...The Concept of the Outsider Literature often persecutes the most vulnerable, a person who lacks support and therefore power within society. Described by Terry Eagleton for The Guardian as the “literary mainstream”; these characters are often referred to as the Outsider due to their exclusion from the community in which the text is set. The characters who are referred to as Outsiders can be portrayed in different ways; their initial exclusion from society can ultimately lead to a narrative of their acquisition of power throughout the text but similarly, can portray a story of their maintenance of the minimal power they have over the course of the text’s plot. However, this is not to argue that some Outsiders presented within literature do not have power over the course of the development of the text so, as a consequence, remain excluded from the society. In this case, the text would then be considered an exposition of the character’s experience from their position in society rather than the author’s attempt of trying to integrate their character into society through their work. Furthermore, the author themselves may be considered an Outsider through their own status in society; they command their readers to be Outsiders themselves within the novel. As well as to read and observe the narrative in order to emulate the same feeling within themselves, within the reader or to have a specific impact on the issues surrounding humanity at the time. The contrast in the ways in which...
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...It’s professional and focused. It leaves the writer feeling challenged to do better but great about their strengths. Even if that just means the location they chose was cool. Give your feedback relative to the skill set of the writer. Never lie or obfuscate. Just serve it up gently. An upset writer isn’t going to hear your points anyway. But an encouraged one will. Trust me on this. — Julie Gray PRINTER FRIENDLY PAGE Literary analysis looks critically at a work of fiction in order to understand how the parts contribute to the whole. When analyzing a novel or short story, you’ll need to consider elements such as the context, setting, characters, plot, literary devices, and themes. Remember that a literary analysis isn’t merely a summary or review, but rather an interpretation of the work and an argument about it based on the text. Depending on your assignment, you might argue about the work’s meaning or why it causes certain reader reactions. This handout will help you analyze a short story or novel—use it to form a thesis, or argument, for your essay. Summary Begin by summarizing the basic plot: “Matilda by Roald Dahl is about a gifted little girl in small town America who learns to make things move with her mind and saves her teacher and school from the evil principal.” This will help ground you in the story. (When you write your paper, you probably won’t include a summary because your readers will already be familiar with the work. But if they aren’t, use a brief summary...
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...Outsiders Character Analysis Essay In the novel The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, Dally starts out as a young adult afraid to look weak and he changes into a brave, but lost person that doesn’t know how to cope with his emotions. In the beginning Dally seemed tough. In transition he is a brave and helpful person. In the end, Dally is someone who feels lost and ready to risk everything. Dally made a dramatic change from the beginning of this novel to the end. Dally started out as a bad boy who seemed very tough. When Ponyboy describes Dally in the beginning of the book he says, “He was tougher than the rest of us - tougher, colder, meaner. The shade of difference that separates a greaser from a hood wasn’t present in Dally. He was as wild as...
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...Character Analysis Essay In the story, “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona”, Alexie depicts the struggle of a young man named Victor while he retrieves his father’s ashes with an old friend. Victor lives on a Native American reservation, whose father had just passed away. While he struggles to get money for the trip to pick up his father’s ashes, a past friend offers to pay for the journey on the condition that he comes as well. Throughout the rest of the story, Victor must deal with this old friend’s quirks as well as his rising feelings. Victor’s insecurities can be seen through Victor’s perpetual embarrassment in Thomas’ actions, yet he feels a longing for tradition and starts to instill this inside himself towards the end of...
