An analysis of literary work provides a connection of conflict in people’s experiences thus enabling the reader to analyze the characters’ behavior and motivations. Moreover, essential to a storyline is the element of conflict, which may either be internal or external. In both O’Connor’s “Good Country People” and Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” internal conflict is evident as the writers apply it to their goal even as the characters use conflict within them to realize new lives. Therefore, the writers use literary techniques, for instance, symbolism, imagery and allegory to further show the conflict.
The internal conflict in the two works arises when the characters experience two opposing desires and emotions of good and bad within them. Such disagreements
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causes the characters to suffer mental anguish thereby bringing a unique tension to the stories. In “Good Country People”, conflict is portrayed in Hulga’s wooden leg, which she is ashamed of talking about but at last represents her strength and uniqueness. Manley’s character is also used to show conflict in his personality as he represents himself as a bible salesman who does not believe in God. Manley claims to love Hulga by explaining to her how he would care for her wooden leg but it is later found that he is too cunning when he leaves her alone and without her wooden leg. In Macbeth, internal conflict is shown in her own consciousness, especially when she tries to murder Duncan as she is indecisive on whether to murder him to the crown (20). Again, in act 1 scene 7, Macbeth’s internal conflict becomes evident when he contemplates on the moral value involved in the murder as well as the bad political consequences that may accrue from the murder as Duncan is seen to have a lot of trust for him. Moreover, the killing of Duncan seems to torture Macbeth relentlessly as he regrets his actions. He even thinks of adopting hypocrisy as a result of his actions. The internal conflict in the two works seems to connect on the notion of mind’s control. It is in the mind that one can find solace to their misery as well as healing. Through the control of her mind, Hulga learns to accept herself and use her unique qualities, her wooden leg to her advantage and to strengthen her character. Macbeth, on the other hand, had to use his mind to decide on whether to murder Duncan in order to get the crown. The internal conflict of both Macbeth and Hulga, gives them confidence to withstand any external attack. Macbeth uses his faith as the witches had predicted while Hulga refuses to be brought down by Manley. However, Macbeth’s internal conflict, unlike Hulga’s seems to despair as she claims to have lived long thereby not expecting the things that come with being old. Conversely, Hulga does not despair in spite of her wooden leg. The writers use symbolism, imagery and allegory as the literary techniques to emphasize the conflict.
In “Good Country People” Hulga decides to change her name from Joy as she had a vision of the ugly sweating Vulcan whose name would represent her creativity (16) In an act of fiery creation, Hulga compares herself to Hephaestus, the Greek god as she forges herself. She is said to have been joyful for turning herself into Hulga and that her mother has been unable to turn her dust into joy (16). Hulga’s leg is also used to portray symbolism, imagery and allegory as it is a symbol in two levels; her fractured identity as well as her soul’s stand-in. Glasses are used symbolically to show that people actually wear glasses to see the world around them differently, which affirms the conflict of the character when in glasses and when not wearing them …show more content…
(110). In Macbeth, symbolism, imagery and allegory are used when the writes compares light and darkness as elements of conflict.
The darkness is an indication of the bad things about to happen while light is shows gold and life. Night’s cover is used to invoke terrible things that might happen as is evident when Lady Macbeth asks the thick night to bring the smoke of hell so that her knife would not see the sleeping king’s wound (58). The thick night is symbolic of the evil Lady Macbeth is about to commit. As a show conflict, the character calls for the spirits to thwart heaven’s peeping as that represents light to protect evil (61).
Nature is used to show symbolism, imagery and allegory in Macbeth as unnatural and strange things seem to happen after King Duncan is killed. Darkness shrouds the place even though it is in the middle of the day as it chokes the sun (9). This shows allegory in the way the king met his death since the sun’s power is associated with kings thus darkness appears. The vision of eight kings is also used to show who would become kings, therefore, showing that the sons of Macbeth would not become kings. This is a warning to Macbeth to watch out for the events that may
follow. The symbolism in the works shows that Macbeth and Manley are trying to become what they are not as Manley represents himself as bible salesman which he later reveals he is not. Moreover, Macbeth and Hulga are afraid of being themselves as they are doubtful of who they are. Indirect characterization is used in “Good Country People” as opposed to “Macbeth”. The conflict in the two works is resolved as King Duncan is killed and Macbeth takes the throne. Conflict is also resolved when Hulga learns to live with her wooden leg and use it as her strength.
Explain how the conflict arises and go on to discuss in detail how the writer uses it to explore an important theme.
Another internal conflict is how Lilly feels responsible for her mother?s death. When she was four, she accidentally shot her mom, and wasn?t able to forgive herself. The reason she runs away in the first place is because her dad tells her that her mom left her, which is both an internal, and man versus man conflict. She?s mad at her dad for saying it, but can?t fully convince herself that it isn?t true. There?s a man versus society conflict when men beat up Rossaleen because of her color, and another internal conflict when May is so overcome with grief that she cant stop crying.
Prompt #3: “Most often, literary works have both internal conflict (individual v. self) and external conflict (individual v. individual, society, nature, or technology)”.
Firstly let us consider conflict. In each act of the play, we see the overpowering desire to belong leading to a climax of conflict amongst the characters, which has the consequence of exclusion. Conflict is a successful literary technique, as it engages the audience and focuses our attention on the issue of conflict and exclusion, brought about by the characters’ desires to be accepted by their community.
