At first glimpse, Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find and William Faulkners A Rose for Emily are two different stories. The main unifying feature of the narrations is the horrifying outcomes. However, there are inherent ideas that are similar in both stories. The common theme of two rather frightening and cruel stories is the theme of the imposition of life ideologies and the inability to accept the changing essence of the world.
Discussion
In the story A Good Man is Hard to Find, the grandmother is concerned about what people think of her and her family. Her values, faith in God, and attempts to deny the essence of the main antagonist and turn him into the right person become ridiculous and fragile (OConnor). Considering himself a good person, the grandmother could not get out of the paradigm of perceiving himself as good. In other words, it became evil by rejecting everything not included in its paradigm of knowledge. In other words, she could never accept the world as it is. At the same time, in A Rose for Emily, the main character is also subject to the oppressive influence of her father. Her life position was formed only within the framework of his existence, as a result of which she could never accept the fact of his death (Faulkner). Emily could not even bury her father and continued to live in thoughts about him.
Conclusion
Thus, these stories, narrating two different stories in content, speak about the same thing. The characters in the stories were so focused on their paradigm of perception that all their values were meaningless in the face of real life. It is imperative to refrain from dwelling on your paradigm of perceiving the world, even if it was imposed by someone else. It is essential to adapt to the situation and try to accept the world and the people in it as they are.
Works Cited
Faulkner, William. A Rose for Emily. American Literature, 1930.
OConnor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find. Avon, 1953.
One of James Baldwins early novels, Go Tell It on the Mountain, took several years to write. Like many debut works, its basic structure is greatly influenced by autobiography. Baldwin grew up in Harlem under the puritanical guidance of a religious stepfather, just like his protagonist John Grimes. Generally, the horrific father-son conflict and religious hypocrisy regarding Christianity at the center of the book are perhaps most relevant today within the systemic issues that America continues to experience.
Relevancy of Baldwins Work Today in the Context of Systemic Issues
One of the pressing issues that Americans continue to deal with is sexuality. Baldwin draws attention to the uncomfortable fuzziness between the desire and perception of righteousness and the likelihood and actuality of life heading toward eternal damnation to examine themes relating to sexuality (13). The main character, John, finds himself struggling to overcome the obstacles placed by religion on the issue of sexual identity. John tries to take faith seriously but finds it difficult to follow the rules. Baldwin notes, In the school lavatory, alone, thinking of the boys, older, bigger, braver, who made bets with each other as to whose urine could arch higher, he had watched in himself a transformation of which he would never dare to speak (20). John appears to be slightly interested in the male students at his institution. Additionally, John masturbates while fantasizing about men and not women. Unfortunately, his faith views feelings of this nature as sinful. Johns sex life exposes the churchs hypocrisy on how sexuality should be feared and punished.
Many Americans today struggle to publicly reveal their sexuality because of fear of being judged. In the novel, John grapples with his newly discovered sins, including masturbation and fantasizing about men. Although the book does not explicitly state that John accepts his homosexual urges as a part of who he is, it appears that he does. However, John fails to publicly declare this as that would have complicated his quest to find a place for himself in his family, life, and body. John struggles to focus during Sunday school because he is perplexed by Elishas body, power, and voice. The entire narrative eroticizes Elisha, portraying his experience of being overpowered by the Holy Spirit in a church ecstasy. Johns feelings may be those of a young person going through puberty, when gay feelings may have begun to emerge.
Another systemic issue that Americans have been experiencing in the past and even today is racial structure and hierarchies that dominate and marginalize people who are perceived as inferior. The first of this kind is the family framework, which is the defining feature of the marginalized community. Baldwin notes, On Sunday mornings, the women all seemed patient, all the men seemed mighty (16). In this patriarchal structure, men are given immense societal responsibilities while women are undermined. For instance, in the novel, males are empowered by religion to assume leadership positions while having morally dubious pasts. Similar to what is taught in the Bible, there are community members, like Johns father, whom God has chosen to guide others to salvation. The church in the book demonstrates how males typically assume leadership positions and apply the doctrine favoring men.
Concepts of Domestic Violence and Abuse
The concepts of domestic violence (DV) and abuse are pertinent to the conversation Baldwin develops in the novel. For instance, the author portrays that the father often physically assaults John. Baldwin asserts, This was not, in John, a faith subject to death or alteration; it was his identity, and part, therefore, of that wickedness for which his father beat him (23). Johns father was the minister of God, yet he struggled to obey his teachings. He reminded the family members, especially John, that he could not bow before the throne of grace without first kneeling to his father (Baldwin 23). In essence, this depicts that Johns defiance had flourished due to the fathers wickedness. In the context of the patriarchal framework, Deacon Gabriel Grimes exemplifies the characteristics of a father. He dominates his family with an iron grip, as evidenced by the time he slaps his wife, Elizabeth, for neglecting his children after Roy, one of the sons, is stabbed. Despite working hard to support his family, he plays a double-edged role by abusing them whenever they do not comply with his demands.
Domestic violence and abuse were still relevant throughout 2020 and even today. According to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, there was a 2533% increase in DV cases in 2020 (Newman). An alarming rise in DV was one of the COVID-19 pandemics hidden costs. In essence, this demonstrates that DV was prevalent in the community at the time. The 1930s in American society were the setting for Baldwins semi-autobiography. History indicates that patriarchy was prominent in society during this period. Individuals continue to grapple with the idea that men are still predominantly viewed as the head of the family and have undisputed control over all other members of society.
