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"Heart of Darkness", 2008.
This paper focuses on the wilderness in Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness".
1,092 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 46.95
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Abstract
The paper examines Joseph Conrad's classic 1899 serialized short novel "Heart of Darkness", interpreting the book as a look at the effect of the wilderness upon seemingly civilized men. The paper focuses on how an encounter with such wild primal energies can penetrate the veneer of civilized conditioning and even destroy it, leading to what Conrad refers to as madness.
From the Paper
"Joseph Conrad's classic 1899 serialized short novel Heart of Darkness has been examined from various angles, utilizing diverse literary as well as political and economic approaches. The most frequently encountered tactic of analysis for this story of adventure and inner conflict has probably been from the perspective of colonialism and the attitudes of late 19th/early 20th century Europeans (especially British and French) toward their colonial possessions in Africa, including their pragmatically Machiavellian treatment of both natural and human resources therein."
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Swift, Blake and Social Hegemony, 2008.
This paper discusses challenges to social hegemony in the works "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift and "London" by William Blake.
1,381 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 56.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer maintains that the argument that the "purpose of good literature" is not - as Sir Philip Sidney argued - "to teach, to delight" and "move to virtuous action" but to challenge social hegemony by destabilizing its core values is a controversial one. This essay argues the thesis, with reference to Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" and William Blake's "London", that while literary works are not simply political statement or social criticism, good literary works nonetheless engage with their cultural context in a critical and complex way. As is seen, while both Swift's and Blake's works have clear political and social dimensions, it is their literary qualities that give them their potency as powerful social critiques.
From the Paper
"This being said, it may be argued that this view of literature is simplistic and limited in many respects. Literary works are not created in a vacuum but instead, capture their audiences by their engagement with the social contexts in which they are created. However, unlike political tracts or social critiques which are rarely remembered beyond the immediate circumstances in which they were created, good literature resonates beyond its immediate context - even when it has a clear political or social purpose - due to the power of its writing. This power allows these works to transcend the particulars of the social order they criticize or destabilize, and reflect something of the universal in humanity's social constructions."
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"An Introduction to Buddhism", 2008.
A review of "An Introduction to Buddhism" by Paul Harvey.
1,477 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 5 sources, APA, AU$ 58.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at "An Introduction to Buddhism" by Paul Harvey, published in 1990 which was written as a text book with the intention of introducing either high school or college students to some of the concepts of Buddhism. Because Buddhism is such a broad subject, much of which is covered by this book, this paper compares how the concept of "suffering" is addressed in the book and in other different texts. The language that is used to discuss suffering is also examined, in terms of how the term is conceptualized by its inclusion--or its lack of inclusion--in the First Noble Truth and in terms of accessibility.
Outline:
Concepts and Comparisons
Successes
Failures
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Harvey (1990) does spend a great deal of time in discussion on the topic of suffering, since that is a major aspect of Buddhist teachings. However, Harvey describes the concept of suffering as an isolated event, in a somewhat clinical fashion. The basic concept of "suffering" actually tends to get lost in his discussion of "self" and "not-self," (Harvey, 1990, pp. 50-52), until he actually begins to discuss what he calls "the Second Holy Truth" (Harvey, 1990, p. 53). In part, the difficulty in this discussion comes with the use of unfamiliar words in Harvey's text; the reader spends more time translating and organizing concepts than he or she does in processing and un understanding them. "
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Moral Principles in "L'Ingenu", 2008.
An analysis of the relativity of Enlightenment moral principles in "L'Ingenu" by Voltaire.
1,025 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the moral freedom of the individual in "L'Ingenu" by Voltaire. It looks at how the central character Ingenu (the Ingenuous One or The Huron) is often described by Voltaire as the "noble savage", ultimately representing a far more noble morality in relation to the 'civilized' Europeans in the story. It examines how Voltaire uses the outwardly barbaric nature of a Native American to define the relativity of moral values, which reflect the objective diversity of moral tenets outside of French moral absolutism.
