Violence in A Clockwork Orange

Violence in A Clockwork Orange Remind yourself of Chapter 2 of Part II of A Clockwork Orange. (i) How does Burgess present violence in this chapter? This chapter is unusually short; it is probably the shortest in the book. And yet the violence that takes place in the chapter is extremely graphic. It seems more intense because it is concentrated in two ways: firstly, it is limited by the more obvious confines of the prison cell walls; but secondly, it is confined in a metaphorical sense within the "walls" of a very small chapter. Therefore one would expect the chapter to be weak. But instead Burgess manages to cram every shocking image into a small space, concentrating the violence into one large, disturbing image. Scenes are described such as "the Wall fisted his rot" and "a horrorshow kick on the gulliver". These are nothing special when compared to some of the actions of the previous chapters. But what makes the entire scene stick in the reader's mind is how complete the description of it is. Added to the images are the descriptions of sounds, such as "oh oh oh " and "the new plenny creeched". Furthermore is the vivid and widespread use of the colour red: there are the usual copious amounts of "dripping red krovvy"; and the entire scene is cast in an ominous blood-like glow from the "red light from the landing", which almost sounds like a filming technique, even though

  • Word count: 1712
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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A prequel to 'Of Mice and Men' - Drawn together.

Drawn together Dawn had barely passed when the playful sounds of laughing and splashing filled the air by a small river in Auburn. The sun streaked heavily through the crispy remains of the last leaves in autumn. It was just cold enough to see your breath floating away in front of you like a tiny silver cloud. The sudden sound of a loud shout encouraged many resting birds to fling them selves noisily from the huge birch trees; causing a shower of autumn leaves to rain upon two fifteen year old boys. "Hey, hey George, I caught one George, I got one of these here lil' fish!" "That's great Lennie, just put um' in the bag." "Okay George I will, I'll put um' right in the bag, and we can take um' home to your ma' and my aunt Clara." With that the tall, broad fifteen year old boy plunged himself towards the sunken river bank, where an old brown shoulder bag lay; half empty with glistening autumn salmon flopping every few seconds as they slowly dried up. On the other side of the river there was another boy of about the same age. He was much smaller than Lennie but average for his age. He had dark features and was sprawled slovenly across a blue and red woollen rug with an aimed slingshot in his dirty hands; ready to shoot a small pebble at the other boy, Lennie. He slowly pulled back the elastic trigger and followed Lennie with one eye closed. He let the elastic go and watched

  • Word count: 1040
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How far is Hamlet dominated by a Christian worldview? Does its Worldview have any relevance for a modern day audience?

'There are more things dreamt of in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy' HOW FAR IS HAMLET DOMINATED BY A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW? DOES ITS WORLDVIEW HAVE ANY RELEVANCE FOR A MODERN DAY AUDIENCE? England during the 17th century was a Christian society and country. All Children would most certainly have been baptised shortly after birth and once at a suitable age capable of understanding religion would be taught the essentials of Christian faith. Attendance at church was compulsory; failure to do so without a good medical reason or otherwise would lead to a hefty fine. During the 16th century in England those of Christian faith subsequently despised other races against that of Protestantism, and any other religion or paranormal existence that they did not understand. The persecution of Jews within Elizabethan England meant the state forbade them the rights to ownership of land or to engage in trade. Shakespeare showed an incredible understanding and knowledge of issues and crises of his time, introducing burning issues of today into his deeply Christian country that showed an inability of understanding and respecting other faiths and religions. Within the pre-Elizabethan period and onwards society was influenced heavily by the head of state, religion and new theoretician's ideas. A Theocentric world view stated that everything was circled around God,

  • Word count: 1558
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Critical Analysis of Soldier's Home

