James's Joyce's 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man'.
In James's Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man the portrait is of Stephen Dedalus. He, the protagonist, narrates the novel and through his eyes we see his development from a shy, almost curious boy to a rebellious and independent young man. Stephen seeks a way out of his restraints. In Stephen's case, these are family, country and religion. Joyce uses symbolism as well as language and imagery to show Stephen's development. In a sense, Portrait of the Artist is a search for identity. Chapter One contains several first-times for young Stephen Dedalus: he sits at the adult table, he interacts with peers in a new place (Clongowes), he is punished, he seeks justice, and his peers publicly recognize him. Most importantly, Stephen must work out his own problems and finds the courage to do so. In effect, he is hailed as a hero by his peers. When he wins social acceptance by his schoolmates at Clongowes, he does so by acting in isolation, "They made a cradle of their locked hands and hoisted him up among them and carried him along till he struggled to get free." When he reports Father Dolan to the rector, he defends his name, the symbol of his identity, "It was wrong; it was unfair and cruel: and, as he sat in the refectory, he suffered time after time in memory the same humiliation until he began to wonder whether it might not really be that there was something in
Compare and Contrast: Passage 1: Description of Tom, Passage 2: Gatsbyseen by Nick
Compare and Contrast: Passage 1: Description of Tom, Passage 2: Gatsby seen by Nick The first passage is a description of Tom. He is portrayed as strongly built: "It was a body capable of enormous leverage-a cruel body." He also seems to be a brutal an supercilious man. Words as "arrogant", "sturdy", "gruff" and "husky" create a mood around him which is quite unpleasant. This description is very objective and we get a clear picture of what Tom looks like. We are also given a description of Tom's voice as being "...a gruff, husky tenor..." The other passage is not really a description of Mr Gatsby, but rather an occasion which he fits into. The description we are given about Gatsby is much more unclear than that of Tom. The night makes the atmosphere more mysterious around Gatsby. Here words as "night", "trembling", "silhouette" and "dark" set the theme of the passage. There is a clear contrast in the themes between the two passages. In the first one 'day' or 'light' can be said to be a theme in comparison to the 'night' or 'darkness' in the other. Even though the description of Tom is quite objective, the sunshine and clearness has a high symbolic importance to the passage and makes it more of a contrast to the other passage. This sunshine could be there because Tom is an antagonist in the novel, thus his description should not be complicated as, for example Gatsby's.
Compare two passages of your choice explaining what they reveal of McEwen's reoccurring themes and concerns?
Compare two passages of your choice explaining what they reveal of McEwen's reoccurring themes and concerns? The two Ian McEwen passages I have compared are the openings of 'The Comfort of Strangers' and 'The Black Dogs'. The reason I have chosen these extracts is because I feel they have a lot in common and also some differences. I begin by explaining the titles of each novel. The 'Comfort of Strangers' is ironic since usually strangers make a person feel uncomfortable. 'The Black Dogs' is an interesting title because a black dog can be seen as something that represents something bad is going to happen. The titles help reveal reoccurring theme as McEwen's books do occasionally include strangers (Jed Parry, Enduring Love) and in many of McEwen's stories bad things happen, this wouldn't be seen as a reoccurring theme of all his novels really just more of a prediction for the specific book. Both novels talk about a troubled relationship between a couple within the first couple of paragraphs. In 'The Comfort of Strangers' the reader is told 'Colin and Mary are not on speaking terms' This is evidence that there is trouble in the relationship. We have evidence that troubled relationships are a common theme in McEwen's writing because in 'The Black Dogs' the readers are told about 'the disintegrating marriage of my sister Jean to a man called Harper'. Other examples from other
Story opening
He walked towards the house holding his briefcase tightly, his fist clenched. 'This is the last time,' thought Rudi as he walked up the front path, 'next time the boss can do his own dirty work!' Rudi walked up to the front door and knocked three times. There was no reply. He rang the bell. No answer. He looked around him, pulled on his gloves, picked up the biggest rock he could find and threw it through the window in the front door. Rudi knocked the rest of the glass from the window then glanced around him again. Was it just him or was it rather cold tonight? The street was eerily silent. Rudi put his arm through the window and pushed down the handle. Nothing. He put down his briefcase and kicked the door lock as hard as he could. The door swung open. Rudi glanced round again expecting to hear someone yell after him. He picked up his briefcase and went inside. 'It's clean. Almost too clean,' thought Rudi as he walked down the hall and into the kitchen at the end. The surfaces sparkled, the floor shone and nothing was out of place. It looked just like a newly built show home. Rudi laughed as he walked back into the hall and made his way to the living room. Behind the picture of the family....... He entered the room and looked around him. It was nice and cosy, not too big and not too small with deep red walls and a lovely, big, old fashioned fireplace was the centre piece on
Fly Away Peter - What does Jim learn from the War?
What does Jim Learn from his experiences of war? In the novel, "Fly Away Peter," the character Jim's entire vision of life changes from the moment the war enters his life. As well as him learning of possibilities entirely new to him, Jim's view of life and an individuals place in it develops through his experiences in Europe. In this essay, I will explore the discoveries that Jim makes over time on his journey from the sanctuary that is Australia into unknown hell of the war, and how he makes the change from a youth at the start of the novella to a man who feels "immeasurably old." At the start of the novella, Jim's view of the world is limited. Australia is a womb like sanctuary to him - a seemingly timeless place that both changes and always remains the same, where Jim is protected from the harsh realities of life and can pursue his love of birds. The land is literally a sanctuary for the birds but also a sanctuary for him. Jim holds the birds in wonderment: they are so small and could be crushed by him without him thinking, yet they are able to see the entire world in their tiny eyes and store in their mind a map of this world, so that when they next migrate, they can remember their way. This world of the impotence that Jim feels he has in comparison to the power of birds is the one that is established quickly in the opening chapters of the novella, one that Jim has
How does Ian McEwan hook the reader in the opening three chapters of Enduring Love?
