Analyzing the Central Theme of Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain Essay Example for Free

Analyzing the Central Theme of Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain Essay Cold Mountain is a tragic yet a very profound story of love, searching, and intuition which happens in an environment terrorized by war in 1864 (Buchanan). The story is set on the troubled plains and mountains of nineteenth century America where Inman, the main character, decided to leave the battlefield as he yearned and searched for his lover. In a nutshell, the story basically revolves around a tale of love which bound two people together amidst distance, chaos, and isolation. This debut novel of Charles Frazier has definitely redefined love in ways, portrayed as a powerful force which enables people to overcome dangers and even life threatening situations just to reunite with a loved one. In several ways, the novel reflects the importance of faith as well as love despite isolation, distress, and confusion that an individual faces. Central Theme of the Novel The main feature of the novel which an average reader may notice would be the war of the 19th century America. It tells the story of how distressing and miserable life during war is and how hopeless it gets most of the time. Inman, identified as the main protagonist of the story, was a part of the confederate army before he went on to his venture of coming back to his long lost lover, Ada. His life in the confederate army made him realize that it is indeed a lot worse to lose something a person already has than fail to get what that person currently wants. The war made the character feel all the isolation and alienation any person would never want to experience. Through this isolation, Inman felt the need to come back home. However, amidst the distress and pains brought by the war, Inman’s spirit was kept alive by his love and yearning for Ada. The epic describes how more painful Inman’s longing is for Ada compared to the pains he felt because of his wounds. The author illustrated Inman’s longing as miserable as if, â€Å"his wounds gave hi, just reason to doubt that he would ever heal up and feel whole of a piece again† (Frazier 25). Although the epic was largely about battles, what Inman felt because of his separation from Ada gave the story a soft, emotional, and sentimental effect. This aspect of the story depicts a reality that no matter how harsh a person’s environment may seem, there will always be some spark of compassion and love inside his or her heart to encourage him or her to live. The story also illustrates that compassion and love will always be strong forces that will bind two people regardless of how far they are from each other and irrespective of how tough and immovable the barricade between them may be. Ada’s love, on the other hand, is illustrated in her patience and faith in Inman. Despite their distance, she never stopped waiting for Inman and believing in him. Her faith and belief that everything between them will be alright is reflected in her notes as a response to Inman’s letter which said: â€Å"This you must know: that despite your long absence, such is the light in which I view the happy relation existing between us, that I will never conceal a single thought from you† (Frazier27). The story was basically split between Inman and Ada’s life events which proved that beyond borders, their love will always unite and hold them together. Incorporating such a sentimental theme in a distressing genre such as war was an amazing feat that Frazier was able o successfully portray in his novel. However, upon further analysis of the novel, one may realize that it is from these painful and trying times that the need for love and compassion emerges, since this is the time when people are more likely to feel alienated and lost. It is also from these hard times when the need for someone to love and to be loved back is stronger. Thus, it may appear understandable and explicable why Inman had such a strong desire to come back home and turn his back from the grueling and miserable face of war. Nevertheless, Frazier was also able to present the realities of war in a very compelling manner. The alienation which Inman felt was also very believable which made it possible for the readers to empathize with the main character. Conclusion Cold Mountain is a realistic and compelling epic of a warrior who did not only fight for his state but also for him to come home to the one he loved. In this novel, Frazier was able to blend well the very different concepts of hostility, isolation, alienation, faith, and love. Yet, the author was able to present these ideas in a very realistic manner through the characters of the story. The epic can be considered as a good representation of how powerful love can be inside a person’s heart in times of desolation and loneliness. As reflected in the story, it can indeed be the driving force which can help a person to survive the harsh elements in his environments just to come home to the arms of his or her lover. Similarly, the story also portrays well the impacts of alienation and isolation to an individual and what alterations these impacts can cause to a person’s life and points of view. Thus, if there is anything that this epic would send the readers as a message, it would be that, amidst isolation, distress, and chaos, faith and love can help a person survive the odds and the tough challenges. Works Cited Buchanan, Catherine. â€Å"Cold Mountain: Context. † Spark Notes. 2009. 15 Apr. 2009. http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/coldmountain/context. html. Frazier, Charles. Cold Mountain. New York: Grove Pres

