100% Secure Payment
© 2025 Copyright:
BoutEssays. All rights reserved
When The Crucible opened on January 22, 1953, audiences greeted it with lukewarm applause. Critics did what they do best by berating the new play. What is now arguably the most influential allegorical play on the subject of Communism written during the Cold War era, did simply horribly during its first production run. Broadway audiences took the play as a history lesson, while critics were hesitant to promote a play hailing the hunt for Communists as downright incredulous. Yet less than one year later, with the House of Un-American Activities Committee's trials in full swing, and with Hollywood in turmoil, an entirely new production of The Crucible swept the nation and became an instant hit (Miller, Why I Wrote) .Today, some 40 years later, The Crucible is known internationally, performed in dozens of countries, and is a symbol for a myriad of political and social ideas. Based on the Salem witch trials in colonial Massachusetts, The Crucible is open to different interpretations. However, to truly understand the original underlying message that Miller attempted to create, one must look to the reasons behind his writing of this play and examine how Miller embodies his ideas within the play itself.
Get original essaySurprisingly, Miller's original inspiration to scribe a play referencing the Salem witch trials came not from the prosecution of supposed Communists in the courts of illegal proceedings, but rather in the days of his college education at the University of Michigan, after reading a thousand-page study on the subject of the Salem witch trials. This study was written in 1867 by Charles W. Upham, who was the mayor of Salem when he wrote the study (Miller, Why I Wrote). In fact, someone without extensive prior knowledge of the Salem witch trials might be led to believe that Miller's version of events is fairly accurate in a historical sense. Without prior knowledge of Miller's motivation in relation to the Communist witch-hunts during his time, one might even believe that The Crucible is actually a historical play offering an accurate rendition of the Salem witch trials, with the sole purpose of entertainment through education. To be certain, The Crucible does indeed offer a fairly accurate overview of the Salem witch trials. The setting, the names of characters, and the general events of the Salem witch trials can all be directly compared with a history book pertaining to the era. Miller himself claimed that he did not approach the subject of witchcraft from purely social or political reasons (Miller, Why I Wrote). Yet, upon careful examination, the historical aspect of the play is revealed as extraordinarily flawed. Major characters, exaggerations, and changes to the social standards were dropped, changed, or brought to life (Burns). Although these changes might not be apparent to most readers, Miller's purpose in altering these events must be examined.
For the Broadway audiences of Miller's day, The Crucible used history to emphasize, to enlighten, and most of all, to criticize. Today, however, most who read Miller's The Crucible read it for its artistic value. As a "classic" modern American play, The Crucible is now analyzed for its ability to emphasize, enlighten, and criticize, but what it criticizes has become more and more questionable with the passing of years. Rather than see The Crucible as a badly produced history lesson (as did the original audiences of the first production), one now must actually go through a history lesson to understand what exactly went on behind the witch burnings and false accusations. To do so, one must examine the story behind Miller and the history behind him, as well.
The transition from World War II to the Cold War was a time of great tension. The United States had grudgingly agreed to collaborate with a decidedly Communist Russia for the sake of winning the war, and signed away control of Eastern Europe in the Treaty of Yalta. This was when the United States was clearly a superior nation whether through propaganda or through statistics. Five years later, however, the tables had turned. What was once a strong Communist Russia had suddenly splintered into a number of different factions that were gaining political strength throughout the world. This, coupled with the clear and concise message of world domination sent by Communist groups, sent the United States into an uproar. The Berlin Airdrop blatantly proved that Soviet Russia was out to sabotage the efforts of Democracy. Furthermore, the Korean War proved that the spread of Communism was a very possible scenario. What tripped the wire for the American public, however, was McCarthy's speech at Wheeling, West Virginia, which incited the infamous period of McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare.
McCarthyism was originally shunned in the United States. Senator McCarthy's claim of having a list of 205 covert Communists in the government was quickly withdrawn, and the fact that the list was faulty information was soon publicly known. Yet, slowly, he gained power. His uncovering of the few true agents that he had stumbled upon gave him the power to publically scrutinize nearly any official he wished to put under the eye of The House of Un-American Activities Committee, ensuring that the person in question would lose power and stature. The persecution of real Communist agents elsewhere, such as the extremely publicized and extraordinarily disturbing case of the Rosenbergs, gave even more power to McCarthy and those who supported him (Broudin). Individuals declared to be Communists were blacklisted from working ever again. Entertainers in Hollywood, writers, songwriters, and directors were tried in court if it was determined that they had ever expressed an opinion that ran contrary to the government's. As Miller noted, "[t]he Red hunt, led by the House Committee on Un-American Activities and by McCarthy, was becoming the dominating fixation of the American psyche" (Miller, Why I Wrote). As the number of common Americans being blacklisted grew, the public become more and more nervous. Meanwhile, authors, playwrights, and others in the arts who were prosecuted sought to speak out against McCarthy's often illegal practices in subtle ways.
"The more I read into the Salem panic, the more it touched off corresponding images of common experiences in the fifties: the old friend of a blacklisted person crossing the street to avoid being seen talking to him; the overnight conversions of former leftists into born-again patriots" (Miller, Why I Wrote). It comes as no surprise that when Miller wrote The Crucible it came as "an act of desperation" (Miller, Why I Wrote). While seemingly a simple historical event brought to the stage due to its sheer ability to be dramatic, Miller laces The Crucible with excessive dry humor, sarcasm, and a good dose of sheer idiosyncrasy - along with quite a few direct references to Communism and the "present day." Beginning with the Overture, Miller mentions that "[n]o one can really know what [the Salemites'] lives were like. They had no novelists" (Miller, The Crucible). Through this statement, Miller conveys that one, The Crucible is not necessarily accurate, and two, that novelists write history. Simply put, Miller is stating that he is writing of history in the making. Naturally, not many contemporary events fit the category of witch-hunts. In fact, in Reverend Hales's prolonged introduction - which has little to do with Hale himself - goes into detail about an analogy between Communists and Capitalists, and the Church and the Devil's will. Along with using a very conspicuous double entendre with the phrase "Red hell," Miller mentions that "Sex, sin, and the Devil were early linked, [there still] are today" (Miller, The Crucible). He then goes on to compare the Devil to Communist Russians, effectively insinuating that everything remotely bad in his society was considered to be affiliated with the Communists. Throughout the book, we see characters such as Putnam take advantage of the situation for their own gain, even though they realize the witch trials are unjust, just as the "far right[s were] licking up all the cream" from the Communist trials (Miller, Why I Wrote). The parallels between The Crucible and the real world are undeniable.
Keep in mind:
This is only a sample.
Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.
