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Argument: Middle Easterners have developed a threatening habit of abstaining from writing religious literature in their countries due to fear of persecution. So rather than the gov't harshly punishing those who expressly talk about religion in their writing, they have developed an unhealthy pattern of self censorship. "'…the present kind of censorship by say, religious conservatives, is much more damaging and much more frightening for the writer because you don't know exactly who you are offending, where the threat is coming from or what the possible punishment might be.'" "This…leads to self-censorship. This means you try to anticipate all these horrible things and guard against it from the beginning." Analysis: It is better to be federally persecuted because at least their are stated boundaries and lines you may not cross, but when the rules aren't expressly stated it becomes hard to know whose sensibilities you might offend with your writing. Thus, the writer may even tone it down more than usual to ensure that they will not be wrongfully punished.

The author Bonnie of the critical analysis of Wuthering Heights feels that the characters in the novel were all naïve and foolish. This may describe Emily Bronte's life during the time she wrote it. It is known that she carries some of her real life experiences into her writing. It may show the struggles of her life and how she was able to overcome them. The purpose of this criticism is to display how real life can play a big role in an author's life and how they write their novel. Characters can be based on themselves as well as people involved in their lives. The way the author feels about their life can reflect in their themes of the novel because it's what they are used to.

Mariah Love Ms. Jensen AP Literature - 1 27 Jan. 2011 Mythology in it's Many Forms As religion is one of the most practiced, and longest-lived commonality in man, and mythology pertains to religion exclusively it can be concluded that religious mythology has impacted much of the world all throughout history. However, this may be harder to recognize in some areas and times than it is or was in others. For instance, the most well-known forms of mythology is that of Greek mythology pertaining to gods and goddesses, but there are in fact other forms of mythology such as that of Native Americans. Although Native Americans did not necessarily have gods and goddesses nor did they have much written myths, the tales in which they used to explain the unexplained were indeed a form of mythology. In the book, "Teach Yourself Native American Myths" the author argues that there are both similarities and differences between the common mythology the world perceives as Greek mythology and that of Native American Mythology. A similarity the author describes would be their use of animals as guides, which occurs in both types of mythology. The way the author presents this information is slightly ineffective due to the fact that the information is broken into many subcategories, leaving the reader with a feeling of choppy unclear thoughts. However, it is obvious what the authors focus is, and the information presented within the text all supports the topic and is carried throughout the entirety of the work.

Argument: The extra-linguistic components of words are used to help define meaning. Claim: The Bible, in example, is now being studied using lexical semantics which focuses on the meaning of an individual word not in context with the surrounding words. This in turn focuses on the semantic, individual meaning, of the word to define the surrounding text instead of the text defining the single word. Evidence: "As such, a word, or combination of words, could, at least in theory, have a different meaning from genre to genre." "We can apply a semantic approach to Scripture and believe that we have understood what God wants us to know." http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v5/i1/semantic.asp

The Secrets and Lies of the Glass Menagerie By: Tyler Thomas In his criticism, Mr. Debusscher tries to prove the personal struggles with alcoholism and how those struggles affected the writing of The Glass Menagerie. The way that he formats his essay makes it very effective. He begins by stating his thesis and providing page upon page of supportive content. I think he does an excellent job of proving his theories. He also pontificates on the lack of truth shared between the family members. The family seems to be built on a foundation of lies. Debusscher feels strongly about his opinion on Tennessee William's playwright that most people consider to be his autobiography. When researching Tennessee Williams and his background, I found that he was an alcoholic. He spent many years dealing with the disease. In the Glass menagerie Williams also takes aim at the way the heterosexual society functions. After further research I found that Tennessee was a "closet-gay." He didn't admit it until later in life that he was in fact a homosexual. I found this article incredibly helpful in understanding the meaning of Williams play. It was an article that wasn't that hard to read either. The article was full of quotes that really supplemented the reading.

Argument: Ernest Hemingway has a unique writing style, and if he did not properly execute them, they would not have been as successful. He gives very little characterization; he instead uses dialogue to give life and personality to his characters. Because of this the reader was able to make their own assumptions about people and major events, which allowed the story to be more relatable and for the reader to find connections to their own life. Another way he portrays his characters is through imagery. He uses a lot of pathetic fallacy to connect the environment to moods of characters and to events taking place. Evidence: "despite the thorough description of the action, the reader is left to grapple with the complex issues of suicide, contract murder, and desperation, because the emotive details are not explained in any way."(O'Donnell). "Hemingway's male characters are often convincing and full of life"(O'Donnell). "In A Farewell to Arms the rain emerges as a glaring symbol of death early on and is often repeated, even told to us by Catherine Barkley who said to Frederic Henry that she saw them together "dead in the rain."(O'Donnell). "Many of his most memorable scenes are descriptions of nature, passion, cafés, eating, drinking, fishing…"(O'Donnell). Thoughts: This article was very helpful, because it touched on many points that I am writing my paper on. It analyzed Hemingway's style, and how his unique/different way of writing worked and what the purpose was behind it. It's interesting to see how Hemingway was able to create such strong characters and emotions without being up front and obvious about them.

