Category: Short Essays

Introduction to the Preface of The Crown of the Wild Olive

In the Preface to his famous book, The Crown of the Wild Olive, John Ruskin has taken to task the British statistical economists of that time to argue his case that showing “ciphers” is not an economy and prosperity, rather it “consists of substance” which he calls of having “the final worth” for the human being to benefit from (09). Ruskin starts his argument by describing the devastation of natural water springs and scenery in South England, adding that water wells in the backyards of houses are due to the neglect of labor used somewhere else for profitable purposes. He laments mining saying that it is meant for the “joy and health” (05), but the wreckage of clothes, metal, dust, and slime are left in the open which is injurious to the health of the public (05). He builds his argument that the political economy means profit at the expense of health hazards and destruction of natural scenery which is against the teachings of the Bible as well as ethics of the heathens.

Description of Destruction in The Preface of The Crown of the Wild Olive

Giving horrible destruction of the water sources and nature in the Southern England, Ruskin, in the preface of The Crown of the Wild Olive, says that it is very easy to dispose the remains of the mining by just “Half-a-dozen men, with one day’s work” (5) but the problem is that this labor is capital driven that is done only for installing railing outside of the houses of the rich and then re-railing through iron bars which rust with the passage of time and has no final value. However, the problem with the factory owners and capitalists is that they want profit by producing needs and then products in a way that the life of laborers is spent in producing a “valueless piece of iron” instead of “medicinal fresh air, and pure war” (06) which would prove healthful for the general public. However, the problem is that there is no profit or money involved, the reason that the refuse and remains of mining of iron are left as they are.

Belief System in the Preface of The Crown of the Wild Olive

Presenting his argument by comparing this work of wiping out refuse with that of a religious person, Rusk argues that exactly like the belief system, corporations and factories work on practical basis and not on the basis of “this assumed belief” of making the world beautiful though the profit makers accept this argument that this is a religious beliefs are correct and do not deny them (10). However, if all the Christians believe in the teachings of the Bible and adhere to it teachings, they may resort to making the world a place worth living instead of reaching out to needless products or selling such useless products. However, the argument arises that life is too short and that it must be used practically. Then, he says, the question looms large that it does not mean “wasting the space” (12). What he means is that the Biblical teachings of “what a man soweth that shall he also reap” (13) could make them to see their follies of this great avarice of money making at whose alter they are destroying the environment.

Symbol of Olive in The Crown of the Wild Olive

He even links it to the Grecian heathens who used to award an olive branch to the winners of the Olympics and that they did not want money which he ironically attributes to their gods that they did not have gold or any other precious metal to offer to the winners. That is why it is in the title of th book, The Crown of the Wild Olive.  In other words, his argument is that that olive branch means the preservation of nature on which the whole of humanity lives and enjoys. If that is done, it means there is “free heartedness, and graciousness, and undisturbed peace” (15), which he states is not possible in the current state of economic thoughts of earning profit only. He declares by the end that these “may be riches; untormenting and divine” (15) which would serve others in life on this earth. This also serves in the context of work, which should be done for the welfare of the people, traffic that should not be used to collect money and the weapons that should not serve to destroy the earth.

Conclusion

Concluding the argument of the preface of The Crown of the Wild Olive, it could be said that Ruskin has tried to awaken the religions conscience of the readers by stating that political economy is too much dependent on things that have no final value, and are only produced to create needs and then produced to meet those artificially created needs. If this production of objects and commodities continue, it means the destruction of the natural resources and also the use of laborers at the behest of the few profit-making factory and mining owners. However, this would have little value for the common public. Contrary to the religion beliefs, this does not fit into the Biblical teachings though life is to face death, but it does not mean that one should just fulfill his desires of making money at the expense of natural destruction and pure sources of health. his three lectures too argue the same principle of peace, love and service to the public. His argument of the Grecian olive branch too hold weight in that it was a symbol of the preservation of nature to satisfy one’s pride and not greed and that is also the major point of his argument for work, traffic and war weapons.

Works Cited

1. Ruskin, John. The Crown of the Wild Olive; Three Lectures on Work, Traffic and War. The University of Adelaide Library, South Australia, 2014.

Relevant Questions About The Crown of The Wild Olive: Ruskin’s Criticism of Political Economy

1. In the Preface to The Crown of The Wild Olive: Ruskin’s Criticism of Political Economy, what key insights does Ruskin provide regarding the shortcomings of political economy as a discipline?
2. How does the Preface in The Crown of The Wild Olive: Ruskin’s Criticism of Political Economy set the tone for John Ruskin’s critique of political economy, and what are the main ideas or arguments he foreshadows in this introductory text?
3. What historical and intellectual context is essential to understanding the significance of the Preface in The Crown of The Wild Olive: Ruskin’s Criticism of Political Economy in relation to John Ruskin’s broader criticism of political economy in the 19th century?

Introduction to Comparison of Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis

Every literary piece has a multiplicity of meanings, a quality that makes it popular and deeper such as the case of Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis. The readers and the audiences extract their own meanings, each one thinking he is right. Joseph Conrad and Franz Kafka both have lived apart. There is nothing common between them. Even their works do not have any common theme. However, what they have highlighted in their respective novellas is that there are always deeper meanings behind the surface, which are not only different but also sometimes highly contradictory. These are hidden behind literary devices such as metaphors, symbols, allegories, and even the characters themselves. Both the stories, Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis show the deeper and seamy side of everyday life, and actions and intentions wrapped up in different motives. Although there are thousands of perceptions and theories written to explain the ideas lying in both novellas, the major themes deal with the modern issues of imperialism and the nothingness or absurdity of life. Whereas Heart of Darkness highlights how human beings hide their real motives behind their carnal desires and vices, The Metamorphosis shows how human beings adjust or not adjust to the circumstances without going deeper to find out the real reasons to address the issue.

Desire in Heart of Darkness

As far as the question of real motives hidden behind carnal desires and other moral vices in Heart of Darkness is concerned, Marlow gives hints to these desires and vices through his description using different specific words such as savages, savagery, darkness, and mystery. At one place, Marlow, the mouthpiece of Conrad says, “Land in a swamp, march through the woods, and some inland post feel the savagery…all that mysterious life of wilderness” (Conrad 7). The important point here is that Conrad is presenting a simple journey of Marlow to Congo, exposing the real and destructive motives of the white man though the surface motive is that the entire Europe has gone there to teach civilization to those savage Congolese natives. This is the imperialism hidden under the garb of spreading the blessings of civilization. It is the extraction of minerals and other resources which in the case of Heart of Darkness is ivory. Several trade companies are involved in this racket. They are committed atrocities against the locals, showing in Europe how they were doing a noble deed of teaching the basics of civilized ways to the local brutes and savages. In this connection the exploitation is running rampant in Congo which is not the same in both, Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis.

