“Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell

George Orwell’s essay “Politics and the English Language,” explains the reasons for the development of the language, stating that the minds of man have increasingly become stagnant.

Introduction in “Politics and the English Language”

George Orwell’s essay “Politics and the English Language,” explains the reasons for the development of the language, stating that the minds of man have increasingly become stagnant by using hackneyed or dying metaphors, trite phrases, meaningless words, and worn-out clichés whereby he shows common errors, but also hopes for healing English writings. He intends to point out several malicious tendencies crept into English writing due to the social and economic transformations in which he states in “Response to Politics and the English Language”that there is a “half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes” (Orwell). It is, he thinks, not correct. This tendency of thinking has made modern English suffer from ambiguity. This inability and this incompetence of using hackneyed phrases is the mistake of the writers who are mechanically engaged in writing empty phrases hardwired into their processes of writing which does not clarify real meanings to the readers.

Analysis of Language in “Politics and the English Language”

Orwell then brings forward five paragraphs written by different writers to support his thesis of “Politics and the English Language”, saying that the reasons for this vagueness are dying metaphors, verbal false limbs, pretentious diction, and meaningless words. When this process is used to create peace “It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts.” However, he does not mean that it will continue but hopes for the regeneration of language stating that if “one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly” which is a “first step toward political regeneration” (Orwell). Hence, he claims in “Politics and the English Language” it could lead to correct and plain language. Following putting solutions, he rewrites a passage taken from Ecclesiastes and points out the reason for the ugliness of the written language.

Reasons for Using Cliches

            The reason behind this is that he states in “Politics and the English Language” that it is a mechanical habit where thinking is not involved because a writer uses these metaphors and phrases when is not delivering a speech or writing very fast and if “if the writer is not seeing a mental image of the objects he is naming; in other words he is not really thinking” (Orwell). To show this he has given several metaphors and phrases which he states that sometimes writers even do not understand the meanings of and just write for the sake of writing. However, the language written in this way is he says, “It consists in gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else and making the results presentable by sheer humbug” (Orwell). It misses two major points; one is the loss of creativity that he says is to go after the words and the second is that the sentences lack rhythms. By loss of creativity, I mean the writer does not have to be engaged in mental rigorous exercises of inventing new phrases and metaphors which make a piece interesting and alive. This is according to him in “Politics and the English Language”  isfound in political writings which are “largely the defence of the indefensible” (Orwell). It is because if these “indefensibles” are defended through plain language, then arguments become highly “brutal for most of the people to face” (Orwell). This is the real truth that political commentators and writers engage in writing vague pieces by using hackneyed phrases and stale metaphors.

Invention of Language

Lastly, the ultimate purpose of Orwell in this essay is to reach out to English writers to convey to them to engage in mental exercises to create and invent language to make it clear instead of engaging in ambiguity. It is also that Orwell himself has shown it clearly in his writing what skillful writing should be stating that “A newly-invented metaphor assists thought by evoking a visual image” (Orwell). He shows this in practice by using the phrase “huge dump of worn-out metaphors” (Orwell) which creates a mental image. In nutshell, in “Politics and the English Language”he has painted an exceptionally good picture of what is writing with modern English writing and how it could be fixed.

Tips for Correct Writing in “Politics and the English Language”

The advice of Orwell in “Politics and the English Language” for writers is to avoid trite and dead metaphors and hackneyed phrases saying thatall needed is to let the meaning choose the word, and not the other way around” (Orwell). He means that when we write, we choose words first and then try to convey our meanings through them. It is because when we imagine something, we immediately go for an existing language that he means metaphors and phrases and rarely go for inventing new ones. He states that we should rather use words after making their meanings clear through “pictures and sensations.” Later on, a person can choose those words and use them in his language for which he has stated clear rules.      

  1. He advises avoiding already used and printed words, and figures of speech.
  2. He says that a long word should not be used to replace a short one.
  3. If a word is useless at some places, cut it out and leave it.
  4. Do you ornate your language with foreign words and scientific jargon.
  5. You need to break away from these rules and go to hunt down words instead of relying on the same words.

However, he also states that though these rules are basics, it depends on the change of attitude. The reason is that a writer is entrenched in his style and if he has been writing for a long, it is not easy to change this. After all, the use of language is not to confound the readers but to persuade and convince them and it is not “for concealing or preventing thought” (Orwell). As far as my essay about response to “Politics and the English Language”is cornered, I think the first three points; the use of dying or incompatible metaphors, meaningless words, and inflated style to be avoided to stay to the point as this is the requirement in civil engineering not to use ornate or inflated style.

Five Words
  1. Decadent: A thing that is declining or become obsolete
  2. Pretentious: It means artificial behavior and here it means artificial words or language
  3. Inflated: It means greater than what is actually justified at the place
  4. Archaism: This is the method or attitude of using old and obsolete words or expressions
  5. Evocative: This is a thing that stimulates the memories of the past.
Works Cited
  1. Orwell, George. “Politics and the English Language.” 1946. Orwell Foundation.com. Accessed Nov. 20, 2022.
Relevant Questions about “Politics and the English Language”
  1. How does George Orwell’s essay “Politics and the English Language” critique the use of language in politics and its impact on thought and communication?
  2. In “Politics and the English Language,” what specific examples and techniques does Orwell employ to illustrate the degradation of language and its consequences in political discourse?
  3. What practical advice does George Orwell offer in “Politics and the English Language” to writers and speakers to improve the clarity and integrity of their language in both political and everyday contexts?

Epic Hero in Gilgamesh: Key Differences

Epic hero in Gilgamesh is a tricky question due to having various incredible characters. There are extraordinary mortals who accomplish great and incredible feats.

Introduction to Epic Hero in Gilgamesh

Epic hero in Gilgamesh is a tricky question due to having various incredible characters. There are extraordinary mortals who accomplish great and incredible feats in stories or epics they are set in. They are usually the central figures of myths, legends, or epic poems and generally, they are larger-than-life figures. As epics are usually written and told in flashbacks wherein the narrator takes the stories and starts from the middle and works towards the events happening at the end. The heroes given in epics have been given extra grandeur. They are described through extended similes, wider descriptions, and grand language to enhance specific features of their characters to equal them to their great actions. This is done by incorporating some natural or supernatural occurrences which they have to overcome. Epic heroes are usually people who have divine touch but still have either human faults or some human ancestry. As epic means a majestic poetic piece, the heroes of these stories must wage struggles beyond the power of human beings and inspire favor of the gods or other dues ex machina. The actions of differnet heroes, as far as the epic hero in Gilgamesh is concerned, are grand. However, they are different regarding the role required of the hero at the time when they were present and the culture they belonged to.

Epic Hero in Gilgamesh: Case of Gilgamesh

In most epics, the heroes are in some part divine. Starting about the epic hero in Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh himself seems a hero. He was born to the goddess Ninsun while being blessed with courage and beauty by Addad and Shamash. He was a human being otherwise.  Enkidu, who became his friend after he reached the city, was also of divine birth but lesser in status to him since he was created from clay. He was created to lower Gilgamesh’s arrogance. His role as a hero ends after his death, though it does serve a purpose for Gilgamesh. He undertakes an epic journey to search for the meaning of life. Unlike Enkidu, Gilgamesh possesses all qualities of a hero and eventually makes his nation realize that they cannot escape death which is something inevitable. Odysseus, unlike Gilgamesh, has an earthly birth. His parents Anticlea and Laertes are humans. He is brave and very sharp, using his wit to outwit his enemies like the Cyclops. Therefore, he seems a true epic hero in Gilgamesh.

