...In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. “Everyday Use” by Alice walker and “Mothers pieced Quilt” Teresa Palomo Acosta have a symbol that has a large meaning. The symbol in both of these is a Quilt. This symbol represents heritage and memories. The titles of these two stories don’t relate to the symbols but relate to the story. The title of “Everyday Use” is from some conflict that is in the story on how it should be used and how often. For “My Mother's pieced Quilt” it is straightforward. It is about a Quilt that was pieced together by the narrator's mother. In “Everyday Use” there is a character which is the youngest daughter, Dee who is the first to be educated in the family. This makes her feel inferior to her family and so she tries to take advantage of them. The Mother and oldest daughter do not stand for it for long. For “My Mother’s pieced Quilt” the narrator or other is really the only character. The narrator or author is describing a quilt and the memories that lay within it. In larger detail “Everyday Use” is a story about a mother and her two daughters. One of the daughters, the youngest,Dee is coming to visit the Mother and older daughter, Maggie. The mother,Mrs. Johnson, and...
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...Everyday Use To an acquaintance or a family friend an ugly baby is just an ugly baby, but to the parents that baby is the most beautiful child in the entire world. The amount of unconditional love for them clouds their judgment and allows them to see a person that may not actually be there. Mama in the story Everyday use is no exception. But at some point in life, depending on how ugly that child is, the fog will dissipate and the reality of who your child really is will show its ugly face. The evolution of the mother daughter relationship between Mama and Dee is one many go through, its Mamas journey of coming to reality. As Mama anticipates Dees arrival she paints her as someone whose “made it”. Mama dreams about reuniting with her daughter on a TV show, embracing each other and being overwhelmed with joy. In the dream mamas the way “her daughter would want her to be, a hundred pounds lighter” with a “quick and witty tongue”. She says, however, that even before she wakes up she knows it could never be true, that no Johnson was ever known to have a quick tongue. It shows that Mama believes her daughter is so much better than her that even her subconscious is trying to make her into the woman her daughter could be proud of. She describes her daughter as someone who wants the finer things in life, a concept Mama could never understand. She described when their house burnt down and Dee just sat watching happy that the shack was gone and while Dees happiness towards the situation...
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...Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date Formalism The formalist movement heralded by the Russian Formalist movement and supported by the American New Criticism signaled the beginning of a new era in literary criticism (Rivkin and Ryan 1). Prior to the movement, literature was studied in a manner that was concerned with everything but the language used. However, the formalist movement chose to deviate from the norm. Formalism is concerned with the language used in literature only; the form of the literary piece (Rivkin and Ryan 1). For the formalists, literature is not perceived as a window to the world, but rather as something with specifically literary characteristics. Formalists did not agree with the conventional perceptions that were used to mark a piece of literature as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ (Purdue University). Formalism asserts that each work of literature has particular intrinsic features in the text and specifically looks at these literary qualities in the text. Prior to the formalist movement, literature has studied a means of gaining understanding about the world. Literature was studied in its historical context, philosophical and social implications of literature were considered in the study of literature. However, formalism abandons all these notions and looks at literature independent of the historical and social context but as an independent body of work. The main point of formalism is to put each work in its unique place, free from attachment or comparison to its...
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...describe anything from creative writing to more technical or scientific works, but the term is most commonly used to refer to works of the creative imagination, including works of poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction. Generally, most people have their own ideas of what literature is. When enrolling in a literary course at university, you expect that everything on the reading list will be “literature”. Similarly, you might expect everything by a known author to be literature, even though the quality of that author's work may vary from publication to publication. Perhaps you get an idea just from looking at the cover design on a book whether it is “literary” or “pulp”. Literature then, is a form of demarcation, however fuzzy, based on the premise that all texts are not created equal. Some have or are given more value than others. Most forays into the question of “what is literature” go into how literature works with the reader, rather than how the author set about writing it. It is the reception, rather than the writing, which is the object of enquiry. Largely, what we call “literature” is often a subjective value judgment, and naturally, value judgments, like literary tastes, will change. Etymologically, literature has to do with letters, the written as opposed to the spoken word, though not everything that is written down is literature. As a classification, it doesn't really have any firm boundary lines. The poet Shelley wanted to include some legislative statutes of...
