The Tale of Genji is an ancient Japanese writing credited to the Japanese novelist Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century. The book is sometimes referred to as the worlds first novel and its specific classification and influence in both the eastern and western cultures has been a subject of dispute. It was originally written in court Japanese but has undergone several translations to date, even undergoing a translation into modern Japanese as the original language was too complex to be comprehended by average Japanese.
Plot
Genji narrates the life of a son of a Japanese royal leader, referred to as Hikaru Genji. Genji is demoted to a commoner status on political grounds and starts an occupation as an imperial official. The account focuses on Genjis romantic life and illustrates the conventions of the aristocratic society of this period, a lot is referred to in relation to Genjis attractiveness.
Genji was the second child of some ancient royal leader and a low-grade mistress, known as Lady Kiritsubo. His mother passes on when Genji is only three. Genjis father then gets to know of a lady (Lady Fujitsubo), previously a princess of the former emperor, who bears resemblance to his dead mistress, he later marries her. Genji falls in love with his stepmother, against tradition. Genji is upset due to his illegal love to Lady Fujitsubo and is on a collision course with his wife. He also has affairs with other women and in most of these cases, his advances are met with repulsion, the woman he loves dies, or the woman is boring.
Genji makes a trip to the rural area of Kyoto where he finds an attractive ten-year-old girl (Murasaki) and learns that she is a niece of Lady Fujitsubo. He abducts her, brings her to his palace, and trains her to be his wife. Genji continues to meet Lady Fujitsubo secretly and they have a son together. Everyone except the two believes the boy is the emperors son. The boy later becomes the prince and Fujitsubo becomes the Empress.
Genji and his wife resolve their dispute and she bears a son, but he dies soon. Genji is distressed , but is comforted by Murasaki, who becomes his wife. Genjis father passes on and his political rivals transfer power to the courts. Genji is later exiled to a nearby town (Suma) when he is found secretly meeting a mistress of his brother. While in Suma, Genji has an affair with a woman who bears him a daughter- his only daughter.
The Emperor forgives Genji and he returns to Kyoto, and his son with Fujitsubo assumes the position of emperor. The new Emperor recognizes that Genji is his actual father and promotes him to the highest position possible.
Genjis life begins to collapse when he turns 40. He marries another woman and this changes his relationship with Murasaki, who now desires to be a nun. Murasaki passes on.
In the subsequent chapter, Maboroshi, Genji considers how short life is. The next chapter, Kumogakure, is left blank and symbolizes Genjis demise. The rest of the chapters focus on Niou and Kaoru, who are close friends. Niou is a royal prince while Kaoru is identified by people as Genjis son but the real father is Genjis nephew. The two are fighting over several daughters of a royal prince in Uji, a far-off town. The story ends suddenly, with Kaoru wondering if Niou is hiding the woman he adores.
Reading any novel, people try to notice as much as they can to consider the main idea of the literature work and to understand the purpose for writing this specific information. Each novel has a specific goal. It is impossible to imagine a piece of writing which is aimless and at the same time which is extremely popular all over the world.
While reading a novel, people should notice each feature, any unusual thing should be considered. The absence of the protagonists name is one of such things which should be considered. Only attentive reader can notice that the absence of the protagonists name is a specific and symbolic device which helps understand the whole novel, consider it from absolutely different perspective. This device is going to be discussed on the basis of the novel Notes from Underground written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Dostoevsky is a Russian writer who managed to reach the world fame. The books written by this person are translated on many languages of the world and people still consider this person a great representative of the literature who worked and lived in the 19th century. The novel Notes from Underground is a good example of the no name protagonist.
Moreover, it is possible to consider the reasons why the author has chosen this device and how it influences the understanding of the whole novel.
The absence of the name in the novel Notes from Underground by Dostoyevsky is symbolic as it shows that the protagonist is an ordinary person who tells the story which is not unique and there are many people in the society who could appear in the same situation and come to the same conclusions; moreover, the reason for leaving the protagonist without a name may be in fact that it is impossible give a name to the person relaying on the actions he performed.
Historical Background
The novel is written in 1864 and there are some quarrels about the initial idea and the symbolic meaning the author wanted to deliver to people by means of using a protagonist with no name. First of all, it is important to understand what circumstances surrounded Dostoevsky and whether these circumstances influenced his decision.
The novel was written in the 19th century, during the time when many writers in Russia and all over the world wrote their pieces without introducing protagonists. It may be said that this was the tendency and it influenced the authors decision greatly. Many authors wanted to make an impression that the works they wrote were autobiographical and no named protagonists helped in that (Smith and Watson 8).
Thus, it may be concluded that the author used the tendency and this is the main reason for failing to introduce the protagonist. The scholar who considered the literature works by Dostoevsky has written, Notes from Underground features a hero or anti-hero of contemporary consciousness cobbled together out of literature bits and pieces (Emerson 147).
Nevertheless, there are a lot of other issues and signs which show that there are much more reasons which made the author make a decision and represent the audience with the protagonist without a name.
The Symbolic Meaning on the Protagonist without a Name
It is possible to make any possible suggestions about the nature and reasons of the authors decision not to use the name for the protagonist. Still, it is impossible to omit the reasons Dostoevsky provides in the very novel. He writes, the author of the dairy and the diary itself are imaginary.
Nevertheless.., such persons& must exist in the society (Dostoyevsky 1). Thus, the author explains his position on failure to use the protagonists name. The story is imaginary and there is no real prototype to it, but being aware of life and human behavior, Dostoevsky cannot avoid the fact that such situation can happen with anyone.
Time and distance is not the barrier. Thus, reading the story now, it is possible to see the social degradation of the protagonist and agree that such people may exist. The author wanted to show the real life, but still, Dostoevsky understood that he did not have a specific right to say straightly that such people live.
The reasons for this may be numerous. On the one hand, the author could have known such people and did not want to insult those, on the other hand, the author could have never met such people but his intuition and the awareness of life could make him a hint that the problem of such people in the society is really crucial.
Thus, representing a protagonist without a name, the author tries to express the ideas of some representatives of the society without attaching the situation to any specific person. Moreover, the author was in Siberia for some years and lived with murders and other criminals. This could have influenced his understanding of human beings and their relation to life and other people (Emerson 9).
