- Read the prompt and begin brainstorming what you would use.
- DO NOT read other classmates' entries before writing your response.
- Draft an outline on your own paper.
- Write a couple paragraphs about what characters you would contrast and how they effect the overall work. Be sure to include how you would organize your essay (progression of ideas and what specific details you would use). You may use your novel and notes to help you! You DO NOT need to write an entire essay. The purpose of the exercise is to review the novels that we have read.
Question 3 (Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts as one-third of the total essay section score.)
Palestinian American literary theorist and cultural critic Edward Said has written that “Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience. It is the unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place, between the self and its true home: its essential sadness can never be surmounted.” Yet Said has also said that exile can become “a potent, even enriching” experience.
Select a novel, play, or epic in which a character experiences such a rift and becomes cut off from “home,” whether that home is the character’s birthplace, family, homeland, or other special place. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the character’s experience with exile is both alienating and enriching, and how this experience illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. You may choose a work from the list below or one of comparable literary merit. Do not merely summarize the plot.
I would choose the voluntary exile of the Europeans when they venture into the Congo from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
ReplyDeleteIntro:
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness exposes the greed and maliciousness in the core of Europeans when they colonized the Congo. This voluntary exile caused some men, who had no restraints, to unravel; however, Marlow, the protagonist, saw into the heart of darkness--the heart of human nature.
P1: Introduce Kurtz, his greatness, his unraveling because of his lack of restraint
Being completely separated from society is unnerving to most, and being transported into the Congo, the "heart of darkness" where the wilderness is seen as an evil temptation to give into madness, is the epitome of isolation. However, Kurtz had this "fascination with the abomination;" he was enthralled by the unknown nature of the Congo even though it proved to be untamable....
P2: Contrast with Marlow, who had restraint and gained worldly knowledge from Congo
Marlow ventured to the Congo not for greed, but simply for a job. He was not "fascinated by the abomination" and kept his wits about him because of his "devotion to efficiency." Through witnessing Kurtz's unraveling, the topple of such a great man to that of a madman, enriched Marlow...
Organization: I would use 1-3 in my thesis and introduction. Then 4-5 as my analysis and supporting evidence. And 6-7 as my conclusion.
ReplyDelete(1) Book; Character: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad; Marlow
(2) Becomes cut off from home: Travels to the heart of darkness of Africa in search of adventure and exploration.
(3) Before v. After: Marlow (before) views exploration as an adventure and a way to contribute to society. Marlow (after) sheds his naivety and can clearly see both the lightness and darkness of exploration and what it reveals about true human nature.
(4) How it is alienating: Although there are men around him, he does not socialize with them nor does he feel any relation or similarity to them. Marlow, along with Kurtz, is one of the only characters given a name, setting him apart from the others who are named by what they do such as the Manager and the Chief Accountant. The only man he seems to form a slight bond with is the boilerman, simply because they are the only ones who actually work at the Central Station, and this hesitant bond only exists while Marlow is at Central Station. Also, the jungle as a whole, cuts all of the Europeans off from society.
(5) How is it enriching: Without the constraints of society (mention the “policeman” and the “butcher”), one must rely upon their own personal restraints to govern their behavior and maintain the balance between savagery and order. With the transcendentalists, this turned out to be a positive experience, but as with Kurtz the results were detrimental. For Marlow, it was a mix of both. If ignorance is truly bliss, then Marlow was not enriched by his experience with alienation. But although being aware of true human nature negatively affected his view on others (reference his reaction upon returning to Brussels); he is essentially better off after his alienation revealed this knowledge to him.
(6) How this experience illuminates meaning of work as a whole: Marlow (before) is paralleled with the narrator, while Marlow (after) is paralleled with Kurtz; foreshadowed their contrasting views of the Thames. This continuity exemplifies that the world has not changed and that the results of exile will remain the same for everyone and all time. Kurtz realizes this as he shouts “The horror! The horror!” (Kurtz came to Africa with the noble intention of earning money to marry his fiancé but the darkness revealed his true self; governed by savagery and greed). Marlow’s inner transformation is symbolized by the physical aspects of the stations (explain fences and men’s contrasting behavior as Marlow ventures closer and closer to the Inner Station and the heart of darkness).
(7) Relate back to quote: Alienation reveals your true self, making it enriching. Alienation reveals your true self, making it terrifying. It is “truth, stripped of its cloak of time.”
For this prompt, even though we have not yet finished reading the story, King Lear and his loss of power and home would be a good topic.
ReplyDeleteThe intro paragraph would introduce the topic of exile, and introduce King Lear as the subject of the essay and reveal a general way in which he changed.
The first paragraph would describe Lear while he was still in power. It would characterize him as vain, shown by how much he wanted his daughters to say how much they loved him instead of show him, and wroth, shown by his statement about warning Kent not to stand between the dragon and his wrath, as well as his banishment of Kent and Cordelia.
The second paragraph would detail the ways in which he changed during his exile. How he became more understanding of the plight of others, shown by the monologue during which he calls on the nobility to share in the experiences of the poor so that they might better understand the plight of poverty. It would also reveal his growing madness, evidenced by the mock trial that he held in the hovel, and his inner resolve, shown by his refusal to weep. The closing statements would relate back to the quote and reveal how Lear's exile revealed his true self that was hidden while he was king.
Maybe it's because we're currently reading the book but I feel like it would be easiest to write about King Lear. King Lear was the stereotype of a selfish conceded royal but his attitude causes his daughters to turn against him, leaving him isolated from his home and his family. Lear's exile and the pain it brings cause him to fall into insanity but it also allows him the clarity to see the lie his previous life had been and all the unfair judgement he had passed on to those bellow him.
ReplyDeleteParagraph 1: I would focus on how blind and conceded Lear is. I would also talk about all the people Lear hurt without thought, his daughter and Kent, because they tried to be truthful with him. This shows how Lear is so deluded that he'll do anything to stay in the lie that his life is.
Paragraph 2: Here I would focus on how Lear's isolation allowed him to have a moment of true clarity. When his daughters took everything from him he was finally able to clearly see them for who they were. It is also during this time that Lear is able to recognize the fault in his exile of Cordelia and Kent who were nearly truthful with him. I would talk about the idea of truth and seeing the truth and the importance it carries in the whole play. I would also mention how Lear's insanity starts to fully take him over when he realizes the truth and sees his faults.
Paragraph 3: In this last paragraph I would talk about how Lear starts to understand how unfairly he treated people bellow him when he was royalty. It starts with him showing compassion toward the Fool and letting him into the hovel first while its storming outside. Lear also shows compassion towards the poor people as a whole and says that he wants all rich people to be poor for a day so they'd understand the suffering and give they're excess money to the poor. I'd also try to bring in that quote about how the rich sin and much as the poor but the poor peoples rags don't hide sin as well as the rich peoples fancy clothes. I'd talk about how this plays into the play as a whole by Lear only understanding this once he suffered through it himself.
Even though we haven't finished it yet, I would use King Lear and focus on how Lear cut himself off from his kingdom when he gave Goneril and Regan his land. I would focus on how traumatized Lear was by his daughters exiling him and how he disowned each of them as his daughters which furthered the idea that he was exiled from them. He never imagined that they would be so hateful to him and the situation eventually drives him to insanity. However, when Lear goes insane that is when he can see the injustices of the world most clearly.
ReplyDeleteI would talk about how Lear was able to see that his daughter Cordelia loved him the most even though he thought disowned her first because she wouldn't offer him over-the-top flattery for his land like her sisters did. Only once Lear was left out in the cold (both figuratively and literally) by Goneril and Regan was he able to see that their words were empty and Cordelia was the one who truly cared about him. This enlightened him to the fact that pretty words don't mean anything and the people who speak merely to flatter don't have you best interests at heart which is a moral of the story. Lear was blind to his older daughters' shortcomings before he was exiled, but being broken apart from them made him see the truth.
