Death in American Literature - 2425 Words

Essay 2 05/07/2012 Dickinson and Edgar Allan Poe (writing a few decades prior to Dickinson) ask us to explore a consciousness that doubts and questions its own reflections. They employ death as the focal point of self-consciousness, the unknowable center around which our thoughts inevitably swirl (whether we are aware of it or not). Compare Dickinson’s poem #315 and Poe’s â€Å"Ligeia† on the topic. Philosophy of the death The theme of death has always been a presence in American writings – from early colonial diaries and through the nineteen century – because death was perceived to be ever present in people’s lives. Descended from the tradition of Puritan religion and also influenced by sentimentalism and Romantic views of death, Emily†¦show more content†¦Someone destroys himself and someone has been pushed to violence and has become a victim. There is only one end – death that can come from nowhere, but before it happens, there are levels to go through. In its turn â€Å"Ligeia† is Poe’s most successful attempt to merge the Gothic grotesque with the traditional love story. Ligeia is the name of the story and she is the object of the narrator’s love. Ligeia preserves death and light that Poe places in her way. And even when she dies, her memory remains the primary fixation of the narrator’s mind. She becomes his obsession, and he doesn’t want to get rid of it. Whereas the blonde-haired Rowena, who is absolutely opposite to Ligeia, replaces her as the narrator’s wife, but the darkness of the marriage bedroom suffocates the blonde, and Ligeia returns in Rowens’s body, imbuing the blonde’s body with her darker tones. It is as a black victory of death that concludes the story. Poe contrasts light and darkness to symbolize the conflict of two philosophical traditions. Ligeia and Lady Rowena represent the irrational and the rational respectively; it is a battle of heart and mind. Lige ia wins this fight. And her ultimate victory is her return from the dead. It confirms that the narrator has lost his power of rationality and lost touch withShow MoreRelated Death and the African American Literature2497 Words   |  10 Pagesinnocent African Americans. It has also robbed a whole race of their identities, heritages and cultures. Throughout the myriad of novels, excerpts, poems, videos and other forms of literature that we encountered in this course, it is unmistakable that the African American literary tradition demonstrates that the past (the unbelievable sufferings of African Americans) can never be arrested and forgotten. The many that have perished at the feet of racism are the history of African Americans themselves,Read MoreTheme Of Symbolism In Edgar Allan Poe1164 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism Throughout the Works of Edgar Allen Poe The American author, Edgar Allen Poe, had a life filled with much hardship, such as, death and loss, these hardships often reflected in his poems and story’s as the topic of most of his works seemed to revolve around those subjects. Poe used extensive symbolism in his works, symbolism is usually defined as something such as an object, idea, place, or person, used for or regarded as representing something else. The most common symbolism regarding toRead MoreDeath Is Death And The Idea Of Death1290 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout American literature there are several themes that one can find and explore. All you must do is to look and interpret what you are reading. One such theme is death and the idea of death. Death has always been in the collective conscious of Americans because, it is, well, inevitable. It is most certainly coming for each and every one and is inescapable. A common phrase in today’s culture is â€Å"only two things are certain in this world; death a nd taxes.† Death has always stirred mysticism andRead More A Comparison of the Poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost1062 Words   |  5 Pagesand Robert Frost The poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost contains similar themes and ideas. Both poets attempt to romanticize nature and both speak of death and loneliness. Although they were more than fifty years apart, these two seem to be kindred spirits, poetically speaking. Both focus on the power of nature, death, and loneliness. The main way in which these two differ is in their differing use of tone. The power of nature is a recurring theme in the poetry of Emily DickinsonRead MoreFall of the House of Usher Literary Analysis Essay1325 Words   |  6 PagesLiterary Analysis As with many of Edgar Allan Poes pieces, The Fall of the House of Usher falls within the definition of American Gothic Literature. According to Prentice Hall Literature, American Gothic Literature is characterized by a bleak or remote setting, macabre or violent incidents, characters being in psychological or physical torment, or a supernatural or otherworldly involvement (311). A story containing these attributes can result in a very frightening or morbid read. In all probabilityRead MoreLiterature Review Of Capital Punishment910 