The War of the Sexes in The Taming Of The Shrew :: The Taming Of The Shrew William Shakespeare

The Taming Of The Shrew: The Battle Continues in the War of the Sexes  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        The plot of William Shakespeare’s The Taming Of The Shrew is derived from the popular 'war of the sexes' theme in which males and females are pitted against one another for dominance. Although the play has been condemned for the blatant sexist attitude it has toward women, a close examination of the play reveals that it is not a story of how men should 'put women in their place'. The play is, in fact, a comedy about an assertive woman coping with how she is expected to act in society and of how one must obey the unwritten rules of a society to be accepted by it. Although the play ends with her outwardly conforming to the norms of society, this is in action only, not in mind. Although she assumes the role of the obedient wife, inwardly she still retains her assertiveness. The play begins with an induction in which a drunkard, Christopher Sly, is fooled into believing he is a king and has a play performed for him. The play he watches is what constitutes the main body of The Taming Of The Shrew. In it, a wealthy landowner, Baptista Minola, attempts to have his two daughters married. One is very shrewish, Katherine, while the other is the beautiful and gentle Bianca. In order to ensure Katherine is married, Baptista disallows Bianca to be espoused until Katherine is wed, forcing the many suitors to Bianca to find a mate for Katherine in order for them to vie for Bianca's love. Most of the play's humor comes from the way in which characters create false realities by disguising themselves as other people, a device first introduced by having Christopher Sly believe he is someone he is not and then by having the main play performed for him. By putting The Taming Of The Shrew in a 'play within a play' structure, Shakespeare immediately lets the audience know that the play is not real thus making all events in the play false realities. Almost all characters in the play take on identities other than their own at some point of time during the play. Sly as a king, Tranio as Lucentio, Lucentio as Cambio, Hortensio as Litio and the pedant as Vicentio are all examples of this. Another example of this is Katherine as an obedient wife.

Carrie Chapter Sixteen

Some of the fights puffed out. There was a dazzling flash somewhere as a live power cord hit a puddle of water. There were dull thumps in her mind as circuit breakers went into hopeless operation. The boy who had been holding the mike stand fell over on one of his amps and there was an explosion of purple sparks and then the crepe bunting that faced the stage was burning. Just below the thrones, a live 220-volt electricity cable was crackling on the floor and beside it Rhonda Simard was doing a crazed puppet dance in her green tulle formal. Its full skirt suddenly blazed into flame and she fell forward, still jerking. It might have been at that moment that Carrie went over the edge. She leaned against the doors, her heart pumping wildly, yet her body as cold as ice cubes. Her face was livid, but dull red fever spots stood on each cheek. Her head throbbed thickly, and conscious thought was lost. She reeled away from the doors, still holding them shut, doing it without thought or plan. Inside the fire was brightening and she realized dimly that the mural must have caught on fire. She collapsed on the top step and put her head down on her knees, trying to slow her breathing. They were trying to get out the doors again, but she held them shut easilythat alone was no strain. Some obscure sense told her that a few were getting out the fire doors, but let them. She would get them later. She would get all of them. Every last one. She went down the stairs slowly and out the front doors, still holding the gymnasium doors closed. It was easy. All you had to do was see them in your mind. The town whistle went off suddenly, making her scream and put her hands in front of her face (the whistle it's just the fire whistle) for a moment. Her mind's eye lost sight of the gymnasium doors and some of them almost got out. No, no. Naughty. She slammed them shut again, catching somebody's fingers-it felt like Dale Norbert – in the jamb and severing one of them. She began to reel across the lawn again, a scarecrow fig= with bulging eyes, toward Main Street. On her right was dowtown – the department store, the Kelly Fruit, the beauty parlour and barbershop, gas stations, police station, fire station (they'll put out my fire) But they wouldn't. She began to giggle and it was an insane sound: triumphant, lost, victorious, terrified. She came to the first hydrant and tried to twist the huge painted lug nut on the side. (ohuh) It was heavy. It was very heavy. Metal twisted fight to balk here. Didn't matter. She twisted harder and felt it give. Then the other side. Then the top. Then she twisted all three at once, standing back, and they