‘The Cathedral’ by Raymond Carver is an intriguing story in which the storyteller claims that his wife’s blind acquaintance, a widower may threat the stability of his marriage. The wife has an emotional connection with her blind friend, which leaves the narrator jealous. This essay will carry out an in depth character analysis of the protagonist in the story and underlying reasons the narrator is an antihero throughout the story.
Character analysis
The unnamed narrator is not a conservative man because he drinks and smokes. He is more like an antihero. However, whenever, Robert, the blind man comes into picture, the narrator is jealous, ‘This blind man, an old friend of my wife‘s’ (Carver, 1). He goes further to narrate how the blind man conversed with his wife about his trip. In a sheer display of jealousy, the man goes ahead to claim that his wife and the blind man never saw each other for a decade, yet he connects easily with her showing a deeper concern for his wife and a jealous undertone. ‘He was no one I knew’ (Carver, 1) points out plainly the jealousy the blind man aroused in the narrator, it is as if the blind man had the power to replace his role as a husband at any time and there was nothing the blind man could do about it hence he vent his anger to himself and anybody else who cared lend him a listening ear.
Apart from jealousy, the narrator comes across as mean and uncaring about the plight of the blind man. The blind man is a widower and probably had no one to turn to but the narrator’s wife (Carver, 1). However, the husband fails to take into consideration the underlying reasons pushing the blind man toward his wife and decides to judge the man through unexamined opinions. Hence, the narrator comes across as mean and uncaring toward the condition of the blind man. ‘His blindness bothered me,’ is an open statement revealing the meanness of the narrator toward the blind man and his attitude about blind people came from movies rather than from actual personal experiences and interaction with them. Therefore, relating information on blind people with movies only points to lack of sympathy for people living with disability and a sense of detachment from real life issues as he utters , ‘A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to’ cements his character as antihero ad stuck in his ways and character.
Even though some may say the narrator is a dynamic character due to the change he undergoes from the beginning to the end of the short story, his dynamism also reflects his antihero nature. Most, the changes he undergoes are superficial and may fail to turn him into a better man. For instance, he is a flawed individual who does not respect a man who gave his wife a job at a time, he himself could not provide for both of them. His wife worked for the blind man and got money needed to take care of herself. Yet, he seemed more concerned with the poem his wife wrote after the blind man touched her entire face with his fingers. The narrator knows that his significant other usually writes a poem after an important event happens in her life but he is at ease because of the commitment his wife showed him. (Carver, 14. Even when things are going right for them, he is always looking behind his shoulders to see if anything might arise and jeopardize his relationship. In fact, he dives into her wife’s romantic relationships before he came into the picture.
In addition, the characterization forces the narrator into a detached role in his own life. He seems to consider himself first which makes him selfish and in control. The drug and alcohol overindulgence are some of the ways that bring out his selfish character and need to be in control. Even though he displays honesty, he fails to show his bitterness and selfishness toward Robert due to the strong relationship he fostered with his wife (Bethea, 92). While narrating how the blind man touched his wife’s face, he admits to sexual intimidation. Through his words, one can tell he did not approve of the blind man touching her face.
The narrator is too judgmental of other peoples’ lives and opinions. The writer can criticize other peoples’ actions but cannot turn the same eyes on himself or allow other people confront him for his mistakes (Clark 78). More so, he is antisocial, watches television the entire night while drank and intoxicated. When Robert arrives, the narrator admits that he enjoys his company and even admires the conversations Robert has with his wife.
In summary, the narrator is an antihero whose character shows jealousy and to some extent bitterness toward people. Through his tone and choice of words, the narrator does not like the idea of a blind man coming into his house. The man brings out his selfish nature when he narrates how the blind man touched the face of his wife. Hence, his overall character is that of an antihero.
Reference
Carver, R., 2015. Cathedral. Vintage.
Clark, Robert C. "Keeping the Reader in the House: American Minimalism, Literary Impressionism, and Raymond Carver's “Cathedral”." jml: Journal of Modern Literature 36.1 (2012): 104-118.
Bethea, Arthur F. Technique and sensibility in the fiction and poetry of Raymond Carver. Routledge, 2013.
What is the weirdest thing that a person can meet in their life? Born with blue blood or wearing black lipstick on campus every day are some of the things that people win society would consider weird. Other than the weird nature of such tendencies, wearing black lipstick and having blue blood are some of the various features that may be considered as deviant behavior. To be specific, being deviant can be separated to two different kinds including being and doing, so blue blood is being, and black lipstick is doing. According to John Curra, a hematologist from the University of Kentucky, deviance can be a seen not only in the things that people do but also through the traits that people are born with. In his paper, Being Deviant, John did a lot research on the topic of deviance. The author provides a definition of deviance, a matter of being or being doing. He further states lots of examples to show the behavior of deviance, which helps audience, understand the definition. According to John, being born with deviant traits is similar to choosing to be deviant. In addition, his research further demonstrate that deviance often has little to do with the person engaging in deviant acts because in most cases, these acts are only seen as deviance when judged by society.
John Curra is a professor at Eastern Kentucky University and employs the use of ethos in his research. Before he wrote the book about deviance, he did a lot of research on this topic, combated with his background, “He has taught courses in social deviance, criminology, sociological analysis, social problems, social psychology,” and “he received the prestigious excellence in Teaching Award from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and he was selected as a foundation Professor” (SAGE). From the information above, he has full confidence to write about this topic because he has accomplished a great deal on this. According to courses that he taught, most of them are related to society. He cared about and focused on social problems, and through his own research he also found social problems that led to these conclusions. Deviance is a hard topic to explain to readers, he used his own knowledge to recombine some stories and true examples in real life. In addition, he received some important awards which can prove he has strength to make his writing more convincing. In this chapter, he used own words to explain the definition of the word deviance, and then used a research on a child with a blood disorder to spread out the topic.
John Curra starts the chapter with a child that has a blood disorder as an example to introduce the word deviant which can be defined as pathos. The child is an example of being deviant as he was born with blue blood. After the medical training by the physician and nurse, the blue blood problem was solved. According to author’s writing, “however, for the transformation to last, the former blue people of Kentucky would have to take a pill every day because the effects of methylene blue are short-lived” (Curra 19-21). To Kentucky people, the methylene blue is not a disorder, they seem like a normal phenomenon in their region, but they do not know the harm of this before. Those affected need to take pills to switch their blood color back to normal, like other people who have pink skin instead of blue skin. The author uses a child as an example because he wants to gain the sympathy of hid audience as no one wants to see a child as a freak when he was born.
The author uses logos to talk about interesting stories an example being his focus on what he refers to as “Discrediting Lips”. The main character, Karle Chapman, is a good example of doing something deviant. The story tells audience about a girl who wears black lipstick at elementary story which is not allowed and conti9nues to do so even after being cautioned by the principle. The girl continues to use the shade of lipstick even after being suspended from school and this is when true deviance is seen. “If Karle Chapman had been born with black lips, the principle would have found herself in a more difficult situation in trying to expel her” (Curra 30). From this story, Karle is trying to go against the authority, she knows the story rules, but she chooses not to follow. She chooses this way to show the difference between her and other students in the elementary school. The principle of the school thinks this is not a right age for wearing discrediting lips color.