Get custom essayFour years after The Crucible was first put into production on the Broadway stages, the inevitable happened. Miller was put on trial in the courts of the House of Un-American Activities Committee, and, due to his unwillingness to name Communists, was found guilty for contempt of Congress. This was, of course, repealed by the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1958 (Broudin). By this time, the McCarthyistic methods of rooting out Communists and the second Red Scare were coming to an end. However, even though the Red Scare and Communist "witch hunts" were over, The Crucible remained a hit among the international community. The Chinese started production in retaliation with the frenzy brought on by the Cultural Revolution, and even all these years later, with the revolutions and social changes around the world stabilizing, The Crucible remains a significant play, and the reason is simple. While the themes behind The Crucible are universal, the contemporary events of his day (the Red Scare, McCarthyism, etc.) led Miller to realize that the hysteria and mob mentality of the Communist trials in his time were not only a direct threat to the average American citizen's rights, but to the minds of man, and to man's ability to chose his own actions without fear of retaliation or guilt by association. Unfortunately, such events are bound to happen again, given the selfish nature of humanity and man's need to further his or her own agenda. Indeed, one must take Miller's words to heart lest such atrocities happen again, and the burden lies on the shoulders of every man and woman, for it is our responsibility to speak out for what is right, not for what is most beneficial to our own selfish needs.
The use of a household tongue to educate kids literacy is more efficient than a submersion scheme as learners “can make use of psycholinguistic supposition strategies” to learn how to read and write (Benson 2004a, p. 1). This means that since children can previously converse the tongue, they can be trained to correlate sounds with the representation they see, thus assist understanding. ”. A mother tongue-based system therefore allows learners to expressive their heritage, helping them value their past and raising the group of their linguistic group. As disintegration concerns can be addressed by an education structure that uses a learner’s first language for the first few years of main schooling as a railway bridge to learning the public or officer language. This connects learners, validates their society and keeps them stranded in their personality while enabling them to incorporate with wider society. There are many other challenges to implement mother tongue as language of instruction.
Get original essayVarious studies have shown that meeting a minimum of standards, including improving school facilities, having teachers who are sufficiently trained and have a mastery of content and pedagogy and, having suitable language strategies, can significantly improve educational quality. Appropriate language-in education (LiE) policies that facilitate teachers to train in the language a child speaks most at home and understands well enough to learn academic substance all the way through, that is their mother language, as they find out a diverse language improves pupils’ critical engagement with satisfied, foster an atmosphere of common learning and recover addition.
Learners who know the speeches they are instructed in are more possible to appoint importantly with satisfied, inquiry what they do not know and even enjoy the challenge of new things. children worldwide who speak a different language at home from the one used for tuition in schools, there is necessitate to first teach them in their home tongue (L1) while steadily initiate the state or officer speech.
Q2: Explain three forms of privatization with examples?
The word privatization is the transport of behavior, possessions and tasks from management/public institute and association to private persons and agency.
Definition ‘Privatization’ is also deliberation of as‘liberalization’ --- anywhere agents are untied from management system, or as ‘marketization’ --- where innovative markets are fashioned as alternative to management services or state allocation systems. The inclination towards privatization is physically authoritative. It is attractive place in loads of countries and surrounded by numerous sectors of the monetary arrangement. The learning subdivision, while it is a immense payment thing in administration resources, often faces pressure to privatize.
The three most frequent privatization forms contain:
Education can be present by confidential organizations, such as confidentially own and managed schools or institution of superior schooling. It need not be supply from first to last government-run institute; in its place, confidential schools could be function by devout groups, for-profit entrepreneurs, charities, or other paying attention parties. In fact, many families previously rather the personal alternative and decide to relinquish the free of charge, unrestricted schooling systems. Globally, the quantity of students who are knowledgeable by classified contributor varies significantly.
For example:
Learning can be supported by personal individuals slightly than through direction subsidies. Privatization may consequently indicate that parents pay for schooling relatively than the government. Frequently, confidential schools are supported honestly all the way through education fees paid by students’ relations, but in many cases, both families and governments donate funds in a cost-sharing come near. Communal universities in the United States indict tuition fees, but these only cover approximately half of the total costs, the remainder being enclosed by government subsidies. In the Republic of Korea, private education spending on schooling and on additional tutoring in subjects not covered in school amounts to approximately the same total as that of government expenditures. In several mounting countries, families must pay supplementary ‘top-up’ fees to the local status funded schools (e.g. for textbooks or classroom materials). So privatization also occurs when a segment of the entirety funding is remunerated by families as an alternative of by the management.
Education armed forces can be supervised by those who accept the services directly, i.e. the students and their families. They will formulate sure that the instruction is of fitting standard --- either by decline to enroll at deprived quality schools or by difficult enhanced services. Privatization can comprise charitable parents more selection over what goes on in schools, or what types of school are on hand, even where all these choices are within the civic subdivision. Also, governments can adjust learning: states often set obligatory schooling laws and monitor schools’ performance through inspection systems, audits and responsibility frameworks. In England and Wales, schools are scrutinized by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED), an administration organization that monitors instructive superiority. In Denmark, all schools --- whether they be privately operated or run by the state --- must meet state answerability requirements with observe to educator permitting, a core set of courses, and school standards for the students. The substitute to these government-run in order systems is a private advertise in information, where parents make their possess school-choice pronouncements based on their private inclination.
New Zealand police organisation was formed in 1980with only six police men following Lt. Governor Hobson’s official party to organise the colony of New Zealand, Earlier the functioning of New Zealand police was similar to U.K and British police forces, basically the royal Irish constabulary and New South Wales police forces. There were many police officers who were previously serving in either Ireland or Australia. The force they formed was a part of both police and militia.
Get original essayWell as every other organisation’s the New Zealand police also has their own functioning structure to perform smoothly in every day operations. New Zealand police is performed by the ranking system. The head of the organisation is Commissioner. What makes him different from the other police is he will be having silver crossed swords and baton below the crown on his shoulders. After that there is Deputy Commissioner he will be having silver swords crossed and baton below one star. Then comes Assistant commissioner having three pips in a triangle below the crown. Superintendent has one silver pip below a crown, inspector will be having three silver pips. Senior sergeant with white crown between two ferns above police number whereas sergeant with three point white ups chevrons above police number , senior constable with one white point up chevron above police number however constable will only be having the police number and the Recruit will have word RECRUIT below police number. Earlier the uniform of New Zealand police was very much similar to the British police uniform but around 1970s there were lots of changes implemented by NZ police like light blue colour shades were started using instead of dark blue shade for uniform and also ended the use of custodian helmets, even silver buttoned tunics were started using in place of synthetic jackets when on ordinary duty. It is normally the peaked cap with blue and white Sillitoe tartan band and silver badge. White brimmed hat and baseball cap were authorised for specific duties or depending upon the climatic conditions. Even there were stab proof and high visibility wests normally to be wear on duty. The body west were usually marked with Sillitoe tartan marketing’s.
There were some other forces also formed to fight terror. These units were called Anti Terror units basically known as AOS and STG. The member of AOS and STG have to wear the usual char-coal shade clothes used by armed response and counter terror units all over the world. There was a survey taken in 2008 which was found in favour so there was re-introduction of custodian helmets which was again worn until 1995 to maintain the professional image of police.
