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I need somebody to help me write an essay for one of the character from Streetcar Named Desire. It has to be five paragraph essay of about 600-750 words. There is attached file please read it to do the essay as I want it. Thank you so much

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English 103 Character Essay #3 • Pick one character from Streetcar Named Desire. • Read Character Essay in Course Materials/ Streetcar on Blackboard. • Write a solid thesis (one sentence) for your essay. • Prepare an Outline using Essayoutline.docx or Essayoutline.pdf on Blackboard • Write a five paragraph essay of about 600-750 words. • Proofread, proofread, proofread. • Turn it in on Tuesday, November 23. • Have a nice Thanksgiving. Character Analysis (CJ.lE'UJLEW One of the ongoing tasks of life is trying to understand ourselves, our reactions, our motives, our values. Literature can help us do that by showing human beings caught in conflict with themselves and/or some element of the world around them. By understanding their actions, we sometimes gain insight into our own. Types of Characters Using their medium of words, authors create characters who seem real to us. They are the people we meet in a story, poem, or play. The main character is called the protagonist; he or she is the person whose will moves the action of the plot. This character is usually trying to achieve a goal, and if the goal is an admirable one and the character exhibits admirable traits in the pursuit of it, he or she may also be called the hero or the heroine. If, however, the central character exhibits negative traits, such as being dishonest or inept, he or she may be labeled an anti-hero. Since fiction is based on conflict, the protagonist struggles against an antagonist, another person, nature, society, technology, supernatural elements, or even himself. As the conflict increases and the protagonist struggles to achieve his goal, he reveals his personality through his words, actions, interactions, and choices. As the climax of the conflict approaches, the protagonist learns from the experience and by the end of the story has changed because of the insights that he has gained into life, himself, and others. Because of his change, the protagonist is said to be a "round" character, a term coined by E. M. Forster in Aspects of the Novel. Round characters truly seem real to us because of the way they are developed by the author. Like us, they have experiences that change the way they look at life; like us, they are dynamic, constantly evolving personalities. In contrast, "flat" characters-another Forster term-usually do not change in the course of the story. They may serve as a catalyst for the protagonist's change, but most often they are static, unchanged by the action of the plot. Many flat characters serve minor roles in stories, so they are not fully developed as unique characters. When they exhibit traits that are usually associated with typical roles in literature, like the domineering mother or the corrupt politician, they may be labeled as stereotypes or stock characters. Occasionally a flat character may function as a foil who contrasts with the protagonist to emphasize character traits that are important to the plot. 51 52 CHAPTER FOFR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS The characters in Hemingway's "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" illustrate the types of roles characters can play in fiction. The protagonist is Francis Macomber, a fact pointed out clearly by the title. He is a round character who undergoes a dramatic change from coward to brave man while on safari in Africa. One of Francis's antagonists in the story is his wife, Margaret. She is a flat character who does not change; she has always belittled Francis's manhood, and she does that in a final way by killing him just as he learns how to face life. Robert Wilson, the safari leader, is another flat character who serves as a foil for Francis. His bravery contrasts starkly with Francis's cowardliness, and his control over Margaret at the end of the story illustrates the control Francis would have had if he had lived. All of these characters are effective because of Hemingway's masterful use of characterization. Fictional Characters and Their Traits Like people, fictional characters have personality traits that they exhibit in the course of the work. If authors want us to like or even love a character, they will give him or her likeable, lovable, admirable traits; if they wish us to dislike a character or to be indifferent to him or her, they will choose the character traits that will produce that effect. Character traits are attitudes or behaviors that reflect one's personality, that combination of qualities that help to distinguish one person from another. For example, like people, characters may be brave or cowardly, supportive or sarcastic, domineering or submissive, cold or loving, happy or miserable, passive or aggressive, open-minded or prejudiced, honest or dishonest, positive or negative, naive or sophisticated-the list goes on endlessly. To create these qualities, authors use a variety of methods of characterization, making their characters come alive on the page. A Character's Physical Appearance and Name As authors create their characters, one method they may use is to include some details of physical appearance. It is almost impossible to judge a person totally on his or her appearance in real life, but there are many stereotypes which authors may employ to evoke particular responses in their readers. There are, for example, particular aspects of appearance which the general