Differences Between Epic Heroes

On the other hand, Aeneas is the son of Aphrodite, who is also a goddess but from a man. He is very brave and virtuous, something mentioned in the poem The Aeneid on numerous occasions. His virtue is something that Virgil appreciates and wants to drill into his soldiers. Both Aeneas and Gilgamesh, the epic hero in Gilgamesh, are blessed with sacred beauty which aids them during their quests for meanings of life and death. However, Odysseus accomplishes the same feats with his skill with words, intellectual dexterity, and an agile body. He is fast both on his feet as well as his mind, perhaps more so than the other heroes, leading him to return home despite many temptations or obstacles obstructing his path. It is also not correct that other heroes do not possess great intelligence, they do but not to the point where he stands in his situation. Gilgamesh demonstrates it, as he finds Utnapishtim that he is knowledgeable and finds a way to have an access to the immortality plant. In the case of Aeneas case, he is intelligent but unlike Gilgamesh and Odysseus’s there is direct interference from both Jupiter and his mother time and again which saves him on several occasions. Turnus, unlike the previous three, does not have the assistance of the gods and is very arrogant and proud. Aeneas constantly emphasizes his virtue, exclaiming repeatedly to the gods and showing his skills, “Is this the prize for virtue? Is this how you restore our rule?” Turnus, on the other hand, shows no such restraint. He continuously tries to conspire against Aeneas knowing the other is better than him and has an upper hand on him. Virgil also displays virtue and is proud of it. He emphasizes the virtue Aeneas possesses, urging the Roman soldiers to do the same. Turnus has no such virtue. That is why Juno aids him for a while until Jupiter intervenes.

Epic Hero in Gilgamesh and Tribal Loyalties

One thing they all share is the assistance of gods they receive whenever the going gets too tough and when they need help, or cannot deal with hardships anymore. The major difference between all of them lies not in how they are born, or to whom but rather society and culture they belong to and their role in those societies. Gilgamesh has to unite his tribe. When he faces defeat from Enkidu, his best friend and someone he deeply cherishes, he sets out to achieve immortality to break the bondage of death. Odysseus is to lay down the foundations of a nation worthy of greatness when he reaches home and is to save his household and his city; he faces many temptations and attractions on his way back home. His, being an age of mental agility and knowledge, which took precedence over possessing only courage as was shown by the way, he eloquently uses words in a few of his predicaments to get out of a tough spot. Virgil wanted virtue in the men of his empire and Aeneas displays both restraint and virtue which could be glorified, followed and showed how the foundations for a successful empire are laid down. Turnus, unlike him, is an opportunist, impulsive and impatient. He will not be known as a hero despite reaching the stature of one. It is because it was not in his destiny to become a hero because Aeneas was chosen to lay down the foundations of the great nation. The differences between these heroes developed because of their different cultures, the gods from whom they ultimately received assistance, or did not receive favors, and their own roles in the situations they were placed in.

Conclusion

To sum it up, epic heroes are all grand figures. They either enjoy divine births, or are humans that accomplish great feats possessing extraordinary skills. They accomplish awe-inspiring and great things. They also have or earn the favor of the gods who aid them throughout their journeys and help them cross hurdles that they just cannot do on their own. They have all done much for the countries, empires, or cities they belong to. Their differences in how they acted or what they achieved lie in the cultures they belong to, the time they were born in, the nations they came from, and what was expected from them.

Bibliography
  1. Gransden, Karl Watts, and Stephen John Harrison. Virgil: The Aeneid. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
  2. Homer, Homer. The Odyssey. Xist Publishing, 2015.
  3. Kovacs, Maureen Gallery. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Stanford University Press, 1989.
Relevant Questions
  1. What are the key differences between Gilgamesh and other epic heroes in terms of their character traits and development throughout their respective narratives?
  2. How does Gilgamesh’s journey and transformation differ from that of traditional epic heroes, and what unique challenges does he face that set him apart from other legendary figures?
  3. In what ways does the role of friendship and companionship in Gilgamesh’s story differentiate him from other epic heroes, and how do these differences contribute to his characterization as an epic hero with distinct qualities and values?

Afrofuturistic Fiction: Time

Although postmodernism has given much significance to time, Afrofuturistic fiction has woven time into the very cycles of human life treating it as non-linear and fluid

Introduction to Afrofuturistic Fiction

Although postmodernism has given much significance to time, Afrofuturistic fiction has woven time into the very cycles of human life treating it as non-linear and fluid. In fact, time moves in every direction. It treats all of its manifestations as one lived experience that a person is aware of and that is present. Niama Safia Sandy’s assertion given as a quote, too, points to the same thing that every moment is the present moment and the ‘now’ moment. It means that there is no past, present, or future. Some Afrofuturistic fiction too treat time in the same way and show that it is one of the hallmarks of Afrofuturistic literature. Long Division, “Speech Sounds” and  Parable of the Sorrow, examples of Afrofuturistic fiction , treat time as if it is present and this present represents the ‘now’ moment.

 Long Division: An Example of Afrofuturistic Fiction

If this issue of time is taken in Long Division by Kiese Layman, an example of Afrofuturistic fiction,  it seems that the same problem occurs with the presentation of time. The first thing is that City, the narrator of the novel, is living in the present which is his ‘now’ movement, but he wants to travel in the future with his beloved Shalaya Crump. Although he does not travel in the future and is still in the ‘now’ moment. Therefore, his fantasy of time travel with Shalaya Crump is not just a fantasy but a reality for him, for he is aware of it. Although it seems a feminine quality of making male partner realize the reality of time as she tells City asking him, “City, I could love you if you helped me change the future dot-dot-dot in a special way” (Layman 20). However, the real City narrates that she always means 1986 or 1990 which is the conundrum of the time whether it is present or past. However, both are certain and aware of it that they are in the ‘now’ moment and living in the non-linear timebound world. It is quite interesting that when City wants to talk about love, she immediately cuts him short saying “I’ am talking about the future” (22). Even two of the MCQs given to City at Hamer for punishment contain the same reference that “Past, present and future exist within you” (16). This ‘now’ moment is present in “Speech Sounds” by Octavia Butler, too, which is another example of Afrofuturistic fiction.

Case of “Speech Sounds” as Afrofuturistic Fiction

The story “Speech Sounds”also presents this ‘now’ moment of its female character, Rye. In fact, as a teacher of history, she has lost her past in her present moment as she cannot record anything now, but she is still present to see the history such as the incident of the bus driver, Obsidian, and the children. Even if he is able to write or read, this record is meaningless as it would stay with her in the present or ‘now’ moment, and nobody would be able to read it. However, as a professor, she also knows that if a society is to move forward, it should have to work in linear time and not in a non-linear and fluid time where only the ‘now’ moment is important. Therefore, her elation skyrockets when she finds that the children know the language and she can speak too. That is where she thinks that speech sounds can make a future for her in the shape of children to let her escape from this ‘now’ moment. This moment is interestingly captured by a female in Parable of the Sorrow as well.

