...American Literature Journal Writing Tabish Jaleel Shaikh March 10(Saul Bellow- Seize the Day) Seize the Day was a comparatively easy read, and seemed like a very real life depiction of American life, from the eyes of the two generations, Tommy Wilhelm and his father, Dr. Adler. Comparing it to one of the first novels I read in this course, Death of a Salesman, I realize that Seize the Day also has the theme of the broken myth of the American dream embedded in the story. Also the title of the novel struck me at first, but I could not remember where I had read or come across this phrase before. Upon searching online, I remembered that it has its origin in one of the poems of a Latin Poet Horace, the word being “Carpe diem” in Latin. I remembered that I had read this back in high school, the stanza of the poem was: While we speak, envious time will have {already} fled Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future. It’s interesting how just a small phrase can carry so much meaning. Saul Bellow has very effectively depicted the philosophy of carpe diem by narrating a real life scenario of war stricken America where maximizing the utility of time is the very important. Although the theme of alienation and isolation is prevalent throughout the book through Tommy’s life events, Saul could not make me feel sympathetic towards Tommy. Tommy’s inability to judge himself, and be self-aware of his strengths and weaknesses causes his downfall. He is always...
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...University of Tennessee, Knoxville Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 5-2010 Bharati Mukherjee and the American Immigrant: Reimaging the Nation in a Global Context Leah Rang University of Tennessee - Knoxville, lrang@utk.edu Recommended Citation Rang, Leah, "Bharati Mukherjee and the American Immigrant: Reimaging the Nation in a Global Context. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2010. http://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/655 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact trace@utk.edu. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Leah Rang entitled "Bharati Mukherjee and the American Immigrant: Reimaging the Nation in a Global Context." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, with a major in English. Urmila Seshagiri, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Lisi Schoenbach, Bill Hardwig Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official student records.) To the Graduate Council:...
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