Oliver Twist Essay
Oliver Twist is an interesting novel in which was written due to the change of life in the late 1830’s. Charles Dickens illustrates Victorian England’s obsession with class distinctions and stereotypes, also portrays anti-Semitism in the 1830’s through the character of Fagin, reveals insight about the workhouses conditions during this time and finally depicts the various forms of thievery that are committed throughout the novel and the role that clothing plays in the various characters identities.
Dickens illustration of Victorian England’s obsession with class distinctions is shown through Noah Claypoles relationship with Oliver. Noah’s parents are destitute and Noah hates all of those who are better off or greater than he is. In doing so Noah Claypole meets Oliver and then enjoys his presence because Oliver being poor and an orphan must be doing worst than he is. Oliver dislikes Noah so much because of the extreme bullying and cowardliness that Noah is constantly enforcing on him. Oliver awoke one morning to only be hounded and made fun of by Noah and the maid Charlotte, Noah goes over board and cracks a disgusting joke about Oliver’s deceased mother and Oliver beats on Noah. . Dickens characterizes Noah's cowardice and bullying as “the same amiable qualities” that are “developed in the finest lord.” Dickens shows that class snobbery is a universal quality, characteristic of the lowest as well as the highest strata of society. Moreover, snobbish behavior seems a component of class insecurity. The poor mercilessly taunt those who are poorer than they, out of anxious desire to distinguish themselves from those who are even worse off in life.[1]
'Let him alone!' said Noah. 'Why everybody lets him alone enough, for the matter of that. Neither his father nor his mother will ever interfere with him. All his relations let him have his own way pretty well. Eh, Charlotte? He! he! he!'
(pg.123, Dickens)
Noah ignorance towards Oliver is portrayed well enough when he insults his mother and father then chuckles with Charlotte. So basically Noah is taunting and being cruel to Oliver to cover up his own insecurities in life. Dickens relates to Victorian stereotypes about the poor asserted that poverty and vice were fundamentally connected and that, moreover, both were hereditary traits: the poor were supposedly bad from birth.
“I thieved for you when I was a child not half his age, and I've thieved for you ever since, don't you know it!”
(pg.123, Dickens)
Spoken by Nancy and this relates to her because she was born into stealing and robbing people of their belongings, and has done it her whole life for Fagin and cannot stop at this stage in her life. She is mentally and physically stuck into that life style, through emotions and thoughts of regret. How could she live the life of a criminal and then want to change her ways? Even though she knows what the right thing to do is she ends up doing the opposite for most for the novel. Also Nancy is madly in love with Fagin’s partner in crime Sikes. She wants to leave him for a life of good but cannot because she has been living this life for too long and does not know how to leave.
Dickens depicts anti-Semitism in the late 1830’s through the character of Fagin, who plays a Jewish thief in the novel. Fagin is ideally a career criminal who takes in young homeless children and makes them in to master mind pick pockets. In accessory to stealing he also is a buyer of stolen goods and he rarely commits crimes on his own he would rather employ people to do the dirty work. Dickens portrait of Fagin displays the influence of anti-Semitic stereotypes.
In this life, one thing counts / In the bank, large amounts / I'm afraid these don't grow on trees, / You've got to pick-a-pocket or two / You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys, / You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
(pg.123, Dickens
Now this quote goes to show Fagin’s evil ways and at times like theses when he sings these sorts of songs to kids is when u realize his pure disgust. Even though Dickens denies that anti-Semitism had influenced his portrait of Fagin you can clearly see that it has indeed influenced his thought and characterization of Fagin. Throughout the novel Charles Dickens continuously refers to Fagin as “the Jew”, which undoubtedly indicate that Fagin’s negative traits are definitely connected to his ethnic identity. He is described in the novel as ugly, simpering. Greedy, miserable. Could this description have anything to do with Fagin’s ethnicity? Another thing is Fagin’s complete and utter disrespect for Nancy and women in general and these teachings are being passed to the boys as well as the other children he takes in, it’s not like he is teaching them anything good anyways. Event though Oliver’s true identity is not revealed during the novel he sticks to what he believes is right most of the time, usually trying to ignore Fagin and get away from him.
‘I'm reviewing the situation / Can a fellow be a villain all his life? / All the trials and tribulations. / Better settle down and get myself a wife! / And a wife would cook and sew for me, / And come for me, and go for me, / And go for me, and nag at me, / The fingers, she would wag at me. / The money she would take from me. / A misery, she'll make from me... I think I'd better think it out again!’
