Abstract
This paper discusses Alfred Hitchcock's movie "Rear Window," and the way in which the main character, Jeff, develops into an obsessive voyeur as a result of becoming a temporary cripple. The writer discusses Jeff's relationship with his girlfriend, Lisa, and how it changes as her character develops in the movie. The writer also discusses the distinct approach of the camera angles used throughout the entire filming of the movie and how they help to create a feeling of entrapment.

From the Paper
"Stewart's character, Jeff, develops an intriguing pattern of voyeurism through the course of the film, which ultimately dictates into a direct obsession. Birthed as a mere distraction and effort to kill time, Jeff's voyeuristic curiosity begins to mold into a forthright obsession developing further as a result of several key happenings. Jeff is undoubtedly taken by a certain power he feels in being able to pry and spy into the lives of individuals, which, importantly noted, are unsuspecting individuals. This aspect feeds the voyeuristic nature, and nurtures the concepts of thrill for both the audience and Jeff as a character (I.M.D.B., 2007). This voyeurism proves to become more than a simple distraction or time utilizing endeavor, it becomes somewhat of an unhealthy display of inquisitive compulsion."

Tags:spectatorship psychosomatic, Grace Kelly, thrill binoculars masculinity murder

Abstract
This paper discusses the American national character. It investigates the decline of social capital in America over the last 30 to 40 years and the reasons for this decline. The author examines social responsibility and its relation to social capital.

From the Paper
"The national character of America is difficult to define as it is changing with the times. Americans tend to be independently-minded people ever protective of their civil rights and freedoms. Because of massive immigration into the United States the population ..."

Tags:social capital, social responsibility, national character

Abstract
This paper takes a look at the legendary story of the hero Aeneas who survives the fall of Troy and follows the will of the gods and fate to build a nation that will eventually become Rome. The paper includes an analysis of "The Aeneid," written in Homeric style and gives a comparison of Aeneas' character with Greek heroes, Odysseus and Achilles.

From the Paper
"The son of Anchises and Venus, a prince of Troy and leader of the expedition to Italy, Aeneas is the main character in the book "The Aeneid." The most admired and valued characteristics in Augustan Rome are marked on his personality. He is true to his word devout, a courageous and skillful soldier and a pious. The heroism of Aeneas is his ability, to place his belief in Rome in all times and the Roman ideal before his own selfish interests, which was unlike Achilles and Odysseus."

Tags:achilles, aeneas, book, character, comparison, greek, heroes, odysseus, review, virgil

Abstract
In the short story, "The Rocking-Horse Winner," author D.H. Lawrence reveals the disposition of the story's leading character by using abstract ideas such as the concepts of ghosts and fantasy. This paper examines how these unusual details are found inside the home of Paul, a young boy who is determined to rid his house of a force of greed by using his own extraordinary gift of fantasy. Early in the story, the reader is introduced to this unexplainable force that is driven by greed.

From the Paper
"Shortly into the reading, the narrator informs us that although Paul's family seems rather opulent, there exists a feeling of uneasiness among them. He tells us, "There was always the grinding sense of the shortage of money,......" (Lawrence 50). Because of this, the boy's parents, especially his mother, are reluctant to feel satisfied with their current income and social status and as a result, Paul's mother becomes utterly determined to somehow retrieve more money. When she fails to do so, something very strange happens within the home of this already fractured family. The narrator says, "the house came to be haunted by the unspoken phrase: There must be more money! There must be more money!" (Lawrence 50). These "unspoken" words may very well be a representation of the overwhelming sense of greed that has made its presence throughout the house, particularly within the mother. One may assume that these words belong solely to Paul's mother, however, they are clearly coming from some unknown source. This is where the idea of a ghost inside the house may be conceived by the reader, and although that is precisely what it appears to be, the author chooses not to tell us whether it is something supernatural, real, or completely false. Perhaps it is merely a voice inside the minds of the children. But regardless of what it is and where it comes from, it causes Paul to experience a great sense of frustration. Therefore, he feels it is necessary to help his mother retrieve more money and put an end to this unexplainable madness."

