Remarque illustrates loss of identity through the conceptual progression of a soldier’s identity, he does this using characterisation. This is evident when Paul kills a French soldier by the name of Gerard Duval. Paul reinforces the fact that Duval was “an idea to [him]” as well as “a concept in [his] mind.” This metaphor used by Remarque conveys the sorrow Paul shows towards Duval is one of both regret and remorse. Paul sees a helpless man who “could be just as much of a brother as Kat or Albert” in the same situation as he is in, on the opposing side. This highlights the similarities between the two opposing forces and how the individual soldiers had lost their identity through the conceptual ideas that had been given to one another. Furthermore, Remarque explores the isolation of a generation to convey the loss of identity. Remarque portrays this through the use of contrast. Paul stresses throughout the novel that he wants to “feel the same power” and the “eagerness of youth” he had before the war began. This is seen when he returns home and is trying feel the “nameless urge” that he used to encompass when he read his books. This contrast illustrates to the reader that Paul, who previously stressed his love for books, had lost his will to read. Ultimately, this shows the change in his identity, as a result of the war.…
The novel follows two very different adolescents, Tal and Milla, as they experience together several hardships, travels, and experiences. In the beginning of this novel, Tal is conceited, dependant on others, and regards himself with superiority that does not extend to any who have what the Chosen regard as a “natural shadow.” . His inability to comprehend anything other than what he has been taught by his elders leads to conflict when he stumbles across Milla and her fellow Icecarls. Their differing views and customs cause him to regard the unfamiliar people as savages and almost sub-human. The author remarks that , "With Tal, I knew he was rather naive, and little committed to his family, and that he had more courage than he knew.” Throughout the…
Though the original Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand was adapted into the movie Roxanne by Steve Martin, the differences between the two are countless. When watching the movie, the viewer can find that many of the unnecessary details of the book are taken out or altered, while the “skeleton” of the story remains mostly in tact. Despite some exceptions, both the viewer and reader receive, as should be expected from a movie interpretation, essentially the exact same story, however their overall experience after reading Cyrano de Bergerac and watching Roxanne are very much different in many aspects.…
The image that Cyrano has molded for himself is drastically different from the one that lives inside. While being a caring and gentle soul, due to his insecurities he creates another persona, that others are familiar with, who is rugged and rough. On the outside, he appears as an alpha male, while also being an eloquent speaker. As the book progresses, it is revealed how his insecurities are always factored into his decisions. A battle that all go through, the character Rostand has created, clearly displays the strife between internal conflict, public image, and how it ultimately creates problems for oneself.…
Furthermore, Wolff explores the struggle to find one’s identity in the 1950’s. Jack’s constant battle between his imagination and reality are not only a source of ease but also a source of conflict. This is displayed through the moment sister James catches Jack acting in a way that to her uncharacteristic. This disturbs jack as he thirsts for a better version of himself which ultimately ends in him feeling ‘unworthy’ of his aspirations. In…
Albert Camus had his own personal meaning of life, a revelation of his own, “I think my life is of great importance, but I also think it is meaningless.” The meaning of life, in the world’s eyes, is a fleeting thing, ever evolving and changing like the days in a year. Many authors have broached this elusive topic but none have been as inventive or done so with quite as much success as Albert Camus in his book The Stranger. Camus, the man who brought notoriety to the absurd, used this book to explore humanity in “the nakedness of man faced with the absurd,” (Camus). Camus took this journey through the eyes of the main character Meursault as well as through characteristics within secondary characters such as Raymond and Marie. Through Camus’…
One of the popular themes found in Vertigo is death, which entwines with the illusion of romance. Vertigo places its emphasis on the psychological level that twists the angle of Scottie’s fear of death; also his obsession to focus all is energy in search of his decease lover. This theme identifies Madeleine to be the perfect illusion of the world’s misconception of romance to which Scottie is tragically attracted. Thus his restlessness caused him to be manipulated by himself and others, in the dream plotted for him. However, the alternate ending illustrates the universal human experience, that love can cause women to surrender their true identity. Men are now able to show their true masculinity. In other words, men are known to subject women’s…