Personal Experience in Heart of Darkness

Conrad has beautifully presented the personal experience of Marlow, his fascination of Kurtz, the role of Kurtz in the company’s profit, and Kurtz’s excellent exploitation of the natives for his greed. Marlow’s statement, “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much. What redeems it is the idea only” is a reflection of how the idea of civilizing the brutes has turned into plundering their natural resources and killing them en masse (8). The entire enterprise revolves around ivory and getting to the other resources important for the industrial progress of Europe. This was the imperialism of the worst order, but it was painted as if it was the burden of the white people to educate those black savages. Therefore, the deeper meanings of Heart of Darkness are lying in the spiritual journey of Marlow that he not only experiences the limits of human spirit and its working but also of twists and turns of motives and their propagation.

Transformation in Metamorphosis

In the same way, Franz Kafka, in his phenomenal novella, The Metamorphosis, has presented his character Gregor Samsa in a unique situation where he is transformed into a despicable insect. The Metamorphosis is an attempt to see human beings how they adjust to the new situation without going deeper into the causes behind the problem and trying to fix it. For example, when Samsa is transformed into a giant insect, neither does he, nor does his father or mother or even sister try to evaluate the major reason behind his physical transformation. Even Gregor himself does not know or try to find out why he is transforming at night in the first place. All of them seem to be adjusting themselves to the new routine of finding ways to earn after the absence of the working hand. For example, instead of visiting a physician or psychic, Gregor only says, “How about if I sleep a little bit longer and forget all this nonsense” a usual way of putting things into oblivious (Kafka 8). However, this does not work, and he is permanently transformed. Also, when nobody tries to find out the reason, there is no solution. However, in this case, both Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis are different.

Characters and Transformation of Gregor in The Metamorphosis

This is what happens in The Metamorphosis, for nobody is trying to find out the major reason behind the transformation of Gregor Samsa.That is why nobody has paid attention to what will ensue. They only face the situation on a daily basis and try to address the incoming issues. It is because when a person faces an issue, and finds out its reason, he finds it easy to go for the solution. However, in the case of Samsa, the entire family faces the dilemma of his sudden transformation, but there is no try from any character except a little sympathy from his sister. Even that finishes with the passage of time. Therefore, this story goes deeper to find out the absurdity of human life and the absurd response of human beings to some natural happenings. It is not the same in Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis if both are compared.

Conclusion of Deepr Meanings in Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis

In short, each of these novellas has very deeper meanings. Heart of Darkness argues the sordid side of imperialism, human greed and features of commercialism wrapped in good intentions, the spread of religion and civilization. Marlow finds it out during his spiritual journey to the Congo, that the savageness is being committed and the plunder is being wreaked in the name of the spread of civilization. This shows the seamy side of imperialism. In the same way, the story of Gregor Samsa in Metamorphosis is a fictional narrative of a person having transformed physically into a giant insect. But it tells how absurd human life is and how irrational attitude of a person becomes when facing such situations. It clearly concludes that a person can change is situation consciously, if he wants. However, the problem is that nobody thinks on these lines as is shown by Kafka in Metamorphosis. Therefore, it is clear that both the novellas, Heart of Darkness and Metamorphosis, have deeper meanings than the just surface stories of Marlow or Gregor Samsa. These deeper meanings have been displayed through the use of different literary devices couched into the very language of the stories.

Works Cited

1. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Feedbacks. Online Books. n. d. Web. 07 May 2023.
2. Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. History World. n. d. Web. 07 May 2023.

Relevant Questions about Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis

1. How do the themes of darkness and transformation in Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis symbolize deeper societal and psychological issues in the respective narratives?
2. In Heart of Darkness and The Metamorphosis, how do the central characters, Kurtz and Gregor Samsa, grapple with their internal transformations and the moral darkness within themselves? What do these struggles reveal about the human condition?
3. What parallels can be drawn between the exploration of the Congo in Heart of Darkness and Gregor’s isolation within his own home in The Metamorphosis? How do these settings symbolize deeper existential and colonial themes in the two works?

Introduction to Chorus in Antigone

This choral ode falls after the second episode and is full of praise for human beings when it comes to analyzing the role of the chorus in Antigone. It dilates upon the achievements of human beings saying that man has tamed everything that nature has offered to him, everything is in reference to Antigone by Sophocles. However, the point of contention is between different translators, as far as I can see, for some have used the word “strangest” such as Fitzgerald, some others as “frightful or terrible” and George Theodoridis has used “wonder” but coming out of this polemics, the play Antigone supports all the reasons given in the ode even the last one that is the opinion of the democratically minded public of the city of Thebes. The points that the play supports through this chorus in Antigone are the inventiveness of human wisdom and language, his growth as a social animal, and his capricious nature of having the ability to commit both good and evil acts.

Wisdom and Chorus in Antigone

The ode dilates upon the wisdom of man starting from “Wonders abound in this world yet no wonder is greater than man.  None! / Through the wild white of a frenzied sea and through the screaming northerlies beneath him and through all the furious storms around him, through all this, man can pass!” (Antigone 332-335) that enumerates further how he has harvested the sea, catches the net and this is only because of the skillfulness of man. It further elaborates how man’s wisdom have done wonders in this world and this is what the blind seer Tiresias supports “What I’m trying to tell you, Creon, is that man’s best endowment is wisdom” (1042) at the end when he asks Creon to be reasonable and control his emotions under his intellectual capability so that he could be inventive about his own nature. Chorus also supports this point presented by Tiresias that we should use wisdom in these arguments. Above all it is the speech and thought that the man has learnt to use in each case. For example, just see how Creon has changed from Oedipus the King to Antigone. In Oedipus the King, he is patient. He uses every word not before carefully weighing the implications they might have. However, here he is not only rash but also impatient and uses whatever he wants to say not considering the height of his emotions. Just see his inventiveness in that he gives his own command respect that should be given to divine laws and he calls his command a divine law and consent of the gods that Antigone is not ready to accept as she states “Hades, however seeks similar laws for all” (529) where she wants equal laws in this world as well and he very masterly amalgamates it within the divine ambit saying “Whereas he who violates the laws of the gods and his city, or wants to command its leaders, will never gain my respect” (666) which is a sign of his wisdom that according to the chorus in Antigone he has achieved as it says;

“And man has learnt speech and thought, swifter than the wind he mastered

And learnt to govern his cities well.”

And the laughing matter is that he does not care who violates the law though he himself is violating the golden principle of moderation. He is going to the extremes in both ways in reasoning as well as in using his own speech to attribute it to the god. This he is doing to avoid death of his son, his own downfall in the city. Hence, he turns against Antigone but when Chorus also sides her argument, how cunningly comes to the point to save his son as ode points it out;

“And though his wisdom is great in discovery -wisdom beyond all imaginings!

Yet one minute it turns to ill the next again to good.” (352-354)

And this is the view of the populace to which the chorus is representing here.

