The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. In To Each His Own, Laurana is challenged not by the lies of certain individuals, but more importantly by the myth his township institutes in the wake of those lies. The tension nearing the climax of To Each His Own features the reveal of Rosello’s integrity as a mafioso in sheep’s clothing at juxtaposition with the sleuthing Professor Laurana’s opaque comprehension of the danger he is facing. Laurana develops an erratic complacency in disengaging his better judgement when confronted by the truth. Blinded by the facade established in the appearance of friendship, he maintains this complacency even after his investigation undeviatingly points him to Rosello. Consequently, the professor is perturbed further by the unforeseen absence of a would-be date, as opposed to the metaphoric noose his delusions of security place around his neck. Ultimately, Laurana, veiled from reality, martyrs himself with an error of judgment whereupon he concedes to an ominous offer to enter a stranger’s vehicle. Sciascia weighs the battle for truth in an ethically empty society against the oppression of myth within a Christ figure whose faith in morality results in his martyrdom. As the novella’s meaning transcends beyond the plot into social commentary, To Each His Own pursues the ethos of Italian society, it’s indifference towards power and corruption, and the dehumanization of those who stand in opposition to it. Sciascia utilizes Laurana as an impartial looking-glass; a means for “investigating and attacking the ethos of a culture–the insular, mafia-saturated culture of Sicily–which [Sciascia] believed... ... middle of paper ... ...chanism of the crime that he knew to be facts.” the answers scream out at him, but Laurana retorts with a tiresome search for morality. The solution is there and he can see it but it’s just not what he wants it to be, so he perseveres in his naive detective work. And it is with Laurana’s denial to at first accept the evidence right in front of his eyes that it becomes clear that his quest for the truth is more than a matter of crime solving. Laurana is challenged not just by the crime but by his entire belief system. Laurana discovers that no one is what they seem, left and right politics no longer have any meaning, and instead all political positions have congealed into a corrosive mess of self-serving corruption. Laurana is sucked into solving the crime; he cannot resist: “And in that equivocation, that ambiguity, he felt himself morally and sensually involved.”
“The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas” is a document written in ancient Roman times that exhibits the role religion plays in the forming of a culture and the lives of individuals in the ancient world. For her belief in Christianity, they throw Perpetua into jail. Her execution is fighting animals in an arena. She does not renounce her faith in the face of persecution and thus becomes a martyr. This text is a unique key into the past in many ways. Part of it is written by a woman, it gives a detailed account of her martyrdom and gives us some insight into the culture of ancient Rome. For these reasons, this document provides us with valuable knowledge, specifically concerning the purpose for the composing and preservation of this document.
In the book, Giovanni and Lusanna, by Gene Bucker, he discusses the scandalous actions of a Florentine woman taking a wealthy high status man to court over the legality of their marriage. Published in 1988, the book explains the legal action taken for and against Lusanna and Giovanni, the social affects placed on both persons throughout their trial, and the roles of both men and women during the time. From the long and complicated trial, it can be inferred that women’s places within Florentine society were limited compared to their male counterparts and that women’s affairs should remain in the home. In this paper, I will examine the legal and societal place of women in Florentine society during the Renaissance. Here, I will argue that women were the “merchandise” of humanity and their main objective was to produce sons.
Demarco, Laura E. "The Fact of The Castrato and the Myth of the Countertenor." N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2014. .
Throughout the article, DiIulio's support is primarily based on motivational appeal. He quickly draws interest into the article through the shocking choice of words for his title. He then goes on to provoke readers with the...
