English Literature

Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway is one of the most popular short stories of the author. The story is about a couple at a train station somewhere in Spain, arguing over a supposed abortion that the woman is supposed to have. The story does not lack in contrasting elements as shown by the different elements in the short story especially with the setting.  In this paper, we would examine light vs. dark, barren vs. lush lands, and reason vs. emotion.

Light vs. Dark
There are obviously some symbolisms in the story in terms of lighting. At the train station, light and dark are contrasted with each other. The train station is placed right at the middle of these contrasting elements. On this side there was no shade... Close against the side of the station there was the warm shadow of the building and a curtain... (Hemingway page ). This side of the train station where there is no trace of a shadow symbolizes the positive side of the storythe possibility that Jig, the female protagonist of the short story, would come to her senses and not be persuaded by the attempts of her American lover. However, the other side of the station is not as bright as the first side mentioned. Across, on the other side... The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain... (Hemingway page ). This side of the tracks symbolizes the darker side of the storythe desire of the man to get rid of the baby that Jig is carrying. If the side of the tracks that is bright and sunny symbolizes the hope of Jig that she would be able to keep the baby, this side belongs to her American lover and his immoral intentions.

These light and dark contrasting elements are in line with the theme of the story about the conflict within relationships between the choice of doing the right thing and doing what would please them most. If Jig succumbs to the mans persistence, they could really be happy like the what the man claims. That the baby is the only thing that bothers us. Its the only thing thats made us unhappy (Hemingway page ). If the woman decides to keep the baby, the man could possibly leave her, an event that the woman would not want as shown by her interest to stay with the American. Hemingway might have used this symbol as a way to show his readers the nave, sometimes selfish decisions that young couples make because of their innocence or inexperience.

Barren vs. Lush Landscape
The short story features contrasting landscapes of barren and lush environment just like how light and dark are contrasted. On this side there was no shade and no trees (Hemingway page ). This side of the train station does not have any trees in suggesting that the area might be barren. This symbolizes the negative aspect of having an abortionone of the choices that are presented to the couple. If Jig is to push through with the abortion, then their future would look bleak and unproductive, just like the barren landscape that they see on one side of the tracks. On the other side, things are a little greener. Across the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of Ebro (Hemingway page ). This side is more fertile than the other side, which symbolizes the cleanliness that the morality of Jig and the American would keep if they choose not to push through with the abortion and keep the baby. It is an obvious use of symbolisma barren landscape for a negative trait and a lush landscape for a positive one. This symbolism works with the theme of morality, just like the symbolism of light and darkness.

Reason vs. Emotion
The storys plot, which is also one of the main themes, is about the dilemma of choosing between reason and emotion. Proper reasoning would suggest that the couple ought to keep the baby, but their emotions are telling them (especially the man) that they should get rid of the baby in order for them to be happy. It is obvious that Jig is driven by reason because of her reluctance to do the abortion besides the pressures of the man. Especially all the things youve waited so long for, like absinthe (Hemingway page ), says Jig, slightly referring to her pregnancy. She is the reasonable one between the couple, unlike her selfish partner who only thinks of his happiness. Emotion drives the man because of his strong desire to be happy. He believes that the baby would only be a hindrance to their happiness that is why he wants to get rid of it.

Conclusion
The setting of Hills Like White Elephants has various contrasting elements in it. These contrasting elements of light and dark, barren and lush environments, and reason and emotion are used by Hemingway to show the storys theme of making difficult choices and the consequences of making those choices. Hemingway may want readers to know that for every choice that they make, there are consequences that are not always favorable to them.

1. The main character in John Updikes story is a boy named Sammy who works in a grocery store. He is a simple-minded adolescent boy, a fact that is significant in the actions he would do in the story. The storys twist tells the reader that Sammy quits on his job because of the very improper way in which the three female customers (whom he has been observing all throughout the story) have been treated. Maybe he is infatuated with them and this prompts him to quit, but it could also be a sort of protest against the crudeness towards the girls. But even so,  his decision entails a lot of consequences and he realizes this too late. His decision is a representation of his characters impulsiveness and lack of direction.

2. Connie is the main character in Joyce Carol Oates story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been. In the story, she is lured by a man named Arnold Friend to leave her home and go with him even if Connie could sense that this is dangerous and wrong. Connie is very susceptible to Arnold because she has been slowly entertaining the thought and doubting herself for the longest time. Arnolds character can be compared to the devil that tempts Connie away, and she gives in because Arnold was able to touch her weaknesses. She is convinced that not only is her life at home pointless, but that harm would also come to her family if she does not leave with him. Connie has a weak faith and she has been too wrapped up in her vanity and human shallowness for the longest time, making her an easy prey for the devil.

3. Aside from the fact that both stories use teenagers or young adolescents for their protagonists, the two stories also deal with the themes of responsibility and social awareness. Both stories both touch on the moral lesson that we are responsible for our own actions and every consequence that our decisions entail. Both Sammy and Connie are oriented based on what their society dictates as right or important to them, and they often forget the importance of being responsible to others.

4. Tim O Briens On the Rainy River talks about the personal struggles of a person drafted into the war. The message of the story tells the readers that when one goes to a battle, he or she should not only be physically fit and mentally prepared, but also emotionally capable of handling the war. Being drafted to a war, one is also subjected to pressure from the people around him or her and the demands of the real essence of courage. Hence, going to a war as a soldier will never be an easy decision because it entails responsibility to oneself and to his community.

5. Where are you going, Where have you been
Ethics Connies character in Oates story illustrates that too much affection to worldly treasures as basis for what is good often leads us to commit morally wrong actions and makes us stray from the path of righteousness.

Anne Bradstreet, a well-educated Puritan born in England, is one of the first and most talented female poets of America. She was married to Simon Bradstreet at the age of 16 and they arrived in America in the year 1630. Despite having eight children, Anne managed to engage in poetry and produce some great writings. Her poem To My Dear and Loving Husband describes her devotion to and honest affection for her husband who became a Massachusetts governor who was always away because of work. Thus, this poem was inspired by the frequent absence of Bradstreets husband. However, aside from the theme of love depicted in the poem, Bradstreets work is also a reflection of how passionate she is with her role as a wife.

Bradstreets poem is an expression of her role as a wife and as a woman in love. The poem exposes just how much affection and admiration the poet professes in each and every line. Even from her very first words, Bradstreet says that  if ever two were one, then surely we  (line 1), which suggests that she believes that she and her husband only belong together. The words  wife  and  man  (1) in the poem pertain to Anne Bradstreet and her husband, Simon, and these words also reflect her awareness that their marriage is a union that makes them one. Thus, through the poems first three lines, Bradstreet expresses that she is happy and proud to be the wife of this man who loves his woman dearly and faithfully.

Bradstreet firmly believes that their love is lasting. She proves this in the lines  my love is such that rivers cannot quench, nor ought but love from thee give recompetence  (7-8). Therefore, these lines also imply that she takes her role as a wife seriously. Through these lines, Bradstreet also portrays her sincerity to her husband that even distance could never depreciate the love that they share, as the word  rivers  connotes the separation they constantly experience.

As a woman, Bradstreet also recognizes that their society is very particular of how wives should behave or act when it comes to their husbands. However, their marriage and relationship as partners have assured her that her husband loves her and treats her as an equal human being, as suggested in the lines  Thy love is such I can no way repay, the heavens reward thee manifold I pray  because the treatment that her husband shows to her is like a gift from God (9-10).  She upholds her marriage because her husband had never mistreated her and always treated her lovingly. Also, she bravely professes in her last lines that  then while we live, in love lets so persevere, That when we live no more, we may live ever  (11-12). These lines imply that she believes that as they continue to live, they will live as husband and wife united in love, and even in after death, they will still be together. She recognizes that as a woman and a wife, it is her duty to protect her marriage and make it last.  Annes society then women are restricted to express too much feelings but she was not afraid to claim to the world that even in death she shall love his husband.

