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purpose: Bahareh Bahmanpour wrote her article to identify the struggles of female characters that are caught between Indian culture and the transition into Western culture in Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies. Bahmanpour uses various critical terms such as Self/Other Confrontation, Hybridity, Liminality, Female Subaltern, and Diasporic Identity to classify the roles and transitions of three women's identities, Mrs. Sen, Bibi Heldar, and Miranda, in three separate stories. These terms help solidify Bahmanpour's argument that when confronting a new culture, one undergoes feelings of Diaspora, in which must choose between their culture, called Self, or their new environment's culture, called Other. Evidence: 1."Stories that deal with the suffering, pressure, and possible failure or success in the adaptation-process of these female characters in (re-)constructing their subjectivity, (re-)asserting their agency or negotiating their identities through either silence, resistance, negotiation, acculturation, or assimilation." 2. "Hence, subjects of Diasporas are snared in a process of transformation, and repositioning of new identities-identities which are always in the process of becoming and transition but never complete." 3. "There is no single way of representing the diasporic trauma involved in negotiating female identities either as female immigrant or female natives. Each individual from Mrs.Sen to Miranda has their own means of survival; one resists while the other accepts; one acculturates whereas the other escapes. Female characters of Lahiri's fiction negotiate their new unstable identities through their own different means and their own individual voice." Thoughts: Bahmanpour is logical, focused, coherent, and consistent in her argument; although she uses terms that are at first unknown, she clearly defines them and provides examples of them which recognize how the characters are redefining their identity. While the evidence is understa

Beresford states that The Time Machine is a romance, and he uses the time machine as a literary device in order to prove that time travel is possible. Beresford argues that Wells uses the future to criticize the social status of England of his era. The Eloi and Morlocks represented the haves and have-nots. Also further into future the earth is degrading and the question arises, whether the human race had a major impact in the decline of the earth, or if the earth had reached its end of existence. Beresford argues that The Time Machine lacked certain aspects of imagination and style, but it was a brilliant fantasy. The novella represents Wells' views on the world during his time and his experiments with the improbable. It uses the improbable and imaginative to create a satire of the social system in his time.

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

Robert McKay, author of the criticism on human-animal relationships that are described in The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker, believes in two arguments. One begin that Robert believes that the ability in which humans use language sets the difference between humans and animals. Secondly, he critiques about how Walker has "anti-oppressive" political views towards race and gender. In the story Walker "re- writes" the book of Genesis and she makes many references that are mythological and biblical. Robert McKay believes that humans and animals are very distinct and even though many people believe that there is communication between an animal and a human…well they are wrong according to McKay. In the novel Walker wrote about past lives and how humans came from animals, well according to McKay that's impossible and that's is why he critiques Walker on her comparisons between a human and an animal. The second argument he brought up was how political references were made to gender and race. These references were made when the young boy and the young girl were together and they realized that they were different due to the color of their skin. It is like an allusion to the bible says McKay because the boy lost his sexual innocence due to the temptation. Also, Walker makes an animal intertwine in a way between humans. For example, she puts the woman, followed by the familiar and then the man when in reality the animal is external in this human relationship. In the story when the boy and girl were together as it was stated above the boy kills the girl's familiar which was a serpent and it represents the serpent from the bible according to McKay, but that event (the boy killing the serpent) represents how men (white men) had the power over women and animals.

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: The character's process of maturing creates the motivating force of the novel. Evidence: Each story has one narrator whom all have an idealized view of the world. All three stories mentioned play on the imagery of darkness. Own Thoughts: Galloway has indeed made an interesting observation from reading Conrad's works. She does a great job staying on topic along with tying the three novels together. Quotes: "These contrasting doubles all "pull" on the narrators; the narrators are either attracted by certain positive qualities or repelled by their double's lack of "moral restraint" or both." "All three stories deal with a process of maturing that involves the loss of youthful illusions, a process usually precipitated by an actual "trial" that challenges the protagonist's professional skills as well as his assumptions about his identity and sanity."