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...prizes awarded for the best essays and such awards could help to support your University Application as evidence of outstanding academic work and independent effort. How long and of what nature should my essay be? Your essay should be between 2,000 and 2,500 words (excluding notes and bibliography) and represent original and independent work. There may be a case for writing a slightly shorter essay if one of your universities requires a shorter sample essay. Supplying an accurate word count is in any case crucial. Your essay should aim to be quite a focused piece and be a work of analysis and interpretation rather than just description. You may need to seek advice on the planning, structuring and the title of your essay. Some modifications may be necessary for scientific submissions. Where will inspiration for my essay come from? Your essay may, or may not be, a further development of normal subject work (e.g. Physics Research and Analysis, English Phillimore, History Gibbon Prize etc); it may be on subjects which have no existing prizes; it may be on a subject which is not on the curriculum (e.g. Anthropology) or which is cross-curricular (e.g. English and History of Art); or it may have emerged from Cultural perspectives lessons, the Cultural Perspectives timed essay which you take at the end of this term, be inspired by Critical Thinking work or be a ‘further developed’ praebendum essay. You should state in a covering note how and why the essay came about. Of course,...
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...Sheryl Stanton Laura Jones English 102-951 March 6th, 2014 Abstract The following paper discusses and analyzes the work “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin. The story uses the irony of life to show that marriage can be full of undisclosed hatred, suppression, and unpleasantness between partners – a point that remains concealed from the outside world. “The Story of an Hour” is a story about a married couple. The story begins with the wife hearing the news of the death of her husband. The news, instead of sending her into a shock, sends her into a state of excitement. Her excitement remains concealed from the people around her, who assume that she is under great shock. However, her excitement does not last too long, and she again faces news. This time, the news arrives with the arrival of her husband in front of her. Unable to control her feelings of sadness, she falls and dies on the spot. The paper takes into account multiple readings of various authors, compares their stance, and studies their views of the story. The paper establishes the point that time is running very quickly, and the story also revolves around the importance of time. It concludes with the outcome that if married couples trust each other, interconnect well, and resolve their problems, instead of thinking evil of each other, their relation is likely to remain flourishing. “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin The background of “The Story of an Hour” sets its foundations on the moralities...
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...Shyam Selvadurairs Funny Boy Analysis English Literature Essay Identity involves recognition of the self. It is not static, but it constantly changes in relation to political, cultural and social events that are occurring. A child's identity is negotiable. Children are presumed innocent and naïve until they have experienced life. Their sense of identity has not been determined if they have not had experiences in which they are able to determine their relationship to and how it affects them. In narrating or privileging a child's perspective in a novel, the language the reader is presented with is simplistic and the viewpoint of the narrator is often minimalistic as it is based upon the experiences which the narrator has encountered. Shyam Selvadurair's Funny Boy is narrated from an adolescent’s perspective, where the presumed innocence and naivety of the child offers an alternative view to the political, cultural, social and historical tensions in India and Sri Lanka and the effect that it has on the developing child in terms of identity. The child narrator in each text is an outsider as they do not merge with the cultural norms imposed upon by society. Arjie, the product of an upper-class Tamil family in Funny Boy, crosses borders in his awakening as a homosexual, falling in love with a Sinhalese, despite his parents attempt to create a masculine identity for him, in order that he may abide by the boundaries and social order that has been imposed upon him. The need to understand...
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...Laboratory but Affettuoso Naturalism in literature, still popular and widely appreciated nowadays, is a crucial part of the evolution of American literature. In this essay, I’ll explain naturalism from my point of view by referring to some information I found and analyze a few clips of The Age of Innocence in depth to seek the naturalistic technique in it. Naturalism, a prominent literary movement in the mid-19th-century France, spread all its way to many countries’ literature circle and exerted profound effect on the development of the later literature. It is a completely different tune from literally realism while it provided warm-bed for the emergence of the later literal category, temporary literature in America. Though it didn’t last for a long time, plus no systematic formula for it was created, its influence and how popular it was with the readers and critics can be easily seen nowadays. As one of the most well-known naturalists, Zola, once said, “Naturalism, in literature…is the return to nature and to man, direct observation, correct anatomy, the acceptance and the depiction of that which is. The task is the same for the scientist as for the writer. Both have to abandon abstractions for realities, ready-made formulas for rigorous analysis. Hence no more abstract characters in our words, no more history of everyone, the web and woof of the daily life…” We could clearly see that naturalists tend to depict the society and people in the most objective way, trying to...