Although the setting is of the near future California, Butler has woven the thematic strand of the present time into the future time as well as into the past time to bring her readers close to the ‘now’ moment of Lauren Olmina whose current concern is survival. The other issues of religion, environment, and communalism are not the issues of the current region; they are the issues of time and that is the ‘now’ moment as they are happening now. Lauren’s conversation with Joe about the future “You can’t read the future” and then (Butler 47) her dialog of surprise about Donner that he is just a “symbol of the past for us to hold on to as we’re pushed into future” (48). Even why, what, and wherefore of God asked later about Earthseed is part of the time that it does not seem linear and that it is fluid.

Themes in Afrofuturistic Fiction

In short, Afrofuturistic fiction shows time fluid. All the times, past, present and future are bound in the ‘now’ moment. Long Division shows this ‘now’ moment of City through his beloved while Rye in “Speech Sounds” sees this moment through the speech of the children. On the other hand, Lauren sees this moment when talking to Joe and Donner. In short, time’s fluidity becomes a great theme of this type of fiction.

Works Cited
  1. Butler, Octavia. Parable of the Sorrow. New York: ASPECT, 2000.
  2. . —. “Speech Sounds.” UNL. n. d. https://www.unl.edu/english/docs/englishweek17/engl200-speechsounds.pdf. Accessed 13 May. 2019.
  3. Layman, Kiese. Long Division. Chicago: BOLDEN, 2013.
Relevant Questions about Issue of Time in Afrofuturistic Fiction
  1. How do “Speech Sounds” by Octavia Butler and “Long Division” by Kiese Laymon use Afrofuturistic fiction to explore and redefine the concept of time, particularly in the context of African and African diaspora cultures?
  2. In Afrofuturistic fiction, such as “Speech Sounds” by Octavia Butler and “Long Division” by Kiese Laymon, how is the manipulation of time used as a narrative device to address historical trauma, cultural continuity, and the impact of colonialism and slavery?
  3. What role does the concept of “time travel” or temporal displacement play in Afrofuturistic fiction as seen in works like “Speech Sounds” by Octavia Butler and “Long Division” by Kiese Laymon, and how does it allow authors to envision alternative pasts, presents, and futures for marginalized communities?

Communism in “The Garden Party”

Communism in “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield is perhaps the first trace of this leftist perspective shown suppressed by the family.

Introduction to Communism in “The Garden Party”

Communism in “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield is perhaps the first trace of this leftist perspective shown suppressed by the family and friends so successfully that Laura also has to conclude that “It was simply marvelous” (Mansfield). It means she has shown a great deal of resistance to class privilege and benefits. Yet, she has to succumb to pressure and above all the festivities of the party. From the very start, she demonstrates that she is not susceptible to class consciousness. When the laborers reach her home to work, she immediately recognizes and mingles with them and their cultural nitty-gritty. However, when she speaks to her mother, brother, and family members, she is constantly reminded that she is of the elite class and must behave likewise. Regarding communism in “The Garden Party”, her journey from awareness and resistance to final acceptance witnesses three stages; the awareness of humanity, an awareness of her class, and resistance to it she puts up at her own expense.

Laura’s Awareness in “The Garden Party”

Regarding communism in “The Garden Party”, the first awareness of her class comes to her mind when she hears her mother saying that she is “determined to leave everything to you children” (Mansfield). This is where she knows the first taste of autonomy and independence that is a typical feature of such elite classes. However, she is made up of some other stuff and everybody knows that she is an “artistic one” (Mansfield). It means she knows a lot more than others and possibly becomes easily aware of such familial privileges. She knows and also enjoys life like all others and she has a likeness for tastes (Mansfield). After all, they belong to the Sheridan family. When the laborers come, everybody at home feels the same as they used to but she does not feel easy, and when she says “Good morning” (Mansfield) it “sounded so fearfully affected” to her (Mansfield). Yet, it does not make any difference to others. This is the point where she starts showing something different in her character from all others. However, it is also that her upbringing makes her feel surprised at this. Even when the tall man smells lavender she is surprised to see it but she could not show she is feeling at home (Mansfield). This is the stage of her awareness about humanity that a single streak runs through all souls. It also shows traces of communism in “The Garden Party” that the tall and short are made of the same stuff, and she is also among them.

Resistance and Communism in “The Garden Party”

However, her resistance, a love for communism in “The Garden Party”, emerges when she sees the Sheridans treating all others differently. She sees that her mother as well as her brother are full of affection. When Cook comes and says that “There’s been a horrible accident” (Mansfield), all others think of the party instead of the dead man and his family. However, Laura is different from all of them. She stares at Godber’s man and then she informs Jose that they are going to stop the garden party. However, the privileges say that they cannot as they are from the upper family, and their response to her resistance is indifference (Mansfield). What others think about them is very beautifully summed up in the story in that they “were the greatest possible eyesore” with no right to live in such a neighborhood (Mansfield). In fact, she shows her true colors of belonging to the same humanity. That is why her mother warns her and makes her realize that this is a trivial issue. Her mother clearly tells in response to her surprise to a death that “my dear child, use your common sense” (Mansfield).  But her response is quite curt that it is “terribly heartless” (Mansfield). However, when she is told from every side from her brother to her father, sisters, and mother that she needs not worry about the dead man in the neighborhood and that she must enjoy her party,  she slowly starts succumbing to these pressures though with misgivings “Is mother right?” (Mansfield). This is the stage of communism in “The Garden Party”where it starts getting blurred and unreal and it is the point where she is going to stop resisting.

Conclusion

She starts accepting it when she is being mocked at this by her mother and she is made to feel odd about those poor people, showing traces of communism in “The Garden Party”. Her mother tells everybody in a mocking tone that “Laura insisted we should put it off” (Mansfield). It is where she starts accepting that she is from the upper class and when her mother asks to bring her a basket to send eatables to the family of the dead person, she has taken full circle in realizing her status “mother, do you really think it’s a good idea?” (Mansfield). Her mother has to make her realize that people in this class are impressed by such gestures and this is what she “couldn’t realize it” (Mansfield). She brings that basket and reaches there. She hands over it to that lady and when she questions herself “Am I being extravagant?” (Mansfield) and this is the point where she has realized that it is a part of life which she said at the end to her brother. This is how she has resisted and finally accepted it.

Work Cited
  1. Mansfield, Katherin. “The Garden Party”. Katherine Mansfield Society. n.d. Web. 08 April 2014. http://www.katherinemansfieldsociety.org/assets/KM-Stories/THE-GARDEN-PARTY1921.pdf. Accessed Nov. 22, 2021.
Relevant Question about Communism in “The Garden Party
  1. How does Mansfield’s portrayal of the Sheridan family’s extravagant garden party reflect the social hierarchy of the time, and what parallels can be drawn between this class divide and the critiques of privilege often associated with communist ideology?
  2. In “The Garden Party,” the Sheridan family’s affluence and detachment from their less privileged neighbors are evident. How might this stark contrast between the Sheridans and their neighbors resonate with discussions of social inequality and the class struggle, which are central to communist thought?
  3. While “The Garden Party” doesn’t explicitly delve into communism, how does Mansfield’s narrative treatment of the Sheridan family’s luxurious lifestyle and their interaction with the lower-class workers prompt readers to contemplate broader societal issues, including economic disparities and the potential for class-consciousness?

