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Aubrey Arrowood

Henrik Ibsen Literary Analysis - 3 views

Aubrey Arrowood Mrs. Sejkora AP Literature-0 20 February 2011 Henrik Ibsen Views on Societal Issues throughout His Plays The Norwegian play writer, Henrik Ibsen, illustrated societal flaws as the ...

started by Aubrey Arrowood on 23 Feb 11 no follow-up yet
jamara

The Lady from the Sea - 8 views

The Ibsen Hero Argument: There are three different heroes in Ibsen's plays. There is the literary hero, the modern hero, and the Ibsen hero. Claim: The Ibsen hero is a tragic hero. Evidence: "Th...

Melanie Reyes

American V. European Society - 0 views

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    Literary Analysis 4 Henry James, author of Daisy Miller, has had his share of novels comparing the European style verse the American society. In this critique, Gale Cennage's purpose was to show the fluctuation of the characters in the differing societies. Cennage believed the "depiction of the generic American girl" was captured lightly compared to Winterbourne's façade (Cennage). The order of the article was very well organized. The subjects were bolded and the critique was fast and to the point. The article got to the point; rather than dragging on to see Cennage's background views and opinions. The argument had the main point from the beginning of its section and focused her writing on the societies. Although it did get to the point rather quickly, there is not sufficient information on the subject. The evidence was typical and predictable. The broadness of the evidence was reassuring that the point was never accomplished. Cennage claims that James had adopted the "narrow attitudes [from] many Americans abroad" (Cennage). Upon declaring that statement, no major attitudes were discussed but left to the reader to figure it out. The conclusions reached by the author are discussed towards the end of the article. She notes that instead of the differing society that makes the short story so interesting, it is the "concern with morality and social behavior" of the other society that creates the plot (Cennage). The biasness that comes into play could be hindering the article's authenticity. She could have come from a class with higher values, could be from Europe or America, and could have different outlooks than the next. The author explicitly talks about the characters in the short story. It is important to have some background information because of the contrasting societies. But implicitly, Cennage reminds the reader that the American and European societies are and will always be different. "Daisy Miller, Henry James - Introduction." Short St
Scott Boisvert

Literary Reference Center - powered by EBSCOhost: Introduction - 3 views

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    Argument: 1984 is a bad book, but will survive because it will always have relevance to society. Claims: 1984 has moral force as an early political warning; it is the Uncle Tom's Cabin of our time. Overall though, the book is poorly written with only the parody of the political slogans being decent aspects. Evidence: -1984's biggest reason for success is because society is moving towards the society portrayed in the book. -"Uncle Tom is a more interesting martyr than Orwell's failed martyr, the drab Winston Smith" -"Wyndham Lewis sensibly compared Orwell as a writer to H.G. Wells, but Wells was consistently more inventive and entertaining" -"A great pamphleteer, like Jonathan Swift, is a master of irony and satire. Here again, Orwell plainly is deficient. His literalness defeats his wit" -"He was a moral and political essayist who had the instincts of a pamphleteer" http://search.ebscohost.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=16405585&site=lrc-live
Scott Boisvert

It's a book: "Warrior Politics" by Robert Kaplan - 0 views

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    Argument: Realist tendencies drive political actions Claims:-Hobbesian philosophies define most political decisions -Western society was founded on realism and pessimism -Realism is more practical than idealism Evidence:-"The realist may have the same goals as the idealist, but he understands that action must sometimes be delayed in order to ensure success" -Pessimism and realism are growing trends in modern societies with general shifts away from supranational organizations and diplomatic/humanitarian efforts. -Malthus, Hobbes, Machiavelli, and Kant, who provided the base philosophy of western society, were all pessimistic realists
VIctoria Fernandez

