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The Importance Of Being Earnest Belonging Essay

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English 124- Essay in response to question #1. When most people read a work of fiction, it is not often that, if they struggle to understand the message, they look to the secondary characters to provide insight to the reading. However, secondary characters are an asset when formulating an appropriate understanding of the text. This is mainly due to the idea that they develop, shape and influence the main characters to provide us with in-depth character development. This is especially seen in; Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Jack Worthing desperately wants nothing more but to marry, his darling, Gwendolen. However, her mother, Lady Bracknell will not allow it unless he passes her test. This test forces Jack to reveal details about him that contribute a significant amount of insight to his back story. When she makes an inquiry about his family, he divulges to Lady Bracknell that he is unaware of whether or not he has come from a noble name, due to being found in a handbag at Victoria station, and from this enlightenment we now have a better understanding of Jack’s character. …show more content…

He gains a real sense of belonging: unlike the fake sense of belonging gained from creating Ernest. Now that he factually knows where he comes from and where his roots are, he doesn’t need to have a fake brother as he is told he has a real one; his friend Algernon. When Jack is told he has a brother he remarks, “Then I have a brother after all. I knew I had a brother! I always said I had a brother!” (Wilde 15) This quote relays to us that Jack always had some sense of who he was or who he should be, but now he is jubilant as he discovers who he is and that he is of noble birth. The fact that Jack knows who he is greatly develops his character because he is no longer being forced to fabricate a name for

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