...The literary work I chose was Country Lovers by Nadine Gordimer. Her story intrigued me from the beginning, as it is a story about forbidden love in South Africa. You immediately know that the story will be about an interracial relationship between Thebedi-a young black woman and Paulus-her white master’s son. The tone reflected in this work is deep, the author is able to “evoke a sense of compassion for the characters, who are enmeshed in circumstances of their own creation” (McLeod, 2004). Because Nadine Gordimer grew up in South Africa, she has a main theme in her writing dealing with attitudes of racial relationships since she strongly opposed apartheid causing her work to have a greater meaning (Clugston, 2010). Thebedi and Paulus have a childhood relationship that gradually grows into a secret sexual relationship and eventually the birth of a forbidden child. I will review how the author uses image, simile, and imagination in her work which causes the story to be so intriguing. As well as review the story using a formalist approach to show the intent of the writer and the significance of the work. Imagination is “the human power that shapes artistic expression” and “enables a writer’s work to become an expression of meaning” (Clugston, 2010). While they were secretly spending time together, the author describes the feeling of Paulus vividly, “The schoolgirls he went swimming with at dams or pools on neighbouring farms wore bikinis but the sight of their dazzling bellies...
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...COUNTRY LOVERS Judy Stewart Instructor Michelle Class: Literature 04-25-2012 It is funny how a piece of Literature can bring back so many memories. It is like re-living a certain time in your life all over again. Although each and every one of us lives different experiences and lifestyles, there is always going to be a story, poem or book that you come across that will reveal a time or a moment that is brought back to life. That is the beautiful art of literature, reading something that makes you experience all your emotions. That is what the story Country Lover’s by Nadine Gordimer does for me. It is a short story about the unfairness of one’s color and a forbidden love because the color of one’s skin. What I know for sure is that love comes in every color and sizes, while we are not able to control the power of love, why should it be forbidden? It was for Thebedi in the story Country Lover’s she was a black woman who fell in love with the Master’s son Paul us. He knew he loved her the moment they were together as it was not the same as with other girls.” This time it was so lovely, so lovely, he was surprised….and she was surprised by it, too-he could see in her dark face that was part of the shade, with her big dark eyes, shiny as soft water, watching him attentively: as she had when they used to huddle over their teams of mud oxen, as she had when he told her about detention weekends at school.” (As cited in clugston, 2010) Not only was the moment they had together...
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...A Look at Country Lovers ENG 125 Introduction to Literature June 17, 2012 A Look at Country Lovers I chose to talk about the short story “County Lovers”, by Nadine Gordimer. This story caught my attention because of the fact that is a story about inter-racial love. I come from a multi-racial family. Reading this story gave me a different view on how difficult society can be when it comes to inter-racial love. The analytical approach that I chose for this story is formalist approach. I chose this approach because the setting was during a time that mixing races were unthinkable. This approach focuses on the form and development of the literary work itself ( p.414 ). This story is about two childhood friend from different races who grow to love each other yet they cannot be together because of their race. From the beginning of the story, the author lets us know that this will be a story of inter-racial relationships. Paulus Eyendyck is white and grew up on the farm along with black children. Thebedi who is black caught Paulus attention and they became friends. As they grew older the two form an attraction for each other and began to sneak around the farm to spend time with each other. As time grew on Paulus went away to school, Thebedi became pregnant but did not tell Paulus about this and was arranged to be married to Njabulo. On a visit back home Paulus found out about the baby that Thebedi had and when to her right away. When he saw the baby he knew that...
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...A Forbidden Love: Thebedi and Paulus Jennifer Boozer ENG 125: Introduction to Literature Instructor: Kristina Stutler March 24, 2013 Country Lovers by Nadine Gordimer is a short story centered around the theme of forbidden love between the two main characters Paulus and Thebedi. They met when they were kids, as Thebedi used to work on Paulus' father's farm. They used to sneak out and meet at the river bed. After Paulus went off to veterinary school, Thebedi had his baby. When Paulus came back for the summer he heard of her baby being light skinned and killed it so that no one would ever know that it was his baby. The story's theme of forbidden love is strengthened by Gordimer's use of symbolism, imagery, and local color. Symbolism is a key element contributing to the story's theme. One symbol that repeats itself in Country Lovers is the “gilt hoop ear-rings” that Paulus gives to Thebedi when they were young (as cited in Clugston, 2010). The earrings are a symbol for their love together. Even after Paulus killed their baby girl, Thebedi still wore them when she accused him of “pouring liquid into the baby's mouth” (as cited in Clugston, 2010). Even in her hysteric situation, she still wore those earring that Paulus gave to her. She wore them again when they went to trial. This leads me to believe that after all was said and done, she still loved Paulus, even though she knew they could never be together. Another symbol that is relevant to the theme is their...
