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Gods and Goddesses in 'The Odyssey', 2008.
This paper discusses "The Odyssey' by Homer, concentrating on the subject of gods and goddesses.
1,024 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 52.95
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Abstract
In this article the writer introduces, discusses and analyzes the poem "The Odyssey" by Homer. Specifically, the writer discusses the various ways Homer made use of gods and goddesses in the story, and how they intervened in the lives of the mortals. Throughout this epic journey, Homer uses gods and goddesses to reward Odysseus for his bravery, loyalty, and belief in the gods and goddesses. Homer also uses gods and goddesses to illustrate that even the strongest mortals are no match for the gods when it comes to everything from epic battles to choosing when to return home. The writer concludes that Homer's use of the gods and goddesses in "The Odyssey" is a tribute to the belief systems of the time, and the ideas that the gods and goddesses have complete and absolute power over mortal men.
From the Paper
"The gods are constantly interfering with Odysseus during his journey back home, as well. Poseidon wrecks his ship out of anger, but often, it is his men and their lack of belief that gets in the way of his journey. For example, the men open the bag of wind that Aeolus, the god of winds, has given Odysseus to ensure his safe journey home, which ends up driving the ships far from their destination. Later, the men ignore the gods' warning and slaughter cattle belonging to the sun god Helios, and this leads to the shipwreck where all of them die. Homer is illustrating what happens when you do not listen to and appreciate the power of the gods. Odysseus does not question their wisdom or authority, and so, he survives. His men are constantly questioning and challenging the gods' authority, and they pay with their lives. This is a lesson for all mortals who read the story and do not accept the power and glory of the gods."
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Toni Morrison's "Beloved" and "The Epic of Gilgamesh", 2008.
Compares Toni Morrison's "Beloved" and "The Epic of Gilgamesh", translated by N. K. Sandars, as heroic literature.
1,450 words (approx. 5.8 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 70.95
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Abstract
This paper introduces the heroic elements of the plots of Toni Morrison's "Beloved" and "The Epic of Gilgamesh", translated by N. K. Sandars. The writer explains that "The Epic of Gilgamesh", considered to be the first tale of a mortal hero, contains themes similar to biblical stories just as Morrison uses similarities of the biblical Cain to shape her main protagonist Sethe. The writer also explains that Morrison tries to break stereotypes through Sethe; while, Sanders in the "Epic" attempts to shatter the image of the vulnerability of male heroes. Both stories can be treated as literary landmarks because these characters defy the convention of a typical hero.
Table of Contents:
The Gilgamesh Epic
The Tale of Beloved
The Ideas of a Hero/Heroine
From the Paper
"Morrison also shows indebtedness to African American and African traditions and mythologies. Toni Morrison in her book has given a new style to fiction and the whole work is very imaginative and thought provoking. The typical master slave image of a strong man or a woman with a strong and healthy body but with a very servile attitude was prevalent but came the decade of 1910s that the African Americans started rebelling against the stereotypes and typical gender and racial roles associated with them. Toni used flight of the imagination and mythic elements along with realistic portrayal of racial, gender and class conflict."
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'Mary Poppins' and Class, 2008.
This paper studies the novel 'Mary Poppins' by P.L. Travers and discusses the elements of social class.
1,114 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 55.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that the novel 'Mary Poppins' produces a plethora of symbolic notions and sociological representations of class. Many of the figures portrayed in the book stand as reflections of the social differentiations of the timeline in which the book was written. The writer discusses that the author provides a canny depiction of certain characters that, in actuality, would undoubtedly be far more predisposed to a conduct or behavior more parallel to a characterization of despoliation. The writer concludes that 'Mary Poppins' is almost a symbol of persistent delegation that portrays the growth and outward direction of the suppressive realities that represented the lower, working class social realms of her consideration.
From the Paper
"In a manner of contrary consideration, these characters and others with the same relation to sociological statuses common for each sect eluded more to a harmonious and unscathed existence. It is in this light that the character repartee and general development of the characters are fictitiously deployed, thus exuding an opposing perception of the common and often stereotypical notions of such individuals of their era. But, in defense of the opposite end, the activity and sometimes blundering delineation exhumed by each character with symbolic representation of separate classes does support and solidify many of the strengths that stand as demarcates for their title as characters in the novel.
"The storyline of Mary Poppins, though it is set with an English stratagem, provides an intriguing view into the many universal challenges that both men and women faced during the early period of the 20th Century."
