How to Tell a True War Story vs. Soldiers Home Essay

Many authors have written war stories and about the effects of war on a person. Two of these writers are Tim OBrian and Ernest Hemingway. OBrian wrote How to Tell a True War Story; and Hemingway wrote a short story called Soldiers Home. Both of these stories illustrate to the reader just what war can do to an average person and what, during war, made the person change. The stories are alike in many respects due to the fact that both authors served time in the army; OBrian in the Vietnam War and Hemingway in WWI. However, the stories do have differences due to the slightly different themes and also the different writing techniques of the authors. The stories are alike more than different because they both involve young men†¦show more content†¦However, there are noticeable differences the reader can observe when comparing the two stories. The most prevalent difference is a consequence of the writers choosing to focus on different aspects of a soldier. Hemingway uses K rebs to show what a dramatic effect war can have on someone. He focuses on what war can do to a person; while OBrian tends to use graphic details and explanations of what would turn a man into the veteran Krebs. A great example of this is the title itself of Hemingways story. Soldiers Home is representative of the home in which Krebs comes back to and what it is like after his return. OBrian, however, uses gory stories like the one about the V.C. water buffalo to describe how the men felt during war and what impact the event had on the active soldiers. His idea is more of telling a war story, and also has a fitting title; How to Tell a True War Story. One might say that OBrian focuses more on telling what happens during war and Hemingways story is about how the events impact the soldiers once they assimilate back into society. Overall, these are two great stories that give the reader a better idea of what war can and most likely will do to a person. Although there are differences, the similarities areShow MoreRelatedEssay about Profession of Arms11066 Words   |  45 PagesArms, Its Culture, and Ethic The overall objective of the Army Profession of Arms campaign is for Soldiers and leaders to refine their understanding of what it means to be professionals--expert members of the Profession of Arms--after nine years of war and to recommit to a culture of service and the responsibilities and behaviors of our profession as articulated in the Army Ethic. GEN Martin E. Dempsey, CG, TRADOC The preeminent military task, and what separates [the military profession] fromRead MoreEssay on All Quiet On The Western Front6523 Words   |  27 Pagesfriends, Tjaden and Muller, eat another helping; he wonders where Tjaden puts all the food, for he is as thin as a rail. Baumer is only nineteen years of age. He enlisted in the German infantry because Kantorek, his high school teacher, had glorified war and talked him into fighting for the fatherland. Kropp, Behm, and Leer, former classmates of Baumer, were also persuaded by Kantorek to join the infantry. They are all now fellow soldiers along with Tjaden, Westhus, Detering, and Katczinsky. AfterRead MoreSSD2 Module 4 Notes Essay28478 Words   |  114 PagesCompetency Culture Culture is the pattern of action and the ways of perceiving, feeling, and thinking acquired growing up in a particular group of people Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism is the attitude held by the members of a culture that theirs is the only true, right, and best way to view and act in the world. Cultural relativism Cultural relativism is the idea that human behavior, ideas, and emotions must be understood in the context of the whole culture in which they occur. Culture shock Culture shockRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 PagesOrganizational Theory takes you on a joyful ride through the developments of one of the great enigmas of our time – How should we understand the organization? Jan Ole Similà ¤, Assistant Professor, Nord-Trà ¸ndelag University College, Norway I really enjoyed this new text and I am sure my students will enjoy it, too. It combines rigorous theoretical argument with application and consideration of how managment practice is formed and shaped by ideas and concepts. The authors have brought their wealth of experience

Sectionalism In The 19th Century - 1318 Words

During the Age of Jackson, America was still trying to find it’s definite identity. America was making progress, but they were not where they wanted to be yet. The sense of optimism and ongoing expansion during the early 19th century that helped to bring America together for a period both contributed to a time of happiness and breakthroughs in which America is trying to be defined as a happy and thriving nation. The rise of democracy coupled with the the gradual political process, both magnify the degree to which America was still trying to find themselves politically. The rise of sectionalism and decline of nationalism point to the once wavering aura of togetherness and separateness and now complete dominance of sectionalism. These†¦show more content†¦All of these things being said, nationalism is the result of these changes and feel-good moments. Togetherness separates America from the rest of the world during the Era of Good Feelings to help portray America as a n ew thriving nation moving up. America wasn’t the only nation â€Å"thriving†. The Industrial Revolution in Europe (1750s--1840s) make the booming nations in Europe. Yet, America thrives at the expense of being a very young nation that’s gaining steam and doing it together. The steamboat linked with the canal system helped to bring about hope and optimism and elevate America into the world spotlight and helped a gradual transition from being a weak and non-self-reliant nation. In addition to expansion, a Jacksonian democracy with protective trade strategies played a big part in ensuring uniqueness in America. In the U.S. in the early 1800s, people who voted were white men, landowning, and quite wealthy--all stemming from Jeffersonian