The Scarlet Letter - 0 views

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    Sean J. Kelly argues that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter to satirize the Puritan church and how they fail to meet the standards of an ideal Christian community. Kelly's argument, while not very strong, is coherent, consistent and focused. While he does not offer solid evidence for his claim, his argument is very logical and insightful. The author describes The Scarlet Letter in contrast to other seduction novels before the novel's time. He states, "Earlier American seduction novels such as Charlotte Temple (1791) and The Coquette: Or, The History of Eliza Wharton; A Novel Founded on Fact (1797) invited the reader not only to witness the female protagonist's moral struggle and downfall, but also to forgive her transgressions as they were repented, typically in death." The background information provides for his argument and shows how his conclusion might be plausible. He concludes that Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter to criticize the lack of compassion and sympathy in the Puritan society which made them flawed. Irony exists because the Puritan society is supposed to be a Utopia but according to Kelly, the ideal Christian society is one that includes empathy. Kelly's criticism was published in a Christian literature journal which might conclude in some biased interpretations of Hawthorne's novel. The essay was also published in 2008 which explains the enlightened thinking in contrast to the thinking of the previous criticism by Coxe.
zach vessels

HENRIK IBSEN (1828-1906) - 0 views

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    In her analysis of Henrik Ibsen, Martha Fletcher Bellinger analyses Ibsen's writing style and how his personality and opinions influenced his writings. Bellinger says that Ibsen believed "honesty in facing facts is the first requisite of a decent life". I believe that this one idea influences all of Ibsen's writings because they are all attacks on problems in society, such as sexism and corruption. Bellinger says that Ibsen thought, "Society has humbugs, hypocrisies, and obscure diseases which must be revealed before they can be cured." According to her Ibsen believed that in order for the society to fix its problems they first must be brought to life, this was done through Ibsen's writing. Bellinger also argues the purposes of Ibsen's plays themselves and she states that Enemy of the People is discussing the "struggle between hypocrisy and greed on one side, and the ideal of personal honor on the other" because of this I think that the idea of corruption and hypocrisy could be a good topic to write about being that the entire play revolves around the idea that people are out for their own gains and interests. The idea that Ibsen wrote in order to bring issues in society into the light must mean that all of his books are written for the purpose of bettering society, at least in his eyes. Overall Bellinger appears to have written this analysis of Ibsen in order to explain why Ibsen writes his plays and gives examples by explaining the purposes or themes of his most important plays.
Gina Awanis

Literary Analysis #3- Pride and Prejudice - 1 views

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    The author's ( Maureen Cutajar) purpose is to explain the irony and structure of Jane Austen's view on the society of her time and to explain Austen's purpose in Pride and Prejudice in terms of the romance in the novel. Cutajar writes on how Austen describes two ways of falling in love and how those reflect on the society of the time. The two ways to fall in love that Austen writes in her novel Pride and Prejudice, is that of instant meeting (or love at first sight) and the love that develops slowly over time as is the case with Elizabeth and Darcy. What Cutajar concludes then is that, "Nevertheless, it seems that the 'rational' choice is not based on how quickly one falls in love but rather on what grounds" (Cutajar). Also, according to Cutajar, she concludes that, "Love therefore is not enough on its own and does not lead to happiness if it goes against the social system" (Cutajar). As for my own thoughts, I am interested in Austen's views on society, especially pertaining to marriage and the social "norm" at the time, especially because Austen's novels mainly reflect the idea of society and marriage. It is also interesting to compare the norm when it comes to marriage then and now and see how they differ or relate.
Gisela Ortiz

Carson McCullers: Marxism - 0 views

  • Hunter portrays oppressed classes of the South, such as blacks and women, describes the "fascist" ideology in which they live, and uses Marxist ideas about religion as a central theme.
    • Gisela Ortiz
       
      Carson McCullers uses the same theme in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter as in The Member of the Weddding; oppression in the South, racism, etc.
  • For Karl Marx, literature and art are products of an artist's labor that show oppressed people a picture of where they stand in their society. A work should "describe the real mutual relations, break down conventional illusions about them . . . but not offer any definite solution . . ." (Eagleton 46) . McCullers' novel exposes the ideology of the South in the 1930s as one in which blacks, textile workers, and women are oppressed. It portrays their individual struggles without offering a solution to them.
    • Gisela Ortiz
       
