Abstract This paper takes a look at Stephen Crane's short story, "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky". According to the paper, Crane uses character, setting and the plot structure to develop the theme of the collision of east and west.
From the Paper "Further evidence is supplied by Wilson's actions when he shoots at the innocent dog and door of the bar. Yet, Wilson finds no relief from his western angst and is forced to seek the only man who will fight him, Jack Potter, at his home. As Potter and his wife rush "sheepishly and shamefacedly" to their home, they are unexpectedly confronted by Wilson and his gun. The climax occurs when the two story lines merge in front of Potter's home. Uncharacteristically, Potter does not have a gun and must confess this to Wilson. As Potter is making this statement, his mind travels back to the beauty of the train, "the glory of the marriage, the environment of the new estate" (976). The collision of east and west has occurred in this passage. Potter does not have a gun because he has taken on the vestiges of the new world. Potter is not completely progressive himself, but he has played the part and been adopted into civilization, hence, becoming a dynamic character."
Abstract In this article, the writer looks at the film "The Corpse Bride" and examines its popularity. The writer maintains that the popularity of this film is really quite amazing if you look at the fact that it seems to have a highly specialized, niche target audience, some of which are not known to be the most mainstream of audiences. The writer notes that ultimately the timing of 'The Corpse Bride' allowed what might have been a small, quiet film to blossom into an impressive box office draw. Further the writer points out that the partnerships that Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter have forged together through multiple films have been able to provide a fascinating and varied body of work that leaves the audience anxiously awaiting the next move for these now A-list actors and director.
From the Paper "The story of The Corpse Bride is a stop-frame animation film by Tim Burton that is loosely based on a Russian-Jewish folklore from the 19th century. In the story, a reluctant groom, Victor Van Dort, is being forced to marry in an arrangement between his family and the family of Victoria Everglot, his betrothed. Initially, neither are very happy with the arrangement, but after they meet for the first time they fall in love and are relatively eager for the wedding to take place. Because of his surprise affection for Victoria, Victor is nervous and proves to be a disaster at the rehearsal where he makes a mess of his wedding vows and sets his future mother in law on fire. Pastor Galswells is appalled by Victor's incompetence and declares that the wedding will not take place until Victor can successfully repeat his vows and can compose himself during the ceremony."
Abstract In this article the writer notes that there are several dramatic themes in Buchi Emecheta's novel 'The Bride Price'. The writer points out that while each of them carries important messages to the reader, taken together they create a wonderfully rich human story. Also, the writer discusses that while the setting for this book is in Nigeria, Western Africa, because of the quality of the writing and the presentation of the characters, one could safely say the messages and themes are universal. The writer maintains that this universal literary dynamic is almost always true of well-written stories, and the study of literature reveals that important novelists fully expect readers to gain universal truths and confront universal human issues through the story being told.
Outline:
Themes and Issues
Important characters, messages, symbolism and irony in the plot
Climactic Ending
Comparing The Bride Price with The Lion and the Jewel
From the Paper "But Aku-nna will do something about it, and indeed, she is not along; Chike is also eventually a willing participant in the rebellion against Nigerian customs. He is very gentle and helpful with his sweetheart, even transcending custom by bringing Aku-nna a supply of sanitary napkins (and a booklet that tells how to use them) when she starts her first period; after all, he was raised to believe that while menstruating, a woman is unclean. And in fact because Aku-nna does not want to be married off, she keeps her menstruation a secret."
"But, and this is important to the novel, Aku-nna does not rebel against all customs in her community; when she begins her menarche she in fact still holds on to the fear that crossing a stream with her period runs the risk of being treated as an outcast leper. In this sense Aku-nna is a traditional African woman."
Abstract This paper reviews the Indian film "Bride and Prejudice" based on Jane Austen's novel, "Pride and Prejudice". The paper discusses how the themes of the original "Pride and Prejudice" set in 1813 Britain, are very closely related to that of the Punjabi Indian Community, especially in terms of arranged marriage.
