Group items tagged

Argument: A comparison of Jane Austen's writing and Charlotte Bronte's. Claims: Charlotte Bronte creates educated characters to play her female roles so that they can excercise reason. Her uneducated women are foolish. Her female leads are all reasonable and rational -two characteristics she probably appreciated in herself. Evidence: "Jane Eyre dramaticizes its manifesto that women must be educated to excercise their reason, with Adele Varens and Blanche Ingram proving that uneducated women become coquettes," (Harris 102).

Argument: Respectability can be found in all men, regardless of social status and the stigmas of the Victorian era. Philip Pirrip, also known as Pip, is the protagonist in Dickens novel Great Expectations. As the protagonist, he grows from a young orphan raised by his sister and her Blacksmith husband to a 'good christian man' showing the positive transition that is possible for all men. Main Idea of Argument: Where one comes from does not limit where they can go- a major theme in most Dickens novels. All levels of Victorian society were respectable, regardless of money- or lack therefore of- religion, and disabilities. Evidence: 1)"Charles Dickens believed that his society wrongly valued economic transactions over natural human interactions, which resulted in a minous transference of commercial interests from the public sphere into the private" (Tobin 1). 2)"Dickens himself was conflicted about his right to respectability, and many of his characters suffer the strain of not knowing where or how they flt in. Dickens's father, John, was perpetually in debt, which led to Dickens's brief employment in Warren's Blacking Factory at the age of twelve. Dickens was so ashamed of having been forced to leave school and do manual labor that he never told anyone in his own family about the incident. After his father's debts were cleared and Dickens grew to manhood, he worked his way up the social ladder, initially applying his skills as a shorthand writer at the various courts of law in London and as a journalist" (Tolbin 3). 3) "Pip's transferring onto Joe his own feelings of inferiority as well as his desires to eradicate their outward appearances signal the young man's first step toward adopting an immoral and inhumane ideal of respectability" (Tobin 5). 4)"Over time, Pip comes to recognize Magwitch as a human being with emotions and the right to be treated in a decent, humane manner. However, Pip does not completely transfer the compassion he leamed during his own

Argument: The theme of "Tender is the Night" is quite similar to other themes Fitzegerald writes about, and many of the events of this story correlate to those of his other literary works such as "The Great Gatsby." Claims: Fitzgerald devolps his themes through the dialogue of the book. Even though Fitzgerald attempts to develop a unique theme in "Tender is the Night," the similarities between this literary work and his others are vast. The emphasis of the story lies on how adult relationships originate and the understanding of the different aspects of each character. Evidence: "The novel has its weaknesses, but these result, at least partly, from Fitzgerald's attempt to express a new theme. He is here concerned, as not before, with the hidden roots of adult relationships." "The Divers have a party to which Dick invites Rosemary and her mother."

Argument: Evidence: Claim:

The main argument of this article is that ultimately, our faith affects our perceptions of other religions, and increases conflicts. He argues that religions have trouble accepting the validity of other religions due to the exclusivity of their belief system, and that exclusivity makes peaceful negotiation much harder. -"All inter-religious relationships and dialogue, particularly among members of the monotheistic faiths, are ultimately based on conflict because of their mutual and seemingly exclusive truth claims" Hames goes on to claim that the conviction that they are right makes fundamentalists very difficult to argue and compromise with. -"It is very difficult to speak to religious fundamentalists of any persuasion because they are not prepared to question, or to admit uncertainty"

Argument: That the problem with trying to write a literary criticism on TKAM is that there isn't anything to criticize. Claim: That TKAM is ranked as one of the most influential books in Americans' lives. Evidence: "To Kill a Mockingbird sells about a million copies per year, for a total of 30 million to date, and is consistently ranked in reader surveys as the most influential book in Americans' lives, after, of course, the Bible."

Argument:The All About God Corporation argues that society is greatly affected by prejudice established in our hearts. Claim: the author states that even though America's constitution is based upon equality and" created equal" theory this does not apply to our hearts and minds. The constitution can only state what the individuals are supposed to do not how we are supposed to treat others on an emotional level. Prejudice was tracked down all the way to the beginning Bibble times, explaining that prejudice can never change just in an established constitution, it starts and ends with how humans perceive others of different races/ ethnicities. Evidence: "While man's actions can be legislated, their heart and fears cannot"( AllAboutGod 1). "Prejudice has shaped societies since time began. As far back as the children of Abraham and Isaac" ( AllAboutGod 1). "Racial prejudice... affecting  people and populations all over the world"(AllAboutGod 1).

