Category: Comparative Literature

Based on the evident mistreatment that women get in society, feminists have devoted themselves to making hefty campaigns to end gender segregation. However, the role of women in society has not received its due attention. As a result, the paper sheds light on the roles of women as portrayed by Jonathan Swift and Francois Marie Arouet in their respective works A Modest Proposal and Candide. According to them, women are nothing more than sexual tools that men use, not only to satisfy their sexual desires but also for pleasure.

Perhaps, one of the ways that portray the real character of Swift, the author of the play A Modest Proposal, as a feminist, is evident in the manner he portrays the role of women in the play as sexual tools. Even though Irish women may have different roles that perhaps other cultures might not have been a comforting or even unfamiliar with, the anticipations and parts of women are reflective of the disrespect and disdained status in the society. Swift makes it look like women are the chief cause of malnutrition in Ireland.

He says, Crowded with beggars of the female-sex, followed by three, four or six children all importuning every passenger for alms (Swift 298). This extremity in generalization tends to infer that every woman and child is a beggar. The position of a woman in society is a narrow one. She has no occupation that can help her meet her daily needs.

Therefore, women are a liability and or dependants rather than providers. This fact implies that women are subjects of mens manipulation. Swifts proposal for people to resulting in cannibalism, consequently, discourages the less advantaged in terms of gender, class, and age. Unfortunately, women belong to the helm of the gender-discriminated people.

On the other hand, Francois Marie Arouets play Candide presents women as no more than sexual equipment designated for men to satisfy their sexual desires. They are sites from which men please their souls. The main women characters namely Cunegonde, Paquette and the old woman, have a rape story to tell out of the experience. They are slaves of sex. The attitude of the characters and the narrator towards acts that disregard womens sexual rights is widely nonchalant.

In the play, peculiar dangers always have a woman character in the mix. The male characters in the play have an exceptional value of chastity in women when it comes to sexual matters. Unfortunately, women lack such an opportunity. They have no right to criticize male counterparts. Catholic authorities burn heretics alive, priests and governors extort sexual favors from their female subjects, businessmen mistreat slaves (Voltaire 23).

This depicts women as tools for satisfying mens needs. Womens rights encounter a fair deal of prejudice when it comes to issues of sex. In fact, the pope, of all people, can afford to keep a mistress. The mistress agrees to indulge the secretly maintained relationship. This implies that women are subjects of control by men since they must respect the popes intentions of maintaining the relationship in secret, never blow the whistle.

In A Modest Proposal and Candide, the theme of womens roles in the society is essential. As the plays reveal, women are the chief sources of troubles that afflict people in Ireland, as the case stands in A Modest Proposal. Cannibalizing them would mean a reduction in the number of children beggars since few births would ensue.

On the other hand, Candide presents them as species lacking an opportunity to make their own decisions. They are even forced into sexual slavery. In the two works, women are merely tools for gratifying the desires of men and hence subject to their manipulations.

Works Cited

Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal. New York, NY: Plain Label Books, 2010.

Voltaire, Francois. Candide. New Jersey, NJ: Echo library, 2010.

Narrators View of Her Mother in Jamaica Kincaids Girl

Girl by Jamaica Kincaid is a poem that depicts tough conversations and lessons between a Kincaid and her mother. The narrator describes the mother as a harsh person by the way the literal work is presented. The dramatic monologue provides an in-depth description of her expectations of Kincaids behavior, especially in church. Each line in the poem gives a perception of how the mother views the world, her anticipations, and what seems right in her eyes. Throughout the poem, the narrator tries to explain why people have varying discernments on peoples behavior and the manner in which the society and family expect from them. The mother seems to give Kincaid advice about how she should grow as a young girl. The poem brings out the possibility of the childs promiscuity. Kincaids mother perceives that a girl should behave in a particular way to create the right image. This theme is seen throughout the poem. At one point, her mother emphasizes that she should not play marbles because she is not a boy. Elsewhere, she does not want Kincaid to sing Benna in Sunday school since this music style is believed to promote gossiping and promiscuity.

Narrators View of His Brother in Sonnys Blues

The narration in Sonnys Blues tells the reader about the relationship between him and his brother. From the beginning of the poem, the older brother views Sonny as an irresponsible person who cannot harbor his music industry ambitions. However, Sonny sees this accusation as a misunderstanding. The narrator views his life through the lenses of Harlem, whose environment is associated with poverty, crime, and drug abuse. Throughout the piece, Sonnys brother is fully aware of his communitys dark side, and he tries to protect him from evils that may affect him emotionally by preventing him from pursuing his music career. The narrator cares for Sonny, but he seems adamant about accepting his ability to influence change. From a tender age, the narrator reveals that Sonny has been haunted by poverty and being bound by the confines of his communitys social order. He tries moving from Harlem to free himself but instead ends up in prison, making him captive. The narrator describes him as a caged animal attempting to relinquish the effects of imprisonment and the impact of drug abuse that led to his incarceration.

