Abstract This paper analyzes commentary from Biblical scholars to illuminate the story of Cain and Abel. The author highlights why Cain is considered such a fascinating figure. Also discussed is the Christian concept of original ain, and how this can been viewed in relation to Cain's actions. Other religious ideas, such as the concept of free-will, are also considered.
From the Paper "Genesis 4, also known as the story of Cain and Abel, is not just a story in the Hebrew Bible. It is a story that transcends generations and has fueled the fire of philosophers and artists alike for centuries. With the exception of the story of Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the story of Cain and Abel is arguably the most well-known story of the book of Genesis, perhaps even the entire Torah. So, why all of this fascination with the concept of Genesis 4, specifically the jealous and homicidal behavior of Cain? Even in today's civilized society, why does the heinous act of Cain killing his brother draw so much of our attention? It may be that the reason that the character of Cain enthralls us so, is because he reflects the damning qualities we see in our own culture- maybe even in ourselves. It can also be suggested that the reason Cain is so absorbing as a literary figure, despite the fact that he is mentioned very briefly in relation to other characters of the Hebrew Bible (Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, etc.), is because there is a certain ominous feeling associated with him."
Tags:Abel, Bible, Judaism, original, sin, Cain, Christianity
This well-researched paper analyzes the differences and similarities in Daniel Quinn's 1992 novel "Ishmael" to that of the book of "Genesis" in the Bible.
Abstract This in-depth paper examines the views and opinions of author Daniel Quinn in his novel which focuses on an alternative take on human history as compared to that told in the book of "Genesis." This paper delves into the characters of Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel as portrayed in "Genesis" and as Quinn perceived them in his own novel. This paper compares the actions of Cain and Abel in the book of "Genesis" to those depicted in Quinn's novel which presents a somewhat different version of events. This paper examines the traditional teachings related to the creation of the world while comparing them to the differing views and perceptions of Daniel Quinn. One example focuses on the story of Cain and Abel and the traditional yet simplistic explanation which recounts the first recorded murder. Quinn delves deeper and more critically into this specific story exposing a much more complex and underlying meaning to that of a simple disagreement between two brothers which are detailed in this paper. The writer attempts to prove in this paper that the book of "Genesis" may be more than just simple tales of morality but an actual plausible glimpse into the development of human culture and man's own inner-psyche.
From the Paper "It is here where the stage is set for the first man's imminent self-condemnation. Shortly afterward, the book documents God's abstraction of Eve from Adams rib. The author makes it clear that in this golden age, Human beings could co-exist with their environment in perfect harmony until the emergence of the enigmatic character of the serpent.
When Eve tells the serpent what God has said will happen were she and Adam to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and bad, he says to Eve,
"You won't die! Because God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you'll be like God- knowing good and bad." The snake, whose intentions are ambiguous, tempts Eve to eat of the tree. She does so and then takes the fruit to Adam, who eats of it as well."
Abstract The paper analyzes two types of characters that the writer posits are present in these two works: man in a state of nature, and man in a state of grace. Man in a state of nature, both human nature and the natural world, lives in a constant state of discord. In contrast, at the end of "The Second Shepherd's Play" comes the figure of Jesus, then, according to the paper, comes a state of grace.
From the Paper "Obviously in a state of grace, Abel possess the generous spirit of a man at one with God, a man who can commune with the Iand because he acknowledges and accepts its originator and progenitor. Cain, however, views God as a hostile landlord to whom he does not want to pay rent. Enviously talking about God as if He is a more successful farmer, Cain says that God has deprived him of a good crop "When alI mens corn was faire in feld" (279). Moreover, he refuses to tithe because he would receive nothing monetary in return. Clearly, Cain's jealousy further alienates him from God's graces; economics is more important to him than salvation. When Abel finally does convince him to offer a sacrifice to God, Cain chooses a scanty
sheave that "stank Iike the dwiII in hell" (283) as it burns, perhaps an indication of the rottenness within Cain himself. So angry is Cain at Abel's offering burning more brightly than his that he strikes Abel with a jawbone and kiIls him, the culmination of his evil cruelty and bestiality. As a result of this blasphemous killing of kindred, Cain must live in exile, alone with his miserable, hateful, inhumane nature."
Abstract This paper depicts, in detail, the life of Billie Holiday, including her pre-fame years. It tells of her rise to stardom and how her performances of "Strange Fruit" projected her as the face of an anti-racism movement. It also includes Abel Meeropol, the writer of "Strange Fruit", and the effect that the song had on listeners in the South.
