American Literature, Research Paper Example

Compare figurative language in Emily Dickinson’s and Robert Frost’s poems and use specific examples from the poems to support your main idea.

Both of the poets are looking to romanticize nature in their poetry. The power of the nature is the main theme of both of the poets’. Dickinson concludes: “Nature is what we see.” (Dickinson), however, she comes to the conclusion that : “So impotent Our Wisdom is / To her Simplicity”. On the other hand, Frost in his poem: “Birches” the poet reflects on his own childhood. He uses the nature to describe his feelings, relate to the power of the surrounding environment. “So was I once myself a swinger of birches. / And so I dream of going back to be” (Frost) We do not see the same theme in the poetry of Emily Dickinson. She describes the relationship between feelings and nature a different way.

Death and loneliness appears in the poetry of both authors. They reflect on their lives, while the tone of the poems is different. While Dickinson used symbolism to express her feelings about death, immortality, and she uses first person: “I heard a Fly Buzz-when I died” (Dickinson, Stanzas) Frost, however, uses nature to describe his peaceful solitude, not the power of it. He admires the beauty of scenes, and does not make the poem too personal; more like universal in the “Birches”. “”You’d think the inner dome of heaven had fallen” (Frost, ) He connects nature with the supernatural, not the individual.

Pinpoint ways Ambrose Bierce uses “fantasy” and “reality” to reinforce the message inherent in “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” What message does Bierce work to get across to the readers of 1890?

In the execution scene, Bierce establishes the sense of reality in the beginning of the “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” (Bierce). She describes positions of the bodies, sensations, physical equipment in detail. The scene is associated with the occurrence of death, which is described as cruel in a naturalistic way. Satire also appears in the novel, when she describes the “slave owner”. The naturalistic and sarcastic review of the people ends soon after the scene, and it is replaced by subjectivity and fantasy. While the author did not form opinions until now, the reflection will take over. During the “whirling”, objects are faded and are only represented by their color.

The unconsciousness of Farquhar suggests that the sense of reality is lost. “As to his head, he was conscious of nothing but a feeling of fullness—of congestion. These sensations were unaccompanied by thought.”. (Bierce). The man starts to reflect on his situation and even finds it surreal or comic. “To be hanged and drowned,” he thought, “that is not so bad; but I do not wish to be shot. No; I will not be shot; that is not fair.” (Bierce). He becomes conscious again when he is fired at, and the realistic description of feelings return. It is not clear whether he dreams about returning home to his family and his escape or the pictures occur in his mind while he is in the water before getting shot. One would think that it is real, however, he knows Peyton Farquhar dies at the Owl Creek Bridge.

Discuss the irony present in Gertrude Simmons Bonnin’s “The Soft-Hearted Sioux”http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/zitkala-sa/stories/soft.html (some of your texts do not have Bonnin’s story and hence the link) and in Maxine Hong Kingston’s “No Name Woman.” How does the irony found in each story allow the writers to magnify cultural differences?

The contrasting image of hunters and the man hunting for Christ’s heart is the main source of irony in the “he Soft-Hearted Sioux”. (Bonnin) While for some people the actions of the boy are considered to be the signs of weakness, from the Christian ideology, they are positive and ethical ones. He does not chase the buffalo, but chases love and the understanding of God’s teachings. Comparing the views of the father with the one of the son’s. “For many heart-throbs he puffed out the blue smoke, which hung like a cloud between us. “. There is a smoke between the two people, and this is the main reason why they would never understand each other. The boy cannot hunt for food; the greatest virtue of a man in his tribe. He can think, but it has no value in the eyes of his people.

In the “No Name Woman (Kingston), the irony appears when the behavior of people is described. While they are angry at the aunt for having a baby with her husband being away at sea, they do not directly turn against her. They slaughter the animals and break her things. But later they take the meat. This image shows the sad truth and the real motivation behind the action, as well as the fact that people did not have a moral while acting in the name of morality. “When they left, they took sugar and oranges to bless themselves” (Kingston). This statement creates a great contrast between the morbidity of the scene and the “blessing”. How can anybody be blessed who kills innocent animals without a reason?

What conceptual motif does Nathaniel Hawthorne use in “The Minister’s Black Veil” and in “The Birth-Mark” to get his message across to the reader?