The Ramifications of Environmental Racism
Numerous factors, such as deliberate neglect, a lack of institutional power, and the low land values of people of color, contribute to environmental racism (ER). Baldwin attempts to show how ER continues to affect populations who come from underserved communities, especially how it impacts the psyche of John. For instance, there are no programs to appreciate the efforts of Black individuals in the community. John Grimes became popular, yet it was only colored people who praised him (Baldwin 22). Essentially, this cripples Johns advancement in many aspects of life. However, soon, the principal recognizes him and praises how he is a bright boy (Baldwin 22). Ultimately, John becomes alert to everything around him, including domestic violence and abuse.
Baldwin presents the concept of self-esteem by portraying Johns progress after being acknowledged as bright. Generally, readers can note that after Johns fame and intelligence are recognized, he starts to view things differently and identify vices like those executed by his father. Baldwin states, That moment gave John, from that time on, if not a weapon at least a shield; he apprehended, without belief or understanding, that he had in himself a power that other people lacked (Baldwin 22). How crucial self-esteem is to teenagers is demonstrated at the moment when Elisha and Ella Mae are humiliated in front of the crowd. Essentially, it proposes that humans see others as sinners and easily despise them despite their efforts in society. Ultimately, the interaction between John and Elisha, in which he narrates the importance of being saved, shows that individuals try to perceive themselves as holy and rightful through the eyes of others.
Conclusion
In brief, the books central religious hypocrisy and dreadful father-son conflict are arguably most pertinent today, given the systemic problems that America is still facing. Baldwin engages the reader using John Grimess life experience to describe how environmental prejudice, domestic violence, and other factors like racial structure and hierarchy impact the character. Generally, John is attempting to escape the hardship that originates from society, especially his father.
Works Cited
Baldwin, James. Go Tell it on the Mountain. Vintage, 1953, Web.
The two books illustrate the variations in cultures, infrastructures, and politics between China and the US. From the perceptions of two Americans on a visit to China, the books illustrate the progresses in infrastructure, economic development, and cultural change in China over the last few years.
In Chinese Lessons, Pomfret outlines what foreigners in the communist state go through, and details the differences between the American and the Chinese governments (Pomfret, 2006). On the other hand, Country Driving focuses on the Chinese infrastructures, and outlines the major industrial developments realized by their government in the last decade (Hessler, 2010). This paper reviews the two books by focusing on the progress gained by the Chinese government in the last few years.
Chinese Lessons
Through this book, Pomfret reveals to the readers the cultures and the histories of Chinese people (Pomfret, 2006). By doing so, the author fosters in their minds a remarkable and awful illustration of the Chinese governments in the past, present, and future. The book begins by focusing on the past awful experiences faced by the Nanjing University students in the early 1980s.
In one incident, the Chinese government leaders killed one of the countrys scholars for criticizing the government. Through this tragic incident, the author ridicules the communist leaders for their inhuman and barbaric acts. Having been raised in a democratic and civilized nation, the authors experiences in China were bewildering.
Notably, the author was surprised that the international students in China were never allowed to live with the local students. To socialize with them, the author had to engage in social events. Equally, Pomfret was shocked when he realized that the Chinese government had outlawed all sports associated with the Westerners in the country (Pomfret, 2006).
Through the above illustrations, the author reveals to the readers how dictatorial and archaic the Chinese government were in the past. By doing so, the author educates the readers on several challenges foreign students may face through their exchange programs. Similarly, through these illustrations the author enlightens the readers about the advantages of capitalist governments over communist governments.
By focusing on Guans life, the author demonstrates how activists suffered under the communist government for speaking out their mind. Mao had encouraged the Chinese to speak out their minds during the Hundred Flowers Boom movement (Pomfret, 2006). Not knowing the trick behind Maos initiatives, those who spoke out their minds were later identified and punished by the ruler.
Guans father was among those punished for participating in the demonstration. Later on Guan was forced to denounce his father for her to access higher education. Through these, the author demonstrates to us how intellectuals can suffer under the leadership of dictatorial leaders. Thus, the book encourages us to condemn all the efforts by our governments to implement dictatorial policies.
Country Driving
Through this book, Hessler illustrates how the Chinese government has transformed its transportation industry in the past few decades (Hessler, 2010). By acknowledging that the country was still struggling with its past development plunders, the author reveals the positive side of the countrys infrastructure in the future.
This book consists of three parts. The first part of the book details the authors adventures travelling by car in the rural China. Through this part, the author demonstrates to the readers that the Chinese people are hilarious and illuminating. Similarly, through this part the author manages to satirize the Chinese driving skills.
The author states that the average Chinese driving skills are suicidal. In addition, through the first part, we are able to identify the perception the Chinese government officials hold about Americans visiting their country. More than once, the Chinese police suspect that the author was an American spy.
In the second part of his book, Hessler portrays to us a different understanding of the Chinese culture. The author reveals the Chinese individuals as industrious, determined, and hospitable. To illustrate on the industriousness of the Chinese government, the author depicts how Chinese industrial towns have specialized in producing specific products they were gifted in. Similarly, the author notes that Chinese workers in these towns are interested in nothing but money.
On the other hand, the author illustrates the weakness of the Chinese government and private organization business policies. Through the book, we realize that the Chinese firms are so vulnerable to fluctuating international product prices. This implies that if the international demand for their products drop, the Chinese firms may be forced to close down due to their poor business plans. Similarly, through this book we are able to understand the countrys bribery and corruption systems.
The author details on Guanxi systems in China. These systems allow individuals to give and receive tokens for business related favors. According to the author, the system is so rampant that the government institutions have adopted it for their smooth operations. Through this book, we realize that the Chinese government is unconcerned with the vices.
The authors of the two books try to change the readers hard held perceptions about the Chinese people. Pomfret offers its readers a chance to enhance their global awareness. Many writers have written literatures about the Chinese, but few have managed to focus on the countrys issues as Pomfret does.
