In his 1993 story Borders, Thomas King depicts several incidents in the life of a female Aboriginal Canadian delegate devoted to her culture. In this short narrative, the main character tries to cross the border without giving a false account of her nationality. The author successfully introduces various socially significant subjects, including the struggles of minorities, generational disparities, and family disputes, which merits praise for the short story.
A young Canadian Blackfoot boy is the nameless narrator and the second-most significant figure in the story after his mother. His mother and his sister Laetitia, who is roughly ten years older than he is, make up his family. We learn from his interaction with the news reporters that he resides on a reserve with his relatives and extended family and appears content with his existence. Most of the narrative is devoted to the narrator discussing the motives and behaviors of other characters, especially his mother and sister.
In Kings writing, the tension between identity, citizenship, and the law is explored, and the mother and sons voyage to Salt Lake City centers on this conflict. The confrontation between many personalities and institutions serves to develop this issue at personal and societal levels. Unique concepts of status and citizenship serve as a representation of the individual scale of identification. For instance, the mothers sense of identity is primarily based on her Blackfoot citizenship; she does not see herself as connected to Canada.
Finally, Thomas Kings Borders tells the tale of a strong Canadian aboriginal woman who does not wish to surrender her cultural identity and gives birth to offspring who are less resistant to assimilation. The author introduces significant themes in this work, including generational differences, parent-child disputes, and personal identity. The author succeeds in describing ethnic minorities problems and connecting them to issues that parents and children face across all cultures.
Concerning the storys impact on me, it makes me concerned with the problem of indigenous cultures being undercut and devalued. These people should be able to be proud of their heritage instead of concealing their origin. I also get sad by the conflict between the mother and her daughter. The misunderstanding between them and the mothers refusal to accept her childs wish to move to another place remind me of my own experiences. I disagree with such an approach and believe it should be normal for children not to adopt all the views of their parents.
Reference
King, T. (2021). Borders. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Two short stories, The Yellow Wall-Paper by Ch. P. Gilman and I Stand Here Ironing T. Olsen portrays hardship and low status of women in society. Both authors depict the common oppression of women and resistance through maternal bonding and nurturing. It is possible to say that Olsen and Gilman succeed in creating a space for women to articulate themselves and their feelings.
Thesis The short stories are based on a similar theme of the low social status of women in society but depict different outcomes and conflict resolution.
The main similarity between short stories is that they depict oppression and low status of women caused by the gender gap and male dominance in society. In The Yellow Wall-Paper, the main character suffers from misunderstanding and lack of care while a single mother in I Stand Here Ironing suffers from an inability to earn for living and low wages paid for women. The mother recollects After a while I found a job, hashing at night & so I could be with her days (Olsen 3).
Gilman underlines that male physicians do not pay much attention to the mental states of women supposing it is nothing more than a fake. If a physician of high standing, and ones husband, assures friends and relatives that there is nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depressiona slight hysterical tendency what is one to do? (Gilman). Gilman presents a constructed and discursive identity by having her protagonist take on the role of a mother and a wife.
Gilman and Olsen seem to regard the womans role as an inescapable fate. In their struggle to extricate themselves from the situations, they do not blame their family who made such arrangements but the society and social traditions. For instance, in I Stand Here ironing, the mother lost a connection with her daughter Emily working hard all her life and having no time for her children. She asks herself: What in me demanded that goodness in her? And what was the cost, the cost to her of such goodness (Olsen 6). In general, the social culture places the family at its heart, as the experience of the women in this situation demonstrates, its attitude toward women begins in the more fluid modern world to tear away at this fundamental unit, making the difficulty of mother-daughter bonding a crucial problem for the culture as a whole.
The main difference is that Gilman portrays a happy family life and a nuclear family while Olsen vividly portrays hardship and life grievances faced by a single working mother. In contrast to Olsens character, the woman in Gilmans story does not suffer from income inequalities and low wages traditionally paid for women. The woman is said that her husband is not able to understand her. She says that he does not know how much I suffer.
He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him (Gilman). On the one hand, the burden is due to the position of women in that society. The other difference is that Gilmans character becomes mad because of poor treatment and inadequate medical help while Olsens mother understands the aimlessness and pointlessness of her life caused by the necessity to work around the clock.
In sum, Gilman and Olsen demonstrate that the low social position of women in society deprives women of a chance to find happiness and maintain close relations with their families. Olsens mother has to work hard all her life to earn for a living but she fails to communicate and establish close relations with her daughter. Gilmans character, suffered from mental illness, is ignored and neglected by her husband and brother which leads her to insanity and madness.
Works Cited
Gilman, Ch. The Yellow Wall-Paper. Web.
Olsen, T. I Stand Here Ironing. n Tell Me a Riddle. Delta; Reissue edition. 1971, pp. 3-12.
Does the world deserve beauty? In beauty and politics, Arthur Danto appreciates and demonstrates that, beauty is scarce in the recent art. Danto seeks to explain human beings attitude regarding beauty and how it can be used appropriately.
With reference to Kant, Danto suggests that beauty is a sort of universal phenomena that is part of the human experience especially if presented in a good manner.
Danto examines the work of Georg Hegel and concludes that beauty is actually appropriate especially when celebrating the loss of life for it reminds the bereaved of that pain as part of human experience.
This paper will focus on summarizing Dantos question does the world deserve beauty with reference to Georg Hegels position and how my mothers absence in my life can be connected to Dantos or Hegels insights.
In this article, Danto observes that in the past people would bathe on a Saturday night so that they could be clean during the Sabbath. On Sunday morning, they would adorn special clothing to symbolize the moral difference existing between the outside and the inside.
