"We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever’”(Rand 19). In Ayn Rand’s dystopian novel, Anthem, the citizens are trained from birth to think only in the plural, to the point where they cannot even conceive of individuals, but only see each other as part of the whole group. Rand’s protagonist, Equality 72521, begins the novel as a street-sweeper who is devoted to the group, but begins to move towards individuality as he progresses towards pure selfishness, as Rand believes we all should. Rand uses the words “we” and “I” to represent Equality’s journey from being dependent on the group, to being utterly independent of everyone.
Religion has been a controversial topic for people with conflicting beliefs regarding a spiritual figure. Some authors today tend to stay away from the topic of religion fearing criticism from readers who disagree with their religious beliefs. Victor Villaseñor’s book, Rain of Gold is a non-fictional book that looks at the progression of the lives of Lupe and Juan who originated in Mexico. The book begins with Villaseñor describing the harsh condition in Mexico during a war that forced Lupe and Juan’s family to a journey to the United States. However, the journey was no simple task for the families. Even though Lupe and Juan come from different families, the similarities they had during their journey to the United States made
One of the many themes in the novel, Bless me, Ultima is Antonio’s “loss of innocence” throughout the months upon the arrival of Ultima, the curandera. At the beginning of the novel, Antonio is an innocent boy, protected from reality thanks to his age and parents. As the novel progresses, Antonio becomes aware of the bad and the good in life. Antonio’s transition from innocence to experience is shown through particular events.
In the stories “Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe, and “The Storm” by Kate Chopin both authors used literary devices such as motif, similes, and metaphors to convey meaning in their stories. In these two stories, the author’s use of literary elements triggers the reader’s senses and captures them emotionally. Although they bear some minor similarities, such as referencing their stories using symbolism and maintaining the same concept theme. The differences between the captivating stories are that they both express a different variety of literary elements.
In Cesar Vallejo’s poem, “Los Heraldos de Negros”, in English called “The Black Heralds”, themes of God, children, love, and tragic consciousness emerge. My aim here is to examine another important source of his meaning, which is how the speaker sees God’s role in his encounters with life’s struggles. In the poem, a hateful God replaces a merciful God. The nature of this hateful God poses as a savior but instead of being helpful, or being resurrected to save humankind, he poses as a false or fake entity, which confuses and frustrates the speaker. Vallejo depicts God as hateful instead of merciful, because the speaker challenges and questions God’s methods. Vallejo continues by displaying an acute message, painful frustration at being unable to determine why life is so hard. This would interpret that not only difficulties of life can take a toll physically, but mentally as well and lead you to question why our lord and savior continues to be blind or to assist with our derailments in life.
Death, can tear anyone apart, but when it's for a cause it can open a family, friends, or even a nation's eyes. When a national icon dies for a cause it can a can make the whole nation take a step back and look at what's really going on. An excellent examples are John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr, or in this case John Proctor from The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. In this play people are being hanged for an accusation of witchcraft, which is necessary to restore the social justice in Salem. This play can be compared to history, with information about the play itself, and lastly how the tragic hero's death makes a difference in this play.
Edgar Allen Poe has created numerous emotion jerking poems. "The Tell-Tale Heart" was one of his works that plays on mental illness. This poem has a thick plot line, he is trying to defend his sanity, but he tells us that he killed a man. Poe tells us he did not kill the man in rage, or for riches, but because he feared the mans blue eyes. This line speaks a lot of the author, and of the fear he had. If you fear someone so much over the color of your eyes, your sanity can be put into question. He observed the man for a week. He watched the man as he slept, and in the morning acted as nothing had happened. After the 7th night he decided that it was time to kill the old man.
The Wounded Healer by Henri J.M. Nouwen is one such book which is simple yet very insightful, solemn yet very challenging. He stirs up our interest as he deals with the biggest concern of our modern day leaders in our churches and society – the struggle with our weaknesses. And I believe his philosophy goes much deeper than what is actually written. I personally felt that this book is not only for Christian ministers or leaders but for everyone and anyone because, as mortal human beings, we live in a societal world where caring or helping each other is indispensable. I like the way Nouwen makes us see the four chapters of this book, as entering into four different doors, each representing the ‘problems of ministry in the modern world’ (Nouwen, 2010, p.3). I’ve categorized my reflections on this book into three particular headings.