Despite his success in unraveling the Chinese cultures, I realized that the author stereotyped the Chinese people. He views the Chinese women as opportunists. Through this, the author promotes the stereotype held against the Asian American women in America. In America, Asian American women have been portrayed as promiscuous.
Through this, I strongly disagree with the author perceptions, as his illustration of the Chinese women may enhance prejudices against Asian people. Similarly, Hessler portrays a positive image about Chinese people contrary to what most foreigners believe. Normally, most foreigners believe that the Chinese have expanded their economy through unscrupulous means.
However, after reading this book, readers will realize that the Chinese individuals are industrious, and that they have struggled against the communist leaders to achieve their development success. Another similar attribute between the two books is their views on the future of the Chinese. Based on the current political, social, and economic changes in the country, the two authors believe that the Chinese future is bright.
The two authors trace the history of China under the leadership of communist leaders to the current leaders. Through this, the authors have illustrated every positive step the country has made towards achieving a democratic political space. By focusing on the countrys past, the two authors similarly portrayed economical achievements realized in the last decades.
Between the two books, I do find that County Driving meets its stated goal more than Chinese Lesson. As depicted in the book, Hessler focuses more on the positive attributes of the Chinese cultures and developments than Pomfret. Hessler, more often, portrays how China has transformed its infrastructures in the last decade to be among the best in the world.
While focusing on his experience, on Chinese factories, Hessler illustrates the industriousness of the Chinese firms. Through this, the author enables readers to understand why China is among the leading exporters of consumer products. Similarly, Hessler describes his experience with the Chinese families in a remote village.
From his interaction with them, we realize that the author realizes that the Chinese way of thinking is quite different from the way the Westerners perceive them. On the other hand, Pomfret focuses more on his struggles in China. As such, he illustrates how he struggled to learn their language, and come into terms with the injustices perpetuated by the communist government.
Through this, he focuses less on the positive attributes of the Chinese, thus reaffirming some of the stereotypes held about the Asian communities by the westerners. Since the two books were aimed at enhancing the Chinese image among the foreigners, Hesslers book meets its stated goal more successfully.
For the students planning to undertake this course next year, the two books will provide an insight on the Chinese government operations. The students will be able to study the progress realized by the Chinese government in the last decade. Through these readings, the students will be able to identify the effects of communism on the Chinese government. Similarly, the students can analyze and evaluate the benefits the Chinese government has gained from its dramatic development changes.
References
Hessler, P. (2010). Country driving: a journey through China from farm to factory. New York: Harper.
Pomfret, J. (2006). Chinese lessons: five classmates and the story of the new China. New York: H. Holt.
The question of animals rights can hardly be taken seriously in modern society; the world of literature represented a clear philosophical and theoretical view on the role of wild and domestic creatures in human life. The modern world subjected the animals rights to a kind of utilitarianism though the cruelty towards them is completely unacceptable. The analysis of Elizabeth Costello written by Coetzee J. M. and Metamorphosis written by Kafka gives an opportunity to dive into the world of animals through evaluation of their lives about human interests and cultural traditions.
Costellos and Kafkas World of Animals
The principal metaphor of life concerning animals perception by humanity can be characterized as feeding unwanted dogs bodies into incinerators; the book Elizabeth Costello presents this expression through humanism and rationalism concepts. It is necessary to underline the fact that the work under analysis put all animals in moral hierarchy, stressing the idea that all people used to believe in their greater right to life than animals.
Cruelty to animals is disclosed as the grave sin of human life; the author underlines that meet-eating humans are considered to be true conspirators in stupefying magnitude crime taking place in factories, slaughterhouses, farms and many laboratories throughout the world. Costellos literary achievements have been brightly illustrated on the basis of lectures aimed at philosophical presentation of animals. According to her theory, every animal is a kind of embodied soul characterizing that all people are animals themselves. The most horror fact is aimed at underlining killers refusal to think themselves into the place of victims (Coetzee, 2004). It means that people never persecute animals imagining themselves into their own lives. It is necessary to underline the fact that the author grabs special attention to spiritual presentation of animals rights; such concepts as western cultural arrogance of movements aimed at animals rights protection, sentimental utopianism and various philosophical shortcomings as equality claims between human understanding and animals. It is interesting to note that Costello tried not to share personal experiences of her relations with personal animals because of strong academic taboo; nevertheless, her ideas and thoughts are grounded and exemplified through a number of cultural traditions and customs. The fiction of modernity centralizes the image and symbols of animals underlining important philosophical concepts of human thinking.
One of the lectures section was aimed at comparative analysis of Holocaust and meet industry; Costellos philosophical presentation appeared to be ill argued though it was logically connected with high cultural and scientific practice. The author stressed that usual life of most people includes sentimental engagements with some animals filled with potential and intensity for unconventional effects. It was found out that emotional proximity between animals and humans is considered to be the central generator of sentiment and sympathy. Costello strived to demonstrate a row of social prohibitions concerning nurturing behavior covering increased awareness of pleasures, perceptions and sufferings related to the animals.
Coetzee described Costellos observations of various experiments and tests aimed at identification of animals intelligence. The baboon expert, Barbara Smuts, included in Coetzees lectures was concerned as to the consciousness of animals; she used to live in the animals world being surrounded by them in usual life. She was concerned as to the consciousness of the animals accompanying her in everyday life. Philosophical concept in the identification of the animals role for humanity was predominantly based on the principle of creatures perception in the cultures of different nations (Coetzee, p. 145).