Anne Bradstreets poetry clearly portrays how much she loves her husband and that she does not doubt that she is loved as well. Being expressive of their feelings is very unusual for the women of her time, and this makes the poem both brave and sincere. Anne Bradstreet is very passionate of her role as a partner to man who honestly loves her, and To My Dear and Loving Husband is a proof that she enjoyed her role as a wife, she lived a happy marriage, and she had a loving family.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe stands out among all published African novels because of its significant impact on the debate around empire and postcolonial literature. It contains themes of self and identity, culture, morality, religion, law, and many others that transcend the boundaries imposed by readers different cultural backgrounds. Unlike many of the novels about Africa and African people written before it, Things Fall Apart was written from the perspective of an African looking at his world that is slowly succumbing to British colonialism. This unique view of colonialism stirred valuable intellectual debate about the clash of cultures in a world thats slowly becoming smaller.

While the overall consensus today is that Things Fall Apart is the most classic of all African novels, Chinua Achebe was not the first African novelist. In Nigeria, Amos Tutola and Cyprian Ekwensi had already published fiction in prose even before Things Fall Apart came out. The difference with Achebes novel and these other African novels however, is that the powerful english language used in Achebes work inspired a whole new generation of African writers who were propelled by Black Nationalist pride and who wanted to depict the clash of cultures theyre witnessing in society. Moreover, because the work could be understood by english readers, it made whites and people of all races sensitive to the concerns and values of the colonized African people.

In many ways, Things Fall Apart depicts a violent clash of cultures reflected in the life of Okonkwo, the famous and strong main character, who gradually lost everything he worked for because of circumstances that are beyond his control, foremost of which is the settlement of white European missionaries in their village. For the first time in the history of African literature, colonialism was vividly depicted from the perspective of African people. The novel did not judge or discriminate against African culture unnlike other novels about Africans written by white novelists, like Joyce Cary and Joseph Conrad. Thus, Things Fall Apart does not share the same cultural biases for the empires or colonialists culture.

Even white novelists who are sympathetic to the concerns of Africans cannot write about them without using their colonial value systems. For example, in Joyce Carys Mister Johnson, the main character, Johnson, a black African man, is described with a profound amusement by the author. He was likened to a skinned rabbit and his skin was compared to the blackness of a stove. He was also described as behaving quite ridiculously like a child. In the opening paragraphs of the novel, Johnson was contrasted against Bamu, the daughter of a ferryman who was, while African had pale skin like milk chocolate and was beautiful in the way European women were at that time. Although the story would progress such that the reader would empathize with Africans, the language used is so loaded with bias against African culture and being that, in the end, Africans are still looked at as inferior to colonialists.

This is not the case with Achebes Things Fall Apart. In this novel, Achebe is unopologetic about the culture of the African village he described. Okonkwo, the main character, was powerful and admired not because of values derived from colonialists, but because of values that are learned from living in an actual African community. Thus, Okonkwo was successful because he was the first one ever to win a wrestling match against a feared wrestler called Amalinze the Cat. He was also well known because of his powerful body and aggressive personality. His success was depicted in terms of his readiness to engage in physical fights with people  something that no white European writer could say in a novel because he didnt grow up with this kind of knowledge and value system.

Thus, Things Fall Apart stirred productive intellectual debate as the other voice was heard, instead of just the colonialists. It was shown that the British Empire was not the only entity with history, but also Africans. And as strange, dangerous and weird African culture can be to white settlers, the colonialists culture can also be as strange, dangerous and weird to native Africans.

The extent to which Things Fall Apart destroyed the boundaries of the novel cant be emphasized enough. The way in which the novel was written was such that the reader is introduced to a way of life he doesnt know. Even the style employed by Chinua Achebe to write the novel affects the overall mood of the story. Things Fall Apart is made up of simple short and structured sentences that give a reader the sense that he is reading someones history through their own language translated into English. This is vastly different from the style employed by Joseph Conrad, for example, in his classic work, Heart of Darkness. Joseph used an eloquent style characterized by long, complex and abstract sentences that condition the reader to read the novel through colonial eyes. This complexity strikes a sharp contrast to the African subjects who are depicted as simple fearsome objects of nature that are quite unintelligible. This results in the reader having an intellectual bias against Africans who they may think as uneducated and ill-informed people who have to be brought out of the darkness into the light.

In contrast to Conrads novel, Things Fall Apart humanizes its characters through simple sentences that describe their worth. African culture is as complex as the empires culture but it doesnt have to be described in the most eloquent and abstract manner. For instance, by simply describing plainly that Ikemefuna is a peace settlement between two villages, and that his fate is in the hands of the village elders, the novel is able to explain the power structure in African society and its customs. Whats more striking about this is that, Achebe doesnt in any hint the reader to hate on the unscientific and sometimes brutal traditions of the African village described. Achebe merely describes the culture using their own language translated into English to inform the reader and make him understand.

Since Achebe doesnt judge African culture and the African people, readers themselves are left to judge the novel and the colonized culture on their own. Having understood their way of life, their day-to-day challenges, their fear of white men spreading a new religion in their old village, readers are able to see that the world is not restricted to the British Empire. There are multiple worlds out there that have their own stories to tell and concerns to forward. There are people who have different lifestyles to maintain and propagate and there are histories that exist alongside theirs.

Perhaps the most significant value of Things Fall Apart is that it sparks intellectual debate about the plurality of cultures and peoples in the world. For example, if colonialists used to think that murder is universally wrong, Achebe proved them false as Ikemefuna was murdered by Okonkwo himself whom he treated as his own father. Okonkwo had to follow the order of the village elders that Ikemefuna was to be killed in order that the village was to attain peace. Pushing things a little further, Achebe made Okonkwo kill Ikemefuna himself despite the elders wishes that his feelings might hinder him. This shocking and gruesome turn of events strikes a chord among European and Western readers who probably havent heard of anything so illogical and inhumane as this act. Achebes challenge to them is that whether they like it or not, this African culture did use to happen and may still be happening today, and everyone needs to discuss it. If cultures and civilizations are going to clash, what should people do to these traditions, defined by some as barbaric, while others, necessary

In this way, Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart was able to decentralize literature. No longer is literature confined to the boundaries of the empire and London is no longer the center of narrative and history. Literature can exist in any place and written by any people, and it can be about their own domestic concerns. These concerns though are inextricable from the concerns of the globalized world. By understanding them, human beings may be able to understand themselves better. For these and many other reasons, Things Fall Apart in indeed the quintessential voice of the colonized African heard around the world.

Many literary books are considered important resources for a country. These books represent the histories of the past civilizations of a country along with the people who lived those histories.

Things Fall Apart is an African literary masterpiece composed and written by Chinua Achebe. In African literature, the significance that this book has gained is the same as that of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow written by Washington Irving, in the American literature. The novel has been considered as an archetype of the African novels in English. Readers of the novel are located on a global scale. African communities and histories were introduced in American English literature for the first time in this widely read novel. Achebe has fused languages and variety of cultural forms in a beautiful manner and this shows that there is more literary talent in Africa to be explored.

An essentially African story, Things Fall Apart has contributed a lot in the African literature and the contributions that have been made by this novel shall be outlined below in this paper.

A special feature of the novel is that it is a fictional story that represents African history. The existence of the most importance values that have been a part of the African culture have been highlighted in the novel. In this case, the novel presents the pre-colonial African symbolism in a very balanced as well as an honest manner. African culture, the pre-colonial period, and the African values have been represented with all the associated reality, whether bitter or sweet, and there are no rosy colors being painted to present these values and cultures.