New Zealand police provides many services to the society and to nation. To maintain protocol and to make sure that they have complete control on the crime. There are three different departments in New Zealand police like patrolling police to control criminals , fire department to save people from fire informed and traffic department to control traffic and reduce the deaths and mis happening on the roads and to give the citizens safe roads to travel.Some of the services provided by these departments are
The organisation which I have chosen is New Zealand police and there is no main customer segment and no main competition as it is a non- profitable organisation. The New Zealand is only providing their services to the country and to its community and citizens to make it crime free and peaceful country. There are no profit stats given for this organisation. The only stats provided shows only crime rate, the type of crime happening in the country. When it come to the competition , it is with the police of neighbouring countries like Australia. In comparison with Australia the population of New Zealand is very less therefore this is the main reason that recruitment of New Zealand police is limited. New Zealand police does not carry arms and ammunitions with them. Only high ranking officers like inspector, sergeant, deputy commissioner are allowed to carry weapons with them. The constables and lower ranking police officers only carry teaser gun, pepper spray to defend.
The goal and aim of the New Zealand police is to gain trust and confidence of all the citizens of New Zealand. They aim to work in cooperation and partnership of individuals, business, public sector agencies, to win the safety of the different communities living in New Zealand all together. The goal is to make the country safer when compared with the other countries of the world and to set an example by following the code of conduct by acting professionally, ethically and with integrity. And also by respecting human rights and focusing on local communities by providing them support and by gaining their confidence.
New Zealand police has also introduced a feedback for praise and also for complaining about police by contacting them online, in person, telephonically or through mails.
Drone is basically an unmanned aircraft that can be controlled without a human pilot in it. Drones can be controlled with the help of controller remote from the ground or through GPS tracking system.There are different types of drones like some of them are installed with HD camera to record a video or to take a clear picture’s using the controller. Some of them are also installed with weapons, missiles etc use to defence by the military.Drones have gained popularity in few years and day by day new models with new technologies and features are getting introduced. Some of them also have memory cards installed in them to save videos and images which can be uploaded to the computer system. Drones are controlled by their channel controller and transmitter. As the channel controller increases the better the controller can navigate the drone at higher speed.
Uses of drones:
Artificial intelligence is basically a computer system which is created by humans which has intelligence level beyond humans. To work and react like humans. The Artificial intelligence is designed with the computer activities which includes
Machines can only work and react like humans only if they have ample information about the world and how its work. Such information is installed by engineers in the machine processor to function accordingly.
Robotics is the main and major field where Artificial Intelligence is used.Robots require Artificial Intelligence to perform different tasks like
After studying the two disruptive technologies drones and artificial intelligence deeply, I will recommend my organisation to get installed with these two technologies as this will help the organisation to grow well and to perform effective operations in the future. Drones can be useful to New Zealand police in many ways like they will be able to keep an eye on criminal activities which can be stopped on time without causing any harm to the citizens, it will help them to find the missing person through thermal sensors which will allocate the person, will also help in mapping the crowded location to find the criminal or to take a view of any type if disaster which will help them to prepare accordingly. Traffic police will also be able to monitor the over speeding vehicles which can be stopped at time by which accident and any loss of lives can be prevented, it will also help them to gather information secretly without being noticed, this technology will also help in rescue missions to safely move the citizens out of that disaster through the view of the disaster, as it is faster than humans it can deliver medicines, food, water and other important supplies to the suffering people, will also help in gathering evidence against the criminal through images and video making feature.
Keep in mind:
This is only a sample.
Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.
Get custom essayThe other technology is the artificial intelligence. It will also help the New Zealand police to take complete control over crime. It will help the police to find missing people or underground criminal through facial recognition. If the driver less cars allotted to the New Zealand police it will help the organisation with easy navigation which will help the police to reach on time at the scene of crime. Through artificial intelligence New Zealand police can also stop cybercrime as todays criminals are also using high – tech technologies to do crime. Such technologies are already in use by defence forces of some countries and I would recommend my organisation to use such technologies to win their vision and goals which will help them in making the country 100% crime free and peaceful leaving the example behind.
Men in their masculinity are now under more critical scrutiny than ever from being invisible just a generation ago. Men are in the Spotlight, and it is a harsh and unforgiving Spotlight that is the biggest change to have happened in human society in terms of identity ever, to be sure, social media is certainly contributing to this scrutiny. One trying to copy other attractive men.
Get original essayIit is important to understand that there is no one. But many how many is impossible to say, but in any society or community, there will be dozens, if not hundreds operating. In fact, no two men are totally alike where we do see similarities as when men try to copy each other, that is. They imagine that they should emulate what they've been taught or come to understand as a dominant and powerful way of being a man, how a proper man behaves, sociologists refer to this as hegemonic masculinity or a dominant discourse of masculinity, such ways of being a man are, however. Not biological, but social. They are learned they are not in a man's dna too. Using social media the right way social media gives additional tools to shape public perception. But I think far more, it gives tools for men to seek out other men and to have a better view of what it means to be a man before social media, we had such a narrow set of options to see what it meant to be a man, mainly tv and movies. So no social media hasn't destroyed, and it may very well be what saves it. TV has long portrayed essentially two views of males is the bumbling idiot. Incompetent sidekick to the female of the house like homer Simpson. He is there to make money and generally stay out of the way.
The second stereotype is the alpha male. Totally emotionally dysfunctional, strong, attractive, violent, but ultimately does some good for the society, like James b what it means to be a man is a super subjective thing that has normally been decided by the elders of a village or the ruling class of city, they were able to set up the systems young males needed to pass through to become a man. Often by either military or in apprenticeship. These systems are no longer clear rights of passage, and even further men have essentially disappeared from the home. And so young males no longer see the work of their fathers. Fathers come home tired and have little time to devote to allowing their children to shadow them and see how to become a man friends, such as self identification and gender roles, and huge pressure against typically male behaviors like competitiveness and aggression. Go further to create confusion about what it means to be a man and how to go about becoming, not controlling your animal instincts as long as humans seek, and there is a strong legal system, there isn't a lot of need for rampant competitiveness and aggression. It's sad though there are so many immature males who simply have no idea how to pursue their instinctual desire for manhood, no matter how much women or other males try to shame the maleness out of them. It just won't work. Those males subvert those desires, and they express in love for violence and anger. As a society. We just keep locking people up and don't see the anger as a clue of the sadness and fear. It is signaling. Many men are psychologically vulnerable as a consequence of their type of masculinity, becoming, if not quite extinct, been something much worse, unwanted. Pitiful and ridiculous. Many of these men will react violently because they feel under threat. In fact, they are not under threat at all. You just need to readjust their sense of being a man and their behavior along with it towards a much more liberal and open minded way of being male for not developing your emotional intelligence, they need to drop any attempts, a tough guy, and they need to stop resorting to violence when angry. This century is seeing the rise of women, with some using degenerate ways to make it to the top. Many men will get left behind. You can see them everywhere, such lost males are now prone to depression, suicide, criminality. Alcohol, loneliness and social isolation, no careers. Not even a decent job, no money, no relationships, no social responsibility. Many now realize they are in fact better off in prison, sad, but true. They have to change or become extinct.
