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Identity in the importance of being earnest
Norms in the victorian society
Victorian morality
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Identity in the importance of being earnest
Norms in the victorian society
Victorian morality
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Character: Social Influence In Anderson’s short story, “I’m a Fool,” the narrator is a young man specified to be a “swipe at at a racetrack”, with no formal education. Through a series of events, he meets a young man, Wilbur Wessen, and his sister, Lucy. Upon introducing himself to the two, he lies about his real identity. He decides to appeal to what was socially respectable at the time in order to impress Lucy.
In 1912, the difference between upper and lower class was very distinctive and noticeable to everyone in that society. The upper class were sophisticated, traditionally intelligent and had recognisable titles for other classes to identify them and to give themselves pride ,although the lower class usually worked cheap labour and struggled greatly to have a decent quality of life. In An Inspector Calls, the Birling family represent a typical upper class family but they are still aware of Gerald’s families status above them and Priestley represents the character of Arthur Birling to be very mindful of this and his ambition is portrayed in many ways throughout the play. Arthur Birling addresses the lower class as “these people” when talking about the issues with Eva Smith, this represents his capitalist views as he does not believe that a man like himself, a “hard-headed businessman”, should be looking after the poorer members of society.
In the play An Inspector Calls, Priestley fundamentally presents a class ridden society through the characters attitudes and behaviour's within the play. The Birling family is seen to be attentive towards their class in society, especially Mr and Mrs Birling. Priestley uses the Birling family and The Inspector to imply how an arrogant and conceited mindset can destroy the lives of the less privileged through actions and words. Mr Birling is shown to be an extremely selfish, arrogant and stubborn character in the play.
Priestley creates dislikeable characters such as the staunch capitalist Mr Birling in order to convey the contemptible attitude of the upper class towards society, particularly the working class. Moreover, he is portrayed as selfish, by firing Eva Smith from his works, in acting to protect his business interests. Arthur Birling’s selfish non autocratic tone in saying “A man must make his own way in life” depicts this absolute dismissal of socialist ideas such as the importance of caring and contributing towards the community. The characterisation and Mr Birling symbolising capitalistic upper class creates dislike in the audience for the political system driving them to sympathise with the working class and disapprove of societal inequality. In
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey, considers the qualities in which society determines sanity. The label of insanity is given when someone is different from the perceived norm. Conversely, a person is perceived as sane when their behavior is consistent with the beliefs of the majority. Although the characters of this novel are patients of a mental institution, they all show qualities of sanity. The book is narrated by Chief Brodmen, an observant chronic psychiatric patient, who many believe to be deaf and dumb.
“The Outsiders” is a novel written by S.E. Hinton. Originally Published in 1967, Hinton was only 18 when her novel hit the shelves. Instead of using her real name Susan Eloise Hinton, she used her initial’s so people wouldn’t know she was a girl making the book less desirable. The Outsiders is considered a cult classic and is typically assigned reading across the U.S. She always loved reading but did not like the books they had for young adults
In J.B. Priestley's play "An Inspector Calls," the theme of social class plays a significant role in the interactions and conflicts between the characters. The play, set in 1912 England, portrays the Birling family, a wealthy upper-class family, and Inspector Goole, who represents the working class and serves as a moral compass for the story. The Birling family, particularly Mr. Birling, represents the capitalist upper class of the time, who prioritized their own wealth and status over the well-being of others. In the play, Mr. Birling states, "A man has to make his own way – has to look after himself" (Act 1, Scene 2), emphasizing the importance of looking out for oneself and disregarding the consequences of his actions on the lower class.
Dally A rock-hard hood who never backs down from any challenge. Dally is a character in the book “Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton. The Outsiders is a book where a ragtag group of greasers band together and overcome victories, tragedies, and above all, build an even stronger bond of brotherhood. This story begins in the town of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Ponyboy(our main character) is walking home from the movies and gets ambushed by a large group of Socs(Sociables-the “popular/rich” clique).
The play “The Importance of Being Earnest” written by Oscar Wilde was first performed on February 14, 1895, in London. In the play, Algernon falls for Cecily and Cecily falls for Algernon because Algernon is a bunburyist under the name of Ernest which Cecily really adores. Meanwhile, Jack ends up falling for Algernons cousin, Gwendeloyn, also under the name of Ernest. Later, we learn Jack was left abandoned as a child in a handbag at a train station by Ms. Prism who is a teacher of Cecily. Subsequently, in an attempt to break the burbury acts, Algernon shows up in a grieving uniform stating bunbury has passed away to which Algernon finds out Jack has taken the role of Algernons dead brother.
The lower classes were obliged to work hard in the factories and farms and make do with very low wages. It often resulted in friction between the classes bordering on social strife although it never erupted in a revolution the way it did in France. The injustice of the English society encouraged novelists such as Oscar Wilde to describe in moving terms the many hardships suffered by the common people and the many failures and follies of English life. Oscar Wilde’s great plays, The Importance of Being Earnest, incorporates some classical
In author Jane Austen 's 1813 romance novel Pride and Prejudice, social class stereotypes play a very key part when affecting the rolls of the Bennet sisters. Very clear distinctions between people who are grouped into classes are shown throughout the novel by characters of different classes stereotyping against others. This causes problems for many of the main characters who often fails to meet the social standards of others and stereotypes others themselves When it comes to social stereotypes Elizabeth Bennet, the second oldest Bennet sister, is no stranger. Throughout the novel her mother is often reminding her how to properly dress and correcting her on her manners.
Wilde’s representation of the British upper class, its values and opinions, is presented most notably through Lady Augusta Bracknell. She is a dignified aristocratic residing fashionable London society circles. On the surface, she is very typical Victorian woman. As a mother to Gwendolen Fairfax, she has a great authority over her controlling her life. She has even a list of ”eligible young man” whom she is ready to interview in order to select a suitable partner for her daughter.
The characters in the novel pretend that they have their lives all figured out, but through their successes their downfalls and emptiness can be seen, to prove that money cannot buy happiness. Jay Gatsby is the newest and upcoming star in New York during the 1920’s. Through his business and inheritance he is one of the richest men of his time. One may think that his abundance of wealth would lead him to be eternally happy, but he is the opposite. Gatsby longs for his love of Daisy, which is his personal American Dream.
The purpose of The Importance of Being Earnest was to satirise the Victorian traditions, false courtesy, and the superficiality of status and the quest for love and marriage. These manifests itself in Jack through his superiority toward his foil, Algy, who doesn't adhere to social protocol, and his deluded hope for a life with Gwendolyn, whom Jack views as a solution to his problems and a way to heighten his status, not as a life partner. Furthermore, putting emphasis on his delusion and hypocrisy. The hyperbolic "we will be the picture of perfection", "That satisfaction will come when, and only when, I have Gwendolyn as my wife" and derisive "the irony of which was evidently, though not shockingly, lost on him" are reflections of this and create cohesion between the character in the play and the
Neither the master nor the servant respected the established verticality (Baselga). Not only did Algernon do this with Lane, but he also happened to have a conflict with Jack that is another jab at the Victorian idea of morality: Jack: It is a very ungentlemanly thing to read a private cigarette case. Algernon: