The Devil's Dictionary

punishment being death. The reason Momotaro went on this journey was because the band of Devils were holding people hostage and stealing treasure. In the process of the return Momotaro invaded the island, stole back the treasure and held the Chief of the Devil's hostage too. This return can be seen here when “The dog and the Pheasant carried home the plunder, and thus Momotaro returned triumphantly to his home, taking with him the devil chief as a captive.”(Ozaki) Therefore, Momotaro's return…

Are any “natural human rights” real? What reason is there to think “natural human rights” do or do not exist? What are human rights? According to John Locke, there are three basic human rights given: the right to life, liberty, and estate. Human rights are rights that are inherent to all human beings when one enters the world. As humans, we rights that protect us from things like discrimination, freedom of thought and religion, and slavery. These basic human rights are often expressed by laws…

In The Devil’s Dictionary, Ambrose Bierce defined bride as “a woman with fine prospect of happiness behind her.” Similar to the quote, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin are two writers that focus on the theme of marriage in their short stories “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “The Story of an Hour,” respectively. Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin believe that instead of a content marriage life, there is a subordination of women and an inherent oppression in general marriage. In their…

Everything happens for a reason, even murder. Nonetheless, people believe murderers should not be able to explain why they ended a life, but this could be vital to preventing future homicides. However, most of the time, the motive is not clear. One explanation of this could be a personality disorder known as antisocial personality disorder. Many serial killers have this disorder. As he is described in Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, H.H. Holmes possesses symptoms of antisocial disorder.…

sin of gluttony in the sense that she overeats; she is guilty of this sin in the sense that she desires to get her own way. 2. The “All-I-want” state of mind is a state of mind in which a person wants things done to their liking. This serves the devil’s agenda by setting humans up to sin. One can delude oneself into believing that he is behaving morally. 3. Screwtape identifies monogamy or abstention as the “dilemma” God has placed humans in regarding sexual behavior. 4. According to…

Nathanial Hawthorne uses positivity with the forest where Hester and Dimmesdale can interact without the people of the town watching them. However, Hawthorne also explores negativity associated with nature by using the motif of weeds. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a weed as “A herbaceous plant not valued for use or beauty, growing wild and rank, and regarded as cumbering the ground or hindering the growth of superior vegetation”…

The Spear-Danes pride themselves on glory and honor in both life and death. The pagan belief in medieval Scandinavia emphasized a natural, earthly life that seemingly urged women, and specifically in the case of Beowulf, men to fulfil their worldly duties. In achieving earthly honor these warriors were eternalized through great stories and song, thus, never really dying. Beowulf portrays Heorot, a grandeur hall in which the Spear-Danes gather, eat, drink mead and reminisce about battles which…

You Have Been “Trumped” The criteria varies for what it takes to be a successful politician, it is vastly subjective and can change in an instant. According to Webster’s Dictionary, politics is “activities that relate to influencing the actions and policies of a government or getting and keeping power in a government”. Most people are looking for a strong leader, one that is trustworthy, and has a detailed history of unquestionable qualifications. People want politicians that relate to their…

Feminism is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” In The Scarlet Letter, an American Romantic novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the comparisons of characters reveals his underlying belief that men and women are innately equal. However, he also believes that a feminist revolution is not possible because of society. Hawthorne’s ambiguous views on feminism have spurred critics to write on his views of women and feminist…

What is a witch? According to Webster’s Dictionary witchcraft is, “the use of sorcery or magic.” By this definition, the term “witch” has been misused and misunderstood throughout history. Often considered a taboo subject, nothing stirs the pot quite like witchcraft. An in-depth study of witchcraft can help one to understand the mystique that surrounds it. European Witch Hunts (1300-1600) Witch hunts occurred long before the Salem witch trials. As Jess Blumberg from Smithsonian Magazine…