In Buchner’s ‘Lenz’, the protagonist is portrayed as a fallen man, disjointed from society and mentally unstable. Buchner’s portrays Lenz’s fall into madness can be seen strongly in his narrative style but also the use of realisation and nature. From this one can evaluate whether the narrative is the most effective technique in illustrating Lenz’s descent into madness
By examining Buchner’s narrative style, one can see that it is dissimilar to other German Romantics. Where Von Kleist seems journalistic in ‘The Marchioness of O..’ the narrative in ‘Lenz’ appears as if it has been disrupted by the protagonist. For example when the narrator states ‘but at this time he found it annoying that he could not walk on his head’ , one can allude that this is Lenz distorting the narrative with his madness. Helmut argues that ‘Madness cannot be contained within the straitjacket of traditional narration’ and believes that ‘to represent in its full fury means to displace the fundamental criteria of realistic representation.’ This suggests that Buchner disregarded the classical narrative style to make the madness of Lenz more believable. Helmut sees this as the ‘effacement of all differences between the narrators and protagonists perspective’ Therefore, one can infer that the protagonist and narrator have blurred which makes the narration more ambiguous. This makes the reader consider the reliability of the narrator but also makes Lenz seem realistically troubled. Helmut continues stating that Buchner has a ‘disregard for the linearity of time and for the three dimensionality of space.’ One can see this in the fragmented style of narration, which highlights Lenz’s experiences as spots of time. Moreover one can also see Lenz’s inabili...
... middle of paper ...
...tive method in portrying the madness of Lenz is his unique and distorted narrative. By using un-traditional techniques that include fading the line between narrator and protagonist, Buchner is able to create a character is unconventional clearly mad within the opening of the story and is maintained throughout. His use of religious realisation is not as effective because we are unsure of Buchners own religious motives. However, this technique does allow us to analyse the behaviour of Lenz against social norms thus allowing us to see his behaviours that allude to his madness. Lastly, the use of nature is quite effective as the pathetic fallacy allows the audience to analyse Lenz’s emotions through figurative language. Therefore, it is a collaboration of these three techniques, narrative being the most effective, which allows one to see Lenz’s descent into madness.
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is the story of a woman spiralling into madness whilst her physician husband refuses to acknowledge that she has a "real" problem. On the other hand The Black Cat by Edgar Alan Poe is about a man who is initially fond of cats however as the plot progresses he becomes an alcoholic making him moody and violent, which lead him to torture and kills the animals and eventually also his wife. In Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Black Cat," symbolism is used to show the narrator’s capacity for violence, madness, and guilt .The recurring theme present in both these stories is that the main protagonists claim that they suffer or have been taken over by a form of madness. In this essay I shall examine the various symbolism used by the writer's to represent madness.
Eliezer Wiesel is a 14-year-old Orthodox Jewish boy from Sighet, Transylvania. Elie has one younger sister Tzipora, 2 older sisters Hilda and Bèa, and is the only son. His father is a prominent leader of the Jewish community. Ellie wants to study Jewish mysticism, but his father tells him he is too young. So he befriends Moche the beadle, a handyman, so he can be taught mysticism. Moche teaches him to ask God the right questions even though he will never receive the right answer. in 1944 Germans came to power an occupied Hungary, and soon controlled Sighet. At this point, the Germans begin their plan to get rid of the Jews. They moved Eli and his family into a ghetto. There were two gether does, small one large one. Eli and his family moved to the larger ghetto. They stayed in the ghetto for a while, until they were put on two trains and sent to Birkenau. when everyone was out of it rains, everyone was split into two groups, the men and the women. This was the last time le saw his mother and his sister Tzipora. Eli and his father were put into the same groups and that's when Ell...
In contrast, syntax provides a new perspective to the narrator s behavior as sentence structure draws attention to her erratic behavior. By her last entry, the narrator s sentences have become short and simple. Paragraphs 227 through 238 contain few adjectives resulting in limited descriptions yet her short sentences emphasize her actions providing plenty of imagery. The syntax quickly pulls the reader through the end as the narrator reaches an end to her madness.
Baurecht, William C. “Separation, Initiation, and Return: Schizophrenic Episode in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'.” The Midwest Quarterly, edited by Roger Matuz and Cathy Falk, vol. 23, no. 3, 1982, pp. 279–293. Literature Resource Center, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GLS&sw=w&u=j240903001&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE|H1100001395&asid=1d301eee68cd3f306c0b2d83a57440ee. Accessed Oct. 2017.1998. Print.
In the minds of many, legendary director Alfred Hitchcock’s infamous shower scene in the 1960 classic Psycho brought the phrase “point of view” into the language of the general public. What most do not realize is that those in the many spectrums of entertainment have been taking full advantage of the benefits brought on by an audience being dealt a limited field of vision for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Prior to the advent of film and theater, the best place to find this method in use was literature. The origin of the point of view in literature can be traced back to the earliest forms of literature, where much of what was dictated and recorded was recounted from life experiences. It is of no surprise to most that the idea of point of view stayed, and evolved into many subsections, thanks in full to the fact that every story has a point of view. In the 19th century, point of view hit a creative peak, with the wildly inventive writers of the period finding new avenues to pursue with their works. Stories from that time period authored by individuals such as Edgar Allen Poe and Ambrose Bierce are still read today. What allows Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” and Bierce’s “Occurrence of Owl Creek Bridge” to be taught as shining examples of wonderful literature are not expert characterizations, moody settings, or heart-wrenching themes as one may expect after studying their other works. Instead, it is the point of view methods that both authors employ that make their works so revered.
