A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream By: A. Theseus More strange

than true. I never may believe These antic fables nor these

fairy toys. Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,

Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend More than cool

reason ever comprehends. The lunatic, the lover, and the

poet Are of imagination all compact. One sees more devils

than vast hell can hold: That is the madman. The lover, all as

frantic Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt. The poet's

eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, Doth glance from heaven to

earth, from earth to heaven And as imagination bodies forth

The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen Turns them to

shapes, and gives to airy nothing A local habitation and a

name. Such tricks hath strong imagination That, if it would

but apprehend some joy, It comprehends some bringer of

that joy; Or in the night, imagining some fear, How easy is a

bush supposed a bear! (V,i,2-22) Theseus, in Scene V of A

Midsummer Night's Dream, expresses his doubt in the

verisimilitude of the lover's recount of their night in the forest.

He says that he has no faith in the ravings of lovers- or

poets-, as they are as likely as madmen are to be divorced

from reason. Coming, as it does, after the resolution of the

lovers' dilemma, this monologue serves to dismiss most of

the play a hallucinatory imaginings. Theseus is the voice of

reason and authority but, he bows to the resulting change of

affection brought about by the night's confused goings on,

and allows Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius to

marry where their hearts would have them. This place where

the line between dream and reality blurs is an important

theme of the play. Theseus is also a lover, but his affair with

Hippolyta is based upon the cold reality of war, "Hippolyta,

I wooed thee with my sword, And won thy love doing thee

injuries..."(I,i,16-17). He is eager to wed Hippolyta and

marriage is the place where reason and judgement rule. He

wins the hand of his bride through action not through flattery,

kisses and sighs inspired by her beauty. In lines 4-6 of his

monologue he dismisses the accounts of lovers and madmen

on the grounds that they are both apt to imagine a false

reality as being real. When, in I,i,56, Hermia tells Theseus, "I

would my father looked but with my eyes", Theseus

responds, "Rather your eyes must with his judgment

look."(57). Theseus has a firm belief that the eyes of lovers

are not to be trusted. That the eye of the lover "...Sees

Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt..."(11) is, to him, proof of

this. It precisely by enchanting the eyes of the lovers that the

faeries manage to create so much mayhem: "Flower of this

purple dye, hit with cupid's archery, sink in apple of his eye!

When his love he doth espy, let her shine as gloriously as the

Venus of the sky."(III,ii,101-7) Puck doesn't change

Helena's nature, nor does he change her features. When

Lysander wakes, he beholds the same Helena that he's

always despised and suddenly he is enthralled. For Theseus

this is merely caprice and in no means grounded in reality.

Theseus doubts even the existence of the faeries, believing

the lovers have, at a loss to explain the inexplicable changes

of heart they've experienced, dreamed them up: "And as

imagination bodies forth the forms of things unknown, the

poet's pen turns them into shapes and gives to airy nothing a

local habitation and a name."(14-17) A trick of the light, an

abundance of shadows, lack of sleep, an overactive

imagination or any one of these or million other causes are

the most likely explanation. In equating lovers, poets and

lunatics Theseus gets into interesting territory and serves to

elevate lovers while he denounces them. The lunatic "...sees

more devils than vast hell can hold..” while the poet's eye

"...Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to

heaven..."(9-13); thus this same imagination is responsible

for both mad ravings and great art. The concrete reality of

earth co-exists with both heaven and hell as the Faerie world

co-exists with the mortal world. A poet could, just as easily,

be a lunatic depending on the nature of his visions. That

lover's are often (bad) poets, is prime example of this

interchangeability. "Such tricks hath strong imagination, that,

if it would but apprehend a joy, it comprehends some

bringer of that joy; or in the night imagining some fear, how

easy is a bush supposed a bear!"(18-22) Theseus describes

the faulty and incomplete reasoning employed by poets and

lovers alike. Given evidence of some thing, conclusions are

made as to the nature of that thing. This usually incorrect

conclusion, having been reached, is followed by madcap

mix-ups and hilarity- at least for the audience. While

distrusting the nature of love and its effect on people,

Theseus also recognizes the salutary effect it has, as

Demetrius and Lysander, once bitter foes, present

themselves to him as friends. He allows the lovers to marry

according to their affection and betrays his own affection and

appreciation for the intoxicating draught called love, "Here

come the lovers, full of joy and mirth. Joy, gentle friends, go

and fresh days of love accompany your hearts!"(V,i,28-30)

 

A Christmas Carol again

A Christmas Carol, although occurring at a different time period than today, still holds values and lessons that are important in society today.  The main character, Ebeneezer Scrooge, starts off having no feelings for others or any Christmas spirit, but changes from his gloomy, dark appearance to a carefree, child-like persona at the end.  Dickens shows in A Christmas Carol that personal greed will lead to peril, while kindness and generosity lead to personal happiness.