Tags:anger, character, frustration, ghost, greed, money, rich

Abstract
This paper takes a look at Maria, a character in the story "Clay" by James Joyce, who never actually wakes up to face the reality or realizes that her whole life has been based on false assumptions and lies.

From the Paper
"In the Dubliners, James Joyce's short story "Clay" stands out as a piece that has as its main character an ignorant woman who is essentially blind to the world around her. While many of Joyce's characters are struck with life-changing epiphanies, Maria does not recognize the signs - that are predictors of her future - even when they are painfully obvious to the reader. Working at the Dublin by Lamplight laundry, Maria thinks of her position as being of the utmost importance when in reality she is nothing more than a common dishwasher. Although Maria's budget is very limited, she nevertheless thinks that she is an independent woman and can afford the same things as women her age who are actually married. Maria believes that other individuals respect her and admire her, even though those same individuals either mock her unassuming nature or fail to notice her all together. Maria considers Joe's family to be the closest thing she has to having her own family. Meanwhile, Joe, his wife and his children simply put up with Maria once a year as if she was an unpleasant burden. Throughout the story, Joyce presents comparison after comparison of how Maria views herself versus how others view her. While Maria sees her life and the world around her through rose-colored glasses, the reality is rarely accommodating of her expectations."

Tags:clay, james, joyce, maria, Dubliners, character, analysis, english, literature

Abstract
This paper explains that, after a careful reading of Frank O'Connor's "News for the Church", it becomes obvious that the moral fiber of the character of the priest is questionable because he uses blasphemy himself and is unable to resist temptation in his life. The author points out that, after the priest understands the real reason for the girl's confession, he gets angry and decides to try to make the girl forget her romantic adventure by turning it into a cynical, disgusting escapade. The paper concludes that the behavior of the young girl who wanted to find out about sex was natural; whereas, the behavior of the priest who got a thrill from making her feel nasty and dirty about it was unnatural because he got his thrill from hurting people.

From the Paper
"After he understands the real reason for the girl's confession, Father Cassidy gets angry and as "the fighting blood of the Cassidy's" begins to warm him up, he decides to try to make the girl forget her romantic adventure by turning it into a cynical, disgusting escapade. Whatever beauty there was to the experience, he takes away. He digs deep and asks uncomfortable personal questions meant to test his (and her) knowledge about sexual intercourse. His question alarms the girl and makes her shake in her clothes "as if something were biting her." Seems like only the things that ..."

Tags:blasphemy, morality, intercourse, confession, escapade

Abstract
This paper explains that Tom Clancy's "The Hunt for Red October" is a fictionalized version of actual defections in the Soviet navy in the 60s and the 70s. The plot enables the reader to dwell deeply into the thoughts of the main character, Capt. Marko Ramius, and to see a man putting his life in jeopardy just to leave a system he found corrupt and insatiable. The author believes that the novel is well-written and brings the reader to the height of thrill as the pace builds up, ebbs a bit and then goes through a roller coaster ride to the end. The paper concludes that, for the military buff, "Red October" is a cornucopia of military, especially naval, trivia that tests an individual's knowledge of military and naval tactics.

Table of Content:
The Storyline
The Critique

From the Paper
"Marko Ramius was a man at the peak of his career. He has risen to the rank of Captain in the Soviet Navy and commanded one of Mother Russia's submarines, but not just any submarine. He is the commander of the revolutionary Typhoon-class submarine, the Red October. What makes the Red October unique is its stealth propulsion system supposedly undetectable by sonar. Despite Ramius career success, he is a man thorn between duty to the Soviet Union and scorn for the society he belonged to since his wife died recently due to the incompetence of a Soviet doctor - drunk while performing his duties. To make matters worse, he could not accost the inutile doctor because of his connections to the Soviet Politburo - he is the son of one of the top-ranking leaders."

