A believable character is one who has traits that are similar to those found in reality. In the book, “A Retrieved Reformation”, Jimmy Valentine was an anti-hero that epitomized the qualities found in an average human being. His ambition provides enough evidence to prove himself as a genuine man. Subsequently, the attributes of being skillful and proud also make him an actual person. It is the development of these characteristics throughout the story that one is able to identify Valentine as an authentic individual. One reason why the qualities of Jimmy Valentine can exist in reality is because of his ambition. There is evidence of him having a strong desire to marry a young lady named Annabel Adams. In a stereotypical society, many …show more content…
men are passionate in marrying a woman they fall in love with, which allows the reader to interpret that he was a plausible character. Another example of Jimmy Valentine’s believability is the fact that he was prosperous after starting his own shoe store. Many idols in the twenty-first century, such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, have felt extremely flourished after starting their own companies. This connection provokes the reader to acknowledge that Valentine shared the characteristics of a typical human being. An additional example of Jimmy Valentine’s genuinity also occurred a week after he was released from prison in Richmond, Indiana. “A week after the release of Valentine, 9762, there was a neat job of safe-burglary done in Richmond, Indiana, with no clue to the author. A scant eight hundred dollars was all that was secured” (30). Even though he was in jail for ten months, he still had a passion of cracking safes. For example, Bethany Hamilton was still determined to surf, despite the fact that a shark bit her arm off when she was surfing. This allows the reader to learn that he can be an actual person. Among other traits, ambition certifies Valentine’s realism. Another reason why the qualities of Jimmy Valentine can exist in reality is because he was a proud man. In the story, there was proof of him being respected by the community of Elmore. Many people in our world are reverenced by others, which illustrates how he can be a legitimate person. A second reason for Valentine's believability is the fact that he took pride in accomplishing his wish, since he was engaged and about to marry Annabel Adams. In today's society, most people feel delighted when their wishes come true, which allows the reader to realize that Jimmy shared the traits of a genuine character. In addition, his unfeigned attribute was demonstrated after he dragged out his dust-covered suitcase inside his room. “It was a complete set, made of specially tempered steel, the latest design in drills, punches, braces and bits, jimmies, clamps, and augers, with two or three novelties invented by Jimmy himself, in which he took pride” (29). Inventors and creators, such as Steve Jobs and Alexander Graham Bell, were dignified towards their inventions. This statement establishes a connection in which the reader can recognize that he was similar to a typical human being. Aside from other traits, Jimmy being proud also certifies his realism. Some people may argue that Jimmy Valentine cannot exist in reality because the audience may assume that he got everything he wanted, which would have been done by using his artistry to crack safes.
This view seems convincing at first, but it is not a plausible argument nor is supported by facts. In contrast, the fact that he was skillful allows the reader to consider him as a believable character. One reason why is because Jimmy had the capability to invent and make new tools. Everyone in the world is capable of inventing and making new things, which shows that he was a real person. Another reason why is because a week after Valentine was released from prison, he was brilliant enough to steal seven thousand three-hundred dollars. During the nineteenth century, a man named Jesse James was a thief who was clever enough to rob a lot of banks. This connection shows that he was a genuine man. An additional example of Jimmy Valentine showing his remarkable aptitude occurred near the end of the story, when Mary had shut Agatha in the vault at the Elmore Bank. “In a minute Jimmy’s pet drill was biting smoothly into the steel door. In ten minutes--breaking his own burglarious record--he threw back the bolts and opened the door” (35). Many different events, such as sports and art, take a lot of skill to successfully break records. This statement makes the audience learn that he was similar to a typical human being. Jimmy’s expertise in cracking safes also certifies his
realism. To conclude, a person that shows similar characteristics to a typical human being is defined as a believable character. An individual that meets this criteria has a strong desire to achieve something and has an ability to do something well. In addition, they would take pride in what they do, as well as what others do. There is no doubt that Valentine meets the expectations of an average person. In conclusion, I have effectively argued that Jimmy Valentine is a plausible man.