      One of Dickens social concerns was the lack of sympathy or feelings that people have toward other people.  In the story,  Scrooge had no feelings toward his family or friends and held a strictly professional relationship with them, creating a hostile bond between them.  For example, Bob Cratchit's wife does not like the idea have toasting to Scrooge because of the way he treats his long time employee.  Also, Scrooge is looked down upon by the charity collectors because he simply states that they should die to accommodate the others who need it.  Secondly, society has a negative view on Scrooge because of his attitudes and shows no feelings or compassion for Scrooge in the future.  For example, the thieves are able to steal Scrooge's possessions because no body cares about Scrooge or his things.  Also, the businessmen that Scrooge does business with regularly show no feelings about his death and go to his funeral simply for food.  Dicken's shows a way to resolve the problem by simply treating others how you wa

nt them to treat you.   At the end Scrooge's attitude changes and changes in how society will treat him are shown to be inevitable. 

      Another social concern is the priority of family over money and personal gains.  Money proves to be the golden idol that is worshipped by the people in the Christmas Carol, but also proves to destroy lives.   For example, Scrooge gives up a chance at having a loving family when he chooses money over his girlfriend Belle, who turns out to have a happy family with another loving husband.  Also, Scrooge's old business partner, Marley, put his life to waste because of money and suffers pain in his afterlife which could have been easily avoided.  A Christmas Carol also shows that people can be happy without money, just as long as the love is genuine.  For example, Scrooge's nephew married happily not to a wealthy lady, but a middle class ordinary woman and are happy together.   Also Bob Cratchit's family, despite poverty and lack of food, still have a loving environment that keeps the family together and happy.  Dickens shows that simply sacrificing for friends and family can bring happiness and joy.  Scrooge doub

les Bob Cratchit's salary while showing his appreciation and visits his nephew resulting in a stronger bond that money can not buy..

      Another social concern that Dicken's portrays in A Christmas Carol is that people do not know the true meaning of Christmas;  Scrooge throughout the story is given opportunities to display Christmas acts but requires the assistance of the three spirits.  First, he was invited to dinner at his nephews, but he bluntly refused calling Christmas a humbug.  Family is the most important part of Christmas and should always take priority.  Scrooge already failed at an attempt at family and had a chance to make amends with his sister's son.  Secondly, Scrooge also refused to donate any money that he hoards to the needy when the charity collectors come to collect.  Even though Scrooge has more than enough to generously donate and spread around , he refuses to donate saying that he pays enough in taxes.  Christmas should be a time of generosity and a time to help those who are not as fortunate.  In the story Scrooge realizes his lack of compassion and donates generously and takes up his nephews offer.

      Dicken's A Christmas Carol shows universal themes that society should learn to live by everyday and not just holidays or special occasions.  Scrooge learns these lessons with the visit of three spirits and a journey into his painful past and future so he could see his attitude toward people and societies attitude towards him; this allows him to change and create a new path for himself other than the one set out.  A Christmas Carol makes readers aware of their personal attitudes and presents a way to change for the better.

A Doll House

In the play "A Doll House" the main character, Nora, is in a situation where she is caused to act, emotionally and physically, as a doll to please her husband. Nora has to be very sneaky and conniving in order to be perfect and talked down to by her husband. The translation of this play from Norwegian was a little difficult. The title can either be translated as "A Doll House" or as "A Doll's House". Many people believe either title fits the theme of the play.

I believe that the title "A Doll's House" may fit because it is Nora being a doll in order to please her husband Torvald. Torvald sees her as his toy, not as a human equal to himself. Torvald gives his wife pet names such as "spend thrift" and "squander bird". This shows just how controlling he really is. Nora just plays along, keeping secrets from Torvald in order to please him at any expense. This was a very common situation during the era whom this play was produced. Nora is smart and capable of a lot more but she lets herself be held back in order to be the perfect wife for Torvald.



The title "A Doll House" would not fit the play because this states that everyone in the house is a doll. However, Nora is the only character truly pretending to be what they are not. This title would work if everyone was trying to give off an image that wasn't true, such as Nora did. If Nora is a doll then all the other characters would be the humans playing with her, causing her to do extra ordinary tasks such as forgery and lying. The best title is definitely "A Doll's House" because Nora is the only character acting in a different manner in order to please her power hungry husband, Torvald. Even if she was conniving it was all in good intentions. It takes a very loving wife to go out of her way in order to make sure that her husband isn't burdened down with the expenses of a trip that saved his life. However, Torvald doesn't really see his Nora as his wife emotionally but as his little sex pet. This is what Nora finally realizes at the end of the play when Torvald is only worried about himself and what everyone else thinks about him. Nora realizes that she has been Torvald's doll and will no longer be and she leaves him. Just the act of a woman thinking for herself, let alone leaving her husband over it. This was extremely rare during the era in which this play was produced.

The title "A Doll's House" really does best express the true meaning of this play. The meaning of course is that a woman's life should never be made up by what her husband says. Nora of course fitting to Torvald's liking in order to please him no matter what it took. She then sees just what kind of a husband Torvald really is causing her to leave him. A very revolutionary play.

