Social Criticism In Literature Essays - Criticism, Discrimination

Social Criticism In Literature Essays - Criticism, Discrimination Social Criticism in Literature Many authors receive their inspiration for writing their literature from outside sources. The idea for a story could come from family, personal experiences, history, or even their own creativity. For authors that choose to write a book based on historical events, the inspiration might come from their particular viewpoint on the event that they want to dramatize. George Orwell and Charles Dickens wrote Animal Farm and A Tale of Two Cities, respectively, to express their disillusionment with society and human nature. Animal Farm, written in 1944, is a book that tells the animal fable of a farm in which the farm animals revolt against their human masters. It is an example of social criticism in literature in which Orwell satirized the events in Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution. He anthropomorphises the animals, and alludes each one to a counterpart in Russian history. A Tale of Two Cities also typifies this kind of literature. Besides the central theme of love, is another prevalent theme, that of a revolution gone bad. He shows us that, unfortunately, human nature causes us to be vengeful and, for some of us, overly ambitious. Both these books are similar in that both describe how, even with the best of intentions, our ambitions get the best of us. Both authors also demonstrate that violence and the Machiavellian attitude of "the ends justifying the means" are deplorable. George Orwell wrote Animal Farm, ". . . to discredit the Soviet system by showing its inhumanity and its back-sliding from ideals [he] valued . . ."(Gardner, 106) Orwell noted that " there exists in England almost no literature of disillusionment with the Soviet Union.' Instead, that country is viewed either with ignorant disapproval' or with uncritical admiration.'"(Gardner, 96) The basic synopsis is this: Old Major, an old boar in Manor Farm, tells the other animals of his dream of "animalism": " . . . Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. Almost overnight we would become rich and free.'" (Orwell, 10) The other animals take this utopian idea to heart, and one day actually do revolt and drive the humans out. Two pigs emerge as leaders: Napoleon and Snowball. They coneztly argued, but one day, due to a difference over plans to build a windmill, Napoleon exiled Snowball. Almost immediately, Napoleon established a totalitarian government. Soon, the pigs began to get special favours, until finally, they were indistinguishable from humans to the other animals. Immediately the reader can begin to draw parallels between the book's characters and the government in 1917-44 Russia. For example, Old Major, who invented the idea of "animalism," is seen as representing Karl Marx, the creator of communism. Snowball represents Trotsky, a Russian leader after the revolution. He was driven out by Napoleon, who represents Stalin, the most powerful figure in the country. Napoleon then proceeded to remove the freedoms of the animals, and established a dictatorship, under the public veil of "animalism." Pigs represent the ruling class because of their stereotype: dirty animals with insatiable appetites. Boxer, the overworked, incredibly strong, dumb horse represents the common worker in Russia. The two surrounding farms represent two of the countries on the global stage with Russia at the time, Germany and England. Orwell begins his book by criticizing the capitalists and ruling elite, who are represented in Animal Farm by Mr. Jones, the farmer. He is shown as a negligent drunk, who coneztly starved his animals. "His character is already established as self-indulgent and uncaring." (King, 8) Orwell shows us how, "if only animals became aware of their strength, we should have no power over them, and that men exploit animals in much the same way as the rich exploit the proletariat." (Gardner, 97) What was established in Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution was not true communism ("animalism"), which Orwell approved of, where the people owned all the factories and land. Rather, "state communism" was established, where a central government owned them. Orwell thought that such a political system, "state communism," was open to exploitation by its leaders. Napoleon, after gaining complete control, did anything he wished - reserved the best for the pigs, and treated the animals cruelly. The animals could

