Category: Literature

A detailed analysis of a work of literature always implies the possibility of tracing the relationship between composition and implication. The form of the text should be understood as serving a certain meaning or giving it a particular tone. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is written in the format of a diary, and this form needs to be interpreted in depth. With a detailed analysis of the story, including the restoration of some aspects of the plot, it becomes clear that the diary form enhances the deep semantic content of the feminist kind.

The writers backstory strongly influences the interpretation of the plot of the story Yellow Wallpaper and also helps to understand the purpose of a diary form. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was born into a family close to the suffragette movement, who represented the first wave of the feminist liberation movement that advocated for womens right to vote. She grew up in the environment of older free-thinking women, and the opportunity to speak for herself was important to her as an inalienable right of a woman (Gilman Why I Wrote The Yellow Wallpaper 2). Its epistolary form is characteristic of both romantic and sentimental literature and the gothic genre, but in this short story it serves. The form of the story is intimate and personal, in this way transcending the literary traditions and broadcasting a feminist worldview.

The growing tension in the protagonists diary entries throughout the storys development serves several plot and formal purposes. Firstly, in this way the epistolary form of the story receives additional intensity due to the increasing anxiety of the content. Secondly, the written form has a certain trust and sincerity in such a way that the reader gets the opportunity to be more emotionally involved in what is happening in the story. I cry at nothing, and cry most of the time, writes the protagonist, and the reader tends to empathize with her (Gilman The Yellow Wallpaper 24). Overall, the epistolary form of the story allows the reader to more deeply understand the train of thought of the heroine, arising from the fixed stream of consciousness.

The context of the story and the extra attention to the peculiarities of the written language of the diary further complicate the interpretation of the story. Gilman claims to have lived a similar but less intense experience of insanity herself, and the trigger for her disorder was the restriction of freedom of expression (Gilman Why I Wrote The Yellow Wallpaper 1). The problem of treating neurasthenia in direct and pseudo-rational ways is demonstrated in the story and expresses the real problem of the era. The story thus uses this format to describe to what extent the freedom and mental health of women were underestimated at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The diary format allows one to quickly restore the plot, but also to understand to what extent the narrator is oppressed. The main character is placed in a room with yellow wallpaper, not entirely of her own free will. She describes her routine in which she takes phosphates or phosphites (Gilman The Yellow Wallpaper 10) and takes short daily walks. However, the main advice for the reader is to keep track of what she should not do, which turns out to be somewhat veiled in the text. In essence, the narrator is forbidden to read, think and express her thoughts, which is why she trusts them to dead paper (Gilman The Yellow Wallpaper 17). The main character is sarcastic, constantly calling her cruel and rational husband Dear John (Gilman The Yellow Wallpaper 55). However, as researchers point out, the heroine herself in the story does not have a name (Bristow 319). Given that she cannot even see her child, one can imagine how limited and dystopian her existence is. The author thus demonstrates through the forbidden diary of her heroine how the individuality of a woman was suppressed in the patriarchal society of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Careful interpretation of Gilmans story shows that the epistolary features of the organization of the narrative give the story a more sharply social interpretation. The horror genre and the form of the diary work for a deeper reading into the text, in which, as if subconsciously, rebellious anti-patriarchal overtones are read. The diary form in the story is a way of self-expression of a woman, with a clear feminist message of liberation from prohibitions, in particular through writing.

Works Cited

Bristow, Daniel. The Yellow Metonym: You and Jane in Charlotte Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper. ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews, vol. 34, no. 4, 2021. Web.

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wallpaper. Virago Press, 1981.

Why I Wrote The Yellow Wallpaper. The Forerunner, Web.

Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they7 are graced with. The significance of character defects in the development of an epic hero is highlighted in this quotation by author Brodi Ashton. Two of the most well-known epic characters in literature, Odysseus and Gilgamesh, have distinguishing characteristics that set them apart. However, their shortcomings and contradictions make their personalities complex and relatable to readers. Although Gilgamesh and Odysseus exhibit characteristics of classic epic heroes, their flawssuch as pride, impulsivity, and a propensity for hubrisadd depth to their characters, highlighting their humanity and rendering them memorable literary characters.

Ancient Greek literature is where the traits of an epic hero first appeared, which included physical strength, brains, courage, leadership, and wisdom. These qualities are present in different degrees in both Gilgamesh and Odysseus, and they share the ideals and values of the people in their communities. These definitions can be well related and compared to the odyssey pdf since the heroes possess ideals and values that their communities consider admirable (Homer 1194). For instance, Gilgamesh is renowned for his extraordinary bravery, physical prowess, intellect, and natural leadership qualities, as evidenced by his quest for immortality (Sandars 4-5). On the other hand, Odysseus is admired more for his cunning and cleverness than for his strength, and his most significant strength is the capacity to outwit his enemies.

Both Gilgamesh and Odysseus, despite having many admirable qualities, behave inconsistently and have faults that have disastrous results. When Gilgamesh decided to slay the Bull of Heaven, he killed his best friend, Enkidu, due to his conceit and impatience. Because he fears dying and wishes to avoid it, he resists accepting his mortality. However, as demonstrated by his decision to reveal his identity to Polyphemus, Odysseuss haughtiness and pride ultimately cause him to lose some of his ships and many of his crew.

Odysseus and Gilgamesh have qualities and features that are uncommon in epic heroes. For instance, Gilgamesh is shown to have powerful feelings and vulnerability, especially after Enkidu passes away (Sandars 13). He also exhibits reflection and introspection in his search for meaning in life. In contrast, Odysseus is depicted as a loving husband and father who is driven, despite all odds, to return to his family.

