During the fifties, people lived in a constant cloud of confusion due to the social and political tension from the growing belief in Communism. In order to deal with these issues, many people created a false sense of reality to balance out the harsh truth. In the science fiction novel, Time Out of Joint, Philip K. Dick mimics this ignorance in the fifties with Ragle Gumm’s own deformed perception of reality versus the true reality of the world around him. Dick makes it challenging for Ragle Gumm to differentiate between what he has known to be true versus what is truly happening in the world around him. By creating an alternate and powerless world for Ragle Gumm, which parallels the lifestyle of many in the fifties, Dick demonstrates the true …show more content…
Philip K. Dick uses Ragle Gumm’s alternate world as a parallel to the typical lifestyle in the fifties to highlight the lack of power people had over Communism. Throughout the novel, Ragle Gumm struggles to gain control over his own life from his fear of the future as well as the superpower controlling Ragle that created the fictional world. When he tries to take control of his life by leaving his home, Gumm “[doesn’t] get anywhere. Not a step”. Ragle remembers that “… they rolled me back,” but he questions “‘Who?…Who brought me back here?’” (Dick 149). He tries to explain the previous night to Vic, but Ragle is clearly confused about the events himself. His tone shows his bewilderment, and Ragle even needs to question Vic for more details of the night. The cloud of confusion and doubt parallels to the …show more content…
After fighting to gain control over his own life, Ragle Gumm finally does against the grain by making his own decisions and moving forward. Rather than hiding in his home with his daily newspaper, Ragle Gumm fights the oppression. He confidently justifies his decision to leave his old town for the moon “because [he knows] it is right. It comes first, [his] duty” (231). The doubt and confusion in Ragle’s tone from before is gone. Ragle Gumm found the facts about the formerly unknown force controlling him and from that gained power over his life. He knows what he wants to do and how to move forward. With this new sense of confidence in Ragle Gumm, Dick hints to the readers in the fifties to change their own attitude to be more like Gumm's by taking action rather than hiding from the problems of the time in so called ‘perfect’ homes with ‘perfect’ families that ruled the fifties. Dick believes people need to stop hiding from the fear of Communism and pretending everything is perfectly normal. Moreover, the people around Ragle Gumm see that he is confident now that he understands the truth rather than living in a fictional world. Mrs. Keitelbein recognizes that “‘He already made up his mind…’” to go to the moon (230). From Mrs. Keitelbein’s point of view, Ragle Gumm knows what he wants and is not going to
Inevitably on his metaphoric passage to heroism, Robert has many turning points in relation to Marxism that change his outlook on the world and war around him like the class division, the oppressors and the oppressed and, the mini revolutions that take place in a struggle for power. Findley presents the reader with a story that challenges the conceptions and truths that humans believe of human nature. Through the plot of Robert, Findley begins to convey the message that life goes on and as humans the only truth is that we are becoming. This is similarly seen in Marxism as it believes the cycle is ongoing but slowly and surely society is becoming. In one way Robert's journey itself is a reflection of society and the path that it continues to take.
He interviews people such as George Saunders, Kathryn Schulz, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and several more well-known experts about topics ranging from books to music to the theory of gravity. These interviews give the points Klosterman is making credibility as he jumps from topic to topic. He also cites historical examples of the future being completely unpredictable during the present; for example, the novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville went from being a total flop at the time of publishing to being known as the greatest novel of all time. Nothing in Melville’s time indicated the success of that book, and there is no particular reason that the order of events couldn’t have led to another unknown brilliant novel’s success. While citing these historical examples and interviews with great thinkers, Klosterman maintains a conversational, humorous, and engaging tone that keeps the reader wanting more. There were times where I found myself laughing out loud while reading, a very rare occurrence for me. One of my favorite lines in the book was when Klosterman was speaking about how people’s perceptions of presidents change over time. He writes about how the “worst US president of all-time” has changed throughout the years from Grant while he was in college to Buchanan. Along with this,
Of the four members of the Richard Wagamese’s Ragged Company (2009), Richard Richard Dumont, otherwise known as “Double Dick” underwent a traumatizing event in his life. Wagamese (2009) tells the story of Dick as he grew up on reserves, and was subsequently denied the opportunity of education for Dick. As Dick turned to alcohol to cope with his life after entering his father’s moonshine manufacturing business, his life finally led up to the moment that caused him to leave his family home, and forced him into poverty. Although Ragged Company is a narrative of four homeless people, the novel also reflects social determinants of health. Davidson (2015) defines the determinants as underlying factors of health disparities. Furthermore, the historical distal determinants, such as colonialism, inevitable affects the personable, individualistic proximal determinants such as income. Together, these two variant of determinants shape the lives of Aboriginal peoples, such as Dick. After the life-defining moment, Double Dick Dumont in Richard Wagamese’s
Another unique aspect to this book is the constant change in point of view. This change in point of view emphasizes the disorder associated with war. At some points during the book, it is a first person point of view, and at other times it changes to an outside third person point of view. In the first chapter of the book, “The Things They Carried,” O’Brien writes, “The things they carried were largely determined by necessity (2).
What is reality? This is the question Philip K. Dick poses in his book, Time Out of Joint. Dick strategically uses literary devices such as narrative structure and symbolism in order to comment on one’s perception of what is real, and what is fiction. By making “time out of joint” and allowing a shift in moral power within his novel, Dick exposes the feelings of paranoia and insecurity that were experienced during the fifties, when Dick wrote this novel, but implies that there is hope that peace can still be attained.