African tribal life is highlighted in the book and the author makes use of the merits and demerits in order to draw attention to the African tribal life. All the activities and the tasks that used to take place in the African tribal life before the European invasion have been highlighted. This has been included, because of the fact that the European invasion had many effects on the African tribal life. The author has outlined these European influences as it is observed that these study of these influences and changes in African civilization, after the European invasion, is missing in European contexts.

In the book, the author has emphasized the fact that the Igbo people in Africa belonged to the culture that was rich in its values and great institutions. Their culture included the laws that placed great emphasis on the provision of justice. There were no kings and queens to make the decisions but there was simple democracy in which the males gathered and made their decisions by consensus. Although the Europeans are known to be the democratic leaders, but after the European invasion in the African communities, These Europeans used to interfere in these gatherings in Africa. At one place it has been added by the author,

The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.

The weaknesses in the Igbo culture have been highlighted in the novel and the author writes that the Igbo people were highly patriarchal. A great fear for twins resided in the Igbo culture and the Igbo people used to abandon the twins after their birth. The author says that African culture was not ruled by higher authorities as the kings or queens. These points made the Umofian culture more vulnerable to the invasion of the westerns. It has been mentioned by the author,

No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man.

The author adds that one of the main factors that were been noticed after Europe started colonizing Africa was that the African culture started to develop technologically, the Igbo people developed academically along with better changes in their social status. Thereby African communities were refined by the Europeans. These developments became a part of the personalities of the African people. This is reflected in one of the characters of the book, District Commissioner as he reflects certain Eurocentric characters in his personality, as depicted by the author. It can be added here that the author has not tried to accentuate the point that the Europeans destroyed the African culture. Instead, the author adds that there were many positive changes that were bought in the African culture by the European invasion and these changes may have played their roles in redirecting the routes of the African culture. Moreover, African history also has seen some changes that were introduced by the European invasion.

The author has developed all the characters very carefully and this is an important feature of an iconic fiction story. The author has used the technique of the fusion of the African and European languages and it helps the readers in understanding the main changes that have occurred in the African history.
The author has highlighted the tragedy of Africa and an African. By making use of this main plot, the author makes use of different themes of tragedy.  Underlining this theme of tragedy, the other main themes that have been outlined by the author include change, conflict as well as struggle.

It is said that the Things fall apart represents the Modern Greek tragedy. The plot designing is the same as are used in the Greek tragedies. The main element required in the Greek tragedies is a tragic hero and the character who has been represented as a tragic hero is Okonkwo. The arrival of missionaries in Africa has been the main reason that the Igbo way of life and the Igbo culture is destroyed in Africa and this event leads to the death of Okonkwo. The tragic hero, Okonkwo is distressed because of the arrival of white men as they introduce newer systems, newer values and newer ways of living in the traditional societies of Africa. A lot of hard work that was done by Okonkwo was being destroyed by the newer system that was introduced by the whites.

The concluding part of the novel reflects the fact that the Igbo language gradually lost its entity. This is the main reason of the destruction of the African culture. In this case, it has been seen that the author talks about the better points that were seen in the African culture that was a part of the pre western society. It has been clearly outlined that the destruction of the African culture was because of the weaknesses and vulnerabilities that resided in the native culture. Igbo people had well developed institutions but they were illiterate and superstitious. Thereby the European invasion had helped Igbo people in achieving higher academic and institutional standards. The definition of culture that has been given by the author is that a culture is composed of religion, governments and higher authorities.

Conclusion
It has been said that by writing the book, the author has tried to change the ideology that the original African culture was based on savage and primitive beliefs. Thereby the African point of view has been given in response to the colonization of the Igbo in the African communities. Things Fall Apart portrays the western culture as ethnocentric as well as an arrogant culture. These qualities reflected the fact that the African culture in those times was in need of a leader.

Fairy tales are considered as one of the most popular short narrative stories. Although these stories have been around for many centuries, its appeal continues to transcend from generation to generation. Children of all ages enjoy hearing the magical tales about goblins, giants, princesses, trolls, and witches. In some families, reading fairy tales before going to sleep has become a cherished tradition. On the other hand, those who are young at heart are likewise, enchanted and even envious with once upon a time beginning as well as the happily ever after ending. Such lines evoke treasured memories from their past where everything used to be so simple and easy.

Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin and His Magic Lamp, and The Little Mermaid are just some of the most favorite fairy tales of all time. Among all these tales however, there is perhaps none that is more popular than the story of Cinderella. This well-admired fairy tale talks about the life of a girl living with her wicked step sisters and step mother. Although she is the rightful heir to her fathers fortune, Cinderella was treated badly by her step mother. In fact, she was treated no more as an insignificant maid in the house where she is given heavy household chores while attending to the needs of her step sisters. Despite all of these, Cinderella remained pure and good. Soon enough, her virtuosity was rewarded by her fairy godmother who helped her go the royal ball. There she met the handsome prince who eventually gave the girl named after the Cinders her happily ever after.

The familiar story of the girl from rags to riches now takes a modern turn in the form of the Hollywood blockbuster hit Pretty Woman. From the rags to riches up to meeting his one and only Prince Charming, the plot of this movie has a similar concept to that of the famous fairytale. Unlike the original version however, this modern Cinderella tale is not meant for children. Instead, it explores a world where everything is not as magical and a world where everything doesnt always end with a happily ever after.

This research paper will take a look and compare the folktale Cinderella and compare it with the movie Pretty Woman. It will particularly explore the similarities between these two texts and more importantly its differences. Similarly, this study will also take an in depth look as it tackles the reasons behind why the modern day adaptation of Cinderella is not suitable for children.

The story of Cinderella is one of the most well-celebrated and most popular fairy tales of all time. Children, especially girls, have heard about the story of the beautiful lady who was always abused by her cruel step mother and envious step sisters. From the moment her father died, Cinderella was never treated as part of the family. Instead, her step mother and sister would see her as a mere house maid, sentenced to follow their every whims and orders. Despite of her situation, Cinderella remained good, obedient, and enduring. Her unwavering faith that her life will soon turn around won the favor of her fairy god mother.

In one occasion, the family was invited to go to a royal ball. Cinderella however, was not allowed by her step mother. The poor girl was ordered to stay at home to do all the chores. While her wicked step sisters enjoyed the night away, Cinderella spent her time working and crying. Her sobs of grief was then heard by her fairy god mother. With some pumpkin, mice, dog, and of course a wave of the magic wand, Cinderella was transformed into a lovely princess with glass slippers. Before she left for the palace, her fairy god mother reminded her that she needed to be back before the strike of mind for that is the time when all the magic will fade away.

At the ball, Cinderella immediately captured the eye of the handsome prince who instantly fell head over heels in love with her. As the two stared lovingly at each others eyes, Cinderella was grabbed back to reality when she heard the clock. At once, the girl headed for the door. She was so much in a hurry that she forgot one of her glass slippers.

The love struck Prince then ordered his servant to search the entire kingdom for the girl as he will marry whoever fits the slipper. When the royal servants arrived, the evil step sisters of course, made their best attempt to fit in their huge feet on the tiny slippers. When Cinderella asked if she could fit the slipper, her step mother laughed at her and brushed her aside. However, the royal servants insisted, upon the order of the prince that every girl should be given a chance to fit the mysterious glass shoes. Naturally, it was a perfect fit when Cinderella slid her foot inside the delicate slippers. She soon found herself meeting the Prince who in turn asked her to marry him.

This favorite childrens tale was given a modern twist with the Hollywood movie Pretty Woman. Released in 1990, Pretty Woman was first dubbed as a modern day fairy tale. This film revolves around the life of a girl named Vivian. Played by the actress Julia Roberts, the lead character in this movie was also someone who lives sadly and poorly. Apart from this however, Vivian and Cinderella were two worlds apart. If Cinderella was virtuous and good, Vivian would do everything she can to survive. This includes selling sex for money. The protagonist in this movie was a prostitute. She makes a living by simply asking men to sleep with her for certain amount.