public usually associates with manliness-thick hair (everywhere!), a ruddy complexion, broad shoulders, a muscular build, large, strong hands, and a deep voice. Weakness, on the other hand, may be suggested by thinning hair, a sallow complexion, rounded shoulders, a slight build, feminine hands, and a high-pitched voice. The femme fatale will probably have blonde hair, a fair complexion, a 38-24-36 figure, and long red fingernails. Chances are that the female heroine will have brown hair, a dark complexion, a motherly figure, and soft, gentle hands. Of course, the author could want to fool his readers and so reverse these stereotypes, as when the mildmannered, soft-spoken little man turns out to be a brave soldier in a war story or a multiple murderer in detective fiction. Most often, however, authors make a character's appearance fit the role he or she plays in a work. In Hemingway's "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber;' 1 Robert Wilson, the safari leader, is a man who has it all together. His appearance shows that he has adapted to the jungle setting and the dangers it holds: "He was about middle height with sandy hair, a stubby mustache, a very red face and extremely cold blue eyes with faint white wrinkles at the corners that grooved merrily when he smiled" (6). Hemingway 1 Reprinted with permission of Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group, from The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. Copyright 1936 by Ernest Hemingway. Copyright renewed © 1964 by Mary Hemingway. CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS 53 also describes "his big brown hands, his old slacks, his very dirty boots .. :· (6). Wilson's description emphasizes his experience and his casual attitude toward his highly dangerous job. Since authors are also naming their characters as well as describing them, it's a good idea to pay attention to the names characters have. In Hemingway's "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber;' the two male characters are named Robert and Francis. The first name obviously is strongly masculine, while the second is sexually ambivalent. This is another clue to the fact that Robert Wilson has mastered fear and faces life and death courageously, while Francis Macomber at the start of the story is a coward who runs from dangerous situations. Flannery O'Connor's Misfit in ''A Good Man Is Hard to Find" and John Updike's Queenie in ''A & P" are other characters whose names reflect their personalities. The Misfit is a violent criminal with a confused past, and Queenie walks, talks, and acts like a queen as she shops in a small-town A & P. · Be sure to watch, then, for details of appearance and for names when studying character; they can be good clues to a character's personality. A Character's Actions The actions of a character in a story are also clues to his or her personality. The old cliche ''Actions speak louder than words" is particularly true in fiction, or as Aristotle put it, ''Action is character:' A character's behavior is usually motivated by his or her attitudes and values, so by examining behavior, readers can get to the heart and soul of a character. Like a psychiatrist, an informed reader seeks the reasons for actions to determine what they reveal about the inner person. For example, in ''A & P" by John Updike, Sammy reveals that he believes in people when he confronts his boss, Lengel, about his treatment of three girls, while Lengel reveals that policy comes before people in his value system. Authors will usually attempt to keep a character's actions consistent throughout a work once his or her personality and motives are understood. For example, June Star in ''A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor is consistently outspoken and insulting even though she moves from a familiar situation into a dangerous, threatening one. She says unkind things to her grandmother at home, and she even insults an escaped convict as he is about to murder her on a lonely back road in Georgia. Occasionally, however, authors might have a character "step out of character" to produce surprise or suspense in a work, but most often actions are reliable clues to a character's real self. A Character's Choices Since most narrative and dramatic works focus on characters involved in some type of conflict, they will probably need to make choices as they deal with their problems. As those choices are made, they reveal the character's values and self-concept and can serve as a basis for our judgments about him or her. In "Gift of Grass" by Alice Adams, Cathy, the protagonist, is a sixteen-year-old who is seeing a psychiatrist-at her parents' insistence-because she does not want to return to school. On her way home from the doctor's office, she sees some kids she knows in the park, but rather than join them, she leaves the path and goes into the woods where she smokes marijuana. The choices Cathy makes here reveal that she feels uncomfortable with others, probably because of her lack of self-esteem. By choosing drugs and escape instead of friendship, she shows that she is unwilling or unable at this point to be open to others. This is emphasized when the psychiatrist asks her what she likes, and she chooses clouds and foghorns, both of which suggest obscurity and hiding from life. Cathy's choices, like ours in real life, reveal her conscious and unconscious personality. 