The Iliad Essay Example for Free

The Iliad Essay Greek Mythology is dominated by numerous heroes, all with unique super-human qualities. The purpose of every story is to demonstrate each character’s remarkable â€Å"gift.† Some of the qualities represented by these colorful characters include caution, confidence, kindness, strength, and courage. Combining Odysseus’ wisdom, Achilles’ intimidation factor, and Hector’s bravery, would result in the ultimate warrior who would surpass the best of Homer’s creations. Among Homer’s enviable heroes, Odysseus with his great cunning wisdom is certainly one of the most admired. In every major battle, it is Odysseus who comes up with the ideas to outsmart the enemy or more importantly, factors that will help and allow the Achaians to win the battles, â€Å"Wait a bit, Achilles- we know your quality, but do not drive out the army to battle fasting. Fighting lasts a long time, when once the battalions meet†¦First order them all to take food and drink here in camp. Strength and courage both are mine when I have my bread and wine†¦Then dismiss, and tell them to make a proper meal.† (Homer 231). This not only shows Odysseus’ knowledge in how a battle runs and what the soldiers need in order to have energy to fight well in battle, but also shows how Odysseus’ wisdom is acknowledged by the Achaians and he is well-respected by having kings and princes such as Agammenon and Achilles listen and do what he suggests. With his words, Odysseus also keeps the Achaian army intact, â€Å"But here we have the ninth year at the turn, and still we stay†¦But all the same, it is disgraceful to stay long and then to return empty. Bear it, my friends!† (Homer 28). The soldiers have grown impatient especially with their lack of result. Odysseus uses his wisdom to demonstrate understanding of the soldiers’ plight, yet at the same time, remind them that they’ve put in so much time and that they need to have something to show for it! A successful, ideal warrior most definitely needs Odysseus’s wisdom on the battlefield. Achilles is another one of the most famous Greek heroes. He is known as a great warrior, someone who easily intimidates all his opponents. Very few other mythology figures is a better fighter than Achilles and his intimidation factor is an extremely useful weapon, â€Å"When Acilles appeared after his long absence, and the Trojans aw him sweep into the field with gleaming armour like a very god of war, their knees trembled beneath them in dismay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Homer 237). Without even having to make a move, Achilles causes his enemies to be afraid of him and want to back down. A warrior who can intimidate his enemies by just sight, usually does have the advantage to dominate in actually fighting. Once Achilles engages in combat, it is clear to see that his skills are above all others, â€Å"My dear Priamides! Why do you tell me to tackle that proud man, when you know that is the last thing I want?It’s no good for a mere man to fight Achilles†¦And even without that his cast goes straight and does not stop till it runs through human flesh† (Homer 237-238). Aineias, who is no amateur soldier, is clearly unwilling to risk his life facing Achilles. A true, ideal warrior would definitely need to have the sort of reputation that Achilles has. An ideal warrior also needs to have bravery. No one represents this trait better than the famous Trojan, Hector. In the ten years of defending the City Of Troy, Hector is never directly connected to any defeat. Where Aineias backs off without hesitation, Hector also aware of Achilles’ reputation steps up instead when he tells Achilles, â€Å"I know you are a stronger man than I am, but all that lies on the knees of the gods† (Homer 243). Hector knows he may lose his life, but he is so full of bravery that he is not afraid to fight Achilles one on one. Hector’s daring actions also show how his valor. The killing of Patroclos is probably the most troublesome death of a warrior. Patroclos’ death leads to the Trojans and the Achaians to fight with even more intensity. However, bold Hector did not just kill Patroclos, but did something even worse, â€Å"Hector had taken the armour, and now he was dragging away the body, intending to cut off the head and throw the body among the carrion dogs† (Homer 204-205). This shows how not only is Hector daring enough to kill Patroclos when knowing he is a good friend of Achilles, but also has the guts to take his armor and even attempt to carry the body back to the Trojan city to be his chief pride. To be considered as a warrior, the man most definitely needs to take valiant actions. After reading Homer’s famous Iliad, we the readers know that Homer did not put all of the great qualities into one single warrior, but instead put great characteristics and qualities into different warriors, which when combined forms an ideal warrior- the combination of Odysseus’s wisdom, Achilles’ intimidation, and Hector’s bravery. Odysseus with his cunning wisdom not only comes up with ideas to outsmart the Achaian enemies and to win the battles, but he also helps keep the Achaian army intact. Achilles with his intimidating reputation allows him to be greatly feared by his opponents and highly-respected for his combat skills. Ultimately, Hector with his bravery and the bold actions he takes earns him a reputation of a greatly-respected hero. It is obvious that an ideal warrior must have the characteristics of Odysseus, Achilles, and Hector, heroes in The Iliad.