A Cry in the Night

Setting: The story starts in New York City, most likely present day. Then as the story goes on it moves to minnesota out to Erich's farm. It is winter in Minnesota and very cold. Characters: Jenny is the main character of the story. She is a divorced mother of two. She is young and pretty. She works at an art museum in New York City to support herself and her two little girls. She is kind and sweet and has a brilliant sense of humor. Erich is an artist. He's mysterious and curious. His actions speak louder then most words because he tends to be quiet during the story. On the outside he seems like the most perfect man. The type that every woman hopes of meeting and falling in love with. But on the inside he holds dark secrets of his past and a twisted, hateful mind. Kevin is Jenny's ex-husband. He's a struggling actor with a great sense of humor. He tends to be a little selfish, but always tries to put everything on the good side of the hill. He cares about Jenny and his children even if it seems like he doesn't. Clyde is the old man who works on Erich's farm. He basically runs the place and had been around ever since Erich was in diapers. He worked with Erich's father to make his farm the most respected and well known in the county. Rooney is Clyde's wife. She used to be great friends with Erich's mother. She turns to Jen to give her a friend and some confidence. Everyone around the farm thinks that Rooney is crazy and doesn't know what she is doing. She's smart and a good cook, and loves to help. Mark is Erich's best friend from childhood. He is a doctor and helps out Erich whenver needed. When Erich starts to get weird, Jen turns to Mark for help and friendship. Mark is a helpful man who cares deeply for others. In the story it seems like he's falling for Jen. Tina and Beth are Jen's little girls. They are both young and influential. Summary: She had been struggling ever since her and Kevin had broken up, Jen thought to herself one night as she was rushing out of work to go pick up Tina and Beth. Life had just gotten out of hand for her after the divorce. Money seemed like it was everything. But she was still happy. She knew she'd pick up her children go home and make them dinner and feel all cozy in their little apartment. That was what she was really looking forward to for the night. Jen knew that the next day would be very big and important. All her boss told her was that a special unknown, yet very talented, artist would be coming to the gallery and that she would be the one to introduce him and his work the the art sellers and buyers. What Jen did not know, was that this man was named Erich Kruegar, and was soon to be her future husband. Walking into work the next morning was nerve wracking to her. Not only because she was meeting this "infamous" artist, but also because she had to worry about the children's new day care center. Worrying wasn't an abnormal thing in her schedule though, she always had something on her mind other then herself. She knew Kevin would be showing up that night because it was pay day. He always showed up on pay day. He'd say to her something along the lines of, "But Jen, I'm a struggling actor? You don't want me to starve do you? I promise I'll pay you back Jen, I swear!" He'd never pay her back she thought to herself as she walked into the gallery. Mr. Hartely, the owner of the gallery, rushed Jen through the door and gave her some paperwork. Erich would be there soon he had told her. He also made clear to her his plans with Erich and where he would be and at what times. It was her job to arrange the artwork to a precise order that was given to them by Erich. Jen stared in awe at Erich's work. He's great she thought to herself as Mr. Hartely walked out the door. Day dreaming about the man on the front of the pamphlet she found herself thinking of what type of life this handsome man led, if he was married. All of a sudden, she felt something behind her. She had bumped into Erich Kruegar. He must have let himself in without Jen hearing him. He was early she thought. Staring caught herself staring at him, he is gorgeous she thought to herself with a smile. Making polite conversation they hit it off. Erich was considerate, intelligent, and clean cut. Erich had insisted on taking her out for lunch. Knowing this will completely throw her bosses schedule haywire, she hesitantly agreed. They immediately hit it off. She felt like he really cared as he stared at her every movement. After lunch they bought coffee and walked back to the gallery. Meeting her boss at the door she knew she was in for it. Erich quickly introduced himself and took full credit for them being late. Mr. Hartely nodded and opened the door to the gallery. The customers would be there soon and then the gallery would be full, loud, and full of life. After the showing of the artwork, Erich insisted on walking Jen to the day care to pick up her children then to take them out for supper. Him being very financially secure, took it upon himself to invite Jen everywhere. Jen felt uncomfortable at first about all the money he had been spending on her. But when he insisted that he didn't mind and that it was all his pleasure to do so. She gave in. After about a month Erich brought up and important issue, marriage. The thought of such commitment scared Jen to death. Thinking about what had happened to her last marriage she was very hesitant upon answering. But after thinking it through she figured it would be the best thing to do. It would take her children out of this environment and it would make her happy. Because Erich made her happy. Kevin had shown up one night when Erich was over visiting Jen and the kids. Erich stood amazed as Jen handed Kevin over some money. While Kevin was there Jen had explained to him what was going on between her and Erich. Kevin didn't think it was such a hot idea, but he took it as a sign of her moving on and he knew there was nothing he could do about it, so he left. Erich was enraged that Jen gave Kevin money for no reason, even when Kevin didn't pay any type of child support or anything. But then he thought, well soon we will be gone and I will take her away from all of this, and that is what he did. After the Wedding they moved on up to Minnesota. This is where all of the fun began. They did not have a honeymoon because they didn't want to leave the kids at such a young age with people they did not know. Erich had also told the town that Jen was a widow and not a divorced woman. And the emptiness of the farm also seemed just a little bit fishy to her. But she just figured it was nothing and thought about all the good things. She noticed slight changes in Erich's behavior. He was very obsessed over his deceased mother, and he had ill memories of his father. He cried in his sleep and wandered secretly around the house. Jen didn't know what to do, so she just tried to ignore it. But when scary things started happening to her, she started to worry. Erich would leave in the morning and go out to his little cabin in the woods. No- one besides him was aloud there, and nobody but him and his mother had ever been there. He told Jen it was his special place to be at peace and where he felt he could work his best. Jen understood this, thinking nothing really of it. Until, Erich started to leave for days at a time. This really worried Jen, she also missed her husband. They had only been married such a short while, she just could not understand why all of this stuff was happening. When she went on a walk one day she stumbled upon something. It was a graveyard.
