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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.

From a young age, Pip went to the Satis House and played cards with Estella. That's where he fell for her and where his desire for nobility began. Parkinson submits that while games are typically played for enjoyment, Pip did not enjoy playing cards, or his life as a gentleman. Pip's approach to his life as a nobleman is similar to his approach to cards. He does neither for enjoyment, he does both to impress Estella, and in the end fails to do either. Pip's wealth brings him no happiness, only discomfort and debt. Parkinson suggests that economic standing is determined by chance in addition to skill, which is accurate in Great Expectations, Pip and Estella get rich through luck, while Magwitch gets rich through mostly hard work and only a little help from luck. In addition, Pip loses at every game, no matter how hard he tries, and he blows through his fortune and ultimately loses it all. Life is just one big game, and playing for the wrong reasons can leave you destitute.

ARGUMENT: Jhumpa Lahiri's central theme in both The Namesake and Interpreter of Maladies is Diaspora, isolation, and search for identity and fulfillment. Jhumpa Lahiri is the "voice from the gaps" because she puts the "in between" identity feeling into a compelling story that many can relate to. SUPPORT: "Both Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake contain themes of conflict in relationships between couples, families, and friends. Through these relationships she explores ideas of isolation and identity, both personal and cultural. The characters in both works frequently encounter crises of identity, which are tied to their inabilities to reconcile their American identity with their Indian identity. " "She often correlates her characters' cultural isolation with extreme personal isolation, suggesting that the cultural isolation causes the personal." "In their isolation, these characters feel that they are missing something vital to their identities. It is this missing "something" that defines them. It seems that few characters in these stories have any idea of who they are or where they are going in life." THOUGHTS: The authors Gipe, Greco, Spencer and Yang provide key facts about Lahiri's background in India and why she chooses to write novels about Diaspora because she relates to the feeling of being "in between" cultures. The article is concluded well by referring to the ending of The Namesake where Gogol finally realizes that he doesn't have to choose between cultures, his identity is both of them meshed together.

article on why Orwell is actually considered to be a leftist

Arugement: Fitzgerald embodys beauty, sex, and aristocracy throughout the novel and portrays how they are linked aswell as how they are contradicting towards one another--order, responsibility, and purposefulness. Claim: Fitzgerald's dominating purpose for this book, as for all his books, illustrates "unity and force," and this book is considered as a traditional bildungsroman:a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character. Amory being the target character for this. Evidence: "But the bar is strong enough to hold them and emerges intact because Fitzgerald does use those things with a "mentality back of them." Amory metamorphosis into the spiritually unmarried man should come as no surprise: from his first instictive attempts to get something definite to his explicit commitment to the struggle to guide and control his life, that is where he is heading."

Argument: The argument for the Joy Luck Club is that there is only a culture barrier in the novel, nothing else is keeping them apart. The critic claims that, since Chinese culture can be classified as high context culture and American culture can be claimed as Low context culture, the mothers are having a difficult time understanding why their children aren't as respectful towards them as they were towards their parents. Evidence: "The mothers in The Joy Luck Club expect their daughters to obey their elders and so learn by obedience, by observation and by imitation, as they did in China" (unknown). "Because the mothers internalized values and knowledge, they seem to assume that knowledge is innate and that it is present in their daughters and only has to be brought out or activated" (unknown). Thoughts: This critic provides the reader with so much background information about Amy Tan as well as her book, The Joy Luck Club, so that the reader is able to understand where the author is coming from. I believe that this critic gives a lot of information because he or she doesn't want the reader to take Amy Tan in the wrong way. In my opinion, this critic really admired The Joy Luck Club, and probably, still, admires Amy Tan.