An Analysis of Language in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart :: Things Fall Apart essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Albert Chinualumogu Achebe was born on November 16, 1930 to Isaiah Okafo and Janet Achebe in the very unstable country of Ogidi, Nigeria. He was exposed to missionaries early in his childhood because Ogidi was one of the first missionary centers established in Eastern Nigeria and his father was an evangelist. Yet it was not until he began to study at the University of Ibadan that Achebe discovered what he himself wanted to do. He had grown apalled to the "superficial picture" of Nigeria that many non-Nigerian authors were providing. That is when Achebe resolved to write something that viewed his country from "the inside".   (Gallagher, Susan, The Christian Century, v114, 260)  Ã‚   His first novel, Things Fall Apart, achieved exactly this.   Things Fall Apart is based on Nigeria's early experiences with the British. It is the story of an Ibo village and one of it's great men, Okonkwo, who is a very high achiever being a champion wrestler, a wealthy farmer, a husband to three wives, and a man with titles. Okonkwo's world is disrupted with the appearance of the first white man who tries to inflict his religion on the Umuofia natives. Okonkwo, a high tempered man, later kills a British employed man and eventually takes his own life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Achebe himself once said, "Language is a weapon and we use it, and there's no point in   fighting it." ( Gallagher, The Christian Century, v114, 260)   These are words that Achebe lives by. He stood by this statement throughout his entire career with a language style that would change African literature. was no exception. He accomplished his goal by writing about his own culture and his own family in a poetic, proverbic style.   Ã‚   The unique language style of Things Fall Apart not only changed Achebe's career, but it also changed his country. Achebe himself once said, " Art is, and always was, at the service of man. Our ancestors created their myths and told their stories for a human purpose. Any good story, any good novel, should have a message, should have a purpose." Achebe used the "weapon" of language to convince "outsiders" that Nigeria is a nation with great potential.

Discuss how three or more important symbols add to your understanding of Of Mice and Men Essay

In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck portrays messages to the reader through various techniques, including the vivid animal imagery presented throughout the novella, most notably in Chapters 1 and 6. However, his most potent form of message conveying is through his use of symbolism. Interweaving light imagery and exercising characters as symbols into the text furthers the development of integral themes and plotlines throughout the turbulent story. From the â€Å"deep and green Salinas River† to the â€Å"right hand that had held the gun†, Steinbeck’s utilization of symbols contributes to the reader’s overall appreciation of the chaotic book, highlighting recurring themes such as loneliness. As was stated in the introduction, Steinbeck employs characters as symbols. The most familiar example of this is old Candy. Candy is a significant figure in Of Mice and Men, due to the likenesses between him and George. â€Å"I ain’t much good with on’y one hand†¦that’s why they give me a job swampin,’ Candy explains to George. As a swamper, this is all Candy has left. In 1930s America, a worker who could not work to his full potential, especially during the time of the Depression, would be replaced- Candy’s ultimate fear. That’s why he wants to â€Å"cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some† on Lennie and George’s land. Candy can lead a safe life, not having to worry about being â€Å"canned†. Candy’s stumped wrist is a result of an accident on the ranch. Candy is a prime example of being caught in the Migrant Worker’s Cycle- moving to one job, before leaving and moving somewhere else. A link can therefore be established with George, and Lennie, who appear to have been traveling around working before the time of Of Mice and Men. This is another case of the cyclic nature of the novella, and a reflection of the American way of life in the 1930s. Another example of Candy’s symbolic nature is with his â€Å"ancient dog†. This [Candy and his dog] is the first ‘relationship’ in the novella to be broken, with the final bond, George and Lennie, being destroyed at the climax. â€Å"‘No,’ he said softly. ‘No, I couldn’ do that. I had ‘im too long,'† explains Candy in Chapter 3, referring to the idea of killing his dog. This is very similar to George who, despite knowing Lennie will only cause grief to him and those around him, does not want to hurt him, because he too has been with his companion for a long time. Candy explains that, â€Å"I been around him so much I never notice how he stinks,† while George earlier says, â€Å"but you get used to goin’ around with a guy an’ you can’t get rid of him.'