Abstract A paper which discusses Jonathan Spence's book "God's Chinese Son: The Chinese Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan" about Chinese Christian missionary Hong Xiuquan who led the Taiping "Great Peace" Rebellion in a bid to gain power over China's major cities and succeeded in seizing Nanjing in 1853. By examining Spence's book, the paper delves into questions such as: What is the nature of Christianity and how should the missionary movement conduct itself in foreign lands? How did the Taiping Rebellion affect geopolitical forces, in China and abroad? Did the Taiping Rebellion carve the way for the Communist revolution in the following century? What does it mean to have a religious conviction and apply it with military force?
From the Paper "Christianity already had its claws in Asia by the 1840s, as did Western trade interests. China's Qing dynasty faced serious challenges to its integrity as it pondered the course of the nation's future. Protestant missionaries that had flourished in the 19th century began to distribute, on a large scale, religious tracts and Chinese-language Bibles. The impact of these missionaries and their publications might not have been foreseen by the Qing dynasty, which already had begun to splinter. It is within this chaotic and semi-stable environment, coupled with the personal stress of continuously failing his Confucian exams, that Hong Xiuquan had his spiritual visions."
Tags: Confucian Heavenly Father, Mother, and ElderBrotherdemon-devilsEmperorSirGeorgeBonham
Explains how Shakespeare enforces the discourse of otherness by demonizing his characters Aaron the Moor and Shylock the Jew in the plays,"Titus Andronicus" and "The Merchant of Venice", respectively.
Abstract This paper examines William Shakespeare s plays, Titus Andronicus and The Merchant of Venice, and the author's enforcement of the discourse of otherness through the demonization of Aaron and Shylock. Through the rhetoric of the plays, both Aaron and Shylock are explicitly demonized. The paper explains how the discourse of otherness is enforced in three stages: by stripping the antagonists of their names, reducing them to subhuman levels, and, finally, equating the antagonists with the devil.
From the Paper "In Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare presents the discourse of otherness in the praxis. In this scene, Titus Andronicus is returning from war with captives. The Goths, and their queen s lover/slave, Aaron, a Blackamoor. Throughout the play, Aaron is presented outside of the main action of revenge, but has an underhanded, covert role in manipulating the remaining characters. This separateness of physical action perpetuates the discourse of otherness because his character is disregarded by other characters. His lack of physical action in the play is compensated by his movement mentally. From the beginning he is constantly devising a plan to overcome his otherness and servile status. To elevate himself to a position of power."
Abstract The poet was so inspired by the painting that he created the Elegiac Stanzas the memory of his younger brother whose untimely death caused intense pain and sorrow to him. The painting of SirGeorge's Peele Castle shows a huge tall building weathering every storm, and the poet was encouraged by the strength of the castle and felt that man too needs to possess such courage to overcome all difficult situations.
Abstract This paper reviews the film about an epic quest entitled "Brother Where art Thou?" which was based on Homer's "The Odyssey." The paper describes the adventures the protagonists faced and the various references the film made to Homer's original work. The reviewer also examines the goal of Ulysses, the main character in the movie, and concludes it is a righteous goal, even if he attempts to achieve it in a dubious manner.
From the Paper "The three face many adventures, including many references to Homer's epic poem. They meet a blind oracle who tells them they will have many adventures and face many "ob-stack-ales." They meet sirens, and Cyclops, and many other characters, just as Ulysses discovers the same things in his journey. The film does not seem to have the same outcome as the poem, but in the end, it does, and that is one of the things that makes it so enjoyable. The viewer does not know what is coming until the end, and the journey is complete."
Tags:George Clooney The Odyssey Oh Brother, Where Art Thou
Abstract This paper explains that, although George Orwell's novel "1984" is essentially a fictional projection of possibilities and "what if" scenarios, the foundations of "1984" stem from the author's personal experiences and insights into the way governments and political groups manipulate and even construct the truth to suit their own ends in an effort to gain and maintain power. The author points out that the central theme of Orwell's book is power and control and the loss of human individualism and freedom; 'Big Brother' is the all pervasive observer who inserts the state and party into every aspect of life. The paper relates that aspects of the book resonate of modern society: The use of the word "terrorist" as 'newspeak', surveillance and control mechanisms implemented under the guise of 'security', the concept of the 'relativity of truth' and the idea that 'war is peace'.
From the Paper "While the story is fictional, there are numerous areas and themes that seem to have an all too familiar correspondence with modern life and with the contemporary history of American politics. American history is saturated with evidence that points to the need for power and control. This can be seen in the way in which the Native American Indians were abused and their culture virtually annihilated under the rubric of advancement and progress. A more contemporary example, which is aligned to the subtle manipulation of the media for purposes of public manipulation through the use of the words like 'terror' and 'terrorism' which is, we could say, part of the real world Newspeak vocabulary."
Abstract This article analyzes each of the 'Brothers Karamazov' both individually and as an integral part of the very fabric of this classic Dostoyevsky tale. The paper discusses how each brother's personality and motivation are not only fascinating, but also play an indispensable role in the gradual development of the story's spiritual theme.
