Category: Short Essays

Characters in Pride and Prejudice: Natural and Reality

A good reading of the characters in Pride and Prejudice in terms of understanding their sketches shows that Jane Austen’s art not only lies in creating natural and down-to-earth real characters but also in demonstrating the qualities that real human beings possess.

Introduction to Characters in Pride and Prejudice

A good reading of the characters in Pride and Prejudice in terms of understanding their sketches shows that Jane Austen’s art not only lies in creating natural and down-to-earth real characters but also in demonstrating the qualities that real human beings possess. Her wonderful capability is almost equal to great English writers in making her characters look like real human beings, having shortcomings, strengths, and idiosyncrasies. As a lady of good upbringing, she is not only conscious of the role of minute social mannerisms but also the violation of the accepted norms and values. Though she has confined herself to the country people, she has also sketched yeomen and laborers as ably as she has done other characters. It is also that characters have been created in such a way that the audiences or the readers never know what is going to happen next with which character on account of his action. In this lies the real art of the writer in the making and breaking of the impression of some specific characters. The art of Jane Austen of creating characters in Pride and Prejudice lies in showing good characters doing bad actions and bad doing good actions, making the readers shift their sympathies, liking and disliking simultaneously. Jane Austen’s talent for creating unique and real human characters in Pride and Prejudice lies in creating individuals with specific traits, their revelation through their own conversations, and their exposure through comparison and contrast to other characters.

Special Character Traits

Almost all characters in Pride and Prejudice have their special character traits, which make them unique and stand out amongst the others of their ilk. Just take the example of a typical wife, Mrs. Bennet, who is not only self-indulgent but also vacuous, is always busy finding matches for her daughters. In the opinion of her husband, Mr. Bennet, she is “a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper” (Austen 04). She is a butt of jokes for her husband due to her idiosyncrasies and ignorance, while Mr. Bennet is highly entertaining. He was a “mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humor, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character” (04). As a father of five girls, he perhaps shirks their company and lives mostly in his library, but he dares to take up the blame when he could not find Lydia and Wickham in London after their elopement, stating “No Lizzy, let me once in my life feel how much I have been to blame” (91). In fact, such a confession of one’s negligence is quite rare even in real life. But it is still real in Austen that despite disparaging Mrs. Bennet, he owns the blame that he could not take care of Lydia’s rash behavior in the case of going fast to marriage. Though Austen has not blamed any other male character, it is typical of her that she has made her character speak out. Even her best characters have their own specific traits such as Elizabeth, of which Austen has a great liking as she has mentioned about her in her letter written to her sister (Austen 1995). She is not only witty and intelligent but also quick in learning and fast in entertaining others with her humor. She has “something more of her quickness than her sisters” (04) as her father likes her for this. Austen adds that “she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous” (08). Austen is not limited to these characters only, for each character in Pride and Prejudice has a peculiar habit and a character trait, which highlights Austen’s art in making all of them real. It is also that they have not been repeated anywhere even in other novels. Despite keeping their individualities intact, she has made them universal in which lies her uniqueness because this is what makes a character memorable and close to reality. Her comprehension of the nature of her characters shows what they are such as Wickham is an unprincipled ruffian, Mr. Bennet is a humoros father, Mr. Darcy is a priggish but thoughtful young man, Elizabeth is a sagacious lady, Mrs. Bennet is a typical mother of girls, and Lydia is a silly and stupid girl.

Conversational Style of Characters in Pride and Prejudice

A person is best known through his / her conversation. Until he speaks, nobody can tell what sort of a person he/she is, how he/she would react and nothing can be predicted about him/her. Perhaps, Austen has this evaluative paradigm in mind when she revealed most of her characters in Pride and Prejudice through their conversation. This makes her portrayal of characters even more realistic and closer to reality than through any other act. Although they seem perfect characters like Elizabeth and Darcy, they are not liked or idealized in such a way that the people start making them paragons of virtues. Therefore, wherever any of her characters speak, he or she speaks with special reference to her own qualities and traits. The conversation between Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet reveals the characters of both in that one is empty-headed and obsessed with the idea of getting her daughters married, while the other is a well-read person, having an eye on the situation around him and a ridiculous outlook of his wife. Referring to her nerves he states, “I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these last twenty years at least” (04). This shows that he always sees the funny side of life in his wife. Similarly, Elizabeth and Darcy are always on bad terms in their conversation but ultimately know each other after they are exposed through their dialogues with each other.  Letter writing of Collin and Lydia reveals their characters, while Elizabeth is mostly exposed through her careful way of speaking. As the best exposure is self-exposure, at least two of Austen’s characters find themselves or discover themselves; Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth. The former confesses his fault for his carelessness toward Lydia. He confesses it when he returns from London after not finding them. However, the case of later is different as she could not judge Mr. Darcy and says that she has merely “gratified [her] in useless or blameable distrust” (122). It could be said that though this is a self-discovery, still it is in the hands of Austen to put it into the mouths of her characters in Pride and Prejudice. Another important point is that several characters talk about other characters with somebody else. This also exposes their thinking about others and reveals other characters. This technique is very useful in that it reveals how a character thinks about the other ones, such as Darcy and Elizabeth think quite contrary to each other and comment against each other when they are talking to others.