Elizabeth Costello used to demonstrate the life of animals through such aspects as breeding and killing. She was certainly distraught by the reality she lived in. The presentation of the vegetarian mean of life was considered to be centralized in the authors perception; Costello was considerably shattered by the development of the meat industry, peoples callow inability to respect and recognize animals lives. She stressed her shock from imbecile experiments humans conduct on animals; Costello was astonished and irritated with the established arrogant philosophies embodying animals as the part of human feeding, experiments and entertaining. It is necessary to underline the fact that Coetzee managed to underline Costellos worrying concerning social indifference in their attitude towards the world of animals. It is interesting to stress that English philosophy covering the life of animals reflects analytical descriptions of individuals; it means that animals are treated on the basis of such concepts as death, suffering, etc., rather than species in the whole. Costello underlined the most frequent description of breeding animals for manufacturing of food, which can hardly characterize modern link between the world of human beings and animals from the positive aspect.
Special attention was paid to genetic engineering, as this field is considered to play a significant role within every society. Genetically altered mice are used in order to test new remedies in the sphere of medicine; this aspect limits the right of animals considerably. It is necessary to underline the fact that our experiments lead to the creation of real monsters brought into life with our hands. Thus, thousands of monstrous turkeys and mice are produced in order to get sick and die in near future. Nowadays people can hardly think about the feelings and thoughts of animals surrounding us; such ignorance is in the process of strengthening from generation to generation and can result in complete destruction of cultural harmony in any society.
Franz Kafka devoted his works to the embodiment of animals in the work Metamorphosis; he reflected the way of human life through their turning into various creatures. Transformations of people into animals can be perceived as the true link between the two worlds of living beings: people and animals. It is necessary to underline the fact that the use of animals can be perceived through their detachment; it is the breakage of stereotypes in the society as to distant link between the features of humans and creatures.
Kafkas Metamorphosis investigates the transformation of the protagonist into a bug underlining the suffering of the person living the life of non-human creatures. The author strived to outline the differences in perception produced by people and animals through close interference of their life. Living in the family, a transformed person felt prejudices and hate; that is the way modern people treat the world of animals. Kafkas implementation was reflected through parallel drawing between human existence and dependence on animals (Kafka, 1996).
Deep analysis of this work can reflect the idea, that Kafka illustrated a kind of death of the Human World, where all the people live under the pressure of animals style of life and behavior. The work is rather symbolic and characterizes the animals as a separate power. All the metamorphoses are described as the part of conjunction referred to as deterritorialization where the human beings serve as the animals. (Deleuze, p. 111)
The analysis of two different stories Metamorphosis by Kafka and Elizabeth Costello by Coetzee presents two various visions of the world of animals. It is necessary to underline the fact that Costello was the real protector of creatures defending spiritual side of their rights. She used to demonstrate the link between human beings and animals; her storyline represents animals through human perception, though recent changes in cultural and traditional regulations resulted in harm to the world of animals. Constant experiments and testing conducted in the period of modernization make animals be the part of artificial activities of human beings. Comparing Costellos interpretation of animals with Kafkas Metamorphosis, it is necessary to underline the fact that Kafka produced allegorical philosophy of animals place in modern world. Transformations into creatures symbolize spiritual dependence between animals and people; the author managed to illustrate how two worlds of living beings can be connected with each other.
Conclusion
Philosophical and theoretical interpretation of animals in literature was demonstrated from different aspects, as it was proved on the example of Costello and Kafka who presented them on the basis of personal experience. It is necessary to underline the fact that the modern world of humanity deprived animals of their rights perceiving them predominantly as the integral part of meat industry development. The analysis of two works disclosed how wild and domestic animals are perceived and treated in modern society.
In conclusion, it is necessary to underline the fact that Costello and Kafka embodied the animals in their works for the purpose of stressing the significance of nature and surrounding creatures. Modern ignorance on the part of generation was sharpened considerably because of misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the key animals philosophy. The work appeared to be the underline of principle tasks of modern society on our way to harmony with the nature and improved treatment of animals through human necessity to protect them from internal interference.
References
Coetzee, J.M. Elizabeth Costello. Penguin (Non-Classics). 2004.
Deleuze, G. Kafka: toward a minor literature. University of Minnesota Press. 1986.
Kafka, F. The Metamorphosis and Other Stories. Dover Publications, 1996.
The book entitled Bring the War Home by Kathleen Belew features the white power movement in the USA and shows how this movement was born out of peoples grievances in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. While the movement is radical and uses violence to achieve its aims, people readily condemn it. However, they fail to trace its connection to the Vietnamese war that taught people cruelty, out of which the ideas of white supremacy were born. The author reflects on the unwanted consequences of any war and claims that wars cannot be finished as quickly as they are started. The author hypostatizes that, once unleashed, the war sets the cycle of violence that sooner or later comes to ones own home to destroy the peaceful lives of people who believe the war will never touch them.
Kathleen Belew is an assistant professor of history at the University of Chicago who analyzed many documents and letters to determine the effect of war on peoples beliefs and values. The authors background helped her to make the book highly credible due to the number of sources and evidence she used. All the statements she makes are well grounded in the research and rich in details, such as can only be gotten from historical documents. The author claims that the war cannot be finished at will, and its aftermath, such as a significant increase in cruelty, criminal practices, and weapons trafficking, is to beset a country that lets its citizens take part in military actions. Thus, the author says, War is not neatly contained in the space and time legitimated by the state. It reverberates in other terrains and lasts long past armistice. It comes home in ways bloody and unexpected (p. 5). Therefore, people who do not want to have a war on their territory should not engage in military actions elsewhere.
In Bring the War Home, Belew features how the white supremacy movement consolidated in the 1970s and 1980s when the veterans of the Vietnam War felt cheated by the government that, in their opinion, failed to let them be winners. The so-called justice movement was born from this grievance, combined with cruel practices that soldiers and officers adopted during the war. While popular opinion holds that criminal acts committed by white men in those years were acts committed by individuals, Belew shows the organization that stood behind each act of terror. Leaderless as it was, it still had organs of information distribution such as newspapers, leaflets, computers, etc., which are widely available to all, keep each person informed of events, allowing for a planned response that will take many variations (Belew, p. 17). Thus, every individual or small criminal cell was guided and organized by the program of Leaderless resistance that instilled peoples minds with the right course of action. This point proves that those people who took part in the Vietnam War did manage to act as a cohesive whole and bring terror to their territory in an unending cycle of death and violence unleashed by the war.
