Dystopian Literature free essay sample

Literature is not concerned with shaping the future but with teaching us about the problems of the present†. Discuss Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm in light of this comment. Many critics have argued that several extreme historical circumstances of the 20th century have led to the flourishing of dystopian literature. Dystopias usually extrapolate elements of contemporary society and function as a warning against some modern trend, often the threat of oppressive regimes in one form or another. In Orwells Animal Farm and Golding’s Lord of the Flies, both authors create a dystopia; however the intention of the characters originally was to create a perfect society. But Golding and Orwell are trying to convey that society will always be corrupt and a utopia can never be achieved, as in both novels the uncorrupted leaders who begin with good intentions soon spiral out of control with their want of power and control. In Animal Farm, this process happens gradually with the changing of the seven commandments by Napoleon to justify his own behaviour which at the beginning of the revolution he outlined as enemy traits. For example, the sixth commandment is No animal shall kill any other animal but Squealer changes this to No animal shall kill any other animal without cause’. After Napoleon executes animals that were allegedly plotting against him, also when Boxer is injured Napoleon sells him to a glue factory to be slaughtered. In response to the question both novels can seen as using allergory to criticise society in the time they were written. Though Lord of the flies is fictional its exploration of violence and brutality can be seen as partly based on Goldings experience of World War II. In relation to Animal Farm the novel reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II. There are several metaphors in â€Å"Animal Farm† which refer to the Russian Revolution and demonstrate how a dream of freedom can soon turn into a violent nightmare which provides an indirect analysis of the perpetrators and events of the Russian Revolution. Animalism can be seen as an allegory mirror of the Soviet Union and is the ideology which brainwashes the animals into their new government. At first it is a positive change from â€Å"Manor Farm† which gives them connotations of slaves as they are owned by humans into â€Å"Animal Farm† however, the majority of animals lead a worse existence under the rule of pigs who promised equality. There are comparisons that can be made with animalism and Marxism, the first is the economy, both have firm beliefs that there is no need for money or social class, however this fundamental principle is immediately undermined by the fact that the pigs are in charge thus creating a hierarchy in the farm in which they are the top of. Another similarity is that the two concepts were created by respectable â€Å"men†, Old Major; a pig who dreams of animalism instigates the revolution in the farm before his death. Karl Marx was the soul thinker of Marxism and Orwell demonstrates through the plot in the novel how ideas of Marxism and communism bring about equality immediately but corruption in leadership brings about oppression. This technique of using animals to represent the society Orwell wished to criticise can be seen in all the characters in â€Å"Animal Farm†, however we will explore only the main contributors. Napoleon is the villain of the novel and an obvious metaphor for Joseph Stalin, the very name Napoleon is fitting as the Napoleon the French dictator was seen by many as the Anti-Christ. At first Napoleon seems like a good leader but eventually is overcome by greed which is what occurred in Stalin’s rein, he soon became power hungry and lived a life of luxury while Russia and its people suffered. Another part of Stalin that Orwell illustrates through Napoleon is the paranoia of losing power and this fear breeds violence and leads to the execution of innocents who were seen as a threat. Another important character is Squealer which many critics correlate with the Russian media’s use of propaganda. He is the spokesperson for the pigs and has to make everything oppressive and exploiting which occurs on the farm positive making lying necessary, much like what the media’s job was in the rein of Stalin. Snowball is also significant in representing Trotsky who was original revolutionaries but as Stalin rose to power became one of his biggest enemies and was finally expelled one year after Stalin took power. Snowball is exiled from the farm the same as Trotsky but Trotsky was also exiled from Russian history, his face was removed from pictures of the revolution and he was renounced as a traitor, finally he was assassinated by a Stalinist agent in 1940. Although Moses the Raven has a minor role in the novel it is a significant one, as he represents the Russian Orthodox Church. Moses fled the farm shortly after the revolution and when he eventually returned he never did any work but preached to the animals about Sugar Candy Mountain, a paradise he claimed animals go to go after they die. It is important that at first Moses is not allowed on the farm but then welcomed by Napoleon and given a â€Å"ration of beer†. Orwell could be highlighting that the Russian Church was used as a tool of oppression, as according to Marx religion is â€Å"the opium of the people†, it numbs people of their exploitation and suffering much like a drug. It also demonstrates that even the most good and pure people on earth can be corrupted and Orwell could be indicating that this cycle of corruption will always continue as human nature will never change. Further metaphors that are used as a parallel to the Russian revolution such as the song â€Å"Beasts of England† is a metaphor for the ideology of communism. The project of building the windmill represents Stalin’s â€Å"Five year plan† in which he promised would improve the Soviets