Billy Liar is stylistically dissimilar to most ‘angry young men’ novels of the 1950’s. Waterhouse arguably rejected the romantic experimentation of a modernist approach, however he selectively engaged with modernist conventions. Notably, the literary devices of: the interior monologue and the idiom of Billy narrated through free indirect speech. Furthermore, both techniques were employed by modernists such as Virginia Woolf and James Joyce.
To truly understand the exact context in which deception and betrayal were used in the novel, one must first start with Polly Wilson. Polly was lied to more so than any other person, her naive and uncalculated nature played as an influencing factor which allowed the severity of the situation escalate into a climactic turning point. A culmination of very specific and detailed lies lead to the untimely demise of Polly Wilson at the hands of John. One quote spoken by John Wilson, “Geese” (Page 78, line 18), sets up the story’s climax
Richard Gunderman asks the question, "Isn 't there something inherently wrong with lying, and “in his article” Is Lying Bad for Us?" Similarly, Stephanie Ericsson states, "Sure I lie, but it doesn 't hurt anything. Or does it?" in her essay, "The Ways We Lie.” Both Gunderman and Ericsson hold strong opinions in regards to lying and they appeal to their audience by incorporating personal experiences as well as references to answer the questions that so many long to confirm.
“So many people prefer to live in drama because it [is] comfortable. It [is] like someone staying in a bad marriage or relationship – it [is] actually easier to stay because they know what to expect every day, versus leaving and not knowing what to expect” (Ellen DeGeneres). Commonly, people stay in unhealthy relationships because they do not wish to conclude that there are issues with their significant other; due to strong emotional connections. In Gail Helgason’s “Bluffing” and Cathy Jewison’s “The Prospector’s Trail” the protagonists both remain in their relationships despite being mistreated, and are ignorant that there is a problem. Helgason introduces Gabriella whose partner, Liam, is in the hospital due to a bear attack a couple months ago. Sitting in the hospital, she reflects back on their time spent together realizing that Liam never truly loved her and to move on she must eliminate that aspect of her life. In “The Prospector’s Trial” a couple go on a journey to figure out how to go about their
In the play, 'Brilliant Lies', David Williamson uses a number of techniques to expand on the concepts introduced in the title. He uses characters and their back stories to build a supporting argument to compliment the text's overall theme that everyone lies to protect themselves. Susy's sexual harassment claim contains the most evident form of lies throughout the text, however Vince and Gary's relationship, Susy's family history, and even Marion's favouritism with clients all help to identify the main themes to the reader.
Judith Viorst is an American journalist. Her essay “The Truth about Lying”, printed in Buscemi and Smith’s 75 Readings: An Anthology. In this essay, Viorst examines social, protective, peace-keeping and trust-keeping lies but doesn’t include lies of influence.
In the film, What about Bob?, Bill Murray Plays Bob Wiley who has a major anxiety disorder. Bob Wiley is a divorced man who lives in New York by himself with his fish Gil. Bob Wiley definitely displays an abnormal type of anxiety disorder because everyone naturally feels fear and anxiety every once and awhile, but Bob takes it to a whole new level. One article states, “They can cause such distress that it interferes with your ability to lead a normal life”(p. 1). Once anxiety changes the way someone lives their life, that is when it becomes peculiar. That is why I think Bob wiley meets the criteria for abnormal in his portrayal of anxiety disorder.
Fake, deceiving, ungenuine, all these words describe a true phony. Both narrators of the books, The Great Gatsby and The Catcher In The Rye fit the characteristics of a phony. The narrator in The Catcher In The Rye, Holden Caulfield, is phonier than Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby, because he’s a hypocrite, lies about his age,and lies about how he feels.
still the same today and so, the play is still enjoyable now as it is
Down the street, in our workplaces, seemingly under our beds- Harvard Medical Professor Martha Stout’s Sociopath Next Door: The Ruthless vs. The Rest of Us sends the reader into a state of frightful paranoia when she mentions that a staggering 1 in 25, 4%, persons is, in fact, a sociopath. A sociopath, as Stout asserts, is a person with the lack of a conscience, thus a person not concerned with the suffering of others, to worry only about itself. She goes on to tell us that, because the rate of sociopaths in our society is so high, we must have already met hundreds without knowing it, due to the elusive and enigmatic nature of this psychological disease.
Throughout the short story, the manifestation of the narrator’s conscience as the second Wilson is never known until the end, and thus, is never understood as just another example of Poe’s consistent concretization, until the conclusion; as such, Poe infuses the transformation of other abstract ideas into physicality within the text to tease and elucidate the complex notion of a non-existent second Wilson. The externalization of the narrator’s perplexing internal struggle justifies Poe’s serious and outwardly grandiose style that creates both scenes of metaphorical and actual physicality. Simulating the roller-coaster like journey of self-doubt the narrator experiences, the short story and its meticulously written rhetoric teases the readers with possible knowledge of the second Wilson’s identity without complete certainty, but then hits them with an epiphany, like the one the narrator experiences, about the doppelganger's true identity. In order to understand “William Wilson”, one must not evaluate single excerpts, but the work as a whole, as a dynamic confession by the narrator; only by understanding the conclusion and recognizing its complexity, can one truly appreciate Poe’s mastery which stems from his ability to introduce both the themes and conclusion of the story to the reader
“[Suddenly there was a tremendous explosion, Doc and Roberts clutch at the desk] ‘Roberts: Oh, my God! Doc: He wasn’t kidding’”!(400) They turn around to find Ensign Frank Pulver wearing a tattered uniform and a blackened face. This just one of Frank Pulver’s many childish and naive stunts in the play Mister Roberts by Joshua Logan. Throughout the play, Frank Pulver is indirectly characterized as being immature and foolish through his actions, humor, and dialogue.
‘Nick Carraway as an Unreliable Narrator’ Kent Cartwright. Papers on Language and Literature 20.2. 1984. Pg 218-232
What would you do if you were In one of the biggest disasters in history. In the book Out of The Dust by Karen Hesse, a little girl: Billy Jo has a life in the Dust Bowl. She must be able to deal with all of the dust and maintain her sanity. At the end, she is still alive and hopeful. Sometimes, people find themselves in bad situations and have a hard time dealing with it. The only way to survive is if you remain hopeful. This is what Billy Jo did and she made it through.
In his final piece of literature Billy Budd, Sailor, Herman Melville contrasts the good and the bad. However, good does not necessarily mean “normal,” and bad does not necessarily represent “evil”. Billy’s innocence and childlike behaviors create a positive reputation throughout the ships he inhabits, creating an example for the other shipmates. However, his innocence and naiveness proves Billy to be on the autistic spectrum, while the rest of his shipmates are not. By not being as kind and free spirited as Billy, the shipmates show how it is more difficult to live as a “normal person,” compared to a Billy who has a naive and childlike nature. Living as a free spirit
James Hogg’s novel Confessions is told through two distinct narratives. The first narrative and the second narrative represent the main character, Wringham differently. In doing this, Hogg illustrates that the narrator’s viewpoints have no authority. The first narrative represents Wringham as a “devilish-looking youth” who constantly tries to provoke an altercation with George (Hogg 20). He harasses George to the point that none of George’s friends will spend time with him (30). Wringham is one-dimensionally evil. In the second narrative, Wringham as a character becomes much more complex. Though he is committing wicked acts, his justifications poses the question of whether or not Wringham is as sinister as presented in the first narrative.