...Themes Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. Justice King Lear is a brutal play, filled with human cruelty and awful, seemingly meaningless disasters. The play’s succession of terrible events raises an obvious question for the characters—namely, whether there is any possibility of justice in the world, or whether the world is fundamentally indifferent or even hostile to humankind. Various characters offer their opinions: “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; / They kill us for their sport,” Gloucester muses, realizing it foolish for humankind to assume that the natural world works in parallel with socially or morally convenient notions of justice (4.1.37–38). Edgar, on the other hand, insists that “the gods are just,” believing that individuals get what they deserve (5.3.169). But, in the end, we are left with only a terrifying uncertainty—although the wicked die, the good die along with them, culminating in the awful image of Lear cradling Cordelia’s body in his arms. There is goodness in the world of the play, but there is also madness and death, and it is difficult to tell which triumphs in the end. Authority versus Chaos King Lear is about political authority as much as it is about family dynamics. Lear is not only a father but also a king, and when he gives away his authority to the unworthy and evil Goneril and Regan, he delivers not only himself and his family but all of Britain into chaos and cruelty. As...
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...times when I was younger laughed and joked, but she said something that sparked my interested. “Symone, I know you don't go to church and that’s your choice, but remember how you use to tell me you prayed every day that you get adopted, and you just had faith that a family would want you. What happen to that?” I didn't have an answer. So I started praying again and having faith, little did I know I had an angel watching over me. A friend of mine introduced me to Tidewater Community College and from there I was able to start school. From school I met two of the most wonderful people, that ever came into my life and they give me a home and a job. I went from being homeless, to now living in home It’s been a long road. I had to deal with betrayal, learn to appreciate, and keep my faith. I...
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...Danielle Little English 3- B 6/7 All The King’s Men Final Essay 15 October 2014 In All The King’s Men, betrayals of characters are prevalent whether being a betrayal of their own values, Jack, or betrayals of another person, Adam and Anne. In Robert Penn Warren creates acts of betrayal to lead Jack to finding not only more about himself, but also truths about the world which ultimately lead him to happiness. In the novel, Jack has a hard time thinking of himself as an individual who can stand on his own, rather he feels that is a worthless and unimportant part of everyone else’s lives. Jack follows the commands that he is given and never acts with the intention of bettering himself. Jack views himself as just a piece of furniture, saying...
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...ENG 102 July 19, 2011 The Count of Monte Cristo is rich with complex themes. Themes of betrayal, revenge, and justice become ever so tangled together after being complicated by Ferdinand’s jealousy of Edmond’s happiness. Social class leads Ferdinand to feel he is entitled to a better, richer, happier life than that of his friend, Edmond, who is just a commoner, thus leading him to betray his best friend whom he grew up with. There are many different themes in The Count of Monte Cristo. Edmond Dantes is betrayed by the other characters in the story making betrayal one of the main themes. Early on Napoleon prey’s on Edmond’s lack of education, and naivety when he convinces Edmond to deliver a letter in which he lies about its contents using Edmond as a pawn. Danglar, the first mate of the ship, becomes embittered and jealous towards Edmond when he is recognized as being a hero for saving their captain and is promoted above him. Danglar then conspires with Mondego and reports Edmond to Villefort for treason. Mondego is being driven by a deeper envy of his friend’s happiness. He is jealous of Edmond’s ability to be happy with the simple lot he has in life. Also he is jealous of the loving relationship that Edmond has with Mercedes. He feels he is entitled to have more happiness along with the wealth and education he already has. So he is driven to betray Edmond his best friend whom he grew up with by giving Danglar the information to turn Edmond in for treason which Danglar is...
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...Leadership and Self Deception Introduction From personal experience, nobody ever wants to hear that they have a problem in any aspect of their life. The truth is painful to hear. I know that I’m very critical of myself and I am able to accept it from myself. By nature, we as individuals aren’t as accepting to listen to someone else tell us that we have a problem or that we are the problem. Sometimes listening to someone tell you that you have a problem can really throw you off your game. In your mind, you are thinking…yeah right, I don’t have a problem, tssk tssk, what are you talking about? Your natural instinct is to disagree and get defensive, maybe your eyes twitch, your heart beats really fast and you break out in a sweat, whatever it is…you likely deny that you have a problem. Philosophers call this self deception, being in the box where you resist any suggestion that there is a problem. Self deception is most common in organizations and is the most damaging. Others looking at you give you a different perspective of yourself. You yourself may never see that there are any issues. When we aren’t recognizing there is a problem, we tend to be blind to the truth. If we are close minded in acknowledging there is a problem, any approach to find a solution will make matters worse. Self deception is so fundamental to leadership because leadership is about making matters better. We undermine our leadership at every aspect if we perceive that we are never the problem...