Social Growth of Mankind and Chorus in Antigone

The next argument is human social growth as how the city of Thebes has turned into a civic society with divine laws at work as given in the chorus in Antigone. The word law has been repeated several times with different connotations. The command Creon issues to put Antigone to death and refuses for the burial rights to her brother that the ode refers to “But whoever honors the laws of his land and his sworn oaths to the gods, he’ll bring glory to his city” 374) also becomes law. This is the right path that he insists he is on until the end when he says “I am afraid!  It’s best to live by ancient laws, the laws which apply to all!” (1115) Although there is a difference in interpretations that he makes and Antigone and the chorus makes. The choral ode does not accept his interpretation here as claims by Creon and this is the same point that Antigone insists on when she states that “These are the laws our Lord Creon has decreed for us two, Ismene! “ (32). She carries on; “Yes, because this was not a law decreed by Zeus, nor by Zeus’ daughter, Justice, who rules with the gods of the Underworld.  Nor do I believe that your decrees have the power to override those unwritten and immutable laws decreed by the gods. These are laws which were decreed neither yesterday nor today but from a time when no man saw their birth;  they are eternal!  How could I be afraid to disobey laws decreed by any man when I know that I’d have to answer to the gods below if I had disobeyed the laws written by the gods after I died? I knew that my death was imminent, of course I did and even if it came sooner, I would still think it a good thing because when one lives in such a dreadful misery why should he not think death to be a good thing?” (449-463). Even she is not alone in thinking this. The chorus is afraid of the commands of the king and that is why does not say explicitly what she is saying but says it in the ode clearly. This is the same arrogance that led Oedipus to devastation and this is the same path that Creon has chosen here which is quite contrary to the social evolution of the society but of course, it is the ingenuity of the human mind that he mixes it up into the divine laws. The glory does not lie in obeying the king the chorus in Antigone says, but evolution and progressing evolution lie in the laws inherent in the holiness of the divine blessings.

Human Nature and Chorus in Antigone

The third point is the capriciousness of human nature that has both abilities to commit errors. First, there is a clear reference to Oedipus when Tiresias comes and he points out the mistake committed by Creon who berates him for behaving in an arrogant manner. The chorus comments on this by saying “The arrogant man, on the other hand, the man who strays from the righteous path is lost to his city. / Let that man never stay under the same roof as me or even be acquainted by me!” (370-372). The veiled reference is to the arrogance of Creon in insisting that what he says has divine blessings. It is what the laws of the land say. He states, “We must obey those whom the city has ordained to be its leaders. / We should obey them, unquestioningly, in all things, minor or great, those we agree with and those we oppose” (668-670) and again states the same thing “Yet, it’s impossible to understand the soul, the mind, the wisdom of any man before he’s tested by the great power and laws” (181-183). However, it does not mean that there is no evolution in the common man as the chorus states again “You said it yourself quite rightly: he who thinks that he’s the only one with a brain or a tongue or a soul, if you open him up you’ll find that he’s a hollow man. On the contrary, it is no shame for even a wise man to continue learning” (694-697) using words cautiously that a man is in the process of learning despite making so much progress and there is no shame in it but this is the arrogance and the pride in having power that obstructs this learning. This is an endorsement of the theory by Sophocles that man has found ways to defy gods through amalgamating his own words within the divine laws and interfering with the holiness of the laws. However, it could also be interpreted as free will by which a man comes to his own downfall like Creon whose arrogance in stating that what he says is good and not evil leads to his own downfall, death of his son and his wife. He has done the same as Oedipus has done after reaching the zenith. In one way, this is also a critique of human life that could go up by good deeds and come to downfall by the evil deed committed by the same person. In fact, chorus is also witness to the downfall of Oedipus from such a great height and now of Creon for the same reason. Hence, the ode is a sequel to the final ode of Oedipus the King exactly a la chorus in Antigone.

Works Cited

1. Sophocles. Antigone. Trans. George Theodoridis.  2004. Web. 19 April 2014 < http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Antigone.htm>

Relevant Questions about the Chorus in Antigone

1. What is the role and function of the chorus in “Antigone,” and how does it contribute to the overall structure and dramatic impact of the play?
2. How does the chorus’s perspective on the events and characters in “Antigone” evolve throughout the play, and what does this evolution reveal about the shifting moral and political dynamics in the story?
3. Can you identify any specific choral odes or moments in “Antigone” where the chorus’s commentary or reflections on the actions of the characters provide insight into the deeper themes and conflicts of the play?

Introduction to Candide

Candide by Voltaire is a typical fictional work having elemental value on the basis of thematic strands that seem to have surpassed generations and civilizations. This fiction written during the eighteenth century not only shows the importance of wealth in social relations and social setups but also shows the work of religion, human desires, and civilizational clashes through its protagonist Candide, and other characters associated with him. The ancient controversies and dialectics about the existence of God, the creation of the world, the role of power and money, and religious dogmas in shaping human lives and cultures have been kept engaged not only by philosophers like Voltaire but also by other figures. Shown through his character such as Pangloss whose mantra of “For, everything having been made for a purpose, everything is necessarily for the best purpose” (Voltaire 4) to complete pessimism of Martin that he has never met goodness (53) when replying to Candide, Voltaire has touched upon the fundamental issues concerning human life. In fact, comprises how religion sometimes becomes a source of solace and at other times a source of persecution for those who hold different views. Therefore, some of the themes about the role of wealth, human lust and love, religion and its misuse, and civilizational clash are elements that can resonate with contemporary audiences.

Wealth in Candide

As far as the role of wealth in concerned, the initial chapter about Baron Thunder-ten-trenconckh and the description of his castle, his farmyard, and his living style show that he is called “Your Lordship” on account of his wealth (03). Candide soon comes to know that he has no means to pay his corner (05). Ken Ewell in his book, Travelling with Philosophes, says that Candide gets a lot of wealth from El Dorado but when he sees that it is all lost, he is unable to locate Cunegonde and his associate as he has no means to bribe the officials in Turkish land (252). It means that he has pointed out the importance of wealth. In fact, wealth plays an important part in the officials as well as the private world. In the official world, it works when Candide thinks of meeting the governor to buy Cunegonde, his former beloved (252). Although Ken Ewell has associated it with his philosophy that he learns from Pangloss the mention of wealth is very much there, as it makes him easy to travel and buy freedom for his mentor and beloved. In other words, wealth still has a significant role in the lives of people for traveling, purchasing amenities of life, and even buying officials to freedom. It even works when an individual wants to fulfill his desires.

Human Desire in Candide

In fact, human desires, in Candide, have been shown responsible for bringing trouble as well as showing the future of the characters. Candide is forced to leave the castle of Baron when he is caught flirting with Cunegonde (Voltaire 05). Desires may comprise lust or love or simply love for wealth as has been shown above, they drive the people away. Although Candide is forced to leave the castle, his heart is with Cunegonde. He is always after her when he is all right and has enough wealth to pursue his desire even if to go to Turkey(80-81). A desire-satisfaction theoretical perspective by Dale Dorsey highlights that although desires lead to temporal welfare or satisfaction, they hardly fulfill permanent satisfaction level (152-153) for it depends on the time, context, and various other factors springing up in the new research (152). Perhaps that is the very reason that the lust or desire for sex of Candide ends by the end of the novel when he sees ugly Cunegonde in Turkey and does not marry her though he does not budge from his earlier stand of marrying her. The same goes for human desires and emotions with the contemporary audience when they see the same things happening with characters on the screen in front of them.

