Dubliners Essays - The Sisters, James Joyce, Priest, Catholic Church

Dubliners Essays - The Sisters, James Joyce, Priest, Catholic Church Dubliners Literature is constantly showing its readers aspects of people and societies that would not normally be shown to the public. The various aspects of society that writers choose to focus on are done for a reason. Whether or not it is a positive or negative aspect of society doesn't hold any significance. The only thing that matters in society is why writers choose to focus on the subjects that they do. Most writers are trying to push their readers further by challenging them with an aspect that the reader may overlook in everyday situations. In his Dubliners, James Joyce uses the function of religion in society to show how corruption has overtaken the Irish. Joyce portrays the immoral and corrupt role of the priests in society to show the hypocrisy behind the Irish Catholic Church, and all that it supposedly stands for. Joyce's symbolism of the physical features and sexual connotations of the priests in The Sisters, Ivy Day in the Committee Room, and in Grace, provides readers with an example of how deceiving these honorable religious figures truly are. In The Sisters, Joyce describes the physical features of Father Flynn to show how other characters felt uncomfortable in his presence. It seems that Father Flynn's company are almost repelled to him: When he smiled he used to uncover his big discoloured teeth and let his tongue lie upon his lower lip a habit which had made me feel uneasy in the beginning of our acquaintance before I knew him well (13). This quote shows the awkwardness of Father Flynn's physical appearance. The discoloured teeth shows that the priest wasn't hygienic, when in reality priests are supposed to be purified and cleansed. The teeth show that corruption exists in Father Flynn, because he hasn't followed the regulations of priesthood. Another unexpected characteristic of an Irish priest is seen in Father Keon. He is described as being almost seductive with other men and women of the Church, 'No, no no!' said Father Keon, speaking in a discreet indulgent velvety voice. 'Don't let me disturb you now! I'm just looking for Mr. Fanning' (126). Priests are supposed to abstain from the physical pleasures of life. However, the description Joyce makes of Father Keon suggests that his mind is full of corrupt notions. He speaks in an indulgent velvety voice, which allows the reader to imagine the priest as almost seductive and deceitful. Another sexual connotation made by a priest is seen in Grace with Father Purdon. The role of a priest is to guide those who are confused and in need of help for spiritual guidance. A priest states the rights and wrongs of life and teaches others to forgive one as well as ask for forgiveness from God. However, Father Purdon's values do not comply with those stated above. It seems as though he is too accepting of the sins of life: He understood our little failings, understood the weakness of our poor fallen nature, understood the temptations of this life (174). Father Purdon's decision to understand the temptations of this life shows that corruption does exist in his church. People usually come to priests for forgiveness from sinning, but with Father Purdon, these people do not need to ask for forgiveness because he understands the temptations that exist. This characteristic is completely hypocritical with the Irish Catholic Church. Sins aren't accepted by God, but are rather forgiven by God. Father Purdon doesn't teach this idea to his congregation, which shows that his mind and beliefs are just as corrupt as those who come to him for understanding are. The hypocrisy that exists between these three priests proves that corruption is a common characteristic of the honorable priests in the Irish Catholic Church. The imagery and descriptions in Araby and The Sisters expose the immorality and wrongs of religion in Ireland through Father Keon and Father Flynn. It is the lack of actions that exist in Father Keon's life that show the irony in priesthood. The aspect on the presence of money shows the selfishness and deceit that exists among Irish priests. The absence of charity in Father Keon's life represents the lack of honor in his life as well: He had been a very charitable priest; in his will he had left all his money to institutions and the furniture of his house to his sister (29). It is wrongful for a priest to save his money all his life, when in reality a priest is supposed to be dedicated to

