Abstract The paper presents a critical analysis of Blount's and Varthema's travel literature, questioning why, in light of their historically questionable content, they can be considered valid historical texts.
Outline
Background
Analysis of Ludovico di Varthema's "Itinerary"
Analysis of Sir Henry Blount's "A Voyage into the Levant"
Historical Significance of Both Texts and Their Purposes
From the Paper "Blount seeks a more academic understanding of the "Ottoman lands." Although prejudiced in the sense that it is judged and understood from the perspective of the "other," it does provide a simple framework for understanding or defining Muslims. He begins by stating this established rule: "the most important parts of all States are four: arms, religion, justice and moral customs," and explains the presence and nature of each among Muslims and in Muslims lands (Blount 177). Certainly, di Varthema does include in his descriptions accounts of the morals, law, religion and defense but, they cannot be taken as serious representation of the truth because they are so exaggerated."
Abstract Western views of Islam in the 18th century can be explained in one word, Orientalism. To argue this, the research first defines the term and analyzes its presence in various texts, ranging from Eulogius's "Martyr of Cordova" to Ludovico di Varthema's "Itinerary" and ending with Sir Henry Blount's "A Voyage Into the Levant". Each of these texts represents a different era of Western views of Islam, but preserves within itself the Orientalism concept.
From the Paper "The Islamic threat was all the more real to the Christian world and it was important for intellects and well-educated men like Blount to "travel eastwards" (Blanks) and collect reliable data on Islam and its worshippers as an intrinsic step towards safeguarding against that threat and overcoming it. Thus, motives for travel to the Orient have changed and taken on a much more serious and survivalist aim. The Western view of Islam, at this point, is of an ever-approaching and 'encroaching' threat that has to be blown off."
Abstract This paper discusses the book "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers, a tale involving five main characters that struggle against the isolation and despair brought on by circumstances in their lives. The paper contends that McCullers wrote this story in order to analyze the lives of social outcasts and to learn how they try to break out of their unfavorable positions in life. The paper claims that she wished to show that despite being misfits in society, either due to their unpopular opinions on important issues or unusual circumstances in life, they were still complex individuals who also wished to love and be loved by others.
From the Paper "The novel The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers is a tale involving five main characters that struggle against the isolation and despair brought on by circumstances in their lives. The story takes place during the late 1930's in an unnamed deep Southern town. McCullers begins the story by introducing the deaf-mute John Singer; he used to live with his friend Spiros Antonapoulos who was also a deaf-mute. Singer doted on his friend a great deal even though it was apparent that Antonapoulos never showed any appreciation towards it. Later Antonapoulos became mentally ill and was taken away to an insane asylum despite Singer's protestations. Due to this, Singer had to move out of the home he once shared with his friend and become a boarder at the house of the Kelly's."
