English Literature

The movie O Brother, Where Art Thou can be considered to be a film based on the Homers epic The Odyssey in terms of its plot and character. One can clearly see that Everett, the protagonist in the film, is closely similar to Odysseus, Homers main character on The Odyssey. Their personalities are noticeably alike as well as some of their several encounters. Some of these situations are their experience on a creature they called Cyclops and encounter on the enchanting songs of the Sirens. In terms of their personalities, one of their similarities is their main objective getting back to their families. To achieve his goal, Odysseus goes into his hometown, Ithaca, to kill the suitors to take back his wife. Similarly, Everett barges in a KKK meeting to rescue his friend Tommy. Though they are alike in many aspects, they both have their own set of differences.

Both characters encounter their own versions of the Cyclops. It is clear that both descriptions of the creature also have similar physical characteristics - a large man having only an eye. Also, the Cyclops in both stories attacks each character while they are not expecting them. In The Odyssey, Odysseus and his crew are relaxing and having a feast when the Cyclops savagely assaults them. Similarly, the Cyclops in O Brother, Where Art Thou attacks Everett while he is on a picnic. The two protagonists are either imprisoned or robbed. Both Odysseus and Everett escape their own Cyclops by creating their own versions of distraction  Odysseus and his crew hiding under the sheep while Everett acts as if he is a member of the KKK. Another similar scene of The Odyssey and O Brother, Where Art Thou is their encounter of the captivating song of the Sirens. Both Everett and Odysseus utilize the unusual smell of wax to counter the Sirens magical call. Overcoming their encounter with the Sirens makes Everett and Odysseus able to go on with their expedition.

In terms of personality, both Everett and Odysseus do not fully trust their comrades. Along his travel with his men, Odysseus carries a bag but does not reveal what is inside of it to them. Likewise, Everett does not trust on what his friends say that baptism will clear away all their sins but he still goes on with them. Though both of them ventures on with their buddies to achieve their respective goals, Everett and Odysseus do not trust them fully that they will tell or accept certain things or beliefs to them.
Though Everett and Odysseus have a range of similar characteristics and encounters, they also have their differences. One is their beliefs on religion. Odysseus is a pious man while Everett does not believe in any god nor the clearing away of sins. Although Odysseus is not very appreciative of the help given to him by the Gods, he does believe that they do really exist. On contrary, Everett does not believe that a mere ritual like when a priest dips you beneath the water (for baptism) will clear your sins or even improve your personality. In addition, Odysseus has only a son, Telemachus, while Everett has seven daughters.

The movie O Brother, Where Art Thou and Homers The Odyssey have a lot of comparable details in terms of character and plot. Odysseus and Everett are almost exactly the same as if they are twins though they also have some differences. Everett and Odysseus are probing, self-centered leaders with the same set of objectives. Everett, though very similar to Odysseus in terms of personality and characteristics, also has some distinctions that make him a unique individual. The movie O Brother, Where Art Thou depicts the dilemma of a man during the depression molded by the efforts of Odysseus in Homers great epic The Odyssey.

An Explication and Analysis on The Social Meanings of Poes The Tell Tale Heart (1843) and The Fall of the House of Usher (1839), and Hawthornes The Birthmark (1843) and Rapaccinis Daughter (1844)

An Explication and Analysis on The Social Meanings of Poes The Tell Tale Heart (1843) and The Fall of the House of Usher (1839), and Hawthornes The Birthmark (1843) and Rapaccinis Daughter (1844)
Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne are two renowned authors who have already established a name in the world of literature as masters when it comes to the unfathomable and highly dramatic short stories. These authors have become typical subjects of discussion when tackling novels that are inclined on the more gloomy and poignant themes. Over the years, their works have been highly acclaimed by literary critics not just due to the perceived literary quality of such works, but also due to the perceived significance of the meanings of such works in portraying the ambiguous ideal of human condition. Hence, the objective of this discussion shall focus on analyzing the significance of the social meanings employed in Hawthorne and Poes works to the reality of human condition. This discussion shall also look into the literary quality of the poets works based on the effectiveness of their usage of the primary literary elements. Thus, the succeeding parts of this discussion shall particularly explore two of each authors famous works specifically, Poes The Tell Tale Heart and The Fall of the House of Usher, and Hawthornes  The Birthmark and Rapaccinis Daughter.

The Tell Tale Heart (1843) and The Fall of the House of Usher (1839) by Edgar Allan Poe
The Tell Tale Heart is one of Poes most famous and most reviewed works. In this story a man who is psychologically disturbed claims that he is not mad. Despite the apparent irregularity and strangeness in the unnamed protagonists behavior, he still claims and argues to the readers that he is not insane. The obsession in this story can be seen on the protagonists thoughts about his old neighbors blue eyes, his heartbeat and his sanity as well.

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye yes, it was this He had the eye of a vulture --a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold and so by degrees --very gradually --I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever. (Poe, 1993, p. 221)

In these lines, the anxiety of the protagonist as he talks about the old mans eyes is very obvious. However, just like a child who tries so hard to fight off his fears, it appears that the unnamed protagonist in this story also struggles in fighting off the thought that he might already be going insane. The elements of exposition, conflict and rising action are very notable in this story. It is incontestable that the story was made more exciting and thrilling as Poe vividly pictures the scenes as well as the emotions and feelings of his characters. In each scene, the protagonists rising anxiety about the old mans blue eyes and heartbeat is augmented and emphasized by stirring narration True --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am but why will you say that I am mad The disease had sharpened my senses --not destroyed --not dulled them. (Poe, 1993, p. 221). On the other hand, The Fall of the House of Usher depicts a more gothic and eerie setting. Unlike in the previously discussed story, in this story, the author focuses on the setting instead on the thoughts of the protagonist. It seems like the author wanted to build up the supernaturality in the story by emphasizing on the setting. However, just like in the first story, Poe also dwelled on the characters dim thoughts. Most of the interesting exposition in this story comes from the unnamed narrator. However, it can also be observed that Roderick Usher, also displaces most of the exposition. In this story, the traditional portrayal of a haunted house and ghostly figures were revived beautifully by Poe. The most notable point in the story comes from the climactic scene in the end where Roderick finally revealed to the narrator that he his sister rose from her tomb so avenge her death. Just like in the first story, the obsession in this tale lies on Rodericks belief that the house has been haunted for years, and that staying there did not really do anything pleasant for his and his sisters health. Just like the protagonist in The Tell Tale Heart, Roderick Usher also appears to me obsessed with eerie thoughts like death and ghosts. Though this character appears more sane and normal than the character from the first story, they nonetheless both present a similar kind of obsession toward dark and enigmatic ideals such as death, darkness and loneliness.

The Birthmark (1843) and Rapaccinis Daughter (1844) by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Hawthorne has also presented interesting depictions of obsessions as what can be observed in his two works, The Birthmark and Rapaccinis Daughter. In The Birthmark, Hawthorne introduces a character, Aylmer, who presents a very interesting obsession on her wife, Georginas birthmark. Aylmer thinks that his wife is almost perfect, and that the birthmark on her almost flawless cheek is the greatest hindrance to such perfection.

Had she been less beautiful, -- if Envys self could have found aught else to sneer at, -- he might have felt his affection heightened by the prettiness of this mimic hand, now vaguely portrayed, now lost, now stealing forth again and glimmering to and fro with every pulse of emotion that throbbed within her heart but seeing her otherwise so perfect, he found this one defect grow more and more intolerable with every moment of their united lives. It was the fatal flaw of humanity which Nature, in one shape or another, stamps ineffaceably on all her productions, either to imply that they are temporary and finite, or that their perfection must be wrought by toil and pain. (Hawthorne, 1865, p. 46)

The obsession of Aylmer evidently focuses on his wifes frustrated perfection. His perspective of the scar is like a minute imperfection which seemed to destroy and ruin a potentially surpassing beauty. As a follower of science, it is quite understandable that Aylmer creates develops a peculiar obsession to beauty as he must have been used to doing things perfectly and flawlessly through the help of scientific tools. However, Aylmers greatest dilemma comes as he is faced with the reality that not all imperfections can be corrected by science, as not all imperfections are needed to be corrected. On the other hand, Rapaccinis Daughter tells a more familiar kind of obsession to the readers. In this story, Hawthorne introduces Giovanni, a young lad who has always been fascinated about the beautiful things he encounters. A day came when he set foot on Dr. Rapaccinis garden filled with the most beautiful plants and landscaping. It is also in this place where he meets, Beatrice, Rapaccinis daughter. This is where Giovanis obsession starts.

