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the essay of imagination in literature
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Novels present different views about life. They often consist of stories about events that may be totally imaginary, or fictionally realistic. Writers usually write novels to present their ideas and comments about human behavior. Three literary works that poignantly shows their authors' perceptions about life and human behavior are 'The Lame Shall Enter First';, Joy Luck Club, and To Kill A Mocking Bird. Flannery O Conner shows what really matters in life in 'The Lame Shall Enter First';. The importance of faith and courage in a patriarchal society is imprinted in Joy Luck Club. Lastly, in To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee presents an agathistic assumption about human behavior. Literature is said to be the mirror of human behavior, as a form of art, it can also be used to show the quirks and flaws of society---such is the case in these pieces.
The assumption made by the character in 'The Lame Shall Enter First'; is that it is enough for a person to appear morally right, as if faith in God is not necessary. The belief that there is no God is presented by the protagonist, Sheppard. For Sheppard, intelligence and morality are the most important values in life. It is not important for him to believe in God. He does not believe in the after life, nor does he believe that he has to follow the Bible. For him, the Bible is another book written by a fanatical society that preceded his. Sheppard introduces that premise that God should be replaced by science by trying to impress its wonders to Rufus John. He reasons that since there is neither physical nor scientific evidence that god exists. Rufus should stop believing in God and the bible. Because of Sheppard's lack of faith, he gauges his value according to how many people he has helped.
Flannery O'Conner defies everything that Sheppard stands for by taking everything that Sheppard value at the end of the story. Rufus John, the focal point of Sheppard's obsession on helping others, shows Sheppard the error of his ways by going back to prison. By refusing to be taken by Sheppard's persuasion of looking at the world in a scientific viewpoint, Rufus shows that faith is more important than being free---if being free means not believing in God. From the story, Flannery O'Conner takes the side of Rufus. 'The lame shall enter first…'; is the cry that Rufus yelled at Sheppard.
By providing a precise example of the times it is set in, To Kill a Mockingbird effects the readers opinions on today's society making them think of ways to better it. For example, in the novel, Lee describes what life in Maycomb, a southern town in Alabama, was like during the 1930's: “ a day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was no where to go, nothing to buy, and no money to buy it with...” ( Lee 6). People have a hard time imagining what life in a big depression was like, and this provides them with a description that not only helps the reader think about living during those times but broadens their knowledge about the history in general. This new insight helps them to see how far today's society has come and how many obstacles mankind has faced and overcome on their journey to today. In addition, Catherine Bernard explains through her book, Understanding To Kill A Mockingbird, that: “ While Lee's novel is set in the 1930's, the themes of discrimination and toleranc...
Literature is an outlet for imagination without restrictions, a platform for expression, and a form of art that outlives its author. Most importantly, it can be a way to help one truly discover themselves. As audiences are exposed to more literature throughout their lives, they not only learn about their true potential, but are also made aware of their flaws and faults in character. Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird and Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton are both remarkable characters, but from various events that reveal their shortcomings, the audience receives the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
Knowing and understanding social, political, and cultural history is extremely important when reading many novels, especially Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Linda Brent and any short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Both of these authors had many extinuating circumstances surrounding their writings that should be noted before reading their works. Without knowing what was happening both in the outside world and in the respected author's life, one cannot truly grasp what the author is trying to say or what the author truly means by what he or she is saying. In this paper, I will show how important it is for the reader to understand the social, political, and cultural happenings in the writer's lives and in the world surrounding them during the times that their works were written.
“Make them laugh, make them cry, make them wait.” These are three demands for the writing of fiction. By following these demands, an author sparks interest in his/her work. “Make them wait” is a signifigant in creating the interest in the novels The Catcher in the Rye and Lord of the Flies. This essay will explain how making the reader wait creates interest in the two novels stated earlier.
