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The Stranger: "Understanding the Author's Purpose" - 0 views

  • If the hero Meursault has a moral message—and the reference to him as a Christ figure would suggest that he has—it is one that plays a constant role in Camus’s thought; there are no absolutes to which one can adhere, only limits, and the vital nuances are played out within those limits. Total indifference and apathy allow others to act without limits. Meursault develops from an acquiescent figure who admits no limits to a combatant who claims the right to be different.
  • When The Stranger was first published in 1942 the aspect that evoked the most interest among critics was the use of the passé composé, the compound past tense, since the traditional tense used in literary narrative is the passé simple. Sartre, in his review of the book, comments that the effect of the passé composé is to isolate each sentence, to avoid giving any impression of cause and effect.
  • Meursault, who places no reliance on language, throws down the gauntlet but fails to justify his action in the eyes of the world.
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  • During the trial, it becomes clear that Meursault is being tried not for his action, but for his attitudes. The ironic presentation of the prosecutor’s arguments, in which the narrator’s use of free indirect discourse shows up the emptiness of the rhetoric, makes the trial seem farcical. Indeed one could assert that Meursault is innocent with respect to the invalid reasons for guilt attributed by the prosecution: “I accuse this man of burying a mother with a criminal heart.” The implications of “the void in the heart that we find in this man” are enlarged to the scale of “an abyss into which society could sink.” Meursault is accused of two crimes which he has not committed: burying his mother with a criminal heart (although psychoanalytical studies of this text have concluded there is some basis for his feelings of guilt at her death), and killing a father, since the prosecutor affirms in a flourish of rhetoric that he is responsible for the crime that will be tried in court the following day.
  • Metaphysical absurdity is mirrored by the social situation depicted in The Stranger; as Camus remarked, “The Plague has a social meaning and a metaphysical meaning. It’s exactly the same. This ambiguity is also present in The Stranger.” The injustice of that social situation is in turn reflected and complicated by the particular attributes of a colonial society. Meursault learns in the course of writing his life that it is not meaningless, and his desire to relive it is the first positive affirmation he makes.
  • One aspect of Meursault’s statement, which will be a constant in Camus’s ideas on rebellion, is the emphasis on the concrete and the present. The prison chaplain embodies exactly what Meursault rejects: a nonphysical relationship with the world and with human beings, a passive submission to the injustices of God and society, and a dogmatic faith in a better life in the future. Meursault is solidly involved in the here and now
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    Argument In this article, author Susan Tarrow, contrary to the common belief that Meursault maintains the same passive attitude throughout the book, argues that he is instead a dynamic character who evolves through the course of the novel. She explains that Camus's clever use of language establishes a tone that forces many readers to be frustrated with Meursault. Claim Tarrow explains that Meursault is introduced as passive character whose attitude allows him to act with total disregard for others. By the end of the second part, he develops into a  staunch defender of his individuality; he maintains his right to not admit to believing in concepts that do not seem logical to him. Camus's use of passe compose, or compound past tense, maintains a passive tone and establishes the theme of absurdism. Meurasult does not make emotional connections to events which frustrates many people. His lack of language, or rationale for his action, seems insane but he simply does not feel the need for it. Evidence "If the hero Meursault has a moral message-and the reference to him as a Christ figure would suggest that he has-it is one that plays a constant role in Camus's thought; there are no absolutes to which one can adhere, only limits, and the vital nuances are played out within those limits. Total indifference and apathy allow others to act without limits. Meursault develops from an acquiescent figure who admits no limits to a combatant who claims the right to be different" (Tarrow). "When The Stranger was first published in 1942 the aspect that evoked the most interest among critics was the use of the passé composé, the compound past tense, since the traditional tense used in literary narrative is the passé simple. Sartre, in his review of the book, comments that the effect of the passé composé is to isolate each sentence, to avoid giving any impression of cause and effect" (Tarrow). "Meursault, who places no reliance on language, throws down
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http://content.ebscohost.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/pdf9/pdf/2008/G1C/01Aug08/36932291.pdf?... - 0 views

