted by the charity boy - Noah Claypole - until he makes a break for London. Accidentally falling into the clutches of local fence Fagin whose aim it is to turn him to a life of crime, Oliver struggles to break free with the help of various good hearted people he befriends along the way despite his situation. It is only through their help who believe in him against all odds that we find that Fagin's attempts to make Oliver into a thief or at least believe that he has broken the law is not entirely the result of chance. As a shadowy figure going by the name of Monks attempts to remove proofs of Oliver's origins, it is up to his new friends to piece together the puzzle of Oliver's life and help him to break free once and for all from the poverty of his existence. Until Oliver's friends get involved, I wasn't entirely grabbed by the 2005-06-21T06:21:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oliver-Twist-Biting-Social-Commentary-27076.aspx "The Color Pruple" provides a disturbing yet realistic account into the life of Celie, a young black woman with a tragic, abusive past who learns how to survive, how to let go of the past, and most of all how to love. I thought the medium with which Walker chose to write her book was perfect, the diary form of the novel establishes a immediate, intimate connection to the reader right from the start. Walker draws you in from the beginning, starting her book with a fairly graphic, explicit account of the physical abuse Celie's father subjected her to. I find Celie one of the most inspirational characters I have ever read about, she makes you believe that even in the darkest moments one can find hope, because for most women, life cannot get worse than Celie's. The language used throughout the book emphasizes Celie's lack of educationa and the naivety of a young girl, being black and living in a world where men dominate every aspect of life Celie has only learned how to be submissive, suppresing all her own hopes and dreams. Enter Shug Avery and Sofia, and we start to see the insiprational woman Celie is inside--Shug represents the independent woman that Cleie longs to be but cannot find the courage to become. Through Shug's love and encouragment Celie learns to stand up for herself. She emerges powerful, strong and intelligent. When I first started to read this book I felt I couldn't get past the first few letters. The violence that Celie encounters is unbearable to read, and sometimes I felt uncomfortable with many of the passages describing the graphic sexual abuse/actions and violence. However as I read on I realized the heart of the story overshadowed many of the disturbing scenes. This story is about self-discovery and the coming of age of a young owman long suppressed by the society she lives in. The sexual content is only there to try to express the freedom Celie was feeling, the self-discoveries she was making, the pain she was enduring--they weren't there to merely try to shock or discuss the reader. I love the character Celie, her strength is remarkable. Alice Walker shows us the transformation of a great woman--what she was, what she is capable of, and what she has finally become. It's an extraordinary novel, and I would reccomend it to anyone looking for inspiration 2005-06-21T06:09:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Color-Purple-Celie,-an-Amazing-Character-27075.aspx "The Color Purple" tells the heartbreaking story of Celie, a young black girl growing up in the reconstruction era of the American South. Through a series of poignant letters to both God and to her sister, Nettie, Celie tells us the turbulent story of her life and the events that shaped it...events ranging from childhood abuse to success and wealth as an adult. I realize that this book is often assigned to high school students, but that does not mean it is easy reading...not by a long shot. The themes presented in "The Color Purple" are very adult and very advanced. Additionally, the pictures Walker paints of Celie's abuse (both emotional and physical) are extraordinarily vivid and may upset some more sensitive readers, no matter what their age. They will certainly leave a lasting imprint on any reader who is not completely and totally hard-hearted. Celie is a woman who, despite the extreme hardships of her life, possesses intelligence, good humor, sensitivity and kindness in abundance. It is very easy to become attached to the generous and strong Celie and feel both extreme sympathy for her and empathy with her. Although much of this complex book is dark and oppressive, the last third is quite uplifting and well worth the wait. This is a well-written book but I did think the sad scenes were a touch too melodramatic and the happy scenes slightly over-romanticized. The book is so good, however, that I'm willing to overlook what I felt was a small fault. The characters are so good, so lifelike, so fully-drawn, that any over-dramatization is easily forgiven. It might be difficult for some readers to become accustomed to the rather strange style of Celie's letters. Celie is an uneducated girl and her language shows it. My advice would be to persevere, keep reading and in just a little while anyone will become so caught up in Celie's story, that the letters will flow and the pages will simply fly by. Some readers might find this book simply too depressing to read. If they do, then they are missing its central message and theme. Yes, much of the book does consist of tragic happenings and depressing scenes, but ultimately, "The Color Purple" is a triumph, one of the most uplifting and even joyous books I have yet to read. "The Color Purple" is a book in which men are the "bad guys" and women the "good guys." 2005-06-21T06:05:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Color-Purple-A-Triumph-of-the-Spirit-27074.aspx It began with Celie. Writing letters to God. Under the strong instruction from her father never to tell anyone but God about his abuse, that is who Celie turns to. This book is written in the form of correspondence, an exchange of letters that as often as not doesn't end up being read by the intended readers for most of a lifetime. There is abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, pain that no one should have to go through. They go through it. Celie is a strong enough person to realise that her father might not stop with her, and feels protective of her younger sister. 'Sometime he still be looking at Nettie, but I always git in his light. Now I tell her to marry Mr. _____. I don't tell her why. I say Marry him, Nettie, an try to have one good year out your life. After that, I know she be big.' Celie delivered children of her father, children who were cast away, presumably dead (although Celie has the intuition to know better). Celie put up with separation from loved ones, and a loveless, unfaithful marriage, playing second-fiddle to a more flamboyant mistress, Shug Avery. And Celie was raised not to know she deserved better. She deserved better. Shug Avery ironically was one who helped teach her that. There was a friendship beyond words that developed, a realisation of humanity and caring beyond the abuses of the world; Shug was neglected by her father, a pain that cut her almost as deep as Celie's pain. But Celie found out something. Alphonso, her Pa, wasn't her Pa--he was a step. The children weren't to be shunned. The worst sin was mitigated just a bit. And Celie and Nettie found out more. The land and house belonged to them, not to 'Pa', but rather their real daddy, who left it to them and their mother. This is a painful story. It is a hopeful story. The courage of the women against family and societal tyranny is strong, but the courage against their own fears and shortcomings is even stronger. Now, you may be asking, what right does a white man have in reviewing this kind of book? White people are very peripheral in the story, never central, never figuring more than just side characters, and not very human ones at that. I review this book in the hopes that it will be more widely read by those of every colour, 2005-06-21T05:58:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Color-Purple-A-Colorful-Tale-27073.aspx The Color Purple is an amazing book to read. It was very rewarding for me to read because it opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about life, love, and religion. Alice Walker is able to capture the feelings of each character and their reactions to life, especially Celie. Celie is a poor, black girl who lives in the south and struggles throughout life. I felt some strong aspects of this book were the plot, the writing style, and the Characters. In my opinion, the plot of the story is well done because you feel the anger that Celie is going through. The story begins very abruptly with all the struggles Celie is faced with, like the abuse by her father and the death of her mother. The story begins with her father saying, "You better not tell nobody but God. It'd kill you mammy." (pg 1. line 1). She is also forced to marry a man she hates and she is very angry with her life, until her husband's lover, Shug Avery, comes to live with them, then things begin to change. Shug teaches Celie how to love and how to speak for herself. I love the way Shug and Celie's relationship develops throughout the book. They grow to love each other and care for each. This allows Celie to feel more respected. The book is written in a letter formation. The book starts out with Celie writing to God and then she begins to converse with her sister, Nettie. When Celie was talking to God, she was in need of someone to talk to. Then she talked to Nettie about her life and what is happening in it. I love the letter formation because it allows the reader to get a bigger perspective of the characters and a wider view of the story. When Celie is writing to God you can really understand how she is feeling and what she is thinking. You get to see the characters through their eyes and not someone else's eyes. The characters are well described and portrayed for the time and place of the book. Alice Walker does a great job in portraying the women of the time and how they were treated. Celie is the one character who changes the most throughout the story and evolves into a more courageous and independent woman. In the beginning of the novel 2005-06-21T05:48:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Color-Purple-Review--27071.aspx Hatred in the Novel The Bluest Eye “Hate is a prolong matter of suicide”. Hate is a formidable word that describes the strong dislike of a person towards another. Hatred comes from within and when it is put out forward it devastates the person that it is being brought out to. Hatred not only devastates the person that it is being brought out to, but also damages the person that has the feeling itself. The novel The Bluest Eye, written by Toni Morrison, is a novel based on odium. The novel is about an eleven-year-old, black girl named Pecola Breedlove that is rejected because of her ugliness and prays for her eyes to turn blue so that she will become gorgeous and accepted by society. The Bluest Eye demonstrates the many modes of hatred. One of the forms of hate shown in the novel The Bluest Eye is the antipathy that Claudia Mcteer, a little black girl in the novel, has for white girls. “What I felt at the time was unsullied hatred. I felt a stranger, more frightening thing that hatred for all Shirley Temples of the world”(pg19), that was how Claudia Mcteer felt inside for blond, blue eyed, white girls. Claudia loathed Rosemary, her next door neighbor, because she was white and a snitch. Every time Claudia saw Rosemary she would want to “beat her up, and make red marks on her white skin”(pg.1). Besides the white girls, Claudia detested white dolls as well. Every Christmas Claudia received a big, blue-eyed, white baby doll. The baby doll “which were suppose to bring great pleasure, succeeded in doing quite the opposite”(pg20) to Claudia. When she took them to bed “the tapered fingertips on those dimpled hands scratched”(pg20) Claudia and she would want to tear it apart. Apart from the abomination that Claudia had for white girls, in the novel there was the revulsion that Soaphead Church had for the human race and, like Junior, for animals. “Once there was an old man who loved things, for the slightest contact with people produced him a faint but persistent nausea”(pg164). hat old man was Soaphead Church, whose real name was Elihue Micah Whitecomb. “He could not remember when his distaste began”(pg164), but throughout his whole life he had a strong 2005-06-21T05:09:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hatred-in-the-Novel-The-Bluest-Eye-27064.aspx What is an epic hero? An epic hero is the main character of an epic, a long, narrative poem that relates the deeds of a superhuman hero (the epic hero) who embodies the values of a particular society. The Anglo-Saxon idea of an epic hero can be seen in the story of Beowulf. Beowulf possesses many of the traditional qualities of an epic hero. Beowulf tells of one of his deeds while talking to Unferth, “Lucky or not, nine was the number of sea-huge monsters I killed” (Beowulf 307-308). Beowulf exhibits qualities of an Anglo-Saxon epic hero in the areas of superhuman power, honor, and the embodiment of the values of the time. Superhuman powers are not necessarily laser beams coming from a hero’s fingertips or x-ray vision. Beowulf possesses a superhuman power in the form of brute strength. This is noticeable by the fact that Beowulf is able to kill Grendel, a devilishly evil creature of the night who kills dozens of trained soldiers before Beowulf gets his shot at him: The battle was over, Beowulf Had been granted new glory: Grendel escaped, But wounded as he was could flee to his den… Only to die, to wait for the end Of all his days. (Beowulf 499-504) Not only was Beowulf able to dispatch Grendel, but he then swam to the depths of the lake and battled Grendel’s mother to the death, “Her body fell to the floor, lifeless” (Beowulf 643-644). Beowulf is not a typical hero, but rather a more mundane hero, who’s only power is strength, and is bound by mortality. Honor is a quality not easily achieved. Beowulf, however, has easily attained this trait, as he is respected for his great feats all over the lands described in the epic. King Hrothgar tells us that Beowulf has been victorious in many battles, “Beowulf, a banquet in your honor: let us toast your victories, and talk of the future” (Beowulf 223-224). Beowulf’s honor is also exhibited when he still fights the dragon, even after all but one of his comrades has fled “Quickly the dragon came at him…his brave and noble followers; they ran for their lives” (Beowulf 742-748). Honor is gained by repeated noble acts, and should not be sought after. Nor should the person talk it about who has it. Beowulf does not actually talk of his honor, but rather 2005-06-21T04:39:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf,-Discuss-the-Concept-of-an-Epic-Hero-27062.aspx Descriptive Essay On Odysseus Odysseus’ eyes suddenly exploded as the jaw-dropping sliver of land had come into his view. His face displayed the color of the darkened blue sky, exhibiting the image of the painful conflict he experienced: searching for the least bit of land after his ship crashed into a mountain side, sharp with stones. The sand, soft and cold, was beneath the exhausted Odysseus as he used his aching arms, hands, and legs to pull him up. Collapsing on his empty stomach, he fell into a long deep snooze, dreaming of what the next day would bring. Odysseus, the all mighty, awoke to a fresh, cool breeze, brushing up against his damp shriveled body. Odysseus rising up, his arms dangling in the wind, his eyes crusty from the long nights sleep, leaving tiny droplets of water on his cheeks as he explored his new domicile. As he hobbled along the coast of the island, he started to appreciate and admire aspects of the unknown location. The pine trees were a rich green in color like a new dollar bill, its leaves emitting the slightest scent, which slithered its way through the air and into Odysseus’ nose causing a split second of bliss. As he became as close to the trees as he could, the pleasant odor permeated through out his clothes. As he continued to gradually stroll around the location he now knew as The Island Of Wonder, he came across a patch of flowers that exemplified every color of the rainbow. They smelled of sweet candy: cherry, grape, lemon, and lime. Wondering if they tasted similar to their smell, he nibbled on the petal of a long stemmed, blue daisy, one that was in its last stage of blooming. He was not thrilled by the flavor of the fresh flower, but he realized that he urgently needed food to fill his stomach, which had been unoccupied for days. He quickly hiked to the center of the island, over steep, grassy hills and across narrow, clear blue rivers. There he found a little cabin, made of rough, brown wood, which looked like a hurricane had destroyed the modern appearance. He stepped up the cracked, uneven stairs, shifting over to the big, bold door, which stood like a guard, blocking trespassers from a castle. He tried with all his energy to open the door, although it was locked, and wouldn’t 2005-06-21T04:31:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Descriptive-Essay-On-Odysseus-27059.aspx The characterization of Scout in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is seen from the progression of a child’s eyes; the many experiences and lessons learned, dealing with prejudice, are carried through to her adulthood. Lee uses this method of characterization to show that he many experiences and lessons learned as a child can create and effect the person that you grow up to be. In this case, Scout has many experiences with the prejudices dealing with race, which will be carried with her through her later life. Lee introduces Scout to be a young girl living throughout the Great Depression in the early 1930’s. She lives with her father, Atticus and older brother, Jem. Jem and Scout are basically raised by Caplurnia, a black “maid”, who comes and watches after them and takes care of the house while Atticus is at work. Because Scout lives with just her father and brother, and is raised mainly by a black woman she has many encounters with different types of racism. Throughout the novel, it is made clear that the Finch’s always go to church, but when Atticus leaves for a business trip, Calpurnia is left to watch after the children. On this Sunday in which Atticus is not home, Calpurnia decides to take Scout and Jem to her church. In this adventure to a “black church” for the first time Scout, Jem and Calpurnia are confronted by Lula; a big black woman who is offended when Calpurnia brings the two white children to their black church. “‘You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillum here-they got their church, e got our’n. It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?’ Calpurnia said, ‘It’s the same God, ain’t it?’…” (Mockingbird, pg. 119) This quote, between Calpurnia and Lula, shows that there is much tension when two white children are brought into a black church. The children do not feel wanted and would have rather gone home until they are welcomed by the reverend. Later during this experience, Scout realizes that many things done at a “black church” are the same as a “white church”. “Revernd Sykes then called on the Lord to bless the sick and the suffering, a procedure no different from our church practice….” (Mockingbird, pg. 121) Scout is starting to learn that blacks are no different from whites, but because 2005-06-21T03:21:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Scout-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-27053.aspx Author Hardy was born in Higher Bockhampton June 2, 1840. In 1848 Hardy began attending Julia Martin’s school in Bockhamton. In 1853 Hardy’s education became intensive, he studies Latin, French and began reading widely. During the early years of Hardy’s life, Hardy’s father, a stonemason, let his son apprentice him in restoring old local churches. From 1862 to 1867 Hardy worked for an architect in London. Meanwhile, he was writing poetry with little success this caused Hardy to turn to writing novels and by 1874 he was able to support himself by writing. During the same year (1872) Hardy married Emma Gifford. Their marriage lasted until her death in 1912. Emma’s death prompted Hardy to write his collection of poems called Veneris Vestigiae Flammae ( Vestiges of an Old Flame). In 1914, Hardy remarried to Florence Dugdale. Hardy anonymously published two early novels, Desperate Remedies ( 1871) and Under the Greenwood Tree (1872). Hardy’s best novels are The Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891) and Jude the Obscure (1895). A critic named G.K Chesterton wrote that Hardy “ became a sort of village atheist brooding and blaspheming over the village idiot.” This criticism was so harsh that Hardy stopped writing novels. At the age of 55 Hardy returned to writing poetry. The Dynasts, written between 1903 and1908 was considered Hardy’s most successful poetry. Hardy died on January 11, 1928. Origin of the Poem “The Darkling Thrush” is a poem occasioned by the beginning of a new year and a new century. Content I I leant upon a coppice gate When Frost was spectre-gray, And Winter’s dregs made desolate The weakening eye of day. The tangled bine-stems scored the sky Like strings from broken lyres, And all mankind that haunted nigh Had sought their household fires. Stanza I The gate which the speaker is leaning on represent the threshold of the new century. The spectral quality of frost suggests the ageing and the ghostly quality of the landscape. The scene has the mere trace of life, in which natural and human presences are ghostly. The figure of the “weakening eye” symbolizes the ending of the day along with the ending of the century. The “tangled bine-stems” represent a harp which all the strings have been broken emphasizing the “winter’s dregs”. The stanza ends with the speakers awareness that he is alone, the people who usually occupy the land have returned to 2005-06-21T03:12:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Darkling-Thrush-by-Hardy,-Background-and-Commentary-27050.aspx If you have ever felt that the rules presented by society are cruel, suppressing, or just plain unfair, do something about it. This idea is prominent in Mark Twain’s masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Throughout this novel, Twain expresses his disapproval for American society during the late 1800’s through the eyes of Huck Finn and the adventures Huck encounters on his journey down the Mississippi River. Twain reveals this opinion of society by Huck’s realization of American life and his actions toward freedom, as well as Huck’s relationship with ‘nigger’ Jim. Twain also informs his view of society directly through Colonel Sherburn’s speech to the ‘lynch mob’. As you may already know, Huck Finn is a young boy, and his experiences and observations of society are pure. Therefore, his opinions are unbiased and prove Twain’s ideals to be logical and moral. Foremost, Twain’s opinion is expressed clearly through Huck Finn’s actions towards society. In the beginning pages of the novel Huck shows that he doesn’t want, or care, to be ‘sivilized’. Huck’s legal guardian, the Widow, constantly reprehends him for his behavior. When asking the Widow if he may have a smoke, the Widow says it is unclean and that he shouldn’t do it. Huck concludes, “That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they don’t know nothing about it.” (2). Twain clearly states that many people intuitively put down things when they don’t know much about them. By this, Twain shows how ignorance is common in society; not to mention, whites ignorance of black people. Twain also makes his point by having Huck wanting to be free and away from society. Huck informs us about his lessons from Miss Watson, the Widow’s sister, by stating, “she told me all about the bad place (hell), and I said I wished I was there. She got mad then, but I didn’t mean no harm. All I wanted was to go somewheres;” (2). Twain is basically saying, through Huck, that he rather go to hell than be civilized or that hell might be a nicer place than society. Huck just wants to be free: someplace where there aren’t so many rules that restrict his behavior and make him feel uncomfortable. Also, when Pap, Huck’s father, 2005-06-21T03:08:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mark-Twain-on-Society-in-Huckleberry-Finn-27049.aspx “The Fall of the House of Usher” is a great short story that shows all of the elements of Romanticism. All elements of Romanticism are used to great detail in “The Fall of the House of Usher,” all of the elements are easily interpreted and explained throughout the story using descriptions and symbolism, this makes a single affect is easy to attain, which makes the story a much better story because everything ties together. The way Edgar Allen Poe wrote this story he used each and every line to the fullest extent which helped develop the story as a whole. The great detail that Poe wrote into his story helps develop the plot and develop a connection between the actual plot of the story and the theme. Also the detail and the symbolism help develop a single affect of horror in the story because the way every single detail is explained. The elements of Romanticism are: Nature, Individual, Picture Sequence-exotic setting, Supernatural, Imagination- exploring psyche, and Country-developed national literature. All of these elements were vividly described in great detail for every reader to understand. The elements were explained using symbolism and vivid description that helps the reader connect the element of Romanticism to the plot of the story. With vivid descriptions given by the author the setting is brought to life in full color and the reader feels like he or she is actually in the story. The first element of Romanticism, which I found to really stick out to me, is the individual himself. His name is Mr. Roderick Usher he lives with his sister in an old country estate. Roderick is a very strange man whom lives in a very dull, dark, and scary house with a very strange family. The family tree of the Usher family is one that never branches of to other family members. This means that the parents had married their siblings and then their children married their siblings and on and on. This is what makes the family so very strange and interesting to look at. The man behind the final generation of the Usher family is Roderick, he lives a very dark, dull, and happy less life. Roderick finds happiness in the dark and feels depressed and vulnerable from the sunlight itself. Mr. Usher looks 2005-06-21T02:47:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/“The-Fall-of-the-House-of-Usher”-27043.aspx Note: this review is for the paperback "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" published by Signet Classics in 2003.) I have seen many movie versions of this classic. So, I made the assumption that I knew the true story. Then I read this book. Was my assumption ever wrong!!! This particular book of less than 150 pages has five parts: (1) Opening Pages. They include a brief biography of Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 to 1894). (Comprises 4% of the book.) (2) Introductory Essay. This was written by the late, famous Russian author Vladimir Nabokov. (Comprises 20%.) (3) The Actual Story. Its original title is "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1886). (Comprises 65%.) (4) Afterword to the Story. It is written by a modern writer. (Comprises 8%.) (5) Selected Bibliography. Outlines great works by and about R.L. Stevenson. (Comprises 3%.) The introductory essay was an actual lecture Nabokov gave when he was associate professor at Cornell University from 1948 to 1959. It gives a thorough, detailed analysis of this "seldom read" classic. The afterword consists of a shorter analysis of this classic by the modern writer Dan Chaon. I felt that this afterword provided valuable insight regarding the story of Jekyll and Hyde. Chaon sums up the entire story: "The structure of ['Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'] follows a path as indirect and elusive as its multiple narrative voices. With its obliquely recorded incidents, its eyewitness accounts and sealed confessions, it resembles...a [police detective's] casebook--a collection of gathered clues, fragments, through which the clever detective may be able to...project a complete narrative. Perhaps one of the most compelling aspects of this novel [of ten chapters] is that, in fact, there's so much left here for [the reader] to fill in, so many scenes that [the reader] can only imagine. Such a structure creates fertile ground for allegory [a story with symbolic meaning] hunters, and there are indeed many convincing interpretations of this novel...The puzzle-like structure of the novel [which only has eight major male characters] creates a kind of Rorechach test, open to various interpretations." (A Rorechach test is where a person interprets inkblot designs.) The inspiration of this short novel is said to have come from a dream (or, perhaps more accurately, a nightmare) Stevenson had. His actual writing is amazing and skillful in all chapters. The writing especially of the last two chapters, chapters nine and 2005-06-21T02:27:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Do-You-Know-the-True-Story-of-Dr_-Jekyll-and-Mr_-Hyde-27039.aspx THE BEAN TREES is a novel about a young woman, Taylor Greer, who leaves her home state of Kentucky to find a life outside of what she knew - growing up to become barefoot and pregnant. She wanted more than that, but she did not really know what she wanted. She finally arrives in Tucson and meets a woman who wants to give Taylor a 3 year old child. Taylor promises to take care of the little girl. Whether the woman is the child's mother, we never do find out. But Taylor does find out right away that something is not right with the child. Turtle, the name Taylor gives the child, does not talk. Taylor also finds bruises over the child's body while giving her a bath. Maybe Taylor has saved this child from a horrible life, but now she is responsible for the welfare of this little Indian american girl. But now what to do? No money and no job, and she's got a kid she never planned on having. Taylor and Turtle end up in a small town in Arizona and after meeting several nice people who help them out, they end up living with a gal named Lou Ann, who has her own story to tell. The book is intertwined with the stories of both women so we get to know them both very well. Along the way they meet and get involved with a hispanic couple, Estevan and Esperanza. They are from central America, and their story is a mystery, except we know Esperanza knows very little English, and Estevan was an English teacher in his home land. The four of them, along with little Turtle, become good friends, and soon Turtle is responding to the love she is getting from her new family. But there is still the mystery of what really happened to little Turtle.... THE BEAN TREES is the 2nd Barbara Kingsolver novel I have read, THE POISONWOOD BIBLE being the other one. This second novel reads quite differently than POISONWOOD BIBLE did, and I guess one reason is that THE BEAN TREES was written over a decade before. Ms. Kingsolver's skills as a story teller greatly improved between these two novels, but that does not mean THE BEAN TREES is a poorly written book. On the contrary, I found it very well written and enjoyable to read. The feel of both books is very different. 2005-06-21T02:23:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Bean-Trees-A-little-girl-named-Turtle-27038.aspx The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver is a book rich in metaphors and similes. It is a story about a young girl who escapes her small town, where most young people drop out of school, and the girls get pregnant. For Missy, these are not options. She buys herself a car and heads out for maturing experiences. Her first decision is that since she is starting a new life, she needs a new name, so she calls herself "Taylor." As she is driving, she tells herself she will stop and live in the city in which her car breaks down. This doesn't happen because along the way, she picks up a passenger, a little Native American baby. Now she has herself and the baby to worry about. She stops in Arizona and loves it. So, she decides to stay. It is in this town, she discovers friendship, love, responsibility, maturity, and the true meaning of family. The physical descriptions in the book, while at times, may seem over done, are truely what make the book a vivid, potent journey. Before Taylors journey begins, she is working in a hospital and one of the girls she went to school with, but got pregnant and married, is brought into the hospital covered in blood, and Missy says she was, "...like a butcher holding down a calf on its way to becoming a cut of meat" (10). She also witnesses a tire blowing up and says, "... Newt Hardbine's daddy flying up into the air, in slow motion, like a fish flinging sideways out of the water. And Newt laid out like a hooked bass" (15). Then when she gets to Arizona, she see rocks that were "...stacked on top of one another like piles of copulating potato bugs" (47). These are just a few of the similies that enrich the story. She also uses metaphors in abundance to create a picture. She compares driving in traffic during a hail storm as ...moving about the speed of a government check" (49). Kingsolver uses metaphors to compare some of the characters' lives. Taylor says "...but I had to give her credit, considering that life had delivered Sandi a truckload of manure with no return address" (89). In comparing a park she loves to visit, Taylor says, "Constellations of gum-wrapper foil twinkled around the trash barrels" (148). The best description comes in the combination of metaphor 2005-06-21T02:19:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Bean-Trees-Metaphors-and-Similies-27037.aspx Before reading "Babbitt," a 1920s-era cavalcade of a middle-class social climber's daily life and decline--by one of America's most illimitable muckrackers--ignore, if you can, academic whiners who insist Sinclair Lewis wrote second-rate novels that have lost their luster. Even if you find Lewis' almost chirpy, concise and unusually witty treatment of George Babbitt--booster, scoundrel, moral klutz--offputting and oddly reminiscent of the typical "personality profile" you'd probably find in "People" or "Newsweek"...you'll be amazed at how closely "Babbitt" mirrors the conventional business ethic behind today's headlines. Eighty years after its initial publication, "Babbitt" resounds with the kind of disgust anti-WTO protesters registered in 2000 against America's empire of "market forces"--and what that kind of misbehavior can do to a person. But perhaps eighty years has been far too long--at least long enough for us to forget Lewis' powerful message. Yes, long after the nation's initial sip of The Gilded Age revealed a dissonant aftertaste--one that resulted in both civil unrest and the eight-hour workday, medical benefits for employees, Social Security and hundreds of other hard-won reforms--the reappearance of a new, lean-and-hungry Babbitt on the cusp of the 21st Century requires that we never forget to remember where avarice, hubris and self-satisfaction have led us before. Babbitt is rich. Now what? Did we already ask you to take a look at George Babbitt? Well, just take a look at that good old George Babbitt--an orotund, well-dressed farmboy who honestly believes that a smallish fortune in real estate is proof positive that he is "superior" and some kind of Renaissance Man. Really nothing more than a self-deluded social climber desperate to gain more status and lose the private celebrity of a rootlessness he can't grasp, Babbitt is driven by the forces that made him: Having been taught to confuse "consuming" with "power", "real estate" with "substance" and "self-interest" with "morality", Babbitt never seems to understand where his superficial understanding of himself and the world is bound to end. Still, without what constantly elludes and haunts him--what more to expect from a walking market survey?--Babbitt just knows he'd be nothing. Even when opportunity knocks and the reader sees how far out of his league he has managed to malinger, Babbitt the Fool threatens to snowball right into oblivion. His values just aren't up to snuff when it comes to footing the bill in the purchase of his illusions. He's a cross between a bush-league 2005-06-21T02:07:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Are-We-A-Nation-of-Babbitts-Yet-27036.aspx Odd, isn't it, that George F. Babbitt should be one of the most reviled characters in American literature? What, after all, is his great crime ? It's not that he's a conformist; we're all conformists of one kind or another; such is the nature of social creatures. No, the problem with George Babbitt, that which has so incensed intellectuals for some eighty-odd years is the set of ideas that he conforms to : Middle American ideals--hard work, thrift, salesmanship, conservatism, Christianity, family values, monogamy, the whole panoply of traditional morays of which the Left is so contemptuous. George's story is fairly simple. A successful Realtor in the booming midwestern city of Zenith, married with three children, George is a pillar of the community and a support to his family, but he's not happy. Everyone is always coming to him with their complaints about life, but he's never supposed to question his lot. Then his friend, Paul Riesling, begins to express his own dissatisfaction and together the two begin to sow some wild oats. George goes along on a trip to Maine without their wives, but eventually Paul sprints ahead by first having an affair and then shooting his wife. George, who had tried reigning Paul in, now proceeds to have his own affair with the widow Tanis Judique. He also starts to hang out with some of Tanis's scruffy friends and to vocally question the received wisdom of Zenith's business community. But George's wife, Myra, finds out about the affair and George's business partners bail out on a few deals. Meanwhile, George discovers that Tanis, though her life seemed freer at first, is just as bound by societal conventions as he. With his own business now suffering and the bloom off of his new romance, George is already beginning to waiver, and when Myra comes down with a potentially deadly case of appendicitis, he realizes that he wants his old life back. Myra and his friends welcome him back to the fold. In a final scene, George's son elopes, and he surprises everyone by accepting the marriage. He even tells the boy that he should seize his opportunities now, because he (George) never truly did anything he wanted to his whole life. Now I understand that on the surface this does seem like an indictment of middle America, but it also reads like a cautionary tale, defending Zenith and its 2005-06-21T01:59:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Babbit-Misunderstood-27035.aspx I've finally gotten around to reading this book, in the original, without editorial intervention. It was worth it. Kate Chopin wrote this story of female self-actualization back in the late 19th century, but it's as applicable today as it was then. I think we all feel trapped by decisions we've made capriciously, and we all consider, even briefly, escape. The main character in this novel not only realizes that she has trapped herself, but she actively seeks to free herself. Her action, rather than just emotion and despair (a la Goethe), is what separates her from the herd. Here's the low-down: Edna is a woman, probably in her 30s or so, married to a successful financier and mother to two charming children. She summers on an island, probably to escape summer diseases in the city, New Orleans. One summer she acquires a friend, Robert. Although married women in this society frequently have male friends, Edna is an outsider, and she takes Robert's attentions far too seriously. Apparently, he is similarly infatuated. Basking in Robert's attention, Edna understands at last that she has discarded her youthful dreams and hopes and that her current life is unfulfilling. She takes small steps toward freeing herself, and Robert seems a willing accomplice for a while. But Robert sees the hopelessness of such an infatuation: Edna is married, after all. Abruptly, Robert leaves the island and heads off to Mexico, presumably to seek his fortune. Edna is devastated. Even after she returns to town, her emotions are in turmoil. But loneliness actually proves helpful. She relearns who she is, reclaims the dreams of her youth, and abandons her husband and children. The author is careful with this last, making it seem tragic and irresponsible, yet ultimately unavoidable. By the last 20 pages, Edna is free. And then Robert returns. Edna says that she does not feel obligated by their mutual love; she says that she is an independent woman now who is not the property of any other person. But she's lying. Her actions show that she is dependent on Robert, needy for his love and attention. I still can't decide if the author created this break between words and behavior on purpose, or if she really intended us to believe that Edna was wholly independent. In fact, the only weak part of the story, in my opinion, is that Edna does not take responsibility for her own 2005-06-21T01:47:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-Surprisingly-not-Heavy-handed-27034.aspx In Kate Chopin's The Awakening, the protagonist of the story, Edna Pontellier, is a woman in the late 1800's who has been living a life of the expectations of the women of that time. She is a devoted wife and mother. After a vacation in Grand Isle, she meets new friends and new surroundings that influence the way she thinks. These influences also help to establish herself as an independent woman and break free from the traditional everyday womanly duties. But, will this road to becoming independent consume her so much that she will lose everything that she has come to known? It all starts with the new friends she meets while she is on vacation with her family at Grand Isle. While Edna is on her vacation, she meets Adele Ratignolle, the epitome of the typical 1800's woman. Chopin describes these women as "women who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it as a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels." (Chopin 10) She also says women, in particular Creole women, were impressive because of their freedom of expression about anything, including things society doesn't speak openly about like romantic gossip. Edna on the other hand is the complete opposite and is not the "mother-woman" type. She admires Adele because of her quality of being outspoken and it inspires her to think about old times in her youth of romantic dreams or fantasies. This is the start of Edna beginning to think in depth about her life. It also makes her begin to be more outspoken, especially to her husband. With her being more outspoken, she is able to break free from the natural hold her husband has on her and becomes free. It also begins the unspoken love that she has for another character in the story, Robert Lebrun. Robert is what the people at Grand Isle call a big flirt. Every year he courts a different woman but this time, when he chooses Edna, everything is different. Since most of the women that Robert courts are Creole women, they find his flirting funny and they enjoy his company. Edna on the other hand, takes it seriously and begins to develop feelings for Robert. She sees in Robert everything that she doesn't have with her husband: love and devotion. They develop a relationship where they're together all the time but 2005-06-21T01:38:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-Friend-Influences-27033.aspx Theme in Cry the Beloved Country Cry the Beloved Country had many strong themes, but one stood out the strongest in my eyes. The strongest theme was no matter how bad things get, family will always be there for you. Throughout this novel many examples were provided to support my chosen theme. Stephen Kumalo is the main character and shows the best examples of evidence to support my theme. The first example is when he received a letter from another priest in Johannesburg saying that his sister was very sick and to make a journey to Johannesburg to come see her and her son to try and help them. Stephen made the journey to help his sister first stopping to see the priest who wrote the letter. The priest told him they would find his sister the next day. He also said in the letter when he wrote that his sister was sick that he didn’t mean illness but he meant she had become a prostitute to try to support her and her son. Stephen attempted to take his sister and her son back to their home village but she ran away and he could not find her. James Jarvis was a rich white man who cared for his son greatly, but in the last few years they haven’t seen eye to eye on some important issues of race separation. James Jarvis believed in the quote,” birds of a color stick together”. So when he hears from his daughter and law that his son missed an important family gathering to stay home and work for and in favor of the blacks he became annoyed and frustrated with the whole idea. Later after Stephen Kumalos’ son Absalom Kumalo killed his son, James Jarvis did an incredible thing, he never got filled with hatred but the exact opposite. James realized what he had lost when his son Arthur Jarvis was killed and when he realized it he started to accept his sons’ views after his death. For his own sake and his sons, he accepted the black race and did what he could to help them. Stephen Kumalo also had a son living in Johannesburg. Stephen cared for his son but hadn’t heard from him for a long time and wondered what he was up to. 2005-06-20T01:30:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-in-Cry-the-Beloved-Country-27027.aspx Maya Angelou, the author to I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, writes about a girl who is confronted with sex, rape, and racism at an early stage in her life in detail in her novel. When she is three years old, her parents have a divorce and send her and her four-year-old brother Bailey from California to Arkansas to live with her grandmother in a town that is divided by color and full of racism. They are raised by her grandmother and then sent back to their carefree mother in the absence of a father figure. At age eight, she is raped by her mother’s boy friend while she is sleeping in her mother’s bed. The book also tells about her other sexual experiences during the early parts in her life. Those experiences lead to the birth of her first child. Throughout the book, I’ve also learned about many racist things. It was painful to read about the hateful treatment of Blacks during that time and the effect that it had on Black children. When Maya had a bad tooth and her grandmother took her to a white dentist in town. The white dentist refused to help Maya because, as he stated, "I would rather put my hand in the mouth of a dog than to put it into a nigger's mouth." This incident serves only as an example of the many ways that Blacks were cruelly mistreated in those days. The book thus explores a lot of important issues, such as: sexuality and race relations, and shows us how society violated her as a young African American female. In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou clearly expresses the physical pain of sexual assault, the mental anguish of not daring to tell, and her guilt and shame for having been raped. Her timidity and fear of telling magnify the brutality of the rape. For more than a year after the rape she lives in self-imposed silence, speaking only very rarely. This childhood rape reveals the pain that African American women suffered as victims not only of racism but also sexism. What I liked most about this book was the reality it revealed. It showed how brutal and cruel the society was. This book made me realize that racism is deeply embedded in the life and history of the nation, and it still exists in today’s 2005-06-20T01:03:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/I-Know-Why-The-Caged-Bird-Sings-27024.aspx The Autobiography of Malcolm X belongs on the short-list of any compilations of best biographies/autobiographies for two reasons. First, the fact that among all the public figures that American history has to offer, Malcolm is undoubtedly one of the most complex. Secondly, Alex Haley does an amazing job of transporting the reader into Malcolm's thoughts and feelings. Praise of this book is not simply praise of the subject; this is also a powerful literary work and a sharp piece of history. Autobiography is a classic American tale of one of the most misunderstood figures in American history. Malcolm has been and is viewed as everything from an evil racist hate-monger to the champion of modern day militant pro-Black radicals. What he was, in reality, was a remarkably intelligent and charismatic leader who reflected the ills of the society around him, changed throughout his life, and gradually evolved from ignorance to anger to enlightenment. Autobiography should be required reading for anyone who claims to have an opinion on Malcolm. My strong recommendation is not simply praise for Malcolm; certainly it would be possible to write an uninteresting book on a compelling figure. My recommendation for this particular biography comes for the power and precision of Alex Haley's writing. Haley puts us in Malcolm's schoolroom, amongst the petty criminals of his youth, in the penitentiary, amongst the militants of the Nation of Islam, and in Mecca and Africa, where he underwent his final transformation. We see what Malcolm sees, and we feel what Malcolm feels. This is a critically important element in the success of this amazing biography. Malcolm started as an empty vessel into which the American Black experience was poured - with all of the racism and violence that this implies - and Malcolm reflected his experiences in his convictions and deeds. In that Haley brings the reader face to face with Malcolm's experiences we understand how and why Malcolm became the person that he became; he truly was a mirror to American society. The great tragedy is that Malcolm's rift with the Nation of Islam brought resulted in his early death, just at the time that he was realizing his true purpose. Commenting on his experience in Mecca, shortly before his assassination, Malcolm comments "I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color." In this statement, and others, he acknowledges that 2005-06-20T00:16:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Autobiography-of-Malcolm-X-Unparalleled-27015.aspx Take a solid base of Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations", stir in a gallon of Orwell's "1984", mix in some of Ambrose's "Nothing Like It In The World", and finally add a pinch of Orczy's "The Scarlett Pimpernel" and what you end up with is the basic recipe for "Atlas Shrugged". An interesting story with solid ideas, sound plot progression, and a whole army of windbags. If you're into plots then here's the story. While no year is ever mentioned in the book one gets the feel that it's taking place in the 40's or 50's America. The world has fallen into a collective of "People's States" all vying to get the most goods out of the world's last capitalist nation, the USA. However within the US is a growing sentiment towards Socialism and so the beleagured guardians of free trade fight a running battle with their antagonists, the "looters" who wish to place as much bureaucratic restriction and taxation on the money-makers as possible so that "it's fair for everyone". The main protaganists are Dagny Taggart, heiress and prime mover of Taggart Transcontinental Railroad, and Henry Rearden, a from the ground up multimillionaire who has marketed a new miracle metal. As public sentiment begins to turn against big business, leading industrialists and entrepeneurs begin disappearing across the nation one by one, with no clue as to their whereabouts. And as each one vanishes the country sinks deeper into the miasma of "fairness". Continuing their fight against the "looters", which Dagny and Hank refer to those who wish to get their money, not by earning it but rather by taking it from the rich, the protaganists fight a losing battle against bureaucracy. The theme strikes a harmonic chord within me today when I see politicians on tv demanding heavier taxes on the "wealthiest 1%", and after reading this book I have a much deeper understanding and appreciation for those at the top, many of whom worked their way there after starting with nothing but talent and drive. The ideal of the book is sound. Place little to no restrictions on those who have that ambition and drive. Let them make the money and as a whole the country will experience an economic boom the likes of which the world has never known. Overburden them, attack them, or otherwise take them down and you end up in an economic, non-productive quagmire. 2005-06-20T00:12:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Atlas-Shrugged-Socialists-Beware-27014.aspx ...... and the world tumbled down !!!! "Atlas Shrugged" is an interesting tale, almost with a fable-like quality in its use of metaphors. What many young readers mistakenly identify as their ideals from this magnanimous work are 'arrogance', 'contempt for the Others', and an almost narcissist tendency of self worship. I remember my friend telling me an amusing anecdote -- A friend of his was reading "The Fountainhead" in a busy restaurant in India. An old man walked up to him and said - 'Don't read this book. It will make you behave rudely towards people'. Just one incident which underscores the rift between the 'believers' and 'non-believers' of Objectivism. As an admirer of Miss Rand's works, it was (fortunately, some of my fellow reviewers would say) quite late, in my late 20's that I first read her works. And though I confess that in my earlier days, I did display some fiesty temperament towards religion, government and the 'mob' as such, it is only NOW after reading A.S. that I can fully comprehend my mental state in those tumutous years of youth. Unlike the majority of Ayn Rand followers, I firmly believe that the correct age for reading this book is not the teens, but the 20-30 age group when you can allow your personal experiences to "filter" the philosophic thought from the emulsion of "drama" ( as an aside -- I quite agree that her novels are quite 'dramatic' than 'melodramatic' ). In the hands of the inexperienced youth, the tools of Objectivism lend themselves easily to fanaticism -- a trait very commonly observed on the reviews for this book too !! Being a believer and a fanatic are two very different states of consciousness. Please learn to differentiate using your rational thinking. Though I do not agree with all aspects of her novels - for e.g. her potrayal of women who always 'look up' to the ideal man to save them -- I whole heartedly agree with the axiom -- "A is A". That "existence" is a fundamental property of the Universe, and that man is only aware of it through his faculties of cognition - his rationale. That A.S. has proved to be a very influential book on the lives of millions of people, and that it still sells in thousands every year --- is my one and only argument against those who raise the issue 2005-06-19T19:34:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Atlas-Shrugged-and-Rand-s-Objectivism-27013.aspx At a suspenseful point in the novel an Errol Flynn-esque character comes crashing through a window to save the day. Rand was a screenwriter before (and even after) launching into a successful career as an author, but I wonder if her screenplays had the same Hollywood dramatics as a few moments in "Atlas Shrugged". I had to raise an eyebrow at the actions of this misplaced pirate in her novel, along with a few other scenes that left me unintentionally amused. Some of them include: the heroine falling madly in love, becoming mistress to a man's values (it couldn't have been the man himself could it? I'll leave this vague for the sake of those who haven't read the book), the countless references to characters exchanging glances loaded with emotionlessness (do Rand's heroes feel anything?), and the smug attitude of her heroes when they are leaving New York City at one point in the novel, confident that because they are leaving there is no one else of value left behind. Hmm... "Atlas Shrugged" can be critiqued through the lens of a novel or a philosophical work. Continuing with the former, I felt the elitist attitudes of the characters (as a result of Rand's philosophy) were difficult to swallow. The character's attitude about leaving the people of New York behind, as mentioned above, is written within the context of the story. But because it is within the context of the story, as part of the author's premise, I had big problems with it. Egoism is extolled as virtue for Rand. But the characters I read about with their unfounded conceit (with the exception of Hank Rearden and maybe one or two others) made me say out loud: Please... As characters in a novel go, Rand's fall flat. The men and women of "Shrugged" are either for her (Rand) or against her. Without hyperbole, the characters are either a bumbling, fearful, unctuous idiot or a courageous, idealistic, intelligent, beautiful, and emotionless amalgam of stereotypical wonder. In Dagny Taggart's persona, Rand seems to put herself on the page. Needless to say, the characters often come across as either larger than life (which could be ok) to totally unbelievable (which hurts the story). Her style of describing the fools as "fat" and "toady" is blatant and manipulative. I would have loved to see John Galt (Rand's "perfect man") have at least one vice to 2005-06-19T19:23:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Atlas-Shrugged-Flat-Characters-and-Flawed-Philosophy-27012.aspx Anyone with a working knowledge of Shakespeare's plays knows that As You Like It is a light, airy comedy. It is clearly not one of Shakespeare's greatest plays. As You Like It is more obscure than famous. Even amongst the comedies it comes nowhere close to the popularity of plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, or Twelfth Night. That said, it is a treasure in its own right. This is so, if for nothing else, because it contains one of the greatest pictures of a woman to be found in Shakespeare's works, excluding the Sonnets. Ah, sweet Rosalind. In her are encapsulated so many ideas about the nature of woman. She is first pictured in a rather faux-Petrarchan manner. This quickly fades as an intelligent woman comes to the fore. While the intelligence remains, she is also torn by the savage winds of romantic love. Rosalind, in all her complexity and self-contradiction, is a truly modern female character. Most of the women in Shakespeare's tragedies and historical plays are either window dressing (as in Julius Caesar) or woefully one-sided (Ophelia, Lady Macbeth). This is not the case with Rosalind. Rather than being marginalized, she is the focus of a good chunk of the play. Instead of being static and [standard], she is a complex evolving character. When Rosalind first appears, she outwardly looks much like any other lady of the court. She is a stunning beauty. She is much praised for her virtue. Both of these elements factor in the Duke's decision to banish or [do away with] her. Rosalind falls in love immediately upon seeing Orlando. In this way she at first seems to back up a typically courtly idea of "love at first sight." Also, she initially seems quite unattainable to Orlando. These are echoes of Petrarchan notions that proclaim love to be a painful thing. This dynamic is stood on its head following her banishment. Rosalind begins to question the certainty of Orlando's affection. She criticizes his doggerel when she finds it nailed to a tree. Rather than wilting like some medieval flower, she puts into effect a plan. She seeks to test the validity of her pretty-boy's love. In the guise of a boy herself, she questions the deceived Orlando about his love. Yet Rosalind is not always so assured. Her steadfastness is not cut and dried. Composed in his presence, Rosalind melts the second Orlando goes 2005-06-19T19:15:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/As-You-Like-It-a-Comedy-by-Shakespeare-27011.aspx For all of our existence, we humans have observed nature and its perplexing, if not bizarre, creations. One of the most general findings about animals deals with their reactions when they encounter perilous situations. This is the well-known, fight or flight expression. This, however, is not a rule strictly applying to “wild” animals. In fact, it actually encompasses the human species as well. Author Stephen Crane wrote a book called The Red Badge of Courage that deals with this idea. This novel is set in the time of the American Civil War in which Henry Fleming, the protagonist, is in the Union army. He, along with most of the other characters in the book, takes action along the terms of fight or flight. They all, at some point or another, get afraid of something and try to hide from it in any way possible. Henry is a young man, who eagerly enlists in the army at the beginning of The Red Badge of Courage. He is looking forward to fighting in battle and is disappointed that his regiment hasn’t yet seen the battlefield. When they finally do come face to face with a band of Confederate soldiers, Henry decides he’d rather demonstrate the flight quality and survive, than fight and be mortally wounded, so he runs away and takes cover in a secluded area in the forest. After running away, Henry attempts to rationalize his behavior so that the rest of his regiment will not dub him as a scared young boy. “He wondered what they would remark when later he appeared in camp. His mind heard howls of derision. Their density would not enable them to understand his sharper point of view.” His first instincts tell him he is a horrible coward, not worthy of fighting in the war, however, later on he convinces himself he was only trying to save himself. He also notes that the other soldiers who didn’t run were ignorant as to the danger they were bringing upon themselves. It seemed that the blind ignorance and stupidity of those little pieces had betrayed him. He had been overturned and crushed by their lack of sense in holding the position, when intelligent deliberation would have convinced them that it was impossible. He, the enlightened man who looks afar in the dark, had fled because of his superior perceptions and knowledge. He felt a great anger against 2005-06-19T18:56:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Red-Badge-of-Courage-Fight-or-Flight,-Danger-Response-27009.aspx What happens to a dream when it suspends in time? Does it stay suspended within a man through his lifetime, dormant, unreachable, and far away? Does its power grow and ultimately force him to act to make it happen sometime in the future—if not in his lifetime then in the future members of his kin? On the other hand, does it eat away at him, crystallizing and internally segmenting his own derived purpose and meaning of life until it is indiscernible from its original state of grandeur and grace? Those are some of the questions that Lorraine Hansberry poses for consideration in her play, A Raisin in the Sun. It is no accident that she chose Langston Hughes’ poem as a gateway into the incredible experience of true life, living, dreaming and working for a better tomorrow as enacted and emoted by her play’s characters, the Youngers. More specifically, she uses Mama Younger to echo the poem’s style of thought-provocation to at least partially surmise an answer of whether dreams deferred do, in fact, dry up, crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet, or sag like a heavy load. Langston Hughes’ poem begins with a deceptively innocent question: “What happens to a dream deferred?” (Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun 1). From the opening line, the reader is left to contemplate an infinite number of possible outcomes, among them if it partially dies, if it continues to live into the next generation, if it matters what kind of dream it is, and many others. And then, suddenly, he adds to it to further focus the question and thusly to compound and raise its complexity. He asks, “Does it dry up / Like a raisin in the sun?” (Hansberry 2-3). Now, whereas the reader could initially answer the first question in whichever way he wished, he now finds himself confined and struggling to formulate an answer and justifications to a closed-ended question. And, in dealing with Mama Younger, he is, at minimum, left at level ground. It is because, on the one hand, her dream when she first moved into that place in Chicago’s Southside to buy a house, fix it up, and make herself a little garden in the backyard didn’t happen (Hansberry 45). Or, as she says, “didn’t none of it happen” (Hansberry 45). She became too busy and occupied rearing her then-young family. For her, the initial 2005-06-19T18:54:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Raisin-in-the-Sun-Dreams-Deferred-27008.aspx Benjamin Franklin coined the phrase, “American Dream” during the early infancy of our country, proposing this dream as, “That pursuit of a better existence … [and] a higher quality of life through hard work, determination, and devotion.” While this may be what many of the characters in The Great Gatsby believe (Jay Gatsby in particular), one critical ideal is discarded in Fitzgerald’s twisted refinement of Franklin’s definition: morality. It is apparent that Jay Gatsby achieves his wealth and social status through illegal and immoral means, such as bootlegging alcohol. The irony becomes remarkably stunning when one realizes that the section of Franklin’s autobiography, which outlines his method for achieving this dream, is entitled “Moral Perfection”. Fitzgerald presents a dark satire by portraying the immoral Jay Gatsby as an icon for the decay of the dream Franklin proposed and promoted so avidly. Fitzgerald masterfully allows the reader watch the evolution of Franklin’s American dream from its fertilization in the ambition of James Gatz to its dominance over Gatz’s life, eventually spawning Jay Gatsby (Gatz-bye) a self-destructive man holding on to a dream that can never become a reality. In addition to Gatsby’s delusional pursuit of happiness, Nick Carraway, our narrator, suffers from the same addiction to a dream, which, if made true, will never live up to its expectations. It is obvious that Nick envies Gatsby, hence the title of the novel. Nick is in awe of Gatsby’s wealth, social power and moreover, and most of all, the carefree lifestyle it allows. Nick, at the same time he is completely unaware of the illicit means by which Gatsby has gained his wealth. Following Gatsby’s death at the end of the novel, Fitzgerald shows Nick’s awakening from his dream to persuade the reader to walk away from his novel understanding the lesson that Nick learns from Gatsby’s folly. Fitzgerald strives to expose a striking realization that the American dream that Franklin proposed will never be able to deliver its promise of “a better existence” in a society where morality is tossed aside so casually. Fitzgerald litters the novel with a cast of characters who are struggling to chase either emotionless dreams or impossible ones. All of these other characters suffer from this plague of disillusionment that has come to be known as a staple in modernist writing. Morality seems critical, by Franklin’s standards, to the success of his American Dream, but when 2005-06-19T18:47:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-American-Dream-27007.aspx NICK CARRAWAY has a special place in The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. He is not just one character among several; it is through his eyes and ears that the story takes place. In this novel, Nick goes to some length to establish his credibility, indeed his moral integrity, in telling this story about this "great" man called Gatsby. He begins with a reflection on his own upbringing, quoting his father's words about Nick's "advantages,” which we could assume were material but, he soon makes clear, were spiritual or moral advantages. Nick wants his reader to know that his upbringing gave him the moral fiber with which to withstand and pass judgment on an amoral world, such as the one he had observed the previous summer. He says, rather pompously, that as a consequence of such an upbringing, he is "inclined to reserve all judgments" about other people, but then goes on to say that such "tolerance . . . has a limit.” This is the first sign the narrator gives the reader to show he will give an even-handed insight to the story that is about to unfold. Later the reader learns he neither reserves all judgments nor does his tolerance reach its limit. Nick is very partial in his way of telling the story about several characters. He admits early into the story that he makes an exception of judging Gatsby, for whom he is prepared to suspend both the moral code of his upbringing and the limit of intolerance, because Gatsby had an "extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness.” This inspired him to a level of friendship and loyalty that Nick seems unprepared to extend towards others in the novel. Nick overlooks the moral implications of Gatsby's bootlegging, his association with speakeasies, and with Meyer Wolfsheim, the man rumored to have fixed the World Series in 1919. Yet, he is contemptuous of Jordan Baker for cheating in a mere golf game. While he says that he is prepared to forgive this sort of behavior in a woman: "It made no difference to me. Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame too deeply - I was casually sorry, and then I forgot," it seems that he cannot accept her for being "incurably dishonest" and then reflects that his one "cardinal virtue" is that he is "one of the few honest people" he has ever 2005-06-19T18:32:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Analysis-of-Nick-27006.aspx The Scarlet Letter - Individuality within a Puritan Society Often in society people are criticized, punished and despised for their individual choices and flaws. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author attempts to show the way society casts out individuals simply because their ideas and deeds differ from the common values. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester Prynne to symbolize that those who challenge social conformities can benefit society as a whole. Though she has been banished for committing adultery, she sees that the community needs her. Through her generous accomplishments the community realizes she is a person who, regardless of her sin, can affect the community in a positive way. In the beginning of the book Hester Prynne is publicly humiliated as a punishment for breaking a Puritan belief and one of the Ten Commandments; adultery. She is then forced to stand in front of the town for hours as the crowd tries to break her down with criticism and shaming words. After her release, "the scene was not without a mixture of awe, such as much always invest the spectacle of guilt and shame of a fellow creature" (63). They almost took a delight in her punishment, having thought they cleansed the town, and therefore only leaving a "pure" society. They thought that if they treated her so horrible that no one would ever even think of breaking the law again. As the story begins the townspeople do not see her as a necessity but as a nuisance to get rid of. They do not realize the need for which they have of her. And that she is just as much a part of the community as they all are. So in a sense when the banish Hester they are banishing a part of themselves. After this she is given more punishment by having to wear the letter "A" embroidered on everything she wears as a reminder to everyone that she has committed adultery. She is thrown out of town and is no longer a community member. She suffered these ordeals and punishments because she was an affront to them; she is an individual and that scares them. These perfect Puritans threw her out of their lives because she was not a drone to their ways, but a distinctive person. Fear was the motivation that drove the Puritans to exclude Hester Prynne from society. This new society 2005-06-19T18:24:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Individuality-within-a-Puritan-Society-27005.aspx Halfway through "The Assistant" I felt confident enough to make a prediction about its ending. The prediction turned out to be only partly correct, but that is beyond the point. That prediction is at all possible is a sure indication that the author failed to engage me as a reader. Once the prediction is made the book is trapped: if it comes true, then the book is predictable; if it doesn't, then one has the full right to complain about contrived plot twists. Why did I feel confident enough to guess the ending? Because the story is painfully obvious. The story - and the outcome - are evident immediately after the first few pages. A struggling Jewish grocer is robbed, but one of the robbers has a conscience and clandestinely comes back to the store to work off the damage. We aren't told this in these exact words until page fifty or so, but it's obvious as soon as we see the character of Frank Alpine. Here is a character that is engaged in Deep Moral Struggle. Since this is a predictable book, all that is necessary to find out the remainder of the plot is to ask a few questions: Will Frank gather enough self-control to become a decent person (Y/N)? Will the store do better with him around (Y/N)? Will he fall in love with the grocer's daughter (Y/N)? And so on, and so forth. It was with a sinking heart that I guessed the beginnng and the ending, and then beheld the two hundred pages in between. What else could possibly happen? Read on. In those two hundren-odd pages, the book turns into the absolutely sappiest melodrama ever written. To be sure, "The Assistant" lacks a main conflict. Yes, the store is a shambles; yes, these people have been slaving away for nothing; yes, they live in poverty; yes, they're Jews. Those themes almost never surface. Instead, Malamud fills space with the most contrived, cliche mini-conflicts imaginable. I'll leave it up to you to find out what they are, but each of those conflicts is written like it is the end of the world. Of course, it can't be, since there's still 2/3 of the book to go, but the characters gnash and lament like there's no tomorrow anyway. Malamud frantically stitches viewpoint characters, often three times in a single page, to illustrate their grief from all perspectives. Rule 2005-06-19T18:03:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Assistant-A-Tug-of-War-of-a-Book-A-Tragedy-a-Minute-27000.aspx Bernard Malamud's second novel could make a fledgling writer think of embarking on another career. Its mature, focused, tightly knit plot, rolls along on its own wheels which, in this case, would be a fifty-five Chevy. The post-war economic boom hadn't trickled down to Morris Bober and his family. He and his poor wife Ida are slaves to a grocery store in one of the boroughs of New York City and business is always bad. As Morris struggles against cutthroat competition to eke out a marginal living, Malamud examines Morris' character, hopes, dreams and predominantly, his failures. So far as that goes, there are only failures for the Bober family, and Morris is a character in conflict with his religion and his humanity. Jewishness, being Jewish, is an unmistakeable element in this novel and Morris finds his humanistic or religious values in conflict with his survival skills. His neighbor, Karp, operates a liquor store, rents out apartments to others, and makes a "nice living". It makes no difference to Karp that alcoholics come into his store to buy booze; the reality is that a man must take care of his family. On the other hand, Morris Bober is ruled by kindness, compassion, and humanity. These values are part of his ancestral origins. Morris cannot abandon himself to single-minded money grubbing and greed and therefore he has difficulty surviving in the modern economic culture. Morris' old world backwardness gets in the way of survival, yet he cannot stoop to what he perceives as a low level of human functioning. It's a tribute to Malamud's artistry that Morris' internal conflict is revealed with no explicit dramatization of formal Jewish religious practice. Indeed, the ethnic and traditional conflicts characterized by the Bober family are common among other ethnic groups in America. Furthermore, the Bober's are estranged from synagogues and formal religion. The only time a rabbi appears in this story is at the end of the book when Morris dies. Ironically, he dies just as he is finally on the verge of succeeding. Even then, his potential for success is more a matter of happenstance than ambition. Taking care of his family is Morris' driving ambition yet the harder he works the deeper he gets into a hopeless morass, a void of despair which consumes his health and his hopes. If there's a bright spot in Morris and Ida's life together, it's in the 2005-06-19T17:59:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Assitant-Claustrophobia-26999.aspx Faulkner is a genius. He might be the greatest writer of this century and that opinion is based on two novels that I have read of his. The first one I completed was The Sound and the Fury, which became my all time favorite book, and I didn't think he could come close to matching that work of art. As I Lay Dying comes close, however, to reaching the greatness Faulkner achieved to the prior. In terms of creativity and originality in writing style it might even be better (although it lacks the same level of genius, complexity, and power that The Sound and the Fury had.) Yet, this is a masterpiece it its own right. Dazzling, complex, and startlingly original, this is a novel that dares to lead you down a daring, unorthodox, dreamlike flow of words, and takes you into a world like no other. The story is not complicated, but rather simple and straightforward. It is the characters and writing style that makes this book a phenomenon. As I Lay Dying has fifty-nine chapters, told in alternate by various family members and outsiders who are observing. Every chapter is told in first person, and with every character, the writing style is brilliantly changed in order to fit the pathos of the individual who is telling the story. The plot simply is this: A dying mother has a wish to be buried in a town a considerable distance from her own, and makes a request of her family to take her there and bury her when she has passed on. The novel takes us on that journey to bury her, told by her sons, her daughter, her husband, and other outsiders. The most ironic element is that most of the characters have their own selfish, alternative motives for wanting to make the voyage into town to bury their dead mother. Whether it be buying some new teeth or wanting to find a doctor to perform an abortion. Nothing is as it seems here. One of the main characters is Darl, a son of Addie (the dying mother), who is viewed as insane by the rest of the family, when in actuality; he is the sanest one of all. Darl's sections are told in beautiful, poetic, sublime, and even hypnotic storytelling. The others sons of Addie are Jewel, Cash, and Vardaman. Cash is extremely methodical and can only concentrate 2005-06-19T17:51:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/As-I-Lay-Dying-Faulkner-is-as-Good-as-it-Gets-26998.aspx *As I Lay Dying* is the center of Faulkner's achievement, a slowburning pyre of savage eloquence, a funeral expedition in the black of mourning. "I am going to write a book by which, at a pinch, I can stand or fall if I never touch ink again." Working as a coal-shoveler at the local dynamo, Faulkner improvised a makeshift desk out of an upturned wheelbarrow, scribbling chapters in-between shifts. "As I lay dying the woman with the dog's eyes would not close my eyelids for me as I descended into Hades." So spake Agamemnon's shade in Book XI of *The Odyssey*. But Addie's pilgrimage to her gravesite is (entertainingly) besmirched by the black machinations of the Bundren clan, a tragic farce rolling in the squelch of the wagon-ruts - but without transcendance, without catharsis, almost without hope. Addie's miserly lump of a husband, searching for new teeth and a new wife, Darl's simmering schizophrenia, frittering away at the edge of disquiet, Cash's halfway-demented stoicism, Jewel's hellbent-for-leather mad-dog brutality. By the end of the novel, the Bundrens have spanned the (a)moral compass from qualified heroism to remarkable stupidity to outrageous cruelty and betrayal. But their experiences hardly ever avail them to Epiphany, except in flashes for Darl, whose incipient mental illness seems a sort of Demiurgic punishment for presuming to know as much as he does. Faulkner's language stutters, broods, crackles, plods, lashes, purls, trots, sashays, and burbles. His ekphrases are sopping wet, mud-splashed, paranoid, opaque, biting, feverish, and yes, even poetical at times. Take the murder ballads of Johnny Cash, darken them further with the withering mosquito-net confessions of Conrad's stoic refugees, then spinal-tap this walking corpse with the elliptical viscerality of Joyce's *Ulysses*, and you have something approaching the claw-hammer prose of Faulkner's slow funeral. The multiple 1st-person viewpoints make us sad that none of these tragicomic voices, each splintered from an inclusive 3rd-person GNOSIS, each trapped in their own cell of being, will ever be able to synthesize their travails into an intuitive, life-affirming perspective. Indeed, the reader, who has all the separate narratives at his disposal, is not necessarily in a better position. Faulkner, for all his elliptic poetry and stirring folkways, does not throw the buoy out to our drowning readerly hearts. Like the Compsens in *The Sound and the Fury*, the Bundrens (blind and battered) at journey's end don't find themselves standing at the threshold of change, of 2005-06-19T17:49:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/As-I-Lay-Dying-Death-Qualified-26997.aspx Ayn Rand's book, Anthem, is an incredible book that highlights the benefits of a free, individualistic society, over the Collective (the type that is presented by liberals, the Democratic Party, professors, media types, and other elites who "care" for us). Anthem is a story about an individual who lives in a Collectivist society--the same type that would appear in communist Soviet Union or today's communist Cuba. I can see that these types of societies are not to be desired. Instead of thinking in terms of "I," everyone thinks of themselves in terms of their membership in the larger society, and thus the use of the term "we" to describe their ideas. Notice that identity politics today is very similar: if you are a member of a certain racial or ethnic group, you are expected to think in 'we' terms; whatever the group thinks should be accepted, regardless of your own best interests. (That is one reason why, for instance, President Bush's conservative judicial nominees, who are minorities, are being rejected. It is because their group leaders insist that they think in the 'we' context as opposed to the 'I.' If you think like an individual, be damned). We see the triumph of the individual at the end of the book. There is a lot of emotion involved in this book. For instance, the hero in this novel notes that there was a period of time when people were free, when the Collectivist voices were just starting to take root. Yet, people were ignoring the concerns the Individualists had, and thus the Collectivists took over. We see the same thing today: the Collectivists are on a rampage: they think anytime we pay less in taxes it is evil; they insist that the government pay for health care, retirements, loss of wages due to unemployment, loss of wages due to competitive global markets; universal schooling, etcetera. It is just a way for the Collectivists to get a greater hold on us, yet few are paying any attention. We ignore this book at our peril. Just like many of the other books warning us of the dangers of Collectivism, we should never forget that what may appear theoretical may just be true. Thankfully, in this book, people will fight to regain an individualistic society. People will rebel. Thomas Jefferson said rebellion is good every now and then. A free society can encourage people to leave the 2005-06-19T17:42:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anthem-Political-Philosophical-Book-Freedom-26996.aspx Ayn Rand migrated from the Communist U.S.S.R. with a righteous anger. Not only was she as an individual demeaned by lack of a personal identity -- as far as worth and contribution to society, but her gender incurred unjust persecution as well. It seems a trend that Americans enjoy literature that reveals the philosophical or political depravity of our own or other countries, and appropriately so. Art, whether visual or written, has always been a powerful form of critique on society and collective human morality. However, In Anthem, Rand makes a critical mistake. Rand, being from an oppressively communist country, has equal or greater right in relation to any other voice of her time, to critique and illuminate problems with totalitarian uniformity disguised as commonwealth. Unfortunately, her attempts to reconstruct or provide answers to the above mentioned problems of individualism, peppered throughout this book, aren't only flawed logically and rationally, but are also dangerous. Allow me to explain. Very little in History has a firebrand or flagrant reactionist radically accomplished mass change in a culture or people. Take some of History's most prolific examples of men and women who caused change. Gandhi, for instance changed an entire people's way of thinking through peaceful, conscientious objection and demonstration. He didn't take a polar opposite view to that of his oppressive opponent, but reasoned and demonstrated with logic and grace. Ask yourself who was more successful in erasing the disgusting presence of racism in this country? Malcolm X? Or Martin Luther King Jr? I shouldn't even need to bring the character of Jesus into this critique. Whether or not you believe in he existed, believe he was a prophet, or believe his story was the apex of the anthropic myth, it matters not. The impact his teachings and followers made and still make on this world is epic. My point? If you look at the end of the book, the sacred word inscribed in stone to set the people free? Ego. That's right. Vanitos. Concentration on your own achievements, self awareness and successes. Communist pre-Russia was a prison camp where individuality, human rights, and personal talents were choked and stomped. This was something that we as Americans needed to be reminded of. However, even though Rand poetically reveals the creative and personal starvation of the Anvil & Hammer, the revelation of what a specific Country or government lacks is not the key 2005-06-19T17:39:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anthem-Reactionary-Narcissism-Camouflaged-by-Freedom-Ideas-26995.aspx Equality 7-2521 is a street sweeper in a dystopic future where: We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen. But Equality 7-2521 has a problem; he doesn't believe in the things that his brothers do. He has questions, which can not even be asked, that he wants answered. He has a friend (International 4-8818), which is forbidden, and then he falls in love with a woman he calls "The Golden One" (Liberty 5-3000). And as if all these crimes weren't bad enough, he's started to do experiments in an abandoned culvert and he's figured out electricity. But he's willing to accept the consequences for his crimes because he's certain that his discovery is so important to Mankind as to absolve him of all blame. He is, of course, wrong. Because in this society, it is not a good thing for an individual to discover new knowledge: "This is a great sin, to be born with a head which is too quick. It is not good to be different from our brothers, but it is evil to be superior to them." So Equality 7-2521 and Liberty 5-3000 escape into the wilderness surrounding the city and, after renaming each other Prometheus and Gaea, begin to work out a philosophy where the self, the individual, is important. Prometheus realizes: At first, man was enslaved by the gods. But he broke the chains. Then he was enslaved by the kings. But he broke their chains. He was enslaved by his birth, by his kin, by his race. But he broke their chains. He declared to all his brothers that a man has rights which neither god nor king nor other men can take away from him, no matter what their number, for his is the right of man, and there is no right on earth above this right. And he stood on the threshold of freedom for which the blood of centuries behind him had been spilled. But then he gave up all he had won, and fell lower than his savage beginning. What brought it to pass? What disaster took their reason away from men? What whip lashed them to their knees in shame and submission? The worship of the word "We." ... Perhaps in those days, there were a few 2005-06-19T17:30:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anthem-What-if-Individuality-ere-Banned-by-Law-26994.aspx I first read Anna Karenina as a young women entranced with the milieu of Anna's character and Tolstoy's depiction of her romantic and social dilemmas. In the story of Anna Karenina, the conundrums surrounding Anna's pursuit of an emancipated life with her a chosen lover threatens to consume everything meaningful to her; social position, wealth and family. Yet she remains an enormously sympathetic character as she is borne along by desire. Anna's compelling love is wrested from the dreary ruins of an emotionally unsatisfying marriage. The price extracted from her for the experience of romantic fulfillment is destruction of her life. Someone, somewhere once said: "half the sin is scandal." Anna's fate is a great work of archtypal denouement ending in tragedy. Yet importantly, Anna's demise is not the end of the book, nor is her saga the complete "story." Anna Karenina's character embodies the conflict of individual fulfillment in opposition to the obligation we all have to society. Like the world of the late 19th century, the greater world of our day remains painfully unromantic. This what makes Anna Karenina devastating and timeless. I have read the story of Anna Karenina four times. After finishing the book for the second time, I began to see the deeper parable of Tolstoy's story. I saw that a second, less obvious story existed in the novel that bears the lesson of Tolstoy's opening sentence of the book, a great classic among opening lines . . ."Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way..." The story of Kitty and Levin lend the very human wisdom of this legendary first sentence. Though less dramatic than Anna and certainly more conventional, Kitty and Levin are as much tortured by their desire to find true love as Anna. In contrast to Anna and Vronsky's characters, Kitty and Levin choose to stay within prescribed boundaries of their societal positions. Tolstoy accurately portrays Kitty's severe depression at being jilted by Vronsky for Anna and Levin's (Tolstoy's autobiographical character in the novel) frustrated withdrawal after rejection by Kitty takes him into a self-imposed exile where he attempts liberal reform of his country estate. At this point in the story, Levin can been seen as a leading actor in drama of ethics played out in story. "Anna Karenina' is a classic study of the human condition, examined from the heart and viewed from within 2005-06-19T17:25:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anna-Karenina-Happy-Families-are-All-Alike-26993.aspx The story of "Animal Farm" is set on Manor Farm, where the animals are badly treated by their cruel and incompetent owner Mr Jones. A spirit of revolt grows among the animals, inspired by Major, the old boar, who develops a philosophy known as "Animalism", which urges animals to revolt against their human masters, to take control of the agricultural system and to run it in their own interests. After Major's death the animals seize their chance to rebel against Jones and succeed in ousting him and taking control of the farm, which they rename Animal Farm. The leading role is taken by the pigs, portrayed as the most intelligent of the animals, and after the success of the revolution a power-struggle breaks out between two of their number, Napoleon and Snowball. With the aid of a trained pack of dogs, Napoleon banishes Snowball from the farm and makes himself a barnyard dictator. From then on, the farm is run in the interests of Napoleon and the pigs. One by one, the principles of Animalism are abandoned and the other animals are treated as badly by the pigs as they were by Jones. Orwell intended the book as a satirical allegory of the Russian Revolution and of the way in which Communism had developed in the Soviet Union under Stalin. Major personifies Marx, Snowball Trotsky, Napoleon Stalin and Jones the Tsar. Other animals on the farm stand not for individual historical figures but for types- for example the simple-minded but strong and good-hearted horse Boxer stands for that section of the Soviet working class which continued to support Communism wholeheartedly even during the Stalinist era. The dogs represent the security apparatus of the Red Army and NKVD, the pig Squealer the propaganda system, the mare Mollie who deserts Animal Farm the Russian émigré community, and so on. The allegory is somewhat simplified- there is, for example, no character precisely equivalent to Lenin- but most of the main developments in Soviet history have their equivalents in the book- the revolution, the Stalin-Trotsky split, the Five Year Plans (symbolised by the building of a windmill), the purges, the Nazi-Soviet Pact and the German invasion of 1941. Orwell wrote the book in the winter of 1943/44, at the height of the Second World War. To criticise Russia in Britain at this point in history took courage, as there was a consensus on both 2005-06-19T17:22:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-The-Biggest-Pig-in-the-Barnyard-26992.aspx Animal Farm: "But some animals are more equal than others" Animal Farm, published in 1945, is widely considered to be one of the cornerstones of George Orwell's literary legacy. Though it is a much shorter and somewhat less developed account of totalitarianism than his later work 1984, muted only by its fairy-tale qualities, it is no less frightening in presenting the dangers of blindly following a leader in a political climate of absolute power. Orwell presents to us the story of Manor Farm, run by the drunk, laggard farmer, Mr. Jones. The animals of this farm are under the poorly organized rule of their proprietor, mistreated and underfed. One night, the animals, rallied by a speech from one of the senior animals of the farm, the pig, Old Major, decide that the only way to lead a better existence is to rebel - more precisely, revolt - against Jones, thereby pulling themselves from the yoke of human rule and enjoying for themselves the fruits of their own labor. Old Major dies shortly after his portentous speech and two pigs - Napoleon and Snowball - arise from the vacuum to successfully lead the animals in triumph over Jones chasing him and all other humans off the farm. With the renamed Animal Farm under new leadership, committees are formed along with a party flag, party slogans and songs. The pigs assume the top of the political hierarchy and set up rule over the other "lower" animals convincing them of the porcine superiority for planning, oversight of the farm and their new government. Both Napoleon and Snowball are young and intelligent, possessing a lust more for individual power than true equanimity among the other animals. However, it is shown that Napoleon maintains the greater cunning of the two. In the midst of the senior pigs' personal rivalries, political cohesion among the farm's animal populous also splinters. Napoleon ousts Snowball in the midst of this division forever using political machinations to denounce him as a type of "Emmanuel Goldstein" figure, later used by Orwell as the agent provocateur of Big Brother in 1984. Orwell's use of names in this story serves as a form of irony to guide the narrative in such a way as to present a foreshadowing of the totalitarianism that is to come to Animal Farm. One can see that Napoleon will surely be the despotic lead pig when all is 2005-06-19T17:20:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-quot-But-some-animals-are-more-equal-than-oth-26991.aspx "Animal farm" is to this day one of the best attempts to criticize a totalitarian regime through the means that literature provides: the power of words. George Orwell (1903- 1950) wanted to help others to realize things that for him were evident, and attempted to do so by writing a fable that can easily be read as a satire of the Russian Revolution. Orwell said in an article that "Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic Socialism, as I understand it. It seems to me nonsense, in a period like our own, to think that one can avoid writing of such subjects. It is simply a question of which side one takes and what approach one follows". Orwell also pointed out that "Animal Farm was the first book in which I tried, with full consciousness of what I was doing, to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole". He succeded beyond his wildest expectations, even though at first nobody wanted to publish this work because it was too controversial. The plot of this book is relatively easy to grasp, and I think that is probably one of the reasons why it is so popular. Some animals decide to take over the conduction of a farm, because they believe there is too much injustice, and that they would improve the situation if they had the power to do so. They make a revolution, and end up evicting Mr. Jones, the owner of the farm. From that moment onwards, the farm is called "Animal farm"... The animals establish seven "commandments", that they are supposed to obey at all moments in the new "Animal farm": 1- Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy, 2 - Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend, 3- No animal shall wear clothes, 4 - No animal shall sleep in a bed , 5 -No animal shall drink alcohol, 6 - No animal shall kill another animal , 7- All animals are created equal. At the same time, all commandments can be comprised in a maxim: "Four legs good, two legs bad". Everything seems all right for sometime, and all the animals work together for the success of the revolution, obeying the commandments and striving for a new order of things. However, after a while the 2005-06-19T17:18:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-The-Power-of-Words-26990.aspx "Animal Farm" by George Orwell was never required reading for me when I was in school, so it took me some time to finally get around to reading it. I found it to be a complete and enjoyable read that had me hooked from the very first sentence. It is an excellent exercise in symbolism and creative imagination. While the book may be a very short read, it brings a whole lot to the table by giving you an interesting take on how history can be reenacted in the most imaginative ways. The animals on Mr. Jones' farm have had enough of what they deem to be slavery. They're tired of being ordered around by humans while they see no benefits in their daily work. This is all sparked by a dream that the boar, Major, had about a unique place where animals called the shots and never had to be ordered around by humans ever again. He tells them a revolution is very much needed. When Major dies, the animals act quickly and are able to overthrow the alcoholic farmer and his thugs from his very own farm. The pigs are in charge now, as they claim that they are much smarter than the others and know how to lead. What seems to be paradise quickly transforms into another form of slavery altogether enforced by propaganda and threats from the pigs. And yet, the animals do not know any better, as they are deceived by the new system that gives them the illusion that they are better off than they were with Mr. Jones calling the shots. The book is greatly inspired by real events that went down during the era of communism in Russia, using animals as the actual people. While it helps to know about that time period, the book is written so well that it is easily understood even if you only know a little about what happened during that time. The use of animals was a very creative way to tell this story, as it gives you a big incentive to actually care for these characters. Had this just been about real people, then it would've just sounded like anything you could find in your history books. Orwell finds a much more interesting way of tackling the topic. He gives life to every one of his characters and they all elicit some kind of a 2005-06-19T17:17:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-quot-Four-legs-good,-two-legs-bad-quot-26989.aspx As the Vietnam War recedes into history, debate over its causes and conduct continues. In this massive, authoritative study of the war's origins, David Kaiser asserts that Dwight Eisenhower initiated policies calling for military responses to Communist aggression in Southeast Asia, and John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, although they may have questioned these policies, never changed them. Kennedy was reluctant to commit American ground forces in Vietnam. In contrast, Johnson was determined to confront North Vietnam, and the war began in earnest early in 1965, when the bombing campaign commenced and ground forces were introduced. Kaiser offers the provocative thesis that the war was the work of the "GI generation," a term he borrows from William Strauss and Neil Howe's 1991 book Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069, for men born between 1901 and 1924 who lived through the Great Depression and then did most of the fighting during World War II. According to Kaiser, the "strengths" of the GI generation included a "willingness to tackle tough and costly tasks, a faith in the institutions of the government of the United States, a great capacity for teamwork and consensus, and a relentless optimism," and its weaknesses included "an unwillingness to question basic assumptions, or even to admit the possibility of failure, or to understand that the rest of the American population was less inclined to favor struggle and sacrifice for their own stake." Kennedy and Johnson, most of their senior civilian advisers, and all of the Joint Chiefs, belonged to the GI generation, and they "almost unquestionably accepted the need to resist Communist expansion wherever it took place." Nevertheless, the Kennedy administration never agreed about policy in Vietnam. According to Kaiser, throughout most of 1961, Kennedy "resisted the bureaucracy's repeated calls for full-scale American military intervention in Southeast Asia." Events in1962 made intervention more certain, and the Pentagon began planning "to defeat the Viet Cong...with conventional military operations." But, by that time, President Kennedy was increasingly reliant on State Department official Roger Hillsman, who believed that "[c]onventional military tactics were ineffective against guerrillas." Ngo Dinh Diem's government in South Vietnam also posed serious problems. The regime received significant American aid, and its army was wholly financed by the United States, but "Diem never showed the slightest tendency to follow American advice." To the contrary, Diem relied upon his widely-hated brother Ngo Dinh Nhu. In late 1961, when 2005-06-19T17:11:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/American-Tragedy-Vietnam-in-the-Cold-War-Context-26988.aspx In an interesting, provocative, well-written and often very surprising work of careful scholarship, author David Kaiser has raised the level of intellectual discussion regarding the origins and prosecution of the war in Vietnam. Using a range of new archival materials only now available, he carefully constructs an intriguing and disturbing portrait of individuals out of control. In this sense this book is a worthy companion piece to David Halberstam's memorable book, "The Best And The Brightest", in the fact that it argues that it was a number of specific individuals with their own personal credos, private agendas, and belief systems that led to the deepening involvement in Southeast Asian affairs. However, this is not to suggest that Professor Kaiser either agrees with Halberstam's thesis or to argue that he has nothing new or worthwhile to reveal. Yet there are undeniable threads of similarity running through both works. Most interesting is Kaiser's contention that it was the unique and singular "can-do" Yankee spirit and aggressive attitude of the World War Two generation that directly led to the decisions to interfere in the internal policies of Vietnam. Unlike previous tomes such as Halberstam's as well as Stanley Karnow's excellent book, "Vietnam", that portrayed President Eisenhower's policies of global containment of communism as extremely cautious and careful, Kaiser presents a mass of documentary evidence that reveals that it was precisely those decisions and policy predispositions established by Eisenhower, including a willingness to use nuclear weapons tactically, that later led to the fateful moves toward greater involvement by Lyndon Johnson. Even more interesting, Kaiser presents evidence by way of policy changes made By President Kennedy illustrating his own deep concern and reticence regarding involvement in the former French Indochina. In fact, the author shows that for the three years of his administration, Kennedy purposefully denied repeated attempts by both his senior advisors and the military to significantly widen our action in Vietnam. According to Kaiser, while JFK did allow escalation by way of many more military advisors, he repeatedly quite specifically denied, both verbally and by way of documented minutes to meetings with advisors, authorization to escalate by introducing direct combat involvement. However, the author argues that even Kennedy was seriously misled and misserved as to the status of ongoing efforts by deliberate deception on the part of that great national hero and contemporary revisionist historian, Robert McNamara, the Secretary of Defense in Kennedy's 2005-06-19T17:08:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/American-Tragedy-Terrific-Entry-In-Debate-Over-Responsibily-26987.aspx Oedipus' main conflicts in Sophocles' play, Oedipus the King, revolve around the fact that he did not know himself. In his lifetime, Oedipus always believed he knew where he came from and where he belonged. And it took him a long time to finally be convinced of his true past and realize his worst fear came true. Oedipus more or less rebuffs any suggestion that contradicts what he believes his past is comprised of. He thinks he knows who his parents really are, but Oedipus overhears a rumor that suggests his parents aren’t who he thinks they are. With that knowledge in mind, Oedipus tries to extract the truth by visiting the Oracle. The trip only results in a prophecy that informs him that he will kill his father and marry his mother. At that, Oedipus flees the city of Corinth and travels to Thebes to escape the horrible fate. But Oedipus was not even completely convinced of who exactly his parents were. Other than not knowing factual information about his origination, Oedipus also seems to ‘forget’ his past fairly easily. Oedipus, who is the current king of Thebes, asks a prophet referred to as Teirsias to tell him who murdered the former king, Laius. At the beginning of the confrontation, Teirasias refuses to tell Oedipus any information. But after an agitated conversation, Oedipus almost forces Teirasias to reveal all that he knows: Oedipus: I know nothing! Repeat your truth! Teirsias: I said, you are the murderer you are searching for. (81-82) Even after this, Oedipus simply would not accept that as the truth. He cannot see himself as someone who would harm a city by murdering their king and bringing a plague upon the city. He likes or prefers to think of himself as the one who came to their rescue and lifted the plague off the city. Later on in the play, Oedipus has a conversation with Jocasta. She tells Oedipus about a prophecy who proclaimed Lauis would be murdered by his own son. With that said, she proceeded to tell him all about the circumstances of Lauis’ murder. Oedipus knows that he killed an old man in that same spot, around the same time frame. He also knows the prophecy told him that he would kill his father. At this point, Oedipus seems to be piecing the puzzle together. Because he doesn’t want to realize that he indeed is the 2005-06-19T16:49:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-The-King-26985.aspx Animal Farm: the Movie Animal Farm, a movie starring the voices of Kelsey Grammer, Ian Holm, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julia Ormond, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Scofield, Patrick Stewart, and Peter Ustinov, is directed by John Stephenson. Although the movie was very well put together, it leaves out several different aspects of the book. Stephenson uses settings, events, and characters to bring the book to life. The setting in the movie is somewhat different than what is portrayed in the book. The movie is set in the English countryside in the early 1900’s and is somewhat altered in from the books point of view. Some of these different scenes are the statue of Napoleon, the windmill, and the ending. Some of the settings are drastically different from the book and give you a feeling that you were watching a movie on something completely different from the book. One of the most drastic changes that were made was, the way the animals revolted against the humans in order to gain their independence from the farmers. The events that took place during the movie were somewhat different from the book. In the beginning of the movie Animal Farm, the animals were all meeting in the barn to here what old Major had to say about the bream that he had the night before. During the meeting the animals start to sing and wakeup Mr. Jones. Jones gets up and instead of shooting six times out the window at the barn, like in the book, he goes outside and walks to the barn, but on his way falls down and the gun goes off and kills old Major. This is just one of the many differences between the movie and the book. The characters in the move are somewhat different from the book. Some of the characters are not even in the story. In the movie Animal Farm, the character Mr. Whymper is not even in the story, but the role he plays as the trader between the humans and the animals is taken over by Mr. Pilkington. Another character change is that of Jessie, one of Mr. Jones dogs. In the movie Jessie has a very important role as the friend to Mollie and Boxer. Also in the movie they replace the role of Clover, with Jessie. This drastically changes the character setting of the story. The settings, events, and the characters were all a major factor in 2005-06-19T16:33:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-The-Movie-26980.aspx Orwell began to write Animal Farm at the end of 1943, during this time he was also writing some other books that were based on the same theme as Animal Farm. This book was based on the Russian revolution during the early 1900’s. Orwell had lived during the time of the revolution and based a lot of the story on his life and the way it was effected. Therefore there are many similarities between Orwell and Animal Farm; these included the political background of the story, the characteristic of the animals, and the loyal and hard working Boxer. The first similarity between Animal Farm and Orwell was the political background of the story. Orwell was part of an anarchist group called the “Workers’ Party of Marxist Unification” who wanted to end centralized government and replace it with an individuals governing themselves (Greenhaven Press 19). This was also true in the story Animal Farm, in which Orwell told the story of how the animals overthrew the central government. In the story of Animal Farm, the central government was farmer Jones who was a mean and cruel man that gave just enough food to keep the animals alive to do their jobs. This in turn would give the animals a reason to rebel. The main portion of the story was devoted to the rise of a government that was run by the animals in accordance to the way they thought things should be ran (20-21). The second similarity between Animal Farm and Orwell was the basis for the characteristic of the animals. Orwell was very familiar with the way things were run in Russia during the revolution. Orwell based many of his characters in Animal Farm on different leaders in Russia during the revolution. One of these characters was Snowball. Snowballs character was based on one of the Russian leaders Trotsky. Like Trotsky, Snowball was a planner. Snowball was the leader of the revolution and accounted for the victories won, by the animals against the humans. Napoleon was another one of Orwell’s characters that was based on a Russian leader (23). Napoleon was portrayed as the Russian leader Stalin. Stalin was part of the Russian Revolution but was more of a talker and less of an action man. Like Stalin, Napoleon would get rid of anyone that would stand in his way, this included Snowball who was banished from the farm never to return(Orwell 2005-06-19T07:01:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/George-Orwell-and-Animal-Farm-26958.aspx Animals can rise up against their owners due to abuse or neglect. There were several occasions when the animals and the humans came into contact with each other in order for the humans to retake the land back from the animals. Several of these conflicts were: In the food storage-shed, the battle of the cowshed, and the battle of the windmill. The first of these conflicts took place in the food storage-shed. It all started earlier in the year when the animals were having a meeting in the barn. That is where old Major was going to tell the other animals about a dream that had come to him the night before. After all of the animals were in the barn, old Major began to tell the story of his dream and in that story brought fear. Old Major told them of their lives after they were no longer needed on the farm, how they would be sent to the butchers to be slaughtered and that they would be replaced with younger and healthier animals (Orwell 1-8). After old Major finished his speech, he taught the animals a song that he had learned when he was a young pig: Beast of England, beast of Ireland, Beast of every land and clime, Hearken to my joyful tidings Of the golden future time. Soon or late the day is coming, Tyrant Man shall be o’erthrown, And the fruitful fields of England Shall be trod by beast alone. 2005-06-19T06:59:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Overview-of-Animal-Farm--26956.aspx In the novel Siddhartha written by Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha chooses two paths that I can relate to in my life. For instance when Siddhartha leaves home and follows the path to be a Samana. He chooses later in his life to be involved in society, around every day people. These two choices have major effects on our lives. Siddhartha chooses to become a Samana in the first chapter of the novel. On this path he chooses to become independent from society and to practice his spiritual beliefs on his own. He only seeks little or no help from other wise Samanas. “Siddhartha, you have learned more from the Samanas than I was aware.”(Hesse,24) He learned many things from the Samanas and was a time of great learning for Siddhartha but he still felt that that path would not satisfy him. Last year I was involved in a independent study high school out of the University of Nebraska. I was own my own with no contact with high school students unless it was going out to dinner. I only made contact with teachers for help, on a daily basis. My tutors were like Siddhartha’s wise Samanas. My tutors taught me things that I couldn’t not have learned and mastered in regular high school. Siddhartha had no contact with the social world and neither did I at this time in my life. I was unhappy and missed being in the social life of high school, so I reconciled with my self and came back to school. Siddhartha, after he becomes a Samana he decides it is not the correct path for him. He then goes back into the social lifestyle, of being around people. He learns and advises Kamaswami, a local businessman. Kamaswami leads Siddhartha and guides him on the path to riches and wealth. Kamaswami has different goals then Siddhartha, and as a result Siddhartha learns that not all people have the same goal in life. This year I came back to regular school. I needed to be around students while I learned so I could learn from their mistakes. Students in school have a variety of lifetime goals, which, they hope to accomplish. This atmosphere allows me to chose my life in goal and learn from observing the outcomes of other students paths Siddhartha goes into the town to learn from other people too. He learns from other peers mistakes. Siddhartha and 2005-06-19T06:48:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Siddhartha-Gautama,-Herman-Hess-26954.aspx The genre of the tale has evolved over hundreds of years. A tale is a piece of literature that seldom has well developed characters and also has a stated or implied moral that the author wishes to convey to the reader. Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury is an excellent example of a tale. Not only does Bradbury’s book follows the definition of a tale but it also uses many other aspects that are common to a tale along with adding/evolving other aspects as well. The tale starts out relatively simple with the writing of the Decameron in the thirteen hundreds. The pieces of literature, The Canterbury Tales, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Secret Sharer, and the Heart of Darkness all add something specific to the evolution of the genre of the tale. Fahrenheit 451 is no exception. Bradbury continues the evolution of the tale employing many of the same tools that the authors of these pieces of literature use and then adding to or evolving upon them to make a truly exceptional tale. The tools that these authors use and then evolve upon are the use of similes, metaphors, and colors. The authors also use settings and structure to convey their tales. The first tools that Bradbury employs is the use of similes, metaphors, and color. In The Secret Sharer and The Heart of Darkness, similes and metaphors are really a stress. These two pieces of literature are the first really to stress similes and metaphors. Bradbury develops on this with his tale. Bradbury uses similes and metaphors to describe inanimate objects. Another concept that Bradbury employs and develops is the use of color. The Secret Sharer and The Heart of Darkness describe everything in vivid color to give the reader a better sense of description. Bradbury writes in a white and dream-like state, which is mostly black and white. He then throws in splashes of color to show emphasis on certain aspects of the tale that are important for the understanding of the tale. One such example is at the beginning of the text when Bradbury describes Montag’s uniform as “gray and black with an orange salamander on it” (page 5). The next tool that Bradbury employs that so many writers employed before him while writing tales is the use of 2005-06-19T06:09:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Is-Fahrenheit-451-the-Next-Step-in-the-Evolution-of-the-Tale-26948.aspx Goethe in Faust and Shelley in Frankenstein, wrap their stories around two men whose mental and physical actions parallel one another. Both stories deal with characters, who strive to be the übermensch in their world. In Faust, the striving fellow, Faust, seeks physical and mental wholeness in knowledge and disaster in lust. In Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein struggles for control over one aspect of nature and disastrously, through the monster, nature controls him to a much greater degree. Many powers are much too mighty for mortal souls, a lesson that Frankenstein and Faust learn by the end of their tales. While voluntarily excommunicating themselves from society, both characters accomplish a portion of their goal and yet they remain unhappy because they never control the "perfect" life they have built for themselves. In Faust, the intelligent gentleman Faust, seeks spiritual wholeness in knowledge. Through years of hard study, Faust becomes knowledgeable in math, sciences and religion and yet he becomes inept and incapable of having any romantic or physical relationships with the outside world. As Faust strives to become the "over man" through knowledge, he realizes that books will not satisfy his curiosity and that maybe sensual pleasures will. Therefore, in the process of creating his new life, Faust, becomes distant and unconcerned with all reality and humanity around him. Do not fancy anything right, do not fancy that I could teach or assert what would better mankind or what might convert. I also have neither money nor treasures, nor worldly honors or earthly pleasures; no dog would want to live this way!(p. 95) Obviously, Faust has fallen into a inhumane state of living, through the pursuit of the unattainable. He becomes greedy, desperate and feels justified in whatever it takes to achieve a position of the over man. At that time, Christians and society in general considered his pursuit for lust immoral, unjust and irresponsible. When Faust sets his sights on an object, whether knowledge or women, he demands nothing less of himself than that which will get it. In many situations dedication to an act is reputable; education, sports, career. It seems then, that to become the übermensch and pursue excellence, one must stay dedicated to one's goal and dismiss the world around him. In the process of creating his monster, Victor Frankenstein ignores the outside world; The summer months passed while I was thus engaged, heart and soul, in 2005-06-19T05:48:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Faust-and-Frankenstein-26944.aspx Throughout the last century, the movie and theater industries have been creating and recreating movies about Frankenstein, the monster. He has been depicted as a gigantic, ugly monster with incredible strength that walks around searching for his next victim. In the original book Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the Monster is not depicted as a complete savage, but is shown to be more of a person. The Creature is intelligent and is an outcast from society. Regardless of the Creature’s horrific appearance, he was very a very intelligent individual. When the Creature is telling Frankenstein about how he first learned about communication, he says, “This reading had puzzled me extremely at first, but by degrees I discovered that he uttered many of the same sounds when he read as when he talked. I conjectured, therefore, that he found on the paper signs for speech which he understood, and I ardently longed to comprehend these also; but how was that possible when I did not even understand the sounds for which they stood as signs?” (98). The Creature is able to recognize patterns in the speech of DeLacey. He is then able to infer that symbols on the paper represent the words that DeLacey has been using. Much like his creator, Frankenstein, the Creature yearns for knowledge. The Creature later recounts the story when Safie begins to learn French. He explains, “Presently I found, by the frequent recurrence of some sound which the stranger repeated after them, that she was endeavouring to learn their language; and the idea instantly occurred to me that I should make use of the same instructions to the same end. The stranger learned about twenty words at the first lesson; most of them, indeed, were those which I had before understood, but I profited by the others” (102). His intelligence begins to develop very rapidly at this point, as he is able to discern between certain words and start to learn new ones along with Safie. How a monster that was just recently brought to life can learn to speak is an amazing feat. The Creature later recounts how begins to comprehend French when he says, “My days were spent in close attention, that I might more speedily master the language; and I may boast that I improved more rapidly than the Arabian, who understood very little and conversed in broken accents, whilst I comprehended and could 2005-06-19T05:46:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-The-Monster-Behind-the-Scenes-26943.aspx [i:506915f445]Reliance on Appearance and Dependency upon Acceptance in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Today’s Modern World.[/i:506915f445] One of the main themes in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is the importance of appearance and acceptance in modern society. In today’s society, and also in the society of Frankenstein, people judge one often solely on their looks. Social prejudice is often based on looks, whether it be the color of someone’s skin, the clothes that a person wears, the facial features that one has and even the way one stands. People make snap judgments based on these and other considerations and they affect the way that they present themselves to one, and also the way that the treat the judged person. In Frankenstein the society of that time is much like our own today. It is an appearance based society, and this is brought to the forefront by the extreme ugliness of Victor Frankenstein’s monster to a common human being. On of the most blatant parallels in Frankenstein and today’s modern world is that of racism. These parallels are shown from the very first moments of Frankenstein’s creature life. One of the first things Victor says about his newly alive creation is that “His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath;” (Shelley 42) and he viewed his creation with “breathless horror and disgust...” (Shelley 42). Here one finds that like the vast majority of people then and today, Victor notices the color of his creatures skin first and judges it to be horrible. Also in this novel, the example of racism is again brought to our attention with the history of the cottagers. Safie’s father, a Turkish merchant living in Paris, was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. The reason for this injustice is clear, the reason for it is “...that his [the Turkish merchant] religion and wealth rather than the crime alleged against him had been the cause of his condemnation.” (Shelley 107). Obviously, if this foreign merchant had been a good Catholic Frenchman he would not have been sentenced to death. We today can see numerous examples today of racism in the justice system, think of Louis Riel being hung because he was a Metis, and also think of the modern classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird in which a black man is unjustly sentenced in a racist southern town. However, in one of the biggest 2005-06-19T05:42:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-Appearance-and-Accept-26941.aspx GUSTAVE FLAUBERT ONCE REMARKED, “Madame Bovary, c’est moi” (“Madame Bovary is me”). On the surface, this comment seems ridiculous; the circumstances of Flaubert’s life have nothing in common with those he created for his most famous character. However his reasons for writing and the techniques he administers in portraying his characters make it obvious that he was the basis for the character of Emma Bovary. Of course he failed to add that so are you and I, we are all the victims of unrealized or unrealisable dreams. Written in the mid-nineteenth century “Madame Bovary” is the portrait of a female adulterer who seeks freedom from a dull, disappointing life and ultimately is destroyed by her selfishness and sin. Emma is a country girl educated in a convent and married to Charles Bovary (a dull and unremarkable doctor) at a young age. She holds idealistic romantic fantasies, longs for sophistication, sensuality, and passion, and lapses into fits of extreme boredom and depression when her life fails to match the soppy romantic novels she treasures. Hoping that this marriage will fulfil her romantic and sexual fantasies ands solve all her problems she is greatly disgusted by the monotony and lack of passion. The Bovary’s meet Homais, the town pharmacist, a pompous windbag who loves to hear himself speak. Emma also meets Leon, a law clerk, who, like her, is bored with rural life and loves to escape through romantic novels. When Emma gives birth to her daughter, motherhood disappoints her—she had wanted a son—and she continues to be downhearted. Romantic feelings blossom between Emma and Leon; however Emma feels guilty and throws herself into the role of a dutiful wife. Leon grows tired of waiting and departs to study law in Paris. His departure makes Emma miserable. Soon, at an agricultural fair, a wealthy neighbor named Rodolphe, who is attracted by Emma’s beauty, declares his love to her. He seduces her, and they begin having a passionate affair. Emma is often indiscreet, and the townspeople all gossip about her. However, refusing to elope with her, Rodolphe leaves her. Heartbroken, Emma grows desperately ill and nearly dies. By the time Emma recovers, Charles is in financial trouble from having to borrow money to pay off Emma’s debts and to pay for her treatment. Still, he decides to take Emma to the opera in the nearby city of Rouen. There, they encounter Leon and 2005-06-19T05:38:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Madame-Bovary-is-a-Universal-text-26940.aspx The Crucible reveals that people's private emotions and desires often have consequences far beyond their own lives. Three characters that share that quality and who contributed greatly to the outbreak of hysteria in Salem are John Proctor, Abigail Williams, and Elizabeth Proctor. All these characters, in one way or another brought eminence suspicion and/or emotional relief into the town of Salem. Proctor had to deal with both sides of Salem's controversy. In most eyes Proctor was a good man, but some of the things he'd done and said leave a few with different opinions. Proctor grew emotionally and as a character in whole. He started off as an outspoken man who didn't attend church for personal reasons not accepted by many others. Proctor hesitates to expose Abigail's true "identity", because he worries that their past relationship would be discovered and his name ruined.He had committed adultery, which in colonial times (and according to one of the Commandments) was a horrid thing to do. Thomas Putman accuses Proctor of never going to church, but Proctor claimed that was beaus his sermons were more of the devil than God. Also, because his skepticism of witchcraft, Proctor was torn between the truth and falsehood. He chose to testify against Abigail despite the fact that he felt bad, and that he might still have feelings for her, but in the end he felt that it wasn't worth it. Proctor has to make another major decision. He had to choose between signing a false confession which could ruin the fate of his community, or sacrificing his life to save his friends. By choosing not to sign the confession, Proctor was executed, but his strength, courage, and his infatuation with the good of the community, gave him the title "hero" of the story. Abigail Williams is another character who contributed to the main plot of the play. Her young and innocent appearance gave people the wrong impression. Abigail was a deceitful person who didn't care about the outcome of her actions, only if it involved herself. She had once been John Proctor's lover, but was soon cast aside. Abby's jealousy towards Elizabeth Proctor caused her to resort to blackmail. She couldn't take the fact that John no longer loved her the way he did, and that he wanted to pretend that nothing ever happen. Abby not only went against Elizabeth, but against anyone she could think 2005-06-19T05:31:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Characters-and-Their-Emotions-26939.aspx The Crucible reveals that people's private emotions and desires often have consequences far beyond their own lives. Three characters that share that quality and who contributed greatly to the outbreak of hysteria in Salem are John Proctor, Abigail Williams, and Elizabeth Proctor. All these characters, in one way or another brought eminence suspicion and/or emotional relief into the town of Salem. Proctor had to deal with both sides of Salem's controversy. In most eyes Proctor was a good man, but some of the things he'd done and said leave a few with different opinions. Proctor grew emotionally and as a character in whole. He started off as an outspoken man who didn't attend church for personal reasons not accepted by many others. Proctor hesitates to expose Abigail's true "identity", because he worries that their past relationship would be discovered and his name ruined.He had committed adultery, which in colonial times (and according to one of the Commandments) was a horrid thing to do. Thomas Putman accuses Proctor of never going to church, but Proctor claimed that was beaus his sermons were more of the devil than God. Also, because his skepticism of witchcraft, Proctor was torn between the truth and falsehood. He chose to testify against Abigail despite the fact that he felt bad, and that he might still have feelings for her, but in the end he felt that it wasn't worth it. Proctor has to make another major decision. He had to choose between signing a false confession which could ruin the fate of his community, or sacrificing his life to save his friends. By choosing not to sign the confession, Proctor was executed, but his strength, courage, and his infatuation with the good of the community, gave him the title "hero" of the story. Abigail Williams is another character who contributed to the main plot of the play. Her young and innocent appearance gave people the wrong impression. Abigail was a deceitful person who didn't care about the outcome of her actions, only if it involved herself. She had once been John Proctor's lover, but was soon cast aside. Abby's jealousy towards Elizabeth Proctor caused her to resort to blackmail. She couldn't take the fact that John no longer loved her the way he did, and that he wanted to pretend that nothing ever happen. Abby not only went against Elizabeth, but against anyone she could think 2005-06-19T05:29:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Characters-and-Their-Emotions-26938.aspx Never does one go through their life without having to deal with some sort of personal conflict. The manner in which people deal with these conflicts vary as much as the prints on a person's finger. Some try and solve the problem and get rid of it, while others will try and put it aside for as long as possible. Willy Loman's method in Arthur Miller's play, The Death of a Salesman, is very dangerous and builds to harsh results. Willy never tries to help the circumstances, he only flees to his great memories of the better days, when his life's predicaments were very limited. He uses this evasion tool as though it were an addictive narcotic, and as the story unfolds, the audience soon discovers the lethality of the drug. Willy's first flash to the past was when his son, Biff, returns home from the west. Willy discusses his disappointment in Biff with his dear wife Linda. When Willy fails to cope with this misfortune successfully, he returns in his head to a time when everything was going well and life was more fortunate to him. It is perfectly normal for one to remember more fortunate days at the more dispirited times of life, as long as they can return to the present and deal with the reality of the situation. However, Willy never does return to the original problem, he just continues on with life, fleeing from the troubles that cross his path. His refusal to acknowledge reality becomes so significant, that he honestly believes the past, and he lives his entire life through a false identity never looking at the truth of his life. Willy becomes more and more dependent on his drug as the story progresses. His next allusion to the past was during a conversation with his wife. Willy is downhearted about his failure to provide for his family, his looks, and basically his whole life in general. He begins to see some of the truth in his life: "I know it when they walk in. They seem to laugh at me."(Miller; The Death of a Salesman; pg. 23) By trying to see the reality in life, for once, he depresses himself so awfully, that he has a rendezvous in his head with his women that he sees on the side. He only uses this women to lift his spirits and to evade the truths 2005-06-19T05:24:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Death-of-a-Salesman-The-Reality-Evasion-Drug-26937.aspx In the play Death of a Salesman, the plot is affected by three minor characters: Ben, Charley and Howard. The minor characters help the story's protagonist, Willy, develop extensively throughout the course of the play; therefore, they are key elements in the advancing story line. This story line blends and contrasts Willy's closest companions, Ben and Charley. They represent two aspects of Willy's ideals. Howard, Willy's boss, functions in order to heighten the destruction of Willy's dream. The characters Ben, Charley and Howard are influential in the play's outcome and help develop the main character, Willy. Ben is a figment of Willy's imagination who represents his idealistic view of prosperity. Ben is symbolic of the success of the American Dream. "when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle and when I was twenty-one I walked out. And by God I was rich"(48). Ben earned his affluence without the help of an education or job. Willy is continuously misled with delusion illusions of grandeur by Ben. "What are you building? Lay your hand on it. Where is it?"(86). Ben questions the success of Willy's sales job and states that in order to be prosperous, one must physically touch it. Ben represents the success of the American Dream and functions in order to make Willy doubt the actions of hard work. Charley is Willy's closest friend and he displays the failure of Willy Loman's ideals. He is a very realistic character who attempts to convince Willy that his goals are all wrong. "The only thing you got in this world is what you can sell"(97). Willy believes that in order to be a success, one must be well liked; therefore, Charley explains to Willy that good business will make someone prosperous. The failure of Willy's ideals are again represented with his envious attitude towards Charley. "You been jealous of me all your life, you damned fool!"(98). Charley is successful due to hard work and this has angered Willy because it is contrary to his beliefs. The failure of Willy Loman's ideals are apparent because of the success of his closest friend, Charley. Howard's character functions in order to represent the bitter reality from which the protagonists tries to escape. The reality of the situation is presented before Willy when he is fired by Howard. "No, but it's a business, kid, and everybody's gotta pull his own weight"(80). Howard explains to Willy 2005-06-19T05:21:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Death-of-a-Salesman-Minor-Characters-26936.aspx In Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening, Edna Pontellier is forced to strive to fit in with everyone and everything around her. Born and raised in Kentucky, Edna is used to the Southern society, but when she marries Leonce Pontellier, a Catholic and a Creole, and moves to Louisiana with him, her surroundings change a great deal. This makes her feel extremely uncomfortable and confused; she feels as though she has lost her identity along with a great deal of her happiness. In order to regain this identity and to try to find out who she truly is, Edna tries her hardest to conform to the Creole society. Though Edna tries extremely hard to accept this Creole society as her own and to become part of it in order to claim her identity, she fails to find both her true happiness and her identity, which, in turn, causes her to commit suicide. A great deal of Edna’s unhappiness is due to the fact that her husband is very firm with her, he treats her with a great deal of “authority and coercion,” as is requested by Edna’s father, and he strongly believes that she should conform to the Creole society. In accordance with society, Leonce believes that Edna should be the stereotypical housewife who does everything she possibly can for her husband and her children. However, when Edna does something that contradicts this well-established Creole social code, Leonce reveals his disappointment. For example, when Edna is sunbathing at the beach on Grand Isle, her husband approaches her and says, “ ‘What folly! to bathe at such an hour in such heat! You are burnt beyond recognition.’ ” Kate Chopin adds that Mr. Pontellier looks at his wife “as one looks at a valuable piece of property which has suffered some damage.” Over time, the negative attitude that Leonce has toward Edna causes her to look for security, happiness, and love in other people and places. It is then that she meets, and eventually falls in love with, Robert Lebrun. Throughout the novel, Edna encounters many “awakenings” of her own. One very significant awakening occurs when she recognizes her unrequited love for Robert Lebrun. Edna realizes that Leonce no longer matters to her and that she would be much happier if she were with Robert. Thus, Robert becomes the one person and the virtually unattainable goal Edna lives for; consequently, when he 2005-06-19T05:19:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-The-Evolution-of-Edna-26935.aspx Right from the beginning the plot is almost conveniently evident. You find a woman, Edna Pontellier, tired of living her life as a pampered and "owned" wife and mother. She is searching for much more in her life, some sort of meaning for her whole existence. She searches for a long time but in the end, the inevitability of her life's pattern and direction wraps around her, suffocating her. She is overcome with wonder, confusion, and guilt for what she believes and what she does to express her beliefs. She finally finds a way to beat the "proper" 1890's lifestyle by committing suicide. During this story Edna struggles with three main opposing powers. First, there is the society's opinion of what a woman's "roles" in life was and how they should act, look, and feel. Second, is her independent nature. The last opposing power she comes across is her undying love for the charming Robert Lebrun. It is the unwritten rule that a woman should marry, have children, and be happy and content with that as their life. Society portrays this to be a woman's rightful job and duty. A woman should act and look "proper" at all times. This is what Edna is fighting against in this novel. She feels that, though many women agree with this "known" rule, it isn't fair. For six years Edna conforms to these ideas by being a "proper" wife and mother, holding Tuesday socials and going to operas, following the same enduring schedule. It is only after her summer spent at Grand Isle that her "mechanical" lifestyle becomes apparent to her. She sees how much she is unhappy with the expectations, held by society, of her life and she wishes to erase them and live her life as she wants. Edna has an independent, almost self centered, nature about her. Her need for an uncontrolled lifestyle is what leaves her feeling "owned" and wanting to break that label; she fights to do as she wishes. Little by little she breaks free of society's' image, letting her independence shine through. She cancels her Tuesday socials and helps out around the house doing little chores. The biggest step she made was her decision to move away from her mansion and into the "pigeon house", a little cottage around corner. After this move she was free to explore her new profound freedom and desires. She succumbed 2005-06-19T05:17:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-A-Woman-s-Fight-for-Independence-26934.aspx All Quiet on the Western Front, by German writer Eriq Maria Remarque, explores the horrors of World War I through the eyes of a German solider named Paul. Remarque transforms this tale of a young recruit who is thrown head first into a raging war into a lesson about life. Remarque attempts to teach the reader to understand the horror of war, the value of friendship and the absurdity of traditional values. Remarque includes discussions among Paul's group, and Paul's own thoughts while he observes Russian prisoners of war to show that no ordinary people benefit from a war. No matter what side a man is on, he is killing other men just like himself, people with whom he might even be friends at another time. But Remarque doesn't just tell us war is horrible: he vividly supports his point by assaulting all of the reader's senses. Remarque uses the sight of newly dead soldiers, unearthly screaming of the wounded horses, the smell of three layers of bodies to hammer home the atrocity of war. The crying of the horses is especially terrible. Horses are innocent bystanders, their bodies shining beautifully before being cut down by shellfire. To Paul, their dying cries represent all of nature accusing Man, the great destroyer. Another message that Remarque attempts to convey to the reader is the value of enduring friendship. The theme of comradeship occurs often and gives the novel both lighthearted and sad moments. Away from battle, the soldiers formed deep bonds, showing not only the importance, but also the strength of the camaraderie between the men. Friendship emerges as an even more important theme at the front. Throughout the book, the reader sees men helping wounded comrades at great personal risk, often with tragic results. The reader can understand how hearing the voices of friends when one is lost or even just hearing their breathing during the night can keep a soldier going. The reader grieves with Paul and almost puts down the book when his dearest friend dies. Friendship was often the last thing keeping a soldier from giving up, and, when it was lost, life seemed to lose its meaning. Remarque also preaches a rejection of traditional values. In his introductory note, Remarque said that his novel was "not an accusation". Rather, it is a rejection of traditional militaristic values of Western civilization. This denunciation is impressed on the reader through the 2005-06-19T04:56:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Through-the-Eyes-of-a-German-26930.aspx Originally banned and burned in Germany by the Nazi's in 1933 (five years after it was first published) because of it's antinationalist, pacifist, and dissident sentiment, All Quiet on the Western Front by Enrich Maria Remarque reached acclaim across the world as an intimate portrayal of life during the war from the "enemy's" point of view. It was translated to over twenty-five languages, two movies have been made, and it has sold many million copies. As a result of its popularity across the world and its subsequent distaste to the Nazi's, Enrich Maria Remarque was exiled in 1938, and his citizenship in Germany was revoked. All Quiet on the Western Front is a novel written from the point of view of a German soldier, Paul Baumer, fighting on the western front during 1917 & 1918 (the last two years of WWI). Through Paul's experiences we can see the similarities between all men in war. From detailed descriptions given by Paul of the food soldiers ate, the boots and clothes they wore, and the conditions under which they lived and fought to the corpse rats, the war field graveyards were the bodies of buried soldiers were unearthed during battle, and life under the rules of the German army, Remarque leaves no stone unturned about the conditions and subsequent effects of war upon it's soldiers. Closely paralleling Hemingway's "Soldier's Home," an account of the effects of WWI on an American soldier, All Quiet on the Western Front displays the universal effects of the war upon those who fought heroically - disillusionment with war and facing the reality of a country who, upon the soldier's return, cannot identify with his life. Estrangement and distance grows with society as the men realize that "the world they (girls & those in society) were in was not the world that he was in" ("Soldier's Home") and "men will not understand us and ... [they will] push us aside; ... the years will pass by and in the end we shall fall into ruin"(All Quiet on the Western Front 294). The similarity between men on both sides of the war reveals the universal result of war - death (if not physical then social or emotional). When, upon entering the war, Paul Baumer says, " Our early life is cut off from the moment we came here, and that without even lifting a hand" (AQWF 19), he foreshadows 2005-06-19T04:54:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/In-War-we-are-all-the-Same--26929.aspx On the first page of this novel is a message: This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even thought they may have escaped shells, were destroyed by the war. A group of boys (Lead by Paul Baumer) has enlisted into the German army during the First World War. Believing that they will find glory and having the honor of serving the Fatherland (Germany in this case), the boys go to war. What they find however is no adventure, but rather a hell. Paul and his schoolboy friends are broken up on their first bombardment, as they find out that war will be far different from what their schoolmaster told them. But Paul is able to survive and get the strength to carry on from his friend "Kat" Katczinsky. Paul seems to look up at Kat as a role model. He is tough, hard-nosed and has been around for a long time. He and Paul are best of friends. We feel Paul's sorrow as he loses friend after friend in the trenches, with Kat being the last to go. One of the book's best parts is when Paul is caught in a shell crater with a French Soldier. When the French soldier jumps in, Paul immediately stabs him. But, as the soldier lays dying, Paul is overcome with sorrow. He comforts the soldier and gives him water. He also begs for forgiveness for his killing of another brother. Sure, Paul was in a uniform different from the other man. But this doesn't mean he is different from the soldier he killed. Another part deals when Paul goes on leave to home. He has become removed from the rest of civilization. He feels uncomfortable at his home with his mother and sister because they are so interested in the war. When Paul goes for a beer along with his father and friends, he is shown around as a tough warrior. He is also told to press on. Paul remarks at the end of this chapter "I should have never gone on leave". He realizes that the only place he feels comfortable at is the front, along with Kat and his other buddies. A good point 2005-06-19T04:52:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/War-What-is-it-Good-for-26928.aspx This remarkable novel conveys the true face of war in ways that no memoirs, no academic monographs, and no movies can. There is no romance in war, only mud, blood, starvation, and death. World War I was the war to end all wars, and it is quite appropriate that the Great War is the setting of this novel. Any idealism was quickly torn asunder by month after month, year after year of trench warfare. This is the story of one German soldier, a boy who was talked into joining the German army along with all of his classmates. At the front lines, Paul Baumer becomes a soldier. He and his buddies become primitive and animalistic because it is the only way to survive in that environment; thoughts of home or "the war" deprive them of the instincts they must rely on to avoid being killed. Baumer is philosophical enough to realize that he has essentially died inside, that every member of his generation has died spiritually if not physically and been robbed of a future. His trips home are perhaps the most painful days he spends; his family is living in poverty and his mother is dying of cancer. The emotions and feelings he takes back with him to the front are dangerous because they distract him. As for the fighting, the men seem to have no reason for being there. They speak of the fact that the enemy is just like them, young and scared. The French are fighting and believe that their cause is right, just as the Germans are. When he is guarding Russian prisoners, he sees them as men just like himself. There is a noticeable absence of commanders in the novel. What middling superior officers there are come across as cruel, cowardly pretenders. Himmelstoss, the "drill sergeant" type who trained these men to fight is a sickeningly cruel man who deserves the revenge the men are able to exact upon him when he finds himself sent to the front. When the Kaiser comes to review the troops, the men cannot understand why he let the war happen--after all, he supposedly did not want war, the German people did not want war, the French did not want war, yet there is war. Remarque pulls no punches in describing man's inhumanity to man. The mud, the lice, the rats, the blood and gore, the gas attacks--that is 2005-06-19T04:49:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Ugly-Reality-of-War--26927.aspx Erich Maria Remarque's timeless novel against war, All Quiet On The Western Front, tells the war from the private's point of view rather than from the general's point of view. The former point of view is grimmer, filled with the everyday terror of war. And this war was unlike any other fought before, as there were no major advances or retreats, and the war was fought on a limited sector of ground, between two lines of trenches, one French and British, the other German, with both sides giving no quarter, throwing thousands of young lives at each other and away. The new technology and weaponry didn't improve the situation. In that context, there were two possible outcomes for the private: death at the front, or the worse, psychological death. What kind of war was it where the survivors were better off dead, killed instantly by being annihilated by a shell, asphyxiated by mustard and chlorine gas, or slower and more painful, by gangrene? The "Great War" have transformed Paul and his company into semi-living blobs of fear on the front, and in the case of Paul, alienated him from civilian life, such as his books, family, and the older people who his father takes him to meet. And the older generation, completely disconnected with what Paul has undergone at the front, shallowly tells him to "shove ahead a bit out there with your everlasting trench warfare--Smash through the johnnies and then there will be peace." One can imagine Paul wanting to grab the old fool by the collar and shaking him silly. They also become wild beasts defending themselves against Death, as Paul mentions in Chapter Six. When the French soldiers attack, the Germans do not think of them as men. They have had it with being attacked by faceless artillery and gas and can take their revenge by flinging grenades at them. Their fear, madness, and drive for life is multiplied in concert to the point that if their own father came in front of them, they wouldn't hesitate to lob a grenade at them. To summarize the common denominator of the people the soldiers hate, it is people who are not in their world. What do the recruits, non-commissioned and commissioned officers, the older generation at home, or the sisters know of their life, their world? During war, things take on multiple meanings that alienate the soldiers from humanity. Death is signified 2005-06-19T04:47:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-on-Western-Front-Anti-War-Novel-26926.aspx On the cover of my All Quiet on the Western Front is printed "the greatest war novel of all time." In a time when it seems like every book bears on its cover either "New York Times Bestseller," "Best-Selling Author" or "Book of the Year Award Finalist," this one lives up to its billing. All Quiet is a masterpiece, a page turning one-nighter, the literary Saving Private Ryan. The story follows the war experiences of Paul Baumer, young German enlisted, and those of his friends, all of whom Remarque does a remarkable job acquainting the reader with on a personal, almost intimate level. The book becomes increasingly sobering as one by one Paul's friends get snuffed out, or, even worse, die slow and painful deaths. The reader will laugh as Paul and Co. do battle with the ever-present rat(s) of a novel of this sort; be quietly satisfied as they settle the score with the awful Himmeltoss; cheer for them as they find semblence of a normal life for a night with the French women; cry as a pair of boots, something as simple as quality combat boots, become a symbol of all that is lost in war; and cringe, despair of and weep throughout at the true costs of war. It seems to be as close as one can get to battle without actually being in the trenches. Remarque obviously lived it all, describing in detail the horrors of trench warfare, the inhumanity of throwing fresh, new recruits literally into the fire, the utter terror of the bombing raids, the awful wails of dying men, the maddening shrieks of dying animals. Through the course of the novel, one notices a gradual change in Paul the rookie and Paul the veteran. The turning point -- perhaps one small facet of what Remarque was alluding to in his paragraph-long introduction when he notes, "It (the book) will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped shells, were destroyed by the war." -- happens as Paul encounters a French soldier, killing him with, as I remember it, a knife. For a time Paul is deeply shocked by the horror of what he has done, seeing this man not as the enemy, but as a fellow human being, a husband, and vowing to write to his wife one day. And then it fades, as Paul becomes 2005-06-19T04:44:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-on-Western-Front-Even-Better-Than-Johnny-26925.aspx Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front is a powerful novel about the disillusionment brought on by World War I. Before the Great War, many countries in Europe had been extending their powers and establishing empires and strong trade developments. Many in these countries saw these strengths as signs of their nations' greatness. Also before World War I, there had never been a war that used so much fire power in the form of grenades, mortar shells, machine guns, etc. Wars were also seen as a moral activity and the winning country often attributed its success to its own virtue. World War I changed all of these opinions and Remarque (who fought in WWI himself) does an excellent job of portraying the horrors of war and the awakening experienced by so many of the young men who fought on the front. Before the novel opens, there is a short explanation which states: "This book is neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped shells, were destroyed by the war."