| Papers [1-11] of 11 | Search results on "RISE SILAS LAPHAM": |
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"The Rise of Silas Lapham", 2006.
An analysis of William Dean Howell's novel, "The Rise of Silas Lapham" and how it deals with social wrongs and complex ethical choices.
1,341 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 45.95
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Abstract
This essay presents the confusing encounter between the New World and the Old, innocence and experience and the future and past as seen through the eyes of the character Silas Lapham from William Dean Howell's book "The Rise of Silas Lapham".
From the Paper
"Silas Lapham is a successful American businessman who builds a fortune from his father's discovery of minerals to produce an exceptional grade of paint. He cultivates his father's discovery into a lucrative business and immense fortune. With the help of his wife, Persis, they create a financially secure world for themselves and their two daughters. Persis serves as Silas' moral conscience throughout the novel, forever reminding him where his heart should reside. Silas is best described as a man "you could never tell when he really meant a thing" (19). His greed made him fortunes but never allows him to belong to the social class in which he aspires."
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Structural Transformation in "The Rise of Silas Lapham", 2000.
An examination of William Dean Howells' novel "The Rise of Silas Lapham".
1,720 words (approx. 6.9 pages), 5 sources, $ 55.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the structural symmetry of the opening and closing scenes in "The Rise of Silas Lapham" by William Dean Howells in order to demonstrate the moral change that Silas Lapham has undergone. The author uses the opening and closing interviews to explore the deeper aspects of Silas?s morality and identity. The author also makes use of various critical reviews.
From the Paper
"The structural symmetry, which appears in the opening and closing scenes in The Rise of Silas Lapham, provides a lens through which the true transformation of Silas Lapham can be viewed. The two scenes, which both involve an interview with Colonel Lapham concerning his ?solidity,? mirror each other in order to demonstrate the moral change that Silas has undergone. The novel is an exchange between beginnings and endings, for Silas must eventually fall in order to rise. The financial risen but morally fallen man portrayed in the opening interview becomes the morally risen but financially fallen man in the closing interview. Thus, as Wai-Chee Dimock states in , ?The Economy of Pain,? ?What makes Lapham?s fictive trajectory possible?is a crucial and animating process of exchange: an exchange between beginnings and endings, between what he starts out with and what he ends up with? (Dimock 82-83). Given this perspective, it is then essential to analyze Lapham?s transformation through the parallel exchange between the opening and closing scenes."
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"The Rise of Silas Lapham", 2006.
Examines the qualities of the character, Silas Lapham in this book by W.D. Howells.
846 words (approx. 3.4 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 30.95
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Abstract
"The Rise of Silas Lapham" by W.D. Howells is a story of a man's moral development from a time in life dictated by the pursuit of material and selfish desires, to one that is guided by the dictates of a morally sound conscience. This paper argues that, although Silas Lapham is a flawed human being, he is a true hero because, ultimately, he is able to face up to his mistakes and realize that morality lies in decisions that are guided by the interests of humanity rather than the individual.
From the Paper
"Faced with the awkward realization that Tom and Penelope love each other, and not Tom and Irene as they had hoped, the Laphams are initially at a loss as to how they should deal with the problem. This is when Silas realizes the larger principle of happiness and welfare - a realization that is confirmed by Sewell, the minister. As a result, Lapham endorses Tom and Penelope's union so that two people could be happy instead of a marriage that would ultimately cause unhappiness for all the parties involved."
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Analysis of William Dean Howell's "The Rise of Silas Lapham", 2000.
An analysis of the extent to which William Dean Howell applies his theory of fiction to his own novel.
1,485 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 3 sources, $ 49.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at Howell's novel "The Rise of Silas Lapham" in terms of his theories about the importance of realism in fiction and analyzes the extent to which he follows his own theory.
From the Paper
"William Dean Howells played a pivotal role in the evolution of American fiction, for his work served as bridge between the traditional romantic notions of earlier novelists and an emerging realism in American literature that was soon to blossom. Howells balked against the whimsical adventures portrayed by his compatriots; Cooper's heros in The Last of the Mohicans and Melville's romantic quest in Moby Dick seemed too fanciful to the more realistic Howells. He saw these exotic tales as childish and felt true literary craftsmanship should realistically emphasize character development through commonplace events. In essence, art should imitate life."
