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"The Decay of Lying" by Oscar Wilde is a criticism based solely on the topics of Aestheticism. Aestheticism was an ideal that Oscar was passionate about, as he was one of the more influential people of the Aesthetic movement during the late 1800's. The ideal held that art should not be used as a form of social education and enlightenment, that "art need not any other purpose than being beautiful". This essay is very critical in enforcing Oscar Wilde's views and opinions, as many of the points made in "The Decay of Lying" parallel those inside "The Picture of Dorian Gray." One quote stands out when it comes to Aestheticism, and it is this: "Lying and poetry are arts-arts, as Plato saw, not unconnected from each other-and they require the most careful study, the most disinterested devotion" (Wilde). This sentiment was very evident in "The Picture of Dorian Gray": in the novel, the painter would end up making the portrait of Dorian Gray a very personal work of art, one that goes against the rules of Aestheticism. In the end, the painter would face the consequences of this, dying in the end in result of caring so much of the painting. The other part of Aestheticism dealing with the idea that Art should not be used as a form of learning and enlightenment is seen here, in which he uses an example to reinforce it. He states that "the most obvious and the vulgarest from in which this is shown is in the case of the silly boys, who, after reading the adventures of Jack Sheppard… pillage the stalls…, break into sweetshops at night,… etc" (Wilde). Again, this parallels Dorian Gray: in the beginning of the book, there is this yellow book that Lord Henry gives Dorian Gray. This piece of literature would soon change Dorian's life: he becomes obsessed with it, living the way it says to live, and would become an evil, corrupt man because of it. Here, it is obvious of the lesson Wilde is trying to convey to the audience: that literature

Cody Villanueva Jensen AP LIT 20 January 2011 Literary Analysis #2 The novel not only portrays a sense of classic literature, but for Bill Robinson Life of Pi is presumably an award winner. Based on what Robinson says is "straightforward and innocent in a way that is entertaining and highly engaging," he praises this novel for its mere simplicity and uniqueness that not only is carried through Martel's text but his overall idea and organization of the novel. As perceived to be a novel of such grace and simplicity, it seems as if Robinson connects more intimately to this novel due to the fact of its heavy affiliation with religion. Within his review not only does he state Martel's thoughts , in this case being "This is a novel of such rare and wondrous storytelling that it may, as one character claims, make you believe in God." but praises it by saying "Could a reader ask for anything more?" Due to Robinson's religious arousal this is a possible bias toward readers of religious ambiguity or unaffiliated preference. Even though Robinson's praise Martel for such a genius novel, he rarely comments on any of the downsides the novel contains. It takes him to the end where he finally comments on a small portion of the novels ending and how it "drags a bit at the end," but is simply reinstating what other reviews may say. The author in conclusion contains an overall affectionate appeal to this novel with rare and minimal critiques, possibly due to a assumed bias. Robinson not only praise's this novel in words but it seems as he pushes this novels to review for an accredited award based on his overall high ratings for the novel.

The Early Work of Arthur Miller Critic In this larger analysis by Leonard Moss on the complete works of Arthur Miller, the subsection regarding "All My Sons" explored the use of diction and other literary techniques to develop the complex family relationships of this novel. The family unit in "All My Sons" enjoys strong bonds and affections according to Moss; nonetheless, they are plagued with uncertainty and distrust among other members of the family despite this closeness. Moss progresses through the plot sequentially in order to support this claim about the family. Along the way, the article notes the language used by Miller to supplement the work. Colloquial language is used frequently, for instance, along with many allusions which are employed to reveal secrets of the family and signify shifts in emotions found within the story. Specifically noted is the "verbal contrast bringing out a psychological contrast" such as "harshness starting to displace simple folkiness, fearfulness displacing the comfortable self-assurance." Once accounting for the social truths and themes put forth by Miller, and the many supporting details, the author of this article concludes that much of the plot is centered on characters whose existence thrives in their pride as an honorable family member. This claim is supported by the actions of Joe Keller; after learning of his sons' discontent with his job as a father, he gives up everything and commits suicide because his life has no worth. These sentiments are definitely reflected within "Death of a Salesman" as well, which leads Moss to further conclude that Miller has strong opinions regarding family norms of this time.