Their battle with mortality and yearning for immortality is another flaw that unites the two heroes. Gilgamesh sets out on a journey to discover the key to eternal life because the prospect of dying one day haunts him Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You will never find that life for which you are looking. When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained in their own keeping (Sandars 17). In a similar way, as he encounters numerous perilous circumstances on his voyage home, Odysseus is reminded daily of his mortality. All the while, my heart would cry aloud to think that on some other day, death and doom would come upon me (Homer). Ultimately, neither hero succeeds in obtaining immortality, and they are both compelled to accept their own mortality.

The characteristics of Odysseus and Gilgamesh compare and contrast with those of the epic characters in The Odyssey. Gilgamesh and Odysseus have many qualities in common, including physical prowess, bravery, and shrewd intellect (Homer). In their respective missions, they fight titanic battles, surmount apparently insurmountable challenges, and show leadership skills (Sandars 14). Additionally, both characters frequently receive assistance from supernatural entities like the gods. There are variations in their characteristics as well, in any case. Odysseus is presented as a more tactful and modest leader, unlike Gilgamesh, who is shown initially to be conceited and self-centered (Homer). Odysseus ultimate objective is to return home and reclaim his throne, whereas Gilgameshs desire for immortality is motivated by his dread of dying (Sandars 16). Additionally, while Enkidu plays a significant role in Gilgameshs tale, Odysseuss journey is defined by his affection for and loyalty to his wife and family.

In conclusion, both Odysseus and Gilgamesh are by description epic heroes, but they are also distinctive in their ways. They have the traditional characteristics of epic heroes but also characteristics and flaws that set them apart and add complexity. Strength, intellect, and the pursuit of immortality are discrepancies with Gilgameshs arrogance and impatience. Odysseus contrasts his pride and overconfidence with his cunning, intellect, and loyalty to his family. Despite their shortcomings, both heroes are adored and enduring literary characters, and readers are still enthralled and motivated by their tales.

Work Cited

Homer. The Odyssey. bknight, 2016. Web.

Sandars, N.K. trans. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Penguin Books Ltd., 1978.

The Monkey Wrench Gang written by Edward Abbey in 1975 is one of his most noteworthy novels and deals with the issues relating to the use of sabotage tactics in protesting about environmental damages being inflicted in South West of America. The novel became very popular and created the idiom of monkey wrench in referring to the sabotage activities that damaged machines and led to violence in America in order to protect natural habitat and conserve forests and ecosystems. The book highlights the efforts of four characters; the river guide named Jack Mormon, a Vietnam War veteran named George Hayduke, a surgeon and his aide. Although all four do not always work together they represent an ostensible team that is committed to the prevention of the environment. They have a major objective in destroying the systems responsible for polluting and harming the eco systems. They sabotage bulldozers while they are not in use and attack trains in attempts to highlight the cause that they fight for, and in the process the law catches up with them. Their motives are aptly highlighted by the following narrative from the novel:

The wilderness once offered men a plausible way of life&.now it functions as a psychiatric refuge. Soon there will be no wilderness&Soon there will be no place to go. Then the madness becomes universal&.and the universe goes mad. (Abbey, 2000, pp. 63)

Abbey has used a third person account in the entire novel. This was perhaps necessary since it permitted the author to entirely delve into the thinking processes and characteristics of the characters. The emotions and actions in the novel could not have been effectively explained and the key relationships that are built in the novel would not have been possible without using the third person narratives.

The book has been admired for its description of the sophistication, down to earth humour and the precision with which a detailed account has been given of life away from densely populated areas. However from the perspective of the twenty first century, the team does not bear much resemblance to the depiction of the modern day environmentalists. They consume lot of red meat, possess fire arms, litter the countryside with rubbish and leftovers such as beer cans and left over food, and travel in luxury cars. The team of Abbeys characters does not appear to portray any disapproval for liberalism and also harass and assault whites and Indians for indulging in consumerism. They appear to have little value for the Sierra Club which is a long standing environmental organization patronized by the masses for its efforts in preventing the environment.

The team of four views as enemies all those who favour the development of the American South West. They feel that the land has been desecrated, the air has been befouled and the sanctity of nature disturbed. Abbey is most disturbed about the revered goodness of the desert world being gradually destroyed by the developers. The monkey wrenchers are more focused on destroying the grand Glen Canyon Dam which is a massive structure that holds the waters of the gorgeous and rough Colorado River. One of the most remarkable scenes as narrated in the book is that of the character named Smith kneeling on top of the dam and praying for the dam to become the victim of an earthquake so that the plugged waters of the river can be freed.

Works Cited

Abbey Edward, The Monkey Wrench Gang, 2000, Harper Perennial Modern Classics.

A Japanese poetry has always been famous for the mystery and depth of imagery, symbols, and themes introduced in their poems. Therefore, yugen is chosen for comparing two genres of Japanese poetic works. The most noticeable poems of the period have introduced a series of anthologies unveiling various techniques, and approaches to rendering their thoughts and ideas.

Though waka and renga genres have similar roots, the latter is a much more sophisticated outgrowth of waka poetry in terms of the length and narration techniques.

Among the most accomplished waka poets, one can highlight Shunzei and Emperor Go-Toba for whom the concept of yugen was decisive in delivering the natural imagery and symbolism represented in their poems. The poets of renga period, particularly Sogi, also aspired to the vivid expression of depth and imagery through the concept of yugen.

While analyzing the role of yugen in presenting waka and renga forms of poetry, specific attention should be given to the analysis of latent devices that poets made use of while presenting the significances and consciousness of a specific poem.

In this respect, specific attention is given to the poem 273 where the natural imagery is used to render the depth of grief and sorrow experienced by the residents of Fukakusa Village: Daylight fades away and the autumn wind on the fields pierces to the soul& (Poem 273 150).

By using the description of nature, Shunzei manages to render the atmosphere that differs from the configuration of words. In such a manner, his poems create an effect of mystery, depth, and charm. Similar approaches are heavily used by Emperor Go-Toba who manages to presents poems connected by themes, motives and images.