Belews other argument to prove her point is the utter individualism that reigned within the Leaderless resistance. Thus, the author says, You are the organization. You alone. You with others. It all begins with you. You are the keystone, the nucleus and intersecting point in the web (p. 39). Indeed, war veterans were not connected by any special bonds; however, they all had the experience of taking part in military actions, grievances, and disappointment the war brought. Therefore, individual violent actions were the only possible way to unleash ones frustration on ones country. At the same time, it was the best option to ensure that the war was not ended and extended to territories previously considered safe from violent actions.
Finally, Belew shows how the violence brought by the war penetrates society, ensuring the violent cycle is never ended. The author underlines that the white supremacy movement cannot be seen as isolated from society, and its ideas of violence and hostility penetrate all realms of social life. Thus, Belew says that white power should be recognized as something broader than the Klan, encompassing a wider range of ideologies and operating simultaneously in public and underground (p.48). Moreover, it seriously impacts mainstream society, instilling ideas of racial supremacy, intolerance, and violence as a way to problem resolution.
While the analysis is rich in detail and credible in showing how war is transferred into ones territory, it lacks an understanding of what can be done not to let it happen. Though it is generally believed that war veterans need rehabilitation programs and various supportive measures to get used to the peaceful way of life around them, the author does not provide details on whether these measures can help stop the cycle of violence. Moreover, though the author speaks on the impact of the white supremacy movement on society, she does not cover the reverse influence the community has on war veterans outlooks and values.
Providing rich detail on the process of formation of the supreme white movement and its impact on social life in the afterwar US, Belew shows how the lives of ordinary people can be transformed by the echoes of war waged thousands of miles away from their homes. The author sees war as a never-ending cycle that unleashes violence that cannot be contained within certain borders or limits and is sure to affect everyone directly or indirectly involved in military actions. In a complex mix of individualism with an underlying leaderless structure, violence takes root in peoples minds and penetrates the society that believes itself to be free of it.
Work Cited
Belew, Kathleen. Bring the War Home. Harvard University Press, 2018.
The two very popular childrens books, Ten, Nine, Eight , by Molly Bang, and Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak are both captivating books that keep childrens interest and attention. Both were meant to be read as bedtime stories with Ten, Nine Eight written for toddlers and young children and Where the Wild Things are for a little older ones.
Main Text
Ten, Nine, Eight is a countdown book that depicts a loving relationship between a young child and her parent who eases her to sleep. The text makes readers look around the room to find things to count while gently making the young child relaxed and sleepy. Its simple words are very appropriate for its target readers, as it does not stimulate their imagination too much that it keeps them more awake. Where the Wild Things Are is quite the opposite. In the story, the character, Max is a naughty little boy who plays out the fantasies he visualizes in his vivid imagination. The story is filled with action from very strange creatures from very strange lands. Max tries to conquer his fear of monsters by imagining he can overpower them. Older children will definitely enjoy this story, even if it may scare them a bit. The active imagination of Max is something they can relate to, along with his fear of the unfamiliar and strange. While Ten, Nine, Eight relaxes children with the predictable pattern of the story, Where The Wild Things Are elicits many emotions that may both excite and frighten children before they settle down to a feel good ending to send them off to sleep.
Although the stories are very different, both have the elements of a stable and warm home environment. In Ten, Nine, Eight , the parent is the key figure that keeps the child feeling secure and loved. In Where The Wild Things Are , it is the familiarity of Maxs room and his hot supper waiting for him. Both stories empower children, with Ten Nine Eight building a childs confidence in counting and self-esteem in being loved by a parent, and Where the Wild Things Are raising the childs self-esteem by helping him deal with his fears and conquering them by seeing himself above them.
If the books were to be interchanged to go to the wrong target reader, it will definitely create an impact in terms of cognitive and emotional aspects. Younger children exposed to Where the Wild Things Are might be so afraid of the story and characters because of the scary way they are illustrated. In addition, they may not appreciate the message of the story that one can conquer ones fear using the mind. It takes a certain level of maturity for a child to be able to appreciate the book as a whole. On the other hand, should older children reading Ten, Nine, Eight they may at first be attracted to the wonderful pictures in the story, but are likely to be bored because there is not much action going on in the story.
Conclusion
It must be remembered that books must be chosen well to suit developmental needs of children. Both stories deserve the adulation they have earned from literary critics and are recommendable reading material for children.
While most people today look at literature as something intended merely to entertain the masses in their leisure hours, those who study the subject understand that there is much more involved than a simple story. For centuries, authors have used the medium of the story to convey greater truths to their audiences. One form of greater truth involves the standards of behavior expected in a given society. These can include indications of social class within the characters themselves or values of the community such as the need to honor the dead or the need to see that justice wins out in the end. By looking at the literature written in the past, readers today can gain a sense of these values as they were held by different people in different times. One might expect, for example, to discover different value placements within the texts of Shakespeares plays written in England in the mid-16th century as compared to the texts of other authors such as Guan Hanqing who wrote in China in what we consider to be the 1200s. While this may be largely the case when comparing other works, a comparison of Shakespeares play Hamlet and Hanqings play The Injustice Done to Dou E reveals that these two cultures, although vastly separated by time and geography, nevertheless share many of the same ideas regarding what is recognized as nobility of spirit, the importance of family honor and the requirement to re-establish justice when wrongs have been committed.