From the Paper
"The subjectivity of moral values in Voltaire's novella L'Ingenu is revealed through his main character, the Huron. Although the Huron appears to be a representative of the "barbaric" Native American culture, he is actually being represented as an alternate source of morality outside of Voltaire's own culture. Of course, the Huron meets many upper class elites from French society, and they define him as being the "noble savage" or a tribesperson below their civilized station. The French view of the Huron Indians is often deemed unworthy of the refinement that French society represents in the world through Voltaire's narrative. "
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"The Illustrated Man", 2008.
This paper discusses the overall theme found in Ray Bradbury's collection of short stories, "The Illustrated Man".
1,074 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 45.95
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Abstract
The paper relates that the dominant theme in Ray Bradbury's "The Illustrated Man" is how each person reacts to his own personal problems and fate when confronted with new and threatening circumstances. The paper focuses on the way the protagonists in the stories "The Man," "Kaleidoscope" and "The Long Rain" react to a situation in which they know they have no way out and can only depend on themselves and their own inner strength.
From the Paper
"Ray Bradbury is one of America's best known and popular science fiction authors, having written more than 30 books over the past half century, not to mention numerous short stories, plays and screenplays. In this essay, I am going make an attempt to discuss the overall theme found in Ray Bradbury's collection of short stories, The Illustrated Man, which was originally published in 1951 and has been reprinted many times since ("Ray Bradbury.") The reason I am selecting this angle of approach is that although the issue of technology and its impact on society are a very important part of Bradbury's work, not every story is about technology itself. In most of the stories, technology forms only a backdrop. It also seems that despite some obvious exceptions (such as "The Other Foot") Bradbury's stories are not especially concerned with immediately relevant social issues, although they do deal with how society reacts to threatening events. In fact, it seems to me that what makes Bradbury's work here so interesting is the way he focuses on the effects of new ideas on particular individuals, and I see this as the overriding theme of the anthology."
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Sun Rising on Self Reflection, 2008.
This paper discusses the character Jake Barnes and projection as self-reflection in 'The Sun Also Rises' by Ernest Hemingway.
1,300 words (approx. 5.2 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 52.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that in fiction, characterization and point of view are often closely interrelated, as the nature of perspective influences how characters are understood and depicted. The writer then points out that in Ernest Hemingway's 'The Sun Also Rises' one can see the complexity of this interrelationship in how Hemingway uses the first person perspective of his protagonist - Jake Barnes - to not only narrate the action of the novel and describe the other characters but also, in the process, to describe himself as a reflection of his characterization of others. The writer concludes that the use of Jake Barnes as not only the novel's protagonist but also its first person narrator allows readers to "see" how Jake "sees" the other characters and actions in the novel. The writer maintains that Jake's view of the other characters - Cohn, Bill, and Brett in particular - mirrors qualities in himself, both good and bad.
From the Paper
"In this analysis, Jake's perception of all of the other characters in the narrative can be seen to mirror aspects of himself. In Brett her aimlessness and destructive romantic affairs serve to reflect the inner emotional desolation of Jake. Jake's depiction of Cohn reveals how he reflects Jake's lost innocence, and Jake's view of Bill reflects his superficial detachment and avoidance of real engagement with his life and emotions. Indeed, it is extraordinary how much of Jake's description of the world around him reflects qualities in himself. Even in the description of the bullfights in Spain, where Jake describes how steers - castrated bulls - are damaged in trying to make friends with the rampaging, virile bulls, we can see reflected some of the qualities of Jake. While numerous men circle about Brett to possess her sexually, the one person they all seem to like is Jake; perhaps because Jake is, like a steer, no threat to them."
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Countee Cullen's Poetic Universality, 2008.
This paper analyzes the cultural universality in the poems of Countee Cullen.
1,058 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 45.95
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Abstract
The paper focuses on the diversity of cultural and race issues within the poetic works of Countee Cullen. The paper looks at the poems "Heritage" and "Yet Do I Marvel" and discusses how Cullen is able to convey a sense of awareness of his own cultural background without the monolithic view of race issues in his work. The paper highlights Cullen's broad sense of poetic universality across cultural and racial lines during the Harlem Renaissance.
