1) Many successful athletes say that the best part of their life wasn't the millions of dollars they made, or the trophies they won, but the time they spent playing and competing in their favourite sport. This same concept is present in the novels Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams, as the characters come to realize through both positive and negative ways, that it’s the journey and experiences in life are what matter. The plot and setting of the novels influence this act of realization in the characters, most notably, Arthur Dent. 2) Arthur Dent as the main character in the novels Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, lives a rather boring life on Earth and does the bare minimum to survive. His friend Ford Perfect is from another planet and comes to warn Arthur “The world’s about to end” (Adams, Hitchhikers Guide Ridge 2 To The Galaxy, 23). At this moment, the truth about his uneventful life is flashing before his eyes and Arthur realizes that theres so many things he has yet to do and experience. He isn't living his life, he's just simply living. Arthur is overwhelmed with confusion, anger, and sadness when suddenly a voice started booming from the skies: People of Earth, your attention please, this is Prostetnic Vogan Feltz of the Galactic Hyperspace council. As you will no doubt be aware, the plans for development of the outlying regions of the Galaxy require the building of a hyperspatial express route through your star system, and regrettably your plant is one of those scheduled for demolition. The process will take slightly less than two of your Earth minutes. Thank you (Adams, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, ... ... middle of paper ... ... 186). Clearly the plot and setting of the novels played a huge impact on changing Arthurs view on life. After all he had done and experienced, he is now thankful. His view on life ultimately changed for the better and Arthur is fully realizing that the true meaning of life is whatever you make it, as long as you enjoy it. We all have our place. 8) Through these ways, the plot and setting ultimately changed Arthurs view on life, and took him way out of his comfort zone. The philosophy that life is all about the journey instead of the final product is clearly present in the The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. The characters, most notably Arthur Dent, explore the universe while treating everyday as their last, finding that the true meaning of life is what we make of it. Live life in today, forget about tomorrow.
In 1967, Tom Stoppard wrote his famous play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead after getting the idea while watching a production of Hamlet. Four years later, Douglas Adams got the idea for his Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy while lying drunk in a field in Innsbruck, Austria. In 1978, he would use this idea to produce a BBC radio show, which would be published as a novel in 1979. How can these two works be compared in their use of satire and cynicism?
If my life had no purpose, no individuality, and no happiness, I would not want to live. This book teaches the importance of self expression and independence. If we did not have these necessities, then life would be like those in this novel. Empty, redundant, and fearful. The quotes above show how different life can be without our basic freedoms. This novel was very interesting and it shows, no matter how dismal a situation is, there is always a way out if you never give up, even if you have to do it alone.
The theme of this novel is to look at the good you do in life and how it carries over after your death. The moral of the book is; "People can make changes in their lives whenever they really want to, even right up to the end."
...e protagonists finally arrive at lives of satisfaction from their lives of discontent after they have tried new activities.
... loss of loved ones like Junior in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Andi in Revolution or faced your own inevitable passing like Hazel Grace in The Fault in Our Stars, you are not alone. In confronting and facing death, these characters learn that death is merely a small part of living. It is an element of the human experience. To return to the wise words of the late Steve Jobs, “Almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important…There is no reason not to follow your heart.” Living is the adventure. In facing their fears and sadness, these characters learn how to be courageous, how to hope, how to love, and how to live. Join them on their journeys by checking out one of the spotlighted books at your local library.
Throughout all texts discussed, there is a pervasive and unmistakable sense of journey in its unmeasurable and intangible form. The journeys undertaken, are not physically transformative ones but are journeys which usher in an emotional and spiritual alteration. They are all life changing anomaly’s that alter the course and outlook each individual has on their life. Indeed, through the exploitation of knowledge in both a positive and negative context, the canvassed texts accommodate the notion that journeys bear the greatest magnitude when they change your life in some fashion.