Comparison

The narrators tone in Jamaica Kincaid is highly subjective and told from a personal viewpoint. In most parts of the short story, it is seen as bitter and sarcastic. The mother kept accusing the girl of her inclination to promiscuous behavior. However, Kincaid defends herself by saying, I dont sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school. I empathize with the young girl because her mothers sediments do not reflect on her behavior.

On the other hand, the narrators tone in Sonnys Blue is compassionate and caring. Despite the fact that he seems to lean on Sonnys case, his intentions were aimed at the right place in the end. I side with the narrator because he wants to protect his brother from succumbing to the dark side of Harlem. He cares about his brothers sufferings and tragedies that have affected most of his life and aims to help him by trying to understand his disappointments.

In the poems On being Brought from Africa to America by Phyllis Wheatley and On the Emigration to America and Peopling the Western country by Philip Freneau, a few similitudes and differentiations are portrayed. First, taking a gander at the similarities, the two writers discuss a place known for trust, which set to flourish and clear out segregation of its face no matter the social variety in the land. The two writers discuss an undertaking that both go about as a gift and carry the desire to them all, targeting reestablishing and working on their internal identities and convictions. In her sonnet On Being Brought from Africa to America, Phyllis discusses emerging from the place where there are agnostics and observing comfort in Christianity in the new land, which resembles a demonstration of opportunity away from the agnostic existence of Africa (Loving 67). Philip Freneau, then again, has likewise envisioned the new ground as a spot that can deliver comfort and thriving as opposed to Europe, where foul play is overflowing and at its pinnacle.

Then again, the two writers most broadly differentiating perspective on this land is treachery. Phyllis Wheatley draws out an occasion of shameful perspectives exposing the oppression of individuals of color in this land. They are peered downward on, subjugated, and seen as no better than creatures (Loving 67). Philip Freneaus On the Emigration to America and Peopling the Western nation views that this is a place with equity and persecution in European culture, rather than being found in this new land set to beat the subjugation allotted to different societies. Phyllis censures bias, prejudice, and bondage, portraying them as a bad habit in this land. Phyllis On Being Brought from Africa to America attempts to conform to her kindred subjugated Africans and recognizes how subjection and treachery against her kindred blacks are overflowing (Loving 67). Going against the norm, Philip has put subjugation decisively on Europes shoulders and is taking off from it and desires to track down the opportunity in the place known for America. The sonnet tells us of the brutality in Europe by the crown and the option in America appearing differently from the perspectives of the leading artist who portrays the lousy form in America.

Work Cited

Loving, MaryCatherine. Uncovering Subversion in Phillis Wheatleys Signature Poem: On being brought from AFRICA to AMERICA. Journal of African American Studies, vol. 20, no. 1, 2015, pp. 67-74.

Introduction

One of the differences between Whitman and Dickinson was the thematic elements that were utilized by the poets. For instance, Whitmans use of slang and common language in his poetry greatly contrasted with Dickinsons overly formal language, however, this difference in the type of words utilized actually embodied a greater difference between the two authors which will be discussed in the succeeding sections of this paper.

Stylistic Choices

This difference in word choice is of particular importance to take note of since the analysis of the article Rebel Souls: Walt Whitman and Americas First Bohemians (2014) shows that the use of slang terminology was an intentional aspect of Whitman in order to draw readers into the situations that he was presenting. The goal of Whitman was to create a reading experience that was, for all intents and purposes, relatable which would enable the reader to better understand the message or feelings that the poet was trying to impart. In comparison, the work of Dickinson focused more on the concept of God and spirituality and tends to praise God, criticize him, advocate for the performance of good deeds or exemplify the need for spiritual guidance (Ashwell, 2014).

Thematic Elements

While it can be stated that Dickinsons poems have contributed significantly towards the incorporation of religion into popular poems that can be enjoyed by ordinary people due to the manner in which they were written, the fact remains that there is little in the way of being able to relate to what she wrote. People, on average, do not live, breathe, or espouse religion 24 hours a day and, as such, the poems are basically a condensed version of church sermons.

Whitman on the other hand placed a particular emphasis on utilizing everyday people, places and situations in order to appeal to readers in order to bring out what can be defined as a sympathetic experience. This term can be defined as the capacity of the reader to place themselves into the very situation that is being presented by the poet. In fact, the article Rebel Souls: Walt Whitman and Americas First Bohemians (2014) explains that there tended to be a blurring of the lines so to speak between the situation or person being described and Whitman himself. For instance, the poem A Childs Amaze is a great example which showcases the blurring of the lines that was stated earlier. This can be seen in the phrase:

Silent and amazed, even when a little boy (Rebel Souls: Walt Whitman and Americas First Bohemians, 2014, p. 52)

While referring to a child that was observed can also appeal to individuals who remember being silent and amazed when they were little kids, however, this can also refer to Whitmans own experiences as a little child

Differences

In comparison, Dickinsons poetry was meant to appeal to how people thought rather than the experiences they had. For example, in her poem Heaven is what I cannot reach the following phrase is stated:

Heaven is what I cannot reach! The Apple on the Tree provided it do hopeless hang that Heaven is to me! (Ashwell, 2014, p. 85)

Such a phrase is related to the unreachable concept of heaven that people normally think about and, as such, shows how the work of Dickinson appeals more towards theological trains of thought rather than the everyday experiences of people (Ashwell, 2014). Aside from a slight similarity in verse and poem structure, there is nothing really similar between the two authors given their wildly divergent themes and styles.

