Group items tagged

Argument: Shakespeare uses time as a factor to increase the dramatic intention of the play. Claim: Shakespeare's use of intertwining plots and misreadings dramaticize the intention of the play. Evidence: -"What Shakespeare is doing is to present, before our eyes, an unbroken series of events happening in 'short time', but to present them against a background, of events not presented but implied, which gives the needed impression of 'long time.'"

Argument: Canadenis' argument is that Marlow goes through a metamorphosis by focusing his mind on Kurtz and carelessly allowing himself to enter into the state of "darkness." Evidence: 1. When the manager first mentions Kurtz to him, Marlow seems unequivocally grateful for the new distraction, immediately fixating his attention on the trader and inquiring about him endlessly. 2. Kurtz is like Marlow's doppelganger, his corrupted "other self"-which explains why Marlow experiences such revulsion upon learning of Kurtz's unforgivable transgressions in the name of profit. Marlow sees too much of himself in Kurtz already-and he doesn't like what he sees. 3. The "effect" that Kurtz has on Marlow varies throughout the journey, from self-illumination to one of absolute horror and disgust. Kurtz's gruesome story reveals to Marlow that each person simultaneously possesses the capacity for both great good and for unadulterated evil-and his ultimate decay serves as firsthand evidence of the consequences of embracing one's dark side and forsaking morality. Quotes: "Marlow begins his quest into the "heart of darkness" with nothing but noble intentions and a genuine thirst for adventure." "Consequently, he greets the images of agonizing chain-gangs, malnourished "unhappy savages," the gory murder of his helmsman by javelin, the echoing cries of "infinite desolation,..." Own Thoughts: 1.Canadenis gives a more understanding insight/explanation on how Kurtz is Marlow's "double" just like how Leggatt is the narrator's "double" in The Secret Sharer. 2. This source also has a good way of explaining how Marlow does not necessarily mature, he just allows something/someone to take control of him.

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.

"Presented with the collision between the artificial and the natural, the restrained and the free, we side emotionally with Daisy. We sympathize with Winterbourne, too, to the extent that he seems capable of coming "alive" and to the extent that he speaks up in favor of Daisy to Mrs. Costello in Vevey and, later, in Rome, to Mrs. Costello and also to Mrs. Walker, another American who has lived in Geneva. For the rest, however, our emotional alliance with Winterbourne is disturbed or interrupted by his Genevan penchant for criticism." This literary criticism is presented through the emotional (theme and tone) presented in the novel. Ohmann and Bloom cirtique the use of tone and the vernacular used through out the story to disect James' effectivness. When i read the book i truly felt for Daisy and her many partners where as these two authours are refuting his purpose.

Literary Analysis #4-Nineteen Minutes Throughout the literary critic of Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, the main theme supported by author Jessica Stites was that Jodi Picoult uses background and further information than an average writer to convey her full story and add to it's depth as a whole. She states, "If empathy is an inoculation against violence, then Picoult's own compassion for her characters goes beyond good storytelling to political statement; she models the deep sympathy that might have averted the tragedy." Stites goes on to explain that in Picoult's writing she tends to convey a specific message to her readers, leaving them with a second opinion or thought on the overall conflict or main topic of the story. In Nineteen Minutes, Stite's states, "She takes us inside prickly adolescents whose every action screams "Keep out!" and inside the adults afraid to brave their children's barriers." Though several of Stite's comments on the novel and author are directed positively, the author also states that Picoult lacks in empathy. The author goes on to state that though Picoult analyzed numerous aspects of Nineteen Minutes and did a quantity of research, she yet lacks the characterization and development of main character Peter. Stites believes that in order to add dynamic perspective to the overall novel, Picoult should have developed Peter as a character by learning of the killing spree from Peter's perspective and reading why he shot a teacher that had been kind to him. Though Stite's emphasizes the lack of characterization from the perspective of Peter, she later goes on to support Picoult once more when saying that the lack of characterization should actually be intentional, stating that once you loose boys, they go somewhere you can not follow.

Catch-22 in itself is a book about moral values and the inherent goodness of man despite the evil characters placed throughout, at least that's what the author here is trying to convince us of. He offers an almost sarcastic view of the dark themes prevalent throughout the novel. He argues that the evil intentions of character's are not sinister but more opportunistic. Almost as if just a normal man who, for the most part, will take advantage of an opportunity. The author also argues that Heller is attack things like religion, military, politics, corruption and other large topics of interest. The novel itself is about an opportunist who takes advantage of his situation, which could simply represent a number of different social issues during the time. The author himself thinks that Heller may be addressing all of them at once.

Raymond Tatalovich's criticism offers an interesting perspective on the ideas put forth in Thoreau's essay "Civil Disobedience". The main point is put forth in the title.. does Thoreau intend to call people to morality or anarchy? His intentions are to extract from this essay the root of his implications and theory of obligation to the government. He argues that Thoreau believes that the consent of people is necessary in order for the government to operate - a type of contractual agreement. However, he does recognize the fact that the majority in society controls the norms and can imprison people that go against them. Therefore, he does not defend civil disobedience to a point that will get someone imprisoned. Tatalovich also does a fabulous job at bringing to light other civil disobedience "leaders" such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. He states that Thoreau however, takes a much stronger stance on the extent to which people should act out in favor of their own views on what's right and wrong. It should also be noted that Tatalovich sees deficiencies in Thoreau's view of the government as an operational unit and its efficiency. However, he argues that in no way is he a no-government man by offering this quote: "I seek rather, I may say, even an excuse for conforming to the laws of the land. I am but too ready to conform to them. Indeed ... as the tax-gatherer comes round, I find myself disposed to review the acts and position of the general and State governments, and the spirit of the people, to discover a pretext for conformity" (Thoreau 33). This criticism offers a good perspective that will enable me to compare the government conformity in Catch 22-militarily, versus the liberalistic mentality of civil disobedience. There is a stark discord between these two concepts and I believe it will be riveting to delve into a comparison between the two based upon the role and operation of the government.