Being in England was a great experience to see how we as Americans have many similarities to Englishmen as well as many differences. In Kate Fox’s book ‘Watching the English’ she talks about how the English truly are, which in my honest opinion is very contradictory in itself. The English talk about the weather, they enjoy gossip almost as much as we do, yet they are much more reserved than we are, and many more that I will discuss later. Also in this paper I will share some of my experiences which were quite similar to parts of this book, and others that were not.
The one thing I found extremely interesting in this book was that Fox explained how the English will talk about the weather, not just because they thoroughly enjoy it, but
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Fox shares with the audience what certain words would be said in certain social classes, and which ones are big no no’s for the upper class. This chapter also explains how each social class speaks differently, for example; the upper class drops all vowels and the lower class drops or replaces the consonants. Say the phrase was ‘half past ten’, the lower class would say ‘alf past ten’ whereas the upper class would say ‘hpstn’ (which I find that hard to believe you can even pronounce that). According to Fox there are ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ in the English language that will determine which social class you are in. The first word is ‘Pardon’, which I happen to say all the time, is apparently worse than cursing for them. The upper class says ‘what’ instead, which would be disrespectful here in the United States and Pardon would be considered polite. The second word, ‘Toilets’, this is what the lower class says while the upper class says ‘loo’ or ‘lavatory’. ‘Serviette’ is the third sin, which the lower class would say, and the upper class would call it ‘napkin’. The next word goes across three different classes which is ‘Settee’. The lower class would say that, the higher of the middle middle class would say ‘settee’ as well as ‘couch’. Where I would come in luck is calling it a ‘sofa’ which the upper class calls it. ‘Lounge’ would actually be used in the upper class, whereas ‘living room’ would be used in the lower class. In one of our first lectures we learned about how each class has different names for the dish served after dinner. The upper class call it ‘pudding’, ‘sweet’ is referred to by the high middle class, ‘dessert’ by the middle class, and ‘afters’ by the lower class. The way classes are formed are completely different in the United States than in England. In the United States, we form our classes based on how much money you have, whereas in England it all depends on your
Five years following the Second World War, the setting of 1950s England is skillfully illustrated, as the nation is no longer much of a powerhouse. The way of life that has fulfilled the de Luce family is waning, as economic realism and modern life approach the under-funded country pile. Bradley captures the distinct era in history, a mixture of post-war adversity and the Empire coming to its end. Flavia is bemused; uninformed of the physiological effects the war had placed...
Sutherland, N. (1997). Growing Up: Childhood in English from the Great War to the Age of Television. Toronto: University of Toronto Press Incorporated.
The setting is London in 1854, which is very different to anything we know today. Johnson’s description of this time and place makes it seem like a whole other world from the here and now....
Clements, Victoria. Introduction. A New-England Tale. By Catharine Maria Sedgwick. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.
Despite the warnings of Orwell through both his essay and dystopian novel, bad English is still used today, and could be argued to affect more English than it did during Orwell’s life. The consequences are also just as he predicted, those who control the language are able to wield control over the thoughts of others. The usage of poor quality English by media has he effect of making the recipients of news more detached from events and as a consequence, more self-focused. The clumsiness and foolishness imposed by bad English ultimately degrading thought, politics, culture, and society is what Orwell had foretold. This is the English tragedy that is disregarded, modern thoughts of “English” are not of language but of the English Queen.
Every play written uses dramatic elements. The main dramatic elements are plot, character, theme, and language. Lillian Hellman, who wrote the Little Foxes, incorporates these elements beautifully in her play. The play is set during the spring of 1900 and takes place in the Deep South part of the United States of America. Just as every other play, the Little Foxes has included the dramatic elements in her play, particularly the plot, character, and language that all incorporate an underlying theme of greed.
Kelly, John. ENGLISH 2308E: American Literature Notes. London, ON: University of Western. Fall 2014. Lecture Notes.