The author of this critic, Terry Thompson, examined the family relationships and themes of Arthur Miller's "Death of A Salesman". Specifically the author examined two central symbolic elements to these aspects of the play, the first being the names of and the second being the physical characteristics of Willy, Biff, and Happy Loman. When closely examined, Thompson points out, the only character who is not addressed by a childish rendition of their name is Willy's brother, Benjamin Loman. Coincidently this is the only character of the novel that is viewed as successful; Willy, Biff, and Happy all continue to use immature pseudonyms which reflect their perceived shortcomings in life. In this same manner, the only characters who have facial hair and other features typical of grown men are Benjamin Loman and the father of Benjamin and Willy Loman. Again, this signifies their superiority, maturity, and success over the characters of Willy, Biff, and Happy. These minor details solidify the relationships between the male characters in the play, which lead to the conclusion by Thompson that Willy and his sons were truly inferior to other males. Moreover, this definition of inferiority was purely devised through standards put forth by Willy's idea of success stemming from the influences he had from men as he was growing up. This is clearly shown when Willy asks Benjamin to describe their father to his sons in order to show them a real role model and guide for success. Overall, Willy had a very harsh view about what success and self-worth comprised of.

The Survival of the Fittest Throughout The Handmaid's Tale, a major ideal is a strong feminist stance. The author is trying to convince other critics that Offred, a character in the novel, portrays a strong woman fighting for survival against politics. While others believe that Offred is "no hero," "a wimp," this author is convinced that she continuously "proves her consistent efforts not only to survive, but also to maintain her individuality." With the evidence the author has given to support his ideas about this ideal to survive, the evidence he provides proves to be logical. When the author states, "an examination of her more subtle rebellion against the oppressive totalitarian regime," he is persuasively showing that Offred portrays the strong nature of the human spirit. The focus the author commits on the argument is obvious. The author repeatedly compares Offred to other strong characters in other Margaret Atwood novels and in The Handmaid's Tale itself. This proves the author's consistency with the evidence he provides to prove his purpose. These also help show the pros of his persuasive side of the argument about how strong a feminine hero can be through human spirit. The evidence this author provides significantly supports his perspective. He starts out by attacking other arguments that have been stated, using it as a tactic to show that his perspective is more "correct." There is plenty of evidence provided in this article to help support his argument. With statements like "the Republic of Gilead is a typical totalitarian society in that it promotes terror tactics while enforcing its rigid dogmas," the author is setting up for his next piece of evidence. He uses the typical case where he sets you up for the next argument, uses evidence from text, and then attacks the opposite side of the argument, but all with a twist. Most authors would have used quotes from the novel itself or a source to attack the opposite s

This article takes the coping mechanisms in the lovely bones and is connecting it to real life and gives more insight to why the acted the way they did and also how their different ways of coping lead to a divided family. 

I'm having some issues with the website, but I do have the analysis saved if you end up needing a hard copy :)

A PDF article about a theme from Canterbury (specifically the Franklin's Tale). a. Identify the author's purpose b. Critique the effectiveness of the organizational pattern or structure of argument. Address all of the following: logic, focus, consistency, coherence, c. Evaluate the evidence that is provided to support the author's perspective. In your opinion, does this evidence help or hinder the author's case? Is enough evidence provided? Is the evidence provided typical or a rare case? d. What conclusions are reached by the author? e. What biases, beliefs, and assumptions may contribute to the author's purpose or conclusions? f. What are the author's implicit (unstated) and/or explicit (stated) assumptions about this subject? How do you know this? Answer these questions, or simplify: 1. What is the argument? 2. What is the evidence? 3. What are your thoughts on this? 4. What are some quotes you would want to use as support or to argue against in your paper?

