Contrast The Representation Of Friday In Foe And Robinson Crusoe English Literature Essay

Contrast The Representation Of Friday In Foe And Robinson Crusoe English Literature Essay According to G Scott Bishop, it is important to read post-colonial literature in English, and see the reactions to the discussion of colonialism held by the English, as they reflect the way our historical actions created the world. Taking the plot of the father of the novel (Judith Hawley, spoken, 7th October 2010), and a novel focussed around colonialism, Robinson Crusoe, the post-colonial Foe deconstructs it to expose the lies and injustices that are seen in Robinson Crusoe, but never challenged. The change in cultural norms, from Britain in 1719 to South Africa in 1986 has been vast, and the challenging differences between the two novels purported to tell the same story is shocking. The central point of these differences is not, as some would suggest, Susan Barton, the interloper character, and female narrator, but more Friday, a character who is the same across the books, and yet incredibly different. Defoe used Friday to explore themes of religion, slavery and subjugation, all o f which were supposed to a natural state of being at that time in history, and Coetzee uses him to explore more strongly themes of slavery, black identity, and the voice of the oppressed. In neither book is Friday left simply to be a character, he is instead always used as a device through which the reader can explore other topics. Your master says the slavers cut [your tongue] out; but I have never heard of such a practiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Is it the truth that your master cut it out himself and blamed the slavers? (Coetzee, J.M, Foe.) The fact that this question is never answered, and that all attempts to force Friday to communicate fail drastically leave the reader wondering whether the slavers that captured Friday removed his tongue, or whether that was done by the colonialist Cruso, who felt there was no need of a great stock of words, (Coetzee, J.M, Foe). This contrasts vastly with Defoes Crusoe, who said I began to keep my journal; of which I shall here give you the copy (though in it will be told all these particulars over again) as long as it lasted; for having no more ink, I was forced to leave it off. This implies clearly that Defoes Crusoe gave a lot more care and interest to language than Coetzees Cruso. Defoes Crusoe, much as he appreciated journaling in his own language whilst alone, also took pleasure in teaching Friday to speak, In a little time I began to speak to him; and teach him to speak to meà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I likewise taught him to say Master; and then let him know that was to be my name: I likewise taught him to say Yes and No and to know the meaning of them. Defoes Crusoe was certainly concerned with language, but never investigated the language that was Fridays own, erasing Fridays history by naming him, and teaching him English. In this way, he could only voice the thoughts that Crusoe had given him language to speak. This was challenged by the voiceless Friday in Coetzees work, a character who literally couldnt speak. In this, it could be argued that Coetzee was asserting that it was not his right to give voice to an oppressed black character, and let Friday stand for the victims of apartheid and slavery, where Defoe (due to the beliefs of society at his time) believed that it was right and natural for Crusoe to claim the position of Master to Friday, and to speak for him. Hearing the voice of the ethnic minorities in both Foe and Robinson Crusoe is important, but so is acknowledging their different racial identities. Friday in Foes work, in standing for the victims of apartheid and slavery, is a black African character he was black, negro, with a head of fuzzy wool (Coetzees Foe), whereas Crusoes Friday, not standing for those causes, is portrayed as being an anglicised version of a Caribbean man, who had all the sweetness and softness of a European in his countenance. This implies that Friday was somehow better than the average Caribbean tribesman by dint of looking somewhat European, but at the same time, the first language Crusoe taught him was that he was his master. He was an improvement on the average savage, since his appearance was somewhat European, but still his race left him to be the natural servant of Crusoe. This Friday is very much a dramatic device used to portray Crusoes development as a religious man; [Crusoe] began to instruct him [ Friday] in the knowledge of the