(dedication page) The book's point of view is that of a German foot soldier who spends much of his time fighting on the front. While other nationalities are mentioned and questioned, Remarque at no time says anything that would offend a reader's personal loyalties. He simply states what every soldier from each side of the war must have felt as they faced each other in such inhuman circumstances. The main thing I appreciated in this book was Remarque's ability to instill in the reader the grotesque images and events that men face in a war. Remarque was able to do this without painting complicated and graphic pictures. The few words he did use sufficed to give the reader enough information to fill in the blanks and see for himself the terrors that Remarque was describing. Remarque is also able to avoid the obscene language that inevitably flows through a soldier's vocabulary. He does not try to cover the fact that such words were spoken, he merely leaves the language out and tells the reader that such an answer or statement was given. As well as giving a report on life on the front line, this book 2005-06-19T04:41:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Book-Review-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-by-Erich-Maria-Remarque-26924.aspx Often touted as the classic war novel of all time, All is Quiet on the Western Front is a profound look at the nature of war and its effect on men. Yes, it is an anti-war novel, but that is not the theme I would like to explore in this review; rather, I would want to look at Remarques insight on both the dehumanizing effect of war on man, and surprisingly how war brings out the best men can offer. Do not get me wrong- Remarque does not make the case for war, but in the midst of the utter brutality of war when men are being dehumanized, our heroes find humanity. The dehumanizing of the soldiers begins in boot camp. It is there that the process of dehumanization begins. Remarque writes: At first astonished, then embittered, and finally indifferent, we recognized that what a matter is not the mind, but the boot brush, not intelligence but the system, not freedom but drill. As Paul and his friends are being drawn into the maelstrom of war a place where reason and intellect give way to the brutal instincts of survival. Paul comments: We reach the zone where the front begins and become in the instant animals. We have become wild beasts- we defend ourselves against annihilation. They kill not for country, nor for ideology, but for survival. Paul has nothing against his enemies- he realizes that they are men just as he. He kills to survive. He kills out of fear. Nowhere is this more dramatically demonstrated than when Paul kills the French solider in the shell hole in no-mans land where he took shelter. As the French soldier lies dying, Paul regrets what he has done; he promises the dying soldier that he will look up his family after the war. This is perhaps the most poignant moment in the novel. At this moment our protagonist Paul is remarkable like the Apostle Paul of the New Testament wishing himself accursed if only his country men could be saved. The difference between enemy and friend is the command they receive. He does not hate his enemy; it is self-preservation, nothing more. He kills so he may live. What is astonishing is that when Paul has opportunity to free himself from this man-made hell, he chooses to return to the front. Why? He cannot abandon his friends. But in the end this 2005-06-19T04:37:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Man-Made-Hell-26923.aspx The novel All Quiet on the Western Front depicts the battle of the Germans during World War I. It is narrated by Paul Baumer, a twenty year old German, and reveals the events that take place during he and his comrades lives as they fight the war. Unfortunately, the young men soon have to deal with combat wounds, killed friends, and despair. The men are frequently presented with so many indicences of death before they have even really begun to live their lives. This novel tells the story of World War I from the German perspective. Although the Germans were thought of as the "enemies" to almost half of the world during the war, I did not see them as such as I was reading this novel. Instead, they just seemed like regular soliders that did not really have a choice about their involvement in the war. They felt no real glory for being soliders and their only desire was to remain alive. One of the key themes that I though was apparent in the novel is that war is an inhumanity for both sides; there are really no "good and bad" guys when it comes to the soliders that are fighting. All soliders are just fighting and killing because they do not have a choice to do otherwise. This theme can be seen by Paul's willingness to give food to Russian prisoners, and the gulit that he feels after taking the life of an ally solider. I found the writing style of Remarque appealing. Although I cannot tell how much of the style of the novel was lost in translation, I can say that I found the English translation very straightforward and unadorned. Yet, the sentences still had a certain charm to them and were never banal (as I have often found Hemmingway's to be). Remarque's style reminded me a little of Crane's The Red Badge of Courage. But All Quiet on the Western Front is by far the better book. Its prose flows freely and it is quite a page turner. If you are at all interested in war stories, I would reccommend reading All Quiet on the Western Front. I warn you that it is by not means an uplifting book and that it can be very graphic at times. But if you would like to experience a first hand account of World War I from the German side then 2005-06-19T04:33:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-on-Western-Front-German-Outlook-on-World-War-I-26922.aspx Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970) served in World War I, where he received wounds five times in battle. The searing images of trench warfare left indelible scars on Remarque, who then attempted to exorcize his demons through the writing of literature. "All Quiet on the Western Front" is Remarque's most memorable book, although he wrote nine others dealing with the miseries of war. "All Quiet on the Western Front" is the story of Paul Baumer, a young German soldier serving in the trenches in France. Baumer's story is not a pleasant one; he volunteered for the war when his instructor in school, Kantorek, urged the class to join up for the glory of Germany. After a rigorous period of military training (where Paul and his buddies meet the hated drill instructor Himmelstoss, a recurring character throughout the book), Baumer and his friends go to the front as infantrymen. Filled with glorious ideas about war by authority figures back home, Baumer quickly discovers that the blood-drenched trenches of the Western Front are a quagmire of misery and violent death. As soon as the first shells explode in the mud Paul and his friends realize everyone back home is a liar, that war is not the glorious transformation of boys into men but rather the systematic destruction of all that is decent and healthy. As Paul's friends slip away one by one through death, desertion, and injury, Paul begins to wonder about his own life and whether he will survive not only the war but also a world without war. Remarque's book exposes all of the insanities of war. The incongruities of violent battle versus long periods of boredom repeatedly appear throughout the book. On one day, Paul and his friends sit around discussing mundane topics; the next day they are bashing French skulls during an offensive. It is these extremes that caused so many problems with the psychological disposition of the men. In one chapter of the book, Paul and several new recruits, hunkered down in a dugout, withstand hour upon hour of continuous shellfire until one of the green recruits snaps and tries to make a run for freedom. Where else but in a war could one walk through a sea of corpses while enjoying the sunshine and the gentle cadences of the birds in the trees? That such an unnatural activity as mass murder takes place surrounded by the natural beauty 2005-06-19T04:30:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-on-Western-Front-War-Sucks-26921.aspx Since the early 1900's, America has greatly progressed industrially and technologically, thus causing the early 1990's publication of the western novel, All the Pretty Horses, to seem out of place. This untimliness, however, is no indication to the quality of the book. Cormac McCarthy demonstrates all the characteristics of a traditional Western: adventure, love, damsels, murder, horses, and a hero, while still maintaining the elegant language and style of writing he has created. Set along the Texas-Mexican border in the late 1940's, All the Pretty Horses relates young John Grady Cole's discoveries about religion, love, and life as he runs away from home and becomes a man. The idealistic Cole embodies the desires of all young adults, freedom and understanding, and sets out to satisfy them. Through several experiences that an average teenager would not have encountered, he realizes that reality can be cruel but maintains his amazing determination to live his life without the burdens of society. McCarthy's magnificent wording and motifs demonstrate the many themes of hospitality, religion, freedom, and the quest for knowledge. The language appears to be deterring because of the author's choice to delete the majority of punctuation marks, however, if he had left the words in proper English format, the novel would have lost its realism and power. Unlike Charles Dickens, who is infamous for his lengthy, soporific descriptions, McCarthy utilizes his language to depict the Mexican landscape in a way that appeals to the reader. Not everything in the novel is pretty; as an adventure story, the book still enbodies the basic blood, guts, and gore; it simply describes them more completely than an average fiction novel. This quest for realism can become overused at times (i.e. entire dialogues written Spanish where occasionally a character may offer some form of explanation but usually leave the reader wondering). McCarthy's realism also extends to his multiple color motifs. Almost every pigment in the color wheel represents a quality in the novel, and because the author describes everything accurately, at least one of these recurring motifs appears on every other page. This does make analysis of the the novel fairly simple, but the overwhelming amount of color can become repetitive. McCarthy has mastered a wonderful command of language and exemplifies creativity well, but by stating the themes outright, he removes the opportunity for the reader to demonstrate his own ability to understand. All the Pretty Horses embodies all 2005-06-19T04:28:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-the-Pretty-Horses-Hospitality,-Religion,-Freedom-26920.aspx This is the first novel in the set of McCarthy's so called "Border Trilogy," and by far, the best. It stands on its own as a classic American novel. It is the story of a taciturn 16-year old Texan, with a love for horses and a gift for training them, who sadly (or so it seems; his emotions are never explicitly revealed) comes to the realization that there is nothing for him in Texas anymore to keep him there. With a friend, and on horseback, he embarks upon a journey to Mexico. Plotwise, the story is unusual in that, unlike the usual standard western, it takes place in 1947, an era way beyond cowboys and Indians. Reminders of this are contained throughout, such as the sudden appearance of a noisy automobile, or the description of a line of telegraph poles stretched across the distance, as far as one can see. Yet Mexico even in 1947 is still in many ways a savage land, and the young men's adventures there are the subject of the novel. I can tell you that when I use the term "adventures," I mean exactly that. This is an exciting novel, a page-turning novel. The lads finally reach a place they wish to call home: a large, sprawling ranch in central Mexico, where they become hands, and where the protagonist ultimately achieves a somewhat exalted position training and breeding horses. I'm not going to give away too much of the plot here, but it's moved to a large degree by the presence of the ranch-owner's daughter, a well-educated, headstrong, black-haired and blue-eyed 17-year-old beauty. Suddenly confronted with the arrival of this lanky, brave, adventurous and mature-for-his-age American . . . well, you can almost guess what will happen, but the story nevertheless veers from cliche and instead becomes fresh, believable and extremely moving. More than the plot, though, is the simple, almost sparse nature of McCarthy's prose. His descriptions of the landscape through which his characters travel is poetic, almost dreamy: "They'd ride out along the cienaga road and along the verge of the marshes while the sun rose riding up flights of ducks out of the shallows or geese or mergansers that would beat away over the water scattering the haze and rising up would turn to birds of gold in a sun not yet visible from the bolson floor." The spare language, and also the 2005-06-19T04:27:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-the-Pretty-Horses-McCarthy-s-Best-26919.aspx 2005-06-19T04:26:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-the-Pretty-Horses-Comparison-to-Faulkner-26918.aspx It is extremely hard to sit down and write a review for any piece of classic literature for there is very little a reviewer can say that is new. Of course, for a book to be considered a classic most of its reviewers have to have had a favorable opinion of the work and all a new reviewer can do is concur or disagree. In this case, I couldn't possibly agree more with previous reviewers who have written rave reviews of this book. This is not so much the story of Willie Stark, who was Willie Talos in the original manuscript, as it the story of Jack Burden, the man telling the story. It really seems to be the story of a young man and his road to maturity. That young man is Jack Burden and Stark seems to be just a convenient focal point around which Warren weaves his story. The plot is very well laid out and flows very well from beginning to end, which is quite an accomplishment when one considers all of the subplots to be found in this book. As Burden tells his story he often wanders down memory lane, recalling events which his story has recalled. Each subplot builds to it's own climax while also building toward the climax of the main story and the reader is swept along like a barrel on the Niagara River. Just as the reader feels as if he can put the book aside for a while, another subplot begins to ascend through the story and the reader is again swept along unable to pause. I got so caught up in one of the subplots that I was late for a very important appointment. I just couldn't stop until I found out what happened. Stark is obviously supposed to resemble Louisiana Governor Huey Long and he very much does so. If one also reads T. Harry Williams biography of Long they will see just how strong the resemblance is. There are several morals and messages to be drawn from this story including thoughts on good and evil and past and future. In addition to the messages though, one has to admire the incredible amount of research Warren had to have done to write this book. Warren of course was alive and well during Huey Long's reign and that had to help him but in all events described his historical 2005-06-19T04:21:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-the-King-s-Men-Reader-Thoughts-26917.aspx My first exposure to Lewis Carroll's classic children's story was through the 1951 Disney film adaptation "Alice in Wonderland," which I watched repeatedly as a child. The creative quality of the story never failed to fascinate me, and I kept going back despite my deep-rooted terror of the frightful Queen of Hearts, who always gave me nightmares! However, it was not until recently, as an adult, that I ever picked up the book/s upon which that film was based. In some ways I wish I had read it when I was younger, as the book certainly makes a great deal more sense than the movie does (as much sense as a story of this sort can, anyhow), but thankfully this book is unique in that it is just as enjoyable for adults as for children. The story is actually spread across two books, here contained in a single volume. "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was first published in 1865 and relates the events that take place after young Alice falls asleep during her lessons and dreams of following a white rabbit down a rabbit hole. Alice encounters all manner of strange creatures in her dream, and finds herself in all sorts of curious predicaments where common sense fails and the nonsensical comes to be expected. There is no central, concrete storyline, but rather Alice moves rapidly from one bizarre situation to the next before waking once more and relating the whole adventure to her sister. The second of the two books, "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There," appeared in 1871 and is very similar in nature to the first, though having a slightly different plot. Here Alice steps through an ordinary looking-glass one day, only to find herself in a world where, if you wish to get anywhere, you must walk in the opposite direction! Walking toward your desired destination only gets you further and further away. Also, interestingly, the land which Alice has entered is essentially a giant chessboard, and she must move through the different squares to reach the other side if she wishes to become a queen (which she does). The characters Carroll created in these two stories are some of the most strikingly unique and unforgettable in the world of literature. Alice herself, based largely on Alice Liddell, a real-life child of whom Carroll was very fond, is a wonderful heroine that you can't help 2005-06-19T04:18:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Alice-in-Wonderland-quot-Curiouser-and-curiouser-quot-26916.aspx There is a particular scene in "Agamemnon" that I always want to point to in order to show students the genius of Aeschylus as a tragic playwright. To really appreciate any of these ancient plays you really have to have an understanding the peculiar structure of the classic Greek drama. The better understanding you have of this structure, as well as the key elements of tragedy as delineated by Aristotle in his "Poetica," the more you can appreciate any of these plays, but "Agamemnon" in particular. The play is the first drama of the Orestia trilogy, the only extant trilogy to survive from that period; of course, since Aeschylus was the only one of the three great tragic poets whose trilogies told basically a story in three-parts. Sophocles and Euripides would tell three different but thematically related stories in their own trilogies (the Theban trilogy of Sophocles is an artificial construct). In "Agamemnon" it has been ten years since he sailed away to Troy, having sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia in order to get fair winds (the tale is best told by Euripides in "Iphigenia at Aulis"). For ten years Agamemnon's wife Clytemnestra, the half-sister of Helen, has been waiting for his return so she can kill him. In the interim she has taken Agamemnon's cousin Aegithus as a lover. This brings into play the curse on the house of Atreus, which actually goes back to the horrid crime of Tantalus and the sins of Niobe as well. Atreus was the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus, who a generation earlier had contended with his own brother Thyestes for the throne of Argos. Thyestes seduced his brother's wife and was driven out of Argos by Atreus, who then became king. Thyestes eventually returned to ask forgiveness, but Atreus, recalling the crime of Tantalus, got his revenge by killing the two sons of Thyestes and feeding them to their father at a banquet. That was when Thyestes cursed Atreus and all of his descendants and fled Argos with his remaining son, the infant Aegithus. This becomes important because Aeschylus has two people in the palace at Argos, each of whom has a legitimate reason to take the life of Agamemnon. But in this version Aeschylus lays the crime at Clytemnestra's feet. When Agamemnon returns with his concubine Cassandra, daughter of Troy's King Priam, the insane prophetess symbolizes all sorts of reasons for Cassandra to renew 2005-06-19T04:15:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Aeschylus-Agamemnon--26915.aspx When the Roman armies conquered the remnants of Alexander's empire in 168 B.C., they recognized something in Greek culture that was more impressive than anything Rome, itself, had achieved. The result is that Rome adapted itself to the model of Greece. Among the adaptors of Greek culture, none was more brilliant, original or influential than the poet Virgil. He faced a formidable challenge in that everyone who encountered Greek culture recognized how much it had been shaped by Homer. To write a Roman equivalent to The Iliad or The Odyssey required the ability to think, a way with words, and a storytelling capacity that would enable a poet to do for Rome what Homer had done for Greece. Only one poet succeeded and that was Virgil. Virgil began working on The Aeneid with an advantage Homer lacked: he was literate. Unlike the Greek aoidos, Virgil did not learn his art from oral storytellers. As his hero, Virgil chose a Trojan fighter whom Homer describes briefly in The Iliad. Virgil kept the outlines of Homer's Aeneas, but he developed the character in new and profound directions. The Aeneid resembles The Odyssey in recounting a series of Mediterranean adventures and an eventual homecoming (Books 1-6). It resembles The Illiad in recounting a war to capture a city (Books 7-12). But the home to which Aeneas sails is a new one, and his quest is to establish something that had not before existed rather than to return to something he once knew, as Odysseus does. The Aeneid is a founding myth and virtually every episode is symbolically charged with the weight of Aeneas's historic destiny. This destiny is the very thing that enables Virgil to reshape the character he found in Homer, transforming a warrior hero into a man who would influence the world for centuries to come. We see Aeneas gradually changing in a series of crises throughout the first half of the poem. Virgil presents Aeneas's departure from Troy as a departure from the values that had defined Homer's story of the war to capture Troy. One of the most memorable portraits of Aeneas is his weeping in Carthage as he contemplates depictions of the Trojan war: "there are tears for passing things; here, too/things mortal touch the mind." The tears of a Homeric hero have never had such weighty moral and historic implications. Readers of The Odyssey will recognize that Virgil has modeled Aeneas's 2005-06-19T04:12:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Aeneid-Beautiful,-Stunning,-and-Influential-26914.aspx Roman society was enamoured of Greek culture -- many of the best 'Roman' things were Greek; the major gods were derivative of the Greek pantheon; philosophy, literature, science, political ideals, architecture -- all this was adopted from the Greeks. It makes sense that, at the point of their ascendancy in the world, they would long for an epic history similar to the Homeric legends; the Iliad and the Odyssey, written some 500 years after the actual events they depict, tell of the heroism of the Greeks in their battle against Troy (Ilium). The Aeneid, written by Vergil 700 years after Homer, at the commission of Augustus (himself in the process of consolidating his authority over Rome), turns the heroic victory of the much-admired Greeks on its head by postulating a survivor from Troy, Aeneas, who undergoes as journey akin to the Odyssey, even further afield. Vergil constructs Aeneas, a very minor character in the Iliad, as the princely survivor and pilgrim from Troy, on a journey through the Mediterranean in search of a new home. According to Fitzgerald, who wrote a brief postscript to the poem, Vergil created a Homeric hero set in a Homeric age, purposefully following the Iliad and Odyssey as if they were formula, in the way that many a Hollywood director follows the formulaic pattern of past successful films. Vergil did not create the Trojan legend of Roman origins, but his poem solidified the notion in popular and scholarly sentiment. Vergil sets the seeds for future animosity between Carthage and Rome in the Aeneid, too -- the curse of queen Dido on the descendants of Aeneas of never-ending strife played into then-recent recollections of war in the Roman mind. Books I through VI are much more studied than VII through XII, but the whole of the Aeneid is a spectacular tale. Fitzgerald's modern and accessible translation makes the Aeneid really come to life for modern readers. It is a verse translation, not forced into word-by-word construction nor into false, flowery and stuffy structured verse that would seem formal and distant. This is a language familiar to modern readers, just as Vergil's Latin would have been readily accessible to the listeners and readers of his time. Vergil died before he could complete the story. He wished it to be burned; fortunately, Augustus had other ideas. Still, there are incomplete lines and thoughts, and occasional conflicts in the storyline that one 2005-06-19T04:11:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Aeneid-Fitzgerald-s-translation-26913.aspx Book Report on Absalom, Absalom! I'll admit straight off the bat that I'm not a huge fan of stream-of-consciousness narratives. In fact, I dislike such styles more often than I enjoy them. ABSALOM, ABSALOM! was also the first work by William Faulkner that I have ever read, which (judging by the reviews on this site) is apparently not the best place I could have started. Yet despite these potential problems, I quite enjoyed the overall book. There were several places where I found the narrative voice to be quite tedious, but the story was so captivating that these difficulties were well worth struggling through. As I said, I don't usually like the stream-of-consciousness style of writing. When done incorrectly, it can lead to books full of hopelessly incoherent rambling that is neither insightful nor interesting. However, in the case of ABSALOM, ABSALOM!, I'll grudgingly admit that the style does help the story quite a bit. Some of the asides and passages were extremely effective at conveying the atmosphere of the South during the Civil War. The various misconceptions that several characters have (the reader can only gradually piece together the truth) are perfectly true to their personalities and reveal more about the people in this story than the actual events would have. That said, some of the more esoteric portions of the text had me nearly throwing the book across the room in angry confusion. Fortunately for the sake of my library, my walls and my sanity, those more obscure sections are not terribly numerous, and many of them can become penetrable, albeit after the second or third reading. One of the aspects of the novel I most appreciated was Faulkner's ability to set my expectations in one direction, and then completely pull the rug out from under me. There were several major twists and turns that I genuinely did not anticipate. Characters' understandings are fallible, and yet whenever something that someone had said turned out to be false, I never felt cheated. While a lot of the narrative shocks stem from people misunderstanding events from long ago, the mistakes they make are perfectly valid, and I never once felt that Faulkner had deliberately caused people to misconstrue happenings merely to drive the plot. Racism plays a major part in this story, so be prepared to see some language and activities that aren't politically correct. Faulkner is showing racism for exactly what it 2005-06-19T03:36:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Absalom,-Absalom-was-Awesome,-Awesome-Book-Review-26912.aspx This novel is a historical reconstruction by the fictional Quentin Compson (from "The Sound and the Fury") of the long ago rise of Thomas Sutpen out of a bog of obscurity to become a wealthy landowner in Mississippi, only to have it all destroyed again. It features all of the bugaboos one expects of Southern or Gothic literature--rumors of miscegenation, incest, murder, love, and betrayal. In the telling of the story, Faulkner also uses Sutpen's history as an allegory of the South itself. Anyone can tell a story, especially a story that is essentially as old as the hills as this one. What makes this book, of course, is the style in which Faulkner narrates it. In terms of language, this is the most excessive, Baroque, verbose, garrulous and thick verbiage Faulkner has ever laid down at this length. It's like Section 4 of "The Bear" for 300 pages, and features at least one notorious 1.5 page long sentence. I strongly recommend you take a peek at the first page available here, and then imagine that going on ceaselessly until the end of the book. True, it can be very tiresome--Faulkner is a demanding author--but it also has a way of getting into your blood, if you let it, so that the text becomes unbearably effective and powerful. The structure of the novel is equally elaborate. Faulkner spent his entire career as a writer discovering ways to project narrative into a character's voice, rather than directly narrating himself. As such, you get things like Bob and James talking about how Jane related the story of Rex witnessing Sue and Melanie talking about Larry murdering who he suspected his wife was sleeping with. [This example is illustrative, and bears no relation to the book.) In the final analysis, this means knowing exactly what happens becomes difficult to follow in general, and perhaps unknowable. Of course, part of Faulkner's point is precisely that only we, here and now, can reproduce or guess at the history of our pasts, and it is those reconstructed histories that we live by, rather than the actual historical reality (whatever it was). This is a difficult book by one of the United States most difficult authors. It is also one of the best books by one of our best authors. The relationship between Sutpen's children and the half-brothers is one of the most effective he ever penned; not since "The 2005-06-19T00:45:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Absalom,-Absalom-The-Most-Faulknerian-Faulkner-Book-26910.aspx Faulkner is notoriously cruel to his readers for making them scrape and dig for details in his almost incomprehensibly dense chronicles of the fictional families of Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, but not for nothing is he one of the greatest of American writers. A story is not a collection of cold hard facts but of ideas and images designed to make us exercise the remotest faculties of our minds, and Faulkner's fiction presses the buttons and turns the dials that set our mental mechanisms in motion. "Absalom, Absalom!" is a particularly intricate machine that links the Old South with the New and features a family tree whose branches are gnarled beyond all reasonable efforts at traceability. The trunk is a man named Thomas Sutpen, who, after an adventurous youth in Virginia and the West Indies, arrives in YoCo in the 1830's with a large supply of money and black slaves, builds a plantation, marries a local girl, Ellen Coldfield, and fathers two children, Henry and Judith, envisioning a fruitful dynasty. In Faulkner's characteristically confusing style, the story is narrated through a few different viewpoints. The closest to the Sutpen family is Ellen's sister Rosa Coldfield, who happens to be younger than Henry and Judith. She has suffered some unhappy experiences as a result of being associated with Sutpen, but she retains a certain pride as she recounts her history to Quentin Compson, the morose young man who, we know from "The Sound and the Fury," is later to drown himself in the Charles River. Quentin also gets information from his father, whose own father was a close friend of Sutpen's, and in turn discusses the Sutpen saga with his Harvard roommate Shreve, to whom Quentin insists, as the novel ends, that he doesn't hate the South. As in "Light in August," race consciousness is a major subject in "A, A!" Thomas Sutpen is revealed to have fathered a boy named Charles Bon by a Haitian woman he thought was "pure" white, but he abandons her and the baby when he learns of her mixed ancestry. Later, he has a daughter named Clytemnestra (oh, the implications) by one of his slave women, proving himself to be a rather lecherous sort of hypocrite. Trouble begins when Henry meets his half-brother Charles at the University of Mississippi and brings him home, where he and Judith fall in love; Quentin's ultimate lesson about the Sutpens is 2005-06-19T00:44:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Absalom,-Absalom-Ghosts-of-the-Old-South-26909.aspx Absalom, Absalom! is the story of a legend and the people who tell it over and over again. In September 1909, 20-year-old Quentin Compson goes to visit Rosa Coldfield, an older woman in his hometown of Jefferson, Mississippi. Miss Rosa has summoned him to listen to her version of the legend of Thomas Sutpen. That same night, Quentin goes over the story again with his father, Mr. Compson, who tells the story from a different perspective. Five months later, when he goes to Harvard, he reinvents the story with his roommate, Shreve. In 1833, Thomas Sutpen came to Jefferson and built, without any help but his own wild, superhuman will, an enormous mansion on 100 acres that he swindled from an Indian tribe. With a band of foreign slaves and a French architect, he raises the house and cultivates a plantation. Within a few years he is one of the richest single planters in the county, and he marries the daughter of a local merchant (Rosa's older sister) and has a son and daughter, Henry and Judith. The two children grow up with privilege yet the knowledge that the town resents and despises their father. Henry goes to the University of Mississippi in 1859, and becomes friends with a worldly older student named Charles Bon. He brings Bon home for Christmas and holidays, and soon it is assumed that Bon will marry Judith. But Sutpen recognizes Bon as his own son--the son he abandoned when he discovered that his first wife had black blood. He follows Bon to New Orleans to be sure of this fact, then tells Henry that they cannot be married because Bon is actually Judith's half-brother. Henry refuses to believe his father and will not abandon his friend. They quarrel; Henry repudiates his birthright and leaves. For four years, while the Civil War rages, Henry tries to convince himself that Charles Bon and Judith can be married even if it means incest. He has almost justified it to himself when Sutpen (a colonel for the Confederate Army) calls his son to his tent and tells him that Charles Bon must not marry Judith. Not only is he Judith and Henry's half-brother, but Charles Bon also has black blood. This information repulses Henry in a way that even incest does not. When Charles Bon insists on marrying Judith anyway, goading Henry to do something about it, Henry 2005-06-19T00:43:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Absalom,-Absalom-A-Book-for-the-Ages-26908.aspx Faulkner is not for everyone, and this book is exhibit number one. I read half of it a year ago before going back and starting over, determined to finish it. I am certainly glad I did, and I will say without doubt I will read it several more times in my life, for this book is at the same time one of the most difficult I've ever read, and one of the most rewarding. First, the cons: vocabulary that continually drives you to a dictionary; long, run-on sentences, with digression piled on top of digression, parenthesis within parenthesis within parenthesis; multiple telling of the same story. The reading is not easy, in other words. But the pros: Faulkner is a master of "showing, not telling." He writes poetry without line breaks. For example: ** "a creature cloistered now by deliberate choice and still in the throes of enforced apprenticeship to, rather than voluntary or even acquiescent participation in, breathing" ** "battles lost not alone because of superior numbers and failing ammunition and stores, but because of generals who should not have been generals, who were generals not through training in contemporary methods or aptitude for learning them, but by the divine right to say 'Go there' conferred upon them by an absolute caste system." ** "and maybe they never had time to talk about wounds and besides to talk about wounds in the Confederate army in 1865 would be like coal miners talking about soot." From these three examples alone, one can see that it's unfair to say that Faulkner's book is one run-on sentence without any differentiation in style or voice. Instead, they show a mastery of language, which Faulkner admittedly gets a little carried away with from time to time, but generally uses much like we use our lungs - without seeming to think about it. What is most striking about the book is the similarity it has to the human experience. Walter Allen said this is the book in which Faulkner "most profoundly and completely says what he has to say about . . . the human condition." And what is that? That humans are weak and prone to lying, and more dangerously, prone to believing lies that are more comfortable than the truth. When we finish the book, we're still not sure about the details of the story. We don't know who twisted what in his/her narrative, and because the story is told 2005-06-19T00:35:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Absalom,-Absalom-Book-Report-and-Analysis-26907.aspx The Sins of the Father in Absalom, Absalom! The legacy of slavery is shared by all Americans, but it is among American Southerners that this sin and 2005-06-19T00:23:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Sins-of-the-Father-in-Absalom,-Absalom-26906.aspx It is not even hard to summarize William Faulkner's monumental novel "Absalom, Absalom!" in one sentence. In a nutshell it is a mystery: why did Sutpen's son, Henry, kill Charles Bon, his friend and classmate and suitor to his sister, Judith?. But one can't forget it is Faulkner and anything he wrote is just more than simply a mystery or a drama and so on. People read his books not mostly because of the story -- but actually for his narrative, for his writing. Understanding the story is a bonus. Regarded as one of his most difficult books --and virtually, all his books are difficult -- "Absalom, Absalom!" is one of the most important novels published in the 20 Century in any language. With this book, the writer went beyond what he had done with books like "The Sound and the Fury", "As I lay Dying" and "Light in August". "Absalom, Absalom!" is Faulkner in extreme. Here he perfects his experience in narrative -- that's why all reader's concentration is not enough. Unintroduced characters pop up, the narrative brings them (namely Charles Bon, Walsh Jones...) as if the reader were familiar with them. That is one of challenges. At first it is not clear who this people are, but once readers keep moving and gathering information those people start to make sense. Narrator also changes without much warning. With "Absalom, Absalom!" Faulkner also develops more his stream-of- consciousness technique. In this device the inner experience of a character in a scene is contrasted with the scene's outward appearance. This is considered his greatest achievements. In this novel, the writer tries to exposure the moral crisis that led to the destruction of the South. "Absalom, Absalom!" tells the story of a man Sutpen trying to forge a dynasty. It also is the exploitation of individuals can guide or control their destinies and win an external force or fate. As one characters believes, the protagonist's story is an example of a great and powerful man brought down by a hostile fate. To tell this battle, Faulkner uses multiple points of view that add or even contradict each other. For some, like Miss Rosa, Sutpen is a demon, the supernatural force of evil. While for Mr Compson he is a courageous and admirable man. Who are we supposed to believe in? Miss Rosa knew him, while Mr Compson's father was the one who 2005-06-19T00:20:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Absalom,-Absalom-Understanding-the-Story-is-a-Bonus-26905.aspx The Beauties of Excess in Absalom, Absalom! As physical beings we exist in that spatial-temporal order designated as "nature." But as human beings we also exist in an exclusive realm of "consciousness," which might be described as a vast, collective energy field made up of the signs, i.e. "language," by which humans endeavor to make sense of their existence. This field is beyond the grasp of any single human being, not only its vast and oceanic proportions but its dynamic, protean, organic flow resisting ownership by a single instance of consciousness. Perhaps one individual has tapped into this immense reservoir more completely, more directly, more vitally than any other single member of the human race--William Shakespeare. Who else even comes close to harnessing the stream and containing the flood long enough to permit the rest of us some sense of its unlimited potential. Despite the Bard's uniqueness as the fountainhead, the matrix, the mother of modern Western consciousness, a handful of succeeding language-bearers have proven capable of tapping into the same source. In American literature, and certainly literature of the 20th-century, Faulkner is the chosen one, the Promethean genius who affords the rest of us an opportunity to ride the stream. As a preceding reviewer has suggested, there's no way to summarize "Absalom, Absalom!" without misrepresenting it. The "themes" are the mere toeholds Faulkner offers to readers who try to mount the surfboard and stay with the churning, changing syntax and shifting referents of his 500-word sentences long enough to reach the beachhead. Even getting thrown (which is inevitable on many of the more torrential tidal waves) is, to say the least, a heady if not visceral and energizing experience. Despite the unique achievements of "As I Lay Dying," "Sound and the Fury," "Light in August," and "Go Tell It to the Mountain," this is Faulkner's most impressive and most rewarding novel. It's likely to frustrate, but don't quit on it. It's capable of paying more dividends than any other American literary work. Compare Faulkner's story about Thomas Sutpen and his "Grand Design" to any similar stories about the "American Dream"--by Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Wolf, Steinbeck--or to any of the subsequent writers said to be "Faulknerian" in their style. The others are suddenly diminished, and the singular achievement of this Southern, uneducated, probably possessed, alcoholic becomes all the more remarkable. Most of us would do well to write more simply and concisely ourselves and to 2005-06-19T00:19:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Beauties-of-Excess-in-Absalom,-Absalom-26904.aspx Cathedral: A Lesson for the Ages Raymond Carver’s short story, “Cathedral,” portrays a story in which many in today’s society can relate. We are introduced from the first sentence of the story to a man that seems to be perturbed and agitated. As readers, we are initially unsure to the reasoning’s behind the man’s discomfort. The man, who seems to be a direct portrayal of Raymond Carver himself, shows his ignorance by stereotyping a blind man by the name of Robert, who has come to stay with he and his wife. From the very beginning, Carver shows his detest for Robert but over the course of the story eases into comfort with him and in the end is taught a lesson from the very one he despised. The story begins with a description of the relation’s between he, his wife and Robert. It is unveiled that Robert employed Raymond Carver’s wife, whose name is never stated, ten years previous by having her read reports and case studies to him since his blindness would not permit him to do it himself. She hadn’t seen him since those days but “she and the blind man kept in touch. They mailed tapes and sent them back and forth.” (506) The story also is set up by briefly describing Carver’s wife’s past relations with her first husband. Their past marital troubles seem to be a main basis for the wife’s and Robert’s extended contact. After this background history, the story then jumps into the present with the Blind man on his way to stay for a night. The blind man is invited to stay with the Carver’s by Raymond’s wife for he has just been through the death of his own wife and is now alone. Even this being the case, Raymond Carver’s distaste for the blind man is evident from the first paragraph on. “I wasn’t enthusiastic about his visit. He was no one I knew. And his being blind bothered me.” (506) Carver’s distaste for Robert is blatantly apparent even subsequent to his arrival at their home. It also becomes quite clear that his wife disapproves of his attitude toward Robert and fails to see how he could be so self-centered. “My wife finally took her eyes off the blind man and looked at me. I 2005-06-17T09:19:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cathedral-by-Raymond-Carver-26898.aspx Antigone, Sophocles and My Perspective on Greek Drama Born in 495 B.C., Sophocles was to become one of the great playwrights of the golden age. The son of a wealthy merchant, he would enjoy all the comforts of a thriving Greek empire. He studied all of the arts. By the age of sixteen, he was already known for his beauty and grace and was chosen to lead a choir of boys at a celebration of the victory of Salamis. Twelve years later, his studies complete, he was ready to compete in the City Dionysia--a festival held every year at the Theatre of Dionysus in which new plays were presented. In his first competition, Sophocles took first prize--defeating none other than Aeschylus himself. More than 120 plays were to follow. He would go on to win eighteen first prizes. Sophocles' plays are generally very optimistic, full of the spirit of Athens in the classical period. He sees men (and to some extent women) as powerful, creative beings, the masters of the world around them, and the proud creations of the gods. Sophocles also remembers the terrors of war and barbarism, which can sometimes overcome men and women. He pleads, in his plays, for the triumph of reason over wild emotion and anger. Thus, giving recognition to the play Antigone. Antigone is part of the trilogy of Sophocle’s plays, which starts off with Oedipus Rex. Antigone is an excellent example for the modern social dramatist. Antigone is part of the required reading in high schools and colleges around the country because of it’s involves real life situations and how they deal with them. Antigone’s rebellion against her father is a situation that people of today can live relate to.Antigone is born of the incestuous relationship between Oedipus and his mother, Jocasta. After Oedipus blinded himself, Antigone and her little sister Ismene served as his guides, following him into exile. When Oedipus dies Antigone returns to Thebes where she is surprised with the deaths of her two brothers Eteocles and Polyneices. Creon(King of Thebes) had made the announcement that Polyneices was a traitor and he cannot be buried. Antigone buries Polyneicus despite Creon’s wishes and is condemned to die being buried alive even though she is engaged to his son Haemon. Creon seeks the wisdom from the prophet Teiresias. Teiresias warns Creon that the gods are on Antigone’s side and she is 2005-06-17T09:17:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Antigone,-Sophocles-and-My-Perspective-on-Greek-Drama-26896.aspx When Toni Morrison received the Nobel Prize for literature a decade ago, she told yet another story. About an old lady. Wise but blind. The old lady could belong to any land, any culture. She is both the ‘law’ and the ‘transgression’ of that land. Her clairvoyance is unmatched. One day a bunch of cynical youngsters decide to expose her. They visit her and ask her whether the bird they hold in their hand is dead or alive. There is a long pause and the youngsters start feeling triumphant. Just as the sniggers begin, the old woman responds softly and sternly. ‘I don’t know’, she says. ‘But it is in your hands.’ The old woman’s wisdom wins once again. In a deft stroke she has felled the arrogance of the doubters. She has shifted the attention from the assertion of power to the instrument through which the power is asserted. The author went on to liken herself to the old woman and the bird to her writing, in her speech. Ever since she wrote her first novel, Morrison has left seven brilliant novels in our hands. For us to cherish the beauty of the human spirit that remains unvanquished by the greatest of horrors unleashed on it. Morrison writes about the most savage and barbaric acts committed by human beings in the most luminous prose possible. The paradox in her writing makes her truly the wisest woman in the literary horizon. To say she writes about the black experience in a racist culture would be doing her a great disservice. Her characters may be localized to a particular race but the truths she speaks are universal. They may very well be about the Dalits in India or the Muslims in Bosnia. Toni Morrison was born Chole Anthony Wofford in Lorain, Ohio. Her parents moved to the north to escape the problems of southern racism and she grew up relatively unscarred by racial prejudices. She spent her childhood in Midwest and read voraciously from Jane Austen to Tolstoy. Her father told her folktales about the black community, transferring his African American heritage to another generation. In 1949 she entered Howard University in Washington D.C. America’s most distinguished black college. She continued her studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. She wrote her thesis on Suicide in the works of William Faulkner and Virginia Woolf. A suicide sets the context for Morrison’s 2005-06-17T05:25:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Song-of-Solomon-Celebrating-the-human-spirit-26889.aspx Conformity, Imbalance of Power, And Social Injustice A "Great Drama" is a play in which an audience can find personal relevance. It is something which an audience can relate to. A great drama should having meaning to audiences for multiple generations. Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" successfully related to its audience and left us with messages that still echo today. The Crucible must be considered to be a great drama because of Miller's skillful play writing which created a script that not only addressed the idea of conformity in American culture, but also illustrated the unreal amount of power that select individuals hold because they define the means by which we all live. These people make decisions on issues like what is considered to be right or wrong. These people have existed as long as history can acknowledge and during the period when The Crucible was first performed in America, this was a very current and delicate issue because of the actions of the House Un-American Activities Committee in Hollywood. Conformity has plagued mankind for ages. It is a strong theme in The Crucible, and Miller's audience can draw parallels to it in their own lives. In The Crucible, the need to conform to the church's views and that of its minister is quite evident. The characters in the play find themselves in a very difficult situation. They must either turn their backs on what they believe in and lie by admitting to having had "relations with the devil", thereby conforming with the church's wishes, or they must follow their individualistic beliefs and refuse to lie. This kind of pressure has been a theme throughout American culture forever. Miller was able to use this theme to make his audience think about where they would draw the line. People understood that these kinds of situations were around them everyday: was it more important to conform to company policy no matter what? Or was it more important to vocalize personal views, and risk getting fired? Was a person necessarily "bad" if they didn't live by the rules of the Church? Or was it alright to have ones own interpretations of those rules. These are just a few of the questions that people may have been asking themselves during the fifties. The Crucible should be considered a great drama just because of it's all encompassing theme of conformity. It is one which everyone will find 2005-06-16T08:06:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Conformity-in-the-Crucible,-Theme-Essay-26876.aspx To Bard or Not to Bard In the last several years, an alarming trend has developed on many prestigious college campuses. Universities such as Dartmouth, Amherst, and Georgetown have dropped Shakespeare as required reading for English majors. These universities encourage students to eschew the Bard in favor of contemporary authors and pop culture theory. The displacement of Shakespeare on college campuses represents a grievous error. By marginalizing Shakespeare and encouraging students to champion the mundane, great universities will become marginal themselves. An oft-cited argument for dropping Shakespeare focuses on the “difficulty” of his language. Students and some educators argue that Shakespeare is too difficult to understand. In fact, people use Shakespeare’s language all the time. How many people say “for goodness’ sake!”? Have something “vanish into thin air”? Won’t “budge an inch”? “Have seen better days”? Felt “tongue-tied”? Students who say Shakespeare is “Greek to me” reject him with his very words. Besides enriching our language with these vivid images, Shakespeare also introduced a myriad of new words into our vocabulary. Because of Shakespeare we can exclaim over the “obscene,” weep at an “assassination,” loathe a “premeditated” crime, and marvel at the “submerged” Titanic. Shakespeare serves as a progenitor of Modern English. Those who study English language and literature are remiss if they ignore the vast contributions of Shakespeare. Additionally, having a thorough knowledge of Shakespeare insures that a student recognizes many of the touchstones of English literature. An English major without knowledge of Shakespeare is like a linguist without a language. Artists refer to Shakespeare so often that to be ignorant of the Bard is to miss the significance of many other works. Authors expand the dimensions of their works when they allude to Shakespeare: witness Brave New World, Kiss me Kate, or To Be or Not to Be. Students unfamiliar with Shakespearean allusions cannot appreciate fully an author’s intent. Another argument offered against Shakespeare attacks his relevancy—Shakespeare is too old to be studied. If we believe this argument, we reject love, laughter, betrayal, murder, tyranny, and loss as facets of our lives. What tabloid shies away from the latest Hollywood romance? Who did not weep over the tragic loss of our dreams of a new Camelot? Who will deny the frightening power and cruelty of Bin Laden? When we reject 2005-06-16T08:05:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Should-Shakespeare-be-Required-Reading-for-English-Majors-26875.aspx Gatsby's Pursuit Of The American Dream The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is about the American Dream, and the downfall of those who attempt to reach its illusionary goals. The attempt to capture the American Dream is central to many novels. This dream is different for different people, but in The Great Gatsby, for Jay, the dream is that through wealth and power, one can acquire happiness. To get this happiness Jay must reach into the past and relive an old dream and in order to do this he must have wealth and power. Jay Gatsby, the central figure of the the story, is one character who longs for the past. Surprisingly he devotes most of his adult life trying to recapture it and, finally, dies in its pursuit. In the past, Jay had a love affair with the affluent Daisy. Knowing he could not marry her because of the difference in their social status, he leaves her to amass wealth to reach her economic standards. Once he acquires this wealth, he moves near to Daisy, "Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay (83)," and throws extravagant parties, hoping by chance she might show up at one of them. He, himself, does not attend his parties but watches them from a distance. When this dream doesn't happen, he asks around casually if anyone knows her. Soon he meets Nick Carraway, a cousin of Daisy, who agrees to set up a meeting, "He wants to know...if you'll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over (83)." Gatsby's personal dream symbolizes the larger American Dream where all have the opportunity to get what they want. Later, as we see in the Plaza Hotel, Jay still believes that Daisy loves him. He is convinced of this as is shown when he takes the blame for Myrtle's death. "Was Daisy driving?" "Yes...but of course I'll say I was." (151) He also watches and protects Daisy as she returns home. "How long are you going to wait?" "All night if necessary." (152) Jay cannot accept that the past is gone and done with. Jay is sure that he can capture his dream with wealth and influence. He believes that he acted for a good beyond his personal interest and that should guarantee success. Nick attempts to show Jay the folly of his dream, but Jay 2005-06-16T00:49:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gatsby-s-Pursuit-Of-The-American-Dream-26863.aspx Comparing Paul's Case and Death Of A Salesman The story “Paul’s Case” by Willa Cather, and the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller both feature characters discontented with reality. Consequently, these characters, Paul and Willy Loman, respectively, exhibit similar behavioral patterns and elicit comparable reactions from their environment. Paul and Willy strive for an unattainable dream of wealth, power, and elegance, and fill their lives with lies in order to mislead themselves and others into believing they possess these attributes. The main protagonists in these literary pieces battle an ongoing tendency to create delusions within the world in which each reside. Willy Loman constructs an atmosphere where he feels that he is powerful and important. He thinks of his sons as well liked, unique individuals who have the ability to awe others; he sees himself as a successful businessman who never has to wait in line (2. 1237). His false confidence in himself shelters him from realizing the “low man” that he really is. Similarly, Paul surrounds himself with beautiful things and loses himself before symphonies and paintings (198). He has a strong aversion “for the flavorless, colorless mass of everyday existence; a morbid desire for cool things and soft lights and fresh flowers” (200). Both characters share a desire to be amongst the upper class and opulent people. As a result, they continually fuel their delusions by losing themselves in fantasy and misleading perceptions of reality. When Paul steals the money, he goes to an affluent part of New York where he spends recklessly and surrounds himself with lavish items (205). “These were his own people, he told himself” and he muses that he has never known a placed called Cordelia Street where commonplace folk and ugliness exist (208). In moments of desperation, where Willy finds cold hard reality crashing down upon him, he loses himself in flashbacks of a better time and place where his hopes and dreams still held their promise. Biff’s dramatic outpouring to Willy of the years pointlessly wasted in misleading themselves to believe they are above the “dime a dozen” status is met with a deluded “that boy is magnificent” (2. 1309). Willy continues to believe the Loman name carries with it a certain prestige long after Biff has renounced all participation in proving himself to the world. Amidst their delusions, Willy and Paul fail to claim accountability for their actions. 2005-06-14T01:10:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-Paul-s-Case-quot-and-Death-Of-A-Salesman-26853.aspx The Grapes of Wrath, written in 1939 by John Steinbeck (1902-1968), is considered by many literary critics to be the greatest of all American novels. This is a book about the Great Depression, and one poor sharecropper family's struggle to survive the worst deprivations that American society in the 1930's had to offer. Indeed, in my view, perhaps no American work of fiction fits the label of "The Great American Novel" better than Steinbeck's wonderfully written and still highly controversial masterpiece of fiction. The story is both gripping and well told. Set in the 1930's, in America's "Dust Bowl," it is the tale of the Joad family, a large clan of poor Oklahoma sharecroppers, and how they are forced into a decision to migrate to California. It's also the story of the many trials and sufferings that they endure during their long and harrowing journey. Lured by the promise of high paying jobs in California, the Joads, after much deliberation, decide to uproot themselves and make the journey westward. It's not an easy decision for them; it's almost an act of sheer desperation for this close-knit, extended family. They have been farming this same piece of Oklahoma sod for generations. Now, both the forces of nature and the forces of economics have conspired against them. A combination of severe drought and poor farming practices have turned this once fertile area into a barren wasteland covered with several inches of dust. Large conglomerates have taken over all the land in the area, and have forcibly kicked all the sharecroppers out of their houses and off their farms. Family homesteads have been systematically destroyed by these greedy new landowners. So, the Joads, this proud, hard-working family, must go. They sell most of their worldly possessions in order to buy a run-down old jalopy. The whole family - Ma and Pa; Granma and Granpa; Tom (the oldest son, and an ex-convict recently paroled from prison); Al (Tom's younger brother); Uncle John (Pa's brother); Ruthie and Winfield (Ma and Pa's youngest children); the heavily pregnant Rose of Sharon (Tom's younger sister) and her husband Connie; and the Reverend Jim Casy (a family "friend") - pack themselves, along with their essential goods, aboard their decrepit old vehicle, and depart for the "promised land" on America's west coast. The vast majority of this compelling novel tells the story of the Joads' plight while on the road. They are almost immediately 2005-06-11T04:42:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Grapes-of-Wrath-The-Great-American-Novel-26848.aspx Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde Vs. A Christmas Carol - Good And Evil";"Good & Evil Evilness and happiness are shown in both A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. In all beings both natures exist. In Dicken’s novel the good nature wins over the evil while Stevenson creates a character who allows the evil force to overcome the goodness. The symbols of the potion and the dream powerfully unleash the dark side of Jekyll and the bright side of scrooge. In their novels both authors present the conflicts that exist in man between good and evil. Scrooge represents a man who struggles with the good and evil traits that affect his happiness. Although Scrooge himself is grim, most of the community is happy. The people that surround him are especially joyful during Christmas, reflecting the religious beliefs of the Victorian Era. Portrayed as a lonely and isolated man despite his wealth, Scrooge is miserable. Dickens uses a flashback in the form of a dream to remind Scrooge of his child-like happy self. The dream called Christmas Past symbolizes youth and innocence relating to Tiny Tim. Scrooge and Tiny Tim are parallel characters representing goodness. Through the power of the dreams, Scrooge can recognize the consequences of selfishness and generosity. “Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me, by an altered life.” (page 63). When Scrooge foresees his possible future as a wretched old man dying without love, he reforms. Scrooge overcomes evil by displaying kindness, generosity and compassion. Dr. Jekyll experiments with the balance of good and evil forces that lie within himself. Through the potion and experimentation, he crates a flesh and bones character who indulges in evil pleasures and doings. The potion created by Dr. Jekyll symbolizes evil. Dr. Jekyll must have some small amount of evil in him to cause a desire to create the potion. The potion, which sparks this seed of evil, creates the hideous Mr. Hyde. Every man, has a spot of evil in him, which is not always revealed. The evil character, which Dr. Jekyll creates, is pure in hatred. “Yes, I had gone to bed Henry Jekyll, I had awakened Edward Hyde.” (page 47). This character soon becomes too strong when Dr. Jekyll can no longer control him. The transition represents the weakness of man. Despite the 2005-06-09T04:10:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dr_-Jekyll-And-Mr_-Hyde-Vs_-A-Christmas-Carol-26845.aspx "The master says it's a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says it's a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if there's anyone in the world who would like us to live." --Frank McCourt Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt is a thrilling memoir that enlightens the reader with tales of his childhood in the impoverished towns of Brooklyn, New York and Limerick, Ireland. McCourt grew up during the late 1930s and 1940s and faced several conflicts such as hunger, death, his father's alcoholism, and illness. While amongst the lower-class, he faces opposition with people in all positions of authority such as schoolmasters, priests, and family members. However this does not make Frank's goal of rising up from poverty and leaving Ireland impossible. Frank McCourt tells his story in an eccentric intriguing style. He mixes humor and wit with the harsh experiences of his childhood while also informing the reader of the stereotypical Irish lifestyle. The memoir is told in the present tense and written as though he is experiencing specific events that very moment. "I'm on deck the dawn we sail into New York. I'm sure I'm in a film, that it will end and lights will come up in the Lyric Cinema. . . . Rich Americans in top hats white ties and tails must be going home to bed with the gorgeous women with white teeth. The rest are going to work in warm comfortable offices and no one has a care in the world." This gives the reader a sense of the emotions he was facing at the time and lets you picture the event taking place. He also aligns the tone of the text with his progressing age. McCourt ties in the themes of family, love, religion, and social relationships, drawing the reader into his tragic life. "My brothers are dead and my sister is dead and I wonder if they died for Ireland or the Faith. Dad says they were too young to die for anything. Mam says it was disease and starvation and him never having a job. Dad says, Och, Angela, puts on his cap and goes for a long walk". His writing style gives the reader the opportunity to see the care for family, Church and society, dedication, tragedy of alcoholism, and the harshness of life in Ireland. Angela's Ashes is a story of survival of 2005-06-05T04:43:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Outlandish-Struggle-in-Angela-s-Ashes-26830.aspx Life Changing Circumstances in Angela's Ashes Frank McCourt, the author of the touching memoir, Angela's Ashes, commences his life in Brooklyn, New York in 1935. There, his mother, Angela becomes depressed after the death of the newly born, Margaret. The family returns to their homeland, Limerick, Ireland. This concept is bizarre because then, most people departed Ireland destined for a new life in America; however the McCourt's do the complete opposite. Many problems arise in Limerick, and their entire lives' change. In Ireland, they move into a two-floored apartment, which is in terrible living condition. During the winter, they have to live upstairs because the downstairs is flooded. The weather changes the mood for everyone and is a symbol of many different feelings including sadness and loneliness. It sets the tone for Frank's life. In the meantime, Angela is impregnated with more children, most of whom die in the end. The father, Malachy, is an alcoholic and spends all his money earned on himself rather than his family. He shares numerous stories and legends with Frank and is able to gain his love and respect. Malachy is from Northern Ireland and everyone in Limerick, including Angela's family, dislikes him for that reason. The McCourt family is very Catholic and after Frank is confirmed, a feeling of manhood is noticed. The brothers attend an all-boy's Catholic school in Ireland; however, because they are not as privileged as many of the other boys, a feeling of lowness is perceived. After Frank becomes sick, he acquires a love of Shakespeare and his ability of language is noticed by his school, along with his talent of storytelling. Frank's father heads off to England to make money for the family, which he is supposed to send back. However, the money never shows up, except for one time. After visiting his family once, Malachy never shows up again. Frank is able to develop more as a man because in a sense, he is the man of the house. While this is happening, the family's apartment is taken away from them and they have no choice, but to move in with Angela's cousin, Laman. Laman is a horrible, obnoxious man who Angela sleeps with. Frank becomes discouraged and angry with everything that is going on. Therefore, he gets a job as a messenger boy and becomes involved in a sexual relationship with a customer named Theresa Carmody. However, 2005-06-05T04:42:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Life-Changing-Circumstances-in-Angela-s-Ashes-26829.aspx One may look back on their childhood to remember the once joyful and free-spirited moments of life. This is not, however, true in Frank McCourt's case. When reviewing his childhood, all that comes to mind is devastation, death and poverty that followed the lives of so many families in the time period. Through his autobiography, Angela's Ashes, McCourt depicts the depressing Irish Catholic childhood he woke up to face each morning. Born in New York in the 1930's into the house of a miserable cigarette-addicted mother, Angela, and an alcoholic father, Malachy, who spends most of the money he earns on buying pints at the local bar, Frank McCourt is immediately given much to deal with. Being the oldest of seven children in his family, Frank has much more responsibility then the average child today has ever experienced. Frank's father figure returns home each night completely drunk singing songs of Irish patriotism while abusing and shouting at his family, providing no example for his sons to look up to. His father's behavior changes for a brief period of time when Frank's mother gives birth to a young girl, Margaret. His father stops drinking and begins working for the good of the family, however, it isn't long before this "tiny angel" passes away, destroying all hope of the family's success. Never again would Frank's father show such devotion to saving his family. The devastating loss of their only daughter made if unbearable for the family to stay in America with complete memory of the child. The McCourts move to Ireland, which Frank later admits was the worst decision they could have made at that time. Reaching Ireland with not a cent, the McCourts first find shelter with their father's relatives then their mother's siblings until finally they could settle under a roof of their own in Limerick. Frank and his brother, Malachy, are sent to a strict Catholic school while his father finds a job to support the family. Their conditions, however, do not improve and it is not long before their father looses his job and two of Frank's youngest brothers become ill and pass away. There seems to be no hope of a better future for the McCourts in these new surroundings. The family is soon forced to beg neighbors and churches near by for food or money. They grow weak and desperate with what seems to be a 2005-06-05T04:41:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Angela-s-Ashes-A-Depressing-Irish-Catholic-Childhood-26828.aspx As someone who spent the majority of his formative childhood living within the realms of a struggling blue-collar Irish-American Catholic neighborhood housing project, much of the atmosphere and flavor so memorably and powerfully described in this best-selling memoir seems like familiar territory, from the hard-drinking and somewhat remote and indifferent fathers to the sainted mothers, from the raucous black humor to the spasms of terrible drama and tragedy, often visited on helplessly impoverished children. Yet Frank McCourt manages to display a unusually colorful and quite unique descriptive power to the florid retelling of this life lived under conditions of extreme privation and misery, a life which he largely describes in terms so dismal, dark and devoid of hope that it is remarkable to witness the degree of grace, resilience, and good humor that he so often brings to bear. It is this most prominent feature of his creative writing that gives such a powerful testimony to his ability as a writer. Like James Joyce's personal glimpses into Irish lives in his classic series of short stories, "The Dubliners", McCourt evokes the suffocating and smarmy atmosphere of flagrant poverty, to the point that I often found the story difficult to read. Thus, regardless of how well he illustrates the ways in which he and his family struggled to overcome the circumstances, it was, for me at least, often difficult reading. For any of us who have actually lived under such circumstances of privation, these powerfully drawn recollections can be challenging and painful to recall. And while I would never suggest that my own experiences approach the extremes of want and squalor described herein, I took a long time to finally work my way into the portions of the book where the McCourt brothers finally triumph based on their American citizenry. While the tone of the memoir is sometimes downbeat and sullen, the progress of these two young pilgrims toward a life of greater promise is one that gains ballast as we progress toward the end. The memoir is, as one has come to expect, full of the usual Irish complaints, from the egregious and often outrageous alcoholism of the father and Irish men in general to the full McCourt treatment regarding the so-called Irish troubles and the unmitigated perfidy of the dreaded English. Having heard all this throughout my fifty years, it finally becomes tiresome, boring and irrelevant to hear all 2005-06-05T04:39:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Angela-s-Ashes-Portrait-Of-An-Irish-Boyhood-26827.aspx Effects of Puritan Society in The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter Each society in the world is unique, and each has its own values and beliefs. Throughout time, societies have shaped the way that man lives. This includes not only his actions, but it also includes his thoughts and feelings. In many instances, such as in Puritan societies, religion plays the most important role. The Crucible by Arthur Miller and The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne are stories which vividly demonstrate the effect society has on people. The Puritan society that is created in each of these stories acts as the driving force to their plots. In The Crucible, the entire plot is molded by the morals of the Puritan society. The superstition that many Puritans believed in is represented through Reverend Parris. He insists to Abigail that “if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it” (Miller 10). Parris was not only concerned about the witches, but was terrified that his reputation will be ruined as well. This example also leads to another aspect of Puritan society that affected the plot. The Puritan people were very closely knit, meaning that everyone knew everyone else, and consequently, rumors spread quickly. This was why Reverend Parris needed to know “Who? Who? Their names, their names!” (Miller 44), so he could find someone to blame for the madness. The fear of witchcraft was so strong that even the decent Reverend John Hale, who was the most open minded of the characters, worried about its effect. He even had books in which there “…is all the invisible world, caught, defined, and calculated…the Devil stands stripped of all his brute disguises…we shall find him out if he has come among us…” (Miller 37). Another attitude of Puritan society that shapes this play is the fear of God. This fear is seen everywhere and it goes hand in hand with the idea of superstition. Reverend Hale tells Tituba, “You are God’s instrument…face God- face God, Tituba, and God will protect you” (Miller 44), exhibiting the great trust that the people hold in God and how their actions are all in the name of him. This story would not exist without the God-fearing 2005-06-03T05:57:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Puritan-Society-in-The-Crucible-and-The-Scarlet-Letter-26819.aspx Time and Spiritual Transcendence in Crusoe In The Rise of the Novel Ian Watt says of capitalism in English Society it “is, at least, generally agreed that the foundations of the new order were laid in that period immediately following the Glorious Revolution” (61). Defoe, a denizen of the new economic structure, was one of its unabashed supporters. Though in Robinson Crusoe he created an island far removed from Western society, it was used as a stage to expound the virtues of both Western religion and capitalist economics. Michele Tournier—in the midst of the reign of capitalism in English (and most of Western) society—shrewdly uses the same setting to launch an explicit critique of the strange dogma that’s evolved of the amalgam of Puritan religion with those capitalist economics, since the times of Defoe. Friday begins much the same as Robinson Crusoe, but quickly veers from that plotline, tracing the evolution of a man who—ironically, through the weight of extreme seclusion—transcends the individualistic and isolationist tendencies of his capito-puritan social inheritance and finds a superior spirituality through Friday, a character who represents in many instances the opposite of Western thinking. Stamped in the template of the work is a clearly delineated spiritual journey—one fraught with systematic reversals, failures and regressions for every step gained in the direction of transcendence. The atavistic instinct to survive leads Crusoe to an overzealous grasp for control, which eventually manifests itself in an ugly preoccupation with dominance [survival→ control → dominance]. Dichotomously, the natural instinct for self-preservation leads to his obsession with accumulation, which is eventually corrupted into a fascination with greed [self-preservation→ accumulation→ greed]. Ironically, nearly three centuries after Robinson’s fictional birth, Tournier’s work uses the very Crusoe myth to expose the debilitating limitations of the religion—economic and spiritual—panegyrized by Defoe. Through the latter-day Crusoe’s journey, Tournier shows that ineluctably linked with the vices of consumer accumulation and avarice in the Western mindset are tenets that call for the parallel accumulation and preservation of time. This thought pattern both leads-to and is born of the Western model of 2005-06-01T02:26:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Time-and-Spiritual-Transcendence-in-Robinson-Crusoe-26812.aspx Antigone: Conflict Between Human Law and Higher Law In the play Antigone, there is a conflict between Creon and Antigone over which law to obey in regards to Antigone attempting to bury her brother, the law of the state or God’s laws. It is a conflict between a human law and a higher law. Antigone believes in following God’s laws, even if it means breaking the law of the state, a law set by Creon which states that Antigone’s brother Polyneices is not to have a burial and no one is to touch him. Antigone believes that it is God’s law that she should bury him while Creon believes that no one should breaks the laws of the state, the laws he sets. In the first scene of the play, Antigone makes her case clear that she is going to bury her brother, regardless of the law Creon has set against it. After she tells her sister, Ismene, that she is going to bury their brother, Ismene replies, “The law is strong, we must give in to the law, in this thing and in worse. I beg the dead to forgive me, but I am helpless: I must yield to those in authority.” Antigone replies that she is still going to bury her brother and says to Ismene, “Apparently the laws of the Gods mean nothing to you.” Antigone believes that is her right by the laws of the Gods for her to bury her brother. She believes that the laws of the Gods are higher than the laws of the state and that she is doing right by following the laws of the Gods. Antigone again makes her case of following Gods laws, this time in the face of Creon. Antigone admits that it was her that dusted the body of her brother. Creon asks her if she had heard his proclamation that the body was not to be touched and Antigone says that she had. Creon asks her, “And yet you dared defy the law?” And Antigone replies, “I dared, it was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice that rules the world below makes no such laws. Your edict, King was strong, but all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of God. They are not merely now: they were and shall be, operative forever, beyond man utterly.” Antigone defied the laws of the state because she believed in 2005-06-01T02:13:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Antigone-Conflict-Between-Human-Law-and-Higher-Law-26808.aspx Awakening In the Story Bartelby by Herman Melville In the story “Bartleby, the Scrivener, by Herman Melville,” we learn the many decisions the narrator has to make as the story progresses. We first learn of his background as a lawyer of a business on Wall Street who deals with rich men’s bonds, mortgages, and deeds. He describes himself as a man who thinks the easiest way is the best. Others also consider him, as in the words of John Jacob Astor, an eminently safe man. The narrator sees himself as a strong-willed employer. However, he is merely a push over. This is first illustrated through his two current employees Turkey and Nippers. Turkey is described as an Englishman about the same age as the narrator. He is productive in the morning but becomes drunk by noon. However, the narrator’s attempts to send him home have never been successful. Nippers, who is described as a young-looking man, is quite the opposite. His irritation is caused by his indigestion, which causes him to be less productive in the morning and more productive in the afternoon when the indigestion wears off. However, he is never reprimanded for his behavior either. These are examples of the narrator’s lack of authority within the office. The narrator generally sees himself as a good person. He considers himself to do right by others, his employees and colleague alike. One can also see him as a religious and lawful person. He attends church each Sunday and tends to obey the law. Although he sees himself as a good person, and he is not a bad person, the way he lives his life is simply too naive. He does not take any risks and to an extent he allows his employees to do as they please. This naïve behavior becomes apparent with the introduction of the scrivener, Bartleby. Throughout the story Bartley “prefers not to” do any of his work. The narrator continues to play it safe and does not question or reprimand Bartleby’s actions. This is because he fears Bartleby will become vulnerable to the other employers. The narrator is concerned that if Bartleby is dismissed the other people who might hire him will be less forgiving of his eccentric qualities and habits. He 2005-05-31T05:59:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Awakening-In-the-Story-Bartelby-by-Herman-Melville-26802.aspx Flowers for Algernon Book Report and Summary Main Characters 1. Charlie Gordon He is a thirty two-year-old, mentally retarded adult, who is living and working in New York. His life changes dramatically when he undergoes an experiment operation tom improve his intelligence. Charlie is the protagonist as well as the narrator of the story. 2. Rose Gordon Charlie's mother who appears mainly in Charlie's flashes of memory that he has about his disturbed childhood. She initially denies he retarded state and drives him to overcome it. She rejects him completely after bearing a second normal child. She makes an appearance towards the end of the novel, as a senile and still unhappy woman. 3. Norma Gordon Charlie's younger sister. She, like the parents, appears in the scenes that Charlie remembers. At the end she appears when Charlie visits his family home. A spoiled and high-strung girl, she reflects her mother's attitude. Story from Charlie Gordon’s point of view I am a thirty seven-year-old man who has a learning disability. After many years I finally get the chance to alter my I.Q. substantially through an operation. The only drawback from this operation is the long-term outcomes. The operation does succeed, but later I will realize that I should've stayed the person I was. This operation takes me back to a life that I never wanted to go back to. So here is my story. I was a very motivated person who always put forth as much effort as I could. I struggled for independence and freedom in a world I desperately wanted to be apart of. I always said, "I'm gonna try awful hard." Even the doctor who gave me the operation, Dr. Strauss, described me as good natured, interested and eager to please. I at first don't even want to try, then I can't even remember what it means to try, and finally I don't even have the hope to try. I never had to feel ugly, unwanted, alone, and most of all, ashamed. The operation caused people to become frightened of me and separate themselves from me. I find that I don't communicate much anymore. The only reason I wanted the operation was to communicate with others on a higher level, but it did just the opposite. During my operation with Dr. Strauss a teacher by the name 2005-05-31T05:55:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Flowers-for-Algernon-Charlie-Gordon’s-Point-of-View-26801.aspx The Main Theme in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald embodies may themes, however the most salient one relates to the corruption of the American Dream. The American Dream is that each person no matter who he or she is can become successful in life by his or her own hard work. The dream also embodies the idea of a self-sufficient man, an entrepreneur making it successful for himself. The Great Gatsby is about what happened to the American dream in the 1920s, a time period when the dream had been corrupted by the avaricious pursuit of wealth. The American dream is sublime motivation for accomplishing ones goals and producing achievements, however when tainted with wealth the dream becomes devoid and hollow. When the American dream was pure, motivation and ambition were some key aspects of the pure American dream. "He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way...and distinguished nothing except a single green light"(page.26). It shows how Gatsby was striving for the his goal and trying to accomplish it. When the dream was pure, motivation and self-discipline were present. This quote talks about Gatsby's daily agenda and how in the earlier days he upheld the pure American Dream "No wasting time at Shafters, No more smoking or chewing, Read one improving book or magazine per week, Save $3.00 per week, Be better to parents" (page 181-182). Nick says "I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors' eyes-a fresh green breast of the new world"(page 189). This quote shows the pristine goals of where the possibilities were endless and one could accomplish anything through hard work. The American dream became corrupted, its main aims were wealth and power. Gatsby became corrupted because his main goal was to have Daisy. The only reason he want Daisy was that she symbolized wealth and took on the characteristics of money. "Her voice is full of money"(page127). Gatsby needed to have an enormous mansion so he could feel confident enough to try to win Daisy. " That huge place over there? Do you like it? I love it" (page95). The tainted dream was so empty that having accouterments of wealth could even incite feelings of love. "He's the man who fixed the World Series back in 1919" ( page 78). The dream became so focused on money that any means of 2005-05-28T21:23:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Main-Theme-in-The-Great-Gatsby-26797.aspx J.D. Salinger's 1945 book, Catcher in the Rye, told to us by the main character Holden Caulfield, begins the night before he leaves Pencey Prep after being kicked out for not applying himself to any subject except composition. It's at least the second school that has kicked him out and he hopes to delay facing his parents' wrath by bumming around New York City for a few days until his family expects him for Christmas vacation. He's a tall, fairly handsome, very cynical, smoking teenager who is still a virgin and has no direction in life. His apathy probably has to do with his post-WW II world as much as the death of his much-beloved, younger brother, Allie. Holden's introduction sets the pace for the next 276 pages with 26 untitled chapters. Soon you realize that Catcher in the Rye is told with many flashbacks that relate in some way to his present situation, with events leading up to his termination at Pencey and memories of his interactions with his roommate, neighbor, his kid sister, a teacher and girls. He horses around and tries to engage the first two in conversation when they ignore him or try to sleep. It isn't until he learns who Stradlater is dating that he shows some real concern. Unable to stop worrying about this girl he knows well, Jane, Holden starts an ill-conceived, physical fight with Stradlater when he returns. All bloodied, Holden doesn't even clean up or stuff his nose, but forces an invitation from his neighbor to sleep in the bed of his gone-for-the-weekend roommate. It's not until Holden waits for the train to the city that he uses snow on his face. Throughout the book he keeps thinking fondly of this girl, wanting to call her only to fall out of the mood to do so. He also criticizes all movies now as stupid and forces himself to go to one alone while waiting to meet a snobbish friend in the city. He gets very little sleep, tries to get laid by a hooker, chickens out, tries to get drunk, tries to find out what happened to the ducks in Central Park now the water's frozen over. He provides a graphic picture of the eccentricities of people in the city as well as his own. The title, Catcher in the Rye, comes from his dream of being on the edge of 2005-05-28T07:29:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Catcher-in-the-Rye-Timeless-Masterpiece-26792.aspx The whole story is based around Holden Caufield. Holden is your typical rebellious teenager: naive, defiant, pessimistic and indifferent to what goes on around him. He does not care about doing well in school, as proven by his lack of effort in school and his expulsions from other schools. Basically, Holden is about to be expelled from his current school, so he embarks on a bit of an "adventure" to New York. And that's basically the plot. The plot may be a bit superficial on the outside, but the story is lengthened by the many encounters Holden has with various people at both school and in different places in New York. This range from meeting two nuns to talking to an elevator man to a prostitute. The list is endless. These encounters are not of any significant importance, but are merely used to develop Holden's character. As time passes by, Holden becomes more depressed and more pessimistic. He also becomes more indifferent towards life, wasting money on hotels, a prostitute, a record, cabs, drinks. As a teenager, I could envisage myself in many of the encounters Holden was faced with. I am not saying that I am a rebellious kid, but I am just saying that I can imagine myself being in a one-on-one situation with a teacher telling me how bad a certain piece of homework was (Holden is faced with a situation with an old history teacher, who was saddened by Holden's 10 line history essay on the Egyptians). At one point in life, I also felt the similar negative, "I don't care" attitude I was faced with earlier in my life. However, I felt the realism of this part of teenage life is the humor of the whole story. The way Holden goes on about people, and adding the word "old" before every person's name always cracks me up. The way Holden picks up on all the negative aspects of the people he knows is something that I can only laugh at. The subtleties of Holden's life in the story is where all the humor is in this story. Throughout the story, Salinger grabs the teenage mentality perfectly. He really does capture the teenage depression mode experienced by most teenagers and the language he uses throughout the book is authentic. This is evident from some of the phrases Holden uses. Holden always uses the phrase "that killed 2005-05-28T07:27:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Plot-Summary-of-The-Catcher-in-the-Rye-26791.aspx The storyline is remarkably intriguing and is exceptionally simple. The reason for this book's success, in my 2005-05-28T07:22:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Catcher-in-the-Rye-Review-26790.aspx In J.D. Salinger's brilliant coming-of-age novel, Holden Caulfield, a seventeen year old prep school adolescent relates his lonely, life-changing twenty-four hour stay in New York City as he experiences the phoniness of the adult world while attempting to deal with the death of his younger brother, an overwhelming compulsion to lie and troubling sexual experiences. Salinger, whose characters are among the best and most developed in all of literature has captured the eternal angst of growing into adulthood in the person of Holden Caulfield. Anyone who has reached the age of sixteen will be able to identify with this unique and yet universal character, for Holden contains bits and pieces of all of us. It is for this very reason that The Catcher in the Rye has become one of the most beloved and enduring works in world literature. As always, Salinger's writing is so brilliant, his characters so real, that he need not employ artifice of any kind. This is a study of the complex problems haunting all adolescents as they mature into adulthood and Salinger wisely chooses to keep his narrative and prose straightforward and simple. This is not to say that The Catcher in the Rye is a straightforward and simple book. It is anything but. In it we are privy to Salinger's genius and originality in portraying universal problems in a unique manner. The Catcher in the Rye is a book that can be loved and understood on many different levels of comprehension and each reader who experiences it will come away with a fresh view of the world in which they live. A work of true genius, images of a catcher in the rye are abundantly apparent throughout this book. While analyzing the city raging about him, Holden's attention is captured by a child walking in the street "singing and humming." Realizing that the child is singing the familiar refrain, "If a body meet a body, comin' through the rye," Holden, himself, says that he feels "not so depressed." The title's words, however, are more than just a pretty ditty that Holden happens to like. In the stroke of pure genius that is Salinger, himself, he wisely sums up the book's theme in its title. When Holden, whose past has been traumatic, to say the least, is questioned by his younger sister, Phoebe, regarding what he would like to do when he gets older, Holden replies, "Anyway, I keep picturing all these 2005-05-28T07:20:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Catcher-in-the-Rye-Look-at-a-Universal-Problem-26789.aspx The Oppressing Face of Madness in the Mirror of Society For centuries women in life and literature were often portrayed as submissive, docile, and obedient to men. Focusing primarily on the nineteenth century, literature of the period often characterized women as victims oppressed by society, culture, as well as by the male influences in their lives. Many of the female characters suffered the effects of isolation brought on by constant oppression and subservience driving them insane and mad. The views of women in early literature were often silenced and their opinion’s disregarded by a dominant patriarchal society. One could argue that the men’s influence on society forged the distinctions between sanity and madness. This obsessive position to shape reality proved to be unhealthy and destructive but it was rarely acknowledged among the company of men. A Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) once quoted, “Too much sanity may be madness, and maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be!” (http://www.quoteworld.org.) Madness even though taboo and troublesome, seemed common in many female literary protagonists of the period. Thus far in the course we encountered the role of madness in such literary works as “The Story of an Hour,” and “The Yellow Wallpaper.” The role of madness and oppression in the works can be better examined in three aspects of: the causes of the induced madness, how each female character deals with the insanity, and how the similarities in madness link the texts to common social issues. The conclusion will show the significant roles madness and oppression played in the selected fictional stories echoing the real life torment women lived in. Speaking in an aesthetic tone, one will see that though the Yellow Wallpaper and The Story of an Hour are similar, however, tale by Gilman proves to be a better argument for portraying the role of maddens and oppression as a mirror of society of the time period. Few works in fictional literature embody the portrayal and effects of madness better than Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Readers are presented with the tale of a woman suffering from a mental illness whose problems are compounded by the imprisonment she must endure. Set in a similar time period as the already discussed works, many of the same isolation and autonomy issues reside behind the conflict of Gilman’s narrative. The story presents the madness associated 2005-05-27T07:20:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oppressing-Face-of-Madness-in-the-Mirror-of-Society-26779.aspx The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh (Similarities and Differences) Both The Odyssey and the Epic of Gilgamesh are two incredible stories written long ago everyone knows this but what a lot of people don’t is that these two epics share many of the same concepts. Such as the nostro (the Greek term for homecoming), xenis (guest/host relationship), oikos (household), and aganoriss (recognition). In both epics these themes are illustrated. In The Odyssey the theme of nostro is very prevalent in this epic. Basically the whole story is based around this concept. The main character Odysseus whole goal in the book is his homecoming. Along his journey he faces many challenges separating him from his home Ithaca and his family. The main thing that keeps Odysseus going is the thought of one day being home with his family no matter how many set backs he faces. In The Epic of Gilgamesh the theme of nostro is more or less established the only difference between the two epics is nostro is not the main focus in this one. The main character in this epic is the great and powerful king Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is not affected by the theme of homecoming until the end of the book after his best friend Enkidu is killed by the Bull of Heaven and he goes looking for eternal life. Unfortunately he is not successful in his quest and realizes he is mortal and realizes how important his family is and returns to Uruk to be with them. The next theme that is incorporated into the Odyssey is the theme xenis. This theme is also well incorporated into this epic. It seems wherever Odysseus goes he is welcomed with open arms. For example when he arrives in Scheria the home of the Phaeacians the princess Nausicaa and her handmaidens bath him and take him to the palace of king Alcinous where he is invited to a banquet. This is very important in his successes after all without the help from all these people he would not be able to make it home. The relationship between guest and host is something needed in this epic. Xenis is represented in the Epic of Gilgamesh after Enkidu battles with Gilgamesh and they become friends and he accepts him. He then stays with him and is treated like a guest. It seems in this epic xenis does not play as 2005-05-27T07:02:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Odyssey-versus-The-Epic-of-Gilgamesh-26775.aspx The Catcher in the Rye: An Innocence Lost The Catcher in the Rye is a book by J. D. Salinger and the story of a boy named Holden Caufield. He is no longer innocent, but exposed to the world. Phoebe, Holden's sister, is the opposite she is quite the innocent, never really being exposed to the world outside her protective bubble. Holden wants to protect such precious innocence only found in the children as a guardian of the innocent a catcher in the rye. The Catcher in the Rye is fundamentally a book about innocence. This book shows people of two different parties, the innocent (not tainted by the world) and the experienced (both good and evil), in their daily life and work. These innocents include Sally Hayes and Phoebe. Sally belies the world is a big party (or a social occasion), everyone likes her, and that the fun will never end. Phoebe, Holden's younger sister, is innocent just not quite as naive as Sally. It is clear that she is young and innocent, because of the odd things she does like constantly changing her middle name or paying for belching lessons, this she states towards the end of their conversation. One who is harden by and to the world would not take lessons in belching. A catcher in the rye is a defender or a guardian of the innocent. The idea and the name are purely symbolic. The meaning is as the children are running thorough the rye they do not see the cliffs ahead and the plummet they will make. When they make this "fall" they lose their child-like innocence. This fall could be related to a moral dilemma like maybe the city in the raw. Where he/she would be exposed to prostitution, drunkenness, and maybe drugs. Holden Caufield sees himself ruined and tainted by the world. He has failed out of school, drinks, and smokes. His attitude is it is too late for me. But, there is a ray of hope in his life; he feels it is his duty to save other children from the world as a catcher in the rye. He talks to people about his ideas, people like Carl Luce. Carl just blows it off. Holden truly believes his calling in life is to 2005-05-27T06:01:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Catcher-in-the-Rye-An-Innocence-Lost-26770.aspx Twelfth Night, by Shakespeare: Analysis of Fools A fool can be defined in many meanings according to the Oxford English Dictionary On Historical Principles. The word could mean "a silly person", or "one who professionally counterfeits folly for the entertainment of others, a jester, clown" or "one who has little or no reason or intellect" or "one who is made to appear to be a fool" (word originated from North Frisian). In english literature, the two main ways which the fool could enter imaginative literature is that "He could provide a topic, a theme for mediation, or he could turn into a stock character on the stage, a stylized comic figure". In William Shakespeare's comedy, Twelfth Night, Feste the clown is not the only fool who is subject to foolery. He and many other characters combine their silly acts and wits to invade other characters that "evade reality or rather realize a dream", while "our sympathies go out to those". "It is natural that the fool should be a prominent & attractive figure and make an important contribution to the action" in forming the confusion and the humor in an Elizabethan drama. In Twelfth Night, the clown and the fools are the ones who combine humor & wit to make the comedy work. Clowns, jesters, and Buffoons are usually regarded as fools. Their differences could be of how they dress, act or portrayed in society. A clown for example, "was understood to be a country bumpkin or 'cloun'". In Elizabethan usage, the word 'clown' is ambiguous "meaning both countryman and principal comedian". Another meaning given to it in the 1600 is "a fool or jester". As for a buffoon, it is defined as "a man whose profession is to make low jests and antics postures; a clown, jester, fool". The buffoon is a fool because "although he exploits his own weaknesses instead of being exploited by others....he resembles other comic fools". This is similar to the definition of a 'Jester' who is also known as a "buffoon, or a merry andrew. One maintained in a prince's court or nobleman's household". As you can see, the buffoon, jester and the clown are all depicted as fools and are related & tied to each other in some sort of way. They relatively have the same objectives in their roles but in appearance wise (clothes, physical features) they may be different. In Shakespeare's Twelfth 2005-05-27T05:27:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Twelfth-Night-Analysis-of-Fools-by-Shakespeare-26766.aspx Shakespeare's King Lear, Moral and Theme Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear is a detailed description of the consequences of one man's decisions. This fictitious man is Lear, King of England, who's decisions greatly alter his life and the lives of those around him. As Lear bears the status of King he is, as one expects, a man of great power but sinfully he surrenders all of this power to his daughters as a reward for their demonstration of love towards him. This untimely abdication of his throne results in a chain reaction of events that send him through a journey of hell. King Lear is a metaphorical description of one man's journey through hell in order to expiate his sin. As the play opens one can almost immediately see that Lear begins to make mistakes that will eventually result in his downfall. The very first words that he speaks in the play are :- "...Give me the map there. Know that we have divided In three our kingdom, and 'tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age, Conferring them on younger strengths while we Unburdened crawl to death..." (Act I, Sc i, Ln 38-41) This gives the reader the first indication of Lear's intent to abdicate his throne. He goes on further to offer pieces of his kingdom to his daughters as a form of reward to his test of love. "Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn, And here are to be answered. Tell me, my daughters (Since now we will divest us both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state), Which of you shall we say doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge." (Act I, Sc i, Ln 47-53) This is the first and most significant of the many sins that he makes in this play. By abdicating his throne to fuel his ego he is disrupts the great chain of being which states that the King must not challenge the position that God has given him. This undermining of God's authority results in chaos that tears apart Lear's world. Leaving him, in the end, with nothing. Following this Lear begins to banish those around him that genuinely care for him as at this stage he cannot see beyond the mask that the evil wear. He banishes Kent, a 2005-05-27T05:26:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-s-King-Lear,-Moral-and-Theme-26765.aspx Supernatural in Shakespeare's Plays In the time of William Shakespeare there was a strong belief in the existence of the supernatural. Thus, the supernatural is a recurring aspect in many of Mr. Shakespeare¹s plays. In two such plays, Hamlet and Macbeth, the supernatural is an integral part of the structure of the plot. It provides a catalyst for action, an insight into character, and augments the impact of many key scenes. The supernatural appears to the audience in many varied forms. In Hamlet there appears perhaps the most notable of the supernatural forms, the ghost. However, in Macbeth, not only does a ghost appear but a floating dagger, witches, and prophetic apparitions make appearances. The role of the supernatural is very important in Hamlet and Macbeth. A ghost, appearing in the form of Hamlet¹s father, makes several appearances in the play. It first appears to the watchmen, Marcellus and Bernardo, along with Horatio near the guardsmens' post. The ghost says nothing to them and is perceived with fear and apprehension, ³It harrows me with fear and wonder². It is not until the appearance of Hamlet that the ghost speaks, and only then after Horatio has expressed his fears about Hamlet following it, ³What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, or to the dreadful summit of the cliff². The conversation between the ghost and Hamlet serves as a catalyst for Hamlet¹s later actions and provides insight into Hamlet¹s character. The information the ghost reveals incites Hamlet into action against a situation he was already uncomfortable with, and now even more so. Hamlet is not quick to believe the ghost, ³The spirit that I have seen may be a devil... and perhaps out of my weakness and my melancholy..abuses me to damn me², and thus an aspect of Hamlet¹s character is revealed. Hamlet, having no suspicion of the ghost after the production by the players, encounters the ghost next in his mother¹s room. In this scene the ghost makes an appearance to ³whet² Hamlet¹s ³almost blunted purpose². Hamlet is now convinced of the ghost and he no longer harbors any suspicion. He now listens to it, ³Speak to her, Hamlet². In Hamlet, the supernatural is the guiding force behind Hamlet. The ghost ask Hamlet to seek revenge for the King¹s death and Hamlet is thus propelled to set into action a series of events that ends in Hamlet¹s death. The supernatural occurs four 2005-05-27T05:24:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Supernatural-in-Shakespeare-s-Plays-26764.aspx Machiavellian Politics in The Prince The Prince, written by Niccolo Machiavelli, is one of the first examinations of politics and science from a purely scientific and rational perspective. Machiavelli theorizes that the state is only created if the people cooperate and work to maintain it. The state is also one of man's greatest endeavors, and the state takes precedence over everything else. The state should be one's primary focus, and maintaining the sovereignty of the state one's most vital concern. The state is founded on the power of its military. Therefore, a strong military is vital to maintaining the state. Machiavelli believes that men respect power, but they will take advantage of kindness. He believes that when given the opportunity one must destroy completely, because if one does not he will certainly be destroyed. The prince should lead the military, and he has to be intelligent. An effective politician can make quick and intelligent choices about the problems that coneztly arise before him. He must also have virtue, which means he is strong, confident, talented, as well as smart. A prince cannot be uncertain, because uncertainty is a sign of weakness. Fortune controls half of human's actions, and man's will control the other half. Virtue is the best defense for fortune, and virtue must be used in order to keep fortune in check. The prince must take advantage of situations based solely on if it is best for the state. He should choose his decisions based on contemporary and historical examples. A prince cannot consider whether his acts are moral or immoral, and he instead must act in an unbiased manner for the state. Also, it does not matter how the state achieves its goals, as long as these goals are achieved. Finally, regardless of the personal morality involved, the prince should be praised if he does good for the state and berated if he hurts the state. Machiavelli's principles have widespread influence, and they are quite similar to some of Thomas Hobbes ideas in Leviathan. Machiavelli has a very low opinion of the people throughout history. In general, he feels that men are "ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceiver." "They shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well, they are yours. They would shed their blood for you … but when you are in danger they turn against you." Machiavelli basically has little respect for the people, and 2005-05-27T04:53:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Machiavellian-Politics-in-The-Prince-26753.aspx King Lear - Good vs. Evil In the King Lear play, Shakespeare creates many conditions in which humans live in the world. The main characters in the play are used to portray Shakespeare's ideas. One of these ideas which Shakespeare is trying to portray is evil between the characters and in the world which are emphasized throughout the play. The evil, created by humans, is outweighed by good in the world of King Lear. Evil was created by humans who decided to do wrong to others. Duke of Albany, said that all evil people will be justly punished (ACT V, iii, 303). Albany indicated that it is the people who caused evil and people decided to do evil, not gods. Lear believes that since Edgar is out on the heath he must have given everything to his daughters as well (ACT III, iv, 62ff). Since he believes that Edgar gave everything to evil Lear must believe that people are the cause of evil. It were Lear's daughters who decided to do wrong to Lear and it was Lear's fault in giving away all of his land. Si ughters are the humans in the play, it is the humans who caused the evil and Lear believes that humans were the ones who created evil. Edgar, is another character in the play who believes that evil is caused by humans and not the gods. Edgar said, "The gods are just, and of our peasant vices make instruments to plague us" (ACT V, iii, 169). Edgar clearly says that the gods are right and it is the people who are responsible for promoting evil in the world. It is us who make the instruments necessary for evil to spread and plague the world. In the world of King Lear many characters believe evil was caused by the people and not by the gods. Even though evil was created by humans good will always exist. After King Lear was captured he showed that even if evil exists, good will always be present. Lear speaks about love with Cordelia in the prison cell and how they will still have each other despite of the evil around them (ACT V, iii, 8). On another occasion Lear also says that despite all the evil in the world the raw nature, which is good, is still unharmed (ACT IV, iv, 90-92). Lear discovers nature's beauty by playing with the mice and 2005-05-26T09:46:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/King-Lear-Good-vs_-Evil-26737.aspx THE CHANGING ROLE IN VIOLA CESARIO in The Twelfth Night In Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", it is clearly evident that the fluctuation in attitude to the dual role and situation and tribulations imposed upon the character of Viola/Cesario ends up in a better understanding of both sexes, and thus, allows Viola to have a better understanding for Orsino. Near the opening of the play, when Viola is adopting her male identity, she creates another self, like two masks and may decide to wear one or the other while swinging between the two identities in emotion and in character. She decides to take on this identity because she has more freedom in society in her Cesario mask, which is evident when she is readily accepted by Orsino, whereas, in her female identity she would not be. Thus, a customary role in society and to the outlooks of others is portrayed. Orsino sees Cesario, as a young squire just starting out in the world, much like himself as a young, spry lad, so he has a tendency to be more willing to unload onto her with his troubles and sorrows, seeking a companion with which to share and to teach. Thus, Viola grows in her male disguise to get a better feeling for his inner self, not the self that he shows to the public, or would reveal and share with Viola in her true female self, but rather his secret self, as he believes he shares with a peer. So, she grows to love him. But, Orsino's motivation is actually not love for Viola, but rather he seems to be in love with love itself. His entire world is filled with love but he knows that there might be a turning point for him, like when he says: If music be the food of love, play on; give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die. 1. (I,I,I-III) This quote shows that he knows that he is so caught up in "love", that he hopes his appetite for love may simmer when he takes more than he can handle. 1. Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night. Longman's Canada Limited, Don Mills, Ontario, 1961. All subsequent quotes are from this edition. Near the end of the play, when all tricks and treacheries are revealed and all masks are lifted, Orsino "falls" in love with Viola. He first forgives her/him of her/his duty to him, 2005-05-26T09:40:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Changing-Role-in-Viola-Cesario-in-The-Twelfth-Night-26733.aspx Use of Contrast in Act I of The Tempest William Shakespeare used many different writing devices when he wrote his plays. In Act I of The Tempest, the use of contrasts between characters, setting, and ideas were often used to develop the story, and more importantly, the messages that Shakespeare wished to portray by the play. One good example was how some characters in the first act had their counterparts. Ariel had Caliban, and Gonzalo had Ferdinand. The relationship between Ariel and Caliban could clearly be seen throughout Act I, scene II. Ariel was the "airy spirit" that could assume different shapes, such as the lightning flames seen on the ship (Shakespeare 31), and who had quickness, lightness, grace, and total control over his actions. On the other hand, Caliban who represented the body, couldn't control his actions and thus made him the opposite of Ariel. He even tried to rape Miranda once, but was stopped by Prospero in the process. In fact, it might even be safe to say that Caliban was anti-Ariel, being slow, stupid, and lazy. Gonzalo and Ferdinand were also contrasted in this act. In Act I, scene I lines 28-33, Gonzalo made fun of the boatswain by saying that he didn't look like the type to drown, instead he resembled more of the type to be hanged. Thus implying that no one on the ship would drown. This gesture by Gonzalo showed that he was an optimistic person. On the other hand, after landing on the island in Act I, scene ii, Ferdinand grew worry of his father and immediately presumed he was dead. He even went as far as saying that he was now the new King of Naples (Shakespeare 45). Therefore, one can see that Ferdinand did not have a positive outlook and wasn't as optimistic as Gonzalo. From the contrasts between Ariel - Caliban, and Gonzalo - Ferdinand, one develops a character profile of the four and starts to recognize some ideas that Shakespeare was trying to bring about in The Tempest. Contrast between the settings was also present in Act I. The tempest in the beginning of the play caused violent winds and total confusion aboard the ship. This chaos disturbed Shakespeare's Social Order. The boatswain, not the King, was giving out orders to the 2005-05-26T09:39:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Use-of-Contrast-in-Act-I-of-The-Tempest-26732.aspx I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Questions and Essay 1. What Does Marguerite observe about the cotton pickers? She notices that their attitudes depend on the time of day. She says in the morning they are full of life and in the evening they are tired out and dismal from all the work. 2. Why do white people seem un-real to Marguerite? She said white people 's feet were too small , and their skin was see-through , and they walked on their heels , not on the balls of their feet. 3. Explain how their education in Stamps prepared Marguerite and Bailey.How is school different in St.Louis from the one they attended in Stamps? Marguerite and Bailey were prepared for school because of their education in Stamps.They learned arithmetic through working in their store and they said they read so much in Stamps because there was nothing else to do.They also said the schools were different because of their teachers .The teachers in Stamps , they said , were very formal they came imported from a Negro College in Arkansas.The teachers in St.Louis were very siddity they were very strict and had the same characteristics that whitefolk had. The walked with their knees toghether and their lips tight. 4. How does Ritie feel about Mr.Freeman's death? She said she felt guilty and had forfeited her place in heaven. She said she was pure evil,because she had lied about him in court and that this lie caused his death. 5. Why is Ritie so offended that she wants to quit working for Mrs. Cullinan? How does she get out of her job? Mrs. Cullinan calls Ritie not by her given name, Marguerite, but by the name of Mary, which annoys Ritie. She is fired after she intentionally breaks some of Mrs. Cullinan's valuable family dishes. 6. Tell what happens at Ritie's eighth grade graduation. Ritie is angered that white's only think that Negroes are only good for being athletes , maids , and other small jobs . She hates how blacks are supressed. 7. How is Miss Kirwin different from Ritie's other teachers? Ritie says Miss Kirwin was in love with information , that she really wanted to share her knowledge. She also addressed the students as "ladies and gentlemen." 8. How has Bailey changed while Ritie was gone? Ritie's relationship with Bailey is weakening . Bailey has started to hang out with other groups . He does not talk to Ritie as much as 2005-05-26T09:05:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/I-Know-Why-The-Caged-Bird-Sings-Questions-and-Essay-26719.aspx Song of Solomon, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison's lyrically written third novel begins with a captivating scene: a man on a roof threatening to "fly," a woman standing on the ground, singing and another woman entering labor. The child born of that labor is Macon "Milkman" Dead III; Song of Solomon is the story of his lifetime journey towards an understanding to his own identity and ancestry. The Deads are typical examples of Morrison's view of the patriarchal nuclear family and Milkman grows up burdened with the materialistic values of his father and the weight of a racist society. He is a spoiled and self-centered man, driven only by his immediate sensual needs; he pursues money and sexual gratification at all costs. Much of the novel centers around Milkman's quest for a lost bag of gold allegedly taken from a man who was involved in his grandfather's murder. This search for gold takes Milkman, and his friend, Guitar, a young, black militant, from Michigan to the town of Shalimar, Virginia, a town named for Milkman's grandfather, Solomon, who, according to legend, escaped slavery by literally flying back to Africa on the wind, launching himself from a cotton field and leaving behind his wife and twenty-one children. Often seen as a myth of male maturation, Song of Solomon also contains the subtext of Milkman's sister, Pilate's rite de passage. Her history embodies the process by which she acquires the very values that will sustain, not only Milkman but the entire black community. Pilate definitely introduces a quality of enchantment to the book and the circumstances of her birth make her a character of almost mythic proportion. She delivered herself at birth and was born without a navel, something that isolates her from society. Her resulting self-sufficiency and ostracization, however, are the very things that prevent her from being destroyed by the decaying values that threaten her brother's life. Milkman's belief that his quest south holds the key to his liberation is correct, however it is not the gold that saves him but something deeper, something rooted in the communal and mythical values of his ancestry. In telling the story of Milkman's quest, Morrison expertly weaves together elements of myth, magic and folklore. The significant silences and the stunning absences in Song of Solomon (and Morrison's other novels) are both profoundly political and stylistically crucial. Morrison, herself, describes her work as containing "holes and spaces 2005-05-22T05:40:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Song-of-Solomon-A-Rediscovery-Of-The-Power-Within-26710.aspx Toni Morrison's "Song of Solomon" is a masterful example of the tradition of American mythical literature as developed by the giants Hawthorne, Melville, Twain, and Faulkner. Like other Faulkner-influenced authors such as William Gass and Cormac McCarthy, Morrison combines an impressionistic writing style with a special folklore, which she accents with portentous and often eerie moments of magical realism and individualizes with an original voice of the American black experience. The subject of the novel is the morbidly named Dead family who, like Faulkner's Compsons and Bundrens, are entangled in a web of dynastic secrets that are revealed gradually throughout the story; their realm is not in the South but an unspecified city in Michigan. The father, Macon, is a landlord whose prosperity is due to his inflexibility with his tenants but whose failure as a family man is due to his strictness and cruelty to his wife Ruth and their three children. His son, who has acquired the humiliating nickname of Milkman as a result of being nursed by his mother long past the normal age, grows up to take over the family business and becomes the central character in the story. Macon has a sister named Pilate who, after years of wandering around the country as a vagrant, has finally settled in a seedy neighborhood in Macon's city with her daughter and granddaughter and makes bootleg wine for a living. Possessing several mythical attributes, Pilate is like a figure out of folk legend: Her navel disappeared at birth, she has visions of her dead father, she keeps a dead man's bones in a sack in her house and her father's only written word in a small box hanging from her earlobe, and she seems able to alter her size at will. Macon sternly warns Milkman to keep away from her, which only adds to her mystique. The plot thickens when Milkman, who has been kept under his father's wing all his life and seeks to escape, learns about some gold hidden in a cave near his father's boyhood farm in central Pennsylvania. His adventure to retrieve this treasure brings him to a fascinating woman named Circe who seems as mythical as Pilate -- not only are her name, indeterminate age, witchlike aura, and her pack of golden-eyed dogs allusions to the Homeric sorceress who turns men into swine; her appearance as a lonely and disgraced matron dwelling in 2005-05-22T05:36:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Song-of-Solomon-The-Dead-legacy-26709.aspx Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon captures the reader with its first sentence. While a beautifully written story, it is one with which the reader must be prepared to invest some time. Morrison makes her reader dig past the literal meaning to find the figurative because the novel is about much more than what the surface shows. Her prose contains layered meanings that at times can be difficult to grasp due to Morrison's intricate phrasing. Song of Solomon, written in 1977, depicts a divided African American family living in northern Michigan during the 1930's. As with many of her novels, Song of Solomon hits at heavy themes. Within the novel Morrison touches on issues including race, gender, geography, age, the importance of family origins, and the value of human life. With this novel Morrison's aim was to make the reader think about the value and worth of another person's life. The novel begins outside of a residential hospital, with a man preparing to jump off the building, and women struggling to give birth on the steps below. "The next day a colored baby was born inside Mercy for the first time" (9), this colored child is the main character Macon Dead, nicknamed Milkman. Next, the reader meets the other characters in the novel, including Milkman's mother, father, sisters, aunt, and his close friend Guitar. Milkman's relationship with each of this character is essential to shaping the novel's themes. Although the novel is centered on Milkman, his story is created by the lives of those around him. Through out the novel Milkman struggles to find meaning in his life. He says, "Everybody wants something from me, you know what I mean?...Something they think I got. I don't know what it is-I mean what it is they really want" (222). Milkman's effort to find that `something' takes him in many directions, the most important of these being a journey, in an effort to prove himself in the eyes of his friend and father, in search of stolen gold. What began as lust for money and power turns into something much more for Milkman. On this particular journey he is forced to re-evaluate his life, "They were troublesome thoughts, but they wouldn't go away...his self--the cocoon that was "personality"-gave way...so the thoughts came, unobstructed" (277). The end of this journey brings understanding, and change not only to Milkman, but to all those connected to 2005-05-22T05:34:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Song-of-Solomon-A-powerful-and-intricate-novel-26708.aspx With passion and a voice that sings with beautiful detail and magic, Toni Morrison's third novel, published in 1977, is a powerful tale that follows the lives of a black family and their friends living in a Michigan city. In 1931, Macon Dead III, later nicknamed Milkman, is prematurely brought into the world, the first black child born in Mercy Hospital, just after his mother witnesses the brief flight of a man determined to fly from the cupola of the hospital. Although the novel revolves around Milkman, the stories spun out from him embrace a wide variety of characters and experiences. Morrison explores the lasting stamp of slavery through the name of Macon Dead; the intimate culture of women through Pilate, Reba, and Hagar; the hunger for property and respectability through Milkman's father; the idea of one's "people" through those in the South who have not forgotten connections; the violence of civil rights through Guitar; and many more issues facing blacks of the times and today. Despite the resonance of history, this novel is ultimately about its people and their eagerly lived lives. Morrison plunges her readers into their hearts with a humanity and skill too few novelists possess. The result is a remarkably emotional and intelligent story that will stay with you for a long time. Readers should not be intimidated by Morrison's Nobel Prize Winner status, as this novel, like most of her others, is written in startling but accessible language. You don't need an advanced degree (or even a specific race or gender) to slip into her magical prose. Her characters are real and fully realized, and feel like friends, even when you might want to shake them to their senses. Although some readers will be puzzled by the end, wanting perhaps the next sentence that explains it all, Morrison has included by her omission the real meaning of her book. Visit with it for a few moments before closing the cover. I highly recommend this book for a wide range of readers, from high school students to adults. Even though it was written in the 1970's, its themes and characters still have relevance today. Morrison is one of the world's literary gifts, and should not be missed. THE SONG OF SOLOMON is one of her best novels. "Song of Solomon" is the third book I've read of Toni Morrison. The prose is beautiful, subtle and unique. She is the 2005-05-22T05:33:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Song-of-Solomon-Reflection-26707.aspx In the United States, the protest has always been an important tool of democracy, a way for the minority to let itself be heard. Take the Civil Rights movement. Today's race relations are better than they were fifty years ago because a relatively small group of people convinced enough of the country that racism was a disease that would kill everything that made America special. These people were following in the footsteps of an earlier generation. Long before Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, people like Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington took on racism to both heckles and cheers. Their message was simple: if the U.S. Constitution failed for one race, it would fail for everyone. ... It was scary for Ann Moody, an author and one of the leaders of the modern Civil Rights movement. Moody knew that only loud, public protests could change laws and sentiments. Others had driven that point home long before she was born. And Today, as in Moody's Coming of Age in Mississippi, about life in the rural South during the 1940s and 1950s, the creed is the same: staying quiet means suffering the consequences. Some had preferred a more timid approach. In his speech at the Atlanta Exposition of 1895, Washington, who created the Tuskegee Institute, a trade school, urged a largely white audience to embrace black people and take advantage of their menial skills. "While doing this," he told the audience, "you can be sure in the future, as in the past, that you and your families will be surrounded by the most patient, faithful, law-abiding, and unresentful people that the world has seen." But others, like Wells, a journalist during the Reconstruction, were resentful toward white people and angry at the suffering of the "young manhood of the dark race." "They have cheated him out of his ballot, deprived him of civil rights or redress in the Civil Courts thereof, robbed him of the fruits of his labor, and are still murdering, burning and lynching him," Wells writes in a pamphlet in 1892. To the lynching, she had this solution: "A Winchester rifle should have a place of honor in every black home, and it should be used for that protection which the law refuses to give." It was a violent sentiment, but Moody, more than half a century later, would have approved. She, too, faced a powerful 2005-05-22T04:39:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Coming-of-Age-in-Mississippi-Civil-Rights-Movement-26705.aspx About 8 years ago, I decided to begin reading some classics and this was one of the first I chose. Because of it, I now like to read anything I can get my hands on that involves slavery or the racial problems of these past hundred and fifty years or so. The emotion that exudes from this book was, at times, overpowering. It was awesome and I wish I had read it earlier. The author deftly draws for the reader a searing and compelling autobiographical perspective of what life was like for her in the rural deep south during the nineteen forties and fifties, when she was growing up. It also gives a birds-eye view of the civil rights movement of the early nineteen sixties. Written by Ms. Moody when she was twenty eight, it is a damning portrait of what life was like for African-Americans in the deep south. It tells of parallel lifestyles that were preordained and dependent upon whether one were black or one were white. If one were black, one was destined to a lifetime of poverty, because job opportunities were limited to bottom of the rung jobs with no opportunity for growth and which were designed by their very nature to keep one subservient. It tells of schools so substandard as to make one non-competitive in the larger world. It tells of dilapidated and ramshackle housing without indoor plumbing that was the lot of many blacks in the rural south. It describes the fear that was palpable in ones every day life, if one were black; a fear of making a white person angry, because the consequences that would follow could end up costing one dearly. It sums up the daily indignities which were a part pf growing up black in the rural south in the mid twentieth century. It is a story of frustration and anger at the inequities found in every day living. It is the story of how one young woman dealt with that system and survived to become a civil rights activist at a time when to be such was tantamount to asking for trouble of a deadly nature. Well told and deftly drawn, the author conveys a real sense of the times in which she grew up. She ably captures an era in America that should not be forgotten, if only to remind the reader that it was not that long ago that 2005-05-22T04:35:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Coming-of-Age-in-Mississippi-Reflection-26704.aspx Animalism vs. Marxism Characters, items, and events found in George Orwells book, Animal Farm, can be compared to similar characters, items, and events found in Marxism and the 1917 Russian Revolution. This comparison will be shown by using the symbolism that is in the book with similarities found in the Russian Revolution. Old Major was a prized-boar that belonged to Farmer Jones. The fact that Old Major is himself a boar was to signify that radical change and revolution are, themselves, boring in the eyes of the proletariat (represented by the other barnyard animals), who are more prone to worrying about work and survival in their everyday life. Old Major gave many speeches to the farm animals about hope and the future. He is the main animal who got the rebellion started even though he died before it actually began. Old Major's role compares to Lenin and Marx whose ideas were to lead to the communist revolution. Animal Farm is a criticism of Karl Marx, as well as a novel perpetuating his convictions of democratic Socialism. (Zwerdling, 20). Lenin became leader and teacher of the working class in Russia, and their determination to struggle against capitalism. Like Old Major, Lenin and Marx wrote essays and gave speeches to the working class poor. The working class in Russia, as compared with the barnyard animals in Animal Farm, were a laboring class of people that received low wages for their work. Like the animals in the farm yard, the people is Russia thought there would be no oppression in a new society because the working class people (or animals) would own all the riches and hold all the power. (Golubeva and Gellerstein 168). Another character represented in the book is Farmer Jones. He represents the symbol of the Czar Nicholas in Russia who treated his people like Farmer Jones treated his animals. The animal rebellion on the farm was started because Farmer Jones was a drunk who never took care of the animals and who came home one night, left the gate open and the animals rebelled. Czar Nicholas was a very weak man who treated his people similar to how Farmer Jones treated his animals. The Czar made his working class people very mad with the way he wielded his authority and preached all the time, and the people suffered and finally demanded reform by rebelling. The Czar said "The law will 2005-05-21T10:11:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-Animalism-vs_-Marxism-26702.aspx Symbolism in A Worn Path by Eudora Welty Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" is a story that emphasizes the natural symbolism of the surroundings. As the story begins, we are introduced to our main character, Phoenix Jackson; she is described as a small, old Negro woman. I believe that the name Eudora Welty gives our main character is very symbolic. The legend of the Phoenix is about a fabled sacred bird of ancient Egyptians. The bird is said to come out of Arabia every 500 years to Heliopolis, where it burned itself on the altar and rose again from its ashes, young and beautiful. Phoenix, the women in the story, represents the myth of the bird because she is described as being elderly and near the end of her life. Phoenix can hardly walk and uses a cane made of an old umbrella to aid her. Her skin is described as old and wrinkly, but yet with a golden color running beneath it "Her skin had a pattern all its own of numberless branching wrinkles and as though a whole little tree stood in the middle of her forehead, but a golden color ran underneath"(55). Her skin tone represents the golden feathers of the Phoenix and her grandson represents the next Phoenix that will be given life when she dies. The trip to the city to get the medicine represents the mythological trip that the Phoenix takes to the sun to die. Most likely this journey along a worn path through the woods, will be one of her last. We are told of Phoenix's journey into the woods on a cold December morning. Although we are know that she is traveling through woodland, the author refrains from telling us the reason for this journey. In the midst of Phoenix's travels, Eudora Welty describes the scene: "Deep, deep the road went down between the high green-colored banks. Overhead the live-oaks met, and it was as dark as a cave" (Welty 55). The gloomy darkness that the author has created to surround Phoenix in this scene is quite a contrast to the small Negro woman's positive outlook; Phoenix is a very determined person who is full of life. As Phoenix begins to walk down the dark path, a black dog approaches her from a patch of weeds near a ditch. As he comes toward her, Phoenix is startled and compelled to defend 2005-05-19T03:26:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-A-Worn-Path-by-Eudora-Welty-26676.aspx Greek Tragedy: Sophocles' Antigone The struggle between right and wrong, the demands between family and that of the government, and the ultimate struggle between divine law and those made by man is the center of Sophocles' Antigone. Through this expression of Greek drama, a sense of what life must have been like in the time of Sophocles comes across. In his world, women are subjugated and supposed to be silent spectators to the world around them as men's search for power leads to incredible acts against both human and divine law. Antigone is a woman who firmly believed in these divine laws and whose actions changed the course of Thebian history. The story of Antigone begins much sooner than the famous play makes known. It is filled with tragedy. Antigone is the daughter of the late king of Thebes, Oedipus. A seer told Oedipus' own father, at the birth of his son that the king would be slain by this only son. He would then seize the throne of Thebes. He therefore banished Oedipus in order to maintain power. Years later the omen would come true. Oedipus would seize the Thebian throne, kill the king, and take Jocasta, the late king's wife as his own. Unbeknownst to Oedipus that the man he had slain was his father and that his new wife was in fact his mother. When he learned of the truth, Oedipus blinded himself and Jocasta committed suicide. Together, Oedipus and Jocasta were to have four children. Their two sons were named Polynices and Eteocles while the two daughters were named Ismene and Antigone. In the palace, Oedipus stayed with his children. It was agreed upon that Polynices and Eteocles would govern the city of Thebes in alternate years, but when their quarrels and disobedience were too much to bear with, their father placed a curse upon them. Under the omen, Oedipus said that the siblings would destroy one another. The first year of rule fell upon Eteocles. When it seemed that he would not give up power, Polynices went to Argos and prepared an invasion with the ruler of the land. As a result of the invasion, the two brothers would be dead, each by the other's hand. Power over Thebes would then fall on the brother 2005-05-19T03:13:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Greek-Tragedy,-Sophocles-Antigone-Summary-and-Research-26669.aspx Rose For Emily "In "A Rose for Emily,” William Faulkner tells a story about a young women who is overwhelmingly influenced by her father. Her father controls her live and makes all of her decisions for her. Without him she could not do anything except stay at home. When her father dies, Emily has to confront a new life without her sponsor. Since she is not able to function without the presence of her father, it is hard for her to adapt and accept the truth. When Emily's father dies, women of the town call on her to offer their help, which is their custom when someone suffers a tragic loss. Emily denies that as she meets them in front of her house with no emotion in her face. She sends them away as she considers her father still alive instead of being death. Her father controls all over her life; therefore, she couldn't accept the death of her father. In her thought, her father still exists in her house and he is the only one source that she can support to. It's time for her to make her decision herself. She spends majority of her time in the house where she feels comfortable and where her father still exists and protects her. She decides to live herself in the house regardless of changes outside in the world. She could not escape from her father' ghost shadow. Everything changes; nevertheless, she still lives with the past. For example, when a new age of city authorities in town visit her house in order to collect taxes they feel she own; she explains that: "I have no taxes in Jefferson. Colonel Sartoris explained it to me." Yes, it is true; however, colonel Sartoris has been dead almost for ten years. There are two characters in this story described opposite to each other. They are Miss Emily and Mr. Homer. Miss Emily is described as a short, fat, aged and mysterious woman. She is very stubborn lady and very hard to change; Miss Emily refuses modern change into her desolate life; for example, she refuses to allow attaching numbers on her door and a mailbox for free mail service. All her attitude is a result of her father's over-control her when she was very young. On the other hand, Homer is " a Yankee- a big dark, ready man, with big voice and 2005-05-19T02:59:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Rose-For-Emily-Analysis--26661.aspx Life in The Color Purple, Synopsis The Color Purple is the story of a poor black woman living in the south between World War 1 and World War 2. This was at a time when, although slavery had ended,many women were still virtually in bondage, and had to put up with many conditions that was reminiscent of the days of slavery. The problem was that they had to endure being treated like an inferior being by their own families sometimes, as well as from the white people that lived there. It was a life that was filled with misery for many black women, and they felt helpless to do anything about their situations. The book focuses mainly on a woman named Celie, who has lived a hard life already when, at the age of 14 she begins writing letters to God to have someone to confide in,and tell her thoughts and secrets to. In her first letter, she says "I have always been a good girl. Maybe you can give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me." (1) Already at that age she has been taking care of her brothers and sister, and has been working very hard at trying to get something of an education. On top of this, she has been raped by her father repeatedly because, as he says, "You gonna do what your mammy wouldn't." (1) She has had two babies by him already, and he's taken both of them away right after they were born. She thinks at first he might have killed one of them, but later finds out that he sold them to a couple in town. Celie doesn't do anything about her situation, because she's used to being treated like that. She's scared, and she fears for her sister Nettie too, when her Pa starts looking at her the same way. Eventually, a man referred to as Mr. ______ comes along and wants to marry Nettie, but he's too old for her, and ends up marrying Celie. He takes a couple of months to think it over, but goes ahead and marries her because he needs someone to watch over his kids, and besides, she will bring the cow she was raising along. It's not so much he wants a relationship, he just wants someone to take care of things for him so he doesn't have to do much, and he wants something 2005-05-17T06:55:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Life-in-The-Color-Purple,-Summary-26652.aspx Prejudice in Silas Marner In the book Silas Marner, written by George Elliot, many important themes are presented. It deals with things such as greed, prejudice, superstition, love, isolation and others. All the characters have different traits and all fit in to these themes. Prejudice is the most prevalent theme, in this book. All of the people in Ravelo were extremely prejudice against outsiders. Here are three characters that were victims of prejudice. First, there's Silas Marner, an old miser. His only joy in life is to sit at home and count his money. He moved to a town called Ravelo from his hometown of Lantern Yard. He was forced to do so because the people of Lantern Yard falsely accused him of a crime. When Silas arrived in Ravelo, the people looked at him as if he was inhuman. Silas suffered from epileptic fits. Also he liked to stay indoors and count his money. The towns' people thought that these were signs that he consorted with the devil. When Silas' money was stolen one night, he went to the Rainbow, a neighborhood hang out, to report the crime. After that episode, the towns' people started to come around a little and began to talk with Silas on occasion. Dolly Winthrop was one of these people, and actually became good friends with Silas. When Eppie came along to Silas, people didn't think he would be a suitable parent. Dolly stood up for Silas and said that he would make a fine parent. Just because Silas was a little eccentric, people looked down upon him as though he was not good enough for them to be around. Then there was Molly. She was Godfrey Cass' wife. She was to be kept secret from everyone, especially Squire Cass. If he ever found out that Godfrey had been married to her all along he would disown him. Molly was addicted to opium; therefore she was not worthy enough to be married to Godfrey Cass "the good son". Molly had a daughter by Godfrey, who was also to be kept a secret. When molly overdosed on New Years Eve, the baby fell out of he arms and wandered in to Silas' house. The light drew her in. When he later found her sitting by the hearth of the fire, he decided that he would keep her and name her Eppie after his sister. Finally there's 2005-05-17T02:48:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Prejudice-in-Silas-Marner-26647.aspx Cinderella Examination As children most of our life lessons were acquired through the simplicity of fair tales. Subliminal messages taught us to always believe in true love and that good wins out over evil. Young and naïve, as children, all we desired was a good story and a nap, but the lessons we learned lasted a lifetime. Growing up my beloved fairy tale was Cinderella, not only does true love win but good wins over evil and eventually the world is set right. Once upon a time in a kingdom far away, lived a beautiful girl and her frail father. Fearing he would leave his young daughter an orphan he married a young widow, soon after he brought his bride and two daughters to live with him on his manor. Almost exactly a year later he past away in his sleep leaving his entire household behind. His young daughter Cinderella wept for three years without delay and when she wiped her tears away she found her self a sixteen year old servant in her own home. Daily life was much the same she waited on Heather and Kim, her stepsisters, and satisfied her stepmothers every whim. Mundane and downright boring, Cinderella had amazingly evolved into a beautiful and charming young woman. Being as meek as a mouse and having a voice as sweet as honey Cinderella was loved by everyone she encountered except her own family, who's envy leaked from their pores. One dazzling spring morning, Cinderella awoke to a great commotion. "The prince is having a ball, the prince is having a ball," Heather screeched and they all squealed with delight. Quietly standing in the shadows Cinderella timidly asked, " Stepmother may I go to the ball?" "Well I suppose, if you get this house immaculately clean and mind your manners until then," snapped her stepmother. Floating with anticipation, Cinderella cleaned her heart out over the next few weeks with a smile on her face. In the crystal clear of the night the stars shone so brilliantly that they looked as if they winked at anyone who dared to look. Utter chaos inside the manor house would only describe the squeals of excitement combined with dresses, combs and make-up that could be found far and wide. Deep deep in the bottom of the house was a wine cellar and in that cellar Cinderella was held prisoner. When she heard the 2005-05-17T01:53:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Effect-of-Fables-on-Children-Cinderella-26643.aspx The Old Man and the Sea compared to "Shipwrecked Sailor" In the stories, The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway and "Shipwrecked Sailor" by Gabriel Garcia Marques, there are so many similarities, like their losses and their love for the creatures of the sea, that it its eerie. Although, there are many similarities, there are also some differences, such as the main characters' love for the creatures of the sea. There are more similarities in these stories than differences, in my opinion. A difference between Santiago in The Old Man and the Sea and the sailor in "Shipwrecked Sailor" is their knowledge of the sea. Santiago is expressed well as a fecund and resourceful old fisherman of the sea. This is prodigiously expressed when Santiago, "Hooked a patch of yellow Gulf weed with the gaff as they passed and shook it so that the small shrimps that were in it fell onto the planking of the skiff" (Hemmingway p.98). This is the act of a very intellectual and experienced fisherman. Unlike Santiago, the sailor in "Shipwrecked Sailor" is rather ignorant. Although, this is excused because the man hadn't the experience at sea that Santiago had. His imbecility is shown when he, "Lay down at the side of the raft and took a few swallows of seawater" (Marques p.45). This was a rather fatuous action, because the salt dries the body and retains water. That action proves that he is not sea-worthy. So, Santiago is the more experienced seaman of the two. A similarity between The Old Man and the Sea and "Shipwrecked Sailor" was their losses. In the "Shipwrecked Sailor", "The sharks had made off with my prey" (Marques p.44). This event marked the loss of the man's food supply. It wasn't a very crucial part of the story, because the man had earlier devoured some raw meat, which had satiated him. In The Old Man and the Sea, "He did not want to look at the fish. He knew half of him had been destroyed" (Hemmingway p.144). This was a very similar method of loss, which the shipwrecked sailor had faced. This was a tragic loss and abasement to both Santiago and his pride. He was tenacious and worked so hard to obtain the fish, only to have it taken away by sharks. The old man lost the fish, even though he fought valiantly to fend off 2005-05-17T01:32:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-compared-to-quot-Shipwrecked-Sailor-26642.aspx 20000 Leagues Under The Sea The year 1866 is an important time in nautical history. It is the year that the world was first terrified by an amazing ocean going monster, the Nautilus. During that year several ships had met with this "thing," a long slender object far greater in size than any creature known to man. After numerous sightings and the pass of many months the "monster" began attacking any vessel that drew near. This alarmed all the world's nations and the United States decided that they would send out the Abraham Lincoln to defeat the "monster," and once again bring peace to all the seas. For the expedition the best men in the oceanic fields of study were invited to join the crew for the duration of the journey. Included in this group was Monsieur Aronnax of the Paris Museum and Ned Land, a world renowned harpooner. Monsieur Aronnax had written a two-volume work called Mysteries of the Ocean Depths. His work was especially well received by scientists, making him a specialist in that field. With him he brought his trusted servant of ten years, Conseil. Besides being Monsieurs loyal servant Conseil was an extremely bright classifier. He took great joy in this and was sometimes a great help to his master when identifying different creatures. Ned had an excellent shot with his harpoon, one so good that his name was known by fisherman around the world. The frigate travels from one ocean to the next for months without a sign of the wretched creature. Then on the night of November 5 the Ned spotted a bright glow emanating from just below the waters surface. Reports stated that at times the monster tended to glow, so the frigate took pursuit. For a day and two nights the Abraham Lincoln chased the monster through the waters of the northern Pacific. As the creature let the frigate draw near the Abraham Lincoln began firing its cannons at the monster but the would just bounce off what seemed to be a thick layer of armor. At last the monster began circling the frigate and suddenly began a rush at the side of the boat. The terrible crash tossed men to the decks and threw overboard Monsieur Aronnax and Ned Land. At the sight of his master plunging 2005-05-16T04:52:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/20000-Leagues-Under-The-Sea-Book-Report-26622.aspx A Streetcar Named Desire Essay In Tennessee William's masterful play, A Streetcar Named Desire, the reader meets a middle - aged woman by the name of Blanche DuBois. Blanche lives in her own faerie tale world, one of a young, beautiful debutante, surrounded by admirers, and loved by all whom she encounters. In reality, Blanche is an aging woman who cannot cope with the actualities of life. She makes up wild stories, and when Stanley Kowalski, her brother - in - law, rapes her, the realities of life cause her to drift into absolute lunacy. Blanche appears at the apartment house where her sister, Stella, lives. She brings with her a trunk of fancy clothing, and a mind of dreams she believes are reality. As Stanley unravels Blanche's story, she makes up wilder and wilder claims, hoping to place her life back into her own hands. According to Blanche's story, in her hometown of Laurel, she had lived in the Hotel Flamingo after the plantation was lost. While living there, she was surrounded by admirers, the same as she always had been. However, what Blanche really did was sleep around, pretending she had several admirers, but always winding up alone. Furthermore, Blanche claims to have an old friendship with a man who is now a millionaire, a certain Mr. Shep Huntleigh. She believes that if she needs help at any m point in time, especially monetary aid, "darling Shep" will be there to cable in some money. Shep Huntleigh represents Blanche's idea of the perfect man, a rich, debonair, suave gentleman. She sees Stanley as everything but that perfect man, cruel to her sister and even crueler to herself. Blanche constantly claims she is going to go off and see Shep, and after Mitch reveals his knowledge of the truth about her, she claims she is going to spend a month or so abroad. "I received a telegram from an old admirer of mine," she claims, "A cruise of the Caribbean on a yacht!" However, Stanley crushes her spirit almost immediately, tearing her fanciful dreams apart into ragged threads. "There isn't a goddam thing but imagination!" he screams. It is Stanley who refuses to let Blanche live in a dream world. Stanley shreds the dreams of Blanche DuBois, revealing her ugly past to her sister and her beau. He refuses to leave Blanche alone after he discovers she believes he is common. After Stanley 2005-05-16T04:45:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Streetcar-Named-Desire-Essay-26621.aspx Lord Of The Flies: Can Someone Be Innately Evil Or Innately Good? The difference in the way humans perceive things is part of the complexity of mankind. What is thought of as evil to one person can be seen as good to another, and vice versa. The issue of good and evil is brought up in William Golding's Lord of the Flies, when innocent boys are set on an island to bear the weight of society on their backs. What happens to them? How do past influences effect them? Are their actions good or evil? The actions of the boys were not a matter of being good or evil, but were actions for survival. A man's environment does not influence him towards good or evil, nor is he born with it inside. Man has instincts and inner drives that are not matters of good and evil, but of survival. Humans are always, by natural instinct, going to do what is best for them and their survival. Animals, much like men, kill when in need. For instance, when they feel they are backed into a corner, they will attack, and when they need food, they will kill to eat. In Lord of the Flies, Ralph was being hunted by Jack's tribe, and in a desperate attempt in his defense, he thrust his spear through a crack at the inspecting savages. Ralph attacked someone of his own kind for his own survival. It can be believed that man is the derivative of others animals, and as such, they have certain instincts that were instilled from birth. The boys on the island later began to resemble the behavior of animals. "At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws" (153). William Golding's description of this scene leads a reader to believe that these boys took on animal like qualities. What kind of human tears with teeth and claws? The boys mistake Simon for their beast and result in ruthlessly killing him. In their state of mind of savagery and hunting, they saw themselves in danger of this "beast" and their first instinct was to kill anything in sight that had the possibility of being it. Humans and animals have a natural instinct to protect themselves in the 2005-05-15T02:05:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-Of-The-Flies-Innately-Evil-Or-Innately-Good-26609.aspx The Myth Of Sysiphus English Report Albert Camus wrote the Myth of Sysiphus. The stories main character is Sysiphus. He lived in Ancient Greece and was the founder and king of a prosperous city called Corinth. Sysiphus was an extremely smart and clever man but did indeed possess a passionate desire to outwit the gods. Sysiphus also possessed a highly rebellious nature. During his time, he was a mortal man who had the audasity to match wits with the gods. Sysiphus was condemned to role a rock up to the top of a mountain, watch it role back down again, and then push it back up again. Sysiphus' passionate and rebellious nature combined with his desire to outwit the gods is what led to his fate of futile labor. For example, Jupiter, the god of the Sea, abducted Aegina, the daughter of Aesopus. Aesopus was naturally quite distressed by this event and went to Sysiphus to complain of this monstrosity. Sysiphus knew where Aegina had been taken. He then told Aesopus where Jupiter had taken Aegina on the Condition that that Aesopus would provide water to the city of Corinth. Sysiphus tricked death when it came and took him to the underworld he left death there in chains. Sysiphus also once wanted to test his wife's love for him. He ordered her to publicly display his body and not give him a proper burial. Once he was condemned to the underworld he complained to Pluto that he needed to return so that he could chastise his wife. After once again seeing the pleasures of this world he didn’t want to return to the underworld and for many years he did not. Once again the gods had been outwitted by Sysiphus, a mere mortal. This angered them deeply. Mercury came to seize Sysiphus and ,at once, condemned him to the underworld to carry out his Fate. Albert Camus, the author of the Myth of the cave wrote this Myth during the tumultuous Shambles of WWII. All around him he witnessed the pain and suffering people had to indure from the outcome of war. He had a bleak but courageous outlook for what one could only imagine to be a very trying time for people. Camus believed that the essence of man was irrational and life is nonessential, but one should face life with a sort of courageous humanism. Camus rather enjoyed the 2005-05-15T01:42:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Myth-Of-Sysiphus-English-Report-26600.aspx To Cross a Line is a book based on a true story about a 17 year old Jewish boy who 2005-05-14T01:04:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Cross-a-Line,-Book-Report-26594.aspx Themes in Orwell’s 1984 Psychological control is a major theme occurring in 1984 and Orwell proves this theme is possible by giving examples of how a totalitarian government could gain psychological control using their power to control history and technology. George Orwell wrote 1984 as a warning to people of what might come in the future if people were not careful. At the time Orwell was writing the book, the Cold War had not yet escalated, and many American intellectuals supported communism. Orwell demonstrated his terror of communist actions by writing 1984 and inventing Big Brother, the governing party of Oceania, who succeed at conforming everyone and eliminating people’s rights. The citizens are told that Big Brother is the leader of the nation and the head of the Party. The party’s motto is, “Those who control the past, control the future: who controls the present controls the past” (32). The party controlled the present, so the people did what they wished. Big Brother used a totalitarian government to manipulate history and technology and maintain psychological control. On of the major themes in 1984 is manipulation of history as psychological control. The party rewrote every detail of history, from a person who died, to an enemy change in their ongoing war. The Party had pieces of literature rewritten and every photo reproduced to fit their fictional stories of war success and economic advance. Even personal photographs were eliminated. Without photographs for visual reference, a persons mind becomes fuzzy, and their memory suffers. The information that is given to the citizens is usually manipulated to fit the party’s wants. Since this is the only information, the people believe what the party says. “And when memory failed and written records were falsified—when that happened, the claim of the Party to have improved the conditions of human life had got to be accepted, because there did not exist, and never again could exist, any standard against which it could be tested” (79). By having the power to control the past, the party controls the future. With the power to control the future, they manipulate the human mind and enforce beliefs to fit the party’s needs. Big Brother uses technology to monitor behavior. Telescrenes with hidden microphones are scattered throughout the city to watch the citizens every action. There were even telescrenes in every citizen’s room that ran Big Brothers picture. “It was one of those pictures 2005-05-11T17:13:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-in-1984-by-George-Orwell-26589.aspx Courage as a Theme in To Kill a Mockingbird There are many themes in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee. However, one of the most predominate is courage. This theme is shown by almost all of the characters in the novel. Atticus has strong views on courage. He shows this when he taught Jem and Scout to be brave; for instance, when he told Scout to stop fighting the people that mock her Scout had to be brave enough to ignore the harsh remarks and put herself above them. One person that Atticus admired for having real courage is Mrs. Dubose. When Jem ruined her camellias because she verbally hurt him, he made Jem go and read to her. He did this not only because it was a punishment but because he wanted Jem to learn from her. When Atticus said, "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand" This showed how much Atticus respected Mrs. Dubose for trying to overcome her addiction. He also called her "the bravest person I ever knew". Atticus wanted Jem and Scout to know that he was not courageous for being able to shoot a crazy dog dead with one shot; but he is courageous for defending Tom Robinson even though he knew he had lost before he started. He teaches them that being courageous is standing up for what you think is right no matter what others believe. Courage is also shown within the community. When there is a fire at Miss Maudie's house, the book says that, "The men of Maycomb, in all degrees of dress and undress, took furniture from Miss Maudie's house to a yard across the street". The most important part of this statement is, "in all degrees of dress and undress". This shows that the people that came to help, came straight away. If the men would have dressed first, then they would have thought about whether to help or not, but they came straight from their beds to help. Boo's most courageous act was when he saved Jem and Scout's lives when Bob Ewell attacked them. When Boo saw that "his children needed him," his courage overrode the town's prejudice and he risked his own life to save Jem and Scout's lives. He was rewarded in 2005-05-05T00:00:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Courage-as-the-Theme-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-26584.aspx In “Ballad of Birmingham,” Dudley Randall illustrates a conflict between a child who wishes to march for civil rights and a mother who wishes only to protect her child. Much of this poem is read as dialogue between a mother and a child, a style which gives it an intimate tone and provides insight to the feelings of the characters. Throughout the poem the child is eager to go into Birmingham and march for freedom with the people there. The mother, on the other hand, is very adamant that the child should not go because it is dangerous. It is obvious that the child is concerned about the events surrounding the march and wants to be part of the movement. The child expresses these feelings in a way the appears mature and cognizant of the surrounding world, expressing a desire to support the civil rights movement rather than to “go out and play.” The desire to no longer be seen as a child and have her voice heard by those being marched against and by her mother (who can also be seen as an oppressive form of authority in this poem) is expressed by the first few lines. The opinion of the child is much like that of all young people who want to fight for their freedom. The mother, however, refuses to acknowledge the child as anything but a child is a major conflict in this poem. Because she refers to her as “child” and calls her “baby,” it is clear that the mother does not take the child’s pleas seriously. The mother is certain that she knows what is best for her child and that the child’s feelings and ideas are unimportant. The way that she brushes off the child’s request with a statement of how the march is not “good for a little child” shows the mother’s inability to see her daughter’s desire to go march as anything more than a childish fancy. The mother’s attitude toward the march is an unreasonable fear for her child’s safety, a state of mind that alludes to her detachment from the events and opinions that fuel the march. When compared to that of the child, the mother’s approach to the march is that of one who is uninformed and unconcerned. The mother’s detachment and idealism lead her to believe that 2005-04-25T05:26:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Short-Analysis-of-quot-Ballad-of-Birmingham-quot-26572.aspx The Scarlet Letter: Destined to torture high school students for time immemorial “A text is not a text unless it hides from the first comer, from the first glance, the law of its composition and the rules of its game,” writes Jacques Derrida. “A text remains, moreover, forever imperceptible. . . . [It] can never be booked, in the present, into anything that could rigorously be called a perception.” At first glance, a piece of literature is bound to the time in which it is written – the peculiarities of the language of the period, as well as the sensibilities and prejudices of the author’s culture, create the text’s external impression. However, the truths that the author weaves beneath the surface of the text can transcend time; indeed, they gain meaning as the text is interpreted and reinterpreted by readers outside of the text’s original time period. Thus, though Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter is marked with the indulgently verbose language of its time, its comments on human strength, morality, and identity render it pertinent to a modern audience. As Derrida notes, this modern re-reading takes Hawthorne’s original themes and develops them in an expanded context. Just as Hawthorne adds new importance to 17th century Puritan life through his 19th century interpretation, 21st century readers can add a modern significance to the themes of Hawthorne’s novel. The Scarlet Letter deals heavily with the concept of human strength, a theme that is applicable throughout the ages. The novel’s protagonist, Hester Prynne, has an adulterous affair with Arthur Dimmesdale after her husband has been absent many years and presumed dead. Prynne’s one moment of weakness actually leads her to a life of deep personal strength. Though she is forced to carry the burden of her sin plainly on her breast, Prynne manages to work and raise a child on her own, and maintain strict moral integrity throughout the novel. She never blames Dimmesdale for abandoning her and her daughter, and even keeps her husband’s identity a secret at his request. Dimmesdale, however, proves an extraordinarily weak character, as his moment of sin leads him to self-destruction instead of self-fulfillment. While Prynne builds a new life for herself out of her sin, Dimmesdale not only shirks his duties as a father, he literally devastates himself in his guilt. Dimmesdale 2005-04-24T08:14:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Analysis-and-Why-it-is-so-Pervasive-26559.aspx A Spell of Plague Every person has gone through an assortment of obstacles in their lives. Whether the challenges were good or bad, they have ultimately shaped the person afterwards. An individual becomes an individual because of the battles and hardships they have faced and persevered. Albert Camus once said “one way of making people hang together is to give ‘em a spell of plague” (Camus 196). Authors in early American literature use hardship to forge an understanding of the character. It is important to take the reader through the experiences of the character so they understand the ultimate goal of what adversity does to a person. From the hardships of slavery, kidnapping, illness and the experiences of a new life in a new country, each of these things has created a character stronger and better through their times of destitution. While some authors attempt to show character flaws through hardship, they use the theme of hardship to forge individuality and growth within a community with the thought it will create a stronger, and better individual that shows a sense of morality. Character is formed through ones experience. The intent of most authors is to show the change of the character after they have gone through some form of adversity. In the case of Mary Rowlandson she was kidnapped by American Indians for six weeks, this experience shapes her and gives her a closer relationship to what is important to her in her life. Rowlandson in A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration gives her self a closer relationship to god. Rowlandson’s narrative is a first hand account. While she was always a Christian woman she now has forged a greater sense of community towards the Christian faith. Rowlandson shows a revelation from the beginning of her narrative to the end. In the beginning when she is first kidnapped she expresses regret of not honoring god in the way she feels she should have “The next day was the Sabbath. I then remember how careless I had been of God’s holy time […] how evilly I had walked in god’s sight […] that it was easy for me to see how righteous it was with god to cut off the thread of my life and cast me out of His presence forever. Yet the Lord still showed me mercy” (Rowlandson 139). 