This action metaphorically gives the difference between the hardship human beings experience during their lifetime and the heavenly kingdom that they await. Danto quotes Adam Verver who does not believe in taking responsibility for the world that has brought him great opulence in his life.
He goes on to observe that life is a punishment and beauty is for the life to come if we do our duty here on earth (Danto 116). The argument is that, being philosophical on matters of religion and worldly beauty could be termed as breach on morality.
To demonstrate the breach of morality in such situations, Danto goes on to exemplify with sexual discrimination against women and the poor doing nothing about the homeless.
Danto concludes that, if philosophy was to be linked with beauty then the argument on moral appropriateness of beauty will be quite clear (Danto 116).
Hegel connects philosophy and art terming these two as Absolute Spirit. Hegel talks about the spirit and self-knowledge and artistic beauty as a product of these two. At the same time, Hegel observes that natural beauty does not come from the spirit.
Considering the absence of my mother in my life, I can connect with Dantos assumption that it is as though beauty were a kind of catalyst, transforming raw grief into tranquil sadness (Danto 117).
Following Dantos observation about appropriate beauty, I can confirm that beauty does influence the healing of an individual when they have lost their loved ones. In the political front, beauty is a matter of moral appropriateness and in such a case it is wrong.
The reason why beauty influences the healing after the loss of my mother emanates from artwork or rather internal beauty. Beauty is connected to our human nature especially our mood.
Losing a loved one affects a human being emotionally and psychologically thus worldly beauty found in artwork can help in the healing process. From this perspective, it is a fact that the world does deserve beauty to help in the healing process.
Even though Hegel does recognize the sense of individuality and the love for our loved ones, he does not recognize beauty as part of the healing process when death comes knocking. Hegel agrees with Kant on the issue that beauty is universal and gives human beings experience if presented in a good way.
Beauty is significant as well as vital in our lives and that is why time and resources are put in the preservation of beauty. Some philosophers like Hegel have argued that beauty does not play an important role in the human life terming it as vague.
In conclusion, the world does deserve beauty for it soothes and through art a harmonious and beautiful universe is created. Beauty is not useless or unreliable as some people would say.
Through beauty, I have learned to celebrate my mothers life rather than mourn. I concur with Dantos insights regarding beauty and the conclusion that the world deserves it to keep the human race joyous and alive.
Works Cited
Danto, Arthur C. The Abuse of Beauty: Aesthetics and the Concept of Art. Chicago, Ill.u.a.: Open Court, 2003. Print.
The paper traces the meanings of associated with the word savage by analyzing the book by Edgar Huntly, Memoirs Of A Sleep-Walker by Brown. The paper recognizes that the different nuances of the word savage have been brought into use to justify the attitude in colonialism.
In this paper Conrads work the Heart of Darkness is used to illustrate the attitude of colonialism towards African societies that are seen as savage. The paper cites information from colonialism informed materials that have taken to support the savage attitude as the lowest form of a human society.
The paper ends with a note that colonialism was an attempt to raise the savage to civilized standards of the world that resulted to conflict.
Savage as a word has many connotations and meaning when used in the daily use of language. As a result therefore when uttered the obvious and most common meaning inferred is that of lacking complex or advanced culture. In this meaning the word savage is taken to refer to a people or a country that lies behind the normal standards as relatively measured by the civilized concepts.
Civilization is the opposite where a people or a nation are seen in terms of culture and practice as complex, sophisticated and modern. By this definition therefore, any culture whose practices, way of life as well as perspectives seem to differ than the standardized norms and to some extent viewed in a negative sense bear the mark uncivilized and hence its inhabitants become savage.
By inferring to the other meanings of savage this paper seeks to understand the nuances of the word application in many uses. Savage has another entry in the language dictionary of one which has not been domesticated.
This has the sole meaning that the subject of talk is not under human control and therefore may be termed wild. To term the subject wild translates to the opinion that it is untamed and thus the principles of operation are based and understood from the animalistic point of view. This means that they are guided by animal instinct (Chidester 12).
The other entry meaning of savage refers to the lack of restraint which is observed by human beings. In this meaning the subject referred to as savage lacks the normal human control skills hence it is guided by this nature to become ferocious and fierce.
It may also take the form of uncultivated or wild as well as rude to mean of manners. This work will thus aim to evaluate the usage of the term savage in Browns work Edgar Huntley Memoirs of a Sleep Walker as well as the colonial usage of the word (Page 45).
In his work Brown makes the main protagonist refer to his enemy in a particular view that denotes the different meanings of the word savage. One such use of the word is found in the line &my condition, the savage rushed from his covert in order to complete his work (Brown 4) is used in the sense that depicts the enemy who is the main protagonist.
In this story the protagonists relents his story that occurs to the reader as a battle requiring the participants to use every necessary techniques to defeat the enemy. As a result therefore, this reference to the enemy who happens to be an Indian as later the character reveals can only be taken to mean the ferocious enemy bent on killing another.
It is important on the other hand to note that the attitude of the main protagonist is skewed against his enemy based on the fact that he becomes the victorious participant of the ensuing charade despite his admission that he had been injured on the cheek. As a result therefore the reader finds pejorative attitude towards the characters opponent which runs through the novel (Bain-Selbo 23).
In another instance he describes the last enemy of the five group gang against his survival in the following words &He moved on all fours and presently came near enough to be distinguished. His disfigured limbs, pendants from his nose and ears and his shorn locks were indubitable indications of as savage, (Brown 23).
This meaning is purely based on the definitions of savage that borders and translates to wild and uncultivated. To infer to this meaning this enemy is rendered beastly by the description of moving on all fours which gives the impression of animal.
The main character creates the image of an animal which is further extended to ferocity based on the fact as explained by the character that his actions were meant to kill (Jauregui 15).