Words   |  4 Pages8932 October 17th, 2017 Paper #2: Literature Review Please write a 1,000 word paper reviewing a set of literature displaying the various dimensions of research conducted in an area of your interests. What part does capital punishment/death row play in the American society? For my literature review, I decided to do it on capital punishment in America. I wanted to focus on exactly what part it plays within the society now days. I decided to choose this topic since it tights in with my research paperRead MoreLife and Death1191 Words   |  5 PagesIn â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† the author, Ernest Hemingway tells a story of an American man and his girlfriend, Jig, who have a disagreement in the train station on the subject of whether to keep the unborn child or to abort. However, the author uses binary opposition of life and death to portray the polemic argument a couple encounters regarding abortion. As a symbol for the binary opposition of life and death, he represents the couple’s expressions, feelings, and the description of nature. Read MoreInfluenced by Land and Man: Willa Cather and Catherine Porter, Writers of the Southwest1316 Words   |  6 Pagesidea of Southwestern literature is presented. The scene of a saloon shootout a nd John Wayne materialize. Southwestern literature is more than the O.K. Corral. Writers such as Willa Cather and Catherine Porter do not have the prototypical storyline stated above, but they are writers of Southwestern literature. In order to understand why Willa Cather and Catherine Porter should be considered a part of Southwestern literature, one must consider the difference between the American West and Southwest andRead MoreThemes in Early American Literature Essays1568 Words   |  7 PagesThemes of Early American Literature Early American literature does a tremendous job of revealing the exact conditions and challenges that were faced by the explorers and later by the colonists of the New World. From early shipwrecks to the later years of small colonies barely surviving through dreadful winters, the literary works of the time period focus on some very recognizable themes. The theme of any given work – being simply the unifying subject or idea – is a very important element of anyRead MoreGothic Literature : `` Tell Tale Heart `` And `` The Raven ``1698 Words   |  7 PagesBrendan Pulido American Lit Mr. Bartelt 2/21/17 Gothic Literature Gothic Literature has been around since the late 17th century, slowly progressing in popularity until the mid 19th century where it had much success demonstrated through Edgar allan Poe. Edgar Allan has a number of common Themes, motifs and structures that make his work easily recognizable and more importantly, fits his stories into the classification of the gothic. Among these elements, they include the theme of death and decay, which

A Modernist Examination of the Good Anna and the Great Gatsby

A Modernist Examination of The Good Anna and The Great Gatsby Modernism is a movement characterized by the re-examination of literary styles, structures, content, and even human existence thought to be standard prior to 1900. The movement was all about looking at things in a new light, and trying to break the mold so long held by society as the norm. This movement took place in art, music, architecture, and as I will further discuss in this paper, literature. In this paper, I will discuss the modernist movement, specifically in relation to The Good Anna by Gertrude Stein, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Though modernism affected all different areas, they share the same common theme, which is, ironically, almost no theme. The†¦show more content†¦We also learn about Anna through her relationship with Mrs. Lehntman. â€Å"Mrs. Lehntman was the only romance Anna ever knew,† (52) the narrator declares, and in this we come to learn that Anna’s feelings for Mrs. Lehntman go beyond that of friendship, and are actually romantic feelings, though nothing ever comes of this. This is important because we come to see how well Anna treats Mrs. Lehntman, and how she treasures the dog Mrs. Lehntman gave to her over all the others. She is always willing to help Mrs. Lehntman, even when it is against her better judgment. In this way, we come to see Anna’s generosity of spirit. We see how she funds Mrs. Lehntman’s project when she asks Anna for the money, though Anna knows it will fail. We also see this with other people Anna encounters; she is always willing to share the money she works so hard for, even if it is at no benefit to her. For example, Anna encounters a woman who got behind on her rent when she lost her husband and the narrator announces, â€Å"It was the good Anna’s savings that were handy.† (67) She donates money several other times in the book from the savings she keeps. We also see how when Anna open s a boarding house, she doesn’t charge the men nearly enough and makes just enough money to survive by. Next, we

Prohibition The Power Is In The People Essay Example For Students