Claim: Argument: Evidence:

Argument: Helena Silva, in her literary criticism of "My Sisters Keeper" argues that the advancements in biotechnology and genetic research are raising ethical questions of scope and the limits of genetic intervention. Claim: Silva argues that the advances in biotechnology and genetic research presented in Picoult's "My Sisters Keeper" are allowing doctors to intervene in the human genome preventing diseases. This intervention is raising concerns in the scientific community that might soon be able to take biological evolution into its own hands. Almost "playing God" in a sense. Evidence: "Playing God" is an expression commonly used to refer to this self-transformation of the species which, from the evidence, might soon be a reality" (Silva). "Jodi Picoult, an American novelist has been devoting her writings to several present-day events and controversial issues such as genetic engineering and the prospect of "savior siblings" with all its ethical implications" (Silva). "Anna wasconceived for a specific purpose and can't be forgotten because she is expected always to be ready for the welfare of her sister" (Silva).

Criticism

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).

Eureka, for the next entry, separate the argument for the claims.

Argument: Carter Kaplan's "The Advent of Literary Dystopia" argues the similarities and differences of Dystopia and satire in the form of literature. Relates to the dystopian society of The Hunger Games. Claim: The idea of dystopia Kaplan discusses come from menippean satire although they differ when it comes to humor. Menippean satire and dystopia are forms of mythology in which both ideas are not likely to occur in reality but emphasizes orthodoxies in society. Kaplan argues that dystopia creates prophacies based on fictional circumstances that relate to society. In other terms, predictions of the future that are usually in a negative manner; the idea of dystopia portray negative mood in literature. Evidence: "Both forms are converned with intellectual mythology, which they critique by exploring the interrelationships that exist between ignorance, intolerance, conflict, brutality, euphemisn, passivity, scientism, and various modern orthodixies" (Kaplan). "The mood of dystopia is usually dark, pessimistic, and often reflects paranoia, alarm or hysteria" (Kaplan). "Dystopia uses fiction to portray institutions based on intellect mythology and essays prophecy and prognostication" (Kaplan). "The literature of dystopia examines the possible effects intellectual mythology can have on individuals and society" (Kaplan).

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.

Privateness Sex and murder are really the same - things done in private. Linked together pain and pleasure not for entertainment, but to show how isolation brought on by keeping to oneself. Privateness=self-isolation.

Jonah, clearly label the argument, claims, and evidence you will use for your paper to avoid losing points on future posts.

Argument: Gurdip Panesar in her article "Mockingbird in Context" argues that "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a rare single work of literature that is said to have attained a mythical status. Claim: Her view on this is that the story seems to "impress people on a deeply human level." She is saying that it has had deep impacts similar to the bible. The message in this book inspired many people and also helped the Black Rights Movement with it's racial conflicts and examples throughout the book. Evidence: " g o es on to n o te that the n o v el c a me in s e c o nd o n ly to the B i b le in o ne r e a d e r s' list of b o o ks that w e re felt to c o n t r i b u te m o st s igni f i c ant ly to i n d i v i d u al p e o p l e 's lives. Mockingbird is o ne of t h o se r e l a t i v e ly r a re s ingle w o r ks of lite r a t u re t h at c an t ruly be s a id to h a ve a t t a i n ed a my t h i c al s t a t u s; it is u l t im a t e ly l a u d ed less for its b r i l l i a n ce in t e rms of l i t e r a ry art t h an for t he w ay in w h i ch it s e ems to i m p r e ss p e o p le on a d e e p ly h u m an l e v e l."

Argument- The timelessness of Anne Claims- Evidence- 2 sticky notes

Kirsten, make sure to state the claims next time to avoid losing points.