Colorful Characters in Pride and Prejudice

It is also that the characters in Pride and Prejudice is a gallery of characters, Jane Austen has put several characters in comparison and contrast to others. This technique highlights their strengths and weaknesses,  making them prominent or likable to the readers or vice versa. Their comparison and contrast also balance the character of one person and accentuate that of the others. Mrs. Bennet is well known for her being a butt of ridicule from her husband but Lady Catherine is also there, who not only balances her but also sometimes makes her look a serious thinking lady, because of the latter’s proud and arrogant behavior when meeting others. Similarly, the arrival of Darcy makes Bingley looks pale in his presence, while he proves a foil for him. On the other hand, Wickham serves as a contrast to both of them. Whereas Darcy is a cold type of person, very serious, guarded, and a fatherly figure because of being a distinguished person, Bingley, in comparison to him, seems quite naïve and simpleton. Similarly, whereas Lydia is a romantic and stupid in worldly affairs, Charlotte Lucas, a friend of Elizabeth, just proves very pragmatic. She immediately accepts the proposal of Collins, as she knows, once gone is always gone. However, Jane Austen is not limited to this. She has also presented somewhat three-dimensional characters which makes it easy to understand how a person could be of varied nature at the same time as it happens in life. There is no prediction about any person in real life. In fact, Jane Austen has used a three-dimensional technique that is to use conversation, the point of view of others, and also her own description apart from the actions of the characters themselves. For example, Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet have been described at the end of the first chapter but not before they have revealed themselves through their lively conversation, while Mr. Bennet also reveals his inner goodness of heart through his actions when he tells her that he has already met Mr. Bingley.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Jane Austen’s characters in Pride and Prejudice are as intricate as other living human beings are because they have been taken from the everyday life of the English countryside gentry. They reveal her minute and comprehensive observation of human nature so that she could depict that in her characters. None could deny that there are no mothers like Mrs. Bennet, no haughty and arrogant ladies like Mrs. Catherine, no sagacious but down-to-earth realistic girls like Elizabeth, and no flirts like Wickham. However, it is her art that she has put every character at the right place with specific character traits, mannerisms, virtues, and vices to play a specific role in the romantic maze of “Pride and Prejudice.” Not only do they expose themselves but also expose others, and reveal their natures through actions toward others and toward themselves. In fact, Jane Austen has done nothing else to pick up real-life characters and wrap them into her own philosophy of the pursuit of conjugal life.

Works Cited
  1. Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Project Gutenberg Electronic Texts. 2004. Online.
  2. Austen, Jane. Jane Austen’s Letters .ed. Deirdre Le Faye. Oxford University Press. New York.  1995. Print.
Questions:
  1. How does Jane Austen use a blend of natural and idealized traits in her characters in Pride and Prejudice?
  2. In what ways do the characters in Pride and Prejudice represent the authentic human experiences and emotions of their time, despite being fictional creations?
  3. Explore the concept of character foils in the novel. How do characters like Elizabeth and Jane, or Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham, serve to highlight different facets of human nature and society?
  4. Discuss the role of social class and status in shaping the characters in Pride and Prejudice.
  5. How does the character development of key characters in Pride and Prejudice contribute to the overall themes of personal growth and self-awareness in the novel?
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Humanity in “The Cabuliwala”

Based on an Afghan figure, humanity in “The Cabuliwala” shows Tagore’s art, showing his broad insight and vision in presenting alien characters with love.

Introduction to Humanity in “The Cabuliwala”

Based on an Afghan figure, humanity in “The Cabuliwala” shows Tagore’s art. It is also that a person, if he was from some alien culture, was rarely accepted in the other culture during the previous century, specifically in the Indian sub-continent. Foreigners were either considered occupiers, the British, or kidnappers, the Afghanis, as is the case of Rahman in “The Cabuliwala” by Rabindranath Tagore.  This has been expressed by Tagore’s wife that she considers Rahman as a kidnapper to be kept under “watchful eye” (Tagore 3). However, Tagore discovers a particular charm in him with which he seems fascinated. This fascination for the Cabuliwalla arouses Tagore’s sympathy for the foreigners, his generosity for the poor, and his love for the lower class and their children, showing humanity in “The Cabuliwala.”

Stereotyping in “The Cabuliwala”

When Tagore finds that his daughter is attracted to a common street vendor, the Cabuliwalla, he does not pay much attention to this except to remove the terror of his Mini. It is because she has “a blind belief “ that he is a kidnapper (2). After all, most people from Afghanistan have been dubbed as kidnappers of children. His wife also considers him so, as she questions Tagore on the same grounds. However, Rahman arouses Tagore’s sympathy for him because he proves “very patient listener” (3) to his daughter that he himself is not; thus proving that he is a good human being. Secondly, he offers “brigs of nuts and almonds” (4) to Mini, who is dear to Tagore, showing his humanity in “The Cabuliwala.” In this way, he, despite being a foreigner, wins his sympathy.

Human Love in “The Cabuliwala”

Rahman also wins his generosity though it happens at the end after his long reflection. Tagore only thinks of him as a street merchandiser. Cabuliwala does not touch his heart even when he is arrested though he comes to greet Mini and makes fun of himself to make Mini laugh saying, “I would have thrashed that old father-in-law but my hands are bound” (3) as he is under arrest. “The time passed and he was forgotten” by Tagore as is usual but when he appears at the end, brings gifts for Mini without accepting money, and says “I too have one like her in my own home” (5) this touches Tagore’s heart. He thinks of Tagore’s daughter as his own and then brings hundred rupees out of his pocket though he curtails the festivities of his daughter. This is how Rahman arouses his generosity and Tagore demonstrates humanity in “The Cabuliwala.”