Journal Entry 5 Transcendental Thought

One good example of transcendental thought comes from the following quote by Henry David Thoreau in which he states:

Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends&.Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts (Sullivan, 2005, p. 36).

This phrase can be considered as a prime example of transcendental thought that is applicable to present day life since it focuses on the concept of non-conformity and the need to focus on the self rather than on external trappings (Sullivan, 2005). For instance, the phrase can apply quite succinctly to the present day obsession people have with popular culture. It is often the case that people want the latest gadgets (ex: the iPhone), wear the latest fashions (ex: Converse, Gap, etc.) or like the latest pop idols (ex: Justin Beiber, One Direction, etc.). Yet, what people fail to realize is that they do not need these aspects of popular culture in order to live a fulfilling life. As emphasized by Thoreau, the given phrase can apply to getting rid of our popular culture obsessions and focus on what is truly important, namely, improving ourselves instead of getting caught up in what is popular at the present. What can be considered as popular is in a constant state of flux and can change very quickly; however, the concept of the self is something that is immutable and permanent. The transcendental thought in the phrase given by Thoreau helps us to realize that investing in something that is fleeting is foolish as compared to investing into something that is permanent.

Reference List

Ashwell, S. (2014). All Things Dickinson: An Encyclopedia of Emily Dickinsons World. Booklist, 110(17), 85.

Rebel Souls: Walt Whitman and Americas First Bohemians. (2014). Publishers Weekly, 261(26), 52.

Sullivan, E. T. (2005). Henry David Thoreau. Book Links, 14(4), 35-36.

Classics are literary works that are considered the gage and main point of reference for their era or a particular genre. Previously, this term referred to certain authors of ancient literature, and later it was used to refer to all ancient Greek and Roman literature. This concept is now used in a broader sense and means exemplary works belonging to a particular historical period (Janaro & Altshuler, 2016). Masterpiece is a work that is endowed with a rare property. It does not get less impressive over time, and it opens up to new generations of readers with its artistic depths, which the readers of the previous epochs might not have captured.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu is an example of a Non-Western work of literature that qualifies for the definition of classics. Othello by William Shakespeare, is an example of Western classics. The work of Sun Tzu preaches one main idea  war should be avoided, and military operations should be used only in extreme cases when it is necessary to preserve the state and people (Tzu, 2012). This idea makes the treatise relevant at all times and allows it to be used in modern times, not only by the military but also by managers in resolving conflict situations without human casualties. This is a methodological manual on tactics and strategies of warfare, having studied it, one can acquire the basic skills of confronting an opponent (Lee et al., 2015).

Shakespeares tragedy develops the theme of the death of the best people and their internal discord. On the one hand, Othello is a type of jealous person, who can be observed at all times. On the other hand, the image of this hero is one of the best Shakespearean characters. He is depicted in various ways: a brave traveler, commander, beloved by the army, a fair boss, a direct and nobleman. With Desdemona, who was captivated by the difficult life and deeds of Othello, he is united by a beautiful, human love (Shakespeare, 1890). Believing in the betrayal of his wife and depriving her of life, he did not find peace (Shakespeare, 1890). Upon learning the truth, Othello surrenders to unbridled repentance, regains wisdom, and kills himself. Victory in this tragedy of Shakespeare remains on the side of high moral principles, and the author encourages the readers of all times to fight against evil (Alkoli & Jim 2018).

References

Alkoli, H. A., & Ji, S. (2018). An analysis of power desire of Iago in Shakespeares Othello from psychological perspectives. Journal of Literature and Art Studies, 8(3), 417-421.

Janaro, R., & Altshuler, T. (2016). The art of being human (11^th ed.). Pearson Education.

Lee, C., Harper, M., & Fryer, D. (2015). The art of war: Beyond memory-one strategies in population games. PloS one, 10(3), 1-16.

Shakespeare, W. (1890). Othello: The moor of Venice. Ginn & Company.

Tzu, S. (2012). The art of war. Courier Corporation.

The concept of otherness is one of the central issues in James McBrides autobiographical book The Color of Water and Nadine Gordimers story Country Lovers. However, while there are many similarities in how otherness functions in these works, some aspects are fundamentally different. This short essay argues that two authors have opposite stances on otherness and solve this problem accordingly.

