Jamaica Kincaids Girl is a story about the suppression of women. The storys message is told by a strict and close-minded mother who teaches her daughter what it means to be a woman. The tasks and knowledge the mother provides are getting increasingly more cruel and stigmatic throughout the story. This post aims to discuss the topic and audience addressed in the story and its relevance in modern times.
The story displays the teachings on the types of attitudes of women. The stigmatic core qualities of any good woman are washing, cooking, ironing, and overall righteousness. Such freedom derivative teachings also include abortion instruction, how to make a good medicine to throw away a child before it even becomes a child (Kincaid). It shows the extent of the classical womens behavior model and how it harms the youth.
The central concept is relevant today because the fight for womens rights is still on-going. The rules which the mother uses to represses the girl are applicable in modern society. The storys themes, like abortion, are a hot topic of debate to this day, as they prevent females from having control over their bodies. Although women have more freedom, stereotypical thinking about what they can and cannot do still exists.
Jamaica Kincaids story is a perfect example of using people whose thinking is driven by wrong assumptions as examples of societys repression. Women have been fighting for their rights for hundreds of years, and still, the stereotyping prevails in the community. The author displayed how harmful and incorrect the thinking pattern of a repressed woman can be. This post discussed the storys central theme, audience, and relevancy in modern society.
Work Cited
Kincaid, Jamaica. Girl. The New Yorker, 1978, Web.
Berendts novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil portrays Savanna Georgia town as having a lot of assassinations, men in haul, drug abuse, and suicide which are puzzled in the large metropolitan area. In this book, the plot goes around the killing of a secondary school loafer named Hanson, who was a drugs addict. In this case, Hanson was killed by an affluent art dealer Jim Williams; who was his lover and employer.
From the story, William was an affluent socialite who was brought up in Gordon. It can be argued that Berendt journeyed to Savannah where he engrossed himself in the city and as a result meeting appealing people like Luther Driggers; who risked exterminating Savannah residents by putting poison to their water sources; and a lady who carried out voodoo to the adversaries of Williams among others. To know who killed Hanson, Berendt concerned himself with the case where he associated with Williams lawyer. In the first instance, William was found blameworthy and sentence to life imprisonment. After a while, Williams lawyer was sent an unidentified reproduction of the police account illuminating that the officer who detained Mr. William had gainsaid himself (Berendt 50-250).
After Berendt concerning himself more than before with the case, he learned that Mr. William killed Hanson after he had tried to fire him. By telling Benendt the truth, Jim Williams felt that he would be cleansed from his guiltiness. To win in her case, Jim used Minerva to throw magic charm in his favor. In this case, the magic charm was to be thrown on the former Chatham County District Attorney; who had sued Williams against the deadly firing of Hanson. Based on this, as Berendt tried to unearth the gaminess of the case, he found that Williams operations of argument might not fairly be honest (Berendt 70-303).
Voodoo is a life asserting performance that gives confidence to its applicants to comprehend the ordinary courses of life and their spiritual natures. Based on this, voodoo originated in Africa as a religion; which implicated the cult of predecessors of different animistic spirits and the application of dreams, when conversing with such spirits. Additionally, voodoos trust in the existence of one ultimate God who is extremely intangible, invincible but incomprehensible spirit (Rigaud 73-144).
How Berendt portrayed Voodoo practices
In his novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Berendt portrayed voodoo practices through a lady called Minerva. In this case, he said that Minerva thought that permitting people to lay a hand on her; jeopardized her being charmed. By doing this, she showed that she strongly believed in magic and witchcraft. Berendt wrote that the money given to her by Williams attorney was put on the floor or the bench since one could not be allowed to come into contact with her hand. Further, her magic charms could be revealed from the odd strength that smelled from her house. Another instance of voodoo practices of Minerva was portrayed in the novel; when once she asserted that she was conversing with Williams who had died.
In this case, saying that she was in contact with Williams; showed that she was able to speak to the spirits of the dead. It can be deduced from the novel that, Minerva was being used by Williams to charm those who involved themselves with his murder case so that he could win. From this, it can be argued that those traditional Africans who practiced voodoo could experience their magic working. In this case, it is well indicated from Berendts work that Williams won the case mysteriously. It can be said from this that, Minervas practices of magic indicated her strong beliefs in voodoo (Thomas 52-73).
Another incidence where voodoo practices are portrayed is through the sounds which came from the front wall addressing Mr. Mercer. In this case, Mercer accidentally forgot his car keys in the house and when he went back for them, he heard a voice from the wall saying that he used to take a lot of alcohol. Based on this, Mercer agreed that he drunk too much, but doubted whether it was the Lord talking to him. For God to prove to him that he was the one talking, Mercer was lifted unexpectedly to a point where he could see the whole of Savannah. As a result of this, Mercer believed that God was talking to him and from that time he never drunk again (Mbiti 83-97).
Additionally, it is indicated from Berendts novel that, Minerva did not die of hunger or as a result of committing a criminal act, but she convinced herself to die, and since she was a strong determined woman she made it. In this case, it can be said that the supernaturalism among the blacks by no means comes to an end; as what you take outcomes to you and hence you have to persevere.