From the Paper
"For Countee Cullen, poetry was often deemed "raceless" due to the way that he interpreted human relationships within the big city. New York City was a massive "melting pot" of immigrants and people of differing races, which became manifest during the Harlem Renaissance. Cullen lived in this section of the city where African Americans were indeed marginalized, yet they were able to have greater freedoms that what was allowed at the time in the South. Cullen is aware of cultural roots going back to Africa in this urban milieu, which helps to dictate his ideas about the limitations of African American identity in the poem "Heritage"."
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War Literature, 2008.
An analysis of the role of symbolism in Jeff Shaara's "The Rising Tide", Richard Galli's "Of Rice and Men" and James Bacque's "Our Fathers' War".
1,462 words (approx. 5.8 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 58.95
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Abstract
This paper examines war imagery as it appears in three novels - Jeff Shaara's "The Rising Tide", Richard Galli's "Of Rice and Men", and James Bacque's "Our Fathers' War". It looks at how this imagery captures the absurdity of war and its many contradictions by having symbols and concepts uneasily juxtaposed against one another. More than that, the paper also notes how war inverts things, with the cross and the Church taking on chilling meanings while "dirt" becomes more meaningful than cleanliness. It concludes that symbols serve as powerful communicators of war's destructiveness and perversity.
From the Paper
"In Jeff Shaara's 2006 novel, The Rising Tide, the use of symbolism raises some interesting images in the minds of the reader. For instance, at one point, as his tank crew is firing on a German tank, it occurs to a British officer of the British Seventh Armored Division that the first thing they always see through the dust and dirt of war are the crosses - the crosses marking German tanks on the battlefield of the Libyan Desert (Shaara, 9). The cross is supposed to represent Christianity, of course, but in the desert it is inverted in the mind to represent something else: killing machines that fire projectiles which tear apart Allied tanks and the men within them. Considering the absurdity of war, the symbolic potency of finding crosses in the middle of a war-torn desert is quite powerful."
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Alzheimer's in the Labyrinth, 2008.
This paper reviews the book 'Living in the Labyrinth' by D. McGowin and discusses the issue of Alzheimer's disease.
1,466 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 3 sources, APA, AU$ 58.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that Alzheimer's disease is a cause for special concern since it is not only a chronic disease but automatically involves a diagnosis of dementia. Dementia is a condition that creates the most complex problems both for the patient and the family. The writer summarizes McGowin's chronicle of living with Alzheimer's disease, and then relates symptoms and the important issues to the literature. The writer analyzes the most significant psychosocial problems linked with Alzheimer's such as stigma and social isolation.
Outline:
Summary
Important Themes/Issues
Significance for My Nursing Experience
Impact of Story
From the Paper
"Her advice to herself for the sake of meaning and courage was that she must hang in and remain strong. She did illustrate courage as she describes the course of the disease she was forced to endure. At the same time, she mentions in a sympathetic way her family's and friends' reactions. As the disease progressed, it meant losing many of her previous functions and abilities. Those losses led to even greater losses such as her role in the family. Loss of her roles came about at the same time as loss of her self-esteem and independence. It appears from the book that the very worst features of Alzheimer's disease for her consisted of frequent anxiety and depression. As well, she had to cope with stigma and social isolation. Although her children were supportive, they were unable to understand her; her husband was actually abusive in his reaction to her illness. McGowin makes a strong case for how health teaching is so important when a chronic disease involves dementia. She also exemplifies what it is to cope with such a disease."
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"Eugenie Grandet", 2008.
A review of the novel "Eugenie Grandet" by Honore de Balzac.
1,232 words (approx. 4.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 50.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how in "Eugenie Grandet", Balzac demonstrates an extensive knowledge of social and historical trends as well as a genius for metaphor, imagery, and insights into human nature. It examines how Balzac depicts provincial life in France as backward and out of touch with urban trends while Paris is portrayed as an advanced commercial society and how this historical pattern represents much more than mere contrast between urban and rural, and becomes a symbol for the context in which Eugenie is situated.
From the Paper
"The person who exhibits the courage and stamina to oppose Grandet is his daughter Eugenie. In order to portray this opposition, Balzac used the analogy he introduced at the beginning of the house in ruins and desolation. The impetus for Eugenie's emotional awakening is her cousin Charles, and the symbol used is the Garden. First of all, Eugenie is initially portrayed as docile and as corresponding to the most traditional social expectations. A painter of the period would have observed in Eugenie "a typical example of Mary's celestial purity in this world, who expects all women to have those modestly proud eyes perceived by Raphael" (Balzac 57). "
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Plato and Courage, 2008.