From the Paper "A 2004 film adaptation of Jane Austen's 1813 novel, set in India, offers a rendition of a story that is very British, at the same time as it is rather Indian. The director, Gurinder Chadha, saw that themes presented in Pride and Prejudice, are rather dear to South Asian cultures that happen to share much that was once important to the respectable early 19th century culture portrayed by Jane Austen. Convention matters, education and demonstrated virtue have remained important, as has the all-encompassing realm of upbringing, social standing, and marriage."
Abstract The paper analyzes the dynamics of why some American men look abroad for wives and use the Internet to find sites that offer to broker introductions with available young women from Eastern Europe, Asia, and South America. The paper further analyzes the relative success rates for these couples, and their problems and challenges in relating to each other and making the marriages successful. The paper discusses the book by Nicole Constable, "Romance on a Global Stage: Pen Pals, Virtual Ethnography and "Mail Order" Marriages", which refutes stereotypes of why American men seek out wives from the Asian nations of China and the Philippines.
Outline:
Introduction
Introducing the Men Using Mail Order Brides Services
Cultural Clash: Generation Gaps Are Just the Beginning
References
From the Paper "Sex roles and more specifically the higher levels of expectations American women in general have of their husbands to provide stability, opportunities for their own growth and freedom of expression and achievement are together why some American men look off-shore for their wives. Conversely the expectations of these women from other nations that may not have the advanced educations and experienced earning paychecks on their own, and in essence having their own financial freedom makes them more dependent on their American husbands for the definition of their roles."
Abstract This paper critically reviews "Picture Brides" by Tomoko Makabe, a Japanese woman living in Canada, who became fascinated by the fact that women would go overseas to marry men they did not know. The author of this paper feels that, while the book is interesting to read, a person aware of Japan's 19th and 20th century history, and the longer story of the Japanese in North America will find little that is so 'amazing' in the experience of the five women informing Makabe's work.
From the Paper "Also, the phenomenon to which Makabe gave her attention involved a range of factors to which she seems not to have given ample thought led by the extreme gaps in Japanese social classes in the 19th and 20th centuries. Young women choosing to marry abroad, as ever, were often people with few or no alternative prospects. Makabe seems not to have considered a number of factors of the kind. For instance, a somewhat irritating aspect of Picture Brides is the author's repeated reference to how courageous the picture brides were, in a manner showing that the author has failed to imagine the turn of the 20th century and the courage that all men and women without prospects in Japan, or anywhere else, needed in order to simply survive. Makabe's informants had come to Canada as picture brides in the 1920s, by which time many Japanese women had undertaken the same sorts of journeys, going to join a settled and working man of whom their families were apt to know little or nothing. In addition to traditional family methods of locating spouses, brokers were often involved, a woman taking some risk as ever in terms of how her husband across the world turned out to be but she went abroad with the approval of her family having settled a daughter and sometimes expecting remittance funds.
As an Oral History volume, Picture Brides would be better if the author had managed a shorter introduction on herself and tried for a briefer introduction to 100 years of Japanese in Canada. More weight should have been placed on events in Japan in the later 19th and early 20th centuries that made becoming a picture bride of appeal. For instance, Makabe notes that the women were from village backgrounds and notes how a newly industrializing Japan had few waged opportunities for women that most could not work beyond the home. She seems not to see either that as elsewhere in Asia, marriage was a necessity for poorer families, and that embarking across the world as a picture bride could solve various family problems. Becoming a picture bride was probably more strategic or simply straightforward than courageous or heroic. One gains the impression that the author was fairly sheltered or had not reflected on social reality of the time in either Japan or Canada when beginning research with the assistance of the Multicultural History Society of Ontario."
Abstract This paper discusses the characters of Margaret Atwood's novel, "The Robber Bride." It analyzes the four principle characters individually and suggests that they are ones of psychological validity because they are tangible and allow the reader to deeply explore and dive headfirst into their lives of hardship, suffering, and remorse. The paper also briefly looks at the plot through the characters.
