The books A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines and Kindred by Octavia E. Butler are set in different time periods but you can see the theme of society and setting playing a huge role on a person’s identity. The book Kindred is set over many years in the eighteen hundreds and in nineteen seventy six. The book A Lesson Before Dying is set in the nineteen forties. In both of these books you can see how the character’s setting affects how they act. Two main motifs that show through during these time periods in that of slavery and racism.
“Execution” by Edward Hirsch is about an adult recollecting his thoughts about his high school football career and especially how his coach inspired him because his authoritative role model was battling cancer. The speaker talks about the coach’s goal for “perfect execution” and the infinite strategies the coach would draw up in order to reach his goal. The speaker concludes with their team’s loss against “the downstate team” and how they were ironically defeated by “perfect execution.” A superficial reader might assume that the poem was about the disappointing results that came from his team working hard to reach a goal, but the author’s use of impersonal tone and irony in the fact that their team’s loss is caused by “perfect execution” shows how a strong force can be conquered even when putting your best foot forward when accepting a challenge. Have you ever been a part of a team that seemed invincible and you lost?
Due to my research, I learned that this poem is called "Dead Man's Hate" by Robert E. Howard. John Farrell was a man who was killed/hanged. A man named Adam Brand . The 'dead man' was getting spit on and disrespected while hanging from the tree, so he came back alive and scared Adam. Basically the lesson of the story is that don't disrespect a dead man because he will come back and haunt
William Faulkner had a faith in humanity that few possess. In his 1950 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, he proclaimed that, “man will not merely endure: he will prevail”. He felt humans contained a certain compassion in our spirits, which is very valuable. Faulkner views America as a place where people often have more compassion or intelligence than they let on, especially in the rural areas. Everyone is capable of having these traits, but not everyone uses them.
Does environment shape moral and psychological traits? Are humans born inherently with pre-determined qualities and ways of thought? The debate of nature versus nurture, whether humans are born with a set of moral traits or whether one’s environment influences and shapes their traits, has constantly been argued, not only from a psychological standpoint, but also from a literary perspective as well. In A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving explores the relationship between environment and the development of psychological traits and personal conceptions, using both animate objects, like voice and people, and inanimate objects, such as armless objects and family influences, to prove the often powerful, yet overlooked influence of environment on human development; in the
Richard Wright’s poem “Between the World and Me” mourns the tragic scene of a gruesome lynching, and expresses its harsh impact on the narrator. Wright depicts this effect through the application of personification, dramatic symbolism, and desperate diction that manifests the narrator’s agony. In his description of the chilling scene, Wright employs personification in order to create an audience out of inanimate objects. When the narrator encounters the scene, he sees “white bones slumbering forgottenly upon a cushion of ashes,” and a sapling “pointing a blunt finger accusingly at the sky.”
Guyer High School Archetypal Literary Criticism of Batman Nightwalker Cameron Posada English 4 Coach K March 8, 2023 803983 Coach K A3 Most people strive to and try to do the best they can, especially when they have the ability and power to do so. When using literary theory, you can use it to explore the deeper meaning of what the text is telling you. When reading Batman Nightwalker, while focusing on literary archetypes, the reader will distinguish that with significant power and privilege comes responsibility, and true heroism lies in using that power to protect and serve the greater good. even when it is difficult or dangerous to do so.
In the novel, 1984, written by George Orwell the country of Oceania has completely eliminated human connection within its own people. The citizens of Oceania are under control, so much that they are unable to marry for love and are unable to have a relationship based on love and human connection. The Party makes sure citizens are making love to their spouses for the sole reason of making babies for the Party. Citizens in Oceania live with little to no true human connection.
The short story "Those People, Our People" by Niigaan Sinclair explores human connections, highlighting the importance of honouring everyone's differences. Sinclair challenges "us versus them" thinking, promoting empathy, understanding, and solidarity, urging readers to rise above superficial divisions and embrace our interconnected human family. Sinclair's essay urges readers to confront biases, recognize humanity in others, and prioritize empathy for meaningful connection across cultural differences. Through empathy, individuals can bridge the gap between "us" and "them," fostering a shared humanity beyond surface distinctions. I was raised independent, which meant I was always confrontational.
In the poem “A Contribution to Statistics” by Wislawa Szymborska, the author makes a statement about the overall opinion of humanity. For example she states characteristics “out of a hundred people” some of which are positive, others of which are negative. However, as the poem continues, the reader realizes that many of the negative characteristics outnumber the positive. For example, of those who are “cruel, when forced by circumstances-better not to know even ballpark figures” (Pathways 225). Of those one hundred there are those “righteous and understanding –three” (Pathways 226).
Emotional imagery played a prominent role in the novel "A Thousand Splendid Suns" in a variety of different ways. This allows Hosseini to construct a more affectionate connection with his readers and connect more genuinely with their feelings. This is showcased in several parts of the novel, specifically on the occasion where Nana committed suicide and Mariam felt as if she has no one to go when she was in need of consoling. The guilt that Mariam felt is easily expressed through the novel and can be detected by the reader. A similar case can be assumed for the death of Laila’s family after her house was bombed.
During the Victorian era, societal rules were very stern and austere. There was one way for people to act, speak, and look which contributed to certain actions caused by people and relationships with people's true selves. Because of this, it is hard for people to uncover their true human nature and separate themselves from the rest of civilization. In the duration of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, many characters have a dark human nature that is hidden from the entirety of society because of the strict rules set for everyone in the community to follow. Characters like Dr. Jekyll and his lawyer Mr. Utterson undermine the cruelty that can be human nature.
Society, for centuries, has revered poetry for its beauty, philosophy, and unique capability to reveal truth to the individual. One of the most prominent time periods that display society’s acclaim for poetry was within the Romantic period. Romanticism, according to the New World Encyclopedia, was “an artistic and intellectual movement that ran from the late eighteenth century through the nineteenth century. It stressed strong emotion as a source of aesthetic experience” (New World Encyclopedia, 2015). Romanticism glorified art, poetry, music, and nature.
In the novel, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson explores the complexity of human nature. He uses characters and events in the novel to present his stance on the major theme: “man is not truly one, but truly two” (125). Branching from this major theme are many more specific views on the idea that human nature is divided into good and evil. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are two very different people who occupy the same body. Human beings struggle with good and evil and Stevenson goes to the extreme to to show this relationship.
As Fleming continued, she states "And what 's really important/ Is my opinion of me". These lines show that even if everyone else does not admire her for being fully connected and involved with her job, she knows that she is making a difference in peoples ' lives and that is all that matters to her. Even if others do not look up to her what she does, some may praise her for being fully involved with her work and caring so much for others that she inspires them. Within the poem, Flemings goal is to inspire others to be their own self even if others do not approve.
