Usage of Characterization In Ryonosuke Akutagawa’s Rashomon
Despite coming from a different background than most other authors
that have so far been studied, Ryonosuke Akutagawa still wrote stories
that included similar ideas like internal and external conflict,
sacrifice of oneself for a higher cause, murder, human flaws and many
others. In addition to that, Akutagawa also used common literary
elements like motifs, symbols, point of view and irony. However, one
element that is prevalent in almost all of his works is
characterization. In two of his short stories, Rashomon and The Martyr,
characterization is used to develop their respective themes; in
Rashomon, characterization is equally important in building up the
theme as in The Martyr.
In Rashomon, characterization is used to show the theme that the
desperate situations that a person faces can result in the resorting
to means that compromise morals, and can even lead to hypocrisy.
Akutagawa does this through narration and behavior of the character.
At the beginning of the story, the protagonist is faced with the
dilemma of either being honest and dying of starvation, or to be a
thief and steal from the corpses that were scattered around. However
even after much consideration, he was still “unable to muster enough
courage to justify the conclusion that he must become a thief”
(Akutagawa 34). Through this, it is evident at this point, the
protagonist was still somewhat reluctant to compromise his morals even
for survival, and if possible, he would definitely consider other
means. With time though, the protagonist does eventually decide to
compromise his morals, and he did not even have to “wonder whether he
should starve to death or become a thief. ...
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...gh they may have shown approval initially.
In the two different stories, characterization is used to prove the
themes, and in both cases, they are equally important. However, there
are similarities and differences as to how characterization is used.
One similarity that they share is the fact that in both stories,
characterization is mainly shown through narration. Indeed in both
cases character traits can be extracted through speech, but they are
more apparent in the narration. On the other hand, one difference is
that in Rashomon, there was only a single person that was being
characterized to prove the theme, and this character was less of a
one-dimensional figure than the characters in The Martyr, whereas in
that story, a whole community was being characterized through their
actions, as well as through the introspection of one member of the
community.
Population 485 describes Michael Perry’s life as he searches for his niche in his community. There are three criteria that build an evaluation argument, which consist of ethical, practical, and aesthetic criteria. Throughout the book Perry provides multiple detailed stories that use two of the three criteria quite often. The practical criterion focuses on practical considerations and appears more throughout his book than the aesthetic criterion, which is based off of how engaging the story is to the reader, and the picture the story paints in the readers’ heads. As a whole Michael Perry creates a successful book that uses his personal experiences to convey his message of the importance of community in someone’s life.
Characterization is used to help along the point giving us a better understanding of the main character. In the start of on the sidewalk bleeding the author uses characterization to flesh out Andy and give some of his aspirations. One of those aspirations is his girlfriend Laura he believes that “someday he would marry laura someday” (Hunter 2). First off this quote gives one of the symbols of the story. Second, this shows that Andy wants to have a life past the royals. The author also uses characterization to describe the nature of labels. A boy and a girl couple stumble upon Andy
As Twenge continues her argument she compares it back to her own experiences which ties up this argument in the successfulness of it. She uses these comparisons to help emphasize important parts of her argument. Beginning with “they think we like our phones more than we like actual people.” This state of unhappiness around teens forms her bigger argument that this is a main reason smartphones have destroyed a generation, “It was exactly the moment where the proportion of Americans who owned a smartphone surpassed 50%”. The owning of smartphones “placed in the young people’s hands are having profound effect on their lives -- and making them seriously unhappy.” Their social interactions decrease and their screen time increases as the years go
Overall, characterization plays a very significant role in the presentation of the theme virtues versus vices in the short story Susanna at the Beach. By practicing these virtues, both of the Susannas are protecting themselves against the seven “deadly sins,” which are embodied by other characters in both stories. In both short stories, this theme proves that in the end when one acts in accordance with their defining virtues or vices they are rewarded; however, the rewards are much more superior for those who are fulfilled in their virtues rather than their vices. In Daniel and Susanna and Susanna at the Beach, the main character’s are similar in their determination to do what they are compelled to do, as well as are similar by embodying the seven “heavenly virtues.”
With quick wit and an enlightening explanation of the Constitution, Jay Wexler’s The Odd Clauses did not disappoint. Covering the Constitution in a completely unique way, even the most simple-minded people in the world could walk away from this book understanding how complex the Constitution really is. Wexler takes a weird clause from the constitution, explains why it is odd, and then uses the clause to explain a whole segment of government. For example, Wexler uses the Weight and Measures Clause to explain the powers of Congress, and how they are to blame for crashing a $125 million probe into Mars.
“Hail to The Goodness and to the Supreme Compassionate Director, most true, most powerful, most benevolent...We exist to please him” (Levitin 3). To most, this statement seems like one set by a cruel dictator. However, in The Goodness Gene, a 253 page scientific-fiction novel, author Sonia Levitin creates a world where this creed is the basic “motto” of the world. The setting is located 300 years into the future, where a man by the name of Hayli (who is referred to by the world as the Supreme Compassionate Director), has taken control of the world to make it a perfect environment. Hayli’s son, Will, is the main character who, after a trip outside of his isolated community, realizes that the world his “father” created was not really as perfect as it seemed, while also discovering why he was created. The title, The Goodness Gene, really symbolizes the clash of man and its society in the book.
