The intense sunlight shimmed through the curtains like a light into a diamond ring. The compassionate sunlight probed my skin and then, it was gone. Like my desire to live.

Robert Colquitt Page 1, English Ms Radford 25/11/06 The intense sunlight shimmed through the curtains like a light into a diamond ring. The compassionate sunlight probed my skin and then, it was gone. Like my desire to live. It was early Sunday morning, and the birds were chirping their early April anthem, as I scraped the for-filled shaving foam off my long face. All I could smell was the exquisite scent of the fresh flowers and their pollen that filled the air. As I sluggishly lifted my heavy head, I noticed the ugly, shameful figure staring back at me. What had I become? How could I do such a thing? I started to panic. Heat surrounded me like a fire as my heart pounded the blood around my body. My conscience was knocking at the door. I felt like I never had the right to live any longer. She must suspect something? Surely by now! I acquired my razor in my left crippled hand, I observed it closely. Robert Colquitt Page 2 I saw my reflection in the sharp blade. Absurd thoughts raced through my troubled mind. I could not admit the guilt. I had to do some thing. If not on my behalf, but Charlotte's. I felt like I was not worthy. After my extended shave, I decided to take my ghastly razor out with me. Incase things got too much. My dear love accompanied me, as we walked down the ancient, foul alley. She started to question me... "What is the matter darling?" She

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the book "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros.

The House on Mango Street The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the book "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros. Specifically, it will discuss the theme of search for self-definition. The protagonist of this novel, Esperanza, narrates a series of "chapters", called vignettes, concerning her life, her world, and the barrio as she sees it happening around her. Throughout the book, as Esperanza watches the world, she struggles to discover just who she is, and where she fits in the world around her. This self-definition is a compelling theme of the novel, but it also shows the difficulties many young Latinas face as they come of age in America. Published in 1984, many critics believe "The House on Mango Street" is one of the best Chicana stories written. Author Sandra Cisneros writes with knowledge and pathos of growing up Latina in America because she herself experienced the difficulties of growing up in multi-cultural family. Her mother is Mexican-American and her father is Mexican, and she spent her childhood "commuting" between homes in Mexico and Chicago (Kevane 47). She graduated from Loyola University in 1976, and attended the Iowa Writers Workshop in 1978, where she wrote the draft for this novel about coming of age and multi-culturalism in American barrios. "The House on Mango Street" is more than just the story of Esperanza and

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Write an essay comparing the two stories "Turned" and "The Good Corn".

Write an essay comparing the two stories "Turned" and "The Good Corn" The short story, "Turned" was written in America in 1911. It is about a contemporary family, living a rich lifestyle; I quote "In her soft-carpeted, richly furnished chamber." The author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman was born in the USA in 1860. Her father deserted the family shortly after her birth, this left her Mother poor and Charlotte feeling isolated. Throughout her childhood Charlotte Perkins Gilman strived to gain independence and freedom. She started working very early; she needed to feel like a self-sufficient human being. In 1884, she sacrificed her freedom and married. She gave birth and shortly after fell into a depression. Her physician instructed her to relax; she was forbidden to write or paint (her two passions). To save herself from a life that was destroying her, she summoned her last reserves of will, took her daughter and left her husband. Once fled, she toured, giving lectures and established a boarding house in California. On her income she supported her mother and her daughter. She was a socialist and also a strongly opinionated feminist. Because of her consent travelling, Charlotte's daughter decided to live with her runaway father. Feminism was not accepted in America at the time, many sexual inequalities were evident. She faced a public outcry and lost all of her social standing.

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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The Boston Stranglers.

