Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck Essays - English-language Films

Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck CONFLICT Protagonist: The protagonist of the story is George. He is the kind-hearted ranch hand who is concerned about his friend Lennie and watches out for him. Antagonist: The antagonist of the story is George's trying to care for the handicapped Lennie. Because he has a giant's body and a child's mind, Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife; at the same time he kills the dream of owning a farm that has kept George and Lennie positive about the future Climax: The climax occurs when Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife. George knows that he can no longer save Lennie, for Curley will want revenge. Outcome: Of Mice and Men ends in tragedy. George feels compelled to mercifully kill his friend and companion, Lennie, in order to save him from a brutal death. The death of Lennie also marks the death of the beautiful dream they have been nurturing. Table of Contents MOOD The dominant mood of the story is that of expectation. This mood is developed through the dreams of the major characters. The other mood that prevails is premonitory, of impending doom. There are also other moods evoked through the actions of the characters reflecting sorrow, pity, and brutality. The novel ends on a tragic note. The mood at the end is definitely one of depression and frustration. Table of Contents PLOT (Synopsis) One evening, two men, on their way to a ranch, stop at a stream near the Salinas River. George, who is short and dark, leads the way. The person following him is Lennie, a giant of a man with huge arms. During their conversation by the stream, George repeatedly asks Lennie to keep his mouth shut on the ranch, suggesting that Lennie has some kind of problem. After supper and before going to sleep, the two of them talk about their dream to own a piece of land. The next day, George and Lennie travel to the ranch to start work. They are given two beds in the bunkhouse. Then Old Candy introduces them to almost everybody on the ranch. They meet the boss and the boss's son Curley, who is quite rude. They also meet Curley's wife when she comes looking for her husband. She wears heavy make-up and possesses a flirtatious attitude. George warns Lennie to behave his best around Curley and his wife. He also suggests that they should meet by the pool if anything unfortunate happens to either of them on the ranch. George and Lennie are assigned to work with Slim, who is sensible and 'civilized' and talks with authority. George finds Slim an understanding confidante, and a bond forms between the two of OF MICE AND MEN KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This book is set in two places. It starts beside a stream, close to the Salinas River, a few miles South of Soledad. It then moves to a ranch, where the major part of the story is set. At the end of the novel, the setting comes back to where it started. George and Lennie are introduced by the stream. They are on their way to a near-by ranch. The surrounding land is thick in vegetation and has its own wild life. Men frequent it, as there are ash piles made by many fires and the limbs of the sycamore tree have been smoothed by the many men who have sat on it. The ranch, where the major part of the story takes place, appears isolated and lonely. It includes a ranch house, a bunkhouse where the ranch workers live, a barn, and a harness-room off the barn. Table of Contents CHARACTERS Major Characters George - the protagonist and main character of the book. He is a caring, compassionate, and understanding human being who dreams of owning his own piece of land. Lennie - the obedient friend of George. He has a child's mind and a giant's body. It is these contrasting qualities that cause him problems. Old Candy - one of the lonely ranch workers. He is a cripple, working as a 'Swamper'. Crooks - a black ranch hand. He is sensible and neat, with a mind of his own. He is a lonely character,

Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea

Charlotte Bronte and Jean Rhys composed their novels in different centuries and came from very different backgrounds. However despite these disparities the use of symbolism in their narratives can be compared. Jean Rhys's 1966 novel Wide Sargasso Sea is a creative response to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, a nineteenth century classic, which has always been one of English Literature's greatest and most popular love stories. She seemed such a poor ghost, I thought I'd like to write her a life. [Jean Rhys] Jane Eyre is a story of true love that encounters many obstacles and problems, but surmounts these troubles to fulfil destiny. The main source of trouble is Rochester's insane first wife, Bertha Mason, a lunatic Creole who is locked in the attic of his country house, Thornfield Hall. The problem is eventually solved, tragically, when Bertha escapes and burns Thornfield to the ground, killing herself and seriously maiming Rochester in the process. The social and moral imbalances between Jane and Rochester are then equalled by his punishment for his previous actions, and Jane's rise in status due to an inheritance. This ending, however, did not satisfy the Dominican-born Jean Rhys. She disagreed with Bronte's presentation of Bertha Mason and set out to write 'a colonial story that is absent from Bronte's text'. Rhys's story tells the story of Bertha, and relates Bertha and Rochester's meeting, and their doomed marriage. In Wide Sargasso Sea Rhys shifts the perspective on Jane Eyre by expressing the viewpoints of the different characters in the source material, so taking a different structural approach to the first-person narrative technique employed by Bronte. She wrote her version as a multiple narrative, giving Bertha a previously-unheard voice. Rochester, even though un-named in Wide Sargasso Sea, takes over the narration in part two, and Grace Poole enlightens us at the opening of part three. Rhys can be seen as repaying Bron... Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea Jean Rhys wrote â€Å"Wide Sargasso Sea† in 1966. It tells the story of a young woman, Antoinette Conway. When her family is ruined, as many plantation owners were, by the abolition of slavery, she is left to grow up entirely neglected, unacceptable both to the white community and to the former slaves living around the plantation. It is only when the family fortunes are restored after her mother makes a second marriage that she attends school. This upbringing and her disastrous relationship with her stepfather sow the seeds of Antoinette’s strangeness, but it is not until her own marriage to deeply conventional Englishman that his attempts to force her to live more like a young society woman begin to turn eccentricity into madness. She is completely trapped, for the law of the time meant that she would have no right to any property if she should leave him – it all passed absolutely to him on their marriage. Antoinette’s narrative in Part Three works to humanize our conception of her. Given the emptiness of Antoinette’s days and her isolation from the outside world, she necessarily loses track of time and place. Otherwise, Antoinette seems to be lucid, as she questions the reasons for her captivity and abuse. The reader is able to see firsthand the horror of her entrapment, which calls to mind the slavery in her native land. Two of the major themes in the book are slavery and British colonialism. The emancipation of slavery had already taken effect. Slaves were now free, however, they still labored for a wage. This stipend, unfortunately, was not being given to the slaves. Because of this, the now freed slaves were very angry with the white people, and some were uprising against this injustice. Slaveryalthough a thing of the recent past in Antoinette's experiencetaints everything. Entire estates are in decay, and the creole landowners are suspicious and live in fear. The specter of slavery and entrapme... Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea Charlotte Bronte and Jean Rhys composed their novels in different centuries and came from very different backgrounds. However despite these disparities the use of symbolism in their narratives can be compared. Jean Rhys's 1966 novel Wide Sargasso Sea is a creative response to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, a nineteenth century classic, which has always been one of English Literature's greatest and most popular love stories. She seemed such a poor ghost, I thought I'd like to write her a life. [Jean Rhys] Jane Eyre is a story of true love that encounters many obstacles and problems, but surmounts these troubles to fulfil destiny. The main source of trouble is Rochester's insane first wife, Bertha Mason, a lunatic Creole who is locked in the attic of his country house, Thornfield Hall. The problem is eventually solved, tragically, when Bertha escapes and burns Thornfield to the ground, killing herself and seriously maiming Rochester in the process. The social and moral imbalances between Jane and Rochester are then equalled by his punishment for his previous actions, and Jane's rise in status due to an inheritance. This ending, however, did not satisfy the Dominican-born Jean Rhys. She disagreed with Bronte's presentation of Bertha Mason and set out to write 'a colonial story that is absent from Bronte's text'. Rhys's story tells the story of Bertha, and relates Bertha and Rochester's meeting, and their doomed marriage. In Wide Sargasso Sea Rhys shifts the perspective on Jane Eyre by expressing the viewpoints of the different characters in the source material, so taking a different structural approach to the first-person narrative technique employed by Bronte. She wrote her version as a multiple narrative, giving Bertha a previously-unheard voice. Rochester, even though un-named in Wide Sargasso Sea, takes over the narration in part two, and Grace Poole enlightens us at the opening of part three. Rhys can be seen as repaying Bron... Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea Wide Sargasso Sea Set in Jamaica during the 1930’s, Wide Sargasso Sea is the story of Antoinette Bertha Cosway, a beautiful Creole heiress living on a decaying plantation. Her father had many children by Negro women. She can be accepted neither by the Negro community nor by the representatives of the colonial center. As a white Creole she is nothing. The ratial hate she goes through and the suspicion that she is mentally imbalanced brings about her down fall. Antoinette grows from a frightened, unwanted child, to a hated, unwanted wife. Although the Creole has inherited some aspects from both cultures, but were rejected by both societies. The English women did not trust Antoinette or her mother. According to Annette, Antoinette’s beautiful mother, a lot of visitors use to come. However, she lost them wither her English husband’s death. Negro’s called Antoinette â€Å"white cockroach† and hated her deeply. From childhood, Antoinette has known little of happiness. Lost, lonely, shunned by her insane mother, hated by her stepfather, and friendless at her convent school. Antoinette’s only joy came from the tropical island she inhabits and the native people who nurse her from birth. When Antoinette came of age she was married to a strange English man who needs her for her fortune. After Antoinette’s father and brother’s death, and her mother who became insane, this was the only way she figured to save herself. Being the second son Antoinette’s husband (whose name is not mentioned) does not obtain the right to his family wealth and thus considers marrying Antoinette. Antoinette falls wildly in love with her husband who never returns her feelings. Her husband despises Jamaica and wants to return to England. His distrust of her and hatred towards the home and people Antoinette loves soon results in an insurmountable barrier between them. Even when it is obvious to outsiders that the marriage is doomed, Antoinette does...