Among the similarities in handling the issue of otherness is the question of race and origin. James and Ruth, the main characters of The Color of Water, feel the pressure that their skin color puts on them. For Ruth, her Jewishness makes her whiteness less accepted, as James finds it difficult to fit in both with white and black people. In Country Lovers, it is also the race that divides people and makes them other. However, while for James McBride, the otherness is connected to the sense of belonging and search for identity. For Nadine Gordimer, the otherness is a profoundly tragic issue entrenched in politics. Gordimer (2002) writes: The farm children play together when they are small; but once the white children go away to school they soon dont play together anymore, even in the holidays (p. 332). Thus, the author emphasizes the nature of this divide which is dictated by social constructs and institutions: school, the press, court and public views formed by the apartheid regime in South Africa.

It is important to emphasize that the struggles the characters of The Color of Water are going through are severe and explained by the societal structure. Ruth has to undergo the Southern white communitys exclusion and unacceptance while living in black neighborhoods. At the same time, James suffers from the stereotypes surrounding black people and unjust race-determined treatment. Nevertheless, the author emphasizes the importance of self-freedom and shows optimism about the possibility of overcoming othering through love, friendship and finding your true self. McBride (2012) writes: Am I black or white? You are a human being, she snapped. Educate yourself or youll be a nobody! (p. 70). While Country Lovers can also be seen as a commentary on the same issues, for Nadine Gordimer, there is no solution. The love between Paulus and Thebedi does not only win, but it creates a tragedy resulting in the murder of an infant.

Otherness, determined by race, becomes a focal point for both authors. However, if for James McBride, this problem can be solved by hard work on establishing understanding between people, for the author of Country Lovers, the otherness has no remedy. For her, the divide between people caused by this othering is much deeper, systemic, and tragic.

References

Gordimer, N. (2002). Country lovers. In R. Rubenstein & C. R. Larson (Eds.), World of fiction (pp. 332-336). Prentice Hall.

McBride, J. (2012). The color of water: A black mans tribute to his white mother. A&C Black.

Known as a Land of Opportunities, the US allows some people to become successful, leaving the rest to survive by themselves and support the few fortunate ones. As a model of capitalism, the country may ignore the needs of those who do not contribute much to money and resource circulation. However, no one is exempt from being struck by the system. Unless a person is a billionaire set for life, they may find themselves struggling to survive at an inopportune moment, blurring the lines between the classes.

Nickel and Dimed and The Queen of Versailles supposedly present two financial extremes existing in American society, although they are not as different as one might think. Ehrenreich documents the life of various low-income communities throughout the country while attempting to experience it herself. On the other hand, the documentary shows the decline of a relatively affluent family due to the crisis and overall mismanagement they face due to not performing most tasks themselves. While it may seem that the stories are not related in any way, they share the concept of income, which affects their lives differently. People in Nickel and Dimed are used to constant survival, and the characters from The Queen of Versailles will have to learn what it means.

The documentarys premise is that the family wanted to move to a bigger, more pompous house, which became an unachievable dream. The theme resonates with low-income people, too, as they wish to leave inconvenient accommodations (Ehrenreich 20). Ehrenreichs co-workers from Hearthside had poor living conditions, ranging from crowded situations to trailers or boats (Ehrenreich 20). Unlike them, the Siegels kept their vast mansion after financial difficulties, but the size of the family and the help made the situation almost equally taxing (Greenfield 00:48:27-00:48:40). In both cases, it seems that those who are richer had no vested interest in changing the status quo, and working several jobs or auctioning goods could not resolve the issue. Perhaps, housing is one of those phenomena that affects everyone regardless of their income.

A curious fact about both works is that they mostly describe white peoples experience in those economic situations. While Ehrenreich has encounters with other ethnic or racial groups, she eventually moves to a mostly homogeneous Maine (Ehrenreich 33). She discovers that even if one is of the same race as the customers or the employers but at a disadvantageous position, their treatment can still be similar to a pimp (Ehrenreich 66). Meanwhile, The Queen of Versailles may focus on the struggles of white people from the other side of the spectrum, but the non-white servants perspective is also of interest. They are ambitious, but their dreams seem unachievable, especially during the crisis (Greenfield 00:37:00-00:38:00). Interestingly, Mrs. Siegel had to experience the same conditions that Ehrenreich describes, so her husband was not affluent from the beginning, but she appears to cope with the situation better (Greenfield 00:51:25-00:53:00). While it is important to note that the richest people are generally white, and people of color communities suffer from poverty the most, everyone is miserable in their way.

A major aspect that concerns ones income is expectations or lack thereof. In The Queen of Versailles, the parents imply that they had no plans to send the children to college before the crisis, and the new state of affairs made them reconsider (Greenfield 01:19:25-01:19:50). For many families who struggle to save money to ensure their childs bright future, the couples disappointed tone would seem outrageous. Meanwhile, most of the people with whom Ehrenreich interacts do not seem to have a degree, which could be a part of the problem. While the rich have great expectations for their children, low-income communities live in uncertainty, reluctant to produce children who would have to share their fate of poor living conditions and low-paying jobs. However, a child can serve as motivation, which is a recurrent theme in The Queen of Versailles. Everyone deserves to have expectations and hope for the best future, although they should be realistic.