The Most Commonly Read Books in High School

The Most Commonly Read Books in High School No matter what type of high school you attend- be it public, private, magnet, charter, religious schools, or even online- reading is going be at the core of your English studies. In todays classrooms, students have a wide range of books to choose from, both modern and classics. If you compare the readings lists in all schools, you might be surprised to learn that the most commonly read books in all high schools are all very similar. Thats right! Course work for private schools and public schools (and every other school) are all very similar. No matter where you go to school, youll likely study classic authors like Shakespeare and Twain, but some more modern books are appearing on these lists, including The Color Purple and  The Giver.   Commonly Read High School Books Here are some of the books that most often appear on high school reading lists: Shakespeares Macbeth is on most schools lists. This play was mostly written when Scottish James I ascended the throne of England, much to many Englishmens chagrin, and it tells the tale of Macbeths fearful regicide and his ensuing guilt. Even students who do not relish Shakespearean English appreciate this lively tale, filled with murder, scary nights in a remote Scottish castle, battles, and a riddle that isnt solved until the end of the play.Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is also on the list. Familiar to most students because of modern updates, this tale features star-crossed lovers and adolescent impulses that appeal to most high school readers.Shakespeares Hamlet, a story of an angst-ridden prince whose father has been murdered by his uncle, also tops independent schools lists. The soliloquies in this play, including to be or not to be, and what a rogue and peasant slave am I, are known to many high school students.Julius Caesar, another Shakespeare play, is featured on many schoo ls lists. It is one of Shakespeares history plays and is about the assassination of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn has been controversial since its release in the United States in 1885. While some critics and school districts have condemned or banned the book because of its perceived vulgar language and apparent racism, it often appears on high school reading lists as a skillful dissection of American racism and regionalism.The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850, is a tale of adultery and guilt set during Puritan rule of Boston. While many high school students have a difficult time wading through the sometimes dense prose, the surprise conclusion of the novel and its examination of hypocrisy often make it ultimately appealing to this audience.Many high school students enjoy F. Scott Fitzgeralds 1925 The Great Gatsby, a riveting and beautifully written tale of lust, love, greed, and class anxiety in the Roaring Twenties. There are parallels to modern America, and the characters are compelling. Many students read this book in English class while they are studying American history, and the novel provides insight into the moral values of the 1920s. Harper Lees 1960 classic To Kill A Mockingbird, later made into a wonderful movie starring Gregory Peck, is, simply put, one of the best American books ever written. Its tale of injustice written through the eyes of an innocent narrator grabs most readers; it is often read in 7th or 8th grade and sometimes in high school. It tends to be a book students remember for a long time, if not for the rest of their lives.Homers The Odyssey, in any one of its modern translations, proves difficult going for many students, with its poetry and mythological narrative. However, many students grow to enjoy the adventure-filled tribulations of Odysseus and the insight the tale provides into the culture of ancient Greece.William Goldings 1954 novel The Lord of the Flies is often banned because of its essential message that evil lurks in the hearts of man–or in this case, the hearts of boys who are marooned on a deserted island and turn to violence. English teachers enjoy mining the book for its symbolism and its statements about human nature when it is unchained to society. John Steinbecks 1937 novel Of Mice and Men is a sparsely written tale of two mens friendship set during the Great Depression. Many students appreciate its simple, though sophisticated language, and its messages about friendship and the value of the poor.The youngest book on this list,  The Giver  by Lois Lowry was published in 1993 and was the 1994 Newbery Medal winner. It tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who lives in a seemingly ideal world but learns about the darkness within his community after receiving his life assignment as the Receiver.  Another more recent book, compared to many of the others on this list, is  The Color Purple. Written by Alice Walker and first published in 1982, this novel tells the story of Celie, a young black girl born into a life of poverty and segregation. She endures incredible challenges in life, including rape and separation from her family, but eventually meets a woman who helps Celie change her life.

