Themes, Motifs and Symbols for the Twelfth Night Essay Example for Free

Themes, Motifs and Symbols for the Twelfth Night Essay Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy, and romantic love is the play’s main focus. Despite the fact that the play offers a happy ending, in which the various lovers find one another and achieve wedded bliss, Shakespeare shows that love can cause pain. Many of the characters seem to view love as a kind of curse, a feeling that attacks its victims suddenly and disruptively. Various characters claim to suffer painfully from being in love, or, rather, from the pangs of unrequited love. At one point, Orsino depicts love dolefully as an â€Å"appetite† that he wants to satisfy and cannot, at another point; he calls his desires â€Å"fell and cruel hounds†. Olivia more bluntly describes love as a â€Å"plague† from which she suffers terribly. These metaphors contain an element of violence, further painting the love-struck as victims of some random force in the universe. Even the less melodramatic Viola sighs unhappily that â€Å"My state is desperate for my master’s love.† This desperation has the potential to result in violence—when Orsino threatens to kill Cesario because he thinks that Cesario has forsaken him to become Olivia’s lover. Love is also exclusionary: some people achieve romantic happiness, while others do not. At the end of the play, as the happy lovers rejoice, both Malvolio and Antonio are prevented from having the objects of their desire. Malvolio, who has pursued Olivia, must ultimately face the realization that he is a fool, socially unworthy of his noble mistress. Antonio is in a more difficult situation, as social norms do not allow for the gratification of his apparently sexual attraction to Sebastian. Love, thus, cannot conquer all obstacles, and those whose desires go unfulfilled remain no less in love but feel the sting of its absence all the more severely. The Uncertainty of Gender Gender is one of the most obvious and much-discussed topics in the play. Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s so-called transvestite comedies, in which a female character—in this case, Viola—disguises herself as a man. This situation creates a sexual mess: Viola falls in love with Orsino but cannot tell him, because he thinks she is a man, while Olivia, the object of Orsino’s affection, falls for Viola in her guise as Cesario. There is a clear homoerotic subtext here: Olivia is in love with a woman, even if she thinks he is a man, and Orsino often remarks on Cesario’s beauty, suggesting that he is attracted to Viola even before her male disguise is removed. This latent homoeroticism finds an explicit echo in the minor character of Antonio, who is clearly in love with his male friend, Sebastian. But Antonio’s desires cannot be satisfied, while Orsino and Olivia both find tidy heterosexual gratification once the sexua l ambiguities and deceptions are straightened out. Yet, even at the play’s close, Shakespeare leaves things somewhat murky, especially in the Orsino-Viola relationship. Orsino’s declaration of love to Viola suggests that he enjoys prolonging the pretence of Viola’s masculinity. Even after he knows that Viola is a woman, Orsino says to her, â€Å"Boy, thou hast said to me a thousand times / Thou never should’st love woman like to me.’’ Similarly, in his last lines, Orsino declares, â€Å"Cesario, come— / For so you shall be while you are a man; / But when in other habits you are seen, / Orsino’s mistress, and his fancy’s queen.† Even once everything is revealed, Orsino continues to address Viola by her male name. We can thus only wonder whether Orsino is truly in love with Viola, or if he is more enamoured of her male persona. The Folly of Ambition The problem of social ambition works itself out largely through the character of Malvolio, the steward, who seems to be a competent servant, if prudish and dour, but proves to be, in fact, a supreme egotist, with tremendous ambitions to rise out of his social class. Maria plays on these ambitions when she forges a letter from Olivia that makes Malvolio believe that Olivia is in love with him and wishes to marry him. Sir Toby and the others find this fantasy hysterically funny, of course—not only because of Malvolio’s unattractive personality but also because Malvolio is not of noble blood. In the class system of Shakespeare’s time, a noblewoman would generally not sully her reputation by marrying a man of lower social status. Yet the atmosphere of the play may render Malvolio’s aspirations less unreasonable than they initially seem. The feast of Twelfth Night, from which the play takes its name, was a time when social hierarchies were turned upside down. That same spirit is alive in Illyria: indeed, Malvolio’s antagonist, Maria, is able to increase her social standing by marrying Sir Toby. But it seems that Maria’s success may be due to her willingness to accept and promote the anarchy that Sir Toby and the others embrace. This Twelfth Night spirit, then, seems to pass by Malvolio, who doesn’t wholeheartedly embrace the upending of order and decorum but rather wants to blur class lines for himself alone. Motifs Letters, Messages, and Tokens Twelfth Night features a great variety of messages sent from one character to another—sometimes as letters and other times in the form of tokens. Such messages are used both for purposes of communication and miscommunication—sometimes deliberate and sometimes accidental. Maria’s letter to Malvolio, which purports