true God. This allowed Defoe to expand on Crusoes earlier mentions of religion, in his conversion, and in the hegemony of the time, caused Crusoe to be seen as a good and moral character, who treated his slave well, and brought him up to be religious (McInelly Colonialism, the novel and Robinson Crusoe). In Coetzees work, Friday is allowed to be sullen and unpleasant, easy to see, but hard to like, he is created to be the embodiment of all the oppression experienced by a racial group, to only be able to take in, never to give out ideas or understanding, to be central to a story he can have no part in. The silence of Coetzees Friday could also be said to reflect the reader, who, like Friday can only react and respond to situations. Katherine Wagner however argues against this, saying that criticism and silence are mutually exclusive terms. Coetzees Friday can only be silenced, but Defoes Friday has no room to criticise, and no part in making decisions for Crusoe, because in that time, a slave wouldnt have that option at all, Coetzees Friday can take no part, being unable to speak. His isolation and treatment as second class is made far more visible by his disability, a device Coetzee used to avoid speaking the black voice, as a privileged white man, whilst still drawing attention to the plight of slaves. Crusoe, Cruso and Barton were all seen to treat Friday very differently, but all see him as a possession in their own way. Crusoe did this most blatantly, in claiming, naming Friday and instructing him to call him Master, with Defoes Friday being portrayed as making signs of subjection, servitude, and submission to Crusoe without even any bidding. This added to the moral message of Robinson Crusoe, because it showed the savage being tamed, and later taught religion. This contrasts strongly with the Cruso created by Coetzee, who was sullen (J M Coetzee, Foe) in his service, who obeyed Cruso, but did not have the childish excitement or comically expressed pidgin (Chris Boignes, Lost in a maze of doubtin) portrayed in places by Defoe. Barton also claimed him, despite trying to treat him as an individual if Friday is not mine to set free, whose is he (J M Coetzee, Foe), and on some level saw him clearly as her property, forgetting that maybe it was not her right to set him free either. ( Chris Boignes, Lost in a maze of doubtin). The representation of Friday in these two texts is vastly different, and one could hardly believe that the two were in fact the same character. With different histories, and different personalities, in fact all both have in common is playing the role of the non-white slave in the text, to serve a literary purpose, in both reflecting the views of wider society towards non-white people, and in showing the development of other characters. This is not to say that either Friday was one-dimensional, in particular Coetzees Friday was multi-dimensional and complex, but more that despite the character complexity, despite his being resistant to being interpreted (Bishop C Scott, J. M. Coetzees Foe), and how central they were, both were created to serve only a purpose. 1. Bishop, C. Scott. J. M. Coetzees Foe. World Literature Today 64.1 (1990): 54. Print. http://www.jstor.org/sici?origin=sfx:sfxsici=0196-3570(1990)64:1%3C54:JMC%22%3E2.0.CO;2-H 2. Wagner, KM. Dichter and Dichtung + Foe by Coetzee, John Susan Barton and the truth of autobiography. English studies in Africa 32.1 (1989): 1-11. Print. http://pao.chadwyck.co.uk/articles/displayItem.do?QueryType=articlesResultsID=12B06460CF2F1F413filterSequence=0ItemNumber=1journalID=4273 3. Joanna Scott. Voice and trajectory: An interview with J. M. Coetzee Salmagundi.114/115 (1997): 82.22. Print.  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://lion.chadwyck.co.uk/searchFulltext.do?id=R01511343divLevel=0area=abellforward=critref_ft 4. Bongie, Chris. Lost in the Maze of Doubtin: J. M. Coetzees Foe and the Politics of (Un)Likeness. Modern Fiction Studies 39.2 (1993): 261-0. Print. http://pao.chadwyck.co.uk/PDF/1286892456412.pdf 5. Brett C McInelly. Expanding Empires, Expanding Selves: Colonialism, the Novel, and Robinson Crusoe. Studies in the Novel 35.1 (2003): 1. Print.   http://lion.chadwyck.co.uk/searchFulltext.do?id=R01665469divLevel=0area=abellforward=critref_ft 6. Cohen, D. Fashioning Friday (Robinson Crusoe). Queens Quarterly 115.1 (2008): 9-11. Print.   http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-179351988.html 7. Wheeler, Roxann. My Savage, My Man: Racial Multiplicity in Robinson Crusoe. ELH 62.4 (1995): 821. Print.  