Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel, Brave New World depicts the result of the past in the present. John the Savage exemplifies how the past can affect the present.
John the Savage was raised differently than the children in the brave new world. He was brought up on an Indian Reservation in New Mexico. This Reservation was filthy and the people there wore rages, had science, history, and families, and were without technology. Those children raised in the brave new world had technology, no family, history, or science, and they would buy new clothes when they were ripped. John the Savage is different from others because he was naturally born. On the other hand, both of his parents were genetically engineered, therefore, genetically he is normal, but he has a mother and a father.
John's beliefs were formed through him being brought up on the Reservation. John the Savage attempts to get away from the Indian Reservation to go see the brave new world and to meet his father for the first time. While John is in the brave new world, he realizes the differences between the Reservation he was raised on and this new, technological based society. John does not understand the customs and actions of the people in this society. He isolates himself and eventually commits suicide because he can not fit in. His beliefs do not match those of this community. His beliefs were formed when he was a child back on the Reservation and can not be changed.
John's isolation and suicide, resulting from his past, signify the difficulties of changing customs and actions once one has become accustom to certain ways of life. While being raised in a community where all were naturally born, John the Savage was taught the differences between right and wrong according to that society, but the differences between right and wrong are not the same for every society. Promiscuity exemplifies the difference in morals between the two societies. The brave new world encourages this while the Reservation looks down upon it. A person can not change who they are through moving. Once an identity has been established, it can not be changed.
John the Savage's past affects who he is today. It is likely, if he had been raised in the brave new world, he would have been different. His beliefs and morals learned from his past make up who he is today.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Poem 1
Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's sizeBut when I start to tell them,They think I'm telling lies.I say,It's in the reach of my armsThe span of my hips,The stride of my step,The curl of my lips.I'm a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That's me.
I walk into a roomJust as cool as you please,And to a man,The fellows stand orFall down on their knees.Then they swarm around me,A hive of honey bees.I say,It's the fire in my eyes,And the flash of my teeth,The swing in my waist,And the joy in my feet.I'm a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That's me.
Men themselves have wonderedWhat they see in me.They try so muchBut they can't touchMy inner mystery.When I try to show themThey say they still can't see.I say,It's in the arch of my back,The sun of my smile,The ride of my breasts,The grace of my style.I'm a woman
Phenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That's me.
Now you understandJust why my head's not bowed.I don't shout or jump aboutOr have to talk real loud.When you see me passingIt ought to make you proud.I say,It's in the click of my heels,The bend of my hair,the palm of my hand,The need of my care,'Cause I'm a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That's me.
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's sizeBut when I start to tell them,They think I'm telling lies.I say,It's in the reach of my armsThe span of my hips,The stride of my step,The curl of my lips.I'm a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That's me.
I walk into a roomJust as cool as you please,And to a man,The fellows stand orFall down on their knees.Then they swarm around me,A hive of honey bees.I say,It's the fire in my eyes,And the flash of my teeth,The swing in my waist,And the joy in my feet.I'm a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That's me.
Men themselves have wonderedWhat they see in me.They try so muchBut they can't touchMy inner mystery.When I try to show themThey say they still can't see.I say,It's in the arch of my back,The sun of my smile,The ride of my breasts,The grace of my style.I'm a woman
Phenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That's me.
Now you understandJust why my head's not bowed.I don't shout or jump aboutOr have to talk real loud.When you see me passingIt ought to make you proud.I say,It's in the click of my heels,The bend of my hair,the palm of my hand,The need of my care,'Cause I'm a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That's me.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Metamorphosis Essay 2
Franz Kafka's allegoric novel, The Metamorphosis depicts symbolism. The characters and objects in the novel along with the actions of Gregor Samsa exemplify symbolism.