Prohibition: The Power Is In The People Essay The Power is in the PeopleCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. (The United States Constitution: The First Amendment). By the action taken on December 12, 1791 (when the Bill of Rights was adopted), the United States of America granted its people a power that would prove extremely potent one-hundred and twenty-nine years later. During the era of Prohibition (1920-1933), people took whatever action necessary to get their way, and did so through the rights afforded to them in the First Amendment. Individuals in favor of Prohibition, seeing the benefits of the institution, worked together to sustain it. Those against Prohibition, feeling a violation of their rights, acted just as intensely, if not even more so, to stop the movement. The government, ignorin g the voice of the people, was primarily concerned with keeping Prohibition alive. However, the right to individual voice, a principle upon which the United States was founded, made it impossible for an institution such as Prohibition to exist successfully. In the years prior to and during Prohibition, many people did everything within their power to keep the nation free of alcohol. Numerous committees were formed for the purpose of pursuing the enactment and continuation of Prohibition. Church and religion also played a large part in the fight to keep the nation ?dry?. Some individuals even entered politics and took office in the government in an effort to be heard. People made an united effort to reveal the virtues of Prohibition to the nation. The Anti-Saloon League of America was founded in 1893 at Oberlin, Ohio. Throughout Prohibition, its members went from town to town speaking out against saloons and alcohol (Merz 8). On January 16, 1920, they also declared, ?it is here at last dry Americas first birthday? (Kobler 11). Women established a group of their own as well. In 1874, Protestant women formed the Womens Christian Temperance Union. They, like the Anti-Saloon League of America, cited the advantages of Prohibition (Kobler 10) . As a whole, groups such as these utilized their First Amendment rights to the fullest to preach what they believed. God and religion were essential to those fighting to keep Prohibition intact. Reverend Billy Sunday incorporated the issue of Prohibition into many of his sermons. In his most well-known of these sermons Sunday claims:The reign of tears is over. The slums will soon be a memory. We will turn our prisons into factories and our jails into storehouses and corncribs. Men will walk upright now. Women will smile and children will laugh. Hell will be forever for rent (Thornton 8). The Womens Christian Temperance Union held a strong influence in the church scene . They spoke of Prohibition as ?Gods present to the nation? (Kobler 11) and sponsored conventions for all who saw Prohibition as a gift from the Father (Kobler 11-13). Some individuals saw entering politics and taking public office as the best way to make a difference in the fight for Prohibition. Senator Morris Sheppard was determined and confident of keeping the nation alcohol free. He believed that with people such as himself in positions of power, the chances of the 18th Amendment (outlawing anything involving alcohol) being repealed were practically non-existent (Merz ix). Obviously, Sheppards assumption would prove incorrect. The efforts of those against Prohibition were much more radical than the actions of the opposition. Several groups were formed, allowing many to voice their opinions about the evils that existed in the Prohibition laws. The most severe problems resulted from the illegal manufacture of liquor by individuals, and from numerous rebellious acts that brought about more crime. Because of all the negative things that began to occur, many citizens developed a hatred toward the government for instituting Prohibition. Chevron EssayThen came the Wickersham Commission which contained four proposals to the Volstead Act. It first directed that there be a codification of all Prohibition laws over the previous forty years. New legislation would also be required to give extra force to the provisions of the Volstead Act. Thirdly, it was recommended that Prohibition matters be transferred from the Bureau of Treasury to the Department of Justice. The final request included in the Wickersham Commission was that there be trial without jury for any slight violation of the Prohibition Laws (Cashman 208). Once again, this action by the United States did not consider the rights the people were granted by law. Prohibition revealed many important things about the United States. It highlighted the united strength of the people, and the impact of individual voice. But, first and foremost, the failure of Prohibition made it evident that the citizens of the United States truly do have the right to voice their opinion s in accordance with the freedom of speech granted to them in the Bill of Rights. The people of the United States and the differing opinions they voiced were the primary reason for the downfall of Prohibition: The power is in the people. American History

Comparing Odysseus and Spiderman free essay sample