Equality among Children in “The Cabuliwala”

This generosity is also a sort of love for the lower-class people and the lower-class children. Tagore knows that the Cabuliwalla, Rahman, is from Afghanistan, which is quite far away. He cannot go to his homeland due to bad financial conditions as he has lost his prime years in jail. Therefore, when he brings gifts for Mini, he thinks about him as a human being having a heart and then thinks of his daughter and home. His heart melts, and he states, “Tears came to my eyes. I forgot that he was a poor Cabuli fruit seller, while I was…” (6). This difference in class arouses his human heart, which makes him think about Rahman and his daughter, and sacrifice his daughter’s wedding to pay him money. This is another evidence of humanity in “The Cabuliwala.”

Conclusion of “The Cabuliwala”

The story, thus, proves that Tagore has a human heart and his story is an ample proof of his showing humanity in “The Cabuliwala.” He is not only a great writer but also a great human being, who, merely by the good gesture of a street vendor, understands his great heart and assesses his own situation. This made him fascinated even more not by his appearance as he used to be, but by his big heart that he brings gifts for his daughter though he has nothing, while he could not give her anything despite having everything. This is not only a way to make him a good human being but also it is his good gesture that fills him with good emotions and passions that he understands his difficulties.

Works Cited

Tagore, Rabinderanath. “The Cabuliwalla.” n.d. Wyne. http://www.is.wayne.edu/MNISSANI/Fall2003/Cabuliwallah.htm Accessed 04 Nov. 2022.

NOTE: It is a student essay for illustrative purposes only. You can borrow ideas and write your own essay.

Questions
  1. How does the character of Rahman, the Cabuliwala, serve as a symbol of humanity in the story, and what does his relationship with Mini reveal about the universal bonds that connect people across cultures?
  2. In “The Cabuliwala,” we see moments of both kindness and misunderstanding between the Indian society and the Cabuliwala. How does the story depict the complexities of human interactions and the potential for empathy even in the face of cultural differences?
  3. The story raises questions about the impact of time on human relationships, as Mini grows up and Rahman returns after several years. How does the theme of humanity intersect with the theme of time in the story, and what does it suggest about the enduring nature of human connections?
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“Araby” by James Joyce: Modernist Story

“Araby” by James Joyce demonstrates the transformation modernism brought such as the use of the stream of consciousness technique along with an ambiguous critique of the religious ideas and melting down of social customs.

Introduction to “Araby” by James Joyce as Modernist Story

Before the publication of “Araby” by James Joyce, the British modernist movement emerged between WWI and WWII. New ideas, norms, and traditions were set in literature. The Industrial Revolution, evolution in economic ideas, and new social theories led the writers to write on new patterns. The disillusionment of the wars, massacres, and senseless killings led the writers to explore human nature further because the old styles failed to express their grief, complications, and apprehensions (Rachel 2012). The theater of Absurd and existentialism gave new dimensions to literature. “Araby” by James Joyce demonstrates the transformation modernism brought such as the use of the stream of consciousness technique along with an ambiguous critique of the religious ideas and melting down of social customs.

Stream of Consciousness in “Araby” by James Joyce

The use of the stream of consciousness technique was the first characteristic intended to record the thoughts of the narrator. The nameless boy in “Araby” by James Joyce, tells his story in first person, but mostly this comprises his inner thoughts. The boy narrates the ordeal he faces in his mind. His inner thinking leads him to his epiphanic moment of promising his imagined beloved to bring something from Araby for her but ultimately it proves a failure. His infatuation “When she came out on the doorstep my heart leaped” (Araby 345) shows his use of the first person. This type of technique was creeping imperceptibly into narrations during those times when James Joyce wrote this story. He continues thinking about her until the story ends where he is standing and “remembering with difficulty why I had come” (356). It is through his own narration that the readers know his ordeal, his mental conflicts, and his disillusionment of love which has found its way into his narration (Norris 2003).

Transformation in Religious Ideas in “Araby” by James Joyce

During the writing of this story, the Roman Catholic was ruling the roost in Ireland. The modernist movement challenged trite and tested ideas of religion, which Joyce ambivalently expresses in this story. The different references in “Araby” by James Joyce such as that “Christian Brother’s School” (Joyce 347) in “Araby” are actually an expression of the attitude toward the prevalent religious faith. Mentioning the priest, finding books of the priest at the home, and the boy’s own reference of saving the “chalice” (348) are enough to show that religious dogmas are in the very soul of the boy. Yet, he wants to break up these shackles as he keeps “The Abbot by Walter Scott, The Devout Communicant and The Memories of Vidosq” (348), a modern book according to the standards of those times. The boy’s reference to a hero who “bore my chalice safely” (348) is not a Christian allusion, but a pagan one.

Transformation in Social Norms in “Araby” by James Joyce

The modernist movement also challenged the accepted social norms and turned them upside down even before “Araby” by James Joyce was written. The first sign of this is the boy’s falling in love with the girl who is a bit older. She succeeds in dominating the boy’s senses and holds him in her romantic grip as he imagines her “The life from the lamp opposite to our door caught the white curve of her neck” which seems to him something that arouses his senses (351). This is the exploitation of male sexuality that she attracts him and brings him to the point of a promise he does materialize, and gets frustrated.

