Reverting Back to a Greedy Animal In the novel McTeague by Frank Norris, the author touches on various themes throughout the novel. Many of the characters exhibit animalistic qualities, greediness, and/or both. Characters are often compared to as animals, while others let their greed overcome them. Some characters— McTeague and Trina—also return to a previous place and/or state of being. Of all the themes noted in McTeague, the animal-like qualities, the greed, and the reversion of the characters are major reoccurring themes that can be found in the selected passage on page 323 of the novel. One of the main significance of the passage on page 323 is the mention of animalist characters. For example, the main character, McTeague, is depicted as having a “strange sixth senses, that obscure brute instinct” that was warning him of something that was about to happen (Norris 323). A sixth sense is an inborn instinct that most animals have. It acts a warning that something is about to happen or someone will appear. It is this instinct that causes McTeague believe someone or something is coming for him and to flee from the mine. Also, McTeague is often described as a brute, which is another term for a savage animal. The reference to a brute is seen various times throughout the novel and describes the innate nature of McTeague. Frank Norris depicts McTeague as a “draft horse, immensely strong, stupid, docile, obedient” (3). Draft horses were often used for labor work similar to
The narrator's characterization of McTeague as a gentle giant, with his use of candid diction, judicious handling of syntax and juxtaposed detail, reflects his impartial attitude towards McTeague. The narrator’s impartiality is conveyed most effectively through his use of candid diction. Though McTeague is characterized as a gentle giant, it is not so because the narrator finds him favorable. The narrator uses words such as “docile”, “obedient”, and “not vicious” to describe McTeague’s personality.
“The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure” (57). Two men that lived for their passion for adventure was Chris McCandless and Jay Moriarity. Chris McCandless was a young man who hitched hike to Alaska to explore and survive in the wilderness. Jay Moriarity was a young surfer who was determined to ride Mavericks, the largest waves. Chris's story was heard by a man named Jon Krakauer and Chris's story was developed and published into a novel for the world to hear, which got controversial feedback. Although both seem to come from very different lifestyles and had different pursuits for adventure, both share many qualities such as home life, preparation for goals, and the willingness to let people be there for them.
The abundant animal imagery in Timothy Findley's book The Wars is used to develop characterization and theme. The protagonist, Robert Ross, has a deep connection with animals that reflects his personality and the situations that he faces. This link between Robert and the animals shows the reader that human nature is not much different than animal nature.
Jimmy knows too well the agonies of abandonment. First, when his mother, Cecilia, ran away with Richard to pursue a better lifestyle. Then, due to his father’s, Damacio Baca, alcoholisms and violent behavior; he also had to leave Jimmy behind. In spite of the drawbacks from abandonment to being a maximum security prisoner in Arizona State Prison, Jimmy preserver’s the darkness of prison by overcoming his illiteracy. However Cecilia and Damacio is not as fortunate as their child; Cecilia is shot by Richard after confronting him for a divorce and Damacio chokes to death after he is released from the detox center(Baca 263). Therefore the most significant event in this section of the memoir, A Place to Stand by Jimmy Santiago Baca is the death of Jimmy’s parents.
In the passage, the narrator characterizes a young man by the name of McTeague. The narrator reflects his attitude of subtle admiration of McTeague through diction, detail, tone, and syntax.
Authors are familiar with a variety of way to portray the characterization of a character to his or hers’ audience. In the instance of McTeague, the authors uses diction, syntax, and detail to create a simple, superficial tone to introduce the character. A writer may spend hours, days, even weeks at a time, writing and revising original works and for this reason, word choice should be paid close attention to. In the text the author describes McTeague in simple terms such as “stupid, docile, and obedient,” literally giving the sense that McTeague lacks complexity.
Randy Pausch. Who is he? What does he stand for? The day he gave the last lecture... His last lecture he only had months to live. He packed a lot of lessons into his lecture. The claims he gave that stood out were to be optimistic, to be determined, and to take risks.
The author allows the narrator's tone with a variety of descriptions and syntax, which allow the true oddity that is McTeague to be comprehended, with acknowledgement with his background, to his strange tendencies, to his unobtainable goals, to his characteristics to grasp his primitive.
The opening of the story introduced the reader to some important themes. One of the first things is the conversation between Rainsford and Whitney’s about the pleasure of hunting. Rainsford is a skeptic and believes that animals do not experience feelings or thoughts. He clearly establishes a hierarchy between man and beast. This relationship is revisited throughout the story.
The abundant animal imagery in Timothy Findley's book The Wars is used to develop characterization and theme. The protagonist, Robert Ross, has a deep connection with animals that reflects his personality and the situations that he faces. This link between Robert and the animals shows the reader that human nature is not much different than animal nature.
Grace has been told for more than half her life that she was crazy. Her mother’s death that she witnesses was an accident, there was no scarred man, and there was nothing she could do to change what had happened. But Grace knew they were wrong. With the help of her friends Noah, Megan and Rosie, she managed to discover that the scarred man was Dominic, the first love of her mother, who was there to kill her mother, but chose instead to stage her death. Grace came down just as Dominic was taking the picture, and picked up the gun that was lying on the floor. Firing blinding, she missed Dominic and shot her mother instead. The traumatic moment of shooting her mother was blocked from Grace’s mind as it was unable to handle what she did. Her family tries to protect her from this, saying it was an accident, trying to get Grace to stop pushing. When pushing too hard, Grace discovers the truth of what happened that night, and what she did, and with the
To begin, “The Old Man Slave and the Mastiff” is comprised of the literary archetypal, a hero. A hero is someone who saves the people, gives them hope, and makes the world a better place. “The old man has never participated in the slave parties, nor in the evening storytelling sessions…He doesn’t dance, doesn’t talk, doesn’t react to the ringing of the drum…His presence reinforces the drummers’ beat” (Chamoiseau 157).
The novel, “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest,” by Ken Kesey illustrates society on a small scale. The story, narrated by Chief, a patient, starts in a mental ward that is run by Big Nurse Ratched. The policy is the law and no one can change it, only abide by it. The patients are being oppressed by Nurse Ratched, though they don’t realize it until McMurphy shows up. The patients do as Nurse Ratched says because they fear her wrath. Throughout the novel, the character Randle Patrick McMurphy represents the rebellious people in the oppressive society. As the story progresses, McMurphy commits many rebellious acts. He brings the patients together and they fight against the society, which is represented by
Authors in many instances use the main elements in the story such as setting and narrative to prove a point in the story. For example, writers often use characters, their actions, and their interaction with other characters to support or prove a theme. In the short story “Our Thirteenth Summer”, Barry Callaghan effectively uses characters to develop the theme that childhood is fragile and easily influenced. One of the ways that Callaghan makes effective use of characters to develop the theme is by describing the tension between Bobbie and his parents. This usage of characters supports the theme because Bobbie’s childhood is no longer free to do what he wishes, but has to bow down to his parents’
The old man, in the community’s eyes, is an animal to them; animals get branded not humans. The old man was “motionless” and “with tears in his eyes” (147). The author uses these details to describe to the reader just how cruel they were to the old man and what damaged was