unscrewed in a flash. Water exploded outward and upward, one of the lug nuts flying five feet in front of her at suicidal speed, It hit the street, caromed high into the air, and was gone. Water gushed with white pressure in a cruciform pattern. Smiling, staggering, her heart beating at over two hundred per minute, she began to to walk down toward Grass Plaza. She was unaware that she was scrubbing her bloodied hands against her dress like Lady Macbeth, or that she was weeping even as she laughed, or that one hidden part of her mind was keening over her final and utter ruin. Bemuse she was going to take them with her, and there was going to be a great burning, until the land was full of its stink. She opened the hydrant at Grass Plaza, and then began to walk down to Teddy's Amoco. It happened to be the first gas station she came to, but it was not the last From the sworn testimony of Sheriff Otis Doyle, taken before The State Investigatory Board of Maine (from The White Commission Report), pp. 29-31: Q. Sheriff, where were you on the night of May twentyseventh? A. I was on Route 179, known as Old Bentown Road, investigating an automobile accident. This was actually over the Chamberlain town line and into Durham, but I was assisting Mel Crager, who is the Durham constable. Q. When were you first informed that trouble had broken out at Ewen High School? A. I received a radio transmission from Officer Jacob Plessy at 10:21. Q. What was the nature of the radio call? A. Officer Plessy said there was trouble at the school, but he didn't know if it was serious or not. There was a lot of shouting going on, he said, and someone had pulled a couple of fire alarms. he said He was going over to try and determine the nature of the trouble. Q. Did he say the school was on fire? A. No, sir. Q. Did you ask him to report back to you? A. I did. Q. Did Officer Plessy report back? A. No. He was killed in the subsequent explosion of Teddy's Amoco gas station on the corner of Main and Summer. Q. When did you next have a radio communication concerning Chamberlain? A. At 10:42. I was at that time returning to Chamberlain with a suspect in the back of my car – a drunk driver. As I have said, the case was actually in Mel Crager's town, but Durham has no jail. When I got him to Chamberlain, we didn't have much of one, either. Q. What communication did you receive at 10.42? A. I got a call from the State police that had been relayed from the Motton Fire Department The State Police dispatcher said there was a fire and an apparent riot at Ewen High School, and a probable explosion. No one was sure of anything at that time. Remember, it all happened in a space of forty minutes. Q. We understand that Sheriff. What happened then? A. I drove back to Chamberlain with siren and flasher. I was trying to raise Jake Plessy and not having any luck. That's when Tom Quillan came on and started to babble about the whole town going up in flames and no water. Q. Do you know what time that was? A. Yes, sir. I was keeping a record by then. It was 10.58. Q. Quillan, claims the Amoco station exploded at 11:00. A. I'd take the average, sir. Call it 10:59. Q. At what time did you arrive in Chamberlain? A. At 11: 10 P.M. Q. What was your immediate impression upon arriving, Sheriff Doyle? A. I was stunned. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Q. What exactly were you seeing? A. The entire upper half of the town's business section was burning. The Amoco station was gone. Woolworth's was nothing but a blazing frame. The fire had spread to three wooden store fronts next to that – Duffy's Bar and Grille, The Kelly Fruit Company, and the billiard parlour. The heat was ferocious. Sparks were flying on to the roofs of The Maitland Real Estate Agency and Doug Brann's Western Auto Store. Fire trucks were coming in, but they could do very little. Every fire hydrant on that side of the street was stripped. The only tracks doing any business at all were two old volunteer fire department pumpers from Westover. and about all they could do was wet the roofs of the surrounding buildings. And of course the high school. It was just †¦ gone. Of course it's fairly isolated-nothing close enough to it to burn – but my God, all those kids inside †¦ all those kids †¦ Q. Did you meet Susan Snell upon entering town? A. Yes, sir. She flagged me down. Q. What time was this? A. Just as I entered †¦ 11:12, no later. Q. What did she say? A. She was distraught. She'd been in a minor car accident – skidding – and she was barely making sense. She asked me if Tommy was dead. I asked her who Tommy was, but she didn't answer. She asked me if we had caught Carrie yet. Q. The Commission is extremely interested in this part of your testimony, Sheriff Doyle. A. Yes, sir, I know that. Q. How did you respond to her question? A. Well, there's only one Carrie in town as far as I know, and that's Margaret White's daughter. I asked her if Carrie had something to do with the fires. Miss Snell told me Carrie had done it. Those were her words. ‘Carrie did it. Carrie did it.' She said it twice. Q. Did she say anything else? A. Yes, sir. She said: ‘They've hurt Carrie for the last time.' Q. Sheriff, are you sure she didn't say: ‘We've hurt Carrie for the last time?' A. I am quite sure. Q. Are you positive? One hundred per cent? A. Sir, the town was burning around our heads. I Q. Had