Conclusion

These examples show that Joyce was affected by the onslaught of modernism and became a tool to start British modernism through his writings. Ulysses came out much later but before that “Araby” clearly shows his inclination toward the modernist movement. His ambivalent attitude toward religion, his narrative technique, and his allusions demonstrate it in “Araby” which is not the first representative story of this movement.

Works Cited
  1. Joyce, James. “Araby.” Edgar V. Roberts, & Robert Zweig. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, 10/E . New York: Longman, 2012. 348-362.
  2. Norris, Margot. Suspicious Readings of Joyce’s Dubliners. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania, 2003. Print.
  3. Potter, Rachel. Modernist Literature. Edinburgh University Press. 2012. Print.
Relevant Questions
  1. How does James Joyce use the concept of epiphany in “Araby” to exemplify a key characteristic of modernist literature, and what is the significance of the protagonist’s epiphany in the story?
  2. “Araby” is often seen as a prime example of the modernist emphasis on the interior world of characters. How does the narrative perspective and the protagonist’s inner thoughts and emotions contribute to this aspect of modernism in the story?
  3. In “Araby,” the mundane and the symbolic are juxtaposed throughout the narrative. How does this interplay between the ordinary and the symbolic reflect the modernist fascination with the subconscious and the exploration of deeper, hidden meanings in everyday life?
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“Everyday Use” and “A Man Who Was…”: African American Culture

“Everyday Use” and “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” are similar in their themes of racial discrimination against African Americans, and their poor living conditions but different in narrative techniques and protagonists.

Introduction to “Everyday Use” and “The Man Who Was Almost a Man”

“Everyday Use” and “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” show themes of racial discrimination, African-American conditions and different narratives. During the first and second half of the 20th century, there were several African- American writers, who achieved great names in American literature and Richard Wright was among them, though Alice Walker was not in the limelight at that time as she was born in the half of the 20th century. Richard Wright has mostly written about male characters, being male, but Alice Walker has not only touched on female sexuality but also commented on black feminism, avoiding commenting on the male and propagating female independence. Called the father of African-American literature, Richard Wright was deeply aware of the cultural shortcomings that his compatriots faced in the United States and their ultimate failure. He was also proud of his success but at the same time, he created protagonists who could not succeed as African Americans like Dave in his famous story “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” because he tries to show his manliness in a different way (Rayson). However, Alice Walker, though, came when Richard Wright was long dead, created stories of female sexuality and female independence that she has been hailed as a predecessor of the famous Zora Neal Hurston. Yet she has not created such powerful stories. In fact, she came at a time when African Americans were struggling for their identities and she moved it further. David White is right in saying that “She uses the principal characters of Mama, Dee (Wangero), and Maggie to clarify this theme” (White). However, her characters are very strong like the mother in “Everyday Use.” “Everyday Use” and “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” are similar in their themes of racial discrimination against African Americans, and their poor living conditions but different in narrative techniques and protagonists.

Racial Discrimination in “Everyday Use” and “The Man Who Was Almost a Man”

The theme of racial discrimination runs deep in both stories. Dave is after a gun from Joe’s store because he daily faces insults. That is why he wants to have a gun so that they “could not talk … a little boy” and he wishes that “a man oughta to hava little gun aftah he done worked hard all day” (Wright 682). Then Joe makes Dave realize that he is a boy and he does not need a gun, but African American slaves do not understand that they are not even considered sane. Therefore, this is his desire that he should be counted as a man, and he buys a gun that he accidentally kills Jenny with and is fined to pay for that. Although his father is with him and he does not interfere except when necessary, he just used to look “at his father uneasily” when he is with his mother pleading to have money for the gun. He comes to know this at the end when he learns that he would have to pay two dollars a month for two years over which he utters his usual “Shucks! Ah’ll be dam!” (689). However, this is not very much clear in “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker because she supports feminism instead of racial bias though it is present all around in the story.  The mom in the story tells that she is a “large, big boned woman” (Walker 524) that could be only an African American woman. She then tells about her education that when she left school in 1927, “colored asked fewer questions” which shows that at that time they did not have the right to question (528). They were segregated and set apart from other people but now the situation has changed and she can earn on her own though their living conditions have not improved very much.

Poor Living Conditions in “Everyday Use” and “The Man Who Was Almost a Man”

They used to live in very poor conditions. The mother in “Everyday Use” is very clear about the description of the house which shows their financial condition. She, with her disabled daughter Maggie, has cleaned the yard which is “an extended living room” because this is their entire home where they are living. She says that it is made up of hard clay and when it is “swept clean” it becomes comfortable for a person to sit (524). It is not only the condition of the house but also the condition of the things which is showing that they are very poor and it is only because they are African Americans. Although there are three rooms, only the roof is made of tin. There are a few trunks full of quilts and pillows she has prepared for Maggie that Dee wants to get but she refuses because Maggie needs them for everyday use. However, it is clear in Richard Right in the very beginning when Dave tells everything about him and how he works in the fields and gets enough to save for a day. This is also clear from the broken and pidgin English African Americans used to speak. His job is to plow in the fields of Hawkins whose mule he killed when trying to fire his pistol and becomes a slave to earn two dollars each month. His obsession with guns shows it clearly that he tries to hide it at home but could not. This is the situation of a slave that in the end his father and mother make him confess to pay the fine to get rid of it.

