Category: Literature

David Evans, A Zen Dusk

The most prominent feature of David Evans poem A Zen Dusk is the tone of the poem that delivers a frightening emotion of the occurrences that are happening at a farmhouse where an unknown farmer stays with his family and animals. The poem involves the farmer, his wife, and his eldest son.

The structure of the poem involves the use verses, single metrical lines of poetry, or poetry in general-as opposed to prose (4, Glossary of Poetry Terms). For example, A spring of wind building in his forest (Evans Stanza1) is a verse. Verses have been used in this poem to provide originality of ideas besides enhancing the continuity of the poem. They bring out the poems flow.

A stanza, Two or more lines of poetry that together form one of the divisions of a poem (4, Glossary of Poetry Term) is also evident in this poem to wind up thoughts to make up a completely comprehensive idea. Different stanzas also indicate a variation of ideas from one point to the other.

The poems action depicts continuous activities. For example, the verse suddenly sees that a rat backed bristling (Evans Stanza 2) indicates a continuity of events that prepare the reader for the unfolding activities. It is also an indication that the happenings are alive.

The actions of the characters, animals, and human beings depict a community that lives together. For example, the words is just a hog looking for a place to rest (Evans Stanza 3) indicate the activities in which the hog involves itself.

The author uses rhetoric devices like assonance, the repetition of a pattern of similar sounds, especially vowel sounds (1, Glossary of Poetry Terms), which is evident in the sound I in Of a knife on a steel, while staring (Evans Stanza 4). The device is used to bring out the attitude of ignorance and helplessness of the hog in the hands of its master thus making the mood of the poem very important.

The author has also used rhyming words. Rhyme, The occurrence of the same or similar sounds at the end of two or more words (3, Glossary of Poetry Terms) appears in the use of a in that and rat (Evans Stanza 2). Rhyme has been used to bring out the rhythm of the poem.

The author has also used caesura, A natural pause or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line (1, Glossary of Poetry Terms) in the verse by a cat is merely a rat (Evans Stanza 2) to enrich the rhythm of the poem.

Another stylistic device the author has used is enjambment the continuation of a complete idea (sentence or clause) from one line or couplet of a poem to the next line or couplet without a pause (2, Glossary of Poetry Terms). This appears in the verse About to die and a cat honing a skill (Evans Stanza 2) to bring out the theme of cruelty in the poem.

Litotes, A figure of speech in which a positive is stated by negating its opposite (3, Figures of Speech) appears in the verse nothing more and nothing less than (Evans Stanza 6) to bring out the tone of fear. Other stanzas also depict the theme of cruelty in the unfolding events of the poem.

The wife of the old poet also demonstrates how eager she is to slaughter the hog. The verse Is just a wife growing impatient (Evans Stanza 4) is an indication of a blood-thirst community of animals and human beings. The oldest son of the old poet is also depicting his interest to take away life.

He is refreshing his memories of how he uses his rifle. For instance, And his eldest son buffing his reflection into the black barrel of a rifle (Evans Stanza 5) is an indication of the joy he derives from shooting and killing.

The owl, which symbolizes a bad omen and grief, comes in at last to tell about the coming of problems. In fact, it is dusk (Evans Stanza 6) here indicates the coming of darkness. The night indicates problems especially death.

Erim-Cilbertos Poem, Splash

The most conspicuous quality of Erim-Cilbertos Splash is his passionate narration of his poem. The narration brings out an effortlessness work that indicates the feelings brought out by the poem. The setting of the poem is ambiguous, as the poet tells of eyewitness events in I saw a poem in a puddle (Erim-Cilberos Stanza 1), which perhaps prepares the reader to understand the poem from the point of view of the narrator.

The structure of the poem is made up of verses, for example, in rain may degenerate the minds of passersby (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 4). Verses indicate a variation in ideas besides developing the poem and its cohesion. There are also stanzas in the poem that join various verses with a similar thoughts to bring out a whole and concrete idea. They are also used in theme development.

Metaphors, figures of speech in which two things are compare, usually by saying one thing is another, or by substituting a more descriptive word for the more common or unusual word that would be expected (3, Glossary of Poetry Terms) appear in the words empty shells in Empty shells of cynics like dead snails crawl (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 2).

They refer to ignorant people who have no thoughts. It brings out the theme of ignorance in the poem. Assonance also appears in the sound a in rain may degenerate the minds of passersby (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 4) to enrich the tone of the poem besides bringing out a hopeless mood.

The author also uses alliteration in the verse and people just trodden past (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza1) to enhance the rhythm of the poem.

Another device employed in this poem is the personification, a figure of speech in which things or abstract ideas are given human attributes (3 Glossary of Poetry), in the verse Leaving it to be drenched in its own sorrow (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1), which brings out the sorrowful mood of the poem as if it had life.

Caesura is also evident in Words are all wet, they proclaimed (Erim-Cilberto Stanza1) to bring out the tone of the poem. The poem is also rich in similes; figures of speech in which two things are compared using the word like or as (4, Glossary of Poetry Terms) in the verse empty shells of cynics like dead snails crawl into (Eriam-Cilberto Stanza 2) to enrich the rhythm of the poem.

There is also the employment of enjambment, for example, but I hear the song (Eriam-Cilberto Stanza 3), which enhances the mood of the poem. The author has also employed accent, the prominence or emphasis given to a syllable or word (1, Glossary of Poetry Terms) in the verse eternal acrid sentiment (Eriam-Cilberto Stanza 2) where e brings out the rhythm of the poem.

Paradox, A seemingly self contradictory statement, which yet is shown to be true (2, Figures of Speech), is evident in the verse Who needs them or the poets who write nothing (Eriam-Cilberto Stanza 1) to depict the ignorant attitude of the poem.

The characterization of this poem involves the poet himself who says, I saw a poem (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1) besides other unnamed people in the other day and people just trodden past (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1). The narrator is ironically at a point of telling everything as he witnesses. This makes the poem lively and interesting to read. The actions of the people are pessimistic and not foresighted.

At the beginning of the poem, the poet narrates about what he witnessed as people trod past the poem. For instance, The other day and people just trodded past (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1) is used to bring out the theme of ignorance in the poem. It shows how people are ignorant of knowledge regardless of the efforts in knowledge preservation and development by the poets.

The poem is in the wrong place. For instance, I saw a poem in a puddle (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1) is an indication that it is not well preserved. The work of the poet that is supposed to be a source of knowledge is just misplaced and worse still destroyed. A carefree attitude is also brought out where the author tells how the people disapprove other poets work.

In fact, But rather with terse criticism, made fun of it (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1) tells how the same people who ignore, criticize, and destroy sources of knowledge and wisdom continue to suffer due to lack of wise counseling. They have no one to get them out of their problems. The words, On with their soiled lives (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1) show how they have ignored the wise counsel of the poet.

The tone of pessimism is also depicted in the poem. The people see nothing important in such a work. For instance, the verse Who needs them or the poets who write nothing (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1) shows how the poem is destroyed by rains and sun with the peoples situation being left unsolved due to their carefree attitude. The title of the poem Splash depicts the destruction of a worthy item by unwanted marks.

The poet gives a reflection of what he witnessed-the destruction of a source of knowledge. The poem dashed about the pool as the ignorant people watched. The reader is left with questions. Who threw the poem in the pool? Why did he/she prefer to throw it in the pool and not anywhere else? What was the intention of the person who did this?

