Abstract This paper examines the roots of monotheistic and polytheistic religions, and the different gods worshipped over time. The author uses such examples as the gods of ancient Greece, the Code of Hammurabi, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and the Bible.
From the Paper:
"There is no doubt that having belief in a supernatural being or beings is healthy for the human soul. Whether it be one God or a family of gods and goddesses, religion allows the human essence to have something to help cope with emotions, give blame for the unjust, and rejoice in a celebrate life. Truth, indeed, is finite, and the roads that lead to it are numberless.?
Abstract This essay compares and contrasts two of Edgar Allen Poe's frightening and haunting tales, "The Tell Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado". The author also cites parallels between the stories and Poe's dark life. The paper analyzes Poe's imagery and effective narrative style.
From the paper:
"Best known for his poems and short fiction, Edgar Allan Poe deserves more credit than any other writer for the transformation of the short story from anecdote to art. He virtually created the detective story and perfected the psychological thriller" (Anonymous Edgar Allan Poe POE.HTM). All of Edgar Alan Poe's work is known for its use of all elements of writing in portraying incredible stories that often haunt the reader. He was skilled in every aspect of writing it seems, especially in relationship to anything that was slightly obscure or eerie, which are also elements of the writer himself. His stories "The Tell Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado" are no exceptions to these conditions or realities."
Abstract This paper discusses the racial issues of adolescent alienation and abuse in Ann Moody's, 'Coming of Age in Mississippi'. The author discusses gender and role issues, the social setting and racial identity through her own experience revealing the painful, personal experiences of rejection or acceptance.
From the paper:
"Moody's writing is a painful autobiography of the strains in the relations that she felt while growing up. The social setting was such that the blacks and whites had separate identities but while the whites had their self respect the blacks were still in the process of realizing what there role really was. This created a tension in the interactions between the two nations that was exacerbated by the racist issues that were prominent in their lives. Further, being black women she was first suppressed due to her gender and then her race. Thus, she shows that as a woman in a black society her role became even more dubious."
Abstract The essay shows the similarities between the characters of Shug and Celie despite the apparent differences in their natures. The essay follows their personal growth which is brought upon by their friendship and is completed only after they part ways.
From the Paper "Celie depended upon Shug for unconditional love and self-assurance. Being constantly told she was ugly and worthless had a tremendous effect on Celie and literally robbed her of her self-esteem and self worth. "She ugly...She ain't smart either" (Walker 9). This type of verbal abuse was a constant theme throughout Celie's life. She was forced, at the hands of society, to keep her feelings to herself. She kept her feelings so well buried in the confines of her mind that she began to compare herself to a piece of wood. Not until Shug came around and showed her some true human affection could she finally begin to break free of the chains that bound her and began to reveal the true loving, strong, independent woman she truly was. Such pure affection opened Celie's heart and soul to the true meaning of love, which in turn allowed her to understand and give love to another, as well as, love herself. And once Celie began to love herself, she was able to begin spreading her love to everything and everyone around her."
Abstract This review examines Eliot's use of various poetic devices in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" to convey the characteristics of Prufrock. It centers on the themes of alienation and inaction. Furthermore this review points to the change in narration throughout the poem and the changes in perspective.
From the Paper "In his poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" T.S. Eliot presents us with a profound image of alienation, using both technical devices such as meter and content and imagery to help us to understand the desperation that his title character feels. Although we should perhaps feel some scorn for a character as pitiable as Prufrock, in fact we empathize with him for the simple reason that Eliot allows us to understand the world through Prufrock's eyes."
Abstract A discussion of satire and Jonathan Swift. This paper argues the modesty of 'A Modest Proposal?' It studies how irony works and the similarity to the arrogance of most colonizing races in this book and in the entire world. Finally it concludes that the proposal displays pretentious and idle pomp, through the use of witty ridicule, it is the iconoclast protest against the exploitation of the Irish by the English.
From the Paper ""A modest proposal", first published in 1729, is claimed to be one of Jonathan Swifts most drastic satirical pieces , where he suggests that Irish children be fed to wealthy English aristocracy. Swift immediately creates sombre and depressing surroundings caused by begging women and thieving children. From the first paragraph we imagine poverty and famine, which can only be escaped when one emigrates or turns into a professional thief. Before Swift makes the actual proposal, he overemphasizes this state of poverty and the effects it will have on society."