The conceptual motifs of “The Minister’s Black Veil” (Hawthorne) is the symbolism of the veil, as well as the sense of guilt. The black veil is the symbol of hiding one’s true self from other people. People do not face each other, and do not want to face other people either, that is why the veil has a separating power. She misunderstood and lonely life of Mr. Hooper does show the “veil at work. It is also possible to reveal the repeated occurrence of the guilt within the “The Minister’s Black Veil”. The emotional and physical instability is connected to the feeling of guilt. Puritanism and guilt are contrasted in the writing by the use of the above motifs. The lady confirms: “and I would not be alone with him for the world. I wonder he is not afraid to be alone with himself!” (Hawthorne)

In “The Birth-Mark” (Hawthorne), colors act like the main motifs, symbolizing different themes. Purity and imperfection are the main themes of the writing, and the description of the skin is found throughout the work. While the birthmark is color red, the skin of Georgiana is white. When blushing and emotions are involved, her whole skin turns red. The contrast between flaw and beauty, perfection and fault is carried through the writing. The blending of the two colors is the way things should be in life; not contrasted but harmonized. ”In this manner, selecting it as the symbol of his wife’s liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death, Aylmer’s sombre imagination was not long in rendering the birthmark a frightful object. “(Hawthorne),

Who are the narrators in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” and in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wall-paper”? Are these narrators reliable? How do they influence the reader’s interpretation of the stories?

“Everyday Use” (Walker) is written in a first person narrative, and the story enfolds from the mother’s point of view. The relationship between her and the two daughters is strong, and the credibility of the narrator can be questioned. When emotions are involved, there is no way that the rational views can be expressed. While the mother describes the two girls realistically, the emotional relationship might influence the part when she describes their personalities. “Dee is lighter than Maggie, with her nicer hair and fuller figure”. She subjectively adds: “She’s a woman now.” (Walker) She adds memories and highlights some of the events and acts of the girls, and this description could not be balanced.

The female narrator of “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a young mother, who suffers from anxiety and depression. Knowing this fact, it is evident that the objectivity of the narrative cannot be guaranteed, as people suffering from these disorders often lose connection with reality. She is on a “rest cure”, and wants to impress her husband playing the role of a perfect wife and mother. She completely loses the sense of reality by the end of the story, and the views of the husband are only expressed by quoting his diagnosis. The narrator says: “ I used to lie awake as a child and get more entertainment and terror out of blank walls and plain furniture than most children could find in a toy-store.” (Gilman) The statement is a reaction to the husband’s actions to treat the woman as a child.

How do the settings in Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” and in Ernest Hemingway’s “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” work to reinforce the plot and themes in the stories?

The “To Build a Fire” from Jack London is set at the Yukon trail and is covered by snow. The coldness of the reality and the clarity of thoughts is emphasized by the scene. It is a mysterious place, away from the civilization. It is “cold and uncomfortable” (London) and I expresses the reality and the way people lose their trail. It is colder than expected and the man is confused. “Possibly in its brain there was no sharp consciousness of a condition of very cold such as was in the man’s brain. But the brute had its instinct.” (London) The dog whined and nobody heard while the man “caught the scent of death”.

The scene of “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Hemingway are much calmer and friendlier, as there is company. Although people are “show-bound a week”, (Hemingway), they enjoy themselves, talk about memories, and the conversations in the warm room are contrasted by the cold and snow outside. The memories slowly unfold and depict a war that is more similar to the outside cold than the calm room. He remembers the times and they cut in his memory as he reflects that he never wrote about the machine-guns. He did not want anybody to say: “”You bloody murderous bastard.” (Hemingway) The reflection and memories are coming out, and the author tells the story of the war, the woman and death. The fear of dying is one of the main themes expressed through the scene.

How are the swimming pools in John Cheever’s “The Swimmer” symbolic of Neddy Merrill’s life?

“The main character of “The Swimmer” is facing difficulties, as he is not able to meet the expectations of his environment. He is feeling pressurized and feels like he has to solve his problems. The pressure builds up and leads to alcoholism. As he thinks that he does not “fit in” the society and cannot believe in its norms, he escapes from being discontent with his life. Although other people look at him as a hero, an example of great success, he does not feel that way.

