How does Susan Hill use Gothic techniques to create tension and horror in the chapter In the Nursery in The Woman in Black?
'How does Susan Hill use Gothic techniques to create tension and horror in the chapter 'In the Nursery' in The Woman in Black?' The Woman in Black is a piece of Gothic literature, which attempts to both horrify and enthral the reader through the use of gothic techniques. The story centres on a young solicitor named Arthur Kipps, who is summoned to the small market town of Crythin Gifford, to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow. Furthermore, the man has been instructed to manage the legal documents of the late widow. Whilst doing this, he stays in what was the woman's residence, Eel Marsh House. However, the property is only accessible by pony and trap, due to the fact it is situated on Nine Lives Causeway. At high tide, the house is completely cut off from the mainland, with only the surrounding marshland and sea frets for company. Confined to the house, Arthur Kipps endures an increasingly terrifying sequence of unexplained noises, chilling events and hauntings, which appear to be connected to a mysterious woman he notices at the funeral. In the chapter, 'In the Nursery,' various traditional gothic conventions are used, in order to establish a sense of fear and insecurity. The author, Susan Hill, attempts to balance gothic ideas, like pathetic fallacy and ominous connotations, with gothic literary devices, such as short sentences and repetition. Incorporating both
Conflict is often shown throughout the novella of 'Of Mice and Men'. Usually, it is a result of the strain that the Great Depression placed on the people who lived through it.
Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is set in America during the years of the Great Depression. The depression, that was caused by the Wall Street Crash 1929, left people without a job or house. People had barely enough money to afford necessities such as, food, water and clothes. The pressures of the Great Depression led to many different forms of conflict. Steinbeck shows a variety of these conflicts throughout the novella. One form of conflict shown in the novella is Jealousy. The fact that Lennie is a 'huge man', results in Curley's jealousy towards Lennie. While describing Curley, Slim says, 'He's alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at 'em because he aint a big guy'. This foreshadows the fight between Curley and Lennie in which Lennie crushes Curley's hand. The adjective 'mad' connotes the irrationality of Curley's simmering anger. Curley's covetousness towards Lennie's size represents that the world of Dust bowl America was a harsh and unforgiving place, where physical strength was especially valuable. The adjective 'mad' has specific connotations which is why, Steinbeck chooses to use 'mad' rather than a word such as, angry to maybe suggest that Curley is slightly insane for picking fights with men considerably bigger and most likely stronger than him. 'Mad' also means that Curley is simply angry towards taller men because he envies them.
In the novel Lord of the Flies, Golding uses Ralph to represent democracy and friendship.
What is the significance of Ralph in LOTF In the novel "Lord of the Flies", Golding uses Ralph to represent democracy and friendship. He also uses him, however, to represent how the innate goodness of someone can be overridden by their "essential illness" and vice versa. At the beginning of the novel, Ralph and Piggy find the conch. It is used to assemble all the boys on the island, forming a meeting. It is Ralph who realises that a leader is needed. They call a vote and Ralph is chosen, "Let him be chief with the trumpet thing". Yet, in-spite of his power, Ralph chooses to delegate. He evidently realises how Jack needs to be kept occupied. He also realises that Simon is vulnerable, so invites him along to explore the island. Ralph's ability to judge characters, delegate power, and rule using democracy, represents how he was the perfect leader, and how without him, society would inevitably have collapsed immediately. Golding explores "man-kinds essential illness" and uses Ralph to express his ideas. Ralph's appearance is described as proclaiming "no devil", yet in-spite of this, Ralph still partakes in the murdering of Simon. Although he tries to convince himself that the affair was "an accident" he becomes aware of the boys true capacity for evil, "I'm frightened. Of us". Evidently, Ralph realised that without grown-ups, anarchy would (and did) strike, and if
Discuss theme of the novel: The Great Gatsby.