Main body
Within both the Hanqing and Shakespeare plays, the main character demonstrates the nobility of spirit considered essential to all classical tragedies. Dou E has nobility of spirit as shown in her response to her mother-in-laws announcement that they will be married to the bandits that saved her on the road. When Mother Tsai returns home with the announcement that both women are to marry the scoundrels who both saved and threatened her on the road, Dou E demonstrates that she has a strong sense of what is expected of a woman of her station. As she rails against her mother-in-laws decision, she reveals that her expected role is to preserve and honor the memory of her dead husband and father-in-law, one of whom has provided the two women with all they will need to survive into old age and the other who has not yet been dead long enough for her to remove her widows dress. Instead of meekly following her mother-in-laws instruction, Don E holds to a higher code of law when she says, When I think of all that my father-in-law acquired, I cant bear to think it should all be Donkey Changs to enjoy & This is not what becomes of a woman when her husband is dead (Act 1, 128). This nobility of spirit that enables Dou E to honor her mother-in-law by performing as expected within the household while holding to a higher code in refusing to accept an unseemly forced marriage is seen also in the character of Hamlet as he struggles to determine which is the truth, that his father was murdered by his uncle or that the devil has sent a demon in the guise of his father to tempt Hamlet into committing a great wrong. He is noble first because he is truly of noble blood being the only son of the reigning king and queen and second because he is dedicated to doing the right thing. It is in confronting his mother about the complicity of his fathers death that he perhaps shows his greatest nobility of spirit as he expresses his extreme disappointment with her low behavior. He places an inordinate importance on doing and knowing perfectly; throughout most of his experience he also places the responsibility for that knowing and that doing solely on himself (Hassel, 1994: 610). This sense of his importance in upholding the honor of the entire household, by holding others to account for their deeds reveals Hamlets pride in his possession of a more enlightened belief system. He feels he is the only one who recognizes what the truth is and the only one left to carry forward the appropriate reaction to that truth.
In both stories, then, there is also a strong importance given to the need to uphold family honor regardless of personal cost. It can be seen that both characters struggle with this as they are faced with the practical situations of everyday life. Dou E is required, by custom and tradition, to honor and obey her mother-in-law in all things, but she is also commanded to honor her dead husband by never marrying again and her dead father-in-law by never giving what he has worked so hard for to another. This forces her into a difficult position in which she must constantly argue against her mother-in-laws decision while still serving the men who would be their husbands. She remains dedicated to the truth throughout her story, though, and stands firm against Donkey Chang until the court threatens to beat the older woman. As her ghost tells her father, When the magistrate saw that I would not weaken he threatened to beat my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law is old and could not stand up to a beating, so I was forced into confessing (Act 4, 150). Rather than allow her ancestors to suffer disgrace or her living older relative to suffer undeserved punishment, Dou E accepts death with a hope for future justice. Hamlet must make a similar choice of either damning his soul by murdering in the name of honor and revenge as his dead father has requested or allowing his familys honor to slip away into the mists of the past. For this reason, he strives through most of the play to ensure that he is acting on the truth. The spirit that I have seen maybe a devil, and the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape, yea, and perhaps, out of my weakness and my melancholy, as he is very potent with such spirits, abuses me to damn me. Ill have grounds more relative than this (II, ii, 584-589). To get the proof he needs, he stages a play before the king that re-enacts his fathers murder. The kings reaction gives Hamlet the proof he needs but informs Claudius of Hamlets intentions.
Conclusion
Finally, both plays emphasize the importance of re-establishing justice even if the individual characters can no longer benefit. In both plays, it is the presence of a ghost that exposes the injustice committed. Dou E appears before her father when he comes to read cases in her province and makes her presence known. She first manages to pull a few tricks to make her presence known, such as dimming the candle and rearranging the papers on his desk. Once she is called out, however, she can confront her father and tell him about the injustice committed against her. Her spirit can manifest itself to more than just the startled father, though, as he is also able to call her forth within the courtroom for questioning in the case. Even after justice has been given to her as the facts of the case are made public, Dou E tells her father that she cannot rest until she knows that her old mother-in-law is provided for. She asks her father, Will you take her into your household and for my sake treat her as is her due? Then I shall be able to close my eyes at last beneath the Nine Streams (Act 4, 157). This same sense of re-establishing justice and order can be found in Hamlets story as both the king and queen are killed by their poison, thus ending the dishonor of the family. Hamlet is also killed by this poison but his honor is upheld as those who knew him best pronounce his end. Hamlet is eulogized by Horatio, Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, / And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest! (V, ii), and Fortinbras orders Hamlet be given a soldiers burial as he proved most royal; and for his passage / The soldiers music and the rites of war / Speak loudly for him (V, ii).
It can thus be said that the primary values of traditional society, whether in the 16th century in Europe or the 13th century in China, held to vaguely the same ideals. The concepts of individual dedication to family, honor, and truth regardless of personal cost are both demonstrated through these noble figures who represent the best characters of their society. However, even they are seen to be slaves to the dictates of truth and honor as they must sacrifice their own lives and souls to do what is right for their families.
Works Cited
Hanqing, Guan. The Injustice Done to Dou E.
Hassel, R. Chris Jr. Hamlets Too, Too Solid Flesh. Sixteenth Century Journal. Vol. 25, N. 3, (1994), pp. 609-622.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Complete Pelican Shakespeare. New York: Penguin Books, 1969, pp. 930-76.
Since the beginning of time, mankind has been enchanted by the concept of Gods living in disguise amongst them. The prospect of such magnitude induces hopes in their hearts and motivates them to achieve what cant be done by ordinary means. Thus the concept of heroes emerged in ancient Greece in the form of a divine union between Gods and Mortals, hence creating Demigods.