54 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS A Character's Speech Since there is no such thing as "small talk" in fiction, speech is also a clue to character. Every word spoken by a character is a clue to some part of his or her personality. Because authors must necessarily compress experience, they squeeze out all the conversational "fillers" and include only those statements which reveal character and advance the plot. You must realize, however, that a character's statements will not be like those of a writer in True Confession. The typical character will not tell you that he or she is unhappy, domineering, selfish, or psychotic. For example, in James Thurber's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty;' Mrs. Mitty will not say, 'Tm domineering"; you will infer that she is when you hear her tell Walter, her husband, how to drive, to put on his gloves, and to buy overshoes. As a reader, you must take on the role of a psychiatrist who looks for the reasons behind a statement and for the personality traits a statement could reveal, making inferences and moving from the statement to the mind behind it. It should be pointed out that isolated statements or statements taken out of context can sometimes be interpreted in various ways. For example, if a young man says "All girls adore me" to a girl he's just met and is trying to impress, it could mean that he's egotistical and suffering from a superiority complex or that he's shy and covering up for an inferiority complex. The point to remember is that statements by characters must be interpreted within the context of the story and in relation to the totality of the character revealed by all the methods of characterization employed by the author. If you really listen to the conversation of people around you, you'll be amazed at what you'll learn and discover about them. Then apply that technique to fiction, and you'll be equally surprised. A Character's Thoughts and Feelings The statement "A penny for your thoughts" indicates a general desire to know what others are thinking. Although we ourselves can never get into the mind of another person, the omniscient narrator does when he records the thoughts and feelings of the characters. The purpose of reporting these details is to add depth to the characters in the story. They become more real to us as we see how their minds work and how they arrive at decisions that affect their lives and reveal their personalities. In "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber;' 2 the omniscient narrator lets us into Margaret Macomber's thoughts as she contemplates the change in Francis from cowardice to courage: "she saw the change in Francis Macomber now.... 'You've gotten awfully brave, awfully suddenly; his wife said contemptuously, but her contempt was not secure. She was very afraid of something" (26). Tuse insights into her thoughts and fears show us that Margaret Macomber is very insecure-so insecure that she would even consider murder rather than lose her control over her husband. Learning a character's thoughts and emotions, then, teaches us a lot about the human personality and about the complexity of human motivation which can include such factors as love, hate, fear, revenge, status, power, fame, or fortune. A Character's Past A character's past often indicates some important things about his or her personality. Psychologists tell us that we are the products of our early environment and of our past experiences. Children growing up in the ghetto or in upper-class suburbs learn a lifestyle and a set of values much different from each other's. They usually imitate the adult patterns they see around them, not knowing that their basic personalities are being formed. 2 Reprinted with permission of Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group, from The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. Copyright 1936 by Ernest Hemingway. Copyright renewed © 1964 by Mary Hemingway. CHAPTER F01IR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS 55 Authors are aware of the significance of a person's background, and they may choose to include biographical details to give the reader some insight into a character's makeup and motivation. As The Misfit relates details of his past in Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find;' 3 it is easy to see that all of his experiences with death and brutality could have definitely made him the cold-hearted person he has become: '"I been most everything. Been in the arm service, both land and sea, at home and abroad, been twice married, been an undertaker, been with the railroads, plowed Mother Earth, been in a tornado, seen a man burnt alive oncet; ... 'I even seen a woman flogged; he said" (129-130). The Misfit's psychotic personality and his calloused attitudes toward life and death have been shaped by these experiences of his past. Since the past is always a good clue to the present and to the future, note the biographical details-family history, nationality, education, and significant life experiences-that an author includes and examine them as a psychiatrist or a detective would. A Character's Comments about Other Characters Do you ever talk about your friends or your family? Characters in fiction do, too, but their conversations are generally not just idle gossip. Their statements about each other are most often designed to reveal significant things about themselves and about the personalities and motives of the other characters. But just as you don't believe everything you hear about others in real life, it is also necessary in fiction to determine the reliability of the speaker. If the speaker is generally likeable because of the positive qualities he's been given by the author, his statements can generally be accepted and believed at face value. If, however, the speaker is generally disliked by most readers because of his negative qualities, his evaluations and judgments should probably