...In A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the author uses irony, symbolism, and tragedy to illustrate war and peace and how both of them contradict each other. He shows how much the boys are able to do during the war. They threw a winter carnival and picked apples all because they didn’t have to go into the war until they were eighteen. This helped show how they can have peace during a tough time. The author uses the Winter Carnival to show how the students find their peace at the school. The Winter Carnival was a way for the students to get away from the school and to get away from the war. The author used irony when he said,” what are we supposed to be celebrating? Winter I guess.”(130) The kids were tired of hearing about the war, so this was...
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...On the Historical and Philosophical Implications of Literary Devices in A Separate Peace “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled,” said Keyser Soze in the 1995 film The Usual Suspects, “was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” Easily applicable to the inner struggle faced by every being, a quote such as this can be applied to any story fitting the conflict type “Man vs. himself.” Likewise, John Knowles’s now classic 1959 novel A Separate Peace provides a complex insight to the subject of inner conflict and subsequent loss of innocence through an early 1940’s boarding school student named Gene, whose narration provides a medium for Knowles to exhibit this theme by means of a recognizable and repeated use of symbolism, figurative language,...
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...The darkness Drizzt lived in when he was young only enhances the view that the Drow are “evil”. The Drow’s blackened skin separates them from the lighter skinned elves who live on the surface. Similar to what caused the Civil War in the United States, but not for the color of skin, the two races had a fight that caused the Drow to “hide”, according to the Drow, in the Underdark where they raised their young to become the most hated and feared race ("Symbolism - Examples and Definition of Symbolism." Literary Devices. N.p., 03 June 2015. Web. 16 May 2017.). Drizzt’s purple eyes, which are much different than the red ones of the rest of Drow society, signify that he is much more different than his people. Purple signifies royalty, but without...
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...possess. However, in John Knowles’s novel, A Separate Peace, rivalry is amongst best friends, Gene Forrester and Phineas. In his novel, Knowles uses the protagonist, Gene, to show how betrayal can ruin friendships, using many techniques including: foreshadowing, figurative language, and symbolism. Foreshadowing is a technique that is used throughout the book. Gene is always in his own competition with his friend Phineas. For example, Gene states, “There was no harm in envying your best friend a little,” (Knowles 25). In most cases, envying what your friend has or can do is very damaging and can completely ruin a friendship. This shows that their relationship is not very solid, and his envy is part of the reason it is breaking apart. On the other hand, Phineas does not know that Gene is jealous, so he assumes Gene’s competitiveness is just friendly. He then says, “We were the best of friends at that moment,” (Knowles 18). When Gene says this, it foreshadows that something will go awry in their friendship, even though it seems as if they are fine right now. Since this is so early in the novel, this quote helps readers to be more aware of what they are reading and helps draw...
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...A Separate Peace written by John Knowles uses many literary elements such as symbolism. John Knowles uses the object of the tree. The plays an important role to all the students enrolled at Devon High School. The tree was one of their sources of adventures. When Gene visited the school after fifteen years he realized how much change had occurred at Devon when he looked for the tree he realized after all the years the tree that stood as a massive steeple beside the river had shrunk and gotten smaller. The seniors at Devon jumped on the limb and splashed into the water as part of their training. Gene remembers when he jumped from the tree into the river because he was persuaded by Finny to contribute to the War effort. In order to be a member...
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...On The Road – Langston Hughes “On the Road” is a short story which focuses on the difficult integration of an African-American boy called Sargeant. Through the story, he tries to find a place to stay for the night but faces racial discrimination. At first, he goes to a house but unfortunately the owner, Mr. Dorset shuts the door and does not want to hear about Sargeant’s story. He then turns himself to a church but the doors are locked, so he knocks the door down and the church finally falls down. After that, he dreams about walking with Jesus and ends up very confused in jail. In the story, the major theme is racism and it is expressed by the writer through literary techniques and devices such as symbolism and imagery. At the beginning of the story, Sargeant is walking on a cold night of winter and does not notice the snow. He does not even see the white and flaky snow falling against the night. When Mr. Dorset shuts the door, it represents how he is not accepted and it demonstrates how he is unwelcome from the white people. At that point, he starts sensing the snow. It means that he begins to feel the oppression of the whites on him. Consequently, it is easily remarkable that Langston Hughes wanted the snow to represent racism and racial discrimination. As the story goes on, Sargeant finds himself in front of a church and would like to enter by the door to have a place where to sleep for the night. Sargeant tries to step through the door and enter the church but white...
