The Invention of the World Essay -- Literary Analysis, Jack Hodgins

In The Invention of the World, Jack Hodgins invites us to consider an alternative dystopia in which fantasy and reality converge to create sense and constance in an otherwise chaotic existence. Unleashing an arsenal of characters in two parallel worlds, Hodgins attempts to uncover the mysteries of people, and he delves into the paradoxical genre of magic realism, a term coined by Franz Roh in 1925, to achieve this. Focussing on characterization, The Invention of the World offers sufficient surrealism to provide fictional entertainment, whilst cleverly grounding his mythical tale in a relatable reality inspired by history and realism. Specifically, Hodgins offers a lens into the lives of a number of characters. Arguably, Maggie Kyle and Wade Powers achieve contentment on their pilgrimage to Ireland through self-reflection and internal enlightenment; conversely, Kineally and Becker, seek to achieve their constance through the manipulation, exploitation and dependence on other people in their lives. Hodgin’s novel traces the journey of these characters and evokes consideration of the effects of our choices on the long-term equilibrium of our existence and self-enlightenment. From the beginning of the tale, the motif of travel predominates. As Becker â€Å"[waves] your car down the ramp onto the government ferry...† (vii) we are not only introduced to the setting, but also the idea that Becker has a certain authority and inclination to control that journey. As Becker researches, documents and attempts to quantify the tale of Donal Keneally and his rise as founder of the â€Å"Colony of the Revelation of Truth†, we learn of his dissonance and inability to find contentment. Becker’s energy on the pilgrimage â€Å"[was] wild with trying to take eve... ...17). With Wade’s turbulent waters eventually settled by Maggie, this resonating re-birth enables both characters to realize a happiness that can only be found within. To conclude, Hodgins’s entrancing tale merges fact with fiction, magic with reality, and chaos with romance. While Becker and Keneally ultimately fail in their attempts to create, using pride and ambition as fuel towards constancy, Hodgins creates a poetic final scene in which Wade and Maggie Powers symbolically unite in matrimony, ironically wed by Horseman, Wade’s sagely nemesis, amongst the chaos of thrown insults, wielded chainsaws, food fights and terrible music, Maggie is, significantly, able to â€Å"[stand up, beside her husband, ready† (353). Through the magic of myth, Hodgins teaches us to find a place where we can be satisfied, enjoy who we are, and appreciate the important people around us.

Legal Memorandum of the case of Griswold v. Connecticut

The appellants in this case are Griswold, the Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood League of Connecticut, and Buxton, the Medical Director of the Planned Parenthood League in New Haven.   They were charged of violating a Connecticut statute for giving information, instruction, and medical advice to married couple as means of preventing conception. Sec 53-32 of the Connecticut Statute states that : â€Å"Any person who uses any drug, medicinal article or instrument for the purpose of preventing conception shall be fined not less than fifty dollars or imprisoned not less than sixty days nor more than one year or be both fined and imprisoned.†Ã‚   Section 54-196 provides that â€Å"Any person who assists, abets, counsels, causes, hires or commands another to commit any offense may be prosecuted and punished as if he were the principal offender.† The appellants were found guilty as accessories for violating the said statute and fined $100 each.   They filed their appeal and argued that the said statute violated the Fourteenth Amendment.   The Appellate Division of the Circuit Court affirmed the judgment of the lower court. Issue: Whether the Connecticut statute forbidding use of contraceptives violates the right of privacy which is protected by the Bill of Rights Decision: The Supreme Court ruled that the subject Connecticut statute forbidding the use of contraceptive violates the right to marital privacy.   It is unconstitutional. Analysis: This is not the first time the Connecticut statute has been the subject of a controversy.   In the earlier case of Tileston v. Ullman 318 U.S. 44 (1943) the Supreme Court did not have the opportunity to rule the constitutionality of the said statute.   