†- Another likeness between the two. George has his own dog, Lennie, who follows George around, maintaining silence in conversations and growing increasingly dependent on a master. During the novella, the recurrence of loneliness, and speculating at a lonesome finale, is ever present, especially in the form of playing cards. The bunkhouse is often the scene of the games, with George the dealer. This is significant, as George frequently exclaims his desire to be alone, â€Å"If I was alone I could live so easy.† However, solitude is George’s enemy, and he is fearful at the prospect of living alone. This is projected through his card playing, â€Å"Slim sat down†¦across from George†¦He studied the solitaire hand that was upside-down to him.† Inadvertently, George has dealt a game of solitaire- a single player game, an insinuation at the conclusion of the story, when George ultimately kills his companion. A similar event arises when Candy’s dog is led by Carlson to be shot. â€Å"‘Anybody like to play a little euchre?'† asks George. The key theme of loneliness is being forced away by George, who refuses to be alone, opting to ask the group to play cards. The constant reminding of impending solitude, and its effects, enable the reader to understand and fully interpret the inevitability of what is to come. Hands play a vital role in the symbolism of Of Mice and Men. There are various references to the hands of men, building up to the climatic noting, â€Å"right hand that had held the gun.† Despite the assortment of quotes in relation to hands, each has its own meaning. George’s â€Å"right hand† is the killing hand that seals his isolation in the world. Candy’s lack of a hand, accompanied by persistent referencing to his handicap, â€Å"Candy stood in the doorway scratching his bald wrist,† provides a stark reminder of the perils of working in 1930s America, stressing the importance of staying healthy. If an illness or injury affected the work rate of a person, they were often removed from their job- a brusque feature of Capitalism. The contextual relevance expands the fluency of the text for the reader, as the framework for the 1930s American society is commonly paralleled with the novella. With regards to Curley, his â€Å"glove’s fulla Vaseline†, which he’s â€Å"keepin’ soft for his wife.† This is one of many sexual references regarding Curley’s wife, who regularly symbolizes the contextual attraction of whorehouses and prostitutes to the migrant workers. As stated above, Curley’s wife’s character is sharply familiarized with prostitutes and the brothels of the 1930s American society. Her flirtatious nature is met with an everlasting disapproval from the workers on the ranch – Candy thinks, â€Å"Curley’s married†¦a tart,† who, â€Å"got the eye,† referring to her engaging character. However, in a letter to Miss Luce, the actress who plays Curley’s wife in the play version of the text, Steinbeck explains, â€Å"She is a nice, kind girl and not a floozy.† According to Steinbeck, â€Å"she is a little starved. She knows utterly nothing about sex except the mass of misinformation girls tell one another.† From this, we can deduce that Curley’s wife isn’t a â€Å"Looloo†, and she isn’t likely to be found in â€Å"Old Susy’s Place†, but due to the fact Curley and her have not consummated their marriage, she feels an object to men â €“ â€Å"no man has considered her as anything except a girl to try to make.† Curley’s wife, Steinbeck explains, is a nice person, and knows the only way men will notice her is if she is desirable. In Of Mice and Men, Curley’s wife experiences loneliness, due to neglect from Curley, and she confesses this to Lennie, â€Å"‘Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody?'† Since no one has tried talking to her, Curley’s wife has not proved to be anything more than a floozy, which explains the unpleasant behaviour towards her. It is interesting that, when Candy calls her a â€Å"tart†, there is a pause, as if to suggest caution. Further along in the conversation, Candy asks, â€Å"You won’t tell Curley nothing I said?† This implies that Candy is afraid Curley will learn of what he has been saying, as the ranch is the only work he’ll ever acquire, due to his old age and handicap. The threat of Curley’s wife to the workers intimidates them to the point of obeying her. Steinbeck’s pointed description of how Curley’s wife flagrantly flirts with the other workers is a repetition of the theme, which he has earlier shown, using the brothels and his showing of the women who work in them as being mere objects. It is almost as if Curley’s wife believes that the only way to get by in life is to be like those women in the brothel, and to offer herself as an object. This is the case in Chapter 4, when Crooks coldly exclaims, â€Å"You got no right comin’ in a coloured man’s room.