The widely accepted definition of literature is that it is the interpretation of life. As a branch of literature, poetry handles human subjects and it influenced or changed the language. If one analyzes the various stages of English language and literature, it is clear that many English poets have influenced the growth of language. Each and every poet has his own particular style of using the language in literature, such as selection of words, using figurative languages, lexical features and various dialects. In old English period, most of the poets and writers used Anglo-Saxon language. Many old English works have contributed number of new words and usages. For example the great epic Beowulf has contributed number of new words in to English language. When it reached the time of Norman period, considerable changes occurred in the field of language. The highly thought-provoking thing was that the changes of influences in the above mentioned period has never marked the name of a particular poet or a writer. Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English language had introduced number of changes in English language.
He had borrowed a lot of new words from French language and blended with native usages. He is the man who effectively used affixation for word formation. Chaucer established a new word order and helped to create a self identity to English language. But during the time of great Elizabethan period, one can see the influence of particular poets on the language. There is no chance of a question about the influence of William Shakespeare on English language. Shakespeare had introduced number of new words in English and established new syntax and semantic patterns. Shakespeares blank verse is the most important of all his influence. Like William Shakespeare, John Milton, another great English poet also has contributed much to the vocabulary of English language.
The journal article entitled John Milton our greatest word-maker gives a clear idea about Miltons influence on the language. It says; A new meaning for an existing word he was the first to use space to mean outer space ; a new form of an existing word, by making a noun from a verb or a verb from an adjective, such as stunning and literalism; negative forms, such as unprincipled. (Crace). After the analysis of Miltons great epic Paradise Lost one can find number of words used in a new meaning or new sense which were different from existing meaning. Milton made some changes in parts of speech in English, for example making some nouns from verbs and verbs from adjectives. He introduced number of new compounds and new words. The word Pandemonium (Paradise Lost- John Milton) which means hell is an example for new word. Even Miltons style is difficult, highly complicated but it is more beautiful and attractive in aesthetic level and Miltons grant style became highly popularized in English language.
Style of a particular poet can influence or change the language. Word order, use of vocabulary, use of literary devices, and choice of word meanings and language phrases of a poet play a significant role in the process of language variation. During the time of Neo-Classics (16th century English literature), number of Greek and Latin words and phrases reached in English language. Poets like John Dryden and Alexander Pope had expressed rationalism in their works and their languages. Exceeding use of synonyms, phonemic variations, and the Great Vowel Shift etc. are the major changes included into the language. One can see massive changes in the production of long vowels in English during fifteenth to eighteenth centuries.
Dryden had used number of disyllabic and polysyllabic words in his poems and these usages were too much difficult for the common people to understand. It is very easy to justify the statement that a poet can effect or change the language, when one analyses the arriving of Romanticism in to English literature. Eminent romantic poets like William Wordsworth, John Keats, S T. Coleridge and William Blake have contributed a simple and flexible English language. Wordsworth provided large number of simple words related with nature. Most of the romantic poets had portrayed the simple life of village people and they had developed a rhythmic language in their works. Wordsworths poems are easy and simple and are used to express what the poet has experienced and felt. In his work David Rosen clearly remarks the variety usage of English language. The author says: Where eighteenth century prose, however plain, remains a creature of syntax, Wordsworth understands of the metrical line tilts the balance to discrete images and words. (Rose , 39). Wordsworths language was free from complex structure and difficult words.
To conclude, one can infer that a number of poets have influenced English language and literature. Through various ages poets had introduced new word order, new words, usages and types of sentences in their works. Great poets like Shakespeare, Chaucer, Milton and Wordsworth have contributed much to the language and played significant roles in the growth and formation of different words in English language.
Joseph J. Ellis, in his book Founding Brothers, delves into the intricate relationships and political struggles among the Founding Brothers during the early years of the United States. The authors objective in writing this book was to highlight the complexity of the early American Republic and to challenge the conventional view of the Founding Brothers as a unified group. Ellis investigates their personal connections and compromises to offer insight into how they forged a new nation rather than focusing on their high aspirations or political theories (83). This makes for the primary distinction of the Founding Brothers from other era accounts. Thus, if one were to write a thesis statement for the book, it could sound like this: the founding brothers interactions and conflicts played a significant role in establishing the American Republic.
Discussion
In the first chapter, entitled The Duel, Ellis examines the infamous duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. The duel happened on July 11, 1804, although there were various attempts at compromise, including attempts to mediate a solution by mutual acquaintances and a proposed revision to New Yorks anti-dueling legislation (Ellis 21). Tragically, Hamilton was fatally wounded in the duel and passed away the next day. Burr was accused of murder but ultimately found not guilty, and the incident signaled the start of the end of his political career. The duel illustrates the dangers of personal hostility and political rivalry, as well as the fact that even the most admired persons of the founding era had their faults and shortcomings.
One of the most significant events in the book is a dinner described in the eponymous Chapter Two. The dinner was hosted by Thomas Jefferson and centered around assumption, a controversial proposal to take on the states debts incurred during the Revolutionary War (Ellis 52). The dinner was attended by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, who favored assumption, and Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were against it. Despite their differences, the dinner ultimately resulted in a compromise, with Jefferson agreeing to support the assumption in exchange for the location of the capital in Virginia. According to Benson Bobrick, the Founding Brothers established the American Republic and sustained it during its early years of volatility and vulnerability until national customs and practices became ingrained (Bobrick). The dinner illustrates the significance of personal relationships in political compromise and the potential for political issues to be resolved through negotiation and compromise.