Significance of the belief in Voodoo in contemporary Savannah culture
It can be argued that the belief in voodoo was significant to the Savannah people since Williams in addition to hiring highly paid criminal lawyers, hired Minerva the voodoo priestess to charm the prosecutor so that he could win the case. In this case, despite Minervas assistance, he had confidence in winning the second trial. Based on this when Williams attorneys were convincing the Georgia Supreme Court to upend the judgment and organize yet one more trial, Minerva was casting graveyard filth on the steps of Williams adversaries dwellings. In this case, the third trial was overturned mysteriously and William was retried one more time, resulting in him being the sole individual in Georgia history who had been tried for a similar assassination four times (Berendt 70-303).
In the case of Mercer, believe in God and the signs on how God speaks to people, significantly helped the people of Savannah stop doing evil and start doing what pleased their gods. From the plot, it is evident that Mercer after hearing voices from the wall and being lifted high to believe that it was God talking; never got drunk again. From this, it can be seen that God revealed himself among the Savannah people in different ways. In addition, it can be said that God in the voodoo religion was intangible, invisible but an incomprehensible spirit.
On the other hand, Mercer claiming God to prove to him that he was the one talking shows that Savannah people used to talk and witness God doing things among them. By this, these people differentiated Gods spirit from other spirits through God proving himself to them. It can be said from this that, Savannah people believed in God who despite helping them to get what they needed, warned them of the evils they committed. In this case, still, those individuals who were uncertain about the reality of this story had to admit that on a religious point at any rate; something incredibly odd was occurring to Savannahs upper crust (Berendt 50-250).
From this information, it can be said that the voodoo religion in Savannah helped the inhabitants to change their conduct, and also enhance their beliefs and trust in God. This as a result has been an important concept of belief systems in the contemporary Savannah culture. On the other hand, by William revealing to Berendt that he killed Hanson, he thought that this would set him free from his guiltiness. In this case, it can be said that the Savannah people believed in the spirits of the dead. Still on the same point, when Minerva claimed to talk with William who was dead she portrayed the act of people speaking with the spirits. From that occurrence, it can be argued that the belief in voodoo is significant to the Savannah people as they respect the dead who influenced their conduct (Rigaud 73-144).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be argued that Berendt portrayed Savannah people as religious practicing voodoo believers. This is evident as Minerva can be seen as the voodoo priestess, who had the powers to cast spells on anyone she wanted. On the other hand from the incidence of Mercer talking with God, it can be deduced that God among the Savannah people was omniscient, invisible, and powerful. From that incident, this God could warn people to stop committing evils and amend their conduct. Further, it can be seen that the Savannah people employed magic to their benefit as in the case of Williams whose enemies were charmed by Minerva.
Works cited
Berendt, John. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. New York: Vintage Press. (1999): P. 50-250.
Berendt, John. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil . London: Sceptre Publishers. (2009): 70-303.
Rigaud, Milo. Secrets of Voodoo . California: City Lights Publishers. (2001): P. 73-144.
Thomas, Douglas. African Traditional Religion in the Modern World . California: McFarland & Company Publishers. (2005): P. 52-73.
Mbiti, John. Introduction to African Religion , Second sub-edition. Portsmouth: Heinemann Publishers. (1991): P. 83-97.
To his Coy Mistress refers to a poem drafted by English novelist Marvel Andrew during military government of Cromwell Protector Oliver in England. Indeed, To his Coy Mistress was one of the best pretty and premium poems of Andrew, the greatest renowned Carpe Diem rhyme in the State.
The poem was composed in 1650s when Andrew served as a professor to a daughter of the Senior Officer of Cromwell Olivers solider, Sir Fairfax Thomas. Thus, this reflective paper attempts to analyze themes of time, sex, morality, and captivity in the poem To his Coy Mistress by English novelist Marvel Andrew. Besides, the paper provides a brief reflection on critic of this literature.
According to Steedman, this poem described how Andrew Marvel spoke to a lady who has been sluggish to counter his sexual urge (23). In the first verse, Marvel Andrew expressed how he would be devoted to the lady by dedicating indefinite quantity of time to the woman. Indeed, Marvel would use much time to esteem every organ of the ladys body. Actually, ladys denial to conform Andrews request would not daunt him.
Moreover, Marvel recalled how short a persons life was in the second verse (Ciecko 17). Indeed, once life has gone, the chance to make pleasure with one another person would have already gone since nobody would enjoy life in grave. Besides that, Marvel urged the lady to accept the request, explaining that such passionate affection would enable them to use the most little time they had to exist in the world.
Theme of Time was illustrated in the poem. Indeed, Marvel Andrew considered time as a marvelous nasty task (Steedman 25). Actually, Marvel intended to turn over features of time in order to command over time. Furthermore, Marvel was distressed with time; however, this was never a surprise to people.
In fact, time was a controversial debate in 1600s. Actually, Andrew Marvel lived when Sir Newton Isaac and Galileo Galilei transformed the manner people perceived time (Ciecko 20). Indeed, time was a mystery in life. Andrews poem, therefore investigated the mystery of time.
Theme of Sex also presented itself in the poem. In fact, if time was a marvelous nasty task to Andrew Marvel, then sex was a fantastic- power that he wanted to dominate over his adversary (Steedman 21). Indeed, sex idea was rarely discussed in public of the England society. However, with intelligence and braveness, Marvel Andrew talked about sex in an open, attractive and agitating language. Actually, sex comprised one of mysteries that many poets never dare to investigate upon.