To compare the way the poet applies to yugen, a poem about autumn is presented: Autumn progresses. / So cry out then, you cricket on this frosty night! / It shines a little colder now  the moon in that mugwork patch (Poem 363, 185). At a glance, the poem describes the main characteristics of autumn as a season.

However, a deeper consideration of the poem allows the audience to conclude that it reveals the state of soul of a person who feels frustrated.

Sogi, a famous master of renga poetry applies to yugen to provide the mystery and depth of the poetry and make the reader read between lines. Sogi, therefore, presents dokugin where specific emphasis is made on metaphorical presentation of peoples sufferings through their comparison with the natural processes: Even the withering is distinct in the crumpted shapes of plants, why is it.

Autumn, that though insects cry they love you hurry to your end (Sogi, poem 9, 237). The presented stanza resembles a beginning of another hokku because it reveals the topics of preceding stanza and provides a foreword for creating the next stanza.

Yugen can be regarded as an ideal poetic device that was applied to discuss the aesthetic of a specific object. Because the main essence of this poetic style is to render motifs and themes in a more obscure way, the device was actively employed in various senses.

The concept was used to render a hidden idea through a word configuration, emphasize the technical complexity and subtleness while revealing the poem conception, and render the connotative meaning of richness as far as poetic diction is concerned.

In this respect, Shunzei was among the most skillful and refined master who applied to all three senses described above. In a series of his stanzas, one can face all features of this poetic style: &I gazed out upon the sky above where you dwell and saw the haze parted there by a show of spring rain (Love 153).

While analyzing the connotative meanings presented in the stanzas, the ambiguity of natural imagery can be replaced by the theme of frustrated love that is addressed to a woman.

Go-Toba also applies to the comparisons with nature and seasons of the year to render the greater depth of the idea: &spring has come at last to the sky above: in haze trailing on the slope of Kagus Heavenly Hill (Poem 359 184).

As a master of renga poetry, Sogi also resorts to similar concepts in his stanzas: Did I pledge myself&to these lovely flowers though I have renounced the world spring appeals with transient things (Sogi, poem 16, 241). The renga poets are much more sophisticated in using the concept of yugen because of the complex synergy of natural description of the world and life philosophy.

As a proof, another stanza provides a continuation with a focus on the constant transition and changes in the world: &spring appeals with transient things to put the world behind the growing haze acts& (Sogi, poem 17, 241).

In conclusion, it should be stressed that both renga and waka poets attached similar important to the concept of yugen because it contributes to the mystery and depth of depicting such important themes as love, frustration, and loneliness. Despite that, the poetic style was more typical of renga poetry because it used provoking themes and poem structures.

Works Cited

Go-Toba. Poem 359 Traditional Japanese Poetry (An Anthology) Ed. Steven Carter. US: Stanford University Press. 184. Print.

Go-Toba. Poem 363 Traditional Japanese Poetry (An Anthology) Ed. Steven Carter. US: Stanford University Press. 185. Print.

Shunzei, 283. Love Traditional Japanese Poetry (An Anthology) Ed. Steven Carter. US: Stanford University Press. 153. Print.

Shunzei. Poem 273. Traditional Japanese Poetry (An Anthology) Ed. Steven Carter. US: Stanford University Press. 150. Print.

Sogi, A Hundred Stanzas Related to Person by Sogi Alone. 234-247. Print.

The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley has different implications and studies on gothic features, parenthood, and the question of life and death. Some studies also noted the immense sense of gender roles discussed in Frankenstein. This paper will discuss the implications of gender structures in the novel and find its representation in the current gender views. The research question will be: how did Mary Shelley identify gender roles and the importance of feminism in her work Frankenstein? This paper will review the feministic representations in Frankenstein and evaluate studies based on them. There are different gender constructions that Mary used in her work that represents the perspective on the role of man and woman. For example, Melore (2018) notes how nature is identified Mary to be female. Natural reproduction is also said to be stolen since the creation of Frankenstein reduces the role of females. To review Victors viewpoint of the female role, it is also essential to review his character. As Bowta & Puluhulawa (2018) noted, there is a preliminary linear narrative of Victors decision-making that led to the chaos of events and also changed his personality from being a positive character to having opposite selfish and cruel views.

The same can be said for the social deconstruction, as while the author assumes to have specific gender roles, it also criticizes the patriarchal structure of society. Aalto (2020) defines three main aspects that are criticized in Frankenstein, which are womens marginalization, their exclusion from social functions, and the egoism of the patriarchal system. This paper will analyze how the author represents flaws of patriarchal society from the viewpoint of a female in a male-centered world. It will also focus on these three aspects by comparing them with the text citations. The male-dominated society is also described through the character of Victor, who stands as the main point of narration and brings horrible and cruel actions but refuses to take responsibility for them (Mellor, 2019). The paper will examine the necessity of reconstruction of feminism in the patriarchal society and the critics of gender roles in the work. The articles central thesis will stand by the following: Frankenstein embodies the main criticism led by feminism and evaluates society from the perspective of a male-centered system and female exclusion. As Frankenstein correlated the connection between females and nature, it can also be connected from the perspective of ecofeminism, the explain nature from the standpoint of its relation to human beings (Cheng, 2021). Through the perspective of the connection of nature and females, its expulsion and marginalization in male-centered society, as well as revealing gender roles, Mary Shelley creates a detailed depiction of the natural world society that fails to recognize its flaws and correct them.

Works Cited

Aldiss, Brian W. Frankenstein Unbound, Random House, 1973.

Aalto, Linda. Marginal Women and Absent Mothers in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, 2020, 20 p.

Bloom, Clive. Gothic Horror: A Guide for Students and Readers. 2nd ed., Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.

Bowta, Femilia, & Puluhulawa, Yulan. Deconstructive Analysis of Main Character in Frankenstein Novel by Mary Shelley. British Journal Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris, vol. 7, no. 1, 2018, pp. 60-71.

