...n the short story, "By the River", by Jack Hodgins the protagonist: Crystal Styan is a woman who is hopeful, kind, and naive. Hodgins begins the story by presenting Crystal as a rather unattractive woman who lives in the middle of nowhere. He describes her as "she know that she isn't even a little pretty". At first glance she is not an attractive or pretty woman and she is hopeful and naive in the extreme. When readers first picture Crystal Styan, she is an unattractive woman who lives in the woods all alone with her husband. Later on, we learn her husband had left six months ago and never came back. Mrs. Styan has a hopeful heart because she has not seemed to give up hope that her husband has not come back in six months and may never come back . This is proven when for everyday since six months ago she has continuously returned to the train station to await her husband and to see if he has returned with a present or surprise. Crystal Styan not only demonstrated a hopeful heart but also a certain naiveté. During this short story the author showed the readers glimpses into her life with Jim through flashbacks. She did have a rather interesting life with Jim, nevertheless she has been naive in believing that if she keeps returning to the train station he will come back even after six months, she is blinded by her feelings and believed that Jim feels the same about her. She is rendered naïve by her...
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...Throughout my reading of "Peace Like A River," I found the Land family to portray an honest interpretation on the day-to-day struggles with reality. Each member is immersed with realistic issues, but nevertheless their faith plays a key role in their spiritual growth as individuals. Leif Enger, makes some of the most miraculous occurrences seem so authentic within the story. Reuben's sincere portrayal of events, ensure me as the reader that things will be ok. I believe Enger's use of characters such as Jeremiah and Reuben, is to convey similar aspects of faith seen in the Bible by Jesus Christ and his disciples. Reuben Land, the main character of the story, has a severe case of asthma. Although he struggles a great deal throughout the book Reuben learns to cope well with his ailment through faith in his spirituality (Which appears to be Christian, though it is not identified in the book). Shortly after his birth Reuben was unable to breath for 12 minutes. Consequently, leading Dr. Nokes( who you could say was Reuben's Pediatrician) is...
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...Dramatic Change Peace Like a River By Leif Erikson Tessa Johnson Period 5 In the book Peace Like a River horses are a symbol of a dramatic change about to happen. Change happens with the land family multiple times throughout the book and every time that happens a horse comes into the picture either before or after. Mostly, the horses seem to come before a negative change that will determine what the rest of the story will be like. One thing that Rueben dreams about is horses and his dreams usually tell what is going to happen later in the book. One of the dreams that Rueben has is when he dreams about seeing a dead horse in the river and with fog all around. This is just before Davy shoots Finch and Basca. In this case the horse isn't alive...
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...Lit devices that show the hardships for the main character in “The bass, the river, and Sheila Mant” Authors use characterization, imagery, and hyperbole to develop characters so that readers can better connect with the story. Wetherell develops the main character’s love for fishing and his love for Sheila Mant using various lit devices. Wetherell uses characterization, imagery, and hyperbole in “The bass, the river, and Sheila Mant” to develop the main character so that the reader understands all the things that the main character goes through. Characterization, shows the reader how much in love the main character is with Sheila Mant. The first quote shows how into fishing the main character really is. It helps us learn...
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...EPISODE 1: (Chapters 1-6) – “Snapped: Life Changes in a Blink of an Eye” REPRESENTATIVE QUOTE: “Pap he hadn't been seen for more than a year, and that was comfortable for me; I didn't want to see him no more. He used to always whale me when he was sober and could get his hands on me; though I used to take to the woods most of the time when he was around.” (Chapter 3 – Pg. 14) CHARACTERS: • Huckleberry (Huck) Finn – protagonist, narrator, all around main character. • The Widow Douglas – takes (Huck) under her wing in hopes to better him. • Miss Watson – The Widow Douglas’ sister • Tom Sawyer – Huck’s fellow companion, first introduced in Mark Twain’s previous novel. • Jim – Miss Watson’s slave. • Pap – Huck’s alcoholic, racist, father. • Judge Thatcher – Works along side The Widow Douglas to protect Huck’s well – being. SETTING: The series of events in this episode unfold in the imaginary Mississippi River town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. The scenes unravel in the town where Huck resides with the Widow Douglas and the other housemates, and in the surrounding areas. PLOT OVERVIEW: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a follow-up to the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Huckleberry (Huck) Finn is a thirteen-year-old adolescent living a life of not knowing what is next. Huck was “adopted” by The Widow Douglas. The Widow Douglas strives to impart manners on Huck and to better him as a young boy. However, Huck was raised in a matter that completely contradicts his new procedures...
