The novel We Have Always Lived in The Castle by Shirley Jackson is a very unique book. This is due to the very strange behavioral patterns from the two sisters, Merricat and Constance, in the poem. But what is the most unusual about the two sisters is their definitions of happiness. To see Merricat’s definition of happiness is best seen when she refers to the “moon” and under the same weekly routine schedule she has always been under since she her family was murdered. Constance’s definition of happiness clearly displayed when Charles comes to the house and when she starts embracing Merricat’s “moon” fantasy world. By looking at the two girls’ definition of happiness we can see what the girls truly need and want in order to be happy. By looking …show more content…
When we look at Merricat’s definition of happiness we have to look at her idea of the “moon”. “The moon” to Merricat is an imaginary place where she mentally brings herself or thinks of when she is sad, worried, and or when something changes in her daily routine that has been the same since her family was murdered. “The moon” is something the house actually turns into according to Merricat “I told you that you would like it on the moon” (Jackson 145). We see Merricat merge her happy fantasy world with the real world. What is so odd about this is that the “moon” is supposed to be perfect yet the house’s condition has clearly worsened. What matters to Merricat is that Charles is not going to come back, she won’t have to go into the village anymore, and she is finally alone with the only person who matters to her which is Constance. This delusional thinking of Merricat helps us see what makes Merricat happy as she becomes happier even though to a normal person they would realize they’re living in way harsher conditions. Merricat’s happiness isn’t just from the moon but it is also from her consistent weekly routines. Merricat’s weekly routine of going into …show more content…
Merricat’s happiness comes from the want of things never changing and the need of her to rely on her sister and her imagination to live with the real world. While when we look at Constance we see that her happiness is wanting to have someone to comfort her and be with her. We see Merricat protect and support Constance in many ways but mostly by alluding her away from real life and towards the “moon”. Constance happiness also comes from her need to ignore the real world. We see her enjoy taking care of sister and almost not letting her grow up and letting her believe in her own fantasies and ultimately falling into her sisters “moon” fantasy. While the two girls are happy it is sad to see that this happiness isn’t really a healthy happiness as they really have live in a fake world rather than the real
Jeannette Walls, the author of the memoir, The Glass Castle, was raised by parents whose relentless nonconformity and radical ideals were both positive and negative aspects to their wellbeing. Their names were Rex and Rosemary Walls, and they were the parents of four children. While the kids were still young, the family moved from town to town, camping in the wilderness and sleeping in the car, and sometimes even had a small place to stay. Rose Mary, who was both an artist and an author, identified herself as an “excitement addict”. As a mother who despised the responsibility of caring for her family, Rose Mary preferred making a painting that will last forever over making meals for her hungry children. Rex was an alcoholic who, when sober, was a charming and intelligent man that educated his children through geology, physics, mathematics, and how to live life fearlessly.
Like all compelling characters, Merricat is both strong and weak, both villain and hero. If you spoke to her, she might sprint off into the woods with her cat Jonas, but if you anger her she might set one’s room on fire. Merricat would be impossible to live with, which is why Constance fears her. As some may say Constance is weak and is still paralyzed by the townspeople, Charles their cousin, comes to town to challenge her ways and is tested to see if she will follow him into the outside world or be subsumed into Merricat’s fantasy. As the novel goes on, the reader learns that Merricat killed her whole family except Constance. This shows that Merricat
It is then, when Gatsby emerged from F. Scott Fitzgerald. A true character of 1920’s America, the parties, the young-money, the helplessly in love, the pursuit of happiness. Darrin McMahon’s “In Pursuit of Unhappiness” explores the topic of seeking felicity and encountering barriers that we would not preoccupy ourselves with if we existed in an otherwise empathetic society. “Secular culture since the 17th century made "happiness," in the form of pleasure or good feeling, not only morally acceptable but commendable in and of itself.” (para. 4). As this quote exemplifies, there is a cultural notion of happiness being expected to be our default state of being. Due to this ingrown conception, we are riddled with the demand of forcing our path to contentment, as Gatsby, a character dumbfounded by a love he thought unmatched with a young debutante,
Upon examination, we first must look at the sisters’ temperament and attitude towards life. Their attitude on life comes out in their writing and we can sense how they would perceive their new homeland, Canada in the 1832. Catharine, the elder by 23 months was considered to be the “sweet-tempered and placid, was her father’s favourite child,” and Susanna, the youngest, “was the impulsive and defiant [one], with a wicked sense of humour” (Gray, 17, 18). Both sisters’ traits are clearly exposed in their approach t...
The lives we lead and the type of character we possess are said to be individual decisions. Yet from early stages in our life, our character is shaped by the values, customs and mindsets of those who surround us. The characteristics of this environment affect the way we think and behave ultimately shaping us into a product of the environment we are raised in. Lily Bart, the protagonist in Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth, is an exceedingly beautiful bachelorette who grows up accustomed to living a life of luxury amongst New York City’s upper-class in the 20th century. When her family goes bankrupt, Lily is left searching for security and stability, both of which, she is taught can be only be attained through a wealthy marriage. Although, Lily is ashamed of her society’s tendencies, she is afraid that the values taught in her upbringing shaped her into “an organism so helpless outside of its narrow range” (Wharton 423). For Lily, it comes down to a choice between two antagonistic forces: the life she desires with a happiness, freedom and love and the life she was cut out to live with wealth, prestige and power. Although, Lily’s upbringing conditioned her to desire wealth and prestige, Lily’s more significant desires happiness, freedom and love ultimately allow her to break free.