Surprisingly, she met her Prince charming, not in a royal ball, but in Hollywood Boulevard. It was the charming Edward, played by Richard Gere, who approached and asked Vivian for directions. However, the two ended up spending the night together. Edward asked Vivian to be his personal assistant which includes tasks such as being his date and beck and call for only 3,000 dollars. Out of the bargain, the lead character received expensive clothes, free meals, makeover, as well as a crash course on table manners and etiquette. Along the way, the two unavoidably fell in love with each other which changed everything. What was supposed to a two week deal was now a serious love affair that involved emotions and feelings.

Evidently, both fairytale story of Cinderella and Pretty Woman share the same concept. In the book The Morphology of the Folktale, Vladimir Propp introduced his theory of fairy stories. For Propps the entire set of such tale is constructed upon the same basic set of functions (Propp 79). A function is basic part of a narrative language which refers to very significant or important action that creates the whole narrative story. More often than not, these functions follow a logical sequence and although not all tales includes these elements, the functions would always remains in sequence in every story. Some of the most common function included in a fairy tale would include actions such as 1.) a difficult task is proposed to the hero, 2.) the task is resolved, 3.) the hero is recognized, 4.) the false hero or villain is exposed, 5.) the false hero is given a new appearance, 6.) the villain is punished, 7.) the hero is married and ascends to the throne.

Apart from these functions, Propp also included seven spheres of action which are simply defined as roles played by the characters in the story. This includes the villain, the donor or the provider, the helper, the princess, the dispatcher, the hero, and the false hero. Although Propps narrative structure seems complex, it presents itself to be visible not only in fairy tales but even in the Hollywood movies. In the story Pretty Girl, Vivian played the role of the typical princess. The life of the character is completed as she is depicted as someone who is poor, abused, and in Vivians case exploited. Additionally, Vivian also plays the role of the hero while Edward plays the role of the provider. The roles that these characters play likewise set the entire story that adheres to the functions as discussed by Propp. In this case, the difficult task proposed to Cinderella and Vivian is their similar life situation wherein they are forced to do something such as household chores and even prostitute work. In the function wherein the task in resolved, Cinderella was allowed to go to the ball and eventually dance with the prince Vivian on the other hand was given the chance to earn money.

Although both Cinderella and Vivian share the similar character roles and story structure, both seem different when it comes to its target audience or reader. This means that Cinderella, with all its magic and happily ever after, is especially designed for children. In fact, if one will closely observe all the elements included in the tale would involve the use of simplistic objects such as shoes and pumpkins as it mirrors the simple life and experiences of a child. However, Pretty Woman, although dubbed as a modern-version of Cinderella, is suitable for a more mature audience. The scenes as well as the other elements of the movie include things, experiences, and events that closely resemble the real world.

While the two stories share very similar characters, their life situation made them very different from one another. In Cinderellas case, her life was filled with grief because she is constantly maltreated and abused by her evil step mother and step sisters. Her delicate hands and pure heart is condemned to do heavy chores and household duties.

Conversely, Vivian also features a life filled with sadness and struggle. However, the struggle in her life is not represented by difficult house chores. Instead, it is characterized by a difficult life where money is hard to earn. With a poor and uneducated background, Vivian is forced to engage in the prostitute industry wherein she tries to allure men at the Hollywood Boulevard to have sex with her for money. Although the two share similar roles, the role of Vivian is characterized by someone more grounded to reality and that the struggles and challenges in her life present itself in different forms. In Vivians case, the problem presented itself in the form of prostitution and the lack of decent employment opportunities.

The personality and characteristics of Vivian is also a far cry from Cinderella. In fairy tales, Cinderella is depicted as a kind hearted, gentle, and kind woman. Her obedience is also admirable as she persevered in all her hardships with an open heart. However, it is also evident that the character of Cinderella in Perraults version is flat. This means that apart from her sad story of how her step mother would treat her, the reader is not given any details about Cinderellas life. She is basically presented with only two emotions sadness and happiness.

In contrast, the character of Vivian is depicted as a well rounded character. Contrary to Cinderellas meek and gentle personality, Vivian is depicted as a tough girl from the streets. She uses her wit and will to survive the ruthless outside world. The protagonist in Pretty Woman likewise, shows a myriad of emotion which includes sadness, happiness, confusion, and anger. There are even times when she refuses to show her true feelings primarily because of the fear of being vulnerable.

The complicated nature by which Vivian was presented is one of the primary reasons why the movie Pretty Woman was more suited for older audiences. The multi faceted character of Vivian represents the complexity of real life.

Apart from the character of the protagonist, the two stories also differ when it comes to the Prince. In Cinderellas story, the Prince is depicted as a royalty someone who is handsome, charming, rich, brave, and righteous. The Prince in the fairytale version of Cinderella is also someone who is hopelessly romantic. In fact, he ordered all his servants to search the entire kingdom for a girl whom he fell in love with.

On the other hand, the Prince in the movie Pretty Woman is Edward. Similar to the written text, Edward is also rich and handsome but unlike the Prince, he is not as good and as righteous. In fact, his character made it very clear that he and Vivian are very similar people primarily because they have the same job - they both screw people for money. Much like how Vivian sells sex for cash, Edward buys companies and sells them at a higher price. In a particular scene, the movie showed how Edwards job can sometimes be very destructive as it can cause the downfall of a company.

When it comes to the aspect of love, the Prince in the story of Cinderella is someone who would do everything for love. In fact, his love for the girl in the ball was so great that he practically asked everyone in his kingdom to go on a frantic search for her. However, Edwards case proves to be very different.

Almost every relationship in Edwards life is a failure. He is depicted as a guy who jumps from one woman to another. His playboy traits created a joke among his circle of friends as they call his lady love the flavor of the month. Likewise, he has never settled for a long time serious relationship due to the fact that he has commitment issues. Although in his hearts of hearts, Edward like the Prince, longs for the right girl but the harsh realities of life made him jaded and cynical about love.

The character of Edward is also depicted and measured for his vast wealth. In fact, most of the relationships that he has were forged because of his money. For instance, his relationship with Vivian started out as a business proposal with a tag price of three thousand dollars. This would mean that Vivian should be at his beck and call anytime he wants and whenever he wants her. This includes being his official and personal assistant, his date, his companion, friend, and sounding boar among many others. This pattern is best exemplified in the scene where Vivian and Edward were shopping. In this scene, the store manager is trying to be as obedient and as respectful as possible to ensure that both the lead characters would spend all their money in his store.

Likewise, the relationship between Edward and his lawyer also revolves purely around money. In fact, their relationship crumbled when his lawyer discovered that Edward refused to take control of a company that would give him huge amounts of cash. Edwards lawyer even went as far as insulting and even trying to rent Vivians services.

In the story of Cinderella, it was the fairy god mother that changed her rugged and torn clothes into a beautiful gown and delicate glass slippers. With a flick of her magic wand, Cinderella was instantly transformed into a lovely princess. This scenario is also evident in Pretty Woman. However, the fairy godmother is presented in the form of Edward. Aside from taking the role of the Prince, Edward was also the fairy godmother or the provider in this plot. His magic wand was his cash which helped transform Vivian. Much like Cinderellas rugged clothes, Vivian was wearing skimpy clothes. Edward, through his credit card and money transformed the once classless and tactless Vivian into a lady of elegance and sophistication. This is best exemplified in the scene where Vivian was walking along the streets of Rodeo Drive. In the first scene she is shown wearing her skimpy clothes and high boots. However, sales ladies would throw her out of the store as they refuse to accept someone like her inside their posh stores. In the second scene, Vivian is shown wearing high-fashion clothes while carrying bags of other expensive clothing. This instant transformation was possible because of the help of Edwards money.