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...instincts to subdue and subjugate. Authors such as William Golding and Joseph Conrad have recognised this basic nature of humanity and portrayed it in their novels Lord of the Flies (Golding) and Heart of Darkness (Conrad). These novels exemplify the methods by which humans have placed checks upon their savage nature, checks which prove to be diaphanous when challenged by true hardships. In both of these stories, the authors attempt to demonstrate the savage nature of the human spirit by utilising symbolism and irony. Both Lord of the Flies and Heart of Darkness are intensely allegorical novels and emphasise the use of symbols. However, these symbols are not merely the characters, but also include their actions and the settings of the stories. For example, the characters of Kurtz and Jack are symbols for the ancestral instincts of humankind. Though they are two separate characters, they are both symbols for the same idea. They are contrasted with Marlow and Ralph, who are also separate apparitions of the same philosophy. Kurtz, the quintessential ivory hunter from Heart of Darkness, is consumed by the desire for ivory and allows his primal nature to dictate his actions. He even goes so far as to proclaim himself a god and order the natives to attack his fellow Europeans. “He informed me, lowering his voice, that it was Kurtz who had ordered the attack to be made on the steamer” (Conrad.145). This shows how far Kurtz had fallen, that he, like Lucifer, would prefer to reign...
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...Chapter 6 The war in the north: Some people thought that the rebels stood a chance of defeating the British; Great Britain had more people and more money with which to fight. Indians were still against the white settlement so they were not supportive only a few were. Prime Minister North got a large invasion force and selected General. William Howe as leader; North ordered Howe to capture New York City and control of the Hudson River in order to get the radical Patriots alone in New England from the other colonies. The British troops landed in New York 1776 while continental congress was declaring independence. Armies and Strategies: Howes strategies worked by making the opponent surrender rather than destroying them. General Washington’s strategy was to draw the British away from the seacoast, extending their lines of supply and draining morale in a war of attrition. Most of the continental army was low class and they were not well armed. Victory at Saratoga: This is also known as the turning point. In order to finance this battle the British were increasing land tax. Their main goal was to isolate New England. Howe had a different plan he wanted to attack Philadelphia and end the rebellion with one victory. General Burgoyne’s troops were forced to surrender to General Horatio Gates and his men at Saratoga, New York. Social and financial Perils: After the victory at Saratoga difficulties included a British naval blockade that cut supplies of European manufactures, the occupation...
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...world of a teenager is filled with complexity. A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles demonstrates how two teenage boys handle their inter-conflict and coming of age in their modern world during World War II. Finny is athletic, humorous, and represents the optimism and light of the situation, while Gene is fundamentally reserved, physically impressive, and portrays the dark, self-discriminating, and disturbed thoughts of an average teenage boy. Even though, the teens showed strength in both physical and mental aspects, Knowles use of symbolism and imagery help portray Finny as the weaker character. Gene and Phineas’ summer sessions at Devon were a time of freedom and peace. The teachers of Devon were lenient and Finny’s clever tongue allowed him to get away with anything. In the book, it was thought that the war was being fought to preserve the life they enjoyed. Teachers were more indulgent towards them than others, such as the seniors. Finny and Gene reminded them of what peace and life away from the destruction was like. Knowles creates a contrasting image of the summer joy and the tragic war zone. The war for the boys was a distant and almost laughable concept. However, the symbolic summer sessions of innocence and youth comes to an end with Phineas’ fall. Winter sessions began and were dark, disciplined, and filled with difficult work. It symbolized the burden of adulthood and the wartime. The imagery Knowles...
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...The Scarlet Letter: Symbolism For symbolism we used this illustration as a way to show the connection between all the symbols and their relation to sin. The path of sin starts at the prison door. The break in the door shows that a person cannot run from their past and sins, they will come out eventually. Notice how the river expands to include more and more symbols. We chose that to show how the longer these confessions are repressed the larger and more difficult to deal with they become. The symbol closest to the prison door is the rose. The rose is a direct parallel to Pearl as they both serve as a stark contrast to the surrounding environment. The rose bush’s main function was to symbolize a moral blossom in the story as it shows that justice will eventually prevail. The rose bush also reflects the moral values in proportion to the nature. Because within the bonds of the nature everything acts in a way than what it is really like and what it should do by its nature without resisting to its essential needs. But civilized man especially puritans rejected the mostly part of human needs like enjoys and spices of the life especially sexuality. But to deny means nothing because you can change nothing by denying it or covering the truth. So the roses symbolized normally passions and desires thus we can deduce that here it symbolizes how the freedom of the human nature is imprisoned by the conventional wisdom. Under this circumstance the nature will resist to the later doctrines...
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...beamingnotes.com Optimized 16 minutes ago View original Refresh Menu Search Submit Our Casuarina Tree Analysis by Toru Dutt By Ishaan on July 29, 2013 5 SHARES 4 COMMENTS Analysis of Our Casuarina Tree by Toru Dutt Our Casuarina Tree is a poem by Toru Dutt which is about the Casuarina tree that grew in the poetess’ courtyard and her memories associated with it. Summary The poetess writes this in reminiscence of the Casuarina tree that grew in the courtyard of her childhood home. The poem opens with a description of the tree, tall enough to make it seem like it touches the stars, strong enough to continue growing despite scars on its trunk and despite all this it provides support to a creeper. And yet she gives it the air of a Gentleman when she describes how the tree is forever adorned with flowers and birds and bees. Thus we see the tree in her childhood was not only as a paragon of strength, but gentle and loved by the birds and bees. अब मीठे मना मत क जये सु एक गलास पानी म ल यह... को !हर बह म रोज २ पाउं घटाती ँय क म रात को सफ़ एक लास पीती ँ ड् स She goes on to tell us about the mornings in her childhood when she would wake up to the sight of the Casuarina Tree. Come summer or winter, her morning would remain incomplete without the sight of the Casuarina tree, often with a baboon sitting on its crest. She then paints a serene picture of the morning with the kokilas singing, the cows on the pasture and the water lilies in the spring. However, the figure of the Casuarina...
