Essay
Heroes are sometimes the most ordinary of people. They are often shown as mighty leaders saving the world, yet sometimes, they come from the most unexpected people in the most unexpected places. In Linda Holeman’s novel Search for the Moon King’s Daughter, the protagonist comes in the form of a responsible fifteen year old Victorian girl, Emmaline. Emmaline lives with her mother and brother Tommy in a poor section of Tibbing where she works as a seamstress for her aunt to in order to provide for her family. When her mother sells Tommy to the sweeps in London, Emmaline embarks on a daring journey for her brother and against all odds, manages to save him from his new reality. Emmaline is not one of the typical cliche heroes but it is in
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her small yet strong acts of bravery, intelligence and determination that makes her the most heroic of them all. One of Emmaline’s most heroic attributes is her bravery. It is Emmaline’s bravery that pulls her through when she is lost in the Seven Dials, searching for Tommy. She faces many dangers in the unfamiliar area, “ Emaciated dogs snapped and growled at each other over reeking bits of garbage. ‘Anything a lass needs can be found right here, in the Seven Dials.’ ” As a young girl alone in the evening, Emmaline could have been attacked and injured by savage dogs or scattered debris. She is already mistaken as a prostitute by a woman, had a stronger and older man noticed her, she could have been taken advantage of. Considering Emmaline only a fifteen year old girl facing numerous dangers, she had the option to stay in Steeplemount, her normal routine, but her bravery allows her to overcome those dangers. Later on, Sister Newglove, who Emmaline meets at the Seven Dials helps her and Tommy escape from Brandy Jack. Emmaline showed her bravery when saving her brother from Brandy Jack’s clutches “ ‘NO!’ Emmaline cried, grabbing the arm that held Tommy and shaking it as hard as she could. His face registered surprise, and then grew with anger … gave her a hard swift cut across the chest.” Emmaline is but a young girl going against a full grown man. Brandy Jack already used force on her, if she further angered him, he might have gone past a single hit and beat or raped her. Not only might he have hurt Emmaline but Tommy. In her quarrel with Brandy Jack, Emmaline risked losing Tommy forever. Knowing that Brandy has more power and strength than her, Emmaline had the choice to simply listen to him and earn another five pounds to buy back Tommy. Yet if Emmaline hadn’t shown courage in those situations, it would have taken her years to or she would have never find her brother. Even the most brave of heroes do not stand up to older, more authoritative figures, it is Emmaline’s extreme courage that allows her to. Emmaline’s intelligence rivals that of even the smartest, cleverest of people.
Emmaline shows her ability to observe and learn from previous experiences when approaching sweeps on the street, “ Emmaline stepped in front of him, holding out a raisin tart. She’d learned that food was the only way to get close to a climbing boy.” Being older and stronger than the sweeps, Emmaline could have grabbed the climbing boys and forced the answer out of them. Had she not talked to the sweeps, she would not have found out about Tommy’s location, yet in conversing with them, she ran the thin line of being noticed by older sweeps, the prodders, and being reported to the master sweep. Had the Master sweep been Tommy’s, he could have moved streets or prevented Emmaline from finding her brother. Not only does Emmaline use her smarts looking for Tommy, she also makes use of it at the Thorn House. When Master Thorn discovers that Emmaline can read, “ I know you can read, and I’d like to hear you today.’ “ he forms a special bond with Emmaline. If Emmaline hadn’t been able to read, it would have been much harder to from her unique bond with Master Thorn and consequently it would be considerably more difficult to support Tommy and herself after fleeing from Brandy Jack. Knowing Master Eugene does not like his servants being able to read, Emmaline could have easily been thrown out to the streets by him. Had Master Eugene done that, Emmaline, being exposed to the life of a beggar, would have never …show more content…
found Tommy, being to busy surviving. Emmaline’s intelligence helps her learn about Tommy’s whereabouts and aides her in supporting her and her brother after escaping from Brandy Jack. It is Emmaline’s determination that ultimately guides her to Tommy. The wagon ride to London is very harsh and gruelling for a young girl of fifteen, “ Her back ached, her feet grew icy. She was so weary … that she quickly fell asleep. That night she had a terrible sensation of being pinned … unable to move. The hunger sat like a constant stone in her belly. “ It is Emmaline’s determination that lets her face the difficult conditions and make her way to London. Being a young girl with so many hardships in her path, Emmaline had the choice to simply ask her well-off aunt to hire someone to search for her brother but Emmaline is so determined to find him, she pushes past the obstacles in her path to Tommy. Emmaline has an uncertain future with no secure plan on how to find Tommy. Not only does she sacrifice her comfort but also risked being attacked, injured, mistaken as a prostitute and raped. Upon Emmaline’s arrival at London, she is employed as a servant to the Thorn House and continues her determined search for Tommy. At the Thorn House, against Cook’s rules, Emmaline heads out at dawn every morning in hopes of finding Tommy, “ Emmaline was almost caught by Cook the next morning. She was so determined to find Brandy Jack that she had ignored the chiming of bells until it had gone almost seven.” Every Sunday, Emmaline’s day off, she has more than enough time to look for Tommy, yet she is so determined to find him, she disobeys Cook and searches in the morning too, putting her job in danger. Going off everyday at dawn forces her friends Thomas and Sukey to cover for her in her absence, also putting their source of food and shelter in danger. It is Emmaline’s strong-willed determination that makes her a great hero. (helps her overcome the hurdles in her path to Tommy.) In the end, Emmaline rescues her brother from the horrifying life he has been sold into.