It seems that the absence of the protagonists name only adds to the impression the novel provides. The novel is written in the form of a dairy. The first lines of the novel tell us, I am a sick man& I am a spiteful man. I am unattractive man (Dostoyevsky 1). It is impossible to imagine another situation apart from a dairy when a person can make such confession. It seems that Dostoevsky understands that this form of writing is the most appropriate.
On the one hand, a person dwells upon the most terrible and the ugliest actions he has been doing in his life, on the other hand, the reader may doubt the sincerity of the situation as the person, no matter how shabby the acts, cannot tell the truth about such actions to another one. The idea of a dairy is the ideal one. The reader understands the reasons for sincerity and the device of no named protagonist adds to this effect. Who can go as far as introducing himself of herself in the dairy? Such things are usually written from personal considerations.
One more reason for failing to represent the protagonist of the novel Notes from Underground with the name is the nature of the actions the author discusses. If to consider the novel as a dairy, it is necessary to believe in what is said there. The author represents three main situations which influenced his life greatly.
The first situation deals with the officer who was invisibly bumped by the protagonist. This action shows him as a foul and coward person who cannot even face the offender and solve the problem one to one. The second situation which strikes attention is the dinner with old school friends. The situation is unpleasant as the protagonist hates all those who were present at the party but tries to show that he is their friend. There is no other word for such a person but a dissembler.
The final situation is also disgusting. The protagonist humbles Liza, a young prostitute (Dostoevsky 113). All those actions show the protagonist as a morally depraved person. Considering the problem under discussion from the perspective of these actions only it becomes understandable why the author does not want to introduce the name of the protagonist.
It is not easy to find a name to such person. Moreover, any name can always be associated with a good and kind person and it seems that the author did not want any other person to be related to such terrible actions. In the prism of those actions, it is also possible to justify the author and say that the device with no named protagonist was one of the best in the situation.
Conducting a research, some great words were considered. They have been written many years before the novel was written, still, they ideally fit the situation with the absence of the protagonists name in the novel. Therefore, Aristotle writes, the extremes have the appearance of being opposed to one another, because the mean has no appropriate name (Aristotle 71).
The main idea of these words is that it is impossible to give a name to the person whose actions show that here is no appropriate name for him/her. As it was mentioned above, this opinion may be easily related to the novel by Dostoevsky. The person describes his life with the purpose to understand why he had become a person who he was.
Therefore, the stories in the book are so terrible, that it is really impossible to name the person who performed those actions. Moreover, the ideas expressed by Aristotle and reflected by Dostoevsky prove the ideas considered earlier about the possibility of the existence of such people as the protagonist at any time and in any society.
These two people lived in absolutely different times and societies, but this is not considered as the barrier for having the same thoughts. This situation proves most of our theories about the absence of the protagonists name, especially those which deal with the inability to use an appropriate one and the other that each society may have a person with such considerations and who conducts the same actions.
While the research conduction, it was identified that many authors used such techniques and the scholars in most cases check not the very specific novel or author, but the very idea of the failure to introduce the protagonists name. Thus, Melissa Matthes in the article A Checkered Past states that in case when the protagonist has no name, he lives on every page (Matthes 21).
Such announcement is rather bold, but at the same time it is reasonable to check this theory to be sure that all the ideas are referred to and to be able to make the conclusion which is going to support the thesis statement provided above and cast light on the specific reasons for using no named protagonist while writing.
Reading the novel it appears that the protagonist was not present in some situations, but, still, he describes those. The best example for such situations is as follows. The protagonist dwells upon his meeting with old friends he hates. He states that his friends made a secret appointment about meeting later and did not invite the protagonist.
Moreover, describing some other situations, the customer is always on the pages, there is no feeling that he is omitted even if he is not involved in the discussion. It is crucial to remember that when the narration comes not from the first person singular, the narration may be distracted from the main character. Here, the narrator is present on each page of the novel. This impression is given by two reasons, the absence of the name of the protagonist and the consideration of the novel as a dairy.
It is crucial to remember that all the reasons the author of the novel uses for failing to introduce the protagonists name are closely connected. One specific reason may be easily supported by another one or even explained. The impression appears that all those reasons are interconnected and that the author intentionally used those to create a symbolic meaning around this fact.
Thus, the author gives the explanation to the absence of the protagonists name saying that such people may exist in any society, and Aristotle supports this idea. Moreover, the idea of a novel being a dairy (in the relation to the ugly actions the author describes) is supported with Matthes statements that a person who acts in such a way may not have an appropriate name.
Conclusion
In conclusion it should be mentioned that the authors idea of absence of the protagonists name is symbolic. There are a number of different issues the author wanted to provide the reader with by means of the fact that he did not give a name to the protagonist. Therefore, firstly, the author explains this action as the desire to show that there are people in the society which may act and think like that. It is crucial to notice that Aristotle supports this idea.
The absence of the protagonists name shows that such people may be near us. Secondly, the absence of the protagonists name gives a hint that the writing is a dairy and that the situations described there are true, as who is going to lie to the dairy? Here is the reason for the names absence. People do no introduce themselves to the things if only they are expected to read it. Thirdly, the impression that the writing is the autobiography is created by the same device.
This method was rather popular during the time when the novel was created. And finally, the author does not give the name to the protagonist because there is no a name to a person who acts like that. So, all those reasons are reasonable and have the right to be considered.
While reading the novel, the audience should think about what is the reason they like more. Moreover, it is helpful to think over the reasons why this symbol is necessary. It seems that the author wanted to show the whole world that is not to do something the world society may be overburden with people like the protagonist, without names but with terrible actions and unclear consciousness.
Works Cited
Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. New York: Cosimo, Inc., 2008. Web. Local Database. 16 Nov. 2010.
Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. Notes from the Underground. Champaign, Ill.: Project Gutenberg, 1999. Web. Local Database. 16 Nov. 2010.
Emerson, Caryl. The Cambridge Introduction to Russian Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Web. Local Database. 16 Nov. 2010.
Matthes, Melissa. A Checkered Past. Commonweal, 135.17 (2008): p 21. Literature Resource Center. Web.
Smith, Sidonie and Julia Watson. Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota Press, 2001. Web. Local Database. 16 Nov. 2010.
The English proverb suggests the idea that the number of people on the earth equals the number of minds. However, it is possible to argue this statement because people change their mind during their life or every minute though a strong position in life is determined by the firmness of the mind.
Characters created by Albert Camus in his eternal novels include his ideas about the world, its structure, values, and motivation of every individual. Loneliness, exile, separation, inability to remember every minute, and a range of other things claimed to be absurd make the readers understand the author and his attempts to convey his message of the value of life as he makes us estimate the life by denying those values.