The description of the pendants hanging from his ears and nose clearly give the reader the impression of an ancient culture whose notoriety of using such ancient jewelry is on records. In the present image therefore the main character invokes the meaning of uncivilized being that lacks taste in the choice of usage beautifying elements.
As a result therefore the reader perceives this enemy as crude and unsophisticated. This image is further stretched by the narrator in the description of the loud shrieks that his enemy throws after receiving the bullet.
These doleful shrieks at first convince the narrator to run away from the scene only to compel him later to end the necessary task of killing the enemy.
It is only worthy to note that the narrator at first attributes the movement of the enemy to that of a beast like a panther or a bear (Brown 21). Indeed he refers to his enemy as a wretch who needs to be relieved his present pain and pangs and thus this gives the narrator the excuse to eliminate him as an enemy now and in the future.
In this story the character is related to an English colonial man who is his uncle in the state country of India. His predicament follows from the fact that he is being chased for some particular reasons by the natives of India.
In his description of Queen Meb it becomes clear that the settler are unwanted in this country and hence the ensuing conflict between them and the natives lead to the apparent state of affairs that inform of his predicament (Meining 16).
By the description of the thicket and country side where he walks through it is clear that the country is in position that is explainable in savage terms. The country side lacks serious roads that depict countries at the time of colonialism.
Based on the fact that the English was far much advanced its colonies could only be referred to shabby shadows of itself and therefore they were by all terms uncivilized.
In his book, Conrad attributes the same character traits to the natives of the African lands. In their description Conrad using his major narrator a stem engine driver the reader is informed of savage attitude towards them.
This is clearly depicted by the dying scene at the station of black figures that the narrator does not first recognize as human beings. He observes that their presence in the station makes it move forward through their hard work.
In return they would get nothing except hunger that resulted to emaciated figures whose beautiful reward was to succumb to the bowels of the earth through untold suffering. In this work Conrads presentation of the natives is of the pure most savage attitude and meaning noting from the choice of his words.
The narrator refers to the place of as the heart of darkness which is only characterized by big buttressed forests that seems to stand and stare forever with no apparent movement (Conrad 81).
Indeed this is well confirmed back in England by the doctor whose experiment seeks to measure the impact of the experiences of the heart of darkness upon seafarers and explorers. The narrators attempt to decline experimental measurements of the skull for his studies come to a futile effort when he explains the purpose and the impeding danger he is to face (Bird Rose 34).
As if to confirm this fact the narrators search for Mr. Kutz as the most famous and trusted explorer leads to confirm these truths as of the savage nature of the natives.
He narrates that the man responsible for repairing the engine of his steam boat is one who can not be trusted despite the fact that he had been trained very well. He therefore has to guide and watch his work to ensure that everything was right. In this attitude he makes the statement that the Africans are savage starting from their environment to themselves (Moses 13).
When he meets Mr. Kutz he gets disappointed by his state of affairs. Although he is the most famous explorer in the region he has turned to tendencies that reveal his inferior nature to the former self.
The narrator realizes that Mr. Kutz has been affected by his long stay in the heart of darkness and thus his mentor powers and brilliance no longer match or reflect his stock heritage. His efforts to save Mr. Kutz are fraught with instances that reveal his attitudes of the natives as savages who get frightened by the sound of a whistle (Conrad 90).
In their book Woodard and Minkley (32) observe that the origin of slavery appeared in the scientific quest for the state of nature of the infancy of mankind. The discussions sought to classify people into in relation to superior and inferior codes in the theory of political governance.
These discussions had been influenced by issues like the social contract which led to the question of the need for civil laws in civil societies. Enlightenment issues after indicated that the development of human societies started from the most basic forms, savagery to attain the highest levels of human form.
Therefore savage represents the lowest form of human being or society and hence colonialism would be justified as a form of practice that would help to change from this low form to a better more advanced form (Piomingo 3).
In these respect therefore, these historical thinking informed and guided the start and onset of colonialism in the world. As an example the Khokhoi and the San were seen as a society lacking the necessary ingredients to inform of a civilized society and therefore the British and the Dutch colonial practices were justified. This would only make the savages better hence the need for colonialism (Brown et al. 24).
As a result therefore, the meaning of savagery in the colonial times was a means to move and in the countries in an attempt to raise the low human beings close the best society.
In this process the colonialist would take the position of a guide to new and civilized tastes of the human society already civilized. However, in this process conflict would arise as the savage sought to rid himself of the burden of mistreatment and oppression resulting to the states explained by Brown.
Works Cited
Bird Rose, D. Hidden histories: black stories from Victoria River Downs, Humbert River, and Wave Hill Stations. Sydney: Aboriginal Studies Press, 1991.Print.
Brown, Charles B. Edgar Huntly, or Memoirs of a sleep-walker. Oxford: Oxford University. 2006. Print.
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. London: Penguin Popular Classics, 1994. Print.
Chidester, David. Savage systems: colonialism and comparative religion in southern Africa, Studies in religion and culture. Virginia: University Press of Virginia, 1996. Print.
Dickason, Patricia, O. The Myth of Savage and the Beginnings of French Colonialism in the Americas. Alberta: University of Alberta Press. 1997. Print.
Jauregui, Carlos A., and Morana, Mabel. Revisiting the colonial question in Latin America. Madri:Iberoamericana Editorial, 2008. Print.
Meining, Sigrun. Witnessing the past: history and post-colonialism in Australian historical novels. Langeweisen: Gunter Narr Verlag, 2004. Print.
Moses, Dirk. Empire, colony, genocide: conquest, occupation, and subaltern resistance in world history. Oxfor:Berghahn Books, 2008. Print.