It was the Kruegar Family Graveyard. Opening the fence she entered the little space and looked around. She scanned all the gravestones, but none shown up with the name "Caroline Bonardi". Caroline was Erich's mothers name. Then deep in the corner, under a big tree was a stone. Jen slowly walked across to look at the stone as she peered down a hand on her shoulder startled her. She turned around to find Erich standing behind her. His face looked stern and he looked upset. She looked at him innocently and his face calmed he told her of his mother, her accident, and why she was buried in the far corner. Jen thought about everything he said, and asked herself, why doesn't this all work out? Weeks passed and she had become quite close Clydes wife. Clyde was the man who ran the farm while Erich was away. Rooney was Clyde's wifes name. She was a simple woman, who was made out to be crazy and looney. Which she was not. Jen knew this right away, just after spending some time with her. Rooney told Jen a lot of things Erich had left out. How when Erich was young, he was really very attached to his mother. He never wanted Caroline out of his sight. Jen never let on that she knew any of this stuff when Erich was around. But then really strange things began to happen. One was when Kevin turned up dead. The police had stopped by to talk to Jen about Kevin's death. He was found in a nearby river his car had been run off the bank and into the rapid icy water. In the car was Jen's jacket, so the police were led to believe that Jen had something to do with the accident. But truth was, Jen didn't even know that Kevin had been up and around Minnesota at the time. Jen was confused. Soon enough everyone thought she was a crazy confused woman, they thought she was dangerous because she lied. Jen felt like there wasn't a care in the world, but then Mark showed up. Mark believed that Jen was telling the truth. He was on her side. Together they tried to figure everything out. Then one day. Jen came home to find that Erich had taken Tina and Beth away. He called later that night saying he wouldn't be back. He made her feel guilty by saying things such like telling her that she promised that she'd never leave him, and that she said they'd be together forever. Jen was stressed beyond belief, how in the world did he find out about her trying to leave. She then knew that the only thing she could do was find that cabin out in the woods. She set out, day after day, not knowing where and when she would find it, and then one day, she stumbled upon it. She broke into the cabin by breaking a window and unlocking the door. Upon entering she felt this cold chill go right through her. She looked around, amazed. Art work lined the walls. But it wasn't Erich's artwork. It was not his scribbled signature. It was one of a woman named Caroline Bonardi. Looking around Jen stood in a maze of art supplies. She just couldn't understand. What did Erich do with all the time he spend here, if all he did was copy over the signature of his mother. So she looked around. She found a closet, or what appeared to be a closet. She opened to the door and to her horror, on an easel, was a picture of her, her 2 children, dead. It was a brutal picture. She was scared, this was Erich's work. Taking the painting under her arm, she ran. As soon as she got back to the house, she called for Mark. Mark arrived at the house no more then 10 minutes later. In horror she showed the picture to Mark. All of a sudden there was a knocking at the door. Who could that be? They quickly shoved the painting into the closet, and opened the door. There stood the sheriff. He looked at Jen and said, "We need to speak with Erich, where is he?" Jen told him that he had gone a little vacation with the children and should be back soon. The sheriff nodded and then said to her, "Your husband is a fraud, those were his mothers paintings, not his," and then he left. Jen couldn't take it anymore she turned to Mark, and started to sob. It was Erich's 35th birthday on that next day. It was nearly 20 years ago that Caroline had died. Sad enough that she had died on his birthday. It tore him up. Then it hit her, she realized what she had to do in order to get Erich to come back. Ever since Erich was a little boy he had never left the farm on his birthday. Jen had always resembled Caroline. That is why Erich had picked her. It had taken her this long to realize this. She knew what she had to do. In order to get her children back and to help Erich, she had to pretend to be Caroline. There was a picture of Caroline that Erich had treasured. Jen found some clothes that were basically identical to those Caroline was wearing in the picture, she put them on, and went outside to sit in Caroline's chair. Mark was sitting inside waiting. Then all of a sudden came Erich running, he was dressed just the same as Jen, just like Caroline was in the picture. He had a gun. Mark had called the sheriff to come down. Mark ran outside in fear that Erich would shoot at Jen. Jen was just as scared and then, "BOOM". Erich was dead. Jen had began to cry. Mark had put his arms around Jen and hugged her. Everyone had come running. The sheriff arrived. Erich's body was taken away. But where were her children. Erich had whispered that he had been staying 6 hours north of there and that the children were alone. But now Erich was gone, and they didn't even know where to start. Jen was going crazy. Her little babies were alone, in the cold. They would freeze to death. Mark recalled a house that Erich had owned, it was the first place they checked. He was right. And then it seemed to come to an end. Jen couldn't go back to New York, she had no life there, and yet, she had no life in Erich's house either. Mark had told her that he had a little house on a lake that he rented out. Jen took it. There she lived and raised her children. Traumatized for life she would stay, but she at least knew that all her troubles were over, and she'd always have a friend when she needed one, and that was Mark. Conclusion: This book was really good. A page turner at any rate. I loved it. It was full of suspense and mystery. I kept asking myself, "What's going to happen next?" I just could not put it down. The book told a good story though. It taught about lies, deceit, cheating. That's life, right? It seemed like the story was real. As much as we all know it was not. It could have been. And it could have happened to anyone
 