Giovanni has been used to seeing the most beautiful things in the world no matter how scrutinizing his eyes are. He immediately considers Beatrice as the most beautiful creature he laid eyes upon from the first time he sees her. Giovanni thinks that Beatrice is another flower, the human sister of those vegetable ones, as beautiful as they-- more beautiful than the richest of them-- but still to be touched only with the glove, nor to be approached without a mask (Hawthorne, 2004, p. 4). Both of these works by Hawthorne evidently displays characters with particular obsessions of the value of beauty and perfection. It is quite obvious that the author holds a particular leaning on the ideal of beauty and perfection as a natural human obsession. Although both stories did not consist of powerful expositions and climactic scenes, both tales nonetheless presents an incontestable reality that human nature really allows people to develop some forms of obsession towards beauty and perfection.
Both authors displayed interesting perspectives on human nature and human condition. Through the depiction of the theme of obsession, both authors appear to argue interesting thoughts about some realities of human condition. Poe, through his works, The Tell Tale Heart and The Fall of the House of Usher appears to center his perspective on the natural human tendency to deteriorate in terms of psychological health or sanity. Through these works, Poes perspectives about some reality on being insane and psychologically disturbed appear very clear. It seems like the author considers such a condition as one of the most precarious state any person can ever be in. Poe also seems to argue that insanity is nonetheless a naturally occurring possibility which can either be brought by mental deterioration due to old-agedness or due to extreme psychological trauma. On the other hand, Hawthorne displays an interesting leaning on beauty and perfection. Based on his two works, The Birthmark and Rapuccinis Daughter, Hawthorne presents obsession to beauty and perfections as one of the primary causes of human desperation.

Hawthorne apparently argues that an obsession to beauty and perfection is one of the most natural human obsessions however, this can also be one of the most potent sources of human desperation, as what has been depicted in the ending of the two stories. Thus, it can be inferred that as per the authors objective of depicting realities about the human condition, the theme of obsession has really been very significant. Through this theme, the driving force and the anxieties of the characters about their obsessions became very evident thus making the natural tendencies of humans to be fixated on things like loneliness, death, beauty and perfection more perceptible.

A Critical Analysis and Interpretation of Hawthornes Rapaccinis Daughter (1844) and The Birthmark (1843), and Poes The Fall of the House of Usher (1839) and The Tell Tale Heart (1843)
Seldom do writers of clichd subject matters as death, loneliness, love and beauty stand out today. Nowadays, it appears like a writer would have to really make a difference in terms of literary style and subject matter before making a considerable impact. However, this does not appear to be the case when it comes to Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe. These two authors are incontestably two of the greatest from their generation. No matter how clichd or ordinary their works may seem, it appears like they still hold powerful influences to their readers regardless of how long they have been in the industry. Some of the most common things that are observed to appear consistent from the works of these authors are the themes leaning on darkness, sadness, desperation, pain, fear and death. However, one peculiar and interesting theme which also appears consistent in most of their works is the theme of obsession. In this discussion, the usage of the theme of obsession shall be critically analyzed and interpreted. Furthermore, this discussion shall also look into the smaller literary elements used that might have contributed to the overall significance of the theme of obsession the authors portrayal of human condition.

Hawthornes Rapaccinis Daughter and The Birthmark
Rapaccinis Daughter is a depiction of a typical form of human obsession, which is that on attractiveness and physical beauty. Giovanni, the main protagonist in this story, develops such kind of obsession which will consistently command the story up to the end. Giovanni was described in the story as a man who has been used to all pleasant and attractive sights. He is also a man who is particularly communicative of his appreciation on things he perceives with beauty. He sets foot on Dr. Rapaccinis garden and here he witnesses a different kind of attraction which swept his heart. He first becomes attracted to the wonder of Rapaccinis garden, which he first thought could possibly be kept by magical creatures due to their marvel. Though used to different sorts of beauty, Giovanni still keeps a scrutinizing eye. But no matter how critical his eyes were, he suddenly falls and grows obsessed with Rapaccinis daughter, Beatrice, at first sight. Upon seeing Beatrice, Giovanni was immediately made to believe that she is the most wonderful creature he has ever come across. Giovanni suddenly speaks of sweet words of adoration and says Beatrice is but another flower, the human sister of those vegetable ones, as beautiful as they-- more beautiful than the richest of them-- but still to be touched only with the glove, nor to be approached without a mask (Hawthorne, 2004, p. 4). Through this, Giovannis obsession becomes clearly apparent. In this part, the author evidently presents his perspective which seemed to say that beauty is always a trap which has the ability to successfully capture every mans obsession and attraction.

On the other hand, Hawthorne presents a similar yet more contemporary character in The Birthmark through Aylmers character. In this story, the obsession centers on a beautiful ladys birthmark on her cheek. Georgina, Aylmers wife, is considered by many as a very fair lady. Aylmer longs to consider his wife as the most perfect creature, however, the birthmark seems to make to it difficult for him to say so. Though Aylmer expresses his great love to his wife, his wanting to remove such an imperfection is just very evident from these lines

Had she been less beautiful, -- if Envys self could have found aught else to sneer at, -- he might have felt his affection heightened by the prettiness of this mimic hand, now vaguely portrayed, now lost, now stealing forth again and glimmering to and fro with every pulse of emotion that throbbed within her heart but seeing her otherwise so perfect, he found this one defect grow more and more intolerable with every moment of their united lives. It was the fatal flaw of humanity which Nature, in one shape or another, stamps ineffaceably on all her productions, either to imply that they are temporary and finite, or that their perfection must be wrought by toil and pain. (Hawthorne, 1865, p. 46)

From this, it appears evident that just like Giovanni in Rapaccinis Daughter, Aylmers obsession also centers on physical beauty and attractiveness. However, considering that Aylmer is depicted as a man of science, it can also be assumed that this kind of obsession may root from his familiarity to perfection. It is quite explicable that Aylmer develops such kind of obsession towards beauty since he has been used to everything that is perfectly made through systematic tools of science. However, this story also seems to entail that not all flaws and blemishes can indeed be remedied.

Both Rapaccinis Daughter and The Birthmark presents interesting characters who develops obsession on physical beauty. Furthermore, it can also be observed that these works of Hawthorne seem to center on the ideal of love and attraction. In terms of strength of literary elements such as exposition and climax, both stories did not appear to be powerful enough. Nonetheless, both tales were still able present an undeniable truth about human nature, that being human comes with the inescapable tendency to develop  strong liking and obsession towards physical attractiveness and beauty.

Poes The Fall of the House of Usher and The Tell Tale Heart
The Fall of the House of Usher is one of Edgar Allan Poes most reviewed and analyzed works which falls under the gothic and horror genres. This story obviously depicts one of the most eerie and gothic settings in all of Poes works. Instead of focusing solely on the characters, this story considers the setting which also serves a significant role in building up the theme of the supernaturality and horror. In looking at the literary elements, it can be observed that this story displays an interesting kind of exposition which usually comes from the anonymous narrator. However, the main protagonist, Roderick Usher also appears to reveal some of the most intriguing twists in the plot. One interesting feature in this story is the portrayal of a typical haunted house. In this setting, Poe takes the readers into a memorable climactic scenario where the ghost of Rodericks sister finally revealed itself in front of him and the anonymous narrator. At this part of the story, Roderick confesses to the narrator everything he has been hearing and feeling inside the house. At this point, Rodericks obsession to ghosts and supernatural creatures becomes very much obvious.

On the other hand, The Tell Tale Heart also presents a similar kind of obsession which can be easily seen from the character of the anonymous character, who keeps on claiming his sanity despite his incontestable psychological instability. In this story, the protagonist reveals his intent to kill an old neighbor due to some dim-witted causes such as the old mans eyes and heartbeat. But aside from being shallow reasons for murder, these symbols also appear to be the protagonists object of obsession as he keeps on mentioning it all throughout the story.

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye yes, it was this He had the eye of a vulture --a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold and so by degrees --very gradually --I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever. (Poe, 1993, p. 221)

From this excerpt, the protagonists obsession and apprehension on the old mans blue eyes become evident. His struggle to get rid of such kind of apprehension and disturbance can be compared to that of an individual who is trying to get rid of an itch. Such kind of obsession is all about getting rid of something which appears to be consistently bothersome and vexing. Aside from a very stirring depiction of the protagonist, some of the most remarkable features in this story are the stirring conflict, heightened action as well as the believable exposition. Through clear and perceivable depictions of the murderers emotions and thoughts, Poe is able to pull the reader into a strange and interesting kind of obsession which can also be very frightening at some points. Every scene heightens the murderers wanting to get rid of the mans pale blue eyes and heartbeat which was further enhanced by a captivating narration True --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am but why will you say that I am mad The disease had sharpened my senses --not destroyed --not dulled them. (Poe, 1993, p. 221).

As what can be observed, similar to the previously discussed story, Tell Tale Heart presents the reality that human nature can also be strange enough to let an individual be obsessed on grim thoughts such as death, loneliness, and darkness. Through these two stories, Poe was able to show that indeed, human obsession can also be very perilous.

The portrayal of the theme of obsession in the works of the two authors presents a very interesting reality about human condition obsession can indeed be one of the most dangerous and deceiving state any person can ever be in. Both authors seem to suggest that obsessions can be potent sources and roots of human anxiety. They also appear to suggest that some of humans most implicative actions are pushed by obsessions. Hence, this goes to show that obsession is indeed an inescapable reality when it comes to human condition. And through the depiction of this theme in the works of Hawthorne and Poe, it becomes clearer that passion and obsession can be human beings most influential and commanding driving forces.