be looked upon with skepticism. In Hemingway's "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber;' for example, Robert Wilson is generally admired by most readers because of his courage and because of his cool efficiency as a safari leader. When he evaluates Margaret Macomber's motives and accuses her of mu.rder at the end of the story, we are expected by Hemingway to agree with that judgment. On the other hand, James Thurber, in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty;' makes the reader dislike Mrs. Mitty because of her domineering super-mother attitude toward her husband. When she tells Walter that she thinks he's sick because he has talked back to her, the reader doubts her evaluation and generally believes that Walter is much healthier emotionally than she is. The intelligent reader of fiction always listens attentively to what characters say about each other, but he also evaluates the speakers before he accepts their judgments. A Narrator's Comments about a Character When a third-person narrator describes a character's motivation, it is usually a clue to his or her personality since one's inner qualities usually shape one's actions. In Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea, 4 the narrator tells us about Santiago, the protagonist-hero: "Once there had been a tinted photograph of his wife on the wall but he had taken it down because it made him too lonely to see it and it was on the shelf in the corner under his clean shirt" (16). The loneliness the narrator ascribes to Santiago early in the novella alerts us to his sensitive and loving nature. Surely he loved his wife very much if the pain of seeing her picture is too much for him to bear. This quality is reinforced later when the narrator tells us Santiago "loved green turtles and hawk-bills with their elegance and speed" (36) and he "loved [the marlin] when he was alive and [he] loved him after" he had finally managed to kill him (105). Santiago's love for people Excerpts from A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND, copyright 1953 by Flannery O'Connor and renewed 1981 by Mrs. Regina O'Connor, reprinted by permission of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. '(New York: Macmillan, 1952). 3 56 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS and for nature is dearly portrayed by the narrator's choice of words, so when a narrator helps to define a character's qualities through narrated details, be sure to take note. Writing about Character: Step by Step Writing about a character in any form of literature involves noting and analyzing the methods of characterization as the author employs them. They will enable you to characterize the people in a fictional work or a play or the speaker in a poem. To write an essay analyzing character, simply follow these easy steps: 1. · Choose a character who, for any reason, interests you, one whose personality you would like to explore in greater depth. 2. To formulate a thesis, choose one of the following organizational approaches or combine two or more: a. b. c. d. the major traits that a character exhibits throughout the work; the causes of a character's actions, choices, or thoughts and feelings; the changes a character undergoes in the course of the work; the significant actions, speeches, choices, objects, or places that help to reveal a character's traits; e. the points of likeness or difference that exist between this character and another character in the work; f. the things that are said about a character by the other characters or by the narrator; g. the significance of a minor or flat character in the work. 3. Locate specific pages and quotations in the short story/novel/drama/poem that prove the thesis points you have chosen. Look for the sections that directly relate to the subject character and to that character's actions and interactions with others. 4. In the thesis, determine a logical order for the presentation of your points. If a logical order cannot be determined, then employ a chronological or time order or an order of importance, saving the most significant point or the one with the strongest proof for the last position. 5. Organize each thesis point into separate body paragraphs by using the pattern of topic sentence, introduction to a quote, quotations/ details, and analysis and by repeating this pattern as often as necessary within the paragraph to build your case. In developing the body paragraphs, remember that the analysis sections are the most important. Consider how the quotations/ details illustrate, reinforce, or prove your point. If, for example, you say a character is submissive and then quote a section showing him following his wife's orders, you must explain how and why this behavior shows that he is submissive. Analysis always answers the questions of how and why: how and why does the example given in the quotation show/prove the topic sentence. 