Religion in Candide

Whereas religion is concerned, it has always led to wider fissures among human beings rather than filling the existing gaps. The whole episode of Candide with the Jesuits and his flip-flop to prove that he is with his captors (Voltaire 214) show that religious creed, indeed, plays an important part in the life of human beings, and it is still important in that every religious person holds that his religious is as true as the old man in El Dorado who speaks to Candide about it (Voltaire 44). However, the interesting thing about Candide coming to know such religious beliefs is that it forces one to reflect on his religious ideas which is metacognition as Mark Bracher has asserted with reference to Candide (73). It means that a person meets followers of other religions and comes to know about shortcomings in his own beliefs. The same goes for either acceptance or resistance of religious ideas and beliefs which show the clash of civilizations as is happening notoriously between Christianity and Islam in the Middle East though both sides are engaged in rapprochement in one or the other way.

Conclusion

All of these thematic strands, elements and events in Candide by Voltaire seem quite relevant to contemporary readers and audiences. They find relevant elements in them to think solutions to the problems they face and resolve them accordingly. That is why Candide is still popular among the masses as they see their fundamental desires, petty religious disputes, and civilizational clashes at work in the text and its presentation on the stage.

Works Cited

1. Bracher, Mark. Educating for Cosmopolitanism: Lessons from Cognitive Science and Literature. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.
2. Dorsey, Dale. “Desire-satisfaction and Welfare as Temporal.” Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, vol, 16. no. 1 (2013): 151-171.
3. Ewell, Ken. Traveling with Philosophes. New York: iUniverse Inc. 2006.
4. Voltaire, Francoise. Candide and Other Stories. Trans. by Roger Pearson. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.

Relevant Questions about Candide: Themes, Elements, Or Issues

1. How does Voltaire use satire and irony in Candide to critique and comment on the philosophical optimism of the Enlightenment era, and what is the impact of this critique on the overall themes of the novella?
2. In Candide, the character Pangloss embodies the idea that “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.” How does Pangloss’s philosophy evolve or change throughout the story, and what does this transformation reveal about the novel’s exploration of optimism and reality?
3. Voltaire tackles numerous societal issues in Candide, including religious hypocrisy, the nature of evil, and the corrupting influence of power. Can you provide examples from the text that illustrate Voltaire’s commentary on these issues and explain how they contribute to the novel’s overall message and themes?

Introduction to Part of The Book of the Dead

This beautiful short excerpt has been taken from Ibrahim al-Faqih’s book, The Book of the Dead, in which he presents the mental predicament of a Libyan school teacher, Abd al-Hafiz, which not only presents the whole Libyan patriarchal thinking, but also the status of women and role of men as custodian of the social norms and customs. Abd al-Hafiz is a primary school teacher in a some remote Libyan village. The Book of the Dead shows the school management appoints him as a religious education teacher to teach the students in a local school in this remote area, where there is no girls’ school. The girls are sent to their exclusive girl’s school in Libya. It happens that one day he enters the school, but does not meet the usual humdrum that he used to find the past. The students used to fight, and show vulgarity and bad manners whenever he used to enter the school. However, this time, there is no such humdrum and vulgarity. He is rather surprised at this queer silence. The first thinking that enters his mind is that the students are absent, but when he glances inside the classroom, he sees nothing. His second glance makes him wonder struck, as there is a young girl sitting with the boys whom he thinks is surely a demon. The most surprising thing is that the entire class is sitting in silence, as if nothing has happened to them. He considers it a conspiracy against him from the management to force him to resign, but he decides otherwise. The presence of the girl first makes him turn against her to provoke her through several tricks, but then one day she is absent, which gives him a feeling of remorse. When she comes again, he instantly falls in love with her despite being a married person, and a religious teacher. This situation of passionate love, however, conflicts with his ingrained religious and traditional ideas. He feels that somebody has done black magic on him and becomes hysterical by the end of the story. Through this story from The Book of the Dead, Ibrahim al-Faqih beautifully presents the improvement in the class situation by placing a female student among the unruly boys, the mental conflict that ensues in the religious teacher, and the local cultural setting that makes the religious teacher almost mad with agony.

Classroom Presentation from The Book of the Dead

Whereas the improvement in the classroom environment as presented in this part of The Book of the Dead is concerned, it is sure that it has improved except a first hiccup. The first sign of this improvement is witnessed when Abd al-Hafiz enters the school and walks toward his class. It is because his first glance returns empty. He is surprised that there is silence, and nobody is in the class. When he glances again, “much to his surprise, he discovered that they were all three…sitting properly in their seats” and “They behaved as if they had suddenly transformed into grown men” (al-Hafiz 43). This is not all. There is change in their manners, in their clothes, in their speaking and working style. They are sitting at the same place they have been made to sit since the first day of the year. Although they are the same students that al-Hafiz used to see every day, but today they are different. First, he attributes this eerie silence to the inspection team that used to come to check the teachers for coming late. He discovers immediately that this is not the case. The wall clock tells him that he has come on time. He checks the blackboard, the desk, and everything to see what is wrong with the classroom today. It then occurs to him that this is only because a girl is present over there in the classroom. It is another thing that he first considers it some spirit or a demon, and prays that it should not be so. But it is a fact that there is a girl sitting in the classroom, whose presence has made the classroom silent. Her presence has also impacted the students.

Abd al-Hafiz and The Book of the Dead

Despite this visible improvement that he has acknowledged with his first entry, he still does not like her presence as shown by this part of The Book of the Dead. His first thinking is that she should have been in the girls’ school which the place of “mystery and secrecy” (76). Despite being a father of some children and a husband of a wife, he does not consider it appropriate that a girl should be sitting among the boys. As he is a religious teacher, he thinks in the same way. This is against the “principles of decency and modesty” which in his views reflect a total lack of “shame and morals” (76). With these thoughts in his mind, he thinks this a ploy against him, so that he could resign. His first thought is to resign immediately, but then he sticks to his decision of not resigning and making life hell for the girl in the class, so that she could leave. However, another very strange thing happens in his mind too with this improvement in the class. It is perversion of his piety. He glances at her breasts and long hair and thinks her of a blossomed woman of married age. This perversion in his thinking is entirely against the silence and improvement in the classroom environment, but it is this mental conflict in him, which is present in the background of peace and calmness of the class.