The author mentioned that Karle has a choice on what color of lipstick to use but the principle has no choice but to punish her for being deviant. Here readers can see that someone is choosing to be deviant but other has no choices. Another story is a baby born with blue skin. “The boy was as healthy as a newborn could be, but he did have one curious trait: dark blue skin, the color of a plum or denim blue jeans” (Curra 21). The baby was born with blue blood because of the genes from his mother and therefore did not have any options in the matter. When he grows, he might be very sad why he is different from other people, but he cannot change it. This is possible lead to a very different life in the future for him.
From the research, Curra demonstrates that deviance has more to do with opinions held by people in society rather than the type of actions a person engages in or the traits they are born with. The author gives a good example of the Fugate boy born with blue skin. Despite being a common occurrence in Kentucky, people still consider blue skin to be a deviance despite it having no effects on the individual or the people around him. “The boy was as healthy as a newborn could be…” (Curra 21). From the example, it is clear that people do not have to engage in deviant acts because society considers most differences from the norm as being deviant. The boy in no way chose to be born with blue skin but his condition is seen as deviance because it is not normal in the eyes of society.
Similar to the act of being born deviant, choosing act of deviance is also mostly determined by what society deems normal and appropriate. In most scenarios, wearing black lipstick is considered a fashion choice and accepted in society. However, when Karla Chapman wore the same shade of lipstick to school, she was suspended as it was seen as deviant behavior. “At another time or place, with different people, this probably would have been no big deal” (Curra 30). While the same act is acceptable in society, it is treated as deviance by the principal on the belief that it distracts other students even if this is not what Karla intended.
While being deviant and engaging in deviant acts is often the basis of deviance, the author reveals that often times, the defiant nature is not on an act or on a person’s state but rather on the opinions and beliefs held by people in society. In Kentucky, blue skin is common and therefore not that much of a defiant trait. Similarly, choosing to wear black lipstick is acceptable in society but deviant in the eyes of the principal. The research therefore demonstrates that defiance is not a matter of being or doing but rather how society views the individual’s state or actions. Curra further points out that anything can be classified as being deviant even when it is not. “If being blue among other blue people can be labeled as being deviant and in need of change, anything can be” (Curra 22). It is therefore based on the personal opinions held by people and the views that they have of each other.
In conclusion, the author uses rhetorical appeals ethos, pathos and logos to persuade readers the facts, people who are born to be different to other people are seen like freaks, and they probably will not fit into their group. Nevertheless, some people set themselves apart in order to show that they are different from others or to fell that they belong to another group. Normal people will express and make different opinions about these two kinds of deviant people. Deviance is therefore not a matter of being or doing but rather what society classifies as deviance depending on personal opinions, experiences and other factors.
Work Cited Page
Curra,J.. Understanding social deviance: From the near side to the outer limits. New York: HarperCollins. 1994
This interview is meant to understand why Elsa a student in grade 8 has all over sudden started having a decline in her academic performance. She frequently skips classes and she has over the last few months been keeping to herself avoiding most of her friends. I believe that talking to her will help me understand what she is going through and I will look for ways to try and help her out.
I understand that teenagers at this age go through a lot of changes which affect them greatly and so approaching Elsa is something that I will be cautious about. I have set to have the meeting with Elsa in my office at 2 O’clock on Friday because this the time when the students are involved in their co-curricular activities and she will have time away from class.
Some of the topics that I will touch on will include her relationship with friends, with parents, her career goals, her dreams in life and how she plans to achieve them. I will be sure to avoid some sensitive topics like how bad she is doing in her studies because I first want to understand what she is going through in her social life that is affecting her school life.
Some of the techniques that I will use to help Elsa relax and open up will include requesting her to help me organize some paper work in my office which will create room for me to understand what is going on with her.
Some of the questions that I will ask her include;
How are you doing, you seem different nowadays
Is everything okay with your friends? I have noticed that you and Irey no longer walk around together like you used to.
How are things at home? Do you have anything bothering you at home?
What career path would you like to follow? Do you understand the requirements for this career?
my city" by James Weldon Johnson, and "if we must die" by Claude McKay
In the poems ‘my city' and ‘if we must die', the authors use a courageous tone in saying that despite the racism and prejudices which the African Americans experienced while in the U.S, they have a feeling of pride. In ‘my city', the author argues that African Americans loved the city of Manhattan and they could not wish to be unattached from this city. In the line, ‘But, ah! Manhattan's sights and sounds, her smell, (Huggins, 72) the author argues that in Manhattan, he has experienced freedom and happiness, new experiences and opportunities. However, he will be detached from the excitement and joy when he dies, and for this reason, he cherishes every moment of his life because he will miss the most important things (Huggins, 72). Similar, Claude Mckay in the poem ‘if we must die' is using a courageous tone in telling his allies that not to become weak in fighting their enemies but they should remain strong and fight back. In the line, ‘pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back', (Caplan , 12) the author says that even though they are not powerful like their enemies, they should resist them and ensure that even if death comes, they will be honored. The two poems have similar message that encourages people to enjoy every moment of life with pride and they should not create a room for defeat. Both poems mean that Africans Americans made sacrifices to ensure that they achieved freedom, happiness.
However, the two poems differ in that even though they deliver a similar message, they reflect a different background. In other words, in the poem ‘my city' the author has already enjoyed life in the city and he regrets the things he will leave behind as he dies. He will not see trees, flowers, streams and other things of nature. At this point, he uses a sad tone since death is inevitable (Huggins, 72). However, he is embracing is all important things in life while he is alive. On the other hand, the author is in the midst of struggles and he maintains his encouraging tone by saying that African Americans should not lose hope but they should stand strong until they achieve their freedom (Caplan, 12).
Work cited
Huggins, Nathan I. Voices of the Harlem Renaissance. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Print.
Caplan, D. Questions of possibility: Contemporary poetry and poetic form. 2005, New York: Oxford
Quest for self-identity in ‘Elegy of the Circumcised” by Leopold Senghor
Leopold Senghor’s poetry work ‘Elegy of the Circumcised” is one that is dominated by a distinct metaphor which is explicitly or implicitly that of the phoenix from the Egyptian mythology. Phoenix represents a mythical death purification regeneration theme and a concomitant quest for self-identity and this is what forms the central focus of Senghor’s poetic work (Curtin, p. 31). Senghor’s subject in this poem is that of expanded frame of reference where he makes frequent attempts to regain identity and dignity through a spiritual voyage to a historical mythical past, a journey to the soul and the hope for rebirth and a renewal of the individual human in league with the community.
