Abstract
Will Durant, in "The Story of Civilization", argues that the development of the law of nations was in effect a fiction or a rationalization of Roman supremacy or economy of force. This essay proposes to refute this view with reference to a range of scholarship on the philosophy and history of law. The paper argues that it is in Durant's identification of the law of nations and natural law with Roman law that we find the central flaw in his argument.

Tags:law, philosophy, roman

Abstract
This paper examines how there are many similarities between the two novels: Philip Roth's "Portnoy's Complaint" and Dorothy Parker's "Mr Durant". It looks at how not only are they are about self-obsessed men who treat women badly and who seem to choose women who are inferior to themselves, but also how they are very preoccupied with how others think of them. It analyzes how both offer an indictment of the American male's values and debates whether they can be considered typical stereotypes of the American male.

From the Paper
"He is not only preoccupied with his image, but also with younger girls. There is of course Rose, who could be his daughter. The shabby girl he sees at the beginning of the story at the bus stop and the two girls he sees when he walks from the bus to his home. With all he notices how they look, how their legs are shaped. And there is Ruby, even though he is initially afraid that she tells the vice-president when it becomes clear that she probably will not tell on him he remarks: "There was a sense of intimacy, of a shared secret binding them cosily together. A fine girl, that Ruby!" . Even if there is still the danger of her telling on him, that he might have misinterpreted her "little upward glance, mischievous, understanding, with just that least hint of admiration in it." , he sees his next prey."

Tags:women, image, degredation

Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts the portrayal of Depression-era society in three diverse literary works. Georgia Durante's, "The Company She Keeps," is an autobiographical look at how the Depression affected the world of organized crime through as seen through the eyes of a mafia wife. John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" looks at human relationships and how they were affected through the portrayal of the life of the migrant worker. Richard Wright's "Native Son," discusses the role that segregation and racism played in the struggles of blacks to survive the 1930s. The author compares the three different novels and feels that the "Grapes of Wrath" is the most comprehensive portrayal of Depression-era life in America.

From the Paper
"The Grapes of Wrath also explores multiple facets of the effects of the Great Depression on the general public. Not only does it examine the way families were affected by the economic hardships of the times, it also shows what happened when people were forced to move to find work, what life was like in migrant camps, and how people began to band together to promote the rights of the workers and to engage in collectivist action. Human relationships are also a big part of this book. The Great Depression naturally affected the way that people related to each other, and The Grapes of Wrath explores how family relationships as well as relationships with friends, neighbors, and strangers were all changed by the economic crisis. A reading of The Grapes of Wrath makes one feel as if one actually understands on many levels the pressures and deprivations of the times, because it explores so many areas of the Depression experience. The Grapes of Wrath is a holistic book while Native Son and The Company She Keeps are specialists."

Tags:autobiographical, wife, experience, symbolism, story, characters, layers

Abstract
"Shell Shaker" is one book that can be read from different angles because the novel is essentially a skillful interplay of various themes. These themes offer a wide range of viewpoints on misuse of power, corruption that is integral part of power itself, women who transcend traditional roles to change the destiny of a nation, and history's influence on the present. This paper looks at how the novel narrates two separate events at different points in time and simultaneously offers an insight into the power of people who react to horrific events to introduce change and to stop corruption. The paper shows that, among these people, it is the female population that is shown to have the greatest resilience and strength to transform an entire nation and its destiny.

From the Paper
"Shell Shaker can therefore be read as the story of powerful women who managed to influence events, thereby creating and shaping history. It is story of sacrifices made by some women to bring peace and prosperity in the lives of other people of their tribe. These women were undoubtedly powerful because they understood the real meaning of serving the community and the nation. Readers unfamiliar with Indian traditions might not like the idea of self-sacrifice, however these women are certainly worthy of a rich tribute as they bartered their lives for peace and tranquility."

Tags:Shakbatina, Choctaw, Red, Shoes, Old, Durant