mocks the insecurity that can develop in a person. This primary flaw in Curley displays a basic flaw of humanity. Howard Levant reiterates this point in saying, "The central theme is stated and restated - the good life is impossible because humanity is flawed" (Owens 146). Candy, an old swamper, tells George, "Curley's like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He's alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at 'em because he ain't a big guy" (Steinbeck 26). This insecurity is articulated
may actually make us unhappy. Tim Kasser has written an excellent short book describing the scientific evidence relating to materialism and happiness. Kasser gives one striking quotation concerning Jim Clark, the founder of Netscape and other computer companies: "Before Silicon Graphics, Clark said a fortune of $10 million would make him happy; before Netscape, $100 million; before Healtheon, a billion; now, he told Lewis, 'Once I have more money than Larry Ellison, I'll be satisfied.' Ellison
husband. In the second story, the jealousy surrounds Smurch who is envious of Charles Lindbergh's fame and accolades. The jealousy in the final story is the envy of the attention that any man with fame can receive from a woman. Each person's own insecurity allows envy to control their actions and creates trouble in their lives. The three stories all have jealousy, in some it is more clear than others. Jealousy lead two of the characters to make a fool of themselves, and it cost another character his
in The Dead The study of Gabriel's character is probably one of the most important aims in James Joyce's The Dead1. What shall we think of him? Is the reader supposed to think little of Gabriel or should he/she even feel sorry for him? This insecurity already implies that the reader gets more and more aware that he/she develops ambivalent feeling towards Gabriel and that his character is presented from various perspectives. Gabriel's conduct appears to be split and seems to represent different
Mr. Garner is a very insecure man with a lot of power. As a result of his insecurity, he feels that he has to prove his intelligence by the misuse of superiority. He proves his superiority by making the slaves feel that he is the superior to them. Due to Mr. Garners insecurity he makes his slaves believe that he is the most powerful man, and that they can not survive with out him. Mr. Garner compensates for his insecurities about his manliness by treating his slaves less than men. Garner tries to
But inwardly, Gene is plagued by the darker forces of human nature, forces that prey upon the turbulence of adolescence. Gene's admiration and love for Finny is balanced and marred by his fierce jealousy of him, by a deep insecurity in himself, and, because of his insecurity, a need to compete with and "defeat" his friend at all costs. Gene's internal emotional battles are the major source of conflict and tension in the novel. Phineas - Called Finny by his classmates, Phineas is Gene's closest companion
declares this is asserting that they will not be fooled by another's assumptions or perceptions of the world. This understanding raises a great sense of security within us, concerning the things that we do see, and inversely, an unavoidable sense of insecurity in those beliefs that are not supported by vision. Do you believe in Ghosts? Angels? Out of body experiences? Would you believe if you could see them? Maybe not. But it is possible to offer those who are withholding there stamp of approval on things
Creon's Tragic Insecurity in Antigone In ancient Greek tragedies at least one character has the misfortune of having a tragic flaw. The flaw usually effects the protagonist and leads to his down fall. Normally, the characters close to the protagonist are all affected by his flaw. In Antigone, by Sophocles, Creon's tragic flaw is that he is insecure. Creon's insecurity leads to the death of many people and to his own downfall. At many times, Creon feels that people are directing everything
Hamlet acts as an earthly means of revenge, he is the output for actions directed by a mortal being. Inner weakness has riddled Hamlet's life, it runs rampant in his decisions, or lack of, and has plagued his fate. His inability to overcome insecurity, procrastination, and an over analytical mind contribute, overwhelmingly, to his downfall. Hamlet allows negative character attributes to steer his life, the point being, He is an instrument of his own indecision, which spawned from flaws within
and the witches and ghost in Macbeth, as disrupting elements that not only enhance drama, but also tear apart the existing order of things. They force the title character of each play to undergo their own internal struggle that grows from their insecurity of living up to the image of a man. First, let us consider Hamlet. The presence of the supernatural takes center stage at the beginning with a dramatic appearance of the ghost of Hamlet's father. Although the ghost does not speak, his