      Like in The Member of the Wedding, McCullers mixes in a variety of racist ideas and the belief of "equality" and uses irony to contradict these themes. She shows how oppressed the blacks are, but she keeps them in the struggle and she shows their hardships throughout her novels.
  • He mentions Jesus as an important historical figure, but then devotes the rest of his time to speaking of Karl Marx, whom he describes in religious terms.
    • Gisela Ortiz
       
      In The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Singer is represented as a Jesus-figure. This is so, because the deaf-mute man is always there to "listen" to everybody's stories, hardships, etc.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Jake calls it "The strangled South. The wasted South. The slavish south" ( Hunter 254).
  • She argues that the book includes social and religious issues together because McCullers offers both white and black Christ figures. Champion writes that the black Christ is persecuted more severely than the white Christ, but the significant point is that they are both crucified: "Spirituality, loneliness and human isolation "crucify" all members of society" (Champion 52).
    • Gisela Ortiz
       
      Christ figures:black and white. States that even though these two "Christ's" are of different racial entities, they are both judged the same in the ending, "crucifixion" (being alone in life, isolation, etc). Not real death, but both live miserable lives.
  • McCullers states that the main theme of the book is "man's revolt against his own inner isolation and his urge to express himself as fully as is possible" (Smith 124).
  • Marxism in Carson McCullers' "Strangled South"
    • Gisela Ortiz
       
      Argument: Call states that in McCullers novel, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, use Marxist ideas and the theme of racial equality. Not only does she state that Carson uses oppression in blacks, but she never gives them an opportunity to end their struggle. She writes about it. Call also argues that she saw Singer as a Christ figure "with a different context" as in there was a black and a white "Christ". Of course, the black one is prosecuted more than the white one is, but they both live miserable and lonely lives.Evidence: "Hunter portrays oppressed classes of the South, such as blacks and women, describes the "fascist" ideology in which they live, and uses Marxist ideas about religion as a central theme.""...the black Christ is persecuted more severely than the white Christ, but the significant point is that they are both crucified: "Spirituality, loneliness and human isolation "crucify" all members of society."Thoughts: "For Karl Marx, literature and art are products of an artist's labor that show oppressed people a picture of where they stand in their society. A work should "describe the real mutual relations, break down conventional illusions about them . . . but not offer any definite solution . . ." (Eagleton 46) . McCullers' novel exposes the ideology of the South in the 1930s as one in which blacks, textile workers, and women are oppressed. It portrays their individual struggles without offering a solution to them."Call shows many viewpoints that showcase her argument that McCullers uses marxism in her novels. Even though Call uses many examples in portraying her argument, she uses mostly what other critics have said about this book and not much of her own voice. This feels as if it's more of an accumulation of many critiques put into one. Now that I have read this critique, however, I can see the different uses of Marxism in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.
Keshet Miller

F.Scott Fitzgerald - 1 views

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    Argument: Despite raging criticisms that Fitzgerald work as a American writer had failed miserably, but analyzing his success after his death, the importance and significance of his novels are proven prevalent when observing American Culture during the Jazz Age. Claim: There was much critical neglect during Fitzgerald life, much ridicule and shame brought upon Fitzgerald. His life ended with misery, yet does not lessen the writers contribution to literary representation of American culture. Evidence: "...the days and months of his private world began to descend into tragedy. He could not bring the order into his life that would allow him to write his next novel. By the end of the twenties he was living too high and drinking too much" (Shain). "...he did the final complexity of our society and to recognize that we create a large part of our moral selves as we become engaged in that society. This is the theme that runs through his fiction · and through his life" (Shain). 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=6&contentSet=GALE|H1479001146&&docId=GALE|H1479001146&docType=GALE&role=Scribner
Tara Toliver

Article Analysis #2 - 0 views

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    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
Alan Adjei

Arthur Miller's 'Weight of Truth' in The Crucible - 6 views

In Stephen Marino Literary Criticism about Arthur's Miller novel The Crucible, Marino highlights the importance of Miller's use of the word "weight" at crucial moments of The Crucible, claiming tha...