Page, Melvin E., Colonialism: an international social, cultural, and political encyclopedia. California: ABC-CLIO, 2003. Print.
Piomingo. The savage. New York: T.S. Manning. 2006. Print
Woodward and Gary Minkley. Deep histories: gender and colonialism in Southern Africa. Amsterdam:Rodopi. 2002. Print.
Bain-Selbo, E. Judge and be judged: moral reflection in an age of relativism and fundamentalism. Oxford: Lexington Books, 2006
Holy Sonnet 10 is a work by John Donne that he devotes to his vision of mans relationship with death. He addresses it directly, pointing out its shortcomings and insignificance, whatever role death may have in the world. Donne seeks to show that death, as understood by man, needs to be rethought because there is nothing scary about being mortal. Donne uses three critical poetic devices to dialogue with death: apostrophe, personification, and comparison.
Apostrophe
The apostrophe is a poetic device to address someone who is not actually present. John Donne refers to death; for him, it is always an animated image: this can be seen in the fact that death is always capitalized (Donne 4). Death never hears Donne, but his aim is to show that death is only an event. Instead, Donne tells death, be not proud, because, in his reality, it is not mighty and fearful, but merely a phenomenon (Donne 1,2). Probably for Donne, death is a pathetic being who wants to be bigger and stronger than he is. In his view, however, it is only liberation and a way to move into a new existence: souls delivery (Donne 8). Death can observe this, and it has no power to affect what Christianity calls the souls repose. Consequently, the apostrophe allows Donne, through dialogue with death, who cannot hear him, to show that he is not afraid, as he should be.
Personification
Personification is a poetic device that endows an inanimate phenomenon with the attributes of a living one. Donne uses this technique to show that death is not a companion at the end of the journey but only one who guides one onward, allowing one to move on to a better world (Donne 3). Death is not horrible because with it goes our best men (Donne 7). Their souls become free, and death escorts them to that freedom. However, its personality is stingy and dull; it is thou art slave to fate, chance, and it is not something magnificent, though it wishes it was (Donne 9). Donne endows it with the same fate it brings to people: death, thou shalt die (Donne 14). Once again introducing the Christian motif, Donne says that death will die because all the best people will know eternal life. Consequently, Donne uses personification to humiliate death and show her mortality and inconsistency.
Comparison
Comparison is the analysis of the characteristics of several objects and assessing their similarities and differences. Donne uses it to analyze the differences between the conception of death and the rest. Sleep, rest, and death are similar because they are only images people immerse themselves in and enjoy. Donne points out that death brings a long-awaited rest from the mundane and allows the soul to be transported (Donne 8). He reduces it to a meager individual who does not bring as much pleasure as poppies or amulets, so no one fears or respects it (Donne 11). Donne compares death to sleep and rest because he wants to point out its similarity to mere dreams and ways of resting.
Conclusion
Thus, the central theme in Holy Sonnet 10 is death, which does not represent anything meaningful. John Donne uses the apostrophe to address death, although it never appears directly. He uses personification to show deaths reality and that it also faces it like everyone else being takes away. Finally, he uses juxtaposition to show her similarity to the rest to whom people aspire for the knowledge of eternal life.
The history of the mankind is often called to be the history of separate personalities, who shape the course of events in the whole world by their actions and words. Thus, the role of a personality in the history has always been stressed by scholars who claim that these are people that make history but not vice versa. The history of Turkey is not an exception, and the life and main ideas by Ahmet Agaoglu have played a central role in the formation of the new Turkey after the Ottoman Empire had been destroyed and the Turkish Republic established. The book Between Two Empires: Ahmet Agaoglu and the New Turkey is a brilliant source of information on Ahmet Agaoglus life and main political, social ideas. Although having its strong and weak points, this book is an example of a well-documented and argumentative source.
So, it is necessary to see the background of this book. First of all, Between Two Empires: Ahmet Agaoglu and the New Turkey is one of the first attempts in the Middle East studies to present a detailed and argumentative account of the life of a prominent political and social statesman. Aside from other points, the main idea of the book is the highlighting of the Turkish identity and its major principles. Historical background is also rather significant in the book as far as the author manages to put the life and work of Ahmet Agaoglu in the context of the two Russian (1905 and 1917) and one Turkish Revolution (1908), World War I, and a number of other events that determined the development of the mankind for the next century.
Therefore, the bulk of the data that Shissler (2003) operates with are either purely historical or deeply philosophical, depending on the matter of study in a certain chapter. The former are present because the book under analysis, aside from being a detailed biographical account of Ahmet Agaoglus life and work, is a historical work dealing with such controversial events in the history of humanity as the Russian revolutions, World Wars, etc. Therefore, Shissler (2003) describes those events through the prism of Ahmet Agaoglus personality:
He was involved directly or indirectly in three revolutions (1905 in Russia, 1908 in the Ottoman Empire, 1917 in Russia), a world war, and a war of resistance to the foreign occupation (the Turkish War of Independence). (Shissler, 2003, p. 1)
Based on these data, it is evident that Ahmet Agaoglu was a multicultural person being fluent in five Asian and European languages and considering himself to be a citizen of Turkey, France, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Persia. In Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Russia his work was especially prominent as Ahmet Agaoglu is considered to be the father of the Turkish independence philosophy, the very father of the Azerbaijan sovereignty, and one of the most notable persons in the Russian Muslim movement of the late 19th early 20th century:
His life embodies the struggles of the late nineteenth-century Ottoman and Transcaucasian Muslim intellectual to somehow resolve the tension between the need for self-strengthening and the need to maintain an intact and authentic identity. (Shissler, 2003, p. 2)
From this, the main ideas of the book can be traced as well. First of all, the concept of an intellectual choosing his way in life is central to this book. This intellectual views the traditional structure of the Imperial state he lives in as the limits to his cognitive and social activities and rebels against them. Accordingly, the idea of the elimination of the Ottoman Empire was crucial to this intellectual: The Ottoman Empire, an unnatural (or outmoded) multi-ethnic construction, was in its death throes at the close of the nineteenth century, and from its ruins, the Turkish nation would emerge, triumphant& (Shissler, 2003, p. 20) From this, the concept of identity is also derived from the intellectual consideration of Ahmet Agaoglu.