2005-04-24T08:10:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Early-American-Literature-and-Portrayal-of-Hardships-26557.aspx Author Eudora Welty's Success as a Writer Edward Gibbon once said in Memoirs, “My early and invincible love of reading, I would not exchange for the treasures of India.” As agreed in the passage taken from the autobiography, One Writer’s Beginnings, author Eudora Welty is introduced to myriad books as a young child, therefore arouse an enthusiasm for reading and encourages her later career as a novelist. Welty’s success as a writer is explained by her eagerness and sensitivity to literature, Mrs. Calloway’s strict domination of the library, which challenges her determination to read, and her mother’s share of passion for books that encourages her to have a personal relationship with books. At a young age, Welty’s decision to become a novelist resulted from her urge and passion of reading infinite books from a broad spectrum of sources. Her eagerness to read must be satisfied immediately, and her fear is that of “books coming to an end.” (53) The eagerness in which Welty tries to make her reading time last longer only results in her lack of self control and she finishes reading books too soon. Since Welty’s love of reading is unable to be satisfied by the limited number of “only [two] books” (41) at a time, she dedicates her life to writing, becoming a writer who can be exposed to literature more frequently and be able to create her own inspirational masterpieces. Secondly, Welty’s desires to read books from various sources, “from Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue at Camp Rest-a-While to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, stood for [her] devouring wish to read being instantly granted” (51). As a young child, Welty is so open to books that her mind becomes a complex web of fantasies that satisfies her imagination. This open-mindedness to different sources reveals that “Taste isn’t nearly so important” (52). Welty’s lack of judgment makes clear her focus on the excitement to explore an unknown world every time she opens a different book, rather than becoming addicted to a specific topic or field. In addition, Welty’s keenness to books makes her “impressionable” (36) to the images and meaning of a book. Welty’s tendency to fall into her surreal world, one created from her passion towards books, can be explained by comparing her to the story character Anne in Anne of Green Gables, to reenact a scene of Elaine’s death from Tennyson’s poem. However, 2005-04-20T05:25:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Author-Eudora-Welty-s-Success-as-a-Writer-26536.aspx Nabokov’s Pnin seen through the lens of Stonehill’s views on the self-conscious novel Nabokov’s Pnin is a novel that incorporates all of its interior and exterior ideas into its story, or in the words of Brian Stonehill is a “self-conscious novel”. Stonehill explains that the essential key that separates a “self-conscious” novel from one which is not involves four ideas: the author of the novel, the reader of the novel, the literary history behind the novel, and the “real world” relevance of the novel. Stonehill explains that in a novel which is not “self-conscious” these ideas remain exterior and are only involved from a distance. In other words: the author is “invisible”, the reader of the novel isn’t recognized within the novel itself, the literary history of the novel is simply alluded to, and the novel is very fictional based, having very little relevance to “real world” issues. Stonehill describes a “self-conscious” to involve these four ideas in quite a different way. He explains these ideas as “approaches” to literature. “Each of these approaches implies, of course, a different assumption about what a work of literature essentially is: whether it is a revealing expression of its author’s subconscious; a verbal machine constructed so as to create a specific effect upon its reader; an artifact which is, at least partially, determined by and determining a tradition; or, a representation of a political, social, sexual, racial, or economic reality” (Stonehill 4). Stonehill explains that in a “subconscious novel” these four ideas are “inside the novel itself.” He explains that the topics that might arise from these ideas such as the author’s subconscious, effects on the reader, the actual history of the literature, and “real world” issues such as politics, sociality, sexuality, race, and economy, are all discussed within the novel as opposed to being alluded to. Nabokov’s Pnin, through the lens of Stonehill’s perspectives on the “self-conscious” novel, will be the focus of this essay. When analyzing Pnin, it is important to realize that, although there are many different stories occurring within Pnin’s life that seem to take over the story, the actual story Nabokov writes is about the life and the struggle of one individual man, Pnin. The story encapsulates the adversity one individual man faces every single day of his existence. Throughout the story it may seem to some that the 2005-04-20T05:09:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nabokov’s-Pnin-seen-Stonehill’s-Views-on-Self-Conscious-26531.aspx Superstition in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller [i:bef3392f86]Grade Received:[/i:bef3392f86] B SALEM WITCH TRIALS Superstition and witchcraft resulted in many being hanged or in prison. In the seventeenth century, a belief in witches and witchcraft was almost universal. In Salem Massachusetts where the witch trials take place many people who are suspicious is accused of witchcraft and hanged. Arthur Miller wrote a play called The Crucible. It is based on the Salem witch trials. The Salem witch trials change many peoples lives and even led to death for some. The power of superstition and hearsay can distort from the truth. Four ministers of Salem joined Matther, and they spent a whole day in the house of the afflicted in fasting and prayer. The result of which was the delivery of one of the family from the power of the witch. A niece and daughter of the parish minister at Danvers were first afflicted. Their actions frightened other young people, who soon showed the same symptoms, such as loss of appetite and sickness. A belief quickly spread over Salem and throughout the state that evil spirits are being seen in Salem. Terror took possession of the minds of nearly all the people, and the dread made the affliction spread widely. "The afflicted, under the influence of the witchery, "admitted to see the forms of their tormentors with their inner vision" (Miller 1082). and would immediately accuse some individual seen with the devil. At times the afflicted and the accused became so numerous that no one was safe from suspicion and its consequences. Even those who were active in the prosecutions became objects of suspicion. Revenge often impelled persons to accuse others who were innocent and when some statement of the accused would move the court and audience in favor of the prisoner. "I saw Goody Osborn with the devil" (Miller 1060). The accuser would declare that they saw the devil standing beside the victim whispering the words in his or her ear. The absurd statement would be believed by the judges. Some, terrified and with the hope of saving their lives or avoiding the horrors of imprisonment, would falsely accuse their friends and relatives, while others moved by the same hopes, would falsely confess themselves to be witches. Many of the accusers and witnesses 2005-04-13T02:48:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Superstition-in-the-play-The-Crucible-by-Arthur-Miller-26486.aspx Book Review - Nineteen Eighty-Four By George Orwell Nineteen Eighty-Four is a compelling novel, written in the period just after W.W.II. It details the life of one man, Winston Smith, and his struggles with an undoubtedly fascist government. The book is set approximately in the year 1984, in which Winston's society is ruled by a governing force known as "The Party". At the head of this government is a fictional figure known as Big Brother, to whom all citizens must love and respect. In this society, privacy and freedom do not exist. People are constantly monitored by telescreens, and subjected to a constant barrage of propaganda. Any devious thought or action is dealt with by cruel and deadly punishment. Winston is a worker in one of the government agencies. His job: to rewrite the past so that The Party, specifically Big Brother, appears to be omnipotent. From as long as he can remember, he has despised The Party and what it stood for, although he doesn't reveal his true feelings to anyone around him. When Winston begins a torrid love affair with one of the young women in his agency named Julia, he finds someone else who shares in his beliefs. The two have several meetings throughout the book, in which they discuss their hatred for the government. They join a secret alliance called The Brotherhood, who's specific purpose is the end of The Party. Through the literature of The Brotherhood, they learn about the inner workings of The Party and how it accomplishes its stronghold on the people. The world as Winston knows it comes crashing down when he and Julia are arrested by the thought police, a faction of the government which deals with those who do not agree and abide by the ways of The Party. They are taken to a prison unlike any other. Winston is constantly tortured and beaten, until he confesses to crimes which he didn't commit or never even happened. If the party just killed Winston right away, they might run the risk of making a martyr out of him. Instead they re-educate him with the morals of The Party, using such techniques as pain, starvation, and using Winston's greatest fear against him. Once re- educated, he is introduced back into society. But he is not the same person, just a hollow shell. Winston had once said in the novel that if he could die 2005-04-13T02:47:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Book-Review-of-1984-By-George-Orwell-26485.aspx The Truth Will Come Back to Hurt You One of the biggest themes from the novel, A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles, is that denying the truth does not make it disappear. He displayed this idea in various parts of the novel. When Gene refused to believe that he was jealous of Finny and finally believed that he was, he did something very drastic. Another time was when Finny refused to believe there was a war, but changed his mind when he saw how one of his good friends was mentally scarred by it. Finny also refused to believe that his best friend could deliberately cripple him for life, but eventually he began to believe it, and ultimately, that lead to his death. In the back of his mind, Gene always knew that he was in one way or another, jealous of Finny. He wished that he could be as carefree and charismatic as Finny was, but he didn't want to admit it. He denied this so much that it made him believe that his very best friend was jealous of him. Gene convinced himself that Finny was out to sabotage his grades in school because he was not as good in school as Gene was. That assumption led Gene to do something terrible. On one night, Leper, a good friend of both the boys, decided he wanted to qualify for the Super Suicide Society. The society was something Finny made up, that he and Gene were in together. It required the boys to jump out of a gigantic tree into a flowing river. Gene was in denial so badly about his feelings for Finny that when Finny was about to jump out into the river, Gene jounced the branch Finny was standing on. He fell to the ground, broke his leg, and was crippled forever. Just because Gene denied that he was jealous of Finny, doesn't mean that he wasn't. His false denial caused him to physically hurt his friend. After Finny's leg was so badly broken, he could no longer do any physical activities. That meant that he couldn't be in the war, which was his dream. Finny decided that because he couldn't be in the war, there must really be no war. He pushed the truth so far out of his 2005-04-04T06:46:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Fate-of-a-Liar-in-A-Separate-Peace,-by-John-Knowles-26463.aspx Fahrenheit 451 In Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451, the main character, Guy Montag, lives in a futuristic utopian society where books are banned. In this strange chaotic world Bradbury created, Montag is a fireman who, instead of putting out fires, is supposed to create them. This lifeless city in which he lives , has no independent thinking at all because if the people do speak up, they risk a chance of offending someone, so as a solution, thier population burnt the entire city’s books. They all perform their jobs like good little robots; go home, watch TV, and fall asleep. There is no need for worthwhile communication, just as long as they have enough money to keep their ignorance rate up (by paying their TV bills). No one wants to know the truth; they just want to doze off into a retarded coma and make their worries completely disappear. Throughout the story, Montag meets three people; Clarisse, Beatty, and Faber. They completely alter his outlook on life; as it is now, as it was, and as it should be. Bradbury clearly explains how Montag changes after knowing these people and how he experienced that life could be better. Clarisse had an outstanding effect just because she was different, like a diamond among the coal; she showed him what it was like thinking for yourself, and not other people. Montag first meets Clarisse on a corner and they have a quite strange conversation about many random things in which one or two of them make him think. “What incredible power of identification the girl had; she was like the eager watcher of a marionette show, anticipating each flicker of an eyelid, each gesture of his hand, each flick of a finger, the moment before it began. how long had they walked together? Three minutes? Five? Yet how large that time seemed now. How immense a figure she was on the stage before him; what a shadow she threw on the wall with her slender body!” (pg. 11) Bradbury demonstrates how one speck of independent thinking in a “one-way” society can trigger someone's’ complete mental evolution. In addition, change is apparent when he is talking with her for the second time, and she previously talks about the taste of rain, “How did it start? How did you get into it? How did you pick your work and 2005-03-30T02:41:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-in-Fahrenheit-451-26461.aspx Over the centuries, many books have been written, and a large handful have been challenged or even banned by societies. Certain books have better reasons to be banned than others and while some of those reasons seem valid, many will seem unjustified to readers. John Gardner's Grendel, published in 1970, is a prime example of having valid reasons for banning a book. Grendel is a alternate viewpoint of the Anglo-Saxon poem "Beowulf", written centuries ago, whose author is not known. It tells the same exact tale, the first story of Good vs. Evil, but from the villains point of view, in this case, Grendel 's. The novel describes Grendel's viewpoint and what he thinks and considers of himself and all around him. The story begins in the spring, and ends in the spring, and between those seasons, you read of how Grendel tortures men and their kingdoms all over the country-side, killing and eating, then finally meeting Beowulf for the final showdown. All these details are explained very in depth and graphically, which is a reason some have wanted to censor the book (Gonzales). Grendel like all books have been criticized for its content, and also at the same time has been praised for its content (Grappling). When critics claim that it has much unneeded violence and graphic detail, they refer to the times Grendel terrorizing Hrothgar's kingdom, the main group of men Grendel seeks violence and death upon (Sova, 150-152). Critics also complain that Grendel's viewpoints are often nihilistic and existentialist, and they don't want kids to read such viewpoints, at least not without careful discussion within a classroom (Gonzales). Parent's often complain along with the critics, stating that the violence is senseless and overly graphic. They don't' want their children reading this, and want it out of the school curriculum (Sova. 150-152). Many of the same reasons for why the book should be banned, are some of the reasons Grendel has been praised. When critics complained of the depressing, and hateful viewpoints, supporters found them to help the book show its moral side. Supporters of Grendel often find that it is a highly moral book. Its viewpoints often share a view about the tale of Beowulf in a much different way, and extend the theme of the "Beowulf" poem's theme of "Good vs. Evil" much farther (Gonzales). The violence , and Grendel's 2005-03-29T01:43:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Censored-Works-of-Literature-,-Beowulf,-Grendel-26448.aspx Holden Caulfield: His Goals, Traits and Tendencies Holden Caulfield, the main character of The Catcher in the Rye, is hovering between adolescence and adulthood. Holden is on the edge of the cliff trying to hold on to his youth for as long as possible. He is in the middle of an identity crisis; he can only be described by his traits, goals and tendencies to change. Holden can be characterized by his traits. Throughout the novel, Holden is judgmental of everything and everyone. He criticizes and philosophizes about people who are just too typical or boring or most importantly phony. At times Holden displayed just as much phoniness, meanness or shallowness as anyone else in the story. For example, when he met Ernest Morrow's mother on the train; he told her, "Ernest is the most popular boy at Pency Prep and would have been elected class president if had let the other boys nominate him." Not only was that a lie but Holden also told her he is leaving school early because of a brain tumor operation. Holden does this because he is uncomfortable with his own weaknesses so he deters the attention to Ernest instead of himself. Holden is also phony with Sally Hayes, a girl that Holden used to hang out with. He does not like her very much because she is fake but he meets her anyway. Holden can further be characterized by his goals. Holden had two major goals in the novel. To catch children before they fall off the cliff into corruption. He also wanted to go west and get away from the world. His goal to save children from corruption is what partly drives him to near insanity. Holden chooses to not have sex with the prostitute because she is young and innocent. Holden also scratches out f*ck you in the bathroom at the school so the children would not see it and wonder what it means. Then eventually someone would tell them furthermore they would be corrupted. Throughout the novel, Holden tries to further fulfill his goal. Holden can finally be characterized by his tendency to change. By the end of the novel, Holden does not undergo a significant change from his experiences but in the end he does realize that sometimes you have to let 2005-03-29T01:39:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Holden-Caulfield-His-Goals,-Traits-and-Tendencies-26446.aspx Animal Farm as a Parody of Soviet Communism, Russia Writers often use social criticism in their books to show corruptness or weak points of a group in society. One way of doing this is allegory which is a story in which figures and actions are symbols of general truths. George Orwell is an example of an author who uses allegory to show a social criticism effectively. As in his novel Animal Farm, Orwell makes a parody of Soviet Communism as demonstrated by Animal Farm's brutal totalitarian rule, manipulated and exploited working class, and the pigs' evolution into the capitalists they initially opposed. Totalitarianism is a political regime based on subordination of the individual to the state and strict control of all aspects of life. It was used by Stalin and the Bolsheviks in Russia during the 1920's and 30's and is parodied in Animal Farm by Napoleon, the "almighty" leader, and his fellow pigs and their ridiculous propaganda and rigorous rule. In the book, Napoleon is deified and made superior to all other animals on the farm, for example he is called emperor or leader while everyone else was referred to as a "comrade", and all the pigs were given higher authority then the rest of the animals. An inequality between the pigs and rest of the farm was that the pigs lived in the farm house while the other majority had to sleep in pastures. A certain pig Squealer who could "turn black into white" was in charge of propaganda, and he would often change the commandments of the farm so that they would fit the actions of Napoleon or the "upper class" of the farm which was supposedly classless. For example, at one time a commandment read "No animal shall drink alcohol"(P. 75), but soon after Napoleon drank an abundance and almost died the commandment was changed to "No animal shall drink to excess." which made it seem as though Napoleon was within the rules. Another instance where Napoleon showed severe rule was when everyone on the farm who had either pledged for or showed support at one time for Snowball, the exiled former leader, was executed on the spot. This act was a humorous resemblance of The Great Purge in Russia where all opposition was killed off. The governing system of the Animal Farm was truly corrupt, but it did not stop with the propaganda and executions. At first 2005-03-29T01:32:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-as-a-Parody-of-Soviet-Communism,-Russia-26442.aspx Jay Gatsby Vs. Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby Jay Gatsby. Jay Gatsby's real name was James Gatz and his parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people from North Dakota. He changed his name when he was seventeen and at that exact same age he invented his new self according to a model that would make a seventeen-year-old boy proud. He worked as a clam-digger and a salmon-fisher along the south shore of Lake Superior. "He knew women early, and since they spoiled him he became contemptuous of them, of young virgins because they were ignorant, of the others because they were hysterical about things which in his overwhelming self-absorption he took for granted". But all these women weren't what you'd call "nice" girls. "His heart was in a constant and turbulent riot" and he had "the most grotesque and fantastic conceits" at night. He dreamed and fantasized and "for a while these reveries provided an outlet for his imagination; they were a satisfactory hint of the reality of unreality, a promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on a fairy's wing". Afterwards he worked as a janitor at a small Lutheran college of St. Olaf's in southern Minnesota but soon he returned to Lake Superior again. He then met Dan Cody, a millionaire who liked him because he was "quick and extravagantly ambitious". Cody bought Gatsby some new clothes and took him with him on his yacht the Tuolomee. For five years he was employed in a vague personal capacity being in turn a steward, mate, skipper, secretary and even jailor. During this time the boat went three times around the Continent. After five years however Dan Cody died. "It was indirectly due to him that Gatsby drank so little" for he had seen what happened to people who drank. He inherited 25 000 dollars from Cody but he never got the money and all he was left with was "his singularly appropriate education". And then he met Daisy who was the first "nice" girl he had ever known. At first he found her excitingly desirable with her beautiful house and her casual manner towards it as though it were the most natural thing in the world to live in such a place. "It excited him, too, that many men had already loved Daisy - it increased her value in his eyes. He felt their presence all about 2005-03-29T01:27:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jay-Gatsby-Vs_-Nick-Carraway-in-The-Great-Gatsby-26439.aspx Analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnet "Not Marble, Nore the Gilded Monuments" Shakespeare's sonnet LV entitled "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments" is a well-crafted poem. In the first line Shakespeare uses a word, namely gilded, that can mean more than one thing. I also found this word of interest because I had never heard of it. In the Merriam-Webster dictionary to gild can have six different meanings; (1) to overlay with or as if with a thin covering of gold; (2) to give money; (3) to give an attractive but often deceptive appearance to; (4) to make bloody; (5) to add unnecessary ornamentation to something beautiful in its own right; and (6) to make superfluous additions to what is already complete. The word is Middle English; from the Old English word gyldan alike to the Old English gold. The Middle English use of this word is dated in the 14th century, this makes since because Shakespeare was born in 1564, thus placing the origination of gild before his use of it in Sonnet LV. Shakespeare also uses gild in two of his plays, "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily" from Shakespeare's King John, and "Gilded tombs do worms enfold" from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. The use of gild in this two plays hint to me that he purposely uses gild to mean different things. To overlay with gold is the most straightforward definition of gild. Shakespeare is telling the person for whom his is writing that with this poem his memories of that person will outlive the monuments of today. He is proclaiming that the pyramids overlaid with gold, the palatial tombs left to princes and royalty is nothing to the memorial of words he has left his love. The work of the mason and of the statute maker will perish under war brought by tyrants, greed, and sin. But his words will not come undone by any man or godly power to the end of time as he states in line 7, "Nor Mars his sword nor war's quick fire shall burn the living record of your memory". His rime or rhyme will survive world without end. What is money or death when you're making tributes? The second and the fourth definition of gild, to give money and to make bloody, respectively, speak to how physical commemorations were 2005-03-29T01:23:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Shakespeare-s-Sonnet-Not-Marble,-Nore-the-Gilded-Monuments-26437.aspx The Lord of the Flies: [i:b28b042add]What if Girls Were on the Island?[/i:b28b042add] Lord of the Flies, is well-known as the story of a group of boys that are stranded on an island to fend for themselves during a world war. What if Lord of the Flies was about a group of young girls instead? The story would still be interesting, but things would definitely be different. If the island had been inhabited by a group of girls not a group of boys, everything would have been done differently, the would stay as a group and they would have no war. If girls had landed on the island, they would have done things differently from the start. The girls would have been more mature and taken the whole situation more seriously. When Ralph realized they were alone, he stripped, went swimming and did cartwheels. Also, when he blew the conch it was a game to him, not something to call all the boys with. If girls were on the island they definitely would not have gone skinny dipping or do cartwheels. They would have organized a meeting quicker and starting brainstorming rescue, shelter and survival ideas. Everyone's name would have been taken down and each girl would be checked in, like attendance, at each meeting. The shelters would start to go up as the boy's shelters did, but because it would be with the help of all the girls, the shelters would be up quicker and they would be more sturdy and safe. The fire, same as the boy's fire, would have been lit right away. Unlike the boy's fire, the girl's fire would be watched at all times and not let out. The fire would be a top priority to all the girls, and wouldn't get put under something else, like hunting. Another thing that would be different if girls were on the island, the girls would probably stay together as a group. They probably would not go hunting for pigs, so that would keep them from separating into a hunting group and a non-hunting group. If two girls had an argument it would be likely that it would be talked out and resolved, to avoid separation into small groups. That way a fight would not be one to separate them. Unlike the girls, when Jack and 2005-03-29T01:16:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Lord-of-the-Flies-What-if-Girls-Were-on-the-Island-26432.aspx Huckleberry's Education The book Huckleberry Finn can be interpreted in many different ways. Even though in the beginning of the book it says not to over analyze the story, people still do, all the time. Huck Finn escapes school, along with other things, to run away from the society that he was living in. He did learn some useful things in school, that came in handy in his journey. Learning to read and write helped him a lot throughout the story. Over all though, Huck has gotten a better real life education on the river with Jim and the many people that he had met, than he could have in school. Huck is not the kind of person who needs to be very well educated to do well in life. So long as he can understand how to work with people, which is the very thing that he learned the most in his trip, he will be all right with out a formal education. In the very beginning of his journey, his "street" smarts are obvious. Knowing things like why they were searching for his dead body with bread, for example is something that he would not have learned in school. There is little question as to whether or not he could survive on his own. He would have been able to with out much problem. But what makes it obvious that he does not need a formal education is the fact that throughout the book he learns things that he uses in life. "Well at last I pulled out some of my hair, and bloodied the ax good, and stuck it on the back side, and slung the ax in the corner. Then I took up the pig and held him to my breast with my jacket (so he couldn't drip) till I got a good piece below the house and then dumped him into the river...". This quote is from fairly early on in the story when Huck is escaping from his father. His dad was an alcoholic who frequently beat Huck and treated him more as property than as a son. He had taken Huckleberry to live with him in a little cabin, and locked him in. In order to properly escape from his dad Huck had to trick him, and the 2005-03-29T01:02:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Huckleberry-s-Education--26429.aspx Women and Patriarchal Society in Shakespeare The domination of women through patriarchal expectations is common throughout Shakespeare’s works. An examination of Ophelia, Hero, and Desdemona portrays their victimization through male centered forms of power. These patriarchal power structures classify women as walking wombs who must remain virtuous until marriage. The pressure from these expectations leaves women weak and vulnerable. As long as they appear subservient to men, they are considered good. However, the more women try to represent modesty, chastity, and loyalty, the more they are victimized. Male domination causes the women to remain childlike rather than attain maturity. Because of the passive ideals placed on women, they become unable to act and think for themselves and cannot fully understand intimacy. As Dusinberre believes, ‘The struggle for women is to be human in a world which declares them only female.’1 Through Shakespeare’s depiction, woman are confined and deprived into submissive obedience. Most people believe Hamlet’s Ophelia to be ‘the most static and one-dimensional’ character.2 She has been labeled as innocent, defenseless and helpless due to her dominating father and brother. Dreher states, ‘She has been alternately pitied and condemned,’3 others have classified her, ‘a helpless victim,’4 who ‘must seek to hear her own voice,’5 and who ‘obeys the commands of her brother and father.’6 Although these critiques are based on the text, a feminist’s glance shows that Ophelia is more than what superficial analysis allows her to be. ‘Traditional readings’portrayed her as a simple, pretty girl of flowers whose mad scenes were artfully sung and danced.’7 These representations ignore the pain beneath Ophelia’s innocent shell. The tragic events of her life should be given more attention and consideration. Instead of attempting to understand her motive, readers create a repressive role for her, which parallels her experience with her father. For instance, Ophelia expresses her love for Hamlet only to have it suppressed by her father. She states: My lord, he hath importuned me with love / In honorable fashion / ‘And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, / With almost all the holy vows of heaven. (I.iii.109-13) In return, Polonius commands: Do not believe his vows, for they are brokers, / ‘I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth / Have you so slander any moment of leisure with the Lord Hamlet. / Look to’t, I charge you. (I.iii.126-34) Due to her father’s harsh words, Ophelia 2005-03-29T01:01:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Women-and-Patriarchal-Society-in-Shakespeare-26428.aspx During the Victorian Era, what was expected from society differed greatly from what society expects today. During those times if one did not fit into what was expected, they were cast out of society, forever trapped in a world of alienation. Alienation can be accurately defined by Webster's Dictionary as an inclination of temperament or outlook. In other words it is a highly personal and unreasoned distortion of judgment. In most people's minds, alienation is looked upon with a negative aspect. In the case of John Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman, alienation is what the author's protagonist, Sarah Woodruff, comes to loathe. While she is an outstanding and compassionate woman, she is unfairly judged by her peers, and falsely accused of being a whore. This conclusion not only causes her a substantial amount of emotional distress but it also casts an even larger shadow of doubt as to whether or not her French lieutenant will ever return for her. Fowles' story confronts the issues of alienation and connectivity between people as a means to demonstrate how people adapt to uncomfortable situations. Sarah is a representation of a lost soul who is forever seeking for that one who may give her the sense of feeling like a part of society, rather than the lonesome individual she is shown to be. Sarah's life is considerably lacking of any social connectivity, which clearly establishes a pattern of alienation. Sarah does not wish to move up the social ladder by attending various social events, for she is aware of the fact that she is seen as a chaste woman among the townspeople. After she sleeps with a man she does not love, she becomes overwhelmed with the sense of guilt. At times Sarah feels " . . . as if I threw myself off a precipice or plunged a knife into my heart. It was a kind of suicide" (142). It is perceived that the only manner in which Sarah can connect with another person is to do so through her imagination, because only a few besides Charles is willing to be in her presence. Whether in reality or from within her mind, Sarah is a lonely and terribly misunderstood woman who is in dire need of love and compassion in her life. At the same time in which Sarah addresses her alienation through 2005-03-27T11:02:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-French-Lieutenant-26421.aspx Literary Analysis: The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway’s novella, “The Old Man and the Sea” has one of the most simplistic plot structures of the literary world. But does this fact eliminate its eligibility as a piece of good literature? Quite the contrary, this novella is one of the most respected literary pieces ever written. This novel is written in a simple style which has a straightforward plot, very distinct descriptions, and few but delineated characters. This style actually enhances the reader’s understanding of the story in terms of the setting, characterization, and parts of plot structure. A good example of how this style of writing can benefit the reader is the limited setting of the piece. A limited setting is a setting that does not jump variably within the piece. The whole plot of the story is fixed upon one specific place. In this case, it is Santiago, the main character, who the setting revolves around. In the whole story, every scene contains Santiago in a physical state. For example, on the first day, the storyline follows Santiago around the village. In this section of the story, we see Santiago conversing with the boy, and then we follow him to his home, where Hemingway leads us into Santiago’s dreams. This novel should be a tour through Santiago led by Hemingway. Throughout the rest of the book, we follow Santiago in his journey, and only he is involved. After the first day, throughout the voyage, it is Santiago’s thoughts and feelings that are emphasized. On the final day after his voyage, again we are led through all of Santiago’s actions. The limited setting is an important part of this simplistic Hemingway style as it eliminates unnecessary confusion in the reader’s mind. With this limited setting, Hemingway produces more ways to simplify this novel. The delineate characterization in this novel creates well defined and well described characters. Good characterization is an aspect of a simple piece that can be easily derived from a limited setting. Since the plot focuses among one character only, Hemingway has many great opportunities to define the character in specific details through thought, and actions. For example, “If the others heard me talking out loud, they would think I am crazy. Since I am not crazy, I do not 2005-03-27T10:41:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Analysis-The-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-26415.aspx Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front, a novel set in World War I, centers around the changes wrought by the war on one young German soldier. During his time in the war, Remarque's protagonist, Paul Baumer, changes from a rather innocent Romantic to a hardened and somewhat caustic veteran. More importantly, during the course of this metamorphosis, Baumer disaffiliates himself from those societal icons-parents, elders, school, religion-that had been the foundation of his pre-enlistment days. This rejection comes about as a result of Baumer's realization that the pre-enlistment society simply does not underezd the reality of the Great War. His new society, then, becomes the Company, his fellow trench soldiers, because that is a group which does understand the truth as Baumer has experienced it. Remarque demonstrates Baumer's disaffiliation from the traditional by emphasizing the language of Baumer's pre- and post-enlistment societies. Baumer either can not, or chooses not to, communicate truthfully with those representatives of his pre-enlistment and innocent days. Further, he is repulsed by the banal and meaningless language that is used by members of that society. As he becomes alienated from his former, traditional, society, Baumer simultaneously is able to communicate effectively only with his military comrades. Since the novel is told from the first person point of view, the reader can see how the words Baumer speaks are at variance with his true feelings. In his preface to the novel, Remarque maintains that "a generation of men ... were destroyed by the war" (Remarque, All Quiet Preface). Indeed, in All Quiet on the Western Front, the meaning of language itself is, to a great extent, destroyed. Early in the novel, Baumer notes how his elders had been facile with words prior to his enlistment. Specifically, teachers and parents had used words, passionately at times, to persuade him and other young men to enlist in the war effort. After relating the tale of a teacher who exhorted his students to enlist, Baumer states that "teachers always carry their feelings ready in their waistcoat pockets, and trot them out by the hour" (Remarque, All Quiet I. 15). Baumer admits that he, and others, were fooled by this rhetorical trickery. Parents, too, were not averse to using words to shame their sons into enlisting. "At that time even one's parents were ready with the word 'coward'" (Remarque, All Quiet I. 15). Remembering those days, Baumer asserts that, as 2005-03-27T10:33:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/World-War-I-as-Portrayed-in-All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-26410.aspx Witch Trials in The Crucible, a Play by Arthur MIller The witch trials in Salem, 2005-03-27T10:28:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Witch-Trials-in-The-Crucible,-a-Play-by-Arthur-MIller-26408.aspx The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a American Literature classic. The story of Hester Prynne's adulterous affair with Mr. Dimmesdale, and the twisted tale that follows, however entertaining and is the bulk of written work, is not the main theme of the book. The Scarlet Letter is a novel based upon the unjust mindset of hypocritical Puritans, as they governed Boston with a fundamentalist regime, possessed an eagerness to exact sadistic punishment on it's rule breakers. The adultery is just an instrument used to educate subsequent generations of the once masochistic settlers that have seeded the population of America. In the beginning of the novel, all of the residents from the Colony of Boston are gathered and compacted together in the Town Square. This mob of sad-colored and gray dressed people are congregating to witness the public ridicule and sentencing of a young lady named Hester Prynne, who has been found guilty of adultery. The majority of women present, being thick and unattractive; "...The man-like Elizabeth had been the not altogether a suitable representative of the sex. They were her country woman; and the beef and ale of their native land, with a moral diet and not a whit refined, entered largely into their composition. The bright morning sun, therefore, shone on broad shoulders and well developed busts, and on round ruddy cheeks" (pg. 48), have a jealousy of Hester's beauty. To compensate for their self-dignity, the women begin to envisage various significantly more painful punishments; "At the very least they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead.... "What do we talk of marks and brands, whether on the bodice of her gown, or the flesh of her forehead?" cried another female, the ugliest of these self constituted judges. "This woman has brought shame upon us all and ought to die. Is there not a law for it? Truly, there is, both in Scripture and Statebook." (pg. 48). However much the woman scold Hester for breaking a commandment, these women have broken one also, and one more serious then adultery: Thou shalt not use the Lord's name in vain. They are using Scriptures as an excuse to attempt to put a woman to death for their own self satisfaction. 2005-03-27T10:26:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-and-the-Fundamentalist-System-of-the-Time-26407.aspx The Crucible The Crucible written by Arthur Miller is a play that takes place in the sixteen nineties during the famous but tragic witch trails. The entire community is in pandemonium yet certain characters are also fighting internal conflicts of their own. Miller uses three characters that manifest this internal battle ever so clearly. Such as Mary Warren whose whole personality turns upside down, John Proctor who contemplates between the importance of his family and his own name, and Reverend Hale who battles with himself, weather to carry out his job requirements or to do what he knows is right. Mary Warren is a girl who is forced with this inner turmoil throughout this play. At the outset of the play she is perceived to be a very shy girl who will never speak her mind, as shown when Proctor sends her home and she responds with "I'm just going home" (21). As the play continues and as she is influenced by Abigail, Mary begins to break this self induced mold and does what she wants. Mary Warren, along with many other girls gets caught up in a hype of getting all the attention and exercising power via initiating adamantly continuing these "witch trails". Finally John Proctor, the rationalist, shows that when people like Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor who are the saintliest of people are accused of being witches, something must be wrong. Mary Warren has a difficult decision to make. She has realized that her whole way of life has been based on injustice. However, how can she extricate herself from Abigail and her friends, not to mention her new feelings of confidence? Mary decides to speak out against Abigail and the others for their false accusations and said that she "tried to kill me numerous times" (57). Yet as she does this heroic act of overcoming her old reality, Abigail pretends that Mary is also a witch using the poppets against her (73). Mary is now faced with yet another grueling internal conflict: to do what she knows as right and probably die for it, or to return her old ways. Mary succumbs to Abigail's "hypnosis" and accuses john Proctor of forcing her to lie. Clearly the battle which Mary faced from the very beginning was enormous. John Proctor, a farmer and village commoner similarly is faced with an inner turmoil. He has committed adultery and had absolutely no intentions 2005-03-27T07:05:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible,-by-Arthur-Miller-26402.aspx All Quiet on the Western Front Short Summary: Paul Bäumer, the narrator, and his fellow German soldiers of the Second Company recuperate behind the front in World War I. The last day of fighting thinned their ranks from 150 men to 80. Paul describes three 19-year-old boys from his class who also volunteered for the war: Albert Kropp, the "clearest thinker" among them; Müller, a physics-inclined academic; and Leer, sexually mature. Their friends include Tjaden, a 19-year-old locksmith; Haie Westhus, a large peat-digger, also 19; Detering, a married peasant; and Stanislaus Katczinsky ("Kat"), their wise 40-year-old leader. The boys discuss Kantorek, their former schoolmaster, who used to bully his pupils into volunteering for the war. The boys feel betrayed by Kantorek and their other elders. The boys visit Kemmerich, a wounded soldier. Paul and the others see that Kemmerich, who is unaware that his leg has been amputated, will die here. The boys all want Kemmerich's expensive boots. Paul describes how the twenty boys from his class patriotically enlisted in the war. In training, the disciplinarian Corporal Himmelstoss immediately disliked and punished Paul and some of his friends, recognizing some defiance in them. Paul sits with Kemmerich, who tells Paul to give Müller his boots. He dies, and Paul runs home and gives Müller the boots. Twenty-five younger men arrive as reinforcements. Paul believes Kat is the most resourceful soldier he knows, always able to scrounge up food. The men learn Himmelstoss is coming up to the front. Tjaden especially hates the Corporal because of his cruel punishment for Tjaden's bed-wetting problem. For vengeance, Paul and his friends ambushed and beat Himmelstoss before they left for the front. The soldiers are sent to put up barbed wire at the front. At night, during an artillery bombardment, the soldier dive for cover. The men set up the wire. Soon the artillery attacks them. Several men are hit, as well as horses. The shells tear up the graveyard they are in, uprooting coffins. Gas shells are deployed, and the men scramble to put on their masks. After another bombardment, more men die and are wounded. Still, the losses are fewer than expected, and the soldiers climb into the trucks and ride home. The men are preoccupied with the arrival of Himmelstoss, who was removed from his training post for his barbaric tactics and forced to go to the front. Himmelstoss shows up, and soon 2005-03-21T00:48:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-Summary-26386.aspx The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence is a heart-warming story of a ninety year old woman who is nearing death and who has very little to look back on with pride. Her life had been ruled by her concern of outward appearances and manners. Although she often felt love and happiness, she refused to show it fearing it may be viewed by others as a weakness. Hagar inherited this strong pride from her father, Jason Currie, along with other poor qualities. Throughout her life, Hagar is desperately trying to escape. First, she tries to escape from her family, mostly her father, but in so doing she also cuts herself off from her brother, Matt. She also ends up leaving her husband, Brampton. Secondly, Hagar tries to escape from her own poor qualities to which she is captive; attempting to fill the emptiness within her. Finally and futilely, she tries to escape death. All of these attempts fail dismally. Throughout the narration of the novel many images are put forth repetitiously to aid the development of Hagar's character and the main themes. The Stone Angel is a very effective story due largely to the biblical, water, and flower imagery. The biblical imagery is very strong and can be found numerous times throughout the novel. The name of the main character, Hagar, is also the name of a hand maid in a biblical story. Many parallels are made between Margaret Laurence's Hagar and the biblical Hagar. The Hagar in the bible was to conceive a son with the husband of her owner, Sarah, who, herself, was unable to conceive. Hagar did bear a son but Sarah became very jealous of Hagar and had her thrown out into the wilderness. Hagar's son was born and they both returned to the place where Sarah and her husband, Abraham (Laurence's husband to Hagar was named Brampton to echo Abraham), lived. Hagar and her son were cast into the wilderness once again when Sarah bore a son of her own and Hagar's son, Ishmael, mocked Sarah's child. Nearing death, Hagar and her son were saved by God who provided them with a well of water. The Hagar in The Stone Angel is very similar to the Hagar in the bible. Laurence's Hagar became a housekeeper to Bram after she married him, which is ironic for a woman with her qualities. Hagar realizes this and sees herself as 2005-03-19T23:02:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Imagery-in-The-Stone-Angel,-by-Margaret-Laurence-26382.aspx Oedipus Rex is a tragic play by Sophocles. The play is about a man who is doomed to the fate that was predicted by the Oracle at Delphi before his birth. Oedipus learns of his fate and immediately tries to prevent it, as did his mother and father. The actions Oedipus, Jocasta, and Laios took actually fulfilled the prophecy the Oracle told them. This paper will examine the role of fate in this play and whether or not it is as uncontrollable as Sophocles makes it out to be. The king and queen of Thebes had a son named Oedipus. Upon the arrival of their son the king, Laios, and the queen, Jocasta, went to see the Oracle at Delphi who foretold the fate of Laios, Jocasta, and baby Oedipus. The Oracle told Laios and Jocasta that their son was fated to kill his father and marry his mother. This, of course, struck fear into the heart of the young rulers. The couple made a decision to leave the baby on a mountainside with his legs, or feet bound so that he would die of exposure. This move increases the chances of having the prophecy fulfilled because they can no longer keep an eye on him, but the parents are oblivious to this fact because they believe he will die. The problem with that plan is that the shepherd that was supposed to leave him actually took him to his home city to be raised by King Polybos and Queen Merope. Oedipus grew up never knowing he wasn’t the son of Polybos. He heard someone say that he wasn’t his father’s son one day and that bothered him greatly. He decided to take a trip to Delphi to see if he could learn of his true origins. The Oracle told him what his fate was, but wouldn’t answer the question of his true parents. Believing that his fate involved killing Polybos and marrying Merope, he left the city vowing not to return until his father was dead. This is where Oedipus seals his fate, essentially. If he didn’t believe in the power of the Oracle, or believed the man that said he wasn’t his father’s son, then he might have stayed with his adoptive parents and lived a happier life. Oedipus tried to avoid his fate, but instead, he makes it more possible for the prophecy to be fulfilled. You 2005-03-19T21:22:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Role-of-Fate-in-Oedipus-Rex-26375.aspx “When he wielded a sword, no matter how blooded and hard-edged the blade his hand was too strong, the stroke he dealt (I have learned) would ruin it. He could reap no advantage” (Heaney 181). The epic poem Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney tells the story of a hero named Beowulf, who rids the Danes of many monsters. This Anglo-Saxon story has become one of the most important Old English pieces. Throughout the epic, the Anglo-Saxon story teller uses many elements to build a certain depth to the characters. One of the many themes of the story is Biblical against Paganistic. Throughout history, this book has been translated many times, however, the themes of the book have for the most part stayed the same. Through time the rewriting and touching up by various sources causes the characters to portray more Christian characteristics. Seamus Heaney uses both Biblical and Paganistic views throughout the story to describe certain things. Grendel is Biblically and Paganistically described in this excerpt: So times were pleasant for the people there until finally one, a fiend out of hell, began to work his evil in the world. Grendel was the name of this grim demon haunting the marches, marauding round the heath and the desolate fens; he had dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters, Cain’s clan whom the Creator had outlawed And condemned as outcasts. For the killing of Abel The Eternal Lord had exacted a price:…(Heaney 9) The Biblical reference in the epic serves to give the reader an idea of the extent of Grendel’s evil declared to him because of the past. The Paganistic views are used to help the reader by trying to give a logical explanation for Grendel’s murderous behavior. This type of writing is exhibited well within the whole book. In this the epic poem there are many characters introduced. There are three dynasties from which of the characters come from: the Danes, the Geats, and the Swedes. Although many characters and creatures are introduced there are a couple that have a more important role in the story line. Hrothgar, king of the Danes, resembles as a compassionate leader. “The fortunes of war favoured Hrothgar. Friends and Kinsmen flocked to his ranks, young followers, a force that grew to be a mighty army” (Heaney 7). Through this example of leadership he proves the extent to his wealth and status. He sent men to build “a great mead-hall meant to be 2005-03-19T21:18:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Thoughts-on-an-Excerpt-from-Beowulf-26374.aspx Streetcar Questions 1. Streetcar opened in 1947, New York. Tennessee Williams was the playwright who grew up in Mississippi and later lived in New York. 2. The play was set in New Orleans in 1947. The season of which the play is set in is (May) spring and the story ends in (October) fall. Stanley and Stella lived in the less fortunate section of New Orleans. 3. Stanley throws a big hunk of wrapped meat at Stella in the 1st scene. Williams chose that object to symbolize that was the boss in that particular household. It tells us that Stanley is the more controlling one in the relationship and that their relationship is not a mutual agreement situation. It’s more like whatever Stanley says goes. 4. Eunice is Stella\'s friend, upstairs neighbor, and landlady. 5. Stella is about 25 years old, Stanley is around 30 years of age. Blanche is also around 30 years old. Blanches horoscope sign is Virgo and Stanley’s was Capricorn. 6. Belle Reve, (Blanche & Stella’s) their ancestral home, which Blanche lost following the death of all their remaining relatives. Belle Reve was lost due to a foreclosed mortgage. 7. Blanche comes to Stella’s house because she had nowhere else to stay and she was broke because Blanche had been basically kicked out of the town for her past. 8. Stella takes blanche out to dinner to show that the girls can have fun just as much as Stanley and the boys can. 9. The Napoleonic code means whatever belongs to the wife belongs to the husband and vice versa. Stanley wanted to know what happened to Belle Reve because Stella owned part of it meaning that Stanley was also part owner due to the Napoleonic code. 10. Stanley implies that Blanche is lying and is just trying to swoon Stella and himself out of money. 11. Inside the packet of letters were love letters from Blanches young husband who killed himself. 12. The street vendor was saying “Red-hot’s”, which was meant towards Stanley and Blanches flirting that is going on. 13. Mitch has to go home to take care of his sick mother. 14. On the cigarette case, it says “And if god chose, I shall but love thee better-after-death!” It tells us that both Blanche and Mitch have something in common between the loses of their loved ones. 15. She asks Mitch to put a Chinese lantern she has bought over the naked bulb. She 2005-03-19T21:05:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Streetcar-Named-Desire-Play-Questions-26372.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely an excellent novel and it portrays life and the role of racism back in the 1930’s. A reader may not interpret several aspects in and of the book through just the plain text. Boo Radley, Atticus, and the title represent three such things. In this essay, one will be introduced to the similarities and differences of Boo Radley and Atticus Finch. Not really disclosed to the reader until the end of the book, Arthur "Boo" Radley plays an important role in the development of both Scout and Jem. In the beginning of the story, Jem, Scout, and Dill fabricate horror stories about Boo. They find Boo as a character of their amusement, and one who has no feelings whatsoever. They tried to get a peep at him, just to see what Boo looked like. Scout connects Boo with the Mockingbird. Mrs. Maudie defines a mockingbird as one who "…don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us" (94). Boo is exactly that. Boo is the person who put a blanket around Scout and Jem when it was cold. Boo was the one putting "gifts" in the tree. Boo even sewed up Jem’s pants that tore on Dill’s last night. Boo was the one who saved their lives. On the contrary to Scout’s primary belief, Boo never harms anyone. Scout also realizes that she wrongfully treated Boo when she thinks about the gifts in the tree. She never gave anything back to Boo, except love at the end. When Scout escorts Arthur home and stands on his front porch, she sees the same street she saw, just from an entirely different perspective. Scout learns what a Mockingbird is, and who represents one. Arthur Radley not only plays an important role in developing Scout and Jem, but helps in developing the novel. Boo can be divided into three stages. Primitively, Boo is Scout’s worst nightmare. However, the author hints at Boo actually existing as a nice person when he places things in the tree. The secondary stage is when Mrs. Maudie’s house burned to the ground. As Scout and Jem were 2005-03-19T03:11:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Atticus-and-Boo-Radley-Analysis-26371.aspx “So it was the hand that started it all … His hands had been infected, and soon it would be his arms … His hands were ravenous.” Montag had just stolen a book. It was something that he believed had to be done in order to change the world and make it better. His idea had started in his head and then went to his heart. This is what caused his hand to grab the book without him telling it to. Montag, Faber, Granger, and Peekay have affected their society in many ways. They took something that they strongly believed in, or something they felt should be changed, and went after it until they had succeeded greatly and had gotten what they wanted out of it. “Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me it means texture. This book has pores.” Faber says this to Montag towards the beginning of part two in the book Fahrenheit 451. He was trying to explain to Montag that it was not books he was looking for; it was the meaning they hold. The society in the book Fahrenheit 451 is very messed up. They are not allowed to think freely. They never have the chance to. An example of this is when Montag was on the train, trying to read a book. But he couldn’t because the speaker kept on repeating “Denham’s Dentriface” and other advertisements. This made Montag very mad because he couldn’t understand the book as it is, and the speaker was interrupting his thoughts. Another thing is that the people have no feelings, and they don’t care about other people. For example Mrs. Phelps, who is one of Mildred’s friends, doesn’t even care that her third husband had been sent off to war. And that when he left, he said to her go find someone else and marry him if I die. It seemed as if Mrs. Phelps didn’t care if her husband would die in the war. And another one of Mildred’s friends, Mrs. Bowles talks about her divorce, how one husband was killed in an accident, one husband committed suicide, and her two kids that hate her terribly as if she didn’t even care. She then talks about the many abortions she has had. And also, how she sends her kids to 2005-03-11T06:35:28-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451-and-The-Power-of-One-comparison-essay-26361.aspx Refuting Capitalist Ideals Thomas Bell, author of Out of This Furnace, grew up in the steel mill town of Braddock, Pennsylvania. His novel reflects the hardships faced by his family during the time when the mills ruled the area. The book also focuses upon the life of immigrant workers struggling to survive in the "new country." All events in Bell's novel are fictional, however, they create a very realistic plot and are based somewhat upon a true story. In this novel, Bell refutes capitalistic ideals and the lack of a republican form of government by showing the struggles and success of immigrant steelworkers. In the late nineteenth century, many European immigrants traveled to the United States in search of a better life and good fortune. The unskilled industries of the Eastern United States eagerly employed these men who were willing to work long hours for low wages just to earn their food and board. Among the most heavily recruiting industries were the railroads and the steel mills of Western Pennsylvania. Particularly in the steel mills, the working conditions for these immigrants were very dangerous. Many men lost their lives to these giant steel-making machines. The immigrants suffered the most and also worked the most hours for the least amount of money. Living conditions were also poor, and often these immigrants would barely have enough money and time to do anything but work, eat, and sleep. There was also a continuous struggle between the workers and the owners of the mills, the capitalists. The capitalists were a very small, elite group of rich men who held most of the wealth in their industries. Strikes broke out often, some ending in violence and death. Many workers had no political freedom or even a voice in the company that employed them. However, through all of these hardships, the immigrants continued their struggle for a better life. This is the struggle represented in the book: Out of this Furnace, by Thomas Bell. The viewpoints of Thomas Bell in his novel seem to sharply contradict the viewpoints depicted by Congressman Abram S. Hewitt and Reverend Richard Storrs (Krause). These men were the main speakers at a key historical event during the late nineteenth century: the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge. "The ceremonies were called 'The People's Day' (Krause). It was a day that "proclaimed victory over the dark forces of history", and a 2005-03-06T02:06:38-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Out-of-This-Furnace-Refuting-Capitalist-Ideals-26359.aspx Fate Oedipus in “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles and the servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” by W. Somerset Maugham learn ironically that they cannot run away from their individual fate. The destiny of Oedipus and the servant is foreseen. Oedipus and the servant attempt to run away from their destiny. The servant and Oedipus learn that they cannot escape their fate by running away. The servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” and Oedipus in “Oedipus the King” have their individual destiny foreshadowed. Upon returning from an errand for a merchant, the servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” tells him: “When I was in the marketplace I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me” (page 4, lines 3 & 4). Oedipus is told of his fate. Oedipus says Apollo told him: “I must make love with my own mother, shed my father’s blood with my own hands” (page 1408, lines 1091 & 1092). Oedipus in “Oedipus the King” and the servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” play into fate’s hand by running away from their own homes. Oedipus gives the city of Corinth, the city in which he grew up, “a wide berth” (page 1408, line 1093) in order to avoid letting the prophecy come true. Oedipus then becomes king of Thebes by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. After being jostled by Death in the marketplace, the servant requests a horse from his boss in order to leave for the city of Samarra. The servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” and Oedipus in “Oedipus the King” fulfill their destiny by living their lives just as fate has determined. The merchant in “The Appointment in Samarra” speaks with Death to find out why she jostled his servant earlier that day in the market. Death explains: “I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra” (page 4, lines 12 & 13). Oedipus plays into fate’s hand by moving to the city of Thebes in order to avoid Corinth. He also learns through a couple of twists of fate that he fulfills his prophecy. 2005-03-03T18:29:03-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Odipeus-vs-Appointment-in-Samarra-26355.aspx Critical Analysis: White Over Black Winthrop D. Jordan author of White Over Black: American Attitudes Toward the Negro 1550-1812, expresses two main arguments in explaining why Slavery became an institution. He also focuses attention on the initial discovery of Africans by English. How theories on why Africans had darker complexions and on the peculiarly savage behavior they exhibited. Through out the first two chapters Jordan supports his opinions, with both facts and assumptions. Jordan goes to great length in explaining how the English and early colonialist over centuries stripped the humanity from a people in order to enslave them and justify their actions in doing so. His focus is heavily on attitudes and how those positions worked to create the slave society established in this country. The first chapter focuses on the first impressions between the people of different color also the reasons Africans had evolved or changed into what they now appeared to be. The section on causes of complexion was both fascinating and entertaining. Many of the theories were of the wall and far fetched. One such opinion of how Africans gained their complexion that the book gave includes an ancient Greek myth of Phaeton. This character drove a chariot into the heavens and thus altered in his appearance (p11). Though this Greek myth, probably not the truth of how Africans gained their color many did believe it probably had something to do with the sun. The theory of equatorial dwellers of Africa, this being the reason for the skin pigmentation, became illogical once Africans were compared to the Indians living in the hottest parts of the New World (p14). Some believed that the African was merely dark because they had left their colder northern climate. Experiments quickly ruled this out as a possible answer (p15). The most far-fetched and humorous theory came through the biblical illustration involving Noah. Many believed it the curse given upon Noah's son Ham for "looking upon his father's nakedness" (p17). Each of these contrasting views on color needed to be used in this book. For no better reason in that it showed from an initial point that the English viewed the color of the Africans as a plague. Instead of excepting that 2005-02-28T03:29:59-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-White-Over-Black-26351.aspx Toni Morrison shows how the past can affect the present relationships in Beloved. Sethe an ex-slave who ran away from Sweet Home, a slave plantation, in order to escape the drudgery and humiliation of slavery, shall forever be haunted by the past. In her escape, she tries to kill her children, and succeeds in killing her baby girl. The ghost of this baby girl shall forever haunt Sethe as a representation of the past for the next 18 years in 124. Paul D another ex-slave from Sweet Home, is also affected by th past. He shares the same Sweet Home memories as Sethe, but his life took a different course. He kill his second master and was placed in a chain gang. After this horrific experience in a chain gang, Paul D decides to lock away his feelings and memories. When Paul D meets Sethe again at 124, the two form a relationship that changed how they deal with the past and how they will love again. The first relationship these two form occurred at Sweet Home. Here Paul D was in competition with the other slave men of Sweet Home for the love and marriage of Sethe. Ultimately, Paul D and the other slave men lose to Halle, whom Sethe chooses because of his love for his mother and his commitment. This is the purest form the relationship shall ever take. Both Paul D and Sethe aren’t tarnished by their past yet (even though they both are slaves, and even the childhood memories affect their actions). Here, Paul D loses to Halle just because Halle is the “better man.” The next step in the relationship occurs eighteen years later, after Sethe and Paul D have both left Sweet Home, and has experienced the hardships of life to its fullest. Paul D seeks a person to love, and Sethe has devoted her life to Denver. Paul D walked past 124 and by chance, sees Sethe washing her feet. He joins her in 124 to rest, and they end up making love. This rage of passion last only mere minutes, and it is only Paul D’s pent up passion over Sethe during their time at Sweet Home. Paul D spent time in prison in Alfred, Georgia. After that, he shut down his mind except the 2005-02-23T09:44:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beloved-by-Toni-Morrison,-Paper-26333.aspx The Old Man And The Sea In Earnest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway allows the old fisherman to overcome the odds and renew belief in him within his heart. After struggling with a giant marlin for three-days, Santiago finally harpoons the great fish, Santiago's faith within himself rises and he exclaims, " I have killed this fish which is my brother and now I must do the slave work." Through Hemingway's fisherman tale and Santiago's apparent victory over the marlin, the "theme of the undefeated" (Wells 56) is presented along with the "moral triumph and smashing defeat" (Wells 56) that Santiago experiences. "At its core it is actually little more than a fishing anecdote, though one invested with an heroic appeal by the writer's art, confirms 2005-02-23T08:55:51-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Old-Man-And-The-Sea--26329.aspx The Call of the Wild The Call of the Wild is about a dog-named Buck's travels. He begins as a domesticated pet and gradually becomes a wild animal. Buck is never in control of what happens during the book as he is passed from one human to another. He goes from house pet to pulling dog sleds for various postal workers. He is then sold to a group of unskilled minors who nearly kill him because of their inexperience. John Thorton who is also a miner saves him. John Thorton is a kind man who understands dogs, Buck takes and instant liking to him and guards him with his life. As the weeks with John Thorton toil on he longs more and more for the wild. He hears the wolves at night but is held back by devotion to his master. As the call of the wild grows stronger Buck has to choose what to do. The main classification is the setting; The Call of the Wild is set in the arctic north. The setting is most important, if you change the setting Buck does not have to endure the bitter cold and adapt from house pet wild animal. You could easily change the character or the plot but the setting gives the book distinction. This book would be difficult to make into a movie since the story is told in the dog, Buck's point of view. There are also numerous amounts of characters that own Buck at some point in the story that would make the story difficult to produce. It is possible to make the story into a cartoon, since cartoons often have talking animals. There are plenty of ways to expand on the plot if it is told through Buck's eyes as told in the book. The type of reader who would like the book would have to love animals and adventure. To enjoy the story you have to be able to know the abrupt change Buck went through. He went from being papered and living a house, to pulling a sled on half the food he was used to receiving. Those who would not like the story are ones that like a lot of action or romance. There is action in the story, but it does not include explosions and 2005-02-23T08:26:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Call-of-the-Wild--26314.aspx The Crucible, Usage of Power The play "The Crucible" based on the witchcraft trials of 1692 by Arthur Miller and the era of McCarthyism in the 1950's are similar in the sense of how power was used by characters of each event. The characters in both eras had a similar task in each of their roles. Abigail and Joseph McCarthy represented the evil who wanted fame and power, Hail and Dwight Eisenhower were the ones that didn't use their powers to support evil, they just merely did what was right, and John Proctor and Edward Marrow were the respected who used their power for good. Even though the eras were in different time periods they were both similar because both events showed a decisive appetite for power. As the evils in both eras, Joseph McCarthy and Abigail played similar roles to gain power and ultimately lose it. Joseph McCarthy was an unknown man through out his life, until his role as a Senator accused people of communism actions lead him to gain power. He struggled his way up to the top ruthlessly and aggressively by criticizing his challengers with lies. When he decided to run again he wanted a secure win so his advisors and him came up with an idea to campaign against communism, which was to bring public support because of the Korean War. His ideas lead to creating a list of people in which to accuse, and for the next several years he made people lose their jobs. Eventually people realized that he was making up his own lies to gain power and gain more popularity. Becoming hypocritical he lost his power, which Dwight Eisenhower, a supporter, took away. In the end he disappeared and later killed himself. Similar to McCarthy was Abigail who lost her power just as she had gained it. As a struggle to gain her love, she began to believe she had met the devil to gain some power of fear over the people. Her love for power tilted her to accuse his loves wife to keep it for herself. Abusing this power and taking it to far led her to make up more and more lies about other people interacting with the devil that in the end when there was to be no devil, she lost her powers by her own allies who believed in her. In both eras the acknowledgement for power 2005-02-23T08:24:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Use-of-Power-in-The-Crucible-by-Arthur-Miller-26311.aspx A commentary on E.Hemingway's A Cat in the Rain The multi-faceted shapes and messages that the story has makes it a typical "Hemingwayan" short story. Hemingway was a "Lost Generation" era writer;one who directly witnessed and experienced some of the barbaric wars of the century and one who was personally injured in a war-front,reminding his readers of a character in "The Sun Also Rises"who was injured in a war and thus made sexually handicapped. Hemingway manages to catch the post-war mood of disillusionment and dissatisfaction by forging an enormous impression through the economy of his style and the "toughness" of attitude of mind. The aura encircling the present story is of such. The whole story can probably be recapped in its attempt at depicting the barrenness, sterility, incomprehensibility, and misunderstanding that rule the modern world and life which have immensely been affected by modern technology and the resultant automated, robotic life. Among all these, lack of communication screams at us. Quite ironically, a world which enjoys incomparable wealth of technological communications, the modern man is unable to establish emotional contact with the people around him; this can even engulf a married life, traditional symbol of unity and mutual understanding. The woman's strong child-wish and the man sexual impotence make it relatively taxing to have an emotional relation with one another. The wandering couple, both physically and psychologically, have their own pursuits in feeling from the mere thought of a child; the man seeks refuge among his books and the woman daydreams and thinks of saving or having a cat. The only way that the woman finds in relieving herself from this situation is through making reveries or complaining. The reveries are those of possessing a child. When the Italian girl asks her if she lost something, she replies "Yes", a cat "under the table....Oh , I wanted it so much. I wanted a kitty. "The indefinite article "a" in" I wanted a kitty "shows that she is not necessarily looking for a specific cat. It can be any cat and it actually can be a child. At her return George asks a cursory question, "Did you get the cat?". For a moment he becomes reflective and thoughtful 2005-02-23T08:22:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-commentary-on-E_Hemingway-s-A-Cat-in-the-Rain-26310.aspx Symbolism of the Ring in Lord of the Rings: The Embodiment of Evil "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them" (1 LotR II,2 The Council of Elrond) One of the masters of British Literature, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien has the unique ability to create a fantasy world in which exists a nearly endless supply of parallelisms to reality. By mastering his own world and his own language and becoming one with his fantasy, Tolkien is able to create wonderful symbolism and meaning out of what would otherwise be considered nonsense. Thus, when one decides to study The Ruling Ring, or The One Ring, in Tolkien's trilogy "Lord of the Rings", one must not simply perform an examination of the ring itself, but rather a complex analysis of the events which take place from the time of the ring's creation until the time of its destruction. Concurrently, to develop a more complete understanding of the symbolic nature of the ring, one must first develop a symbolic understanding of the characters and events that are relevant to the story. This essay begins with a brief background of Tolkien's life, followed by a thorough history of the "One Ring" including its creation, its symbolic significance, its effect on mortals, and its eventual destruction. Also, this essay will compare Tolkien's Ring to the Rhinegold Ring of Norse mythology, and will also show how many of the characters in the trilogy lend themselves to Christ-figure status. By examining the Ring from these perspectives, a clearer understanding of its symbolic significance will be reached. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, an English scholar and storyteller, became fascinated by language at an early age during his schooling at, particularly the languages of Northern Europe, both ancient and modern. This affinity for language did not only lead to his profession, but also his private hobby, the invention of languages. He was also drawn to the entire "Northern tradition", which inspired him to study its myths and sagas thoroughly. His broad knowledge eventually led to the development of his opinions about Myth, its relation to language, and the importance of stories. All these various perspectives: language, the heroic tradition, and Myth, as well as deeply-held beliefs in Catholic Christianity work together in all of his works, including The Lord of the Rings (LotR). The creation of the "One Ring" or the "Ring of 2005-02-23T03:54:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-of-the-Ring-The-Embodiment-of-Evil-26308.aspx Films of this age are often criticized for lacking ‘substance’ and compensate for this discrepancy with explosions and elaborate camera work. Books, on the other hand, demand a bit more respect from the general public. Many believe that concocting a script is an unsophisticated mode of writing, a copper to the gold of a novel. After careful scrutiny of both, the novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and viewing the rendition of the Scarlet Letter by Roland Joffe, one can immediately comprehend the enormous amount of work put into both, as well as the innumerable differences and similarities between them. It is easy enough to discern the common and uncommon features but one must think of why the filmmaker may have used a specific lighting, or how colors were used to symbolize themes from the book. Analysis answers the questions: How did the two differ? How were they the same? Why did the filmmaker make these decisions? The film is freely adapted from the novel. The word “free” describing the modification is well used; there are major differences in regard to time usage, characterization, visual imagery and symbolism, narration, plot, and tone. The first hour of the movie was devoted to informing the viewer about the background. The film was set in motion when Hester arrived in the New World, not at the grim prison door she passed through on her way to the scaffold in the novel. Many characters not included in the novel were inserted into the film, several of whom were pivotal to the plot. Mituba, Hester’s introverted slave girl, Brewster, the coarse, undisciplined rule-breaker, Goody Gotwick, the mouthpiece of the community’s “pious women,” and Minister Cheever, the influential church leader who attempted to serve as the judge of the community’s morals did not exist in the novel. Mistress Hibbins’ relationship to Governor Bellingham was ambiguous and not well portrayed. It was almost as if they were acquaintances. In the book, their connection prevented her persecution, whereas in the movie, no familial bond protected mistress Hibbins from the cruel witch trials typical of the seventeenth century. Her minor function in the in the book, evolved into an imperative role in the movie. In addition to Hester, mistress Hibbins was as the only character that behaved according to her personal beliefs, and not the traditional values of the Puritans. Dimmesdale’s character was stronger in the film and 2005-02-21T05:08:55-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Scarlet-Letter-Novel-vs_-Movie-26301.aspx Huckleberry Finn provides the narrative voice of Mark Twain's novel, and his honest voice combined with his personal vulnerabilities reveal the different levels of the Grangerfords' world. Huck is without a family: neither the drunken attention of Pap nor the pious ministrations of Widow Douglas were desirable allegiance. He stumbles upon the Grangerfords in darkness, lost from Jim and the raft. The family, after some initial cross-examination, welcomes, feeds and rooms Huck with an amiable boy his age. With the light of the next morning, Huck estimates "it was a mighty nice family, and a mighty nice house, too"(110). This is the first of many compliments Huck bestows on the Grangerfords and their possessions. Huck is impressed by all of the Grangerfords' belongings and liberally offers compliments. The books are piled on the table "perfectly exact"(111), the table had a cover made from "beautiful oilcloth"(111), and a book was filled with "beautiful stuff and poetry"(111). He even appraises the chairs, noting they are "nice split-bottom chairs, and perfectly sound, too-not bagged down in the middle and busted, like an old basket"(111). It is apparent Huck is more familiar with busted chairs than sound ones, and he appreciates the distinction. Huck is also more familiar with flawed families than loving, virtuous ones, and he is happy to sing the praises of the people who took him in. Col. Grangerford "was a gentleman all over; and so was his family"(116). The Colonel was kind, well-mannered, quiet and far from frivolish. Everyone wanted to be around him, and he gave Huck confidence. Unlike the drunken Pap, the Colonel dressed well, was clean-shaven and his face had "not a sign of red in it anywheres"(116). Huck admired how the Colonel gently ruled his family with hints of a submerged temper. The same temper exists in one of his daughters: "she had a look that would make you wilt in your tracks, like her father. She was beautiful"(117). Huck does not think negatively of the hints of iron in the people he is happy to care for and let care for him. He does not ask how three of the Colonels's sons died, or why the family brings guns to family picnics. He sees these as small facets of a family with "a handsome lot of quality"(118). He thinks no more about Jim or the raft, but knows he has found a new home, one 2005-02-21T05:06:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Huckleberry-Finn-26299.aspx Values and attitudes that the author supports are often reflected in their writing, whether it be in the themes that are involved in the story, or the way it begins and ends. The author adopts a particular point of view and uses that point of view throughout the story to influence and impact readers and viewers. This is most often done through effective use of characterisation. Arthur Miller, in his play ‘Death of a Salesman’ uses his main character, Willy Loman, to heighten the audience to the nature of modern life and “set forth what happens when a man does not have a grip on the forces of life and has no sense of values which will lead him to that kind of grip”. Willy Loman is 63 years old, a travelling salesman for a New York firm for the past 36 years, in the last stages of exhaustion and headed for suicide. He has his sights set on success. To Willy, success means two things: being rich, and being popular, neither of which he has or is ever likely to attain. We are intended to blame Willy for having all the wrong dreams, or rather, for holding onto those dreams long after they cease to correspond with reality. This is shown in the requiem, when at his father’s funeral, Biff states, “He had the wrong dreams, all wrong.” Biff knows that Willy should have stuck to doing things with his hands, instead of sticking to sales, where he faltered. This is backed up by Biff’s comment to Charley: “… there’s more of him in that front stoop than in all the sales he ever made” to which comes his reply, “Yeah. He was a happy man with a batch of cement.” Willy’s death is seen as the death of a dream. Willy has chosen to imitate the salesman side of his father, a choice that was influenced greatly by his meeting of Dave Singleman, who comes to represent for Willy the father he never knew, as well as a role model in life, as is shown by Willy announcing to Howard: “… and without even leaving his room, at the age of eighty-four, he made his living. And when I saw that, I realised selling was the greatest career a man could ever want.” As Willy grows older, he has trouble distinguishing between the past and present - between 2005-02-21T05:04:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Death-of-a-Salesman-Values-and-Attitudes-of-the-Author-26298.aspx Tragedy was a very controversial issue in literature until recent years. Recent figures in literature have set a clear definition for tragedy. Author Miller is one of these figures. Plays and novels have distinguished the definition of tragedy. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary tragedy is a serious piece of literature typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror. Miller’s explains that a tragic hero does not always have to be a monarch or a man of a higher status. A tragic hero can be a common person. A tragedy does not always have to end pessimistically; it could have an optimistic ending. The play Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, is a tragedy because it’s hero, Willy Loman, is a tragic figure that faces a superior source, being the American dream and the struggle for success. Loman also excites pity in the reader because of his defeat and his inability to become a success or teach his children how to make their lives successful. Miller defines a flaw as “an inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what one conceives to be a challenge to one’s dignity…” Loman fulfills many of the requirements of being a tragic hero. Willy is not “flawless” in his actions, which by Miller’s standards make him a tragic hero. It is not wrong for Willy to have flaws and it does not make him a weaker man but a tragic figure. Miller designed the play so that Willy could be a tragic hero and for this he needs to have a flaw. Willy’s flaw is that he is unable to see things in a more realistic perspective. Charley says something in the play that sums up Willy’s whole life. He asks him, "When the hell are you going to grow up?" Willy’s spends his entire life in an illusion. He sees himself as a great man that is popular and successful. Willy exhibits many childlike qualities. Many of these qualities have an impact on his family. His two sons Biff and Happy pick up this behavior from their father. He is idealistic, stubborn, and he has a false sense of his importance in the world. The extreme to which he followed the dream brought him to disillusionment and a loose sense of reality. Willy created a reality 2005-02-21T05:03:27-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Death-of-a-Salesman-26297.aspx The Flea By John Donne The Norton Anthology of English Literature defines the "conceits" of poetics as metaphors that are intricately woven into the verse, often used to express satire, puns, or deeper meanings within the poem, and to display the poet's own cunning with words. The conceits of John Donne are said to "leap continually in a restless orbit from the personal to the cosmic and back again." The outward nature of Donne's poem The Flea appears to be a love poem; dedication from a male suitor to his lady of honor, who refuses to yield to his lustful desires. A closer look at the poem reveals that this suitor is actually arguing a point to his lady: that the loss of innocence does not constitute a loss of honor. The poet begins his argument by condemning the act of intercourse as a shameful sin. He also belittles it, claiming that if the same effects can be realized within the body of a tiny flea, then the act itself cannot hold tremendous importance. In any case, the act is out of the question in the realm of reality, since the two people in the poem do not appear to be married, so sexual union can only be committed symbolically. The argument then shifts to a different position, where the flea suddenly becomes the entire world of the lovers; the symbolic becomes reality. The act of intercourse loses its importance as the subject in question, and now the loss of all innocence is addressed. There is obviously some action taken by the poet's mistress between the second and third stanzas, as the next segment seems to be a judgment on those actions. The woman has killed the mysterious flea, casting away her innocence and proving his argument for passion through the use of her own words. The poet asks his mistress to notice only this flea, to forget everything else as he delivers his argument. The flea has bitten them both, and their bloods mix within its body. The attention paid to the qualities of blood may be noted here and later in the poem (when the woman suddenly gains a stature of royalty [purpling her nail]). This mixing of bloods is somewhat of an insult to the lady, if she is of royal blood and he is not. The description of the swelling of the insect with "one blood 2005-02-21T03:52:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Flea-By-John-Donne-26291.aspx OF MICE AND MEN When Crooks says, "...Man got to have some rights even if he don't like 'em"(90), he is referring to the loneliness that haunts all of the characters in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The story alludes to the fact that the "underdog" is doomed to a life of isolation and cannot change his status through any means. Nearly everyone in the story is a "loner", with no real place to fit in and with no one to confide in. Discrimination because of old age, race, or sex is the cause for isolation for Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife. Candy has a lot of things going against him that cause his isolation; he is missing a hand, his dog, a close companion, was murdered in the novel, he is old and troubled that he mite be fired soon with no place to go. In a machinery accident, Candy lost his hand, thus crippling him for the rest of him life. Most of the activities on the farm require physical strength; thus Candy is forced to retire alone to the bunkhouse. This results in an even greater seclusion, for he can not work with the others and is forced to only watch while his fellow workers play horseshoes and cards. He has no one to relate to and experience life with. Candy's closest relationship throughout the novel was with an old, handicapped dog that he had taken care of its whole life. It is Candy's most reliable and trustworthy companion. The relationship between Candy and his dog is like that of Lennie and George; thus the gut wrenching feeling we feel when Lennie is taken from George, is the same type of feeling Candy and his dog go through, when the dog is murdered. Candy is old and powerless and feels as if the only reason he is allowed to stay on the farm is because he lost his hand, however, he feels as if he is useless and that he will be fired soon. Candy has no family or close friends to take care of him when he leaves and he is unable to do any productive work, thus if he gets fired he will have no where to turn to. Unlike Lennie and George, he has no dreams to look forward to in 2005-02-20T07:06:03-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/OF-MICE-AND-MEN-Characters--26287.aspx A Good Man Is Hard To Find In Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find the contrast of good and evil is not as evident as it appears. The road on which the family in the story travels symbolizes good until the family makes a detour onto a dirt road that leads to their demise. Grandmother is the reason for the detour. She is the unlikely antagonist. A serial killer named, The Misfit, is the protagonist despite his homicidal actions. Both characters help illustrate how a relationship with God is good and sac religious behavior is evil. The Grandmother leads the family down the dirt road by enticing the children with stories of a plantation she visited in her youth. "There was a secret panel in this house," she said craftily, not telling the truth but wishing that she were, "and the story went that all the family silver was hidden in it when Sherman came through but it was never found..." Grandmother lets her nostalgic thoughts lead her, and her family to doom. Once on the dirt road, the family has an accident, another situation that was spurred by Grandmother. Grandmother's cat startled Bailey and the car ran into a ditch. Grandmother knew she had been the cause of her family's predicament. "The Grandmother was curled up under the dashboard, hoping she was injured so that Bailey's wrath would not come down on her all at once. The horrible thought she had had before was that the house she has so vividly remembered was not in Georgia but in Tennessee." Though the events seem coincidental, they were indeed for a specific purpose. The purpose...for God to reclaim what was rightfully his. The family encounters The Misfit on their detour. The Misfit is wearing no shirt, which is a direct parallel to Grandmother whom had dressed in " collars and cuffs that were white organdy trimmed with lace" so that she could be identified as a lady "in case of an accident". "I'm sorry I don't have on a shirt before you ladies...". The Misfit explains for his appearance. He too, was going to do what he considered to be God's work. All during the ordeal, the Grandmother asked The Misfit to pray. "Do you ever pray?" she asked. She acted as if she 2005-02-20T06:17:15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Good-Man-Is-Hard-To-Find-Novel-26276.aspx Catcher In The Rye In the novel, The Catcher In The Rye, by J. D. Salinger, phonies play a grand role as one of the major themes of the novel. Webster's Dictionary defines a phony as, "a person who is not what he pretends to be." There are many examples of phonies in the novel, such as Sally Hayes, Stradlater, and even Holden Caulfield. Holden appears to be the biggest phonie of them all. Holden Caulfield is by far the king of all the phonies mentioned in the novel, The Catcher In The Rye, for he lies, is a hypocrite, and adjust his outside image. Being a liar is one form of deceiving the world of what you truly are, and this is one thing that Holden Caulfield isn't even shy about doing, nor admitting to. He uses lies to deceives his true intentions from those around him, this is shown while leaving Pencey Prep on the train and encountering the mother of Ernest Morrow. " It's me [Holden]. I have to have this operation... It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain." (Salinger, 58). In reality Holden was not going to New York to have a tumor taken out of his brain, but he was really going on a little vacation from everything. Although it was none of Mrs. Morrow's business to know where Holden was going, he chosee to deceive her of the truth, and received her pity because of the situation he described to her. He wanted her pity but he knew in order to receive it he would have to change his reality in order to earn it. Holden pretends to be sick, while he was in reality healthy. From that he ends up being a fake ill person. Holden also appears to use lying to protect his phoniness in another way. This is shown when Maurice asked him if he wants a girl sent up to his room. " I was already sort of sorry I'd let the thing start rolling, but it was too late now." (Salinger, 91). Before the final arrangements had been made for a girl to be sent up to Holden's hotel room, he wanted to back out. Instead he kept on going with the arrangements with Maurice. Yet again, Holden Caulfield deceived the world of what he truly 2005-02-20T05:32:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Holden-Caulfield-is-a-Liar-Catcher-In-The-Rye-Character-26273.aspx Cyrano de Bergerac and Immature Love There is a lot of immature love in Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac. Immature love is a feeling that you love someone without truly knowing who he or she is and what they are like, you just love them based on looks and/or social status. When Christian sees Roxane he falls head-over-heels for her. Roxane, at first, pursued Christian based on his looks alone. Roxane was looking for an intelligent man and she found one, but what she didn't know was that she credited the wrong man for the letters she received. Deep inside Christian feels that he is doing the wrong thing, yet his immature love for Roxane over-powers it. Christian first has feelings for Roxane after seeing her in the theater. Very quickly after laying his eyes on Roxane, Christian wanted to know about her. He asked Ligniere: Christian: (look up and sees Roxane) There! Quick-up there-In the box! Look!- Ligniere: Herself? Christian: Quickly-Her name? Ligniere: Madeleine Robin, called Roxane...refined...intellectual... Christian: Ah!- Ligniere: Unmarried... Christian: Oh!- (Act 1, pgs. 13 and 14) It is obvious that Christian wants to get to know Roxane. Christian is willing to do any thing to impress her, even lie to her and he himself. Cyrano, having known Roxane for all his life, wants to marry Roxane, but he realizes she is in love with Christian. Although Cyrano is deeply in love with Roxane, he would rather be a friend with her than not speak to her at all. Christian never truly knows about Cyrano's love for Roxane. Cyrano makes many hints of his love for Roxane, but due to Christian's immature knowledge for Cyranos vocabulary, he fails to notice the hints. At the end of act 2, Christian tries to prove his nobleness by talking about Cyranos nose. Christian, knowing that Cyrano takes comments about his nose offensive and extremely serious continues to challenge Cyrano. Cyrano gets extremely angry, yet he refuses to hurt Christian because of his promise to Roxane to protect Christian. Cyrano: ...I will defend your little honor. (Act 2, pg.65) Cyrano calls for everyone to leave he and Christian alone: Cyrano: (bellowing) Tonnerre! Out of here!-All of you! First Cadet: At last-The old lion wakes! Cyrano: All of you! Leave me here alone with that man! (Act 2, pg.82) When Cyrano is alone with Christian he tells Christian why 2005-02-20T05:31:44-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cyrano-de-Bergerac-and-Immature-Love-26272.aspx The Story Of An Hour A Joyous Death 1. In "The Story of an Hour," Kate Chopin suggests that in certain situations, the death of a loved one may be a blessing. Such situations may include an abusive relationship, or an unhappy marriage, as this story suggests. In Chopin's story although the circumstances might lead the reader to believe that Louise's husband's death would cause her great pain, ironically, when she hears the news, she feels a great sense of relief. This suggests that death may not always cause grief. 2. Louise's characteristics add to the theme of this story in several ways. One of her characteristics is her youth. This characteristic is important because it is symbolic of a fresh, new start at her life of freedom due to the death of her husband. She has her whole life to live by herself. She will be free to do what she wants to do, when she wants to do it. 3. Another characteristic of Louise, which also adds to the irony of this story, is her passion for living. She mentions that she will weep again when she is present at her husband's funeral, but she is able to look past that grim moment and look forward to "the years to come that would belong to her absolutely." Just when she is beginning to savor the sweet sense of freedom, her husband shows up at their house alive. When she sees him, she dies, not from the "joy that kills," but because she is heart-broken and shocked at the reality. She dies because she realizes that since he's not dead, she will not be free. The drastic halt is too much for her to handle. 4. There are a few symbols in the story, which are symbolic of Louise's life of freedom. The spring day symbolizes a new beginning of her life in which she is free. Spring is the time when living things propagate and are reborn. Likewise, Louise believes she will become productive, energized and reborn. Louise has her whole life of freedom to look forward to. 5. A second symbol is the open window in her bedroom. The window suggests that 2005-02-20T05:30:57-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Story-Of-An-Hour--26271.aspx In Search of a Relationship with Others, by Ruth Bell Graham Ruth Bell Graham, the wife of Billy Graham, has written a story which she calls "The Mender." She writes: "He had built for himself a great house on one of the Caribbean islands. It is a thing to behold. Tall rusty iron columns, collected and resurrected with an ingenious homemade device. This Great House is a masterpiece of salvaged materials. A collector and seller of scrap metal as well as antiques, he was also fascinated with broken bits and pieces of china dug from his front yard. His friends, John and June Cash, laughingly remarked it was the first time they had heard of a yard sale where the man had sold the yard itself. Carefully he fitted and glued the pieces together. Few ever came out whole. They remained simply a collection of one who cared. When I expressed interest, he gave me a blue-and-white plate, carefully glued together - pieces missing. 'You remind me of God,' I said. By the look on his face, I knew I shocked him, and I hurriedly explained. 'God pieces back broken lives lovingly. Sometimes a piece is irretrievably lost. But still He gathers what He can and restores us.'" Ruth Graham's story is a parable of the church. We are an unusual collection of broken people. But God has taken us and collected the pieces of our lives and lovingly glued them back together. As we have experienced his grace, he has transformed our lives. Pamela Reeve has written, "Faith is remembering I am God's priceless treasure when I feel utterly worthless." How wonderful the grace of God is. It helps us to know that we are loved no matter what. In his presence we experience forgiveness for the past and encouragement for the days ahead. The problem is that this kind of grace and forgiveness is not always what we experience from those who are supposed to belong to God. It is a shock sometimes when we experience the forgiveness of God and the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit, to come among God's people and find ourselves being criticized and judged. How is it that God is so full of love and acceptance and some of his people are so guarded and unaccepting.? How is it that the forgiveness of God is so free and freeing, but the approval of 2005-02-20T05:20:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/In-Search-of-a-Relationship-with-Others,-by-Ruth-Bell-Graham-26265.aspx Frankenstein - The Monster’s Fear When giving her novel the title Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus Mary Shelley sets the focus firmly on the title character, Victor Frankenstein. In the course of the novel, we see that the effects of his decision to try and create life are disastrous for him, just as those of Prometheus were. I am going to focus primarily on the monster instead and the reactions that he meets from humans when he ventures out into their midst. I will also look at the parallels that can be drawn between the monster and his creator; many of them have interesting implications for the question of what it really means to be human. The monster that Frankenstein creates has all of human society against him from the start. In fact, as soon as Frankenstein instills life in him and he opens his eyes, Frankenstein is revolted by the look of the monster he has brought to life and runs away to hide from him. Thus scorned by his creator, the monster goes off on his own into the world, trying to make friends with various humans. Because of the way he looks, however, the humans that he meets assume immediately when they see him that he must be evil and dangerous. They either attack him or flee without giving him any chance to prove to them that he is good and only wants to be their friend. He soon despairs of finding someone willing to judge him according to his personality and virtues and not only according to his appearance: ``I retreated, and lay down happy to have found a shelter, however miserable, from the inclemency of the season, and still more from the barbarity of man.'' The one and only time he has any luck in approaching a human is when he goes to the blind old man in the cottage when his children are away. He is accepted by the old man as a nice traveler thanks to his pleasant way of speaking. Unfortunately, as soon as the children come back home, they throw the monster out, solely because of the way he looks, before the old man gets a chance to stop them. Through this episode and the teachings of the people in the cottage, the monster soon learns that humans are indeed not very kind to each other either- in fact even less so 2005-02-20T05:19:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-The-Monster’s-Fear-26264.aspx What message does the novel, To Kill A Mocking Bird, convey about prejudice? Prejudice is the preconceived opinion of a person or thing. The novel To Kill A Mocking Bird’s main message to readers is not to treat other races, such as blacks, differently. There are 3 main types of prejudice: racial prejudice, social prejudice and religious prejudice. Maycomb is an old and tired town that puts a negative light on the town and the people. The poverty and lack of outside influence causes prejudice. The backwardness and narrow-mindedness of the community fuelled racism in Maycomb are negative qualities for social and religious prejudice. The foot-washers have a strong influence on the community and the town being prejudice towards the Radleys. In the trial there is a lot of racial prejudice toward Tom Robinson as there is no doctor present who could testify that Tom didn’t commit the crime. Maycomb town is described well in chapter 1 as it tells us why the people are so inward looking. “Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town.” This statement by Jem to the readers puts a negative light on Maycomb and its people. The personification of the word tired emphasises the lack of enthusiasm, about everything, the people of Maycomb have. It also suggests an unwillingness and lack of desire to change this fact. ‘Tired’ also indicates that the town is very boring and new concepts are not welcome. There is also the repetition of the word ‘old’ which gives the impression of a dirty decaying town. This emphasises how old fashioned and backward the town is. The paragraph also describes how the town is not looked after by anyone. The poverty and lack of outside influence causes prejudice. Maycomb rejects outside influences because of the old fashioned views. The town’s backwardness is highlighted by the way in which there are no activities or past times in Maycomb except gardening. “A day was twenty four hours long but seemed longer.” This is emphasised when Jem says, “Don’t have any picture shows here.” These quotes emphasise the restricted and backward views the people hold. It is apparent that the authorities do not wish for any outside interference, when during Scout’s current affairs lesson it is said that: “Few rural children had access to newspapers!” This shows that there was no wish for the town to change. The outside influences 2005-02-14T00:23:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Message-About-Prejudice-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-26262.aspx Death’s Fate in Macondo Death is slow to visit Macondo in Gabriel García Márquez' One Hundred Years of Solitude, but once it does arrive, there is no stopping it. It moves into the community slowly at first, then gathers speed as it races across the one hundred years. When José Arcadio Buendía and Ursula establish Macondo, it is like a utopia. Life prospers there with seemingly no end to it. Representative of this idea is that there have been no deaths, or a need for a cemetery. They come to this Utopia to get away from death and the fate of incest. They carry the seeds of both within themselves. Death seeks after them all in the form of solitude, which like death separates them physically, psychologically, and emotionally from those around them. The first child born in Macondo is Aureliano Buendía to Ursula, who in the novel represents life. In his adult years, Aureliano Buendía becomes the epitome of solitude and death, so in the very beginning of this Utopia, life gives birth to death. Since death cannot beget life, even the many sons that Aureliano fathers in his lifetime are all assassinated in the prime of their lives. José Arcadio Buendía and his wife fled their native village to escape the ghost of Prudencio Aguilar and to hopefully prevent future generations of incest that would eventually end up producing a child with a pig's tail. What they did not realize was that by fleeing, they actually increased the chances of intermarrying in future generations, since the newly established village of Macondo was so small. So, much like the Greek tragedy of Oedipus the King, their actions to prevent a future horror are actually the means that bring the horror about. While death can be avoided for a time, it cannot be held off forever and when death comes to their new home it eventually leads Prudencio’s ghost to them again. "José Arcadio Buendía converse(s) with Prudencio Aguilar until dawn" and by morning his journey into solitude is complete as madness overcomes him (80). "Ten men were needed to get him down, fourteen to tie him up, twenty to drag him to the chestnut tree in the courtyard, where they left him tied up, barking in the strange language and giving off a green froth at the mouth" (81). When he finally dies he is no more separated from humanity than 2005-02-03T00:44:27-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Fate-of-Death-in-Macondo,-One-Hundred-Years-of-Solitude-26247.aspx In both of the stories the main characters were awakened from dream. Actually, this is a nature I suppose. Each one of us can see things around differently, sometimes not realizing the reality. In the story ‘Sniper’ author is telling us about the young soldier, “…his face was the face of a student – thin and ascetic…” who plays his duty as a hit man. He doesn’t see nothing but his job and responsibility. The author in this story suggests the horror of war not only by presenting its physical dangers but also by showing its psychological effects. This guy seems to be ‘blind’; he doesn’t naturally understand what his does. He kills people, just because he knows that is what he is supposed to do. It reflects a part of duty we follow in our life. Nevertheless, when he shot his enemy, he has shown his interest towards person he’s killed: “Perhaps he had been in his own company …He decided that he was a good shot…He wondered if he knew him…He decided to risk going over to have a look at him.” I think this quotation reflects the guy’s feelings. We can see indifference towards that dead person, nonetheless horror and sorrow. Overall, he sees him. The victim was his brother. That is when he has been awakened from the dream. He killed his own brother, not even suspecting this. In the story ‘Flight’ the author, Doris Lessing, telling us about an old man, who was afraid to let his granddaughter to marry. I think the main symbol of this story is pigeons. The most favorite old man’s pigeon represents Alice: “He…held out his wrist for the bird to take flight, and caught it again at the moment it spread its wings…and…shut the bird into a small box and fastened the bolt.” The old man was afraid that his granddaughter will leave his house, get married and will never comeback. He wanted to keep her for a bit longer. He hoped that she will never leave and all that ‘laughter and … squabbling’ will live in the house. However, he either understands that it can only be a dream and that’s why he cages his pigeon because he can’t do the same with his granddaughter. Nevertheless, in spite of all those dreams he is awakened and begins to realize that he no longer to decide his granddaughter’s future life. He apprehends that 2005-02-02T19:52:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Short-Stories-The-Sniper-and-Flight-26246.aspx It is a common view that times for the Irish majority in the 1930's and 40's were very hard. Especially for the Irish Catholic families with the stereotypical drunken father, emotionally wrecked mother, kids running round her with her sore back from the next child ready too be born. In Angela's Ashes, McCourt examines his childhood experiences, the tragedies, hardships, learning, all involved with growing up. One of the most interesting aspects of the writing in Angela's Ashes is how the text is written, from McCourts interpretation of the situation at his age he was at the time, the spelling and grammar also indicates that the child is writing, not the adult. This contributes immensely to the emotions and enjoyment evoked from reading the book. It also better describes how a child actually sees the things going around them, and what they may be thinking. Personally, sometimes is made me think for a while about how I interpreted things I saw when I was that age, and the fun I had being a 'kid' with my sister. McCourt describes his brothers and sister, even the ones that died and how much he enjoyed growing up with them, how they cared and loved for each other. Because of the appalling quarters they lived in and the lack of money and food there was terminal illnesses in the family which proved fatal to some of his siblings. McCourt in his 'child-like' writing style describes how his siblings and he, interpret what's happened and how they see their parents reacting. McCourt also analyses how his younger brother Malachy looks up to him and how much he takes Malachy under his 'wing' and takes care of him. Parenting is said to be one of the hardest tasks out there today, especially sole-parenting. McCourt carefully examines his mother, how she copes with her drunken betrothed, how her cousins who married 'gentlemen' are constantly try to run her life, and how she acts as a woman. His father, the 'Irish drunk' who is constantly making him and his brother swear their lives for Ireland and singing Roddy McCorley and Kevin Barry after a night at the pub. How his father will tell him stories about old Irish folklore and get sacked from job after job. As Frank progresses into adolescence, he explores the feelings and changes he goes through. Such topics as sexuality, puberty, religion, drinking are investigated and 2005-02-02T05:57:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Angela-s-Ashes-Analysis-26225.aspx The autobiography Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt tells the life of the McCourt family while living in poverty in Limmerick, Ireland during the 30’s and 40’s. Frank McCourt relates his difficult childhood to the reader up to the time he leaves for America at age nineteen. The book has many prevailing themes, but one of the most notable is the settings relationship to the family. The setting of the book ultimately influences the choices and lifestyle of the McCourt family in many ways. Living in poverty and not being able to meet basic needs leads the characters to result to desperate measures such as stopping Frank McCourt’s education and taking a job to support the family. Frank is forced to take the job mostly because his father is an alcoholic and uses all the dole money and his wages to buy beer instead of feeding his family. Frank describes this pattern of drinking away the money by saying " When Dad comes home with the drink smell there is no money and Mam screams at him till the Twins cry."(42) This situation lasts until Mr.McCourt leaves to work in England and is never heard from again which forces Frank to take a job at fourteen years old. Frank takes on the role of the head of the family proudly and comments " Its hard to sleep when you know you know the next day you’re fourteen and starting your first job as a man." (p.309) Frank’s ability to provide financial stability leads to greater comfort and living conditions for the family. The members of the McCourt family are also forced to beg and steal in order to help the family’s well being. Mrs.McCourt begs charities especially the St. Vincent de Paul Society for help with basic necessities for the family such as food, clothing, and furniture. Mrs.McCourt is even forced to beg for the family’s Christmas dinner. The butcher who she begs to tells her " What you can have now missus, Is black pudding and tripe or a sheep’s head or a pig’s head."(97) Mrs.McCourt reluctantly accept the pig’s head and is ridiculed walking home it. Also, the children are forced to pick up scraps of coal for the fire from a road on Christmas Day. Frank describes the children’s humiliation by saying, " Even the poorest of the poor don’t go out Christmas Day picking coal off the 2005-02-02T05:56:13-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Angela’s-Ashes-The-Setting-effects-the-actions-of-the-Chara-26224.aspx Angela's Ashes, Jane Eyre, Lord of the Flies - Suffering is an Essential Element of Childhood? Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it’. This literal and realistic statement said by one who has known suffering and has dealt with it. Helen Keller experienced a traumatic time as a child; being deaf and blind, she knew suffering but also knew that it is possible for it to be conquered and forgot. She suffered in this way as a child and her adult life was a good one because of this suffering. The most important element in any child’s life is to learn and grow. Does experiencing anguish and misery enable a child to flourish, consequently becoming a nurtured adult? Angela’s Ashes, a memoir of a childhood set in Limerick, Ireland, demonstrates Frank McCourt’s suffering and distress throughout his young life. The novel tells of how the McCourt family lives and grows in poverty stricken Ireland. The conditions in which they live are appalling; rats infest and hygiene is not a common thing. This causes plenty of disease and as a result, kills most of Frank McCourts family. A section in the novel which expresses their family’s suffering is when Franks sister, Margaret, his parents’ joy is taken ill. ‘But when Margaret cries, there is a high lonely feeling in the air and Dad is out of bed in a second, holding her to him.’ Frank goes on to say ‘When he passes the window where the streetlight shines in, you can see the tears on his cheeks and that’s strange because he never cries for anyone unless he has the drink taken from him’. This is illustrating a very emotional scene but as the child is watching, due to his age and immaturity, he fails to realise his father is grieving through Margaret’s pain. This is a original way to show a child’s suffering through a novel as the reader is seeing the misery through the child’s eyes, but the pain being felt is by his father. An interesting aspect of the writing in Angela's Ashes is how McCourt composes the text, from McCourts interpretation of the situation at the young age he was at the time. The spelling and grammar also indicates that the child is writing, not the adult, ‘It’s a long way to the Dock Road but we don’t mind 2005-02-02T05:52:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Angela-s-Ashes,-Jane-Eyre,-Lord-of-the-Flies-26222.aspx Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is full of symbolism, which is portrayed by the houses and cars in an array of ways. One of the more important qualities of symbolism within The Great Gatsby is the way in which it is so completely incorporated into the plot and structure. Symbols, such as Gatsby’s house and car, symbolize material wealth. Gatsby’s house “[is] a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy” which contains “a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy” is a symbol of Gatsby’s large illegal income(Fitzgerald 9)(9). Gatsby‘s large income isn‘t enough to keep him happy. He needs “The house he feels he needs in order to win happiness” and it is also the perfect symbol of carelessness with money which is a major part of his personality (Bewley 24). Gatsby’s house like his car symbolizes his vulgar and excessive trait of getting attention. Gatz’s house is a mixture of different styles and periods which symbolizes an owner who does not know their true identity. The Buchanan’s house is symbolic of their ideals. East Egg is home to the more prominent established wealth families. Tom’s and Daisy’s home is on the East Egg. Their house, a “red and white Georgian Colonial mansion overlooking the bay” with its “wine-colored rug[s]” is just as impressive as Gatsby’s house but much more low-key (Fitzgerald 11)(13). East egg and Tom‘s home represents the established wealth and traditions. Their stable wealth, although lacking the vulgarity of new wealth, is symbolic of their empty future and now purposelessness lives together. The House also has a cold sense to it according to Nick. This sense symbolizes Tom’s brutality, and as Perkins's says in his manuscript to Fitzgerald “I would know...Buchanan if I met him and would avoid him,” because Tom is so cold and brute (Perkins 199). Nick lives in West Egg in a rented house that “[is] a small eye-sore” and “had been overlooked”(Fitzgerald 10). Nick lives in a new-rich West Egg because he is not wealthy enough to afford a house in the more prominent East Egg. His house symbolizes himself shy and overlooked. Nick is the Narrator and also the “trust worthy reporter and, ...judge” that has ties to both the East and West Egg crowd(Bruccoli xii). Nick comes from a “prominent, well-to-do [family]” acts like the established rich down-played, but he 2005-02-02T05:45:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Symbolism-of-Houses-and-Cars-26220.aspx Dante's Inferno Dante Alighieri, one of the greatest poets of the Middle Ages, was born in Florence, Italy on June 5, 1265. He was born to a middle-class Florentine family. At an early age he began to write poetry and became fascinated with lyrics. During his adolescence, Dante fell in love with a beautiful girl named Beatrice Portinari. He saw her only twice but she provided much inspiration for his literary masterpieces. Her death at a young age left him grief-stricken. His first book, La Vita Nuova, was written about her. Sometime before 1294, Dante married Gemma Donati. They had four children. Dante was active in the political and military life of Florence. He entered the army as a youth and held several important positions in the Florence government during the 1290's. During his life, Florence was divided politically between Guelphs and Ghibellines. The Guelphs supported the church and liked to keep things as they were, unlike the Ghibellines. The Ghibellines were mostly supporters of the German emperor and at the time Dante was born, were relieved of their power. When this change took place, the Guelphs for whom Dante's family was associated took power. Although born into a Guelph family, Dante became more neutral later in life realizing that the church was corrupt, believing it should only be involved in spiritual affairs. At the turn of the century, Dante rose from city councilman to ambassador of Florence. His career ended in 1301 when the Black Guelph and their French allies seized control of the city. They took Dante's possessions and sentenced him to be permanently banished from Florence, threatening the death penalty upon him if he returned. Dante spent most of his time in exile writing new pieces of literature. It is believed that around 1307 he interrupts his unfinished work, Convivio, a reflection of his love poetry philosophy of the Roman tradition, to begin The Comedy (later known as The Divine Comedy). He writes a book called De Vulgari Eloquentia explaining his idea to combine a number of Italian dialects to create a new national language. In 1310 he writes De Monarchia presenting Dante's case for a one-ruler world order. Among his works, his reputation rests on his last work, The Divine Comedy. He began writing it somewhere between 1307-1314 and finished it only a short while before his death in 1321, while in exile. In this work, 2005-02-02T04:07:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dante-s-Inferno-Analysis-26218.aspx Report On “A Discourse On Inequality,” by Jean Jacques Rousseau In Rousseau’s book “A Discourse On Inequality”, he looks into the question of where the general inequality amongst men came from. Inequality exists economically, structurally, amongst different generations, genders, races, and in almost all other areas of society. However, Rousseau considers that there are really two categories of inequality. The first is called Natural/Physical, it occurs as an affect of nature. It includes inequalities of age,, health, bodily strength, and the qualities of the mind and soul. The second may be called Moral/Political inequality, this basically occurs through the consent of men. This consists of the privileges one group may have over another, such as the rich over the poor. Rousseau came to the conclusion that the best way to examine the inequality in society is to examine the beginning of mankind itself. He tried to imagine the early state of man assuming there was ever actually a state where man existed only with the nature, in a solitary, and primitive lifestyle. He did not however revert as far back to the idea of the Neanderthal man to examine the ideas man held and where they came from. Instead, he looked at a state where man looked, and seemed to have the same physical abilities as he does today. Rousseau also concedes that a time where the ideas of government, ownership, justice, and injustice did not exist may not have ever existed. If what many religions tell us is true, then, in mans beginning, he was from the start, handed down laws from god which would influence his thinking and decisions. Through this, the only way such a period could come about would have to be through some catastrophic event, which would not only be impossible to explain, but consequently, impossible to prove. Therefore, imagining this state could prove not only embarrassing, but would be a contradiction to the Holy Scriptures. In the “natural state”, Rousseau suggests that we should strip man of all the “supernatural gifts” he may have been given over the course of time. He says we should “consider him, in a word, just as he must have come from the hands of nature, we behold in him an animal weaker than some, and less agile than others; but, taking him all around, the most advantageously organized of any.” He presumes that man’s needs would be easily satisfied. 2005-02-02T03:59:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Report-On-“A-Discourse-On-Inequality,”-by-Jean-Rousseau-26217.aspx Positive and Negative Influences in Great Expectations, Les Misérables In any good novel, and even in life, people can be influenced in both positive and negative ways. In the three novels that we have read so far, Great Expectations, Lés Misérables, and Wuthering Heights, the main characters are faced with negative challenges and influences. Positive guides and influences also affect the characters in these books; the positive guides usually end up winning in the end. In Great Expectations, the main character of the story was Pip. Some of the negative influences that Pip faces include poverty, low self-esteem, abuse, fear, and lack of love. The poverty that Pip endured may have been the cause of his low self-esteem, as well as the influence of Estella. Estella influenced Pip by calling him a “common boy,” with “rough hands.” The abuse that Pip suffered from his sister may have also contributed to his lack of self-esteem, as well as the lack of love. An example of Pip being abused was when his sister beat him into telling her what she wanted. Pip’s abuse also contributed to his fear of authority figures (i.e. his sister). Another challenge that Pip was forced to face was that of a convict that he had helped in the beginning of the story; a convict had threatened his life out of a want for food, and Pip brought him food that he had stolen from his kitchen. Pip was wary of helping the convict; after all, he had threatened his life! This nagged at him, but in the end, the convict proved to be a great positive influence; his benefactor. Also, his compassion and love for Estella proved to be a positive as well as negative influence. Pip’s desire for Estella guided him in becoming a “gentleman”; this is an example of existentialism; the belief that any individual assumes the responsibility of their existence, allowing them to control their own destiny. The real influence in his becoming a gentleman was in fact, ironically, the convict; the convict financed his change, while Estella only fueled his desire; without one or both of these essential influences, I believe that Pip would not have become a “gentleman;” although Joe was a good influence, with Estella on his back, he did not realize this. Pip’s change was in response to Estella, he “learned” that he was just a common boy, and thus could be considered both 2005-02-02T03:51:45-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pos-and-Neg-Influences-in-Great-Expectations,-Les-Miserables-26213.aspx “‘Ransomed? What’s that?’ ‘... it means that we keep them till they’re dead’” (10). This dialogue reflects Twain’s witty personality. Mark Twain, a great American novelist, exploits his humor, realism, and satire in his unique writing style in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain, born in 1835, wrote numerous books throughout his lifetime. Many of his books include humor; they also contain deep cynicism and satire on society. Mark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, exemplifies his aspects of writing humor, realism, and satire throughout the characters and situations in his great American novel. Mark Twain applies humor in the various episodes throughout the book to keep the reader laughing and make the story interesting. The first humorous episode occurs when Huck Finn astonishes Jim with stories of kings. Jim had only heard of King Solomon, whom he considers a fool for wanting to chop a baby in half and adds, “‘Yit dey say Sollermun de wises’ man dat ever live’. I doan’ take no stock in dat’” (75). Next, the author introduces the Grangerfords as Huck goes ashore and unexpectedly encounters this family. Huck learns about a feud occurring between the two biggest families in town: the Grangerfords and the Sheperdsons. When Huck asks Buck about the feud, Buck replies, “’... a feud is this way: A man has a quarrel with another man, and kills him; then that other man’s brother kills him; then the other brothers, on both sides, goes for one another; then the cousins chip in – and by and by everybody’s killed off, and there ain’t no more feud’” (105). A duel breaks out one day between the families and Huck leaves town, heading for the river where he rejoins Jim, and they continue down the Mississippi. Another humorous episode appears n the novel on the Phelps plantation. Huck learns that the king has sold Jim to the Phelps family, relatives of Tom Sawyer. The Phelps family mistakes Huck for Tom Sawyer. When Tom meets with Aunt Sally, he “... [reaches] over and [kisses] Aunt Sally on the mouth” (219) This comes as a surprises to her and Tom explains that he “[thinks] [she] [likes] it” (219) Later, Huck runs into Tom on the way into town and the two make up another story about their identities. The two then devise a plan to rescue Jim. They use Jim as 2005-02-01T01:05:28-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Adventures-of-Huckleberry-Finn,-Literary-Analysis-26191.aspx Dr. Watson, paralyzed by fear, looked ahead at “… the dreadful shape which had sprung out upon [him] from the shadows of the fog. A hound it was, an enormous coal-black hound, but not such a hound as mortal eyes have ever seen” (Doyle 216). Can this dreaded hound actually exist? Sherlock Holmes doubts it, but Dr. Mortimer believes it does in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. This contrast between natural and supernatural presents itself as the main theme of the novel. Dr. Mortimer, a family physician, approaches Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson with a case in which the two sleuths must determine if the curse of the Baskerville family is real or not. These two, constantly facing the difference between truth and fantasy, agree to take the case. Through characterization, the theme of natural versus supernatural propels the reader further into the novel. Characterization relates to the theme and reinforces it by displaying what each of the characters feel about whether or not the hound of the Baskervilles does or does not exist. Dr. Mortimer, a friend of Holmes comes to visit him. The two discuss the existence of a hound, and Mortimer, believing in the supernatural beast, states, “‘There is a realm in which the most acute and most experienced of detectives is helpless’” (36). Mortimer doubts the abilities of Sherlock Holmes in this case because the supernatural hound may exist. Holmes, however, not fully believing this beast to be supernatural, still cautions Sir Henry Baskerville to be careful. Holmes looked up at him and said, “‘[b]ear in mind, Sir Henry, one of the phrases in that queer old legend which Dr. Mortimer has read to us and avoid the moor in those hours of darkness when the powers of evil are exalted’” (80). Holmes later says to Watson, “‘[k]eep your revolver near you night and day, and never relax your precautions’” (79). Holmes doubts the fears all others exhibit, but remains on guard anyway because he believes “‘[a]n investigator needs facts and not legends or rumours’” (192). Watson also does not quite know what to believe about the mystery. Sometimes he thinks a supernatural beast may exist, and other times he does not believe it. When recollecting on the past day, Watson contemplates of the warning Miss 2005-02-01T01:02:37-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Hound-of-the-Baskervilles,-Literary-Analysis-26190.aspx “‘I wish to be Providence myself, for I feel that the most beautiful, noblest, most sublime thing in the world, is to recompense and punish,’” declares Monte Cristo to Valentine Villefort (Dumas 664). Revenge. That is all Monte Cristo has thought about since he escaped from the Chteau D’If, a prison for political enemies. Revenge also remains as the underlying theme in Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. Dumas, born July 24, 1802, wrote The Count of Monte Cristo from 1844 to 1845, the period in which the novel takes place. To countless people, this novel contains the genres of adventure, Romantic, and moralistic tale. Alexandre Dumas uses elements of fiction to exemplify the foremost theme and show the novel contains the genre of moralistic tale. Dumas uses plot to show how and why Edmond Dantés, the protagonist of the novel, exacts his revenge and also to show how revenge works. Dumas also develops the theme of revenge through the dialogue between each of the characters. Through conflict of man versus man, Dumas conveys the rising action, climax, and falling action to illustrate the theme of revenge in The Count of Monte Cristo. Dumas utilizes the element of plot through the rising action to illustrate the origins of Edmond Dantés revenge on his various enemies in The Count of Monte Cristo. After the captain of Dantés ship dies, Dantés is named the new captain upon arriving back in Marseilles (Dumas 4 and 9). His superior, Monsieur Morrel notifies Edmond of his increase in rank to captain on his ship, The Pharaon (Dumas 7). Hearing this news, Baron Danglars “turn[s] very red” in jealous anger (Dumas 9). Danglars, envious of Dantés, believes he himself deserves the rank. Baron Danglars, however, is not the only person that dislikes Edmond. Caderousse, Dantés’ neighbor, envies Edmond’s prosperity (Dumas 20). Fernand Mondego envies Dantés beautiful fiancé, Mercédés. One night, all of these jealous men gather and discuss how they can bring down Edmond Dantés (Dumas 37). As the first step to betrayal, they decide to falsely accuse Dantés of treason by telling the public prosecutor of a letter in Dantés possession that supports a Bonapartist uprising (Dumas 37). This information causes Dantés’ arrest. Dantés tells the public prosecutor, Gérard de Villefort, why the charges are false and that the letter was intended for “Monsieur 2005-02-01T01:01:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Count-of-Monte-Cristo,-Literary-Analysis-26189.aspx The book I reviewed was 1787: The Grand Convention by Clinton Rossiter. In it he Breaks down before during and after the convention into four parts: The Setting, The Men, The Event, and The Consequences. In the Beginning Mr. Rossiter sets up for us a country that was going trough sever growing pains was without some serious help would not become the world power that it is today. The congressional form of common government that was formed during the Articles of Confederation, though not a failure, where not a success either. In order to finish what had begun with the revolution the great minds and characters of that time must band together and set aside the many differences they had in order to become one powerful government instead of a band of bickering siblings. Although Mr. Rossiter states that they did not come to Philadelphia because they all agreed they wanted to form a new structure for they government, they did feel that something had to be done or else the country that they fought so hard for to become free, would fail. Set up for the readers also were the wonderful and easy to understand breakup of all the men who were going to the convention. All of which were well-to-do men with businesses, prior political experience, and degrees from various University’s from all over the New World. As going over the names and descriptions of the Framers of the Constitution we are forced to agree with the author and others as well who say this group is the crème de la crème of the political business and military world like Washington, Hamilton, Madison, and Franklin. I must also admit though that those names were the only ones I had heard and recognized. What this book is good for it to fill in many of the spots that were missing in High School and Elementary school classes. The people who are only given 1 paragraph or a few sentences in to describe their personalities come to life in this book. For which we all must applaud Mr. Rossiter for being able to piece this pivotal moment in our history so well from notes and letters taken from the great men of this era. By far the most important part of this book was the description of the event itself that went on for many months from May 14th to September 2005-01-30T05:51:32-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Book-Review,-1787-The-Grand-Convention-by-Clinton-Rossiter-26178.aspx Period 1 A.P. English The Concept of Fate in Beowulf A Twist of Fate for the Great Hero Beowulf Fate seems to be an ongoing theme in the works of Boethius and Beowulf. Whether it is a belief of Christian providence or pagan fatalism, the writers of these works are strongly moved by the concept of fate and how it affects the twists and turns of a person’s life. Fate is most often seen as the course of events in a person’s life that leads them to inevitable death at some time or another. Throughout the poem Beowulf, the characters are haunted by fate and acknowledge its strong presence in everything that they do. Fate seems to lurk in the shadows of these characters very being and it is this force in which they acknowledge their mortality as human beings. Boethius wrote The Consolation of Philosophy, which may be very helpful in interpreting the meaning of fate in the epic poem Beowulf. Boethius creates fate as a female character that attempts to heal the mind of a troubled man. Richard Green translates some of Boethius’s work in the introduction and interprets this woman’s role as, “She represented fate as a random, uncontrollable force, to be feared or courted, opposed or despised” (xvi). Green goes on to identify fate’s role in the cause of events in life. This connection may be made to further understand the role of fate in Beowulf’s life. Green says, “For the wise man, fortune is a specious identification of fate; the course of events which affect his life may seem random and capricious, and most of them are indeed beyond his control” (xvii). Green is trying to unfold the meaning of fate and Boethius’s intent to illustrate its effects on a man’s life. Boethius himself says that, “Fate moves the heavens and the stars, governs the elements in their mixture, and transforms them by mutual change, it renews all things that are born and die by the reproduction of similar offspring and seeds. This same power binds the actions and fortunes of men in an unbreakable chain of causes and, since these causes have their own origins in an unchangeable providence, they too must necessarily be unchangeable” (Boethius, Book four, poem five, prose six). Boethius is attempting to identify fate as a force of nature that represents the circle of life and the set sequence of 2005-01-30T05:48:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Concept-of-Fate-in-Beowulf-26177.aspx The Hobbit By: JR Tolkien Bilbo Baggins is a peaceful and domestic hobbit. He enjoys living in his comfortable hole in The Hill. His life is wonderful by hobbits’ standards, which is to say, there is no excitement and there is a lot of food and drinks to consume each day. Bilbo is the only son of Belladonna Took. The Tooks were a wealthy family, but Bilbos’ mother had adventurous personalities in them. They were not as respectable as Bilbo’s fathers’ family, the Baggins. Bilbo does not enjoy adventures but would rather stay at home and drink ale all day. Tolkien does not waste anytime introducing us to the world of Middle Earth. Hobbits are only a few of the countless types of creatures that are encountered by Bilbo, and there are definitely more that he has not seen. Gandalf, the wizard, is major character in The Hobbit as well as in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. On the adventure that Bilbo is about to embark one will not have the ordinary multiple servings of food a day that the hobbits regularly have. Bilbo’s discomfort and possible questioning of Gandalf can be foreshadowed by the reader at this stage. Bilbo’s character is much more complex than others, as Bilbo is the main character of the novel. The most important part that the author would like the readers to notice here is the juxtaposition of the Baggins-like hobbit lifestyle respectability and the Tooks disregard for parties in favour of adventure. It is already known that Bilbo will end up more like his mother, Belladonna Took as he embarks on this journey. This story somewhat borrows the old theme of the treasure-map of the lost treasure. Maps and keys are guides and sources of direction. In the novel the discussion of maps and keys prove who has wisdom and who is just there for the demolition work. The novel shows different “heroes” whether they are self-made, born, or maybe both. Not so long after beginning their journey Bilbo and the dwarves make their way into the secret valley of Rivendell. Their spirits immediately begin to rise, and Bilbo is able to fatten himself with food and drink until his heart is content. Although there is a history of unpleasantness between the dwarves and the elves, it is intentionally disregarded. Elrond, who is the king of Rivendell, is an old soul who has a 2005-01-11T01:22:23-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Hobbit-by-JR-Tolkien-26156.aspx Franz Kafka's Obsession With Death Kafka was a man consumed by death, consumed by the fact that he might eventually die. One man who was greatly affected by his father's negligence of him, and a social deviance about him which held him back from interaction. Such a man was so afraid about what society thought of his writing, that he never widely published his works, and even asked a friend to burn all manuscripts. Not only was Kafka Jewish, he resented this fact. Once Kafka even stated that "Sometimes I'd like to stuff all Jews (myself included) into a drawer of a laundry basket-then open it to see if they've suffocated." As anyone can see, Kafka was enormously enticed by death, and the fact that he greatly disliked his own cultural status, and even his family. Through most of his works he greatly illustrated his infatuation with death. In the Metamorphosis he showed how a man could die emotionally. In a Hunger Artist he shows how a man can just not have a reason to live and disguise it through starvation. Finally in the Penal Colony he shows how death can be such a masterpiece and how a man can be driven crazy by the fact that he cant prevent death that he actually draws himself to suicide. Even though, this man was one accompanied by great wisdom, which was shown in the writing of Metamorphosis Distant from the poor, meager and mostly un-vivacious reality of life and it's hardships stands one man, Gregor, a provider of financial resources for his family. Such a young man is making his way in society and the world in general. Through Gregor's successes, and his almost workaholic attitude, he has suffered into prospering. Prosperity is an awkward word, for it is one which not only describes a persons wealth, though also his downfalls. The great undoing of prosperity shows itself in Gregor, as he becomes a monster. Gregor is seen as the epitome of sociable, a "traveling salesman". However, Gregor is one who is "meeting new people all the time, but never forming any lasting friendships that mellow into anything intimate"(118). Through being a traveling salesman, Gregor must be friendly, though his forward happiness seems only a ploy to keep up his gut wrenching work. Gregor's is only 2005-01-08T08:50:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Franz-Kafka-s-Obsession-With-Death-26152.aspx The Relation of Iliad and Aeneid to Modern Society The world we live in today isn't the same as it was a couple hundred or thousand of years ago. But we still live in kind of the same way and concept. As each year, decade, and/or century goes by it gets more complicated and more technologically advanced, which makes it more difficult in a way and easier in another way. The style we live in also changes. The world around us changes as well. The Iliad and Aeneid are two examples of books that relate to our modern livings today. The Iliad is about two groups of people. Which are the Achaeans and the Trojans. The conflict in this book was because of Chryseis and Briseis, which were capture by the Achaeans. The world today is still corrupt just as it was back then. People still get kidnapped no matter if they are young, old, pretty, ugly, big or small. People say that the United States is a safe place to stay but it actually isn't. It might be safer to live in compared to other countries. There are many ignorant people who live in this world who bring dreadfulness and fear to the world we live in. Bin Laden can be a great example. He is a terrible person who has brought terror to the world. Because of his halfhearted self he killed thousands of innocent people because he didn't like us and that he was jealous of how we lived and how our government was like and also we were better than him and his people were. We have wars all the time between neighboring countries just as they were in the Iliad. People today cant live in peace and harmony. People have dreamt to live in a peaceful and safe place but we cannot succeed if our attitude about living is this way. In wars counties always have allies. We still have allies now; if we didn't have any we would probably wouldn't be able to win a war. When honorable people die they have proper burials for honor and bravery. In the book Patroclus and Hector were both respectable people on one side or the other who died in the fierce battle. They were both appropriately buried. In the 2005-01-08T08:49:45-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Aeneid-And-Iliad-How-They-Relate-To-The-Modern-World-26151.aspx Themes in The Great Gatsby 1. THE CORRUPTION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM The American Dream--as it arose in the Colonial period and developed in the nineteenth century--was based on the assumption that each person, no matter what his origins, could succeed in life on the sole basis of his or her own skill and effort. The dream was embodied in the ideal of the self-made man, just as it was embodied in Fitzgerald's own family by his grandfather, P. F. McQuillan. The Great Gatsby is a novel about what happened to the American dream in the 1920s, a period when the old values that gave substance to the dream had been corrupted by the vulgar pursuit of wealth. The characters are Midwesterners who have come East in pursuit of this new dream of money, fame, success, glamour, and excitement. Tom and Daisy must have a huge house, a stable of polo ponies, and friends in Europe. Gatsby must have his enormous mansion before he can feel confident enough to try to win Daisy. What Fitzgerald seems to be criticizing in The Great Gatsby is not the American Dream itself but the corruption of the American Dream. What was once--for Ben Franklin, for example, or Thomas Jefferson--a belief in self-reliance and hard work has become what Nick Carraway calls "...the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty." The energy that might have gone into the pursuit of noble goals has been channeled into the pursuit of power and pleasure, and a very showy, but fundamentally empty form of success. How is this developed? I have tried to indicate in the chapter-by-chapter analysis, especially in the Notes, that Fitzgerald's critique of the dream of success is developed primarily through the five central characters and through certain dominant images and symbols. The characters might be divided into three groups: 1. Nick, the observer and commentator, who sees what has gone wrong; 2. Gatsby, who lives the dream purely; and 3. Tom, Daisy, and Jordan, the "foul dust" who are the prime examples of the corruption of the dream. The primary images and symbols that Fitzgerald employs in developing the theme are: 1. the green light; 2. the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg; 3. the image of the East and Midwest; 4. Owl Eyes; 5. Dan Cody's yacht; and 6. religious terms such as grail and incarnation. 