Cambra-Badii, Irene et al. Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus: a Classic Novel to Stimulate the Analysis of Complex Contemporary Issues in Biomedical Sciences. BMC Med Ethics, vol. 22, no. 17, 2021. Web.

Cambra-Badii, Irene et al. The Ethical Interest of Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus: A Literature Review 200 Years After Its Publication. Sci Eng Ethics, no. 26, pp 27912808, 2020. Web.

Cheng, Jiaming. An Analysis of Ecofeminism in Frankenstein. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Language, Art and Cultural Exchange, 2021.

Gigante, Denise. Facing the Ugly: The Case of Frankenstein. ELH, vol. 67, no. 2, 2000, pp. 56587. JSTOR, Web.

Kate Bomford. Critical or Creative? The Creature Writes to Victor Frankenstein. Changing English, vol. 29, no. 4, 2022, pp. 421-439.

Martin, Kristen. In Want of Keeping: Painting and the Sympathetic Imagination of Frankenstein. Eighteenth Century Fiction, vol. 32, no. 4, 2020, pp. 599-618.

Mellor, Anne K. Frankenstein, Gender, and Mother Nature. Frankenbook, 2018. Web.

Miles, Robert. Gothic Writing, 1750-1820: A Genealogy. 2nd ed., Manchester University Press, 2002.

Morris, David B. The Culture of Pain. [Pbk. rpt. ed., 1993]., University of California Press, 1993.

Rauch, Alan. The Monstrous Body of Knowledge in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. Studies in Romanticism, vol. 34, no. 2, 1995, pp. 22753. Web.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus. The original 1818 text. 3rd ed. Edited by Kathleen Scherf, and David Macdonald. Broadview Press, 2012.

Sherwin, Paul. Frankenstein: Creation as Catastrophe. PMLA, vol. 96, no. 5, 1981, pp. 883-903. Print.

The Iroquois Creation Story and The Book of Genesis differ in many ways, including their cultural contexts, belief systems, and narrative structures. The Iroquois Creation story comes from the oral tradition of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people, who are Indigenous to North America (Murphy, 2019). The story reflects their spiritual beliefs, values, and relationship with the natural world. In contrast, The Book of Genesis is part of the Judeo-Christian tradition, which emerged in the Middle East and Europe.

Christopher Columbus

In his 1493 letter, Columbus is full of enthusiasm and optimism about the possibilities of the New World. He describes the beauty and richness of the lands he has encountered and expresses his belief that he has found a new route to the wealth and spices of the East (Kadir et al., 2022). He emphasizes his desire to spread Christianity to the indigenous peoples he has encountered and to establish Spanish dominance over the region.

William Bradford

The passage reflects the prejudices and stereotypes that were common in European views of Native Americans during the colonial period. The Pilgrims saw the Native Americans as savage, barbarous, and treacherous people and believed that they delighted in torturing and killing their enemies (Paul, 2022). These views were based on a Eurocentric worldview that saw European culture and civilization as superior to that of the Native Americans.

Anne Bradstreet

The Prologue by Anne Bradstreet reveals her struggle to locate literary authority within herself, as she grapples with the cultural and social limitations placed on womens writing in the 17th century. At the beginning of the poem, Bradstreet expresses her anxiety about her own worthiness as a writer, suggesting that her work is unworthy of attention and criticism. She acknowledges the prejudices against womens writing, noting that she is a woman, inexpert and unskilled.

However, as the poem progresses, Bradstreet begins to assert her own achievement and skill as a writer, despite the cultural and social constraints she faces. She argues that her gender should not preclude her from engaging in literary pursuits, declaring that I am obnoxious to each carping tongue / Who says my hand a needle better fits (Brodzki & Schenck, 2019). Bradstreet asserts her own poetic voice and style, challenging the established literary conventions of her time. She suggests that her work is not simply imitative of other poets but reflects her own unique perspective and experiences.

Thomas Morton

Thomas Mortons ideal community is one of free-spirited revelry, where people can enjoy themselves without the constraints of Puritan religious morality. In his text, New English Canaan, he describes the people of Merrymount as frolic spirits who drank good liquor in abundance and celebrated with dancing and feasting (Davidson, 2019). Morton views this community as a contrast to the strict, joyless lifestyle of the Puritans, which he criticizes as being focused solely on work and piety.

Thomas Paine

In this passage, Paine is attempting to convince his readers that the idea of forming a government of their own is not only a natural right but also a rational and sensible choice. He makes several arguments that are designed to appeal to readers who wish to think of themselves as cool and deliberate rather than impulsive and rash. Paine emphasizes the precariousness of human affairs, suggesting that the current situation is too uncertain and unpredictable to leave to chance (Shoikhedbrod, 2021). This argument appeals to readers who want to make sure that they are taking a reasoned and thoughtful approach to the issue.

Reference

Brodzki, B., & Schenck, C. (2019). Life/lines: Theorizing womens autobiography. Cornell University Press.

Davidson, M. B. (2019). The Writers America. New Word City.

Kadir, D., Braz, A., & Izzo, D. (2022). The Americas. Literature: A World History, 3, 977-1015.

Murphy, T. W. (2019). Other Scriptures: Restoring Voices of Gantowisas to an Open Canon. Essays on American Indian and Mormon History (Salt Lake City, U. of Utah Press, 2019), 23-40.

Paul, D. N. (2022). We Were Not the Savages, First Nations History: Collision Between European and Native American Civilizations. Fernwood publishing.

Shoikhedbrod, I. (2021). Revolution or legality? Confronting the spectre of Marx in Habermass legal philosophy. Contemporary Political Theory, 20, 72-95.