James Urguhart, the author of a Girlfriend In A Coma criticism, expresses that Douglas Coupland establishes novels in order to show examples of the way individuals should live. But for instance, in Girlfriend In A Coma, it takes a tragic event to occur in order for the other characters to realize their significance in this life as well as on earth. Urguhart's purpose of the critique is to prove that Coupland is an author who writes about the edge of the world as well as uses characters to portray that there is more to life than just living. The article by James Urguhart is effective in explaining the in depth concepts presented in Girlfriend In A Coma. Urguhart utilizes specific quotes from the novel in which symbolize his opinions, but he chooses quotes serve as evidence. The argument is focus and does not stray off topic which is significant because it helps the reader understand the argument fully and not become lost in it. The evidence that is provided assists the argument and does not hurt it, especially when Urguhart places quotes from the novel into the argument. For example, "their dreams are forgotten, or were never formulated to begin with...they seem at best insular and without a central core, which might give purpose to their lives." The quote taken from Girlfriend In A Coma represents that book as a whole within a quote and Urguhart realizes this and therefore places it within his argument. Urguhart also notices that the purpose of the novel, Girlfriend In A Coma, is to ensure that one has to discover their purpose in life and that it is not always on the surface. Also, a common word and symbol found within the novel was dreams and this quote represents dreams and how they effect lives. The author does not state his opinions using "I" or "my" which implicates that Urguhart states a view and supports it with quotes or examples from the text in a professional manner. The Girlfriend In A Coma criticism consisted of significant evid

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.

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.

The "Killers" In Margaret Atwood's novel, The Blind Assassin, there are many struggles that the main narrator addresses to represent the "killers" in the novel. The "killers" are all of the characters in the novel because they are blinded by love, family, duty, jealousy, vengeance, and other inescapable, socially defined tyrannies that comprise the fabric of life. These represent human nature and how much simple emotions can affect that fabric of life. J. Brooks Bouson criticized that Iris, the main narrator in the novel, had "linear but interrupted installments of her family and married history with her comments on her present daily life as an octogenarian" (Bouson). Iris's comments about family throughout the novel about her life are crucial to the fact that she is blinded by her duties to her family. When she was young, she was forced to marry a wealthy man in hopes that the union would save her father's factory. In fact, it did not, but Iris let herself be blinded to the fact that she would be miserable and that it would make her life more stressful. Also, within society, human norm is to "carry ourselves perfected--ourselves at the best age, and in the best light as well" (Atwood 311). Iris's comment shows that in society, even she keeps a shield on reality and that this bliss is an inescapable tyranny that keeps others from accepting who they are. Another societal tyranny shown in this novel was jealousy. "Iris's guilt stems partly from jealousy and partly from conventionality" (Watkins). She found it hard to find reason on why it had to be her that had to watch over her younger sister, Laura. In the confines of her relationship with Richard, Iris finds herself not actively participating. She was blinded to the fact that Richard was the one who progressed Laura's illness because she was jealous of Laura during their sibling rivalry throughout the beginning of the novel. "The nove

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.

Argument: The argument is that TIm O'Brien, the author of "The Things They Carried", Creates a both fictional and non-fictional story which creates confusion in interpreting the books stories. Stories are jumbled up and not told in sequence or by the same people, or even interupted because of the stroytellers death. Because of this the reader may struggle with having a clear understanidng of the novel. Evidence:"'Patrol went up the mountain. One man came back. He died before he could tell us what happened,'"(6) -- many are in their own way as enigmatic. The tales included in O'Brien's twenty-two chapters range from several lines to many pages and demonstrate well the impossibility of knowing the reality of the war in absolute terms." "Tim Obrien terms TheThings They Carried "'fiction. . . a novel. . . (Mehren El), but in an interview with Martin Naparsteck, he refers to the work as a "sort of half novel, half group of stories. It's part nonfiction, too," he insists" Thoughts: I agree with the argument of this essay. I often become confused or lost within the stories of Tim O;Briens "The Things They Carried" because the stories are so damn unorganized! One story may begin than abruptly end, only to be finished by another soldier farther along in the novel. I will admit it is a challenge to understand, but I do enjoy this novel, and must admit the stories are interesting......well, when understood at least.

