The maids’ discourses mock and contradict Penelope’s narrative, challenging the legitimacy of her words and the rationality behind their deaths. So, firstly, the maids provide additional context regarding events in the Odyssey that Penelope’s perspective is unable to cover. For instance, the maids foreshadow their murder at Telemachus’ hand after his birth and also describe to readers Odysseus’ jolly adventures in a sea shanty. However, the twelve maids’ lines also work to undermine Penelope’s suffering. After Penelope describes her difficult childhood, the twelve maids also relate their childhoods through a lament.
This essay will argue that In both texts motherhood and marriage is shown to be a hindrance to both women’s careers and their female identity. The theme of marriage in The Bell Jar and Top Girls Is shown to demolish the female identity of the women. In The Bell Jar Plath uses Buddy as a symbolic figure to show how even the “clean” men of that time were only out for one
Grandma Lynn is one of the more vibrant, vain and misunderstood characters within the novel, like her Daughter she portrays an air of selfishness (Relating back to her daughter leaving the family in a time of crisis) however she takes the role of the level-headed peacekeeper throughout her appearances in the Novel, from her arrival before Susie’s funeral to her departure. We also notice how she is a hardened person, unlike the rest of the family. Sebold represents her as a vain and self-conscious character, an alcoholic and above all she has a straight forward attitude. Sebold initially represents Grandma Lynn in the play as one of the more hardened characters, upon her arrival we already get an idea of the character as someone who is unaffected by personal crisis’s such as Susie’s death, even before her arrival the call between Abigail and Grandma Lynn helps to portray her hardened character, the way that she is blankly states that “She has to come because it’s Susies funeral” she doesn’t seem to show much emotion on her arrival and the way that she brings a more vibrant atmosphere into the solemn and sad house. Even on her arrival instead of confronting the issue of Susies death she orders for a “Stiff Drink”.
This shows how cold Lady Macbeth is, as milk is the food of new born children, she is implying Macbeth is too much like a kind child to murder anyone, which is another method used to spur Macbeth on into killing his king. Her coldness and control is again shown when she begins to plot Duncan’s murder with Macbeth, she says he should ‘look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it’, more advice for the killing of his king, and ‘leave the rest to me’ shows her cool control over the matter. Lady Macbeth also shows a more helpful side, offering help. ‘I may pour my spirits in thine ear’, which although seemingly providing a contrast to her cold hearted plotting earlier, is in fact another way in which she is convincing Macbeth to kill Duncan, her words are sweet to Macbeth’s ear, but are in fact rooted in evil, and this perhaps shows an ‘innocent flower’ side to Lady Macbeth. Macbeth however is on the other end of the scale in their relationship, and once he plucks up the courage to tell her he does not want to continue with the murder.
He warns George and Lennie about her, despite the fact that they haven’t met her yet. This is significant as the structure of the novel means that our views are already prejudiced before we even see Curley’s wife. I think that Steinbeck has done this to show how easy it is to prejudge by listening to others, and that this might mean you don’t give people a chance-like what happens to Curley’s wife. Candy uses the word ‘tart’ to describe her and makes her sound like an object by informing George about Candy’s glove and what he uses it for. George is immediately disgusted by this ‘that’s a dirty thing to tell around’ and we can already see a negative view of Curley’s wife forming in his mind.
In the extract, Lee presents Scout's largely negative feelings about Aunt Alexandra and Francis through the first person narrative. Lee employs sarcasm and humour to portray Scout's emotions: “ Talking to Francis gave me the sensation of settling slowly to the bottom of the ocean.” The reference to 'the bottom of the ocean' implies that he suffocates her and always brings her down, almost as if he drowns her youthful spirit/enthusiasm. “ Settling slowly” suggests that she feels held back by him and she has to conform or be seen as to be “settling” down to be the person society wants her to be. In addition to this the phrase implies her individuality is prevented as she is expected to behave like the traditional girl when Atticus encourages her to be herself and not accept society's views as easily. The word “sensation” also suggests that her feelings are instinctive and can't be helped.
Also, calling her father “Papa” shows the respect Kambili had for her father and informs us of her middle class family. Moreover, when Kambili calls her father “Papa”, it illustrates how she worships him, believing he is almost as significant as God. Kambili uses simple syntax, “We had just returned from church.” This introduces Kambili as a calm, young female that puts her memories forward without attempting to create a more complex scenario. This creates a more story-telling type of novel, from a young girl that is writing everything from memory and consequently, everything that is told is shortened so that she doesn’t forget anything as she notifies us of
Just like what the devil did to Eve, he promised her that the forbidden fruit would give her sensations beyond her wildest beliefs but ended up getting her kicked out of Eden and punished humans for eternity. The ocean is like this to Edna because it promises freedom, which is exactly what she has been looking for, and it ends up being the death of a woman who already has a good amount of independence. Chopin also makes Edna seem less than holy in this passage because after all, she is a woman and since her transformation stumbled and was never truly completed, she is stuck between a sacred figure and just another failure. Edna decides to kill herself on her way to beach because of her suffering and search for more and more freedom. The weather amplifies the feeling of pain and hopelessness, the sun is hot and the water seems like the perfect relief to get away from everything.
Grandma’s Personality In the short story, “A Good Man Is Hard To Find”, we find that Grandma, one of the main characters, aids in the death of herself and her family because of her own superior and conceited self. Grandma can be interpreted in many different ways, but I believe the strongest way to interpret her is that she is a woman who thinks highly of herself. Her actions are for her own personal gain and not considering other people’s feelings or thoughts. Throughout the story there are many scenes in which Grandma exhibits her superiority and self-conceit. The superiority and conceitedness of Grandma is portrayed at the very beginning of the story where the narrator gives us in detail what she is wearing.
Despite this difference, they are equally influenced by their mothers' philosophies, each sharing a desire to break away from their routine lives. Unfortunately, Hulga and Rose do not realize that what gives birth to this craving is also what makes them ill-equipped to handle the situations that set them on their individual courses of transformation. 2) The characterization of our protagonist Connie is vital to an understanding of her ripeness for seduction in Joyce Carol Oates' short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" Connie's youth and vanity, coupled with her antagonistic relationship with the members of her family, effectively set the stage for her seduction by the older Arnold Friend. 3) In Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People," the cynical, rude, and world-weary Hulga believes herself to be on such a high philosophical and intellectual plane that she is without illusion.