‘Elegy of the Circumcised’ shows his alienation from his past where he undergoes a terrifying loss of identity and a sense of cosmic harmony. It is the night of circumcision and as a child this is the day that he is required to bid farewell to his innocence and become a man but he is afraid “I had to die I hid my hand on my throat like a girl who shudders at the horror of Death” (Stanza 1, line 7). The whole ceremony as is described in the poem seem to be out of harmony with nature beginning with the frightening roaring of the lion which symbolically represents the imminent loss of innocence. In (stanza 1, line 6), ‘Fire of branches you fire of hope!’ , the burning of the branches is also symbolic in representation of the transformation to manhood though the pale fire also imitates the sun which he has a close relation with in his union with the cosmos. All the elements of the ritual symbolise the loss of the initial innocence. The comforting and secure childhood has to now give way to manhood, the world that is full of experiences and one that is almost immediately threatens the close man nature harmony that he has enjoyed since he was born.
Senghor in this poem suggests that people should try and retreat to the innocence of childhood; he does not deny the importance and inevitability of moving from a state of innocence into a threatening world full of experiences. The important thing in this work is the symbolic nature of childhood innocence which represents a rapport with nature which is desirable in adulthood as well as in childhood. The other thing is the hope that man can survive the threats of the world and achieve a new innocence that has acquired its roots and symbol from the original innocence not only that of the child but also that of the ancient pats which the child represents.
Senghor longs for his childhood, “…..so many times I have wept how many times? For transparent nights of childhood”, this is the completeness that is experienced by the child (Stanza 5, line 1). As an adult, he no longer feels himself involved in the cosmic union that he once loved; he feels that rationalism has replaced intuitive reason and feeling. He is now alienated from that rhythmic silence that cradle him and he feels separated from his African night. In (stanza 6, line 7) ‘The Phoenix rises, he sings with wings extended, over the carnage of world’, as the poem end, Senghor demands for realistic perception in that the world cannot hold a child’s innocence. The world is simply a transcendent mystical concept and it must be real.
Works cited
Curtin, Philip D. Africa and the West: Intellectual Responses to European Culture :
[including Papers Read at a Conference on African Intellectual Reactions to Western Culture, 1969]. Madison, Wis, 1972. Print.
Senghor, Leopold. “Elegy of the Circumcised.” EXe,
The Element of persuasion In Do not Go Gentle into the Good night
Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas is an intriguing poem filled with numerous stylistic devices to pass his emotional message across the board. Published in 1951, it resonates with various generations and comes across as an epic, relevant, yet powerful piece of poetry. Although rich in language and rhetoric, this essay will discuss the aspect of persuasion found within the poem, which gives it flow and captures the attention of the reader from start until finish through tone and positive message.
Villanelle
The tone of the poem helps the reader to understand and dive deeper into the meaning inner meaning of the poem. The Villanelle poem has French lyrical flow rarely found among English poets. In addition, this type of poem comes from peasant French people, sung in various farms after which the French poets picked it up as a stylistic device for establishing flow (Lord 1). Villanelle possesses five beats and an average of ten syllables in each line of the stanza. In this particular case, Dylan adheres to the rules of the Villanelle specific rhyme system and the format of the entire poem lays the basis for flow throughout the poem. Consequently, the rhyme scheme helps him narrate about his father and emotionally express his love for him. Perusing through the poem, the reader cannot help but take note of the lilt effect that occurs between emphasized and not emphasized words.
For example, ‘Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lighting they
Do not go gentle into that good night.’ (Thomas 12)
As illustrated above, the rhythm arrangement of the poem creates a continuous flow; the reader finishes one line and transits to the next with much ease. Hence, the poem creates consistency and rhyme through its rhyme scheme.
Imagery and metaphoric phrases are common in Dylan Thomas’ poem. It is as if writer makes an effort generate more creativity within the poem. His ability to use imagery language supersedes his narrative capabilities. In the opening sentence, which is also the subject matter and title of the poem reveals his softened opinion on death (Lord 1). For instance, ‘That good night’ refers to his acceptance of death to soften its impact on his life. The word ‘night’ represents death and ‘good’ clearly diffuses the tension of death and establishes solid flow of some sorts. In summary, the ability of writer to expressively adhere to his own stylistic devices gives the entire poem flow.
Apart from imagery and metaphors, he uses personification every time he talks about his father directly. ‘Burn and rave’ is an expressive way of standing firm and giving death or ‘the close of day’ cold shoulder (Janes 78). In addition, the diction in the poem is fluent and makes use of simple words. Furthermore, words with minimal syllables rhyme well and pass the message in a simple straightforward manner. For example, ‘gentle’ or good and other word such as ‘burn’ gives a reader a smooth sail as he or she reads the poem.
Conclusion
The poem by Dylan Thomas achieves its rhythm through its Villanelle structure. The iambic nature permits five beats and ten syllables in each line (Davies 64). Coupled the right dosage of imagery, metaphors and personification, the poet triumphs overshadows the dark cloud of death and gives the reader hope in every line of the poem.
Work cited
Lord, Russell. “‘Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night’ by Dylan Thomas.” Salem Press Encyclopedia of Literature, 2017. EBSCOhost,
Davies, Walford. Dylan Thomas. University of Wales Press 2014
Janes, Hilly. The Three Lives of Dylan Thomas. New York: Biteback Publishing, 2014.
Thomas, Dylan. "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night." The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas (New York: New Directions, 1953) (1952): 128.
We all have our goals and dreams that we would want to achieve in our lives, though most people are not working towards them. In the advertisement ‘Want It All’ by Nike, the focus on goal achievement is in concern to having dreams and using energy to achieve them. Just like in all the other adverts by Nike, this advert is all about dreaming and reaching those dreams by focusing on positive energy and celebrations. This advert tries to inspire the people in the society to dream big and work hard to follow and achieve these dreams. There are three strategies that this advert uses to pass across the message of dream achievement and they include ethos, pathos and logos.
The advert begins with a boy named Dante standing beside a basketball court where he is watching a basketball game with enthusiasm. The way that he reacts as he watches the games helps to define his interest in the game and his desire to become a great basketball player. He dreams about playing basketball in the neighbourhood court and finding himself in the NBA training court. The training court shows Dante the young player, and other kids practising with Lebron James a famous basketball player for the NBA. The advert also goes further to show Dante dribbling in his own room while watching LeBron James, then playing for Duke and signing for the Cleverland Cavaliers. The advert ends showing the young player as an accomplished professional basketball player, hence illustrating accomplishment of goals and achievement of dreams.
As a form of motivation, this advert uses a famous accomplished basketball player LeBron James which outlines the ethos of the advert. Using LeBron, a famous NBA player raises the credibility of the brand, which acts as a form of motivation for the Nike customers to always choose this brand given that even famous players also chose it over other brands. This advert is effective, in that the society can relate to the quality of Nike products with the fact that they are chosen by the famous individuals like LeBron. Ethos is displayed in the advert in the fact that there are no ethical issues that are brought out in the advert. All that this advert does is bring out the theme of dreaming and success. The credibility of the Nike logo is used in the advert to illustrate that every famous individual in the society was once a dreamer, but through hard work, they were able to achieve their dreams. The advert also does a great job in showcasing the success of LeBron James as an NBA player which persuades more people in the society to understand and watch the NBA games more.