to be from Olivia, is a deliberate (and successful) attempt to trick the steward. Sir Andrew’s letter demanding a duel with Cesario, meanwhile, is meant seriously, but because it is so appallingly stupid, Sir Toby does not deliver it, rendering it extraneous. Malvolio’s missive, sent by way of Feste from the dark room in which he is imprisoned, ultimately works to undo the confusion caused by Maria’s forged letter and to free Malvolio from his imprisonment. But letters are not the only kind of messages that characters employ to communicate with one another. Individuals can be employed in the place of written communication—Orsino repeatedly sends Cesario, for instance, to deliver messages to Olivia. Objects can function as messages between people as well: Olivia sends Malvolio after Cesario with a ring, to tell the page that she loves him, and follows the ring up with further gifts, which symbolize her romantic attachment. Messages can convey important information, but they also create the potential for miscommunication and confusion—especially with characters like Maria and Sir Toby manipulating the information. Madness No one is truly insane in Twelfth Night, yet a number of characters are accused of being mad, and a current of insanity or zaniness runs through the action of the play. After Sir Toby and Maria dupe Malvolio into believing that Olivia loves him, Malvolio behaves so bizarrely that he is assumed to be mad and is locked away in a dark room. Malvolio himself knows that he is sane, and he accuses everyone around him of being mad. Meanwhile, when Antonio encounters Viola (disguised as Cesario), he mistakes her for Sebastian, and his angry insistence that she recognize him leads people to assume that he is mad. All of these incidents feed into the general atmosphere of the play, in which normal life is thrown topsy-turvy, and everyone must confront a reality that is somehow fractured. Disguises Many characters in Twelfth Night assume disguises, beginning with Viola, who puts on male attire and makes everyone else believe that she is a man. By dressing his protagonist in male garments, Shakespeare creates endless sexual confusion with the Olivia-ViolaOrsino love triangle. Other characters in disguise include Malvolio, who puts on crossed garters and yellow stockings in the hope of winning Olivia, and Feste, who dresses up as a priest—Sir Topas—when he speaks to Malvolio after the steward has been locked in a dark room. Feste puts on the disguise even though Malvolio will not be able to see him, since the room is so dark, suggesting that the importance of clothing is not just in the eye of the beholder. For Feste, the disguise completes his assumption of a new identity—in order to be Sir Topas, he must look like Sir Topas. Viola puts on new clothes and changes her gender, while Feste and Malvolio put on new garments either to impersonate a noble man (Feste) or in the hopes of becoming a nobleman (Malvolio). Through these disguises, the play raises questions about what makes us who we are, compelling the audience to wonder if things like gender and class are set in stone, or if they can be altered with a change of clothing. Mistaken Identity The instances of mistaken identity are related to the prevalence of disguises in the play, as Viola’s male clothing leads to her being mistaken for her brother, Sebastian, and vice versa. Sebastian is mistaken for Viola (or rather, Cesario) by Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, and then by Olivia, who promptly marries him. Meanwhile, Antonio mistakes Viola for Sebastian, and thinks that his friend has betrayed him when Viola claims to not know him. These cases of mistaken identity, common in Shakespeare’s comedies, create the tangled situation that can be resolved only when Viola and Sebastian appear together, helping everyone to understand what has happened. Symbols Olivia’s Gifts When Olivia wants to let Cesario know that she loves him, she sends him a ring by way of Malvolio. Later, when she mistakes Sebastian for Cesario, she gives him a precious pearl. In each case, the jewel serves as a token of her love—a physical symbol of her romantic attachment to a man who is really a woman. The gifts are more than symbols, though. â€Å"Youth is bought more oft than begged or borrowed,† Olivia says at one point, suggesting that the jewels are intended almost as bribes—that she means to buy Cesario’s love if she cannot win it. The Darkness of Malvolio’s Prison When Sir Toby and Maria pretend that Malvolio is mad, they confine him in a pitch-black chamber. Darkness becomes a symbol of his supposed insanity, as they tell him that the room is filled with light and his inability to see is a sign of his madness. Malvolio reverses the symbolism. â€Å"I say this house is as dark as ignorance, though ignorance were as dark as hell; and I say there was never man thus abused.† In other words, the darkness—meaning madness—is not in the room with him, but outside, with Sir Toby and Feste and Maria, who have unjustly imprisoned him. Changes of Clothing Clothes are powerful in Twelfth Night. They can symbolize changes in gender—Viola puts on male clothes to be taken for a male— as well as class distinctions. When Malvolio fantasizes about becoming a nobleman, he imagines the new clothes that he will have. When Feste impersonates Sir Topas, he puts on a nobleman’s garb, even though Malvolio, whom he is fooling, cannot see him, suggesting that clothes have a power that transcends their physical function.