Comparing and Contrasting A Zen Dusk and Splash

The structures of the two poems have some similarities. For example, both poems have stanzas and verses. In the poem A Zen of Dusk, each stanza has three verses while the number of verses varies in every stanza of the other poem. In both poems, verses have been used to bring about coherence of ideas from one point to the other. They are also used to join the different ideas in each of them to make a complete idea.

Both poems have a similarity of being written in the form of verses to bring out continuation and cohesion of ideas. They are also used to provide continuity of both poems. Each verse in the poem is integral.

Meters in both poems include alliteration. For example, in the poem Splash, the other day; and people just trodden past (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1), the similar sound p, and the sound b in into the black barrel of a rifle (Evans Stanza 6) depict alliteration. Alliteration is used to bring out rhythm in both poems.

It also helps to bring out the contrast of tones of fear in the black barrel and the tone of lamentation in peoples past. Both poems have used assonance to enrich the tones.

For example, the sound I in Of a knife on a steel, while staring (Evans Stanza 4) and the sound a in rain may degenerate the minds of passersby (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 4) depict assonance to enrich the tone besides bringing out the hopeless mood in both poems. Both poems have used consonance, the repetition of similar sounds especially at the end of words as in lost and past (2, Glossary of Poetry Terms).

For example, the sound s in no one picked up the immersed verse (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 1) and the sound s in Is just a hog looking for a place to rest (Evans Stanza 3) are depictive of consonance. In both poems, consonance is used to depict the theme of ignorance. The hog is ignorant of its death while the people are ignorant of the poems verse that is immersed in water.

Consonance also brings out contrast in the poems. However, in the poem Splash, it brings out the mood of desperation since the verse of the poem brings out a desperation image, as it is immersed in water with no one willing to rescue it.

On the other hand, consonance in the poem A Zen of Dusk is used to bring out the mood of relaxation as the hog is relaxed just wanting to rest. The author brings out the image of ignorance in times of danger. The use of metaphor is also evident in the in the poems. The words empty shells in Empty shells of cynics like dead snails crawl (Erim-Cilbertos Stanza 2) refer to the ignorant people who have no thoughts.

They enhance the theme of ignorance in this poem. Similarly, the word window in out the window is just his wife growing impatient (Evans Stanza 4) is used to refer to the old poets wife in a metaphorical way. This is used by the author to bring out the tone of anticipation mood of the poem.

No one can predict what is likely to happen to the dusk. Everyone is preparing for something to happen. The elder son is thinking of his rifle with no one being able to tell his intention.

The contrast that is brought out by the use of metaphors is that, in the poem Splash, the empty shell brings the image of a lifeless situation while the window in the poem A Zen of Dusk brings out the image of a living woman. The authors of the two poems have structured them into verses and stanzas.

This brings out organization and compatibility of ideas in the poems. The authors of the two poems have successfully used stylistic devices like assonance, alliteration, consonance, and metaphor to bring out the moods, themes, attitude, and tones of the poems.

Works Cited

Erim-Cilbertos, Jacob. The Splash. London: Routledge, 2009. Print.

Evans, David. A Zen Dusk. New York: Word Press, 2010. Print.

Figures of Speech. Studies in Early Modern Literature. London: Routledge, 2010. Print.

Glossary of Poetry Terms. Writing & Reading Poems. London: Routledge, 2010. Print.

Myth in the world of literature is perceived and analyzed as archaic superstition. A number of poets referring to various periods of art development, whether Classicism or Romanticism, are considered to be myth-makers in a way as they rename the world through making reorder of familiar words and creating new ones. Mythmaking in literature can be analyzed on the examples of famous poets such as Ted Hughes and Geoffrey Hill who managed to embody the mythological elements in their outstanding masterpieces.

For many poets myth is regarded to be an integral part of their personal style and manner of theme presentation; they perform mythological style through symbols, characters, and deep plot  all these factors can be observed in the works by Ted Hughes and Geoffrey Hill.

Ted Hughes

Brief Biography

Edward James Hughes is considered to be an English poet of the XX century who is recognized as one of the best poets of the time. He was born in 1930 and managed to become British Poet Laureate in 1984.

His life was followed by complicated relationships with close people being reflected in some of his works. Ted Hughes is also a well-known childrens writer who managed to create a number of interesting and involving stories for kids. His devotion to childrens literature is explained by the authors personal childhood experience which shaped everything in further life.

Hughess interest in poetic writings was expressed from an early age; he tried to combine the violence and beauty of the world of nature in order to demonstrate all aspects of human life. (West, 112)

Myth-Making in Hughes Works

Ted Hughes was deeply interested in mythology expressing his style of writing through satirical, existential, and modernist positions. Ted Hughes tried to reflect his personal sense of myth expressed in the poetry.

Objective imagination, in the light of science,

rejected religion as charlatanism,

and the inner world as a bundle of fairy tales,

a relic of primeval superstition& (West, 36)

Critics argued as to such poets position as science was considered to be as mythic poetry; Hughes managed to disclose the mythic nature of the world by means of elemental, dangerous, and chaotic conceptions.

Ted Hughes is referred to as the myth makers of his period as he managed to introduce mythic function of his fairy characters such as devils, dragons, etc. Myth in Hughess works makes objectified stories expressing psychic healing and being close to drama mood. In most works Hughes used myth for the purpose of tragic writing; he tried to accommodate or expel some evil in the poetry making his characters symbolic and powerful.

One of the most prominent works written by Ted Hughes is considered to be the collection of poems called Crow. The author tried to create a notable collection with the involvement of Christian mythology. Nevertheless, this work is recognized as the first one through which the author tried to demonstrate his own extensive folk-mythology. Hughes managed to end up with a fallible God and stick to inadequate tasks of mythological embodiment.

As the protagonist of the book, a crow would become

symbolic in any authors hands;

and a symbolic crow lives a legendary life. (Skea, 2)

Crow is considered to be a dark night of the soul shown by the author through the mythological description of the mysterious world unreached by humanity. For example, the work Wodwo (1967) demonstrates the atmosphere of ghosts and shadows where neither language nor light can practically escape. One of the central themes presented by the author is death; it is explained by Hughes wife Sylvia Plaths suicide resulting in the authors attempts to create Crow.

The elements of mythological style are considered to be especially centralized in the book; Hughes described Crow as a life force and the power embodiment. Such position introduced the authors new way of thinking about myth. The process of Hughes works creation went through the authors thorough study of world mythology; he tried to contribute to this sphere development and reflect in through poetic expression. He took into account all important elements such a language style, structures, and rhythms. It is important to stress that Hughes became mythically multicultural before his personal myths creation.

One of the most important aspects in Hughes writing is considered to be the usage of Irish myth. The author used to stick to Irish culture attracting him by its tragic and emotional complexity. He tried to relate his poems to Celtic Goddess, Morrigan and Badbh, battle goddess. It is important to underline the fact that the usage of non-Western mythology in personal poems made Hughes style combine the elements of High Modern and Orientalism.

Hughes mythic infrastructure can be analyzed on the example of one of his poems called Two Legends, Crow. The author managed to demonstrate stripped-down language introducing all the features characterizing his poems in the collection. Hughes used a number of repetitions making body parts be central images of the plot. His works are characterized by metaphor breakdown, Primitivism and mythological structuralism.