Pathos is an element that helps to persuade the audience’s emotions in order to help them understand concepts better. The element of pathos have also been Cleary presented in the advert, in the sense that every individual in the society has dreams and it is the desire of every individual to do their best in their chosen fields of specialisation. The advert represents the desires of people in all age groups whether young or old and their desires for success. Trying and hard work is what is used in the advert to differentiate those that attain their dreams and those that fail. The people that win are the ones that constantly try and work hard without giving up and this is represented by Dante the young player that works hard without giving up and ends up becoming a professional Basketball player. The advert acts as a form encouragement to the young children that wish to become professionals in their chosen fields to always practice in order for them to become better and end up becoming successful. The concept of practice and the role that it plays in helping one to become successful is brought out in the way that LeBron trains the children and stresses on the importance of practice in making perfections. Music is effectively used as a form of pathos, the music used in the advert is similar to the ones that are normally played in basketball courts during the games, which greatly help to connect the audience with advert. The section where there is the counting from one to nine followed by the words ‘That’s what I do for the battle’ works effectively to bring out an emotional perspective of this advert and it is very memorable. In the overall, the advert brings out an emotional perspective to the audience.
The element of logic is effectively brought out in the advert on the aspects that the ones that keep trying are the ones that end up as the winners. It is universally accepted that winning is the end product for the people that do not stop trying. Teachers and parents constantly encourage the students to keep trying and working hard so that they can in the end achieve their goals. The advert brings about the importance of perseverance with the young Dante finally getting a score after a series of practices. LeBron only becomes a successful NBA player after working hard and never giving up. Logic is effectively used in this advert to show the logic of constant practice in order to achieve success.
This advert is effectively formulated to help connect the audience to the Nike Brand. The whole sequence of the advert is designed in such a manner that it entices the audience to always keep trying and following their dreams. Most of the times, people lose hope and leave their dreams at the middle feeling that they are failures. This advert however encourages everyone to keep trying without losing hope just like Dante did and he needed up becoming a successful professional basketball player. The young player did not let one mistake stop him from achieving his dream and he helps illustrate the need to push on at all times.
In the overall, this advert ‘Want It All’ by Nike is a perfect example of motivating the masses. The aim of Nike brand is to ensure that they create a winning culture among the masses. The advert was meant to help motivate the masses to take more steps in their dream achievement journey. The goals it convinces the audience that nothing is impossible with an individual that is willing to put more effort without looking back. This advert celebrates victory and dream achievements with constant practices and hard work.
Me: By definition, justice is a process in which what is just is administered and maintained and this is achieved through assigning punishments to those who engage in conduct that is regarded as unjust. For justice to be administered there must therefore be some form of rules that are used to determine what is unjust and why it is inappropriate. Other than laws, there must also be guidelines to follow in the case where one engages in unjust ways because, for there to be true justice, there must be equal punishments to punish those who are unjust. Justice is therefore a process of ensuring that people conform to the set policies that determine truth, reason and facts within the community.
Socrates: By your definition, the process of justice must follow a set of laws that determine what is right from what is wrong, correct?
Me: Yes. The right or wrongness of an act has to be evaluated and assessed to determine if the act broke any laws that resulted to some form of injustice to the person or people affected by the act in question.
Socrates: Who bears the responsibility of setting these laws and guidelines?
Me: The laws are set in place by the government. They determine what is unjust and how to go about punishing those responsible for breaking the law. Community leaders are also responsible for setting laws that will govern the community and these are implemented in together with the laws set by the government.
Socrates: when it comes to setting laws, is it the entire community and the government that sets the laws or is there a system?
Me: There are specific offices in the government tasked with the responsibility of adjusting, making and implementing laws. As for the community, there are special groups selected to make laws that are tailored for the needs of the community as well as its people.
Socrates: Since only select members are involved, would it not be correct to state that justice is a form of personal opinion?
Me: It is not a matter of personal opinion because the laws are put through a process that assesses whether the laws are beneficial and have the interests of the entire community, and even the country, in mind. It would be impossible to give everyone an opportunity to contribute to the law making process as this would take a lot of time to weigh everyone’s opinion. Since the representatives are selected by the community, they have the authority to discuss laws that look to help the people they represent as well as ensure that justice is maintained.
Socrates: You mentioned about how justice involves equally punishing those who are unjust?
Me: Correct. For justice to be delivered, those who engage in unjust acts must be punished equally.
Socrates: If justice involves punishing the unjust, isn’t it then a form of revenge?
Me: Not necessarily. The reason justice exists is to prevent people from pursuing vengeance. When one is wronged, it is human nature to seek compensation, and in some cases, vengeance. To prevent people from taking matters in their own hands, the justice system ensures that there is equal compensation and punishment whenever an unjust act is committed.
Socrates: what then differentiates punishment through justice from vengeance?
Me: Justice follows a set of guidelines set specifically to determine the punishment for unjust acts. Furthermore, justice is delivered by organizations such as courts and council of elders. The victim of the unjust act only makes his case and waits for justice to be delivered.
Socrates: So the only thing that separates justice from vengeance is that the victim does not enact the punishment on their own, is that correct?
Me: In a way, yes. But it is much more complicated than that. There are incidences where the victim is incapable or unwilling to seek compensation. In such times, the court may take matters into its own hand to ensure that the unjust person is punished especially if they engaged in illegal acts. The court is therefore not acting on behalf of the victim but rather for the sake of justice. The court tries to fulfill its obligation by not only ensuring that those who break the law are punished but also discourages others from engaging in unjust conduct.
Socrates: But there are instances where the court acts on behalf of the victim, correct?
Me: Yes, in most instances, the court acts on behalf of the victims to ensure the process of delivering justice is smooth and fair.
Socrates: In such cases, would it not then be correct to say the court enacts vengeance on behalf of the victim?
Me: I do not believe so. The aim of the court is to maintain justice. Not to punish those who commit crimes. However, for there to be justice, unjust acts must be canceled out and this is achieved through punishments and fines. The guilty person must be made to pay for the unjust act so as to take away the benefits presented by the unjust act as well as the harm caused to the victim. Justice is not about punishing those who do wrong but rather ensuring that justice is maintained by whatever means necessary.
Socrates: According to your argument, the court does not enact vengeance on behalf of the victim even when the victim requests the services of the court to punish someone who engages in an unjust act like murder. Correct?
Me: Yes, the court only delivers justice and for that to happen, some form of punishment is issued to ensure that the unjust act is canceled out.
Socrates: If we follow the same argument, would it not be correct to state that hiring a hit man to kill someone who murdered your loved one is justice and not vengeance? Keep in mind that the victim does not take revenge on his own but rather pays someone else to do it. The same way the victim would seek the services of the court and pay a lawyer for representation.