Internal Conflicts (within a person)
1. Sunny struggles being a mother. She has not given a name for her child and calls him whatever the situation is or her feelings are.
2. She has lost her vigor to live ever since her and Daltons band was disbanded at the peak of their career.
3. She does not stand up for herself.
4. She thinks of giving up her child by leaving her somewhereto be dropped off accidentally at the river or be eaten by the snow leopard at the zoo.
5. She is afraid of Dalton leaving her behind if she cannot keep the baby quiet.
External Conflicts (person vs. another personenvironment)
1. Dalton does not recognize the baby as his. He just calls him it.
2. He keeps on smoking grass, hash or opium, and he always gets drunk. At times, he lets Sunny take drugs even if he knows that she is breastfeeding their baby.
3. After being disbanded, they did not find other means to get back on track by finding even menial jobs. They chose to sulk in their depression.
4. Dalton is a coward. He does not think of his family.
5. Sunny is being waived by these situations. She simply wants to give up.

Freewrite
It is disheartening learning that these two parents forget what their responsibilities are. Though, their group have been disbanded, still they should have gotten up from this loss. Instead of getting hooked into drugs and alcohol they should have thought of rebuilding themselves and start fixing their lives. Thinking of not giving a name for the child even mean that they care not of him. They dont even have plans for the future, instead digging up their own graves even deeper than ever. It was sad but this really happen in our realities.

Theme Statement
Even though life is tough and we will often face failures, we should still dust off ourselves, pat our shoulders, and start taking steps again while looking towards our goals ahead.
 (Full Name)
(Instructors Name)
(Course)
(Date)

My Ending of the Story
As she was busy imagining these things, something caught her attention. She saw an adorable cat. It probably lives at a nearby house, or perhaps lives on the street, she thought. She even gave it a name in mind Meow. But to her amazement, four cute little kittens followed behind. Obviously, theyre Meows babies. One was as white as snow, the second was as black as charcoal, while the other two had gray stripes as in a zebra. But Meows fur has orange spots splattered on its back, she wondered. As she was watching them, she noticed how many times the mother looked back and called the kittens whenever one got distracted. Its as if Meows always checking if its babies were complete, paying close attention to where theyre going.

Sunny smiled to herself, murmuring how sweet the mother was. She didnt even realize that she was closely watching the cat until Meow fed the little ones. Her heart suddenly felt strange towards what she was witnessing. She saw how detailed the mother was in cleaning the kittens, making sure they were satisfied with the milk, not leaving till all was finished. And off they went, who knows where.

What are you thinking Dalton asked.

Nothing, she said again for the nth time.

But she was uncertain of what she was feeling. Hey eyes seemed to be looking for an answer when suddenly, he saw her son. My son, she whispered in her thoughts. How did I turn out to be like this My son... my flesh and blood... Why did your mother become so heartless Her tears flowed endlessly as she picked up the fragile boy. Sunny looked at her poor child as if seeing him for the first time. Her heart seemed to have been alienated of this emotion. This feeling that should have been innate in mans being. A very natural aspect of her nature. LOVE.

You will now be called, Sunshine. I may be named Sunny but I will become brighter than ever, for you are my Sunshine. And from now on, I wont let anything or anyone harm you. Not even you father.

Joseph Swetnams work The Arraignment of Lewd, Idle, Froward, and Unconstant Women cannot be seen in a very positive light. It gives a very shallow and one-faced picture of women at those times. If at all they were ladies, they were the worst of the lot.
They are like Eagles which will always fly where the carrion is. is what he thinks of these kind of women. These words might be true but arent the men fools enough to lose themselves to the charm of such women Strangely enough Swetnam never raises a finger to mens intelligence or sanity. It is always this sect of women that is targeted.

As a response to Swetnams venom-filled work, feminist writer Rachel Speght writes in an essay, Whoso makes the fruit of his cogitations extant to the view of all men should have his work to be as a well-tuned instrument, in all places according and agreeing, the which I am sure yours doth not. This is absolutely true because Swetnam draws absolutely foolish Biblical references with sexual innuendos which would enrage any sane reader.

The only fun in Swetnams piece is reserved for a sexist who would be looking out for reasons to find flaws in women. If Swetnam has the audacity to say, Then who can but say that women sprung from the Devil, he surely hasnt got his Bible right. Or he might be frivolous enough to ridicule the Bible.

He might be talking about the frivolous, lewd, idle women in his piece but his attack is more massive in its approach. Never does he speak of the minority. In fact he takes the veil of a minority and pin-points the exact opposite. This essay is more of a mans insecurity than a matured piece of writing. Swetnam is unable to furnish his essay with more concrete examples and has taken refuge in pointless and arbitrary statements which do nothing but fuel up the anger in the mind of any sane reader.

Blackberry Winter by Robert Penn Warren is a short story narrated by a man recalling his past. It is  based on the life of a forty four year old man narrating the events that occurred when he was nine.  Based in the writers homeland of rustic Tennesse , the storys events show the tough and grueling life led by the narrator (Bohner 169). The story has strong undertones of religion as Biblical references make a constant appearance in the text. This is coupled with specific examples like the Garden of Eden, the appearance of the anti-Christ and the disastrous flood.  The setting, writing style and themes help emphasize the shift of the narrators perspective from childhood to adulthood.

The story is set in a small town that is destroyed by the oncoming of a ruthless storm. The entire region is flooded as the creek overflows. The water washes away the crops of this rural town and leaves its inhabitants suffering. Seth, the narrator of the story describes the situation in two households that of his own and his friend Jebbs. The story is marred by the arrival of a stranger who volunteers to work to help Seths family with the damage caused by the flood in exchange for food.  Seth also narrates the situation in his friends home as he trails off to their house. Here he discovers woman-mizry.  The story ends with the stranger being asked to leave Seths house. This mans rude behavior is a strong aspect of the end. The story ends with Seth following the man who angrily curses at him and asks him to leave.

Warren uses narration as his writing style for this story. The impact of Seth as a first- person narrator is strong because it allows the reader to gauge an exact perspective on the events that unfold.  However, Warren does not reveal that the story is written by a grown man until the epilogue. The idea of memory plays an important role in the style of the story. The reader is forced to think of the perspective that has altered as the narrator has grown older. This style also makes the reader think of the impact that the harsh life has had on the narrator. It is difficult to tell whether the life has altered because of the one day narrated in the story or the life that followed.  Also, because the reader is aware of the changes in age of the narrator, the ambiguity in the story is unexpected. The now older narrator is assumed to have a better understanding of the events that unfolded on that specific day. Yet, his narration proves that age is of little significance as Seth is still unable to explain the larger mysteries that exist in the world today. While, the problem has been recognized, there seems to be no solution to it.  Thus, the writing style is a mark of excellence for any individual who wishes to read a narration that depicts the change between childhoods into adulthood.

The setting of the story is based in the South. This has special significance because Warren himself was an inhabitant of the region. Despite his fame, the writer continued to have an affiliation with his birth place. This is evident in the rich description given of the South and its community. The threat brought by industrialism is evident in the story as the agrarian form of life is constantly opposed by its industrialist counterparts (Blotner 259). Warren would spend his summers on his grandfathers farm. This created fond memories of the rural lifestyle which allowed Warren to create this piece of fiction. Also, as a native of the area, Warren felt the South to have seen much more hardship and suffering because of its role in the Civil War. Thus, the setting of the story, though rustic and conventional, is a fond reminder of the fortitude and beauty of the South.

There are several underlying themes in the Blackberry Winter. Amongst them is one that was commonly employed by Warren the relationship between father and son. The narrator of the story is torn between two men his father and the tramp (Millichap 139). The father is a model of perfect Southern civility and hospitality. He is shown as an affectionate and strong man. This is in sharp contrast to the tramp who is coarse and cowardly. While Seth is drawn to the tramp because of his switchblade, Seth is repulsed by his behavior towards his father. Thus, the constant clash of emotions for the tramp and father is a constant theme in the story. Another theme is the loss of innocence which occurred on that day When you are nine years old, what you remember seems forever for you remember everything and everything is important and stands big and full and fills up Time and is so solid that you can walk around it like a tree and look at it. From a childhood of untainted experience, the life of this young boy changes forever.

The Blackberry Winter is a story written to explain and define the role played by humanity. It also explores and describes the Southern lifestyle. The writing style, narration and them portrays the story of a young boy who has matured into adulthood (OKane 1998). His narration states a life that has been tough but effective in teaching him the lessons which allow survival in the world today.

This popular novel by George Orwell entitled 1984 is an excellent work that is able to depict totalitarianism, a form of government which exercise absolute and centralized control of power.  At the first chapter of the novel, the world of distortion and manipulated humanity has been described very intensely.  People here like Winston Smith have to live by submitting under authoritarian regime. The Partys slogan goes to say WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. The system wanted to brainwash the people by conditioning their minds. People must accept the need for violence and war. Peace would signify war while freedom actually means slavery. The more ignorant you are the more good it is for you. Clearly there is no freedom as the people are being monitored by a telescreen as well as a reminder that BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.

Again the government has departments known as Ministry of Truth, Ministry of Peace, Ministry of Love and Ministry of Plenty which are not intended for that but rather to suppress people more from their needs. People are constantly being watched and are denied of freedom of speech, expression of thought as there are Thought Police around and spies watching for those subversive and revolutionary minds that would exist. Women also are sexually perverted. How the novel portrayed a world of manipulation and distortion is somehow futuristic, drastic and sometimes unimaginable but still has realistic sense in it.