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"A Modest Proposal", 2008.
An analysis of the purpose of Jonathan Swift's book, "A Modest Proposal."
1,716 words (approx. 6.9 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 80.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the conditions in Ireland during the times of Jonathan Swift. It specifically discusses Jonathan Swift's book, "A Modest Proposal" and discusses how it reflects the environment in Ireland at the time that it was written. The paper describes Swift's personal background and the purpose that he had in writing his book.
From the Paper
"Those who do not understand the work as a satirical look at the plight of Irish children often misunderstand Swift's intentions in writing the piece. Taken literally, Swift could be viewed as an unthinkable English imperialist. However, this is simply the perspective chosen by Swift. His experience as a household servant to the English undoubtedly gave him a chance to experience the English attitudes towards the Irish first hand. A Modest Proposal has an air of truth in the manner in which the English viewed the Irish at the time. It is simply an exaggeration of what Swift saw in everyday life. This exaggeration was meant to make the English step back and look at their own behavior and attitudes."
"If one understands the horrors that Swift saw in his travels to Ireland and understands A Modest Proposal as the piece of satire that it is, a sense of compassion can be seen in the work. Swift understood the hopelessness of Irish children born into poverty. A Modest Proposal is an analogy. The key point that he was trying to make was that if the children were to be treated as animals, perhaps an early death would be better than a long life of suffering. This was the main idea of the proposal and summarized Swift's observations and feelings about the treatment of the Irish poor."
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Christopher Buckley's "Boomsday", 2008.
This paper analyzes Christopher Buckley's satiric novel "Boomsday".
1,418 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 68.95
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Abstract
The paper examines Christopher Buckley's novel "Boomsday" and identifies the relevant policy windows and the solution put forward by the heroine Cassandra Devine. The paper analyzes how Cassandra's idea first got attention and how various influential constituencies and events affected the progress of that agenda toward real implementation. The paper notes that Cassandra failed in her ultimate objective to avenge herself against her father.
From the Paper
"A policy window is a moment in political time and history where there is a unique confluence of an idea and an opportunity to enact change. The idea must also be fueled by public demand that something must be done about a pressing concern. The establishment of the Social Security system during the Great Depression, under the guidance of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, when America was in a state of crisis and when Americans doubted the ability of capitalism to work might be seen as one example of a policy window. In Christopher Buckley's novel Boomsday, another policy window opens as a result of the failure of the Social Security system. This America of the future is embroiled in a war it cannot afford. It is facing the impending payout of entitlements to older Americans it cannot sustain in the long term, certainly not for the current generation still paying into the system so their elders can benefit."
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Characters in 'Frankenstein', 2008.
This paper examines the pairing of characters in the novel 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley.
2,228 words (approx. 8.9 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 100.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer studies the novel 'Frankenstein' and looks at its characters. The writer notes that the relationship that is established between the creator and his creation, as well as the other relations between the characters of the novel, form the core of the moral and psychological investigation developed in the book. The writer points out that Shelley's novel is full of superior characters, which are all angelic to a certain extent. Victor is the superior Romantic hero, alone and isolated in his quest for an unreachable ideal. Walton and Clerval resemble him, with the difference of being more humane. The women are clearly angelic figures, excelling in beauty and virtue. The writer concludes that the creature is like the fallen angel, Satan, who is banished by his own creator and because of this, he becomes evil.
From the Paper
"Of the various pairings of characters in Shelley's novel, the one between Victor Frankenstein and the Creature is arguably the most interesting and most complex. Other pairings might be established however, such as that of Frankenstein with his best friend Henry Clerval, that of Frankenstein and Robert Walton, his biographer, or that between the women characters in the novel, Elizabeth, Caroline, Justine and the others. Thus, first of all, the relationship that takes contour between Frankenstein and his creation is very complex and symbolic. Following the Biblical account, what the creator does when he engenders life is to give birth to a replica of himself, of his own image. In spite of his good intentions to perfect humanity by introducing a new and more enduring race, Frankenstein fails in his attempt because he is trying to assume the place of the divine creator without realizing his own imperfection. The imperfect creator therefore engenders an even more imperfect creation."
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Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby", 2008.
This paper looks at symbolism of empty material success within F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel 'The Great Gatsby'.
