From the Paper " In A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold presents a series of portraits of nature and the natural landscape, coupled with related musings on life, the environment, and man's place in this world. The approach taken is not dissimilar to a tradition in American literature extending back through such writers as Emerson and Thoreau. both of whom also used observations of nature to glean philosophical and practical knowledge of themselves and their world. In the Preface to the Enlarged Edition, the author's children note that the book was originally published in 1949 after Leopold's death and that much of what he discusses in this book, offering his insight into the American landscape and to our need to preserve and enjoy it, has passed into common currency, though much distorted. In 1966 when this edition was published, roadside beautification had replaced "the.."
Abstract This paper begins with some general comments on the attributes possessed by Spartan warriors that can be deduced from Pressfield's book. It goes on to outline the plot of the work, concentrating on the features and influence of Spartan culture. It discusses the Spartan trait of dedication, the experiences of Spartan youths in training and the Spartan mentor/student relationship. The paper concludes with a synopsis of the impression of Spartan warriors given by Pressfield's work.
From the Paper "What constitutes a Spartan? Indeed, what characteristics are exemplary of a Spartan? According to Steven Pressfied in his work, "Gates of Fire", Spartans are synonymous with the term warrior. So much so in fact, that one is likely to find the word Spartan in the thesaurus when researching the term "warrior". In his book, Pressfield provides the reader with very detailed and accurate descriptions of the ideal Spartan, as portrayed through the eyes of a freedman, a former slave recruited into the service of Spartan warriors, an individual in awe of the intensity and fearlessness of the warriors he has encountered. One can most definitely conclude upon reading this work that Spartans were raised in a society or culture that praised fearlessness, cunning, strength and courage."
This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the book "The Natural," by Bernard Malamud, specifically, its importance in American baseball literature.
Abstract The writer learns that "The Natural" was author Bernard Malamud's first book. Written in 1952, the novel recounts the story of Roy Hobbs, an over-the-hill pitcher turned batter who just wants a chance in the major leagues. Many critics have called "The Natural" the best baseball book of all time. Malamud combines his love of baseball with the mythical and dark sides of human nature, showing a seedy side of the game not usually recognized by writers.
From the Paper "As the novel progresses, Roy gets his chance to play baseball with a down-and-out team, the New York Knights, which is another reference in the book to the quest for the Grail. "Over the course of the season Roy gets involved with Pop's lovely niece, Memo, and her friend, the gambler Gus Sands. Eventually his desire for Memo, and his need for sufficient money to keep her in the style she desires, once again leads him astray from his quest" (Editors). He agrees to throw a game, and his miraculous bat, "Wonderboy," that he has carried with him since the beginning of his quest, shatters in his last game, ruining the Knight's chances, and his own to continue playing America's game. He is destroyed, because he has not only failed in his quest, he has failed those that believed in him. "Roy does somehow deserve to be destroyed for not honoring the natural talent he has been blessed with" (Editors).
Abstract This paper shows how, in his book, Geertz offers a general context for the comparative analysis of religion and applies it to the study of the development of Islam in two very different countries: Indonesia and Morocco. The paper looks at Geertz's sentiments regarding religion, ideology and culture, and how he addresses these considerations in his book.
From the Paper "In comparing religious practices in two communities, Geertz is trying to ?determine just how and in what way particular ideas, acts, and institutions sustain, fail to sustain, or even inhibit religious faiths." (2). Geertz wonders how the common man's "religious sensibility reacts when the machinery of faith begins to wear out" What do they do when tradition falters?" (3) Moreover, the author wonders particularly what cultural and circumstantial processes influence those reactions."
Abstract This paper analyzes Caputo's novel which tells of his battle experience in the Vietnam War and how it changed him from an idealistic young man fresh out of officer's school, to a ruthless killer, to a disillusioned soldier. Four main themes are presented. First, "A Rumor of War" gives a firsthand account of the corrupting power of war and its ability to strip soldiers of their humanity. Secondly, it exposes the dark side present in even the best man's heart. The book also graphically documents the capacity of man to be inhumane to man. Finally, the novel serves as a testament to the senseless destruction of life and property in the war.
From the Paper "To document the ability of war to corrupt a man and steal his humanity, Caputo unflinchingly documents his own transformation from a young man eager for the test of war to a cold-hearted killer motivated solely by raising the enemy casualty count. As his relationship with Vietnam grows, it is revealed to the author as a place of corruption. "Everything rotted and corroded quickly over there: bodies, boot leather, canvas, metal, morals" (229). He tells of his own loss of morals, a result of the futile missions to eliminate elusive guerilla enemy, the days of uncomfortable waiting laced with momentary terrors of sniper attack, and the mounting pressure from his superiors to show something was being gained with the ever-increasing American losses. A turning point in the book is when Caputo allows the platoon under his command to burn a village to the ground with only marginal justification."
Abstract Analysis of Pa Chin's novel of conflicts in China & the Chinese family in the 1920s. Political and social awakening of young intellectuals & the upheavals on the nation, the family and individuals who wanted change, or fought against changes. Struggles of old with young, establishment with reforms. Females seeking liberation in Chinese patriarchal society.