The Mental Conflict in The Book of the Dead

This mental conflict rather makes a hell of noise in the mind of Abd al-Hafiz, instead of making him comfortable and peaceful in this part of The Book of the Dead. His first though is that it is a demon or some satanic spirit. It is because he is a religious teacher and his mental makeup does not allow him to let girls mix with the boys. He does not imagine that a girl can enter the school exclusively reserved for boys. In the Libyan educational system, girls have separate schools, while boys have separate school. He starts questioning himself how this girl has entered the school and sat with the boys defiantly despite restrictions on the girls’ entry. Her presence among the boys have made him wonderstruck and speechless. However, when he realizes the presence of the boys, he gathers himself and starts asking her name. His second thought about the girl is that the management is conspiring against him. He is of the view that the management and inspectors are against him. As they have already blocked his promotion and transfer, this is a new ploy from their side to trap him. This thinking takes hold of him so much so that he forgets what he is going to teach. He feels exhausted and weak. This mental consternation sends him into internal mental conflict. He thinks about his whole life that he has spent in piety. He thinks that he has always obeyed the decrees of God. He believes that women are “inviolable and must be protected, and that their place is in the home, far from the gaze of men” (81). However, there is a young and beautiful Zahra sitting among the boys in front of him, which means that Satan is also there, and if there is a majority of men, it means some catastrophe is at hand, “while the Judgement Day will be nigh.” (82).

Transformation in The Book of the Dead

A third transformation in his thoughts takes place that he tortures her in every way. He decides that she is obstinate and defiant. Therefore, he will be playing tricks on her, so that she should leave the class. Despite his animosity towards her, she is always calm and peaceful and never shows that he is unjust in his marking. Even this makes him feel consternation even more. In fact, this internal animosity in him is due to this feeling of patriarchal thinking that men are always superior, and they have every right to treat women in a way they think fit. He thinks that “He would neither yield nor scold, as the question was one of principle and dignity, life or death” (90). Despite his animosity and mental consternation, she takes a deep interest in lessons. She does her homework regularly and beautifully. She does not give al-Hafiz any opportunity to mistreat her, but he is always on the forefront in humiliating her. It is her calmness that makes him feel that she is also against him. He waits for that supposed catastrophe that never befalls on him or on the school, and he always finds her sitting in front of him with the boys. A fourth mental transformation takes place when one day she becomes absent. This is the first time that Abd al-Hafiz finds himself reflecting on his actions. He thinks that this is not a victory; rather it is unjust. He thinks that he has been mean in his treatment toward her. His thoughts about her as a demon, or Satan or a dragon are totally baseless, as “she was only a small, innocent child,” who has become a victim of his traditional thinking about women and girls (92). It makes him think that had he a girl, he would not have mistreated her. Now he turns to think positively. He realizes that her presence has made the class behave well and orderly. However, without her, it wears a deserted look and seems as if some spirit has haunted the boys. This makes him think that if she has left, he will visit her father and request him to send her again as shown in this excerpt from The Book of the Dead.

Love and The Book of the Dead

However, this absence of the girl makes him fall in love with her, a strange feeling for him in this excerpt from The Book of the Dead. He imagines her meeting at odd places. This further complicates his mental thinking, because he has never imagined to meet such a young girl even in his wild dreams. One the one hand, there is a young and beautiful girl to whom he loves, and on the other hand, he is a pious religious teacher who cannot imagine to think in such a way about a girl who is the age of his daughter. This situation ensues a battle of ideas in his mind. On the one side is his “inflamed passion”, while on the other side are his religious ideas (92). He thinks in a strange way about her, as if they are Adam and Eve, and have fallen on the earth, but then this thinking makes him ashamed of himself. Even his dreams are full of the meetings between Zahra and al-Hafiz which seem to him, “terrifying, sweet, horrible, beautiful and loathsome clash” (96). In fact, this is a clash in his ideas between what he has been harboring since childhood and the new situation in which he is placed. Therefore, this mental clash continues torturing him until the end of the story.

Cultural Setting in The Book of the Dead

The theme of the cultural setting has been beautifully woven in this part of the excerpt. This is the traditional Libyan cultural setting which is witnessing some transformation in which he Abd al-Hafiz is also entangled somehow. As Libya is an Islamic country, religion holds supreme over everything including education and educational administration. Boys and girls and men and women are not allowed to intermingle. If this happens, according to the strict religious teachings, Satan enters that place, and it means that some catastrophe is about to take place. That is why when he sees the girl in the class sitting with the boys, his first thought is that she is not a girl, but a demon, and he immediately senses some danger. His second thought is that it is a conspiracy, because traditionally women or girls are not allowed in the schools reserved only for boys. It is because girls have always separate schools in Libya. Therefore, this is against the traditional setup that a girl is sent to a school where only boys study. It is also a traditional patriarchal thought that he sees defiance on the face of Zahra and thinks of mistreating her to show her status she holds in the society, but then his reflection on his action makes him think about his unjust behavior. This is a sort of rebellion against the traditions, but the traditional thinking mixed up with religious ideas make him almost go mad. It is because he is already in an agony and to top it all, he falls in love with her. This is even torturing, because then he thinks that he is quite old, almost the age of his father. It is because in Libyan culture it never happens that such a man of more than forty years start loving a young girl, who is half of his age and that person is religious too. Therefore, these cultural customs, traditions and religions ideas put Abd al-Hafiz on the pedestal of mental agony in this excerpt from The Book of the Dead.

Conclusion

Concluding the analysis, it becomes clear that this story reflects the original cultural setting of the Libyan society where women are given a status lower than men in every way, even if it is an educational setting. Although this girl has been sent to this school of boys on the recommendation of the higher authorities, the religious faces not only mental dilemma but also physical shock over her presence in the class. He faces a mental agony where he displays contradictory feelings of hate, love, torture, religious fervor, piety and then hysteria. In fact, Ibrahim al-Faqih got his education in the United Kingdom and saw gender equality in the western society. He is fully aware of this fact that such things will create such a feeling of shock and mental conflict among the native Libyans. He has successfully portrayed such a character by placing a girl in the boys’ classroom.

Works Cited

1. al-Faqih, Ibrahim.”Excerpt from the Book of Dead.” Editors. Husni, Ronak & Daniel L. Newman. Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader. SAQI. London. 2008. Print. 70-144.

Relevant Questions about “Excerpt from the Book of Dead”

1. What literary techniques or stylistic elements are prominent in the analyzed excerpt from “The Book of the Dead” by Ibrahim al-Faqih, and how do they contribute to the overall tone and theme of the work?
2. Could you provide insights into the historical and cultural context surrounding Ibrahim al-Faqih’s writing of “The Book of the Dead,” and how this context might influence the interpretation of the analyzed excerpt?
3. In the analysis of the excerpt from “The Book of the Dead” by Ibrahim al-Faqih, were there any specific symbols, motifs, or recurring themes that stood out, and how do they relate to the broader narrative or message of the book?

