In this essay I aim to discuss the portrayal of Silas Marner in
chapters 1, 2 and 14 in the novel.
The story of Silas Marner is about how things can change in time. It
also supplies a certain message. George Elliot wrote the story in
1860. George Elliot was a female and her real name was Marian Evans.
She changed her name because it was difficult for a woman’s book to be
published. Her story deals with themes of greed, jealousy and envy.
There are many morals to this story and we can learn a lot about life.
In chapter 1 and 2 in a town called Lantern Yard, North ‘ard lives a
man called Silas Marner. He is a simple man there is nothing out of
the ordinary about him. He is very religious and spends most of his
time at God’s house, “The church in lantern yard.” He also gives a
share of his earnings to the church. Silas Marner’s job is as a linen
weaver. He is very special and respected because he is a linen weaver;
he is experienced and there were not many good and experienced linen
weavers around, “Scattered linen weavers.” Silas Marner has a very
serious medical condition, which gives him seizures (fits). He is
epileptic which basically means that he freezes, roughly for about 10
seconds and he cannot remember anything that happened in those 10
seconds, “A fit was stroke.” One day unfortunately Silas Marner had a
seizure. The unfortunate thing was that he was at the wrong place at
the wrong time. Silas Marner had a seizure while there was a crime
happening in front of his eyes. The crime was committed and the
criminal got away whereas Silas Marner (innocent bystander) was left
behind to take the blame. Silas Marner was accused of the crime that
he did not commit, but due to the false evidence against hi...
... middle of paper ...
... George Elliot uses hyphens to make sentences
longer, in shorter sentences the dramatic power of what is trying to
be said would be lost, “In the days when the spinning wheels hummed
busily in the farm houses – and great ladies, clothed in polished oak
– there might be seen in districts far away among the lanes, or deep
in the bosom of the hill’s, certain pallid undersized men, who, by the
side of the brawny country-folk, looked like the remnants of a
disinherited race.”
Overall, it can be concluded that the entrance of Eppie had a life
changing effect on Silas Marner. This is perceived in the manner in
which the chapters vary, outlining the time before and after the
entrance of a new person in Silas Marner’s life. This completely
altered Marner’s personality; hence the language and narrative style
of writing also changed to emphasis the metamorphosis.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is set in Salem in a Puritan community. John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale, Reverend Paris, and Abigail are the main characters. The book is about witchcraft or what the town thinks is witchcraft. John Proctor is the tragic hero because he is loving, loyal, authoritative, but his tragic flaw is his temper.
John Proctor: “God in heaven, what is John Proctor, what is John Proctor”. John is a man of strong moral beliefs, concerned only for the safety of his family and personal welfare. He cares of nothing for the beliefs of any of the other people in the town and what his supervisor which is the Reverend, thinks either. After trying to avoid involvement in the witch trials he is later prosecuted for witchery and sentenced to hang. John trys to avoid any involvement in the Salem witch trials. His reason for doing so is to protect his image because he is afraid he will be committed of adultery with Abigail Williams. Following these events he trys to save everyone’s lives by admitting to this horrible offense adultery and ends up losing the trial along with his life. He did have a chance to live but instead of signing away his name and his soul to keep his life, he wanted to die honorably with his friends not without a name, a soul, and with guilt. “John Proctors decision to die is reasonable and believable”. Reverend Parris, the Salem minister and Proctors immediate supervisor, which says “ there is either obedience or the church will burn like hell is burning.” “The church in theocratic Salem is identical with the state and the community and will surely crumble if unquestioning obedience falters in the least.” Proctor, on the other hand, “has come to regard his self as a king of fraud,” as long as he remains obedient to an authority which he cannot respect.
The Crucible – John Proctor the Tragic Hero What is a tragic hero? The most well known definition of a tragic hero comes from the great philosopher, Aristotle. When depicting a tragic hero, Aristotle states "The change in the hero's fortunes be not from misery to happiness, but on the contrary, from happiness to misery, and the cause of it must not lie in any depravity but in some great error on his part." In addition, he explains the four essential qualities that a tragic hero should possess, which are goodness, appropriateness, lifelike, and consistency. All of these necessities help to classify the character of John Proctor in Arthur Miller's The Crucible as the tragic hero of the play.
