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ways identity is reinforced in literature
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The Identity of Thomas Pynchon
The identity of Thomas Pynchon is as elusive as the sticky, complex webs of
meaning woven into his prose. As America's most "famous" hidden author,
Pynchon produces works which simultaneously deal with issues of
disappearance and meaning, of identity and nothingness in a fashion that
befuddles some and delights others. He speaks to the world from his
invisible pulpit, hiding behind a curtain of anonymity that safely
disguises his personality from the prying eyes of critics and fans alike.
Without a public author presence, readers are forced to derive the identity
of the author instead from the author's actual works. When searching for
the identity of Pynchon, and indeed the notion of identity itself, the
novels of Thomas Pynchon offer an interesting starting point.
Questions of identity and meaning are shrouded beneath a veil of conspiracy
in The Crying of Lot 49, Pynchon's second novel and his shortest.
Throughout the novel there are snatches of hidden agendas and mysterious
plans; it is a world run by Pierce Inverarity, a character who is dead when
the novel opens yet remains an active presence throughout the work. This
seems to fit Pynchon's situation rather nicely as the ghostly moderator of
a tired world, leading his main character Oedipa Maas on a quest for
meaning while blindly groping for clues about a conspiratorial mail system
known only as the Trystero. Oedipa's quest echos the quest of everyone; she
wishes for an identity that makes some sense within the framework of her
world. Thomas Pynchon, by erasing himself from the public sphere, is
questing for identity in his own right through his writings, letting Mrs.
Maas do the searching for him.
Little is known about Pynchon's life, and no one who knows him seems to be
willing to add to the miniscule pile of information currently available
about him. His most recent published photograph dates back to 1953.
Beginning at the beginning, he was born on May 8, 1937 in Glen Cove, New
York. He attended Cornell University and received a degree in English in
1959. He worked at Boeing Company in Seattle as a technical writer until
his first novel V. appeared in 1963 (Gray 70). From that point onward,
Pynchon vanished from the public eye. Information about any part of
Pynchon's life after V.
The conflict that occurred between the U.S. Government and the Native American Indian tribes, known as the Great Sioux War. It was a lengthy, disjointed struggle between the U.S. Army and the allied tribes of the Teton Sioux and Northern Cheyenne Indians that occurred in the span of fifteen months between, March 1876 and May 18771. Hostilities between the U.S. Government and the Native American Indian tribes grew due to the movement of settlers on the land promised to them. The Northern Plains, which consist of the Dakotas, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana, is where the majority of the war took place. The most prominent battle of this war was the Battle of Little Big Horn, due to the amount of casualties taken by the U.S. 7TH Cavalry led by General George Armstrong Custer. The Native American tribes that defeated the 7TH Cavalry were led by Sitting Bull of the Hunkpapa Sioux. The battle that occurred at the Black Hills of South Dakota was a result of looking for the prospect of gold in the area2.
One of the most common things heard when interacting with others is: “Just be yourself”. However, is there truly a choice? Many may try to cover up their true identity for unknown purposes. In order to fit in, some may pretend to enjoy things they dislike, and dislike things they really enjoy. As demonstrated in countless books, stories, and movies, a person’s true identity will always be exposed one way or another. In Matt Ruff’s novel Bad Monkeys, the true nature of a person will always overshadow any disguised identity.
Many people to this day still do not have a collective agreement on what is the Canadian identity? Depending whom you ask you may get a wide variety of answer spanning the spectrum of possibilities, more so now, than at any point of the history of our nation. This essay will investigate how Pierre Elliott Trudeau found himself as a Canadian, and will demonstrate how it is his surroundings in which he immersed himself that shaped who he became. It is only later in his life that he truly discovered himself as well as his identity. Through the use of John English's biography as our primary reference we will investigate the development in Trudeau's character as he becomes older and experiences turning points in his life.
Identity; the meaning of which can represent a number, a name, or an origin. It can be concrete and documented on a social security card or birth certificate. Quite the opposite is the quality of fluidity it offers. Simply from how one presents themselves, their identity can be interpreted and assumed from a passerby’s glance. Femininity characterized by long hair and makeup. A smile projecting happiness, while a scrunched brow displays distress. “Self-Portrait” by Robert Mapplethorpe sets out to illustrate how varying traits, even while on the same subject matter, can change how one perceives another’s gender. However, without the obvious attributes that are stereotypical for one gender, the harsh line dividing masculinity and femininity
Abortion has been a perplexing and controversial debate throughout time. There are many articles and philosophers who state their strong polarized opinions on whether it is ethical to have an abortion. Some people believe that abortion is morally unacceptable and under no circumstances will it ever be acceptable. On the contrary, other people believe that a woman should have the right to choose whether she wants to continue with the pregnancy, especially under certain conditions. In “A Defense of Abortion,” Judith Jarvis Thomson uses real-life analogies to illustrate her key argument that, even assuming a fetus is considered a person from the moment of conception, the mother and the fetus have an equal right to life. Thomson believes that the human fetus doesn’t have the right to occupy a woman’s body for survival, if it against her will. Thomson argues that, even if we grant that the fetus has the right to life, abortion would still be morally permissible in cases of rape, dangerous pregnancy or contraceptive failure. In this essay, I will argue that even if the fetus has the right to life, abortion, is still morally acceptable in the case of ectopic pregnancy, rape and contraceptive failure, as the fetus doesn’t have the right to use a woman’s body without her consent or if it endangers her.