Indeed, according to Ciecko, Marvel Andrews dedication possibly overlaid the approach for more public debate about sex matters (24). Furthermore, the conflict in the poetic narrative was due to sexual vision in the third verse that associated with time rather than the Mistress. Actually, Marvel explained that sexual relation would enable him to command over time; however such idea was sarcastically intended. Indeed, this was an eventual remark to the short feature of sexual pleasure in life.
Theme of morality that meant death was discussed in the Andrews poem. Actually, the poet described his apparition of death. Though, such apparition was decently perceived depending on what the poet conversed and wished, such hope was beyond and far from his dream. Actually, Ciecko viewed that Andrew Marvel believed that death came due to deficiency to control and command over time (29). Moreover, the poet was a humorous narrator who built an interesting and amusing poem.
Indeed, by informing the lady what it would be like when the woman passed away, (a notion the lady was not able to justify), instead of informing the lady about actual life, the poet ruined his point of view (Steedman 30). According to Marvels poem, death was associated with time.
Marvel also presented theme of captivity and liberation. Indeed, Marvel Andrew discussed how he was imprisoned and viewed ways he thought to liberate his situation. Actually, marvels poem called for freedom in human life. In fact, through attempting to convince the lady conform to what Andrew needed; Marvel struggled to deny the woman her freedom (Ciecko 25). Besides that, sex was just a metaphorical figure in the poem. In fact, what Marvel expected was adequate amount of time that would perpetually last beyond his hope.
To his Coy Mistress was a capturing poem to many people who got interested in the conference of Carpe Diem affection poetry. Nevertheless, critics viewed Andrews use of complicated and implied metaphors as a challenge to the recognized conception of the poem. Furthermore, the poem also elevated doubt of irony and actually misled readers with incorrect and strident imagery.
Moreover, certain critics perceived that the poem was a sarcastic declaration on sexual affection. Actually, such critics denied perception that the poem held a solemn disposition. In fact, Ciecko expressed that the poems first stanza had we but world enough, and time/this coyness, lady, were no crime appeared to imply a fair and unusual pitch of disappointment (19).
Actually, the second verse of the poem attempted to suggest a swift change of imagery which entailed Worms, marble vaults and grave (Steedman 35). Besides that, Andrew Marvel deliberated to use such metaphors to portray a practical and ruthless death which lies ahead of lovers. Actually, Andrew aimed to use such statement to frighten the woman in order to come into his compliance and interest.
Works Cited
Ciecko, Anne. Sex, God, Television, Realism and the British Women Filmmakers Beeban Kidron and Antonia Bird. Journal of Film and Video 51 (1999): 13- 20.Print.
Steedman, I. Consumption Takes Time: Implication for Economic Theory. New York: Routledge Publishers, 2001. Print.
English literature through the ages has highlighted the significance of nature in many works. One notices a remarkable change in the portrayal of nature in English literature from the Romantics to the Victorians. Unlike the Romantics, who glorified nature as a benevolent factor in human life, the idea of nature has undergone considerable changes when it is depicted in Victorian poetry. My attempt in this essay is to bring out the significance of nature as it is taken up by Matthew Arnold in Dover Beach and Thomas Hardy in The Darkling Thrush.
The essay tries to make a close reading into both the poems and make a comparative as well as a contrastive study on the significance of nature in both. One can easily notice the fact that both Arnold and Hardy do not cherish the romantic notion of nature; nature assumes significance in their poems because of its dark negative effects on human life, and rather than showing how nature has influenced man, their poetry try to depict the pessimistic and hopeless world view permeated by nature on the lives of human beings.
In Dover Beach, the poet is lured by the beauty and complexity of nature at the beginning of the poem. He is happy that the sea is calm, the tide is full and that the moon lies fair . He is delighted with the vast cliffs and the tranquil bay outside and he even asks his beloved to come to the window to have a feel of the sweet night air. He asks his beloved to listen to the grating roar of the pebbles, but realizes soon that they bring with them not happiness but the eternal of sadness.
For him, he is standing on a darkling plain where ignorant armies clash by night, not knowing what they do; and the sound of the waves do suggest to him nothing but the turbid ebb and flow of human misery. The tone of the poet is of despair and melancholy as he feels that the human life is tormented with miseries, and nature is incapable of offering any solution to mans problems. On the contrary, nature reflects the human condition where there is no joy, love, light, or comfort during pain.
This wavering aspect of nature is brought out in the poem through the use of the sea as a symbol: a symbol of human faith which was once at high tide, but now one can only hear its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar.
Similarly, Hardys The Darkling Thrush also comes across the negative impacts of nature on the individual. His poem is based on his observations of nature and mans response to her; nevertheless, he does not cherish any lasting optimistic illusions. The poet feels depressed and sad when he experiences the pessimistic gloom roused by the monotonous and lifeless winter scenery. He compares the bare landscape to a skeleton. Words like desolate, corpse, cloudy canopy, death lament, fervor less, gloom, etc suggest this desperate tone of the poet. The poet is unable to find life or meaning in the bleak nature.
The thrushs song comes as a contrast in the gloomy atmosphere and offers him rays of hope, even in the bleak winter(words like evensong, full- hearted and joy illimited suggest this change of tone of the narrator); but he realizes soon that it is an aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small. The image of the bird flinging his soul upon the growing gloom suggests both hope and desperation. Thus, the first two stanzas of the poem reveal the poets troubled view of the world.