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...|[pic] |Syllabus | | |College of Humanities | | |ENG/125 Version 3 | | |Literature in Society | Copyright © 2010, 2008, 2006 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course introduces themes in literature and provides guided study and practice in reflecting on themes which describe the human experience across cultural and societal boundaries. The course includes readings from literature in different genres and cultures. Students study the literature in thematic units and are asked to make connections to their own lives and cultures. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: • University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. • Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies...
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...Imagining Walter Mitty’s Secret Life Jessica Lehmkuhl October 28, 2013 Imagining Walter Mitty’s Secret Life Author of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, James Thurber really expresses his own imagination in this literary work. According to Clungston (2010), Thurber spent his life writing, he wrote for the, Columbus Dispatch, New York Evening Post, New Yorker, and a newsmagazine. Thurber was known for his cartoons, drawings, and farce works during his time writing for the New Yorker. During my literary analyses of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, I found myself asking many questions. The only question I asked myself about author James Thurber, in regards to this particular literary piece, was, whether he is reflecting on previous articles he has written over the years and expressing them through the day dreams of Walter Mitty. In my reflective analysis of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” I am going to use the formalist approach, concentrating on the development of this particular work of literature. I plan to share the questions I ask myself as I was reading and how this piece of literature stood out to me. When I began reading the first paragraph of this literary satire I assumed it was going to be a war story. So you can imagine my surprise come the end of the paragraph. By the beginning of the third paragraph Thurber had my full attention and imagination. As I was reading I began to ask my self questions about Walter Mitty and a few other characters. I first ask...
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...In her short story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker depicts opposing ideas about one's heritage. Through the eyes of two daughters, Dee and Maggie, who have chosen to live their lives in a very contrasting manner. Walker utilizes symbolism to highlight the dispute between two different points of view of, or approaches to, the African-American culture, showing that culture and heritage are parts of daily life. Through the use of symbolism, there are three of which I will refer to, one being the quilts, the tangible objects of the family heirloom, the yard, which she emphasis on and its physical characteristics, and then there’s the name changing, when Dee changed her name to a traditional African name, Wangero. The quilts were the most compelling symbol in the story. They signified pieces of living history, documents in fabric that chronicle the lives of the many generations and the struggles, such as war and poverty, which they faced. The quilts served as a testament to the family’s history of pride and trials. With the drawbacks that poverty and lack of education placed on her life, Mama sees her personal history as one of her few treasures. Her house embraces the handicrafts of her extended family. Instead of acquiring a financial inheritance from her ancestors, Mama has been given the quilts. For her, these objects have a sentimental value that Dee, despite claiming her desire to care for and preserve the quilts, is unable to fathom. Mama’s yard represents a private space free...
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...The Analysis of the Problems in Understanding Figurative Language in Poetry as Perceived by Third Year Students of Child Jesus of Prague School for the School Year 2010-2011 Chapter 1 The Problem and its Background Introduction Language is a vital part of our everyday life and communication that are spoken by the human today and its natural human necessity. The word “language” has two meanings, language as general concept and language as a linguistic system. It is also traditionally signs, ideas and meanings of our heart and minds. But then, language cannot be fully expressed without even using figurative language Whenever someone used figurative language, he describes something by comparing it to another. In order to be successful in literary studies at any level, and for that matter, to be considered a good writer himself, at least a basic understanding of figurative language is absolutely essential. This series will explore the basic types of figurative language that you are likely to encounter in high school and early university settings; without knowledge of these, getting good grades is not a likely outcome, and succeeding in upper level literature courses will simply not happen. Although many teachers and professors do underline the importance of various kinds of figurative language, not many take the time to define it and explain its importance as a whole. Figurative language can most efficiently and simply be seen as a way of writing and speaking...