As I read pages 134-135 I began to realize that Joe Rantz is particularly much different from me. First, at the start of page 134 Thula is shutting Joe out of her life again. I don’t have a step parent but even if I did I would never let anyone treat me this way for most of my life. I believe that makes this passage a window so I may observe a different way to handle things. Even Joyce, Joe’s fiancé does not understand why Joe would allow himself to be looked upon in this manner. Joe is very impassive and relenting once Thula tells him to leave. This is a noticeably different personality from people I have encountered. It gives me a window to see a different mindset and way of thinking. Of which is wonderful for a reader because often we assume
In the first paragraph of the story, Jimmy Cross' rank is noted (First Lieutenant) along with the fact that he "carried letters from a girl named Martha, a junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey" (434). From the outset, the reader sees that Martha plays a pivotal role in his thoughts and actions. The fact that Jimmy Cross "would imagine romantic camping trips into the White Mountains in New Hampshire" after he marched the entire day and dug a foxhole indicates that he thinks often of Martha (434). While these thoughts of a lover back home provide some form of escape for Lt. Cross, they also burden him with the obsessive feelings of unrequited love. ...
Murderer, liar, manipulator; these are only a few words that describe the enigmatic Sergeant John Wilson. In the historical book, The Secret Lives of Sgt. John Wilson: A True Story of Love & Murder, written by Lois Simmie, we get acquainted with the complex balancing act of a life John Wilson lived. We find out about his two-faced love life, the bloody solution, and the elaborate cover up. In Simmie’s thought-provoking book, John Wilson abandons his family in Scotland, for a better life in Canada on the force. John battles debilitating sickness along with the decision to double-cross his wife. His young love interest Jessie cares for him as he battles tuberculosis. While, “many young women Jessie’s age would have had second thoughts about commitment
...g exclusively on the war and men of whom he is in charge of. It ends up taking the death of one of his men, Ted Lavender, for Jimmy to realize that he needed to get his priorities straight; which included, being the leader that his troops deserved. In conclusion, Jimmy’s character traits changed immensely, from several negative traits in the beginning, to ample positive traits in the end. Jimmy took on his responsibility as the First Lieutenant, and began taking the necessary steps to bettering himself, along with his troops.
Jimmy Cross was one of them. As his obsession with Martha grew, he no longer had his eyes on what was important like staying alive and protecting his fellow soldiers. One day outside of the village Than Khe, in mid-April, a soldier by the name of Ted Lavender was shot in the head. Jimmy feels great guilt over Ted’s death because he is responsible for the entire team of soldiers. Due to his obsession, he ended up losing a life on his team and it was a preventable death. This put a heavy guilt on his shoulders. When Martha told him that she did not really love him, he was crushed and realized what his obsession had done to Ted and what could have happened to the rest of the
Initially, Jimmy Cross started his mission with a distorted image in his head, which lead to his amazing turn around in the end. Jimmy cross had to learn the hard way, that fantasies aren’t real, they are just thoughts the mind wants to believe. He soon learned what reality was, even though it wasn’t the easiest or most of all pleasurable, way to figure out the truth. Ted Lavender’s death was a blessing in the sense that Jimmy turned his whole life around and started to focus on what support to give his men to succeed and be better survivors, than Ted Lavender was. Jimmy cared for his men towards the end, that lead him to understand what love is. “Love”, is a very powerful word, that has the power and prestige to make some people zone out of their own world and live in fantasy land, as did Jimmy. Jimmy cross carried integrity and grace in the beginning of the story, but by the end added faith and hope to his nap sack that helped him become a better person for his men.
Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried letters from the woman he loved who was still back at home. “They were not love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping, so he kept them folded in plastic at the bottom of his rucksack.” These letters Cross carried along with him give in an insight into his past, his present, and his character. Martha, his love, was a long distance from him, but he refused to let his memories of her be erased. It didn’t matter to Cross whether or not the love he had for Martha was mutual, but he would still “spend the last hour of light pretending.” Not only would they remind him of his past, these pictures would also give Cross something to at least hope for and have faith in. It didn’t matter that he would “pretend” that Martha loved him as much as he loved her; the photographs and letters of her that he carried were “suitable” to his personality. These things may have been meaningless to other men, but to Cross they were a sign of hope, his past, and gave him some...
Every person goes through phases that change their personality. James McBride has gone through many transformations throughout his life. The people in his life and the environment he lived in had a lot to do with his transformation of a person. He started off a curious, worried, confused child to a rebellious, high school drop-out, bum teenager. Luckily he got control of his life again and became a successful, accepting, proud adult.