Unfortunately, we can see that too many men with toxic masculine behavior find it hard to change, and therefore, they end up killing themselves, resorting to drinking and drugs, and or being incarcerated in prison for many years, whatever they are of no use to society, and so there is every likelihood that they will eventually disappear.
Berthe appears only a few times in Flaubert's Madame Bovary and is too young to contribute much to the novel by her speech or actions, but she is nevertheless extremely important to the story. Emma's lack of maternal aptitude and weakness of moral character are made evident by Berthe's presence. Because of Berthe's young age and innocence, she is able to act as a foil to contrast with Emma's lifestyle of immorality and self-gratification. Berthe's primary functions in the novel are to bring to light Emma's character flaws as well as the consequences of her actions and to serve as a symbol of Emma's union with Charles.
Get original essayThe first reason for the inclusion of Berthe in the novel is that Berthe's presence exposes Emma's maternal ineptitude. Flaubert makes it apparent from the beginning that Emma Bovary is far from being the ideal mother. Although she is not altogether against the idea of having a child, Emma views motherhood simply as a way to try something new and fuel the romantic fire within her. She cares little for her relationship with her child. At the beginning of her pregnancy, Emma showed little interest in becoming a mother. Charles, however, convinced her by his continual enthusiasm about their future roles as parents that it would be an interesting experience (902). While Emma does view parenthood as something novel and fascinating, she fails to show true love for her child throughout the remainder of her life.
Emma's reaction to having a daughter reveals her selfish attitude. She wants a baby boy who "would be strong and dark" and "free to range the passions and the world" (902). Contrarily, Emma herself certainly embodies this sort of freedom much more than her husband Charles does. She wants a boy so that he can live the passionate and romantic life that she dreams of and attempts to live for herself. Flaubert states that "a woman is continually thwarted" and that "there is always a desire that entices, a convention that restrains" (902). Emma, however, defies this restraint, opting to yield to the temptation provided by Rodolphe and Lon. Although she proves that it is quite possible for a woman to live a "free" life, Emma wants a son so badly that she convinces herself that her child will be a boy. Upon learning that her child is a girl, her disappointment is so great that "she turned her head away and fainted" (902). Emma has not yet even considered a name for a daughter because she has been so confident that she would have a baby boy, thus demonstrating her desire not to experience the joys of motherhood, but instead, to placate her own selfishness. She wishes not for the joy of having and nurturing a child, but rather a child through whom she can vicariously experience the same thrills that she seeks in her own life.
Berthe's existence provides a catalyst for Emma's relationship with Lon, and thus brings to light another flaw in Emma's character - infidelity. It is on the way to visit her daughter that Emma goes on the first of several walks with Lon. When Emma meets Lon on the road to the nurse's house, Lon begins to ask Emma if she would like his company. He stops short though, realizing the awkwardness that would be created if he were to accompany another man's wife to visit her child. Emma, however, is not deterred and asks Lon to go along with her, unimpeded by the thought of losing her reputation. Throughout the visit, Lon's discomfort with the situation is evident, while Emma does not appear at all bothered by the fact that she is holding Charles' child in the company of another man. Even Berthe seems to realize her mother's faults when she throws up on Emma (904-905). Although this is a common behavior in babies, it is also indicative of disgust with Emma's actions.
Emma's selfishness and lack of concern for Berthe are demonstrated yet again during her next affair when she is making plans to move to Genoa with Rodolphe. Their lust for each other has become too great for the two to remain apart, and Emma asks Rodolphe to run away with her. She does not consider what would happen to her daughter until Rodolphe asks her, "What about your little girl?" Emma pauses to think and then replies, "We'll take her with us - it's the only way" (967). Rather than doing everything she can to make her daughter's life better, Emma decides to drag Berthe along with her in order to please her own illicit desires.
Emma's maternal incompetence is further exemplified when she grows tired of Berthe's playful attempts to be close to her and pushes the child away so hard that she falls into a cabinet and cuts her face. When Charles arrives, Emma tells him calmly that Berthe "fell down and hurt herself playing" (919). Emma's mild and quickly dissipating concern for her child again demonstrates her selfishness. She appears to be more worried that she will appear inept because Berthe was hurt under her care than she does about the fact that her child has been hurt. As Emma is caring for Berthe during the evening after the girl was hurt, she notices "what an ugly child [Berthe] is" (919). Far from being a typical motherly thought, this observation indicates a tremendous lack of maternal love. This is another example of the same unnatural attitude that led to Berthe's injury. Instead of feeling tender compassion for her daughter, Emma feels only frustration and disgust.
In addition to highlighting Emma's faults, both as a person and as a mother, Berthe serves as a constant reminder to Emma of her union with Charles. While packing to move to Yonville, Emma discovers the bouquet from her wedding. She then tosses this symbol of her marriage in the fireplace and watches it burn. After demonstrating the extent to which she deplores her marriage by destroying this transient icon of her union with Charles, Emma ironically obtains a much more enduring symbol. The chapter ends with the short and seemingly trivial sentence, "When they left Tostes in March, Madame Bovary was pregnant" (890). Although Emma's pregnancy receives little attention here, Berthe becomes a pungent reminder of Emma's tie to Charles later in the novel.
Berthe acts as a symbol of Emma's marriage when Emma's relationship with Rodolphe leads to the discussion of running away together. Rodolphe presents Emma with the question of what to do about Berthe. She answers that the child will have to go with them; "it's the only way" (967). Emma's struggle to achieve her romantic ideals is emphasized by the fact that the only way for her to pursue her passion for Rodolphe is to take with her a reminder of her union with Charles.
Finally, Berthe serves as a means to accentuate the effects of Emma's attitudes and actions. This is most apparent after Emma's death. Soon after the funeral, Berthe asks Charles where her mother is, and Charles responds that she is "away on a trip." Berthe "mentioned her again several times, then gradually forgot her" (1057), but Berthe would never recover from the effects of Emma's behavior.
Berthe was doomed to a life of poverty by her mother's unconscionable lifestyle. Not too long after her mother's death, Berthe finds her father dead. In Charles's hand was the lock of hair that he took from Emma after her death (1063). In this way, Flaubert brings the deaths of both of Berthe's parents together, as if they were both lost at the same time. As an orphan, Berthe is sent to live with her aunt who can not afford to take care of her, so she is forced to work in a cotton mill to pay for the necessities of life. Emma's extravagance and romantic idealism will never have a place in Berthe's life because she lacks the means to pursue those dreams. Although Emma claimed that she wanted her child to be "free to range the passions and the world, to surmount obstacles, to taste the rarest pleasures" (902), she failed to provide Berthe with the necessary resources to achieve this freedom. Berthe was "thwarted" not by her status as a woman, as Emma implies (902), but rather by her mother's poor choices and selfishness.
Keep in mind:
This is only a sample.
Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.