Thesis statement
Though Camus characters reflect his vision of life and its logic, each characters ideas can be used to support the position of other; thus, the character of The Plague has a duplicate in The Myth of Sisyphus in terms of ideas and a life position.
Discussion of Camus Notions
Support from the character of The Plague
The main character of The Plague, Dr. Bernard Rieux whose position in life is not really appropriate for the one possessed by a professional doctor serves as the reflection of the authors ideas and perception of life through the horros of the plague and isolation. Though he knows what to do with the patients and is treated as a great expert, he does not value the life even when he finds himself isolated from his wife, he treats an exile as one of the strongest emotions (Camus, The Plague 165).
Every step made by this man leaves no doubt concerning the motivation and the highest purpose until the readers can see that this person does not value the life and does not realize the necessity of living and the predestination of men on earth. No matter how strong is his desire to save lives of ordinary people by applying to authorities and health care organizations, this terrible disease cannot evoke a desire to live in this dried-up man.
Ideas imbedded into the character of The Myth of Sisyphus
Though every character of Camus novels and essays is full of specific features, he/she is only a reflection of the authors ideas and a strong life position. However, this does not seem to coincide greatly with the power of the author to evoke feelings in his contemporaries and in future generations. The concept of exile and loneliness seems irrelevant to the enormous energy that comes from every line written by Albert Camus.
The author writes about absurdity of the world and human lives without being absolutely sure that the readers are able to understand his ideas due to the number of meanings that can be applied. His exile is without remedy since he is deprived of the memory of a lost home or the hope of a promised land (Camus, The Myth 6); this statement reflects clearly the scope of human life that consists of different memories while it is not worth living without memories because no values and beliefs would be left.
Concepts of life in The Stranger
The Stranger combines characteristics of main heroes of The Plague and The Myth of Sisyphus because he is as clear and open as the narrator who explains the absurdity of the world; at the same time, Meursault is as lonely as Dr. Bernard Rieux who does not value his own life either. Though ideas of loneliness do not frighten the main character, he is not a lonely person; he is social and friendly with people he knows but does not express strong feelings about his mothers death.
Lack of emotions makes this work of literature even more emotional though logical while another great idea conveyed by the author makes the things clear; it is when the main character analyzes his life: I had been right, I was still right, I was always right. I had lived my life one way and I could just as well have lived it another (Camus, The Stranger 121). This explains every attempt of the author to reduce the value of human life because the right to make a choice is an integral part of life and cannot be considered absurd.
Conclusion
Novels and essays written by Albert Camus make us believe that there is nothing important in human life; moreover, the author makes us believe that the entire life is absurd and is not worth living.
However, when one reads carefully and notices every ambiguous meaning, it is possible to perceive the value of life and hints given by the author concerning the importance of making choice because we can do it and living our lives as we think it necessary. Every step taken by the characters of Camus novels is aimed at provoking thoughts and concluding on the suggested ideas and concepts that should be used as a basis for further reflections.
Works Cited
Camus, Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus. Trans. Justin OBrien. New York: Vintage-Random House, 1991. Print.
Camus, Albert. The Plague. Trans. Stuart Gilbert. New York: Vintage-Random House, 1991. Print.
Camus, Albert. The Stranger. Trans. Matthew Ward. New York: Vintage-Random House, 1989. Print.
Neil Simons Brighton Beach Memoirs can be considered as a semi-autobiographical play because the writer inserted his childhood memories of living in New York before the World War II. The play differs much from other Simons works because it represents a combination of two genres uniting skilful characterizations and humor. Brighton Beach Memoirs narrates the story about Eugene Jeromes, a boy who is dreaming to become a great baseball player or, in case of failure, an outstanding writer.
The play also discloses the problems of the Jerome family whose actions and deeds are skillfully supplemented by refined humorous situations and sufficient emotional charge. Brighton Beach Memoirs is a coming-of-age play where Eugene cannot be defined whether he is an adult or a child. The hero fells that all his ambitions fail because of his mothers pressure.
Eugene has still difficulties in making his choice; he wants to fulfill himself in two completely different professions thus showing that he is unable to be responsible for his life. As an example it is possible to present the quarrel between Eugene and his mother revealing that each character has his/her unique image of the way the world should work: Eugene: Its the last batter Mom. Mel Ott is up. Its a crucial moment in the World Series history. Kate: Your Aunt Blanche has a splitting headache (Simon 4).
The actors play cannot be considered the pink of perfection, but it managed to render Eugenes searches and transformations. The wide range of his interest is constantly changing the actor skillfully conveys all those transformations. The actor has a deep sense of timing and space so that he could fluently deliver all humorously and emotionally colored scenes. His theatrical proficiency helps him disclose the characters experiences while interacting with other characters.
More importantly, the acting style accurately rendered the historical and culture context of the events. The interaction between Kate and Eugene shows an antagonistic polarity and both heroes represent the example of generation gap. In the end, it should also be stressed that the actor skillfully addresses the audience and immediately renders the memories about Jeromes childhood. In general, the proficient cast made the beginning and the ending parts a valuable experience.
The directing of the play managed to extend the subtext through the portrayal of actors as adults and children. In particular, the director provides an original approach to Eugene transformations through the observation of his past and future perspectives. The directing team effectively presented the composition of the play. In particular, the play slightly deviate from the original script and the pircturization was accurately rendered through various scientific devices and techniques.
In order to enhance the humorous effect, the director author-justified tweaks and aisles to create the link between the play and the original script. In addition, the director strived to render the play as the funnier property through deploying Eugene as the representative of the financial dynasty. He did not only include all members of the family, including father Jack, mother Kate, Eugenes older brother Stanley, but other important characters that supplement the overall ideas of the play.
The directing team did not take the risk to deviate from the plays setting and plot and, therefore, it tried to preserve historic, cultural, and social context. Although the play was more humor-oriented as compared with the original variant, the setting and the atmosphere reminded of the times and events before the World War II. In particular, everything from the traditional furniture and costumes to make up and decorations were closely related to that period of time.
The scene design was presented in brown gamma of colors that is typical of the 40s of the past century. Such a decorations would highlight the caring and the warmth of the family relations, notwithstanding some stressed from the inside and outside world. The scenery emphasis was the home interior reflecting a warm color pallet. The exterior, however, was also represented through roofing section and provided the lighting that also reflected all the interior tendencies.
