In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthrone, the scaffold represents the judgment of God and the Purtian Society to the sinners. Dimmesdale struggles to confess his crime, but eventually he reveals his sin because he can no longer bear the enormous pain causes by the burden of guilt. The scaffold serves as a reminder of Dimmesdale’s sin, a reliever for his guilt, and a grave for his heart. When Dimmesdale questions Hester on the scaffold knowing that he is the sinner, he wants Hester to reveal his sin instead of coming forward himeself like a man. His lack of strength to confess and the fear of revealing the sin take over his heart, and even display on his face, “Notwithstanding his high native gifts...an apprehensive, a startled, a half-frightened look - as of a being who felt himself quite astray and at a loss in the pathway of human existence, and could only be at ease in some seclusion of his own” (72).
A man whoʼs twisted conscious haunts him by placing him in a state of paranoia, confusion, and weakness. He wants to ease his conscious, but can not seem to take the action to do so. There is a battle within him and while he does lose, there is a sense that deep inside he wishes he had the strength to win. In the entrance of Claudius, we have a king who seems to be competent in caring for the kingdom. This raises the first question of his moral motives.
Param Patel Mrs. Karen Vann Period C6-7 IB SL English Role of irony in This Boy’s Life: Journal #4 Irony, by definition, is the expression marked by a deliberate contrast between the apparent and intended meaning. It’s the difference between what is expected and what actually occurs. In This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff, irony is a defining element that pinpoints key details throughout the entire memoir. Tobias believes that “the real family we set out to imitate does not exist in nature” (Wolff 112) because Tobias feels that you cannot imitate the family you want to be, nor is there such a thing as a perfect family in the first place. His contrast and deviation from the standards that society believes in shows Toby’s complexity in character.
The novels Ethan Frome and Catcher in the Rye by Edith Wharton and J.D.Salinger, respectively, are two great works that depict two characters’ struggles in life. Three themes that both novels share are the need for companionship, regret over lost potential and immersion in a fantasy world. Ethan Frome and Holden Caulfield are both very lonely characters in desperate need for companionship and compassion. They both search for human contact of sorts to prevent the onset of loneliness. Frome marries Zenobia Pierce prematurely, only to obviate “the mortal silence of…long imprisonment.” (Wharton, page 61) He wanted “the sound of a …voice” to fill the void on his farm.
Through its portrayal of human experience, Welles’ Citizen Kane reinforces the significance of perseverance. To what extent does your interpretation of Citizen Kane support this view? Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane tells the story of a flawed man whose thirst for power and love lead to his lonesome demise. This portrayal of a common human experience has much to teach the audience about the significance or perseverance, or more importantly when to give up as Charles Kane’s stubborn persistence to attain his goals was the thing that caused him to lose them. This can be inferred by an examination of Kane’s goals, his motivation for his goals and then looking at the choices Kane makes to persevere and how they affect his future.
An Inspector Calls Mr Birling Priestley immediately establishes that the Nineteenth Century ideals were wrong and needed to change. He highlights this through the character of Mr Birling as in Act 1 we learn that Mr Birling is a man who cannot be trusted as his ideas are inaccurate. He does that by using dramatic irony. He delivers this message by the character Mr Birling who says: “war is impossible”. This makes the audience think that Mr Birling is wrong about everything else and he can’t be trusted.
The Grandmother tried to convince the Misfit he was a good man in order to save herself (O'Connor). When she could not achieve this task, she began to question Jesus herself, “Maybe He didn’t raise the dead,” the old lady mumbled, not knowing what she was saying and feeling so dizzy that she sank down in the ditch with her legs twisted under her.” (O'Connor). It’s unclear why she said what she said next. She reached out and touched the Misfit and told him, “Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!” Upon this action, the Misfit shot
Forgiveness is something that must come within a person; if one cannot forgive themselves for their wrong doings it is harder to accept what has been done for and to move on. This being, ‘The Kite Runner’, by Khaled Hussani shows a great amount of forgiveness. The main character in the book named Amir, shows a high emotion of jealousy for his brother Hassan throughout their childhood which leads him into guilt amongst himself. Amir was an insecure child which left him in the regret of witnessing Hassan through bad situations. This resulted in him not being able to defend Hassan through his struggles.
The narrator feels that his wife shares too much information with Robert, and not enough with him. That alone is enough to make any man question the relationship they are in as well as the relationship his wife has with Robert. Society says that men in relationships needs to be in control. The narrator feels like he has no control over anything going on in his marriage, which leads to his negative attitude towards the blind man,
Henry and Roy who both tells a story of their idealistic past, can be grouped together as the ones, who believes in the existence of idealistic love which tends to be fanciful like their own childhood memories. Roy claims that his love is equivalent to “Mozart’s love” which characterises the romance with happy endings. Henry’s depiction of his mother’s devotion has the sense of artificiality, and it’s almost like as if he forces the story upon himself to avoid other alternatives. However unlike Roy Henry understands the contradicting reality in regards to commitment and fidelity “everyone blames women but I forgive them, if they change their love a thousand times a day.. but I think it’s the necessity of women’s heart” Henry is aware and accepts the flaw in the concept of absolute faithfulness. Ruth, who suffers from her inability to distinguish reality from illusion, was a victim of a horrible relationship.