Metamorphosis is defined as a profound change in ones appearance, character, and/ or abilities. In The Metamorphosis Gregor Samsa metamorphoses into a "monstrous vermin". The Metamorphosis symbolizes the change occurring in society. At the time the novel was written a revolution in technology was beginning. Kafka realized that with thing change in technology, a change in society would follow. Kafka depicts his prediction of men working all day, families struggling, conformity and fear of individuality in The Metamorphosis. in this way, The Metamorphosis symbolizes the profound change of society.
Kafka also uses Gregor's room, Gregor's work, the apple, and Gregor's window as symbols to emphasize the metamorphosing of society. Gregor's bedroom symbolizes isolation. This isolation separates individuality from conformity, and because Gregor Samsa looks different he is isolated. Gregor's work represents a society in which families are separate for the means of economic stability. Gregor leaves his family every day to work until his metamorphosis, and now in order to maintain economic stability his ageing father, mother, and young sister must work. The window in Gregor Samsa's room represents freedom, he will never gain. This possible freedom from isolation into a world of conformity depresses Gregor to a point of starvation. The apple thrown at Gregor by his father symbolizes death. In the bible, Eve are the forbidden fruit, the apple, ans mankind was punished by taking away immortality; life. Gregor's father was attempting to take away Gregor's life. These four symbols emphasize Kafka' meaning.
Kafka intended The Metamorphosis to be a warning to the future. The warning was that society is built around conformity ans those who are true individuals are isolated from the world. He predicts a society where the people work for the elite for economic stability. Those who refuse or can not work for these elite are isolated and labeled "poor" in today's society. The Metamorphosis warns against society.
Gregor dies because he does not conform and is isolated from society. Kafka's message: conform or die.
Metamorphosis is defined as a profound change in ones appearance, character, and/ or abilities. In The Metamorphosis Gregor Samsa metamorphoses into a "monstrous vermin". The Metamorphosis symbolizes the change occurring in society. At the time the novel was written a revolution in technology was beginning. Kafka realized that with thing change in technology, a change in society would follow. Kafka depicts his prediction of men working all day, families struggling, conformity and fear of individuality in The Metamorphosis. in this way, The Metamorphosis symbolizes the profound change of society.
Kafka also uses Gregor's room, Gregor's work, the apple, and Gregor's window as symbols to emphasize the metamorphosing of society. Gregor's bedroom symbolizes isolation. This isolation separates individuality from conformity, and because Gregor Samsa looks different he is isolated. Gregor's work represents a society in which families are separate for the means of economic stability. Gregor leaves his family every day to work until his metamorphosis, and now in order to maintain economic stability his ageing father, mother, and young sister must work. The window in Gregor Samsa's room represents freedom, he will never gain. This possible freedom from isolation into a world of conformity depresses Gregor to a point of starvation. The apple thrown at Gregor by his father symbolizes death. In the bible, Eve are the forbidden fruit, the apple, ans mankind was punished by taking away immortality; life. Gregor's father was attempting to take away Gregor's life. These four symbols emphasize Kafka' meaning.
Kafka intended The Metamorphosis to be a warning to the future. The warning was that society is built around conformity ans those who are true individuals are isolated from the world. He predicts a society where the people work for the elite for economic stability. Those who refuse or can not work for these elite are isolated and labeled "poor" in today's society. The Metamorphosis warns against society.
Gregor dies because he does not conform and is isolated from society. Kafka's message: conform or die.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
A Hunger Artist- 5 Questions
- Why would the hunger artist want to fast?
- What is the meaning for not giving the hunger artist a name?
- What does the cage represent?
- What interested the observers? Was it him or was it society?
- Was there a reason society was no longer interested in the hunger artist?
- Was his death inevitable?
A Hunger Artist
A Hunger Artist
Nowadays it is nearly impossible for a hunger artist to make any money because of the decline in interest, but in the old days a hunger artist made good money. It was an attraction that everybody loved. A man, sitting in a small, barred cage, fasting for days on end was a sight that was seen by all. He was dressed in black tights, was very pale, and was so thin that his ribs were sticking out of his chest. Adults would come to merely laugh at the hunger artist and only came because it was “fashionable”. Children would come and looked on amazed and frightened.