6. Conclude your essay by restating the points you've proven about the character and by emphasizing the importance or the significance of the character in the work as a whole. The following diagram, model essays, and plan sheet will help you prepare to write a thoroughly developed and well supported essay. CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS Diagram of the Structure of a Character Analysis Essay Title Introductory Paragraph Open with interesting lead material. Name the work and the author. Give a brief summary of the plot and state the importance of the character you plan to analyze. Begin to narrow your focus and work down to the thesis state ment which embodies the key points from the organizational approach you have chosen. Body Paragraphs In the first part of the body, discuss point one by beginning with a topic sentence which includes the key words from point one in the thesis. Lead into a quotation by giving it a brief background, quote from the work, and then analyze the quotation in relation to the generalization it supports. Repeat this pattern as often as necessary to thoroughly prove point one. Analyze point two in the second part of the body. The topic sentence focuses on the second thesis point and is followed by introductory information for a supporting quotation, the quotation to support the topic sentence, and thorough analysls of the quoted excerpt. This literary analysis pattern should be used more than once within the paragraph to build solid content. Discuss point three in the third part of the body. This paragraph should be developed in the same way as preceding body paragraphs, but it should be even stronger than those paragraphs since the last position is often considered a position of strength and importance. Note: You may choose to divide the discussion of each thesis point into multiple paragraphs if the discussion becomes long and involved. If you use this approach for point one, try to be consistent and use it for all following points as well. Be sure to use transitions and to incorporate key words from the thesis into your topic sentences to indicate when you move to a new part of your discussion. Concluding Paragraph Use a signal word somewhere in the conclusion to let the reader know that you are coming to the end of your discussion. Restate your thesis, summarize your main points, and emphasize the significance of the character's role in the work. Try to change the "speed" or tempo of the last few sentences to give your essay a sense of finality. 57 58 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS Model Essay One Four model essays are presented in this chapter to illustrate the point that each literary element can be found in all types of literature: short stories, novels, poems, and dramas. The following student-written essay analyzes a character in a short story. The essay is effective because it is well organized and well developed through the use of the literary analysis pattern. Miss Moore: ASpecial Role Model Everyone needs someone special in life who is a good role model. In Toni Cade Bambara's short story "The Lesson," 1 Miss Moore is that special person. The story focuses on several black children who live in the New York slums. Sylvia is the narrator and the group leader. One summer day, Miss Moore, a resident of their neighborhood, takes the children to an exclusive toy store on Fifth Avenue where she teaches them about life. She accomplishes this through her intelligence, her caring, and her sense ofjustice. Miss Moore, an intelligent woman, knows how to handle the children's parents so that she can spend some time with the kids. Sylvia remembers that when Miss Moore "came calling with some sachet she'd sewed up or some gingerbread she'd made or some book, why then [the parents would] all be too embarrassed to turn her down and [the kids would] get handed over all spruced up" (88). Since Miss Moore wants to help the children, she always comes calling with gifts. Because she understands human motivation, she is able to get what she wants: the opportunity to influence the children's lives in a positive way. When Miss Moore and the children arrive at F. A. 0. Schwarz, they look at a microscope, and Sylvia says, "Miss Moore ask what it cost. So. "!e all jam into the window ... and the price tag say $300. So then she ask how long'd take for Big Butt and Junebug to save up their allowances" (90). Miss Moore is cleverly leading the children to think for themselves. They can understand the price of toys compared to the size of their allowance, and that makes the lesson about money very realistic. By using her intelligence, she helps the children understand some important points about their economic position in society. Despite the fact that the children's parents do not appreciate her efforts, Miss Moore really cares about the kids. Sylvia, remembering how their parents talked about Miss Moore "like a dog," says, "She'd been to college and said it was only right that she should take responsibility for the young ones' education, and she not even related by marriage or blood" (99-100). Miss Moore is different from most of the adults in Sylvia's neighborhood, and she knows that children need guidance and education if they are to change their lives for the better. Opportunities are limited in the slums of New York, but education can be the kids' ticket out; therefore, Miss Moore unselfishly gives up her time to show them the world outside their own. Sylvia comments on how much Miss Moore cares when she says, Hit's purdee hot and [Miss Moore's] knockin herself out about arithmetic" (88). She puts all of her energy into her lesson, hoping that the children realize that there are big differences in the way people live because of their economic status. Her education has made her aware that to survive in the world, one must understand "real money" (88) and its power. Because she wants the children to be treated morejustly, Miss Moore tries to show them the injustice that exists in society. Miss Moore tells them "about what things cost and what [their] 1 From Gorilla, My Love (New York: Random, 1972). Used by permission of Random House. CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS 59 parents make and how much goes for rent and how money ain't divided up rig~t inthis country' (89). She is pointing out how unequal living standards can be in America. The children have only been exposed to their small world and do not