Why does a man need heroes? It is the question that arises after witnessing the birth of heroism. The very simple answer to that question is that hero is the creation of society. He represents everything that men of society lack and fail to achieve on their own. They desire to see their wishes and values manifest in the form of a person who embodies hope for them. Depending on the needs and requirements of society, a hero keeps on taking many faces and looks.
The second question that we find ourselves asking is what a hero is or what are the traits that transform a man from ordinary into a hero? Depending on the cultures, societies, and different values, heroes may be defined in many ways. Greeks envisioned their heroes as men capable of performing inhuman feats of strength and courage. They are superhuman beings who keep on finding ways to challenge themselves, pitting against dangers and embarking on impossible quests.
They only lusted after pride and glory while their characters remain shrouded as they are considered heroes due to their strength and talents. The Roman and Spartan ages glorified soldiers as peoples champions due to their martial nature. The more severed heads they brought, the more they secured their place as heroes in the eyes of the populace. Christianitys birth brought out a new kind of hero, a symbol of piety and selflessness; the saints took over the mythical seat left by their predecessors.
The martyred saints gained love and attention all across the globe as heroes began to show signs of humanity and empathy. Whilst the medieval age viewed artists, intellectuals, and rebels as heroes, Shakespearean heroes began to emerge men filled with great virtue and character. And so the traditional hero of age started that lasted until the industrial revolution.
Heroes of the modern age took a new definition. They were men of character and virtue yet burdened with a load of their responsibilities and afflictions. They whimpered and hid behind their supporting characters in times of trouble. Thus the age of Byronic Heroes begun where heroes or the protagonists (as thats what they were turning into) portrayed men of high intellect and capabilities but with no regard for laws or society. They were depicted as rather anti-social. The romantic and modern age turned heroes into mere protagonists, the center of the spotlight quite unlike the heroes of the old age with their traditional rescuing the damsel in distress tactics.
The 20th century brought World War I along with it that altered many perspectives and the need to redefine the heroes was realized the celebrated American author and war veteran Ernest Hemmingway who utilized all of his best efforts to create characters from which he could draw out the elements that are present in a traditional hero. He developed characters that had suffered and endured the hardships of time and war and emerged as heroes, and from here on, Hemmingways Code Hero started defining its contours (Young, p. 70).
Setting the standard for the modern hero, Hemmingway inspired the new age of heroes that emerged either through literature, art, or the ever-evolving electronic media. The age of comic books that started in the 1930s brought a new breed of heroes that were the ingenious combination of the Hemmingway hero and the classical Greek Demigods; The Superheroes. As this genre evolved, Superheroes adapted the definition of people endowed with superhuman abilities and a strict sense of moral codes to follow.
This genre was further expanded by the birth of television, film, and cable where these heroes developed further into more mature and human forms. The silver screen defined heroes a bit more depth as most of them possesses the same traits. They are supposed to be good-looking, they always get to save the day, are eccentric, and symbolizes masculinity.
Thus the definition of a hero has been reduced to an actor portraying the character on either the silver screen or the small screen. Soldiers and warriors are seldom regarded as heroes in the post-World Wars world, and even if they do, their fame is limited to their native lands only. The modern age has turned the hero into a star. But heroes of the modern age are heavily indebted to the creed of heroes that were created by Hemmingway.
In the war-torn backdrops of the worlds he portrays in his works, Hemmingways hero shines before the reader for being a hero without having the traditional hero-like qualities. Explained by Philip Young in his work Ernest Hemingway: A Reconsideration, Young defines Hemmingways hero as a person who lives his life by a specific code or ideals of life, his self defined sense of virtue and offer up and exemplify certain principles of honor and courage which, in a life of tension and pain, make a man a man and distinguish him from the people who follow random impulses [&] and are [&] perhaps cowardly, and without inviolable rules for how to live holding tight.
His heroes are the typical masculine war veterans, who often sport war injuries as a medal; they drink and indulge in bullfights, and are often shown off a rather promiscuous nature. Hemmingways heroes are often portrayed as introverts who believe that action speaks louder than words. But the difference between Hemmingways hero and his Code Hero must be maintained since Hemingways hero is a character of flesh and blood from whose perspective the story is narrated while Code Hero are norms and moral values that this character follows.
Hemmingways hero is daring and often portrayed as a fearless man who is willing to go any length to achieve his goal, incidentally showing a corner of his personality that wants to redeem itself of the danger he puts other people in as daringly explained: To be a hero means to dare more than other men, to expose oneself to greater dangers, and therefore more greatly to risk the possibilities of defeat and death (Gurko, p.15). His heroes arent necessarily God-fearing men, God is sometimes prayed to by the Hemingway hero in a time of crisis, but He is never depended upon (Waldmeir, p.29).
Using many of his heroes as templates, especially Nick Adams, who not only has appeared in a number of his works but also has narrated the story In Another Country, modern writers have based many heroes that have a touch of Hemmingways Code Hero, here and there. May it be Jack Ryan from Tom Clancy to Rowlings troubled teen Harry Potter, Robert Ludlums Jason Bourne, or be it Dan Browns favorite, Robert Langdon. They all exhibit striking similarities to the heroes that Hemmingway has brought to life.
Even Hollywood seems to have borrowed Hemmingways code hero and it can be seen in the form of gun-slinging wild west cowboy Clint Eastwood to the hero of the high tech age Ethan Hunt portrayed by Tom Cruise in the insanely popular Mission Impossible movie franchise. What they all have in common is the masculinity, their lone ranger attitude, bravery, and an impeccable conscience that doesnt let them compromise or bow down
Hemmingways heroes demonstrate not only the traditional sense of heroism like chivalry and eccentricity, but they also are men of the 20th century and depicts the rare trait of Grace under pressure (Parker, p.30). They display an extraordinary sense of bravery and virtue in the face of fear but at the same time are riddled with the traditional characteristics of soldiers which include love for physical pleasures and the persona of a tough-as-nails cowboy.