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol, although occurring at a different time period than today, still holds values and lessons that are important in society today.  The main character, Ebeneezer Scrooge, starts off having no feelings for others or any Christmas spirit, but changes from his gloomy, dark appearance to a carefree, child-like persona at the end.  Dickens shows in A Christmas Carol that personal greed will lead to peril, while kindness and generosity lead to personal happiness.

      One of Dickens social concerns was the lack of sympathy or feelings that people have toward other people.  In the story,  Scrooge had no feelings toward his family or friends and held a strictly professional relationship with them, creating a hostile bond between them.  For example, Bob Cratchit's wife does not like the idea have toasting to Scrooge because of the way he treats his long time employee.  Also, Scrooge is looked down upon by the charity collectors because he simply states that they should die to accommodate the others who need it.  Secondly, society has a negative view on Scrooge because of his attitudes and shows no feelings or compassion for Scrooge in the future.  For example, the thieves are able to steal Scrooge's possessions because no body cares about Scrooge or his things.  Also, the businessmen that Scrooge does business with regularly show no feelings about his death and go to his funeral simply for food.  Dicken's shows a way to resolve the problem by simply treating others how you want them to treat you.   At the end Scrooge's attitude changes and changes in how society will treat him are shown to be inevitable. 

      Another social concern is the priority of family over money and personal gains.  Money proves to be the golden idol that is worshipped by the people in the Christmas Carol, but also proves to destroy lives.   For example, Scrooge gives up a chance at having a loving family when he chooses money over his girlfriend Belle, who turns out to have a happy family with another loving husband.  Also, Scrooge's old business partner, Marley, put his life to waste because of money and suffers pain in his afterlife which could have been easily avoided.  A Christmas Carol also shows that people can be happy without money, just as long as the love is genuine.  For example, Scrooge's nephew married happily not to a wealthy lady, but a middle class ordinary woman and are happy together.   Also Bob Cratchit's family, despite poverty and lack of food, still have a loving environment that keeps the family together and happy.  Dickens shows that simply sacrificing for friends and family can bring happiness and joy.  Scrooge doub

les Bob Cratchit's salary while showing his appreciation and visits his nephew resulting in a stronger bond that money can not buy..

      Another social concern that Dicken's portrays in A Christmas Carol is that people do not know the true meaning of Christmas;  Scrooge throughout the story is given opportunities to display Christmas acts but requires the assistance of the three spirits.  First, he was invited to dinner at his nephews, but he bluntly refused calling Christmas a humbug.  Family is the most important part of Christmas and should always take priority.  Scrooge already failed at an attempt at family and had a chance to make amends with his sister's son.  Secondly, Scrooge also refused to donate any money that he hoards to the needy when the charity collectors come to collect.  Even though Scrooge has more than enough to generously donate and spread around , he refuses to donate saying that he pays enough in taxes.  Christmas should be a time of generosity and a time to help those who are not as fortunate.  In the story Scrooge realizes his lack of compassion and donates generously and takes up his nephews offer.

      Dicken's A Christmas Carol shows universal themes that society should learn to live by everyday and not just holidays or special occasions.  Scrooge learns these lessons with the visit of three spirits and a journey into his painful past and future so he could see his attitude toward people and societies attitude towards him; this allows him to change and create a new path for himself other than the one set out.  A Christmas Carol makes readers aware of their personal attitudes and presents a way to change for the better.

A Character Sketch of Joe Gargary

Joe Gargery might not be the smartest or wisest of

Dickens' characters, but he is definitely one of the kindest

and most humane.  Although Miss Havisham gets much

attention for being different, I think that you will soon be

convinced that Joe, however simple he may be, is definitely

a unique character.  It is my opinion that Dickens made an

effort to raise the readers respect for Joe by the sharp

contrast between him and his wife.  Three qualities

belonging to Joe are his affectionate nature, pride, and his

perseverance.