Industry which would lead to shorter working weeks for the working class as the animals were promised an easier life. However, both were a failure but Napoleon and Stalin refuse to admit to defeat and continue thinking that they will solve the problems. Another significant technique used by Orwell is the portrayal of the oppressed through the omniscient third person narrator which makes the story more universal and relevant not only within the context of the novel. It challenges the assumption that oppression is born out of evil motives and dictatorship but that it is self inflicted by the acceptance of and the naivety of the oppressed. The main technique that is used to justify the oppression of the animals is through the manipulation of language which is exploited by the intelligent pigs. They twist the words of the Old Majors ideals on socialism and change their own original seven commandments to decriminalize their own actions. Another means of control is the songs used to create a collective conscience on the farm mainly the â€Å"Beasts of England† which is propaganda technique which brainwashes the animals to believe that the government has their best interests at heart. Thus although some will argue that Orwell’s intention was to provide a cautionary tale through the moral issues of human kind highlighted in his novel it is important to consider it was a recollection of current affairs, criticising the original readers. So before messages of warning can be translated for future societies through the criticism in this novel the problems of current occurrences need to be tackled by the oppressed and the oppressors because there is one common trait they both hold, human nature which they can never escape. â€Å"Lord of the Flies† shares similar themes to â€Å"Animal farm† as it is deeply rooted in socio-political concerns of its era as it was written in post World War II. It could be seen that the novel is highlighting the Cold War conflict between Liberal Democracy and totalitarian communism. Ralph can be seen to represent the liberal tradition and Jack the military type dictatorship of the communist regime. It is significant that Golding sets the novel in future reality after an atomic war however this does not necessarily mean he is fixated on the future of society but making this tale relevant to future readers who will question the corruption of their present society. Golding uses heavy symbolism to illustrate the parallels that the boys â€Å"new† society is not much different than the one they belonged to in civilization. Before the boys arrive the Island can be seen like the Garden of Eden however this is soon destroyed through the corruption they create. This links to the scar on the Island which is manmade thus symbolises the damaging encroachment of humans in paradise. The conch which is founded by Piggy and Ralph and is used to reinforce order and authority, only the person holding the conch may talk and everybody else has to listen. Jack smashes the conch which metaphorical of him breaking away from the civilised society they have established into a world of violence and savagery. Piggy’s glasses symbolise understanding and clarity however when the lenses become cracked (also at the hands of Jack) this marks the boys losing sight of what they need to do and a further breakdown in the civilization. The boy’s only connection with civilisation and hope of ever returning to it is the signal fire which the longer the boys remain on the Island the less important it becomes which demonstrates their loss of moral values and interest in authority. When the fire rages out of control it is metaphorical of the boy’s loss of control or perhaps society’s influence on them. The title which Golding chose â€Å"Lord of the Flies† is significant as it contributes highly to the interpretation of the novel. There is reference to the Hebrew name Beelzebub which means â€Å"God of the flies† this is synonymous with Satan as he was the Devils right hand man. This religious reference Golding uses to illustrate an interesting Freudian concept about the ID which is what governs an individual’s survival and Golding indicates it is the internal psyche of the inherit evil of human nature which leads to the frightening events on the Island and not external supernatural forces. The Beast which is used as a tool of fear on the Island personifies the savagery and evil of mankind that Golding is trying to highlight. Another religious reference which is evident throughout is Simon being seen as a Christ like figure he is the only person who understands the truth of human nature but he is slain as he attempts to share it. This is a criticism of society on Golding’s behalf as if somebody speaks out and blames events on the government they are put in prison or executed. It is therefore questioning if we ever have freedom of speech even in modern society and it is employing everybody to look within themselves because as we are all human we are products of society which makes us corrupted thus this is why we will never have a utopian society as humans are corrupt to the core. This assumption is confirmed by Golding himself â€Å"the boys try to construct a civilization but it breaks down in terror because the boys are sufferering from the terrible disease of being human†. It is therefore clear that Golding’s hypothesis about humanity is pessimistic and I don’t believe in this novel he has attempted to shape a outlook on a future society. With his attitude towards human kind he would not concern himself with trying to shape the future as it would be pointless as the inherit evil of human nature he depicts is unchangeable. Much is the same with Orwell however he does not place so much blame on individuals but is more critical of governments. Thus both authors do not concern themselves with influencing the future of society as both make it clear that they never think an ideal society is achievable.

