Leo Tolstoy

than living on the farm and barely having enough. Whether or not this argument was settled, Pahom had an idea in the middle of it, stating, “Our trouble is that we haven’t land enough. If I had plenty of land, I shouldn't fear the Devil himself” (Tolstoy). This quote from Pahom is the beginning idea that creates the theme of greediness is the story, and by saying this he is being greedy and implying that if he had more land, he would have no troubles at all and would not need God’s help or…

Our culture is drenched in senseless violence. Cesar Chavez noticed this devastating fact and took a stand. Known as the Martin Luther King Jr. of his day, Cesar Chavez was a strong advocate against violence. He dedicated his life to improving the treatment, pay, and working conditions for farm workers. Chavez argues in his 1978 article that nonviolence is the only way to overcome any oppressor. Chavez uses motif, allusion, and comparison/contrast in order to convince his audience that…

The Nonviolence Coefficient It's hard to discuss concepts of civil disobedience or even of peace without eventually arriving at the names Mohandas K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. After all, both men fought daunting battles and won great liberties while condemning violence. It's hard to argue that both men ultimately subscribed to the same core beliefs. They both placed great value on human life and freedom, and both felt that nonviolent protest was the strongest way to bring about change.…

From the very beginning, two philosophies argued against each other deciding whether or not nonviolence is the right choice, but what is truly the right decision?The power of nonviolence is the answer to freedom. Nonviolence in this situation, is getting your way without any harm going to others. Nonviolence makes the most sense for America because it has more chance of succeeding, many people have used nonviolence, and because we don’t need any more violence than what we had with other…

In retrospect of the life of Leo Tolstoy, writers have analyzed his relations with the peasants of Russia, but few understand the deep spiritual connection he shared with them (Tolstoy 150). His religious reputation and his fame as a “social prophet” obtained the conflicted attention of those who followed the Russian Orthodox Church, especially the Russian government. Noted for his ingenuity and pardoned for his contributed efforts against terrorism at the time, Tolstoy continued to support his…

A current and common reading of Virginia Woolf’s experimental novel The Waves places the character of Bernard against his friends as a dominating force. The novel is noted for its pluralism. The six speaking characters in The Waves express themselves through short monologues, sharing nearly equal space with one another until the concluding section. It is over the final forty-four pages of the novel that Bernard is fully emphasized, the voices of Louis, Rhoda, Jinny, Neville, and Susan giving way…

When learning something new, it is easier to understand a topic or a philosophy when the person learning can feel a connection to what they are learning about. For example, teachers, authors, and philosophers often use metaphors or similes to help their pupil connect with their views, ultimately furthering their understanding. A string of facts behind facts does not register as well as something that can be directly connected to someone. Although both Martin Luther King, author of “Letter From…

The subject of an experiment cries out, “I can’t stand it. I’m not going to kill that man in there” (Milgram 120), as the experimenter compels his subject to administer deadly electrical shocks to another man. The subject clearly expresses his moral objections to these instructions, yet to influence his subject, the insistent experimenter does not lock the door, nor does he hold the subject at knifepoint- he only requests that the subject “Continue, please” (121). And so the subject continues.…

These Christians would have raised the cross as a banner against Saddam, Hitler, or Mao. There are church members who wanted to use preventative war to stop communist china from making atomic weapons before they could use them to endanger the United States. They would also advocate landing marines in Iraq before the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) got a strong foothold. Such anticipatory actions are based on the notion that our cause is consistently good, while that of our enemies is…

In the beginning of his article, Cesar Chavez makes it clear that he is a strong supporter of using nonviolence to make a change. He alludes to well known civil rights movement figures as a way to show that the use of violence is not an effective nor a secure way of solving a problem. Chavez also evokes fear onto his audience to urge them to change their ways of thinking. These methods assist Chavez in getting his message through to his targeted audience and persuade them to avoid using violence…