The other point I would focus on is how Lear was able to see what had been wrong with his reign as King once he was exiled and began to go mad. He was put into the shoes of the poor and he felt compassion for the first time in the play. His exile helped bring out a kind part of him that hadn't been present before the exile. He empathized with the poor when he had no kingdom or home to call his own and deeply regretted that he hadn't done more to help the poor while he was King. This is a perfect example of how the alienation is actually enlightening because without his exile Lear probably never would have seen what was wrong with him not having helped the poor. Overall, I would just focus on how Lear's exile brought about compassion to Lear and made him a better person even if he did lose his mind in the process.
Obviously a really good character for this topic would be King Lear. Lear gives up the one thing that keeps his sanity and that is his power. After giving it to his daughters, he no longer knows how to function without having that power over people at all times. Due to the fact that Lear is unable to function without his throne, he acts out, leading to his daughters basically exiles him from his on kingdom.
ReplyDeleteIn paragraph one I would discuss how the irony of how Lear is exiled from those he gave all of his land and power to. Lear exiled the one daughter that actually cared about him, leaving him with two daughters set on revenge. Ironically those, setting Lear free and banishing him from their homes allows him to see the world more clearly.
In paragraph two I would discuss how being exiled opened Lear’s eyes. Being at a low point in his life allows him to see that there is more to life than just power. He also learns that suffering is universal and peasants are along with him in his struggles.
In paragraph three I would discuss how Lear’s character experienced a dramatic shift with his downfall. Paradoxically, this downfall leads to the old man’s blindfold being dropped and him finally seeing the reality of life.
I would write about Heart of Darkness and Marlow's experience in the Congo. I realize that Things Fall Apart would also be a good choice but I would definitely have to reread that before the exam to write about it.
ReplyDeleteTo begin, I would define how Marlow's experience represents "exile" by highlighting points in which he dealt with "sadness" but was also "enriched." Marlow was separated from his home in Europe in order to fulfill a job in Africa. To organize, I would work through the novel, reflecting on the two different states.
Paragraph 1: Contrast the "whited city" and the wilderness because this further emphasizes how Marlow is truly in a foreign place that is a sharp contrast to his home. Note the initial witness of the brutality (the Grove of Death) and how this initiated his "devotion to efficiency" which is an example of how his exile was enriching.
Paragraph 2- talk about how the experience worsens Marlow's mental condition (sanity and the "playful paw strokes") as well as physical conditions and how his appearance begins to fade...some playful paw strokes include the sudden urge to kill Kurtz and the desire to be appear appetizing to the pilgrims
3- In exile, Marlow learns the distinctions between constraints and restraints, which is both a virtue and downfall because even though he's gained insight into some truths, the harsh reality is too much for a man to handle....this struggle affects the whole work by exemplifying one of its major themes of societal constraints
Conclusion: talk about how this relates to Said's point the the "sadness can never be surmounted" Marlow makes a similar point when he tells his shipmates how he feels that he cannot capture the "reality" or gravitas of his experience in his story telling
I would write about Heart of Darkness and Marlow's experience in the Congo. I realize that Things Fall Apart would also be a good choice but I would definitely have to reread that before the exam to write about it.
ReplyDeleteTo begin, I would define how Marlow's experience represents "exile" by highlighting points in which he dealt with "sadness" but was also "enriched." Marlow was separated from his home in Europe in order to fulfill a job in Africa. To organize, I would work through the novel, reflecting on the two different states.
Paragraph 1: Contrast the "whited city" and the wilderness because this further emphasizes how Marlow is truly in a foreign place that is a sharp contrast to his home. Note the initial witness of the brutality (the Grove of Death) and how this initiated his "devotion to efficiency" which is an example of how his exile was enriching.
Paragraph 2- talk about how the experience worsens Marlow's mental condition (sanity and the "playful paw strokes") as well as physical conditions and how his appearance begins to fade...some playful paw strokes include the sudden urge to kill Kurtz and the desire to be appear appetizing to the pilgrims
3- In exile, Marlow learns the distinctions between constraints and restraints, which is both a virtue and downfall because even though he's gained insight into some truths, the harsh reality is too much for a man to handle....this struggle affects the whole work by exemplifying one of its major themes of societal constraints
Conclusion: talk about how this relates to Said's point the the "sadness can never be surmounted" Marlow makes a similar point when he tells his shipmates how he feels that he cannot capture the "reality" or gravitas of his experience in his story telling
I would choose Marlow from The Heart of Darkness to write my essay on. His experience in the Congo and the effects it had on him throughout his journey convey how alienating and enriching exile can be.