      When Joe asks Mrs. Gargery to marry him, he

especially insists that she bring her young orphaned

brother, Pip, to live with them.  Joe never reminds Pip of

this fact, except when telling Pip how much he thinks of

him.  Mrs. Gargery, on the other hand, is constantly

reminding Pip to be thankful of her "raising him by hand".

At one point, Pip decides he will teach Joe to read.

Although Joe has no real aspiration for this, he humors Pip

and lets the boy instruct him.  As mentioned before, Mrs.

Gargery is a very cruel person.  One would think living

with her would drive even a saint to kill.  Even so, Joe

never says a harsh word about his wife and treats her with

the utmost respect.  Pip's decision to go to London has a

greater impact than most readers think.  Not only was Joe

losing a set of hands around the forge, but he was also

saying farewell to a boy who must have been  like a son to

him.  Joe knew that once Pip left they would never have the

same relationship.  It was clear to Joe that this was Pip's

dream, so not once did he question the decision Pip had

made.

      When Pip is asked to come to Miss Havisham's and

"play", Mrs. Gargery and Pumblechook are driven crazy

wondering what gift she will give Pip for his service.  Joe,

on the other hand, pays no attention to their high hopes. 

His pride is also evident when he turns down the money

Jaggers offers him for Pip's indentures.  It is not that Joe

couldn't use the money, after all he is losing Pip's help in

the forge and his wife is bedridden.  

      Joe proves to be a man of great perseverance.  He

manages to run a smithy, be married to a wife with a

temper that makes a rabid dog seem tame, and be a father

and friend to Pip.  To have the responsibility of any one of

these would be enough to put a great deal of stress on any

individual, much less all three.

      I think that Dickens might have used Joe in connection

with Biddy to represent the opposite of  Miss Havisham

and Estella.  Whatever the case, I feel that Joe exhibits the

three qualities mentioned and many other gratifying ones.

Be it today or a century ago, I believe that Joe Gargery is a

unique character because of his philanthropic ways.

A Analysis Of Jack London Novels

A literary Analysis of Jack London three most recognized works, Sea Wolf; The Call of the Wild; and White Fang. Jack London lived a full life, even though he died at the young age of forty. In his life time he experienced many things, and I believe that these experiences were the catalyst of his novels. Jack London was an oyster pirate, a government patrolman in San Francisco Bay, a sailor and an agrarian reformer, a seal hunter in the North Pacific and a gold prospector in the frozen Klondike, a war correspondent and a prizefighting reporter, a socialist soapbox orator who later became a lecturer at universities, a family man and landowner, and of course a true American writer. A critic by the name of Alfred Kazin once said "that the greatest story London ever wrote was the one he lived."

London had a hard life as a child and as a young man, in spite of this London grew to become one of Americas most popular and highly paid authors ever. He was not a baby boomer. This was not just an American thing, London was known around the world for his great adventure stories, that could be enjoyed by all ages. Londons life was diversified and so were his writings. Today, London is mostly known for his "dog stories", The Call of the Wild and White Fang. In addition to those great works London wrote many other stories and novels, all of which were published in the seventeen years that he wrote professionally. Londons writings vary in quality as well as in subject, his from the cheapest and worst kind of pieces to the beautiful works like The Call of the Wild and Sea Wolf. In this literary analysis the focus will be on Londons more well known and enjoyed works. Londons life defiantly coincides with his writing. Professor Earle Labor attributes London's success as a writer to three different factors: poverty- how London rose from the bottom all the way to the top, wanderlust- the fact that he spent a good portion of his life on the road gave him ample material to write about, and last but not least was, "the omnivorous appetite for reading that gave him his philosophical substance and sense of artistic form."

London was a complex individual whose character was made up of apparent contradictions. He was a declared socialist, but above all, a devout individualist. He believed in the politics and economics of socialism and decried the iniquities Of capitalism, but at the same time set out to succeed within that system. And he did, earning more money than any other writer before him. He appeared to be a well rounded man in all things, but he was plagued by ill health, and he consistently hurt his physical state by exerting himself to the utmost. He helped create a London myth by refraining from denying untrue stories of his superhuman exploits, but yet he strongly believed in being honest to everyone. He was a lover of humanity who wanted and fought for equality and justice for all, at the same time stressed the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race. This mixture in London prefigured the twentieth century with its dramatic inconsistencies, its political and social revolutions, and its great upheavals in world culture. For London broadcast his message of raw life with all its inherent flaws, ecstasies, and miseries at a time when the world was still digesting "Victorian pap", the sentimental stories of drawing room propriety that demanded a rigorous screening of anything unseemly. Jack London cracked the hypothetical bed of that literary world.