First of all, the identity pluralism is observed in the ideas by Ahmet Agaoglu as presented in the book. For example, at one of the stages of his career, namely the period of study in Paris, Ahmet Agaoglu defines himself as a Persian writing about his native culture (Shissler, 2003, p. 82), but the later paper and speeches of his manifest the shift of his consciousness towards the support of Russian Muslims and Turks in their struggle for the rights within the Russian Empire. Finally, the Turk identity is demonstrated by Ahmet Agaoglu during his life and work in revolutionary Turkey. So, it is evident that a talented personality is always in the search of an identity to best reflect his or her principles in their development. In any case, Ahmet Agaoglu contributed greatly to the political and social development of Turkish identity, the Russian Muslim movement, and the development of other countries.
Needless to say, the book under consideration has its positive and negative sides, i. e. its strengths and weaknesses. Among the strong points of Between Two Empires: Ahmet Agaoglu and the New Turkey the following ones can be listed. First of all, the comprehensive character of the data presentation adds to the books credibility. In other words, the focus of the author is not on a single idea but the wide variety of concepts, including history, personal and social philosophy, and identity, makes the book readable and involving for a larger number of readers. For example, those dealing with the history of modern Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, etc. will find this book extremely helpful and informative, as Ahmet Agaoglu played a prominent role in the development of all those countries, and the author of this book manages to cover all his activities in these countries.
Moreover, Between Two Empires: Ahmet Agaoglu and the New Turkey
represents a much wider scope of events including not only the personal ideas by Agaoglu but also the political occurrences in Turkey and other countries. For example, the readers can learn how the Revolution in Turkey was prepared and carried out, who the main figures thereof were, and how their deeds were motivated. The readers can also observe an analysis of Ataturks policies aimed at, first, strengthening the Republic, and, second, centralizing his role in it. The problematic state of the Muslim communities in the Russian Empire during the last years of its existence is also considered by Shissler (2003) in the context of the Communist revolutions and the overall world history.
However, weaknesses can also be observed in the book under analysis. First of all, the ambiguity and the many-sidedness of the interpretation of various concepts can be mentioned in this respect. For example, identity as a concept and as a specific feature of Ahmet Agaoglu is rather controversially reflected by Shissler (2003) in her book. The reason for this might be the lack of critical analysis and the focus on the description of events without inquiring into their nature. As a result, instead of making a specific conclusion, Shissler (2003) leaves a question after the consideration of the concept of identity in her book: The questions remained: was he a Rus muscleman, a Shii, a Tatar, a Turk, a Persian, a Cedidist, a bey, a socialist revolutionary, or perhaps the Tsars loyal Muslim subject? (Shissler, 2003, p. 63). This ambiguity leaves the readers with a feeling of unfinished idea transforming the book from a scholarly work into a philosophical paper.
Moreover, the consideration of the Russian setting in the early 20th century is rather incomplete and controversial. Speaking about the issues that Russian Muslims faced in that time, Shissler (2003) uses modeled expressions like blind memorization or poor educational level , but fails to consider the situation from the modern point of view analyzing the political and social situation (Shissler, 2003, p. 108). Thus, the book contains certain ambiguities but the overall picture it makes is rather positive and strong, which makes this book a reliable and valuable source of data.
Accordingly, the book Between Two Empires: Ahmet Agaoglu and the New Turkey by Shissler (2003) can be beneficially used for the study of various subjects including history, public policies study, social sciences, literature, civil rights, and many others. Being the source of the comprehensive overview of the political and social development of the world in the late 19th early 20th century, the book by Shissler (2003) allows its readers to be well informed about the principles according to which the policies of various countries developed, and about the role the ideas by people like Ahmet Agaoglu played in them. Even the weak points of the book, like the lack of critical analysis, can be beneficially used in the study as an opportunity for students to develop their ideas on controversial points.
Drawing from this, the book under analysis can be assessed rather well, meaning that the data presented by Shissler (2003) are rather credible, precise, and based on the specific historic documents and Ahmet Agaoglu correspondence. This book is strongly recommended to those who are simply interested in Turkish or international history, as well as to those studying the establishment of the Turkish Republic in the context of the ideas by Ahmet Agaoglu.
To conclude, it is necessary to state that the role of a personality in the history of Turkey, as well as any other country, is rather substantial. The life and main ideas by Ahmet Agaoglu have played a central role in the formation of the new Turkey after the Ottoman Empire had been destroyed and the Turkish Republic established. The book Between Two Empires: Ahmet Agaoglu and the New Turkey is a brilliant source of information on Ahmet Agaoglus life and main political, social, etc. ideas. Having certain weak points, which are discussed above in the respective paragraphs, this book is rather valuable for the study of Turkish history and the role of the ideas by Ahmet Agaoglu in it.
Im Going and The secret life of Walter Mitty are two masterpieces that revolve around individuals who hope, but are unable, to fulfill their wishes.
The authors recount the stories in a rather humorous way by enlisting unrealistic characters. The protagonists of the stories are unable to make decisions; they can only make tales about their lives.
The two stories chronicle undecided couples who have dreams, but they cannot, or not willing, to work towards achieving their dreams.
