Abstract The paper analyzes the irony used by JamesThurber in his essay "The Secret Life of JamesThurber." The paper discusses how Thurber compares his own common sense with artist Salvador Dali's "nonsense."
From the Paper "In a play on his most famous story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" American humorist James Thurber wrote an essay comparing his own common sense with the nonsense exhibited in the life and manners of Salvador Dali in "The Secret Life of James Thurber." In "The Secret Life of James Thurber" we see clearly demonstrated Thurber's penchant for humor and irony."
Abstract This paper examines the biography, written production, and style of the American humorist JamesThurber. It includes excerpts from many of his best-known works, as well as examination of his conventions and importance to the body of 20th Century American literature. The paper discusses "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", "My Life and Hard Times", and the concept of "The Little Man".
From the Paper "Much to his later chagrin, James Grover Thurber was brought hesitantly into the world on December 8, 1894, the second son of junior politician Charles Leander and the extraordinarily eccentric Mary Thurber. Thurber's mother was in fact an incorrigible practical joker upon whom her son relied for inspiration for many of his partly autobiographical stories, particularly those contained in his best-known work, My Life and Hard Times, written in 1933."
Tags: hard, life, little, man, mitty, times, walter
Abstract This paper analyzes JamesThurber's novels "The Unicorn" and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", both of which tell the tale of disintegrating relationships and distrust between husband and wife and shows how the terrible relationships and the awful marriages that existed between these two couples in the novels pushed both men to drastically take their lives into their own hands. It examines how both books prove JamesThurber's disdain for marriage in his creation of two characters bordering on some form of mental incapacity in order to rid themselves of their wives.
From the Paper "The most lasting, permanent relationship that exists in one's life is the relationship between husband and wife. While the bond that exists between parents and their children is strong, children do grow up, and begin their own lives, most often leaving the home of their parents. Before children come into the picture, marriages exist, and after the children leave, marriages remain. If a marriage is strong, there is a certain advantage the couple have over a failing marriage. Strong relationships, strong marriages, benefit the couple in their lives everyday, leading to the conclusion that poor marriages must cause certain detriment and despair in the lives of the couple."
Abstract This paper examines how JamesThurber's main character in the short story, "The Catbird Seat," is a person who uses a small, unexpected change in his personality to his advantage. It discusses how Thurber gives a shining example of someone who not only refuses to give into change, but fights it head on using popular perceptions of him to his advantage.
From the Paper "When Martin realizes that Mrs. Barrows means to get rid of his department, something in him breaks. Now that his own job is on the line he knows he must act. Mrs. Barrows enters his office one day "[wandering] about the office, taking it in with her great, popping eyes"(634). It is at this point that Martin realizes that she means to fire him. "Mr. Martin could no longer doubt that the finger was on his beloved department"(634). This would bring many changes to his life. His hatred of any change leads him to come up with a solution to the problem Mrs. Barrows is planning to impose upon him. "
Abstract Essay discusses two forms of mental illnesses portrayed in two different characters. The first character Walter Mitty is from "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," by JamesThurber and the second is James Baldwin in an autobiographical essay called "Notes of a Native Son." Both Mitty and Baldwin have endured abuse and from their abuse stemmed their illnesses. The paper shows however, that while Mitty is seemingly unaware of his affliction, Baldwin is conscious of the illness, which was exemplified in his father. The ways in which their ignorance and self-awareness of their illnesses changes their outlooks and affects them are explored.
From the Paper "Walter Mitty appears to the reader as a timid, almost broken man under the constant criticism and flow of abuse of his wife. Because of the constant harassment, Mitty creates strong daydreams to escape into; daydreams that are triggered by words spoken from the external environment that filtered into his mind and broken each time by events from the external environment as well. These daydreams are introduced to the reader from the very beginning such as when Mitty imagines himself to be a daring Commander who takes his Navy crew through a hurricane. ?The crew, bending to their various tasks in the huge, hurtling eight-engined Navy hydroplane, looked at each other and grinned. "The Old Man"ll get us through,? they said to one another. "The Old Man ain"t afraid of Hell!?? (Thurber 72-73). From this we can see Mitty's need for reassurance that he is needed and wanted. The way that the "Old Man" is capitalized shows deference from the crew, which is probably how Mitty wants, to be respected."
Abstract The paper states that Thurber's 1947 story 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? was put in a British medical journal as a clinical condition, which manifested itself in compulsive fantasizing. The paper discusses that in his "real" life, Walter Mitty lives an ordinary, plain life under the control of an overbearing, critical wife. This paper concludes that story shows that fantasy is often a good alternative to reality.
From the Paper "Walter is both fun and entertaining, he's easy to like and he lives in every one of us. Compared with Walter Mitty, his wife is more realistic. Unlike the female characters in much of literature, she is an independent lady and to some extent, controls Walter Mitty's life. She is no longer an oppressed figure. By creating an oppressed husband and a domineering wife, Thurber humorously and ironically criticizes the social system (under) which women should obediently do as men tell them."
Abstract This paper compares Thurber's fable, ?The Unicorn in the Garden,? and his short story, ?The Catbird Seat,? and explores the idea that they are, in essence, the same story. It looks at their similarities, shared traits and abilities, subject matter, and their different levels of deception and intention.
From the Paper "In Thurber's nine-page 1942 short story "The Catbird Seat" a man removes a woman from his workplace by convincing his boss that she is insane. In his earlier 1940 page-and-a-half fable "The Unicorn in the Garden" a man dispenses with his wife by convincing the authorities of her insanity. Both men achieve their ends by lying. The retelling of the Unicorn story in the later Catbird version demonstrates how, through rewriting and editing, a new and longer piece of fiction can be produced whilst still maintaining both the integrity and validity of the earlier, shorter work."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the tendencies of Henry James in his writings. "The Beast in The Jungle", "The Jolly Corner", and "The Portrait of a Lady" are three of James' works that are examined in detail. In particular, this paper focuses on the protagonists of each of the writings respectively. A strong comparison is made between the three protagonists of these writings, and their miserable lives. On the other hand, the protagonist of James' story "The Tragic Muse" is shown to lead a life of happiness and success. The paper notes the clear differences between this story and the others, therefore explaining what leads the character on a different path.