Religion and nature are both thought to bring beauty to life. Religion gives some a purpose to live while for others, nature provides a natural escape from the problems of modern day life. However, author Flannery O’ Connor uses both of these elements in her short story, The Life You Save May Be Your Own, for a different purpose. Religion and nature provide the reader with insight into the main character, Tom Shiflet, a troubled drifter with one arm who comes into the lives of the Crater women and leaves them abruptly. Shiflet’s moral corruption is represented in the story’s weather change and the numerous Christian symbols that surround the various characters.
The theme of this novel is to look at the good you do in life and how it carries over after your death. The moral of the book is; "People can make changes in their lives whenever they really want to, even right up to the end."
The qualities of a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle in 350 BC are: a tragic hero is a prominent member of the community, he/she has a tragic flaw (usually excessive hubris, or pride), he/she is basically good but experiences a tragic fall from his/her status in the community due to a bad decision. In Arthur Miller’s classic drama The Crucible, John Proctor is a good example of a tragic hero. He fits the criteria of a tragic hero. He is a prominent community member who has a tragic flaw that results in his tragic fall.
However, three ethical decisions that this learning will make after viewing the film is to always assist individual to the best of your ability, despite personal issues with loved ones or friends; next, always report crimes, no matter the consequence they may have; and last but not least, stand up for what’s right, even if it leads to misfortune. The pros of each of these decisions is peace within yourself. However, one of the cons is dealing with negative pressures. For example, when you report a crime, you may be summoned to court, and have to deal with the negative criticism.
So, over all, this helps you get a better understanding that ethical dilemmas happen for all people, in all walks of life, in many different situations. It shows us we must pay attention to our actions and the actions of others around us. As long as we follow the rules, and ask for a little direction when we don’t know what to do, we will all be better off in our careers as helpers.
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is quite a captivating piece of literature. I really thought this book was fantastic, even reading it for a second time. Since this is a play, the majority of the characterization had to be done through dialogue, but the astonishing depth of development that Miller achieved with his characters was astonishing. I truly felt that I intimately knew the characters by the end of the play despite how slim the volume was. Miller's play is an expose of the harsh reality of the American Dream, and while his play's message may not be hopeful, the honesty of his work will resonate with middle-class America even today. Miller's play showed me that not much has changed since post-WWII America. Average people are still struggling to capture the dream that we all feel this land offers us. Happy and Biff are the tragic characters that I hope never to become, but who can blame them for aspiring for something greater? Most disturbing of all, I truly hope that my parents' generation never fall victim to the same destructive hopes that possessed Willy Loman. Perhaps the scariest realization is that any one of us can get caught up in the delusion of what we believe we deserve.
“Once a teacher has identified an opening in the curriculum for exploring a moral value, the next step is to plan an effective lesson or unit around that value. That means selecting good materials (Lickona, 1991, p. 170)”. I feel this book is exactly that, a riveting story that can expose students to great moral values.
In the play we get to read about the white superior boy Hally and their two helpers who are Sam and Willy, who in many instances engage in debates or dialogue with the young boy. They relates their topic by referring to certain events or historic happenings that took place and are consider to have shaped the world in a positive sense or could be used to help everyday life to be lived better by all people.
In the play Fences, by August Wilson, the main character, Troy Maxson is involved in numerous relationships with family members throughout the entire eight years that the story takes place. Troy is a father, husband, and brother to other characters in the play. Unfortunately for Troy, a strong-minded and aggressive man, he constantly complicates the relationships with his family members. Troy's hurtful actions and words make it nearly impossible for him to sustain healthy relationships with not only his two sons, but also his wife and brother.
There are numerous moral lessons in the movie Forrest Gump. The extremely simple minded main character teaches viewers that you never know what life may throw your way. The creators of Forrest Gump did an excellent job relaying these messages to the audience by making them easy to understand. Forrest Gump captivates the audience with his childlike way of thinking. It is clear from the beginning of the movie that Fo...
The character is emphasising the moral and educational value of stories in human development and understanding by saying that there is always something to learn from stories, even when they are retold repeatedly.
The discussion will take place first in Silas Marner novel. It is taken to be first since it needs full concentration of the reader.