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..."The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter" (1917) Summary: This poem takes the form of a letter from a lonely wife who has not seen her husband in five months. She begins by reminiscing about meeting him during childhood. She was pulling flowers at the front gate and he came by on stilts, playing horse. The next two lines, "And we went on living in the village of Chokan/Two small people, without dislike or suspicion," imply that the pair did not grow close right away following that encounter; they continued to grow up separately. In the next stanza, the wife describes marrying her husband at age fourteen. After that, she was continuously shy, either out of respect, sub-ordinance, or just because of her introverted personality. According to the next stanza, she became more comfortable with the marriage by age fifteen and "stopped scowling." A year later, her husband (a merchant) departed for another village, which is where he has been for the past five months. The monkeys' sorrowful noise mirrors her loneliness. She writes that her husband "dragged [his] feet" when he left - indicating that he did not want to leave her. She ends her letter by writing that if he comes back along the river, he should send word ahead, and she will come out to meet him. The poem is signed "by Rihaku." Analysis: Pound was not the creator of this poem; he translated it from the original Chinese version by Li Po. The Chinese original likely had a specific form and identifiable meter, but Pound...
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...Leadership Analysis The Bridge on The River Kwai August 5, 2012 Shekhar Gahlot (ICS Hitotsubashi, Tokyo, Japan) Leadership Analysis: The Bridge on the River Kwai The year: 1943. The place: Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Burma. In the setting of World War II, a defeated unit British Soldiers is marched into a Japanese prison camp in western Thailand, with the purpose of constructing a bridge over the River Kwai to carry a new railway line to invade Burma. The camp is run by a dutiful commandant Colonel Saito and his men. The British troop is led by a stiff-lipped Colonel Nicholson. Nicholson is highly revered by his men, he is their friend and confidant; he can do them no wrong. So begins the classic World War II movie The Bridge on the River Kwai. In the August of 2009 during a humid Sunday afternoon I happened to stumble upon this English classic. I presumed it to be just another vintage war movie. However, on careful inspection, it became an excellent treatise for understanding various forms of "leadership" paradigms, which are not only useful in the Army but can be easily observed in contemporary corporate world. It is one of those few war movies which focus more on building its characters rather than the war itself. It portrays two very different leadership styles, which are intensely portrayed by its characters Colonel Nicholson and Colonel Saito. The movie starts with difference of opinion and clashes of ego between the two leads. Saito is persistent...
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...else. One of the finest places to look for Shakespearean allusions is Hamlet, a tragedy about the negative effect of ambition and revenge. The result of William Shakespeare incorporating allusions into Hamlet is the readers have a more sophisticated understanding of themes, characters, and conflicts. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, he uses allusions in order to develop themes in the play. One of the major themes in the play is action vs. inaction. In Act 1, Scene 5, Hamlet talks with the ghost of his father about the cause of his death. The ghost informs him that it was his uncle Claudius, as he suspected, and that it is imperative that he seek revenge at once. The ghost says, “I find thee apt. And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed that roots itself in ease on Lethe Wharf, wouldst thou not stir in this.” The ghost sees that Hamlet is eager to get revenge, but little does he know, this allusion is a prediction of what is to come. The ghost’s statement alludes to the Lethe River, found in Greek Mythology. It is said that anyone who drank from the Lethe River would forget all their memories of being alive. The King’s ghost supposes that Hamlet would be as lazy as a weed on the shore of the river of forgetfulness if he did not agree to avenge his father’s death. When the time comes for Hamlet to murder Claudius, his morals get in the...