In this case, a doctor challenged the statute on the grounds that a ban on contraception may in certain situations threaten the lives and well-being of her patients. He argued that the statute would prevent his giving professional advice concerning the use of contraceptives to three patients whose condition of health was such that their lives may be endangered by child-bearing.   The Supreme Court declined to rule on this issue but dismissed the case on the ground that the plaintiff lacked the standing to litigate the constitutional question This is the first time that the Supreme Court will rule on the constitutionality of the statute.   According to the Supreme Court, though the US Constitution and the Bill of rights does not explicitly mention some rights, such as right of the people to meet and associate, or the right of the parent to educate a child in a school of their choice, or the right to study any particular subject or foreign language, the First Amendment has been construed to provide protection to these rights. Among these cases are: the Pierce v. Society of Sisters which affirmed the right of the parents to send their children to any school of their choice under the First and Fourteenth Amendment; the Meyer v. Nebraska case which affirmed the right of the students to study German language in a private school; the NAACP v. Alabama which protected the freedom to associate and affirmed a person’s privacy in one’s own association. These cases strongly indicate that the Bill of Rights have penumbras which emanate from the specific provisions of the US Constitution and its amendments.   These extended guarantees give flesh and blood to the various protections under the US Constitution without which the guarantees under it will merely be a useless formality.   Indeed, the various guarantees create zones of privacy. The relationship between spouses and their choice to procreate lie within the zone of privacy protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.   The statute should therefore be struck down as unconstitutional. It is a well-settled principle that though the state may control or prevent activities that are subject to its regulation, it cannot exercise its power so broadly as to invade the areas protected by the constitution. The objective of the statute is laudable but means for its accomplishment seriously violates the right to privacy of the married individuals.   The objective of the statute could be accomplished by other means such as regulating of the manufacture, sale of the contraceptives. If the Supreme Court were to uphold the constitutionality of this statute, it is as if we are tolerating the law enforcement officers to search the sacred precincts of the marital bedrooms simply for the purpose of finding out if they are indeed using contraceptives.. Conclusion: The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the trial court and the appellate court.   It also invalidated a Connecticut statute for invading the privacy of married couples.   Although the constitution does not explicitly mention the right to privacy of the citizens, this right is found in the penumbras of the other constitutional protections. This case is considered as a landmark decision in the sense that it established a basic sphere of personal privacy to which all people are entitled.   (Decision: Griswold v. Connecticut (1965))   It confirmed that marriage couples do have the right to privacy.   With this decision, our country took a giant leap forward finally recognizing the right of individuals to make their most private decision on planning their families, deciding the number and spacing of children.   (Elizabeth Borg, 2005) Further, this decision paved the way for another land mark decision which is the case of Roe v. Wade. (John W. Johnson, 2005) Bibliographies Borg, Elizabeth.  Ã‚   (2005) The Fight that Won Us the Right to Birth Control.   Star Tribune.   8 June 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2007 Decision: Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) About.com.   Retrieved 11 September 2007 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://atheism.about.com/library/decisions/privacy/bldec_GriswoldConn.htm Johnson, John W.   (2005) Birth Control and the Constitutional Right to Privacy.   Retrieved 11 September 2007 from: http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/johgri.html Tileston v. Ullman 318 U.S. 44 (1943)      

The Most Problematic Social and Economic Problem in...

