...Written texts often have the ability to remove a reader to a different world and escape their own reality. Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaids Tale presents the reader with specific ideas to present a dystopia in which the reader can migrate to. Atwood communicates multiple ideas to the reader, which cause recurring thought and a need to prevent our world from becoming one like Gilead. Atwood communicates the objectification of women as well as the power of language use. Atwood also employs the effect a loss of identity has on a person. Finally, Atwood conveys ideas of each gender having a certain role and being required to live up to this goal. These ideas have been successfully communicated through use of common written conventions such...
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...This we read the article Popular and Official Responses to 9/11 in Germany and The United States written by scholar Peter Knight. The article critically analyzes the conspiracy theories that emerged in American society years after the tragic events of 9/11. Knight’s main assertion through out the article, is that 9/11 conspiracy theories have more in common with the official reports of the events of 9/11 than many people would assume. He does this my showing comparing and contrasting the two accounts, highlighting the similarities in their narratives. Firstly, the author supports his claim by showing how they both reinforce an essentialist framework of thinking. Firstly, there was a rejection of any blame or accountability, as president Bush...
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...Lower East Side Memories : A Jewish Place in America By HASIA R. DINER The Lower East Side and American Jewish Memory I'm Jewish because love my family matzoh ball soup. I'm Jewish because my fathers mothers uncles grandmothers said "Jewish," all the way back to Vitebsk & Kaminetz-Podolska via Lvov. Jewish because reading Dostoyevsky at 13 I write poems at restaurant tables Lower East Side, perfect delicatessen intellectual. —Allen Ginsberg, "Yiddishe Kopf" The poet Allen Ginsberg, born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, returned in his later years to a narrative style of expression, shifting gears from the anger and fire of his early career. In this poem from 1991 he also touched down again, after a long hiatus spent exploring Buddhism and Eastern philosophy, upon some Jewish themes, as a way of remembering the world of his youth. He described that world in one poem, "Yiddishe Kopf," literally, a Jewish head, but more broadly, a highly distinctive Jewish way of thinking, based on insight, cleverness, and finesse. That world for him stood upon two zones of remembrance. The world of eastern Europe, of Vitebsk, Lvov, and Kamenets-Podolski gave him one anchor for his Jewishness. Thai space of memory gave him a focus for continuity and inherited identity, tied down by the weight of the past, by family in particular. The other, the Lower East Side, nurtured and...
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...Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”. For Bob Dylan” presents a compelling narrative exploring the nuances of teenage rebellion, vulnerability, and the predatory behavior exhibited or displayed by specific individuals. The main character, Connie, is portrayed as a typical teenager, yearning for independence and lost in her daydreams. However, her innocence stands clearly opposed by the menacing presence of Arnold Friend, who symbolizes the veiled dangers of the world beyond. By highlighting the contradictions in Connie’s thoughts, her longing for freedom, and her unease regarding the unknown, Oates underscores the vulnerability of youth and the predatory nature of those who prey upon it. The story’s setting is pivotal...
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...Jefferson attempted to legalize the manumission of slaves also in 1769. A slave in Virginia was not a legal person because to kill a slave during correction was not a committed crime. Also, while the penalty for slaves who attempted to ravish a white woman was castrated or lynched, the only requirements of the white witness effectively legalized the rape of black women, children, and men by white men. Freedom would have provided no protection against any form of assault pertaining to an...
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...sympathetically but in living with Lamia he is indulging in "sweet sin." Since he is a high-minded Platonist when first introduced into the story, his love for Lamia is indulging a weakness. When Lycius and Lamia meet Apollonius, Lycius' mentor, while walking through Corinth, Lycius is at pains to avoid being recognized by him. Context: The subject of Lamia is consuming love such as Keats himself was experiencing when he wrote the poem. His letters to Fanny Brawne indicate that he was obsessed by her beauty — and, at the same time, fearful for his freedom. He realized, however, that desire must be curbed by restraint, that love must harmonize with, and be a part of life, rather than dominate and control it. Lamia, therefore, can be regarded as a warning against the all-absorbing nature of illusory, passionate love and a recognition of the claims of reason. Lamia does not have much in the way of crisis and climax his narrative technique is superior, Lamia-as-snake is as beautiful as Lamia-as-woman: She was a gordian shape of dazzling hue, Vermilion-spotted, golden, green, and blue; Striped like a zebra, freckled like a pard, Eyed like a peacock, and all crimson barr'd; And full of silver moons, that, as she breathed, Dissolv'd or brighter shone, or interwreathed Their lustres with the gloomier tapestries. (I, 47-53) Keats devotes many lines of description to the banquet hall in the palace of Lamia and Lycius in order to emphasize their tragedy, for it was there...