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...Betrayal poses a particularly captivating conundrum as humanity’s residual instincts and moral compass suggest that such acts go against humanity’s very fiber as a just and interdependent beings.The human species has exhibited the tendency to be fascinated in the darkest aspects of the human psyche, and exhibit a tendency to explore the facets of human behavior that are at odds with one's baser instincts. Such behavior includes the tendency to gravitate towards depictions of tragedy, be they real or fictitious, as they present the darker aspects of human nature without dwelling too far into them oneself. The concept of betrayal is explored in Shakespeare's tragedy Othello: The Moor of Venice, wherein the characters are faced with the consequences...
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...In the near future the narrator will be betrayed by someone in the brotherhood. This would fit in with the recurring theme of betrayal.I think this because every significant event in this book hitherto has led to orr come from someone lying to him specifically, he was betrayed in by the white men when he was trying to get a scholarship and he was betrayed by Dr. Bledsoe when he was trying to keep his position. His betrayal or downfall will come from one of two things, either from the carelessness of his group members or from a secret he will have that will ruin him. I think he will be betrayed by one of his group members. I think one of his group members will lead to his downfall because some of them have shown they too see the narrator...
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...Hamlet trusts only a small number of people. He hides his real personality and opinions from his friends and family. Hamlet, to fool others, often changes his character. He questions the loyalty of his friends and family. In the play, friends and family cannot be trusted. Hamlet does not trust those who are close to him because of the numerous betrayals from his family and friends. Hamlet is unable to trust others due to the fact that his family and friends are willing to betray him. When Hamlet’s mother remarries, he speaks of how he feels he has been betrayed by his mother: “‘By what it fed on, and yet within a month – Let me not think on’t; frailty, thy name is woman! … Would have mourn’d longer, - married with my uncle, My father’s brother, but no more like my father … With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good; But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue!’” (Act I scene II, 145 – 159.) Hamlet feels betrayed by his mom because of her marriage to his uncle, but he cannot voice his opinion to her. Along with his feelings of betrayal, he feels angry about her quick decision to marry again. He links her quick remarriage with her inability to control her sexual desires. He is furious at the fact that his mother prefers instant pleasure over love, and feels that his uncle could never compare to his father. Although all these thoughts are running through his head, he is unable...
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...succeed, they will have a better life. It also shows how the other animals are someone the pigs can trust. Another example is that the pigs taught the other animals how to read and write. This represents that the pigs are helping them become smarter. It symbolizes that the pigs want them to be the best then can. As you can see, the pigs helped and assisted the other animals in the beginning. In the middle of the essay, the pigs started to take advantage and not support the animals. For instance, the pigs didn’t help the other animals when they were executed by Napoleon, and instead believed him. It demonstrates that they don’t know the animals well enough to see that they wouldn’t betray other animals or Animal Farm. It also displays their betrayal; they ignored the 6th Commandment: No animals shall kill any other animal. Another example is that the barley the other animals grew was reserved for the pigs. It signifies that they were going against the animals because one of the commandments was that all animals are equal, but they’re the only ones that have this special privilege. It represents how the pigs don’t care about the other animals anymore because they’re starving and the pigs are eating the food that the other animals grew without contributing any work; they just care about...
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...Kristian Diaz Period 4 January 25, 2016 Cambridge Questions 1. Discuss the theme of betrayal in “Secrets”. Betrayal is seen all throughout the short story. Betrayal is seen in Aunt Mary’s relationship with the nephew, with the love of her life, and God. Aunt Mary believes the nephew betrays her by reading her private letters, but that is much exaggerated because he is only a child. What makes his “betrayal” so bothersome are the secrets in those letters. Aunt Mary felt betrayed by her love because he left her for the priesthood, meaning she also feels betrayed by God. God took her love and took away her chance at happiness, making her lose her connections to God and her faith. 2. To what extent is Aunt Mary the cause of her own problems? Aunt Mary is very reserved and secretive, and it could be her secretiveness that ruined her relationship with her nephew. There was nothing wrong with him reading the letters, but since she has so much to hide, it hurt her and made her exaggerate an issue that cause the ending to a good relationship between the two. 3. In what ways does the exaggeration of the nephew reading the private letters, show that Aunt Mary is still not over her lover? When Aunt Mary calls the nephew dirt, the audience can see that she is not over her lover because this reminder of him seems to irk her and make her angry. She can’t get over the betrayal she felt, so she takes out her anger the nephew and lashes out on him, because she might actually...
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...Have you ever betrayed one of your closest friends? In the Boy In The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne the main character Bruno betrays his best friend Shmuel a small Jewish boy in a concentration comp. A Nazi solider caught Shmuel eating food and when the soldier asked Bruno if he knew the boy, he said no so he wouldn’t be punished. In the process Shmuel got beaten. When faced with negative consequence people will sacrifice others to save themselves. I too have made the wrong decision when faced with negative consequences. When we were having a water gun fight my brother used the garden hose and socked me. To get back at him I turned off the water supplies and put a stick in it so he couldn't use it again. I forgot to take the stick out when...