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    Argument: The media represents culture with complex stereotypes that cause a decrease in diversity along with a misconception about other cultures. Claims: There are multiple meanings of "culture", some might use behaviors/habits or personal products to describe a certain culture, however stereotypes are falsely being used to describe what these cultures obtain. Evidence: "It is largely accepted that cultural representations in the media are often based on stereotypes. These stereotypes are generalized and simplistic representations of by far more complex social groups and behavioral patterns. The continued use of these representations is largely perceived as being problematic as they can be misrepresentative of the culture in question" ( Hyde-Clarke). "Growing concerns about the continued use of cultural stereotypes in media production, and the subsequent decrease in diversity"( Hyde-Clarke). "Culture is about 'shared meanings' … Primarily, culture is concerned with the production and exchange of meanings between members of a society or a group … In part, we give things meaning by how we represent them - the words we use about them, the stories we tell about them, the images of them we produce" (Hyde-Clarke).
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A small blurb on Sparks - 0 views

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    Argument:  Ferguson writes to partially attack the diction and characteristics used in Spark's novel "At First Site" Evidence: Ferguson uses negative connotations to describe Spark's writing such as "corny" and "knuckle-bitingly bad" which are very negative. Justifies her criticisms by allowing some slack about the ending to surprise, but does not elaborate leaving an impression that she is not a fan of the story. Claim:   "Sparks's prose has the amiable, folksy rhythm of a rocking chair on a wraparound porch" Can be used to demonstrate Spark's use of slang and jargon when writing to give a southern characteristic among his characters in all his  literature.   "incurable weakness for corny characters" Can be backed up by actions or dialogue of characters from either book. This statement more personally attacks Sparks then his characters.
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Narrative in Medical Ethics - 2 views

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    Argument: Narration to medical ethics comes in two forms: the use of stories for their content and methods of analysis. Claims: Picoult uses both forms of narration in medical ethics in her two books, "My Sisters Keeper" and "Handle With Care". She uses multiple narration in "My Sisters Keeper" to develop the story of ethical issues for Anna and the analysis of the daughters medical condition and ethical issues presented from the mother in "Handle With Care". Evidence: "The contributions of narrative to medical ethics come primarily in two ways: firstly, from the use of stories (narratives) for their mimetic content-that is, for what they say; and secondly, from the methods of literary criticism and narrative theory for their analysis of diegetic form-that is, for their understanding of how stories are told and why it matters." "During the past two decades, stories have been important to medical ethics in at least three major ways: firstly, as case examples for the teaching of principle based professional ethics, which has been the dominant form of medical ethics in the Western world; secondly, as moral guides to living a good life, not just in the practice of medicine but in all aspects of one's life; and thirdly, as narratives of witness that, with their experiential truth and passion, compel re-examination of accepted medical practices and ethical precepts." "In the past decade, scholars have begun to use the methods of literary criticism and narrative theory to examine the texts and practices of traditional medical ethics. What are now referred to as narrative approaches to medical ethics, or narrative contributions to medical ethics, use techniques of literary analysis to enhance the practice of principle based medical ethics. In contrast, what has become known as narrative ethics has reconceptualised the practice of medical ethics, seeking to replace principlism with a paradigmatically different practice."
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Literary Reference Center - powered by EBSCOhost: The anatomy of a flashback: Use it sp... - 0 views

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    Argument: Flashbacks, if utilized efficiently, can be a revealing part of a story. Claim: Flashbacks have to have a proper transition in and out of the story. They connect with the story and give more exposure however cannot deter from the main story itself so much that events are overshadowed. Make sure flashbacks are motivated Evidence: "By all means use flashbacks, but for good reason: not because you want to use them, but because your story demands them. Ask: Does the flashback deepen our understanding of a character or a relationship? Does it provide needed background? In the end, it comes down to what a story needs."
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Classical Themes in "Lord of the Flies." - 0 views