Introduction to Body Image in The Realm of Possibility

Each person has a different experience with growing up and becoming the person they are meant to be as shown by David Levithan in The Realm of Possibility.  Many times, childhood experiences shape and define how we view the world and interpret our experiences.  The Realm of Possibility, the book by David Levithan, shows the experiences of childhood and young adulthood are combined into a beautiful and descriptive work of poetry that demonstrates the experiences of young adults from many different backgrounds whose experiences are different in and of themselves and which all show a different side of the individual struggle to find oneself.  Throughout childhood, images and ideas of physical perfection come at children and young adults from every angle.  Through this, individuals are able to create an idea of how it is socially acceptable to look and what images and representations of physical characteristics should be followed and emulated.  These images and interpretations of how one should look are often confusing and frustrating, leading many to be unsatisfied with themselves and their bodies, constantly striving for perfection that they will never be able to obtain.  In this book The Realm of Possibility, Levithan addresses these issues and pressures head-on in three of his poems entitled “Tinder Heart”, “Suburban Myths” and “Strong”.

The Realm of Possibility and “Tinder Heart”

“Tinder Heart” in The Realm of Possibility is a poem dedicated to the fragility of the heart and how closely this relates to body image, specifically the development of an eating disorder.  The poem begins with Mary who does not allow herself to love a boy.  This comes from her dissatisfaction with herself and her body.  Throughout the poem, Mary is constantly observing the bodies of others, both men and women.  She notices her friend Elizabeth and how she does not worry herself about how she looks.  It seems as if Mary cannot comprehend this, but is still a little jealous.  She is constantly in denial of her problem, despite her friends and the boy that she loves telling her that they are worried about her.  At one point in the poem, she begins to realize the extent of her obsession when she questions the meaning behind size zero. She says, “Who was it who invented size zero?” adding “Who was it who promised that if you got to a certain point you would no longer be there?” (Levithan). In this moment of self-realization, she seems to be both hopeful and disgusted; hoping for a size zero herself, yet disgusted by the fact that someone could decide on a size that would mean that you no longer existed on that scale.  The poem ends with her looking into the refrigerator and breaking down.  She then goes to the boy who loves her and says “I need help”.  Her opinion of herself was created by what she wanted to be but could never achieve.  Because she would never be able to achieve her goal of size zero, she deprived herself of everything good to the point of even depriving herself of human interaction.

“Suburban Myths” in The Realm of Possibility

“Suburban Myths” in The Realm of Possibility is a mixture of very short stories, each telling their own story of a certain aspect of society that has been perpetuated.  One such story in this collection is of a woman who would never leave her house.  The only people seen going to and from her door were those who would bring her food, such as the pizza delivery man or the Chinese food delivery man.   Those on the outside judged her and would make comments about this fact, despite not knowing her actual situation and what had driven her to become this way.  They assumed she was lazy and that she was stupid for staying that way all day.  They also assumed the obvious, that she was very large.  Although they knew little about her, the people in the neighborhood knew that she loved to eat.  When some young boys decided to break into her house as a prank, she played the ultimate prank on them by being dead.  The boys noticed that the woman had brought her bed into the kitchen, therefore dying surrounded by the things she loved.  The lifestyle of this woman was stigmatized due to the seeming non-conformity of her choices with what society valued.  It is clear from her conversation that she was capable of love and any other human emotion, but was confined to her house by her own decisions, which eventually resulted in her inability to leave her house, as is clear from her behavior shown in the first story.  However, society plays an important role and further stigmatizes this woman. It made her a victim of its customs, norms, and traditions and ultimately she succumbed due to being of a weaker nature. Hence her life was deeply affected, which resulted in her death.

“Strong” in The Realm of Possibility

Although young women are pressured to look a certain way, so are young men.  In the poem “Strong” in The Realm of Possibility, a boy recounts his story of how his quest for strength and physical perfection changed his life.  From a young age, the boy had decided that he wanted to be the apex of physical perfection.  In his mind, a boy without a strong body, one that was “well-defined” was “nothing”.  The boy was complimented on his physique and rewarded for his hard work, often being rewarded because of it and envied by both men and women.  One day he sees Mary and falls in love with her.  In line with society’s expectations, Mary is thin as a rail and seems as if she is ready to break, fragile in every way.  The boy comes to the realization that Mary and the human relation is more important than the strength of his body and the way he looks.  “To get something, you must give something away,” he says in realization at the end of the poem.

Conclusion

In the collection of stories The Realm of Possibility, author David Levithan explored the role of body image in defining the lives of young adults.  He examines the pain and inadequacy they can feel, as well as the advantages physical perfection can bring.  Through the lives of three young people, Levithan explores all of these things and more.  This book accurately depicts the conflicted nature of growing up in modern society, where physical perfection is demanded, but role models are created by Photoshop.

Works Cited

1. Levithan, David. The Realm of the Possibility. Random House. 2004. Print.

1. How does David Levithan, in his book “The Realm of Possibility,” address the issues and pressures faced by young people in today’s world through the poems “Tinder Heart,” “Suburban Myths,” and “Strong”?
2. What themes and messages does Levithan convey in the poems “Tinder Heart,” “Suburban Myths,” and “Strong” from his book “The Realm of Possibility” regarding the challenges and dilemmas young individuals encounter?
3. In “The Realm of Possibility” by David Levithan, how do the poems “Tinder Heart,” “Suburban Myths,” and “Strong” contribute to the exploration and discussion of contemporary issues and pressures facing the characters and their generation?

Introduction to Beowulf as an Epic

Generally, an epic is a long narrative poem, a la Beowulf as an epic,  written about the journey or adventures of a hero, in dactylic hexameter and spanned over twelve or more books. The hero is often a larger-than-life figure who comes out victorious in every sort of expedition, more than often aided by gods and fate but has human qualities. The events relate to the history and society in which they are set. If judged on these yards sticks, it seems that at least in some respects, Beowulf comes up to the standard of an epic. As it is one of the oldest surviving pieces in English Literature, it seems that it has some of the basic qualities that an epic should have in English according to the yardsticks of definition, conventions, qualities of a hero, and social climate that an epic should have.

Oral Traditions in the Making of Beowulf as an Epic

As far as Beowulf as an epic is concerned, it has come to us in oral traditions with having the hands of several writers in writing it. The objective of these oral traditions jotted down together into a story is to narrate and record the events, exploits, and adventures of the old Anglo-Saxon heroes specifically Beowulf and others who joined the national ideals through several strains used in it. It is a long narrative poem having 3,182 lines with several portions missing which shows that it must have been long enough to be called an epic. It has a grand style and extended similes that an epic should have such as the comparison of the feelings of King Hrethel with a father whose son is about to be hanged and melting of the way like that of ice. The other Aristotelian requirements of unity and the entirety of action and its grandeur are also present in it but not as Aristotle demands. For example, there is a unity of action but somewhere the action goes in some other direction with two separate narratives such as that of King Horathghar’s and Beowulf’s who is a young prince of Geats. The second is entirety which means that this Beowulf as an epic does not start from the in medias res as other epics do and also that the story does not have a proper beginning, a middle, and an end like other epics as Odyssey and Aeneid have. It is also that although the action is somewhat grand but not like that of Paradise Lost and Odyssey, for the hero loses his life at the end.