CCEI1220P4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CCEI1220P4 - Essay Example This was a cognitive test, which Jacob failed. He never made any effort to think and search where the rattle was hidden, but instead he chose to cry. It was also an emotional test for Jacob to look for toys beyond his tracking area, which he also failed. As a baby, we would expect things to come easy for him, but he should have also endeavoured to find the toys at least. Based on the findings I made in activity 1, some of the actions that I will take when planning activities for Jacob are enhancing the classroom to ease movements, improve the kinds of toys that Jacob plays with and also establish games that could improve the cognitive development of Jacob. When enhancing the classroom, I will install things such as maps or directions on the floor to indicate where I have hidden the objects to make it easier for Jacob to find them. I will also introduce Jacob to toys such as building blocks. Cognitive games such as stacking blocks or emptying and filling objects can enhance motor learning, spatial awareness and effect, as well as cause. Through such games, infants, such a Jacob, can learn to be deliberate with their movement actions. Finally, I will incorporate games such as hide-and-seek, which can help Jacob learn analytic skills. I will ask Jacob to hide something in the trashcan or in another site away from where they are and ask other students t o find it. Also, this can teach language, as well as direction-following skills. Writing summaries of narratives is perhaps the most flexible ways or techniques of presenting a story. Summaries of narratives do not essentially tie the teacher down to chronological order, the way dramatisation and dialog do, nor do they need a focus on one specific feature of the tale, as descriptions normally do. This makes summaries of narratives one of the most prominent tools in an author’s toolbox, as well as one of the trickiest. Narrative summaries aid in coming up action plans in that they

Divorce in the Pentateuch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Divorce in the Pentateuch - Essay Example This essay will critically analyze what the Pentateuch has to say on the topic. According to the Creation story it would appear that divorce was not a part of God’s plan when he created man and woman. â€Å"This is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body† (Genesis 2: 24). If marriage was meant for two persons to be as one body then divorce would be viewed as an illness since it was making the body less wholesome. ‘If a man, after marrying a woman and having relationships with her, comes to dislike her, and makes monstrous charges against her and defames her by saying, â€Å"I married this woman, but when I first had relations with her I did not find her a virgin,† (Deut 22:13 – 14). The woman is viewed as an object and is always the property of the man whether it is the husband or the father. The verse further explained that the father should try to prove her innocence. Although this passage gave instructions that if the girl is found to be innocent the man should not divorce her it shows the responsibility that the community has when it comes to marriage and divorce. In return the couple is supposed to bear witness to the community and they had to show proof before a divorce could take place. The man was supposed to write the woman a certificate of divorce and send her away from his house. According to Hall this certificate was â€Å"crucial to protect her status† (359). Furthermore it served as a way of announcing to society that the woman was eligible to remarry. The man according to this verse in Deuteronomy is bound by the law in keeping his wife. He cannot divorce her because she was found to be innocent. This shows that this was the only grounds he had. â€Å"Moreover, she shall remain his wife, and he may not divorce her as long as he lives.† On the other hand

Tale of Two Cities Character Analysis Essay Example for Free

Tale of Two Cities Character Analysis Essay The sacrifice of one’s own life for the person they love is by far the ultimate sacrifice any human being can make. In A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, Sydney Carton, a despondent and inebriate man, did exactly that. Through his sacrifice, he became the most memorable and dynamic character in this book. Sydney Carton was an unmotivated alcoholic who transformed his wasted and useless life by performing a selfless act of heroism. I am a disappointed drudge. I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me, (Page 71). That was Sydney Carton’s abridged explanation for his disposition when he meets Charles Darnay. In the beginning, Carton is a lazy, alcoholic attorney who cares about nothing in life. He is self-undermining in that he has no confidence or volition and believes his life is an extreme waste. He is crude, frequently drunk, and melancholy. He feels he is stuck in the disappointed course of his once promising life, and has nothing worth giving anymore. Around the middle of the book, Sydney Carton makes a remarkable transformation into a man of profound merit. He professes his love to Lucie saying, For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you, (page 128). This scene marks a vital transition for Carton and lays the foundation and foreshadows the supreme sacrifice that he makes at the end of the novel. Lucie was the only one who thought there was a good person in Carton, and inadvertently succeeded in transforming him from depressed and dejected into a caring and altruistic man. Sydney Cartons promise to Lucie took him to the guillotine at the end of A Tale of Two Cities. He died for Darnay, which he believes is the greatest thing he could do to make his life significant. His death lets the woman he loves be happy. He quotes a verse from the bible saying, I am the resurrection and then life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall never die; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. This verse becomes almost his theme of the rest of Carton’s changed outlook of life. Sydney Cartons resurrection from his concealed life by his love for Lucie is gained by giving up his life for her happiness. He goes to death with the satisfaction of knowing that his life now has meaning, which is what Carton was searching for throughout the novel. During his life he was unable to act in his own self-interest, but, paradoxically, he’s completely willing to sacrifice his own life so that another man may live to please the one he loves. Sydney Carton sacrificed his life for Lucie, the only person who made him feel his life had meaning—just like he had promised to her. He began as a drunken man with no purpose, but only in the sacrifice of his life did Carton establish his greatest worth. Essentially what makes him the most memorable and dynamic character of A Tale of Two Cities is this predominant resurrection. In that all that was good in him and his love for Lucie lives on in Darnay, and he is now defined not for what he was, but by his single greatest act.