"The Call of the Wild and White Fang are two of London's best and most popular works" says Paul Horowitz . In both of these stories he stressed the fact that human and dog relationships. He probably started the common phrase "mans best friend". The Call of the Wild met with instantaneous success upon its publication and soon won for its author international fame. Today both works are in constant demand throughout the world by people of all ages. London set out to write a companion piece to an earlier story, Bitard. Bitard had represented the personification of absolute evil in a dog and with the goal of redeeming the species. This story wasn't complete so London began The Call of the Wild. He later said that the writing it' got away from me ... before I could call a halt." In the end, a masterpiece was created. The inspired quality of its language, which reads like a in depth poem, and its pulsing drive give the work a such a great twist.

On the surface, it is the adventure story of a dog, Buck, who is forcibly taken from an easy life in sunny California to the frozen North. He is put to work pulling sleds, Buck fights with self determination and finally " Buck took up the duties of leadership"( p. 40). He over comes the lead dog named Spitz in order to become the lead dog, but once Buck earns this position he leads a good sled team that is not ready for the new owners. The new team is sold to some new people who are not ready for the hardships of the Klondike, and they eventually starve to death. All of the dogs on the team die, except for Buck. Buck was rescued by a well known gold prospector by the name of John Thornton. Buck falls in love with John and will not leave his side. The one time Buck hears " The sounding of the call" (p. 63) and he leaves the camp of John Thornton to be with the wolves. When Buck returns to camp he finds John Thornton dead because of Indians. Eventually, he responds to a higher call and escapes to the wild and leads the wolf pack. The story, though, has meaning on psychological levels. Primarily, it is a metaphors about a human relating the journey of the hero as he passes through the trials of initiation and the stages of transformation into a higher nature, until finally there is greatness in both the dog as a whole and in his creation.

Following the success of The Call of the Wild, London decided to write a complementary work-the story of a dog taken out of the wild to become part of civilization. Thus, White Fang was created. White Fang is about wolf who's mother goes into a tribe of Indians because food is scarce. The cub ( White Fang) is taken in by a tribe but at the same time rejected by his mother. This is the first step in his hard upbringing. He is not friend to all of the other Indian dogs and even the Indians. He leaves camp with his master. He is sold to a new owner. This new owner is mean to the dog and does not let him live a desired life. This new owner makes white fang a fighting dog. The wolf is the champ of the region until he fights a small bull dog. "White Fang tore wildly around, trying to shake off the bulldog's body" (p. 167)He almost dies but the fight is broken up and white fang is rescued by a good man by the name of Weedon Scott. White Fang loves his new master and this is the first time he has experienced love for anything. Scott eventually has to go home to California and is about to leave White Fang. "White Fang was howling as dogs howl when their masters lie dead" (p. 186) White Fang did not want this to happen so he ran as fast as possible to the ferry and just made it. Scott goes back to California and White Fang lives there happily ever after. White Fang, however, lacked the depth of the former book, and, though well written and a wonderful novel in itself, was unable to have more than one level to its subject. It remains more a fable built upon ideas rather than an overwhelming vision of life as a whole. White Fang, representing the tried-and-true dog who was rescued by the love of civilized man, serves better as the complement or opposite to Bitard, the abysmal brute and outcast of civilization.