Robert of Jumieges Essay Example

Robert of Jumieges Essay Another relevant reason as to why the crises of 1051 and 1052 were significant was because it showed the true authority and capabilities the earls had and the weakness and incapabilitys of the King. Edward knew that he would only ever be King in name unless he could destroy Godwins authority. McLynn quotes, If he did not take a stand against Godwin and his contumacious family he would be reduced to the status of figurehead King or cipher. The crises of 1051-52 merely clarified this fact that the King just did not have the power to make any grand scale decisions. Everything was decided either in advance for the King or on the spot for him. He was forced into marrying Godwins daughter Edith for example. Now what possible reason could there be to suggest that Edward actually wanted to wed Edith. Apart from the fact that she was much younger than he was she just happened to be a daughter of the man he hated most who just wanted some Godwin blood on the throne. Another example would be the incident of Eustace of Bologne where he couldnt even force an earl to punish his own men; he was taken to trial. We will write a custom essay sample on Robert of Jumieges specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Robert of Jumieges specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Robert of Jumieges specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer So it was clearly obvious that these events of 1051 and 52 showed just how much authority Edward didnt have in terms of decision making. But it was not only in his decision-making that Edward lacked the power needed but also in terms of his strength on the battlefield. In preparation for his first battle with Godwin Edward tried desperately to get the remaining two earls Leofric and Siward to support him. Leofric was particularly reluctant to help out but in the end the end decided on doing so. This then resulted in Godwin having to accept defeat and being exiled from the country. However when Godwin returned for part two of the battle the earls basically refused bluntly to help Edward in any way shape or form. Without the assistance of the earls Edward was defenceless and weak. He therefore had to accept Godwins terms and let his most hated enemy run his country. It is therefore obvious that the King had no control over his own actions unless he had the support of at least one earl. A significant long-term effect of the crises of 1051-52 was also the beginning of the Godwins dominance on the country. With Godwin now virtually running the nation he could put anyone wherever and whenever he wanted. Harold Godwinson then succeeded Godwin on to the earl of Wessex when he died and also became he head of his large and popular family. As earl Harold could use his assets to help him perform his duties for the king more effectively. Then on the 6th of January 1066 Godwins life long dream was established when his son, a man of pure Godwin blood, was crowned king of England. One son was King another an earl. The Godwin reign had begun. Godwin was a true family man and the events during 1051-52 express this. This theory was particularly apparent when he forced Edward into marrying his daughter in the chance that they would have a son of Godwin blood who would be heir to the throne. Unfortunately for Godwin this did not work out for a number of different reasons. Godwin also showed his dedication to having his family stay as one in England so when he was gone they could be a formidable force, when he desperately pleaded with King Edward for his eldest son Swein to be forgiven and be able to return. Surely committing a sin as hostile as he did any other father would disown him however this was never the case for Godwin. He eventually did get his way and Swein was allowed to return only for him to unexpectedly die on a pilgrimage seeking penance from God. Harold was also Earl of East Anglia for eight years whilst the confrontations between Edward and Godwin had gone on. So for the Godwins they would have felt they gained an extremely vast mount out of the crises of 1051 and 52. Looking back on the Crises of 1051 and 1052 Historians will probably feel that the most significant result was the confusion and controversy over the successor to Edwards throne. There would never have been any confusion or arguments over this only if Edwards wife had given birth to a son. Of course this was not to happen for a number of reasons, possibly he was too religious, or maybe he did not want any grandson of Godwin being heir to the throne. However either way a son of Edward just was not to be. Therefore when Edward did eventually die there was a number of people who lied claim to he throne. A major contender at the time, however the more historians look back on it the more it seems unlikely was William. This claim was apparently true on a number of accounts. There were two main suggestions as to why William could possibly have become Williams successor to the throne. The first, rather unbelievable but at the same time still a suggestion, was that William visited Edward in 1051 and was apparently promised the throne there and then. The second, a little more believable, was that Edward sent Robert of Jumieges to promise the throne and as a sign that this offer was authentic to also give Godwins hostages Wulfnoth (son) and Hakon (Grandson). This supposedly took place in 1051 and was supposedly agreed by both Edward and Stigand (the in between man who was trusted by both Edward and Godwin). This theory therefore has a perfectly legitimate claim. However why would Edward choose William? The Normans came up with three reasons. One They were very distant relations and therefore someone of the same blood. Two It was an almost thank you gesture for helping him out in 1043 when he had fled to Normandy. And finally because Edward apparently felt William was the best man for the job (taking into consideration that he was only fourteen at the time). It was also claimed that Edward was desperate to keep some Norman influence in England. There maybe quite a bit of evidence backing up Williams claim, however the evidence to say it was a false claim is undoubtedly more reliable and realistic. For example there were many others with much better claims to the throne (Earl Ralph, Edward Aething etc. ). Edward also had no great love of Normandy. He was never treated well there nor was he ever welcomed there. McLynn writes A vague promise was made but it was not genuine. On the other hand Barlow writes in his book Edward had already promised the throne to Swein Estrithson. He just used the nomination as a diplomatic card. The more realistic and probably true having known the type of character Robert of Jumieges was is written by Walker and it basically says that the promise was made by Jumieges when escaping after 1052. He had hostages with him and made the offer out of spite for Godwin and because he wanted William to re-instate him. In conclusion I feel that the period in history which was the crises of 1051-52 were a significant time for the Countrys history. The two years contained controversy, countless squabbles, treason, backstabbing and violence. The main consequences of the crises were, a long exhausting and humiliating defeat for Edward, a huge gain for Godwin who laid the foundations for the next generation and a lot of controversy caused mainly by a certain individual known as Robert of Jumieges.