† Curley’s wife uses her position as the boss’ son’s wife, and her contextual superiority over the Negro to threaten him, â€Å"I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.† This is threatening to Crooks, as one simple cry of ‘Rape’ will result in a lynching. Curley’s wife also knows that, despite the harmful comments made by the men on the ranch, she holds a distinct advantage over them – â€Å"Curley’s pretty handy.† – Curley could beat the worker, and get them fired, due to his position as the boss’ son. All but two of the workers fear Curley – Slim, â€Å"Slim†¦was scowling†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢You lay offa me,'† and Carlson – â€Å"‘I’ll kick your god-damn head off.'† Curley’s wife, therefore, can target the remainder of the men, and flirt with them, to further her position. This goes horribly wrong when she begins to pursue Lennie. Firstly, she re-establishes her coyness through Lennie’s dream, â€Å"‘Well if that’s all you want, I might get a couple rabbits myself.'† Then, in the barn house, she looks, â€Å"closely at Lennie to see whether she was impressing him,† another instance where she is trying to leave her mark on a worker. Curley’s wife seals her own fate by exclaiming, â€Å"‘Mine [Hair] is soft and fine†¦feel right here.'† This is the last ‘stage’ of Curley’s wife’s seduction – physical contact. She has seen for herself that Lennie likes to pet things, and she foolishly bids Lennie to stroke her hair, knowing full well he will. Lennie strokes too hard, and she â€Å"flops like a fish.† Steinbeck purposefully repeats this simile, as this has been used when Lennie crushes Curley’s hand. This shared simile between the married couple suggests similar characteristics between the two – most notably the volatile tempers of the two, â€Å"‘What’s the matter with me?’ she cried.† As the novella was written in 1930s America, the contextual content would be ever-present. However, coming off of the Depression, the American Dream had been damaged. This is highlighted by Curley’s wife, â€Å"I never got that letter,† referring to her failed career as an actress. â€Å"He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural.† This is a prime example of the American Dream – a nobody becoming a somebody. However, as with the Depression and many lives in America, this Dream was shattered – â€Å"So I married Curley,† almost as if she married him to anger her mother, â€Å"‘I always thought my ol’ lady stole it.'† Curley’s wife can be classed as the Depression itself – the ender of dreams. The Depression ended the American Dream (Curley’s wife’s dream), as well as other people’s – in Of Mice and Men, Curley’s wife also ends Lennie and George’s dream, by enticing Lennie, which led to her death, and the end of the Dream. Putting this into reality, these small symbolizations, such as Curley’s wife ending Lennie and George’s dream, enhances the understanding of the novel, as the main contextual features are evidently clear, assisted by Steinbeck’s geographical knowledge of the area – Steinbeck was raised in the California area, and he worked on a farm – the descriptions of the landscape would therefore be accurate, blurring the line between fact and fiction. One of the most effective symbols that Steinbeck employs to the novel is that of animal imagery. Throughout the novel, Lennie is likened to a bear, due to numerous references, â€Å"sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws.† The bear-like stance of Lennie suggests his ferocity and power aid him, but he is clumsy, and prone to attack, a true reflection of Lennie’s character. In the opening and final chapters in the novella, the moods are very different, yet similar. The evocative beginnings to each chapter contain repetition of â€Å"the deep green pool of the Salinas River,† whilst both being disrupted by man. The most significant part about these openings is the disposition of the disturbance – in Chapter 1, â€Å"the rabbits hurried noiselessly for cover, â€Å"whilst in Chapter 6, Lennie’s intrusion is â€Å"as silent as a creeping bear moves,† yet another reference to his bear-like stature. However, the most potent form of animal imagery is when it is used in a prefigurative sense. In Chapter 1, â€Å"A stilted heron laboured up into the air and pounded down-river.† In Chapter 6, the heron reappears, â€Å"A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and†¦swallowed the little snake.† This is a foreshadowing of the events to follow, where George shoots Lennie in the back of the head. Steinbeck’s manipulation of his short story permits him to substitute ordinary characters and plots with complex, contextual symbolism. This is used to great effect, and enhances the reader’s understanding of the text, which allows a broader knowledge of both the book and the milieu in which it was written.

The Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison - 1524 Words

In the novel The Bluest Eye, authored by Toni Morrison, Morrison brings up many social conflicts that occur throughout the novel. One of the biggest conflicts she brings up within the novel is racism. There are many offsets of racism that occur to many of the characters within the novel. One of the most significant issues or conflicts that branch off from racism is how racism affects and limits the opportunities that minorities have. In Morrison’s novel this type of racism that affects opportunity is directed towards African Americans. Even Tonya Cornileus stated in an article she wrote in the year 2013 that, â€Å"Today, African American men are the least likely hired or promoted† (Cornileus 136). This racial discrimination towards African Americans has a major impact on the opportunity they have in the world, just as Morrison portrayed in her novel The Bluest Eye. Racism plays a crucial part in the workforce for African Americans and all other minorities. In The Blues t Eye, Morrison wrote about the job that Polly and most African Americans had to do by working for White people because they possibly did not get the opportunity to get another job that would be better for them. Morrison states a situation that occurs between Polly and the white women she is working for in the novel by stating, ‘You leave him and then come back to work, and we’ll let bygones be bygones.’ ‘Can I have my money today?’ I said. ‘No’ she said. ‘nly when you leave him† (Morrison 121). The white womanShow MoreRelatedThe Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison1720 Words   |  7 Pagesof The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison, criticizes the danger of race discrimination for any kinds of situations with no exception. The purpose of the paper is explain how pervasive and destructive social racism was bound to happen in American society. The intended audiences are not only black people, but also other races had suffered racism until now. I could find out and concentrate on the most notable symbols which are whiteness, blue eyes and the characterization while reading the novel. Toni MorrisonRead MoreThe Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison1587 Words   |  7 Pagessaid, â€Å"We were born to die and we die to live.† Toni Morrison correlates to Nelson’s quote in her Nobel Lecture of 1993, â€Å"We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives.† In Toni Morrison’s novel, The Bluest Eye, she uses language to examine the concepts of racism, lack of self-identity, gender roles, and socioeconomic hardships as they factor into a misinterpretation of the American Dream. Morrison illustrates problems that these issues provoke throughRead MoreThe Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison956 Words   |  4 PagesHistory of Slavery Influenced the Characters of The Bluest Eye Unlike so many pieces of American literature that involve and examine the history of slavery and the years of intensely-entrenched racism that ensued, the overall plot of the novel, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, does not necessarily involve slavery directly, but rather examines the aftermath by delving into African-American self-hatred. Nearly all of the main characters in The Bluest Eye who are African American are dominated by the endlessRead MoreThe Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison1189 Words   |  5 PagesA standard of beauty is established by the society in which a person lives and then supported by its members in the community. In the novel The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, we are given an extensive understanding of how whiteness is the standard of beauty through messages throughout the novel that whiteness is superior. Morrison emphasizes how this ideality distorts the minds and lives of African-American women and children. He emphasizes that in order for African-American wom en to survive in aRead MoreThe Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison1095 Words   |  5 PagesSocial class is a major theme in the book The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Toni Morrison is saying that there are dysfunctional families in every social class, though people only think of it in the lower class. Toni Morrison was also stating that people also use social class to separate themselves from others and apart from race; social class is one thing Pauline and Geraldine admire.Claudia, Pecola, and Frieda are affected by not only their own social status, but others social status too - for exampleRead MoreThe Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison2069 Words   |  9 Pagesblack/whiteness. Specifically, white people were positioned at the upper part of the hierarchy, whereas, African Americans were inferior. Consequently, white people were able to control and dictate to the standards of beauty. In her novel, ‘The Bluest Eye’, Toni Morrison draws upon symbolism, narrative voice, setting and id eals of the time to expose the effects these standards had on the different characters. With the juxtaposition of Claudia MacTeer and Pecola Breedlove, who naively conforms to the barrierRead MoreThe Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison1103 Words   |  5 Pages Toni Morrison is known for her prized works exploring themes and issues that are rampant in African American communities. Viewing Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye from a psychoanalytical lens sheds light onto how, as members of a marginalized group, character’s low self-esteem reflect into their actions, desires, and defense mechanisms. In her analysis of psychoanalytical criticism, Lois Tyson focuses on psychological defense mechanisms such as selective perception, selective memory, denialRead MoreThe Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison Essay1314 Words   |  6 PagesThe Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison, encompasses the themes of youth, gender, and race. The African American Civil Rights Movement had recently ended at the time the novel was written. In the book, Morrison utilizes a first-person story to convey her views on racial inequality. The protagonist and her friends find themselves in moments where they are filled with embarrassment and have a wish to flee such events. Since they are female African Americans, they are humiliated in society. One of Morrison’sRead MoreThe Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison1462 Words   |  6 PagesBildungsroman literature in the 20th century embodies the virtues of different authors’ contexts and cultures, influencing the fictional stories of children’s lives around the wo rld.. The Bluest Eye is a 1970 publication by Toni Morrison set in 1940s Ohio in America, focal around the consequence of racism in an American community on the growth of a child, distinct in its use of a range of narrative perspectives. Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid is a novel set in post colonial Antigua, published in 1985Read MoreThe Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison992 Words   |  4 PagesSet in the 1940s, during the Great Depression, the novel The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison, illustrates in the inner struggles of African-American criticism. The Breedloves, the family the story revolves around a poor, black and ugly family. They live in a two-room store front, which is open, showing that they have nothing. In the family there is a girl named Pecola Breedlove, she is a black and thinks that she is ugly because she is not white. Pecola’s father, Cholly Breedlove, goes through humiliated