Good and evil exist in all things. In Herman Melville's novel Billy Budd, good is represented by Billy Budd and evil, by John Claggart. Together, they embody Melville's portrayal of opposing forces that run throughout all aspects of human experience. In addition, Melville provides for the possibility of a balance between good and evil through the character of Captain Vere. In Freudian terminology, I might view Claggart as Id, untamed instinct. Billy can then be seen as Ego, existing to contain and direct Id instincts in a productive fashion, Vere could be seen as Superego in his struggles with his conscience to decide between the letter of the law and his own view of Billy. This novel, Melville's final work, stresses his belief that good does not, indeed, can not, exist without evil, nor, since Adam and Eve, has either stood alone.
From the beginning, Billy Budd awed his companions with the strength of his love for life. When he was taken from the ship, The Rights of Man, Captain Graveling became disturbed at the thought of losing such a man, saying "Beg pardon, but you don't understand, Lieutenant. See here now. Before I shipped that young fellow, my forecastle was a rat-pit of quarrels. It was black times, I tell you aboard the Rights here. I was worried to that degree my pipe had no comfort for me. But Billy came, and it was like a Catholic priest striking peace in an Irish shindy...a virtue went out of him, sugaring the sour ones." Clearly from the start, we are made aware of Billy's goodness, his ability to bring peace to the roughest of men. He is likened to a Priest, and portrayed as exuding a sweetness which seems c...
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..., he could not have imagined using his physical strength to hurt Claggart. In fact, it seemed so out of character, yet he was pushed beyond endurance. Because Billy was unable to contain himself, he commits his ultimate and only crime.
Thus, like opposite sides of the same coin, Billy from his essential, but humanly flawed goodness and Claggart as the personification of pointless cruelty both meet their fates. Ironically, society tolerates needless cruelty as long as it is stopped short of death, but struggles with accidental death defined by a man who was later to be revered by the people with whom he worked. Perhaps for Melville, who draws heavily on religious symbolism, the sacrifice of Billy, like that of Christ, served to prove once again that man cannot tolerate difference in the form of pure goodness.
Billy Budd, a novella written by Herman Melville, is the story of the happenings aboard the H.M.S. Bellipotent. Billy Budd was a sailor who was falsely accused of plans to a mutiny. He responded by unintentionally killing his accuser, John Claggart. Claggart's death left the captain and commander of the ship, Edward Vere, in a difficult situation (Calhoun 1). The conflict of this story and Captain Vere's decision have been studied, analyzed, and interpreted differently by many people over the last ninety years. Billy Budd was published in 1924, more than thirty years after the death of its author (Calhoun 1). In 1923, just one year before the publishing of the entire novella, Melville's manuscript was published (Shaw 592). To this day,
In a young boy’s life, making the morally right choice can be difficult especially when the choice goes against someone that is suppose to be respected, such as a parent. “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner is a coming of age story about a son of a poor and evil sharecropper. Showing the difference between good and evil, Faulkner uses character descriptions and plot, revealing Sarty’s struggles’s as he chooses between making the morally right decision or to be loyal to a dishonest father.
This is paralleled by the enormous amount of Biblical allusions in Melville's Billy Budd. Even though Melville was a religious skeptic, his friend Hawthorne said that he was neither believe nor be comfortable in his disbelief, and he is too honest and courageous not to try to do one or the other. This could be a showing of his religious side. The very interpretation of Billy Budd as a recreation of the Bible is also very interesting. The only problem is that there are flaws to this interpretation. The addition of Billy's "fatal flaw" is a problem faced when comparing Billy to Jesus. There's also a problem in that Billy is so innocent that he cannot possible comprehend that there is evil in the world. Claggart doesn't have enough motivation to be evil. It is only explained that Claggart could be naturally evil. This is a problem because he had no motivation that can be explained for him to be so evil. Vere is also a problem. Vere acts in a way that is against his own judgement. This is unlike the God that he symbolizes. Therefore, Melville could have not meant Billy Budd to be a retelling of the Bible. However, there is also religion in Billy Budd in that of the chaplain trying to instill Billy with the fear of death. The plentifulness of the Biblical allusions is also interesting. Melville uses many examples such as Adam before the fall to describe the main characters
In conclusion, this essay analyzes the similarities and differences of the two stories written by Herman Melville, Billy Budd and Bartleby. The settings, characters, and endings in the two stories reveal very interesting comparisons and contrasts. The comparison and contrast also includes the interpretation of the symbolism that Melville used in his two stories. The characters, Billy and Bartleby, could even be considered autobiographical representatives of Herman Melville.
Morrison has said, "I can easily project into other people's circumstances and imagine how I might feel if...I don't have to have done this things. So that if I'm writing of what I disapprove of, I can suspend that feeling and love those characters a lot. You know, sort of get inside the character because I sort of wonder what it would be like to be this person..." Both her novels, The Bluest Eye and Sula, speak to this statement.