Quotes From the Novel Great Expectations

Quotes From the Novel Great Expectations We can learn a bit more about the life and experiences of Charles Dickens by reading his semi-autobiographical novel, Great Expectations. Of course, the facts are immersed in fiction, which is part of what makes the novel such a masterpiece. The novel follows life and misadventures of Pip, the orphaned protagonist from his encounter with an escaped convict as a child to  his eventual happy ever after with the woman he loves. The novel has been popular since its original serialized publication in 1860. Great Expectations Quotes Now, I return to this young fellow. And the communication I have got to make is, that he has great expectations.Take another glass of wine, and excuse my mentioning that society as a body does not expect one to be so strictly conscientious in emptying ones glass, as to turn it bottom upwards with the rim on ones nose.Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.It was understood that nothing of a tender nature could possibly be confided to old Barley, by reason of his being totally unequal to the consideration of any subject more psychological than gout, rum, and pursers stores.That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would neve r have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day. I never had one hours happiness in her society, and yet my mind all round the four-and-twenty hours was harping on the happiness of having her with me unto death.So now, as an infallible way of making little ease great ease, I began to contract a quantity of debt.It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. Theres no better rule.Some medical beast had revived tar-water in those days as a fine medicine, and Mrs. Joe always kept a supply of it in the cupboard; having a belief in its virtues correspondent to its nastiness. At the best of times, so much of this elixir was administered to me as a choice restorative, that I was conscious of going about, smelling like a new fence.We spent as much money as we could, and got as little for it as people could make up their minds to give us. We were always more or less miserable, and most of our acqua intance were in the same condition. There was a gay fiction among us that we were constantly enjoying ourselves, and a skeleton truth that we never did. To the best of my belief, our case was in the last aspect a rather common one. All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretenses did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I should innocently take a bad half-crown of somebody elses manufacture, is reasonable enough; but that I should knowingly reckon the spurious coin of my own make, as good money!In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong.Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of the earth, overlying our hard hearts.So, throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the people whom we most despise.I was always treated as if I had insisted on being born, in opposition to the dictates of reason, religion, and morality, and against the dissuading arguments of my best friends.And could I look upon her without compassion, seeing her punishment in the ruin she was, in her profound unfitness f or this earth on which she was placed, in the vanity of sorrow which had become a master mania, like the vanity of penitence, the vanity of remorse, the vanity of unworthiness, and other monstrous vanities that have been curses in this world? Source All Quotes - Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Gender in the Mediterranean community of Tunisia Research Proposal - 1