From the Paper "His high-strung, sensitive temperament causes such devastating events as his learning that Smerdyakov murdered his father, believing he had Ivan's own silent complicity in the crime, to drive him to a nervous breakdown. (Of course, after Smerdyakov commits suicide, Ivan is unable to prove his allegation and his own fragile mental state prevents him from making a convincing case in court on behalf of his innocent brother, Dimitry.) He has, however, by this time devised a plan for Dimitry's escape, though it will, of course, be necessary, under the circumstances, for others to carry it out.
At the end of the book, Ivan has basically hit bottom. During his strange nightmare of the devil--which he believes is real--he exhausts all his arguments against the existence of God and faith in Christ, pouring out all his doubt through the dream "devil," which is himself; and soon, a few positive spiritual signposts begin to emerge. He expresses (covertly, through the "devil" persona,) his intense desire to "join the (heavenly) chorus and shout 'hosanna' (to God,)" as well as to receive a "tiny grain of faith...(which) will grow into an oak tree...and save (his) soul." It appears that there is, indeed, hope for Ivan yet, which is one of the final spiritual messages of the book."
Abstract This paper analyses George Orwell's book '1984'. The book report presents an analysis of the two types of rebellion displayed by the main character, Winston Smith, against the dictatorial rule of 'Big Brother.' The paper includes quotations from the book and traces the form of revolution exemplified by the main character throughout the book.
From the Paper "The main character in George Orwell's book 1984 is Winston Smith, who exemplified the outcry for rebellion in a world completely dominated by one omnipotent ruler. Smith's rebellion against the state actually consisted of two stages. He succeeded in one stage but failed in the other. But both stages were originally based on one purpose: freedom."
Abstract This paper discusses the play, "The Man of Mode", by SirGeorge Etherege, as a story about the courtship rituals that are present in society and how these rituals are a result of stereotypical gender roles. The paper specifically discusses the protagonists in the plot and their relationships and then suggests that the play calls into question the social conventions that are present in society.
From the Paper "The only difference between Harriet and Young Bellaire and the rest of society is that they are fully aware that they are acting and they are not doing so with the purpose of fooling each other. Over the course of Act III, the protagonists become more and more aware of the roles that they are supposed to fill in society and, with this awareness, they become more and more defiant towards these roles. These two characters develop into people who will actively question what is expected of them because they do not believe that these expectations are correct. Through the interaction between and subsequent development of Harriet and Young Bellaire, "The Man of Mode" shows the audience that the status quo is not always the best method of proceeding in life."
Tags: plot, character, protagonist, gender, society
Abstract This paper presents a film review of Joel Coen's spoof on Homer's classic, "The Odyssey". The film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" is summarized, and the characters and their roles are compared to the traditional notion of heroes and heroic actions as seen in "The Odyssey". The paper also points out the underlying social themes of the film and comments on the artistic use of music as an integral part of the film's success.
From the Paper "Based loosely on Homer's Odyssey, including a hero with the same name, O Brother Where Art Thou is a tall tale of three convicts escaping from a chain gang in the Depression-era South. The hero, Ulysses Everett McGill (played by George Clooney), in keeping with the intended spoofiness and hilarity of the film, is the anti-thesis of the traditional hero. There is hardly anything noble about him. Yet, he fancies himself as a man of reason. Staunch allies usually support all heroes and O Brother stays with that tradition. However, the film is faithful to its mission of taking a hilarious look at heroes and adventures and so, McGill's two partners, Pete (John Turturro) is an argumentative con while Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) is a sweet numbskull. Hardly, the epitome of men out on a serious mission!"
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that George Orwell was a crusader when it came to totalitarianism. The one power he knew he had against the system was his writing skills and he put that to extremely productive and effective use when he wrote seriously one novel after another against totalitarianism and its negative implications. Orwell argued that totalitarianism was abhorred because it took away an individual's right to think and decide for himself. The writer looks at Orwell's work "1984" and compares certain instances to life today. The writer maintains that while it may seem that one is headed in the right direction, because people feel that they are given the freedom of speech and thought and that their government knows what is best, the reality is however much different. The writer concludes that if things keep on going the way they are, then instead of having a bright future, qw will end up under conditions best described by George Orwell.
From the Paper "The finest example of his work on Totalitarianism was the novel "1984". And a close study of the novel will explain how Orwell targeted totalitarianism and how effective he had been in his crusade.
"Written in 1949, the story is set in, as the name suggests, 1984. The story takes place in Airstrip One which is a mainland of a huge country known as Oceania. This country has a leader called Big Brother. The book talks about a character known as Winston Smith who works at the Records Department in the Ministry of Truth. His job is to alter and rewrite historical records and news articles. Once the altered versions of the records are produced, the original are destroyed forever. Possessing a diary was a serious crime punishable by death, but Winston had bought a book to keep it as a diary. The story describes the use of telescreens to promote propaganda and propagation of political agendas. The telescreen also had a built-in microphone and camera so that the government could spy on people."