Identity Theft might just be the most problematic social and economic problem in the US. Identity theft can cause many problems for the victim and the thief, obviously. One problem is the victims personal record, it is extremely important to have a clean one if you want to apply for college, buy a house, become a citizen, etc. Another problem is after the identity theft has taken their toll, the victim is suffering with trying to recover all the money that they have lost. And the most dangerous problem is victims can be accused of crimes that they have not committed. These are just a few reasons why Identity Theft is the most problematic social and economic problem in today’s society. Now a days, it’s important to own a clean personal†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Seniors have also spent their entire working life building a nest egg of retirement funds. Identity thieves know this and they target seniors to take their identity and their finances. Their preferred method is the telephone. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, senior citizens are more at risk to be targeted by telemarketing scams than other age groups† (Crimes). Elderlies are a lot more trusting of people and less probably to report fraud most likely because they don’t need members of the family to assume they cant lookout of themselves. Once the identity thief has taken their toll the victim is suffering with making an attempt to recover all the knowledge that they have lost. One of the most devastating effects of economic fraud is once the cash they’ve worked laboriously to save suddenly goes missing. Bank policies vary as to what proportion theyll replace, except for several fraud victims, this cash is gone forever. Erasing deceitful charges and correcting their credit record takes time and cash. â€Å"The average victim spends 500 hours and $3,000 undoing the damage from identity theft which just adds on how much money they’ve lost† (How do you help protect my identity†). If a criminal gets the victims social insurance number, they will begin assembling their advantages or take employment using their name, departure them responsible for the thief’sShow MoreRelatedChild Abuse and Neglect922 Words   |  4 PagesASSIGNMENT 1: SOCIAL ISSUE- CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT KIM CARTER SOCIOLOGY PROFESSOR PATRICIA HENNINGTON JANRUARY 29, 2012 Child abuse and neglect The issue of child abuse and neglect is serious, controversial, and is escalating in today’s society. Many people are not aware, but child abuse is rampant in our society. Many child abuse and neglect cases go unreported because a person may not know the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect or perhaps the person or person may feel that thisRead More Drugs Essay1467 Words   |  6 Pages The United States is by far the richest and most powerful country in the world. We citizens take for granted luxuries that people of other countries can only dream. Yet in our society there are serious social issues that for reasons unknown are not being addressed. One of the most important issues that typical politicians are afraid to address is that of what to do with the nation’s illegal drug problems. Although we hear terms like quot;The War on Drugsquot; and quot;Drug Treatmentquot;, aRead MoreMaterialism vs Happiness in America Essay1206 Words   |  5 Pages Western society has an obsession. It is a dark and crippling fixation. Many people do not even realize the trap society has lured them into. The procurement of material wealth has become an obsession in modern Western culture. The culture has become obsessed with acquiring vast amounts of wealth and anything associated with â€Å"being wealthy†. This need for material objects has intensified overtime. The progression of materialism in the western world has caused a decrease in the happiness and overallRead MoreEssay on Feminism and Modern Feminist Theory1068 Words   |  5 Pages Feminism is a body of social theory and political movement primarily based on and motivated by the experiences of women. While generally providing a critique of social relations, many proponents of feminism also focus on analyzing gender inequality and the promotion of womens rights, interests, and issues. Feminist theory aims to understand the nature of gender inequality and focuses on gender politics, power relations and sexuality. Feminist political activism campaigns on issues such asRead MoreDrug Legalization will Solve Many Problems Essay1557 Words   |  7 PagesDrug Legalization will Solve Many Problems The United States is by far the richest and most powerful country in the world. We citizens take for granted luxuries that people of other countries can only dream. Yet in our society there are serious social issues that for reasons unknown are not being addressed. One of the most important issues that typical politicians are afraid to address is that of what to do with the nation’s illegal drug problems. Although we hear terms like The War on DrugsRead MoreQuestion and Answer on Contemporary Social Issues Essay1411 Words   |  6 Pages1. One of the most significant changes taking place in the past few decades, the one that has had a pronounced effect on millions of families, causing considerable concern, has been the movement of women into the workplace. This change has had momentous effects on women, on children, on men, on marital relations- on families. Since 