LITERARY THEORY Misconceptions about theory: 1. Theory is difficult What is difficult however is the language because most of the theorists are French 2. theory is meaningless‚ pretentious jargon 3. that we are intellectually incapable of coping with it(i.e we are at fault) 4. We take everything as gospel truth; We should question What is literary theory? Theory is a coherent set of conceptual hypothetical and pragmatic principles forming the general frame of reference for a discipline
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White privilege does not equate to power‚ but instead ignorance. Twain satirizes this idea in “A True Story.” Misto C—sees her as “a cheerful‚ hearty soul‚” and questions how she has lived without trouble‚ despite the fact that she is a black servant (Twain 138). Aunt Rachel has been conditioned to act a certain way around her superiors and she exemplifies the idea that a portrayed identity is enough to cover certain truths. As a result‚ Misto C—is naïve to her suppressed position as a woman
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102 27 July 2014 The Damned Human Race by Mark Twain: Critical Evaluation Essay Mark Twain is a very popular writer with many successful pieces of work. His work uses satire and is often mean spirited. He shows a harsh side of himself in "The Damned Human Race". The way he writes forces you to look at the evil nature embedded in the human race. He says "Indecency‚ vulgarity‚ obscenity (these are strictly confined to man); he invented them" (Twain). He uses satire to reveal that humans falsify and
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Literary Lexicon Allusion A reference to a literary‚ mythological‚ or historical person‚ place‚ or thing. Irony A contrast between appearance and reality – usually one in which reality is the opposite from what it seems; when one thing is expected to happen or be‚ and the exact opposite occurs. Symbol The use of any object‚ person‚ place‚ or action that both has a meaning in itself and that stands for something larger than itself‚ such as a quality‚ attitude‚ belief‚ or value. Foreshadowing
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an advocacy website pertaining to the infamous Mark Twain and one of his many revered works entitled “The Art of Inhumation”. It was a welcomed opportunity as I have always enjoyed Twain’s writings and‚ although this particular work was largely unfamiliar to me‚ I was excited to explore this site to learn more. All of this build up of excitement turned to disappointment early on‚ however‚ as I found the site (http://essays.quotidiana.org/twain/art_of_inhumation/ ) less than desirable from a visual
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the ways that the story line is similar and both characters in the stories share similar struggles and qualities. To summarize‚ the shared theme of perseverance is illustrated in both The Negro Mother and A Raisin in the Sun through the use of literary devices including characterization. In “A Raisin in the Sun‚” the theme of perseverance is shown through the characterization of both Mama and Beneatha. In Mama’s life‚ she has struggled through years of poverty and constant work day after day to help
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Ad Hominem An argument based on the failings of an adversary rather than on the merits of the case; a logical fallacy that involves a personal attack. Allegory Extending a metaphor so that objects‚ persons‚ and actions in a text are equated with meanings that lie outside the text. Alliteration The repetition of an initial consonant sound. Allusion A brief‚ usually indirect reference to a person‚ place‚ or event--real or fictional. Ambiguity The presence of two or more possible meanings
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pro-slavery South‚ with each side seeking to protect their interests and way of life. The authors of these poems use poetic devices and literary elements to capture the feelings of the nation during the times of the Civil War. For example‚ "Gathering Song" by Annie C. Ketchum is a poignant poem that explores the themes of community and togetherness. Ketchum utilizes various poetic devices to convey the sense of
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The Short Stories of Mark Twain Mark Twain has composed a myriad of short stories over a long period of time. Twain writes with the passion to charm and amuse the reader. Every single sentence he writes makes one want to keep reading on to see what happens next. His stories also offer a comment on human nature and Twain often questions conventional wisdom. Just because someone’s life did not attach to with what many people see normal‚ Twain seems to be asking if that makes them lucky when they
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with anything we had previously learned. Mark Twain writes of ceasing to note the beauty of the river while steamboating‚ implying that once you have learned certain practices‚ they become almost innate qualities. That is not to say that they become instinct‚ only that one has mastered this ability. When any individual begins a journey of learning a new trade‚ ability or experiencing a new discovery – initial rapture almost always ensues. Twain uses figurative language to effectively describe
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