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    Exploring the more violent side of the segregation between Jack's group and Ralph's tribes, a more ritualistic behavior breaks out in desperation to seek reasoning and in a sense a religion to be guided through in a situation in which order is lacking. The tribe Jack belongs to adopts a "God" figure in which a sacrifice must be offered to maintain peace and fortune to the tribe. Jack evolves and leads an elite group of warriors which are called pig- hunters who chant graphic and murderous statements and present themsleves as barbaric hunters. Gordon compares Goldings ideas to Homers workings using similarities such as disguise and the chant Jack's pig hunters use to Homer's soldiers' war scream. "Electra in Orestes: Murder! Butcher! Kill! Thrust your twin swords home! Slash, now slash again! foreshadows the brutish, imperative yell of Jack's pig-hunters: "Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!"" The idea of law and morality are replaced with the savage instinct of a berseker that Jacks tribe of followers live by.
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The Five People You Meet in Heaven-- book review - 1 views

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    Main Idea: Basic book summary and review. Connects the story-line of this book to his other books (quote#1). Discusses how he writes, and the book's themes. Claims: There is an underlying theme present in the five people you meet in heaven, and for one more day. He uses real emotions and real life stories versus crazy fantasy made up stories, which make it perhaps easier to connect to then other fictional books. His writing style, although not that high of a reading level, seems very genuine and believable due to his is characters always facing hardships and trials just as everyone faces, i.e. death of a loved one, making mistakes..etc.  Evidence: "The underlying message of this book is certainly one that has been tackled before. It explores the notion that we are all connected to another so that an action undertaken by one person is destined to have an unanticipated and drastic influence upon someone else. Along these same lines, the book reminds us of how easy it is to fail to express appreciation or gratitude to those we love until it is too late to do so" "While [in heaven], Eddie gains insight into his life and, for the first time, sees how his actions impacted so many others"
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EBSCOhost: Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical/ Anthem: Expanded 50th Anniversary Edition (B... - 0 views

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    Shelton, Robert. "Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical/ Anthem: Expanded 50Th Anniversary Edition (Book Review)." Utopian Studies 8.1 (1997): 225. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Dec. 2011.
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APLiteratureHP - Jodi Picoult - 0 views

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    Argument: Structure choices, such as narration and flashbacks, are the main components in Ninteen Minutes, and withour those components, the character deveopment and plot line would have suffered. Claims: Picoult uses her mulit-perspective narration in order to show how a tragedy can effect many different people. Also, Picoult uses flashback in order to develop the characters before and after the tragedy. In eliminating a protaganist, Picoult allows the reader to form their own opinion on the plot like and characters. Evidence: "Significant details from the past enhance the experience of learning about the present, and this also illustrates Picoult's use of selection of detail. " "Picoult uses these flashbacks to develop many of the characters from way before the event in question to show how they became who they were and point out what past events may have led to the disaster. " "Without the unconventional narration, flashbacks, and writing excerpts, many of the characters would be poorly developed and the story would be much less powerful"
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Literary Reference Center - powered by EBSCOhost: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - 0 views

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    Argument: By writing the story in Huck's own words, Twain uses Huck's point of view to reveal the conflict between innocence and goodness throughout the story. Claim: The author claims that the best in an individual, by helping Jim escape, reveals Huck's innocent side in knowing helping Jim is the right choice. By refusing to turn in Jim, Huck goes against his own society and what they have taught him all throughout his life. Slavery, to Huck, in a way doesn't exist because in his world, life is an adventure, regardless of race. Evidence: Twain uses the idea of slavery as a metaphor for all social bondage and injustice (Grant). Twain compellingly establishes the irony that Huck's "sin" against the social establishment affirms the best that is possible in the individual (Grant). Twain maintains an almost perfect fidelity to Huck's point of view in order to dramatize the conflict between Huck's innate innocence and natural goodness and the dictates of a corrupt society (Grant).
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So What is Normal? | Welcome to So What is Normal? - 0 views

