Category: Literature

Introduction: When Life Is at Stake

Though it is truly hard to say that the motif of gambling is new to most of the world literature would be a considerable stretch, it goes without saying that Ellison adds a specific touch to it, making his story  that is, the story of a man who is slowly descending into madness  incredibly vivid. Instead of moralizing over the issue

Watching the Lead Character: Through Misery Lens

When knowing what the story is going to end with, it is quite shocking to see that it starts from a typical setting in the most typical place ever. Telling a story of a man whose wife is gradually dying while he cannot do a thing about it, the story immediately sets a gloomy background.

Even though it is generally considered that the protagonist loses his mind in the process of the game: His faith in a bingo game turns into madness that ends with violence (Thomas, 2008, 98). However, it can be argued that the character starts his descent into madness much earlier  to be more exact, from the very beginning of the novel.

I aint crazy (Ellison, n.d., 469), he says, as if trying to convince himself. Ellison only sets the mood for the rest of the story, but also indicates that the character will be soon undergoing a series of changes.

Escaping the Tight Grip of Despair

Another circle of madness begins at the point where Ellison explains that the protagonists wife is terminally ill. Devoting a great chunk of the story to developing these two characters and the relationships between them Ellison makes it clear that her being unwell adds to the lead characters torments.

Another spin of insanity starts as the author reveals that the lead character drinks quite a lot. However, the major point, which is practically the gateway to insanity for the leading character, starts with a sudden stream of consciousness bursting under the pressure of the alcohol fumes: The bottle gurgled again.

He closed his eyes [&] and seeing the train coming, and running back as fast as he could go, and hearing the whistle blowing [&] (Ellison, n.d., 470). One of the most graphic scenes in the book, this one in particular shows the readers how far the lead characters insanity can go.

A Playing of Fortune: Take Him Where the Wind Blows

Slowly gaining momentum, the madness of the lead character manifests itself in the most obvious way during the game. One can see it picking a faster pace in every single sentence: He watched the wheel whirling past the numbers and experienced a burst of exaltation: This is God! This is the really truly God! He said it out loud, This is God! (Ellison, n.d., 473).

Finally, as the lead characters turn comes to take part in the game, he loses control over his feelings, and all hell breaks loose: Who am I? he screamed (Ellison , n.d., 475). As the madness progresses, the turmoil enters into an even more intense phase.

It is quite peculiar that the magnificence of madness that grips the lead character is spilled out in the form of a silly song: Shoot the liquor to him, Jimmy boy! / Clap-clap-clap (Ellison, n.d., 476).

The pace of the entire story somehow reminds of a music tempo, which starts at the slowest pace: The woman in front of him was eating roasted peanuts (Ellison, n.d., 469), progresses to the fastest one: He stumbled down the aisle and up the steps to the stage (Ellison, n.d., 471) and ends with the slowest pace again: he did not see the mans slow wink (Ellison, n.d., 477).

The Moment the Earth Stood Still

One must give Ellison credit for being extremely subtle with the ending of the novel. It is quite peculiar that author does not say that the lead character dies. Ellison does not need to state the painfully obvious; instead, he develops even more details and conveys the subtle message of despair, making the latter shoot the entire novel through:

He only felt the dull pain exploding in his skull, and he knew even as it slipped out of him that his luck had run out on the stage (Ellison, n.d., 477).

It is also quite peculiar that for a moment, the leading character does get in touch with reality, only to understand that he is going to be dead in the next few moments. A tragic climax to a tragic story, the ending leaves the impression that a delicate mechanism suddenly went wrong and finally broke into pieces.

Conclusion: Watch the Wheel Spinning

Though King of the bingo game cannot be called the most thrilling read, it definitely has a unique flair and a specific touch to it, which makes the reader sink into the imaginary world, taking it for granted.

Though told in a very brief manner and pointing at the most essential moments and details, the story still makes the audience sympathize with the lead character. With the help of specific pacing, the author adds a sharp edge to the narration, taking the reader into the imaginary reality. Let the game begin.

Reference List

Ellison, R. (n.d.) King of the bingo game. Web.

Thomas, P. L. (2008). Reading, learning, teaching Ralph Ellison. New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Votaires letters on England is a series of essays that were published first in the year 1733 by Francois Marie Arouet. In total, the series is made up of twenty-four letters. The letters can be interpreted as portraying political, religious, philosophical, and cultural themes. This paper analyzes the Votaires letters from the context of these four themes.