Likewise, the imagery of the first two stanzas creates the impression of the dying personified season, winter, whose dregs made desolate the weakening eye of the day. Even though the third stanza seems to represent hope, it is short-lived, and one needs to grasp the tragic reality that nature is lifeless. The thrush in the poem symbolizes the dying 19th century and the poet believes that a highly industrialized 20th century will not provide solace to humanity or its problems.
The poem Dover Beach begins on a happy note and then progresses towards the dark side of nature whereas The Darkling Thrush, as the title suggests begins in a desperate tone and later brings out some rays of hope. Arnolds view of nature is quite pessimistic as he does not expect nature to provide any sort of solace to man. For him, the world is like a land of dreams and remaining true to one another is the only way to find meaning in ones life.
Arnolds phrase the darkling plain is suggestive of Hardys darkling thrush as both of them imply the darkness that surrounds humanity. The Darkling Thrush offers to the reader hope among despair as the poet changes the desolate and hopeless atmosphere to one of promise and expectation in the third stanza. It is interesting to note that both the poets do cherish a quite unromantic view of nature and the implication of both the poems is that man has to find solutions to his problems on himself. The pantheistic view of nature is neither conceived nor propagated by Victorian poets like Thomas Hardy and Matthew Arnold.
While discussing Tennessee Williamss play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, I would like to highlight some fundamentals of the authors work. First of all, I would like to point out that at the first time the play seems to be easy to read; however, it is only the first impression. Generally, there are a lot of complicated themes the author discloses in the play.
In my opinion, all the works written by Tennessee Williams reflect some biographical data. For instance, everybody knows that the playwrights father was an adventurous and an alcoholic, and his mother was a submissive, but hysterical woman. So, how these facts can be interpreted? First of all, I have to admit that these data have direct relation to the plot of the play.
While reading Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, it becomes obvious that one of the main characters, Brick was an alcoholic. When speaking about the authors relations with his mother, one can make a conclusion that feminist aspects must be considered in depth. Of course, nobody will deny the fact that the play is based on the authors personal experience. The author reflected his inner world and the feelings he experienced when being a child.
The thesis statement
The major themes the author discloses in his plays are related to sexual violence, family and financial constraints. When speaking about Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, one is to keep in mind that the key aspects Tennessee Williams highlights are associated with undertones of emotional, sexual, and spiritual need that are apparent in his character Maggie the Cat (Fellows 1).
The basic points of an analysis
According to the plot of the play, Brick doesnt support any relations with his wife; this point gives us an opportunity to suppose that lack of desire by husband and Maggies social standing can be explained by the time period in which Tennessee Williamss play was written.
To my mind, one of the key themes of the play is considered to be absence of mutual respect and support. It is obvious throughout the script of the play that everyone has their own agenda in the family, and no one is really there to support each other as a normal family should be ( Cat On a Hot Tin Roof: Plot and Theme par. 3).
The first family, which includes Brick and Margaret, is not rich; moreover, Brick aggravates financial situation in his family. The second family, which includes Gooper and Mae, is selfish. The most interesting fact, however, is that nobody wants to become a real family. Nobody understands what the term unity means and how important this word for both families.
On the other hand, it seems that the author added some elements of humor in his play. Thus, it is really funny to observe how hostile all characters are. Although, it seems that Tennessee Williamss humor was not healthy, unfortunately&The fact that all characters are against each other is not comical, anyway.
In Cat, Maggie probably does love Brick, Big Mama probably does love Big
Daddy, and Brick loves Skipper and Big Daddy as surely as they have loved
him. Yet the lies separating those who would love are not easily vanquished.
In this web of familial, fraternal and marital relationships, Williams finds only
psychic ruin, as terminal as Big Daddys cancer and as inexorable as the
greed that is devouring the romantic Old South (Crandell 124).
In my opinion, it is uncertainty in family relationships which brought fatal consequences. On the other hand, it is not a secret that psychological support is one of the most important things people need to be happy.
In spite of the fact that Gooper and Mae were selfish for the wealth and had established jobs they were not happy. They had normal home setting; however, they lost the most important thing in family relations they didnt respect the strongest feeling in the world. On the contrary, they didnt understand what they lost and what their real trouble was.
Another important theme of the play I would like to touch on is homosexuality. Taking into account the time period in which the play was written (1955), one can suppose that the second theme seems to be hidden. On the one hand, there is nothing unusual that Brick and Skipper were best friends.
However, one is to keep in mind that they were extremely close friends and Bricks wife became jealous because of such friendship. It is obvious Brick does not appreciate the devotion of Maggie. He is in a state of denial about life (and his possible sexual orientation and attraction to Skipper) and has degraded Maggie since the beginning of the relationship (Fellows 1). So, again feminist aspect takes place.
There many critical articles concerning the play Cat On a Hot Tin Roof. In my opinion, the author reflects the conflict of the personality; so, a persons inner problems and isolations caused unstable family relations. Thus, there is a need to remember the authors childhood and the time period when he acquired poor social skills and most of his peers referred to him as Miss Nancy (Londre 20).
The conclusion
Unfortunately, the driving force the main characters rely on is recognized to be some kind of lie. For instance, Mae and Gooper who are selfish for wealth lie not only to each other, but to other people who surround them. Of course, their lie is related to their affection for Big Mamas husband. Moreover, it is evident that they neglect the fact that Big Daddy hates all their children and doesnt like Gooper. On the other hand, Big Daddy cant understand the basic reasons of the so-called pretence.
