...many literary terms within the story. No story, book, essay, or short story can be written without literary terms. This book uses irony, tone, symbolism, and theme. Each one is explained differently and put in so that the readers could have different perspectives. This allows readers to understand a certain book better. Theme, tone, irony, and symbolism all have different meanings to the each reader. Theme is a central meaning or dominant idea in a literary work. It provides a unifying point around which the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, and other elements of work. Zora Neale Hurston writes the theme in many different ways. The one that stands out to me...
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...short story illustrates the effectiveness of the plot, particularly one that has a surprise ending such as, “The Gift of the Magi”. In this story of Jim and Della, they are approaching Christmas and have very little money to spend on one another. They each want to surprise the other one with a marvelous gift for Christmas but they have little money and Della only has $1.87. Della ends up cutting her hair for the money while Jim sells his cherished watch. Through selfless acts done for love, they each end up giving one another a Christmas gift they will always remember and cherish. It didn’t matter to either of them what they had to do in order to provide the gift. The theme was portrayed by the literary elements within the story. Plot, point of view and symbolism are just a few of the literary elements which helped developed the theme of the story. The story I read and critiqued was, “The gift of the Magi”. In order to find the theme of this short story, I had to look beyond the plot, which tells the reader what happened in the story (Clugston, 2010, section 5.5). The theme of this story I believe would be “selfless love”. Other readers, who read the same short story as I did, might have an entirely different theme. This is actually to be expected and is even common. This is because every reader has a different relationship to literature due to each individual’s different experience throughout life. The theme of selfless love, I chose due to I feel like the writer chose selfless...
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... How did it get there and can it be saved? These questions that are shaped in the readers mind is indicative of a short story that uses not only imagery but symbols to tell a story. The picture you have formed in your head of the small, sad little girl and her beloved dog is an example of symbolism of the journey. While literally the dog is dead this may also be a symbolism of a girl losing the only thing in her little life that she trusted in a world that has abandoned her like the empty road she finds herself on. The symbolism of the journey and how two authors used this theme is the topic of this paper. Thesis While both Jean Rhys “Used to Live Here Once” and Eudora Weltly, in “A Worn Path” use symbolism and exposition one story is also about death and the other is about helping her grandchild’s life, yet many of the words used in “A Worn Path” as indicative of death. Each story uses symbolism of the journey. Both stories also include an omniscient point of view and using imagery, which doubles as symbolism. Also using motif the narrators guide us through their stories also bringing a racism theme. Both authors Rhys and Weltly take us on journeys through the stories told. Symbolism and Motif in Rhys, “Used to Live Here Once”...
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...Symbolism of the Journey Michelle Van Dyke ENG 125 Introductions to Literature Professor Alicia Giffin April 25, 2012 In reading there is always a story to be found within the words written, whether it is in the form of a poem or a short story. “Reading creates imaginary experiences. It connects you to new experiences that become meaningful when you allow them to influence your thoughts and feelings’ (Clugston, 2010, Ch. 1). The writers are able to capture our imagination with the use of characterization, setting, theme and tone throughout their literary works. It is by imagination that we are able to mentally visualize what the author would like us to drawing us into the piece and then allowing us to grasp it by use of symbolism or a descriptive word. How many times have you had a path to choose in life? Have you ever taken a journey? We have all found ourselves on a journey of some kind or another alone, but what is more important is how we choose to end it! In my essay I will compare and contrast the literary works “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1916) and “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty (1941). At the conclusion of this essay I believe you will see we all have journeys in life although similar not always the same. In the poem “The Road Not Taken” (Frost, 1916) or the short story “A Worn Path” (Welty, 1941) the theme is analogous. While one speaks of a “Path” the other a “Road” the theme that each of these writings share is presented differently throughout...
