Pride in John Updike’s During the Jurassic
Though John Updike focuses on the Mesozoic in his short story During the Jurassic, the commentary he intertwines with the plot is undoubtedly drawn out of our modern society. Rather than phrasing broad societal concepts in mundane modern terms, however, Updike carefully constructs a Jurassic world in which mankind's sin of pride, as well as our inevitable fall, are reflected through the dinosaur's passion for immensity and their rapidly approaching extinction.
The first key to unlocking Updike's rather carefully hidden commentary is to understand the relationship of the story to our society. Though the Jurassic world has seemingly few corollaries with the modern world, Updike uses one of the most mundane facets of modernity -- the dinner party --to fuse both genres into a somewhat humorous, but ultimately disturbing, juxtaposition. Infused into the volcanic landscape of the Jurassic world are the themes of jealousy, adultery, hatred, and falsity -- hallmarks of the 20th century -- which are made even more disturbing by their placement against the primitive world of the dinosaurs.
The Jurassic environment that Updike constructs in his short tale invites interpretation. First, the majority of the dinosaurs described were found, as one would expect, in the middle to late Jurassic period. By the Cretaceous period, the era that followed the Jurassic, these species had largely faded into obscurity, replaced by huge sauropods. Indeed, the only species in Updike's tale that falls into this class of Cretaceous sauropods are the brontosaurus and the diplodocus, both of which are held in high regard by the narrator. One can clearly infer from this evidence that, though Updike titles hi...
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...reason, arrogance over nature, and the blind desire for superiority. Throughout the tale progress is presented both as a trophy and as a curse; the iguanodon desires the progress embodied by the brontosaurus, but he refuses to accept the repercussions of such progression. Mankind, likewise, has focused so blindly on progress that the costs of our achievements have gone unnoticed; humanity's eyes have been so fixed on achieving something larger and greater that it has forgotten the meanings of the words "overextended" and "bloat." This arrogance, this sin of pride, is truly the great crime being presented by Updike's story. As surely as the dinosaurs fell through extinction, Updike insinuates that humanity, should it continue to progress without reason, will likewise fall.
Works Cited
Updike, John. Museums and Women, and other stories. New York: Knopf, 1972.
In his short story "A & P" John Updike utilizes a 19-year-old adolescent to show us how a boy gets one step closer to adulthood. Sammy, an A & P checkout clerk, talks to the reader with blunt first person observations setting the tone of the story from the outset. The setting of the story shows us Sammy's position in life and where he really wants to be. Through the characterization of Sammy, Updike employs a simple heroic gesture to teach us that actions have consequences and we are responsible for our own actions.
Comment on class result with respect to differences in filter types, differences in filter assemblies, and overall on the confidence you would have in using this type of sterilisation process in preparation of pharmaceutical products. List the factors that may cause contamination during filtration. (20 marks)
... come, in weariness before your knees, your waters? Here is your servant; lord, have mercy on me.” (V, 467-473). Not only does Odysseus prove that he rids himself of hubris, but he also displays the transformation he endured during his hero’s journey, therefore proving his nobility and worthiness of being a hero.
Interpretation of A & P This story takes place in 1961, in a small New England town's A&P grocery store. Sammy, the narrator, is introduced as a grocery checker and an observer of the store's patrons. He finds himself fascinated by a particular group of girls. Just in from the beach and still in their bathing suits, they are a stark contrast, to the otherwise plain store interior.
John Updike’s “A&P” is a short story about a nineteen year old boy during the 1960’s that has a summer job at the local A&P grocery. The main character in the story, Sammy, realizes that life isn’t always fair and that sometimes a person makes decisions that he will regret. Sammy sees that life doesn’t always go as planned when three young girls in bathing suits walk in and his manager Lengel gives them a hard time, and he comes to term with that sometimes you make bad decisions.
...lusion, Odysseus makes ethical decisions to benefit others, overcomes adversity with vast amounts of courage, and illustrates humility by relinquishing his hubris to rightfully earn the title of hero. Whether Odysseus has to be unfaithful to his lover or saving lives by stuffing ears with wax, he never forgets that others’ lives are at stake and sparing them are of paramount importance. Also, the hero expresses a radiant sense of confidence that reflect in others whether physically, mentally, or spiritually. Finally, the hero abandons his bravado in order to find his role in the universe, under the power of the gods. Though he has made several mistakes in the past dealing with his cosmic hubris, he has apologized for his mistakes by showing piety in the gods that tower over him. Overall, Odysseus, through his many actions, has rightfully earned the title hero.
Lust makes people do crazy things. John Updike’s short story “A&P” provides a perfect example of how lust made a boy quit his job. In this short story, a boy, named Sammy, catches a glimpse of three under-dressed, attractive girls as they enter his workplace. The manager asks the three girls to leave. As a result, Sammy is outraged by the mistreatment of the girls and quits his job in protest. Sammy’s stand against the mistreatment of the girls makes him feel like a hero. Updike’s use of descriptive words and dramatic irony in “A&P” leads the reader to believe that Sammy’s heroic acts were not actions with rebellious intentions, but actions due to his lust for the three under-dressed girls.