1970s, according to the demand for low-paying â€Å"pink-collar†, women moved into those pink-collar j obs and into other jobs as well. The number of hiring women has steadilyRead MoreThe Effects of Changing Family Structures on the Children1163 Words   |  5 Pagescognitive development did not show any difference between fragile families and stable families, but rather a noticeable difference in stable families and unstables families. This same result was found for children’s behavior problems. It can be concluded that stability is most important in a family, no matter what structure. The Journal of Marriage and Family study, â€Å"Non-Resident Fathers and Children’s Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis† attempts to determine what a father brings into a family besides moneyRead MoreChild Abuse : The Unintentional Cover Up1303 Words   |  6 PagesChild Abuse: The Unintentional Cover Up Found all over the world, in every social economic class, child abuse is still present even though its terms and definitions have changed over the years. Child abuse is rarely reported by the kids or parents, but by responsible adults in authority over the victim. The poem â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† by Theodore Roethke reflects the issue of child abuse, by portraying a young child’s attempt to normalize an abusive situation. Survival mechanisms used by children in abusiveRead MoreTeenage Drug Use Of Drugs1560 Words   |  7 PagesElizabeth Onyiego 9/27/2014 Sociology 100 Professor Victoria Hoverman Teenage Drug Use In today’s society, one of the common problems among teenagers is the use of drugs. Teen age is probably one of the most challenging periods in life. It is a stage of self identity crisis that leads to great confusion amongst the teens. Belonging and being accepted in a group is very important in the minds of the teens; where many regard the act as cool. During these years of growth, teenagers encounter their shareRead MoreThe On The House Of Medici1245 Words   |  5 Pagespush forward the process of institutionalization in line with economic development. 2)A government need to understand the core interests of people to gain consent. 3)A government should be decisive and flexible when encountering adversaries. Huntington, in his work, equates modernity with stability and modernization with chaos. He argues that during the process of modernization, drastic changes (and improvements) of socio-economic sectors outweighs political development, generating a political

The Civil War Has A Tremendous Death Toll - 1368 Words

The Civil War had a tremendous death toll. In fact, it had more deaths than any of the previous wars combined. At the time, it was thought that the soldiers in battle died from the wounds or amputations they received. The true cause of death came from disease. These harsh conditions were contributed by unqualified doctors and non-sterile equipment. During the Civil War, the true issue was not only the wounds received in battle but the infectious diseases that ultimately led to the soldier’s death. When this was discovered, doctors knew some action needed to take place. Hospitals and sanitation standards were improved. The Civil War contributed to an evolution of medicine and how to combat victims plagued with disease. Twice as many†¦show more content†¦A Steward’s job entailed dealing with minor injuries such as scrapes, bumps, and cuts not deep enough for surgical interaction. On the occasion, they would pull teeth and distribute medicine to the soldiers who needed help with pain management. If the Steward completed his duties in a good fashion, he would be allowed to step in and help with more serious cases such as amputations in hope that one day he would become a qualified surgeon. Since amputations were performed so frequently, it did not take much time in order to become qualified. These short â€Å"internships† through the Civil War proved to be ineffective as surgeons lacked knowledge in all aspects of the medical field. The diseases soldiers tended to face were small pox, measles, mumps, dysentery, and so on. The list is endless. Dysentery was by far the most lethal during the Civil War (Civil War Diseases 1). There was a 75% chance that if a soldier was injured, an amputation would occur (Civil War Medicine 1). This led to a tremendous death toll due to the bacteria into the wound. There were plentiful reasons as why a soldier contracted these diseases other than a gunshot wound. These reasons included, poor physical upon entering the army, the doctors lack of knowledge when it came to medical information, terrible hygiene, disease causing parasites, and lack of the basic necessities for survival. As you can see, this is a recipe for failure and death. For example, in order toShow MoreRelatedMedical Practices of the Civil War1349 Words   |  6 PagesMedical Practices of the Civil War The medical practices used during the Civil War era were not very advanced and took a big toll on the war itself. Many of the soldiers, both Union and Confederate, returned home with missing body parts, were shell shocked, or were psychologically traumatized. These medical practices during this time did not do much to help the lives of the soldiers other than doing the bare minimum to keep them alive, which in many cases, resulted in infection and diseaseRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse On American Soil Essay1539 Words   |  7 Pagesthousands