Importance of the Monkey Garden in The House on Mango Street :: House Mango Street

Importance of the Monkey Garden in The House on Mango Street Life as a kid is effortless, where the only motive is to have fun. Some people never want to have responsibility and complexity that comes with being an adult as they realize they must take accountability sometime. Likewise in "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros, Esperanza tries her best to avoid is renegade against the normal expectations of women on Mango Street. Esperanza's only way to avoid having to become part of the adult world around her, is by entering The Monkey Garden where she gets to be a kid. Esperanza's depiction of the serene and carefree descriptions of the garden contrast the confused and disturbed attitude Esperanza has towards Sally and the boys' game. As she finally realizes she cannot remain a kid forever, Esperanza feel alienated and alone. Esperanza's overwhelmed tone reveals her fear and doggedness to adversity when sally's game defiles the garden's innocence/purity, exposing Esperanza to the realization that she cannot remain a kid forever. Esperanza's syntax reveals that innocence is irrevocable. Reminiscing of the Monkey Garden Esperanza "suppose[s], the reason why [they] went there" was because it was "Far away from where [their] mothers could find [them]"Cisneros (95). In the garden the kids were able to play without any adults around. The garden became a place of rejuvenation for Esperanza, where only kids were allowed and the horrors of the adult world remain unnoticed. Esperanza observes, "Things had a way of disappearing in the garden, as if the garden itself ate them, or, as if with its old-man memory, it put them away and forgot them."(95). This shows that the garden was a place where things easily went unnoticed and it was not uncommon to loose things. For Esperanza, this represents the place where she is forced into her loss of childhood, and comparing this to a forgetful old man makes sense since when people mature they loose their innocence and childlike attributes. When the boys stole Sally's keys "they were all laughing" and "[Sally] was too" however, "It was a joke [Esperanza] didn't get"(96). The boys take advantage of Sally by stealing her keys so Sally seizes the opportunity to be able to flirt back with them.

Helicopter Parents Essay

I am writing in response to the article â€Å"Interfering parents ‘damaging children’†. This article said that some parents are far too conscious about their children and they try to monitor their every single action. These parents may force them to ‘friend’ them on facebook account, or even checking their text messages. They are called ‘helicopter parents as they keep on tracking their children. I understand that parents care about their children. They do not want their children to get hurt and they try to keep them away from danger. However, these monitoring actions may cause their children to feel trapped with no freedom. Their children will eventually become secretive and they may try to hide themselves in front of their parents. In this case, their parents will try harder to track their children’s actions, which will turn out to be a vicious cycle. Therefore, parents should learn how cope with their children’s problem. Parents can discuss issues that they concern with children but they should still give their children spaces as well as privacy. Children may have their own friends and social life. They may not want their parents to intrude in their social life and make friends with every friend they know. Parents should try to chat with their children as a friend instead of forcing them to report every detail about their school life. If you are willing to give your child more freedom and not over-reacted, your children will be more willing to tell you things happened around them,  Ã¢â‚¬ËœHelicopter parents’ has become a social problem in recent years. We must understand the reason behind and try to cope with the problem. In conclusion, communication between parents and children are important. If parents and children are willing to communicate with each other, they can be clear about each other’s feelings. Thereby making suitable adjustment on the attitude they take on each other.