democracy. Jackson being a common man himself changed the idea of what the regular voter looks like. He allowed non-elitist, non-land-owning white men to vote. But at the same time, he knew what that would look like in the national and international spotlight. Jackson didn’t search for uniqueness in male suffrage, but in a way he did. He allowed male voting rights not trying to look unique on the international level, but he knew a change needed to be made in who got to vote despite looking different from mostShow MoreRelatedForces Between Nationalism and Sectionalism in the 19th Century2181 Words   |  9 Pagesand Sectionalism? During the course of American History, and especially after the War for Independence, Nationalism and Sectionalism contributed and interacted with each other to shape the development of the United States of America. These two ideologies are the inverse of one another. When sectionalism is strong, nationalism is weak. When Nationalism is strong, sectionalism is weak. While sectionalism and nationalism work off of each other, nationalism has always prevailed over sectionalism in historyRead MoreDBQ Questions781 Words   |  4 Pages1787-1857. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Westward Movement Describe the westward movement during the first hall of the 19th century as a political issue as well as a social issue in regard to social class, gender issues, and slavery. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Read MoreWhy Is the â€Å"Era of Goof Feelings† a Misnomer? Essay859 Words   |  4 PagesHowever, the perception of unity that this era defines is somewhat misleading. Throughout this period, there were various problems that contradicted the era’s name. Some of the serious issues that divided the nation were economic depression and sectionalism. The first major fracture in â€Å"Era of Good Feelings† was an economic panic and depression that is frequently known as â€Å"The Panic of 1819†. This disaster was largely caused by the Second Bank of the United States (BUS). In their delayed attemptRead MoreThe American Civil War Was An Internal Conflict Fought1527 Words   |  7 Pagesillegal in the North, having been outlawed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was also fading in the border states and in Southern cities, but it was expanding in the highly profitable cotton districts of the South and Southwest. Subsequent writers on the American Civil War looked to several factors explaining the geographic divide, including sectionalism, protectionism, and state s rights. Sectionalism Sectionalism refers to the different economies, social structure, customs and politicalRead MoreAmerican history from 1815 to 1840 Essay1054 Words   |  5 Pagesutilized a wider variety of campaigning methods in order to appeal to as many voters as possible, all essentially caused by economic growth. Politics grow to include universal white male suffrage, a strong national government, and nationalism versus sectionalism. Economic Growth (American System, Industrial Revolution, Sectional Economies, Internal Improvements Inventions) caused the political party changes. In order to understand and analyze the forces that shaped politics during this time period,Read MoreEssay on Religion Causes War1486 Words   |  6 Pagesthan any religion ever has been. (Con Side) They further contend that the claim that religion causes war is not supported by the historical or contemporary evidence. They maintain that only 7 (10%) of all the wars (and the same percentage of 20th century wars) had clear religious motivation, and most had no detectable religious motivation at all. The counter argument is that flies in the face of historical fact: for every year of peace in humankinds history there have been fourteen years of war,Read MoreCauses Of The Missouri Compromise Of 1820814 Words   |  4 PagesJamestown, Virginia, in 1619 to increase the production of crops such as tobacco. Slavery was practiced throughout the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries, African-American slaves helped build the economic foundations of the new nation. â€Å"America’s explosive growth–and its expansion westward in the first half of the 19th century–would provide a larger stage for the growing conflict over slavery in America and its future lim itation or expansion. In 1820, a bitter debate over the federalRead MoreThe War On American Soil2242 Words   |  9 PagesA tendency to be more concerned with the interests of a particular group than with the problems of the whole is the definition of sectionalism. Since the United States gained it s independence from Britain, sectionalism grew alongside the country. Differences in lifestyles and opinions drove a wedge between groups of people. What started off as two political parties butting heads gradually escalated to two parts of the country, the North and South, dueling against one another. These different viewpointsRead MoreSlave Trade Abolition Of Britain And United States Essay1298 Words   |  6 Pagesforcefully brought to work for the production of profitable crops like tobacco. The slavery was practiced all over the American colonies in 17th and 18th centuries. These slaves helped in building the economy of the new nation. Invention of cotton solidified the belief that more workers were needed to work in the farm and ginnery. By middle of 19th century, the Americans westward expansion movement and the ever present abolition movement practiced in the north, provoked a slavery debate, which in turnRead MoreThe Impact Of Westward Expansion On The United States1571 Words   |  7 Pagesabout tension that plagued the nation for years to come. Some historians may construe westward expansion as beneficial to the United States, arguing that it reduced tensions within the nascent nation. Westward migration was glorified in the early 19th century as the way in which to achieve true freedom. The West was associated with economic opportunity and basic Republican ideals. Streams of individuals seeking prosperity and liberty flooded into the west after the Louisiana Purchase. With the rapid