There is the Two Minutes Hate for people to watch the message against the Party and regarding the Brotherhood. People are disgusted yet they cannot seem to resolve the problem on their own. At first all these depictions would sound unbelievable to really happen but still not too far with reality. It would likely be possible that a form of world order like this one would come to emerge. One that is able to come up with every possible way of exercising great control and manipulation over the lives of many people.

Jean Passerat invented the Villanelle.  This is a poem that consists of a pattern of only two rhymes, and is marked most distinctively by its alternating refrain, which appears initially in the first and third lines of the opening tercet. In all, it comprises five tercets and a concluding quatrain.  (Rios)  This form of poetry is reminiscent of French rustic songs hence it was very popular during its time. (Rios) Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas is an example of a villanelle and the subject tackled in this particular poem is the subject of death, and the theme is trying to conquer death with things that one does when heshe is alive.

The good night in Thomas poem is taken to mean death itself and taking into consideration the villanelle form of poetry, he repeated refrains in the poem are, Do not go gentle into that good night (1, 6, 12, 18) and Rage, rage against the dying of the light. (3, 9, 15, 19)  The villanelle form of the poem, however, does not stop the poet from using one other poetic device in its creation, and this is what is known to the literary community as cataloguing or enumeration.  The poem, when read, simply enumerates the things that people must do to be able to conquer death with the things that they do while they are still alive.  On the other hand, the poem also outlines the consequences of certain things that a person does during his lifetime on his eventual death.  In effect, the poem is a poem about legacy and what one will leave behind after death.  The poem also takes on a pleading tone in relation to the final quatrain which refers to the father of the voice.  

The matter of legacy is clearly suggested in the five tercets of the poem which suggest that to conquer death or to not go gently into the good night or to rage against the dying of the light wise men need to accept that they would not make a legacy if not for what they say, hence, dark is right when their words had forked no lightning (4-5) good men leave legacies through their charitable deeds, hence dancing in a green bay (8) wild men leave no legacies because of their aggressive nature, thus they learn, too late, they grieved it on its way (11) and grave men learn to be indifferent with death, so they see with blinding sight (14).  In effect, what the poem does is it chronicles what different types of men should and should not do to be able to conquer death by leaving a legacy.  The enumeration of these things serve a singular purpose and that is for the voice of the poem to be able to take on a didactic bent when addressing hisher father who is mentioned in the final quatrain.  It is assumed here that the father is at the threshold of death hence, the voice takes on the responsibility of explaining to hisher father that death can be conquered.  Initially, in the first five tercets, the voice presents examples.  This is typical of the tone of the poem because the voice is trying to convince the father to either be like the men mentioned or to not follow their examples to be able to exist beyond death.  So, in the final quatrain, the voice urges the father to learn from the examples of the men mentioned but also to avoid the things that have been done before that resulted to death being able to devour the existence of the person.  (16-19) Taking the final quatrain into more scrutinizing consideration we notice that in the first two lines, And you, my father, there on the sad height,  Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray (16-17) the voice validates what is initially assumed to be the pleading tone of the poem.  In these first two lines of the final quatrain the voice, noticing that the father is too proud to listen to what he is saying, hence, the phrase, there on the sad height, the voice proceeds to express hisher indifference of over whatever the reaction of the father may be.  This reaction is implied in the phrase, now, with your fierce tears, I pray suggesting that with what the voice had been saying the father would not be pleased but despite this assumption, the voice still persists in urging the father to take heed of what had already been said and resolve not to die without leaving behind a legacy.

Reflecting on the poem we can easily visualize many children looking up to their fathers and being disappointed in the end, not because of how the father treats them but because the father is often contented with his children as his legacies.  However, this is only true in the immediate family and as human beings it is human nature to want to leave our mark in this world before we pass on.  The concern of the voice in the poem about hisher father being able to leave behind a legacy after death is commendable and selfless because many children would often be more preoccupied with making something out of their lives instead of wasting time on trying to figure out what one of their family members could do so that the world will remember himher by.  Reading the poem we can easily conclude that the voice in the poem loved the father so much that heshe simply did not want the father to just fade away and not leave something behind for the world to remember.

Poetry is indeed an effective means of conveying and bringing out emotions from the readers and the poet achieves this in many ways, mostly through literary devices.  The art or poetry, however, is not merely the conveyance of emotion, more importantly it is the conveyance of an emotion that is real enough to have been felt by the writer of the poem.

Washington Irvings Rip Van Winkle is an interesting read of American short story. It perfectly symbolizes or stands for the confusion of thoughts, senselessness of actions during that time. Rip Van Winkles escapism and lost image symbolized the American commoners feelings at one point.
 I think the short story is a brilliant one, with Irvings romantic traits very clearly and aptly brought out through Rips character  a longing to go back and remove all traces of conflict and decision making from his life. The story is a fantasy tale with heightened imagination which is at a point unrealistic. But, all said, Rips character is an extremely lovable one. I find a certain sense of solace in him and completely sympathize with him. More so, because of his torturing wife, who is, not only a fiery furnace of domestic tribulation but, also a bad mother who keeps on shouting on her children.
This undoubtedly makes marriage and relationship as the central conflict of the story. Rip sleeps for twenty years to escape the bantering of his wife, which at first seems very funny. But if analyzed clearly, one can identify the underlying meaning of his slumber. He is a simple man who doesnt understand war, revolution and also do not want to take up big responsibilities. He does seem to be an escapist but all at the cost of the confusion and irrationality of his times.

While Rip is a simple good-natured man, an obedient hen-pecked husband, his wife on the other hand is one of those shrews at home. Why is his wife perennially angry with him when he is a good natured man who is ready to assist a neighbor even in the roughest toil and someone who is so well with the children that he made their playthings, taught them to fly kites and shoot marbles, and told long stories. Rips own family seems to be somewhat like a wrecked situation, which he tries to escape strongly. Hence, he slumbers for twenty long years.

This conflict is brought out best and aptly in Rips realization that twenty years have passed hence. In Irvings words,

On awaking, he found himself on the green knoll from whence he had first seen the old man of the glen. He rubbed his eyesthought Ripwhat excuse shall I make to Dame Van Winkle
         
The theme of American Revolution is well established through this conflict in the story. Rip falls asleep during a time when the country was yet a province of Great Britain. He wakes up at a point when the portrait of the dead His Majesty George the Third who ruled Great Britain from 1760 to 1820 hangs in the wall of the inn. When Rip wakes up, significant changes surround him. America is a free country with George Washington as its first President. His village which was of a small existence is now a big town bustling with men who were busy with their farms and lives, now discussing politics actively.
           
According to a critic, Washington Irvings Rip Van Winkle became an immediate American classic and retains that position in the American canon today. Indeed, the central character, Rip, has attained iconic status in both popular culture and with academic critics. It deals with the subject of American Revolution and the immediate drift between Europe and America. Also, like the American short story, this short story is also based on folklore. In this case, it is a Grecian one. Irving Americanized the Grecian story Peter Klaus to suit his own literary frame. The story Rip Van Winkle is an extremely interesting one, in which Irving interpolates the beauty of the human imagination and contradicts it with the seriousness of wars and revolutions.

This book deals with the life of the young Zlata Filipovic during the Bosnian War. Zlata Filipovic was just 10 years old when she started writing the diary, which she called Mimmy, during the autumn in 1991. Through her own thoughts and feelings, Zlata recorded the events that happened in her life until 1994 (Moses, n.d.).

According to Zlatas writings, she had a happy life at Saravejo with her loving parents. She attended school like many other girls and enjoyed the time with her friends. In 1992 when a civil war erupted in the country between the Bosnian Serb and the Bosnian Croats, Saravejo became affected. Zlata then started to write in her diary the events that happened in her surroundings. Some of her entries include the horrifying events that actually happened at Saravejo. The diary is written with fear and anxiety as well as Zlatas anger and sorrow for the happy life that was hampered by the war (n.d.).

Zlata Filipovic was considered to be the Anne Frank of Saravejo, and the diary contained various descriptions of the events of war from the viewpoint of a child. In the diary, readers can notice how Zlatas tone of voice change as her place is increasingly affected by the violence and crime brought by the war. Zlata and her family were confined at their apartment, spending the days as the war continued to ravage Saravejo. Days have passed and there were no more school and electricity, and the food and water supply were short.

Zlatas Diary accounts historical information during the wartime in Saravejo. From the viewpoint of Zlata, she discussed everything that happened in her surroundings. Although there have been several questions about its authenticity or accuracy, the events that Zlata wrote are based entirely from her experiences when she was confined in their apartment with her family. Since Zlata was only 12 when she began writing the events of war, she can never be questioned of the history accuracy because she was just a child during that time.

There are entries in the diary that describe scenes of violence and horror similar to what the news has told. However, the only difference is that the diary is written in the tone of an innocent girl. In short, the writings in the diary of Zlata are accurate and oversimplified version of the complex war that ravaged Saravejo and hampered the lives of many.

It is clear that Zlatas Diary is written with pure innocence and simpleness, yet with the efforts to tell the truth in the most appropriate way. With regards to social studies, Zlatas Diary is helpful to students since it accounts the events that happened during the Bosnian War that will provide additional learning to social studies students. In addition, students will have a clear image of how life can be during a war, and they will be able to actively participate in discussions, thus, enhancing their social studies skills.

