Feeling Sympathy for Tess in Tess of the D'Urbervilles
I think that throughout the novel Thomas Hardy uses many different
techniques that lead his readers to feel sympathy for Tess. Through
reading Hardy's 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' I have realised that it is
invaluable that the readers of any novel sympathise with and feel
compassion for the main character. In writing 'Tess of the
D'Urbervilles' Thomas Hardy is very successful in grabbing the
attention and sentiments of the reader and then steering their
emotions so that they feel empathy and understanding for the character
Tess. Hardy does this from the very first time we are introduced to
Tess.
The first time we see Tess is at the Woman's Walking Club Festival,
Hardy describes her as 'a fine and handsome girl, with a mobile peony
mouth and large innocent eyes' (Chapter II), 'a small minority would
look long at her in casually passing and grow momentarily fascinated
by her freshness' (ChapterII).This description of pure beauty and
innocence captures the imagination of the readers and we begin to
build a relationship with the character. The beauty and goodness that
we see in Tess draws us to her, and engenders a feeling of affection
for her, in this way Hardy is preparing us for later in the book when
we see Tess suffering, and feel sympathy for her. Hardy is leading us
to feel sympathy for Tess by using her attractiveness and personal
qualities.
From the first scene in which we meet Tess, Hardy leads us to feel
sympathy for her by giving the impression that we (as readers) are
slightly overlooking Tess; a place in which this technique is used is
whilst Hardy is describing the effects of her appearance on others.
Hardy describes the more extraord...
... middle of paper ...
...herself
to save Angel's dignity. All this evidence leads us to the conclusion
that Tess is a natural victim, trodden by society: 'Every day it
seemed more was expected of Tess and every day seemed to throw upon
her young shoulders more and more of the world's burdens' (Chapter VI).
I conclude that although Thomas Hardy uses many different and varied
techniques to lead us to feel sympathy for Tess he pays particular
attention to portraying Tess as a natural victim. Hardy also spends a
great amount of time (particularly at the beginning of the book)
building Tess' character and building a relationship between Tess and
the readers. This is an effective method of leading the audience to
feel sympathy for Tess because the reader is more likely to like and
consequently, feels more compassion and sympathy towards Tess later in
the book when she is suffering.
In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, there are many themes, symbols, and motifs that are found throughout the novel. For my journal response, I have chosen to discuss nature as a prevalent symbol in the book. The main character, Montag, lives in a society where technology is overwhelmingly popular, and nature is regarded as an unpredictable variable that should be avoided. Technology is used to repress the citizens, but the oppression is disguised as entertainment, like the TV parlour. On the opposite end of the spectrum, nature is viewed as boring and dull, but it is a way to escape the brainwashing that technology brings. People who enjoy nature are deemed insane and are forced to go into therapy. Clarisse says “My psychiatrist wants to know why I go out and hike around in the forests and watch the birds and collect butterflies,” (Bradbury 23) which shows she is a threat to the control that the government has put upon the people by enjoying nature.
Bernice uses this information as a weapon against Marjorie hoping to evoke sympathy and pity from her cousin. This same poise and control is not shown by Bernice whose "lower lip was trembling violently". Bernice does not know how to act and this shows by how obviously hurt and affected she was by her cousin's words.
In order words, Nature is beautiful in the more simple way, but at the same time if nature starts to recognize danger or the feeling of dying, she will defend herself. Humanity need the use of ethics and humility at the same time in order to have a good ecological environment. During “Thinking Like A Mountain” Leopold describes the intricate of a mountain’s biomes and the consequences of disturbing their ecological balances, describe specifically with a wolf and a deer. Leopold use the wolf and the deer as an example of how human treats nature. Referring to the wolf way of think, “he has not learned to think like a mountain” like humanity has not learned to think in the way that Mother Nature want us to think (140). Leopold describes how “a land, ethic, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and… Reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land” giving an exact example by having a group A and a group B (258). Group A describes what one needs when on the other hand, group B “worries about a whole series of biotic side-issues” (259). By having this two groups being described, humanity today is like the group A, when one really need to change their way of mind and start to be like the group B. Society needs to use the ethics with humility in order to conserve the health of the natural
According to Rousseau, in the state of nature, man resembles the image of a savage. The human animal does not have a language or self awareness. Man simply dispersed among the beasts by imitating and
... the book has to offer. She gives Montag a new outlook on life, simply by asking questions, and actually taking interest in his life.