Argument: Rubin Rabinovitz writes that Anthony Burgess reuses a motif of libertarian vs. authoritarian in many of his novels. Often times this conflict of the characters is a projection of Burgess' views on morals and ethics as well as a display of Burgess' internal struggle. Rabinovitz refers to his novels A Clockwork Orange and the Tremor of Intent, pegging characters to libertarian and authoritarian personas. Through these comparisons he observes Burgess' own inconsistencies in his writing. Evidence: "The apparent inconsistencies in Burgess's dualistic moral views are sometimes seen as the result of his utilization of the Eastern yin-yang principles" (Rabinovitz). "What the religious novelist often seems to be saying is that evil is a kind of good, since it is an aspect of Ultimate Reality; though what he is really saying is that evil is more interesting to write about than good" (Burgess). "Very often, Burgess's use of Manichean dualism does work to reconcile differences in Eastern and Western thought; but problems arise when a choice must be made between relativism and absolutism...Absolutism seems to demand absolute fidelity, and in this sense Burgess's moral point of view appears ambiguous or inconsistent" (Rabinovitz). Thoughts: Rabinovitz focuses on conflicting ideologies that are not often recognized when reading A Clockwork Orange. He also offers a background on Anthony Burgess' location and how that contributes to his characters. Rabinovitz recognizes many of Burgess' characters as projections of Burgess himself and proposes how the clash of eastern and western philosophy influenced the author.

Argument: Fitzgerald struggles with what literature depicts as the American Dream. In the Great Gatsby, the narrator Nick analyzes his neighbor (Gatsby) as his quench for conquering his American Dream becomes the primary pusher for his depression. Claim: Money is a strong player in the Fitzgerald's characters. Yet, no matter how much or how little a character is known to have, their happiness is not determined by the number. Evidence: "...instructing him to think no worse of someone who has less money..." --- MONEY AN ESSENTIAL FACTOR "The Great Gatsby, raises essential political questions: What does it mean to live well, and on what terms people can live together? And it suggests how America answers them. " - -- AMERICAN DREAM

Argument: In writing Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte was divinely inspired by her surroundings, enabling her to create eerily realistic characters and a dreary, yet true setting. Claim: The moors in Wuthering Heights are based on the moors that stretch around her home. She knew her surroundings well. Joseph is based on hill-farmers that lived in the moors around her home. Emily Bronte was a very down-to-earth person. Evidence: "She was a very private person, rejecting such contacts with the world as were offered her through her sister Charlotte and her London publishers." "The author's close familiarity with the local rustic types, the fiercely independent hill-farmers living about the moors, enabled her to create the old curmudgeon Joseph." "In creating such a character as Joseph, Emily Brontë showed that, undoubted visionary as she was, she also had her feet firmly planted on earth." "All the source of her health and happiness, and the inspiration of her writing, were the moors that stretch 20 miles round about her home, Haworth, where she spent her whole life. Her intimate knowledge of the moors at all seasons of the year, and of the wildlife inhabiting them, gave her all the stimulus she needed to enrich her imagination and inspire her writing." http://go.galegroup.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CH1420001074&v=2.1&u=chandler_main&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w

TIME Magazine's "Books: The Strength of One" draws similarities between Kesey's McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Hank Stamper from Sometimes a Great Notion. Both characters possess strength not often seen in one person and characteristics that could categorize them as antiheros. They are rough and tough and seek to stand up against what the feel is wrong and will use force to do so. This article presents the theme of Sometimes a Great Notion to be "the weakness of the strong and the persistent tensility of the weak". The townspeople within the novel can't stand to see Stamper win in the final "battle", but they are confused when he begins to lose. Kesey understands that intolerable as a good man may be to men, his defeat is even more so. This is the major paradox presented within the novel and explains the prominence of strength captured in both books. This article presents strong ideas that are tied in with the plot very well, however the author did not include quotes, which would have provided more support for the conclusions. The connections to the author included in the article suggest that the author has thorough knowledge into Kesey's background and his motives for writing each novel. It was almost as if the author was in Kesey's mind while writing this piece. The author drew parallels between Kesey's works and Greek mythology that posed interesting thoughts for the reader. Overall, Ken Kesey's ideas are transferred well in this article and are analyzed with a fresh outlook.