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"The Rise Of Silas Lapham" ( William Dean Howells ), 1999.
Analyzes the novel as an example of the late 19th Century. Introduces the Realist tradition including the protagonist, values, symbols and plot.
2,025 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 3 sources, $ 71.95
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Abstract
Analyzes the novel as an example of the late 19th Century.
From the Paper
"Introduction
William Dean Howells was the most prominent author in the school of realism, and The Rise of Silas Lapham is his most prominent work. The book has been described as a paradigm for the United States in the late 19th century, as the Industrial Revolution took hold, fortunes were won and lost, and America searched for a new identity. This paper will analyze Howells' seminal work and how it fits into the Realist tradition that the author helped create.
Silas Lapham as a Man and as a Symbol
A cursory plot summary would seem to indicate that The Rise of Silas Lapham details Lapham's rise from a man of few means to a wealthy business owner. After all, that is the American myth, the idea anyone can become rich if they work hard enough or are lucky enough. The title a ..."
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"Silas Marner", 2002.
A review of the book "Silas Marner" by George Eliot with an emphasis on the changes in Silas' life.
947 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 0 sources, $ 33.95
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Abstract
Silas led a good, hard-working and self denying life following his simple religious faith until he was falsely accused of stealing money belonging to a sick pastor. This caused him to be in a depressive state for many years. This paper examines the incidents and experiences that cause the transformation of Silas from a recluse to a happy human being again by the end of the novel.
shows the emotional transition undergone by Silas who goes from being a "spinning insect" to being a fully human being. Silas became
Subject: ?Silas in his solitude had to provide his own breakfast, dinner and supper, to fetch his own water from the well, [?] to reduce his life to the unquestioning activity of a spinning insect? (chapter 2). What incidents and experiences seem to you to be the most important in transforming Silas from an ?insect? to a happy, fully human being by the end of this novel?
From the Paper
"Silas led a good, hard-working and self denying life following his simple religious faith until he was falsely accused of stealing money belonging to a sick pastor. Silas had been framed by the same William Dane he had come to love then despise (as he also stole Marner?s fianc?e: Sarah after Silas? banishment from the religious sect and his departure from Lantern Yard). By this time Silas had lost his faith in Man but still believed that God (whom he had served so faithfully) would not let this injustice go unpunished; however, as the drawing of straws seemingly confirmed Silas? guilt, Marner?s faith in the divine was also extinguished."
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'Silas Marner' by George Eliot, 2006.
A review of George Eliot's book, 'Silas Marner'.
1,884 words (approx. 7.5 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 60.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how in George Eliot's book, 'Silas Marner', a miser finds the meaning of true wealth and his own worth. According to the paper, Eliot uses the literary device of symbolism to show how the young, blond, abandoned child Eppie softens the heart of the embittered miser Silas Marner. The paper concludes with the powerful message that the most meaningful morality of all, the truest gold beyond creed and coinage, is loving another person.
From the Paper
"In Virginia Woolf's words, even before Eliot became a novelist "we see her rising herself with groans and struggles from the intolerable boredom of petty provincial society (her father had risen in the world and become more middle class, but less picturesque) to be the assistant editor of a highly intellectual London review." (Woolf, 1919) Partly as a result of her frustrations with some of the novels she had to review, she decided to begin writing fiction. Born Mary Ann Evans, Eliot took the pen name of George Eliot so that her works would be taken seriously in terms of the ideas they addressed. (Uglow, 2002) Despite the fact that Eliot became a Londoner, as an artist, "much of her fiction reflects the middle-class rural background of her childhood and youth," feeling that these locations were better able to touch upon the "moral and social problems" that were her main concern. (Basset, 2006) Eliot was prominent in the scientific and literary debates of the time, standing squarely on the side of Darwinism and humanism rather than the faith she had been reared in as a child."
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George Eliot?s "Silas Marner", 2006.
An analysis of the theme and characters in George Eliot's "Silas Marner".
1,006 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 0 sources, $ 35.95
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Abstract
This paper summarizes George Eliot's work "Silas Marner" explaining that one of its most prominent themes is that wealth corrupts. The paper discusses the characters in the story and shows how Eliot uses their circumstances to convey the message that society has a twisted definition of success and that the elite classes tend to lack a real moral conscience.