From the Paper "Billie Holiday is considered by many to be one of the greatest music legends of all time. Her unique style and diction led to her popularity, along with her controversial hit ?Strange Fruit.? "Strange Fruit" was a criticism of the way blacks had been treated in the south; it referred to the hanging of blacks from trees. Holiday collaborated with several famous artists of the time, including Count Basie and Artie Shaw. Her impact on music history is immeasurable, as well as her influence on artists of the later 20th century."
Tags: meeropol, strange, african, american, black, south, race, music
Abstract The writer explains that Steinbeck retells the biblical story of Adam, and of Cain and Abel, and that his characters are forced to reenact the ancient drama of exile to the east of an elusive Eden. The paper discusses the theme of good and evil in the novel and compares it to the biblical characters. The writer discusses whether man is responsible for his actions, either good or evil. The writer concludes that good and evil exist in all individuals and that man is responsible for his actions. The writer suggests that the only way to achieve true goodness and contentment is by each person recognizing and defeating their own dark side.
From the Paper "There is a prevalent theme of good and evil in this novel, often calling upon the Biblical story of Cain and Abel. The book begins by describing Samuel and his family, who live in Salinas Valley. Samuel was a very creative man who invented many things. Even though any of his inventions could have brought him fortune, he remained a poor farmer because he was a bad businessman. Samuel was known as wise and people came to him for advice. He had a wife and nine children. There is a certain likeness between Sam and the biblical Moses, since in the Bible, Moses has miraculous power. One example of this is in Exodus, when God tells Moses to lift his walking stick and hold it over the Red Sea. He does this, and the water divides so that God's people can walk through the sea on dry ground."
Abstract This paper examines how the book "In this Sign" is about Janice and Abel who meet at a school for the deaf and dumb during the first half of the 20th century, before the acceptance of deaf culture in America. It looks at how the novel chronicles the changing world of American life, and the largely unchanging nature of American prejudice against the deaf.
From the Paper "The school for the deaf, which also teaches the blind, is dirty, dim, and grim, and takes a patronizing attitude to the students. The nature couple's education highlights some of the assumptions about the deaf that run through the text. The deaf are assumed to be inferior versions of hearing persons, so they are forced to learn a method of communication that is a kind of parody of hearing communication, lip-reading, rather than the signing that comes so naturally and fluidly to the deaf. The deaf are grouped with persons with a variety of difficulties, rather than to have their uniqueness as a group acknowledged."
Abstract This paper analyzes sibling rivalry relationships from two perspectives of analysis ? structuralism and by emphasizing the importance of the concept of sacrifice, drawing on the relationships of Jacob and Esau, Cain and Abel and Leah and Rachael, taken from the "Book of Genesis".
From the paper:
"One of the predominant themes in the Book of Genesis is that of sibling rivalry: We see in the pairs of Jacob and Esau, Cain and Abel and Leah and Rachel a series of oppositions presented to us in the form of these sibling relationships. This paper analyzes those relationships from two different perspectives. The first of these is the Structuralist one, which allows us to see these sibling relationships within the broader context of sacred and folk writings in a number of cultures and the second is within the framework of sacrifice as the ancient Jews understood this concept."
Abstract The following paper analyses sibling rivalry relationships from two perspectives of analysis ? that of structuralism and that of emphasizing the importance of the concept of sacrifice, drawing on the relationships of Jacob and Esau, Cain and Abel and Leah and Rachel's, taken from the "Book of Genesis".
From the paper:
"One of the predominant themes in the Book of Genesis is that of sibling rivalry: We see in the pairs of Jacob and Esau, Cain and Abel and Leah and Rachel a series of oppositions presented to us in the form of these sibling relationships. This paper analyzes those relationships from two different perspectives. The first of these is the Structuralist one, which allows us to see these sibling relationships within the broader context of sacred and folk writings in a number of cultures and the second is within the framework of sacrifice as the ancient Jews understood this concept".
Tags: Jesus, bible, figures, Jews, cultures, tradition, living, dead
Abstract This essay is based on the ideas set forth in "The Genesis of Justice", by Alan M. Dershowitz. It explores how the ideal of justice was employed in the bible. Biblical stories of injustice are examined herein (e.g. Cain and Abel), and their effects as directly procured from the Ten Commandments. The paper includes many quotes from biblical passages.
