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Gender and sexuality in literature
Symbolism ofannabel lee
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Discuss the use of humour in The Opposite Sex.
The Opposite Sex is a small story, which although diminuitive in
length, fits its' purpose well as a humourous short read.
The use of language, the portrayal of certain images and the dexterous
use of imagery in literary terms such as similies are all well within
place in the story- all contributing to the laughable effect that it
has upon its' readers.
I believe that 'The Opposite Sex' is set and based on the times that
the writer Laurie Lee had when he was a young boy. This helps to link
the story into modern age circumstances, that although it has been a
few years since Lee was a young boy, as proven in my Julius Caesar
essay, human nature does not change. Therefore the reader finds it
easier to relate to.
The story is written very informally, rather like a 'chatty' style,
this helps to create a better link between the writing and the reader
themselves. This is shown in the very first line of 'The Opposite
Sex'. Only six words in, the word 'sex'is used. To many this would be
shocking, but also a small pointer in the direction of an exciting
read.
When Lee describes how his life was as open as a 'cucumber frame' and
that sex to him was a 'constant force like the national grid', we
begin to see his imaginative use of similies, which are used well by
Lee to create good humourous effect.
One of the funniest parts from the story follows, as Lee describes how
he felt about sex, using lots of tricky similies and using the
comparison between sex and a 'game of cricket'. 'After years of lazily
inspecting the pitch, came when I was suddenly called to play'. This
shows that Lee had been concious of sex for a long time, but his burst
for it had only just emerged as he was 'called to play'. He then
writes- 'There had of course, been early practice at the nets, some of
it solitary..". I found this particular extraction from the story very
humourous, as Lee is using such phallic symbols as these, which is
paving the way for the reader to imagine what he's actually getting
it, so therefore it would apply to everybody's sense of humour. Then
he writes, '..the occasion arrived when I actually stood at the
crease, bat in hand, ready to strip the willow'. I also found this
particular part very amusing, as mentioned before, I can imagine what
he's getting at here. It's a clever use of a set of phallic symbols
which serve to take place of any crude language and also help to add
What is the most common perception held in this country concerning the people and the way they live in the South? The perception most of the country has about life down here in the South is one of slow-paced living, simple-minded people, and stubborn, unwarranted pride. One of the best ways to combat this perception is through the use of humor; Lewis Grizzard was one of the best at this, because he could take the experiences from his own life as well as the lives of others in the South and turn them into humorous semi-fictional stories. He was one of the preeminent fictional authors this country has ever seen because of his ability to connect with people and joke about everyday life in the south, without offending the subjects of those jokes, despite the popular opinion the rest of the country held.
“Morreall argues that, if we want to answer these questions, we shouldn’t focus on whether the joke happens to trade on a stereotype. Instead, he takes the primary problem with some humor to be that it involves disengaging from things with which we ought to be engaged.” (Morreall, 529)
As he matured, he became more confident with women. However, his inability to achieve an erection foiled several early attempts at sex. He discovered that fear and violence excited him more than sex itself when he was eighteen years old. He was attempting to have sex with a woman who was uninterested. When she struggled, Chikatilo overpowered her but released her when he discover...
The author of Everyman manages to engage us in this religious drama through the use of humor, using humor keeps the reader entertained. There are many examples in Everyman that show how the use of humor entertains the reader and conveys the moral lessons embedded in the play. Examples of this humor is evident in the responses Everyman receives when he summons his various qualities to ask them to accompany him on his journey to death, an example of such humor is when Everyman reveals the journey destination to Fellowship who initially agreed to accompany him, “Now, by God that all hath bought, If Death were the messenger, For no man that is living today I will not go that loath journey! Not for the father that begat me!”(Everyman), here we see
Lee starts to take more pride in her appearance and her demeanor as she is aroused by the domination progress and begins to rely on it on a day to day basis. Sadomasochism becomes Lee’s whole life, it controls her.
In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, McMurphy often uses the power of laughter to overcome what is going on in the world around him. Laughter lightens the feeling in the book, and at times gives it a warmer feeling. It also helps develop, and shape the characters throughout the entire story.
