Moral Ambiguity
We generally criticize characters by their actions yet we never seem to pay attention on what pursues their behavior. In a Song of Ice and Fire, Cersei Lannister is principally the morally ambiguous character, in which is displayed through her malicious actions with moral intentions. A fact in which demonstrated through her arrogant personality, desire of protecting her children, and attempt to alter her fate.
As a young child, Cersei received a prophecy from a wicked fortune teller named Maggy where she presented her with three prophecies, but out of the three one would affect her entire character. The one main prophecy promised her three children and that they will all die, so this drove Cersei to become an extremely protective mother. Cersei goes to any length no matter the consequences and takes great pain to shield her younger children, Tommen, Myrcella, and Joffrey. ¨Love no one but your children¨ are words spoken by Cersei that showcases that she is loyal to
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those that she loves unconditionally, especially her children. Her behavior around those around her is a clear result of this prophecy and how it has been haunting her all her life. Another crucial key factor that takes a role in Cersei’s personality is being a woman in Westeros where it's a male dominated society. Cersei resents her gender that she goes as far as wishing she was born a male and resents the gods for making her a woman.¨You cannot imagine what it is to have a man force of genius in you, and to suffer the slavery of a girl¨ was stated by Cersei pointing out that her life is ruled by men and her desires are always suppressed. All the bad decisions, scheming and manipulations is due to Cersei being a victim of her own gender and the fear of losing her beloved children. In majority reader's perspective, Cersei Lannister is considered to be a murderer, arrogant, malicious, and plenty of other negative adjectives. Cersei is no doubt to be a terrible, intimidating, and ruthless women in the realm. She seems to have this ideal image that if you’re not a Lannister you’re considered to be an enemy. Obviously having this type of point of view makes her treat everyone nothing less than space. Her attitude towards about almost everything is a pure example of arrogance because even if you attempt to have a simple conversation with her she’ll devour you in a second with just a couple of words. Also this is not all, Cersei certainly has a list or possibly a book of all the countless of crimes and scandals or people that she has ruined and killed. The top components of her list include her plotting the death of her husband, bribing servants to lie on stand in order to have her brother executed, and pushing her friend down a well when she was a child. Although one of her most despicable actions was when she exploded the Great Sept of Baelor with wildfire that caused the death of her son’s wife, the high sparrow, and around three hundred of innocent bystanders. By just this information you can understand on why readers perceive Cersei Lannister as a vicious and frightening women. Not all people recognize the truth behind Cersei’s actions given that her behavior is the outcome of trying to change her fate and protect her dear children. Since the very beginning Cersei only wanted to refine her future and not believe in what Maggy had revealed. When given the prophecy she was accompanied by her friend who witnessed what her future will hold, in which made Cersei push her down a well in order to keep it under wraps. After having three children, she began to realize that the prophecy might in fact come alive, thus making her become an overly protective mother. The blowing up of the Great Sept of Baelor was to protect the king, who happens to be her son, from the high sparrow. Yes, it did cost the lives of hundreds, but it got rid of an enemy who threatened her child. Another situation is after her eldest son was poisoned on his wedding day the only suspect was her brother. Cersei was so convinced that it was her brother that of course she wanted his head served on a platter even if it was her own blood. These are just a few prime examples that displays Cersei believing she is doing good for her children and avoiding fate despite accomplishing it in unpleasant manners. Despite the fact that Cersei Lannister may not be anyone's particular favorite character, her moral ambiguity does drive the novel.
Cersei’s behavior affects those around her similar to a domino effect where it sets off the characteristics of other characters. All her malicious actions causes certain emotions or feelings to countless of people that changes their entire life course, for example, when her youngest son killed himself due to his wife's death by the hands of his own mother. While not all she does has negative consequences seeing that she can help individuals rise from the ashes and restore what’s theirs. For instance in a scene where Cersei tried to degrade a young girl named Sansa she essentially made her become a resilient and fierce woman. The aftermath of her actions develops climaxes, rising action, and conflict that helps shape the novel. It’s safe to say that Cersei’s moral ambiguity sets the course of the plot and constructs the personalities of various
individuals. George R. R. Martin’s use of moral ambiguity with the character of Cersei Lannister allows the reader to accept the novel as a story of a frightened woman and her maleficent actions. Cersei commits violent actions with noble intentions. Her extreme aggression protects her three children from a doomed prophecy and therefore justifies her violence. The moral ambiguity successfully reflects the novel’s assertion that evil may be necessary and perhaps even moral.
Guy Montag in Fahrenheit 451 written by Ray Bradbury, not only shows personal responsibility but moral character and inner strength. He shows these particular traits when he stands up for what he believes in and goes against the majority.