Social problem facing the contemporary US

Essay on Christian Propaganda

Essay on Christian Propaganda Essay on Christian Propaganda This is a free example essay on Christian Propaganda: Throughout history, the Christian community has used various ploys in order to gain members. In the Ninth Century AD, monks, in England, recorded the folklore of their â€Å"heathen† neighbors in their own language. In the 11th through 18th centuries, in various areas, Catholics used raw torture and death to force conversion. And even today television stations such as PAX â€Å"family programming† is little more than tele-evangelists and trumped up â€Å"miracles.† Two prime examples of the texts written and some what enriched by the monks of England are, of course Beowulf and Judith. While it remains unclear as to exactly who wrote the original manuscripts, it is believed that it was a monk or priest, and it has been widely accepted that these stories were handed down, generation to generation, by oral tradition. The epic poem Beowulf directly precedes Judith in the same manuscript, leading us to believe they were recorded by the same persons, with the same motives. In Beowulf we read of a hero that destroys the enemy of his brethren, Grendel (and Grendel’s mother), believed by some to be the descendant of the biblical Cain, thus ending his lineage; a lineage that has been that of pure evil from the time of Cain’s brother Abel’s murder. Beowulf then leads his people into battle with the dragon, killing both the dragon and himself, much like St. George. In Judith we read of a heroine (interestingly an Israelite) oppressed b y a tyrant, Holofernes. Eventually Judith can take no more, and rises up and smites her oppressor, with, ironically, his own sword. Much as the Hebrews did in Exodus. We then must look at instances such as the various Inquisitions instituted by the Catholic Church for nearly eight centuries, the most commonly known being the Spanish Inquisition. Starting in the mid- 15th century (1478), the Spanish Inquisition was not suppressed until 1834. Over these 356 years hundreds of thousands of heretics, heathens and other â€Å"sacrilegious† persons were tortured and killed by some of the most horrible means possible; all for what they believed, or did not believe, as the case may be. People were hanged, burned at the stake, boiled alive, or worse, for no â€Å"good† reason except they were not Catholic. They were told if they renounced their faith, they would be spared, but as those who did found out, more often than not, they were lied to. As anyone would guess, word of these events traveled rather quickly, and the Catholic population in Spain grew rapidly. So we ask. why did the Inquisition last 356 years? The answer is it did not, at lea st not in practice. Granted there were the fanatics that continued to torture those accused of heresy, but as a whole the practice was discontinued after a relatively short period of time. The institution, however, was not officially suppressed by the Pope until July 15, 1834. If a person were to look at local television listings, the majority of what they would find would pertain to what the American public watches most, drugs, sex, and violence. However, there are a few networks, such as PAX that offer what they call family programming; what I call Propaganda. Over half of their programming consists of tele-evangelists. The network executives, rope in young parents with inoffensive material, hoping that they will watch their network almost exclusively. Before long, the children of these young parents are asking Mom and Dad, why they never go to church. Have they ever seen a miracle? And before you know it, this entire family is going to not only a Sunday worship, but Wednesday evening as well, not to mention the Tuesday-Thursday Bible Study; thus completing this vicious cycle. We have in this country, what is called Separation of Church and State, and freedom of speech. This is why we can turn on our television at five o’clock in the morning and s ee The Reverend Brother What’s his Face. But where does it stop? Will the church ever stop trying to brain wash us â€Å"heathens† into belief? ______________ is a professional essay writing service which can provide high school, college and university students with 100% original custom written essays, research papers, term papers, dissertations, courseworks, homeworks, book reviews, book reports, lab reports, projects, presentations and other assignments of top quality. More than 700 professional Ph.D. and Master’s academic writers. Feel free to order a custom written essay on Christian Propaganda from our professional essay writing service.