Tags: telescreen, freedom, of, thought, Big, Brother, control
Abstract This paper provides a brief biographical account of George Orwell's life and looks at what experiences he had that instilled in him a concern for the working class. A summary and explanation of the theme of "1984" is then presented, followed by a critical evaluation.
From the Paper "George Orwell's last novel, 1984, was released in 1949. The world was still reeling from the effects of World War II and the Soviet Union was emerging as the next great threat to world security. That same year, the Western world watched as the Soviet Union exploded the first atomic bomb, sparking forty years of the Cold War. Supporters of capitalism and democracy quickly hailed the book as a warning about the dangers of totalitarian and Communist regimes."
Abstract The writer of this article states that post-9/11 America is an uncomfortably appropriate time to be taking a look at literature like George Orwell's '1984'. Given the current political climate of the United States, the writer notes that Orwell's dark, repressive world hits close to home. Not only does the power of language exist within the pages of Orwell's fictitious dystopia, but the writer points out that there is increasing evidence that the American government is attempting to control and manipulate the masses by hijacking the common language. The writer concludes that with the current war in the Middle East and the actions of the American government smacking uncomfortably like the policies and actions of those in Oceana, now is the time to revisit 1984 and take a good, hard look at what is going on.
From the Paper "However, it is the people that offer the control by using the language that is given to them in the first place. Though this is a sound theory, and can, unfortunately, be seen in practice all over the world, the weakness in language that allows this to occur, is ironically the same as the strength that will keep it from taking over completely and pushing society over the edge into the kind of system that is presented in 1984."
"When the year 1984 came and went without the gloomy socialist world of the novel 1984 coming to fruition, the Western world probably sighed a bit of relief. However, as Orwell points out in his appendix entry on Newspeak, the full implementation of Newspeak isn't actually scheduled to occur until around the year 2050. This gives the Western world another 66 years to worry about the predictive nature of Orwell's work. Though in the fictitious 1984, Newspeak was in wide usage already, it has taken until the 21st century to really begin to see this concept implemented in the real world."
Abstract The paper provides a biography of George Orwell and then outlines the main storyline of "Nineteen Eighty-Four". The paper also looks at reviews on the story and their reflections on how Orwell's Party is able to completely control every aspect of the citizens, including their innermost thoughts. The paper concludes that "Nineteen Eighty-Four" remains a hugely popular novel almost 60 years since it's release, and it is still seen as a frightening warning of what could happen in a totalitarian society.
From the Paper "George Orwell is a English author well known for his novels and short-stories which mainly deal with social injustice. Although Orwell wrote nine novels and more than 30 essays and short stories, he is best known for his two dystopian novels, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. Both are seen as warnings to society as to what can happen when a group of people gains too much control over a society, which is partly why it is so intriguing to so many people.
"The author known as George Orwell was born Eric Arthur Blair on June 25th, 1903 in British India. His family consisted of his parents, Richard and Ida Blair, and two sisters. When Eric was one year old, his mother Ida moved him and his two sisters to Henley-on-Thames, England. Apart from a brief visit, Eric did not see his father again until 1912 ("Biography")."
Abstract This paper discusses racial issues in Canada. Specifically, it looks at demonizing and criminalizing African-Canadians. The paper argues that this criminalizing makes sense according to conflict theory. In other words, it argues that African-Canadians are being criminalized and demonized in order to maintain the status quo.
From the Paper "Demonizing and Criminalizing African-Canadians Gang Related Shootings in Toronto In the article We Know the Numbers Linda Diebel looks at a possibly gang related shooting that took place at the funeral of Jamal Hemmings (Diebel 2005: A.08). According to Diebel there have been 48 shooting deaths in Toronto this year (Diebel 2005: A.08). The high number of deaths caused by these shootings has made youth violence a major issue in Toronto. This is because 40 of the people that died were under 30 years of age (Diebel 2005: A.08). The fact that the victims and their killers were almost entirely youths made people think that there was really something wrong with young people in Toronto."
Abstract The 'Doing Business with the Devil' puzzle presents us with a situation in which there are a finite number of one-dollar bills, and the writer is doing business with the Devil, who in this scenario is an avid bill collector. The Devil wants to buy the writer's one-dollar bill with the serial number of 001, and invites the writer to name the price. Some time later he returns and makes a similar offer for the 002 bill. A shorter time later he returns and wants the 003 bill.
From the Paper "The "Doing Business with the Devil" puzzle presents us with a situation in which there are a finite number of one-dollar bills, and I am doing business with the Devil, who in this scenario is an avid bill collector. The Devil wants to buy my one-dollar bill with the serial number of 001, and invites me to name my price. Some time later he returns and makes me a similar offer for the 002 bill. A shorter time later he returns and wants the 003 bill. This continues indefinitely, while I attempt to amass a fortune."
