Decadence

under the Japanese rule. Although its controversial aspects focus on the Korean culture instead of the Japanese, the author treads a line between propriety and realism. The story highlights the tragicomedy of materialistic greed, ambition, sensual decadence, and egoism of the protagonist, Master Yun; however, the author also portrays him as a pathetic human being through his past experiences and interactions with other people. With the use of absurd sardonic narrative, the author emphasizes the…

provides contrasting ideas between “the disrespect the Hispanic community had towards the Theater” which expresses the opinion the people in the community have about the Mexican people and “the architectural dignity of the Center” which expresses the decadence of the Theater. These contrasting phrases show how the community members feel the Mexicans are unfit to be in such a place. The notion that “they should not have attended” on the opinion that they were only there “to see one performing…

While reading British literature, authors use an antagonist to portray their point of view on a specific matter. Some authors may use them to relate to real world events as a satire. It is clear that in the early Victorian era, and even in today’s age, greed and hubris can bring to the downfall of an individual. The novel “Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen and the novel “A Room with a View” by E.M Forster both show that an excessive pride in one’s self, as well as greed and the…

“In my hole in the basement there are exactly one thousand three hundred sixty nine lights” (Ellison 7); if that is true, how can one still be hidden in darkness? The Invisible Man spent time in his well-lit hole in a basement because “it [allowed him] to feel [a] vital aliveness” (Ellison 7). The narrator aspired to be “a man of vision” (Ellison 7), yet somehow others didn’t see him. He desired so strongly to make a difference that he tricked himself into believing he had an impact on…

In “Child of the Far Frontier,” Wallace Stegner writes in the first person about his childhood and his upbringing, with details that reveal how one’s past experiences—especially during their childhood—profoundly impact their overall identity in ways that cannot always be reversed; this is verifiably true both in Stegner’s case and those of others, nearly an axiom of the human condition. One example is how people sometimes follow in the footsteps of their parents and other family members in terms…

In aphorisms 4 and 6, Nietzsche discusses his rather blunt perception of what he thinks of Socrates’ belief in reason, the Socratic equation, and the nature of dialecticism and those who practice it. After a rather painstaking analysis of his critique, Nietzsche’s disliking for Socrates can be attributed to what he believes to be dialecticism and how Socrates defended himself in court almost 2000 years before. The entire premise Nietzsche bases his argument on is a concept he calls “Will to…

Chapter2 Perspectives: New York as a Character, New York as a Backdrop “I can't with any conscience argue for New York with anyone. It's like Calcutta. But I love the city in an emotional, irrational way, like loving your mother or your father even though they're a drunk or a thief. I've loved the city my whole life - to me, it's like a great woman.” From one of his earliest films, Bananas (1971) all the way to his latest work, Café Society (2016), Woody Allen has always treated New York as a…

In Jon by George Saunders, the omnipresent corporate establishment forces an identity upon the characters, causing tension between their true and artificial selves. The protagonist Jon exists in a commercial community that uses teenagers as test dummies for its brands. Their world is prefabricated and they are taught via commercials for different trademarks, with slogans as their source of knowledge. The very militant and impersonal nature of the society throws the reader off balance, yet the…

Kurtz and Marlow in the Heart of Darkness and how they portray the theme Heart of Darkness is about the dark effects of imperialism in Africa; the Englishmen colonize in Africa with the purpose of taking the ivory. Charlie Marlow, works as a sailor for the company of ivory exportation. During his journey to the Congo, he meets a man named Kurtz, the best-selling agent. In Heart of Darkness, the characters Marlow and Kurtz aid in the portrayal of the theme. Marlow’s character is slowly revealed…

the alterity leading back to innocence. A child’s misfortune of encountering ‘monsters’, the adults’ for creating them. When one’s love of (wo)man conflicts with her/his private contentment with the world as is, one’s anguish is seen as personal decadence in how it should be. A rain on the parade. An intrusive eye in the keyhole of intimacy. An unreality in their happiness in the unhappiness of her/his truth. Depression becomes a disease. The duelling consciousness in differentiating the subject…