Does homosexuality determine a character's outsider status?
Throughout literature, the themes of homosexuality and the outsider have often been linked, unsurprising considering as of June 2015, seventy-three countries still have laws criminalizing homosexuality. In both Martin Sherman’s Bent and Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man, the theme of the outsider is intrinsic to the plot, frequently linked with the theme of homosexuality, though for different purposes and to different extents.
In A Single Man, the theme of the outsider is immediately obvious from the offset, the novel beginning with a disembodied voice, showing a severe lack of identity. However, the isolation revealed is that of George from himself, not of him from society,
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It is called George.”, linking, for the first time, George’s body and George’s being. Ominous as this sounds to the reader, it does not reveal anything particularly unnerving, or at least nothing more unnerving than the theme of time and failure introduced in this section. It is simply establishing that our protagonist is the disembodied voice, and that it takes time for him to remember, revealing his fragile mental state. Already, the theme of the outsider is clear. However, as the reader later finds out, though this appears unlinked to his sexuality, it is actually due to his inability to cope with the grief of his partner, Jim. Whilst the loss of a partner is not a singularly unique experience, George does not tell his acquaintances that Jim has died - a part of him he has to, or chooses to, hide it, because of how he has been treated in the past, and how he fears being treated in the future. George’s homosexuality is not mentioned until he has “reached the bottom of the stairs”, where “nearly every morning” he is reminded (of Jim’s death), but the instability of his coping mechanism, or lack of, is undeniably linked to his homosexuality, because he can not talk about his loss, so he does …show more content…
Rudy, arguably the most likeable character, makes some attempt in the first scene to steer the conversation away from the unpleasantries that Max is determined to hear, the sole attempt to disguise, or deny, the sinister and manipulative nature of Max, and the sinister and unavoidable context of Nazi Germany. Compared to George, who epitomises the themes of loss and failure, forming a pitiful, if selfish presentation of a character, Max is unlikable from the offset, and unashamedly so. Clearly, this could establish him as an outsider, as he is vindictive and selfish, unapologetic about destroying Rudy’s plants, and threatening “I’ll do it again.” Whilst Max’s persecution and separation from society is initiated because of his homosexuality, similar to George, he is isolated beforehand. Bent’s plot, however, progresses rapidly after the introduction of the characters, whereas A Single Man takes place over one day, and therefore continues the slow pace throughout. This, however, seems appropriate considering that A Single Man deals explicitly with the themes of failure and time running out, and so the slow pace echoes George’s uneventful and lonely life, and his fear of simultaneously time moving too fast and time being too slow. In Bent, the rapid progression of plot echoes the journey Max and Rudy, and then singularly Max, experience. It also establishes, like A Single Man, the theme of
The theme of isolation is a heavy premise throughout all three books that help to shape not only certain characters but also provide insight on fundamental qualities of their identities. The object of this essay is to prove who seems to be the most solitary character between the books Light in August by William Faulkner, A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. In these stories, the idea of isolation is the loneliness that has been experienced in a characters life. Some characters have experienced their loneliness since early childhood while others have been kept isolated involuntarily. Although these three characters have taken different approaches in their lives, they all ended up isolated from society. As Alfred Kazin believes that Joe Christmas is the most solitary character in American fiction, I would like to discuss how both the villain in A Good Man is Hard to Find and the heroine of The Yellow Wallpaper would not rival Kazin’s opinion. Joe Christmas in Light in August proves to be the most solitary character I have read about, as he is never able to become a full member of society.
George and all readers learn from this story about the merciless and callous effect the human nature has on mankind. The general theme of the novella highlights the voracious and often malevolent aspect of human nature. The novella in its essence flails at the idea of ‘every man for himself’. George learns many lessons throughout the book that can be applied to a reader’s everyday life. Loyalty and Sacrifice
In the book and the movie, The Outsiders, by S.E Hinton, there were similar themes. In the book, one theme was things are rough all over. In the book the theme is developed differently but also the same then in the movie. In the book and movie, the theme, Things are rough all over, is developed the same way.
Motifs, which are repeated in the novel, are loneliness, friendship, strength and weakness. Men like George who migrate from farm to farm are often alone. As the story develops, Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife all confess their deep loneliness. Each of these characters searches for a friend, someone to help them measure the world, as Crooks says. For George, the hope of such friendship dies with Lennie.
emotional strain upon George that he could not accept. Celia was his lover…yet he could not
It was only two gangs, three deaths, and many injuries, but the bloody, death defying, life changing brawl is what ended all of the chaos.In book The Outsiders by S.E Hinton Ponyboy learns a lot about being caring. In this novel two groups called the Socs and the Greasers fight each other continuously. This leads them to unexpected fights and deaths, causing things to not go as planned.Ponyboy is caring because he is thoughtful, trustworthy, and brave.