According to Gazzaniga, Heatherton, and Halpern in Psychological Science, an effective to regulate emotion is through humor (430). Humor allows individuals to distance themselves from negative emotions and can strengthen social connections to others (Gazzaniga, Heatherton, and Halpern 431). In Native American communities, laughter and humor are often utilized to cope with stereotypes imposed upon Native Americans by non-Native people. Illustrations of this occurrence can be found throughout works by Native peoples, such as that by Sherman Alexie. These sources involve Native Americans embracing, rebelling against, and bringing attention to stereotypes about who they are and who the can be, all while using humor to cope with the emotions involved
In the 2004 book, Status Anxiety, Alain de Botton argues that the chief aim of humorists is not only to entertain but “to convey with impunity messages that might.be dangerousor impossible to state directly.” Some agree that humorists serve a vital function to society. However, others argue that the opposite is true. A humorist is one who is skillful in the use of humor. This includes cartoonists, stand-up comics, satirical writers, hosts of television programs, and others. Although the work of such humorists may seem crude and is often controversial, it is an effective way to shed light on important subjects in the modern world.
Humor can come in many different forms. Many people are aware of the blatant humor of slapstick, but it takes a keener mind to notice the subtle detail in sarcasm or satire. In A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift was able to create a piece of literature addressing the faults of the Irish culture while embedding in a humorous essay. Swift’s satire allows for the gravity of the Irish standings to be exploited under the disguise of a proposal for economic benefit.
The year 1960 is significant in American history for a variety of reasons. It was the year in which John F. Kennedy was elected as president, a national campaign for Civil Rights lit on fire the emotions of many, and the year that the United States flag was completed upon the addition of the fiftieth star. In the center of the buzz of this revolutionary year was American journalists, the heart and soul of communication. Journalists in this decade were faced with the extraordinary challenge of informing citizens of current events, all of the while relying on reliable sources to avoid falsities and over exaggeration, yet still serving the most riveting information. To ensure the success of journalists, American journalist and politician, Clare
Thus far, David Lurie's role in life has seen only a fleeting few personal relationships that were not lasting for any length of time. He has solely existed to pursue sex without any conscience regard, evening seducing yo...
The book is very sexual, it has many sexual terms with the likes of “cunt”, “pussy” and “cock” being a few. I first see this play off in page 59 when Valeska comes over to the Miller household to take care of Henry’s daughter while his wife is at the doctors getting ready to go into the surgery room for an abortion. Miller who stays with Valeska to watch his daughter soon have sex while the kid sleeps. Instead of focusing on Valseska and their sex he remembers his grandfather sitting on the bench warning his mother Henry was reading too much, he also thought of the attack on San Juan Hill by the Rough Riders and even a trip to the Navy Yard accompanied by his father when he was a kid. The fact that he thought of all these memories as he had an affair with the woman he was supposedly “crazy” about is astonishing. It lead me to believe that Henry thought much more of sexual intercourse than we regular people did. He continues to have his affairs including a one night stand with Pauline, a minor who happened to be Jewish and homeless and also an Egyptian colleague who also happened to be of Jewish descent. I believe Henry views sex as a way to connect himself to the world spiritually. He explains that most of what surrounds him is in the midst of chaos. The world was tearing apart, he was surrounded by failure and that he too would fail in life because of it. After living with these thoughts his whole life even as a kid, Miller was able to view sexual intercourse as the portal from which he abandons the physical world and floats toward spirituality in search to find the true meaning of life, the true meaning of
Next, during the movie there are scenes where the narrator experiences amnesia and switching. One scene in particular which describes this the best would be the one when he slept with Marla. Marla talks to the narrator about what happened last night and he becomes disgusted. Thinking it was Tyler who slept with Marla and not him, here he experiences switching and amnesia. Tyler switched over when it came to his pleasure and confidence. This causes the narrator to not remember or even know that he performed those
Feeling down and depressed? Laugh all those troubles away. Laughter is a simple yet substantial way of putting that little spring back in the step. When people say “Laughter is the best medicine,” what are they referring to? Laughing acts as calorie burner, prevents heart disease or other illnesses, can increase learning abilities and focus, or even bring a more optimistic outlook on life.
Humor is the tendency to look at things from the mirthful or incongruous side. It is the quality that makes something laughable or amusing. Humor is the ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is amusing or comical. It is the source of laughter and the catalyst of smiles. Humor is the spark that lights our eyes as well as the cause of tears that never grows old. Humor is a state of mind.