Symbolism Symbolism is a huge part of a good piece of literature. In A Separate Peace, John Knowles succeeds in putting symbolism throughout his book. A Separate Peace is about the many obstacles Gene, Phineas, and Leper face while attending Devon Academy. They go through many hardships that help them grow up. They are no longer the innocent young boys they were at the beginning of the school year.
Elie Wiesel is a Jew who went through the terror of the holocaust and its concentration camp. He tells his story in his book Night. Night reveals how Wiesel lost his family, faith, and innocence to the evil of mankind during the holocaust. Wiesel believes it is important for people today to read this book because they need to be shown how important it is not to keep silent and let something like the holocaust happen again. Thesis was a bit wordy.
What ‘Spring Offensive’ tells us is that, when the soldiers were back in their home country, they were told that it would all be easy and over very quickly, they would be heroes. This is not the case as Owen shows us. In this poem we learn that there was a lot of sad waiting around, some waiting for their inevitable death and others depressed over losses of friends, showing that their was time to reflect on the war as Owen did. Also the use of the phrase, “warm fields” is very much contrasting to that of the coldness of war and its own inner brutality. This links with Exposure as we learn that the coldness of the war even effects those in charge, the officers, on the same side as the soldiers Owen was describing, were sending them to their own death to no avail, causing the question to be asked, “what are we doing here?” The repetition of
But this man, this human, made it out of the Holocaust and fought for humanity. We as regular people, with ample resources, should look at this man’s journey with reverence and use his life as an example for future generations. The effect of Night on me was so profound, that I feel it is necessary for me to pursue my dreams to the fullest and give to others in need. The message Elie Wiesel sends through his interviews is a message of compassion towards others and for humans to empathize with each other so another Holocaust does not occur. Elie Wiesel came out of the dark pit that is the Holocaust and brought humankind a story of hope, perseverance, and strength.
The Sun Also Rises is a novel of great acclaim that challenges the reader to change perspective, to examine the world in which he or she lives, and to re-evaluate priorities and moral principles. Earnest Hemingway, the author, relates his life to that of his characters, in order to demonstrate the lost generation. The lost generation represents the ex-soldiers of World War 1, people haunted by memories, which can only be escaped through detachment. The characters of The Sun Also Rises suppress memories through drinking, dancing, partying, bullfighting, and gambling. As a result the war not only affects the land on which it is fought but also in the minds of those fighting.
Although most war novels are filled with patriotism and honor, Remarque’s instead focuses on the brutality and senselessness of war. The main character, Paul Baumer, serves in the German Army during WWI. The novel shows his struggles throughout the war and it seems that Baumer resembles Remarque and his own struggles of war. In the novel, Baumer and his comrades endure a full scale war. The novel shoes the misery of war and the everlasting effects it has on the soldiers; even Baumer cannot escape those circumstances.
The Shawshank Redemption directed by Frank Darabont follows the character of Andy Dufrense a wrongfully convicted man’s journey surviving in the harsh walls of Shawshank prison. The film is played through the perspective of Ellis Boyd Redding otherwise known as ‘Red’ as he watches Andy transform from a shy introvert to the legend of Shawshank. Set in a prison where men prey on the weak and thrive off fresh meat, Andy must use his brain not brawn to overcome the deviant, malicious environment that he has found himself in. All the experiences of the characters highlight the importance of keeping hope in order to pull through and succeed. Maintaining self-worth and respect despite injustices is a key theme throughout the film.
Night Essay Nicole Crews 12.2.12 Period 5 The theme of silence is displayed across the pages of Night as this young child turns into a young man through black printed words all composed together into one courageous book. On the contrary, you could argue that the book of Night also portrays a theme of loudness, as this is where Wiesel shares his story for the first time. Although, in my opinion, Wiesel shared his story to not only aware people of the horrific events at Auschwitz, but to share how quickly your faith in God can be lost. I also believe this is the single most important theme in the book because of how Elie paints a picture of silence on God. Silence in God was not the only form of silence though, silence in Elie and other inmates during times of fear is also a large example of how silence was incorporated through the book.
The opera scene in Frank Darabont’s film Shawshank Redemption clearly demonstrates the themes of the necessity of hope and the power of defiance. These themes can also be represented in other scenes throughout the film. The necessity of hope is shown through the harmonica that Andy gives Red and then he plays a single note later on in his cell alone. It is also shown through the contrast between Brooks and Red’s parallel experience after being released from prison and how they coped with it. The power of defiance is shown through Andy’s constant harassment of the council to improve the prisons library and his defiance and then eventually succeeding.
Benigni sort of twists the ideologies of the Nazi’s, and puts emphasis on their absurdness. His fictitious storyline focuses on a Jewish father and his son trying to survive in a Concentration camp whilst trying to maintain personal happiness. Although both Stories are written with different focuses and purposes, they still have many similarities, especially when examining the main characters. One of the most obvious similarities that can be seen between the film “Life is Beautiful” and the book “Night” is Elie Wiesel and Joshua. Both characters find themselves, in a very similar position.