Group items tagged

Argument: Joan Hope, in her literary criticism of "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier", makes an assertion that Baeh highlights the complexity of human nature under strenuous conditions. Furthermore, Hope stresses the importance of political discussions on the effects of war on children. Components of Argument: 1) Hope supports her argument by highlighting Baeh's narration technique - helping the reader through story by maintaining the tone of a story teller somewhat distanced from what has happened. Hope also acknowledges the neutral tone in which the story is told which allows the reader to draw his/her own horrific conclusions. 2) Hope's secondary support lies in her recognition of the first person account by a child with little understanding of the reasons for the war. Evidence: 1) "Their conversation shows no compassion for the people they killed and no remorse for their actions" (Hope). 2) "In fact, Baeh's memoir describes a society in so much chaos that it is not clear that even the military leaders have a good understanding of what war is about" (Hope). 3) "In the end, the book gives no evidence that one side had greater moral authority than the other" (Hope). MLA Format (My choice to do this): Hope, Joan. "A Long Way Gone." Magill'S Literary Annual 2008 (2008): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 11 Dec. 2011.

Argument: Literary dystopia reveals human weakness, social problems and often criticizes or exaggerates social trends. Claims: Leisure in dystopian novels are called anti-leisure in the fact that it "perverts to achieve the perpetuation of tyranny". Instead of abolishing tyranny in this sense, dystopia does the opposite. Not only that but it also demolishes human individuality and self reliance through various compulsive activities, "such novels encourage the re-examination of theories of leisure from a humanistic standpoint". Evidence: "Such leisure regulates identity, prevents individual thought, impedes self-sufficiency, encourages immoderation, and distracts citizens from social injustice through varioius compulsory activities" "This recent term was coined for its overtones of disease and malfunction, making it an accurate label for the genre's depictions of human foibles, weaknesses and messiness that defeats attempts to create a perfect society" "Dystopias usually exaggerate contemporary social trends and in doing so, offer serious social criticism"

Argument - Ray Bradbury's main goal is to employ the ideas of the goal and joy of living. Claims- Bradbury holds a hopefullness for humanity. -Bradbury's interest with the stars and other worlds is the depiction of his interest in the unknown and new fronteirs. -Bradbury is only acutely aware of the evil nature of humans and their potential to cause destruction. -Bradbury seeks to depict a rebirth in society representing his trust in mankind to destroy the bad and create new. Evidence - Fahrenheit 451 - The destruction of the city as symbolized by the phoenix, depicts rebirth of a new phoenix from the ashes. - "Charles points out, however, that humanity is not free of temptation, for the desire for empty impossibilities is in them all, and there will be many other attempts to exploit this desire in their long lives" - By the pricking of my thumbs,! something wicked this way comes." In William Shakespeare's Macbeth (c. 1605), the witches speak these lines as Macbeth approaches for his second meeting with them"

Argument: The government of Oceania uses the minds of citizens are their biggest tool for ultimate control. In order to do so, the Party establishes two "sides" or truths of events and facts so that the citizens are unsure of the real issue/truth. The Party also meddles with the history of Oceania in order to blind the public. Claims: The Party uses doublethink to corrupt the minds of the public by making everyone second guess themselves at all times. This paranoia results in people refusing to question the tyranny of the Party. The Party used conflicting truths to support doublethink and oppress freedom of speech. For some Winston the real truth behind events and the past and his doubts of the Party are based on instincts and not facts. This is the goal of the Party as this supports doublethink. Support: "[The Party] attempts to impose two different and conflicting attitude to truth. They insist both that truth is absolute and vital, but at the same time that people must dispense with traditional concerns with the distinction between what is 'true' and what is 'false', and with the role of objective empirical evidence in distinguishing between the two" (Chapman 1-2). "For Winston, truth exists as something ontologically distinct from 'lies', but in the absense of objective evidence the restricted society of Oceania it can be known only by 'instinctive feeling'" (Chapman 2).

Argument: Needful Things is a satirical horror story. Claims: Society is too dependent upon the ideas of religion, we are not only ignorant of each other, but we trust each other too much. Evidence: "In every case, possessions bring out the worst in people. They think that acquiring things will make them happy, but they are paying for un-needful things with their precious humanity: They only feel more unhappy and more isolated in their misery. Needful Things is an indictment of the American consumer culture." (delaney)