Discuss theme of the novel: The Great Gatsby: To an average mind, the great Gatsby should look like the story of a man's passionate love for a woman. But the novel is not such a simple narrative. The novelist weaves into an otherwise one-man story, a complex pattern of symbolism. Gatsby, at the symbolic level stands for twentieth century America, and his dream a set of moral and spiritual values and ideas. The failure and frustration of Gatsby's dream is in fact the failure of the American dream. The idealism has degenerated into materialism, which the new generation considers to be their passport to happiness. The great historical promise has been tragically replaces by attractive but worthless and cheap goals, in the ash heaps where the modern man is wandering like Cain, with no spiritual light to guide him. Fitzgerald had probably read T.S Elliot's wasteland and seems to have been considerably influenced by the poem. The desolate valley of ashes is the modern wasteland. It is a place for the waste Landers and spiritually hollow men, such as those who have no sense of moral responsibility and no ideas or aspirations. It is a place for Tom Buchanan's, Wolfshiem's and other such men who swarm into Gatsby's parties. Gatsby's dream is paradox: his dream by itself is noble, but the means he adopts to fulfill it are ignoble. Such a process is doomed to failure. His underworld
Shooting an Elephant - Orwell's insecurities prompted the murder of a defenseless animal.
Jordan Fife 1 English 1 David Zehr 03-01-03 Shooting an Elephant: Orwell's Insecurities Prompted the Murder of a Defenseless Animal The short story "Shooting an Elephant", by George Orwell, is a narration that subtly discusses Orwell's motives for killing an escaped elephant. As a sub-division officer for imperialist Britain in 1936, Orwell attempts to keep the favor of the native townspeople where he is stationed and to avoid humiliation. The townspeople of Burma neither favored nor respected Orwell until an event occurred that would allow a character opinion to be made. The event was a disruptance where he had to shoot an elephant for the alleged safety of the public. Orwell is not motivated to kill the elephant for the safety of the public, but by his fear of his own insecurities that plague him. Orwell is uniquely susceptible to peer pressure and pressed forward to action through humility. Upon initial assessment of the situation that would test the strength of Orwell's character he concludes "at that distance, peacefully eating, the elephant looked no more dangerous than a cow. I thought then and I think now that his attack of "must" was already passing off; in which case he would merely wander harmlessly about until
Comparison of Ralf and Jack
Comparison of Ralf and Jack In a group, there are always people who come out with better qualities as a leader than others. The strongest people however become the greater influences that others decide to follow. Sometimes though, the strongest person is not the best choice. In "Lord of the Flies," Ralph, though not a strong person, demonstrates a better understanding of people giving himself better leadership qualities than Jack. Through the book, it is shown that Jack thinks he is better and should be the leader, though all he creates is mayhem. Ralph shows useful human qualities as a leader by working towards making the boy's society better. He knows that he needs to keep the boys refined, and, to do that, he desires stability and array. Ralph decides to create rules and a small simple government to accomplish keeping everything in control. He understands that most of the boys have to be given reverence and be treated as equals, predominantly Piggy. Ralph keeps in focus about trying to get them off the island. His leadership makes peace and order on the island, while Jack's leadership creates pandemonium. Under Jack's rules, the group becomes uncivil wild beasts without discipline. Ralph wins the boys respect from his natural leadership abilities. By building shelter, he makes the boys' needs complete. When he says to Jack, "They talk and scream. The littluns. Even
How does Golding present the change from friendship to death in Lord of The Flies?
5. How does Golding present the change from friendship to death and violence? Golding presents change in the boy's friendships as the novel progresses using a variety of techniques and characters.. At first, Golding shows that they have quite a close friendship, in particular Ralph and Jack seem to like each other, but by the end of the novel, the boys have turned into savages. At the start of the novel, Golding instantly shows that the boys as happy and excited to be on the island. Ralph's "realized ambition", shows that he has always loved to be without adult authority. Golding shows that Piggy is different to the others. He has asthma, speaks differently and is overweight, so Ralph and Jack don't like him. This shows that as a society we judge people based on their looks, and their differences to us, rather than accepting them for who they are. Ralph is instantly liked by the littluns because he has the conch which is a symbol of authority, and he is voted to be chief. Jack however, is described by Golding as someone who is a harsh dictator. Despite his ways, and the fact that he isn't elected as chief, Ralph's democratic side comes into light when he offers Jack the choir. Golding says that they "smiled at each other", which shows the start of a good friendship. Simon and Ralph work together to build shelters, which shows their strong friendship. While they are doing
How does Stevenson create a sense of dramatic tension in the chapter The Last Night(TM), in the context of the novel as a whole?