In the novel The Outsiders by S.E. HINTON the main character Ponyboy’s identity changes multiple times over the text. In the beginning of the story Ponyboy was introduced as a greaser, a greaser is someone who is usually poorer than the middle class and like to screw around and start gang fights and they are considered hoods as stated on pages 2-3, “We’re poorer than the Socs and the middle class. I reckon we’re wilder, too. Not like the Socs, who jump greasers and wreck houses and throw beer blasts for kicks, and get editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace almost like hoods.” this shows that even though the Socs are much more wild the greasers are still considered the bad crazy hood people. Ponyboy didn’t like being a greaser
There are many differences and similarities between the movie The Outsiders and the book. I enjoyed both the movie and the book but the movie definitely left out many key details. It was nice to see the story come to life with the actors, and how they portrayed them. The movie didn’t perfectly capture the book the way I thought it would but it still was great. I feel like if they changed a few scenes and added some the movie could be even better.
Have you ever had two friends that are enemies? In the story, The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, Cherry Valance (her real name is Sherri) is a fashionable, fiery, red headed, emotional, understanding, and trustworthy friend. The story took place in the mid 1960’s in Tulsa, OK. Greasers and Socs are two very different, yet same groups, which most definitely do not get along. After Ponyboy and Johnny got jumped, Johnny killed Bob, a Soc who was also Cherry’s boyfriend. During Ponyboy and Johnny’s hiding out in an abandoned church, the church starts on fire, while the children are playing in there. Johnny and Ponyboy somehow made their way back in to save the kids. Johnny and Ponyboy both made it out alive. Unfortunately, however, Johnny gets out with severe burns and a broken back. While he is in the hospital, Cherry has a conflict with herself: she is asked by Ponyboy to go see Johnny in the hospital, but she says no because she doesn’t want to face the person who killed Bob. In the time of the trial, Cherry and other Soc’s testify and come clean about the night of the stabbing. Consequently, since they told the truth, Johnny, Sodapop, and Darry all got to stay together. Cherry Valance is an emotional, caring, and trustworthy friend.
How could two juvenile delinquents who share many differences and similarities have such a solid friendship? In the novel The Outsiders, written by S.E. Hinton, Dallas Winston and Johnny cade are very different, but besides their differences they have a special bond. Although they have differences such as advice giving, and rule following, they also have similarities like comparable parents and their concern for each other.
In what way can two people that have grown up with the same lifestyle be so different but at the same time so similar. It seems unrealistic. However, in S. E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, two characters with such characteristics exist. Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston are two greasers that at similar because they both place little value on their lives and have parents who don’t give them the attention they need. Despite the similarities these two have, Dally and Johnny have their own divergence from each other such as giving different advice and getting in trouble with the law. Thus, their lifestyle and way of living Jonny Cade and Dallas Winston have some unique differences and strong similarities.
Most people in the world are misunderstood at some point in their life. However, if other people’s perceptions of a person create a reputation, it can camouflage their real traits. Dallas (Dally) Winston is a victim of this. A character in the book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, Dally is commonly known for being a tough ruthless guy who doesn’t care about anybody but himself. He’s a great fighter and is very confident, but because of his past, it seems his real qualities have been masked. Even though Dallas Winston’s friends misunderstood him to be a cold-hearted and tough person, his experiences and how he treats his friends reveals his loving, self-reliant, and dependable nature.
The Outsiders by S.E Hinton and The Clay Marble by Minfong Ho both center around the motif of being an outsider. The theme of both books is that you are never an outsider when you have friends and family. This is shown through the two main characters, Dara and Ponyboy. While they share similarities, the two are also vastly different.
An outsider is defined as “a person who does not belong to a particular group.” In the book, The Outsiders, many of the characters can be described as being an outcast from the social society. Ponyboy, Johnny, and Cherry are outsiders in this novel because none of them really fit into the groups that they’re “supposed” to be in.
‘At the most basic level, if a male applicant were to live discreetly, he would in practice have to avoid any open expression of affection for another man which went beyond what would be acceptable behaviour on the part of a straight man. He would have to be cautious about the friendships he formed, the circle of friends in which he moved, the places where he socialised. He would have constantly to restrain himself in an area of life where powerful emotions and physical attraction are involved and a straight man could be spontaneous, impulsive even. Not only would he not be able to indulge openly in the mild flirtations which are an enjoyable part of heterosexual life, but he would have to