Abstract
This paper examines the failure of the prosecution team to convict O.J. Simpson of murder, despite the overwhelming physical evidence that pointed to his guilt. The paper lists the evidence against Simpson that was collected prior to his trial and quotes various criminologists and others associated with the trial who explain why the evidence did not convince the jury of Simpson's guilt. The author concludes by showing the weakness of the prosecution and the strength of Simpson's defense team.

From the Paper
"Out of all this hard and convincing physical evidence, the blood evidence related to Simpson's shoes and the hairs and fibers from his Ford Bronco appear to be the most important pieces of evidence for his guilt. First of all, the various witnesses for the prosecution, made up of forensic experts and blood specialists, "were called to give evidence regarding the blood samples" which turned out to be "the most complicated and technical part of the trial," due to the jury being "unable to grasp the complex and. . .stupefying dense evidence" which surely affected the jury's decision and the outcome of the trial. Criminalist Dennis Fung went to great lengths explaining the evidence to the jury and related "the painstaking process of collecting bloodstains and smears. . . and how it was catalogued and stored." Clearly, from the viewpoint of the prosecution, the blood samples and the DNA retrieved from the murder scene "tied Simpson to both murders" in the form of blood on the gloves, blood from his Bronco, blood on his socks and on the footpath at his home (Jones, 2007, Internet). But defense attorney Barry Scheck quickly argued that some or all of the blood samples had been planted and/or contaminated. For example, Fung admitted that "he had only collected representative smears of blood in the Ford Bronco" which explained why blood stains were still in the Bronco "six weeks after it was impounded." "

Tags:crime, sports heroes, racism

Abstract
The paper describes how Philips (1978) details the facts surrounding a crime and a murder trial that took place in 1972 in the Bronx in his book "No Heroes, No Villains". The paper discusses how this case was tinged with racial animosity and hints of police misconduct, though it was the police officer who was killed. The paper relates that the perspective in the book is that of Philips himself, for he was then an assistant district attorney in the Bronx. The paper looks at how the book not only tells the story of this case but also reveals a good deal about the workings of the criminal justice system.

From the Paper
"Philips (1978) details the facts surrounding a crime and a murder trial that took place in 1972 in the Bronx in his book "No Heroes, No Villains". The case was tinged with racial animosity and hints of police misconduct, though it was the police officer who was killed. The perspective in the book is that of Philips himself, for he was then an assistant district attorney in the Bronx on the case of State of New York v. James Richardson for the murder of Transit Authority Officer John Skagen on a subway platform. The book not only tells the story of this case but also reveals a good deal about the workings of the criminal justice system. Philips tells the story in chronological order to the degree possible,..."

Tags:philips, court, bronx

Abstract
The theme of family is explored in an examination of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" - a play about the trials and tribulations of a black family living in Chicago's Southside in the 1950s. The paper takes the position that the real hero of the play is the entire family, not just one character.

From the Paper
"The real hero of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" is the Younger family itself. By focusing on the specific dreams and conflicts of each member of the family, Lansberry manages to paint a disturbingly accurate picture of black urban life in Chicago's Southside in the Fifties or more accurately, sometime between World War II and the present, as she writes at the beginning of her play. Hansberry's masterpiece is all the more interesting because it prefigures much that was..."

Tags:Raisin, family, play, Hansberry

Abstract
The paper explains that Arthur Miller wrote "The Crucible" to establish a parallel between the unjust Salem witch trials and the Second Red Scare when Communists were believed to have quietly infiltrated American life and security. The paper discusses how Miller, like his character John Proctor, kept his silence and refused to testify to the Committee in protecting his business and personal friends and was thus blacklisted by the American government. The paper also examines "The Death of a Salesman" where Miller centers on the attainment of the American dream in the main characters, Willy Loman and his son, Biff. The paper discusses how Willy, unlike John Proctor, does not attain the status of a tragic hero because he does not come to a full self-realization.