The setting also played an important role as it distinguishes the difference between the written text and the movie. In the fairy tale, the setting is located in a kingdom far away. Although the place was not mentioned, the author intended it to sound as if it was a place where dreams could easily come true. Significantly, the setting of Pretty Woman took place in the urban city of Los Angeles, California, particularly in Hollywood as this place is dubbed as the place where dreams come true. The movie begins with shot of the place filled with sleazy billboards and neon lights. These elements are used to juxtapose the idea of the mythologized place and what is reality (Emerson 1). The setting is also shown along with people such as pimps, crack dealers, prostitutes, drunkards, and even a murdered prostitute thrown in a dumpster. The irony between the though about the place and the people that lives in it equally draws the line between what is imaginary and what is real.

From the characters to settings, the story of Cinderella and Pretty Woman both shared a common structure. The difference however, is that the modern version of the favorite tale is geared towards showing what is true and what is happening. Fairy tales on the other hand shows a magical world that always starts and ends perfectly.

One of the most common criticisms o fairy tales is that they shield children from the harsh realities of life. Most tales do not include the fact that even the hero can sometimes make a mistake. Often times, people criticize the fact that nothing as simple a magic can make a dream come true, because most of the time, dreams would include hard work, perseverance, and at time doing something such as prostitution.

Yet, at the heart of all this, it is also essential to realize that even though the enchanted tales are not as realistic as Pretty Woman, such tales strive to see not the reality but what is the ideal. It is only by looking at what is possible can someone start to see clearly not what is happening around but most importantly, things that are striving to happen.

The America of African-American poet Claude McKay was a growing and proven power on the world stage, while at home racial and other social tensions bubbled beneath the surface of the culture. During the 1920s, African-American poets and artists such as McKay had converged upon Harlem in New York City and had created a cultural renaissance, aptly named the Harlem Renaissance. Seeking to be representative of their own often ignored culture and of the nation as a whole, McKay and his peers challenged the status of African-Americans across the nation. In his poem America McKay presents a country that is at odds with itself. In language that succinctly represents the notion of a nation as a living and, therefore, dying entity, the American portrayed by McKay is one rife with inequality and injustice. From the beginning of the short, fourteen-line poem McKay bombards the reader with language which evokes images of violence, roiling oppositional forces of nature, and strength which is crumbling under its own hypocrisy. If America is unable to embrace all factions of itself, rather than turning away and against the various racial and social groups within its borders, it will doom itself to the deterioration of the very values by which it is defined.

McKay begins the poem America by professing an embittered love for this cultured hell that tests my youth. America is not, for those caught under the thumb of oppression, a land of opportunity. It is a beast which has the power and the prerogative to abuse and destroy the children of her land. The bread of bitterness fed to those, who like McKay, struggle with the values preached by the idealized version of democracy is a product of the realization that such values seem to be rarely realized by those they should serve. For someone like McKay, who had been raised in a culture that promoted the very American ideals while rejecting him, such things as truth and justice must have seemed a disturbing joke. While told that these ideals represent America, minorities in the early 20th century were confronted by the reality of Americas limitations. Wooed by promises of truth, justice, and freedom such dreams are sharply upended when the reality of America sinks into my throat her tigers tooth, Stealing my breath of life. In beginning the poem in this manner, through the comparison of America to a vicious, though beautiful and powerful, animal McKay attempts to show the nature of a country which promotes the rights of some while continually oppressing others. He is equally illustrating the predatory nature of the social and physical aggression of the nation against its own people, making prey of what could in reality be its strength.

The poem is taken farther into the developing metaphor of violence the vigor of the beast illustrates the power of such a foe. From this power, inherent not only in the choice of the word vigor but in the image of a tiger meeting and devouring its prey, McKay himself is able to gain strength. Such strength is derived not merely from the challenge of such abject hatred but also from a jaded love for the values of the American way of life. McKay cannot fully believe the rhetoric that espouses these ideals but at the same time he is unable to discard his love for them. However, this love is not reciprocal and is instead returned by a deeply seated racism at the heart of his birth. The challenges McKay faces as an African-American in early 20th century American society are strongly imbedded not simply in the social culture but also the political framework of the country. In confronting racism, McKay illustrates that to overcome racism is not to triumph over individuals but instead over the institutional hatred that seems to define public and governmental opinions. Such hatred is of a largesse which McKay describes as a bigness that sweeps my being like a flood. Like the image of the tiger, this hatred is powerful and ultimately destructive to that which falls in its path.

Moving away from the symbols of nature, the tiger and flood, the second half of the poem concentrates on a more historical viewpoint of political upheaval, as a rebel fronts a king in a state, I stand within her walls with not a shred Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer. His rebellion is not against the ideals of the American dream but instead against its unequal application. McKay and others like him do not wish to rewrite the edicts of justice and truth as cornerstones to American society but instead to see them applied equally to all. By specifying that his protest is not one of terror, malice, not a word of jeer, the poet is illustrating a desire to uphold American values without discrimination. While attacking the status quo, which enforces a culture of racism and inequality, McKay does not view his literary action as akin to the violent upheavals of history. He stands beside the dream while voicing an opposition to its application. The imagery of the rebel fronting the king most closely enforces this view because it is not a confrontation that would destroy the state but rather one that will strengthen it. In recognizing the role of African Americans within the American culture, the nation itself stands to gain an ally and not a foe. McKays image is one of strength America and African Americans present equally strong aspects of cultures at odds but equally able to sustain and enrich the other.

Despite the idea that African Americans can strengthen and enrich the future of America, McKay is skeptical of the reality of this vision. His view, representative of the cultural viewpoint of African Americans, shows a belief in the inability of the American culture he knows to absorb and accept him as part of its whole. Viewing the possibilities of the future, McKay remarks, Darkly I gaze into the days ahead, exudes a pessimism that compliments the violent imagery of the first half of the poem. Rather than viewing the future as a possibility of the assimilation of the present and the future, McKay predicts a cataclysmic view of change. The might and granite wonders that indicate the strength and physical presence of a civilization built upon ideals it has yet to fully realize, particularly in concern for their own population, will fall under the pressure of their own limitations. It is evident that the might is of the same power evoked in the imagery of the tiger and flood. The granite wonders may be viewed within the context of civilization itself, not merely that of America but all of Western civilization which can be seen as historically representative of both advancement and oppression. Neither the strength nor civilization, evoked in these images, however can withstand the turning of time and the political and social changes that will inevitably occur. If America is unable to build upon its mistakes than Times unerring hand will act of its own accord. Such an unjust society cannot withstand its own hatred and culturally debilitating policies but must instead expand upon its own ideas. Without a more open understanding of itself, as integrative and reflective of not merely whites but all ethnic and social groups, the America of which McKay speaks will expedite its own demise. Instead of rising and building upon its strength, the very power and violence that has allowed the systems of inequality and racism to persist will destroy it. Within this context, not only will the negative attributes of such a society be destroyed but also the hope and beauty of the ideals of American justice and democracy. The priceless treasures McKay describes as sinking in the sand in the final line of the poem are these ideals of democracy and not their hypocritical representations.

Through McKays poem America we can glean a view of how integral but equally destructive the forces of inequality and racism are on a society. In images of nature and history, McKay shows the reader the violence and baseness inherent to such institutions as well as the hypocrisy at the root of the problem. The America McKay professes to love, is not the America in which he lives his daily life, instead it is the America that he has been taught to dream of and yearn towards. It is an unreality based upon ideals that has yet to be realized for the millions of African Americans who are an integral, though separate part of society. In continuing a tradition of hatred and hypocrisy, such a civilization cannot flourish in rejecting African Americans it was rejecting itself and its own future. In McKays view, if American society cannot desist in its predatory assault upon its own people it cannot flourish and will finally fall prey to itself.