Consequently, their dreams remain fantasies and the aspect of escapism creeps in slowly into the lives of these surrealistic couples.
However, there is a difference in how the stories have been narrated; for instance, Im Going revolves around a real life whereby, a couple is unable to reach consensus on almost all life issues and thus keep blaming each other for not making efforts.
On the other hand, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty revolves around a man, who is uncomfortable with his life and thus, keeps on escaping to a world of fantasy.
Comparisons
The similarities of the two stories lie in the fact that, they revolve around married men with the desire to satisfy their wives emotional needs.
However, they are faced with the challenge of not having the means to achieve their desires due to their economic situations. On top of their need to fulfill their individual needs, they realize that they have responsibilities, especially their wives who need their attention too (Bernard, 1915, p. 16).
It becomes quite hard for them to balance between what they desire to do individually, and at the same time, be the men that their wives want then to be.
In Im Going , Henry engages in humorous conversation with his wife; they seem to have opposing interests in life. In their effort to get something that will interest both of them, they realize that they cannot feel comfortable with each other.
There is a desire for both of them to be on their own, just to feel fulfilled, yet they cannot realize the desire because they need each others company.
In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , Walter desires to have a specified lifestyle for his family, but that desire is beyond his capability (Yates, 1974, p.165). Therefore, he resolves into an imaginary world with the hope that it will help in making him feel respected.
There is also a similarity in the outcome of the lives of the two men where they end up not satisfying their desires. The fantasy life of Mitty never happens, as he never works towards realizing his dreams.
He keeps thinking that what he wants and desires will be fulfilled simply by escaping his current situation. In the process of wanting to satisfy his needs and the needs of his wife, he ends up being a nuisance and even hurting her in the process.
His wife becomes impatient of his fantasies that are contrary to the life they are living (Clugston, 2010, p. 26). On the other hand, the desire for Henry to satisfy the needs of Jeanne ends up in frustrations.
His inability to make up his mind on what he wants disgusts his wife to a point where she contemplates leaving. Even though the couple thinks they will be better if they gave each other space, they realize that they need each other for companionship.
The characters in both stories are victims of their environment or past experiences. In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , Walters fantasies revolve around his environment and his wishes.
For instance, before he daydreamed about the navy hydroplane, his wife had complained of him driving so fast. Secondly, just before he daydreamed about being a surgeon, he had just put on surgical gloves and was driving past the hospital.
His fantasy about the courtroom drama preceded the shout of a newspaper carrier. The fourth fantasy happens when Mitty, in the process of waiting for his wife, is reading literature with the topic of Germany conquering the world.
Finally, his last daydream of the firing-squad scene happened when he was smoking. Consequently, when the reader considers the life of Henry and Jeanne, in Im Going , their lives are based on their interests and hobbies.
Their unwillingness to be together is simply because Henry feels he will enjoy more when he goes for horse racing alone, rather than when he is with Jeanne.
On the other hand, Jeanne confesses that she enjoys going for a walk alone. Such experiences are mainly the basis on which the story revolves, and they are unable to reach a compromise and agree on what both will be pleased.
Contrast
Despite the similarities, there are numerous differences considering the setting and the plot of the two stories. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is more of a monologue where the couples are not active in the entire scenario.
Mrs. Mitty is not aware of what is running through her husbands life and has remarkably little idea that he is fantasizing. The outcome of life they share makes Mitty escape into a secret life, which the wife cannot participate.
On the other hand, Im Going involves two active participants who are free and sincere about their feelings. They share their fears and anxieties and confess their weaknesses.
Compared to Mitty where he would rather hide his wishes from his wife and simply imagine, Henry confesses to Jeanne that he cannot go with her to the races because he will have to pay more, and fail to enjoy himself (Bernard, 1915, p. 20).
The suggestion for them to take a walk, instead of going to the races, is also met with a sincere confession from Jeanne that she will not feel comfortable walking with Henry.
The story of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty displays many scenarios that make up the ultimate scene; the author takes the audience through different scenarios with different settings to bring out his point.
On the other hand, Im Going involves a couple in a similar setting. Even though they pick events from different scenes, the plot of their story does not change.
It takes place in their house from the beginning to the end. As Tobias (1969) observes, The Secret Life of Mitty is mainly composed of fantasies, which is the striking feature in the entire story (p.23).
Apparently, the other scenes are only to build up on the daydreams of Mitty. Im Going is a real life story that exposes the fears of two sincere individuals.
Unlike Mitty who finds it hard to accept his status, Henry has accepted life and tries to make his wife understand his actions (Clugston, 2010, p. 36).
The couple realizes that the reason why they may not be together, as they would wish, is their differences that become an obstacle to each other.
The two stories revolve around conflict of finances, and the way the couples would like to spend the resources. In The Secret Life of Mitty , it is more about him and the way he would obtain what he wants for him and his family, as opposed to facing the realities of life (Thurber, 2008, p.26-25).
On the other hand, Im Going is all about Jeannes concern on how Henry spends his time and money. The conflict that Jeannie is facing is all about having a responsible husband who will make time for her and use his money well.
She feels that Henry gambles a lot with his money and time. Moreover, Jeanne feels that the conflict facing their life would be solved if Henry was a little bit sensitive to her needs and grant her the attention she craves for (Felski, 2003, p.65), rather than act selfishly by going to the races alone.
Mitty, on the other hand, feels that his conflict would be solved if he had one of the lives that he was fantasizing. His hopes and dreams are all about being in a position to provide for the needs of his family and satisfy his desires.
Conclusion
In the two stories, even though the narration revolves around a couple, they both seem to have individual lives where they are unable to merge. Mitty is into fantasy while his wife is real with life.