From the Paper "Pa Chin's novel Family describes the conflicts in China and the Chinese family in the 1920s, after the first communist movement of May 4th, 1919, when the old traditional, feudal ways began to be not only questioned but threatened by young intellectuals seeking reform throughout society, beginning with the educational system, as is the case with many revolutionary youth. The novel portrays the political and social awakening of that group and the effects of resultant upheavals on the nation, the family, and on individuals who either sought or fought against those changes. The old struggled with the young, the establishment struggled with reformers, and females sought liberation in a society which was changing but which was still thoroughly patriarchal.
The novel first focuses the social division created between..."
Abstract This paper shows how Stephen Oates explores the life and times of one of the greatest civil rights leaders. It explains how the book looks deeply into Martin Luther King's life and the results of his endless struggle to rid the United States of bigotry. Furthermore, the book examines the forces and people that shaped Dr. King's life, leading him on his pathway to destiny.
From the Paper "Throughout the book, Oates takes a highly favorable look at what Dr. King did for the movement. He writes the words of his story with a great deal of passion. At many points in the book, Oates zealous style places King on a pedestal for all others to look up to. This style is very powerful, influencing the reader to absorb King's message. In order for the reader to find truth in King's philosophies however, Oates needed to thoroughly demonstrate the need for change in America."
Abstract This paper points out ways in which ancient Greek poet Virgil drew from Homer's work, "The Odyssey" for his own poem "The Aeneid" and ways in which he differed. It shows similarities of plot, theme, and style in both these epic poems. The paper shows that the similarities between the two poems are many and yet, when each similarity is analyzed with a discerning eye, it is apparent that Virgil, by deliberately borrowing concepts, styles, themes and details from his predecessor, was on a quest to create an epic that would incorporate all the necessary classic requirements with his own unique additions that enhance the poem and possibly allow himself to surpass Homer.
From the Paper "Virgil's epic masterpiece, The Aeneid, consciously draws from techniques, themes, imagery and plot from the great work of Homer, The Odyssey. While the similarities are striking and at times seem practically identical, it is clear that Virgil borrowed from Homer only to enlarge upon the themes and techniques employed by his predecessor in order to create a masterfully crafted work of art. All of the similarities between the two works contain subtle differences that allow for Virgil, who sees himself as the heir to Homeric poetry, to create a unique and distinctive poem that builds and expands upon Homer's trailblazing originality."
Abstract Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), one of the most popular and influential American novelists of the twentieth century, enjoyed nearly as much fame as a hard-living, adventurous personality as he did as a major artist. The paper shows that his life and his art were intertwined in many ways, and biography plays an important role in understanding his work. The paper shows that a great deal can be learned about Hemingway's art by studying the ways in which his life was transformed in his fiction--the process that made his fiction works of art rather than autobiography. The paper discusses several of Hemingway's books, including "The Sun Also Rises" and "A Farewell to Arms".
From the Paper "If the autobiographical element in the Nick Adams stories is fairly direct--and the character can be considered Hemingway's alter-ego without any difficulty--the story in the novel was even more directly taken from life. Yet Jake Barnes, the protagonist, is far more problematical as a stand-in for the author. In some ways the character's disgust with the 'lostness' of the other lost generation characters in the book and his pleasure in the art of the bullfighter reflected the real Hemingway. They were also the first fictional steps in the author's lifelong project of "orchestrat[ing] his own persona, a persona which continues to dominate both popular and critical evaluations" of the novels and stories (Clifford 172). Thus readings of the novel sometimes concentrate too heavily on this emerging public Hemingway."
Abstract This paper examines the life and the writings of Ernest Hemingway by focusing on three of his works, "The Snows of Kilimanjaro", "The Short Happy Life of Kilimanjaro" and "A Farewell to Arms". It discusses how each story argues that a man may only find his true worth when confronted by danger, usually in the form of the dangers of the natural world. It provides a brief overview of his life and shows how as both novelist and short-story writer, Hemingway's style is characterized by crispness, laconic dialogue and emotional understatement and how both his writings and his personal life exerted a profound influence on American writers of his time.
From the Paper "Hemingway's writing style was no doubt influenced by an early job as a reporter for the Kansas City Star. He left this job within a few months to serve as a volunteer ambulance driver in Italy during World War I. He later transferred to the Italian infantry and was severely wounded. After the war he was a correspondent for the Toronto Star and then settled in Paris. While there, he was encouraged in creative work by the American expatriate writers Ezra Pound and Gertrude Stein. After 1927 Hemingway spent long periods of time in Key West, Florida, and in Spain and Africa. These adventures, his career as a journalist and his work in war zones all influenced his philosophy and writing style (Clifford, 1999, p. 22)."
Abstract A literary criticism of two short stories by Edgar Allen Poe, "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado". The paper examines the underlying themes that both stories share, impressions of schizophrenia, guilt and murder that lead the reader to the understanding that no one can escape from his own conscience.