realize how the economic system operates. However, Miss Moore knows that some hard-working people can barely afford to pay their rent and feed their children, while the privileged class can buy their children a toy with money that could feed an entire family. Sylvia finally realizes there is another way of life outside her own and remembers, "Where we are is who we are, Miss Moore always polntin out But it don't necessarily have to be that way, she always adds then waits for somebody to say that poor people have to wake up and demand their share of the pie ..." (94-95). Miss Moore recognizes that where a person lives determines what people think of him or her. And due to this perception, Sylvia and her friends who live in the slums have fewer opportunities In life, opportunities which could help them raise their standard of living. Miss Moore wants more for the children, so she tells them they have the right to demand their share of the wealth. By awakening their desire, she is offering them a better future. Because ofher intelfigence, her caring personality, and her desire for justice, then, Miss Moore exemplifies that special role model that children need while growing up. In fact, as a result of her enlightened concern, the children are able to see beyond their isolated world, and Sylvia is inspired to strive for equality when she says, "ain't nobody gonna beat me at nuthing" (96). Her new determination is the result of Miss Moore's guidance. if there were more special peo~ pie like her, perhaps many more children would escape poverty and get "their share of the pie" (95). Deborah Wagner Model Essay Two This student essay compares the central characters in two of Flannery O'Connor's short stories. Notice the point-by-point organization and the use of transitions. They Would Have Been Good Women If ••• "'She would have been a good woman,' The Misfit says of grandmother Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"1 'if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life'" {p. 133). in a similar fashion, one may assert that Mrs. Turpin in O'Connor's "Revelation*2 would have been a good woman if there had been somebody there to smash her face every minute of her life. Both the grandmother and Mrs. Turpin are somewhat elderly women who come face-to-face with violence. One her vacation, the grandmother encounters a callous criminal, while Mrs. Turpin's conversation in the doctor's office ends when she. is fero1Flannery O'Connor, "A Good Man Is Hard to Find; The Complete Stories (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 1946). All parenthetical page numbers refer to the text in this edition. lQ'Connor, "Revelation," The Complete Stories. All parenthetical page numbers refer to the text in this edition. 60 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS ciously attacked by a disapproving teenager. In both cares, these domineering and condescending women come to reconcile their views ofsociety and religion. ; The Grandmother's domineering ways are evident right from the start of the story. "A Gbod Man Is Hard to Find" opens with grandmother's "seizing at every chance to change Bailey's mind" (p. 117) about going to Florida: Now look here, Bailey, see here, read this," (p. 117) commands the grandmother. This is a mother speaking to her son; however, both are obviously welt into adulthood, and the grandmother's dictating tone of voice shows that she never relinquished authoritative control over her son, Bailey. The grandmother's repetition of these commands makes them seem commonplace. She shows no fear of opposition in giving her commands to him as she rattles "the newspaper at his bald head." (p. 117) demonstrating absolute dominance. She wants things to run her way-not Bailey's. Like the grandmother, Mrs. Turpin is immediately seen as a domineering force in "Revelation.# When the Turpin's enter the doctor's office and look for a seat, Mrs. Turpin quickly lJnleashes her authority as she commands, "'Claude, you sit in that chair there." {p. 488}, giving him a push. Like the grandmother, Mrs. Turpin exhibits verbal dominance by her command and physical intimidation by her push. And Claude reacts to this "as if he were accustomed to doing what she told him" (p. 488). However, where the grandmother prided herself as being a lady, Mrs. Turpin seems to be more arrogant about her dominance. The command she gives to her husband is said "in a voice that included anyone who wanted to listen" (p. 488). This suggests that not only does Mrs. Turpin have powerful authority in her marriage, but that she also feels it is important that everyone present sees just how powerful she is. Both women's domineeringness causes them to be rather condescending. When Bailey and his family are driving through Georgia, the grandmother exclaims, "'Oh look at the cute little pickaninny!" (p. 119). The grandmother's use of the terms "pickaninnf and "nigger" (p. 119) reveals how completely she has accepted racist values. She also says that "'little niggers in the country don' have things like we do'" (p. 119) when June Star points out that he has no britches. Of course, by "things" she means luxury items. Never would she think of "things" as enough food to sustain health or enough clothes or shelter. She regards a scene of wretchedness as picturesque and she would like to "'paint that picture"' (p. 119) not as a damning social indictment, but as a means of passive fun. Whereas the grandm.other demonstrates condescendence when she is given the opportunity, Mrs. Turpin continuously and relentlessly displays her egotistical patronizing. She lets everyone in the doctor's office now that she has "a little of everything" (p. 