Arnold van Gennep

In the first passage after Jay Gatsby's death in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald uses a series of familiar details, vivid descriptions, and eerie language to provide a feeling of tranquility after a tragic event which brings forth a sense of irony and the calm sensation of weightlessness of the water capping the end to Jay Gatsby's life as if his death was peaceful and meaningful. Fitzgerald's use of soft diction gives the final moments leading up to the end of Gatsby's life…

By definition the word great means: Of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above the normal or average. The main character in the book, The Great Gatsby, is Jay Gatsby. It is implied that he is great, but does Jay Gatsby really deserve the title, The Great Gatsby? Possibly so, but it could be argued that perhaps a more accurate title might be The Deceptive Gatsby. Although Gatsby’s life may seem picturesque filled with diamonds, pearls, beautiful women and champagne, there is a rather…

Benedict Arnold A man, who was once known as one of the greatest generals involved in the revolutionary war, quickly gained the reputation of a traitor to America. General Benedict Arnold suddenly betrayed America and joined the British enemy. Much controversy is raised when discussing the reason Arnold chose to switch sides, but historical documents clear unanswered questions and have the potential to justify his reasons. From a different perspective, his actions signify personal gain, but…

The audience at the graduation hall explodes with hollers, cheers, and whistles for the new graduates. Many of these people didn’t think they would get accepted into a university, let alone graduate from college. Their desires would have never been fulfilled if it hadn’t been for the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie. In some views, Andrew Carnegie was a cruel, selfish, millionaire who took advantage of people. Others, however, believe he was an excellent leader with many virtues. These virtues…

Donald Trump shows many characteristics that resemble a narcissist. But is he a narcissist or someone with a narcissistic personality disorder? A narcissist is someone who is in love with him or her self. A person with narcissistic personality disorder is “conceited, boastful, or pretentious.” They view other people as inferior to them and treat them accordingly. Those with narcissistic personality disorder desire the best of the best, for instance; an extravagant vehicle or a prestigious home…

Gatsby and Lennie’s dreams both remain generally the same through diverse social classes they encounter during the novels. In Lennie’s social class it is hard for him to obtain his dream with his poverty because only the strongest survive on the ranch. In Of Mice and Men Crooks says “I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hundreds of them. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one…

“Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction” (Erich Fromm). In The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man written by Dashiell Hammett, Hammett displays the high increase of criminal activity that takes place during the prohibition era in the United States. In Hammett’s novels, the characters’ monetary greed leads to negative consequences. As a result of their monetary greed, the characters face death, in-humanity, and…

For a long time, the American dream has been the idea in every American’s heart. They were attracted deeply by it and believed that in this free land, everyone enjoyed the equal opportunity, and if they worked hard, they would become a millionaire from a poor guy even without a pair of shoes. However, American Dream has become an increasingly significant theme in American literature of the 20th century. Fitzgerald names that period “the Jazz Age”. The American Dream is loaded with more…

Some may say that “history is always bound to repeat itself” while others may argue what “past is past”. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic The Great Gatsby, Gatsby has tricked himself into thinking that he could repeat the past and regain the primordial satisfaction of being in love with Daisy, unaware of how his circumstances made his dream an impossible goal. Gatsby was unable to reach a happy ending because he could not let go of what was long gone. By chasing his dream of Daisy and trying to…

Some point in the movie  A dinner party held at the house, attended by the British Inspectorate of Police and Mr Singh, a Sikh friend of the family, erupts over the future of the country. Lenny and her precocious young cousin, hiding under the dinner table, hear Singh denounce the British.  The film is rich with comments from its characters denouncing partition and double-talking local politicians. One particularly notable moment sees the film's protagonists listening to a radio broadcast by…