"'We Need to Talk About Kevin' presents us with unsympathetic characters who nevertheless attract our sympathy." To what extent do you agree with this judgement?
"We Need to Talk About Kevin presents us with unsympathetic characters who nevertheless attract our sympathy." To what extent do you agree with this judgement? In the novel we are presented with three characters who are potentially unsympathetic, but who do seem also to attract our sympathy: Eva, Kevin and Franklin. The epistolary nature of the novel strongly influences our perception of the characters - we can only see them through Eva. The reader is not the intended audience for these letters and thus finds themselves baffled by such images as "But since we've been separated, I may most miss coming home to deliver the narrative curiosities of my day, the way a cat might lay mice at your feet: the small, humble offerings that couples proffer after foraging in separate backyards" - this is not aimed at us but based on a shared experience or private joke that Eva and Franklin would understand and is therefore frustrating. Eva's use of sophisticated vocabulary is potentially irritating because it comes across as pretentious, but the detached tone this creates is in fact rather admirable - it allows her to avoid self-pity: for example, when talking of the poor heating in her "Tinkertoy duplex" she says "awareness that there is no reserve permeates my ablutions with disquiet". She also refuses to give Kevin the recognition he wants for "Thursday" ("The atrocity sounds torn
How far do you think Ethan Frome himself is responsible for his tragedy?
Q. How far do you think Ethan Frome himself is responsible for his tragedy? A: Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome, published in 1911, was a departure from her other works that were primarily concerned with the privileged New York Society and its hypocrisy. Critics have agreed that Ethan Frome was probably one of the most autobiographical of Wharton's works because it talked about an illicit affair while Wharton herself was going through one at that time. Wharton probably wanted the people to understand her and her actions and sympathize with her. She does this, in the book, by drawing our sympathy towards Ethan who is trapped in a lonely and desolate farmland with a wife he does not even like. Through her depiction of Ethan, Wharton, perhaps, wants us to see how the surroundings and circumstances can influence our actions and behaviour. There are strong traces of Determinism and Naturalism in this novel as Wharton herself was a believer in it. She, perhaps, also wants us to feel that Ethan's tragedy was inevitable and that it could not be stopped no matter what. I too believe that Ethan's tragedy was inevitable. It could have been stopped long ago yet it was not. I don't think anyone in the novel is to blame. The characters in the novel are all, like Ethan, victims of circumstances but they do, however, determine Ethan's - and perhaps one another's - actions. Throughout the
Linda Burnell: Wife, mother, individual. In this passage, we see Mansfields recurring theme of the apparent futility of womens lives through the portrayal of Linda Burnell,
Linda Burnell: Wife, mother, individual. In this passage, we see Mansfield's recurring theme of the apparent futility of women's lives through the portrayal of Linda Burnell, the mother of the family, shown to us by the extensive use of her stream of consciousness. Mansfield also uses this chapter to present Linda's relationship with the male sex and, more specifically, with her husband, Stanley. Linda is in the garden and 'dreams the morning away' - through this, Mansfield presents to us her apparent aimlessness and disinterest in the activities presented to her by life. The scene and place is set first by a large chunk of description of the garden where Linda is lying in her steamer chair. Mansfield uses similes such as 'Each [...] petal shone as if each was the careful work of a loving hand' to add interest to the description and create correlations between the idea of beauty and work; that things can be beautiful and take time but that ultimately, nothing will last forever or hold any real weight at the end of the day. This leads us to the internal conflict of Linda as she comes to terms with how little 'meaning' her life has; she questions 'Why, then, flower at all?' Flowering being the sexual reproduction of plants, we see the parallels between Linda's unwanted children and these wasted flowers. This introduces Mansfield's trademark objective correlative as she
