TV without Guilt by David Finkel focuses on the Delmar family’s relationship with TV. What I enjoyed about this article is how the family kept an open-mindedness about television. For example, “I mean without TV, who would exist? Just these middle-class people I see every day. I wouldn’t know anything else that goes on” (83).
"[W]hen thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth" counsels the Bible, thus setting the precedent for all well-meaning members of western society concerning their charitable intentions (Matt. 6.3). Humanity 's motivation to aid others, regardless of the outcome, is oft times spotted by the subtle struggle between selflessness and selfishness. Flannery O 'Connor captures this classic conflict between good and evil in Southern Grotesque fashion through her characters, the protagonist Sheppard and his foil, Rufus Johnson, in [comment2] "The Lame Shall Enter First".[comment3] Challenging the literal paradigm of light and darkness, O 'Connor weaves together well crafted characterization, cryptic dialogue, and both biblical and literary allusion in this paradoxical plot and, by way of Sheppard and the antithetical Rufus, blends the black and white of Christian dogma into an ironic grey. The contrast of light and dark begins with the description and characterization of the apparently angelic [comment4] Sheppard, and continues with the introduction of the obscure and ominous Rufus Johnson.
As each character in Oates’ works deals with violence and loss in their lives, their experiences with their family and with their own alienation are vital to their discovery of their own definition of justice. While previous experiences with violence help characters decide how to avenge new violence, religion is the most formative in helping them decide if that vengeance is righteous. Even though fear may paralyze some characters from taking action against those who hurt them, it ultimately motivates them to take action, even if that action is not in the form of revenge.
Genocides are the mass killings of a certain group of people. The Holocaust is one of the largest genocides that the world has ever seen. Because society is not educated on these horrific events, genocides continue to take place. Society has moved forward in so many various forms of communication that there are numerous ways to convey the message of remembering a genocide. Jane Yolen 's novel, The Devil’s Arithmetic, more aptly conveys the message of remembering than Donna Deitch’s film adaptation as seen through dehumanization, boxcars, and a love interest.
To begin The Skeletons in God’s Closet, Butler includes a foreword written by Rick McKinley, a fellow church member. McKinley addresses the common misconception people have that God is not really good because he allows Hell, judgment, and holy war. McKinley assures the reader that Butler is a great person to address these issues because he has known Butler for over a decade, and Butler is an experienced missionary and theologian. Butler then begins with the introduction. In the introduction, Butler outlines many topics that will be delved into in the novel.
The authors’ actions are wicked, but his writing remains beautiful and persuasive. He is morally aware of what he is doing yet still pursues it and tries to immortalized his
Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his world renowned novel The Scarlet Letter, discusses sin and guilt and meditates the idea that hidden, rather than revealed sin, can lead to seemingly endless suffering. In order to enhance the suffering of one of the major characters, who holds hidden sin within himself, Hawthorne develops a sinister antagonist who goes by the name of Roger Chillingworth. In a chapter titled “The Leech”, Hawthorne adopts a foreboding tone, and uses setting and diction in order to achieve his purpose of revealing a truly menacing character. Beginning with a thorough summary of setting and situation, Hawthorne is able to lay down a foundation for his foreboding tone, which allows him to develop the character of Chillingworth.
The Devil And Tom Walker, was effective in relaying a message in the form of a legend. I would say that the story was basically based off of the moral message. If the message was not there then the story would not technically even exist. The main message of the story was not to be greedy and my opinion is that Irving used a lot of good figurative language and techniques to make this message and legend come to life.
One of the key strengths of Dutton's argument is the evidence he presents to support his claims. He draws on a wide range of examples, from classic works of literature to popular movies and TV shows. Through his analysis of these works, he is able to demonstrate the ways in which fiction can help us to understand and navigate the social
“I know that you’re a good man”(46), says the grandmother who is the main character that led her family to the Misfit, a murderer. In the A Good Man is Hard to Find, Flannery O’Connor, the author of this fiction, set her theme to Christianity, Southern Gothic and social devolution. There are many symbols which represent these themes such as the journal about the Misfit, six graves, and a dirt road. Especially in this piece, O’Connor mentions rarely a ‘good man’ which symbolizes social devolution; the grandmother is the only one who mentions a good man while taking to Red Sammy and the Misfit.
Moreover, when the Misfit and the two men shoot the whole family in the woods, it illustrates the sinister and cruel world that needs saving. The violent car crash that causes the family to encounter the Misfit in the first place adds to the violent display that O’Connor creates of the world. O’Connor uses the violence in the story to shock the readers into self-awareness (Larson 1). She uses this self-awareness to bring to light the religious theme of redemption and grace for the corrupted. O’Connor’s
[He] does not notice the police car… follow him.” This one event, mixed with the stereotype the protagonist has thrown upon him by the cop, seals his fate. All three of these situations foreshadow the ironic and deadly situation that the poor lost man is about to find himself involved. It is these subtle hints to his death that not only add suspense to the plot, but also hold a key importance in conflict development. W.D. Valgardson uses many great elements of fiction to build plot and conflict, as well as teach the lesson of not making snap judgments in his short story Identities.
It is often in life that one may find one’s self in the scenario where one feels guilty for having wronged another person. It is at the same time that one might think that what they have done is unforgivable and that they will never be able to atone for their misdeeds. Ian McEwan believes this is untrue, and illustrates the antithesis of this in his novel Atonement. In Atonement the main character, Briony Tallis, responds to the great injustice imposed upon Robbie Turner by disowning her family and seeking to make amends with her sister, Cecilia Tallis, in hopes of finding forgiveness; this search for forgiveness as well as the success Briony finds in her search illustrates the message of always seeking forgiveness for the wrongdoings that one inflicts on others. When Briony is a child, she witnesses a series of events between her sister Cecilia and her neighbor Robbie, and since Briony is still young, her understanding of the world is not complete, yet “her interpretation of each action and interaction around her is shaped by her understanding of what she has seen” (Messud 23) and she “believes absolutely in the inevitability of the story she constructs” (Messud 23).
What were they going to do? Well, said Mildred, wait around and see” (42). What followed was a display of colors and sounds, and the people were back to shallow words again. The TV that everyone spends their lives watching does not have a plot, purpose, moral or point. It is nothing more than unconnected sentences, bright colors and loud noise.
Arthur Dimmesdale was a character with plenteous authority and a vast following from the puritan people which admired him, but he lost all of the power. The sin he committed mentally and physically exhausted himself which consequently lead him body to death. Dimmesdale receives brutal punishment because Nathaniel Hawthorne wanted to use him to teach a moral lesson that sin doesn’t have to be the event that defines how to live a life. Although Dimmesdale fails to move past his sin, Hawthorne presents the reader with an offering that would have free Dimmesdale of his crime to show redemption was still possible. Dimmesdale could not move past the emotional chain of events that were a result of sin, and therefore, he could not live a life of happiness as he did before his crime.