Black was the without eye,

Black the within tongue,

Black was the heart& (Hughes, Two Legends, 54)

The poem demonstrates the fact that Hughes avoided similes in order to stress the distance between central concepts and the real world. The words used by the author have the power of creation and destroy; he created a black myth mirroring the mysterious nature and atmosphere of the basic theme.

Hughes myth is created in the Crow world where Christian love is considered to be meaningless. The poem Snake Hymn discloses ironical death engendering through everlasting love.

The Blood in Eves Body

That slid from her womb 

Knotted on the cross it had no name. (Hughes, Snake Hymn, 25)

This work discloses the elements of Christianity through the crucifixion significance demonstration. Hughes reflected the demonism of Crow arguing that nature distrust of Christianity was centralized in the science of XVII century; the combination of materialism and Reformation Puritanism left a print on scientific and religious development as it was reflected by Hughes.

It is necessary to underline the fact that Ted Hughes works and vision give an opportunity to organize historical and mythic material having its own deep meaning. The authors poetry allows finding explanations for suffering and the self-destructive behavior of humanity. His poem Crows Account of the Battle underlines the cruelty of nature through nuclear holocausts, crunching mentality and destructive religious development.

The reality was given its lesson,

Its mishmash of scripture and physics

With here, brains in hands, for example,

And there, legs in a treetop. (Hughes, Crows Account of the Battle, 56)

Hughes tried to show that the only reason for peoples destruction and sufferings is the rejection of the Goddess. The author even demonstrates the interaction between the God and Crow concerning the problem of getting the souls into Adam and Eves souls; the deepness of the problem was illustrated through the following: The problem was so great, that it dragged him asleep (Hughes, Childish Prank, 72). God was depicted as:

&much bigger than the other

Loving his enemies and having all the weapons. (Hughes, Crows Theology, 67)

Hughes poems were aimed at underlining the role of religion and goddess for humanity trying to show it through mythic interference.

Ted Hughes can be surely named a true mythmaker of his time; the analysis of his collection Crow proves the authors role in mythological formation; his works are filled with the combination of world mythology reflecting the elements of Hughes personal style. The Crow is a bright masterpiece which helped Hughes to show the real nature of the myth and stress the purpose of his own poetry.

Geoffrey Hill

Brief Biography

Geoffrey Hill is an outstanding English poet of XX century generally recognized for his individuality and uniqueness in writing style. Geoffrey Hill was a professor of religion and English literature which left a print on his career as a writer. The poets life was very saturated; Hill published his first poem in 1952, being only 20 years old. Making a literary and academic career the professor managed to be awarded Honorary of Keble College and the University of Leeds. It should be noted that Hill is a happy family man and a successful poet of his time. (Corcoran, 189)

Myth in Geoffrey Hills Works

Geoffrey Hill is referred to as the most prominent and unique poets of his period; his works are perceived as difficult ones as the author discloses the combination of modernism and rhetoric; he used to stick to national problematic social issues connected with historical and political events. He dedicated his works to the tragedies of the Holocaust and social discrimination; he tried to defend the poets rights by means of personal writings and backed the position of democratic freedom.

The analysis of the authors poetry demonstrates the fact that mythology plays an integral part in the expression of his thoughts. One of the most significant works of the poet is considered to be Mercian Hymns, 1971. The principle purpose of the poetry volume is aimed at showing the present through historical events; the author wanted to make readers understand modern time by means of history perception.

Mythology is presented through rhythmical prose and expressive poetry disclosing poets personal experience in the past. Geoffrey presents the world of facts combining public and personal history in order to show present in the most adequate way. Myth plays the role of the history shaper; Hill tried to represent industrial labor as a part of the biblical sufferings of humanity experienced in the past. It should be noted that industrial destructive force appeared to perform central pressure on human freedom being linked to religious inner development within the society.

Brooding on the eightieth letter of Fors Clavigera,

I speak this in memory of my grandmother, whose

childhood and prime womanhood were spent in the

nailers darg. (Hill, V)

The role of grandmother mentioned in the lines was completely disfigured through industrial violations and pressures which centralized the meaning of technological progress rather than moral and religious reflection. (Longley, 153)

Hills poems interpretation is demonstrated by myth features created on the basis of the authors studies of international cultures. It should be noted that Hill depicts himself as a part of Christian society having no reference to the history, rather than a member of the British nation. The basic aspect of the work is concentrated around the issue Time past is time present, stressing the role previous experience in future life building.

The Mercian Hymns are merely aimed at showing roots and endings of the history underlining the heritage of previous generations allowing the readers to feel and perceive that reality in the way he did. He describes personal kingdom of the child in order to depict the atmosphere of the time through his world perception and vision.

I was invested in mother-earth,

the crypt of roots and endings. Childs-play.

I abode there, bided my time:

Where the mole shouldered the clogged wheel,

his gold solidus; where dry dust badgers

thronged the Roman flues, the long-unlooked-for

mansions of our tribe. (Hill, 56)

The hymn reflects the atmosphere of fantasy and reality combined through authors imaginative reality aimed at disclosure of war and instability. The work demonstrates a number of examples when a little boy, being hungry for adventures, starts living in a number of fantastic worlds with mythic creatures and events.

Then, in the earthy shelter, warmed by a blue-glassed

Storm-lantern, I huddled with stories of dragon-

tailed airships and warriors

who took wing immortal as phantoms. (Hill, 111)

Myth helps the author to represent the figurative sense of the work; every hymn is a historical meditation transferred from authors consciousness.

All the poetry described in the Mercian Hymns is written in rhythmical prose form balancing relationships between real life and mythical elements. The analysis of Hills writings has shown that the author tried to identify the role of present time through the past perception.

So, Geoffrey Hill can be considered the myth maker of his time as he managed to introduce personal mythical elements in the poetry; his style of writing and manner of presentation is perceived as a difficult one because the author combined different epochs, histories, societies and realities. The description of the fantasy world through religious elements and the destructive power of the past made his works differ from all others and contribute to the mythological writings.

Comparative Overview

Ted Hughes and Geoffrey Hill managed to demonstrate incredible contribution to the world literature development being considered as true makers of myth of their period. The analysis of their works gives an opportunity to evaluate poets manner of writing, style and language of myth expression.

It should be noted that Ted Hughes Crow highlighted authors desire to show deep sense through the mythical presentation; he covered the peculiarities of many great cultures focusing on Irish and Christianity mythology. His poetry appeared to make a collection of works about the dark world of darkness, human existence without faith and religion. The author created his own approaches of mysterious nature expression in order to explain the background of all the sufferings through myths to the readers.

The language demonstrated by Geoffrey Hill is complicated enough; the author used the form of rhythmical prose though some ideas are hidden under the sense of mythology and religious interference. The poet used repetitions of the paragraph for the purpose of making the emphasis to the points of mythological role. He tried to underline the place of inner mental development and religious involvement through the description of the destructive power of the past.

His main conception embodied in myths sense concerned the centralization of Christianity and church; he stated that the English church is a church on the ground, engaged, suffering, not a metaphysical or high-church abstraction. (Knottenbelt, 270) Reading his work Mercian Hymns one can hardly find the stress on the church, though Hill tried to show it on the examples of human actions in the atmosphere of industrialized pressure.