First, religion is a key dominant theme in the first seven letters. Letters 1 to 4 talk about Quakers while letters 5, 6, and 7 address the Anglicans, Presbyterians and Soicinians respectively. Quakers are described from the basis of their history, customs, and religious beliefs. Votaire particularly praises them since they lack baptism, priests, and communion.

In particular, according to The Pennsylvania State University, Quakers assert, we are not of opinion that the sprinkling water on a childs head makes him a Christian (8). However, Votaire is concerned that the religion is highly influential due to its capacity to manipulate its believers through magnificent organizations.

In letter 5, Votaire compares Anglicanism with Catholicism claiming, With regard to the morals of the English clergy, they are more regular than those of France (Votaire 27). Nevertheless, he criticizes Anglicanism for remaining faithful to Catholicism rituals. In letter 6, Votaire sees Presbyterians as highly intolerant coupled with being over strict.

This argument is supported by Votaire when he writes, No operas, plays, or concerts are allowed in London on Sunday (Votaire 31). Finally, in letter 7, Votaire discusses the practices of Socinians claiming that, under the religion, men choose to abide by the teachings of authors who are wretched. Arguably, amid the discussion of the differences in the religions, Votaire supports the idea of religious tolerance.

This holds because he enormously believes that prosecution acerbated to one religion only produces the effects of hiking proselytes. Thus, these four letters can be interpreted as an opposition against the dominance of a single religion in the public domain and or opposition against religious conflicts stemming from the differences in beliefs.

Secondly, the theme of politics is central to the letters of Votaire. This is reflected in the eighth and ninth letters. Letter 8 discusses the political system of the English land in comparison to the political system of France and Rome.

While Votaire is concerned that Britain would consider engaging in conflicts based on religious reasons, he is also concerned that Rome would serve tyranny, as opposed to liberty, in the case of Britain. In letter 9, Votaire mediates on the history of Magna Carta coupled with other aspects such as tax levying and equal accordance of justice. Arguably, the concept of political moderation is an eminent concern of the Votaires letters.

He thinks that Britain is one of the nations, which limit the political power accorded to the kings so that, amid giving them substantive capacity to do what is good for the people, they cannot commit evil to the people.

With regard to The Pennsylvania State University, for a political climate to exist so that nobles are great without insolence, though there are no Vassals, and where the People share in the government without confusion (67), Votaire believes that an immense struggle is necessary. While Britain enjoys the fruits of the struggle, France is not capable of retraining the powers given to her political leaders.

Nevertheless, Votaire is still not satisfied with the manner in which the political system of England was run. This is perhaps well supported by the argument that the house of Lords and that of the Commons divide the legislative power under the King (Votaire 52). However, at the time of his writing, this notion was under immense debate.

Thirdly, the Votaires letters may be analyzed as depicting the theme of the power possessed by experimental philosophy. Before the experiments were used to realize inventions, Voltaire believes that the inventions that were realized were principally attributable to mere luck.

In this perspective, The Pennsylvania State University argues, Voltaires narrative sets up a chain of heroes, including Locke, Bacon, and Newton who radically reconfigured how human beings encountered the world (21). These heroes made it possible for humanity to discover the universe through circumscription of the universes metaphysical knowledge.

In the same sense, Votaire is opposed to Descartes approach in philosophy entailing thinking and reasoning beyond his senses abilities. Rather, he subscribes to the philosophical approach of thinking within the capacity of sensory experience.

Lastly, Votaires letters may be analyzed as being depictive of the cultural history of England. In this end, he not only endeavors to compile a catalogue of cultural coupled with intellectual heroes born in England among them being Lock, Bacon, Newton, and Shakespeare among others, but also thinks that the responsibility of propelling civilizations forward rests on the intellectual geniuses but not military leaders and kings.

Consequently, Votaire seeks to make people see England as being shaped to the form at the time of his writings by geniuses.

Therefore, men must put in place mechanism for ensuring freedom of thought as opposed to subscribing to some beliefs/structures that are imposed to them since  opinions are subject to revolutions as well as empires (Votaire 43). Hence, freedom of thought is the only way to enhance a continued development of England.

Conclusively, the focus of the paper was to analyze the Votaires letters on England. This was done from the dimension of the letters being reflective of political, religious, cultural and philosophical themes. The paper has further given a detailed revelation of how these themes are evident in the letter afore-discussed. Otherwise, the letters provide an informative piece of work.

Works Cited

Votaire, Francois. Letters on England. Rockville, MD: Arc Manor, 2008. Print.

The Pennsylvania State University. Letters on England by Voltaire, 2002. Web.