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...what life is all about. Along with the freedom of choice comes the responsibilty of one's actions which can make some people anxious but give others meaning to their lives. To overcome this anxiousness and accept responsibilty is to meet the challenges of life and to truly live it.... [tags: Existentialism, ] 675 words (1.9 pages) $14.95 [preview] Understanding Existentialism - Do we matter. Do we seek personal happiness in life. These are questions from existentialism. The dictionary defines existentialism as an individual’s experience filled with isolation in a hostile universe where a human being attempts to find true self and the meaning of life through free will, choice, and personal responsibility. Hamlet is an existentialist character who believes that he is forced to avenge his father’s death and the hatred builds in his heart because of the many betrayals which direct him towards a senseless life and constant thoughts about suicide; this ultimately leads to his demise and he is left with naught.... [tags: Existentialism] 872 words (2.5 pages) $14.95 [preview] Life Value vs. Existentialism in Grendel - A main theme in John Gardner’s Grendel, is the constant competition of the ideas of meaning in life versus existentialism. Throughout the novel, Grendel makes a steady spiritual decay to the point of denying any value or significance in life itself. He believes the world is nothing more than “a mechanical chaos of casual, brute enmity on which we stupidly impose our...
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...Critical Analysis Essay “Letter from Birmingham Jail” In arguing, writers use different techniques to effectively convey their message to their intended audience. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was a response to "A Call for Unity" by eight white clergymen in which King’s presence in Birmingham and his methods of public demonstration were questioned. King’s letter was not only a response to his presence in Birmingham, but he also used the opportunity to address the unjust proposals by the clergymen that Negroes wait for the legal system to abolish segregation and unjust laws. King uses rhetorical modes of persuasion such as ethos, pathos and logos to meticulously address and discredit the claims made by the eight white clergymen. Throughout his letter, King also makes many comparisons to effectively illustrate how the Negro pursuit of freedom was timely. To answer the question of his presence in Birmingham, King uses both ethos and pathos to explain why he is qualified to be present leading the demonstrations. To argue the perception of him being “an outsider coming in”, King first states that because he has organizational ties in Birmingham, he has an obligation to be available whenever he is needed. This statement discredits the notion that he is an outsider. To lay the foundation of his argument, King states, “But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here.” This statement is used to make King’s presence seem less personal...
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...that saw not only some of his finest plays – Mother Courage and Her Children, The Good Person of Szechwan, The Life of Galileo and The Caucasian Chalk Circle – but also the evolution of his most significant theories on the theatre. Brecht’s early dramas were anarchic, nihilistic, and antibourgeois. In them, he glorifies antisocial outsiders such as fortune hunters, pirates, and prostitutes; in keeping with their view on general society, the tone of these works is often cynical. In the years following his conversion to Marxism, Brecht wrote didactic plays whose style is austere and functional. These plays were intended to be performed in schools and factories by nonprofessional actors. In his later plays, Brecht combined the vitality of his early period with his Marxist beliefs to create plays that were dramatically effective, socially committed, and peopled with realistic characters. When Brecht began to formulate his ideas in the late nineteen-twenties, he had already experimented in a variety of techniques: he had written plays which showed the influence of the Expressionist trend in their loose construction, their treatment of the characters as types rather than individuals and their highly concentrated, poetic language; and...
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... * Introduction……………………………………………..pg 3 * Feminism in TO THE LIGHTHOUSE…………….pg 4 * Conclusion………………………………………………..pg 11 * Bibliography……………………………………………..pg 12 ABSTRACT: Virginia Woolf is a feminist pioneer and is also a modern socialist master. In her masterpiece To the Lighthouse she uses large number of images to convey her feminist ideas. This Research paper focuses on To the Lighthouse with feminist perspective. How ‘To the Lighthouse’ projects its challenges or realization of productive and creative possibilities of female characters like Mrs. Ramsay, Lily Briscoe, Nancy Ramsay, and other characters who move around these central characters and how these characters are to be studied with the feministic point of view and built as a portrait of real woman in the Victorian England as well as its relevance in the present scenario. Our efforts are to bring out the voice of female characters’ echo in the novel considering these various roles in the novel. INTRODUCTION In the Post-Modern period, the feministic perspective has been much travelled especially in the writing of female authors or poets. The word ‘servitude’ (Fanon) in the feministic reading has been much taken in to consideration. To the Lighthouse, much discussed, debated and criticized like its length of writing in the panorama of Feminism. The writers’ efforts to portray the real woman as far as milieu and moment are concerned, is to challenge patriarchal family and treatment of...