The themes disclosed by the two authors appeared to be similar because of the myth functions performed in them. They strived to show the influence of religious interference with human societys future on the global level. The goddess was especially centralized and its absence meant constant living in the world of darkness and destruction. (Childs, 212)

Myth played a significant role in the authors literature; not in vain, they tried to stress mythological experience in other cultures and their personal contribution to this sphere. Mythmaking is considered to be one of the basic contributions made by the poets through their poetry collections; they gave an opportunity to evaluate the close connection between reality and the fantastic world of mythology embodied in true life. It is necessary to underline the importance of ironic devices presented in poetry which helps to perceive its sense as emotional and expressive work. The myth was the shaper of the poets style, theme, language, and rhythms allowing them to reflect personal world vision.

Poets, who used to reject the influence of myth, really rejected poetry itself because these two notions are closely connected with each other. It is important to stress that poetry is a thought of the intellect and only myth can contribute to its creation. Myth presented in poetry adds individuality to the authors style and manner of presentation. The world of literature and mythology are two spheres that exist and function together.

The analysis of the poetry written by Ted Hughes and Geoffrey Hill gives an opportunity to evaluate the role of myth in their works and the level of their personal contribution to its creation. The authors presented myths as their souls experience switching to reality and their own imagination. Crow and Mercian Hymns appeared to perform the function of authors self-expression and realization of their world vision; the world of literature calls these poets mythmakers of their epoch as they managed to demonstrate the notes of personal mythology reflected by their mentality.

References

Corcoran, N. (2007). The Cambridge Companion to 20^th century English poetry. Cambridge University Press.

Childs, P. (1999). The Twentieth Century in Poetry: A Critical Survey. Routledge.

Hughes, T. (1971). Crow: From the Life and Songs of the Crow. Harper and Row.

Knottenbelt, E. (1990). Passionate intelligence: The Poetry of Geoffrey Hill. Rodopi.

Longley, E. (2000). The Bloodaxe Book of 20^th century Poetry from Britain and Ireland. Bloodaxe. Pp. 368.

Roberts, N. (2003). A Companion to Twentieth Century Poetry. Wiley-Blackwell.

Skea, Ann. (1998). Ted Hughes and Crow. Web.

West, Th. (1990). Ted Hughes. Taylor and Francis Publishing.

Introduction

J.K. Rowlings widespread success as the author of the Harry Potter series is mainly attributable to the effectiveness of her ability to blend realistic and fantastical elements in her fictional universe. The Harry Potter books combination of fantasy and realism has made them very popular. The storys universal appeal stems from Harrys rise from being a typical kid in an actual world to a legendary child in a fantasy realm. The seven Harry Potter books are about a struggle between light and darkness in which Harry takes on Lord Voldemort, the notorious wizard who murdered his parents. Harry learns more about his personality and the circumstances surrounding his parents tragedies throughout his seven years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The wicked factions in the wizarding universe constantly adapt, presenting Harry and his allies with new challenges and fears. Thus, Rowling utilizes fear elements to symbolize psychological barriers, using them to illustrate various techniques for facing and overcoming them in the Harry Potter books.

Discussion

The theme of fear and anxiety abounds in almost every chapter of the Harry Potter books. Anxiety is a related emotion that has characteristics of fear but is more oriented toward anticipating future unpleasant events (Hamm 9). In other words, anxiety is more associated with what could happen in the future, which is frequently metaphysical and unclearthe Harry Potter series points to a fear of name from the onset. Lord Voldemort is Harry Potters archnemesis throughout the books. The fear of using Lord Voldemorts name is one example of the widespread terror that Rowling uses to portray the villain. As an alternative, witches and wizards use the terms He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and You-Know-Who when talking about Voldemort.

This reluctance and anxiety over using Voldemorts full name stems from fear, which may be scrutinized through the psychoanalytic framework. While fictional characters in a work of literature are not actual humans, their actions can be viewed as actions of avoidance in line with Freudian defense mechanisms (Lang 131-170). When someone practices avoidance, they steer clear of anything or anybody that could trigger upsetting memories or feelings they would rather keep buried. Accordingly, the witches and wizards imagine they can shield themselves from their suppressed thoughts and feelings if they avoid the things that may trigger them. Nonetheless, it is not simply Voldemorts name that is dreaded, as Hagrid vividly expresses the causes of this fear:

Anyway, this  this wizard, about twenty years ago now, he started lookin for followers. Got em too  some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o his power, cause he was gettin himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didnt know who they trusted, didnt dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches [&] Terrible things happened (Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, 59).

In explaining why wizards are so afraid of Voldemort, Hagrid similarly sheds light on the events that have shaped their avoidance behavior. Hagrid and most of the wizarding universes avoidant behavior may be understood in the context of their underlying concerns when seen through psychoanalysis. Hagrid explains how many wizards and witches developed a distrust of each other since they did not know who they could trust among Voldemorts supporters. Indeed, real-world problems may be associated with having a pessimistic outlook and a lack of trust. The Hogwarts worlds reluctance to speak Voldemorts name carries the consequence of demonstrating that most individuals are afraid and that dread could be grounded in prior experiences.

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, a glimpse of Voldemorts childhood occurs when Dumbledore pays him a visit to the childrens home while he still assumes his real name, Tom Riddle. Toms mother passed shortly after bearing him, and Dumbledore learns that his father did not reach him. Upon learning from Dumbledore that he has magical abilities and has been enrolled in Hogwarts, Tom Voldemort inquiries about his parents and declares: My mother cant have been magic, or she wouldnt have died (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 229). Thus, Voldemort has always seen death as a sign of inferiority and a force that those with magical abilities ought to be able to control. The loss associated with experiences like psychological death (as in when a child believes that a dead parent has deserted them) is more often than not the source of a persons fear of death rather than the loss of life itself (Wass 300). Due to his early childhood experience, Voldemort may struggle with abandonment fear, the persistent feeling that they do not matter to their loved ones or would one day leave them. Similarly, a fear of closeness is linked to family concerns as those who suffer from it psychologically withdraw from others for worry of being harmed.

Voldemort exemplifies both of these underlying problems since Dumbledore reveals that he does not place high importance on intimate connections and tends to work independently. Voldemorts subconscious attempts to protect him from more emotional pain after he was abandoned as a child by causing him to engage in self-destructive behaviors like isolating himself from others. A similar defense exists for Voldemort regarding mortality that the wizarding realm uses to avoid pronouncing his name. The last act of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows depicts Voldemorts frantic attempts to escape death by taking shelter and protecting the remainder of his Horcruxes from Harry, Hermione, and Ron as they search for and dismantle the remaining ones (442-6). Voldemorts complicated past leads to the belief that even the vilest and most ruthless individuals can encounter adverse events that feed their fear.

In both the wizarding and muggle worlds, Voldemort is not isolated in his fear of death. There is a tale in the wizarding realm involving three siblings who deceive Death into giving them an artifact of their choosing. The first two beg for objects that will provide them strength and help them escape death, while the third and smallest ask for the Cloak of Invisibility not to be pursued by death. The myth closes with just the youngest sibling, who did not actively try to find a means to prolong his own life, remaining (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 332). This tale teaches fandoms, witches, and wizards that everybody will ultimately deal with death since it is a transcendent force, irrespective of strength. To reiterate, fear of psychological death is more widespread than fear of bodily death, given that the former involves loss that an individual would experience, such as the death of a loved one or authority.