captivating atmosphere, emphasizes the force that the protagonist struggles with, and he makes it believable. Hardy creates an environment of rough landscape with phrases like “Three miles of irregular upland…” (760), thus creating a feeling of insecurity. Hardy also represents it in “…some starved fragment of ancient hedge is usually taken advantage of the erection of these forlorn dwellings” (760). In addition, we see the forming of an environment of danger, like in the passage where it says “…straightway
Real and Unreal What’s Ideally Real? What is ideal and what is real? We seem to have this idealized concept of what love is supposed to be like according to the way society has molded us. Perhaps these ideals are more about the self than they are about a relationship between two people. We want to feel loved, and when we get that love from another person we become determined to secure that feeling. By securing these feelings we lean towards controlling that relationship. However, control
relationship with Bobby, because she suspected that he could never commit himself to a monogamous relationship. She had previously dismissed her concerns about Bobby's fidelity after concluding that her "concerns" were just another example of her own insecurity. Maybe her dad was right; maybe Bobby would never commit. "The only way that tomcat will come home is if he's neutered," he used to say in his stern, matter-of-fact voice. She resented her dad's advice at the time, but now she realized that he
cetera. All of our emotions, from anger to insecurity, are influenced by several factors, just as our lives are influenced by our emotions (Gelinas, Emotions 35). First of all, it causes problems when one does not trust himself, and it shows up in many ways. Some people brag to call attention to themselves, causing others to believe that the egoistic person has a lot of self-respect. Very often though, egotism can be an attempt to cover up insecurity in a person who does not feel they will
Love and Death in The Epic of Gilgamesh Abstract: The most interesting stories invariably are about love and death. These two themes underlie the Epic of Gilgamesh, a mythic tale of the quest for immortality. Gilgamesh, profoundly affected by the death of his friend Enkidu at the hands of the gods, questions the injustice of life. Finding no answer, he of course tries to change—indeed, eliminate—the question by seeking immortality. The following essay examines Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s relationship
his downfall. He is not merely a vehicle for the machinations of Iago; he had free agency. Othello's deficiencies are: an insecure grasp of Venetian social values; lack of critical intelligence, self-knowledge, and faith in his wife; and finally, insecurity-- these are the qualities that lead to his own downfall. Othello is the Cultural Other in Venetian society, and while he is very learned, it is probable that he is not fully aware of the social and cultural mores that govern Venice. As a Moor
Insecurity as a Root of Tyranny “Everyday Use,” by the acclaimed author Alice Walker, is a thematic and symbolic adaptation of the author’s life and the lifestyle of the African-American population during the 1960’s. Reviewing Alice Walker’s life and the 1960’s provides the necessary background to understand the character development of this story. Walker was born in 1944, the daughter of poor southern sharecroppers in Georgia. The history of the Walker family predates slavery; therefore, many
The protagonist in “Cathedral,” Bub, is a man who has several defining characteristics. Bub is insecure, insensitive, and ignorant. This is clearly shown in Bub’s relationships with his wife and Robert. Bub’s insecurities are blatantly shown when he comments on his wife’s ex-husband: Her officer-why should be have a name? He was her childhood sweetheart, and what more does he want? Bub resents the ex-husband for being his wife’s first love. He would have liked to have had that role so he negatively
Fredrick Douglass expresses that being enslaved is a wretched act and that no man should ever deserve such treatment. Despite being a slave, he kept strong and eventually broke the chain of society. However, Fredrick Douglass experienced great “insecurity” and “loneliness” with his new freedom, and was upon a new “hunting-ground.” His new freedom brought other devastating factors, being a new state without any friends, which caused his loneliness. In this new state, he grew insecure for he was in
Human Insecurity in T.S Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock T.S Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is an examination of human insecurity and folly, embodied in the title's J. Alfred Prufrock. Eliot's story of a man's "overwhelming question", his inability to ask it, and consequently, his mental rejection plays off the poem's many ambiguities, both structural and literal. Eliot uses these uncertainties to develop both the plot of the poem and the character of J. Alfred Prufrock