This is a
good question.
First, Rome was on a policy of expansion. They expanded to
such a degree that there were many borders to defend. As early as the reign of Diocletian, it
became apparent that the Empire was in need of reform on account of its size. In light of this,
the sheer size of Rome necessitated more man...
In the
story of the King,
Queenand Oedipus discuss the prospect of Oedipus being
the murderer of King
Laius. This discussion happens directly afterattempts to persuade Oedipus
that he is the killer of Laius, and Oedipus in turn blamesfor the murder due to this
accusation.
Jocasta enters the scene to interject herself between her
quarreling husband and brother and
begins to question Oedipus about what has
upset him. Oedipus...
Muslim
civilization began forming in the 7th century when the prophet Muhammad first recited the Quran
and began a war of conquest which eventually spread Islam across the Arab peninsula. Under the
Rashidan and Umayyad caliphates it grew larger and more prosperous, eventually reaching into
Europe and across Asia.
In addition to territorial contests and occasional
armed...
After the
Trail of Tears, the Cherokee found themselves a shattered nation in a foreign environment. The
grasslands of Oklahoma were very different than their homeland in the southern Appalachian
Mountains. Consequently, they had to adapt quickly to life in this new land. Already weak and
disorganized from the grueling and deadly forced march across the country, the Cherokee
initially found farming difficult on unknown land, and many more starved during the first few
years there.
The Cherokee also suffered from violent infighting after their
forced removal. There was a faction that blamed the leaders, who they felt sold them out to the
federal government by agreeing to abide by the Indian Removal Acts. Several of the older leaders
were killed in retribution for what was seen as a betrayal of the entire tribe. The Cherokee
subsequently fell into a state of civil war that lasted until 1849. This infighting, in addition
to those who died on the Trail of Tears, greatly reduced the size of the Cherokee
nation.
It took the passing of a whole generation before the Cherokee were
able to recover their former cohesion. Eventually, they became one of the predominant tribes in
the Oklahoma territory.
A
Dark-Brown Dog is a short story by American author Stephen Crane (1871-1900). Crane is renowned
for his Civil War novel, The Red Badge of Courage. He is also noted as a
master of American , a literary style which rejects Romanticism and seeks to portray events and
characters in a stark, unadorned way. Keep this background in mind as you examine the tone and
mood of A Dark-Brown Dog.
Before we explore this short storys tone and
mood, let us review the definition of these terms. Tone is a literary device that projects the
attitude of the writer. Tone is often conveyed in subtle ways. Mood is the overall feeling that
the writer wants to create in the mind of the reader. Think of mood as a background color. Look
for both tone and mood very early on in anything you happen to be reading and you will find that
the writer has selected very specific words and situations to set up these two literary
devices.
The Dark-Brown Dog can be very difficult to read, as it portrays
the incessant and escalating abuse of a gentle little dog (and the wanderings of a neglected
toddler) within the context of a very dysfunctional family. Try to read the story with a degree
of emotional detachment if you can, in order to discover the authors purpose, meaning, and
literary techniques. Also keep in mind that general societal attitudes in America at the time
when Crane wrote the story were far more tolerant of physical abuse (or discipline), both of
youngsters and of animals, than is the case today. This being said, however, there is something
undeniably wrong with the family in the story. Crane effectively illustrates the phenomenon of
anger displacement in the reckless way that the unnamed childs family members interact with each
other, and ultimately, with the small and helpless stray dog that the unnamed toddler drags
home.
What can we notice about the authors attitude or tone? First of all,
Cranes use of the indefinite article A rather than The in the title suggests that the dog,
like the unnamed toddler (whom Crane refers to merely as the child) are representative not of
only one particular situation, but of a condition that is all-too commonplace. He writes with
the tone of an indifferent observer when it comes to the child, the father (who is often drunk
and violent), the mother, and the indistinct big folk at home, who regularly insult and
maltreat the dog (and one may surmise, each other). We are not told much of anything about their
inner lives.
Cranes tone changes, however, when he writes about the dog. He
poignantly describes the creatures heart-wrenching reactions to the abuse he suffers and his
unfailing loyalty and devotion to the child in spite of the indignities to which he is
constantly subjected. The contrast in the authors tone poignantly underscores the inhumanity of
the humans and the finest of human qualities of the dog. In fact, the one time in the story
when nature's beauty is mentioned is as afor the dogs character: Down in the mystic field of
his little dog-soul bloomed flowers of love and fidelity and perfect faith.