AP Literature Analysis 3 Although George Bernard Shaw had the standing of a classic dramatist, people still question how good he truly was. This is in fact the purpose of the author writing this criticism. Morgan wanted to look into Shaw's work to see if he was justly able to have that prestigious standing. The critique was very well written, and supported the argument throughout. To back up her argument Morgan referred to not only his great works, but also situations in his life that shaped his writing. The author uses substantial evidence in order to support Shaw's standing. In his works Shaw focused on marriage, genius, and class distinctions. He wrote about these things in a satiric way in order to show society during that time period. And when he was unable to keep people interested, he changed the way he wrote by adding more of a comedic element to his work. The author of this criticism concludes that Shaw did in fact deserve that prestigious title, and he was in fact an amazing writer. She shows this by describing how he was able to change his work when he needed to appeal to his audience. Morgan also points out how Shaw put heartrending human emotions in the center of all of his plays. His plays showed the pure grain of true feelings amongst the irrationalities. Morgan states "…Shaw's comedic brilliance and his geniality tend to enliven the mind and break down prejudice". Morgan may in fact be a fan of the Great Shaw's works making it very easy for her to see Shaw as a classic dramatist.

As the title suggests, "Oscar Wilde: Aesthetics and Criticism" focuses on a very important subject in Oscar Wilde's books: the purpose of art. During this time, Wilde was a very avid supporter of Aestheticism, which was the idea that art had no other purpose than being beautiful. This criticism is one that also highlights the works that Wilde has done that focuses on Aestheticism, such as "The Picture of Dorian Gray", "The Portrait of W.H", "The Decay of Lying", "The Critic as Artist", etc. It also enforces the fact that all of Wilde's works are intertwined, and work towards the goal of promoting aestheticism. Also, this criticism backs up Wilde's argument that "art in its highest form is something more and other than a mere reflection of the natural world" and praises Wilde, saying that he holds a "prominent place…in our cultural landscape to this day." After all, we see his words and influence everywhere, whether it be on cards or in movies. Wilde truly was the face of the Aesthetic movement, and continues to be so through his one and only novel ("The Picture of Dorian Gray") and other short works.

Argument: Nancy Boland, as well as I do, believes that each character, in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, represent something different towards the main character, Singer. She also states that each character suffers something different and they suffer delusion, but each character is different from one another. Nancy also argues, "Segregation, isolation and inclusion are not conditions of the past alone, they are in our present and they will be in our future." Evidence: "They each create a different idol in Singer. For Mick, he is a man who feels similarly about music as she does. For Doctor Copeland, he is the only white man who understands his passion to achieve justice for black people. Blout finds that Singer is just as deeply concerned about socialism as he is and for Biff, he represents all that Biff sees in himself; a quiet, shrewd spectator of the human state." "There is hope. The character of John Singer also reminds us that there are kind, generous people out there, lending an ear to fellow human beings when they are most afraid of going unheard." Thoughts: Before reading this review, I planned on finding out what each character meant in the book and I was having a hard time figuring that out on my own; but after reading this, each character's explanation made more sense, when comparing them to Singer. Boland believes that every person needs to be heard in this world and that everybody should have that one person that they confide in with everything. I think that this statement is both true, and false. I believe that it is true because, for example, I confide in my best friend with all of my secrets and whenever I have a problem, I know that she will always be there when I need her; but then again, I don't tell her every single detail in my life just so I can keep something's to myself. Also, some people aren't that open to others and they don't have somebody that they confide in so they keep everything bottled up. Some people just have different ways of "

According to Cheryl Reed, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a multi-generational story that spans a 45 year time span, told from dual perspectives of powerless Afghani women. While The Kite Runner was a story of redemption, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a story of survival in a war ridden country where women are beyond powerless and must hide behind their burqas. Hosseini uses many of his own experiences to build his stories of fictional characters. From his recent visits back to Afghanistan, A Thousand Splendid Suns was made. Reed states her argument clearly although it isn't presented until the end of her critique. Her critic is logically and coherently written starting with the emotions reading this book makes one feel. Overall she is fairly focused in the entire essay making sure to give examples of interviews with Hosseini. There does not appear to be any biases in Reeds critic except for the main one that A Thousand Splendid Suns is written about two women who must endure many hardships in Afghanistan and Cheryl Reed is a woman. The one thing about this critique that also got in the way of her argument was the long summary she put before she actually critiqued the novel. "Readers will certainly wince at the brutality of this book--the bruises beneath the burqa, the grotesque murders--but ultimately their faith in humanity will be rewarded." This statement is true about this novel, it is hard to endure and imagine that this happens to women everyday in Afghanistan but the fact that some humans are still good inside is also seen. The best quote though, in my opinion of this essay is when Reed notes the main difference between The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns: "There is a subtle difference, of course, between imagining the depravity of war and actually smelling the orphans left in its wake. That is the difference between these two haunting novels."

