The Invisible Man: Exploring Themes of American Dream, Conflict, and Counterculture
The themes of the American Dream, conflict, rebellion, and counterculture are explored in The Invisible Man. In Callahan's portrayal of the story's narrator as an invisible being, invisibility is seen as a mental condition or a strength of will rather than the disappearance act it is typically associated with. From his perspective, we will either appear to be obvious or invisible depending on the traits or attitudes of the people around us. Because of his skin tone, the storyteller often goes unnoticed.Ellison presents his narrator in such a manner that though there is movement around, and the narrator as part of it, he still doesn't seem to appear. It is like the people are day dreaming as they go about their daily activities. Depending on ones' level of optimism or pessimism, the invisibility can be termed as a blessing in disguise depending on how one channels its response. The book has an internal conflict of interest concerning his visibility. In the book, the war aspect can be portrayed as one of the many themes Ellison uses to address his readers. Undoubtedly, from the narrator's point of view, we see he has a vision of freedom in America. Ellison portrays a historical era where the dreams of any black man to succeed in America were just a piece of false hope. The book also evidence break of cultural norms. The foundation of psychological meltdown includes factors such as fear, paranoia, and despair.
The Divisive Cult of True Womanhood in American Literature
The divisive and dominant cult of True Womanhood was pervasive in American literature in the nineteenth century. Welter asserts that the four core requirements of women in this cult were submissiveness, purity, domesticity, piety. The notion of femininity was dominant and continually subjugated women. Jacobs offers a critique of this power structure, which oppressed women. The author subverts the concept of femininity as defined by the cult of womanhood. Welter states that Piety was at the core of a woman's virtues because its presence meant that other virtues would follow (152). Jacobs also challenges submissiveness and purity, elements and defined true womanhood in the nineteenth century. These elements are inextricably connected due to their close association with sexual identity. Furthermore, submissiveness was also vital because a woman was expected to suffer in silence and obey men at all costs (Welter 162). The narrative employs women's forms of resistance to challenge the conventions of submissiveness and purity as supported by white patriarchal power dynamics.
Exploring Slavery's Effects: Selfhood, Humanity, and the Psychological and Physical Trauma
Selfhood, Humanity and the Psychological and Physical Effects of Slavery are two narratives which provide the reader with a view of the trials and tribulations of slavery. These stories detail compelling themes of slavery like resistance and fight, racism, labor, family relations, and religion that today's readers may find unraveling. The stories enable the current reader to situate their narratives in the evolution of American history. There is physical and psychological trauma that is caused by racism and slavery. However, one point of departure between these two narratives is the authors' involvement of other people in their struggles and alleviation of suffering. Evidently, Douglass rarely acknowledges the role that other people played in the reassertion of his sense of selfhood and humanity. Douglass states the existence of his extended family and friends but does not substantiate their role in alleviating his suffering. Douglass's Narrative presents a lone hero in his quest for freedom. Douglass, however, acknowledges the role of the white people in helping him to read and write. Here, the author tries to show that without the support of the white people, he would not have achieved selfhood and humanity. Notably, both narratives can be used to help the readers to understand the cruelty of slavery due to its nature of disrupting the lives of slaves and slaveholders.
Analyzing Gender Roles in Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants"
Feminist theory is used in the analysis of the to analyze some of Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants," in the book, the dynamics existing between the couple, Jig and the American lover, show the negative characteristics that are superficial in female and male roles in a love relationship. The jig is exposed as passive female, who does not know and understand her mind and habituated as a disciple of the masterful male. The man appears to typify the negative characteristics that women have fought against them. As earlier outlined, the man tends to control all aspects of the circumstances. Jig begins to assert herself towards the man through her means. Renner mentions that Jig exposes her desires when she visualizes the fertile side of the hills, precisely she says "And we could have all this" (Hemingway 574). Jigs certain degree assertiveness clues most readers to believe that she will not conform to the abortion when the story climax. Renner contends that the instance Jig requests the man on the way to "Please stop talking," Jig is practically implying that "I can't go through with it." In his response, the man replies Jig by affirming "But I don't want you to" (Hemingway p.575). En route for comprehending Renner's subsequent notion that backs the deduction that Jig is failing to undergo the abortion, the audience has first to establish particular of the imagery of the situation. Conversely, the man sticks to the opposing side of Jig's intention, which a symbol that he proposes the aborting of the baby. Notably, the author is compassionate to the female depicted in the narration. Critically, applying the feminine theory, it is believable that the story is primarily centered on the superiority of males over females, precisely the male in the story over Jig.