Sherman’s Stab at South Carolina Essay -- Civil War, Trading Ports

â€Å"South Carolina had succeeded! It had left the Union by vote of its convention at Charleston on the twentieth.†(Lewis 137). To many people this was a shock for South Carolina to be the first state to succeed from the union. To General William Sherman he was devastated as Lewis depicts Sherman Pacing the floor as he was saddened by this tragic news, and in pacing until it became almost an omen to his future march (Lewis 138). As The Civil War came close to an end, the union had come up with a brilliant plan to end it all with just one devastating plan. To trek through the southern states burning and destroying everything in sight so to devastate the southern states and make a surrender inevitable. General William Sherman’s march devastated all the southern states, but affected South Carolina more than any other southern state. With the march through the south General Sherman’s troops destroyed everything in sight. The heart break General William Sherman remem bered at the beginning of the war was still fresh to him, because of this he left South Carolina with nothing to hold onto as a state. As reported in Civil War Battle Guide â€Å"Sherman specifically targeted South Carolina, the first state to secede† (Houghton). South Carolina having a striving economies before the war began one of the leading slave trade states and agricultural trade states General Williams Sherman’s march hit the hearts of the South Carolina people all because of the state making a decision to rebel against the union. Not only would South Carolina be effected negatively but would find themselves searching for a new beginning after the war. No other state would find themselves with as much of a loss as the State of South Carolina just because Sherman struck the m... ...Findling. What Happened? : An Encyclopedia Of Events That Changed America Forever. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2011.eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Hughes, Nathaniel Cheairs. Bentonville : The Final Battle Of Sherman And Johnston. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1996. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Marszalek, John F. Sherman : A Soldier's Passion For Order. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2007. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 25 Nov. 2013. Wright, John D. The Language Of The Civil War. Westport, Conn: Oryx Press, 2001. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 23 Nov. 2013. Sebesta, Edward H., and James W. Loewen. The Confederate And Neo-Confederate Reader : The 'Great Truth' About The 'Lost Cause'. Jackson, Miss: University Press of Mississippi, 2010.eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 21 Nov. 2013.