Vere's decision, according to the Wartime Acts under which he was subject, was lawfully justified. To do anything else would be a direct violation of the law, and thus, the position in which he was placed. The captain could not follow any twinge of conscience that he felt, for it was not his position to do so. As Vere put it, "But do these buttons that we wear attest that our allegiance is to Nature? No, to the King." He and the judges were forced to follow their duty, which was to carry out the law. As officers of such a law, the morality of the decision was not their choice, as that same law dictated what they were to choose. The decision fell finally to Vere as he gave the speech which condemned Billy. "Our vowed responsibility is in this: That however pitiless that law may operate, we nevertheless adhere to it and administer it."
Good and evil can be summed up as a difference between rational and irrational thoughts, with the former being related to “good” and the ladder to “evil”. This is a view shared by Immanuel Kant and his Categorical Imperative. In the movie Schindler’s List, we are presented with two individuals, Oskar Schindler, who by the end of the movie displays characteristics of a man following rational thoughts, doing acts that he would want to become universal maxims. On the other end of the spectrum, we have Amon Goeth. Goeth follows his irrational thoughts, using the Jewish people as a means for his own ends.
People have constantly attempted to understand what evil truly is, and, if possible, how to eliminate this evil from their lives. However, first it must be known what it is that is being eliminated. Different people, cultures, and eras have all had a different view of what evil is, and how it affects their lives, and there is no true answer. Because of this, discussing the idea of whether people are born or can be evil is meaningless. The idea of what evil is, and whether people can be evil, is relative and cannot be applied to human nature in a universal way.
The Chicago World Fair brought about through the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus landing in America has posed significant value and worth to the city of Chicago. Over a six-month period, more than 26 million visitors from all over the world would flock to the fairgrounds to experience the rebuilt and vibrant city of Chicago. The 600-acre fairground would have housed 200 buildings that showcased new food, art, technology, and entertainment. Chicago became known as the White City, a place of freedom, grandeur, and security. But unbeknownst to fairgoers, there was a serial killer among them. While Dr. H.H. Holmes lured his innocent victims to his “Castle”, just blocks away architect Daniel Burnham built up the dream city of Chicago. Both these men operated at the same time in history, simply blocks apart, both creating legacies that carry to this day. Burnham and Holmes are two side of the coin of human nature. In “The Devil in White City” Erik Larson’s juxtaposition of Burnham and Holmes, and the Black City and the White City, contributes to the understanding of human nature, that one cannot be good without having done evil, and that good and evil are viewed as complementary in their mutual dependence.
The popular American Poet, Billy Collins, is playing a significant role in the evolution of poetry. His writing style evokes an array of emotions for the reader. Every stanza in his poetry passes the satirical standard that he generated for himself over his career. Collins swiftly captivates his readers through his diverse use of figurative language. More specifically, his use of vivid imagery paired with humorous personification and extended metaphors create his unique style of satirical poetry. This developed form of writing appeals to a large crowd of people because the generally accessible topics that he discusses are fairly easy to resonate for the common man. However, his poetry offers an interesting perspective on what otherwise would be simplistic ideas. The main themes and concepts that are being presented in each of his writings are revered and coveted by the general population. An appealing aspect of his writing is his ability to directly convey the main idea within the poem. As a result, the reader can understand the meaning of his work with ease. The typical beginning of his work gives the reader a slight taste of what is to come. Billy Collins’ unique writing style and various trademarks directly influenced by his ability to propagate an array of emotions for the reader, his humorous tone, and the accessibility of the topics he describes within his poetry.
... other. Although Peter is considered evil and cruel, the novel never mentions him killing any human being. Ender is another perfect example of good and evil coexisting in one body though he is generally seen as good, he has his moments. Finally, Card expresses his thoughts on his theme of good versus evil with symbols that can describe the deception of looks; not all who look innocent are innocent, and not all those who look guilty are guilty. Good and evil lives within us however it is up to each individual person to decide which side of the fence they would rather be on: good or evil.
Since the dawn of modern civilization the terms good and evil have been used to describe the world and the various things within it. Things ranging from the concepts of the Devil, to the kid the cut in front you in the lunch line in the third grade, evil can be defined in many ways, however, evil is generally defined as something that goes against a single set of moral principles that society has defined. This is not true because evil is something that an individual perceives that they believe will cause them harm and goes against their individual moral beliefs, not some universal concept accepted by everyone.
Football is known around the world but unfortunately not played. Football is an American based sport which ironically is played only in the United States, while soccer on the other hand is played all over the world. Another difference is the kit/protective gear used in playing. In football, Helmet, Shoulder/Chest pad/protector, upper leg padding and mouth guard are rightfully required while in soccer, Shin guards and Boots is all that is required. This is why Soccer is considered a gentleman 's sport played by beasts and Football is a beastly game played by
Furthermore, Soccer is similar to American football. They both play in a rectangular shape field of natural grass or artificial turf, marked with white lines. They both have two goals on each end. In American football, they kick the ball as well. They kick it at the start of each half and after making a touchdown. Like similarities, they also have differences.
must work in tandem or there is no purpose for any of its existence. Unethical