From the Paper
"John Proctor, as Arthur Miller's tragic hero in "The Crucible," is essentially an honest and upright and honest man with just one weakness, a secret affair with Abigail Williams, which he at first hides in order to protect his public reputation as an honorable man and husband to Elizabeth (Miller 1953, Wikipedia 2006). The witchcraft hysteria occurs at this time when the spurned Abigail expresses her jealousy and vengeance by implicating Elizabeth as a witch to the court. John presents Mary Warren to the judge as a witness in an attempt at saving his wife but without exposing his adultery, but the attempt fails and John finds himself trapped in the turmoil when Mary accuses him of being a wizard himself."

Tags:Willy, Biff, John, Proctor, self-realization

Abstract
The paper begins by pointing out that the works "Gilgamesh" and "Sunjata" are logical mysteries to anyone without intense historical training in the cultural context of the words, messages, symbolism and function of the epics. The paper examines the message of each work, the overall role of the epic in culture and the role of the mother in the trials of the hero. The paper shows how these works diverge in many ways, but nevertheless concludes that these tales are far more alike than different.

Outline:
Textual Tradition
Gilgamesh and Sunjata
Divergence

From the Paper
"It is safe to say that epics written from the oral tradition are significantly influenced by time and the telling, as well as most significantly, with regard to modern interpretation the manner, time and skill exerted by those who have turned oral epics into written forms. The final product is determined by many forces, and this is true of any ancient works, as they go through time being translated and re-translated with greater or lesser understanding of the cultural context of their nature and with the skill or lack of skill associated with extrapolating the works. Gilgamesh, for example is demonstrative of a set of fragmented sources all pulled together (with noted items missing) to create a single written document, "...we may conjecture that as a rule the final product is as much dependent on the scribe as on the singer." (Honko 7) Sunjata on the other hand in fact is unique to some degree in its reception and eventual documentation as the poem was institutionalized through ceremony, when a bard was asked to sing it in its entirety every seven years at Keila. (Honko 219)"

Tags:heroes, heroism, mother, culture

Abstract
The paper discusses the features of the emerging Greek culture in "The Odyssey" and then focuses on the trials of Odysseus, Odysseus' relationship with the gods and the heroic qualities of Odysseus. The paper believes that this classic has greatly influenced literature in the past and today.

Outline:
Greek Culture and the Odyssey
The Trials of Odysseus
Odysseus and the Gods
Odysseus as a Hero

From the Paper
"There are intriguing features of the emerging Greek culture as visible in a work that presents the beginning of Western literature: The Odyssey. This work is attributed to the poet Homer and took written form around 750 BCE. Prior to that, the Odyssey was preserved and passed down orally for centuries. This epic provides us a glimpse into Greek culture and values, just as the Epic of Gilgamesh does for Mesopotamia or the Bhagavad Gita for Indian civilization. As with this piece of literature, The Odyssey is a heroic tale reflecting the religious views of the Greeks, as well as their views about the human condition (Burckhardt, 1963.)"

Tags:Odysseus, trials, gods, hero

Abstract
This paper studies the heroes of Odysseus in "The Odyssey" by Homer and Beowulf in "Beowulf", which are two of the greatest epics in Western literature. The similarities discussed by the paper include: both heroes undertake a great journey across water; both heroes descend into the underworld; both undergo trials and tribulations and must depend on the companionship of others; and both are uniquely grand men in their times. On the other hand, the paper demonstrates how despite these similarities, Beowulf and Odysseus are drastically different characters. Beowulf comes across as a noble and self-sacrificing knight, explains the paper, while Odysseus seems prone to adventuring for the sake of spoils, women and fame. Other differences include that Beowulf is literally seen as the hand of God in stamping out evil; Odysseus, on the other hand, struggles in opposition to the gods. The paper also demonstrates how Odysseus struggles against nature and his fellow man, while Beowulf struggles against demons.

