...Forbidden Love Felicia Bell English 125:Introduction to Literature Instructor Kamisha Kirby July 10, 2012 In “Country Lovers” by Nadine Gordimer the reader is told the tragic love story of Paulus and Thebedi. We follow the seemingly innocent beginnings of their mutual attraction to the incomprehensible ending that leaves an infant dead. Although the ending is unexpected it is not shocking because from the start of the story it is foreshadowed that Paulus and Thebedi will not live happily ever-after together. The main theme of the story is forbidden love. The setting, race and class of the main characters makes it impossible for the reader to imagine the story ending in any other way then those characters being separated. The story is told from the point of view of an omniscient third person narrator. This allows us to know how the main characters feelings for each other build and diminish. In the first line of the story the narrator tells us that,” The farm children play together when they are small, but once the white children go away to school they don't play together anymore, even at holiday(N. Gordimer,1975).”.The line signifies that although the characters themselves are not aware of what awaits them in the future the narrator is aware. The narrator also gives the reader insight into the social formalities of the time. The reader learns from the narrator that the story is set in a society where someones position in life is largely determined...
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...Forbidden Love of a Different Race and Culture Wendy Faulkner English 125 Introduction to Literature Jessica Ruddick September 16, 2012 Forbidden Love of a Different Race and Culture The tone of the story was set back in time and to me captured a little essence of a mystery yet love affair. As I read further into the story I realized there was going to be heartbreak. But, there was nothing Thebedi could do or say about the love she felt. There was no one person she could talk to because of it being forbidden. The way the story had been written almost made you feel as if you were there as a part of her world and experiencing the things she was going through. You will have an emotional response to it, since emotions are stimulated to some extent in every literary experience. Beyond that, you may sense that what you have read has value and application outside your own experience: its insight or knowledge, perhaps, should be broadly considered. The thing that captured me the most was that Paulus was so in love with Thebedi but yet afraid to let anyone know, because it was so forbidden back in that day. It was almost as if would have done anything for her to make her happy, as long as know one else knew of what they were doing. It was as if they were in their own little world when they were together and no one else was around but them. I thought back to the time in school when I would befriend someone that was usually...
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...A Forbidden Love: Thebedi and Paulus Jennifer Boozer ENG 125: Introduction to Literature Instructor: Kristina Stutler March 24, 2013 Country Lovers by Nadine Gordimer is a short story centered around the theme of forbidden love between the two main characters Paulus and Thebedi. They met when they were kids, as Thebedi used to work on Paulus' father's farm. They used to sneak out and meet at the river bed. After Paulus went off to veterinary school, Thebedi had his baby. When Paulus came back for the summer he heard of her baby being light skinned and killed it so that no one would ever know that it was his baby. The story's theme of forbidden love is strengthened by Gordimer's use of symbolism, imagery, and local color. Symbolism is a key element contributing to the story's theme. One symbol that repeats itself in Country Lovers is the “gilt hoop ear-rings” that Paulus gives to Thebedi when they were young (as cited in Clugston, 2010). The earrings are a symbol for their love together. Even after Paulus killed their baby girl, Thebedi still wore them when she accused him of “pouring liquid into the baby's mouth” (as cited in Clugston, 2010). Even in her hysteric situation, she still wore those earring that Paulus gave to her. She wore them again when they went to trial. This leads me to believe that after all was said and done, she still loved Paulus, even though she knew they could never be together. Another symbol that is relevant to the theme is their...
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...On first glance, Forbidden Planet can easily be seen to parallel many other works relating to technology, nature, or both. One of the most obvious parallels is, of course, to Shakespeare's The Tempest, the story of a man stranded on an island which he has single-handedly brought under his control through the use of magic. Indeed, the characters, plot, and lesson of Forbidden Planet mirror almost exactly those of The Tempest, with the exception that where The Tempest employs magic, Forbidden Planet utilizes technology. At this point, it is useful to recall one of Arthur C. Clarke's more famous ideas, which is that any technology, when sufficiently advanced, is indistinguishable from magic. Indeed, the technology presented in Forbidden Planet is not meant to be understood by the audience, but rather is, for all intents and purposes, magic. This is undoubtedly in part because the technology doesn't exist and therefore cannot be explained to us. What is more important, however, is that how the technology works is irrelevant for the purpose of the movie, which is to entertain and to teach us a lesson about man's control over the elements and over his own technological creations. At this point a brief synopsis of the movie would seem to be in order, with special attention as to how it relates to The Tempest. In The Tempest, a man named Prospero and his daughter Miranda have been exiled to a remote...
