The 'Superfluous Man' By Ivan Turgenev

Viktor E. Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who also had survived the Holocaust, writes “When we are no longer able to change a situation – we are challenged to change ourselves” (BrainyQuote). Frankl survived genocide against his own people and still chose to have a positive outlook on it because he understands that if he did not, he would continually live an unhappy, upset life. Like Frankl, Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, the main character in One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, contains a similar outlook to that of Frankl. The novel takes place during Soviet Russia in a gulag in Siberia, or otherwise known as a labor work camp. The whole book is about only one day that Shukhov lives; from 5 in the morning to 10 at night and all that happens in between. In this labor camp, not only are the weather conditions very cold, making it difficult to work in such circumstances, but also the workers are punished and harshly treated if they do not obey the guards. When placed in this environment, it is easy to be discouraged and miserable, but instead of facing the negatives of his situation, Shukhov remains affirmative in his thoughts – which are most important in order to survive not only physically, but also mentally. This stoicism portrayed in the narrative can also be found in Epictetus’s work, The Handbook. In this text, Epictetus discusses how he believes people can live a happy life, despite the hard conditions they are put through

Portrayal of Man in The Brothers Karamazov           Debauchery, dueling, infidelity, orgies, and even monastery life are all used to help Fyodor Dostoevesky define his characters in The Brothers Karamazov. At the beginning of the novel, the reader becomes filled with contempt for a few members of the Karamazov

“Rebellion” The problem of evil is honestly one of the greatest obstacles to believe of the existence of God. Their are times I sit and think of all the suffering in the world, and wonder if whether it is caused by mans inhumanity to one another or natural disasters. Though I can honestly say I find it hard to believe in a God at times. Then again, I think there comes a time when some people feel the same way.

At the outbreak of World War One, British women were tied to a life of domesticity in the home. However, as their men headed out to the battlefields, women had to keep the home front moving. The war created opportunities for women to join the workforce and to fill in the vacant jobs left by the men that went off to fight. The role of women in society became more than just cooking and cleaning. It gave them a more active role rather than passive. Women were essential to the war efforts, yet Britain was so fixated on the fact that there was an abundance of females in the country. The Great War was responsible for the death of several hundred thousand men, many of which were young and unmarried. The loss of these men left women single and/or widowed. Vera Brittain, poet of The Superfluous Woman, was a victim of the war. Like many other women, she felt that her options were now more than ever limited due to her fiance dying in the war.

Throughout life there are moments where an individual must conform to society and the people around them in order to be accepted, however it is the individual actions and how the individual chooses to conform that creates their unique identity and place within that society. Ralph Ellison published the novel that follows a sense of outward conformity and obedience to an established order while at the same time invoking an inward questioning of the roles an individual plays within such an order. The main character is forced to conform to the cliché laws and expectations of the laws and expectations of the society that he lives in, in order to survive and function within them, while he privately goes against these societies in order to define

In One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn shows how Soviet prisoners, known as Zeks, are treated while being in the gulag for one day through the eyes of the protagonist and omniscient narrator named Ivan Denisovich Shukhov. Despite being in an environment such as the Soviet Union, where there is harsh tundra and not much food to eat, Shukhov tries to make good use of what he has received while trying to keep himself alive. The purpose of Solzhenitsyn’s portrayal of food is to show its overall significance and that it is used as a means of trade and survival. Over time, the power of food reveals its significance to the Zeks and especially to Shukhov and food allows both groups understanding towards the necessity of food for their vitality and well-being additionally.

“Master and Man” by Leo Tolstoy is a story that explores the dynamics between a peasant, Nakita and his master,Vasillii Andriech. Andriech foolishly risks both of their lives, when they venture to another town in inclement weather to secure a business deal. Unfortunately, Andreich's impatience and greed ultimately leads to his demise. At the end of the story Nikita dies and is denied the same bliss that Vasillii Andreich experiences in death; in order to solidify the dichotomy between these two men, demonstrate how Andriech cheated Nakita, and he uses Nakita's lackluster death to amplify Andriech's extraordinary passing.