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...increasing secular but forming new religions through choice and diversity. However, Voas and Crockett reject the claims Davie puts forward, explaining that if her thesis was to be true the British Social Attitudes survey from 1983 to 200 would show that belief in God is increasing, although it shows that not only is church attendance declining but also peoples belief in God. If Davie were right with new religions forming the surveys would've shown higher levels of belief. Bruce also interjects the view that if those who are religious are not willing to invest time into attending church, this must reflect the declining strength of their beliefs, thus the secularisation thesis must be somewhat accurate. Hervieu-Léger supports the theme of personal choice and believing without belonging. She believes that there has been a significant decline in institutional religion in Europe, with less people attending church in most countries. She says ‘cultural amnesia’ is partly to blame for this. Children used...
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...Women’s Midlife Crisis A midlife crisis is defined as personal turmoil and coping challenges in people age 39 through 50 brought on by fear and anxieties about growing older, (Lang, 2001). It is associated with the feelings of impending mortality and death. We hear the term used constantly in reference to men, my focus is how does this affect women. In women we hear menopause as our “midlife crisis”. Menopause has been studied but it’s research is based on the physical changes women’s bodies go through. There is limited research on what our emotional state is during our midlife. That being said, I was wondering besides the hormonal changes and the symptoms of those changes what do women endure emotionally when they are faced with the same aspects of knowing their passed the midpoint. We also must evaluate if we have made our mark on the world and if we have accomplished what we feel we wanted to. So I decided I would like to find out if there are any steps that can be taken to ensure our emotional wellbeing. I know the “empty nest syndrome” is a major factor for many women. I am just starting the realization that my kids are grown and have their own lives to live. They have been my center, what I define my life by. Now I have to move on and accept they still need me but at a much different level. I must find another concentration in life, and I need to make it about me and what I want for me. So my quest is to find out if the rest of my life can be as fulfilling as the...
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...Paul DeWitt Comp. II N92 19 November 2013 Dr. Bates “. . . the damnedest bunch of coons they’d ever seen. All testimony to the results of a little so-called freedom imposed on people who needed every care and guidance in the world to keep them from the cannibal life they preferred.” —Toni Morrison The Beloved White Outlook of Slavery Toni Morrison's highly critically acclaimed novel, Beloved, intensely scrutinizes the uttermost excruciating moment of the African American heritage, slavery. By way of what Morrison has called “rememory”, the act of deliberately reconstructing what has been forgotten; in this case slavery is the forgotten memory of the African American culture (Gillespie 23). The novel takes place after the Civil War and emancipation, during the period of national history known as Reconstruction. Throughout the novel Morrison gives a strong sense of white dominance with the purpose of exploiting the roots of the Africa American culture to the reader. As well as exploring the effects of slavery on individual characters, individual black families, and the black community as a whole. Beloved documents both slavery's horrifying destruction and survival of the African American people and their culture (Kubitschek 116-7). In Beloved, Morrison develops the story line behind one of the main characters Sethe; a run away slave, a proud and independent woman, and a extremely devoted mother to her children. Though Sethe herself never truly...
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...Living with the past? Should we forget or remember? A dilemma - to remember or to forget? To perhaps gain "closure" from some past physical or emotional trauma by confronting it or by letting it go? Which between "remembering" or "forgetting" creates more private or social well-being? Or is there a third option? Forgiving - and is this even considered? Which provides "health"? What is "health" - freedom from trauma, management of pain? Can a "country" be seen as suffering "ill health"? Can a nation be diagnosed "healthy" or in "ill-health"? Does a "collective memory" embody collective guilt or collective innocence or collective amnesia? Funder's “Stasiland” provides a relatively balanced but personalised analysis of the rise and then demise of East Germany after 1945 and from Communist occupation to re-unification and democracy. Most potently, Funder "records" the personal testimonies (memories) of how both the victims and perpetrators she interviews were affected by such sweeping changes. As a journalist, while she may bias our interpretation towards the victims of the "Stasi" she does not glibly provide simple answers, but she does perhaps re-emphasise both the dangers of forgetting and the dread of remembering the past – the tyranny and fascism of Nazi Germany and the East German totalitarian regime which supplanted it - "to remember or forget— which is healthier? To demolish or fence it off? To dig it up or leave it in the ground?” Chapter 5: The Linoleum Palace: Funder...