Abortion has been a very controversial subject over these past few decades. Every time you pick up a paper or magazine it seems there is always some protest regarding abortion, whether it be for fetal rights or women's rights. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica the definition of abortion is "the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus before it has reached the stage of viability (in human beings, usually about the 20th week of gestation). An abortion may occur spontaneously, in which case it is also called a miscarriage, or it may be brought on purposefully, in which case it is often called an induced abortion." This paper will focus only on those abortions which are considered to be induced and will present the argument to both sides, considering both the argument for Pro-life as well as for Pro-choice.
Abortion has become an issue Americans feel strongly about, and it has created enormous debates within the United States. It has been around for years, and is certainly not a new option for women who find themselves in an unwanted pregnancy. Even though terminations have become safer for women, there are still strong arguments against abortion. Whether one is for or against abortion depends on a combination of beliefs, as well as pressures from society. While some believe in the right to choose, others consider it as murder; in both cases the turmoil of abortion has an extreme affect on a woman.
There are a lot of debates surrounding the term, “Abortion.” Some believe that abortion is a choice, while others groups like conservatives believe that it is a Sin, and should be illegal. Individuals have their own reasons to why they want to get an abortion, and that should not be limited by legislators. Abortion should be legal because it is the individual right whether to have a baby or not regardless of their situation. The second reason is in the case of rape and incest, the third reason is, whether the individual is capable of caring for the baby.
Abortion is one of the most controversial issues in the United States today. According to oxford dictionary, abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks. The two factions involved in this controversy are poles apart in their views on abortion: where as the pro-choice movement contends that a woman’s right to abortion is absolute, the pro-life movement asserts that a fetus’s right to life is indisputable. The argument has become very pronounced since the U.S Supreme Court ruling in the year 1973 in Roe V. Wade, which legalized abortion. According to the ruling, a woman’s right to abortion outweighed the rights of a nonviable fetus and prohibited the State interference. In addition to the fact that pro-choicers have always praised Roe for recognizing that a woman’s right to control her body is more important than a fetus’s right to life, this idea is also supported by different organizations such as Alan Guttmatcher Institute (AGI) whose mission is “to protect the reproductive choices of all women and men in the United States and throughout the world.” (Par 1) While some people believe that abortion is immoral others argue that it is a woman’s right to have full control of her body.
The 1973 Supreme Court decision in the case of Roe vs. Wade is the foundation for our current abortion policy as well as the cause of so much controversy today. Though always an issue, nothing prior can compare to the momentum that it has now. In the span of 30 years since the ruling, the combination of science, morals and religion have spun off numerous sub-issues to the effect that people have been left either aligned to one side of the argument, or caught in the middle, unable to choose. The key issue at hand is whether the 1973 ruling of Roe vs. Wade should be upheld or should all abortions be illegal. The issue is so divisive because abortion brings up closely related but unresolved moral issues, and tries to bring a legal answer to them. The consequences would be monumental for those who have a stake in a resulting decision. Women’s rights, first and foremost, would be affected because many women in the pro-choice movement believe this decision is a reflection of the amount of power the government should have over the individual, women in particular. They would take the results as a major setback in the women’s rights movement should abortion become illegal. Pro-life groups see this as a moral debate over life, with the elimination of abortion meaning that the fetus has been recognized as a living human being with rights like any other. Religious advocates, particularly those siding with the pro-life movement see the attitude towards abortion as a reflection of sexual permissiveness in the American people. As for the American people themselves, while having strong feelings about abortion, are not ready or willing to get rid of it. Though both sides push for common things like better sex education for th...
defined as a person X has a personal identity if and only if they have the same
Throughout world society, racism in others has caused them to become “blind” or ignorant. Racism has been around since anyone can remember. In racism in America, the struggle of African Americans seems to stand out the most. In Ralph Ellison’s, The Invisible Man, the narrator struggles to find his own identity despite of what he accomplishes throughout the book because he’s a black man living in a racist American society.
How does one truly know oneself? Can anyone? The question of the “self” is fascinating, has pondered the minds of many philosophers over the centuries, and consequently has taken drastic change by the social conditions of the modern and postmodern world. Two centuries ago, this question was fairly easy to answer. Today, however, identity seems to no longer be a given, leaving this question unanswered. This sense of rootlessness is a byproduct of changing social conditions, which ultimately caused the shift from the stable view of self to the instable and disjointed postmodern view of self. By taking a closer look at Descartes’ modernist view of self compared to that of Nietzsche and Rorty’s postmodernist view, one will recognize the social conditions that have caused the shift from modern to post-modern philosophical thinking and how post-modernism has convoluted the efforts to find one’s identity. My intention is to explain how Christians are uniquely situated to provide answers that fragmented postmodernists are seeking by examining the forces in today’s social conditions that are foiling the efforts to find their identity.
The Importance of Image in the Modern World Image is defined as the physical outward appearance that people view an individual or an object. Over the years, image has evolved from mere vanity to being regarded as a great importance in the modern world. It is not merely the vivid representation of a person or an object; it is a powerful tool used by us to impress and “wow” people, for self or even to make money. Image is also an important factor in society nowadays, as it draws a line between the popular people and the “fashion scum of society”; it separates the normal everyday products from the high-end gadgets. Image is indeed everything in the modern world today.
Society has increasingly placed a high value on image, which has had a profound effect on people, from how to dress, talk, behave, things they idolize, or deem important. Image is a physical likeness, representation, or appearance of a person, or thing, photographed, painted, or otherwise made visible. Image is one of the oldest form of nonverbal communication used to appeal to others; people often judge your integrity, accountability, or professionalism based on appearance. Having the right image can go a long way, by providing opportunities, highlight qualities, and even present life changing experiences. Image is how someone, a group, or corporation, present themselves to the world, it tells a little about who they are. Therefore, image gives an insight to spectators, who form opinions solely on appearances, which is very important as first impressions last.