The historical accuracy of Hell can be analyzed by the timeless Christian allegory through the lens of which Dante has envisioned the fate of religion and has unlocked the mystery of its own false identity. The identity which is based upon false Christian beliefs and have only smudged Christianity. Many people view Inferno as a religious comedy highlighting the loopholes of religion, what I believe is that Inferno is the true picture of religious castings envisioned by Dante.

On a evening of Good Friday, when Dante lost his way in dark, the ghost of Virgil (Roman poet) offered to guide him to heaven, but through a journey of Hell. This way Dante in this historical magnum opus has explored the moral of three kingdoms, known by the name of hell, purgatory (place in between hell and heaven) and heaven. Dantes Hell reveals the terror which the reader experiences as if he is a part of those various level of sins which are elaborated in the form of nine circles. The encounter of the author Dante with Virgil in hell is inextricably linked to a diachronic mode that is defined not by the influence of literary history but by the actual situation of reading. What Dante has tried the reader is to visualize the mother nature through Medieval Christian point of view.

Hawkins (2007) mentions that Inferno in the context of hell provides a perfect case in nature when Dante provides a universe of souls, all of whom have fictive bodies that enable them, before the general resurrection, to experience the physical sensation of pain in hell (Hawkins, 2007). Though Dantes Hell is created with utmost sins, but readers find it amusing to know how little is the contribution of fire in Dantes Hell. This is what Dante illustrates as the meaning of fire is incompatible with the punishment of most sins (Esolen, 2002: xvii).

Johnson (2001) criticizes Dantes Hell by claiming that Dante has created Inferno in a manner which seems ridiculous to the reader when he analyzes that Dante is trying to blame Christian history. This is revealed when Dante places the virtuous unbaptized souls in the outermost circle of hell, called limbo (Johnson, 2001). The amusing aspect is that all these virtuous souls have led good earthly lives and though they never deserve any pain, but still they are unable to enter heaven just because because they were never baptized. Such a concept presented by Dante is itself an illustration of how Christianity is misunderstood and perceived doubtful when many unbaptized people were considered saints. Thus Dante has pointed out in Inferno the real problem behind Hell, which is not limited to the question that why even those good people who remain good to us in our lives can be subjected to such excruciating experience.

Dante himself answers the question in a unique critical manner by pointing out the history responsible for this concept. History reveals to us that one of the most uncontrollable difficulties confronting traditional theism has been the problem of evil, according to which the condition or belief that God is all powerful is problematic. It is problematic because if according to our belief God is powerful enough to capture and get hold of evil, why evil is set on loose by Him? A different concept is assumed in tradition of Christianity which suggests that usually we experience the problem of evil because that special kind of evil that regards the afterlife, is set on loose by the God, therefore, in this world some humans are with God forever and some are in hell. Now, if God has set evil on loose, why is that good humans suffer without any logical justification? The theological portrayals of Dantes hell has questioned this issue in a amusing manner and which is revealed when Dante visits some very good people in hell, just for the reason that they never were baptized. In other sense, Dante raises the question that it seems God is limited and has drawn certain boundaries, after which He Himself is helpless, because He cannot help even those who are in His good books. Does that indicate that God is Christian or has adopted a particular caste or religion?

Kvanvig (1993) points out that the problem of evil comes in two varieties, logical and philosophical. Now from both point of views Dante has proven Gods epistemology to be wrong, in the manner that logically the problem of evil claims some logical inconsistency between the claim that God is perfectly all powerful and the claim that evil exists (Kvanvig, 1993: 4). The philosophical version of the problem of evil claims that if there is existence of evil why Dante saw only the good persons in hell? Paolo and Francesca da Rimini were among one of the sinners whom Dante saw in the Second Circle of Hell for the only reason that they were engaged in a love affair.

In such conditions, Dante came to this point to decide that Hell is no more than how a person perceives it. What he wants the reader to analyze is that the existence of evil provides evidence that there is no God, because if there were any, He must have traced good people not only on the basis of their deeds but on judging their intentions and souls.

Works Cited

Esolen Anthony, (2002) Dante Inferno: Poetry, Illustrations by Gustav Dore.

Hawkins Peter, (2007) Still Going Strong: Dante Now, Christianity and Literature. Volume: 56. Issue: 3, p. 489.

Johnson M, Eric, (2001) Talk of the Damned Fires Inferno, The Washington Times, p. 3.

Kvanvig L. Jonathon, (1993) The Problem of Hell: Oxford University Press: New York.

Beowulf presents one of the most important pieces of English literature from the Anglo-Saxon period because of its epic nature and historic value. The poem depicts the heroic deeds of the warrior Beowulf and captures the Anglo-Saxon culture of the medieval period. The poem is divided into three parts for each of Beowulfs heroic battles with Grendel, Grendels mother, and the dragon. In each part of the poem, Beowulf demonstrates different heroic traits, ultimately creating his image of an epic hero.