Purpose: The author shows how Lady Bertram's pet Pug is a symbol of society and the role of Women at the time. She argues that Austen demonstrates the indolence and growing modernization of society and its roles by means of the lapdog ever so present throughout the novel (although a subtle presence). Evidence: "she [Austen] also subtly highlights most of the revolutionary issues of the day: women's nature and place, social class, nationalism and the Empire, Darwinian physiognomy, religion and morality, urbanization, and slavery." "She shows Lady Bertram treating her pug like a baby, always in her lap or in her arms…much as a young mother spends her afternoons watching a toddler." "All this, added to the failures of Lady Bertram's children, serves to illustrate the moral that a woman's duty is to mother her children not to waste her time with pets." "Katherine McDonogh's argument that pet dogs in the French Revolution were shown to be superior to kennel dogs, in being pedigreed and therefore elite, and to symbolize the idle and dissolute aristocracy." "Yet the pug also symbolizes the decadence and laziness of the idle rich." "Beth Dixon points out that women being connected to animals in literature shows that women are bodily, natural, and emotional, therefore closer to being animals themselves than men are." "the pug, while an understandable presence, still evokes and symbolizes the evils of modernity which it has been adopted to alleviate" "it also reprimands traditional culture for keeping women like her daughters Maria and Julia repressed to the point where they erupt in rebellion against strictures of all kinds, especially those prescribing lives as human lapdogs for themselves." Thoughts: I agree with the arguments presented in this criticism and I also find it interesting that such a subtle thing as a lapdog can have so much to say about Austen's purpose or at least one of her purposes to Mansfield Park.

In what is known as one of Beckett's most infamous works, it appears that what occurs on stage and even between the actors and audience is a game. In his review of the work, Atkinson boldly claims that it was "Impressive in the macabre intensity of the mood", making it a close contender with Beckett's "Waiting for Godot". While the argument of the article may not be relatively easy to pick up, upon closer inspection of the critique it may seem as if Atkinson has no opinion on the matter due to the highly interpretive and almost incomprehensible manner in which Beckett's works are put forth. Atkinson even states "Don't expect this column to give a coherent account of what--if anything-- happens. Almost nothing happens in the sense of action." So what exactly can be said about the work? Clearly Beckett has found a knack in creating a feeling of nothing, in "Endgame" as well as in "Waiting for Godot", the settings are never clearly described, and what little details are given out may in fact be seen in infinite number of ways. For example the author, Atkinson, has seen the other works of Beckett before reviewing his latest, this article being published the day after the debut in new york on Jan. 29, 1958, which would indeed give him a bias as to how he would experience the work. If someone were to review the play who had never seen anything of Beckett's before, it may be almost certain that most of what is said would be confusion, and misunderstanding about the purpose of the play. I feel that Atkinson, having had the experience, accurately portrays the works in his article/review. Beckett is a modern writer who plays out work in an old style. His two plays mentioned before are both considered comedies, but not in the laugh out loud sense, but the classical interpretation of what comedies where meant to be. Yet still creating an almost post- apocalyptic environment while maintaining an elevated psychological approach to the viewing experience.

Robert Young takes an interesting perspective on the book Catch 22 as he offers his criticisms of the logic that Heller used within the novel. The basis of the criticism focuses on this "unconscious logic" that Young believes Heller has used. He believes that the novel really focuses on a world "where everyone lives perpetually in projective identification, and the only value is survival." Furthermore, he establishes that the book is essentially about ideals, and how the in the real world it is hard for anyone to behave in a paranoid world, especially in groups and under the pressure of the war. There is this sort of overarching theme that decency is not at the mainstream of societies core values. Within the text Major Danby advises his soldiers, "And you must never let them change your values. Ideals are good, but people are sometimes not so good. You must try to look up at the big picture." I thought that from the criticism that it was interesting how it was stated that there was only one real Catch 22, that specified that a concern for your own safety in the face of dangers were real and immediate and in the process of a rational mind. In general, this criticism is very analytical on the methods of logic that Heller uses in the book. However, Young is very hard to follow and his reasoning is sparely related. His point is clear to understand however, because he opens the argument with his general ideology that the book is about a society that acts in a certain way because they are faced with the possibility of annihilation daily.

Arguement: Becoming a writer is a journey; Gantos used his journey in many different ways. Claim: Gantos' used the hard times in his life to motivate him to be a writer. Evidence: "It (prison) is where I went from thinking about becoming a writer, to writing." -Jack Gantos Claim: Mistakes and downfalls lead Gantos to become a more intellegent writer. Evidence: "his unsparing portrayal of his fears, failings, and false starts... is brillant and authentistic." Claim: Gantos used his journey to define his writing techniques. Evidence: Gantos' spare narrative style and straightforward revelation of the truth have, together, a cumulative power that will capture not only a reader's attention but also empathy and imagination."

