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Conclusions about storytelling
Conclusions about storytelling
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Words have a way of changing the way we view the world. They can completely alter our perception of what is true and what is false. Take the tale of Skidmore and Manchester, as dictated in the story ‘The Curse of the Poisoned Pretzel.’ The way the author portrays the character of Skidmore shows just how easily words can change how we see someone by making you believe that Skidmore is guilty of his brother‘s murder, without ever formally saying so. The way in which Manchester died was written to evoke a sense of suspicion. His brother gives him a new snack he invents, the pretzel, even though pretzels were already invented. This alone is cause for suspicion, as it makes no sense to claim such a popular food as your own invention, as you
In literature, deception can provide motivation for the characters, provide comedy, play a part in the advancement of plot or exist as a sub-theme. The works considered in our studies thus far provide prime examples of the use of deception in the aforementioned ways. This essay will focus on the act or acts of deception in Tartuffe by Molière, Phaedra by Racine, and The Marriage of Figaro by Beaumarchais.
Deception is present in Tennessee Williams’s drama ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, William Shakespeare’s Tragedy ‘Othello’ and L. P. Hartley’s novel ‘The Go-Between’; the writers choose to use characterisation to explore the theme in depth. Often the protagonists of each text are the primary offenders of deceit, though some supporting characters mislead as well; although Iago is the antagonist of ‘Othello’, he is incomparably the most deceitful character in the entire play. Similarly, Williams uses Blanche to develop the plot by misleading the other characters and even herself at times, though arguably, unlike Iago, Blanche is presented as a character who lacks the motivation to hurt anyone. Conversely Leo, although the protagonist and narrator of the novel, is not the most deceitful character – Ted Burgess and Marian Maudsley not only coerce him into the deceit, but they themselves are presented as masters of the game they play, however, this essay will focus on Leo as he is a unique symbol of deceit; he is unaware of the consequences of his actions.
The trail of treachery begins when scheming characters are forced to withhold information, so they shroud themselves in mystery and use equivocal language to mask their inner thoughts. Some suspicious characters avoid facing their guilt by using vague language that is not consistent. For example, Claudius suppresses his feelings surrounding the King’s death because of Claudius's guilt, as is seen from his speech to the court, he speaks equivocally by saying, “with mirth in funeral and dirge in marriage,” (1.2.10) steering clear of announcing his sorrow or contentment. By refusing to make a clear statement, Claudius’s paradoxical words are meant to confuse his audience and shroud his true feelings and guilt. Likewise, other observed people are confined to secrecy so they utter small pieces of the truth, but still remain ambiguous, which causes confusion and uncertainty. For instance, when Hamlet first meets the ghost of his father, the spirit hints to the truth behind the afterlife, as he says, “I am… confined fast in fires”, but quickly replies that it is retribution his sins, but then also states, “but that I am ...
For example, he does not hesitate to reveal the truths about his “alcoholic father.” Normally a father figure is a hero and someone every kid looks up to; however, the image of his father changes when the word alcoholic is used to describe him. Now instead of thinking of a role model, the reader can almost smell the old liquor stained drunk. It makes his father seem unreliable, irresponsible, and always hammered. Not only does McCourt describe his father negatively, but he continues by bashing his mother and referring to her as his “defeated mother.” Society paints mother’s as nurturing and sweet, but in McCourt’s point of view, his mother is weak and in a lost state. The two most influential figures on McCourt’s life are now seen as disappointing role models. Along with criticizing his parents, McCourt’s views on authority figures are negative as well; he describes the priests as pompous and his schoolmasters as bullies. Using the small alliteration “pompous priests” quickly catches the reader’s attention and directs them to a poor view of the priest. The word pompous shows that the priest was stuck up and all-important. Also, McCourt could have chosen any other word to describe his teachers, but “bully” leads us to believe that they were unfair, strict, forceful, and cruel—qualities we don’t like to associate with
The basis of the story the narrator wishes to write is the idea of the fabrication of letters that he will sell for money, the premise actually coming from the original proposal that Lerner wrote for the book that came to be 10:04. This story, which is based on a story that the narrator hears from his old professor, is an actual truth, turned into fiction, but is ultimately cut from the story (Lerner 37). Instead of focusing explicitly on the way that fiction functions as a type of fraudulent activity, Lerner and the narrator want to spin the ‘real’ details of life into something that is “just as it is now – the room, the baby, the clothes, the minutes – just a little different” (Lerner 54). By translating the story into terms that exist almost exactly as they exist in the real world into the fiction world, the potential for the reader to recognize the ‘fictional truths’ is heightened.
Markus Zusak intended to show us that words are capable of causing harm. He describes the events in a way that shows that words are almost as bad as physical pain. They can harm people mentally, like Liesel did to Ilsa Hermann.
Characterization is a literary device that is used in literature to show and explain the details of a certain character in a story. The character could be described by the author directly or even indirectly through the speech, thoughts and actions of the character. A protagonist is the central character in the story who is usually considered the hero of the story. The protagonist is the character the reader and writer emphasizes with, while antagonist is a character who is against the protagonist and everything they stand for. An antagonist character is usually considered the villain of the story, who always tries to defeat the protagonist. The character I choose to analyze comes from the story Brownies who was written by ZZ Packer. The character's
People can be influenced by many different things. Being influenced by something or someone can cause a person to act in a certain way, good or bad. In “The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson and “A Bolt of White Cloth” by Leon Rooke, the characters demonstrate that a person’s actions are heavily influenced by their surroundings. The characters are influenced by the people around them, the things that are most precious to them and by what they desire.