He undergoes a transformation from a human to spider-like characteristics and abilities. Peter Parker devotes his life to saving others who are in need. Although Odysseus’s heroic journey in Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey and Spiderman’s heroic journey in Sam Raimi’s movie Spiderman share many characteristics of Joseph Campbell’s hero journey hero pattern, some differences occur. The Odyssey and Spiderman have distinct differences and specific similarities which begin in the main characters’ departure from their current lives. In the beginning of the stories, the departure starts in their ordinary world where they experience a call to adventure, refuse the call at first, and then the characters, Odysseus and Peter Parker, cross over the threshold. The ordinary lives of these two characters are quite different. While Odysseus lives a royal life as king of Ithaca, Peter is a normal geek in high school living in Queens, New York. Later the protagonists are presented with a problem or adventure. Odysseus’s call to adventure is when he is drafted into the Trojan War. Because Odysseus wishes to stay in Ithaca with this wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus, he pretends to be insane. In the end, he fails and is forced to uphold his oath in having to sail to Troy. On the other hand, Peter Parker’s adventure begins when he goes on a field trip to a genetics laboratory and is bitten by a genetically engineered spider that gives him spiderlike powers. These two adventures are different in that Odysseus is drafted into war, which is much more realistic than Peter being bitten by a fictional spider that gives him the characteristics and abilities of a spider. When Odysseus and Peter are called into their adventure, they are scared and refuse the call. At first, Odysseus pretends to be insane and plows a field using salt, but the Greeks force his hand by placing the baby Telemachus in front of the plow. When the Greeks commit this action, Odysseus is given the choice to either kill his own son or turn the oxen aside proving that he is sane and capable of fighting in the war. Odysseus chooses his son’s safety and participates in the war. Likewise, Peter refuses his call when he allows the man, who robbed the person in charge of the wrestling match, to escape. Because Peter let the robber escape, the bandit kills his father. In comparison, Odysseus and Peter Parker are faced with the task of protecting their loved ones. As expected, the two characters handled their situations differently. Although Odysseus pulls his plow over to protect his son, Peter failed to catch the thief who ultimately killed his father. Additionally, Odysseus and Peter cross over the threshold leaving the ordinary world and entering into the special world. In Odysseus’s case, the crossover is when he goes down into the underworld to speak to Tiresias. Peter crosses over when he sees the robber who kills his father and goes after him. After fighting and killing the bandit, Peter dedicates his life to fighting crime. Odysseus’s and Peter’s actions are dissimilar because Odysseus physically crosses the threshold, whereas Peter mentally crosses the threshold. During the journey, the hero collides with a seasoned traveler of the worlds who gives him or her training, equipment, or advice that will help on the journey. Circe, a witch-goddess who turns Odysseus’s men into beasts, consults with Odysseus about his journey, but more obviously Athena continually weaves in and out of the myth trying to help Odysseus and Telemachus. Peter Parker’s mentor is his Uncle Ben. Peter is always remembering little things that his uncle has told him in the past years when he was alive, such as â€Å"with great power comes great responsibility. † The difference in the two characters’ mentors is that Odysseus has an actual mentor that he can see and listen to in person and Peter’s mentor is someone that he can only faintly remember and recall the things he said in the past. Along with Odysseus’s and Spiderman’s mentors, they also have allies. Odysseus’s allies are the Phaecians. After Odysseus’s ship is destroyed, he swims to the island Scheria, home of the Phaecians, and is warmly welcomed, fed, given gifts, and set off in a great ship to his home, Ithaca. Spiderman’s allies are the citizens of Queens, New York who believe in him as being a hero and not a villain. The resemblance in the two characters is that their allies are not just one person in particular but a group of people. By the end of the heroes’ journey, Odysseus and Peter go through tests, temptations, and the development of enemies. Odysseus is tested in controlling his men and getting them to do the right thing as well as of himself and his boastfulness. He is also tested on overcoming his fears when needing to enter the underworld. Additionally, Spiderman is scrutinized on saving people and building his name as the city’s hero. These two characters are related in the fact that they both are trying to develop their character. Odysseus is trying to be more of a leader in demonstrating leadership and fearlessness; Spiderman is