Taking into account the previous paragraph, I suppose that another important theme of the authors play is considered to be the conflict between honesty and lie. This is a global theme, and in some way, one can call the theme unique, as it existed at all times.
Generally, I think Tennessee Williams is really a psychologist. He reveals the truth, the brutal reality and discloses helplessness of other characters. Lets consider one of the examples:
BIG MAMA: You dont mean that!
BIG DADDY: What makes you think I dont mean it?
BIG MAMA: I just know you dont mean it.
BIG DADDY: You dont know a goddam thing and you never did!
BIG MAMA: Big Daddy, you dont mean that (Williams 77).
This dialogue shows us that Big Daddys wife has no arguments to prove her thoughts or ideas. She doesnt want to accept her husbands brutality and denies his words. All the characters do the same; unfortunately, they cant be honest and destroy their lives with their own hands.
Works Cited
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof: Plot and Theme. The Pennsylvania State University. Web.
Crandell, George W., ed. The Critical Response to Tennessee Williams. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1996. Questia. Web.
Fellows, Niki. Feminist Analysis of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof , n.d. Web.
Londre, Hardison. Tennessee Williams. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishers, 1979. Print
Williams, Tennessee. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc., 1955. Print
Chinua Achebe is an African writer from Nigeria born in the year 1930. He comes from the Ibo tribe. He grew up in Nigeria in a village called Ogidi.
At the university Achebe took English literature and while studying he encountered novels written by Europeans about Africa which he called appalling. He realized that no one was better placed to tell the African story than the African themselves and thus he began writing to tell the African story (Innes 11). The short story Dead mens path by Chinua Achebe is a story written to tell the postcolonial experience.
The story was written in 1949 after the British had colonized Nigerian at the beginning of the twentieth century. The colonizers despised the culture and beliefs of the Igbo people which they considered as barbaric and inferior. To that effect, they introduced Christianity and western form of education through the missionaries. The introduction of Christianity led to weakening of the tribal affiliations. The meeting of the two cultures led to a conflict.
Aspects of colonialism
The protagonist in the story is Michael Obi a young man aged twenty-six years. He is a teacher who has been promoted to head Ndume Central school because he is a young and energetic man besides being very modern and progressive (Spack 113). He also got the position because he had sound academic qualifications above other headmasters in that area and he was outspoken in his condemnation of the narrow views of these older and often less educated ones (Spack 113).
He sees the older less educated teachers as representatives of the conservative way of life and narrow views that he wanted to replace with modern progressive methods. He wants his teachers to work very hard to bring about the adaption of the modern methods in his school. He is very happy that the teachers are unmarried and thus they will devout all of their energies to school work.
Obi had embraced the whites way of life and his wife Nancy had also been caught up in his fascination with modern ways at the expense of the traditional way of life practiced by his people. Nancy wanted to have modern beautiful gardens, which symbolize the western way of life. Just like her progressive husband, she has adapted the western lifestyle as she speaks to her husband she reads a womans magazine and calls him Mike.
Postcolonial identity
Due to Michaels progressiveness, he has no regard for the traditional practices of his village. The village in which Ndume Central is situated is traditional. The people believe in shrines and spirits. They have a footpath that runs through the school that even though it is often disused. The path joins the village shrine and the place where they bury their dead. Michael does not understand why the villagers have been allowed to continue using the path yet it trespasses through the school compound.
He is against the footpath and in the spirit of converting the school, which he considers backward he wants the path closed. He wants it closed to please the inspector of schools and he is afraid that the villagers might turn the school into a site for some pagan rituals. Calling the practices of his people, pagan ritual shows how much he hated the traditional ways and considered anything about his culture to be backward and retrogressive. Michael is an African man who is trying to adapt foreign ways.
Just like the white who developed ambivalence towards the African culture, Michael has a negative attitude towards his culture due to hybridity. He feels that the culture of the white man is superior and thus he should strive to copy the white mans ways. He is a man who is trying to change his own self-consciences and see it through the eyes of the whites because he has a double conscience. He regards them highly and thus will do anything he thinks will help to modernize the school at whatever cost (Izzo 89).
Others
The villagers see the colonizers as others in the text. The villagers feel that the white man has intruded upon their life and disrupted the smooth running of their way of life. They are unhappy with the attempt of the white man through agents such as Michael of trying to change their way of life.
The villagers also consider Michael as an outsider because he does not respect the traditions of the village, which have been practiced for a long time. The outsiders represent as people who are unwilling to listen to reason. They are pushy and do not care who they offend as long as they achieve their goal. In this case, Michael refuses to listen to reasons given for the existence of the path and goes head to order its closure (Izzo 90).
Anti colonial resistance
The villagers resist the colonialists but eventually they accept some of their ways. For instance, they embrace education and send their children to European schools. The villagers are willing to accommodate the whites and coexist peacefully. However, some people like Michael do not see the possibility of mixing the traditional and modern ways. According to him, the traditions must be discarded in favor of modern progressive ways.
Ini, the village priest goes to talk to Michael about the closure of the path because a baby had died and the reason given by the villagers for the death was closing the path. The priests tells Michael let the hawk perch and let the eagle perch because he felt that the two cultures could coexist as he tells Michael the he only needs to reopen the path and the quarrel will be over (Spack 115; Emenyonu and Uko 66).