China And The Siberian Tiger - 1175 Words

China is located between Eurasia and the Pacific Ocean. With China, being located between these two areas there is a tug of war that takes place between the air masses of these areas. The Siberia creates a dry cold air that flows in the northern region of the country with tropical air from Pacific flows through the south, which brings moist air. During spring and summer the monsoons season comes in. With China having such a diverse climate and terrain, China has a wide range of an ecosystem. They have an amazing variety of animals and plants. Many of these animal and plants are rare and exceptional. Although with the human population growth, increase agriculture, industrial, and urban development the landscape has changed a lot.†¦show more content†¦This caused a century of self-examination between the educated and the acceptance of the different government system. The Chinese government tried to create a strong society but end return it has led to the Great Proletar ian Cultural Revolution. This revolution relied on mass deployment to destroy anything identified as out-of-date and to hunt out those whose attitudes and backgrounds deemed a hindrance to the creation of the new society. Many Chinese who mobilized in their adolescence as Red Guards have expressed their guilt and disgrace at having followed Mao Zedong’s words â€Å"to rebel is justified†. The founding of People’s Republic of China in 1949, were predominantly ruthless in order to demonstrate their revolutionary commitment and dedication to the Chairman Mao. Officially, the People’s Republic of China recognizes 56 ethnic groups. The efforts to categorize ethnic minorities began after 1949. More than 400 separate groups identified on the foundation of different language, culture, and heritage. Since there is 1.1 billion people, Han Chinese establish the dominant majority, accounting for 92% of China’s population. Ethnic minorities remained excused from the state’s one child per family policy, although running muck with local authorities can have an outcome of loss of this privilege. The official language is Mandarin and spoken by the People’s Republic of China and

Twelve Angry Men - 1296 Words

Time: 1957 Place: New York City Courtroom Case: An African-American teenager has been accused of murdering his father. On April 14th, 1951, Reginald Rose, a thirty-one-year-old army veteran published his second, and most prominent dramatic work entitled Twelve Angry Men. This play is now admired as a momentous, eloquent and critical examination of the United States jury system. Twelve Angry Men examines key courtroom themes including civil duty and reasonable doubt. Through the voice of these twelve men, the audience must ask themselves imperative questions regarding the American court system, moral responsibility and the role of emotions in a verdict. The selection of jurors is indeed a very complicated process.†¦show more content†¦After this introductory clash of morals and ideals, the jurors must now review the case and reach a unanimous verdict. This play, and a substantial amount of literature and research, demonstrates that the American system of jurisprudence is imperfect. â€Å"Twelve men are put in a hot, crowded room and asked to decide the fate of an accused murderer. In doing so they also return a verdict on the system itself† (â€Å"12 Best†) Despite attempts to create fairness and balance, â€Å"a jury of your peers† means that emotion and personal prejudice are part of the process. In Twelve Angry Men, the effectiveness of the jury process is questionable. â€Å"It’s great that the play is†¦critical of the fact that the juror’s personal baggage is not checked at the door. Many critics argue that the jury system works against justice because a juryShow MoreRelatedThe Twelve Angry Men Juror 3 and Juror 8 Comparing Essay1919 Words   |  8 PagesComparison essay comparing Juror 3 and Juror 8 What are some similarities between Jurors 3 and 8? What about differences? Oh gosh, its been years since Ive seen the movie (didnt read the play).   Okay,  Juror  #3 is the angry father, and Juror #8 is the guy who stands alone in the INNOCENT vote, right? I suspect the similarities are easier to find by reading the play because the movie really shows their contrasts. There is one similarity in that when they really believe something, theyRead MoreFilm Analysis: Twelve Angry Men2007 Words   |  9 PagesThe movie Twelve Angry Men is about a young man who is accused of stabbing his father to death. The twelve jurors have to decide whether the defendant is guilty or innocent. If the young man is found guilty, there is a mandatory death sentence (the jury needs to be unanimous in their decision). At the preliminary vote, eleven of the twelve jurors vote the young man guilty. Henry Fonda is the only one who voted the accused as not guilty because he doesnt want to send the defendant to the deathRead MoreEssay on Twelve Angry Men (Norms, Roles, Process)1038 Words   |  5 Pagesresult is brought about because one juror, motivated by his respect for the law and its processes, is able to defy the peer pressure of the jury room in his quest for the truth. The jurors are transformed by the process of deliberating. Eleven men voted guilty because of their prejudices, fears, laziness and insecurities, but they are eventually persuaded by reason to give up these limiting beliefs, to see the potential in the facts, and to find justice. The critical turning points in the juryRead MoreTwelve Angry Men1446 Words   |  6 PagesReginald Rose and depicts a story about twelve jurors trying to determine if a young boy is found guilty of killing his father. The play starts out in the courtroom where the judge is giving instructions to the jurors on the murder case. It is stated that if the young man is found guilty, he will be charged with a mandatory sentence of the death penalty. It is now up to the twelve men to determine if this young man should be sentenced to death. The twelve men then file into the jury room and sitRead MoreTwelve Angry Men1110 Words   |  5 PagesDoes Twelve Angry Men show that prejudice can obscure the truth? In the play Twelve Angry Men, Reginald Rose shows that prejudices can prevent jurors from seeing the truth. This is evident throughout the play as juror 10 blinded to the facts because prejudice clouds his judgement. However, besides prejudice, Rose also show personal bias, ignorance and a weak characteristic can take away jurors’ abilities to see the truth. For instance, juror 3’s bad relationship with his son in the past and juror7’sRead MoreTwelve Angry Men677 Words   |  3 PagesTwelve angry men essay ‘Twelve angry men’ shows that personal experience is the strongest factor influencing human decision-making processes.’ Discuss Twelve angry men by Reginald Rose is an intriguing play that explores the idea of personal experience affecting ones decision. Indeed Rose shows that decision-making is based on personal experiences. This is evident in the play when the 3rd Juror’s personal experience with his own son influences his decision and as a result he votes for guiltyRead MoreTwelve Angry Men2494 Words   |  10 PagesTwelve Angry Men Act I Vocabulary unanimous – complete agreement with no one dissenting refugee – a person who flees one country and seeks safety somewhere else el – a train of the same design as a subway train that runs on tracks elevated a few stories above street level. retire – to leave the open court to go to a private room calculus – a complicated mathematical process belligerently – in a hostile or angry manner monopoly – the exclusive ownership of a business switch knife – more commonly referredRead MoreTwelve Angry Men Essay707 Words   |  3 PagesTopic: ‘The 8th Juror’s heroism lies in the individual courage and integrity he displays.’ Reginald Rose’s ‘Twelve Angry Men’ is a play which displays the twelve individual jurors’ characteristics through the deliberation of a first degree murder case. Out of the twelve jurors, the 8th Juror shows an outstanding heroism exists in his individual bravery and truthfulness. At the start, the 8th Juror stands alone with his opposing view of the case to the other eleven jurors. Furthermore, he is depictedRead More Twelve Angry Men Essay647 Words   |  3 Pages Twelve Angry Men is a very interesting play about an unfortunate young man, who was convicted of killing his dad. The worst part was, the young man was only nineteen, and his life was just starting. The jurors listened to all the evidence, then came the hard part, making the decision: guilty, or innocent. Eleven jurors said guilty and only one said innocent. There was a lot of peer pressure involved. I decided to write about different peer pressures three of the jurors used. The three jurors IRead MoreTwelve Angry Men Essay1265 Words   |  6 PagesIts not easy to stand alone against the ridicule of others. Twelve Angry Men is more than a play, it is a reminder of our social responsibility. Discuss. Twelve Angry Men is a legal drama, written by Reginald Rose during the heightened period of 1950s McCarthyism. The didactic play presents a cross section, examining 1950s America during a period of immense suspicion and uncertainty. Roses play reminds us of the importance of responsibility and integrity, emphasising qualities such as courage

Four Primary HRM Functions

Question: Describe about four primary HRM functions and Influencing people management activities in organization by the organizational structure and management style of managers. answer: Introduction: Human beings are the greatest asset of an organization; without them the organizational activities could not be completed. In order to achieve the high level of success, the organizations should manage the human resources of the organization in an effective way (Buller and McEvoy 2012). The primary functions of the human resource management (HRM) are recruitment, development, performance management, reward management, discipline management, administrative function management, employee wellbeing management etc. In this report, four primary functions of the HRM will be discussed and then the role of organizational structure and management style in the area of employee management will be discussed. Four primary HRM functions 1) Recruitment and selection: Recruiting people in an organization is a vital task of HRM. Both of the job specification and job description are important tools of this process. Job title, department and the date on which the employee is needed are the preliminary information required for the recruitment process. The recruitment can be done by selecting candidates either internally or externally (Renwick et al. 2013). Therefore, the process of selection should also be clear at the initial stage. The recruitment and selection procedure should be done in a structured way which can ensure the qualification and efficiency of the selected people for the desired job position (Alfes et al. 2013). 2) Training and development: After recruiting new employees, the HR department of an organization has the responsibility of developing them for the specific job positions. In order to do that both of the theoretical and practical training is required (Kehoe and Wright 2013). Some of the effective training methods are positioning and a) informing the employees about the responsibilities, b) developing required skills, c) resisting accidents by providing safety training, d) professional and technical education, e) supervisory training and executive education etc. Training has the focus on activities required for the current job positions and development deals with the supporting activities for enhancing the knowledge bases of the employees for performing better in the workplaces (Campbell et al. 2012). 3) Performance management: Performance management is a complicated function of the HRM of an organization. Performance management can be treated as a systematic approach through which the overall performance of an organization can be improvised by improving the performance of tee individual employees or working framework. It encompasses various activities like goal setting, progress review, collecting feed backs, providing coaching for improving performance, developing and maintaining reward programs etc. (Dries 2013). 