How to Use Conjunctions As Far As, Since, and Even Though

How to Use Conjunctions As Far As, Since, and Even Though How to Use Conjunctions: As Far As, Since, and Even Though We use conjunctions (e.g., and or but) to build grammatical sentences, which in turn allows us to express ourselves clearly. Every conjunction has its own meaning though, so it’s a good idea to learn a few more! In this post, we take a closer look at three conjunctions that could help in your academic writing: â€Å"as far as,† â€Å"since† and â€Å"even though.† As Far As (To the Degree That) Used as a conjunction, â€Å"as far as† means â€Å"to the degree or extent that.† It therefore qualifies statements that apply only under certain conditions. The phrases like â€Å"as far as we know,† for instance, signals that something is based on incomplete information: The experiment poses no risk as far as we know. Here, â€Å"as far as† suggests the sentence is true to the best of our understanding. However, it leaves open the possibility that it is based on imperfect knowledge. Because â€Å"as far as† is a subordinating conjunction when used like this, it always joins a dependent clause (â€Å"as far as we know†) to an independent clause (â€Å"The experiment poses no risk†). Since (Time and Justification) Also a subordinating conjunction, â€Å"since† has two distinct uses. The first is to specify that something happened after a particular point in time: Since learning to dance, I’ve felt more graceful. In this case, â€Å"since† shows that the speaker started feeling this way only after learning to dance. The second meaning is to introduce a reason or justification for something (making it a synonym for â€Å"because†): Since we are interested in how people perceive retail experiences, we have adopted a qualitative research approach. Here, the word â€Å"since† joins a clause about the reason for picking a research approach to the main clause about the approach chosen. Even Though (Despite the Fact That) The term â€Å"even though† is used to introduce contrast in a sentence, like saying â€Å"despite the fact that†: Even though he was completely deaf from around 1820, Beethoven began work on his Ninth Symphony in 1822. The difference between â€Å"even though† and â€Å"though† is simply that â€Å"even though† is more emphatic. We therefore use â€Å"even though† when introducing a particularly surprising or unexpected contrast.

IPHONE 5 SCENARIO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

IPHONE 5 SCENARIO - Essay Example These are the most common methods of research that are used today. They take advantage of the internet, which is a common form technology nowadays; they advertise their products here and ask the customer to fill in a presented survey form. In this way, the company is able to sell its product and get feedback at the same time (Hague, 2003). The company doing the research can host some of their customers for interviews so that the customer can tell the company of the difficulties associated with their products. This is a recommended method of research since the company will get a direct feed back from the customer. The interviewer can also ask for further explanation regarding a point that was not clear (Hague, 2003). The company can also carry out the research using their website; the customers can visit the website and post comments about the company’s products and other services. During the research, this information can be used as a source of viable data. This is a very good method of research only if the company’s website is frequently visited (Hague, 2003). All the different market research tools have one major purpose; this is to assist the company in decision-making. The company has to make decisions in respect to the consumer needs, and this requires research, which can be carried out using different tools of research (Hague, 2003). Websites and online surveys are a good method of research since a company enjoys high popularity through websites and blogs. Customers come up with the online product rating while they are at the company’s website. Using this information then the company can be able to determine the rating of its product. This can be used as a method of research for a long time amounting to years since people now embrace the internet through participating in online shopping over the internet (Hague, 2003). Interviews are a very effective method of research; it is the most commonly used research method. It entails

Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 20

Nursing research - Essay Example In this regard, the motivation process ensures that implementation of the change process remained on track and each stakeholder played an influential role in ensuring its success. It is crucial to energize staff involved in the process of change. First, the stimulation process should involve a capacity-building meeting whereby the staff undergoes the requirements of the change process with each member identifying the requirements and the responsibilities that they should play in ensuring successful implementation. In line with this, the capacity-building meeting will also act as a team building effort whereby team members will come together and be supportive of each other during the change implementation process. Secondly, daily meetings that will involve staff members talking about the challenges in the implementation process are crucial in ensuring that all members were supportive of each other’s efforts in the implementation process. In effect, members will help each other identify the ways of solving these challenges and ensure successful implementation of the change