Me: There is a difference in that the court has been given authority to govern over cases that involve unjust actions. Hit men on the other hand have no authority nor do they follow a code of conduct. Unlike hit men, the court focuses on delivering justice. It not only listens to the victim but also gives the suspect a chance to make their case. Hit men only listen to the victim and carry out the act of vengeance as requested. Justice is not about payback but rather about balancing the scale between good and evil.
Socrates: Is it not then correct to assume that justice is unjust?
Me: In what sense?
Socrates: Let us focus on an unjust act like murder. In some cases, the punishment for murder is death. Since delivering justice involves taking another person’s life, doesn’t it then mean that delivering justice involves engaging in unjust acts?
Me: no it does not.
Socrates: Is killing someone a just act?
Me: Yes it is.
Socrates: Why then does killing someone in the name of delivering justice is not treated the same as murder?
Me: The difference lies in the intent and not the end result. The guilty person decided to kill for personal gain. In the case of the court, the punishment, whether by death or another form of punishment, is done as a duty. The court does not benefit in any way but rather ensures that those who engage in unjust ways are punished. The drive behind the act is what makes justice just, even if the methods used may be unethical.
Socrates: So basically the court gets to decide what is just and what is unjust. It also determines what punishment is acceptable and all this is done in the name of delivering justice?
Me: Correct
Socrates: When dealing with an unjust act, is the act unjust on its own or because the court deems it so?
Me: An unjust act is wrong on its own even without the court’s intervention. There are already laws and policies to determine what is right from what is not. The court only assesses the severity of an unjust act, what law it broke and the appropriate punishment. An act is therefore either right or unjust on its own and does not need the court’s ruling to determine if it is right or wrong. In delivering justice, the goal is to assess the extent to which an unlawful act affected the guilty party and then issue an applicable course of action.
Socrates: Still on the example of murder, if justice operates by ensuring the crime is equal to the punishment, why are some people hanged or sent to the electric chair while others get a life sentence. When does killing another person not warrant death as punishment? And how then is justice delivered when the punishment does not equal the crime?
Me: like most elements that govern society, there are rules and guidelines to be followed. In the case of murder, the court gets to decide the appropriate punishment depending on the crime committed. If one warrants hanging or the electric chair, then the judge sentences the criminal to the appropriate form of punishment. However, even when delivering justice, there are ethics and morals to be concerned and this is why some murderers get sent to life imprisonment instead of receiving the capital punishment.
Socrates: If the crime is the same, does that not mean that there is partial justice when some criminals get a better or different sentencing than others who committed the same crime? Murder is murder. If someone is killed, balancing the scale then means that the killer must also be killed. How then can justice be delivered if some people get different punishment for the same crime?
Me: Justice strives not to punish the wrong doer but rather to ensure that there are no unjust people in society and that those that engage in unjust actions are dealt with accordingly. Since life imprisonment means that the criminal spends their lives in jail, the community is better and safer.
Socrates: But making the community safer after a crime has been committed does not mean that those affected by the unjust act have got their justice. How then does justice serve people on an individual level if the interests of the community are considered more than the victim?
Me: It serves the interests of the entire community by making every individual safe and protected. When a crime is committed, sending the criminal to prison protects others from being victims of the same or another crime by the same person.
Socrates: You said that justice involves issuing equal punishment for unjust acts. Does it not mean that justice has not been dealt to prisoners who get life sentences for murder?
Me: while the punishment may not be equal, the criminal does get punished for the crime and spends the rest of his life in prison where he cannot commit any more crimes that will affect members of the community.
Socrates: But you said justice is not about punishing people but rather about bringing equality especially when punishing an unjust act. Why then are there different punishments for the same crime, some of which are not equal to the crime?
Me: although the aim is to maintain equality, Justice also takes into consideration how the crime was committed, who committed the crime, the motive among other factors. Since taking someone’s life is a big decision, it is only done on instances where absolutely necessary.
Socrates: you had mentioned earlier that justice involves balancing the scale of good and evil. That, through it, people conforms to the set policies that determine truth, reason and facts within the community.
Me: Yes. Most, if not all have their own laws that govern citizens. There are also community policies that address issues that involve unjust actions but on a lower scale. Relevant people in authority such as community leaders and the police use these laws to act accordingly when dealing with someone accused of committing an unjust or unlawful act.
Socrates: So the same laws apply across the world to ensure that everyone is just?
Me: Not necessarily. Different regions have different measures for what is right and what is wrong. Different cultures have different beliefs and therefore regard situations differently depending on the people’s customs and beliefs. These differences mean that the laws and policies that exist in one country may differ from another.
Socrates: so what you are saying is that justice is not absolute?
Me: It is absolute. All countries follow a similar approach when dealing with people who engage in unjust conduct. Although some laws may differ among countries, there are universal laws that ensure that justice prevails and that human rights and freedoms are protected.
Socrates: How then is justice administered if different laws apply in different countries? And how can u say justice is absolute when its implementation varies on so many different occasions?
Me: Justice follows a set of rules and guidelines that are structured with the interests of the community, and the country in mind. The policies not only determine what is just and unjust but also determine the correct cause of action to take depending on the nature of the crime, the culture and the people the laws govern. justice is a process in which what is just is administered and maintained and this is achieved through assigning punishments to those who engage in conduct that is regarded as unjust. For justice to be administered there must therefore be some form of rules that are used to determine what is unjust and why it is inappropriate. Other than laws, there must also be guidelines to follow in the case where one engages in unjust ways because, for there to be true justice, there must be equal punishments to punish those who are unjust. Justice is therefore a process of ensuring that people conform to the set policies that determine truth, reason and facts within the community.
The mind plays an integral role in the way people go about carrying out their duties as it controls all parts of the body. Before a person can move a hand, walk, or lift an object, some form of message is communicated by the brain to the part of the body that is expected to carry out an action. The action is therefore first conceived in the mind and then constructed as a message that is passed on to all body parts by the brain/. Because of the importance of the mind, researchers and philosophers have tried to develop some form of understanding to try and explain how the mind functions and what role it plays in the way people live their lives. Although the concept of psychology is in its early stages of development, it is a concept that has been discussed and examined by researchers throughout history, a good example being the case of Edgar Allan Poe. His stories can be seen as a depiction of his personal life and the challenges he faces in trying to understand how the human mind functions as well as the effect that the brain has on human behavior and this is evident in the stories ‘The Cast of Amontillado’, ‘The Black Cat’ and ‘Berenice’.