In Chapter Six of the book, The Friendship, the author discusses the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, which had soured over time due to political differences. However, Ellis explains that their friendship was renewed in their later years through a series of letters, where they resolved their differences and reminisced about shared experiences (Ellis 263). The reconciliation of their friendship held great significance, demonstrating that even political rivals could unite in the spirit of friendship and mutual respect. According to Mary Kate Kimiecik, Jeffersons betrayal strained their friendship, and on their deathbeds, they harbored resentment towards each other for living longer (Kimiecik). Ellis book offers a fresh look at history by stringing together moments to create a narrative that invites readers to feel like participants.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the formation of the early American Republic was significantly influenced by both political and interpersonal difficulties. On the one hand, interpersonal conflicts and relationships are portrayed as having a formative influence on the development of the American Republic, as evidenced by the antagonism between Burr and Hamilton that led to Hamiltons demise. However, the development of the American Republic is also proven to have been significantly influenced by political issues, including assumptions. Founding Brothers is described as an exceptionally readable work, one that infuses life and order into the study of the early republic (Kirkus Reviews). Due to the books comprehensive nature, it is challenging to claim that one issue had a greater influence on the early American Republic than another. Instead, it is revealed that interpersonal connections and politics are mutually reinforcing and interrelated and that these encounters eventually molded American history.
Works Cited
Bobrick, Benson. The Brethren. The New York Times, The New York Times, Web.
Ellis, Joseph. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation. Vintage Books, 2002.
It is essential to emphasize that Last Night I Dreamed of Peace is a diary that was created during the war by a doctor who treated Vietnamese soldiers, communists, and nationalists who were wounded in combat with the American army. However, the American soldier received this diary during the battle and saved it. It was against military instructions, but Fred Whitehurst had a new perspective on the war after reading it. When Fred Whitehurst returned home, the diary remained unpublished for another thirty-five years (Tram 2007). This is because the man was trying to return it to the doctors family, and after this occurred in Vietnam, the first publication of the diary of a military medic was published. Thus, it is important to establish how Tram develops a deep connection with the soldiers and the way the medical worker uses it to escape the harsh reality in which she is trapped.
Emotional Connection
Trams role as a doctor is to care for wounded soldiers, and she considers this responsibility seriously. In addition to caring for their physical wounds, she also provides emotional support and comfort. The woman tried not only to perform the best possible medical tasks, even though there were often no pills, light, or disinfectants but also attempted to encourage the dying soldiers morally (Tram 2007). The diary describes how she spent time with the dying soldiers and managed to distract them from thinking about death. She talked to them about North Vietnam, their families, their duties, and their friends to help them find positive moments.
Accordingly, Trams compassion for the soldiers is evident throughout the story, as she often reflects on the emotional impact of the war on both the soldiers and herself. For instance, the first note in Last Night I Dreamed of Peace describes how she operated on a soldier with appendicitis without proper anesthesia, but he smiled at her during the procedure and tried to encourage her (Tram 2007). In this way, the realities of war affected both the military doctor and the ordinary soldiers, who struggled to assist each other in order to enhance the harsh reality in which they found themselves.
Meanwhile, the diary also provides other instances of the medical care provided to soldiers. One of the soldiers with whom Tram forms a deep bond is a young American soldier named Charles (Tram 2007). The soldier was seriously injured, and Tram did not hesitate to perform her duties. She spent a considerable amount of time with him, which allowed her to learn a significant part of Charless life. It is important to note that when she heard about his childhood at home and how Charles was making plans for the future despite his serious injury, she tried to support him emotionally. Tram made maximum efforts not only to heal his wounds but also to maintain her enthusiasm for the man (Tram 2007). Therefore, in the moments when the woman functioned as a medical practitioner and even a psychologist, she felt a certain kind of exhilaration and pleasure.
Hence, stories about pre-war life or plans for the future were one method of establishing strong connections with the soldiers. The female believed that this would help them find the strength to fight their illnesses and become an incentive to return home to their families (Tram 2007). This emotional connection that the medical professional made enabled her and the wounded soldiers to continue their fight for life. For example, in the case of Charles, she was interested in his recovery and was devastated when he died from his injuries (Tram 2007). At such moments, the woman returned to the harsh reality, but other soldiers who needed her support made her continue the fight and not lose her positive thinking.
The Harsh Realities of War
Trams relationship with the soldiers enables her to escape the brutal realities of war. As a female in a male-dominated field, Tram faces discrimination and harassment from both her colleagues and the soldiers (Tram 2007). She struggles with feelings of isolation and loneliness, and the relationships she establishes with the soldiers give her a sense of community and acceptance. Therefore, it is significant to mention an example where Tram also forms a close bond with another soldier named David. This case is valuable because David is not only one of the few soldiers who treat Tram with respect and kindness, but he also makes her gifts (Tram 2007). The soldier often brings her presents, including books and candy, and takes the time to speak with her about her life and experiences. In their conversations, Tram finds solace, and their relationship becomes a source of comfort for her during the difficult times of war (Tram 2007). As friends were constantly dying and Trams life was also under threat, such everyday moments as signs of attention and conversations helped her maintain a sense of hope.
Nevertheless, in war, as in ordinary life, there are various dimensions, and in addition to discrimination, Tram also encountered extraordinary support from soldiers. This is because war does not spare anyone, and the enemy does not choose whom to kill, which is why medics, professional soldiers, and volunteers are at risk every minute. In addition to emotional support, the soldiers also offered Tram a way to escape the physical dangers of war, such as constant shelling (Tram 2007). When Tram was evacuated from the medical ward, she was forced to flee into the jungle, where she faced the threat of enemy fire and the risk of capture. However, with the help of the soldiers she has treated, Tram is able to navigate the jungle and eventually reach a safe place. It was the knowledge and abilities that the soldiers shared with her during their conversations that allowed her to not only escape from the harsh reality but to learn valuable lessons (Tram 2007). Accordingly, Tram applied them in an emergency situation and successfully escaped the trap.
Conclusion
In summary, in her diary, Tram describes instances of establishing deep connections with the soldiers she treats, which serves as a means of escape from the harsh realities of the Vietnam War and her own struggles. Furthermore, it allows the military doctor to perform her medical tasks efficiently, regardless of the lack of sufficient means to achieve this. As a result, she remains optimistic and tries to help everyone despite difficult circumstances. Moreover, through her empathy and compassion, Tram establishes meaningful relationships with soldiers who offer her emotional support, companionship, and a sense of security. Hence, The memoir Last Night I Dreamed of Peace is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of human connection in challenging times.
Reference
Tram, Dang Thuy. 2007. Last Night I Dreamed of Peace: The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram. New York: Crown.
Homers epic poem, The Odyssey, depicts various forms of hospitality in Greek society that characterized a character as civilized or uncivilized. Homer tells the story of King Odysseus on the island of Ihaka, who struggles to return home after a long and perilous journey. Throughout Odysseus journey, he encounters numerous forms of hospitality, either generous or harsh, which distinguishes the civilized host from the uncivilized. For example, the generous hospitality of the Phaiakians is greatly admired and appreciated in Greek society, whereas the cruel hospitality of the Kyklops leads to his punishment and suffering.
Throughout the epic, hospitality, or the lack thereof, affects Odysseus, and the reader can judge civility by the degree of hospitality offered. Odysseus own home has been taken over by a swarm of suitors who take advantage of Ithacas long-standing hospitality tradition. Telemachus and Penelope lack the strength to evict them, and they cant expect much help from the community because the suitors come from some of the areas most powerful families. Odysseus receives impressive assistance from the Phaeacians and, at first, from Aeolus during his wanderings.
Telemachus hospitality serves as the standard against which the following instances of hospitality (or lack thereof) are measured. By giving them food fortune, Homer can subtly teach readers the virtues that he believes define a mans character. Athena gives Telemachus hope that his father will return and instructs him on how to learn more from Pylos and Sparta. Telemachus arrives in Pylos, where King Nestor greets him with open arms as he sits them down at the feast of fleecy throws (3.40-1). They set out together to learn more about his father.
Circe is a great help after Odysseus defeats her, and the Lotus-eaters may be a little too helpful. The Sirens, on the other hand, are sweet-sounding hosts of death, and Cyclops (Polyphemus) makes no pretense of hospitality. Polyphemus, in fact, scorns the concept and the gods who support it. Even though Zeus, the king of the gods, is known as the greatest advocate of hospitality and those who seek it, he allows the sea god Poseidon to punish the Phaeacians for their generous tradition of returning wayfarers to their homelands.
Sean, is a story about a black boy adopted by white family. A series of violent actions against Seans siblings prompted the narrators mother, an attorney with Child Welfare to take custody of Sean (Siegel 438).
Other families had given up on adopting Sean because of his daily nightmares, which had deprived them of sleep. What starts off as a short stay, lasted a lifetime when the narrators family adopted Sean.
The narrator tells of his experiences with Sean throughout various stages of their lives. In Sean, the author uses an urban setting to show how race is constructed by people and places that surround the characters.
The narrator realizes the color disparity between Sean and himself. He goes on to describe various scenarios under which people bring out the color differences between his foster brother and himself.
Sean first recognizes that he is black when he is four years old. This realization hits him when they go for a meal at a Chinese eatery. The atmosphere in the restaurant makes Sean feel awkward. This drives him to the discovery that his skin color is black, unlike other peoples (442).
When the narrator goes to visit his friends on the Fire Island, it excites people to associate with Sean. Sean has a bubbly nature. Although people are happy to interact with Sean, they realize that he is black.
One of them goes on to commend the narrator for taking in a child, but not without adding racist remarks Youve rescued a child and given him a home. A little black boy (443).
On this occasion, the author shows that the gathering interprets a sincere act of kindness with a racist attitude. However, the narrator takes this incident positively and Sean accompanies him to all his social outings in Brooklyn ever since.
The narrator later notices a trend of white females looking skeptically at him and Sean whenever they are in town. He tries to envisage what could be going on in the womens minds and comes up with a thought: albeit racist.
