Abstract
In this article, the writer looks at 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood. The writer discusses that Offred's characterization focuses more on her interior self than on externals of speech and action.

From the Paper
"All of the characters in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale are living in an extremely repressive society. The Republic of Gilead is a totalitarian state based on an extreme form of fundamentalist Christianity. It sees itself as dedicated to saving the human race from extinction and from sin and, charged with these massive responsibilities, it ruthlessly suppresses any opposition. As the Commander puts it, "You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs." In this society, the free ..."

Tags:handmaid, characterization

Abstract
In this article, the writer examines the concepts of irony and characterization in Flannery O'Connor's work "A Good Man is Hard to Find." The writer notes that through the characters of The Misfit and the grandmother, O'Connor demonstrates how different personalities can be delicate in their own way. Tee writer relates that, through a comical and upsetting setting, one sees the importance of characterization in a story; one also sees how irony can be a used a comic relief in telling a horrifying story. The writer concludes that by allowing the two difficult characters to interact with each other in this story, we see a little bit of ourselves and we realize the fragile state of our existence.

From the Paper
"Characterization is another literary technique O'Connor employs in "A Good Man is Hard to Find." The primary characters in this story are the grandmother and The Misfit and the fact that they encounter one another is another blend of the comical and the ironic. However, the dramatic contrast between the two characters is the center of attention. Both characters are grotesque. The grandmother is grotesque because she is a good person only on the surface. We know that she is annoying and overbearing. Because she had to have her way, bring the cat, and show the children the house with the secret panel, the family pays the ultimate price. We can see the grotesque nature of The Misfit because he is a cold-blooded criminal, but it is important to recognize how his character acts as a foil to the grandmother. It is interesting that these two seemingly different individuals almost make a connection by the end of the story. However, it is because of their personalities that they do not connect - she being the domineering type that only wants to talk and he being the psychotic refusing to listen."

Tags:personalities, The, Misfit, character, comical

Abstract
This paper examines how Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find", set in the rural South, is character-driven. It looks at how she effectively uses her characters to symbolize truth and the human problem, which is universal. In particular, it shows how, through the characterization of the Grandmother, she gives her work vitality, allowing the work to take on a life of its own. It also explores how O'Connor uses the story, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," to further her message that society is headed in the wrong direction by using the grandmother's characterization to get the message across and accomplish her goal.

From the Paper
"O'Connor uses characterization to make the reader not only see and hear the grandmother, but to look into the grandmother's empty life. By the middle of the story, readers feel pity for the grandmother. She talks and talks, yet says nothing at all. Family is all around her, yet she does not connect with them. She is lonely and really has no one. She mumbles through life, with no mention of dreams for tomorrow, only that things are terrible today. She has no real purpose in life and there are no signs of any spirituality. She only thinks longingly of times and places that are no longer a part of this world. In essence, the grandmother is shallow."

Tags:grandmother, society, generation

Abstract
The paper provides a discussion of the use and effect of characterization in Chinua Achebe's novel, "Things Fall Apart." The paper explains how the author creates round and dynamic characters to support his themes.

From the Paper
"In "Things Fall Apart" Chinua Achebe creates round dynamic characters in order to support the major themes and philosophical goals of the novel. Even though the characters exist in a world far removed from Achebe's intended audience, he has created them such that any audience can read the characters, understand their motivations and ultimately relate to them. This works especially well with the major characters that drive the story as they seem real to us and make real human mistakes."

Tags:chinua achebe, things fall apart, characters

Abstract
The paper explains the six conditions that characterize perfect competition in order to demonstrate how few, if any, markets in the world today meet these conditions. The paper explains that all firms must sell an identical product, must have a relatively small market share, buyers must have perfect information, they must have no entry or exit barriers to the market, all firms must have equal access to resources and finally, there must be a lack of externalities in production or consumption. The paper therefore shows how perfect competition can only exist in a situation devoid of branding and the influence of technology, making it extremely rare in the 21st century.

From the Paper
"The first characteristic of perfect competition is that all firms sell an identical product. Product differentiation is one of the main ways in firms compete in modern economies. This differentiation has been facilitated by technological advancements that allow even basic products to be produced in slightly different ways. Even within agriculture, for example, bioengineering has allowed for differentiation within vegetables and meat, products traditionally viewed as commodities. It is important to remember that in perfect competition, not only must the products be homogenous, but the consumer must view them as such. If firms establish a premium position for an otherwise homogenous product - for example bottled water or "sea" salt (all salt derives from the ocean originally) - perfect competition is lost."

Tags:monopolies, oligopolies, buyers, sellers, entry, exit, barriers, production, consumption, market

Abstract
This paper provides information on the history and origins of the Al Qa'ida Trans-national Terrorist Network and describes particular qualities that characterize this organization. Aspects such as the origins of the name "Al Qa'ida", Al Qa'ida's networking style of operation, its membership and hierarchy, its doctrine and ideology are discussed, as well as the modus operandi of the organization and the threat it poses to the world.

