Matt Groening once said “ I know all those words, but that sentence makes no sense to me” which is how I felt when I first started reading Nadja by Andre Breton. The novel Nadja is based on two characters, one being Nadja and the other Breton who meet while wandering the streets of Paris and click. Breton becomes fascinated by Nadja’s view on the world and doesn’t seem to ever think of anything other than Nadja. Nadja ends up sharing too many details from her past causing Breton to realize that he cannot continue with the relationship he had with her. Nadja in the end of the novel is put in an asylum due to her madness. Although many believe that Breton is taking advantage of Nadja, I believe that Nadja is the one taking advantage of Breton because of her badgering and her control over Breton.
Nadja is known to hold power over certain men, and Breton happened to fall under her spell. Nadja at first was seen as a “poorly dressed women” (64) to Breton, which made him immediately infatuated with her. Breton mentions, “she smiled, but quite mysteriously and somehow knowingly”(64) telling us that Nadja seemed to know what she was getting herself into. Nadja seemed to be an open book because “she mentions the financial difficulties she was having, even insisted on them, but apparently as a way of explaining the wretchedness of her appearance”(64) she encounters Breton, who at this point is still a stranger and tells him how she’s struggling financially. She grabs Breton attention and “knowingly” takes advantage by explaining her financial issues making him feel bad for her, putting him under her control. Later on in the novel Breton states, “It would be hateful to refuse whatever she asks of me, one way or another, for she is pure, so ...
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... read the letters that were sent to her by someone who signs them with a G. I believe that Nadja used these letters in order to make Breton sympathize her. It was just another part of her plan to drag Breton under her control and take advantage of him. She made Breton feel bad for her and that made it harder for him to separate. Although he might have said that they were of little interest to him, ridiculous, and dramatic on the other hand he did also say that they were tearful meaning he did feel for her, causing him to be sympathetic towards her, giving her another chance to attack.
Nadja by Andre Breton is a surrealist novel that consists of manipulation and gullibility. And although Breton might be seen as the manipulator, I believe that Nadja is the maneuver while Breton remains to be Naïve by believing everything Nadja tells him and falling under her control.
In the short story "The Wedding Gift" by Thomas Raddall, the reader meets a strong young woman named Kezia Barnes. Kezia was orphaned when she was just a child and was brought up as house-help in the Barclay home in the late 18th century (Raddall,17). Kezia Barnes' ability to manipulate others, her vast intelligence and her resourcefulness has allowed her to become much more independent than most women of her time. One prominent indicator of Kezia's independence is her capability to effortlessly manipulate others.
The power of manipulation is a very powerful tool and can easily be misused to benefit
Suffering and its role in Crime and Punishment are centered on Raskolnikov, his “infinite love” for Sonia, and the “repay[ment for] all her sufferings” (542). Sonia, the eighteen-year-old stepdaughter of Katerina Ivanovna, does not want to be sucked into prostitution but is forced to because of the living conditions her family is faced with (17). The situation that Raskolnikov believes Sonia to be in fosters the misconception that she is just as bad as he, thus he confronts her about it. Raskolnikov does not realize that his shallow thoughts add to her suffering and he takes her for granted until she becomes ill (540). Sonia’s suffering is final pivot that turns Raskolnikov’s perception of an ubermensch. Now, it is Raskolnikov turn to pay for his new life, the life that will only come after “great striving, [and] great suffering” (542).
In both Ann Petry’s “Like a Winding Sheet” and Kate Chopin’s “Desiree’s Baby” the protagonist is also the antagonist. In the story, Like a Winding Sheet its Mae’s husband, Johnson, and in the story Desiree’s Baby it’s Desiree’s husband, Armand. In the beginning of both stories their husband seem to be loving, caring husbands who would never hurt their family. Then, the stories turn in a twist when the husband became insolent and angry toward their wives, but they were feeling furious towards themselves. Johnson was repeatedly getting abused from the outside world and in his mind and he starts to espouse a dismissive image that turned to anger against his wife and eventually he kills her. Armand was angry at his wife because his son turned out
In the beginning of her job Nadine worked hard and followed instruction well. Even with some language gap, due to her broken English and Mark’s and Linda’s limited Creole they could communicate well. Nadine provided many benefits to her bosses, one being her ability to bargain for better market prices. Overtime Mark, Linda, and Nadine soon became friends. Through this friendship Nadine became more confident and stopped spending time with her friends and began associating with Haitians that were better off.
Zenobia Pierce Frome from Edith Wharton's novel, Ethan Frome, is a villain that sucks her victim dry. She destroys Ethan's hopes and dreams while simultaneously taking away his worldly goods. She reduces Ethan from a man with bright future into a ruin of a man that endures life that is worse than death. Zeena reaffirms that she is a villain by neglecting her husband, complicating his life, and taking away everything from him. Wharton, through Zeena, teaches that the villain does not always take the active role. She also teachers the readers to choose their wives carefully.