Anxiety, or fear of the unknown, is not limited to death concerns in the Harry Potter books. One example comes after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when Harry sees Voldemort kill Cedric Diggory. Minister Cornelius Fudge is unwilling to accept that the devil is back. Instead, he asserts, It seems to me that you are all aiming to create a panic that will destabilize all we have fought for over the previous thirteen years (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 613). Rather than listening and attempting to comprehend what Harry is stating, Fudge decides to suppress the onerous reality to maintain his peaceful and well-ordered environment. This conduct is consistent with denial, which is the belief that the situation is not real or that the painful event never occurred (Heimann 240-265). His behavior indicates he worries about what will transpire if Voldemort is back.

Furthermore, he is responsible for making crucial decisions to ensure the security of the wizarding community in his capacity as minister of magic. To put that particular anxiety on hold and concentrate on what he understands to be correct, it is thus simpler to decide not to accept it. Individuals who suppress their feelings avoid experiencing true emotions because they find it difficult to cope with those particular feelings or recollections. Considering the old Voldemort rule has traumatized the wizarding community, everyoneincluding Fudgewants to forget the horrible experiences of that period. Thus, uncertainty about the potential outcomes of a resurgence of terror keeps the fear of the unknown alive.

Not all characters in the series are reluctant to face their fears. Professor Lupin is one such individual and, unlike his counterparts, dears his fears. Lupin remarks in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that convincing people Voldemort has returned is difficult since they are unwilling to believe it. This is despite the Ministrys assurances that they have nothing to worry about (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 89). Lupins secret society, The Order of the Phoenix, battling Voldemort, members agree that facing ones fears is counterproductive. As a result, they take action and confront their persecutors rather than freeze in terror. Those of The Order of the Phoenix serve as role models for those who need encouragement to fight for what they stand for and not let fear rule their lives. On the other hand, the Ministry performs the exact reverse by ignoring and rejecting the true dread that exists within.

J.K. Rowling is not hesitant to have her protagonists experience disappointment. Often, they fail miserably, caving into their worst fears and allowing them to control every aspect of their life. Many figures in the Harry Potter novels use avoidance as a defense. In the same way that Voldemort eludes death, the wizarding universe avoids mentioning his name. Therefore, individuals are not overcoming their fears but pushing them further into their subconscious.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Harry Potter Universe accurately reflects real-world anxieties by utilizing various fear triggers. Humans can identify and comprehend apprehensions about mortality, losing faith, and feeling inadequate. The essay demonstrates that the origins of most phobias may be traced back to underlying problems and protective mechanisms that are, in turn, rooted in personal history and associated feelings. Psychoanalysis suggests that to confront and conquer fears and anxiety, one must adjust to self-defeating patterns of behavior

Works Cited

Hamm, Alfons O. Fear, anxiety, and their disorders from the perspective of psychophysiology. Psychophysiology, vol. 57, no. 2, 2020, pp. e13474.

Heimann, Paula. A combination of defense mechanisms in paranoid states. New directions in psychoanalysis. Routledge, 2018, pp. 240-265.

Lang, Peter J. The cognitive psychophysiology of emotion: Fear and anxiety. Anxiety and anxiety disorders. Routledge, 2019, pp. 131-170.

Procaccia, Rossella, et al. Childrens Representations of Death: The Role of Age and Attachment Style. TPM: Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, vol. 25, no. 4, 2018, pp. 549-669.

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Bloomsbury 2015.

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Scholastic 2018.

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. Bloomsbury Childrens Books, 2022.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Turtleback Books 2013.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Illustrated Edition. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2022.

Wass, Hannelore. Death in the lives of children and adolescents. Dying: Facing the facts. Taylor & Francis, 2018, pp. 269-301.

Native Americans have always been discriminated against and harassed. The unemployment rate among the indigenous population is much higher than among American citizens. The well-known reservations, assimilation programs in schools and colleges, and other forms of persecution caused a serious deterioration in the indigenous peoples quality of life and morale. The novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese discusses the fate of one of the sufferings from the stigmatization of a young man. The novel touches on three major themes: the importance of family traditions, cultural genocide, and trauma resulting from abuse, which can lead to significant addiction problems.

Throughout the novel, the author emphasizes the importance of family traditions. One of the significant examples is when the question of funerals was raised. Naomi was unable to bury the dead person according to the ingenious traditions of the Ojibway. Such a situation shows the complete discrimination of the cultural minority, which affects peoples self-identification. Another important aspect of traditions and family kinship is shown when Naomi, without any hesitation, strives to find her nephew, being sure that he can help her and Saul. Thus, by implementing such events, the author shows that the connections between family members are unconditional for the representatives of Ojibways.

The second theme is cultural genocide, which is especially highlighted in the narration of the example of Saul. The humiliation experienced in the residential school is primarily based on the differences in the cultural perception of the surrounding world. Another example of genocide is the prohibition from being part of the hockey team due to Sauls religious and cultural inheritance. A young mans life was destroyed because such stigmatization occurred to him. Therefore, the cruel discrimination resulting in significant problems with self-identification is considered cultural genocide.

The horrifying attitude to Saul resulted in the occurrence of alcohol addiction. Being unable to get any joy in life, Saul tried to calm down his sorrow using alcohol. As a result of his mental issues, which he can not bear, he drinks himself into a seizure and ends up in the hospital. Only by accepting the horrors he experienced at school and feeling a connection with his family does Saul connect his life with hockey again. Only through finding the support of his family and understanding the moral issue resulting from alcoholism does the character obtain freedom by striving for a different everyday life.

Therefore, the novel addressed three major themes related to cultural stigmatization, genocide, and the addiction caused by moral struggles. Discrimination causes significant problems with self-acceptance. The culture-centered bullying causes mental issues, which in adulthood causes lower resilience to habits. Therefore, various cases of abuse can lead to the emotional breakdown of the person and addiction to substances or alcohol (as in the novel). The fight against addictions should be started by minimizing emotionally adverse living conditions, including cultural discrimination. The effects of some addiction-eliminating organizations can be in vain if no other regulations limit the stigmatization. Moreover, the government should also sponsor psychological help for people mentally suffering from abuse, discrimination, or addiction.

Raymond Carver was a famous short story writer who is most known for his ability to capture concepts of American life. His writings are typically centered upon common daily occurrences within the lives of average people. One of the main themes that run through Raymond Carvers short stories in his collection Will You Please be Quiet, Please? is the theme of lower-class life as can be seen in his stories Fat, Neighbors, The Students Wife and The Ducks.

In Fat, the narrator is a woman who is telling her friend Rita about a customer she had in her restaurant.

As she tells her story, it becomes clear that she is in the lower class of workers because she is a waitress in a small diner and lives with the cook, Rudy. The way she talks about this customer is also in a lower-class style as she tells Rita, This fat man is the fattest person I have ever seen, though he is neat-appearing and well dressed enough. Everything about him is big. But it is the fingers I remember best & They look three times the size of a normal persons fingers  long, thick, creamy fingers (3).

Although she seems to feel sorry for the fat man and his strange way of talking and his puffing sound, it isnt until near the end of the story that she begins to identify with the fat man. As everyone in the diner is making fun of him because he is fat, she understands that this isnt necessarily his fault, that there are other things at work behind his overweight status and she feels sad that she is also lost in a world where people dont understand her, not even her best friend. Thats a funny story, Rita says, but I can see she doesnt know what to make of it.

I feel depressed (6).

In Neighbors, Bill and Arlene Miller are also just average people who feel as if they are missing something important in their life as they watch their neighbors always going out and doing things. It seemed to the Millers that the Stones lived a fuller and brighter life (7).