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.jstor.org/sici?origin=sfx:sfxsici=0013-8304(1995)62:4%3C821:SMRM%3E2.0.CO;2-Q 8. Ritchie, DE. Robinson Crusoe as Narrative Theologian. Renascence essays on values in literature 49.2 (1997): 94-17. Print. http://find.galegroup.com/shax/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-DocumentsresultListType=RESULT_LISTqrySerId=Locale(en,,):FQE%3D(tx,None,39)robinson+crusoe+as+narrative+theologian$sgHitCountType=NoneinPS=truesort=DateDescendsearchType=AdvancedSearchFormtabID=T013prodId=SHAXsearchId=R1currentPosition=1userGroupName=rho_ttdadocId=A19983243docType= 9. Donoghue, Frank. Inevitable Politics: Rulership and Identity in Robinson Crusoe. Studies in the Novel 27.1 (1995): 1-0. Print http://lion.chadwyck.co.uk/searchFulltext.do?id=R01532799divLevel=0area=abellforward=critref_ft 10. Ngugi Wa Thiongo. The language of African literature. Decolonising the Mind. London / Portsmouth N.H James Currey / Heinemann 1986 11. Judith Hawley Robinson Crusoe (University Lecture) 7th October 2010

Drama In Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Essay

A very living and breathing drama of life is painted in â€Å"Road Not Taken† that presents a situation in which speaker is caught in a decision-making dilemma. The setting of the poem presents the speaker t a bifurcation of road where he must decide which trail to take. He can not make out where either road leads. He looks at the physical aspects of the road and decides to travel on the less-traveled road. The poem symbolizes the underlying theme of choice-making and speaker’s individuality in prefer a less-common way. It further implies that decision-making must not be procrastinated because it is more harmful than the outcome of an endeavor. Furthermore, in manifest that there is no absolute choice available to human being and he has to prefer one choice over the other provided and governed by destiny. The only distinction that poet has, is his preference of less-common choice. Although whole poem is an extended metaphor of life where one comes across many occasions when he has to make decisions but Frost introduces various metaphorical expression to convey the intensity of the situation. In the very first line, Robert Frost brings in the primary metaphor, the diverging roads. Fist line introduces the dilemma of diverging road while in line 2-3 poet shows the limitations of physical being and regrets over human incapability to travel on both road. â€Å"Long I stood† depicts that he did take the impulsive decision and took his time to make decision. Lines 4-10 depict his comparative examination of both roads. He again refers to human incapacity when he acknowledges that his vision is inadequate. Next two lines resonate the past feeling as he finds the both road â€Å"really about the same†. In 13-15, he makes his decision whereas lines five lines, he visualizes himself in future, talking about his decision to go on the less-traveled path.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The tone of the poem is meditative because speaker contemplates on his options. He has to take into account the characteristics of each road. There is an element of regret also as he can not travel on both road but poems ends on an optimistic not as poet thinks that traveling on less-traveled road will make the difference. He signifies the importance of his individuality that compels him to move on a less-trodden path. He does not adopt the ordinary path in the mundane activities of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The structure of the poem has a peculiar importance and is constructed on four stanzas with five lines each. The first stanza presents the dilemma; second stanza symbolizes the choices available to the speaker. Third stanza manifests his regret over not taking the other road whereas fourth road depicts the decision of the poet to take the less traveled road. There is sign of exclamation after line 13 that indicates the excitement on decision to keep the first path for another day but this excitement soon dies out as he doubts that whether he will come back. In lines 18 and 19, there is repetition of â€Å"I† that denotes the emphasis on â€Å"his† decision to move on less traveled trail. Rhyme scheme of the poem is abaabcdccd†¦Frost uses simple diction that conveys his message with comprehensive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So as a whole, this poem uses different poetical tools to describe the psychological dilemma of the poet in decision-making. His experience is not subjective but is of universal nature and he presents it in a subtle way.

