APLit2010

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

Argument: In publishing a novel as dark and brutal as Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte broke through the restraints that constricted female authors at the time. Claim: The book was written during the Romantic era. Emily Bronte was heavily influenced by Romanticism, as evident in her novel. Wuthering Heights is clearly a novel written by a woman. Before Romanticism, Wuthering Heights would have been a daring novel to write. Evidence: "'While the book is offensive, even repulsive, it has the repulsiveness of power. Charlotte Brontë's books are unmistakably those of a woman--a woman fretting at and scorning the limitations of her sex and her day, yet in a measure yielding to them. But Emily . . . overleaps the barriers" and ignores her own and her readers' sensibilities. Her purpose was to write the truth about her characters, and as a result she "handles brutality and coarseness as another woman would handle a painted fan.'" "In Wuthering Heights 'there is evident no quiver of feminine nerves in the mind or hand.'"

Argument: Beowulf is a classic hero that portrays parts of the Norse culture that created him and the Christian culture who edited his exploits.
Claim 1: Beowulf is Norse, not English.
Evidence: Norse warriors settled on the British Isles in the 500's and brought their oral traditions with them.
Claim 2: Christianity was an integral part in Beowulf's character and setting.
Evidence: The Monks who wrote down Beowulf used allusions to Cain when describing Grendel. Quotes: "Beowulf's actions speak of selfless sacrifice; if he is violent, it is because, like people of his age, the times required violent action to secure peace and bring about prosperity."

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."

A thousand Splendid Suns is about women being abused by the men. Many people have read this book but Cheryl Reed saw it as "nearly impossible for a novel a work of fantasy and fabrication to deliver a formidable blow, a pounding of the senses, a reeling so staggering that we are convinced the characters and their dilemmas are genuine" (Reed). The two stories are similar but different at the same time because of the different women and different time periods. Reed goes onto explain that the two stories are about such young women being married off to much older women, while these men have multiple wives. An example of this is would be, "The man who saves her, who digs her from the rubble, is 60ish Rasheed, a shoe salesman, who has a penchant for young girls. His wife, Mariam, was given to him when she was only 15" (Reed). Mariam's mother dies in a hanging and she is married off by her dad. However, they are married to men much older than them and have to deal with the beatings and abuse. Although before they may be married off many things could happen to them. For example when Rasheed wives try to escape and get caught their punishment is brutal. "Rasheed's dissimilar wives team up to offer each other support from the beatings and the verbal lashings. They plan a risky escape but when that fails, the powerlessness of their plight couldn't be more palpable: Strangers turn them in to the authorities, and police officers shrug their shoulders at the likelihood that Rasheed may kill them for causing dishonor" (Reed). However, as punishment for trying to escape from a life of torture, they are brutally beat. Seems all they want is freedom but to get that they have to escape. Reed describes this the best "While The Kite Runner was the story of redemption, of male friendship and the bond between fathers and sons, Suns is a multigenerational story with a larger cast of characters, spanning 45 years and told from the dual perspectives of two powerless women

Argument: The idea of Doublethink allows totalitarian regimes to keep their iron grip on power without degrading its people and exposing them to thoughts which might cause them to question the regime control. Thus these types of governemnts should keep a "reality control" on its people Claim: Knowledge of Doublethink in such regimes as totalitarian ones, can lead to an instability amongst the citizens and ultimately lead to a failed state. Support: "Doublethink was a form of trained, willful blindness to contradictions in a system of beliefs. In the case of Winston Smith, Orwell's protagonist, it meant being able to work at the Ministry of Truth deleting uncomfortable facts from public records, and then believing in the new history which he himself had written" "Doublethink's self-deception allowed the Party to maintain both huge goals and realistic expectations: 'If one is to rule, and to continue ruling, one must be able to dislocate the sense of reality. For the secret of rulership is to combine a belief in one's own infallibility with the power to learn from past mistakes'" "Doublethink has grown to be synonymous with relieving cognitive dissonance by simply ignoring the contradiction between two worldviews"

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: 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: Bruce Reeves points out that although "To Have and Have Not" is not one of Hemingway's better-known novels, it has had an insight on issues during the time it was written, and brought with it a new form of writing. The main theme is dealing with pain and hardships, overcoming them to move on with life and existence. Hemingway portrays his own personal struggles and life experiences through his work. Often times his characters experience and go through similar things he did. Evidence: "It was considered a forerunner of the "tough guy" school of fiction, but it has come to be seen more as a unique work…"(Reeves). "To Have and Have Not is arguably his one book in which the sum of the parts does not equal the individual fragments."(Reeves). "He assumes that everyone is equally alone."(Reeves). "Harry Morgan with relentless energy from one situation to another, until he is cornered with no hope of escape."(Reeves). Thoughts: Reeves summarizes the novel and describes the characters to show the main themes and meaning of the novel. I have also found that there are many correlations between Hemingway's characters from one book to another, such as how they act and their personalities. The characters are put in difficult situations that challenge their emotional strength. They all seem to know something bad is going to happen to them in the end.

