Monday, March 2, 2015

What is a good quote from Gulliver's Travels that includes satire?

You might like to think about this last quote that comes as Gulliver concludes his narrative and how he struggles to reintegrate into his home life after being with the Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms:



My Reconcilement to the Yahoo-kind in general might not be so difficult, if they would be content with those Vices and Follies only which Nature hath entitled them to. I am not in the least provoked at the Sight of a Lawyer, a Pick-pocket, a Colonel... This is all according to the due Course of Things: But, when I behold a Lump of Deformity, and Diseases both in Body and Mind, smitten with Pride, it immediately breaks all the Measures of my Patience; neither shall I ever be able to comprehend how such an Animal and such a Vice could tally together.



There is of course massive satire in the way that he comes to associate European culture with that of the savage and oppressed Yahoos. By his belief that the sins of humans can be explained by the "due Course of Things," Gulliver shows how he believes, as the Houyhnhnms do themselves, that humanity is ungovernable and corrupt at its very core, just like the Yahoos. Humans are therefore satirised as being no more than animals or savage creatures who unfortunately have been given enough reason to make their corruption a problem. What is even worse is humanity's own inability to see themselves for the depraved creatures that they are and to consider themselves as actually being noble.

Complete the ending of the story "The Birds" and also come up with a unique reason why the birds acted that way. Include a simile or a metaphor, 1...

A possible resolution and denouement would be that once Mitch leaves his hometown with his family and Marion, the birds' attacks heighten in violence and they end up exterminating one another.  This could be backed up by the "lemmings over-the-cliff" idea that they "autodestruct" due to overpopulation. It would be nature's way of regaining balance and control.

Another option would be that once Mitch evacuates the village with his family, Marion, and the turtle doves, the aggressive birds mysteriously disappear, as if the very presence of these caged birds had incited the whole thing. I think this ending is more enigmatic and "sticks" better to the rest of the story. If you want to get really creepy, you could have a couple of bird "escapees" showing up again on a tree outside wherever Mitch, his family and the turtle doves are relocated. To make the nightmare continue in a truly "Hitchcockian" way....

As for symbolism, these attacks which seem against nature could symbolise another "act against nature," Mitch's overattachment and perhaps even Oedipal attraction to his mother. At least in the early film version, at first one is not sure whether she is Mitch's wife or mother. But the good relationship between the two women seems to refute this hypothesis, and it seems that Hitchcock was taking a certain poetic licence in presenting the film in such a way.

Identify different situations in TKAM that shows moral courage. If possible characteristics of a morally courageous person.




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In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus has a lot to say about courage in Part I when he explains that Mrs. Dubose is the bravest person he knows. He himself explains the qualities of a morally courageous person:
”I wanted you to know what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway, and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.” In the Part II, Atticus faces the Tom Robinson trial. He goes into it thinking he will probably lose the case, but he sees it through no matter what. he knows that defending an innocent man against a trumped up charge is the only moral thing to do. Atticus faces a lynch mob, the contempt of many of his fellow citizens, risk to his family, career and reputation to do what he considers the right thing. He exhibits moral courage – genuine bravery in the face of terrible odds.

Mrs. Dubose qualifies as this kind of courageous person because she fights her addiction to morphine, despite the odds against her and the fact that she has every justifiable excuse in the world to take painkillers as she dies, painfully. She dies "beholden to nothing and nobody" according to her moral compass.

Another character in the novel, Dolphus Raymond, feels as Atticus does about things. He does not discriminate against the negro population of Maycomb, but neither does he stand up in public to claim the correctness of his actions. Instead, he feigns drunkenness to give the town an excuse for why he would choose to live his life with the blacks. Instead of showing moral courage, he hides behind the façade of alcoholism to justify his actions.








What is a thesis statement pertaining to symbolism in "The Yellow Wallpaper"?


The Yellow Wallpaper Thesis Statements and Important Quotes


Below you will find five outstanding thesis statements / paper topics for “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman that can be used as essay starters. All five incorporate at least one of the themes found in “The Yellow Wallpaper” and are broad enough so that it will be easy to find textual support, yet narrow enough to provide a focused clear thesis statement for “The Yellow Wallpaper”. These thesis statements offer a summary of different elements of “The Yellow Wallpaper” that could be important in an essay but you are free to add your own analysis and understanding of the plot or themes to them. Using the essay topics below in conjunction with the list of important quotes at the bottom of the page, you should have no trouble connecting with “The Yellow Wallpaper” and writing an excellent paper. Before you begin, however, please get some useful tips and hints about how to use PaperStarter.com in the brief User’s Guide…you’ll be glad you did.


Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #1: The Significance of First-Person Narration in “The Yellow Wallpaper”
The central character in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” narrates her own life; however, the reader never learns her name. Gilman has cleverly taken the reader into the inner-most realms of a woman’s mind and experiences, yet the woman in “The Yellow Wallpaper” remains anonymous, a reflection of her status in society. Narration, of course, is an important element of any story or novel, and as readers, we are always evaluating whether the narrator of “The Yellow Wallpaper” is credible and reliable. The narrator of “The Yellow Wall-Paper” appears credible as the story opens, but as her mental state deteriorates, does her narrative follow suit? As you read this story, consider the role that narration plays in the development of the plot and the theme. How might the story of “The Yellow Wallpaper” have been different, for instance, if it had been told by the woman’s husband? Other important questions include: Why is it important that the woman narrator have the agency and the voice to tell her own story? What effects does this particular choice of narration have on establishing a connection with the reader and eliciting certain emotional responses.


Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #2: “The Yellow Wall-Paper” as a Feminist Story


“The Yellow Wall-Paper” was written in 1892, and is often referred to as a feminist short story. Given that the woman in the story goes mad because her role in society is limited and her ability to express herself creatively is constricted, can the reader assume that the author is making a feminist statement? This topic could take at least two different approaches. You could either situate the story within a larger sociohistorical context (i.e.: What was happening in 1892 that made this particular story so relevant and resonant, and why does it remain so important today?), or you could take the story only on its own terms: What does Gilman seem to say about “the female condition” in general by writing about the life of this one woman and her descent into madness in “The Yellow Wall Paper”?

What is the conflict and plot of the Swiss Family Robinson?

The plot of "The Swiss Family Robinson" is a simple story of survival.  A family (consisting of two parents and four sons) is shipwrecked on a deserted island on their way to a distant colony to start life anew.  Finding themselves on their own, they rely on their faith and ingenuity to build a home for themselves.

For over a decade they build homes and labor-saving devices, etc., to create a paradise for themselves.  Their eventual discovery leads, not to rescue, but the decision to remain on the island and continue their lives that they have created.

As with most survival stories, the conflict is man vs. nature.  However, due to the relatively benign depiction of nature on the island, there is not much of a conflict other than the establishment of a civilized home for themselves.  With no outside interference, the Robinsons live a life of peace and relatively conflict-free existence.  The flat characters are shown to be adept at using their creativity to create a utopia.

Alexandra thinks Scout is "dull". Why does she think this, and is she right, are all adults good at knowing how clever young people are?dull =...

Alexandra is Scout's aunt.  She is a woman who trusts in the traditions of family and the society that the family lives in.  She believes in the roles that men and women should play in society.  She does not think Scout is a lady and she doesn't believe Scout is very clever because of Scout's personality and the way she dresses, like a tomboy.  Scout does not like to do "girly things," and this goes against everything that Alexandra believes in.  Scout is bright though.  She learned to read at an early age and she is very intuitive.  She can see into peoples hearts and has an excellent social IQ, she just chooses to live her life the way she wants it to be.  Adults are not always correct in the way they evaluate the cleverness of young people.  As a teacher I am supposed to be able to tell about how clever a child is, but I have been wrong.  Our beliefs and value systems, especially as adults, often interfere with our judgement.


"a conservative woman concerned with social and class distinctions and bound to the traditions of the South. She tries to counteract her brother's liberal influence on his children by reminding them of their family's eminence and by trying to make Scout behave in a more ladylike manner."

What is the summary for Chapter 4 of Twilight?

Bella has a dream in which she chases Edward through the dark, but cannot catch him. During Biology class, Edward sits as far from her as he can and occasionally seems to clench his jaw and fists.  She thinks he regrets saving her life, and tries unsuccessfully to talk to him.  He does not speak to her, but every day she watches him, noticing that his eyes seem to grow darker and darker.  She continues to dream about him as well.
After class, Edward talks to Bella, and she confronts him about his cold behavior toward her in the past few weeks.  He explains that if they stay away from each other it will be better for her, but Bella accuses him of regretting saving her life.  This upsets him and he leaves without another word.

After school, Eric asks Bella to the dance, and she tells him she can’t go.  Once she gets to the parking lot, Edward blocks her exit; and during this momentary pause in traffic, Tyler asks Bella to the dance.  Bella declines and then notices that Edward is laughing at her in his rear-view mirror.  
The next day at school, Edward asks Bella if she would like for him to drive her to Seattle. He says it would be more prudent for Bella to stay away from him, but he is tired of avoiding her. 

What is the main function of the fool in "King Lear"? What is the secondly function?

The fool as a character is confusing, but part of this is the difference between the 1600s and today, as well as the difference in place. If...