That these people live in the lower class is made clear when Carver mentions that they are neighbors because they live across the hall from each other. The entire story takes place at a time when the Stones have left for a vacation and the Millers are asked to take care of the cat and to water the plants.

As Bill goes over to feed the cat, he begins to gain a new sense of himself as if he were actually Jim Stone as he makes himself a drink and begins to explore the apartment. Each time he goes over to feed the cat, he makes himself a little more at home, eventually getting to a point where he is putting on Jims clothing to imagine himself in Jims position. Things get a little weird when he puts on Harriets bra, panties, skirt, and blouse. The only reason he doesnt put on her shoes is that he realizes they wont fit.

Each time he goes over to Stones apartment, he comes back to his own apartment with a new sense of life, of having escaped his own little world for a while. Arlene seems to find the same kind of release when she goes over to feed the cat as she is gone an abnormally long time, too. When Bill goes looking for her, he noticed white lint clinging to the back of her sweater, and the color was high in her cheeks (13). While he had explored the kitchen, the liquor cabinet, and the clothing, she admits that she had found pictures. However, in their excitement, they manage to lock themselves out of the apartment and must prepare for the arrival of their long-time friends and the necessity of having to admit their voyeurism.

The Students Wife demonstrates a more desperate sense of entrapment in the lower class lifestyle that the family has apparently lived in for a while. Almost all of this story takes place during a single night as a husband and wife lay in bed long after the children have been put in bed.

Although both husband and wife seem to enjoy poetry, him reading to her as they lay in bed, her dreams have become much more mundane than the happy pursuit of language. She has dreams of being squeezed into very tight and insecure spaces that cause her arms and legs to hurt when she wakes up, suggesting that she is feeling constrained within this lifestyle. It was so narrow it hurt my legs, and I was afraid the water was going to come in over the sides (122).

Although she remembers happy days when they ate spam over a campfire and slept outside, she has a sense that life should be better by this stage and feels trapped in their present circumstances perhaps forever. As she tells her husband about what she wants, she reveals her loneliness in wishing they had more friends, she illustrates their poverty as she talks about wanting to own a home and not move around so much and she exposes her desperation in trying to tell him that she likes to be touched sometimes. However, he falls asleep and leaves her to sit awake all night to watch the ugliness of the morning light exposing all the nastiness of her surroundings. Not in pictures she had seen nor in any book she had read had she learned a sunrise was so terrible as this (129).

Carvers story The Ducks begins with this same sense of desolation and entrapment but ends on a slightly more optimistic note. The story is about a young couple who apparently live in a poor house in a remote location. Their poverty is expressed in the clothesline with sheets that havent dried in three days and the necessity for him to be outside splitting wood to keep the house warm.

Carver makes it clear that the story is set close to modern times because the couple is planning on taking their paycheck to Reno on the weekend. However, the two people are very lonely in their existence together. They barely exchange any words as they eat and she tells the glass of her closed kitchen window, I just hate to have you gone all the time. It seems like youve gone all the time (176).

Although he plans on going duck hunting in the morning, after his night shift at the mill where he works, he comes home early from work after one of the foremen dies of a heart attack. Throughout the evening he spends at home with his wife, the man begins to empathize with the man who died, understanding how much of his own life is slipping by as he goes through the motions of life where they are. He begins to notice the shabbiness of their home and the loneliness his wife must experience as she spends so much time alone in that house while he works or hunts. Although he enjoyed going to Reno to gamble, that night he tried to concentrate on the wheel.

He looked and looked and listened and listened and heard the saws and the machinery slowing down, coming to a stop (181). Although hes alone in the night, there is hope in the story that the couple has decided to move on and that he continues to turn to her for companionship.

While Carver continues to tell the story of lower-class life in a way that doesnt try to hide any of the ugliness or desperation, he does so in a way that both affirms and rejects the common view. Most people think of lower-class life as always desperate, alone, and without hope.

Carvers stories reflect these ideas as his characters live in poor circumstances, battle with feelings of desperation and loneliness, and seem to be trapped forever in the cycle of failure they find themselves in. This is particularly seen in the stories Fat and The Students Wife in which both women seem to feel completely alone and misunderstood in an ugly world where they are powerless to bring about any change. However, Carver is also capable of illustrating how these people find hope and connections with each other regardless of the circumstances.

This is seen as Bill and Arlene cling to each other at the end of Neighbors as well as when the man and woman determine together to move on to the next possibility toward the end of The Ducks.

Through these portrayals, Carver indicates he has a strong understanding and empathy for the lower classes.

Works Cited

Carver, Raymond. Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? New York: McGraw Hill, 1976.

It is significant to note that Anne Bradstreet considers the importance of nature and uses it to describe feelings. For example, in the poem To My Dear and Loving Man, the author tries to convey feelings of love through the use of natural phenomena (Roney-Obrien 183). At the same time, in the poem In Memory of My Dear Child, Anne Bradstreet uses the symbolism of nature to reflect the sense of loss. For instance, the author used a beautiful flower, trees that did not have time to develop, and an apple as symbolism (Slawinski 207). The phenomenon of nature allows Bradstreet to describe the grief of the poems hero, who lost his granddaughter. Thus, through comparison, the author establishes a parallel between the granddaughter and the beautiful flower, and the cycle of human life is described through the process of tree life. Accordingly, the author devotes considerable attention to natural phenomena and considers peoples lives through their prism.

In the case of Mary Rowlandson, she depicts nature and the environment in close connection with food. However, Mary Rowlandson views nature as a loveless place and as a farm. Thus, Rowlandson observes that the life-giving substance of food defines the connection with nature (Arteaga 445). This focus on this aspect of nature may be related to not concentrating on the loss of a child and not creating deeper images, unlike Anne Bradstreet. Therefore, Mary Rowlandson views nature in the aspect of food and the importance of sustaining the human body. Accordingly, Mary Rowlandson, unlike Anne Bradstreet, describes nature from a practical perspective and does not endow it with characteristic symbols (Arteaga 447). It is significant to mention that both women devote one of the key roles to this phenomenon in their own works.

Works Cited

Arteaga, Rachel. Mary Rowlandson and Restorative Reading. Early American Literature, vol, 57, no. 2, 2022, pp. 445-468.

Roney-OBrien, Susan. New England Women Poets: Roots to Branches. The Worcester Review, vol. 40, no.1, 2019, pp. 182-192.

Slawinski, Scott. Literature to 1800.American Literary Scholarship, vol.1, 2017, pp. 207-220.

Introduction

The book Desert Solitary by Edward Abbey made me to think over the burning problem of nowadays, as environment and how far we, modern people, are from the nature.

Main Text

Edward Abbey lives in the Arches National Monument near Moab, Utah, for three seasons and works as a single park ranger, which he prefers. He admires silence and beauty of the nature. We can see that he is a violent, passionate lover of the nature already from the first chapter The First Morning. It is seen from the various descriptions and comparisons, from his perfect knowledge of names of animals and plants, such as &kangaroo mice, a jackrabbit, an animal that looked like a cross between a raccoon and a squirrel-the ringtail cat& The First Morning (Abbey 2). The author confronts nature with people and chooses nature Id sooner exchange ideas with the birds on earth than learn to carry on intergalactic communications with some obscure race of humanoids on a satellite planet from the world of Betelgeuse. The First Morning (Abbey 4-5). The entire chapter, as well as the book, is penetrated with the idea of unity of human beings, flora and fauna.