The novel GentleHands, by M.E. Kerr, reveals the false identity that the protagonist, Buddy Boyle, has assumed. Buddy is a young boy who is on the lower end of the social class. He couldn't afford nice clothes and did not really care what he looked like. However, when Skye Pennington is introduced to his life, a girl much higher in wealth then Buddy, it creates a drastic change in Buddy, giving him a desire to be someone different than himself, Buddy clearly matures towards the end of the novel. Ultimately Buddy learns that one must stay true to the person he is as he realizes individuals that he looked up to are not who the seem.
both stories shared similar ending and moral which is receiving enlightenment in first hand. "The
Marsha Norman’s Night, Mother is a well-written, much-discussed play. It has become a classic piece of dramatic work and has also gone on to win a Pulitzer Prize award.
Tell Tale Heart is a short horror story by E.A. Poe that is told from the first person perspective and describes the murder of an old man. The main character plots the crime because he (supposing the narrator is male) is irritated by the old man’s “evil eye”. The narrator kills the old man in his sleep, dismembers the body and hides the corpse parts under the floorboards. The main character is not suspected until he confesses the murder to the police believing everyone can hear the beating of the dead man’s heart from under the floor. Tell-Tale Heart is not a confession but an apology. The murderer tries to prove that the hideous crime, no mater how irrational it might seem to the readers, was planned and carried out in the calculated and premeditated manner. The narrator tries to convince the readers that he was conscious of his motives, actions, and intentions. What is more, he stresses that there was no trace of permanent or temporary mental disorder, let alone insanity. However, the choice of the point of view, tone and mood of the Tell-Tale Heart allow Poe to create the opposite effect and convince the readers that the story is an account of a madman. The psychological effect of the first-person narrative, the tone and symbolism let Poe enhance the gruesome effect of the story. The point of view chosen by Poe also makes readers feel as if the insane narrator addresses every reader personally. A vide range of stylistic devices is employed to make the story frightening from the very beginning.
The author uses one main character, at most, two; only the protagonist and the antagonist exist as major characters. “Rip Van Winkle”, Washington Irving uses one main character to play both the role of the protagonist and the antagonist. In paragraph three lines, six and seven, the reader meets the protagonist. “…a simple good-natured fellow of the name of Rip Van Winkle” In paragraphs five and nine, lines one and two, and one and four, respectively, the reader encounters the antagonist. “The great error in Rip’s composition was an insuperable aversion for all kinds of labor.” “…Rip would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound.” Even though, in both cases where the reader encounters Rip Van Winkle, Rip only counts as one main character. Characterization occurs when the author draws an overall picture of the characters. Characterization happens in two ways in literature, by description and personality. The author uses the words a story to describe a character or imply the appearance of the characters through the text of the story. Introducing the personality of the character to the reader in words give or describe the personality of the characters or the words used imply certain things about the character. The protagonist in “Rip Van Winkle” the reader first meets in paragraph three, lines seven and eight, “… a simple good-natured fellow of the name of Rip Van Winkle.
The story’s tone is one of romantic controversy, a dilemma at a high level of existence. The scientist’s love for his craft competes very intensively with his newfound love for his wife. It is also very psychological, strictly dealing with the raw mind of its subjects as if the ominous narrator told the story from inside their mind, rather than observe it from the outside. He describes the processes that one may take to reach a certain degree of knowledge and to find the elixir of life, which is described in this story as the ultimate goal of the scientific community. Also, the narrator is very opinionated about events in the story.
When a person undergoes a profound change in character, he or she must question whether they are embracing a part of themselves that has always existed or whether it is their environment that produces this change in character. When an external event forces a person to act in a way that runs contrary to their common practices, was it the external event that is the sole cause of this change in behavior or is it simply this event tapping into the far reaching annals of a person’s traits? A rudimentary understanding of a protagonist’s characteristics is crucial when reading a story. If those traits lose ground to deeper characteristics, was the reader ever properly familiar with these now dissipating traits, and thus the character in of itself?
are better people then they really are. It even shows this need for flattering falsehood going
...ng The Tell-Tale Heart by Edger Allan Poe, I was able to pull out characteristics that I thought were important in understand the story. The narrator has no physical descriptions in the story so it was easy to move away from his/her physical description to their emotional characteristics. In the story emotions are especially important to understanding why a character thinks the way they do.The unanswered question will always be why the narrator killed the old man. If he says its not for the money and it is stated that he has never done anything wrong to hurt the narrator than it leaves the readers open to have their own thoughts what the answer to this puzzle that Poe has created through his characterization of the narrator. Having an unstable creates different characteristics but I felt that I would characterize the narrator as being secretive, insane and nervous.