Table of Contents
Name
Definition
Geographical Location
Size of Organization
Membership
Resources and Finances
Leadership and Senior Members
Chain of Command
Organizational Structure
History
Doctrine
Motivation
Strategy
Record of Attacks
Weapons
Internet Activities
Summary

From the Paper
"Al Qa'ida, which means the "Foundation "or the "Base" in Arabic, is the general name given to this organization, which is seen as a worldwide or transnational network or alliance of militant Islamic organizations. (Wikipedia: Al Qa'ida) However there are some disparities and ambiguities that must be mentioned in relation to the naming of this organization. Firstly, the name "al-Qa'ida", while a recognized name within the popular mind, is a designation that the organization does not often use to identify itself. Furthermore, the origins of the name is disputed in some quarters and "some allege it was coined by the United States government based on the name of a computer file of Bin Laden's that listed the names of contacts he had made at the MAK in the Bait al-Ansar guesthouse during the late 1980s." ( ibid) The name, which refers to the training camp for the militants, has however become the common designation for the organization."

Tags:the, islamic, army, world, islamic, front, for, jihad, against, jews, and, crusaders, human, capital

Abstract
This paper examines the way in which Hemingway uses Christ imagery to characterize Santiago in his novel, "The Old Man and the Sea." The paper explains how Hemingway emphasizes the power of suffering.

From the Paper
"On the surface Ernest Hemingway's novella "The Old Man and the Sea" appears to be a rather simple story about an old fisherman and his struggles on the open sea. If one delves deeper into the narrative, however, it becomes apparent that Hemingway's intent is much more complex. Indeed the way in which the author utilizes religious symbolism within the novella works to effectively convey his main theme, namely, man's ability to endure through hardships and the nobility of such struggles."

Tags:hemingway, old man and the sea, santiago, christ, crucifixion, religious, symbolism, suffering, sacrifice, nobility

Abstract
This paper takes a look at the work of three modern, Southern Gothic writers. The paper reviews Eudora Welty's "The Petrified Man", Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People" and William Faulkner's "Barn Burning". According to the paper, these writers deploy grotesque characters in their respective short stories as a means of conveying a message to the reader.

From the Paper
"When a charlatan preacher named Manly Pointer takes advantage of Hulga's susceptibility towards flattery, he steals her leg and thus symbolically steals Hulga's sense of her great intellectual gifts--and her atheism, in contrast to her mother's piety. The preacher is shown to be wrong, he is not a good country person, only a thief--he says he collects artificial body parts. But even if Manly is not the man that Mrs. Freeman believed him to be, but Hulga's worldview is equally impoverished as her mother's, hence Hulga's grotesque character symbolizes something about her worldview that rejects religion. The reader is unlikely to see him or herself in Manly, or in Hulga, the way he or she might see him or herself in the excesses of love illustrated in the Welty story, but the imbalanced life led by Hulga, for all of her grotesqueness, proves instructive much like a Biblical parable. The lack of identification, though, creates more of a sense of judgment in the mind of the reader--the reader is more likely to see Hulga as lacking, or Manly as cruel, rather than to feel warmly towards and sympathize with the more human characters of "The Petrified Man." (O'Connor, 1971) "

Tags:symbolic, approval, justification, violence, caricature

Abstract
This paper gives a detailed analysis of the characterization, setting and themes in Toni Morrison's "Recitatif." First, the paper gives a plot summary showing how two little girls living in an orphanage because their mothers are unable to care for them. The story continues with the girls growing into adults. Morrison uses characterization and setting to create the theme of racism and abandonment as seen in the main characters of Twyla and Roberta.

From the Paper
"Imagine a "white" little girl who rooms for the first time with an "African American" little girl. Would they be scared? Do they become friends? Toni Morrison's "Recitatif" begins with two little girls living in an orphanage because their mothers are unable to care for them. The story continues with the girls growing into adults. Morrison uses characterization and setting to create the theme of racism and abandonment as seen in the main characters of Twyla and Roberta. The two main characters in this story are Twyla is the main character of the story. She is a little girl who may be white or she may be African..."

Tags:characterization, setting, themes

Abstract
The author of this paper takes a look at the characterization of Ulysses which Tennyson envisages as a more contemporary, earthly man, whose own restlessness matches the restless nature of Victorian society. He also discusses Homer's characterization of Odysseus as a favorite of the gods. Tennyson portrays further human qualities in Ulysses through his lust for glory. Unlike the immortal god-like Odysseus, Tennyson's portrayal of Ulysses as aged and mortal is the clearest example of his humanity.

From the Paper
"Tennyson's characterization of Ulysses brings a humanistic quality to Homer's once god-like hero by depicting his earthen limitations of restlessness, selfishness, and lust for glory. The aged King portrayed by Tennyson in "Ulysses" resembles only a shadow of the great hero found in Homer. All of the god-like glory that set Odysseus apart and carried him through turmoil is brought to earth by Tennyson's depiction of Ulysses' human qualities. The former glory of Odysseus is recalled as a boast of greatness with the aid and direction of his gods absent. The reader discovers that however great Ulysses once was, he know possesses many of the same faults as ordinary men. The result is a human King facing death yet dreaming of glory. "

Tags:characterization, comparison, homer, tennyson, ulysses, greek, god, hero, odysseus