Important Symbols in Lord of the Flies by William Golding

In William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies, he uses unique elements to symbolize many concepts throughout the story. The two most important but differing symbols used throughout the novel are the Conch and Sow’s head symbolically used by the author to demonstrate the transition of good to evil as the darkness of savagery slowly begins to powerfully overtake the boys’ mental concept of their civilian nature that they were born into. Both symbolically represent a certain importance and power to the boys as they fight to maintain order and civility on the island while trying to contain control over the group of young boys as they begin to abandon all ties to their once civilized life and mindset that they once knew. Isolation and daily struggles to survive on the island lead to the transition to killing and becoming more barbaric. The taste of killing and power becomes an overpowering obsession that the boys cannot consciously control. Lord of the Flies is a novel using different elements to show symbolism of different people in society and their reactions when cut off from the world and left to survive on their own. The conch and sow’s head are used as power over the group of boys. Jack Uses the conch to try and keep everyone working together, while Jack uses the sow’s head to threaten and show that meat and killing is the only importance in staying alive. Both boys have two different concepts and mental thinking of how things should be run on the island. Jack and Ralph’sShow MoreRelatedThe Powers of the Symbols in Lord of the Flies929 Words   |  4 PagesLord of the Flies is a novel that is all about symbols that have different powers which is used on the boys. Two of the symbols which are the conch and the sow’s head contain powers that are opposite of each other and they have a great affect on the boys. Lord of the Flies would be a different story without symbols. The conch has the powers that lead to civilization and order. It represents the authority that the boys will need to get rescued from the island. The sow’s head on the other hand representsRead MoreLord Of The Flies : Representation Of Violence And War1611 Words   |à ‚  7 PagesLord Of The Flies: Representation Of Violence and War Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, states that â€Å" The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.† In William Golding’s Lord Of The Flies, societal topics run rampant throughout the text with Golding’s use of individuals to represent different aspects of society. Many writers view the Lord Of The Flies as an allegory, as societal topics such as politics make appearances throughout the text. InRead MoreWilliam Golding s Lord Of The Flies 1299 Words   |  6 PagesKanak Garg Mr. Fraser English 10 Honors, Period 6 19 December 2014 Savagery in Civilization: Symbolism in Lord of the Flies Symbolism as defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary, is â€Å"the use of symbols to express or represent ideas or qualities in literature, art, etc.† (â€Å"Symbolism†). For this reason, symbolism is utilized in literature in order to make novels more interesting and convey notions that are usually either highly controversial or extremely philosophical. For example in the popularRead MoreLord Of The Flies Symbolism Essay1080 Words   |  5 PagesLord of the Flies Essay â€Å"Maybe there is a beast†¦ maybe its only us.†(Golding [Page 50]) The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is a novel that goes much deeper than a group of 12 year old boys stranded on an island. Throughout the book Golding portrays symbols and constant themes which show how he feels about the human race; that there is an inner beast inside everyone and no matter who you are, it will eventually get exposed. Golding also shows symbols throughout the book which represent theRead MoreLord Of The Flies Pig Head Analysis1023 Words   |  5 Pages2017 The Symbolic Meaning of the Lord of the Flies â€Å"We are civilized people, which means that we are all savages at heart but observing a few amenities of civilized behaviour.† Tennessee Williams, a prize winning playwright once stated about civilized humans. In the book Lord of the Flies by William Golding this quote depicts what the book is trying to point out and display to us. The quote ties in with the pig head on a stick, otherwise known as the Lord of the Flies. The pig head was killed barbaricallyRead MoreLord of the Flies, by William Golding1055 Words   |  5 Pages In William Goldings Lord of the Flies a group of English school boys crash land onto an uninhabited island somewhere in the Mid Atlantic ocean. Ralph, the protagonist and also the elected leader, tries to maintain peace and avoid any calamity on the island. However, Jack is neither willing to contribute nor listen because he is jealous of Ralph and has a sickening obsession with killing boars. Ralph