Every company holds a different style of management depending on the vision and mission of each company. I would like to compare and contrast between two Korean companies Samsung and LG Electronics Company in terms of their distinct management styles and justify why LG is a better performing company. For example, Samsung prefers vertical management while LG Electronics management style is horizontal management style. To further elaborate, I have five points that will allow me to compare the management style of each company as well as their similarities and differences. These five points are human resource management, research and development, role of management, mission and vision, and leadership.

The human resource management key point will show us how both companies manage their employees. Both companies are similar in holding value for each employee. Both companies also provide an appropriate working environment for their employees to excel.  However, Samsung does not allow labor unions in their company therefore, they do not negotiate with their employees who are part of any union. On the other hand, LG allows labor unions and they usually negotiate with them. Samsung and LG Electronics also differ in the way they treat their subcontractors.

The mission and vision key point shows the goals of the companies. To fully compare these two companies, let us look into each companys mission and vision statement. Samsung envisions itself to be the leader in digital union movement. Paired with innovation and various solutions provided for future circumstances, they want to achieve this main goal. Samsungs mission statement is to focus on three things management, organization, and industry innovation. LG Electronics has a different mission and vision as each company has their own unique set of mission and vision statements.  LG Electronics provides long-term and detailed specific goals. LG Electronics envisions itself to be one of the top three leading electronics innovator and providers of electronics.

Another key point is the leadership and the role that management plays in the company. The Samsung management team believes that they must create top of the line innovative products that can help make our society more efficient. They also believe that management must perform at its best and by doing so they can boost up organizational productivity.  Samsung puts into mind five business principles in the company. They believe in the philosophy of producing great people who make a great company.  Their management focuses on three major leadership schemes. The first leadership scheme is product leadership while LG believes that by providing training people they can perform in producing innovative products and solutions for the upcoming market trends and demands. The second leadership scheme is market leadership. LG wants to continuously expose their company and product into the market. Both companies have established their existence onto the international market. Their third leadership scheme grants people leadership. LG believes that by selecting and nurturing the best candidates, they can achieve the full.

Therefore I conclude that both Samsung and LG provide a wide range of opportunities to develop its employees. Samsung breathes a more professional air into the business giving a barrier for its employees to communicate effectively to the company. However, it is in how each company manages them that makes them better. LG uses the downward approach, which allows more employees to be more participative in the company.

World news has been awash with news regarding tensions in the Korean Peninsula, which is the most militarized peninsula in the world. It is hard to believe that under a century ago South Korea and North Korea were a unified state sharing the same fears and destiny. Thus, I find the Korean case to be intriguing and that is why I would like to do a bit of an investigation in to the dynamics affecting these two countries.  These two nations have grown so much apart that one would think the name Korea is a mere expression of geographical consideration like the larger American continent. The two Korean republics are in a perpetual state of tension, but some optimists are still of the opinion that they can be reunited. Is that possible While I agree that the Korean people have a shared history, years of estrangement has led to vast political, economic and social differences that reconciling them would be near impossible.

North Koreans have never participated in a substantive democratic process in their lives. In fact, they hardly understand the title of their leader Kim Jong il because the title president was rested with the death of Kims father, who was henceforth christened eternal president. These northerners would suffer a culture shock if they were asked to go in to an election to elect a president or an equivalent to Kim. South Koreans on the other hand, have had pluralism since 1980s, and even before democracy, their country leadership exercised tolerance to social pressure groups such as student unions. More often than not, when democracy is introduced in a society, it faces teething problems, the most prominent manifestation of the problem being violence. The problems may however be aggravated if there is an awareness gap between the resident populations as this would lead to a feeling of unfairness by one  of the groups. There is a huge awareness gap between the North and the South and the consequences of subjecting the two to a unified democratic process would be too grave to contemplate.

Nonetheless, political differences pale when compared to economic differences. In terms of economic differences the two nations are worlds apart. While the Southerners live in relative abundance and material prosperity, the North Koreans have issues with the most basic human needs such as food. For lack of a better term to use, North Korea is a banana republic. The country is ruled by small elite of rulers that control everything to the extent that there are no independent businesses in the country. Compare this to South Korea which has a few global brand names to its repute. Clearly, it would take some time before North Koreans can be taught the principles of free enterprise so as to put them at par with the their southern brothers.

Looking at their social set ups the two have more similarities here compared to the other two categories. The main similarity is that the two have largely retained their Korean dialect with a slight variation, which is to be expected for two communities that have grown apart for that long. Looking at their religions however, the North Korean side has had the growth Christianity stifled at the behest of the ruling elite. This has led to fewer Christians in the North and even worse is the fact that children born in the country today are indoctrinated with the teachings that elevate the countrys supreme leader to a demigod status. Such is the brainwashing that is happening to the North Koreans yet, the Southern population has lived with enjoyment of full civil liberties. As a result, South Korea has a fair mix of religions with Christianity being the majority religion.

The two societies are not very homogeneous as their names suggest. The only similarity is the language, but that alone cannot be used to stake a claim for reunification. It has been noted that North Koreans fleeing their oppressive government find easier to match their dialects with of the Southerners, but that is where their assimilation stops. The northerner will find it hard adapting to his new found freedom and will even have a behavior conspicuous enough for him or her to be identified as a Northerner. Similarly, economically speaking, if the two were to be unified then the South should be ready to pay a heavy price to bring their brothers income at par with theirs. In conclusion, I would like to disagree with those who say that if the current North Korean leadership were to be replaced, reunification would be a reality. That is not true the issues impeding a reunification are far more complicated than Kim Jong ils leadership and If the two have to be reunified then the above differences have to first be bridged.

The psychological perspective of analysis can easily be identified as the type of literary criticism that focuses on the psychological aspect of the characters and answers the questions on why they did what they did. Their whole character growth and development are taken into consideration and most especially, their motivation for their actions and words are scrutinized in terms of why they happened because of the psychological state of their minds. The psychological perspective of analysis both envelops the science of psychology with its technical terms and the close reading of the literary work also known as formalism. Most famous and notable for the psychological analysis of literature is the psychoanalysis pioneered by Sigmund Freud wherein he relates motivations of characters as being offspring of their unconsciousness, sexuality, and suppressions controlled by the society. When a literary work is seen through the psychological perspective, it is psycho-analysis which is usual applied, and this can be understood more in the psychoanalytical study of Susan Glaspells Trifles and Sophocles Oedipus the King.

The play Trifles written by Susan Glaspell is the type of literature that feminists would most likely love to analyze since it portrays the oppressions done to women by the patriarchy-dominated society. The play centers on the investigation of the sheriff, the witness (who also happens to be the neighbor), and the County Attorney on the murder of John Wright as committed by Mrs. Wright. The men in the story are finding angles on the reason why a nice woman like Mrs. Wright would think of killing her own husband. Naturally, the wife of the sheriff and the witness tag along, and they are the ones who discover the reason due to their observations on why Mrs.Wright would kill her own husband. The men laugh at their observations and call them such trifles since they are not worthy of attention.

The tragic play of Sophocles is more known as Oedipus Rex, and is part of a trilogy with Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus being the other two. Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King focuses on the life of King Oedipus and the whole unraveling of his identity. In the play, it is revealed that Oedipus has killed his own father and committed incest by marrying his own mother unknowingly since he has no idea that they are his real parents. It is discovered that when Oedipus was born, a prophecy was foretold that Oedipus would kill his own father and because of this, his mother gave him away to have him killed. As everything comes to the open, Oedipus feels aghast over what he has done he relinquishes his throne and exiles himself.