of Americans without any discrimination or bias. The decades old â€Å"war on drugs† has done little to hinder the devastating carnage of widespread drug abuse decimating today’s youth. This affliction hits home for almost all of us to at least some extent. The enemy is known, we as a country however have yet to devise an accurate plan to defeat it. This paper delves into the current polysubstance dependence epidemic waging war on American soil. It elaborates and discusses the evolution of AmericanRead MoreIslamic Militia And A Saudi Led Government Offensive1601 Words   |  7 PagesRed Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Oman. Yemen is a developing country currently succumbing to civil unrest as well as suffering from severe economic stagnation. Yemen has been in serious conflict since 2015. Armed militia and a Saudi led government offensive have been warring throughout the country causing tremendous humanitarian need. Current Events Yemen has been suffering from tremendous civil unrest since 2015. Nine countries forming an Arab coalition, to include Saudi Arabia began operationsRead MoreAfter Affects of WWI1513 Words   |  7 PagesAfter Affects of WWI WWI was, at its time, the largest and most destructive war planet Earth had ever seen. Some countries lost millions of lives and nearly an entire generation. The war casted the world into massive debt and Europe was almost totally razed. The Allies sought revenge and not so surprisingly, they found it. The Treaty of Versailles stated that Germany must accept total fault for the war. Germany was forced to pay reparation money, which it did not have, to the Allies. This droveRead MoreRealism And Virtual Reality : Images Of America s Wars1532 Words   |  7 Pagesof America’s Wars â€Å" Franklin has developed an awesome essay addressing the evolution of technology used in Americas` wars also the media’s presentation of theses wars to the public in the U.S. He emphasized mostly the media’s presentation of war, the forms and methods that it has gradually evolved to, and its lies and biases. Franklin discusses, however, how the projection of the war was romanticized at the beginning since paintings was the only way to visualize and express the war . However whenRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea1238 Words   |  5 PagesThe endless advance of time has left many writers, and their works forgotten. Only a select few live on, Ernest Hemingway being a prime example. With his straight forward style of writing and his Sinatra-esque personality his name still continues to live on to this day. His most famous work called â€Å"The Old Man and the Sea† which follows and old washed up fisherman whom is down on his luck embarks on a voyage where he is throw n into a long bout with a tremendous marlin. The novel landed HemingwayRead MoreEssay about Teachers in Syria1399 Words   |  6 PagesThe United Nations (UN) has estimated that the two and a half year long Civil War in Syria has lead to more than one hundred thousand deaths in the region. The continued conflict in Syria has caused the UN to stop updating the death toll in Syria because they have found that information from Syria and the surrounding region is no longer verifiable (UNCHR, 2014). The UN’s Refugee Agency (UNCHR) (2014) has noted that 2.4 million Syrians have registered as refugees, but they estimate that there areRead MoreUnited States Of America, Home Of The Brave And Land1439 Words   |  6 Pagespulling the triggers, they were giving the guns and training the army to fight and kill all who seemed to be siding with the communist party. Yet many do not know that America would do this to small little El Salvador. While in turmoil, El Salvador has always been a country of peaceful farmers that m ind their own business and enjoy the beauty of their land. Yet that all stopped when the people realized they were being mistreated and the government were racking in the money while everyone else wasRead MoreArgument Against Military Intervention For Humanitarian Relief1693 Words   |  7 PagesARGUMENT AGAINST MILITARY INTERVENTION FOR HUMANITARIAN RELIEF An understanding of where the Syrian healthcare system stood before the civil war, the toll of the fighting and intentional targeting of medical personnel/infrastructure, ongoing humanitarian efforts, and America’s actions to date enable an informed evaluation of whether or not to use American military forces in a humanitarian assistance role in Syria. This context allows for an examination of the limitations of humanitarian aidRead MoreThe Decline Of The Mayan Civilization1196 Words   |  5 Pagesinhabitants. Tikal was home to rainforests and was one of the first cities to experience the downfall. According to NASA, â€Å"They had to burn 20 trees to heat the limestone for making just 1 square meter of the lime plaster they used to build their tremendous temples, reservoirs, and monuments (Coulter, 20). The burning of these trees resulted in detrimental environmental issues in which would soon harm to Mayan civilization due to removing carbon from the air. The Mayan civilization continued to

Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz Essay - 1103 Words