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...Nicole Crespo Professor Tomko WRT 201 27 April 2015 The Beautiful “Annabel Lee” In his poem “Annabel Lee” Edger Allen Poe writes about a forbidden love that ends in a horrible tragedy. Poe uses many elements of poetry such as imagery to give the reader an impression of profoundness, symbolism to give a sense of setting, and tone to let the reader know the feelings behind the poem. With the elements of poetry the readers better understand used Poe’s theme of eternal love. It also helps us have an insight of how Poe’s perspective on the idea of love was to him. Given the background Poe’s life wasn’t an easy one which can be seen in the Poem Annabel Lee. In the poem, Poe uses visual imagery to describe many different scenes in the poem. One for example is when he describes the death of Annabel Lee, “ that the wind came out of the cloud by the night, chilling and killing my Annabel Lee”. (25) This quote shows how Poe wanted his readers to get a visual of a tragic cold night that resulted in the death of a woman. The poem is written in a musical way, one can imagine the cold night. The reader could feel it chilling themselves and could feel the heart break of the young lover’s death. Another example of imagery is when Poe writes, “So that her highborn kinsman came And bore her away from me, To shut her up in a sepulcher In this kingdom by the sea” (17-20) the image given is her family taking her away from her lover to lock her up in a vault by the sea where she...
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...MUHAMMAD ALI JINNAH Born in Karachi to a Gujurati family, Pakistan’s founder was among the first students of a Muslim school in Bombay which was also attended by the renown Quran translator Abudllah Yusuf Ali. Jinnah also attended the school Sind Madrassat-ul-Islam in his native Karachi. From a young age, his aspirations were clearly Islamic. When he was sent to study law in England, he chose the law school the Lincoln Inn in London because it considered Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as one of the greatest law givers of the world. He became the youngest graduate at his school, completing his law degree at 18. Later, after returning to India and establishing a successful law practice, he joined the Indian National Congress and its movement to free India from British colonial rule. However, he became disenchanted with the party when Mohandas Gandhi, its leader, began brining Hindu religious language and symbolism into the movement. Jinnah felt this disempowered Muslims and slowed down the cause of freedom. In response, he quit the Congress and returned to England. The Muslim poet-philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal coaxed him back to India, inspiring him with the idea of Pakistan and the need to fight for the rights of Indian Muslims, who were not fairly represented in the Hindu-majority country, particularly in the areas of politics and employment. Jinnah rose to become president of the Muslim League and leader of the movement for Pakistan. His entry into...
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...to strive to serve or obey. He is just a simple human being with both the capability for either good and evil depending on his choices throughout the book. Faith, on the other hand, is a representation of serenity or peace we have when we are holding true to those beliefs and not allowing the evil or doubt in our life to sway our belief in God. Faith is not based on what our eyes see or that we can confirm it is simply a belief that we have chosen to believe as true regardless of any evidence to the contrary. There are other examples of symbols used in this story. One of the other symbols is the pink ribbons used through the entire story. They can be seen as the human struggles that we have with faith. Sometimes we have faith, sometimes we struggle to believe, and sometimes we can no longer believe in it anymore and these pink ribbons are used to show that struggle within the story. The last symbolic example I will use is that of the Old man who travels with Goodman Brown to the forest. He can be seen as a representation of the devil. The devil is known to be able to appear as anyone or anything. It is believed that the devil is always trying to come to try to rob people of their faith in an effort to separate them from God. It is shown in this story that the Old Man is leading Goodman Brown away from Faith and...
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...John Nix Kevin Thomas Harrel His 105 Section 28 8 December 2009 The Formation of the Confederacy: An Inevitable Occurrence When looking at the history of the United States it is necessary to look at our past in two separate halves: the first half being everything before the Civil War and the second half being everything after the Civil War. With this being said, it can be reasonably argued that the Civil War is one of the most critical events to every happen in our country’s rich history. The devastating war took over half a million American lives in just a little over four years. This tragic event in history, up until Vietnam, claimed more American lives than any other war (Rubin 11). In hindsight it is clear that this war should have been avoided at all cost but during the late 1800’s the tension was so high and hostile that the war was inevitable. Sectionalism had increased so much during that period that even citizens thought of their country divided into two halves, being the North and the South. Each section considered themselves as right and proper while the other as ridiculous and wrong. These tensions kept building until the thought of secession became not a question of if but rather a question of when. According to Cole C. Kingseed, author of The American Civil War, the seeds of the Civil War can be planted as early as the Constitutional Convention of 1787. By the time of the convention five states had already abolished slavery, which made the southern states...
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