ReplyDeleteP1: Marlow began his journey as any ordinary man. Little did he know that he was heading into an immense darkness filled with terror and brutality caused by fellow Europeans. Marlow was oblivious, like everyone else in Brussels. The petty things in life which had no meaning occupied most of the Brussels community.examples: the ivory piano, fancy ways of living, they believed Europeans were going to help the men in the congo. Everyone was blind, including Marlow.
P2: Marlow's discovery of the truth in the Congo makes him feel alienated from his western society. ex: he goes back to brussels and can't stand the petty things anymore. He's never going to be the same and he feels out of place in the city that he once was so content with. The playful paw strokes that Marlow felt in the Congo changed his perception on things and the hint of madness that played with his head forever remained in his mind. He has seen things that will drive people mad. Men beaten, chained, starved, all under the authority of fellow human beings.
P3: Marlow is no longer his old self and is alienated from his home society, but the experience was also in a sense enriching to him. Marlow was not a blind fool anymore. He is aware of the horror that is happening in the Congo, and his eyes were opened by what he experienced there. It is enriching that Marlow is no longer ignorant or oblivious like the people of Brussels. Marlow learned a lot about his fellow men and what they are capable of, especially Kurtz, and what the wilderness will do to someone. Marlow is enriched in the sense that he has seen an entirely new world and what life is like without laws or restrictions.
I would choose to discuss the exile of King Lear from his kingdom and power. Despite the fact that we haven't finished it, I see it as the best option for the writing of this essay.
ReplyDeleteIntro: In the play, King Lear, by William Shakespeare, Lear is separated from his seat as head of the Kingdom, thus losing his power and all things he had previously taken for granted. Through this exile and loss of power, Lear finds enlightenment in his exile, and ultimately, a redemption from the man he once was.
Paragraph 1: In this paragraph I would discuss the situation that lead to King Lear's exile. First I would highlight Lear's position and his three daughters. Following this, I would define Lear's question to each of his daughter and emphasize the irony that resulted from it. Lastly, in this paragraph, I would finish by stating, or rather underlining, the banishments within the novel.
Paragraph 2: After introducing the start to the madness, I would delve further by analyzing the slow decline of Lear's power and the uprising of his two evil daughters. In this paragraph, it would be best to distinguish the effects the dethronement had on Lear.
Paragraph 3: This paragraph would finish by completing the progression of Lear's mental state and his realizations of his daughters and society. I would provide evidence such as the storm that opened his eyes. During this storm he came to the realization that the poor were no less than those that thought themselves superior, as the King once did. No longer is the King the man he once was. Although he was once arrogant and self-righteous, as well as oblivious and materialistic, Lear's exile lead to his transformation to a passionate and understanding man, with the interests of his Kingdom and people at heart. Despite his unstable mental state, exile bettered him as a King, father, and even more, a human being.
For this prompt, I would talk about Marlow and his exile from the "whited city" as he ventures in the "heart of darkness" in the Congo.
ReplyDeleteMy first paragraph would focus on the alienation of the experience from leaving Europe to entering a far more simplistic society, such as the Congo. I would mention how in the wild there are no constraints bestowed upon by society unto people. So it is not just physical alienation, but a mental thing too. Then I would mention the "playful paw strokes" of nature on to people, where this alienation from their usual habitat into one unknown caused the most average person like Marlow to start gradually losing his mind. I would also mention how alienation caused a shift in focus from things such as physical attributes and money, to work and surviving.