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...Viola goes to meet Olivia and tells her everything Orsino told her too. Orsino also sent a ring with Viola to give to Olivia, which she did. As she leaves, Olivia realizes that she has fallen in love with her, even though she has no idea she is a woman dressed as a man. She sends Malvolio after her to give her the ring back. She then goes into a long monologue about the ring and how confused she was that she had gotten it back. A monologue is any composition in which a single person speaks alone (dictionary.com) In her monologue, it is clear that Olivia is falling in love with Viola, and that they are caught in the middle of one huge love triangle. Throughout Viola’s monologue, she depicts many different literary elements, including allusion, metaphor, personification, symbolism, and theme. When Malvolio brings back the ring that Viola had given Olivia, she becomes very confused. In her monologue, she is basically saying that she didn’t leave a ring with her, why is she giving this to her? She is hoping that Olivia hasn’t started to like her. She was looking at Viola so much that she couldn’t even finish her sentences and she seemed distracted. She thinks that Olivia loves her. She sent a very mean messenger back to Viola instead of coming herself. Viola doesn’t want Orsino’s ring. Orsino never even sent her a ring. Olivia wants Viola. If that’s true, which it is, she might as well be in love with a dream, such a poor lady. She then talks about how disguises are bad and they are...
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...WRITTEN REPORT Course: Literary Criticism Topic: Perspectives and Techniques in Literary Criticism Reporter: Ms. Zairan A. Tutin INTRODUCTION: Literary criticism is not an abstract, intellectual exercise; it is a natural human response to literature. If a friend informs you she is reading a book you have just finished, it would be odd indeed if you did not begin swapping opinions. It is inevitable that people will ponder, discuss, and analyze the works of art that interest them. The informal criticism of friends talking about literature tends to be casual, unorganized, and subjective. Since Aristotle, Plato and other prominent literary critics, philosophers, scholars, and writers have tried to create more precise and disciplined ways of discussing literature. This day, literary criticism provides some general guidelines to help us analyze, deconstruct, interpret and evaluate different literary works. Literary critics have borrowed concepts from other disciplines, like linguistics, psychology, and anthropology, to analyze imaginative literature more perceptively. Mass media critics, such as newspaper reviewers, usually spend their time evaluating works—telling us which books are worth reading, which movies not to bother seeing. We usually see literary criticism in a book review or critical essay; however, nowadays the Internet has made all forms of criticism readily available in everything from personal blogs to social media. In this discussion, we will take a look at...
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...Literary Analysis of “Sweat” and “Sonny’s Blues” Amelia Williams ENG125: Introduction to Literature Instructor: Deborah Zeringue December 22, 2014 As living and breathing human beings people are bound to experience some type of conflict. Conflict can be present within a person, between two people, between a person and forces of nature, and even between a person and their society. Conflict is defined as the struggle that shapes the plot in a story (Clugston, 2014, ch.4sect.1 para.4). When reading a piece of literature, especially a short story, one should pay special attention to the central conflict because it is the key element of the story (Clugston, 2014). This essay will analyze “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin and “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston in terms of individual versus individual, nature, society, and self, symbolism, figurative language, similarities and differences. In the short stories “Sonny’s Blues” and “Sweat” both of the main characters deal with an internal conflict of some sort. Sonny in Sonny’s Blues has to refrain from turning back to drugs after his release from prison; he is also facing the piano again after not playing for a year. Delia, on the other hand has to live with an abusive, cheating husband that “done beat huh ‘nough tuh kill three women” (Hurston, 1926, para. 24). In both texts the main characters are described as humble people, for example in “Sweat,” the author writes “Delia’s habitual meekness seemed to slip from her shoulders...
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...THESIS STATEMENTS IN LITERARY ANALYSIS PAPERS *The thesis statement is one of the (if not the) most important parts of your paper—think of it as the foundation of a house—if your foundation is weak and poorly constructed, what do you think happens to the house? *The thesis statement is the announcement of your analytical argument that you intend to make and prove in the duration of your paper. It is a road map for the paper—it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. *It should be placed somewhere in the Introduction of your paper—Many like to put it as the last sentence(s) of their Intro which is fine. *Successful thesis statements provoke thought and should read beautifully. *Your thesis statement should include two parts: WHAT and WHY. *WHAT: What claim are you making about the text? *WHY: Why should we care? Why is your claim important? Your thesis should answer the “so what?” question. *A thesis statement is usually, but can be more than, one sentence long. Examples of Literary Thesis Statements: * “Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.” *What’s wrong with this thesis statement? *An opinion about the book, not an argument. * “In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.” *Better? How so? What is still missing? *Doesn’t answer the “so what?” question—what is the point of the contrast? What does the contrast signify? * “Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry...