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...moral. » Dans quelle mesure peut-on dire que Les Choses constitue une condamnation morale de la société de consommation? For Georges Perec, this question warrants the response – ‘People who think I have denounced consumer society have understood absolutely nothing about my book’ (Bellos: 1965). It is not as easy however for the everyday reader to fully comprehend the true purpose behind Les Choses. At a glance, one might define the book as a sociological approach in criticising the impact consumerism has had on society. Much to Perec’s disappointment, this consensus became apparent when he won the Renaudot prize for Les Choses in 1965, and many considered it to be a “brilliant exposition of sociological theories…rather than a literary work” (Sheringham 2006: 251). It is the ambiguous nature of Perec’s work in accord with the heavy use of rhetoric along with other literary weapons that is central to understanding the genius behind the man. Once one analyses the subtlety of Les Choses it quickly becomes apparent that the intention is to pose more questions than give straightforward answers. In this essay I will take each aspect of these various literary techniques into account, before formulating a conclusion on the extent to which Perec morally condemns a 1960’s French society seemingly obsessed with consumption. I start with a brief outline of the story in Les Choses. The book centres on the journey through life of the two main characters Jérôme and Sylvie, and their futile...
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...because i want to get onto this site.. lol Orwell Essay Draft The highly political and literary worlds constructed from the writer George Orwell has allowed audiences to see glimpses of themselves among these worlds, as well as provoking acts of analysis and reflection within themselves, decades after these worlds and opinions were initially established. The ongoing relevance of Orwell is due to an inspiring recipe of writing greatness. Orwell’s authentic craftsmanship, directness of expression, straightforward-simple style, methodical structure, pure honesty and most importantly textual integrity, marries together with his abilities to use his context and experiences as evidence for his ideas and argument. Essentially, it is Orwell’s universal and highly relatable ideas that allow his audiences to reflect upon Orwell’s arguments, amongst their own personal contexts for decades upon decades. These ideas constructed from the literary, political and nationalistic worlds, are derived from Orwell’s famous essays, Writers and Leviathan (W&L), Why I Write (WIW), Politics and the English Language (PATEL), Notes on Nationalism (NoN) and Sporting Spirit (SS), which are still studies and read worldwide today. Through Orwell’s essays Writers and Leviathan, Why I Write, and Politics and the English Language, Orwell has been able to establish a literary world for his audience to reflect their literary views and opinions upon. Writers and Leviathan, was a response from Orwell’s political...
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...Page 1 I chose the short story of from The Gospel of Luke- Story of a Lost Son. This captured my attention because it is a religious story from the bible. This story represents a certain Tone (The mood or attitude reflected in a literary work; it is important in identifying how the author approaches a subject and conveys it to readers. (Clugston, 2010)) of moral theme. Throughout the story we see examples of jealousy, envy, regret, forgiveness and a father’s undying love. I will use the Formalist approach for my analysis of this story. The formalist approach is most widely used in literary criticism; it focuses on the form and development of the literary work itself. (Clugston, 2010) What makes the setting so memorable? A setting was not explained in the Story of a Lost Son. However, it does mention after the youngest son left for distant country. This indicates a setting before technology and large buildings. The story also states there was a bad famine after the youngest son left home. This tells me there was a lack of food and shelter. Why was the plot intriguing? Did surprise occur? A surprise occurred when the father had a positive reaction to his youngest son coming home. The son thought his father would have him become a servant due to the sinful nature he had shown to his father and to God. However, the father was happy to see his son and rejoiced, having his servants bring his son clean clothes and preparing a feast. Page 2 A second surprise occurred...
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...Gen 1:1-2:4a World Behind the text Historical and Cultural Context Genesis illustrates the way Biblical writers J (Yahwist), E (Elohist) and P (Priestly) drew upon the cultural and religious legacy of the Ancient Near East (ANE) along with its stories and imagery and transformed it to conform to a new vision of a non-mythological God and a monotheistic, superior religion. “The Pentateuch developed against the background of the Ancient Near Eastern culture first cultivated in and spread by Sumerian, Assyrian, and Babylonian empires”. This exemplifies how Israelite religion, was “shaped by responses to and reactions against this culture due both to contacts with neighboring Canaanites and to conflicts with Assyrian and Babylonian empires”. Genesis 1:1-2:4a can therefore be said to reflect the “Babylonian account of creation, which we call Enuma Elish…known from at least 1700 BCE,” “predating the earliest text of Genesis by at least a millennium.” In both Genesis and the ancient Babylonian myth, water is divided into upper and lower waters. The Enuma Elish is recorded on seven tablets and the Genesis account is completed in seven days. The Babylonians created humans to serve as slaves yet in Genesis God creates humans in the likeness of the divine. The Priestly source penned the creation story with the intent of being a “monumental historiographic composition…with the purpose of portraying both the beginnings of mankind and Israel in the spirit of a monotheistic concept...