Born on December sixteenth, 1775, Jane Austen was born into a large, well-respected family in Steventon, Hampshire, England. Austen, as well as her six siblings (of which she was the youngest), were the children of Cassandra and George Austen, who succeeded in raising a very close family that prioritized creative thinking and learning. Austen spent much of her childhood writing and performing plays, reading and writing books, playing piano, and helping her mother run the household. She would write down her books and plays in journals, and occasionally read them aloud to her family. In 1782, Austen accompanied her older sister, Cassandra, and cousin, Jane Cooper, to boarding school when she was only seven years old. The three caught the measles which unexpectedly cut their term short, but later returned to school. In her adult years, Austen moved with her parents and Cassandra to Bath in 1801 due to her father’s retirement. However, her father grew ill only five years after
Those who had remained in England during the Commonwealth had faced years of strict moral repression. Those who fled to France had acquired some of the decadence bred across the channel. In combination, these two forces created a nation of wealthy, witty, amoral hedonists. Their theatre reflected their lifestyles. Thus was born the Restoration Tragedy and the Comedy of Manners.
One of the first letters that were introduced in the novel was the one where Jane writes to Elizabeth when she is sick at the Bingley 's house. This letter helps propel the plot in the sense that it shall bring Elizabeth to a new place and give her time with Darcy in order to also advance their relationship with one another. Also it gives the impression of hospitality from Mr. Bingley as he truly cares for her. When Jane writes to Elizabeth saying ”My kind friends will not hear of my returning home till I am better”(25) she informs Elizabeth of her illness and as a result she wishes to go visit her as fast as she can because they are the closest of the sisters plus she wants to aid that process. The letter is important to the novel as it helps moves Elizabeth out of Longbourn and broaden her
In 1847, Charlotte Bronte, although a woman, published her semi autobiographical Jane Eyre. She wrote her novels in Thornton, Yorkshire, England. This novel later became a classic literature novel. ( Bronte) She wrote in the 1800’s and her novel reflects the time period, which she wrote in with the various techniques and themes. In the novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte uses literary devices such as, imagery and themes like religion and feminism to demonstrate the time period in which she wrote.
Literary Analysis of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The novel Pride and Prejudice, is a romantic comedy, by Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is a story about an unlikely pair who go through many obstacles before finally coming together. Pride is the opinion of oneself, and prejudice is how one person feels others perceive them. The novel, Pride and Prejudice, uses plot, the characters of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and the status of women and social standing, to portray the theme of the novel - pride and prejudice.
Let’s face it, in The United States, we do not understand cricket, we do not understand tea, and we certainly do not understand hidden emotions. Of course there is more to Britain than these cultural icons, just like America is not just made of cowboys from “Dallas” and loud egotistic tourists. However in the year 2000, there are still several myths surrounding the British culture that are very much alive today.
The settlement of the British Isles by north Europeans followed by Norman French paints the backdrop to this essay which will focus on the period between the early 15th and 17th centuries, when a'standard' English language evolved. It will show that modern-day English is very different to that first introduced to the British Isles, but by identifying changes through time, its continuity can be demonstrated. Finally, it will suggest that present day English is in a position analogous to that which existed before the Norman invasion, when there were many varieties and dialects, and that this may lead to its decline as a global language, due to decreasing intelligibility. The beginnings of English can be found in the occupation of England from the 5th century by north and west German ethnic groups who brought their 'indigenous dialects' (Seargeant, P. 2012, p. 1). The Oxford English Dictionary defines English as 'Of or related to the West Germanic language spoken in England and used in many varieties throughout the world' (Seargeant, P. 2012, p. 7).
Alice in Wonderland belongs to the nonsense genre, and even if most of what happens to Alice is quite illogical, the main character is not. “The Alice books are, above all, about growing up” (Kincaid, page 93); indeed, Alice starts her journey as a scared little girl, however, at the end of what we discover to be just a dream, she has entered the adolescence phase with a new way to approach the mentally exhausting and queer Wonderland. It is important to consider the whole story when analyzing the growth of the character, because the meaning of an event or a sentence is more likely to mean what it truly looks like rather than an explanation regarding subconscious and Freudian interpretations. Morton states “that the books should possess any unity of purpose seems on the surface unlikely” (Morton, page 509), but it’s better to consider the disconnected narrative and the main character separately, since the girl doesn’t belong to Wonderland, which is, as Morton says, with no intrinsic unity. Whereas, there are a few key turning points where it is possible to see how Alice is changing, something that is visible throughout her journey. Carroll wants to tell the story of a girl who has to become braver in order to contend with challenges like the pool made by her own tears, or assertive characters, like the Queen.