Essay for Lit Draft 2
Marina French
ENG 102: Section 1
Paper 1: Comparative Essay
October 9, 2014
Like Sophocles’ famous tragedy Oedipus, Leslie Norris’ short story “Shaving” explores the formative influence of fathers on their sons’ lives. Oedipus and Barry, the protagonists in each work of literature, have different levels of knowledge about their past, which plays into the fact that their fathers amount of involvement in their lives shapes who they have now become. Their fathers’ involvement not only affects their level of knowledge, but also shapes their personalities, creates a shift in power from father to son, and in the end, impacts the decisions they make when they realize the truths in their lives.
Knowledge plays a huge role in peoples lives when it comes to growing up. For Oedipus and Barry, their fathers control their level of knowledge. Oedipus is born and immediately abandoned by his father. Since Oedipus has no knowledge of his past he ends up unknowingly killing his father, King Laius. Much of the playwright is about the search for the man who killed King Laius. There is a repeated contrast in the dialogue between the known and unknown. For example when Oedipus is speaking with Tiresias for insight on how to find the killer.
“OEDIPUS: For the love of god, don’t turn away, not if you know something. We beg you, all of us on our knees. TIRESIAS: None of you knows—and I will never reveal my dreadful secrets, not to say your own.” At this point in the playwright, Tiresias is trying to hint that there is a truth of Oedipus’ life that is hidden. Oedipus is constantly hinted throughout the play, however the main fact of him being unknowing of his past creates problems not only for himself, but others in the city. For Barry, on the other hand, knows about his past. However, even though he knows, he is still influenced by his father because of it. Barry has conversations with his mother and father and it is very well known that his father is dying because of an
ENG 102: Section 1
Paper 1: Comparative Essay
October 9, 2014
Like Sophocles’ famous tragedy Oedipus, Leslie Norris’ short story “Shaving” explores the formative influence of fathers on their sons’ lives. Oedipus and Barry, the protagonists in each work of literature, have different levels of knowledge about their past, which plays into the fact that their fathers amount of involvement in their lives shapes who they have now become. Their fathers’ involvement not only affects their level of knowledge, but also shapes their personalities, creates a shift in power from father to son, and in the end, impacts the decisions they make when they realize the truths in their lives.
Knowledge plays a huge role in peoples lives when it comes to growing up. For Oedipus and Barry, their fathers control their level of knowledge. Oedipus is born and immediately abandoned by his father. Since Oedipus has no knowledge of his past he ends up unknowingly killing his father, King Laius. Much of the playwright is about the search for the man who killed King Laius. There is a repeated contrast in the dialogue between the known and unknown. For example when Oedipus is speaking with Tiresias for insight on how to find the killer.
“OEDIPUS: For the love of god, don’t turn away, not if you know something. We beg you, all of us on our knees. TIRESIAS: None of you knows—and I will never reveal my dreadful secrets, not to say your own.” At this point in the playwright, Tiresias is trying to hint that there is a truth of Oedipus’ life that is hidden. Oedipus is constantly hinted throughout the play, however the main fact of him being unknowing of his past creates problems not only for himself, but others in the city. For Barry, on the other hand, knows about his past. However, even though he knows, he is still influenced by his father because of it. Barry has conversations with his mother and father and it is very well known that his father is dying because of an