Sarah Johnson Personal Response to Survival in Auschwitz â€Å"Why is the pain of every day translated so constantly into our dreams, in the ever-repeated scene of the unlistened-to story† (Levi, p 60)? As I read this quote in my book, I highlighted it and wrote in the margin â€Å"foreshadowing†. I feel confident that these dreams signified just that; that the author (amongst the other survivors) would forever re-live those horrors and try tell their stories†¦and no one listens. The poem at the beginning of the book, Survival in Auschwitz, by Primo Levi, warns us of just this and curses us should we fail to listen. It is imperative that we a global community never forget and forever respect the struggle. I believe that this feeling, of sharing his†¦show more content†¦We would think this to a reasonable response, however Levi goes on to educate otherwise. â€Å"Kuhn is out of his senses. Does he not see†¦Beppo, who is twenty years old and is going to the gas chamber the day after tomorrow and knows itâ₠¬ ¦? If I was God, I would spit at Kuhn’s prayer† (p129). I thought that Levi’s response to Kuhn’s prayer was extreme at first, for isn’t it customary to give thanks for good fortune? But then as I reflected on this, Levi was absolutely correct. How dare one man thank God for living another day when the man beside him has been condemned? There is no rhyme or reason to it, there is no why in the Lager. It is impossible for them at the time to understand, which is why the law of the camp was â€Å"do not think†. How can we begin to fathom now the how’s or why’s? It doesn’t make sense. Who wants to listen to a story that doesn’t make any sense and acknowledge that it could happen all over again? Sometimes, we love to hear the story of a tragedy. For example, some of the most well liked tragedies of all time include Gone with the Wind, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, many of Shakespeare’s plays, and a Streetcar Named Desire. These are not only stories though; they have their sadness but throughout there is also hope and there are also morals, these are things to gain by these stories. The story the Levi needs to share with us has no hope, it has no moral storyline that we can learn fromShow MoreRelatedPrimo Levis Survival in Auschwitz1607 Words   |  7 PagesReading the novel Survival in Auschwitz by author Primo Levi leads one to wonder whether his survival is attributed to his indefinite will to survive or a very subservient streak of luck. Throughout the novel, he is time and again spared from the fate that supposedly lies ahead of all inhabitants of the death camp at Auschwitz. Whether it was falling ill at the most convenient times or coming in contact with prison ers who had a compassionate, albeit uncommon, disposition, it would seem as thoughRead MorePrimo Levis Survival In Auschwitz1261 Words   |  6 PagesPrimo Levi writes Survival in Auschwitz not to tell the reader about the atrocities inside the concentration camp called Auschwitz. He acknowledges that the world knows too much about these places to learn anything from him, so his goal is not to educate the reader about the things that went on while he was a prisoner at the camp. Rather, he writes this book to â€Å"†¦ furnish documentation from a quiet study of certain aspects of the human mind† (Levi 9). In this book, Levi orders his stories notRead More Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz Essay1581 Words   |  7 PagesPrimo Levis Survival in Auschwitz Reading the novel Survival in Auschwitz by author Primo Levi leads one to wonder whether his survival is attributed to his indefinite will to survive or a very subservient streak of luck. Throughout the novel, he is time and again spared from the fate that supposedly lies ahead of all inhabitants of the death camp at Auschwitz. Whether it was falling ill at the most convenient times or coming in contact with prisoners who had a compassionate, albeit uncommonRead More Book Review of Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz Essay655 Words   |  3 PagesBook Review of Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz World War II was a war that took many lives from civilians that deserved to have a life of their own. They were ordinary people who were victims from a horrible and lengthy war that brought out the worst in some people. In Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz, Levi gives a detailed account of his life in a concentration camp. Primo Levi was a young Italian chemist who was only twenty-four years old when he was captured by the Nazis in 1943. HeRead MorePrimo Levi Survival in Auschwitz848 Words   |  4 PagesEXAM QUESTION 1 PART A Survival in Auschwitz written by Primo Levi is a first-hand description of the atrocities which took place in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz. The book provides an explicit depiction of camp life: the squalor, the insufficient food supply, the seemingly endless labour, cramped living space, and the barter-based economy which the prisoners lived. Levi through use of his simple yet powerful words outlined the motive behind Auschwitz, the tactical dehumanization and exterminationRead MorePrimo Levi1248 Words   |  5 PagesThe Reawakening, by Primo Levi, is a sequel to his first novel, Survival in Auschwitz. It is a deeply powerful memoir of his liberation from the most brutal concentration camps of them all, Auschwitz. Published in 1946, the story of Primo Levi’s pursuit for freedom has inspired many people around the world. Levi’s quest back home to Italy was a grueling mission, from ruthless acts of the Nazi regime, the traumatic effects of imprisonment in Ausch witz and the near death experience of hunger and illnessRead