From the Paper "Zenia herself remains a high-concept construct throughout the novel: as various reviewers have noted, she lacks all substance and credibility, particularly beside the solidity spun around each of the protagonists. But the hollow vessel Zenia remains is exactly the point. Atwood has alluded to the Jungian overtones of the novel, and in particular has described the mythic villainess upon which she has based Zenia as a "shadow" figure for female readers as well as for her fictional comrades. As such, Zenia serves as a canvas onto which the darkest fantasies of those who encounter her can be projected, with no foundation character in place to counteract such fantasies (Mycak 12-16)."
Abstract The paper analyzes the film "The Corpse Bride" and focuses on a particular scene. The paper contrasts the portrayal of the living world to the land of the dead. The paper posits that Burton did an astonishing job at creating a vibrant and lively world when all the characters are dead.
From the Paper "Tim Burton is a notable filmmaker known for his quirky and often dark, gothic atmosphere pervading his high-profile films. Animated films are a brilliant way to escape from the restrictions of creating reality, and Burton uses this technique to his advantage in one of his films. The Corpse Bride is a stop-motion-animated film about a young man of the Living who accidentally marries a woman of the Dead, which thrusts the character in an ongoing series of unusual events. The two worlds perceived in the film are completely different, and this effect is attained to the right degree. The sets hold a peculiar delicacy and beauty. Lighting is exaggerated to the perfect extent, creating the perfect tone for every scene."
Tags: tone, lighting, effects, living, dead, Emily, Victor, Victoria
Abstract The horror film classic "Bride of Frankenstein" (1935), directed by James Whale has become a standard cinematic icon in American popular culture, due in part to its most memorable figure--a stitched-up "bride" with wild, terrified eyes dressed in a floor-length white burial gown and sporting a coiffure created by touching the poles of a galvanic battery. The paper shows that "Bride of Frankenstein", the sequel to Whale's "Frankenstein" (1931), has also become a great favorite with horror film fans and critics throughout the world. The paper shows that this film has often been described as a Gothic masterpiece of the macabre and had been praised for its construction, acting, cinematography, set design and editing, while others have taken note of its comedic stature as one of the first true "camp classics." The paper also examines Whale's ability to create a sequence pattern from both films.
From the Paper "In the sequence towards the conclusion of Bride of Frankenstein in which Henry and Dr. Praetorius are on the verge of creating life from the dead in the form of the bandaged Elsa Lanchester, many of the conventional film techniques employed in earlier Universal horror films (and many that followed) makes Bride one of the most interesting and fascinating films to "dissect." Through a long shot, the interior of the laboratory opens up and the camera is maneuvered to show the main points of interest then moved into a medium shot with Henry Frankenstein, in a white apron and his back to the camera,
working, intense and nervous over a heart in a container, the heart meant for the body of the "Bride."
Abstract This paper looks at the work of Stephen Crane, a writer from the latter half of the 19th century. In particular, it discusses how many of his short stories involved an ironic twist or unexpected positioning of two events. It compares two of these stories, "The Open Boat? and "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky", in order to evaluate Crane's mastery in the use of irony. It examines how, in ?The Open Boat,? the irony is evident throughout the story, while in ?The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky,? it is in the last 100 words; instead of the new bride witnessing the horrible death of her new groom, her presence brings a completely unexpected peace between the two men. It shows how, in one case, the irony is of cosmic proportions, and in the other, gentle and humorous, demonstrating Crane's great range of skill in the use of literary devices.
From the Paper "Crane created situations of extreme experiences, confronted by ordinary people. His characters were not larger-than-life, but they touched the mysterious edges of their capacities for perception, action, and understanding. They also drew on personal experiences of his. While he was born after the Civil War, he reported on wars and was aware of the true horror of such events. He also worked other personal experiences into his stories. "The Open Boat" is based on a real event in Crane's life. Traveling from Cuba to Florida, the steamship he was on sank, and he, along with two crewmen and the captain, battled the ocean for several days before three of them finally made it ashore alive. In fact the incident wrecked his health and contributed to his early death (online-literature.com/crane/)."