(pg.123, Dickens)
Fagin is singing this while he mutters over his words, once again he is portrayed as a scandalous man, and he is never really portrayed as a good character in the novel which makes you believe that anti-Semitism played a role in the characterization of Fagin
Throughout “Oliver Twist” the are various forms of thievery committed. Examples include crimes like Sikes stealing from Mrs.Maylie, which is essentially a criminal stealing from a respectable person. The second type of crime in the novel is respectable people like Mrs. Mann and Mr. Bumble stealing from the poor. Which is basically still thievery but from two different classes of people. This follows the Robin Hood theme of King John stealing from the poor to feed the rich, but in Mrs. Mann and Mr. Bumble’s case it is the rich stealing from the poor, which is horrible any way you think about it. You can also notice what happens to the individual characters when they are dressed into different clothing. For example when Oliver Twist goes to Mr.Brownlow’s house he receives new clothes which are clean and fresh, and it makes him feel good inside and he starts to behave better while he is there. Until he is captured again by Fagin and his new clothes were stripped off of him and he was given his old clothes back and once again he was in with the criminal crowd.
“Joy and grief were mingled in the cup; but there were no bitter tears: for even grief itself arose so softened, and clothed in such sweet and tender recollections, that it became a solemn pleasure, and lost all character of pain.”
(pg.122, Dickens)
When he was in such a warm environment all of his pain and troubles were washed away and he finally had someone taking care of him who actually cared for him and provided him with the necessities that he required. Also when Oliver went to the country side with Mrs.Maylie and Rose he once again is surrounded by that warm feeling but is skeptical of this new environment.
‘Who can describe the pleasure and delight, the peace of mind and soft tranquility, the sickly boy felt in the balmy air and among the green hills and rich woods of an inland village! Who can tell how scenes of peace and quietude sink into the minds of pain-worn dwellers in close and noisy places, and carry their own freshness deep into their jaded hearts! Men who have lived in crowded, pent-up streets, through lives of toil, and who have never wished for change—men to whom custom has indeed been second nature, and who have come almost to love each brick and stone that formed the narrow boundaries of their daily walks—even they, with the hand of death upon them, have been known to yearn at last for one short glimpse of Nature's face, and, carried far from the scenes of their old pains and pleasures, have seemed to pass at once into a new state of being.’
During this time he felt safe and enjoyed the peace and quiet where he was not forced to commit acts of thievery. Another example of how clothing changed the characters environmental settings or the way that person is seen in society is when Oliver went on his first criminal outing in which he was to steal a richer looking mans handkerchief and Dodger and Charley, the man sees Oliver running away and assumes that he is the criminal. In doing so, charley and dodger start yelling “stop thief” and the just as fast as this is happening an officer pulls of and grabs Oliver and brings him down to the station. Now Fagin gives Nancy order to retrieve Oliver from the station and she is told to pretend to be Oliver’s distraught sister, and she dresses in nice clothing. This just goes to show how the world perceived people during those times, if Nancy would have worn her regular clothing they would not have believed her. Different times call for different measures and in this situation she was to dress like a regular person so she could get back Oliver.
Charles Dickens shows insight about the conditions and environment of workhouses during the late 1830’s. In the novel, Oliver is sent to one of these workhouses where children were abandoned and treated horrible. Sometimes the people were not even fed because the master wants to hold out on them so he can make more money or save more money.
‘So they established the rule that all poor people should have the alternative (for they would compel nobody, not they) of being starved by a gradual process in the house, or by a quick one out of it. With this view, they contracted with the waterworks to lay on an unlimited supply of water, and with a corn-factor to supply periodically small quantities of oatmeal, and issued three meals of thin gruel a day, with an onion twice a week and half a roll on Sundays. They made a great many other wise and humane regulations . . . kindly undertook to divorce poor married people . . . instead of compelling a man to support his family, as they had theretofore done, took his family away from him, and made him a bachelor! There is no saying how many applicants for relief, under these last two heads, might have started up in all classes of society, if it had not been coupled with the workhouse; but the board were long-headed men, and had provided for this difficulty. The relief was inseparable from the workhouse and the gruel, and that frightened people.’