What function does it play in literature
What function does it play in poetry

Thesis statement In the Samuel Taylor Coleridges Kubla Khan imagery is used as a means of achieving a dreamy and somewhat surreal quality to the poem other than this, it is also used to make the poem more vivid because most of what is described in the poem are mythological or fictional, so imagery makes these immaterial objects more tangible for the reader.

Imagery as a means of achieving tone in Kubla Khan
Definition and function of tone
Textual evidence
Imagery as a means of achieving concreteness in Kubla Khan
Textual evidence
Conclusion

Unlike in the visual arts, literature lacks what is known as visual stimulus.  To compensate for this lack, literature uses a tool known as imagery.  Imagery is the means by which words, whether in fiction or poetry, work to initiate the creation mental images.  In poetry, the mind is left with the job of creating images to support what is being said in the text.  Essentially, poetry has some aspect of interactivity in that it does not spoon feed the audience but leaves some aspects of its appreciation for the audience to create.  More importantly, imagery plays various roles in poetry and each of these roles achieve a particular end which is always intentional as poetry needs to be purposive.  The poet is always aware of what heshe wants to achieve in hisher poetry and consciously uses devices to achieve these intentions.  In the Samuel Taylor Coleridges Kubla Khan imagery is used as a means of achieving a dreamy and somewhat surreal quality to the poem other than this, it is also used to make the poem more vivid because most of what is described in the poem are mythological or fictional, so imagery makes these immaterial objects more tangible for the reader.

On the matter of achieving a dreamy and surreal quality to the poem, imagery in effect sets the tone for the poem.  This means that as opposed to making the poem bland and lacking of character, imagery gives it an identity or a personality on its own.  This is evident in a few of the lines from the poem which use imagery to achieve the dreamy or surreal feel, or more formally the tone of the poem.  For instance, we have the line, Through caverns measureless to man  Down to a sunless sea (5-6) which describes where Xanadu is located.  Here we see that the lines present an image of an eternally deep cave where an underground sea exists.  While the underground sea is believable, a cavern or a cave that cannot be measured by human technology is something that is out of the ordinary and defies the laws of nature.  So, instead of viewing a regular, ordinary underground lake located within a cave, the reader would see a dark fathomless abyss in hisher minds eye.  This image serves to situate the setting of the poem to be somewhere that does not actually exist on earth but probably only in dreams or the imagination.  Another interesting line in the poem that achieves this same tone for the poem is, And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills, Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree. (9-10)

Again, this line offers contrasts of realistic imagery and mythological imagery.  What a reader sees here is a beautiful garden and in that garden there are incense-bearing trees.  Of course, as the rule of metaphor dictates, the image has first to be true on the literal level before it can be true on the metaphorical level and this rule of thumb may apply to this line in that it could represent trees bearing fragrant flowers.  However, because of the use of incense which is a ceremonial implement, and with the common knowledge that incense does not grow on trees and is derived from the sap of trees, one is given the mental image that the tree actually bears fruit that burns to release an incense-like scent. This particular image gives the line an unnatural tone and therefore achieves the tone that the poet would like to achieve.

Now, to the matter of imagery making the immaterial more tangible to the reader, the poem too has a slew of textual evidences to this effect.  The line, A mighty fountain momently was forced  Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst  Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail, (19-21) for instance, the first image that comes to mind is that of a powerful geyser that shoots up to explode with shards of ice flying through the air, but this does not become consistent with the place referred to in the poem located underground in a deep, unfathomable cavern.  Hence, this geyser becomes immaterial or impossible but because of the way it is presented and with the vivid description of this particular phenomenon it becomes more tangible to the mind of the reader.  Another line that has the same effect is, Through wood and dale the sacred river ran, Then reached the caverns measureless to man, And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean (26-28) Taking this particular line in the context of the unfathomable caverns, one would easily wonder, how could the poet know that the rivers reached an area that was not accessible to man  So, with this question in mind, the line becomes immaterial but because of the images conjured in the line, these being a river flowing endlessly terminating in an ocean that is lifeless, the reader can easily associate the line with something that exists in real life and so gives it its intangibility or concreteness.

Based on the textual evidence presented it is clear that in the poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge imagery is able to achieve two major things that are necessary to poetry, one is tone and the second is concretization.  These two elements of poetic expression serve to make the poem accessible to the reader and therefore bring down the elite art of poetry to a level easily appreciated by the ordinary reader.

A Good Man is Hard to Find is a short story written by Flannery OConnor in 1955 that focuses on the grandmothers perspective of events. The story primarily revolves on the humorous portrayal of a family embarking on a vacation. It is a confrontation of a family with violence and surprised death. It says that Flannery OConnor is one of the best and the most inspiring writer in the Southern authors that captures her own religious beliefs and conviction. The story begins when a typical Southern family is being challenged by the grandmother to take the vacation to Tennessee instead of Florida. She panicked that they might encounter the convicted killer who is being rumored to be heading on the South. The grandmother is unfortunately ignored by the family and firmly decided to take the vacation on Florida.

The short story though it confronts irony and violence reveals the characters human nature when faced with difficult circumstances. It also depicts how different people perceive and approach religion and God. The short story is bold in a way that it directly pinpoints the frailties and weaknesses of the character.

The grandmother in the story reflects superficialnes. This reflects when the next morning the grandmother was the first one in the car, ready to go despite her strong disagreement for Floridas trip the other day. The grandmother had on a navy blue straw sailor hat with a bunch of white violets on the brim and a navy blue dress with a small white dot in the print (O Connor, 1995). Her primary purpose is for people to recognize her that shes a lady in case she was found dead. Her actions and behavior can be interpreted as her readiness for death but the familys encounter with Misfit shows her horror and unreadiness.

The character of Misfit though is opposite to the grandmothers ignorance and tolerance. Though he was portrayed as the antagonist and villain, O Connor portrayed him as a deep person potential to be wise and profound. The Misfit has a much deeper understanding of a religion which he greatly manifested when he asks the grandmother if it seems right that Jesus was punished and he has escaped punishment. Misfit revealed mankind at their worst who treated him cruelly. In his conversation with the grandmother he asked a lot of questions about religion that the grandmother superstitiously and ignorantly answered. Misfit who cant answer his questions metaphysically and spiritually unconsciously relied on the violence of the physical world as a means of escape and survival.  The Misfit is portrayed as a keen observant of the world while the grandmother is portrayed as a devout Catholic who lacks compassion and humility.

The story also revealed how Christianity as a moral and spiritual guidance is no longer a priority. O Connor presented the children of Bailey as highly bold, too intuitive and unethical. It is alarming on how the nature of change and time with the liberation and uprising of modernity transform people. The story also stresses the importance of being a good Christian than looking like a good Christian, when the story shows the transformation in the grandmother as the story progresses. One of the most violent portrayals of the grandmother is when shes trying to protect herself for being murdered even if her family around her struggle to survive from death. It shows her human nature of selfishness who regards her life more than anything else.  

The story however has a distracting and violent ending that is vital to fully understand the story. The author purposely created the short story as a way of social awakening about the real essence and meaning of Christianity. Christianity as a religion should give importance to inward transformation than merely outward manifestations. The story also ironically presented how a simple misstep can lead to death and destruction. However, life is a continuous process that has lots of shifting but eventually will lead you to self discovery and self realization. What is sometimes ironic in life if after self realization, there is already no chance to mend oneself the way that happened to the grandmother.

To become a part of an institution that has a well-established background in liberal arts and is considered as one of the best colleges in the United States can be contemplated as a crucial step in further educating oneself. On a personal note, such perspective is a definitive means to fulfill my objective of obtaining high quality education which eventually would help me in securing a strong application in the future practice and would introduce me to various activities that are strongly related to the mathematical landscape. Pursuant to this aspiration, Wellesley College complements my desire in furthering my skills and know-how through the experiential education incorporated within its programs. I know that the education that I am about to attain in this college would provide me with the opportunities not only to advance my career life but also significantly contribute to my personal growth. I consider this institution as a prime choice for me to pursue my higher education because optimal results can be expected, as seen from the successful women from varying fields who were able to graduate in this college, such as Hillary Clinton, Anya Corke, and Diane Sawyer to name a few, all of whom have inspired me to continue my education in this institution.

As I am currently taking up a business degree, I wish to pursue an education in mathematics at Wellesley College because I fervently believe that the trainings as well as the academic activities offered by the program, along with the notable faculty members, would teach me to become more competitive and would endow me with skills that are imperative in succeeding every career path I am about to take. At the same time, the program would allow me to enjoy the whole experience of  education and work with people of diverse backgrounds. Being an individual who gives high regard for academic determination, trainings, and educational experiences, Wellesley College complements my set goals and would profoundly add value to my character as a future professional. By working my way to the top, the things that the college would endow me would be invaluable for my future practice. In return, I am ensuring the college that I am a good candidate by laying strong interest and self-actualization during the rest of my student tenure.

According to Dennis G. Jerz (2010) in his weblog
A thesis statement is the single, specific claim that your essay supports. A good thesis statement is not simply an observation, a question, or a promise. It includes a topic, a precise opinion, and reasoning. ( HYPERLINK httpjerz.setonhill.eduwritingacademicthesis.htm httpjerz.setonhill.eduwritingacademicthesis.htm)

The following are thesis statements of the four short stories The Tell-tale heart and The fall of the house of Usher by Edgar Alan Poe and  Rappacinis daughter and The birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

The Tell-tale heart
The short story is about a murderers narration of the murder committed. It was written in an intense and detailed emotion felt by the murderer to get rid of what he identifies as the Evil Eye.