In Elaine Ware's criticism of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ware focuses analytical attention to Bromden's character and the idea that he might be experiencing identity crisis. After all, Bromden is torn between the desire to maintain his Indian heritage and the pressure to develop behavior acceptable to the dominant white culture. The insane asylum therefore could be a symbol of this identity crisis and the overwhelming pressure to fit into a specific culture. Kesey sets Bromden's childhood in the 1920s and 30s, a time when the U.S. government was struggling to decide whether Indians should maintain tribal customs or should adopt white culture. As the narrator from the novel, Bromden never reveals his first name which should have been precious to him, as it is in his native culture. His identity crisis is further complicated because he is the son of a white woman. Ware uses sufficient evidence not only from the novel, but outside sources as well. There is historical data connected to many of Ware's claims in addition to textual evidence. This critical analysis provides thorough character analysis that state Bromden's personality traits and the reasons for his actions, such as silence as a technique for survival. Ware's suggestion that Kesey is criticizing white establishment in the American society might very well be true. After all, Kesey was famous for delving into the 1960s hippie culture. This novel presents the downside to the "mixing pot" of the U.S. society because cultures end up swallowed and gone forever.

In the introduction to her novel Dissecting Stephen King: From the Gothic to Literary Naturalism, author Heidi Strengell discusses the various influences on Stephen King's writing style and how these influences manifest themselves in his novels. According to Strengell, Puritanism, Gothicism, naturalism, and personal experiences are the primary recurring influences present in King's writing. Each manifests itself in a different manner, yet they are often inextricably linked to one another in one form or another. Strengell's first focus is on the religious undertones of King's writing, which she attributes to both King's personal religious views as well as the Puritanical religious frenzy that resonates in early American history, particularly during the era of the Salem witch trials. Characters such as Sylvia Pittson from The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger serve as physical manifestations of King's views on religion in his writing, for it is a recurring trend in King's novels to include a character overcome with some form of religious frenzy. King's past experiences growing up as a member of a lower middle class family also play a key role in his writing; indeed, another character stereotypical of a King novel is the "common man," a seemingly ordinary character plunged into a situation beyond the bounds of his daily existence. This stereotype ties in with one of King's prominent world views, the notion of free will versus fate. Along with the notion that there are inherently good and evil forces in the world, this is perhaps the most recurring element in King's writing, appearing in both his individual novels, such as The Dark Half, as well as his book series, such as The Dark Tower. Over the course of her introduction, Strengell references various historical and philosophical ideas in order to provide background to the influences which she attributes to King. This background information is provided at the beginning of each section, thus placi

Jenny Turner, the author of the article entitled, "Top Of The World," discusses the variety of novels that Douglas Coupland has written and analyzes their purposes. Miss Wyoming, being one of Coupland's novels, is focused on the majority of the article and is summarized as well as criticized. Jenny Turner's main purpose of the article is to argue that Miss Wyoming is a novel that is "structured around fantasies of escape" due to the fact that the two main characters in Miss Wyoming are constantly searching for an escape route to life. Although, the organization of the article itself does not make the argument as effective as it could be. Statements related to Miss Wyoming are scattered around the article and therefore the reader has to search for the sections that Miss Wyoming is talked about. This makes the article confusing to navigate as well as unorganized. Fortunately, Jenny Turner places valid statements within the article in which forces the reader to make conclusions about Douglas's novel and utilizes the text as evidence. Throughout the piece, Turner takes quotes from Miss Wyoming in order to support the claims being noted and the quotes that are chosen do effectively support the arguments. Although it is not directly stated, one can infer that an argument in which Jenny Turner is defending is that due to the events that take place in Miss Wyoming, in order to discover the true meaning of life, one must witness a tragedy. Jenny Turner attempts to prove that Coupland writes novels that consist of a series of tragedies in which the characters go through in order to find meaning in their lives. The two novels that Turner utilizes to support this argument are Girlfriend In A Coma and Miss Wyoming. By connecting the two novels in her article, one is able to see the common situations and themes in the majority of Coupland's novels.