My second paragraph would be how being brought into the Congo was enriching. I would bring in the whole restraint vs. constraint ideals, and how learning about them through learning about himself, Marlow was able to realize "the horror" of being blinded and ignorant. I would explain that the true spirit of Marlow came out through experiencing the Congo, and even though it was not necessarily a good nature, it still showed how society has restricted people to become false and molded versions of themselves. Marlow realized that Kurtz had gone through something similar to him, but he got far more into the wild, and suffered a lot more until the point of death. This extent of such a similar situation caused Marlow to truly put everything he was doing and where he was into perspective. Though he realized how wrong it is to live in a society of constraints, he also realized that not many can live in a society without constraints or restraints. Humans themselves have to be herded into being humans, or they become a part of nature itself- wild and mindless.
For this prompt, I would write about King Lear. We have not even finished the story, yet it is evident that his being cut off from his kingdom greatly affects him and is significant to the overall work.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I would discuss King Lear before he gave power to Regan and Goneril, including all of his faults and putting the most emphasis on his arrogance. I will include how he banishes Kent and Cordelia and how this causes his downfall and the disconnection from his kingdom. It is important for me to include an analysis on the discussion between Lear and his daughters that resulted in Cordelia's banishment and Regan's and Goneril's rise to power. It is important to note the irony of this situation.
Next, I would discuss the change that Lear undergoes while he is abused by his two daughters. The most important scene that shows this change is when Lear is out in the tempest. This is where he gains compassion and an understanding of his cruelty. This is an important internal change that Lear undergoes, which is followed soon by his descent into insanity.
My final paragraph would discuss the effects of Lear's change, but I would have to finish the story to right a sufficient paragraph on this. So far, I could only write about Cordelia's love for Lear finally being justified or how Lear had gone insane having learned of the immensity of his mistakes.
For the prompt, I would write about Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" and the change in the Europeans the farther away they are "taken" from their home and how their changes affect the overall work, tying into the reveal of ones true nature when society and home is taken away.
ReplyDeleteFor my first paragraph- I would discuss the manager and his role of "equality" and attempt to preserve European ideals while he is in Africa. I would also bring up the pilgrims and their unwillingness to change as they travel deeper into Africa, but end up revealing their true nature and greed. They would all be examples of how the farther away you are from home or society, true human nature is revealed.
Second, I would discuss the change of Mr. Kurtz when Marlow discovers him in the Inner Station. Kurtz now sees himself as a pagan god and this shows the descent into madness when he is away from his home in Europe. This would tie into the motif of the restraints of society and what happens once they are taken away.
My last paragraph would focus on Marlow and his changes throughout his adventures along the Congo River. Marlow has a change in perspective on how he views his home after the death of Kurtz. This is when he realizes the ignorance of those at "home" to the injustices they cannot see. This would tie back into the restraints of society and their affects on people. While in the Congo, Marlow's true nature comes to light when he is removed from his home in society and is placed on this boat in Africa. But unlike the last two paragraphs, Marlow has a personal constraint to keep him at work and not fall into madness like Kurtz.
For this essay prompt, I would write about King Lear by Shakespeare and how King Lear's exile effected his life as a whole.
ReplyDeleteMy introductory paragraph would include the title and author of the novel and introduce the character, King Lear, that is being exiled. I would also explain that Lear is being abandoned and banished by his family and they no longer have any respect for him.
Lear's exile effected him in both a positive and negative way so, my first body paragraph would be about how King Lear's exile from his daughter's homes led him into a world full of madness. I would describe how Lear was devastated because he gave everything he owned to his daughters and they betrayed him without a shadow of a doubt. I would include details and evidence of his madness through Edgar's sorrow for the King and realization that his problems are small compared to King Lear's condition during his madness.
My next body paragraph would be about the good that came from King Lear's abandonment. Once King Lear is exiled he gets the chance to see for the first time all of the poor people that he never helped as King. I would include how this is a turing point for Lear in the novel because for once he does not focus only on the sins others have done to him, but on the fact that he did not help these people when he had the chance to.
In this essay, I would choose the isolation of Mr. Kurtz in Heart of Darkness as he submerges himself into the depths of the African jungle, away from the whited cities of his Belgian home and those he loved to find the power obsessed leader he actually was.