Firstly, Beowulfs story in the poem starts when he offers to help King Hrothgar defeat the monster known as Grendel. The character proves the seriousness of his intentions by boasting about his previous victories in battle with nine sea monsters, demonstrating his courage. In the poem, Grendel is depicted as a monster that appears bigger than any man and stronger than the main character (Heaney, 2008, p.93). During his fight with Grendel, Beowulf demonstrates bravery by fighting the monster bare-handed to gain great fame and honor.

Next, in the part of the poem which depicts Beowulfs battle with Grendels mother, the character demonstrates his commitment to duty and King Hrothgar by killing Grendels mother. Furthermore, Beowulf demonstrates his intelligence when he discovers that his sword cannot hurt Grendels mother and finds a magic sword inside her cave. Thus, in addition to bravery and courage often associated with epic heroes, Beowulf possesses such heroic qualities as loyalty and intelligence.

Lastly, Beowulf enters the fight with the last monster as the king of Geats. During his last battle, Beowulf demonstrates care for his soldiers, contrary to his actions in the first parts of the poem. He also shows the will to self-sacrifice, which resonates with one of his loyal soldiers. Together, they kill the dragon, and Beowulf dies not only as a famous hero but also as a responsible leader and ruler.

In conclusion, this essay explored heroic traits in the character of Beowulf. The essay defines how each chapter of the poem captures different heroic traits exhibited by Beowulf, such as bravery and courage, loyalty and intelligence, wisdom and self-sacrificing. Thus, the paper explains how the combination of different heroic traits creates the image of Beowulf as an epic hero and captures the characters progression from a brave warrior to a wise and responsible ruler.

References

Heaney, S. (2008). Beowulf: An illustrated edition. W.W. Norton & Company.

The Fallen angel cake is an urban legend, which was published in a Sydney newspaper during the year 1980. In the year 1982, the story was published in a Canadian newspaper. The legend described a woman who baked a cake, which was to be sold in her local church.

During the baking process, the cake accidentally broke into two pieces. With limited time to bake the second cake, the woman moulded a roll of tissue paper, which she used to stick together the broken cake. Afterwards, she rushed to her local church to sell the cake. With the aim of selling and buying back the cake, the woman gave her daughter money, and instructed her to buy back the cake.

Unfortunately, the cake was sold to another buyer in the absence of her daughter. The following day, at a club, the woman identified the buyer of her cake preparing to serve it. Before the woman could notify the buyer about the blemish in the cake, the buyer acknowledged before a crowd that she had baked the beautiful cake. As a result, the woman withheld her notification.

One of the themes portrayed in the legend is about making swift choices. Throughout the legend, the woman was forced by the situations to make swift decisions. For instance, the woman made a dramatic choice, when she realized that her cake had been broken in the oven, by joining the broken cake using tissue paper moulds.

Similarly, when the woman hurried to the church and instructed her daughter to buy back the cake, she illustrated the theme of making swift choices. In addition, this theme was emphasised through the womans willingness to inform the host on the cakes faults before it was served.

Another theme embodied in the legend is the theme of pride. Out of her pride, the buyer lied before a crowd that she had prepared the beautiful cake. As a result, her pride prevented the woman from informing her about the faults in the cake.

As such, the legend tackled some of the key issues addressed in class such as themes embodied in the legends, and their roles in enforcing social norms. Through this legend, the students should be able to identify the main themes in the book, and in turn learn from them.

Like the other legends, the fallen angel cake legend is considered fictional. Though the original society of this legend can be traced, its creator cannot be identified. Likewise, the other legends illustrated in the book have no clear authors and creators. Similar to other legends illustrated in the book, the legend is interesting and easy to narrate. For instance, each of these legends is less than 600 words long.

This implies that these urban legends are not only easy to read and comprehend, but also interesting to their readers. In the same way as other legends, the legend contains humour and sarcasms enhancing its readability among its readers.

Equally, these legends were meant to educate their readers on various social issues and in turn reinforce social reforms. However, unlike most other legends contained in the book, the fallen angel cake legends plot based its foundation on a true story. The publishers of this legend have asserted that the legend was very popular among its creators society.

Religion is often juxtaposed with a scientific worldview, causing conflicts and disharmony. However, The Sunset Limited by Cormac McCarthy provides another take on this subject. It is common to perceive the relationship between religion and reason as clashing, yet McCarthy provides a different perspective, in which both sides realize that their deep dissemblance is detrimental to a harmonious existence. This essay will discuss the confrontation between the main characters as an illustration of the debate on religion in McCarthys The Sunset Limited.