Hero in Beowulf as an Epic

The second point is the qualities of a hero and in this respect, this comes up to the standard of an epic hero. The hero of an epic is a larger than life figure or a great legend when reading Beowulf as an epic. He shows unusual courage and power and Beowulf fits into this category. A hero must be aided by deus ex machina and it is also that Beowulf is helped in several ways at several places. His physical courage, strength, and far superior acumen make him a perfect hero but not that of the category of Odysseus and Aeneas. It is also that he dies at the end in his fight against a dragon after living and ruling for several years. This makes him a lesser than a hero, but still, he retains some of the qualities of legends.

Epic Conventions in Beowulf as an Epic

The claim of Beowulf as an epic is not short of examples in several other ways such as epic conventions. Epics display a good use of war vocabulary and Beowulf is rich in it. Its best instance is when Beowulf fights against Grendel and his mother. His sabers, armor, and helmets have specific names. His sword Hrunting does well in his fight against Grendal’s mother and their fight in the boiling lake water and then in the swampy jungle is also a reminder of the great fights of great epics. The journey that the prince takes from Geats to Denmark is a long one and then his fights over there to assist King Horathghar are also legendary.

Conclusion

As far as the culture and social context of Beowulf as an Epic are concerned, Beowulf is full of themes regarding Anglo-Saxon culture, beliefs, and codes. It was a traditional theme to help good versus evil and Beowulf commits himself to help good and fight evil such as demons, dragons, and monsters. Other important themes are reputation and heroism.  Beowulf commits himself to fight the monster Grendel and he does so at every peril even to his own life. The second one is that he fights like a hero with passion and courage even at the risk of death. Other such themes as loyalty and the elegiac nature of human beings are also tied to Anglo-Saxon period. Other female characters such as Wealhtheow and Hildeburgh also demonstrate that hospitality, honor, and importance of female figures in society were given much importance.

Works Cited

1. Lawrence, William Witherle. Beowulf and Epic Tradition. Harvard University Press, 1928.

Relevant Questions about Beowulf as an Epic  

1. How does Beowulf as an epic reflect the values and heroic code of its time?
2. In what ways do the supernatural battles in Beowulf contribute to its epic quality?
3. How does the unique poetic structure of Beowulf as an epic enhance its literary significance?

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Introduction Characters in “Where are You Going …”

Characters in “Where are You Going …” are not only interesting and eccentric but also human-like. Foster claims that Characters have goals yet sometimes even living characters have no goals at all. They just carry on living their lives. However, they have personal wishes and desires on the basis of which they prefer their family members or loved ones and demonstrate their love or hate likewise. Connie is the central character of this story of Joyce Carol Oates. She is in her teens. The problem with Connie is she wants independence to enjoy her life for “her mind was filled with trashy daydreams” (Oates 589). However, her mother was an obstacle in way to fulfilling her dreams due to which she “wished that her moth was death and she herself was dead” (589). She satisfies her carnal desires by hook or by crook by going out with her sister to meet her boyfriends or with other friends that according to her was “not even a face but an idea” (592) in which she was fully engrossed. Therefore, these are not only the wishes Connie harbors, but also her nature coupled with the deceit of Arnold Friend whom Oates has created from her inspiration of living characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Connie and Other Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Connie is a teenager who wishes like all other teenagers to enjoy life with her boyfriend and have a good time. However, her mother wants her to be responsible and often taunts her with sentences like “you think you’‘re so pretty?” (589). Despite this, she does not forget what she wants to have, as she has several types of daydreams. She considers her mother “so simple” because she does not understand her and always draws a line between other girls and her daughters. June is there for her as a model to follow. However, she always tries to deceive her mother because as stated in the lecturer, “A wish combined with deceit often leads to certain doom” (Lecturer 1). She was going to her doom, as she does not agree with her mother and always tries to deceive not only her mother but also herself. It is because even when the strange boy stares at her by showing his grin, she does not stop f looking back at her that she listens to him saying “Gonna get you, baby” to which she does not respond (592). She is often found “dreaming about the boys she met”, while her mother is always there to bring her back to the world of reality (592). However, as is the case that deceit meets with deceit, same happens with these characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”.

Deceiving Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

The reason is that she is deceiving her mother whom she considers a simpleton. The sentence that “her mother was so simply” is actually very ironic having multiple meanings of utterances spoken by characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. It is because she after takes after her mother and is absolutely simple like her – the reason that Arnold Friend knows all about her and comes to see her (592).  He exactly echoes her words when talking to her mother about some other girls “Oh, her. That dope” (592). He talks about his friend in the same way, “You dope. You miserable creepy dope” (593). It means both are of the same type. And they are on the lookout to deceive somebody but come in front of each other. Here Arnold Friend proves more dexterous and tries to convey his message through different means such as his words “My sweet” then “honey” and then “blue-eyed” (596), demonstrates. It is something “that signifies a message” (Foster 147) but she does not give approval which means that the meanings “can be deflected from the expected meaning” (147). However, it is another point that she becomes a victim instead of making somebody a victim. And it is because when he comes at the end, she has become obedient and in a sense has accepted her role as Neslihan Guler Ugur states that “the characters Connie and Arnold symbolize the roles women and men have in patriarchy” (Ugur 35-39). He means that these are self-destructive forces in the women that force them to submit to men Patrick Paul Christle has also quoted the same words referring to Luce Irigaray that a woman is a character that acts on the fantasies of man, because she is ultimately to please him (Christle).

Adult Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

It is also because it is the nature of Connie or at least she has become like that, who is among good adult characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. Otherwise, her sister June is always with her. She is often quoted as an example that “Why don’‘t you keep your room clean like your sister?” and like that (589). However, her nature was similar to her mother’‘s. She was as pretty as her mother used to be in her teens. It is certain that “her mother had been pretty once too” (589). That is why she knows that her daughter is not sensible but is exactly like her as she was in her teens. It is also clear what she thinks about her mother but she at least acts in some instances sensibly even at the end when Arnold Friend coaxes her into his car for a ride, and she resists it fiercely. Interestingly, it is unclear what makes her accept his offer and move on though she first threatens him to call the police. In this connection, the character of Arnold is very important. He acts like a “Great Fiend” and succeeds, or at least seems to have succeeded. In fact, it is the creativity of Oates that after having been inspired, she creates a character like this one.

Critics about Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Talking about the story in the book, Women Writers: Texts and Contexts, Tom Quirk explores the inspiration. He is of the view that it is not difficult to trace the inspiration Oates has used to create the character of Arnold. At that time, Time, Life, and Newsweek used to publish several stories and reports of such characters during the decade of 70s. Such a story of the criminal from Tucson, Arizona, Charles Howard Schmid who used to tempt girls and killed them, also appeared in Newsweek. As he grew older, the disguised himself and became a serial killer who used to coax teenagers. Not only by his behavior but also by his appearance and audacity he seems similar to Arnold. He is of the view that perhaps Oates saw his photograph published in the newspapers and got a clue about him. Therefore, she has painted his character like Schmid (Schowalter 82-85) and made him merge with other characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”.