In Kate Chopin’s short story, “The Story of An Hour,” there are contrasting images of light and dark representing happiness and unhappiness. It isn’t until Louise Mallard thinks that her husband, Brentley Mallard, is dead that she really begins to realize just how unhappy she has been. Chopin shows through the characters light and dark imagery that speaks to this essay.
The famous French playwright Moliere once said, “The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” Throughout our lives, we often are faced with hardships that cause us to change ourselves, the people around us, and the situation itself. Because of this, it may reveal our true characteristics to show who we truly are. In the memoirs “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls and “Warriors Don't Cry” by Melba Patillo, they vividly illustrate the story of how they faced their struggles. They both prevailed because of their tenacious mind sets, but handled the situations in both different and similar ways. The characteristics of the characters Jeannette and Melba show the similarities and differences between the characters.
It is commonly believed that the only way to overcome difficult situations is by taking initiative in making a positive change, although this is not always the case. The theme of the memoir the Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is that the changes made in children’s lives when living under desperate circumstances do not always yield positive results. In the book, Jeannette desperately tries to improve her life and her family’s life as a child, but she is unable to do so despite her best efforts. This theme is portrayed through three significant literary devices in the book: irony, symbolism and allusion.
Given the general outcome of all the characters in the Great Gatsby, money does not equal happiness; regardless of socioeconomic class, Myrtle, Gatsby, and Daisy were all unhappy in one way or another and in the end, none of them get what they are ultimately looking for. In this essay, I will discuss the desires of the three separate social classes and what they believe their sources of unhappiness are.
She explicitly believes in different types of magic that will keep Constance and her safe from the rest of the village. One of these magic techniques include the three safe words Mary Katherine creates but are compromised when she exclaims “Their names were Melody Gloucester Pegasus, and we were safe until they were said out loud” (Jackson 82). She blames this mishap for the reason why Charles unctuously comes to her home and disrupts the cyclical routine she has had for the past six years. Another consequence of the magic that Mary Katherine thinks led to Charles coming is “because the book had fallen from the tree; [Mary Katherine] had neglected to replace it at once and our wall of safety had cracked” (Jackson 83). Mary Katherine relies on all of her magic to maintain her barrier of safety while making it her prerogative to protect
From the moment of birth, to the moment of death, humans are flooded with emotions both good and bad. Individuals are continuously seeking fulfillment, some failing to find it while others succeed. Many seek adoration; love, accomplishment and greatness. In literature, authors take the readers on journeys that allow imagination, granting the possibility for the reader to grasp inner desires and decide what is truly important in life. Literature allows readers to dive into a different world where happiness and fulfillment is plentiful and eternal, also described as a utopia, while other pieces of literature direct the reader into a world of dissatisfaction which is a dystopia. Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is in 26th century England. With the help of advanced technology and drugs, happiness fills the lives of the people living at that time period. But, the people are missing out on one of the most important feelings of life. That is sorrow or unhappiness. The society in Brave New World is very different from modern-day society; many aspects of life are removed such as family, monogamy, and religion. The citizens of Brave New World live in false happiness with all the necessities of life provided for them but have the lack of an inferred deeper satisfaction. In Brave New World happiness is the lack of unhappiness because the inhabitants can never truly know what happiness is without experiencing true unhappiness. The lifestyle in Brave New World is built on the notion that happiness is the only thing necessary in one’s life. This novel suggest that the reader should seek things besides happiness because the citizens in the World State live bleak and monotonous lives which show the faults in this so-called ‘perfect’ society. In thi...
...an only find true happiness in marriage with someone who shares similar manners and treasure people’s qualities over their look and status. This is when Anne’s sensibility allows her to disregard her family’s persuasion and become determined to fulfill her love with Wentworth.
Several symbols in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour" create a feeling of comfort, wellness, and wonderfulness within the reader's mind. The first symbol I will speak of is the "comfortable chair" which she sinks into after the news of her husbands' death. Then, I will speak of the open window, which she sits in front of through which she sees many symbols of things that are good. Finally, I will speak of the description of Mrs. Mallard herself and her comfortable situation, which will tie together all the symbols that create the feelings of comfort and wellness in the reader.
Mrs. Mallard’s repressed married life is a secret that she keeps to herself. She is not open and honest with her sister Josephine who has shown nothing but concern. This is clearly evident in the great care that her sister and husband’s friend Richard show to break the news of her husband’s tragic death as gently as they can. They think that she is so much in love with him that hearing the news of his death would aggravate her poor heart condition and lead to death. Little do they know that she did not love him dearly at all and in fact took the news in a very positive way, opening her arms to welcome a new life without her husband. This can be seen in the fact that when she storms into her room and her focus shifts drastically from that of her husband’s death to nature that is symbolic of new life and possibilities awaiting her. Her senses came to life; they come alive to the beauty in the nature. Her eyes could reach the vastness of the sky; she could smell the delicious breath of rain in the air; and ears became attentive to a song f...
Packed tightly into thirty-six short lines is a depiction of America today as viewed by Conor Oberst, front man for the Desaparecidos. "The Happiest Place on Earth" covers their opinions on patriotism, drugs, greed, pollution, military, technology, and the establishment in general. The overall feeling of the song is rebellion towards the industry, but there is also a sense of hope and a longing for social change.