Sept 3, 2014
The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice is a play written by Shakespeare, the most influential writer in history. The Merchant of Venice is about a variety of relationships: “Father-daughter; husband-wife; male friends; female friends; money lender-borrower; and Christian-Jew.” The relationship explored in this essay is the father-daughter relationship of Shylock and Jessica.
Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in Venice, and he is so immersed in the business that he neglects his daughter Jessica. Shylock despises Christians, because of the mistreatment he suffered at their hands, and he encourages Jessica to do the same. Jessica is very different from her father. She is in love with Lorenzo, a young Christian boy, who her father disapproves of. The relationship between shylock and Jessica is very dysfunctional. Example is when Jessica is talking with Launcelot and she says “I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so; our house is hell, thou a merry devil” (p.30). Jessica detests her home life and wants to leave it behind. She also states “Alack, what a heinous sin is it in me to be ashamed to be my father’s child...I shall end this strife, become a Christian, and thy loving wife” (p.31). Jessica is confined to her father’s wants and wishes, but she is very unhappy. Therefore, when a chance of freedom came she took it. Jessica chooses to elope with Lorenzo, the one she is in love with and convert to Christianity.
Shylock was a bad father. For instance, he says “A diamond gone cost me two thousand ducats in Frankford! The curse never fell upon our nation to now; I never felt ill till now.” And he continues “Thou stick’st a dagger in me. I shall never see my gold again” (p.50). He seems to care more about his missing ducats and precious jewels than he does about the fact that his daughter has runaway from him. Shylock said “She is damned for it. That’s certain, if the devil may be her judge” (p.48). When he receives information that his daughter has runaway to elope with Lorenzo and is going to convert to Christianity, he gets angry. Shylock does not express remorse or guilt for the way he treated his daughter or even concern for her wellbeing and safety. All he cares about is that she took his ducats and jewels and prized possessions and eloped with a Christian boy.
Shylock is a very angry man filled with so much loathing and resentment that he can’t pose as a worthy father figure to his one and only daughter. Instead he drives her away because he doesn’t show love towards her. He seems to take her for granted. Shylock shows not affection, trust, nor love towards Jessica. A good father makes time for his children, becomes a good role model, treat the children with respect, admit their mistakes, accept his children’s mistake, and shower them with love and affection. A good father allows his children the freedom to make their own choices despite the mistakes they might make. A good father overall makes sure his children know that they are loved. Shylock never did any of these things He limited Jessica’s choices and he didn’t show her love and affection. All he showed Jessica was his disdain and vengeance for Christians. It was his pursuit of revenge and inability to show mercy that lead to his downfall.
Uso Okonkwo
AP Literature
Mrs. Hain
Sept 3, 2014
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen is one of the most revered and beloved author from the nineteenth century. She is however most famous for her book Pride and Prejudice. She wrote Pride and Prejudice to highlight the dependence of women on marriage to secure social standing and economic security. Jane Austen and her book is widely known and loved by many except Charlotte Bronte. “She felt that Jane Austen didn’t write about her characters’ hearts.” Austen’s treatment of her characters’ feelings is not superficial, but instead profound. Although the passion is there, it is governed, but that is to be expected due to the time era. I do no believe that Charlotte Bronte’s criticism is accurate and may have been written with bias in regard to the occasion and circumstances of her response.
Bronte’s Criticism of Jane Austen’s works aroused from George Henry Lewes’s criticism of her newly published book. “He incurred Charlotte Bronte’s wrath by intimating, after the publication of Jane Eyre, that she might profit by writing less melodramatically, and gave her Jane Austen as an exemplar and inspiration” (jfwakefield). Bronte replies:
Why do you like Miss Austen so very much? I am puzzled on that point…I had not seen Pride and Prejudice until I read that sentence of yours, and then I got the book. And what do I find? An accurate daguerreotyped portrait of a commonplace face; a carefully fenced, highly cultivated garden, with neat borders and delicate flowers; but no glance of a bright, vivid physiognomy, no open country, no fresh air, no blue hill, no bonny beck. I should hardly like to live with her ladies and gentlemen, in their elegant, but confined houses” (jfwakefield).
Charlotte Bronte was not introduced to the Jane Austen books on good terms and therefore the implication can be made that Bronte allowed her disdain for George Henry Lewes to cloud her judgment when reading Pride and Prejudice. She had no objectivity when criticizing and analyzing Austen’s book; therefore, her criticisms are no accurate and have no merit because she seems to have written with bias.