Emmaline’s courage lets her face against even the most dangerous and frightening people and situations. Her intelligence, ability to observe and to learn gains her useful hints to Tommy and supports her even after running away from Brandy Jack. Emmaline’s spirited determination pulls her through tough and harsh conditions during her search. It is these traits that set Emmaline apart from other heros, making her the one of the most legendary
ones.
Strength is a human trait that can be lost and given up to hopelessness just as easily as it was gained. Giovanna Sienna fought through unimaginable struggles her whole life, but her unwavering strength guided her through her life. Giovanna Costa Pontillo Siena from Laurie Fabian’s book Elizabeth Street is portrayed as the stories strongest person. Her determination to get her beloved daughter, Angelina, back and her lack of fear of the kidnappers who blackmailed her for money, reinforce the conception that Giovanna’s tenacity was unable to be matched. She had connections to powerful people in powerful positions, which help her gain a foothold on getting through to the kidnappers. Her love for her family, primarily her daughter, kept her constantly searching for her daughter and any way to get
Emerson, David. “Innocence as a super-power: little girls on the hero’s journey.” Mythlore 28.1-2 (2009): 13lt. Literature resource center.web.17oct.2013
Catharine Maria Sedgewick’s heroine and title character of Hope Leslie does not convey the expected behaviors of a woman living in 17th century Puritan society. Hope Leslie is not a passive young woman that relies on the Bible for all advice and guidance. She does not stay quiet if something is on her mind. She refuses to allow the innocent to receive persecution for the wrong reasons. Hope is assertive, aggressive, courageous, bold, and quite outspoken. The characteristics that she portrays are atypical to those portrayed by 17th century women. Instead, Hope’s attitude and behavior more closely resemble that of a female from the 21st century living in an era not meant for her.
Emerson, David. "Innocence as a Super-power: Little Girls on the Hero's Journey." Literature Resource Center. Gale, n.d. Web.
...e relationship with men, as nothing but tools she can sharpen and destroy, lives through lust and an uncanny ability to blend into any social class makes her unique. Her character is proven as an unreliable narrator as she exaggerates parts of the story and tries to explain that she is in fact not guilty of being a mistress, but a person caught in a crossfire between two others.
...inds love along the way. She makes rash decisions in bad situations, faces the truth that she has been avoiding, and finds her place in the world. While her journey takes some unexpected twists, Lily learns to make the best of what she has, and go for what she wants. She learns to move on from the past, and make a brighter future. But most importantly, Lily learns to accept that life is unpredictable and that by doing her best Lily is living life the way she wants to.
Center stage in Kaye Gibbons’ inspiring bildungsroman, Ellen Foster, is the spunky heroine Ellen Foster. At the start of the novel, Ellen is a fiery nine-year old girl. Her whole life, especially the three years depicted in Ellen Foster, Ellen is exposed to death, neglect, hunger and emotional and physical abuse. Despite the atrocities surrounding her, Ellen asks for nothing more than to find a “new mama” to love her. She avoids facing the harsh reality of strangers and her own family’s cruelty towards her by using different forms of escapism. Thrice Ellen is exposed to death (Gibbons 27). Each time, Ellen has a conversation with a magician to cope with the trauma (Gibbons 22-145). Many times Ellen’s actions and words cause it to be difficult to tell that she is still a child. However, in order to distract herself, Ellen will play meaningful games (Gibbons 26). These games become a fulcrum for Ellen’s inner child to express itself. Frequently, Ellen will lapse into a daydream (Gibbons 67). Usually, these daydreams are meant to protect herself from the harsh reality around her. Ellen Foster’s unique use of escapism resounds as the theme of Kaye Gibbon’s Ellen Foster.
Frankel, Valerie Estelle. From Girl to Goddess: The Heroine's Journey through Myth and Legend. Jefferson, NC: McFarland &, 2010. Print.