Michael Tafoya Mr. Stefan Criminology, period 2 January 4, 2002 The Boston Strangler Between the years of 1962 and 1964, the Boston area had been the scene for the mysterious murders of female residents. Thirteen women were strangled in Boston, USA, between June 1962 and January 1964. The killer, moved by uncontrollable sexual desires, plausibly talked his way into the confidence of women living alone. Once admitted to their homes, he raped and strangled his victims. His hallmark was to tie the ligature around their necks with a characteristic bow under the chin. In her book, The Boston Stranglers, Susan Kelly depicts the upbringing of convicted murderer Albert DeSalvo, which would lead him to commit these horrible acts. Albert Henry DeSalvo, the third of six children, was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on September 3, 1931. His parents were Charlotte and Frank DeSalvo, and his family showed powerful signs of being a dysfunctional family. The troubles in his family were created because of his father, who was repeatedly arrested for sternly refusing to support to his wife and children. He was a monster of abuse to Charlotte and the children, beating them regularly with fists, belts, and pipes. On one occasion, he pulled a gun on Charlotte, and on another, he broke two of Charlotte's fingers. Albert had once said that his father once sold the children to a Maine farmer

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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themes in the poetry of Christina Rossetti

themes in the poetry of Christina Rossetti Christina Rossetti is for me, a passionate and powerful poet; the majority of her poetry has contained the themes of either love or death, and in many cases both. Even within her children´s poetry, these themes are prominent. However, I feel it untruthful to call Christina Rossetti a sentimentalist poet, in my opinion she does not write nauseating sentimental 'love´ poems. We shall see how Rossetti projects images of love which are more often then not either non-requited or, cut short, however, she also writes deeply and movingly of divine love. The other major theme within the poetry of Christina Rossetti is 'death´ this theme is quite often in association with divine love. Again, she deals with this in a startlingly refreshing and compassionate way, often with the sense of melancholy but never with depression. Christina Rossetti did not just write for adult amusement, but also wrote poetry for children, and again the themes of Love and Death are featured frequently within these works. Rossetti manages to deal with both emotions in a matter-of-fact style, which a child would appreciate whilst remaining compassionate. It will be necessary to briefly consider some of Christina Rossetti´s personal affairs to see how these have influenced her poetry. For example her love affairs; her dedication to the church; and her family, I

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Discuss the form and narrative perspective of The Yellow Wallpaper with close reference to language and imagery.

Discuss The Form And Narrative Perspective Of The Yellow Wallpaper With Close Reference To Language And Imagery. Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote the Yellow Wallpaper in 1891. For many years she had suffered from severe and continuous nervous breakdown. She found that doctors and specialist were unsympathetic and they warned her never to write again. However, with the help of a friend she disregarded the doctor's advice and began to write again. She slowly began to live a normal life again and regained some power and control over her own life. The story is an account of a middle class, nineteenth century woman and her struggle with mental illness. She is intelligent and likes to write. She craves intellectual company and stimulation. However, her husband, who is a doctor, advises complete bed rest and has forbidden her to write. A first person narrator tells the story. It is written in the style of her diary, which gives the reader an intimate glimpse into her mind. This enables the reader to trace her decline into insanity. In the first entry the narrator describes the house with mixed feelings. On the one hand, she compliments the house and calls it "The most beautiful place" with a "delicious garden" (p128) but then she seems apprehensive. She dismisses the thoughts that the house may be "haunted" but she still feels that there is "something queer about it." Perhaps she

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Using the examples, how does 'Now, Voyager' illustrate classic melodrama conventions of the 'Women's picture?'

Using the examples, how does 'Now, Voyager' illustrate classic melodrama conventions of the 'Women's picture?' In this point in time (1942), women's picture was important to the studios. Women preferred to watch women stars such as Bette Davis who was a role model to all women. She had roles that showed integrity, intelligence and strength. They preferred drama, musicals and love stories to other types of other film, in other words 'human interest' stories. When looking at the film ('the women's weepie'), the narrative/setting and locations were important. The classic linear narrative is disrupted because of flashbacks. The narrative is episodic which is the story about Charlotte's progression through out a year. Every setting functions in a way a to tell us more about Charlotte. The scenes consist of either in the Vale Mansion, the boat in which Charlotte went to take a cruise on, the sanatorium, parties Charlotte attended or Brazil. The film is very reliant on coincidences, for example meeting Jerry's daughter Tina at the sanatorium and Jerry happening to be at the same party as Charlotte. In the film, we see three Charlotte's: The 'frumpy' character that is sexually active, the 'glamorous' character that is repressed and the 'mother/business' role that is a 'fully-rounded' individual. Her progression has grown from unless your beautiful you wont be a confident woman. The

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Is Hester Swane, the protagonist from By the Bog of Cats by Marina Carr, a witch?