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...Racialism And Ethnicities in “Country Lovers” Charity Johnson ENG 125 Brian Freeland August 20, 2012 The literature of African America started from eighteenth century. The writings of the African American literature have focused on racism, ethnicity, and struggles of life for the African American people and the chase of freedom along with the search of equality in the society. Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith are famous contributors in the field of African American literature. This pare compares and contrasts the short story of Nadine Gordimer, “Country Lovers” and “What it’s Like to Be a Black Girl,” by Patricia Smith. Both the literature works put light on the racial background and ethnicities. The main character in both the pieces of literature is a black woman. The women in both the poem and the story face severe discrimination because of their color and their race. Racism and ethnicity is an issue which has ruined the societies and only the African American black skinned people, particularly females have been facing the effects of racism since long. The black skinned females have been tortured by discrimination and racism. (Clugston, 2010). Racism is something that most of us do not speak about but it is has penetrated deep in our society. The short story “country lovers” depicts a love story of a black girl named Thebedi and a white boy named Paulus. Both the main characters of the story were brought together since their childhood. They used to play...
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...Discrimination and Racism in Country Lovers and the Welcome Table Donna Robertson ENG 125: Introduction to Literature Lyndsey Lefebvre November 18, 2012 Discrimination and Racism in Country Lovers and the Welcome Table Racial discrimination has affected black people in the United States and Africa for many years. Although racial discrimination is against the law in both countries many people believe that racism still exists and there is significant evidence to support many racial discrimination claims. While many racist people has believe throughout time that their behavior is appropriate; two short stories which are Country Lovers and The Welcome Table illustrate these behaviors and allow the reader to interpret, understand and feel the suffering of two black women caused by painful racism. Both stories enlighten the reader on how one ethnicity believe that they are superior to the other and proves that racism is practiced through ignorance and hatred. This essay will compare and contrast the racial theme of the short stories “Country Lovers” written by Nadine Gordimer and “The Welcome Table” written by Alice Walker. Both of these short stories share the same theme, which is centered on racism, but the theme is not limited to racism it also includes love, hardship, rejection, and death. Both stories share racial tension between two ethnic groups, as well as pain suffered as a result of racism. Both of these literary pieces give the reader awareness...
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...The Lover-Duras The Lover (French title: L'Amant) is an autobiographical novel by Marguerite Duras, published in 1984 by Les Éditions de Minuit. It has been translated to 43 languages. It was awarded the 1984 Prix Goncourt. The Lover is also a 1992 movie based on this novel, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and starring Jane March and Tony Leung Ka Fai. The cast also included Lisa Faulkner. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Summary of the movie Set against the backdrop of French colonial Vietnam, The Lover reveals the intimacies and intricacies of a clandestine romance between a pubescent girl (Jane March), from a financially strapped French family and an older, wealthy Chinese man (Tony Leung Ka-Fai). The story is narrated by Jeanne Moreau, portraying a writer looking back on her youth. In 1929, a 15 year old nameless girl is traveling by ferry across the Mekong Delta, returning from a holiday at her family home in the village of Sadec, to her boarding school in Saigon. She attracts the attention of a 32 year old son of a Chinese business magnate, a young man of wealth and heir to a tidy fortune. He strikes up a conversation with the girl; she accepts a ride back to town in his chauffeured limousine. Compelled by the circumstances of her upbringing, this girl, the daughter of a bankrupt, manic-depressive widow, is newly awakened to the impending and all-too-real task of making her way alone in the world. Thus, she becomes his lover, until...