Henry likes going to horse races alone while Jeanne prefers going for walks. Despite having a clear understanding of their weaknesses, none of the involved parties is willing to give in, for the sake of the other. The stories thus share similarities of the same margin as their differences.
Reference List
Bernard, T. (1915). Im Going! A Comedy in One Act. (B. H. Clark, Trans.). New York: Samuel French.
Clugston, R. (2010). Journey into Literature. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Felski, R. (2003). Literature after Feminism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Thurber, J. (2008). The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. (Creative Classic Series). New York: The Creative Company.
Tobias, C. (1969). The Art of James Thurber. Ohio: Ohio State University Press.
Yates, Norris. (1974). James Thurbers Little Man and Liberal Citizen. In C. Holmes (Ed.), Thurber: A Collection of Critical Essays (pp. 28-36). New York: Prentice-Hall.
Recently, I have been reading the novel Little Women by the American writer Louise May Alcott. It describes the story of the March family, who raised four girls Joe, Meg, Emmy, and Beth. They were not rich financially, but they were rich in their love within the family and in relation to others. Mother and father were able to instill in the girls souls such qualities as respect, compassion, love, kindness, and others that helped them to survive the difficult moments of their lives. The mother, helping the poor, showed an example to her girls, who actively participated in this, although they sometimes starved (Alcott 24). Investing in the inner world of girls of such high qualities gave a guarantee to parents that they would live a good and kind life, even despite their financial situation, the main thing was that they were rich in their soul.
The novel by Louise May Alcott was not only innovative for its time but also highly frank: the writer described the life of her family in some detail, making the characters of the book her parents, sisters, and herself. The author managed to subtly and in details notice the changing nature of the surrounding her individuals, which is curious to read because her background is captivating. Alcotts parents advocated for the abolition of slavery and the granting of rights to women. She also recreated herself young in the image of Josephine, a young rebel who had just embarked on the path of writing (Desmawati 92). In real life, the writer inspired her daughters with a simple truth a womans happiness does not consist only of the desire to get married profitably.
These ideas transmitted in the novel seem relevant to modern society. In some parts of the world, women are still told that getting married is the only way to be successful. However, females fighting for independence and equal rights are ensuring they are capable of making the right choices on their own (Rioux 43). The image of a feminist is Josephine ambitious, independent, breaking traditions, impatient, dedicated to her work, and proud of her ability to earn money on her own (Alcott 19). She has become a model and inspiration for many generations of girls and women around the world.
What is more, I am assured that it is the finding of true happiness and the denial of the concept that only material values can give people everything they want and what they are looking for. All humans need is a loving family, friends, and an atmosphere of coziness. The significance of this theme is that individuals are overly busy finding peace and comfort in hobbies, activities, or work, whereas true happiness is in the people around them (Kelly). It is true for me because sometimes I barely remember to appreciate every moment spent with mates or family. In general, there is much pleasure in simple things and we should not forget to notice them.
Upon finishing this book, I would like to read the continuation Good Wives. I believe Alcott has dramatically impacted classic American literature as well as the feministic movement. The suggested ideas will always spark a readers interest in how people choose to live their life. Ultimately, I feel really inspired to start expressing myself as a professional as well as Josephine did, since I find this character inspiring.
Works Cited
Alcott, Louisa. Little Women. Read Books Ltd., 2019.
Desmawati, Eka. Analysis of Feminism in the Novel of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Journal of Literature and Languages, vol. 5, no. 8, 2018, pp. 91-96.
In 1982, the British writer of Japanese origin Kazuo Ishiguro published his novel A Pale View of Hills, which tells the story of a Japanese woman named Etsuko who emigrates to England with her daughter Keiko to try to start a new life in another country. The main themes of this literary work are based on issues of memory, trauma from the war experience, and issues of self-identity. In the quote above, Ishiguro describes memory as a delicate and non-universal mechanism: individuals can return to the same memories with different emotional backgrounds and circumstances, allowing for different experiences of memories. This book can be described through the paradigm of Keiko, who exhibited antisocial and introverted behavior that eventually led to suicide.
The proposed quote proves particularly relevant to Etsukos eldest daughter, Keiko, as the object of the mothers memories of her deceased daughter. Forced to live in a foreign country, isolated from society by her own choice, and unable to make true friends, Keiko had a complicated character that was often the cause of an ambiguous relationship with Etsuko (Ishiguro, 1990). Because of the ambiguity in her relationship with her eldest daughter and her suicide, Etsuko has no formalized view of her. Etsuko prefers to withhold information about Keikos death from her neighbor because she does not want to revisit these memories. On the other hand, Etsuko fondly remembers her eldest daughter and the time she spent with her at the ropes course. The author has constructed the narrative in such a way that it is not entirely clear whether Keikos memories are real or partly or wholly invented by her mother. In particular, the paradoxical nature of the memory causes Etsukos subconscious to project a happier reality in which the woman would not experience psychological trauma. However, this reality fails, and Etsuko encounters signs and objects that point to Keikos suicide. This pattern shows how unstable memory can be, and how circumstances affect memories, coloring them with unique emotional experiences.
A Pale View of Hills tells the story of regret and the search for self-identity intertwined with a confused memory and the trauma of a mothers loss of a child. The protagonists deep grief causes changes in her memory, resulting in paradoxical and ambiguous memories. Thus, Ishiguro suggests to the reader that one should not look for the truth in the words of Etsukos character, as not all of her memories may be real.
Reference
Ishiguro, K. (1990). A pale view of hills. Vintage.
It is important to note that the literature of the Middle Ages was largely influenced by Christian beliefs. Poets often resorted to biblical stories and symbols. They often tried to glorify major Christian values providing various parallels.
