He enters the separation stage when he first encounters the other man in the elevator and witnesses him breaking down in sorrow. He progresses into the struggle and initiation stage when he is deliberating what he should do while this person is in obvious disarray and ultimately chooses nothing. He finally enters the return and integration stage when he regrets not doing anything to comfort the man and ultimately seeks forgiveness through the epiphany in realizing that the right thing to have done was to help others in the time of need. The narrator progresses through the stages of the monomyth archetype from beginning to end and this essay will explain in detail of how A Step not Taken fits in these stages. The separation stage is characteristic of the protagonist entering a stage of adventure even though they may not be cognisant of this is about to occur.
Essay “the step not taken” by Paul D’Angelo Many literatures follow a monomyth; or a hero’s journey; where the protagonist embraces an unexpected quest that takes them from a state of innocence to one of experience, with a new found light and wisdom at the end. Paul D’Angelo’s “the step not taken” is a perfect example of it. The narrator embodies the hero in a personal search for answers in how to respond to someone else’s suffering in today’s society. The hero of the story is subjected to the three stages of the monomyth: the separation, struggle or initiation and return and reintegration. The following essay will analyze these stages as well as the lesson the hero learns.
This processes may inncur much weeping and sorrow. The next phase is Disorganisation and despair; this phase is where the person grieving becomes more and more disattached with their normal acrivities and becomes apathetic, yet still feeling increased despair inside. The final stage of this modal is know as Reorganisadtion and recovery. This stage is where the grieving person gets back to normality and starts to reorgnise their life. Though they still griev over the deceased, the momories of their death are taken over by positive memories of their life.
The protagonist starts in the first stage of separation, then transitions to struggle or initiation, and finally to the return and reintegration stage. In the separation stage, which is the first stage, the narrator is faced with an adventure when he steps onto the elevator at work. It’s only when the man next to him burst into tears, that he would be presented with an opportunity that would ultimately transform him forever. “I stood in the hallway, a bundle of mixed emotions, wondering what to do. A combination of guilt and uncertainty washed over me.” (D’Angelo).
Since he hasn’t properly dealt with his guilt, he has residual emotions of shame which projects his emotions as low self-esteem. He meets Parry who helps him confront his emotions of guilt and free himself from guilt by giving him opportunities to resolve his
Chris Graves 10/14/10 Montgomery D Block Ambiguity Resolved by Diction and Tone The final passage of “Babylon Revisited” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is ambiguous because the diction provokes a tone of hopelessness even while Charlie refuses to have a second drink, a sign that a recovering alcoholic still has dreams for the future. Throughout the passage, the narrator uses specific diction in order to evoke a hapless tone which implies that Charlie has given up on his dreams for the future. Specifically, the tone of the final passage insinuates that Charlie has lost all hope of regaining custody of his daughter Honoria. Nevertheless, Charlie refuses a second drink when he returns to the bar. Because many recovering alcoholics return to alcoholism once their dreams are crushed, Charlie drinking responsibly suggests that he is looking ahead to the future.
The reading shows that D’Angelo decided to ignore the man and not provide assistance in his time of need, he chose to leave and continue on his way once his elevator stopped at his floor. This is where the separation stage takes effect. D’ Angelo could have helped the man and comforted him yet he didn’t, fear of the crying mans reaction prevented D’Angelo from assisting him in his time of need. Most times in archetypal stories during this stage of separation there would be a guide or some type of being to assist the hero. D’Angelo mentions within the story that if there was someone else in the elevator with him he might have been more willing to assist the crying man.
He was still wiping his foul mouth as he walked out on to the tarmac and climbed the trembling metal steps.” He knew what he was doing was wrong, and because of that his stomach turned and he was feeling ill. Regardless to how he was feeling, he wiped his mouth after throwing up and was able to continue to his cruel mission. He denies having feelings towards what is going on, until Amis says, “Muhammad Atta had decided that romantic and religious ardour came from contiguous parts of the human being: the parts he didn't have.” This pretty much shows that Atta has no feelings, and doesn’t believe in love and he just can‘t feel the love or sorrow or anyone in the world. “They were called the 'bravest', accurately, in his view” Atta believes that the firemen where brave to risk their lives for the people, and in a way believed he was doing it for Allah and wanted to stay loyal to his fellow those in his country that were expecting them to attack; he didn’t want to back down. “Muhammad Atta had studied architecture and engineering.” He was planned for what he was doing.
They worry about loss of significant relationships or jobs or about being perceived as incompetent. Communication breakdown problems may show up in physical symptoms such as tension, exhaustion, and psychological symptoms.
Holden’s loneliness and alienation causes him much pain as he seeks for human contact and love. Another example of his