Due to the fact that theatre is nothing but a black box, the bulk of the decoration area was slightly alienated from the audience. The costumes fitted well in the overall atmosphere presenting the same palette color. In general, the director strived to engage the audience into the performance so that each person viewing the play could participate in the events taking place on the stage.
In general, the plot was structure carefully and the directing managed to reach an old-fashioned effect. All the problems of the play were also carefully revealed, they involve the reader in the flow of events and conflicts where the culmination and denouement were also thoroughly arranged.
The portrayal of crowed daily life and routine, however, partially resembled of the 80s American family. Besides, the play was richly endowed with details and carefully designed costumes to involve the audience in the pre-war times. Despite the excellent directing and acting, some elements of the original script were lost due to the discrepancies in genres and techniques.
An offspring of the first African American migration from the South to North and Northwest, the Harlem Renaissance spanned roughly twenty five years (1910-1935). With literature, art, and music as the primary vehicle, the epoch was characterized by racial pride and desire to uplift the race (Bean, 1991). Proof of humanity, the demand for equality, perseverance, belief in self and ability, teamwork the corresponding counter-balance racist circumstances permeated the ideological core of this movement/ era.
The Harlem Renaissance birthed many iconic African Americans figures with Zora Neale Hurston being among the cadre. Hurstons literary repertoire comprised four novels, fifty plus short stories and plays as well essays with her 1935 short story Mules and Men and novel Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937) as her magnum opus.
An ardent folklorist of African American culture, her studies in anthropology and ethnography exude her work. Hurstons extensive travels throughout the American South and Caribbean furthered her folkloric scope/lens. So called unrefined speech patterns or dialect permeate her work.
Use of such idiomatic dialect as well as lack of political and even racial focus placed her at odds with Renaissance contemporaries and intelligentsia such as Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, and Hughes, etc. who felt it was stereo-typical and fueled racist fodder. The conflict was only indicative of the dualistic nature of the era in terms of depiction of the African American experience in the United States and the Diaspora.
A travelogue whether in the form of documentary, film, literature, or journal describes a journey. Chronicling her ethnographic journey in Haiti and Jamaica is Hurtons 1938 travelogue Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica.
Opinion divided among literary critics and devotees, Tell My Horse is deemed her worst and most insignificant work or a fascinating guide and invaluable resource depicting Jamaican and Haitian culture, in particular the mysteries and horrors of voodoo. The fascination element is intensified because Hurston provides a vivid and authentic depiction in part due to not being a mere observer but rather a participant/initiate.
Irony intertwined with allegory and incoherency characterizes the underlining message/theme and aura of the work. In the first chapter, Hurston provides a list of thought provoking and witty proverbs in which the surface meaning has an encoded dormant meaning. For example, the proverb Rockatone at ribber bottom no know sun hot Hurston translates as The person in easy circumstances cannot appreciate the sufferings of the poor (Hurston, 9).
The proverbs and her interpretations have a duel purpose they illustrate irony, humor, and most importantly the richness of the Jamaican philosophic culture and are Hurstons self-reflexive commentary on her narrative. The title itself supports the narrative strategy in terms of the double voice nature. Tell My Horse (Parlay cheval ou in French) is a popular form of figurative speech in Haiti.
The Horse symbolizes the voice of powerless speaking without repercussion. Under the whip and guidance of the spirit-rider, the horse does and says many things that he or she would never have uttered unbidden&. That phrase Parlay cheval ou [tell my horse] is in daily, hourly use in Haiti and no doubt it is used as a blind for self-expression (Mikell, 221). The narrative style is indicative of a pervading and coexisting dichotomy freedom and constraint, self expression and vulnerability, the powerful and the powerless.
Tragically Hurston died in obscurity and poverty. Much acclaim/focus on her work, however, has surfaced in the past thirty years. Capturing the pure simplicities of African American life and the Diaspora, Zora Neale Hurtons literary contribution leaves an indelible mark on African American literature and the literary world as a whole.
Works Cited
Bean, Annemarie. A Sourcebook on African-American Performance: Plays, People, Movements. London: Routledge, 1999.
Hurston, Zora Neale. Tell My Horse. 1938. New York: HarperCollins, 1990.
Mikell, Gwendolyn. When Horses Talk: Reflections on Zora Neale Hurstons Haitian Anthropology. Phylon 43.3 (1982): 218-30.
Wall, Cheryl A. The Concise Oxford Companion to African American Literature. Ed. William L. Andrews, Frances Smith Foster, and Trudier Harris. Oxford University Press, 2001.
Harriet Ann Jacobs is one of the most prominent female abolitionists of the nineteenth century. Her personal experience enabled people to give a clear insight into the whole scope of issues concerning slavery. Thus, whereas many former slaves wrote about the dangers slaved had to endure, their struggle for freedom and, finally, their escape and building a new life, Jacobs revealed the issue which were not explicitly articulated before from motives of delicacy (qtd. in Washington 57).
Admittedly, in her Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Jacobs tackles many such indelicate issues which make the reader consider slavery from different social and psychological perspectives. Many scholars analyzed Jacobs narrative and biography, and each of this works depicts new facet of one of the most obscure pages of American History.
Ferguson, Moira
Thus, Ferguson reveals landmarks of Jacobs biography and at the same time briefly depicts the epoch. Ferguson does not only provide some dates and events, but makes a deeper insight into the inner world of the remarkable woman. For instance, the reader gets to know that Jacobs was disappointed with ignorance of her masters and understood that she could rely for emotional support primarily on her grandmother and her brother (Ferguson 98).
The present research is a valuable source for the further analysis of Jacobs narrative and life since it is based not only on the Jacobs writing but uses many other reliable sources. The article provides the researcher with information about most important events in Jacobs life and helps to understand the peculiarities of that period highlighting the process which were taking place in the contemporary society.
Yellin, Jean Fagan
Another valuable source is more concerned with the narrative of Jacobs (Yellin 137-146). Yellin provides a brief depiction of some important biographical data and passes on to the narrative. Yellin tries to understand the reasons which made Jacobs write such a truthful story denoting that Jacobs was ashamed of that part of her life (Yellin 141).
This source deals with two very important issues: Jacobs inner world and her peculiar literary style which made her narrative so emotional and sincere. It is necessary to add that apart from Jacobs book Yellin uses her letters and other writings, and this makes the present source very valuable since it reveals to great extent Jacobs inner world. The source is very useful for the further research since it analyses and evaluates those factors which influenced the creation of the book.