Argument: A biography on Hemingway and critical essay stating that Ernest Hemingway's works and novels portray information almost identical to his real life. Explains how both The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms are both books in which Hemingway's personal life has become involved. Argues that the events that happen in his books correspond with Hemingway's private life. Evidence: "The Sun Also Rises, a novel based on his years in Paris and Spain after the war…" (Nagel). "He became confused, suspicious, and aggressively suicidal; he agonized that he could not write….and committed suicide" (Nagel). "In each single paragraph Hemingway presented the details and events that communicated what it was like to be part of a civilian retreat in war, to shoot German soldiers coming over a wall, or to observe the execution of political prisoners by a firing squad" (Nagel). "The novel is narrated…by Jake Barnes, an American correspondent in Paris who was severely wounded in the war and has been left impotent" (Nagel). "The serious underside of this life is revealed largely through Jake's psychological turmoil, a vestige of the trauma of the war, that at times nearly incapacitates him….he is emotionally unstable…(Nagel). "…touching on all the serious themes:…expatriation…,love, and the aftermath of the war"(Nagel). "for nearly all of Jake's friends in Paris are seeking desperately for some unattainable happiness or fulfillment" (Nagel). "The novel ends where it began….none of the major problems have been resolved, none of the characters have achieved any sort of lasting fulfillment" (Nagel). Thoughts: James Nagel provides the reader with a biography and background information on Ernest Hemingway, including a summary and analysis on Hemingway's novels so that the reader can understand the correlation between Hemingway and his books. I believe that Nagel gives ample information on Hemingway so that the reader can make the

Literary Critique # 4 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? 1.This is a source written by James Nagel provides a biography of Ernest Hemingway and a critical essay of many of his novels including A Farewell to Arms. Nagel offers background information on Hemingway and later talks about A Farewell to Arms to make connections between Hemingway's life and the novel. The essay implies that Hemingway portrays much of his life through the protagonists in his novel. 2.-"Pauline Hemingway, small of stature, gave birth to a son, Patrick, by a traumatic cesarean section" (Nagel 4). -The incident of Patrick's birth Hemingway recreated, with a tragic conclusion, in A Farewell to Arms" (Nagel 4). -"[A Farewell to Arms] treated the experiences of Frederic Henry on the Italian front in the First World War and his eventual desertion to Switzerland with Catherine Barkley, only to have Catherine die in childbirth" (Nagel 4). -"A lifetime of dangerous physical adventure had taken its toll in numerous injuries…" (Nagel 4). -"He became confused, suspicious, and aggressively suicidal…" (Nagel 4). -"In each single paragraph Hemingway presented the details and events that communicated what it was like to be part of a civilian retreat in war, to shoot German soldiers coming over a wall, or to observe the execution of political prisoners by a firing squad" (Nagel 4). 3.This article verifies that Hemingway composed many novels based off his real life experiences. When he writes about the war, getting wounded, falling in love with a nurse, and experiencing a traumatic ending with his loved one in A Farewell to Arms, he is practically retelling his story with different characters. He makes few minor detail switches and main story doesn't change. The reader has th

3...opportunity to hear Ernest Hemingway's deep feelings and true thoughts coming through in his A Farwell to Arms. Hemingway unmistakably portrays himself in the novel as the protagonist, Frederic Henry, and depicts his loved one as Catherine Barkley. In real life, his loved one was Pauline Pffeifer-Hemingway. It is apparent that Pauline portrays Catherine Barkley, as both the real person and fictional character experienced similar, if not same events such as the Cesarean section that both went through in childbirth. 4.-"My legs in the dirty bandages, stuck straight out in the bed. I was careful not to move them. I was thirsty and I reached for the bell and pushed the button. I heard the door open and looked and it was a nurse. She looked young and pretty" (Hemingway, "A Farewell to Arms" 84). -"Yes, even in the ambulance business….ambulance drivers were killed sometimes" (Hemingway, "A Farewell to Arms" 37). -"I went out the door and suddenly I felt lonely and empty. I had treated seeing Catherine very lightly, I had gotten somewhat drunk and had nearly forgotten to come but when I could not see her there I was feeling lonely and hollow" (Hemingway, "A Farewell to Arms" 41). Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print. Nagel, James. "Ernest Hemingway." American Novelists, 1910-1945. Ed. James J. Martine. Detroit: Gale Research, 1981. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 9. Literature Resource Center. Web. 16 Jan. 2011. .

"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.

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.

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