Kevin Davis English 12 CP Mrs. Connie Newcomb March 25, 2002 Critical Analysis of Soldier's Home Ernest Hemingway uses his life as a setting in his short story "Soldier's Home". Although this is not considered an autobiography, it certainly contains some relevance to Hemingway's life and can be interpreted many ways. "Soldier's Home" is a story about a young man, Harold Krebs, who returns home from World War 1 in a time in which the country was to "return to normalcy." His relationship with his family is increasingly deteriorates, he cannot adapt to the changes that have taken place in his community, and he cannot leave the tragic events of the war behind him. Hemingway grew up in very much the same way, and when a writer can write about his/her personal experiences, the emotions and creativity are expressed vividly. In "Soldier's Home," Hemingway creates an emotional, somewhat autobiographical look at a young soldier returning to society from war. Ernest Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois in 1899 into an upper-middle class family. His childhood was not traumatic, but as he grew older, his hostility towards his father and mother increased. He saw his father as a "weak and ineffectual" (#87) man, and his mother as "strict and domineering" (#87). He entered World War 1 as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross in Italy at the beginning of the United States'

  • Word count: 1180
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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What evidence is these in the play to support these opinions? How do you think that Shakespeare has presented Angelo in the play?

. 'Angelo is an arrogant hypocrite'. 2. 'Angelo is a vulnerable and confused man, deserving of our sympathy'. What evidence is these in the play to support these opinions? How do you think that Shakespeare has presented Angelo in the play? If you ask any critic of the play 'Measure for Measure' by William Shakespeare, to give you a simple description of the character of Angelo, they will tell you that he is the villain of the play. He is a man who rules strictly, without mercy, summarised by the Duke, "strict and most biting laws". Yet his hypocrisy was his downfall in the end. Originally classified in the first Folio as a comedy, Measure for Measure is one of the three problem plays, as there are many question raised by the writer. Shakespeare deliberately gives the audience three different characters opinions of Angelo before we can make formulate one ourselves. This is deliberately done to primarily give us a clouded view of the character, and therefore prolong the mystery and uncertainty. This in itself is foreshadowing the actions of the play, as our opinion of Angelo does change throughout the play. The title of the play is a key theme throughout. Originally coming from the bible, "what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again" (Matthew 7:2-3). Which translated means, what you do to others, they will do to you. Which is what Angelo finds out in act V,

  • Word count: 1625
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How far does the poetry of Wilfred Owen break new ground in the tradition of war poetry?

How far does the poetry of Wilfred Owen break new ground in the tradition of war poetry? Before the First World War, war poetry was written by non-combatants, whether it was for or against war. Wilfred Owen was one of the first to break this tradition. He went to war so he was writing from experience. A lot of soldiers before the First World War were illiterate, so they could not convey their emotions in poetry. World War One was the first time when literate men joined up. Their experiences in the trenches were expressed in their anti-war poetry. Wilfred Owen was in France when war broke out, so he returned to England and volunteered to be an army officer. He was back in France at the end of 1916 in the Somme sector. In spring 1917, he took part in the attack on the Hindenberg Line, near St. Quentin. A huge shell burst near him, giving him shell shock. He wrote a letter to his mother in May 1917, which said, "Suffer dishonour and disgrace, but never resort to arms. Be bullied, be outraged, be killed, but do not kill". The war had obviously had a severe impact on him. He was treated for shell shock at Craiglockhart Hospital in Edinburgh where he wrote poems for therapy. Craiglockhart was a hospital for soldiers with war trauma. It was there, in August 1917, that he met Sassoon, a much more distinguished and renowned poet, who encouraged him to write poems. Many men died in

  • Word count: 1798
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Compare The Awakening to Madame Bovary

Compare The Awakening to Madame Bovary Kate Chopin's The Awakening and Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary are both tales of women indignant with their domestic situations; the distinct differences between the two books can be found in the authors' unique tones. Both authors weave similar themes into their writings such as, the escape from the monotony of domestic life, dissatisfaction with marital expectations and suicide. References to "fate" abound throughout both works. In The Awakening, Chopin uses fate to represent the expectations of Edna Pontellier's aristocratic society. Flaubert uses "fate" to portray his characters' compulsive methods of dealing with their guilt and rejecting of personal accountability. Both authors, however seem to believe that it is fate that oppresses these women; their creators view them subjectively, as if they were products of their respective environments. Chopin portrays Edna as an object, and she receives only the same respect as a possession. Edna's husband sees her as and looks, "...at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage." (P 2 : The Awakening) Chopin foils their marriage in that of the Ratignolles who, "...understood each other perfectly." She makes the classic mistake of comparing one's insides with others' outsides when she thinks, "If ever the fusion of two human begins

  • Word count: 1206
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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In "Emma" Jane Austen presents a picture of an inward looking community, limited in outlook. Does this view fit with your reading of the novel?