The Holocaust can be seen as one of the most devastating genocide that occurred in history and that is well known in many places worldwide. One may assume that those who played a part in the acts done by the Nazis in Germany may have been mentally disturbed and/or sick, evil people. However, the novel Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher R. Browning provides another alternative to this statement. Browning provides the reader with the idea that anyone is capable of becoming a murderer, especially when the opportunity presents itself. In his book he attempts to prove this statement through multiple ideas and theories and also provides events which took place to analyze some of those ideas.

Leah Webster Dr. Turpin His 280-01 13 April, 2015 Ordinary Men Essay “How did a battalion of middle-aged reserve policemen find themselves facing the task of shooting some 1,500 Jews in the Polish village of Josefow in the summer of 1942” (Browning, 3)? This question is asked in the beginning of Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 written by Christopher Browning, a historian and famous author. This compelling book tells the real story of the German Order Police throughout the two world wars, specifically World War Two. However, he mainly focuses on one particular group, the Reserve Police Battalion 101. In this group contained lower to middle class middle aged men who were too old to be helpful to the German Army so were put into the Order Police (Browning, 1). He uses this particular battalion to prove his thesis correct. By using the word ordinary,

Note: I had an issue with formatting, hence the large spaces between paragraphs. Vanishree Gandhi Dostoyevsky’s Underground Man 1. How does the underground give him to the opportunity to exert his individuality that he is unable to enact in the real world? The novel ‘Notes From the Underground’, written by philosopher Fyodor Dostoyevsky, is

As I previously mentioned, Dahl wouldn’t agree with the fact that the ordinary man can’t better himself or make change, which is the bases of Mill’s quote. “---A has power over B--- is not interesting, informative, or even accurate“ (Dahl, 1957, Pg. 80.) To state the obvious there are certainly authority figures within our lives that have the responsibility to over see us and make sure we do right, yet there is no one group that controls our thoughts or poses a threat to better ourselves as individuals. Dahl gives the example of the president, and how he is the base and we are the response. If the president is making poor decisions for this country we reserve the right to vote another candidate into the white house, or as Dahl mentioned the

Fyodor Dostoyevsky paints Underground man as someone who is tortured in his novel Notes From Underground. Despite everything that Underground man says he is lost and has no sense of his identity. When the character of Liza is introduced the reader gains some hope that the Underground man can find love. Although Underground man ultimately pushes Liza away, he really loved her through his own idea of love. Underground man shows this love for her through his first conversation with Liza, his trying to save Liza, and, ironically, through his cruelty towards Liza.

A man of an interesting imagination, Evliya Çelebi was a Turk born in Istanbul in 1611. His travel account is both long and a comprehensive account of the Ottoman Empire at its greatest extent in the seventeenth century . His obsession with detail and unending curiosity led to his through documentation of the sites that we visited during his travels. Unfortunately, beyond the travel accounts written by Çelebi himself, there is not much other documentation about the life of Çelebi. Despite this, his extensive account does shed light on Çelebi’s personality, and possibly the attitude of other Ottoman Turks during this time period. In particular, Çelebi goes into extensive detail of several important cities that he visited. These

“Nothing has ever been more insupportable for a man and a human society than freedom.” –The Grand Inquisitor” “Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” - Father Zosima. These two quotes voice the polarized philosophies that impregnate the book, The Brothers Karamazov. Ivan, the second of the three sons, and Zosima, the old monk, are huge commentators on the question, “Is the burden of free will to much for a human to bear?”

Writing Style of Leo Tolstoy’s ‘what men live by’ INTRODUCTION Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy (1828-1910) was a Russian writer and philosopher…. His famous novels are ‘War and Peace’ and ‘Anna Karenina’…. He wrote many novels and short stories…. His way of writing was very simple yet it displays the mind of the genius…. Later in his life he also wrote many plays and essays… Tolstoy’s ideas of non-violent resistance had a significant impact on Mahatma Gandhi and other political leaders…. ‘What Men Live By’ is one of the short stories of Leo Tolstoy…. It is an inspiring story as it tells us about the importance of God in our lives….