Cultural differences
The cultural differences in the text reveal the way the operations of the people. Through the story, the author shows that progress no matter how well intent it is cannot be forced down the throats of people. The people must be engaged in the change and if they support the idea then a change can happen. Michael, the head teacher fails because he is pushy and does not understand how deep the tradition is engrained in the village.
He tries to force the people to abandon their ways but his plan backfires on him as the villagers tear down the wall he had erected to block the footpath and ruin the gardens and the schools inspector finds the school in a mess and a writes him a bad report. His lack of respect for the culture of the Igbo people leads to the conflict as people retaliate. It shows that both cultures have failed to respect each other hence the clash.
The educated Africans consider their fellow less educated colleagues as backwards who need to be educated or given low jobs in the market. The educated people such as Michael consider themselves superior than their fellow blacks just as the whites consider themselves superior to the Africans. They consider their culture superior and a gift to humankind hence strive to pass it to the communities they consider backward and uncivilized.
They teach the Africans to loath their own culture as we see Michael telling the village priest that the school going children ought to be taught to laugh at the traditional beliefs. The school aims to eradicate the beliefs altogether and give the students new ideas based on the western beliefs. The Africans believe in spirits and thus they keep the footpath open according to their religion.
Michael fails to respect their religious beliefs and closes the path, as he does not identify with pagan rituals. He shows his lack of respect for the villagers religion by telling the priest that they should make an alternative path that skirts outside the school compound because he does not think that the spirits would mind the little detour.
Conclusion
Finally, the two cultures clash in the story because of lack of tolerance. Michael is self-centered and uncooperative. He insists on having his way even in matters that require cooperation. He wants to make the school modern and he will do anything to make his project successful. Nonetheless, he fails in his ambitions because he sidelines the people he needs to help him succeed. People must learn to tolerate each other to coexist peaceful which is something that Obi fails to understand hence his failure.
Works Cited
Emenyonu, Ernest and Iniobong Uko. Emerging Perspectives on Chinua Achebe: Isinka, The Artistic Purpose: Chinua Achebe And The Theory Of African Literature. Asmara, Eritrea: Africa World Press, 2004. Print.
Innes, Catherine Lynette. Chinua Achebe. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Print.
Izzo, David Garrett. The influence of mysticism on 20th century British and American literature. North Carolina: McFarland, 2009. Print.
Spack, Ruth. The International Story: An Anthology with Guidelines for Reading and Writing about Fiction. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Print.
Henry Wardsworth Longfellow is one of the most prominent American poets. His works are associated with the period of romanticism in world literature. Even though Longfellow was supposed to pursue a career as a lawyer and follow the family traditions, he preferred the literary path instead. His life was challenging, but the poetry of the author remained optimistic, enthusiastic, and inspiring. Over the years, his literary style was gradually transforming so that a focus shifted from nature admiration to the philosophical lyrics and national epos.
Longfellow was keen on literature and started to write the first poems during his college education. He sent them to journals for publication, but that did not make him very famous. The initial stage of his literary career is characterized by such themes as a description of nature, its beauty, and power. In the poem Autumnal Nightfall, the author uses metaphors and personification, describing the fountain with a hollow voice and the moon unveiling her brow.
Another poem, An April Day, is saturated with epithets green slopes, silver woods, wide glows. Henry Longfellow spent most of his life in New England, so he was indulged and intoxicated by green woods and beautiful hills all around. His poems show the value of nature by evoking peoples love and care for it, reconsidering human impact on the earth (Xu and Nangong 85). Therefore, the themes concerning nature and its protection ethically appeal to people, encouraging them to preserve the environment. Those poems were actually not only in the nineteenth century, but they also are of great importance these days.
Henry Longfellow composed poems, the themes of which echoed with the principles and cornerstones of that time. Romantic ideas centered around the spiritual and aesthetic dimension of nature, metaphors of organic growth, and art as inspiration (Sultana and Islam 58). The authors of romanticism were convinced that art had more potential than science to express the universal truth. Moreover, they were concentrated on the self and highlighted the importance of human personality examination.
These ideas are depicted in the works of Longfellow of the 1830s throughout the interaction of man and nature. His poems The Indian Hunter and The Sea-Diver explicitly show the beauty of nature and its perception by people. Longfellow explains that nature and man are not separate: they rather coexist and mutually affect each other. These poems extend the concepts from the earlier works as the author applies more sophisticated approaches based on his experience and ethics.
The literary career of Longfellow was steadily developing, so the author elaborated on new themes in his works. He also created different types of literary works, including ballads, serenades, prose, and poems. The authors education in Europe has significantly influenced his writings which shaped the literature of those times. Along with the translation of Spanish, English, and Italian works, he was imitating their features in the poems and stories. The themes of Longfellows works remained traditional, optimistic, and passionate, which could be easily read and recited (Li 948). The major focus shifted towards the essence of human beings and emotions.
One of the most well-known poems in American Romantic literature is A Psalm of Life that was composed in 1838. The major theme of this poem reveals an optimistic attitude toward life in that one need not regret the past misfortunes or miss the past successes (Li 948). Throughout the whole poem, the author uses common expressions that allow readers to juxtapose and analyze these ideas in terms of daily life. A Psalm of Life evolved not occasionally: tragic events in the personal life of Longfellow preceded it. His wife died in 1835, but this case did not destroy the moral strength of the author. On the contrary, it motivated me to write A Psalm of Life, integrating a motivational spirit. The major theme of this poem implies setting explicit goals and fulfillment of step-by-step guidance to their accomplishment.