Harper Lee’s only book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is the stereotypical tale of childhood and innocence, yet it successfully incorporates mature themes, like the racism in the South at the time, to create a masterpiece of a work that has enraptured people’s minds and hearts for generations. According to esteemed novelist Wally Lamb, “It was the first time in my life that a book had sort of captured me. That was exciting; I didn’t realize that literature could do that” (111). Scout’s witty narration and brash actions make her the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for, and the events that take place in Maycomb County are small-scale versions of the dilemmas that face our world today. Mockingbird is a fantastically written novel that belongs on the shelves for classic literature that everyone should take the time to read and appreciate for their execution of style and the importance of their content.
Now with over 15 million copies in print translated into forty languages, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is highly regarded as a masterpiece of American literature. It stands strong beside bestsellers such as “The Joy Luck Club,” “The Catcher in the Rye,” and “Huckleberry Finn.” But what, one may ask, are the similarities between these chartbusters?
As a writer, the success of most authors’ comes from their power to convert common thoughts or knowledge into something which can enlighten the reader. An author thrives on being unique and imaginative. With this originality comes differentiation, when one compares two authors who have used the same literary device in their writings, this becomes apparent. J.D Salinger’s writings involve an enormous amount of childhood concepts and loss of innocence. Mark Twain is also known for his use of innocence in his novels, specifically The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Although the concept behind innocence is basically the same with both authors, each author applies his own interpretat...
People throughout the world consider America the supreme country in terms of freedom. As a result of this assumption, many countries attempt to model their culture after the United States. The idea of imitating a successful organization or product exists in literature as well. Many authors write pieces of literature that modify other works they have previously read. Jill McCorkle's Ferris Beach, a contemporary novel, shares numerous characteristics with Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel written in the 1960's. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, McCorkle's novel documents the life of a young girl in a small southern town. The two narrators, Kate Burns and Scout Finch, endure difficult encounters. A study of these main characters reveals the parallels and differences of the two novels. Jill McCorkle duplicates character similarities and rape from Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird to show the reader how young girls think and develop.
The American author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, is famous, or rather infamous, for satirically criticizing the values of society while demonstrating human nature through his characters. His novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is no exception. There is a warning at the beginning of the novel to not try to find a motive, a moral or a plot.
Many students believe that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird displays social issues in early America. In this time standing against common customs was unacceptable, a violation of society. People believe that today courage has overcome adversity that was displayed in early America. Courage is the common subject of To Kill a Mockingbird, which allows Lee’s novel to defy the changing times of humanity. These morals are bound to the “impartiality” and “fairness” taught to people as children, but become unavoidably invisible though selfish actions. The characters in To Kill a Mockingbird express audacity along with resilience in the face of cowardice.
There are many writers that convey their purposes using different methods. Many writers use different techniques to persuade their audience towards a specific idea in their writing. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain tells the story about a boy named Huck, who takes on many adventures along with Jim, a runaway slave. Throughout their journey, Huck starts to realize that African Americans are much the same as white Americans. He sees that the treatments of African Americans is wrong and cruel. Huck’s view on African Americans changes through the course of the novel because Twain introduces his idea of racism being immoral through the different uses of techniques. Writers like Walt Whitman, Brent Staples, Langston
Many authors use personal experience or beliefs to inspire them to write. In these novels, the authors are both complete examples of this. Both Albert Camus and Harper Lee were influenced by their real-life surroundings when writing The Stranger and To Kill a Mockingbird.
In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain illustrates several traits that are common in mankind. Among these traits are those that are listed in this essay. Through characters in the story Twain shows humanity's innate courageousness. He demonstrates that individuals many times lack the ability to reason well. Also, Twain displays the selfishness pervasive in society. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, many aspects of the human race are depicted, and it is for this reason that this story has been, and will remain, a classic for the ages.
In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain illustrates human nature. The good side of nature is shown through his depiction of peoples' courage. The irrationality of mankind is exposed through the actions of characters in the novel.
Mark Twain is a one of the famous American author who set a milestone in American literature history. He used a humor and ironic elements in his book to portray the lesson to his readers. Also, he liked to satirize the social system and morality to educate the people. Therefore, in his three famous works, The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, The Mysterious Stranger, he satirized the human’s selfishness, evilness, and greediness.