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Stereotypes in "Uncle Tom's Cabin", 2008.
A look at the recent criticism leveled at Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin", regarding the book's stereotypical portrayal of African-Americans
1,222 words (approx. 4.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, £ 23.95
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Abstract
This paper examines some of the stereotypes found in "Uncle Tom's Cabin", with particular focus on the main character of Uncle Tom. The paper argues that the character of Uncle Tom is represented as a stereotype of an old, suffering and obedient servant, faithful to his white masters no matter what, but that there is also a philosophy of resistance in the passivity that he exudes. Furthermore, this paper argues that it is in the depiction of African-American women that many stereotypes can be found. Finally, this paper attempts to answer the following question: do the negative aspects of this novel outweigh its moral message?
From the Paper
"Uncle Tom's Cabin actually consists of two stories told in parallel. It begins with a financial crisis of the Shelby family whom are forced to sell some of their slaves. Eliza, the slave who is a maid in the house overhears this plan, which includes the sale of her child, and escapes with her husband and young son. We follow their long and dangerous escape route that eventually leads them to Canada. Uncle Tom, although he has a family on the plantation, does actually get sold to a family in New Orleans. He is very pious and accepting and soon becomes very faithful to his new owner much like he was to the one who sold him. The family is eventually won over by Uncle Tom and his calm, assuming manner, that both the father and the daughter become ardent supporters of abolishment. "
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"The Golden Compass" and "The Wind in the Willows", 2008.
A comparison of the characters' relationship to community and friendship in Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows" and Philip Pullman's "The Golden Compass."
2,154 words (approx. 8.6 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 37.95
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Abstract
This paper compares friendship and community within Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows" and Philip Pullman's "The Golden Compass." It argues that in "The Wind in the Willows," friendship creates community, which in turn overcomes conflicts, while in "The Golden Compass," the characters are far more selfish and tend to sustain themselves only.
From the Paper
"Thus we see that in the fantasy world of The Golden Compass, the protagonist, Lyra, has no community, no true friends. All she has is her daemon - which appears to be little more than a very animate extension of herself. She is thus dependent upon her own resources to rescue herself from problems and conflicts - something she does remarkably well. On the other hand, the principal characters in The Wind in the Willows, Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad, all exist together in a community of mutually supportive friends. They have some individual autonomy, but when it comes down to it, there are rules that must be followed, and that are enforced. However, in return for this, the members of the community gain the security of an utterly reliable community of friends to help them out when need be."
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"Half-Breed", 2008.
An analysis of the struggles of the female protagonist in maria Campbell's novel, "Half-Breed."
1,091 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 21.95
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Abstract
The author of this paper relates that in studying women's lives in the intersection of multiple identities and communities, she has found that the the most vivid presentation of these issues comes from novels. The paper specifically focuses on Maria Campbell's novel, "Half-Breed." It describes the plot of the story and the way that Campbell portrays the struggles of the female protagonist in the plot.
From the Paper
"It seems to me that with the intersection of multiple identities and communities that many women must juggle in their daily lives, it is important that each woman award herself the importance of her own identity, as a work in progress. It is not enough to react to a static or changing environment. In some ways, Margaret in Harriet's Daughter is an inspiration with regards to this issue, because she is always dreaming and planning the change that would be right for her. Of course, she is young and did not have to face the pressures of a violent spouse or motherhood, or even poverty. As a child, her problems were considerably less acute than Maria's. And yet it seems important to recognise that if a woman envisions herself with new standards and new expectations, then she has a better chance to see her future unfold favourably."
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Rebels, Their Causes and Society, 2008.
A look at how the rebel and how society perceives the rebel is determined by a range of social, economic, political and cultural factors.
1,346 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 6 sources, MLA, £ 25.95
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Abstract
This paper argues that the rebel exists within a constant state of tension within society. The paper explains that in one sense rebels are seen as innovators that move society forward, and in another sense they are seen as a direct threat to the stability of a society. The paper explores how the dominant depiction of rebels depends on whether the society is in a state of advancement or trying to stabilize itself and uses two works to examine this argument. These works are "Hackers and the Battle for Cyberspace" by Helen Nissenbaum and "From Hell's Angel" by Ralph "Sonny" Barger. The paper also looks at how rebels occupy a precarious place in society. In conclusion, the paper shows that sometimes rebels are seen as a positive force of creativity, however when they threaten dominant institutions too much they are transformed into criminals that society attempts to destroy.