Argument: Cultural customs influence the characterization of the women in Bram Stoker's Dracula and The Mystery of the Sea; there are two types of women he writes about - the New Woman and 'classical' woman - and makes clear distinctions between the two. Claim: Stoker bases his characters off of two different types of women to emphasize the differences between characters, and to introduce suspense into the plot. Because Stoker writes about 'classical' women like Mina Harker and Gormala (to a certian extent), these women clash with the New Woman characters because of the different lifestyles. Evidence: The New woman wanted to "acheieve self-determination through life, growth, and experience." The New woman developed through an uprising feminist movement, a rebellion that involved woman's "refusal to heed the abstraction of womanhood." "Feminism sought to change human consciousness about male dominance". Because the qualities in the 'classical woman' and New Woman were opposites, it creates suspense and conflict between characters that helps to set the mood and move the plot forward.

Argument: John Stinson suggests that through allusion Anthony Burgess displays different facets of himself throughout his novels. Stinson focuses on three of Burgess' works centering on how his identification with other artists allows him to confront his own contradictions as an artist. Stinson also argues that Burgess' use of an alter-ego gives him an outlet of manageability in his own life. Evidence:"...alike in their evident feeling that the novel of a consistent tone, moving through a recognized and restricted cycle of emotional keys was outdated . . . their attempt has been to combine the violent and the absurd, the grotesque and the romantic, the farcical and the horrific within a single novel" (Amis).  "What hurts me . . . is the allegation . . . that there is a gratuitous indulgence in violence which turns an intended homiletic work into a pornographic one" (Burgess). "The artist's desire to reconcile the apparent opposites is, somewhat paradoxically, often what provides the motive force for his art, but it also makes his personal life very difficult" (Stinson). Thoughts: Stinson offers a unique view on Burgess' writing style and use of allusion. By focusing on Burgess' lesser known works (known being A Clockwork Orange) he gives a greater sense of the writer's analogy between his own life and his artist persona. Stinson achieves his assertions in a clear and logical manner, first denoting Burgess' relationship with the artist, then by providing examples from three of Burgess' works.

Argument: Hopkins writes about very controversial topics because they are extremely realistic topics in todays society. Claim: Ellen Hopkins impacts the lives of her readers and tries in influence them positively. Her books are eye openers. Evidence: "I write about subjects that many authors prefer to shun--drugs, abuse, suicide, sexual orientation. Today's young adults deal with these issues on a daily basis. Only by shedding light on them can we come, not only to understand them, but to move beyond them toward a more positive future." http://bna.galegroup.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/bna/short_bio/GALE%7C20439570/Hopkins,%20Ellen

Gloria Pond points out how there are various traits that are associated with alcoholism and in this article she relates these traits to a family who suffers from alcoholism. She does not specify weather these traits are acquired through heredity or environmentally determined. The argument between the behaviors of the characters and alcoholic anonymous are continuously back to back drawing more information for the reader. The author brought up some logical examples of alcoholics throughout the article. She would focus on details of background information of alcoholic anonymous and then go to information about the book. The evidence provided about alcoholism is typical in the aspect that it gives background and supportive information that coveys the authors perspective. Even though the author does not go into great detail about alcoholism she provides a sufficient amount of information to get the point across. Pond believes O'Neill accurately demonstrates families ups and downs while dealing with the disease of alcoholism. The author has a slightly negative bias about the recovery of alcoholism. Other than that she goes straight off of the information given. She states that alcoholism is a dangerous disease that creates bad habits. She also implies that most people do not recover from the disease. In the end it comes down to each alcoholic blaming one another for their problems

The Early Work of Arthur Miller Critic In this larger analysis by Leonard Moss on the complete works of Arthur Miller, the subsection regarding "All My Sons" explored the use of diction and other literary techniques to develop the complex family relationships of this novel. The family unit in "All My Sons" enjoys strong bonds and affections according to Moss; nonetheless, they are plagued with uncertainty and distrust among other members of the family despite this closeness. Moss progresses through the plot sequentially in order to support this claim about the family. Along the way, the article notes the language used by Miller to supplement the work. Colloquial language is used frequently, for instance, along with many allusions which are employed to reveal secrets of the family and signify shifts in emotions found within the story. Specifically noted is the "verbal contrast bringing out a psychological contrast" such as "harshness starting to displace simple folkiness, fearfulness displacing the comfortable self-assurance." Once accounting for the social truths and themes put forth by Miller, and the many supporting details, the author of this article concludes that much of the plot is centered on characters whose existence thrives in their pride as an honorable family member. This claim is supported by the actions of Joe Keller; after learning of his sons' discontent with his job as a father, he gives up everything and commits suicide because his life has no worth. These sentiments are definitely reflected within "Death of a Salesman" as well, which leads Moss to further conclude that Miller has strong opinions regarding family norms of this time.