Regeneration. Write Sarahs account of her relationship with Billy Prior. You should aim to create and authentic voice of Sarah, which builds on Barkers presentation of her character and captures aspects of the written chosen form, structure and languag
English Coursework Write Sarah's account of her relationship with Billy Prior. You should aim to create and authentic voice of Sarah, which builds on Barkers presentation of her character and captures aspects of the written chosen form, structure and language. This bloody train, how can it possibly take so long to get it moving...And crowds! I just hate them! The constant crying of that baby just seems to irritate every nerve in my body, is it so difficult to satisfy a child, and keep it quiet!? This sickening feeling of being cramped up against bodies is beginning to make me feel as though I just walked back into that awfully retained hospital once again. And that revolting smell of body sweat, from the old man who was just inches away from, physical contact. Well. At least I managed, half suffocated and completely exhausted to spare myself a seat, squeezing me through the little space provided; I practically dragged myself into the nearest seat. Now having a space of my own after, finally catching my breath. Thankfully the train's finally moving, only realizing through the sudden knock of the track; and the clouds of black smoke that continuously belched into the sky. I sat surprisingly relieved, gazed out of the steamed window, searching for desperate need of help. Just as I felt the thought of Billy slip away from my mind; the depressed storm bellowed outside and I
Discuss Burgess’s language in the opening chapter: how does he depict the world of Alex and his friends as being in conflict with the “outside”? (10 marks)
A Clockwork Orange: Chapter One An Analysis Discuss Burgess's language in the opening chapter: how does he depict the world of Alex and his friends as being in conflict with the "outside"? (10 marks) One gets an initial impression of Alex and his friends from the first page: Alex says, "There was me... and my three droogs". Immediately this suggests that he and his friends are close, like a gang, and this leads on to the idea of conflict. The closeness of Alex and his friends is elaborated upon throughout the chapter. He frequently uses the phrase "The four of us" and, when speaking to Pete, Georgie and Dim, he says, "Oh my brothers". Their close camaraderie is summed up on page six, where Alex describes it as being "usually one for all and all for one". Then he begins to describe three "devotchkas", whom one presumes to be members of a rival gang (the reader is told that Alex and his friends are "malchicks"). There is no brevity in Alex's description, and he goes into detail when describing the clothes and make-up. It is likely here that Alex has a certain respect for these gang members, indicated by his lengthy description of their bright uniforms, and by the fact that he speculates on the large cost of these uniforms. But there is also a clear element of mockery. This is especially apparent in the sentence "These were supposed to be...", with an emphasis on the word
HOW DOES STEINBECK PRESENT RACE IN THE PEARL?
THE PEARL HOW DOES STEINBECK PRESENT RACE IN THE PEARL? The story centres on Kino, a pearl diver, his wife Juana and their son Coyotito. Although the family live in poverty they also live peacefully. Whilst out gathering pearls one day Kino finds a huge pearl. Kino tries to sell the pearl but the pearl buyers try to cheat him. Kino is attacked and has to flee. They are being followed by trackers who want to steal the pearl. Kino kills the trackers but in the fight Coyotito is killed. Kino and Juana return to their village and throw the pearl back in to the sea. Steinbeck spent time working with immigrant Mexican workers on farms and in factories. He understood them and their concerns. Steinbeck wanted to highlight the plight and conditions of these Mexican workers. Steinbeck uses Kino and Juana as symbolic of the community in which they live. In 1940 Steinbeck made a research trip to the Gulf of California, he visited a town called La Paz. It was here that Steinbeck first heard the tale of a boy and a giant pearl. This tale was the inspiration for The Pearl. There is a strong moral theme running through the pearl that one should be content with one's life and with greed comes misfortune. Kino seeks wealth and status through the pearl; it changes him from a happy contented man in to a killer and wife beater. It is human nature to dream of a better life, this
Dimensions and Theme in The Killers.