MoreEssay on Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi922 Words   |  4 Pages Primo Levi, in his novel Survival in Auschwitz (2008), illustrates the atrocities inflicted upon the prisoners of the concentration camp by the Schutzstaffel, through dehumanization. Levi describes â€Å"the denial of humanness† constantly forced upon the prisoners through similes, metaphors, and imagery of animalistic and mechanistic dehumanization (â€Å"Dehumanization†). He makes his readers aware of the cruel reality in the concentration camp in order to help them examine the psychological effects dehumanizationRead MoreMorality And Ethics Of The Auschwitz And Art Spiegelman s Maus1246 Words   |  5 Pagesbehavior in order to survive. Life in Auschwitz required a purging of one’s human dignity for survival. Prisoners were constantly exposed to perpetual dehumanization, which inevitably led to the dehumanization, and restor ation of one’s mental, physical, and social adaptation. Because of this, one’s morality begins to erase. It is in the adaptation of living in a merciless world that the line separating right and wrong begins to blur. Primo Levi’s Survival in Auschwitz and Art Spiegelman’s Maus, both representRead MoreThe Holocaust Of The Nazi Concentration And Death Camps939 Words   |  4 Pagesduring the reign of terror caused by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime. Primo Levi’s, Survival in Auschwitz, offers just that connected and emotion to current and future generated as he illustrates what life was like for Jewish people during the Holocaust and World War II while surviving in concentration camps. Primo is a survivor of one of the most infamous Nazi concentration camps of them all, Auschwitz. Auschwitz was â€Å"Auschwitz I was first constructed to hold Polish political prisoners, who beganRead MoreThe Impact Of The Internet On Literacy814 Words   |  4 Pagesinspirations was Primo Levi and his piece Survival in Auschwitz; primarily because his writing style is extremely personal. The experiences and information he documented is undeniable. Those who believe that the Holocaust did not happen cannot deny that the personal, up close, and in your face facts he collected and wrote about were not valid. This relates to my research paper because many people also believe that the internet does not affect the literacy rate. Using the same â€Å"personal† style as Primo Levi did

Literature and Online College Newspaper Free Essays

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic novel that depicts the life of a female coming to age during a time of war and violence in Iranian. The editor of The Ithacan, an online college newspaper, criticized this work of literature as being nothing more than an â€Å"advanced comic book† and â€Å"not too challenging. † He argues that Persepolis and similar literary works do not encourage intellectual advancement and does not benefit college freshmen. We will write a custom essay sample on Literature and Online College Newspaper or any similar topic only for you Order Now Despite the more basic vocabulary, the side narratives, unique dialogues, and use of illustrations evoke understanding and compassion for not only the narrator, but also the underlying themes. Generally speaking, a novel about Iranian politics and war is a topic that is hard for most young people to grasp or to find interesting because subjects such as these are very foreign to American readers. Persepolis assists in making this topic more relatable. By using graphics to depict the character’s expressions, settings and actions it is easier for the reader to connect. For example, on page 53, Satrapi illustrates the many ways in which Iranian young people express their feelings about the violent atmosphere. They cope with this situation by turning to family, friends and God. In addition, the author shows the children creating games and a fantasy world that compares their lives to the lives of the tortured. An example of the effectiveness of the illustrations and narrative is shown on page 116. The frame depicts soldiers amidst bombs, gunshots and smoke with multiple soldiers lying on the ground, dead. Marjane, the narrator, is standing in the upper left corner appearing helpless. Marjane is then shown exiting the frame stating that the situation could have been avoided. This is a powerful message because it relates to the current situation in the Middle East where American soldiers and innocent civilians are killed everyday. The value of Satrapi’s use of dialogue to enrich the narrative is evident on page 197. In response to overhearing her collogues prejudiced comments, she angrily retorts â€Å"I am Iranian and proud of it! † (197). This simple statement shows that proud of her nationality and will not tolerate negative statements applied to it. On this page she then states her comprehension of her grandmother’s advice. If [she] wasn’t comfortable with [herself], [she] would never be comfortable† (197). This is indicative of her self-growth and acceptance of her ethnicity. Literature comes in many forms and styles. These include novels, memoirs, plays, poetry and non-fiction. Graphic novels are just another medium in which authors can express their viewpoint and influence readers. One type of literature is not bet ter than another; the vocabulary, sentence structure and degree of difficulty does not correlate to the books worth. What is more important is how it influences a reader and the thought process and intellectual stimulation that comes about. Therefore, Persepolis is more than an â€Å"advanced comic book†. It is an engaging, enlightening piece of literature that portrays a violent time period in the Middle East that can be universally applied to other situations in the world today. Works Cited Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. Illus. Marjan Satrapi. New York: Pantheon Books, 2007. Print. â€Å"Taking Initiative: Graphic novel reading selection furthers declined reading comprehension. † The Ithacan 6 Mar. 2008: 1. The Ithacan. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. . How to cite Literature and Online College Newspaper, Essays