In his attempt to understand how the mind functions, Poe focuses on how people respond to various situations an example being how jealousy and pride are an outcome of revenge and this is evident in ‘The Cask of Amontillado’. In the story, the protagonist, Montresor, is so driven to enact vengeance against Fortunato that he does not even remember the specific reasons why he seeks vengeance. According to Poe, the mind greatly influences a person’s decisions and actions to the point where actions are undertaking without the individual knowing the why behind them. Once an idea has been conceived in the mind, there is a high likelihood that the mind will focus all energy towards making the idea a reality (Rahman 6). The concept of revenge is conceived in Montresor’s mind and, despite it being based on jealousy and pride, it is something that he feels he must accomplish. “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge’ (Poe 743). Despite having endured a lot from Fortunato, his mind views the insults as the last straw as it is interpreted as an attack to his pride because Fortunato views himself better than Montresor. This is especially because Montressor sees Fortunato as a snake that he (Montresor) can smash with his foot and is therefore beneath him (Poe 746). However, Poe manages to show the control that the brain has over humans because; while Montresor is determined to enact vengeance, he still cannot decide whether he is seeking it because he is jealous or because Fortunato insult is attack on his pride.
Poe further demonstrates the difficulty he sees in trying to understand the psychology of the human mind through the character Montresor in his quest for vengeance. Even though Fortunato has not harmed Montresor in any way, Montresor is determined to cause him harm in his quest for vengeance. He is however conflicted because, even after stating that Fortunato has hurt him, he still refers to him as a respectable person who is admired by many. He also feels guilty for wanting to cause Fortunato harm in the name of vengeance because he considers him to be Noble (Poe 748). Montresos’ actions are a description of Poe’s understanding of the mind which he considers to be perverse and not easily understood. Even when people know their actions are been controlled by the mind, it is still difficult to understand how exactly the mind works and dilemma it causes is what Poe tries to demonstrate through Montreor in the psychology behind his quest for vengeance.
Through his stories, Poe shows how psychology aimed at understanding the way the mind functions and its influence on our actions is made difficult by the brains tendency to forget, or pay little attention to some of the things we know or experience. In the story Berenice, Poe focuses on the issue of schizophrenia to demonstrate how memory problems can make it difficult for people to understand the psychology behind their actions (Palmadottir 14). This is evident through Egaeus, the protagonist in the short story who is unable to remember a great deal of events that occur in his life. A good example is the case where Egaeus pulls Berenice from the grave where she was buried and proceeds to take out her teeth (Griffin 14). Even though the act of removing the body from the grave and pulling out the teeth was an act processed by the mind, Egaeus cannot remember what he had done even when looking at the teeth and dentist tools. This can be seen as Poe’s way of explaining that understanding the psychology behind human’s actions is greatly challenged by the human mind’s tendency to forget or omit some information. Similar to how Egaeus forgets exhuming his wife’s body, Poe could also have reached a conclusion on how psychology can be used to explain and control human interaction but he forgot all about it.
Poe further believes that people can still carry out actions communicated through input from the brain even when they do not remember intentionally conceiving the idea that needs to be carried out. He demonstrates how people are creatures of habit and the mind has a way of taking this habits and interpreting them as acceptable actions that can be carried out even without the individual recalling ever conceiving the idea or desire to engage in such an act. When Egaeus exhumes his wife’s body, he cannot remember engaging in the act but is full of guilt as is evident from his bodily reactions. “The hairs on my head erect themselves on end, and the blood of my body become congealed with my veins” (Khaufold 46). Even though Egaeus does not recall what he did, his body continues to respond to the act, a demonstration of how the mind is more in control of the body than the individual. The involuntary act of the mind demonstrate how the mind relies on information generated from a person’s pattern of input and actions to a point where the mind can cause actions on its own in response to events that occur even without the person’s knowledge (Poe 5). In the case of Egaeus, his tendency to fixate on things like his wife’s teeth leads him to exhume her body to get them and since such an act is something he would not imagine doing, his mind blocks out the whole ordeal because the main focus was to get the teeth back as they are what Egaeus fixated on.
Poe’s belief that people have no control over what actions they undertake once an idea has been planted in their minds is seen in The Black Cat. In the story, Poe argues that it is rather difficult to resist from engaging in an action once the idea has been conceived in the mind (Robert 7). The story can also be seen as Poe’s frustration with not being able to fully understand the psychology behind the influence that the brain has on people’s actions which could be because he has already given in to the difficult nature of the task he has undertaken (Poe 4). He explains how someone can become frustrated if he fails to fulfill the impulses being communicated by the brain and how this can result to aggressiveness or anger. An example of this belief is when the main character’s wife stops him from killing the second cat. Since the character has already implanted the idea that he has to kill the cat, his wife’s interference fills him with rage to a point where he decides to kill his wife with an axe instead (Poe 4). His reactions can be seen as evidence of Poe’s belief that people are unable to pull away from an act once it has been conceived in the mind.
The Black Cat further adds on to Poe’s belief that people’s actions and thoughts create a record of input that the mind can act on even without the individual’s knowledge. At the beginning of the story, the main character is portrayed as a gentle and loving person who has a fondness for animals. His actions are however changed by the decisions he makes such as over indulgence in alcohol (Poe 3). His alcoholism causes the animals do avoid him and this turns him to violence as he takes out the anger on the cats (Reyes 1). Although his anger is towards animals, it teaches his mind that violence is acceptable and this makes it easier for him to kill his wife with an axe. His mind has become accustomed to killing that he does it without a second thought because this is the impulse he has fed his mind.
Conclusion
Like most researchers, the concept of psychology has proved quite challenging and the case of Poe is no different. The fact that psychology is something that has just begun to be understood proves that it was a concept that was challenging to philosophers like Poe during their time. This is evident in Poe’s short stories as is demonstrated through the characters. Montresor’s determination demonstrates Poe’s ambition to understand psychology even if he does not fully understand the drive behind his motivation. Egaeus further shows how this determination can become an addiction with both positive and negative outcomes. Finally, the main character in The Black Cat shows the effect that research into psychology had on Poe and how frustrating it may have been trying to understand the concept of psychology.
Work cited
Allan, Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” Booklassic, 2015 print
Allan, Poe. “Berenice” Booklassic, 2015 print
Allan, Poe. “The Black Cat” Booklassic, 2015 print
Diyanni, Robert. “Literture: Reading fiction, poetry and drama” Hill Company: McGraw, 2008. Print
Question in the novel ‘My Antonia’ by Willa Cather
Question 4
Setting is an important element that helps contribute to an individual’s chance of achieving the American dream. In the novel ‘My Antonia’ the character Jim Burden is brought out as character that was hardworking and determined to achieve his goals irrespective of his situation in life. The town setting, that is Nebraska the farm life and the town life shows two different sides to Jim. The Farm shows his childhood; where all he cares about is the beauty of nature, back here he plays and associates with girls without any care. On the other hand town life defines his maturity into adult life, where he now becomes a man and understands the need to fight hand in life to become a respectable lawyer and also learns the concept of teasing girls (Cather, 1924).