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...Elements of Writing Race and ethnicity have played a major role in the events of time in and around the world, from the past to present day. Race ethnicity is what is considered to be a group that is classified by their ethnic traits, backround, and association and in turn causes an inequality among races and while these are still very clear issues within the African American, Asian, and other ethnicities, over time progress has been made in the stop to inequality among these races and different ethnicities. In this paper I will show through the comparing and contrasting of two literary works within our text how race and ethnicity have played a role in society for decades. Country Lovers tells of a forbidden love on a South African farm between a black girl named Thebedi and a white boy named paulus Eysendyck. What’s it Like to be a Black Girl tells of what and how it was to be a black girl and when comparing the two they are both great examples of the difficulty of life between different ethnic backrounds. The poems were written during different time frames What’s it like to be a black girl the more recent and are also both unique stories within their time frame and discuss love or that which is the feeling of love. In both the story and short poem the main characters are black women dealing with racism in some form of way and though many of us hate to admit it, we to have dealt with discrimination just like this in some point in our lives and in Country...
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...discrimination claims. While many racist people has believe throughout time that their behavior is appropriate; two short stories which are Country Lovers and The Welcome Table illustrate these behaviors and allow the reader to interpret, understand and feel the suffering of two black women caused by painful racism. Both stories enlighten the reader on how one ethnicity believe that they are superior to the other and proves that racism is practiced through ignorance and hatred. This essay will compare and contrast the racial theme of the short stories “Country Lovers” written by Nadine Gordimer and “The Welcome Table” written by Alice Walker. Both of these short stories share the same theme, which is centered on racism, but the theme is not limited to racism it also includes love, hardship, rejection, and death. Both stories share racial tension between two ethnic groups, as well as pain suffered as a result of racism. Both of these literary pieces give the reader awareness of the pain and suffering endured by the two black characters that were subject to racial discrimination and the superior mentality of those that participated in the discrimination. Discrimination and racism is the core issue in both of these short stories. A similarity of both short stories is that the narrator reveals the characters through observation which means both stories are...
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...COUNTRY LOVERS Judy Stewart Instructor Michelle Class: Literature 04-25-2012 It is funny how a piece of Literature can bring back so many memories. It is like re-living a certain time in your life all over again. Although each and every one of us lives different experiences and lifestyles, there is always going to be a story, poem or book that you come across that will reveal a time or a moment that is brought back to life. That is the beautiful art of literature, reading something that makes you experience all your emotions. That is what the story Country Lover’s by Nadine Gordimer does for me. It is a short story about the unfairness of one’s color and a forbidden love because the color of one’s skin. What I know for sure is that love comes in every color and sizes, while we are not able to control the power of love, why should it be forbidden? It was for Thebedi in the story Country Lover’s she was a black woman who fell in love with the Master’s son Paul us. He knew he loved her the moment they were together as it was not the same as with other girls.” This time it was so lovely, so lovely, he was surprised….and she was surprised by it, too-he could see in her dark face that was part of the shade, with her big dark eyes, shiny as soft water, watching him attentively: as she had when they used to huddle over their teams of mud oxen, as she had when he told her about detention weekends at school.” (As cited in clugston, 2010) Not only was the moment they had together...
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...In 2012, history was made when Scandal introduced the first African-American female lead in a major network television show in forty-years. Centering on the forbidden love story between a married sitting President, Fitzgerald Grant, and his former Communications Director, Olivia Pope, Scandal plays with preconceived notions about affairs, power structures, and interracial relationships. The specific episode in question aired on November 19th, 2015 and was the ninth episode in the fifth season of Scandal. Season five was perceived as the resolution of the forbidden love story by ending the previous season with the characters promises to be together out in the open. A divorce, an official announcement, and residence change put the characters...
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...The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 (Hays Code) If motion pictures present stories that will affect lives for the better, they can become the most powerful force for the improvement of mankind A Code to Govern the Making of Talking, Synchronized and Silent Motion Pictures. Formulated and formally adopted by The Association of Motion Picture Producers, Inc. and The Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Inc. in March 1930. Motion picture producers recognize the high trust and confidence which have been placed in them by the people of the world and which have made motion pictures a universal form of entertainment. They recognize their responsibility to the public because of this trust and because entertainment and art are important influences in the life of a nation. Hence, though regarding motion pictures primarily as entertainment without any explicit purpose of teaching or propaganda, they know that the motion picture within its own field of entertainment may be directly responsible for spiritual or moral progress, for higher types of social life, and for much correct thinking. During the rapid transition from silent to talking pictures they have realized the necessity and the opportunity of subscribing to a Code to govern the production of talking pictures and of re-acknowledging this responsibility. On their part, they ask from the public and from public leaders a sympathetic understanding of their purposes and problems and a spirit...
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...CA Essay “Story of an Hour” Kate Chopin’s literary work has touched many reader with an open mind of what many women in the ninetieth century was going through as a woman with no freedom. One of the most commendable aspects of Kate Chopin’s short story “The story of an Hour” is the fact that the author is able to manipulate oppression, freedom and symbolism in a table that is extraordinary compact. SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on The Story of an Hour.” SparkNotes LLC. 2007. http://www.sparknotes.com/short-stories/the-story-of-an-hour/ (accessed September 29, 2013). In the story, Mrs. Louise Mallards was an oppressed wife of Brentley Mallard. She afflicted with a weak heart and good care was taken to give her the news of her husbands death from a railroad accident. Her sister Joseline told her in broken sentences about the loss of Mr. Mallard. Obviously, Mallard reacted to obvious grief and admits that her husband was kind and loving. She knew at the funeral she would "weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead". However, despite the love between each other, Brentley’s death was a release from oppression. She never described ways he oppressed her, but hinted that the marriages in general stifles both women and men. Also, she suggested that she oppressed him as much as he oppressed her. Mallard thoughts that was going...
