Stephen Krashen

A Demon in Disguise The first thing that comes to mind when people use the word ‘monster’ is usually a supernatural creature, such as a vampire or a werewolf. However, in The Odyssey, written by Homer and translated by Robert Fagles, Homer shows that humans can be monsters as well. Odysseus himself can be considered similar to a demon portrayed in the episode “Devil’s Trap” from the television series Supernatural. Directed by Kim Manners, the show relates the story of two brothers, Sam and…

Through is use of violence, suspense and surprises, the thriller has long been one of the most popular genres in film. Since the father of the thriller, Alfred Hitchcock, released Psycho, thrillers have captivated audiences with the combination of suspense and anxiety. Austrian-born director Michael Haneke, takes the central ideas of thrillers and places his own twists and style in his film to create his own unique brand of thriller. This is very evident in this 2002 movie, Caché. Despite…

Ta Nehisi Coates Alexander, Michelle. "Ta-Nehisi Coates’s ‘Between the World and Me’." The New York Times. 11111The New York Times, 16 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 Dec. 2016. 11111. According to Michelle Alexander’s article, “Ta-Nehisi Coates’s ‘Between the World and Me’,” Coates’s letter to his son repeatedly emphasizes the permanence of racial injustice in America; the foolishness of believing that one person can make a change, and the dangers of believing in the American Dream. Alexander cites…

Between the years of 1914 to 1918, approaching 1 million British soldiers gave up their lives fighting for King and country (greatwar.co.uk). Wilfred Owens, one of the greater known first world war poets, was one of these. He died at the age of twenty-five, only a week away from armistice, leaving behind approaching 100 poems. Despite his early death, Owen’s poetry has immortalized him, passing to future generations both his experience and sentiments regarding the first world war. Like many at…

The Native American Genocide that swept America “The Shining” is a classic horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick, released on May 23, 1980. The movie takes place in the home of the three main characters Jack Torrance, Wendy Torrance and Danny Torrence aka Doc. Jack goes for an Interview and ends up getting the job during the winter as the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel. The Overlook Hotel is known to have many Native American patterns on the floor and curtains even on Wendy’s clothes.…

In his 1897 gothic novel, Dracula, Bram Stoker defined the modern form of the vampire. His character, Dracula remained popular through the ages, being one of the most popular adaptation source in history. Dracula has created an extraordinary vampire subculture, and an enormous amount of films have been made that feature Count Dracula as it’s main antagonist, or protagonist. However, most adaptations do not include the major characters from the novel, focusing only on the now traditional…

Jane Eyre by charlotte Bronte corresponds to the literary genre called Bildungsroman. It relates to the educative events of the journey life takes from childhood to adulthood. The passage studied in this essay is also classed as Gothic genre which features supernatural element like the voice of Mr Rochester Jane recalls clearly hearing out of an unlikely place. In this novel we see Jane growing up in adversary environments passing through a lot of obstacles which she must surmount to survive.…

Naturalistic stories have nature as the main antagonist is nature and it contains darwinistic ideas, like survival of the fittest. Often times the protagonists in these stories end up succumbing to nature and die. The stories "To Build a Fire" by Jack London and "The Ledge" by Lawrence Sargent Hall have these naturalistic themes present. These two stories both share common themes or ideas, but ultimately they differ in the way some of the similar factors are presented or portrayed. "To Build a…

The play, The Glass Menagerie written by Tennessee Williams, the main characters in this play were Amanda Wingfield, Laura Wingfield, and Tom Wingfield. The play was about a memory of Tom. Tom’s father left him and his family years ago, and he had to work in a shore warehouse to support his mother, Amanda, and his sister, Laura. Unlike the other main characters, Tom stood out and he should be considered as the main character because he was the narrator and the play seemed to revolve around him.…

The Real Horrorshow: How Kubrick Uncovers the Killer in You Part of the satisfaction we experience when watching a horror film is the relief that comes from knowing what we see is purely vicarious. As a culture, Hollywood has been able to push the boundary of “acceptable” in horrors and thrillers over the years as viewers, directors, and actors grow desensitized to the subject matter. The fainting and terror experienced in the first screenings of Nosferatu are no more; the 1971 film, A…