Titus, Mary
Titus makes even deeper insight into the psychological and social factors which became a basis for Jacobs book (199-216). Thus, Titus claims that Jacobs does not only depict the story of her life but reveals the essence of poisonous system dealing with social ills and bodily ills (199). Titus considers the peculiarities of Jacobs style stating that she uses the language of disease and contamination to reveal the cruelty and viciousness of the society based on slavery (202).
Titus provides a deep analysis exploiting various sources on the topic referring to other scholars who considered slavery in the United States and American literature on the slavery. Of course, such unbiased source is indispensible for the survey concerning Jacobs narrative and personal experience since it provides useful ideas about the message of the book and its role or its place in the literature which was a very potent weapon in the struggle for slavery abolishing.
Yarbrough, Fay A.
Of course, one of the important sources for the research can be an article by Yarbrough which deals with the sexuality revealed in Jacobs book. Yarbrough claims that Jacobs was one of the pioneers to reveal the constrained position of slave women (567). Reportedly, the sexual component of females slave life was particularly important since it touched many psychological issues where affection and disgust, love and suffering were intermingled.
The source is really important since Yarbrough considers Jacobs experience in the historical and social discourse comparing and contrasting her case with many other slave females. This broad approach (considering Jacobs narrative from historical perspective) helps to understand the role of the book in American literature.
Washington, Margaret
Another valuable source for the analysis of Jacobs narrative is the article by Washington where she deal with the sexual issues raised in the slave female experience. She compares two brave women, Harriet Jacobs and Sojourner Truth, who were not afraid of openly admitting their sorrow and shame claiming that their sagas contained the pulse of the people (Washington 71). The article is mainly concerned with the personal experience and feelings of slave women.
Besides, Washington denotes the exclusive importance of such sincerity which contributed to the process of slavery abolishing. The source is based on numerous reliable sources including Jacobs and Truths narrative and scholarly writings which makes it unbiased and very precise. This article enables to see the importance of the sexual component of the narrative which was implicit and underestimated for a long time.
Works Cited
Ferguson, Moira. Nine Black Women: An Anthology of Nineteenth-Century Writers from the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. New York, NY: Routledge, 1998.
Titus, Mary. This Poisonous System : Social Ills, Bodily Ills, and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl . Harriet Jacobs and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: New Critical Essays. Ed. Garfield, Deborah M. and Rafia Zafar. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1996. 199-216.
Washington, Margaret. From Motives of Delicacy : Sexuality and Morality in the Narratives of Sojourner Truth and Harriet Jacobs. The Journal of African American History 92.1 (2007): 57-73.
Yarbrough, Fay A. Power, Perception, and Interracial Sex: Former Slaves Recall a Multiracial South. Journal of Southern History 71.3 (2005): 559-588.
Yellin, Jean Fagan. Incidents in the Life of Harriet Jacobs. The Seductions of Biography. Ed. Rhiel, Mary and David Bruce Suchoff. New York, NY: Routledge, 1996. 137-146.
The novel The Memory Keepers daughter is about a story set in mid twentieth century. The social, political, and economic environment was different and its effect on the characters life can be seen especially through the actions they choose. The characters in the novel all seem to be victims of social constrains. By examining the novel through a sociological perspective, the characters can be seen as reacting to the social elements in their world and how that leads to their suffering or redemption.
The story revolves around a decision made by one of the key characters, David. David is a doctor who realized that being caught up in a snowstorm, he would have to help his wife deliver at home. Everything went well with the delivery, but David learned that one of the twins, a baby girl had down syndrome. Because of the stigma associated with the condition, David prefers to put the child in an institution than to put his family through the hardship of raising a child with down syndrome.
After all, given the short lifespan expected, Phoebes life would have been short. David remembered the difficulties he had with his sister June and her death. Although he felt it freed him, the truth was that He felt guilty& (121).
During the time of the setting of the novel, Down Syndrome Association states that, there were many social limitations that families with special children had (5). Families were treated as if something was wrong with them if they had such a child. Many parents would be embarrassed and ashamed to have such a child (5). As a result they put their children away in institutions to avert the shame.
Society in many instances would treat the children as subnormal. This would explain Davids reaction. However what compounds the situation is that he was a doctor. While he should have known better, it is David the parent who made the decision. He was so afraid for the pain that Norah would have to endure that for their sake, he made the decision to have the child, Phoebe, taken to an institution.
In his experience with his sister, David knew that with such a child the road ahead was tough. He could remember having June in the family and the conflict it brought to him, His love for her was so deeply woven with resentment that he could not untangle the two. (120).
Another related social issue in the novel is the prejudice that people have against children with down syndrome. Edwards brought this out by the the dismissive description in the novel that is given without any positivism, flaccid muscle tone, delayed growth and mental development, possible heart complications, early death. (16).
Caroline who takes care of Phoebe does so while she continues to endure the public discrimination of Phoebe. It is for this reason that Caroline is hesitant to let Al into their lives. Down syndrome was still very much misunderstood. It is only after Al proves himself that Caroline gives him a chance and married him, confident that he had a great love of Phoebe and accepted her. The social discrimination of Phoebe does not end in social environment, but extended to other area like education.
Phoebes opportunity for education was also threatened due to laws that made it difficult for children with down syndrome to enjoy equal education as their counterparts. According to Down Syndrome Association, children with down syndrome did not qualify to join mainstream education (7). During the time period of Phoebes birth, there would have been no legal entitlement (7). According to Down Syndrome Association, People with Downs syndrome were termed severely subnormal and ineducable. (7).
Politically this period was marked by lack of civil rights and as a consequence, people with special needs did not have protection from the governments. Their rights were generally not respected according to American.gov (20). The states solution was to provide a place where children with special needs could be taken y their families. According to Down Syndrome Association, these institutions did not offer the children any real hope for a normal life. (8).
Society placed great value in success. In the novel Paul exploits are contrasted to what David expected of Phoebe. It is because Phoebe held no future prospects for success that David envisioned a bleak future for her and the family. Paul is encouraged to pursue education and other skills so that his future can be bright. He attends good school and seems poised to be a successful member of his community. Even when he discovers about his sister Phoebe, Paul too worries how that will change his life from then onwards (397).