The fall of the house of Usher
The short story is about fear of the subjects of the story to what may happen because their ends have been pre-destined. The narrator is unsure of the reason why he is to stay with his friend. Roderick Usher has an aversion to the illness of the sister. They want to be free from the binds of unwanted destiny. Their urge to control what may happen ended up with the same future as well.

Rappacinis daughter
The story is about Beatrice that developed a power to poison with just her mere breath. The abnormality if brought about his fathers experiment. With Giovannis earnest desire to cure Beatrice, Beatice end was found.

The birthmark
The short story of a young and brilliant scientist named Aylmer who is obsessed with perfection. Seeing his wifes birthmark that he considers as an imperfection, he would like to wear it off and created an elixir. As a wife to succumb to his husbands desires, though never considers the birthmark as an impaired ness, Georgina agreed on taking the drug.

Effective time management is the most important factor for succeeding in life. This is because it minimizes chances of loosing success opportunities in our day-to-day activities. This also saves time, allowing one to do more each day. Surprisingly enough however, effectively managing my time has been a major concern in my life. What with attending classes, doing and submitting assignments on time, being punctual in meetings, name them most times I am a victim of poor timing. Nevertheless, just as the common saying goes, habit is next to nature. Therefore, by repeatedly engaging in effective timing practices, I can sufficiently improve on my timing ability.

The first practice is ensuring prior planning of each day. By having a to-do list, I will be able to accomplish more in timing. This requires me to keep schedule of planned activities as a way of minimizing crash of plans during last minutes. Daily tasks should be categorized based on priority, both in urgency and importance, to avoid wastage of time and energy on less important tasks while neglecting the important ones. There is thus need to say no to nonessential activities.

Commitment to a task is equally important. To accomplish a quality job, I might need more time at first. However, such a time is better than the time it could take me to correct errors committed because of failure to allocate the necessary time for doing quality work. Divide and execute can help in quick completion of big and time consuming tasks. Lastly, there is great need for evaluating how I spend my daily time. With a dairy record, I will be able to identify and thus rectify any barrier to realizing effective timing.

There are concurrent themes running through each of these four stories  Hawthornes Rappaccinis Daughter and The Birthmark, and Edgar Allan Poes The Fall of the House of Usher and the Tell-Tale Heart. Some of the themes are the unhappiness of ones inner life, and the havoc one wreaks on ones outer life. This mirroring is present in all of these stories. In Poes Fall of the House of Usher, gloom and fungi grow on the walls of a house, and are reflected in the water of the lake. The heaviness of the gloom, and the heaviness of the water and the walls provide the perfect backdrop for the inner unhappiness of Roderick. The man on the brink believes his sister to be dead, yet when the narrator finds out she is still alive, we question the veracity of the outer gloom, and start to consider it is Rodericks madness which has thus transformed his surroundings.  In the Tell Tale Heart, the narrator is very unreliable, sinking into and out of madness. Sometimes he is lucid enough to tell his story, and other times we must take his word for what he observes, namely the evil eye. The evil eye is, again, a projection of madness, and a lens through which we distort the world when we are insane. The insistence of sanity by the obviously deranged man is akin to the insistence of the death of the sister by the insane brother. The evil eye is responsible for the narrators view of the world, of his paranoia and delusions, while the metaphorical evil eye of Rodericks insanity changes the very landscape of the narrators experience.

We come to Hawthornes The Birthmark, where a man is obsessed (a sure quality of madness) with making his wife aesthetically perfect. When she falls ill and dies as a result of the potion he has mixed to aid her in this endeavor, he sees the true horror of what he has done. By viewing her through a distorted lens of an obsessed lover who is concerned with what others think, he decides to play God and rid her of her human markings. Aylmers evil eye views his wife as imperfect, just as Rodericks evil eye conjures a pall over his surroundings, just as the Tell Tale Hearts paranoid narrator feels persecuted by an evil eye. In the final story, a man tries to make his daughter into a perfect rare flower, even though this entailed poisoning her. When Giovanni falls in love with her, the landscape of love is slowly ruined by the poison of deadly perfection. The evil eye of perfection ravages Beatrice, and when Giovanni produces an antidote and presents it to her as a way to live free of the poison, Beatrice dies. A life poisoned cannot be made whole, except through death. Madness distorts everything it touches, and it is no less mad to challenge Gods perfection as it is to murder and lie.

Charles Dickens novel Hard Times is sharp commentary on the values and practices of English society in the nineteenth century.  Dickens tackles a number of important issues in his novel, including education and the public good.  In the novel, the hypocrisies of the culture are exposed.  Using the characters of Gradgrind, Bounderby and Cecilia, Dickens exposes the potential harm of blind obedience to a particular set of values or philosophy.  While Gradgrind and Bounderby reflect the dangers of educational dogmatism and moralistic expediency, Cecilia Jupes character symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit and the power of the individual imagination and intelligence.

Hard Times takes a critical view of how the poor were treated in England at the time.  English society was highly regimented at the time, and the social classes were clearly defined.  There was, however, a great amount of change and innovation during this period as well.  Many towns, like the novels fictional setting of Coketown, were transformed by the industrial revolution and experienced an economic transformation.  The success of the mill allows a character like Bounderby to ascend the social ladder and influence his community.

The school where Gradgrind teaches is an important example of how Bounderbys influence is felt by the town.  In many respects, Gradgrinds teaching methods seem to be informed by mechanical processes at the towns mill rather than a genuine desire to impart knowledge.  In the opening sequence of the book, Gradgrind expounds on his philosophy in a voice that is described as being, inflexible, dry and dictatorial.  At the beginning of the novel, Gradgrind believes that there is only one objective in education, as well as life itself.  He tells his assembled students  In this life, we want nothing but Facts, sir nothing but Facts (p. 8).  The students are described as a little vessels . . . ready to have imperial gallons of facts poured into them until they were full to the brim (p.8).  This description provides the reader with important insight into how the role and function of education is understood by Gradgrind and his supporters.  Learning, rather than being a lifelong process fueled by curiosity and personal growth, is a finite exercise that is complete once the vessel has been filled to the brim.  In Gradgrinds classroom, there is room only for facts.  The limitations of this approach are demonstrated by Cecilia Jupes failure to describe a horse.  After grilling Cecilia on her fathers occupation, Gradgrind demands that she provide a definition of a horse.  In the text, we learn that she is alarmed by this request.

Gradgrind, however, misinterprets this alarm as ignorance.  He states  Girl number twenty unable to define a horse . . . Girl number twenty possessed of no facts in reference to the commonest of animals (p. 11).  It is clear to the reader that Cecilia Jupe, by virtue of her upbringing, is not only well aware of what a horse is but also likely to possess greater insight and knowledge of the animal than most of her peers.  Yet she is labeled as a failure, because she cannot produce a factual description of the animal on demand.  It is clear that education as it is defined in towns school is somewhat limited.  The definition provided by her fellow student Bitzer may be factually accurate, but it is unlikely to be of any great use to anyone who wants to truly understand the animal and its nature.  

Josiah Bounderby is another character who privileges facts over so-called fancy.  Throughout the novel, he takes great pains to establish his reputation not only as a self-made man but a sensible plain-spoken one.  He thoroughly rejects the imagination.  Near the end of the novel, he tells Gradgrind
I know the bricks of this town, and I know the works of this town, and I know the chimneys of this town, and I know the smoke of this town, and I know the Hands of this town.  I know em all pretty well.  Theyre real.  When a man tells me anything about imaginative qualities, I always tell that man, whoever he is, that I know what he means.  He means turtle-soup and venison, with a gold spoon, and that he wants to be set up with a coach and six. (p. 316)

In comparing the bricks and mortar of the town over the more subjective forms of knowledge, Josiah privileges his viewpoint over all others.  Furthermore, Josiahs privileging of reality over the more tenuous elements of supposition and fancy becomes ironic, since much of his life is based on lie.  He fabricates a history for himself that is a fanciful as any childs invention.  Ultimately, Josiahs supposed preference for reality and fact ultimately turns out to be hypocritical.  He twists the facts to suit his own purposes.  At the conclusion of the above-noted speech, Josiah justifies his abandonment of Gradgrinds daughter by saying that she expects fripperies and luxuries like turtle-soup and gold spoons.  He abjures all responsibility and tells Gradgrind if this is what his daughter expects then Gradgrind, as her father, can provide it for her.  Ironically, it is the dissolution of this marriage that brings about in part Gradgrinds emotional and intellectual awakening.