4) Reward management: Motivating the employees is one of the most important tasks of the HRM activities. After providing the effective level of training and development process, the HR managers should stimulate them for better performance. In order to motivate the employees, the HR managers have to give them some rewards. Pay is the key of managing the human resources of an organization as people works for getting paid by the employers. Some extra payments or some kinds of other facilities as the term of rewards encourage the employees for performing better in their workplaces (Banfield and Kay 2012). HR managers should maintain equality and a justified approach for providing the rewards to the employees. Organizational structure and management style of the managers for managing the employees Only the management skills are not enough to manage the employees of an organization in an open way. Organizational structure has a major influence on the style of management and the working strategy of the employees of an organization. The managers can choose one of the two basic management style; centralized management and decentralized management (Park and Shaw 2013). Selection of the management style depends on the organization structure of the organization. If the managers follow the centralized approach for managing the people of the organization then the employees follow the decisions taken by the central managers. It is best with the simple organizational structures in some small business organizations or product companies. In the decentralized management style, the managers coordinate with the output of the activities with the experts without interfacing with the contents of the works. In this case, the managers are extremely analytical and have the focus on the area of impr ovement of the process by discussing with the experts about the logistic and other working conditions. This management style is the best in the corporate sector with a high level of professional accuracy (Nyberg et al. 2014). It is important to consider the condition of the market and the whole industry while selecting a management style for an organization. Sometimes conflicts occur between the overall management style of the organization and the individual management skills of the managers. The managers should apply their skills which fit to the management style following by the organization (Neubert et al. 2014). Failure of the people management can occur in any circumstances if the management skill of the managers does not fit with the organizational structure. They have to identify their different management skills for taking right decision depending on the management style of the organization (Csaszar 2012). This will ensure the most effective way for managing the employees. In order to achieve a high level of success, an organization should have a good fit between the organizational structure and the management style. The organizations having the highest fit between these two factors have the quality of achieving maximum productivity through synchronized quality effort of their employees. This right fit gives the ability of developing a happy workforce. The employees respect the managers with good management skills. This refers to the style of the management, reward management etc. Conclusion and Recommendations: HRM is the systemic approach for controlling the network of all fundamental activities and members of an organization. The basic functions of the HRM should be performed with the high level of care by the HR department of an organization. These activities should ensure the choice of appropriate people for a job position, proper development of the people, effective performance management and motivating the people for better performances. The management style of the managers have to be properly fit with the organizational structure and management style for the effective management of the people who are working in the organization. Bibliography: Alfes, K., Shantz, A.D., Truss, C. and Soane, E.C., 2013. The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behaviour: a moderated mediation model. The international journal of human resource management, 24(2), pp.330-351. Banfield, P. and Kay, R., 2012. Introduction to human resource management. Oxford University Press. Buller, P.F. and McEvoy, G.M., 2012. Strategy, human resource management and performance: Sharpening line of sight. Human resource management review, 22(1), pp.43-56. Campbell, B.A., Coff, R. and Kryscynski, D., 2012. Rethinking sustained competitive advantage from human capital. Academy of Management Review, 37(3), pp.376-395. Csaszar, F.A., 2012. Organizational structure as a determinant of performance: Evidence from mutual funds. Strategic Management Journal,33(6), pp.611-632. Dries, N., 2013. The psychology of talent management: A review and research agenda. Human Resource Management Review, 23(4), pp.272-285. Kehoe, R.R. and Wright, P.M., 2013. The impact of high-performance human resource practices on employees attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Management, 39(2), pp.366-391. Neubert, M.J., Hunter, E.M. and Tolentino, R., 2014, January. The Influence of Servant Leadership and Organizational Structure on Employee and Patient Outcomes. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2014, No. 1, p. 17320). Academy of Management. Nyberg, A.J., Moliterno, T.P., Hale, D. and Lepak, D.P., 2014. Resource-based perspectives on unit-level human capital a review and integration. Journal of Management, 40(1), pp.316-346. Park, T.Y. and Shaw, J.D., 2013. Turnover rates and organizational performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), p.268. Renwick, D.W., Redman, T. and Maguire, S., 2013. Green human resource management: a review and research agenda*. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(1), pp.1-14. Vaiman, V., Scullion, H. and Collings, D., 2012. Talent management decision making. Management Decision, 50(5), pp.925-941.