By definition, a heroine is a woman who would typically encompass the qualities of nobility, courage, independence and strength. Nineteenth century English women would have struggled to accomplish any of these particular acts of heroism within their social environment as ultimately, their roles within civilisation saw them becoming a good wives and mothers and before that, obliging and caring daughters. Within this ubiquitous discourse of separate spheres, Kathryn Gleadle suggests that women were encouraged to see themselves as relative creatures', whose path in life was to nurture the family and to provide unstinting support for the head of the household' In this respect, the nineteenth century British woman conforming to this path' would prove to be the heroine of that time as a free-spirited independent individual would have been cast aside as socially unacceptable. Essentially, although it would appear that many women wished to lead active, working lives and so make an important contribution, either to their families or to social welfare, the woman's position [was] to preside over a loving home whilst men were to brave the vicissitude and demands of public and business life' Novelists Thomas Hardy and Emily Brontë present us with two strong and independent females Tess Durbeyfield and Catherine Earnshaw. These women are far from the idealistic view of nineteenth century females; Tess, intelligent and strikingly attractive, strives to uphold the values expected of her but outside forces beyond her control determine her fate. Catherine on the other hand begins her life free-spirited, rebellious and of a wild nature. However, her inner desire craves social ambition which, in turn, shows her slowly representing culture and civilisation.
At the age of ten, most children are dependent on their parents for everything in their lives needing a great deal of attention and care. However, Ellen, the main character and protagonist of the novel Ellen Foster, exemplifies a substantial amount of independence and mature, rational thought as a ten-year-old girl. The recent death of her mother sends her on a quest for the ideal family, or anywhere her father, who had shown apathy to both she and her fragile mother, was not. Kaye Gibbons’ use of simple diction, unmarked dialogue, and a unique story structure in her first novel, Ellen Foster, allows the reader to explore the emotions and thoughts of this heroic, ten-year-old girl modeled after Gibbons’ own experiences as a young girl.
Heroes come from all sorts of places: movies, books, and even everyday life. Jen, a Gelfling, is a hero from the movie The Dark Crystal. Jen's story is one of prophecy, the never ending fight between good and evil, and love. This composition shall trace Jen's quest as well as evaluate his success in that quest, his individual self, and finally he shall be compared to one of the Greek heroes.
Emma's personality is largely shaped by the nature of her upbringing. Emma had no motherly figure guiding her as she grew up, due to the fact that her mother passed away at a young age, and her governess, Miss Taylor, became her best friend instead of an authority over her. At the start of the novel Miss Taylor gets married to Mr. Weston, leaving Emma with her despondent and hypochondriac father, Mr. Woodhouse. Although Mr. Woodhouse often confines Emma to the house because of his paranoia of her being harmed, he gives her little guidance. Emma becomes accustomed to being the "princess" of her house, and she applies this role to all of her social interactions, as she develops the ability to manipulate people and control them to advance her own goals. Emma views herself with the highest regard, and feels competition and annoyance with those who threaten her position. Emma has much resentment toward Mrs. Elton, as Mrs. Elton becomes a parody for Emma's mistakes and interactions. Mrs. Elton's attachment to Jane Fairfax is much like Emma's attachment to Harriet Smith; both Mrs. Elton and Emma attach themselves to young women and try to raise their...
There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country, live mostly minorities and other ethic background. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination to succeed work hard all of their lives to become what everybody doubted they could. Escaping the crime, drugs, and prostitution is enough to escape hell, even if they don’t go to college. Despite of their financial problems, drug and crime surroundings, or difficulties in the language skills, their desire to triumph fuels their persistence. Those who make it to success are the few living examples of the purest form of hero anyone can be. They are not only their own heroes but also the heroes of the poor children who dream of becoming like them someday.
In Jane Austen’s social class and coming of age novel, Emma, the relationships between irony, insight and education are based upon the premise of the character of Emma Woodhouse herself. The persona of Emma is portrayed through her ironic and naive tone as she is perceived as a character that seems to know everything, which brings out the comedic disparities of ironies within the narrative. Emma is seen as a little fish in a larger pond, a subject of manipulating people in order to reflect her own perceptions and judgments. Her education is her moral recognition to love outside her own sheltered fancies and her understandings of her society as a whole.
Emma Woodhouse is the title character of the book. For Emma, Jane Austen took a heroine whom, she remarked, `no one but myself will much like' `And', as one of her ablest critics has said, `many a rash reader, and some who are not rash, have been shut out on the threshold of Emma's Comedy by a dislike of Emma herself.' Emma is a beautiful, wealthy, well-educated young woman who was born and raised in the upper-class society. But also the negative aspects of her character are exposed, she is spoiled, conceited, domineering, wilful, snobbish, and, at times, unfeeling. She lives with her father at Hartfield, their upper-class home. She is the youngest of two daughters, but her mother died long ago and her sister has already been married. She has been the mistress of Hartfield for some time. Emma has led a rather privileg...