From the Paper
"This statement seems to indicate that although hackers largely did not play by the rules they did provide a valuable social and economic function. They were the creative individuals who really made the Internet into the highly functional technology that it is today. For this reason their rebellious nature was accepted by society as a whole.Many writers and researchers have noted that rebels play vital social, cultural, economic and political functions within society. For example, in "The Praise Folly" Desiderius Erasmus has Folly (the pinnacle of rebelliousness) explains her importance to society."
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Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", 2008.
This paper analyzes the themes of pride, prejudice and marriage in Jane Austen's Victorian novel "Pride and Prejudice".
1,430 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 4 sources, MLA, £ 26.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the premise of pride and prejudice in relation to the characters of Elizabeth and Darcy in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". The author points out that the public behaviors of Darcy's pride makes him appear to be an arrogant and self-serving young man. The paper relates that his behaviors are not driven by mere vanity but by a true desire to associate with only the most moral and noble of persons. The author underscores that Elizabeth holds a prejudice against Darcy's public image and must invariably undergo an evolutionary change to realize Darcy's private moral and upstanding convictions. The paper concludes that, when Elizabeth realizes that Darcy is prideful, gruff and impersonal to people who are immoral and vice-prone, she understands that this is a form of pride upon which to form a marriage.
From the Paper
"When Elizabeth hears of this private side of Darcy's personality, she is astonished to realize that he does not behave proudly out of mere arrogance, but out of his own conviction for just actions and moral fortitude. This also forces Elizabeth to reconsider her rejection of Darcy first marriage proposal, but the issue of pride in Darcy's attitudes is not founded on vanity; which also provides more evidence for Elizabeth to consider accepting Darcy if he should propose marriage to her again."
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First Nations Literature, 2008.
A review of First Nations Literature including two plays by Marie Clements: "Burning Vision" and "The Unnatural and Accidental Women", and a poetry book "Exercises in Lip Pointing" by Annharte.
1,315 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 4 sources, MLA, £ 24.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses of some of the ways in which First Nations literature makes a criticism of North American society and culture. the paper explains that in "Burning Vision", Clements makes it clear that the First World is pathologically sick in terms of its attitude to the world and its people and resources. The paper then examines the theme of resistance and struggle and decolonization in three of the texts. The writer believes that if First Nations' existence is defined by their status as having been colonized by people of a different race, then their salvation lies in resistance and struggle. The writer concludes that if First Nations cannot decolonize their countries, they can at least decolonize their minds, and that is what many of the best First Nations writers strive to do, which accounts for the central importance of this theme in much of their literature.
From the Paper
"Clements also seems to imply that the ultimate expression of this rape is nuclear destruction - the ultimate assertion of power, delivered in phallic-shaped bombs by phallic-shaped jets. In this regard, it is important to remember that FAT MAN was the name of one of the atomic bombs. Moreover, the other atomic bomb was code named LITTLE BOY. This was unintentional irony, given that it is Western male aggression that propelled colonization, as well as the kind of destruction meted out by the atomic bombs. In The Unnatural and Accidental Women, Clements seems to be on a totally different track, focusing on poor women living in Vancouver's Eastside in the 1980s."
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Urban Life and Poetry, 2008.
A look at the portrayal of urban life as portrayed in William Blake's "London," T.S Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," and "Ode to Frank Silvera" by Bill Bissett.
1,165 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 3 sources, MLA, £ 22.95
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Abstract
This essay discusses how urban life is portrayed in three poems: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," "London," and "Ode to Frank Silvera." It looks at how all three of these poems portray urban life as utterly alienating and depressing; places where people find horrible jobs, diseases, superficial social interchanges, poverty, and on and on with a depressing litany.
From the Paper
"T.S. Eliot wrote "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" just before the outbreak of World War I. It was an anxious time for urbanites such as the lonely J. Alfred Prufrock portrayed in the poem. Prufrock belittles himself, as for example in lines like "Almost, at times, the Fool" (Eliot 119). Yet despite this, the poem seems to be primarily a serious poem about the isolation of modern humanity. Eliot paints a depressing picture of an isolated man in a city, lonely, neurotic, anxious, depressed and pathetic. This paints the city as a contradictory setting in which even though population is dense, each person may be isolated completely from her neighbours. "
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Absent Fathers in Two Novels, 2008.
