ipl-logo

Is Anonymity In George Gascoigne's A Hundred Sundry Flowers

392 Words2 Pages

George Gascoigne publishes A Hundred Sundry Flowers, as a collection of various works by unnamed authors, while in fact being his stories. One of his stories, The Adventures of Master F.J., gains quick recognition because it is the tale of an anonymous man who falls in love with an elite married woman. While it may seem like an insider’s view of the events taking place among the higher classes, it remains a fictional story. However, because A Hundred Sundry Flowers is later banned, it demonstrates its similarity to non-fiction. Regardless of Gascoigne’s intentions of editing the story into a conventional manner in the following years; his initial publication suggest to readers the gossip-like qualities of his story are meant to attract readers. …show more content…

Before the story begins, Gascoigne further emphasizes the anonymity of the author. In fact, he uses the subtitle “The Printer to the Reader” to highlight a third party, a mediator between the author and the reader: the printer (Gascoigne 103). The person who prints the story, is essentially the narrator of the story, as he states he “take[s] in hand the imprinting of this poetical posy” (103). Meaning, the story being told is not created by him but by someone else. At the same time, by being a third party, the narrator can write as they seem fit, copying or repeating what they’ve been told of the story. He even points out he “neither ha[s] […] any other name of the [poesy], but such short notes as the authors themselves have delivered; thereby; if you can guess them, it shall no way offend me,” (126). Therefore, he does not hold himself responsible as the author of the story, pointing out his sources as the creators. The narrator goes so far as to invite the readers to guess who those sources are, suggesting them to be real people. As a narrator who attempts to repeat the story being told, it suggests an unreliability. Yet, the reader is expected to view the story as truthful as possible because of the sources the narrator

Show More
Related
1053 Words | 5 Pages

I have interpreted these lines in one way, yet there are a million different possibilities. The author puts the words onto the paper, but the reader’s job is to interpret their own emotion, memory or belief and actually apply it to the poet’s words in order to create an

Read More
610 Words | 3 Pages

The short story, “Marigolds” exhibits a variety of literary devices that increase the quality of the story. It was in the first person point of view, and seeing through the perspective of a child was unique in its own right, considering that seeing through the eyes of an adult is considerably different. Eugenia W. Collier, the author, makes excellent use out of similes and metaphors to thicken the plot of the piece, aid in the reader's understanding of the story, and to fully develop the lesson she wished to convey. The similes’ purpose was making the reader contemplate the feelings of the narrator and how those emotions led to the eventual destruction of a small piece of beauty that dared to grow in the midst of ugliness, sterility, and poverty,

Read More
716 Words | 3 Pages

What idea does the author develop regarding the conflict between pursuing a personal desire and choosing to conform? “Street lights glow red, green and yellow too, do you let signs tell you what to do?”... The words from Lady Gaga ponder over the balance between conforming to authority or self fulfillment. Do we let our individuality falter under the presence of authority and social demands, or do we maintain our own identity and achieve self-actualization? In a society where sacrifices have to be made in order to avoid prejudice, we show tenacity towards who we are at core.

Read More
975 Words | 4 Pages

Whereas the opening paragraph focuses on the narrator’s subliminal exposure of Pyncheon’s character, he transitions to an outright criticism, directly revealing the target of his sarcasm. The narrator turns to the audience, breaking the fourth wall to address their own morality. He inquires: “would you characterize the Judge by that one necessary deed, and that half-forgotten act, and let it overshadow the fair aspect of a lifetime!” The use of the exclamation point paired with the continuance of sarcasm displays the narrator’s increasingly critical tone, indicating the urgency with which he now reveals the true nature of the Judge. The “one necessary deed” and “half-forgotten act” in conjunction with the “fair aspect of a lifetime” aid the narrator in establishing his criticism.

Read More
818 Words | 4 Pages

Introduction Hook: In the words of Edgar Allan Poe himself, “ With me poetry has not been a purpose, but a passion” Transition: Moreover, this quote supports the idea that during stressful times, writing was his coping mechanism. Thesis: Poe clearly experienced catastrophe, and because of this, literature became his creative outlet.

Read More
1222 Words | 5 Pages

Layers of illusions are burned away and all Paul has left is reality. In Willa Cather’s tragic short story “Paul’s Case: A Study in Temperament,” the flowers capture the reality world Paul departs from. For instance, critic Sherry Crabtree asserts that the red carnation symbolizes Paul’s alienation from the world of Cordelia Street (Crabtree 206). Crabtree observes the patterns of how the flowers reveal Paul’s negative outlook on life. On the other hand, some critics claim that the flowers capture the fantasy world Paul envisions.