The example can be seen In Another Country where the hero of the story is the typical example of a man demonstrating the qualities, Hemmingway has envisioned. The hero Nick Adams enjoys getting drunk, loves the life of adventure, bears the war injury like a medal, and most of all shows signs of empathy. Hemmingways heroes show the traditional qualities of heroes from Illiad and Oydessy, they demonstrate the bravery and charisma like soldiers and gladiators from ancient Rome, their intellect saving them from tight spots with grace and dignity every time, and above all, they not impossible to perceive.
Hemmingway brings back the traditional age hero lost in the twentieth century (Gurko p.18). Born in the wake of Lost Generations , Hemmingways heroes are the archetype of masculinity combined with a highly developed conscience, they can easily say to have been in league with Hercules, Achilles, Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet, or Beowulf (Hemmingway, The Sun Also Rises, p.7).
Heroes of the modern age, may they be, Hollywoods glorified action or romantic heroes, to the suave, deep and multidimensional characters out of the New York Times bestsellers list, they all seem to have taken heavy inspiration from the heroes that are envisioned by Hemmingway. The story In Another Country is a classic example of how Hemmingway portrays his heroes closer to life, yet amazingly dignified characters. like the Byronic or Shakesperean heroes, the hero of the story suffers yet manages to remain firm and honorably dignified in the face of trouble or ridicule. These extraordinary abilities have not only been incorporated into the heroes of the modern age, but also have made Hemmingways stories and characters immortal.
Work Cited
Gurko, Leo. The Heroic Impulse in The Old Man and the Sea Modern Critical Interpretations: Ernest Hemingways The Old Man and the Sea. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999.
Hemmingway, Ernest. The Sun Also Rises. Scribner, 1995.
Parker, Dorothy. The Artists Reward. The New Yorker 1929: 28-31.
Waldmeir, Joseph. Confiteor Hominem: Ernest Hemingways Religion of Man Modern Critical Interpretations: Ernest Hemingways The Old Man and the Sea. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999.
Young, Philip. Ernest Hemingway: A Reconsideration. Pennsylvania State University Press, 1996.
The story by Jamaica Kincaid is one list of what a girl should and should not do. The recommendations presented relate to everyday life, housekeeping, behavior in society, communication with men, and other aspects. Probably the story conveys a long dialogue between the girl and her mother or another relative who gives instructions. Sometimes the girl interrupts the conversation to note that she is already fulfilling all the expectations that are assigned to her.
It is noteworthy that the advice presented in the story is more likely to create the appearance of correct behavior than to form it. For example, one of the recommendations emphasizes Try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming (Kincaid). This tendency appears once more in the text, and the story also contains advice on how to make a good medicine to throw away a child before it even becomes a child (Kincaid). Additionally, the story gives advice on how to bully a man or tolerate bullying on his part; how to leave a man or come to terms with your position. These recommendations are not intended to make a girls life happier, but to explain what is expected of her in society.
This story describes what kind of social framework existed for African American women of that period. They had to behave in a certain way to fit into society and not dishonor the family. Probably these conditions are transmitted from mother to mother and have nothing to do with the personality of each of them. These tips ignore the happiness of young girls and are the key to survival in the difficult conditions of gender and racial discrimination.
Literature is a piece of art which has many purposes in human life. Serving for entertainment or information delivery, literature is a good source of religious and philosophical ideas which reflect specific culture. Being a world treasure which gathers many ideas, world literature shares specific knowledge of the author with others.
Speaking about world literature, it is essential to state that many books transfer cultural, religious and philosophical ideas followed by the author of the book. Thus, Inferno and The Thousand and One Nights are two examples which show that literature may be religiously and philosophically directed. Examining these pieces of literature, it becomes obvious that each of these woks has specific religious and philosophical purposes and they have successfully served these purposes for many years.
Inferno as a part of Dantes The Divine Comedy is a reflection of personal authors ideas about religion. The author is sure that people are divided into those who are in the hell and those who are in the paradise. Depending on the severity of sins, the author shows his nine circles of hell which divide people, their sins and the sufferings they are to be committed to for their sins.
Coming out of the first circle located closely to the surface of the earth and finishing with the final ninth circle in the middle of the Earth, the author presents his personal vision of suffering which is his consideration about the nature of sin, religion, etc. Even though the author provides the Christian vision of sins, some of the ideas discussed by the author may be inappropriate for human beings to agree with.
Placing such people as Aristotle, Euripides, and Homer to the first circle of hell, Dante explains it by their birth in inappropriate time, before Christ was born. Despite personal vision of religion and Christianity, Dantes work is a great representation of religious ideas into the world. Reading this piece of medieval literature, the Christian ideas interpreted by the author are considered. The reflection of the authors ideas on the world perception of Christianity cannot be overestimated.
The Thousand and One Nights is also a piece of work which managed to affect the vision of people about cultural life of a specific country. Everyone read this collection of West and South Asian stories. This book has created the vision of people about medieval Asia. Cultural peculiarities, the way of behavior, specifics of thinking and other particular aspects are discussed in the book.
The collection of fairy tales which have become popular all over the world has created a vision of many people about Arab world, about people there, the ideas and beliefs. The cultural representation in this source is extremely important for the whole world. Having particular culture and specific philosophic approaches, Arab people managed to share their vision with others and this is one of the greatest abilities of the world literature.
Therefore, it may be concluded that such pieces of literature as Inferno and The Thousand and One Nights are aimed at creating specific vision of those people who do not have an opportunity to feel culture of the mentioned countries and communities. Being aimed at delivering the information about the cultural peculiarities of the specific nations, literature successfully copes with the task and the sources mentioned above are a direct proof of this fact.