Dacia Di Gerolamo Ms. Jensen AP English 12 26 January 2011 AP Literature Analysis 4 Pygmalion was not a single genre book, but a book with genres intertwined. Not only was it a romance but also a comedy. Not a traditional romance with the fairy tale ending, but a story in which love is used, but not in the sense it is usually portrayed. It was a comedy not in a humorous way but in a way in which Shaw used satire to shed light on social issues. Issues such as division between the classes during the 1800's. The purpose of this article was to evaluate dramatic comedies in the 1800's. It examines the satire used in the early works. The author is able to clearly express his view. He constructively criticizes dramatic comedies of the time. The author uses the traditional ideas of the genre a long with how the authors built their works around the genre. Enough evidence is definitely provided for the reader to get the point of the paper. The author points out that the works are defined by the characters actions. The author is able to make the characters a certain way in order to fit a genre. In Shaw's case the genre was not only a comedy, but a romance as well. The author can easily have bias especially on the romance genre, whether good or bad. And also the sense of humor can affect it. All his bias can affect his view on all pieces of romantic criticisms.

Source #3 Argument: Connection is why we're here. Claim: Shame is the fear of disconnection which leads to vulnerability. The people who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe their worthy of love and belonging. We fear we're not worthy of connection. The people who thought they were worthy had courage, compassion, connection, and embraced vulnerability. We numb vulnerability however we cannot selectivly numb emotion. Evidence: Between the main characters in both novels they feel this way as described in the claim. They both get to that numb vulnerability stage where they don't exactly know how to handle it.

This literary criticism shows how Ibsen used Nora in A Doll's House to reveal a societal issue in his play. Ibsen displays the role of women in society through A Doll's House. Another topic in my criticism will talk about how each of the characters display each societal issue presented. This literary criticism breaks down the role of each character in the play.

Argument: Jon Krakauer is too emotionally invested in the tale of Chris McCandless to write an unbiased and factual book. Claim: In his book, Into The Wild, author Jon Krakauer "makes his presence known throughout the novel" and "fails to see that in fact his authorial presence is both inescapable and distracting to the reader". Evidence: Krakauer writes about the emotions and feelings of McCandless in his, Krakauers, own words, instead of simply relaying facts. The author of this article, 'erinberman' writes that "If Krakauer had wanted to remain a silent author, he would have let Chris's words speak for themselves, instead of try to capture the essence of his fleeting thoughts and emotions." PURL: http://erinberman.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/into-the-wild-by-jon-krakauer-book-review/

Argument: The heated passion within Wuthering Heights is a product of the intense relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine. Claim: Passion is an essential element of a Romantic novel. Catherine is, in some ways, addicted to Heathcliff. Catherine's addiction to Heathcliff is bold, especially for society at the time. Catherine is somewhat reckless. Catherine has an empty soul. Evidence: "Intensity arises out of the bond between Catherine and Heathcliff, a bond which can best be described as an addiction rather than as a 'theme' of a traditional Romantic Gothic novel. The addictive nature of the relationship is illuminated by Catherine's cry of 'I am Heathcliff!' (98). Lacking any inner resources, Catherine attempts to capture Heathcliff's psyche to fulfill the emptiness in her own soul. This then is sexual addiction--the need to possess another being." http://go.galegroup.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CA18290969&v=2.1&u=chandler_main&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w

Estella is generally viewed as a mean and heartless character, which is what she was raised to be. She was cruel to him, as she was to all men. Though, according to Lucille P. Shores, Pip fails to realize that Estella really shows her affection for him in her own way. Pip is subject to her constant mockery and insults, and yet when he fights over her with Herbert she rewards him with a kiss. Estella knows all too well that she has been warped by the demented Miss Havisham, this is why she warns him away from her. She has strong feelings for him, maybe not of love but certainly of admiration, and that is why she cannot subject him to her grating personality. Shores submits that Estella "knows that she cannot make Pip happy, and she has too much affection for him to link her unhappy life with his", she refuses to ruin his life by her presence. Therefore her rejection of him is possibly her greatest gift to him, at least in her own eyes. When Pip sees hatred and scorn, Estella is really trying to show her admiration and fondness of him. When Estella and Pip first meet as adults, Estella looks at Pip, looks at her shoe, and then back to Pip and laughs. Shores states that at this point Dickens perfectly captures a woman's subconscious feelings toward a man she feels attracted to, and yet to the naïve Pip it is just more rejection from Estella. Shores, Lucille P. "'The Character of Estella in Great Expectations." Massachusetts Studies in English (Fall 1972): 91-99. Rpt. in Novels for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Literature Resource Center. Web. 23 Jan. 2011.