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...Tarin ii I. Introduction II. Biographical sketch of author A. Past to present B. Experiences and achievements III Plot analysis A. analysis of plot structure 1. Exposition 2. Complication 3. Crisis 4. Climax 5. Resolution B. Theme of plot IV Critical analysis A. Theme 1. Racism 2. Slavery C. Characters D. Atmosphere E. Conflicts V. Evaluation VI. Review of movie version VII. Conclusion Tarin 1 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Samuel Langhorne Clemens also known as the famous and brilliant Mark Twain, was born in the small town of Florida, Missouri on November 30, 1835 to John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens. Clemens was the youngest of the five children, as a child Clemens moved around a lot, he first moved to the small town of Hannibal at the age of four. Here he attended a private school and seemed to finally recover from his poor health at the age of nine. When he was twelve his father died of pneumonia, he suddenly decided to leave, and make money, since his family needed all the help they could get. He quit school and was a printers apprentice, then moved and helped his brother print and edit for a newspaper. In 1858 Clemens became a river pilot, and this is where he got his pen name “mark twain” which means that is safe to navigate. Clemens was not only a author but also a novelist, speech writer, essayist...
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...“Life does not consist mainly – or even largely – of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thoughts that is forever blowing through one’s head” states Mark Twain in his autobiography (Twain, Wit 78). Twain certainly had a “storm of thoughts,” but he was able to eloquently and succinctly put those thoughts onto paper. Because he wrote a combination of fiction and nonfiction, it is difficult to categorize Mark Twain as an author. According to Neil Schmitz, Mark Twain was, “a southern humorist gone over, not just a deserter, a dissenter, but a literary scalawag, a southern writer in unionist discourse and narrative” (91). Most people recognize Twain’s brief, witty, straightforward proverbs that are often quoted today. He also wrote many novels, a few nonfiction books, a plethora of short stories, and essays. Mark Twain uses a variety of rhetorical devices including carefully chosen, colorful language, satirical tone, and unique symbolism to entertain and to enlighten his readers about the moral dilemmas and the beauty of the America he knew. According to Ernest Hemingway, all of American literature comes from one great book, Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Twain, Huck Finn vii). Although this statement may seem hyperbolic, it does indicate the important place Mark Twain holds in American literature. Early Nineteenth century American writers tended to try to write like English writers with flowery, ostentatious language (Schmitz 100). Twain’s...
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...“The River” By Flannery O’Conner Analysis The Bible has and always will have the uncanny ability to express meanings and truths in personal and powerful ways. Magnificent stories that carry themes and lessons that are seen by some, but lost to others. In the short story “The River” by Mary Flannery O’Conner a similar approach was used. O’Conner uses the powerful symbolism and brilliant metaphor of The River to craft a story that dives deeply into the themes of Faith and Salvation that express her personal convictions on the secular and Christian world views. This is especially true in Harry’s baptism scene as well as the final scene that take place at the river. In the story “The River” Harry’s Parents seem to show little or no interest in him. Their life is consumed with entertainment and the social life. Harry is either left alone to fend for himself or stuck with baby sitters for long periods of time. On one particular occasion Harry ends up going to a religious gathering at a river with one of his babysitters Mrs. Connin. There he is taken into the water and baptized by bevel the preacher. He is told how much he “Counts” and is loved in the eyes of God. Upon returning home, Harry finds that his parents are having another party. Disappointed, he realizes that living with his parent’s is hopeless and he never will matter to them. Harry then decides to take matters into his own hands. He reflects on how wonderful it was at the river the day before. He leaves the...