...n there are no limitations of morality or law. A comparison of man's fruitless journey is described as "they move like migrants under a drifting star and their track across the land reflected in its faint arcature the movements of the earth itself" (McCarthy 153). Thus, the setting powerfully influences the novel's theme and its characters rather than being a detached element of the narrative (147).
...rrest Gump’s personal life. The Vietnam War was probably the most significant of these historical events as it places Forrest in a position to make two friendships, Bubba and Lt. Dan, who were instrumental in his motivation and future financial successes in personal life. Other happenings in society such as economic conditions after a war, the attitudes of people toward handicapped when Forrest was growing up, racism, special treatment for talented athletes, and many others are only a few examples of historical events that were woven with the personal life of Forrest and his friends. I have cited in my paper just a few of the many examples of the concept of sociological imagination depicted in this movie. As one reviews this movie, one becomes cognizant of the many happenings in society that influence and shape Forrest’s, Bubba’s, and Lt. Dan’s lives. Before studying the concept of sociological imagination in sociology class, I never thought about the effect of the events taking place in society intersecting with the characters’ lives. Now, I realize that sociological imagination is the underlying theme of this movie.
From this novel, the reader can learn more about the economic system, and how it is applied to life. The reader is able to enjoy the narrative along with learn the principles that are introduced by Roberts.
...d by a difference in wealth. The difficulty to provide for a family, much less make more money to rise above the working class, caused children born into working class families to feel like they were “stuck” because they did not have the extra time or money to devote to an education. Instead of being able to learn and grow during childhood, children in the working class focused on the survival of themselves and their family. This contrasts the middle class where children had the possibility to earn an education before working in the future. Horatio Alger argued that anyone can change their situation by a little extra work and by improving their behavior, but Ragged Dick was an unrealistic character. Children born into poverty often faced a cycle, where guidance and luck could not even help the escape the working class because they were committed to their families.
The struggle the other characters face in telling Mrs. Mallard of the news of her husband's death is an important demonstration of their initial perception of her strength. Through careful use of diction, Mrs. Mallard is portrayed as dependent. In mentioning her "heart trouble" (12) Chopin suggests that Mrs. Mallard is fragile. Consequently, Josephine's character supports this misconception as she speaks of the accident in broken sentences, and Richards provides little in the way of benefiting the situation. In using excess caution in approaching the elderly woman, Mrs. Mallard is given little opportunity to exhibit her strength. Clearly the caution taken towards Mrs. Mallard is significant in that it shows the reader the perception others have of her. The initial description the author provides readers with creates a picture that Mrs. Mallard is on the brink of death.
It deals with obstacles in life and the ways they are over come. Even if you are different, there are ways for everyone to fit in. The injustices in this book are well written to inform a large audience at many age levels. The book is also a great choice for those people who cheers for the underdogs. It served to illustrate how the simple things in life can mean everything.
Horatio Alger's “Ragged Dick” is a story which expresses the morals found within a fourteen year old homeless boy. This young boy is quite different because of the morals and actions he showcases to others. Unlike other homeless individuals, Ragged Dick is a boy who puts forth honesty while acting in courteous ways which represent a true level of dignity. Although Ragged Dick is such a prideful and respectful young boy, he is also known as a “spendthrift.” Spendthrifts are individuals who are careless with their actions in terms of their spending as they have little no regard for their money. One example of this can be seen as we read, “Dick's appearance as he stood beside the box was rather peculiar. His pants were torn in several places, and had apparently belonged in the first instance to a boy two sizes larger than himself. He wore a vest, all the buttons of which were gone except two, out of which peeped a shirt which looked as if it had been worn a month. To complete his costume he wore a coat too long for him, dating back, if one might judge from its general appearance, to a remote antiquity” (Alger).
The idea that resulted in the Little Seamstress leaving the mountain maybe viewed as ironic by the reader. The ideas of being different and individual, that Lou held and put to practice were what communist Leader Chair man Mao Zedong originally feared. This was why the texts were originally banned in the first place, and viewed as revolutionary trash. As it was thought that they may result in an u...
...es the American and Soviet officials for the lack of tolerance for one another and how that led to unnecessary military tension. Additionally, he uses the story to criticize military-industry complex that led to the Nuclear Arms Race. However, this tale is not only applicable to the Cold War. The wall between the Yooks and Zooks parallels the racial divide that dominated the US. While a seemingly depressing book for children, Geisel ends the book on a hopeful note. As the Yooks and the Zooks are on the verge of destroying each other, the book ends with a blank page to follow. This blank page represents the unwritten future—that the problems of ignorance and unnecessary militarization could be changed. As a novel to the future generations, Geisel’s cliff hanger provides children the opportunity to create their own ending, both for the butter battle in in real life.
In conclusion the three themes of Freedom, Oppression and Repression are major factors in the two stories, all three of the themes appearing in distinct ways. By comparing the position of both Jane and Mrs. Mallard in the two stories both in their own particular way are oppressed or subjugated by other males, in this case their husbands, even though their husbands often want to do what they feel is best for them. This leaves both tales open to examination in terms of the issue of patriarchy and how often women are its victims. It is also sure to say that Freedom, Oppression and Repression were very much commonly seen in the 19th century since both stories were written in about that time and both share these