CopyofTheEssayMachine free essay sample

Consider a startling statement or a surprising fact. However, this sentence should have relevance to your thesis statement. Focusing Sentences Here you need a few sentences that will connect your hook sentence to your thesis statement. Thesis Statement This is the one complete sentence that your entire essay is attempting to prove. This sentence should be arguable, doubtable, and The brain is the most important organ in the human body. It diligently works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year Till you fall in love. Once you fall in love, your brain becomes clouded with very strong almost unbearable feelings. Its as if nothing or no one else matters. For example dependable. A standard thesis statement about literature will state that an author uses defined literary devices to convey a defined theme (you establish the defined literary devices and theme). Body #1 Topic Sentence / Controlling Idea #1 And Romeo and Juliet demonstrate this perfectly. We will write a custom essay sample on CopyofTheEssayMachine or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is your body paragraphs thesis statement.Like the thesis statement, it should make a claim that others could oppose. Friar Laurence is to blame for Romeo and Gullets death. He should have been aware of the adolescent immaturity of Juliet before giving her such a powerful potion. Friar Laurence should Here you want to provide any have also taken into account that they were two young teens necessary background that were madly in love and prone to act irrational. Information necessary to explain or support your controlling idea. Explain Controlling IdeaExamples / Textual Evidence Provide specific examples or textual evidence that support your controlling idea and your development sentences. Explain the Examples / Evidence Explain how the examples and evidence connect to the topic sentence or controlling idea.

What Part Does Gold Play in the Lives of Godfrey Cass and Silas Marner Essay Example

What Part Does Gold Play in the Lives of Godfrey Cass and Silas Marner Paper George Eliots 19th century novel explores the lives of the people of Raveloe, especially those of Godfrey Cass and the weaver Silas Marner. Raveloe was a small, sleepy village tucked far away from the advancing industrial revolution. Raveloe lay low among the bushy trees and the rutted lanes, aloof from the currents of industrial energy The inhabitants of the village led simple lives and were all traditionally church going. They were highly suspicious of strangers, particularly those from different parts of the country. This reflects the fact that travel was inevitably slower and more arduous than it is today, and any traveller would have been seen as though almost from a different country. Even though Silas and Godfrey have seemingly nothing in common, leading two very different lives separated by a large gulf in class, they are both linked together by the power of gold, in the literal and symbolic sense. By the end of the novel their paths have intertwined. The book starts with Silas very much alone, his faith in mankind and God shattered. Poor Marner went out with despair in his soul that shakes trust in man and God, which is little short of madness to a loving nature George Eliot describes Silas as honest and simple and says he is a good man. He lives within a religious sect in a convent called Lantern Yard in a large soon to be industrialised northern town. When his friend of many years at the sect, William Dane, betrays him by falsely accusing him of the theft of gold, Silas is crushed. At the base of Silass problems throughout the book is gold. He leaves the sect a broken man, a deep distrust of mankind firmly rooted in him. We will write a custom essay sample on What Part Does Gold Play in the Lives of Godfrey Cass and Silas Marner specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What Part Does Gold Play in the Lives of Godfrey Cass and Silas Marner specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What Part Does Gold Play in the Lives of Godfrey Cass and Silas Marner specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The weaver travels to Raveloe, a village that is almost the exact opposite of his home town, trying to forget his past life but consumed with a lasting bitterness. There was nothing here, when he rose in the deep morning quiet and looked out on the dewy branches and rank tufted grass, that seemed to have any relation with that centring on Lantern Yard.. Once in Raveloe Silas goes into a self imposed isolation, afraid of betrayal again. Whilst not being a particularly gregarious person in the first place, quite shy and simple, Silas now loathes having any contact with the people of Raveloe. Godfrey Cass, the son of Squire Cass and a respected and well liked man in the village is also in a state of uncertainty. He is plagued by fears he may lose his vast inheritance, and without money, for which he has been accustomed to his whole life, he would be destitute, with no means to attain an income of his own. The disinherited son of a small squire, was almost as helpless as