shared by Ashley Prosser on 08 Feb 12 - No Cached
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    We are seen by many to behave beyond social norms: 'ranting and raving'- when spaces are consistently designed that render us stuck. We are not abnormal: our diversity labels shoves us in a bag marked 'divergence from the norm'. It's time to get out of the bag and into the pot.
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Madness-- Twelfth Night - 2 views

shared by eureka lim on 18 Dec 11 - No Cached
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    Criticism
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    Through out the whole play, shakespeare argues the different perspectives of madness. He is vsery intrested with the idea of mad and madness within the play. He doesnt give us a vivid definition as he wants us to define it ourselves through our own view. Madness such as being insane or just very creative. He claims that he uses "madness" to simply point out the characters. " Fetch him off, I pray you; he speaks nothing but madman" (1.5.87). "Sir Toby is -- Half Drunk" (1.6.96). "Like a drowned man, a fool, and a madman" (1.5.107.10).
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    Eureka, for the next entry, separate the argument for the claims.
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"Dissent, Assent, and the Body in Nineteen Eighty-Four" by Naomi Jacobs - 2 views

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    In the literature critique "Dissent, Assent, and the Body in Nineteen Eighty-Four", Naomi Jacobs analyzes how George Orwell groups the public in what is called the 'Body' in order to explain the totalitarian oppression in Oceania. Both utopian and dysutopian empires utilize the collective mind of the public in order to sway opinions, build ignorance and subjugate the masses. Utopian empires aim to build a country where "suffering is minimized and pleasure is maximized" (Jacobs 1) while on the contrary a dysutopian empire maximizes ignorance in order to keep the masses from questioning the totalitarian authority. Jacobs claims that the government in Oceania created by Orwell uses the degradation of the physical body as another way to homogenize the population in hopes of destroying any outliers that may question the government. While a utopia uses the "powers of eroticism to regenerate the [individual]" (Jacobs 4), Oceania undergoes a change towards uniformity where everyone is described as "small, dark and ill-favored" (1984, Orwell 52-53). A dysutopian government suppresses natural human instincts such as lust and desire as a way to break the all desires of humans such as rebellion and reform. Ultimately, Jacobs argues that Orwell builds a dysutopian government through the use of population homogenization and the suppression of human instincts.
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A Journey Through Modern Philosophy: Albert Camus (1913-1960) and Absurdism - 1 views