has some good traits that help him maintain pea ce and balance for a period of time. He is charismaticRead MoreLord of the Flies a Microcosm to Our Society1306 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Golding s novel Lord of the Flies significantly symbolizes characters, objects and the setting to represent our world as a whole. Golding uses those symbols to make the island similar to society and to show the difference between living in a civilised society and savagery. The novel takes place on an island during World War II, this is significant since the isolation forms a sort of civilization and community, a sort of microcosm to the real world and to human civilization. Lord of the FliesRead MoreLord Of The Flies Film Analysis1084 Words   |  5 Pagesconsist of many compelling qualities in order for it to be adapted into a film. Lord of the Flies most definitely has these qualities like a strong conflict, interesting plot, and many literature techniques. Peter Brook created a film adaptation of Lord of the Flies in 1963. Peter Brook, director of the Lord of the flies film, did a commendable job of making the movie as similar as possible to the novel by William Golding. There are still a few key differences that make the novel much more compellingRead MoreSymbolic Elements in The Lord of the Flies by William Golding560 Words   |  3 PagesIn the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding the stranded boys come into contact with some particular elements that represent an idea which are called symbols. These symbols include the beast which represents the fear of the unknown and the darkness of mankind. The second symbol is the signal fire which rep resents hope. The third symbol is the conch shell which represents order. Golding indicates that when man is taken out of civilization, they have a natural instinct is to become evil, darknessRead MoreWilliam Goldings Lord of the Flies Essay1255 Words   |  6 Pagesever since they were born, or would they disregard all of it and do as they please because there is no definite authority figure to tell them how to live. In William Goldings, The Lord of the Flies, he brilliantly tells a story of life and death and everything in between. His use of symbolism with the conch, beast, and lord of the flies is phenomenal. It is a story that makes you think. Every person, when faced with reality, may act civil now, but in a survival situation, human nature takes over

Abraham Lincoln Was Not A Friend Of Africans - 1343 Words

Topic: Abraham Lincoln was not a friend of Africans Many American believe President Abraham Lincoln was a friend of Africans and even suggest that he freed the slave which is far from the truth. Although Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation made history the controversy remains as to the true reason of the Emancipation Proclamation. Many historian now believe that Emancipation Proclamation was design to protect the union and not free the slaves. It is true that Lincoln thought slavery is a bad institution however, it is also true that he believes that blacks could not be assimilated with whites. The truth is the Great Emancipator was never interested in putting an end to slavery. Is Lincoln a friend of Africans? The answer is no. First, the Emancipation Proclamation did not free the slaves it protected the union. Second, Lincoln’s suggestion of colonizing blacks by deporting them from the Unites States was another ploy to alienate Africans. Third. Fourth. For these reasons I will prove to you that Lincoln is not a friend of Africans. It is important to understand that on October of 1854 Lincoln let it be known that he condemned slavery even though he did not know how to eliminate it. Lincoln professed that all men are created equal. However, in one of the Lincoln’s debate with Frederick Douglas, Douglas accuse Lincoln of being a lover of the Negro race. Lincoln vehemently denied the charge by stating, â€Å"I am not, nor have I ever been, in favor ofShow MoreRelatedAbraham Lincoln : Vampire Hunter971 Words   |  4 PagesAbraham Lincoln is an American President who hasn’t been overlooked in the decades following his death. His character still lives on today as he resonates through popular American culture. Many books and movies have been produced about his life to show the role he played in our history and the impact he had on our country. The most recent film, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, captivated audience’s attention with a riveting tale about our sixteenth president hunting vampire s. The film contains someRead MoreAbraham Lincoln: Characteristics of a Hero907 Words   |  4 Pagesthe qualities of a hero: courageous, perseverant and compassionate – all of which Abraham Lincoln perfectly demonstrates. Abraham Lincoln was born in February 12, 1809, in a log cabin to a family of uneducated and poor pioneers (Denenberg and Bing). Throughout his life, Lincoln