Outline Of A Speech On Alzheimer s Speech Essay - 1474 Words

Jordon Wong Alzheimer’s speech I don’t remember a time when my grandpa knew who I was. He had a disease that affected me and my family personally. In fact, I’m guessing that many of you sitting in the audience have also been affected by this horrible disease. The disease I am talking about is Alzheimer’s. Did you know that 1 in every 9 people age 65 or older have it? And even worse 1 in every 3 people age 85 or older are affected by it. Many of you may already know something about Alzheimer’s, but let me give you a brief run down. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s include memory loss, difficulty completing simple tasks, confusion with time or place, problems with speaking or writing, changes in mood or personality, and increased anxiety. Now I know you may be thinking, he is just describing the freshmen sitting in the back. But don’t be fooled, all they suffer from is a lack of sleep and rampant immaturity, but for older people these are symptoms of a disease that wreaks havoc on fa milies throughout the world. People with Alzheimer’s try to continue doing normal everyday activities. Depending on how bad the progression of the disease is, this could be a very dangerous situation for them and could make their loved one’s very worried. One time, my grandpa decided that he was going to go to the store to buy groceries. So he took the car keys, hopped in the car and drove to the grocery store without my grandma realizing that he had gone. He bought some groceries then started going backShow MoreRelatedDementia Awareness1508 Words   |  7 Pagesdamaged by diseases, such as Alzheimer s disease or a series of strokes. 1.2 Describe the key functions of the brain that are - affected by dementia The main areas of the brain that are affected by dementia in terms of causing difficulties with their functions are: ï‚ § ï‚ § ï‚ § ï‚ § ï‚ § ï‚ § ï‚ § ï‚ § ï‚ § Frontal lobe - movement, emotional behaviour, personality, interpretation and feeling, Parietal lobe - language, spatial awareness and recognition, Temporal lobe - long-term memory, speech and hearing, Occipital lobeRead Moredementia awareness3879 Words   |  16 PagesDementia The term dementia describes a set of symptoms which include loss of memory, mood changes, processing information and problems with communication and reasoning. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by certain diseases, including Alzheimer s disease and damage caused by a series of small strokes. Dementia affects older and younger people and the decline in the person will get worse as more brain cells are damaged or die. Describe the key functions of the brain that are affected byRead MoreHealth and Social Care2195 Words   |  9 PagesExplain what is meant by the term ‘dementia’ Dementia is a set of symptoms that affect the way people think and interact with each other. It is not a disease, but can often be linked to a disease or damage done to the brain. Short-time memory, mind, speech and motor skills are affected. Certain forms of dementia cause a change in the personality of the individual. A person suffering from dementia will lose certain skills and knowledge they already had. This is the main difference to other conditionsRead MoreAnatomy Test with Answers1496 Words   |  6 PagesPage 429 #’s 1-7 1. List the three major parts of the brain and describe their locations. A. cerebrum- constitutes about 83% of its volume and consists of a pair of half-globes called the cerebral hemispheres. B. cerebellum- lies inferior to the cerebrum and occupies the posterior cranial fossa. C. brainstem- that which remains of the brain if the cerebrum and cerebellum are removed. 2. Gyrus- a wrinkle or fold in the cortex of the cerebrum or cerebellum. Sulcus- a groove in the surface ofRead MoreWORK BOOK Unit 13 level 2 DEM201 NCFE2382 Words   |  10 PagesAnswer: The term dementia describes a set of symptoms which include loss of memory, mood changes, processing information and problems with communication and reasoning. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by certain diseases, including Alzheimer s disease and damage caused by a series of small strokes. Dementia affects older and younger people and the decline in the person will get worse as more brain cells are damaged or die. Question- (1.2) Describe the key functions of the brain thatRead Morencfe dementia awareness3600 Words   |  15 Pagesof the brain and its key function of this area affected by dementia Learner answer 1 The Temporal Lobe: within the temporal lobe is the center for smell and some association areas for long-term memory and learning,as well as being responsible for speech and hearing. 2c c) Name area 3 of the brain and its key function of this area affected by dementia Learner answer 1 The Parietal Lobe: It is the receptive area for fine sensory stimuli, and the highest integration and coordination of sensoryRead MorePerson Centred Care MDT3001 Words   |  13 Pagesmobility. What the structure of the mutli disciplinary is when involved in delivering a package of care and how the different roles involved contribute to the positive outcomes Principles of care as stated by the Royal College of Nursing (2013) outlines guidelines what service users should expect from the nurs-ing profession, whether you are a nurse, health care assistant, community nurse, a service user, family member. You are given the information of what to expect when you are in contact withRead MoreThe Marketing Research of Brainquiry33782 Words   |  136 Pagesthe promotion folder and in the New York part of this report. All information needed that requires further research can be found in the sources of the New York part and in the New York folder word file Sources. The Swiss marketing report outlines basic information about the potential target group and related laws and insurance issue and promotion to enter this new market. There is in total 86 golf clubs in Switzerland, and so far, there is no information available shows that they are usingRead MoreHsc 3008 Implement Therapeutic Group Activities5800 Words   |  24 Pagesfeelings rather than intellect, as they find the present reality too painful. Validation therapy therapists therefore attempt to communicate with individuals with dementia by empathising with the feelings and meanings hidden behind their confused speech and behaviour. It is the emotional content of what is being said that is more important than the person’s orientation to the present. There have been relatively few empirical studies assessing the efficacy of the validation approach, as noted by FeilRead MoreNegotiation Techniques23003 Words   |  93 Pageson the problem and soft on the person †¢ Focus on needs, not positions †¢ Emphasize common ground †¢ Be inventive about options †¢ Make clear agreements Where possible prepare in advance. Consider what your needs are and what the other person s are. Consider outcomes that would address more of what you both want. Commit yourself to a win/win approach, even if tactics used by the other person seem unfair. Be clear that your task will be to steer the negotiation in a positive direction. To do

