A Thousand Acres Analysis

Clearly one of the main themes evident in this short story, the battle with her identity and gender is quickly made apparent. The narrator is a young girl who appreciates, respects and holds her father’s authority in high regard, while she looks down on

Joyce’s “Araby” and Bambara’s “Lesson” pose surprising similarities to each other. Despite the narrators’ strikingly clear differences, such as time period, ethnicity, social class, and gender the characters have important similarities. Both narrators are at crucial developmental stages in their lives, are faced with severe adversities, and have a point of clarity that affects their future.

Through such actions of defiance and revolt, she manages to keep herself “free” from the social gender pressures imposed upon her. This girl feels imprisoned by her family, as she thrives on what is accepted as “a man’s job”. Furthermore, it is through her imagination that she is able to escape reality, inventing a “world that is recognizably [her] own”. She imagines “opportunities for courage, boldness and self-sacrifice,” where she can ride horses and save lives. This young girl’s ambitions and dreams to live a man’s life are impeded by her mother and grandmother’s protests to “act like a girl”.

A Wealthy Plantation Owner and His Views on Independence As a successful planter and part of the Virginia elite, I must say that I am somewhat concerned about the move for independence by the colonies. Having run my 50-acre plantation, which is tended by my fifty-three slaves, I have seen great prosperity, especially with the demand for my rich-tasting tobacco and luxurious cotton. Demand has increased three-fold in the period from 1773 till now, and I expect it to continue. A big reason for this increase, I have to attribute to the status quo and the benefits we, as colonists, receive from our mother England. Therefore, as a man of reason, and one who wishes the best for his fellow Americans, I have to say that I am somewhat perplexed as to

This memoir reminds me about my culture in a sense. I would like to point out a difference between race and religion. Me, personally, I’m an Arab Muslim. In my religion, sex before marriage is forbidden, and those who do it are a huge disgrace because its haram (forbidden), and will result in a major punishment by god. Of course, in many religions, adultery is also forbidden, such as in Christianity, but sex before marriage is still highly common; at least in the west. Now, thinking about what happened to “No Name Woman,” I can relate to what could happen to a Muslim if one did what she did. Although the differences here I believe is religion. For example, If I was just Arab, and not Muslim, having sex before marriage wouldn’t be such a major

Sandra Cisnero grew up in a large family; she was the only daughter with six brothers. She had to try extraordinarily hard to prove that she was worthy and not only a girl but a human being. “Being only a daughter for my father meant my destiny would lead me to become someone’s wife.” When Cisnero was in grade five she informed her father that she was going to go to school. Surprisingly Sandra’s father approved of this notion but not because he was proud of her, but because he figured it was an ideal place to find a husband. Sandra worked hard in her studies and became a published author, but to her father’s dismay she was still unwed. Her father felt that she had wasted her education.” I wanted my father to understand what it was I was scribbling,

First, a strengthened relationship towards her family helps the narrator understand her role as a burgeoning African-American female. Instead of feeling disconnected from her family like in “Miss Muriel”, she now relates to her family’s emotions and to the struggles the Layens have experienced for generations. Additionally, the narrator transforms from an external to an internal ‘self’. For example, the narrator sacrifices her unfiltered behavior in “Miss Muriel” when she realizes her actions will always influence her family’s dignity. Her increased reliance on silence may seem like hiding from societal pressure, but the narrator never loses her spirit.

But, the girls fails to take notice of his chivalric gesture, and leave the store. He too ends up with much disappointment. Both Joyce’s “Araby” and Updike’s “A&P” have succeeded to utilize adolescent protagonists whom have experienced cultural conflicts while on their quest for romance. Both the protagonists feel trapped in restrictive cultures where the older adults are strict and unsympathetic. This authoritative culture seems to have contributed to a society where members thrive in abject poverty.