This paper is aimed at reviewing the novel Lyrics Abbey written by Leila Aboulela. This book was published in 2011. To a great extent, the work reflects significant social and political changes within the Arab world. The author focuses on the life of a well-to-do Sudanese family and the way in which these people are affected by the political transformation of the society.

Moreover, Leila Aboulela explores the internal conflict within the family, in particular, the opposition between the older and younger wives of Mahmoud Abuzeid. Overall, this novel centers on the idea of change and tradition. It shows how individual can adjust to new norms, rules and conditions while remaining faithful to ones culture and tradition. This is the main thesis that this review will elaborate and illustrate.

From the very start, Leila Aboulela gives the readers some insights into the structure of a Sudanese family. By looking at the family tree presented at the very beginning, one can clearly see that the Abuzeid is a patriarchic family which is headed by Mahmous Abuzeid (Aboulela 2011, p. 1).

However, the readers can also see that this family is not entirely secluded from the outside world. For instance, at the beginning, Mahmud talks about the Korean War and its impact on cotton prices (Aboulela, 2011, p. 2). This example shows that the members of this family may be devoted to the local community, but they are also aware about the outside forces that can influence them.

Thus, Leila Aboulela demonstrates in a very subtle way that the family is not oblivious of changes. However, the main issue is that they do not try to understand the causes of the political upheaval in the Sudanese society and their consequences.

It should be noted that the action on the eve of Sudanese independence from Great Britain and Egypt (Levy & Latif, 2007, p. 27). This independence could lead to the changes in political leadership, economy, and probably the status of the Abuzeid family. At that time, many people accepted colonial rule of Great Britain (Sidahmed, 1996, 11).

The Abuzeid family also did not oppose to this rule. The characters do not reflect very much about the causes of rebellion against the colonial government, for example, absence of political rights, lack of educational opportunities, and extreme poverty (Daly, 2003, p. 398). These issues are not discussed by the members of the Abuzeid family.

Furthermore, Nurs tutor, who is imprisoned by the police on false accusation, does not mention the students and political activist who were arrested by the state. In fact, they are described as archetypal villains (Aboulela, 2011, p. 50). These were the people who suffered from political oppression (Ruay, 1994, p. 32).

Thus, the author enables us to look at the political struggles in Sudan through the eyes of people who did not support the struggles against colonial rule. The readers can know that in 1956 both Egypt and Britain accepted the independence of Sudan, and the family would eventually have to adjust to the new power relations within the society (Breidlid, 2011, p. 180).

On the whole, Leila Aboulela enables the readers to see how the forces of change begin to enter the ordered life of people. This is one of the major strengths of this novel.

To some degree, the opposition between modernity and tradition is also mirrored in the conflict between Waheeba, who is an old Sudanese wife of Mahmous Abuzeid, and Nabilah, the younger wife coming from Egypt.

Nabilah wishes to return to Egypt which seems to her more progressive than Sudan. In contrast, Waheeba is content with traditional way of life. These women represent different values, namely willingness to preserve traditions and customs and aspirations for modernity. This example is important because it shows that the position of women is not clearly defined in Muslim (Jawad, 1998, p. 7; Welchman, 2007, 10).

Moreover, this conflict illustrates that Muslim women may have various opinions on the status within the family (Camiller, 2005, p. 41). Leila Aboulela skillfully shows how the difference in worldviews can manifest themselves within a family. This aspect of the plot definitely makes the novel more interesting.

Yet, the conflict between progress and tradition has other manifestations in this novel. The readers can see the contrast between Sudan and Egypt. At that point, Sudanese society was trying to find its own way development. It had to be independent from both Egypt and Great Britain (Rothermund, 2006, p. 115).

Leila Aboulela shows how the main members of the Abuzeid family experience life in these different countries. One can see that the family is torn between the traditional values of Sudanese society and increasing influence of the Western world. Thus, this is another form of conflict between the old cultural norms and new ones. The Abuzeids have to make their choices and it is not easy for them to do it.

However, there is a certain unifying force which restores the family bonds. In particular, one can speak about Nur. He was supposed to become the head of the family and many hopes and expectations were set for him by his family. However, his injury put an end to many of his ambitions.

He turned to poetry in effort to cope with his experiences. In his poetry, he describes the internal conflict within the family. Moreover, other people find strength to set aside their prejudices against one another and feel empathy for Nur. Thus, by describing Nurs experiences, Leila Aboulela creates a very powerful and reaffirming message, which urges people to remember that hardships can be overcome if the family ties are not broken.

One of the ideas that the author strives to illustrate is that family has to be basis of a persons happiness. It should not be ruined by any internal or external forces. This is how the head of the family, Mahmoud Abuzeid expresses this argument, We are a family business, Sir.

We do not want outsiders to come between us (Aboulela, 2011, p. 75). Thus, family is supposed to help a person overcome various difficulties. Although, people can disagree with the values of Mahmoud Abuzeid, this patriarch also helps other family members to reunite.

Overall, this novel gives the reader an insight into the life of a family who struggles with internal conflict and approaching social changes. The conflict between modernity and tradition lies at the core of this work.

Leila Aboulela has been able to illustrate this conflict and its impact on every member of the family. This is the main strength of this novel. This book can be viewed as a great literary work and as a historical source for people who want to know more about the life Sudanese society in the early fifties.

Reference List

Aboulela, L. (2011). Lyrics Alley: A Novel. New York: Grove Press.

Breidlid. A. (2011). A Concise History of South Sudan. New York: African Books Collective.

Camiller, M. (2005). Islam And Liberty: The Historical Misunderstanding. Zed Books.

Daly, W. (2003). Imperial Sudan: The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium 1934-1956. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Jawad, H. (1998). The Rights of Women in Islam: An Authentic Approach. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Levy, P. & Latif, Z. (2007). Sudan. London: Marshall Cavendish.

Rothermund, D. (2006). The Routledge Companion To Decolonization. London: Taylor & Francis.