Furthermore, the poem A Psalm of Life marks the beginning of the next stage in the literary career of the author. It is characterized by philosophical lyric approaches with an in-depth concentration on humanistic sympathy. Songs of Slavery depicts the images of slaves whose human dignity is humiliated by white masters. Longfellow managed to depict the realities concerning the exhausting work of black servants, their selling and transportation, cruel mockery.
In his poems, the Romantic style techniques illustrate a growing understanding of enslaved people and their lives, which raises national and cultural values in Americans. Furthermore, Songs of Slavery indicates a transition from nature admiration focus to national consciousness. The later works of Longfellow incorporate ideas of ethnic and racial minorities inequality along with a necessity to acknowledge and address their concerns.
Henry Longfellow made a significant contribution to American literature, specifically during the period of romanticism. His first poems implemented metaphors, epithets, and personifications to describe nature as a huge living organism. Afterward, he incorporated the role of humans and their collaboration with nature, encouraging readers with an ethical appeal to preserve the environment.
In the 1930s, the life of the poet was challenging, which also influenced the themes in his literary works. A Psalm of Life written in 1838 develops an optimistic and motivational approach, stimulating one not to surrender. Overall, Longfellows works reflect upon the topics typical for the Early Romantics nature, human personality and emotions, optimism.
Works Cited
Li, Ming. The Creative Poetry Translation Method from the Perspective of the Cultural Turn Longfellows A Psalm of Life as a Case Study. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, vol. 6, no. 5, 2016, pp. 946-951.
Sultana, Sabera, and Md. Mohiul Islam. Investigating American Romanticism: A Comparative Study. IOSR Journal of Humanities And Social Science, vol. 21, no. 4, 2016, pp. 58-65.
Xu, Jingcheng, and Meifang Nangong. H.W. Longfellow: A Poetical-Dwelling Poet of Ecological Wisdom from the Perspective of Eco-Criticism. English Language Teaching, vol. 5, no. 5, 2012, pp. 85-100.
In Virginia Woolfs Mrs. Dalloway, first published in 1925, the novel delves into the minds of many characters. Interestingly, Wolfes contemporaries accused the novel of the absence of plot and eventfulness. In comparison, the novel focused on the heroes emotions, experiences, and stream of consciousness. Wolfe is ranked among a number of authors who demonstrated in their work the breaking of stereotypes in different areas, including gender, which is associated with her presence at the origins of feminism. Therefore, it is essential to explore the social conventions of the time concerning wealth, class, and gender norms in Mrs. Dalloway, which form people and aid in determining their futures.
The Impact of the Standards of a Patriarchal Community
In examining Clarissas relationship with Sally in Mrs. Dalloway, it can be indicated that in conversations with Sally, the protagonist pays the closest attention to the social life of women. The interpersonal statuses of the women are equal; they are friends (Woolf). In the beginning, V. Woolf reveals Sally before her marriage, her previous behavior, bad deeds, and the forgiveness of those around her. Then there is a change of social status when Sally becomes married, returning to her archetypal role of wife and mother.
The attitude of the older ladies toward Sally is strongly negative, which is manifested in two episodes. In the episode with the flowers: Aunt Helena thought it wicked to treat flowers like that and in the episode with the sponge: Ellen Atkins went about grumbling (Woolf 28). The dissatisfaction was expressed because of a complaint about the violation of societys moral standards. Even the selection of flowers shocking means a violation of the laws of flower composition accepted in society. The same applies to nudity in a house full of human beings. Consequently, it can be concluded that Sally aimed to ignore society by acting contrary to it. Thus, the standards of social status, class, and gender that were inherent in society at the time were not of importance to Sally. She was attempting to protest against the stereotypes observed by older women (Woolf). Despite her reluctance to conform to gender and social rules, though, she and the rest of the women began to conform to the role of women in a patriarchal culture.
It is also appropriate to remember Mrs. Burgess, the lady of light, who has a negative attitude toward Daisy, her friends bride-to-be, because of her age and low social status. This thought is pronounced because of Daisys appearance: you know, she said, what such& with too much paint ; the high number of cosmetics indicates Daisys antisocial behavior (Woolf 129). In this way, Mrs. Burgess poses Daisy lower than herself. Hence, social status, wealth, norms of conduct, and the class one belonged to influenced ones attitudes. This was typical of the society of the time, and it can be observed that the norms of 1920 that existed in England affected Mrs. Burgess consciousness and life. To generalize, it should be emphasized that in V. Woolf, the female characters have a positive approach to women of equal status and age. Also, the female personages are hostile to those with a low standard of living and younger age.
In Virginia Woolfs time, a womans identity was formed largely by her relationship with others: daughter, wife, or mother. In fact, the novel begins and is titled Mrs. Dalloway, emphasizing the recognition of Clarissas defining role as the wife of a prominent political figure, Mr. Dalloway. Clarissa feels a kind of trap in the roles society has assigned her (Woolf). She had the strange impression that she was invisible herself and played no important role without her husband. As was then customary in England, a womans prestige and respect was established through her husband. Therefore, the gender norms of then society did not satisfy the woman. She feels urgently the necessity of private development and refuses to participate simply as someones wife or party hostess (Woolf). It may be noted that the unwillingness itself to follow societys gender rules impacted the formation of Mrs. Dalloways character and inspired her struggle for individuality. Despite the womans progressive opinions, she was incapable of changing the social order and gender rules. Therefore, after being married to Richard, she continued to live in a patriarchal community that conformed to societys ideology.
