In his article, “What Secrets Tell”, writer Luc Sante, Columbia University graduate accredited with multiple awards in writing and literature, discusses the unique types of secrets in the world along with reasoning people need to know, conceal, and reveal secrets. During the time of the publication of “What Secrets Tell” in the year 2000, America experienced low unemployment, the economy was strong, and America was not at war. Besides these positives at the time, America’s society had still not experienced the frightening and unforgettable event commonly known as 9/11. Sante develops this discussion by describing secrets through figurative language along with implementing historical and cultural allusions relating to United States lifestyle …show more content…
and history, but also by using an objective and analytical tone throughout the article regardless of the subject change. Further, Sante’s purpose is to inquire about different types of secrets in society along with explaining the impact of people hiding and exposing secrets. Sante examines the unique types of secrets throughout society while also investigating the reasons for purpose of secrets through figurative language in order to make connections with modern-day lifestyle.
To describe secrets by utilizing figurative language, Sante discusses secrets as a tangible object that can be passed, shared and even saved for a later. At one instance, Sante creates a metaphor between secrets and a form of value by saying the secret is an “important, gold-back currency,” in human culture that has become an important aspect of everyday life but is threatened by pop culture (Sante 436). Although Sante represents secrets as a form of cash value, secrets are actually portrayed as a form of “entertainment value” through attracting public attention and the satisfaction of revealing them (436). Describing secrets as an attainable worth helps stress the idea that secrets are an influential element of human life that needs more investigation, such as their revelation. Further discussing secrets throughout the article, Sante employs additional metaphors, as well as personification, to illustrate the revelation of secrets along with the consequences. For instance, Sante describes the disclosure of personal secrets as an individual’s ego to “take a beating” or emotional injury but concludes with the relationship between an individual's ego with the “foundation of [a] house” and how the telling impacts that individual …show more content…
(437). In addition to Sante’s employment of figurative language, his understanding of distinct categories of secrets and their acknowledgment to people is expressed through an objective and analytical tone. Having a rational attitude when discussing the potentially emotional topic of having an individual’s secrets revealed and the comprehension of why they chose to hide that secret is an essential element in Sante’s article for remaining logical and balanced. To extend the importance of the “uncertainty and destabilization” of secrets to the readers of the New York Times magazine where the article was initially published, it was crucial that Sante utilized an impartial attitude and thorough explanation of the distinctive forms of secrets for raising consciousness for the influence of secrets and their mystery (440). Additionally, Sante makes cultural references throughout the article pertaining to American lifestyle in order to make relationships with secrets from different time periods and their impact.
Sante implies ideas from the recent past, such as those of Hollywood individuals who “are richer, thinner, [and] more charismatic,” flourished on the imagination and eagerness of people just by the idea of a secret that may have a solution (438). Extending on the concept of TV culture manipulating people using mystery, Sante implies how social media has misrepresented reality through fabricated secrets by influencing people “in moments of desperation” to purchase a product or service that will somehow give them an advantage socially (438). Although the belief of companies seeking more reputation or money by persuading consumers to purchase their goods and services has been around for decades, Sante suggests how the perception of secrecy or a mysterious factor of that product will give that consumer dominance or an improvement is now recently being investigated, but also understood that TV culture will always strive on the concept of
secrets. No matter the location or society, secrets and unrevealed mystery are present and waiting to be discovered. The irony surrounding secrets is that the sense of uncertainty and unpredictability that secrets generate actually creates balance for people because it gives them a reason to ponder or even aim to uncover such mystery. Ultimately, people need secrets because life would have no purpose without uncovering the enigma and mysterious information the world has to offer.
The promotional posters and theatrical trailers helped generate anticipation and excitement for the movie leading up to its release as the trailer opened with a large, bold, scrolling “The Outstanding Book of the Year becomes the Most Talked about Movie in the Nation” where major words that could help fill in the mood are italicized, while dramatic scenes, such as Cassie running to Parris or simply watching Cassie behave frantically while at home. “Secrets” is a concept that was exploited on Kings Row posters; this represents how essential they were to both the plot ...
“A book may be compared to the life of your neighbor. If it be good, it cannot last too long; if bad, you cannot get rid of it too early.” - Henry Brooke. This quote mimics Mark Aiello’s poem, comparing the first chapter of a book to someone’s childhood, or first chapter of life. Also like the quote, his poem explains how the first chapter of a book is very pleasurable, but it does not last long until the disturbing plot comes into play. Mark Aiello’s poem, “Chapter One”, is very literally about the first chapter of a novel. Furthermore, Aiello’s use of figurative language allows the reader to interpret the poem in numerous ways beyond the main idea. While analyzing the poem, the reader is permitted to compare the first chapter of a book to
The title of the short story, “Four Directions” is symbolic for Waverly’s inner misconceptions. As she goes about her life, she is pulled in different ways by her past and her present. She is torn between her Chinese heritage and her American life. She never thought that instead of being pulled in four directions, she could take all of her differences and combine them. In the end she realizes this with the help of her mother. “The three of us, leaving our differences behind...moving West to reach East” (184), thought Waverly. Her whole life she misconceived her mother’s intentions. Lindo never wanted Waverly to solely focus on her Chinese heritage, but rather combine it with her new American ways. The idea of being pulled in four
Televistas is relatable to modern audiences as it depicts common love stories shown on television in present day portraying the same plot. Dawe raises awareness here, highlighting the influence of television and how we have changed consequently. Dawe’s argument is raised with “Fortunes smiled between commercials” detailing his revolt of televised advertisements. Coincidingly “dreams were swapped, and futures planned” suggests the powerful negative influence of television on our lives; encouraging the purchase of irrelevant materials. The use of big brand tags such as “Samboy” and “Cheezels” implements the idea of increased consumerism of fashionable items, due to televised advertising. Dawe instinctively sets the names of products e.g. ‘Samboy’ to emphasise the perceived value of a product on television, inferring toward the increase of consumerism within the
In the novel, “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, he describes parts of his war experiences through the stories told throughout the book. O’Brien discusses the gory detailed chaos of the Vietnam war and his fellow “soldiers.” As O’Brien gives detail of the his “fictional” experiences, he explains why he joined the war. He also describes a time where his “character” wanted to escape a draft to Canada.