Argument: Novick determines in his review of a reproduction of "Man and Superman" that not only were the actors inadequate for their roles, but the rules inadequate for the actors. Though the play is considered 'a Comedy and a Philosophy', the philosophy of it overtook the human element of drama. According to Novick, the play was beyond present-day theatergoers in its length and construction. Evidence: "Bernard Shaw's "three-ring circus," as H. L. Mencken called Man and Superman, "with Ibsen doing running high jumps; Schopenhauer playing the Calliope and Nietzsche selling peanuts in the reserved seats," runs a paltry three hours and fifteen minutes…." "The wisdom of both these alternatives is dubious, but no more so, perhaps, than that of exposing the theatre-going population of the Boston area to the night air past its bedtime. When we succeed in breeding our descendants into supermen, a super-theatre may come into being to present Man and Superman entire." Thoughts: Novick has a more forgiving view of the play itself than of the actors, a perception which comes with the post-humorous protection of Shaw's legacy over his works. This review gives a mid-twentieth century review of the production long after Shaw's death, as opposed to Walkley's critique of Shaw in his day.

Argument: The author, Foote, argues that the novel "Little Women" wasn't in fact about gender but about class. The "little women" in the novel are present in an ambiguous class position. Foote gives examples of why she feels there isn't a presence of solely gender issues but that of social class too. The March family lives by the Laurences' which in contrast is a very large estate. The fact that all the girls work also lends significance to the idea of the March family struggling in the economic aspect. Also, Foote brings attention to the fact that the market and the home were slowly starting to mix. Evidence: "The garden separated the Marches' house from that of Mr. Laurence. Both stood in a suburb of the city, which was still country-like, with groves and lawns, large gardens and quiet streets. A low hedge parted the two estates. On one side was an old brown house, looking rather bare and shabby, robbed of the vines that in summer covered its walls, and the flowers which then surrounded it. On the other side was a stately stone mansion, plainly betokening every sort of comfort and luxury, from the big coach-house and well-kept grounds to the conservatory and the glimpses of lovely things one caught between the rich curtains (Alcott 1993, 42)." Thoughts: It was very interesting to reexamine Little Women. When first read through the book takes on an aura of a children's book but when unearthed it is actually much more. There is the forefront of the gender roles in the novel that can easily be understood but it is the social class struggle that captivated me. The time period of this novel was around the time when women had to be more proactive in certain households in order to stay afloat. This was a sign of economic instability and was for the lower classes.

Argument: To a God Unknown is a novel riddled with the power idea of the something to believe in; faith. Faith is in the forefront of the novel because Joesph, the main character, believes in the universe as whole rather than his brothers strong Christan beliefs. By being an out lier of the family ultimately leads to the farm dramatic drought. Evidence: "the central theme of the novel is belief," Joesph's pagan beliefs are vastly different than those of his brother and of those of the time period. his were somewhat structured on "little more than fluttering of leaves on tree, and the chill breath of wind before it rains. My thoughts: Damian Kelleher is simply criticizing the obvious spiritual differences between the family, however, he allows the reader to understand that the novel gives off a feeling of Steinbeck actually writing of his own life. This is interesting because in a lot of his novels he writes or adds an idea of religion. The addition of religion brings froth the the realization that he is attempting to sway the public to his religion or just to leave what is different becoming eerily close to religious proganda.

John Steinbeck portrays a committed man in many of his works, as he struggles through the hardships presented to him to acheive happiness. This ortrayal of the common man is a recurring theme within his novels, as these men are then tortured by outside forces, such as those representing capitalism. Evidence - "committed man" who develops a conscious responsibility for his own behavior coupled with a conscience that is at the service of his people -Steinbeck's talent for combining undistorted perception with a conversational narrative style, one that deals so serenely with issues often approached hysterically that readers suffering from wartime pressures frequently missed the understated points -portrayal of man's slow metamorphosis from victim to victor -new kind of hero for a war-weary and disillusioned world is evident only in retrospect Analysis This portrayal of steinbeck parralles that of his socialist agenda, a common recurrence in many articles I have previously read. Throughout the Pearl the main character is taken advantage of, most of the forces symbolizing the wealthy.