Using the psychological perspective of analysis, Trifles makes it quite obvious on why Mrs. Wright would kill her own husband, and this is explained by the inspection done by Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters over Mrs. Wrights things. They understand that the trifles that the men laugh at are actually very important aspects of Mrs. Wrights identity as a woman, wife, and person. Thus, in a psychological perspective, Mrs. Wright committed the murder because subconsciously, she was feeling suffocated by the restrictions placed by her husband. The patriarchal society does not help with alleviating these feelings with their support of a man ruling and having the say in the house. The neglected wifely duties can be interpreted as Mrs. Wrights unconsciousness coming to the surface, and she fights back against her duties since she associates this with her husbands suppressions. The caged bird can also be a symbol of the feelings of Mrs. Wright as she feels locked up by both restrictions imposed by her husband and the society. Lastly, there are two other important things which make Mrs. Wright as a very valuable character in terms of psychoanalysis, and this is the murder of John Wright and the keeping of the dead bird. The murder is of course, Mrs. Wrights resort to free herself, and this violent act surfaces as the id of a person, which according to Freud, is the part of a human being that knows no distinction between right and wrong. Thus, Mrs. Wright felt the need to kill her husband and she did it even if it was wrong. On the other hand, the keeping of the dead bird and even allotting some form of shrine for it can be seen as the secret attraction of Mrs. Wright to dead bodies even if it was just a bird. Necrophilia in literature is not uncommon, but Mrs. Wrights shrine for the bird can be interpreted into two ways one is that she harbors feelings for things already past, and the other is she harbors a desire for dead bodies. The latter can be supported by the fact that she killed her husband and refused to acknowledge that he was dead. If it was not for their neighbor asking for the husband, there is a likely chance that she would have kept the dead body as it was.

With the case of Oedipus the King, it is much more controversial since the famous Oedipus Complex derives from this play and the Complex being the incest relationship of a son with his mother. The situation is that a son develops feelings for his mother and in light cases, he just looks up to her. In serious and dire cases however, his feelings go as far as harboring sexual desires for her. This relationship can be explained by various motivations with regard to the character and experiences of the son, but in Oedipus case, it is quite simple. Following the plot of the play, 1) Oedipus leaves the kingdom of his adopted parents upon learning that he is not their real son 2) he kills his own father unknowingly when he meets him and 3) he marries his mother as a form of a prize with helping to liberate her kingdom. Oedipus killing his father is caused by the surfacing of his unconsciousness.

Even if Oedipus acted out in self-defense, the fact that he killed someone else is morally wrong. This killing is both a manifestation of his unconsciousness over the realization that he has never known real affections with his parents (and most especially with his mother), and then he also unconsciously eradicated his competition for the affections of his mother. Oedipus repressed sexual desires for his mother and it comes out when he marries her and she becomes his wife. While he was not really sure that she is his mother, he still refuses to believe it even if evidences are stacked against him to the point that there is an overwhelming proof of it eventually, he has no choice but to also believe it.

To conclude, the motivations of both the characters of Mrs. Wright and Oedipus over their crime of killing may be explained by the psychological turmoil that they have been experiencing over restricted norms and repressed sexual desires. The psychoanalytic reading of Trifles and Oedipus the King helps readers to understand better the development of the character and coaxes a deeper appreciation for the literary work and its theme. While there are various symbolisms in the two plays, their tone and theme are somewhat the same. The tone is that of being gloomy since the tragic hero and heroine meet such sad endings. However, even if they have such tragic fates they were able to liberate their desires even for a little while. In the end, they were able to feel a little bit amount of freedom.

Almost five decades ago, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his I have a dream speech at the Lincoln memorial in Washington. The speech is considered as the most famous speech of all time due to its strong message and the sour rhetoric King used in the speech. The speech electrified the whole of the United States and inspired the African Americans to fight for equality. Today, over forty years after the speech was delivered, it is significant to the lives of the Americans.

There are many speeches that were inspiring given by Martin Luther King Jr but I have a dream speech has remained significant to the lives of Americans for many years. The dream of American nation living according to the words its creed that all are equal is still verve in the American society. The speech is a source of inspiration to the people of America to treat each other indiscriminately irrespective of the individuals race, gender, nationality, religion or political affiliation.  

The speech hammers to the Americans the need for the all Americans to rise up and fight social injustices in the community. In his speech, King repeats the word dream severally instilling hope for a better future for the Americans. He also brings forward the need for all Americans, sons of slaves and slaves owners, to combine efforts towards attaining the American dream. He also brings forward the need for reconciliation as the oppressors and the oppressed would one day share a table of brotherhood. To drive home his point, American dream, he used examples such as Mississippians, which were much more affected by racial discrimination to show that despite the many challenges there is still hope.

In conclusion, Kings speech is still significant today in the lives of Americans many years after it was delivered. Some of the Kings dreams have been attained where racial discrimination has reduced significantly.

Fairy tales have been with us since we could remember ourselves. The stories of miraculous transformations and terrific achievements lead us to believe that nothing is impossible in this world. Yet, we hardly ever realize that the fairy-tales that teach us the basic conventions of life are actually written to reflect and evaluate the existing social order. In many aspects, fairy-tales are designed to prepare us to the realities of the social life and to make sure that we follow its norms and the accepted standards of behavior. Hans Christian Andersens The Little Mermaid is the bright example of how fairy-tales elaborate on the accepted gender roles in a patriarchal society. The Little Mermaid exemplifies the dominance of the male power over the female muteness and shows a woman as the victim of her social choices, which are initially limited to the extent that shows social control and social castration as the only path a woman can choose in her life.
 
The story of The Little Mermaid is well-known and is loved by thousands of children all over the world, but only recently has the fairy-tale become an object of the peer gender analysis. An adult reader cannot but notice the pain and understanding, with which Andersen describes his protagonist and the gender implications, which the author is trying to reveal and deliver to his readers. The Little Mermaid is the youngest and the prettiest of her sisters her skin was as clear and delicate as a rose-leaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea but like all the others, she had no feet, and her body ended in a fishs tail (Andersen). It would be fair to assume that the presence of the fishs tail and the absence of legs in young mermaids is, on the one hand, the sign of their belonging to one and the same sea society and, on the other hand, a reliable instrument of restraining their desire to become a part of the human world. They wished themselves back again in the water, and after a month had passed they said it was much more beautiful down below, and pleasanter to be at home (Andersen). As such, the features of the patriarchal belonging are rooted at the bottom of the sea, where several sisters are destined to live their lives in accordance with the norms and standards of their society and have to subject themselves to the dominant power of their father and their community. This is, probably, where the Little Mermaid learns the principles and importance of self-sacrifice and this is, probably, where she prepares herself to giving away her life to a man. That is why she is the one to save the prince from death without a single hope for a reward But to her he sent no smile he knew not that she had saved him. This made her very unhappy, and when he was led away into the great building, she dived down sorrowfully into the water (Andersen).

That the Little Mermaid takes a difficult decision to get rid of her fishs tail and to turn into a human being is in no way the sign of her desire to break the conventional norms of her community and to go against her fathers will. On the contrary, this is where the power of the patriarchal society becomes even more formidable the Little Mermaid is destined to forever give away her charming voice in exchange for a beautiful body, thus turning into a patriarchal ideal that is both beautiful and mute. Your fishs tail, which amongst us is considered so beautiful, is thought on earth to be quite ugly they do not know any better, and they think it necessary to have two stout props, which they call legs, in order to be handsome (Andersen). Beauty in the patriarchal world carries out a number of functions it confirms a womans belonging to the patriarchal society it confirms a womans submissiveness to the norms of this society it also positions a woman as a victim of these norms and shows that beauty is the only way to happiness  I would give gladly all the hundreds of years that I have to live, to be a human being only for one day, and to have the hope of knowing the happiness of that glorious world above the stars (Andersen). The patriarchal world treats woman depending on her appearance and not what may hide behind it, and those who do not follow the predetermined set of beauty norms are doomed to spend their lives rejected and lonely. As such, the Little Mermaid finds herself in the patriarchal world, which does not welcome self-expression and female freedom, which imposes gender limitations and conventionalities on women, and which makes women follow the predetermined set of beauty norms. These norms do not leave any room for the Little Mermaids voice but turn her into a unique combination of a beautiful form, graceful walk, expressive eyes, and cleanliness (Andersen). Muteness is the price which the Little Mermaid is bound to pay for her becoming a part of the gray human mass.