2. SIGHT AND INSIGHT Both the character groupings and the images and symbols 2005-01-08T08:36:23-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-in-The-Great-Gatsby--26148.aspx A Doll's House Analysis In 1879 society dictated the way human beings lived their lives and in 2000 nothing has changed. In "A Dolls House," Henrik Isben reveals the devastating affect society has on relationships. Through the disintegration of Nora and Torvald Helmer's marriage, Isben shows how people make poor decisions based on the opinions of the society they lived in. Many have tried to present the play as an example of women's rights, but I believe Isben was trying to say that society oppresses all of us, by dictating how we should live our lives. For example, Nora is forced to hide the fact that she made a financial decision to save Torvald's life, because it would make him appear weak. In addition, she forged her father's name on the bond not realizing she was committing a crime. The fact is that 1879 society was a man's world, and it wasn't appropriate for a woman to show more strength or intelligence than her husband. "This society has a moral code that prescribes many rules but does not tolerate moral fervor" (Meyer 51). Rather than face the fact that she may disappoint Torvald by not being perfect, she hides things from him. In the beginning of the play she hides macaroons in her pocket rather than eating them in the open, because she knows Torvald doesn't approve of them. Since Torvald doesn't approve of them, it wouldn't be acceptable for her to go against his wishes, so she hides them. She also allows him to give her pet names like skylark, or squirrel even if she doesn't like them. Of course, "There is certainly no sense that Nora finds these labels unacceptable-at times (although not here) she uses them herself to get her way with Torvald" (Johnston). Nora pretends to be a naive child, because this allows her get what she wants, by feeding Torvald's ego. "Yes, Nora may appear happy enough and getting her way, but she's playing a silly role, acting the child-wife when she is, in fact, a mature married woman and mother in her late twenties" (Johnston). Torvald doesn't see a problem with this, because it fits the expectations of society perfectly. Torvald is very concerned with fitting the image of society. When Nora announces she is leaving him he begs her to stay, but his remarks are 2005-01-06T07:59:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-a-Doll-s-House-amp-Relation-to-Historical-Cont-26137.aspx Religion in the Novel Demian In the novel Demian, religion plays a big role in what goes on throughout the story. As said in the quote, no one religion can provide complete fulfillment and understanding. I do not agree with this quote because I am a Roman Catholic and I have grown up believing that religion is what a life should be based upon. Since I was real young I was brought up believing in that God is great, and he is what we Roman Catholics live our lives by. In the novel Demian, the main character, has no religion and does not believe in God. He is a character who could care less about what goes on in the world and what happens to other people. Demian knows that in his mind religion serves no purpose and it is a waste of time believing in something that does not exist or will benefit him. Demian when brought up was never taught about such religion, some guessed him as being Jewish, no one truly knows though. Finally Demians mother sends him to a Latin school, he has never been to a school like this before. Demian is never disrespectful to his teachers, but he does not accept everything they teach. His interpretations of religious stories is quite different to theirs. Many times it is quite contrary to their teachings. And sometimes Demian is even critical of religious texts. Demian points out in one part of the story that neither in the Old Testament nor the New Testament there is no such mention of sexuality. Also in the Bible, Cain is considered a villain who killed his brother Able, but to Demian , he simply feels that it is the case of victory of the strong over the weak. Demian even considers the mark on Cain and his children, to be a mark of distinction rather then anything derogatory. In another story, Demian does not approve of the thief who repented at the cross. Demian says that "such views are too difficult to digest." But even though all this religious stuff, Demian admits his views honestly and does not portray himself as a hypocrite. In Demian's case I guess we could say that no one religion can provide complete fulfillment and understanding. From my perspective 2005-01-06T07:51:10-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Religion-in-the-Novel-Demian-26135.aspx The Many Faces Of Evil The best selling, Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a riveting tale of life lessons. The story unfolds through the eyes of a six-year-old girl, named Scout. The book concerns the struggle against racial injustice in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s. In this book, Lee brings out the struggles that people face everyday concerning prejudice. This powerful novel shows how people are stereotyped by their race, social class, and gender. The first form of prejudice shown throughout the novel is racism. For example, Attics Finch who is Scouts father is a well-known lawyer. He agrees to represent Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. Atticus's decision to take on the case resulted in Scout being subjected to abuse by the neighborhood friends. For example, when Mrs. Dubose says, "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for"(Lee 102). This is showing that just because Atticus is standing up for justice he is being criticized. Another example is Doluphs Raymond. He lives on a farm and he lives with black people and raises mixed children. As Jem says, "They don't belong anywhere. Colored folks won't have 'em because they are half white; and white folks won't have 'em cause they're colored."(Lee 161.) Jen is referring to the mixed children and that people can't look past the color of the skin so these children can't be accepted anywhere. Racial injustice were huge in Maycomb but was not the only problem. Another conflict between citizens in Maycomb was social class. This is shown when Aunt Alexandra, Atticus's sister who is living with the Finch family tells Scout that she can't play with Walter Cunningham. Walter attends Scout's school and he is very poor, but this does not stop Scout from wanting to be his friend. Aunt Alexandra responds, "Because he is trash, that is why you can't play with him"(Lee 225). Just because the Cunningham's were not like the Finch's, Scout could not be friends with Walter. Another example is the way the town people treat the Ewells. The Ewells are poor white people who live amongst Negroes. Many people disrespect them as Atticus says, "The Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations"(Lee 30). Even though the Ewells are despicable human beings, they are treated better than the Robinson's just because they are 2005-01-06T07:41:03-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-and-Moral-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-26130.aspx Sex And Love In Orwell's 1984 George Orwell's novel 1984 explores intimate human relationships in a bleak futuristic society as experienced by protagonist Winston Smith. Since there are few bonds stronger than those developed from loving relationships among family, friends, and lovers, the only entity acceptable to love in Oceania is the face of the Party, Big Brother. This restriction is necessary to achieving complete power and control over its citizens, as the Party must dissolve all loyalties derived through love, sex, and family and redirect them upon itself. By destroying trust the Party has "cut the links between child and parent, and between man and man, and between man and woman"(220). To train the citizens of Oceania for complete submission and devotion to Big Brother and the Party the family bond has been completely devalued, as "No one dares trust a wife or a child or a friend any longer."(220) The Junior Spies are an organization in which children have become the police and denouncers of their parents in the name of Big Brother. By this means, the Party has managed to wedge itself between one of the most powerful instinctual bonds to turn parental devotion into fear and children into faithful machines of the Party as an extension of the Thought Police. Parsons' remark "In fact I'm proud of her. It shows I brought her up in the right spirit, anyway"(193) in response to his daughter's betrayal, clearly portrays the Party's influence in the family institution. Not only does the daughter value the Party's approval more than her father's life, but also Parsons' appropriate response is to be grateful for the betrayal and to those who enforce it. The betrayal of the family bond is a common theme in 1984. Orwell illustrates how weak that loyalty has become with the skull-faced man's desperate begging to watch his wife and children's throats be slit as an alternative to the Ministry of Love's room 101 with a complete lack of "private loyalties"(136). Winston's memories of his mother's love "in a time when there were still privacy, love, and friendship, and when the members of a family stood by one another without needing to know the reason"(28) confront his suspicions that to "remain human", one was "not loyal to a party or a country or an idea, they were loyal to one another"(136). Technically, 2005-01-06T03:03:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sex-And-Love-In-Orwell-s-1984-26125.aspx Name Of The Rose Synopsis Imagine a medieval Benedictine monastery, with cellarers, herbalists, gardeners, librarians, young novices. One after the other, half a dozen monks are found murdered in the most bizarre ways, and the reader very quickly finds out that the monastery, supposedly a place of piety and tranquility is the place of sin and corruption. William of Baskerville, a learned Franciscan who is sent to solve the mystery finds himself involved in the frightening events inside the abbey. This is the story of "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco. It is the year 1327 when William of Baskerville and his young scribe (Adso of Melk, who narrates the story many years later) arrive at the monastery. The monastery contains the greatest library of Christianity. The monks live "by books and for books" (351), however, only the librarian and his assistant are allowed to enter the stacks in the labyrinth of the library. The reason is that there are thousands of books by pagan, Jewish, Arab authors, and the librarian has the sovereign power to decide whose mind is mature enough to view these "heresies" (340). Naturally, the forbidden library, like heaven, becomes the place that all the monks crave for. Strange intrigues develop among the monks, and suddenly turn to murder. A gifted young illuminator, Adelmo, is killed; the next morning a second monk is found dead, plunged head first into a barrel of pigs' blood. Surprisingly enough, toward the end of the book it turns out that all those horrible crimes were committed for highly ethical reasons. The manuscript that caused the murders is the second part of the ''Poetics'' by Aristotle - the lost book containing his theory of comedy and laughter - has been found in the library and the murderer would do anything to stop the manuscript from being exposed to others. Before they solve the mystery of the murders, the main characters have to encounter many philosophical questions about faith, the truth of the Christian Church, and the many different truths of numerous heresies. Who is right, the heretics who argue against private ownership in the name of Christ who never owned anything, or the Inquisitors of the Christian Church who burn them alive? The questions and controversies are for the reader to answer, or, rather, to consider, because there are no ultimate solutions. The monastery is the place that seems to breed 2005-01-06T03:02:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Name-Of-The-Rose-Synopsis-Paper-26124.aspx At first glance, Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World seem pretty much irrelevant to each other, except for their classification as Modern novels. For example, The Metamorphosis deals with a man, Gregor Samsa, who awakes one day transformed into a giant insect and the effects (and repercussions) of the transformation on those around Gregor. Brave New World, on the other hand, deals with the looming threat of the future while showing what is already, or will become, wrong, morally and otherwise, in the present and future. However, both texts have something in common. This linking factor is the manipulation of language, as in the inclusion of specific details, sentence structure, and diction, by both authors in their narration, and sometimes in their dialogue, to create a satire about the fact that the world has become heartless, monotonous, and robotic, with little or no consideration towards actual human life. In the very beginning of The Metamorphosis, Kafka exhibits several ideas: he uses a great deal of pronouns in place of Gregor’s name, which creates a sense of ambiguity and anonymity, such as when “he wanted to leave…but…he hadn’t seen yet and…he couldn’t…at the moment.”, (Kafka 14) to show that humans become faceless as they begin to adapt to the new world order; Kafka also uses a syntactical style known as a ‘freight train’ as Gregor “lay on his back, which was hard as armor, and, when he lifted his head, he saw, his belly…was just barely perched” (Kafka 11). While the connection seems somewhat obscure, Kafka uses this syntactical device to convey a sense of desolation because it seems that society has begun to go down a one-way track, so to speak, with little hope of stopping. Also, Kafka includes a connotative statement when Gregor exclaims, “My God, what a strenuous profession I’ve chosen!”(Kafka 11). The connotations of the phrase “My God”, exclamatory and somewhat cursing a situation, in addition to the statement “…what a strenuous profession I’ve chosen,” convey a sense of irony because Gregor shows even more concern about his work, and his line of work, than he conveys for his own physical predicament (possessing the physical and mental characteristics of an insect), which conveys that since Gregor has been following the same exact routine for so long, that routine eventually becomes the only thing that Gregor knows: work. In the beginning of Brave 2005-01-05T23:56:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Metamorphosis-and-Brave-New-World-26122.aspx Analytical Essay On The Narrative Style Of A Fine Balance By Rohinton Mistry A Fine Balance uses a straightforward third person omniscient narration. A style that has become suspects and largely outmoded in this postmodern period. The question is why did Mistry choose to write in such a mode? Now an analysis of the narrative style of a text will necessarily involve a close scrutiny of the intention of writing it. In the novel the text as such, basically the descriptive part other than the character's conversations or their thoughts, stands out for its stark factuality and linearity of time. The text is just a long list of all the events and various descriptions. It doesn't probe at all the intentions or the mental make-up of the characters. We are left to make out whatever of their psychological make-up from their conversations or actions. In other words the text is non-intrusive. At a cursory glance the novel fits in very nicely as a typical Bollywood masala movie. With its stereotyped characters: a widow on her own, a student far away from home and an uncle-nephew duo struggling against caste prejudices and all of them struggling to survive under Emergency's shadow. Lots of cliched relationships and a whole slew of amusing coincidences make it up. Many really tragic events take place like Om's family burning away In caste violence, Dina's husbands death, Maneck's father passing away in his absence, losses of jobs, losses of homes, people without legs, Om's castration, building up of emotional bonds between characters and then these being sundered apart. An easily digestible potboiler kind of story taking the readers along on an emotional roller coaster. But this kind of interpretation is what Mistry is cautioning the readers against by raising various questions in his epigraph and in the novel itself. To proceed further we need to differentiate between the narrator and the author. In a third person narrative the relationship between the narrator and the author is somewhat blurred, the narrator getting mixed up with the author. Now the present text is factual and comments in it are scarce, the narrator is being deadly serious, therefore the author can make use of a prop character to speak for him. We can also make out that the narrator is favoring a Realist point of view. A third person kind of narrative that is used here was also the narrative style used by 2005-01-03T02:31:48-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analytical-Essay-On-The-Narrative-Style-Of-A-Fine-Balance-26109.aspx Trojan Compassion Both Homer’s The Iliad, and Virgil’s The Aeneid, recount the many grave occurrences, and key hero’s and gods and goddesses of the tumultuous Trojan War. The Trojans and Greeks are for the most part evenly matched; however, the Greeks triumph after ten years of restless war comes about because of many factors. The people of Troy suffer to a greater extent than the Greeks, because of Hector’s unwise actions, Paris’s gluttonous decision, and the gods’ involvement in the war. Hector’s hubris and imprudent decisions result in massive losses in Trojan life. Although a leader and hero of the Trojan forces, Hector makes a colossal mistake by slaying Achilles closest friend, Patroclus, “just as a mountain lion overpowers a mighty boar” (64). Hector also “removed Achilles’ shining armor from Patroclus and took it for himself,” (64) to demonstrate superiority. However, this arrogant act, only further enrages godlike Achilles, and compels him to reenlist in the Greek army, and wreak havoc upon the Trojans. Another absurd decision that Hector makes, is when he refuses to heed wise Polydamas’ advice, and fortify the soldiers behind the walls of Troy. Instead of listening to the wise man’s words, Hector’s hubris gets the best of him, and he orders his forces to commence with an attack upon Greek ships, even though Achilles anger runs high from the death of Patroclus. This full throttle attack, called on by Hector, causes “the black earth to swim with Trojan blood” (66). The judgment, and unthinkable act that Paris makes, ultimately leads to the downfall of Troy. When Paris is given the opportunity to evaluate and judge who the fairest goddess is, he chooses Aphrodite, instead of Athena or Hera. For this decision, Aphrodite rewards Paris with the love of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, the wife of Menelaus. Shortly after this judgment, Paris, with the help of Aphrodite manages to send a fleet of ships, break into Menelaus’ palace in Greece, and abduct Helen. This abduction entices Helen’s husband Menelaus as well as her former suitors, who took a vow to protect her, to lead an assault upon the city of Troy. In one instance, Hector, the brother of Paris and son of Priam, scolds Paris for his lack of courage during battle, telling him, “The Trojan people must share your cowardice, or they would have stoned you to death long before this, for all 2004-12-29T08:25:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Compassion-in-The-Iliad-and-The-Aeneid-26100.aspx Analysis: Anger in Beloved Anger, in all its sometimes raw, sometimes subtle, sometimes simple and sometimes sophisticated glory is an affect, which from the first line of Toni Morrison's Beloved ("124 was spiteful") takes center stage. The true multi-faceted nature of this affect often goes unrealized because we tend to recognize an emotion through its responses. Anger, in most minds is married to aggression and violence and we usually only acknowledge its presence when it is accompanied by these mates. Anger is also often obscured by specifics on the intensity, justification, and manifestation of the emotional state. For example, anger is defined as rage when we want to suggest a loss of self-control from violence of emotion; we use fury when defining an overmastering destructive rage that can verge on madness; Indignation is used to stress righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful and the term wrath is employed when we want to suggest a desire or intent to revenge or punish. The causes of anger such as jealousy, betrayal, indignation, and resentment are also emotions that further mask this deceptively complex affect. Under Tomkins' broad, liberating definition of anger, however, anger is both necessarily general and abstract. It both "fails to inform us of the particularities of its activator" and "is free to combine with any stimulus" so that the affect is neither limited by its causes nor its responses. Tomkins also clarifies responses to anger by distinguishing them into four broad categories. In his 'sculptor model' of anger detailed on p.212-221, he explains responses to anger as resulting from the nuclear scripts which he labels celebratory, defensive, counteractive, and reparative. Using these new tools, I hope to re-examine anger in the context of Beloved and possibly gain new insight into the characters and the affect along the way. The first instance of anger we come across in Beloved is perhaps the most clearly identifiable. It is the pure, raw fury of the 'crawling already' baby towards Sethe. It is characterized by uncontrolled violence - the breaking of mirrors and the thrashing about of furniture and dogs. This response follows a counteractive script during which an individual who has been terrorized, humiliated, or distressed attempts to terrorize, humiliate or distress the other. "The negative affects usually involved in this script are the 'masculine affects' of anger, disgust and dismell." (Tomkins, p.218). We know that the baby 2004-12-29T07:01:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Theme-of-Anger-in-Beloved-26098.aspx The Hidden Story in Green and White Color symbolism is really popular in novels written during the 1920's. One such example is Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. There is much color symbolism in this novel, but there are two main colors that stand out more than the others. The colors green and white influence the story greatly. Green shows many thoughts, ideas, attitudes, and choices that Gatsby has throughout the story. White represents the stereotypical façade that every character is hiding behind. The color green, as it is used in the novel, symbolizes different choices the character, Gatsby, can make during his life. The green element in this novel is taken from the green light at the end of the dock near Daisy's house. The color itself represents serenity, as in everything is perfect. This warns Gatsby that he should not pursue his dream for getting Daisy back, because his chance has passed and everything is as it should be. This is shown with Nick's insight, "…His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him… (Pg.189)" Another symbolization of the color green, which contradicts the first, is the meaning "go." As in a traffic light signal, most people associate green with the word and action "go." This can be interpreted as meaning Gatsby should go for his dream without hesitation. It implies that Gatsby and Daisy are meant to be together and nothing should stop Gatsby from his destined happiness and love with Daisy. It inspires hope for Gatsby that he is on the right path, heading towards the best years of his life. He believes that things will soon be as they once were, only better. ""I'm going to fix everything just the way they were before," he said nodding determinedly. "She'll see."(Pg. 117.)" The last symbolization the color green has in this novel is an urge to strive ahead in life, to do better in life and succeed. Gatsby changes his entire persona for a better, more sociable, image and status. He is constantly striving to be a more successful figure in society. Ever since he was a boy he put himself on a schedule with hopes for becoming a highly respected, well-known person. "He knew he had a big future in front of him. (Pg. 181)," his dad says about him. "Jimmy 2004-12-29T06:19:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-The-Great-Gatsby-by-Faulkner-26082.aspx In Ann Radcliffe's "The Italian", the very first thing that we see described is a veiled woman: "It was in the church of San Lorenzo at Naples, in the year 1758, that Vincentio di Vivaldi first saw Ellena di Rosalba. The sweetness and fine expression of her voice attracted his attention to her figure, which had a distinguished air of delicacy and grace; but her face was concealed in her veil. So much was he fascinated by the voice, that a most painful curiosity was excited as to her countenance, which he fancied must express all the sensibility of character that the modulation of her tones indicated" (5). Even without knowing anything about Gothic elements, this indicates very clearly what the quality and tone of the book are going to be like. Vivaldi's pursuit of the veiled woman is a signal that his is the pursuit of the mysterious, with the certainty that it will be beautiful. This certainly does seem to be a great fascination in the novel; it is a component and often a catalyst for that anxiety which runs throughout. It is this anxiety which causes the heightening of our emotions; our emotions are heightened as we watch the characters' pursuit of the mysterious; and our curiosity is excited more and more until we are nearly begging for its gratification. But Radcliffe heightens our emotions without satisfying our curiosity, or at least not enough. For example, the very first chapter establishes a sense of mystery about the assassin in the Church. The Englishman inquires as much for himself as for us about the assassin. His concern and state of shock invoke our own inquiry into this odd circumstance and then his Italian friend tells him a mystery without actually telling him anything: "'He [the assassin] sought sanctuary here', replied the friar; 'within these walls he may not be hurt'"(2). He makes it clear that there is a story here but that it is long and suspenseful, maybe shocking: "'It is much too long to be related now; that would occupy a week; I have it in writing, and will send you the volume'" (3). What it is exactly, or what the tale is going to be is only hinted at in a very curiosity invoking way: as if it is a secret. Instead of the Englishman and his Italian friend going down to the street café and 2004-12-29T06:15:26-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Italian,-by-Ann-Radcliff-Book-Report-26079.aspx The Time Machine Herbert George Wells was born in 1866 in Bromley, Kent, a few miles from London, the son of a house-maid and gardener. Wells died in 1946, a wealthy and famous author, having seen science fiction become a recognized literary form and having seen the world realize some of science fiction's fondest dreams and worst fears. Wells mother attempted to find him a safe occupation as a draper or chemist. Wells had a quick mind and a good memory that enabled him to pass subjects by examination and win a scholarship to the Normal School of Science, where he stayed for three years and, most importantly, was exposed to biology under the famous Thomas H. Huxley. Wells went into teaching and writing text books and articles for the magazines that were of that time. In 1894 he began to write science-fiction stories. -James Gunn Wells vision of the future, with its troglodytic Morlocks descended from the working class of his day and the pretty but helpless Eloi devolved from the leisure class, may seem antiquated political theory. It emerged out of the concern for social justice that drew Wells to the Fabian Society and inspired much of his later writing, but time has not dimmed the fascination of the situation and the horror of the imagery. The Time Machine brought these concerns into his fiction. It, too, involved the future, but a future imagined with greater realism and in greater detail than earlier stories of the future. It also introduced, for the first time in fiction, the notion of a machine for traveling in time. In this novel the Time Machine by H. G. Wells, starts with the time traveler trying to persuade his guest's the theory of the fourth dimension and even the invention. He tries to explain the fourth dimension before he shows them the time machine so they don't think of him as a magician. H. G. Wells uses details about the fourth dimension to teach the reader the theory about it to capture your attention. Also Wells character the time traveler says "Scientific people", "Know very well that time is only a kind of space". In this quote he is clearly using persuasion tactics. He tries to attack there consious by saying that, scientific people know that this is only a kind of space. He says this in hopes that they will believe what he says just because other 2004-12-29T06:14:16-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Time-Machine-Book-Report-26078.aspx In the novel "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan, the ignorance, the disregard of, and the necessity of love are all introduced as the characters tell their life stories and memories. The characters in "The Joy Luck Club" take love for granted. By ignoring love, concentrating more on material possessions, and hiding their true identities, the characters don't realize loves importance. One character that takes love for granted is Harold, Lena St. Clair's husband. This occurs when Lena leans over to him in their car and states "I love you." He responds by asking Lena a question about his car, which seems to be more important to him than his relationship with her. Harold does not realize the importance of love. He only thinks about material possessions. By Harold not revealing his true nature, he reveals that he has a lack of love for himself as an individual. The love of yourself is a necessity in life because it provides self-respect; if one respects oneself, one will respect and love others. The story of Lindo Jong provides insight into the concept of revealing your true nature. To "keep everything inside" as does Lindo Jong, provides for not being able to experience love to its fullest. Lindo Jong hides "under a red! marriage scarf" in attempt to shield herself from the outside world. By hiding under the scarf, she demonstrates that to be able to love, you must be able to first reveal your true nature. Ying-Ying St. Clair stands as an example of the desire to remain hidden as she says, "All these years I kept my true nature hidden, running along like a small shadow so nobody could catch me." The image of the shadow relates directly to the red marriage scarf. They both attempt to provide the concealment of their true natures, because the result of revealing your true self may be that of "pain". The importance of love goes unnoticed as the characters take love for granted and expect it to naturally come to them. The ceasing of taking love for granted does occur later and has its results and consequences. The characters realize that they are taking love for granted when they feel meaningless and uncomfortable, and stop doing so by either ending the relationship or confronting the problem. By not taking love for granted and realizing "there's absolutely nothing left to save" in her 2004-12-29T06:13:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Love-in-the-Joy-Luck-Club-by-Amy-Tan-26077.aspx The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald I. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, born in St. Paul, Minnesota, grew up in an upper-middle class family where he enjoyed the traditions of the upper classes, but not the financial ability to uphold those practices. Fitzgerald acquired his fame, almost overnight, with the publication of his first book, This Side of Paradise, in 1920. His extensive career began with the writing of stories for mass-circulation magazines, such as The Saturday Evening Post. That same year, he married Zelda Sayre, who later became one his major influences on his writing, along with literature, Princeton, and alcohol. In the summer of 1924, Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, a novel about the American dream. This novel was written in Fitzgerald's own time. The reader is able to see his insight and artistic integrity in the way that which the novel is composed. He brings forth the values that he embraced at least partially in his own life, such as materialism and the magic of wealth, which are clearly placed in the characters of The Great Gatsby. The novel is almost a paradox of his own biography: a unique materialism in which men attempt to create happiness from material achievement. The novel received the most striking critical appraisal, just as predicted by Fitzgerald. This honorary event marked the climax of his fame, however, his reputation faded from then on. With the illness of his wife, he reflected his experiences in his further work, such as Tender Is the Night. Some other examples of his work include The Beautiful and Damned and The Love of the Last Tycoon. At the age of forty-four, Fitzgerald dies of a heart attack. Since his death, critics have come to see his work as a reflection of the American culture and of "The Twenties", a noteworthy representation of his people that is saturated with meaning today. II. The story of Gatsby takes place in the 1920's, a time that began with the closing of the bloodiest conflict the world had ever witnessed. The European society had suffered spiritually from the effects of World War I, yet life in America became a time of material demand. The twenties are best known as a decade when American business was riding high and increases in productivity brought hundreds of new products within the reach of the average consumer. The widespread impact of the stock market downturn heightened 2004-12-29T06:11:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Book-Report-and-Discussion-26076.aspx Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six This book was published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in New York, USA. Copyright date is 1998. There are 740 pages in this book. Thomas L. Clancy, Jr. was born on the 12th of April 1947, he is married and lives in Maryland, USA. Clancy's novels can be classified as Military-Techno-Thrillers. He has written fiction and non-fiction books, Rainbow Six is a fiction book. As for other titles, well there are just to many to list, in total 23. Some books that he has written are The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, to list a few. According to Clancy "Rainbow Six, is one of my all time favourites." The book starts with a prologue that introduces us to the one main character, John Clark, an ex-Navy SEAL, and two other characters, Alistair Stanley the executive commander of Rainbow Six, and Domingo (Ding) Chavez, the Captain of Team 2. There are two other insignificant character introduced, Clark's wife Sandy and his daughter Patsy, who is married to Ding. Patsy is pregnant. The other main character is Dmitriy Arkadeyevich Popov, he is an ex-KGB agent who is now working as a 'special consultant'. He will become very important later on in the book. Clark is the commander and in charge of starting a new European anti-terrorist group called Rainbow Six. Rainbow Six is split into two teams; Team 1 and Team 2. These teams are the best there is. They are based in Hereford, England, but any European country can call on them at any time. They run 3 miles in 20 minutes every morning at 6:00 am. Only one team will be on-call at a time. The team that is not on-call will be doing live fire practices. In the first 6 months of being in operation they are called on three times which is a lot for this type of thing. The first incident happens in a Swiss bank where terrorists have taken control. They also have hostages. Team 2 successfully takes them out, with only one hostage killed, but he is killed before they had gotten there. The first mission helps them organize themselves and fix a few holes in their planning. The second mission is in Germany. An international trader is taken hostage in his mansion/castle. This mission goes well too, thanks to the snipers. No hostage deaths, but all the 2004-12-29T06:10:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Rainbow-Six-by-Tom-Clancy-Book-Report-26075.aspx Savagery in The Lord of the Flies William Golding’s novel ‘The Lord of The flies’ presents us with a group of English boys who are isolated on a desert island, left to try and retain a civilised society. In this novel Golding manages to display the boys slow descent into savagery as democracy on the island diminishes. At the opening of the novel, Ralph and Jack get on extremely well. We are informed Jack, “shared his burden,” and there was an, “invisible light of friendship,” between the two boys. Jack changes considerably throughout this novel. At first he tells us, “I agree with Ralph we’ve got to have rules and obey them,” This shows us that at the beginning of the novel, just like Ralph, he wants to uphold a civilised society. We are also notified, “Most powerfully there was the conch.” As the conch represents democracy we can see that at the beginning of the novel the boys sustain a powerful democratic society. This democratic society does not last very long as the children (especially Jack) have a lack of respect for the conch and the rules. We can see this when Jack decides, “We don’t need the conch anymore, we know who should say things.” As the conch represents democracy we can see that civilisation on the island is braking up and savagery is starting to take over. We can also see a brake up in society when Jack says, “Bollocks to the rules!” Here we can see that Jack contradicts himself while managing to diminish the assembly and the power of the conch. Golding has made the two boys’ act similar at the beginning of the novel to show us how ‘normal’ they are. This demonstrates Golding’s view that absolutely anyone can be over ruled by power and become savage (like Jack) when civilisation collapses. After this incident we can see continual conflict between Ralph and Jack. We can see this when Jack proclaims that Ralph, “Isn’t a proper chief.” Golding is trying to show us that this conflict is very similar to the conflict between humanities inner barbarism and the living influence of reason. We can see other evidence of this conflict within ourselves, with the masks that Jack and his hunters put on. We are informed that Jack, “ rubbed the charcoal stick between the patches of red and white on 2004-12-28T07:22:12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Savagery-in-The-Lord-of-the-Flies-26061.aspx Flight By Doris Lessing In the short story "Flight" by Alice Lessing, it's the story of an old man who raises homing pigeons for a hobby and who constantly worries about his last granddaughter, Alice, leaving and getting married to the postmaster's son, Steven. The old man is very overprotective and also possessive of his daughter. In a way, the grandfather is also jealous of Alice's fiancé, Steven. The Old man argues with Alice about her behaviour when Steven is with her and he complains to his daughter, Alice's mother, Lucy. In this story, Lessing wanted to show that part of growing up is leaving "the nest" and becoming more independent. Another part of growing up is letting go and moving on with ones life. Lessing uses a lot of techniques and devices in this short story like setting, point of view and symbolism. The setting of this story plays an important role in learning where the story takes place in, when the story takes places and what the social environment was in the story. Lessing didn't actually mention directly the setting of "Flight" but Lessing did leave a couple of clues to figure out the setting. Many of the details in the story could mislead us into thinking that the story took place somewhere English. For example; serving tea and Lucy's sewing. Actually the story takes in places in South Africa. The clue which tells the true setting of story is frangipani tree which is repeatedly mentioned throughout the story. The time of the story was harder to figure out since there weren't a lot of details mentioning this but the vocabulary used in the story was one clue. Words like postmaster and dovecote were some of the words use in the story. The social environment of "Flight" could also tell the time of the story like for instance the grandfathers attitude is more traditional. "Flight" is written in the third person but is it told through out the entire from the old man's point of view. At the beginning of the story, the grandfather was obviously very happy with his homing pigeons. His mood changes when he sees his last granddaughter swinging on the gate, waiting for his soon-to-be husband, Steven. We clearly see this sentiment when he takes his favourite pigeon and he prepares to let it go and he suddenly catches the pigeon before it was about to take 2004-12-28T06:49:48-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Flight-By-Doris-Lessing--26056.aspx The Taming of the Shrew: The Challenge of Loving Kate In the Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio recognizes, respects and desires Kate's intelligence and strength of character. He does not want to conquer or truly tame her. He is a very confident man and does not want or need someone to massage his ego. Petruchio seems to me to be a man of sport and challenge and likes to surround himself with witty, challenging people. He desires in a mate precisely what Kate has - fire. From Petruchio's response to his friend Hortensio (I.ii.64-75), it might be said that Petruchio came to Padua to make himself richer by marriage, to any woman, no matter how wretched. Petruchio is not in desperate need of money (I.ii.56-57). He tells Hortensio (I.ii.49-57) that his father has died and that he is out in the world to gain experiences he cannot at home and only secondarily to find a wife. Also, immediately before this declaration, is the scene of misunderstanding between he and his servant Grumio about knocking on the gate (I.ii.5-43). I see this exchange as demonstration of his enjoyment of verbal sport, a good example of Petruchio's sense of humor and his appreciation of things non-conventional. Though Petruchio may not agree with what society has determined to be proper and dignified, he is aware of the importance of appearing to conform. In what he says to Hortensio, I feel he is simply extending this sport and humor into the ironic. It is in Hortensio's description of Kate that I believe Petruchio's interest is captured. Hortensio describes Kate (I.ii.85-89) as wealthy, young, beautiful, properly brought up intolerably cursed, shrewed and froward. Though Hortensio finds the last three traits negative characteristics, Petruchio appears to be a man who also posses, and is proud of, these negative qualities. That the qualities are considered negative in Kate and not Petruchio is a reflection of the societal standards of the fifteen hundreds. It was okay for a man to be that way, but not a woman. Petruchio is the kind of man who would want a mate with similar qualities to his own to challenge him, sharpen his wits and keep his interest. If he had wanted someone who was conformed to societies expectations, or who had 2004-12-28T06:28:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Taming-of-the-Shrew-The-Challenge-of-Loving-Kate-26055.aspx Paying the Price in Flowers for Algernon Medical operations are carried out everyday, but for some, an operation can change a person's life. One experiment was done on a mentally retarded person to try to raise his intelligence. The experiment worked, but after months, the patient regressed dramatically. In the book, Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes, this intelligence operation was preformed, and the patient was Charlie Gordon. After the operation, Charlie was very bright, but experienced psychological traumas, loneliness, disillusionment, and social inadequacies. Charlie's psychological traumas or emotional upset was caused by his memory recalls. After his operation, he remembered every aspect of his childhood, whether it was good or bad. "...He's normal! He's normal! He'll grow up like other people. Better than others..." Charlie had dreams of how his mother was ashamed of him. His mother always thought her son was normal and would grow up and be somebody. "...He's like a baby. He can't play Monopoly or checkers or anything. I won't play with him anymore..." Charlie's sister also ignored him. To her, Charlie was dumb and could not do anything. Charlie had dreams of his sister yelling at him and making fun of him. He also had memories of the night his parents took him to the Warren Home. He was terrified and his dad would never answer his questions. Charlie remembered his childhood and through his memories, he felt guilty for hurting his family. After the operation, Charlie also suffered from disillusionment. In the bakery he used to have friends. Friends that would talk to him and care about him. "...Why? Because all of the sudden your a bigshot. You think you are better than the rest of us..." Charlie then realized that he had no friends but merely knew people that made fun of him. The bakery employees just liked him because they could blame their mistakes on Charlie. Then, they could not do this after the operation, so they all turned against Charlie. "...I had to find out just how much they knew. I found out. Nothing..." "Both frauds" Charlie also found out about Nemur and Strauss. He realized they were not professionals, but two men that were taking a shot in the dark. Charlie felt like an expendable lab specimen. Thus, Charlie had lost his friends and knew now he was 2004-12-28T06:28:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Paying-the-Price-in-Flowers-for-Algernon-26054.aspx BOOK REPORT THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer tells the story of Tom, an imaginative and mischievous young boy who never passes up a chance for an adventure in mid-nineteenth century St. Petersburg, Missouri. The novel has several themes, among which are love, imagination, rebellion and superstition. One of the major themes that the author portrays in the book is childhood love. We can clearly see the associated emotions overcoming the boy when he first notices Becky Thatcher, as stated: "He worshiped this new angel with furtive eye, till he saw that she had discovered him; then he pretended he did not know she was present, and began to "show-off" in all sorts of absurd boyish ways, in order to win her admiration." (p.17) Soon after, he proposes to Becky with a doorknob and out of excitement, accidentally mentions his former love, Amy Lawrence, causing the engagement to fall apart. To illustrate the pain of a broken heart, the author chooses carefully his words in order to show us the power of love. The statement: "So she (Becky) sat down to cry again and upbraid herself; and by this time the scholars began to gather again, and she had to hide her grief and still her broken heart and take up the cross of a long, dreary, aching afternoon, with none among the strangers about her to exchange sorrows with." (p.52) explains the previous fact. As an end of the year celebration, Tom's whole class goes on a cave exploration outside of town. When Tom and Becky realize that they are lost in the caves, he constantly tires to comfort her and ignite some hope for their escape. The passage on page 187, "He sat down by her and put his arms around her; she buried her face in his bosom, she clung to him, she poured out her terrors, her unavailing regrets, and the far echoes turned them all to jeering laughter." reminds us of an existing love between the two children. Apart from his love for Becky, Tom experiences a type of motherly love for his aunt Polly, a simple, kind-hearted women, who becomes a substitute parental figure. Even though Tom uses every trick in his book to manipulate or deceive his aunt, he doesn't mean to cause any harm. When aunt Polly accuses Tom of lying about his dream, he agrees but 2004-12-26T01:48:25-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Book-Report-on-The-Adventures-of-Tom-Sawyer-26050.aspx Beowulf Versus Sir Gawain The stories of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight were written in two distinct periods of history, and they show how Christian heroism has matured from the exterior-self to the interior-self. Beowulf was written in the eighth century, which was a period when the people of England were being influenced and converted to Christianity. The people at the time (of the prior religion) kept many of their customs and stories and linked them to Christianity. Beowulf is evidence for this notion; the story is known to have a combination of pagan and Christian elements. The pagan elements of Beowulf are expressed through the self-glory of Beowulf and the characterization of supernatural figures. Beowulf is out for his own interest. An example of this is especially present within the last sentence of the story when it states that Beowulf is "keenest to win fame." (ln.3182) The supernatural figures of Beowulf are Grendel, the descendant of Cain, who feasts on the flesh and blood of humans, Grendel's mother, who lives under the sea, and the dragon, who kills and destroys many of Beowulf's people and property. Beowulf goes into battle with these supernatural figures and is the victor. [trans] Even with these pagan ideas, Christianity is also evident. ["Cain" doesn't sound "pagan"; & the Bible has monsters. Clarify.]Beowulf makes reference to God being the Only and Almighty; he is presented as a Christ figure; and the story is testimony to the Sacred Scriptures. As for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which is thought to be written in the fourteenth century, is entirely a Christian story. This is evident in Sir Gawain's shield, the time of year it takes place, temptations of the morale. John Gardener best describes Sir Gawain's shield, which is accounted in lines 619 to 665: On the outside it has a five-pointed star, the "Pentangle," of "endless knot," a symbol perfectly appropriate for Gawain. Each point represents five virtues: he is faultless in his five senses, unfailing in his five fingers, devoted to Christ's five wounds (received on the Cross,) and supported by the five joys of Mary, and he is a master of five virtues - generosity, good fellowship, purity, courtesy, and charity. (The pentangle is also, traditionally, a symbol used to ward off black magic.) On the inside of the 2004-12-26T00:47:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-Versus-Sir-Gawain-26043.aspx Pride And Prejudice: Why I Like This Book Elizabeth is a wonderful heroine. She is witty and observant, which makes her an appropriate focus for a social comedy. From the beginning it is clear that she understands people much better than the rest of the family, except perhaps her father. It is only when she meets Mr Darcy that she is forced to acknowledge that her judgements of people might not be as clear as she believes. She judges that he is a proud, distasteful man, which is reasonably accurate for the early stages of the novel, but as she makes this judgement before she truly knows him, she is prejudiced in this judgement. Darcy is proud of course, and it is fun to see his presence highlight the vulgarity of country society. Society is described brilliantly, not just the details of the smallmindedness of the people, but also for the reactions of the rich townsfolk, both Mr Bingley's sisters and lady Catherine de Burgh. Lady Catherine is a brilliant character, personifying the snobberies of old money, and the ever-present rift between the old and the young. Of all the people that she condescends to talk to, Elizabeth is the only one with whom she has met her match. There is also an indication that Darcy does not feel the need to toady up to her, probably because he is her social equal, but also because he is richer than her. There is of course the age-old struggle between men and women. The course of true love running ever roughly onwards. There is the cad Mr Wickham, who is unable to catch a rich wife, and finds himself eloping and forced to marry Lydia Bennet. I find it hard to judge who I feel more sorry for out of the pair, but ultimately I have to conclude that they deserve one another, a fact that Austen makes clear for us. Then there is Mr Bingley and Jane, she too modest to attempt to secure him while she could, and then loosing him for a time to his sister's machinations. This relationship is the most innocent of the book, as both are so accommodating and refuse to see the bad in people. In contrast, Elizabeth and Mr Darcy are both perhaps too quick to see people's faults, which makes their courtship a rocky one. Overall however, the girls end up with the 2004-12-26T00:42:03-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pride-And-Prejudice-26040.aspx Symbolism in The Pearl by John Steinbeck In John Steinbeck's novel The Pearl, a young couple and their baby's peaceful lives are dramatically changed after the discovery of a pearl of great value. The couple begins to dream of the great wealth and the benefits that their family will gain. However, evil lurked, and their lives are shattered by "something infinitely black and evil" in the town, which are symbolized by some type of matters. Certain types of objects symbolized for specific message; for instance, the color red mean love. Therefore, in the novel, symbolism is evident in the characters, colors, and animals and objects. In the novel The Pearl, characters represented elements, which made the tome a tragic story. Coyotito, the infant son of Kino, the pearl diver, and Juana, the devoted wife, is the character that showed nature in its most undeveloped form. In the struggle between nature and civilization and between good and evil, Coyotito became the innocent victim of powers greater than himself. In addition, Coyotito is the hope for his father, Kino, to live a life of a white man with education and to never be deceived. In the savage wilderness where Kino and Juana found themselves, Coyotito served as their one reminder of society and civilization. Kino is the character that represented the bond between animalistic and humanity. The Doctor, a physician who poisoned Coyotito, symbolized greed when he swindled Kino by making his son terribly ill for money. In addition, the entire characters in the novel symbolized for some type of elements; however, colors represented significance as well. There are a plethora of colors that symbolized certain types of elements. The color black represented evil, death, and sorrow because during the raven night, a nefarious black scorpion, which brought horror Kino's family, stung Coyotito. Yellow symbolized sickness and weakness on account of when Coyotito was sung and gained a yellow bump on his arm. White illustrated innocent and hopes; however, white represented destruction because in every white spot there is darkness lurking around. In addition, the colors in the novel symbolized for some type of elements; however, animals and objects represented significance as well. Objects and animals symbolized elements of the disastrous book as well as characters and colors. The pearl presented itself as hope and wealth; however, the pearl represented destruction. The 2004-12-22T22:48:20-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-The-Pearl-by-John-Steinbeck-25999.aspx Cunningham and Ewell Character Analysis from To Kill A Mockingbird In the widely known novel To Kill A Mockingbird there are two families that are very diverse and are text book examples of complete opposites on the moral ladder of success. The Cunninghams and the Ewells have two very distinct and opposite reputations. The Cunninghams which are very respected while the Ewells very much despised. The Ewells are given the privilege to hunt out of season, so that the residents of the small town of Maycomb would not have to tolerate their continuous begging twenty-four hours a day for seven days a week. These two families show the respectability of hard workers or, in the Ewells case, can fill their peers with sorrow. The Cunninghams have pride, as for the Ewells, they have a natural like anarchist nature that will eventually haunt them and hurt others because of their lurid like attitude. The Cunningham's are very respected by the citizen's of Maycomb county. The Cunninghams took nothing, unless they could pay it back. Walter the youngest in the Cunningham clan was in the same class at school as Scout Finch the daughter of Atticus Finch. While in school, a fresh young new school teacher known as Miss Caroline did not know the reputations of the predecessors of these two children. In what looked like a good day for the rookie teacher quickly turned into complete disarray and a total adversity trip for the teacher. Walter Cunningham being raised in a very hard working environment was taught not to take what he could not pay back. The teacher obviously did not know about his background in the most minute way and embarrassed him extensively by almost demanding him to take some lunch money. Knowing that he could not pay Miss Caroline back in the way that she had in mind he knew that he could take the money which he wanted to take so bad. Walter eventually ended up eating with the Finch's. While eating at the Finch's he did not know what to do with all of the food that they have offered to him. For example he drowned his waffles in a lake of syrup. Bob Ewell's son, Burris was also faced in the same way but in an total opposite direction and purpose. The same day as the Walter Cunningham incident there was another incident concerning the Ewells. Burris 2004-12-22T22:39:58-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cunningham-and-Ewell-Character-Analysis-25996.aspx The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver's historical novel, The Poisonwood Bible, takes place during the Congo's struggle for independence and is narrated through Orleana, the wife of a fiery, cold-hearted missionary, and their four daughters. The story follows the fortunes of these four young Price sisters brought to the Congo by their father Nathan and his long-suffering wife Orleana. The mother struggles with hardships of their daily life and she is basically their leader. She scrambles to make ends meet and tries to protect her family from the terrors of the jungle. As they grow up, the sisters are defined by their changing attitudes toward Africa, their father, and each other. Each of their stories reveal the amazing forty-year saga that the Prices and the Congo share. The author uses the garden as a symbol in her in literary work that emphasizes the meaning of the novel. It seems that as the Reverend Nathan Price struggles hopelessly with his non indigenous crops, he also struggles in his effort to plant the concept of Baptism in Kilanga. In several ways, gardens and gardening are symbolic. Nathan Price begins his mission to save the souls of the Kilangan children and at the same time spends his free moments attempting to cultivate a piece of land with seeds he brought from his home in Georgia. Kingsolver writes, "His devotion to (the garden's) progress was like his devotion to the church" (63). The connection is in that the seeds he plants are also like his speeches. It is clear that his methods of gardening had little use in the tropical forest. Therefore, his method of gardening resembles his method of religion. The small plot of land that he attempted to cultivate symbolizes the new land of Kilanga which he has intruded in. His failure in his garden is like his failure to his church. It is evident that his character is struggling to compete his the unforseen events and features of Africa. His attempt to adapt in terms of the garden is not easy and therefore exemplifies the family's hardship. Orleana, the wife of Nathan Price is a victim of marriage and motherhood. She is a strong woman who finally achieves freedom and solitude after leaving her husband. The garden is also symbolic in her case. The 2004-12-22T22:25:25-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Poisonwood-Bible-Analysis-and-Commentary-25994.aspx Essay Comparing The "Lone Bather" And "The Swimmer" Peoms Poetry is known as the highest form of the English language. Just like a picture says a thousand words, a poem speaks volumes. It sings about the very essence of the human soul. It reveals the emotions that guide us. The two poems "The Lone Bather" by A.M. Klein and "The Swimmer" by Irving Layton are both very similar and also different in messages that they convey and this is displayed by the aspects of character design, meaning and locational design. Thus, they explore the reason for the differences in human perspective: the individuality of the human soul. The main characters in both "The Lone Bather" and "The Swimmer" are the two male swimmers. The male element meets the female element, water. The "Lone Bather" is a rather sad poem that captures the feeling of hopelessness of the poet. "and then comes up to float until he thinks/the ceiling at his brow, and nowhere any sides." Here Klein's bather expresses his uneasiness. Just some time ago he seemed to feel at home in the water. He trusted it and then all of a sudden he felt threatened. Irving Layton in "The Swimmer" on the other hand maintains complete control of the water and his surroundings. He never feels threatened or trapped. Rather he shows control. "The snake heads strike/ Quickly and are silent." He commands respect from the fickle medium of water that is lunging to attack the intrusion. And his presence is allowed and accepted by his forcefulness. He even goes far enough to say that he feels at home in the water. "In the scentless greenery that leads him home,". A.M Klein lets his lone bather to be controlled by the water. The element of water plays with him like a new toy, a foreign element that has entered into its vast and unknown world. He says, "he slides his belly over/ the melon rinds of water...". The bather enters the mysterious in the mercy of the water medium. He is yielding and trusting. His only concern is to be accepted in this cold and lonely place. Whereas the swimmer in Irving Layton's poem is only interested in conquering the ocean of uncertainty that he has entered. Te lone bather loses hismale form,"...lets go his manshape.." because he does not believe in the necessity of aggression in creation. The lne 2004-12-22T22:21:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Essay-Comparing-The-quot-Lone-Bather-quot-and-quot-The-Sw-25992.aspx [i:3deced8eb6]Can Ibsen's Hedda Gabler Be Considered A Tragedy?[/i:3deced8eb6] Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler is a definitive look at social conditions involving women at the turn of the Century. His title character is a complex individual who is driven to destruction by her great desires. Hedda epitomizes women of that time period by their dependency on social convention, and she is motivated to do so many things but unfortunately is without the courage to act upon them. There are many elements used by Ibsen to depict a tragic hero, and therefore a tragic play. For example, the reader sees a specific worldview, a main character of noble birth, and both concepts of the hamartia and peripetia which are vital to the tragic plot. This raises the question of whether this work can be considered a tragedy. Critics have continuously debated this issue, even since it was written in 1890. Many thought the character of Hedda to be too unrealistic, thus the play melodramatic rather than tragic. However, through the elements mentioned above and by using literary techniques such as symbolism and irony, Ibsen succeeds in creating this timeless tragedy. Firstly, Ibsen creates a specific worldview to his audience, and he does this by suggesting a mirror dependency between genders. The male characters in this play are dependant on women, and the women are dependant on social conventions. Jorgen Tesman, Hedda's vacant minded husband is dependant on his Aunt Juliane whereas Hedda is constantly restrained by her reliance on her 'what would other think/say' mentality. The female characters of this play are dependent on the fact that others depend on them, and Rina is a striking symbol of this very fact. She symbolizes the vulnerability of everyman being the invalid that she is thus projecting Ibsen's idea that everybody is dependant in some way. This viewpoint is extremely accurate in describing women's roles in European society in both the 1800's and present day. Men are generally viewed as the bread winners, who come home after a hard day at work expecting to be taken care of by their wives. Women on the other hand, are expected to be seen and not heard, keeping both the house and family name in tact. Secondly, the author has created a character of noble birth, another important characteristic of a tragic 2004-12-22T22:20:25-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Can-Ibsen-s-Hedda-Gabler-Be-Considered-A-Tragedy-25991.aspx Frankenstein Analysis of Morals and Values, Social Commentary As infants we learn how to react to certain situations through our observations and experiences. Our parents set an example for us. We first learn by imitating what we see. The monster was infant-like when he was created. The monster was abandoned by Victor and left to fend for himself. He knew nothing and had nobody to teach him. In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, the monster possesses morals and values; however, society drives him to become a monster. The monster is created a truly innocent creature with no malice towards anyone. Man appears advanced to him and he wants to mimic this. He truly craves to be human and live among society. The monster displays his morals when he stole, "a part of their store for [his] own consumption, but when [he] found that in doing this [he] inflicted pain on the cottagers, [he] abstained and satisfied [himself] with berries, nuts, and roots." Guilt overcomes the monster when he realizes he has hurt the cottagers . This situation teaches the monster emotions. He tries to mimic the cottager's emotions. The monster professes his feelings of connection to the cottagers when they are happy, for "The gentle manners and beauty of the cottagers greatly endeared them to [him]; when they were unhappy, [he] felt depressed; when they rejoiced, [he] sympathized in their joys." The monster had nothing to survive look at the cottagers for every thing. The unknowing cottagers are taking the place of Victor. The monster learns and lives emotionally with the cottagers. Through society's mistreatment and ridicule of the monster, he becomes vicious and filled with hatred. The monster's inherently peaceful manner only turns vicious upon being treated viciously. The monster demonstrates his morality by stating that he "had feelings of affection, and they were requited by detestation and scorn." The monster desired acceptance, until he realized that they rejected him. The monster is inherently good but is driven into madness. The fact that his "heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy, and when wrenched by misery to vice and hatred, it did not endure the violence of the change without torture such as you cannot even imagine", emphasizes the monster's despair due to his rejection by 2004-12-22T22:19:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-Analysis-of-Morals-amp-Values,-Social-Comment-25990.aspx [i:48e388be25]The Handmaids Tale Essay[/i:48e388be25] In the course Y2k and The End of The World, we've studied apocalyptic themes, eschatology, and for some, teleology. Apocalypse, which is to unveil or reveal, eschatology, which is a concept of the end, and teleology, the end or purpose to which we are drawn, are all themes used in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. The book is apocalyptic in that it revolves around dystopian ideals. Atwood creates a world in which worst-case scenarios take control and optimistic viewpoints and positive attitudes disappear. It has been said about this book that Atwood's writing echoes numerous motifs and literary devices, such as in Huxley's creation of a drug-calmed society, her characters awaiting execution seem tranquilized by pills or shots. Atwood's Book has also been compared to other novels like it, such as Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Burgess' A Clockwork Orange, and the most obvious, Orwell's 1984. These books have many things in common, including the perversion of science and technology as a major determinant of society's function and control. Like most dystopian novels, The Handmaid's Tale includes the oppression of society, mainly women in this example, the prevention of advancement of thought and intelligence, and an overwhelming sense of government involvement and interference. The Apocalyptic themes and situations found in Atwood's fictional city of Gilead focus around the mistreatment of all females. Women in this city, set 200 years in the future, have no rights, and get little respect. The rule by way of theocracy in Gilead also adds to the sense of regression and hopelessness in the future. The way babies are brought into the world, only through pregnant handmaids, the idea of a black market for things considered luxuries and privileges all add to the fact that society in this novel is in a desperate state of disrepair. Other Apocalyptic themes found in the book can be compared to sections of the bible, particularly the Old Testament. The Handmaid's Tale has many elements of social decline written into its plot. From the way women are mistreated to the way corruption and evil have infiltrated the government and army, to the way the black market plays a key role in many people's lives causing a majority of society to become criminals makes it clear how social decline plays a key role in the book. There is also a strong sense of moral decline in the book. If a 2004-12-22T21:08:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Handmaids-Tale-Essay-25972.aspx The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, is a powerful portrayal of four Chinese women and the lives of their children in America. The book discusses the conflicting cultures between the United States and China, and how men treat women throughout their lives. People living in the United States usually take for granted their roles as a male or female. The culture of each country shapes the treatment one receives based on the sex of the individual. There are obvious differences within the different cultures. These differences show themselves in the work force, the distinct tasks performed in the home, and the privileges one receives in society. In the work force, the women of America hold many positions of importance. They are usually treated as equals with men and there are few jobs from which they are excluded. In China, women are expected to stay at home and are not permitted to be in a work force that is held exclusively for men. The women of America receive fair wages and have earned the right to work with men. In China, women are assigned the role of housewives and must stay at home to clean the house and raise the children. Women in America receive educations that will prepare them for the high paying jobs of a professional. The women in China are known for taking orders from their husbands. Another feature that is found to be different in China from America is the different roles women take in the home. The author explains that a Chinese woman is expected to be a good wife for her chosen husband. Girls are promised at an early age to a man. The story "The Red Candle" shows an arranged marriage where the author sacrificed her life to fulfill her parents' promise of marriage when she was only two years old. At the marriage ceremony the candle is lit at both ends and if neither end goes out it will be a successful marriage. Of course, the woman was the one held responsible for making the marriage a successful one. In an American marriage, each person is held accountable for the success of a marriage. There are no arranged marriages and no matchmakers as in the Chinese culture. Marriage is expected to 2004-12-22T21:03:27-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Joy-Luck-Club,-by-Amy-Tan-25971.aspx The Client By John Grisham The story begins in Memphis, Tennessee, with eleven year old Mark Sway and his younger brother Ricky sneaking out into the woods to smoke a cigarette. As they smoke, they stumble upon Jerome Clifford. He is obviously drunk, and proceeds to stick a hose from the tailpipe of his car into the back window to allow exhaust into the cab. Mark recognizes this as a suicide attempt. He crawls out, three times to remove the hose, making Jerome angrier every time he finds it unplugged. On the third and final effort by Mark, Jerome catches him and throws him into the car as well. Jerome reveals that he is a lawyer for Barry "The Blade" Muldanno, a mafia hit man. Barry is currently a suspect in the of Senator Boyd Boyette. However, the FBI, without a body, cannot conclusively prove that Muldanno is the er, or that there was a at all. Clifford eventually reveals the location of the body, under his boat, in the concrete of his own garage, before losing consciousness. Mark bolts from the car and finds a terrified Ricky, and they both watch in horror as Jerome emerges from the car, screams in rage, and puts a gun in his mouth and pulls the trigger. They both run back to the house, where Mark places an anonymous 911 call, telling where the body is. Ricky, meanwhile, has withdrawn into the fetal position and will not respond to Mark in any way. Mark decides to return to the scene and watch, where the police catch him hiding in the bushes. Officer Hardy takes him back home, where Mark's mother, Dianne Sway, has just returned from work. Officer Hardy recognizes that Ricky has gone into shock and calls an ambulance, at which time the entire family is taken to the hospital. Reverend Roy Foltrigg, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Louisiana at New Orleans, has personally taken the case of Senator Boyd Boyette for the publicity. He hears of the story of Mark Sway, and how he seems to know something. Foltrigg meets with Special Agents Trumann and McThume, and decides that they need to know everything that Mark knows. Meanwhile, Mark decides that he needs a lawyer. He chooses Ms. Reggie Love, who 2004-12-22T20:46:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Client-By-John-Grisham-Essay-25966.aspx Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, by Dylan Thomas This is a very personal poem, written by Dylan to his dying father, and pleading him not to give in, but to fight death. However, even without knowing the background of the poem, the content is very self-explanatory. The poem is written in six stanzas, the first of which explains the purpose, and motivation of the poem. It uses very strong, and powerful words such as "burn", "rage", and "rave", and therefore suggest a sense of urgency in Thomas' plea. It also includes the term "close of day", which suggests night, and may be Thomas' way of writing about death in an easier way, as he must have found it painful. The poem opens with the title, and ends in its parallel "Rage, rage, against the dying of the light." These two phrases are used alternately to close each of the following stanzas, to emphasise Thomas' point, and both are used to end the poem on a compelling and gripping note. The following four stanzas each begin with a description of a certain type of person. For example, "wise men", "good men", "wild men", and "grave men". These are all qualities Thomas admires in his father, and uses them to make a different point, and reason for fighting death. The second stanza declares that although a wise man expects and understands the inevitability of death, he should not give up until his words and actions in life had made a real impact. Obviously Thomas felt his father still had much to give. Thomas uses a large amount of light and dark imagery to express life and death, and he uses it in this stanza to explain that death happens to everyone: "Though wise men at their end know dark is right." This is an unusual comparison to draw, as dark usually signifies evil, and fear, however in the poem Thomas uses it to describe death as similar to sleep, and therefore softens the impact for himself, and his father. However, the symbolism of life being light, and death being dark is still a strong and thought provoking image, and therefore he hopes it will be enough to persuade and inspire his father to fight. The third stanza describes how "Good men" will regret that they may have been more appreciated elsewhere, however if his father 2004-12-22T20:40:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Do-Not-Go-Gentle-Into-That-Good-Night-Poem-by-Dylan-Thomas-25965.aspx Richard The Third - VIEWS AND VALUES: RICHARD III Richard the third is one of the most provocative examples of literary text I have ever been privileged too discover. It explores many sociological aspects of Shakespeare's time and can be even used as a tool to explore our modern society. This can be done as it delves into aspects of human character which are the very fabric of humanity as we know it. It does this predominantly through Richard who's absolute domination of the text is unparalleled out of my relatively short list of literary encounters. Every scene within the play, whether Richard is actually present or not he is the dominant figure. If he is present he dominants the scene with his witty and ascendant mannerisms and should he happen to be exempt from a scene which is a rarity in itself, he is usually connected in some way and is constantly on the mind of the viewer. I think Richard, Duke of Gloucester is one of the most determined literary figures I have ever come across. I feel success is dependent upon a number of factors. I feel the most important of these is for one to be determined and for their characteristics to reciprocate their goals. In the play Richard the third Richard was determined to become the King of England but also, more importantly to prove a villain. Although on the surface one might say Richards determination lay in him wanting to become King, I feel he only used to apparent want to be crowned as a medium to exhibit his true determination; to prove a villain. In the first scene of the play, Richard announced in a narration, his plan to become king. Richard plainly stated that he was "Deformed, Unfinished, and sent before his time" and "since he cannot prove to be a lover; he is determined to prove a villain. A true villain must be highly intelligent as Richard undoubtedly was. Richard proved this quality in a number of ways; he was highly manipulative and persuasive and was constantly manipulating situations so it fitted in with his overall evil puzzle. Richard devised a brutal stratagem to ascend to the English throne. Brilliantly, he executed his plan. Heartlessly, he executed family, friends, and subjects. Richard did indeed display these characteristics and therefore fulfilled his goal to ascend the throne and also, more importantly to prove a 2004-12-22T19:49:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Richard-The-Third-Views-and-values-Richard-III-25960.aspx Doll's House: Lifelike Figurines Sold Separately The marriage of Torvald and Nora Helmer has many problems, and is doomed because the couple can't match up to the elements of a successful union. To keep a marriage alive and growing it must hold true to certain qualities like love, communication, trust, and loyalty. With these qualities most marriages can work. Without love a relationship would probably not even begin. Two people meet, a friendship forms, and soon a romance blossoms. Though Nora and Torvald's relationship appears to be centered around love, the needed balance is not obtained. Torvald doesn't really love Nora. To him she is just another child to baby-sit. He says, "And I wouldn't want you to be any different from what you are-just my sweet little song bird. But now I come to think of it, you look rather-rather-how shall I put it? -rather as if you've been up to mischief today". Calling his wife names such as "skylark," "squirrel," and "spendthrift," Torvald does not love his wife with the respect and sensitivity a husband should. I think that Ibsen does this to fuel the reader's loathing for Torvald's condescending ways. The main area where Torvald shows his lack of love for Nora was in the way he manages his house. Torvald's fishbowl world that he has all neatly laid out like a house playset with little dolls of a wife, children, and hired help. Nora is the only one of the two partners who shows love for the other in the beginning and actually right up to the very end. Going against all the odds a woman could face in that time period, Nora goes behind her husband's back, borrows a large sum of money, forges her father's signature, and hopes to pay the Krogstad load off with Torvald never hearing of it. She refuses to be a doll or brainless figurine, and alternates personalities between "Torvald's little skylark," and "Nora the intelligent and strong woman". Throughout the entire play, irony becomes a big ol' hammer that knocks the reader over the head, reminding them that the plot is growing thicker and the tension and danger is mounting with each situation that arises. The truth is clear that when all of Nora's secret information is disclosed, all the laundry is out in the open, something bad is bound to happen. Torvald has almost no trust in Nora. In the 2004-12-21T23:09:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Doll-s-House-Lifelike-Figurines-Sold-Separately-25953.aspx MACBETH By William Shakespeare "Macbeth is a man born to leadership but unfortunately influenced and destroyed by evil forces.” Discuss Macbeth, one of Shakespeare's timeless classics and most famous tragedies is the story of a virtuous man, corrupted by power and greed. Macbeth is the tragic hero who is led down an unescapable road of doom by outside forces. In this case there are several influences or forces including his own wife, Lady Macbeth, the three witches, and his conscience, which continually eat at him, portraying illusions and performing mind games which send him to the point of insanity. He had no choice but to follow his wife's wishes, the word of the witches and his curiosity, which in turn play on his guilty conscience. Macbeth is a tragic tale of the corruption and downfall of a leader, whose thirst for greed and power, as well as assistance from outside influences, cause his world to come tumbling down around him. Macbeth was a man born to leadership. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth had everything he could want. He had a noble and very honourable position, and this was further promoted with the reward of his new rank as the Thane of Cawdor. He also had the recognition from King Duncan as being a brave and heroic soldier, addressing him as "My worthiest Cawdor" (Act I, Scene IV, line 55). Macbeth had the full support of his faithful wife, Lady Macbeth, who was encouraging of his every move and supported his actions. Macbeth also had the support of his fellow soldiers, and the township he lived amongst, due to his known bravery and good deeds, and he could have lived a very happy and prosperous lifestyle. But the story takes its first twist with the introduction of one of the evil forces, presented when Macbeth and Banquo had just won the battle. Macbeth could sense a surrounding evil. The witches appear and they greet Macbeth: "All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!" "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!" (Act I, Scene III, lines 51-53). Macbeth is startled by their prophecies, and he has no knowledge at this point that he is going to be made Thane of Cawdor, or even more so, that he might become King. With his change from being simply the Thane of Glamis to his elevation and becoming the Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth found 2004-12-21T08:17:28-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Discussion-of-Macbeth-as-a-Leader-and-his-Fall-into-Evil-25951.aspx The Crucible In The Crucible, the community in Salem is depicted as motivated by fear, greed, and revenge shown by the witch trials. Some people of the community are afraid for their lives of being condemned a witch, while others take advantage of those fears. As a results, people will do anything to satisfy these motivation including betrayal. In The Crucible three types of betrayals are evident which are betrayal of oneself, theocracy, and community. In Salem, the puritan society is supposed to be a community where everyone in this community is tightly knit and demonstrate purity. However, this sense of unity is broken with betrayal, so therefore, the community in Salem does not actually exist. Betrayal of community is the most evident them of betrayal in Salem because of the idea of a broken community. Everyone in Salem is accusing another of witchcraft for fear of being condemned. Therefore, this action is an effort to save one's own life and avoid suspicion. The Putnams are an example of the betrayal of the community. Ms. Putnam accuses Betty for having been seen flying over a neighbor's barn. This is shown on page 13, "How high did she fly, how high?" "Mr. Collins saw her goin' over Ingersoll's barn, and come down light as bird". Before, the Putnam's brother in law was up for the candidacy for reverend but Parris received the job. As a result, the Putnams retained a grudge against Parris and therefore on his daughter. Therefore, because of this grudge, Ms Putnam accused Betty of certain witch like activities even though she herself never saw the action. This demonstrates the betrayal of a member of the society because the Putnams try to condemn Betty from a grudge. Another example is of Danforth because he transforms this society from religious to a courthouse. This is shown on page 85, "Do you take it upon yourself to determine what this court shall believe and what it shall set aside?" and on page 100 "I have been thirty-two year at the bar, sir, and I should be confounded were I called upon to defend these people." These examples show that Danforth betrays the religious purpose of the community and converts the community to a courthouse where he can exercise his power. Since he is the 2004-12-21T08:13:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Betrayals-in-the-The-Crucible-25950.aspx Shakespeare - Henry 5 - Before The Shining Walls Of Harfleur Before The Shining Walls Of Harfleur In the play Henry V, during the siege of Harfleur, King Henry delivers a speech, which stirs the battle-weary men (who are thinking of deserting before the coming winter), into a frenzy, winning the battle and continuing the siege. Later, as a result, Harfleur surrenders. Henry's speech is masterfully delivered, with good use of grammatical schemes, an inventive use of tropes, and a cunning grasp of the troops' needs and mindset, or pathos. The speech is delivered as a motivational gesture, from the king to his subjects. He uses the speech to manipulate these common soldiers from many different countries into a patriotic camaraderie, the spirit in which the enemy was defeated. Henry uses several distinct schemes in his speech. He opens his speech with a repetition, "Once more onto the breach, dear friends, once more;"(III.i.1) which implies that they have all been working hard and are tired of fighting, and he realizes this as much as them. He opens the speech this way so he can appeal to their patriotic spirit, and tell how cowardly it would be to give up now, after all they have done. At the same time, he sets a common ground between them, one soldier to another. Later, he uses a wide range if roughly parallel phrases, telling them to "lend the eye a terrible aspect", "set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide", and "Hold hard the breath and bend every spirit / To his full height." (III.i.6-17) He does this to get them into the spirit of battle with these phrases, and essentially says 'get ready, be courageous, act fearsome.' Next, he uses antithesis in his claim that "Fathers that, like so many Alexanders, / Have in these parts from morn till even' fought / and sheathed their swords for lack of argument" (III.i.19-21). He is saying, essentially, that their ancestors took joy in the simple act of war. They tended towards being soldiers so much that they would fight just for the sake of fighting, regardless of alignment or reason. But these soldiers do have the reason, and it is a war, so they should fight doubly hard as their forefathers. Next, there are the numerous tropes that Henry uses. Figures of speech and comparisons one of Henry's 2004-12-21T08:10:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-Henry-IV-Before-The-Shining-Walls-Of-Harfleur-25948.aspx Tell-tale Heart Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19th 1809 in Boston Massachusetts. His parents David Poe Jr., and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins, both died when Edgar was very young. John and Frances Allan then took Edgar into their home although they never legally adopted him. Calvin F.S. THOMAS published Poe’s 1st book, Tamerlane and other Poems in Boston in 1827, though it only sold about 50 copies. His 1st real job was the editor of Thomas W. White’s Southern Literary Messenger where he worked for nearly a year. In 1836, he was married to his 13-year-old cousin. He wrote many short stories including the Tell-Tale Heart in 1843, which is about a murderer who is subconsciously haunted into confessing what he just did. He died on October 7th 1849 in Baltimore. The narrator is insane because of his unnatural preoccupation with the eye, his distorted logic, and the hearing of voices and sounds, which reveal the madness. For some strange reason, the narrator was obsessed with the old man’s eye. He wasn’t even certain on how it started, but to him, it was an eye of a vulture. The old man was going to be murdered because of his pale blue eye. Infact, for seven straight nights at midnight the eye was closed. It wasn’t until finally on the eighth night when the narrator’s thumb slipped on the tin fastening which woke up the old man. He grew furious when he did see the eye and new inside that he must murder this old man because of his eye. It is hard to imagine why a person’s eye would bother another person enough to kill, but some people are truly mad. He could’ve atleast found another job to move on away from the evil eye. His logic was distorted, so to him, the murder of the old man was the only thing that could soothe his pain. The thought of someone’s eye bothering so much is insane enough. He then made the decision to only kill him when he saw his eye. This took him eight days, though I’m sure he would’ve done it the first night if he had the chance. While he killed the old man, he had a smile on his face. Murder should’ve given him an evil scary look, yet he was happy and felt proud. He would tell himself 2004-12-21T06:55:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tell-Tale-Heart-Is-the-narrator-insane-25939.aspx The Other Side Of Hedge In the short story, “The Other side of the Hedge” by E.M. Forster, he depicts a man’s struggle toward an ultimate goal of heaven, with the hedge representing his passage to the afterlife, and the use of water to symbolize his purification; therefore, his brother helps him enter a state of happiness, so he can accept his own death. His journey into the afterlife is difficult due to his unwillingness to give up his need for competition. Moreover, symbolic metaphors, such as the hedge and water, introduce the man to his new life where his self-realization contradicts his new environment. Nevertheless, with the help of his brother, he notices that the road straight ahead has no ending and that all things reach an ultimate end, death. From this he realizes death doesn’t necessarily lead to the end of his life, but the start of a new beginning. The main character’s desire for competition enables him to continue the journey, without the realization of its outcome. The figure in the story persistently tries to find the end of the road by never giving up. I found it difficult walking for I was always trying to out-distance my companion, and there was no advantage in doing this if the place led nowhere. Is said by the man when he comprehends where the road eventually leads to and understands that the road has no exit. All the man believes is that there is a presence of fate, he must reach, regardless of the circumstances. This inner competition within himself drives him to achieve his goal of happiness, unaware that the trip he is taking leads to death. E.M. Forster’s symbolic metaphor contradicts the man’s journey into the afterlife. The most significant symbols used throughout the tale are the brown-crackling hedge and the water from the moat. Forster writes, “dusty under foot, with brown cracking hedges on either side as far as the eye could reach.” Represents the transition from life on earth to the afterlife. “Suddenly cold water closed round my head, and I seemed sinking down forever. I had fallen out the hedge into a deep pool.” Describes the character being baptized into a new environment. This cleansing of his body and soul enables him to continue his difficult journey, enabling him to come to terms 2004-12-21T06:54:38-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Other-Side-Of-Hedge--25938.aspx While reading this novel I came to notice a twist that John Steinbeck likes to through into his books. He made it take place in only a few scenes, and also had the characters constantly talking so that there was little narration that had to be done. This helped the book have dramatic structure and make it easier to visualize in my head. The book seems to be such a simple read with only 107 pages, but with the depth that that the author John Steinbeck writes in, it’s so intricate. When I started to analyze the book a little bit closer I became so interested and pulled in by it that I couldn’t put it down. The simplicity of the structure, characters, and the plot in this novel camouflages the fact that extremely profound themes concerning friendship and responsibility, and pipe dreams are present in the work. In this book the two main characters seem to work as a team although they are almost exact opposites. One in small and has the mental strength, and one is tremendous and has the physical strength. It’s almost the same relationship between a dog and his master. Lennie, the strong one, has no common sense but is he is so loyal to George that when George tells him to jump in the river even though he can’t swim. He jumps right in and almost drowns to death. Since Lennie is so dumb, his Aunt Clara has entrusted him to George, so that he won’t get into anymore trouble like he did in Weed. Also in this book there is a theme that comes into play many times, its called a pipe dream. A pipe dream is a dream that someone has that they usually have very little chance of succeeding in carrying out, and usually their plans end by going up in smoke just when you think there about to be accomplished. George and Lennie both share the same pipe dream in this book. They both want to save up enough money to but a ranch and live off the fat of the land. There was one other character in this book that also told her pipe dream this was Curley’s wife. She told Lennie all about how she wanted to grow up to be a movie star and be famous. In this book, I noticed that Steinbeck had limited the amount of scenes in 2004-12-21T06:52:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-And-Men-Essay-on-Theme-25937.aspx Antigone: Right and Wrong Many times in life one must face decisions that could have an adverse effect on one’s future. The reasons behind these decisions determine whether it is right or wrong. Sometimes these reasons may be right for one but not another. Most times it is just a matter of opinion if a decision is right or wrong. In Sophocles’ play Antigone, the main character must make a choice about what is right and what is wrong based on her beliefs in family, God, and doing what is right no matter what the consequences are. Antigone had a strong belief in standing up for family. When she first makes her decision to bury her brother, in total disregard for a law forbidding it, she asks her sister, Ismene, for help. She gives her sister an ultimatum when she says: “And now you can prove what you are: A true sister, or a traitor to your family” (26-27). Antigone would rather face the consequences of breaking the law than to allow her brother’s body to be eaten by the wolves and birds. When she faces the king she makes reference to the fact that her brother is blood and therefore worthy of her loyalty no matter what he may have done (409). Antigone has a strong belief in sticking by family even in the face of deadly consequences. Religious beliefs are a big factor in Antigone’s decision to break the law and bury her brother. When her sister tried to argue with her saying that she should not break the law, Antigone insists that the crime is holy and no law of man should be placed above that of God’s law (56). When the king questions her about why she breaks the law she says: “It was not God’s proclamation. That final justice” (354). All of the dead should be treated the same no matter what the living may think of them. Antigone makes this point when she says to King Creon: “Nevertheless, there are honors due all the dead” (410). When the king tries to say that the wicked are not due the same treatment Antigone goes on to say: “Which of us can say what the god’s hold wicked?” (413). To Antigone, the law of God is of much more concern than the 2004-12-21T06:50:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Right-and-Wrong-in-Antigone-25935.aspx Two entirely different cultures are brought together in unique fashion in Courtney’s The Power of One, Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, and Costner’s Dances with Wolves, to reveal a common theme. When two cultures collide, the infringing and more imposing civilization generally retains its customs while either altering or destroying aspects of the weaker culture’s way of life. Peekay demonstrates this theme through his childhood and adult experiences in The Power of One. Okonkwo and lesser characters are able to endow this idea in Things Fall Apart, and likewise, Lt. John Dunbar is able to do so in Dances with Wolves. When two cultures come together, religion, politics, and views of intolerance are all affected. Religion has been the bearer of wars and strife amongst civilizations because of the enormous role it plays in defining a society. Therefore, when two cultures come together, the more dominant culture’s religion will typically prevail. This scenario is evident in The Power of One, on occasion. The most obvious instance of this occurring is when Peekay returns home from his amazing adventure with Hoppie and cannot find his Nanny waiting to embrace him. Peekay proceeds to question the members of the household in an attempt to discover the whereabouts of his Nanny, of Zululand descent. His mother is relatively uneasy to tell Peekay the truth. However, the boy’s persistence coerces her to disclose what really happened to his Nanny who had been with him from birth, when she was deported to a facility for the mentally unstable. Apparently, Peekay’s Nanny had been banished to her homeland because she refused to remove her defining amulets and accept Christianity. Peekay does not truly understand his Nanny’s ostracism and realizes that there are many new changes with Dee and Dum, the two housemaids, as well. It is now obligatory for them to remove their religion oriented jewelry and read from Bible under the newly instated policy of Peekay’s authoritarian mother. There is evidence of religion being affected drastically in Things Fall Apart as well. The encroachment of the English serves as a catalyst to the collapse of the Ibo tribe’s pillars of faith and philosophy. At first, the white men are nothing more than a humorous attraction with amusing stories of a single God. However, there are a few members of the Ibo tribe who embrace this awkward religion. Nwoye, son of Okonkwo, is of those who are attracted 2004-12-21T06:40:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Broken-Traditions-in-Things-Fall-Apart-25931.aspx Aneid Essay Vergil's final work was the Aeneid. He planned for it to be the Romans' version of the Iliad and the Odyssey put together. For this endeavor, he combined many foundation myths and focused on the Aeneas myth harkening back to Homeric legend. Although his version of the myth 2004-12-21T06:34:27-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Vergil-s-Aeneid-Essay-25929.aspx Edgar Allan Poe tells a story of cold, calculated revenge upon the character Fortunato for some insult that is unknown to the reader. He seeks revenge in the name of the Montresor family in accordance with their motto displayed on their coat of arms: "Nemo me impune lacessit."("No one harms me unpunished.") The central idea is that Montresor, the protagonist, wishes for Fortunato to suffer. He will derive much pleasure from watching him suffer as he dies and tries, in vain, to escape his tomb. He wishes for Fortunato to die slowly so that he suffers and realizes that his lust for the Amontillado wine has led him down into the catacombs and to his death. It can be said that since the central idea is somewhat vague, that Poe's intentions were to create a piece built upon horror. The central character in the story is Montresor. Montresor has suffered insult or injury of some type at the hands of Fortunato, the antagonist. Montresor is seeking revenge against Fortunato and cleverly tricks him into following into the catacombs of his families dwelling where he intends to exact this revenge. It can be said of Montresor that he is a vengeful man with premeditated murder on his mind when he says of Montresor that he continued "to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation." When he meets Fortunato at the carnival, he is very happy to see him. It would seem that his happiness can be attributed to the fact that he realizes the time of his revenge is at hand. The character of Fortunato, who is very intoxicated, is introduced as wearing a costume of a jester. This is very appropriate to the situation since Montresor is intending to make a fool of him by playing upon his greatest desire, the love of wine, to lead him to his own death. The conflict stems from the fact that Montresor or his family has been the victim of some insult at the hands of Fortunato or his family. The gravity of the situation is somewhat exaggerated by the narrator in the opening line of the story when Montresor states: "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge....At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely 2004-12-21T06:18:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Cask-Of-Amontillado-Essay-25926.aspx "Only if we look deeply into ourselves can we discover who we really are”. (Erich From)Birdy” at first may seem to be a book characterized by its shallowness and simplicity, nevertheless it is within a plain plot and structure that the real values are hidden. Wharton’s story gives us the insight into human qualities which are subjected to only one objective: life itself. The book carries the reader into a completely different reality showing how a boy creates and lives in his own world. Psychological portrait of Birdy, which the author presented, has a symbolic meaning. Most importantly, it shows that the capacity to perceive lies within the individual. One of the psychological aspects that Wharton profoundly deals with is the outline of two different characters: Al and Birdy. Those characters represent diverse qualities, nevertheless they seem to overlap to a certain extent. Al has a very rational view of life. His realistic approach enables him to step firmly through life, catch every opportunity of it. However, when he meets Birdy, he realizes that it wasn’t true at all, and all that time he was simply walking with his eyes half-opened. Realism is what Birdy’s philosophy of life is lacking, therefore that is why their characters seem to complement one another. A lasting relationship is created, on the basis of which the reader has the opportunity to observe what psychological changes they undergo. Al wants to show Birdy the world that he has not discovered yet. On the other hand, Birdy tries to unveil the beauty of different reality that he himself becomes fascinated with. Each of us has a nature of its own, unique and exceptional. Wharton stresses it throughout the story. He skilfully crafts a psychologically intricate character – Birdy, who sees the world in different colours and shades. He explores the world through a completely different reality. Al’s friendship on the one hand gives him a closer insight into the real world, on the other one intensifies his obsession. What actually Wharton shows is how far can it really go. Birdy doesn’t have control over his thoughts, he seems to be helpless. It is his desires that dictate all his actions. They become a source for his eccentric behaviour. Passion to birds is so overwhelming that Birdy becomes unaware of the very facts of the real life. The real world is a maze where he hopelessly seeks 2004-12-21T05:17:58-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Birdy-Psychological-aspects-of-characters-25910.aspx Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, published by Washington Square Press, is regarded by most critics to be her masterpiece. After publishing almost eighty books, this was the one she was truly most proud of. Why? Mainly, because critics have quoted it to have sold more copies than Shakespeare and the Bible. However, Christie has so much more to be proud of in this novel. With an outstanding mystery/murder plot, combined with a dark, cryptic setting involving many deranged guests; one can see she has accomplished a lot in this novel. Ten guests are invited to a mysterious island called "Indian Island". Each guest was sent invitations that were signed by people they had met before. Once the visitors arrived at the island and were aquatinted with each other, they found out that their host, U.N. Owen, (Unknown) had not arrived yet. At dinner, a strange voice was heard, accusing each of them of a murder, and which they were all guilty of. This is the rising action of the story. One by one each guest is killed off by the anonymous murderer according to a famous nursery rhyme. As more people are killed off, one by one, the group narrows the suspect list down. Hence defining the classic "Who Done It?" mystery novel. The Characters in And Then There Were None are the ones who make the book come to life. Because this novel follows the "Who Done It" theme, there are the few obvious characters. 1) The inspector, always trying to get an accusation across as to who the murderer is(of course never correct). 2) The doctor, Devon Island's answer to the question nobody ever asked. 3) The old married couple (Mr. + Mrs. Rogers), always passionate to others, until a guest discovers an eerie secret. 4) The murderer (Justice Wargrave), finally the one guest that is portrait as the most obvious, until he dies (then comes back to life). This person always remains discrete until the last moment where he reveals that he is a rampaging, psychopathic, cold blooded killer. 5) The innocent victims, of course, what story is complete without the sad tales of innocent live being slaughtered. One or two of these characters are always the ones who you first expect, and are always at the scene of the crime...how convenient. And Then There Were None is indeed one of the best books I have read. Simply 2004-12-21T05:16:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Agatha-Christie-s-And-Then-There-Were-None-25909.aspx Did you read and enjoy Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland books as a child? Or better still, did you have someone read them to you? Perhaps you discovered them as an adult or, forbid the thought, maybe you haven't discovered them at all! Those who have journeyed Through the Looking Glass generally love (or shun) the tales for their unparalleled sense of nonsense . Public interest in the books--from the time they were published more than a century ago--has almost been matched by curiosity about their author. Many readers are surprised to learn that the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and a host of other absurd and captivating creatures sprung from the mind of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a shy, stammering Oxford mathematics professor. Dodgson was a deacon in his church, an inventor, and a noted children's photographer. Wonderland, and thus the seeds of his unanticipated success as a writer, appeared quite casually one day as he spun an impromptu tale to amuse the daughters of a colleague during a picnic. One of these girls was Alice Liddell, who insisted that he write the story down for her, and who served as the model for the heroine. Dodgson eventually sought to publish the first book on the advice of friends who had read and loved the little handwritten manuscript he had given to Alice Liddell. He expanded the story considerably and engaged the services of John Tenniel, one of the best known artists in England, to provide illustrations. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through The Looking Glass were enthusiastically received in their own time, and have since become landmarks in childrens' literature. What makes these nonsense tales so durable? Aside from the immediate appeal of the characters, their colourful language, and the sometimes hilarious verse ("Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/did gyre and gimble in the wabe:") the narrative works on many levels. There is logical structure, in the relationship of Alice's journey to a game of chess. There are problems of relativity, as in her exchange with the Cheshire Cat: "Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to." There is plenty of fodder for psychoanalysts, Freudian or otherwise, who havehad a field day analyzing the significance of the myriad dream creatures and Alice's strange transformations. There is even Zen: "And she tried to fancy what the 2004-12-21T05:14:59-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Alice-in-Wonderland-25908.aspx Lewis Carroll’s works Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland &amp; Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There are by many people considered nonsense books for children. Of course, they are, but they are also much more. Lewis Carroll had a great talent of intertwining nonsense and logic, and therefore creating sense within nonsense. If you look past the nonsense you can find a new meaning other than the one you found completing your third grade book report. You find that the books are full of references and parallel aspects of Victorian Society such as topics of etiquette, education, and prejudice, and through these topic’s is shown a child’s ability to survive in a hostile world. By this last statement I am referring to Cohen’s comment that “Wonderland” (published in1865) captures “the disappointments, fears, and bewilderment that all children encounter in their dealings with authoritarian, pompous and mystifying adults” which Wonderland seems to have no deficiency of. Throughout the story Carroll portrays his views on the education of the times. He make’s “morals and tales of obedience”(Brown,May Lee) seem nonsensical by the character of the Duchess and Alice’s preoccupation with her lessons. The Duchess keeps insisting to Alice that “Everything’s got a moral, if only you can find it”(Wonderland, 70), but with morals like “mustard and dogs both bite”(Wonderland, 70) you can see this rule is not quite right. “The absurdity of such a character”(Brown,May Lee) trying to teach Alice anything is a parody of what Carroll thought about the lessons children were being taught. Also “Alice refers to her lessons and her education, usually very proud of the learning that she has acquired. It seems, however, that the information that she remembers from her lessons is usually either wrong or completely useless.”(Brown, May Lee) All of Alice’s knowledge seems to consist mainly of maxims and morals about obedience and safety, which Carroll considers very limited. In the books Carroll also inserts many verses that were parodies of former verses for children. He rewrites them in pure nonsense having no moral or meaning other than pure amusement. “This rejection of typical Victorian manners and education of children supports one of the themes in his Alice books, the idea that a child’s imagination has value.”(Brown, May Lee) Another view Carroll shows through the eyes of Alice is his thoughts on prejudice. In a scene from Alice in Wonderland the cook is violently 2004-12-21T05:13:39-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Alice-in-Wonderland-Nonsense-25907.aspx In his first novel, William Golding used a group of boys stranded on a tropical island to illustrate the malicious nature of mankind. Lord of the Flies dealt with changes that the boys underwent as they gradually adapted to the isolated freedom from society. Three main characters depicted different effects on certain individuals under those circumstances. Jack Merridew began as the arrogant and self-righteous leader of a choir. The freedom of the island allowed him to further develop the darker side of his personality as the Chief of a savage tribe. Ralph started as a self-assured boy whose confidence in himself came from the acceptance of his peers. He had a fair nature as he was willing to listen to Piggy. He became increasingly dependent on Piggy's wisdom and became lost in the confusion around him. Towards the end of the story his rejection from their society of savage boys forced him to fend for himself. Piggy was an educated boy who had grown up as an outcast. Due to his academic childhood, he was more mature than the others and retained his civilized behaviour. But his experiences on the island gave him a more realistic understanding of the cruelty possessed by some people. The ordeals of the three boys on the island made them more aware of the evil inside themselves and, in some cases, made the false politeness that had clothed them disappear. However, the changes experienced by one boy differed from those endured by another. This is attributable to the physical and mental differences between them. Jack was first described with having an air of cruelty that made him naturally unlikeable. As leader of the choir and one of the tallest boys on the island, Jack's physical height and authority matched his arrogant personality. His desire to be Chief was clearly evident in his first appearance. When the idea of having a Chief was mentioned Jack spoke out immediately. "I ought to be chief," said Jack with simple arrogance, "because I'm chapter chorister and head boy." He led his choir by administering much discipline resulting in forced obedience from the cloaked boys. His ill-nature was well expressed through his impoliteness in saying, "Shut up, Fatty." at Piggy (p. 23). However, despite his unpleasant personality, his lack of courage and his conscience prevented him from killing the first pig they encountered: "They knew very well why he hadn't: because 2004-12-21T05:09:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-of-the-Flies--25906.aspx At the start of the novel, there has been an atomic explosion, and the children have been evacuated in an aircraft with a detachable passenger tube. The aircraft has been attacked and released the tube while flying over tropical seas. The tube has crash landed in the jungle of a tropical island, and the plane has flown off in flames. This is the point when the novel starts. There are four main characters in the book – Ralph, Piggy, Jack and Simon. Simon is part of the choir, which is led by Jack, but Ralph and Piggy are not members of the choir, and are in no way related. There are no adults – "There aren’t any grown ups" (P.43) Ralph has found a "conch" (P.21), and has used it to call all the boys on the island together. This is where Jack is introduced into "Lord of the Flies" "Something dark was fumbling along" (P.26). This refers to the choir walking along the beach in the distance. This use of language shows us that the choir is dark, evil, and sinister, and immediately Golding tells us that this group will not be a "good" force on the island. The choir are a militaristic group – "marching approximately…with a hambone frill" (P.26). This shows us that their leader is in total control of the group. This leader is Jack – "The boy who controlled them…his cap badge was golden" (P.26) This shows the authority and status that Jack has over the choir. When the choir reach the platform, Jack shows off – "swaying in the fierce light…his cloak flying" (P.27). This is an attempt to impress the group, create a good impression, enough so he commands their respect as well as the choirs’, enough so that he can eventually control them as well as the choir. Jack does not introduce himself to everyone; he first words to the group are "Where’s the man with the trumpet?" (P.27). He just gives out demands, and expects the group to answer him. This is what he is used to. Jack is a direct contrast with Ralph – "peered down at Ralph…(the conch) did not seem to satisfy him" (P.27) This shows us that he believes no-one is as good a leader as him, and that the conch, which called the group together, is below him. This is "simple arrogance" (P.29) on the part of Jack. 2004-12-21T05:09:19-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-of-the-Flies-Jack-25905.aspx In the book, “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding, there were many things that happened that relate well to what we have been doing in Psychology 181. There were several times when I found myself relating what we learned in class to the situation that the group of boys in the book found themselves in. The knowledge that I have learned has helped me understand and try to figure out why some of the characters acted the way they did. I found the whole thing very interesting. In this report I will demonstrate what I have found to be some of the most interesting points of psychology that were incorporated in “Lord of the Flies”. This will prove to be a difficult, but inspiring task. The first thing I noticed was we stereotype people as soon as we meet them. Another, interesting psychological finding that was in the book was that the boys had to fill the basic need. This relates to Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. Finally, in doing this report I get to incorporate another interesting point of psychology. That is that I am doing a report from secondary source in perspective of the boys on the island. That is with the assumption that the book is a true story that happened to this group of kids. Stereotyping played a big part in the book. From the first setting, well the first page, there was stereotyping going on. This played a big part in the book as it does in our everyday lives. The story line of the book is that there is a plane full of young boys flying over an ocean. When the plane goes down hitting an island and some of the boys make it, none of the adults do. This leaves the boy on an island to survive while they wait to be rescued. In the opening act of the book the stereotyping begins. There is a kid (Ralph) who is walking on the island when he meets up with another kid (Johnny better known as Piggy). Piggy makes an assumption about Ralph before they hardly meet. Piggy puts trust in Ralph by telling him a nickname that he had in school and hated. Piggy did all these things before he knew Ralph based on a stereotype than he could trust Ralph. Piggy also told Ralph what to do in order to be the 2004-12-21T05:07:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-of-the-Flies-from-a-Psychology-Viewpoint-25904.aspx In the autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the main character Marguerite, is influenced by a great deal of characters including Bailey Jr. , Momma Henderson, and Mrs. Bertha Flowers. One of the primary induces is her older brother Bailey Jr. Momma or Annie Henderson, the Grandmother, also played an important role for Maya. Additionally to those two characters, is Mrs. Flowers, the black aristocrat of Stamps. All in all, these three characters played important roles in the development of Marguerite through her juvenile years. First, Bailey Jr. serves as the most important role in the protagonists’s young life. In the novel, Maya quickly states, “ I would be the major loser if Bailey turned up dead. For he was all I claimed, if not all I had.” Bailey is on year thet main character’s senior, however, it makes no difference for they both share many of the same interests, such as reading poems and playing games. Maya feels comfortable asking Bailey for advice, and therefore the central character trusts Bailey with all of her honest emotions. To sum up, Bailey gives immense confidence to Marguerite throughout their childhood together. Second, Annie Henderson influences her granddaughter as an all powerful role model. An example of this behavior is when “Momma”, takes Ritie to a white dentist and demands that he help her. He refuses to help them, therefore, Momma goes inside to speak with him; Ritie imagines this entire milieu where Momma has victory. Ritie is also amazed at how well Momma adjusts to Los Angeles after living all her life in the small town of Stamps, Arkansas. All in all, Momma plays an important role in Ritie’s up-bringing. Another powerful figure in the leading character’s life, is Mrs. Bertha Flowers, who gained trust from young lady. Mrs. Flowers was the first person to prod her out of her silence after being raped. The aristocrat made Angelou feel proud to be black under any circumstance. Mrs. Flowers loans her some books and assigns her the task of reading them aloud. She also requests that Angelou memorize a poem to recite it aloud. Finally, Mrs. Bertha Flowers gains the young childs respect by making the child feel important. In conclusion, Marguerite is influenced the most by these three characters: Momma Henderson, Bailey Jr., and Mrs. Bertha Flowers. First, Bailey because he nurtures and builds Maya’s confidence. Second, Momma Henderson 2004-12-21T05:04:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/I-know-why-the-Caged-Bird-Sings-25903.aspx In Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte, the characters are quite intricate and engaging. The story takes place in northern England in an isolated, rural area. The main characters involved are residents of two opposing households: Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. Wuthering Heights is a tale of a powerful love between two people, which transcends all boundaries, including that between life and death. The author, Emily Bronte, uses parallelism in this novel. Much of what happens in the first half of the story corresponds to events in the second half. This parallelism also extends to the characters; the first generation of characters is comparable to the second generation. Some might argue that these characters are duplicates of each other and that they share many traits. This is not the case for Catherine Earnshaw and Cathy Linton, a mother and her daughter. These two characters are different in numerous aspects of their personalities and lifestyles. Catherine Earnshaw and Cathy Linton differ a great deal when it comes to their family life. Catherine’s father did not love her because she was forever misbehaving. He once told her, “[N]ay Cathy, I cannot love thee; thou’rt worse than thy brother. Go, say thy prayers, child, and ask God’s pardon. I doubt thy mother and I must rue the day we ever reared thee!” Relating to Lockwood, Nelly noted that young Catherine was such a “wild, wicked slip” (37) that she never seemed as content as when she was being scolded. She was born into a rich, well to do solid family. Her dad, Mr. Earnshaw, was strict man; her mom, Mrs. Earnshaw, was a devoted, quite snobbish woman. Catherine was conceited all throughout her youth, which is clearly a contributing factor to her immaturity. She also shows how she likes and loves to be given excessive attention. This causes her problems all the way until she becomes an adult. A very important aspect of Catherine is, of course, her personality. She can be described as conceited, mischievous, willful, and “had the bonniest eye, and sweetest smile” (45). The readers can clearly see the special traits and features that make her unique in a special way. As a little girl, she has a very strong attitude. She is the type of girl that will react in a rather aggressive way when she doesn’t get what she wants. She is so used to always getting what she 2004-12-21T05:03:11-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wuthering-Heights,-Comparison-of-Catherine-and-Cathy-Linton-25902.aspx Murray Kempton once admitted, ‘No great scoundrel is ever uninteresting.’ The human race continually focuses on characters who intentionally harm others and create damaging situations for their own benefit. Despite popular morals, characters who display an utter disregard for the natural order of human life are characters who are often deemed iconic and are thoroughly scrutinized. If only the characters of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights were as simple as that. Set on the mysterious and gloomy Yorkshire moors in the nineteenth century, Wuthering Heights gives the illusion of lonesome isolation as a stranger, Mr. Lockwood, attempts to narrate a tale he is very far removed from. Emily Bronte’s in-depth novel can be considered a Gothic romance or an essay on the human relationship. The reader may regard the novel as a serious study of human problems such as love and hate, or revenge and jealousy. One may even consider the novel Bronte’s personal interpretation of the universe. However, when all is said and done, Heathcliff and Catherine are the story. Their powerful presence permeates throughout the novel, as well as their complex personalities. Their climatic feelings towards each other and often selfish behavior often exaggerates or possibly encapsulates certain universal psychological truths humans are too afraid to express. Heathcliff and Catherine’s stark backgrounds evolve respectively into dark personalities and mistaken life paths, but in the end their actions determine the course of their own relationships and lives. Their misfortunes, recklessness, willpower, and destructive passion are unable to penetrate the eternal love they share. Heathcliff’s many-faceted existence is marked by wickedness, love, and strength. His dark actions are produced by the distortion of his natural personality. Although Heathcliff was once subjected to vicious racism due to his dark skin color and experienced wearisome orphan years in Liverpool, this distortion had already begun when Mr. Earnshaw brought him into Wuthering Heights, a "dirty, ragged, black-haired child"(45; ch.7). Already he was inured to hardship and uncomplainingly accepted suffering. Heathcliff displays his strength and steadfastness when he had the measles, and when Hindley treated him cruelly if he got what he wanted. From the very beginning he showed great courage, resoluteness, and love. Few have the audacity to be victimized (as Heathcliff was by Hindley after Mr. Earnshaw’s death) and find secret delight in his persecutor sinking into a life of debauchery which will undoubtedly cause his own death. Not only did Heathcliff show 2004-12-21T05:01:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wuthering-Heights-Catherine-and-Heathcliff-25899.aspx Loneliness is an inevitable fact of life that not even the strongest can avoid. In his novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck illustrates the loneliness of California ranch life in the early 1930's. Throughout the story, the reader discovers the many sources of solitude, primarily being discrimination and prejudice, resulting in loneliness and isolation. One of the most important things that are really needed is a friend. Without friends, people would suffer from loneliness and solitude. The characters in this novel are intrigued yet envious of the special friendship shared by George and Lennie because they do not have that in their life. All the characters are extremely lonely and unhappy with their lives (except Slim, who is the only character that seems to be confident and happy with his life), and none of them can escape this unhappiness. Economic and social forces control them, and free will seems illusory. To study the aspect of loneliness in Of Mice and Men, we will study George and Lennie’s bittersweet friendship, as well as loneliness through 3 characters who are forced to locate their happiness elsewhere to fight off their loneliness--in Crooks' childhood on the chicken farm, or Curley's wife's vision of Hollywood stardom, or George and Lennie's Eden-like dream of their own farm. And finally we will point out interesting similarities between certain characters. The setting of the novel is destined for loneliness. Soledad is short for the town's full name, 'Nuestra Senora de Soledad' which means 'Our Lady of Loneliness'. This is the town that is closest to the ranch, a place that is already full of lonely, solitary people. The name of the closest town being Soledad, we understand that loneliness is some kind of vicious circle, because on the ranch they are already lonely, and going to town to fight that loneliness wont help since its called “Soledad”. "Guys like us, that live on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world." George means that if not for each other, then he and Lennie would be all alone, with no friends, like all the men like them, who are nomads working from ranch to ranch without making any friends, and living a lonely, solitary life. Clinging to each other in their loneliness and alienation, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie dream, as drifters will, of a place to call their own. But we can attribute another meaning 2004-12-21T04:59:41-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Loneliness-In-Of-Mice-And-Men-25897.aspx The central element of this novella is its symbolism. This novella has plenty of symbolical forms, such as people, creed, and some of the animals. Candy has several terms of symbolism, for example his disability is a symbol of the migrant workers who are just literally forgotten about, they are forgotten when they are no use to the owners. Candy’s dog is a symbol of a life only for advantage to others Lennie also for shadows this, he is belittled of his mind but enormously commented for his strength. Also he is compelled to lie about the fight he had with Curley, this is a symbol of typical male society in the, “Depression era”. Crook has many symbolical items, his disability is a symbol of his loneliness. He constantly rubs his back with medicine to inoculate to himself, this is a symbol of the pain he intakes. He is extremely lonely. His book of California rights is a symbol of power and knowledge of his rights of freedom. The neatness of his stable is a symbol that he is trying to show that he has got the same things as white people. The farm is a very important symbol in the novella it is important because it is repeated throughout the novella it is reminding the reader of the comforting dream that Lennie and George have created. It is a symbol of brotherly love. The dream in some ways is like the whole “Depression era” it reminds the reader of freedom and homely pleasure. Curley and Curley’s wife both represent evil both oppress and abuse the migrant workers. Curley especially harasses Lennie because of Lennie’s strength and how enormous he is. This is a symbol of cat and mouse. The horses rattling chains are a symbol of the slavery and lack of freedom. This symbol occurs quite often. The mouse in the novella is soft, small, this is a symbol of innocence. This for shadows Lennie he is venerable. Lennie is a symbol himself in his action towards beguiling soft things. Like when he stroked that ladies dress and she cried out rape it was a symbol of the power a white woman had then. Another example of this is when crooks said to Curley’s wife to go or he would call the boss to Curley’s wife but all she did was black mailed him by saying, “Listen, Nigger, you 2004-12-21T04:53:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-and-Men-Symbolism-25896.aspx Everywhere you look there is prejudice, you may be the wrong colour, worship the wrong God or wear the wrong thing. No-one fits into our idealistic world perfectly. This prejudice has been around for thousands of years because it is just human nature not to accept people for who they are. In Of Mice And Men there are several different levels of prejudice shown, all contributing to the failure of the American dream. The main types of prejudice shown in this novel are racial, sexual and social prejudice. This essay is firstly going to look at racial prejudice. There is much racial prejudice shown in Of Mice And Men towards Crooks the black crippled stable buck. Crooks is more permanent than the other ranch hands and has his own room off the stables with many more possessions than them. This room is made out to be a privilege and also because it means he is nearer to the horses but in fact it is really because the other ranch hands do not want him in the bunk house with them. As a result of this prejudice Crooks has become bitter and very lonely. When Lennie comes to pet the puppies, not even realising that Crooks’ room is ‘out of bounds’, Crooks instantly becomes defensive and uncivil "I ain’t wanted in the bunk room and you ain’t wanted in my room" but Lennie in his childish innocence is completely without prejudice " Why aint you wanted" he asks. Crooks retaliates to this with: "Cause I’m black, they play cards in there but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well I tell you, all of you stink to me" This line showing that Crooks desperately wants to join in, be accepted, but because of his colour he can’t and so he feels the only way he can make himself feel better is to cut himself off further, it is a vicious circle. When Crooks realises that Lennie means no harm he invites him to " Come on in and set a while" Lennie begins to talk about George and his dream, it makes Crooks reminisce to his childhood which he looks on as a kind of paradise. "The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them and some of them were pretty nice. My ol’ man didn’t like that. I 2004-12-21T04:53:04-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Prejudice-exhibited-in-Of-Mice-And-Men-25895.aspx In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays Arthur Dimmesdale as a troubled individual. In him lies the central conflict of the book. Dimmesdale’s soul is torn between two opposing forces: his heart, his love for freedom and his passion for Hester Prynne, and his head, his knowledge of Puritanism and its denial of fleshly love. He has committed the sin of adultery but cannot seek divine forgiveness, believing as the Puritans did that sinners received no grace. His dilemma, his struggle to cope with sin, manifests itself in the three scaffold scenes depicted in The Scarlet Letter. These scenes form a progression through which Dimmesdale at first denies, then accepts reluctantly, and finally conquers his sin. During Hester Prynne’s three-hour ignominy, Dimmesdale openly denies his sin. Hawthorne introduces Dimmesdale as “a being who felt himself quite astray and at a loss in the pathway of human existence” (64). The author made it obvious that a grim secret lies hidden in the depths of Dimmesdale’s soul. This secret, however, does not reveal itself immediately, since Dimmesdale hides it from the closely watching town. In addition, he magnifies his own denial of his sin when he charges Hester to “speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer”(65). By deliberately speaking to Hester as if the sinner were not himself, the pastor makes sure that nobody suspects him. One may also interpret Dimmesdale’s speech as a hint to Hester not to name him. He feels he must “add hypocrisy to sin” in order to keep his standing in the town. He thinks that if the town finds out about his sin, they will never forgive him, much like his belief system tells him that God will never forgive him. So great is his relief when he finds that “she will not speak” that he stands in awe of the “wondrous strength and generosity of a woman’s heart”(66). Despite an inward wish for his sin to be discovered, Dimmesdale feels better knowing that Hester will not willingly expose him. In this scene in front of the town, Dimmesdale shows his original strength of character, which will diminish along the course of the book. In the middle of the night, seven years after Hester’s punishment, Dimmesdale holds a vigil on the scaffold where he finally accepts his sin. The battle within Dimmesdale between “Remorse, which dogged him everywhere” and “Cowardice, which invariably drew him 2004-12-21T04:50:58-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Three-Scaffold-Scenes-Progression-of-Dimmesdale-25894.aspx In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne makes Hester Prynne the central figure in the story much like Susanna Rowson does with Charlotte in Charlotte Temple. The plots of the books are centered on these women; the storylines occasionally move elsewhere to inform the reader of the happenings of other characters, but always returns to their respective female protagonist. The authors’ use of their leading ladies differs when providing a theme, however. Susanna Rowson uses Charlotte Temple as an example for the reader. By taking the reader on a journey through Charlotte’s life of perpetual misery, Rowson’s narrator is able to point out where Charlotte makes poor decisions. With the reader now aware of the misdirected choices of Charlotte, the narrator warns the reader that any young girl could end up in the same type of predicament. She then teaches the young female reader how she should react in a similar situation and the “sober matron” reader how to prevent such a dilemma from happening to her daughter. In summary, Charlotte Temple’s actions are used to directly teach the theme as Rowson wishes. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses his main character in a completely different way. It is common for a reader of The Scarlet Letter to determine that the theme of the story is that adultery is bad, but that is not the case. Hawthorne is not promoting adultery; that is true: As Darrel Abel states in his essay, “Hawthorne’s Hester,” “Although we are expected to love and pity Hester, we are not invited to condone her fault or to construe it as a virtue.”1 Hester Prynne and her lecherous sin are Hawthorne’s means of conveying a different message; Hawthorne is more interested in uncovering the flaws of puritan society and the hypocrisy of their reactions to Hester. The character of Hester Prynne is created as to exploit these flaws indirectly. The Puritan culture is one that recognizes Protestantism, a sect of Christianity. Though a staple of Christianity is forgiveness for one’s sins, this has long been forgotten amongst the women of Boston: “Morally, as well as materially, there was a coarser fibre in those wives and maidens of old English birth and breeding, than in their fair decendants.”2 When Hester is first brought out of her prison cell, the gossiping goodwives recommend much harsher punishments, from a brand on her forehead to death. Hester, who had done little wrong prior to this sin of 2004-12-21T04:49:15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Use-of-Hester-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-25893.aspx Symbolic characters are very important in most powerful novels. One classic that uses characters as symbols is The Scarlet Letter. This novel is about a woman in Puritan society, Hester, who commits adultery with her minister, Arthur Dimmesdale. She has a daughter, Pearl, and is forced to wear a scarlet letter the rest of her life. Arthur hides his sin and becomes extremely troubled. Hester’s husband, Roger, takes it upon himself to judge and punish Arthur for his sin and becomes like the devil. Many characters in the novel are symbols for something. Three characters that are symbolic are Roger Chillingworth, the young woman, and Pearl. One character in the story that is symbolic is Roger, Hester’s husband. He is the symbol of a life consumed with revenge. When the reader first meets Roger, he is a mostly normal man. He was small in stature, with a furrowed visage, which, as yet, could hardly be termed aged. There was a remarkable intelligence in his features... (p. 56) The only unusual trait of his is a slight deformity of the shoulder. He is an intelligent man who spends most of his time reading. When Roger finds out that Hester has been unfaithful to him, he vows to take revenge on the man who sinned with her. Later he finds out that the man is Minister Arthur Dimmesdale and meticulously plots revenge. His life becomes consumed with the carrying out of his revenge. He himself sins as he tries to destroy Arthur’s soul. Roger soon comes to resemble the devil. He even notices this similarity in himself. He says, “I have already told thee what I am! A fiend!” (p. 158) Hester also says that she pities him, “...for the hatred that has transformed a wise and just man to a fiend.” (p. 159) Each of them recognize that Roger’s life centered around hatred and revenge have made him like the devil. The symbol working in Roger, living to destroy, shows that tearing down another person causes as much damage to one’s own life. Roger is the symbol of a life consumed by desire for revenge. Another symbolic character is the kind young woman. She is symbolic of hope in the story. Surrounded by people criticizing and being self-righteous the young woman alone has kind words to say to and about Hester Prynne. The first instance when she is kind is at the beginning 2004-12-21T04:48:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolic-characters-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-25892.aspx John Stubbs' essay is an examination of the defense which he believes Henry and Catherine use to protect themselves from the discovery of their insignificance and "powerlessness...in a world indifferent to their well being..." He asserts that "role-playing" by the two main characters, and several others in the book, is a way to escape the realization of human mortality which is unveiled by war. Stubbs thinks that Hemingway utilized role-playing as a way to "explore the strengths and weaknesses of his two characters." Stubbs says that by placing Henry's ordered life in opposition to Catherine's topsy-turvy one, and then letting each one assume a role which will bring them closer together, Hemingway shows the pair's inability to accept "the hard, gratuitous quality of life." Stubbs begins by showing other examples, notably in In Our Time and The Sun Also Rises, in which Hemingway's characters revert to role-playing in order to escape or retreat from their lives. The ability to create characters who play roles, he says, either to "maintain self-esteem" or to escape, is one Hemingway exploits extraordinarily well in A Farewell to Arms and therefore it "is his richest and most successful handling of human beings trying to come to terms with their vulnerability." As far as Stubbs is concerned, Hemingway is quite blatant in letting us know that role-playing is what is occurring. He tells that the role-playing begins during Henry and Catherine's third encounter, when Catherine directly dictates what is spoken by Henry. After this meeting the two become increasingly comfortable with their roles and easily adopt them whenever the other is nearby. This is apparent also in that they can only successfully play their roles when they are in private and any disturbance causes the "game" to be disrupted. The intrusion of the outside world in any form makes their role-playing impossible, as evidenced at the race track in Milan, where they must be alone. The people surrounding them make Catherine feel uncomfortable and Henry has to take her away from the crowd. He goes on to describe how it is impossible for them to play the roles when they are apart and how they therefore become more dependent upon each other's company. Stubbs goes on to explain how, "neither mistakes role-playing for a truly intimate relationship, but both recognize that it can be a useful device for satisfying certain emotional needs." He says that originally Henry and 2004-12-21T04:36:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Farewell-to-Arms-Love-and-Role-Playing-25891.aspx Novelists are often concerned with exploring the confusions and complexities of social relationships. In the context, confusions refer to puzzling relationships, which are confusing to comprehend. Whereas, complexities relate to complicated and intricate issues. The different social relationships discussed in F.Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, THE GREAT GASTBY, are business colleagues, lovers and married partners. The characters involved in these relationships consist of, Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Myrtle and George Wilson, Jordan Baker, Mr Wolshiem and Nick Carraway. Each character interacts with others, establishing either confusions or complexities within their social relationship. A complex social relationship explored in this novel is between Wolshiem and Gatsby. The two are business colleagues who work together, however the nature of their business is rarely discussed. During lunch between Gatsby, Wolshiem and Nick, Wolshiem mistakes Nick’s reason of invitation, which Gatsby quickly states, ‘I told you we’d talk about that some other time.’ (p69) This suggests to the audience that their business is not above board, as Gatsby does not wish to discuss their business dealing in front of company. Throughout the novel, their business relationship is kept very vague. On the surface it appears to be a normal business relationship, however due to the uncertainty of their dealings, it is established to the audience that there is a complex relationship existing between the two characters. Thus showing how complexities can be explores through the social relationship of business colleagues. Another example of a social relationship explored in the novel, containing complexities, is between Wolshiem and Gatsby from Wolshiem’s point of view. In the final chapter, Wolshiem sends Nick a letter in regards to Gatsby’s death. He states that he is, ‘…tied up in… very important business… cannot get mixed up in this thing now.’ (p157) This reinforces that their relationship was strictly business and there was not a very strong friendship existing between the two characters. It appears that Wolshiem has very little respect for Gatsby, as he doesn’t have the courtesy to attend his funeral. It is portrayed that all Gatsby was to Wolshiem was a business colleague, nothing more. Wolshiem doe not want to further their relationship as friends. Within the letter, Wolshiem refers to Gatsby as a ‘thing.’ This represents Gatsby’s death as an inconvenience on Wolshiem’s behalf. As Wolshiem was involved in some ‘very important business,’ this once again reinforces the idea that their business relationship was below board. 