(pg.123, Dickens)
Mr. Bumble is one of the minor church officials at the workhouse where Oliver was born, he is a greedy, careless person who is in charge of these people, and this goes to show really how the conditions were. They work these people to death and barely feed them, which defeats the purpose of having a workhouse.
In conclusion, Charles Dickens depicts the various forms of thievery that are committed throughout the novel and the role that clothing plays in the various characters identities, as well as illustrates Victorian England’s obsession with class distinctions and stereotypes, also portrays anti-Semitism in the 1830’s through the character of Fagin, finally reveals insight about workhouse conditions for the poor during this time.
[1] http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oliver/study.html, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Essay
The Wizard of Oz
Through out the wizard of oz there are many examples and lessons to be learned, this allows you to understand what type of film this is and how it can be criticized. The Wizard of Oz can be considered and example of mythopoeia because it consists of a protagonist, a quest in search of truth, and its archetypal colors.
The film contains a protagonist which is a usually the main character in the movie or film or a character who performs acts of heroism or portrays these traits of kindness. In this case, the white witch would be considered the protagonist because of her heroic ways, also her tendency to be at the right place at the right time. When something bad has happened or is happening to Dorothy or her friends she seems to help them out of the situation. For example when Dorothy, the lion, the scarecrow and the tin man were walking through a field of poppies the wicked witch of the west cast a spell on the poppies that would put Dorothy and company to sleep. The wicked witch succeeds in this attempt but is soon stumped by the white witch because the white witch overrides her spell and enables the group to carry on. This is just one example of the white witches actions of kindness but there are surely many more.
A quest for truth involves mostly all the main characters because Dorothy basically finds out through this whole journey and learning experience that there is no place like home, the scarecrow realizes that everyone has a brain, for instance he was the one who developed the plan to enter the castle and take the witches broom. Even though the lion was a coward, when the time came in which he needed courage he had it, he went in to save Dorothy, even though he was scared he did it anyways.
All right, I'll go in there for Dorothy. Wicked Witch or no Wicked Witch, guards or no guards, I'll tear them apart. I may not come out alive, but I'm going in there. There's only one thing I want you fellows to do.
The wizard of Oz (1939)
This basically shows that the lion does indeed have courage and he just used it at a time when one of his friends was in danger. Finally the tin man was in search of a heart, but the whole time he had been searching for one he didn’t realize that he had a heart. He shows emotions throughout the whole film and someone without a heart could not do just that. Also he cried many times during the movie showing his change in feeling and his sensitivity.
I'd be tender — I'd be gentle and awful sentimentalRegarding Love and Art I'd be friends with sparrowsAnd the boy who shoots the arrows if I only had a heart.
The Wizard of OZ (1939)
The tin man is singing in this scene and the lyrics in his song go to show that he does have a heart because of the emotions he is feeling and he reveals this in his song. He just has not noticed this yet like the rest of the characters. All of the characters wanted something at the beginning of the movie but did not realize that they had the things that they wanted its just it was not yet known.
The archetypal colors include the wicked which who represents evil because she is dressed in black and black symbolizes death and the unknown. Another example is the white witch who represents good and she is dressed in white and white symbolizes good and peace. Also another example for archetypal colors includes how the movie starts off in Kansas and it’s in black and white. This basically labels Kansas as a dark and gloomy place or you could go even further and argue that it is miserable and full of questions. I say this because Dorothy is always asking why about everything and she never seems to be getting a good enough answer to help her through these times. Now after the twister when Dorothy lands in the Land of Oz, the movie switches to color. This symbolizes that the Land of Oz is bright and happy, full of opportunity and chances and Dorothy immediately takes interest in this new land begins her journey, but a thing to notice about the previous statement is that even though she was in the Land of Oz , the whole movie she was wishing she was home. This is all being shadowed by the fact that her Auntie Em told Dorothy to find a place where there wasn’t any trouble, which brings a lot of thoughts and questions into Dorothy’s mind.
“Some place where there isn't any trouble. Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or a train. It's far, far away — behind the moon — beyond the rain — [singing] somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high, there’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. “
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
This is where Dorothy is singing somewhere over the rainbow in which she is searching for truth in her life.
In conclusion, this film could be viewed as a mythopoaic type because of its archetypal colors, quest in search for truth, and finally because it contains a protagonist.
Through out the wizard of oz there are many examples and lessons to be learned, this allows you to understand what type of film this is and how it can be criticized. The Wizard of Oz can be considered and example of mythopoeia because it consists of a protagonist, a quest in search of truth, and its archetypal colors.