494), and she frequently uses the term "niggers" (p. 496). She also speaks of being tired of "'buttering up' niggers (p. 494) to do servant work for her. This type of phrasing shows that not only has she readily internalized racist values, but she has also become sickeningly complacent in her selfishness. And is this isn't enough, "sometimes at night ... Mrs.Turpin would occupy herself with the question of who she would have chosen to be if she could not have been herself" (p. 491). And she would have to choose between being a "nigger" or "white-trash" {p. 491). This demonstrates Mrs. Turpins remarkable obsession to wallow in self-satisfaction over being herself. She seems to associate divinity with being of the noble class and pities in a mocking way the lower classes who, to her, are spiritually deprived. Unfortunately, she cannot see her own spiritual deprivation in this extremely condescending attitude. In fact, the grandmother and Mrs. Turpin are so self-righteous, they seem to think of themselves as extremely virtuous and religious. However, this notion changes as they both encounter tragedy, and the conclusion of O'Connor stories, both the grandmother and Mrs. Turpin experience new, CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS powerful, mystical religious insights. The grandmother demonstrates confidence in her knowledge of Jesus when she inquires of the Misfit, "'Do you ever pray?'" (p. 129). The granpmother here could have kept insisting that The Misfit was a "good man" in a further effort to· manipulate him to spare her, but by throwing this question at him, she suggests that maybe he is not a ugood man" and implies that through her knowledge of Jesus, she could save him as evidenced by her statement, "'Pray, pray.... That's when you should have started to pray'" (p. 130). Later, when The Misfit seems to show a hint of emotion, "the grandmother's head cleared for an instantn (p. 132). This shows that the grandmother has transcended the state of sheer terror she was in and is now thinking on a new level. "'Why you're one of my babies:~ she cried. "'You're one of my own children!'" (p. 132). Whereas previously the grandmother thought ofThe Misfit as a cold-blooded disgrace to society, she now sees him as one of her own children, one of her babies. This shows that she is now thinking in purely Christian terms, for in Christian terms, we are all brothers and sisters, children of God. This type ofreaction is a far cry from what the grandmother shows us throughout the story, and only In fear does this insight pour out of her. Mrs. Turpin, on the other hand, shows her arrogance and pride in her religious knowledge when she hears a familiar gospel song in the doctor's office and "supplied the fast line mentally. 'And oona these days l know I'll we-eara crown"' (p. 490). Mrs. Turpin seems to feel supremely justified in being overwhelmed by the spirit of this song. She is very confident of her destiny with God and appears to even be self-sanctifying. However, after being attacked and called an "'old wart hog'" (p. 500) from hell, Mrs. Turpin is very worried and distressed by this statement, and she ponders it for quite some time. Then, at the very end of the story, while standing at the pig-parlor, ·a visionary light settled into her eyes· (p. 508). In the same way as the grandmother, Mrs. Turpin has reached a transcendental state of mil)(f and is now experienc!ng profound insights. And in her vision she sees •a vast horde of souls ... rumbling toward heaven. There were whole companies of white-trash, clean for the first time in their lives, and bands of black niggers in white robes, and battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs• (P. 508). Mrs. Turpin's spiritual vision is now unobstructed by her hypocritical values. She sees all the types of people that she had previously mocked and degraded, as well as people like herself, as part of some greater Oneness. Like the grandmother, she also comes to the Christian view that all humans are brothers and sisters, children of God. She realizes how meek and humble people should be before the Lord when she sees people llke herself, and ·even their virtues were being burned away,• (p. 508). Thus Flannery O'Connor's characters of the grandmother and Mrs. Turpin convey apiercing theme about how pathetically ignorant one can become in a life of self-satisfaction. They are good examples ofpeople who become overbearing and condescending almost to the point of being evil. And it is a shame because we all are capable of being filled with the power, glory, and awe of God. This fact, however, has a great tendency to be forgotten unless there is a gun to one's head or a smack in the face to act as a reminder.A O'Connor's characters point to the need for a religious revolution against a secular world to attain true Christian values. Frank Jones 61 62 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS Model Essay Three This student-written essay analyzes the main character in a poem. The writer bases his interpretation on quoted lines from the poem which he explains and comments on in his analysis. AMaster of Life Old age turns some people into couch potatoes who stop living and start merely existing. That will never happen to Ulysses, the great Greek hero who is characterized as a master of life in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem entitled ·utysses." 