ReplyDeleteP1: Here, I would explain Marlow's long search for Kurtz in order to signify how isolated he really is from the other members of the company and how he does so voluntarily. Also, I would choose to include the view that each native and fellow company member has of the brutal and secluded man to add to the argument of how isolation has enriched him as a character.
P2: In this paragraph, I would compare and contrast Kurtz's intended woman in Belgium and the native "savage beauty" he finds himself falling in love with. These relationships add to the way that such seclusion has begun to change him in what he feels himself drawn to and the new form of love he begins to seek. Also, this occurrence reveals that his opportunity to distance himself from other members of society gives him a newfound perspective of the female race, adding to the character that he is and the way that the experience begins to sink into his humanity.
P3: I would close with the details of Kurtz's death and the reaction that those around him have when learning of its occurrence. As a result of his isolation from society, his death occurs in a savage manner-i could discuss this as possible form of his dehumanizing acts catching up to him and the seclusion he has imposed coming full circle as he dies in a lonesome form and natives have little to no regard for his corpse. However, the visitors who arrive after his death could be utilized to depict the way that isolationism formed who he was as a man and the success it contributed to.
I would definetely use Marlow from Heart of Darkness. He might as well have been literally exiled from the "whited city." The experience was both saddening and enriching and there is a lot I could contrast in this essay.
ReplyDeleteIntro: Marlow's home is in Europe, in Brussels, Belgium. European society is so built up around humanity that nature is blocked out of view completely. Taking a job in Africa, Marlow experiences the absence of societal constraints and the potency of nature all in one frightening expedition.
1: When Marlow arrives to the Congo, the Chief Accountant's building is the last glimpse of his society, "his home," that he is going to see for a while. In the setting, there are so many stark contrasts between light and dark. The sun is "blinding" and the savages are "dark." The Chief Accountant is dressed in the most professional white, while outside his window is the "grove of death" where the savages suffer until they die. The Chief Accountant strives to maintain his own isolation in his own home where things are familiar to him--where he feels safe. But Marlow, as a steamboat operator is going down the river to the Heart of Darkness.
2: As Marlow progresses from the Outer Station to the Central Station, his true exile begins. There is no more European society to govern the men's actions. They are there for ivory, and there are no institutionalized restrictions holding them from it. The "pilgrims" are mindless ivory machines who pretend to be well-kept. Their fence is a good example of how the barrier between society and nature is a symbol of safety, but the fence is wearing out and the distinction becomes blurry. Marlow sticks to his work. He spends all his time on his boat, trying to stay as close to "home" as possible.
3: But he starts to notice the "playful pawstrokes" of madness that scratch at his mind. They challenge the society ingrained in him. Out here in the jungle, the only difference between him and some animal is the restraint he decides to employ. With the other Europeans on the scene who endure the same exile, Marlow compares better than most because his "devotion to efficiency", or obsession with work, keeps him restrained from the madness. It keeps himself mentally separated from the natives, the cannibals. Each step into the jungle, he realizes how similar he and the savages are in their nature.
4: Kurtz has been the idol of the Company this whole time, and Marlow has been impatient to talk to him, but when they arrive at the inner station, the farthest most point of exile away from European society, Kurtz is dying. The fence around the station is just the posts with human heads on them. Absolute submersion into nature, Marlow's own human nature. He can see who humans really are without the fakeness of society constraints around them. In the heart of darkness, Marlow can see clearly, like Kurtz. Kurtz venture into absolute madness kills him because of his lack of restraint, so Marlow realizes that restraint is his most important asset.
5: Returning back to the "whited city," in Europe, Marlow sees all of the ignorance of society. All of the white reminds him of a tomb. Marlow spent his time in exile, but returning back home wasn't all that welcoming because his home was all a lie. In the entire story, only one character judged the "horror" of the abomination that is society--that was Kurtz. The only way Marlow or Kurtz could reach the point of judgement was to spend time in exile from their home. Outside of safety constraints, there was a whole new life to learn in nature.
I would write about King Lear for this essay because we just read of it and it's easier to real details of what leads Lear to his transformation of morals due to his exile.