Gender in the Mediterranean community of Tunisia - Research Proposal Example Not being a really rich nation, the people of Tunisia still succeeded in transforming it into a modern society; particularly in areas a little urbanized. Having an expected life of more than 70 years and medical services accessed universally, noticeable profits are collected from the social sectors, having significant contribution to the position of women in Tunisia. Modification of constitutional legislation for promoting gender equality has been done as well, but practicing laws as well as traditions are still creating obstacles in the way of true changes in many way. (Euromed, 2010). Hard endeavors are made while the last decade was running in order to promote the gender equality by legislation as well as social and economic means. As the rates of literacy for women are increasing gradually, females are now distinctly over smarting males in various field of higher education. Females are eventually taking entry into work force and leading positions these days. Legislation is undergoing continuous updates in order to promote the equality in gender. While equality in gender is given by the country’s law and supported by the government, the patriarchal heritage of Tunisia is still in a hindering progress. In the cases of, a family and inheritance court normally ruled by shari’a law of Muslims, which in these cases imposes discrimination against women. The traditional values are being lost in the most families in Tunisia as a new generation is growing up. (Euromed, 2010; Euromed, 2009) The constitution of Tunisia says about the equality of rights as well as responsibilities among all the citizens and everyone comes equally under the laws.

Project 9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project 9 - Essay Example Examples of parametric tests are t tests and z tests which are used on both paired and independent quantitative data. Nonparametric tests do not assume any particular distribution for the data; however, they look at the category or rank order of the values and ignores the absolute difference between them (Driscoll and Lecky 2001.). In addition to the application of these tests to quantitative data that are not normally distributed, nonparametric tests are also applied to nominal and ordinal data. According to Driscoll and Lecky (2001), examples of nonparametric tests include Chi Square, Fisher exact test which are used for nominal data; and Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney and Kolmogorov-Smirnov which are used for ordinal data. Chi-Square (χ2) test is a very popular nonparametric test which is used on unpaired nominal data. This paper shows how the χ2 test is applied to data relating to gender and office locations of 60 sworn officers. The test is used to determine if there is a difference in the gender distribution among the three locations. According to Salkind (2009), the Chi Square test is a very interesting test which allows the researcher to determine if what is observed in a distribution of frequencies represents what is expected to occur by chance. The data relating to gender and office locations have been grouped in order to perform a Chi Square test. The test has more than one independent variable and so is described as a test of independence. The table below shows the arrangement of the data. The table above shows that there are a total of 35 males and 25 females distributed across three locations. The test seeks to determine whether there are any differences in relation to the gender distribution across the three locations. Therefore, the null hypothesis (Ho) and research hypothesis would be stated as: According to Salkind (2009), the next step is to determine the level of

The factory system on the rise of labor movements in the period before the Civil War Essay Example for Free