Argument: While the literary criticism by Boyl isn't that of entirely having to do with how Ishmael Beah constructs his theme, Boyd does eagerly bring up an original point that small bitter conflicts can end up affecting contemporary history far more than the "squalid reckoning that modern warfare encourages". Claim: To support his argument, Boyd highlights that Ishmael Beah was one of the first ever to give literary voice to distressing phenomena like that of pubescent or prepubescent warrior-killer. He goes on claiming that much of how a phrase becomes construed or illustrated is that dependent of the reader; such adolescent, non-seemingly affectionate lines, can end up affecting the reader in unintended consequences. Lastly, Boyd gives light to the fact that small-scale conflicts are often mirror that of an anarchy because of the unpredictability, unlike that of modern warfare tactics which a winner can be estimated nearly correct every time. Evidence: 1) "All this has the idiosyncratic ring of precisely remembered truth." 2) "Such knowledge is shocking, but it's the reader's imagination that delivers the cold sanguinary shudder, not the author's boilerplate prose. It is a vision of hell that Beah gives us, one worthy of Hieronymus Bosch, but as though depicted in primary colors by a naive artist. 3) "It was a moment of pure potential anarchy that could have gone any way. "

Argument: Marion Dalvai argues that a Utopia--the perfect society--is a fantasy due to the lack of perfection in the world. The idea to satisfy everyone equally in a society seems impossible and is ridiculed by Orwell. Since Winston is not satisfied, the idea of Emanuel Goldstein seems very appealing to Winston as he wishes to dissent from the party as much as possible. Claim: Orwell explains how a Utopian government fails to appease everyone. The narrator, Winston, is tired of long years of working and the lack of adequate care by the government. Due to this dissatisfaction, Winston relates to Emanuel Goldstein and the Brotherhood and their beliefs and wants to join the resistance. In essence, dissatisfaction in the government will eventually lead to the fall of the government, as seen throughout history, and Utopianism accelerates the process. Evidence: "He finds Goldstein to be an intelligent man with insight and vision; capable of analyzing the historical and social factors that led to the creation of the totalitarian state of Oceania" (Dalvai, 391). "Utopias reflect this inherent ambiguity: they are vision of good and possibly attainable social systems as well as fantasies of desirable but inaccessible perfection" (Dalvai, 388)

Argument: Orwell's 1984 is a work of fiction reflecting real-life experiences. Orwell's personal life, from his upbringing to his political experiences, played an important role in the novel. Claim: Inspiration for "Big Brother" came from brutality Orwell experienced at an early age. Beginning in preparatory he was viciously tormented. Later he witnessed oppressive cruelty while stationed in Burma. After Burma Orwell chose to live among the poor to experience poverty. His decision would later give birth to "the proles". Through Orwell's experiences he was able to create fiction based on his real events and people. The novel was intended to warn against corruption in any society after witnessing such corruption in the Spanish Civil War that forced him to flee the country. Although it was wrongly mistaken as a prophecy or attack on socialism it was a warning to all countries the results of corruption. Evidence: "Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four toward the end of his career, at a point in his life when many of his experiences and political complexities had aged with him through a decades-long internal contemplation" "he intended to warn society of the potential perversions of bureaucracy and the state, the perversions of power that he had witnessed over the previous decade, in a variety of forms, in England and Spain" "His work for the POUM had shown him the contradictions of official appearance, doctored news, class conflict, and the basic human desire for power. Lines can easily be drawn to the thematic structure of Nineteen Eighty-Four"

Argument: This article provides an interview with Jodi Picoult and her reasoning behind the consroversial themes of her novels. The interview also asks particular questions reguarding nineteen minutes and Picoult's resoning behind writing such a dark novel. Claims: Most of Picoult's novels pertain to controversies and that Nineteen Minutes required a lot of research. The Picoult also claimed that Nineteen Minutes and My Sister's Keeper are similar books in the interview. Evidence: "Nineteen Minutes to My Sister's Keeper I see them as very similar books - they are both very emotional, very gut-wrenching, and they're situations that every parent dreads" "I think that sometimes when we don't want to talk about issues that are hard to discuss or difficult to face, it's easier to digest it in fiction instead of nonfiction" "Fiction allows for moral questioning, but through the back door. Personally, I like books that make you think - books you're still wondering about three days after you finish them"

Argument: This book in particular, and ineed those later in Asimov's career, aren't as strong as his original works had been. Claims: That his later works focus more on setting and science than on character interaction, and that Asimov's typical style of writing from different points of view/time periods can get confusing and bogs the plot down. Evidence: highlighted