Get custom essayBerthe's presence is vital to the novel because Flaubert uses her character to develop Emma, the protagonist. Without Berthe, the reader would not understand the character flaws in Emma that Flaubert wishes to convey. Emma's worst attributes are brought forth only when she is contrasted with the foil of Berthe's innocence and placed in a position where her maternal inability makes evident her selfishness and depravity. Without Berthe, the effects of Emma's actions after her death would not have been as apparent. Berthe plays an important symbolic role in the novel as well, most notably by serving as a constant reminder of Emma's marital attachment to Charles. Even though Berthe does little in the way of acting or speaking throughout the novel, Flaubert uses her effectively to help to define Emma as a character and to show the effects of Emma's lifestyle upon those who truly loved her.
After decades of harassment and assault, women began to stand up and say ‘time’s up’ for sexual abuse in the workplace as the “Me Too” movement swept across the nation in late 2017. These women comprised of some of the most prominent names in television, film, music and politics, and proved that abuse exists even among the most famous and wealthy. Most importantly, the #MeToo movement, originating on Twitter, showed that no woman is ever alone in the case of sexual abuse. Brit Marling, an actress, writer and producer, detailed her own traumatic experience with sexual harassment in her October 2017 personal essay published in The Atlantic, titled “Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent.”
Get original essayThroughout this essay, Marling describes some of the reasons as to why this “imbalance of power” exists among men and women, specifically in the film industry. In her essay, Marling effectively conveys the message that the demographics and representation of the film industry must change in order to put an end to the exploitation of minorities and fully reach equality, by tapping into the audience’s emotions, providing logical, common sense solutions, and using anaphora to stress the importance of diversity. Through the careful use of rhetorical techniques and strategies, Marling allows the audience to both relate to her, and draw inspiration in order to make a difference themselves.
In the essay “Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent,” Brit Marling stepped forward regarding her personal experience with Harvey Weinstein - one of the most notorious men of the past two years. It was revealed in October 2017 that Weinstein, one of Hollywood’s most famous film producers and executives, had sexually abused over eighty women in the film industry after they began to publicly accuse and expose him. After news of the scandal erupted, not only was Weinstein expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and stripped of accolades and honors, but many more women became comfortable and confident in sharing their own stories of sexual assault and rape on social media using the #MeToo hashtag. The “Me Too” movement propelled many women of all occupations to share their own experiences with sexual assault, dubbed as the “Weinstein Effect,” and eventually evolved into the “Time’s Up” movement, signifying that it is time to put an end to this issue (Harvey Weinstein Timeline: How the Scandal Unfolded).
The “Time’s Up” movement was popularized and promoted at events worldwide, including award shows in which celebrities would wear all black, or white roses, to symbolize their solidarity with the movement and show their support. As detailed in her essay, Marling’s experience with Weinstein seems all too familiar in light of the events that unfolded over the past two years. As a result, Marling is able to effectively convey the use of pathos through hitting the audience’s emotions, as well as adequately providing her own resolution to the issue through her use of logos, which resonates with the audience and acts as a call to action. Throughout the piece, Marling delivers a powerful appeal to the emotions of the audience, using her experience with Weinstein as an example, in order to effectively get several points across. First of all, Marling expresses the fear that herself and many of the other dozens of women who were abused by Weinstein felt, offering an emotional appeal to the audience. Marling recalls the emotional story that many other women in her shoes faced, including being asked if she “wanted a massage” and being “paralyzed by mounting fear when [Weinstein] suggested we shower together” (Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent).
Marling relies on the strategic use of imagery here to advance her use of ethos by successfully painting pictures in the minds of her audience, as if they were the ones in that situation themselves. Similarly, Marling taps into the emotions of her audience by stresses how, as she was on the verge of being raped, her only thoughts being fear of upsetting Weinstein - a powerful man who was abusing his position. She recalls feeling helpless, wondering “what could I do?” and how to “not offend this man who could anoint or destroy me?” (Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent). By displaying how powerless and weak women feel when put in this position, Marling is able to connect to her audience successfully and allow them to think for themselves how they would feel if they were in the situation themselves. Additionally, Marling relies on her use of logos, or appeal to logic, to successfully compliment her use of ethos. She does so by issuing a series of facts that could lead to an end of the imbalance of power among men and women in the film industry, which will contribute ending the masses of sexual assault being experienced today.
To begin, Marling provides a background on the term ‘consent’ describing it as a “function of power” (Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent). Marling continues by pointing out the harsh reality of consent, being that in many cases, women “do not have that power because their livelihood is in jeopardy” and because “they are the gender that is oppressed by a daily, invisible war waged against all that is feminine” (Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent). This ideology is able to resonate with the audience being that any females listening could easily relate. Additionally, Marling provides the reasonable resolution to the problem: diversity in film. This solution is desperately needed, as Marling points out, “women and men in power need to turn around and hire more women, especially women of color, especially women who have not grown up with economic privilege,” in order to put an end to this extreme imbalance of power we see daily (Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent). In order to convey her use of logos effectively, Marling points out the facts: as of 2017, women make up “only 23 percent” of the Directors Guild of America and “only 11 percent are people of color” (Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent). Additionally, Marling explains another common sense solution to this issue - stop supporting gender oppression on the big screen.
Marling challenges her audience, saying that if they “don’t want to be a part of a culture in which sexual abuse and harassment are rampant, don’t buy a ticket to a film that promotes it,” and calls on the audience to imagine more films that “don’t use exploitation of female bodies or violence against female bodies as their selling points,” as films with a gender and racial balance “better reflect the world we all actually live in” (Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent). This also delivers an important point from an economic stance, as we unknowingly contribute to supporting this imbalance by paying to see these films. By calling on her audience this way, Marling is able to effectively communicate directly through logic, which will not only undoubtably get her point across clearly, but also lead to action among her audience. Moreover, Marling successfully implements the use of anaphora to relay the importance of diversity in the film industry.
Throughout the essay, Marling emphasizes “straight, white men” by saying the phrase repeatedly. In doing so, Marling is proving her point that these types of people are the ones leading not only the film industry, but the majority of occupations in the world. Because of this, women, people of color, and other minorities seem silenced. At one point, Marling explains how “straight, white men tend to tell stories from their perspective, as one naturally does” showing that women, for example, will not see their own representation (Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent). Furthermore, Marling recalls auditioning for roles titled “Bikini Babe 2” and “Blonde 4,” demonstrating that women are typically seen as secondary, or used simply for “advancing the plot” (Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent). This shows that while women may be represented on the big screen, they are still stereotyped or shown in a different light than men. Similarly, women being casted as secondary characters are showing viewers that women cannot amount to more than that. Overall, the repetitiveness of the phrase “straight, white men” in this essay allows the audience to take note of the prominence these types of people have in the industry, as well as their own lives - something that must change to create a more inclusive world.