The initial discussion between Black and White appears to be taking a hostile tone as individuals struggle to find common ground. From the very beginning, McCarthy clearly outlines Whites position in the presented philosophical debate, as he states that everything that happens doesnt mean something else (7). At the same time, Black has an opposite perspective on life. McCarthy defines him as a very religious person who believes that [God] can speak to your heart (67). Their initial conflict is natural, as such a difference is challenging to overcome at first glance. However, as Black and White talk about God, the meaning of existence, and death, their interest in each others views sparks a candid conversation.

Ones existence is a core subject that touches on both ideologies presented in this play. It is the cornerstone through which both philosophies can educate their opponent and break the containment of ideas (OConnor 95). While White and Black possess different opinions regarding how it should be viewed, they gradually work their way through the rhetorical arguments from each perspective to determine spiritual and earthly aspects of existence. As White states that everybody dies, Black refutes by saying that one could have life everlastin through God (McCarthy 82). Although White finds this idea nonsensical, his position regarding life is what brought him to a suicide attempt, and he realizes it. Simultaneously, Black sees how White is a complex person with an insightful yet odd perspective on things.

While readers may perceive the debate between characters as a continuous refusal to take others positions at face value, the author did not intend it this way. OConnor argues that each person scrutinizes their interlocutors arguments to educate their counterpart and expresses profound solidarity (92). This notion highlights that the opposition between religion and logic is unnecessary, as they contribute to ones understanding of life. In the end, both sides may be considered defeated by each other. White agrees that perhaps once he could have been saved, while Black realizes that he [doesnt] understand why [God] sent him to help this man (McCarthy 146-148). The effect that produced this outcome is not ignorance but a deeply-seated concept that outlines ones boundaries of knowledge.

In conclusion, The Sunset Limited provides the authors view on the debate of religion versus reason by revealing that the opposition is what leads to both of them being unable to exist in harmony. Instead, it is more beneficial for people to accept that both sides represent different aspects of human life  materialistic and spiritual. The conflict in this play is more than just a clash of ideals. Individuals are able to perceive others trail of thoughts yet remain unable to grasp and internalize their meaning fully. This tragedy signifies that the separation of logic and belief is what prohibits people from pursuing a common good.

Works Cited

McCarthy, Cormac. The Sunset Limited: A Novel in Dramatic Form. Vintage International, 2006.

OConnor, Patrick. Cormac McCarthy, Philosophy and the Physics of the Damned. EUP, 2022.

Introduction

The present work is devoted to the comparative analysis of two science fiction works written in different periods of time but being unified with common ideas and topics. The first text to be considered is the science fiction novel When Worlds Collide written by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer that was published in 1933. The second work is also a science fiction one, but it is more of a horror novel that also introduced a new science fiction subgenre  a vampire novel. It is the work I am Legend by Richard Matheson that was published in 1954.

Main body

The first thing necessary to be done concerning the comparison of these two works is to understand their background, the period of time in which they were written. Judging by the year of publication, When Worlds Collide was written in the period between the two World Wars that was called the Great Depression. It influenced the world perception and the motives of creative activity in many spheres  the moods were pessimistic, gloomy and fate-oriented; people were considered doomed to failure and extinction. In general the epoch was too frustrating and hopeless for people, so that all these motives were revealed in literature and cinema (the emergence of black noir in the cinema art, the science fiction motives of destruction of the Earth and a global catastrophe awaiting our planet).

The second book, I am Legend, was written later, in 1954  the period of steady and firm development of Modernism in its middle up to the late stage. This movement also could not help producing certain influence on the creative activity of the author  the topic of destruction and global catastrophe is also present, but it is presented from another angle. The human being is put to the fore in the authors considerations, so the nature of the catastrophe is also human-oriented, deeper and personalized.

It goes without saying that the main topic to be explored in the course of comparison is the impact of science on human life and its part in the overall course of events described. Both authors build up their plot on the achievements of science, be it the spacecraft people use to escape from the doomed planet or the laboratory in which Neville is exploring the possible causes of the disease. However, they both treat science in a different way  it is either a distanced, grand assistant of humans desperate to escape to another planet, or the tool to find the truth that will become a clue to curing the planet. In the first book science is detached from the course of events  it is glorified at the same time decreasing the value of human lives. In the second book science is livelier and is actively incorporated in the plot  it is all Neville has, thus becoming his friend and savior.