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...Broken by Betrayal Teenagers today face intense social issues that can have serious effects on a person’s mental and emotional health. Jay Asher in his novel, Thirteen Reasons Why, uses a unique narrative to confront the consequences of these issues, specifically the effects of betrayal. The betrayal of trusted friends and confidants, can dramatically effect an individual’s life. To begin, the continual betrayal Hannah Baker receives from those around her cripples her ability to trust new people and even to trust herself. Hannah reflects on her relationship with Courtney, “I wanted to be wrong about you, Courtney. I did. I wanted you to see it as me picking you up so we could go to a party together. And that is very different from me giving you a lift” (Asher, 101). Courtney betrays Hannah by using her for a ride to a party to maintain her image as the ‘nice, popular’ girl. Another incident of betrayal comes when Zach steals Hannah’s personal messages in Peer Communications class. Hannah says, “It might not seem like a big deal to you, Zach. But now, I hope you understand. My world was collapsing. I needed those notes. I needed any hope those notes might have offered” (Asher, 165). This quote emphasizes Hannah’s suffering at the loss of personal messages that could have provided much needed encouragement and hope. The accumulation of the betrayals that Hannah suffers means that Hannah cannot trust anyone and create meaningful relationships; as a result Hannah committed...
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...Gorilla, My Love Research Paper In the short story “Gorilla, My Love” written by author Toni Cade Bambara our main character, Hazel, lacks trust from the adult figures in her life and experiences betrayal. The biggest betray Hazel witnessed leads to her ultimate disappointment, Hazel soon begins to believe that all adults are deceitful and in fact cannot be trusted and also cannot stand behind their word. Hazel ultimately learns no to believe in everything she is told or hears. Throughout our lifetimes we will all experiences the stages of denial, deceit and disappointment. Our narrator hazel goes through a stage where she feels betrayed and turned against, Hazel feels as if she is promised one thing and in return is given another. For example, the movie theater scene when hazel assumes the movie she paid for will be about a gorilla. Hazel strongly agrees that adults take advantage of kids “Grownups figure they can treat you just anyhow, which burns me up” (Cade-Bambara). Hazel is certain that adults do in fact take advantage of kids and are dishonest any chance they can get. Hazel is told by her father “My word is my bond” which confuses hazel because she is not too sure what to believe she thinks that adults use that as an excuse for kids to believe them but there actions are totally opposite from the promise that was given to her. Hazel takes everything she is told seriously she does not joke around and hope that everyone around her is as honorable to her as she is to...
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...Betrayal in Flowering Judas Judas Iscariot, the disciple, hanged himself from a tree after betraying Jesus and giving him a kiss. The tree in which he hung from is known as the “Judas Tree.” In the short story, “Flowering Judas,” written by Katherine Anne Porter, the title is related to this religious event of betrayal, murder, and denial in history. The two main characters in the story are Braggioni and Laura. Braggioni is a cruel, powerful leader of revolutionaries in and around Mexico City. Laura is a young 22-year-old woman from America, taking up residence in Mexico. The most known theme in this short story is betrayal. All of the characters in the piece are guilty of betrayal, but Laura seems to struggle most. Laura is a young woman living in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. A beautiful, but reserved young woman, I feel as if she is somewhat cold. Her tasks include running messages for the revolution and taking drugs to political prisoners. This story is a catalogue of Laura’s thoughts during this time. She is being courted by Braggioni, a leader of the revolution, with a wife whom he is treated poorly by. Every evening he comes to Laura’s house to sing to her. Afraid of what he might do, Laura keeps it to herself that his actions and even his appearance irk her to her very core. The first paragraph of the story sets up the tension that is developed in the remainder of the story. It contrasts Laura’s dedication and Braggioni’s exploitation. It is important to...
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...Brad Frederick Dr. Easterday Literature 210 28 July 2012 The devastating and negative human nature of King Lear In many of Shakespeare's plays, human nature and emotion, specifically of the negative type, are the major contributing factors to the lead character's downfall. In many cases, those qualities cause the downfall of many other character's as well, whether due to their own behavior, or the behavior of other characters. In the play King Lear, negative human behaviors, such as vanity, dishonesty, and a severe lack of loyalty all lead to the demise or downfall of nearly every character in the play. In King Lear, the recurring themes of betrayal and vanity are central parts of the work, used to connect characters and events. The theme of betrayal proves to be very significant in the sense that it ultimately conveys a lesson that those who stay true to their loved ones have the potential to live happily and those who betray will suffer a fate of demise. Shakespeare also uses these lessons in the play as a reflection of the morals of the time period, and the morals of humanity in general. Early in the play, Gloucester is tricked into believing that his legitimate son, Edgar, is slowly plotting to take over his throne by Edmund. In reality, this is all part of Edmund's plot to gain the throne that he believes belongs to him. He perpetuates this by convincing Edgar that his father was furious with him and to keep out of his way. While he thinks he is doing justice...
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