Tags:character thrill, naval trivia, cat-and-mouse, strategic disinformation

Abstract
Doubles (identical counterparts of a character) have been used throughout history, as they are easily related to essentially any audience. Although they are effective in terms of creating a thrilling atmosphere and haunting story, authors can also use them as a means to reveal social truths and probe the depths of the human psyche and its capacity for duality, a theme which can be identified by anyone, provided the right context. This paper describes the various ways in which storytellers use doubles to tell a larger story. Compared here are Edith Wharton, Elizabeth Gaskell, Robert Louis Stevenson (author of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") and the film, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers".

From the Paper
"In both Edith Wharton's "Triumph of the Night" and Elizabeth Gaskell's "Poor Clare," the authors address the issue of doubles, but more specifically, those seen in other people. What makes these stories especially unique and disturbing is how the people affected by these horrific atrocities are viewed as such good and admirable characters. In "Poor Clare," for example, Lucy is described as "sweet" and "innocent." She is viewed as being filled with "goodness," aside from "the loathsome demon soul" surrounding her, and although Mr. Lavington, in "Triumph of the Night" is initially described as a bit distant and "intensely negative," he nonetheless clearly cares greatly for his nephew and goes to great lengths to ensure his health and happiness (Gaskell)".

Tags:Poor, Clare, triumph, of, the, night

Abstract
Explains how, in Melville's masterpiece of American literature, there are many events and situations related to the plot and the characters that signal things to come, meaning that these events and situations represent foreshadowing devices. It discusses how it is nearly impossible not to notice these devices in the novel and it is clear that without them Moby Dick would not be nearly as effective and thrilling.

From the Paper
"The novel begins with Ishmael, the main protagonist and narrator, on the streets of Manhattan. Ishmael, a young man from New York, has decided to seek his fortune and adventures on a whaling ship, for he is drawn by "the overwhelming idea of the great whale himself. Such a portentous and mysterious monster roused all my curiosity". With this statement, the reader is given a hint of what is to come in the life of Ishmael. He then says "there floated in my inmost soul, endless processions of the whale. . . one grand hooded phantom, like a snow hill in the air". This is one of the first foreshadowing devices in the novel, for it symbolizes Moby Dick himself, the great "White Whale" that toward the end of the novel rises from the sea like a "snow hill" and comes down hard to kill all those aboard the Pequod except for Ishmael."

Tags:ahab, ishmael

Abstract
The writer of this paper details the plot and main characters in Albert Camus' "The Fall" which is the story of a self-proclaimed penitent judge, who gets his thrills from confessing his own sins in order to implicate others whom he may then judge. The paper examines the novel's themes of penitence, redemption, guilt and grace. The writer contends and explains why the narrator in "The Fall" has never been authentic while detailing the reasons for his eventual fall from grace. The writer analyzes the true meaning of "The Fall," which at first seems difficult to grasp, unless one makes the assumption that the narrator speaks for the author as the voice of wisdom and reason.

From the Paper
"The meaning of this story may seem very difficult to grasp if one makes the assumption that the narrator speaks for the author as a voice of wisdom and reason. Actually, no such assumption needs to be made. Camus is well known for writing ironic works in which the speaker is not a mouth-piece for virtue. A key to this work may be found in something which Camus wrote shortly before-hand regarding his falling-out with Sartre. "Existentialists! Whenever they accuse themselves, you can be sure it is invariably in order to assail others. [they are] Penitent judges." Because of this quote, and the similarities between certain elements of the story's philosophy and that of the existentialists, some critics consider this story to be "at least in part a mordant satire directed against Sartre and the philosophical position for which he stood." If this is the case, then we are being happily invited to mock the ideas of the narrator, who thinks that human society and esteem is enough to make one justified, or that there is meaning in such an interplay of guilt and righteousness."

Tags:literature, analysis, perception, french