After Gene pushes Finny from the tree, winter proceeds to parallel with the absence of Finny and showing the similar loneliness that accompanies them. As the summer turns to winter, Leper heads off to war. Months later, near the beginning of spring, he is visited by Gene and shows signs of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). This shows the interrelationship between Leper’s regular quiet self in the summer versus his mentally sick self in the winter. The device of simultaneous progression of seasons and plot help character and action development.…
Perhaps the most significant character, Norman Thayer is a force to be reckoned with. A grumpy old miser, Norman may appear at times to not fully be capable of taking care of himself; however, he is still very sharp. Norman demonstrates Erikson’s last stage, termed Late Adulthood, which features the issue of integrity versus despair.…
Levy, Eric P. "Nor th 'exterior nor the inward man: The Problematics of Personal Identity in Hamlet." University of Toronto Quarterly 68.3 (1999): 711-27.…
From the outset of the novel, Cynthia Ozick frames the novel in a way that calls attention to Lars’ identity. She does this by explicitly detailing his past; his marriages with Birgitta and Ulrika, his relationship with his daughter, and how “he had behind him much of the ordinary bourgeois predicament, and had lost it not through intention but through attrition” (Ozick 4). His former life as a family man is emphasized early on so as to contextualize Lars’ newfangled existence as a devoted belles-lettrist. We thus come to understand that Lars is, in essence, searching for a stable identity, one that…
Tanner does this by addressing “the use of ambiguity and the manipulation of gender stereotypes” (138). Tanner first explores how ambiguity “is used consistently to portray Ebain as a bad lord” (142). Ebain is also emasculated as “it is he and not a damsel who needs rescuing from the dragon” (Tanner 142). Tanner comments on the many other poor qualities Ebain possess including his unchecked anger that frequently clouds his judgment and causes him to make rash decisions (144). Tanner then compares Ebain to Silence as it is “Ebain’s anger and subsequent unjust behavior that will be exposed by Silence’s patience” (144). Tanner finds that the poet “reverses the traditional gendering of emotion and reason” by portraying a man with the impulsive qualities of a woman (144). Tanner next explores the character of the French King who is the pinnacle of positive masculine traits because of this his “vassals flourish and peace reigns in his kingdom because he honors them by seeking and following their advice, behaving with justice and self-restraint, and rewarding their good service” (147). Tanner notes that the French King and “Silence’s actions exemplify the ideals of noble behavior” (147). By the end of the romance Silence has given…
In conclusion, the love triangle is very innocent because Christine is child-like. Raoul only loved her for her voice and Erik loved her because he craved the feeling of love. It’s a story of a lonely man who doesn't and have never felt love in his life. When he did find that love he became very possessive and jealous over the girl. In today’s society, personality is favored over…
Richard appears to evolve from his initial condition throughout the story following the constructive reactions from his community, and close to the end, the introduction of Shawna, reaching an ostensible stability. Therefore, the main character is dynamic, he suffers a complete shift in his behavior that is clearly portrayed in the way he narrates his experiences with his friends and Shawna. Richard illustrates himself in different circumstances that give the reader different sides to his current life. He is an addict; however, he does not fulfill all the stereotypes of one, he is also browbeaten, which seems to be normal in his current life because of the way he expresses the event in which he is being robbed. Nevertheless, the reader sees him as a friend and a lover once the melioration begins. Because of this, his development as a character is round, he is battling in some of his sides as narrated during the introduction, though, he starts to find relief in some of his others. The beneficial development on Richard as the story moves forward supports the story’s…
Human beings are constantly searching for their identity. Most of us end up being defined by our families, friends, and the expectations of society. However, some of us struggle more than others when we don’t seem to connect with the community in which we have grown up. In Henrik Ibsen’s “Ghost” Osvald Alving spends his entire life attempting to find his personal identity. In the end he discovers that he is his fathers son and that he will always be dragged down by the demands of his society, but there is a way to escape.…