Applying Swot Analysis for Effective Planning - 1858 Words

Applying SWOT Analysis for Effective Planning By Betty McQuilla Okocha December 24, 2012 Professor Lisa Bradill GM500 Introduction The objective or purpose of applying a SWOT diagram as a planning tool in business is to have a platform of doing business or having a through picture of a business plan. Applying SWOT diagram as a planning tool has helped me to work out the strengths, threats, benefits and strategy of achieving financial prosperity in business. (Draft, 2012/2010, p. 209) I have learned that using the SWOT method as a planning tool will help me in working out an effective way and strategy to solidify my business plan with proper research, and thinking through it before setting the ball rolling for execution. Understand†¦show more content†¦His experience and knowledge in business will help to put this business to the road of achieving financial prosperity in the future. Exporting used cars to Nigeria is a business venture I and my husband have been working hard to setup. We have put a lot of things into consideration before coming to a conclusion of choosing to set this business up in Nigeria. One of the reasons is based on the fact that Nigeria has a big market for American used cars in the whole of Africa. Next is the opportunities, market potentials and the economic gains are very high. We also intend to use the population of Nigeria and their love for quality American used cars to our advantage. My strategy which is the most important aspect of succeeding in this business is to get my local bank to finance this business. Also with the knowledge, experience and expertise my husband has in business, involving him to become parts and parcel of this business will help me to drive this business to the road of achieving financial prosperity in the near future. Analysis The internal strength to this business is getting to work with my husband as partners in progress. Working with him will be an added plus and also a chance to associate with the best in the field thereby, having an opportunity to open up more windows of business opportunities. Having access to the American used car industry is something that weShow MoreRelatedStrategic Planning Within Ge927 Words   |  4 Pagesstrategic planning process is the formulation of the company’s major objectives and execution plans. This process is of particular interest in GE. Strategy formulation is the process of choosing the best methods for a company where customer needs; competitive position and internal capability are the three factors that play the main role in strategic planning. Every manager needs to have at least a simple notion of strategic planning to formulate his strategic plans. Strategic Planning is a wide andRead MoreStrategic Planning Within General Electric Essay900 Words   |   4 Pagesstrategic planning process is the formulation of the company’s major objectives and execution plans. This process is of particular interest in GE. Strategy formulation is the process of choosing the best methods for a company where customer needs; competitive position and internal capability are the three factors that play the main role in strategic planning. Every manager needs to have at least a simple notion of strategic planning to formulate his strategic plans. Strategic Planning is a wide andRead MoreDss, Information And Technology Personnel Essay1206 Words   |  5 Pagesthat are affordable, easy to develop and maintain, and satisfy all the requirements that DSS has defined for them (Software engineering, n.d., para 1). Clearly, the software engineer will have to conduct an analysis of our requirements and current software capabilities to design the most effective system for our needs. Next, DSS will have to hire a web developer to present the best picture of DSS online and to further our business development. According to one source, a web developer is a programmerRead MoreEvaluation Of A Sdlc, System Development Life Cycle1329 Words   |  6 Pagesnext