Narrative Techniques in “Everyday Use” and “The Man Who Was Almost a Man”

Both stories, however, differ in their narrative techniques. The story of Dave in “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” is told in the third person pronoun. The narrator is some omniscient person who sees him above how he lives, acts, and narrates his entire routine. Dave, the teenager is fed up with being called a little boy. He wants to show the people that he is a man and tells his mother that he is going to purchase a gun. The story takes place in conversation but then is told in the third person where some detail is required such as “Dave looked at the floor” and so on (687). There is no first person until the end when Dave leaves the village so that “he could be a man” (689). However, “Everyday Use” is in the first person. The mother of Dee and Maggie tells her own version of the story, inserting her biography here and there to show how careful and independent she is. In fact, this first-person choice on the part of Alice Walker is the demonstration of the assertion of female independence. This is a sort of assertion of a self-respected woman who is proud to have a daughter like Dee but she is also very careful to take care of her disabled daughter. The first-person narrative suits such a character that asserts their self-made personality as she is very open when she says that “I can kill” a hunt and clean it, too (526). This shows she is very strong and brave like men — the reason that she has been able to raise two kids even when she was alone. It means that both authors have put different characters in different circumstances to show different shades of African American community.

African-American Community in “Everyday Use” and “The Man Who Was Almost a Man”

These protagonists show that whereas men of the African American community were naturally irresponsible during childhood, women were very responsible and self-assertive in that they had to take care of their children like all protective mothers. The self-assertion of the mother is very much obvious in the sixth to the seventh paragraph where the mother compares herself with men in strength and makeup. She is proud of herself that she has brought up Dee, an educated girl and that she has taken care of her disabled daughter.  Whatever the mother, Mrs. Johnson does and does not do reflects the situation and culture she is living in as it states that she can kill “a hog” (526) which shows that she is habitual of doing this in the male-dominated society (Velazquez). However, in the case of Richard Wright, the protagonist is Dave who wants to assert in these circumstances that he is a man and he knows how to fire a gun. In fact,  he is fed up with the little wages he earns because he is considered a boy. He wants to show them — the owner Hawkins that he is not a child, but a grown-up man. However, in this conflict, he commits the mistake of killing Jenny and is trapped in the loan of paying that amount in two years. This shows that the men’s role in African American community is that of irresponsible idiots since childhood — the reason that they are always caught up in debt in one or the other way. Therefore, Richard Wright has shown a mirror to his community that until men are irresponsible and irrational, Mrs. Johnson like characters, asserts Walker, would continue to bring up their children where there is nobody to take care of them.

Conclusion

Concluding the essay, it could be stated that whereas one story is about Mrs. Johnson, an independent widow, her female independence and her male-like bravery and strength, the other is about a teenager who shows his irresponsible attitude and behavior since childhood and leaves home to prove himself a man. His struggle ends only when he leaves home which is the end of the men in African American community. The techniques also support this theory because Mrs. Johnson states her story in first person narrative, while the third person narrative shows a sort of indifferent attitude as Dave does not share with his father what he needs. Rather, there is another mother engaged in teaching her son the skills of survival though he proves like his father and takes more debt instead of earning. Therefore, both stories show a different angle of the lives of the African American community though there are some similarities in that the characters are shown living in squalor and dirty conditions as they used to live. There are also some similarities in their self-assertion where one is asserting her motherhood by raising children while the other is asserting his manhood by firing the pistol. 

Works Cited

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“Sweat” and “Everyday Use”: Feminism

Therefore, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker in “Sweat” and “Everyday Use” are not the only proponents of female independence, but also demonstrate the decline of male domination and women’s pragmatic approach

Introduction to Feminism in “Sweat” and “Everyday Use”

The sense of awakening among African Americans emerged after the Harlem Renaissance but it was slow and gradual though it first entered the realm of story writing and fiction and before creeping into the public psyche. Alice Walker and Zora Neal Hurston are two popular female African American voices, who have given a different shape to story writing with African American female experience and collective consciousness. In their stories, they have presented black African American female characters in such a way that they become independent by the end of the stories not only in their thinking like mom but also in their actions like Delia Jones of “Sweat.” Such developments give them an edge over their males and so-called African American male chauvinism although the female body has also become merely an object for sexual appeal and pleasure (Collins 77). Also, both have selected racial discrimination as the major theme for their stories, the reason that their approach is toward feminism or better to say toward the uplift of black sexuality or African American women. It is because both have presented characters, which not only lead to their own independence but also their better thinking and pragmatic approach to life. Zora’s Skyes tells it clearly to Delia, “You sho is one aggravatin’ n****r woman” (Hurston 241) and Zora knows that this n****r woman should be independent to ward off the torture of Sykes, while mom knows that she is a “big-boned woman with rough … hands” (Walker 358). But Maggie should not be dependent on anybody, though Dee has won over the circumstances. Therefore, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker in their respective stories “Sweat” and “Everyday Use” are not the only proponents of female independence, but also demonstrate the decline of male domination and women’s pragmatic approach toward life and their siblings.

Feminism: Women’s Independence in “Sweat” and “Everyday Use”

Not only Alice Walker but also Zora Neal Hurston has presented female characters who are either independent, or vie for independence, or at least try their best and win their independence disregarding the fact that they wait and see the male members getting killed in this connection. The mother in “Everyday Use” knows that her educated daughter Dee is successful, while disabled Maggie is not because Dee “had a style of her own” (360). However, Maggie was dependent on her, and she knew the pains of having no independence. This happens in the absence of a male member of the family. Even Dee is aware of this as she tells Maggie at the end, “You out to try” which means independence that she is asking her about (364). However, in Zora Neal Hurston, it is Delia Jones who stays under male domination for quite a long time and suffers torture and cruelty at the hands of her husband, Sykes. He used to terrify her and in this attempt was “almost rolled on the ground in his mirth” though he used to do nothing (241). Yet when the time comes, “she saw him on his hands and knees” (251). It was time for her to become independent and she knew that the “cold river was creeping up” (251). This is independence from the torture and suffering that she must go through for a long. As a student, Rachel Carazo has stated in her paper that this is “independence [of Delia], but only by assuming a male-oriented stance” (Carazo). It means that she has transformed her role to win independence.