Read More
680 Words | 3 Pages

This in itself does not mean that he is an unreliable narrator, but it does influence readers into doubting him or assuming that there may be some statements that are less than truthful. Another example is his nearsightedness, the author uses the formal word ‘myopia’ which does retain the meaning of nearsightedness; myopia also has an alternative meaning of a lack of imagination, discernment, or intolerance. Generally when someone is lacking in an imagination it takes seeing a phenomenon to believe it, and yet they occasionally doubt what they have seen for numerous reasons. The narrator is shown that the book is indeed infinite but later ends up doubting the possibility of its infinite nature. Despite his erudition, he does have issues with discernment when it comes to the supernatural and seemingly

Read More
94 Words | 1 Pages

In “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier the coming of age short story where a now grown up Lizabeth reminisce her childhood especially going into Ms.Lottie’s garden. Ms. Lottie, who did not like children but treated her precious marigolds gets them destroyed by Lizabeth. After destroying them, Lizabeth realizes her errors believing she became a women in that moment. This short story has several literary device that are used in it to help deepen the meaning. The use of imagery, symbolism and metaphors in “Marigolds” helps the reader that it is important to not lose

Read More
1334 Words | 6 Pages

To begin with, The Narrator is insane and unreliable. He states someone as intelligent and through as him could not have possibly “proceeded with what caution, foresight, and dissimulation” (Poe 303) as he did in his

Read More
335 Words | 2 Pages

As one of the most controversial American literary figures, Edgar Allan Poe has always attracted considerable attention from both critics and readers alike. Due to his allegedly eccentric personality and the dubious circumstances surrounding his death, the public perception of the writer has often been somewhat mythologized. When it comes to his works, Poe has been both critically acclaimed and disparaged, both acknowledged and disputed, but rarely ignored. As he left behind a significantly influential literary legacy, his place among the most important writers in American literature is today undeniable. Being both a journalist and a fiction writer, Poe produced numerous texts ranging from tales and poems to critical essays, reviews and newspaper

Read More
882 Words | 4 Pages

Readers may question Poe’s choice of a mentally unstable narrator. Though the narrator is clearly proven mad, his descriptions intensify the story greatly. It gives the tale purpose and proposes a captivating plot. A narrator: it is now made debatable if readers will ever have entire trust in another after Edgar Allan Poe’s remarkable

Read More
1438 Words | 6 Pages

NEAR EAST UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING (An analysis essay for the short story: “The Garden Party”) Presented by Alemmari almesbahi To Prof. Dr. Sabri KOÇ 2014-2015 Academic Year Fall Semester 2014 Lefkoşa This essay is an analysis of the short story “The Garden Party,” which is written by Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923). The story (1922) is in fact a pointed social satire, which is designed to renounce the Victorian socio-moral values that were predominant in Britain for the most part of the nineteenth century.

Read More
1107 Words | 5 Pages

Originating in France, ‘The Necklace’ is a short story written by French writer Guy de Maupassant in the late nineteenth century, the period where literary movements realism and naturalism dominated French fiction. Maupassant played an important role in both the realist movement and the naturalist movement through his depiction of the setting as well as the character’s decision. The short story reflects upon the rigid patriarchal society during the late nineteenth century, demonstrating how the wealth of a person can lead to their generosity and greed; thus affecting their lifestyles. Through ‘The Necklace’, Maupassant aims to depict the conflicts between the upper-class and the lower class, how their inner desires vary. This essay will analyze ‘The Necklace’ and how Maupassant uses the social context, characters and literary devices in the short story to illustrate his misogynistic viewpoints towards women.

Read More
830 Words | 4 Pages

Eliza Haywood’s Fantomina; or, Love in a Maze is about unnamed young woman who changes her identity multiple times in order to maintain a relationship with the man she loves. Her high standing social class does not allow her to freely communicate with men. This issue prompts her to disguise herself as prostitute for the chance to be with Beauplaisir. The restrictions set by society heighten her curiosity and desire for love—it becomes her biggest yearning. The extreme measures this woman takes throughout the story demonstrates how society made finding a sensual relationship extremely difficult, if not impossible, for high classed women during the eighteenth century.

Read More
845 Words | 4 Pages

Final Assignment of English Literature Reading BY YANG ZONGYOU, D01 “The False Gems”by the great writer Guy de Maupassant is a miracle that draws a delicate and precise image of France in the late 19th century. Written in an objective view, woven with sarcasm, this little piece of art reflects the truth of the society and humanity in its era without any obvious rhetoric, like a real old gem that shimmers constantly and gorgeously, leaving an ample space of ambiguity for readers to ponder over and over again. “The False Gems” seems to be objective, however, on the contrary, the plot of the story itself is a barrel of irony, in which the author 's opinion and emotion lies deeply — the genuine ones are found fake, while the false ones turn out to be real; knowing everything is not always good. Mrs. Lantin 's before-and-after contrary is ironic. At the very beginning of the story, everyone is convinced that Mrs. Lantin was a virtuous woman.

Read More

More about Is Anonymity In George Gascoigne's A Hundred Sundry Flowers

Related Topics

Open Document