step. The first step is called Systems Planning and starts when the IT department does a systems request. This phase is responsible for doing a preliminary investigation to know the situation and evaluate the necessity of this new system. The principal part of this investigation is called feasibility study and it is responsible for showing anticipated reviews of the costs, benefits and course of action. The second step is called Systems Analysis and it purpose is to build a document with theRead MoreSwot Analysis : The Swot1215 Words   |  5 PagesThe SWOT analysis was originally introduced by Andrews Christiansen, Guth and Learned in 1969 and its basic organizing principles have remained largely unchanged in the field of strategic management. [BADEN-FULLER, C. H. A. R. L. E. S., STOPFORD, J. (2002). The Firm Matters More than the Industry. Strategy for Business: A Reader, 123.] It is a systematic framework which helps managers to develop their business strategies by appraising their in ternal and external determinants of their organization’sRead MoreStrategic Management, Compensations And Employment Concepts1610 Words   |  7 Pagesis crucial to being an effective owner and manager. Understanding creativity, innovation, motivation, the strengths and weaknesses of employees, roles of management, and the different styles of leadership are all important functions of management. Also, a manager must understand the organization itself. The roles and responsibilities of top, middle and front-line management, to become a franchise or not, and the effects all leaders have on the different levels of planning are just a few more ofRead MoreEnvironmental Analysis of an Adult Day Care967 Words   |  4 Pagesresidential home. ï ¿ ½ ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF AN ADULT DAY CARE According to Bryson and Alston (1996), the best way to carry out this plan is to use the SWOT methods which translate to Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats. The provider must not only use this for the external environment but it is just as important to use this method for the internal environment of the organization or providers office. The SWOT method should be included during business planning because it allow for added valueRead MoreEnvironmental Analysis of Target Corporation1196 Words   |  5 PagesEnvironmental Analysis of Target Corporation Darylisha Jones STR/581 September 12, 2011 Tonicia Riley Environment Analysis of Target Corporation Target Corporation is one of the largest merchants in the world. Target is recorded to be the sixth largest retailer within the United States. Founded by, George Dayton in 1902 Minneapolis, Minnesota. Target stores have a variety of products which includes everything from clothing to automotive and electronics. It is a corporation thatRead MoreStrategic Management, Compensations And Employment Concepts Essay1660 Words   |  7 Pagesis crucial to being an effective owner and manager. Understanding creativity, innovation, motivation, the strengths and weaknesses of employees, roles of management, and the different styles of leadership are all important functions of management. Also, a manager must understand the organization itself. The roles and responsibilities of top, middle and front-line management, to become a franchise or not, and the effects all leaders have on the different levels of planning are just a few more ofRead MoreStrategic Management Tools1707 Words   |  7 P agesconsideration of five strategic management process tools: SWOT Analysis, Financial Ratio Analysis, Benchmarking, Core Competencies and Value Chain Analysis; and how these contribute to strategic management and strategic thinking in an organisation. A SWOT analysis is generally used in decisions about the direction a company is taking. It is a tool also used regularly to develop a strategic plan for an organisation. The major focus of SWOT analysis is to ‘recognise opportunities and avoid threats, while

Comic and Tragic Elements in Kurt Vonneguts...