The spirit the book is written in is dual: from one hand, we can feel authors love and tenderness; and from the other hand, it is danger and criticism. I would like to talk about the first chapter of this book The First Morning. While reading the chapter I have felt strong authors negative attitude to that people are everywhere in nature now, we greatly interfere in it I dream of a hard and brutal mysticism in which the naked self merges with a nonhuman world and yet somehow survives still intact, individual, separate. (Abbey 4). I liked that Edward Abbey chooses as his beautiful place that he cares in his heart and soul (Abbey 1), not commonly adopted place as the house at the seaside or the comfortable apartment with a beautiful view, but the canyonlands in suburb of Utah with its untouched and wild reality: Glimpses of weird humps of pale rock on either side, like petrified elephants, dinosaurs, stone age hobgoblins. The First Morning (Abbey 2) I am very thankful to the author that he has made this marvelous nature more accessible to me and other readers of the text, it greatly inspires to save the environment for our future, so we and the following generations could enjoy it. The mentioning of the trailer in the middle of this wild beauty highlights the amenities of the surrounding nature very strongly: What are the Arches? From my place in front of the house trailer I can see several of the hundred or more of them which have been discovered in the park. These are natural arches, holes in the rock, windows in stone, no two alike, as varied in form as in dimension. (Abbey 3).

Conclusion

At first sight, we might think that Edward wanted to stay alone, but it is not so  he wanted to stay one on one with nature, he celebrated his first morning in solitary desert and he was the happiest person on the earth at the moment cause he felt unity with environment.

After reading this text I strongly felt the necessity to communicate with the nature, as it is an integral part of any of us!

Work Cited

Edward Abbey. The First Morning. Desert Solitary. Ballantine Books, 1985. 1-5.

The book Lost Names by Richard Kim is a classic story in which seven dramatic scenes have been painted, starting from the stage of boyhood to reaching youthfulness, in Korea at a time when the Japanese were occupying the country from 1932 to 1945. The title itself connotes the dismal facts about how the Japanese forced the Koreans to relinquish their original names and to instead assume Japanese names.

The story narrates the travails of a particular family through the entire process of the occupation of the country by the Japanese until the time they surrendered in 1945. The book is full of loving memories of a family and the brilliant depiction of how it suffered during its time of anguish. It is known that whatever is stated in the book was actually experienced by Richard Kim, but he has categorically clarified that it is not his autobiography. The books genre is not as significant as much as the human face that has been portrayed during the colonial phase about which the book was written.

Every chapter of the book reveals a different story, and taken together all parts provide a bright picture of the life in Korea during the colonial phase along with the family dynamics that were present under the circumstances. Essentially, the period covered is from 1932 when the author was only one year old, until the country was liberated in 1945. The narration of the family departing and undergoing the rigors of crossing the frozen Tumen river while travelling from Korea to Manchuria is indeed soul-stirring and in this context, the description of the sun plummeting down toward the frozen expanse of the northern Manchurian plain (Kim, 1998), is clearly representative of the eventual fall of the Japanese empire.

The imprisonment of the father is referred to in the story several times, but it does not become clear as to what his fault was, and the manner in which his faults are narrated suggest that he was defiant towards the authorities and acting against their interests. It is however clear after reading the book that the father of the narrator does ultimately earn the reverence of his fellow countrymen and of the Japanese too.

After the family moves back to Korea from Manchuria, the boy learns new things in school, like being required to bow down in reverence to the Japanese emperor as is done in Japan. The book is touching when the reader realizes that the boy obeys and does what he is asked to do, and in bowing down, he wonders whether the emperor is aware of such action on his part. He wonders what the emperor will say if he knocks on his door and says Your Majesty! The children, the children! They are bowing to Your Majesty! (Kim, 1998), and then he says, wait a minute! I have my pants down! (Kim, 1998).

The boy is confused when after some years, they are informed that they would require new names and will have to do away with their family names. It is sorrowful seeing the father take his son to the ancestral cemetery to ask for forgiveness for changing their names.

History is brought alive by the author by depicting scenes of the growing boy as he mingles with other children and experiences the hardships associated with colonization. Kim has used easy to understand and powerful voices in evoking the love within the family and the strong will to survive. Indeed, Lost Names is beautifully written and is a compliment to the Korean people in a delicate and poignant narration of the events during the entire period of the Japanese occupation.

The end of the book evokes a lot of contradiction between liberated and liberation. The father and his son have a detailed discussion about the meaning of liberty and what it implies for the people of Korea. The boy had earlier confided in his mother that the Koreans had not won freedom, but it was given to them, It just dropped from the sky, like a present (Kim, 1998). His father was aware of this discussion and told him that he was right and that their freedom was in fact a gift. The father tells his son about how his ancestors were disorganized and were unassertive in claiming their rights. He was very critical of the way in which the country was allowed to be colonized by the Japanese.

The author vividly passes the torch from the generation of the father to the son and in realizing this, the father is hopeful in saying that I am only hoping that your generation will have enough will and strength to make sure the country will not make the same mistakes and repeat its shameful history. I only hope, son that mere survival will not become the only goal of your generations lives. There must be more in life than just that (Kim, 1998).

These words epitomize the torment and agony in the history of the liberation of Korea and the different potential that the future held for them. The concluding chapters indicate that the coming generation has to command its future in making history instead of becoming mere spectators. They have to shape their destiny instead of becoming pawns in the hands of power brokers. In ending on this note, the book provides for an optimistic fortitude on the part of the chronicler in ensuring that the future does hold strong for the Koreans.

Works Cited

Richard E. Kim, Lost Names, 1998, University of California Press.

Introduction

Sarah DeLappes Pulitzer-winning debut play The Wolves is the story of growing, fitting into society, and the friendship of nine high school girls who are indoor soccer team members. The play premiered Off-Broadway at The Duke at 42nd Street in September 2016 and was evaluated as a new statement on forming young womens identity. Throughout the play, girls oscillate between childlike innocence and sexuality, friendship, competition, gossip, and discussion of severe political topics.

Summary

The Wolves tells the story of growing up teenage girls through a sports perspective thats unusual for pop culture. Every scene depicts the warmups before the Saturday game settings, and the only decoration is an indoor football field (Jacobs 00:03:17  00:11:37). The first scene starts with a lengthy discussion on war, genocide in Cambodia, and social media access in China (DeLappe 13). These ethical issues are interrupted by jokes and chatter about tampons benefits.

Overlapping dialogue demonstrates that every girl has her own narrative and specific character. Captain #25 is bossy and works to keep everyone in line, both physically and socially. Goalie #00 copes with intense anxiety, which causes her to vomit before every game (Neutze para. 4). Newcomer #46 struggles awkwardly and often unsuccessfully to fit into the team (Strange 249). Thus, each of the nine girls has a strong personality and character.

The injury forced # 7 to miss the seasons last games and gave way to the new #46 on the field. A conflict is brewing between the team players, the drama is escalated by the players internal emotional problems (Strange 250). The critical off-stage incident is the moment after the sudden death of #14 in a car accident (Rocamora para. 7). Before the last game, the mother of the deceased girl approached the girls and made a delirious speech about her daughter and the teams cohesion (Henry 3). The poem ends with the Soccer Mom bringing in a bag of orange slices.

The Wolves Themes

The Wolves most apparent context reflects the essence of sexuality and bodily autonomy. As the story progresses, viewers watch the triumph of the female body and psyche when girls overcome inner fears, barriers, and contradictions. The play goes deep into the social and emotional issues that affect American girls today (McNulty para. 7). Preconceived and stereotyped opinions come from adults, peers, the media, and other sources.