This paper analyzes courage in the works of Plato (Socrates).
1,317 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 2 sources, MLA, AU$ 54.95
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Abstract
The paper focuses on courage and personal choice in "Protagoras" and in Book IX of "The Republic" by Plato. The paper looks at the curious actions of the diver and attempts to find an explanation for this in the final lines of the dialogue between Socrates and Protagoras. The paper then turns to Book IX of "The Republic" which succeeds in offering a better explanation for the diver's behavior by stressing the actions of the man who is overcome by a desire for glory.
From the Paper
"Towards the end of the Protagoras, Socrates finally gets Protagoras to acknowledge that a man (or woman) cannot be courageous without being wise. Specifically, he asserts that cowardice is essentially an inability on the part of an individual to distinguish between what is to be feared and what is not to be feared. Proceeding a little further, Socrates maintains that this ability to ascertain what is genuinely deserving of one's fear and what is not deserving of one's fear is best described as wisdom - a quality, again, that is associated with the brave (Plato, 360c5-361d6). Given the exchange between Socrates and Protagoras at the end of the dialogue, it is clear that the subject in our hypothetical situation has experienced a sudden loss of courage."
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"In the Skin of a Lion", 2008.
This paper examines Michael Ondaatje's "In the Skin of a Lion" that offers impressions of Toronto in the early 20th century.
2,167 words (approx. 8.7 pages), 1 source, APA, AU$ 81.95
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Abstract
The paper examines Michael Ondaatje's hero, Patrick Lewis, in "In the Skin of a Lion". The paper relates that the novel is made up of several stories whose characters overlap, creating a fascinating account of the ordinary Toronto life. The paper looks at how Ondaatje describes Toronto in the 1920s and early 1930s through the eyes of working class people who worked very hard, yet were unable to afford basics that are taken for granted today.
From the Paper
"When he is older, Patrick Lewis reflects on his life and notes that is no longer "a single story but part of a mural... a fitting together of accomplices." (1987:145) Alice Gull explained to him at one point, that it was time for Patrick to tell his own story, even though she nor her friend, Clara Dickens, the other important female character, did not reveal anything about their own pasts, leaving Patrick Lewis and the reader to guess, for the most part. (1987:244) The novel's title borrows a metaphor that has two meanings, in the human being having a source of power, or using the skin of a lion as a disguise, meaning all people can describe themselves in detail and give away very little, if at all. There is power in being anonymous, in a way, and there is also obvious stature if one does not explain about oneself, leaving others to wonder or guess. It is found in the epic story of Gilgamesh as Enkidu, the innocent man is dying and rages against the end. His friend, Gilgamesh, who is half god, will grieve by taking on the skin of a lion, and walking from place to place. The reader learns of Patrick Lewis, the son of a paid farm hand in Depot Creek, Ontario, who learns the trade of setting dynamite from his father. He reaches Toronto about 1923, aged 21, and supports himself as a construction labourer among many immigrants from Europe or elsewhere in Europe."
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"Three Day Road", 2008.
An exploration of the challenges facing Aboriginal Canadians, as illustrated in "Three Day Road," written by Joseph Boyden.
1,830 words (approx. 7.3 pages), 1 source, APA, AU$ 71.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the concepts of the novel, "Three Day Road," written by Joseph Boyden. It shows how the novel sheds light on the challenges faced by Aboriginal Canadians as they fought to hang onto their own identity during the First World War, while they were faced with the competing claims of aggressive, dominant colonialism. It also describes how Boyden shows this in an unconventional way - by situating two of the three main characters - Xavier and Elijah - far from their home, in Belgium and France.