Ultimately, throughout Brit Marling’s essay “Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent,” several important points are successfully delivered through the use of persuasive and powerful rhetorical techniques. The potent use of emotional appeal generated by Marling allows her to successfully connect with her audience on a personal level, further allowing them to understand and relate to her story. The similar use of logos in the essay, in which Marling described the logical way to end the issue, inspires the audience to take this newfound knowledge and make differences themselves. Finally, the strategy of repeating “straight, white men” enables Marling to subconsciously deliver the most important point of the essay: diversity is desperately needed in the film industry, and elsewhere in order for change to occur.
Keep in mind:
This is only a sample.
Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.
Get custom essayIn summation, Brit Marling successfully uses a multitude of rhetorical strategies and techniques to convey her significant points regarding the need for diversity in the film industry, which, as she believes, will ultimately put an end to the imbalance of power among sexes, races, and sexual orientations in Hollywood.
Inferno narrates Dante’s journey through Hell which is guided by the Roman poet Virgil. During their travels through each of the nine circles of Hell, Dante and Virgil witness contrapasso, or the law which ensures that each sinner is punished with a sentence that suits their offense’s severity according to Medieval expectations. Some punishments that Virgil and Dante observe logically fit the corresponding crimes. Other punishments, however, are more symbolic and obscure. Although the nature of the sins may be related, each punishment is tailored to torture each sinner in a manner that reflects how the sins affected others, therefore allowing the punishments to vary greatly. Throughout their journey, Dante and Virgil observe and converse with the sinners to explore the relationship between sin itself and its corresponding contrapasso.
Get original essayWhen Dante and Virgil arrive in the third circle of Hell, it is raining, as this is the always the weather that accompanies the punishment of the gluttons. Dante describes the rain as “eternal, cursed, cold, and heavy rain; its rule and quality never change” (6.7-9). The rainwater is filthy and large hailstones and snow also fall from the sky. The “earth stinks that receives them” (6.11-12). In these few short lines, Dante is able to convey the disgusting atmosphere of this circle to emphasize the idea of the misery of Hell. A monstrous dog-like beast with three heads named Cerberus guards the gluttons, who howl like dogs along with the creature. When Cerberus spots Virgil and Dante, he opened his mouth and showed his fangs. Virgil “opened his hands, took up earth, and with both fists full threw it into those ravenous pipes” (6.25-27). The beast devours the mud and then grows quiet, symbolizing that he himself is a glutton. Contrapasso and retribution are clearly evident as the sinners are tormented by this beast who reflects their earthly behaviors. The vile slush symbolizes the personal degradation of someone who overindulges in food, drink, or other worldly pleasures. The inability to see others lying nearby represents the gluttons’ selfishness and coldness. These souls that overindulged in food, drink, and other kinds of addiction are eternally tortured for doing so, and their punishment directly reflects and satirizes these specific earthly faults.
Virgil and Dante enter the sixth bolgia of the eighth circle of Hell which punishes those who committed Fraud. They witness the hypocrites who are “painted people who were walking with very slow steps, weeping and, by their expressions, weary and defeated” (23.58-60). The hypocrites are wearing hooded robes that resemble those of the monks. However, these robes are “dazzlingly gilded, but within they are all of lead, so heavy that the ones Frederick put on people might have been of straw” (23.64-66). It is noted that Dante’s interpretation of hypocrisy comes from Uguccione of Pisa’s Magnae derivationes which attributes the etymology of “hypocrisy” to “hypo,” meaning below, and “crisis,” meaning gold (64-65nn). Analogous to the gilded cloaks, in their lives, the sinners appeared to be good externally. Yet in reality, they contained evil within. The hypocrites listlessly walk along wearing the heavy, gilded lead cloaks, representing the factiousness behind the appearance of their actions. This falsity weighs them down and makes spiritual progress impossible for them. The hypocrites’ contrapasso is appropriate for the sin itself as the sinners are now tortured and weighed down by a physical representation of their manipulation of others during life.
In this bolgia, Virgil and Dante meet Catalano and Loderingo who are Jolly Friars from Bologna. The Jolly Friars were a religious order that quickly achieved a reputation for corruption and self-interest (103n). Before Dante can begin a conversation with Friars, he spots a man who is crucified to the ground with three stakes. Catalano tells Dante “‘That one staked there at whom you are looking counseled the Pharisees that is was expedient to put one man to death for the people. He is stretched naked out across the road, as you see, so that whoever passes, he must feel his weight first” (23.115-119). This man is Caiaphas who was the high priest of the Sanhedrin. He urged the crucifixion of Jesus in order to silence Jesus’ criticisms of the Sanhedrin’s hypocrisy, who covered their self-interest with a pretense of public concern (115-123nn). Caiaphas is forced to feel the weight of the hypocrisy of others as the other hypocrites literally walk over him. This is also an allegory that parallels Christ on the cross who bore the weight of all men’s sins (118-120nn). Though they are in the same bolgia, the sinners’ punishments clearly vary greatly. The location which the sinners are sent to represents the type of crime committed, as both the cloaked hypocrites and Caiaphas and his followers all committed fraud, yet the actual punishment depends on the specific circumstances and severity of that crime. Caiaphas suffers the eternal punishment that is equivalent to the suffering he caused when he was alive, demonstrating a contrapasso that Caiaphas is entirely worthy of.
Virgil and Dante continue to the seventh bolgia of the eighth circle, which punishes thieves. The atmosphere of each bolgia is becoming increasingly more disturbing, as serpents and terrifying beasts roam among the sinners. Virgil and Dante watch Vanni Fucci and Cacus the centaur be tortured by these creatures. But the true horror of this circle appears when a sinner calls out Cianfa’s name. Cianfa, a serpent with six feet attacks the man who called him and “wrapped around his waist, with its forefeet it seized his arms; then it pierced both his cheeks with his fangs” and continued to wrap around Agnel like a tree (25.52-54). The part of this punishment that reflects the sin of thievery is when their two heads melt together and their limbs grow and twist together. The thieves’ punishment is revealed gradually. As the thieves once stole other’s people’s possessions, the sinners are now subject to theft. And since they are in Hell, their identities are their most valued possessions. Agnel’s identity is diminished by his transformation with Cianfa. Dante and Virgil watch another gruesome transformation that ultimately leaves the man a snake while the creature becomes a man. The newly created man can now speak, saying “‘I want Buoso to run, as I have, on all sixes along his path’” (25.140-141). He takes delight in Agnel’s suffering. The contrapassos that the sinners in this bolgia suffer is essentially identical to their earthly wrongdoing. These gruesome punishments allow the sinners to be victims of thievery, losing their identities and mortal forms, which are all they have left.
Throughout their journey through Hell, it becomes clear that each sinner’s contrapasso has the same effect on them as their sins had on others when they were alive. These punishments vary greatly, yet they are all appropriate to the sin itself. And, there is multi-dimensional symbolism present in each sin’s contrapasso. The significance of the different punishments signifies that each circle of Hell and bolgia houses sinners of a specific crime, yet each sinner’s contrapasso exquisitely fits the circumstances and severity of the wrongdoing. The sinners in each of these three examples is tortured to a state that is physically unbearable, exhibiting that each punishment is excruciating and tailored to deliver the retribution that the sinners are worthy of.