Comic and Tragic Elements in Slaughterhouse Five Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., is the tale of a World War II soldier, Billy Pilgrim. His wartime experiences and their effects lead him to the ultimate conclusion that war is unexplainable. To portray this effectively, Vonnegut presents the story in two dimensions: historical and science-fiction. The irrationality of war is emphasized in each dimension by contrasts in its comic and tragic elements. The historical seriousness of the Battle of the Bulge and the bombing of Dresden are contrasted by many ironies and dark humor; the fantastical, science-fiction-type place of Tralfamadore is, in truth, an outlet for Vonnegut to show his incredibly serious fatalistic views.†¦show more content†¦Ironically the talented, trained scouts are killed by the Germans, whereas Billy and Roland are spared and merely taken as POWs. The simplicity and innocence in the description of the tragic ends of the scouts are told in the simple sentence, Three inoffensive bangs came f rom far away. The ending of lives, especially that of comrades, cannot be characterized as inoffensive. Billy doesnt say this to be unsympathetic, but rather from the shock of a war that alters his perception of life, and makes him unable to deal with reality in a normal way. More irony is shown with the horrible conditions on the POW train headed for Dresden, plagued by cold weather, endless hours of nothing to do, and cramped surroundings. A hobo dies on one boxcar while proclaiming, You think this is bad? This aint so bad. Also, Roland Weary dies of gangrene, as a result of going shoeless when he is stripped of his boots by German soldiers. He blames Billy for his death. Ironically, of the four original soldiers, Billy is the only one who remains alive, yet he is the most unlikely one to do so. Eventually, Billy makes it to Dresden, and he and the other American POWs are housed in Schlachthof-Funf (Slaughterhouse-Five), from which the books name is derived. Because Dresden is an open city, not militarily important to the Allied Powers, people from surrounding cities flee to Dresden to take refuge. Ironically, the city is bombed and the thousands ofShow MoreRelatedInsanity of War in Slaughterhouse Five1504 Words   |  7 PagesSlaughterhouse-F ive, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., is the tale of a gawky World War II veteran/soldier, Billy Pilgrim. His wartime experiences and their effects lead him to the ultimate conclusion that war is unexplainable. To portray this effectively, Vonnegut presents the story in two dimensions: historical and science-fiction. The irrationality of war is emphasized in each dimension by contrasts in its comic and tragic elements. The historical seriousness of the Battle of the Bulge and the bombing ofRead MoreBlack Humor in America2112 Words   |  9 Pagesaudience and many people are not willing to do that. The types of humor that are popular today do not require much thinking and can be characterized as one-liners. However, black humor has been used as an effective means of satire usually towards a tragic event. One of the biggest misconceptions about black humor is that it involves race. Black humor is not a form of African American humor but rather it is used in literature, drama, and film to express the absurdity, paradox and cruelty of the

Ethos free essay sample

It is important to determine whether or not the author is credible when it comes to reading reviews or essay articles. The first thing that is noticeable about this essay was that it is more of a summary than an analytical article. There also is no information or credentials of the author listed, making me question his writing from the beginning. He fails to demonstrate common knowledge dealing with the mechanics of writing and useful information concerning the text itself. There are multiple ways to find out if the article comes from someone of adequate intelligence in dealing with the subject matter. The free essay on Alice Walker’s â€Å"Everyday Use† exemplifies poor ethos by demonstrating a lack of credentials, the ignorance of the author about the audience, and the carelessness of the writer. Upon reading the free essay and analyzing it, it is surprising to see several simple spelling and grammatical errors. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethos or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In line 14, the word â€Å"here† is used instead of â€Å"her†. On the last line there is a subject verb disagreement that blatantly sticks out in the sentence. These kinds of mistakes can be corrected by a simple editing read. Additionally, there is a pronoun without an antecedent in line 28 and also a simple misuse of an apostrophe. The fact that these errors remain is disturbing because it shows a lack of concern for the audience and plain carelessness. That, along with some punctuation mistakes, proves that there wasn’t an editing or revision process. On top of this is the absence of any structure and organization of the essay. The writer fails to use paragraphs to separate ideas and help the readers group the content. Even when he tries to use evidence from the text, he does a poor job citing where the quote came from. The writer fails to properly cite his sources, and does so in different ways, indicating that the writer may have been guessing at how the citations should be done. After dealing with the problems in mechanics, analyzing the content of the essay brought more problems. He made several over generalizations about African-Americans in the North after the civil rights movement that were irrelevant to the article’s development. There is also the lack of emphasis concerning Dee’s sister, Maggie. Maggie plays an integral role in the story, but she is written of in the essay as a minor character although it is her confrontation with Dee that sparks the climax. The author strays away from important points such as the reason behind the argument. In the end, the author proves to be far to negligent in several key aspects to be of much use to the reader. The article isn’t structured in a manner that accommodates the reader. Instead, the writer states several ideas and puts them together without any organization. While there is a chance that the mistakes made were due to sheer ignorance on the author’s part, a lack of interest in his writing overall could be the cause. Someone with a legitimate interest in his or her writing would take the time to edit and revise their work before submission. While the article isn’t terrible, it doesn’t succeed in providing the audience with any suitable insights on the text and as a result fails to prove a reliable resource.