an uprooted tree He has for several years kept secret a marriage to a woman of much lower class that would surely degrade him in his social groups and have an adverse affect on his attempts to marry Nancy Lammeter. Complicating matters is the fact that Godfreys scheming brother Dunstan knows of this and is blackmailing his brother extortionate amounts of money to keep quiet. Godfrey is fast running out of money himself and has turned to desperate measures to raise it. Just as in Silass case, gold is the root of Godfreys dilemma. Godfrey has already taken rent from one of his fathers tenants and given it to Dunstan and now must sell his beloved horse Wildfire to raise money. He is stuck in this position due to his own cowardice, not raising up the confidence to tell his father of the marriage and end his turmoil. He frequently decides to expose what he has done before backing away from it, fearing the consequences. This irresolute behaviour indicates he is not a very strong willed man But when he awoke in the still morning darkness he found it impossible to reawaken his evening thoughts; it was as if they had been tired out and were not to be roused to further work This weak behaviour does not endear him to the reader, to whom it is obvious he is an indecisive man with gold controlling his decisions. Godfrey allows Dunstan to take Wildfire to be sold at the end of chapter 3. He gets a good price for the horse but whilst racing it takes a fall, staking Wildfire which leads to the animals quick death. Dunstan walks off unscathed, minus the desperately needed money. Walking home he notices Silass house unattended On arrival in Raveloe Silass closes himself into his home and begins working feverishly in his loom, not stopping. He takes comfort in the repetitive work, having no time to reflect on his friends treachery, resembling a spider spinning a web He seemed to weave, like the spider, from pure impulse, without reflection. George Eliot compares him to an insect as the only human urges he has are to eat, drink and sleep. He does not long for companionship and is more similar to a spider than a human being. It is at this stage he is first paid for his work in Raveloe. He enjoys the feel of the gold in his hand and likes looking at the shiny guineas, almost resembling old friends to him. This is the first time in his life he has his own money and he clearly enjoys the experience. As he carries on working with little pause he amasses a pile of money and the coins slowly replace a whole left by friendship in his life .. e drew them out to enjoy their companionship. He feels he knows the coins, their texture and colour are soon very familiar too him and they become the only thing he can rely on, a comfort as he distrusts practically everything else He handled them, he counted them, till their form and colour were like the satisfaction of a thirst to him. They are the one constant, along with his work in the loom, that keep his life together. Godfrey allows Dunstan to take Wildfire to be sold at the end of chapter 3. He gets a good price for the horse but whilst racing it takes a fall, staking Wildfire which leads to the animals quick death. Dunstan walks off unscathed, minus the desperately needed money. Walking home he notices Silass house unattended and hearing rumours of the weavers gold enters to search for it. He finds the hidden money and exits, walking off into the night. Marners life comes crashing down when the gold is taken from him. Some time after first entering Raveloe Eliot establishes Silass growing love and continued need for gold over a prolonged section of the book, so the reader is fully aware of how deep his requisite for it is. Upon discovering his gold missing Silas cannot quite believe that it is gone, searching again and again for it in its hiding place under the floorboards He passed his trembling hand all about the hole, trying to think it possible that his eyes had deceived him The thought of his precious gold ever disappearing never crossed his mind, as his disbelieving actions show. As he frantically searches every nook and cranny in his home the reader immediately sympathises with his predicament and feels a great deal of pity for Silas, seeing his distress at the loss. His reaction shows how much the gold means to him. He goes to his loom, looking for something to reassure him, to calm him. The moment he accepts the gold has vanished he lets out a terrible, despairing wail, the pain of his past betrayal seeming to resurface in the loss of the gold. He lurches out of his home, heading to the Rainbow pub to plead for help in assisting the capture of the thief he was now certain had taken his money. In this moment of anguish Silas begins the first steps towards rehabilitating socially. He has no choice but to go to other people and tell them of the theft. The repercussions of the villagers knowing of the robbery are that they, much like the reader, pity Silas and their opinions of him as odd or crazy alter. It was now apparent that Silas had not enough cunning to hold his own. He was generally thought of as a poor mushed creatur After the money has gone Silass life