Comparing Two Definitions of Home
For each person, home has a different meaning. For some, it is their house; for others, home focuses on where loved ones are. The two authors Richard Ford and Chang-Rae Lee consider home to be where the memories are. In their respective works, “I Must Be Going” and “Coming Home Again,” the authors explore home through memories. Ford’s memories are based on moving to new homes, while Lee’s memories are focused on his mother and cooking. Each, in turn, finds out what home means for himself.
In Ford’s work, he explores how the idea that “transient is a word of reproach” (Ford 110), a stereotype which he does not agree with. Many people consider people who move often to have shallow roots. People with little foundation are suspicious to lengthy residents. In his life, he has moved roughly twenty times, but he does not “concede their establishment is any more established than” (110) his own. To Ford, home is all of the memories; physical location is irrelevant.
He moves so often because “longing’s at the heart of it” (109). He has been longing to see the outside world. As a kid, he noted “that the world outside … was the more magical, exotic place” (109-110) than his hometown. Remembering when he once owned a home, he felt so trapped. In a drunken rage, he flung paint on everything on a lower level. This shows that Ford has a strong need of personal freedom to move. He wants to control his own destiny, concluding that any of his problems are therefore “on [his] bill, not theirs” (111).
Ford feels that “memory always needs replenishing” (110) and he does so by constantly moving from place to place. Ford questions the American southerner tradition that home is “supposed to hold” (110) Southerners to their houses and land. Ford feels differently about home: “home – real home – the important place that holds you, always meant that: affection, love” (110). For him, home is the pleasant memories he holds.
President Andrew Jackson wanted the white settlers from the south to expand owning land from Five Indian tribes, which was called Indian Removal Policy (McNamara). The Five Indian tribes that were affected were Choctaws, Muskogee, Chickasaws, Cherokees, and the Seminoles. In the 1830, the Removal Act went into effect. The Removal Act gave President Andrew Jackson the power to remove Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi river by a negotiate removal treaties (James). The treaties, made the Indians give up their land for exchange of land in the west (James). There were a few tribes that agreed to sign the treaties. The others that did not sign the treaty were forced into leaving their land, this was known as the Trail of Tears.
In the book, “Eleven Seconds” by Travis Roy, he talks about himself about what had happened to him during his hockey game and how he got injured in his hockey game. Roy becomes part of, and moves on from, many different “homes”. All the different homes remain significant throughout his life. Even though these different places are not permanent homes, he experiences a sense of home that remains important to him. Here are three examples of the “homes” Travis Roy becomes part of and how each of them had such an enduring influence on him. Those three “homes” Roy finds significant in his life are, Maine, Boston, and Shepherd Center.
the To Live, Coming Home is more subdued and visceral. In his own words, Zhang describes
Home is not a place where you took shelter, were raised up in, an address to, or where you currently live in. Home is family, friendship, comfort, and belonging. With that, comes the journey every individual faces to not only realize this, but also to get to a point where the individual truly feels at home. Which is exactly what Toni Morrison teaches us in her book, Home, through the narration and eyes of Frank Money, the main character. Frank Money is a poor, male, African American veteran that has been placed in a mental hospital. In which, he must escape from in order to save his sister, Cee, from a life threatening danger. While on this journey, Frank learns to grow from his past experiences and memories of his childhood and fighting in
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 gave America an immense chance for development. The Indian Removal Act was “an Act to provide for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories, and for their removal west of the river Mississippi”(Indian Removal Act of 1830 ). The small nation underwent a great change in many aspects. Forcing Native Americans out by establishing the Indian Removal Act impacted American history by bringing political, economic, and geographical changes. In exchange of thousands of innocent lives, America furthered its power by controlling more land, gaining more valuable resources, and obtaining freedom to expand. America experienced a prodigious amount of political changes with the removal of Indians. Economic changes were also inevitable as there were fields of gold on Indian land. There were greater outcomes geographically with more lands available for use. Although it was a heavy cost to pay, the lives lost were considered a necessary sacrifice for the advancement of American betterment and in result revolutionized the nation.
Oswald, F., & Wahl, H.-W. (2005). Dimensions of the meaning of home. In G. D. Rowles & H. Chaudhury (Eds.), Home and Identity in Late Life: International Perspectives (pp. 21-45). New York: Springer.