In Shakespeare's Macbeth, various types of imagery are used throughout the play. Five of these images are nature, paradoxes, manhood, masks, and light vs. darkness. In Act I, Scene i, Line 1, the description of "Thunder and lightning" represents disturbances in nature. The witches are surrounded by a shroud of thunder and lightning, which might personify them as disturbances. In Act II, Scene i, the dark night creates a perfect scene for the baneful murders.
Guilt causes the main characters’ consciences to overcome them mentally and physically causing their downfalls. In the tragedy Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the recurring theme of night and darkness is used to symbolize guilt and conscience such as when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth want the darkness to conceal their evil deeds and in the end, when Lady Macbeth is afraid of the darkness and nighttime. In Act I, after King Duncan names Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland, Macbeth is already plotting to kill Duncan. He asks the darkness to come and hide his evil deeds so no one would see the terrible thing he was about to do.
Shakespeare used imagery to present the idea that violence will always come back to haunt us. Throughout Shakespeare’s Macbeth imagery is used to help provide a visually descriptive understanding on his literary work. Images of Hallucinations help to back up the idea of violence and how it comes back to haunt us, these ongoing visions of the dagger and the sound of the execution bell play on Macbeths awareness of the situation put into plan. Whether used to emphasise each tragedy present throughout Shakespeare’s Macbeth and it was also used to portray the witches as a character, Storms were used to present all the violence that corrupted throughout the play.
(Macbeth 1. 1. line 1). This is a good example of darkness imagery because when
William Shakespeare's Macbeth is an ominous tale that illustrates the danger in violating the Great Chain of Being, the hierarchy of things in God's ordered universe. The Chain ranked all of creation and human society as well. It ranked kings above nobles and nobles above the poor. When Macbeth murdered King Duncan and assumed the throne, the Chain was violated and chaos resulted. The atmosphere of the play symbolized this resulting turmoil. Specifically, light and darkness were used to exemplify the unnatural chaos and ominous tone of the work. The role of light and the role of darkness relates to the chaos resulting from the violation of the Great Chain of Being.
The famous playwright William Shakespeare used symbolism throughout all of his thirty-seven plays. Light and dark are used as powerful symbols of good and evil in his tragedy Macbeth. Shakespeare uses these themes of light and dark or day and night to form an actual image of the play's ongoing conflict for the reader or viewer. The meaning behind this specific symbol essentially creates the story of Macbeth.
In “Macbeth” the first scene presents a meeting of three witches during stormy weather. Shakespeare shows disturbed, angry nature - thunder and lighting represent light - daytime and dark – night-time. Light is the metaphor for innocence, purity, truth, and goodness as opposed to dark - evil. It is also a suggestion that the innocent will suffer as well as the guilty. The fog and filthy air signify moral and spiritual obscurity and “the set of sun” means the end of the reign and kingship. The sun appears only twice – when Duncan sees the swallows flying around the castle of death and during the army gathering to purify the earth of its shame (traitors).
Shakespeare often uses darkness and will frequently set the scene as a dark and stormy night. This depicts that evil happenings are occurring or are about to take place. There are at least three examples of this in "Macbeth". "The night has been unruly: where we lay,/Our chimneys were blown down; and, as they say,/Lamentings heard i’ the air; strange screams of death,..." (Act 2 scene 3 line 54-56). "Three score and ten I can remember well;/Within the volume of which time I have seen/Hours of dreadful and things strange, but this sore night/Hath trifled former knowings." (Act 2 scene 4 line 1-4). Both these quotes are talking about the night of Duncan’s death. They are showing the comparisons between the natural unruliness and the anomalous disaster. "And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp." (Act 2 scene 4 line 7) is a metaphor for both the murder of Duncan and the night in which it transpired. A dark and stormy image is also portrayed when pernicious characters (ie. the witches, Macbeth and the murderers) meet.
... a dark setting used which involved supernatural events, while the light setting was used for last battle, when Macbeth was slain at the end to show the restoration of peace and honesty. Thus the symbolism of light and darkness representing good and evil in the play emphasizes the theme of corruption of power.
Light and darkness represent the tragedies that took place throughout the play. Light represents the good things that happen and darkness represents bad or evil things. One example of light is when Macbeth was given the thane of Gladis he was very elated and there was sunshine at that time. But for darkness its the opposite all the bad events took place during the night for example when Macbeth goes to kill king Duncan because of greed he wasn't happy with the position he received he wanted to be king so he can have more power . Another example of Darkness is when the witches come to tell him his prophecy (I, iii, 125). This is a type of tragic situation because if the witches hadn't appeared and told Macbeth that he would be king he wouldn't have so much lust. In this scene Macbeth describes the witch as an ugly old lady dressed in black. The color black represents the witch’s evil nature. Shakespeare used this traditional symbol through the play to focus on the Elizabethan concept of the Great Chain. When the chain is in order everything is good and there is light. When the chain is violated bad things happen and there is evil and darkness. When Macbeth committed the act of killing Banqu...
The presence of the supernatural forces of the witches was accompanied by the dark, gloomy and thunderous ambience, perhaps functioning as a foreshadowing of future events that involves evil, wickedness and darkness. This is important as it gives the audience an idea of what might happen later in the play. For example, we see that later on in the play, Macbeth turned evil and wicked, killing an old and honourable King Duncan and a loyal friend, Banquo. I take particular note of the significance of darkness as it was later used by Macbeth when he calls upon the "seeing Night" (Act III). Scene II.