Abstract The paper explores themes about women in "The Princess Bride" and in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in order to identify how women's roles are portrayed and what the social implications of the film's messages might be. The paper shows how the two films portray distinctly different themes about women's nature and roles. The paper looks at the traditional view of women as portrayed in "The Princess Bride." The paper relates that the women are always sweet and kind, non-assertive and self-sacrificing. The paper contrasts this to the ideal woman in "Harry Potter" who is self-reliant, intellectually the equal of men, better educated and assertive.
From the Paper "Communication, or rhetoric, is a symbolic process humans use to share meaning and create reality. Sonja Foss (1989) explains fantasy theme criticism as a way to approach and analyze rhetoric. The word fantasy as used in fantasy theme criticism does not mean something someone dreamed up or something untrue. Fantasy in this case refers to themes that explain and order reality. When these themes are articulated or when we encounter them in rhetoric, they produce a sense of resonance in others who recognize them."
Abstract A look at marriage in different societies. The author examines marriage in societies where transfer of resources is a requirement for the ceremony. The author compares the operations, significance and implications of dowry and bride-wealth in different cultures.
From the Paper "All animals, including humans, mate: some for life and some not; some with a single individual of the opposite sex and some with several. Only marriage, however, is sanctioned by legal, economic, and social forces. Anthropologists have tried to identify the common elements in different types of marriage to find the features that are essential or otherwise. They have also focused on the different forms of marriage and the elements involved, sexual, legal, economic and political and the futility of searching for a universal definition. In many tribal societies, marriage involves contracts or alliances between different descent groups, and is not a relationship between individuals. It is a transfer or flow of rights."
Abstract This paper is a reflection of the movie, "The Princess Bride", that most influenced the writer as a child. It is based around the main character, Westley.
From the Paper "Even though I thought of movies as a last resort when no one wanted to play outside, I still saw a few of them. One that I saw that is still one of my favorites is "The Princess Bride". The reason that movie stuck with me was because of the main character, Westley, played by Cary Elwes. Westley was what I envisioned myself as being when I grew up. Not so much the farm boy turned pirate turned romantic hero, but rather the true character of the character is what I wanted to emulate."
Abstract This paper shows how Hemans responded to the concerns of women of her time by idealizing and romanticizing woman's role and relationships. The writer shows how her life is an undercurrent for the story of the poem and as tragic as the love of the young couple mentioned in the poem.
From the Paper "During her brief lifetime, Felicia Hemans wrote numerous poems, beginning when she was only fourteen. She had a romantic view of the world, and often copied the style of famous poets of the time that she admired, such as Byron. She wrote often of love and of her feelings about relationships. She lived apart from her husband for many years, and this may have colored how she looked on relationships. Many of her poems dealt with tragedies, like ?The Bride of the Greek Isle,? or death, such as ?Hymn by the Sick-bed of a Mother.? She also wrote about issues that women faced at the time, like childbearing, child mortality, and religious belief."
Abstract William Goldman's "The Princess Bride" is a tale of time, history and love. However, because he adds an element of fantasy to the story, his characters are able to withstand all sorts of setbacks and overcome various obstacles. The paper shows that in this story, Goldman places love above all else, allowing his character to use super-human strength and unusual occurrences to fight in the name of love. There are many themes in this story that bring up the topic of ethics. This paper also relates details of Goldman's story to Immanuel Kant's philosophy of ethics.
From the Paper "According to Kant, beauty is the eye of the beholder. He states that only knowledge is communicable so the only thing in experience that can be exactly the same for all men is form. The sensations of representations will differ from person to person. Whether or not something is beautiful is based on the viewer's reaction. In this case, Buttercup never noticed Wesley's beauty until someone she admired saw it. Kant believed that the idea of taste simply becomes a matter of personal opinion that reflects more on the viewer than on the object itself. He said that an individual cannot judge true beauty because their judgment is too subjective and not at all universal. Buttercup's love for Wesley proves Kant's ethical theory, as she showed how her newfound interest and abrupt change in taste set the stage for her love affair."
