Jane Eyre Post-structural Analysis

Throughout the novel, Jane has been a very strong character in that her feelings and emotions directly relate to who she is as a person. Her attitude towards others and how she feels in certain situations is related to the reader very clearly, making her story that much more compelling. Jane’s trials and tribulations are expressed passionately by the author, and her relationships with others are very dynamic. With many of the people Jane meets, she is unable to connect with because they immediately reject her. However, there are a few people that accept Jane for who she is and provide her with true friendship, something that Jane was lacking in her life. Even though Jane believes that she is comfortable with being alone, everyone needs others to rely on and care for. And in the end, I think the premise of Jane’s story is that she is searching for true acceptance once and for all.

There are numerous similarities between Frankenstein and The Call of the Wild that play prominent roles in both works. Perhaps the most obvious similarity between the two men is the effect that solitude has on them. They are both men who once had perfect lives, but decided to leave those lives in search of something deeper. They chose to discover their existence through living by themselves, and the reader sees that their solitude has severely negative effects on both characters. The main character from The Call of the Wild eventually dies because he was unable to survive on his own, and Victor becomes very sick from avoiding contact with others. The main character in The Call of the Wild puts it best when he said that happiness is only real when shared with others. In Frankenstein, Victor would never be able to appreciate any success or happiness he may have felt through his experiments because he had no one to share it with. As we have read in Frankenstein, it is clear that The Call of the Wild's main character's message is true in more than just one work.

Feminist Critique

Chaucer was definitely a feminist in writing The Knight's Tale and it is no secret. I do not believe it was done on purpose, but Chaucer certainly put forth a feminist stance in his writing as he made Emily appear as more of an object than a human being. I cannot blame Chaucer, however, because that is how people behaved in this time period. Women played an inferior role in society as their purpose was to help make the lives of men easier. Women were possessions in society, and that belief is clearly portrayed in the text.

In society today, we believe that a feminist attitude is inappropriate and has no place in today's world. While I do support the fact that a feminist approach was taken by Chaucer, I do not believe that it was inappropriate or takes away from the overall quality of the text in any way. These were the common beliefs of society at the time, and to criticize Chaucer for his feminist approach is unwarranted because that is what he was taught to believe.

Ideal Society Final Evaluation

At the end of this assignment, I did not end up trading cards with anyone for various reasons. My first and biggest reason is that the people I chose to include in my society were chosen for specific reasons. They each have their own unique traits and abilities that cannot be compared to anyone else. Also, each of the strengths and weaknesses of my people complement one another so that they all mesh well with one another. If I had chosen to trade cards with another person, I would be compromising the foundation of my society which would not be good. However, I was willing to trade one or two of my cards that I thought I could do without just so I could participate in the assignment, but I found that the only people I would be willing to receive for those cards were people that played the same roles as the ones I was trading. Because of that, I thought it was best fit for me to hold on to my cards and have confidence in the decisions I made.

Ideal Society Members

Any society must be based around strong leadership and balance because without a strong foundation, stability is impossible. All members must contribute equally in order for the society to prosper, and all members must bring their own unique traits to the table. In my ideal society, the first person I would include would be Oprah Winfrey. Her natural leadership skills and inspirational traits make her an easy selection to be the primary leader in my society. Also, her generosity and modesty assure me that she will always look out for the best in others and not become greedy. My next selection would be Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles. His astonishing athleticism and strength would make him a perfect fit as a military leader. Next, the perfect entertainment leaders would be the Beatles. Their amazing talent and success have shown that they are arguably the greatest band of all time, and in an ideal society, they would provide quality entertainment for all. My next selection would be Bill Gates because of his creativity both as a businessman and as an innovator. He would provide my society with professional leadership and give positive input towards new ideas. Finally, I would choose Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, because he would be a youthful presence in charge of the social scene. He would be a fresh face that could offer many innovative ideas looking towards the future.

Courtly Love

1.) Establish a friendly relationship with the person

2.) Learn things about her (likes and dislikes)

3.) Spend more and more time with them

4.) Be kind and show you like the other person

5.) Ask them out on a date

6.) Be charming and gentlemanly

7.) Give them your full attention

8.) Go out more often- formally and casually

9.) Introduce them to your friends/ family

10.) Make it Facebook official

Kevin McAdam

AP English 12/ Mrs. Turick

10/7/10

Essential Question #4

Simplify and analyze Hrothgar's parting words to Beowulf, lines 1708-1767

Hrothgar’s final speech to Beowulf shares some deep insights and displays his immense gratitude towards Beowulf for everything he did for him and the people of Heorot. Hrothgar begins his speech by advising Beowulf to always praise God for everything given to him. Being humans on this earth is a miraculous thing, and Hrothgar wants to make sure Beowulf remembers that. Also, Hrothgar wants to make sure Beowulf knows it is because of God that we are here: “It is a miracle how the mighty Lord in his generosity gives wisdom and land and high estate to people on earth; all things are in His power” (lines 1708-1711). However, parts of Hrothgar’s parting words to Beowulf are presented as a warning to never become arrogant and pompous, and to remain true to himself. Hrothgar explains that if Beowulf starts to become arrogant, the pride and greed in his body will take over and become his demise. Reputations were important at this period of time, but Hrothgar is warning Beowulf not to let his reputation get ahead of him. Hrothgar states that the only way for Beowulf to attain true happiness is for him to avoid succumbing to sin and temptation. Hrothgar tells Beowulf that his time on this earth is short, and we must all live as virtuously as possible to live an ever-lasting life in heaven. Finally, he thanks God that he lived to see Beowulf’s triumphs, and he invites him to feast and share the treasures.