1,600 words (approx. 6.4 pages), 10 sources, MLA, AU$ 75.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses that F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel 'The Great Gatsby' symbolically and starkly illustrates the potential dangers of a ruthless pursuit of success and its tangible if ultimately negligible reward. The writer notes that the main character, Jay Gatsby, reaches the pinnacle of American success, however Gatsby's conception of success is itself purely symbolic. The writer concludes that near the end, Fitzgerald portrays how the once honorable American Dream of personal prosperity as a reward for steady, honest hard work by a person of ability has been replaced by the mere pursuit of money and the wherewithal money itself allows to make purchases symbolic of wealth.
From the Paper
"Here Nick's unclear view of Gatsby, perhaps trembling alone in the darkness, also seems to symbolically and early on underscore the actual tentativeness of Gatsby's own grip on his contrived persona and later on in the story, and as an indirect result, life itself. Moreover, even at the outset of the novel, there is something out there that Gatsby seems at once to perhaps embrace with open arms and perhaps dread with trembling ones. This turns out, looking back to be Daisy.
"Daisy is symbolized at this early point in the book by the green light at the end of her pier. Green is also symbolic of money (old money in this case), something Daisy possesses and that Gatsby does not. "
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Postmodern Literature, 2008.
An examination of Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and Don DeLillo's "White Noise" as examples of of postmodern literature.
1,667 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 78.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how two examples of postmodern literature are Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and Don DeLillo's "White Noise' and how both books are similar in that they both feature unique literary devices common in postmodern literature. It looks at how both novels are sharp criticisms of the disillusionment of society's sense of reality but differ in the fact that "Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas" maintains the author's presence while "White Noise" does not. The paper also discusses how the effect of this variation in presence, combined with the use of illicit drugs and deranged thinking, results in a skewed perspective or reality from the two books' protagonist.
From the Paper
"In his article entitled The Death of the Author, Roland Bartley discusses the trend in postmodern literature for the author to remove him or herself from the telling of the story in order to present a more clear and vivid picture of reality. What makes a comparison of these two novels interesting is that they both excel at capturing, and sometimes distorting, reality but do it in very different ways. In White Noise, Don DeLillo does remove himself from the telling of the story and thus, in the words of Bartley, "lets the narrative take over". However, just the opposite is true in Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas. "
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Illusion and Reality in "Araby", 2008.
This paper discusses the counter-themes of illusion and reality within James Joyce's short story "Araby".
1,185 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 6 sources, MLA, AU$ 58.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses that in James Joyce's short story "Araby", the narrator's view of the world seems to be that it is a relatively mundane, routine and unexciting place except when interrupted by his adolescent sensual thoughts and therefore rises a fresh, new and exciting reason to hope, dream and fantasize beyond his usual and predictable home, school and church routine. The writer notes that Joyce develops within this story counter-themes of illusion and reality: the illusion on the boy's part of romantic love for "Mangan's sister" juxtaposed against the more mundane realities of his true everyday existence, including the reality that the boy's own actions and mobility are determined by others.
From the Paper
"Soon the boy cannot extract his sensual images of Mangan's sister from his mind, even long enough to say his prayers. Thoughts of Mangan's sister interfere impede his concentration at school. Neither God nor his studies is in his own mind any match for Mangan's sister. Soon, and without understanding why, the picture inside his head of Mangan's sister, distorted or real, takes on iconic significance, substituting for reality in a way far more, in fact deliciously, exciting. However, by the end of the story, the young boy's reality, which has to do with acquiescing to priorities of those older than himself than it does fulfilling his own desires, pulls him back, and much-cherished hope of buying and presenting Mangan's sister with a special gift from Araby is destroyed by the simple fact that his uncle's tardiness has caused him to arrive to late to Araby to buy her a gift.
"When the boy becomes fascinated with Mangan's sister, his mind wanders far from his usual reality, which consists of school, church, home, and the authority of others - religious, parental, and otherwise."
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Issues of Class and Status: "The Inheritance", 2008.
A discussion of issues of class and status in Louisa May Alcott's novel "The Inheritance".
2,610 words (approx. 10.4 pages), 7 sources, MLA, AU$ 113.95
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Abstract
The paper examines how Louisa May Alcott explores issues of class status including issues concerning the wealthy and the poor in her work, "The Inheritance". The paper focuses on the life of the protagonist, Edith Adelon, born into what many would consider the lower class and eventually works her way into nobility. The paper calls it a typical tale of rags to riches. The paper concludes that, while class and status do have some role in society, they will never have a more important role than being a lovable character, such as Edith.