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde How does Stevenson create a sense of dramatic tension in the chapter 'The Last Night', in the context of the novel as a whole? By the time we reach 'The Last Night', many disturbing events have taken place. Dr. Jekyll, a ponderous establishment figure, has begun to act out of character after some unknown discovery and has been closeted in his laboratory for several days. His good friend Mr. Utterson, an upright and estimable lawyer, has become concerned about it: he senses that something strange is going on in London. Two more central characters have also emerged- Mr Hyde and Poole (Dr. Jekyll's manservant). Mr Hyde, a man with an unnatural, even repellent aura, commits a savage murder and disappears after having some strange involvement with Dr. Jekyll. Poole has become increasingly worried for his master and has turned to Mr. Utterson for guidance on what to do. Both the plot, and the way the characters have reacted to it, have, by the time we reach this chapter, set up an atmosphere of ominous anticipation. -------------------------------------- From the beginning of 'The Last Night', Robert Louis Stevenson creates a sense of dramatic tension and mystery by delaying the dénouement. Neither the reader nor the characters know what has happened to Dr Jekyll; the longer we do not know, the more we want to know, and so the
Discuss the effectiveness of the opening chapter of Fitzgerald’s ‘the Great Gatsby’.
DISCUSS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OPENING CHAPTEROF FITZGERALD'S 'THE GREAT GATSBY' In order to discuss the effectiveness of an opening chapter it is first necessary to outline what defines an effective first chapter. Undoubtedly it is essential that we be given a 'feel' for the book, a clear sense of the writers' style. Moreover it is within this section we would expect to be introduced to the main characters of the novel and hints as to what may happen next. Finally it is equally important the author describes the setting; both of the physical surroundings and references that allow us to place the text in terms of time and place. In the first chapter Fitzgerald sets up a first person narrator, Nick Carraway, who is omniscient due to his seemingly non-judgmental nature. Within the opening paragraph Carraway informs us he is "inclined to reserve all judgments" and as a result is "privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men". Consequently we are able to witness interesting revelations as Nick "opens up many curious natures" which enhances the effectiveness of the opening chapter. Some admissions add to our enjoyment of the book for example Daisy tells a humorous, anecdotal "family secret...about the butler's nose". Other disclosures expose more of the characters. This is evident when Miss Baker "hesitantly" tells Carraway of Tom's affair. However some may
Discuss Harper Lee's portrayal of the black community in To Kill A Mockingbird
Discuss Harper Lee's portrayal of the black community in To Kill A Mockingbird To Kill A Mockingbird is set in the nineteen thirties, a time when racism was very common and, in America, the Ku Klux Klan were operating, having been reactivated in nineteen fifteen. At that time, despite their loss of the civil war and acceptance (though unwilling) of the Thirteenth Amendment, the Southern states were continuing to practice racism. Many Southern landowners were determined to keep cheap black labour. However, they were not the worst off, as the Southern whites, who were at the bottom of the heap, were threatened by the rising place of black people and became the least respected of people. In the novel, the black community is portrayed very positively, as they are shown as reacting in an absolutely non-violent way to the racist abuse that they suffer, behaving passively and even still helping white people. In this way, they are portrayed as 'heroes'. Despite some dispute over just how realistic this view was, this was undoubtedly Harper Lee's intention as to what we are meant to think of the black community. The novel is about a white man defending a black man in court, something considered "wrong" at the time and something that would have made the lawyer a public enemy. It is narrated by a little girl and this gives the novel an interesting take on racism, as she does not