The film contains a protagonist which is a usually the main character in the movie or film or a character who performs acts of heroism or portrays these traits of kindness. In this case, the white witch would be considered the protagonist because of her heroic ways, also her tendency to be at the right place at the right time. When something bad has happened or is happening to Dorothy or her friends she seems to help them out of the situation. For example when Dorothy, the lion, the scarecrow and the tin man were walking through a field of poppies the wicked witch of the west cast a spell on the poppies that would put Dorothy and company to sleep. The wicked witch succeeds in this attempt but is soon stumped by the white witch because the white witch overrides her spell and enables the group to carry on. This is just one example of the white witches actions of kindness but there are surely many more.
A quest for truth involves mostly all the main characters because Dorothy basically finds out through this whole journey and learning experience that there is no place like home, the scarecrow realizes that everyone has a brain, for instance he was the one who developed the plan to enter the castle and take the witches broom. Even though the lion was a coward, when the time came in which he needed courage he had it, he went in to save Dorothy, even though he was scared he did it anyways.
All right, I'll go in there for Dorothy. Wicked Witch or no Wicked Witch, guards or no guards, I'll tear them apart. I may not come out alive, but I'm going in there. There's only one thing I want you fellows to do.
The wizard of Oz (1939)
This basically shows that the lion does indeed have courage and he just used it at a time when one of his friends was in danger. Finally the tin man was in search of a heart, but the whole time he had been searching for one he didn’t realize that he had a heart. He shows emotions throughout the whole film and someone without a heart could not do just that. Also he cried many times during the movie showing his change in feeling and his sensitivity.
I'd be tender — I'd be gentle and awful sentimentalRegarding Love and Art I'd be friends with sparrowsAnd the boy who shoots the arrows if I only had a heart.
The Wizard of OZ (1939)
The tin man is singing in this scene and the lyrics in his song go to show that he does have a heart because of the emotions he is feeling and he reveals this in his song. He just has not noticed this yet like the rest of the characters. All of the characters wanted something at the beginning of the movie but did not realize that they had the things that they wanted its just it was not yet known.
The archetypal colors include the wicked which who represents evil because she is dressed in black and black symbolizes death and the unknown. Another example is the white witch who represents good and she is dressed in white and white symbolizes good and peace. Also another example for archetypal colors includes how the movie starts off in Kansas and it’s in black and white. This basically labels Kansas as a dark and gloomy place or you could go even further and argue that it is miserable and full of questions. I say this because Dorothy is always asking why about everything and she never seems to be getting a good enough answer to help her through these times. Now after the twister when Dorothy lands in the Land of Oz, the movie switches to color. This symbolizes that the Land of Oz is bright and happy, full of opportunity and chances and Dorothy immediately takes interest in this new land begins her journey, but a thing to notice about the previous statement is that even though she was in the Land of Oz , the whole movie she was wishing she was home. This is all being shadowed by the fact that her Auntie Em told Dorothy to find a place where there wasn’t any trouble, which brings a lot of thoughts and questions into Dorothy’s mind.
“Some place where there isn't any trouble. Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or a train. It's far, far away — behind the moon — beyond the rain — [singing] somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high, there’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. “
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
This is where Dorothy is singing somewhere over the rainbow in which she is searching for truth in her life.
In conclusion, this film could be viewed as a mythopoaic type because of its archetypal colors, quest in search for truth, and finally because it contains a protagonist.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Outline for mythapoeic essay
Outline
T- The Wizard of Oz can be considered and example of mythopoeia because it consists of a protagonist, a quest in search of truth, and its archetypal colors.
Re+e- In this case the protagonist would be considered the white witch because of her heroic ways also her tendency to be at the right place at the right time. When something bad has happened or is happening she helps Dorothy and her friends out.
Re+e- A quest for truth involves mostly all the main characters because Dorothy basically finds out through this whole thing that there is no place like home, the scarecrow realizes that everyone has a brain like for instance he was the one who developed the plan to enter the castle and take the witches broom. The lion even though the lion was a coward, when the time came in which he needed courage he basically had it, he went in to save Dorothy, even though he was scared he did it anyways. Finally the tin man wanted a heart but the whole time he had a heart because of his emotions, he was constantly crying during diff times in the movie showing his changing emotion which means he has a heart.