From the Paper
"Next comes the lower or "servant" class. Louisa May Alcott may fall into this class too, because she did serve her tenure during part of her life as a servant; many may consider her work as a writer of The Inheritance and of other books including Little Women enough to categorize her as "working" class or as "middle" class depending on whom you talk too. The same could be said of Edith. While she was taken in by the Hamilton's and lived much of her life in a way that suited them because she was eventually treated as their servant, she nonetheless did have some liberties, although few are outlined in the start of The Inheritance. Edith was not however, without money. This is the sole point that one may argue, makes her indistinguishable. The nobility are assumed to be part of the aristocracy. They have money because they are "born" into it and thus they have privileges that may include marrying the cream of the crop in society."
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Saul Bellow's "Herzog" and the Notion of Identity, 2008.
An analysis of the many aspects of Moses Herzog's personality as portrayed in Saul Bellow's "Herzog."
13,297 words (approx. 53.2 pages), 30 sources, MLA, AU$ 360.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the content of Saul Bellow's novel, Herzog." It specifically focuses on the many sides of Herzog's personality that emerge throughout the course of the book. It discusses Herzog as an intellectual, as transcendentalist, as an immigrant, as a Jewish American, as emblematic of the city and as a writer. The paper concludes that we are left with a portrait of a complex, confused and difficult individual who none-the-less comes to terms with himself.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Herzog as Intellectual
Herzog as Transcendentalist
Herzog as Immigrant
Herzog as Jewish American
Herzog as Emblematic of the City
Herzog and the Role of Writing
Conclusion
From the Paper
"While this transcendentalist impulse keeps Herzog firmly rooted in the American tradition, he is never fully able to escape his European roots. As an immigrant, he is quintessentially American in a way - never fully "here" nor "there." He persistently holds on to the vestiges of the European tradition, as they are what unites him with history. He is afraid to let go of this history, afraid to fully let himself merge into the whimsicality of the present, and is thus afraid of the future. As Herzog remarks about the interior of a home: "The furniture was richly polished, old, of a vanished Central European epoch - but then this present epoch is vanishing, too, and perhaps faster than all the others" (Bellow 1964, p. 46).
"Like most of Bellow's protagonists, Moses Herzog is an American Jew. This positions him, despite his fairly conventional outlook on life, outside of the American mainstream, whether he likes it or not. Herzog feels most comfortable when he is in the company of other Jews, whether they be familial acquaintances or enemies - at least he knows where he stands with them."
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Waging Nonviolent Struggle, 2008.
A review of the book "Waging Nonviolent Struggle: 20th Century Practice and 21st Century Potential" by Gene Sharp.
1,027 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 3 sources, APA, AU$ 52.95
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Abstract
This paper reviews the book "Waging Nonviolent Struggle: 20th Century Practice and 21st Century Potential" by author and professor of political science, Gene Sharp. The paper explains that according to Sharp, the key to effective nonviolent struggle is the role of strategic planning, a topic this book focuses heavily on. The paper looks at how the book is presented with an introduction regarding the relationship between nonviolent struggle and political power. The paper then points out that the remainder of the book is comprised of twenty-three case studies of various, "improvised nonviolent campaigns in the 20th century selected on the basis of types of actions employed." The paper also notes that following the case studies, there is an in depth analysis of the specific dynamics of how a nonviolent struggle operates, along with a presentation of guidelines on how one can strategically plan for a nonviolent struggle.
From the Paper
"In presenting his case studies, Sharp is able to debunk numerous myths and misconceptions about the use of nonviolent struggle. For instance, the case studies present real examples of how nonviolence is not ineffective against dictatorships and genocide or that all nonviolent struggles rely on an appeal to the general moral character of the opponent. Instead these case studies demonstrate how, when strategic planning is employed, nonviolent struggles, such as economic boycotts and social noncompliance, can lead to a highly disciplined and thus successful movements that also create substantially lower overall mortality rates and less incidences of collateral damage, such as the killing of innocent civilians."
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Toni Morrison's "Paradise", 2008.
An analysis of the generational conflict in Toni Morrison's "Paradise".
2,006 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 91.95
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Abstract
The paper relates that the main problem in the town Ruby in Morrison's "Paradise" is the way in which the old generation resents change and stubbornly clings to the past. The paper explains that this generational conflict reflects the results of slavery on the present state of mind of the blacks. The paper highlights Morrison's belief that the past should be dealt with by accepting it and adopting a dynamic attitude towards it.
