Man will always seek redemption for the actions he commits. In Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim, the consequences of a failed pursuit of a romantic dream cause a young seaman to search for answers and in the process, achieve redemption. Jim shows through the pursuit of his romantic vision that although man may be born a coward, he can attain redemption through the sacrifice of these dreams.
Man does not start out a hero. Instead, he is born into obscurity and must work for his fame. Stein’s belief that “man is born a coward” affirms that life is a difficulty and one can only attain redemption through hard work and the pursuit of a dream (121). When Jim reads romantic literature as a youth, he fills himself with a vision of what he wants to be. When he matures, Jim sets this dream in motion, joining a training camp for sailors. He envisions himself “saving people from sinking ships, cutting away masts in a hurricane, swimming through a surf with a line…” (13). Despite setting such visions and dreams for his life, Jim is yet again another example to support that man is born a coward. When he is on the training ship and witnesses the collision of two other ships, Jim’s cowardice holds him back and he fails to go over to the scene of the wreckage to save people. The truth in reality is that romantic dreams fill Jim’s mind and cause him to think far beyond the pragmatic horizon, effortlessly proving Stein’s belief of the cowardice of man.
After training, Jim serves a steamer named the Patna for several years, but at first he never sees a good opportunity to attain his romantic vision. Then, a few years later, the choice faces Jim once again to choose between feeding the innate nature of man and fulfilling the dreams set forth by his romant...
... middle of paper ...
...a tremendous change of shape from the cowardly boy on the training ship to the redeeming figure of Patusan’s lord. Stein believes man is born a coward and to attain redemption, one must “in the destructive element immerse” (171). Jim’s death emphasizes the redemption a man, born a coward, bent to his own romantic dream, can achieve through the submission to reality and the sacrifice of the romantic visions in favor of the truth in reality.
Man will always seek redemption. No matter what mistakes are made, redemption can always be found, and Jim’s search for redemption is no different. Despite being born a coward, Jim makes the right choices and takes the honorable path to alter his reputation. Jim proves through the pursuit and sacrifice of his romantic dream that although man may be born a coward, he can attain redemption.
Works Cited
Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
In the short story “The Hunter” the author Richard Stark introduces Parker, the main character of this book. The main character is a rough man, he’s a criminal, a murderer, and even an escaped convict. He’s described as crude and rugged and though women are frightened by him, they want him. Parker is not the classic criminal, but rather he’s intelligent, hard, and cunning. In this story the author carefully appeals to his audience by making a loathsome criminal into a hero, or rather, an anti-hero. The author, Richard Stark uses ethical appeal to make his audience like Parker through the use of phronesis, arête, altruism and lastly the ethos of his audience.
Your fate is not based upon anyone’s actions other than your own. Both Wes Moore’s experienced a circumstance in which they required a second chance. The decision of how to use that second chance is the vital part to succeeding, for the difficult part learning how to “distinguish between second chances and last chances” (Moore 67). Wes— The author— was given a second chance after joining military school. Although it was originally an unfortunate turn of events, Wes quickly learned the opportunities that surrounded him were to fade rapidly if he did not improve his way of life. This experience is an example of how a single person can set themselves up for success or failure based upon their individual
...ng a lonesome and bland life, when I can shape my future now and become the man I want to be. Although Destiny has already laid out my path, I will grow as Jim did and realize that the power of the individual and Destiny can work together only if you believe in it. Jim learned this lesson too late, and paid the price of misery and living forever thriving off of his memories.
Throughout Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, The Red Pony and The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck professes his admiration for the man who displays skill and craftsmanship in his work. A man who does his job exceedingly well is, by extension in Steinbeck's works, a hero who is satisfied in doing his best in affection for his craft - a direct contrast to the multitude of humans who are merely unsuccessful and unhappy dreamers.
Even though there is tragedy there-what Steinbeck seems to be saying is that the human spirit can and will endure despite immense privations. The will to live and endure will always overcome defeated hopes.
It is not very often, when you read a book that you see hopeful and stirring themes placed against a backdrop of terror and tragedy. The “Grapes of Wrath”, written by John Steinbeck in 1939, is a gritty and realistic picture of life for migrant families in California during the Great Depression in the face of a drought, all struggling to build lives for themselves and maintain their dignity amongst the rampant capitalist self-interest of landowners. “The Grapes of Wrath” is both a novel both a naturalistic epic and a social commentary. Steinbeck tackles major themes such as suffering inflicted from man unto man and the snowballing effects of both selflessness and selfishness, all seen through the eyes of an altruistic, omniscient narrator following the much begotten Joad family on their migrant journey. Through characters such as Tom Joad, a young man struggling to overcome his past and endeavoring to live in the moment who learns to be a leader of all people, and the painful yet dignified character arcs of his entire family and his best friend, Steinbeck shows what he most wants us to take away from this novel, which is the understanding of the transformative power of passion and anger, as well as respect for the holiness of our fellow man.