Abstract The following paper discusses views of 'God' with reference to Anne Bradstreet's 'Upon the Burning of our House', and Jonathon Edward's 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God'. This paper compares their views and tries to interpret what each author means by a particular sentence.
From the Paper "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God conveys an extraordinarily unique viewpoint of God. According to Edwards, we are all sinners by nature; it is our most forth standing trait, despite our ongoing efforts to counter it. Throughout his sermon, he goes on endlessly about how God is so merciful to us, and without his mercy we would be thrown to the deepest depths of hell by the very earth itself. What was so deplorable to the people when they first heard it, was that Edwards alleged that all this time that they had thought they had been good Christians, they were in fact sinning against God; all the while they thought they were going to Heaven, they were actually destined for Hell, and there was naught they could do to stop it. (?You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing that you have done, nothing you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment.? Edwards, 121.) So, essentially, they were screwed, and it was too late to do anything, you are all going to hell in a hand basket, have a nice Sunday. Edwards wanted to make religion almost a physical experience, and with reports of people fainting and weeping openly without abandon, I would have to say it seems as if he accomplished his task. I only wonder if perhaps a few of his followers turned to Agnosticism or Atheism after such an oration?"
Abstract A paper which considers symbolism, style, tone, setting and perspective in a short story, demonstrated by comparing works of Kate Chopin's the "Story of an Hour" and "The Storm". Using these stories the writer examines how emotions and events are depicted with the positive and negative impacts of marriage and how this may be interpreted by a reader.
From the Paper "Most of the work by Kate Chopin was mostly in the 1890's and can be seen as very advanced for its time. The books look to understand and explore more than the different levels at which society operates, but looks to the human condition and the way that relationships are formed and develop. The story written in 1898 can be seen as a controversial subject, the affair between two married people, Calixta and Alc?e. In first reading the book the initial judgements of guilt to the woman and understanding or less condemnation for the man is still seen as prevalent in many readers interpretation (Skaggs, 2001). However, the message in this story is much deeper, looking to explore how the heart and emotions are deeper than social facades would indicate."
A analysis, from today's viewpoint, of the classical American novel "The Great Gatsby " by F. Scott Fitzgerald from the perspective of the corrupt American Dream.
Abstract This paper describes "The Great Gatsby" as Fitzgerald's signature novel of the American dream gone awry. It compares American society in the 1920s to American today. The author writes that immigrants, like Gatsby, come to escape their own problems for our empty promises of unlimited advancement. On the surface, "The Great Gatsby" is a novel about confused and unhappy relationships that drank and socialized their way through the 1920s. Yet, when investigating further, it speaks of the bankrupt American Dream, which no longer stands for progress and hard work, as it has become materialistic and corrupt.
From the Paper "For years immigrants poured into Ellis Island looking for freedom of religious persecution, to escape poverty and hunger and numerous other reasons. Today over 50,000 immigrants come to the shores of America clutching Green Cards hoping for a piece of the American Dream."
It is in this setting, that F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays ?The Great Gatsby.? Jay Gatsby, himself, the title character, was a major culprit of this corruption.
Nick Carraway surmises that Gatsby made his wealth from bootlegging and involvement with organized crime. Gatsby has focused his adult life to being wealthy enough and having enough to impress Daisy."
Abstract A paper which shows how reality and illusion are interwoven not only throughout the story line of Don Quixote exploits, but how author, Miguel de Cervantes, even leaves the true authorship of this tale in question, suggesting that he is merely translating the story from the original writings of Cide Hamete. The paper discusses the madness of Don Quixote who sees people and objects in his everyday life as the counterparts in his knights and damsels world of chivalry, and how Don Quixote charging the windmills has become a classic scene and now serves to symbolize bravery in vain..