A daughter who would have been limited perhaps in achievement would have been an embarrassment for her family. David feel that in putting Phoebe in an institution, the family could still continue to be seen as successful without a blemish. Caroline however, believes in Phoebe. It is this believe that leads her to have hope in of Phoebes future. While there are numerous challenges in their lives, Caroline decides to give Phoebe the best opportunities that she can afford.
Phoebe excels in what she attempts and manages to make something of her life. She is able to look after herself and gain skills that are necessary to living a full life. Norah too on her part also seeks something to give her life more meaning during the decline of her marriage to David. It is for this reasons that she tries to get a job so that she too can make her place in the world.
David who had experience with a difficult childhood could appreciate the difficulty that comes with looking after someone. According to Edwards, he had had it rough growing up since he was forced to fend for himself because his sister couldnt (113). The economic status therefore plays a big part in how the characters behave.
David could afford to make payments for the care of Phoebe which made it easier for him to have her in an institution. Caroline used the money to take care of Phoebe, yet she was giving Phoebe more than money could buy. Caroline was open to a life of struggle and having decided to keep Phoebe, the situation could only get harder for her.
However, Caroline also knew how rewarding a life filled with love could be. David did not seem to factor in the aspect of love in his decision. He wanted to avoid difficulties for his family without fully appreciating the contribution to love that another child, although considered different, would bring. Although Caroline is limited in means and has to work in order to support the additional needs that Phoebe has, she is happy with her investment in Phoebe, as she feels that Phoebe should have equal opportunities with other children.
David however found redemption in taking in a pregnant mother who had no money and helping her until her young family could move along. He appreciated the power of money to make a difference since in that decision, he gave greater value to the life that the newborn would bring to the young mother and society. Society does not always see the end and that is why it does not always understand those who are different. A single mother in the society that the characters live in was frowned upon.
Society did not fully support the single mother. According to American Values, there has been a shift in values regarding family life compared to early moments of the novel (68). However, the young mother all alone was in need like any other person for understanding and acceptance. Had David not helped the young woman, Rosemary, her life and that of her child Jack may have taken a negative turn due to the financial difficulties she was going through.
It is only through Davids compassion that a new life begins for that family and for David as well. For him it is a chance to turn back against what society might prescribe. While he had used the societys measuring yard to make a decision in his life that led to so much pain down the line, in this instance he chose to act differently and reach out. Through his generous gift, Rosemary got to live with family and that eased her financial burden. In addition they took care of her until she could move on giving her and Jack a better start in life.
Availability of money also helps some of the characters. This is clearly seen in Norahs pursuits. As her marriage crumbles she finds solace in the comforts that money can afford her. She is able to travel and get a break from the situation at home. She does not have to work and her pursuit for employment is not a necessity.
Such if the situation in which Norah does not have to struggle. Availability of money also led her to maintain her drinking habit. Since she does not feel that she has venues to address her problems, she finds means in which to mask her loneliness, isolation and grief.
Paul is also another character whose life is shaped by the availability of the best life his parents can afford him. He is accepted into Juiliard school. He spends ample time traveling the world and even undertakes music lessons in France. He acknowledges the privileges that his parents can afford him although he desires to understand his family. During this time, society focused on provision more than anything else. Norah was a mother to Paul and the fact that he has grown up healthy would have meant that she has fulfilled her role.
David on the other hand has done his best to provide for his family. He considers providing to Paul of importance and in that sense Paul is not lacking. However, Paul requires more than just his basic need fulfilled. He is lost between the grief of his mother and the guilt of his father. However, David and Norah cannot bring themselves to openly address the issues that they are facing. This lead to Paul dabbling in drugs and trying to escape from home.
According to American Values, money does not guarantee the wellbeing of a child (22). On the contrary a childs wellbeing might be neglected if parents feel they give the child a good economic background (22). However, giving a child love and attention can more than make up for lack of affluent lifestyle. In Carolines case, her devotion to Phoebe and her total attentions to her allowed Phoebe to thrive. The few resources that Caroline had, she used to give Phoebe the best she could in addition to emotional and psychological support.
It was common in the setting of the novel for people to hide their marital and family problems. People often had to deal with their problems the best way they could. According to American. Gov, there was movement to liberalism and people began to pursue what worked for them instead of just accepting the way things had always been (11).
Feminism also helped to push for women rights and women began to seek their happiness beyond family life. This is what happened to Norah who for many years had been constrained by her roles instead of thriving in them.
Norah began to advocate for herself as the years passed culminating in the divorce from David and a new relationship with Fredric. She wants to move on and have a better life despite everything that has happened. Although according to Edwards, she feels that David played a role in her unhappiness, she acknowledges her part in choosing how to go on (396). As a woman she became more empowered to chart her own course and find meaning not just as a wife, or mother but as herself.
Marriage is another social environment in which the characters interact. For David and Norah, their marriage lasts a long time even after they realize that they are unhappy. Because of the demands for families to stay together during their era, it was difficult for Norah and David to end their marriage. Years of secrets and isolation exacerbated their suffering and made it difficult for them to help each other. David isolated himself in his problems and Norah did not know how to deal with her grief and loneliness.
According to American Values, divorce has been on the increase since the 1960s (50). During David and Norahs marriage, the times change. While before divorce was seen as undesirable, it now began to be seen as the only solution to a disintegrated marriage. Norah and David end up divorcing. However, it does not bring about the relief that they desired. Marriage had a strong hold on married people and certainly for the characters and somehow they both continue to look for redemption from each other.
Families did not know how well to cope with a divorce. In David and Norahs case, perhaps the advantage was that Paul was much older when the divorce happens. But still it leaves a schism between David and Paul. According to Edwards, although they both try to bridge the gap, they do not know how well to do that. In their reflection in the novel, Paul feels as if David is too far, Id go over to his house and Id try; Id hang out and talk with Dad about this and that, but we never went any further. (330).
David on the other hand feels that it is Paul who keeps the distance, Now and then David made overtures, but Paul always chose that moment to leave, pushing back his chair and yawning, suddenly tired. (311). It is within these cultural parameters that the Henry family operates.
In contrast Phoebe and Robert are living in another era. As they fall in love they are not afraid to show their love. They want to be together for the right reasons. Caroline looking at them realizes perhaps what her generation would think of the love Phoebe and Robert have, Caroline closed her eyes at her daughters naked expression of emotion the wild innocence, the risk! ( 340).