ReplyDeleteWhen King Lear chooses flattery over sincerity, his kingdom is divided between two of his daughters. This turns out to be the worst choice possible as his very own daughters soon exile him out of the land. Lear, owning rights now that would mimic a peasants, is left to venture off- ultimately learning of his redemption and having a transformation.
Mentioning the characteristics of his past royal life would work to contrast with his new life and better show the morals he learned so I would start off this paragraph with that. Then I would transition into how his new isolated lifestyle is and it means that he no longer has his power- leaving him to fend for his own self.
Focusing on a specific scene, I would bring up his monologue to the poor during the huge thunderstorm. His words were of a changed man. Lear finally learned to show compassion and even requested that the rich go out to take a walk in the shoes of the lower class. After analyzing this detail, I would finish with “Isolation from his previous lifestyle lead to him realizing all of his previous wrongdoings.”
Lastly, I would then begin to talk of Lear’s new appearance and how he now seems to represent a man of the wilderness. Going into detail about each component of his flower crown and how it contrasts with a materialistic, jeweled one, i would discuss the symbolism behind it and say that this results in Lear learning his moral of the play, finding peace and redemption.
I would choose to write about King Lear. When he is practically forced to leave both Goneril's and Regan's palace, he goes off into what we know as the storm. His experience in the storm allows him to open up his eyes and see the world outside of his. Although this alienation does cause him to go insane, we could almost say he's a better man mad than sane. This madness causes him to become humble and compassionate, the exact opposite of his before character.
ReplyDeleteI would organize my essay by first simply explaining what I have said above. My first paragraph would explain his alienation and how it effected him at first. I would then describe his encountering with Edgar as Poor Tom. I would give examples showing his compassion along with his madness growing, such as ripping his clothes off to become more like the poor and insisting that Edgar stay with him wherever he goes. Finally I would explain how it effects the play as a whole. Lear's change connects to a possible theme of this play: being at our lowest will ultimately cause us to be grateful.
I would write about Marlow's self imposed exile in the Congo in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning, Marlow admits to the narrator that he used to be, for lack of a better word, excited about exploring the world, especially Africa. However, Marlow is now disillusioned with the world around him after his experiences in the Congo.
Marlow witnesses the awful depths humanity is able to sink to. He returns to Brussels jaded and "irritated" with the European people. He sees himself as separated, or alienated, from his countrymen. Marlow has seen things that the people who remained at home, romanticizing Imperialism, cannot even fathom.
Marlow's "exile" and subsequent alienation reveal the core messages of the novel: we as people need the constraints of society to govern our lives. Without restraint, we're liable to commit depraved and "savage" acts.
I would choose the exile that results from Lear giving away his power, resulting in his insanity.
ReplyDeleteI would discuss the fact that Lear always chooses flattery over anything else, driven by his need to be praised, which leads to his biggest mistake of banishing Cordelia and dividing the kingdom between Regan and Goneril.
I would then go on to talk about when Lear is exiled by his daughters and is left outside to endure the oncoming storm. With this I would discuss how this storm impacts Lear's mental state and is almost in a way cleansing Lear of his former royal attitude revealing small forms of compassion.
Then I would conclude by speaking about how the exile impacted Lear's mental state as a whole and how it has made him realize all of the wrong he has done not only to Cordelia but also to the poor and homeless people of his kingdom.
I would choose the exile Lear and Edgar face in King Lear.
ReplyDeleteI would begin by explaining how the exile of his daughter, Cordelia, has ironically led to his own exile. Because he has exiled his daughter and given away all of his power, he must now rely on his other daughters to take him in. When his other daughters betray him, he is left on his own.
I would then discuss how Edgar was exiled. He was exiled because his brother framed him and accused him of attempting to murder his father. Edgar then escapes to the wilderness to become Poor Tom.
My final paragraph would be about the interaction between Poor Tom and Lear. Lear respects Poor Tom's simple lifestyle. He realizes that one's possessions don't define who one is. He also realizes he didn't do enough for the poor as king. By becoming one with the wilderness, he finds himself and also realizes many of his faults, such as exiling his daughter.