I know you heard your friends fight over which one is better; ps4 or Xbox? These are two video game console which shows significant improvement from the all other gaming consoles. Both video game consoles, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, sold over 100 million units the first year they came out. Both gaming consoles offer a high-quality graphic and running processor. PlayStation 4 provides more memory than all other previous systems. Ps4 also has a redesigned controller and can easily connect with all in one accessible app. The two consoles have changed their looks and their design. Xbox and PS finally came out with new and better technology with better graphics. This is what people were waiting for. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One both introduced the new technology gaming platforms for all gamers.
Get original essayFeatures like Bluetooth, exciting technology and HD disc format is the bit dominating in PlayStation 4 as compared to the Xbox One. PS4 and Xbox One both are the advanced technologies of Xbox 360 and Ps3. They both are made with new technologies and with smarter internal designs. Xbox one has a custom CPU processor which is highly dependable as compared to PS4. Xbox One provide 1. 75 GHz, and 8-core processor rather than PS4 only offer 1. 20GHz with the 8-core preprocessor. Than the Xbox one learned from the last generation console game and bump up to 8-core 2. 3 GHz processor chip. Both Xbox and PS have been fighting over their controllers. Most gamers and I prefer ps4 controllers because of their new design on the trackpad. the trackpads allow you to move from one place to another really quickly. Also, the ps4 controllers come with build in rechargeable batteries and feels really good on hand. The Xbox one on the other hand didn’t change that much. The Xbox one feels the same as the previous generation and you have to go out of your way and get a rechargeable battery with sucks after spending money to buy an expansive gaming console.
If we are talking about the virtual appearance of both consoling games both games used similar technologies. One of the differences is shown that PlayStation 4 provides a larger GPU as compared to Xbox One. People who are using PC monitors state that Xbox One gives a larger GPU than all other simple monitors. Xbox one provides an entry-level Bonaire GPU with an older Radeon of HD 7790. While on the other hand, PS4 made with midrange Pitcairn that is found in HD 7870. If we talk in numbers, the Xbox One has total 12 computation units which are provided with 768 shader processors. Xbox one provides faster Clock speed rather than PS4. PS4 delivers 800 MHz speed, but Xbox One provides 853 MHz speed. We know that both game consoles Xbox one and PS4 provide 500 GB internal and hard drive.
They both provide Blu-Ray optical drives. In this situation, the Xbox one has a 1TB extra drive which is offering a hybrid gaming feature. In Xbox One developers give a substantial state portion for adding external spinning disks. This will improve the accessing speed of any console game. Both Xbox and PS provides similar types of games but also have exclusive games. Ps4 had a great year after the release on their exclusive game, like last of us and god of war. On the other hand, Xbox didn’t really come out with any five stare games. PS4 provides fast streaming services for all those buyers who don’t want to live television services. Most of the people prefer to buy a PlayStation 4 because it is affordable and provide a controller effect.
The PlayStation 4 available in only 399 dollars as compared to this Xbox is bit expensive. Xbox One runs out in a hefty price tag of 499 dollars. That is a pretty massive price gap which is noticed by lots of people. Sales show ps4 being sold more than Xbox one and has better customer reviews. Although they both are the wealthiest gaming console monitors, who offer 4K gaming experiences but as far as the price is concerned people like to get affordable consoling monitors for their home. The deciding factor to buy any video game console is the 4K gaming experiences and the enjoy it brings you in life.
In the short story "In Another Country" Ernest Hemingway explores the differences between American and Italian soldiers' conceptualizations of the physical and emotional tolls of World War I. In particular, the story shows that the long-term consequences of war are more significant and far-reaching for Italian soldiers, because they are fighting close to home. While both Americans and Europeans risk their lives during combat, the Europeans must also defend against the larger threat against their home countries. This is shown in the story by Hemingway's subtle portrayal of the damaging effects that the war has on the cultural and domestic lives of the Italians. By contrasting the unnerving effects that the prospect of such damage has on the Italians with the American soldier's lack of connection to the country, the story shows that the archetypal European soldier of the First World War has more at stake in the war than his American counterparts from overseas.
Get original essayIn order to emphasize the American narrator's oblivious disconnection from the long-term domestic effects of the war, Hemingway characterizes him as a more of a tourist figure than a real soldier. This is the reason his undeserved medals, which serve more as costuming than recognition, are given such focus. It is also why he is allowed to make inane comments about the local chestnut vendors and the "patriotism" of the girls at the Cova. Perhaps the most capturing aspect of his tourist characterization is his relationship with the Italian language, which speaks to his relationship with the country; it is superficial and dismissive, and he admits this in saying, "Italian seemed such an easy language... that I could not take a great interest in it". After this statement prompts the local major to suggest that he learn grammar, he goes about the task lazily, which angers the major. This shows that he has no interest in connecting with the local culture linguistically or in any greater sense, because he feels no true stake in its existence after the war.
By contrast, the details revealed about the Italian soldiers emphasize their cultural connections to Italy. In particular, the details relating to their injuries show that even the immediate physical tolls of the war have far-reaching cultural ramifications for them. Thus, the major's shrunken hand becomes the undoing of "the greatest fencer in Italy" and the private's destroyed nose a partial erasure of his connection to "a very old family". The death of the major's wife, while not directly a result of the war, reminds him of the proximity of his domestic life to the war: when war occurs on your own soil, domestic tragedies and wartime tragedies become inseparable. This emphasis on proximity of domestic life to the war reminds us that the Italian soldiers do not have the luxury of running home after the war, because they are already there. The American narrator, however, can still go back "to the States" to find a wife and live his "real life" in a society far away from the war's ravages.
Thus, at the end of the story, the major's repeated phrase, "I am utterly unable to resign myself" has a double meaning. On one hand it expresses the irresolvability of his grief. On the other hand, it expresses an inability to ever really leave the war. The major knows that even when the conflict is over, its effects will have permeated his country and his culture forever. This is why, despite the fact that they are both caught up in the same military machine, the two soldiers conceptualize the war so differently. The American is very much a tourist figure with no stake in the effects of the war on Italy, but when the Italian major stares out of the window of the hospital, it is his own country he sees under threat. Thus, we as readers feel empathetic regret and helplessness for the major, who not only has to resolve a compromising of his physical safety, but his sense of domestic and cultural safety as well.
Desmond Tutu once said, “A person is a person through other persons…. I am because other people are.” In essence, what Tutu is saying is that without other people to influence and affect an individual, a person is not really anyone. It is the things that other people do and say, and how an individual reacts to those things, that build personality, depth, and character. In Nella Larsen’s novella, Passing, protagonist Irene Redfield embodies Tutu’s quote. She lives a life in which her children, husband, and greater race guide her every move, and she abides by rigid social rules in order to maintain harmony within her community. On the contrary, her peer, Clare Kendry, disrupts this balance by making decisions purely in an individualistic manner, threatening Irene’s concept of a society in which everyone belongs to and lives for their respective communities. Because Clare is a personification of everything that Irene fears, Clare’s life gives Irene an affirmation of her ways of life, but also threatens Irene’s lifestyle by challenging the social constructs that give her safety, comfort, predictability, and security.