On the surface, Neddy Merrill would appear normal and successful, and the society might consider him a part of a group, he does not feel this way. He starts rejecting invitations and distances himself from reality. The alienation of the character is expressed by his choice to be alone. When he returns home, he chooses to drink. ““He needed a drink. Whiskey would warm him, pick him up, carry him through the last of his journey, refresh his feeling that it was original and valorous to swim across the county” (Cheever) Suddenly he loses the values attached to everything he achieved. He sees himself as someone moving closer to death. The swimming pools are randomly scattered around the surrounding neighbourhood; from private to public, and this disorganization, aimlessness symbolizes the apathy of Neddy Merrill. They become colder and more difficult, just like it is harder to meet the norms of the society for the character.

Discuss symbolism found in Susan Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers” (“Trifles” in some texts Pg. 791) and in Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif.” How do these symbols work to influence the message of each story?

The symbolism of the “A Jury of Her Peers” is based on the roles and social standing of the characters. Glaspell names them not by accident. The name Minnie is suggesting that the character is minimized and made insignificant by other people, while her taking the name of her husband’s name is also a significant aspect. She is giving up her personality. Another symbol is the empty chair which indicates the absence of Minnie. All other women are only referred to by their married surnames. The character when married and before the marriage are contrasted: “I wish you’d seen Minnie Foster when she wore a white dress with blue ribbons and stood up there in the choir and sang”(Glaspell 167)

In the “Recitatif”, the characters are symbolized by their behavioral patterns. The differences between black and white people are made clear, based on the appearance of the girls. The racial dynamics are present in the whole story, symbolized by the differences, and while both of the girls feel like they are lonely and never had a mother, this is a result of the parents’ methods of separation instead of building bridges. When they find friendship based on the similarities in their family backgrounds and feelings, they find out that the “orchard” scene would connect them for life. The memory hunts Twyla: “I don’t know why I dreamt about the orchard so much. Nothing really happened there. Nothing all that important, I mean,” (Morrison).

Discuss a similar theme found in Zora Neale Hurston’s “The Gilded Six-Bits” and in Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Sexy.” Work to delve past the obvious theme here.

In both of the stories, the modern world, fast way of life and reduced communication are depicted. This is a result of the globalization. Black communities are starting to work and live by the new rules, and although they still keep some of their old rituals, the second generation starts losing the connection with their roots. In the “Sexy” (Lahiri), Rohin studies maps, looks at pictures and wants to learn everything. This behaviour is in contrast with the old tribal rituals and lifestyle. Phones, airplanes and public transport show up and change the way people live. The confusion about race and identity is present in both works. When Miranda says Hi, Dev answers: “You’re sexy.” (Lahiri)

The basic values area confronted with politics and the requirements of the society in The Gilded Six-Bits”. Again, the African-American life’s changes are depicted, and the reader can follow up how the views and values are modified by the influence of the outside world. The contrast between tradition and integrity is depicted. The temptation might be the symbol of an outside influence, and it is evident that it comes from outside of the black community. The author starts the story: “It was a Negro yard around a Negro house in a Negro settlement…But there was something happy about the place.” (Hurston) This happiness seems to be lost forever after the betrayal.

Discuss Kate Chopin’s life and perspective. How did her life and perspective influence her works? See “Desiree’s Baby” and “The Storm.”

The main theme of Kate Chopin’s writings is the role of a mother. As the traditional role has changed, there are various challenges a woman needs to face. She also features her own perception of the “South” that she has known very well and criticized in many of her stories. Racism, making a distinction between black and white is one of the main themes of both of the stories. The woman on Desiree’s Baby is trying to find her identity. Just like Chopin was trying to find her place in the society. ““It means,” he answered lightly, “that the child is not white; it means that you are not white.” (Chopin) The story was written when being black or white mattered a lot in the South, before the war.

The female character in the “Storm” is depicted similarly to the one in the “Desiree’s Baby”. Calixta is trying to find her place in the society, as the below quote shows: “The society was agreeable; many of her old friends and acquaintances were at the bay.” (Chopin) The fight to be accepted, loved, respected and deal with relationships, raise children and comply with the norms, expectations is one of the main sources of conflict in many of the stories. The French background is often featured in the stories, and Chopin was raised as bilingual in St Louis, Missouri. Emancipation was one of the main ideas she studied, and it appears in both of the writings.