It looks that the source of the mermaids power resides in her beauty, but it is only partially true. What Andersen tries to say is that the female beauty in the patriarchal society must lead a woman to being with a man, and not a woman or her beauty but a man next to the woman will be the source of the main power for her and for the rest of society. A womans appearance is something that can enchain a mans heart, but it is only by cutting her tongue (either physically or literally) that can she feel a proud member of the human world. Women in a patriarchal society are destined to undergo numerous pains and tortures in order to become perfectly beautiful and thus, to turn into the objects of desire for men. Pride must suffer pain (Andersen), and women accept their fate with muteness. The need for the Little Mermaid to cut away her tail is just one out of many examples of how women change their appearance in order to conform to the norms of beauty in the patriarchal world. As a part of this physical transformation and from her hands-on knowledge of the human world, the Little Mermaid learns the value of self-sacrifice, the power of the male choice, and the power of gender conventionalities. She silently agrees to sleep at the princes door, to wear a pages dress, to accompany him on horseback and to walk with him through the woods, although her legs bleed every time they decide to travel to the distant places (Andersen). The Little Mermaid learns to silently accept her fate and realizes that the morning the prince is married with another she will have to dissolve herself into the foam of the sea (Andersen). When the Little Mermaid takes a decision and deprives herself of her tail, she actually deprives herself of her own individuality for the sake of being with a man. In many instances, this act of self-deprivation is similar to foot-binding in China women had to go through terrible tortures in order to follow the norms of beauty and to secure themselves a chance to get married. Cutting the tail and foot-binding represent the two equally cruel but nevertheless effective forms of the social control. The moment the Little Mermaid drinks a draught, she undergoes a kind of social castration, which forever cuts her from her previous life and does not leave her a single chance for survival (moral, spiritual, and physical).

Although written for younger readers, Andersens fairy tale actually creates and advocates a model of young womanhood, which positions women as unrecognized, unappreciated and unrealized. This model of womanhood leads a woman to silently accept her role as of the suffering party. A young woman accepts her physical and moral sufferings for granted  as an inevitable by-product of her gender. Such womanhood grants women secondary social roles and does not give them a chance to protect their rights. Their role is of a good supplement to a man but if not, the only way they can choose is death. Among the daughters of the air, a mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being. On the power of another hands her eternal destiny (Andersen). What Andersen calls an immortal soul and eternal destiny are nothing else but a womans chance to remain a part of the human society. Whether she is lucky to realize herself as a woman largely depends on how lucky she is to find a man, who would agree to take her as his wife.

In a patriarchal society, the power of a woman resides in her beauty, which should give her a chance to enchain a mans heart. The Little Mermaid shows that patriarchal norms do not leave a woman a choice other than being married or dying. A woman in the patriarchal world has to learn the value of sacrifice and to accept pain as the critical element of her beauty. In light of everything that has been said in this paper, The Little Mermaid confirms the dominance of the male power in the patriarchal world, and shows a woman as the victim of the social choices, which are severely limited and which position social control and social castration as the only ways to secure herself a place among humans.

Fairy-tales are loved by children. However, fairy-tales often serve a reliable source of social knowledge and work to prepare children to the realities of the social life. Andersens The Little Mermaid is a complex representation of gender relationships in a patriarchal society. The Little Mermaids muteness is the necessary precondition for her becoming a member of the human world. Her power resides in her appearance. She learns the value of self-sacrifice, she accepts the power of the male choice, and she has to reconcile with the pain and sufferings as an essential element of her physical beauty. Self-deprivation and the mermaids decision to cut off her tail exemplify an act of self-castration, which makes her a victim of the social control. In his fairy-tale, Andersen presents a model of young womanhood, which is unappreciated and unrecognized, and which shows a woman as the victim of the social choices that are severely limited and that also position social castration as the only way for woman to secure herself a place among humans.

The short story Woman Hollering Creek, written by Mexican-American writer Sandra Cisneros, depicts the social roles of women as they interrelate with men and other women. Written by a Mexican-American, the story focuses on the struggle of one Mexican woman to find her independence and self-awareness amidst a life of poverty and violence. This essay analyzes, from a feminist perspective, the short storys critical portrayal of the status of women not only as it applies to the Chicana experience, but to women of all cultures and inclinations.

The characters in the story reflect stereotypes that presently exist in society today. The women in the story are portrayed as the protagonists. The main character, Cleofilas, is the typical young Mexican woman who believes in a happily ever-after and immerses herself - like many young girls - in soap operas, love songs, and movies that form their secret dreams and desires about romance and marriage. Before turning into a mature, strong woman, Cleofilas exemplified the traditional female who accepts societys assignment of woman as subordinates of men. She would later learn that her earlier visions of a happy marriage and prosperous life in the U.S. border would be subversively different.  Cleofilas is the woman who endures the physical abuses committed by the antagonist in the story, husband Juan Pedro Martinez Sanchez. Juan Pedro exemplifies the typical macho and dominant male who treats women as mere objects. He is materialistic, shallow, and violent. Challenging this unequal and abusive relationship between the stereotypical man and woman is the liberated woman, portrayed by Felice and Graciela, both of whom reject the conventional norm of the patient, silent, and suffering woman.

The story illustrates the plight of oppressed women everywhere, not just to the Mexican American woman. Acculturation to conventions of femininity is significant in conditioning the minds of women that their only salvation is love and marriage to a man. Cleofilas and her peers pine for such aspirations from their favorite soap operas, romantic movies, and songs, which create for them illusory pictures of perfect marriages and fairy tale endings. After marriage, they soon find themselves trapped in a life they never dreamed of poverty instead of prosperity violence instead of a happy ending. Despite being abused, Cleofilas reminds herself of what the telenovelas have taught her about the nature of love and marriage - that to suffer for love is good. The pain all sweet somehow. The story is a tribute to the painful plight of such women, some of whom never get out of their marriages alive.

The title of the story is significant because it also tells of its main conflict. The legend of La Llonora, from which the Woman Hollering Creek is named after, tells of tragic plight of an abused woman who was driven to insanity because of despair over her husbands infidelity, causing her to drown her children to death. As a consequence, the woman is condemned to wail and moan in search for her children forever. That women are condemned to silence and passivity is something that invites further violence or even death. Hence, violence against women is condemned and recognized as a serious issue not only in the United States, but all over the world. When a woman is beaten by her husband, just like Cleofilas was, tradition says she must accept that. After all, a man has the right to discipline his wife if he sees fit. Because Cleofilas chose to remain mum about her predicament and instead forces her feelings bottled up, she has essentially become La Llonora, the helpless, desperate woman who can do nothing but cry over her circumstances.

In the end, Cleofilas chose to break her silence and enlisted the help of two women, Felice and Graciela, who helped her return to her fathers home in Mexico. Aboard Felices pickup truck, they were able to successfully cross the creek. Crossing over the creek symbolizes freedom and salvation for the abused or oppressed female. When they reached the other side, Felice yells happily as loud as any mariachi, making Cleofilas find her own voice in the form of a cry gurgling out of her own throat... like water.