Truth Crucible Miller Arthur

started by Alan Adjei on 20 Jan 11 no follow-up yet
Alan Adjei

Literature Resource Center - Document - 0 views

  • Tracing the repetition "weight" in The Crucible reveals how the word supports one of the play's crucial themes: how an individual's struggle for truth often conflicts with society.
    • Alan Adjei
       
      The thesis of the essay to connect the word "weight: to the theme of the book.
  • Marino highlights the importance of Miller's use of the word "weight" at crucial moments of The Crucible, claiming that "the word supports one of the play's crucial themes: how an individual's struggle for truth often conflicts with society."]
    • Alan Adjei
       
      The purpose of Marino writing this essay was to highlight how the use of the word weight in the crucible highlights the individuals struggle for truth and the conflict with society
  • the play is based on the clashes of truth between those characters who profess to speak it, those who profess it, those who live it and those who die for it.
    • Alan Adjei
       
      The play is about who speaks the truth and who does not
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • Similarly, Miller's thematic use of weight is intimately connected to the conflicts that occur when an individual's struggle to know truth opposes society's understanding of it
    • Alan Adjei
       
      Society's understanding of the truth is different than that of the individual.
  • Selz argues that truth is at odds with the very people, the judges and ministers, who are supposed to discern it.
    • Alan Adjei
       
      It is hard to recognize the truth.
  • Murray examines how in The Crucible Miller "in a very subtle manner, uses key words to knit together the texture of action and theme." He notes, for example, the recurrent use of the word "soft" in the text.6
    • Alan Adjei
       
      Another Author notices Millers repetition of words and the connection to the theme in this case "soft" is the word
  • On one level, Parris's use of weight as "importance" or "seriousness" appeals to Abigail on a personal level, since her uncle's ministry and her cousin's life are at stake.
    • Alan Adjei
       
      The word is used to manipulate the truth out.
  • Parris invokes his ministry in connection with the "weight of truth," the religious connotation is clear.
  • If Abigail felt the weight of religious truth, she would confess to Parris about the abominations performed in the forest, thereby releasing her from the heaviness of falsehood, sin, guilt, and the power of Satan.
  • his mission is equally connected to the same religious "weight of truth"
    • Alan Adjei
       
      Hales mission is to take the "weighted books" and find out the "weight of truth" of witchcraft.
  • In this line, "weighty" possesses all of the figurative connotations of both law and religion. Clearly, the exposure of witches to the community is the work of God and religion, but it is equally the work of the community in its legal entity to dispose of such witchcraft. Thus, the "weight of truth" that Parris uses in all its ramifications and the "weight of authority" that Hale so reverences are both dispensed by the weight of the law.
zach vessels

Review - An Enemy of the People by Henrick Ibsen - 0 views

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    Roxanne Llamzon writes about the main idea of the play An Enemy of The People and the meaning behind Ibsen's writings and the real meanings behind his work. Llamzon says, "In An Enemy of the People, he shows the tyranny of the majority. The majority is seen as a "tyrant" because the leaders of society are afraid to do what is right since they are the people's mercy." This means that I should look for quotes about how Ibsen targets leaders of a society and the political system in the play, as this is his real purpose in writing the play. Llamzon directly states that Ibsen's opinion on these political leaders are is that to them "the idea and threat of the majority keeps [them] from acting honestly." This relates to our society and the way that the officials that are elected do not do what they think is the right thing, but rather what will get them re-elected and popular among those who voted for them. Roxanne Llamzon says that Henrik Ibsen's writings are devoted to the purpose of getting this point across, as it is the motivation behind the plays that he writes.
Briauna Blezinski

