Writing about Literature - "Country Halloween".
Kurt Lawson Oct 24, 2002 Writing about Literature Mr. Frongillo "Country Halloween" What is it that makes Halloween one of the most mysterious holidays of the years? Could it be the ghastly ghouls and ghosts that have fun scaring innocent humans, the blood sucking vampires, who with their superhuman immortality, stalk weak human victims, or could it be the evil demons who room the earth in search of their next human spirit? Halloween is a season that questions the outer image of many things, and stretches the religious beliefs of many people. Most of the emphasis is also placed on appearance during this season. Whether it is dressing up for a party or watching Horror movies, things are never as they really seem during this season. Ironically, In Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People," most of the main characters create fake personalities for themselves. These artificial masks also hide the weaknesses that they have no wish to face or understand. Most people try to be comfortable with every aspect of themselves, because certain people, who in this story are represented by Manley Pointer's character, easily exploits the weaknesses of others. He's "good country people"(396) and " '-just the salt of the earth' " (403) says Mrs. Hopewell as she refers to Manley Pointer. All the characters in this story have two sided personalities; however, only Manley Porter exploits the
Explore the implications of the title "Great Expectations".
Explore the implications of the title "Great Expectations" Throughout literary history, the titling of a novel, play or poem can, has and will continue to define not just what a book will be filed under, but how it is received by the readership and critics alike. In the case of Dickens' "Great Expectations", the thematically driven ambiguity of the title allows readers and critics to draw interpretations of its implications based on theme, character and the interweaving of these in the narrative, whilst providing intrigue over its relevance and suitability to the Bildungsroman that Dickens crafts. Naturally, the very phrase "Great Expectations" provokes intrigue as to what these expectations are, and the variation between what is great, and expected by various characters is central to the presentation of character and its depth in the novel. For Pip, the idea of "great expectations" is precisely that, a superficial idea, and it is Pip's vehement and frequently misguided idealism over the obstacles and events that he comes across throughout his life that shapes his actions. One of the most important examples of this is upon his dreams of becoming a gentleman being realised- the superficial picture of the behaviour that constitutes "gentlemanliness" that he draws from the "very pretty, very proud and very insulting" Estella and the vengeful Miss Havisham lead him to begin to
Use of setting in 'The Tale of Two Cities'
Choose two or three chapters from 'The Tale of two Cities' where Dickens use of setting to: * Understand what is happening in the novel * Understand and appreciate the characters more fully * Appreciate the writers skills * Learn more about the 18th century * Understand the writer's purpose In this essay I will be analysing the following chapters 'The period' 'The wine shop' and 'Monseigneur in town'. I chose 'The Period' because it sets the scene for the novel, it also compares and contrasts the monarchs of France and England and how they had different legal systems which were equally as arbitrary and 'lawless' for instance the young man who had his hands cut off and put to death in France, where as England was being plagued by highway men. The reason why I chose the 'The Wine shop' because it shows the desperation of the working classes and Lucy Manette visits her father. Then lastly I chose 'The monseigneur in town' because it shows the indifference of the upper classes (Aristocrats) to the plight of the working classes and the Peasants. In the chapter 'The Period' it starts off with the very famous quote 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' which meant good times for the rich people until the revolution and the bad times for the poor people. Dickens highlights the quality of life which the rich people were having then he compares this with the
A Gentleman within and the Gentlemen without… The complexity of moral growth in Great Expectations
A Gentleman within and the Gentlemen without... The complexity of moral growth in Great Expectations does not suffer in meaning or value when compared to the cliché that it is not what is outside, but what is inside a man that counts. Throughout the novel, the character of Pip is faced with struggling to find a place in a society he was not born into, nor initially morally suited for. The journey of self-growth that he undergoes is a gradual and subtle one, and it is often we find that he learns valuable lessons about being a true gentleman too late to restore his world to the way he wishes it could be. The journeys and actions of the characters Joe Gargery, Mr Jaggers, Abel Magwitch and (indirectly) Herbert Pocket allows Pip to grow from their experiences, and shapes his character into the gentleman he desires to be. The lessons each character present to Pip about the essence of being a true gentleman in a society plagued by so many who aren't will be identified and explored, to bring clarity to Pip's journey to fulfilling his expectations. Joe Gargery is Pip's brother-in-law, yet fulfils the dual role of father and friend during his childhood. He is a simple man, suffering under Mrs Joe's (Pip's sister and surrogate mother) suppressive personality. In the beginning of the novel, prior to Pip being exposed to the world he feels will satisfy his expectations, Joe and Pip
What connections are established between class and masculinity on texts from the module?
What connections are established between class and masculinity on texts from the module? In relation to historical culture and context, the social expectations of men have an element of continuality over the novels looked at on the module. It is important to look at historical events that have taken place and how they relate to the text. An important concept around the Victorian era is the construction of the gentleman and how this ties in with the idea of male violence, which is a recurrent feature in the texts. Looking at the fighting in Saturday night Sunday morning enables the reader to contextualise the angry young men of the fifty's. Around this issue is the idea of normative masculinity. When answering this question it is also important to look at gender identity in relation to class, race and nationality, the expectations of men in different classes. In the Victorian era, to become a gentleman was a cultural goal that men aspired to. "It is considered essential that a gentleman should not only be able to live without manual labour, but also without too visible attention to business, for it was leisure that enabled a man to cultivate the style and pursuits of gentlemanly life" (Glimour, R; Page 7). This quote portrays the idea of the gentleman at the time of publication; a gentleman shouldn't have to work for their money and should have time for leisure
Children's literature - David Wiesner.