 “Early Modern” And “Renaissance”: Investigating Difference

The expressions “early modern” and “Renaissance” sometimes, undergo confusion in usage with being alternatives when it comes to literature.

Introduction of “Early Modern” and “Renaissance”                                             

The expressions “early modern” and “Renaissance” sometimes, undergo confusion in usage with being alternatives of each other, specifically, in the arena of the literary studies or critiques of the literary texts appearing during that period. In the literary world, however, there is a slight difference between “early modern” and “Renaissance” in that whereas “early modern” connotes an emphasis on “economic continuity between periods” (Dubrow and Dolan, 1994, p. 1025), Renaissance seems to give “privileges to certain groups of culture” (1025). Yet, an early modern term not only points to mercantilism in the rural centers but also large “historical divisions” instead of minor or small divisions (1026) which it interestingly presents a ready “badge,” facilitating critics to select texts (1026) of that specific period. It means that the term early modern in the phrase “early modern” and “Renaissance” mostly refers to the period that roughly falls in the late fifteenth and early sixteen century during the Tudor dynastic rule in England marked with “humanism” and stress on “for goodness in humans” (Allegretti, n. d.). Some historians, other than the literary ones, also call it the period of spreading globalization (de Vries, 2010, p. 710), while regarding literary output, Scott Robinson argues that early modern writers “sought to appropriate, to reinvent, or to repudiate romance, in the effort to reimagine a changing world” (2007, p. 02). His stress is on the changing world about “early modern” and “Renaissance”. The argument that the Renaissance, too, changed the world causing globalization, stands in the way of this difference that could resolve with the polemic of Renaissance as an inclusive, exclusive as well as broad period compared to the term, early modern.

Inclusivity of Renaissance in “early modern” and “Renaissance”

Whereas inclusivity of Renaissance is concerned in “early modern” and “Renaissance”, it is the hallmark of this period not only in terms of the inclusion of art and literature but also different regions such as the French and English regional emergence following the Italian contributions (Robin et al. 2007, p. xv). Yet some also suggest the use of “early modern” in “early modern” and “Renaissance” for the same period, adding it is “less encumbered by the cultural baggage of the past” (p. xv). This shows the interesting distinction that seems broad in that it includes regionalities as well as inclusive humanistic, ethical, and epistemological advances spreading throughout Europe (p. xv). Some, on the other hand, put it as a complete field of studies as it “produced a new transnational cultural formations” with new ways to analyze the “modernity” of entire Europe (Robinson, 2007, p. 15).

Vastness of “Early Modern” and “Renaissance”

This shows that it means not only just one field of study but various others, including philosophy and economics, and cultural values across different cultures. It is clear from Jerry Brotton”s argument that “National museums and art galleries are the most obvious places” to understand the phenomenon of “The Renaissance” (2006, p. 02). Despite its historical relevance to the multifarious phenomena in other cultural fields, in the scholarly and academic arena it led to studia humanitatis which included the whole humanity and social sciences of today (p. 03). After recounting all the diverse fields that prospered during this period, Brotton concludes that the term refers to “profound and enduring upheaval and transformation” from “1400 to 1600” (p. 09). Yet, he has refrained from the periodization of this phenomenon. Brotton refers to Michelet to explicate it further, saying it was not only the age of the discovery of the world but also of the discovery of man (10). With its double distinctive features, he states that it broke with the Middle Ages and led to a “modern understanding of history” (p. 10).

Differences between “Early modern” and “Renaissance”

A cursory glance at these arguments shows that there does not seem much difference yet Leah Marcus (1992) not only differentiates but also puts both “nomenclatures” for each other, saying it is a “conceptual reconfiguration” with tracing of the features that are “precursors” of our own period. Then, he highlights the contestation of the terminological polemic arguing that whereas Renaissance scholars are not concerned with periodization, the scholars using the early modern term strictly adhere to periodization (p. 42). Despite playing with the significance and dilution of this significance of the literary studies, he continues saying that early modern is less hierarchical and less energy-consuming in terms of terminological initiation (p. 42) as the lovers of Renaissance term do. Yet, he has objections to its elitism (p. 43), when he underlines the stress on the quantitative method of the early modern period with further emphasis on “the common place lives of the common people” (p. 44). Although he argues that the interest and his research about both terms is to redraw “disciplinary boundaries,” he states that both have special purposes while the objective of the usage of the term, early modern, is “preservation of literature” (p. 56). Interestingly, he seems consistent in preferring early modern and jettisoning Renaissance when he adds studies with it in another article “Cyberspace Renaissance” (1995) showing difference between “early modern” and “Renaissance”. In this article, he argues that that as Renaissance”s glorification of despotism and intellectual hierarchies have missed the community or a huge segment of the population, and states that now literary critics call it an “early modern era” because Renaissance, as a term, is too hegemonic and too titular to leave its holistic, inclusive and exclusive tendencies to include specifics of literature under its banner (p. 388). Therefore, his contention seems appropriate when he argues that most of the usages of “Renaissance” are full of discomfort to be used freely for every other study or field (p. 389). Hence, the early modern term wins the contest and becomes one of the terms having no negative or positive, inclusive or exclusive, upbeat or low-beat connotations as Renaissance has, yet it has its own usage in literary studies referring to specific periodization as well as the specific emphasis on “the common lives of the common people” (Marcus, 1992, p. 44).

References
  1. Allegretti, C. (n. d.). The Early Modern Period. Eastern Connecticut University, Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://www.easternct.edu/speichera/understanding-literary-history-all/the-early-modern-period.html
  2. Brotton, J. (2006). The Renaissance: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, UK.
  3. de Vries, J. (2010). The limits of globalization in the early modern world. The Economic History Review, 63(3), 710-733.
  4. Dubrow, Heather, and Frances E. Dolan. “The Term Early Modern.” PMLA 109, no. 5 (1994): 1025–27. https://doi.org/10.2307/462969.
  5. Robinson, B. (2007). Islam and Early Modern English Literature: The Politics of Romance from Spenser to Milton. Palgrave, MacMillan, New York, America.
  6. Robin, D. M., Larsen, A. R., & Levin, C. (2007). Encyclopedia of women in the Renaissance: Italy, France, and England. Santa Barbara, CA.: ABC-CLIO.
  7. Marcus, L. S. (1992). (1992). Renaissance/Early Modern Studies. Redrawing the Boundaries: The Transformation of English and American Literary Studies, ed. Stephen Greenblat and Giles Gun, The Modern Language Association of American, New York, 41-63.
  8. _____ (1995). Cyberspace Renaissance. English Literary Renaissance, 25(3), 388-401.

Relevant Questions about “Early Modern” and “Renaissance”

  1. How do scholars and historians distinguish between the terms “Early Modern” and “Renaissance,” and what specific characteristics define each period in the context of intellectual, cultural, and societal changes?
  2. When examining the transition from the “Renaissance” to the “Early Modern” era, what key shifts in thought, art, and governance mark this transformation, and how do these changes shape our understanding of these two distinct periods?
  3. In the study of history and literature, how does the nuanced exploration of “Early Modern” and “Renaissance” periods enhance our comprehension of the evolving intellectual and cultural landscape, and what critical aspects help demarcate one from the other?