The character I chose to analyze is Bonnie Grape from What's Eating Gilbert Grape, an American drama film directed by Lasse Hallström. Bonnie Grape is a Caucasian woman who is, approximately, in her mid 50’s and lives in a small town of Endora, Iowa with her four children, and has lost her husband seven years ago. Bonnie who is suppose to be the immediate care taker of all of her kids is shown to have abandoned all of her parental duties after her husbands passing and she hasn’t left the house for seven years. She has become completely housebound she sleeps, eats, and stays on the couch all day. Her day starts out with eating breakfast with the family, and then she watches TV all day. Even though she loves her children a lot, but she does not take any part in raising them. She also has become an object of ridicule or amusement many times children sneak on to the yard to catch a glimpse of her through the window. However, Bonnie sees no problem with her weight or her lifestyle, until one day when she has to make a trip to the town for her son. When Bonnie is leaving the town a crowd comes together around the police station to get a glimpse of Bonnie, and many also begin taking pictures of her. At this point, Bonnie realizes that she has become something that she never intended to be. In one particular scene Bonnie tells her oldest son Gilbert “I know what a burden I am. I know that you are ashamed of me. I never meant to be like this. I never wanted to be a joke” (Hallström, 1993). From Bonnie’s background information we can conclude that she is clearly facing some psychological problems, and in order to gain more information we would have to conduct more assessments.
Forthright emotions are not necessary in this piece for the reader to connect, understand, or empathize with the plot. Johnson created a character who clearly has emotions, but chooses to safeguard them for a realistic feeling and the ability to concentrate on the more important purpose of the novel: to expose the difficulties a man with dual identity may face in a time period determined on separating and segregating who he is. Detached and emotionless, in this well-crafted and well-thought-out scenario, expresses more emotion and creates a more realistic novel than a complex examination of his inner feelings may have
When you take them together, however, you discover the complicated and unique individual that is Jay Gatsby. One of the traits of Gatsby that makes him truly great is his remarkable capacity for hope. He has faith that what he desires will come to him if he works hard enough. He does not comprehend the cruelty and danger that is the rest of the world. Gatsby, while a man of questionable morals, is as wide-eyed and innocent as a small child in his views of the world.
In his biography “Junipero Serra”, Steven Hackel portrays Father Junipero Serra as a notable figure because of his contribution to California’s past archive. Hackel describes Father Serra as passionate, yet hardened (Hackel 3) despite common controversy on Serra’s character. Additionally, Hackel alludes to other influences in Father Serra’s life; apart from his environment, his educational and religious enrichment in various institutions were also a big influence on his values and identity that led him to be known as a “particularly devout and dedicated Franciscan”. (29) Hackel recreates Serra’s image, and takes his readers on a journey into Serra’s personal transformation from his poorly documented early life to his later success in his occupational endeavors and very grand accomplishments in religion which earn him a place as an influential figure in California’s history despite his excessive, strict, ruthless and vastly condescending religious viewpoints which would not be widely accepted by readers in the modern era.
Lieutenant Jimmy Cross was never the military type. He still wonders why he joined. His rank as lieutenant seems unreal. He never truly demonstrates leadership. He separates himself from the rest of the Alpha Company as he thinks about Martha.
As First Lieutenant, Jimmy Cross is the highest ranking member in the short story, thus the other characters look to him to lead them. However, he is just as messed up as the rest of the soldiers are he just does not show it because the soldiers need someone to look up to. When listing Lt. Cross’s personal effects O’Brien deliberately includes “a responsibility for the lives of his men,” (O’Brien 271) and although responsibility is not tangible it does weigh him down. Jimmy deals with the war by fantasizing about a girl back home as much as he can. Try as he might, he cannot push the thoughts about Martha out of his mind and concentrate on the war. Sometimes the thoughts come unbidden and he find himself “suddenly, without willing it, … thinking about Martha” (274). Whenever a member of his platoons is killed, he blames himself for his distracted state. While marching down the trail he sucks on a pebble that Martha sent him and thinks about the New Jersey shore instead of looking for signs of ambush. He didn't want to be in ch...
Howard Hughes appears to be the world’s most brilliant and eccentric aviator and movie director in the film The Aviator (Mann & Scorsese, 2004). He is admired, wealthy and powerful. However, throughout the course of the film, his eccentricities lead to significant impairment. Paranoia, impulsivity and fears of contamination plague his thoughts and behaviors. He becomes unable to cope with being in public and he cannot maintain personal or professional relationships. As a result, Howard is left isolated, losing his social support and success. It is evident that he has symptoms that are characteristic of both obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar I disorder. His behaviors become so impairing and distressing that they impact every sphere of