Decadence

"All art is quite useless"(Wilde, XVI) is the phrase Wilde concludes his preface with. The preface, which was added after The Picture of Dorian Gray received severe backlash, condemns the over-analyzation of art. Society was not ready for the aestheticism lifestyle and scandalous behaviours that were glorified in the novel, and they criticized Wilde for his radical ideas and degenerate characters. Wilde felt that it was preposterous that people were offended by art, as its sole purpose is to…

Tom Buchanan’s Search for Fulfillment Since The Great Gatsby takes place among the wanton variety of the East, the fact that Tom Buchanan has a mistress does not surprise Nick or anyone else. However, what does appear perplexing is Tom’s continued attachment to Daisy, even when both Myrtle and Tom are dissatisfied with their respective spouses. In the words of Myrtle Wilson’s sister, Catherine, “[W]hy go on living with them if they can’t stand them?” (Fitzgerald 33). Catherine claims Daisy…

Gothic literature brings to life the darker side of tragedies by creating an atmosphere of horror and suspense as well as embodying supernatural affairs to the plot. Gothic fiction also considers the motif of the inevitability of fate. Horace Walpole surfaced this style of fiction in the mid 1700s with the novel, The Castle of Otranto. His story concerns all the elements that constitute Gothic literature. The term originated as an expression criticizing the art and architecture of the time,…

Modular Humanity: An Inquiry into Bioethics and Human Ability A reality where a person can swap out every part of their body, from their heart to their fingertips, for high performance electrical parts might arrive in several years as research into biotechnology turns average people into super-humans. Biotechnology and bionics involve humans and electronics assimilating in ways that are beneficial to the person receiving the upgrade. These new forms of treatment currently consist of speculation…

Sarah Humphrey American Studies Mrs. Giessler/Mr. Toy 9 Dec. 2015 Industrial Revolution and American Society The Industrial Revolution is often times referred to as one of the most pivotal turning points in American History. Occurring from 1850-1920, the Industrial Revolution is an era that utilized America’s vast supplies of resources, labor, and land to its fullest extent. During this time the US evolved from an agriculturally centered economy with goods and services being produced by hand…

has been around for years and thousands of people got killed as a result of it.Its (Islamic Terrorism) roots lie in an extreme and violent strain of Islam that emerged in the 18th century in opposition to what was seen by some Muslims as Ottoman decadence but has gained greater strength in the 20th. (NYTimes) is shows that this is not a new idea to this religion and has been rooted back to hundreds of years before ISIS and El Qaeda,…

the ideal vision for Americans for decades. The goal of achieving the dream goes as far back as the 1920s, when The Great Gatsby was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In the literary classic novel, Fitzgerald explores themes of resistance to change, decadence, and tainted love. All of which are characteristics of the American Dream. Through symbols such as the green light, East Egg and West Egg, and Daisy Buchanan, F. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates that the American Dream is unattainable in his…

“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is a narrative poem by T.S Elliot. It portrays the puzzling and obscure phrenic conceptions of the protagonist, Prufrock, as he guides the reader to what appears to be a peregrination. Throughout the poem’s irregular timeline, an alienated Prufrock repeatedly insists that there is something important he needs to tell the reader, but he continually states that he has time. The poem’s title insinuates that Prufrock is addressing someone he admires, or loves,…

Crime in The Great Gatsby The 1920s was a time of American decadence and demoralization. Soldiers returning from the war were often disillusioned and the American Dream took on a new meaning; not one of communal prosperity and accomplishment, but one of wealth and affluence. “The first direction in which wealth injures the nation is a moral one. Money replaces honour and adventure as the objective of the best young men. Moreover, men do not normally seek to make money for their country or…

The play focuses on familial relationships and the conflict between father and son. “It examines the father-son relationship in which the father wants his son to follow his footprints and the son refusing to toe the line” (Das 50). In the words of Dattani, HASMUKH. Should God permit me, I intent to stay right here. But everyone has to go sooner or later. I will retire one day, either from the company or from this world. What will become of you then? I have to season you now. You need…