Double Consciousness in Obama’s Autobiography

In his autobiography, Obama established a connection between his life and story, showing double consciousness of his heritage and status.

Introduction about Double Consciousness in Obama’s Autobiography

            In his autobiography, Obama established a connection between his life and story, showing double consciousness, saying “what I’ve … life” (Obama, xvii), adding “I can’t even … American experience” (xvi). The objective of what he thought to make his life meaningful led him to tackle the long-life problem African Americans faced and struggled like him before such as Fredrick Douglas, Booker T. Washington, and Du Bios. It was the problem of race which not only shaped the African-American struggle for equality but also shaped African American Literature. Though his story is not the most representative one, yet it is set in the historical experience of demonstrating “double consciousness” (Du Bios) in the midst of racial discrimination despite imposition of this through certain laws. Echoing Du Bios in his story, Obama states that the people try to discover his “mixed blood … two worlds” and it makes him as if he is hiding his identity (xv). However, unlike his predecessors, he does not reconcile to the idea of coming down at the ladder and tries to reduce this trap of “two worlds” (Du Bios). His story demonstrates past experience of his generations, his own encounter with racial differences and his objective to shed this double consciousness.

Slavery and Double Consciousness

Although these efforts were stated first by Fredrick Douglas when the time was ripe for slavery and it was considered legal, he worked tirelessly during half of the nineteenth century. He wanted the readers to look beyond historical, legal, and political issues of African American race going toward freedom in society and freedom from domination. His basic question was the freedom of the spirit. His struggle was to achieve freedom instead of being given, and he even became an abolitionist, going far as contacting abolitionist militants in this connection. However, the streak of slavery runs so much deeper in the psyche of African American population at that time that it was hard to make the vast strata of those people educate about the ideas he harbored. It was Booker T. Washington who came later to amalgamate two races or at least tried to amalgamate on utilitarian grounds mentioning his idea of “cast down the buckets” (Washington). His was the historical difference from the lines taken by Douglas.

Booker T. Washington and Slavery

However, Booker T. Washington’s approach was constructive finding a compromise between the two worlds. During his famous “Atlanta Compromise Speech”, he asked African Americans from the South to “cast down their buckets where [they were]” so that they could prosper. His approach was the accommodation of the white so that equality could be reached through humility but his community strongly rebuffed him. Although he won a name for his adjustment approach and politicians viewed him as a sane voice, his own people came against his submissive approach.

Double Consciousness

Du Bios strongly attacked his views in his phenomenal work, The Souls of the Black Folk.  His was the reason that only education and intellectual development could overcome this racial prejudice. He severely lashed out at Washington, lambasting his approach of submission. He opposed the integration of two communities that Washington tried to propagate. Rather, he put the whole African American experience in his books, stating that it is actually “double consciousness” which runs through the minds of the blacks and stops their progress. They both were put in opposing personalities where Washington was considered passive, making the black submissive, while Du Bios was termed as progressive in thinking.

Obama and Double Consciousness

Put into this perspective, Obama seems to have inherited the same legacy. He has put into words his own thoughts that turning a deaf ear to racial prejudice and discrimination could lead African Americans to achieve laurels in the fields they want to achieve. By this, he means that this concept of “double consciousness” is still very much relevant today in this post-racial society. There are several implicit issues of this racial bias which makes it difficult for African Americans to achieve their goals but still, they can go ahead with this “double consciousness” and achieve a good status in life.

Conclusion

Making the long argument short, the “double consciousness” propagated by Du Bios is part of African-Americans and also their literature and life. If this is realized earlier, an African American is able to encounter and resolve such prejudices as Obama did in the early stages of his career. Although propagated by different theorists in different ways; first as a pacifist philosophy, then a separate creed, and finally a progressive outlook, Obama has borrowed the same consciousness from his predecessors.

Works Cited
  1. Bois, W. E. B. Du. The Souls of the Black Folk. New York: Oxford UP, 1996.
  2. Douglas, Fredrick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. Cornhill, 1845.
  3. Obama, Barack. Dreams from My Father. Three Rivers Press: New York, 2004.
  4. Washington, Booker T. “Atlanta Compromise Speech.” History Matters. 1895. Web. 04 Aug. 2019.
Relevant Questions about Double Consciousness in Obama’s Autobiography
  1. How does Barack Obama’s autobiography delve into the concept of double consciousness, particularly in his experiences grappling with a biracial identity?
  2. Within the pages of Obama’s autobiography, how does he confront and navigate the complexities of double consciousness, impacting both his personal journey and political career?
  3. In Barack Obama’s autobiography, what valuable insights does he offer into the ways double consciousness influenced his perceptions of race, identity, and his place in American society?

Billy Pilgrim: A Victim of PTSD

Billy Pilgrim, the central character of Slaughterhouse-Five is an effort of Vonnegut to highlight the plight soldiers suffering from PTSD.

Introduction

The modern wars have taken their toll on the common soldiers more than the elite class officers in the shape of making them victims of their own weak mental state of mind. Billy Pilgrim, the central character of Slaughterhouse-Five is an effort of Vonnegut to highlight the plight of such people. Thomas L. Wymer calls him “the major example of victim” of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and war related anxiety (428).

Soldiery of Billy Pilgrim

The story of his soldiery goes thus; the novel Slaughterhouse Five presents him as a common American soldier recruited to fight in Europe against Germany in the WWII where he surrendered with the author in the battle of Bulge. From there, he was taken to Dresden, a peaceful city in Germany devastated by the allied bombing. Thousands of buildings turned to rubble and people into dead bodies within a day. Billy Pilgrim with other American POWs was the survivor. The German soldiers tasked them to dispose of the bodies. He narrates this story through flashbacks, remembering the past, and present as well as predicting the future and weaving fantasies which show that Billy Pilgrim has gone through a hell to become this type of optometrist who sleeps in his own chair and wakes up after a while to attend to his patients and predict his own death at the hands of his former colleague in Dresden. The structure of the story may be the reflection of his state of mind. It is because the author leaves the story abruptly to start with the story of Billy Pilgrim whose catchphrase “So it goes” starts various frames of the story and ends each frame with something else (12). In fact, he suffers from all signs of depression, schizophrenia, intrusive memory and flashbacks which are hallmarks of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Depression of Billy Pilgrim

Whereas depression is concerned, Billy Pilgrim seems the worst victim. Although he does not clearly show the symptoms, some of his signs are clearly of the depression that he suffered during the Dresden bombing. He does not cry, or cry very little (Vonnegut 90). His dialogue with Rosewater at the asylum is perhaps pointing to the same thing that is a type of depression of the war and the anxiety that he inherits from Dresden. He says “Absolutely everybody gets a little something” and this little something is surely depression (52). Even Vonnegut himself is not articulate about the event if seen from the lens of his artistic creation of Billy Pilgrim. It seems that he has created Billy Pilgrim to show his own depression. Susanne Vees-Gulani has termed this type of depression as schizophrenic where a person is caught in the net of fantasy, coming and going back from reality and seeing hallucinations (176). In other words, Billy Pilgrim is suffering from an extreme type of depression which has transformed into schizophrenia as Susanne Vees-Gulani has concluded in her essay. It clearly means that this was a common depression but the gravity of the incident has transformed this simple depressive state of mind into schizophrenia that has taken its toll on Billy as well as his family.