The documentary reveals an unfortunate fact  the rich are not as adapted to the world as they would think. It is evident in the episode with dead pets and the children complaining about never going to a pet store (Greenfield 00:49:50-00:51:05). It might be a situation unthinkable for ordinary people, but for the Siegels, it is akin to being out of their comfort zone. On the other hand, the poor exist in a constant state of discomfort and scorn from those who are more well-off, but they continue to survive (Ehrenreich 120). Both situations are fundamentally wrong, although the former may seem ridiculous, and this wrongness unites people.

In conclusion, reflecting on the meaning of classes in the US, one might continue to believe in the strict hierarchy based on income. However, the two analyzed works show that while the obvious differences exist, once the rich lose a significant amount of money, they find themselves struggling. The process is not as harsh as for low-income communities, but the burdens left from the affluent times may great aggravate it. With the veneer of capitalism and alleged opportunities removed, all Americans are people who want to have a good future for themselves and their children. Unfortunately, the system is relentless to everyone, and even the most privileged kingmakers are not safe.

Works Cited

Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. Henry Holt and Company, 2001.

The Queen of Versailles. Directed by Lauren Greenfield, Magnolia Pictures, 2012.

Home has an emotional connection to each one of us: it is the place where we feel safe, where we grew up, where we go for security, and to find love. It means different things to different people, mostly sentimental and heart-warming. For example, Silas the dying old servant in Robert Frosts Death of a Hired Man sees the home as the fortress where he wouldnt have to lose his pride, a place he wouldnt have to deserve, and yet not have to lose his dignity to please anyone.

According to the book What you Pawn I Will Redeem, Jackson sees the home as the family place of gathering with his fellow Indian folks; a source of laughter and freedom, as well as of loving memories in a hapless world. The house occupant in the book The Ballad of a Landlord also attached a sense of comfort and security to the home where he expects comfort and love.

We see Silas, an old man, wasted and very ill, trudge back home to the farm where he once worked. You would expect him to go to his wealthy brother instead, but he has made his choice. He would have gone there and the brother would have welcomed him, but here he is, back to a landlord he had disappointed in the past, who is not ready to see him back again after Silas had broken a contract and run away to seek better pay. What brings him here? Somehow he feels he is going to find the honor he needs in his dying moments in the farm, and this is his notion of home.

Here he seeks redemption from this break of trust he had committed against Warren, having met his other expectations: service to his kin and community. Silas work in the farm had given him a sense of fulfillment and meaning that his life had lacked, having had nothing else to look to with pride or hope, and having not been particularly good at anything.

In place of the family he did not have and the brother he could not stand, Silas, finds comfort in these things for his dying day. His brother finds no place in his heart to forgive him and Silas would have had to give up his pride to please him, and this is of no appeal to him.

Jackson the derelict, homeless man in What you Pawn I Will Redeem sees the home as the place of gathering for the family and his fellow Indian folk; he often refers to Indians as loving to converge and he says, Indians like to belong, so we all pretended as cousins. He brings this out clearly in his reference to Big Hearts, the all-Indian bar, where he finds fifteen other Indians and they readily go on to buy each other drinks. He begins with his generous offer of five drinks for everyone. He states that no one knows the reasons why the Indians move from one bar to the other and make the place an official place of drinking. Somehow Indians always find each other and even though they have no official residences, they are a family upon themselves.

Jackson looks at homelessness as something to relish, and when he proudly claims he is good at it you can tell that home to him is the fun and the jokes and the friends he lives within the parks and down the water.

Jackson sets out on a quest to redeem his grandmothers regalia. This is an emotionally driven connection with his grandmother, and the memories he harbors of her suffering, and eventual death from, cancer. He cannot stop imagining that her illness could have resulted from a broken heart after someone stole her regalia. Crazy as it seemed, Jackson finds his grandmothers regalia at the shop and he feels compelled to get it back for her as if it would bring her back to life.

Jackson has a deep sense of love for his grandmother, he misses her. In his conversation with Officer Williams, he says Ive been killing myself ever since she died. Most of his grandmothers memories get across his mind and he further states that he smoked throughout as he thought of his grandmother. He went ahead to state that he had never seen his grandmother dance in her regalia. This is an important sentimental memory for Jackson, and though he describes his grandfather and parents, he does not sound as fond of them as he is of her.

Jacksons refusal to tell the police and to try to redeem the regalia by hard work-or by luck is also a quest at self-redemption and restoration of pride. He wants to do it by himself, and this is his way of revenge against the thief who stole from his grandmother. This is best seen in the title of the story, which is a direct address to him.

In The Ballad of a landlord, the house occupant attached a sense of comfort and security to the rented home where he lives. He demands these from the landlord, to protect him from natural forces and the risk of injury. He has a strong conviction of entitlement to these rights as he sees them to the point he is ready to fight the landlord for threatening to evict him.