Lemann’s Redemption: The Last Battle of the Civil War gives the reader an account of events, many of which are violent, just after the end of the Civil War. On the surface, Lemann spends great time documenting the violence faced by southern blacks and the life of Adelbert Ames. However, the backdrop is more complex and deals with the changing environment in the United States. Most importantly, the need of the United States needed to integrate four million former slaves into society. Lemann states the purpose of this book is to answer the question “what kinds of lives black people might live in the South now depended on the freed slaves’ organizing abilities and on the reliability of their voting rights” (xi). The subtitle, The Last Battle of the Civil War, correctly states that although the Civil War had officially ended the battle stilled raged physically, politically, and through public sentiment.
“The Hero’s Journey.” Ariane Publications, 1997. Course handout. AS English I. Dept. of English, Woodside High School. 26 October 2013.
Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered the great American Novel with its unorthodox writing style and controversial topics. In the selected passage, Huck struggles with his self-sense of morality. This paper will analyze a passage from Adventures of huckleberry Finn and will touch on the basic function of the passage, the connection between the passage from the rest of the book, and the interaction between form and content.
Under the telescope of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , Mark Twain brings his audience a play of a boy, Huck, in search of freedom along with developing an innocence true friendship with a runaway slave Jim in a time of racial discrimination. He employs a critical tone demonstrated the social problems in the 19th century American society, yet expresses the idea that unconditional love and instincts prove to have better outcomes than what society demands. Throughout Huck and Jim's story struggles, fallbacks, and advances within their friendship, Mark Twain proves that the choice to do what one feels is right and what society teaches us are not always easy to make. I was truly impressed by the unconditional trust and bond between Huck and Jim; the love beyond age, race and family, it is uncommon in society, not in 19th century, not today’s society. However, Twain uses the beautiful, flawless relationship to ironically criticize the discrimination against black people and demonstrates the true friendship, human bond exists despite of everything else.
Through Steinbeck’s use of rhetorical devises such as foreshadowing, characterization and symbolism, he is able to covey the cruelty in human nature to the reader. The reality Steinbeck creates in his depression era novel exhibits the cruel nature in all of humanity. Although a tough subject, Steinbeck uses rhetorical devises to create lessons the reader can learn from the cruelty.
Individuals may look deep within to summon courage that is necessary to move past triumphs and tragedies. In Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago struggles greatly to search for hope in seemingly hopeless situations. The idea that people look deep within to summon courage is portrayed through the actions of Santiago, Manolin, and Manolin’s parents.
Lee, Jung H. "The Moral Power Of Jim: A Mencian Reading Of Huckleberry Finn." Asian Philosophy 19.2 (2009): 101-118. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
Fighting for his power and for a better future, Santiago held strong using what he had to win his battles. “I wish I had a stone for the knife,” the old man said after he had checked the lashing on the oar butt. “I should have brought a stone.” You should have brought many things, he thought. But you did not bring them, old man. Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.” (Hemingway 31) If Santiago had given up, letting the fish and everything else, which fought against him, win, he would have been defeated. However, he did not return defeated, despite what he had gone through, Santiago used what he had endured to make him stronger. Learning a valuable lesson, through his time alone out in the boat, Santiago went back to his home knowing just how much he needed Manolin. Santiago proved his strength while opening up his eyes to his own weaknesses. Coming back after the fight of his life, with his fish eaten away by sharks, and all his strength gone, Santiago was clearly destroyed, yet he had gained more than he could have ever imagined. “They beat me, Manolin,” he said. “They truly beat me.” “He didn’t beat you. Not the fish.”… “Now we fish together again.”… “I’ll bring the food and the papers,” the boy said. “Rest well, old man. I will bring stuff from the drugstore for your hands.” (Hemingway 35) Instead of becoming defeated, Santiago demonstrated his resilient character and gained a hope for his future with Manolin by his side.
Some people will go far in order to get what they want, but how many individuals would be willing to die for the sake of creating their own fate? Deciding one’s meaning of life with sincerity and passion is the core of existentialism. This philosophy plays an integral part in Hemingway’s writing, as well as his personal life. Paradigms of existentialism appear often in Hemingway’s book, The Old Man and the Sea, especially when Santiago, the old man, is determined to fell the great marlin he pursues, wants to prove to Manolin how much of a strange old man he is, and contends against the brutal sharks when there is little chance of him succeeding.