Lewis Carrolls Through the Looking Glass Essay -- Literature Children

Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass â€Å"If it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic,† according to Tweedledee, a character in Lewis Carroll’s famous children’s work Through the Looking Glass (Complete Works 181). Of course, Lewis Carroll is most well known for that particular book, and maybe even more so for the first Alice book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The connection between Lewis Carroll and logic is less obvious for most people. In reality, Lewis Carroll is the nom de guerre for the Reverend Charles L. Dodgson, a â€Å"puttering, fussy, fastidious, didactic bachelor, who was almost painfully humorless in his relations with the grown-up world around him† (Woollcott 5). Though it may seem that Dodgson and his pseudonym emit two very different personalities, as Braithwaite points out, there really only existed â€Å"a completely integrated though singular personality† (174). While Dodgson under his true name usually only published books on mathematics and logic, under the name of Lewis Carroll he published books for the young, with some exceptions. One such exception to this division of subjects is the work Symbolic Logic; this textbook was published under the name of Lewis Carroll. It is through Dodgson’s children’s works that his integrated personality emerges. His Alice books, for example, contain many statements of logic and games of mathematics, intended for the amusement of his audience. Dodgson â€Å"regarded formal and symbolic logic not as a corpus of systematic knowledge about valid thought nor yet as an art for teaching a person to think correctly, but as a game† (174). With this perspective, it is easy to see why he was interested in... ...tin. The Universe In A Handkerchief. New York: Copernicus, 1996. Gardner, Martin. The Annotated Alice. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000. Gattegno, Jean. Lewis Carroll: Fragments of a Looking-Glass. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1974. Goldfarb, Nancy. â€Å"Carroll’s Jabberwocky.† The Explicator 57 (1999): 86. Hofstadter, Douglas R. Gà ¶del, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. New York: Basic Books, 1979. Holmes, Roger W. â€Å"The Philosopher’s Alice in Wonderland.† Phillips 159-174. Phillips, Robert, ed. Aspects of Alice: Lewis Carroll’s Dreamchild as seen through the Critics’ Looking-Glasses. New York: Vanguard Press, 1971. Wilson, Edmund. â€Å"C. L. Dodgson: The Poet Logician.† Phillips 198-206. Woollcott, Alexander. Introduction. The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll. By Lewis Carroll. New York: Random House. 1-9.