The factory system on the rise of labor movements in the period before the Civil War Essay The factory system that developed in the early nineteenth century utilized new complex technology to manufacture consumer items on a large scale.   These products, traditionally produced by families in their homes or by small shops in a â€Å"cottage industry,† could now, by means of the machines and assembly lines of the factory system, be turned out of large facilities in standardized qualities, and by a mass of workers in tremendous volumes. These workers were pulled away from their farms and homes in the countryside to be housed together and to labor side by side in the factory shops.    In these conditions the workers could be organized, supervised, trained, and managed efficiently. As a result of these machines and organizing methods, the cost of the finished consumer products fell dramatically, driving small shops and craftsmen out of business.   Intense competition developed between competing factories and their owners, and this led to the ruthless exploitation of labor, including the abuse of women and children, the working of long hours without rest, and meager wages, as the primary ways of cutting costs and increasing competitive advantage. The factory system allowed for the accumulation of enormous profits to the owners, but the workers grew increasingly weary of these oppressions and so they began to organize themselves into unions for collective actions and collective bargaining, to develop and consume anti-capitalist philosophies such as those taught by socialists and communists, and to go on strikes.   In the beginning, governments in Europe and the U.S. generally sided with the factory owners and helped to suppress worker strikes, but workers continued over time to resist, to organize themselves, and to agitate for change. 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chief Justice John Marshall emphasized that the Constitution gave Congress the power to make all â€Å"necessary and proper laws† needed to carry out its delegated powers. How did the necessary and proper clause apply to the case of McCulloch v. Maryland? What was the impact of this clause on the scope of federal power? In 1817 a dispute arose between the Maryland Legislature and the Second Bank of the United States.   The Bank, without charter of the legislature, began operations in Baltimore, and set about competing with other duly-authorized banks.   In response, â€Å"on February 11, 1818, the General Assembly of Maryland passed an act entitled, an act to impose a tax on all banks, or branches thereof, in the State of Maryland, not chartered by the legislature. James McCulloch, head of the Baltimore Branch of the Second Bank of the United States, refused to pay the tax.   Maryland sought collection, and asserted that the Constitution of the United States gave no specific authorization for the Federal Government to charter a bank, and in court, Maryland won the case.   The Bank appealed to the Supreme Court, where Chief Justice Marshall overturned the decision and forever altered to nature and expression of federal power. Marshall cited the â€Å"necessary and proper clause† of the Constitution, asserting that this empowered Congress to employ any means necessary to achieve any objectives that are not specifically forbidden by the Constitution.   He said â€Å"let the end be legitimate, let it be within the scope of the constitution, and all means which are appropriate, which are plainly adapted to that end, which are not prohibited, but consist with the letter and spirit of the constitution, are constitutional.† The Federal Government has since employed this precedent repeatedly to justify ordinary and controversial legislation and centralization of authority, to the extent that the several States retain exclusive jurisdiction over practically nothing.

My Development as a Writer Essay -- Reflection of my Writing

My English Literature major has helped me to achieve an outstanding level of appreciation, enjoyment, and knowledge of both American and British Literature. As a high school AP English student, I struggled through great works like Hamlet and To the Lighthouse. My teacher’s daily lectures (there was no such thing as class discussion) taught me merely to interpret the works as critics had in the past. I did not enjoy the reading or writing process. As a freshman at Loras, I was enrolled in the Critical Writing: Poetry class. For the first time since grade school, my writing ability was praised and the sharing of my ideas was encouraged by an enthusiastic and nurturing professor. Despite the difficulty of poetry, I enjoyed reading it. Because of my wonderful experience in Critical Writing, my love for reading and writing was renewed and my confidence in my abilities as a writer had been restored. I decided to take a second chance on English by declaring Literature and Writing a s my majors. Over the past three and half years, my love to read and write has been continually nourished and supported by the English department at Loras. Professors enlightened me to the real meanings and values of great literary pieces. Class discussions fueled by ideas and questions from both the professor and the students helped me to form my own ideas about literature and to think about literature on a higher level. My ability to analyze, synthesize, critique, research, and make my own judgments flourished because I finally had professors that truly were passionate about literature and helping their students. More importantly, the personal attention and wonderful feedback I received on my papers and assignments strengthened and honed my writing ... ...sm are fundamental to pharmacy. As a pharmacist, I will be analyzing the effects of medication on patients, researching and developing new drugs, and studying the criticism of specific drug therapies and trials. While I may only see my patients through the window at the pharmacy counter, I will be able to relate to them on a deeper level because the study of literature has helped me better understand human nature. In addition, literature has played a significant role in shaping and affirming my morals and values. Consequently, I will bring a high standard of ethics to a field in which they are essential. Today, pharmacists are the most trusted professionals in the United States. I know that the passion, the skills, and the abilities that I have developed as a result of my English Literature major will provide me with a strong foundation to build my pharmacy career.