...reader to gain inside thought into how bad the mental condition is affecting him as his behavior allows for further indication of craziness as a result from the schizophrenia. The evidence presented in this play for the scientific explanation of this literary classic is quite prominent as it gives an insight into what a schizophrenic acts, thinks, and behaves like.
In Ken Kesey's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, the author refers to the many struggles people individually face in life. Through the conflict between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy, the novel explores the themes of individuality and rebellion against conformity. With these themes, Kesey makes various points which help us understand which situations of repression can lead an individual to insanity. These points include: the effects of sexual repression, woman as castrators, and the pressures we face from society to conform. Through these points, Kesey encourages the reader to consider that people react differently in the face of repression, and makes the reader realize the value of alternative states of perception, rather than simply writing them off as "crazy."
In Pouliuli, a novel written by Albert Wendt, Faleasa Osovae awakens to find the life he’s been living all along is a mere façade. Pouliuli invites readers into the Samoan community of Malaelua, which is turned topsy-turvy when Faleasa misleads his aiga and community by acting maniacal. Albert Wendt ties a famous Malaelua saga about a mythological hero named Pili to Faleasa Osovae’s life. In the myth as well as in Faleasa’s story, they both had the same goal, which was to live the rest of their life “free”. To accomplish this goal, they both had to accomplish three tasks. Pilis’ tasks were to eat a mountain of fish which the giant’s had caught that day, to race the giants down a river, and make himself disappear. Faleasas’ tasks were to destroy Filemoni, Make Moaula the new leader, and remove Sau and Vaelupa as council leader. Of course they couldn’t have done these tasks alone so both of them enlisted help from friends. Pili enlisted the help of Tausamitele, Lelemalosi, and Pouliuli. Faleasa enlisted the help of his long time friend Laaumatua and his son Moaula. Finally to get the freedom they so wished for they had to complete one last task. In Pili’s case it was to divide his kingdom among his children while Faleasa had to remove Malaga as congress of the village. In the end, they both end up with nothing. Both ending up in the darkness of Pouliuli.
When this story is viewed through Sigmund Freud’s “psychoanalytic lens” the novel reveals itself as much more than just another gory war novel. According to Sigmund Freud psychology there are three parts of the mind that control a person’s actions which are the id, ego, and superego. Psychoanalysis states that there are three parts of the human mind, both conscious and subconscious, that control a person’s actions. The Id, ego, and
The creation of a stressful psychological state of mind is prevalent in the story “The Yellow Wall-Paper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, as well as, Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”, Ophelia’s struggles in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, and the self-inflicted sickness seen in William Blake’s “Mad Song”. All the characters, in these stories and poems, are subjected to external forces that plant the seed of irrationality into their minds; thus, creating an adverse intellectual reaction, that from an outsider’s point of view, could be misconstrued as being in an altered state due to the introduction of a drug, prescribed or otherwise, furthering the percep...
A quick glance at Life of Pi and a reader may take away the idea that it is an easy read and a novel full of imagination, but take a Freudian view on the work and it transforms into a representation of the human psyche. Martel’s novel takes the reader on a journey with Pi as he struggles for his own survival. Pi experiences a breakdown of each component that makes up ones personality according to Freud throughout the novel. One by one id, ego and super ego both express a huge factor in Pi’s choices and emotions throughout his story. The readers are also introduced to an alternate ending to choose from. This alternate ending plays a key role in understanding how to view the novel through Freudian lenses. Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis clarifies many troubling issues raised in the novel Life of Pi.
“Forman’s movie without Bromden’s perspective is empty and devoid.” (Shmoop Inc.). Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, has been adapted into a film version, directed by Milos Forman. It has won numerous Oscar awards including “Best Picture”, “Best Director”, and “Best Actors”. However, many readers of Kesey’s original novel agree that it did not capture the essence and intent of the story. After reading the novel and watching the movie, I also feel the movie version did not accurately renovate the original novel. With various important scenes missing, confusion about the main character, and an indistinct recreation of the plot, Forman did not precisely revive the authentic purpose into his film.
In Joseph Conrad’s unforgettable novel, Heart of Darkness, the profound words of Mr. Kurtz are a judgement of his malevolent life and of humanity in general. “The horror! The horror!” are the uttered words of Kurtz as he returned with Marlow from his civilization in Africa. Conrad left the words open for interpretation, leaving many readers feeling indifferent. As Kurtz encountered death, he reflected on his past and was fond of leaving the diabolical world that he inhabited. He was pleased to be dying due to his own evil, greedy actions as well as the inequality within humanity.
Kurtz was a great man who discovered a flaw in himself while working in Africa. He lacked "restraint" to control the emerging dark side which he found within himself. He plumbs the depths of man's dark side -a side which civilization and culture represses - but is swallowed up, by these forces which eventually overcome him in the isolation of darkest Africa. He falls into unspeakable acts and experiences the primitive power and ecstasy and horror of man's uninhibited darkness. Marlow holds back from "the abyss," although he humbly takes no credit for this achievement, ascribing it to grace. Nonetheless, he comes away changed, even enlightened, by this glimpse into the deeper and darker mysteries of life. William Blake (and Sartre) suggests that the road to heaven leads through hell. Blake also saw the pursuit of truth and self awareness as an effort to combine the Innocence of the Lamb with the darker Passion of the Tyger, the two poles of man's and life's existence. Wisdom and enlightenment come to the one who effectively understands and harmonizes both sides of this human nature.
Thesis: Thus through chilling plot after plot, Poe has given us a classic example of how the human mind can deceive itself into thinking its cause is just (1).