Ruay, D. (1994). The Politics of Two Sudans: The South and the North, 1821-1969. Cairo: Nordic Africa Institute.

Sidahmed, A. (1996). Politics and Islam in Contemporary Sudan. Berkeley: Palgrave Macmillan.

Welchman, L. (2007). Women and Muslim Family Laws in Arab States: A Comparative Overview of Textual Development and Advocacy. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.

Introduction

It is hard to imagine what a 19th-century American novel and 21st-century anime have in common. However, both of them offer interesting views on the concepts of morality, good and evil. The purpose of this essay is to compare the relationship between Ahab and Moby Dick in the book Moby Dick to Light Yagami and L from the manga and anime Death Note. The relationships between the mentioned characters in these two pieces of art are similar in terms that they represent the confrontation of good and evil, but at the same time, the concept of what exactly is good and evil in these stories is ambiguous. There is a difference in these two relations as well, which shows in the characters interaction: Moby Dick and Ahab have none, while Light Yagami and L have the opposite. Each of these relationships embodies the idea of how humans chasing evil leads to their demise.

Religious Symbolism

Moby Dick is a story where religious symbolism plays a crucial part. It starts with the symbolism of the characters names. The narrator in Moby Dick is named after Ishmael, the exiled and abandoned son of Abraham. The name justifies itself as the plot of the story starts with Ishmael joining abandoned people, a whaling ship crew (Wand and Lyu 177). The second character whose name is a reference to Old Testament is Ahab, the captain of the ship who is following the white whale, Moby Dick. He is the namesake of the vicious Israel king and suffers a similar fate: demise due to ignoring the prophecies and obsession with his goal (Wand and Lyu 176). The choice of characters names illustrates the future specifics of the plot.

Death Note refers to religious motifs as well. One of the most obvious metaphors is the constant use of apples, which is a symbol of original sin in the Bible. The main character Light, who finds Death Note, which gives him the ability to kill other people, bites an apple as a sign of giving in to temptation and using the Death Note (Death Note: Relight  Visions of a God). The apple is an attribute of the image of Ryuk, the Shinigami who gave the Death Note to Light and, therefore, created the situation of temptation (Haden 310). At this moment, the metaphor for Lights choices and future is clear.

There is a parallel between Lights relationship with L, the detective who tries to catch him, and the relationship between Jesus and Judas as Light betrays L and becomes the reason for his death. One of the scenes in the anime even is similar to the scene of Jesus washing Judass feet. The names of the characters are telling as well, portraying L as God and Light as the devil as Light Yagami translates to Light Night God (Pace 43). The idea of which of them represents evil in this story is more complicated than the names suggest, at least according to the views of the characters themselves. The difference in religious motives in these two mediums is that the first one is focused on the idea of predestine, and the second one is a story of falling from grace.

The Concept of Good and Evil

The essential part of both stories is pursuing the nemesis that represents evil. However, it is up to the audience to decide whether their idea of evil coincides with the concepts proclaimed by the main characters. For captain Ahab, the nemesis he is determined to defeat is Moby Dick. He thinks of the whale as the devil, the destructive force that ruined his life. In Ahabs eyes, the whale is pure evil that should be eliminated (Melville 131). However, in the eyes of other characters, the white whale is considered to have divine features. For example, Starbuck states that killing Moby Dick would be blasphemous, for it does not have its own will (Melville 131). That leads to the conclusion that Moby Dick is likely to represent Gods will, and this is why it is useless and dangerous to fight it.

The moral ambiguity of the Death Note is that Light considers his actions good. He proclaims that he is killing for the sake of creating a new world instead of the old, rotten one. In other words, he takes over the role of divine power (Death Note: Relight  Visions of a God). His nemesis L confronts him driven not by altruistic motifs but for the sake of his own curiosity and entertainment in the first place. L commits morally ambiguous actions in order to catch Light as well. Both of them justify their actions as necessary to bring justice to the world.

It is impossible to ignore that motives of Ahab and Light Yagami are similar. Both of them are fighting evil, how they understand it. The two of them choose the same methods as well, as Ahab and Light decide to destroy evil in its material form. The difference is that Ahabs fight is personal revenge. The captain does not have a picture of the worlds future in mind. Light, on the contrary, does not have a personal motive. He stands against injustice and malice on the universal level.

The other interesting distinction between the two concepts of the evil nemesis is that Moby Dick, while having some supernatural features, is represented as a chaotic force. There is no calculation, no motive in the whales actions. It is a force of nature, even if Ahab takes the destruction caused by Moby Dick as a personal wrong. The confrontation between Light Yagami and L is different since Lights actions are subject to human emotions and ambitions. If Moby Dick represents evil, it is universal, general evil and injustice that exists in the world. Light Yagami represents the other kind of evilness dictated by human weaknesses and sins.

Obsession

The characters of these two stories are obsessed with their enemy. The reasons for their obsessions are different, but nevertheless, it leads to the same end. Captain Ahab is absorbed in the idea of his revenge so much that he neglects anything else. He has a family and a little child, but it does not stop him from risking his life and pursuing Moby Dick. Not to mention, Ahab is ready to risk the lives of his sailors even though he knows how dangerous facing Moby Dick will be for them. In his chase, he isolates himself from other people (Wand and Lyu 176). The most significant part of this obsession is that Ahab basically appoints himself an enemy, personifying external force. It is possible to say that he fights himself, as the idea of the whale as the evil that needs to be destroyed exists in his mind in the first place.

Light and L are obsessed with destroying each other as well. Lights determination to defeat L is dictated by his ambition. Gaining the power to decide whether a person lives or dies, Light develops a god complex. He wants to get rid of L as he wants to get rid of anyone who is able to reveal his personality. Partially, this obsession comes from insecurity, as although Light claims he is invincible, he still perceives L as a threat and an enemy (Death Note: Relight  Visions of a God). Ls absorption is caused by the conviction that Light is committing evil but does not come only from his moral principles. The other reason for the detective to take part in this confrontation is the competitiveness both of them share (Pace 42). Ls fight with evil leads to his demise as well as he dies trying to catch Light.