Romi Verstappen In "Emma" Jane Austen presents a picture of an inward looking community, limited in outlook. Does this view fit with your reading of the novel? In Jane Austen's novel "Emma", the purpose of the limited setting is to demonstrate life as it would be in Highbury around the same time as Austen was writing the novel(around 1815). The setting mostly refers to the period that is set in the novel as well as the place. However, Jane Austen's main concern in the novel was to express social convention, an aspect of life which would have a major affect on the characters in the novel. In "Emma", the setting for the novel is a 'large and prosperous village' called Highbury, and it is supposed to be situated 16 miles from London and 9 miles from Richmond in Surrey. Emma and her father live on the edge of this village in what is unquestionably its Principal house, named Hartfield. "Emma" is set in a very fixed environment; practically the entire story is set in the village and a small surrounding area. Although Austen focuses on one small community and is limited in outlook I don't think this is a negative point. It is this small community displayed in the novel that allows Austen to focus on certain relationships and develop them to the reader in more detail. Therefore the novel is microcosmic as even though it is focusing on a small community it tells us about how

  • Word count: 709
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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While Heathcliff and Edgar act as foils for one another, it is more useful to consider their function in the novel as individuals. Discuss

While Heathcliff and Edgar act as foils for one another, it is more useful to consider their function in the novel as individuals. In the novel, if Heathcliff is to be considered the primary protagonist, then Edgar is the primary antagonist. Heathcliff's greatest desire is Catherine and the main obstacle that stands in his way is Edgar who, with his greater wealth and higher social status manages to keep her out of his reach. There is therefore a great connection between these two characters which could be explored in great detail; but is it more useful to consider them as two separate entities in the novel, with their other connections having greater importance? When viewed together it can be claimed that as the reader we understand the characters more clearly when they are contrasted against each other. Bronte has set up a possible juxtaposition between Heathcliff and Edgar as it allows the reader to gage the extremities of the two men who are, in many respects polar opposites. This is evident in the most immediate of ways: physical appearance. There is an instant difference in the "long light hair" of Edgar whose figure is "almost too graceful" to the face of Heathcliff that is "half covered with black whiskers" with eyes "deep set and singular". Further and possibly more useful comparisons include the gulfs in class and wealth of the two men. This is obviously an

  • Word count: 698
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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"'Frau Brechenmacher' is a cry against the stupidity and brutality of men and the women who support arrangements through sentimentality or weakness; it is written with feminist rage." Do you agree with the above quote? Discuss.

"'Frau Brechenmacher' is a cry against the stupidity and brutality of men and the women who support arrangements through sentimentality or weakness; it is written with feminist rage." Do you agree with the above quote? Discuss. I do not fully agree that 'Frau Brechenmacher' was written with feminist rage. The suppression of woman and the dominance of men had always appeared in most of Mansfield's writings. However in her biography it has been stated that she does not view herself as a feminist. I think 'Frau Brechenmacher' is more of a psychological exploration of women who let men deny them of independent roles and a reminder as well of what is lost once a woman is married. Also, being that the story was set in Germany, we have to take in the account that women, socially and culturally, were viewed and expected to be nothing more then an extension of the men they were with and were primarily viewed just as objects in the German society. Throughout the story, Mansfield reveals with clarity, how the men completely dominates the women. The opening paragraph of the story immediately gives us a sense of Frau Brechenmacher's strict household. There is also a sense of rush or hectic as she 'runs over [Herr Brechenmacher's] best shirt with hot iron' and prepares the rest of his uniform. The mentioning of uniform in the first paragraph, paints a picture of a military structure in

  • Word count: 1346
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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