Conclusion

Briefly, Connie has desires and wishes like her mother but she disobeys and deceives her. That is why she is deceived in the end and becomes a victim of an archfiend in this skill in which she considers her mother a simple woman. She is led by Arnold Friend to where he wants to take as is clear from her walk and feelings. However, it happens to her because she has the thinking to go on that way and Arnold Friend instantly recognizes the prey who wants to have a good life. It shows how Oats has presented different characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”.

Works Cited

1. Christle, Patrick Paul. “The Horror of Connie’‘s Story and Ours: A Feminist Analysis of Oates’‘s “Where Are  You Going, Where Have You Been.” Freeshell. N. d. Web. 23 July 2015.
2. Oates, Joyce Carol. “ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” Charters, Anne. The Story and Its Writer. New York: Bedford /St. Martins, 2014. 575-591.
3. Schowalter, Elaine. Women Writers: Texts and Contexts “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Rutgers. New York. 2002. Print.
4. Ugur, Neslihan Guler. “Self-Destructive Forces in Oates’‘ Women.” Studies in Literature and Language 4.3 (2012): 35-39.

Relevant Questions about Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

1. How does the character of Connie in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” evolve throughout the story, and what does her transformation of persona reveal about the themes of innocence and vulnerability?
2. What motivates Arnold Friend’‘s character in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” and how does his presence challenge Connie’‘s understanding of the world and her own identity?
3. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” how do Connie’‘s family members, such as her mother and sister, contribute to the development of her character and the story’‘s exploration of adolescence and rebellion?

Historical Background to A Lesson Before Dying

Written by Ernest J. Gaines, A Lesson Before Dying, is a lengthy historical novel. The novel deals with racial discrimination, a grave problem in the United States of 40’s when Jim Crow Laws and segregation movements were ripping apart the American society specifically in the South where most of the events of the novel took place. The World War II started at the same time when the African-Americans were given a word that they would be equal to the whites in the post war period, while they were still considered second-class citizens. Segregation drives by the whites and the Ku Klux Klan were making the mess of things. Set in the Creole Louisianan background of that time, A Lesson Before Dying, presents a real picture of the Louisianan Creole society of the 40’s when segregation laws were gnawing at the very social fabric of that local community. The novel not only mentions several historical places but also very popular figures of the time such as Jackie Robinson, who was the first African American to play the Major League Baseball, and Joe Louis, a great African American boxer.

 Summary of A Lesson Before Dying

The novel, A Lesson Before Dying, revolves around the execution of a black young man, Jefferson, who is charged for murdering a storekeeper, Alcee Grope. The narrator, Grant Wiggins, who happens to be his friend, tells that the evidences also point to Jefferson as the killer, though he has not committed the murder. The white jury turns against him and convicts him for murder and orders his death sentence through electrocution. It happens that Jefferson is insulted none other than this his own defense lawyer who terms him a hog, pleading that nothing good could be expected of him in such cases. This sort of plea was bound to backfire and it did.

Emma, the godmother of Jefferson meets Jeffrson’s friend Grant with his aunt Tante Lous to persuade him to teach Jefferson to be a good man in the jail, for he is working as a teacher. However, as African Americans, it is not easy for them to visit Jefferson in the jail. In this connection, Emma meets brother-in-law of the local sheriff, Henri Pichot, to get permission for Grant to meet Jefferson in the prison. Although several other happenings make the novel something interesting to read such as Grant’s meeting with his beloved, Vivian, the visit of his school superintendent and his advice, and the reminiscences of Grant, yet his own major preoccupation is meeting with Jefferson and teach him how to die with dignity.

During next few visits, Grant finds out that Jefferson is uncooperative, while living conditions also are not respectable. Jefferson really shows that he is a hog by crawling on his four legs in these worse conditions. When coming back, Grant hears about Jackie Robins and Joe Louis from some people. He immediately reaches the point that the people need heroes to keep their spirits high.

Meanwhile, Grant is accused by Tante Lou, Emma and Reverend Ambrose for lying about Jefferson. Therefore, on his next visit Grant is determined to teach Jefferson to live and die with dignity and honor. He meets deputy Paul who is somewhat sympathetic to Jefferson. When Grant meets Jefferson following this, he becomes highly rude and furious. Grant and Emma manages to meet Jefferson in a dayroom after the permission instead of the cell which has degrading conditions. Grant and Vivian continues making progress with the behavior of Jefferson, and he improves a bit with these efforts. Jefferson now asks Grant for ice cream, and radio which he brings in their next meeting. Although Tante Lou and Reverend Ambrose taunts Grant for giving Jefferson a radio, he defends his decision that Jefferson is learning civilized manners. Grant soon tries to put hero worship idea in the mind of Jefferson, explaining that hero is a person who thinks about his community first, saying that Jefferson should become a hero by keeping himself upright in the face of death. Jefferson takes his point and behaves civilly to them next time. Then Grant gives him a note book that Jefferson uses to record his thoughts though in clumsy writing. On the execution day, Grant goes to school while Reverend Ambrose goes to see the execution, who later informs others that Jefferson went to the electric chair with dignity and strength, a hero’s departure.

Author’s Message in A Lesson Before Dying

Through this historical novel, A Lesson Before Dying, the author Ernest J. Gaines, conveys a very important message that even if heaven falls, we should stick to our self-respect and dignity. Facing injustice with upright head and standing gait is not an insult, but a great way to show the world that despite injustice you have not lost to live in dignity. The last message of the Jefferson, that he has been shaking but has become strong despite going to the execution chair, shows that a person should not face or tolerate dehumanization of his soul and body through injustice. The implicit message is that African Americans also deserve better treatment by the public institutions.

Author’s Sources of Historical Information for A Lesson Before Dying

The author has taken historical information for A Lesson Before Dying from the 40’s when Jim Crow Laws were being implemented. The parks, shopping malls, hotels and restaurant were labelled with ‘Whites Only” or ‘Not for Colored People’. Marriages between the white and the blacks were declared illegal. Even the Jim Crow Laws were not consistent in their application. However, the story has its own sources. Gaines stated that his colleague had a young man as his client, and he was on the death row. Gaines instantly started making plans to portray that young man in his stories after his execution, which he told during his interview with Dan Stone, on August 2007. Dan Stone was working with National Endowment for the Arts.      

Works Cited

1. Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying: A Novel. Vintage, 1997.  

Three Relevant Questions about A Lesson Before Dying: Historical Analysis

1. In A Lesson Before Dying, how does the historical backdrop of the Jim Crow South during the 1940s impact the characters’ lives and decisions, and how does the title of the novel relate to the historical context presented in the story?
2. What role does the concept of racial injustice and systemic racism play in A Lesson Before Dying, and how does the novel’s title allude to the broader historical struggles and lessons faced by African Americans during this period?
3. Within the framework of A Lesson Before Dying, how does the novel explore the historical and cultural significance of education and literacy, particularly for African American communities in the segregated South, and how is this theme tied to the titular lesson presented in the story?