He pictures that women imagine that he is Seans father and that they are poor, I can only imagine how these women filled in the blanks: teen parents, black and white, poor, hapless.
A sort of interracial La Boheme, with a coughing, wheezing child (444). Here, the author uses the circumstances surrounding Sean and the narrator (Seans clothes and the narrators age) to show the creation of racism.
Some time after Seans adoption, the family goes for a cruise in their family vehicle. They see a commotion around the Times Tower. The cause of the commotion is a black man yelling through a microphone.
The man complains of how the Jews dispossess black people of everything they have. The term Jew refers to the white race (447). The African-American man takes advantage of the multitude present at the Times Tower to shout racist remarks.
In this scene, author also depicts racism in an urban setting. In a different scenario, the narrator notices an African-American issuing leaflets with racist slogans to black people while ignoring the white people.
The political atmosphere gets heated up in the Southern City where the narrator lives. The narrator explains that racism is the cause of the political tension (448).
All these occurrences perfectly coincide with urban settings. Hence, this paper concludes that the author uses an urban setting to show how race is created by people and places surrounding the characters.
Works Cited
Siegel, Richard Anthony. Sean . Freuds Blind Spot: 23 Original Essays on Cherished, Estranged, Lost, Hurtful, Complicated Siblings. Ed. Elisa Albert. New York: Free Press, 2010. Print.
Every persons life should be filled with meaning and should be structured by his or her calling, aims, wishes and ambitions. The person who does something he or she does not like for a living just because it is necessary to, will never be happy and will never achieve anything worthy in life. Life requires spiritual filling as well as satisfaction with certain material needs and wishes. The sense of life is to do a bit more than others wait for you, more than you yourself have expected here comes the genuine satisfaction and success in life.
However, all these elevated words are nothing more than words, as the true meaning of life built up according to a set of firm, integral principles have been left on the pages of classical literature, in the words of outstanding people who despite any challenges managed to achieve this and left their experience as an example for others. It is a pity to realize that such people are a rare species being born once in quite a long period of time and still being not understood by their peers and dying forgotten. The humanity is rusted by excessive pleasures, by duality of moral principles being fitted to some particular situations, thus degrading and losing the true thirst for life, for the truth and for achievement.
Many writers and great thinkers of old times and modernity have been devoting their works to considerations of why this happened and what reasons lie within the degradation of the world population. They call people to be genuine, explaining that only this way they will achieve eternity they should not betray their ethical standards, they should pursue one common goal for their whole life and should become great people by introducing something new, by bringing their tiny contribution into the world they live in. Why it is not so is left to be considered, and in the present paper the works relevant in the discussion are the article of Ralph Waldo Emerson Man the Reformer and Henry David Thoreau Life without Principle as well as the short story of Herman Melville Bartleby the Scrivener is said to be influenced by the trend of Transcendentalism.
The first work to be discussed, the one of Thoreau, is devoted to the inner integrity of a personality, of the human character, philosophy of life and the life way everyone chooses for him- or herself. At the beginning of his article Thoreau gives an example of the lecturer who failed to interest him in the lecture he gave because of lack of enthusiasm, lack of interest in his subject himself. Thoreau sees the discrepancy in this fact the author believes that a man can do his business well only in case he is happy with it, he believes what he says and he is himself interested in his activities. A person should be the real fan of his activity otherwise the results will remain miserable and probably unachieved. All people who do their work on an average level, just for the sake of providing for their living, will remain average personalities without anything worthy done by them in the whole course of their lives.
Thoreau sees the social conflict in the fact that people are so heavily occupied with the work they do while they are entitled to the treasures of the Earth from their very infancy, from the moment of their birth. He states that the genuine truth of life created by God was that all people have to provide for their living with the help of their hands and brain, because all facilities for doing so had been created by God for the humanity. But someone in some way managed to substitute this truth with a miserable replica creating the social injustice, making people suffer and struggle for the loaf of bread they have to earn this is what Thoreau despises in the contemporary political system. He cannot understand why people have been fooled and made to work so hard doing senseless, exhausting work for the sake of others success or their seemingly profound success. These people, according to the opinion of Thoreau, do not understand that they live according to fake principles, according to the perverted virtues and ethical standards, while the true standards are hidden from them by those who are not interested in their understanding thereof. for this reason Thoreau despises the code of morality, artificially created stimuli, motivations and aspirations for people to conquer their will and ruin their striving for the truth:
We are provincial&because we do not worship truth, but the reflection of truth; because we are warped and narrowed by an exclusive devotion to trade and commerce and manufactures and agriculture and the like, which are but means, and not the end (Thoreau, 1863).
Thoreau stresses the cognition of humanity being narrowed by the superficial things that have no practical value and would be of no value for any of people living according to them if they were not propagated with such a force. In this respect Thoreau researches the example of gold-diggers and compares them to gamblers because their labor is worthless no matter how much effort they made to find that piece of gold. The outstanding Transcendentalist thinker explains that there is nothing better than true, honest and humble physical labor that constitutes no lie, no fake, no pretense and allows a person to have anything he or she wants by achieving this manually and decently. Thoreau believes that the hunger for easy profit kills people, making them degrade and finally ruins themselves. People have to know the truth about life and labor, and they should not have any misguiding thoughts about success. However, people just do not think about these things.