Because this book takes place mostly in the Forest Sauvage and in the surrounding areas, Merlyn has ample opportunity to provide Arthur with numerous out of body adventures, all of which help him prepare for the life he is destined to live. The first adventure that Merlyn provides Arthur occurs on the grounds of the castle. Merlyn turns Arthur into a fish, specifically a perch. Both Merlyn and Arthur go swimming in the moat of the castle. While in the moat, Merlyn introduces Arthur to Mr. P, the King of the Moat. When Arthur swims up to Mr. P, he sees “… a face which had been ravaged by all the passions of an absolute monarch - by cruelty, sorrow, age, pride, selfishness, loneliness and thoughts too strong for
These timeless tales relate a message that readers throughout the ages can understand and relate to. While each of these tales is not exactly alike, they do share a common core of events. Some event and or character flaw necessitates a journey of some kind, whether it is an actual physical journey or a metaphorical one. The hardships and obstacles encountered on said journey lead to spiritual growth and build character. Rarely does a person find himself unchanged once the journey is over.
“His life was not confining and the delight he took in this observation could not be explained.” (Cheever 216) He had a perfect family, high social status and very few problems in his life, or so he thought. His life is so wonderful that anything objectionable is repressed. Not until he takes the “journey” into realization, where he learns through others that his life has fallen apart.
...can be a life-changing experience. McCandless entered the wild as an overly confident hitchhiker and left as a self-accepting and humble man. He thought that human relationships were futile, he was impervious to materialism, and that he could understand nature on a scientific level. However, McCandless left the wild with a newfound appreciation for humanity, some clarity on his purpose in life, and the ability to create his own legacy. Many people finish reading Into the Wild and form negative opinions about McCandless’ reckless behavior. However, it is important to focus on how being in the wild brought McCandless closer to understanding himself. Into the Wild should motivate humans to participate in explore the wilderness to discover the true meaning of life.
This story had no fluff. It had no happy ending. It was in no way uplifting. It was a book about hopelessness, and how tragic life can be. None of the characters find happiness. No one is rescued from their misery. What makes this book powerful is that sometimes that is the way life is. Sometimes there is no happy ending, and sometimes there is no hope. It would be nice if that were not true, but it is. And this book shows the gritty side of life, the sad reality. Sometimes things do not work out the way we would like them to, and sometimes there is nothing we can do about it. As depressing as this may be as a theme, it is important to realize that it is true. While optimism is usually admirable, too much may be ignorant. Hopelessness exists. It can certainly be seen in real life, and it can certainly be seen in this book.
When you are born people are there to take care of you, love you, and guide you through life. As you grow up and life changes, you must take charge of your own life and not become so dependent on others. Throughout the course of life a person will encounter many changes, whether good or bad. In 'A&P';, 'The Secret Lion';, and 'A Rose for Emily';, the main characters in the stories are Sammy, the boys, and Miss Emily who face changes during their lives. All of these characters are in need of change. Because of their need for change, their lives will become much better. They are filled with wonder and awe about the world around them. No matter what type of person, everyone will encounter changes. It is part of the natural process. A person is encouraged to make these changes for the good. Sammy, the boys, and Miss Emily all encounter changes in their lives that fulfill their need to become something different.
Throughout the novel the reader finds out that one cannot stew over a negative situation, but instead, find the positive in a negative situation and move on to better things. In addition, people should always be themselves because we all matter, no matter what our differences.
So, throughout the story and throughout life, we see society making countless decisions, making countless mistakes, and repeating the process over and over again. And then, we see the individuals that try to prevent the worst from happening to the world, or in the countries they reside in. However, if it's one thing that can change the world, it's what someone believes in, and what they do personally to back it up.
...ructure of a mysterious birth which ties into the theme, one should never think less of who they really are. Finally, the lasting effect that Arthurian legends have on modern day literature and culture may include inspiring young men and possibly women to become warriors and to remain chivalrous. Be thankful for Arthurian Legends because they allow respect to distinguish around the world.