the women is not one of beauty and it is surprising to the reader that
...mont’s but is sadly disappointed by her unfortunate state in the end of the novel.
Even though, the arguments put forth by the author are relevant to the central theme, they lack clarity. He tends to go off on tangents and loses the flow of the article. It seems that the author has a slight bias against our generation’s obsession with technology, but that can be attributed to him being a quinquagenarian. I feel that the author has not covered the topic thoroughly enough. He has not quite explained the topic in depth or covered it from various perspectives.
“Modern man does not experience himself as a part of nature but as an outside force destined to dominate and conquer it. He even talks of a battle with nature, forgetting that if he won the battle he would find himself on the losing side” (E.F. Schumacher, 1974).
In many works of literature, authors often have a point they are trying to convey. This may be something about religion or politics, for example. In From Walden by Henry David Thoreau and Against Nature by Joyce Carol Oates, both authors are trying to make different claims regarding the topic of nature. Thoreau’s piece speaks more positively of nature whereas Oates’ piece contradicts the romantic views some writers have about nature. In making their claims, both authors utilize different structures to convey clear messages to the reader.
Alec's arms, when he had left her. She was forced to go back to him,
The poem's major theme seems to be this sense of the world being ruled by a hostile and blind fate, not by a benevolent God pushing all of the buttons. This is clearly stated within the poem itself as Hardy writes "If but some vengeful god would call to me / From up the sky, and laugh: 'Thou suffering thing, / Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy, / That thy love's loss is my hate's profiting!' / Then would I bear it, clench myself, and die, / Steeled by the sense of ire unmerited; / Half-eased in that a Powerfuller than I / Had willed and meted me the tears I shed. / But not so." (Hardy, Longman p. 2255: ll. 1-9). As you can see, this poem shows that Hardy has indeed lost all faith in a benevolent God that deals out suffering and joy to his creations as he willfully deems they deserve and need. Instead of this idea of a benevolent God up above pulling all of the strings of the world and dealing out everyone's personal fate, Hardy believes fate is...
Tess Being a Victim of Fate in Tess of the D'Urbervilles “The president of the Immortals had done his sport with Tess” In his novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles Thomas Hardy expresses his dissatisfaction, weariness, and an overwhelming sense of injustice at the cruelty of ‘our’ universal fate disappointment and disillusionment. Hardy puts out an argument that the hopes and desires of Men are cruelly saddened by a strong combination of fate, unwanted accidents, mistakes and many sad flaws. Although Tess is strong willed and is clearly educated emotionally and mentally she soon becomes a victim of ‘fate’. Many people would say that Tess was just unlucky, “Had a stroke of bad luck,” others would prefer to differ and argue that she has fallen into fates hands.
Most if not all of the villagers seem to view the death of Tessie as necessary and traditional. To the people of this community, death has
...h, is slowly decaying and making way to the modern world of schools, businesses and culture. Eustacia who doesn’t realise how perfectly suited she is to the heath dies a tragic death. It is as if the modern society cut off the last connection that the heath had with people. Hardy hints at the way evolution doesn’t allow for survival of minorities. This suggests that it is modern theories and the modern world that are moving people away from their roots and wild past, this will lead to unavoidable destruction. In my eyes, the point that Hardy is trying to make in this novel is that just as Eustacia vie, who is perfectly suited to the heath, tries to get away from her roots and is doomed to a tragic ending, such is society, which is trying to move away from its roots, trying to be as modern as possible, ultimately, society will be doomed to the same tragic ending.