How does it feel to be completely lost without knowing you are lost? Always having to constantly reassure yourself of your own sanity? In the short story “Tell-Tale Heart,” Edgar Allen Poe follows the thoughts of a young man who has just committed a murder and is recounting the event in his thoughts. In doing so, he tries to justify his actions and affirm his sanity. “You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me” (Poe). Poe’s gothic style brings forth a grotesque and thrilling story full of symbolism that seeks to make the tale much more visual for the reader. He transmits the emotions and feelings of the perpetrator in an attempt to draw the reader into his mind. Without this symbolism, the reader would miss the profound torment of the narrator.
The quote " Character is what you are in the dark" by Dwight Lyman Moody means that we show who we truly are when we face dramatic events. Sometimes, there are events that makes us discover a little bit more about ourselves, perhaps our full potential, our stands on certain topics, etc. The majority of people have certain characteristics that they don't show to everyone, things that they prefer to keep secret. I think this quote is very accurate because we often have to face difficulties to demonstrate who we really are and discover our true potential. Our character is a reflection of the moral and mental qualities that make us distinctive to everybody else. In the book Fahrenheit 405 the main character Montag has to face many obscure
In various works of literature, numerous characters have found solace in believing divine figures. Commonly because said characters have experienced hardships within their personal lives. All of which, could be harmful to one 's mental health. Especially, when one lacks emotional support from her/him peers. Nevertheless, one’s faith in God, tends to give individuals strength to carry on because in countless cultures, God is considered being a symbol of guidance, which serves to people in need. In addition to, the theory above is accurately portrayed in The Color Purple, which was written by Alice Walker in 1982. The protagonist of the novel, whose name is Miss Celie, ongoingly, struggles with self acceptance, after being neglected and abused
The Cross and the Lynching tree is a recent work from James H. Cone. Currently a Systematic Theology professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York, he is renowned as a founder of black liberation theology. In this book, he reflects on the most brutal chapter of white racism in the 20th century America where 5,000 innocent blacks were lynched to death by white mobs. And he tells us how blacks were able to survive the unspeakable reality of violence and torture with faith and hope in Christ. As a witness for blacks who were voiceless and ignored, he speaks out against the white church for saying little about slavery and racial justice. His passion for social justice comes from growing up in Arkansas in the Jim Crow era. The memories of his father and lynch mobs never left him. Black church comforted him, but made him wonder. “If the white churches are Christian, how come they segregate us? And if God is God, why is He letting us suffer?” (1) The lifelong quest for answers to these questions shaped his theology
“Enrique feels he would rather be with his mother than get the money and the gifts she sends.” 26, Enrique’s journey, Sonia Nazario. This immigrant boy called Enrique says he prefers to live in poverty rather than not having his mother at his side. After reading the book Enrique’s Journey, I have learned that is not worth it for a mother to abandon her children just to follow the American dream with the illusion of provide a better future for them. Broken homes causes many problems in our society, particularly, abandoned children grow up with low self-esteem and resentful feelings, they choose bad companies and they often consume drugs or alcohol.
Every life knows tragedy. While some tragedies may be greater than others, it is tragedy all the same. In his book Night, Elis Wiesel brings light to one of the most tragic events in our history The Holocaust. Wiesel describes his torturous treatment in the concentration camps, a place which stole everything from him: his home, his family, and even his faith in God. After seeing people tortured, gassed, and burned, Wiesel states, “my eyes had opened and I was alone, terribly alone in the world without God, without man. Without love or mercy. I was nothing but ashes now, but I felt myself to be stronger than this Almighty to whom my life had been bound for so long. In the midst of these men assembled for prayer, I felt like an observer, a stranger”
Literal sense: In Psalm 22, someone cries out to God and pleads for Him to save him from torments of his enemies. Progressively through the passage, he changes his tone. It goes from angry and negative to positive. He then thanks God for rescuing him. The man in distress says there’s no one else who can help him besides God. By reading this, one can clearly tell that this poetic literature because of the rhymes and metaphors.