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...in the Twenty-first century we still encounter racism in many categories. Ethnic racism which is unfortunately common has been around for centuries. It would be nice to be able to say that racism is just a thing of the past and that it no longer exists; however, that is not the case. In this brief essay I will discuss the similarities and differences between the poem “What It’s like to be a Black Girl” and the short story “Country Lovers”. Each story depicts women who experienced racism or prejudices in some shape or form, whether it was because of the color of their skin, being a women or social economic background; in either case the results end up the same. The problem of racism is a complex one; it is difficult to characterize it or place it into one category due to its far reaching effects and implications. The moral issues generate social concerns. ("Racism in america," 2002) Some may have experienced various forms of discrimination such as gender, economic status or weight, but how many have actually experienced racism based on their race? Patricia Smith wrote the poem “What It’s like to be a Black Girl “, this was written in 1991. (Clugston, 2010) There are several different tones Patricia uses during her poem, the first is sad a young girl describing how she feels. As the poem progresses you hear the rage or the bitterness in her voice as she gets older. In this poem she uses similes to describe her pain going through puberty and not bring able to control...
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...Rome: Love September 1, 2011 Professor Sarah Farenick The Bible states that love is patient and kind, love is not jealous it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love is extravagant in the price it is willing to pay, the time it is willing to endure, and the strength it I willing to spend. As a race of people, we all strive for some aspect of love. In our childhood, we strived for the love and acceptance of our parents and siblings. As adolescents, we strive for the love our peers and, as an adult we look for love from that special person, it is important to our daily living. Doctors and scientists of today have found that the lack of love can be contributed to lots of illness. Mental to physical has proven that love can cure many, many illnesses. In the early years of Greece and Roman, citizens were just touching the surface of what we know as love. From cave drawings to carved busts of fertility deities its seen that earlier man thought of love with a spiritual depth that has been diluted today. In Roman times, love portrayed as a minor aspect of ones life. In some Roman literature stories of what may be epic love affairs. Today’s love affair happens often and ends abruptly. Love was known as a feminine emotion in that it was an after thought to the might of the war Captains and heroes of the Roman and Greek era. The Trojan War began because of the love of a woman...
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...panicking or dead. Most of the fallout is still there, except for one spot in the mountains. The government thinks this is a perfect opportunity to “fix” society, just like in the Soviet Union. In Ayn Rand’s story Anthem, there is a society ruled by a council where you have no sense of self. The main character, Equality 7-2521, suspected the Council of not being what they seem. He realizes later in the story that they are holding back advancements in their civilization on purpose. Many people think that something like this is much to horrific to ever happen. The problem with that argument is that history repeats itself. Anthem is a...
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...Racialism And Ethnicities in “Country Lovers” and “What it’s like to be a Black Girl” Racial background and ethnicities are represented in the short story “Country Lovers” and the poem “What It’s like to be a Black Girl”. Both this short story and this poem have a main character or protagonist black female. Both of these women deal with to some degree of discrimination because of their race. Racism is something that we see, hear, and experience in our everyday lives. It may be something that we do not speak about, just like in the short story “Country Lovers “. The short story entitled “Country Lovers” was written by Nadine Gordimer in 1975” (Clugston, 2010). This short story is about a forbidden love between a young black girl named Thebedi and a young white boy named Paulus Eysendyck; which took place on a South African farm. The main characters Paul us and Thebedi were raised together since they were kids. Paulus was a white boy and Thebedi, a black girl. The two of them played together and spent much of their childhood days with one another. As time passed they begin to grow up and the distances between the two also grow apart. Paulus Eysendyck was the son of the farm owner and Thebedi’s father worked on Mr. Eysendyck’s farm. They both knew they could not be together publicly. Throughout this short story there are many dramatic effects. The first takes place when the narrator talks about Paulus going away to school “This usefully coincides with the age...
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...Reading the two short stories “Country Lover” who was written by Nadine Gordimer (1923), and “The Welcome Table” whom was written by Alice Walker (1970). these two stories I enjoyed reading because it shows feelings, pain, hate, and two women older and younger go through these emotions and the struggled that they had to go through. Even though one is younger and the other is older it shows that no matter how old you are it does not matter what kind of racism you face because it was a lot of that going on. With comparing these two stories it has a few things that are the same, like they both deal with interracial environment. In Country Lover this two kids had feelings for each other and knowing what the outcome would be but they made love and had a baby knowing that they could not see each other because of what color they were. In The Welcome Table this older women just wanted to attend church and she did not know what kind of church it was she just wanted to go to church even though that church was an all white church only. Country Lover when finding out that Thebedi was pregnant, when Paulus did not want that baby because it was mixed and that could not happened, so he decided to kill his baby and threatened Thebedi to kill her if she said...
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