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...Analyzing Poem At first the only aspect that really stood out to me in the poem, I Shall Paint My Nails Red, was the acts of a woman talking about feminine things that woman like to do to change up their appearance. After thoroughly analyzing this poem I came to the realization that it was much deeper than that. Every line of this poem is a distinct statement filled with self-expression and confidence. I Shall Paint My Nails Red by Carole Satyamurti, takes the simple act of painting your nails and shows the meaning behind it. This poem hits home to me because painting my nails is something I enjoy doing with my grandmother. My grandmother has never gone a day without having her nails painted, and after reading this poem I understand why. To me, womanism is the main theme that Satyamurti is trying to portray in this poem and it is being shown through beauty, strength, and passion. Beauty can represent a numerous amount of things, and in this poem Satyamurti does a remarkable job at capturing the true meaning of beauty. “Because I am proud of my hands” (Satyamurti 2), after I broke this poem down piece by piece, the imagery in this line caught my eye. I relate the pride she takes in her hands after painting them to my grandmother and how I never see her go a day without having her nails painted. Although painting your nails is a simple thing, it makes you feel good about yourself. My grandmother walks with confidence every day and though it may not be just because of her nails...
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...Hard Work Pays! May 9th, 2011 was not an ordinary day, but a pay day for the sweat of my studies. It was a day crowned with endless emotions, as I admired my durable and beautiful bracelet watch that ultimately spoke attitude. Featuring a round case, a black rotating bezel with hand crafted plastic link band with a silver double push safety Italian clasp, a stylish Ferrari logo inked in the heart of the minute wheel, finely visible from miles away through the watch’s crystal; meet the Ferrari Electro-Luminescent stylish watch, my precious summer gift from dad. Being my first gift for an exemplary performance in an exam, the Ferrari Electro Luminescent stylish watch has always ignited happiness to my life, as I dance to its ticking sounds generated by the contact of both the transmission and ratchet wheels. Furthermore, it has instilled confidence in me due to its lavish look. Since then, waking up has been the easiest chore of my daily activity, its notorious alarm bells set in the watch having immensely perfected the art of clouding my ear drums for the purpose of annoying my sleep, simply because, time to wake up is time to wake up. Like any ordinary human being rewarded with a perfect gift, having been perturbed by the watch’s superior look, I did not hesitate to show it off to my peers. Amazingly, many of my friends admired my look, as I swayed my hands in anticipation of being noticed, with the sun’s rays struggling to get a glimpse of my extraordinary look, which resulted...
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...past ruin the present? The main character Andrea is a divided individual, who is torn between a love from the past and her husband. First of all, Andrea is a divided self in the way that she is indecisive towards her husband and lover. Her lover made an ultimatum, which is seen in page 47 lines 38-43: “Her lover had said that she was always too slow to know what she really loved… When she would not decide in his favour, would not change her life and come to him, he asked what made her think she could have it both ways.” This clearly shows how Andrea cannot decide whether to leave her husband or not. Moreover, the quote shows how well the lover knows her compared to how little her husband knows her, take the following example: “When her husband first noticed the bowl, he had peered into it and smiled briefly… Her husband had pronounced the bowl “pretty,” and he had turned away without picking it up to examine it. He had no more interest in the bowl than she had in his new Leica” (P. 25 ll. 16-23). Comparing the two examples the reader gets the feeling that their marriage is loveless and uncaring, wherein Andrea’s relationship with the lover is the complete opposite. Andrea’s relationship is therefore more passionate and affectionate with her lover than her relationship with her husband. Second of all,...
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...J. Prevert. „Sables mouvants“ The image of the quicksand is very symbolic. One has to analyse it first, in order to understand J. Prevert‘s poem. Quicksand consists of granular matter (silt, sand), clay and water. It may appear quite solid if it is undisturbed. However, when there is a change in pressure, the surface loses its strength, sand and water separate, causing buildings to fall over. Someone stepping on quicksand would start to sink. I am inclined to believe that the usage of this image was chosen not at random. The title gives us a clue that the poem is going to be about the duality of love. Like everything else in the world, love has both positive and negative faces. What appears to be solid and stable might collapse, when one comes closer. The poem „ Sables mouvants“ also examines the themes of the transience of time and sexuality. The repetition of “Demons et merveilles / vents et marees ” expresses the duality of love. One imagines demons as something magical, evil, dark, dangerous, and insidious. Because of our knowledge of mythology and religion, demons remind us of seduction (for example, Eve and the Serpent, The Bible) and sin. On the other hand, merveilles create the impression of something enchanting and delightful. The contrast between demons and merveilles shows us that what appears pure and fascinating, might allure into danger and darkness. What is more, vents et marees can be regarded as a hint of sensuality and sexuality. It impersonates force...
