“People are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” -Abraham Lincoln Happiness drives every action a person makes. It is the goal everyone seeks some secret key to, expecting an external force to magically unlock eternal joy. However, no secret key to joy exists. While material things provide temporary pleasure or sorrow, nothing in the world can ‘grant’ continual elation. Instead happiness comes from a positive mentality, where a person appreciates their blessings and strives to overcome their challenges.
The cruelty Iago is able to incite in Othello and Roderigo reveals their deep passions and overwhelmingly trusting natures. The fact that Othello is so vulnerable and susceptible to Iago’s poisoning sheds light on his lurking insecurities about age, race and appearance, which Othello is ultimately unable to ignore. Likewise, Roderigo’s willingness to sacrifice all money and morals by Iago’s bidding reflects his naive passions and an overall lack of personal strength. In stark contrast with Othello and Roderigo, Desdemona, the primary victim of Iago’s cruelty and yet the only one who dies completely unaware of it, turns out, somewhat ironically, to be the only one whose inner self is completely unaffected by Iago. On the eve of her death, even after being horribly mistreated by Othello, she firmly upholds her values of loyalty and obedience, and her belief that no woman would ever wrong her husband.
This is an evil to say, for it is a transgression, the great Transgression of Preference, to love any among men better than others, since we must must love all men and all men are our friends” (Rand 30). This shows that if one chooses to commit a transgression in a collectivist society they’re willing to put “me” before “we.” Both stories allow the reader to see the effects one can have on a society if they commit a transgression within their
Envy creates tension in friendships and this trait is what leads to a lack of trust and end of the friendship. Envy can be healthy to an extent, but when envy overcomes rational thoughts it becomes unhealthy. When envy interjects itself between friends, it can lead to terrible events. A Separate Peace by John Knowles shows this fact throughout the story. In the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, envy leads to lack of trust, as illustrated through the thoughts, actions, and interactions of Gene and Finny.
Additionally, the temptation of suicide originates from this unbearable boredom, which pushes the agent away from their categorical desires. The reason this problem can arise, is when the agent satisfies all their desired
“ It dawned on Beli: that men liked her! Not only did they like her, they liked her a f---ing lot”, (Diaz 93). She found her body to hold some what power over men, having them feed from the palm of her hand. From that moment she began flaunting her body using it to lure men, searching for love in the wrong way, this may have been the reason for the demise of all three of her failed relationships. Beli, though her beauty was breathtaking, allowed for callous behavior of men in the way they treated her.
Even with his pessimistic mindset (he believes people are fundamentally miserable creatures), Voltaire knows that the real world is not a paradise; horrible situations are always going to occur and they are inexcusable and unexplainable. As Candide experiences more of the horrific world and society, Voltaire shows that this kind of world is the true
Nevertheless, the rules stand: if but a single act of kindness is extended to the child, all the joy of Omelas would perish in that instant. Yet no solicitude is yielded, for every man, woman, and child knows that such an act would be a terrible thing indeed. Instead they wallow in their helplessness before awesome justice by shedding bitter tears of anger at injustice. So perhaps Omelas is less fantastical than it first reveals itself to be. Moreover, Ursula Le Guin’s uses immaculate descriptions to create a unique utopia, enabled by dystopian elements in her short story, “The Ones
Plato once said that “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” Outsiders, members of illegitimate societies, are shunned because of limitations and restrictions in society. They tend to gravitate towards the light, but very few complete their journey. In Othello, The Great Gatsby, and The Death of a Salesman, heroic ambitions for acceptance and escape from the darkness are combated by societal expectations, shown through the light, which acts as a lure, towards societal norms and goals. Ironically, however, the tragedies that face all the protagonists are because of the darkness, or secret desires that each character makes to overcome their expectations. Need to say how love and American dream are barriers.
F Scott Fitzgerald's use of similes are notable as they increase our visual concept of the meaning behind his words. Fitzgerald's similes are not only notable by themselves but they also introduce the reader to the power similes hold to writing, more evident than in any other authors writing . In chapter four the simile “ … Who always gathered in a corner and flipped up their noses like goats at whosoever came near” (Fitzgerald 61) paints a tremendous picture in the reader's mind. It introduces the thought that higher class men look down at the lesser class men whenever they try to interact with them because they think they are better then them. But Fitzgerald uses his simile to mask this message to the compartment of goats which is easy for us to envision, and really get the point of what he is trying to say across to us with little effort.