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...The Necklace vs. The Story of an Hour Pamela Richard ENG 125 Lesa Hadley May 11, 2012 The Necklace vs. The Story of an Hour A short story, “The Necklace” (“La parure”) written by Guy de Maupassant in 1884 and a poem, ‘The Story of an Hour” written by Kate Chopin in 1894 are literary works that are very comparable yet are different. The two women, Madame Mathilde Loisel and Louise Mallard, portrayed in these literary works are protagonists who have trouble because of conflicting expectations imposed on them by society. Both Mathilde Loisel and Louise Mallard want something more than what their lifestyle offers them. During the time when the authors wrote these pieces, the social behaviors showed gender suppression/oppression. This essay will compare and contrast elements of content, form, and style between two different literary works. Both authors chose the theme of gender roles in marriage. During the time when the authors wrote theses pieces, the social behaviors showed gender suppression/oppression. The nineteenth century was impacted by the industrial revolution which caused a gap in gender roles, especially in the upper and middle classes (Radek, 2001). Men and women were thought to have completely different natures. Men were considered to be powerful, brave, rational and independent. Women were considered weak, timid, emotional, and dependent. Those differences separated their functions in society. "Men were thought to have natures suited to the public...
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...sao ko đủ 7 mục) - Setting - Point of view - Style- Tone- Language - Themes - Symbolism Còn đây dàn ý. Tôi hỏi cô thì cô bảo lúc nào cũng phải có Overview ở đầu cho những bạn chưa đọc truyện cũng hiểu đc. 1. Overview: - Mình sẽ phải nói qua về summary của truyện (1 cách ngắn gọn, súc tích và dễ hiểu nhất có thể – cái này tôi thấy cô bảo thế) - The author + Plot + Character - Thông điệp mà tác giả muốn gửi đến 1.1. The author: Life + Famous stories của ông ý 1.2. Plot: - Chronological order: + Start from the beginning period of time till the end + not to make ending surprising + or events move back and forward for the final startling moment - Internal setting + Time and place of the story ( cái này khác với cái External setting là về author + time & place the work was written + 1 số tác nhân ngoại cảnh kiểu political factors, historical events,...) - Rising action: The rising action of a plot is the series of events that build up and create tension and suspense - Climax: problem / tension / suspense / conflict / denouement – “untying the knot” - Resolution: the part of the story's plot line in which the problem of the story is resolved or worked out - Ending 1.3. Character: Phần này tôi nghĩ là nên phân tích từng nhân vật (đặc điểm, tích cách, có vai trò gì trong truyện...) rồi kết luận nhân vật đó thuộc kiểu nào - Types of character (in terms of the development) + Dynamic Undergoes changes+ Normally the protagonist + Static:...
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...Caniel Snowball 6/17/15 The Shipping News is a story about letting go of the past, the pursuit of happiness and a bunch of knots. Annie Proulx’s clever use of symbolism and interesting array of characters cohesively make an impactful tale and string the storyline together. A theme of having a troubled past becomes clear as it tactfully explained throughout the story to project potential for the growth. Quoyle is the story’s main protagonist who has a mid-life crisis at 36 when his cheating wife dies in a car accident and his parents commit suicide. Proulx describes Quoyle’s past as one with many shortcomings paired with his awkward looking chin and size that encapsulate him in a shell of low self-confidence. His newly found Aunt Agnis appears in his life after his parent’s deaths to bring him to Newfoundland for a new start on life. Quoyle find love and courage in Newfoundland and comes to point where his wife’s death doesn’t haunt him. The aunt, a widowed hard alcohol drinking closet lesbian, throughout the book attempts to stay busy with work and making plans. Upon introduction, Agnis appears to be a flat character but progresses into a more complex character when Quoyle’s father’s incestuous indiscretions with his sister are revealed. The reader can retrieve a sense of how she fits the operating method of someone after a sexual assault. Agnis’s refusal to show weakness or vulnerability and constant need to show she is in control adds depth to her character. When Cousin...