What kind of mood does the story call to mind? In the first lines, Crane the paints a
scene of urban pollution and noise: Sunshine beat down upon the cobbles, and a lazy summer
wind raised yellow dust which trailed in clouds down the avenue. Clattering trucks moved with
indistinctness through it. Clearly, this is not an area where a very young child would be safe
wandering around alone, yet an unsupervised toddler stands on a street corner, leaning against a
fence. We learn later that this is part of the childs routine (a perfunctory route) and not
just a one-time event. We also learn by gradual clues that culminate in the end of the story,
just how young this child is (It took him a long time to reach the alley, because his size
compelled him to go downstairs backward, one step at a time, and holding both hands to the step
above.)
In your efforts to come up with your own description of the storys
mood, consider first what feelings the story does not evoke. To me, the opening scene of a dusty
road with noisy trucks and a toddler wandering alone does not feel safe, wholesome, or serene.
In fact, it reeks of indifference and neglect. I am made to wonder what kind of family would let
a child that young wander a city neighborhood. The appearance of a very small stray dog with a
rope still attached to his neck evokes what I would call a sense of pathos. The agreeability and
eagerness that the dog demonstrates, even when the boy tells him in his own way that he is
unworthy and beats him conveys a strong message about what the child must himself experience at
home.
The old
dog and Candy himself are symbolic of what happens when someone outlives his usefulness. The dog
has lived a long life as Candy's companion but no longer serves any purpose. He smells bad, is
blind and has a bad coat. Carlson, a static character whose main purpose in the novel is to kill
the dog, complains:
Well, I cant stand him in here, said Carlson. That stink hangs around even after
hes gone. He walked over with his heavy-legged stride and looked down at the dog. Got no
teeth, he said. Hes all stiff with rheumatism. He aint no good to you, Candy. An he aint no
good to himself. Whynt you shoot him, Candy?
Candy can't bring himself to
put the dog down, but Carlson volunteers, and Slim, whose "opinions were law," thinks
it's the best thing to do. Slim reiterates Carlson's claim that the dog is no longer
useful:Carls right,
Candy. That dog aint no good to himself. I wisht somebodyd shoot me if I get old an a
cripple.
Symbolically, the dog is similar to Candy. The old swamper, who
lost his hand in a ranch accident, has also outlived his purpose. He fears that he will soon be
fired from the ranch since he can no longer work as hard as the other men. He expresses this
fear after he offers to contribute his money for the farm thatwants to buy. He says,
Maybe if I give you guys my
money, youll let me hoe in the garden even after I aint no good at it. An Ill wash dishes an
little chicken stuff like that. But Ill be on our own place, an Ill be let to work on our own
place. He said miserably, You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasnt no
good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebodyd shoot me. But they wont
do nothing like that. I wont have no place to go, an I cant get no more jobs.
Unfortunately for Candy, the dream of the farm is shattered afteraccidentally kills
Curley's wife. In Chapter Five, George is no longer interested in buying the farm because he
knows he will have to kill Lennie. Lennie, too, has outlived his purpose. He can no longer live
in society because of his actions. The dog, Candy and Lennie become castaways in a society which
cannot be burdened by the old, the crippled or the mentally challenged.Sunday, August 1, 2010
In "The Wife of Bath's Tale", what information does the old woman share with the knight?
The knight in
had committed a crime, but instead of being executed, he was given one
year to live. In this year, he was tasked with finding an answer to the question "what do
mortal women want most?". If his answer before the court was satisfactory, he would be
allowed to live, and if not, he would be killed.The knight spends most of
the year seeking out women and hearing their opinions on the question, but it becomes clear that
there is no consensus. Shortly before the year is up, he encounters the old woman, under
supernatural circumstances, who tells him that old people "know many
things".She then tells him the answer to the question;
that women most desire to have control over the men in their lives.
This turns out to be an acceptable answer, and the knight's life is spared.
As a price for her help, the old woman demands that the knight marry her; he was no
choice but to accept. He is miserable at the thought of this marriage, because she is old, ugly,
and of common birth, but she educates him further;But he
who has nothing, nor covets things, is rich, albeit you count him as only a serving-lad.
This is practically a Buddhist passage; the old woman
states that "low birth" has no bearing on one's goodness, ugliness is a guarantee of
chastity, and that the knight's unhappiness is born merely of unfulfilled desires, and it is
these desires which are the true source of that unhappiness. She
reminds the knight of the examples set by Christ, of poverty and kindness, and reminds him that
it would do him well to follow such an example.Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