Freud and the Unconscious Essay

Few theories hold more intrigue than that of human psychology. Throughout history, many have sought to decode the structure of the mind. Amongst those who were determined to investigate the nature of psychic material, one of the most prominent remains Sigmund Freud (also known as â€Å"the archaeologist of the mind†). Freud had very pronounced views on the innate components of human psychology, within which one idea remained central – the ‘unconscious’ mind; he uses this concept to make sense of phenomenons such as that of parapraxes. In his essay, â€Å"The Unconscious†, Freud introduces a unique perception of human thought, action, interaction and experience. He details a state of dualism that exists in our psychical life in stating, â€Å"consciousness includes only a small content, so that the greater part of what we call conscious knowledge must in any case be for very considerable periods of time in a state of latency, that is to say, of being psychically unconscious† (2). He argues that although we are blind to our unconscious mind, it determines a greater part of our behavioural being and participates just as much as psychical activity as our conscious mind. Freud also adds, â€Å"In every instance where repression has succeeded in inhibiting the development of affects, we term those affects ‘unconscious’† (7). He states that the unconscious is where repressed desires are stored, ideas that are suppressed from surfacing into the realm of our awareness e. g. we recognise our emotions – we ‘feel’ – because they have moved from amongst the elements of the unconscious mind to the conscious mind. The notion of â€Å"what you see is not all there is†, of the uncertainty of appearance or self-knowledge is a message that identifies very well with Freud’s theory of the unconscious. Freud’s arguments entail that a significant reality (and â€Å"most importantly† he would most likely say) exists in that which is intangible. He claimed that the unconscious could not be realized by the individual themselves through introspection, but is potentially made possible during psychoanalysis. In â€Å"The Unconscious†, Freud states, â€Å"[it transforms] into a qualitatively different quota of affect, above all into anxiety; or it is suppressed† (7), alluding that the unconscious mind, or rather a conflict between conscious and the unconscious intentions is the root of neurotic or histrionic behaviour. Thus, not only did he perceive psychoanalysis as a useful tool for uprooting unconscious ideas, but the very understanding of the concept played a central role to the successful treatment of his patients (that is to say, that Freud believed that he could lead his patient to recovery by making aware the unconscious idea that is conflicting with the individual’s consciousness). Freud believed that naturalized phenomenons such as innocent ‘mistakes’ (â€Å"parapraxes†) or the state of dreaming were in fact meaningful and were indications of the active unconscious, an idea which echoes to the notion of conscious and unconscious communications which we discussed in the second week of class – that in both forms there were â€Å"logical relations†. This is the essence of Freud’s belief that there is psychical process in every movement or act (whether in a state of wakefulness or asleep/acts that are intended of ‘unintended’), which is to say that order exists in every action including the seemingly ‘disconnected’. With reference to this notion, he famously claimed that parapraxes (slip of the tongue, mishearing, forgetting, memory loss) were significant phenomenons worthy of interpretation, because they were evidence that the unconscious mind exists. In â€Å"Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis†, Freud explains his view in which the unconscious plays a significant role in the phenomenon of parapraxes. Though parapraxes are often disregarded as â€Å"small failures of functioning, imperfections in mental activity† (28), he explains, â€Å"They are not chance events but serious mental acts; they have a sense† (44). Before moving on interpret what Freud meant by this, it seems useful to first introduce an idea which Louis Althusser presents in â€Å"Lacan and Freud† (which was also touched upon in class), in which he states: â€Å"the ‘effects’, prolonged in the surviving adult, of the extraordinary adventure that, from birth to the liquidation of the Oedipus complex, transforms a small animal engendered by a man and a woman into a little human child† (22). The transformation that Althusser describes resonates with a sense of ‘humanization’ whereby a feral being is tamed by society and progresses into a ‘human’ existence; it alludes to the ultimate sacrifice that is made by the primitive soul in order to survive amongst civilization [the desire for instinctual satisfaction]. Keeping Althusser’s portrayal in mind, perhaps it could be said, then, that the unconscious manifests impulses whose intentions are deemed ‘too disturbing’ or unfitting with civil behaviour. This conforms to Freud’s argument that a ‘spontaneous’ or unexplainable error is an indication of a compromise between two conflicting aims of the ‘disturbed’ and the ‘disturbing’ consciousness (44). By means of distortion or substitution, the irrational impulse disguises its intentions under an appearance of rationality. He communicates, essentially, that parapraxes should be interpreted less as â€Å"faulty acts†, but instead, should be considered as faulty achievements of our unconscious desires. He indicates this when he states, â€Å"the disturbing purpose only distorts the original one without itself achieving complete expression† (35). Freud theorizes that an inaccessible part of our mind – the unconscious – does exist and evidence of its reality is apparent, such as in the very happening of everyday pathologies, or â€Å"parapraxes†. He maintains the significance of the unconscious mind as a meaningful, valid psychical force that pursues its own intentions (its presence undeniable in its ability to elicit bodily responses). In the discovery of this, Freud stresses the idea that individuals should place more value in what we so often dismiss as ‘mistakes’, ‘accidental’ or ‘random’ behaviour, because there may be significant meaning to the obscured intentions they convey. On a different note, the underlying notion that there is no such thing as ‘involuntary’ acts or ideas, reinforces more than ever a disparate sociological thought: that we, as individuals, are truly and solely responsible for our own actions.