Schizophrenia of Billy Pilgrim

Billy’s entire episodic thinking is an evidence of schizophrenia and hallucination. He starts his journey from the battle of Bulge with occasional trips to the far-off planet of Tralfamador, his visits to the hospital, his marriage, and even his concept of having sex with the top model at Tralfamadore are the possible symptoms of hallucinations. His description of Kilgore Trout with Rosewater at the hospital shows that he is suffering from schizophrenia. His capacity to “travel in time to the zoo on Tralfamadore” (53) and the details of the situation over Tralfamadore is a case in point where Billy Pilgrim shows himself at best in presenting the picture of his hallucinatory fantasy. This is the worst sort of schizophrenic state of mind that Billy Pilgrim is going through. He is also sometimes aware of it. He goes to sleep when he is to stay awakened. His honeymoon and sex with his wife and even his presence in the asylum are also indications of the worst sort of schizophrenia. The doctors, too, agree with him that he was touching lunacy (96) which means that he is definitely suffering from schizophrenia. In fact, this is a difference that Billy Pilgrims has forgotten to see between the real and the fantastic. It takes him to different locations and situations. The stories of flying saucers, his return to childhood, sexual encounters on Tralfamadore, and even his meeting with Kilgore Trout as discussed earlier are also signs of a schizoid mind.

Intrusive Memory of Billy Pilgrim

Another sign of PTSD is intrusive memory, forgetting everything and remembering things at the most unsuitable times. In fact, it is a sort of traumatic remembering of past events. It is called an abnormal confrontation with reality (Vees-Gulani 177). These signs of PTSD are abundant in Slaughterhouse-Five, specifically in Billy Pilgrims. In Billy Pilgrims, the most important sign comprises traumatic memories. They often come to him in the shape of going to the war, surrendering at the battle of Bulge, then going through a long train journey, his marriage and birth, loving memories of his father and mother, and of his son. This intrusive memory is also the sign of escape from the traumatic and terrible memory, which lies only in losing the sense of time and going to something that is beyond human reach such as Tralfamadore. It is a hallucination on the one side and an escape to forget the real Dresden devastation on the other side. In some sense, “So it goes” (12) is an attempt to make this escape easy as it points to something that remembering past events depends on a stable state of mind, or it could be that he has heard it from some other people. Therefore, this is also the worst sign of PTSD that Billy Pilgrim is the victim of. It is related to flashbacks, too.

Memory and Forgetting in Billy Pilgrim

Flashback means to remember something, and forget and remember another with a new flashback. A person suffering from PTSD often experiences flashbacks and remembers something that comes to his mind immediately and then jumps to another thing. This shift from one memory to another memory is the hallmark of the thinking of Billy Pilgrims that starts from the very first chapter when Billy Pilgrims appears in the novel. The novel shows clearly that it is not a linear narrative but a narrative in chunks due to flashbacks of Billy. He thinks about his childhood, reaches Tralfamadore, and immediately comes down on the train from the battle of Bulge to Germany (56). Here he is talking to Paul Lazarro and there he is appearing with Valencia, his wife. This back-and-forth movement in time not only makes times irrelevant but also makes space a fuzzy thing. This also is due to the flashbacks and working of memory in timeless space. This is the sign of PTSD of which Billy Pilgrims is a victim, but it is clear that this is not the reality that he is going through. It is due to the reality of Dresden that he could not face or describe.

Conclusion

In concluding the argument, it could be stated that Billy Pilgrim is not living in reality, but in fantasy, because he is the victim of the worst form of PTSD, a modern psychological issue. He is facing chronic depression that takes its toll on his health. He is suffering from schizophrenia which has shaken his life and the life of those living around him. He visits the Tralfamadorians and moves back and forth in the world of his own imagination merely because he cannot cope with this sort of hallucination. He is also going through an intrusive sort of memory where it is difficult for Billy Pilgrims to concentrate on one thing at a time. Even he is a victim of flashback and memory attacks which makes him prone to think one thing and then jump to the other one and think about it. The entire novel shows his flashback thinking going on from here to there until it ends on the bird’s twitter of pee-tee-weet where it seems that his narrative has merged with the senseless narrative of the bird.

Works Cited
  1. Vees-Gulani, Susanne. “Diagnosing Billy Pilgrim: A Psychiatric Approach to Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.” Critique. vol. no, 2(2003): pp.175-184.
  2. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five. St. Albans: Panther Books Ltd, 1975.
  3. Wymer, Thomas L. “The Swiftian Satire of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.” Contemporary Literary Criticism, edited by Roger Matuz and Cathy Falk, vol. 60, Gale, 1990. Contemporary Literary Criticism Online, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GLS&sw=w&u=txshracd2512&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CVGOHNC203384081&it=r. Accessed 27 Nov. 2017. Originally published in ., in Voices for the Future: Essays on Major Science Fiction Writers, edited by Thomas D. Clareson, Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1976, pp. 238-262.
Relevant Questions about Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse-Five
  1. How does Billy Pilgrim’s character in Slaughterhouse-Five exemplify the experiences and symptoms commonly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
  2. What specific events and traumas in Billy Pilgrim’s life contribute to the development and exacerbation of his post-traumatic stress disorder throughout the novel?
  3. In Slaughterhouse-Five, how does Kurt Vonnegut use Billy Pilgrim’s struggle with PTSD to comment on the broader impact of war on individuals and society?

Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker: Racial Feminism

Although both writers, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, were in different circumstances, there is a natural connection between them.

Introduction to Racial Feminism in Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker

Although both writers, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, happen to be in different circumstances and contrasting times, there is a natural connection and relation in their writing in that both are African American women living in the United States where racial discrimination was very high until the Civil Rights Movement. Therefore, it is natural that both, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, should have written about the situation of women. As Zora Neal Hurston happens to have lived in earlier times than Alice Walker, the stream of the evolution of racial/African American feminism runs through both of them to get rid of the irresponsible African American men to total independence in Alice Walker.  In her phenomenal work, Leith Mullings states, “Both [Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker] within … African American women continue to be defined in ways that deny their humanity” (Mullings). This is clear in Zora Neal Hurston’s story “Sweat” where she has presented the character of Delia Jones that refers to this “beyond it” (Mullings) situation. It is because the person who tortures her is not a white man or someone from another race, but her very husband from her African-American community, Sykes. Referring to Alice Walker and Patricia Hill Collins, she is of the view that it not only pervades society but also domestic affairs — the reason that b–k feminism started making headway in national politics and literature (Mullings). From Zora’s Delia Jones to Alice Walker’s mom, b–k feminism leaped fast from a simple desire for independence from male domination of the same race to complete independence. Whereas Zora presents a feministic point of getting rid of a patriarchal society, Alice Walker presents complete independence to supporting siblings.