  • Absurdism is an off-shoot of Existentialism and shares many of its characteristics. Camus himself was labeled as an ‘Existentialist’ in his own life, but he rejected this title. He was not the first to present the concept of Absurd but it was owing to him that this idea gained popularity and influence, and it transformed into a proper philosophical movement of Absurdism.
  • Kierkegaard describes the Absurd as a situation in life which all thee rational and thinking abilities of a person are unable to tell him which course of action to adopt in life, but in this very uncertainty he is forced to act or make a decision. He has to do something but his reason offers him no help. He writes in one of his journals: “What is the Absurd? It is, as may quite easily be seen, that I, a rational being, must act in a case where my reason, my powers of reflection, tell me: you can just as well do the one thing as the other, that is to say where my reason and reflection say: you cannot act and yet here is where I have to act...”
  • Even in the latter case, the question arises: what is the purpose of God? And it is this question which a believer has no answer to, as Kierkegaard pointed out, rendering belief in God (or any other religious authority) as absurd. Hence there exists an absurdity which can not be eliminated.
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  • Camus believed in the first scenario: a life intrinsically devoid of meaning and purpose. He refuses to accept any meaning that is beyond this existence. “I don’t know whether this world has a meaning that transcends it. But I know that I do not know the meaning… What can a meaning outside my condition mean to me? I can understand only in human terms.
  • Camus begins with a criticism on Existentialism. He says that Existentialists recognize initially that this life is absurd and meaningless, but they then take an ‘existential leap’ or a ‘leap of faith’ and attribute a fabricated meaning to their existence, and often they deify the Absurd. Camus calls it a ‘philosophical suicide’.
  • But then, do we not realize that this myth is a metaphor for our very lives. Our lives too are spent in a useless working routine, whose end even we are not aware of. But it doesn’t shock us like Sisyphus’s punishment because we are not conscious of it. “If this myth is tragic, that is because its hero is conscious. Where would his torture be, indeed, if at every step the hope of succeeding upheld him? The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd.”[10]
  • Yet, Sisyphus is superior to his fate because he has accepted.
  • We have to believe Sisyphus to be happy if we wish to believe in genuine happiness, a happiness that is real because it is an outcome of the awareness of the reality of life itself.
  • We must note here that although Camus sees life as absurd and ultimately irrational, he does not advocate a stoic acceptance of the difficulties and problems of life. Camus believed life to be valuable and worth-defendin
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    Argument: The author explains that though Camus was labeled as an existentialist, he rejected the title and called himself an absurdist. Claims: Camus believed that life was devoid of meaning and purpose and rejected any idea that attempted to apply meaning to life beyond physical existence and human connection. What was most important was living in consciousness of the absurdity; he criticized existentialists for merely recognizing the absurdity of life and often taking a pathetic leap of faith to apply meaning. Camus disagrees with the idea that life is not worth living simply because it has no meaning. Sysiphus is Camus's depiction of a man of full consciousness, aware of his reality. Such a life may seem torturous and worthless to many, but Camus was a staunch believer in the value of life. Evidence: "Absurdism is an off-shoot of Existentialism and shares many of its characteristics. Camus himself was labeled as an 'Existentialist' in his own life, but he rejected this title. He was not the first to present the concept of Absurd but it was owing to him that this idea gained popularity and influence, and it transformed into a proper philosophical movement of Absurdism" (Aftab). "Kierkegaard describes the Absurd as a situation in life which all thee rational and thinking abilities of a person are unable to tell him which course of action to adopt in life, but in this very uncertainty he is forced to act or make a decision. He has to do something but his reason offers him no help. He writes in one of his journals: "What is the Absurd? It is, as may quite easily be seen, that I, a rational being, must act in a case where my reason, my powers of reflection, tell me: you can just as well do the one thing as the other, that is to say where my reason and reflection say: you cannot act and yet here is where I have to act"" (Kierkegaard qtd. in Aftab) "Even in the latter case, the question arises: what is the purpose of God? And it is this question which a

J.D. Salingers use of irony and his stories divergent criticisms - 1 views

started by paulo dasilva on 20 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
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Controvery of Truth in 1984 - 0 views

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    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).
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From Caricature to Character: The intellectually Disabled in Dickens Novels (Part One) - 0 views

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    Argument: Paul Marchbanks, in his three part literary criticism of Dickens novels, From Caricature to Character: The Intellectually Disabled in Dickens Novels, make the assertion that Dickens usage of intellectually and physically disabled protagonists (as well as smaller secondary and even background characters) brought these otherwise hidden character types to the forefront of the Victorian literary scene. Main Idea of Argument: -Victorian authors spun disability into a spectacle, like a freak show in a circus, but Dickens used the disabilities of the characters as a conflict that tried to hold them back, that they had to either over come, or grow to accept. Evidence: -"The physically disabled character's very distinctiveness can lead, not only to isolation from those other fictional persons who react with distancing pity or disgust, but to a kind of representational disconnect from those real-world individuals with disabilities whose numbers-recognized within the boundary of the novel or short story-would strip the character's exceptional disability of its rhetorical power" (Marchbanks 1). -"Dickens's first three novels bespeak a ready advocate for victims of many kinds of social injustice. The Pickwick Papers (1836-7), Oliver Twist (1837-9), and Nicholas Nickleby (1838-9) together establish what will become life-long, very loud sympathies for the destitute, the orphaned, the poorly educated, and the imprisoned debtor" (Marchbanks 1-2). -"Dickens appears unable, or unwilling, to present a coherent portrait of Smike's mental faculties. Here, the narrator prevents unequivocal praise of Smike's heroic intentions by mixing proof of his valor with doubt about whether the boy's scattered "thoughts" are even worth the name. Other inconsistencies emerge if one considers the former evidence of Smike's faulty memory in conjunction with his surprising ability to navigate London's winding streets, not only those walked multiple times with
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Apocalypse Now - 0 views