From the Paper "I could not imagine a better manner in which to learn of true justice than the examination of true injustice. In the examination of injustice, we are called upon to summon the innate sense that exists in all human beings: the sense of right and wrong. None of us inexorably knows what is fair or unfair, we simply feel it. There are many outside agents that do in fact guide and effect this sense, yet it is this very sense that allows us to define ourselves as individuals and as advocates of fairness in our own minds. In reading biblical stories of injustice the reader is asked to play the role of a judge of sorts. Although in modern times we cannot truly take on the mindset that was prevalent in those times, we are nonetheless asked to judge the injustices in whatever terms are readily available to us. The fact that we do not live, or even think, in the same manner as people did then does not bar us from being effective judges, as relativity in terms of time and place can never truly be an unalienable excuse for injustice."
Abstract This essay compares Charles Dickens? "Great Expectations" with Peter Carey's ?Jack Maggs.? The author examines how the portrayal of the convict characters Abel Magwitch and Jack Maggs are compared and contrasted, revealing astonishing similarities between the two characters, despite the different backgrounds of their authors.
From the Paper:
"Peter Carey's novel, "Jack Maggs", and Charles Dicken's "Great Expectations" whilst built on the same story line, were written by two authors from different countries and different times. It would therefore not be amiss for a reader to assume that their respective portrayals of a convict, who earns his wealth in New South Wales and sponsors a London street urchin to gentlemanly status, would differ markedly. This assumption, however, is quickly contradicted upon comparison of the two texts. Both Dickens and Carey, despite their different backgrounds, portray their respective convict characters, Able Magwitch and Jack Maggs, with great empathy."
From the Paper " In his book Why Hitler Came into Power, Theodore Abel examines the political and social forces in Germany in the late 1920s and into the 1930s that enabled Adolf Hitler not only to become Chancellor of Germany but also how Hitler's National Socialist principles could become so embodied in the German national consciousness. The book was written in 1938 at the height of Hitler's power by a man who had observed the rise to power of Hitler and who had undertaken a scientific study of the Nazi phenomenon by interviewing National Socialists through the pretense of an essay contest by which rank-and-file members of the Nazi party could offer insights into their personal lives and their beliefs. The study Abel produced was not given much attention when it was published in 1938 for several reasons, including questions about his methodological approach, questions.."
Abstract Discusses theme of alienation in two novels. The characters of John Smith in Sherman Alexie's INDIAN KILLER, and Abel in N. Scott Momoday's HOUSE MADE OF DAWN. Various levels of alienation experienced by the characters (from family, from self, from society). Problem of maintaining cultural ties in an oppressed subculture. Setting & plot of novels.
From the Paper "The characters of John Smith in Sherman Alexie's Indian Killer and Abel in N. Scott Momaday's House Made of Dawn are each alienated from their society, an alienation that actually takes place on several levels--alienation from family, alienation from Indian society, alienation from the larger society of America, and even alienation from the human race. The process of alienation for begins in childhood for John Smith and becomes acute for Abel when he returns from army service in World War II. In both cases, the difficulty of maintaining cultural ties in a subculture that is dominated and oppressed by the white majority.
In Alexie's murder story, a serial killer is operating in Seattle and leaving behind scalped corpses decorated with owl feathers. This leads to a good deal of anti.Indian rhetoric ..."
Abstract This paper discusses the theme of sibling rivalry in the Old Testament. The examples of Esau and Jacob, Cain and Abel, and Joseph and his older brothers are compared and contrasted, and the relativity of their experiences to the experiences of people today is analyzed.
Abstract This paper is an examination of the relationship between the twins, Adah and Leah, and their father in Barbara Kingsolver's novel, "The Poisonwood Bible". It focuses on the metaphorical comparison to Cain and Able in their relationship to Adam and on the rites of passage of youth in relation to the control of the parent.
Abstract In "The Curse of Cain", Regina Schwartz specifically focuses on the nature of Biblical monotheism as it has been expressed in the Jewish tradition. This paper shows that, drawing the foundation of her theory from the allegory of Cain and Abel, the author describes how Jewish monotheism has contributed to a violent, antagonistic worldview. This paper analyzes and discusses "The Curse of Cain" and presents Schwartz's view on monotheism and its consequences on society.
From the Paper "Patriarchy exacerbates and perpetuates the myths of exclusionism and mandatory violence. Schwartz shows how, if power is conferred from father to son in kinship groups, how divine love is also inherited and expressed only through those favored kinship groups. Not only were Cain and Esau excluded from the limited bounty of God's love: their sons were also thus excluded. Whole races of people become seen as Others, enemies of the one God. It therefore becomes impossible to promote inclusiveness and honor diversity. If God has deemed one race or lineage as superior to another, then humans must also practice exclusionism in their earthly affairs. Violence toward other groups of people is essentially mandated by God."