she been drinking? A. I beg pardon? Q. Had she been drinking? You said she had been involved in a car smash. A. I believe I said a minor skidding accident. Q. And you can't be sure she didn't say we instead Of they? A. I guess she might have, but Q. What did Miss Snell do then? A. She burst into tears. I slapped her. Q. Why did you do that? A. She seemed hysterical. Q. Did she quiet eventually? A. Yes, sir. She quieted down and got control of herself pretty well, in light of the fact that her boy friend was probably dead. Q. Did you interrogate her? A. Well, not the way you'd interrogate a criminal, if that's what you mean. I asked her if she knew anything about what had happened. She repeated what she had already said, but in a calmer way. I asked her where she had been when the trouble began, and she told me that she had been at home. Q. Did you interrogate her further? A. No, sir. Q. Did she say anything else to you? A. Yes, sir. She asked me – begged me – to find Carrie White. Q. What was your reaction to that? A. I told her to go home. Q. Thank you, Sheriff Doyle. Vic Mooney lurched out of the shadows near the Bankers Trust drive-in office with a grin on his face. It was a huge and awful grin, a Cheshire cat grin, floating dreamily in the fireshot darkness like a trace memory of lunacy. His hair, carefully slicked down for this emcee duties, was now sticking up in a crow's nest. Tiny drops of blood were branded across his forehead from some unremembered fall in his mad flight from the Spring Ball. One eye was swelled purple and screwed shut. He walked into Sheriff Doyle's squad car, bounced back like a pool ball, and grinned in at the drunk driver dozing in the back, then he turned to Doyle, who had just finished with Sue Snell. The fire cast wavering shadows of light across everything, turning the world into the maroon tones of dried blood. As Doyle turned, Vic Mooney clutched him. He clutched Doyle as an amorous swam might clutch his lady in a hug dance. He clutched Doyle with both arms and squeezed him, all the while goggling upward into Doyle's face with his great crazed grin. ‘Vic-‘ Doyle began. ‘She pulled all the plugs,' Vic said lightly, ‘Pulled all the plugs and turned on the water and buzz, buzz, buzz.' ‘Vic-‘ ‘We can't let 'em. Oh no. NoNoNo. We can't. Carrie pulled all the plugs. Rhonda Simard burnt up. Oh Jeeeeeeeeeesuuuuuuuuusss-‘ Doyle slapped him twice, calloused palm cracking flatly on the boy's face. The scream died with shocking suddenness, but the grin remained, like an echo of evil. It was loose and terrible. ‘What happened?' Doyle said roughly. ‘What happened at the school?' ‘Carrie,' Vic Muttered. ‘Carrie happened at the school. She. . .'He trailed of and grinned at the ground. Doyle gave him three brisk shakes. Vic's teeth clicked together like castanets. ‘What about Carrie?' ‘Queen of the Prom,' Vic muttered. ‘They dumped blood on her and Tommy.' ‘What-‘ It was 11: 15. Tony's Citgo on Summer Street suddenly exploded with a great, coughing roar. The street went daylight that made them both stagger back against the police car and shield their eyes. A huge, oily cloud of fire climbed over the elms in Courthouse Park, lighting the duck pond and the Little League diamond in scarlet. Amid the hungry crackling roar that followed Doyle could hear glass and wood and hunks of gas-station cinderblock rattling back to earth. A secondary explosion followed, making them wince again. He still couldn't get it straight (my town this is happening in my town)

Poverty Of The United States - 907 Words

Hannah-Grace Futrell Mrs. Weekman Honors English II - 1 April 29, 2016 Child Poverty in the United States In the United States, about 24 million children live in poverty (Ingraham). Poverty is a big issue and has been for a while. It can affect children now and when they become adults. There are children going to bed hungry, not knowing where their next meal is coming from, but Compassion is a Christian organization working to stop child poverty around the world. First, the United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, but also has one of the highest poverty rates. The national median income is about $31,000 a year for a family of four and 22 percent of children live in families whose income is below the national poverty level (Ingraham). One in three children are living in poverty today (Ingraham). Next, poverty rates are increasing rapidly. Since 2008, the United States poverty rate has increased, but during the same time, 18 countries reduced their poverty rates (Ingraham). Between 2006 and 2011, the child poverty rate increased in 34 states, mainly in Nevada, Idaho, Hawaii, and New Mexico (Ingraham). Second, poverty also has an effect on students. There are more than half of public school students living in poverty and most students who live in poverty drop out of school and do not graduate or go to college (Kasperkevic). Some children actually think it is their fault that their families are homeless (60 Minutes). Also, poverty can affect studentsShow MoreRelatedThe Poverty Of The United States1727 Words   |  7 PagesPoverty defined by the American Heritage Dictionary is â€Å"lack of the means of providing material needs or comforts† (Hirokazu Yoshikawa, 2012). Poverty in the United States is an issue that is often times overlooked because the focus of poverty is on