Aspects of equality and opportunity can effectively help in understanding the concept of the American dream in the novel ‘My Antonia’. This is a novel whose major themes are mainly based on the lives of immigrants and the opportunities that the society offered them to succeed in life. There may have been freedom that allowed immigrants to move from one place to another, but this did not guarantee equal opportunities for them the same as the natives. This is greatly demonstrated by the lives of Antonia and Jim. Jim’s life was in some way easier and this is gave him the chance to attend school and move to the best schools to achieve his dream of becoming a lawyer (Cather, 1924). On the other hand Antonia had to take up other responsibilities mostly because she was scared that the society wouldn’t accept her as an immigrant
The first week readings brought out the concept of the role that the society plays in influencing the achievement of the American dream. In My Antonia, the society greatly affects and influences the American dream in relation to matters of race. The society has no equal places for immigrants, they have to struggle to survive and be accepted in the society which hinders their chances of living fulfilling life. People like the Burdens have better chances of living fulfilling lives with good careers because they are natives of the land and this is demonstrated by Jim’s life. On the other hand the Shimerdas do not have the chance to fulfil their desired dreams because they struggle to be accepted in the society as immigrants as demonstrated by the life of Antonia.
References
Cather, W. (1924). My Ántonía. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
In ‘The Death of a Salesman’ by Arthur Miller, the economic forces have a great role to play when it comes to the achievement of the American dream. Miller associates the American dream with business success and the ability of one to own a car, a house and give a good life to his family (Miller, 2007). Successful business in the play means having a white collar job and Willy, Biff and happy do not have that. These are characters that are talented in other sectors such as athletics for Biff and carpentry for Willy, and they had the chance to live fulfilling lives if they had followed their talents. They are however corrupted by the society’s perspective of the American dream and they instead choose to get into the white collar jobs that did not fully represent their true selves.
Rugged Individualism
Ben in ‘The Death of a Salesman’ by Arthur Miller is the true definition of rugged individualism. This is a character that took the risk and left his comfort zone and went ahead to become a successful business man that his brother Willy admires. Though it is not properly explained in the play about his business, it is clear that his aggression and lack of fear in life was the basis for his success. This is exemplified in act 1 where he explains to Biff saying ‘one should never fight fair with strangers’ (Miller, 2007). This is an indication that he understands that risk is something that one has to endure in order to become successful.
Short Paper
Both external and internal forces have a great role play in the achievement of the American dream. People are always influenced by the things that are around them and their beliefs and I can affect their chances of being successful. The society is an external force that greatly influences an individual’s chance of achieving the dreams in life. In the play, Willy is a character that influenced by the society to become a salesman because this was a job that the society approved of. Willy felt that he had to follow the principles that are set by the society even if they did not suit him and it is what led him to abandon his carpentry talent leading to his failure in achieving his American dream.
Internal forces also greatly affect Willy’s chances of success. Willy’s belief that he needed to prove himself in the society led him to make bad decisions in his life. He was scared of being a failure and so his motivation to get a better life for himself and his family led him to look for short cuts in life. One great mistake he made is having relations with another woman while his wife was at home taking care of things at home and his son Biff came to know about it (Miller, 2007). This action not only destroyed Willy’s life but also that of his son Biff who always looked up to his father as a mentor and a role model. His actions led to his failure and that of his son Biff to achieve the American dream (Miller, 2007).
Benjamin Franklin’s advice to Willy is that ‘Lost time is never found again’ (Franklin, 2011). Through this advice Willy would have learnt the need to critically analyse the sales job once he had done it for a few years and realized that he was wasting his time. This would have prompted Willy to go back to his carpentry job where he had already established that he was better compared to sales job. If Willy had chosen to go back to carpentry, he would have become a successful business man in his home town and he would have had time to spend with his family thus realizing his American dream.
References
Franklin, B. (2011). The way to wealth: Advice, hints, and tips on business, money, and
finance. New York: Skyhorse Pub.
Miller, A. (2007). Death of a salesman: Certain private conversations in two acts and a
requiem. Brantford, Ont: W. Ross MacDonald School Resource Services Library.
Heathcliff and Catherine’s struggle in the Wuthering Height Society
Introduction
‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Bronte is novel that looks at the Victorian age and the social and cultural aspects of that era. The book is set in the year 1801 a time when the old irregular farming culture that was based on a certainly male-controlled family life was staring to change defied by social changes. The people in this Victorian class had a different consciousness and un-natural ideal of propriety and this is what Bronte tries to bring out in her novel using the characters of Catherine and Heathcliff.
The struggle between the social classes is very well illustrated in the novel through the lives of Catherine and Heathcliff. It is very easy for readers to sympathize with Heathcliff who throughout his life was oppressed by a rigid class system. Throughout his life he does not experience a sense of parental care or love from the society except from Catherine who later betrays him, Heathcliff grows up with the perception that the society has no room for him and he basically classifies himself as an outcast (Meier 2013, p. 116). The main drive of the novel is class conflict, both Catherine and Heathcliff love each other but they do not have a chance to develop their love because of the society’s perception of matters of social class. Catherine and Heathcliff can be defined as creatures of the wild moorland because they fall in love with one another not caring about the conventional social standards (Como 2018, p. 134). Catherine at the beginning does not care about the race or origins of Heathcliff and she sees herself in him but this concept is later changed with her decisions to choose wealth over Heathcliff. It is the issue of social class and need to be recognized in the society that led Catherine to choose wealth over love for Heathcliff and she ends up marrying Edgar, an individual from a wealthy family rather than Heathcliff the person that she truly loves (Pykett 1993, p. 84).
This decision greatly widens the gaps between social classes; Edgar is a wealthy man who is highly regarded in the society while Heathcliff is a poor man who has no social status because he has no assets. Catherine chooses material wealth over love because she is more concerned about the way that the society will perceive her. She makes the decision to marry Edgar so that she will be classified as ‘the greatest woman of the neighbourhood’ (Bronte 1992, p. 94). Another illustration is with the Lintons that are relatively wealthy and they are very determined in keeping their gentry status and take great pains to prove their status through their behaviours. On the other hand the Earnshaws are in a different social status, they cannot even afford to have a carriage, they have very little land and their house resembles that of a poor farmer. Bronte greatly portrayed the different social classes through different environments as well as settings and this can be reflected by the different houses. Granges’ house is a mansion while Wuthering Heights is just as big but it is simpler as compared to Grange (Bronte 1992, p. 64).
The struggle between social classes is represented by the different settings in the novel where Heights is a depiction of simplicity while Grange is a depiction of wealth and each of the houses is associated with various behaviours that befit their description. A good illustration of this is when Catherine goes into the Grange and she describes her experience as a drastic change and she automatically changes her identity from a savage to a lady and she starts to see the difference between the Grange world and the world of Heathcliff (Bronte 1992, p. 96). On the other hand Heathcliff is a representation of the lower class, because he is not wealthy and does not hence qualify to possess qualities that the people at Grange have. It is however interesting that Bronte does not only concentrate only on the greed for wealth because Isabella chooses to marry Heathcliff for his personality and she loves him for who he is despite the fact that he is from a lower social class from hers. This was just a way of Bronte illustrating that the social classes were not as rigid as they looked. Through her novel, Bronte also tries to make a statement about the women in the novel and the issue of gender roles. In the 1800, women had no identity, and they had no respectable roles in the society rather than being housewives and mothers. The Victorian era however brought about the development of change and identity for women and this is evident from most of the female characters in the novel for instance Catherine, Nelly and the young Cathy who are defined as strong willed women with opinions (Cory 2005, p. 103).