Cecilia Jupe emerges as one of the novels most sympathetic characters.  Not only is she kind and good, but she also possesses a straightforward and sensible view of the world.  She is the only character who seems to possess any moral authority, as evidenced by her ability to shame James Harthouse into behaving like a decent human being.  In sharp contrast to her fellow classmates Thomas Junior and Louise Gradgrind who later falter in spite of having succeeded in the school environment, Cecilia Jupe leaves school yet still leads a meaningful life.  Thomas Junior thrives in school and takes the teachings and philosophy espoused by his father to heart.  Although he has all the outward signs of being a success, Thomas Junior remains a deeply selfish character.  In comparison, Cecilia Jupe, who appears by all external measures to be his social inferior, is the one person who makes the most significant contribution to the Gradgrind family.  She alone understands the destructive potential Harthouse holds not only for Louise but the family as well.  She is the one who sends him away, telling Harthouse  You may be sure, sir, you will never see her again as long as you live (302).  Unlike many of the other characters who use their detached intellectualism to justify and rationalize their behavior, Cecilia is able to distinguish right from wrong.

In many respects, Dickens novel is an indictment of the morality of his time.  He recognized the hypocrisy that surrounded him. The Bounderby character is a criticism of the countless individuals who profited during this period at the expense of others.  Dickens abjures Bounderby and other other like him for their lack of compassion and social responsibility.  In the novel, he skewers the lies and justifications this group of people develops in order to rationalize their own selfishness and harmful behavior.  Similarly, Dickens attacks another group of people using the character of Gradgrind.  In the novel, Dickens is highly critical of those who adhere dogmatically to philosophies of education and knowledge.  He satirizes these theorists by exposing the limitations of such behavior, using the example of Gradgrind.  Cecilia emerges as Dickens heroine however, this is not because of her wealth, her status or her philosophy.  Ultimately, it is both her imagination and her emotion that redeem Cecilias character.  Although she is disadvantaged both in her upbringing and education, Cecilia is the novels emotional center, because she acts without guile or motive.  Through this character, Dickens proves that our emotion and imagination are often what redeems us as human beings.  

Reaction Range (LIST)
According to the Reaction Range concept, the genetically determined behavior of an individual is influenced by the existing environment. In addition, the environment can influence an individuals behavior depending on a persons genetic predispositions (DEFINE).

If two people with different genetic makeup are put into the same environment, one will respond differently from the other, or otherwise, they may also respond similar when put into different environments. The concept of Reaction Range also means that two people with same genetic predispositions will respond differently when put into different environments (DESCRIBE).

For example, Samantha is born with a normal genetic level for music ability, while Victoria has a higher than normal genetic level. If they will be enrolled by their parents in the same music class, Victoria will most likely excel than Samantha. However, they will be put in different environments aside from the music class, their reactions might be similar. Victoria, for instance, is enrolled at an arts class, while Samantha took up swimming lessons, both of them may respond similar, since they have no genetic predispositions for environments in arts and swimming.

On the other hand, if both Samantha and Victoria are born with average genetic level for music ability, both of them will have different reactions in different environments. If Samantha grows up in a musically deprived environment, her musical abilities will become lower than average, and if Victoria grows up in a highly-enriched musical environment, chances are, she will develop above normal musical abilities (EXAMPLE).

Two writers offer an insightful interpretation concerning the historical heritage and cultural identity of Native Americans as referenced from their personal experience. In Indian Cartography, Deborah Miranda describes indigenous struggles as referenced through the apperception of her father, whom throughout his life, purportedly witnessed a tumultuous reality, subject to American colonization. Poignant, personalized and reflective, she establishes an immediate rapport with the Native American challenges, elucidated by the organic experience of her father during his young, precocious childhood. Conversely, Itch Like Crazy written by Wendy Rose, captures a generalized overview of Native American culture as witnessed from her surrounding experiences with others. While both poems assess cultural identity in relation to indigenous struggles, each one, Indian Cartography, a story about family survival against personal difficulties, and Itch Like Crazy, ones personal narrative depicting the tribulations of Native Americans, offers their own insightful perspective, independent and innovative from the other.

Mirandis Indian Cartography journeys Native American experience through the eyes of her father, whom at a premature age, witnessed unprecedented adversity, which became immediately familiar, like family blood lines, when, tragedy greeted him like an old unpleasant relative, (Miranda, Deborah, 133). From the beginning, he learned to swim the hard way, across silver scales, and persevere (Miranda, Deborah, 133). His history became personified as a family connection through his psychological experience. Indeed, rather than, descending into declivity, or drowning by a displaced river fraught with dark water, he transcended his perennial predicament, floating on his face, hopeful of the shadows that embody people he once knew, closing on the stories of our home, (Miranda, Deborah, 133). Mirandis poem, like Rose in Itch like Crazy, underscores the perseverance of Native American culture. However, Mirandi features indigenous struggle within the historical context of her fathers natural, individual experience, who overcame interminable personal turmoil. Hence, she connects to readers directly with transparent clarity through the metaphors of his unconventional journey, overcoming persistent prejudice, discrimination, and personal oppression. Furthermore, Mirandis allusion to family and familiar circumstances offers a direct contrast from Rose, who describes with devastation of strangers for whom she connects (Rose, Wendy, 135).

From a less organic interpretation, Wendy Welsh acknowledges the robust resilience of her people, who rebound, and rise from their death (Rose, Wendy, 135). Rather than reflecting on her own individual experience, or anyone immediately related to her, she presents a more generalized, universal analysis that assesses the historical narrative of cultural identity, witnessed through others. For example, she juxtaposes a comparison between the eyes of nearly everyone and Columbus, referring to Christopher Columbus. An incisive metaphor, she apparently perceives the Native American culture, as this group of explorers, embarking on their own expedition to achieve success in history (Rose, Wendy, 135). She notices these problems existing among, the fingers of every hand, as voicesamong strangers, summon her attention (Rose, Wendy, 135).

Two writers present a polyphony of perspectives regarding the personal struggles that embodied Native American culture. Whereas Deborah Mirandi explains the challenges witnessed by Native American culture through her fathers lens, Wendy Rose pursues a more estranged position, whereby she establishes connection through others who share her cultural experience.

The streetcar named Desire bangs through the Quarter, up one old narrow street and down another.  It connects to another car called Cemetery, and from there one proceeds to a part of New Orleans called Elysian Fields.  This tells us something about life.  When people live, they do everything because they desire.  It keeps them moving.  Then it kills them, or maybe they just die, and then its on to the Elysian  Fields, the name the Greeks called their equivalent of Heaven.  In Tenessee Williams play, the Elysian Fields in which Blanche DuBois finds herself is anything but Paradise, and the souls she finds there are far from blessed.

Blache DuBois is a relic of the Old South, an ageing, genteel woman who likes alcohol and soft light because they take the edge off things.  She arrives at her sister Stellas home in New Orleans with a vague story about how she left her teaching job for the sake of her health, and it isnt long before she upsets the household and its lord and master, Stanley Kowalski.  Stanley is everything that Blanche is not, everything that she fears and distrusts.  He is the son of Polish parents, a factory worker, a straight talker who isnt above hammering on the door and yelling at a lady if she takes too long in the bath. If Blanche embodies the dead dreams of the feudal plantation era, Stanley represents the New South, fast-paced, industrialized, unsentimental.  It would be too easy to dwell on the differences between these two characters and the reasons why the ways of one would get on the other ones nerves, or to say that one is sure to be destroyed while the other will do well in the modern age.  Maybe it would be better instead to explore the idea that while Blanche and Stanley might appear to be worlds apart, they are actually only two faces of the same coin.  

Blanche comes to New Orleans burdened with a trunk and the news that Belle Reve, the plantation where she and Stella were raised, has been lost forever.  But where another woman would have come wailing or maybe fighting mad, Blanche waltzes in and proceeds to fill the Kowalski flat with illusions.  Indeed, she admits later on that a womans charm is 50 illusion (Scene 2, p. 167).   Her refusal to deal with the loss of the plantation in a more realistic manner might be because of the way she has been brought up to the ideals of the chivalric code.  There was chivalry in the Old South as it was organized a little like the world was in the time of knights and damsels-in-distress.  There were poor people who farmed the land, and they were protected by the land-owning lords.  The landowners in turn were answerable before God for the welfare of their women, children and servants.  Everything depended on people fitting into their proper places.  If they did their duty there would be harmony.  If slaves worked, they would be fed.  If ladies were discreet and pretty and obedient to their husbands and fathers, they would be protected from vulgarity and the harsh necessities of life.  If the plantation owners and their sons took care of their women, children and slaves, they would be rewarded with the love of these weaker ones, the respect of their peers, and the blessings of the Almighty.  The ordered, chivalrous ways were supposed to result in a world where there was truth, beauty and goodness, one that Blanche tries to keep alive by clinging to its outward trappings  fine clothes, refined talk, and being conscious of things that just arent done in polite society.

Stanley on the other hand is the son of immigrants but an American himself.  If the Old South was about respecting the proper order of things where some are born to be lowly and some are born to rule, his ethics are geared towards upward struggle.  Not that Stanley actually thinks that he is beneath people like Blanche.  The struggle spoken of here is one where the limits from olden times - like social status - are removed, so that there is the idea that if a man only works hard enough and looks out after his best interests, then he will succeed.  The measure of success is not the achievement of a pretty, genteel world, but a world where no man or woman or child has to go hungry and there are equal opportunities for all.  This new way of thinking of course takes into account the price that people in the Old South paid for their orderly world  the suffering of the majority so that the privileged few could enjoy beauty and good things.

These contrasting world views are apparent in Blanche and Stanleys attitudes toward material things like property, as well as to those that are intangible, like human relationships.