Coming from an age when marriage was about security it might have been hard for Norah to understand Phoebe and Roberts take on love. Caroline also displays a different take on marriage. While it would have been easy for Caroline to accept Als proposal and get security especially given Phoebes condition, she wanted to wait and make sure that she knew Al motivation.
Only when she was sure of his love and the kind of man he was was she ready to say yes to his proposal. This knowledge was lacking in Norah and Davids marriage which began to disintegrate within two years of their marriage. Perhaps it was the secret of Phoebe that kept them apart or perhaps it was that they did not know each other well enough as it was customary in those years.
The characters in the novel are aware of their social circumstances, they find themselves mostly helpless to make decisions that go against the dictates of the society. In Davids case from the beginning to the end, he lives in fear of his secret coming out. The implications would affect his family first and foremost.
This is a situation he cannot deal with. In this situation, he endures a life of regret and suffering just because of the choice he made. Even when he might have let his secret out he did not take the opportunity and dies before his family can resolve the situation.
Norah tries to live according to the dictates of society. However, that does not work in her favor. She is aware that in order to change her life, she has to transcend the cultural barriers that have kept her unhappy for so long. She gets a divorce and later settles into a relationship with Fredric. For Norah this was a journey that took her outside the comfort zone. Luckily for her, the times were changing during this period and she could transcend without much disapproval or condemnation from society.
Caroline and Al, life cannot be pegged because of social limitations. They make the most of what they have attained the life that they feel is right and will give them happiness. They are not afraid to paddle against the current for what they believe in. It is their courage that brings about an end in which Norah can finally meet a well-educated and rounded daughter and Paul can finally have a sister to love ans share life with.
Works Cited
American. Decades of Change: 1960-1980. 2008. Web.
American values. Marriage In America: A Report to the Nation. 1995. Web.
Down Syndrome Association. Reign of Queen Elizabeth II Transforms Life for People with Down Syndrome. 2002. Web.
Edwards, Kim. The memory keepers Daughter. New York, NY: Penguin, 2006. Print.
The book under discussion is Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood by Koren Zailckas which dwells upon the place of a person in the society hiding this idea behind alcoholism. At the same time, these two notions are connected in the book, as being a teenager, Koren Zailckas tries to find her place in the world.
It should be noted that this is one of the most difficult periods in human life. The first drink of alcohol was the beginning. The main topic of the book is adolescence and the mistakes teenagers make trying to find their place in the modern society. The author tries to tell her story to the whole world with the purpose to show that the social problem is rather urgent and something should be done until it is not too late.
The book under discussion tells a real story of the author and a long period of life when she was an alcoholic refusing from this. The preface of the book starts with the words, this is a kind of night that leaves a mark (Zailckas, 2006, p. xi). The day when the author had the first drink is remembered.
The topic of drinking is central in the book. At the same time, the social problems are raised. The author writes on the first pages of the book that the mean age of the first drink for girls is less than thirteen years old (p. 4). It is possible to state that the alcoholism discussed in the book along with the age considered there makes the book focused on the sociological and psychological problem.
Considering the situation in the book and referencing it to the tendencies and changes in the modern world related to social and psychological problems adolescents have, it may be stated that if the government and society in general do nothing the book will be actual in 5, 10 and even 15 years from now.
The book is written for the adolescents and for their parents. It is really important for the book to be read not only by adolescents, but also by their parents this may help the latest to understand what is happening with their children and to provide help when it is not too late. Moreover, being the social problem, adolescent alcoholism should be treated accordingly, abuse and prohibition of something are not the best variants for help.
Parents should understand this. Psychologists may find this book the most useful as it covers personal experience which is extremely important. There are a lot of books which consider the same problem but most of them are written as the guides or theoretical issues. This book, vice versa, is more like a fiction literature which depicts serious problems.
It seems that the author does not state any argument. The book is more like a dairy where the author provides the reader with the consequent succession and smooth flow of situations, events, thoughts, etc. As it was mentioned above, the main theoretical problem of the book is the psychological reason for adolescents alcoholism and why it is higher between girls than between boys. The book states that girls have more problems when being teenagers as they have to correspond to the surrounding prejudices.
The world of teenagers is rather cruel and girls are more subjected to depressions than boys are. The general problem which stands before the reader is the lack of attention to the social problems adolescents have to face. The book depicts the problem of girl-boy sexual relations on the background of drinking and the problem of personal perception.
Dwelling upon personal life, the author states that she was not an alcoholic. The refusal to accept the problem is the core challenge many adolescents face. Moreover, the book depicts the problem of unstable psych of teenagers that adds to the number of social problems raised in the book. It is important to state that these problems are considered to be typical in the whole world.
It should be noted that the author uses a very effective method for demonstrating the main purpose of the book. So many words have been said about the social problem of teenagers that the phrases that alcohol is harmful and that adolescence is the most difficult period in human life are not heard anymore.
The author uses the best way to make people hear. The description of the theoretical framework is always boring what cannot be said about absorbing description of personal problems. The genuine language of the book adds to the expected effect. According to personal awareness of the problem, it may be said that the information in the book is readable and perfectly illustrates the illness of the society.
The book under discussion perfectly fits the problems discussed in the 13th chapter of the textbook Adolescence by Laurence Steinberg. The ideas discussed in the chapter Psychological development during adolescence can be easily related to the main topic of the book which is in the focus.
Sometimes people believe that the problems of adolescence seem to fade away with time (Steinberg, 2010, p. 403), but this opinion is wrong as the problems which appear while the adolescence are not caused by adolescence. The problem lies much deeper and it becomes psychological. The abuse of alcohol is provoked by depressions and anxiety which are the consequences of too high standards which exist in the society.
Behavior and adolescents psychological and social problems are the main common ideas considered in the text. It may be said that the professional comments in the final chapter of the book are missing but they could be really important for parents who understand that they have the same problem described in the book and do not know what to do.
Reference List
Steinberg, L. (2010). Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies,Inc.
Zailckas, K. (2006). Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood. New York: Penguin Group USA.
One of Emily Dickinsons most profound poems is Because I could not stop for death . The poems vagueness creates that state of inquisitiveness in the reader prolonging the interest to get an in-depth look at the poem. The poem has received much attention from critics who mainly try to get a glimpse of the poem from another perspective. This is familiar with most of her poems, in that they have attracted both admirers and critics alike with the same vigor.