Feminism and Patriarchy in “Sweat” and “Everyday Use”

Male domination and male chauvinism in both stories are either absent or on the decline. In the case of Delia Jones in “Sweat,” Sykes does what he can to roll “on the ground in his mirth” (241) but it gradually declines as he does not perform his essential role of a breadwinner. He merely makes fun of Delia whatever she does to earn her living. That is why in the end when a rattlesnake he brings for Delia bites him, she merely looks at him and does nothing. She even does not support him when he “crept an inch or two” (248) which means that his male domination is now going to end. Whereas Mom and Maggie are concerned, they have no male in the family. She has done whatever she can to educate Dee and support Maggie. There is a male member Hakmi-e-Barbar, but he is associated with Dee and money, not Maggie and mom. It means that male domination and male chauvinism are absent in the story. Alice Walker has made African Americans independent without male domination about which she is of the view that they are on the decline, or perhaps they have lost their sense of responsibility toward the female of the family. However, it does not mean that women hate male domination, or male presence. In fact, they love it as mom mentions their Uncle Buddy, Henry, and their Grandfather Jarrell as they have preserved their relics “Great Grandpa Ezra’s uniform that he wore in the Civil War” but it is just to the point of preservation (361).

Practical Femininity in “Sweat” and “Everyday Use”

Women of Alice Walker and Zora Neal Hurston in “Everyday Use” and “Sweat” are not only pragmatic but also brave and bold. Delia Jones suffers as long as she could bear. The only problem with her is that she has no man at home with her. That is why Sykes is the only male person at home. However, when he crosses all the limits and makes her a butt of his barbaric jokes, she ignores him though she does not kill him. But it is all the same enough for him. The same is the case of mom. She knows that Dee is beautiful and stylish, and she can have her own life. However, the issue is Maggie who cannot walk without her help. She is not as smart as Dee. Therefore, when at the end, Dee asks her to have quilts as they seem to be symbols of heritage, she turns to Maggie and states that it is for her. That is why mom states that I “hugged Maggie” and then puts everything in “Maggie’s lap” (361) — a way that she shows her displeasure at the treatment of her daughter. This is her pragmatism. She knows that Dee has succeeded in her life, but Maggie depends on her because there is no male member in her home to support them.

Conclusion of “Sweat” and “Everyday Use”

In short, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker have given a good picture of African American women. In her story “Sweat,” Zora Neal Hurston has presented Sykes to show how irresponsible and cruel black men are towards their own men. Therefore, women of the African American race not only suffer from racial discrimination but also from their own men. Therefore, both Alice Walker and Zora Neal Hurston have presented their female characters wishing to be independent and touchy about their siblings while removing male domination to assert their own feminism in their respective stories “Sweat” and “Everyday Use.”

Works Cited
  1. Collins, Patricia Hill. Black Sexual Politics. Rutledge, New  York. 2009. Print.
  2. Cazaro, Rachel. “Feminism Through Religion in Hurston’s “Sweat.” African African. African. n. d. Web. 06 Aug. 2023.
  3. Hurston, Zora Neal. “Sweat” Charters, Anne. The Story and Its Writer. New York: Bedford /St. Martins, 2014. 241-251
  4. Walker, Alice. “Everyday Use” Charters, Anne. The Story and Its Writer. New York: Bedford /St. Martins, 2014. 358-362

“The Story of an Hour”: Irony

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin is not only full of symbols but also ironic situations and comments, making it having multiplicity of meanings.

Introduction to Analysis of “The Story of an Hour”

Besides superficial meanings, a literary piece has deeper meanings to tell like Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” which is not only full of symbols but also ironic situations and comments. From the face, it seems a very simple story of a lady who receives the news of the death of her husband and feels depressed. When the same news transpires the wrong report, she immediately dies due to cardiac failure. Yet deeper meanings are not the same as superficial ones. They show not only the character of a woman of the 19th century but also the social and financial circumstances in which she lives and how marriage traps her. Kate Chopin uses multiple symbols and ironies to convey the real meanings of false love, marriage, and social issues related to the 19th century through her story “The Story of an Hour.”

Spotting Themes in “The Story of an Hour”

My first reaction to the story is that of stupefaction. I, at once, realized the irony and its symbolical value when I read the last sentence. The heart vulnerable to suffering in the first line stops working due to happiness. What a symbol of the fickleness of mind that the writer uses! It is also that the story has several symbols used dexterously by Kate Chopin to make her meanings clear. The story opens with the mention of heroin. The stress is upon her heart as if she is suffering from some cardiac issue, but also that she has heart problems. It has both meanings that she is an amalgamation of not only physical but also emotional problems. The story shows “Mrs. Mallard … afflicted with a heart trouble” (Chopin) which is the major reason for the great care the news breaker has taken. This heart is also a symbol of society as marriage is the heart of any society and if society must have strong foundations, the marriage institution must get strengthened. Her heart may show the situation of the peril that the family institution faced in the 19th century. This opens up another debate when the story ends where it shows that she has died due to cardiac arrest but not on account of sorrow but happiness.