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...theories have tried to push their historical materialist approach but could not bring any formidable solutions to avert social problems. By definition a social problem is an elusive concept to define and it takes forms that are the subjective and objective understanding. Eitzen et al. (2009:8) argue that some social conditions are detrimental in any situation. In this sense, they have an objective character. There are conditions in society such as poverty, racism, sexism that cause material or psycho logical suffering for parts of the population. Those conditions are, therefore, social problems in any social setting. Social problems are those conditions which are universally agreed upon by society to have adverse effects many people and those conditions which causes material and psychic suffering of the body or society such as HIV/AIDS, terrorism, war, poverty, conflict, corruption and crime (Eitzen and Bacca- Zinn, 2009). Thus, social problems have their roots form the social, economic, political, environmental, cultural and geographical contexts, thus they are socially constructed. This essay assesses the Marxist explanation and its applicability to the study of social problems and on the whole what solutions it suggests to address them. The conflict perspective is a structuralist theory which examines social institutions and how power and economic material are distributed in society. The Marxist perspective posits that society is divided into two major classes of those who own the...
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...theories have tried to push their historical materialist approach but could not bring any formidable solutions to avert social problems. By definition a social problem is an elusive concept to define and it takes forms that are the subjective and objective understanding. Eitzen et al. (2009:8) argue that some social conditions are detrimental in any situation. In this sense, they have an objective character. There are conditions in society such as poverty, racism, sexism that cause material or psychological suffering for parts of the population. Those conditions are, therefore, social problems in any social setting. Social problems are those conditions which are universally agreed upon by society to have adverse effects many people and those conditions which causes material and psychic suffering of the body or society such as HIV/AIDS, terrorism, war, poverty, conflict, corruption and crime (Eitzen and Bacca-Zinn, 2009). Thus, social problems have their roots form the social, economic, political, environmental, cultural and geographical contexts, thus they are socially constructed. This essay assesses the Marxist explanation and its applicability to the study of social problems and on the whole what solutions it suggests to address them. The conflict perspective is a structuralist theory which examines social institutions and how power and economic material are distributed in society. The Marxist perspective posits that society is divided into two major classes of those who own the...
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...Lecturer: Mr. Mark Poynter Date: 5th October 2009 Assignment: Assessment Point One Essay Title: No. 4) Analyze a movie poster from a film directed by Martin Scorsese and then, with reference to the ideas of Pierce and Saussure, apply techniques in Semiotics and Semiology in order to illustrate how the text can be interpreted. Any and every piece of text in this world has meaning, or a point it is trying to put across. If you look at a portrait, or a page in a book, different aspects of the picture, or the way the words are put together on the page, all have purpose; To convey a certain message. This technique of analyzing different parts of texts, using signs and symbols, is termed “semiotics. [1] In this essay, we shall be using the techniques of semiotics, to interpret a poster of renowned Director, Martin Scorsese’s blockbuster movie, “Shutter Island”. According to Ferdinand de Saussure and Charles S. Pierce, two founding fathers of semiotics; a sign consists of “the signifier” and “the signified”. The signifier of a sign is the form in which the sign takes, and the signified stands for what the sign represents. [2] Let’s take for example, a picture of a young boy crying. In this scenario, the little boys face would be a sign, the act of him crying would be the signifier, and the signified would probably be that the boy is sad because something has gone wrong. Delving deeper into semiotic analysis, there are two types of relationships signs and signifiers can have with each other;...
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