From the Paper "Cervantes begins Part Two of Don Quixote again referring to the writings of Cide Hamete, thus, lending credence to both, Don Quixote and Hamete as real historic characters (Cervantes, 529). This further adds confusion between reality and fantasy. Throughout the novel there are countless scenes crossing the line of reality and illusion. The deathbed scene is perhaps the most poignant, for at the end, even though he himself had given up his chivalrous life and rejoined society, the others around him were still holding on to his fantastic world of knights and damsels in distress. But Don Quixote speaks, "I am no longer Don Quixote of La Mancha, but Alonso Quixana""
Tags: Alonso, Quixano, knighthood, Sancho, Cide, Hame, Miguel, de, Cervantes
Abstract Fanon's book is an analysis of identity and racism issues about blacks in a culturally white world. This paper discusses this book in terms of its title and how it relates to the author. The paper begins with background information about the author himself and explains how this book is based on first hand personal experiences of racial issues.
From the Paper "In order to understand Frantz Fanon's book, Black Skin, White Masks, it's important to understand a little bit about the author himself. Fanon was born in French Martinique in 1925 and moved to France in 1943. He had always thought of himself as French and it was here in France that he had his first taste of racism. He began to write political essays and plays and it was here that he wrote Black Skin, White Masks."
Tags: france, racism, french, politics, colonial, africa, revolutionary
Abstract This paper examines the difficult transition of adolescents, as seen in the novel "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" by Richard Wright. It summarizes the story and the main character's gun use. The paper investigates what is masculinity and what makes a man a man.
From the Paper "The theme of "The Man Who Was Almost A Man" is masculinity and what makes a man a man. In an essay about gender in literary works, Jehlen recognizes that masculinity is not something men have but something they "construct" (Jehlen 270). Dave's construction of this masculinity is the theme of ?The Man Who Was Almost A Man.? The first point that suggests that Dave is not really a man, is his means of attaining the gun."
Abstract This paper explores the symbolic representation that has been lost or forgotten through translations of the story from Japanese to English. The paper shows how symbolic imagery adds to the plot of the story. A discussion of the book illustrates the use of descriptive language and poignant symbolism employed by the author as tools to emphasize the main theme of unfulfilled love.
From the Paper "Yasunari Kawabata novels were set in environments depicting loneliness, emptiness, symbolizing unsatisfied yearning, and transient or unattainable love, with a backdrop of wild and beautiful nature. His novels were written in a free associative and unconventional style, usually over long periods of time. The bulk of "Snow Country" was published between 1935 and 1937, the period in which it was set, but it was not formally completed until 1947."
Tags: literature, oriental, komako, yoko, shimamuru, geisha, yukio, tokyo
A review of the literary work of Jimmy Breslin, ""The Short Sweet Dream of Eduardo Gutierrez", focusing on the the life and death of an aspiring immigrant worker.
Abstract This paper analyzes the book ""The Short Sweet Dream of Eduardo Gutierrez" by Jimmy Breslin, and discusses the main character, Eduardo, and his trials and tribulations and ultimate demise, as an illegal immigrant in America. The paper portrays, through the discussion of the book, the hopes and prayers of the average immigrant whose aim is to make money to support his family back home. The writer describes the harsh reality of employers who take advantage of these naive newcomers.
From the Paper "The book 'The Short Sweet Dream of Eduardo Gutierrez is the story of an illegal Mexican immigrant who crosses over to the American side of the Mexican-American frontier, one of the divisions of which is the large desert of Arizona. This illegal immigrant, the protagonist of the book, Eduardo Gutierrez, comes to Brooklyn neighborhood of New York in search of good prospects for himself and his poor family back in Mexico and finds work at a construction site, under an unscrupulous builder. The book details the life of this illegal immigrant right from his birth in a small town in Mexico; up to the moment, he finds a job at a construction site."
Compares & contrasts D. H. Lawrence's "The Rocking Horse Winner" & "Graham Greene's "The Destructors" in terms of theme, plot, characters, setting, author's purpose. Outline.
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 2 sources, 2001, $ 31.95
From the Paper Outline
I. Introduction
A. Compare and contrast "The Rocking Horse Winner" and "The Destructors"
B. Greene's purpose
C. Lawrence's purpose
II. Characters, Plot, Themes
A. Rocking Horse Winner
1. Central character of Paul
2. Paul destroys himself for money and love
3. Theme of materialism vs human values
B. The Destructors
1. Central character of Trevor
2. Trevor methodically destroys
3. Theme..."