It is essential to remark that Clarissa Dalloway and Peter Walshs monologue-flow of consciousness leads to the novels main idea. Clarissas strong love excitement is associated with Peter Walsh, but this did not prevent her from separating from him and marrying Richard (Woolf). He was a benevolent gentleman who promised her a life of peace and comfort. Richard Dalloway is a member of an aristocratic-conservative group, and he provided Clarissa with a rich standard of living. Peter Walsh is both personally and socially insufficiently reliable, which is why the woman did not want to establish a family with him (Woolf). This further confirms that the desire for high social status and wealth, which was valued in society, caused Clarissa to abandon the man she loved. Thus, she became an honorable part of the bourgeoisie and successfully served her class but retained some peculiarity of manners. That is why, as the woman grew older, she often mentioned that she had lost the opportunity to be free for a rich life.
Consequently, even women who understood that they had no real power in society and had to perform only the role of mother and wife could not resist it. This was because gender roles were intertwined with social status and social norms in such a way that females did not want to lose the possibility of a wealthy life (Woolf). Accordingly, though they suffered and attempted at first to resist the general norms of society at the time, Clarice and Sally later accepted it. They selected a familiar life that would guarantee them prosperity and confidence in the future. For this reason, the influence of the community on the characters of the novel is powerful enough that they continue to live according to patriarchal principles.
Conclusion
Therefore, after World War I, English society granted men power in politics and careers. In return, women gained the wealth and social status they enjoyed because of male achievement. Accordingly, it is possible to depict life in post-war England more easily from such a lady-aristocratic perspective. Thus, in the 1920s, English society was entirely patriarchal; therefore, older people upheld established values. At the same time, Mrs. Dalloway, Sally, or Daisy attempted to protest gender roles the influence of social status, wealth, and class on the perception of women. However, the protest against patriarchal society was not successful for women. They continued to live by the rules, deeply rooted in community, and they tried to hide their emotional devastation and suffering because of it.
The prologue of the book is highly engaging, and I found quite a few of the comments to be intriguing. First, the author contends that most Sufi authors produced writings that indicated they believed their faiths could not be expressed through other means. Another thing that got my attention was the assertion that Islam is the most helpful religion for this school of thought compared to other religions. Essentially, it makes sense to claim that the statement alludes to the complicated realities of the modern world, particularly those connected to religion. For instance, it has been said that Islam and Muslim nations are too responsible for condoning terrorism. Generally, the author suggests that individuals should be open to viewing religion from a different angle.
The prologue has various themes, and one of them is leadership and religion. Most of the prologues introduction is devoted to the authors discussion of religion. For example, Attar lists a few Sufi writers, such as Said Kheir, who authors mystic works proclaiming to be the truth of God (Attar, 2019). Although Kheir is regarded as a leader among the novelists and may even be hailed as a ruler, many who object to the way he pronounces his name consider him blasphemous.
Attar (2019) writes, No soul can grasp You, and the prophets cast / Their lives away to reach to You at last; / If Reason sought You out, it would be far / From ever knowing what You truly are (p. 7). The passages main idea is that the speaker is terrified of being understood and does not want to open up to others about his thoughts, feelings, or soul. Essentially, the narrator wants to fool people into thinking he is someone he is not, even though others have made an effort to come to know the real him.
The tale The bandit and the bread depicts a bandit who invites a man to his home and intends to rob and kill him later. Although his principles forbade murder, he doubts the urge to kill the man after his wife offers him some bread. The narrative makes an effort to illustrate various qualities of God and mankind, such as a sinner at Gods mercy. Generally, the nearly slain individual in the metaphor might be considered an impure soul.
Reference
Attar, F. U. (2019). The conference of the birds. Digireads.com Publishing.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson was the most acclaimed British poet of the Victorian age. He had a long life, but his path was not void of various severe complications. To begin with, he was one of the eleven children in the family of a church rector. While his father had a good salary, the size of the family made them very cautious about spending the income. However, not only financial problems existed in the family. Having been disinherited by his father, George Clayton Tennyson (Alfreds father) started drinking and taking drugs. His violent and brutal behavior made their home a rather bitter place.
Still, when it came to education, it was the father who gave Alfred pre-university education due to being well-read. After Alfred had spent a few years at Louth Grammar School, his studies continued at home. No matter how irrational his father was, it was he who instilled love in reading into his children. Alfreds education at Trinity College had to stop when his father died. Even though it was expected of him to follow in his fathers footsteps, Alfred decided to concentrate on poetry. And, as it turned out, he made an excellent choice.
Lord Tennysons personal life was not very happy. He thought he had epilepsy, and that made him withhold from the intention of marrying the girl he loved, Emily Sellwood. They eventually got married almost fifteen years later, upon discovering that he was not ill.
While there were many struggles in his life, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was highly acknowledged for his poetry. He frequently had royal family members as visitors in his house on the Isle of Wight. Tennyson was the embodiment of the Victorian era. Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all from his In Memoriam are some of the most recognizable lines in the world.