In an interview with the Public Broadcast Service, LaValle explains that "Once he's given the medications, he just loses his will, he loses his bearings. He forgets that he wants to leave because he's only supposed to be there for a three-day observation" (Gross, 2012)
It is worth noting that this identification also crucially incorporates the non-human natural world -- everything which is not culturally determined. Basch notes that Catherine's statement is not hyperbolic, as indeed the logic of the novel demonstrates that "by denying momentarily within herself her passion for Heathcliff, by abandoning him and Nature, of which she is an organic part, Cathy brings about her own destruction" (Basch 91)
It is worth noting that the dynamic is not unlike the one expressed by Butler in Gender Trouble, where, discussing Joan Riviere's notion of womanliness as a "masquerade" Butler notes that "femininity is taken on by a woman who 'wishes for masculinity,' but fears the retributive consequences of taking on the public appearance of masculinity…The woman takes on a masquerade knowingly in order to conceal her masculinity from the masculine audience she wants to castrate…the woman who 'wishes for masculinity' is homosexual only in terms of sustaining a masculine identification, but not in terms of a sexual orientation or desire." (Butler 70)
Patriarchal civilization dedicated women to chastity; it recognized more or less openly the right of the male to sexual freedom, while woman was restricted to marriage. (De Beauvoir, 374)
Similarly too Emily Bronte's Heathcliff "forgets" or is made to forget who and what he was; Mary Shelley's monster is "born" without either a memory or a family history…what all these characters and their authors really fear they have forgotten is precisely that aspect of their lives which has been kept from them by patriarchal poetics: their matrilineal heritage of literary strength, their "female power" which…is important to them because of (not in spite of) their mothers. (Gilbert and Gubar 59) Gilbert and Gubar are certainly right here, that to a certain extent what is central in a feminist conception of the "matrilineal heritage" of literary genealogies is the prospect of identifying with one's precursor
This becomes apparent in the scene relatively early in the narrative where Frankenstein finally succeeds in bringing his creature to life. Victor tells us that he "had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body" -- this would seem to be about the amount of time the nineteen-year-old Shelley had spent pregnant (Shelley, V)
Never is she seen in one that fits her person, but in those frightful "loose jackets," which must surely have been invented by somebody envious of a pretty shape. (Wood XXXI) While no critic would ever want to make claims for the feminism of Mrs
Heart of Darkness -- Postcolonial Images The most vicious postcolonial literary attack on Conrad's Heart of Darkness was launched by the well-known and prize-winning Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. The noted author called Conrad "a thoroughgoing racist" who has written a book that is "offensive and totally deplorable" (Clendinnen, 2007)
The entire book is based in travel. The sailors spend their lives on ships and even in the quest for the great whale it is the travel that is so painstakingly depicted within the story (Melville pp)
Is it about ordination? Is it an allegory on Regency England? Is it about slavery? Is it about the education of children? Is it about the difference between appearances and reality? Is it about the results of breaking with society's mores? Any or all of those themes can, and have been applied to Mansfield Park." (Austen
More precisely, "Austen's references to Antigua, though sparse, have rich and complex implications. Sir Thomas is a slave-owner, a category common enough amongst English gentlemen, but known through the propaganda campaigns as being capable either of comparatively humane behavior or of "Savage Murder," (Sturrock, 2006) Still, despite the fact that Fanny is a very religious person with high moral standards, she fails to consider slavery as a particular negative aspect of the society
.representing as she does, not open minded Christian charity, but an inflexible moral system which has little room for generosity and which gives her every opportunity for self deception" (Waldron, 1999)
Wells wrote about time travel before The Time Machine, and was intrigued by the concept based largely on his socialist views. He found that society was not as evolved or positive as it should be, and dared to imagine what was ahead for humanity if something was not done to encourage optimism and equality (Batchelor, 9-13)
Deckard is at a loss, and travels to Oregon to meditate, finding a toad that he thinks is original. Returning home to resume his duties, Deckard finds that the toad is artifical; something that makes him ponder the banality of life even more (Dick)
It carries a number of Dick's themes, though: religion, the morality of genetic engineering, the Frankenstein theme, and the impact of technology on choices and wisdom. Ridley Scott described the film as "extremely dark, both literally and metaphorically, with an oddly masochistic feel" (Ebert)
Wells believed in improving society, so much so that he was a supporter of the theory of eugenics. In fact, some see the Morlock race to be his commentary on allowing genetic inferiorities to thrive (Levy and Peart)
The actual word comes from the Greek 'ou -- not' and 'topos -- place,' and was coined in the modern sense by the title of a 1516 book written by Sir Thomas Moore. More's Utopia describes a fictional island possessing a seemingly perfect society in which social, legal, political and cultural systems act in harmony and are ideal for humans (Manuel)
In this, there must be a reason that we are so attracted to the utopian/dystopian potential; why we are defined by this idea and use it to validate our own culture. "Disobedience to the… law stands out not only as an aspect of negative conduct in general but… as leading to death: the first human couple missed the chance to attain immortality… it was the act of disobedience that barred the way to the tree of life and brought about the expulsion from Eden" (Mettinger 71)
Indeed, what is ideal for some is less than ideal for others. Interestingly, prior to 1900 more than 400 utopian works were published, after 1900 literally thousands have been published, while a good many have made the jump from the page to film (Sargent)
2 years because of a heart defect, but dreams of being an astronaut He impersonates a "Valid," Jerome, who botched his own suicide and became paralyzed. By "purchasing" blood and urine from Jerome, Vincent's gifts allow him to rise to the top of his class in aerospace school, ending up next in line for a space mission, thus defeating the utopian society (Schellenberg)