Taking a closer look at the novel When Worlds Collide it becomes possible to understand the mood of the book concerning the whole humanity  the period of the Great Depression produced works based on fatum  the feeling of the inevitably approaching catastrophe, a deadly event that will disastrously change the lives of all human beings and will reshape the world. In the context of this book fatum was expressed by two planets approaching the Earth and being projected to produce horrible damage that will put into question the whole existence of the planet. The origin of the catastrophe is attributed nearly mystical meaning  in the dialogue with Eve Tony clearly expresses his opinion about the approaching disaster as a destiny for the whole humanity prepared by super-power of God:

Remember how the Old Testament showed God to us, stern and merciless. God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth! it said. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth. And the Lord said, I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth; both man, and beast and creeping things, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them (Wylie and Balmer 44).

The main challenge to be overcome is the neglect and underestimation of the threat by the governments of the countries. Finally the scale of the disaster is realized and quick, large-scale action is being taken by humanity guided the main hero, Cole Hendron  their main purpose is to build huge spaceships to escape from the Earth obsessed by the huge, indescribable apocalyptic storm that destroys everything alive on the planet. They finally manage to leave the Earth for Bronson Beta where they find adequate conditions for continuing their life there.

The second book is about the only person who survived on the Earth after the attack of an extremely dangerous virus that made all people vampires. The main character, Robert Neville, is the man who fights vampires arranging attacks at them and at the same time trying to protect himself, not get mad and find the cure for the humanity. In the course of his actions he meets a woman who proves to him that there are adequate vampires, people who started to adapt to the virus and try to overcome its awful effect. Nevertheless, Nevilles cautiousness does not disappear; he remains too aggressive and hateful concerning the vampires, even the peaceful groups of them. As a result he becomes to dangerous for the newly built society of vampires and they decide to annihilate the threat, catching and executing Neville. At the end of the story the dramatic understanding of the shift of normal and paranormal comes to Nevilles mind  he realizes that he, being a unique normal, uninfected person in the world becomes a legend, as vampires used to be in scary tales before the epidemics. He feels bitter about the fact that the world will be left for the disposal of these half-humans who he did not consider human at all (Matheson).

The author represents Neville as a half-mad, paranoid person who tries to find his way in the new world and to put up with the horror he became the lively witness of. He desperately tries to change the world, find the cure and at the same time speculates over the destiny that reached people on the Earth:

To die, he thought, never knowing the fierce joy and attendant comfort of a loved ones embrace. To sink into that hideous coma, to sink then into death and, perhaps, return to sterile, awful wanderings. All without knowing what it was to love and be loved. That was a tragedy more terrible than becoming a vampire (Matheson 72).

Summing up everything that has been said about the two books being discussed, it becomes clear that they are very similar in the topic of the end of the world, the Earth being doomed to destruction or some global catastrophe destroying everything on the planet. In the first case the catastrophe takes place with the planet itself making people look for the refuge at other planets (which is the realization of depressive moods and ways to escape from the coming war). The second book is more concerned with the inner disaster  the humanity being kept but undergoing monstrous changes that deprive them from anything humane (the biological basis of the catastrophe adds horror and realization of inevitability of some disaster of the type along with the development of science and the catastrophe that may be the side effect of some experiment).

Conclusion

Both authors are concerned with the destiny of their planet but they treat the potential causes of the disasters in a different way  one author chooses the space theme while the other is getting deeper into the readers brains, their secret fears o biological weapons or secret experiments, which in both cases produces a very credible and frightening apocalyptical picture.

Bibliography

Matheson, Richard. I am Legend. Fawcett Publications, 1954.

Wylie, Philip and Balmer, Edwin. When Worlds Collide. Frederick A. Stokes, 1933.

Introduction

The life of different people in the society may be of two types, those who are famous and those who are not. The life of famous people is followed and their impact on the society is also considered. Upton Sinclair is the person who became famous in the American society at the beginning of the XX century and made a great contribution in the peoples self-consciousness and their awareness in the modern world.

Main Text

Shifting to the biography of such famous person, it is impossible to avoid that his family was rather poor. He was born in 1878 in Baltimore, Maryland. Being 15, he began to write his first novels. Having married, the financial situation of the family was bad, and the birth of the son led to the worse condition. The refusal to devote his life to nothing but writing, led to numerous conflicts and the divorce followed in 1911 (The Jungle by Upton Sinclair).

The life of the writer had changed significantly after the edition of his book The Jungle. Upton Sinclair was invited to the White House by the President Theodore Roosevelt. Moreover, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 was adopted after the book was investigated and the necessary information taken into account. There were a lot of other (more than 90) publications of this author. Besides the numerous books of his, the articles were also rather productive. There were several articles, which contained the information about the authors devotion to foreign languages. In addition, Upton Sinclair could fluently read on French, Italian and German, knew Greek and Latin grammar, and was proud of his knowledge (Suba
ius, 2006).