However, his attempts to assert his right gets thwarted by the landlord, who ignores his frequent pleas to have him, repair his rented home. The landlord frequently counters his pleas with claims of unpaid dues. On the day when he eventually vents his frustrations, the landlord is very quick to call the police on him. He then falsely accuses him of conspiracy against the government. The policy allows this frustration of the house occupant: they move in swiftly to arrest him based on just the landlords side of the story.

They do not even weigh the accusations of the landlord and do not stop to look around for justification for the tenants complaints. How do they fail to notice a leaking roof? Besides, do they have no trouble at all reaching the tenant through the broken stairs?

It is clear that in the end he has not been heard at all, and this leaves him legally defenseless against his charges. The police throw him in a cell and the charge that eventually comes up is false which is of threatening the landlord. The troubles of the poor tenant do not end there as he is quickly judged by the press who seem to take sides with the landlord and even go as far as racially accusing him as a Negro. You can predict that in the public eye he will stand no chance either and is convicted at the first sight of the headline.

The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Erendira and Her Heartless Grandmother

The whole story that is written by Gabriel Garcia Marcia Marquiz is a very interesting one that embraces three concepts, that is realism, naturalism, and magical realism.

Realism

Erendira who was fourteen years old was living with her grandmother. She set their home one day on fire. The fire was only a mishap. Her grandmother forced her to settle up all the debts by forcing her to become a prostitute. Surprisingly, men were lining up to get attended by her. In this way, Marquez is trying to show us how sometimes real lifes realities usually force someone to do some things out of the will. This is especially when some situations call for a desperate measure as in the case of Erendira who had to become a prostitute to pay off the debts. After some years, she fell in love with Ulises who was once her client. Ulises decided to help her out (Levine, 5). Marquez brings out the realities through Evas desperation since she has to pay the debts through prostitution.

Naturalism

The girl was in s state of despair which had forced her to become a prostitute. She could not afford to pay off the debts after having burnt the house accidentally. Erendiras desperate condition forced her to plot to kill her grandmother so that she could escape from the bad condition. Ulises gave her a hand in killing her grandmother. Marquez develops the character Erendira as a ruthless individual who has been turned from that way by her grandmother. The story shows the economic hardship that Erendria was facing (Marquez, 1).

Magical realism

Gabriel Garcia brings out magical realism so well in his story. The author portrays the wind as having the power to swallow a human being. Erendaria was swallowed in the winds shadows and inside the shadows, an owl was calling her. In the story, there was a woman who had turned into a spider after disobeying her parents which indeed is a mysterious thing that wouldnt happen in reality. Ulises and Erendira communicate through an inner voice. We find in the story Erendira calling Ulises in the inner voice and he wakes up. When he prepares to leave, his father he sees his father in the moonlight (Pelayo, 1).

Eva Inside Her Cat

Realism

In this story, Gabriel Garcia Marquez depicts Eva as a very beautiful girl that every man admired. Women usually dream of attaining physical beauty and they can do everything to make sure that they are given the required attention. However, in this story, Marquez tries to explore the other side of beauty which can be a burden as well as a disadvantage to women. The main character that is Eva always dreams of becoming a normal lady. She is usually troubled by mens look whenever she passes by as well as her own fathers sensual cupidity. The story strongly shows us that in as much as beauty is admired; to some extent, it can also cause distress. This went as far as contemplating suicide which she did (Pelayo, 1).

Naturalism

Marquez depicted Evas condition as a psychotic trance of Evas extinction. Whereas many women would have wanted to be admired like Eva, she was discontented by beauty. Her relief would be death. Eventually, Eva killed herself. Eva committed suicide by taking a rat poison. Marquez describes Eva as having suffered from psychosis which caused her to contemplate suicide. Eva ultimately suffered from Insomnia. The most interesting thing is that Eva sees her infections that were coursing through her bloods circulation and they seemed to devour the personality in her. Marquez wants to depict the fact that even if beauty is something everyone admires, some conditions that revolve around it may cause individuals wary. No one knew that Eva was being distressed by her beauty. Her story is told when she dies (Pelayo, 1).

Magical realism

When Eva died, she was left to determine her plight. One mortal sin that Eva committed was committing suicide. Surprisingly and magically, death only takes away her flesh. Her body emotions as well as curses of her beauty persisted even after her demise. After her death, she savors an orange. Something mysterious happens in the story because a young man that Eva loved was buried under an orange tree. The circumstances that led to his demise are not well understood, it could be that he was killed as he tried to pillage Evas beauty. Marquez does not reveal to us what happened. The young mans body decayed and it nourished the soil. The orange tree became beneficially. The orange could be seen blossoming and it was used to make a bridal bouquet. However, any potential marriage was terminated. It seemed like the tree symbolized the eternal continuance of the young man. His ghost seemed to have been apparent in the fruits as well as in the flowers. Perhaps the boy had become the spirit that was inside the fruit which was forbidden (Marquez, 1).