is without purpose. He lived for the evenings when he would count and look at his money, feel its friendship. He still works on the loom but only to fill the time. He has no desire to work for money as it would look meagre compared to his stolen hoard. The thought of the money he would get by his actual work could bring him no joy, for its meagre image was only a fresh reminder of his loss His loneliness is acute and leaves a chasm spaced hole inside of him. His neighbours visit often and bring gifts and kind words, neither of which has too much effect on Silas. He spends the Christmas period alone and this is when Eppie comes into his life. Godfreys wife, Molly, decides to visit him during the same time, carrying their child, on the night of a party at Godfreys house. She plans to tell the squire who she is in an act of vengeance. She is an opium addict and has been for several years and whilst walking down the freezing country lanes to Red House she takes a draught of it. She falls unconsciousness and collapses in the snow, leaving the child to wander off. She finds her way into Silass cottage where she walks through the open door and sits by the warm hearth. At the time Silas was in a cataleptic fit, a condition that causes him to freeze and fall numb to the world occasionally and did not see the little girl, Eppie, enter. As Silas opens his dreary eyes he mistakes the girls curly golden hair for his own gold, a position she will in the next fifteen years. As he realises its a small girl emotions stir immediately within Silas, emotions long since forgotten and never used whilst in Raveloe .. it stirred fibres that had never been moved in Raveloe-old quiverings of tenderness The child has a marked effect on him, even chuckling at her playing on his lap. When Silas realised she came in from the cold he goes out to investigate, finding the now dead body of Eppies mother. Godfreys new year party is disrupted by Silas bursting in, requesting a doctor. He sees him clutching the small girl and recognises at once that it is his daughter. When hearing of the woman in the snow he believes it to be his wife and wishes her to be dead, to end all his problems Godfrey felt a great throb: there was one terror in his mind at the moment: it was, that the woman might not be dead This kind of thinking does not endear him to the reader, selfishly guarding his own interests. When it becomes apparent the woman is dead and Silas wishes to claim Molly, Godfrey has the chance to tell the truth, that he is her real father, he does not have the courage, merely giving Silas some money towards some new clothes. With Silas now caring for Eppie but having no idea how to look after a small child he once again reaches out into the local community. Dolly Winthrop offers her services to Silas, already having a five year old son. The little girl brings Silas back into regular contact with society, makes him more at ease around people. the child created fresh and fresh links between his life and the lives from which he had hitherto shrunk continually into narrower isolation Unlike the gold Eppie desires and needs things, making Silas think of the future in ways he didnt before. The gold forced Silas to live a repetitive, isolated life whereas Eppie has reawakened him to the world, given him joy again. He went for walks with Eppie in the Summer where he would have been on the loom before, allowing him to appreciate things more. Eppie is like gold to him, she has replaced the satisfaction the gold gave him with human emotions. She is like treasure to him. There bond grows just as strong as a real father-daughter one would and continued to do so over fifteen years. Godfrey made sure Eppie always was well provided for over the fifteen years and watches over her. He and Nancy are now happily married but are ironically childless after a miscarriage. Believing he would have children with Nancy may have been part of the reason he didnt take Eppie and now he is left with no one to carry on the family name. When a skeleton is found in the drained quarry it is proved to be Dunstans, along with Silass money. This pushes Godfrey into some sort of action. He manages to tell Nancy that Eppie is his daughter after the first revelation. They decide on taking Eppie back and set off to Silass home immediately. Silas has realised that Eppie has enriched his life much more than his gold ever could as he looks at his now returned money. At this point Godfrey and Nancy knock on the cottage door. After carefully building towards the subject of Nancys parentage Godfrey reveals he is her biological father and that he wishes to take her back, offering her all the money she would ever need. Nancy does not wish to leave Silas, the man who has been a proper father to her. Godfrey cant understand her decision, saying he has a natural claim on her as if she were some possession. Godfrey and Nancy leave and it is clear to the reader that while Godfrey has more wealth, Silas is the richer man. George Eliot is saying here that human love is more rewarding and enriches you far more than money and material items, the likes of which Godfrey was offering.