The true purpose of Thoreau has always been to show people that life is much easier and much more understandable than all people are used to perceive it. In particular, it is as plain and intelligible as every tiny thing in the world but the way a person perceives it depends on the way of thinking developed by the social environment in which people are brought up. At times this social education is aimed at dissuading people to think and adapts them to extreme complications of life, eliminating any wish to get deeper into the matter. This is the prime vise Thoreau sees in the society by saying that a little thought is sexton to all the world he calls the humanity to think critically and understand that they have been misguided in the present world, thus needing a change.
People have become less demanding, they do not strive for achievement and improvement, which is the rust of humanity. This is the prime reason for Bartlebys denial to help the lawyer and to do anything else but sitting and staring. He lost his faith in the meaning of life because of the specificity of life his beliefs, his hopes and wishes were all ruined by the unfulfilled wishes, by the broken hearts, important news that would never reach the eyes they were intended to; the words of love will never be read by those for who they were written:
Sometimes from out the folded paper the pale clerk takes a ring:the finger it was meant for, perhaps, molders in the grave; a bank-note sent in swiftest charity:he whom it would relieve, nor eats nor hungers any more; pardon for those who died despairing; hope for those who died unhoping; good tidings for those who died stifled by unrelieved calamities (Melville, 1853).
These dying emotions, unfulfilled promises, untamed passion and incurable pain were the daily routine of Bartleby he lived surrounded by a truly dark side of our life, being unable to understand that this is not what should kill the wish to live, but should potentially open up new horizons of understanding for every person. It gives enormous power in realizing what you may not have time to do, what you may lose or may fail to recognize, thus giving a good chance to change the life and make it a bit better.
However, the majority of people do not understand this and continue living their shallow lives, rubbishing their heads with shallow thoughts: surface meets surface . This is the saddest fact Thoreau admits and calls people to a change. He despises gossips, shallow talks which have been nurtured as a normal way of living by the government and politicians, legislation giving no ground for patriotism and killing all initiative. Thoreau cannot understand why these senseless and worthless things occupy human minds while they should be thinking about other, greater and more important things that happen in the world about what they can give to their world and to their nation.
The need for change has been long ago recognized by everyone speculating over the topic of the true meaning of life for a personality and the way to make it better, more worthy and maybe remembered by others in the future. The topic of meaning of life can also be found in the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson Man the Reformer which is focused not only on the need for reform but also on the reasons for the impossibility of doing this for some people.
Emerson sees the key to reform for people in nurturing spirituality, in confining oneself to moral enrichment and active work on their souls and minds rather than on their purses and bodies. He calls people to be more critical, thoughtful and restless in the pursuit of truth, honor and respect. His speech begins with the assumption that surely everyone wants to be respected and honored, but not every person knows how to achieve this success and how to obtain wisdom and greatness. The author admits that every sphere of human life seeks change, is threatened by a new spirit, thus showing that the time of change has come, but at the same time he shows that reformers tend to idealism whereas there is nothing ideal in the human lives and all people have pitfalls, drawbacks, bad habits and weak sides, and this is what ruins the reform.
Nay, the evil custom reaches into the whole institution of property, until our laws which establish and protect it, seem not to be the issue of love and reason, but of selfishness (Emerson, 1841).
All human actions have become dirty, corrupted and polluted. Trade has turned into theft and fraud, and even after leaving this activity the person may not consider him- or herself clean. This is the reason why people who were unlucky to be born honest, decent, kind and thoughtful are simply excluded from society, being urged to look for the ways of self-realization somewhere else. They simply cannot function in the modern world because their souls are too pure to stand the evil dominating human lives and the ways they conduct their regular activities.
Emerson condemns human selfishness in the principles of possession that have been nurtured by the rulers of the nation for centuries he states that a human being becomes a prisoner of his property as he has to constantly take care of it, nurture it and repair it, protect it from the forces of nature thus being not the beneficial side in the relations of possession but the sufferer. From this point Emerson sees the evil of commerce and commercial life worshipped by modern people he understands that there is no sense in possessing things and appreciating this so highly because it brings no spiritual growth but only degradation and spiritual blindness. People have paid so much attention to material things and their own welfare that they have forgotten about their morality and spirit:
Our age and history, for these thousand years, has not been the history of kindness, but of selfishness. Our distrust is very expensive. The money we spend for courts and prisons is very ill laid out (Emerson, 1841).
The way Emerson assesses the tendencies taking place in the contemporary reality logically brings him to a conclusion that, to his surprise, people fail to learn the lesson of self-help and they fail to be independently thinking and acting creatures, thus having no present and future, only the past that will be continued by no-one.
The topic of despair and absence of the meaning of life is clearly, vividly described in the short story of Herman Melville Bartleby the Scrivener . The main character, Bartleby, has nothing to do with the real world, he wants nothing and does not understand what he lives for because of the world in which he lived while being the employee of the dead letters post office. At the time of being employed there he lived by very strong emotions of people who never accomplished their goal, whose intentions were lost unfulfilled and thus he saw the real emotions, real passions, grieves of people he never knew. After being dismissed, he realized that this truthfulness killed his wish for life as he was overfilled with grief and deadly sorrow. He did not have a sense in life as every day he saw other people losing it, and he appeared to be too weak to make the correct conclusions from his work and live a happier, more worthy life than others managed to. Bartleby did not understand the true value of life even when speaking to the lawyer who told him:
And to you, this should not be so vile a place. Nothing reproachful attaches to you by being here. And see, it is not so sad a place as one might think. Look, there is the sky, and here is the grass (Melville, 1853).