Thus, the poem Pearl can be regarded as a kind of didactic narrative based on the Book of Revelation. It is possible to trace several parallels between the poem and the Book of Revelation: numerical symbolism, the idea of peoples resignation and the idea of revelation.
Due to these three parallels, the poem can be regarded as a medieval symbolic periphrasis of the Book of Revelation.
In the first place, it is necessary to note that the poem is triadic in form (Lambdin and Lambdin 96). Thus, there are three settings: factual garden where the knight is looking for his pearl, the garden in his dream where he speaks with the Lady and the view of the New Jerusalem.
Thus, Lambdin and Lambdin state that the garden where the knight is talking with the Lady is a setting-within-a-setting, and that the New Jerusalem serves as a setting-within-a-setting-within-a-setting because the dreamer views it from a position within the first dream landscape. (96)
Admittedly, the number three has a great significance in the Christian culture. This number stands for the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Of course, the use of the number in the poem of the Middle Ages is not surprising as many poets of that time resorted to this number.
One of the best examples of this tradition is the number of trials the main characters, knights, had to complete. There always were three victories to be achieved.
Nonetheless, the poem under consideration is rather unique as the author exploits the number in such a specific way. Thus, the author creates three dimensions where the protagonist has to find himself to reach the truth.
These three dimensions can also be associated with the Trinity as they represent the humanness, spirituality and the divine truth. The protagonist has to spend some time in the three dimensions to find his pearl which stands for the divine truth: Where dwells that dearest, as I ween, / My precious pearl without a spot (Tolkien 125). It is but natural that he perceives the truth at the end of his journey throughout the three dimensions.
Apart from the numerical symbolism, it is possible to trace the influence of the Book of Revelation in terms of the idea of humans resignation. In fact, this idea is central to Christianity as major postulates of Christianity are concerned with peoples resignation.
It is acknowledged that people should clearly understand what their place in this world is. Pearl also touches upon the idea of resignation. Thus, the author dwells upon the beauty of purity and perfection (Andrew and Waldron 30).
The author provides a long dialogue between the man and the mysterious Lady. The Lady speaks of resignation and the glory of God.
Thus, the author provides a rhetoric question: What greater glory could to him belong / Than king to be crowned be courtesy? (Tolkien 141). Admittedly, courtesy and purity are regarded as some of the most important characteristic features of rightful people.
The Lady makes the knight understand one of the major postulates of Christianity: To their body doth loyalty true unite, So as limbs to their Master mystical / All Christian souls belong by right (Tolkien 140).
Thus, the author emphasizes the necessity to accept the simple truth that people are nothing more than creations of God. Andrew and Waldron point out that the poem reveals the transformation of a mere human into a rightful man who possesses the greatest pearl, i.e. the truth (30).
Admittedly, the idea of resignation is also central to the Book of Revelation which predicts the future of humanity. Thus, in the Book of Revelation only rightful people, who accept their status, can be saved.
Only those who resign to God can be saved. It is also important to note that it is only when the dreamer acknowledges and accepts his status, he is permitted to see the New Jerusalem:
&As John the apostle it did view,
I saw that city of great renown,
Jerusalem royally arrayed and new (Tolkien 159).
In fact, this is an allegorical representation of the revelation. The medieval author reveals the way people can achieve revelation: it is necessary to understand what humans really are.
When it comes to the idea of revelation, the parallels are almost overt. In the first place, the author of the Pearl portrays the New Jerusalem which was promised to rightful people after the apocalypse. Many scholars have argued that the depiction of the city in Pearl is somewhat unusual (Andrew and Waldron 31).
Admittedly, it differs from the Biblical descriptions as wells as later depictions of the New Jerusalem. It is somewhat brighter. It is important to note that the poem was created at the time when the catastrophic aftermaths of the Black Plague were still in peoples memory.
Perhaps, this fact influenced the authors perception of the biblical motives. In fact, this point is really meaningful as it justifies the argument that Pearl is medieval interpretation of the Book of Revelation.
Interestingly, the author contemplates the major Christian values accepting every instance. Thus, the author preaches that people should resign to Gods will and work hard to be able to tread the land of the New Jerusalem.
The author also contemplates sins that can prevent many people from achieving their revelation. The author also alludes to the pictures of apocalypse revealed in the Book of Revelation. However, at the same time, it is clear that peoples perception of the Christian beliefs changed.
Thus, the Pearl is not concerned with punishment which was one of the central motives in the Middle Ages. The author focuses on the beauty of Christianity and the glory of God. The author glorifies Gods kindness.
Remarkably, this makes the poem that important as it is one of the literary works that reveal transformation in religious beliefs in Europe in the Middle Ages.
On balance, it is possible to point out that Pearl can be regarded as a medieval interpretation of the Book of Revelation. In the first place, the book touches upon the major themes revealed in the Book of Revelation.
Thus, Pearl is mainly concerned with the idea of resignation and revelation. More so, the parallels between the two works can be traced on the level of numerical symbols as the two works exploit such symbols extensively.
In Pearl the number three plays an important role. However, the most important peculiarity of the poem is that it reveals the transformation of some central Christian values.
Thus, the author tells the story revealed in the Book of Revelation, but focuses on the beauty of Christianity and Gods glory, rather than on the idea of punishment which was common for the Dark Ages.
Works Cited
Andrew, Malcolm, and R. Waldron. The Poems of the Pearl Manuscript, Berkely, CA: University of California Press, 1982. Print.
Lambdin, Laura.C., and R.T. Lambdin. Arthurian Writers: A Bibliographical Encyclopedia, Westport, CT: ABC-CLIO, 2008. Print.
Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; Pearl; [and] Sir Orfeo, New York, NY: Del Rey, 1979. Print.