“Sweat” and Zohra Neal Hurston

Delia Jones is Hurston’s protagonist in her story “Sweat” where she is working as a washerwoman, washing clothes for white people and earning her livelihood, because her husband Sykes is irresponsible to the point of sitting idle at home and torturing her for doing the labor. She used to collect “the soiled clothes” and “returned the clean things” (Hurston 568) until she has enough to make both ends meet. However, her husband is there only to make fun of her fear of snakes and uses his whip to this end. When Sykes is ready to pick up a fight with her, she is calm and silent and is not ready to pick up a fight. It is because she knows she has still a lot to do. He not only wants her to leave this but also wants her to serve him as if he is her master. She shows her feminist nature telling him that he has gone too far, but he again rebuffs and insults her. However, she has become stubborn. She blurts out strongly, “Mah sweat is done paid for this house” (571). She faces brutal thrashing but ultimately she stands up against him and he stops. This is an expression of feminism that she is bringing toward independence. The limit of her patience is crossed when he brings home a rattlesnake ostensibly with the purpose to kill her. However, it bites him instead of her, while she stands and sees him dying. This is a symbol of her getting independence. Commenting on the story, Marion C. Burk says, “Hurston makes subtle arguments to forward the cause of feminism — [by showing her that] protagonist Delia is a strong, independent woman who finds herself at the receiving end of a patriarchal society that strongly privileges men and denigrates women” (Burke) where Sykes has every right to beat her. Burke says Hurston is promoting b—k feminism in “Sweat.” However, this independence and b—k feminism in Alice Walker has reached its peak that both, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, seem projecting it.

Feminism in both, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker

Mom in Alice Walker is clearly independent. She has made her best to educate her elder daughter Dee by sending her to a boarding school with the help of the local church. This “big boned woman with rough, man-working hands” (Walker 452) sharply contrasts with Delia Jones of Hurston who is weak to the point of only “humming a song in a mournful key” (Hurston 570). However, the mother of Maggie and Dee is strong as Sykes — the reason that she does not need a male figure like Sykes to torture here. She has responsibilities to fulfill and that she is fulfilling with great courage, stamina, and strength equal to men. According to Mullings, this is not the culture of resistance against male dominance, but the culture of identity where mom has made great efforts for her Dee to make a name so that she should have a clear identity (Mullings). Men are there in “Everyday Use” but their role is limited to only the past relics that they remember like Grandpa Jarrell and Grandpa Ezra and their shirts and uniforms (456). Her feminism does not allow her to truly exclude males from the female company. The males are very much there in the shape of Jimmy T and Assalamalakim but their role has been marginalized to the point of non-existence which started in Hurston in the shape of meekly seen the dying Sykes. The move that Hurston made through her character Delia Jones of getting rid of the patriarchal dominance completes in Alice Walker where male characters are left outside of the realm of the female struggle. Dee has full dominance over Hakim-e-Barbar, but at the same time, she has also changed because she knows that she would not find any other person better. The education brings awareness of the rights that the mother is confident to have given to Dee. Hence, she supports Maggie because she needs him, and not Dee who can take care of herself (459). She knows that she is independent and has to take care of her siblings. This show how both, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, project it in their respective stories.

Feminist Characters in Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker

However, here comes the disfigurement that Maggie has suffered from a fire that is a symbol of incidents. It could occur to women and how they can manage them. She knows that Maggie is totally dependent on her. However, she also knows that Dee has got Hakim-e-Barbar who can take care of not only herself but also her man. Therefore, she does not need any heritage that is after all the same — African-American though it comprises only quilts and pillows. The mother is aware that Maggie needs these things more than Dee. Therefore, she says at the end of the story that “I asked Maggie to bring me a dip of snuff” (491), and then she sits with her which is a collaboration. It is not only b—k feminism and women’s independence but it is also an indictment of the patriarchal society where men have no role while women have asserted themselves in every way in the household, taking care of the past as well as the future. In her essay, Marta Mazurek says “Walker turns to African American women’s everyday practices such as church singing, storytelling and taking care of gardens to trace expressions of their spirituality and art” which is clear from the role of the mother that she plays at home by doing everything (Mazurek).

Conclusion

Concluding the essay, it could be stated the evolution of African American feminism that started from Zora Neal Hurston in the shape of just avoiding male dominance to avoid torture reaches the point of total independence in the shape of the mother in Alice Walker. This then leads to the independence of the next generation like Dee, but at the same time, it has not ended as the mother has to take care of Maggie or those who cannot support themselves. This is the support of a woman for another woman with the intention that she should not face the same neglect with the race and cruelty outside of it. Therefore, this racial theme is very much clear and interrelated in both Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker.

Works Cited

  1. Burke, Marion C. “Zora Neale Hurston’s Sweat and the B—k Female Voice: The Perspective of the African-American Woman.Women Studies. 4(5). 2012. pp. 1-2.
  2. Hurston, Zora Neal. “Sweat” Charters, Anne. The Story and Its Writer. New York: Bedford /St. Martins, 2014. 570-579.
  3. Mullings, Leith. “African American Women Making Themselves.” Columbia. Columbia. 2000. Web. 06 Aug. 2015.
  4. Mazurek, Marta. “African American Women and Feminism: Alice Walker’s Womanism as a Proposition of a Dialogic Encounter.” Lingua Mundi. Lingua Mundi. n. d. Web. 06 Aug. 2015.
  5. Walker, Alice. “Everday Use” Charters, Anne. The Story and Its Writer. New York: Bedford /St. Martins, 2014. 452-461
Relevant Questions about Zora Neale Hurston’s and Alice Walker’s Racial Feminism
  1. How did Zora Neale Hurston’s and Alice Walker’s respective works contribute to the evolution of racial feminism in the 20th century?
  2. In what ways did Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker address intersectionality within their writings, exploring both race and gender through their unique perspectives on racial feminism?
  3. Could you elaborate on the key differences in the racial feminist ideologies advocated by Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker, shedding light on their distinct literary and philosophical contributions to the movement?

“Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

The short story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates can be interpreted on several levels including characters.

Introduction to “Where are You Going…”

The short story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates can be interpreted on several levels with characters having several historical and allegorical similarities. The story is about a 15-year old middle-class white girl thrown in the midst of the glamorous American culture dominated by music, automobiles, fast food, and evening outings. Like every other juvenile, Connie tries to break the social order in which parents have a dominant role in the safety and behavioral upbringing of a girl. She loves to be out in the open to enjoy life with other girls and boys of her age, but in-between these daydreams of enjoyments, this just 15-year old girl has the reality staring in her face in the shape of what her parents, society (the next-door neighbor) and other siblings would say in case they find out that she has crossed the social limits. On the other hand, the allurement of the modern culture, music, car riding, fast food, and the flattery exercised by a pretty young chap with threats to her dear ones have worked upon her mind to the point that she is ready to leave home with Arnold Friend in the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Modern Culture in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” and Connie

Although the point of whether it is a fantasy or a reality is debatable, the argument that Connie loves modern culture is a reality in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. It is clear from the very start that she does not like her mother to praise June who has conformed to the traditional culture of a dominant parenting structure. She is fed up with hearing “June did this, June did that, she saved money” and all other such would-be-expected-of-her niceties (Oates 1). She loves going out with other girls and boys of her age, for June has had this freedom as “June went to places with girl friends of her,” while she is allowed only to go with the father of her girlfriends. She wants music and is obsessed with the idea of having music as “something to depend upon” (2).  Arnold Friend knows that this allurement of the modern culture has had effects on Connie. That is why he brings a radio with her that she “began to hear music” and by the end, it dawns upon her that even this music seems “so familiar to her was only half real” and not a complete reality (7). The other allurement that Arnold Friend uses very successfully to seduce Connie is the automobile and music with fast food. He comes in a good car with his friend Ellie carrying a radio and constantly playing music to trap her. He comes straight to the point when he talks to her in the beginning, “We come out here to take you for a ride” (4). When he does not see himself succeeding, he again throws the same bait before her of taking her to “have a nice ride” with them (6). However, it is another thing that despite both of these modern baits of seducing a girl at work, Connie feels something that is not right. She instantly comes to know that Arnold Friend is not a boy but an old predator of girls when she asks him his age and he cries out saying “That’s a crazy thing to ask. Can’tcha see I’m your own age?” which is not the fact (7) and she knows from the reality in the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”.