At the beginning of the poem, in the first two lines; Because I could not stop for death/He kindly stopped for me, brings to the reader the central point or the main idea behind the whole poem. Different readers have had different understanding of the make-up of the poem, but they almost always agree on one thing in the poem, the theme- Death.
There are some crucial parts in the poem that usually serve as the block towards understanding the meaning behind the writing of this poem. In the third stanza, the words children and in the ring bring out contrasting interpretations to different classes of readers.
The other part of the poem that assists the reader to get the poetic meaning is the first sentence in the fourth stanza, Or rather he passed us . The interpretations to this line also vary a great deal. In general, the different meanings to the phrases and the themes individuals gain from the poem vary, but they agree on some very important aspects of the poem.
For instance, both her supporters and critics are on terms that the poet has personified death. He likens it to a man who is on a journey or a trip with the persona in the poem. The other aspect that brings these two teams of ideologists to terms in the poem is the pictures the reader creates in his mind when he goes through the third stanza, pictures of the children in the ring , Fields of gazing grain and also the mental image one creates of the setting sun .
They agree that the levels to which they are presented and their order creates in one an image of the stages a person goes through in life. The images depict a persons growth from the time he is young till he attains maturity and finally his death. The other aspect that they both agree is that they had set off fully aware that it would neither be a long nor permanent journey.
This is evidenced by the kind of dressing they had worn, the Gosamer and Tulle are both indicative of his expectations about the type of journey it would have been a temporary journey. The other part of the poem with which they agree on is the line the house that seemed/A swelling on the ground . They agree that this in literal terms refers to a grave.
In spite of there being some points with which they are in agreement over, there are some areas they have totally different opinions. One school of thought takes up the most direct interpretation, an example is that of line one, Because I could not stop for death/ He kindly stopped for me. They take it that because the character in the poem was so interested and involved in living that he never thought of death as a factor, death gently stopped by in its carriage to take person.
Others urge that from the speakers perspective death was not a reality. Others urge that the poem does infer to the biological death, rather it is a vision of what the rest of her life would be, one of isolation. According to this, the characters life was shrouded in abnormality, so tattered that it could only be compared to death. From this point henceforth, she intends to change her life for the good totally.
Emily Dickinson, like any other poet wrote her poems basing on the norms and factors that influence the society. The issues that touch on humanity live through time, in that they are never out of place since human wants are recurrent through generations. She knew that her poem would live through the generations this way, and that she would be remembered through history by her work. Therefore, this poem in totality is representative of her work in all aspects.
She picks on life, and revises the stages through life in her poem, at the same time maintaining vagueness so that it accommodates the different thinkers through time. This would give the people reading through it the chance to debate over her work, enhancing peoples remembrance and growth of the poem through time.
Works Cited
Amanda, D. Interpretations and Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death. Sept 2008. Web.
Fantasy literature has been defined as a story based on and controlled by overt violation of what is accepted as the norm or possibility a narrative that transform a condition that is contrary to the fact into fact itself (Jackson 14). This kind of literature represents the unreal as the new real, and puts to question peoples accepted truths on reality.
Jackson also adds that fantasy literature is concerned with describing the desire in its excessive forms as well as in its various transformations or pervasions (10). Therefore, this kind of literature tends to engage and test the readers ideas of the real world by indulging him deeper into the unreal and unnatural world. The aim of this paper is to define real fantasy and explain its six basic elements.
In Fantasy literature, the most consistent creation is a highly valuable object, which in most cases is a place that offers safety to the hero. The appearance and significance of this object is usually blown out of proportions. Stevens in his 1918 narrative Friend Island explains this mysterious island called Anita that had a human heart.
Anita was so priceless and valuable to the sea woman, who had come to posses it so dearly (para 56). This mysterious lady island had human feeling such that when Nelson cussed it, she responded by throwing snakes and lava at them, which according to the see woman was expression of human feelings (para 57, 58). In Ballards Drowned Giant, the drowned giant is the priceless object as the local finds several uses for it including making fertilizer (7).
Fantasy narrative authors also create a hero, a person who posses the right characters to accomplish heroic acts has to travel great distances to locate the prized possession. This hero has to be a person with the right characteristics, such as the sea woman and the young English student (Stevens para 2; McDonald para 23).
These two fantasy characters possess extraordinary strength and characters to fight unnatural odds, and come out victors. It is characters that must make long journeys to find that priceless object. In most of the cases, the location of the prized objects is not known but its seekers have the hope and courage to go after it until they finally find it. Fish, in his narrative Bleeding Jungle portrays such a character in Atl, (17).
Atl overcomes unimaginable odds. Unlike his father Ollin, the tribes chief, he survives plague and because of that his dying father hands him the leadership of the tribes, asking him to deliver it to the promise land where there are no marauding white men (16).
To reveal the real hero in fantasy stores, the characters are put through a series of impossibly challenging situations, to eliminate the weak ones. Some characters survive these great odds and emerge as the heroes. A good example is the sea woman who survives a great storm and a volatile volcanic island to reach to safety (Stevens para 13, 23).
The sea woman, who is of extreme abilities stronger even than men, emerges the hero, as she is the one who saves Nelson when Anita blew up (para 60). Fish creates a hero in Atl, and not his father Ollin. Atl is among the few people to overcome the plague and as a result his sick father initiates and hands him the leadership of the tribe (9). He mobilizes the tribe three thousandth movement to safety (17).
The acquisition of this object is never easy and is always protected by a powerful force. The hero must firsts overcome the objects guardian, sometimes through a helper. For example, Bradleys Year of the Big Thaw is about an alien ship the crashes into Mr. Emmetts back yard, killing a couple, and ironically their child survive (para 28).
The couples child, the only survivor, is trapped into this burning ship and Mr. Emmet has to help the hero by brining him to his wife for nursing (para 40). Ironically, the hero upon being helped does not benefit the helper. This is exemplified by the young boy who runs away leaving his helper lying helplessly (Stevens para 29)
In conclusion, high fantasy literature is about the unnatural seeming natural. It presents perverted reality to the reader. Most of these stories are gory and scaring as they involve insurmountable suffering for the hero. The hero has to overcome great and unimaginable odds to reach to the prized destination.
This destination could be either the search of an important object or a far distant place where they find safety. for heroes to reach to their prized object they have to overcome a the objects guardian protector, a powerful force. This is done through a helper nut the irony of it is that the heroes acts do not benefit the helper. This shows that these heroes are ungrateful and selfish as they only mind about themselves.