The central conflict in this story is Rikki vs. snakes. Rikki fights snakes throughout the entire story. Rikki kills Karait a snake, who calls himself death. When Rikki hears Nag and Nagaina plotting and planning to kill Teddy and his parents, Rikki becomes their defense. Rikki protects them from harm.…
Dennis Covington wrote the book Salvation on Sand Mountain published in 1995. This book takes place in Scottsboro, Alabama, in March of 1992 and it focus on Dennis and his experiences with Snake handling. Dennis who is just a journalist at the time, went to the snake-handling church of Jesus with signs following because of Glenn Summerford, who had been convicted and sentenced to ninety-nine years in prison for attempting murder his wife with rattlesnakes. Although Dennis came because of Glenn’s trail, he stayed for a completely different reasons.…
There is a non-poisonous, smooth, and colorful snake that is overpopulated in Florida. This snake; however, has so many of itself, that it is now a problem to the population in the Everglades in Florida. Although, these Pythons have adapted to this environment and now live there. These snakes do come from Southeast Asia, but these Burmese Python owners brought these snakes into the wild of the Everglades in Florida. Though, these Pythons have overtime, been overpopulated to the Everglades.…
PORTFOLIO #3 Activity 15.1: Comma Category 1 with Single Words 1. Surely, no one would be that foolish. 2. Next, Graham decided to read a magazine.…
This is the book where Betsy Byars takes a short break from the world of her usual fiction novel, and finally write an autobiography similar story of her childhood life and also some hints about her current one. The name of the snake is Moon and Betsy Byars found it her porch. After Moon had ran away, she would always wonder where the snake could be. She could not wait until she grows up so she could have as many pets as she wanted. It took about forty years until she got a pet snake.…
In the short story The Rattler, the author questions the justifiability of taking any life. Understanding the reason for a killing can allow one to sympathize with a killer, finding his cause sufficient, or alternatively empathize with the victim. In The Rattler, the author presents two opposing sides, one vindicating the man’s killing of the snake, and the other finding it wrong that the snake was killed. The author’s use of language and details causes the reader to empathize with the man for the killing, feel sympathy for the human-like snake, and experience both sympathy and empathy through the description of setting.…
This can be seen through the quote “You need to understand that truth is stranger than fiction. Listen: people are willing to swallow any old tripe as long as you say it without flinching. They want to be told stuff. And they don't want to doubt you either. It's too hard.”…
Among people and societies different cultures have always been present. Our human capacity for learning, using, and recognizing symbols allows for these cultures to develop and to change. Often times cultures’ beliefs and symbols don’t align with any person not born into that culture. However if that person observes this other culture through open and objective eyes, they can understand the reasons behind other cultural beliefs. Horace Miner’s observations of the Nacirema people in Body Ritual of the Nacirema reveal just how important perspective can be when observing other cultures.…
In ‘The Rattler”, the tension and duty reflect the sorrow the man felt after killing the snake, but revealed his role when protecting others. The man was not at ease when he consciously decided to take the life of one of nature's creatures, but was enlightened knowing that he saved human lives that were potentially in danger. In other word, the man was conflicted between choosing to kill an innocent, but harmful snake or to fulfill his job of protecting the weak. The author's diction heightens the vehement and conscientious thoughts of the man when contemplating taking the life of the snake.…
In the short story “Sweat,” Zora Neale Hurston describes the life of Delia Jones, a hard working wash woman. Delia is married to Sykes, an abusive husband who takes advantage of his wife and spends all of her hard earned money. I chose this passage because it introduces a pivotal point in the story that foreshadows Sykes’s evil actions causing issues for him down the road or as Delia puts it, “whatever goes over the Devil’s back, is got to come under his belly.” Hurston describes the snake’s eyes as growing bloodier by the second which foreshadows that the snake will soon make its next kill. Sykes is cheating on his wife with Bertha, whom he spends all of their money on.…
Don’t Worry, This Won’t Hurt. Oh, Wait. There’s a Snake. In 1970 American author Joan Didion wrote a novel that she titled Play It as It Lays.…
This book review is going to be looking the work of Catherine Bell in her book ‘Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice’. In this book, Bell looks at people’s curiosity with rituals and the pre-existing notions of rituals. Bell hashes out the argument on connections that make a discourse on ritual to compel cultural activity studies. Bell acknowledges that there hasn’t really been any analysis of the term ritual that has presented forward one definitive definition, that shows its role in the way people think around religion and culture. Bell across her book argues her thesis that ritual doesn’t control individuals or societies with no consensus.…
In his essay “The Sorcerer and His Magic”, Claude Lévi-Strauss discusses his concept of what he calls the “shamanistic complex” (Lévi-Strauss 179) which based on research by Cannon that suggests people who believe in magic can be physically affected if they are cursed, bewitched or otherwise subject to magic (Lévi-Strauss 167-168). Lévi-Strauss then offers a qualification to Cannon’s assertion by saying that there are three elements which must be present in order for a magical ritual to have the desired physical effect. “[…] first, the sorcerer’s belief in the effectiveness of his techniques; second, the patient’s or victim’s belief in the sorcerer’s power; and, finally the faith and expectations of the group, which constantly act as a sort…
What goes around comes around The “Sweat” is a short story written by Zora Neale Hurston and was published in 1926. The story portrays the struggle of a married, colored couple Sykes and Delia Jones. Delia is an honest, hardworking woman, and Sykes is a mean, rude egomaniac, who finds great pleasure using a snake to torture his wife’s and to laugh at her greatest fear. Upon a closer examination, there is a deeper meaning to the plain words ‘snake’ and ‘sweat’. “Reap what you sow” is the theme of this not-so-fairy tale of the conflict between ‘good’ and the ‘bad.’…
Spotlights In almost every piece of literature you find certain words or descriptive objects that point towards a meaning that the author is trying to convey. Although sometimes one can look right over them and not notice them at all. These symbols play a key role in helping to move along a piece, as well as to help expose any meaning the author is hoping to expose. One such meaning is from “The Pardoner’s Tale,” Geoffrey Chaucer, which takes place and was written during the middle ages. This short story focuses on a group of highly intoxicated friends, who after seeing their deceased friend pass by decide to hunt down and kill death.…