Catherine as a major character is a central female essence that triumphs throughout the novel. She is a character that is controlled by fascination and her supreme fascination is her affection for Heathcliff which controls her life and offers it a sense of significance and tenacity. She is presented as a loving, gentle, affectionate, passionate but at the same time violent character. Her rebelliousness is brought out in her role as a daughter and an emotional wife at the Grange. She can be characterized as a wild daughter, one who does not yield to her father’s authority showing her feminine side of defying male control (Cory 2005, p. 88). She can further be described as a status-conscious social climber who makes a great contribution in destroying Heathcliff with her marriage to Edgar. Though Catherine dies before the ending of the novel, she still continues to rage in Wuthering Heights.
Heathcliff on the other hand can be described as the protagonist in the novel as he tries to fight the social class issue in the society that has rendered him to feel more like an outcast in the society. He is portrayed as a tormented spirit that is obsessed with his love for Catherine (Khair 2006, p. 90). After her death, Heathcliff is devastated and his lust for love is crushed and he turns his focus on revenge. As the novel is almost ending and Heathcliff is approaching his passing, he admits to Nelly the hold that Catherine had on his life "I cannot look down into the floor; her features are shaped in the flags...in every cloud, in every tree" (Bronte 1992, p. 187). The personality that is developed by Heathcliff in his adult life can be attributed to his childhood and it is formed as response to the deprivation of his childhood. Growing up he is constantly reminded of his lesser status an example is when he rejected and made fun of when he visits the Grange. This is further emphasized when he considered unfit to play with the Linton children and the last final condemnation is when Catherine chooses to marry Edgar over him because of his social status (Khair 2006, p. 110). Despite all this things, Heathcliff is proud and hardworking and he does not allow the society to determine his future. He is able to make something out of himself and even though he was brought up as a low class person, he works hard enough to acquire the gentleman title in this society (Meier 2013, p. 160). The character of Heathcliff as a child can be described as that of sullenness and fiery temper but as an adult he returns as a villain that is motivated by revenge and biased by the sense of the injustices that were done to him as a child. This later Heathcliff is characterized by an all-consuming desire for vengeance against those who maltreated him as well as his unification with Catherine his love (Pykett 1993, p. 88).
Conclusion
Both the characters of Catherine and Heathcliff try to defy the perceptions of the society that tries to shape their lives. Heathcliff is made to feel like an outcast because of his poverty state and the fact that he was adopted with no known history of his parentage. He tries to defy these perceptions by working hard and getting some wealth of his own, where he now gets to be recognized as a gentleman. Catherine on the other hand defies the society in her own way in defying the traditional gender roles that expected her to bow to everything that her husband and the society requested of her which helped her to become the dominant woman in the novel. Though Catherine and Heathcliff are able to defy the odds of the society, they still do not lead fulfilling happy lives because they did not fulfil their love for one another.
References
Brontë, E. (1992). Wuthering heights. Hong Kong, Oxford University Press.
Cory, A. L. (2005) ‘“Out of My Brother’s Power”: Gender, Class, and Rebellion in
Wuthering Heights’, Women’s Studies, 34(1), pp. 1–26. doi: 10.1080/00497870590903469.
Khair, T. (2006) “” LET ME IN—LET ME IN!”,” Journal of Postcolonial Writing, vol. 42,
2, pp. 155-64
Meier, T. K. (2013) ‘Wuthering Heights and Violation of Class’, Bronte Studies, 38(4), pp.
309–312. doi: 10.1179/1474893213Z.00000000086.
Pykett, L, (1993) ‘Gender and Genre in Wuthering Heights’ in Stoneman, P. (ed.) Wuthering
Heights, New Casebooks, Basingstoke, Macmillan, pp. 86-99.
Residents of Chicago wake up to grave and disheartening news headlines every day. Either a violent robbery claimed the lives of innocent people across a neighborhood or scores of injured and missing people. As any other cycle of violence, the number dead people indicate the severity of the criminalities perpetrated. However, despite of the glaring danger, more people survive to see another precious day but must live with the paralyzing fear. ‘Renegade Dreams’ contains the stories of the survivors as they live in one of the most dangerous places in the world. This essay will closely discuss and review their stories.
At West side detention, inmates do not socialize with each other. For example, while walking during reactional periods, the inmates will focus on a new prisoner’s shoes, wondering the reason behind his capture. Benjamin Gregory spots old decent shoes unique only to him. He is a bible instructor and can characterize persona of the young inmates from observation (Ralph 56). Nevertheless, Mr. Gregory’s sentiments on the youths have some merit even though he shows bias. The gang renegades wear gyms shoes together with their prison attires.
The author establishes insincerity of the older generation through Benjamin Gregory. He calls the young men, ‘hip hoppers’ while associating their shoe fascination with prison. Yet, he fails to categorize the young man seated next to him as being part of the gang because he does not look the part (Ralph 58). Thus, Mr. Gregory’s assumptions are hypocritical, based on hate and a general observation that any individual can fall under.
In addition, gym shoes establish social hierarchy. Most of the times, only gang leaders wear gym shoes. They signify consciousness and represent an end of a criminal era after which a person would pursue lesser dreams such as grassroots projects (Ralph 56). Like any other transition, the young replace the old and pledge their loyalty to the elderly retired gang members. On the other hand, young men can wear trending sneakers, to signify status in the gang. New sneakers indicate the commencement of a long journey in crime for the young members. After some progress, the young member can acquire a vehicle and an apartment. These possessions imply success and readiness to proceed to the next level within the gang. Therefore, the writer creates social hierarchy through the shoes.
The institutionalization and normalizing of gangs indicates the frail hand of law enforcement. The gangs are able to run their activities and continue their reign of terror without any interference from law enforcement agencies, (Ralph, 65). For example, many storeowners cannot keep their insurance policies due to increase in the premium prices. The insecurity reduces reinvestment in the areas hard hit by crime syndicates. Thus, crime hinders meaningful development in areas rampant with crime. Secondly, government sidelines and migrates essential amenities from the areas, which in turn stimulates more crime due to the abject poverty.
In short, the criminal gangs of Chicago paralyzed normal way of life and subjected people to fearful thinking. More so, the gangs, kill, maim, and architect vicious cycles of crime. The law enforcer try to cut down the rate of crime by sentencing some members of the The law enforcer try to cut down the rate of crime by sentencing some members of the gangs to prison but it is not an effective way of dealing with the menace.
Work cited
Ralph, Laurence. Renegade dreams: Living through injury in gangland Chicago. University of Chicago Press, 2014.
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