2004-12-21T04:34:03-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby-Confusions-and-Complexities-25890.aspx The characters' search of their own identities and the struggle that ensues is the most suffusive theme throughout The Great Gatsby . The fact that we never really know the characters, and the corrupt immoral things they do, directly represent the 20's high society lifestyle. The characters continued to cheat on their spouses, let money become their obsession, and debated the American dream for the hopes of one day obtaining happiness. But the fact remains that they have no true morals or ideals of themselves as individuals. These are a group of people who --no matter how cocky and self- confident they seem-- have absolutely no idea of what they are doing (as many men and women of the 20's do not). Tom and Daisy are two examples. Daisy is a hospitable character who had a love for parties and tended to lose herself in them and the drinking. Daisy once said, "What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon, and the day after that, and the next thirty years?" This quote not only means she lives for one day at a time never thinking of the future, but that she truly has no idea of what to do with herself. She is like loose change floating around wandering from party to party, man to man, friend to friend, in a big house in East Egg with no sense of purpose. She once attempted to plan something when she first reunited with Nick. She said, "What'll we plan? What do people plan?" meaning she has never had to make decisions nor has she had much responsibility. Not only does she have no purpose, she has no morals. She literally killed a woman and went home to eat cold chicken. What more, her lover was killed and she left on a trip missing his funeral. Show me a woman who has no morals or goals and I'll show you a woman who is searching for her own identity. Tom Buchanan is a small man hiding in a big house with an equally large ego. In fact, he once remarked that women run around too much and meet the wrong kind of people. This statement is both arrogant and ironic because he runs around with the wrong people, and women run around with him- he being the wrong people. Also, when stating this he was most likely referring to his wife, and subtly 2004-12-21T04:32:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby-Theme-and-Character-Anlysis-of-Tom-and-Daisy-25889.aspx In Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, all the characters are, in one way or another, attempting to achieve a state of happiness in their lives. The main characters are divided into two groups: the rich upper class and the poorer lower class, which struggles to attain a higher position. Though the major players seek only to change their lives for the better, the idealism and spiritualism of the American Dream is inevitably crushed beneath the harsh reality of life, leaving their lives without meaning or purpose. Tom and Daisy Buchanan, the rich socialite couple, seem to have everything they could possibly desire; however, though their lives are full of material possessions and worldly goods, they are unsatisfied and seek to change their circumstances. Tom, the arrogant ex-football player, drifts on "forever seeking a little wistfully for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game"(pg. 10) and reads "deep books with long words in them"(pg. 17) in order to have something to talk about. Though he appears happily married to Daisy, Tom has an affair with Myrtle Wilson and keeps an apartment with her in New York. Tom's basic nature of unrest prevents him from being satisfied with the life he leads, and so he creates another life for himself with Myrtle. Daisy Buchanan is an empty figure, a woman with neither strong desires nor convictions. Even before her loyalty to either Tom or Gatsby is called into question, Daisy does nothing but sit around all day and wonder what to do with herself. She knows that Tom has a mistress on the side, yet hesitates to leave him even when she learns of Gatsby's devotion to her. Daisy professes her love to Gatsby, yet cannot bring herself to tell Tom goodbye except at Gatsby's insistence. Even then, once Tom pleads with her to stay, Daisy quickly capitulates and ultimately leaves Gatsby for a life of comfort and security. The Buchanans are the ultimate examples of wealth and prosperity, the epitome of the rich life of the American Dream, yet their lives are empty, unfulfilled, and without purpose. Though Myrtle Wilson makes an attempt to escape her own class and pursue happiness with the richer set, her efforts ultimately produce no results and she dies, a victim of the very group she sought to join. Myrtle tries to join Tom's class by entering into an affair with him and taking on his 2004-12-21T04:32:05-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Death-of-the-American-Dream-25888.aspx George Orwell grew up a devout and dedicated socialist in the British colonies of India and even when he eventually studied and lived in England. He was loyal to the beliefs and followings of socialism’s fathers, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the authors of The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. However, when Orwell saw the ideals of Socialism turned into vicious Communism, taking advantage of and abusing the lower classes that it was intended to help, he could not turn a blind eye to the cruelties and hypocrisies of the totalitarian Communism under the dictatorial reign of Joseph Stalin. Therefore, Orwell wrote two greatest anti-Communist novels that solidified his place as an advocate of freedom and a committed opponent of Communist oppression. His loathing criticism is best portrayed and evident in his satirical and allegoric fable Animal Farm. Written between 1943 and 1944, it served as an enlightening call to freedom and fairness around the world with the Russian revolution serving as the perfect backdrop and storyline to convey his powerful message. In February 1917, Czar Nicholas II, the monarch of Russia abdicated leaving Alexander Kerensky as the premier. However, about eight months later Kerensky was overthrown by Socialist/Communist revolutionists led by Vladimir Lenin, who quickly was self-appointed Chief Commissar of the new Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Almost immediately, as the country was war-torn, the chief allies of Lenin began jockeying for position and power in the newly formed state. Most notably including Joseph Stalin, Leon Trotsky, Gregory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev. The popular and charismatic Trotsky came into the forefront along with the intimidating and militant Stalin as the likely successors to Lenin’s vast power. Upon Lenin’s death in 1924, Stalin manipulated an alliance with Zinoviev and Kaminev against Trotsky. Eventually Stalin stood supreme dictator of the USSR where Trotsky was exiled and eventually assassinated by Stalin’s troops. These horrifying events became the wondrous plot and characters of Animal Farm. Mr. Jones, representing the capitalist monarch society in pre-rebellion Russia, has a functioning and standard farm in the countryside of England and it includes the typical animals and beasts of burden on such a farm, including pigs, horses, poultry, dogs, goats and other animals of the sort. In many ways the farm also mimics the countryside of Russia during its revolution with its poor and worsening conditions and irresponsible leaders. He works and uses the animals to sell 2004-12-21T04:29:23-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-Historical-Relevance-25887.aspx In the play Antigone I choose Creon to be the tragic hero because he is the King of Thebes and he looses everything he has. Creon being King makes the audience believe that something like that can happen to the King then what can happen to us. Antigone the niece of Creon, The sister of Polyneices was punished by Creon for burying Polyneces after his death, Creon has forbidden anybody to do so. Once Creon punished Antigone the blind prophet Teiresias told him that the Gods will take revenge for his actions, then Creon tried to change everything but he is too late. Creon’s tragic flaws were his stubbornness, the abuse of power and the actions he took to cause the downfall of the Thebes. Creon showed his stubbornness by not wanting to be proved wrong because of pride. When the Choragos tried to tell Creon that he made a mistake by telling that nobody can burry the body of Polyneices. Creon did not want to listen to the people of Thebes who tried to tell him that Antigone did the right thing, but of fear to Creon the could not really say anything. Creon thought by making an example of Antigone’s execution, everybody would get scared and won’t try to brake his laws. It actually worked for a while. Creon abused his power by thinking that he can change or brake the laws of the Gods and not allowing other people to brake his laws. He did not want to burry Polyneices’ body, but one of the God’s law is that every human deserves to be buried after death not depending what that certain person did in his lifetime. Creon caused fear among his people by making a public announcement that nobody is allowed to burry Polyneices. He said that the state of Thebes consists of only him, and that there are no other laws then his. According to the play the major actions that Creon took to cause the downfall of Thebes are that he did not want to burry Polyneices nor did allow any body to do it. Creon broke the burial law of the Gods and punished Antigone for following their laws. The people of Thebes knew that Creon made a mistake but still were too afraid to speak up. Antigone thought that she should get honored for that what she did, but Creon did not 2004-12-21T04:26:03-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Antigone-Creon’s-Flaws--25886.aspx "Jane Eyre" is set during the Victorian period, at a time where a women's role in society was restrictive and repressive and class differences distinct. A job as a governess was one of the only few respectable positions available to the educated but impoverished single women. Not only is "Jane Eyre" a novel about one woman's journey through life, but Brontë also conveys to the reader the social injustices of the period, such as poverty, lack of universal education and sexual inequality. Jane's plight and her "dependant" status is particularly emphasised at the beginning of the novel. Miss Temple is the kind and fair-minded superintendent of Lowood School, who plays an important role in the emotional development of Jane Eyre. Miss Temple is described by Helen as being "good and very clever" and "above the rest, because she knows far more than they do". This description is more significant because it has been said by Helen, and she herself is extremely mature. One of Miss Temple's most outstanding qualities is her ability to command (perhaps unconsciously) respect from everyone around her, "considerable organ of veneration, for I yet retain the sense of admiring awe with which my eyes traced her steps". Even during their first encounter Jane is "impressed"... "by her voice, look and air". Throughout Jane's stay at Lowood, Miss Temple frequently demonstrates her human kindness and compassion for people. An Example of this is when after noticing that the burnt porridge was not eaten by anyone, she ordered a lunch of bread and cheese to be served to all, realising their hunger. This incident is also evidence of her courage, of how she is not afraid to stand up to her superior, when she feels that too much unnecessary suffering has been inflicted on the children Miss Temple's Christianity contrasts with that of Mr Brocklehurst, where instead of preaching restrictive and depressing doctrine, which he then proceeds to contradict, she encourages the children by "precept and example". After the incident involving Mr Brocklehurst announcing to the whole school that Jane is a liar, the reader becomes aware of Miss Temple's sense of natural justice, where before accepting what Mr Brocklehust has said, she inquires from Jane her version. It is of no coincidence that Brontë choose to coincide Miss Temple's arrival into the schoolroom with the moon's light "streaming in through a window near". Brontë throughout the novel 2004-12-21T04:21:58-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jane-Eyre-Miss-Temple-s-Influence-on-Jane-25885.aspx Loving Enough to Let Go “The Road North” and “And of Clay We Are Created”, both from The Stories of Eva Luna are short stories that demonstrate the painful agony of letting a loved one go. These stories share similar events in which the main characters: Claveles Picero from “The Road North” and Rolf Carle from “And of Clay We Are Created” both meet, love and then learn to let go of a special person in their life. Claveless and Rolf were both able to make the ultimate sacrifice of letting a loved one go, showing how much that they loved the special people they had in their life. In the midst of their every day lives; Claveles Picero and Rolf Carle are both hit with unexpected encounters with special people that will leave long lasting emotional scars in their life. Claveles Picero, a merchant of her grand fathers religious artifacts, stopped going to the city one day. She stayed home and then had here baby “Claveles’s baby was received…Picero, then. Juan Picero” (226). She met her child the day that he was born, and named him Juan. On a routine news mission, Rolf Carle was sent by the news station to cover footage of a wrecked town. Upon his visit he first encounters this little girl named Azucena who is trapped in quicksand and gravel up to her neck “Rolf Carle was in on the story of Azucena from the beginning…the air around him seemed murky as mud” (356). As one can view the scene, one notices that Rolf Carle not only meets this girl but is also one of the first on the scene. Clavles and Rolf have been exposed to special people in their lives that will leave a lasting impression. Since both characters have already been exposed to new people in their lives it is inevitable that they bond together and develop some sort of a relationship together. Claveles develops a caring mother bond with her child Juan, as the story progress she finds out he is a def-mute. Also, contemplated by an offer by an adoption agency to send Juan to a special school in the North “Don’t be selfish now, grandfather think what’s best for the boy...What will become of him?” (230). Claveles demonstrates her bond to the child as a 2004-12-20T03:47:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Loving-Enough-to-Let-Go,-Essay-on-Two-Stories-of-Eva-Luna-25855.aspx A Room of One’s Own Paper “…then the opportunity will come and 2004-12-20T03:36:05-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Room-of-One’s-Own-Paper-25851.aspx The 1920s was one of the most significant time periods in America’s history. After World War One was over America began to reinvent itself. It was a time when prohibition came about, social reform was taking place, and the economy endured many modifications. It was a time for reinventing ones self in many different ways. Americans were changing. They were readjusting to a new life style. They were making transitions that would change America forever. The greatest changes in America were its values. These changes reflected not only America’s values, but American’s values as well. These changes were captured by many artists. In order to adapt, these artists had to develop new styles, new values, and new points of view. Lots of the artists did not write in America, they escaped to Europe to get a better picture of what America was truly like. Artists such as Lewis Sinclair, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald captured America and Americans in the prime of these postwar changes. These authors provided us with a depiction of what was happening in America. They not only provided us with what was happening in the twenties, but they showed Americans what others thought of them as well. They confirmed American’s worst suspicions about themselves and America. The authors portrayed a vivid image of Americans being torn into two directions. How do you adapt to a new world while trying to preserve the values of the old world? The values of Americans were the key themes in each of the author’s most successful novels. As mentioned above, the authors developed new styles and points of views as a result of the changing values. Some of the novels that illustrate how the changing of ones values did not come easy are Sinclair Lewis’ Babbitt, Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. All changes, however, came at a price. The novel that illuminated the 1920s the best, in its search for a new set of values, would have to be The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald was a genius. His novel touches upon numerous instances in which the old values are being replaced with new values. The novel takes place in a time of growth and prosperity, the age of prohibition, as well as a time of 2004-12-12T16:06:30-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gastby-In-1920s-25838.aspx Examples of Pagan and Christian traditions are presented all throughout literature. Many of the influences deal with what it going on in the world, when the piece is written. When Beowulf was written, St. Augustine had just come over to try and convert the Anglo-Saxon people to Christianity; although the conversion succeeded it was a shallow conversion, and there were still people following the Pagan ways. There was a Pagan concept known as fame, which was how the soldiers wanted to be remembered, they wanted a story about them, thus achieving immortality. “He bore it ill that any man other in all earth should ever achieve more fame under heaven then he himself” (386-388) Beowulf succeeded in achieving fame, his story is living all throughout the world, and it has lasted many years. Fate is still a common concept; one can still hear people talking about fate, how our life revolves around it, and if things happen it is because they are meant to. “Fate often delivers an undoomed earl if his spirit be gallant!” (441-442) Throughout the story, there are many examples of fate, this quote could be interpreted as meaning, fate can change at anytime and change life completely. There were many times where fate changed Beowulf’s life. As much as Paganism is presented in the story, there are still many references to Christianity. Such as Grendel was an ancestor Cain, which is a story in the Old Testament. There is also a quote in the story that combines Pagan and Christian views, “Since God has granted him glory and wealth he forgets the future, unmindful of Fate.” (1197-1198). The quote relates to the shallow conversion of the Anglo-Saxons that was happening around this time. Today, one can still see the Pagan influences in common life. Each time Beowulf succeeded he related it to either Paganism or Christianity. Whether it is one God, or many Gods, the people all had their common belief system ";"92";"323";"997153087";"25140";"5" "PinkMonkey";"“The Sun Also Rises”";" Although not a single shot is fired throughout the novel, The Sun Also Rises is about The Great War.The high point in this book is the festival. When Brett, Jake,Robert, Mike, and the Countess go to the bullfights. To know that the book was written during World War One was also a helpful tip in deciding this. These people are now shown as drunk, fun 2004-12-12T16:02:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-Pagan-and-Christian-Influences-25836.aspx William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies, used irony to tell his story of a group of young British boys stranded on a deserted island. The readers can clearly spot the irony in the dialogue and Ralph, one of the main character, is also aware of the irony in his situation. The irony in the novel forces the readers to step aside and think about the hidden meanings the author is trying to express. The first example of irony occurred in chapter two. Jack says to the group of young, impressionable boys that "We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages."(Golding 32)However, in the following chapters Jack is the leader of the tribe and encourages the boys to forget civilization and act upon their primitive instincts. They ignore the laws that they all have agreed to follow while on the island and commit heinous crimes against humanity, such as torture against both humans and animals, and murder. They no longer act like English schoolboys who are the best at everything, but like savages. Relatively early on in the novel Ralph comes to terms with his situation. He realizes that much of one’s life is spent just keeping out of danger and staying alive. After understanding the complex, yet realistic, view of life he remembers his first impression of the island and how he thought they would have fun on the island, like living in one of his books. Now he realized what life on the island would really be like. There is irony in Piggy’ s name. The boys hunt, kill and eat pigs on the island. Not only do they kill the pigs, they enjoy it tremendously. Piggy’ s name suggests that he will be a victim of the beast. Not the beast the boys on the island fear, but the beast within each of them. The author is saying through Piggy that because they kill and eat the pigs they become the beast. Ralph prays to the adult world to send them something grownup, a sign or something. His prayer is answered by a dead parachuter, a casualty of war from the fighting going on in civilized society. The dead man is powerless to help the boys. He actually causes more problems. He is mistaken for the beast and causes more fear in the boys and drives them closer to becoming 2004-12-12T05:51:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-of-the-Flies-Irony-25829.aspx Imagine a culture where books are prohibited, where the basic rights illustrated in the First Amendment hold no weight and society is merely a brainwashed, mechanical population. According to Ray Bradbury, the author of Fahrenheit 451, this depiction is actually an exaggerated forecast for the American future – and in effect is happening around us every day. Simply reading his words can excite theories and arguments pertaining not only to the banning of books but to our government structure itself. Age-old debates about Communism and equality are stirred by the trials of characters in Bradbury’s unique world. By studying the protagonist, Guy Montag, and his personal challenges we can, in a sense, evaluate our own lives to see that we don’t make similar mistakes. While the book is definitely a critique of society and of the government, readers are given many dominant themes to follow, and to find all of them requires several readings. The main plot, following Montag, illustrates the importance of making mistakes in order to grow. For example, at the very end of the book Granger (an outspoken rebel to the book-banning laws) compares mankind to a phoenix that burns itself up and then rises out of its ashes over and over again. Man's advantage is his ability to recognize when he has made an error, so that eventually he will learn not to make that mistake anymore. Remembering the faults of the past is the task Granger and his group have set for themselves. They believe that individuals are not as important as the collective mass of culture and history. The symbol of the phoenix's rebirth refers not only to the cyclical nature of history and the collective rebirth of humankind but also to Montag's own spiritual resurrection. Appropriately named, Guy is just a regular person who started out as a drone, following the dictations of his superficial leaders (his last name, Montag, is also ironic in that it is the name of a paper-manufacturing company). Eventually, however, he begins to realize that while reflecting the morals of equality in that no one was above the law, his society also takes away the power of an individual to make a difference. He starts out rash, inarticulate, self-obsessed, and too easily swayed. At times he is not even aware of why he does things, feeling that his hands are acting by themselves. These subconscious actions can be 2004-12-12T05:49:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451--25828.aspx For many years, people have been searching for answers regarding the purpose of human existence. The answers often seem impossible to find because people do not know how or where to begin looking. Their desperation to discover their own true purpose causes them to believe that their being is imposed upon them by unknown forces. These forces allow people to continue their search for meaning even when their situations seem hopeless. “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett is a play that captures the fate of human existence as people depend on chaos, hope and chance to provide their lives with purpose and meaning as they continue to wait for salvation. The world in which the main characters, Vladimir and Estragon, exist contains no orderly sequence of events. Chaos is shown as the actions in the first act occur similarly in the second act without any recollection of them ever happening before. The two tramps continue to return to the same place day after day to wait for Godot. The tree that serves as the only setting to their humble place is bare one day and flowers with leaves the next. None of the characters seem to have any memory of the happenings the day before. The sun quickly fades to reveal night and the reality that Godot hasn’t come. Although Beckett only shows his audience two days in the life of Vladimir and Estragon, it is believed that these two characters have been and will continue to repeat the same actions day after day until what they are waiting for has arrived. Chaos is also shown in the differentiation between Pozzo and Lucky within the time that they disappear from the stage. The first time Pozzo and Lucky meet Vladimir and Estragon, Pozzo is on his way to the market to sell him slave. Pozzo is healthy and wishes to sell Lucky who has gone from being an enjoyable slave to one who is just utterly annoying. The next day when the same characters meet in the same place, the whole situation has changed. Vladimir happens to be the only person who remembers the events of the past day. Pozzo is now blind and Lucky mute. Pozzo is dependent on Lucky to lead him and would never dream of giving 2004-12-11T08:21:20-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Waiting-for-Godot--25819.aspx In Barbara Kingsolver’s “Pigs in Heaven” readers are introduced to a variety of people who all have their own meaning of family. “All families are weird” (325;ch. 32) Andy Rainbelt’s quote give the ideal definition of family for this book. Every character in the novel each has their own definition of family, but it is through their displayed relationships with each other that we obtain our own perception of family using the novel. The main characters express such strong views about family that it is critical to the plot. For example, if Annawake Fourkiller were not concerned with the tribe being considered her family; she never would have bothered reuniting Turtle with the Cherokee nation. And if that didn’t occur, the rest of the novel never would have existed. The definition of family is not just important to the plot, but it is necessary in understanding the motives behind each character. Take Alice for instance, her love for her husband Harland has disappeared during those long lonely nights he ignored her. “She married him two years ago for love, or so she thought, and he’s a good enough man but a devotee of household silence. His Idea of marriage is to spray WD-40 on anything that squeaks.”(3; ch.1) Harland is a pretty boring guy, and Alice’s independent feature makes her realize that she does not need a man who is constantly glued to his TV. Her independence about not needing a man has not only passed onto her daughter, but it also forced her to leave Harland. Right now Alice’s definition of family does not include anyone else but herself; so she left Harland to be with the only other family she feels she has, Taylor and Turtle. Fortunately for Alice she found a place to go and get away from Harland. Taylor mutually benefited from this by finding somewhere to run away from Annawake for a little while. Taylor and Alice both have this independent feature that does not let them get too attached to the men they are with. By having the feeling of never needing a man around, Taylor and Alice have had problems adjusting into a family. One example of how Taylor’s independence affected her family was by running away from Annawake. Taylor should have at least told Jax she 2004-12-11T08:14:48-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Barbara-Kingsolver’s-quot-Pigs-in-Heaven-quot-25817.aspx “All the world’s a stage; all of us are taking the elements of plot, character, and costume and turning into performances of possibilities”(Ward1999: 5) Raise the Red Lantern tells a compelling and sorrowful story of a young women whose life is destined to be ruined in a male-dominated society. This can be an awakening of some sort to any woman. As Ward states in her text, women learn the rules of our half of the world as well as those of the other half, since we regularly move in and out of the male world. There she defines women’s culture. The term has also been used in its anthropological sense to encompass the familial and friendship networks of women, their affective ties, their rituals. It is important to understand that woman’s culture is never a subculture. It would hardly be appropriate to define the culture of half of humanity as a subculture. Women live social existence within the general culture. Whenever they are confined by patriarchal restraint or segregation into separateness, they transform this restraint into complementarily and redefine it. Thus, women live a duality- as members of the general culture and as partakers of woman’s culture. (Lerner 1986:242) Much like the quote stated, Raise the Red Lantern is set in Northern China in the 1920’s. For thousands of years the people of China have formed family life around patrilineal decent. The assessment of traditional China life was patriarchal. A basis of this set up would be from Confucius. In childhood, Before marriage, Obey your father In adulthood, During marriage, Obey your husband In widowhood, After marriage, Obey your son States in the text, the lowest moment of a woman’s life was her wedding day. Cut off from her natal family, the young bride was an outsider and the object of deep suspicion in her new husband’s household. The only was to earn a place for herself was to have sons. Songlian quits college after her father has passed away and becomes Zuoquian Chen’s fourth wife. When Songlian, who chooses to walk from her house to Chen’s house instead of riding in the wedding carriage, arrives at Chen’s house, there is no sign of a celebration, an omen of things to come. Bound by tradition and inflamed with jealousy, 2004-12-11T08:12:05-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Raise-the-Red-Lantern-25816.aspx Pride of Intellect Versus Corruptness of the Heart in Flannery O’Connor’s “Good Country People” Much of Flannery O’Connor’s writing shows how she thinks the heart is dark and complex: a battlefield of mixed emotions such as greed and religious feelings. Her writing connects with violence and shows how cruel and unusual a corrupt heart can be. “Good Country People” has the shattering encounter of pride of intellect (usually irreligion) and the corrupt human heart (usually criminal, insane, or sometimes sexually demonic), which shows her repeated paradigms of the pride of intelligence versus the corruptness of the human heart, and how this is her main theme of the story. Two of the main characters, Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman, display how even the simplest people can be corrupt. Mrs. Freeman, who is called “good country people” by Mrs. Hopewell is corrupted by her “fondness for the details of secret infections, hidden deformities, assaults upon children… and diseases,” of which she “preferred the lingering or incurable.” Mrs. Freeman could hear of the story of how Hulga’s leg was “literally blasted off,” and act as if it “had happened an hour ago” (120). Mrs. Hopewell, just like her name, hoped for all to go well. She would not consider her daughter grown up, for she was saddened that the accident had happened; “she thought of her still as a child because it tore her heart to think instead of the poor stout girl in her thirties who had never danced a step or had any normal good times” (119-120). She also had a pride of intellect, in that she knew just how to handle the woman (Mrs. Freeman). “She was able to use other people’s [bad qualities] in such a constructive way” that she was able to make use of even the woman who “want[ed] to know all your business” (118-119). The usage of bad qualities, although intelligent, is also a corrupted action. Flannery O’Connor presents such an irony of a theme that it can evolve in just one person by itself. Manley Pointer, or so-called the “bible salesman,” presents in himself that intelligence and corruptness presides together to make such a twist in plot that you would not have suspected. Being a bible salesman, one would think Mr. Pointer would be true to the heart, a solid Christian who knows the 2004-12-10T20:37:26-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Flannery-O’Connor’s-quot-Good-Country-People-quot-25812.aspx “How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” Says the character John Proctor in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Probably the most powerful line the entire play, it is apparent that the idea of the importance of “names” is the central theme of this great classic. The author begins to develop this idea early in the play beginning with the conversation between Reverend Parris (a fearful reverend who instigates the witchcraft panic when he finds his daughter, Betty Parris and niece, Abigail Williams dancing in the woods with several other girls) and Abigail Williams (the niece of Reverend Parris, the Proctors’ servant before Elizabeth Proctor fired her for having an affair with John Proctor. Instigates the Salem witch trials and leads the charge of accusations against those who oppose her.) Early in Act I, Abigail attempts to defend herself by claiming her actions in the wood were merely but a sport, Reverend Parris goes on to say, “…I have put clothes upon your back- now give me upright answer. Your name in the town- it is entirely pure, isn’t it?” It implies that the reverend is defending the name of the family as opposed to the truth of the family within itself placing name above family. Another great example that displays the theme of name begins in Act III with the character Giles Corey. Corey is an old resident of Salem who accidentally accuses his own wife of witchery by stating that, “she reads books at night.” And who refuses to give a name of a man whom told him that Putnam was accusing witchery against his neighbors solely for the purpose of acquiring land. “…He’ll lay in jail if I give his name…I will not give you no name. I mentioned my wife’s name once and I’ll burn in hell long enough for that. I stand mute.” –Giles Corey. The court, ordered to lay stones on his chest, never to drive the name out of Corey only the phrase “more weight”, later kills Giles. The characters mentioned so far did not have large parts in the play, however, every situation each character was in made a great contribution to the milieu of the play and to elaborate the importance of “name.” Two characters, nonetheless, had an immense 2004-12-10T20:36:13-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-How-Can-I-Live-Without-My-Name-25811.aspx In the book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe reveals the lives and deaths of many characters. Death is to be considered in many ways throughout the book: the loss of a child, a story of redemption, man with a heartless soul, a shy servant, and a Christ figure who is quite symbolic. Death is so evident in the story and each death conveys a different story. An observation of how Harriet Beecher Stowe uses the curiosity and concern for salvation and death, through sadness and sentimental ideas can be used to help change. Eva was born into a not so Christian family, well oFf, slave owning, and it is different to understand where Eva became so much into religion. When Eva’s mother, Marie, was young, she attended church every Sunday. Her father, St Clare, has some religious background, but her parents did not teach Eva’s interest and dedication to Christianity. Throughout the novel, she is referred to as a Christ-like figure because of her love and Christian advice she gives to everyone she knows. Miss Ophelia comments and recognizes all the love she has, “Well, so loving! After all though, she’s no more than Christ like.” (Stowe, 281-281) Eva is a child that has a special care in her; she is so well loved that it is hard to think that she dies as such a young age. Before Eva’s death, Stowe says, “Has there ever been a child like Eva? Yes, there have been; but their names are always on gravestones, and their sweet smiles, their heavenly eyes, their singular words and ways are among the buried treasure of yearning hearts.” (Stowe, 260) Eva appears to be an angelic child and among all other gifted children like her come on this earth for a special reason and die at a very young age. It is not fair for this to happen, but nobody can stop it. Eva struggled before her death. She became somewhat ill and you could see her illness was weakening her moment by moment. After Eva died, St. Clare wanted to do more good in the world. St. Clare took over Eva’s role to end the cruelty of slavery and to save her soul. St. Clare had promised Eva that he would do anything for her. Her 2004-12-10T19:42:15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Uncle-Tom’s-Cabin--25809.aspx Ray Bradbury is a twentieth century writer. Two themes, common times and the American spirit characterize Bradbury’s book. Bradbury contrasts these two themes and creates irony throughout the book. Bradbury uses most of the book to show the adaptation of Americans to the planet Mars, and how they strive to avoid the ways of the past, and yet can never quite escape it. In The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury uses his examinations of common times and the American spirit as central motifs to demonstrate the central conflicts between the human spirit and its environment in the East and West, now Earth and Space, during the exploration and colonization of Mars. Bradbury demonstrates the common times by examining the American past and the Martian future. Bradbury illustrates the American past by showing the reader wonderful things that apparently occur in the past. Bradbury describes the image of Green Bluff, Illinois in chapter 6 as the first wonderful thing the Earthmen find. “The rocket landed on a lawn of green grass. Outside, upon the lawn, stood an iron deer. Further upon the green stood a tall, brown Victorian house, quiet in the sunlight, all covered with scrolls and rococo, its windows made of blue and yellow and green colored glass…Through the front window you could see a piece of music entitled “Beautiful Ohio.” This description of a quaint American house shows how welcoming this town looks. The description sounds like a turn of the century American novel. The men of the Third Expedition find a town the Captain John Black describes as “peaceful and cool.” It’s described further as “The sky was serene and quiet, and somewhere a stream of water ran through the cool caverns and three shadings of a ravine. Somewhere a horse and wagon trotted by.” Bradbury details a small town in the Midwest in 1926; the ideal image of home for most people. A place where everybody knows everyone else’s name. “One of the most potent images in The Martian Chronicles is the image of Green Bluff, Illinois, It is especially the dream of the American boy, sentimentalized in the style of a Norman Rockwell painting, filled with benign parental figures, cold lemonade, and green lawns, all of which posses a remarkable attraction in Bradbury’s fiction.” In fact, the travelers cannot overcome, the 2004-12-10T19:37:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Ray-Bradbury-s-Martian-Chronicles-25807.aspx In the short story, “A Rose for Emily”, the author, William Faulkner, creates a mysterious, respectable character in a small town. This character, Emily Grierson, keeps to herself and her silence adds to her mysterious life. Throughout the story, Miss Emily Grierson undergoes various changes as she experiences the death of her father and lover. She becomes distant from her community which she is a “[…] tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation […]”(315). As her community changes, she also changes, both physical and mental. In the story, there are many objects in which William Faulkner uses to help illustrate and symbolize the passing of time and the changes in Miss Emily Grierson. He uses objects such as Miss Emily Grierson’s hair, her house, and the ticking of the watch to help create the changing images and the life of Miss Emily herself. The changes in Miss Emily’s hair can be taken as a symbol for the changes in Miss Emily herself. Before the death of Homer Barron her hair is “[…] cut short making her look like a girl, with a vague resemblance to those angels in colored church windows […]”(317). As the story moves on her hair “[…] [grows] grayer and grayer until it [attains] an even pepper-and-salt iron-gray […]”(319). Her hair grows a dull color as Miss Emily turns into a dull person. Her hair, in the beginning, is described as one of an angel, and then described as one you would find on a witch. In the beginning of the story Miss Emily has no bed intentions and later, her fears of being alone leads her to turn evil as she poisons Homer Barron. As her hair’s appearance goes from innocent to evil Miss Emily goes from being innocent to evil. Her hair loses its life, foreshadowing the future of Miss Emily. As men visited her, to persuade her to pay her taxes, Miss Emily comes out “[…] with a thin gold chain descending to her waist and vanishing into her belt […]”(315). As silence came upon the room the men “[…] could hear the invisible watch ticking at the end of the gold chain”(316). The ticking of the watch could symbolize the passing of time and the entrance of the new generation. Miss Emily had 2004-12-06T16:45:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Faulkner-s-A-Rose-for-Emily-25802.aspx Siddhartha lends itself perfectly to a hero’s journey. His journey is long, painful, and dangerous, but Siddhartha comes out better because of it. The book was written by Hesse in 1922 and based on a character set in the 500 BCs. It is odd that the book applies to modern India just as it applied to the India of 2 millennium ago (when Siddhartha supposedly lived). This, coupled with a captivating story line makes this a fun book to read, as well as an interesting point of view into early Indian culture. Siddhartha searches for “why” we are on the Earth, and finally finds his answer after many long years.The book begins with Siddhartha as a young boy living with his Brahmin parents in a moderately wealthy city in India. His father is a rich and powerful Brahmin priest, and Siddhartha is expected to follow in his footsteps as a Brahmin. He learns the ways of his people quickly, and at a tender age, his is participating in conversations with his elders.This is the time when Siddhartha starts to here things preached to him. He may have already decided that he must find his own way of doing things instead of falling under the spell of his teachers and elders. He has a thirst for knowledge-- the author puts it well by saying that he is a “vessel that in not full”. He discovers that the elders and teachers have only placed a drop in the bucket for his quest of knowledge, but it is all they know. He is not happy with his lifestyle because he knows he must strike out into the world and discover for himself the ways of the world.Still young, Siddhartha tells his father that he wishes to join the wandering squad of possession-less Samanas. His father disagrees, but does not get violent. They have a standing disagreement, and Siddhartha stands by the window in protest all night long. In the morning, his father tells Siddhartha that he may join the Samanas if he wishes. His father tells him that if “you find bliss in the forest, you should come back and teach me. If you finds disillusionment, come back, and we shall again offer sacrifices to the gods together”. Siddhartha is called into the world to discover what knowledge there is out there for him, and to answer the question that nags at him-- 2004-12-05T05:48:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Siddartha’s-Journey-25796.aspx The validity of love in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment and Anton Chekhov’s The Three Sisters Emotions that are described by fictional characters as love in a wide variety of literary works range from being defined as a form of loose tolerance and acceptance in Anton Chekhov’s play The Three Sisters to a mingling of souls destined to be together between Rodia and Sonya in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. The question however is raised as to whether emotions expressed by characters truly parallel love, or instead simply imitate it to create a desired appearance. Most experience one form of love or another on a daily basis – that from our relatives, significant others, or friends, if not two or more of these, among other sources. Our society has shaped us into individuals for whom it is necessary to experience the conflicting emotions of both giving and receiving love. This exchange between others and ourselves seems to be necessary for what we have been taught to accept as a healthy social life, and we have grown so dependent on such positive social interaction that it has become almost as vital to our sane life as food, water, and shelter. Only with all four does mankind seem to attain happiness. Without one, such as love, man is restless and continues to seek a better life. Likewise, some fictional characters generally thought to be content with themselves as the result of their high socio-economic status are quite unhappy when they are unable to attain the love of one to whom they may be married to, or for whom they have desires for. In Anton Chekhov’s play titled The Three Sisters, there are a high number of destroyed or malfunctioning marriages. The love that the characters do show for each other appears to be quite minimal. One of the three snobbish Prozorov sisters – Masha – says in Act II to Vershinin – a man in whom she is intimately interested in that ”[she] doesn’t speak of her husband, [she’s] grown used to him”[i] and generally finds the company of her husband and his colleagues agonizing. Vershinin in turn, also a married individual - on his second wife, and with two daughters - shortly replies with “I love you, love you, love you… I love your eyes, your movements, I dream of them… Splendid, wonderful woman!”[ii] But both of these characters are still 2004-12-01T05:31:35-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Love-in-Fyodor-Dostoyevsky’s-Crime-and-Punishment-25788.aspx THE USE OF MULTIPLE NARRATORS IN MILAN KUNDERA’S NOVEL “THE JOKE” With regards to narrative technique, novelists have proved themselves to be a conservative bunch: several fairly "standard" forms of narration exist, and authors tend to stick to them. Of course, these options are apparently fairly varied, ranging from hindsight to omniscience; and passing through dozens of other permutations... What more could we, the reader, possibly want? What more could the writer possibly offer? Such traditional techniques all have the same basic structure: we watch the whole story unfold through one set of eyes, as if we were seeing it happen, or maybe recalling events as we saw them. In the real world, however, we rarely witness entire sequences of events ourselves: we are often told about what happened, and from what other people tell us we then weave together a coherent whole. Sometimes the bits don’t even fit together properly. We have learnt to interpret information presented to us, we enjoy noting the discrepancies and accounting for them. Yet this is all too often precluded by the very structure of the novel: we have to sit back and relax. We are, in a sense, on rails. Thus it comes as no surprise that Milan Kundera, an author renown for his interest in the Novel as an art from, has proposed his own personal solution to this "problem" of inflexible narrative form: multiple narrators. His first -and maybe most famous- novel, The Joke, has indeed a total of four story-tellers, each describing events from "their" point of view, as their lives intertwine and then diverge. The stories both complement and contradict each other, it is up to us to extrapolate the "truth" that lies somewhere in-between. Each reader, I suspect, will come away with a subtly different rendering of the story; their own personalised version. The Joke starts in a deceptively simple manner, although maybe somewhat vague. We are immediately "incorporated" into Ludvik Jahn: we see through his eyes, we read his thoughts. There is nothing apparently unusual in the narrative technique of Part 1; it is a perfectly normal first-person narration. Only at the beginning of Part 2, when we are suddenly confronted by a new narrator, the rambling Helena Zemanek, do we notice the unusual structure of the novel. This first "narrator switch" also alerts us to the necessity of having some way of distinguishing between the various story-tellers: 2004-12-01T05:28:45-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/USE-OF-MULTIPLE-NARRATORS-IN-MILAN-KUNDERA’S-NOVEL-“THE-JOKE-25787.aspx The Sun as a Symbol/Motif in Albert Camus's The Stranger IB English Paper Many artists, authors, and composers have put the beauty and warmth of the sun in their work. The Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh created landscapes that expressed his joy with bright sunshine. The American poet Emily Dickinson wrote a poem called "The Sun," in which she described the rising and setting of the sun. The Russian composer Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov included a beautiful song, "Hymn to the Sun," in his opera The Golden Cockerel. Uniquely, Camus' usage of the sun opposes its warmth and beauty in The Stranger. The sun is a symbol for feelings and emotions, which Monsieur Meursault cannot deal with. There is a sun motif present throughout the novel, which perniciously characterizes the usual fondness towards the sun. The sun is a distraction from Meursault's everyday life and he cannot handle it. The sun first presents a problem to Meursault at his mother's funeral procession. Even before the procession embarks, Meursault remarks of the sun, calling it "inhuman and oppressive." Meursault has shown no emotion towards his mother's death and he directs his bottled-up anxiety at the sun. To Meursault, the sun is an influence on all his senses, as he cannot hear what someone else says to him. He pours with sweat, symbolizing the flow of emotions. Meursault constantly thinks about the sun when one would expect him to be mourning his dead mother. He says, "I could feel the blood pounding in my temples," which is strong imagery.At the beach with Raymond, the sun provokes Meursault to commit a crime. He says, "(the sun) shattered into little pieces on the sand and water." While going to get a drink of water, the foreign Arab uses a knife to shine the sunlight in Meursault's face. Meursault knew that all he had to do was turn around and walk away. His emotions (again not shown externally and reserved) took over. Camus states, "All I could feel were the cymbals of sunlight crashing on my forehead and, instinctively, the dazzling spear flying up from the knife in front of me. The scorching blade slashed at my eyelashes and stabbed at my stinging eyes." This strong imagery forces Meursault to fire and kill the Arab with a revolver. What makes it worse, he fires four more times to make sure the sun is dissipated for good. In prison, Meursault changes his views 2004-12-01T05:27:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Sun-as-a-Symbol-Motif-in-Albert-Camus-s-The-Stranger-25786.aspx IB English Paper: The Use of Contrast in The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea Introduction A ship's horn wails in the distance. The long kiss is broken. The sailor's palate is once again wet with longing for the infinite freedom of sea. It is in this world, where layers of opposite meaning crash as waves to rocks do, that Mishima's The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea is set. This tale of tragedy is one of a man caught in a tempest of moral collision in the interstice which borders freedom and entanglement. Inevitably, the yearning for domesticity and the bastardized and disempowered life of land grows like a cancer in his once pure soul, and before the flaw can be cut out like a disease, he is ravaged by it. The once distant flaw grows and grows until death is his only salvation. In order to reinforce the danger of this chaotic web between two worlds of value Mishima uses the force of impact of richly described contrasting settings, constantly warring perceptions of each character through another’s eyes, and the combating ideals of American and Japanese culture. Setting This world of opposites is buttressed by the physical setting in which the characters are placed. Yokohama, a Japanese shipping town, is in every way a representation of conflicting worlds. Set on the crux between sea and land, the magnificent power of the ocean remains omnipresent. In the beginning of the novel, these two elements are in harmony, as represented by the delicately told consummation scene (12-13) in which man, woman, earth and water are united within the mysterious background of a ship's passionately moaning horn. But as the plot progresses, the simply beautiful act of attachmentless sex becomes mired in the dense murk of human emotion. The once clean waters of Ryuji's soul are muddied by the incessant calling of the life of shore. Fusako's desires drown out the gentle whispers of the noble woman sea, and Ryuji becomes dissatisfied with the quest which once filled his heart. He becomes impatient and dissatisfied with the life of a sailor, and gravitates more and more towards the life of land. His repeated memories of distant ports and the power that a ships horn still holds over him seem to vividly symbolize the doubt which still lingers over his decision. As Ryuji grows more stuck in 2004-12-01T05:26:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Use-of-Contrast-in-The-Sailor-Who-Fell-from-Grace-With-Sea-25785.aspx Edith Wharton’s Roman Fever is the story of two middle-aged women reflecting on their friendship. The story unfolds on a terrace of a Roman restaurant with a wonderful view of the city. Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley reminisce on their experiences of Rome when they were their daughter’s ages. This story is a very telling story of how people can think they know someone, but find out later on that they never really knew them at all. Mrs. Slade, professes herself as a friend to Mrs. Ansley, but in reality has, pitied, envied and coveted her for years. In doing this she has shown herself to be a self-serving, backstabbing, snob. Mrs. Slade emphasizes her pity for her friend when she thinks to herself of “ Yes; Horace Ansley was—well just the duplicate of his wife. Museum specimens of Old New York.” She felt that her friend was boring. She grew tired of living across from her, with the only excitement being the renewal of the drawing-room curtains. But yet she also envied her friend, her daughter. She felt that Mrs. Ansleys’s daughter was more vivid then her own. She felt that Babs had more of an edge and was more effective then her daughter. Her daughter was the responsible one, always looking after he mother instead of going off in search of adventure. Mrs. Slade a very self-serving person, if something did not benefit her then it was of no use. She enjoyed being the center of attention. She enjoyed the impromptu entertaining and the travel. She loved hearing people say “What, that handsome woman with the good clothes and eyes is Mrs. Slade—was the Slade’s wife? Really? Generally the wives of celebrities are such frumps.” This is how she wanted to live, she was delighted when her husband made it big and moved them away from the Ansleys. To Mrs. Slade, this move just showed how much better she was than them. Both ladies lost their husbands around the same time. While the appropriate condolences were made, Mrs. Slade still felt superior to her friend. She felt that the situation affected her more then it did Mrs. Ansley. It was a major change for her and hard to except that fact that she was now the Slade’s 2004-11-29T16:32:46-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Edith-Wharton’s-Roman-Fever-25775.aspx Thoughts: The Key to the Mind and Soul IB Extended Paper In the novels The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, by Yukio Mishima, and Wonderful Fool, by Shusaku Endo, the authors write in a way which allows the characters to speak directly to the reader through thoughts. This device lets the reader know exactly what the character is experiencing. Mishima and Endo's use of direct thought communication proves to be a beneficial aspect that aids the reader in understanding these works of literature. Both authors use this literary technique to clearly express to the readers the true thoughts and feelings of the characters; in turn allowing the reader to realize and understand the changes that each character undergoes, and ultimately comprehend the rebirth that the characters experience. In The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, Mishima chooses to have the character Ryuji express his true ideas and sentiments through a direct statement of thought. After spending his first night with Fusako, Ryuji reflects on his glory the next morning while alone. "There's just one thing I'm destined for and that's glory; that's right glory!" (Mishima 16). He goes on to think, "there must be a special destiny in store for me; a glittering, special-order kind no ordinary man would be permitted" (Mishima 17). Through his contemplation of glory, the reader is allowed a glimpse into Ryuji's true thoughts on his destiny and purpose in life. Ryuji's ideas are used to convey to the reader exactly what he is feeling; this is important because the reader can now understand Ryuji's beliefs and comprehend the enormity of change, from a life at sea to a life at land, he will soon experience. The change Ryuji undergoes later in the novel is expressed to the reader through Mishima’s employment of the technique of sharing Ryuji’s thoughts. Ryuji’s change is a result of his having to choose between a life at sea, where he feels his glory awaits him, or a life on land with Fusako. Ryuji’s introspection on his life and glory are conveyed to the reader through his expression of boredom and disillusionment. At dawn of New Year’s Day, Ryuji stands at the dock with Fusako and thinks about his being, "tired to death of the squalor and the boredom in a sailor's life . . . There was no glory to be found, not anywhere in the world" (Mishima 2004-11-28T20:48:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Sailor-Who-Fell-from-Grace-with-the-Sea-Extended-Essay-25774.aspx Doll House Doll House by Henrik Ibsen is a very intricate play that talks of many issues that plague upper-class society. Ibsen takes a focus on the family in “the Doll House.” Ibsen talks of the relationsip between the wife and the husband, and the relationship of the parents and the children. This social commentary seems to be very controversial to the people of the time, the late 19th Century. The first issue that Ibsen talks of is the relationship that is shared between Nora Helmer and Torald Helmer, husband and wife for eight years. Neither Nora nor Torald knows what the other does with their everyday lives. They seemed disconnected and do not talk to each other. To Torald, Nora is just his Doll, his trophy wife that he shows around and plays with when he wants to. Nora loves Torald, but the same cannot be said for Torald, nor better yet, they do not love each other, because neither now what true love is. They never talk and they don’t know what the other does. Also, Torald wants Nora to always depend on him when times arte tough and he nevers allows her to do anything that is hard. This is not healthy. Nora should be able to grow and should face challenges and her husband should be there to support her. Ibsen tries to show that this is not a relationship that a husband and wife should have. They should love, trust, and care for each other. Also, Ibsen addresses the issue of the relationship between parents and children. In the Helmer family, it seems that the children are raised by a nani who takes care of them and nurtures them. The parents look over them like a guarding angel, separated and void of emotions. The parents only look at the children when they are needed, to be played with and shown to the outside world. Children needs nurturing, but none are given. They call out to their mother, Nora, but she is not there to comfort them. Ibsen says this is not a healthy relationship, and he criticizes it. Ibsen uses Doll House to criticize what society thinks of the perfect family. Beneath all the money and power lies a broken family where there is no love. The wife 2004-11-21T21:39:52-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Doll-House,-By-Henrik-Ibsen-Analysis-Essay-25737.aspx THE SOUND AND THE FURY: THE PLOT In one sense, The Sound and the Fury takes place during Easter weekend, 1928. A carnival comes to Jefferson, Mississippi, where the Compson family lives. Mrs. Compson, a selfish, complaining woman, lies in bed all day while the black housekeeper, Dilsey, cooks and cleans. Mrs. Compson is a widow with two sons. Jason, who works in a hardware store, supports the family. The younger son, Benjamin, usually called Benjy, is an idiot. At thirty-three, he still has the mind of a child. Benjy is looked after by Luster, Dilsey's teenaged grandson. The household has one other member--Quentin, the seventeen-year-old daughter of Jason's older sister Candace, nicknamed Caddy. Caddy's husband left her when he realized that the infant she had just given birth to couldn't possibly be his. So Caddy sent the baby home for her mother and Dilsey to raise. Quentin is named for the Compson family's oldest son, who killed himself eighteen years earlier while he was a student at Harvard. Not much occurs from Good Friday to Easter Sunday. The most important event is that a show comes to town. Luster takes Benjy to the golf course to look for lost quarters so that he can buy a ticket. Jason has extra tickets but burns them in the stove in front of Luster rather than give them to him. Jason is constantly criticizing Quentin. On Saturday night, Quentin slides down the drainpipe and runs away with a man from the show. Before she leaves, she steals Jason's savings. When Jason realizes on Sunday that both his niece and his money are gone, he chases futilely after them. What makes Jason angriest of all is that he can't tell anyone, not even the police, how much money Quentin actually took. The $3000 that Jason does report was his life's savings. But he'd also had $4000 that he'd stolen from Quentin. All along, when Caddy had sent money for Quentin's support, Jason had pretended that his mother tore up the checks, whereas, in reality, he had only given her forged ones to destroy. Secretly, he had cashed the real checks and hidden the money in his room, where Quentin found it. Since he wasn't supposed to have this $4000, he couldn't let on that it was gone. On his return home, Jason runs into Luster and Benjy. Luster has taken Benjy for a carriage ride 2004-11-04T06:31:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Plot-of-the-Sound-and-the-Fury-25730.aspx William Faulkner: The Author and His Times William Faulkner once said that The Sound and the Fury began with a picture in his mind. Four children, a girl and three boys, are playing in a stream near their house. They have been told to stay outdoors, although they don't know why. In fact, their grandmother, who has been very sick, has died, and the grownups are holding a funeral. The girl, more adventurous than her brothers, climbs a tree to catch a better view of what's going on in the house. Watching her from below, the boys notice that she has gotten her underpants muddy. Why was that image--which appears in Benjy's section of The Sound and the Fury-so vivid to Faulkner? Perhaps it reminded him of an important incident in his own life. Like Candace Compson ("Caddy" for short), Faulkner had three brothers. And like the Compson children, Faulkner called his own grandmother "Damuddy." She was his mother's mother and died when he was small. The Sound and the Fury is not the story of Faulkner's life. But it contains many places and people Faulkner knew. Jefferson, where the Compsons live, is much like Faulkner's hometown of Oxford, Mississippi. Like the Compsons, the Falkners (an ancestor had dropped the "u" from the original family name, but William Faulkner put it back) were one of the oldest and most distinguished families in town. Faulkner's mother, like Mrs. Compson, came from a family that was not quite as distinguished, and she never forgot it. But Faulkner's father, like Mr. Compson, was a hard-drinking, bitter man, who couldn't live up to his family's past. Family, place, and past. These things were most important to William Faulkner. After he was five years old, he and his parents lived only a few blocks away from his grandfather's home, The Big Place. Faulkner's grandfather was a successful lawyer and businessman. Townspeople called him the "Young Colonel" even though he had never served in the army. Faulkner's great-grandfather--like the Compson children's grandfather--fought in he Civil War. Nicknamed the "Old Colonel," he commanded the Partisan Rangers, guerrillas who attacked Northern troops behind their lines. The Old Colonel wrote novels, too. One of them, a murder mystery called The White Rose of Memphis, was a bestseller. So it isn't surprising that when the Young Colonel's oldest son became the father of a boy, he gave him the Old Colonel's first name (William) and 2004-11-04T06:30:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sound-and-the-Fury-The-Author-and-His-Times-25729.aspx Racism Topic: Reflect on whether Zora Neal Hurston deals with the issues of racism? The topic of racism is a very intriguing one for me. Other authors criticized Zora Neal Hurtson that she, being a black woman during the black liberation movement in the 1910’s, should be writing about black people being set free and how they are being suppressed by the world around them. Instead, Zora mainly deals with the issues of the women being suppressed and not allowed to be free. This idea itself mirrors that of freeing black people, but yet authors of the time were not able to see that, they called her book artificial and did not help them in their quest for freedom. The authors of the time did have a valid reasoning to believe that the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, was such an uninspiring novel. An artificial reading of the novel shows the reader a few small points that came make people mad. Janie the main character lives a sheltered life. Her grandmother, an ex-slave, shelters her from such a world, and she is brought up in a rich environment. All the black people that she do see are fairly well-off. She marries her first husband, Logan, who is not financially stable and she has to do labor, so she leaves him. Her next husband, Jody brings her to an all black city, Eatonville. The city mirrors that of a white city. Jody makes all the rules in the town and soon it becomes prosperous and grows while Jody makes a lot of money. She is unhappy in this rich white society. Thus when Jody dies, she goes off into the Everglades with Tea Cake and works in the fields where she is able to find true happiness. This is what an artificial reading of the book shows. But at the Everglades is when Zora Neal Hurston really deal with the issue of racism to its fullest affect. With the character of Mrs. Turner, she shows how everyone is racist in the world. Also, when the Indians were passing by in the Everglades before the hurricane, the black workers called them stupid and that the white man knows more than dumb. Here Hurston shows that even black people themselves are racist and that they have nothing to argue 2004-11-04T06:19:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-in-their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God-by-Zora-Neal-Hurston-25726.aspx William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury is a compelling story about the Compson family, mainly revolving around the four siblings Quentin, Caddy, Jason and, Benjy. However, the book is told by each of the four characters except Caddy, Dilsey tells the last section of the book. Faulkner’s different use of style in each characters section of the novel is based upon each characters different personality in the novel. The first section in the novel is Benjy’s. Benjamin Compson, is severely retarded, and the whole section is written from his standpoint in the novel. Benjy can't interpret what is going on and doesn't understand the connection between cause and effect. But in simple sentences, most concerned with how things look, and smell, Benjy manages to tell one a lot about what is going on. An example of Benjy’s style can be seen in “They took the flag out, and they were hitting. Then they put the flag back and they went to the table, and he hit and the other hit” (3). One may not understand what Benjy is talking about until one reads the story, however Benjy is describing a game of golf when he and Luster go out looking for quarters on the golf course. Benjy gives a good description of what the game of golf would look like if it were not understood by a person. Another example of Benjy’s style in the novel is “Caddy was all wet and muddy behind, and I started to cry and she came and squatted in the water. “hush now.” She said. “I’m not going to run away.” So I hushed. Caddy smelled like trees in the rain” (19). Benjy goes into a time change describing how Caddy looked and smelled playing in the pasture when they were kids. Given Benjy’s state of mental retardation, Faulkner uses a simplistic style of short descriptive sentences that gives the reader a visual perception of what’s going on in the novel, however the reader may not understand what Benjy is describing until the reader has understood the book as a whole. The second section in Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury is Quentin’s. Quentin is extremely intelligent, a Harvard student, his mind works much more quickly and frequently with time shifts than Benjy’s. An example of Quentin’s 2004-11-04T06:13:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sound-and-the-Fury-Essay-Style-Character-Analysis-25724.aspx SOUND AND THE FURY ESSAY Time plays a major role in our society and the ability to differentiate between past and present is crucial. This skill has become crucial to survive; one must learn to put the past to rest and progress into the future. We must not dwell on the past, as that restricts what we can do in the future. We must utilize what we have learned in the past and use it in the future. This is evident to the survival of the members in the Compson Family. From the four perspectives we are able to read in the novel, The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner, only Dilsey Gibson survives and endures the change that occurs in the South about the 1920’s. The 1920’s remained a time of movements and innovations that helped shaped the modern world in the United States. In the time after World War I many citizens warily approached the new era. Some of the modernizations of the time included talking movies, refrigerators, automobiles, women in politics, and the blossoming of black communities (Harlem). This rush towards the future required the American people to change while leaving the old ways of the past While many were able to adapt to the new age, some refused. The future did not wait for them, they were left to fend for themselves in an antiquated world. As with throughout history, the dawn of a new age must include the sacrifice of people who refuse change. Progression can be seen as a give and take relationship for there must be a loss with any gain. In 1895, Benjy Compson is born. Soon, his parents find out that he is mentally retarded. Benjy cannot differentiate from the past from the present thus time has no affect on him. Benjy’s mind cannot comprehend the meaning of start and finish. This is the why Faulkner writes the section in a ‘stream of consciousness.’ As Benjy is thinking about one subject, he unknowingly changes to a different subject because he is mentally unable to separate time. Unlike Benjy, Quentin Compson does have the mental capacity to differentiate the past from the present. Unfortunately, Quentin fails to do so because he is obsessed with his problems and memories from the past. Quentin’s mind is constantly interrupted by how Caddy is not a virgin anymore and how much he wants them to be 2004-11-04T06:12:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sound-and-the-Fury-Essay-Main-Theme-25723.aspx In The Color Purple, Walker writes about the struggles of a poor black woman in the South. Meanwhile Fitzgerald talks about a white man’s troubles with New York’s upper society in his work, The Great Gatsby. Walker narrates the novel in journal-like form, allowing the main character of the Color Purple, Celie, to describe her feelings on the events in her life: including the first time her stepfather rape her, the time she gave up her children, and her first meeting with Shug Avery. In complete contrast, the Great Gatsby tells the story of the main character, Gatsby, through his friend Nick. Fitzgerald puts every experience in Gatsby’s life, including the first time he meets 2004-11-04T05:59:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Walker-vs_-Fitzgerald,-The-Color-Purple-vs_-The-Great-Gatsby-25721.aspx The Foundation of The Buendía family in 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Marquez is the strong matriarch Ursula Buendía. Ursula is the pillar of strength in which the rest of the family relies. She is not only the mother of the children but she is also the one who brings in the money. Without Ursula, the Buendía family would not have been able to survive as long as they did. Marquez does not show the strength of Ursula in the beginning of the book. The reader is left to think that she is just the wife of Jose Arcadio Buendía, an adventurous and intelligent man. The reader is shown the true strength of Ursula when Jose Arcadio Buendía and the rest of the men of Macondo decides the move the town, Ursula violently screams, “If I have to die for the rest of you to stay here, I will die.” During this critical moment that happened in the beginning of the novel, the reader is immediately aware that Ursula is not a soft creature but a strong individual and that Ursula makes the critical decisions in the family (Marquez must have stole this scene Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck). Of course, the men of Macondo decide to leave the town where it is. During the frantic escapades of her husband, Ursula was able to achieve many things. It was Ursula, who had “found the route that her husband had been unable to discover…” Ursula was also able to setup a thriving candy business in while her husband was not doing anything productive for the development of the family. She was also able fulfill the duties of being a wife and raise the children, Aureliano, Rebecca, and Amaranta, while forging new frontiers of her own. The events show that Ursula had not only become the mother figure of the family, put she has also adopted the role of being the patriarch of the family, and Jose Arcadio has become another “child” that she is raising. Ursula’s power and strength is finally revealed when Aureliano leaves to fight his many wars. During the reign of Arcadio, the town of Macondo was kept in a constant blanket of fear. When Arcadio was prepared to execute Don Mascote, Ursula quickly “let go with the first blow of the lash.” Arcadio was 2004-11-04T05:58:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/100-Years-of-Solitude-Essay-Ursula-25720.aspx A Farewell to Arms Critics usually describe Hemingway's style as simple, spare, and journalistic. These are all good words; they all apply. Perhaps because of his training as a newspaperman, Hemingway is a master of the declarative, subject-verb-object sentence. His writing has been likened to a boxer's punches--combinations of lefts and rights coming at us without pause. Take the following passage: We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it. The last country to realize they were cooked would win the war. We had another drink. Was I on somebody's staff? No. He was. It was all balls. The style gains power because it is so full of sensory detail. There was an inn in the trees at the Bains de l'Allaiz where the woodcutters stopped to drink, and we sat inside warmed by the stove and drank hot red wine with spices and lemon in it. They called it gluhwein and it was a good thing to warm you and to celebrate with. The inn was dark and smoky inside and afterward when you went out the cold air came sharply into your lungs and numbed the edge of your nose as you inhaled. The simplicity and the sensory richness flow directly from Hemingway's and his characters'--beliefs. The punchy, vivid language has the immediacy of a news bulletin: these are facts, Hemingway is telling us, and they can't be ignored. And just as Frederic Henry comes to distrust abstractions like "patriotism," so does Hemingway distrust them. Instead he seeks the concrete, the tangible: "hot red wine with spices, cold air that numbs your nose." A simple "good" becomes higher praise than another writer's string of decorative adjectives. Though Hemingway is best known for the tough simplicity of style seen in the first passage cited above, if we take a close look at A Farewell to Arms, we will often find another Hemingway at work--a writer who is aiming for certain complex effects, who is experimenting with language, and who is often self-consciously manipulating words. Some sentences are clause-filled and eighty or more words long. Take for example the description in Chapter 1 that begins, "There were mists over the river and clouds on the mountain"; it paints an entire dreary wartime autumn and foreshadows the deaths not only of many of the soldiers but of Catherine. Hemingway's style changes, too, when it reflects his characters' changing states of mind. Writing from Frederic Henry's 2004-10-31T08:24:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Farewell-to-Arms-Style-Analysis-Essay-25687.aspx In Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa, the main character, undergoes a change from a human being to “gigantic insect” or “vermin.” This transformation of physical form by the main character served two purposes. It was to help Gregor realize the true purposes of his life and also help his family finally disconnect themselves from Gregor. Gregor’s transformation into a gigantic insect was just the outer representation of Gregor’s true self. Gregor was also a bug, the daily routine of his life, would mimic that of a drone, thus this transformation showed him what he had truly become. But, this transformation gave Gregor time to think and reflect upon his life, and what its true purpose was. Gregor finally realized that all he longed for was love and acceptance by his family. When he was a bug, he was “cut off from his mother, who was perhaps dying,” Gregor longed to be near his mom and care for her, before the transformation, he did not have time to “care.” Gregor did not consider his role in the family as a caretaker anymore, it was no longer his duty to provide for them, all he could give them now was love, and that was all he ever wanted in return. To his family, Gregor became a source of income and only a source of income. They “never recurred, at least not with the same sense of glory…” when he gave them the money after the first time. Gregor relationship with his family changed at that instance, he was no longer the child, but the parent, and like all parent/child relationships, and sooner or later the child would have to leave. The family no longer needed him once he couldn’t provide, monetarily, for them anymore, thus they cut him off from the family completely, and he was left in his isolation. Gregor’s death was bound to happen. He realized that all he ever wanted from his family was love and acceptance, but his family could no longer give that to him. He has isolated himself from the family for too long, and then the family no longer needed him. Once they found another source for income, the sister and the boarding people, they no longer cared for him. He was left to die alone and forgotten because he couldn’t offer anything 2004-10-31T08:21:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gregor-Samsa-s-Role-in-the-Metamorphosis-by-Franz-Kafka-25686.aspx Society was created to help and protect the people living in the society. It created rules and regulations in which to live by. These rules are meant to help the individuals living in society, and promote growth and prosperity. But these rules also have a negative affect. They constrain the individual of his or her uniqueness, and force him or her to follow the rules of society or risk being an outcast. This constringent of the true self causes the individual to have problems within the family unit. Franz Kafka shows how Gregor Samsa, and average son and brother, tries to follow society view of the perfect son, and attains this goal, but in the process cuts himself from his family in Metamorphosis. In the Sound and the Fury, Caddy totally goes against the rules of society and ends up being shunned from it and her family. Society’s suppression of the true individual causes the breakdown of the family structure, and leads the individual to doom. In Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa, the main character, undergoes a change from a human being to “gigantic insect” or “vermin.” This transformation of physical form by the main character served two purposes. It was to help Gregor realize the true purposes of his life and also help his family finally disconnect themselves from Gregor. Gregor’s transformation into a gigantic insect was just the outer representation of Gregor’s true self. Gregor was also a bug, the daily routine of his life, would mimic that of a drone, thus this transformation showed him what he had truly become. But, this transformation gave Gregor time to think and reflect upon his life, and what its true purpose was. Gregor finally realized that all he longed for was love and acceptance by his family. When he was a bug, he was “cut off from his mother, who was perhaps dying,” Gregor longed to be near his mom and care for her, before the transformation, he did not have time to “care.” Gregor did not consider his role in the family as a caretaker anymore, it was no longer his duty to provide for them, all he could give them now was love, and that was all he ever wanted in return. To his family, Gregor became a source of income and only a source 2004-10-31T08:19:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gregor-Samsa-Metamorphosis-by-Franz-Kafka-Essay-25685.aspx Social Criticism in Literature Many authors receive their inspiration for writing their literature from outside sources. The idea for a story could come from family, personal experiences, history, or even their own creativity. For authors that choose to write a book based on historical events, the inspiration might come from their particular viewpoint on the event that they want to dramatize. George Orwell and Charles Dickens wrote Animal Farm and A Tale of Two Cities, respectively, to express their disillusionment with society and human nature. Animal Farm, written in 1944, is a book that tells the animal fable of a farm in which the farm animals revolt against their human masters. It is an example of social criticism in literature in which Orwell satirized the events in Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution. He anthropomorphises the animals, and alludes each one to a counterpart in Russian history. A Tale of Two Cities also typifies this kind of literature. Besides the central theme of love, is another prevalent theme, that of a revolution gone bad. He shows us that, unfortunately, human nature causes us to be vengeful and, for some of us, overly ambitious. Both these books are similar in that both describe how, even with the best of intentions, our ambitions get the best of us. Both authors also demonstrate that violence and the Machiavellian attitude of "the ends justifying the means" are deplorable. George Orwell wrote Animal Farm, ". . . to discredit the Soviet system by showing its inhumanity and its back-sliding from ideals [he] valued . . ."(Gardner, 106) Orwell noted that " there exists in England almost no literature of disillusionment with the Soviet Union.' Instead, that country is viewed either with ignorant disapproval' or with uncritical admiration.'"(Gardner, 96) The basic synopsis is this: Old Major, an old boar in Manor Farm, tells the other animals of his dream of "animalism": " . . . Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. Almost overnight we would become rich and free.'" (Orwell, 10) The other animals take this utopian idea to heart, and one day actually do revolt and drive the humans out. Two pigs emerge as leaders: Napoleon and Snowball. They constantly argued, but one day, due to a difference over plans to build a windmill, Napoleon exiled Snowball. Almost immediately, Napoleon established a totalitarian government. Soon, the pigs began to 2004-10-31T07:58:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Criticism-in-Animal-Farm-and-Tale-of-Two-Cities-25682.aspx Role of Queen in Beowulf &amp; Grendel In both texts, Beowulf and Grendel, the main purpose of the Queen's are to serve the courts as "weavers of peace". In Grendel however, Queen Wealththeow is described in much greater detail and serves a further purpose. The reader gains insight to a part Grendel that is not present in Beowulf, his desire for a human. It was not unusual for women to be offered as tokens of peace within the noble courts. In the novel Grendel, Wealhtheow's brother, King of the Helmings, bestowed her to King Hrothgar to promote peace amongst the Helmings and Scyldings. "She had given, her life for those she loved. So would any simpering, eyelash batting female in her court, given the proper setup, the minimal conditions"(Grendel, p.102). It is ironic how she promoted peace from her arrival because she was an essential part in keeping peace, as the "weaver of peace" in the later of both texts. Queen Wealhtheow however is not the only woman in the texts that was forsaken to encourage appeasement amongst feuding courts. Queen Hygd was offered to Hygelac under very similar circumstances as told in Beowulf, and portrayed the same role in Hygelac's kingdom. There is reference in both texts concerning this tradition, and it is evident to the reader that this is not an unusual Anglo-Saxon custom. Queen Wealhtheow and Queen Hygd served as excellent role models for the courts in which they served. They exemplified the mannerisms and etiquette of the noble people. Queen Wealhtheow showed excellent poise from the very beginning of both texts. She was admirable as she passed the mead bowl around Heorot. The offering of the bowl was symbolic, being that the bowl was first given to Hrothgar and then passed to Beowulf, as if she presented him with her trust. Beowulf gave Wealhtheow his guarantee that he would be successful or die in battle. After she presented Hrothgar and Beowulf with the mead bowl she served the Scyldings, and did so as if they were her own people. She was not a Scylding, nor did she desire to be one, but she never made her unhappiness known, as described in Grendel. There is not great detail on Queen Hygd in Grendel, but from what the reader can gather from Beowulf, she is as much of a female role model as Queen Wealhtheow. She was young but 2004-10-31T07:56:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Role-of-Queen-in-Beowulf-amp-Grendel-25681.aspx Within Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Marlow asserts that “the mind of man is capable of anything—because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future.”(p. 109) As Marlow journeys deeper into the Congo he is forced to adapt to the jungle environment and in the process he begins to lose his understanding of societal rules and ideals. His “psychological self” is coerced into adapting to the rustic environment of the Congo hence disturbing the balance between his ego, alter ego, super ego, and his id. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies similarly deals with this deteriorating awareness of societal standards in foreign environments, but does so with a group of young boys on an uninhabited island. Throughout Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies Marlow, Kurtz and the boys clearly demonstrate the capacity of the human mind by adapting to their surroundings, resorting to savagery, and losing all understanding of society as well as themselves. In Heart of Darkness, Marlow demonstrates the capability of the human mind as he makes his journey up the Congo River and adapts to the savage environment that surrounds him. While adapting to his environment, Marlow begins to disregard societal standards and hence his “psychological sense” is altered in that Marlow’s ego, alter ego and super ego subside in his overall nature. Marlow’s id begins to cease control of his personality and his innate instinctive nature is released. It is this imbalance of his “psychological self” which acts as an instigator for the evil found in him and all men. When Marlow states that “ Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world,” (p. 105) he is trying to depict his journey up the river as a representation of his discovery of the innate wickedness present in all mankind. The disappearance of Marlow’s super ego is imminent throughout his journey up the Congo. The presence of authority, society, and civilized people begin to fade and thus the innate wickedness of man emerges. Marlow’s savagery is the result of adaptation and the growing disproportion of his id to his ego, alter ego and super ego. His disregarding of his ego, alter ego and super ego can be seen when he says, “but if you try to shout I’ll smash your head with--’…‘I will throttle you for good.”(p. 148) This 2004-10-31T04:24:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Heart-of-Darkness-and-Lord-of-the-Flies-25670.aspx Maya Angelou wrote an amazing and entertaining autobiography titled I Know Why the Caged Bird sings, about her hard life growing up as a black girl from the South. Among the hardships are things known as “cages” as stated metaphorically. “Cages” are things that keep people from succeeding in life and being everything they want to be. Some of Maya Angelou’s cages include being black in the 1940’s and her overbearing grandmother. A major “cage” from Maya Angelou’s youth was that she was black in a prejudice southern town. Maya has recounted in her book the times when she was discriminated against. The author, Maya Angelou, shows her feelings of sentimentality towards Marguerite. For instance, Maya begins to feel sentimental toward the protagonist, Marguerite because of the way they treat her when she was working for a white woman named Mrs. Viola Cullinan, Mrs. Cullinan started calling her Mary, “That’s [Marguerite] too long. She’s Mary from now on.”(109) One of the most important aspects of a person is their name. It is a great insult for someone to change your name, without your consent, just because someone wanted too. The syntax in this sentence was very short and to the point. It was also demanding as though Marguerite didn’t have any choice what so ever. If Marguerite was white Mrs. Cullinan would not have changed her name and she did it only because of her racist friends and attitudes. Even some of the white adults who supposedly supported her had hidden their racist messages in seemingly nice speeches. Maya conveys the words of Mr. Edward Donleavy, one of the people in the masquerade, “The white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gauguins, and our boys (the girls weren’t even in on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Lousises.”(179) Metaphorically speaking Maya starts to feel even more emotional for Marguerite because she was forced to listen to Mr. Donleavy’s stereotypes of how white children could be thinkers and black children can only be athletes. What was supposed to be an encouraging speech, which Mr. Donleavy probably thought, was sincere, turned out to be just another racist and stereotypical speech. Perhaps it was not so much Mr. Donleavy’s fault, because he was trying to be nice, but more of his 2004-10-31T02:47:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/I-Know-Why-The-Caged-Bird-Sings-25659.aspx Erich Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front is not about men, but of German soldiers and their hardships during World War I and how their attitudes changed throughout the war. “We believe in such things no longer, we believe in the war”(p.88). This novel portrays the overwhelming effects and power war has to deteriorate the human spirit, scar physically, and scar mentally. You start out leaving you’re home and family proud and ready to fight for you country, to toward the end of the war, you become tired and scarred both physically and mentally beyond description. At the beginning of the novel nationalist feelings are present through pride of Paul and the rest of the boys. However at the end of the war many come to the realization of how pointless and horrific war really is. All Quiet on the Western Front is a novel that greatly helps in the understanding the effects war. The novel best shows the attitudes of the soldiers before the war and during the war. Before the war there are high morals and growing nationalist feelings. During the war however, the soldiers discover the trauma of war. They discover that it is a waste of time and their hopes and dreams of their life fly further and further away. The remains of Paul Baumer’s company had moved behind the German front lines for a short rest at the beginning of the novel. After Behm became Paul’s first dead schoolmate, Paul viewed the older generation bitterly, particularly Kantorek, the teacher who convinced Paul and his classmates to join the military. “ While they taught that duty to one’s country is the greatest thing, we already that death-throes are stronger.... And we saw that there was nothing of their world left. We were all at once terribly alone; and alone we must see it through.”(P. 13) Paul felt completely betrayed. “ We will make ourselves comfortable and sleep, and eat as much as we can stuff into our bellies, and drink and smoke so that hours are not wasted. Life is short.” (P 139) Views of death and becoming more comfortable with their destiny in the war became more apparent throughout the novel. Paul loses faith in the war in each and every passing day. Throughout the novel it was evident that the war scarred the soldiers permanently mentally. 2004-10-31T02:46:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-Deterioration-of-the-Human-Spirit-25658.aspx In William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, he shows how a group of young schoolboys on an uninhabited island establish social order in the absence of adults. Golding also shows how when the boys stop abiding by the rules, that they destroy their society and that their savage side appears. The main character, Ralph, is selected as the leader by the others voting. The only reason Ralph is elected leader is because of the conch, which he used to assemble everyone. It is shown that Ralph is the leader because of the conch because one boy said, “Let’s vote- … Him with the shell. Ralph! Ralph! Let him be chief with the trumpet-thing (22).” Jack wanted to be chief. He even said, “I ought to be chief, because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp (22).” After not being picked to be chief, Ralph wanted to offer something to Jack. Ralph let Jack decide that since he was the leader of the choir, that he would make his choir boys hunters, and he would lead it. Another little group that Ralph formed was some kind of a group of explorers. They were to go and see if they really were on an island. The formation of this group is seen when Ralph said, “So we’ve got to decide if this is an island. Three of us… will go on an expedition and find out. I’ll go, and Jack, and, and… and Simon (24).” The only reason Ralph decided on who would go and that they needed to find out if they were on an island, because he was chief. Later in the book Jack decided to break off from Ralph’s society and make his own tribe. When Jack first breaks away from the others he said, “I’m not going to be a part of Ralph’s lot- I’m going off by myself. He can catch his own pigs. Anyone who wants to hunt when I do can come too (127).” So Jack leaves and tries to recruit people to join him. In the end everyone is a part of Jack’s tribe except Ralph and 2004-10-31T02:05:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-of-the-Flies-Establishing-A-Social-Order-25654.aspx Theme Analysis The theme of Animal Farm is not difficult to understand. Orwell intended to criticize the communist regime he saw sweeping through Russia and spreading to Europe and even the United States. Though he agreed with many Marxist principles, Orwell was unable to accept the communist interpretation of socialism because he saw many similarities between the communist governments and the previous czarist regimes in old Russia. Communism, he thought, was inherently hypocritical.In his self-proclaimed “fairy-story,” Orwell uses his allegorical farm to symbolize the communist system. Though the original intention of overthrowing Mr. Jones (who represents the Czars), is not inherently evil in itself, Napoleon’s subsequent adoption of nearly all of Mr. Jones’ principles and harsh mistreatment of the animals proves to the reader that indeed communism is not equality, but just another form of inequality. The pigs and dogs take most of the power for themselves, thinking that they are the best administrators of government. Eventually the power corrupts them, and they turn on their fellow animals, eliminating competitors through propaganda and bloodshed. This is of course a reference to Stalin, who murdered many of his own people in order to maintain his dictatorship of Russia. Chapter 1 In Orwell's first chapter, the reader is introduced to all of his wonderful animals— with two important exceptions: Snowball and Napoleon (two characters who will become the focus later). Obviously most of the chapter is intended to spark pity and a sense of sympathy for the poor, suffering farm animals, but the old Major's words are very telling. The wise old pig addresses the central conflict of the book, and of Orwell's intended meaning-- tyranny. The first (and seemingly only) dictatorship the animals must overcome is the rule of Mr. Jones and the other humans. Chapter 2 Orwell's second chapter is drenched with metaphors— most of which will not come to light until later in the novel. The first is old Major's death. This represents the end to the older regime, the initial revolution. Now someone else will have to step into authority. Secondly Orwell strangely describes a pig named Squealer. The name sounds fairly pig-like but his actions don't. Supposedly Squealer has a special ability to persuade others. Orwell boasts, ...he could turn black into white. Obviously a pig like this could be used by the right people (animals). Orwell uses chapter 2 to really make Mr. Jones into a 2004-10-30T05:33:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-Theme-25645.aspx Throughout all forms of literature, the author will often provide situations and characters, each which can contain a strong symbolic meaning. Symbolism allows a character to be expressed as almost anything. Through the symbolism of a single character, any type of character trait, story, or way of life can be told. Also, a character can represent a strong and demanding feeling. One of these feelings is that of revenge, a controlling obsession possessed by a character. It is a problem that may lead to feelings or acts of sin and evil. The actions, feelings, thoughts, and looks of one character may symbolize that chain of evil and sin, including the root of all evil. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, symbolism is used throughout the novel to describe the character Roger Chillingworth’s acts of revenge, representing sin and evil, including the devil, which lead to the decomposition of his character. Near the beginning of the novel, as Roger Chillingworth first appears as a character, his symbolic relationship with the devil and sin is first apparent. Roger Chillingworth first appears as a stranger of the new colony. After being held captive by Indians after he was shipwrecked a year before, he learns of Hester’s sin. Shortly after, the symbolic relationship between Chillingworth and the devil is first shown in Chapter 4, where he disguises himself as a physician, and provides a new identity for himself as Roger Chillingworth. “…said Old Roger Chillingworth, as he was hereafter to be named.” Pg. 81 “The Stranger entered the room with the characteristic quietude of the profession to which he announced himself as belonging.” Pg. 76. After changing his name to Roger Chillingworth, and labeling himself as a great physician, he is able to deceive the colony. This may relate to the devil in the way that stories have told how the devil often disguises itself in order to tempt someone, or perform another evil. The primary and deadly evil seen vividly through Roger Chillingworth is that of vengeance. It is his primary sin and problem in the novel, which eventually leads to his defeat and his death. What once began for Chillingworth as an act of vengeance, slowly transformed into a life of endless obsession. “Not the less, he shall be mine.” Pg. 2004-10-30T04:40:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Scarlet-Letter-Roger-Chillingworth-25636.aspx At the beginning of the 20th Century, the great powers of the world engaged in the largest war concerning deaths in modern times. This war, which is often called the Great War, or World War I, had serious consequences that have affected our world today a great deal. Many great novels were written this century dealing with the Great War. One book, All Quiet on the Western Front, has been considered a classic and possibly “the greatest war novel of all time.” The story follows the adventures of a German solider, Paul Baumer, from the time he enters the military to his unfortunate death at the end. I believe this book portrays the Great War in a very accurate manner. This book could possibly be used to illuminate discussion about the Great War because of the past history of the author, the daily experiences that the soldiers encounter, and the effects of the war had on the soldier’s personal lives. The war novel All Quiet on the Western Front could be used as a source to discuss the Great War because of the past history of the author. Erich Maria Remarque, the author, was a World War I veteran for the German army. He was wounded five times in combat during the course of his time in the war. Remarque fully experienced what war was really like. His novel can probably be recognized as a highly autobiographical piece of literature. The characters in his book went through many of the same trials and tribulations that he did while being a German solider in World War I. For this reason, I believe it is very rational to assume that All Quiet on the Western Front could be used as a source for discussing the Great War. Remarque saw the battles first hand and possibly incorporated much of his own life as a solider in the book. Another reason that the novel All Quiet on the Western Front could be used as a source to discuss the Great War is because of the daily experiences that the soldiers encountered in the book. The life of a soldier in the Great War was a constant avoidance of death. The characters in the novel dealt with such problems also. This continuous evasion from death caused people to become very 2004-10-30T04:31:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front-for-Discussing-the-Great-War-25632.aspx In the plays Oedipus Rex and Antigone by Sophocles the hubris or pride destroyed Oedipus and his family. The hubris sets up the situational irony in the play. During the play the reader knows what Oedipus did, but Oedipus doesn’t realize what he had done till the end of the play. The situational irony in the plays is the reader knows the true story about the characters but the pride in the characters did not allow them to see the truth. Unknown to Oedipus, but known to the reader of the play Oedipus Rex, Oedipus killed his father Laius and was sleeping with his mother Jocasta. The play takes place about fifteen years after Oedipus was crowned King of Thebes. Oedipus fathered four children with Jocasta. The town is plagued because the murderer of Laius had not been punished. Oedipus cursed the murderer unbeknownst that it was himself. He declared, “I pray that man’s life be consumed in evil and wretchedness” (32). He continued by stating, “And as for me, this curse applies no less” (33) but because of the hubris it didn’t cross his mind that he was the murderer. The irony in the play was obvious at this point because the reader knew Oedipus was cursing himself. The reader also knew Oedipus fathered four children with his mother and incest is one of the worst crimes in Greek culture. Despite knowing that Oedipus was the murderer he sent for a blind prophet, Teiresias. Teiresias is a very smart man; he knew Oedipus would become upset if he told Oedipus the truth. Teiresias denies Oedipus the whole story, however, after many threats from Oedipus, Teiresias told Oedipus that it was Oedipus who killed Laius. Oedipus became enraged he had no skepticism that he did not kill Laius. Oedipus swore Teiresias was trying to blame him to dethrone him. By this time Jocasta knew Oedipus was the killer. She told Oedipus to forget about the whole thing but Oedipus, the amazing man who can solve any riddle, demands the murderer sought out. The reader sees where Oedipus is heading. Oedipus was seeking his own fate but Oedipus did not know what he was doing because he knew he was not the criminal. Finally, a shepherd came to the 2004-10-30T04:18:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-Hubris-Antigone--25629.aspx The book begins in the middle of the French and Indian War in upper New York State near the Hudson River and Lake Chaplain. General Webb has just gotten word from an Indian that Moncalm and the French are going to attack Fort William Henry and that Colonel Munro will not be ale to keep the fort because he only has one thousand men and that he (Webb) needs to send reinforcements immediately. Upon hearing this, he ordered fifteen hundred men to be ready to march at dawn and has Cora and Alice Munro sent to their father at Fort William Henry accompanied by Major Duncan Heyward on horseback. They went along an Indian path which was to get them to Fort William Henry faster and they were lead by an Indian runner, from the time they left Fort Edward the two sisters were suspicious of their Indian Guide, Le Renard Subtil. A little while into their trip, they meet the singing master David Gamut who asked to accompany them to Fort William Henry. Not to far away in the same forest, were an Indian and a White man talking about their race’s existence in the “New World.” The Indian was Chingachgook, the chief of the Mohicans, and the White man, Hawkeye; this was the name given to him by the Indians. They talk for a while and then decide to eat. Uncas kills them something for dinner and shortly after, The Party on it’s way to Fort William Henry runs into them along the path. They stop for a while and talk and then ask for directions to Fort William Henry. Hawkeye is suspicious of their guide and ask to see him to find out if he is an Iroquois, Hawkeye looks and discovers he is. Learning this, Duncan goes to keep their guide there so that Chingachgook and Uncas can do something about him. As Duncan was staling, Chingachgook and Uncas jumped out of the foliage and accidentally chased him away. They chase after him for a while and wound him but in the end, he is to fast for them and they return to Duncan and his party. Feeling that they were still not safe, Hawkeye offers to help them at no cost. They boarded Hawkeye’s canoe and they head for safety. Chingachgook and Uncas offered to lead the horses up stream to where the 2004-10-29T22:52:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Last-of-the-Mohicans--25612.aspx The twisted tale of two lovers permeates through the gloomy Yorkshire moors in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. Catherine and Heathcliff’s feelings towards one another clout their minds to the point of obsession, as their childhood relationship blossoms into something that neither one can handle. Throughout Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte reminds of how their misfortunes, recklessness, and destructive passions are all centered around their obsession for one another. With many enemies and few friends, Heathcliff immediately notices Catherine’s interest, which eventually blossoms into an obsessive force from which neither can escape. Heathcliff is subjected to isolation almost immediately upon his arrival to Wuthering Heights. Arriving a “dirty, ragged, black haired child,” Heathcliff displays his strength early on, as he is subjected to a multitude of prejudices. He is seldom allowed to play with his counterpart Catherine as a young boy, as his nemesis Hindley does everything in his power to keep the two apart. The limited interaction with Catherine makes his feelings for her even stronger. Heathcliff’s eventual marriage to Isabella is not a product of love, rather a malicious act caused by his driving obsession for Catherine. He precedes to ruin his poor wife’s life, as well as stripps her of her entire inheritance. The following actions that ensue are increasingly malicious, as the reader sees the digression of Heathcliff, as he becomes a madman driven more and more by his obsession for Catherine. At times it is difficult to believe that Heathcliff really is obsessed by a love for Catherine, or if he is simply driven by his hatred and thoughts of revenge. This notion is quickly found to be inconceivable upon Catherine’s death. The passing of time does not dim his love or obsession for Catherine, “Be with me always- take any form- drive me mad! Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! [implying that Catherine is his life] I cannot live without my soul!” Heathcliff does not wish Catherine’s soul to rest in peace like a normal individual would do. Rather, Heathcliff is driven by his obsession with Catherine and demands to be haunted by her soul for as long as he lives. Determined to continually hurt Hindley, Heathcliff is obsessed by his thoughts for revenge, “I shall pay Hindley back! I don’t care how long I 2004-10-29T14:15:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Obsession-in-Wuthering-Heights-25598.aspx “There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision (James).” Originally appearing in Dubliners, a compilation of vignettes by James Joyce, his short story Eveline is the tale of such an unfortunate individual. Anxious, timid, scared, perhaps even terrified -- all these describe Eveline. She is a frightened, indecisive young woman poised between her past and her future. Eveline loves her father but is fearful of him. She tries to hold onto good memories of her father, thinking “sometimes he could be very nice (Joyce 5),” but has seen what her father has done to her siblings when he would “hunt them in out of the field with his blackthorn stick (Joyce 4).” As of late she has begun to feel “herself in danger of her father’s violence (Joyce 4).” Ironically, her father has “begun to threaten her and say what he’d do to her only for her dead mother’s sake (Joyce 5).” Eveline wants a new life but is afraid to let go of her past. She dreams of a place where “people would treat her with respect (Joyce 4)” and when contemplating her future, hopes “to explore a new life with Frank (Joyce 5).” When, in a moment of terror she realizes that “she must escape (Joyce 6),” it seems to steel her determination to make a new home for herself elsewhere. On the other hand, she is comfortable with the “familiar objects from which she had never dreamed of being divided (Joyce 4).” She rationalizes that: “In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about her (Joyce 4).” As she reflects on her past she discovers “now that she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life (Joyce 5).” Eveline wants to keep the deathbed pledge made to her mother but is alarmed at the prospect of sharing her mother’s fate. Her mother was ill-treated in life and Eveline vows that “she would not be treated as her mother had been (Joyce 4).” She has had a life filled with hardship and chafes under “her promise to keep the home together as long as she could (Joyce 6).” When she recalls “the pitiful vision of her mother’s life (Joyce 6)” she 2004-10-29T09:53:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/James-Joyce-s-Eveline-25593.aspx Carlos Rueda is the main character in Imagining Argentina, a story set during Argentina’s politically unstable 70’s. When his beloved wife, Cecilia, a reporter, was abducted by the government Carlos became overcome with grief. In his time of great despair he discovered a mysterious, magical gift. In waking dreams he had clear visions of the fates of those, like his wife, who had also disappeared. Carlos’ main focus and goal throughout the story was to rescue her. His gift of inconceivable imagination was his only weapon in his quest to find Cecilia. He knew that somehow his gift would deliver his wife, but to keep it he had to use it to help others. When Carlos found a way to place his gift among the city’s people his great quest began. The day of Carlos’ first “dream” he had gone to comfort Enrico, a boy in the play he was directing at the Children’s theater where he worked. Enrico told Carlos that his father had been taken from heir home by strange men. Suddenly Carlos saw images in his head, and asked Enrico what to tell him what had happened to his father. When Enrico was done Carlos was able to tell him exactly how his father would be released that night. The next day Enrico came running to Carlos, more excited than ever before, his father had come home in exactly he way Carlos had described. Several days later Carlos’ friend, Esme, insisted he come watch a group of women demonstrating in front of the Casa Rosada, Argentina’s seat of Government. There Carlos saw a group of fifty to sixty women, of different race and class, marching in a circle. They all carried signs with pictures of loved ones pasted on, and inscriptions that read, “ Where is Ruben Marcus? Where is Julia Obregon? Where have you taken my daughter and grandson? ” Carlos was very affected by the faces of he mothers who had lost their loved ones, and the faces of those missing and those dead. He was both fascinated and appalled as he watched the two orders of faces go by. The story of Enrico’s father and the mothers demonstrating revealed what he had been looking for what he would do. 2004-10-29T02:50:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Imagining-Argentina-25584.aspx “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” is an interesting short story by Ursula K. LeGuin which tells the story of a small town with a terrible secret. Le Guin, using an amazing strategy, has written this story in such a way that it’s interpretation depends on the reader and not the text. It is the reader’s perspective in life and the world that shapes the image he perceives while reading this story. The citizens of Omelas are referred to as “they” while everyone who does not live in Omelas is referred to as “we” to show that “they” are separate from “us”. The author does this early in the story to show the reader that the people in Omelas are not like the reader. They are very different. Le Guin continues with this strategy when she plays with the minds of the readers by suggesting ideas into the heads of the readers then shortly afterwards she retracts these ideas. A great example of this is when she suggests there is a King who is on a stallion and surrounded by knights, but in the next line tells us that there is no King. This procedure has the reader picturing an image then later having to dismiss this image time and time again. This style is very clever because it keeps the reader interested and guessing for the next clue. Le Guin uses a line which makes one think about the way society thinks. Le Guin states, “Only pain is intellectual, only evil interesting”(889). This statement is very evident in society. When one watches the news he will see all the horrible events that happened in the world that day because we, as a society, only find horrible events interesting. For instance, recently at the world trade center bombing there was so much televised that it was hard to find a station that was not covering the event. This was because we found this event of terror interesting and amazing. We use pain and horror in the world to compare to our lives so that we may find happiness. Without finding some sort of pain how could one ever find happiness. We need pain to find happiness in our lives, and all too often we use other people’s pain for our benefit. Sometimes it seems as though society enjoys to see others in pain because they are able to 2004-10-29T02:44:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Flawed-Utopia-Omelas-25581.aspx Sir Gawain and the Green Knight contains many themes. Some of these themes are more obvious than others. Love, lust, loyalty, deceit, trust, courage, virtue, and righteousness are most of the themes within the poem. There are some more that are hidden within the concepts of the ideas that the poem presents. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, translated by John Gardner, many different themes are addressed throughout the story. The translation by John Gardner portrays these themes by using specific characters, medieval symbolism, and various settings within the story. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a great work of medieval literature. The story is considered to be verse romance. There are not many solid facts on the story. The story was composed in the second half of the fourteenth century. It is likely that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written around 1375. The author of the piece remains unknown, but we do know of the northwestern dialect of Middle English with which he wrote the poem. The unknown author also consciously wrote in an old-fashioned style. The author is usually referred to as the Gawain poet or the Pearl poet. Three poems were included with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. "Pearl", "Patience", and "Purity" were all with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in the same manuscript. This is the reason the author is named as the Pearl poet, in addition to the Gawain poet. All four poems were uniquely named Cotton Nero A.X. This is due to the manuscript's previous owner, Sir Robert Cotton. Cotton supposedly acquired the manuscript from Yorkshire bibliophile Henry Savile (1568-1617), but its whereabouts before then are unknown (Grolier). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was first edited and published in 1839 by Madden, whose entire name in uncertain. He called the untitled poem Syr Gawayn and the Grene Knyyt. The poem did not receive much attention at all until the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1916, George Lyman Kittredge's ongoing study of the poem contained extremely valuable research of the sources and analogues of the poem. Many other authors focused on the text, language, and possible authors of the work. In the 1930s and '40s there was a rise of mythic criticism of the poem, as many scholars sought 2004-07-06T00:27:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-Of-Sir-Gawain-25535.aspx In Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, one topic that has been debated, interpreted, discussed, reinterpreted and adapted has been the character of Katharine, the shrew, and whether she was tamed, liberated, or just a good enough actress to make everyone think she was in fact, tamed. There are many arguments for and against each of these points, as well as an argument that discusses one television adaptation of Taming of the Shrew that presents Katherine not as the expected shrew, but as Petruccio's tamer. In addition to the television show, two different movies also discuss the present different adaptations of Katherine. The first movie is the Franco Zaffirelli adaptation staring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. This movie presents an adaptation in which Petruccio tames Katherine, but leaves it open for the viewers to interpret whether or not Katherine is just acting. The other example I am using is a movie called 10 Things I Hate About You. This movie is a 1999 adaptation of the Taming of the Shrew. Although the directors have changed almost every part of the Shakespearean play, the underlying story is mostly the same. Kat and Patrick are thrown together, and it becomes Patrick's job to tame Kat. In this adaptation, both Kat and Patrick learn and change from each other. Though there are many adaptations and interpretations of Katherine and the way she turns out, she is not tamed, and she does not tame, instead she is liberated, and learns to live and love. There is much evidence, which supports the argument that Petruccio tamed Katherine. For instance, in the opening of the play, Katherine is very vocal and aggressive. Men, women and children trembled whenever she came around, including her father and sister. An example of this is when Katherine is talking with her father about his love for her sister. "What, will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see/ She is your treasure, she must have a husband. / I must dance barefoot on her wedding day, / and for your love to her lead apes in hell. / Talk not to me. I will go sit and weep/ Till I can find an occasion of revenge" (Act 2 Scene 1, Lines 31-36). From the moment that Katherine and Petruccio meet, Petruccio vows to tame the shrew. He begins the taming process immediately. After Kate and Petruccio are married, Kate attempts to assert 2004-07-05T22:14:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Taming-of-the-Shrew-25481.aspx Simply stated, students should study Shakespeare's works in school because of the incredible value within them. In addition to exposing students to a multitude of literary techniques, Shakespeare's plays challenge the student with difficult language and style, express a profound knowledge of human behavior and offer insight into the world around us. William Shakespeare is recognized by much of the world as the greatest of all dramatists. The intricate meanings, extensive vocabulary, and powerful imagery contained within his works demonstrate the phenomenal story telling ability of the English playwright. "Shakespeare's use of poetry within his plays to express the deepest levels of human motivation in individual, social and universal situations is considered one of the greatest accomplishments in literary history." School programs offer students the opportunity to study Shakespeare at length and provoke a greater appreciation of his literary ability. Analyzing his work enables students to recognize, understand and respect the playwright's true genius. Evident in Shakespeare's plays is the broad use of irony, imagery, rhythm and other literary devices. Through these devices, he establishes atmosphere and character, and intrigue. Exposure to these devices provides students with a broad knowledge of literary style and technique, while serving to develop and improve writing skills. Also, because much of the modern literary ideas and writings allude to and can be traced back to Shakespeare, familiarity with his works can only be an advantage to the student. Shakespeare wrote his plays to appeal to Elizabethan audiences. Much of the text is dated or archaic and is initially unknown to the typical student. Yet upon thorough study, the student will gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of Shakespeare's words and the English language. Despite the difficulty that dated text presents, the passions and emotions described by Shakespeare touch the hearts of his readers and audience, students included. Vivid imagery and poetic descriptions are presented effectively and have a great impact on the audience. Readers are provided with the opportunity to step into the lives of his characters; to feel their emotions and understand their motivations, a rewarding experience for the student. Although Shakespeare's wrote his plays more than 350 years ago, the relevance of their themes and subjects still exists. The morals and values presented in his works speak to the audience, often offering a new perspective on the world in which they live. Students are affected by the powerful and complex characters and are rewarded with profound insights 2004-07-05T22:13:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Why-Should-Students-Study-Shakespeare-in-School-25480.aspx In Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", it is clearly evident that the fluctuation in attitude to the dual role and situation and tribulations imposed upon the character of Viola/Cesario ends up in a better understanding of both sexes, and thus, allows Viola to have a better understanding for Orsino. Near the opening of the play, when Viola is adopting her male identity, she creates another self, like two masks and may decide to wear one or the other while swinging between the two identities in emotion and in character. She decides to take on this identity because she has more freedom in society in her Cesario mask, which is evident when she is readily accepted by Orsino, whereas, in her female identity she would not be. Thus, a customary role in society and to the outlooks of others is portrayed. Orsino sees Cesario, as a young squire just starting out in the world, much like himself as a young, spry lad, so he has a tendency to be more willing to unload onto her with his troubles and sorrows, seeking a companion with which to share and to teach. Thus, Viola grows in her male disguise to get a better feeling for his inner self, not the self that he shows to the public, or would reveal and share with Viola in her true female self, but rather his secret self, as he believes he shares with a peer. So, she grows to love him. But, Orsino's motivation is actually not love for Viola, but rather he seems to be in love with love itself. His entire world is filled with love but he knows that there might be a turning point for him, like when he says: If music be the food of love, play on; give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die. 1. (I,I,I-III) This quote shows that he knows that he is so caught up in "love", that he hopes his appetite for love may simmer when he takes more than he can handle. 1. Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night. Longman's Canada Limited, Don Mills, Ontario, 1961. All subsequent quotes are from this edition. Near the end of the play, when all tricks and treacheries are revealed and all masks are lifted, Orsino "falls" in love with Viola. He first forgives her/him of her/his duty to him, the master; then says that she shall now be her master's 2004-07-05T22:13:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Twelfth-Night-The-Changing-Role-In-Viola-Cesario-25479.aspx Taming of the Shrew Illusion vs. Reality As a passing traveler in Padua, one could easily make superficial assumptions about the inhabitants. On the surface, Katherina seems like a vicious tiger that is angry at the entire world. Petruchio first appears like the type of man that anybody would like to have as a friend. At first glance, Bianca seems like a heavenly vision of beauty that any man would be lucky to have for a wife. However, after the courtship of Katherina begins, the true personalities of the characters are revealed. When a person's own family fears them, one would assume that there is good reason for it. In Katherina's case though, nobody ever takes the time to listen to what she actually feels. When she says, "A pretty pet! It is best put finger in the eye, an she knew why." (Pg. 16), she is not acting maliciously but rather calling out for attention. In contrast to all the flattery that Bianca receives, the only time people ever talk about Katherina is when she acts like a shrew. A more vulnerable side to Katherina actually surfaces when she arrives at Petruchio's house. As Petruchio taunts her with food, she exclaims, "I pray you husband, be not so disquiet: The meat was well, if you were so contented." (Pg. 70) Disposing of the invincibility she maintains in Padua, she hungrily entreats her new husband to be reasonable. Taking off the fierce mask she wears in the beginning of the play, Katherina exposes the reality that she too is human. Stumbling onto the scene in Padua, Petruchio makes a grand entrance as a man who brings merriment to all those around him. He jokes with Hortensio and eagerly accepts the offer to woo Katherina. At his first encounter with the eldest daughter, he seems like the perfect match for her. He matches her wit for wit and skillfully reacts to every move she makes. When she says she has the sting of a wasp, he replies, "My remedy is then to pluck it out." (Pg. 42) Clever and alert, his personality is initially appealing. As time passes however, Petruchio lets his cruel and tormenting ways manifest. Bent on gaining the complete obedience of his new wife, he refuses to let Katherina attend Bianca's wedding unless she admits that the sun is the moon (when it is not). Opposite of being jovial, he manipulates 2004-07-05T22:13:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Taming-of-the-Shrew-Illusion-vs_-Reality-25478.aspx In The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, there appears Shylock. He is a Jew, that much we are told in the cast list. But, as the play unfolds Shylock is seen to be the villian. He is protrayed as being cold, unbending, and evil. But is he? Is Shylock really the antagonist in this play or can he also be viewed as persecuted individual who resorts to revenge only after he has been pushed too far. To fully understand the character of Shylock we must first look at Elizabeathen attitudes towards Jews. In the sixteenth century Jews were rarely if ever seen in England. In the Middle Ages Jews had fled to England to escape persecution in France under the Normans. They were granted charter in England by Henry I in return for a percentage of their profits from trade and moneylending. It is here that the stereotype of Jews lending money was started. Because of the tariffs placed on them by the crown Jews took to charging high interest rates to secure profits for themselves. Here we see echos of Shylock with his usury. Finally the Jews were ordered out of England in 1254 by Edward I. They did not return to England until the later half of the seventeenth century. (Lippman 3-4) Jews were also viewed as devils by Elizabeathan audiences. Old stories portrayed them as "blood-thirsty murders" that poisoned wells and killed Christian children for their bizarre Passover ritu! als. (Stirling 2:1) These were the stereotypes which Shakespeare's audience held in regard to Jews. Shakespeare himself had never seen a Jew but he goes to great lengths to humanize Shylock even while perpetuating the stereotype. In Act 1:3, before Shylock ever says a word to Antonio, he lets the audience know in an aside that he hates Antonio. He hates him for having hindered him in business and for having humiliated him in public by spitting on him and calling him names such as "dog" and "cutthroat Jew". Shylock tells the audience he hopes to exact revenge on Antonio both for his own humiliation and for the persecution that the Jews have long suffered at the hands of the Christians. I hate him for he is a Christian;. . . If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.He hates our sacred nation . . . Curséd be 2004-07-05T22:12:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Merchant-of-Venice-25477.aspx The name "tragic hero", which has become synonymous with Shakespearean dramas, was developed before Hamlet, Macbeth or any of Shakespeare’s well-known plays were written. The literary term was actually discovered around 330 BC by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Through his theory of catharsis, Aristotle debated that the great plays of Sophicles, Euripides, and other Greek playwrights contained tragic heroes similar to each other, which all portrayed four basic characteristics ("English Lit."). These qualities were a tragic flaw, or harmartia, they all were from a noble class, with very human personalities, and they all face their tragedy with dignity. It is not until the late 1500s that Shakespeare began to utilize Aristotle’s observations in the production of his many tragedies (Desjardens). Probably the most important characteristic of a Shakespearean tragic hero is that one must posses a tragic flaw, because without the flaw, there would never be a downfall. The ultimate flaw varies from one play to another, King Lear’s flaw is that of arrogance while Macbeth’s it one of ambition. Some characters may be guilty of harboring many flaws, like Othello. Among Othello’s wrongs are gullibility and stupidity. In either case, the character never realizes ones flaws until act five, however, by that time it is too late (Desjardens). While the tragic flaw is the key element in a tragedy, the tragic hero’s social status is also of high importance. All tragic heroes are from a very noble class. Whether the heroes are Thanes or Generals in the army, like Macbeth, Othello, and Antony, or from royalty, like King Lear, Hamlet, or Cleopatra, each eventually fall from grace. This characteristic was used mostly to help the common people identify with the wealthier upper class. If the ruling class, which was generally looked upon with favor and prestige, could sin much like the commoners did, then no one group of people were more superior (Desjardens). Though the tragic heroes were from the noble class, every person could identify with them because the heroes possessed very human qualities. Neither Macbeth, King Lear, Hamlet or Othello were overly good and heroic nor were they too sinister and nasty. This characteristic allowed the audience to feel pity for the character and to learn a lesson about excessive pride, greed, ambition or stupidity. The tragic hero mirrors everyone, positive traits and faults, to point a finger and emplore all to beware; if horrible events took place 2004-07-05T22:11:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-Tragic-Hero-25476.aspx Shakespeare’s definitions of Love and Lust When there are women and an omnipotent force to procreate there will be a number of resources that a man will use in order to attract the opposite sex. Often with the use of the notorious whistle/mating call, the perpetual use of lies about income, the stench of musk cologne, or the ever-popular use of the love poem, men strive to appeal to women with the intent to see his way to her heart. William Shakespeare, a man who, based on his works, was full of passion for the opposite sex – whether it had been honest love or perverse lust. Nonetheless, Shakespeare, like most men, wished to charm women. With this having been so, Shakespeare’s weapon of choice to be inwrought to a woman’s heart was the powerful love poem. He understood love and how to attain love and demonstrated this in his often praised sonnets. Writing about the joys and tragedies while also writing about the trials and tribulations of love was Shakespeare’s objective in select sonnets – Sonnet 116 and Sonnet 129. His views on what is love put into prose enables all that read his sonnets to interpret Shakespeare’s definitions of love and lust. Throughout his sonnets, Shakespeare discusses the conflicts that men have with time, such as time vs. the body and time vs. the mind. Although time withers the body and eventually the mind, Shakespeare writes that time has no effect, however, on love. Love prevails throughout time and is forever young when it is shared by two hearts that have become one. Love is a substance of the hearts united and calls for two individuals to commit to each other – commitment being marriage. Having committed one’s self through marriage both individuals now turn a blind eye to the other’s faults. To Shakespeare, this means that if one of the mates in the relationship cheats, the other should understand, forget, or forgive since adultery was the fault of one of the mate’s and love cannot see faults. This is best exemplified in Sonnet 116 when Shakespeare writes: Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: (1-4) Love is not only forgiving of faults but is also invincible in the eye of any storm. Whether it is hostility in the marriage or the death of 2004-07-05T22:11:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shakespeare-s-Definition-of-Love-25475.aspx In 1564, a man was born by the name of William Shakespeare. He was born to a poor family, was given little education, and had no interaction with sophisticated society. Thirty-eight plays and over 150 sonnets are not attributed to this ignorant man. Those who believe that Shakespeare was the author have no definitive proof but instead point to Hamlet’s declaration: "The play’s the thing(Satchell 71)." The true author, however, lies hidden behind he name of Shakespeare. Edward de Vere the premier Earl of Oxford is not only considered a great poet in history, but he may also be the great playwright who concocted the sonnets and plays which are now attributed to William Shakespeare of Stratford, England. Edward de Vere was the Lord Great Chamberlain and the seventeenth Earl of Oxford. He was raised as a Royal Ward and from a very young age was educated in the sports and arts of nobility. Although disgraceful for a nobleman to waste time writing frivolous plays, Oxford as a young man wrote and staged the entertainment for the court. As an adult, he became engrossed in theatrical performances and frittered away his fortunes in support of several writers and actors (Friedman 13). During this time, De Vere also began writing several poems and plays. Much like Samuel Clemens, who wrote under the name of Mark Twain, Oxford adopted the pseudonym Shakespeare. Soon after plays appeared under the name of "Shakespeare," poems by de Vere ceased (Russell 5). Coincidently, the coat of arms of Lord Bulbeck, a third title of Edward de Vere, is a lion shaking a spear (Ogburn 10). De Vere was also known by the people as the "spear-shaker" because of excellence at the tilts and at jousting (Russell 5). Many believe this pen name was for protection. Many of the plays said to have been written by Shakespeare explicitly describe the corruption in court politics and contain "thinly veiled satires and parodies of politicians and courtiers." In addition, public theatres such as the Globe were laced with prostitutes, drunkards and criminals and because of the scoundrel audiences, playwrights were held in low esteem. Moreover, many scholars believe de Vere’s reasons for his pseudonym may be linked to the homoerotic threads in many of the Shakespearean sonnets and de Vere’s possible homosexual affair with his son-in-law. Using his identity would have been a dangerous game when such affairs were a high 2004-07-05T22:10:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/William-Shakespeare-the-Playwright-25474.aspx Throughout Julius Caesar, Brutus's actions have very extensive ramifications, I wish to review his actions, and the motivating factors behind those actions. I intend to prove that Brutus had a strong and well grounded personae. He had good intentions; however, he made one fatal mistake and that was his downfall. He had many positive qualities. I wish to bring these to the light and delve into how they affected the plot. Brutus is a very sincere man. He truly believes that his role in Cassius's assassination plot is for the good of Rome and her citizens. This becomes very apparent when he says, "But for the general. He would be crown’d: How that might change his nature, there’s the question." (Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 12-14) This truly innocent way of thinking allows him to be persuaded by Cassius to go against Caesar. He is also an honest man. He refuses to take a bribe in lines 75-78 of Act 4, Scene 3. "By any indirection: I did send to you for gold to pay my legions, which you denied me: was that done like Cassius?" This is an honesty that gained him the respect of the people. Brutus was a naive man as well. Sincerity is often misconstrued as being naive; however, I will treat each as a separate characteristic. Brutus's naive spirit is mostly shown not in one single action, but in the overall willingness he has to believe that those around him are essentially good. "Only be patient till we have appeased the multitude, beside themselves with fear, and then we will deliver you the cause why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him, have thus proceeded." (Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 179-183); And also when he said: "So fare you well at once; for Brutus’ tongue hath almost ended his life’s history: night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest." (Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 38-42) Brutus was also of noble birth. This isn't really a character trait, but it is one reason why he may have been in such a high ranking political position. "I will with patience hear, and find a time both meet to hear and answer such high things. Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this: Brutus had rather be a villager than to repute himself a son of Rome. (Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 169-173) Brutus is also a philosophical thinker. He 2004-07-05T21:52:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Ceaser-The-Importance-of-Brutus-25451.aspx All people have definite concepts of self. In different situations, one may feel short, tall, smart, slow, fast, talkative, reserved, etceteras. These self-concepts are usually very different than how others opinions of us. Depending on one's actions, words or even tone of voice, one may misrepresent oneself and be misinterpreted. One may be so arrogant or so humble that they prevent themselves from seeing themselves through others' eyes. In William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, two main characters, Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus, present different personas- one being each characters actual self-characterizations, which we learn through their discussions with others, and another is how they are actually perceived in the eyes of others. Their inability to project their true motives in performing certain actions eventually brings about their tragic downfalls. Julius Caesar believed that people needed one strong ruler in order to have maximum production and proper function of a society. He believed that he possessed many, if not all, of the characteristics required of a great leader. He spoke to others in a way which he believed exhibited authority, told people why he should be the one to lead them, and thought that his own advice was best. His unwillingness to listen to others is received as arrogance. Though already warned by the soothsayer to "beware the ides of March," Caesar refuses to heed advice to stay home from Calpurnia, his wife, because he feels that she is trying to keep him from obtaining power and status. Calpurnia believes Caesar to be a prince and is convinced that some falling meteors are warnings of a prince's death. When she hears her husband boast that he is more dangerous than danger itself, she recognizes that this is simple arrogance, and tells him so, saying, "Alas, my lord/ Your wisdom is consumed in confidence (Act II, scene 2)." In response to her criticism and humble petitions, Caesar momentarily agrees to pacify her. However, when he changes his mind and decides to leave against her admonitions, she reluctantly, but obediently fetches Caesar's robe and he departs for the Senate, and his meeting with fate. Caesar's greatest character flaw, however, is thinking that he is far above others and somehow invincible. When he compares his own perseverance with that of the North Star, saying "But I am as constant as the northern star/Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality/there is no fellow in the firmament (Act III, 2004-07-05T21:51:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Caesar-Self-Concepts-in-Julius-Caesar-25450.aspx Mark Antony, in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, was a brave, intelligent, pleasure-loving, and cunning man. He was loyal to his friend, Caesar, whom he considered a true friend. He looked at life as a game in which he had a signified part to play, and played that part with excellent refinement and skill. Antony was devoted and preferred to be dependent upon Julius Caesar since he rather have enjoyed life than to claim the highest position in the government. He wanted the crown to be given to Caesar so that all conflicts could be avoided. However, this additional power contributed to the conspirator's motive to assassinate him. Antony was distraught with Caesar's death and sought revenge first by speaking to the crowd in his speech. He showed how clever and cunning he could be when he convinced the crowd at Caesar's funeral ceremony to side with him and not with the murderers. The people became excited and rowdy when he teased them about the will, waving it in the air and pretending as if he was not going to read it. Reverse psychology is used when he first pretends to respect the conspirators calling them honorable men, and then slowly proving that they are not. He speaks out against them because he wanted power for himself, and unlike Brutus, he is politically ambitious and so believes that if he can take control while the state is in turmoil, he will remain in power. He was alone in making this oration, yet he was confidant in himself and courageous. Rome began to collapse once Caesar was killed, and Antony was left without anyone to trust. He did not want to side with the conspirators whom he valued slightly. However, he felt his duty was to carry on Caesar's reign and clear his name. Therefore he joined the Second Triumvirate and became a great leader. Antony was looked down upon by all the conspirators except for Brutus. They wanted to kill Antony as well as Caesar because they feared that he would become as powerful as him and possibly a dictator. Brutus persuaded the others not to add to the assassination by saying, "And for Mark Antony, think not of him: for he can do no more than Caesar's arm when Caesar's head is off"(2.1.181-183). Brutus underestimated Antony and perceived him as a person who didn't always take life seriously, 2004-07-05T21:51:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Caesar-Mark-Antony-25449.aspx In William Shakespeare's tragic play Julius Caesar, an under appreciated factor of flattery and persuasion plays an important role in the choices of the leaders. Cassius uses flattery with Brutus. Decius uses flattery with Caesar, and Antony uses flattery with Brutus. Cassius persuades and flatters Brutus. Cassius knows that Caesar would do harm to Rome if he became leader. Brutus would be a powerful force in the conspirator's movement to kill Caesar before Caesar becomes king and destroys Rome. Cassius really needs Brutus on his side, so in order to persuade Brutus, he uses lots of flattery. Whenever Cassius talks to Brutus he throws in "good Brutus", "gentle Brutus" or "dear Brutus" to make Brutus feel comfortable and confident. He also uses overlooked flattery when speaking to Brutus. Cassius realizes all his sweet talk has done well when he responds to Brutus with "I am glad/That my weak words have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus" (I, ii, 175-177). By this, he means that his words have lit a flame, or triggered a though in "the great" Brutus's head. Decius uses flattery and persuasion when speaking to Brutus. Decius is an active member of the Conspirators so he is very motivated into getting Caesar to go to the Senate House. The first thing that Decius says when he walks into Caesar's house is "Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar" (II, ii, 58). Decius also goes on and calls Caesar "most mighty". Decius is already on Caesar's good side. After catching up on Calphurnia's dream, he uses his quick wit to distort Calphurnia's foreshadowing dream by saying it is "mis-interpreted". He explains that the dream "Signifies that from (Caesar) Rome shall suck/Reviving blood, and that great men shall press/for tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance" (II, ii, 87-89). Caesar seems to be amazed by this version of the interpretation; in fact, he likes this version a lot better mainly because Decius uses so much flattery. Antony deceives Brutus and the other conspirators with his keen wit and his sweet talk. After a brief minute of expressing sorrow, Antony goes right into saying "Friend am I with you all, and love you all" (III, I, 220). Antony is using flattery in order to get Brutus on his good side so he can speak in the order of Caesar's funeral. Antony asks Brutus if he can, Brutus agrees without hesitation. 2004-07-05T21:50:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Caesar-Flattery-will-get-you-Everywhere-25448.aspx William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, is mainly based on the assassination of Julius Caesar. The character who was in charge of the assassination was, ironically, Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Julius Caesar. But what would cause a person to kill a close friend? After examining Brutus' relationship to Caesar, his involvement in the conspiracy, and his importance to the plot, the truth can be revealed. Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Caesar, has a strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship with Rome and its people. Brutus is very close to Caesar. In Roman times, the only way for someone to get close to a person of high rank is if he/she is close to him/her. In many points of the play, Brutus was talking and next to Caesar. Brutus also loves Caesar but fears his power. In the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius, "What means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their king...yet I love him well."(act 1, scene 2, ll.85-89), as he is speaking to Cassius. Brutus loves Caesar, but would not allow him to "climber-upward...He then unto the ladder turns his back..."(act 2, scene 1, ll.24,26). As the quote says, Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise to power and then turn his back onto the people of Rome. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus talks to Antony about Caesar's death. "Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; and pity to the general wrong of Rome..."(act 3, scene 1, ll.185-186). Brutus says that Antony cannot see their(members of the conspiracy) hearts, which are full of pity. Again, this shows how Brutus loved Caesar but cared for the life of Rome and its people more. This is the only reason Brutus would conspire against Caesar. For Brutus says to himself, "I know no personal cause to spurn at him...How that might change his nature..."(act 2, scene1, ll. 1,13) Caesar's relationship with Brutus is also strong. Just allowing Brutus to speak to Caesar shows his respect for Brutus. Caesar feels that Brutus is noble to him and does the right thing regardless of personal danger. On the Ides of March, as Caesar was assassinated, Caesar's last line is: "Et tu, Brute?--Then fall, Caesar."