There were three guards, usually butchers, on duty at all times to watch what the hunger artist was doing. These guards were only to reassure the public that he was not being fed at any time during his fast. His record was forty days although he said he could go longer. The maximum time for a fast for a hunger artist will always be forty days because soon the public will no longer be interested and a hunger artist is all about publicity. Some groups of people would come and sit in a dark corner all night and play cards intending to give the hunger artist a small snack that he inevitably would refuse. These people only depressed him and made his fasting difficult. He preferred those that came and sat next to his cage and talked with him all night long. He enjoyed this because it allowed him to show his strength and to prove his strength and abilities to observers. Every morning when it was time for breakfast the observers would leave to eat and when the option to stay came about, they all ran to get their food. They were hungry and never wanted to stay at the cost of food.
No one was able to watch him day in and day out therefore he alone was the only one to know if he truly fasted throughout this entire time so naturally not everyone believed him. Although he knew that his fasting was true, he was never satisfied because he knew how easy it was to fast. No one understood how easy of a task this was.
At the end of his forty days the impresario came and ended the affair. The hunger artist never wanted it to end; he felt he could go longer, for an unlimited length of time. Besides, the thought of him eating made him sick. The impresario had to come over and forcefully lift him out of the cage and, with exaggeration, hand him over to one of the two chosen woman to carry him down to the table with the food laid out. This food was specially chosen by doctors to ensure the hunger artists safety. The impresario had to force feed him and no one except the hunger artist himself was dissatisfied.
His fasting continued on for many years, but his depression became deeper and deeper as the days passed by. Once a man suggested that his depression might have come from his fasting, the hunger artist became greatly angry and began to shake the bars like and animal and frighten the observers. The impresario would apologize and write his outburst off as a result of his fasting. Soon no one cared for the hunger artist attraction any longer. The impresario traveled half of Europe with the hunger artist trying to spark the attraction here and there. In the end the attraction was no longer and the hunger artist, who had nothing to fall back on, had to sign with a large circus.
Although the hunger artist was growing old, he still claimed that he could fast as well as he did when he was young and would amaze the world for the first time. This made the circus experts smile. The hunger artist was placed in a cage and was set at the end of a corridor from the circus tent to the animal cages. During intermissions the general public, on there way out to see the animals in their stalls could not help but to stop and observe the hunger artist. They would have stayed longer if it were not for the pushing to others behind them who did not know the reason for the pauses in traffic. The hunger artist began to dislike these visiting hours because of the commotion and lack of observation time from individual people.
It was a rare occasion when a family would stop by his cage and the father of the family would tell stories of going and seeing the hunger artist when he was a child. Every thing might have been better if it weren’t for his location near the animal stall, this way people could make a choice of whether or not to see him rather than him dealing with a bunch of people who only looked at him because he was near the other animals. Eventually he became a small obstacle in the way of the animals. He became neglected and ignored. His table with the number of days he had been fasting had not been change for weeks and not even the hunger artist knew how long he had been fasting. Him being ignored and neglected led to him becoming depressed.
Finally, after many days and possibly weeks a supervisor noticed the cage and asked why it was not being used. One man, with help from a clue from the table next to the cage remembered about the hunger artist. They searched through he straw and found the hunger artist. The hunger artist asked for forgiveness and confessed that the reason fasting was so easy for him was that he simply never found a food that he liked. The hunger artist had spoken his last words. He died while asking the supervisor for forgiveness.
The hunger artist was buried along with the straw from his cage and later that day the cage was filled with a lively panther. The hunger artist was thrown away and a panther took over with the life and intensity that the spectators enjoyed.
Nowadays it is nearly impossible for a hunger artist to make any money because of the decline in interest, but in the old days a hunger artist made good money. It was an attraction that everybody loved. A man, sitting in a small, barred cage, fasting for days on end was a sight that was seen by all. He was dressed in black tights, was very pale, and was so thin that his ribs were sticking out of his chest. Adults would come to merely laugh at the hunger artist and only came because it was “fashionable”. Children would come and looked on amazed and frightened.