"In an age of multiple choice and short attention spans, beginnings are more crucial than ever. To prevent readers drifting off, an author has to hook them quickly" (Blake Morrison) How does Ian McEwan hook the reader in the opening three chapters of Enduring Love? In McEwan's book Enduring Love, he uses a wide variety of techniques to intrigue and hook the reader. He begins his story with the startling and dramatic scenario of a hot air balloon accident. He begins his story in medias res (in the middle of things). This is a significantly effective technique as it plunges the reader into the middle of a dramatic scenario without having dragged them through a boring introduction first. This immediate element of excitement and drama experienced by the reader in the beginning will no doubt have a very positive first impression on the reader, as they will be absorbed instantly by the fast pace and action. McEwan also attempts to hook us with the use of a very interesting narrator in the form of Joe Rose. He is a character who has the technique of withholding details, which creates suspense - 'I'm holding back, delaying the information'. This point is emphasized in the fact that it takes three chapters for us to find out that Harry Gadd came down safely. He is presented to us as a very imaginative, deep thinking character, which we can see by the way he takes up different
Catcher in the Rye : self knowledge
Catcher in the Rye: Self knowledge The character of Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" must endure many hardships on his way to self-knowledge. Holden's actions and fantasies about helping children symbolize his fear of the reality of the real, adult world. In J.D. Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holden, goes through many hardships in his journey to self-knowledge. In the beginning, Holden has to deal with being kicked out of school and not having any place to call home. He is also struggling with the unfortunate tragedy of the death of his beloved younger brother Allie. At the same time, Holden is trying to deal with growing up and accepting the adult world. Throughout the novel Salinger addresses the conflicts faced by a young man struggling with the trials and tribulations of growing up while also confronting personal loss and loneliness along the way. In the beginning of the novel the reader learns that Holden has been kicked out of his school Pency-Prep. Holden talks about how he has been kicked out of schools in the past and says, "They gave me frequent warnings to start applying myself... but I didn't do it. So I got the ax"(4). This shows that Holden doesn't really care about school, it is not all that important to him. In fact, he decides to leave school early, a few days before Christmas break begins saying
Theme in The Catcher in the Rye.
Theme in The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger in The Catcher in the Rye shows the turbulence and confusion experienced during many childhoods. This confusion is expressed through Salinger's use of long, run-on sentences that often contradict themselves. A clear example of this stylistic technique is found on page 62, when Holden states, "I think if you don't really like a girl, you shouldn't horse around with her at all, and if you do like her, then you're supposed to like her face, and if you like her face, you ought to be careful about doing crumby stuff to it, like squirting water all over it. It's really too bad that so much crumby stuff is a lot of fun sometimes." The structure of these two sentences reveals a character that is coming to terms with his impending adulthood and trying to establish his identity. By using long, run-on sentences, J.D. Salinger provides room for Holden to contradict himself and argue both sides of his arguments. Currently, Holden sees the same acts as both "crumby" and "fun", and he hasn't had an opportunity to make up his mind yet. One of his main sources of confusion is interpersonal relationships. Salinger devotes fifty-three words in a single sentence to Holden's musings about girls and where to draw the line with them. Relationships are just one of the things that don't make sense yet to Holden because his life experiences are
What are the main themes of Pleasantville and how does the director convey them to the audience using cinematic techniques?
What are the main themes of Pleasantville and how does the director convey them to the audience using cinematic techniques? Pleasantville, directed by Gary Ross, is a year 2000 comedy with powerful underlying themes. Pleasantville is an inspiring and oddly touching story about two 90's kids who are thrust into the black and white world of Pleasantville, a cheery and seemingly perfect sitcom complete with picket fences, soda shops and warm cookies. When a somewhat unusual remote control transports them from the jaded real world to the TV arena, the two teenagers (Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon) are forced to play along as Bud and Mary-Sue, the obedient children of George and Betty Parker. Maguire, an obsessive Pleasantville devotee, understands the need for not toppling the balance of things; Witherspoon, on the other hand, starts shaking the town up, most notably when she takes American football stud, Skip, up to Lover's Lane, to do exactly what the name suggests. Soon enough, Pleasantville's teens are discovering sex along with rock and roll, free thinking and liberating Technicolour. Filled with delightful and shrewd details about sitcom life, for example, no toilets, no double beds and only two streets in the whole town. Pleasantville is a joy to watch, not only for its comedy but also for its groundbreaking visual effects and astonishing production design as
Compare how TWO prescribed texts you have studied explore the tension between humanity and the natural world.
Compare how TWO prescribed texts you have studied explore the tension between humanity and the natural world. The notion of a 'natural world' is one that suggests an environment that has been formed by nature; growing spontaneously, uncultivated and undergoing natural rhythms that emerge periodically. It is this natural world that incorporates flora and fauna. However, the dominant species in this setting is not the human race; rather, it is the natural environment that embraces humans as a part of its habitat. This theme is unequivocal in Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" (BNW) and Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner - The Directors Cut" (BR) as both texts examine the interplay between nature and humanity. The natural environment and the conflict purported with humanity explored in BNW and BL must be examined in correlation to not only the physical habitat, but also as a social issue. Aldous Huxley composed BNW in 1932 following the aftermath of World War I. As a result, Huxley's context reflects many historical and social perceptions that were apparent in his period. BNW satirises cynical visions envisaged by totalitarian parties; exposing flaws and dangers that deny the fundamental aspects of humanity and individual freedoms, allowing the natural world to be obliterated. Similar to Huxley, Ridley Scott's BL (1982) presents a futuristic world that has been significantly