Manipulation is a strong tool allowing individuals with a minor role to subtlety, yet critically affect the course of a storyline. In the novel Atonement by Ian McEwan, the story is divided into three parts. In the first third of the book, a thirteen year-old girl named Briony Tallis writes a play for her older brother Leon: the Trials of Arabella. She wishes to use a fairy tale in order to persuade her brother to attain a stable relationship. The play, interpreted by her cousins, must be cancelled under unexpected circumstances due to her younger cousins’ refusal to collaborate as well as the fountain scene she witnesses. From witnessing her sister humiliate herself in front of what seems to be an imperative Robbie, Briony’s conception of the world and of Robbie takes a turn. The letter written by Robbie that lands in Briony’s hands, along with the intimate scene between her sister and Robbie she misunderstands as an assault, only reinforces her view of Robbie as an imperative sex-manic, leading her to accuse the innocent man for raping her fifteen year-old cousin, Lola Quincey. Though this latter may seem to occupy a small role in the novel, her indirect actions reflected through Briony greatly impact the plot of the novel. Lola Quincey obtains what she desires through manipulation and pity. Indeed, as she gains Briony’s trust, Lola also changes Robbie’s future as she remains silent and gives Briony the freedom to falsely accuse the man. (gain in power)
Good personalities could bring benefits to oneself, but defective personalities can bring harmful effects not only to oneself, but also to other people. Characters from Chopin’s “The Story of An Hour” and “Desiree’s Baby” share similarities that they have some kind of defective personalities. Louise, chief character of “The Story of An Hour”, is an immature egotist and purses unrealistic absolute freedom hard. She finally becomes “a victim of her own extreme self-assertion” (Berkove par.1). Armand, chief character of “Desiree’s Baby”, is a cruel person and suppresses all past painful memories. He finally leads to the tragedy of his wife, Desiree. These two stories, both written by Kate Chopin, show similarity in many aspects, including setting,
Jean Toomer's Cane begins with a vignette entitled "Karintha" about a young woman who grows up too quickly. The first paragraph tell us that "men had always wanted her, this Karintha, even as child...." From the description that is presented, it appears that she was always beautiful and desirous to men, even when she was a mere child. Men of all ages wanted her from the time she was young - the young men couldn't wait until she was old enough to court, while the old men wished they could get younger instead of older as time went by so that they might have a chance with Karintha.
In the novel Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton creates an interesting plot revolving around two star-crossed lovers. Unfortunately, there is only one important thing that gets in the way of these lovers, a wife who’s a hypochondriac. Zeena, the wife, finds herself in a particular situation, a situation where she needs to figure out how to get rid of Mattie. She tries everything to get rid of her, especially her illness, using it as an excuse to get what she wants, oppressing Ethan’s desires and needs. Despite her malicious actions, she creates a justifiable reasoning of her intent. In Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton creates a psychological response in regards to Zeena. Rather than being depicted as the villain of the novel, Zeena is merely the victim of
Firstly, William Shakespeare in his play demonstrates the use of manipulation though the main character Hamlet. Hamlet acts mad in order to manipulate Ophelia into believing he is gone crazy. Hamlet planned to create a dominos effect that would start with Ophelia thinking he has gone mad which would lead her to pass this information onto Polonius further passing it onto Claudius. His actions are illustrated through this quote from the text, “Alas, my lord, I have been so affrighted!... My lord, as I was sewing in my closet, Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced; No hat upon his head; his stockings fouled, Ungarter’d, and down-g...
Nora’s life struggle began at a young age. Her father treated her like an inhuman object, and now her husband has done the same thing. After many years of maintaining her “perfect” life, Nora could no longer live like this. She finally stands up for herself and makes a choice to leave her family. This decision is completely reasonable. It is unimaginable to think anyone could treat another person so crudely. No person should be molded into being someone they are not. It is unfair to treat a loved one like an object instead of an equal human being. Unfortunately there are many women today who find themselves in the same position in Nora. Many of which do not have the strength to confront, and to pry themselves from grips of their abusers. It is possible that the greatest miracle will be Nora, out on her own, finding her true self.
It is apparent that the love between Sonia and Raskolnikov plays a crucial role in Crime and Punishment, pushing Raskolnikov in a direction he otherwise would not have gone. Dostoevsky uses their relationship as a tool to develop the philosophical themes in the novel and prompt profound changes in Raskolnikov’s character. Through their love, Dostoevsky demonstrates the importance of human relationships in finding and maintaining happiness. He also seeks to condemn nihilism and disprove the idea that one cannot make one’s own meaning in life by having Raskolnikov adopt Christian existentialism and find his purpose through Sonia.
Conflict is one of the main driving forces behind a story. Without conflict the characters in the story would have no reason to do anything. Because of this every story requires some type of conflict in order to progress. The types of conflict can range from a man enduring the elements, known as man against nature, or as one character against a larger group, man against society. In addition to the other styles of conflict, the most relatable and compelling is when one character is set against another, known as man against man. Kate Chopin’s story “The Storm” displays three examples of a man against man style conflict, Bobinot against his wife Calixtra, Alcee against Calixta, and Alcee against his wife Clarisse, these show how a nonviolent conflict can occur between characters.
A common woman in Norway, such as Nora, experiences a daily life of oppression, fear, and unjust authority, which exposes societal mistreatment. Society and Torvald Helmer force Nora to look pretty and happy, although “she laughs softly to herself while taking off her street things. Drawing a bag of macaroons from her pocket, she eats a couple, then steals over and listens at her husband’s door” (Ibsen I. 43), which portrays oppression. Nora has to secretly eat the macaroons while ensuring that her husband does not see the action, as Torvald forbids them and desires her to please him at all cost. Therefore, Nora possesses no liberty of action and symbo...