A major theme in both The Call of the Wild and White Fang- that appears throughout the author's writings is that of wild, essential natures pitted against civilization or cultivation. It is through this struggle that some find strengths they had not realized they possessed, others fall to forces greater than they; still others are unable to face the struggle at all. Buck, in The Call of the Wild, responds to his essential nature calling to him through all the acquired layers of civilized habit. For Buck, hesitation of crossing the thin line between the two sides is unnecessary because he turns away from civilization and determines to live in his primordial beast state. White Fang, on the other hand, is required to learn the habits of a civilized life, which means giving up his primordial nature to the laws of civilization. London faced this struggle himself in everything he did: "Life is strife, and I am prepared for that strife. If I had not been an animal with a logical nature, I would have stagnated or perished by the wayside." Probably the most well known body of London's work is his saga of the Klondike: of the white men who were there before the gold rush, of the chechaquos (the tenderfeet) who arrived at the time of the gold rush, and of the native Indian tribes who had been there since time immemorial and who would remain there long after the white men. They are the stories that brought attention to Jack London throughout the entire world. London spent less than a year in the North; in fact, he spent no more than two seasons in the specific region known as the Klondike. However, he has written, "It was in the Klondike I found myself. There nobody talks. Everybody thinks. You get your true perspective. I got mine." Many of these tales he heard from the old-timers who would open up to him in the bars at Dawson and other cities. The tales have their origins in fact, about facts that were already exaggerated by those North landers who were known for "their inability to tell the precise truth," but the finished product was always uniquely London.
While others have written tales of that area, no one but Jack London has written of it with such force and eloquence. If there is one element that London mastered best here, it is the sense of atmosphere. A vivid picture is presented of the North land, of the "white silence" where "all movement ceases, the sky clears, the heavens are as brass; the slightest whisper seems sacrilege, and man becomes timid, affrighted at the sound of his own voice." But not only that, London conjures up the sense of a brooding that envelopes the character, plot, and setting. One doesn't just read it; one breathes it, feels. it-lives it! Many consider The Sea-Wolf to be among the best sea stories ever written, for it is a moving and epic tale, much of which is London at his best. Not only did it achieve great literary success, but it also was effectively realized in several cinematic versions. The story ranks in the great tradition of one of London's literary influences, Herman Melville. Drawing upon his experiences seal hunting in the North Pacific, he created a story with a lot of realism. He put himself and his contradictory nature into the two opposing characters, Wolf Larsen, the ruthless and rugged individualist, the superman, and Humphrey van Weyden, the highly cultivated and virtuous gentleman. It is in the slash of these two forces that London gives vent to his innermost struggles: idealism versus materialism, conscience versus instinct. The novel's drama proceeds to a resolution of this elemental conflict through van Weyden's struggle to( fulfillment and mastery of life's forces and Larsen's ultimate deterioration. Ironically, the majority of the critics and the public misunderstood the work, thinking it a glorification of the superhuman and individualism, and London later wrote, ". . . I attacked Nietzsche and his super-man idea ... no one discovered that it was an attack upon the super-man philosophy. " Although London failed in reaching his purpose of striking gold in the Klondike during the gold rush of 1897-98, he certainly did strike a vein that not only enriched him during his lifetime but continues to enrich the world today. In the twentieth century, London's writings have had fluctuating fortunes: in the years following London's death in 1916, his popularity diminished some what, though his titles continued to sell. However, by 1936, London was dismissed critically and academically. One critic stated that "it is almost certain that his vogue is passing." Finally, beginning in the 1960's, there was a new reassessment and revival of London's works, as several studies, biographies, and reprints of many of his stories were published. It is true that London's writings have many shortcomings, and the weaknesses are not hidden. Some of his characters seem one-dimensional, especially the women; many of the men seem unbelievably heroic. His image of love and sex was romantic and sentimental. A master of the episode--the basis for his short stories-London could rarely integrate his longer works successfully. He felt that a higher purpose of his writing was as a vehicle for the expression of his political and social ideas; yet, in most cases, where the message predominated over the art, it tended to spoil the effect of his literary work. Incredible as it may seem, London felt that he lacked imagination, and one of his major fears was that he would run out of ideas. He found his plots and ideas by reading newspapers, by talking to people who related incidents in their lives, and by modifying plots taken from the huge storehouse of books he had read. Later in life, he actually bought story ideas from a fellow socialist, Sinclair Lewis, then a young reporter fresh out of college. London even managed to "borrow" from his greatest literary influence, Rudyard Kipling. Early in his career, London admitted: "There is no end of Kipling in my work, I have even quoted him. I would never possibly have written anywhere near the way I did had Kipling never been." He was even called the "Kipling of the North," but London outdid his master by the sheer mythic power and vision of his tales. And the works of London endure, some having become popular classics. His literary accomplishments outshine his faults and the criticisms leveled at his work. As the eminent London scholar Professor Labor states: ". . . even his worst work is readable. If he is sometimes clumsy, he is seldom dull. He is capable of moments of lyric intensity. He possesses, moreover, an exceptional feeling for iron. " Above everything else, London captured a universal force in his writing-a sense of life's ultimate mystery- which holds the reader spellbound. Because these stories are reprinted from many different sources-some from the anthologies compiled by London, there are inconsistencies and occasional archaisms in spelling, terminology, and punctuation. Ironically, London wished to be remembered for his works of philosophical, sociological, and political importance, which he considered superior to his works of literary merit or "for children". This opinion was shared by a few early critics, one of whom went so far as to say that London would "take his place in the encyclopedias as a philosopher and a propagandist rather than as a literary artist." Yet it has been his literary achievements that have exerted influence, largely unacknowledged, on the generations of writers who succeeded him. This influence can be seen in the works of Robert Service, Ring Lardner, Hemingway, Steinbeek, Kerouac, and Mailer. Today, Jack London is celebrated for his great contribution to literature, and rightly so. It is believed that London was the best American writer on his given topic (the struggle through life). London had a charm that brought the reader to enjoy the region of focus. He intertwined the story of the uncharted Klondike with the story of life and how he lived it. Weather through the story of a dog or a man London knew what life was all about even though he lived a relatively short life. One of his great theories was "Eat or be Eaten", or "Do or Die." London also believed in the statement from Darwin called survival of the fittest as is seen in Sea Wolf.

I will leave you with this thought from the master Jack London himself, "It is so much easier to live placidly and complacently. Of course, to live placidly and complacently is to not live at all . . ."

Bibliography
1. London, Jack: The Call of the Wild, White Fang, and other stories. edited by Andrew Sinclair, New York N.Y. : Penguin Books, 1981
2. London, Jack: The Call of the Wild, White Fang, Sea Wolf, and forty short stories. edited by Paul J. Horowitz, New York N.Y.: Portland House, 1998
3. Stone, Irving: Sailor on horseback, Gardencity, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1977 4. Walker, Dale: Jack London and Conan Doyle: a literary kinship, Bloomingdale In.: Gaslight Publications, 1989