When Blanche talks about the fall of Belle Reve, she recites a litany of deaths, including a particularly harrowing story of how their hugely pregnant kinswoman could not be made to fit into a casket.  The loss of the plantation to her is represented by the lives that the war took away.  As relatives die one by one, so is Belle Reve sold bit by bit to pay for their funerals.  When asked exactly how the plantation was lost in business terms however, she finds it hard to explain.  This in turn, is what Stanley finds hard to believe.  Being a man of the world who looks out for number one, his first instinct is to accuse Blanche of lying.  The ugly side of an equal-opportunity world is the thought that no one is above suspicion.  To justify his intrusion into the financial affairs of the DuBois sisters, he even invokes Louisianas Napoleonic code (Scene 2, p. 163), which says that whatever a woman owns is also the property of her husband.  Ironically, the Napoleonic code itself is a holdover from more chivalrous times.  If Blanche holds the painful pinch of poverty beneath the pain of losing her loved ones, Stanley sees this sentiment as a kind of act put on to distract interested parties from what to him is the pressing issue   Where is the money

While at the Kowalskis Blanche gains a suitor  Stanleys friend, Mitch.  Mitch is a little nave, and Blanche plays the part of damsel-in-distress to gain his sympathies.  True, the man isnt very manly, isnt too handsome and still lives with his mother.  Still, in Blanches world, there must be a man.  It doesnt matter if there must be paper shades over the lights, if she must lie about her age or her past or anything else.  It fits into the dream to have a man worshipping her, putting her on a pedestal in the old-fashioned way.  It is nothing like Stella and Stanleys relationship, where Stella admits that there are things that happen, between a man and a woman, in the dark, that makes everything else seem unimportant.  For Stanley though, it is no romance when a relationship is built on lies, and so he promptly digs up the truth about Blanche  how she prostituted herself to survive before becoming involved with a minor and losing her job.  Mitch is enlightened but is devastated as Blanche hysterically tries to hold together the illusion that is falling apart (Scene 9, p. 221).

But when all is said and done, Blanche and Stanley, the Old South and the New South, are not so very different after all.  Blanche struggled tooth-and-nail, as bravely and bitterly as any man, to protect her family and her heritage, just as Stanley and his fellow laborers struggle, though less dramatically, for a chance of three square meals a day for themselves and their families.  If Blanche believes in beauty and goodness, so Stanley believes in equality and labors sure reward.  It might be argued that both are utopian ideas that are far from reality.

Blanche fought passionately to preserve what she cared about, even if it meant the degradation of her body and the loss of her reputation.  Stanley also, for all his toughness, must stand tearing his shirt on the street and shouting Stella...Stella on a drunken night when his wife has deserted him (Scene 3, p. 179).  If Blanche gently succumbs to the hopeful delusion that a millionaire named Shep Huntleigh is about to carry her off on a grand cruise, then Stanley comes home after the birth of his first child brimming with good spirits because that weak little morsel of flesh is for him joy and hope.

When Stanley rapes Blanche it is not because he is an animal.  It is only the modern world realizing that it doesnt have all the answers, just as the old world didnt.  The thought is unbearable, so the New South must commit violence upon the Old South.  For after all, it isnt just Blanche who takes the streetcar named Desire, then hops on the one called Cemetery, to get to Elysian Fields  so does Stanley, and so must we all do.

One of the ruinous effects of human conflicts, war has a detrimental impact on the human society. War not only has an effect on the lives of the victims but also on the lives of soldiers fighting those wars. In the precarious and life threatening circumstances of war, human beings tend to behave in a contradictory manner. This contradictory behavior continues even when these soldiers return to civilian life. The negative effects of war on the soldiers prevent them from leading a normal civilian life. In some cases, even though the soldiers survive the war, they became victims of the manipulative politics played by their countries. The movie Breaker Morant by Bruce Beresford and the book Odysseus in America by Jonathan Shay focuses on this negative aspect of soldiers lives. The movie Breaker Morant depicts the trial of Australian Army officers, Harry Morant, Peter Handcock, and George Witton, who served Bushveldt Carbineers at the time of Second Boer War. In the book Odysseus in America, Shay, a psychiatrist, writes about the negative impact post-traumatic stress is having on the soldiers returned from Vietnam War. Both these works bring forth the damaging effect war has on the lives of soldiers through the portrayal of soldiers facing the problems of betrayal or post-traumatic stress.

Detrimental Effects of War
The movie Breaker Morant and the book Odysseus in America presents the various problems faced by the soldiers in course of the war, and even after the end of war. The movie Breaker Morant shows how the soldiers have to deal not only with their enemies but also with their superiors who exploit the soldiers to serve their own purposes. The movie revolves around the trial of Australian Army officers, Harry Morant, Peter Handcock, and George Witton who are facing the charges of murdering seven Boer prisoners. Morant is accused of leading these attacks on the Boer prisoners in retaliation, as Morant believed that his friend, Captain Hunt was murdered by the Boers. Harry Morant, who is also known as Breaker Morant and George Witton are also accused of killing Rev. Hesse, a German missionary. As the trial progress, it becomes evident that Morant, Handcock and Witton are victims of manipulative politics played by Britain, a country for which these soldiers risked their lives in the war. Morant, Handcock and Witton had killed the Boer prisoners because they were ordered to do so by their superiors. But as these orders were conveyed to them orally, they were unable to prove their innocence. Although Major Thomas, their defense lawyer tries hard to save Morant, Handcock and Witton from being executed, these soldiers are held guilty of the murder and awarded the death sentence.

The manner in which the trial is conducted proves that Morant, Handcock and Witton were utilized as scapegoats by Britain to achieve its political aims. The biased attitude of the prosecuting attorney and their witnesses shows that the trial was a charade, as Britain has already decided to execute these soldiers even before the commencement of the trial. In the end, Morant and Handcock are executed whereas Wittons death sentence is commuted to life imprisonment. The British army, which is supposed to protect the soldiers fighting from his side, plans to execute Morant and Handcock in spite of the fact that they were just fulfilling their duties as soldiers fighting for them. The negative effects of war on the lives of the soldiers are portrayed in the movie through the betrayal experienced by Morant, Handcock and Witton. The British army betrays these soldiers and executes them for murdering Boer prisoners even though these soldiers were ordered by their superiors to kill the Boer prisoners. Owing to the injustice meted out to them by the British army, Morant and Hancock lose faith in the existence of a divine power.  They are distrustful of everyone, for they come to regard all people around them to be their enemies. The politics involved in wars leads Morant and Hancock to their execution for the murders they had committed on the orders of the superiors. The political strategies of war bring an end to the lives of these soldiers and that also at the hands of the country for which they have fought in the war.

Even after the end of the war, the negative influence of war on the lives of the soldiers continues, as numerous soldiers suffer from post traumatic stress and find it difficult to lead a peaceful civilian life. The book Odysseus in America focuses on this detrimental effect of war on the lives of the soldiers. The author writes about the difficulties experienced by Vietnam War veterans in adjusting to the civilian life. The soldiers fighting in the war are so overwhelmed by their horrific experiences at the war that they engage in violent behavior even after they return to civilian lives. The book presents examples of numerous Vietnam veterans to bring forth the damaging effects the development of post traumatic stress has on the civilian lives of the soldiers. One such soldier, who finds it difficult to fit himself in the peaceful civilian life, is Bear Mercer. The horrifying war experiences haunt Bear and hinder him from assimilating in a life which is far different from one he led during the war. Now in nightmares and flashbacks the color of his blood, changing from bright red to almost black in his squad who crushed the dead mans chest with a boulder, drenching Bear with blood that squirted out of the severed neck arteries. (Shay 23). His mind is burdened with the guilt for carrying out the brutal killings during the war. His thinking is so influenced by his experiences at the war that his reaction to any incident in his civilian life, which is similar to the one in war, is identical. Any incompetence Bear encounters in civilian life arouses the same feelings of fear, rage, and grief. When he yanked his general supervisor at the post office across his own desk and screamed at him, he screamed exactly the same words he screamed at his incompetent CO. (Shay 25). Post traumatic stress also leads to the development of distrust in the war veterans. The war veterans look at the people around them with distrust.

The family lives of these war veterans are also affected owing to the various problems caused by post traumatic stress. Even in the matter of their careers, these war veterans find their work uninteresting compared to the combat duties they carried out during the war. Many, like Bear, who joined uniformed services quit or were fired after relatively short careers. Unlike Bear, some found civilian policing too boring authority relationships and apparently meaningless administrative tasks. (Shay 26). This book throws light on the fact that the detrimental effects of war on the soldiers is evident in every aspect of their lives  even after they return to the civilian lives owing to the development of post traumatic stress in the soldiers.

Conclusion
The movie Breaker Morant and the book Odysseus in America bring forth the detrimental effects war has on the lives of soldiers fighting those wars. The movie Breaker Morant shows how international politics involved in the war leads to the execution of three soldiers for a murder they have committed on the orders of their superiors. These soldiers became victims of betrayal by a country for whom they risked their lives in the war. The book Odysseus in America depicts the negative impact war experiences has on the soldiers even after returning to civilian lives through the portrayal of soldiers suffering from post traumatic stress. Both these works present the various kinds of difficulties and hardships encountered by soldiers during the war and even after end of the war.