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...THESIS STATEMENTS IN LITERARY ANALYSIS PAPERS *The thesis statement is one of the (if not the) most important parts of your paper—think of it as the foundation of a house—if your foundation is weak and poorly constructed, what do you think happens to the house? *The thesis statement is the announcement of your analytical argument that you intend to make and prove in the duration of your paper. It is a road map for the paper—it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. *It should be placed somewhere in the Introduction of your paper—Many like to put it as the last sentence(s) of their Intro which is fine. *Successful thesis statements provoke thought and should read beautifully. *Your thesis statement should include two parts: WHAT and WHY. *WHAT: What claim are you making about the text? *WHY: Why should we care? Why is your claim important? Your thesis should answer the “so what?” question. *A thesis statement is usually, but can be more than, one sentence long. Examples of Literary Thesis Statements: * “Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.” *What’s wrong with this thesis statement? *An opinion about the book, not an argument. * “In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.” *Better? How so? What is still missing? *Doesn’t answer the “so what?” question—what is the point of the contrast? What does the contrast signify? * “Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry...
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...to The novella ‘of mice and men’ Keywords: -historical background -1930’s -cultural – ‘farming community’ –working on land –ranch, barn, bunkhouse, horses, donkeys – many words related to the farming community -characters -themes -1929 wallstreet crash – the great depression 1930’s -stucture – nature versus man (write these words in the exam ^^^ to have a A* or a B) Chapter1: opening paragraph -description of Soledad (loneliness) -Salinas River -Gabilan mountains -Sycamores (like helikopterblaadjes of a tree) -Soledad – Twinkling – Golden – Strong – Sloops – Jungle – deforest George Small, darkface, restless eyes, strong features. Lennie Shapeless of face, large pale eyes, huge man, dranks like a horse, like a child. John Steinbeck Born in 1902 in Salinas California his father owned a …. John describe farming life he was an intelligent student and at age of 14 he decided to become a writer. He did Stanford university, never complete his degree he went to NY and works as a construction worker. He later became a newspaper reporter. *1928 – cup of gold *1932 – pastures of heaven *1933 – to an unknown god *1935 – Tortilla flat *1937 – of mice and men The clearing by the river- Salinas begins by the river and ending by the river –full circle storyline Nature=Good Questions OF MICE AND MEN: * Physical environment * Infested environment * Racist environment * Controlling environment * Lonely environment * Aggressive...
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...that suggests the filmmaker’s potential critique of the Communist revolution (CR). The film begins with a magnificent panning view of the vast and mountainous landscape. As with many nationalistic films, landscape plays a very important role, as it indirectly depicts the village peasants as slaves to the land, and a sense of hopelessness that comes with working the land. The several slow scenes focused on the horizon and landscape also represent the notion of an ‘unchanging China’, and it’s backwardness with it’s social and political margins. The film has many scenes depicting the natural surroundings and connection with the peasants, as illustrated in the scenes where Cuiqiao is seen continually making the trip from her home to the Yellow River to get water everyday. Although this chore would be one that the whole village is active in, the camera only focuses on Cuiqiao. The walk is symbolic of the tie that Cuiqiao and the other villagers have to the land. This...
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...main Archetypal character in the book is Siddhartha. He is a seeker who wants to experience a better, more authentic and more fulfilling life by achieving enlightenment. He fears being trapped and is true to his soul. For example, he leaves the Brahmins, the Samanas and Gotama Buddha in pursuit of more knowledge to fulfill his desire of gaining enlightenment. Similarly, Vasudeva is also another Archetypal character in the story. He serves as a counselor towards Siddhartha and is a role model to him. For example, in the chapter “the ferryman” Siddhartha surrenders to Vasudeva his entire self, even his clothes, in order to follow his example in leading a life of calm fulfillment and wisdom. Along with archetypal characters, archetypal symbols are also present in the book. The River is definitely the most influential archetypal symbol in the book. It represents the flowing of time and transitional phases of the life cycle. For example, whenever a great transition occurred in the book like when Siddhartha left Gotama Buddha and also when he abandoned his wealth he came to the river. When Siddhartha observed the river he learned that the river exists only in the present, it is everywhere at once, upstream, downstream, at the sea, and at the source. Life is the same way. Siddhartha realizes that his existence as a boy and his existence as an old man are not separate. Everything has its existence in the present. Therefore after combining the symbols and characters an archetypal situation...
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