From the Paper "In contrast, Portrait of a Lady presents Ralph as an invalid who lives vicariously through a woman named Isabel Archer whom he leads to doom. He bestows upon her a large sum of money, despite his father's warning that fortune hunters will target her for it. Ralph replies, "That's a risk, and it has entered into my calculation...I'm prepared to take it" (p. 161). Ralph is financially generous to Isabel not out of love but out of a morbid fascination. He wants to see what she will do with it. When Isabel marries a gold-digger, she fulfills the victim role that Ralph's father had feared. Ralph's fascination with Isabel's life overcomes any concern he might have had for her welfare."
Abstract This paper argues that Shakespeare wrote "Measure for Measure" as a complimentary tutorial for King James. In doing so, he portrays the current state of affairs in England and attempts to provide James with advice concerning the problems facing his kingdom.
From the Paper "Shakespeare's England at the time that Measure for Measure was written was in a state of internal conflict and discord. King James I came to power in 1603 and inherited a kingdom rife with a myriad of social and cultural problems, including corruption in the justice system, religious disputes and crises, and rampant sexual immorality. Shakespeare, the ?King's Playwright,? as Alvin Kernan dubs him, wrote Measure for Measure as a complimentary tutorial for King James. In doing so, he portrays the current state of affairs in England and attempts to provide James, as a ruler with Divine Right and responsibility to his country, with advice concerning the problems facing his kingdom."
Abstract This paper explains that Shakespeare's "Hamlet" resonates in Henry James' "Turn of the Screw". The author points out that the latter text can be said to replicate the structure of the former. The paper relates that both texts use ghosts.
From the Paper This research provides a comparison and contrast of Shakespeare's "Hamlet"and Henry James' The Turn of the Screw". The research will identify ways in which "Hamlet " resonates in James's story with a view toward evaluating the extent to which elements of the ..."
Abstract This three page book review of James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" looks at several major points of this work. It looks at James' steps as he moves through rehab in a motivational model, how he copes with the family dynamics in the work, how he is effectively (or not) guided by the staff at the center, and finally, how the work, even though fictional, can be seen as valid.
From the Paper "Frey's now famous work, entitled "A Million Little Pieces" has recently caught the attention of the American public--firstly from being sponsored by Oprah's Book Club, to then being openly renounced as a work of false fiction. Yet, however one looks at this situation, it can be agreed upon that the work is compelling. Telling the story of a twenty-three year old's collapse into alcoholism and drug addiction, and his way out of this circumstance, it shows unusual honesty of character and family. Moving from a bewildering plane ride to placement in a residential drug and alcohol treatment facility by the seventh page, the majority of the work revolves around James' reactions to treatment, coupled with flashbacks in the form of user-dreams. The work touches upon personal change via a motivational model, illustrates the importance of family dynamics and staff upon..."
Abstract This paper gives an historical analysis of James Madison and his Presidency, focusing on his commitment to the separation of church and state. This commitment influenced the decisions he made and the political ideology that he upheld. The paper traces Madison's political career and its interconnection with the birth of the US. Madison's famous treatise on separation of church and state entitled "The Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments," is analyzed. The paper concludes by reinforcing James Madison's commitment to the separation of church and state and the protection of individual liberty.
From the Paper " From the early days of the development of the British colonies into an independent nation, Madison was involved. As a student of history, government, and law, he took part in framing the Virginia Constitution in 1776 and held membership in the Virginia Assembly ("James Madison"). Madison served in the Continental Congress and engaged in frequent debates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia ("James Madison"). Together with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, Madison made a major contribution to ratifying the Constitution by writing the Federalist essays, which were in favor of the creation of a more powerful federal government to replace the ailing Confederation. The essays earned him the title of "Father of the Constitution," although he claimed the document was "the work of many heads and many hands" ("James Madison"). He also shared in framing the Bill of Rights and passing the first revenue legislation."
Tags:James, Madison, Constitution, First, Amendment, separation, of, church, and, state
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 In this paper the author examines James Baldwin?s, "The Fire Next Time", which looks at the explosion or revolution that will result if freedom for African Americans is not achieved. The author identifies and examines, in depth, various thematic threads throughout the novel and also makes reference to the story of Hamlet when comparing the African-American search for their identity in America.
From the paper:
?Baldwin's talent for running words excitingly across a page, crying thoughts to heights of perception, rarely falters. When he discusses the African American's need to fight back against white oppression, he recognizes that the African American although sometimes deluded by promises is actually less deluded than whites that believe that they are giving freedom to blacks.?
Tags:James, Baldwin, The, Fire, Next, Time, African, Americans, Whites
This paper is an analysis of how "typing"- the literary action of making characters stand for themes and ideas- is illustrated in Henry James' novella "Daisy Miller."
Abstract By examining the typing of characters in this novella, Henry James is able to progress themes and ideas.
From the Paper "It is entirely correct to identify a recurrent theme of "typing" in Henry James' novel, Daisy Miller, but it is perhaps a mistake to take this theme at face value. James' characters are much deeper than a simple type and it is often the other characters in the novella who are guilty of "typing" one person or another. By identifying the action of "typing" and using setting and character, James is able to identify the flaws of the society that is examined in this work and his presentation of an idealized world of human interaction is that much more convincing and appealing."
