Bruce Jay Friedman

The symmetry of form attainable in pure fiction cannot so readily be achieved in a narration essentially having less to do with fable than with fact. Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its ragged edges; hence the conclusion of such a narration is apt to be less finished than an architectural finial. Herman Melville, Billy Budd, Sailor Melville’s Billy Budd, Sailor (An inside narrative) uses several aspects of theology to capture character’s emotions about the “Handsome Sailor.”…

Stephen Crane utilizes detailed examples and depicts a strong bias in his poem, “The Impact of a Dollar Upon the Heart”. This poem dramatizes the conflict within the wealthy. In this poem, he depicts the emotions and experiences between the contrasting lives between those with just one dollar compared to one million dollars. Crane’s overall focus is not to demean the wealthy but to prove that their public facade masks their private despair. Through the use of powerful symbols, metaphors, and…

How do your actions speak about the type of person you are? Well in the classic novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s shows us how people are carelessness and what the actions say about them. There are many things that cause a person to acted on carelessness that not only affects them but others around them. People that have money tend to action without caring who they affect. One day Tom and Nick go into Ash Valley while their time in Ash Valley Tom introduces the women he is cheating…

In this world, many people try to stand out by deviating from the norm. Guy Montag demonstrates this in Ray Bradbury's novel, "Fahrenheit 451". Likewise, Truman Burbank from Peter Weir's film, The Truman Show, attempts this. Similarly, Harrison Bergeron from Kurt Vonnegut's short story, "Harrison Bergeron", tries to do the same. In like manner, Johnny from James Clavell's short story, "The Children's Story", shows this attitude. In "Fahrenheit 451", Guy Montag, an obedient fireman, burns books…

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, famed for his novels concerning the elite of society, delved into the topic of the American Dream in his book The Beautiful and Damned. The novel illustrates the luxurious and miserable lives of Anthony Patch, Gloria Gilbert, and those they associate with. As Fitzgerald details Patch’s fall from grace, both morally and financially, he challenges the concept of the American Dream through the eyes of a member of the upper class. In this novel, Fitzgerald, by revealing…

Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925 is a tale of unchecked ambition in the pursuit of the American dream. Although many associate the American dream with the pursuit of wealth, the novel depicts many other aims of life. While the millionaire, Jay Gatsby, strives for his true love, others chase wealth, peace, and even knowledge in order to lead them towards happiness. As seen throughout the book, there is no single path through which one can pursue happiness, and many characters strive…

The Failure of the American Dream in the Context of The Great Gatsby Sun Seo Jeon 전순서 20140880 The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, which is a belief that anyone, regardless of their social class and the situation they are born into, is given opportunities to achieve their own version of success. It is emphasized that American dream is achieved through sacrifice and hard work, not just by chance. This meant to motivate Americans to attain prosperity and…

NVM Gonzales’ “The Bread Of Salt” and Gregorio C. Brilliantes’ “The Cries Of Children On An April Afternoon in the Year 1957” are stories that both similarly center on a teenage male protagonist and somewhat broach the idea of innocence and naivety brought about by youth. “The Bread Of Salt” is about an ambitious fourteen-year old, lower class boy who dreams of success and aspires towards winning the heart of a young lady named Aida. Unfortunately, Aida belongs to a prominent Spanish family. And…

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness”(Benjamin). The basis of what Benjamin Franklin is trying to suggest is that money cannot buy everything and that it is a source of greed and conflict. In Lorraine Hansberry’s novel, A Raisin in the Sun, she likewise tries to convince her readers that money is a source of conflict and struggle. The theme plays an essential role in the novel because of the fact that it is…

Abegail Hawley Ms. Maggert English III 21 March 2018 Social Class and Morality Indian activist Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Morality is the basis of things and truth is the substance of all morality.” Tcche roaring twenties was a spendthrift era. The lower social classes really wanted to attain wealth and luxury, but couldn’t due to the restriction put on them by societal norms. This began the era of bootlegging, gangs and crime all across the country and the decline of morality. In F. Scott…