trying to show the people that he is not a villain but a hero by committing good deeds and saving citizens around Queens, New York. Next, the heroes undergo temptations. For example, Odysseus is tempted by the Sirens. After his crew has tied him to a post on the boat, Odysseus asks them to untie him and let him go; however, the crew knowing what would happen keep Odysseus tied. Spiderman faces the temptation of switching over to the bad side along with the Green Goblin and hurting innocent civilians. Odysseus and Spiderman’s temptations are in related because they both stay true to themselves and do not let others influence their thoughts. Lastly, all heroes accumulate at least one enemy on their journey. Odysseus has a plethora of enemies; for example, the Cicones, Polyphemus, Circe, Scylla, Charybdis, Apollo, Calypso, Penelope’s suitors, and at times, his own crew. But Odysseus’s enemy who has the most impact upon him is Poseidon. In Spiderman’s case, his enemy is the Green Goblin who makes people think of Spiderman as a villain and even goes as far hurting his Aunt May. The difference in their enemies is obviously that Odysseus accumulated a great deal more of enemies than Spiderman collected. Next in the heroes’ journey, they approach the final ordeal or possible death. During the approach, the hero may experience setbacks during tests and may need to try a new idea. An example where Odysseus has to try a new idea is when he disguises himself as a beggar to reconnoiter the palace to plan his revenge against the suitors for not staying loyal to him. Spiderman’s new idea is seen when he first encounters the Green Goblin. At one point he offers Spiderman an opportunity to work with him, but Spiderman refuses and the goblin eventually attacks Aunt May. The approaches differ because none of Odysseus’s loved ones get hurt, whereas Peter’s Aunt May was injured. Later in the stories, the heroes meet the biggest life or death crisis. Odysseus’s challenge is when the royal battle he has with the suitors is won with help of others. Spiderman’s challenge would be the final fight with the Green Goblin. These instances are alike in the fact that both heroes win their own battle in the end. Through both Odysseus and Spiderman’s battles, they accept what is required to complete their mission. Odysseus completes his mission when he passes the test of Penelope. Penelope asks for him to move their bed, and Odysseus replies that it can’t be moved, therefore, passing her test of making sure it truly was Odysseus. Spiderman accepts what is required to be done to complete his mission after the Goblin dies. Peter attends the funeral and Mary Jane expresses her love for him, but he cannot be with her because he knows it is too dangerous. When Peter says no, it is then that he has officially dedicated his life to the responsibility of playing the role of being Spiderman. The final stage of analyzing the hero’s journey is their reward, road back to where they originated, and return of the elixir. The reward is when the hero takes possession of the treasure won by facing death. Odysseus’s reward is surviving death, overcoming his fears, and earning the greatest reward of being reunited with his wife, Penelope, his son, Telemachus, and his father, Laertes. Spiderman’s reward is him saving Mary Jane from death and defeating the Green Goblin. These rewards are alike because both Odysseus and Spiderman live and gain bravery; however, they are dissimilar because Odysseus is granted the homecoming with his family whereas Spiderman did what he thought was best in mind for others and rejected Mary Jane to devote his life to being Spiderman. On the road back, the hero must return to the ordinary world. The road back in Odysseus’s case can be demonstrated when he journeys onto the road to bring back his father to live with him. As for Spiderman, the road back would be him trying to make things right again with his best friend, Harry, after Harry has found out that he has killed his father. In the end, Odysseus is successful in getting his father back to live with him again, but Spiderman fails at getting Harry to forgive him. Finally, the return of the elixir is when the hero returns home or continues the journey bearing some element of the treasure that has the power to transform the world as the hero has been transformed. Odysseus does not have an elixir, but on the contrary, Spiderman does. Spiderman is able to continue his journey knowing that Mary Jane loves him and that he saved Mary Jane as well as all the school kids. Because of this heroic deed, Spiderman is a bigger hero than he was previously. There are many similarities and differences in the Odyssey and Spiderman. Both stories have elements of realism and fantasy. Odysseus faces many challenges that contain unreal characters, but his fight to learn how to control himself and others is a struggle that many leaders face. Although Spiderman is a spider, he wants to be honorable and work on behalf of others in providing safety. The two stories are very different but share principles that are applicable throughout many facets of life.