Course Name:?????? Instructor: ?? ?? Student Name: ??? No. 01041083 Dimensions and Theme in The Killers On the eve of the grand economic crisis of the capitalistic world, the late 1920's is a turbulent period in the U.S.A. with violence and horror permeating the whole society underneath the surface of the temporary steadiness and prosperity. Among all the novels depicting the dark life then, The Killers is unanimously considered as the best for its superb technic and profound theme. The Killers offers a perfect example of a narrative that challenges and rewards the readers' perception of its structure. The structure of a Hemingway's story can usually be described, conventionally enough, with a set of scenes marked by a change in setting or by a change of characters. What is unconventional and so inscribes his fame as a modernist is that the scenes often are juxtaposed with little transition and less logic to effect or explain their sequence or rationale as a result of his prose style with its syntax linking sentences and simple causes without conjunction and subordination. This is not to say that the structures of the stories lack form or significant pattern, but they are coherent and connected in a sort of dimension which Hemingway said he learnt from cézanne's paintings. In The Killers, there are totally three main scenes: Henry's lunchroom, Hirsch's rooming house,
"Nick's main attitude to East Coast society is fascination" - How far and in what ways do you agree?
"Nick's main attitude to East Coast society is fascination" - How far and in what ways do you agree? In "The Great Gatsby", Nick is presented as having quite a complex attitude to the society of the East Coast of America, with this attitude often being quite ambiguous or hard to pin down at any one point. In many scenarios, particularly those around Daisy or at Gatsby's parties, it can be read that Nick's main tone could seem to be one of fascination, a word I am using in this essay to mean a positive admiration as opposed to a distanced interest. However, I believe that although this is partially the case there is another feeling beneath it which shows mockery and almost distaste for the East Coast society, and in this essay I plan to look at the parts of the novel where this society is presented and discuss how Nick's attitudes are presented in these ways. Fitzgerald uses the characters of Tom and Daisy very prominently in his portrayal of East Coast society and therefore the way in which Nick reacts to them can tell us more about his opinions, especially with Daisy. On first reading, I think that it is very easy to think that Nick is completely fascinated and entranced by her in a very positive way. One way in which this is done is by using many words associated with light, such as 'white', 'glowing' and 'bright' which give us the sense that Nick is almost dazzled by
Explore the relationship between Paul Morel and his mother.
Explore the relationship between Paul Morel and his mother. What impact does this have on his later relationships? ('Sons and Lovers') "The texture of Paul's relationship with his mother is one of an intimacy so close that the only adequate means of expression are sexual, but its structure is throughout one of social aspiration." John Goode1 It is clearly evident throughout the novel that the relationship Paul and his mother have is not one of any other normal son and mother relationship. It is far too close and suffocating to be portrayed as 'normal'; yet as John Goode has said above, it is a relationship full of social aspiration. Mrs. Morel is determined for her son to be a social success and Paul sees his mother as the one to raise him above the level of the 'coal-pits'. She has the power, intellect and ruthless direction. Mrs. Morel, a 'Puritan', tries to refine and elevate her husband; when she fails she starts to despise him and tries again, first with William and then with Paul. She is a woman of immense strength of character, determination and emotion. Having failed to maintain a healthy and happy relationship with her husband she attempts to regain much of the love she has been deprived of through her sons. Paul proves an easy target for her domination: "...Paul, always rather delicate and quiet, got slimmer, and trotted after his mother like her shadow."
Who does Bennett present as a better teacher: Hector or Irwin?
Who does Bennett present as a better teacher: Hector or Irwin? In your response ensure that you: - Use quotation and close analysis of dramatic technique to support your ideas. - Show some awareness of biographical, cultural or historical context. The initial presentation of Irwin is clearly negative. In the opening scene of the play Bennett presents to us a clever but cynical historian, advising MPs how to sell a nasty bill that would restrict trial by jury. Utilising his experience as a TV historian, recommending an "amused tolerance" when faced with cameras. We learn further on in the play that Irwin was a school teacher, employed to aid students with their entrance exams to Oxbridge, and throughout the play Bennett conveys Irwin as a liar, maybe slightly manipulative, and questionable sexuality. Throughout the play, some of Irwin's speech is comparable to the likes of certain revisionist TV historians, such as Andrew Roberts as the nineteen-eighties was the birth of TV historians: "Life only comes alive when contemplating its toilet arrangements." This statement made by Irwin when he is recording his TV show. One could argue that revisionist historians should not be allowed to corrupt the mind of young children because they are assuming that history as it has been traditionally told may not be entirely accurate. During the introduction of the play Bennett