Interaction between Characters

All mentioned above underlines the peculiarities of Ahabs and Moby Dick and Light and Ls interaction. As Moby Dick is an uncontrollable evil and destruction, he has no contact with Ahab at all. Mobi Dick has no interest in Ahab and does not seek him. Ahab is the one who is doing the chasing, and the confrontation is one-sided. There is no communication between them on a personal level. The whale is an external force the captain tries to defeat. This is an interesting metaphor for a fight against things that are out of human control or all the malice in the world. In such a fight, a person does not stand a chance of winning, and Ahab loses.

Opposite to Ahab and Moby Dick, Light and L interact on a personal level. The interesting nuance about their interaction is that they do not have full knowledge about each others identity, while Ahab knows well what his enemy is. Their communication is more direct due to the fact they know each others intentions, and at the same time, it has more barriers as they cannot reveal themselves to their enemy; otherwise, they will lose.

Conclusion

To summarize all mentioned above, the nemesis interaction in Moby Dick and Death Note has many common features but is different in nuances. Both stories rely on religious symbolism, but Moby Dick refers to Old Testament specifically, while Death Note references New Testament as well. The main characters of both mediums are convinced they are standing against evil, but their concept of evil is questionable. Moreover, their choice of means to defeat evil leads to destructive consequences for other people and could be considered unethical at least.

The main difference between the two relations is based on the fact that Moby Dick is not a willing participant in the confrontation. It is an entity that Ahab decides represents all the evil in the world. In their relationship, Ahab is the only one who is interested in the fight. The confrontation between Light and L is more personal, although both of them think about doing the right thing as they see it. Still, part of their motivation is competition and the wish to outsmart the enemy. This relationship is concentrated not on fighting all evil in the world but on defeating a concrete form of evil represented in the actions of a certain person. Still, the end of this fight is the same for both stories. People who actively pursue evil appointing themselves as its fighters eventually lose.

Works Cited

Death Note: Relight  Visions of a God. Directed by TetsurM Araki, Madhouse, 2007.

Haden, Sara. Building Their Own Ghost in the Shell: A Critical Extended Film Review of American Live-Action Anime Remakes. History in the Making, vol. 13, 2020, pp. 307-316, Web.

Melville, Herman. Moby Dick. Whalen Book Works LLC, 2022.

Pace, Kurt. A Critical Study of Morality in Anime and its Effect on Young People. University of Malta, 2019.

Wang, Na, Lyu, Zhenhua. Religious Ambiguity of Herman Melville in Moby Dick. Global Academic Journal of Linguistics and Literature, 2022, pp. 175-178, Web.

One of the prominent figures in American literature of the XX century is Francis Scott Fitzgerald. His main novel, The Great Gatsby, which brought the author world fame, was repeatedly recognized, and included in the list of masterpieces of world literature. The novel is replete with symbols, without which it will be impossible to form images as well as to deepen the content of the work itself. Although the author uses many different symbols, one of the main ones is the green light, which appears throughout the work and carries a significant semantic and symbolic load.

The author uses this image as a symbol of dreams and aspirations that correlate with his love for Daisy. In the future, the author uses this symbol to express Gatsbys attitude to the image that he created in his head, and which went out by the end of the work. Readers encounter a green light at the end of the first chapter for the first time when Gatsby, trembling, reaches out to him. This light is burning at the pier next to the house where Daisy lives. For Gatsby, this fire is associated with Daisy herself, and it was she who became the meaning and incentive of life for him. Moreover, the same green light occurs in the middle of the novel when Daisy visits Gatsbys house, and it loses its former meaning for him but brings a new sense. Jay Gatsby realizes that he created an image of Daisy that was better than herself and better than anything in the world. The author shows the vast difference between an illusory dream and a sincere dream because the green light has not stopped shining, but for Jay Gatsby, it has gone out forever.

In conclusion, the work of Francis Scott Fitzgerald called The Great Gatsby is one of the most significant for the XX century and carries a deep meaning reflected through symbolism. The novel describes various characters, but one of the main ones is the green light, which is of great importance in the life of Jay Gatsby. This light relates to the love of his life, the girl Daisy, and this light is more than once found at different stages of Jay and Daisys relationship. The image of the symbol successfully achieves the goal that the author sets to show the reader the meaning of Jay Gatsbys life.

Alpha Behn is one of the first English Professionals female writers. Others famed writers include Eliza Haywood and Delavierier Manley among others. Behn was born in England in sixteen forty to Bartholomew Johnson and Elizabeth Denham. His parents lived in Canterbury.

The father was a barber while her mother worked as a family nurse to the Colepeper family. Behn grew to become a creative and intellectual writer of poems, plays, and novels among other works (Todd 8). This was during the English revolution before her death in sixteen eighty-nine when she was forty-eight years of age. Her authorship was professional because it earned her a living. This paper seeks to unravel and explore her life, work achievements, difficult moments, and her demise.

Following the information given by Thomas Colepeper, the youngest son of the Colepeper family, who referred to Behn as a foster sister, it is very possible that she grew up in this family. The Colepepers were well to do.

Alpha Behn while in her mid twenties, is said to gone on a journey to Venezuela that was later renamed Suriname. This journey introduced her to her writing profession later in life. As much the details indicating the reason why she traveled are not documented, the fact that the journey did take place has been documented (Hobby 79).

This journey at the same time through her early works gave awareness and enlightened the British people of the sufferings that the slaves went through in the hands of their masters. This trip led Behn to an encounter with an African man who happened to be a slave leader. The experience was the story behind her famous book, Oroonoko, a story of a royal slave and his tragic love, published in sixteen eighty-eight in London.