As for Bronte’s assertions, I believe them not to be true. The characters express a wide range of emotions from distaste and anger to happiness and love. For instance, at the ball Mr. Darcy states coldly “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequences to young ladies who are slighted by other men.” He is referring to Elizabeth Bennet and his distaste for her is quite evident. In contrast Mr. Bingley exclaims “Oh! She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld!” (P.16). He is referring to Jane Bennet and his affection for her is quite evident. Elizabeth displays some anger when she is informed that it is Mr. Darcy’s fault that Jane and Mr.Bingleys relationship was ruined (P.162). Mr. Darcy’s love for Elizabeth grows till he ours out “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you” (P.165). He continues to shows his love when he helps the Bennet family avoid a scandal by getting Lydia married to Mr. Wickham. When Elizabeth shows gratitude to Mr. Darcy about it, He answers “if you will thank me, let it be for yourself alone. That the wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducements which led me on, I shall not attempt to deny. But your family owe me nothing. Much as I respect them, I believe I thought only of you” (P.312). Each character expresses and shows deep emotions that are grounded and can never be described as superficial.
In Charlotte Bronte’s criticism she asserted “I should hardly like to live with her ladies and gentlemen, in their elegant, but confined houses.” In Pride and Prejudice, confinement is explored through class rank. The wealthy receive respect wherever they go and despite their actions and behavior. An example of this is Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She is rude, arrogant, and ignorant to those she believes is inferior to her. Also Miss Bingley is disdainful towards Jane and Elizabeth Bennet when she finds out that their family live in Cheapside. Even Mr. Darcy can not refrain from mentioning Elizabeth’s perceived inferiority when proposing. Gender roles are also in themselves confinement. The girls are educated and groomed from the beginning to be someone’s wife. That is all that is expected of them – to be housewives. Marriage is the ultimate goal and if they are not married before a certain age it is considered shameful.
In conclusion, I believe Bronte was wrong. Jane Austen portrays her characters feelings well. Although they may not be passionate, it is however deep. She shows the statue and role of women in England and their pursuit for marriage.
Uso Okonkwo
AP Literature
Mrs. Hain
September 3, 2014
The Fountainhead
Individualism can be defined as the practice of independence in thought and action. An individualist is a free thinker who shows independence and individuality in his behavior, opinions, and actions with a blatant disregard of the rules and chains of society. Howard Roark is an individualist in what he stands for and who he is, but Lois Cook is merely a nonconformist, a beggar of attention for the sake of being different.
Howard Roark was a student in the New York of the 1902’s – an original. He was expelled from architecture school for refusing to copy classical styles of the past. He refuses to conform to his professors views on architectural design. The dean tells Roark that no one will allow him to design such work at which Roark answers “that is not the point. The point is who will stop me?” ( P.11 ). Roark is an undeterred and uncompromising individualist. He will design anything as long as he can build in his own way. His designs are uniquely his, rejecting tradition and opinions of the expert. Roark has ideals and standards one can admire: confidence, independence, strength, and unique creativity. Roark displays his individuality when Peter Keating asks him what he thought about his work, and Roark answers “if you want my advice peter you’ve already made a mistake already. By asking me, by asking anyone. Never ask people, not about your work” (P 33). Another example is when Roark declares “I don’t make comparisons I never think myself as part of anything. I’m an utter egoist.” Roark’s designs were not based on what the public wanted, and he didn’t judge his success by how others reacted to it. He had a vision and what others thought was unimportant.
While Howard Roark is an individualist, Lois Cook is not. She is a nonconformist writer who rebels just for the sake of rebelling- made famous by Ellsworth Toohey. Cook writes complex books with no discernible meaning. She uses her books to rebel against grammar and meaning. She doesn’t rebels against any of society’s ills, but instead attacks the best of society. “Her hair hung about her ears in greasy strands. Her fingernails were broken. She looked offensively unkempt, with studied slovenliness as careful as grooming – and for the same purpose.” She purposely makes herself look ugly because she wants to stand out and gain attention. She also writes Clouds and Shrouds to be complicated with no meaning for the same reason. However people pretend to understand it. For example, Keating said “Miss Cook, I’ve read Clouds and Shrouds and it was a spiritual revelation to me” (p.244). Keating doesn’t actually understand it but says so because he wants to please her and Mr. Ellsworth. Cook also asks Keating to build he a house with a living room without windows, a tile floor and a black ceiling She asks for no electricity, just kerosene lamps with chimneys and candles. She said “I want the house to be ugly. Magnificently ugly. I want it to be the ugliest house in New York” (p.245). She request this because “beautiful is so commonplace.” Lois cook is the ultimate nonconformist, but it isn’t for altruistic reasons. Her intention is to garner attention because she craves being different and being noticed.

In conclusion, while at first glance Howard Roark and Lois Cook seem to share the trait of individualism and upon further analysis one can see that they are quite the opposite. One of my favorite quotes says “Beware those who ask for feedback. They are really asking for validation.” – Richard A. Moran. This quote applies because Lois Cook writes nonconformist book so that she can be noticed and capture the attention of people. She depends on others for her individuality and is only a success in comparison to others. Roark relies on no one to be who is. Even at times when he was barely making money and had no clients, he continued to design and practice his own ideas. Howard Roark is a true individualist, whereas Lois Cook is not.
Works Cited Page
Rand, Ayn. The Fountinhead. New York, New York Centennial edition. 1996 Print.
Shakespeare. The Merchant of Venice. New York, New York. 1998 Print
Jfwakefield. Austenonly