(act 3, scene 1, l.85). This shows that Caesar would not die without Brutus' stab. Caesar realizes 2004-07-05T21:50:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Julius-Caesar-Brutus-Character-Analysis-25447.aspx A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is a romantic comedy written by William Shakespeare. It deals with the feelings of love and marriage as well as the laws and social order of the time. The story contains fairies and other mystical creatures who take it upon themselves to guide the mortals in the directions they think necessary. This leads to many hilarious situations and misfortunes for the humans. There are many characters in the play and, for the most part, each one is in love with one of the other characters. The play starts with Theseus, the Duke of Athens, proposing to Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons. This is the only couple throughout the play who seem to never waver in their love for each other. These two seem to have a perfect love for each other, much like the love Hermia and Lysander have for each other before the fairies intervene. The other couple in the story that are of royal blood are Oberon, the king of the fairies, and Titania, the queen of the fairies. These two are having a lovers quarrel which has sent the seasons out of order and caused great disorder. Oberon is in love with Hoppolyta and Titania is in love with Theseus. Their lovers quarrels provide much of the comedy in the play. The other four characters caught in love triangles are Lysander and Hermia, who are in love with each other, Demetrius who loves Hermia, and Helena who loves Demetrius. Lysander and Hermia wish to marry each other but Hermia’s father, Egeus, will not allow it. Egeus wishes his daughter to marry Demetrius so he brings the matter to the attention of the king in hope that the law will be enforced. The law states that Hermia must marry whomever her father chooses or be put to death or live the rest of her life as a nun. She is given until the next full moon to decide. Lysander suggests to Hermia that they run away into the woods together. This is where the rest of the play takes place. Lysander and Hermia flee into the woods pursued by Demetrius who is being pursued by Helena. Once in the woods the lovers find themselves at the mercy of the fairies. The king of the fairies, Oberon, is planning to place a love potion on the queen of the fairies, Titania. He also plans to put the 2004-07-05T21:41:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Midsummer-Night’s-Dream-Loves-Misfortunes-25434.aspx When comparing the epic poem of The Song of Roland to the romantic literature of Ywain, the differences between the early medieval period and the high medieval period become evident. Both The Song of Roland and Ywain depicts the societies from which each story derives its fundamental characteristics. Through close observation, one is able to see the shifts in customs and mentality that make the move from the epic to the romance possible. In his chapter 'From Epic to Romance', R.W. Southern shows how this transformation manifests itself through changing ecclesiastical and secular thoughts and feelings. The Song of Roland is typical of the epic poems coming out of the early middle ages. Roland shows very clearly the warrior-based society of the period. It is through, not only the battle scenes that are quite vivid, but also the way the accouterments of battle receive high mention within the poem that this is accomplished. At the start of a battle the author gives the number of forces on each side, while during the individual fights amongst the peers, he gives detailed blow-for-blow descriptions of what occurred. Also, throughout the body of the work the warriors, no matter which side they are on, have significant names for their weapons and war-horses. This holds to the ancient custom that honored weapons with special names as having magical powers that could help its bearer. The battles and heroism of the main characters, as well as the names and details given about their war-horses and weapons, were important to a society that was constantly in a state-of-battle readiness, such as Roland's was. Beyond the battle scenes, Roland is true to the era in its portrayal of vassalage between a lord and his liegeman. In her introduction, Dorothy L. Sayers defines vassalage as "a personal bond of mutual service and protection between a lord (seigneur) and his dependant, and was affirmed by an oath and the rite of "homage"." The Song of Roland undeniably represents the bond between lord and vassal. For instance, when Roland agrees to lead the rearguard, although his place is usually with the vanguard, he does because of his bond of fealty to his Uncle Charlemagne. When Charlemagne offers him half the army, Roland refuses because it is more appropriate, for the greater good of the community, that the army guards the emperor. Likewise, at the death of his nephew, Charlemagne is bound to 2004-07-05T21:36:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Changing-Society-as-Viewed-Through-quot-Ywain-quot-25433.aspx Hawthorne depicts a 17th century Puritan attempting to reach justification as Brown’s faith required. Upon completing his journey, however, Brown could not confront the terrors of evil in his heart and chose to reject all of society. Puritan justification was a topic Hawthorne was aware of as a journey to hell necessary for a moral man. Having referred to the heart of man as hell, Puritans founds themselves in the midst of Satan and his multitude of devils as he established his kingdom in man’s heart. This was a dreadful revelation that caused Brown to grow bitter and distrustful. Puritan communities, secured by their orthodox faith, dealt with the ungodly wilderness around them. Set in Salem during the early witchcraft day of then, Young Goodman Brown’s experience in the dark, evil forest correlated and would have been recognized by Puritans as a symbol of mistrust of their own corrupt hearts and faculties. Just as man could not trust the shadows and figures he saw hidden in the forest, he could not trust his own desires. Those desires had to be tested through his journey into the forest. Those evil spirits constantly tortured the Puritan, constantly reminding him of his sin and the battle in his own heart. Hawthorne used the presence of these demon in "Young Goodman Brown" by demonstrating, through Brown, the Puritan Journey towards Justification. Going through the forest towards Justification was marked by the disappearance of the self. In place of the self, was the awareness of helplessness and the illusions of sin. This awareness would then assist the moral man to no longer depend upon material things or people, but to put his faith solely upon God. Hawthorne’s knowledge of the historical background of Puritanism combined with the personal experience of his early life and the history of his own family merge into the statement that "Young Goodman Brown" makes. A system in which individuals cannot trust themselves, their neighbors, their instructors or even their ministers can not create and atmosphere where faith exists. Hawthorne’s tale places the newly wed Puritan Brown upon the road to what may or may not be a true conversion experience. The conversion experience, a sudden realization brought about by divine intervention, a vision, or perhaps a dream, easily translates into the dream of Hawthorne’s work and allows the author to use Puritan doctrine and the history of Salem to argue the 2004-07-05T21:35:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-Young-Goodman-Brown-25432.aspx "Young Goodman Brown" Symbolism, something that figuratively represents something else, is prominent in many literary works. One piece of literature that stands out as a perfect example of symbolism is Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown." This story is completely symbolic, and provides a good example of an allegory, or a story in which concrete items or characters represent abstract ideas. Hawthorne uses both objects and people as symbols to better support the allegorical tones throughout "Young Goodman Brown." Nathaniel Hawthorne uses different people as symbols throughout "Young Goodman Brown." The largest symbolic roles in the story are goodman Brown and his wife Faith. Both of the characters' names are symbolic and representative of their personalities. "'With Heaven above and Faith below, I will stand firm against the devil!' cried goodman Brown," is just one of many quotes that directly relates goodman Brown's personality with his name (189). Goodman Brown is truly a good man. Faith, goodman Brown's wife, also has a name that is indicative of her nature. The story directly supports this point in the phrase "Faith, as the wife was aptly named . . . " (184). Faith is persistent in trying to keep goodman Brown off the path of sin in the first part of the story: " . . . pr'y thee, put off your journey until sunrise, and sleep in your own bed to-night" (184). Hawthorne does an excellent job of turning the main characters into symbols that are prominent throughout the story. Nathaniel Hawthorne also uses different objects in the story as symbols. One of these is the staff of the devil : "But the only thing about him, that could be fixed upon as remarkable, was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake . . ." (185). This symbol shows the reader the evil that is involved with the devil character because the serpent is an archetype of the devil, or some sort of evil, which is prominent in many different cultures. Another object Hawthorne uses as a recurring symbol is the pink ribbon. The pink ribbon symbolizes the purity and innocence involved with Faith. "And Faith . . . thrust her own pretty had into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons in her cap," is a great example of how Hawthorne correlates Faith with the pink ribbons of innocence (184). The pink ribbons are mentioned later 2004-07-05T21:34:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Young-Goodman-Brown-Symbolism-25431.aspx Interpersonal relationships are extremely important, because the interaction of the characters in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot as they try to satisfy one another's boredom, is the basis for the play. Pozzo's and Lucky's interactions with each other form the basis for one of the play's major themes. The ambivalence of Pozzo's and Lucky's relationship in Waiting For Godot resembles most human relationships. Irritated by one another, they still must function together. References to their relationship are generally couched in rope images. Physically present and other wise implied, visible and invisible,involving people as well as inanimate objects, and connect the dead with the living. The only rope that appears literally is the leash around Lucky's neck that Pozzo holds. In terms of the rope, the relationship between these characters is one of consistent domination. The stage directions say that "Pozzo drives Lucky by means of a rope passed round his neck." [15] Lucky is whipped often, and he is essentially the horse pulling Pozzo's carriage in a relationship that seems cruel and domineering. Yet Lucky is strangely compliant. In explaining Lucky's behavior, Pozzo says, "Why he doesn't make himself comfortable? Let's try and get this clear. Has he not the right to? Certainly he has. It follows that he doesn't want to...He imagines that when I see how well he carries I'll be tempted to keep him on in that capacity...As though I were short of slaves. Despite his miserable condition, Lucky does not seem to desire change. Perhaps he is happy, or maybe not miserable enough. Perhaps, as the compliant Vladimir and Estragon, he cannot envision himself any differently. The relationship between Pozzo and Lucky does not, however, stagnate at this point. The very next day, when the two next appear, the rope between them is significantly shorter so that the now-blind Pozzo may find his way. In this new situation, it is less clear which character leads the other, or if either one is truly in control. As the stage directions read, "Pozzo is blind...Rope as before, but much shorter, so that Pozzo may follow more easily." For the first time in the text, Pozzo is dependent on Lucky for direction; Lucky is dependent on Pozzo for the same reason, though this relationship is one of emotional, rather than physical, dependence. The shortness of the rope, necessary because of Pozzo's blindness, affects their relationship; their new-found closeness makes it 2004-07-05T21:33:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Waiting-For-Godot-End-Of-Your-Rope-25430.aspx Mattie Rigsbee is the main character in Clyde Edgerton's southern style novel, Walking Across Egypt. Mattie is a seventy-eight year old widow with two middle-aged children. Living alone in a small house, she makes sure that everything is taken care of. She cooks, cleans, mows the lawn, and takes up numerous responsibilities with the church. She is a very caring person with many friends and a family that loves her dearly. At the time this novel takes place, Mattie is at a turning point in her life. Confusion disturbed her, because the things that people are telling her are not the words that she is ready or willing to hear. Although begins to display some signs of aging, and her family is trying to convince her to slow down her lifestyle, Mattie's character and mind setting prohibits her from becoming the stereotypical elder. She must make a decision in which direction to turn. As Mattie grows older, she notices that she is beginning to display some signs that people in her state of North Carolina associate with the elderly. These signs are influencing her decisions about what she thinks she can and cannot do. She displays typical, elderly forgetfulness as she washes the toilet seat with mouthwash rather than with alcohol. And again displays it as she falls through the bottomless rocking chair. Later she displays physical inability when she asks her son Robert about helping with some yard work, which she had always taken care of before. "I'm too old to keep a dog," (20) she says to the dogcatcher as he is leaving with a brown fice that showed up on her doorstep. "Besides, I'm slowing down," she says to her son during lunch. The stereotypes of the elderly are influencing Mattie's life. She is telling herself not to do things because of her age whether or not she is physically able to do them, simply because people associate age with inability and dependence upon others. Her family and friends are expecting and encouraging this dependence. Elaine and Robert, Mattie's two unmarried children, along with other family and friends, are encouraging her to be what they expect a seventy-eight year old woman to be. They talk about how she needs to get rest because she is slowing down and can't keep going as steady as she seems to think. When she decided to try and help a young juvenile, Wesley 2004-07-05T21:32:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Walking-Across-Egypt--25429.aspx Literary Criticism of Wuthering Heights Wuthering Heights has proven to be much more than just a silly love story about characters, who, in the end objectify no real thought or emotion from the reader. It appears to be better accepted as a window into the human soul, where one sees the loss, suffering, self discovery, and triumph of the characters in this novel. Both the Image of the Book by Robert McKibben, and Control of Sympathy in Wuthering Heights by John Hagan, strive to prove that neither Catherine nor Heathcliff are to blame for their wrong doings. Catherine and Heathcliff’s passionate nature, intolerable frustration, and overwhelming loss have ruined them, and thus stripped them of their humanities. McKibben and Hagan take different approaches to Wuthering Heights, but both approaches work together to form one unified concept. McKibben speaks of Wuthering Heights as a whole, while Hagan concentrates on only sympathies role in the novel. McKibben and Hagan both touch on the topic of Catherine and Heathcliff’s passionate nature. To this, McKibben recalls the scene in the book when Catherine is "in the throes of her self-induced illness" (p38). When asking for her husband, she is told by Nelly Dean that Edgar is "among his books," and she cries, "What in the name of all that feels has he to do with books when I am dying." McKibben shows that while Catherine is making a scene and crying, Edgar is in the library handling Catherine’s death in the only way he knows how, in a mild mannered approach. He lacks the passionate ways in which Catherine and Heathcliff handle ordeals. During this scene Catherine’s mind strays back to childhood and she comes to realize that "the Linton’s are alien to her and exemplify a completely foreign mode of perception" (p38). Catherine discovers that she would never belong in Edgar’s society. On her journey of self-discovery, she realized that she attempted the impossible, which was to live in a world in which she did not belong. This, in the end, lead to her death. Unlike her mother, when Cathy enters The Heights, "those images of unreal security found in her books and Thrushhold Grange are confiscated, thus leading her to scream, "I feel like death!" With the help of Hareton, Cathy learns not to place her love within a self created environment, but in a real life where she will be truly happy. The 2004-07-05T21:32:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Criticism-of-Wuthering-Heights-25428.aspx As its title hints, the essay which follows is not the history but biographical of an idea. The idea for the book called Utopia. Like all ideas for books it was born and had its whole life span in the mind of an author. Like all such ideas it ceased to be when the printed book Utopia became a black-on-white reality. Although there is no accurate record of its birth date, it seems to have been born in the mind of Sir Thomas More. As the writer I shall have to take into account the environment in which our subject passed its life and that environment was the mind of Sir Thomas More. To establish the lineaments of the idea for Utopia we shall perforce, for lack of better sources of information, rely on the book called Utopia We ourselves shall have to look very closely to separate the thinkers thought from the literary tricks of the trade. More's intentions in Utopia, must remain mysterious. A little more difficult to accept is the general implication of the review that the mysteriousness of the author's intent in Utopia is somehow a point in his favor, that the obscurity of his meaning enhances the merit of his work. The one point of unanimous agreement about Utopia is it is a work of social comment. Since Utopia is a work of many ideas, it is impossible of course to expand the book unless one has some notion of the hierarchy of conception in it. A caretul reading of Utopia does seem to me to reveal clearly the hierarchy of it author's ideas at the time he composed the book. Although the interpretation of Utopia which follows has no pretension to substantial novelty, but rather disavows it, my approach to the problem may seem singular and eccentric. The account of such an analysis will necessarily be a little dull, so I shall have to request the forbearance of the reader without being able to promise for his patience any large reward in the shape of a brand new insight. The inconsistency between the prospectus in the curious paragraph and the subject matter that follows in the printed version of Utopia becomes intelligible if we make a few assumptions about the development of the books composition. The conclusion various scholars have come to about More's attitude toward the institution of property coincides to a remarkable degree with 2004-07-05T21:31:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Utopia--25426.aspx Harriet Beecher Stowe was born June 14, 1811 in Litchfield, Connecticut. She was the daughter of a Calvinist minister and she and her family was all devout Christians, her father being a preacher and her siblings following. Her Christian attitude much reflected her attitude towards slavery. She was for abolishing it, because it was, to her, a very unchristian and cruel institution. Her novel, therefore, focused on the ghastly points of slavery, including the whippings, beatings, and forced sexual encounters brought upon slaves by their masters. She wrote the book to be a force against slavery, and was joining in with the feelings of many other women of her time, whom all became more outspoken and influential in reform movements, including temperance and women's suffrage. The main point of Harriet Beecher Stowe in the writing of Uncle Tom's Cabin was to bring to light slavery to people in the north. In this she hoped to eventually sway people against slavery. The novel Uncle Tom's Cabin focuses on the lives of two slaves, who both start under the ownership of a Mr. Shelby, who is known as a man who treats his slaves well. Mr. Shelby, however, was indebted to a man of the name Haley, who is a slave-trader. In return for the debt owed to him, Haley wants two slaves one being the son of a beautiful mulatto woman named Eliza, and the other the devout Christian Tom, who is called Father Tom because of his sermons. Eliza is also a Christian, as are the rest of the slaves on Shelby's farm. Eliza loves her son dearly and rather than lose him to the slave-trader she takes him and heads to Canada, where she can be free. Haley follows but can't catch her before she goes from Kentucky, the state of the Shelby Farm, to Ohio. Haley then sends slave-catchers after her. He also goes back to the farm, and brings Tom on a steamboat to the South, a place where slaves are known to die, but Tom meets and makes a great impression on a little girl, Evangeline St. Clare, or Eva as she is called, and she persuades her father, Augustine St. Clare to purchase Tom. Augustine is a man against slavery, but too intelligent and idle to openly oppose it, instead choosing to let his slaves run freely and do whatsoever they please, within reason. Tom 2004-07-05T21:31:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Uncle-Tom-s-Cabin--25425.aspx The Morality Issue Through Hawthorne, the book The Scarlet Letter is written about love, sin, and most of all morals. Hawthorne creates many different perspectives on characters and their views. His vivid descriptions of the main trio of characters allow the reader to make there own decisions on who is morally right or wrong. Is Hester a victim, or a temptress, or maybe Dimmesdale is in the wrong for falling for the temptress. Chillingworth, who is at first thought to be the victim, but in the end the villain? Through Hawthorne’s writing we the reader must decide on the morality issue among Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth. Hester, who is essentially the main character in The Scarlet Letter, therefore, is the most vividly described character in the book. In committing an act so looked down upon by her community in Salem, she must be burdened by an "A" on her chest. As Hester suffered greatly for her transgression, the citizens suffered as well, whether knowing or not, through their hypocritical and cruel punishment. She was morally wrong in what she did, but Hester Prynne was honest enough to herself to reveal the adulterous acts that she committed. She became more accepted in her community as she accepted herself and the "A" on her chest. We all have sins, but if we don not admit to our sins we won’t be forgiven. The reverend Dimmesdale said "But still, me thinks, it must needs be better for the sufferer to be free to show his pain, as this poor woman Hester is, than to cover it all up in his heart." This statement is true because she because she began to reconstruct her life. The community began calling her sister of Mercy, and the "A" was said to stand for "Able." Though Hester was morally wrong in her act, she was morally right in accepting her wrong. This leads us to the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, the man who assisted in ruining Hester’s reputation. Though, a holy man, and a man who is very much revered by the people of Salem, he commits a sin in which goes totally against the words he preaches. His choice to keep his black secret locked deep within his soul resulted in the deterioration of his health. Each time he would deliver a sermon to his congregation, he grew weaker and more ashamed of what he did. In doing 2004-07-05T21:29:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Morality-Issue-25424.aspx Nathaniel Hawthorne was a truly outstanding author. His detailed descriptions and imagery will surely keep people interested in reading The Scarlet Letter for years to come. In writing this book he used themes evident throughout the entirety of the novel. These themes are illustrated in what happens to the characters and how they react. By examining how these themes affect the main characters, Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, one can obtain a better understanding of what Hawthorne was trying to impress upon his readers. The first theme expressed in The Scarlet Letter is that even well meaning deceptions and secrets can lead to destruction. Dimmesdale is a prime example of this; he meant well by concealing his secret relationship with Hester, however, keeping it bound up was deteriorating his health. Over the course of the book this fact is made to stand out by Dimmesdale’s changing appearance. Over the course of the novel Dimmesdale becomes more pale, and emaciated. Hester prevents herself from suffer the same fate. She is open about her sin but stays loyal to her lover by not telling who is the father of Pearl. Hester matures in the book; becomes a stronger character. The fact that revenge destroys both the victim and the seeker is another theme presented in the Scarlet Letter. Dimmesdale is the victim of Chillingworth’s revenge upon Hester and whoever her lover happened to be. Dimmesdale, beside his self-inflicted harm was also not helped by the fact Chillingworth enjoyed watching him waste away. However, Chillingworth is also subject to this destiny as evidence by his change in the novel. Chillingworth was considered wise and aged in the beginning of the novel, although, later he is seen as being dusky and evil. Lastly Nathaniel Hawthorne brings out that we absolutely must accept responsibility for our actions or suffer the consequences come with them. Hester is the prime example for this here because she was smart and freed herself of this great weight quickly so that it wouldn’t drag her down. This theme was not as applicable to Dimmesdale, however, who decided to hide his wrongful actions and was bearing this secret upon his heart and mind at all times. Dimmesdale did not get better as a character until he opened up to Hester in the forest by confessing his love for her. Themes are an excellent method for tying in a complex story’s plot. Hawthorne executes this with perfection, 2004-07-05T21:26:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-25423.aspx Hester Prynne is a very well recognized character in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. She is a character about whom much gas been written such as, Toward Hester Prynn, by David Reynolds, and The Scarlet A, Aboriginal and Awesome, by Kristin Herzog. Reynold's essay dealt with Hester as a heroine, who is an artistic combination of disparate female types. Herzog's essay dealt with the idea that Hester is both wild and passionate, as well as, caring, conservative, and alien. Towards Hester Prynne, by David Reynolds, expressed Hester as a heroine composed of many different stereotypes of females from the time period Hawthorne was writing. Hawthorne created some of the most skeptical and politically uncommitted characters in pre-civil war history. Reynolds went on to say, His [Hawthorne's] career illustrates the success of an especially responsive author in gathering together disparate female types and recombining them artistically so that they become crucial elements of the rhetorical and artistic construct of his fiction (Reynolds 179). Hawthorne used ironies of fallen women and female criminals to achieve the perfect combination of different types of heroines. His heroines are equipped to expel wrongs against their sex bringing about an awareness of both the rights and wrongs of women. Hester is a compound of many popular stereotypes rich in the thoughts of the time ...portrayed as a fallen woman whose honest sinfulness is found preferable to the future corruption of the reverend (Reynolds 183). Hester was described by Reynolds as a feminist criminal bound in an iron link of mutual crime (Reynolds 183). According to Reynolds, Hawthorne was trying to have his culture's darkest stereotypes absorbed into the character of Hester and rescue them from noisy politics by reinterpreting them in Puritan terms and fusing them with the moral exemplar. Kristin Herzog had a somewhat different view of Hester in The Scarlet A, Aboriginal and Awesome. She described Hester as both wild and passionate, and caring, conservative, and alien. Herzog stated that The Scarlet Letter is a story set at the rough edge of civilization. Hester is as much an outcast as any Quaker in the Puritan colony and she takes the colony's abuse laid upon her with a Quaker's dignity. Herzog described Hester's Aboriginal characteristics as caring and conservative. This aspect of Hester's femininity is not the only trait, however, which separates her from the Puritan women around her. She is also ...an alien with a 2004-07-05T21:25:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Flamboyant-Hester-Prynne-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-25422.aspx The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne uses many things for symbolism and in my opinion the most symbolic were the scaffold scenes. There are a total of three scaffold scenes and each has its own purpose and meaning. Without the scaffold scenes this book would basically leave you clueless to what was really going on because the scaffold scenes really tell you what is going on and why. The first scaffold scene is basically an introduction to the whole book. You learn who all the main charters are and most of all Hester and her terrible crime she committed. This is the first time everyone sees Hester with the letter "A" on her bosom. Hester is a very brave woman for standing up on that scaffold in front of everyone in the town to gawk at and for admitting that she had committed adultery. Also, it takes a very courageous person to stick up for what they believe in like she did by not telling who she had committed the crime with. The whole story builds you up to this point of finding out who Hester committed adultery with. By this point in the story you have some clue who the father of Pearl is but until you get to the second scaffold scene you don’t know for sure. At the second scaffold scene Dimesdale is on the scaffold and Hester and Pearl come up and join him. Dimesdale is wearing down by the burden of his sin he committed. He goes to the scaffold to confess to God and ask for some kind of forgiveness. Then a cloud forms the letter "A" in the sky and everyone thinks this stands for angel because that’s how they view Dimesdale. Then when Dimesdale goes to leave he leaves his glove on the scaffold to symbolize he was there and that he should have been up there with Hester and his daughter in the first place. Then when you think everything is going to turn out okay and nothing bad is going to happen to Hester and Pearl, Dimesdale goes up on the scaffold. This worries Hester like it would anyone in her position. So Hester and Pearl join him again on the scaffold. Hester is wearing the Scarlet Letter like always and then Dimesdale shows his letter "A" that he inscribed over his heart. He has become very weak and his health just 2004-07-05T21:24:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-The-Scarlet-Letter-25421.aspx The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, contains many profound characters. The townspeople intrigue the reader because they gradually evolve throughout the book, as would any solitary character. In the beginning of the novel, they are generally rigid and judgmental towards Hester, because she has committed adultery. Throughout the novel, they slowly allow Hester and her daughter into their community, but still look at them with suspicion and doubt. Finally, in the end of The Scarlet Letter, the town forgives her of her sin, and she cautiously finds her place in society. Hawthorne uses the strict Puritan townspeople as a criterion by which all societies can be measured. The townspeople, as with any individual character, possess a certain depth that develops with knowledge. Readers generally characterize the Puritan Townspeople in The Scarlet Letter by their attitudes in the beginning of the novel. When Hester first walks into the scene, most of the townspeople are very harsh and strict in their religions. They believe that adultery is one of the worst sins possible. One unyielding woman says, "This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. Is there not law for it? Truly, there is, both in the Scripture and in the statutebook. Then let the magistrates, who have made it of no effect, thank themselves if their own wives and daughters go astray." Although a young woman and a righteous man try to intervene with the angry old women, their voices are never heard. Also, Hawthorne associates ugliness with wickedness; therefore, all of the stingy women are described as being very ugly. They regard her not as a fellow sinner but as a woman so evil that she must be ostracized from her "perfect" community. They view the scarlet letter that she wears upon her breast as a symbol of her atrocious crime of adultery and nothing more. The women in the beginning of the novel are so quick to pass judgment on others, yet they fail to recognize the sin in themselves. Once they realize this obstacle, the townspeople will become more understanding of Hester’s situation. Throughout the novel, the harsh Puritan townspeople begin to realize the abilities of Hester despite her past. Hester works selflessly and devotes herself to the wellbeing of others. "Hester sought not to acquire anything beyond a subsistence of the plainest and most ascetic description, for herself, and a simple abundance for her 2004-07-05T21:24:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Townspeople-25420.aspx Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, a dark tale of sin and redemption, centers around the small Puritan community of Boston during the seventeenth century. In the middle of the town market place is a " . . .weather darkened scaffold. . . (234)" where sinners are made to face the condemning public. The people standing on the scaffold experience strange phenomena while on the scaffold. Some become braver, some meeker. And whether the people are looking at them or not, they becomes their true selves on the scaffold. In essence, everything that is real and true occurs on the scaffold, and everything that is illusion or hypocrisy occurs everywhere else. The forest is also a setting where characters find the truth about themselves. Most settlers to the forest are people who are outsiders from society. They are untainted by the views of the townspeople and can see beyond the lies and hypocrisy of the townspeople. The experiences of the people on the scaffold and in the forest lend themselves to a higher issue, reality vs. perception. In the Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne shows how people create their own reality with what they see. The Scaffold is not only a high view point the in market place but a site where one can see beyond the restraints of town and even time. For one person, " . . . the scaffold of the pillory was the point of view that revealed to Hester Prynne the entire track which she had been treading since her happy infancy (p65)". The experience of the scaffold has a profound effect on Hester. Living on the border between the town and the forest, she learns new freedom while seeing the conformist repression of the town. Hester sees what the townspeople ignore. She soon believes that because of her punishment on the scaffold and her perpetual reminder of it, the scarlet letter, she sees the sins of the entire townspeople and the hypocrisy of keeping them secret. Thus, her time on the scaffold has made her see the truth of the town and its lies. Reverend Dimmesdale has a similar experience on the scaffold. Troubled by his sins and his failure to confess them, the reverend ascends the pillory in the dead of night to "confess" his sins to the world. Even though on one sees him, Dimmesdale feels " . . . all the dread of public exposure [that] 2004-07-05T21:24:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Reality-vs-Perception-25419.aspx "Only the man who has enough good in him to feel the justice of the penalty can be punished; the other can only be hurt." This is a very interesting quote, and depending what you make of it, it can be very confusing. To most people this quote might not mean anything, but you must read it and try to understand it. Though this quote can relate to a persons personality, it also might not relate to a person at all. All people are different and think differently than others. Almost everybody in the world has a different understanding of what is wrong and what is right, and also of what should be punished and what should not be punished. The quote "Only the man who has enough good in him to feel the justice of the penalty can be punished; the others can only be hurt," may have many meanings to many different people. To me this quote means that if a person does not know or does not believe that what they have done to be punished is bad, then the punishment will mean nothing to them. If the person thinks that they did nothing wrong, and thinks there is no reason for them to be punished, then the punishment will mean nothing to them. The person will gain nothing, they will gain no knowledge from their act or their punishment. There are a lot of reasons why people do not understand the concept of punishment in the world. People think very differently from others, therefore, people will have different beliefs of what is right and what is wrong. A person might consider one thing to be a wrong action and the need to be punished, while another person thinks the opposite. They might think it is not wrong and there is no need for punishment. If actions are not dealt with correctly, punishment will be of no use. People will become out of control and there will be nothing but chaos in the world we live in. This quote relates to the book, The Scarlet Letter, as well as all of its characters quite a bit. In fact the whole book, from what I have read, is mainly about punishment, while this quote is also about punishment. The main character of The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne, must deal with a major punishment for her actions. Hester Prynne realizes that what she 2004-07-05T21:23:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Punishment-25418.aspx Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter, felt that the Puritans were people who believed that the world was a place where the battle between good and evil was a never-ending one. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne uses the symbols of light and dark to depict this battle among the characters Hester Prynne, Pearl, and Roger Chillingworth. After Hester commits her sin, her beauty almost immediately vanishes into darkness. Her hair no longer hangs freely about her face, instead she ties it up in a bonnet. Hester is not perceived as an evil person, but her sin makes her "light" hide away. The sun is used as a descriptor of the goodness or pure nature of character. Because of her sin and the scarlet letter, Hester is no longer pure, therefore she is not seen in the sun. Hawthorne states, "It was only the darkened house that could contain her. When sunshine came again, she was not there." While on a walk to the forest, Pearl, Hester’s daughter states, "...the sunshine does not love you. it runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom." This is evidence that the scarlet letter itself may be the cause of Hester’s darkness. Pearl is the character most recognized for her presence in the sun. She is drawn to the sun, as the sun is drawn to her. While at the governor’s house, Pearl notices how brightly the sun shines through the windows. She requests that, "the sunshine be stripped off its front and given to her to play with." Hester responds by saying, "No my little Pearl. Thou must gather thine own sunshine. I have none to give thee!" Pearl has been seen as a character that always persists on knowing the truth. While in the forest Pearl wants to hear a story from Hester. She asks Hester if she has ever seen the Black Man. Hester replies that she has seen the Black Man once before. This suggests that the Black Man may be her husband, Roger Chillingworth. Roger Chillingworth is a character who is almost Satan-like. Chillingworth is described as the Black Man by Pearl and his own description of himself suggests that he is a fiend of some kind. When Chillingworth discovers that Dimmesdale was the father of Pearl, he taunts him and makes him feel more guilt than he already possesses. Hester feels guilty 2004-07-05T21:22:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Light-and-Darkness-25417.aspx The Scarlet Letter shows many types of sin. Some is only sin in the Puritan eye, some is internally blamed sin and some is sin only defined back in the time period of pre-Romanticism. Three main characters; Hester Prynne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth are the 'sinners' of the Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorn gives each one very different a consequence and remedy for each ones sin. Hester is publicly punished right away, Dimmesdale has to dwell on his sin for years and Chillingworth is punished abruptly when his sin comes to an end. Each punishment is different and holds its own lesson. Hester was forced into the marriage of a man she did not love, and after being separated for a long amount of time, she became attracted to another man. She then falls into a spell of passion with Reverend Dimmesdale. She then becomes pregnant with Dimmesdale's baby, obviously revealing her 'sin'. She is sent to the Scaffold to be mocked by all and is forced to reveal the father of the child. She refuses and then for her sins, received a scarlet letter, "A" which she had to wear upon her chest for the rest of her life in Boston. She wondered the streets and was given bitter looks from all. This was the Puritan way of punishing her for her then criminal action of adultery. The Scarlet Letter on her bosom does the exact opposite of that which it was meant for. Eventually, Hester upsets all the odds against here due to her courage, pride and effort. Hester goes beyond the letter of the law and does everything asked of her in order to prove that she is "able"(158). Hester, even though she was more appreciated by the Puritans, she still was not respected and her life was never the same. This eventually caused so much mental and physical anguish that she eventually questioned why she should live if it weren't for her Pearl. Pearl was a bundle of life sent from god to remind her of her wrong doing each and every moment and as a walking sermon to preach against sin for others. The symbolic Pearl helped Hester overcome her guilt. Hester becomes a highly respected person in a Puritan society by overcoming one of the harshest punishments, the scarlet letter. After Dimmesdale's passing away, she remains in the small Boston 2004-07-05T21:09:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Consequences-and-Remedies-of-Din-25416.aspx In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn the society of a Puritan town of Salem excludes anyone who is in any way deviant and renders that person sinful. However, the society, the townspeople themselves, is not without fault. However they try to conceal and contain their passions and all their faults because of their fear of exclusion. All the characters in the book that are excluded from society are the most "natural" and true and possess a second-sense perception and almost magical intuition. Hester Prynne's separation from the townspeople is both physical and mental. She is expelled from the town as an adulteress, and she goes to live with her illegitimate daughter to a cottage "not in close vicinity to any other habitation." (68) They are despised by the whole town. Even children throw stones at them and chase them down the street. People do not dare to come close to Hester because of the mark as an outcast. To the townspeople, Hester's character is something different and uncertain from the values that they are used to. "Wherever Hester stood, a small, vacant area - a sort of magic circle - had formed about her, into which ¦ none ventured, or felt disposed to intrude." (206) Hester is destined to forever wear a scarlet letter "A" on her chest - "A" for "adulteress" - a sign of her sin, shame and separation from the righteous people. However, by being separated from the Puritanical town of Salem and all its prejudices, Hester is able to look at the people objectively and see much she was not able to see before. "Walking to and fro, with those lonely footsteps, in the little world with which she was outwardly connected, it now and then appeared to Hester that [the scarlet letter] gave her a sympathetic knowledge of the hidden sin in other hearts. (73) The people of the town are so busy covering up their faults and hiding their human passions, that they cannot see their own or each other's faults. Hester, who wears her Cain's mark of exclusion openly, does not have to worry about the opinion of others, and gains an intuition - an insight into the hearts of the people who throw her out. Hester's mark of shame becomes a mark of being different, a mark of nonconformity. Many people interpret Hester's "A" as "Able" (141), for Hester's natural 2004-07-05T21:08:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Evil-and-the-Second-Sense-25415.aspx Appearance vs. Reality Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, a dark tale of sin and redemption, centres around the small Puritan community of Boston during the seventeenth century. Things and places in The Scarlet Letter are not always what they seem to be. There are major differences in the appearance of something to the actual meaning and significance it carries. In the middle of the town market is a "... weather-darkened scaffold. . ." (Hawthorne 234) where sinners are made to face the condemning public. The people standing on the scaffold experience strange phenomena while on it. Some become braver, some meeker. And whether the people are looking at them or not, they become their true self. In essence, everything that is real and true occurs on the scaffold, and everything that is illusion or hypocrisy occurs everywhere else. The forest is also a setting where characters find the truth about themselves. Most settlers to the forest are people who are outsiders from society. They are untainted by the views of the townspeople and can see beyond the lies and hypocrisy of the townspeople. The experiences of the people on the scaffold and in the forest lend themselves to a higher issue, appearance vs. reality. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne shows how people create their own reality with what they see. The Scaffold is not only a high view point the in market place but a site where one can see beyond the restraints of town and even time. For one person, " . . . the scaffold of the pillory was the point of view that revealed to Hester Prynne the entire track which she had been treading since her happy infancy…" (65). The experience of the scaffold has a profound effect on Hester. Living on the border between the town and the forest, she learns new freedom while seeing the conformist repression of the town. Hester sees what the townspeople ignore. She soon believes that because of her punishment on the scaffold and her perpetual reminder of it, the scarlet letter, she sees the sins of the entire towns’ and the hypocrisy of keeping them secret. Thus, her time on the scaffold has made her see the truth of the town and its lies. Reverend Dimmesdale has a similar experience on the scaffold. Troubled by his sins and his failure to confess them, the reverend ascends the pillory in the dead of 2004-07-05T21:07:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-Appearance-vs_-Reality-25414.aspx The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne expresses the aspects of relationships, religion, community, discipline and punishment in the puritan community of 17th century Boston. Relationships between men and women were very constrained and that is what made adultery such a bad sin in the eyes of everyone in the community. Religion seemed to govern over all, people would look up to reverends and the community believed that fate was their destiny. Public discipline and punishment were used to discourage everyone else from committing the same crime or sin as the offending "criminal" did. The community was to follow the beliefs of god and to do their duties the best they could, yet were there to criticize and punish all who disobeyed the religion or laws. In 17th century Boston every thing was very strict and everyone was expected to follow the laws, which makes Hester's sin such an excellent example of the beliefs of that time period. The first scaffold scene is very important because the scene sums up the beliefs of the general public at that time, and gives a prospective of what Hester Prynne must deal with. In the beginning of chapter two the scene is described as "it could have betokened nothing short of the anticipated execution of some noted culprit,"(47) showing that the whole town was there for a ruthless public punishment. The crowd was not there for an execution though, but there for a public punishment of Hester Prynne who had committed adultery. A townsman describes Hester's punishment to a stranger as, "they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only a space of three hours on the platform of the pillory, and then thereafter, for the remainder of her natural life, to wear a mark of shame upon her bosom."(58) This scene shows the weight of values and morals upon society in the 17th century and how public punishment was not only used as punishment but as a way to discourage others from committing the same crime. The community was key in this punishment because it helped alienate Hester and further her pain. The punishment brings forth Hester's underlying pain, "[Hester] sent forth a cry she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real."(55) This pain only breaks surface once, yet throughout the whole story Hester must 2004-07-05T21:07:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Scarlet-Letter-17th-century-Life-25413.aspx Stereotyping: Lord of The Flies, Romeo and Juliet Stereotyping is a delicate and often hurtful subject to deal with. People often categorize others to make themselves look better. Many different factors contribute to stereotyping such as: clothes, family/backgrounds, friends, etc. What stereotyping is usually explains why people stereotype. Once we know why stereotyping takes place we can usually find a way to prevent it. Stereotyping is found just about everywhere, including in novels such as Lord of the Flies and plays such as Romeo and Juliet. Stereotyping leaves a great repercussion on individuals as well as on society. Stereotyping is when we separate ourselves from others who are different from us. Stereotypes are impressions of entire groups of people. They are more powerful and dangerous than individual impressions because they involve the false assumption that all members of a group share the same characteristics. When you take a group of friends, or people that hang out together and automatically assume they are all alike, you are stereotyping them. You must consider peoples different personalities and traits to fully understand them and not judge them. Stereotyping is believing one similarity between different people automatically makes them one in the same. There are many reasons why we stereotype each other. One is usually to gain personal attention and to give off the impression that we are, in fact, normal. We also try to show that the person who is being stereotyped is not because they are, in our minds, different. People have somehow come to the conclusion that being different is, for some reason, wrong and to be normal you must draw attention away from your own flaws and attract attention to others. The clothes we wear, the way we do our hair, the people we hang out with, this all adds to our uniqueness. This diverseness should not be discriminating towards anyone. The way we do in school also adds to the list of stereotypes. Some kids feel they have to do poorly in order to avoid names such as "brain", "browner", or something that can be as complimenting as smart or intelligent. On the other hand, some kids would love to be as smart as others but can't allow themselves to ruin their reputation or waste time they could be with their friends to go in and get help after class. Nowadays, our intellect is sometimes a matter between popularity or 2004-07-05T20:54:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-of-The-Flies,-Romeo-and-Juliet-Stereotyping-25410.aspx The main character of the book is Mr. Bilbo Baggins. He is the Hobbit who led the Dwarves to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their treasure from the dragon named Smaug. Bilbo is middle aged and resides in a clean, warm burrow dug into the side of a hill. In the beginning of the story Bilbo is a very weak character. He is easily frightened, and very shy. One of his strengths though, is that he is of the mythical race called Hobbits. Hobbits are known for their skills in thievery and spying. There are two main characteristics of Hobbits that separate them from normal humans. One, Hobbits are very small. They only grow to reach the height of about three feet if they are lucky. Secondly, they have large feet that are covered at the tops by thick hair. This hair is used to keep the hobbit’s feet warm because they do not wear boots. Another characteristic of hobbits is that they normally don’t wish for any excitement or adventure. They thrive on repetition and dull activities such as gardening. Hobbits also love to eat. Bilbo’s favorite foods are: cake, bacon, sausage, eggs, wine, bread and any other fattening things that can be thought of. Some other important characters are as follows. Gandalf, he is the wizard that accompanies Bilbo and the dwarves on their quest. Thorin Oakenshield is son of the king of the dwarves who were driven from the Lonely Mountain. Smaug is the dragon of the Lonely Mountain who hordes the treasure he stole. Gollum is a slimy creature that was born a Hobbit but had the ring too long; this is the character that Bilbo steals the ring from. Bard is the archer that kills Smaug. Bilbo is the main character of the story and also the narrator. The main conflict of the story line is Bilbo vs. Himself. Bilbo has to overcome his fears of dragons and other creatures in order to carry out his part of the mission. Another conflict is the whole party vs. Smaug. The party of dwarves along with Bilbo and Gandalf, have to be able to destroy the dragon in order to claim their so deserved treasure. Bilbo completes this task by finding the dragon’s weak spot and relaying the location to an archer in Lake Town. Both of these conflicts are won by the end of the story. The 2004-07-05T20:45:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Hobbit-a-Book-Review-25408.aspx The Hidden Story in Green and White Color symbolism is really popular in novels written during the 1920's. One such example is Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. There is much color symbolism in this novel, but there are two main colors that stand out more than the others. The colors green and white influence the story greatly. Green shows many thoughts, ideas, attitudes, and choices that Gatsby has throughout the story. White represents the stereotypical façade that every character is hiding behind. The color green, as it is used in the novel, symbolizes different choices the character, Gatsby, can make during his life. The green element in this novel is taken from the green light at the end of the dock near Daisy's house. The color itself represents serenity, as in everything is perfect. This warns Gatsby that he should not pursue his dream for getting Daisy back, because his chance has passed and everything is as it should be. This is shown with Nick's insight, "...His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him... (Pg.189)" Another symbolization of the color green, which contradicts the first, is the meaning "go." As in a traffic light signal, most people associate green with the word and action "go." This can be interpreted as meaning Gatsby should go for his dream without hesitation. It implies that Gatsby and Daisy are meant to be together and nothing should stop Gatsby from his destined happiness and love with Daisy. It inspires hope for Gatsby that he is on the right path, heading towards the best years of his life. He believes that things will soon be as they once were, only better. ""I'm going to fix everything just the way they were before," he said nodding determinedly. "She'll see."(Pg. 117.)" The last symbolization the color green has in this novel is an urge to strive ahead in life, to do better in life and succeed. Gatsby changes his entire persona for a better, more sociable, image and status. He is constantly striving to be a more successful figure in society. Ever since he was a boy he put himself on a schedule with hopes for becoming a highly respected, well-known person. "He knew he had a big future in front of him. (Pg. 181)," his dad says about him. 2004-07-05T20:44:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-The-Great-Gatsby-25407.aspx There is a fine line between love and lust. If love is only a will to possess, it is not love. To love someone is to hold them dear to one's heart. In The Great Gatsby, the characters, Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan are said to be in love, but in reality, this seems to be a misconception. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald portrays the themes of love, lust and obsession, through the character of Jay Gatsby, who confuses lust and obsession with love. By the end of the novel however, Jay Gatsby is denied his "love" and suffers an untimely death. The author interconnects the relationships of the various prominent characters to support these ideas. The character of Jay Gatsby was a wealthy business man, who the author developed as arrogant and tasteless. Gatsby's love interest, Daisy Buchanan, was a subdued socialite who was married to the dim witted Tom Buchanan. She is the perfect example of how women of her level of society were supposed to act in her day. The circumstances surrounding Gatsby and Daisy's relationship kept them eternally apart. For Daisy to have been with Gatsby would have been forbidden, due to the fact that she was married. That very concept of their love being forbidden, also made it all the more intense, for the idea of having a prohibited love, like William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, made it all the more desirable. Gatsby was remembering back five years to when Daisy was not married and they were together: His heart began to beat faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips' touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete. His memory of her is sweet and beautiful so that even without saying it, it is obvious that he was, and possibly is still, in love with her. He remembered the past and convinced himself that it could be like that once again. He became delusional with love, and was blinded by it. Because Daisy was married, it was impossible for she and Gatsby to 2004-07-05T20:44:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Love-Lust-and-Obsession-25406.aspx Our great cities and our mighty buildings will avail us not if we lack spiritual strength to subdue mere objects to the higher purposes of humanity" (Harnsberger 14), is what Lyndon B. Johnson had to say about materialism. He knew the value of money, and he realized the power and effect of money. Money can have many effects, however money cannot buy happiness. Many people disbelieve this fact, and many continue to try and actually buy articles that make them happy. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Fizgerald keenly shows us how Jay Gatsby is one of these people. Gatsby believes that if he has money, he can do attain great goals. Gatsby is a sensible man, yet he has many false conceptions. Jay Gatsby believes that money can recreate the past, can buy him happiness, and can be helpful in achieving a level of prestige in the prominent East Egg. Jay Gatsby believes he can buy happiness; and this is exhibited through his house, his clothes, and through Daisy. He owns a large portion of finances due to some mysterious source of wealth, and he uses this mystery source to buy his house, his clothes, and Daisy. Gatsby's house, as Fitzgerald describes it, is "a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool and more than forty acres of lawn and garden" (Fitzgerald 9). This house, as Fitzgerald fabulously enlightens to, is an immaculate symbol of Gatsby's incalculable income. "The house he feels he needs in order to win happiness" (Bewley 24), is an elegant mansion; that of which an excellent symbol of carelessness is displayed and is part of Gatsby's own persona. Every Monday after a party, this house is kept by eight servants. It has its own entrance gate, and is big enough to hold hundreds of people at a time. His careless use for money to impress others is portrayed through his clothes; a gold metallic hat, silver vests and gold jackets. The shirts and clothes that are ordered every spring and fall show his simpleness in expressing his wealth to his beloved Daisy. His "beautiful shirts . . . It makes me sad because I've never seen such beautiful shirts before" (Fitzgerald 98). It seems silly to cry over simple shirts, but "It 2004-07-05T20:43:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-Buying-the-American-Dream-25405.aspx The Giver is about a boy named Jonas who lives in the future in an almost perfect community. Jonas is chosen to be the person who carries all the memories of the past, given to him by the giver. It is by Lois Lowry. There are many good and bad things in the Giver. Some good things are that hardly anyone gets hurt. When people do get hurt they take a pill and the pain goes right away. No one ever breaks bones or anything. There are no criminals, and there are no locks on any homes or buildings. Another good thing is that everyone knows who everyone else is and it's a very small community with only a few hundred people. There are hardly ever any visitors from outside the community. Sometimes kids from other communities go play with the kids in the book's community. All the people are provided with homes, jobs, and food. A bad thing about the giver's community is release. When a person breaks a major rule, is too old, or isn't right as a baby they get released. Release is killing. In the book there are twins and the smaller one has to be released. His father turned and opened the cupboard. He took out a syringe and a small bottle. Very carefully he inserted the needle into the bottle and began to fill the syringe with a clear liquid. Jonas winced sympathetically. He had forgotten that newchildren had to get shots. He hated shots himself, though he knew they were necessary. To his surprise, his father began very carefully to direct the needle into the top of the newchild's forehead, puncturing the place where the fragile skin pulsed. The newborn squirmed and wailed faintly "Why's he-" "Shhh," The giver said sharply. His father was talking, and Jonas realized that he was hearing the answer to the question he had started to ask. Still in the special voice, his father was saying, "I know, I know. It hurts, little guy. But I have to use a vein, and the veins in your arm are still too teeny-weeny." He pushed the plunger very slowly, injecting the liquid into the scalp vein until the syringe was empty. "All done. ! That wasn't so bad, was it?" Jonas heard his father say cheerfully. He turned aside and dropped the syringe into a waste receptacle. Now he cleans 2004-07-05T20:41:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Giver-Overview--25404.aspx Conscience is the awareness of right and wrong. In the Crucible, the idea of conscience in strongly emphasized. Miller himself said, "No critic seemed to sense what I was after [which was] the conflict between a man’s raw deeds and his conception of himself; the question of whether conscience is in fact an organic part of the human being, and what happens when it is handed over not merely to the state or the mores of the time but to one’s friend or wife." The idea of conscience in the play The Crucible is based very much on Christian concepts, firstly the idea of morality, or conscience of right and wrong, secondly the idea of the confession of sin, and finally the idea of guilt and penance for sins. Conscience, then, as an issue of morality, is defined very clearly at the start of the play. "…a minister is the Lord’s man in the parish; a minister is not to be so lightly crossed and contradicted" says Parris in Act One. Here it is established that theologically the minister, in this case, Parris, is supposed to be the ultimate decider of morality in Salem. The Church, in theocratic Massachusetts, defines conscience. Right and wrong is decided by authority, and the authority here is the Church. Law is based on the doctrines of the Church, and Salem is a theocracy. "For good purposes, even high purposes, the people of Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together, and to prevent any kind of disunity…but all organization is and must be grounded on the idea of exclusion and prohibition, just as two objects cannot occupy the same space. Evidently the time came in New England when the repressions of order were heavier than seemed warranted by the dangers against which the order was organized." So firstly Salem was a place where the conscience of the people was strictly governed by the theocracy, and socially Salem was repressive. However, at the start of the book, we see that the people of Salem have already begun to strain under this strict idea of conscience, this repression. Abigail says to John, "I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretence Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught 2004-07-05T20:41:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Conscience-25403.aspx Throughout society and throughout literature, vulnerable communities under certain conditions can be easily taken advantage of by a person or group of people presumed innocent. In the play, "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller, there are three main factors that allowed the girls fallacious stories to be believed: Salem’s flawed court system, its lack of diversity in beliefs and religion, and the lack of a strong leader in the town. Although Abigail and the girls initiated the accusations, the responsibility lies with the entire community. It was the deterioration of Salem's social structure that precipitated the murders of many innocent people. The church, legal system and the togetherness of the community fell just to protect social status. Salem’s flawed court system was chiefly responsible. Under their courts, denial was considered a terrible sin. The narrow mindedness of the court possessed an unwritten law that if a name was brought out within the court, without any questioning, that person was presumed guilty. In this system, innocence is not taken into consideration, and the court is convinced they are right only if the victim confesses. There is no hearing for the victim, and even if they are truly innocent, they are only left with two options: They have the choice of denial, which will lead to their execution; or confessing, which gets them thrown into jail. To prove that all these people were actually guilty also played a part in lengthening the tragedy. Herrick, Cheever and Danforth are all full of their own importance and strictness of the court. They ask question after question to each victim until the defendant breaks down and confesses to save their life. Hale, a person who was brought in from out of town to ward off the evil spirits, began to realize the victims’ innocence towards the end. However, he knew the strictness of the court: "Though our hearts break, we cannot flinch, these are new times." Another contributing factor was the fact that everyone in the town had the same beliefs. The fact that they were isolated from all other groups of people with different beliefs created a church-led Puritan society that was unable to handle change. The reputation of a family was very important to the members of the community. When the girls were caught dancing in the woods, they lied to protect not just themselves but the reputation of their families. When caught, they 2004-07-05T20:40:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-The-Hidden-Reasons-for-Salem-Accepting-Abagai-25402.aspx Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, is a great portrayal of humans and their inner struggles. This play takes place in the 1690’s in a small Puritan community based on a rigid social system. An outbreak of rumors claiming witchcraft contaminated this small village. This caused conflict among the people of name and ultimately resulted in absolute chaos. This play clearly illustrates the self-battles of three characters. Reverend Hale’s battle is initiated by his personal commitment to God. He is a deeply religious man who was unrelenting in his quest for the devil. Originally, Hale believed that there was witchcraft in the town and wanted to drive it out. However as the play develops, Hale witnesses sincere and respectable townspeople being sentenced and hung. He learns that what is being done is definitely wrong and here begins his inner turmoil. With scrutiny, he looks at himself and tries to figure out which way to go. Should he continue with what he is doing and listen to Danforth or should he listen to his conscience? He does try a feeble attempt to talk to Danforth and explain how their actions are unjust, but again, his inner struggle pulls him back to a more moderate stand. Hale then decides to persuade the wrongly accused to confess witchcraft. At least this will save them from death by hanging. He preaches perjury to the people, even though this is also against their religion. Hale’s principles were ridden with guilt and sadness because of his struggle with himself. John Proctor a farmer and village commoner is similarly faced with an inner turmoil. He has committed adultery with Abigail while his wife was sick. He was fully aware of his immoral actions and the enormity of the problem. Once he though this problem has vanished, it came back to slap him in the face. Abigail decided to call John’s wife, Goody, a witch, this in turn spurs conflict and anger among the townspeople. Proctor then gets involved in these witch trials and claims to be with the devil. His inner struggle is whether or not to tell the truth or fake a confession to save his own life. He is confused as to which way to go and his main obstacle is his pride. John later states" My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man."(136) He would rather confess than die as a martyr for 2004-07-05T20:40:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Inner-Struggles-25401.aspx Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, and the movie with the same name have many differences and similarities, all of which contribute to the individual effectiveness of each in conveying their central message. There are several additions and variances in the movie. First of all, the scene where the children and Tituba are dancing in the forest is never seen in the forest; we simply learn of it from dialogue. This scene was most probably added in the movie for a dramatic effect: foreshadowing. Along the same lines, there are many scenes included in the movie that are outdoors, however; there were no such scenes in the play. All of the action in the play was indoors. The director, in this case, was simply using the advantages of movie making. It is difficult to replicate an outdoors scene in a theatre. Also, some of the techniques used when filming outdoors create a symbolic message. A portion of the scenes before the beginning of the witchcraft trials is seen in a downpour of rain, possibly foreshadowing doom and dreariness to come. There were some scenes added or adapted in the movie as opposed to the play. First, the large group of "stricken" girls, which indeed had a greater number than did the group in the play, left the church meeting at the beginning of the movie to see about Betty's condition. Betty seemed to be much more violent in the movie and she tried to jump out of the window, which did not occur in the play. These details were most likely added to augment the idea of "mass hysteria." A scene was added in the movie, showing the hangings and cheers of the crowd watching, also to add to that effect. Next, Tituba was not whipped into confession in the play, whereas she was in the movie. This was most indefinitely added to show that the profession was typically not made willingly. One had to be forced one way or another into confessing, to save their skin or their life. Also, around the time of this scene is one where Abigail and John Proctor have a conversation. In the movie, Abigail kisses John Proctor and he throws her off of him, which did not occur in the play. This was no doubt inserted to show the audience that Abigail was oddly and obsessively lusting over the man while he was making a sincere attempt 2004-07-05T20:40:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-Comparing-Play-and-Movie-25400.aspx Authur Miller's play, The Crucible, is about the persecution of persons falsely accused of being witches in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. Many people die in the village after a series of lies and unjust practices. Abigail Williams, after having had an affair with a married man, begins this cycle of lies and accusations in an attempt to get her lover back. Her character includes both superiority and resentment throughout the play. Miller shows Abigail's superiority as complex from the beginning. When all of the talk about witchcraft troubles her uncle, Abigail thinks she should be the authority. When she says, "Uncle, the rumor of witchcraft is all about; I think you'd best go down and deny it yourself," (9) she is showing her knowledge of social situations and giving her uncle, who is much older the she, advice. Abigail also thinks of herself as superior to the natives of Barbados. When her uncle discusses her work for the Proctors, she says that "they want slaves, not such as I. Let them send to Barbados for any of them!" (12). She is prejudiced against these people and her remarks reveal her snobbishness. Finally, Abigail's snobbish character is apparent through her statements to John Proctor about his wife Elizabeth. She says, "Oh, I marval how such a strong man [can be with] such a sickly wife" (23). Abigail obviously thinks highly of herself: she is worthy of Proctor's love, but Elizabeth is not. Abigail shows a character of superiority by her authoritative, prejudiced, and snobbish remarks. Abigail Williams also shows a tinge of resentment in the play. When Mary Warren confesses that the witchcraft is only pretend, Abigail is angry. She accuses Mary of being a witch, too. Abigail's resentment of her friend's betrayel causes her to seek revenge. After Abigail's brief affair with John Proctor, she can not accept the fact that the relationship has ended. She says, "I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart!...You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!" (24). This desperation causes her to resent both Proctor and his wife. The resentment leads to revenge when she accuses Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft. Her resentment deepens when Proctor tells the court about their affair. Abigail's resentment is apparent through her words and her actions. Authur Miller's development of Abigail William's character in The Crucible greatly 2004-07-05T20:39:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Crucible-A-Harsh-Reality-25399.aspx Reminisce of the days of being a child. What comes to mind? Romping through the forest, connected to nature? Feeling free and innocent? Basically, what society views childhood to be? Well, guess what; childhood can be hell! Unfortunately, many children have horrible childhoods, suffering from abusive parents. Bad childhood stems from bad parents. Every ten seconds go by, and a parent abuses his child. Acts of rebellion, loss of self-esteem, lack of confidence-all factors are the results from a child being abused. Sadly, sometimes society ignores that aspect. Luckily, literature differs from other mediums in that it can express thoughts and emotional more effectively. Alice Walker's The Color Purple and William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury depict two girls going through a bad childhood. Celie and Caddy experience abuse from their parents, which causes Caddy and Celie to have emotion difficulties in their adult life. Caddy's parents never beat her or sexually molest her; she suffers from psychological neglect, which many people do not see as a type of abuse. Psychological neglect includes the lack of emotional support and love, or the parents never attend to the child. Neither Mr. Compson nor Mrs. Compson says, "I love you" to Caddy; they do not show any type of emotional support. The father is a booze-drinking-could-care-less-life-is-a-bitch-then-you-die type of person, and the mother is a neurotic, whining bitch. Guilty as charged. No personal relationship exists between Caddy and her father; Mr. Compson is not there for his daughter. Can a relationship be established with a man who believes women "have an affinity for evil for supplying whatever the evil lacks in itself for drawing it about them instinctively... until the evil has served it's purpose whether it existed or no" (110)? He sees women as evil and subordinate. Whereas most fathers would be outraged, Mr. Compson disregards Caddy's promiscuity. To him, Caddy's promiscuity is natural, human absurdity. Her integrity is none of his concern. When a father fusses at his misguided child, it is a sign of caring; he is fusses to improve his child. Mr. Compson does nothing; he does not care, leaving Caddy neglected. Caddy's mother is no better than her father is. A girl needs her mother; a mother is the only one a girl can turn to sometimes. However, Mrs. Compson is not the mother that a girl can always rely on. Mrs. Compson either makes negative comments 2004-07-05T20:38:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Color-Purple-Childhood-25398.aspx What is a perfect human? Human perfection may be measured by physical ability or intellectual achievement; however, it may also be measured by strength of character, and in this realm humans may often fall short. Weakness of character, shown through various character flaws, causes most of the hardships in life. Literature such as Shakespeare's Macbeth and Alison Walker's The Color Purple contain three levels of characters: setting characters, secondary characters and the main character. Combined, these three all contribute character flaws which leads to the novel or play's ultimate tragedy. The setting character appears in the beginning of a piece of literature to give one a feel and sense of how the piece will reach out to the reader. King Duncan sets the atmosphere in Macbeth when we see different characters take advantage of his character flaw, naivete. Immediately we begin to see some of the major themes such as betrayal and manipulation and know what direction the play will take. King Duncan's naivete is first shown when we find out that the former Thane of Cawdor has betrayed King Duncan and that he did not have any idea of it. This incident then prepares us for King Duncan's meeting with Lady Macbeth, where Lady Macbeth deceives King Duncan. We know Lady Macbeth is not loyal, yet he considers her his "honour'd hostess.../Which still [he] thank[s] and love[s]" (I. vi. 9-12). Once again when naive King Duncan puts his trust into the hands of disloyal Macbeth by making him Thane of Cowdar, the atmosphere and plot advances by making Macbeth's future plans possible. Celie's mother, in the beginning of the novel The Color Purple, is a very small but effective setting character. Her character flaw was irresponsible parenting because she did not protect her daughter. With this lack of protection, Celie did not have any female role models when she was growing up. Therefore, Celie was not able to become knowledgeable about life and have good female company. Another effect this flaw had on the protagonist was that she had no one to teach her how to understand herself. Celie was unable to realize all of the wonderful qualities of being and becoming a woman. Because she could not appreciate being a woman, she was unable to appreciate herself, and therefore had a lack of self confidence. Celie was also not taught her rights, both as a female and as 2004-07-05T20:38:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Color-Purple-Compared-to-Macbeth-25397.aspx When Edgar Allan Poe wrote "The Black Cat" in 1843, the word "paranoia" was not in existence. The mental illness of paranoia was not given its name until the twentieth century. What the narrator is suffering from would be called paranoia today. The definition of paranoia is psychosis marked by delusions and irrational decisions. This definition could best be described in the nineteenth century as being superstitious and believing that supernatural powers are affecting our decisions. Superstition and being taken over by the supernatural is a recurring metaphor for paranoia in Poe’s story. At first, the narrator of the story is very caring and loves animals; being with animals is "one of [his] principal sources of pleasure" (346). The narrator’s favorite pet is his large entirely black cat named Pluto. The narrator’s wife "made frequent allusion[s] to the ancient popular notion" that black cats were associated with bad luck, evil, witches, and the devil. Poe’s protagonist does not accept this superstition. People still associate black cats with bad luck, evil, witches, and the devil, so this foreshadows that something bad will happen in the story. The cat’s name, Pluto, increases the assumption that the narrator will have bad luck. In Greek mythology, Pluto was the god of the dead and ruler of the underground. The symbolism of the cat’s name can be used to show that in some way the cat will be involved with death. When the narrator returned home after a night of drinking and noticed that Pluto was avoiding him, he went on a search for it. Upon finding and grabbing Pluto, the narrator is bitten in the hand by the cat. Because of this bite, "the fury of a demon instantly possessed" the man, and he "knew [himself] no longer" (347). Since the black cat, associated with evil, bit the narrator, he now has evil inside of him. After this attack, the narrator first shows signs of mental illness. His saying he ‘knew himself no longer’ and that his soul has "take[n] its flight from [his] body" implies that he is not in control of his body and an outside power, the supernatural, is (347). After the attack, the narrator took out his pocketknife and stabbed the cat in the eye, an irrational decision showing the increasing severity of his illness. One day the narrator took his cat outside and tied a rope around its neck. He 2004-07-05T20:37:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Black-Cat-25396.aspx In Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Black Cat," symbolism is used to show the narrator’s capacity for violence, madness, and guilt. "The Black Cat," written by Edgar Allan Poe serves as a reminder for all of us. The Capacity for violence and horror lies within each of us, no matter how docile and humane our disposition might appear. In this story, the narrator portrays a man who is fond of animals, had a tender heart, and is happily married. Within several years of his marriage, his general temperament and character make a radical alteration for the worse. He grows moodier, more irritable, and more inconsiderate of the feelings of others. This change for the worse caused by alcohol, ends in the narrator’s waiting on death row for the murder of his wife. The symbolism of the first black cat(Pluto), the second black cat, and the white spot illustrate the narrator’s expanding capacity for evil and perverseness. The most important symbol of the story is the first black cat. The first black cat is symbolic of the narrator’s evil heart and there are many ways one can prove this. Black cat one started out in the story as the narrator’s favorite pet and playmate named Pluto,which is the name of the God of the Underworld. And one night, after returning home much intoxicated the narrator’s love for the pet seem to fade away. That night in which the narrator is intoxicated, black cat one avoided him. This bothered the narrator to the point where he would pick up the cat and frighten it. Afraid of his master, the cat slightly wounded the narrator on the hand with his teeth. Because of the cats reaction to his picking him up, the narrator pokes out one of the cat’s eye. The eye of the cat which is poked out by the narrator is symbolic of the narrator not wanting the cat to get a clear perception of his evil heart. Then suddenly on one morning the narrator hung black cat one by a noose from a tree. The hanging of the first black cat is symbolic of the narrator’s not being able to except love. And finally the archetypal symbol associated with black cat one is its color, black. One obviously knows that black cat one is symbolic of evil because of its color, black. The color black is associated with the well known superstition 2004-07-05T20:37:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Black-Cat-Symbolism-25395.aspx In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops criticism of society by contrasting Huck and Jim’s life on the river to their dealings with people on land. Twain uses the adventures of Huck and Jim to expose the hypocrisy, racism, and injustices of society. Throughout the book hypocrisy of society is brought out by Huck's dealings with people. Miss Watson, the first character, is displayed as a hypocrite by Huck "Pretty soon I wanted to smoke, and asked the widow to let me. But she wouldn’t. …And she took snuff too; of course that was all right, because she done it herself" (Twain 8). Huck did not understand why she does not want him to smoke, "That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they don't know nothing about it" (Twain 8). When Huck encounters the Grangerfords and Shepardsons he describes Colonel Grangerford as, " …a gentleman, you see. He was a gentleman all over; and so was his family"(Twain 86). On Sunday when Huck goes to church he sees the hypocriticalism of the families, "The men took their guns along, …The Shepardsons done the same. I t was pretty ornery preaching-all about brotherly love, and such-like…" (Twain 90). Huck with his anti-society attitude, you would presume that he would have no problem in helping Jim. Yet he fights within himself about turning over Jim to the authorities, by this action within Huck shows that he must have feelings that slavery is correct so that the racial bigotry of the time may be seen. This decision for Huck is monumental even though he makes it on the spot. He has in a way decided to turn his back on everything that "home" stands for, this allows us to leave our thought of bigotry behind and begin to see Jim for what he really is a man. Huck’s attitude for Jim is racist which is seen when he decides to play a trick on Jim during their voyage. After Huck plays his trick his attitude toward Jim begins to change, "It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn't ever sorry for it afterward, neither" (Twain 72). The dialogue throughout the book between Huck and Jim illustrates that Jim is more than property and that he is a human 2004-07-05T20:33:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Adventures-of-Huckleberry-Finn-Society-And-The-River-25394.aspx Many readers of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles believe that Alec, logically, is Tess's opposition throughout the novel. Often, readers lose perspective of not only the negative impact Angel has on Tess's life, but also the positive effort put forth by Alec. It seems that in the later portion of the novel, Angel and Alec exchange roles. Regardless of this trend, one must recognize the fact that both men add to the turmoil in her life and push her to make decisions that will result in her demise. Initially, Alec is clearly Tess's antagonist. Alec robs Tess of her youth and idealism in the act of raping her. The chain of events, which are set off by Alec's actions, devastates Tess. The naive Tess, with child, sets off for home. She must go to work to support her family and baby. Soon the baby grows sick and dies. Alec later insinuates that Tess's home setting was not good enough for his child and that it was the cause of the little one's illness. This adds even more guilt and confusion to her life that she finds hard to handle when confronted with this "monster" from her past. Alec is bluntly contrasted with Tess's "savior" Angel. In the beginning, Hardy's character Angel seems to be exclusively a part of the novel to end Tess's suffering. Their meetings of fate at the novel's open, and then later, seem to make the reader believe that the two were meant for each other. She does fall deep in love with Angel despite her loathing surrounding men. With several life lessons learned from her encounter with Alec, Tess is reluctant to fall truly give of herself to Angel, but she realizes to give herself up, is to receive love. Angel shows her that love is not something forced or stolen. He is just a nice guy all around. Knowing Hardy's belief of fate allows a reader to quickly realize the story's outcome. Tess's trails inevitably are lost and she is ruined. Her life's foundation begins to crumble when she tells Angel about her experience with Alec. Not being equipped to deal with this, Angel flees the situation and the marriage. He says, "You were one person; now you are another… (I loved) another woman in your shape." This shows the reader that Angel's love was in no way genuine, and he, in fact, distanced himself from 2004-07-05T20:31:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tess-of-the-d-Ubervilles-Man-s-Suppression-25393.aspx The belief that the order of things is already decided and that people's lives are determined by this "greater power" is called fate. Many people, called fatalists, believe in this and that they have no power in determining their futures. Despite this, many others believe that coincidence is the only explanation for the way their lives and others turn out. Thomas Hardy portrays chance and coincidence as having very significant roles in "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" continuously. Three such coincidences were quite influential and had large effects on Tess's future. The first being that Tess Durbeyfield's father, discovered that their family came from the oldest, (and at one time) most wealthiest family in England. Another event that occurs by mere chance in Tess's life is when Tess slips a letter of confession underneath both her lover's door and (by accident) the carpet, where he could not see it. The final coincidence would be the death of Tess's father, which not only leaves Tess in a state of deprivation, but also the rest of her family including her mother and six siblings. All of these coincidences had consequences that would change Tess's life. For the first sixteen years of her life, Tess Durbeyfield and her family lived in a middle-class-like situation in the town of Marlott. Since her father, was a life-holder on the cottage in which they lived, his rank was above the farm laborers. However, John Durbeyfield is not in good health when we meet him and he does not put much interest in working, and instead spends time drinking. Upon returning to his home one evening, Durbeyfield meets a man named Parson Tringham who tells him that the Durbeyfield family is the "lineal representative of the ancient and knightly family of the d'Urbervilles, who . . . came from Normandy with William the Conqueror."(p. 18) This news suddenly changes Durbeyfield's view on his family's lifestyle and he decides that they should be living as their knightly and noble ancestors once did. With this new lifestyle in mind for his family, John's wife, Joan Durbeyfield recalls that a man by the name of d'Urberville lives not far from their home and might be able to help them in their hard times, seeing as how he is kin to them. After the death of their only horse, the Durbeyfield family must do something to sustain themselves, but Mr. Durbeyfield refuses to sell 2004-07-05T20:30:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tess-of-the-d-Urbervilles-Coincidences-Led-to-Consequences-25392.aspx Zola’s La Débcle, first planned in 1868, was the penultimate chapter in Les Rougon-Macquart. Warfare was something Zola had always meant to give full play in Les Rougon-Macquart, and his 1868 scheme had provided for "a novel that will have the military world as its framework…; an episode in [Napoleon III’s] Italian campaign." But after the calamitous Franco-Prussian War, this installment acquired special significance. What had originally been envisaged as one tale among others came to be seen as the denouncement of the entire saga. Zola decided almost immediately to recount in La Débcle not only the virtual annihilation of half the Army of the Rhine but the bungled opportunities, political maneuvers, and missed cues that brought about this disaster. The two-month Paris Commune ensued when the Republicans of Paris staged a bloodless revolution and proclaimed the establishment of the Third Republic shortly after this fall of the Loius Napoleon. As far as Marx was concerned, he felt that at the Commune was merely "the rising of a city under exceptional conditions and its majority was in no wise socialist nor could it be." However Marx emphasised that its "great social measure…was its own existence." In this essay I will discuss La Débcle, and Zola’s apparent lecturing tone. For while Zola exposed many social sores he had never previously attempted to put forward ideas for healing them. I will discuss how Zola felt that it was not the Prussians who brought down the Second Empire, but the corrupt society of France, and its epicentre, Paris. This will bring me onto the Paris Commune, where I will introduce Marx’s theories into the fold. The research and documentation carried out in preparation for La Débcle was immensely in depth, and although overburdened with the sheer weight of the documentary material, Zola took great care not to lose sight of the individual in the vast panorama. Conscious of the danger of having the two armies emerge as his heroes, he constructed the novel in such a way as to protect the individuality of several dozen characters through whose eyes the action would be seen : "each character represents one état d’me psychologique of the France of the day" . He did this by ascribing to each of these characters a national trait: the pleasure-seeking France, the despairing France, France the volatile enthusiast, France doomed to disaster. "These characters would thus symbolize types who, by their 2004-07-05T20:29:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tales-of-the-New-Babylon-25391.aspx Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a great epic written in fourteenth century Europe by the Pearl poet, emphasizes the opposition of Christian love to Courtly love in the 13th century through the dilemma of Sir Gawain, one of the great knights of the Arthurian round table. By examining the women in the poem, Gawain’s dilemma becomes a metaphor for the contrast of these two distinct types of love. The poem looks upon the Virgin Mary as the representative of spiritual love, obedience, chastity, and life (Warner 9). In contrast, Morgan le Fay and Bertilak’s wife appear to be representing courtly love, disobedience, lust and death. This conflict between courtly love and spiritual love demonstrates the drastically weakened religious values behind chivalry. An interesting parallel to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the story of original sin in the Garden of Eden. Gawain’s temptation correlates to the temptation of Adam, which is rooted in the sins of the flesh. The women in the story seem to accentuate the downfall of Gawain, which mirrors the downfall of Arthur’s court, as well as man’s fall from grace in the garden. Originally, the first duty of a knight was to be at the service of his church. However, with the rise of courtly love, knights began to give their devotion to their mistress rather than God. This elevated the church’s mistrust of women and the flesh. The characterization of Bertilak’s wife is not unlike that of Eve, a temptress who would bring both happiness and despair to her man. One interesting twist to this story is that, like courtly love, possession of power seems to be shifted into the hands of the women. The wife of Bertilak operates unassisted against Gawain in the bedroom as the hunter and the aggressor. The great feminine power in the story, however, comes from Morgan le Fay, the evil stepsister of Arthur. She is strong enough to move into Bertilak’s castle, turn him green and order him to walk and talk with a severed head. The Virgin Mary also plays a prominent role in the tale. It seems as if Mary and Gawain have a relationship based on a special untainted Christian love. That Gawain is Mary’s knight is made clear in the scene where he is robed for battle. "That all his force was founded on the five joys that the high Queen of heaven 2004-07-05T20:28:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sir-Gawain-amp-The-Green-Knight-Women-CourtlyLove-Creati-25389.aspx In the fourteenth century, chivalry was in decline due to drastic social and economic changes. Although feudalism-along with chivalry-would eventually fall for other reasons, including a decrease in cheap human resources due to a drop in population caused by plague epidemics and the emergence of a mercantile middle class, the Gawain author perceived a loss of religious values as the cause of its decline. Gawain and the Green Knight presents both a support of the old feudal hierarchies and an implicit criticism of changes by recalling chivalry in its idealized state in the court of King Arthur. The women in the story are the poet's primary instruments in this critique and reinforcement of feudalism. The poet uses the contrast between the Virgin Mary with Lady Bertilak's wife to point out the conflict between courtly and spiritual love that he felt had weakened the religious values behind chivalry. The poem warns that a loss of the religious values behind chivalry would lead to its ultimate destruction. Although superficially Sir Gawain and the Green Knight appears to be a romantic celebration of chivalry, it contains wide-ranging serious criticism of the system. The poet is showing Gawain's reliance on chivalry's outside form and substance at the expense of the original values of the Christian religion from which it sprang. The first knights were monastic ones, vowing chastity, poverty and service to God, and undertaking crusades for the good of their faith. The divergence between this early model and the fourteenth century knight came with the rise of courtly love in which the knights were led to their great deeds by devotion to a mistress rather than God. The discrepancy between this and the church's mistrust of women and desires of the flesh is obvious, and the poet uses women in the story to deliver this message. In contrast to reality at the time, women in the story are given great power: Mary, when properly worshiped, gives Gawain his power, Lady Bertilak operates alone in the bedroom and singlehandedly taints the chevalier, and Morgan the Fay instigates the entire plot, wielding enough power. The author is using them as a metaphor for other anti-social forces and dangers outside the control of feudalism and chivalry, drawing upon biblical and classical examples in his audience's minds of where femininity is linked with subversiveness. Lady Bertilak is clearly seen in the Biblical role of the temptress, the 2004-07-05T20:26:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sir-Gawain-and-the-Green-Knight-The-Role-of-Women-25388.aspx In stanza 74, fit III, the lady of the castle offers a magical, green girdle to Sir Gawain and explains to him that the wearer of this corset "cannot be killed by any cunning on earth." Sir Gawain, amidst an ethical dilemma, accepts the gift and chooses to conceal it from Lord Bertilak. This passage contains three of the main themes of the story – the inner and outer conflicts between Sir Gawain’s ethics and desire to live, and the test of religion. When Sir Gawain is offered the girdle, his knightly principles are questioned. The honorable thing would be to reject the offer or bring it to the lord of the castle, but Gawain places the preservation of his life ahead of chivalry. The knight has withstood the lady’s constant barrage of sexual advances, and kept his promise to the lord of the castle, but when the chance to save his life is presented, he snatches it up without a second thought. This point is shown by the way the author puts "Outright" on a line of it’s own, emphasizing Gawain’s quick decision. He is then ecstatic about the thought that he will survive his meeting with the knight the next day, shown by "often thanks gave he/ With all his heart and might." Later, Sir Gawain finds three faults in his actions, the first being his cowardice – in direct contrast to the main principles of knighthood, the second being his covetousness, his lust for life, and the third being his lack of faith in God. Even when it is shown that God has forgiven him by healing the wound on his neck, Sir Gawain still feels that he has sinned, and is not as willing to forgive himself. He decides that more atonement is in order, so he makes the decision to wear the girdle from then on, as a sign of his eternal sin, but even then he does not feel that he has been cleansed of his sin. He understands that he will be forced to bear the shame and disgrace of the sin for the rest of his life. The observers’ opinions of whether Sir Gawain is forgiven are the complete opposite of Sir Gawain’s. In the passage, it is mentioned that the lady kissed the constant knight. The question arises as to the author’s meaning of constant. It is obvious that it does not mean 2004-07-05T20:26:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sir-Gawain-and-the-Green-Knight-Stanza-74-25387.aspx The characters in Gullivers Travels and Robinson Crusoe are portrayed as resembling trained soldiers, being capable of clear thought during tense and troubled times. This quality possessed within Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver is a result of the author's background and knowledge. Daniel Defoe was knowledgeable and proficient in seamanship, he understood the workings of a ship and the skills required for its operation. Daniel Defoe, an intelligent man who is knowledgeable in self defense and military tactics, which is reflected in the actions of Robinson Crusoe who insists on always one step ahead of his opponent, wether it be an enemy, nature or himself. Robinson Crusoe is the know all, does all type of person. He becomes stranded on a desolate island and does whatever is necessary to survive. After being on the island for several years Crusoe learns to adapt to his surroundings (an important feature in becoming a good soldier) and lives with what he has. In the 17th century, the Catholic reform was sweeping through many parts of Europe. The period from 1600 to about 1750 is known as the Baroque Era. Throughout this period the Catholic Church was fighting back against the effects of the Renaissance. The people of the Renaissance society started to question their beliefs in the church and tried to rationally explain the world around them. Several crusades were fought throughout this period and in the end England and France became "Christianized." Robinson Crusoe was published during the Baroque Era and it contained a great amount of Catholicism. Crusoe becomes a good Christian during his lonely stay on the deserted island and converts his companion Friday when he arrives on the island from cannibalism to Christianity. Crusoe has been placed on this barren island as a punishment for his sins (disobeying his father) and for leaving his middle station of life. Being lonely, home stricken and afraid has allowed Robinson Crusoe to fill his desire for company by allowing God into his life through his nightly readings of the Bible. Defoe is a strong believer in God. He believes that God's providence shapes the lives of all men and that any unusual circumstances or misfortunes that occur happen because that is the way God wanted it. The psychological condition of Robinson Crusoe was not totally imagined by Daniel Defoe. Defoe was not a stranger to the life of solitude. In the early 18th century, 2004-07-05T20:23:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Robinson-Crusoe-and-Gulliver-s-Travels-The-Soldier-Within-25386.aspx From the beginning of some life, people make many choices that affect their personal growth and livelihood, choices like what they should wear and/or what they should do. Even the littlest choices that they make could make a big difference in their lives. In the book, Robinson Crusoe retold by Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe, while on the island, made many choices, big and small, that affected his personal growth and contributed to why he survived for so long. On the island he made a lot of smart decisions of what to do in order to stay a live. On his second day he made a choice to go back to the ship to explore what was there. He spent a lot of time building his home when he could have done something more important. He also took a risk and helped out a person that he did not know. These were some of many choices that Robinson Crusoe made throughout his many years on the island. While on a trip off the coast of England, rough winds threw Robinson Crusoe and his crew of sixteen members off course. Right after one of the crew yelled out "land ahoy" the ship hit a rock and went down. Everybody drowned except Robinson Crusoe, who washed up on a nearby island; he was the only survivor. The next morning he realized what had happened and became scared of dying, because without food or clothes he could not survive. Not knowing what to do, he made a small shack and settled on the island for that night. The very next morning he made a choice to build a raft and go out to the broken boat and explore for items he could find. He was hardworking and smart even in a bad situation. His decision to go back to the boat and risk a chance of being killed by sharks changed his life span. It also proved that he was smart. By making smart decision and thinking wisely, it proved that he was a smart man. "I at once found some food, for I was hungry" (15). If he had not gone back to the ship he could have starved to death. Robinson needed food and his choice to get it made him survive for a longer time. Even though Robinson had food and shelter he had nobody there to keep him company. Even in 2004-07-05T20:23:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Robinson-Crusoe--25385.aspx By definition, a savage is an uncivilized person. Friday would not fit this description because he was civilized. He was a product of the civilization that surrounded him where he came from. His appearance, behaviors, and beliefs were that of all the others in what might be called his tribe. The simple fact that he had religious beliefs is evidence of him being somewhat civilized. A savage can also be thought of as anyone or anything not European. Clearly Friday was not European, yet his features were not consistent with what would normally be considered "savage". He is described as having "a very good Countenance, not a fierce and surly Aspect…", "he had all the Sweetness and Softness of an European in his Countenance too…", "His Hair was long and black, not curl’d like Wool…", "The Colour of his Skin was not quite black, but very tawny; and yet not of an ugly yellow nauseous tawny, as the Brasilians, and Virginians, and other Natives of America are…", and "his Nose small, not flat like the Negroes, a very good mouth, thin Lips, and his fine Teeth well set, and white as Ivory" (Defoe 205). When the two characters meet, Friday approaches Robinson Crusoe in a very sedate manner, Friday is terrified yet he does not lash out at Robinson Crusoe. He does not seem wild, ferocious or barbaric in any way. He uses sign language at first to communicate, which indicates knowledge of some sort of primitive language. He is quick to learn Robinson Crusoe’s language and is eager to learn more while Robinson Crusoe stays clear of learning Friday’s language. It is apparent that Friday has religious or spiritual beliefs right from the beginning. When Robinson Crusoe saves Friday from the savages that brought him to the island to devour him, Friday is extremely grateful and he offers himself as an eternal servant to Robinson Crusoe. "At last he lays his Head flat upon the Ground, close to my Foot, and sets my other Foot upon hi shead, as he had done before; after this made all the Signs to me of Subjection, Servitude, and Submission imaginable, to let me know, how he would serve me as long as he liv’d…" (Defoe 206). After it became evident that Friday was not a threat of any sort, Robinson Crusoe was grateful for his presence. Friday would become a valuable asset for the daily activities 2004-07-05T20:22:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Robinson-Crusoe--25384.aspx Henry David Thoreau's Quest for Reformation While strolling through the forests near Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau stumbled across a man and his family. The father, John Field had moved to America from Ireland with his wife and his son in order to "improve [their] condition one day" (Walden, 139). Henry listened intently to what John had to say about his life in America and his plans for the future, and then he offered up his personal experiences concerning society and life in general. To a reader who hasn't been exposed to the works of Emerson or Throreau, the entire situation might seem perfectly normal, almost mundane, however Thoreau is a transcendentalist who had been living in nature for the past 2 years in an attempt to become divine and righteous. John has never heard of such a lifestyle and is drawn closer and becomes deeply interested in the argument that Thoreau makes for living simply. Thoreau explains that he "lives in a tight, light, and clean house, which hardly cost him more than the annual rent of such a ruin as [John's] commonly amounts to" (Walden, 140). Thoreau almost makes the identical argument, (although Thoreau is not really "arguing", he is documenting the costs of his house) and explains that having a shelter that is practical yet functional is an essential step to simplifying one's life, which in turn is an essential step in the process of becoming deified and enlightened. In more detail Thoreau mentions, " [that] the necessaries of life for man in this climate may, accurately enough be distributed under the several heads of FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING, and FUEL" (Walden, 13). Food, one of the several heads mentioned in the statement above is also a necessity of life which "keeps up the internal combustion in the lungs; fuel" (Walden, 13). Thoreau recognized the pattern in which society had contorted the meaning of life into a competition for material possessions, rather than an enlightening experience. Thoreau sought a remedy to counteract the effects of society on the individual. Reduction. Thoreau reduced life down to the bare necessities, which included: Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Fuel. Once Thoreau simplified life, he created a domino effect--because "[he] did not work hard, [he] did [not] have to eat hard, and it cost [him] but a trifle for [his] food" (Walden, 140). Similarly, Thoreau "[didn't] work hard, he [didn't] require thick boots and 2004-07-05T20:20:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Quest-for-Reformation-25383.aspx Jane Austen was born in 1775 in Hampshire. Her father was a vicar and she had six brothers and a sister. At the age of sixteen she started writing humorous novels. In 1813 she published ‘Pride and Prejudice’. She never got married and she died in 1817 at the age of forty-two. Jane Austen thought that the situation that should be written about is ‘two or three families living together in a country village’. She never wrote about environments she did not know about and only wrote about gentry like herself. That is why the characters in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ are middle class people, like landowners, vicars, and officers. She does not mention servants much. Marriage in Jane Austen’s society marriage is the status all the women strive to achieve. Money and looks are essential for a good marriage, youthfulness also counts. If a woman never got married, because of lacking money or looks, she would go and live with a married sister or brother. If she did not have any brothers or sisters to live with, she would become a governess. ‘Pride and Prejudice’s’first sentence, ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,’ introduces the theme of marriage, and money, in an ironic way. Jane Austen starts off using intellectual sounding words to introduce the hunt for a rich husband. The sentence contains a mixture of comedy, humour and irony that will continue throughout the novel. In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ we see two established marriages, the Bennets and the Gardiners. Throughout the novel four other marriages take place, Lydia with Wickham, Charlotte with Mr Collins, Elizabeth with Darcy, and Jane with Bingley. Mr and Mrs Bennet have been married for twenty-three years, but they do not really communicate with each other. They have five unmarried daughters. Mr Bennet has a good sense of humour and likes to tease his wife. He pretends not to understand her. He makes outrageous statements that his wife believes. He does not demonstrate any affection towards his wife and is tired of the way she behaves. Mrs Bennet does not get upset when she is the object of her husband’s sarcasm and is not intelligent enough to discriminate between important and trival information. When she is frustrated she complains about her nerves. Mrs Bennet does not understand Mr Bennet, and whilst Mrs 2004-07-05T20:19:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pride-And-Prejudice-Marriage-25382.aspx Good vs. Evil Milton's Paradise Lost John Milton divided the characters in his epic poem Paradise Lost into two sides, one side under God representing good, and the other side under Satan representing evil and sin. Milton first introduced the reader to the character Satan, the representative of all evil, and his allegiance of fallen angels that aided in his revolt against God (Milton 35). Only later did Milton introduce the reader to all powerful God, leader and creator of all mankind (John). This introduction of Satan first led the reader to believe acts of sin were good, just like Eve felt in the Garden of Eden when she was enticed by Satan to eat the fruit off of the Tree of Knowledge (Milton 255). The later introduction of The Almighty had the readers change their feelings towards sin, as the ways of God were introduced to them and these ways were shown to be the way to feel and believe. This levy of good vs. evil carried on throughout the poem with the interaction of Satan and his fallen angels with God and his son in Heaven. The common representation of sin and evil came from the lead character in the battle against God, Satan. His name means "enemy of God." He was a former high angel from Heaven named Lucifer, meaning, "light bearer" (John). Satan became jealous in Heaven of God's son and formed an allegiance of angels to battle against God, only for God to cast them out of Heaven into Hell (Milton 35). This did not bother Satan at first since he became the leader in Hell rather than a servant in Heaven. Satan believed that it was, "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven" ( I-l. 263). Much of Satan's reliance on getting things accomplished came from his ability to lie and deceive. He lied to the fallen angels about the Son and his "vice-regency" in Heaven in order for them to follow him instead of The Son. He also concealed his true self by hiding in the body of a serpent when presenting himself to Eve in the Garden of Eden (Blessington 32). She would not have been as easily tempted into sin had he not concealed his true form. In addition, Satan showed the reader a large amount of anger and destructiveness when he planned his revenge on God (Milton 62). Satan even 2004-07-05T20:18:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Paradise-Lost-Good-vs_-Evil-Milton-s-25381.aspx Looking at John Milton’s Paradise Lost, we can see that there are the two ideas of damnation and salvation through reconciliation present in the characters of Satan and Adam & Eve, respectively. It is Satan’s sin of pride that first causes him to fall from God’s grace and into the bowels of hell. This same pride is also what keeps him from being able to be reconciled to God, and instead, leads him to buy into his own idea of saving himself. With Adam & Eve, we see that although they too, disobeyed God, they repented of their sin, and were reconciled to the Divinity through the saving judgement of the Son. It is their ability to admit their wrongdoings to God that allow them to have the promise of returning to Paradise (Heaven); something that Satan was not able to do. In the fourth book in Paradise Lost, we see Satan wrestling with himself over what has happened (his fall), and what it is he is about to do (his completely setting himself against God). He is able to recognize that God’s forgiving nature extends even to himself, "I could repent and could obtain By Act of Grace, my former state", and is if only for a moment, unsure as to "which way I shall fly"? However, Satan knowingly chooses to cling to his foolish pride, and is unwilling to ask and receive the forgiveness of God, "is there no place left for repentance… none left… disdain forbids me". It is important to understand that Satan fully comprehends the sin he is about to commit as he is well aware of the consequences for his actions. He allows his pride to completely remove him from ever regaining his "former state", and so damns himself and the other fallen angels to the hell set aside for them. This idea of his last and lost chance to reconcile himself to the Divinity is seen when he declares "So farewell Hope… Farewell Remorse: all Good to me is lost". This demonstrates his complete sense of despair, and thereby, his complete rejection of both God and His love. When we look at Adam & Eve, we see what might be considered tragic "heroes" in the sense that they also knowingly doom themselves to be removed from Paradise, and subjected to the harsh, new world as well as death, and yet persevere with the hope for 2004-07-05T20:18:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Paradise-Lost-25380.aspx There is an old saying in the english language, "Every piece of writing is at least a little bit autobiographical." This may be true in all cases, but it is clearly predominant in Ernest Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea." It is evident that Hemingway modeled the main character, Santiago after his own person, and that the desires, the mentality, and the lifestyle of the old man are identical to Hemingway's. Santiago is an old fisherman who lives in a small coast town in Cuba. At the time that Hemingway wrote the story, he was also an elderly gentlemen and was such an avid fisherman throughout his life, that books such as "Ernest Hemingway, The Angler As Artist." were written on the sole subject of how this obsession influenced Hemingway's writing. Furthermore, he fished off the coast of Cuba so much that he decided to "buy the 'Finca Vigia' in Cuba, a substantial estate located about fifteen miles from downtown Havana . . ." For entertainment Santiago would "read the baseball." Meanhile Hemingway often "relied on baseball analogies" in his writing, suggesting that he also loved the game. These similarities between Santiago's lifestyle and Hemingway's cannot be ignored or passed off as coincidence because they are much too precise. Already, from these prominent identical traits it is evident that Hemingway modeled the character of Santiago after his own person. Hemingway had a very characteristic view of life. He believed it was admirable to risk one's life in order to test one's limits. His love of bullfighting clearly demonstrated this. Raymond S. Nelson, Hemingway scholar, states, "He saw bullfighting as tragic ritual, and he lionized the better bullfighters as men who risked death every time they entered the arena -- a stance he admired and chose for himself in other ways." One example of Hemingway choosing this stance for himself was when "he shot and dropped a charging Cape buffalo a few feet before the enraged animal would have killed him." This daring act of Hemingway's sounds peculiarly similar to the sport of bullfighting, and is an excellent example of Hemingway's obsession with courting death. Scholar, John Smith believes that "Hemingway's whole life and outlook suggest that, if he had known in advance of this deadly possibility, he would have embraced it even more enthusiastically." Very similarly, and not so coincidentally, Santiago had this very same mindset. He also believes in testing one's 2004-07-05T20:17:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Old-Man-and-the-Sea-Santiago-is-Hemingway-25379.aspx Set in Soledad, California on a typical Western Ranch, we find George and Lennie. George and Lennie come right out of John Steinbeck's novel, Of mice and men. Of mice and men is a novel which shows the trials and tribulations of true friendship. This novel, with all of its twists and turns is a great piece of American Literature. There are two main characters, George and Lennie. Lennie is a massive man with incredible strength but has a child's mind. George is a fairly sized man who is not incredibly brilliant but has good common sense. What one man lacks, the other makes up for. It is a perfect example of how opposites attract. They are a perfect match, and that is why they have a truly great friendship. Although, no matter how much he tries, George cannot make up for the huge gap in Lennies mind. Lennie is so childish it is hard to believe, for example when he sees things he wants to grab and touch them. Throughout the book, the stress of Lennie's retardation begins to weigh down on George. Because of Lennie, they are nomads. Wherever they go, Lennie gets them in trouble. At there last location in a town named Weed, Lennie grabbed a woman's dress to feel it and soon startled the woman with his overwhelming strength. So, once again George had to rescue Lennie, and with that they had to move again. George knew he could leave Lennie and have a great life, but what was a friend for. He couldn't just abandon Lennie. So on to the next ranch they went. This time it just gets worse. In one confrontation with the boss's wife, things go terribly wrong. Lennie knows he is not supposed to talk to her, but he was trapped. As Lennie tried to wiggle out of her grip, is when things turned from bad to worse. When Lennie was no where to be found, George knew where to find him. George knew that Curly's wife was bad news, but no one was going to understand Lennie like George was. What George did to Lennie is questionable, it is up to the reader to judge if George's actions were out of friendship or evil. Do you know what it is to be a good friend to another human being? I think none of us can explain it in words. 2004-07-05T20:17:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-And-Men-What-are-friends-for-25378.aspx In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus is a classic tragic hero. According to Aristotle's definition, Oedipus is a tragic hero because he is a king whose life falls apart when he finds out his life story. There are a number of characteristics described by Aristotle that identify a tragic hero. For example, a tragic hero must cause his own downfall; his fate is not deserved, and his punishment exceeds the crime; he also must be of noble stature and have greatness. Oedipus is in love with his idealized self, but neither the grandiose nor the depressive "Narcissus" can really love himself (Miller 67). All of the above characteristics make Oedipus a tragic hero according to Aristotle's ideas about tragedy, and a narcissist according to Alice Miller's The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self. Using Oedipus as an ideal model, Aristotle says that a tragic hero must be an important or influential man who makes an error in judgment, and who must then suffer the consequences of his actions. Those actions are seen when Oedipus forces Teiresias to reveal his destiny and his father's name. When Teiresias tries to warn him by saying "This day will give you parents and destroy you" (Sophocles line 428), Oedipus still does not care and proceeds with his questioning. The tragic hero must learn a lesson from his errors in judgment and become an example to the audience of what happens when great men fall from their lofty social or political positions. According to Miller, a person who is great, who is admired everywhere, and needs this admiration to survive, has one of the extreme forms of narcissism, which is grandiosity. Grandiosity can be seen when a person admires himself, his qualities, such as beauty, cleverness, and talents, and his success and achievements greatly. If one of these happens to fail, then the catastrophe of a severe depression is near (Miller 34). Those actions happen when the Herdsman tells Oedipus who his mother is, and Oedipus replies "Oh, oh, then everything has come out true. Light, I shall not look on you Again. I have been born where I should not be born, I have been married where I should not marry, I have killed whom I should not kill; now all is clear" (Sophocles lines 1144). Oedipus's decision to pursue his questioning is wrong; his grandiosity blinded 2004-07-05T20:16:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-Rex-Classic-Tragic-Hero-25377.aspx Plot of Oedipus Rex Oedipus Rex is a tragedy in classical style plot. The plot starts with the exposition of the dramatic conflict. Then follows with the rising action. The climax then brings a turning point at the high point of action. The falling action then occurs and the tragedy end with the catastrophe. Oedipus asks the suppliants what their problem is. They explain to Oedipus that the god of plague and pyre is attacking Thebes. They ask for his help because he is the king who saved Thebes from the Sphinx and restored the city. Oedipus says that he has sent Kreon, his wife's brother to find out what he can from Apollo. Kreon brings news that Thebes suffers because late king Laios's murder has not been avenged. Oedipus decides to seek this murderer, not only for the purpose of cleansing but also the fear that murder might also be a threat to his own life. This is the exposition of the dramatic conflict of finding out the mystery of king Laios murder. The rising action is this search. It starts with Oedipus promising that the person responsible for Laios death will be driven out of Thebes. Oedipus sends for Teiresias, the blind seer who serves Apollo. Teiresias does not want to tell Oedipus about the murder, but tells Oedipus to leave things as they are. Oedipus accuses Teiresias of being the murderer and that is why he won't reveal the truth. Teiresias then tells that Oedipus is the one that killed Laios. Oedipus is shocked and angered by such an accusation. He accuses Teiresias that he is lying. Oedipus then figures that Kreon wants to be made king. He accuses Kreon of bribing Teiresias with favors once he is king. Teiresias rebuts this with that fact that he is Apollo's and accuses Oedipus of being blind to the truth. Teiresias tells Oedipus that he is both father and brother of his children and husband and son to his wife. He tells Oedipus to think on his words. This is the begging of the truth and insight being given to Oedipus. He chorus questions the second sight when they have seen Oedipus defeat the Sphinx. Kreon hears about Oedipus's accusations and is offended by being called disloyal. Oedipus and Kreon confront each other with their offenses. Kreon defends himself to Oedipus, but Oedipus is not entirely convinced. Oedipus decides to think on it 2004-07-05T20:15:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-Rex-Plot--25376.aspx Sociological Analysis of the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest The movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is based on the experience of a criminal that elected to move to a mental institution to avoid serving his time at a prison work camp. The criminal, Randall P. McMurphy, or McMurphy, as the other inmates call him, was under the impression that his sentence would be converted to the amount of time he would need to spend in the institution. What he did not realize was that once he was admitted to the institution, he would not be released until the medical staff felt he was safe for society. McMurphy goes about living in the institution, and creates a society among several of the patients, which has a large impact on the structure of the institution. His relationships with the other patients in the ward develops into a society where thoughts and opinions grow and interfere with the flow of the institution's rules and regulations, and friction is made between the authorities and the patients. McMurphy strives to overcome the head nurse, Nurse Ratchet, and finds himself understanding the mentalities of the others in the ward. This movie's theme is about insanity and how people on "the other side" of the wall view the term "insanity". In chapter two of out text, the term "society" is defined as a group of people that share a culture and common identity. This society is present when McMurphy is admitted to the institution, but he changes it by developing relationships with the other patients. This can be described as social influence. Social influence is where other people have an impact on and change the thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors of others. When McMurphy first arrives at the institution, the other patients follow a structure in the institution where interactions with others are limited. Many of the patients are withdrawn from others, and only follow the daily "routine" assigned to them. This is a society of order and regulations, and the members of this society have a culture and common identity of being "insane" and in the institution for medical treatment. McMurphy changes this society by influencing the other patients. During his time in the ward, McMurphy develops relationships with the other patients and teaches them to interact with one another more completely. He also how to work towards what they wanted with both their accommodations 2004-07-05T20:13:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/One-Flew-Over-the-Cuckoo-s-Nest-Sociological-Analysis-25375.aspx Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "A man can be destroyed but not defeated." There is indeed much to be said for this statement, as it can be taken to mean many things. Initial impressions are that Hemingway is speaking of personal honour, and how no man can have his honour taken away from him forcefully. No matter how great the suffering, or how undignified the death, the very nature of honour is that it is something that can only be lost through fault of the man. Hence the quote, you can "destroy" a man, but you cannot defeat his spirit. The quote can also be taken to suggest martyrdom; while the man himself may be dead, his cause and influence lives on in the hearts and minds of others. Lastly, the quote could be taken as describing someone who was defiant and true until the end, never relenting, even in the face of death or worse. All of these things can be said, in varying degrees, about the character of McMurphy in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. The initial impression the reader gets of McMurphy is that of a roguish, liberal, free spirited, street wise, non-conformist and rather extroverted man - we immediately feel he is going to be a thorn in Nurse Ratched’s side. The Big Nurse is order and control, and in her eyes McMurphy could potentially be the harbinger of mayhem and disorder in her ward. He threats that which she works so hard maintain. Nurse Ratched seems only mildly concerned however, as she too recognizes McMurphy for what he is after observing him briefly with the other patients and the effect he has on them. Some of the patiens become excited, and even emboldened by McMurphy’s presence, while others appear frightened after recognizing the threat he poses to the stability they take refuge in. Nurse Ratched seems as if she has encountered his kind before, citing the term "manipulator" in reference to McMurphy and others like him. We can only assume she has conquered such patients before, as she seems very confident she will conquer ths one. As McMurphy settles into the ward, things begin to change. His influence over the other patients is interesting, and rather heartwarming to behold. Emboldened by McMurphy’s influence, they begin to assert themselves in certain ways, such as standing up to the Big Nurse, or even making demands. Of 2004-07-05T20:11:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/One-Flew-Over-The-Cuckoo-s-Nest-25374.aspx Oliver Twist, a poor, innocent orphan boy, stands out in this story as the main character but it is the supporting characters that allow this novel of much content to develop a much more satisfying and believable theme. With "Good V.S. Evil" as one of the major conflicts, in such categories are the secondary characters found as well. Three main auxiliary characters of Oliver Twist aid the elaboration of the story; these significant characters are Mr. Brownlow representing purity, integrity and goodness, Nancy as partially righteous, partially villain and lastly on the other extreme of the scale: Fagin, the symbol of evil, corruption and manipulation. Throughout the story we are introduced to each of these characters through an omniscient point of view, and are able to categorize them according to their personalities, thoughts and actions. With their differing levels of honesty and social status, each of them play a crucial role in the development of the story's theme. As most of the author's characters, Mr. Brownlow too, is brought out with an indirect presentation but it is not long after introducing him that his wholesome goodness is revealed to us. Though at first he accuses Oliver of thieving, his concern over Oliver's welfare on the street is a direct hint of his innocence which successfully helps him convince Oliver to board at his house. A generous and trusting man he was, perhaps too good a man to be true; but with all the malicious characters in the story, a heroic and pure persona was needed to ensure a happy ending. With honesty and great wealth as his prime qualities, he assists Oliver in his times of need and demonstrates to society with an exemplary touch, the attributes of a perfect citizen. As the positive extreme in both social status and benevolence, Mr. Brownlow is a definite aid in the development of the theme throughout the novel. Nancy, for us, must be the weakest character. Trapped between wanting to help Oliver evade Fagin's exploitation and her dedicated love for Sikes; she fails to survive to the end as she is convicted and ironically murdered by her own husband : Sikes, a brutal and abusive man. But there is a great need for this secondary character in the story, she serves not only as a tie between the scenes at the different house holds but as well she is the only hope 2004-07-05T20:10:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oliver-Twist--25373.aspx Loneliness "A guy needs somebody--to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick." (Steinbeck 72-3). Being alone is one of the worst things I can possible think of. One of the themes in the book Of Mice and Men exemplifies this as the quote describes. Crooks, and the black stable buck, say this quote. He describes to Lennie the pain he goes through to live his life without anyone to talk to and to just be with. The other workers on the farm would not socialize with Crooks besides the horseshoes game the men would play in the evening. Otherwise Crooks would occupy his time alone, reading books. This does not make Crooks happy his books did not fulfill his needs socially. He needed another person to talk to, or just be with. It didn’t even matter whom, just a person. Lennie just happened to have been there for Crooks at that moment. Everyday people do not give enough consideration to those who live their lives without someone. Humans are social beings that need some kind of connection with others to function properly. Without a social bond a depressed state can overwhelmingly "down" a person. People also need the opportunity to brag to others a little. Curly’s wife in the same novel states the following, "Well I ain’t told this to nobody before. Maybe I ought’n to. I don’t like Curly. He ain’t a nice fella. Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes—all them nice clothes they wear" (Steinbeck 89). She feels the need to tell others how great she could have been and the hopes and dreams she may someday have. She shows her feelings of hope in life. This can relate to everyday students. College guys love to tell stories from the long weekends in college. It makes a person feel good when they can tell a story filled with sarcasm and excitement to make others get a feeling of admiration. Humans live for this type of self-fulfillment. Loneliness is what people complain about when being without another person to socialize with. One may feel lonely when: you’re alone and you don’t you have a choice not to be, you are facing challenges in your life with 2004-07-05T20:10:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-and-Men-Lonliness-25372.aspx The events in Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, show an underlying relationship of man's free will existing within the cosmic order or fate which the Greeks believed guided the universe in a harmonious purpose. Man was free to choose and was ultimately held responsible for his own actions. Both the concept of fate and free will played an itregal part in Oedipus' destruction. Although he was a victim of fate, he was not controlled by it. Oedipus was destined from birth to someday marry his mother and to murder his father. This prophecy, as warned by the oracle of Apollo at Delphi was unconditional and inevitably would come to pass, no matter what he may have done to avoid it. His past actions were determined by fate, but what he did in Thebes, he did so of his own will. From the beginning of this tragedy, Oedipus took many actions leading to his own downfall. Oedipus could have waited for the plague to end, but out of compassion for his suffering people, he had Creon go to Delphi. When he learned of Apollo's word, he could have calmly investigated the murder of the former King Laius, but in his hastiness, he passionately curses the murderer, and in so, unknowingly curses himself. "Upon the murderer I invoke this curse- whether he is one man and all unknown, or one of many- may he wear out his life in misery or doom! If with my knowledge he lives at my hearth, I pray that I myself may feel my curse." (pg. 438; lines 266-271) In order for Sophecles' Greek audience to relate to the tragic figure, he had to have some type of flaws or an error of ways. This brought the character down to a human level, invoking in them the fear that "it could happen to them." And Oedipus certainly is not one without flaws. His pride, ingnorance, insolence and disbelief in the gods, and unrelenting quest for the truth ultimately contributed to his destuction. When Oedipus was told (after threatening Teiresias), that he was responsible for the murder of Laius, he became enraged and calls the old oracle a liar. He ran away from his home, Corinth, in hopes of outsmarting the gods divine will. Like his father, Oedipus also sought ways to escape the horrible destiny told by the oracle of Apollo. The chorus warns us of man's need 2004-07-05T20:08:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-the-King-Free-Will-vs-Fate-25371.aspx It has been said that people can be blinded to the truth. The answer to their question or solution to their problem may have been sitting right in front of them all along. Yet, they could not see the answer. They were blinded to the truth. Associations have been made between being blind and enlightened. A blind person is said to have powers to see invisible things. They "see" into the future. The blind may not have physical sight, but they have another kind of vision. In Sophocles' King Oedipus, Teiresias, the blind prophet, presents the truth to King Oedipus and Jocasta. Oedipus has been blinded to the truth his whole life. When he does find the truth, he loses his physical vision. Because of the truth, Oedipus blinds himself. Jocasta was blind to the true identity of Oedipus. Even when she found out the truth, she refused to accept it. In this case, those who are blind ultimately do have a higher vision - the truth. Kind Oedipus started life with a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother. In an attempt to avoid this fate, his parents, Laius and Jocasta, sent him into the mountains to die. However, a shepherd saved Oedipus. This shepherd gave Oedipus to Polybus and Merope. When Oedipus learned of his prophecy, he fled his home, thinking these people were his real parents. On his flight, he met Laius. He ended up killing Laius. He continued on, answered a riddle of the evil Sphinx, and ended up king of Thebes. With this kingdom, Oedipus married Jocasta. He had lived out the prophecy without even knowing he had. Thebes fell onto bad times, and a prophet put the blame on a polluter of the lands. Oedipus called on Teiresias, and Teiresias informed him that the polluter was the King. As Oedipus searched further and further, he discovered that he was the polluter and that the prophecy had come true. When Oedipus finally discovered the truth, he was so distressed that he ran pins into his eyes, blinding himself. He had been blinded to the truth for so long. Oedipus was blind in more then one way. He was blind to the truth about his own life. Oedipus had no idea that his real parents were Laius and Jocasta. He was so blind that he got mad at anyone who was foolish enough 2004-07-05T20:08:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Oedipus-the-King-Blindness-25370.aspx Throughout the novel Lord Of The Flies, the boys on the island are constantly faced with various fears. However there is nothing on the island which they fear more than the beast. In Lord Of The Flies, the theme of the beast is extremely important. The beast represents the way in which man will try to convince himself that there is no evil inside of him by making someone or something else seem to be the cause for the evil. There are many examples of evidence to support this throughout the book, but first it is necessary to outline the rise of the beast and the evil within the boys. Talk of a dangerous presence emerged on the very first day on the island, when a little boy with a mulberry-coloured birthmark on his face informed everyone of a "beastie," which he apparently saw on the previous night. At the time, this was dismissed by the older boys as his imagination, but even at that early stage it was evident that the younger children were troubled by the little boy’s words. It must be noted at this point that there was no definite physical appearance to the beast because it was assumed to be the over-active imagination of little children at work. At the same time it is obvious that Golding uses the early chapters in the book to set the scene for the chaos and terror of the beast that follows. Soon it became evident that even the older boys had begun to wonder whether in fact some kind of beast did inhabit the island. It was also apparent that nobody was willing to admit this, but the fact that many boys now cried out in their sleep or had terrible nightmares is further proof that they were all fearful of a beast. The first signs of evil emerging from within appeared when Jack and his hunters killed a pig and re-enacted the killing. In the process people were injured and the chanting, which was to become a ritual, began at this time. Although Jack’s ambition to kill a pig had been fulfilled, he now had a taste of the glory and sense of self-fulfillment it brought him. This meant that he was by no means satisfied to have killed one pig, but would instead continue to do so. It is significant that Jack felt it was necessary to kill pigs, 2004-07-05T20:02:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-Of-The-Flies-The-Beast-25369.aspx The novel "Lord Of The Flies" bases itself on civilized and savage behaviour. Civilized behaviour means to be aware of your surroundings and to care for them and to sacrifice certain pleasures to attain them, and to help others. When hearing the word 'savage' one thinks of cavemen squatting and gnawing at raw meat right off of the bone. In a way that stereotype was satisfied in this novel. Savage behaviour might be best described as the act of living like primitive animals who don't care for others and expect 'instant gratification' from almost everything they do. Instant gratification can be best described by the following: to do something and expecting immediate results. The result for savage behaviour is that it leads to distractions from what is important (in this novels case, getting rescued) and disregard of others. When the characters in "Lord Of The Flies" begin acting savage they go so far that it results in the destruction of their environment as well as the destruction of their civilized minds. On the other hand, civilization is the partial suppression of a human's natural thoughts and movements. Civilization is the ability to take all force associated with savagery and to use it to create and maintain a certain order. At the beginning of this novel, the boys make an attempt at order and civilized behaviour but they fail to the uncooperative nature of the 'little-uns'. The boys elect a leader and make different groups, each with a purpose of accomplishing something constructive: The Hunters, Water-fetchers and Fire-tenders. The boys find a conch and view it as a symbol of order. This shell grants any one person power, as long as they have it in their possession. The boys in the novel begin as civilized children who obey the laws they were taught their whole lives. Upon first arriving the island, it was fresh in their young minds, so it took some time for them to forget it. The boys appoint a conch as the centrepiece of law and order in their community. This shows that the boys remembered how to stay in order. Supporting this is the suggestion from a boy named Roger, that a 'cheif' should be elected. The boys chose Ralph as their leader, because they were naturally attracted to his attitude. This shows that the boys want an authority figure in their lives, just like they and 2004-07-05T20:01:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-Of-The-Flies-Civilized-vs_-Savage-25368.aspx Ralph, the first character introduced to the audience, is probably the most likable character in the entire story. Although he does not ponder such deeply like Piggy, is not as spiritual like Simon, or as energetic as Jack, there is something in him that attracts the audience. Ralph serves as the protagonist of the story. He is described as being a playful, innocent child in the beginning, but towards the end he matures significantly. In the first chapter where he takes his clothes off and goes swimming like any child would do, he seems to be Adam in the Garden of Eden, a child left to play with the nature. However, as the plot progresses, Ralph faces both internal and external conflicts; from those conflicts he greatly matures. Ralph always has the strong belief that all the children will be saved from the island sooner or later; he is so sure that he even insists that they should have fire at all times to signal. However, when the boys abandon the fire which is symbolic of Ralph’s hope of getting saved, Ralph faces an internal conflict that makes him fear about their future; perhaps they will not be rescued at all. By insisting that the children should keep the fire going, he creates an external conflict with Jack whose values are different. Jack is enjoying life as a leader of the savages, and he fears that fire will possibly end his authoritarian rule over the savages. Both conflicts are resolved when Ralph finally meets the naval officer. Ralph is one of the few boys who realize that the only way to survive is through peace and order. Because he summons the boys at the beginning of the novel with the conch he and Piggy find, they look upon him as the most responsible of the boys and elect him as a chief over the humiliated Jack. Ralph creates a stable and peaceful society for the children to live; this significantly bothers Jack because he wants to have fun and do things that he never did back in the civilized society. Jack is eventually successful of pulling nearly all of the children out of Ralph’s control to form savages. Ralph represents the civilization, and Jack represents the primitive society. Moreover, Ralph is Golding’s symbolic method of democracy. To the audience, Ralph seems like Franklin D. Roosevelt during the World War II—he 2004-07-05T20:01:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lord-Of-The-Flies-Analyzing-Ralph-25367.aspx In the Search for Liberty Being a Cuban must be a terrible thing, not for the fact of being from Cuba but because of the type of government Cuba has, the government of Cuba is very extrict and sometimes very mean. Cuba is a beautiful country, but they do not have liberty there, Cubans can not leave the country, so some of the citizens do not have other resources that to join other thousands of Cubans that make rafts and go into the sea hoping to reach the coast of Florida for relieves and a new life. The story Jumping off for Freedom written by Anilú Bernardo lets the reader knows how a Cuban family goes through just to get the liberty. The author easily expresses her outstanding style of writing by the plot, the conflicts and the setting. To begin with, the book or the story is about a fifteen year old man name David Leal that with his family had not other choice but to make a raft and search for freedom, David, Miguel (David's father) and Luis (helped making the raft) were the only ones supposed to get on the raft, but while aborting the raft 'El Toro' (Luis' friend) with the help of Luis got on the raft as well, he was rude, he never had a smile of approbation, David and his dad had to keep up with his bad jokes, and bombastic comments, he also made inveigh comments to the Leals. David and Miguel were disappointed because he was not supposed to be on the raft, since he did not have the prerogative to be on it and they only had food and water for three persons. They were also scared of the see because they were callow, they did not know much about rafts or the ocean, but they ameliorated later, they learned from their own experience. The author easily express her great form of writing and also share it with the reader through the plot, the plot is the sequence of events in a literary work, in this case Jumping off for Freedom, Arilu Bernardor wrote the book in such way that it makes the reader like what he or she is reading and also makes it easy to follow. The exposition introduces the setting and the character, the reader notice this at the very beginning of the book, for example, when Elena, David's girlfriend, told 2004-07-05T19:59:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jumping-off-for-Freedom-In-the-Search-for-Liberty-25366.aspx In the cases of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice and Emily Bronte's Jane Eyre, the ideals of romantic love are very much the same. In both 19th century novels, women's wants and needs are rather simplified. However, this could also be said for the roles and ideals of the male characters. While it was obvious that this era was responsible for a large amount of anti-female sexism in society and the economy, can it also be said that male-female partnerships were simplified from the male perspective? In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, it is widely agreed that the character of Jane Bennet is, in all aspects, the perfect 19th century woman. She has beauty, charm, manners, a little intelligence (but not too much), and is very loving and supportive. All of these qualities are said to show the men around her that she would make a good wife. As many discussions about this story have already said, this shows a sexist ideal of the time, that women are only good for wives. However, along the same standards we find a character such as Charles Bingley, who is thought to be the perfect gentlemen of the time. Bingley is remarkably handsome, affable, rich, and extraordinarily mannerly. All of these characteristics throw the Bennet house of women into a frenzy over who will be fortunate enough to marry Bingley. While this may show a certain dominance/subordinance relationship due to the women clamoring for the hand of a "good man", it also simplifies a man's place as to be rich, handsome, and strong. Thereby, all men who are not these things are judged according to what they do have to offer in terms of these three or so categories. In the very beginning of the novel, the Bennet girls' mother says, when asked if Bingley is married, "Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!" (p3, Austen). This shows a simplicity of role for a female, but also an undermining of any personality a man may have. Nothing is known about Bingley except that he is rich, yet Mrs. Bennet is already prepared to allow him to marry any of her daughters. Albeit she is being made fun of for this mindset, she continues to focus solely on her daughters marrying the most handsome, 2004-07-05T19:58:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jane-Eyre-Sexism--25365.aspx The novel "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë consists of the continuous journey through Jane’s life towards her final happiness and freedom. This is effectively supported by five significant ‘physical’ journeys she makes, which mirror the four emotional journeys she makes. 10-year-old Jane lives under the custody of her Aunt Reed, who hates her. Jane resents her harsh treatment by her aunt and cousins so much that she has a severe temper outburst, which results in her aunt sending her to Lowood boarding school. At the end of the eight years, she has become a teacher at Lowood. At the age of eighteen she seeks independence and becomes governess at Thornfield Hall. Over time, Jane falls in love with its master, Edward Rochester, who eventually proposes to her. On their wedding day, the sermon is abruptly halted by the announcement that Rochester’s insane wife is kept locked up in the attic of Thornfield. Jane runs away. Penniless and almost starving, Jane roams the countryside in search of shelter, until she finds the house of St John, Mary, and Diana Rivers, who take her in and nurse her back to health. Jane then acquires an unexpected inheritance from her uncle. One night, Jane ‘hears’ Mr Rochester’s voice calling for her, and decides to return to Thornfield immediately. On her return, she finds Thornfield to be a "blackened ruin" due to a fire which has left Rochester blind with only one arm and killed his wife. Jane goes to Rochester’s new home, and they are married. Jane’s ‘physical’ journeys contribute significantly to plot development and to the idea that the novel is a ‘journey’ through Jane’s life. "Jane Eyre’s" chronological structure also emphasises this idea, the journey progresses as time goes on. Each journey causes her to experience new emotions and an eventual change of some kind. These ‘actual’ journeys help Jane on her four ‘figurative’ journeys, as each one allows her to reflect and grow. The journey only ends when she finds true happiness. Jane makes her journey from Gateshead to Lowood at the age of ten, finally freeing her from her restrictive life with her aunt. Before making her journey, Jane’s feelings are conveyed by Brontë through the use of pathetic fallacy: "...the grounds, where all was still petrified under the influence of hard frost." The word choice here reflects Jane’s situation – she is like the ground, ‘petrified’ under the influence of her aunt, whose 2004-07-05T19:58:21-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Jane-Eyre-Critical-Evaluation-25363.aspx Dolls. We are surrounded by dolls. G. I. Joe, Barbie, Polly Pocket, and WWF action figures. Prior to our plasticene friends we had paper dolls, marionettes, and delicately featured porcelain dolls. We are strangely fascinated by these cold, lifeless objects that look so much like ourselves. Children clutch them and create elaborate scenes, while adults are content to simply collect, allowing them to sit, motionless on a shelf, staring coolly back at their live counterparts. Which brings us to and interesting point, are people simply dolls for other people to play with or collect? One could make the arguement that we are all Tod Cliftons', doomed to dance by invisible strings while wearing a mask of individualism. However, unlike Tod Clifton, most of us will not realize that who pulls the string, is not ourselves. Ralph Ellison's novel, The Invisible Man is fraught with images of dolls as if to constantly reminded the reader that no one is in complete control of themselves. Our first example of doll imagery comes very early in the novel with the Battle Royal scene. The nude, blonde woman is described as having hair "that was yellow like that of a circus kewpie doll" (19). Ellison draws a very strong connection between the plight of the Negro man and the white woman. The fact that they are both shown as puppets or dolls in the work is no coincidence. The woman and the African are merely show pieces for the white men in the novel. Tod Clifton's dancing Sambo dolls are the most striking example of doll imagery. This small tissue paper doll has the capability to completely change the Invisible Man. When he sees that the powerful and enigmatic Clifton is the one hawking the abominable dolls, the narrator is so filled with humiliation and rage that he spits upon the dancing figure. But what is it that has caused this surging of fury? It is Tod Clifton and not the narrator who has degraded himself to such a base level. However, it is our narrator's sudden comprehension of his own situation that causes his wrath. The line "For a second our eyes met and he gave me a contemptuous smile" (433) illustrates this moment of realization for our narrator. It shows the reader that Tod Clifton was aware of his position as a puppet all along and chooses to enlighten the narrator at this particular 2004-07-05T19:57:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Invisible-Man-Life-on-the-Strings-25362.aspx Invisible Man is a story told through the eyes of the narrator, a Black man struggling in a White culture. The narrative starts during his college days where he works hard and earns respect from the administration. Dr. Bledsoe, the prominent Black administrator of his school, becomes his mentor. Dr. Bledsoe has achieved success in the White culture which becomes the goals which the narrator seeks to achieve. The narrator's hard work culminates in him being given the privilege of taking Mr. Norton, a White benefactor to the school, on a car ride around the college area. After much persuasion and against his better judgement, the narrator takes Mr. Norton to a run down Black neighborhood. When Dr. Bledsoe found out about the trip the narrator was kicked out of school because he showed Mr. Norton anything less than the ideal Black man. The narrator is shattered, by having the person he idealizes turn on him. Immediately, he travels to New York where he starts his life anew. He joins the Brotherhood, a group striving for the betterment of the Black race, an ideal he reveres. Upon arrival in the Brotherhood, he meets Brother Tarp and Brother Tod Clifton who give him a chain link and a paper doll, respectively. I choose to write about these items because they are symbolic of his struggle in his community fighting for the black people and of his struggle within himself searching for identity. The narrator works hard for the Brotherhood and his efforts are rewarded by being distinguished as the representative of the Harlem district. One of the first people he meets is Brother Tarp, a veteran worker in the Harlem district, who gives the narrator the chain link he broke nineteen years earlier, while freeing himself from being imprisoned. Brother Tarp's imprisonment was for standing up to a White man. He was punished for his defiance and attempt to assert his individuality. Imprisonment robbed him of his identity which he regained by escaping and establishing himself in the Brotherhood. The chain becomes a symbol between the narrator and Brother Tarp because the chain also symbolizes the narrator's experience in college, where he was not physically chained down, but he was restricted to living according to Dr. Bledsoe's rules. He feels that he too escaped, in order to establish himself again (386). The narrator identifies with Brother Tarp because he too is trying 2004-07-05T19:56:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Invisible-Man-25360.aspx "I Heard An Owl Call My Name" is a novel written by Margaret Craven, published in 1973. Margaret Craven was born in Helena, Montana and graduated from Stanford University. She started off with her short stories in a large number of American magazines. Some of these stories have been translated into other languages. "I Heard An Owl Call My Name" was her first complete novel. This story contains a lot of symbolic language. The setting takes place in Kingcome village, in the Pacific Northwest, where a minister named Mark Brian is leading a mission. Kingcome village is home to a tribe of Indians known as the Kwakiutl natives. The story shows their ups and downs. Mark has a deadly disease, but has no knowledge of it. The Bishop on the other hand knows everything about Mark's illness. He makes a decision to send Mark on a challenging mission. His goal there was to help the Indian tribe in every way possible. The Bishop’s ulterior motive was to help Mark grow as a person. He does not tell Mark about his illness because he wants him to get involved and attached to the Indians. Mark meets new people and learns all about the Indian cultures, traditions, and rituals. He had to overcome many great difficulties in order to help and convert these proud, Kwakiutl native people. The old ones were unreligious while the young ones had little respect towards the old people and the old ways of life. His first problem was trying to be accepted into this struggling primitive community, which was starting to be swallowed into the white man's world. Then he had to help preserve the old culture of totems and salmons from being replaced by a new culture of alcoholism and residential schools. A few Indian youths went to a school in Vancouver, to which the elders disapproved because they knew the young people would never return to the village. In the end, he did succeed in earning respect and trust, maybe even love from the people. But most of all he learned a most valuable lesson - the acceptance of death, life and submission. At the end after finally reaching the people and helping them, he reaches his destiny. His mission does end, but he lives on in their hearts. Mark Brian, who went to an Indian village called Kingcome completing his last mission. The story 2004-07-05T19:55:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/I-Heard-The-Owl-Call-My-Name-Summary-25359.aspx A deeper look at "Gimple the Fool" At one time or another, everyone, in their life, has looked down upon someone because that someone isn't as rich, attractive, or even as intelligent as most people. People do this without any regard to the people's feeling, and without ever imagining what it is like to be in that person's shoes. In Isaac Bashevis Singer's "Gimpel the Fool", a man named Gimpel was harassed and teased because of the fact he was gullible, or so the people believed. The townspeople looked at Gimpel as if he was a fool, which leads to them taking advantage of him, but overall, Gimpel wasn't as foolish as the people had him out to be. Was Gimpel really a fool? The townspeople sure thought so. The story opens up with Gimpel saying he's a fool but not really agreeing with the statement. Gimpel gives his own reason when he says, "What did my foolishness consist of? I was easy to take in" (Singer 1071). He says this meaning that anything that someone says to him he believes to be the truth, no matter how outlandish it may be. His life was full of lies that people told him and it made no difference how many times he was made a fool, he still let on that he believed them. One example, and the one where he vows never to be taken in again, is when a student came by his bakery and yelled to him that the Messiah has come. They claimed his parents were standing at their graves waiting for him to come and Gimpel, although not believing a bit of it, put on his wool vest and went to see for himself. The only thing that he found was the realization that he is the butt of another joke, but the worst is still to come. After a lifetime of torment, the townsfolk thought up an elaborate scheme to top all schemes. They talked Gimpel into marrying the town's whore and convincing him that if he didn't marry her then the rabbi would fine him for giving her a bad name. Gimpel, with the thought, "They're set on making me their butt. But when you're married the husband's the master, and if that's all right with her it's agreeable to me too", set out to fetch his wife (Singer 1072). Although Gimpel faced tricks everyday, this one 2004-07-05T19:48:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gimple-the-Fool-A-Deeper-Look-25358.aspx In Jack London’s book, The Call of the Wild, he symbolizes many things in the book. Buck, gold sacks, Mercedes, and others are looked on as symbolic. In this essay, you will find out what these items symbolize. The main character in the book is Buck, a half St. Bernard, half Scotch shepherd dog. In the story, he is betrayed by someone he trusts and is thrown into a harsh world. A world where you must work or be discarded. He adapts to the harsh environment, and soon enough becomes the leader of a wolf pack. Here London makes Buck a symbol of one that reaches full potential. Instead of lying around and doing nothing, he learns to work in a way he doesn’t know too well about. He learns to fight and/or steal his food, if he didn’t , he would have starved to death. That is why Buck is portrayed as one who achieves full potential. Mercedes portrays the absolute opposite to Buck. She represents all that is weak in a civilized society. She cannot live without her precious belongings like her clothes. A suitcase of clothes would have been suitable for the trip, but she cannot part with her clothes, so she brings almost all of them. She doesn’t know how to walk. When Charles and Hal ask her to get off the sled and hike along, she refuses and has to be carried off and dropped. When Charles and Hal set up camp, they have to go back and pick up Mercedes, who thinks she should be carried to Dawson City. Charles and Hal shouldn’t have brought her along, all she was a hindrance. Jack London creates a good description of what is weak in a civilized society. Buck was betrayed by a friend because someone needed sled dogs to go to the Yukon to mine for gold. Sacks of gold depict the idea of capitalism and the temporary feeling of wealth. Buck would have been happy at Judge Miller’s estate if it weren’t for the gold rush. Charles, Hal, and Mercedes wouldn’t have died if they weren’t trying to go to the Yukon to look for gold. Thornton and his camp wouldn’t have been killed if they hadn’t gone looking for gold. All of the characters would have been better off if they hadn’t got so greedy and go looking for gold. When Buck jumps and severs the jugular 2004-07-05T09:40:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Call-of-the-Wild-Symbolism-25357.aspx Through time, as distant as the early periods when Homo habilis first roamed the earth, man has incessantly entered into conflict with nature. As the primitive man has evolved, he has become over-dependant on nature to the point where he takes advantage of its abundance of gifts. Despite the fact that man has a tendency to desecrate nature, there are those who recognize and praise its power and make an effort to become one with it. Though it may sound refreshing to know that man can appreciate nature, being truly considerate of nature is virtually impossible. A person who has read Ernest Hemingway's final novel, The Old Man and the Sea, and has interpreted the protagonist as a lover of all creatures is manipulated by Hemingway's usage of biblical allusions to suggest a concealed Christ figure in the old man, Santiago. Hemingway's novel uses the timeless theme of man versus nature to tell a story, with the support of allusions to Christ, of an old man who, after losing his only reason for living, strives to prove himself a superior individual and discover the meaning of life through nature. The name Santiago is a biblical reference that translated into English means Saint James. Those who are direly active with the Christian religion and have read "The Old Man and the Sea" perceive the old man as an indirect reference to Saint Francis of Assisi. In the bible, Saint Francis was born to a wealthy merchant and when he grew older, he distributed his riches among the poor. Saint Francis of Assisi was best known for his love of birds and was believed to have the ability to communicate with them. While at sea, Santiago speaks to all the birds that pass because of his loneliness caused by the absence of his fishing partner, Manolin. One fish in particular, a warbler, flew by Santiago and perched on the stern of his boat. Santiago then tells the fish that he looks very tired and should take a rest. "Take a good rest, small bird," he said. "Then go in and take your chance like any man or bird or fish." This conversation with the bird conjures up the admonition given by Jesus to his followers. Jesus said that if his followers fought and gave it his or her all, they would be rewarded in the end. This is a lesson that Santiago 2004-07-05T09:39:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-A-Journey-to-Enlightenment-25355.aspx Who is the most guilty? Review the involvement’s of the characters in the novel and evaluate whether or not they were guilty, and if so how guilty? In the classic novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee there is an abundance of characters that could be proclaimed to be the guilty party, but who is truly the guiltiest one of all? The definition of guilt is as follows; the state of having done something wrong or committed an offense; a feeling of self-reproach from believing that one has done something wrong. My job is to examine the characters closely and determine who is the most guilty in the involvement’s of Tom Robinson’s prosecution, conviction and ultimately his death. As I stated, there is an abundance of characters that could be guilty, from Mayella and Bob Ewell, Heck Tate, to the jurors and Atticus Finch. All of these characters play a roll in the story, and a roll in the events that happened to Tom Robinson. The story is an interesting one, but guilty parties are found throughout. The story is set against the background of nineteen thirties Southern life. The Finches are a family that once ran a large, successful plantation. Their ancestors had been aristocratic ladies and gentlemen of the south. Now they are reduced to gentle poverty. Atticus and his family live in a town named Maycomb, he is a career layer. He has a son named Jeremy and a daughter named Jean-Louse. They also have a cook named Calpernia, she is a Negro but they respect her greatly. Racism in Maycomb is evident almost where ever you look, and Negro peoples don’t have a chance to succeed. A family that played a huge roll in the novel are named the Ewells. They live on the out skirts of town by the dump, near the Negro dwellings. The family consists of Bob, whom has a daughter named Mayella and several other siblings. In the context of the book, they are seen as no better than the Negro’s. There is a sheriff named Heck Tate, he is the one and only police officer in the small town, and a judge named Taylor, who in the end hands down Tom’s punishment. To Kill A Mockingbird deals with many primal and basic lessons in human nature. The book expresses many issues that affect people throughout there lives. The novel deals 2004-07-05T09:38:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Who-Is-The-Most-Guilty-25354.aspx Certain uncanny resemblances between Tom Robinson and Boo Radley's lives exist in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. Often large groups of people misunderstand certain unusual individuals. Sometimes they stereotype the person; other times, they simply do not bother to find out the truth. When such circumstances occur, the ostracized person's actions become unfairly misinterpreted or not understood at all. Sometimes rumors circulate about the individuals, that might then be assumed as the truth. In this novel, Tom and Boo are both outsiders to the white, normal society of Maycomb county. Tom and Boo share generous natures that are misunderstood; they hold little social value, and are generally assumed guilty. The first parallel in the lives of Tom and Boo, focuses on their property. Tom lives in the "nigger nest" (pg. 175) near to Mr. Ewell but outside the city limits. While testifying Mr. Ewell says, "I've asked this county for fifteen years to clean out that nest down yonder, they're dangerous to live around 'sides devaluin' my property (pg. 175)". A person's status often relates to his property, and the interpretation of that property's value is often based on the tenants of the land. In Maycomb county, the black community inhabits the least desirable property. In the Jim Crow era, blacks were stereotyped as violent and unclean; therefore, the property they owned was considered unvaluable and was located in the worst part of the county territory. On the other hand, the people in the "best" part of town are always white and upper class members of society. Mr. Ewell lives directly next to the town dump, yet he considers the blacks that he lives near a larger threat to his land's value than the appearance and stench of the city's trash. Most people in the better parts of town might even agree with him because they assume that the black people are a constant menace to white society, and being near them endangers one's life. The Radley property also threatens the lives of people brave enough to venture near it. The children believe that anything that comes from the Radley's soil is poisoned, including the nuts and fruits on the trees. Jem yells at Scout once saying about the Radley property: "Don't you know you're not supposed to even touch the house over there? You'll get killed if you do" (pg. 33). Jem also goes so far as to 2004-07-05T09:37:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Similarities-in-Tom-and-Boo-s-lives-25353.aspx Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is a highly regarded work of American fiction. The story of the novel teaches us many lessons that should last any reader for a lifetime. The messages that Harper Lee relays to the reader are exemplified throughout the book using various methods. One of the most important and significant methods was the use of symbols such as the mockingbird image. Another important method was showing the view through a growing child's (Scout Finch) mind, eyes, ears, and mouth. There is another very significant method that was used. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes the effects of irony, sarcasm, and hypocrisy to criticize a variety of elements in Southern life. Harper Lee employs the effects of irony in To Kill a Mockingbird as a way to criticize the deficiency of public education. "Now tell your father not to teach you any more. It's best to begin reading with a fresh mind." (pG. 22) Instead of praising Scout's ability to read at an advanced level, Miss Caroline discourages it. This ironic example set by Miss Caroline seems to demonstrate the inadequate training that she had received for her occupation. Miss Caroline seems to have been instructed upon a strict standard on how her students are expected to behave, but when she encounters something different, such as Scout's advanced ability to read, she advises Scout to stop being advanced, whereas a modern-day schoolteacher would capitalize on Scout's ability to read and encourage her to read more. "You won't learn to write until you're in the third grade." (pg. 23) The strict, recipe-style, rubric method of teaching that Miss Caroline uses is once again emphasized here. Miss Caroline once again discourages Scout's advanced abilities and regards Scout's ability with contempt. "The Dewey Decimal System consisted, in part, of Miss Caroline waving cards at us which were printed 'the,' 'cat,' 'rat,' 'man,' and 'you.'" (pg. 23) The Dewey Teaching Method was supposed to place an emphasis on "active" learning, yet the irony in Miss Caroline's "use" of it was that her teaching method wasn't "active" at all. It was, in fact, extremely passive. The students in the class didn't do anything. They became extremely bored and learned very little. As I have established, the use of irony clearly reveals the deficiency of the public education system in the 1930's. Teachers did not seem to be 2004-07-05T09:36:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Irony-and-Sarcasm-25352.aspx The conflict between society and the individual is a theme portrayed throughout Twain's Huckleberry Finn. Huck was not raised in accord with the accepted ways of civilization. Huck faces many aspects of society, which makes him choose his own individuality over civilization. He practically raises himself, relying on instinct to guide him through life. As portrayed several times in the novel, Huck chooses to follow his innate sense of right, yet he does not realize that his own instincts are more moral than those of society. From the very beginning of Huck's story, Huck without a doubt states that he did not want to conform to society; "The Widow Douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me... I got into my old rags and my sugar hogshead again, and was free and satisfied"(Twain, 2). Miss Watson lives with Huck and she is always picking at him, trying to make him become conventional. According to the essay, The Struggle to Find Oneself Huck has become so used to being free that he sees the Widow Douglas' protection solely in terms of confinement. She doesn’t let Huck smoke when he wants and she is always nagging. "Miss Watson would say, "Don't put your feet up there, Huckleberry;" and "Don't scrunch up like that, Huckleberry -- set up straight;" and pretty soon she would say, "Don't gap and stretch like that, Huckleberry -- why don't you try to behave?"(Twain, 3). We get the feeling that Huck is an individual, a person who is independent and has the willingness to live a life free of complications. According to Ryan Schremmer’s essay Examination of Freedom as an Overall Theme in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn the theme of freedom is shown in Huckleberry Finn, which parallels to his distancing from society: One of the most prominent and important themes of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is freedom. Freedom not only from Huck's internal paradoxical struggle in defining right and wrong, but also freedom from Huck's personal relationships with the Widow Douglas and his father, as well as freedom from the societal institutions of government, religion, and prejudices. When Pap returns for Huck, and the matter of custody is brought before the court, the reader is forced to see the corruption of society. The judge rules that Huck belongs to Pap, and forces him to obey an evil and abusive man. One who 2004-07-05T09:35:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Huckleberry-Finn-Conflict-Between-Society-the-Individual-25350.aspx Mark Twain, a famous American writer-satirist wrote many books highly acclaimed throughout the world. For his masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn he was recognized by the literary establishment as one of the greatest writers America would ever produce. This novel is about a teenage boy by the name of Huck Finn whose father is an alcoholic. Because of his violence, Huck runs away and finds a runaway slave Jim. Instead of turning Jim in, Huck goes against society and makes a decision to help Jim break free from slavery. As they travel together, Huck learns more and more about Jim and starts to understand that common stereotype of black people is wrong. Huck sees that there is no difference between Jim and any white man he knows except for skin color. Risking his life and overcoming many difficulties on the way, Huck succeeds in freeing Jim. Focusing on racism, alcoholism and mob mentality, Mark Twain uses his ardent style of writing and satirizes the three traits throughout the novel. Many words the book contains are full of vivid abhorrence towards black slaves. Every single line talks about how white people despise and refuse to accept the black race. Answering Aunt Sally's question about whether or not anyone is hurt Huck answers, "no mum, just killed a nigger."(Twain 213) This is the one and only acceptable way to talk about black people in the "white" society. In addition to this, not only is the black people treated differently from the white, they are also considered to be one's property. "He is the only property I have," (Twain 122) Huck is perforced to say in order to save Jim. This is the only way to get through without the essence of suspicions. Though Huck shows racism in public as society teaches him, deep inside he understands that Jim is a great person. Through the eyes of Huck Finn, Mark Twain shows that there is more to people then looks and race, showing the importance of beliefs and character. Alcoholism is another human weakness Twain satirizes in his novel, constantly accentuating the drunk and violent father of Huck in a very negative manner. "I was just about to go and vote myself if I warn't too drunk to get there,"(Twain 27) said Pap with a racist remark, implying the fact that he will never vote anyway just because the government let one 2004-07-05T09:34:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Huckleberry-Finn-Satirical-Plot-25349.aspx The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the noblest, greatest, and most adventuresome novel in the world. Mark Twain definitely has a style of his own that depicts a realism in the novel about the society back in antebellum America. Mark Twain definitely characterizes the protagonist, the intelligent and sympathetic Huckleberry Finn, by the direct candid manner of writing as though through the actual voice of Huck. Every word, thought, and speech by Huck is so precise it reflects even the racism and black stereotypes typical of the era. And this has lead to many conflicting battles by various readers since the first print of the novel, though inspiring some. Says John H. Wallace, outraged by Twain’s constant use of the degrading and white supremacist word ‘nigger’, "[The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is] the most grotesque example of racist trash ever written" (Mark Twain Journal by Thadious Davis, Fall 1984 and Spring 1985). Yet, again to counter that is a quote by the great American writer Ernest Hemingway, "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn…it’s the best book we’ve had…There has been nothing as good since" (The Green Hills of Africa [Scribner’s. 1953] 22). The controversy behind the novel has been and will always remain the crux of any readers is still truly racism. Twain surely does use the word ‘nigger’ often, both as a referral to the slave Jim and any African-American that Huck comes across and as the epitome of insult and inferiority. However, the reader must also not fail to recognize that this style of racism, this malicious treatment of African-Americans, this degrading attitude towards them is all stylized of the pre-Civil War tradition. Racism is only mentioned in the novel as an object of natural course and a precision to the actual views of the setting then. Huckleberry Finn still stands as a powerful portrayal of experience through the newfound eyes of an innocent boy. Huck only says and treats the African-American culture accordingly with the society that he was raised in. To say anything different would truly be out of place and setting of the era. Twain’s literary style in capturing the novel, Huck’s casual attitude and candid position, and Jim’s undoubted acceptance of the oppression by the names all signifies this. Twain’s literary style is that of a natural southern dialect intermingled with other dialects to represent the 2004-07-05T09:34:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Analysis-on-Huck-Finn-25347.aspx Generations of schoolchildren raised on the first Book of "Gulliver's Travels" have loved it as a delightful visit to a fantasy kingdom full of creatures they can relate to-little creatures, like themselves. Few casual readers look deeply enough to recognize the satire just below the surface. But Jonathan Swift was one of the great satirists of his or any other age, and "Gulliver's Travels" is surely the apex of his art. "Gulliver's Travels" tells the story of Lemuel Gulliver, a ship's surgeon who has a number of rather extraordinary adventures, comprising four sections or "Books." In Book I, his ship is blown off course and Gulliver is shipwrecked. He wakes up flat on his back on the shore, and discovers that he cannot move; he has been bound to the earth by thousands of tiny crisscrossing threads. He soon discovers that his captors are tiny men about six inches high, natives of the land of Lilliput. He is released from his prone position only to be confined in a ruined temple by ninety-one tiny but unbreakable chains. In spite of his predicament, Gulliver is at first impressed by the intelligence and organizational abilities of the Lilliputians. In this section, Swift introduces us to the essential conflict of Book I: the naive, ordinary, but compassionate "Everyman" at the mercy of an army of people with "small minds". Because they are technologically adept, Gulliver does not yet see how small-minded the Lilliputians are. In Chapter II, the Emperor of Lilliput arrives to take a look at the "giant", and Gulliver is equally impressed by the Emperor and his courtiers. They are handsome and richly dressed, and the Emperor attempts to speak to Gulliver civilly (although they are unable to understand one another). The Emperor decrees that every morning Gulliver is to be delivered "six beeves, forty sheep, and other victuals," along with as much bread and wine as he needs, his basic needs are to be attended to, and six scholars are to teach Gulliver the language of his new compatriots. Again, in this chapter, Gulliver is won over by the fact that the Lilliputians are well-dressed and articulate (despite the fact that they speak a language he cannot understand). He is still held captive by these people, both metaphorically, as in being entranced by them, and literally. It is in this chapter that Gulliver first asks to be freed and is refused. As Chapter III 2004-07-05T09:33:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gulliver-s-Travels-Satire-in-Lilliput-25346.aspx One of the most interesting questions about Gullivers Travels is whether the Houyhnhnms represent an ideal of rationality or whether on the other hand they are the butt of Swift's satire. In other words, in Book IV, is Swift poking fun at the talking horses or does he intend for us to take them seriously as the proper way to act? If we look closely at the way that the Houyhnhnms act, we can see that in fact Swift does not take them seriously: he uses them to show the dangers of pride. First we have to see that Swift does not even take Gullver seriously. For instance, his name sounds much like gullible, which suggests that he will believe anything. Also, when he first sees the Yahoos and they throw excrement on him, he responds by doing the same in return until they run away. He says, "I must needs discover some more rational being," (203) even though as a human he is already the most rational being there is. This is why Swift refers to Erasmus Darwins discovery of the origin of the species and the voyage of the Beagle-to show how Gulliver knows that people are at the top of the food chain. But if Lemule Gulliver is satirized, so are the Houyhnhnms, whose voices sound like the call of castrati. They walk on two legs instead of four, and seem to be much like people. As Gulliver says, "It was with the utmost astonishment that I witnessed these creatures playing the flute and dancing a Vienese waltz. To my mind, they seemed like the greatest humans ever seen in court, even more dextrous than the Lord Edmund Burke" (162). As this quote demonstrates, Gulliver is terribly impressed, but his admiration for the Houyhnhnms is short-lived because they are so prideful. For instance, the leader of the Houyhnhnms claims that he has read all the works of Charles Dickens, and that he can singlehandedly recite the names of all the Kings and Queens of England up to George II. Swift subtly shows that this Houyhnhnms pride is misplaced when, in the middle of the intellectual competition, he forgets the name of Queen Elizabeths husband. Swifts satire of the Houyhnhnms comes out in other ways as well. One of the most memorable scenes is when the dapple grey mare attempts to woo the horse that Guenivre has brought with him 2004-07-05T09:33:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gulliver-s-Travels-Gulliver-in-Houynhnmland-25344.aspx Jonathan Swift’s, Gulliver’s Travels satirically relates bodily functions and physical attributes to social issues during England’s powerful rule of Europe. Through out the story we find many relations between bodily features and British and European society. Swift uses this tone of mockery to explain to his reader the importance of many different topics during this time of European rule. Swift feels that the body and their functions relate to political as well as the ration of a society. Swift’s fascination with the body comes from its unproblematic undertone which gives his audience recognizable parallelism to many issues such as political change and scientific innovation. Gulliver’s first adventure takes place in Lilliput. Gulliver swims to a foreign shore after his boat and rowboat capsize due to a fierce storm. Washed upon the shore, Gulliver finds himself tied to the grass surrounded by little bodied people called the Lilliputians. The Lilliputians stood no more than six inches high. During this time Swift recognized that England was also a kind of six inch being that had great influence in Europe. Swift wrote Gulliver’s Travel’s during a time when Europe was the worlds most dominant and influential force. England, despite its small size, had the potential to defeat any nation that might try to conquer them. Swift relates this phenomenon to the small stature of the Lilliputians. They stood a mere six inches high but had the power to siege the mammoth Gulliver. The capability of a nation consisting of miniature people, who are able to capture someone ten-times their size can be seen as reinforcing the capability of a small nation, such as England, becoming and remaining a great power. Even though this is true, Swift entices a condescending tone to Gulliver’s portrayal of the small Lilliputians, who easily fit into the hands of Gulliver, yet still manage to threaten his life. Even though the Lilliputians are piteously small in Gulliver’s eyes, they do not see themselves the same way. To themselves, the Lilliputians feel they are normal and Gulliver remains the outlandish giant. The unexpected infringement of giant Gulliver into the Lilliputians well-developed society reminds the European society, that size and strength are always relative, and there is no way for Europe to be certain that a Gulliver-like giant, might not arrive and conquer them at any moment. This encounter, between Gulliver and the Lilliputians would put Europe’s confidence in its power 2004-07-05T09:32:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gulliver-s-Travels-Satire-on-a-Nation-25343.aspx F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is about a man named Gatsby, in love with a woman, Daisy, who is married to Tom Buchannan. He dreams that one day he and Daisy will get together. Gatsby has worked hard to become the man that he believes will impress Daisy. Even though he has an extravagant house, lots of money, and wild parties, he is without the one person he wants, Daisy. Even befriending Nick deals with Gatsby getting Daisy, because Daisy is Nick’s cousin. In a meeting arranged by Nick and Gatsby, Daisy is invited over for tea and she sees Gatsby. It seems as if time is suspended for a moment, as they look at each other both thinking something. Then Gatsby tips over Nick’s clock, symbolizing that he is running out of time to try to capture what he and Daisy once lost. Through the lonely and careless characters of: Jordan Baker Jay Gatsby, Myrtle, and G. Wilson, Fitzgerald is able to illustrate the lack of spirituality in this novel. The main place in The Great Gatsby that shows the lack of spirituality is the Valley of Ashes, where Myrtle and her husband, George Wilson live. It is a bleak, desolate valley including only one building, a car garage. One day while driving around Tom and Nick stop off at the valley to see Myrtle, Tom’s mistress. Nick describes this valley as being: "about half way between West Egg and New York... a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens" (27). The concern here is with the corruption of values and the decline of spiritual life. The traditional views of God and Religion are dead here and the readers can tell this because the only God-like image in this novel is a billboard with the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg advertising glasses. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg represents the fact that God and religion have taken a less substantial role in comparison with the gods that have the powers of wealth, status, and greed. Dr. Eckleburg represents God, but by the way Nick describes the billboard tells the readers that even though God may watch over His people, he is being ignored in this novel, which is symbolized by the decaying billboard: "his eyes, dimmed a little by many paint less days under the sun and rain" (28). George 2004-07-05T09:32:13-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Great-Gatsby--25341.aspx In the novel, The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck brings to the reader a variety of diverse and greatly significant characters. However, the majority of each characters’ individuality happens to lie within what they symbolize in the microcosm of the Joad family and their acquaintances, which itself stands for the entire migrant population of the Great Depression era. One such character is that of Jim Casey, a former preacher and long-time friend of the Joads. In this story, Casey represents a latter-day Christ figure who longs to bring religious stability to the burgeon of migrant families facing West. Steinbeck manages to give Jim Casey the exact initials as the historical savior (J.C.), which allows the reader to latch onto this connection from the beginning. Yet, Casey’s relation to Christ goes beyond such mere coincidences, and plays out rather in their similar plans of action. One of the many similarities between Casey and Christ is that Casey had also drifted out to the forests in order to "soul-search" and discover the answers to sometimes hidden questions. In this particular situation, Casey himself states the comparison of Christ’s and his actions while giving a grace at the Joad’s breakfast table, "...I been in the hills, thinkin’, almost you might say like Jesus went into the wilderness to think His way out of a mess of troubles" (Steinbeck ch.8). Casey further goes on during his rather rambling grace, "I got tired like Him...I got mixed up like Him...I went into the wilderness like Him, without no campin’ stuff" (Steinbeck ch.8). With Casey’s character openly admitting, without seeming conceited, that he and Jesus Christ are in some way similar, it continues to bluntly let the reader come to realize that Casey was indeed meant to be the Christ figure of this book. Yet another similarity between Jim Casey and Jesus Christ can be seen when Casey decides to venture off and join a union group in order to prevent strike wages from falling even farther. This represents the event of Jesus Christ and his faithful disciples, traveling with him in an effort to spread their beliefs throughout the people as a whole. In addition, there were many people who wanted to follow Christ and his quest, yet they declined due to fear of persecution, just as the migrant workers feared an upset of government retaliation against trouble-makers or "reds". However, the greatest significance regarding 2004-07-05T09:31:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Grapes-of-Wrath-Jim-Casey-as-a-Christ-Figure-25340.aspx Many lessons are embedded into Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (Bantam Books 1991), including how society acts towards the different. The monster fell victim to the system commonly used to characterize a person by only his or her outer appearance. Whether people like it or not, society summarizes a person's characteristics by his or her physical appearance. Society has set an unbreakable code individuals must follow to be accepted. Those who don't follow the "standard" are hated by the crowd and banned for the reason of being different. When the monster ventured into a town he "had hardly placed [his] foot within the door before the children shrieked, and one of the women fainted" . From that moment on he realized that people did not like his appearance and hated him because of it. If villagers didn't run away at the sight of him, then they might have even enjoyed his personality. The monster tried to accomplish this when he encountered the De Lacey family. The monster hoped to gain friendship from the old man and eventually his children. He knew that it could have been possible because the old man was blind, he could not see the monster's repulsive characteristics. But fate was against him and the "wretched" had barely conversed with the old man before his children returned from their journey and saw a monstrous creature at the feet of their father attempting to do harm to the helpless elder. "Felix darted forward, and with supernatural force tore [the creature] from his father, to whose knees [he] clung..." Felix's action caused great inner pain to the monster. He knew that his dream of living with them "happily ever after" would not happen and with the encounter still fresh in his mind along with his first encounter of humans, he "declared everlasting war against the species, and more than all, him who had formed [the creature] and sent [him] forth to this insupportable misery." The wicked being's source of hatred toward humans originates from his first experiences with humans. In a way the monster started out with a childlike innocence that was eventually shattered by being constantly rejected by society time after time. His first encounter with humans was when he opened his yellow eyes for the first time and witnessed Victor Frankenstein, his creator, rush out of the laboratory. Would this have happened if society did not consider physical appearance 2004-07-05T09:29:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein-Rejection-by-Society-25339.aspx In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, families are a very important part of the structure of the novel. Frankenstein’s family is critical because the reason why the monster was created lies within the family. Almost every family mentioned in the novel was either incomplete or was dysfunctional. Frankenstein’s family in particular was missing a female role. The Frankenstein family had no mother, but they did have Elizabeth who was the only other female in the house and she was adopted when she was just a child. The monster was created because of this absence, not necessarily to fill the role of the mother, but to fill in the role of the missing family member. However, the monster is shunned away when he is animated and the fall of the Frankenstein family awaits them. Victor Frankenstein’s family was normal to begin with. He had a mother and a father, but later on when Elizabeth becomes sick with a fever, his mother nurses her back to health at the cost of her own life. On her deathbed, Victor’s mom says, "Elizabeth, my love, you must supply my place to my younger children. Alas! I regret that I am taken from you; and, happy and beloved as I have been, is it not hard . . . a hope of meeting you in another world" (42). Elizabeth is expected to fill in as the role of the mother by taking care of and protecting the young children. Although she replaces the role of the mother, there is still the fact that a family member is missing. A mother is impossible to replace; you can’t have a stepmother because she will never be a replacement for an original mother. Nor can a mother be bought, but Victor uses his knowledge from Ingolstadt to create a being to fill in that missing figure. In the later part of the novel, the monster stumbles upon a family where he learns the basics of living and surviving. The monster is very intelligent and can learn at a exceedingly rapid rate. The family that he crosses is the De Lacey family. This family is also incomplete because they are also missing a mother figure here. Yet they have a substitute as does the Frankenstein family has. For the De Lacey family, Agatha, the sister, plays the womanly role here. Felix her brother always takes care of her and tries to 2004-07-05T09:29:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Essay-on-Frankenstein-Family-25338.aspx Fahrenheit 451 is a science fiction book that still reflects to our current world. Bradbury does a nice job predicting what the world would be like in the future; the future for his time period and for ours as well. The society he describes is, in many ways, like the one we are living in right now. We are always demanding more advanced machinery, and from the past, we have grown into a much more technological society. Lately, more and more people not only want more technology, they want them to be quicker. Things such as quicker computers, quicker connections to the internet, better cell phone connections, pagers, cars with more power, voice mail, palm pilots, etc. are in greater demand. People don't want to waste time anymore. We want things done quicker without as much effort. We want things to take less time to do them so we can have more time for other things. Their society is exactly like ours. Besides having advanced technological machines, they also have much larger speed limits, so people could get where they want a lot faster. Clarisse and Montag make it obvious to the reader that they live in a fast-paced world when they first meet each other. Before Clarisse runs into her house, they notice how fast drivers go that they "'don't know what grass is, or flowers because they never see them slowly,' she said. 'If you showed a driver a green blur, Oh yes! he'd say, that's grass! A pink blur! That's a rose garden! White blurs are houses. Brown blurs are cows. My uncle drove slowly on a highway once. He drove forty miles an hour and they jailed him for two days'"(9). Their speed limit is so high that everything that they see seems like blurs. They never see objects; they only see colors. Our speed limit isn’t as high as theirs is, but people usually go much faster than the speed limit is. Another reason their society reflects the one we live in is that the people there are becoming more and more violent towards each other. Clarisse tells Montag that she’s "afraid of children my own age. They kill each other... Six of my friends have been shot in the last year alone. Ten of them died in car wrecks. I’m afraid of them and they don’t like me because I’m afraid" (30). They even 2004-07-05T09:28:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fahrenheit-451-Similarities-to-our-Society-25337.aspx Born in 1809, Edgar Alan Poe is considered by many critics and fans of literature to be one of the greatest writers of all time. He was born into a strict religious environment. His father constantly abused him. His family was considered very dysfunctional, which is part of the reason his stories always have an evil tint to them (Basuray). Almost every one of Poe's stories tend to have a dark and macabre feel to them. His beliefs on God and morals also had much to do with the way he wrote. He did not attend church or believe his stories should carry some high moral purpose. He believed that the church and morals in stories were just man's way of trying to interpret what God wanted. He believed that his critics, including members of the church, had no right to tell him how they should live. This did not mean that he did not believe that people should do evil deeds and not get punished. Poe's belief was that the worst punishment came not from outside the person but from within a person's own subconscious thoughts (Grantz). Many of Poe's characters commit unspeakable evil acts, which are then counterbalanced by their own subconscious need to be free of the evil deeds that they have committed. The first story we will examine is "The Black Cat". This story first appeared in the United States Saturday Post (The Saturday Evening Post) on August 19, 1843 (Womak). The story opens with the narrator deciding to record the events that led him to murder his wife and the cat as he awaits his execution the next day. The narrator is first described as a gentle, loving man who would never hurt a fly. He has a pet cat that he loves more than anything in the world. After some years, the narrator develops a drinking problem and starts to become irritable and violent, not only to people but also to his pets. Late one night after drinking excessively at the bar, the man returns home. Upon the man's arrival at the house, Pluto, the cat tries to avoid him most likely because his now violent temper. The man grabs Pluto, which startles the cat who reacts by biting the man's hand. The man was so enraged by the cat's reaction that he pulls out his penknife and cuts the cat's eye out. The gravity 2004-07-05T09:26:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Evil-By-Edgar-Alan-Poe-25334.aspx In his novel, Eaters of the Dead, author Michael Crichton shows how the Volga Northmen were able to defeat their foes, the wendol, by using their intellect instead of their weapons. This is seen in four aspects. The theme of the novel is that physical courage is not enough to preserve your culture and lifestyle: intelligence and superior knowledge are absolutely essential. Conflict between the wendol and the Northmen shows which group has the intelligence to eliminate the other. Symbolism of wisdom, knowledge, and the lack of such things are used by Crichton to illustrate this moral. The juxtaposition of characters emphasizes the cleverness of the Volga Northmen compared to the Venden Northmen. The theme of the story is that applying intelligence and knowledge is essential in order to keep one’s culture alive. A good proof of this is the lack of knowledge of Ahmad Ibn Fadlan, the narrator of the story. He is an Arab who "knows nothing of the ways of the world" (p. 77) because he has never truly experienced the world before that day, since he does not care for adventure. Having no experience with the world and having no knowledge, Ibn Fadlan slowly learns the Northmen’s way of life. In the end, felt he "had been born a Northman" (p. 152), having spent much time in their company and is no longer the coward he was when he started the trip. His lack of knowledge causes him to be a coward in battle, since he will be battling frightening, mysterious creatures. A better proof of this is that the wendol acts as if they are animals, which are unintelligent. The wendol makes "a low grunting sound, like the rooting of a pig" (p. 97), "have hair as long as a hairy dog" (p. 99), and wear the heads of dead animals as masks. They act as if they were brainless and cannot think of ways of attack on the Northmen. The only thing they can think of when they are losing is to retreat. Their ignorance to provide more guards at the second entrance to the thunder cave give the Northmen easy access to kill their leader from the lack of defenses. The best proof of this is that the Northmen are the ones who have the knowledge and intelligence to defeat the wendol. They learn about the second entrance to the cave of thunder, where 2004-07-05T09:24:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Eaters-of-the-Dead--25331.aspx The story Diary of Anne Frank was a very interesting book which showed the ways a group of Jewish people during the 1940's went about trying to conceal their identity and themselves. This story was a true story taken from a diary of a young girl during the incident. This was made into a play during 1955. This was praised as Frances Goodrich's and her husband Albert Hackett's most famous work as it was performed. The play was started in November of 1945. As Mr. Frank began to read the diary, it flashed back to July 1942 in an attic in Amsterdam because this was where the people were hiding and represented the type of place that Jews all over were living. The most important part of the play were the people who were acted out. They gave the play a sense of flavor and realism. Anne, a young German girl was particularly amusing because of the scuffles she and everyone around her seemed to have. Anne's Mother was a woman who was more traditional than anything else and wanted Anne to be more like a lady. One such person was Margot. As Anne's sister, she was very nice and didn't speak out and was very proper. The Frank's weren't the only ones in this attic, there were other people such as the Van Daans. Mr. Frank let them stay because they needed a place to hide and since they had helped him out so much in the past by actually teaching Mr. Frank German, he felt it was the least he could do. The Van Daans had a son which Anne later became interested in. Peter was the only person who Anne could understand and knew that Anne could understand him. They could both talk to each other freely when they were together. Dussel soon joined the group. He was only supposed to be up in the attic for a short time, but he ended up staying till the end. He had to leave his Dentistry to hide out from the Germans. These people would not of lasted too long without the help of Miep Gies and Mr. Kraler who gave them the necessities they needed to survive up in the attic for so long. All these people gave their own personality and views to add new dimensions to the play and make it more enjoyable. They all were believable 2004-07-05T09:23:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Diary-of-Anne-Frank-25329.aspx For Willy and Linda, life's accomplishments and sources of pleasure are simple. This statement gives an excellent judgment of their lives because they lead very average lives for the time, and any depth is ignored on their part. This little scene exemplifies this point by showing a focus in their lives, being the mortgage on the house. For twenty-five years Willy and Linda have been working to pay off their mortgage, and once they do that, they will attain a sense of freedom, or the "American Dream". That dream, especially pertinent at that time of growth in the United States, presents a perfect representation of their goal. This goal is clearly outlined by dollar signs and a sense of ownership, two key points to personal success. The key thing which leads to Willy and Linda's depressions, is their inability to face reality in the present. Their lives are lived in the future, and even in this scene as Willy states; "You wait, kid, before it's all over we're gonna get a little place out in the country."(p.72), we see his ability to constantly speak of unpractical dreams. Their last payment on the mortgage gives closure to this life filled only with dreams, and will allow them to realize some of their idealistic thoughts. Their entire lives have been concentrated on this house, their one meaningful possession, therefore this last payment is an accomplishment beyond any other. Willy is a salesman, always traveling from state to state staying in motels away from home. This increases the importance of a house to him because it is not only a place of habitation but a representation of stability in his life. It is a concrete item which cannot be taken away from Willy once he has made the last payment. While discussing his sons with Linda, he states; " And they'll get married, and come for a weekend…". He shows the same pride for his ownership of the house as he did for Biff during his football years. The house is the center of Willy's being, and now that he almost has it, he can see that it has been his life's work. He is a character who remains content only by trying to believe that he is living the "American Dream", and pride of his most valued possession is all he has to hold onto. Although, at this point in his life, 2004-07-05T09:23:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Death-of-A-Salesman-The-American-Dream-25328.aspx "Death of A Salesman," by Arthur Miller, is a play that tells the story of a traveling salesman, Willy Loman, who encounters frustration and failure as he reflects on and experiences his own life. Willy’s quest for the American Dream leads to his failure because throughout his life, he pursues the illusion of the American Dream and not the reality of it. His mindset on perfection, his obsession with success, and his constant reminiscence of the past and foretelling of the future, all contribute to his defeat in the end. The reality of the American Dream is that people are capable of succeeding. Success, though, requires one to work hard and be dedicated to both his/her professional life and family life. Yet, the illusion of the Dream is that attaining material prosperity defines success. Failing to acknowledge the importance of hard work in achieving the American Dream is another aspect of the illusion. By ignoring the present, Willy fails to deal with reality. He has a tendency of living in the past and thinking of the future. He always thinks that if he had done something differently then this could have happened, or things will get better as time passes. His habit of distorting the past, never allows Willy to realize what is going on right then and there in the present. At one time, when Willy goes off down memory lane, he "says" to Biff and Happy, "America is full of beautiful towns and fine, upstanding people. And they know me, boys…the finest people…there’ll be open sesame for all of us, ‘cause one thing boys: I have friends. I can park my car in any street…and the cops protect it like their own" (31). Willy makes this distortion of the past in order to make himself believe that he has achieved the American Dream. At times when doing this was not possible, Willy looks to the future and thinks he can still achieve it then. For instance, he has this dream of having a big, spectacular funeral. In the end when Willy dies, at his funeral, Linda says, "Why didn’t anybody come…Where are all the people he knew?" (137). All his life, he holds on to this fantasy, but he never faces the reality of how he could have made it come true. It is his vision of the people of the past that lead Willy to follow a particular 2004-07-05T09:22:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Death-of-a-Salesman-A-Dead-End-Dream-25327.aspx Throughout the novel The Call of the Wild, we follow a dog named Buck through his journey through the Klondike. We experience a transformation in him, as he adapts to the cold, harsh land where he is forced to toil in the snow, just to help men find a shiny metal. Buck seems to almost transform into a different dog by the end of the book. In this essay, I will go over what Buck was like, how and why he was forced to adapt to his new environment, and what he changed into. When we first met up with Buck, he lived in the Santa Clara Valley, on Judge Miller's property. He was the ruler of his domain, uncontested by any other local dogs. he was a mix between a St. Bernard and a Scotch Shepherd dog. He weighed one hundred and forty pounds, and he carried every one with utmost pride. Buck had everything he could want. Little did he know, he would soon have it all taken away from him. One night, while the judge was away at a raisin grower's committee meeting, the gardener, Manuel, took Buck away from his home. Buck was then sold, and thrown in a baggage car. This would be the beginning of a new, cruel life for Buck. On his ride to wherever he was going, Buck's pride was severely damaged, if not completely wiped out by men who used tools to restrain him. No matter how many times Buck tried to lunge, he would just be choked into submission at the end. When Buck arrived at his destination, there was snow everywhere, not to mention the masses of Husky and wolf dogs. Buck was thrown into a pen with a man who had a club. This is where Buck would learn one of the two most important laws that a dog could know in the Klondike. The law of club is quite simple, if there is a man with a club, a dog would be better off not to challenge that man. Buck learned this law after he was beaten half to death by the man who had the club. no matter what he tried, he just couldn't win. Buck was sold off to a man who put him in a harness connected to many other dogs. Buck was bad at first, but eventually, he learned the way of trace and trail. 2004-07-05T09:19:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Call-of-the-Wild-Character-Sketch-of-Buck-25322.aspx Corruption is one of the most prevailing themes in Cry The Beloved Country, as well as in today’s world. In this story the author pictures many different characters in order to represent this wide spread illness of society, John Kumalo, Gertrude, Abasalom, just to name a few. Johannesburg itself is the summary of all that is wrong with cities of today. There is corruption and poverty. Crime runs rampant, and law-abiding citizens are forced to survive as they can. One of the most typical products of corruption in Cry The Beloved Country is John Kumalo. He has a woman living with him that he hasn’t married; he has no problems with hiring a lawyer that will lie, effectively condemning his nephew to death. His one good trait is that he uses his political power to help further the cause of the African natives, and even this is tarnished by the fact that he only wants to further his own ambitions. He doesn’t have the heart necessary for a revolutionary leader and that will be his downfall. If he was willing to go to prison and make sacrifices for what he believed in or wanted he would have much more power than he has now. Abasalom is a good example of corruption that doesn’t come from the heart. Unlike John, Abasalom does not want to be corrupt, and he is not proud of what he has done. When he killed Arthur he was horrified, and when the police found him he didn’t deny what he had done, but confessed. Abasalom was corrupted by Johannesburg and by his "friends", and was a victim of circumstance. Allan Paton presents Johannesburg as a nest of corruption in the book. As a matter of fact all the other corruption mentioned in the story is stemming from Johannesburg: John, Gertrude, Abasalom, crime, prostitution, racism, segregation. Johannesburg isn’t only corrupt in itself; it corrupts all most all that it touches. This city is very much a downscaled version of anyone of numerous major cities in the world today. It is a sad day when a man of the cloth cannot go unmolested through the streets. The city is overcrowded and everyone is so poor that they must stoop to rob priests just to feed themselves. A good example of what this city does to a person is Gertrude, the most pathetic character in the book. She has 2004-07-05T09:19:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cry-The-Beloved-Country-Corruption-25321.aspx Holden Caulfield, portrayed in the J.D. Salinger novel Catcher in the Rye as an adolescent struggling to find his own identity, possesses many characteristics that easily link him to the typical teenager living today. The fact that they book was written more than forty years ago clearly exemplifies the saying "boys will be boys…" no matter what period of time is taking place. Holden's actions are those that any teenage can clearly relate with. The desire for independence, the sexually related encounters, the questioning of one's religion, the individual view of the world as a whole, the language, and dealing with teenage pressures such as drinking and smoking are issues that almost all teens have had or will have to deal with in their adolescent years. Thusly, this novel and its main character's experiences can easily be related to and will forever link Holden with every member of society, because everyone was or will be a teen. The first and most obvious characteristic found in most teens, including Holden, would be the desire for independence. Throughout the novel, Holden is not once wishing to have his parents help in any way. He has practically lived his entire life in dorms at prestigious schools, and has learned quite well how to be on his own. "This tendency of teenagers took place even in ancient history, where the freshly developed teen opts to leave the cave and hunt for his own food" (Kegel 54). Every teenager tries, in his or her own way, to be independent. Instead of admitting to one's parents of a wrongful deed, the teen tries covering up the mistake or avoiding it in hopes that they won't get in any Bailey 2 trouble. They feel that they have enough intelligence to think through a problem without going to their parents for assistance. When Holden hears the news that he has been expelled from Pency, he concludes that his parents would not know of this for a few days. Therefore, he would wait from Saturday until Wednesday, to let his parents "get it and thoroughly digest it" (25) and then face the consequences, which will more than likely be less severe after his parents calmed down. He states, "I didn't want to be around when they first got it. My mother gets very hysterical. She's not too bad after she gets something thoroughly digested, though" (51). In taking the 2004-07-05T09:18:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Catcher-in-the-Rye-Boys-Will-Be-Boys-25319.aspx The Catcher in the Rye has truly earned it's place among great classic works. J. D. Salinger created a literary piece that was completely unique. The entire novel was written in the first person view of the 17-year-old, Holden Caulfield. The majority of the story is compiled of Holden's rudimentary monologue of 'complexly simple' thoughts, the rest utilizing his relay of previous dialogue. That and the use of unique punctuation, digressing explanations, and complex characterization, transformed the simple plot into the complex literary classic. The novel's dialogue and monologue alike, manage to relay the feel of natural speaking such as: "I mean you'd be different in some way - I can't explain what I mean." The contractions; you'd and can't - since they are common in everyday language - establish a very common and simple tone. Stress on the first syllable of "different," reinforces the tone by demonstrating how typically they speak, just as in reality. He uses dashes for pauses and signaling associative digressions. Instead of signaling pauses, commas are used mostly where mechanically required, for instance: "So all of a sudden, I ran like a madman across the street - I damn near got myself killed doing it, if you want to know the truth - and went in this stationary store and bought a pad and pencil." Holden Caulfield creates a thought provoking point of view. On the surface many of his thought patterns seem unrelated and straying from the topic. His association of topic with digression is used almost constantly throughout the novel. However, realizing that these digressions are very relevant and even crucial to the topic allow the reader to gain true insight to the character. His statements about his sister's intelligence, followed by explanations of how well she listens, reveals Holden's associations of intelligence with being quiet and observant. Another example would be his tension around the nuns. Even though he enjoyed the conversation, he worried about being asked if he was Catholic. He stated they "...would have liked it better if he were Catholic." This gives insight to his discomfort with being judged morally, and to his association of people of morals looking down on those who don't share them. In Holden's descriptions and thoughts, Salinger accomplished the most unique aspect of the story's point-of-view. Instead of using the popular - however overrated - style of well refined thoughts and flowery descriptions, Salinger describes things as they are perceived 2004-07-05T09:17:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Catcher-in-the-Rye-Through-Holden-s-Eyes-25318.aspx Jerome David Salinger, born in New York City on January 1, 1919, may not have written many novels in which he is recognized for. Although, he did write one novel, which brought him fame. In many of Salinger's short stories and especially his most well-known novel he writes about how the main character falls from his or her own innocence then rises to face their challenges. In J.D. Salinger's , Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield goes through a fall from his innocence throughout his journey to his safe haven, home. One example of when Holden fell from his own innocence is when he is in the room with Phoebe and he can't name anything he likes. Holden reacts to this question by saying, "Boy, she was depressing me"(Salinger 169). The only three things he can name that he liked were Allie, James Castle, and sitting there chewing the fat with Phoebe. The reason this is a time when Holden falls is because he gets really depressed when he can barely think of anything he liked. The reason I think Holden gets so depressed is because two of the people he names are dead. That's why he is so lonely all the time. Holden finds things in common with Allie and James Castle and since they're both dead he feels, in the back of his mind, that he should also be dead which makes him depressed. Another example of a fall for Holden is when he realizes he can't erase even half the "fuck you's" in the world. This doesn't sound very important, but it is symbolic because he realizes that he can not be the catcher in the rye. His dream of shielding all the innocent children from society's harsh elements has been ruined by this one statement. Now because of this realization he comes to the conclusion that he can not shield everybody, not even half of everybody. An example of Holden trying to be the catcher in the rye is when Holden first sees the "fuck you" on the wall. Holden said, "It drove me damn near crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other kids would see it, and how they'd wonder what the hell it meant, and then finally some dirty kid would tell them- all cockeyed, naturally what it meant, and how they'd think about it even worry about it for a couple of days. 2004-07-05T09:16:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Catcher-in-the-Rye-Fall-of-Innocence-25317.aspx Analysis of Beauty and The Beast If you ask any American child if they have heard of the story of Beauty and The Beast, ninety-nine percent of them will have very good memory of the tale. Beauty and The Beast has been a part of our culture for many years as are many fairytales. It is read or told to our children not just for entertainment but for the moral lessons it gives to us. What most people don't realize is that there is more to this story than just it's moral values. There are a lot of different ways to analyze Beauty and the beast. Some people might feel uncomfortable talking about them. In this paper nothing will be held back in critiquing the tale. Disney made a movie version of Beauty and the Beast. It is the best-known version of the story. A majority of the population has either seen the movie or heard about it. The main character, Belle, is a young girl in a small village. She lived with her father who is an inventor. Belle sings a song of how boring the village is for her and how she wants to find happiness in another place. She reads many books and wishes to have some of the adventures she reads about. Meanwhile there is a very big man in the village, named Gaston, who wants to marry Belle but Belle doesn't wan anything to do with him. One day Belle's father is on his way to sell one of his inventions and heads off into the woods while Belle takes care of the house. Before he leaves Belle asks him to bring her back a rose. There was a bad snowstorm that night and the father got lost in the snow. He sees a path that has a green glow to it. He is intrigued and goes down the path. At the end of the path he finds a huge mansion. With nowhere else to go he has no other choice but to try to get inside. He knocks on the door but no one answers butt the door slowly swings open. He never finds any one in the house but dinner fresh clothes and breakfast the next morning are all set up for him. He leaves without seeing the owner of the house. On his way out of the mansion he sees a large rose garden. Remembering 2004-07-05T09:14:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beauty-and-The-Beast-Analysis-25315.aspx In many cases when you read a novel you may find comparisons between the "fictional" society and your realistic one. The author may concsciously or unconsciously create similarities between these two worlds. The novelist can forsee the future and write according to this vision. In Brave New World, Adlous Huxley evnsions the future of our society and the dangeroud direction it is headed in. Brave New World is greatly dependant upon soma, as in our world where prescribed drugs and drug abuse are prominent. This is evident when Bernard and Lenina return from the Savage Reservation. Lenina is devestated from her experiences, so decides to take soma. it Illustates how like our world when something upsets us instead of trying to solve the probelm we use drugs to mask them. Linda's addiction to soma is also an illustration of the similarities of drug abuse between our two worlds. Linda's retuen to brave new world after many years brings her to the abuse of soma. She uses it as an escape from reality. Some of us use drugs to escape from the harshness and the tough brutality of reality. We always dream of the perfect utopia and expect our world to transform into it. Some of us always look for the easy way out and drugs allow us that. A further similarity of Brave New World to us, si when John is in the hospital after hos mother's death due to soma abuse, and witnesses the workers receiving their soma rations. John begins to throw the soma out if the window, causing hysteria among the workers. For these workers soma is everything. They cannot imagine life without it. People addicted to cocaine, heroine and other drugs go through a similar stage called withdrawl. Living without the drugs seem unimaginable and frightening. If our world does not stop this dangerous overuse of drugs we will see ourselves evolve into the frightening direction of Brave New World and will be unable to stop it. Physical and mental controlling (hypnopedia) is used to teach moral lessons in Brave New World, our world uses hypnotism for the same purposes. The incident with Ruben Rabinovich illustates how our world is similar to brave new world. Ruben Rabinovivch was a young boy who fell asleep witht he radio on listening to a professor give a lecture. When he awoke the next morning he could recite the facts he heard but, 2004-07-05T09:12:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Brave-New-World-as-Compared-to-Modern-Society-25314.aspx For more than half a century science fiction writers have thrilled and challenged readers with visions of the future and future worlds. These authors offered an insight into what they expected man, society, and life to be like at some future time. One such author, Ray Bradbury, utilized this concept in his work, Fahrenheit 451, a futuristic look at a man and his role in society. Bradbury utilizes the luxuries of life in America today, in addition to various occupations and technological advances, to show what life could be like if the future takes a drastic turn for the worse. He turns man's best friend, the dog, against man, changes the role of public servants and changes the value of a person. Aldous Huxley also uses the concept of society out of control in his science fiction novel Brave New World. Written late in his career, Brave New World also deals with man in a changed society. Huxley asks his readers to look at the role of science and literature in the future world, scared that it may be rendered useless and discarded. Unlike Bradbury, Huxley includes in his book a group of people unaffected by the changes in society, a group that still has religious beliefs and marriage, things no longer part of the changed society, to compare and contrast today's culture with his proposed futuristic culture. But one theme that both Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 use in common is the theme of individual discovery by refusing to accept a passive approach to life, and refusing to conform. In addition, the refusal of various methods of escape from reality is shown to be a path to discovery. In Brave New World, the main characters of Bernard Marx and the "Savage" boy John both come to realize the faults with their own cultures. In Fahrenheit 451 Guy Montag begins to discover that things could be better in his society but, sue to some uncontrollable events, his discover happens much faster than it would have. He is forced out on his own, away from society, to live with others like himself who think differently that the society does. Marx, from the civilized culture, seriously questions the lack of history that his society has. He also wonders as to the lack of books, banned because they were old and did not encourage the new culture. By visiting a reservation, home 2004-07-05T09:12:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-of-Brave-New-World-to-Fahrenheit-911-25313.aspx There are archetypal patterns in life. They reoccur and become familiar to people through all ages and ethnicities. Throughout history, few literary works have captivated audiences by incorporating these patterns. The epic Beowulf is one literary work that effectively incorporates timeless components. The epic poem relates the tale of Beowulf, a warrior who throughout his life overcomes evils. It has strong elements of Anglo-Saxon elements of bravery, strength and of religious tenets. Beowulf enjoys universal appeal primarily because of its elements of characterization, plot and theme that prove timeless. Beowulf’s portrayal of human nature proves eternal. The protagonist Beowulf brashly lists his accomplishments before entering battle: "But the truth is simple: no man swims in the sea as I can, no strength is a match for mine… other monsters crowded around me, continually attacking. I treated them politely, offering the edge of my razor-sharp sword," (265-294). His boasts are symbolic of his personal insecurity. Beowulf seems scared of defeat and faliure. His boastful remarks are reminders to himself of his invincibility. Because he is insecure, Beowulf is an accurate representation of human nature. The poem also discloses social behaviors through Welthow, who portrays appropriate submissiveness of a wife. Women in society and position always are hot topics for discussion in any country and time period. She is subservient to her husband and " [pours] a portion from the jeweled cup for each, till [she] had carried the mead-cup among [the guests]," (354-372). Jealousy is a accurately portrayed in the poem. is a human attribute that will apply to any time period anywhere. In the incident with Unferth, for example: "angry that anyone in Denmark or anywhere on earth had ever acquired glory and fame greater than his own"(236-238) tries to belittle Beowulf’s claims to bravery, and, by doing so, adds realistic qualities to his character. Belief Divine or supernatural notions are also tendencies of human nature. The poem reflects this ageless concern through references to "that Shepherd of Evil" (432) and "[sacrifices] to the old stone gods" (90). These are both conflicting allusions to the two prominent religions of the time. One pertains to Christian ideology; i.e. "The Almighty God" (493), and "the Almighty making the earth" (8), and the other relates to Anglo Saxon religious beliefs; i.e., "the omens were good" (118) and "fate will unwind as it must," (189). The poem alludes to Christianity, a monotheistic religion that 2004-07-05T09:11:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-s-Universal-Appeal--25312.aspx Grendal, a descendant of Cain, is one of the main antagonist of the poem Beowulf. He lives under an inherited curse and is denied God’s presence. Throughout the story Grendal causes enormous grief and fear to the people of Herot. After so much pain and agony the king of Herot, Hrothgar, sends for the protagonist of the poem, Beowulf. He is a Geat and the epic hero of the poem. The wide variety of distinctions between Grendal and Beowulf is what develops the climax of the composition. Beowulf kills Grendal, so he is honored by the people of Herot for his heroic act. Since Grendal and Beowulf play opposite roles in the poem, Beowulf, they let the reader know how contrasting characters can develop the plot of the story. Grendal is known as a monster and portrays one of the many villains in the poem. He is referred to as the "guardian of his sins". Grendal depicts a heathen the physical image of man estranged from God. Basically, Grendal reflects a physical monster, an ogre who is hostile to humanity. Grendal’s constant visits to Hrothgar’s mead hall for bloody feasts made him feel powerful over God’s humanity. Unfortunately, the night Beowulf lies in wait for him, he assumes that his bloody feasts will continue and Grendal gives no attention to his method of attack. Grendal is then killed. Beowulf, the heroic figure in the poem, is known throughout the land as a courageous man who performs great deeds of valor. He is a Geat, who later becomes the king of the Geats. Beowulf’s strength seems to be a gift from God. As a noble and kind man, Beowulf comes to Herot to save them from God’s foe. Before Beowulf initiates battle with Grendal he exhibits a sense of fairness in not using a weapon against the monster. This demonstrates a great difference between the two characters. Had Beowulf’s attack not been unexpected, Grendal surely would have used a weapon. Beowulf’s defeat against Grendal sets one of the first stepping stones to his long legacy of heroic deeds. Both of these characters remain static throughout the poem. Beowulf portrays the heroic figure who saves everyone, while Grendal always remains evil with bad intentions. Grendal attacks mead hall because of jealousy. Grendal envies the fellowship and happiness he observes. He dislikes living in the outer world, excluded from the company of men; 2004-07-05T09:10:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-vs_-Grendal-25311.aspx The Norse World In Beowulf, many beliefs had to do with Norse mythology, from the way they buried their dead to their thoughts on war and violence. In Norse mythology, a person’s honor depends on the way they die; a hero proves himself by dying while fighting the forces of evil, not by conquering it. (Hamilton, 444). Beowulf becomes a hero by dying while fighting the dragon. In most religions, Mythology is used to explain the world in which a person lives. For the Anglo-Saxons, the world was filled with war and violence. Norse mythology explains the world, and justifies the kind of people that they are. The gods and goddesses live in a hostile environment filled with war and violence. As Yves Cohat said, "Viking gods (Norse Gods), like the individuals who created them, were violent, ardent, and passionate. They displayed the qualities the Vikings valued in themselves-brutality, anger, lust, humor, strength and guile." (Cohat, 105). Inevitably the whole religion as well as the people who practiced it are doomed to destruction. The gods were created by their worshipers, and were therefore very much like the Norsemen. The gods and humans had very close relations and were even thought of as companions (Cohat 10). No one had complete control over the other. If a god did not perform to a worshipers expectation, then the human would not hold back, but turn away from the god, abuse him, or even kill the priest involved! This made the gods even more like the humans; they had to worry about pleasing the people who worshiped them, and what might happen if they did not perform to expectation. In the Norse pantheon, Odin is the god of war and knowledge. He is the head god, and leader of everyone. He is the wisest of all the gods (http://www.anglo-saxon). On each shoulder sat a raven, one named Thought (Hugin) and the other Memory (Munin). All day they would fly around gaining knowledge, and then came back to Odin reciting everything they had come across. He did anything to obtain knowledge; once in exchange for knowledge, he gave one of his eyes to the giant Mimir. Human sacrifices were also part of his worshiping. "It was believed that the god once hung on a gallows, wounded with the thrust of a spear, and thus gained wisdom." (http:/www.angol-saxon). This was after the crucifixion of Christ, and much of 2004-07-05T09:10:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-Norse-Mythology-25310.aspx Beowulf was written in England sometime in the 8th century. This provides us with an idea that the poem that was written during a time when the society was in the process of converted from paganism to Christianity. The Christian influences were combined with early folklore and heroic legends of German tribes and we try to look at whether or not Christian and biblical influences were added later to originally pagan poem or not. The fact that Christianity and Paganism are so closely intertwined in the poem is the reason Beowulf has both Christian and pagan influences. The pagan elements in the epic poem Beowulf are evident in the characters superhuman personifications. Beowulf is depicted as a superhero. Beowulf takes it upon himself to save the Danes from Grendel. In his battle with Grendel, Beowulf chooses not to use weapons; he relies on his super strength. During the fight, Beowulf's strength takes over, and Beowulf wrestles with Grendel until he is able to rip one of the monster's arms out of its socket. Superhuman feats also appear in the fight with Grendel's mother. When Beowulf enters the water, he swims, without the use of oxygen, downward for an entire day before he sees the bottom. During the battle with Grendel's mother, Beowulf realizes that Unferth's sword is useless against the monster’s thick skin. He grabs an enormous sword made by giants, almost too heavy to hold, and slashes through the monster's body. This superhero strength continues into the battle with the dragon. By this time Beowulf is an old man. He decides that he must avenge his people and fight the dragon. Although Beowulf is fatally wounded himself, he still manages to deliver the final blow that kills the dragon. Grendel is also seen as a superhuman monster. Grendel has no knowledge of weapons, so he, too, depends on his extraordinary strength to destroy his enemies. The dragon is also seen as a super-powerful adversary. As in most pagan stories, the dragon is a much-used enemy of the hero of the story. The dragon in Beowulf spits fire with such intense heat that it melts Beowulf's shield to his body. The author has exalted the fights with fabled monsters into a conflict between the powers of good and evil. These battles are examples of epic folklore during pagan times. Also, in the poem Beowulf partakes in many non-Christian deeds. He drinks alot 2004-07-05T09:09:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beowulf-Christianity-or-Paganism-25309.aspx Essay - "All My Sons" "There’s nothing’ he could do that I wouldn’t forgive. Because he’s my son. Because I’m his father and he’s my son." That is a quote about forgiveness, whether or not deciding to choose to forgive is a very personal, and sensitive subject. Imagine what it would be like to have to decide to forgive a close relative for the murder of 21 men. That is the main subject in the three act play, All My Sons, by Arthur Miller. Joe Keller and Herbert Deever are two ordinary men, trying to succeed in life. They ran a machine shop during the war that produced airplane parts. "The night foreman came and showed him the cylinder heads... they were coming out of the process with defects. So Dad went directly to the phone and called here and told Joe to come down right away. But the morning passed. No sign of Joe. So Dad called again. By this time he had over a hundred defective. The Army was screaming for stuff and Dad didn’t have anything to ship. So Joe told him... on the phone he told him to weld, cover up any cracks in any way he could, and ship them out." That is a passage from the play and is a very important scene, where the truth comes out about what the two men did. In a state of panic, the men let defective parts which went into airplanes be shipped to the Army. They were used, causing the death of 21 men. Keller and Deever were brought to trial, where Keller went free and Deever went to prison. At the same time during the war, Joe Keller’s son, Larry was pronounced missing. Kate Keller, Joe’s wife and mother of Larry and Chris, went crazy about the report of Larry missing. She is described in her early 50's, a woman of uncontrolled inspirations and an overwhelmed capacity for love. Like any mother, she is in doubt that her son may be dead. She still awaits the day when he will come walking up the road and everything will be fine again. She keeps his room the way he left it, with his clothes in the closet and his shoes shined. Kate is very disturbed by Larry being missing, even three and a half years later. Ann Deever is the daughter of Herbert Deever. She is described as a pretty 2004-07-05T09:08:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Farewell-to-Arms-Conflicts-amp-Forgiveness-Within-Fami-25308.aspx "…It seemed clear that wars were not made by generations and their special stupidities, but wars were made instead by something ignorant in the human heart." The background of "A separate Peace" is the Second World War and the focus of book is a group of sixteen-year-old boys who are moving towards a war. The extract comes from the end of the book where Due to what Gene had done to Finny, he has been made to look at himself and now sees the war differently from the other boys. Gene has been forced to face his own "ignorant heart," and he now feels that he understands that people can be evil and hurt those who love them. Gene now knows that wars are created not by generations but by the human "ignorant heart". In "A separate Peace" there are two wars being fought. The major war is Word War Two while the other war is the one that Gene tries to create between himself and Finny. This is war is always a single sided battle, as it is both created and fought in the mind of Gene. At the beginning of this novel Gene is very "Ignorant" of his heart. He constantly lies, not only to others but also to him self. Finny on the other hand is a very honest person, he never lies about anything to make him sound or feel better about himself. An example of this is the incident where the boys are asked their height and Genes says he is 5’9 and Finny corrects him by saying, "no your five foot eight and a half, the same as me." This quote shows the honesty that Finny possesses and that Gene lacks. Gene refuses to admit that he isn’t tall while Finny openly admits it. Gene refuses to admit that he isn’t brave or that his motives for injuring Finny where entirely false. Gene cannot face what he is and this leads to tragedy. Because Gene is dishonest he imagines that everyone else is as well. Gene imagines that Finny’s character is exactly the same as his, which of course it isn’t. Gene builds up hate, anger and fear of the character that he has given to Finny. Since this is his own character and not Finny’s at all, the emotions that Gene feels towards this character are really what he feels towards his own character. Gene starts 2004-07-05T09:06:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Farewell-to-Arms--25307.aspx "Around the World in Eighty Days" By: Jules Verne Adventure Novel Theme: The themes of this novel are calmness and persistence. These two themes are exemplified by one character, Mr. Fogg. Mr. Fogg is always calm in the novel not once in this novel does he show any anxiety or nervousness. Mr. Fogg, under a prolific amount pressure of losing a wager of twenty thousand pounds, remained very tranquil never once to lose his state of mind. The second theme of this story is persistence, shown by Mr. Fogg. Mr. Fogg never gives up on wager of a prolific amount of money, precisely twenty thousand pounds. As the odds turn against him he remains on his path and does not give up. His persistence in the end pays off and Mr. Fogg wins his wager, on who The Reform Club will pay. But did he really achieve a goal by making this unbelievable trip around the world in an astonishing eighty days. Setting: This novel takes place in the late 1800’s, approximately 1872. Mr. Phileas Fogg lived at No. 7, Saville Row, Burlington Gardens. As the story progresses on and one tiny wager is made, a trip around the world changes the setting of this novel many a times. Some of these settings are London, Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong, Yokohama, San Francisco, and New York. Clearly though one the most important settings was in the Indian forests, which were passed through, in order to pursue to Kandallah. The Carnatic and the Mongolia were also key settings to the novel. Plot: In the 19th century, a man by the name of Phileas Fogg, made a wager that he would be able to travel the world in approximately eighty days. At the time of his wager he was looking for a servant. He found a servant by the name of Jean Passepartout. These two came to the understanding that Fogg was the master and Passepartout was just a man. His master told Passepartout that they were leaving immediately to travel around the world and told him to pack a carpetbag. Then new means of funds were given by The Daily Telegraph, who decided that the trip had a shot. Then a detective by the name of Fix sent a telegram to the commissioner saying that he found the robber and needed a warrant immediately, if not sooner. As Fix boarded the Mongolia, Passepartout approached him. He asked fix where 2004-07-05T09:05:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Around-the-World-in-80-Days-25306.aspx "Vengeance 2004-07-05T09:04:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anna-Karenina-25305.aspx Many authors receive their inspiration for writing their literature from outside sources. The idea for a story could come from family, personal experiences, history, or even their own creativity. For authors that choose to write a book based on historical events, the inspiration might come from their particular viewpoint on the event that they want to dramatize. George Orwell and Charles Dickens wrote Animal Farm and A Tale of Two Cities, respectively, to express their disillusionment with society and human nature. Animal Farm, written in 1944, is a book that tells the animal fable of a farm in which the farm animals revolt against their human masters. It is an example of social criticism in literature in which Orwell satirized the events in Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution. He anthropomorphises the animals, and alludes each one to a counterpart in Russian history. A Tale of Two Cities also typifies this kind of literature. Besides the central theme of love, is another prevalent theme, that of a revolution gone bad. He shows us that, unfortunately, human nature causes us to be vengeful and, for some of us, overly ambitious. Both these books are similar in that both describe how, even with the best of intentions, our ambitions get the best of us. Both authors also demonstrate that violence and the Machiavellian attitude of "the ends justifying the means" are deplorable. George Orwell wrote Animal Farm, "... to discredit the Soviet system by showing its inhumanity and its back-sliding from ideals [he] valued ..."(Gardner, 106) Orwell noted that " there exists in England almost no literature of disillusionment with the Soviet Union.' Instead, that country is viewed either with ignorant disapproval' or with uncritical admiration.'"(Gardner, 96) The basic synopsis is this: Old Major, an old boar in Manor Farm, tells the other animals of his dream of "animalism": " ... Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. Almost overnight we would become rich and free.'" (Orwell, 10) The other animals take this utopian idea to heart, and one day actually do revolt and drive the humans out. Two pigs emerge as leaders: Napoleon and Snowball. They constantly argued, but one day, due to a difference over plans to build a windmill, Napoleon exiled Snowball. Almost immediately, Napoleon established a totalitarian government. Soon, the pigs began to get special favours, until finally, they were indistinguishable 2004-07-05T09:03:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-Comparison-To-quot-A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-quot-25304.aspx In George Orwell's Animal Farm, power and control of the farm shifts from Mr. Jones to Snowball and from Snowball to Napoleon. Each, no matter how well their leadership, was corrupted by power in some way as compared to Russian leaders of the time. The most corrupt, Napoleon, uses several methods of gaining more power and luxury. Like Stalin, Napoleon uses a Propaganda Department to make himself look good. The one responsible for Napoleon's looking good and propaganda is Squealer. With a name like Squealer he better be damn good using his wits to Napoleon's and the pigs' advantage. In the seventh chapter, Squealer responds to Boxer's question of whether Snowball fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed by making Snowball look deceiving. He says, "That was our mistake, comrade. For we know now - it is all written down in secret documents that we have found - in reality he was trying to lure us to our doom." This quote proves that propaganda was used to make Napoleon look good and his opponents look evil. One of many reasons Napoleon and Squealer get away with these false allegations is that the animals are too dumb to remember what happened. Another way Napoleon uses methods to make him look good is simply changing the rules to favor himself. Squealer again is responsible for the wrongdoing. All of the Seven Commandments of Animal Farm are eventually broken before the commandments are "revised" to prove the pigs did nothing wrong. In the eighth chapter, the commandment that strictly forbids animals to kill one another was cunningly changed to "No animal shall kill any other animal without cause" after a series of executions of supposed traitors and probable Snowball followers. Napoleon forced confessions and eliminated these probable traitors under the newly revised rule. The new rule favored his popularity, respect, and increased his hunger for power. Napoleon's actions were not unnoticed though. Those who noticed were intimidated by his guard dogs and were silenced. In one situation, young pigs protested Napoleon's leadership. "But suddenly the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again." Violence worked perfectly to drive away any opponent Napoleon might have had. Without any opposition, Napoleon is free to do his own bidding. As a result, Napoleon again is drowned with power and pride because the animals must respect him, or they 2004-07-05T09:02:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-Power-Corrupts-25303.aspx Characters, items, and events found in George Orwells book, Animal Farm, can be compared to similar characters, items, and events found in Marxism and the 1917 Russian Revolution. This comparison will be shown by using the symbolism that is in the book with similarities found in the Russian Revolution. Old Major was a prized-boar that belonged to Farmer Jones. The fact that Old Major is himself a boar was to signify that radical change and revolution are, themselves, boring in the eyes of the proletariat (represented by the other barnyard animals), who are more prone to worrying about work and survival in their everyday life. Old Major gave many speeches to the farm animals about hope and the future. He is the main animal who got the rebellion started even though he died before it actually began. Old Major's role compares to Lenin and Marx whose ideas were to lead to the communist revolution. Animal Farm is a criticism of Karl Marx, as well as a novel perpetuating his convictions of democratic Socialism. (Zwerdling, 20). Lenin became leader and teacher of the working class in Russia, and their determination to struggle against capitalism. Like Old Major, Lenin and Marx wrote essays and gave speeches to the working class poor. The working class in Russia, as compared with the barnyard animals in Animal Farm, were a laboring class of people that received low wages for their work. Like the animals in the farm yard, the people is Russia thought there would be no oppression in a new society because the working class people (or animals) would own all the riches and hold all the power. (Golubeva and Gellerstein 168). Another character represented in the book is Farmer Jones. He represents the symbol of the Czar Nicholas in Russia who treated his people like Farmer Jones treated his animals. The animal rebellion on the farm was started because Farmer Jones was a drunk who never took care of the animals and who came home one night, left the gate open and the animals rebelled. Czar Nicholas was a very weak man who treated his people similar to how Farmer Jones treated his animals. The Czar made his working class people very mad with the way he wielded his authority and preached all the time, and the people suffered and finally demanded reform by rebelling. The Czar said "The law will henceforward be respected 2004-07-05T09:02:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-Animalism-vs-Marxism-25302.aspx By chapter 13 of And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie, half of the ten guests that ventured out to Indian Island are killed. These incidents cause the remaining guests to react in bizarre ways. These reactions are common to most people that are placed in this situation. They protect themselves and react differently around each other. There are also accusations that are made about who may have done the killing of the first five guests, and there are alliances that are made to help find out who the murdered really is. Out of ten guests plus the boat handler, who brought them over to the island, one of them is the murderer. Who is it, and what do the guests do to find out who he or she is? First of all some of the precautions that the guests take is to lock and place furniture in front of all there doors. "There were sounds of bolts and locks, and of moving furniture." (pg 155) After the death of Miss Brent, Justice Wargrave advised that all items that may cause danger be place in a safely locked place and that the keys be given to two people so that the stuff will be safe. " By the judge's direction, the various drugs were placed in the box and it was locked. The judge then gave the key of the chest to Philip Lombard and the key of the cupboard to Blore." (pg 141) The final way that the guests protected themselves was to keep close together as much as possible. "By all means. But in doing so let us be careful to keep together, if we separate, the murderer gets his chance." (pg 142) " I think, my dear young lady, we would all prefer to come and watch you make it." (pg 146) The next thing that happened to the guests was the way they started to act around each other. One of the first act was to become testy and aggressive with each other. Each person, with there nerves running on high octane, all reacted in the same manner. They hated each other. "You damned pig-headed fool! I tell you it's been stolen from me!" (pg 141) "He said stiffly, ‘just as you please Miss Brent.'" (pg 134) "Lombard threw his head back. His teeth showed in what was almost a snarl." (pg 139) The next reaction after 2004-07-05T09:00:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/And-Then-There-Were-None-Summary,-Plot-Synopsis-25301.aspx As we read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Island of Dr. Moreau, we enter into two unique worlds of imagination. Both Lewis Carroll and H.G. Wells describe lands of intrigue and mystery. We follow Alice and Prendick into two different worlds where animals speak, evolution is tested, and reality is bent until it nearly breaks. It is the masterminds of Lewis Carroll and H.G. Wells that take these worlds of fantasy and make them realistic. How do these two great authors make the unbelievable believable? Both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Island of Dr. Moreau float in between a dream world and reality, which makes the real seem unbelievable and the unbelievable seem real. In H.G. Wells’s The Island of Dr. Moreau, we see right from the beginning that imagination and reality are blended together to create an air of confusion. In the introduction we are told that Prendick disappeared for eleven months. When he was found, he told a story that no one would believe. "He gave such a strange account of himself that he was supposed demented (pg. 1)." So right from the beginning we do not know what to believe. Later in the story, Prendick is picked up by the Ipecacuanha. On this ship there are deformed and strange men riding with Montgomery. "He was, I could see, a misshappen man, short, broad and clumsy, with a crooked back, a hairy neck and a head sunk between his shoulders (pg. 10)." This is the first picture we get of the deformities from the island. During this time on the Ipecacuanha, Prendick is weak from exhaustion and in a state of confusion, which adds to our confusion. It is later in the story, where reality really becomes deformed. First, Prendick is locked out of the inner rooms of the enclosure, because of their "little secrets." Second, Prendick walks out into the woods to get away from the puma’s crying. It is hear that he gets a good look at one of the deformities for the first time. "Then I saw it was a man, going on all fours like a beast! (pg. 38)." It is this sight that sends Prendick"s imagination wild. "The thicket about me became altered to my imagination. Every shadow became something more than a shadow, became an ambush, every rustle became a threat. Invisible things seemed watching me (pg. 39)." It is these 2004-07-05T08:58:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Alice-and-Wonderland--25298.aspx Archetypal Characters: Characters are presented from the start of the novel as good or evil. There are no characters that the reader see as good and turn out to be evil at the end or vica versa. Their goodness or evilness is clearly shown from the beginning. A Tale of Two Cities takes place in England and France, during the time of the French Revolution. A Tale of Two Cities is a classic novel, where Charles Dickens presents to the reader archetypal main characters. From the beginning of the novel, the reader can know whether the characters are evil or not. In the novel, the main character, Sydney Carton, also contributes a lot to the theme of the novel-every individual should have both moral and physical courage, and should be able to sacrifice everything in the name of love. Sydney Carton has been presented as the worthless human being. He was always drunk. He did not acquire any high social position. He was always alone and lonely. Nobody loved him and nobody respected him. "I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me" said Carton (page 99). However, Sydney Carton did never cause any harm to anybody, but actually helped the people around him. Sydney Carton was physically identical to Charles Darnay. When Darnay was being prosecuted for treason against the English government, Carton allowed Mr. Stryver (the lawyer Carton worked for) to reveal him "Look well upon that gentleman, my learned friend there, and then look well upon the prisoner. How say you? Are they very like each other?" said Stryver (page 86). "My lord inquired of Mr. Stryver, whether they were next to try Mr. Carton for treason? But Mr. Stryver replied no" (Page 86). The court then released Darnay. This was one of the ways Sydney Carton presented assistance to others, and that shows that he is a good person who does not mind helping other people. After the trial Carton and Darnay met with each other, and they had a talk. Mr. Carton had told Darnay that he hated him because Lucy loved him. Couple of months after this incident, Mr. Carton asked to meet with Mr. Darnay. Carton asked Darnay to forgive him for the previous incident and also asked him to be his friend. "Mr. Darnay, I wish we might be friends" said Carton (page 251) "On the drunken 2004-07-05T08:57:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-The-Archetypal-Characters-25296.aspx Throughout the book, A Tale of Two Cities the theme of sacrifice is used to help the reader realize the cost of life, as well as to develop the plot through the effects of those sacrifices. Through the characters of Sydney Carton, Dr. Manette, and Ms. Pross the theme of sacrifice is developed. The theme of sacrifice brings key aspects of the plot together, and Carton's sacrifice brings the novel to closer in the end. Sydney Carton paid the highest cost of sacrifice with his life, and in doing so he was very similar to Jesus Christ. Carton laid down his life for a man who had never done anything for him and who in fact had abused his relationship as demonstrated on page 191 when Carton describes himself in Darnay's view as "a dissolute dog who has never done any good, and never will." Similarly Jesus Christ let himself be beaten, abused, and killed for the same people who spit in his face. Other people in both cases thought that Jesus and Carton were not thought to be much more that dogs, while they both sacrificed their lives so these people who treated them like dogs could live. Both Carton's and Jesus' sacrifice was inspired by a deep desperate love for which they were willing to do anything. Carton was willing to die for Lucie because of his desperate, scandalous love for her, just as Jesus showed his love for man when he was willing to give up his life for every man. This level of love makes the sacrifice even more valuable and brings things to closure. Finally, Carton and Jesus both knew that through their sacrifice, others could have life. Carton's death breathed life into Darnay just as Jesus Christ's death breathes life into those who trust in him. The importance of their death is that it brings life. The role of Carton's sacrifice in the plot is that the cost of life is sometimes high. Through his sacrifice the cost and privilege of living can be measured, just as Christians can see the true cost and privilege of life through Jesus Christ's sacrifice. Dr. Manette also sacrificed much of his life by giving up his own personal goals and agenda for Lucie. On page 125 Dr. Manette says, "any fancies, any reasons, and apprehensions, anything whatsoever, new or old against the man she really loved…they shall 2004-07-05T08:56:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-Theme-25295.aspx Throughout the novel A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens creates suspense and mystery to try to keep his readers interested. This technique might have worked for 19th century people with nothing better to read, but it doesn’t stack up nowadays. You can paint this anyway you want but what it all comes down to is that no 20th century person with any kind of attention span wants to read a 400 page book with one dimensional characters and an unbelievable storyline. But, Dickens’s original audience couldn’t get enough of the novel’s intricate plot filled with suspense and mystery. To get the novel this suspense and mystery, Dickens’s divides his story into episodes, allows his characters to be general, and uses the theme of doubles. The most obviously way that Dickens’s creates suspense is through his use of cliffhanger-like episodes. I can’t exactly call it clever, but Dickens’s ends a chapter with unanswered questions and loose ends. This little scheme might work for television shows in which the viewer has a whole week between episodes to think about possible outcomes, but it doesn’t have the same effect when it only takes half of a second to turn the page and read further. Dickens tries to create mystery by having his characters as broad as possible so that readers can make up their own opinions and possibilities. Almost all of Dickens’s characters are basically good or basically evil. We are supposed to care about the "good" characters but they’re so boring that their "goodness" loses it’s charm. For example, Lucie and Charles. Lucie is describes as being basically perfect in every way. She’s young, wholesome, and beautiful, of course. There’s no such thing as a good woman that wasn’t beautiful in fiction. Charles is a rich aristocrat, and we’re supposed to believe that he’s good and really noble because he didn’t want to kill people and he married the other "good" character. Please. Do you think that Charles would have given Lucie a chance is she looked like the rest of us even though she was so good-hearted? Of course not, but that’s what we are supposed to believe. Lucie and Charles are so stereotyped and boring that Dickens’s should have named them "Snore" and "Snooze." Dickens’s under developed characters lets readers wonder about what they are really like and what they’ll do next. Dickens’s uses the theme of doubles to let his reader’s minds 2004-07-05T08:55:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tale-of-Two-Cities-Suspense-and-Mystery-25294.aspx In Charles Dickens’, Tale of Two Cities, the author repeatedly foreshadows the impending revolution. In Chapter Five of Book One, Dickens includes the breaking of a wine cask to show a large, impoverished crowd gathered in a united cause. Later, we find find Madame Defarge symbolically knitting, what we come to find out to be, the death warrants of the St. Evremonde family. Also, after Marquis is murdered for killing the small child with his horses, we come to see the theme of revenge that will become all too common. The author uses vivid foreshadowing to paint a picture of civil unrest among the common people that will come to lead to the French Revolution. In Chapter Five of Book One, Dickens includes the breaking of a wine cask to show a large, impoverished crowd gathered in a united cause. At this point in the novel, Lucie Mannette and Mr. Lorry had just arrived in Paris to find Lucie’s father. The author appears to get off of the subject to describe the breaking of the wine cask. This however, is much more significant than it would first appear. Outside of a wine-shop, a wine cask is broken in the street. Many people rush around the puddle on the ground trying to scoop it up and drink as much as they can. Dickens describes the rush to the spilled wine by saying "The people within reach had suspended their business, or their idleness to run to the spot and drink the wine... some men kneeled down, made scoops with their two hands joined and sipped."(Dickens 27). This goes to show how desperate the people are. The quote also infers that many people are unemployed. As a joke, a man writes the word "BLOOD" on a wall next to where the cask broke open. This foreshadows the violence of the unruly mobs later in the novel. This scene points out how impoverished the people of Paris are and how rowdy a crowd can become when they are unified under a united cause. Later, we find find Madame Defarge symbolically knitting, what we come to find out to be, the death warrant of the St. Evremonde family. Madame Defarge was a very hateful character. She hated the upper-class and was never able to get past this hatred. Thus, she and her husband become leaders of the Jaquerie, a group that is planning the 2004-07-05T08:54:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-Foreshadowing-25293.aspx In the novel "A Tale of Two Cities" Charles Dickens describes "the best of times [and] the worst of times" (1) of the characters. France and England struggle through political confusion, which is one of the most disturbing periods of history. On the other hand, for the characters of the novel, these are the times of rebirth and revival. The author conveys the dual nature of this epoch by contrasting representations of light and dark, chaos and stability, doom and hope with the use of setting, characterization, foreshadowing, symbolism, and plot set up. The novel opens in the troubled year of 1775, with a comparison of England and pre-Revolutionary France. It conveys the sense of doom and chaos. Both countries go through extreme social turmoil. With sarcasm, Dickens condemns the nobles as responsible for the disorder. "Under the guidance of [France's] Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off because he had not kneeled down to a dirty procession of monks" (2) France has mostly political difficulties while in England the issues are largely social. France "rolled with exceeding smoothness down hill, making paper money and spending it." (2) In England, "there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify much national boasting. Daring burglaries by armed men, and highway robberies, took place in the capital itself every night." (2) The portrayal of the countries' state conveys the atmosphere of doom and chaos. On the other hand, the plot set up and characterization in the novel imply a sense of hope, a light in the darkness. The central characters in the first book are all likeable people. Jarvis Lorry, the banker, is very reliable and responsive. He takes on a role of Lucie's friend and guardian. He is there to help and support her as they travel to Paris to find Mr. Manette, Lucie's father. "Rendered in a manner desperate, by [Lucie's] state, [Mr. Lorry] drew over his neck the arm that shook upon his shoulder, lifted her a little, and hurried her into the room. He set her down just within the door, and held her, clinging to him." (31) Lucie is a classical Victorian heroine. She is delicate and softhearted. She acknowledges her father at once as if she had known him all her life and expresses her feelings for him. "I pray to 2004-07-05T08:54:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-Best-or-Worst-of-Times-25292.aspx The theme of entrapment is evident in Margaret Laurence's A Bird in the House; all the characters in the novel are entrapped. These characters deal with the sense of confinement and the need for escape. Vanessa, Ewen and Aunt Edna all reach personal freedom, however only to a small extent because they are left with the pain of their memories and regrets. Vanessa reaches personal freedom to a small extent. The stories in A Bird in the House show the pains that Vanessa goes through while growing up. Vanessa travels on a journey form ignorance to knowledge. This journey is her comprehension of why things happen, and how the past, present and future are tied together. Vanessa realizes that the past affects the present which affects the future. While growing up Vanessa is faced with having to live with the dominance of Grandfather Conner. Grandfather Conner represents a dominant patriarchal figure that rules the family. He always had a strong control over the people that lived with him. He was a perfectionist and was very proud of what he had accomplished and at no cost would he let his reputation be scarred. After her fathers death Vanessa moved into the Brick House with Grandfather Conner, this is when she noticed the trapped conditions that aunt Edna was living in and her mother was going to have to live in again. Vanessa always tried to free herself of the things that went on around her by writing exaggerated adventure stories. When Vanessa wrote, it was her chance to get away from the things that made her feel trapped. Vanessa is freed of Grandfather Conner's tyranny when he dies, at least one thinks so. However it is evident in the story "Jericho's Brick Battlements," that Vanessa will never be free of Grandfather Conner. The painful memories that she has of him will remind her everyday that she is not free of his oppression. Vanessa realizes that she is like him when: "[she] wanted to tell [the new owners of the Brick house] to trim their hedges, to repaint the windowframes, to pay heed to repairs. [she] had feared and fought [grandfather Conner], yet he proclaimed himself in [her] veins." ("A Bird in the House," p. 191). Thus, it is evident that Vanessa was not free of Grandfather Conner's tyranny, which prevented her from reaching personal freedom. In addition, Vanessa was unable to 2004-07-05T08:52:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Bird-in-the-House-25291.aspx Melville's characters are distinct individuals that have some similarities and differences. There are three traits that tie Captain Ahab and Billy Budd together even though they are on different sides in the fight between Good and Evil. They each have communication problems that play a part in their deaths. Neither of them can see an issue from another point of view, nor can they be influenced by others, although for entirely different reasons. Ahab and Billy share a few traits even though they are generally opposite characters. Communication problems are one of the factors that lead to Ahab's and Billy's deaths. Ahab never tells the entire truth to his men. He only tells them the parts that he thinks will motivate them to help him catch the whale. If the entire crew had been told before they signed on to help that they would be hunting the most dangerous whale in the sea none of them would have gone on the voyage and died. Also, Ahab is so inflexible that no matter how heated the conversation gets, he won't change his opinion. Starbuck can't talk any common sense into Ahab, he's just too stubborn. If Ahab had listened to Starbuck, he might have died an old man instead of the way he did. Billy's communication with others helps and hurts him. When Billy talks to people they almost always come away from the conversation with good feelings about Billy. He makes a lot of friends that way. However, Billy has troubles communicating too. He cannot sense if the person he is talking to is truthful or not. He talks to Squeak several times but never even guesses that Squeak is talking to him for mischievous purposes. Billy also stutters when he's overcome, when he can't find words to describe the emotions he is experiencing. He ends up dying because of this character flaw. Neither Ahab or Billy can see more than one side of an issue. Throughout the entire trip, Ahab never thinks of chasing the whale as something dangerous, something that shouldn't be done. Nearly everyone else on the ship, excluding Fedallah, thinks that chasing after one whale, the most dangerous whale in the entire ocean, is crazy and that it's an unnecessary risk of the crew's lives. But Ahab, 2004-07-05T01:00:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Moby-Dick-Comparison-Of-Captain-Ahab-and-Billy-Budd-25266.aspx The central theme of this play is Nora's rebellion against society and everything that was expected of her. Nora shows this by breaking away from all the standards and expectations her husband and society had set up for her. In her time women weren't supposed to be independent. They were to support their husbands, take care of the children, cook, clean, and make everything perfect around the house. Nora's first rebellion was when she took out a loan so that she could pay for her husband, Torvalds medical treatment. It was against the law for women to take out a loan without their husbands consent. When she did this she proved that she wasn't as submissive and helpless as Torvald thought she was. He called her a "poor helpless little creature". A perfect example of Torvalds control and Nora's submissiveness was when she got him to re-teach her the tarantella. She already knew the dance but she acted as if she needed him to re-teach her the whole thing. When he says to her "Watching you swing and dance the tarantella makes my blood rush". This shows that he is more interested in her physically than emotionally. Then when she told him to stop he said to her, "am I not your husband?" Again, this is an example of Torvalds control over Nora, and how he thinks that she is there to fulfill his every desire on command. Torvald doesn't trust her with any money and with the little money that he does entrust her with he is afraid that she will spend it on Macaroons, a candy that he has forbid her to eat. He calls her his "little squirrel", "skylark", and he says she spends money very foolishly. Nora's second rebellion was when she left Torvald and her children. The society she lived in demanded that she should submit to her husband and that she should take a place under him. Society considered women to be property of their husbands and that they should fulfil their every command. When Krogstad tries to blackmail Nora, and Torvald didn't even support her she realized that there was a problem. Then finally when Torvald realizes that his social stature will not be harmed he displays his real feeling for Nora, both physically and emotionally. It is at this time when Nora decides that she doesn't want to be controlled by Torvald anymore and 2004-07-05T00:59:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Dolls-House-Nora-s-Rebellion-Against-Society-25265.aspx Walter Dean Myers wrote the book Fallen Angels. It is about America's experiences in the Vietnam War as told by the main character in the book, Richie Perry. Perry goes through a lot of changes and sees some of his good friends die in battle fighting for a cause that no one could agree upon. The book has 4 other main characters, Lobel, Johnson, Brunner, and Peewee. The book starts off talking about the experiences of Perry while he is serving in Vietnam. His best friend, Peewee becomes instant friends with each other when they meet in the barracks. Peewee helps Perry by standing up for him during several disputes. Peewee and Perry wake up the next morning and find out that they are to go on patrol in order to search out and destroy any Vîet Công soldiers that they encounter. The patrol lasts for a few hours and Peewee and Perry are just about to camp, when a mutual friend of Peewee and Perry drops out of formation for a second and steps on a land mine, killing him instantly. Perry is so upset by this and needs Peewee to help him talk out his feelings of grief for the loss of the friend. Peewee and Perry have a few days to rest, because they have a weekend pass and it grants them 48 hours of freedom. They go to Saigon and have a few drinks and generally have fun, before they have to report back to their unit, which is stationed in the northern highlands of South Vietnam. When they return, they are happy that they made good use of their weekend passes in Saigon. The next day, Peewee and Perry are sent on another patrol, but this time they are sent in by helicopter. They are sent to an area known to have active Vîet Công troops in the vicinity. It does not take long for the patrol to run into a huge unit of Vîet Công in a rice paddy. They end up getting into a firefight for their very lives. Perry and Peewee shoot a few Vîet Công soldiers, before the firefight ends in a draw, with neither side gaining a clear victory. The toll for the unit is 2 dead out of a 10 man unit, including one of Perry's friends. When the troops are taken back to camp, Peewee and Perry talk 2004-07-05T00:57:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Walter-Dean-Myers-Fallen-Angels-25263.aspx For Whom The Bell Tolls When reading an Ernest Hemingway novel, one must try very hard to focus on the joy and encouragement found in the work. For Whom the Bell Tolls is full of love and beauty, but is so greatly overshadowed by this lingering feeling of doom--a feeling that does not let you enjoy reading, for you are always waiting for the let down, a chance for human nature to go horribly awry. This feeling is broken up into three specific areas. In Ernest Hemingway's novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls, humanity is exploited through brutal violence, unnecessary courage, and hopeless futility. Hemingway has the uncanny gift of imagery, and he possesses a brilliant mastery of the English language. He is adept at manipulating words and weaving complex sentences; furthermore, \"Meticulous description takes its place...For Hemingway...description is definition.\" (Tanner 228) All of this genius can show the ultimate beauty and grace of existence, but the flipside to that is the same devices used to show all of the wonder and greatness in life can also be used to show to many hardships and painful truths we must endure, such as violence and gory injustices: "Then some one hit the drunkard a great blow alongside the head with a flail and he fell back, and lying on the ground, he looked up at the man who had hit him and then shut his eyes and crossed his hands on his chest, and lay there beside Don Anastasio as though he were asleep. The man did not hit him again and he lay there and he was still there when they picked up Don Anastasio and put him with the others in the cart that hauled them all over to the cliff where they were thrown over that evening with the others after there had been a cleaning up in the Ayuntamiento." (Hemingway 126). The mob-violence that is portrayed in that passage is one inspired by ignorance, weak wills, and alcohol. All through Pilar and Robert Jordan's flashbacks, one cannot help but be overwhelmed with feelings of disgust towards humankind. These stories are not uncommon, either. Most of the people fighting against the fascists in this novel have similar stories. It is absolutely horrid to hear these anecdotes in which people tell in great detail how they saw their parents, siblings, cousins, and so on, 2004-07-04T20:51:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/For-Whom-the-Bell-Tolls-Term-Paper-25257.aspx Catcher In The Rye The Catcher in the Rye can be strongly considered as one of the greatest novels of all time and Holden Caufield distinguishes himself as one of the greatest and most diverse characters. His moral system and his sense of justice force him to detect horrifying flaws in the society in which he lives. However, this is not his principle difficulty. His principle difficulty is not that he is a rebel, or a coward, nor that he hates society, it is that he has had many experiences and he remembers everything. Salinger indicates this through Holden's confusion of time throughout the novel. Experiences at Whooten, Pency, and Elkton Hills combine and no levels of time separate them. This causes Holden to end the novel missing everyone and every experience. He remembers all the good and bad, until distinctions between the two disappear. Holden believes throughout the novel that certain things should stay the same. Holden becomes a character portrayed by Salinger that disagrees with things changing. He wants to retain everything, in short he wants everything to always remain the same, and when changes occur; Holden reacts. However the most important aspect of Holden Caufield's character can be attributed to his judgment of people. Holden Caufield, a character who always jumps to conclusions about people and their phoniness, can be labeled as a hypocrite because he exemplifies a phony himself. Holden Caufield the 16 year old protagonist and main character of The Catcher in the Rye narrates the story and explains all the events throughout three influential days of his life. A prep school student who has just been kicked out of his second school, Holden struggles to find the right path into adulthood. He does not know what road to follow and he uses others as the scapegoat for his puzzlement in life. Harold Bloom explains, His central dilemma is that he wants to retain a child's innocence., but because of biology he must move either into adulthood or madness. As a sort of compromise Holden imagines himself as "the catcher in the rye," a protector of childhood innocence exempt from movement into adulthood, which is neither possible nor sane." (Bloom's Notes 22) Even Gerald Rosen states that, "It is important to note here that Holden's rejection of an adult role is not a case of sour grapes. He believes he will succeed and it is the successful 2004-07-04T20:12:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Catcher-in-the-Rye-Character-Analysis-25255.aspx The novel Absalom Absalom! by William Faulkner is filled with biblical references, from the creation story to Abraham, from David and Goliath to the story of Ham. Faulkner infuses the novel with biblical language, making it impossible to ignore the book's religious undertones. Throughout the novel, one of the central characters Thomas Sutpen is likened to God through his own "plan" and the creation of his homestead, Sutpen's Hundred, which mirrors the creation story in the first chapters of Genesis. An even more striking biblical resemblance, however, is how much Sutpen's first son serves as a Christ-like figure in the book. In the Bible, God sacrifices Jesus for the good of humankind and for the future, so that people will learn from the sacrifice. In Absalom, Absalom!, Sutpen sacrifices his racially mixed son, Charles Bon, by refusing to acknowledge their relationship, in an attempt to preserve his pure white dynasty. Faulkner's word choice repeatedly connects Jesus to Charles Bon, whose name appropriately means "good," particularly in the Christmas scene, in which Henry Sutpen convinces Bon to come home to meet his family. Unbeknownst to Henry however, his family is Bon's family as well. It cannot be an accident that Faulkner had this reunion occur on Christmas, for it's very name contains the word Christ, and the holiday celebrates His birth. This scene marks a type of birth for Bon as well; it is the first time that he is physically seen by members of his long lost family, and the first time that Sutpen sees Bon as a grown man. The entire recounting of the Christmas scene, told in joint perspective by Quentin and Shreve, is wrought with the images of body and flesh. They describe the imagined perspective of Charles Bon, saying: "but there, just behind a little, obscured a little by that alien blood - in order that he exist in the face of the man who shaped us [Henry and Charles] both out of that blind chancy darkness which we call the future; there; there; at any moment, second, I shall penetrate by something of will -(254). Charles Bon is described as an extension of Sutpen, or created " -in the face of the man who shaped -" Bon and Henry. This phrase is alluding to the creation of humans "in the image and likeness of God" (Genesis 1 25-27). Just as God created Jesus in his 2004-07-04T20:05:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Absalom,-Absalom-My-God,-Why-Have-You-Forsaken-Me-25254.aspx Story Overveiw Eighty-four days had passed since Santiago, the old fisherman, had caught a fish, and he was forced to suffer not only the ridicule of younger fishermen, but near-starvation as well. Moreover, Santiago had lost his young companion, a boy named Manolin, whose father had ordered him to leave Santiago in order to work with more successful seamen. But the devoted child still loved Santiago, and each day brought food and bait to his shack, where they indulged in their favorite pastime: talking about the American baseball leagues. The old man's hero was the New York Yankees' Joe DiMaggio. Santiago identified with the ballplayer's skill and discipline, and declared he would like to take the great DiMaggio fishing some time. After visiting one particular afternoon, the boy left Santiago, who fell asleep. Lions immediately filled his dreams. As a boy he had sailed to Africa and had seen lions on the beaches. Now, as an old man, he constantly dreamed of the great and noble beasts. He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of Great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach ... He loved them as he loved the boy. Before dawn of the next day, the fisherman, as usual, hauled his salt-encrusted skiff onto the beach and set out by himself. But today, in hopes of breaking his unlucky streak, he was determined to sail into deep waters, out much farther than the other anglers would go. He followed the sea birds and flying fish; they would tell him b y their movements where the fish congregated. He watched the turtles swimming near his boat. He loved the turtles, "with their elegance and speed..." Most people are Heartless about turtles because a turtle's heart will beat for hours after he has been cut tip and butchered. The old man thought, I have such a heart too ... Early on, Santiago managed to land a tenpound tuna. Thinking this a good omen, he used the fresh meat to bait one of his lines. By now he was far away from land, and much farther out than all the other fishermen. Resisting the temptation to sleep or to let his mind wander, Santiago concentrated on his lines reaching deep into the dark green waters. At 2004-07-04T20:01:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Old-Man-amp-The-Sea-Story-Overview-25252.aspx The Old Man and the Sea is a novella that was written in 1952 by Ernest Hemingway. It is a story that initially makes you think that the author was drunk while he was writing it. How can a book about a man fishing for Marlin become a Nobel Prize Winner? Meaning. By looking into the book and reading between the lines, we can see that in fact The Old Man and the Sea is a complex story, and is well deserving of such an award. I think the meaning of the book is that of life. If you take all of the objects in the book and relate it to life, it is possible to distinguish a giant Metaphor that spans the whole novella. Through the use of symbols and the fact that we know the book is operating on a poetic level, and is not meant to be taken literally, we can determine our own version of what Hemingway intended as the meaning. One of the symbols constantly mentioned in the story is that of the great baseball player JoeDiMaggio. Although it is not apparent without careful study of the text, it can be seen that the “Great DiMaggio” was a simple fisherman in early life, much like the old man, and achieved stardom despite adversity. The old man has this great battle with an enormous fish, and throughout the whole ordeal, he constantly reassures himself by saying that “the Great DiMaggio” would have been able to pull through this. Just as DiMaggio managed to struggle through the pain of a bone spur, the old man was able to struggle through the pain of his hands, and his immense adversity in the fish. Referring to the meaning, we can see that this relates to life in that we can always struggle through what is painful, so long as we stick to our principles and our guidances. The other fishermen had called the old man unlucky, because he had not caught a fish for many days. This is reflected in the sail of the boat. The sail was """"patched with flour sacks and, furled, it looked like the flag of permanent defeat"""" (Pg. 5). Yet, when unfurled, the sail still carries out its function, carrying the old man out into the deepest water where his marlin awaits. Likewise, the old man proves himself when the time comes, giving a 2004-07-04T19:50:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-Constructing-Meaning-from-the-Text-25251.aspx In the novel The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway uses the literary device of metaphors. Hemingway uses the metaphor of the ocean to symbolize life and to depict the role that individuals play in life. Hemingway uses the metaphor of the lions to signify people who live their lives as active participants. The tourists in the novel represent the individuals, who in observe their lives and are not active participants. In the novels that Ernest Hemingway writes, he uses metaphors to reflect his life experiences and opinions. The ocean in The Old Man and the Sea is a metaphor, which represents Hemingway's personal view of life. Hemingway believes that in life everyone must find their own niche and uses the metaphor of the ocean and the boats on it to demonstrate this. “...most of the boats were silent except for the dip of the oars. They spread apart after they were out of the mouth of the harbour and each one headed for the part of the ocean where he hoped to find fish. The old man knew he was going far out...” (Page 22) Hemingway feels that in life there are people who participate in life and people who observe life as it passes just like on the ocean where there are boats that do not test their boundaries. The boats are the people in life, and most of the boats are silent. They paddle within the areas they know to be safe and always are cautious not to upset the life that they have established for themselves. Hemingway is explaining that most people don't raise a commotion; they just allow life to happen to them. The old man is testing his limits; he is challenging the ocean, and rowing where he wants to go, not where the ocean wants to take him. Hemingway believes that in life, the farther a person stays from the observers, the more free and exhilarated they will be. “If there is a hurricane, you always see the signs of it in the sky for days ahead, if you are at sea. They do not see it ashore because they do not know what to look for, he thought. The land must make a difference too, in the shape of the clouds. But we have no hurricane coming now.”(Page 51) Hemingway theorizes that in life there are going to be unexpected collisions. Just as the sea creates 2004-07-04T19:44:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Meaning-of-The-Old-Man-amp-The-Sea-25250.aspx Ever since greed erupted throughout the Bible, it appears to me that the greed of man has grown readily throughout time. Juana, Kino, The Priest and the Doctor have all undergone a transformation due to their wealth. They are all affected by their hunger for wealth and in turn are the foundation for their own devastation, and that of the society around them. I believe that Steinbeck’s “The Pearl” is a study of man’s self-destruction through his own greed. Juana, the “patient, fragile wife” of Kino, a hardworking pearl fisherman, had lived a spiritual life for what seemed like as long as she could remember. When her son Coyotito fell ill from the bite of a scorpion, she eagerly turned towards the spiritual aspects of life, by beginning to pray for her son’s Precious life. The doctor resided in the upper-class section of the town, built of hard stone, while Kino and his friends resided in brush houses. This doctor refused to aid the child of his deadly bite, turning them away when they arrived at the door, for they had no riches to offer the “fat, lazy doctor”. Juana and Kino then sought out the sea to bring them the riches they so desperately needed to provide for Coyotito. When Kino set his eyes on what he called “The Pearl Of The World”, he felt as though all his prayers had been answered with this one pearl. One night, Kino heard a “sound so soft it might have been simply a thought…” and he quickly battered the trespasser. This is where the problems for Kino and his family originally began. The fear that had mounted in Kino’s body had taken control over his actions. Soon even Juana, who had always been “obedient and respectful” towards her husband, doubted him severely. “It will destroy us all” Juana screamed as her attempt to rid the family of the pearl had floundered. Kino, had not listened, however, and soon Juana began to lose her spiritual side and for a long time she had overlooked her prayers that had once meant so much to her. She had tried to help Kino before too much trouble had aroused, only to determine that she was not capable enough to help. In the village of La Paz, where Kino and his family lived, there was a doctor who had earned his wealth by helping those that were ill 2004-07-04T19:33:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Pearl-by-John-Steinbeck-25249.aspx The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during the 1930's live under. The novel tells of one families migration west to California through the great economic depression of the 1930's. The Joad family had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possession of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. The novel shows how the Joad family deals with moving to California. How they survive the cruelty of the land owners that take advantage of them, their poverty and willingness to work. The Grapes of Wrath combines Steinbeck adoration of the land, his simple hatred of corruption resulting from materialism (money) and his abiding faith in the common people to overcome the hostile environment. The novel opens with a retaining picture of nature on rampage. The novel shows the men and women that are unbroken by nature. The theme is one of man verses a hostile environment. His body destroyed but his spirit is not broken. The method used to develop the theme of the novel is through the use of symbolism. There are several uses of symbols in the novel from the turtle at the beginning to the rain at the end. As each symbol is presented through the novel they show examples of the good and the bad things that exist within the novel. The opening chapter paints a vivid picture of the situation facing the drought-stricken farmers of Oklahoma. Dust is described a covering everything, smothering the life out of anything that wants to grow. The dust is symbolic of the erosion of the lives of the people. The dust is synonymous with "deadness". The land is ruined ^way of life (farming) gone, people ^uprooted and forced to leave. Secondly, the dust stands for ^profiteering banks in the background that squeeze the life out the land by forcing the people off the land. The soil, the people (farmers) have been drained of life and are exploited: The last rain fell on the red and gray country of Oklahoma in early May. The weeds became a dark green to protect themselves from the sun's unyielding rays....The wind grew stronger, uprooting the weakened corn, and the air became so filled with dust that 2004-07-04T19:29:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Grapes-of-Wrath-By-John-Steinbeck-25248.aspx Principal Characters Tod Joad, a recent parolee in his mid-twenties Ma and Pa Joad, a strong, middle-aged Oklahoma couple Noah Joad, their strange eldest son Al, their wild sixteen-year-old Rose of Sharon, eldest Joad daughter, married and pregnant Gramma and Grampa Joad, an earthy old couple Jim Casy, a preacher and, later, a labor agitator Other Joad children Story Overview As Tom Joad hitchhiked his way home after a four-year stay in prison for killing a man in a fight, he met up with Jim Casy, a former preacher who was returning from a sojourn in the "wilderness," where he had been soul-searching. Tom invited Jim to walk with him on the dusty road to the Joad family farm, and to stay for dinner. Arriving there, he saw that "the small unpainted house was mashed at one corner, and it had been pushed off its foundations so that it slumped at an angle." The farm was deserted. Muley Graves, a near-by tenant farmer, told Tom that his family had moved to their Uncle john's house: " . . . They was going to stick it out when the bank come to tractorin' off the place." A long drought was making barren ground out of what had once been fertile farmland. Early the following morning Tom and Casy walked the eight miles to Uncle John's farm. As they approached, Tom saw his Pa working on a truck in the yard. Pa's "eyes looked at Tom's face, and then gradually his brain became aware of what he saw." With Tom's homecoming, the Joad family unit was complete. Now Ma and Pa, the pregnant oldest daughter Rose of Sharon, and her husband Connie, Grampa, Gramma, and all the rest started packing: they were all "goin' to California" to start over as fruit pickers. Like thousands of other displaced tenant farmers, the Joads, spurred on by the promise of good wages and sunshine, sold what they could, bought a used car and headed out on Highway 66, "a people in flight, refugees from dust and shrinking land, from the thunder of tractors and shrinking ownership." After the supplies and tools were loaded into the old Hudson, which teen-aged Al load had converted into a truck, the Joad family and Casy (twelve people in all) squeezed into what little space was left and started west. During the first overnight stop, Gramma suddenly was hit by a stroke and died. They buried him 2004-07-04T19:27:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Grapes-of-Wrath-Story-Overview-25247.aspx In the epic movie Grapes of Wrath, director John Ford depicted a saga of one family trying to survive the 1930’s. In watching this film, it helped me to understand the hardships of the American migrants. The characters showed unique traits and dealt with problems each in a different way. The Dust Bowl was an ecological and human disaster that took place in the southwestern Great Plains region, including Oklahoma. Misuse of land and years of sustained drought caused it. Millions of acres of farmland became useless, and hundreds of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes --many migrated to California. As the land dried up, great clouds of dust and sand, carried by the wind, covered everything and the word "Dust Bowl" was dubbed. This movie describes a family's journey from Oklahoma to California in search of a better way of life. The family revolves around Tom Joad, an ex-convict who is now on parole. The Joad family was evicted from their farm in Oklahoma because they could not afford to pay their bank loan. As they move across the great western states, they suffer much discrimination. The Joad family believes that once they are in California, they will find jobs and settle down. They do not realize, however, that hundreds of thousands of other families are going to California in search of jobs also. When they arrive, the Joads are forced to accept horrible wages and live in terrible conditions. Ma was a strong-willed woman who was the leader of the family. The major decision that ma made, was when the family was passing the Arizona border patrol. She lied to the inspectors so she could pass through without having the police to search the car. Ma pretended Grandma was alive so they would be allowed to rush through the border patrol to get to a doctor. This plan worked and the Joad family arrived in California safely. She was an ambitious woman who was determined to have a successful family in California. Tom Joad was the main character. He was an irascible, yet considerate man who respected his family. His respect for his family forced him to leave on account of being a fugitive. He was defending preacher Casey, but failed to do so when the police killed Casey. Tom got revenge by killing the deputee. Preacher Casey was the most influential character in the movie. He lived 2004-07-04T19:17:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Grapes-of-Wrath--25243.aspx Literary Techniques for Suspense in And Then There Were None By Agatha Christie And Then There Were None, is an intriguing murder mystery novel that follows the lines of a poem called "Ten Little Indians". The story is intricately written to keep the reader in absolute suspense from the beginning to end. The novel involves eight people being mysteriously invited to spend a summer holiday on "Indian Island". Among the eight are a judge (Justice John Wargrave), doctor (Edward James Armstrong), military general (General John Macarthur), former inspector/current private detective (William Blore), mercenary (Phillip Lombard), young rich athlete (Tony Marston), religious woman (Emily Brent), and a schoolteacher (Vera Claythorne). Additionally, a married couple consisting of a butler (Thomas Rogers) and a maid (Ethel Rogers) are both already present on the island. With the exception of the Rogers', only the host, who is expected to arrive the next day, is absent. As the guests begin talking together, they discover that all of them were invited by a Mr. U.N. Owen. Wargrave surmises that their host's name is fictitious since it so closely resembles the word "unknown." The other guests agree, and tension begins to build. Another mystery is the fact that each of the guests has found a poem titled "Ten Little Indians" in each of their rooms, and mysteriously enough, it appears that there are ten small Indian statuettes arranged at the dinner table. It doesn't take long for each of the guests to realize that the poem and statuettes are representative for each of them. With passing of the first night's dinner, the group hears a mysterious voice condemning each one of them to a specific murder. A phonograph is found behind one of the walls, it is later discovered that the butler, Mr. Rogers, had been instructed to do it by the host, but that he hadn't known what was on the recording. Every guest begins to suspect all of the other guests. The first murder occurs when Marston dies from poisoned whiskey. The next morning, it is announced that Mrs. Rogers died in her sleep of unknown causes. Along with their deaths, two of the dolls disappear from the dinner table. Based on the two deaths and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the murders, the remainder of the guest decide to leave the island on the supply ship 2004-07-04T19:08:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Literary-Techniques-for-Suspense-in-And-Then-There-Were-None-25242.aspx Michael Bierut wrote an excellent essay about Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" at Design Observer. While it focused on Kubrick's use of typography and design, it made the point that a science-fiction movie that is over 30 years ago still looks 2004-07-04T18:54:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/2001-A-Space-Odyssey-Reflection-25239.aspx Several relationships are found in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved. The story comprises of interactions between relationships and how the people learn to deal with the fact that they were once slaves on a plantation. The two motherly figures Sethe and Baby Suggs both cared greatly for their children and suffered a great deal from slavery. Their roles as mothers serve as a common ground, allowing them to communicate and develop a close relationship. Mothers all have one thing in common, the love for a child. Sethe has four children who she loves but her past with slavery conflicts with her emotions. She cannot not deal with the pain of her children being sent back to Sweet Home, the slave plantation Sethe came from, so she tries to murder them. She is successful with one child, Beloved, but fails to kill Denver, Howard and Buglar. The community shuns her for the heinous act and the mother is converted into an outcast. Her natural and motherly instincts force her to do what was in her right mind to save her children. She has to save them from the schoolteacher and slavery most of all. Sethe’s tragic past experience with slavery and degradation is what she tries to steer clear of at all cost for her children. The struggle to save her children by murdering them makes Sethe a very unique, yet controversial mother. Baby Suggs is also a motherly figure. She is probably the most universal motherly figure because she cared for everybody, including slave runaways. The ex-slaves would come to her for aide and she provides support by preaching in her own untrained, spiritual, method. Toni Morrison provides an archetypal mother to see how Sethe compares with the ideal mother. Baby Suggs is caring and understanding of Sethe’s actions, but still has a hard time adapting to the situation. When Sethe meets Stamp Page and is brought to Baby Suggs’ home, she is taken care and provided for. She is immediately treated too and so is her ragged baby. Baby Suggs gave nurturing support and advice to Sethe on how to care for her children. The scene where the two mothers are together and Sethe breastfeeds Denver for the first time exemplifies the common relationship that all mothers have to care 2004-07-04T07:39:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Beloved-Essay-25233.aspx Anna Karenina is a novel rich in characters, emotion, and nineteenth century Russian culture. Through his precise and Lyric prose, Leo Tolstoy paints a detailed picture of the Russian aristocracy’s life: the frivolity and excess most partake of in the city and the calm and serene family life a few pursue in the country. Tolstoy’s Epic discusses everything from views on religion to human morality. Woven through all of this description and discussion is the tale of Anna Karenina and her lover, Aleksey Vronsky. Tolsty details Anna’s frightening journey from a poised and enthralling socialite to a desperate and broken women. Anna Karinina follows Anna as her life falls apart and she descends from a position of privilege and beauty to one of despair and isolation, yet Anna remains a sympathetic character to the reader until the end. In the beginning of the novel, Anna is a woman of society, cultured and refined, to whom both the characters of the novel and the reader are immediately drawn. In her first appearance in the novel, she is described as having an, “elegance and modest grace that [is] apparent in her whole figure” (72). Vronksy, has at first, “a vague recollection of something stiff and tedious [emotion] evoked by the name Karenina” (69), and yet he is immediately taken by Anna, thinking that she is, “very charming” (75). Vronsky too is a man of society, a man who has learned to be unaffected by a women’s charms. However, Anna breezes through these defenses in a moment, and Vronsky finds himself, “delighted [by Anna], as though at something special”(69), and falls deeply in love with her. Immediately upon meeting Anna, Vronsky finds her irresistible. Anna’s attractiveness is not just apparent to men. Kitty too finds herself, “in love with [Anna], as young girls do fall in love with older and married women”(84). At the ball the two women attend, Kitty comments how Anna’s appearance in an understated black dress is, “simple, natural, elegant, and at the same time gay and animated.” (92). Anna is “enchanting”(96), and the men and women in the novel both fall under the spell of her beauty, self-confidence, and poise. The reader also falls in love with Anna, due to both her beauty, and her sympathetic nature. After Dolly learns of her husband’s infidelity Anna comes to act as a mediator. Dolly is immensely upset, but Anna is able to soothe 2004-07-04T07:24:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anna-Karenina-s-Transformation-25230.aspx Leo Tolstoy's novel, Anna Karenina, upon its release received a mix critical reception, with Russian critics either condemningor applauding the novel primarily on its views of Russian society. Thematically, the novel parallels its heroine's, Anna Karenina,moral and social conflicts with Constantin Levin's internal struggle to find the meaning of life. There are many others underlying themes which links the novel as a whole, yet many critics at the time only looked upon its critical view of Russian life. Henry James called Tolstoy's novels as "loose and baggy monsters' of stylessness, but Tolstoy stated of Anna Karenina ".....I am very proud of its architecture--its vaults are joined so that one cannot even notice where the keystone is." That is absolutely correct, because within Anna Karenina, there exists many themes that are all linked together to create such a wonderful piece of work. Critics tend to miss the role that the theme of life and death plays in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. Despite its apparent meanings, these two themes are intertwined in the novel and provides a backbone for some of the other existing themes. With a masterful touch, Tolstoy is able to use these two themes to show the characters in their true forms at both stages. The characters are shown to be living in a state of delusion, and as the characters find themselves at times of near death situations or on their deathbed, they are able to reveal themselves truthfully. Many of the characters in the novel are able to show their "real self" and at times of death, there is a point of reversal in thecharacters. This is most evident in the scene of Anna's near death experience during her illness. This event brings about a change in Karenin and even Vronsky as they trade positions. Karenin suddenly becomes human and not hidden from life by his administrative regulations. His carapace cracks, and he becomes drunk with sympathy, dazzled by his own generosity. Death for Karenin becomes the basic truth which makes him___ a living human being capable of love. While on the other hand, Vronsky takes on the role of Karenin, he is unable to deal with Anna's deathbed crisis and even goes as far as attempting to suicide. This awareness of life-in-death provides the climax of the novel, with the main characters perceiving the truth from theheights of their emotional intensity. Hate and 2004-07-04T05:42:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Anna-Karenina-25229.aspx Before the death of Old Major the animals are inspired to rebel against the humans. They join together as a strong team to eventually, in chapter two, drive Mr. Jones from the farm. The Seven Commandments are soon developed with all the animals contented as equals. Right from the beginning of the rebellion, the pigs can be seen to be taking charge, “then Snowball and Napolean called them together again, ‘Comrades’, said Snowball, ‘it is half past six and we have a long day before us.” This quotation from chapter two shows the pigs giving out orders to the other animals and acting as a new Mr. Jones, but seemingly nicer. Throughout the story, the animals begin the trust the pigs more and more, allowing themselves to be told what to do and be taken in with blind devotion. The pigs act on their newly gained trust and by the end of the story are able to lie back on their laurels and run the farm from the comfort of Mr. Jones’ armchair. The rebellion fails due to the blindness of the animals, accepting each other as equal, but do not notice the pigs adding new rules to suit themselves, ‘no animal shall kill another animal without due cause.’ The executions in chapter seven show clearly the animals’ naivety towards the fast approaching leadership of the pigs. During the killings, the animals stand back and do not do a thing. Some animals, like Benjamin, suspect the overthrowing of the rebellion, but are afraid to do anything alone. The rebellion was doomed to failure from the beginning. The pigs easily won the animals over with propaganda. An example of this came soon after the rebellion and the drawing up of the Seven Commandments, with the pigs justifying their need for milk and apples with lies and threats of Jones’ return. Squealer uses propaganda such as rhetorical questions, lies and threats to convince the animals to believe the pigs. Unfortunately for the animals, they are easily led. If it were not for their blind devotion, trust and naivety, they could easily see how the pigs gradually gained power. The pigs also use the dogs as force to keep the animals ‘in line’, discouraging them from trying to rebel. ‘United we stand’ would have worked well for the animals in this case. One animal, Benjamin, did not stand up and face his suspicions, which could have resulted in the return 2004-07-04T05:30:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-Was-the-Rebellion-Doomed-to-Failure-25227.aspx -=[ The Color Purple, by Alice Walker: A Portrayal of the Survival and Liberation of Black Women Through the Strength and Wisdom of Others ]=- The story tells of one lady who, through fruition and hardship, discovers the proficient, content, and proud woman repressed inside of a young "shut-mouthed" girl. The Color Purple, the third novel written by the Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, has been both respected and berated in numerous essays and reviews. Although the critics agree to disagree about many aspects of this novel one thing is clear, The Color Purple affirms "the survival and liberation of black women through the strength and wisdom of others." (Draper, 1810) In Walker's personal view, the black woman's history falls into three stages; the woman suspended, the artist thwarted and hindered in her desires to create, living through two centuries when her main role was to be cheap source of cheap labor in the American society, and the modern woman. (Washington, 139) The feminist Alice Walker writes in a circulatory pattern. Her female characters move in a common three-stage cycle: 1)the suspended woman-cruelly exploited, and spirits and bodies mutilated, 2)the thwarted woman-desires most to be a part of mainstream American life, and 3)the modern woman-exhibits the qualities of the developing emergent model. Before Celie, our main character, makes her way into the cycle the story sets her as a child, eager to learn, love, and enjoying life. She and Nettie, her, sister attend school on a regular basis, complete all of their chores, and still make time to talk, to play, and/or to just spend time together. Then, just as Celie reaches womanhood, she finds her way into the first stage: the suspended woman. The suspended woman plays the role of the inclement exploit with a warped spirit as well as body. Celie's body is first desecrated through her stepfather's sexual misconduct. Succeeding this comes continuing sexual and physical abuse by her husband Mr. ______. Here, Celie slips into the second stage: the thwarted woman. In this stage the character desires most to become a part of mainstream American society. In most cases, they are also victims of psychological abuse that alienates them from their roots and real contact to the world. The desecration and abuse her body survives, notwithstanding, her spirit is broken when not only have her children been taken away from her by her stepfather, but Nettie 2004-07-04T05:20:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Color-Purple-A-Portrayal-of-Survival-and-Liberation-25226.aspx "The Color Purple" As It Relates To The Movements Of The 1980’s Alice Walker’s novel, “The Color Purple” is a prime example of the combination of several very visible movements that are as relevant today as they were fifteen years ago when the novel was published. The first movement involves a rise in African-American literature. This is not to say simply literature written by African-Americans, but mainstream literature that examines the individual lives of African-Americans. The second movement is women’s literature. Again, this is not simply literature written by women, but a close up view of the hardships women must endure. The other movements involve a myriad of struggles against discrimination, struggles for equality among women, African-Americans, and minorities everywhere. African-American women had only recently become visible members of the mainstream literary world. Zora Neale Hurston, Maya Angelou, and a handful of others along with Alice Walker paved the way for African-American women in this area. Their works show the hardships of women and African-Americans in a predominantly modern-era setting. They focus in on key issues for blacks such as equality in social and employment situations; issues for women, such as relationships, abuse, and equality; and a combination of the two, bringing out the worst hardships present in both. The novel was published in 1982, the 80’s represent a very volatile time in America for both African-Americans and women. Most of the key ideological battles of the era were fought in the United States Supreme Court. In 1978 the case of The Regents Of The University Of California versus Bakke was taken to the U. S. Supreme Court. The case was over the university’s use of “quotas” for the admission of students from certain minority groups. The Supreme Court ruled that the use of quotas in such a way that reverse discrimination is created was unconstitutional. However, they stated that the “aggressive recruiting” of minority students was within the bounds of the Constitution 163). Although it occurred twelve years before the publishing of “The Color Purple,” the case of Brandenburg versus Ohio was important to African-Americans because the Supreme Court used the Fourteenth Amendment’s “Due Process” clause to grant the Ku Klux Klan the right to demonstrate in any public area and openly advocate racist ideals. These cases represent attempts at achieving equality for African-American’s and putting an end to mindless racism. For women during the time, the question was of 2004-07-04T05:17:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Color-Purple-Relates-To-The-Movements-Of-The-1980-s-25225.aspx The story of Siddhartha takes place in India at the same time Gautama Buddha, also known as Prince Siddhartha, walked the earth, in the sixth and fifth centuries BC. The names of the two are not the only parallels. Gautama was the son of a Nepalese king, Siddhartha the son of a well-to-do Brahmin. Gautama and Siddhartha both left their fathers' homes as seekers, starting as ascetics but eventually finding enlightenment by neither seeking nor following. In Hindu philosophy, Brahman (with an a) is the supreme world soul or spirit. Atman is the individual soul. The goal is to merge the individual soul with the supreme soul. Actually, the goal is to understand that Atman is already Brahman. This is called enlightenment or Nirvana. The caste system, whether purposely designed so or merely appropriated after the fact, serves as a help for the Hindu, to shorten his path through the cosmic cycle of life and rebirth. The caste into which one is born should be embraced. It will provide the proper life experiences to burn off karma and not accumulate any more. Once all of one's karma is gone, one is enlightened and merges with Brahman. The four castes, in descending order, are Brahmin (with an i: priests and intellectuals), Kshatriya (warriors), Vaisya (artisans and agriculturalists), Sudra (unskilled laborers). Pariahs (untouchables) belonged to no caste. The Samana Siddhartha was his Brahmin father's pride and joy. He thirsted for knowledge, easily conversed with learned men, practiced contemplation and meditation (he pronounced the sacred Om), read the Vedas; in all he did he excelled. But something was missing. One day three wandering Samanas, monks, came through Siddhartha's town. After the evening's meditation, Siddhartha went to his father and asked his permission to follow the Samanas. His father absolutely refused. Siddhartha did not disobey, he had never disobeyed his father, but neither did he relent. He continued to stand on the spot where he made his request and wait for his father's consent. His father went to bed but slept fitfully. He got up several times during the night and still Siddhartha stood and waited. Finally, before the sun broke, his father gave him what he desired. On wobbly legs Siddhartha kissed his mother, bowed to his father and walked out of his house, never to return. As he stepped outside he saw another figure in the twilight. It was his friend Govinda. Siddhartha's life goal 2004-07-04T04:41:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Synopsis-of-Hermann-Hesse-s-Siddhartha-25221.aspx When Tess of the d'Urbervilles appeared in 1891, Thomas Hardy was one of England's leading men of letters. He had already authored several well-known novels, including The Return of the Native, and numerous short stories. Tess brought him notoriety—it was considered quite scandalous—and fortune. Despite this success, the novel was one of Hardy's last. He was deeply wounded by some of the particularly personal attacks he received from reviewers of the book. In 1892, he wrote in one of his notebooks, quoted in The Later Years of Thomas Hardy, 1892-1928, compiled by Florence Emily Hardy, "Well, if this sort of thing continues no more novel-writing for 2004-07-04T01:57:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tess-of-the-d-Urbervilles-25204.aspx Social Criticism in Literature Many authors receive their inspiration for writing their literature from outside sources. The idea for a story could come from family, personal experiences, history, or even their own creativity. For authors that choose to write a book based on historical events, the inspiration might come from their particular viewpoint on the event that they want to dramatize. George Orwell and Charles Dickens wrote Animal Farm and A Tale of Two Cities, respectively, to express their disillusionment with society and human nature. Animal Farm, written in 1944, is a book that tells the animal fable of a farm in which the farm animals revolt against their human masters. It is an example of social criticism in literature in which Orwell satirized the events in Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution. He anthropomorphises the animals, and alludes each one to a counterpart in Russian history. A Tale of Two Cities also typifies this kind of literature. Besides the central theme of love, is another prevalent theme, that of a revolution gone bad. He shows us that, unfortunately, human nature causes us to be vengeful and, for some of us, overly ambitious. Both these books are similar in that both describe how, even with the best of intentions, our ambitions get the best of us. Both authors also demonstrate that violence and the Machiavellian attitude of "the ends justifying the means" are deplorable. George Orwell wrote Animal Farm, ". . . to discredit the Soviet system by showing its inhumanity and its back-sliding from ideals [he] valued . . ."(Gardner, 106) Orwell noted that " there exists in England almost no literature of disillusionment with the Soviet Union.' Instead, that country is viewed either with ignorant disapproval' or with uncritical admiration.'"(Gardner, 96) The basic synopsis is this: Old Major, an old boar in Manor Farm, tells the other animals of his dream of "animalism": " . . . Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. Almost overnight we would become rich and free.'" (Orwell, 10) The other animals take this utopian idea to heart, and one day actually do revolt and drive the humans out. Two pigs emerge as leaders: Napoleon and Snowball. They constantly argued, but one day, due to a difference over plans to build a windmill, Napoleon exiled Snowball. Almost immediately, Napoleon established a totalitarian government. Soon, the pigs began 2004-07-04T01:47:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Animal-Farm-amp-A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-Social-Criticism-25203.aspx The Commencing of the Trojan War Approximately thirty centuries ago, on a distant land known as Troy, a colossal war raged between Grecians and Trojans on behalf of three discrete reasons. As a result of this war, many lives were lost but the relentless Grecians eventually triumphed after ten tumultuous years. This grave war was fought because of the capture of Helen, the most beautiful and benevolent woman in all of Greece. It is said that the apprehension of Helen was a result of the tragic curse on the House of Atreuis. However, others believe the Trojan War occurred on account of Heracles mercy. Some still think the second collapse of Troy happened because of Paris’s gluttonous ruling. There could be an ample amount of reasons that can determine why exactly the Trojan War started, but the three primary reasons were, the First Fall of Troy, the Judgement of Paris, and the solemn curse on the House of Atreuis. After the treacherous ruler of Troy cheated Heracles out of a well-earned remuneration, an enraged Heracles lawfully retaliated with a large army. Heracles’s militia eventually reduced the town’s solid walls to nothingness, ended King Laomeden’s rule and occupied the rich city of Troy. Amidst the detainees was princess Hesione. She was the beautiful daughter of Laomeden and had once been rescued from an enormous sea monster by none other than the great Heracles. Heracles said that the princess would be given to his dear friend Telamon and she should choose a captive to go free as a wedding gift. As one would think, she requested that her brother Podarces be permitted to live as a spoil of war. She promised that Podarces would reconstruct the city of Troy and rule justly. The honorable Heracles mercifully spared Podarces and left the fallen city of Troy with his followers. Podarces, along with the villagers of the town, rebuilt Troy far better than it ever was. Podarces had many children with his new wife Hecuba. The most renowned child of Podarces and Hecuba was Paris, the eventual assessor of the goddesses and captor of Helen. Since Heracles allowed Podarces to live, he unknowingly allowed Paris’s birth to take place; these actions ultimately lead to another birth… the birth of the Trojan War. The initial fall of Troy and the curse on the House of Atreuis indirectly intertwine and together cause the Trojan War. Zeus’s favorite 2004-06-19T22:54:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Reasons-for-the-Trojan-War--25183.aspx The Battle: Duty or Personal Desire In Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon, and in Lee’s film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, a battle between duty and personal desire takes place. Each character is unique, in the sense that they each come from different sects in society, and their social status defines what they are expected to do. They must either acquiesce to their personal desires and disregard their duties, or vice versa, and endure the consequences. It is apparent that Bradley and Lee favor a moderate adherence to both personal desire and duty through the thoughts, actions, and comments of various characters Shun Lie, a female protagonist in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is a legendary hero, adept in the Wudan martial arts. In the opening scenes, Shun Lie is delivering the Green Destiny, an ancient sword owned by her close friend, Li Mu Bai, to the governor of the state. Clearly, Shun Lie and Li Mu Bai share an overwhelming inner affection and admiration for one another. However, they do not openly express their endless love, because it would dishonor Shun Lie’s former paramour, who is also Li Mu Bai’s brother. Shun Lie’s former paramour passed away shortly before the two were to be married. This grave event brings together, Shun Lie, the widow, and Li Mu Bai, the brother, to mourn the woeful death. Soon, the two fall madly in love with each other, but must do what is expected of them, and hide their adoration. Shun Lie undergoes a psychological challenge throughout the film. She is continually in conflict with her duty and personal desire, and is noticeably melancholic during many scenes. Her emotions run wild in a conversation with Gen. Shun Lie explains her predicament, and expressively explains that although she is a free woman to choose whom she wills, and follow her personal desire, she must follow her duty to her former lover. Abruptly after the Green Destiny’s deliverance, it is stolen by Gen, the daughter of the governor. In an attempt to retrieve the sword, Li Mu Bai is killed by Jade Fox in combat. Prior to his death, Li Mu Bai confesses his love for Shun Lie, and also admits the mistake he made for not telling her before this fateful day. Li Mu Bai dies immediately after this momentous instance. Shun Lie is overwhelmed with sorrow, and she too realizes her incredible mistake in not 2004-06-19T02:00:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Duty-vs_-Personal-Desire-Crouching-Tiger,-Mists-of-Avalon-25178.aspx Good Always Conquers Evil The incredible tales of courage, intelligence, and love contained in Arabian Nights were designed to teach ethic values. They were compiled and put into wording in the 9th – 14th century after being past down by way of tongue. These awesome stories, which were influenced by the Indian, Persian, and Arab culture, were initially made for adults. However, as time progressed, they were transformed into insightful short stories that were intended to edify morals. Both the conflict and characters in Aladdin and the Magic Lamp support the conflict of good and evil. Aladdin represents good, while the adept and his brother represent wickedness. The romantic conflict in Aladdin and the Magic Lamp accentuates decent conduct. A romantic conflict is a struggle between the forces of good and evil. Aladdin acted in accordance with the will of Allah by defending his family from the deceptive moor and his vindictive brother. Through cunning tactics, the magical Moor gained the trust of Aladdin and his mother. After doing so, the avarice wizard took advantage of Aladdin and used him to find a genie-bearing lamp in a forsaken underground pit. When the adept’s scheme does not go as expected, he deserts Aladdin with out any remorse. However, Aladdin survives because of Allah’s mercy, and returns home with the covetous lamp. Aladdin becomes betrothed to Lady Badar al-Budur because of the genie within the lamp. However, on account of Aladdin’s splendid success, the wicked moor, driven by greed, seeks out Aladdin in order to kill him and retrieve the lamp. Aladdin, with the assistance of Lady Badar al-Budur, not only defeats the Moor, but also kills the Moor’s brother who later comes to enact revenge. The proper moral behavior that Aladdin exhibits, in accordance with the will of Allah, thus, stresses the main purpose of Arabian Nights, demonstrating that good conquers evil and therefore one should act with good rather than evil intentions. Aladdin, the protagonist in the wonderful tale, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, is a developing character and demonstrates correct morals through his actions. Aladdin is a developing character because he internally improves for the better. During the beginning sequences in the story, Aladdin does not take any responsibility for himself. Although Aladdin and his mother are poverty-stricken, Aladdin prefers to play with the vagabonds in the streets, rather than take an occupation to help with the shortage of 2004-06-19T01:50:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Arabian-Nights-Aladdin-25175.aspx In JD Salingers' Catcher in the Rye, a troubled teenager named Holden Caufield struggles with the fact that everyone has to grow up. The book gets its title from Holden's constant concern with the loss of innocence. He did not want children to grow up because he felt that adults are corrupt. This is seen when Holden tries to erase naughty words from the walls of an elementary school where his younger sister Phoebe attended. "While I was sitting down, I saw something that drove me crazy. Somebody'd written 'Fuck you' on the wall. It drove me damn near crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would see it, and how they'd wonder what the hell it meant, and then finally some dirty kid would tell them- all cockeyed, naturally- what it meant, and how they'd all think about it and maybe even worry about it for a couple of days. I kept wanting to kill whoever'd written it. I figured it was some perverty bum that'd sneaked in the school late at night to take a leak or something and then wrote it on the wall. I kept picturing myself catching him at it, and how I'd smash his head on the stone steps till hew as good and goddam dead and bloody." (201) His deep concern with impeccability caused him to create stereotypes of a hooligan that would try to corrupt the children of an elementary school. Holden believed that children were innocent because they viewed the world and society without any bias. When Phoebe asked him to name something that he would like to be when he grew up, the only thing he would have liked to be was a "catcher in the rye." He invented an illusion for himself of a strange fantasy. He stated that he would like to follow a poem by Robert Burns: "If a body catch a body comin' through the rye." He kept "picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around- nobody big, I mean- except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff- I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out 2004-06-14T05:34:18-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Catcher-in-the-Rye-Loss-of-Innocence-25173.aspx The protagonist of the novel, Tess Durbeyfield, is an exemplary heroine. Tess is an astute character living in a demoralizing Victorian society that degrades women tremendously. Through Tess’ emotions, thoughts, and actions, we are able to see the brutal standards that men hold for women. At the start of the novel, Tess is of the lower end of the social class, were women are admired for their chastity and devotion to the household. Tess’ family is poverty-stricken, and when their only gateway to survival dies in a heart wrenching collision, Tess must embark into the unknown where the harsh laws of the bourgeoisie exist. Upon her arrival at the d’Urberville quarters, she is met by the self-imposing Alec d’Urberville who demonstrates the cruel ideals of men in rich Victorian Society. Alec is aggressive towards Tess, and truly wants her to be with him. Although Tess opposes Alec, he takes advantage of her in the woods and loses her sacred chastity, which is so valued in Victorian society. Tess’ virginity was stolen from her, but her surrounding society seems to blame what occurred in the woods on her. Alec does not endure any punishment, and like his mother who is “blind” to his actions, so is society. Alec yearns to marry Tess to an awesome degree; however, Tess does not consent to a betrothal because she does not love him. By not consenting to such a marriage, Joan Durbeyfield, the mother of Tess takes the role of the general public by scolding Tess for not marrying Alec for his wealth and social position, as this would improve their class status as well. Through such occurrences, it can be seen that Tess is challenging the views of the masses. She does not think it right that the only way in which a person of the lower classes can rise up is by marrying a wealthy noble. Tess also protests to the hypocritical ways of men. This is shown with her marriage of Angle Clare. When she informs him that she is not pure, he runs away, even though he also engaged in sexual intercourse prior to marriage. The readers can clearly see the harshness and classlessness of Angle Clare by doing what he did. In essence, Tess represents Eve in her purified and defiled state. Using Tess, Hardy unveils his perspective that women are abused by society for the mistake that Eve 2004-06-13T00:12:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tess-of-the-d-Urbervilles-Characterization-25161.aspx A Hero’s Guardian The monomyth pattern is demonstrated when the protagonist of a story separates himself from the “known”, an environment of his understanding, and crosses the threshold into the “unknown” to fulfill his objective in the story. By making this bold move, the protagonist becomes a hero, and must overcome impeding obstacles before he can complete his mission. Consequently, after the hero concludes his journey, he returns home with a new retrospect as well as a gift to share with family and friends. Throughout the hero’s psychological expenditure in the unknown, he is accompanied by a resourceful guide. The guide will assist in the commencing of the trip, as well as with the ultimate achievement, and return to the known. This monomyth scheme is presented in Chris Eyre’s film, Smoke Signals, Dante’s poem, The Divine Comedy Vol. I: Inferno, and Fleischman’s young adult novel, Whirligig. In each literary work, a Supernatural Aid helps the adventurer on their psychological journey through the unknown terrain in which they find themselves. Victor Joseph, the hero and protagonist of Smoke Signals, is aided psychologically as well as physically by Thomas Builds-a-Fire and Susie Song. Victor is raised in an abusive home on account of his father’s brutal behavior. His father, Arnold Joseph, suffers from a severe alcoholic problem and in fits of rage, beats Victor and his wife for little or no reason. On one occasion, Arnold disappears from his wife and son’s lives after a heated dispute. This grave incident greatly saddens Victor, and leaves him with many unanswered questions. Now, as a young man, Victor receives an urgent message informing him of his father’s death and telling him that he must travel to Arizona to collect his father’s ashes. Due to the untimely call, Victor cannot afford the bus fare to reach Arizona. Victor’s childhood friend, Thomas Builds-a-fire, offers to finance the voyage, so long as he may accompany Victor on the voyage. Victor reluctantly accepts, and the two companions leave the Indian Reservation in Idaho and enter the unknown world of Arizona, after a grueling bus ride. Thomas stimulates Victor’s mind with stories of Arnold during the bus ride. Thomas recollects that one day, while he sat at the bridge watching the tide, Victor’s father took his hand and the two dined at Denny’s, the restaurant. Thomas remembers the generosity that Arnold encompassed, for he was allowed to purchase anything on 2004-06-13T00:02:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Hero-s-Guardian-Dante-s-Inferno,-Smoke-Signal,-Whirligig-25157.aspx The Road Not Taken: Dying with the Choices We Make The Road Not Taken can be interpreted many different ways. Depending on the past, present and future attitude one has at the time he read it determines the way the poem may be interpreted. As the title indicates the central theme of this poem is choices. Most people agree that in the poem that Frost was expressing the belief that it is the road or path that one takes or chooses that makes him the man who he is today and will be tomorrow. Everyone is a traveler on lives roads .In the poem there is never just one road to take. Life is a struggle to make the decision of which road to take but a choice must be made. A traveler comes upon "two road deversised in a yellow wood" He is at a cross road point in his life. He is unable to take both paths at once and must make a decision which way he would like to go or how to live his life. He must decide but is remorseful as he states "And sorry I could not travel both". This decision is always difficult to make because it is impossible not to wonder at the cost of taking this path over that one. He can not help but wonder what he will miss if he chooses this road over that one .There is regret before the choice is ever made. He relaxes that in one lifetime it is impossible to travel down both roads and he has a difficult choice to make and is carefully considering his options as well as wondering were each could lead . In attempting to make this decision the traveler "looks down one as far as I could," trying to see the future and were this road might lead. Both roads lead to the unknown and although he tries to see as far as the road stretches he cannot see where it is going to lead. It is the way he chooses that sets him of on his journey of life and determines were he is going. <BR>He makes his decision and chooses "Then took the other just as far and having perhaps the better claim." This road has a better claim because it was the one that appealed more to him and "it was grassy and wanted wear." He feels 2004-06-12T19:25:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Poetry,-Poem-The-Road-Not-Taken,-by-Walt-Whitman-25149.aspx Antigone Essay In Sophocles' and other Greek tragedies, there is always a tragic hero. Most tragic heroes portrayed in these plays posses certain characteristics. Characteristics such as being a member of a noble family, and having a flaw within themselves which brings about certain down fall. To complete the essence of a tragic hero, they must die at the end of the play. Of the few characters in the tragic play Antigone, both Creon and Antigone harbor traits of a tragic hero. Although the play is title Antigone; Creon, Antigone's uncle and current king is the true tragic hero of the story. He possesses all the characteristic of a tragic hero. His tragic flaw is that he is very stubborn, thinks he is all-powerful, and refuses to compromise his beliefs. The difference between Creon and Antigone is that Creon's flaw had a larger impact on his life and his downfall. Although Antigone hung herself, she knew that she was going to die for her actions. Creon was a great leader, and he has the mentality of an honorable leader, but his tragic flaws rendered him at the mercy of the gods, and eventually lead to his downfall. As the king of Thebes, Creon is depicted as a man of nobility and greatness. Many people in the land look to Creon to solve all the problems of the country, and up to this point he is successful at that job. These tremendous responsibility feeds Creon's egos, making him think that he is as great as the gods are. This impenetrable pride is the key flaw that leads to his downfall. Although he considers himself a king who knows all, he calls for a prophet to tell him what he should do about the numerous deaths in his kingdom. When the prophet of the treachery informs him what he is a part of, he denounces the prophet and doesn't adhere to the prophets advice. Through his pride, he considers no body else's feeling while handling the situation with Antigone. He decides to kill Antigone even though the townspeople and his own son believe that she did a good deed and should not be punished. Only later does Creon realize that because of his harsh punishment for Antigone, he causes three lives to be taken away, his son's life, wife's 2004-06-12T17:22:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tragic-Heros-Antigone,-by-Sophocles-Essay-25148.aspx On The Late Bus, by Susan Engberg, is a story about a young girl traveling to her other parents. She encounters a man, which somehow changes her life, and her way of thinking with different situations. Alison's mood throughout most of this story seems to be melancholy, and extremely sarcastic, for two main reasons. She has been moved between her mother's house and father's house, and doesn't seem to be coping well with the divorce of her parents. 2004-06-12T17:18:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/On-The-Late-Bus,-by-Susan-Engberg-Synopsis-Essay-25147.aspx In Cannery Row, John Steinbeck describes the unholy community of 1920s Monterey, California. Cannery Row is a street that depends on canning sardines. It is where all the outcasts of society reside. Steinbeck himself, in the first sentence of the book, describes Cannery Row as "a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream." Lee Chong, the owner of the local grocery, Dora, the owner of the Bear Flag Restaurant, (a cover for a whorehouse) and her girls, and an old Chinaman who nobody knows all inhabit Cannery Row. However, the story focuses on the lives of Doc, a local marine biologist, and Mack and the boys, a group of not-quite-homeless, rather philosophical bums. Mack and the boys freelance, picking up money and short-term jobs where they can. Early in the story, they acquire an empty fishmeal storage building from Lee Chong. Mack and the boys transform it into their home, the Palace Flophouse. Doc ran Western Biological, a company that supplied animals for educational purposes, like dissection. He would go down to the tidepools and collect all sorts of critters like squid, octopus, and sea cucumbers. When Doc had to leave for La Jolla on a collecting trip, Mack and the boys decided to give him a surprise party. They bought beer, plenty of Old Tennis Shoes (Old Tennessee, a blended whiskey). The whole town was going to be there, and in the minds of Mack and the boys, it was going to be a grand party. However, the party started before Doc even got there. The guests arrived at Western Biological (which doubled as Doc's house and laboratory) and soon became drunk. Windows, doors, expensive equipment, books, plates, and Doc's prized phonograph were all victims to the raucous crowd before Doc arrived. The place was trashed, and everyone left before Doc even got there. By the time Doc pulled up to Western Biological, Mack was the only one left. After a couple of punches, the thing was settled. Mack and the boys, resilient as they were, planned a birthday party for Doc, only on the wrong day. However, Doc found out about the plan and put all his expensive equipment in a back room that he could lock up. 2004-06-10T06:09:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cannery-Row-By-John-Steinbeck-Short-Summary-25135.aspx Irony in Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka There are many different kinds of irony, which are portrayed in most literary writings. Verbal irony is when someone states one thing in order to mean the exact opposite. An example of verbal Irony would be someone saying what a beautiful day it is outside when there is a snowstorm accuring. Situational Irony is when something occurs that would not normally be expected when both the reader and the characters do not expect. Cosmic irony is described when asburb things accur along with dark humor. Situational Irony is when the reader has information which the characters do not. In the following essay I will examine these different types of irony's and connect them to "The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka (1883-1924). Part one of this short story begins with situational irony when "Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from useasy dreams [and] found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect" (Kafka 19). Although this story jumps right into the climax both the audience and t'he main character does not expect Gregor to wake up transformed into an insect. Gregor is unsure what he should do with himself in this unexpected situation and turns to cosmic irony. He suggest's to himself that he should go back to sleep and try to forget about all this nonsense but then rules out this option because "he was accustomed to sleep on his right side and in his present condition he could not turn himself over" (Kafka 20). The option of returning back to sleep was as absurd as awaking as an insect. Gregor obviously had a problem and he could not just turn over and go back to sleep, but instead he blames not going back to sleep on the fact that he would not be comfortable enough. Gregor continues to worry about other issues at this time. He realizes that he better hurry up and get his beetle-like body up so that he wont miss his five a.m. train. Gregor Samsa is part of a middle class family who live in Prague. Gregor, along with his sister, are part of a family that are only interested in the material part of life. Five years prior to this story Mr. Samsa lost most of his money and stopped working. At this time Gregor was left to get a job 2004-06-10T06:05:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Metamorphis-Essay-Franz-Kafka-25132.aspx One of the characteristics of Realism, in American literature at least, is the ironic use of perceptions of “appearance” vs. “reality.” With this in mind, Henry James’s “The Real Thing” and “The Beast in the Jungle” are two works wherein such characteristics can be shown to operate as James employs cleverly woven twists of “appearance” and “reality” in each of the plots. In James’s “The Real Thing,” the plot is centered on an unnamed artist and his interactions with two sets of models: the Monarchs (members of genteel society), and Miss Churm and Oronte (members of the working class). The ironically named Monarchs are a couple who appear as though they have “ten thousand a year” but whose lives diverge dramatically from the literal definition of a monarch. Upon introduction to the artist, they unwittingly deceive him into initially assuming that they are interested in commissioning a portrait; in fact, the Monarchs are seeking work as sitters. The case of mistaken identity is further compounded by the artist who pretends to be a “great painter of portraits” but who is actually an illustrator whose depictions of nobility constitute his main source of income – his “pot-boilers.” James’s introductory interplay of character identity with appearance and reality serves as a clever backdrop for the story where reality conflicts with appearance. While their outward social appearance and actions have an “indefinable air of prosperous thrift” and personify that of high-class society, the Major and Mrs. Monarch are actually penniless and no longer members of the genteel sect. But the Monarchs are unable to resolve their “appearance” of high society with their “reality” of financial destitution, and remain psychologically entrapped in a self-imposed netherworld of pseudo-culture and pseudo-class. Insistent upon being treated as members of the high society to which they no longer belong, the Monarchs also present a conflict of appearance and reality for the artist because he is forced to allow them the social deference of portrait sitters, yet pay them as models (viewed as their “superior but not their equal”). The complexity of appearance vs. reality is further illustrated when the artist realizes that while Major and Mrs. Monarch may appear to be the “real thing,” he is unable to transform their outward reflection of nobility onto his canvas without sacrificing his art – his life’s work. The artist finds the seemingly 2004-06-10T05:46:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Henry-James-Appearance-vs_-Reality-25126.aspx Twain's Use of the River vs. Land as a Vehicle for Social Criticism Mark Twain's Huck Finn is a story about racism, friendship, and social criticism experienced through the eyes of a young boy, Huck, and a slave, Jim. The two "stumble" across one another in the beginning of the story and develop a strong friendship based on trust and understanding. Although it takes a while, Huck is eventually able to disregard Jim's color and see him for what he really is: a person. This is something that the rest of country has a problem dealing with, and it shows in their criticism of Jim and Huck's relationship. Throughout the story, Twain is able to use the river and the land as vehicles for social criticism, and at the same time, shows how they differ as means of animadversion. Huck and Jim use the river as somewhat of a "safe haven" from the rest of the country in times of trouble. In the event that they run into a confrontation it is very easy for them to jump on the raft and get away. The river is also a place where they do not have to worry about being ridiculed or criticized by anyone. To them, it represents a sense of freedom and equality for all men. This is important because this is something they cannot get on the land, where they are always coming in contact with people who refuse to understand/accept their situation. Furthermore, on the water, Huck is able to look at Jim as his equal, but on the land, in the presence of others, he cannot. They both can feel much more comfortable and at ease when they are on the river because they are separated from the rest of the world. The land represents the total opposite of the river and is used by Twain to portray what life was really like during that time; people were racist, and refused to see things any other way. The majority of black people were slaves, slaves were looked at as property and the lowest possible class, and therefore, any black person was seen as nothing more than a piece of property. This is what made it so hard for people to understand the relationship between a "privileged" white boy and a black man. Because of this, Jim 2004-06-10T05:41:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Huckleberry-Finn-Land-Vs_-Water,-by-Mark-Twain-25122.aspx Traditionally, men have held the power in society. Women have been treated as a second class of citizens with neither the legal rights nor the respect of their male counterparts. Culture has contributed to these gender roles by conditioning to these gender roles by conditioning women to accept their subordinate status while encouraging young men to lead and control. Feminist criticism contends that literature either supports societys patriarchal structure or provides social criticism in order to change this hierarchy. The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, depicts one womens struggle against the traditional female role into which society attempts to force her and the societal reaction to this act. From the beginning of this work, the woman is shown to have gone mad. We are given no insight into the past, and we do not know why she has been driven to the brink of insanity. The beautiful English place that the woman sees in her minds eye is the way men have traditionally wanted women to see their role in society. As the woman says, “It is quite alone standing well back from the road It makes me think of English places for there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses for the gardeners and people. There is a delicious garden! I never saw such a garden large and shady, full of box-bordered paths, and lined with long grape-covered arbors with seats under them.” This lovely English countryside picture that this woman paints to the reader is a shallow view at the real likeness of her prison. The reality of things is that this lovely place is her small living space, and in it she is to function as every other good housewife should The description of her cell, versus the reality of it, is a very good example of the restriction women had in those days. They were free to see things as they wanted, but there was no real chance at a woman changing her roles and place in society. This is mostly attributed to the small amount of freedom women had, and therefore they could not bring about a drastic change, because men were happy with the position women filled. This creates a despair, of hopelessness and of downheartedness. The woman, on multiple occasions, wrote down, “And what can one do?” This lets the reader know that women as 2004-06-10T05:40:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Women-and-Charlote-Perkins-Gilmore’s-“The-Yellow-Wall-Paper-25121.aspx Huck Finn Theme Analysis Throughout the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, many different themes are portrayed. One of the most important themes in the novel is the issue of racism and slavery in the South. Twain depicts the South in the story as not as glorious as it's made out to be. Slavery in the South was nearly pervasive. During the story, Huck befriends an escaped slave named Jim, who had been previously owned by Miss Watson. Huck appears to be the least racist of the characters in Twain's story, but even he makes racial comments and gestures towards Jim and other slaves like Jim. Being that slavery is one of the major themes in not only the book, but in Southern society of Twain's lifetime, it is mentioned many times in the story, but not necessarily to make slaves look subhuman. Jim, for a slave, is very well educated, and is shown with many emotions. In the book, Jim is also seen through the negative aspect. While Huck is really Jim's friend, and thinks more of him as a human being than what most Southerners think of slaves, Huck still manages to comment on the racism that Jim and other slaves face daily. One of these examples are seen when Huck says that even by covering Jim up with a quilt in the canoe, people would be able to see a black person from very far away. Although Huck doesn't think of this as racist, the comment truly is. It's also satirical because what Huck is saying is very true of the way people thought in the South. This is an example of how Huck is unaware of his own racism because he was just taught that it was the way he was supposed to think. At this point in the story, Huck still feels that blacks are essentially different from whites. Another example of how Twain displays the theme of racism and slavery is another time that Huck makes a reference to the white superiority of the South. This occurs when Huck is talking to Tom's Aunt Sally about the explosion of the boat. Huck had been lying about the whole explosion because he was late to the house, so he needed an excuse, but what he said to Sally after that 2004-06-10T05:21:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-in-Huckelberry-Finn-by-Mark-Twain-25117.aspx The Odyssey: The Path To Redemption An epic is a poetic account of the deeds of an exulted and grand hero. In Homer's Odyssey, the great protagonist is Odysseus, a man who departed from his home to fight the Trojan War and who comes back after twenty years to find his household overtaken by lofty and contemptuous suitors courting his wife Penelope against her will. Throughout his journey, this rich and complex character battles life's temptations towards purification, since he must overcome his sins and flaws in order to obtain redemption from the gods, thus returning home to his throne on the island of Ithaca. However, this purification process and Odysseus' chances of returning home are compromised by his flaws and those of his crew, while enhanced by the many virtues and qualities he possesses. This voyage symbolizes man's road to salvation hoping to obtain God's forgiveness and entrance into his kingdom, and Odysseus incarnates man's soul, representing life and the return to God and faith. In spite of his being an epic hero, and as such, superior to common men, Odysseus remains imperfect, with flaws and weaknesses like all other mortals. The consequences of these flaws are the wrath of certain gods, like Poseidon, who bears a grudge against Odysseus since the Trojan War, and the prolonging of his voyage back to Ithaca. Some of Odysseus' flaws are pride, curiosity, and lack of vigilance. The first flaw which Odysseus displays is pride. At the end of the Trojan War, he boldly defies the gods by loudly declaring that he was the sole artisan of his victory and that he didn't receive any help from the gods, when this isn't true since Poseidon sent a sea serpent to kill one of the enemies of Odysseus just before he was going to check the content of the Trojan Horse, which would have gotten him and all his men killed. This pride is a reoccurring element in the plot, since it is also what leads Odysseus to vociferate his invincibility and to reveal his real name as he leaves Polymachus the Cyclops' island, increasing Poseidon's anger at him, since the Cyclops' are his children. Another flaw of Odysseus is curiosity. One episode where he displays this weakness is when he and his crew are sailing in the sea of the Sirens and, after sticking wax 2004-06-10T05:08:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Odyssey,-by-Homer,-flaw-weakness-analysis-25110.aspx The myth of Sisyphus was a paper written by Albert Camus to show that life has no ultimate meaning. This goals of men and woman are false and in the end humans really accomplish nothing. Camus represented his idea of existentialism through the use of Sisyphus. This allows us to see a comparison of a mythical tale and the real world. Albert Camus feeling towards existence was that humans were not supposed to be living in the world. Camus believed that there was a sense of absurdity for human existence. Human beings cannot feel at home in a world where chaos, death, and suffering are present. A world designed for humans would have meaning, life, and order. The world that humans presently lived in was not the real home that they should be in. The world was indifferent to the problems facing humans, thereby making humans living unwanted inside of their own universe. Camus uses Sisyphus as an example of how he believes life on earth is really taking place. Sisyphus is forced to roll the heavy rock up the mountain only to find that it rolls all the way back down and making all his work for nothing. Camus believed that this was similar to human life, through all the activities and events throughout our lives we merely accomplish nothing in the end. We work hard and try to achieve goals, but these goals are meaningless in the whole time that makes up our life. Camus believes that Sisyphus is an "absurd hero" because he believes that he can succeed which ultimately allows for his punishment. "If this myth is tragic, that is because its hero is conscious. Where would his torture be, indeed, if at every step the hope of succeeding upheld him?" Camus feels that Sisyphus who is a conscious human being exemplifies the lives of many humans on earth. The people feel that they can succeed and accomplish things during their lives, but in the end they die without ever solving the problems they once faced. This is similar to how Sisyphus would endlessly try to accomplish his goal of getting the rock to the top of the mountain only to have it roll back down again. This absurdity can be understood through the comparison of Sisyphus and the lives of many people living around the world. False goals and 2004-06-10T05:08:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Albert-Camus-The-Myth-of-Sisyphus-25109.aspx The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, is a book that compiles stories of the lives of Chinese women that were raised in China and became American citizens. These women formed the “Joy Luck Club,” which was a small group that discussed their homeland and troubles, but still enjoying the treasures of food and each other’s company. Each section of the book is written from the point of view of the character. The book continues on with the stories of these women’s daughters, telling stories of their lives being raised by mothers who were immigrants, and dissolving into American society. Chinese mothers try to pass on their values, instincts, and intuitiveness on to the second generation. Great fortune has come to the members of the Joy Luck Club through their hardships, and they only want their daughters to understand what it takes to succeed in life. The Joy Luck Club ladies were all friends who over time have formed blissful lives for themselves in America. All of the daughters in this book were raised with high expectations, even the mothers while they were in China. This is contrary to an overall idea that girls in China were not a great commodity to their parents. Each member of the Joy Luck Club was a mother that only wanted their own daughters to understand why they should be respectful of their Chinese culture and grateful for their American opportunities. Waverly Jong, daughter of Lindo, was raised in Chinatown and her mother taught many lessons to “raise them out of circumstances.” (Tan, 90) Lindo thought the best combination was “ American circumstances and Chinese character.” (259) The women of the Joy Luck Club were competitive amongst each other when it came to their children’s successes. Jei-Mei (June) Woo’s mother wanted her to be a chess prodigy like Waverly Jong, or become a Chinese Shirley Temple. Jei-Mei’s mother, Suyuan, wanted her daughter to be a Chinese version of the epitome of American culture and the “perfect child” during the 1950s. Chinese mothers even go to great extents to instill their values into their children. The family of An-mei Hsu in China and Lena St. Clair’s mother, Ying-Ying, both would make up stories to make a moral to a story, to put fear into their daughters and detour them from trouble. Avoiding trouble is also an instinct for the Chinese. Their natural instincts tell 2004-06-10T04:43:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Joy-Luck-Club-Tradition-Lives-On-25097.aspx In discussing Chaucer's collection of stories called The Canterbury Tales, an interesting illustration of the Medieval Christian Church is presented. I think that the Medieval Church was full of corruption, and Chaucer depicts this corruption through The Pardoners Tale. At the same time as the corruption, there can also be an argument for the opposing side stating that the church is not corrupted. This can be shown with the character of the monk from The Monk’s Tale. While people demanded more voice in the affairs of government, the church became more corrupt and this corruption also led to a more crooked society. In history then, there is a two way process where the church has an influence on the rest of society and of course, society influences the church. This is naturally because it is the people from a society who make up the church....and those same people became the personalities that created these tales of a pilgrimage to Canterbury. The Christianization of Anglo-Saxon England was to take place in a relatively short period of time, but this was not because of the success of the Augustinian effort. Indeed, the early years of this mission had a discrepancy which shows in the number of people who hedged their bets by practicing both Christian and Pagan rites at the same time, and in the number of people who directly didn’t want to believe at all when a Christian king died. There is certainly no evidence for a large-scale conversion of the common people to Christianity at this time. Christianity did not initially provide a unifying element but was by the later seventh century to provide the basis of a structure of organization, which overreached the frontiers of the individual, highly competitive English kingdoms(Making 15). Augustine was not the most diplomatic of men, and managed to antagonize many people of power and influence in Britain, who had never been particularly enthusiastic to save the souls of the Anglo-Saxons who had brought such harsh times to their people. In their isolation, the British Church had maintained older ways of celebrated the major festivals of Christianity, and Augustine's effort to force them to conform to modern Roman usage only angered them. When Augustine died (some time between 604 and 609 AD), then, Christianity had only an insecure hold on Anglo-Saxon England, a hold that was limited largely to 2004-06-10T04:07:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Medieval-Church-and-Chaucer-s-Canterbury-Tales-25088.aspx The Ever-Changing Gregor, by Franz Kafka Throughout Franz Kafka's short story "The Metamorphosis" the main character Gregor undergoes many mental and physical changes. He is just a normal man in a normal family who wakes in what he thinks is a dream at first, but then has to come to terms with that he really is now a giant living insect. Gregor is a traveling salesman who comes home only every once and a while, but after he wakes one morning and realizes that he is a insect his life goes on a down word spiral that not even he can end up controlling. Gregor's family life was nothing out of the ordinary but also was not the best of times. His Father did not work cause he got himself into financial problems. "Gregor works as a traveling salesman- a situation he dislikes. He wants to quit his job, but the pressure to support his family and pay off his bankrupt father's business debts keeps him trapped in his career" (instructors manual). He is the only one in his family who works, because his Mother has bad asthma, and his sister is to young, which leaves his income as the only in the house. Gregor had a close relationship with his sister Grete, but with his parents it was different. He was on the road most of the time so he only stopped by to stay the night, while he was in the neighborhood. Gregors self esteem was not on the high side. He regretted the fact that he had to work this horrible job just because of his father; he was not married and did not even have a girlfriend. His life kind of seemed like it was standing still until this morning when it happened to take a turn, which was unexpected by Gregor and also to everyone else. As Gregor goes through his metamorphosis his takes a toll on his mental and physically feelings about himself, his family, and also his work. His family finds him in his new body and they get almost scared by it. He is confined to his room, he does not get to walk around the house, or see anything outside unless he looks out the one window that is in his room. His Mother and Father both do not come 2004-06-10T03:06:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Metamorphosis-Essay,-by-Franz-Kafka-25086.aspx The Battle Of The Sexes In Taming Of The Shrew Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew raises some controversial issues about the roles of spouses and wives, the place of women in society, the expectations of marriage and more. A main topic throughout the play is Petruchio’s “taming” of Katherina and her eventual submission. Petruchio can be looked at in one of two ways- as a “cruel, unfeeling bully” or a “man who brings Katherina self-knowledge and contentment”. The way in which Petruchio’s manner is viewed depends on the historical context. In the 16th century, Petruchio’s attitude toward Katherina was accepted and normal. This is because women were not seen as equal to men. In the 21st century, where women are equal to men, Petruchio’s method would not be tolerated. I will be using the historical context of the 21st century to contend that Petruchio was a “cruel, unfeeling bully”, because I believe that the attitude toward women in the 21st century is the correct one of the two. From the beginning, Petruchio does not see Kate as an opportunity to be happily married, but a chance to get rich and conquer her. When Hortensio tells Petruchio about Katherina, Petruchio says that it matters not how horrible she is, so long as she has money: “I come to wive it wealthily in Padua / If wealthily, then happily in Padua” (Act I; Scene 2; lines 72-73). Later, during his first meeting with Baptista, Petruchio is eager to settle financial matters with him, even before he meets Kate: “What dowry shall I have with her to wife” (Act II; Scene 1; lines 116) and “Let specialties be therefore drawn before us, / That convenants may be kept on either hand.” (Act II; Scene 1; lines 122-123). Petruchio has no respect for any reasons that Katherina might have for getting married, such as love. He therefore fits the bill of a “cruel, unfeeling bully” by seeing marriage as a business opportunity with no consideration of Katherina’s wishes. The way that Petruchio acts toward Katherina is also indicative of his insensitive nature. When he and Katherina first meet, instead of being friendly and cordial, Petruchio is already scheming to tame her by being indirect and annoying: “Say that she rail, why then I’ll tell her plain / She sings sweetly as a nightingale.” (Act II; Scene 1; lines 165-166) and “If she 2004-06-10T02:22:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Taming-of-the-Shrew-by-William-Shakespeare-25078.aspx Gulliver’s Travels is Swift’s most famous book. The book seems to be a true account of events that have actually happened because he includes several realistic details. In the novel, Gulliver’s Travels, Swift uses several objects of satire. He does this to make fun of today’s society and the way society used to be. He uses satire by comparing the lives of the people on the islands of Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, and Laputa. Gulliver’s Travels is a story that attacks human misbehavior. Gulliver is first washed upon the shore of Lilliput. On this island everyone is the size of a bug to Gulliver. When Gulliver gets to know the Lilliput people he ridicules their weaknesses and their way of life. He satirizes the two parties that are in Lilliput. They distinguish their parties by the height of the heels n their shoes, and how they eat their eggs. Swift also uses satire when he urinates to put out a fire, when he is disobeying a rule by urinating in public. Swift relates these events to things that have happened in English History. Gulliver is then washed upon the shore of Brobdingnag where the people there are six inches. On this island Swift continues to make fun of English politics. This time Gulliver is looked upon like he looked upon the Lillputians while the Brobdingnag’s represent English ways. Swift makes fun of the way that the people of Brobdingnag go about their daily life. Swift is basically stating that all people, royalty or servant, are all alike. Next Gulliver is found on a raft and is pulled up to the floating island of Laputa. While on the island Swift compares the way the people act on the island to the way people in the 18th century talked about scientific discoveries. The people of Laputa are such airheads that they are on an island that floats in the air. The Laputians on the floating island are so distracted with everyday life that they do not even notice that their wives are cheating on them right in front of them, just like some people of today do. Like our society, the people of Balnibarbi do not see beauty in nature. Instead the Projectors ruin what they already have in the process of trying to advance their scientific study. In Luggnagg Gulliver meets people 2004-06-10T02:13:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Gulliver’s-Travels-Essay-Summary,-by-Jonathan-Swift-25076.aspx The Broken Chain, by MFK, Child Abuse Essay There has always been a fine line between discipline and child abuse. What a parent thinks is right may not always be what is healthy for a child. “The Broken Chain,” by M.F.K. fisher is an essay about a young girls history of child abuse. Though many people feel that disciplining a child physically is acceptable, abuse is abuse! In “The Broken Chain,” M.F.K. Fisher feels she wasn’t abused as a child. She saw being smacked was a good punishment for mistakes she would make. Is that always a good reason to smack your child? M.F.K. Fisher wasn’t being punished when she was young, she was being abused. She writes in her essay, “I would be smacked five or eight or ten sharp taps from a wooden brush hairbrush.” Being hit eight to ten times with a wooden brush would be traumatizing for a nine-year-old girl. Hitting your child is not the only answer to punishing your kids, and some parents find that hard to believe. Though on the parents defense, it is most likely the most effective. M.F.K. Fisher goes on to say in her essay, “Rex gave me a slap across the side of my head that sent me halfway across the room against the old sideboard.” Even though M.F.K. Fisher did do something wrong, no one that can’t defend themselves properly deserves to get hit in the face so hard, they fly halfway across the room. Every parent wants to teach their children to be good kids and one day, be responsible, successful adults. All parents teach their children the way they think they should be taught, and some parents think abuse is the answer. A lot of kids who are abused now, come from families with abuse in the past, much like in M.F.K. Fishers essay. Parents need to know how traumatizing being hit as a child can be and also realizing that abusing your child at a young age can cause more serious problems down the road. Many kids who are abused as children have critical emotional-problems, or are abusing their children when they have them. With these facts, we now know that physical abuse is a mental, hereditary drug, that can easily corrupt good parents without them realizing what they are doing. The never-ending war of child abuse is as alive today as it was when it first got started. 2004-06-10T02:10:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Broken-Chain,-by-MFK,-Child-Abuse-Essay-25074.aspx Beowulf, A Hero? The epic tale of Beowulf portrays a traditional hero battling monsters and overcoming impossible odds. Beowulf represents the typical knight in shining armor, saving the innocent from a certain doom. Even as an elder, Beowulf continued his feats of bravery and courage. Beowulf, one of the Geats, and the strongest man alive was summoned to the land of the Danes. His task was to rescue the Danes from the creature named Grandel. Beowulf accepted this challenge for several reasons; for fame and recognition, and because he genuinely wanted to help them. In everything Beowulf does it is almost always accompanied with boasting and bragging. Even when Beowulf first arrived on Danish soil he said: “My father was a famous soldier, known far and wide as a leader of men....wise men most definitely remember him still”(line 175) This gives you a taste of his cocky and arrogant personality. The day before Beowulf battles Grendel, he has a discussion with King Hrothgar, where he talks about some of his views: “ I have heard too that the monsters scorn of men is so great that he needs no weapons nor fears none. Nor Will I” (line 260-265) By doing this, he proves to the people that he is brave and fearless, and that would increase his popularity. In the battle with Grendel, Beowulf proves that he can accomplish what he stated he can do, by ripping Grendels arm of, and therefore killing the monster. The monster then retreats to the murky depths, realizing it was fated to die. Beowulf later hangs the arm high on the rafters for all to see, as his proof of killing the monster. However this victory is short lived. That night Grendel’s mother kidnaps and kills Hrothgars closest friend, and carries off the trophy of Grendel’s arm. Beowulf follows her into her underwater domain. “Longing only for fame” (line 503) Beowulf has yet another victory, and therefore removes all evil from the lake. In Beowulf’s last and final battle, many changes have taken place. He has returned to Geatland and has become king. He is now much older and weaker, but his bravery was not affected: “I have never known fear as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old, now but I will fight again, seek fame still If the dragon hinding in 2004-06-10T02:04:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Was-Beowulf-a-hero--25070.aspx Night Book Review Throughout the existence of the world, there have been many horrifying and destructive situations that have caused great pain and even an understanding to the populations habiting this world. From disease to natural disasters to wars, many of these people found their lives either completely ruined or even torn from existence. Most importantly, and the main reason for this review, wars have destructed many of these lives. During the years of World War II along with the deadly emergence of Hitler’s Germany, over six million people were tortured, starved, and murdered on the basis of genocide, Hitler’s attempt to create a perfect race. The Holocaust, the largest and most horrible mass killing ever, became a major factor of the Second World War. Conventionally, people attempt to use these historical events to help people understand and prevent actions like these occurring in the future; however, a problem arose when because due to this mass killing, few people lived to tell the truth of the appalling information. <BR> Elie Wiesel, author and main character of Night, a true recap of the Holocaust, managed to live through Hitler’s wishes and write down his experiences in the concentration camps. He begins his dramatic stories in 1941 in the small city of Sighet located in Transylvania. Elie, a young boy nearing his entrance into adulthood, along with his family of four, found them selves bombarded and split up by the Hitler lead Germans and deported to nearby concentration camps. The reason I write about this book is to explain what I feel and learned about his perfectly explained encounters with the Holocaust and express to readers the main themes I received from Wiesel’s experiences. Throughout the book, Wiesel explains his experiences with the belief in God, what provides for him and others a will to live, and the important realities of life. My job is to explain why these events could be considered Wiesel’s main points and why he wrote the book the way he did. <BR> First of all, and definitely the most important theme and aspect of Night to me is how beliefs and ways of thinking can change during a person’s life and how these ways change throughout the book. It is easy to understand that such an awful experience to a young child can change his ways of thinking, especially about life 2004-06-10T01:54:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Night-Book-Review,-by-Wiesel-25067.aspx In Shakespeare's comedy, "The Taming of the Shrew," one of the main ways that the theme is shown is by mistaken identity. The main theme of this play is that what a person is really like is more important than how they appear to be. This is shown by Petruchio's relationship with Katherine; the changing roles of Tranio, Lucentio, and Hortensio; and the true characters of Bianca and Katherine. All three of these situations help to enrich the theme. The first predicament that supports the theme is Petruchio's relationship with Katherine. When we first meet Petruchio, he is only after the money of Katherine, and accepts her harshness as simply a goal he must overcome. He is mistaken for a person who is only after money, not love at all. Yet when he meets Kate, he begins to fall for her. While he still argues and attempts to train her, it is for his own benefit. He wants her to be less harsh so she can fall in love with him. Petruchio ends up truly caring for and loving Kate, despite the front he puts up having his true identity revealed. As a result of this Katherine, whom we thought would never love anyone, at the end of the story is the only wife who comes when she is beckoned. The other wives only make up excuses. This shows how Kate has a mistaken identity becuase she appears rude and insolent. This situation is one of the ways Shakespeare uses mistaken identity to display theme. Another part of the theme is that when a person changes outfit's and roles, their personalities and attitudes stary the same. The first and most prominent role change is the one between Lucentio and Tranio. Lucentio, in order to marry Bianca, exchanges outfits with his servant Tranio in order to become a tutor for Bianca. Although Tranio appears to be a nobleman, he is really just a simple servant. His identity did not change despite the fact that his outfit did. In the same fashion, Lucentio becomes Cambio, the tutor. His true self is as a nobleman, but due to his love of Bianca, he tries to change himself. Just like Tranio, despite the change of outfit, Lucentio's real personality is not altered. Hencefoth came Hortensio, the least successful prenteder. He too becomes a tutor for Bianca, but is rejected by her. Before the changing 2004-06-08T13:12:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-in-Taming-of-the-Shrew-25042.aspx In Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" the mortal teenage characters fall in love foolishly, and the character Bottom states, "O what fools these mortals be". They are foolish because they act like children. Although Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius, and Helena appear grown-up, when they are in love they act foolishly. The four teenage lovers are fools. Demetrius is a fool because he is unaware that his love changes through out the play. At the start of the play Demetrius does not love Helena. (II ii,line 188) Demetrius says, "I love thee not, therefore pursue me not." (II ii,line 194) "Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more." In III ii, Demetrius after being juiced begins to love Helena. (III ii,line 169-173) Demetrius says, "Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none. If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone. My heart to her but as guest- wise sojourned, And now to Helen is it home returned, There to remain." This proves he is a fool, because he is not aware of his changing love for Helena. Helena is a fool because Demetrius does not love her but she still persists in chasing him. Demetrius shows no love for Helena. (II i,line 227-228) Demetrius says, "I'll run from thee, and hide me in the brakes, And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts." (II i,line 199-201) "Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Or rather do I not in plainest truth Tell you I do not, nor I cannot love you?" Demetrius clearly illustrates to Helena that he has no interest, but Helena persists. (II i,line 202-204) Helena says, "And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you." (II i,line 220-222) "Your virtue is my privilege. For that It is not night when I do see your face, Therefore I think I am not in the night;" This proves that Helena is a fool because Demetrius does not love her, but she still persists. Lysander is a fool because he persuades Hermia to avoid death and run away with him. Hermia must marry Demetrius or she will be put to death. (I i,line 83-88) Theseus says, "Take time to pause, and, by the next new moon- The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, For everlasting bond fellowship- Upon that day 2004-06-08T13:11:33-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Midsummer-Night-s-Dream-25041.aspx William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, is mainly based on the assassination of Julius Caesar. The character who was in charge of the assassination was, ironically, Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Julius Caesar. But what would cause a person to kill a close friend? After examining Brutus’ relationship to Caesar, his involvement in the conspiracy, and his importance to the plot, the truth can be revealed. Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Caesar, has a strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship with Rome and its people. Brutus is very close to Caesar. In Roman times, the only way for someone to get close to a person of high rank is if he/she is close to him/her. In many points of the play, Brutus was talking and next to Caesar. Brutus also loves Caesar but fears his power. In the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius, "What means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their king…yet I love him well."(act 1, scene 2, ll.85-89), as he is speaking to Cassius. Brutus loves Caesar, but would not allow him to "climber-upward…He then unto the ladder turns his back…"(act 2, scene 1, ll.24,26). As the quote says, Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise to power and then turn his back onto the people of Rome. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus talks to Antony about Caesar’s death. "Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; and pity to the general wrong of Rome…"(act 3, scene 1, ll.185-186). Brutus says that Antony cannot see their(members of the conspiracy) hearts, which are full of pity. Again, this shows how Brutus loved Caesar but cared for the life of Rome and its people more. This is the only reason Brutus would conspire against Caesar. For Brutus says to himself, "I know no personal cause to spurn at him…How that might change his nature…"(act 2, scene1, ll. 1,13) Caesar’s relationship with Brutus is also strong. Just allowing Brutus to speak to Caesar shows his respect for Brutus. Caesar feels that Brutus is noble to him and does the right thing regardless of personal danger. On the Ides of March, as Caesar was assassinated, Caesar’s last line is: "Et tu, Brute?--Then fall, Caesar."(act 3, scene 1, l.85). This shows that Caesar would not die without Brutus’ stab. Caesar realizes 2004-06-08T13:10:45-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marcus-Brutus-Character-Analysis-25040.aspx In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Decius Brutus and Mark Antony, both Roman Senators, eulogize Julius Caesar, each using a different technique and approach. Brutus, in a somewhat arrogant, to the point, eulogy, attempts to sway the people. He justifies conspiring against Caesar by stating that Caesar's ambition would have hurt Rome. However, in Antony's eulogy, he focuses on Caesar's positive traits, and cunningly disproves Brutus' justification for killing Caesar. The fickle Romans waver between leaders, responding emotionally, rather than intellectually, to the orators. Brutus seeks to explain why he conspired against Caesar. He begins his speech with "Romans, countrymen ...", appealing to their consciousness as citizens of Rome, who, he later says, will benefit as freeman with Caesar's death. This shows that Brutus knows how to lure the crowd, appealing to their better judgement as Romans. He declares that he is an honorable man, and tells them that he will let them judge the validity of his claims. That is, he will allow the truth to speak for itself. This encourages the crowd to believe him, as an honorable man. He says that he wants them to know the facts; "Censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses that you may the better judge." Sharing information with the people is flattering and it almost guarantees acceptance. He gets their sympathy by saying that he loved Caesar, daring the people to find anyone who loved Caesar more. Brutus declares that he never wronged Caesar, that he cried for Caesar's love, was happy for his greatness, honored him for his courage, but had to kill him because of Caesar's ambition. He says that the reason for killing Caesar was his great love for Rome. He justifies his actions by saying that he loved Caesar but, "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more." He then asks rhetorically if the people would want to live their lives as slaves under Caesar's rule or would they prefer to live as freemen with Caesar dead. To anyone insulted by his speech he wonders if, as Romans who love their freedom, they could be offended or reject what he, Brutus, says. He poses the question, "Who is here so base that would be a bondman?" He stresses the point, repeating the line, "If any, speak, for him have I offended." "I pause for a reply.", allows them to respond to his rhetorical 2004-06-08T13:09:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Eulogies-in-Julius-Caesar-25039.aspx A mockingbird is a harmless bird that makes the world more pleasant. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the mockingbird symbolizes Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, who were both peaceful people who never did any harm. To kill or harm them would be a sin. Scout's father, Atticus, tells Scout and Jem, "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."(p.69) The mockingbird symbolizes these two characters because it does not have its own song. Whereas, the blue jay is loud and obnoxious, the mockingbird only sings other birds' songs. Therefore, the mockingbird is seen through the other birds. The people of Maycomb only knew Boo Radley and Tom Robinson by what others said about them. Both of these characters do not really have their own "song" in a sense, and therefore, are characterized by other people's viewpoints. Boo Radley went through his life never wanting to hurt a fly. He left gum, pennies, and wax dolls for Scout and Jem. He sewed Jem's pants and left them on the fence so he could get them easily. He also saved Scout's and Jem's lives while risking his own. Boo was a fragile and gentle person. Throughout the novel, Scout, Jem, and Dill are curious about the "mysterious" Boo Radley because he never comes outside from his house or associates with anyone in the neighborhood. The children are afraid of him because of all the stories they hear about him from the people in Maycomb. For example, Miss Stephanie tells the children that while Boo was sitting in the living room cutting a magazine, he "drove the scissors into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities." (p.11) After hearing stories like these, the children consider him to be evil. Gradually they assume more about Boo because he never plays outside or with anyone, and therefore, the children are not convinced otherwise. Boo Radley becomes a game for the children and they act out Boo Radley scenarios that they believed to be true. These stories were based on the gossip that trails through their neighborhood. In reality, no one knew anything about Boo Radley. He stayed inside of his house and remained reclusive in Maycomb County. At 2004-05-07T00:14:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-133.aspx Joseph Conrad grew up in the Polish Ukraine, a large, fertile plain between Poland and Russia. It was a divided nation, with four languages, four religions, and a number of different classes. A fraction of the Polish-speaking inhabitants, including Conrad's family, belonged to the szlachta, a hereditary class below the aristocracy, which combined qualities of gentry and nobility. They had the political power, despite their impoverished state. Conrad's father, Apollo Korzeniowski, belonged to this class. He studied for six years at St. Petersburg University, which he left before even earning a degree. Apparently, he was physically unattractive and unpleasant. Conrad's mother, Eva Bobrowska, was thirteen years younger than Apollo and the only surviving daughter in a family of six sons. The couple met in 1847. She was drawn to his poetic temperament and passionate patriotism; he admired her lively imagination and warm heart. Although Eva's family disapproved of the courtship, they eventually realized that their daughter would remain unmarried if she could not have the man she loved. The union took place in 1856. Instead of devoting himself to the management of his wife's agricultural estates, Apollo pursued literary and political activities that brought in little money. He wrote a variety of plays and social satires. Although his works were little known, they would have tremendous influence on his sonSh A year into the marriage, Eva became pregnant with Joseph, who was born in 1857. "Conrad" was actually a middle part of his name. The Crimean War had just ended, and hopes were high for Polish independence. The author moved around quite a bit as child, and never formed close friendships in Poland. Music was one of his earliest memories, and the image of his mother at the piano was a lasting one. Family happiness was then shattered as Apollo was arrested on suspicions of involvement with revolutionary activities. From then on, the family was thrown into exile and unsettled. Eva gradually developed tuberculosis, and died in 1865. The seven-year-old Conrad, who witnessed her decline, was absolutely devastated. He also developed health problems (migraines, lung inflammation) that persisted throughout his life. Unfortunately, Apollo fell into a decline, frustrated with his lack of success in stirring up revolution. He was also taken by tuberculosis in 1869. At age eleven, Joseph was an orphan. The young boy became the ward of his uncle, who loved him dearly and essentially replaced Apollo. Thus began the 2004-05-07T00:12:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Joseph-Conrad-Man-and-Writer-in-the-quot-House-of-Darkness-132.aspx A Person Cannot Have Enough Friends Have you ever known a Pooka? Elwood P. Dowd, the main character in Mary Chase’s Pulitzer Prize play HARVEY knows a Pooka named Harvey. What is a Pooka? A Pooka is “A fairy spirit in animal form,” from “Celtic mythology.” (33) Furthermore, a Pooka is invisible to everyone except those it chooses to be seen by, which makes things very interesting for Dowd and those who come in contact with him in the play. Dowd’s Pooka Harvey is a six foot, one and one-half inch rabbit who he introduces to everyone. The problem is, when Dowd introduces Harvey to others, they think he is crazy because they can’t see Harvey. The result is a light comedy which suggests some very important themes about life. One such theme is stated by Dowd to his sister Veta, which tells her, “Veta, one can’t have too many friends.” (69) The idea that a person cannot have enough friends is demonstrated numerous times throughout the play. Before entering a private party, Elwood P. Dowd tells his invisible companion, “ Come on in with me, Harvey-We must say hello to all of our friends.” (7) He tells Harvey this because he knows how important it is to find and maintain new friends. Also, during a major scene in the play, Elwood informs Kelly and Wilson of what he and Harvey do when they go to Charlie’s Place. Dowd says, “ Harvey and I sit in the bars and we have a drink or two and play the jukebox. Soon the faces of the other people turn toward mine and smile. They are saying: ‘We don’t know your name, Mister, but you’re a lovely fellow.’ Harvey and I warm ourselves in all these golden moments. We have entered as strangers-soon we have friends.” (54) Elwood goes on and says that he and Harvey listen and hit the bottle with those that come for comfort. Elwood P. Dowd understands the notion that an individual can never have a sufficient amount of friends very well. This clearly is the reason for his extremely jovial and kind personality. Myrtle Mae is another character that recognizes the significance of having plenty of friends. On account of Myrtle Mae’s inability to make and preserve friends, she and her mother, Veta Simmons, throw an enormous banquet to meet new friends. Veta talks with an associate on the phone, “That’s 2004-05-05T09:48:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Harvey-A-Person-Cannot-Have-Enough-Friends-123.aspx Fatal Learning Mark Brian, the protagonist in Craven’s, I Heard the Owl Call my Name, undergoes a life altering change during his stay at the village of Kingcome. He learns the true meaning of death by experiencing it first and second hand. Mark encounters death directly, or indirectly through these people: Caleb and Jim Wallace, the weesa-bedo, Keetah’s sister, Gordon’s mother, Calamity Bill, and himself. Mark’s first encounters with death arise from conversations he has with Caleb and Jim Wallace. Caleb advises Mark, when performing a burial service, to always look inside the coffin at the very last minute before burying someone. Caleb tells him he once buried the wrong man. While on patrol with Jim, Mark hears many stories of death associated with the villages in the area. As they pass Ghost Island, Jim tells Mark, “The Indians of Gilford village once buried their dead,”… “in low sheds.” (14) In both of these situations, Mark does not experience death directly, He merely hears and learns about death in a detached or somewhat comical way. The death of the weesa-bedo is much closer to Mark’s own death than the discussions that surface during his boat ride to Kingcome. Although, Mark does not know the boy, the body is in the vicarage waiting the arrival of Mark, who will help with the burial of the body. This is the first death Mark experiences in the solemn village of Kingcome. The death is indirect because Mark doesn’t actually know the weesa-bedo. During a conversation about the weesa-bedo, Jim informs Mark that dead “…bodies are kept in the vicarage until burial.” (24) This foreshadows Mark’s death because his body resides in the vicarage, and it is only a matter of time before death visits him. The death of Keetah’s sister is dreadfully near to Mark’s own demise. The RCMP officer claims that the man who Keetah’s sister was engaged to “…left her in Vancouver, penniless, and he disappeared.” (79) Keetah’s sister eventually dies by succumbing to alcohol, cocaine, and the desire’s of men. Her death is indirect because she dies far from the village of Kingcome. It is also direct however, because Mark had previously been acquainted with her. The death of Keetah’s sister is important and very near to Mark’s own death because she dies in the “white man’s world” which is where Mark commences from. This connection signifies 2004-05-05T09:45:08-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/I-Heard-The-Owl-Call-My-Name-121.aspx Symbolism is frequently employed during major sequences in Penn’s motion picture and Gibson’s written play of The Miracle Worker. The many different symbols used throughout the play signify Helen Keller’s distinctiveness. Specific symbols include, the water and the well, the key, the dolls, as well as the dog, and the baby crib. From the start of the play, Helen silently lies in a prison-like baby crib, with the doctor, and Mr. and Mrs. Keller presiding over her and discussing her future. When Kate Keller snaps her fingers in Helen’s direction and receives no response, she immediately realizes that Helen is a mute baby. The bars that enclose the baby in the crib clearly demonstrate Helen’s captivity and that she is, even as a baby, locked away from human contact due to her disability. Later in the play, Helen is recurrently seen petting the dog or affectionately embracing it. Their bond is a display of their common uniqueness. Like the dog, Helen is a family pet because of her illnesses. Similar to a dog, Helen is habitually attention hungry. Her parents, however, only give into Helen’s need for attention, if they want to “play” with her at the moment, like they would with a dog. The best example of symbolism between the dog and Helen is shown at the dinner table. Like a dog would, Helen is commonly seen eating leftovers on other people’s plates. After being barred from her parents for two weeks, and under the direct supervision and care of Annie Sullivan, Helen’s demeanor drastically changes from that of an uncontrollable dog to an obedient one. She throws fewer tantrums, follows multiple commands that she wouldn’t have earlier, and eats when told to. As family members discuss Helen’s future, Helen frantically walks around the living room. While sauntering around the room, Helen vigorously strokes the head of a shapeless towel doll, constantly searching for the doll’s missing eyes. Later in the scene, Helen steals two buttons from Aunt Ev and tries to jam them into the head of the doll. The doll represents Helen and her blindness. Helen wants the doll to have eyes so it can see, just as she wants to see herself. During Helen’s two weeks stay with Annie Sullivan, in a secluded cottage, another doll represents Helen. After countless times of failing to reach Helen during the two-week span, Annie Sullivan strangles the doll that 2004-05-05T09:42:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Miracle-Worker-Significant-Symbols-120.aspx The Nursery Did the children of George and Lydia Hadley murder their parents in the 1st degree? Parents can have a large influence on their children’s ways. Just as George and Lydia Hadley had in “The Veldt” by: Ray Bradbury. In this science fiction story, the parents made bad choices, that in the end led to their own deaths. George and Lydia Hadley had bought a futuristic house in their children’s early life. The house could cook, comfort, and could even play with the children. The house did everything that the parents were supposed to do for their own kids. The parents were too busy to care, never set boundaries, and rarely said “no”. Everyday the children grew increasingly fond of the house and its appliances; however, they gradually drifted farther apart from their genuine parents. Eventually the children became tired of their real mother and father and figured they didn’t need them any longer. The house was their new parent(s) now. Finally The two kids, Peter and Wendy, plotted and fulfilled the repulsive crime of murdering George and Lydia Hadley in the 1st degree. After George confessed that he was thinking about shutting down the house sometime soon, Peter angrily stated on page 13 “ I don’t think you better consider it anymore, Father.” Maybe George should have taken the threat more seriously instead of letting it brush by. The threat that Peter had made was a true sign that he indeed had been planning both his father and mother’s gruesome demise. There were many appliances in the household, but the most used one was the nursery. The nursery had an ability to bring the thoughts of its resident(s) onto crystalline screens. When the nursery picked up the children thoughts of killing their parents it brought their plans onto transparent screens. The children had been in the room watching the screens and practicing what they thought would happen. As screams escaped the nursery on pages 3,7,12, and 14 the built in computer was creating the sound affects of how the parents would scream before lions would eat them. When the time came for their diabolical plan to be put into reality, the children deceived their parents by crying out “Daddy, Mommy, come-quick!”. Their deception had worked like a charm. When their concerned parents had come to the rescue, to there surprise their children were nowhere to be found. While the parents searched 2004-05-05T09:27:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Veldt-by-Ray-Bradbury-118.aspx Charlie, the human test subject, and Algernon, the shrewd mouse, are similar in several different ways. Charlie is awfully empathetic towards the astute white mouse because he realizes that Algernon’s situation is at the same time much like his own and at other times, even more patience trying. Charlie attempts to make a genuine bond with Algernon because he himself notices the many similarities they share. At first, on pages (516-517) Charlie is exasperated because he persistently loses to Algernon when they compete at the maze. Charlie is very mystified at how clever Algernon is, while at the same time he is disappointed in himself. Charlie reassuringly tells himself that white mice are apparently more intelligent than other mice. After Charlie’s operation, he begins to understand Algernon’s scrupulous situation much better. Charlie sympathizes with Algernon on page (522). He also complains in one of his many progress reports that he doesn’t think it is just to make mice crack puzzles in order to eat. Charlie’s animal-human relationship grows when he realizes the torment Algernon must go through each and every day in the laboratory. Before Charlie is given an opportunity to supposedly better his condition through science, he feels as though he is an outsider because he is not normal like others. On page (515) he belittles himself by admitting his stupidity. He also explains that all he ever wanted was to be smart like other “pepul”. Like Charley, Algernon ought to also consider himself different from other mice because he is so much smarter. Charlie obviously realized that he and Algernon are both outsiders. Seemingly, the only reason Charlie does go through with all the painstaking experiments is to be normal. Charlie, knowing first hand how difficult it was to get smarter, connected with Algernon because he knew that similar tests were done on him. On page (520) Dr. Strauss tells Charlie that Algernon is three times smarter then he was before the operation they conducted on him. Charlie must have felt a need to bond with Algernon because he knew that they were both in this entire ordeal together. After all, they were the only two who had ever been researched on regarding this experiment. Charlie’s connection with Algernon was tremendously potent because of a vast number of unlike reasons as you can tell by my lucid and coherent evidence. Charlie was Algernon’s friend because they both had been experimented on in 2004-05-05T09:24:59-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Flowers-For-Algernon--117.aspx While I was reading Sing Down the Moon, memories of disrepute entered my head. When I read how inhumane the English settlers treated Native Americans, a flashback of how African Americans were regarded came to mind. Black slaves were kidnapped from their land and brought to the New World by force; just as the English settlers took several Navajo Indians prisoner to work as slaves. The book brought back memories of cruelty, however, it also brought back recollections from Camp Palomar. The author described the trees, plants, and flowers so vibrantly that it made it seem as though they were actually surrounding me like the time I spent at Camp Palomar. A Newberry Award was rightly given when it was placed on the book cover of Sing Down the Moon. The suspense and action in each chapter captivates the reader by wonderfully portraying the characters so they seem real. This book conveys the life-style of an Indian girl, introducing emotions that might have actually taken place, while also explaining history. If I were to rate this book on a scale of one to ten my score would be off the charts. Sing Down the Moon is a top-notch book and I would give it and eleven. I would recommend this paperback to anyone searching for an action adventure, with a phenomenal story plot, that recounts the days of our past. I presume the author of Sing Down the Moon is a person who absorbs everything he hears. Sing Down the Moon is most likely a myth that was passed down from one generation to the next. Maybe Scott O’Dell’s ancestors were Indians that were forced from their land. Perhaps these Indians retold their story to their siblings to make certain their peoples’ difficult tribulations are never forgotten. Scott O’Dell, I believe, is a very sensitive person and that when he heard the troubles the Navajo Indians faced he felt the need to right a book that demonstrated his sentiment. My first reaction to the manuscript was not the one you might expect. After reading the first few pages, I knew Sing Down the Moon was going to be another lengthy, mind numbing, and an unexciting story about American history. As I read a few more pages, the book began to become more interesting. I could relate to several things Bright Morning, the teenage girl was going through. After a while, I couldn’t 2004-05-05T09:18:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sing-Down-the-Moon-Reflection-115.aspx "Notes from Underground" by Dostoevsky: "Notes from Underground" by Dostoevsky is a story about a man who is the opposite of everything that you would expect from the protagonist of a book. The first chapter introduces the reader to "The Underground Man" as many call him, for he has no name. He describes himself as sick and spiteful, but later takes it back and says he only wishes that he were. He believes his conscience to be overdeveloped because he was so exposed to culture. He believes in determinism, or predestination. That is, the laws of nature govern everything, so no one has any free will. He wishes to be able to be vengeful, because he knows he cannot. Because of his conscience, he knows he could never do something as mean as having revenge. He covers most topics. For more examples, he talks about how he hates the laws of nature because there is never anyone to blame for anything, because their actions are governed by nature. He uses the example of a toothache to explain the laws of nature. When you have a toothache, there is nothing you can do about it, but the average person moans. He concludes that anyone that is conscious will humiliate himself or herself because they are powerless against nature. He eventually argues that people who are conscious get bored because they realize that they have absolutely no control over what happens. If you deceive yourself into believing that you do have control, when you realize you were wrong, you get mad at yourself. So, you have to choices in life: hate yourself, or become very bored. He then goes on to criticize utopian theories, basically saying that even if we somehow managed to create a utopian society, everyone would tear it down for three reasons. First of all, it would be boring. Second of all, it would infuriate everyone because they would realize that they have totally predictable natures; and because of this, they would realize that they have no control over their life. Lastly, no one wants to live in a structure they have created. We strive towards utopian society because it is a goal, and if it were attained, humans would have nothing left to strive for, so they would start over. This is where part I ends, just before he mentions that there is an episode of his life that 2004-05-03T07:46:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Notes-from-Underground-111.aspx The Stranger by Camus: The Stranger is a story about a man named Meresault living in Algiers. Algiers is at the very northern top of Africa. Meresault is instantly labeled as odd in the readers mind when the story starts: "Mother died today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I can't be sure." As you read along you keep wondering, "What is going on inside the mind of this man? Is he insane?" Because of this first seed that is planted in your mind, everything that follows is tainted with the first impression you have of Meresault. So, as you follow him through his life day to day, after his mother's death, you can know exactly what he is thinking and doing. Knowing this you are even more confused with the strange attitude of this man in response to life. The more you find out about him, the more appropriately you realize the book is titled. You start to realize that he has a very absurd life, and as the back of the book puts it, "Life begins to stalk him quietly and slowly..." Halfway through the book Meresault ends up killing an Arab man who was very loosely related to a friend. He goes on trial for this, but the trial, taking up the second half of the book, turns into an examination of Meresault's character as a human being. I don't want to reveal the ending but it should be fairly obvious. Basically, Meresault is on trial for his actions as a member of society, being judged by members of society, while he has almost absolutely nothing to do with society in the first place. The least you can say is that the court, including the jury, has no reason to look upon him favorably. Throughout "The Stranger", Camus seems to be trying to say how little control we have over life, and constantly stressing the absurdity of it. His point, as I interpret it, is that we have so little control over life that we should, like the stoics, seek the greatest pleasure for our self when we can. However, I am divided by believing that and another one of my interpretations, which is that he is trying to say life may not have any meaning because it is so absurd, and we need to make that meaning for our self. Meresault accomplished this goal by living his life like a modern 2004-05-03T07:46:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Stranger--110.aspx Republic by Plato: Plato wrote Republic in 360 BC somewhere in Greece. The Latin title is "Res Publica", which I think, when translated, fits much better: "Public Matters" or "The State". It is set in a discussion style format, with Socrates and various other characters talking to each other about multiple subjects. On subject that is discussed throughout the book is justice. Thrasymachus, a character in the story who is normally the antithesis of Socrates/Plato, tries to argue that justice is the interest of the stronger. He supports this by saying that when a ruler does injustice, he profits, but when a lower man does injustice, he has losses. Thrasymachus thinks that the evil tyrannical ruler is happy because he commits so much evil, because he is so unjust, and because he breaks the rules. Plato rejects Thrasymachus by saying, basically, that if the "weak" can stop the tyrannical rulers from doing unjust things, or they can keep someone from becoming tyrannical in the first place, then they really are stronger. You might even say that everyone has the same amount of strength. Socrates' friends (Plato's real life brothers), think that he finished Thrasymachus off too fast and that he should prove that the just man is happy and the unjust man is not. Through analogy and metaphor Plato/Socrates goes on to prove it throughout the rest of the book. Because Socrates knows you cannot actually examine a man's soul, but the effects of it, he goes on to support his beliefs by using the state as a model for the soul of humans. That is to say, he thinks that the average soul is represented in the workings of a state. Plato makes many comparisons here, and forms an ideal state. He decides that humans have three parts that make us "us", and that certain parts are more active in others. These parts are desire, spirit, and reason or logic. Desire is the gut instincts we feel to do things pleasurable. Stoics only followed their desire. The counterpart of desire manifested at a larger scale within an entire state is represented as commoners. Perhaps that is why stoicism was popular. Next, there is the spirit, which strives towards recognition and honor. There is an eastern frame of mind that can be referred to as Imperialism, and it is basically deciding to give your all for honor and your state. That 2004-05-03T07:45:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Republic--109.aspx The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli: "The Prince" by Machiavelli was written in 1513 as a guide to those in power in a monarchy or totalitarianism. It is not much more than a list of was to respond in certain situations, and how you should conduct yourself throughout your rule as prince. He recommends things like encouraging the population to go head on into private pursuits of happiness through gain of material wealth especially. He thinks that by using violence as it is needed, but never by being spread out, will help you stay in power. One of his more well known chapters, "Of cruelty and Clemency, and whether it is better to be feared than loved", is interesting for most people because it can apply to your average person. Machiavelli logically supports his conclusion that you would best be suited to have the minds of your people be a mix of fear and love, but that the best thing when you have to choose is for your people to fear you. He makes the point that the ruler's underlying goal should be to keep the people from hating you. The phrase most commonly associated with Machiavelli is "The ends justify the means", which means that whatever evil you do to your people is justified If it is better for them in the end. First of all, Machiavelli never actually says this. Second of all, I think he is actually being misinterpreted. Throughout a few chapters near the end he concludes that you need to do whatever you must to keep your people from hating you, because this will be better for you and them in the end. "Whatever you must" is what I think is misinterpreted. People tend to think it means, "You can be as evil as you want"; while I think the point that Machiavelli is trying to make is that it really isn't being evil if it is better for the people in the end. The point of the book was really to help out developing princes, as far as I can tell. Some people believe it is a satire, and if he strongly advocated republics, I would understand that. So, maybe If I read "Discourses on the First Ten Books of Titus Livius" by Machiavelli, I would better be able to understand whether or not it is a satire. Whether it is a satire or not, I personally 2004-05-03T07:45:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Prince--108.aspx "The Inferno" by Dante: "The Inferno" starts off "La Comedia", or "The Divine Comedy". Dante is the main character in his own story, and he is on a journey through hell to go to Purgatory and then ultimately Heaven. In the story, Dante meets Virgil, the poet, in the first chapter. Virgil then guides Dante through hell. The first human residents near hell (not in hell, but near it) that they encounter are the opportunists. The opportunists are the people who take no sides and were neither bad nor good, which leaves them outside hell, that is, neither actually in heaven or hell. From here, Dante and Virgil (the poets) cross a river to hell. The first stage of hell that they encounter is the circle of Limbo. The pagans stay in limbo. The next circle is the stage where the people who where constantly passionate on earth are. The third circle is made up of horrible smelling snow and cold rain. The famous three-headed dog of hell, Cerberus, is here. The dog constantly tears at the people who reside in this circle, those that are the gluttons during their life on earth. The point is that because on earth they ate food and produced waste, here they wallow in waste and have no food. The fourth circle contains those that thought of no one but himself or herself. In circle five there are the souls of the wrathful. While trying to get into the sixth circle, the poets have some trouble. Virgil prays for assistance and all of hell shakes. An angel touches the gates that block their path and they are opened. In the sixth circle the poets see nothing but coffins encased in fire. The souls that reside here are the heretics. In the seventh circle the poets come across the violent people. They reside in boiling blood forever. If they ever try and get out of the blood, Centaurs shoot them down with arrows. Here Dante sees Attila the Hun and Alexander the Great. They are in the first part of the seventh circle, that is, those that were violent to others. Next, they come upon the second part, those that were violent to themselves. Here there is an interesting situation: the suicides' souls are in trees. There are spirits there that constantly tear and eat the trees. The suicides are only allowed to speak when they 2004-05-03T07:44:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Inferno--107.aspx "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley: "Frankenstein" is a story about a man who creates another. Basically, a man who plays God. It starts out as a series of letters from Robert Walton to his sister in England. While on his way to the North Pole, the ship becomes trapped by impenetrable ice. He meets a man named Victor Frankenstein traveling by a dog-drawn sled across the ice. Robert takes him aboard and cares for him, and Victor recounts a story of a monster that he had created. First, Victor talks about his life in Geneva, Switzerland. He entered the university of natural philosophy and chemistry. All he cares about is finding the secret of life, and a few years later after a lot research he believes that he knows what it is. From here, he keeps himself in his apartment and spends months making a humanoid creature from body parts. One night he brings the creature to life, and is disturbed by his creation. He wanders throughout the streets, remorseful for his deeds. When he returns to his apartment with a friend, Henry, he finds that the monster is no longer there. Victor becomes feverishly ill. He eventually decides to return to Geneva, to his family. Just before he leaves, however, he gets a letter from his dad that alerts him of the death of his youngest brother. He was murdered. When Victor gets to Geneva, he goes through the woods were his brother was murdered, only to catch sight of the shadow of his monster. He is convinced the monster committed the murder. However, a kind girl name Justine is accused and executed for the murder, even though she constantly pleads innocence. Victor concludes that he needs a vacation and travels to the mountains. While he is there, however, the monster confronts him. He admits to killing his brother, but asks for understanding, because he way really only trying to hurt his cruel creator. At this point the monster asks for Victor to create a mate for him, someone of an equal monstrosity. At first, Victor refuses, but the monster is persuasive and convincing, and eventually Victor agrees. Victor leaves Geneva and secludes himself on an island to work on a female monster. One night he questions the morality his experiments, and looks outside the window to see the monster. He is horrified and destroys the female monster, knowing what the 2004-05-03T07:42:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Frankenstein--106.aspx Choices Defined by Slaughter-House Five Slaughter-House Five or The Children’s Crusade is a novel written in the “Telegraphic Schizophrenic Manner of Tales of the Planet Tralfamadore” by Kurt Vonnegut. It does a wonderful job, not only of providing, but envisioning for you, the answer to the question “How much control do we have over our own lives?”. Before and after reading this book, I have concluded that the answer to the previous question is “none”. Humans have no control over their life. Slaughter–House Five follows the main character, Billy Pilgrim, through his life from his perspective. Unlike you and me, he has become “unstuck in time”, so he experiences life totally differently. One moment he is being treated for a swollen thumb as a child, the next moment he is being treated like a vegetable in a hospital as an adult. Moving around constantly like this lets you realize how flawed a human’s view of life is. Billy Pilgrim, knowing this, lives out his life, along for the ride. In chronological order, it seems, Billy Pilgrim is first born. He continues to live and learn, go to school, as any normal boy would. He grows up to get married to a rich lady and become an optometrist. Around this time he is kidnapped by a flying saucer navigated by fourth-dimensional aliens from the planet Tralfamadore. Without anyone noticing, he stays on Tralfamadore for 10 years and returns promptly to Earth seconds after he was kidnapped. In a plane crash, he is the only one that survives, his wife dies on the way to meet him, so it goes. When WWI starts, he gets involved and eventually became a prisoner of war, only to witness the firebombing of Dresden, where 135,000 people where killed, so it goes. He is released, and lives, only to be cared for by his daughter. With a bad back, he escapes his house to tell his fans about the nature of time. Moments later he is shot by a sniper, an old enemy from the war, so it goes. This is Billy’s life, but not as he sees it. Billy’s life as he sees it is too complicated to write in order. Billy must have been confused when he first became unstuck in time, but when he was kidnapped years later, time was explained to him by the Tralfamadorians. I imagine they said something like this: “Listen here, Billy. Time as 2004-05-03T07:40:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Slaughterhouse-Five-105.aspx Proud Shoes: How Education Plays a Central Role in the Fitzgerald Family Since the inception of slavery in the United States education was socially, and often legally, forbidden to slaves and African Americans, and it was not until the conclusion of the Civil War that any substantial hope for an educated African American populace finally arose. In Proud Shoes, the biography of Robert and Cornelia Fitzgerald as told by Pauli Murray, education plays a central role in the development of Robert Fitzgerald and his family’s life. The contrast between Robert and his wife Cornelia, the educated African Americans, and the uneducated, and the accepting white Americans, with those holding onto the past, depicts African Americans as having given up iron chains to struggle to remove those of ignorance. As the primary distance between white and black Americans, creating educational opportunities was a fundamental goal in assuring a move towards equality, and the experiences and struggles Robert Fitzgerald faced in his pursuit exemplify those of the African Americans living during the same defining era in American history. Robert Fitzgerald’s entire life was focused on obtaining an education and educating others. When he was whipped by a racist white man Robert’s mother swore she would not let him hire out again, and instead sent him to school in Wilmington. This proved to be a great opportunity for Robert Fitzgerald. He “grew up with a passion for knowledge (102)” and his brothers admired him and often followed his advice in important family decisions. Eventually Robert Fitzgerald discontinued his studies on his own accord to move to the south and become a teacher. When he did return home “he was leaving behind him a school valued at $250, an enrollment of 160 scholars, and a freedman’s store (185).” The community had grown largely self sufficient because of the institution of education within it. Further, six of these scholars later became prominent leaders. Even when Robert Fitzgerald had started his own family his determination towards educating his fellow African American’s did not falter. He passed his respect for education onto his progeny. His three daughters all became teachers such as the very passionate Aunt Pauline who “began a teaching career which did not end until [she] was seventy six (240).” He and his daughters took utmost pride in being schoolteachers and felt it was a patriotic profession because they were advancing the African American. Robert Fitzgerald 2004-03-28T06:18:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Proud-Shoes-The-Fitzgerald-Family-84.aspx In The Scarlet Letter Hypocrisy is evident everywhere. The characters of Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and the very society that the characters lived in, were steeped in hypocrisy. Hawthorne was not subtle in his portrayal of the terrible sin of hypocrisy; he made sure it was easy to see the sin at work. Parallels can be drawn between the characters of The Scarlet Letter and of today’s society. Just because this book is set in colonial times, does not mean its lessons are not applicable to the world we live in. The first character, Hester Prynne, is guilty of adultery and of hypocrisy. She “loves” Dimmesdale yet she says nothing while for seven years Dimmesdale is slowly tortured. This love she felt that was so strong, that it made her break sacred vows must have disappeared. Why else would she condemn her supposed love to the hands of her vengeful husband. Dimmesdale is continually tortured by his inner demons of guilt that gnaw at his soul, and Chillingworth makes sure these demons never go away. Hester allows this to happen. Physically and mentally the minister begins to weaken, slowly he becomes emaciated, and he punishes himself constantly. Only when Hester knows that if Chillingworth is aloud to continue, that Dimmesdale will surely go insane if she does not reveal her secret. Why did Hester wait so long? She did not reveal who her lover was on the scaffolding when she had the perfect opportunity to. Also, she did not tell her husband who her lover was. Why did Hester Prynne keep secrets that ended up hurting everyone. Hester can atone for her sin of adultery, but every day that she keeps the secret of her lover, and the true identity of Rodger Chillingworth a secret she is committing a sin. If Hester would have “Take heed how thou deniest to him---who, perchance, hath not the courage to grasp it for himself---the bitter, but wholesome, cup that is now presented to thy lips!”(Dimmesdale 47) things would have been infinitely better for everyone. Everyone Hester Prynne loves, she does in a hypocritical way. She loves Pearl enough to sacrifice to feed and clothe her, but she does not love Pearl enough to give her a father. Hester loves Dimmesdale, but she does not love him enough to expose his sin publicly, and she conceals her knowledge of Chillingworth. Either you love something whole-heartedly, or 2004-03-26T02:22:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Hypocrisy-In-The-Scarlet-Letter-79.aspx The Sun as a Symbol / Motif in Albert Camus' The Stranger Many artists, authors, and composers have put the beauty and warmth of the sun in their work. The Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh created landscapes that expressed his joy with bright sunshine. The American poet Emily Dickinson wrote a poem called "The Sun," in which she described the rising and setting of the sun. The Russian composer Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov included a beautiful song, "Hymn to the Sun," in his opera The Golden Cockerel. Uniquely, Camus' usage of the sun opposes its warmth and beauty in The Stranger. The sun is a symbol for feelings and emotions, which Monsieur Meursault cannot deal with. There is a sun motif present throughout the novel, which perniciously characterizes the usual fondness towards the sun. The sun is a distraction from Meursault's everyday life and he cannot handle it. The sun first presents a problem to Meursault at his mother's funeral procession. Even before the procession embarks, Meursault remarks of the sun, calling it "inhuman and oppressive." Meursault has shown no emotion towards his mother's death and he directs his bottled-up anxiety at the sun. To Meursault, the sun is an influence on all his senses, as he cannot hear what someone else says to him. He pours with sweat, symbolizing the flow of emotions. Meursault constantly thinks about the sun when one would expect him to be mourning his dead mother. He says, "I could feel the blood pounding in my temples," which is strong imagery.At the beach with Raymond, the sun provokes Meursault to commit a crime. He says, "(the sun) shattered into little pieces on the sand and water." While going to get a drink of water, the foreign Arab uses a knife to shine the sunlight in Meursault's face. Meursault knew that all he had to do was turn around and walk away. His emotions (again not shown externally and reserved) took over. Camus states, "All I could feel were the cymbals of sunlight crashing on my forehead and, instinctively, the dazzling spear flying up from the knife in front of me. The scorching blade slashed at my eyelashes and stabbed at my stinging eyes." This strong imagery forces Meursault to fire and kill the Arab with a revolver. What makes it worse, he fires four more times to make sure the sun is dissipated for good. In prison, Meursault changes his views 2004-03-20T12:56:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Sun-as-a-Symbol-Motif-in-Albert-Camus-The-Stranger-71.aspx The Prince By Niccolo Machiavelli Content Summary: The Prince, written in the early sixteenth century, had an impact greater than the author, Niccolo Machiavelli, could probably imagined. It begins by relating how new and hereditary principalities are to be governed and how to deal with citizens in new principalities. One of his reoccurring ideas is the thought of keeping the people happy and on the sovereign’s side, as kingdom cannot be kept without the support of the people. He believed it was better to keep them happy or have them dead so as not to rebel against the prince. He asserts that princes should move to the area they wish to rule, rather than stay in a distant country, in order to solve problems more quickly and efficiently. The next section relates to how to keep rule of areas conquered by various means. His ideas of conduct vary greatly by how rule was obtained. He believed that cities gained by one’s own ability or arms should have great difficulty in establishing sovereignty and laws, but once through that stage should have no trouble keeping it. Those who become princes by good fortune have the exact opposite position; they will rise to the top with ease, but will have great trouble in staying there. With the new prince, the people will accuse him of not having the right to be prince unless he shows himself to be a man of great worth in laying down the foundations of his rule when he first comes to power. He regards princes who gain their power by wickedness by saying that they will be destroyed unless their wicked deeds cease and they are only carried out in time of need. In the art of war, the prince should be capable and willing to take on enemies, but should not be eager to have war. Peace displeases soldiers and pleases the people; war displeases the people and pleases the soldiers. The book goes on to say that mercenaries and auxiliary armies should be avoided, as they will cause you to lose control and power if you do win and make you more likely to lose. He firmly believes that there should be a balance between love and fear for the prince: love to keep them loyal, and fear to keep them in line. He thought that if it was possible, be loved, if it was not possible, 2004-03-20T12:47:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Machiavelli-s-The-Prince-69.aspx The Sociological Impact of Slaughter-House Five on Post-World War II America When Kurt Vonnegut had Slaughter-House Five published in 1969, the nation was in a frenzy over the Vietnam War. Citizens were criticizing the government for participating in a war for their own selfish reasons. The emergence of this anti-war book revealed the some of the horrors of war and opened people’s eyes to the insignificance of a human life in a war. It finally brought out in the open the subject of the firebombing of Dresden in WW II. The bombing, which killed more innocent victims than Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined, fueled the people’s passion against the Vietnam War. It revealed what the government tried to glorify as a terrible and horrifying reality. By recounting the dreadful and appalling experience of war, he overturned the belief in the government by the people. Vonnegut’s description of the gruesome and bloody deaths of innocent civilians that had nothing to do with the war, coupled with the mixed feelings about the feasibility of the war, devastated the nation’s trust in the government and military. The people began to stop blindly believing what they were told and began to form their own opinions about events and ideas. Part of its popularity was due to the fact that it’s release coincided with a time period in which the nation was involved in a war that was not supported by the citizens of the States. By writing in a style that appealed to the common people, he could get his message across to whole population instead of just the select elite. It could be read at many levels and could be read simply as a novel or as a theological work. Packaged in this entertaining book on the lowest level was a recounted tale of one man’s experience as a POW in WWII with deeper running theme that human nature as a whole could not be changed and that therefore war was inevitable. But he also gives the message that we should do everything possible to prevent war. Just because wars are unavoidable, that does not mean that we should not try to limit the number that occur. This was exactly what the American people thought about the Vietnam War: and this one was one of the unnecessary ones. This book became especially relevant to the Vietnam War in that it dealt with the killing of innocent 2004-03-20T02:41:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Slaughter-House-Five--67.aspx Arthur Dimmesdale, from The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, was the perfect minister. He gave more powerful and touching sermons than anyone else around. He was the overall image of perfection for a minister. However, he had a grave secret that ate at him from within. He had committed adultery with one of his parishioners and fathered a child. Hawthorne uses Dimmesdale to make a point that guilt for unpunished sin will erode a person until they die. Dimmesdale is unable to publicly face the consequences of his sin, so his guilt drives him to masochism, attempted confessions, and eventually leads to his death. After Dimmesdale commits adultery with Hester Prynne, he feels incredibly guilty. His health begins to deteriorate because of his guilt. Knowing the consequences of unconfessed sin, he attempts to redeem himself. However, he believes that the consequences of his sin are greater than not taking the punishment. Rather than share the punishment with Hester, and be chastised by the public, he tries to punish himself. He beats himself with whips and chains. At the time, catholic priests commonly practiced this, but it was rare for a protestant to do so. Dimmesdale believes that he can absolve him of his sin if he suffers enough. Rather than release him of his sin, it contributes to his illness caused by his guilt. Realizing that self-chastisement is not enough, he looks for other means to free himself of the guilt. Dimmesdale then decides that if he can confess to everyone else then he will be free of the guilt. During his sermons, he hints at what he has done. Dimmesdale is not able to tell them outright and confess his sin. He is still afraid of the consequences of publicly confessing. By not actually telling his congregation, they can uphold their perfect opinion of him. His congregation wants to believe that he is perfect so they will not believe that he is capable of committing such a sin. Instead of chastising him for his sin, the congregation believes that he is being humble. His physical state continues to worsen as he tries to avoid his just punishment. Dimmesdale decides that he will share the same punishment that Hester went through for her part in the sin. 2004-03-20T02:40:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Guilt-Killed-The-Minister-66.aspx Analysis of Poe’s The Raven Poe’s “The Raven” is a prime example of gothic poetry at its’ finest. Poe utilizes rhythm and flow in an original fashion not only to draw his reader in, but to create the dark and empty tone inherent in all well-written gothic literature. Poe employs several other literary devices in his poem, such as the main character’s house, allusion to a mentally unstable narrator, an overall dark atmosphere and symbolism. In much of gothic literature, the “house” is designed and written about to convey a dark, depressed, and somewhat ominous mood. The reader begins to see parallels between the house and the main character, whether they be physical, emotional, or both. This is the case in The Raven, as Poe describes the main character’s sitting room as a “chamber” with “sad…purple curtains” (Poe, para. 3). Later in the poem, he also describes how the Raven perches just above his chamber door, on a “pallid bust of Pallas,” causing the reader to imagine a room in which an ashen, eyeless Greek sculpture would seem in place. Throughout “The Raven,” the main character’s view of the Raven changes quickly and dramatically many times. The narrator is at first weary and cautious of his unknown visitor, as he hears the tapping at his door and window. Once he opens his window and in flies the Raven, he is struck with a sort of odd happiness and respect for the bird, as he says, “then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling” (Poe, para. 8) and even goes as far as to call the Raven “lordly” (Poe, para. 8). As the narrator hears the Raven speak, he is slightly shocked, but takes it in stride and simply accepts the fact that the bird can talk. In stanza twelve we begin to see the transformation of the Raven from friend to foe in the main character’s mind. While the Raven is described as still making the narrator smile in the first line of the stanza, by the second-to-last, it is being described as “grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous” (Poe, para. 12). In the following stanza, the dislike for the “ungainly fowl” grows, as it is considered a wretch by our narrator (Poe, para. 14). By the third-to-last stanza, our narrator is actually screaming at the 2004-03-20T02:34:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Poe’s-The-Raven--63.aspx Throughout Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie exhibits a yearning for a relationship which will fulfill her fantasies and desires for a perfect, whimsical relationship with a man. While dreaming about relationships, she often fantasizes about the Pear Tree, symbolizing her youth, beauty and fertility. Janie frequents the notion of the ideal bond of flesh, blood, and soul - much more than was to be expected of nearly all marriages of the time, especially for a poor African American woman living with no male presence in her household. Janie’s first marriage, to Logan Killicks, is arranged by her grandmother. Though only sixteen and initially hesitant to join Logan in matrimony, Janie eventually accepts her grandmother’s judgment and marries him. For the first few months of their marriage (Hurston, 26) we know that Logan treats Janie like a queen, calling her “sugar” (Hurston, 22), “honey” (Hurston, 22), and other endearing terms, “[marveling] at her long black hair” (Hurston, 26), and speaking to her in rhymes. Soon thereafter, however, Janie observed that her husband’s amorous behavior had all but ceased. Rather, it had given way to an arguably understandable expectance of her to work and pull her weight, both literally and figuratively, around the property. It is at this point which Janie truly realizes that this is not at all what she dreamed of in life, and that her whimsical dreams were not being fulfilled. Enter Jody Starks, a smooth talking, snappily dressed young man who wins Janie’s heart almost instantly. It is here that Janie first begins to show her romantic escapist tendencies. After about two weeks of secret trysts, each time Janie falling more and more for Jody, Jody asks her to leave Logan and run away with him. Two days later, Janie leaves Logan for Jody, expecting a better life where she will be treated more romantically and not be put to work. Though Janie’s life with Logan was not by any means a perfectly ideal one for her, it was exceedingly better than what many, many other African American women have at the time. However, Janie seems far too self-interested and wrapped up in her fancy to ever stop and consider this fact. Janie and Jody arrive in the Florida town they had decided to move to, and find that it only has a few 2004-03-20T02:24:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God-62.aspx Use of Setting in The Fly “The Fly,” by Katherine Mansfield utilizes a strong sense of setting in each of it’s three separate scenes, which all contribute greatly to the construction of the plot by invoking feelings of sympathy on the part of the reader. Each of the three scenes in “The Fly” carry completely different emotions with them, all foreign to one another. This is one of the techniques used by authors whom are considered artful and successful. In the first scene, we are introduced to Woodifield and the Boss. The author goes to great length to illustrate the room as snug and cozy by describing the carpet as red and white and the armchair as green, painting a picture of the room in the reader’s mind for the scenes to follow. Soon thereafter, the Boss speaks of how many things in the office have changed since Woodifield had last seen it, such as the “new carpet,” “new furniture,” and “electric heating.” This could possibly be considered a metaphor for the change that the Boss was forced to make when his son was killed years before. The second scene begins when Woodifield leaves the Boss alone in his office. This particular scene lacks a great deal in the description of the Boss’ surroundings, but there is a small bit that aids in the description of the internal emotional turmoil that runs so deep in this scene. After the main thoughts of scene two, the Boss decides to, “get up and have a look at the boy's photograph.” The fact that the Boss keeps around a photograph of someone who’s absence brings him so much pain tells us quite a bit about the type of person that he is. The third and final section of the short story lacks extensive description of the main character’s surroundings as well, but subtle information can still be extracted from it. When, “the Boss lifted the corpse on the end of the paper-knife and flung it into the waste-paper basket,” the reader learns of how the Boss can also be rather cold. It was just a fly, but it was a life nonetheless. Throughout “The Fly” setting is a very prevalent and important part of the plotline. Without it, the reader would not feel nearly as close to the story as they would with it. The superior 2004-03-20T00:56:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Use-of-Setting-in-The-Fly-58.aspx The Cask of Amontillado In his poem, “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allan Poe utilizes irony to make his tale more interesting and entertaining for the audience. Throughout the story there are several different examples of this, however there are three main ironic points that stand out and contribute that most. The first instance of irony takes place when and leading up to when Montresor seals Fortunato in his tomb. As he is dying he must have heavily regretted his insistence upon continuing deep into the catacombs. Many times Montresor suggests that the two head back, but Fortunato continually insists that, “[his] cough's a mere nothing; it will not kill [him],” and that, “[he] shall not die of a cough." Fortunato was right – it would not be his cough that killed him, but rather his adamancy that his cough would not. Another instance of irony takes place around the same time as the first. As he stand dying, attempting to comprehend what had just happened to him, Fortunato must realize that that the one thing that truly makes him is what finally did away with him – his love of wine. As the text says, “Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere.” It was this sincerity that drove him to not accept Montresor’s various invitations to leave the catacombs (“Come. We will go back; your health is precious.” ) The third and final example of irony in The Cask of Amontillado takes place when Montresor realizes that Fortunato is dead. After repeatedly calling Fortunato’s name, Montresor collects himself and says, “In pace requiescat,” which translates as “rest in peace.” While this itself does seem a bit ironic since Montresor kills Fortunato and then wishes him peace, it can’t yet be fully appreciated. In Italian “in pace requiescat” does translate as “rest in peace,” but the phrase, “in pace” by itself means a, “secure, monastic prison.” This description very well represents Fortunato’s final resting place – secure because it is deep underground and behind a brick wall, and monastic because it’s location is very secluded and almost has a religious air about it because of the human remains scattered about. In closing, irony is indeed a very important part of this story, and it would have much less impact 2004-03-20T00:51:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Cask-of-Amontillado--55.aspx During the 1920s, a new materialism emerged out of society’s desperate search for meaning after World War I. When the young soldiers returned from the war, they found that their previous way of living had little importance. Rather then finding a reason for what they thought of as their mere existence, they immerged themselves in money and wanton spending and consuming. The Stock Market and organized crime became popular ways to feed the hunger for wealth. In his novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays this materialism and regard for money as the downfall of American society during the 1920s. He uses the characters and places in his novel to represent the different facets of this new mentality. Nick and Gatsby are examples of the World War I veterans who searched after money and status. The guests at Gatsby’s parties symbolize the clamber to gain wealth. Fitzgerald uses the disparities between the East and West Egg to portray the differences between the aristocracy and the newly rich. The character of Jay Gatsby is the main example of Fitzgerald’s point. He is a World War I veteran who seeks wealth in order to impress his love. However, this goal is completely hopeless. The woman of his fancies is Daisy Buchanan, who is married to Tom Buchanan. Gatsby has convinced himself that it is possible to win back his old love from the past. Gatsby has a way of turning his hopes into his own reality, no matter how impossible they may be, as demonstrated by the following quotation. The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that—and he must be about His Father's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end. (The Great Gatsby, page 104) This is exactly the kind of lifestyle that Fitzgerald is warning against living. Trying to make a life the way it was in the past is futile. Gatsby turns to crime in order to impress Daisy, which just makes his 2004-02-23T03:44:05-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Great-Gatsby-52.aspx The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff looks just like a kid’s book at first glance. The book is interesting in the fact that it often reads as a kid’s book, but at the same time tells of complex philosophical ideas. Taoism isn’t just a religion, but also a collection of philosophical ideas so complex that even many of its followers don’t understand it. Hoff, through the simple world of Winnie the Pooh, brings these ideas into everyday life. One of the first concepts that Hoff writes about is that of the “Uncarved Block.” Conveniently called ‘Puh’ the theory tells that the simplest is often the best explanation and that things are the most beautiful when they are in their naked and natural state. Many times during the course of my life the simplest solution has turned out to be the best. Once I was working on a design for a web page and after making a lot of complex designs I simply threw them all away and started over making a simple and easy to navigate site which looked a lot better than the previous design. In the chapter Cottleston Pie Hoff talk about following one’s “Inner Nature” or gut instinct. For instance they talk about many different animals and what it is in their nature to do. Tigger says that he would like to try but when he does he falls to the ground. This is simply illustrating that people should simply do things that they can realistically accomplish instead of trying to do things they have no hope of completing. Many times I have dreamed about doing certain things but when I really think about the feasibility of doing it I realize that there is no way I could do it and I would only be wasting my time if I tried. The Bisy Backson is a creature who is perpetually doing things and always running around frantically trying to finish things. Hoff gives an excellent example of how this can be a terrible situation to get in telling the story of a man who doesn’t like his shadow or he footprints and starts running to get away from them, but his footprints and shadow keep following him to he runs faster and faster and eventually collapses and dies. Although I have not taken this to such extremes I have many times signed up and pledged myself to too 2004-02-22T20:11:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tao-of-Pooh--50.aspx The book All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque tells the story of Paul Baumer, a young German soldier during WWI. This novel was the first of its kind. Instead of romanticizing war it exposed it for the terrible, bloody and dirty struggle for human survival that it is. The story starts out in the middle of the conflict and continues to almost the end of the war with brief flashbacks to Paul’s youth and his initial drafting into the army. Paul joined the army directly after high school and never really experienced life. Due to his inexperience and lack of knowledge of the world, the war becomes Paul’s life and in the end, his destruction. I think there were three turning points in Paul’s experience of the war which changed his perspective - when he kills a French soldier in close combat, when he returns home, and when the war appears to be lost and coming to an end. Paul is an experienced fighter whose bullets have killed many people but he has never thought philosophically about that fact. He is fighting for a cause he doesn’t really understand but yet he continues to kill and see his friends die. He relates to the war in an “ideal and almost romantic” fashion (ch. 2, pg. 25) Although he has killed so many people I still think he was a very naïve person; someone older who had lived more of his life would probably not have been able to kill without questioning what he was doing. In many ways a person like Paul is the ideal fighter in a war, because once soldiers begin to question what they are doing they become less effective. When Paul kills a person up close for the first time he feels a surge of guilt, sadness, and remorse for what has happened. “Three hours… The gurgling starts again—but how slowly a man dies!” (ch. 8 ph. 220) I think these feelings would be similar for someone of any age group who had done a similar thing. However, as a youth these feeling are quick to fade from Paul’s consciousness and he is able to continue fighting as though nothing has happened. When he returns to the trenches after the killing, his friends who have gone through the same reactions to similar events acknowledge his feelings. After taking a few days leave and visiting 2004-02-22T20:06:12-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/All-Quiet-on-the-Western-Front,-Paul-s-War-Experiences-49.aspx The book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe tells the story about a native living in Africa during the period of European imperialism. By placing the book during this time period Achebe can first explain traditional Ibo culture and then talk about the effect that the white European evangelists had on Ibo society. The book dispels the commonly held view of Africans before colonization as savage and godless beings. Achebe explains the very advanced social order in Umuofia and the complex Ibo religion. In bringing together what I have learned about Europe and Africa during the time of Imperialism I will draw a comparison between the two continents politically, religiously, and economically. Europe was ruled by a set of very powerful and competing monarchs during the time of imperialism. In these monarchies a king and queen had supreme power over their countries. In Umuofia there was a democratic system of government with no one ruler and a complex system by which people could gain political power through economic success. I think it is very ironic that when the white missionaries came they lectured the natives on how everyone was equal in the eyes of God, but yet they had supreme rulers in their own countries and a very unfair social caste system. Contrary to popular belief the Africans had a very complex religion before Christianity came. Everyone in the community was extremely religious, even obeying their religious leaders when they were told to kill their own children who were thought to be purveyors of communal misfortune. This seems very barbaric to us but their religion was strictly adhered to for what to them were completely rational reason. There were a collection of gods for different occurrences in nature and life, such as rain and fertility. Overall the religion was adapted to a suit the agrarian-based tribal society. The Ibo religion contained a lot of superstition and strange rituals, which I think made its followers more vulnerable to Christian influence. The Europeans built their church on land that was supposed to be cursed, but when nothing happened to them a few people started to question their current beliefs. Overall, I think the main reason that the village and so many others all converted to Christianity was due primarily to social and economic pressures, and not a change in religious views from being “enlightened” by the Christians. The economy of Umuofia and 2004-02-22T20:05:11-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Things-Fall-Apart--48.aspx There are two ways to look at the book The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair. One is in the historical context it was written and the other is from a contemporary viewpoint. Few books have had as much impact on American society as The Jungle did. Although it was written primarily as socialist propaganda the book’s detailed descriptions of the disgusting and unsanitary conditions that meat products were being produced in prompted a national outcry which eventually led to a Federal investigation and the passing of some new laws. There are three main themes in the book, social justice, racial equality, and corporate and political corruption. Through these themes Sinclair tries to make a case for Socialism in America. Since 1910 when The Jungle was written the world is a completely different place. Most of the book’s messages are no longer applicable in America society. There are now many laws in place which force companies to accurately label their products and to provide sanitary conditions for food to be handled and prepared in. In addition the American Socialist political party has not had even minor political power in many decades. Although these points are now mute the main themes of the book still exist. When researching the current state of the meat industry I found the article in the New York Times Archive, “At a Slaughterhouse, Some Things Never Die; Who Kills, Who Cuts, Who Bosses Can Depend on Race.” The article told about a white journalists account of working at a slaughterhouse in the South. Since The Jungle, the slaughterhouses moved to rural areas where there were no unions. In the book Sinclair talks about there being a clear distinction between the workers and the bosses both coming from different walks of life. The workers were never given the ability to become a boss or get a raise beyond a certain point. In recent times most of the workers at these plants are Blacks and Mexicans, taking the place of immigrant labor from poorer countries in Europe during Sinclair’s time. Could it be that in almost a century not much but the color of the workers skin has changed? This article says yes, and from my reading of The Jungle I can draw many analogies between this article and the book. For instance social and language barriers within the workers existed. In the article it was between the Black who spoke English and 2004-02-22T20:03:53-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Upton-Sinclair-s-The-Jungle-and-NYT-Article-47.aspx The book Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, does deal with race relations but the primary topic of the book is the difference between men and women. This subject is introduced immediately: "Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly." The story details the protagonists life story including three marriages, it is only at the end of the book that Janie can be herself and feels complete. When the book was first published it angered many Blacks who felt that the book showed Whites at the time in too favorable of a light and reinforced many of the stereotypes of obedient Blacks obeying their wise masters. I agree someone that this wasn’t very accurately portrayed in the book but I don’t feel as though that was what Hurston was thinking about when she wrote the book. The majority of the book was filled with information about Janie’s three marriages to three very different men. It is the relationships she had with these three people which makes the story. Janie’s first husband was Logan. Their marriage was an arrange one and wasn’t a happy one for Janie. Although Logan was first attracted to her beauty he started to work her harder and treat her poorly. This shows that many men marry a women because she is beautiful but slowly become tired of her and her looks and moves on. Janie eventually runs away with someone else because she can’t deal with it anymore. Many women are stuck in similar situations and many are forced to stay in that type of marriage for their whole life. Her second husband Jody Starks was vastly different from Logan. Jody was a very smart a cunning many and originally treated Janie very well and she was happy to be around him. Their relationship also deteriorated with Jody became more wealthy and more demanding of her. This showcased another relationship that men and woman can get stuck into that can be very painful on the women. Women married to certain men are forced to behave a certain way even if that isn’t how they feel. Jody dies and Janie is allowed to get on with her life. She had become a servant to him and I don’t think she would have 2004-02-22T20:00:11-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God-Analytical-Essay-46.aspx Hester Prynne, the main character in the book The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a woman living in a Puritan society who has an illegitimate child. The story begins with her punishment for adultery. Hester is jailed and then forced to wear a scarlet ‘A’ on her clothing forever as a mark of her shame. The story continues to tell about her life in Puritan society trying to raise her daughter Pearl. Hawthorne was a member of the Transcendentalist movement that believed that divinity manifests itself in everyday life, especially in nature. The author uses these transcendental principals to add religious and symbolic meanings to many objects and places in the book. The most important symbol in the book is introduced in the first chapter. The scarlet letter ‘A’ that Hester was forced to wear came to mean many things throughout the book. The letter was meant to stand for adultery, and at the beginning of the story it exists as a physical reminder of the sin that she committed. Ultimately I think the scarlet ‘A’ ends up showing strength and character on the part of Hester. When a group of Native Americans visit the colony they think they letter is a sign of importance. The town elders at one point discuss letting her take off the letter but she feels differently thinking it is just punishment for her transgression. It is only after she and Dimmesdale decide to leave together that she feels released from her sin and can take it off. The character of Pearl is a complex one. She exists in the story as a living reminder of the sin that Hester committed and at the same time Pearl is also Hester’s salvation. When Hester becomes completely ostracized from society Pearl is all that she has. Pearl is not only a reason for Hester to live but also the reason she stays away from bad influences. When Hester is invited to a witches gathering by Mistress Hibbins she refuses but says if she didn’t have Pearl she would have probably agreed to. One of the more obvious instances of symbolism in the book is when the ‘A’ is imprinted in the sky by a falling meteor. Dimmesdale believes the meteor means that he should also wear the scarlet ‘A’. The townspeople interpret it differently thinking the meteor stands for “Angel” to mark Governor Winthrop's entry into heaven. Throughout the book 2004-02-22T19:41:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-the-Scarlet-Letter-45.aspx Knowledge or Wisdom In Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, the protagonist, Siddhartha, endures a wearisome quest for Nirvana. All his life, Siddhartha had been told to refrain from allowing the six Ripus to besiege him, with their lustful features. Although very knowledgeable, Siddhartha does not feel fulfilled and wishes to enter Maya to become one with his Atman. He believes that enlightenment can only be attained through experience, rather than through the words of others. Hesse suggests that knowledge is communicable, but wisdom must be gained from experience. Hesse conveys this message through figurative language, foils, allusions, and symbols. Hesse’s theme in regards to knowledge only being communicable, and that true wisdom can only be acquired from trial and error, is evident in the figurative language that he uses so eloquently. Shortly after Siddhartha embraces the enduring Samanas, he realizes that completely denying the six Ripus is folly and will not break the endless cycle of Samsara. In one instance, Siddhartha tells his close friend, Govinda, that the methods of the Samanas are merely “tricks with which we deceive ourselves” (Page 16). This metaphor makes reference to the Samana’s great will to tolerate great pain and suffering. It is apparent that Siddhartha no longer wants to live the life of a vagabond, because he believes that self-mutilation will get him no closer to Nirvana. After his departure from the Samanas, Siddhartha’s quest brings him to the Jetavana grove, which is home to the Buddha. Siddhartha is mystified by the Buddha’s words, which carried to his listeners “like a star in the heavens,” (Page 23). Hesse uses a lofty simile to describe the holiness and incredible influence of the Buddha’s words, to make it all the more surprising that Siddhartha rejects the teachings. According to Siddhartha, he could never accept the wondrous words of the Buddha because he believes that self discovery can only come through experience. “The world was sick,” (Page 17) with the new promises of the Buddha, and yet they could not sway the judgment of the young Brahmin. Hesse continues to engrave Siddhartha’s conviction that Nirvana is only reachable by way of experience, using personification. Once again, Hesse applies personification, only this time to the river. Vasudeva informs Siddhartha that “the river has taught” (Page 86) him to listen, giving the river a human characteristic. By experiencing and understanding the ever changing river, Siddhartha can finally become one with 2004-02-22T12:16:31-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Siddhartha-Knowledge-Vs_-Wisdom-42.aspx Abner Snopes Character Analysis Main Character in Barn Burning by William Faulkner A father is a figure commonly known for his compassion and general desire for the best in his family’s interest. However, this is not the case in “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner. Abner Snopes, with complete disregard for others, commits arsonist crimes in order to wreak havoc against his victims in a twisted game of hatred and complete lack of respect. His deeds force his family to move constantly. However, he is prepared for each relocation, and plans his actions carefully. Without emotion, he strikes his children and wife, and with the same lack of emotion he commits each impudent act of arson or breach of respect. Abner is vengeful, abusive, and unfeeling. Abner is accurately portrayed as an unemotional, yet vindictive character. In the very beginning of the story, he exacts his revenge upon Mr. Harris by burning down his barn. This occurred after the forewarned Abner allowed his hog to get into Mr. Harris’ corn for the third time. “…The hog got into my corn…a nigger came with a dollar and got the hog…” This quotation shows how Abner invoked his vengeance upon his victims with sheer cunning. Another example of his vengeful attitude occurs when Abner enters the home of Major de Spain, with whom he will soon be sharecropping. “He examined the house with brief deliberation…with the same deliberation he turned….leaving a final long and fading smear.” This quotation demonstrates his utter hatred and vengefulness. Abner examines the house and sees its perfection for a final time. He takes his revenge upon Major de Spain’s success by leaving a mark from the manure on his shoe. The final example of his vengefulness is the strongest. Because Major de Spain is to receive ten bushels of corn for the damage done to his rug, Abner attempts to burn down his barn as well. “…get that can of oil…” This quote shows Abner intended to burn down Major de Spain’s barn as revenge for being forced to pay him ten bushels of corn. Abner Snopes is a vindictive, heartless man. Abner Snopes is an abusive man. He strikes his children and wife numerous times. One case occurs after Sarty thinks of telling the court that his father had committed a crime. “You were fixing to tell them…His father struck him…” These quotations in which Abner hits and 2004-02-22T07:43:34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Barn-Burning-by-William-Faulkner,-Character-Analysis-41.aspx Central Theme in Demian by Herman Hesse According to Herman Hesse, inner harmony can only be attained by the complete acceptance of all natural desires and actions. He illustrates the necessity of self-awareness through his portrayal of the individual and his or her continuous quest through life to ultimate self-acceptance. In the novel Demian, Hesse creates the character Sinclair as an archetype for the individual, using Sinclair’s personal quest to illustrate the pain and despair resulting from uncertainty in one’s feelings and actions. Through Sinclair’s stories of his life, Hesse teaches that self-understanding and peace can only come with the recognition and realization of all one’s drives. In pursuit of this goal, one must not allow the often unnatural and hypocritical standards of society to prevent the expression of all aspects of one’s personality. Demian begins with a story of the narrator, Sinclair, at age 10. This is when he began realizing that he had both desires that were accepted by society and desires that were not. Sinclair says that discovering this dual nature of his impulses led him to realize there were two realms of his world and two sides to himself. Hesse describes these as “day and night, two different worlds.” At this time, Sinclair sees the realms as very separate. To him, they are realms of pure, distinct good and evil. One realm was of “brilliance, clarity and cleanliness, gentle conversations, washed hands, clean clothes, and good manners.” The other, however, was one that “smelled different” and “contained servant girls and workmen, ghost stories, rumors of scandal.” Sinclair tries to deny himself thoughts or actions that lay in the dark world. He says that he “unquestionably belonged to the realm of light and righteousness.” He shows doubt as to his conviction, however, when he says, “at times I didn’t want…to repent and be found again. But one didn’t dare think this, much less say it out loud.” Although Sinclair sometimes felt that there was no reason to repent, he could not cross the line between worlds without suffering from the guilt and shame that society dictated he should feel. It is not until Sinclair meets Demian that he truly begins to appreciate the dichotomy within himself. Demian does the unthinkable. He does not constrain his thoughts and desires to those that society accepts. Demian interprets the bible in ways different then those taught in school, 2004-02-22T07:37:59-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Central-Theme-in-Demian-by-Herman-Hesse-40.aspx Herman Hesse's: Demian, An Examination An individual often admires another person’s characteristics, thoughts, or actions, and attempts to reflect or imitate these in himself. In psychology, this is known as a defense mechanism that allows the individual to take on such characteristics without being conscious of changes to his own personality. Through Demian, in Herman Hesse’s novel of the same title, Sinclair displays his innermost thoughts about the world, and, in particular, his aspirations for himself. Demian is a projection of the goals Sinclair wishes to achieve, attributes he would like to attain, and thoughts he cannot possess because of the bonds placed on his mind by society. Demian first emerges as a savior for Sinclair when he has been blackmailed by another character, Kromer. Sinclair describes himself in the short time preceding this, as wanting to be part of the dark world, of which Kromer was a member. When he becomes so far immersed in the dark world and decides that he wants to escape, Demian appears with a “firm, self-confident tone (26),” which was the one thing Sinclair was unable to exhibit towards Kromer. Sinclair also wished that he could tell his parents of his dire situation, but have them accept it, and help relieve him of the pain it caused. Immediately following these thoughts, Demian tells him of his religiously unsanctioned interpretation of the biblical story of Cain and Abel, and what pleased Sinclair “was the ease and grace with which he was able to say such things, as though everything were self-evident (31).” What Demian is able to do is similar to Sinclair’s wish to tell his parents of his plight, caused by actions unsanctioned by religion. He is, however, afraid of the consequences. This leads him to wish he were able to rid himself of Kromer. Demian again embodies these primal wishes, which are directed this time towards Kromer, in saying that Sinclair simply should “kill him (41).” Sinclair, who describes himself as a definite member of the good world, is unable to accept the desires, thoughts, and urges within himself, so he projects them upon the character of Demian. Sinclair is at a period in his life where he is beginning to think for himself. Rather than memorize ideas given to him by his parents, teachers, and clergymen, he begins to interpret and analyze. He becomes conscious of the dark, evil, world as opposed to the light, 2004-02-22T07:35:45-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/An-Examination-of-Herman-Hesse-s-Demian-39.aspx Themes: Metamorphosis Gregor's predicament is much like that of any person suffering from severe, particularly disfiguring, chronic illness or disability. A person different from the norm is doomed to be outcast by society. The Metamorphosis can also be seen as a reaction against bourgeois society and its demands. Gregor's manifest physical separation may represent his alienation and inarticulate yearnings. He had been a "vermin," crushed and circumscribed by authority and routine. He had been imprisoned by social and economic demands. An individual must realize that following the standards of society and what it deems “successful” may not lead one to happiness. Without human love and care, one is reduced to nothing more than a shell with an untouchable soft center. Gregor focused very hard and spoke very slowly. "I'm up," he said, "I'll be out of bed soon." It was difficult to make his voice come out the way he wanted it to, in much the same way that the constricting forces of social repression made it difficult for one to be an individual... Economic effects on human relationships: Gregor is enslaved by his family because he is the one who makes money. Thus, with the possible exception of his sister, the family seems to treat him not as a member but as a source of income. When Gregor is no longer able to work after his metamorphosis, he is treated with revulsion and neglected. Once the family begins working, they also find difficulty communicating with each other, eating dinner in silence and fighting among themselves. The exhaustion of dehumanizing jobs and the recognition that people are only valuable so long as they earn a salary keeps anyone who works isolated from others and unable to establish human relations with them. Freedom and escapism: Gregor is trapped in his job by his duty to his family, but he dreams of the day when he can finally pay off their debts and quit his job. His need for freedom from the restrictive demands of work is expressed in his metamorphosis, by means of which he escapes. This escape, however, fails to bring Gregor freedom, for he is now imprisoned by his family in his room. Thus, when Gregor works, he is enslaved by his job and, when he doesn't work, he is enslaved by his family. There is no way of balancing out freedom and duty, and in the end one is always a slave. The 2004-02-22T07:33:39-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Themes-Metamorphosis,-by-Franz-Kafka-38.aspx A Universal Theme in The Stories of Eva Luna, by Isabel Allende The Stories of Eva Luna, by Isabel Allende is a compilation of many short stories focusing on universal themes centering on human emotions. “Gift for a Sweetheart” is one of these stories which is about a man named Horacio Fortunato who falls desperately in love with a married woman named Patricia Zimmerman. He overcomes many defeats of both the monetary and emotional kind and through perseverance, he finally gains an audience by his true love. Perseverance eventually leads to fulfillment of a goal. Throughout the three Fortunato generations, there was the desired result of a successful circus. The first Fortunato persevered through "times of catastrophe and turmoil (105)" and "for years Horacio's grandfather bore the sole responsibility for the spectacle (105)." His desire to save and maintain his circus came to the point where he had to perform almost all of the acts. However, he "managed somehow to survive bad times…while many other circuses succumbed [and were thus] obliterated…(106)." The first Fortunato's desire to keep his circus buoyant left him to persevere through all the hard time and come out stronger. The first Fortunato’s son, Fortunato II, was left a "debt-free" enterprise. He too persevered with an "unshakable prudence" and "under his direction the circus grew in size and prestige until it was the largest in the nation. (105)" He made it so that the "enormous caravan no longer drifted aimlessly, as it had in his father's day, but steamed purposefully…(106)." The second Fortunato was able to make the circus a greater success. His father before him allowed him to do so through his perseverance and thus created a new, higher goal for his son to reach. Horacio, the third Fortunato, "intended to be rich from the time he was a young boy (108). His goal was predetermined and he eventually "lived a good life." Individually each of the three Fortunato generations achieved his goal through perseverance, and together the three Fortunato generations led to the result of the greatest circus enterprise. When Horacio saw Patricia Zimmerman he "…decided with absolute seriousness to steal this woman from her jeweler…(110)." Horacio kept his promise to himself by attempting in every way to win her affection. "That same night an extravagant bouquet of orchids was delivered to the Zimmerman residence." Although Patricia threw his first gift in the street and crushed Horacio's first hopes, he 2004-02-22T07:14:22-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Stories-of-Eva-Luna-by-Isabel-Allende-33.aspx Common Theme Paper Between: One Hundred Years of Solitude and The House of Spirits It is only when it is too late that man realizes that what he truly wants is what he has had all along. Through a great loss or failure in the pursuit of further happiness, man may realize he never wanted more than harmony and tranquility, but by then it is impossible to go back. Isabel Allende and Gabriel García Marquez both demonstrate this tendency of man to blindly continue forward without appreciating that which he already has, until encountering vast turmoil and destruction. Through the main characters of One Hundred Years of Solitude that exhibit this trait, Marquez shows that if humanity does not realize the worth of what it has, it inevitably will lose its most valuable assets. Many of the characters in The House of Spirits also fail to realize the value of things in their life and take them for granted. It seems that to prevent the loss of virtue by man and his own suicidal destruction, he must know what it is that he considers valuable and then appreciate and guard it. Jose Arcadio Buendía was the founder of the Eden-like community of Macondo. Like the ice that did not melt in the summer heat when brought to Macondo, Macondo had been free of change. Its people did not suffer from the troubles of the outside world, but that required that they did not know of the outside world. When Jose Arcadio Buendía learned of the knowledge and innovations being created in nearby towns and around the world, he felt like the city of Macondo was lacking something. He was like a newborn child introduced to the vast world where he would be forced to make mistakes and triumphs in his pursuit of knowledge. Jose Arcadio said “Incredible things are happening in the world…Right there across the river there are all kinds of magical instruments while we keep on living like donkeys (Marquez 17).” He felt that they were living “like donkeys” because they did not have all the inventions and knowledge that matched those around them. He did not notice the things that they did have, which included peace, harmony, amiable relations, freedom, and innocence. Jose Arcadio was quick to gain knowledge and bring the product of such knowledge to the town of Macondo. Like Adam who picked from the tree of 2004-02-22T07:10:43-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/One-Hundred-Years-of-Solitude,-The-House-of-Spirits-32.aspx