In a nutshell, Evas predicament seems to be unfair as depicted by Marquez. She was born being extremely cute. She recognized that her beauty would be taken away by infections. This situation was dreadful to Eva. Her loveliness later faded away. Her soul later transgressed and she became a mere plastic. Magical realism is brought out so well when we are told how she found herself bodiless and she was just floating. Having changed to an amorphous dot with no direction, she felt that she had entered another world. Surprisingly, she transmigrated into a cat. All this has portrayed Marquezs magical realism work. The storys ending does not have overt storyline ingenuity. The particular powers of the story comes various amazing details.

Big Fish

This movie is among those that clearly depict three realm of creativity. The author tries to portray the realities as well as fantasies.

Realism

Edward Bloom was a former traveling sales man and he hailed from Southern parts of the United States. He was confined to death bed when his son came to him to restore their relationship. The theme of the movie was reconciliation after the son had had a broken relationship with his father. It is surprising how the movie portrays realism especially concerning the circumstances that had led their relationship sour. It all started during his wedding. Edward told a story about Will having been born catching a huge uncatchable fish, a situation which was difficult for Will to explain to his wife Josephine. Edward and his son stayed for three years without talking to each other. His realities of life are portrayed when the son had to return to mend their relationship before his father died. This shows that the strong bond between father and son is usually strong despite the differences that could be between them. Realism is also depicted in the fact that his son was confused because he didnt know the truth about his father. He did not know that his father was only a storyteller (MacLean, 1).

Naturalism

Edward was hoaxed by ringmaster Amos Calloway that he would learn something new each month concerning the girl that he had fallen in love. He therefore works without pay in the hope that he would achieve what he is promised. Later, he was told her name and where she was in school. Edward bears with the situation besides being hoaxed all along. This depicts naturalism in the story. After his return from Korean War, Edward was unable to find job since he had been declared dead by the military and he could not contact his family before his return. This also depicts naturalism in the story.

Magical realism

Finney portrays supernatural powers in Edwardss tale about how he met a braved swamp as well as having met a witch who showed him how he would die through a glass eye. Finney depicts magical realism when Edward tells his son about how he had grown fast, became a successful sports player and set off as a giant Karl which was misunderstood. When he had died, he was carried to the river and he becomes a big fish. Magical realism is depicted through Edwards character as a witch, giant, mermaid and as a werewolf. Various places also have been portrayed as archetypes, for instance, the circus, mythological city and the small towns (MacLean, 1).

Works Cited

Levine, George. The Realistic Imagination: English fiction from Frankenstein to Lady Chatterly. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981N

MacLean, Lynda D. Big Fish. Web.

Marquez Gabriel Garcia. Eva is Inside Her Cat. Web.

Pelayo Ruben Gabriel Garcia Marquez: A Critical Companion. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2001.

Shaw, Harry E. Narrating Reality. Austen, Scott, Eliot. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1999.

Introduction

The analytical paper is dedicated to the comparison of the stories by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Harrison Bergeron and Flannery OConnor Good Country People. From first sight, the two narratives seem to be completely different and do not have much in common; however, there are topics covered by both of them. The chosen texts differ in their handling of individualism, reality, and the role of the family in the life of an individual due to the purposes of the writings. Harrison Bergeron hyperbolizes the discussed topics and makes them more explicit, while Good Country People describes the world as it actually is, even though in an ironic way. The current paper analyzes the differences and similarities between the mentioned aspects.

Individualism

The current section discusses how two texts address individualism that emphasizes the significance of a person and the possibility of making decisions in the context of constraints posed by the freedom of other people and the honesty with yourself. Besides, individualism refers to the uniqueness of a person, possession of inimitable characteristics. In Harrison Bergeron, the topic is discussed in a much more explicit way than in Good Country People. Furthermore, this topic is the one that Vonnegut addresses from the first lines. At the same time, in OConnors paper, it is less explicit and is considered in the context of the disability of the main character.

First of all, Vonnegut begins a story by saying that all people are equal in every way (5). This means that no one of them is smarter, prettier, or stronger (Vonnegut 5). Equality is guaranteed by the Constitution of the state (Vonnegut 5). To some extent, this message sounds like a warning of what would happen if people kept on comparing themselves with others. This way, from the introduction of the text, it could be inferred that people are deprived of the opportunity to themselves, to be different, to have various weaknesses and strengths. As Reed puts it, individuality is an inborn quality, and members of the society that equalizes them in such a barbaric manner are handicapped (55). What is more, people are unaware that this forces equality harms them, and most people are satisfied with the absence of unique features and glad to be, to some extent, disabled.