would be presented with many challenges, and will each time intrepidly tackle each challenge. Having no access to a formal education, Lincoln had to take his learning in his own hands, and owes his intellect and eloquence toRead MoreThe Year Long Period Of Social Unrest1747 Words   |  7 PagesWar, Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, an actor pursuing the revival of the confederacy and the total destruction of the Union. Abraham Lincoln was known to be a hard working, driven man which led him into politics and eventually presidency. Throughout his childhood, Lincoln had grown up in very rural areas and knew of nothing other than â€Å"frontier simplicity† therefore, he experienced little interaction with others (Lincoln World Biography par. 5). As a child, Lincoln experiencedRead MoreAbraham Lincoln : His Fight For Freedom And Equality Essay1308 Words   |  6 PagesAbraham Lincoln: His Fight for Freedom and Equality Throughout history, slavery has been a controversial topic in the United States. There have been many revolts and rebellions, such as Gabriel’s Rebellion or Nat Turner’s Rebellion, fought over the abolition of slavery or for African Americans to be able to receive the same rights as those of white people. Many people have fought for this cause and one of those people is Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which is oneRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln s 12 Years A Slave 1366 Words   |  6 Pagestensions developed and fights broke out. These events caused the need for leadership. Abraham Lincoln’s election caused him step up to that position of leadership which allowed him to leave a legacy by the Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address, and the Amendments. Lincoln set the Civil war and took Cultural, Social and Political actions to solve slavery. During the 19th and 20th century, the United States was in conflict or turmoil with itself over slavery causing the need for PresidentialRead MoreThe United States And The Civil War1516 Words   |  7 Pagesin History. The nation was suffering from cilvil disorder, moral values, political struggles amongst a dividing nation. The â€Å"slave† states ( The South ) created the Confederation States of America, thus separating from the Northern States. Both sides were growing in opposites directions, economically and different social views. Of the industrialization and the evolving workforce, slavery and its cruel practices were the biggest concern of both parties. The United Sates was entering a new era in theRead MoreAbraham Lincoln : A Man Of Courage1459 Words   |  6 PagesAbraham Lincoln â€Å"Courage is not the absence of fear. It is going forward with the face of fear† - Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was a man of courage who many looked up to during the civil war. Lincoln was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky, and grew up western frontier in Kentucky and Indiana. He was self-educated and became a lawyer in Illinois, a Whig Party leader and member of Illinois House of Representative, which he served for twelve year. Lincoln got a sense of what it took to be a leader of theRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln1614 Words   |  7 PagesPolitical Science 1100 Dr. Michael Petersen Abraham Lincoln I chose to do my research project on one of our presidents and the president I chose is Abraham Lincoln. I chose to do it on Lincoln because in my eyes and in the eyes of many other people, he was our nation s greatest president. He was considered our greatest president for everything he was and stood for and for all the things he did for our country. The first thing people should know about lincoln is that he did not grow up in a rich orRead MoreAnalysis Of Virginia Plantation s The Slave Relationship 1321 Words   |  6 PagesPlantation life in 1800. Detailed in this painting is the master slave relationship. It shows a white master having power over his African American slave – one female and one male. This painting is called Luxuries which in this depiction shows luxuries related to sex and power. That is, a white master, having sexual relations with black female and discipline African American man without any impediments. It can be inferred that that white mast er or white overseer is in complete control. InRead MoreAfrican American And The American1464 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican American The beginning of our nation there were many battles between the Native American and the arrives of the European such as the Spanish, The English, The French, and Dutch. In those battle, the Native American had to fight for their lands, they were mistreated, and usually they were called, â€Å"Savage† but Native American weren’t the only people who suffer throughout history. African American, Irish, Mexican, Japaneses , Asian, Germany, Chinese and many more suffer in the hand of the English