From the Paper
"The medicine bundle was tied around his neck by Niska when he left to join the Canadian army, and it represents his Aboriginal identity and his roots. This act of affirmation, and the act of killing Elijah, together set the stage for his salvation via reclaiming his identity. However, the combination of his brutal experiences, the loss of his leg and the injury to his arm, and the morphine habit he has acquired as a result of his injury, are together such a great weight that he expects to die. However, Niska revives him by telling stories that put him back in touch with his heritage and his identity. She cements this for him by removing his wemistikoshiw (white) clothes, and participating with him in a cleansing-by-heat ceremony in the matatosowin. Thus, the three day journey by canoe down the river becomes not a journey to death for Xavier, but rather a journey to rebirth - as himself again."
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A Comparison of "Pleasantville" and "The Zoo Story", 2007.
An discussion of the similarities and differences between the film "Pleasantville" written and directed by Gary Ross and Edward Albee's play "The Zoo Story".
1,353 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 55.95
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Abstract
This paper compares Edward Albee's 1959 play "The Zoo Story" and the 1998 film "Pleasantville", written and directed by Gary Ross. The paper explains that though it is fairly obvious that they were created in different forms, one as a stage play and the other as a film, both began life as different forms of the written word, and both manage to handle and deal with various angles of human life and behavior, but they do it in two very different periods: one in the 1950s, the other in the late 1990s. The paper looks at how "Pleasantville", in an ironic way, tends to undermine and examine some of the social and personal realities of the 1950s, whereas "The Zoo Story" examines these realities in a more subtle way appropriate to a comedy/fantasy aimed at a mass audience. The paper also compares the actions, reactions and attitudes of the two protagonists, Jerry in "The Zoo Story" and David in "Pleasantville".
From the Paper
"The Zoo Story holds a mirror up to the culture of the late 1950s, with its well known constraints in the political, social and cultural spheres of life - constraints most ironically illustrated in 1950s television series such as "Leave it to Beaver," "I Love Lucy," etc. It is some of these constraints that the play works against, for instance, in its criticism of middle class life and the ordinary, conformist lifestyle as typified by the character of Peter. Notice how Jerry asks him where the dividing line is between "upper middle middle class" and "lower upper middle class," for example, showing that Jerry is very aware of these fine class differences."
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Gender Differences, 2008.
A look at differences in gender based on the evaluation
of two popular magazines.
1,242 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how although there are magazines that try to appeal to both sex audiences, most aim at one side or the other. It examine the differences between "Mens Life: What Matters to Men" and "Ladies Home Journal" magazines and explores how each portray the opposite sex as well as gender.
From the Paper
"Both magazines are tasteful magazines that appeal equally to the intended audience of males and females from the age range of late twenties to early fifties. The Mens Life magazine focus is mainly on the career of the man and financial stability. Ladies Home Journal focuses on the family aspects of women and managing the home life with their career. The difference between the focus of both is very much seated in the gender roles that are expected of both sexes. Males are expected to be the breadwinner and contribute the majority of the financial means to the family."
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Marxist Interpretations of Hamlet, 2008.
A Marxist interpretation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet".
1,808 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 71.95
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Abstract
In this essay the writer examines Hamlet from a Marxist perspective. It is shown how the class structure associated with a feudal society drives the action in Hamlet. Particular attention is placed on the relationships between the royal family and their courtiers. The writer notes that these relationships show how the class system associated with a feudal society results in an aloof upper class that exploits a subservient lower class. The writer concludes that a Marxist criticism looks at how class, material production and the history of material production can influence a work. The writer maintains that Hamlet can be successfully analysed using a Marxist perspective.
Outline:
Introduction
Thesis
Historical Context/Material Context
General relationship
Upper Class Exploitation of Lower class
Lower Class Encouraging their Exploitation
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Denmark in the twelfth century was a feudal society. This meant that the economy was based primarily on agriculture and wealth was determined by how much land a person controlled. Feudal societies have a very strong class hierarchy with clearly defined upper classes and lower classes. In this type of society the upper classes essentially lived pampered lives of luxury by controlling the land and exploiting the lower classes. Essentially the upper classes control the means of production (land) and the lower classes sell their labour in order to survive. As a result of these material relationships the upper class is clearly dominant and the lower classes are subservient to them."
"This type of relationship is clearly apparent in Hamlet. The upper class lives in absolute luxury and is mostly preoccupied with their personal issues."
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