How Juliet Can Be Recontextualised free essay sample

In Shakespeare’s play, Juliet is described to be more than just a pretty face; she’s smart, witty, determined and mature. She knows what she wants, and she gets it as it is Juliet who proposes to Romeo not the other way around. In the text, she is written to be thirteen years of age and begins the play as a naive child who has thought little about love and marriage, but she grows up quickly upon falling in love with Romeo. Being a girl from a high social class family, she has none of the freedom Romeo has to roam around the city or climb over walls at midnight. However she shows amazing courage in trusting her life and future to Romeo, refusing to believe the worst reports about him and even willing to shut important people out of her life (nurse) the moment they turn against Romeo. And when I shall die, take him and cut him up in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that the entire world will fall in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun. We will write a custom essay sample on How Juliet Can Be Recontextualised or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Juliet’s role in society is very minor and simple. She is the pretty, ‘prized’ daughter of the Capulets and is expected to be obedient of men in their families. In the novel, she receives little guidance and help from her family and is expected to marry Paris as her father decided. This gives a clear example of women’s role and its unimportance. On the contrary, in Zeffirelli’s film we focus more on Juliet’s beauty and youthfulness as the actress who played Juliet seemed very young and had that ‘innocent’ child look on her face. The maturity of Juliet shown in Shakespeare’s text is greatly dimmed in Zeffirelli’s as with the youthful look of Juliet, it questions the audience making them treat and think of Juliet as a child, therefore not taking her or even her motives seriously. However Juliet is shown to be more cautious in this film, not being too rash or sudden. An example of this is at Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting, Juliet carefully looks at Romeo through the crowd of people, peeping through people’s heads and keeping her distance as if she was studying him before coming closer and closer to him. Although I join in thee I have no joy in this contract tonight it is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden. † The Juliet that Luhrmann presents to us is also differently recontextualised. One of the first things the audience takes attention on is how the actress that played Juliet looks so much older, definitely not only thirteen. This is because of the different time periods each movie/novel was set or created in as it is the 20th century and human’s behaviour has changed as they do not marry young, in fact that’s shunned upon. The role of women in society is also changed as women do have rights in the 20th century and can make their own decisions. An example of this is in the opening scene of Luhrmann’s film, a newspaper report with important information about the star-crossed lovers was being read by a dark-skinned female. This choice of using a female to read this important information indicates that we have stepped into a completely different era with the role of women being of equal importance as men. However Luhrmann’s Juliet is not only living in a completely different recontextualised society, but has different qualities in character and what makes her stand out is her strong confidence that the others do not have. She gains this by putting herself out there, getting involved in decisions and engaged in her relationships. With this in mind, it is also no doubt that this Juliet is also very mature as she can take control in situations. This is shown through her first encounter with Romeo as she is the one the initially makes the first move by kissing him, stealing the control of the situation. Both the camera angles and dramatic lighting on Juliet’s face in that scene show that Luhrmann wanted to make Juliet the centre of attention there. Juliet also has a very straight-forward personality as she does not dwell on things and does what she thinks. This can question the audience is it shows that Juliet is both stubborn and fearless at the same time. Therefore it can be seen that Shakespeare’s Juliet can be recontextualised differently by her character and personality as Shakespeare, Zeffirelli and Luhrmann have all created their Juliet with at least one quality different about each other. It can be seen that Shakespeare’s Juliet can be recontextualised through her different personality and character, looks and role in society. This is shown by Shakespeare’s novel and Zeffirelli and Luhrmann’s film.