From the Paper "Each narrator possesses a form of paranoia from a harmless "evil eye" and an unknown insult that cause no physical harm to either narrator. This instigates the idea of murder into the minds of the narrators as the only means of ridding themselves of their paranoia. Yet the unexpected guilt that transpires from the murders is so overwhelming to the narrators that it eventually leads to their self-destruction. Each is forced by their conscience to confess their sin, which has no satisfying effect on the guilt they continue to possess. By using his narrators, Edgar Allan Poe is able to mimic real life in these stories by including "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado" his stories. Poe makes every effort to portray real life in his novels (Alterton 181). It is believed by many reviewers that Poe was trying to confront his own problems and control his emotional distresses through these stories (Bily 58)."
Abstract This paper examines Jack London's story "To Build a Fire," with emphasis on elements of naturalism and realism. The paper illustrates the use that London makes of the dog as a character in the story. The story is outlined, depicting a lone man fighting the cold of Alaska and struggling to build a fire that may save him. The theme of conflict in the form of a contest between nature and man is prevalent in this paper, with man eventually overwhelmed by nature, a force obviously beyond his control.
From the Paper "The real-life Jack London journeyed, along with thousands of others, to the Klondike in search of gold (Schorer, et al. 581-2). But one does not have to know about London's personal history to see that "To Build a Fire" fits into the realistic mold and contains features of naturalism. The harsh, "exceedingly cold and gray" (London 490) climate of the Klondike setting of the story puts "To Build a Fire" within the vein of naturalism. The story also offers a credible portrait of an ordinary man--not a dashing, romantic hero who conquers all despite the odds. The man's behavior is described persuasively because it sets up conflict in the form of a contest between nature and man, with man eventually overwhelmed by nature, a force definitely beyond his control."
Abstract This paper shows how the Oedipus complex theory can be applied to Hamlet, the main character of "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare and the issues that he faces concerning his mother and girlfriend. The paper shows that the intense rage that Hamlet projects onto Queen Gertrude (his mother), Ophelia (his girlfriend) and women in general compiles this version of Oedipus complex triangle. Hamlet finds himself strangely drawn to the act of matricide whether or not he blatantly expresses it, because he partially blames his mother for the circumstances leading up to his father's death, although he has a strange sexual affinity towards her. The paper describes how Hamlet releases his frustration about his father's death indirectly on Ophelia while raising to the surface strong undercurrents of an Oedipal complex with Gertrude as its center.
From the Paper "According to psychoanalysis, a male child's dual view of his mother as the Madonna and the whore (her relationship with the father) is not abnormal. Men have a preoccupation with virginity as well as an urge to engage in dirty activities with the whore. Unfortunately, Hamlet fails to detangle the complicated web he has mentally and emotionally intertwined them in, and he ends up causing them to incur mental and physical damage. His feelings about Polonius? death have much to do with using Ophelia as a vehicle for him to feel as though he forced the same agony of grief upon his mother that he had to endure when his father died."
Abstract This paper discusses the writer, Virginia Woolf and outlines her strong feminist views which were derived from her perception of the very real discrimination experienced by women throughout Victorian society. The paper presents the writer as one who was much concerned with the general plight of women in literature in her era. Illustrated in this paper is the central theme of relationships between women as is evident throughout her fiction, specifically mother-daughter relationships.
From the Paper "Virginia Woolf is noted for her novels, which feature a new type of literary style based on psychology and deem "stream-of-consciousness," but she is also known for her criticism and essays on literary subjects. The act of writing was an important human action for her, and she explored the meaning of this communicative process especially in terms of gender, in terms of the expression of women writers and the problems they encountered in finding their fictional voice. Woolf commented on the oppression and repression of women writers in her time and in so doing says much about the relations between men and women in society and specifically about the need for women to achieve freedom so they feel they can express themselves through writing in the same way men do."
Abstract This paper discusses Kurt Vonnegut's motivation behind writing his novel as well as the aspects of war. The paper also directly links the main character of Slaughterhouse-Five to Vonnegut himself. It shows how Vonnegut uses the protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, as a mask for himself. From behind this mask, Vonnegut discusses the destructiveness, inevitability, and absurdity of war and also reveals that people should accept the events in their lives and concentrate solely on the positive moments.
From the Paper "The themes of Slaughterhouse-Five do not revolve solely around the institution of war, however. In addition to its war-related themes, acceptance is another major theme that emerges from his novel. Vonnegut reveals this theme in a number of ways. When he twice includes the Serenity prayer in his novel, for example, "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom always to tell the difference" (209). According to William Bly, Billy Pilgrim finds comfort in the Tralfamadorian belief that people who are dead in one moment are alive and well in many other moments and, Bly further states, that this concept of life can be interpreted as Vonnegut telling his readers that they, too, should be consoled when someone dies, because the dead live on in people's memories (27). The theme of acceptance is further evidenced when Vonnegut writes, after every mention of death in the novel, the phrase, "So it goes" (214). This phrase appears one hundred and six times throughout the novel and gives it a cyclical quality that implies that life goes on. Reflect on the happy moments in life, Vonnegut teaches, and all will be well. "