An analysis of the theme of the absent father in E. Nesbit's "The Story of the Treasure Seekers" and Brian Doyle's "Uncle Ronald".
2,653 words (approx. 10.6 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts E. Nesbit's "The Story of the Treasure Seekers" and Brian Doyle's "Uncle Ronald", particularly with regards to the theme of the absent father. The paper points out that, on the surface, the books seem to have little in common. The paper adds that the former is a hard-hitting, realistic tale that most parents would have to think long and hard about, before reading it to their children, while the latter is a delightful tale where the unpleasant realities of life are merely hinted at. However, the paper asserts that the stories are similar in that they both deal at length with the issue of the absent father and that these largely absent fathers are crucial to the development of the protagonists of the books. The paper concludes that the main difference between the stories lies in the resolution of the problem of the absent father.
From the Paper
"We thus come to the first clear commonality of the books. Young Mickey lacks a father because even though he is in the house, he does not play the role of a father. He is not a father to be loved and respected, but a pathetic tyrant to be feared and hated. Thus, although Mickey appears to have a father, to all intents and purposes he does not. His father is present in the sense of being physically there, but has no useful communication with his son, and plays no positive role in his life. Exactly the same could be said about Mr. Bastable. Although he is physically there, he has no useful communication with his children, and plays no positive role in their lives."
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The Coming of Age of Three Characters, 2008.
An analysis of the coming of age theme in in Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn," Jane Austin's "Emma" and Chaim Potok's "My Name is Asher Lev."
1,912 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 3 sources, APA, £ 34.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the coming of age of character's within Mark Twain's 1885 "Huckleberry Finn," Jane Austin's 1816 "Emma" and Chaim Potok's 1972 "My Name is Asher Lev." It particularly compares and contrasts the conflict, setting and supporting characters in each of these novels in order to show how Mark Twain (Samuel Clements), Chaim Potok and Jane Austen developed the theme of personal growth in their writing.
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Thesis
Conflict
Character
Setting
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Emma Woodhouse is not driven by the same kinds of conflicting societal forces as haunt Huck and Asher. However, her relationships with a number of characters complicate her views of herself and in the end lead to her growth as a person. In Emma's case it is recognition that others must be accepted for who they are, not what we wish them to be or for their social station in life. Where early in the novel Emma is absorbed in herself and her assumptions about others, at the end of the novel we see her state, "Oh! No - what an impudent dog I was! - How could I dare" (Austen, 1999, p.443). Her friend Harriet, as an example, is a character about whom Emma made many assumptions, such as that she was born of wealth and should not marry below herself. In the end Emma must recognize that Harriet is the daughter of a tradesman - one does not need to be born of wealth. In an age where people commonly accepted that one's character was based on one's birth, for Emma to view the others uncritically represents a growth not unlike Huck's ability to accept Jim as an equal or for Asher to accept himself as an artist of non-Jewish themes."
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Themes in Herling and Witkiewicz' Works, 2008.
An analysis of the similarities and differences between Gustav Herling's "A World Apart" and Stanislaw Witkiewicz's "The Shoemakers."
2,080 words (approx. 8.3 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 36.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at two famous achievements in Polish literature - Gustav Herling's "A World Apart" and Stanislaw Witkiewicz's "The Shoemakers." The paper analyzes how each author addresses the themes of nationalism, absurdity (chiefly of the human sort), freedom and individuality. In so doing, the paper discusses the many similarities - but also a few differences - between the two works.
From the Paper
"On the other hand, the attack on individuality in the labor camp to which Herling is condemned is of a more graphic nature. The work is brutal and monotonous and, unlike the work the Apprentices and Sajetan bristle over, there is no earthly means by which it can be avoided; one cannot quit work detail in a labor camp, after all. More than that, the prisoners are all so dehumanized that the brutalizing effects of the camp serve as levelers, stripping each of them of their individuality and reducing them to battered husks - husks so undermined and malnourished that even love-making is, almost without exception, beyond the abilities of the men during their intermittent conjugal visits with their wives (Herling, 95). In a real sense, the most vital parts of the human being - the ability to think independently and freely, the ability to make love - are shorn from the prisoners via mind-numbing and body-crippling work and oppression."
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First Nations Literature, 2008.
A critical look at North American culture as seen through First Nations literature.
