Abstract In the classic tale "Rip van Winkle" by Washington Irving, the story of a man that sleeps through the American Revolutionary War is presented. Yet while the story is intended to be a work of humor, Irving also works to present the war of the sexes as manifest in the conflict between the character of Rip van Winkle and the various female characters that van Winkle encounters within the story. This paper investigates the gender roles in this story.
Abstract The poet Pablo Neruda is renown for his exploration of themes of love within his poetry. These themes of love range from the traditional portrays of passion to representations of political commitment. This paper critically assesses Neruda's poems of love in respect to the themes that are manifest within his presentation of love, where he argues that emotion and passion allows the individual to better experience life.
Abstract This paper states that Campbell's chronological approach to Houston's public life provides a good insight into the public and political climate of Houston's time. The author believes that this approach tends to push Campbell into depicting his subject as a very heroic and public man, perhaps at the expense of smaller and less flattering stories about Houston.
Abstract Tayo finds redemption by realizing the importance of ceremony. Silko's ceremony, therefore, serves as a vehicle to integration, fusing the individual not only with him/herself, but also with the community and the entire spiritual world.
Abstract This paper will discuss "Souls of Black Folk" by W.E.B. Du Bois and uncover the major ideas put forward by Dubois - finding the black soul. He uses many ideas to categorize his meanings, while giving a clear representation of black life in America. Examples from the book will explain what he meant in writing the book and how this was achieved. By analyzing three themes in this book, we can see how Dubois covered many aspects of black thinking and helped to change the way of life for blacks in America.
Abstract This paper discusses McLaurin's book, which is a story of violence and retribution in a slaveholding society in antebellum Missouri. It is a story of a young slave who was sexually exploited by her master and ultimately executed for his murder. The social meaning behind the story is analyzed.
From the Paper "McLaurin demonstrates the degree to which females where sexually exploited in the first days of Celia's story. Celia was only fourteen years old when she was acquired by Newsom, an aging widower and a prosperous and respected citizen of Callaway County, Missouri. After purchasing Celia in a neighboring county, Newsom raped her on the journey back to his farm. He then established her in a small cabin near his house and visited her regularly, repeatedly raping her. Over the next five years, Celia bore Newsom two children, both becoming Newsom's property. By 1855, she became involved with a slave named George and resolved (at his insistence) to end the relationship with her master. She did that on June 23, 1855 (McLaurin 33). But Newsom was the master. A slave didn't tell the master what to do. Newsom came back to Celia's cabin that night. Ready for Newsom this time, Celia struck him with a heavy stick when he refused to leave her alone. She hit him again when Newsom came back at her. She had tried to hurt him, to keep him away. She ended with a result she had not intended. Newsom was dead."
Abstract This paper discusses how great of a poet Robert Frost really was. This paper goes on to discuss several of his most famous poems. The poems analyzed are "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and ?Fire and Ice.?
From the Paper "Robert Frost can be referred to as one of the greatest American writers of all time. His poems separated him from other writers, which made him truly unique. Frost has written incredible poems such as "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and ?Fire and Ice.? Critics found his work could be quite controversial. Some critics felt strongly that the message in his poems was supposed to mean one thing. Mean while the reactions of his poetry can be completely different. His poems that are viewed as successful are usually short in length, and most of his long-winded poems are referred to as failures. Robert Frost's work is that of a wide variety. For the most part he writes poems about realization, imagination, and death. Frost has published many collections of poems most to satisfactory reviews and some to a poorer analysis."
Abstract This paper examines Joyce Carol Oates's short story, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been"?, which was written in 1966, and how, twenty years later, it was made into a movie entitled "Smooth Talk", the winner of the 1985 U.S. Film Festival for best dramatic picture. It looks at how Oates extends reality with her character, Arnold Friend, based on the real life of Charles Schmid, who cruised teenage hangouts, picking up girls. It also shows how the producer of "Smooth Talk" also takes detours from the road of reality by further developing the characters of Connie's mother, father, and older sister, June. In particular, it examines how the two endings differ greatly.
From the Paper "While the physical characteristics seem similar, however, the description of Connie's sexual nature differs, playing an important part in the development of the final scenes of both the story and the movie. While the writer of Smooth Talk portrays Connie as a flirt and a tease, she, nevertheless, resists going "all the way" with the boys she cruises with on summer nights. This makes the compelling seduction by Arnold Friend at the screen door that much more chilling as she faces rape and the loss of innocence to someone she hardly knows. In contrast, by implying in her short story that Connie is already sexually active, author Joyce Oates deepens the terror of the screen-door meeting by focusing not on just the sexually persuasive nature of Arnold Friend but also on the demonic trance-like state he uses in order to control his victims."