In “Queens, 1963”, the speaker narrates to her audience her observations that she has collected from living in her neighborhood located in Queens, New York in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. The narrator is a thirteen-year-old female immigrant who moved from the Dominican Republic to America with her family. As she reflects on her past year of living in America, she reveals a superb understanding of the reasons why the people in her neighborhood act the way they do towards other neighbors. In “Queens, 1963” by Julia Alvarez, the poet utilizes diction, figurative language, and irony to effectively display to the readers that segregation is a strong part of the American melting pot.
There are several times in life where people have to be determined to surmount their challenge. Paying the monthly rent, trying to get a promotion, or shooting the game winner to win the finals or to get in the playoffs. There are some downfalls from being determined, but being determined is a crucial character trait that people need. That's why being determined is a common theme in writings. Common themes are explored in literature because they can be explained in different ways of forms, and there the most important lessons to learn. Nobody wants to read a book with an unnecessary and unsatisfying life lesson since they are common they are used more than once.
The word secret can be interpreted in two ways, as either an adjective “not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others” or a noun “something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others”; both with generally the same mean...
Tatiana de Rosnay used different literary tools to assist her writing in order to deepen the story, including figurative language, dramatic irony, and foreshadowing. The use of figurative language helps to clarify a description in order to place an image in the mind of the reader. Similes are the main type of figurative language used throughout Sarah’s Key, allowing the reader to see what is happening. Many images conjured up make comparisons as a child would make them, as much of the story concerns the innocence of a child, such as “[t]he oversized radiators were black with dirt, as scaly as a reptile” (Rosnay 10) and “[t]he bathtub has claws” (Rosnay 11). Other descriptions compare Sarah, and Zoe, to a puppy, a symbol of innocence, as children are known to be
Authors have used the element of secrecy to produce a desired effect in their novel throughout history. Vital pieces of information are often withheld from other characters for various reasons. Secrecy is necessary in some cases. Information may be withheld to protect the one sharing the information, to protect others, or a person might not be in the right position to share such information to other trustworthy people. Some secrets are meant to be kept until death and others are to be withheld until the moment is right to share among others. In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice the main character, Elizabeth, has to decide which secrets she has to hide forever and which ones to share with others.
In “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by O’Connor Figurative language is used often by the characters, especially the grandmother who manipulates, which in return, leads to the families murder. In the short story the author gives small details of almost every character. When the author describes the mother’s face, she uses a simile writing, whose face is broad and innocent as a cabbage(pg 296). On the family drive, the author uses imagery to describes the beauty of the families surrounding using words like brilliant red and green lace-work that makes the drive seem relaxing.The author’s use of informal diction helps dictate the calmness of the events. I believe these calming words are the way the author is portraying the calm before the storm. What
Everyone is in a consumer’s hypnosis, even if you think you are not. When you go to a store and pick one brand over the other, you are now under their spell. The spell/ hypnosis is how companies get you to buy there things over other companies and keep you hooked. Either through commercials or offering something that you think will make your life better by what they tell you. For example, you go to the store and you need to buy water, once you get to the lane and look, there is 10 different types of water you can buy. You go pick one either because the picture is better or you seen the commercial the other day and you want it. During the length of this paper we will talk about two important writers, Kalle Lasn the writer of “The Cult You’re in” and Benoit Denizet-Lewis writer of “ The Man Behind Abercrombie & Fitch”. They both talk about similar topics that go hand and hand with each other, they talk about the consumers “Dream”, how companies recruit the consumers, who cult members really are, how people are forced to wear something they don’t want, and about slackers.
This book report is on the society of the spectacle by guy Debord. It is a theory that our society is dominated by images and characterizes and drives our consumer society. The images we see are seen through various methods such as Advertisements, television and other media outlets along with banners and signs. People in consumerism see images of things for them to buy and they go and but things and the reality that the world makes becomes what they are about. Regardless if the people have the money or not they can get credit and pay for it with money they don’t have. This idea of credit for everyone helps the people with power to attain more money and power. The more technology progresses the easier it becomes to enhance the consumer society and move into new market areas and continue to move forward with the new way of life in American and the world.
Societal influence can make or break a career. Credibility unifies a society, but it requires trust, reliability, and integrity. Credibility influences society to believe in the artifice spewing from the mouths of leaders and authors and celebrities expressed in a way that connects with the society. Social media- the likes, the followers, the endorsements- persuades people to buy things not needed, to look like someone other than themselves, to aspire to be something that they are not. Artifice persuades people with the corporations, the pictures, the celebrities, and the medium used to obtain them. Artifice can be negative. It can be a red herring, generate malinformed people, and ruin credibility, but it does make people appear more persuasive and sugarcoat statements considered more positive. For these reasons, artifice is the most essential skill, explored in Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges.
The revelation of a secret allows for the individual to gain new insight or catharsis into their personal undisclosed information. In the article, a new insight refers to the making of a meaning out of the situation, which lead to the formation of the secret. Once the individual developments a since of meaning, they then can begin the process of developing a since of closure, in regards, to the personal situation, which lead to the formation of the secret.