Odysseus is a hero because he acts courageously while facing the many challenges he encounters. Odysseus’s shows great bravery when he engages in physical challenges. Odysseus daringly fights against the suitors, while significantly outnumbered: “For I must tell you this is no affair / of ten or even twice ten men, but scores, throngs of them” (XVI, 291 – 293). Even though Odysseus is facing hundreds of men, his bravery keeps him confident that he can win the battle. Odysseus must use his physical strength when Poseidon punishes him with turbulent waves: “Odysseus’s knees grew slack, his heart / sickened, and he said within himself / Rag of man that I am, is this the end of me?” (V, 307 – 309). Odysseus is exhausted from the torrential sea, yet refuses to give up because of enormous courage and his unwillingness to surrender. Odysseus must also cope with emotional challenges throughout his journey. His emotions are tested when he ventures to the underworld, Hades, and must confront his greatest fear, death: “From every side they came and sought the pit / with rustling cries; and I grew sick with fear. / But presently I gave command to my officers” (XI, 45 -47). Although Odysseus is deeply fearful when he comes face to face with the dead, his mental f...
The idea of cloning dinosaurs and other prehistoric life became popularized by the 1992 film Jurassic Park (based on Michael Crichton’s 1990 novel). Though it may have sparked new interest into the field of paleontology, it did so with deceiving inaccuracies. However, the technical fallacies of the actual dinosaurs are somewhat forgivable as it added to the film’s dramatic appeal. Velociraptor, as depicted in the film, was about the size of a grown man. In reality, velociraptor came to about the kneecap. Furthermore, velociraptor would more likely have been covered in feathers rather than the lizard-like skin portrayed in the movie. One scene shows velociraptor fogging the window of a door. This is an endothermic or warm blooded trait as it implies the dromaeosaurid’s body temperature is above the temperature of his environment. There is also no evidence of dilophosaurus bearing a neck frill, and brachiosaurus did not have the ability to chew his food in a circular motion (iguanodon was the first dinosaur to develop this technique by acquiring back molars to allow for equine or bovine-like chewing). Fortunately, tyrannosaurus remained very close to his biological authenticity, with the only paleobiological errors stemming from a lack in computer animation such as rudimentary ball and joint programs. However, the erroneous nature of the deoxyribonucle...
Jurassic Park is the story of how one man’s idea puts many lives in danger. With lots of experimentation, scientists who worked for him were able to extract blood from prehistoric mosquitoes and other biting insects caught in amber then examine it for foreign blood cells. After that, they would extract them. Doing that, they could obtain DNA of extinct animals; dinosaurs who have been extinct for millions of years. Through a long process, they could recreate dinosaurs. Jurassic Park is a book full of suspense and horrifying murders. I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone, but just people who enjoy science fiction and suspense. I also recommend not read Dennis Nedry’s death multiple times because it’s gross and...just gross. But other than that, I would give this five dinosaurs out of five dinosaurs!
George F. Kennan, an American political scientist and historian, once said, “Heroism is endurance for one moment more” (BrainyQuote). That means that perseverance even in the darkest hour is what qualifies someone as a true hero. With that in mind, it is difficult to refute the fact that Odysseus is a hero by both modern standards and a hero in Greek mythology. This Greek war leader, who spent 20 years away from home taking on challenge after challenge, surely pressed on through every moment in which his heroism was tested. Everything he did was for his men, the soldiers that at times questioned his leadership, only to find out that he was correct all along. While he had moments in which his pride overshadowed him, that was simply his confidence showing through, one of the very virtues that kept him alive. If he had not been a confident leader, perhaps his crew would have had trouble following his brilliant schemes. Odysseus was a clever man who always knew how to get out of a sticky situation. Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus repeatedly proves his worth as a hero by evading trouble with his cleverness, persevering through the trials he faces, and overall acting as a loyal shepherd to his flock of men.
...ith the help of sorrowful experiences. Odysseus had to face the sight of watching his dog, Argos, die. This made Odysseus take things into perspective, and appreciate things more. Also, Odysseus lost some of his hubris when he found out what had been happening to his wife. She has been taken advantage of my the suitors, and almost got remarried. This also made Odysseus realize how good he had it before his whole journey occurred.
...of gentle and kindness shows that Odysseus is not a hero. His way of supporting ideas that favor him most portrays him as non-heroic and his true picture is also revealed by his selfishness and mercilessness.
In summation, through Odysseus’s non-heroic like behavior of acting unfaithful, portraying excessive pride, and failing in competent leadership, he cannot be seen as a hero. From not being able to restrain his vengeance to “killing” his entire crew, his average man persona is clearly visible from start to finish. The incompetent leadership he portrays, and the adultery he commits cannot be disregarded in evaluating him as a hero. By far, to be considered a hero is not a simple task to achieve, but there are heroes out there who justly deserve this title. In closing, whether a person’s desire is to become a hero or whether he already has the title, both ways, serves one main purpose—to change the world for the better.
Odysseus’ story has been re-told, passed on, and admired for generations on end. This story not only shows a story of doing what you think is right, but it also show the story of one of the worlds most known hero. Odysseus is a strong hero, showing strength, courage, and weakness, which are all traits of many other heroes. Not only does he have these traits, but he is able to understand what is right for the whole group. He makes sacrifices that may be saddening and cause a loss, but help in the long run. But most memorable is the amount of cunning and wit he showed throughout the story, a reminder of all the epic things he did.