Extracts from this document...

Introduction

AREA OF STUDY ESSAY- DISCOVERY "By discovering something new, a character can change for the better." Is this true of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and other texts you have studied? The term "discovery" is employed within many areas, such as of personal spirituality, psychological loneliness and religious morality, where the protagonist in question ascertains something previously unknown or unrecognized. The poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and several other texts studied, all embody the abovementioned fields of discovery, each in their own specific ways. Through the discovery of something new, a character can change not only for the better but also for the worse. However, before one can endure this alteration, there is a challenging journey that is supplemented with obstacles and hardships. As a consequence of these difficult struggles the character is encouraged to reflect, and only then, can they instigate change. In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, through the use of visual imagery, poetic devices in language and a bizarre archaic form in structure and dialogue the composer is able to convey his views on discovery and change. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is the tale of a grizzled old sailor who narrates a particularly eventful voyage from sea after he detains a young man that is on his way to a wedding. At first, the wedding guest angrily demands that the man release him, to which the Mariner complies. But the young man is soon transfixed by the Mariner's "glittering eye" and can do nothing but sit on a stone and listen to his mysterious story. ...read more.

Middle

By killing the Albatross, the Mariner discovers that there are consequences to unholy acts in eyes of God, through punishment. This moral discovery that the Mariner encounters sheds light on his faith and brings him closer to God. The moral lesson that the Mariner learns is that "all creatures great and small" were created by God and should be loved, from the Albatross to the slimy snakes in the rotting ocean. The Mariner kills the albatross in bad faith, subjecting himself to the hostiliy of the forces that govern the universe. After earning his curse, the Mariner is able to obtain the favour of God. He regains his ability to pray, however only after realizing that the monstrous creatures around him are beautiful in God's eyes and he should love them as he should have loved the Albatross. In this instance, the Mariner's discovery has allowed him to change for the better, however only after having struggled with the natural elements and creatures that framed this uncanny, surreal world. Only after embarking on this arduous journey is he able to contemplate his actions and realise that all of nature should be respected and loved equally. In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner the mariner discovers the psychological agony that one can incur though a life of loneliness and isolation. After death and life-in-death pay a visit to the other sailors on the Mariner's ship, he is left alone to suffer the burden of the curse all on his own. ...read more.

Conclusion

He delivers questions such as "Who are you? Where do we come from? What would I do if I met my creator?" by various means in the novel. In the movie, "Memento" the protagonist discovers the extreme effects of psychological loneliness, as does the Mariner after all the men on his ship drop dead. Leonard Shelby (main character) is an avenger, on a quest to find and kill the man who raped and murdered his wife, however this difficulty is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of memory loss; he is unable to form new memories since he received a severe blow to the head. Certain scenes in the movie are played in reverse order, because it is shown is if drawn straight from Shelby's memory. There is no background knowledge about characters other than from Shelby's own experience. In order to understand the movie, one must concentrate very hard as there is sometimes confusion over previous events. Sometimes Shelby experiences flashbacks which are difficult to distinguish between the real-time events. This technique enables the viewer to experience the world from Leorard Shelby's point of view; a very obscure, lonely and confusing world. In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and other texts discovery can be found within many different fields such as of personal spirituality, psychological loneliness and religious morality. As a result of discovery, a character can change not only for the better, but also for the worse. However, before one can experience change they must undergo a journey that inspires them to actually prompt this change. Through a vast array of techniques, the composer is able to convey this meaning to a wide audience. ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Existence of God section.