developing and struggling countries. People often think America does not experience poverty because it is such a thriving country. The problem with this is that America is indeed struggling with poverty: â€Å"there are currently 488 counties in America whereRead MoreThe Poverty Of The United States1548 W ords   |  7 Pagescitizens in poverty has risen. Several organizations have been set up to help those who suffer from poverty and provide their everyday needs. There are always ways where a community can help eliminate the amount of people suffering poverty. Government has an influence on how much money flow there is in the United States such as the FED, which was created to help maintain a stable monetary and financial system and control the money supply. People themselves can also help from falling into poverty, butRead MorePoverty Of The United States1408 Words   |  6 PagesWhen people hear the word poverty many people think of the bad connotations that come with it like, smelly homeless people that are crackheads and disease holders. Some people may even think they are uneducated or not hard working enough and rather ask for money instead of trying to get a job. Although a small portion of that may be true to some homeless people due to addictions on drugs and the toll it takes on their lives. The majority of homeless people are either veterans or immigrants, who findRead MorePoverty in the United States755 Words   |  4 PagesPoverty in the United States is getting in inferior quality every day and nothing is being done about it. Many people who want to help the poor, but no one knows exactly how to help them. A primary reason for people not taking action is because of lack of information that is provided about issues on poverty. Poverty is defined as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. According to the U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday September 13thRead MorePoverty Of The United States Essay1369 Words   |  6 PagesPoverty within the United States is defined as â€Å"having an income below a federally determined poverty threshold. † Poverty thresholds were developed by the United States government in the 60s. Over time these thresholds are adjusted to account fo r inflation; it is typical to adjust the poverty threshold levels annually. They represent the government’s estimate of the point below which a family has insufficient resources to meet their basic needs. Any family with less income than that establishedRead MoreThe Poverty Of The United States1531 Words   |  7 Pagessuch dialog, topics on the increasing and rather consistent levels of poverty in some regions in America are touched on as well. Poverty is defined as a condition where one’s basics needs for food, clothing, and shelter are not being met (What Is Poverty? â€Å"). From sea to shining sea, more than 15 percent of the American population live in poverty, a total of people over 46 million. Many who live in poverty within the United States live in areas that were once thriving from the country’s economic growthRead MoreThe Poverty Of The United States Essay1385 Words   |  6 Pages The Character of Poverty in America Poverty has always been a key factor in United States History. Ever sense Americas birth there have been groups affected by poverty, but the forms of the poverty that affected these groups have changed as well as the nature of poverty itself in the USA. The abolition of slavery, the forced assimilation of native Americans, and mass immigration changed character of poverty within the united states change due to an evolution from agriculture to industry and a changeRead MoreThe Poverty Of The United States1746 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is poverty? A question most Americans will not have to think twice before answering. Poverty is, of course, simply a lack of money. The views of a specific person will defer when politics or morals are introduced, however, the idea stays the same. Those in poverty are there because they have less money than what has been decided to be livable. Poverty has changed significantly over the last two hundred years in the United States, and yet, the measuremen t has hardly changed since it was createdRead MorePoverty in the United States1061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Background of Poverty in America In the United States, there are about more than forty-six million people living in impoverished conditions today. Poverty is a major conflict issue in this country amongst people who are part of the lower class because American families always had a hard time making ends meet, even before the Great Recession began. Living in poverty puts them at a disadvantage because they have to choose between necessitates like health care, child care, and food in order toRead MorePoverty Of The United States1475 Words   |  6 Pages â€Æ' Poverty in the United States is defined as a social problem. As outlined in the text, a social problem is â€Å"a condition that undermines the well-being of some or all members of a society and is usually a matter of public controversy†. It is easy to see that there is a large economic divide in the United States, but with only a small percentage of people in the highest income stratification and the vast majority struggling to get by, the majority of United States citizens agree that there is too