There are many issues found within A Thousand Acres that are unique to rural or country life, but one main issue that stand out is running a farm. My family owns many acres of farm land and grows everything from lima beans, peas, and corn to peanuts depending on the season. It is one of their main sources of income. Many factors play into their success, the demand for certain products, the season, and if the area is facing a drought. Running a farm takes a lot of hard work, and takes time to even see it become successful. It needs to be taken care of daily, and requires everyone to give 100%, because if someone slacks off it will have a negative effect in the future. Even if you work at keeping the farm healthy, there’s no guarantee you will

Narratives have the ability to act as a bridging agent working to humanize and create empathy towards the stories of others. Elif Shafak’s The Bastard of Istanbul and Susan Abulhawa’s Mornings in Jenin both serve to function as narratives expanding on intellectual and emotional horizons that provide engaging and thought provoking stories that challenge competing national myths of victimization. The Bastard of Istanbul confronts the violent history of the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian genocide through a family of women living in modern day Turkey. Through a series of flashbacks and stories shared by the diverse female characters, the novel emphasizes the importance of creating discussion related to the mystified event in order to achieve truth and reconciliation. Mornings In Jenin, on the other hand, is a narration told from the point of view of a Palestinian family of

Like many communities, Forest Acres is a community that has strengths and capacities that make the area unique. In terms of safety this community is working to provide a safe environment for residents. According to Forest Acres (2017), it is reported that the community had very few violent crimes with only one murder, three rapes, eleven robberies, and forty-six assault crimes. Therefore, it can be concluded the community is striving to meet the goal of keeping residents safe from violent crimes so they can live in the community without the worry of becoming a victim. Although violent crimes are limited, Forest Acres experiences more property crimes when compared to South Carolina’s average. The chances of becoming a victim of property crime in Forest Acres is 1 in 19, with South Carolina as a state being only 1 in 30. Therefore, it is assumed this is an upscale community that is vulnerable to break ins and is working to find solutions to help residents keep their belongings safe from burglaries. Also, it is reported that the crime index for Forest Acres is

As a result, Winnie isn't treated the same as males, demonstrating her struggle of being a female. Using Jesus as a reference, she states that society appeals more to men: “When Jesus was born, he was already the song of God (322).” While Winnie states this, she mentions her inauspicious early life and how it contradicts with the advantageous male figure. “I was the daughter of someone who ran away, a big disgrace (322).” These statements show a dichotomy between the two genders as a figurative line divides them like Trump’s dream border. It represents the border that women cannot cross due to society’s norms or else they will be persecuted for not abiding by the status quo. In Winnie’s society, women are held as frail, household figures, not recognized as an empowering group. Even if women pursue this liberation, people begin to forget what they have accomplished. Thus, Tan’s message to readers to how immediate change —when rushing or skipping an imperative step— is inefficient. To provide change for women, Tan encourages readers to complete the first step: revamp their own stereotypes of women before changing society’s. By doing so, they become empowered, inspiring other women and impacting their beliefs on gender roles. This is Tan’s lesson all constructed under one found

When I began reading “Lehigh Acres” by Spencer Fleury I immediately noticed a dark, ominous tone that carried through to the end. This bleakness can be seen through the connotations of the words that Fleury uses such as; “ruins”, “empty”, and “indifferent”. The use of negatively associated words gives the reader an idea of what Lehigh Acres feels like. Going hand in hand with this tone was a strong theme of the emptiness and loneliness of human civilization. Throughout the work Fleury does an excellent job of using the juxtaposition of common suburban characteristics with the qualities of an abandoned or ghostly town to emphasize this theme. Although the overall work demonstrates this theme one line specifically stuck with me, “it was easy

The story “Araby” as told by James Joyce is about a young boy that is fascinated with the girl across the street. But deeper down the story is about a very lonely boy lusting for her love and affection. Throughout the story, we see how the frustration of first love, isolation and high expectations breaks the main character emotionally and physically. James Joyce uses the first-person viewpoint to tell this story which helps influence the plot, characterization, themes, and understanding of the main character.

“Araby,” is a story of emotional passion carefully articulated by the author, James Joyce, to mark the end of childhood and the start of adolescence. It is told from the perspective of a young boy who is filled with lust for his friend, Mangan’s, sister. He lives in a cheerless town on a street hosting simply complacent families who own brown faced houses that stare vacantly into one another. The boy temporarily detaches himself from this gloomy atmosphere and dwells on the keeper of his affection. Only when he journeys to a festival titled Araby, does he realize that his attempt at winning the heart of Mangan’s sister has been done in an act of vanity. Joyce takes advantage of literary elements such as diction and imagery to convey an at times dreary and foolishly optimistic tone.