The author of this critic, Terry Thompson, examined the family relationships and themes of Arthur Miller's "Death of A Salesman". Specifically the author examined two central symbolic elements to these aspects of the play, the first being the names of and the second being the physical characteristics of Willy, Biff, and Happy Loman. When closely examined, Thompson points out, the only character who is not addressed by a childish rendition of their name is Willy's brother, Benjamin Loman. Coincidently this is the only character of the novel that is viewed as successful; Willy, Biff, and Happy all continue to use immature pseudonyms which reflect their perceived shortcomings in life. In this same manner, the only characters who have facial hair and other features typical of grown men are Benjamin Loman and the father of Benjamin and Willy Loman. Again, this signifies their superiority, maturity, and success over the characters of Willy, Biff, and Happy. These minor details solidify the relationships between the male characters in the play, which lead to the conclusion by Thompson that Willy and his sons were truly inferior to other males. Moreover, this definition of inferiority was purely devised through standards put forth by Willy's idea of success stemming from the influences he had from men as he was growing up. This is clearly shown when Willy asks Benjamin to describe their father to his sons in order to show them a real role model and guide for success. Overall, Willy had a very harsh view about what success and self-worth comprised of.

This article tells you a little more about the author and also some about the story of The Almost Moon. It show how the main character has to deal with her mothers sickness after her fathers death and that leads her to the action that she does which is killing her mother. Unlike in Lovely bones how someones actions leads to people having to cope with the situation at hand but in The Almost Moon the main character having to cope with her mothers illness leads her to take action

1st claim= Othello is related to God, through the trials of the story, Othello is superior to others and is looked up to like God. 2nd claim= Iago is represented as Judas or Peter. He is looked upon as a constant secretive and mischievous evil. 3rd claim= christian culture ties in with the culture of Othello's time period. debate= Shakespeare is satirizing religion and culture. This concludes that Othello's time period and culture with religion is based on the biblical text in the bible text.

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: Though John Steinbeck claimed to have written his book with sympathy toward the paisanos he had known and lived with his portrayal of the Spaniard characters in the novel "Tortilla Flat" unintentional came off as racist. Evidence: "They hold no jobs, drink wine excessively, and live in houses that were gifted in a will." "Upon publication of the novel, he was surprised to find out that many people thought his characters were bums - lovable and eccentric, but bums nonetheless." "Life at the two houses basically revolves around procuring free wine, and trying to get money without working." "Reading the novel today, it's hard not to draw the same conclusion, that the paisanos of Steinbeck's novel are down-and-outs, living in a capitalist society but yet powerless to create a better future for themselves." Reflection: The author, Chris Saliba, made an effective argument on the racial stereotypes presented in Steinbeck's novel. He organizes his ideas in a reader friendly layout making his analysis simple to follow. He could improve the critique by including quotes from the book to support the racism claim of the novel. Overall, Saliba created a worthy argument however could have gone more in depth with his proposal instead of going with the bare minimum and skimming the surface.

As the title suggests, "Oscar Wilde: Aesthetics and Criticism" focuses on a very important subject in Oscar Wilde's books: the purpose of art. During this time, Wilde was a very avid supporter of Aestheticism, which was the idea that art had no other purpose than being beautiful. This criticism is one that also highlights the works that Wilde has done that focuses on Aestheticism, such as "The Picture of Dorian Gray", "The Portrait of W.H", "The Decay of Lying", "The Critic as Artist", etc. It also enforces the fact that all of Wilde's works are intertwined, and work towards the goal of promoting aestheticism. Also, this criticism backs up Wilde's argument that "art in its highest form is something more and other than a mere reflection of the natural world" and praises Wilde, saying that he holds a "prominent place…in our cultural landscape to this day." After all, we see his words and influence everywhere, whether it be on cards or in movies. Wilde truly was the face of the Aesthetic movement, and continues to be so through his one and only novel ("The Picture of Dorian Gray") and other short works.

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