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...Throughout Song of Solomon, readers are treated to a vast array of experiences, which reflect Toni Morrison’s themes of bearing witness to the disturbed past of black people, exploring divisions within a family that has lived through that past, and chronicling personal quests to reconstruct splintered identity at the personal, family and community levels. To create the conscious experience that brings so much of Morrison’s work to life, she imbues Song of Solomon not only with vibrant, directly encountered realism, but also magical themes and experiences. Magical Realism—in essence—is a way of telling a story with two sides. One based on a so-called rational view of reality and the other on the acceptance of the supernatural as everyday reality. Song of Solomon features many instances of the image of flight as it plays a major role in the narrative. Flight signifies true life and the living of it, as well as a sense of freedom and release for the main characters in the book. Of all the characters in the novel, one seems the most affected and that persona is Milkman—someone whom embarks on a journey of self-discovery and discovers the true meaning of flight. Milkman experiences flight in many different ways—through song, imagery and literal experiences. The onus is on us, the reader, to distinguish what is “real” and what is pure mysticism. The first instance of Morrison's use of the image of flight is at the very beginning of the book. "At 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday the 18th...
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...claiming that "what a person does not know may well be bad for the person", such as in the experience of unknown betrayal of a friend and vicious rumors. Thus one can be the subject of misfortune even if one does not survive one's death. However, I would argue that Nagel still fails to defeat Epicurus' basic proposition--as Rosenbaum has rebutted against, Nagel’s rationale has exemplified that what one does not consciously experience can hurt one (when one exists after being harmed and is capable to experience the loss at some point of time), but ignore that death is nonexistence, something that one cannot experience (221). Another perspective against the Epicureans would be Stoyles' concept of momentary vs. narrative well-being. Stoyles distinguishes between the two types of well-being, arguing that Epicurus is right on that death does not affect a person's momentary well-being due to the lack of subjective experience, but neglects that death can affect the narrative value of one's life, as "it renders certain efforts and events in our lives insignificant" (19). I would argue that such view puts an emphasis on achievement and judgement from others, which undermines the Epicurean goal of ataraxia. No matter how long we live, we will always have projects incomplete and interests to pursue. For Epicurus, those activities are just variations of kinetic pleasures subordinating the pursue of ataraxia--the only goal that matters for a good life. Therefore, I shall conclude that the...
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...Oblomov raised the question of whether the old elite could adapt to the rest of the world or if it would fail to implement a successful reform. During the mid nineteenth century, the implications of Russia losing the Crimean War were that Russia lacks mobility and technology. The loss of the war was a great shock to the system. It also was a window for the rest of the European powers to look and see how Russia’s influence was losing traction. At the time the disillusioned Tsar, Nicholas I, believed that “Russia’s greatness was founded on its Military forces”.1 After losing the Crimean War, it became obvious to Russia, and the rest of the world, that in order for Russia to keep growing and maintaining power, reform had to occur. After Nicholas I came Alexander II’s reign. Alexander II looked for change in Russia, and his first plan was to liberate the serfs. Peasants in Russia have always been the majority of the population. Getting rid of serfdom was seen as a call for revolution from above. There were many unanswered questions in the preliminary years of Alexander II’s reign, and Oblomov was David G. Rowley, Exploring Russia’s Past: Narrative, Sources, Images: Volume I to 1865 (Upper Saddle, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2006) 222. 1 Winkley 2 one response...
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...violence withholds freedom from happiness for women, constraints upon the expression and vocations of young women also affect their ability to actualize their potential quality of life. That is, the strains of gendered expectations are injurious to the mental welfare of women. In the past, the psychiatric community has unethically––and yet perhaps unconsciously––used mental diagnoses to prune women into their gender roles and punish deviation from the norm, again referencing the historically sexist conventions of psychology [Source B]. The Journal of Mental Health Counseling continues to attest that “girls who defy gender roles are more often rejected by peers and have a higher risk for experiencing significant psychological...
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...comedy and stark tragedy, Woolf examines such themes as family, culture, and the individual in this remarkable portrait of modern life. Its unique and lyrical style, which has garnered the novel praise since its first publication, adds an artistic dimension to this surprisingly current novel. Indeed,The Voyage Out is a beautiful and telling work about self and society that rings as true today as in 1915. 1919, Night and Day [pic] [pic] Originally published in 1919, Night and Day contrasts the daily lives of four major characters while examining the relationships between love, marriage, happiness, and success. Like Virginia Woolf's first novel The Voyage Out, Night and Day is a more traditional narrative than her later novels. Unlike her first novel, however, Night and Day relies much more on its characters' internal struggles to push the its plot forward. What results is a character study of a very quiet group of people who are actually in the throes of deep anxiety and indecision. 1922, Jacob’s Room [pic] Who is Jacob Flanders? In Virginia Woolf’s 1922 novel, Jacob’s Room, we follow the life of a promising...
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