This paper discusses Benjamin Franklin's "An Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" and Frederick Douglas's "A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, An American Slave".
Abstract This paper explains that the experiences that changed both Franklin and Douglas had to do with the importance of education in enabling people to better themselves. The author points out that Franklin's education came when he worked as an apprentice printer with his brother during his teens. The paper relates that Frederick Douglas's life story tells a much bleaker tale and shows even more the ability of one man to use his wits and his natural talents to pull himself up by the bootstraps.
From the Paper "Indeed, it was because of the fact that he had such great access to books through his induction into the printer's trade that he was able to foster his love of books and learning and to begin to develop his persuasive rhetorical skills that would aid him not only in writing, but also in oratory. Without this love of books and learning being instilled in him Franklin could have never become the great thinker, speaker, author, and statesmen that he was to become."
This paper examines issues of marriage rights, abandonment, and religion in the context of 16th century France as illustrated by Natalie Zemon Davis's book, "The Return of Martin Guerre".
1,414 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 1 source, 2002, $ 47.95
Abstract This paper investigates how women's choices were severely limited in Catholic France of the 16th century, using as a source "The Return of Martin Guerre". Even though the main character had been abandoned by her husband for many years, according to law she could not seek a divorce. This examination shows how the growing influence of Protestantism and its more liberal views of marriage influenced the choices of the characters in the book, as well as those of everyone in Reformation Europe.
From the Paper "Marriages of the time, even among peasants, were often arranged more for economic reasons than for any idea of romantic love. There is no evidence presented in the book that Bertrande or Martin knew each other very well before getting married, much less that they were in love. The marriage was most likely arranged by their parents to maximize the economic resources of both families."
Abstract This paper shows the differences between the Gospel of John and the three Synoptic Gospels in the Passion Narratives. The paper reviews the writing styles, places, and people of each account.
From the Paper The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are considered the synoptic Gospels, because they follow the same general pattern. John's Gospel, however, is distinguished from the other three in many ways. Though, the most important difference takes place in the events of the Passion Narratives.
Abstract This paper discusses the father-son relationships in August Wilson's play "Fences." It expands on the purpose of the father building a fence. It explains the impact of racism on African-Americans. The author desires the conflict between a father and son based on differing motivations. In conclusion the paper discusses the future versus the past.
From the Paper "August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize winning play, "Fences" deals with the aftermath of slavery in the United States and how one man, Troy Maxon is unable to escape the fence erected by white America around African Americans. Unable to rise above his ..."
Tags: Fences, Wilson, Dream, Play, African-American, Racism, Behaviors, Father, Son
Abstract This paper discusses the main theme of Carlo Ginzburg's "The Cheese and the Worms". It explains that the book sets forth the story of a 16th century miller who has come to the realization of the existence of other cultures. It explores the existence and result of culture shock in the sixteenth century.
From the Paper ""In The Cheese and the Worms," Ginzburg sets forth the story of a miller who has come into the realization of the existence of other cultures. The micro history attempts to understand how a sixteenth century miller acquired ideas about the cosmos which the Catholic Church found heretical. In the process of coming to this understanding, Ginzburg seems to find that the exposure to new cultures produced a sort of culture shock as the miller was not accustomed to ..."
Tags: carlo ginzburg, culture, relativistic, shock, the cheese and the worms.
Abstract This paper discusses the way in which Guy de Maupassant treats materialism in his short story, "The Necklace." This paper offers a characterization of the major female character who places value only on material objects.
From the Paper "In his short story "The Necklace" Guy de Maupassant tells the story of a woman who borrows a diamond necklace for a party and loses it during the course of the night. As a result, she and her husband must live in poverty and spend the next ten years working to pay off the debts to replace the necklace. In his characterization of Mathilde, Loisel de Maupassant clearly argues against materialism as she is forced to pay for her petty superficial desires."
Tags: de maupassant, necklace, materialism, irony, material objects, shallow
From the Paper "In the short novel Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Santiago Nasar is brutally murdered by the Vicario twins as an act of revenge for their sister's loss of virginity, before her marriage to Bayardo San Rom?n. The entire story consists of recollections and evidence given by witnesses to the crime, people who knew Nasar, and those directly involved in his murder. The story is inconclusive, and the events that are described are so ambiguous that they indicate neither guilt nor innocence. Certain characters seem to be convinced of his guilt, while others are certain that he is the innocent victim of someone's search for a scapegoat. "