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    Argument: Karen Springen in her article "Apocalypse Now" asserts that the dystopian themes in recent books have made a postive impact on the views of society and compel people to continue reading dystopian-type novels. Claim: Springen claims that the negativity in society today is what attracts readers to dystopian novels. News talk about terrorism, wars and global warming that inspires authors to write books. Dystopia also helps people cope with issues they have today but reading books that are absurd in nature and help them appreciate the good in their lives. Also authors are using the genre to come to terms with issues in society today. Evidence: "YA authors "are trying to grapple with the issues of today," says David Levithan" (Springen). "Newspaper headlines about swine flu, terrorism, global warming, and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are inspiring authors" (Springen). "I think we like to be scared of things that are not real. The idea that we're watching or reading things that are completely outlandish or impossible or really dire helps us cope with what is" (Feiwel).
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Literature Resource Center - Document - 0 views

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    Argument: This article discusses Yann Martel's narrative. Stephens' analyzes its effectiveness and religious appeal. He also juxtaposes the usage of science and religion through their "counteractive" purposes. Stephens' entire article discusses Pi's conclusion of a "better story". Claim: Stephens labels Life of Pi as an allegorical castaway story. He stated the idea of the novel being able to "make you believe in God" was untrue. Instead of making one believe in God, it instead gave them the choice to believe. Religion provides one half of the frame of the novel, the second half is science. Stephens suggests the incompatibility of the two. He claims Martel uses the novel to connect the relationships between human and animals through the main character's religious faith and choices. The nonreligious gain a desire to believe. Evidence: "Martel gives the reader the democratic choice: the desire to believe rather than the belief itself" (Stephens). "The theme of this novel can be summarized in three lines. Life is a story. You can choose your story. And a story with an imaginative overlay is the better story" (Martel qtd. in Stephens). "In what ways would this be seen by the nonreligious as a religious book...what ways might this text actually give secular readers a desire to believe...what ways might this text lead religious readers who already believe in God to re-envision that deity, or to worship him, her, or it in a new way?" (Stephens).
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'Men of a Smaller Growth" Government and Structure - 0 views

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    Human behavior is based off of observational studies of matured adults and a need for social heiarchy. As the boys stranded on the island find from living in a previous urban, hiechiarchal society, they cant escape the fate of creating a social pyramid with a central leader. As seen through out history a central ruled has been favored as a political structure to maintain order within the public and is used by Ralph to create a democracy in his group of chior boys. "When an author consciously dramatizes Freudian theory--only the imaginative re-creation of human behavior rather than the sustaining structure of ideas is apparent."(Rosenfield). Rosenfield argues the boys just as all society created a government to enter into a state of comfort and contentment. The purpose of government is to increase the chances of survival as species who live in groups do to reap the most benificial qualities from every member. The new instilled government leads to a change in communication and other social skills created by the children to carry out their entertainment needs and to help the boys stay clear of danger. Rosenfield supports this by stating "Jack's ascendency over the group begins when the children's fears distort the natural objects around them: twigs become creepers, shadows become demons. He serves as a physical manifestation of irrational forces.
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