The complicated nature surrounding Heathcliff’s motives again adds an additional degree of ambiguity to his character. This motivation is primarily driven by Catherine’s marriage to Edgar and past rejection of Heathcliff, since he was a servant whom Hindley disapproved of. Prior to storming out of Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff overhears Catherine say, “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now…” (Brontë 87). The obstacles that ultimately prevent Heathcliff from marrying Catherine provide insight into Heathcliff’s desire to bring harm to Edgar and Hindley. The two men play prominent roles in the debacle, Edgar as the new husband and Hindley as the head figure who refused Heathcliff access to Catherine. Following this incident, Catherine says, “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same…” (Brontë 87). Catherine’s sentiment indicates she truly would rather be with Heathcliff, but the actions of others have influenced her monumental decision to marry Edgar. Furthermore, Heathcliff is motivated to not only ruin Edgar’s livelihood, but also gain ownership of his estate, Thrushcross Grange. This becomes clear when Heathcliff attempts to use Isabella
Webster's College Dictionary defines home as: An environment offering security and happiness" and "a valued place regarded as refuge or place of origin." Anyone can build a house but the emotional security a home provides is created by the people who live there. In Homer's Odyssey, the Greek hero Odysseus leaves his home in Ithica to fight in the Trojan war. The Odyssey tells the story of his treacherous journey back to Ithica, and the turmoil he experiences. Due to his strong desire to return to the place he remembered as home, Odysseus endurs the hardships of his journey. He hopes his homecoming will return him to the same home, and same life he built twenty years ago. Odysseus will never truly return home because he is not the same king, husband, or man he once was; He is not capable of recreating the home he once had.
Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights is a novel about lives that cross paths and are intertwined with one another. Healthcliff, an orphan, is taken in by Mr. Earnshaw, the owner of Wuthering Heights. Mr. Earnshaw has two children named Catherine and Hindley. Jealousy between Hindley and Healthcliff was always a problem. Catherine loves Healthcliff, but Hindley hates the stranger for stealing his fathers affection away. Catherine meets Edgar Linton, a young gentleman who lives at Thrushcross Grange. Despite being in love with Healthcliff she marries Edgar elevating her social standing. The characters in this novel are commingled in their relationships with Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.
A home, many people spent their whole life in search of his or her home. It has many different definitions to different people. To some people it may be their home country, to some it may be where they were born, to some it may be where their family is. home's most basic trait is its ability to provide shelter from weather. Rain or snow, a house will always be there to shield the elements from the family. In the cold times of the year, the heater will be there to warm the house. The heat of the summer is no problem for a good home. The ideal dwelling definitely must have a dependable central air conditioner. When located in an area abundant with tornadoes and hurricanes, a home must have a safe place. A storm shelter or a basement is an excellent place to hide. But to most people home has more meaning than just dwelling it should be a place where their family is, where they could have family times together.
Home is considered to be this place where you live permanently with your family, a place of comfort. When a character or a human for that matter embarks on a journey all they really long for is to return home to their family and loved ones. Thus, their homecoming is an important aspect to heroes in a fantastic journey. In the Epic poem The Odyssey performed by Homer and in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey we are able to obtain these very different notions of home. The main protagonists of each work have a different approach towards this notion of home. The protagonist Odysseus is constantly urging to return home to his family. In contrast, Dave, the protagonist is embarking on a journey in which he knows there is a big chance that he won’t return home.
Hector is just mainly a good person. He has his flaws just like every other person who ever lived, but it seems as if his strengths outweighed his flaws. Hector loves his wife and his son more than he loves himself. He was loyal to his wife and wanted the very best for his son. He left them to go fight because he knew it was what he had to do for Troy (Homer 79). In today’s world, people do not merely look for someone who is a great warrior, but also someone who is an overall good person. Hector is very brave and reasonable. He is very courageous and will fight for his country no matter what the cost. Hector does not act like a child in difficult situations like Achilles does, but he acts like a mature man. Along with Hector being a good person, he is also a great warrior on top of all that. The modern world needs somebody they can look up to who acts in a positive way. Hector never turned against his own country like Achilles did when he wanted Zeus to be on the Trojan’s side (Homer 13). The people in ancient times chose Achilles rather than Hector merely because Achilles is an outstanding warrior and he is part god. Fighting is what Achilles excels at, and at that time, that was really the only aspect that mattered. It does not matter that Achilles is selfish, stubborn, and prideful, as long as he can fight well for his country. The Greeks were actually hurt by this because Achilles did not even end up fighting for his country until his best friend died. His stubbornness outweighed his greatness (Homer 178). Achilles was the greatest warrior physically, but he was far from the greatest
...fight. However, this is not what happens and it is a tragedy that Hector dies. Hectors death just intensifies the sympathy the reader has for him and deepens the dislike for Achilles, especially when he drags the body. Hector can be seen as a hero because the reader becomes attached and hopeful for him as the story goes on because they recognize all the honorable traits he possesses.
When reminiscing about my childhood a home is hard to recall. It seemed common for others to have a place called home. Moving from house to house was not the problem, but the empty feeling. Home to me was my grandparent’s house. I spent nearly all of my childhood there. My grandparents bought the one story house with two bedrooms in the early seventies. From the spacious bedroom, to the kitchen with endless possibilities and the way I spent my time this house defined my character.
“Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends always belong, and laughter never ends (Robot check).” A place becomes a home for me when I am around all the things that I enjoy and love. For example, when I am around everyone that I love, I enjoy a peaceful environment and the beautiful landscapes around me. The interpretation of home for me is not a physical thing that I see or that I can remember or even certain thoughts that I can relate, but it is a sensation that overcomes me when I envision being in the comfort of my own home. However, I know that this is a feeling that is calming to my soul and it quietly reassures me that I genuinely belong in a place where I can be free from people constantly judging me.