This insinuates that the miller may not have been educated very well and he could be made a fool of. In contrast to this the Pardoner was no fool and in fact was quite devious as he would trick people into thinking that pigs bones were in fact relics from holy saints and from this he would make his money. This shows that the Pardoner knew how to play tricks on
After her struggle with her father and those in Maycomb County, Jean Louise ended up changing none of them. Seeing this she decided that she does not “like the way these people do, and so [she has] no time for them” (Lee 267). She decided that she would not talk to the people she did not agree with. In the end though, she “stopped running” and “turned around” to face them again (Lee 266). This act of turning around was her acknowledgment of people with different opinions and values. Despite raising a cry against the inherent racism and bigotry she encountered in her town, Jean Louise ended up only changing herself. By focusing on changing herself and not necessarily trying to convince others of their wrongs, Jean Louise is mostly unsuccessful in changing her society for the better. Contrary to this, Liesel looks outward in her response to the bigotry she finds in her society. In a short story that closely mirrors her own world, Liesel is compared to a “word shaker” (Zusak 450). As the word shaker, she grows a giant tree of positive words among the trees of hateful words planted by those complacent to and in agreement with that society. Finally, her tree fell, in the forest of hateful words. Even though “it could never destroy” all of the hate, it left “a different-colored path” through it (Zusak 450). This story shows Liesel’s ability to impact those around her with her words. This outward approach to the problem allows Liesel to have more of an impact than Jean Louise did in her own society. While Jean Louise’s self-discovery was important for her, her intense inward focus acted antithetically to the larger injustices she encountered in her own society. Liesel was able to look beyond herself and combat the wrongs she encountered in her
Sherwood Anderson, in his masterpiece Winesburg, Ohio was writing against the notion that stories have to have a plot which reveals a moral idea or conclusion. Like the "tales" that Doctor Parcival tells George Willard in "The Philosopher," Anderson's short stories also seem to "begin nowhere and end nowhere" (51). We as readers must, like George Willard, decide if such stories are little more than "a pack of lies" or if rather, "they contain the very essence of truth" (51). The ability (or lack thereof) of both his characters and his narrator to distinguish between "lies" and "truth" is one of Anderson's central preoccupations. The people who inhabit Winesburg, Ohio are acutely aware of the impotence of words in the face of expressing any form of truth or meaning. Words, instead, serve as obstacles in uncovering "truth." It is not only Anderson's characters, however, which comprehend the impotence of words. The narrator, as we shall see, also struggles to find words that can express "truth." It's not surprising then that "truth", in Winesburg, Ohio takes on a "vague" and amorphous shape that can be described using only the most vague and amorphous of words: "thing."
Words are things we utilize and hear constantly, although they give us the ability to interact, they are unquestionably not as compelling or manipulative as they can potentially be. In the novel, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, words are utilized to make goodness, solace, and rational soundness in a period of war. When utilized by the right person, words can control any man into altering his opinion, the premise of Hitler's propaganda techniques. Finally, basic discussions can even give somebody the capacity to live, or they can mean the end, the end of their capable, word filled life. Words can impact individuals and occasions decidedly if utilized accurately; their energy to unite individuals and solace them is second to none. Words gave
Secrets. A soft whisper here and a sly mischievous smile there. This act is part of the human nature used as a defense mechanism or an act of power. Secrecy being harmful to individuals isn’t a problem, it’s the matter of using the power appropriately. Throughout our lives we are shaped and molded by friends and family that can have a lasting effect on our mind and self. The betrayal burns through them as they see the once honest friendship dissipate into thin air. No matter how well someone thinks that they know a person that person will always have secrets. This is seen in the book A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens use of literary devices conveys the idea that individuals will always continue to be secretive and dishonest.
Many people tell little white lies that they believe will not have a tremendous effect, however, in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet deception can have deadly consequences. Trickery is a driving force in the play that creates much conflict and confusion amongst the characters. It is mostly used for personal gain or exploitation, but almost never has a strong return. Deception is repeatedly utilized by Claudius and Hamlet and Polonius. All three caused numerous deaths, including their own, because of their lies and fabricated stories. Claudius, Polonius, and Hamlet are guilty of being deceitful in various manners, however, all of their actions were inspired by personal gain and resulted in death and destruction.
Throughout history the words of individuals have affected many generations. People have done incredible, and atrocious things just with the influence of people’s . Actions, to me, are not as powerful as words. Words are like the puppet strings that make us do excellent or horrible things. It’s all about influence. Humans these days only care about what other people think about us. Words possess us to act. Therefore without words, we would have no inspiration to act. If I don’t say something horrible to someone they have no basis to act against me. I can say the same about our government. If a nation, says they obtained nuclear warheads all the nations will act to prevent a war. Nevertheless words can also be used to do great things. A story that proves that words