This review, like all others, praises Cornwell for his use of real historical places and characters. Each of the Viking leaders in the Last Kingdom was derived directly from historical facts. "[Cornwell] Liberally feeds readers history and nuggets of battle data and customs". This is a very key aspect of Cornwell's writing style. On top of this, Uhtred, the main character, goes through tremendous physical, mental, and emotional change all throughout the novel. This is another very common theme in all of Cornwell's novels. He uses this dynamic character type in the story Agincourt as well. He shows that no matter what era the world is in, everyone goes through the same trials and tribulations. "Uhtred's first-person wonderment spinning all into a colorful journey of (self-) discovery." This theme applies to Cornwell's life as well. He himself went through similar predicaments to his main characters that dealt with emotional trials, loss of parents, discovering themselves, and trouble in deciding national allegiance. "This is a solid adventure by a crackling good storyteller."

George Bernard Shaw was not like other writers of his time. He chose to go against the norm and push to expose immoral behaviors. In his work he attends to individual responsibility and for people to go against the conformist of society. He wanted his readers to break away from what was expected of them and find themselves in the process. The author's purpose in writing this was to recognize Shaw. Not only for the things he did but the way he did them. The author wanted to show how Bernard used his writing to connect with his audience in ways that were not typically seen. The article was much focused; it expressed the main points efficiently and organized so the reader knew what to look for and to see the main ideas. In order for this author to emphasize his points he adds quotes said by Shaw. This helps with the effectiveness of the piece as a whole. The reader is able to see the first hand evidence to back up the authors views. The author comes to the conclusion that Shaw was able to do things others could not. He points out the contemporary moral problems Shaw chose to address along with his use of ironic tone and paradoxes. The author may be in fact a huge fan of Shaw, making his criticism bias. He states all of Shaw's accomplishments throughout the piece along with all of his life work. He does not in fact state his admiration for Shaw, but it can be inferred by the elevated complimentary diction

Analytical Criticism- Heroic Duty Noted as a timeless classic, The Iliad by Homer portrays a vast array of emotions through detailed imagery and character concentration. However, it has become evident that much of the emotions portrayed by each character are of similar origin to that of other Greek Mythology, this emotion being of helpless humans at the mercy of powerful, vengeful gods. Set in a time of war and destruction between both the Trojans and the Achaeans, writers from CMLC argue that it is not only the men that fight one another but also the gods that persuade the humans to do so. "Although Homer presents an extremely harsh world in which human beings appear destined to suffer as the mere playthings of the gods and fate…" (CMLC). CMLC claim that Homer is quite stereotypical in his use of Greek Gods and their relations with humans. They also claim that the contrast between the harshness of Gods and the susceptibility of humans demonstrates mans gentle nature even in a time of war. Overall writers of CMLC critique Homer's use of Greek Mythology and the common portrayal of man. The structure of this critique is weak at best and demonstrates a choppy analysis of The Iliad. This is so due to the tendency of this article to jump from one topic to another with a lack of transition. The ill-prepared structure of the article inadvertently has a negative impact on the focus as well leaving it poorly adjusted and inconsistent. However, the topic of the article is well thought out and continues to make intelligent and unobvious observations about both Homer and The Iliad throughout the piece. It is of my conclusion that the writers of this critique have the belief that Homer although renowned for his unique stories is more unique in his writing technique than he was of his stereotypical stories. There is unfortunately some bias that these writers face, being of the twentieth century much of Greek Mythology is easily accessible unlike in the age of Homer

Argument: Krakauer does superb research before writing his books, often digging into the past of the people or issues he writes about. This research manifests itself in his writing through an intricate understanding of the subject. Claim: In Under the Banner of Heaven, "proving his capacity for exhaustive research, Krakauer does an impressive job of chronicling the early history of the [Mormon] faith". This research can be seen in other books as well. Evidence: Krakauer chronicles how Joseph Smith went about "receiving a message from an angel named Moroni leading him to a hillside near his home in Palmyra, New York" and he "examines the Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857, wherein Saints disguised as Indians slaughtered 120 of 137 settlers who ventured onto Mormon turf". All this proves Krakauer's research capabilities. PURL: http://go.galegroup.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=LitRC&userGroupName=chandler_main&tabID=T001&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=5&contentSet=GALE|H1100080168&&docId=GALE|H1100080168&docType=GALE&role=LitRC