From the Paper
"Like Morrison's other fictional works, Paradise is the portrayal of a community. The particular community described here is an all-black, extremely conservative society that lives isolated in a small town called Ruby in Oklahoma. The town of Ruby is created as an isolated, utopian society which, through its own established laws and government, is meant to thrive in an absolute, paradisiacal state. The reality is however rather dystopian than utopian: the community is obviously a self-enclosed patriarchal and exclusivist society, in which otherness be it racial or gender related is met by intolerance. The intolerance is reflected in the main plot of the novel: the elders of Ruby attack the Convent, the refuge of many women in the town and kill a few of its inhabitants."
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"The Epic of Gilgamesh" and "Genesis", 2008.
A comparative analysis of the flood myth in two ancient writings, "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and "Genesis".
1,015 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper explores the differences and similarities between "The Epic of Gilgamesh", one of the oldest recorded writings from Sumerian or Babylonian mythology, with "Genesis" from the Judeo-Christian Bible. The paper argues that one of the main differences between the epic and "Genesis", is the Babylonian view that the gods are dangerous for mortals, and that their laws are irrational and cannot be predicted by the human mind. For Judaism and Christianity, on the other hand, God is the bearer of righteousness and a symbol of justice and everything that is morally virtuous. Nonetheless, the paper holds that there is a striking resemblance between the two accounts. The paper attempts to provide evidence sustaining the claim that the Mesopotamian account of the great flood is highly relevant to Christianity. It concludes that the myth of the flood is valid and incorporated in Judaism and Christianity and also in the collective conscience of the peoples who did not follow Yahweh.
From the Paper
"The Judaic-Christian and the Mesopotamian systems of belief are in clear opposition. Christianity and Judaism praise respect and obedience for the divinity as evidence of God's greatness and moral righteousness. God is the central figure of the faith system because He represents all that is good and right thus humanity must obey Him; here obedience is understood as a definite obligation. On the other hand, for Mesopotamians, respect and piety are the result of humanity's acknowledgement that it is both mortal and weaker than the gods. In this sense, the two virtues are not moral obligations, but a practical attitude which serves as an acknowledgement of the superiority of nature in terms of its power over humans."
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Nature in Robert Frost's Poetry, 2008.
A discussion of the figure of nature in Robert Frost's poems "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", "Never Again Would Bird's Song Be the Same" and "The Oven Bird".
1,985 words (approx. 7.9 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 91.95
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Abstract
This paper compares the use of the theme of man's relationship to nature in poet Robert Frost's works "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening", "Never Again Would Bird's Song Be the Same" and "The Oven Bird". The paper argues that the poet frequently used images of nature in order to provide a symbolic reference for his message. All three poems indicate a dichotomy between untouched nature and the human influence, as well as separation from the natural world. The paper points out that rapid technological developments during Frost's lifetime caused him great concern. The paper concludes that, according to the poems discussed here, redemption is only possible by a reconnection to nature.
From the Paper
"Even in this joyous description, the poem is filled with regret. The reader is assumed to know the story of Eve, the fall, and the subsequent banishment from the garden even before reaching the end of the poem. The description of joy itself is therefore also filled with a sense of regret and loss. Regardless of the loss experienced, however, the sense of bittersweet memory remains. The birds are forever influenced by the contact they had with Eve. They regret her loss, and mourn for her, and therefore hold on to her essence in perhaps the vain hope that she might return some day."
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Guiding Characters in Literature, 2008.
An examination of the guiding characters in "The Divine Comedy" and "The Song of Roland".
1,340 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 2 sources, MLA, AU$ 65.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how classical literature often uses pairs of dependent characters to justify the unusual, extraordinary adventures and experiences of the main heroes. The paper looks at Virgil and Beatrice in Dante's "The Divine Comedy" and Olivier in the anonymous "Song of Roland" as examples of guiding characters.
From the Paper
"The heroes of classical literature almost always have guides who help them or sometimes prevent them from achieving their goals. These character guides are sometimes the peers or friends of the heroes and other times supernatural beings or forces. The role of the guiding figures is obviously that of contributing to the initiating experience of the hero. Because the adventures portrayed in classical literature always have an initiating character, the main hero of the story requires help from other men or forces in his journey. Such guiding roles belong for example to Virgil and to Beatrice in the Divine Comedy, or to Olivier in anonymous Song of Roland."
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