DeLappe deliberately placed teenagers in a closed space where they do not experience extraneous pressure from parents, teachers, or boyfriends and can honestly share their thoughts. The main events of the girls lives take place outside the field, and the viewers learn about them only from conversations (Akbar para.8). This authors technique allows viewers to see the world and events through the eyes of teenage girls without public pressure.

All dialogues occur in parallel with the physical activity of the team members. Movements, stretching, and jumping have their own dramatic meaning (Hayford 80). According to Solga, the physical exercises that actresses constantly perform on stage help overcome the simplistic discourse about girlhood that neoliberalism suggests (75). The girls are more complex in their physical form and emotional mobility than the post-feminist framework offers.

A less obvious but no less critical theme of the play is the ethical question of individuals reactions to the horrific events taking place in the world. DeLappe said in an interview that the idea for The Wolves came to her after she visited a contemporary art exhibition in New York in 2014 (Brooklyn College 00:00:25  00:01:40). She was impressed that people looked at the works of artists from the Middle East, who shared their painful experiences about war and humanitarian disasters and then nonchalantly drank beer in bars or chatted about daily minutiae.

The Wolves softly and without judgment, reflect on searching adolescents role in global events. The girls discuss severe political issues such as genocide and wars (Henry 4). In addition, #2 mentions that her church group knits scarves to raise money for children from Central America who are living in detention facilities in the U.S. The girls are puzzled by how they can influence the solution of global problems, and at the same time, they gossip and discuss the form of the other team players.

The Feminine word in contemporary dramaturgy

The Wolves are feminist art not only in content but also in its form. Women play all the roles, and the authors, directors, and producers are also women. Even in the 21st century, this is still a rare phenomenon for dramatic art (Webb 8). In 2018, none of the top 100 highest-grossing films were directed by women, and only 39% of the main characters were women (Goulds 7). The problem of gender imbalance is typical for contemporary cinematography and theater.

The Wolves is an example of the growing female representation in the theatre. However, the play has been criticized for its lack of attention to the issue of black girls (Ealey 235). The play filled a gap in the field of feminine dramaturgy and entered the top ten most-produced productions in 2019 (Tran 2). It breaks the stereotype of womens inability to make friends, cope with crises, and overcome internal barriers.

Conclusion

The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe is a work that helps look at the process of growing teenage girls from their point of view. Through the prism of sports and non-linear dialogues, the author demonstrates the complexity of integrating into society and adult life, where each person is part of a group. As the heroines characters develop, they become more complex than the general notions of traditional feminism, where women compete with men in leadership and effectiveness.

Works Cited

Akbar, Arifa. The Wolves review  Swaggering, Tender Tales of Womens Football. The Guardian, Web.

DeLappe, Sarah. The Wolves: A Play: Off-Broadway Edition. Abrams, 2018.

Ealey, Jordan. School Girls, or, the African mean girls play. Theatre Journal, vol. 72, no. 2, 2020, pp. 232-235.

Fireside Chats: Sarah DeLappe 17 M.F.A. The Wolves Playwright. Youtube, uploaded by Brooklyn College, 2018, Web.

Goulds, Sharon. Rewrite Her Story: How Film and Media Stereotypes Affect the Lives and Leadership Ambitions of Girls and Young Women. Geena Davis Institute, 2019, pp. 1-40, Web.

Hayford, Michelle. Undergraduate Research in Theatre: A Guide for Students. Routledge, 2021.

Henry, Amina. The Wolves by Sarah Delappe. Teacher Resource Guide. Lincoln Center Theater, 2019, pp. 1-24, Web.

Mcnulty, Charles. Review: In Echo Theaters The Wolves, Life Through the Lens of High School Girls Soccer. Los Angeles Review, 2019, Web.

Neutze, Ben. The Wolves Review. Time Out, Web.

Rocamora, Carol. The Wolves, Theater Pizzazz, Web.

Solga, Kim. Sport, Space, and Gender: Embodying Alternate Girlhoods with The Wolves. Sports Plays. Routledge, 2021, pp, 70-84, Web.

Strange, Jared. The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe. Theatre Journal, vol. 73, no 2, 2021, pp. 249-25.

The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe  EarthStone Theatre Company. Youtube, uploaded by Jacobs, Lilli, 2020, Web.

Tran, Diep. The Top 10* Most-Produced Plays of the 2019-20 Season. American Theatre, vol. 18, 2019, pp. 1-4, Web.

Webb, Ella. And All the Men Merely Players: Gender in the Classical Theater. Masthead 2021, 2020-2021, pp. 1-10, Web.

Introduction

The books Essentials of Young Adult Literature by Carl Tomlinson, and Entering the World of Childrens literature by Nancy Anderson have greatly contributed to a better arrangement of teaching strategies and class conduct. Both authors highlight the points devoted to the improvement of the study process and make an accent on reading a wide range of necessary literature. In addition, the books are effective guidelines for the teacher to select the appropriate literature for the pupils. In particular, the first chapter by Tomlinson which is called Realistic Fiction submits a list of books that will help in the educational process. Moreover, it will help the children who resist doing that and the teachers who will be aware of how to awaken an interest in reading. Like the previous chapter, the following one reveals the definition of realistic fiction and its main peculiarities. Further, it enters the world of social reality and the main topics of this genre. Generally viewing the books, it should be pointed out that they could serve as a comprehensive guide both for the teachers and for the students since it gives significant instructions for the advancement of class conduct.

Main body

The application of the reading turns out to be of great value for my teaching in the kindergarten. Because it is always difficult to force children to read, the chapters provided me with important information concerning the issue of forming childrens positive attitudes to books and the reading process in particular. A comprehensive study of the books appeared to be rather useful specifically for my weekly classes in kindergarten. To be more exact, both chapters were of primary importance when choosing the literature for such an age category since at this time they observe the formation of childrens preferences and choices. Further, the readings presented me with the information that helps to involve the children in the discussion and to cultivate their possibility of choice. It should also mentioned that with the help of these books, I found out how to make the kindergarten reading class more profound and captivating taking into consideration the type of books and their styles.

The book Entering the World of Childrens Literature by Andersen greatly enlarges on literature methods and teaching strategies in forming the major ethical outlooks of children. Using that book, children could uncover the basic concept of family relations and friendship. In addition, this chapter will encourage teachers to explain some other current problems properly. The second book by Tomlinson serves as an effective tool that significantly contributes to a better presentation of classroom reading activities. It is worth saying that this piece of work managed to improve and modernize the theoretical ground of teaching.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while enjoying the weekly reading I understood that there are obvious gaps in the current organization of curriculum and class arrangement. Taking into account the fact that my current upbringing requires constant modernization, I found the chapters highly important specifically for me being a kindergarten teacher. Moreover, the class discussion inspired me to reorganize my curriculum and make it more exciting and profound. To be more exact, the readings taught me to select the relevant books in terms of genre and mind personal preferences of children. Realizing the modern situation in the educational field I will try to use these readings to present considerable changes to the process of training.

Reference List

Andersen, N.A. (2009). Elementary Childrens Literature: Infancy through Age 13. Allyn & Bacon, Inc.

Tomlinson, C.M., & Lynch-Brown, C. (2006). Essentials of Young Adult Literature. Allyn & Bacon, Inc.