1 As he prepares to leave on his last adventure and addresses his son and his mariners, he reveals his adventurous spirit, his desire to pursue knowledge, and his determination to five life as fully as possible until he dies. Ulysses' plan to leave Ithaca and give over the kingdom to his son Telemachus is prompted by his spirit ofadventure. He feels unproductive as the ·idle king" (line 1) of a people who #hoard, and sleep, and feed" (5). These activities do not fit in with Ulysses' adventurous lifestyle. He does not want to spend his time gathering material wealth or focusing on his bodily needs. Ulysses is a man who cannot rest from travel; [he] will drink/ Life to the lees" (6-7). He does not want to stop going out to meet life; in fact, he wants to consume life, to drink in-with eagerness and pleasure-all the world has to offer. With a sense of pride, he describes his past adventures: 0 Much have I seen and known,-cities of men And manners, climates, councils, governments, Myself not least, but honored of them all,Aod·drunk delight of battle with my peers, Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy. (13-17) Ulysses' adventures have taken him from the cities to the battlefields and have given him insight into lifestyles and political systems, but most of all, they have taught him about himself. Interacting with others and reacting to new experiences have helped him to clarify his values and his beliefs; therefore, he wants to continue his adventures so that he can enjoy all that life has to offer. It is his desire for knowledge that drives Ulysses' restless spirit. In his eyes, "experience is an arch wherethro' / Gleams that untravelled world whose margin fades / For ever and for ever when [he] move[s]" (18-20}. As he experiences new aspects of life, he realizes how much more there is still to be enjoyed and experienced. The more he knows, the more he realizes how much he still has to learn as new horizons present themselves. For Ulysses, it is "dull ... to pause, to make an end, /To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!" (22-23) He must continue his pursuit of knowledge to escape boredom; he does not want to rust out but to continue to use and polish his intellect until he dies. His desire for knowledge makes "every hour• (26) exciting for it is a "bringer of new things" (28). With a positive attitude, he anticipates each hour of each day and the experiences it holds. His goal is "To follow knowledge like a sinking star,/ Beyond the utmost bound of human thought" (31-32). To expand his mind, Ulysses wants to 1 Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "Ulysses· The Norton Anthology of English Uterature, ed. M.H. Abrams. 5th ed. (New York: Norton, 1987) 1950-1952. CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER ANALYSIS develop insight and understanding to depths never thought possible by the human mind. His thirst for knowledge has become a burning passion that drives him forward intp life and new experiences. Even while acknowledging approaching death, Ulysses is determined not to stop living. He believes that "Old age hath yet his honor and his toil" (50). While he may not be able to do everything he did as a younger man, there are still deeds that he can accomplish before "Death closes all" (51). Ulysses is a realist about death and its finality, but he is not yet ready to die. He wants to perform "some work of noble note" (52) and "To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths / Of all the western stars, until [he] die[sJ" (60-61). With noble goals like these, he surely will lead a fulfilling life as he pursues his dreams "to seek a newer world" (57). This Is not a man who waits for death; this is a man who sails into life with tremendous joy and anticipation. While he admits that he has been "made weak by time and fate; he Is still "strong in will /To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield" (69-70). His determination to keep searching for adventure, for knowledge, for fulfillment is the mark of a man who has truly understood and enjoyed life and conquered death. What matters to Ulysses is not the destination but the trip itself. He enjoys all of life, and he is never going to give up his struggle to have it all. Thus Ulysses' indomitable spirit is truly inspiring. His desire for adventure, knowledge, and total fulfillment reveals that he wants to be fully alive-not just "a name• (11). Through him, we can learn how to live life to the fullest now and in our old age. He scorns those who merely exist by saying, "As tho' to breathe were life" (24). In his view, life is an exciting adventure that ends only when "Death closes all" (51). y on John Thompson 63
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Running Head: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

A Streetcar Named Desire
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A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

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Streetcar Named Desire
The hard life faced by Blanche and The Blanche and Mitch relationship is both idealistic
and is portrayed through.
A Streetcar Named Desire actually is set within New Orleans on a certain street known as
Elysian Fields. The area is mainly rundown but with all that it still contains charm, having
weathered houses which are usually ornamented by use of quaint gables. This Streetcar Named
Desire has various characters who are participating in it. Stanley Kowalski as well as Stella who
is his wife they actually live in the apartments of the downstairs of a 2 story building. At the
begging of this play, there is a known as Eunice, there is also Mitch who is actually a really and
big friend of Stanley Kowalski Among others who are in the play. Finally, there is also Blanche
DuBios who I have per...


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Very useful material for studying!

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