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...Lecture Plan # 1 Stylistics as a Branch of General Linguistics Литература 1. Гальперин И.Р. Стилистика английского языка. Учебник. - 3-е изд. М: Высшая школа, 1981. - 334 стр. 2. Арнольд И.В. Стилистика современного английского языка (стилистика декодирования). Л., "Просвещение", 1981. 295 стр. 3. Кухаренко В.А. Seminars in Style. M., 1971. 4. Скребнев Ю.М. Основы стилистики английского языка. М. «Высшая школа», 1994. Stylistics can be defined as a branch of modern linguistics devoted to the detailed analysis of literary style, or of the linguistic choices made by speakers and writers in non-literary contexts. (Chris Baldick Oxford Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms, 1996) According to I.R. Galperin, stylistics is a branch of general linguistics, which deals with the investigation of two independent tasks: 1. Stylistics studies the special media of language which are called stylistic devices and expressive means. Expressive means and stylistic devices form three large groups of phonetic, lexical, syntactical means and devices. Each group is further subdivided according to the principle, purpose and function of a mean or a device in an utterance. 2. Stylistics studies the types of texts which are distinguished by the pragmatic aspect of the communication and are called functional styles of language. Expressive means of a language are those phonetic, morphological, word-building, lexical, phraseological...
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...The Analysis of the Problems in Understanding Figurative Language in Poetry Chapter 1 The Problem and its Background Introduction Language is a vital part of our everyday life and communication that are spoken by the human today and its natural human necessity. The word “language” has two meanings, language as general concept and language as a linguistic system. It is also traditionally signs, ideas and meanings of our heart and minds. But then, language cannot be fully expressed without even using figurative language Whenever someone used figurative language, he describes something by comparing it to another. In order to be successful in literary studies at any level, and for that matter, to be considered a good writer himself, at least a basic understanding of figurative language is absolutely essential. This series will explore the basic types of figurative language that you are likely to encounter in high school and early university settings; without knowledge of these, getting good grades is not a likely outcome, and succeeding in upper level literature courses will simply not happen. Although many teachers and professors do underline the importance of various kinds of figurative language, not many take the time to define it and explain its importance as a whole. Figurative language can most efficiently and simply be seen as a way of writing and speaking that goes beyond or even against the denotation of given words, and begins to explore their connotations. Denotation...
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...March 14, 2014 Intro to Poetry 116w The Role of Race in Determining the Canonicity of Phillis Wheatley’s Works Over the years, the types of literary works considered to be part of the cannon have varied greatly but the criterion for selecting a canonical work seems to have stayed the same. According to American literary critic Northrop Frye, the canonicity of a work represents the admission of the work unto a “unified scheme” that is also “in accord with a permanent structure of ideas” (Hilton, 140). While poet Phillis Wheatley certainly focused upon the “permanent structure of ideas” that is most significant in our society- religion, freedom, integrity- she was fairly unsuccessful at achieving a canonical status for most if not all of her works. Wheatley’s achievements were undoubtedly impressive, yet much attention was paid to her race rather than her talent. While a canonical work by definition creates a powerful literary legacy, after her initial fame Phillis Wheatley was “no longer a revelation, unable to successfully commodify herself again, she died penniless and forgotten” (Flanzbaum, 79). Much of the controversy surrounding Wheatley’s work was brought on by accusations made by critics that she held a misguided racial identity, in which she identifies more with her white, privileged readers than her black peers. Even decades later, many critics of Wheatley’s work are still unable to see past skin color to see her work for what it truly is. It cannot be said for certain...
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