There were three guards, usually butchers, on duty at all times to watch what the hunger artist was doing. These guards were only to reassure the public that he was not being fed at any time during his fast. His record was forty days although he said he could go longer. The maximum time for a fast for a hunger artist will always be forty days because soon the public will no longer be interested and a hunger artist is all about publicity. Some groups of people would come and sit in a dark corner all night and play cards intending to give the hunger artist a small snack that he inevitably would refuse. These people only depressed him and made his fasting difficult. He preferred those that came and sat next to his cage and talked with him all night long. He enjoyed this because it allowed him to show his strength and to prove his strength and abilities to observers. Every morning when it was time for breakfast the observers would leave to eat and when the option to stay came about, they all ran to get their food. They were hungry and never wanted to stay at the cost of food.
No one was able to watch him day in and day out therefore he alone was the only one to know if he truly fasted throughout this entire time so naturally not everyone believed him. Although he knew that his fasting was true, he was never satisfied because he knew how easy it was to fast. No one understood how easy of a task this was.
At the end of his forty days the impresario came and ended the affair. The hunger artist never wanted it to end; he felt he could go longer, for an unlimited length of time. Besides, the thought of him eating made him sick. The impresario had to come over and forcefully lift him out of the cage and, with exaggeration, hand him over to one of the two chosen woman to carry him down to the table with the food laid out. This food was specially chosen by doctors to ensure the hunger artists safety. The impresario had to force feed him and no one except the hunger artist himself was dissatisfied.
His fasting continued on for many years, but his depression became deeper and deeper as the days passed by. Once a man suggested that his depression might have come from his fasting, the hunger artist became greatly angry and began to shake the bars like and animal and frighten the observers. The impresario would apologize and write his outburst off as a result of his fasting. Soon no one cared for the hunger artist attraction any longer. The impresario traveled half of Europe with the hunger artist trying to spark the attraction here and there. In the end the attraction was no longer and the hunger artist, who had nothing to fall back on, had to sign with a large circus.
Although the hunger artist was growing old, he still claimed that he could fast as well as he did when he was young and would amaze the world for the first time. This made the circus experts smile. The hunger artist was placed in a cage and was set at the end of a corridor from the circus tent to the animal cages. During intermissions the general public, on there way out to see the animals in their stalls could not help but to stop and observe the hunger artist. They would have stayed longer if it were not for the pushing to others behind them who did not know the reason for the pauses in traffic. The hunger artist began to dislike these visiting hours because of the commotion and lack of observation time from individual people.
It was a rare occasion when a family would stop by his cage and the father of the family would tell stories of going and seeing the hunger artist when he was a child. Every thing might have been better if it weren’t for his location near the animal stall, this way people could make a choice of whether or not to see him rather than him dealing with a bunch of people who only looked at him because he was near the other animals. Eventually he became a small obstacle in the way of the animals. He became neglected and ignored. His table with the number of days he had been fasting had not been change for weeks and not even the hunger artist knew how long he had been fasting. Him being ignored and neglected led to him becoming depressed.
Finally, after many days and possibly weeks a supervisor noticed the cage and asked why it was not being used. One man, with help from a clue from the table next to the cage remembered about the hunger artist. They searched through he straw and found the hunger artist. The hunger artist asked for forgiveness and confessed that the reason fasting was so easy for him was that he simply never found a food that he liked. The hunger artist had spoken his last words. He died while asking the supervisor for forgiveness.
The hunger artist was buried along with the straw from his cage and later that day the cage was filled with a lively panther. The hunger artist was thrown away and a panther took over with the life and intensity that the spectators enjoyed.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Prompt
George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984 depicts a struggle between influence and desire. Winston Smith exemplifies this struggle through his writing and disobedience.