Interview Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interview - Case Study Example on suffering mental illness; a summary of the findings and concise note using the subjective, objective, assessment, and plan (SOAP) format with each patients encountered findings. The essay also provides some examples to support the findings. First, Psychiatric history: this refers to the mental profile of the patient. It involves critical information about the patient’s chief complaint, their present illness, any psychological ailments they have made before or in the onset as well as after the mental illness (Hughes, & Kleespies, 2002). In this stage, more specific and closed ended questions could be asked during the assessment process so that the details of the patient’s illness or rather their profiles can be obtained. For instance, a patient who responds that, â€Å"I am just depressed.† Can be engaged further in questing through asking leading questions like, how long has the depression been? How often has the situation been? Or how long has this taken? Questions as such enable an in-depth understanding of the patient thus enabling a good history assessment of the mentally ill patient. Secondly: medical history of the patient. This is medically understood as the patient’s past and evens the present and future that may communicate information relevant for their future, present and past health (Hughes, & Kleespies, 2002). It is an account of all the medical problems and events that an individual has experienced. It also includes other medical facts and treatments or injuries that an individual has been through. As much as possible, they are taken in the patient’s own words. The drugs taken, past and present hobbies use of alcoholics as well as an exhaustive survey of any symptoms that may not have been covered in the patient. This medical history is an important part of the health assessment of a patient with mental illness. The 41 year old woman complaining of restlessness, little need for sleep, racing thoughts, inability to concentrate, alcohol

Child Birth Booth Camp Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Child Birth Booth Camp - Research Paper Example The class was headed by a rather experienced instructor in medical field and childbirth in particular. The instructor was a well-trained, long-term nurse and a catholic doula whose name was Rosemary Antunes. She was a mother of eight and a grandmother of six Rosemary was a graduate of St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing, and said that she has over thirty years of experience as a Registered Nurse. In addition, she said that she had served as the school Nurse at Christendom College. Apart from these, she has also served labor and delivery sector at Fauquier Hospital with extensive experience in variety of settings. She informed us that she first became interested in working as a delivery nurse because of her mother. From the experiences she gained from her mother’s deliveries, she told us that giving birth a great moment in a woman’s life especially first timer and is therefore very important to treat women with kindness and respect through the entire process of concep tion to birth. Her philosophy has been to promote life among mothers and their children by helping them give birth safely. She offers teachings on the same in two area hospitals. She has also worked as a certified doula, offering personalized support and encouragement to women in labor. The class started around 9 am and ended at 5 pm. In the class, topics relating to pregnancy and childbirth were taught. Discussions on the same were conducted with the aim of equipping first time expectant mothers and their partners with knowledge and information on how to handle childbirth. The class constituted various practices. Comfort was ensured to allow healthy stay and learning especially given the much time allocated for all the lessons. The majority of the learners were Caucasian couples with the exception of one African American couple in the classroom. During the introduction the male participants were asked to introduce their partners, many referred to them as their wives whereas others

Sister Callista Roys Adaptation Model Assignment - 1

Sister Callista Roys Adaptation Model - Assignment Example With this exponential increase in the numbers of the aged, there also arises the dire need to age relevant physical activities that will assist them age well and in good health. This is where the Roy’s adaptation model can come in swiftly and handy too. Nursing theories are useful in framing, explaining or defining the provision of nursing care (Kelly, 2011, 24). The Roy’s adaptation model of nursing, a useful nursing theory, was developed in 1976 by Sister Callista Roy after she was challenged as a graduate student by Dorothy E. Johnson (a member of the faculty) to come up with a conceptual model for nursing practice. Basically regarded a system’s model, the Roy’s adaptation model regards the person as a set of intertwined biological, social and psychological functions in which the person in question endears to achieve a healthy balance between these systems and the environment (Kelly, 2011, 67). The model however reckons that there will never be an absolute level of balance but rather the person is to try and live in a way that allows him/ her to adequately cope/ adapt (Kelly, 2011, 72). The Roy’s adaptation model which involves a six-step nursing procedure basically entails four domain concepts of person, health, environment and nursing. In the model, person may be used to refer to people as individuals or in groups such as families, organizations, communities and the larger society. The person, functioning as a unity for some purpose, is an adaptive system described as a whole entailing entities and a bio-psycho-social being in incessant interaction with the varying environment. The person, as enshrined in the model, uses innate and acquired methods to adapt to the environment. The person is the adaptive system (Willis, Grace & Roy, 2008, 31). Adaptation is described under the Roy’s model as a positive response to environmental changes. Adaptation is the goal of nursing in the model and