Re+e- The archetypal colors include the wicked which who represents evil because she is dressed in black and black symbolizes death and the unknown. Another example is the white witch who represents good and she is dressed in white and white symbolizes good and peace. Also the movie is in black and white then switches to color after the tornado is finished.
T- The Wizard of Oz can be considered and example of mythopoeia because it consists of a protagonist, a quest in search of truth, and its archetypal colors.
Re+e- In this case the protagonist would be considered the white witch because of her heroic ways also her tendency to be at the right place at the right time. When something bad has happened or is happening she helps Dorothy and her friends out.
Re+e- A quest for truth involves mostly all the main characters because Dorothy basically finds out through this whole thing that there is no place like home, the scarecrow realizes that everyone has a brain like for instance he was the one who developed the plan to enter the castle and take the witches broom. The lion even though the lion was a coward, when the time came in which he needed courage he basically had it, he went in to save Dorothy, even though he was scared he did it anyways. Finally the tin man wanted a heart but the whole time he had a heart because of his emotions, he was constantly crying during diff times in the movie showing his changing emotion which means he has a heart.
Re+e- The archetypal colors include the wicked which who represents evil because she is dressed in black and black symbolizes death and the unknown. Another example is the white witch who represents good and she is dressed in white and white symbolizes good and peace. Also the movie is in black and white then switches to color after the tornado is finished.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Essay FINISHED!!! :)
The War of the Worlds
The War between the humans and Martians create an unstable atmosphere for both, also leading the narrator to kill the curate, the artillery man who was a devoted and impressionistic soldier became an unrealistic dreamer, and finally during all the mass herding of people trying to escape, humans turn on each other for their own fight for survival.
Through the struggles and hard times the narrator ends up killing the curate, who he has just met a few days before. Now during this time that the narrator and curate are together, the curate has done nothing besides eat up all the food and thoughtlessly use all the scarce supplies for them to survive.
“In the end I planted myself between him and the food,
And told him of my determination to begin a discipline.
I divided the food in the pantry into rations to last us
Ten days. I would not let him eat anymore that day.
In the afternoon he made a feeble effort to get at the food”.
(pg.130, Wells)
This just goes to show how disrespectful and irresponsible the curate was and how he only put the two into more danger.
The curate also has this really bad habit of being very paranoid and almost alerts the Martians many times due to this ill-advised behavior. The narrator and curate run into a house and have to stay there because they are being barricaded by Martians who are building outside of the house and are unaware of this human presence. So the curator starts to yell and make noise because he’s paranoid and has gone insane which suddenly attracts the Martians attention to the house.
“I put out my hand and felt the meat-chopper hanging to the
Wall. In a flash I was after him. I was fierce with fear. Before
he was half-way across the kitchen I had overtaken him. With one last touch
of humanity I turned the blade back and struck him with the butt. I stumbled
Over him and stood panting. He lay still”
(p.132, Wells)
Just like that the curate was dead, the narrator had no other choice then to kill the curate because he believed that that was the only way to solve the problem, and the curate had been getting on his nerves for some time now.
Further on in his travels now the narrator comes across this strange man who is oddly familiar to him. It is the artillery man he had met at home during the invasion of his village (town). Now all of a sudden the artillery man has adopted his own beliefs about the aliens and his own goals to take them over. This is all really shady to the narrator because this was the man who was once a devoted soldier who was very respectable and now he is an unrealistic dreamer.
‘It’s all over, he said. They’ve lost one-just one.
And they’ve made their footing good and crippled
The greatest power in the world. They’ve walked
Over us. The death of that one at Weybridge was an
Accident. And these are only pioneers. They
Keep on coming. These green stars-I’ve seen
None theses five or six days, but I’ve no doubt
They’re falling somewhere every night. Nothing’s
To be done. We’re under! We’re beat!’
(p.146, Wells)
This just goes to show how the artillery man had given hope on the world and life itself, he is no longer willing to trust in his old beliefs and hopes and believes now that there are more powerful alien ships in the making and thinks its over for him and everyone else.
The artillery mans new plans now are to build underground tunnels under London and too eventually come and overtake the Martians. After this is said, the narrator realizes that the artillery man has indeed changed for the worse.
I’ve been thinking about the about the drains.