920 words (approx. 3.7 pages), 3 sources, MLA, £ 18.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses 'First Nations literature' as referring to the poems, novels, stories, plays, legends and songs created by Aboriginal writers from North America. The paper describes the lack of First Nation literature and how what does exist reflects upon North American society. The paper provides examples from two books (a novel and an historical text), a play, and a film in its analysis.
From the Paper
"The very making of this film offers a critique on North American society, as the filmmakers hoped to revitalize Inuit traditions and bring the legends of the past to a whole new generation of youth. The new growth in Native literature is continuing this trend, with distinctive Aboriginal voices speaking up to offer a renewed critique of Western society. This literature is uniquely capable of reminding all North Americans about the continued impact of our bloody history, the contemporary failure to ensure social justice for all, and the need for hope in creating a shared future together."
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Women's Experience in Modern East Asian Literature, 2008.
An analysis of women's subjective experience in modern East Asian literature, particularly in Japan.
1,051 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 5 sources, MLA, £ 20.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how, in Japan, women's literature since the late 19th century, has had particular forms expected whereby the woman who writes from her heart and reports details of life is seen as less significant than the woman whose work somehow complies with established traditions of form, subject and genre. The paper provides examples from East Asian literature to support its arguments.
From the Paper
"It is as though women's subjectivity, in their authentic expression, must crack through barriers of slightly different kinds, as both societies need to take on a new understanding of how women fit into literature and ideas. In the meantime, a wise approach is one of reading Chinese or Japanese works by women as direct accounts, trying to put aside preceding forms, concentrating on what the writer is trying to convey, more than the nature of her environment or the social or political environment. One knows that the women, not the Chinese outlook or the Japanese society's sexism, will be seen as problematic, as is well understood by women writers in both countries. Whatever appears will be assessed in relation to how well it fits with a tradition to have gone before and with criticism likely of that which diverges. Many things have not been good about women's experience in modern China or Japan at different times or in particular situations. At the same time, many things have been appreciable, as needs to be kept in mind by non-East Asian readers who may be quick to criticize the societies described or the condition or women within them. It is tremendously important that women in both China and Japan be encouraged to express themselves, as individuals, so that women's literature in both countries can be seen for its different vantage points and ideas."
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Anxiety of Futurism in Science Fiction Works, 2008.
An analysis of the anxiety of the future depicted in the science fiction works, "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clark, "The Lathe of Heaven" by Ursula K. Le Guin and "When It Changed" by Joanna Russ.
1,366 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 3 sources, MLA, £ 25.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the premise of futuristic anxiety in the science fictions works of Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula K. Le Guin and Joanna Russ. More specifically, the paper looks at Clarke's "Childhood's End," Le Guin's "The Lathe of Heaven" and Russ' "When It Changed" and provides evidence of the role of anxiety that rises within these author's depictions of the future.
From the Paper
"In conclusion, the premise of this study has been to analyze the premise of futuristic anxiety found within the works of Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Joanna Russ. By evaluating the anxiety of gender separatism, psychological terror, and human evolution in the human future, the premise of change and powerlessness is part of the ideas generated within the prophetically styled writings. In this manner, the worst fears of losing a stable human identity are the basis of anxiety that is foretold in the works of these three science fiction authors. By understanding the fluctuating changes that occur to human beings in a futuristic perspective, the anxiety of change is how science fiction produces prophetically frightening views on the future."
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"Success Through Failure", 2008.
A book review of Henry Petroski's, "Success Through Failure".
1,292 words (approx. 5.2 pages), 1 source, MLA, £ 24.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at Henry Petroski's, "Success Through Failure" about technological innovation. In particular, the paper discusses the thesis of the text, its effectiveness, and the broad scope of the volume. The paper also examines the organization of the work, its "style," its use of sources, and to which type of reader it seems best-suited. The paper concludes that, while not a path-breaking book or an engrossing one, it is a solid contribution to the general literature and should be seen as such.
From the Paper
"The scope of the book is impressive insofar as every conceivable "angle" is covered when detailing the dramatic and often uneven process by which technological innovation comes about. For example, the first chapter discusses how technological break-throughs often took place in response to the perceived limitations of previous technologies. The second chapter of the text devotes itself to looking at how the nature of the design problem can create a greater or lesser probability that certain key features will be overlooked. That is to say, if the design problem is complex and if it seeks to successfully incorporate a variety of different functions, the odds are high that the production process will lead to failures of one kind or another - and thus to "after-the-fact" adaptations and modifications. "
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