As it has already been noticed, OConnor does not put that much pressure on the issue of individuality. However, the author states that Hulga, the main character, has an artificial leg (OConnor 2). In contrast, to the characters of Vonneguts story, the lady felt that her handicap was an inseparable part of her personality. This statement is based on the phrase that she took care of it as someone else would his soul (OConnor 19). Hulga does not ignore her problem; she regards the artificial part of the body as the feature that makes her distinct from other people and single and unrepeatable. Additionally, the trauma made Hulga understand the world more subtly than other people and change the name from the initial Joy to Hulga that implies that she sees the world as it is in reality (OConnor 5). Thus, OConnors Hulga perceives her handicap as a distinctive feature that makes her a unique person. On the contrary, Vonneguts characters assume that their artificial handicaps equalize them, and they are glad to be deprived of individuality.

Perception of Reality

In both texts, it could be noticed that characters are not familiar with one anothers original appearance and do not understand who everyone truly is. The difference lies in the fact that Vonnegut points out that people are forced by the laws to hide some of their physical and mental traits, whereas OConnor depicts that the characters disguise their thoughts and beliefs and even could be called hypocritical.

Concerning this issue, one should not forget that the actions of Harrison Bergeron are taking place in the imaginary world. Indeed, it has parallels with the real one, but the author still emphasizes the gap between the present society and one in the text. The topic of perception of reality is interconnected with the previously discussed theme of individualism. Since people are forced to be equal in every matter by law, they become unable to see reality. The only person who manages to escape this trap is Harrison Bergeron. The boy tried to open the eyes of society to what the world around them looked like but was severely punished for this. In Vonneguts paper, citizens do not investigate the world around them and do not comprehend that the actual personality of people around them is not the same as what they see.

The characters of OConnors narration are prone to wishful thinking. For instance, Mrs. Hopewell divides people into two categories good country people and trash (O Connor 4). This notion contradicts the fact that Mrs. Hopewell claims to be a good Christian. The only person who notices this mismatch seems to be Hulga, who blames the surrounding people for hypocrisy. What is more, even Hulga managed not to recognize the real personality of the Bible Salesman, who stole her artificial leg (OConnor 22). In this story, the characters are not forced not to notice the actual state of things; instead, it is their choice, while the personages of Harrison Bergeron are said not to catch the difference between the appearance and reality in a much more ironic and exaggerated way.

The Role of Family in the Life of an Individual

Both stories narrate the misunderstanding between children and parents, their different perceptions of the world and society. Mrs. Freeman, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Bergeron, chooses to concentrate on the caricatured aspects of life and does not try to think beyond these borders. The selected stories are also united by the fact that both Harrison Bergeron and Hulga Hopewell suffered from their views and beliefs. This way, Harrison was killed, and Hulgas leg, which was precious for her as a part of the soul, was stolen.

Talking about the mentioned topic, Kumral calls the family of Bergerons a typical family of that society (153). Mr. Bergeron is handicapped for his intelligence, and Mrs. Bergeron, an average person in all senses, finally does not even realize that their only son was killed (Vonnegut 11). This means that during the moment when a child was in trouble, parents were busy with other staff and could by no means help him. The situation is similar in OConnors story, where the mother was busy with gardening when the Bible Salesman left the house with the artificial leg of her daughter (22). From this perspective, the two writings address the issue of relations between parents and children in the same manner.

In spite of the fact that the two texts illustrate the similar alimentation between the family members, the difference is that the case, described by Vonnegut, could hardly happen in reality. At the same time, the relations between Mrs. Hopewell and Hulga Hopewell resemble a non-fiction story. In other words, the distinction is that the irony and exaggeration in the work of OConner are less explicit in comparison with the style of Vonneguts writing. Kim claims that irony is crucial for the content of OConnors stories (37). However, she manages to make them in such a way that they look alike in a real situation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be mentioned that the difference in how the chosen texts view the identified topics lies in the degree of exaggeration. Vonnegut creates such conditions that draw the readers attention to the issues of individualism, reality, and family. At the same time, OConnor explores a real situation and shows how the same topics are incorporated into ordinary peoples daily lives. Undoubtedly, it would be unfair to accuse either of the texts in the absence of irony because both deride the vices of people and the society where we live. Still, the authors style of writing makes the stories completely different. In addition, it should be noted that OConnor is widely known for the tendency to incorporate biographical details in her works. This feature makes the stories more real, and an unprepared reader could even fail to notice hyperbole and irony. Vonneguts exaggeration is justified by the fact that he narrates about the situation in the distant future.

Works Cited

Kumral, Necat. Mind Versus Heart or Vice Versa: Semiotic Reading of Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut. Ars Artium, 2016, pp. 152-157.

OConnor, Flannery. Good Country People. Harcourt, 1955.

Reed, Benjamin. Technologies of Instant Amnesia: Teaching Kurt Vonneguts Harrison Bergeron to the Millennial Generation. Teaching American Literature, vol. 8 no.1, 2015, pp. 45-69.

Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Bergeron. The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, vol. 21, no. 4, 1961, pp. 5-11.

Yin, Dan. The Irony Revealed by the Characters Names in Good Country People. US-China Foreign Language, vol. 4, no. 3, 2006, pp. 37-39.