Symbolism in “The Story of an Hour”

Kate Chopin has also used symbols such as time, patches of sky, and the chair. Some of them are even personifications. The time is of spring as Kate Chopin states about her that she could watch the “trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life” (Chopin). All the next sentences show her jubilation over the situation she finds herself in. She thinks that now she is seeing all spring and no more autumn as she is going to free herself from the clutches of her marriage. In fact, spring is a symbol of happiness and shows how she views life. In this happiness, she sees all things expressing her feelings such as the patches of the blue sky. It is also a symbol of happiness and freedom. Earlier she thought of ending her life, but now the symbols have changed. Similarly, the chair has also become a significant symbol. The chair is personified when she hears the news of the death of her husband and sinks into it, but when this is over, she relaxes in it.

Irony in “The Story of an Hour”

As far as irony is concerned, Kate Chopin has used both situational as well as dramatic irony. The mere coming back of the dead husband is an example of situational irony. It is highly ironic that a person who is supposed to be dead and going through rituals comes alive home and is hardly aware of his own death. The second situational irony is that Mr. Mallard who should have come home dead, comes alive and Mrs. Mallard who is going to live a new life, dies on the spot. The greatest irony is that Mrs. Mallard is feeling happy and free, while others are worried that she might go into a comma or that this grief may cost her life. However, when the situation turns, they see that she, instead of dying of a heart attack, dies due to excessive happiness. Just read what the story says at the end, “When the doctors [states that it is] joy that kills” (Chopin). The other form is that of dramatic irony which is both when she cries though actually, she is happy that she is now free from her marriage locks. She is, in fact, thinking how wonderful life would be for her, while it is not the case for others who are thinking that life would be difficult for her and taking steps to make her comfortable. Her situation is that she is taking to her fancy imagining good old days of freedom, while her sister is taking care of her by clasping “her sister’s waist (Chopin) so that she should be consoled in any way. This shows how pretension and artificiality have been dominant in the 19th century and how ladies are fickle-minded.

Conclusion of Analysis of “The Story of an Hour”

In short, Kate Chopin suggests the meanings through symbols and irony in this story. All the symbols used in this story have different meanings that correlate with the ironic situations and remarks. It shows that life in the 19th century was witnessing fast transformations – the result of fast progress and modern ideas creeping into society. Marriage and false love were destroying social relationships which different symbols amply demonstrate here.

Works Cited

Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. n.d. VCU. <http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/webtexts/hour/>. Accessed 12 Mar. 2020.

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“The Cask of Amontillado”: Revenge

Introduction to Revenge in “The Cask of Amontillado”

The nature of the character Montresor, how he weaves a web around his victim Fortunate, a character in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe, shows that human nature is not only inexplicable but also unpredictable. Even a slight joke, which if considered an “insult” (Poe 1), could be fatal for a person. Montresor states that just a slight insult led him to conclude that Fortunato, otherwise his close friend, in whose death he would demonstrate his true nature. If Fortunato has insulted him by not refraining from making fun of him, he would surely have to pay for it. Even though he belongs to the gentry and lives a highly popular life, once Montresor makes up his mind, he goes for it and takes his life. Commenting about Montresor, Patrick McGrath said, “none are quite as deranged as the narrator of “The Cask of Amontillado” … [whose] story opens with a threat” (McGrath). Not only he makes a plot but goes for its implementation. From the very start, he enters the stage with a bang of “the thousand injuries” (Poe 1). He shows not only his patience but also his fury. He makes up his mind to redress what happened in the past. He then spots weaknesses in the character of Fortunato, picks up his habits, and exploits them to the point where he falls in his lap like a ripe apple. He knows when to choose the right moment, where to trap his victim, and how to take him to the depths of his catacombs. With precise and measured steps, he arranges for his death. Therefore, there is one point that needs debate. It is how he exacts his revenge that is quite clear, but the most important thing is the evil machinations he uses. This is a psychological aspect of his character that he uses all his machinations besides exploiting the weaknesses in the character of Fortunato,  then chooses the right time of the year and of that night, and manipulates him through deception.

Exploitation of Human Nature in “The Cask of Amontillado”

Most of the acts of Montresor, the murderer, are based on the exploitation of the weaknesses in human character. As McGrath has further stated about him that “fictional narrative and psychotic illness are mutually exclusive entity” (McGrath) where such characters could possibly be either one of these or both. After swearing to exact revenge on his friend, he starts looking for his weaknesses to exploit them. His major idea is not to put his own life at risk. Like every other person, Fortunato certainly has a weakness and one of them is his expertise in wine, while the other is flattery. It becomes a secondary weakness that Montresor just finds out when mentioning his rival Luchresi, with the idea that he would feel jealous, and it exactly happens. Commenting on his plot, Gargano states that “His reasoned, “cool” intelligence weaves an intricate plot” that destroys his very humanity (Gargano 179). In other words, it makes him different from that the narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart.” He is better in that he succeeds in concealing his murder for more than fifty years, but the narrator of the other tale could not keep it a secret even for fifty minutes and speaks out in the same house where he commits the crime. However, Montresor, not only conceals it but also keeps it in his memory. His exploitation includes flattery at the very start when he praises him for his connoisseurship of wine, and then arouses his jealousy with the mention of his rival. In order to further enhance his thirst and curiosity, he mentions the name of Luchreshi repeatedly saying only he is at the top. He also mentions his disease, and the effects of the seasons on his mind so that he should know that he takes care of him. But his real objective is to strengthen his plot and not to leave him. And up to the point of that hidden corner, he was really successful that he brought him of his own volition.