OF course, those who don’t know drains think horrible
Things; but under this London are miles and miles-hundreds
Of miles-and a few days’ rain and London empty will leave
Them sweet and clean. The main drains are bid enough
And airy enough for anyone. Then there’s cellars, vaults, stores,
From which bolting passages may be made to the drains. And
The railway tunnels and subways. Eh? You begin to see! And
We form a band-able-bodies, clean-minded men. We’re not going
To pick up any rubbish that drifts in. Weaklings go out again.
(p.143, Orwell)
The artillery man believes that all the inhabitants of London will partake in his wonderful plan which seems very odd and far fetched to the narrator.
During all the mass herding of people trying to escape, humans turn on each other for their own fight for survival. They start killing each other and performing acts of vigilance that they would not have committed before this catastrophe.
“All the railway lines north of the Thames and the South Eastern people
At cannon Street had been warned by midnight on Sunday, and trains
Were being filled. People were fighting savagely for standing-room in the
Carriages even at two o’clock. By three, people were being trampled and crushed
Even in Bishopsgate Street, a couple of hundred yards or more from Liverpool
Street Station; revolver were fired, people stabbed, and the policemen
Who had been sent to direct the traffic, exhausted and infuriated, were
Breaking the heads of the people they were called to protect”.
(p.85, Orwell)
Herds of London citizens were running wildly trying to catch trains or railways to escape the madness of the city as well as the aliens. While this is taking place it is only causing more struggles and the anticipation of death.
In conclusion the war between the Martians and humans is having a huge effect on both in many ways. This includes the narrator killing the curate, the artillery man changing from a devoted soldier to an unrealistic dreamer and also includes the mass herding of people trying to escape London which leads to killing and vigorous acts.
The War between the humans and Martians create an unstable atmosphere for both, also leading the narrator to kill the curate, the artillery man who was a devoted and impressionistic soldier became an unrealistic dreamer, and finally during all the mass herding of people trying to escape, humans turn on each other for their own fight for survival.
Through the struggles and hard times the narrator ends up killing the curate, who he has just met a few days before. Now during this time that the narrator and curate are together, the curate has done nothing besides eat up all the food and thoughtlessly use all the scarce supplies for them to survive.
“In the end I planted myself between him and the food,
And told him of my determination to begin a discipline.
I divided the food in the pantry into rations to last us
Ten days. I would not let him eat anymore that day.
In the afternoon he made a feeble effort to get at the food”.
(pg.130, Wells)
This just goes to show how disrespectful and irresponsible the curate was and how he only put the two into more danger.
The curate also has this really bad habit of being very paranoid and almost alerts the Martians many times due to this ill-advised behavior. The narrator and curate run into a house and have to stay there because they are being barricaded by Martians who are building outside of the house and are unaware of this human presence. So the curator starts to yell and make noise because he’s paranoid and has gone insane which suddenly attracts the Martians attention to the house.
“I put out my hand and felt the meat-chopper hanging to the
Wall. In a flash I was after him. I was fierce with fear. Before
he was half-way across the kitchen I had overtaken him. With one last touch
of humanity I turned the blade back and struck him with the butt. I stumbled
Over him and stood panting. He lay still”
(p.132, Wells)
Just like that the curate was dead, the narrator had no other choice then to kill the curate because he believed that that was the only way to solve the problem, and the curate had been getting on his nerves for some time now.
Further on in his travels now the narrator comes across this strange man who is oddly familiar to him. It is the artillery man he had met at home during the invasion of his village (town). Now all of a sudden the artillery man has adopted his own beliefs about the aliens and his own goals to take them over. This is all really shady to the narrator because this was the man who was once a devoted soldier who was very respectable and now he is an unrealistic dreamer.
‘It’s all over, he said. They’ve lost one-just one.
And they’ve made their footing good and crippled
The greatest power in the world. They’ve walked
Over us. The death of that one at Weybridge was an
Accident. And these are only pioneers. They
Keep on coming. These green stars-I’ve seen
None theses five or six days, but I’ve no doubt
They’re falling somewhere every night. Nothing’s
To be done. We’re under! We’re beat!’
(p.146, Wells)
This just goes to show how the artillery man had given hope on the world and life itself, he is no longer willing to trust in his old beliefs and hopes and believes now that there are more powerful alien ships in the making and thinks its over for him and everyone else.
The artillery mans new plans now are to build underground tunnels under London and too eventually come and overtake the Martians. After this is said, the narrator realizes that the artillery man has indeed changed for the worse.