Oedipus The King A Tragic Hero And Greek Classical Order

Sophocles a tragic dramatist, priest, Athenian general, is an ancient Greek writer who’s work has survived since circa 400 BC.; Oedipus the King is one of the three plays about Oedipus, believed to be first produced in 425 B.C., five years after the plague had broken out in Athens (Kennedy 947). Sophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero and Greek classical order. As Oedipus says in the play â€Å"if you think a man can sin against his own kind and not be punished for it I say you are mad† (Kennedy 962 line 39-40). Oedipus is punished for his sins, and it is his hamartia —a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine— that leads him to his fate. Oedipus went to a shrine at Delphi seeking answers about his father, but in return got this message from the god: Full of wretchedness, dreadful, unbearable: As, that I should lie with my own mother, breed Children from whom all men would turn their eyes; And that I should be my father’s murderer. (Kennedy 968) Oedipus’ believe in the gods was so strong that he left the only life he had ever known to make sure the oracle wouldn’t come true; he set off down a new path which lead him to becoming the King of Thebes. Oedipus’ life reminds us that we cannot escape our fate. Oedipus was born to be royal, which makes him the perfect candidate to be considered a tragic hero, according to Aristotle. Oedipus has royalty in his blood; naturally born the Prince of Thebes, but sentenced toShow MoreRelatedEssay on Oedipus: The Reign of a Tragic Hero1266 Words   |  6 PagesThe time period of Greek theater’s popularity was a very influential time in our world’s history. Without knowing what Greek theater was all about, how can someone expect to truly understand a tragic play and the history it comes with? The history behind the character of Oedipus, in the play Oedipus the King, is very complicated. His intricate past dealing with prophecies, family members, and murder is the main focus of the story. There are many characteristics that complete Aristotle’s definitionRead MoreEssay on King Oedipus as The Classical Greek Tragic Hero1360 Words   |  6 PagesKing Oedipus as The Classical Greek Tragic Hero In his Poetics, Aristotle defined the term tragedy as a man not preeminently virtuous and just, whose misfortune, however, is brought upon him not by vice or depravity, but by some error in judgement the change in the heros fortune must not be from misery to happiness, but on the contrary, from happiness to misery. From this definition, he further expanded it by defining the profile of the Classical Greek tragic hero, basing it on what heRead MoreOpedipus, a tragic hero Essay example1708 Words   |  7 PagesOutline Thesis Statement: Oedipus is the embodiment of Aristotle’s characterization of a tragic hero through his ability to preserve his virtue and wisdom, despite his flaws and predicament. Introduction I. Sophocles’ Oedipus: A Tragic Hero A. Definition of a tragic hero B. Oedipus Character as it relates II. Tragedy A. Language of Tragedy B. Tragedy as it affects the audience III. Plot A. Aristotle’s idea of a tragic plot B. Significance of the plot IV. Virtue and Morality Read MoreOld Tragedy Versus New Tragedy1386 Words   |  6 Pagesdisaster occurs. Aristotle believes â€Å"the objective of tragedy is in bringing the audience (or the reader) to a certain state, alternately designated as either katharsis or pleasure† (academia.edu, n.d.). 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Long L26269572 ENGL 102 Professor Givens March 2, 2015 Turabian Sophocles is one of the great ancient Greek tragedians in the history of drama. In the play â€Å"Oedipus the King,† Oedipus is an excellent example of fate happening to a tragic hero. In addition, this play has all the elements of tragedy; human weakness, powerless, suffering, and one not having control of his own destiny. As a result, â€Å"Oedipus the King† is theRead More Reflective essays1316 Words   |  6 Pagesfor innumerable classical and modern plays. 3.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Along with giving us the six elements of a tragedy, Aristotle also gives us four parts that should be included in a tragic hero. Sophocles’ character Oedipus is considered to be the classic example of a tragic hero. This is attributed to the fact that Oedipus clearly demonstrates all four of the characteristics that make up the tragic hero as defined by Aristotle. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero must be a goodRead More Oedipus the King: A Tragic Hero Essay2117 Words   |  9 Pages to experience devastating losses. While tragic instances can be avoided, there are other instances where one’s fate and future is out of the protagonist’s control. In Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles and first performed around 249 BC, Oedipus cannot escape his destiny and even though he tries to overcome and circumvent prophecy, he finds out that supernatural forces will get what they want in the end. Oedipus meets the criteria of a tragic hero set forth by Aristotle and his fate withinRead MoreTragic Heroes in Greek Myth2055 Words   |  9 PagesTragic Greek dramas featured tragic heroes, mortals who suffered incredible †¨losses as a result of an inescapable fate or bad decisions. According to Aristotle, a tragic hero is a character, usually of high birth, which is pre-eminently great, meaning they are not perfect, and whose dow nfall is brought about†¨ by a tragic weakness or error in judgment. The three Greek heroes Oedipus, Medea and Agamemnon, who each killed a member of their family, carry most of the qualities that make up a tragic hero:Read MoreQuest For Literary Form : The Greeks Believed That The Tragedy1742 Words   |  7 PagesQuest for literary form The Greeks believed that the tragedy was the greatest form of drama, and Aristotle’s concept of tragedy followed this belief. In the modern times, there has been a change in this view with various authors abandoning the classical form to follow more liberal forms of literacy. (Kennedy Gioia, Pp. 1203) Aristotle s Concept of Tragedy The analysis of Aristotle on tragedy formed the guideline for later poets in the Western civilization