For this lawyer even such simplistic virtues as having the grass under his feet and the sky above his head was happiness. These were the signs of true life, of real existence of a human being. But Bartleby was dead inside he did not want anything and died just because the superficial life was the way of living he did not manage to get accustomed to, and the real grief of so many people was too hard for him to bear.
The phenomenon of inclusivity and active promotion of multiculturalism in education are often taken for granted nowadays. However, books like Sylvia and Aki remind general audiences that the current situation is the direct outcome of years of continuous struggle and fight for the rights of ethnic and racial minorities. Though the book is aimed at young children, it tackles quite complex subjects of prejudice and xenophobia, making the subject matter palatable to young audiences, which makes the book particularly important.
Summary
Sylvia and Aki tells a story of two girls, Sylvia Mendez and Aki Munemitsu. Their story is closely linked to the process of school desegregation that took place after WWII. Aki Munemitsus family struggles financially as they are forcibly relocated from their farm and forced to relocate due to the discriminatory policies of the U.S. at the time. Sylvia Mendez, who lives nearby, forges a friendship with Saki, and both expect to be enrolled into a local school to start their third grade. However, both are refused the education opportunity due to their ethnic background. As the Mendez family writes letters to the school, the Munemitsu family is sent to an internment camp. The girls continue playing together as historical events unroll and the fight for integration continues. The book ends with Sylvia and Aki graduating from a now integrated local school.
Critique
Thought the topic and the main theme of the book are hardly original, Sylvia and Aki manages to represent them in a refreshing and inspiring way. Specifically, the book uses a direct language that refrains from being simplistic yet conveys the exact meaning that the author intends. Furthermore, the authors ability to introduce core historic changes while placing the captivating personal story of the two girls at the forefront creates a powerful teaching moment. The incorporation of two distinctive perspectives on the events transpiring in the book, namely, those of the Mendez and Munemitsus families, also contributes to reinforcing the powerful message that the book conveys: Every child deserves a chance (Conkling 95). Finally, the curious plot development, specifically, the introduction of the perspectives of Sylvia and Aki as adult women, enhances the powerful message Specifically, it demonstrates that the author views her target audience as capable of embracing complex ideas.
Ideas
In turn, the ideas presented in the book offer a crucial teaching moment for the reader. Namely, the book promotes the notions of inclusivity and diversity, condemning segregation practiced at the end of WWII. Thus, the book illustrates the harsh outcomes of practicing exclusion and segregation in schools: Were being treated like second-best people, she thought bitterly (Conkling 11). Outlining the plight and struggle of the Mendezes and the Munemitsus. While the core theme has been reiterated a countless number of times, Conkling manages to introduce novelty into the discussion by providing the perspective of a child on the subject matter.
Lessons
The lessons that the book teaches are rather obvious yet undeniably essential. Most importantly, the lessons in question are critical not only for children, but also for educators, reminding of the significance of inclusive practices and inclusivity-based teaching strategies. Additionally, the book has introduced essential lessons about racism in education, pointing to the detrimental effects that it produces on the lives of children: Sylvia, there cannot be justice for one unless there is justice for all (Conkling 95). Overall, the book has been essential in shaping the teaching approach toward inclusive practices and the cross-cultural dialogue with students and their parents.
Conclusion
The unique approach that Sylvia and Aki adopts in order to relay the complexities of fight for equal rights of ethnic and racial minorities to young children makes the book a particularly fascinating piece of literature. Furthermore, the book is instrumental for educators as a guide to promoting inclusivity and cross-cultural dialogue to young children. Therefore, the book must be regarded as a critical part of early childhood education.
Disillusionment or disappointment arises in a situation where a person is disenchanted. In this case, people are usually unhappy with what they see or the kind of lives they lead. This element has been exposed in literary and artistic works by various people. In their works, authors or artistes expose this theme perhaps as a way of telling their lifestyle or to educate their audience about their displeasure. In this essay, we shall look at how the works by Edwin Arlington Robinson, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, and Jack London expose this element.
Jack London
Jack London was born in a poor background in California but grew to fame through his anthology of stories such as the son of the Wolf, the Sea of the wolf, and the Call of the Wild in a way that by 1905, he was Americas highest earning author. These stories were mainly based on the culture of the Alaskan and the Yukon regions of North America. He also wrote an autobiography, Martin Eden in 1909 (VanSpanckeren 56).