David Wiesner Paper 1 - Leslie Barrow As Bob Dylan once said, "the times, they are a-changin'." This statement applies to almost all facets of our lives in the twenty-first century, including children's literature. Many authors have led the transition of this genre. One such author is David Wiesner. He has helped change the face of children's literature from the simple presentations of "Mother Goose" poems and fables to thought provoking works in which children immerse themselves. To understand the messages in David Wiesner's writing, we must first understand David Wiesner. Born February 5, 1956, in Bridgewater, New Jersey, Wiesner was the youngest of five children. As a child, his parents and siblings supported his artistic habits. Throughout school, Wiesner developed a reputation as "the kid that could draw." His teachers quickly recognized his gift and channeled his talents. After graduating high school in 1974, Wiesner enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Design. In 1978, he received his Bachelor of Fine Art in Illustration. After graduation, he worked illustrating magazine covers before other writers recognized his talents in 1981. David Wiesner brought Nancy Luenn's words to life in her 1981 release The Ugly Princess. This led to other opportunities to illustrate other author's works such as Dennis Haseley's 1986 book Kite Flier. In 1987 Wiesner took
Write an essay of not more than 1500 words, referring to Great Expectations and Frankenstein, discussing how origins are explored through realist and other conventions.
Natalia Atkinson Personal identifier: W7234978 A210: Approaching Literature TMA:02 Write an essay of not more than 1500 words, referring to Great Expectations and Frankenstein, discussing how origins are explored through realist and other conventions. As Edward Said remarked in 'On Repetition' in The World, The Text and The Critic (1984), 'the realist novel is concerned with seeing people as peculiarly individual beings facing an individual destiny' (The Realist Novel, p. 68); we can certainly see this is evident in both Great Expectations1 and Frankenstein2. In both novels we, as readers, are faced with tumultuous happenings concerning the quest for identity. Through using the, occasionally very loose, framework of the realist novel both seek to explore other genres to illustrate the wider psychological impact of the search for one's origin. In Great Expectations we are introduced to the significant theme of origins immediately as we witness young Pip at the graveyard, lamenting over the appearance of his parents. From here, we are thrown into the dangerous world of the criminal as 'a fearful man' (p. 6) accosts Pip and threatens that his accompanying friend will have his 'liver tore out, roasted and ate' (p. 8). Although we are in the throws of melodrama here, there is a hint of the gothic element, which exemplifies Pips fear and apprehension, and
However, in particular, Kiss Me Carol by Farrukh Dhondy, Drunkard Of The River by Michael Anthony and The Exercise by .... have seemed to share a very strong theme in the relationship between father and son
I will be going to compare and contrast the ways in which fathers, sons and the relationship between them are presented in three of the stories I have studied. All of the stories I have read have had shared a common background in one-way or another. However, in particular, Kiss Me Carol by Farrukh Dhondy, Drunkard Of The River by Michael Anthony and The Exercise by .... have seemed to share a very strong theme in the relationship between father and son. The tension created in all three short stories is quite breathtaking and done in different ways in which I will explain and explore. In the story by Farrukh Dhondy, we as the reader are given the impression that Mr Mirah demands respect from his son Jolil. To further prove this point, Jolil does not tell his father about the letter in fear of his farther thinking it's a complaint. In contrast to this, from lines 1-12 we understand that Mr. Miah is a very caring father in which he asks his son "what happened at school?" Mr. Miah beliefs and attitude towards education is one that deserves much respect from the reader. As well as being a very proud man " I send you to school, they turn you into beggar" clear as crystal for the reader to see, Mr Miah finds it almost insulting that his son should play the part of Tim in the school play. Mr. Miah is also a religious man. "said his prayers after sunset" "Allah (Arabic for
Discuss the figure of the 'gentleman' in Dickens' 'Great Expectations', contextualising the novel as much as possible.
Discuss the figure of the 'gentleman' in Dickens' 'Great Expectations', contextualising the novel as much as possible The concept of the nineteenth century gentleman was always somewhat confused. Whilst members of the aristocracy immediately qualified, in the age of industrial progression and with people outside the upper class coming into great amounts of wealth, there seemed to be a need to define who did or didn't qualify. To be considered a gentleman meant you had to have a certain social status; to simply behave with dignity, manners and respect was nothing if you weren't projecting the right social image, because only then would you be seen as an individual worthy of recognition. The focus of 'Great Expectations' is upon Philip Pirrip, or 'Pip'. As the novel is told from his perspective as he recounts the events of his youth, he takes the role of two characters; Pip the protagonist, whose activities make up the bulk of the book and Pip the narrator, who provides an older and wiser perspective on the actions of his youth. The two characters are made distinguishable from one another with great care by Dickens, as he makes sure to give them each an individual voice; the older narrator has perspective and maturity, whilst the younger protagonist gives his immediate thoughts and feelings on what happens to him as it happens. This is most evident in the novel's early
Great expectations
In chapter one of Great Expectations, Dickens sets the scene with vivid description to convey the mood of the area. The 'meshes' or marshes form an important part of the atmosphere as the character, Pip, is introduced. The narrative is related by Pip himself, allowing us to see the environment, characters and incidents through his eyes. Pip tells the reader that because he could not pronounce his full name 'I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip'. The fact that Pip himself tells us that his surroundings are 'bleak' and 'overgrown with nettles' provides us with evidence that he grew up in a harsh environment - obviously not an ideal place for a child to be raised. Pip's behavior in the graveyard gives us clues about the circumstances in which he was raised. Pips description of his younger, deceased brothers 'that they had all been born on their backs with their hands in their pockets' shows us that he has little or nothing to channel his imagination, showing the reader a sense of loneliness connected with Pip. We know from Pip's childish descriptions of his parents that his older sister, Mrs. Joe, has never told him about them. The fact that Pip believes his mother was called 'Also Georgiana, wife of the above' provides the reader with evidence that Mrs. Joe has no time for him, as she has not corrected his obvious mistake. The narrator also