Argument- Tim O'brien uses close detail as well as explanatory descriptions to express the psychological tension that the war places upon a soldier. Evidence: Throughout the article the author focuses on the psycholgical views of both characters. "The novels are intimatly personal, psycholical and explanatory." The article than continues to prove that TIm O'Brien uses different perspectives of the war through his various characters, primarily Cacciato and Paul Berlin. This is useful because it gives the reader a broader view on the war, and a soldiers reactions and responses to the war. Thoughts: I believe that Tim Obrien purposefully used the technique of juxtaposition to express the optimisitc and protagonist view of the vietnam war through a soldiers eyes. O'Brien himslef was a soldier, which makes the reader ask, "Is TIm Obrien a protagonist, or a optimist?" I believe he is more so categorized as a protagonist. I came to this conclusion because in both books, "Going After Cacciato, and "The THings They Carried" the protagonist view is expressed more clearly. Psychological trauma is evident amonst the American soldiers in Vietnam. O'Brien uses both repition, close attention to detail and juxtaposition to prove this as fact.

Argument: The novels, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, two novels written by the two Bronte sisters, Charlotte and Emily, both contain similar details and characteristics that suggest their literary greatness. Key components concerning the setting, major characters, and overall theme contribute to the social issues of the Victorian time period. The sisters all wrote on similar premise of changing the world through their feminist ideas and the further promotion of woman's rights and equality. Evidence: This point is thoroughly suggested in the analysis of the sisters' use of a gothic style, the Byronic hero, the feminist sentiments, and the industrialization of the British Empire. The gothic style is portrayed through the primary theme of both novels being the "suppressed sexual longing and forbidden love." The dark setting of Wuthering Heights, the manor, and the mansion that is depicted in Jane Eyre further portray the gothic tone. The Byronic hero is portrayed through the two key male parts of each novel, being Heathcliff and Rochester. A Byronic hero is one who is not necessarily depicted as being attractive or handsome gentlemen, but in spite of this characteristic they are able to contribute to the theme. The feminist question and search for woman independence is greatly mentioned in both Eyre and Heights, however, the time period is perhaps against this. For instance, the author of this source mentions that "Queen Victoria herself, who was a strong supporter of women's education and even helped establish a college for women…was against giving women the right to vote, calling the suffrage campaign "a mad folly." Thoughts: Overall, this source has several key components that are further going to push my paper along greatly. Most importantly are the very similar aspects of the two novels will help prove my point that both pieces of literature were probably more of a collaboration, where the two sisters perhaps discussed their societal problems and

Cody Villanueva Jensen AP LIT 24 January 2011 Literary Analysis #3 Yann Martel's novel Beatrice and Virgil, in comparison to his highly praised novel Life of Pi, did not merely meet the expectations of critics. According to MICHIKO KAKUTANI, a New York Times writer, this novel that follows the life of a donkey, monkey and a writer's detailed stories re-telling the Holocaust, is said to be "misconceived and offensive as his earlier book." Mimicking animalistic characters and simple text in Martel's previous novel, Beatrice and Virgil, is a simple metaphor using animals to portray Jewish extinction. Kakutani also points out that Martel's novels also includes a play that is closely resembled to that of "Beckett's "Waiting for Godot."" Not only does Kakutani perceive this as awkward, but do not appeal to the novels ending but making it a "disappointing and often perverse novel." But Kakutani gives little to support such reasoning, but clutters his argument with an overall summary that gives the reader a brief understanding of the novel. His overall purpose for such a criticism, or article one may say, is a list of brief downsides compared to Martel's past novel, possible noting that Martel Life of Pi is a single novel of achievement and that Martel is not a writer that continues eloquence throughout his series of novels. Even though it is hard to assume bias within Kakutani's criticism, it can be perceived that this novel brought no interest to Michoko. Therefore Kakutanis simply sits closely to a neutral position when describing his feelings toward the novel Beatrice and Virgil, simple stating small downsides and flaws the novel has compared to Yann Martel's other literary works.