Allegorical Interpretations of “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Another trick used by Arnold Friend is the same used by the allegorical namesake Arch Fiend or Satan against Adam in Heaven if the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” is interpreted on this level. It is flattery. He comes to use flattery until he achieves his end. He calls her pretty, honey, and everything that he can think to lure her into his trap. He even makes her believe, “I like the way you are, honey” to assure her that she is a pretty girl (7). She has already in mind that she is pretty. For a girl of 15 to be conscious that she is pretty, it is very difficult to resist an offer from a modern and stylish young man like Arnold Friend who not only owns modern gadgets but also uses an oily tongue. When she finds out his real intentions, she refuses, and true to his character, Arnold Friend comes down to threaten her. He knows that if flattery and baits fail, the threat of harm to near and dear ones works wonders. He clearly tells her to give her hand and that “nobody else gets hurt” or else it would be the other way round (7). This works and she comes with him in a trance-like state, but this state and the beginning of this fantasy both show that it is a daydream in which she has lost herself. It is the situation in which she finds herself when she is left by all other members of the family at home and she hears music after which she “seemed to rise mysteriously out of the music itself and lay languidly about the airless little room” (3). She then finds herself with Arnold Friend in a conversation to go out.

Conclusion

The debate about whether this is a daydreaming or a reality is beside the point, the argument that this daydreaming or fantasy has shown her a true reality carries weight by the end of the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. She is clearly seen on the side of her family, a loving nucleus from which she does not want to break away. She accepts Friend’s offer to come out only when he assures her that nobody else will get hurt and if she has not come out, it means her parents are in danger. The baits of modern luxuries and flattery fail where threats to loved ones work.  Therefore, it is fair to say that it is a dream through which she has learned the lesson of not crossing social limits set by parents for their kids. She comes to know that there are risks lurking behind every other glittering bait. This exposure to reality through daydreaming is set to make her aware of all the dangers around her.

Works Cited

Oates, Joyce Carol. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” NDSU. n. d. Web. 2 Dec. 2022.

Relevant Questions about “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”
  1. How does Connie’s character evolve throughout the story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”? What internal and external factors contribute to these changes in her personality and actions?
  2. What role does Connie’s obsession with her appearance and desire for independence play in shaping her character and ultimately leading to the climax of the story? How do these traits influence her decisions and interactions with others?
  3. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” how does Connie’s character serve as a symbol of the vulnerability and naiveté often associated with adolescents? How does the author use Connie’s character to explore themes of innocence and danger in the story?

“When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

In story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine, characters feel themselves imperceptibly tied to each other through a common history.

Introduction to “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

In story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine, characters feel themselves imperceptibly tied to each other through a common history, common taste, and universal family relations. These commonalities lead to sympathetic and loving relationships. These commonalities, though, are ignored when people live together, and become distinctive features of socially or religiously hostile families, when they find themselves living in foreign or alien lands. The story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” by an Indian-American author Jhumpa Lahiri presents the same predicament of a young girl who is born and raised in America. She could not understand commonalities during her childhood but later in life, she perfectly understands why her father used to find out Asian Indians in America to become their affectionate host. The story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” shows not only the motif of common history but also of common food and the universal relation of a father and daughter to join the events.

Common History in  “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

Most often people are attached to each other through common history such as in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”. It is clear from the very first paragraph that the narrator has a common point when she tells more about Mr. Pirzada and the background of her parents after she discovers that they are all Indians. Her father is a bit pricked at her ignorance of Indian history and tells her that Mr. Pirzada is from Pakistan since “Our country was divided in 1947” (Lahiri). This new information makes the narrator take interest in the history of her parents and their new guest Mr. Pirzada, the reason that she “found a book titled Pakistan: A Land and its People” in the library when she is on an assignment (Lahiri). The description of the events in Dacca, the fall of Dacca, and the barbarism of the Pakistani army is a case in point of how she comes to know this common history which runs through the entire story and attaches her family to Mr. Pirzada. However, it does not seem a strong connection until some cultural affinity such as taste is not found common among the people.

Food in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

Food is another common point that binds people which is true about the story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”. Mr. Pirzada does not come only for sharing his language and history. Rather he comes to share his culinary taste with the family of Lilia. He comes because he finds what he loves the most. She tells about her mother, “From the kitchen, my mother brought for the success of dishes, lentils with fried onions, green beans with coconut” and their favorite dish, the cooked rice (Lahiri). The Indian subcontinent produces the best rice in the world and Indians are fond of eating rice, specifically the people from Dacca and some other cities of Bangladesh. When Mr. Pirzada finds that he is invited heartily and welcomed warmly by Lilia’s father, he does not miss the opportunity to enjoy “Boiled eggs with rice for dinner” which creates another bond with Lilia, the universal bond of a father-daughter relationship.

Relationships in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

Not only is the father-daughter relationship universal, but also heart-touching suchas in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”. The narrator, Lilia, comes to know that Mr. Pirzada has seven daughters and all of them are living in Dacca. After some time, she comes to know that Dacca is under attack from the Pakistani military. Being a very young mind, she deduces that Mr. Pirzada’s daughters must be in danger and that Mr. Pirzada must be missing them. That is why she tells her friend Dora about Mr. Pirzada that “His daughters are missing” but later corrects her statement by saying that he is missing his daughters living far away and that “he has not seen them in a while (Lahiri). It dawns upon her by the end of the story why Mr. Pirzada used to bring chocolates and candies for her, for he used to love her as his own daughter when he misses them.

Conclusion

In short, there are several motifs in the story that run parallel to each other and make the story meaningful. All these motifs of common historical linkage, common food items, and the universal relationship of the father and daughter make families join together to pass their time. Mr. Pirzada is found by the father of Lilia due to having the commonality of region and history. But it is the food that brings Mr. Pirzada to their homes while her daughters create a space for Lilia in the heart of Mr. Pirzada, who showers his love on Lilia in return. Although she could not feel this love at first, she comes to know it when having a candy on Halloween day by the end of the story. The story starts with the history and ends on a father-daughter love strand.

Works Cited

Lahiri, Jhumpa. “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine.” UWM. n. d. Web. 14 Jul. 2017.

Relevant Questions about Themes in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”
  1. How does the theme of cultural identity and displacement play a significant role in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” and how do the characters grapple with their sense of belonging and identity in a foreign land?
  2. In “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” how does the theme of the impact of political conflict on personal lives manifest in the lives of the characters, and what does the story reveal about the human experience in times of turmoil?
  3. Can you explore the theme of innocence and childhood in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” and how do Lilia’s experiences and observations reflect a loss of innocence as she becomes more aware of the world’s complexities?