JANE'S CROWN OF THORNS: FEMINISM AND CHRISTIANITY IN JANE EYRE. - 1 views

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    Argument: The feministic bildungsroman that establishes itself throughout the novel seems to be contradictory towards the Christian commitments of the young Jane Eyre. It argues that the character St. John symbolized the patriarchal religious system, which was in the end rejected by Jane. Furthermore, this rejection defies the expectations of marriage at the time and symbolizes a more feminist emphasis. Evidence: This point is suggested primarily throughout the closing passage of the novel. The rhetoric of this may seem to be slightly confusing, because it basically challenges the feministic viewpoint that was built in the novel. The final paragraph casts a light over St. John and all of his endeavors throughout the novel, Lamonaca states, "Classic feminist readings have tended to view St. John as one-dimensional patriarchal villain; accordingly, Jane rejects not only her pious cousin, but also the Christian worldview he represents." Further explication in the novel is shown in the rejection of St. John, for "Jane effectively resists Rochester's and St. John's attempts to possess her spirit as well as her body." This further promotes the protagonist's struggle against male control, and a lockdown patriarchal marriage. The contradiction in the closing statements however "leaves open the possibility that Jane, despite her efforts, has failed to reconcile the conflicting demands of domesticity and faith." Thoughts: I think that Charlotte Bronte basically wanted to make a clear cut statement against the patriarchal and male run events in her society. However, as the writing came to a close she didn't want to make it seem as if the novel was meant to be an anti-Christian sentiment. So she was able to subdue the super strong feministic thoughts and instead decided to create a conclusion that makes the patriarchal society still seem to have some notoriety when in reality she may have believed different. The fact that Jane chose to marry out of societyâ€
Lorynn Cancio

Wealth Breeds Alcoholism - 0 views

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    Argument: Wealth is dangerous to society because it leads to moral deterioration in the form of drugs and alcohol. Claims:-Wealth skews personal identity leading to feelings of superiority and entitlement -Wealth provokes an unattainable desire for happiness through the forms of luxury and indulgence Evidence: -"Alcohol or drugs are used to escape the pain brought on by a warped perspective, and the rich have no trouble getting more, whenever desired." -"For example, in cases of inheritance, where wealthy individuals didn't really earn their money at all, there are high rates of abuse and addiction." -"However, happiness soon becomes an unattainable ideal when it gets tied up with an insatiable desire for personal possessions and luxurious living. When you always want more, you're never satisfied, and the dissatisfied are more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol."
Melanie Reyes

Literary Analysis for Henry James - 1 views

Henry James is the author to a wide variety of short novels. He is more known for writing on his own views for European and Americans' society, culture, and class status (Liukkonen). But he spices...

started by Melanie Reyes on 22 Feb 11 no follow-up yet
Kelyne Kenmogne

Literature Resource Center - Document - 0 views

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    Argument: Any society based on satisfying the needs of Passive Man will destroy Active Man and will itself become uncreative and unproductive Claim: collectivists diminish individual rights, and individual thought Evidence: Collectivism, she told Reader's Digest readers, is always totalitarianism; and "horrors which no man would consider for his own selfish sake are perpetuated with a clear conscience by 'altruists' who justify themselves by--the common good" ("The Only Path to Tomorrow," Reader's Digest, January 1944, 88) Source Citation Baker, James T. "Chapter 3: Ayn Rand as Public Philosopher." Ayn Rand. James T. Baker. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1987. Twayne's United States Authors Series 501. Literature Resource Center. Web. 6 Dec. 2010. Document URL http://go.galegroup.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CH1472002608&v=2.1&u=chandler_main&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w
Kelyne Kenmogne

Literature Resource Center - Document - 1 views

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    Argument: the society that does not encourage individualism invites a tyranny of bland mediocrity Claim: Rand exposes the sharpness of the familiar line drawn between self and other Evidence: "that man exists for his own sake, that the pursuit of his own happiness is his highest moral purpose, that he must not sacrifice himself to others, nor others to himself."
Keshet Miller

The Great Gatsby - 1 views

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    Argument: Fitzgerald used characterization to uphold his view on the American culture during the Jazz Age. Claim: Fitzgerald is able to establish a clear reflection of a large society through one or two characters. His approach to writing a culturally reflective novel is shown through brightest by character interactions. Evidence: "Echoes of the American Dream pervade the novel, which contrasts the supposed innocence and moral sense of the "Western" characters with the sophistication and materialism of the "Eastern" characters" (Palvovski).
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