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. D’Angelo becomes aware that the man can be in danger, for his pain lead him to becoming suicidal, and if he helped just by showing him that he is not alone and that he can talk to D’Angelo that it might make a difference. D’Angelo knows that he should have helped the man instead of fearing for what might have happened if he did. People begin to tell D’Angelo that he did the right thing and that he shouldn’t have interfered with the man’s problems yet this is not what he thinks. D’Angelo changes and wishes he had helped the man instead of leaving.
At that point D”Angelo is unaware of how the following event will change his life. “Nothing about him seemed unusual, nothing at all”. But when the young man “suddenly drops and burst into tears” D’Angelo refuses his call, steps out of the elevator and leaves the young man behind. By refusing to help the man, D’Angelo now faces “a combination of guilt and uncertainty”. D’Angelo inner turmoil appears in the story to help aid himself in his quest; in this case it is D’Angelo’s moral conscience.
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.
By refusing to help the man, the hero now faces “a combination of guilt and uncertainty”. As an outcome, a supernatural guide appears in the story to help aid the hero in his quest; in this case it is in the shape of the hero’s conscience. The hero is now doubting and regretting his actions but his conscience is encouraging him fully accept his quest. Questions such as “what would his reaction have been to that?” to the many different scenarios that crossed his mind allows the hero to move on to the next monomyth stage. The second stage is that of struggle and
The Step Not Taken Analysis The monomyth in each story is comprised of three general stages which are: separation, struggle or initiation, and return and reintegration. The story progresses as the hero advances through these stages. ''The Step Not Taken'' is an excellent example of this cycle, in which the narrator is the hero himself. As a result of guilt, Paul D’ Angelo reminisces about a lost opportunity, in which he failed to help an emotionally wrecked man. Throughout this experience, he gets in touch with his spiritual side, allowing him to grow and mature as a person.
Willy’s downfall is a result of his reluctance to face his shame, his guilt towards his affair and the way Biff’s life turned out, and the social pressures of success. Willy denies the feeling of shame, affecting him and his family. Willy turns to another woman out of loneliness for Linda, deeply within; his feelings of shame are related to the need of a woman. Shame, inadequacy and inferiority evince the need to “be liked and never want” (Arthur Miller 21). This is apparent within Willy and his sons.
He is really upset about his mother and his uncle, but also his father dying. His way of coping with his thoughts about them is to act suicidal, “His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter!” (I ii 132). Even though he doesn’t want to live anymore and is thinking about suicide he thinks about it and realizes that he can’t kill himself because it is a sin. No matter how depressed and how much he doesn’t want to live, he still considers whether it is a good thing or bad thing to do. Aside from Hamlet’s depression, he shows that he is very determined and brave.
During this meeting, they discussed Holden’s academic failure and his unwillingness to conform to society and apply himself to his studies. Antolini has a paternal attitude towards Holden. He seems genuinely concerned about the boy and tries to help him realise that his irresponsible behaviour is spiralling out of control. He tells him he is headed for a fall and “the man falling isn’t permitted to feel or hear himself hit the bottom.”(Chapter 24, The Catcher in the Rye) He offers advice: “The mark of an immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” (Chapter 24, The Catcher in the Rye) The visit is relaxed and friendly. He doesn’t question Holden too much.
In the first stanza the persona is “haunted” by the postcard sent to him. The negative connotation suggests that the persona has encountered an uncomfortable experience and disturbs him, and he in unable to get rid of his past. His culture will always be waiting for him to establish a connection with it. The negative connotation of “haunt” is ironic because something so small and unsubstantial has a great impact on the persona. The postcard becomes a symbol of how distant his identity is from his culture.
Andrew Wolff IB English Mrs. Singer Act 3 Commentary Hamlet’s soliloquy in Act 3, the “To Be or Not To Be,” portrays Hamlet as a very confused man. He is very unsure of himself and his thoughts often shift between two extremes. In the monologue, he contemplates whether or not he should continue to live, or if he should end his own life. Also, he considers seeking revenge for his father’s death. However, unlike Hamlet’s first two major soliloquies, this one seems to be governed by reason and not frenzied emotion.