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...Reading the two short stories “Country Lover” who was written by Nadine Gordimer (1923), and “The Welcome Table” whom was written by Alice Walker (1970). these two stories I enjoyed reading because it shows feelings, pain, hate, and two women older and younger go through these emotions and the struggled that they had to go through. Even though one is younger and the other is older it shows that no matter how old you are it does not matter what kind of racism you face because it was a lot of that going on. With comparing these two stories it has a few things that are the same, like they both deal with interracial environment. In Country Lover this two kids had feelings for each other and knowing what the outcome would be but they made love and had a baby knowing that they could not see each other because of what color they were. In The Welcome Table this older women just wanted to attend church and she did not know what kind of church it was she just wanted to go to church even though that church was an all white church only. Country Lover when finding out that Thebedi was pregnant, when Paulus did not want that baby because it was mixed and that could not happened, so he decided to kill his baby and threatened Thebedi to kill her if she said...
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...Compare and Contrast the Literary Work “The Welcome Table” VS “ Country Lovers” “The Racial Conflicts And Discrimination In The Welcome Table And Country Lovers” Katie McWilliams Instructor: Heather Peerboom 10/30/2014 Introduction I chosen to compare and contrast the literary works, “country Lovers” by Nadine Gordimer and “The Welcome Table” by Alice Walker, the theme being race / ethnicity. Theme: “The Racial Conflict and Discrimination In The Welcome Table And Country Lovers.” I want to explore the difference lives’ of these two woman was face with, and the way the narrator made me feel while I was reading the story of two black woman. Two strong black women that face all types of problems life had to offer them. These two stories shows feeling, pain, hate, and disappointments in Country Lovers and The Welcome Table. Both of these women had to struggled with their emotions and all they had to go through. Both stories are told in third person omniscient point of view, you can tell by the way the narrator describe the characters and how they’re feeling in both story. “The Welcome Table,” the old woman had her faith to guide her. To carrier her through the hard times. All she wanted was just to attend church. There is a rascal tension centered on both of these stories, in “Country Lovers” the black woman in this story was a pretty black woman fell in love with someone she grow up with a white man, she had a baby for him...
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...The theme in a story is associated with an idea that lies behind the story. Every story narrows a broad underlying idea, shapes it in a unique way, and makes the underlying idea concrete. That's how theme is created. In other words, the theme in a story is a representation of the idea behind the story. (Clugston, 2010) This paper will compare and contrast the theme of the stories Country Lovers by Nadine Gordimer and The Welcome Table by Alice Walker. The first story which is Country Lovers which is about a boy named Paulus Eysendyck, who is a white farmer’s son, and Thebedi, the black daughter of one of the farm workers. As children, Paulus and Thebedi played together, but when they are teenagers they began a sexual relationship. They have tender feelings for each other, even though their relationship is ultimately doomed. They continue a relationship throughout the years when Paul comes home on visits. Thebedi later marries Njabulo, a kind young black man who has loved her for years. Two months later, Thebedi gives birth to a light-skinned child. Although Thebedi is pregnant when she marries it is not considered scandalous because men in this culture often insist on finding out before marriage if their women are barren. The child’s light skin, however, reveals who the father really is. Although Njabulo knows the baby is not his, he treats the child as his own and buys things that the baby needs. When Paulus comes to visit he learns that Thebedi has married and has a light-skinned...
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...Academic Centre, Australia A Stylistic Analysis of D.H. Lawrence’s ‘Sons and Lovers’ Nozar Niazi English Department, Lorestan University, Khorramabad-Iran E-mail: nozar_2002@yahoo.co.in Received: 04-04-2013 doi:10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.2n.4p.118 Abstract Accepted: 14-05-2013 Published: 01-07-2013 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.2n.4p.118 This paper aims at analyzing D.H. Lawrence’s ‘Sons and Lover’ using a stylistic approach. Stylistics is a study of the amalgamation of form with content. The stylistic analysis of a novel goes beyond the traditional, intuitive interpretation, because it combines intuition and detailed linguistic analysis of the text. The defining elements of modern language are within the text itself, not prescribed from outside. With modernist texts, usually understanding comes from close study of the language system defined within the text itself. Form, technique and style are considered not as a mere vehicle of the content of the story, but an integral part of the work’s meaning and value. In our analysis of ‘Sons and Lovers’ the resources of language: lexis, syntax, phonology, figurative language, cohesion and coherence, are discussed in relation to the style of discourse in order to explore hidden meanings in the text. The resources of language are shown to be an essential part of the meaning of the novel. Key words: stylistics, D.H. Lawrence, Sons and Lovers 1. Preliminaries Literary stylistics refers to the study of style used in...
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