Get original essayIrene and Clare have extremely different definitions of safety, which consequently threaten the other’s security. Irene’s security is dictated by other people - her husband, her children, and the greater black community; she is always a part of a collective identity. After Irene and her husband Brian get into a fight about their son, Irene expresses: “It was only that she wanted [Brian] to be happy… all other plans, all other ways, she regarded as menaces… to that security of place and substance which she insisted upon for her sons and in a lesser degree for herself”. The definitive and conclusive tone of this quote shows the self-sacrifice that guides Irene in her life. Additionally, the choice of the word “menaces” to describe all other plans that do not have to do with the happiness of her husband and her sons, and the word’s negative connotations, display the high degree to which Irene has dedicated her life to others. Lastly, the phrase “security of place and substance” clearly defines for the reader what safety is for Irene: happiness for her husband, her kids, and doing whatever it takes to achieve that, even that the expense of her own happiness. On the other hand, Clare’s security is dictated by her own individual desires, and her identity is not bound by that of anyone else. When she and Irene discuss their contrasting lifestyles, Clare explains, “‘Why, to get the things I want badly enough, I’d do anything, hurt anybody, throw anything away. Really, ‘Rene, I’m not safe’”. The blatancy of this quote and the ease in which Clare is able to articulate these emotions reveal her selfish and individualistic mindset. Also, the use of such all-encompassing words as “anything” and “anybody” suggests the extremity of Clare’s egotistical personality, as there is not a single person or thing she would not harm to get what she wants. Lastly, the use of the phrase “not safe” in respect to Clare shows the the mutual exclusivity between being selfish and being safe. Overall, their contrasting definitions of safety create conflict between the two, causing Irene to want to distance herself from Clare, but causing Clare to be more motivated to reintegrate into the black community.
As a result of their different definitions of safety, Clare and Irene are bound to one another; each of their lifestyles creates contrast to the other and either reaffirms or destroys their beliefs in the rightness of their respective ways of life. As a result, their differences each give them purpose: Irene needs to distance herself from Clare, while Clare wants to get closer to Irene. When Irene gets a letter from Clare, she reflects that “Clare Kendry cared nothing for the race. She only belonged to it”. The unquestionable and confident tone that Irene uses here demonstrates the strength and purpose that Irene gains from Clare’s disrespect toward the race. Irene wastes thought and energy on Clare because it reminds her of her own dedication to her race, and allows her to isolate Clare from the group. The fact-like conciseness and conclusivity of this quote indicates that Clare’s own treason to the race gives Irene an excuse and outlet to separate herself from those who do not commit their entire lives to their race. Besides giving Irene someone and something to speak out against and to separate herself from, Clare’s lifestyle also reaffirms Irene’s belief that her way of life is the right one. When Irene and Clare are talking and Clare begins to cry about the struggles she is having, she says to Irene: “‘How could you know? How could you? You’re free. You’re happy. And… safe”. This clear, concise, and powerful statement by Clare to Irene validates Irene’s lifestyle. The words such as “free,” “happy,” and “safe” are all of the things that Irene aspires to be in life, so Clare’s acknowledgment of this serves to prove to Irene that all of her self-sacrifice is worth it. Overall, Irene’s ideas of safety and freedom are bound to Clare because without her, Irene would not have such personal and firsthand experience with those who pass to the white world. As someone so entirely dedicated to her race and collective community, interacting with Clare gives Irene purpose and confidence in her own way of life.
However, as the novella progresses, Clare’s unfiltered honesty brings out the flaws in Irene’s seemingly perfect life, causing her to further isolate herself from Clare and from the truth. Irene and Brian have had many difficulties in their marriage throughout the novella, but it was always something that Irene swept under the rug in order to protect her sons and the stability of her life. However, after she develops a suspicion that Clare and Brian are having an affair, she tries with all of her might to suppress the painful memory. At a party at her house, she distracts herself and cuts the thought out of her mind rather than confronting it: “Downstairs the ritual of tea gave her some busy moments, and that, she decided, was a blessing. She wanted no empty spaces in time in which her mind would immediately return to that horror…”. Here, Irene’s ability to realize her husband might be cheating on her but then to completely distract herself with something as insignificant as pouring tea suggests an unfailing ability to hide her feelings. Even if it is her marriage being threatened, she never fails to hide the painful truth and go on with her life. Her coping mechanism is to repress and refuse this truth, and distance herself psychologically from anything that might threaten her security. She further demonstrates this later on in the scene, where she is finally able to actually think about the situation rather than just pushing it out of her mind: “It hurt. It hurt like hell. But it didn’t matter, if no one knew. If everything could go on as before. If the boys were safe”. Here, she conveys a more introspective and analytical approach to this painful truth that Clare has surfaced. She is able to recognize her own emotions and bring to light how she is feeling. However, the arc of her thought process ending with her decision to once again suppress her feelings shows her inability to do anything to threaten her life and security. The solution to Irene’s conundrum being hiding her feelings and continuing to serve everyone except herself implies her undying dedication and almost enslavement to others, but never to herself. Finally, at the end of the novella, it becomes clear that Clare’s very existence poses a threat to the security, predictability, and comfort of Irene’s lifestyle. Irene decides that the only way for her to be freed of the discomfort and vulnerability that Clare brings to her life is to get rid of Clare: “She was an American. She grew from this soil, she would not be uprooted. Not even because of Clare Kendry, or a hundred Clare Kendrys”. The end of the novella makes reference to the American dream, and the American identity to which Irene lives so strongly by. Her connection to America and her feeling that Clare threatens this connection is what makes her decide that nobody, not even Clare, can stop her from pursuing the American lifestyle that she wants. However, even when she has this realization, she continues the same habit of pushing whatever threatens her and her lifestyle away, rather than dealing with the issues in front of her.
Keep in mind:
This is only a sample.
Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.
Get custom essayThe end of the novella is a tragic one, as Clare dies from falling out of a window. It is unclear how exactly the tragedy occurred, but it is clear that Clare’s death is a symbolic one. Clare is the only character in the novella who successfully and wholeheartedly takes control of her own life and destiny, rather than letting social constructs or the demands of a collective identity get in her way. Unlike Irene, who fears individuality and self-reliance, Clare is able to threaten the society in which she lives by passing from one world to another, never picking one, and living in the in-between. Irene, on the other hand, continues to repress the truth in order to keep living in a predictable, comfortable, ideal world dictated by social constructs. However, the fact that Clare dies suggests that unfortunately, the only way to be truly safe and free is to stick to the status quo and conform to societal norms. This is because the perpetuation of any social constructs requires people to believe in and sustain them; when one person attempts to disrupt such an ideologically homogeneous society, he or she unfortunately cannot change the fixed views or behaviors of anyone else.