In Martin Eden, London exposes the depression of the American dream perhaps in his own experience amid the rise from poverty to affluence. Eden, a poor though wise and industrious sailor and laborer has his eyes on the writing career. At the end, his works in writing brings him wealth and fame but he realizes the woman he has fallen in love with is only targeting his money. Consequently, he loses trust in the entire humanity as caused by his girlfriends incapability to love him in equal measure. He is also separated from his class. He views the wealthy as acquisitive, selfish and unable to possess sensitivity to feelings even after working so hard to join it. Moreover, the wealth he amasses through his works throws him out of the working class so he becomes classless: He dislikes the class of the wealthy, where he is supposed to belong but he is already beyond the working class, he cannot join it. He chooses to terminate his life through suicide, after sailing to the South Pacific (VanSpanckeren 56-57). In this case, we can gather that in many wealthy peoples lives, there lies misery. Perhaps the way he terminates his life exposes the hopelessness or resignation which many people have. Having been so hopeful at the fact that possession of wealthy would bring him happiness, Eden finds more misery. He is disappointed at the way human nature is so poor in virtues. He throws himself in a ravenous sea, perhaps symbolic of the way a persons hard work may be fruitless. We can identify that humans may seek wealth individually, but happiness is found when their relations are based on mutual benefits. When relationships are built on exploitative motives, people are likely to be disillusioned.
Perhaps what the story did not expose is whether Eden could still find another woman to love. Having realised the betrayal in his girlfriend, Eden would have naturally terminated this relationship and sought for another woman. Any way, perhaps Eden gave up the whole venture, concluded that all women in his society were cut from the same cloth. Again, disillusionment is shown in this resignation.
The son of wolf is thought to an exposition of Londons hopefulness of the law. Peter Kratkze notes that in this story, a link between theory and practice of the law is established. Theoretically, the law is based on the doctrine of justice and so it gives individuals the hope to take part in legal procedures while expecting a fair hearing. In The Son Of wolf, London shows that people usually base their actions on law but authorities react according to the principles of the law. However when such expectations do not come by, individuals are apt to be disappointed with the law. In When God Laughs , he shows that people would always want to change rules as though to fit them whenever a new system is built. The character, Carquinez believes that gods make new laws for every leadership that is created even though all men have little chance of gaining victory (26-35).
Edwin Arlington Robinson
He is 19th centurys best poet in the US. His poems focused on ironic exposition of individuals character. His poems were full of metrics. His poem, Tilbury Town shows a sense of desperation; of people whose lives are full of fear despite their achievements. His monologue, Luke Havergal is about a lover who is abandoned. Like in Londons case, this poem shows lack of appreciation among people in response to the love they receive. As a result, lovers end up disappointed (VanSpanckeren 62). Richard Cory is another exposition of a rich man who terminates his life through suicide, adds Kathryn VanSpanckeren. Whenever he walked down the street, people on the sidewalks stared at him. The poem tells us that Richard Cory was a gentleman in totality, favored with cleanliness and blessed with imperial slimness. He was possessed with human character in his speech, well educated and wealthy-wealthier than a monarch! People on the streets thought he represented everything and admired his status. His status inspired so many to work hard but then one day, their role model just decided to shoot himself. Like Londons Martin Eden, this was a good caution against the notion of success than engulfed most Americans in view of millionaires (58-62).
Gertrude Simmons (Zitkala-sa)
She is an American Indian essayist whose life involved displacement as a result of colonial interference in her Indian culture. Her community suffered harsh habitat, economic and bodily losses. Government policies and reforms deepened the problems of Indians seeing them as torn between two cultures. Her essays showed the false thoughts highlighted by the evangelicals who thought Indian children would prosper if they abandoned their culture (Susag 3). In her Impressions of an Indian childhood, she identifies the Dakota language as a barrier to Christian communication. Christianity is thought to drive out the repressive power of Dakota and to bring up messages that had hitherto not found a local influence in English. The Euro-American Society had earlier been disregarded in traditional Dakota (Jennings 46). In this, images of women are painted on the backdrop of Iktomi, appearing as a white cultural imperialist who makes Indian women think they are humble donkey-like humans and whose men are superior because they lack exposure to modern way of life. Despite that, she honors Indiana women and especially her mother, perhaps to outwit Iktomi. Indian women are celebrated even as they lead a life torn between the Indian and euro-American cultures (Susag 14-16). In old Indian legends, Gertrude describes Iktomi as dishonest, deceptive and always exposing unacceptable behavior. Although most humans possess such behavior, it is a disappointment to those who realize how women have been deceived. In a typical Indian culture, Indian children striving to get education ended up separated from their own societies (Jennings 48). In the school days of Indian girl, Gertrude shows a spiritual power of memory symbolized through the wind. While she is still at her home, she can remember her traditions whenever the early morning wind blows. This changes when she goes to Eastern Boarding School; the wind is absent. Her usual home environment is separated from her. This shows disappointment most of the girls in her culture went through: despite gaining new education, she is detached from her home. Moreover, Dorothea Susag argues that they try to recompense their lost culture by creating their own kind, meaning they are neither in Indian nor in Euro-American identities (16-17). Thus Gertrude focused on the disillusionment realized by American Indians who wanted to improve their life through adapting to new cultures but ended up disappointed when they lost their previous identities.
In conclusion, the three writers; London, Robinson and Simmons achieve disappointment by focusing on usual societal notions that success would always bring happiness. Individuals begin to search for wealth because they think their lives would be better, only to realize that happiness and wealth are not the same.
Works cited
Jennings, Francis. The invasion of America: Indians, colonialism, and the Cant of Conquest. 2nd Ed. New York: Norton. 1990.