From the Paper
"Beowulf and Odysseus have quite different approaches to heroism and its purposes. Beowulf is driven to act as he does based on the guidance of his wise men and religious leaders, who urge him to go "help the king who needed help."(1) At its core, Beowulf's purpose is to bring "relief from this evil." (1) Though eventually he will be rewarded by the Queen for his good deeds and his promise of friendship to her sons and given by her "the largest neck ring I have heard tell of on the earth," (6) still he does not respond either with pride or with hubris, but remains a "gentle, joyful one... mild in spirit, and faithful to his king." (6) Odysseus, on the other hand, does not approach adventures through some sort of over-weening altruism. When he battles monsters, it is because they stand between him and his goals (usually his way home). When he acts heroically, he generally does so in hope of gaining the monetary pleasure of kings. For example, Odysseus usually closely follows up his accounts of his own heroic adventures with a blatant request for tribute, as when -in the middle of accounting his trip to the Underworld, he says: "King Alcinous, if you were to bid me to stay here for a whole twelve months, and then speed me on my way, loaded with your noble gifts, I should obey you gladly..." (Book XI) This is quite different from Beowulf, who offers his loyalty and friendship without price."

Tags:hero, greek, german, sweedish, leadership, leadership, battles, journeys

Abstract
Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart is set in Nigeria in the late 1800s and early 1900s, just prior to and during the arrival of the British and their colonization of the country. The major theme of this novel is that of the gradual transformation of the traditional Igbo society while under British colonialism. The book also deals with the ultimately unsuccessful resistance to that change, mainly through the trials and tribulations of the main hero Okonkwo. This paper will identify and analyze the various factors, which contribute to the dissolution of the clan unity.

From the Paper
The End of Clan Unity - Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart is set in Nigeria in the late 1800s and early 1900s, just prior to and during the arrival of the British and their colonization of the country. The major theme of this novel is that of the gradual transformation of the traditional Igbo society while under British colonialism. The book also deals with the ultimately unsuccessful resistance to that change, mainly through the trials and tribulations of the main hero Okonkwo. This paper will identify and analyze the various factors, which contribute to the dissolution of the clan unity. At the beginning of the novel Achebe introduces the somewhat harsh and

Tags:colonization, achebe, things fall apart

Abstract
This paper examines how, although most of the action of Homer's "Odyssey" focuses on Odysseus as a hero who undergoes many trials and tribulations, both before and after his homecoming, the poem would not be complete without a number of strong female characters, many of whom show themselves to be testaments to the power of women in ancient Greece. It looks at how several of the female characters, especially Penelope and Circe, show that both dutiful and strong women play a role in the work. It compares the role of Penelope, who waits faithfully for many years for Odysseus to return, with that of Circe, who is represented as a dangerous female who tries to tempt Odysseus away from his wife and family through magic.

From the Paper
"Penelope is not the only strong female character in the Odyssey: many of the deities and creatures Odysseus encounters on his journey are female, but these characters are not portrayed as good and positive like Penelope is. Calypso and the Sirens are examples of the relatively one-dimensional female characters who act as a threat to Odysseus and his men, but Circe is another character who becomes three-dimensional in
her ability to change as the work progresses. At first, Circe, a deity who is portrayed as being surpassingly beautiful, is a danger to the wanderers, and she turns half of them into swine. This mixture of beauty and danger is present in many of the Odyssey's female
characters, especially in those faced by the hero."

Tags:circe, penelope, sirens, calypso

Abstract
This paper contends that out of all the protagonists he painstakingly described in his novels and short stories, the one which came closest to the real Ernest Hemingway was one of his earliest creations, Nick Adams. The paper discusses how Nick's trials and tribulations were featured in a series of 'coming of age' short stories, which were assembled in the compilation, "In Our Time", originally published in 1930. The paper defines Nick Adams as serving as Hemingway's literary alter-ego, a man who was on a personal quest to embody his definition of a macho hero, the man who could stoically overcome any obstacle without registering any outward emotion.

From the Paper
"The first offering, "Indian Camp," is a story which describes Nick accompanying his physician father to perform a Caesarean on a pregnant squaw. Dr. Adams describes the serious medical situation in clinical, matter of fact terms, telling his son, "Listen to me. What she is going through is called being in labor. The baby wants to be born and she wants it to be born. All her muscles are trying to get the baby born. That is what is happening when she screams" (16). The unsettling quiet of the labor is disrupted by the woman's desperate cries of anguish. There is, in these remote surroundings, naturally, no type of anesthetic, and Nick becomes increasingly agitated by the pregnant woman's obvious distress. "

Tags:nick, adams, indian, camp