I’ve been thinking about the about the drains.
OF course, those who don’t know drains think horrible
Things; but under this London are miles and miles-hundreds
Of miles-and a few days’ rain and London empty will leave
Them sweet and clean. The main drains are bid enough
And airy enough for anyone. Then there’s cellars, vaults, stores,
From which bolting passages may be made to the drains. And
The railway tunnels and subways. Eh? You begin to see! And
We form a band-able-bodies, clean-minded men. We’re not going
To pick up any rubbish that drifts in. Weaklings go out again.
(p.143, Orwell)
The artillery man believes that all the inhabitants of London will partake in his wonderful plan which seems very odd and far fetched to the narrator.
During all the mass herding of people trying to escape, humans turn on each other for their own fight for survival. They start killing each other and performing acts of vigilance that they would not have committed before this catastrophe.
“All the railway lines north of the Thames and the South Eastern people
At cannon Street had been warned by midnight on Sunday, and trains
Were being filled. People were fighting savagely for standing-room in the
Carriages even at two o’clock. By three, people were being trampled and crushed
Even in Bishopsgate Street, a couple of hundred yards or more from Liverpool
Street Station; revolver were fired, people stabbed, and the policemen
Who had been sent to direct the traffic, exhausted and infuriated, were
Breaking the heads of the people they were called to protect”.
(p.85, Orwell)
Herds of London citizens were running wildly trying to catch trains or railways to escape the madness of the city as well as the aliens. While this is taking place it is only causing more struggles and the anticipation of death.
In conclusion the war between the Martians and humans is having a huge effect on both in many ways. This includes the narrator killing the curate, the artillery man changing from a devoted soldier to an unrealistic dreamer and also includes the mass herding of people trying to escape London which leads to killing and vigorous acts.
Essay BUT i have to edit it and add some stuff!!!!
The War of The Worlds
War between the humans and Martians create an unstable atmosphere for both, also leading the narrator to kill the curate, the artillery man who was a devoted and impressionistic soldier became an unrealistic dreamer, and finally during all the mass herding of people trying to escape humans turn on each other for their own fight for survival.
Through the struggles and hard times the narrator ends up killing the curate, who he has just met a few days before. Now during this time that the narrator and curate are together, the curate has done nothing besides eat up all the food and thoughtlessly use all the scarce supplies for them to survive.
“In the end I planted myself between him and the food,
and told him of my determination to begin a discipline.
I divided the food in the pantry into rations to last us
Ten days. I would not let him eat anymore that day.
In the afternoon he made a feeble effort to get at the food”.
(pg.130,Wells)
This just goes to show how disrespectful and irresponsible the curate was and how he only put the two into more danger.
The curate also has this really bad habit of being very paranoid and almost alerts the Martians many times due to this ill-advised behavior. The narrator and curate run into a house and have to stay there because they are being barricaded by Martians who are building outside of the house and are unaware of this human presence. So the curator starts to yell and make noise because he’s paranoid and has gone insane which suddenly attracts the Martians attention to the house.
“I put out my hand and felt the meat-chopper hanging to the
Wall. In a flash I was after him. I was fierce with fear. Before
he was half-way across the kitchen I had overtaken him. With one last touch
of humanity I turned the blade back and struck him with the butt. I stumbled
Over him and stood panting. He lay still”
(p.132, Wells)
Just like that the curate was dead, the narrator had no other choice then to kill the curate because he believed that that was the only way to solve the problem, and the curate had been getting on his nerves for some time now.
Further on in his travels now the narrator comes across this strange man who is oddly familiar to him. It is the artillery man he had met at home during the invasion of his village (town). Now all of a sudden the artillery man has adopted his own beliefs about the aliens and his own goals to take them over. This is all really shady to the narrator because this was the man who was once a devoted soldier who was very respectable and now he is an unrealistic dreamer.
‘Its all over, he said. They’ve lost one-just one.
And they’ve made their footing good and crippled
The greatest power in the world. They’ve walked
Over us. The death of that one at Weybridge was an
Accident. And these are only pioneers. They
Keep on coming. These green stars-I’ve seen
None theses five or six days, but I’ve no doubt
They’re falling somewhere every night. Nothing’s
To be done. We’re under! We’re beat!’
(p.146,Wells)
This just goes to show how the artillery man had given hope on the world and life itself, he is no longer willing to trust in his old beliefs and hope for the best he believes now that there are more powerful alien ships in the making and thinks its over for him and everyone else.