The African man was a slave leader who turned out to become the leader of the slaves rebellion against the slave masters in Suriname along the Suriname River. The ending was so bloody because the masters administered brutal, unsophisticated, unrestrained, and least to say uncouth punishment to him.

There is particular evidence from the articles documented by other scholars alongside her own writings, which lead to the conclusion that Alpha Behn was a Catholic. One of her plays, The Rover II, that she wrote in two parts, part one coming out in sixteen seventy seven and part two that was published in seventeen eighty one were dedicated to the exiled Catholic Duke of York.

Behns relations with Catholics, especially Henry Neville who was detained, did create restlessness among the opponents of Catholic. This occurred in the late seventeen century and summarily she was quoted to have harbored the ambitions of becoming a Catholic nun in her teenage age.

This would point to the fact that she was a Catholic, had close association with Catholics, or empathized with them during the anti-catholic ardency. Behn was known to be a staunch defender of what she believed in. Whether it was her stand on political ideologies to duties assigned to her, she executed them with passion. Following on her association with matters that related to Catholic, we can decisively conclude that she was a Catholic.

Alpha Behn was also very political. On many occasions, she put to use her profession to make her loyalty to the Tories be known. She wrote pamphlets, articles and plays to express her dislike for the parliament, which she accused of tying down the hands of King Charles II by refusing to apportion funds as, asked for expenditure.

The parliament Whigs had risen from the Great Revolution of sixteen eighty-eight to become the citizens guards. They went on to demand Constitutional monarchism that Behn opposed. It was sad that in the year of revolution itself, Behn was ill. It is suspected that following her own description of her condition, she suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. Behn had described her hands as being distortured.

Behn believed in the King ruling with divine right and power. She vehemently opposed revolution and wrote articles that maligned its proponents while at the same agitating for a restored monarchy. Behns allegiance to the Royalty is said to have started in sixteen sixty-six, when through the brokerage of the Colepepers connections she was employed to the Court as a political espionage to Antwerp, Netherlands by King Charles II.

This job came barely two years since her return to England, where her marriage of less than two years to Johan Behn had been cut short following the demise of her husband. In her role as a spy, Behn played a pivotal role during the second Anglo-Dutch war of sixteen sixty-five fought between England and Netherlands.

Operating under the secrete code of Astrea, her main responsibility was to develop a close working relationship with William Scott another emissary whose father had been executed in sixteen sixty, and now had offered his services to the King. Besides this duty, Behn was charged with the responsibility of investigating and submitting intelligence reports about the British citizens who were in exile and any conspiracy they had against the King.

This job was demanding however, Behn was never paid. The King did not show the urgency to settle her dues. Behn had to survive on borrowing in order to even travel back home. She tried in vain for a whole year to petition the King for her payment. When it all failed, she landed in the debtors jail for failing to settle her debts. The one-year long plea had not born any fruits.

It is documented that she was released from jail in the year sixteen sixty-nine after people or someone who is not mentioned settled her debts. This person may have been one of her sympathizers or least to say a Good Samaritan. It surprising that she did not mentioned the person in any of her many plays, poems, or books she authored (Derek 19).

Alpha Behn had learnt her lessons the hard way. This however, did not change her loyalty to the monarchy leadership. After she left prison, it was time for Behn to take a new dimension in life, she turned to professional writing. In sixteen seventy, Behn began writing for payment a year after her release from prison.

She took of by establishing cordial relations with the then playwrights. They gave insights into the new field she wanted to venture. The same year her first play, Forced Marriage, was performed. The play was a hit and become a financial success, perhaps the best encouragement for a beginner. The Dukes company performed the play

Behns writings cut across the literature genre. She wrote plays, novels, poems, and pamphlets among others. Some of her famous works included Oroonoko, published a year before she passed on, The Rover II, a play she dedicated to the exiled Catholic Duke of York. It became her most successful play that is appreciated to date.

Its popularity attracted among others the Kings mistress, Nell Gwyn, who acted the role of Angelica Bianca, performing as a prostitute. James II, The Duke of York is said to have had a strong liking for the same. The Dutch lover, Love-Letters between a Nobleman and His Sister were some of her plays alongside The Lovers Watch or The Art of Making Love; this was a poem and the History of the nun, or the Fair Vow-Breaker among many more.

The Feigned Courtesans was dedicated to Nell Gwyn for her role in the Rover II..Most of Behns work were translated into many other international languages most notably French. Such works include Oroonoko, and A Discovery of New Worlds both of them were novels.

Alpha Behns professional road was not as rosy as it may appear. She was accused of lacking moral restraints. Alexander Pope for example for instance wondered why a playwright would justly put all characters in her work to bed. Her accusers capitalized on her relationship with Earl of Rochester, who infamous for his promiscuity.

Having realized success in a male dominated industry, Behn suffered from the then stereotype that all female actors were whores. Robert Gould in sixteen eighty-three asserts women in the acting industry were definitely members of the oldest profession in the world (Colimore 56)

Her play Like Father like Son never made it even to the printing room. Behn turned to the other genres of literature after the rise United Company, that was a merger of her production company Dukes and the Kings Company. The income from plays had dipped. We can conclude that Alpha Behn had a successful writing career, which fought through a hard male dominated industry and never despaired. Though mortal too, she was really the mother of professional female playwrights.

Works Cited

Colimore, Jeff. Reconstructing Alpha: A social biography of Alpha Behn. New York: Palgrave, 1980. Print.

Derek, Hughes. The Theatre of Alpha Behn, New York: Palgrave Macmillan 2001. Print.

Hobby, Elaine. Virtue of necessity: An English womans writing 1649-88. Michigan: University of Michigan, 1989. Print.

Todd, Janet. The Critical Fortunes of Alpha Behn by 1998. Washington: Colombia Camden House. Print.