In the 1930’s, turmoil has erupted in Maycomb, Alabama all because the young lady Mayella Ewell has accused African-American Tom Robinson of raping and sexually assaulting her. Yet, Mayella Ewell has no power because of her race, class, and gender. At the time, Maycomb, Alabama was at the peak of segregation against African-Americans. Mayella Ewell may be white, but that does not mean her class, gender, nor her race give her power.
In the story of the Scarlet Letter, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale possesses more guilt and fear than any other character portrayed within this fascinating book by Nathaniel Hawthorne. There are many examples that make this theory evident: by him putting off his confession about his act of passion, it results in a woman being punished and set apart from the rest of civilization, all while dealing with his moral obligations as a pastor and finally comparing him to the other major male character within the story. Even with his abundant knowledge of what is right and wrong, Dimmesdale attempts to rationalize his mistakes and reason to himself throughout the story that what he is doing is best for everyone. Is this a only a sign of just fear or hypocrisy
An individual's morals are rooted in their personal views which may be contradictory to the principles manifested by society. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, characters living on Himmel Street who neglect Nazi ideology experience love for each other and humanity, thereby living a contented life in harsh conditions. The different types of love which individuals on Himmel Street encounter from refusing to obey societal ideologies and expectations is formed by supporting those in need and developing relationships with those that society has degraded.
People often give up everything that have for others, not because they have a lot to give, but because they know what it feels like to have nothing.
The theme of hypocrisy is evident throughout The Scarlet Letter, as seen in Hawthorne’s characterization of society, Roger Chillingworth, and most prominently, Arthur Dimmesdale.
“Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." A quote from the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird depicts the hardships of growing up and seeing the world around you being controlled by prejudice and racism. Lee implies that innocence is not seen as the assumption that people are naturally good but is more of a mature perspective gained from facing immorality.
“Jane Eyre,” by Charlotte Bronte, is a story of an orphaned girl who was forced to live at Gateshead Hall with her Aunt Reed. Throughout her early appalling childhood, Mrs. Reed accused Jane of being deceitful. "I am not deceitful; If I were I would say I loved you; but I declare I do not love you (30)." The author, Charlotte Bronte, used this barbarous quote to reveal to the reader that, Jane Eyre, denies she was deceitful. Deceitful is the major theme of, “ Jane Eyre,” which results in loneliness and wretchedness to the people being lied to but also to the people persisting the untruths.
Being judgmental is often a trait people possess. Atticus is one such person who does not posses this trait as seen in the fictional novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Black and white, right and wrong; do decisions that simple and clear even exist? Does a decision ever mean gaining everything without giving anything up? Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are forced to make difficult, heart wrenching decisions that have no clear right answer. Harper Lee presents many of these important decisions in To Kill A Mockingbird as ethical dilemmas, or situations that require a choice between two difficult alternatives. Both of these alternatives have unpleasant aspects and question morals and ethics. A person is put in an awkward position, with their mind saying contradicting things. These dilemmas are presented in many different ways. The decisions in the beginning of the book are simple and can be solved quite easily, yet they are symbolic of later decisions. Other dilemmas place adult-like decisions in the lap of a child. One dilemma concerned a man burdened with the strict traditions of the South. Then there are the two biggest dilemmas, Atticus' decision to take the case and Heck Tate's choice between truth and the emotional well being of a man. Lee's ingenious storyline is established by these crucial and mentally arduous choices faced by the characters.
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Level Headed- It has been a few days since poor Tom’s trial, and I had an encounter with Mr. Ewell today. I was leaving the post office when he approached me. He was really mad and he started cursing at me, he then proceeded to spit on me, and then he threatened to kill me. I just sat there and took it, he needed to get his anger out somehow, so why not let him. I understand why he was angry, who wouldn't be in his situation.
Although there may not be an extremely extensive amount of knowledge about the Empress Dowager Cixi, she is often considered one of the most powerful women in history. She ruled for almost fifty years, maintaining and expanding her own power. During her ‘behind the curtain’ reign, she made all decisions and always had the final say. Though she was very sharp and understood and executed politics well, she was (what some might consider today) corrupt. She was insistent on keeping her power in the Qing dynasty, to the point of (being suspected of) killing others. Though this seems despotic, recent reports say that she was just like any other ruler, and was blamed for events that would also have occurred under any other’s rule. Perhaps the saying she was in the wrong place at the wrong time could be applicable. Why does she get so much blame when many of the other emperors from other dynasties had similar faults (and even larger ones – their whole dynasties fell, Cixi helped perpetuate the Qing dynasty until her death – as tumultuous as it may have been)? One could argue that it was because she did not have the Mandate of Heaven since she was not traditionally supposed to have any power; or, because she was a woman.
A person’s identity is not something that can be removed, It can only change over time. Some people may feel as if they have lost their identity, but they have not lost it. It is only hidden. Many people have different definitions of identity, but there should only be one, universal definition. The definition of identity is the values someone has, and how said person treats others.