The artillery mans new plans now are to build underground tunnels under London and too eventually come and overtake the Martians. After this is said, the narrator realizes that the artillery man has indeed changed for the worse.
ve been thinking about the about the drains.
OF course, those who don’t know drains think horrible
Things; but under this London are miles and miles-hundreds
Of miles-and a few days’ rain and London empty will leave
Them sweet and clean. The main drains are bid enough
And airy enough for anyone. Then there’s cellars, vaults, stores,
From which bolting passages may be made to the drains. And
The railway tunnels and subways. Eh? You begin to see! And
We form a band-able-bodies, clean-minded men. We’re not going
To pick up any rubbish that drifts in. Weaklings go out again.
War between the humans and Martians create an unstable atmosphere for both, also leading the narrator to kill the curate, the artillery man who was a devoted and impressionistic soldier became an unrealistic dreamer, and finally during all the mass herding of people trying to escape humans turn on each other for their own fight for survival.
Through the struggles and hard times the narrator ends up killing the curate, who he has just met a few days before. Now during this time that the narrator and curate are together, the curate has done nothing besides eat up all the food and thoughtlessly use all the scarce supplies for them to survive.
“In the end I planted myself between him and the food,
and told him of my determination to begin a discipline.
I divided the food in the pantry into rations to last us
Ten days. I would not let him eat anymore that day.
In the afternoon he made a feeble effort to get at the food”.
(pg.130,Wells)
This just goes to show how disrespectful and irresponsible the curate was and how he only put the two into more danger.
The curate also has this really bad habit of being very paranoid and almost alerts the Martians many times due to this ill-advised behavior. The narrator and curate run into a house and have to stay there because they are being barricaded by Martians who are building outside of the house and are unaware of this human presence. So the curator starts to yell and make noise because he’s paranoid and has gone insane which suddenly attracts the Martians attention to the house.
“I put out my hand and felt the meat-chopper hanging to the
Wall. In a flash I was after him. I was fierce with fear. Before
he was half-way across the kitchen I had overtaken him. With one last touch
of humanity I turned the blade back and struck him with the butt. I stumbled
Over him and stood panting. He lay still”
(p.132, Wells)
Just like that the curate was dead, the narrator had no other choice then to kill the curate because he believed that that was the only way to solve the problem, and the curate had been getting on his nerves for some time now.
Further on in his travels now the narrator comes across this strange man who is oddly familiar to him. It is the artillery man he had met at home during the invasion of his village (town). Now all of a sudden the artillery man has adopted his own beliefs about the aliens and his own goals to take them over. This is all really shady to the narrator because this was the man who was once a devoted soldier who was very respectable and now he is an unrealistic dreamer.
‘Its all over, he said. They’ve lost one-just one.
And they’ve made their footing good and crippled
The greatest power in the world. They’ve walked
Over us. The death of that one at Weybridge was an
Accident. And these are only pioneers. They
Keep on coming. These green stars-I’ve seen
None theses five or six days, but I’ve no doubt
They’re falling somewhere every night. Nothing’s
To be done. We’re under! We’re beat!’
(p.146,Wells)
This just goes to show how the artillery man had given hope on the world and life itself, he is no longer willing to trust in his old beliefs and hope for the best he believes now that there are more powerful alien ships in the making and thinks its over for him and everyone else.
The artillery mans new plans now are to build underground tunnels under London and too eventually come and overtake the Martians. After this is said, the narrator realizes that the artillery man has indeed changed for the worse.
ve been thinking about the about the drains.
OF course, those who don’t know drains think horrible
Things; but under this London are miles and miles-hundreds
Of miles-and a few days’ rain and London empty will leave
Them sweet and clean. The main drains are bid enough
And airy enough for anyone. Then there’s cellars, vaults, stores,
From which bolting passages may be made to the drains. And
The railway tunnels and subways. Eh? You begin to see! And
We form a band-able-bodies, clean-minded men. We’re not going
To pick up any rubbish that drifts in. Weaklings go out again.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Thesis Statement
War between the humans and martians create an unstable atmosphere for both, also leading the narrator to kill the curate, the artillery man who was a devoted and impressionistic soldier became an unrealistic dreamer, and finally during all the mass herding of people trying to escape humans turn on each other for their own fight for survival.
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