From the Paper
"Silas is depicted as a quiet, ordinary man with a "loving nature" (pg. 61). The similarities between Silas and the characters of Dolly Winthrop and Mr. Macey, are emphasized through the advice and companionship they extend to Silas and Eppie, and to any member of the community which might be in need. Thus Silas' reward for his gentle thoughtfulness is to be surrounded by others of the same exemplary character. At the same time, Godfrey Cass is surrounded by those who are as unscrupulous and emotionally devoid as he is, meaning both characters are essentially getting what they deserve."
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George Elliot's "Silas Marner", 2005.
An analysis of the theme of suffering in this novel by author George Elliot.
1,280 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper explains the message about suffering put forth in George Elliot's novel "Silas Marner". The paper explains that Elliot 's novel is about the horrible toll that suffering can exact on the individual and his personality-as well as the power of the positive experiences of kindness and love to reverse those effects and ultimately lead to redemption.
From the Paper
"When the reader first encounters the character Silas Marner, one notes the sad history of the man. We see that Silas is not much more than a hermit, working endlessly in a village not his own, exiled as a result of false accusations in his past, and wounded by the loss of his love to his false friend, William Dane (also his accuser). Thus, disheartened by life, as well as having lost faith in the justice of God and Man, he turns to the meager existence of work and wealth alone as the bedrock of his life. In fact, one sees from the tremendous lack of joy he experiences even from work as an indication of his profound disenchantment with all aspects of human existence. As Elliot writes, "Formerly his heart had been as a locked casket with its treasure inside; but now the casket was empty, and the lock was broken.""
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The Portrayal of American Business in Literature, 2002.
A discussion of how the American business world is portrayed in five novels.
1,450 words (approx. 5.8 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 48.95
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Abstract
This paper explores the image of the American business world in "The Octopus" by Frank Norris, "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton, "The Golden Bowl" by Henry James, "Babbitt" by Sinclair Lewis and "The Rise of Silas Lapham" by William Dean Howells. It discusses the authors' use of Naturalism, Realism, and Cultural Darwinism to portray the American business and businessman at the turn of the century as grasping, greedy, and selfish.
From the Paper
"All of these novels were written about American business around the turn of the century, and they all take a dim view of the American businessman of the time. "Babbitt" pokes fun at American's prosperity and consumerism. "It was the best of nationally advertised and quantitatively produced alarm-clocks, with all modern attachments, including cathedral chime, intermittent alarm, and a phosphorescent dial. Babbitt was proud of being awakened by such a rich device. Socially it was almost as creditable as buying expensive cord tires" (Lewis 7). It also shows the complete acquiescence of the salesman to his higher ups, a social condition common to these novels. "So well trained was Babbitt in all the conversation that befits a Good Fellow that he almost disgraced himself with 'Rather than make trouble, and always providin? there ain?t any enforcement officers hiding in the waste-basket?' The words died choking in his throat. He bowed in flustered obedience. So did Chum Frink" (Lewis 175)."
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Eliot's Writings, 2002.
Examining the life and works of writer George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans).
1,239 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 42.95
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Abstract
This paper presents a brief biography of George Eliot. It examines the social climate at the time and the reason the woman Mary Ann Evans felt she had to choose a man's nom de plume. This paper analyzes a few of her works, in brief : "Scenes of Clerical Life"; "Silas Marner"; "Adam Bede" and "The Mill on the Floss".
From the Paper
"Mary Ann Evans was born in Warwickshire and was the daughter of an estate agent or manager. Her education was a conventional one that was dominated by Christian teachings and touched by the enthusiasm generated by the Evangelical movement of church reform. While in her 20?s she came associated with friends who were freethinkers. During this time Mary Ann underwent a radical transformation of her beliefs. The German school of biblical scholarship known as Higher Criticism influenced Evans. This thought attempted to treat sacred writings as human and historical documents and she devoted herself to translating its findings for the English public. She published her translation of Strauss's Life of Jesus in 1846 and her translation of Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach's Essence of Christianity in 1854 (Encyclopedia of World Biography, 1998)."
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