On that first fateful day, when Romulus struck down his own brother Remus, the cauldron of Rome was forged in blood and betrayal. The seeds on the Palatine hill cultured one of the most potent and stretching empires of human history. Though this civilization seemingly wielded the bolts of Zeus, they were infested with violence, vanity, and deception. Yet, one man—or seemingly “un”-man—outshone and out-graced his surroundings and everyone within it. He brought Rome several victories and rescued his beloved country from an early exodus, thus providing her a second beginning. This man was Marcus Furius Camillus, and against a logical and emotional mind, he was oft less than loved and celebrated. At times he was disregarded, insulted and even exiled—irrevocably an unwarranted method to reward Rome’s “Second Founder.” This contrast of character between hero and people was perhaps too drastic and too grand. The people were not yet ready to see Marcus Furius Camillus as a model of behavior to be emulated—to be reproduced. Hence, much of Livy’s Book 5 provides a foundation for the Roman people to imitate and assimilate a contrasting, honest, and strong behavior and temperament
A lie is dangerous and powerful in the hands of anyone, but in a sinner’s hands, it has the potential to be fatal. Give the power to lie to one such as Abigail Williams and “thirty-nine people [may] be arrested” (Miller 56). The arrest of each of the thirty-nine Salem citizens is directly, or indirectly, at the fault of Abigail Williams because of her false statements and accusations. What may possess her to place so many lives on the line is beyond rational reasoning; but after consideration, one may come to the conclusion that Abigail has an evil soul. An evil soul is not something others can treat, or even see; this illuminates the means by which Abigail fools so many intelligent people into trusting her and feeling contrite for her. She easily denies accusations by simply promising there “[is] nothin’ more. [She swears] it” (11). So easily these lies slide off of her tongue into the innocent victims’ ears, and they believe every word. The ease of fraudulence she displays is remarkable, and it is no surprise that she sparks fear and awe in many of her young protégés and other revered members of Salem. Abigail even...
As we begin to take a closer look into the role this main antagonist takes on, we notice a fantasized sense of religion and the self-appointed priesthood. Tartuffe's presense in the home is so upseting to the family, it is extreme to see how pleased Orgo...
After Laura meets Carmilla, Laura begins to catch strange feelings for Carmilla; sometimes of love and sometimes of hatred. Laura says “I had no distinct thoughts about her while such scenes lasted, but I was conscious of a love growing into adoration, and also of abhorrence. This I know is paradox, but I can make no other attempt to explain the feeling”. (Le Fanu 22). Here she has a contradictory thought on Carmilla which can be clearly expressed by the song I have chosen; “I hate you, I love you”. Moreover, as the song goes on, there is a line “Don’t want to, but I can’t put” (Gnash, “I hate you, I love you”) which portrays the situation of Laura where she says “I used to wish to extricate myself; but my energies seemed to fail me”. (Le Fanu 22). She tries to rescue herself from Carmilla but all in vain. This song will help a reader/viewer better understand the feelings of admiration and condemnation Laura has for
It was Roman myths of origin which imparted the most quintessentially Roman qualities onto the city and its people. Since Rome’s founders first exhibited the desire for conflict, so too has Rome. The sense of divine protection of such importance to the city’s people, is a direct product of the creation myths. The myths also provided evidence of the honour found within rusticity, giving rise to the value Romans placed on thrift and simple living. The myths of origin also stipulated the nobility of Rome’s founders, who would come to reflect the nobility of later Romans. The broad implications of the creation myths on Roman society, were felt most sharply by women, who were subjugated throughout the city’s history. Rome is deeply reflective of its myths of origin, as it was the myths which shaped the city into what it became.
Throughout the narrative, the text utilizes the conflict over the crisis of cognition, or the very mystery regarding the Marquise’s lack of knowledge surrounding her mysterious pregnancy, as a catalyst for the presentation of the plurality of opinions associated with the Marquise’s current status in society and presumptions to the father’s identity. In itself, this state of cognitive dissonance prevents the Marquise from making any attempts at atoning for her supposed sin, as she herself is unaware of any possible transgressions responsible for her current predicament. In turn, this separation from the truth pushes the marquise to fall into the conviction that the “incomprehensible change[s] in her figure” and “inner sensations” (85) she felt were due to the god of Fantasy or Morpheus or even “one of his attendant dreams,” (74) thereby relinquishing her subconscious from any guilt. However, despite her self-assurance of innocence and desperate pleas at expressing her clear conscience, the marquise becomes subject to external pressures from both her family and society, who come to perc...