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...Item 4 – Literary Analysis Essay TASK Literary analysis essay 1200 words DUE 5pm on Monday 30 May, 2016 Submit digital copy in SafeAssign WEIGHT 30% /100 (see Marking Criteria) FURTHER INFORMATION You have been asked to read a text of your choosing this semester. You are required to write a literary analysis essay pertaining to this text. You are required to answer the following question. Identify the main theme or meaning of the story in a literary text and discuss what literary devices the author has used to make their point. The essay is not about retelling the story, rather, it requires you to analyse the main theme of the novel and to interpret the literary devices or techniques the author has used to position the reader. You need to provide a statement in your introduction that identifies the main theme in your essay and what literary devices you will discuss. You also need to show evidence from the text itself to back up your analysis (examples of quotes to prove your point of view). You are expected to identify the genre of your text and demonstrate your understanding of the various literary devices used such as metaphor, symbolism or imagery (there are many to choose from) to enhance the message the author is trying to get across. You are expected to follow the correct structure for an essay – showing a distinct introduction, body of the essay (made up of paragraphs) and a conclusion. If you choose to define any terms then you must...
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...Peyton Fahrquhar’s Death through Literary Techniques “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is about a hanging of a man. Ambrose Bierce wrote the short story, talking about Peyton Fahrquhar. Fahrquhar was hanged for trying to torch a bridge during the Civil War. Bierce had a goal to keep the reader interested; he achieved his goal by using many literary techniques. Ambrose Bierce provided a shock factor in “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”, that foreshadowed the ending through symbolism, allusion and irony. Symbolism was used to help the reader understand the short story. Ambrose used the watch, the timber, and the color gray to symbolize multiple things to give the reader a clue that Fahrquhar was dying. The watch that was used in the story...
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...Essential Literary Terms HAVERLING HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH DEPARTMENT'S OFFICIAL LIST As it says, this list is official. Except for the first five terms, which belong in a group, it is alphabetized. There is a link to a printable version of this list at the bottom of the page. Exposition- The essential background information at the beginning of a literary work Rising action- the development of conflict and complications in a literary work Climax- the turning point in a literary work Falling action- results or effects of the climax of a literary work Resolution/denouement- end of a literary work when loose ends are tied up and questions are answered Alliteration – repetition of the initial consonant sounds of words: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers” Allusion – a reference to something well-known that exists outside the literary work Antagonist- character that is the source of conflict in a literary work Aside – a dramatic device in which a character makes a short speech intended for the audience but not heard by the other characters on stage Assonance – repetition of vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds: “Anna’s apples,” “the pond is long gone” Characterization- The manner in which an author develops characters and their personalities Conflict - struggle between two or more opposing forces (person vs. person; nature; society; self; fate/God) Dialogue - direct speech between characters in a literary work ...
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...Friend is represented as a savior figure through the literary devices symbolism, imagery, and irony. Symbolism helps the reader understand why Arnold is a savior. The music played in the background is one of the many symbols found in Oates’s story. Connie refers to Arnold’s voice as a, “ simple lifting voice , exactly as if he were reciting the words to a song” (Oates 3). This acts as a piece of evidence to the reader, presenting a connection of Arnold Friend to the music. Many referred to the music as being, “... like music in a church music, it was something to depend upon”( Oates 5). Here, the church service falls into the subject of Christ. Where Arnold seems as if singing the song unfolds his connection to a savior figure. Arnold’s car is another symbol found. Critics view his car as an object representing Connie’s loss of innocence. Here portrays Arnold again as a savior figure, “ [Arnold’s] sign. And he drew and X in the air, leaning Holzinger 2 out toward her [...]. After his hand fell back to her side, the X was still in the air, almost visible.” (Oates 7). Arnold seems almost supernatural here, with the ability to make gestures hover in the air. Readers infer that the “ X” represents Christ. This is yet another clue given by the author as to why Arnold is presented as a savior figure and not a satanic figure. The literary device, imagery, allows the reader to create an image...
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