Psychological Issue in “The Cask of Amontillado”

Had Montresor been a psycho-case, it must have been different on the occasion of the great carnival, but again he displayed his extreme sagacity by choosing the right time to bring him down to his catacombs. He selects the occasion of the carnival not on some premeditated thoughts but just by coincidence. It shows that he is capable of thinking at the moment and weaving his plot accordingly. This just props up in his mind that he could make further excuses to convince Fortunato that he needs “I have received a piple of what passess for Amontillado” (3). It is his shot, and it did not miss his target. The target is with him on his way to his death chamber. The joining of his passion with his taste is really a good idea, but the excellent plot is to weave it at the right moment and then exploit it further. Gabbard states that he “lures his victim” through his tricks” (Gabbard 18-19) and one of them is the trick of using the time to his own advantage. Moreover, when he states that “It was midnight” (Poe 5) which shows that the selection of midnight or to trap and kill at night was not merely a coincidence. He has thought long and hard to conclude that he could kill him and live for another day, only after he executes this task at night. However, it is further supplemented with the use of flattery, jealousy, and extra caution in asking about his health repeatedly. But the real choice is the choice of time that seems to show Montresor working at his best.

Manipulation of Habit in “The Cask of Amontillado”

Habits are die-hard and never leave a person. A person is often caught or trapped through his/her habits and if you catch a person by exploiting his habits, you are a great dissembler that you do not let the victim knows what, when, or how you pose. Montresor is exactly that sort of person. One thing is perhaps due to the word “mask” in the very title of the story. As Gargano states that Montresor actually has a “black silk” mask and Fortunato is “in the motley of a fool” (Gargano). This is the mask of amontillado that is black and under this mask, he uses his deceptiveness. The mask he wears is complete and perfect in that he never lets his victim knows at any stage what is happening inside his mind. Montresor is hellbent on hiding his ”good will” (Poe 1). This goodwill is to show him that he is the well-wisher of Fortunato. On the one hand, he exploits his habits as stated earlier, and on the other hand, he does not demonstrate any transformation in his own habit “to smile in his face” (2). This is a devilish way of trapping any enemy – a supreme method to exhibit that he has nothing bad against him. But his deception is due to the factor that although Fortunato is a well-respected man in his community, he is also “feared” (2). This is the basis of his deception. This means that had Fortunato known at any moment his evil intentions, Montresor’s own life would have been in danger. Not only does he escort him with glee but also demonstrates the same warmth in return for his “excessive warmth” (2) until he blurts out that “you are luckily met” (3). The extreme moment comes in the catacomb when he brings him to the corner and still hides his evil intentions in his broad smile that Fortunato only thinks it a “very good joke indeed” (7). This is despite the fact that he is almost sure that he has been trapped. This is the point where he hurries to complete his task of trapping him to ensure his slow death. And his deception is executed flawlessly.

Conclusion of Analysis of “The Cask of Amontillado”

In nutshell, Montresor is a great dissembler. Leaving aside all psychological theories applied to his mind or character, his selection of the season, time and moment are so perfect that he deserves the praise of a detective. Even there is nothing to detect, as he has ensnared Fortunato where nothing comes out for the next fifty years until he himself reveals his secret. His all machinations of exploiting his nature to his own advantage make him a fearful and terrifying killer among all the other killers of Edgar Allen Poe. Although other characters such as the narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” is also as merciless as Montresor, the difference is in the use of machinations and deception, and above all keeping them a secret for long. His machinations and deceptions are so perfect that fifty years pass but nothing is known of this respectable, noble and yet feared person, until he reaches the point where he thinks it harmless to reveal in his story. However, the narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” could not hide in the face of confrontation and just passes fifty or so minutes when he exposes everything. However, Montresor is of a different mettle. He has worn a mask that he could not remove until he feels quite safe. Although from the very start, Montresor also thinks that it could be difficult as he is “feared,” he starts using deception not only in his manners but also in his actions. His love, his happiness after seeing Fortunato, his praise, his smile – in short satisfaction and calmness ooze out of every organ of his body. He never lets him suspect that a grave danger is lurking behind his smile. Behind this entire plot and his excellent machinations lie his passion for revenge for the insult that he bears at his hands, though thousands of injuries could not prompt him to this action. Therefore, it is correct to say that his whole body and mind are working in tandem to execute his plan, which is the product of his passion for revenge.

Work Cited about “The Cask of Amontillado”
  1. Gabbard, Alexandra Lauren Corrêa. “The Figure of the Trickster in Poe’s “Hop Frog” and the Cask of Amontillado.” UMFGO (2009): 18-22.
  2. Gargano, James W. “The Masquerade Vision in Poe’s Short Stories”. Edgar Allen Poe. 15 Oct. 2010. Web. Accessed 04 Aug. 2020.
  3. —. “The Question of Poe’s Narrators.” College English 25.3 (2011): 177-181.
  4. McGrath, Patrick. “Method to the Madness”. The New York Times. 28 June 2013. Newspaper Source. Web. Accessed 04 Aug. 2020.
  5. Poe, Edgar Allen. “The Cask Of Amontillado”. 1846. Web. Accessed 27 Nov. 2020.

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