The contribution of Upton Sinclair was not only the written works, which were rather useful to the society, but also his support of the social layers of the society. Miners, women and other people were supported by Upton Sinclair. He was one of the creators of the American Civil Liberties Union. He was one of the leaders, who made offered the society to change the system which was and to address all the inconveniences to the government. The ideas i8n the change of the society were as follows, to create the minimum wage, to state the maximum working hours, there was no employer liability, no food and drug laws, no votes for women, no education on birth control and venereal disease, few unions, no health insurance, no social security, and no unemployment compensation (Whitt, 2008, p. 32). Upton Sinclair fought for all these changes and believed in their providing in the society.

One of the biggest works which was provided by Upton Sinclair was the agitation work, as the life of simple workers was not good, and Upton Sinclair was trusted, he was famous and, what is the most important, he came out of the poor family and knew the problems of simple working people, and being the writer by the nature he could state his opinion correctly.

Conclusion

So, it may be concluded hat Upton Sinclair was a very significant person in the society of his time. He managed to be not only the great writer, whose works were read all over the country, but to become the idol of t society. The programs which he offered to provide in the society, the letters which he wrote and pamphlets, which he created, heat up the society and made it understand that there may be the other life that people may live better and it is the responsibility of the government to make this life better.

Reference List

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. (2006). Sinclair Biography. Web.

Suba
ius, G. (2006). Upton Sinclair : the Lithuanian Jungle: upon the centenary of The Jungle (1905 and 1906) by Upton Sinclair. Rodopi, Netherlands.

Whitt, J. (2008). Settling the borderland: other voices in literary journalism. University Press of America, New York.

The book Killer Angels by Michael Shaara is about the famous Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. The book has been written from the viewpoint of the people who fought and shared their feelings and thoughts about the battle as it proceeded. The battle commenced with victory being achieved by the Confederacy (South), but during the peak of the story, there is a dramatic narration of how a frantic South made a charge that ultimately resulted in a slaughter. This battle signified a turning point in the Civil War. In his introduction as given in the book, the author has clarified that no facts have been changed and that primary sources and documentary evidence have been used in bringing to light this aspect of American history. The story commences on June 29, 1863, whereby a spy informs the Confederate army about the maneuvers and location of the Union army. General Longstreet and General Lee are at first doubtful about the information but later act upon it in moving their troops towards Gettysburg. The battle began on June 30 in the morning between a small group of infantry belonging to the Confederate and a group of cavalry soldiers of the Union army. This was the third summer after the outbreak of the Civil War and the fight would come to be known as the Battle of Gettysburg as also the bloodiest and fiercest battle fought in America.

Col Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is in command of the 120 men who were highly disgruntled because of having been made to sign a three year term to serve the army instead of the normal two years agreement signed by other soldiers. These men were forced to serve in difficult battle torn conditions while the other men were allowed to return home. These 120 men were made to starve and were punished in being handed over to Chamberlain who said he would have them penalized if they refused to fight. Col Chamberlain was a professor in a college before he joined the war efforts. His background explained his different approach, because he listened to his men and also understood that it was improper to force his men to fight. He handled his men with kindness and promised to resolve their grievances after the battle was over. He was also able to instill in them the confidence that if this battle was won, it would grant freedom to the entire country.

General Robert Lee demonstrates a lot of flexibility in his attitude. He changes strategies quickly when things do not move as per plans and takes other lines of action. General Lee is however not a strong decision taker since there is no surety whether his orders will be carried out. He is considered to be a man of honor since he does not indulge in gambling, drinking or cursing. For him reputation and honor are more central than his own life and he believes that a battle should be fought openly instead of being fought surreptitiously. Lee succeeds because where others would be cautious, he takes risks, but it is ironic that it is this very trait that lets him down and results in his downfall. When the defeat of the Confederate army becomes inevitable, Lee apologizes to his people and takes an onus on himself for the failure. It was however because Lee was arrogant in believing that his army was invincible.

General Longstreet is not always in agreement with Lee but is his right-hand man and the two men have faith in each other. Longstreet is a little overconfident and believes that weapons are more important than the caliber of the soldiers, but he cares for his men and takes initiative for their welfare.