Exploring Morality and Corruption in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure
The book of Measure for Measure encompasses immorality and the play explores various aspects of morality such as corruption, promiscuity, prostitution and premarital sex. Lord Angelo is the protagonist of the play who particularly reveals the theme of morality. In the time of the play, the judicial system together with the church, were entitled with the task of upholding morality within the society but the play shows that the two institutions failed. Shakespeare uses his play to advocate for the need for the judicial systems, and laws, to deal with the issue of human morality in a logical manner that ensures social justice and peace.at the start of the play, Angelo is portrayed as a super human with strict moral virtues which makes the reader see that he is a honourablke person. He also rules Vienna with excess morality and shows no concern for social justice and humanity. However, Claudio's case questions Lord Angelo's morals. When the case unfolds, the reader gets to know the other side of Angelo and the decision he makes leaves the readers wondering whether morality does not include the respect for human life. Angelo was misusing his powers as a leader, thus affecting the lives of the citizens negatively. The fact that Angelo expects Isabella to forgo her moral values and give him her virginity, is a sign that he lacks morals. His behavior is a symbol of weakness. Angelo was willing to corrupt the law to cater for the needs of his weaknesses as a man.
The Influence of the Renaissance on American Literature and Culture
The culture, literature and the artistic expressions in the modern American society are a reflection of the Renaissance progressions. The influence has realized new emphasis on humanism which has resulted in turning away from the prevailing ideals set forth by the church. The western history was modeled by the religious influence, and the principle of realism remained to be a vital aspect of the society. Notably, the Renaissance was not only a significant English phenomenon but a European one as well. The most substantial influence of the early Renaissance was the transformation of the Greek and the Roman literature. This change opened a window for the countrymen to the enthralling world of conventional antiquity which provided with all the brilliance of innovations and introduction to the world of gods and goddesses. The Renaissance had caused great impact on the awakening of the society with the English literature. This ignited the new life that influenced the society. King Lear is a tragedy which is derived from the mythological Celtic King of the pre-Roman era and has been widely adapted for plays and motion pictures. The provision of metaphysical visualization, perception on the motives and the values of a human along with the integration of awareness in the universal aspect of the human nature; for the basis of Shakespeare work. Moreover, this play had depicted a cumulative influence which is deeply disturbing and is very subversive. The plot depicts to be a humanity of ancient Britain and the entire world.
The Psychological Study of Mental Illness in Poe's "The Black Cat"
The book of The Black Cat's concerns the struggle of a man who has a mental illness. The protagonist in the story was once a good man and became insane, and he draws a theme of feelings and effects of psychosis. The narrator of the story writes the story while in jail, and he is an alcoholic. On one night, the house of the narrator is burnt, and he sees the impression of gigantic Pluto. The narrator kills a cat, and he later see's something more than just a cat at the end of the story when the police discover the body; that one might say is supernatural. The narrator kills Pluto and goes insane and the second cat appears which a symbol of narrator's development of psychosis is. The cat's missing an eye, like Pluto, is merely in the narrator's insane mind. Evident, the narrator goes into a deep state of psychosis after killing Pluto. The narrator's claim that "[his] very senses reject their evidence" is perhaps the biggest clue to his delusion, his inability to face the cold horror of a simple murder and his consequent compulsion to create a feline "phantasm." Pluto is a representation of the narrator's life before he became an alcoholic. Poe in his book "The Black Cat" is also a representation of the psychological study of domestic violence and guilt. Poe creates a "supernatural twist" in using the cat.
Works Cited
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Poe, Edgar Allan. The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. "The Black Cat." Compilation by Barnes & Noble, Inc. New York, NY. 2006.
Bradley, Frederick C. Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. London: Penguin. 1991. Print
Bawcutt, N W. "" 'He Who the Sword of Heaven Will Bear': The Duke Versus Angelo in Measure for Measure,". Shakespeare Survey: An Annual Survey of Shakespeare Studies and Production 37 (1984): 89-97.
Shakespeare, William Stratford Town Edition. William Shakespeare, The Complete Works. New York: Dorset, 1988.
Ernest Hemingway, "Hills Like White Elephants" (174-178)
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself. Eds. William L. Andrews and William S. McFeely. New York: Norton, 1997. Print.
Jacobs, Harriet A. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself. The Classic Slave Narratives. Ed. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. New York: Mentor, 1987. 335-513. Print.
Welter, Barbara. "The Cult of True Womanhood: 1820-1860." American Quarterly 18 (1966): 151-74. Web.
Callahan, John F. Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man: A Casebook. New York: Oxford University
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