July’s People Essay

July’s People is a story about the drastic change and upheaval of society caused by the ending of apartheid in South Africa. Throughout the story the theme of conflict between blacks and whites is brought up and explored. This theme of conflict is largely played out between Maureen, the white suburban mother of three, and July, her servant and host during this time of upheaval in Johannesburg. While the two engage in conflicts throughout the book it isn’t the type of conflict that is injurious to either party, it is the type which forces both sides to grow and evolve their opinions and outlook on society. Read more:  good people David Foster Wallace essay This change and evolution is seen mainly in Maureen who, over the course of the story, evolves and in the end is essentially reborn into a more enlightened version of herself as a result of the conflict which she goes through with July. At the onset of July’s People, all Maureen Smales has ever known is being a mother and wife. As the story progresses it becomes clear that she will shed this role and step into a version of herself vastly more complex and real than the one she left behind. The longer Maureen is in the village, the less in touch she is with the person she was back in Johannesburg. Along with losing touch with her old self, Maureen begins to discover things about her family that she did not realize in the city, â€Å"He left the smell of his sweaty sleep behind him; she had not known, back there, what his smell was (the sweat of lovemaking is different, and mutual). Showers and baths kept away, for both of them, the possibility of knowing in this kind of way. She had not known herself; the odors that could be secreted by her own body. â€Å"(p. 103). During this passage Maureen is using the stage of not knowing the natural odor of herself and her husband as a metaphor to emphasize that back in the city everything gets covered up by cologne or otherwise, while in the village, where none of this disguise is available, the true smell, or nature of a person becomes clear. As Maureen’s old reality begins to slip away it leaves a gapping hole in its absence. The hole then needs to be filled, and this is where July and the conflict he brings comes into play. What Maureen learns about the dynamics of culture while talking to July is eventually what fills up the hole. From early on in the book, Maureen and July are in conflict with each other, butting heads on numerous topics including control of the Bakkie and Maureen’s role in the village. While this conflict may look counterproductive at first glance, it is actually providing both Maureen and July with valuable insight into each other’s thoughts and feelings of the current situation. As it becomes increasingly clear that Maureen is losing touch with who she was in the city, the reader begins to see Maureen struggling to understand July and the mentality of the people living in the village, † -My, my, my. What can we do. Is terrible, everybody coming very bad, killing†¦ burning†¦ Only God can help us. We can only hope everything will come back all right-â€Å". Maureen then goes on to say, â€Å"-But you don’t mean the way it was, you don’t mean that. Do you? You don’t mean that. -â€Å"(p. 95). Here Maureen is taken aback at the fact that a black person might not want the social change that the end of apartheid would bring with it. This is a prime example of a white suburban woman being faced with a idea that doesn’t fit into her categorization of the world and her struggling to understand this new and strange concept. The more that Maureen has these conflicting moments with July the more she begins to grow and move towards releasing her old ideas and prejudices, while adopting a new view of the world. The closer the story draws to its end the more Maureen is seen letting go of her old self and adopting new ideas in their place. For Maureen, the gun that Bam brought with him is her very last link to her life back in the city, when it is stolen Maureen tries desperately to get July’s help to get it back, pleading with July, †You’ve got to get that gun back. (p. 149). Maureen is clinging to the last link she has to her past self, trying to hold on to the smallest bit of normalcy and having the gun ripped away from her brings all that crashing to the ground. For Maureen, the ultimate moment of letting go occurs just after the gun is stolen following a conversation with July, â€Å"The skin of her body was creeping with and ecstatic fever of relief, splendid and despicable to her. †(p. 153). This passage is Maureen’s way of expressing her release of her old self. The use of the word fever here is a clue to what is going on, the body uses a fever to kill off an illness by overheating it, and now Maureen is having the part of her that is connected with Johannesburg â€Å"killed off†. The despicable yet splendid feeling that this gives her symbolizes how painful and hard it is to let her past go but also how good it feels to be ready to move freely into the future. Once Maureen was ready to move on it just took the right situation and the arrival of the helicopter was just that situation, â€Å"She is running to the river and she hears them, the man’s voice and the voices of children speaking English somewhere to the left. But she makes straight for the ford, and pulling off her shoes balances and jumps from boulder to boulder, and when there are no more boulders does as she has seen done, moves out into the water like some member of a baptismal sect to be born again†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (p. 159). This passage encompasses both Maureen leaving behind her old self as well as her moving forward to be re-born into a new person. This is the moment when Maureen’s journey comes full circle. She was prepared for this moment of rebirth by way of her numerous conflicts with July, through which she grew greatly as a person. As the story evolves and Maureen begins to realize that she and her family are not the same people they were back in Johannesburg, she finds herself in conflict with July and his thinking more and more. These conflicts, which existed in her, were not so much those of racial equality but rather of personal identity. By way of her discussions with July, Maureen is able to sort out the issue of personal identity and transform herself into a â€Å"born again† person by the end of the book. While these discussions often take on the form of a conflict they are conflict which leads to growth, not to destruction. The conflict that she has with July over the course of the story is essential to Maureen becoming the free, reborn version of herself and to discover who she is outside of apartheid.