The book is well known for linking the historical events of the period since it was about the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil war. The novel has enabled a better understanding of the war and the purposes behind it. It also enabled a better understanding of the reasons for the decisions that were made regarding the Battle of Gettysburg. I particularly liked how the thought patterns of people were brought forth in the book instead of just the facts and events of the battle. The book was of great help in understanding the reasons for the attacks and the way they were carried out. Unless one knew the opinion and thought patterns of the soldiers, it would have been difficult to understand why the given decisions were taken. The deliberations amongst the characters were of particular interest in getting a thorough understanding of why particular decisions were taken against other options. The authenticity of the narrated facts along with the inclusion of fictional information made the book very interesting to read. It was of particular interest to note that there were some foreign observers who traveled with the soldiers in taking stock of all developments. Having read the book one is indeed more enlightened about the circumstances that were prevalent during the Civil War and about the fierceness of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Persuasion is a novel written by Jane Austen in 1816. This novel tells the story of a girl named Anne Elliot. She comes from a noble family where she lives with her older sister and father. Her younger sister got married and lived with her husband. The Elliot family is on the verge of bankruptcy and is trying to strengthen their financial condition in every way. The main character is Anne Elliot, and the novel describes her love story. Seven years ago, she was engaged to a sailor named Frederick Wentworth, who had no money and acquaintances at that time. In other words, she was a simple sailor who did not suit Annes social status. For this reason, Annes deceased mothers friend forces her to break off the engagement (Austen). However, Anne could not forget her lover during this time, who had built a career for himself over these seven years. In addition, the novel is also comedic and ridicules high society and their aspirations for life. The novel, with its satire, condemns the moral values of high society and their willingness to sacrifice what is dear for the sake of their reputation by satirizing the material values of such a social institution as family.

Annes father, Walter Elliot, is a very hypocritical character of the novel, who values money over everything. Therefore, the man values his appearance the most and material things that show the belonging to the higher class of society. Austen points out that Vanity was the beginning and the end of Sir Walter Elliots character; vanity of person and of situation (Austen 3). He, being from a noble family, appreciates what is visible through a persons eyes and not what lies inside the body. An excellent example of the fathers behavior is that he flaunts his appearance every morning. Moreover, he writes a book about himself and his family. The author satirizes Sir Walters hypocrisy when he does not include the description of his middle daughter Anne in this book because Walter considered her unattractive but entered her name as a fact. It can be assumed that he preferred to put his family in the best light, missing family members who may not correspond to his desired reputation. Moreover, Annes father, Walter, openly declares that he did this because she is unremarkable (Austen). In such behavior lies the authors mockery of people of high society. In other words, Walter is the most typical prototype of all other high society people who measure their love and sympathy on appearance.

Furthermore, Walters family shows their respect and sympathy solely because of the status of a person. That is, the mind and human dignity did not bother the family since this or that persons situation and position in society were much more critical. Then, when the family wanted to get to know their distant relatives whom no one knew, the meanness of the family manifested itself. During the acquaintance, the main character tells a ridiculous joke, and for this, the girls family feels ashamed in front of other people (Austen). However, when the others laughed and started joking, Walter also laughed to please the women of the highest status in society. It is hilarious when a person can transcend his inner desires to please others and simultaneously be sad.

Austen also satirized the material value of Walters family is a meeting with Mr. William Elliot, a distant relative and the heir to Mr. Walters fortune. Through the two men did not maintain a relationship for a long time, and Annes father had a dislike for William. It was because the young men did not suit this standards, however, the situation changes when William is nearing wealth. Walter magically changes his attitude toward William as if there is no discord between them. It speaks to the hypocrisy of the Anne family and once again confirms that the family has no moral relations with each other and with people in general.

Against the background of Walters family, the author of the novel Austen shows the values possessed by high society. Unfortunately, they are not related to morality and ethics. Everyone is looking for benefits from each other, while material benefits satisfy their needs in the best possible way and maintain their status in society. The author conveys the meaning of value through satire by ridiculing funny situations. Walters family can step over their loved ones through their dignity and pride for material well-being and a place in society. If the high society supported moral and ethical values and sought to achieve them, they would consolidate their status in society as noble people, not just people from high society. Although people belong to the most elevated position and have considerable wealth, they should receive a moral education to comply with their status fully.

In conclusion, Lane Austens work Persuasion is a representation of the fact that many people of that time valued material things more than family and relationships with loved ones. Moreover, it presents a distortion of the morality of these individuals, such as the father of the main character Anne. In addition, the author conveys how family member is able to disrespect each other because of their appearance even if it is a relation between father and daughter. Therefore, they value other people not because of their humanity but high status in society.

Work Cited

Austen, Jane, and Deidre Lynch. Persuasion. Oxford University Press, 2008.