The Overcoat

He surveyed his wounds from the brawl in the shelters. His shaking hands navigated an overcoat of cuts and bruises. Ralph had served him a right beating. He lifted his hands to his face and stared at his right pointer finger which was now occupied by a drop of warm blood. Right then, his breath was halted by a startling cackle. Roger’s head…

The man in the alley went unnoticed. Or perhaps he was unremarked upon, ignored. A long, tattered overcoat splattered with various fluids hid the majority of his body, though matted black hair that would have been smooth and glossy had he washed remained visible. His head was bowed, burrowed into his folded arms where he sat curled against the alley wall. It was almost as if he slept. Even then he cowered, flinched. Foot traffic was low in a forgotten corner of midsummer Los Angeles, the…

Money cannot buy happiness. This famous proverb initially provides a comforting idea; that life is worth more than wealth. However, Willa Cather’s Paul’s Case provides a more unsettling take on this proverb. Cather asserts that the upper class has more than just money. They have a different set of societal expectations and standards, allowed the privilege of exclusive pastimes, such as the fine arts. Paul exemplifies the consequence of when someone of a lower socioeconomic status enjoys…

Throughout Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake, as the title may imply, names play a very prominent role in the story. The most important name is that of Gogol, who only learns the true reason for his name after he graduated from college. This decision of his father, Ashoke, to keep the true story hidden away changes the way Gogol acts. Due to his lack of knowledge on his namesake, Gogol gains a hatred for his name, and eventually makes a drastic decision to change his name, which shows off the…

The short story opens with two men named Max and Al entering a diner and sitting down at the counter. The story is set in the early evening, just as darkness begins to fall. Max and Al are wearing matching outfits consisting of derby hats, black overcoats, silk mufflers and gloves. It is worth noting that this outfit is commonly associated with organized crime in the early 20th century. The…

m o n s I e u r s a g e “Everybody was a little afraid of Monsieur Sage, the opera connoisseur.” Monsieur Sage sits by the stage. Today he has on a long, plum-colored overcoat. His cravat is tied neatly – c'est la – and his hat has been taken off his head and placed neatly beside him – so. Monsieur Sage is with us nearly every day. His shoes are shined by the boys who come in with their big boot-black kits and eyes like bad charcoal sketches. His waistcoats are eyed by Madame Duchamp, who…

The way Joyce utilizes characters in the story Araby is very unique. He uses short details to push through what he is saying. In the beginning of the story, he talks about the general environment in the boy's neighborhood. It says when the Uncle came out they would hide in the shadows avoiding to be seen. Already we can tell that there is a problem with parenting because these kids are doing things that they aren't supposed to be doing and the fact that he is being watched by his uncle shows us…

You Are What You Eat The award-winning novelist, Jhumpa Lahiri, centers her writings on the theme of identity negotiation. Her characters are often immigrants to the United States, who struggle to preserve their own identity in their adopted home. Her writings are characterized by an omnipresent image of food consumption and rituals of cooking. Food represents cultures. By consuming certain kinds of food, we human beings mark our membership of a particular community conforming ourselves…

The idea of time, on earth, is very simple. Time consists of two main thoughts; there is only one moment happening at a time and that free will can determine what happens in a person’s lifetime. Slaughterhouse- Five, a science fiction novel written by Kurt Vonnegut, depicts time and challenges the idea of free will in an unusual way. The story follows a man by the name of Billy Pilgrim who “time travels” through different time periods in his life. Mostly, however, Billy is traveling through his…

Two perceptions, one meaning Cranach’s Wittenberg Altarpiece The majestic art piece “The Wittenberg Altarpiece” was painted by Lucas Cranach in 1547. This altarpiece is the focal point of the City Church in Wittenberg, on it we can appreciate the importance of how worship was sensed during those days. At the same time, the altarpiece also works as a religious type of publicity since we can identify a clear illustration of the effects of the Reformation on Northern European art. Martin Luther…