Kratzke, Peter. Jack Londons Optimistic View of the law: a Reading of the Son of the Wolf. Journal of Studies in Short Fiction. 32(1995): 26-35.
Susag, Dorothea M. Zitkala-sa (Gertrude Simmons Bonnin): a Power (full) Literary Voice. Studies in American Indian Literatures.2nd series. 5.4(Winter 1993): 3-26. 2009. Web.
VanSpanckeren, Kathryn. Outline of American Literature. Revised Ed.
New York: The US Department of State, Bureau of International Information programs. 1994.
The proposal aims to examine how gender roles are depicted in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. The focus will be on how the four March sisters, who lived in America in the middle of the 19th century, navigated and contested cultural expectations of gender and masculinity (Alcott). Little Women has significantly impacted how gender roles are perceived in literature and society (Smith). The gender roles depicted in the novel have had a profound impact on the world, as they reflect and reinforce traditional gender norms that continue to shape societal expectations and behaviors surrounding gender, despite efforts towards gender equality. Furthermore, the gender roles depicted have had a profound impact on the world, perpetuating harmful stereotypes that continue to limit womens opportunities and reinforce gender inequality.
Methodology
The proposal will done through a critical reading of the text and analysis of the historical background. The novel subverts conventional gender stereotypes by featuring strong, independent women while upholding them through their eventual marriages and domesticity.
In order to investigate gender roles in Little Women, the proposal will use a detailed review of the novels characters, storyline, and themes in the setting of the 19th century.Additionally, the proposal will also consider historical and cultural contexts to understand how gender roles were constructed and reinforced.
One theory that would be used to demonstrate the staying power of these gender roles in the novel is social learning theory since it proposes that people learn behaviors by observing and imitating others in their social environment (Desmawati). In Little Women, the characters learn gender roles from their parents and society, who reinforce the idea that women should be submissive, nurturing, and domestic (Sent and van Staveren).Another theory is gender schemas proposes that people categorize and interpret information based on gender stereotypes which can be seen throughout the novel. In conclusion, the proposal aims to investigate the gender roles in the book Little Women and how they have impacted future understandings of gender expectations. The social intricacies of gender roles and their influence on views toward women and gender expectations across all social classes will be thoroughly examined. The research will use a qualitative research approach and a close reading of the text to understand the experiences and beliefs of the characters in relation to gender roles.
Works Cited
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. Vol. 156. Ripol Classic, 2005.
Desmawati, Eka. Analysis of Feminism in the Little Women novel by Louisa May Alcott. Journal of Language and Literature, vol. 6, no. 2, 2020, pp. 91-96.
Smith, Shardai. Dismantling Gender Roles and Redefining Womanhood in Louisa May Alcotts Little Women. Locus: The Seton Hall Journal of Undergraduate Research, vol. 4, no. 1, 2021, pp. 111. Web.
Love is the most desirable feeling on the earth. People want to love and want to be loved, and the way of love expression may be absolutely different. There are people who can speak about their love every day, and those, who express their feelings by actions (give flowers or candies), but there are people who think that all of such sentimental expressions are not the affairs which should be provided by the men. Such men express their feelings by actions, which dissimulate their feelings. The main character of the story Avas Man by Rick Bragg is such a person, whose actions are not direct by they show his deep love and attachment.
Main Body
Plot discussion
The plot of the story focuses on Charlie Bundrum, Rick Braggs grandfather, and his family. Rick Bragg had never seen his grandfather as he had died two years before his birth, but he was told a lot of stories about this notable person, and the idea to write about his life appeared. The true story is about the family, which lived during the Great Depression on the South and who had to live a lot of times in order to find some source of income and be able to feed the family. To the point, Charlie Bundrum and his wife Ava had seven children and the times were so difficult that a lot of efforts had to be made in order to keep all of them fed.
The ways of love expression
Charlie Bundrum had to shift a lot of homes and works, it is difficult to mention professions which he was not involved in. He worked at steel mill not for money but for bacon and fruits, he worked as a roofer, but this work was not paid fully, as people could not pay their bills and he was selling moonshine. This person had never been educated, nevertheless, he was clever. He had never been tender, but his family knew that he loved them. He could express his thoughts in a rude way, but children knew this was not his anger, but the character.
Considering all these facts, it seems impossible to mention that he could love. But he could. His love to wife and children was shown by his desire to make them happy, to give them enough food and protection. A notable example of his love expression is when Charlie had almost killed the person with the aim to secure his family. He was able for everything but to make his family and friends protected. The main sense of Charlies life was to make his family happy. Working as carpenter or as a fisherman, as a roofer or whisky-maker, his main aim was the care about his family.
The level of Charlie Bundrums love
Analyzing the story from the point of view of love, it should be mentioned, that Charlie loved his family with real deep love, even as he had never told people about his feelings. There are few people who are eager for such love, who can fully give themselves for the benefit of his family. Never telling his children about love, they knew that the love of their father was even more than the love of those, who constantly repeat it, as love was proved by action.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a lot of ways to express love, and the least words are told and more real actions provided, the deeper and higher love takes place. The story under consideration shows that even rude, uneducated people can love real and deep love. The ability to love consists in the condition of soul, but not the level of education, the ability for declamation or just the behavior. Love is the inner condition of the soul, and sometimes poor people love higher.