In the story there is a girl name Rosaura, Rosaura comes from a low-income family. Her mother, señora Ines works as a maid in the family of Luciana friend of her daughter Rosaura. In the story, Luciana invites her friend Rosaura to her birthday party. Señora Ines was not pleasant about Rosaura going the party because is a rich people party, where she calls the people as “monkeys”(Heker, 1). Rousara was not happy about her mother; the reason was that Rosaura didn’t understand her mother of how she was trying to protect her from the rich people.
Attempting to inspire his listeners, he addresses them as “...this people of heroes, of poets and saints, of navigators, of colonizers…” to emphasize Italy’s various strengths (“Great” par. 9). This isocolon uses different words that are in the same structure to affirm Mussolini’s flattery. Via parallel structure, Mussolini creates a symmetrical pattern that engages the audience and makes them connect to his faith in Italy’s bright side. Activating their spirits, he guarantees them that their “...immense cry will cross the mountains and oceans like lightning...” (“Rome” par. 48). By comparing the people’s cry to the strength and speed of lightning, this simile drives the audience to believe in Italy’s power, as well as their own. Appealing to the audience’s sense of hearing, the “immense cry” triggers a life-like quality in Mussolini’s aspiration, making his aims seem more tangible to his listeners. Moreover, he uses parallelism: “To economic sanctions we shall answer with our discipline….To military sanctions, we shall answer with military measures...To acts of war, we shall answer with acts of war” to drill the concept of Italy’s strength in the audience’s head (“Great” par. 7). Adding force to Mussolini’s voice, the parallelism asserts his confidence in his ambitions. Furthermore, the anaphora
Everyone struggles with admitting the truth. No matter how people are raised they still seem to fall into a situation where they feel lying is their only way out. Lying is the truth being hidden, therefore, withholding information is equivalent to lying. The truth may seem hidden but it will always reveal itself. In Frank Peretti’s novel, The Prophet, consequences such distrust, vices, and misunderstanding follow all the characters that lack truth.
Ignazio Silone’s Bread and Wine became one of the most controversial as well as influential novels in Italy during the early twentieth century. Bread and Wine is set in rural impoverish Italia countryside under the Catholic and fascist control. It begins with Don Benedetto, an elderly priest and his aged sister are waiting for visitors to come celebrate his birthday. These visitor’s are some of his favorite students who have grown up and moved away. In their reminiscing, Don Benedetto begins to ask how other student lives have turned out after all these years. Including his favorite pupil, Pietro Spina. The former students explain that Pietro Spina had become a communist revolutionary and was exiled from Italy, and is on the run from police who are hunting him. Don Benedetto asks the student to aide Pietro in his return to Italy. At this point the novel begins to focus on Pietro Spina and his return to Italy. Pietro aided by his childhood friend Nunzio dons the disguise of a Catholic priest called Don Paolo Spada. However, Pietro Spina has abandoned the religious beliefs and ideas of becoming a saint that he once had as a child and now in his adult life is considered to be a fervent atheist making; this disguise quite ironic. While in disguise, Spina becomes exasperated with the strong catholic beliefs and superstitious ideas which are the basis of thought of the peasants he is trying to influence. This brings about the continuous theme of socialism and Christianity as well as the question surrounding all the characters within the novel, “How can a decent person act in a terrible time?”1 Silone uses this questions to explore how the political views of fascism within the Catholic church effects uneducated peasants withi...
In Conclusion, Lulu’s revenge, John Paul’s guilt, and Denny’s lust represents monstrous behavior. This story shows us that all humans are capable of monstrous behavior. Robert Cormier shares the perspective of a killer. Its take us on a journey through the characters’ eyes and shows us that even the innocent can be dangerous and how one event can negatively impact a person’s life.