Monika Glegola Is Hester Swane, the protagonist from By the Bog of Cats by Marina Carr, a witch? ' Witch - a woman thought to have evil magic powers; a follower or practicioner of witchcraft; Wiccan priestess; a girl or a woman capable of enchanting or bewitching a man' ( The New Oxford Dictionary of English ). Literature has always been occupied with the subject matter concerning witches and witchcraft. Early and contemporary literature have established similar definitions of a witch although the witch herself was portrayed a little bit different. The subject of a witch has always attracted people as it brings uncertainty, suspension, curiosity and interest for the unknown. It reveals the relation between something natural, human and the undiscovered, not understood in its nature. A witch is a person perceived as being similar to christian God and its power, though witchcraft is a pagan 'religion'. She is capable of controlling others, making them behave as she wants and, furthermore, capable of making things happen according to her will. Thus, witches have become the subject of fear as the unknown but at the same time they have established a major interest reflected mostly in literature. Through legends, myths, documents of fact and literature of fiction, the reader is allowed to gain the knowledge about witches' nature and culture and to enter their world. However,

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Character analysis of "A pair of tickets".

201824 Eng 103 L Professor Szabo CHARACTER ANALYSIS OF "A PAIR OF TICKETS" In the story "A Pair of Tickets", Jing-mei is discovering her identity as a Chinese through the trip to China and the new understanding she gains about her mother's past. The need for her to face the fact that she is Chinese begins when she realize she had to meet her half-sisters in the place of her mother. The story opens with Jing-mei thinking that she is becoming a Chinese: "I think, my mother was right. I am becoming Chinese" (165). Her mother had somehow foreseen the fact that Jing-mei would feel Chinese: "It's in your blood, waiting to be let go" (169). Her mother's words were foreshadowing the feelings she had about her Chinese identity. Jing-mei is searching for her Chinese identity; and several events throughout the story mirror her own process of accepting the Chinese identity that has always been in her. An example would be her interaction with Lili, Aiyi's great granddaughter. The process of Jing-mei's search for her Chinese identity is reflected when she tries to approach Lili with the Polaroid camera. When she first introduces herself to Lili, Lili turns in fear and strives to avoid her by "squirm[ing] to look away" (174). This is a reflection of Jing-mei's attitude towards Chinese and her fear of accepting it as her own identity. "I bite my lip, trying not to cry. I'm afraid to

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  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Welty's Natchez Trace: All Obstacles.

Laura Campanelli Oct. 29th/2003 Marcia Goldberg 1807 0330513 Revised in class Essay Welty's Natchez Trace: All Obstacles Obstacles and barriers are in the way at some point or another during a lifetime. Phoenix Jackson, the main character in "A Worn Path", is presented with many obstacles along her journey on Natchez's Trace; despite these obstacles, her love for her grandson pulls her through until she makes it into town. The author, Eudora Welty, uses the devices of characterization, setting development and description in "A Worn Path" to demonstrate that Phoenix Jackson lets neither the facts of her old age and the cold weather nor the long and impeding journey stand in the way of her getting into town for her grandson's medicine. The devices of characterization, setting development and description enable Welty to tell a story of courage. Phoenix Jackson's loss of memory, physical fragility and impaired vision are just some of the side effects from her old age. These repercussions of aging render her journey more difficult as struggles into town. The scene near the last the third of the trip especially captures the approach of senility. It is through the following textual evidence, speaking to an attendant at the clinic after her day long trek, Phoenix says: "My Grandson. It was my memory had

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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