The government demands loyalty and obedience from its citizens. This demand pressures the citizens of Oceania to live in fear of individual though. The rest of society also pressures other citizens to follow and believe the government. This peer pressure results in non-believers participating in events such as hate week and forgery. On the other hand, Winston Smith had individual memories and thoughts that contradict the words of the government. His desire for knowledge, individual though, and freedom tugs his mind away from obedience and belief.
Winston is conflicted between governmental belief and his personal belief. The governmental belief causes Winston to try to obey and participate. He wants to conform and be “normal”. The personal beliefs of Winston cause him to lose respect and confidence in the government. Winston is caught between what he thinks is “right” and what the government tells him is “right”.
This conflicted mind of Winston’s causes him to rebel. Winston rebels through writhing against the government in a diary, following and talking to and old man about the past, having an affair, and attempting to join The Brotherhood. Winston’s rebellion leads him to the realization that to survive one must conform. Also, if a person shows individuality, society will reject them.
The two conflicting directions pulling on Winston Smith’s mind causes him great confusion. This confusion led to his disobedience and finally death. Before his death, Winston realized the indifference of society.
The government demands loyalty and obedience from its citizens. This demand pressures the citizens of Oceania to live in fear of individual though. The rest of society also pressures other citizens to follow and believe the government. This peer pressure results in non-believers participating in events such as hate week and forgery. On the other hand, Winston Smith had individual memories and thoughts that contradict the words of the government. His desire for knowledge, individual though, and freedom tugs his mind away from obedience and belief.
Winston is conflicted between governmental belief and his personal belief. The governmental belief causes Winston to try to obey and participate. He wants to conform and be “normal”. The personal beliefs of Winston cause him to lose respect and confidence in the government. Winston is caught between what he thinks is “right” and what the government tells him is “right”.
This conflicted mind of Winston’s causes him to rebel. Winston rebels through writhing against the government in a diary, following and talking to and old man about the past, having an affair, and attempting to join The Brotherhood. Winston’s rebellion leads him to the realization that to survive one must conform. Also, if a person shows individuality, society will reject them.
The two conflicting directions pulling on Winston Smith’s mind causes him great confusion. This confusion led to his disobedience and finally death. Before his death, Winston realized the indifference of society.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Kafka and Metamorphosis
After watching Kafka, I understand where Kafka is coming from. He uses his personal experiences in his writhing of Metamorphosis. He emphasizes what isolation, even from family, can feel like. Near the end of Kafka, Kafka writes to his father. Him writing exemplifies that no one should fell like they are completely alone in the world. Every person needs someone. Metamorphosis also depicts the same message of loneliness as Kafka. Humanity tends to be afraid of the unknown and generally isolates the unknown. In Metamorphosis the three roomers became afraid and upset when Gregor was discovered. Family tends to stick with other family members through tough times. Gret cleaned up Gregor’s room and fed Gregor. Gregor’s mother stopped Gregor’s father from killing Gregor with an apple when Gregor came out of his room. The loyalty of institutions differs among types. For example, an employment institution is less likely to support one through tough times than a family institution. Institutions are made to keep a sense of belonging to something and to prevent loneliness and isolation. I do not think Kafka is a genius, because to most people is it natural instinct to help a family member or a loved one through a tough time. Kafka just wrote something about this instinct.
Kafka and Metamorphosis emphasize family loyalty and the effects of isolation upon a character. Both also depict the importance of family values. AP style question: Mario Puzo wrote: “The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other”. Choose a novel or play of literary merit in which a character shows loyalty to a family member. Then, in a well- organized essay identify the character’s loyalty and explain how this loyalty to family illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole.
Kafka and Metamorphosis emphasize family loyalty and the effects of isolation upon a character. Both also depict the importance of family values. AP style question: Mario Puzo wrote: “The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other”. Choose a novel or play of literary merit in which a character shows loyalty to a family member. Then, in a well- organized essay identify the character’s loyalty and explain how this loyalty to family illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole.
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